The Truth of AlexAlex listened intently once more, as she told him of what she referred to as wolf-men. This would be the part where most people would prejudge her as being crazy, or just eccentric, and their minds would drift off to other topics. The complete opposite was true for Alexander. "Go on.""I have been seeing this man, and last night leaving the Civic Center, I swear I actually saw him. In the visions or whatever we want to call them, I have seen him, I even know what he smells like. He scares me in my visions, but seeing him today he didn't seem so harsh. Okay, now I know I'm crazy but I even know his name and I have never met him before."Oshey looked up over her glass at him. "Alex, I have a very open mind and I cannot always explain what I see or hear, and I believe there is more out there than you or I can see. But I do not believe in just conjuring up someone, from a vision or having them just, appear like that. So I guess, I was wondering what was going on in my mi
November 1986Quinn came home today upset and happy. He said that he saw Oshey, not our Oshey, but Oshey. He didn't make any sense; he was fit to be tied. When we tried to get him to talk, all he said was Gaia had kept her promise.I don't understand him, or what he thinks he saw. But if she is Oshey wouldn't that mean the thing is back as well?~~~Quinn had just left Albany Bank & Trust when he caught something in the wind. He sniffed the air several times before following the scent in the direction it was the thickest. "Oshey?""I'll take a Pepsi today, Ray," Oshey said, stopping by the corner vendor. Oshey had come here a lot over the last few weeks, and she was learning all the locals. She slipped a ten to the older man and walked away leaving the change. She knew Ray made very little this time of the year, so she didn't mind helping him out.Cornell and the rest of the band were back in town and planning on meeting her downtown later in the day to set up for the Founder's
1986"Kasper," Quinn said into the phone. "You are not going to believe this. I found Oshey.""Say that again,” Kasper said as he quickly sat forward in the chair, excitement coloring his features."I found her, she is here, but she is different. I can't explain right now." Quinn paced as his free hand ran through his hair.Kasper stood, pulling his boots to his feet, and struggled to make them fit. "Where are you at?" He half mumbled trying not to fall on his face."Near the bank. I'm going to go talk to Gynn and see what she says about this." Quinn felt his heart about to burst out of his chest.
1986Oshey pulled into the parking lot behind Turner's restaurant. She looked at the building remembering a few weeks past when she was tossed like a rag doll. "It's just a building," she muttered, shutting the door to her Saturn. It had been almost a month since she had been manhandled by a man in a mask."Hey Shey," a friendly voice called out from behind.Shey turned to see Chris, the drummer of Final Mile, walking towards her. "Hey Chris, sup?" Oshey smiled and kissed his cheek. She loved seeing him blush."We were just debating food. Darin said to come see you, and find out who down here has good food?" Chris was referring to Downtown Albany.Shey glanced over her shoulder to the restaurant behind her. "They do, and who's buying?" Oshey grinned once she saw Chris’s confusion clear up. She had asked them to meet her at a restaurant."Good question, get us a table and I'll get the rest of them." Chris grinned."Meet you inside," Shey disappeared through the door. When
Present DayJimmy drove up the path to the house and parked before grabbing the journal, he walked with Nat to the front porch of the home. "You know, I think I'm starting to understand what happened.""Are you?" Natalia laced her long slender fingers with her husband. She looked him in the eyes and felt an unspoken understanding between them."Yeah, sort of," Jimmy leaned to Nat and kissed her forehead."You still sound confused," Natalia noted. While she had met Quinn’s pack, she didn't know all the details. She did however know a few key points."I am still in the dark about some details, but it is starting to make sense." Jimmy pulled Natalia to his chest and pushed a stray hair behind her ear. He looked as though he had more to say.Natalia sighed softly. Jimmy didn't hold her close like this often. "Do you want to share?""Well, the bleach spot on the top step, someone was wounded there. The rooms, they were in the middle of moving when something happened. Right?" Jim
~~~1986The drive back to St Augustine went fast. Oshey again fell asleep as Quinn drove. The thunderstorm seemed to follow the couple from Georgia to Florida. Having said goodbye to Quinn, Oshey opened the door, she opened her mouth to say something but a sudden flash of lightning changed her mind. The woman ran a few short feet to her car only looking back over her shoulder once as she placed the seatbelt over her lap. "What are you doing?" Oshey said to no one as she pulled away.The rain began coming down harder and harder, making the drive slow back to town. It was already 7:00 p.m. and she still had to meet up with Alex, Cammie, and the band. Oshey didn’t regret seeing Quinn, but she could have done it closer to home. Realizing she needed to let the others know she was going to be late, Oshey pulled the car along an over-look and pulled the cell phone from her hip. With a simple flip, the phone was on and she was dialing Cammie's phone. "Pick up, baby,” she mumbled loo
1986Kasper and I have been working on securing the house from invasion. I suspect that we might have visitors soon, and not the welcoming type. I have had dreams of the pack being attacked. The thing about dreams is that they are fickle and obscure.~~~Everyone in this house is up in arms. It seems Quinn was right, Oshey is really back. She came here today with some kid. She looked frantic and I didn't get a chance to talk to her. I know Quinn was upset by the meeting, and Gynn and the others showed up soon after Osheys homecoming. Kasper seems at odds as well. On days like this, I wish I was a psychic.The kid came to see me. She wasn't what I expected at first. She picked up a silver bullet. It had been laying on the table, and it burned her hand. I think she is a wolfin, but no one has said anything about her being one. I find that odd because they can smell it on each other. I'm starting to wonder what this kid is.She told me that she didn’t remember anything befo
James trotted through the dark warehouse unseen. Each step brought him closer to his goal, a private room in the rear. He didn't worry about security, or visitors, he owned the building. He opened the door slowly letting red and green hues flood his memory.~~~Flashback"Daddy, why do they hate us?" The little girl asked, looking up from where she had been playing with a doll."Because we are different," James replied in a cool tone."But why?" Again she didn’t understand hatred."A long time ago, an illness spread among our kind. We, are all that is left of the uninfected. We must live here in this place to protect our kind from infection." James explained as her squatted next to his precious daughter.Macille sighed and hugged her father. "Will I ever go to the other world?""No, my dear lil one. I never want you to go to that place. They are evil, vile creatures that live there. They will hunt you and try to kill you. They have no pity or remorse as we do." James moved
May 1991I spent the better part of two weeks with Jessica. She was devastated by her father’s death. I think seeing her crushed brought back emotions I had denied for many years. I’m still human, after all. I cried with her, and when she and I could cry no more, we began to talk. I told her I worked for an eccentric older man. She told me she was starting classes this fall at Albany University. Life just seemed to calm down for the two of us.Mason never did contact me again. But somehow I knew he was watching. He was always going to be watching Jess.I'm going to miss Jess.March 1996I met a very interesting character tonight. He asked me to call him Hound, so I figure he is probably one of Gabriel’s men. Gabe once told me about some of his men, and even regaled me with tales of his private guard, nicknamed The Black Horde. I got the impression from Hound, he may have been part of the Horde. It was quite like a distant memory coming back to me from nowhere. It’s hard
Yada sat on the bench as the day drifted into night. She continued to sit as the moon moved higher, threatening to devour her. Looking over the calm waves, she saw a flock of birds changes direction as if avoiding a predator and finally land to her left. Reaching for her cigarettes, she didn’t notice someone standing behind her. Several minutes passed before, Yada turned around. “Gabriel, my lord,” she quickly said, shifting to one knee before looking at the ground near his feet. “Forgive me, please,” Yada begged, still looking at the ground. Gabriel did not say a word. He simply sat at her side. “Formalities of title have never been part of our relationship before. Do not allow it to come between us now.”“My lord,” she began. “I should have never acted as impulsively as I did. I am a child lost in your world.”“Are you going to refer to me as ‘My Lord,’ all night?” He finally asked.“No,” she whispered. “I’ve been lost this last week without you. I don’t know what is r
I left the apartment today. I could not handle it anymore. I had to get away from the same four walls. I left shortly before sunrise, so he couldn’t follow me. I walked along the beach this morning as the sun began to climb over the city. It was there on the sandy shore I came to an understanding. I now understand what he expects of me. I have searched a lot of memories. He is old. I mean really old. He and his brother Michael were the original vampires--A punishment from the gods. I would never have believed this if I had not relived that moment. I also noticed he has never taken a sahead before. Not once in any memory did I see one. It means something to me. He chose me. I’m honored. But the flood comes and goes and I cannot control what I see. So I left.I continued to walk until I noticed I was being followed. The man stayed far enough behind me so I couldn’t see his face. I kept having the feeling I knew him though. When I confronted him, I wasn’t ready fo
2500 B.C.“Hurry up, Alu. We are going to be late. He won’t be happy if we are late… again.” The tall man spoke over his shoulder, climbing hand-carved steps two at a time.“Time is the only constant. We are never late nor are we early. We arrive when we are expected to.” Alu said, catching up with his brother on the top step.“You sound like you have been studying the stars again, brother.”“Perhaps,” he said with a light smile. “There is a sense of being in the stars. It is said Ra fancies the heaven and stars.”Akar regarded his brother silently before a guard walked them into the chamber.“Pharaoh,” they both said, moving to one knee before their ruler.“Rise Alu and Akar,” Pharaoh dismissed the rest of his court.“You summoned us, Pharaoh?” Akar began, still looking at the hand-carved titles before Pharaoh.“Rise Akar, you are a friend here.” Pharaoh’s words were soft and warm. “Pharaoh, what is your wish, we are here but to serve.” Alu began as he folded his arms beh
Gabriel bit into his wrist and offered it to her. When she brought it to her mouth, he held her tighter. Her body started to reject his blood. It happened every time he fed her. The human body does not accept the blood of the undead. Out of instinct, the stomach convulses, trying to expel what is ingested. Gabriel told her eventually it will subside. Gabriel waited until the fight ended before biting into Yada’s wrist. The moment he did, Yada’s mind began to fill with images from Gabe’s past.~~~August 2, 1701“Gabriel.”It wasn’t his real name, but a name he decided to use some years ago, after the birth of Christianity, when he settled into a small area outside of Rome. He and his brother were mistaken for a pair of Angels. Some hesitant locals said they could only be the hand of God and referred to them as the Fallen Michael and Gabriel. The thought had always amused them, and the pair decided to keep the names as long as they brought fear to man. As long as man feared
“That went well,” she whispered, leaning her head against the wall after shutting his door. Yada knew she would have to deal with other vampires, but she didn’t expect to tonight. Not all the training had prepared her for an actual face-to-face meeting with someone of Vincent’s age. Sure, she had met a few others and even attended a council meeting once, but she was not allowed to speak. Pushing off the wall, Yada found the restroom and splashed water against her face. She looked in the mirror, seeing a pale-faced woman with thick eye makeup standing behind her. The woman’s face powder was heavy, giving her the appearance of the undead. Yada splashed more water on her face and rubbed the back of her neck. The meeting with Vincent proved more stressful than she cared to admit. The light above her head suddenly crackled and flickered before going out. The window behind the woman allowed enough pale light to seep through the blinds, so she could see faint outlines. Beside the
April 19, 1991I made my first real kill tonight. I thought killing an undead thing would make me feel some sort of remorse. I don’t, though. I feel more alive than I have ever felt. I feel like I was born to do this job. The feeling scares the hell out of me and at the same moment electrifies me.I’ve given careful thought to my attacker. I was unprepared for the fight and nearly lost my life. I realized that if it had not been for fast thinking and skill, I would now be dead. I guess in the heat of the moment you don’t have time to think, you can only react to your training. I have heard people say the fight or flight instinct takes over. I have to agree. Survival, my survival, was the only thing I had in mind.I wasn’t as fast as he was, and the trophy he earned will mar my thigh forever. I learned tonight that if I am to live in this world, I need to become a better killer. I don’t mean the type of killer that pulls a gun and gets the job done. I mean the type of kil
We killed my father tonight.He didn’t leave me any choice. James, or that is what he called himself in human form, was a killer. He attacked five wolfin across the region before he finally captured me. He taunted me for several days before I knew what I needed to do.I could not allow him to go on. I couldn’t have more blood on my hands. I already had too much blood on my hands with Anos death. James killed him because he was my friend. I still do not understand Lyceums or their thinking, but I am learning. Daily I am learning about the war on the streets between the Wolfin’s and the Lyceums. And I dislike what I am finding out.My education started the day he kidnapped me. It was the day he killed Jake. I rather miss Jake, even if he was a real pain in the ass. A second event happened that day. It was the day Gabriel entered my life. Rescuing me from James set into motion a chain of events that lead me back to the warehouse tonight.My mate Noah was there. He and Quinn had figured
A gentle breeze from the south brought a thick cloud cover, which blocked the afternoon sun. Jessica Gotti had not noticed the changing weather until the mail carrier appeared and handed her a bound stack. Flipping through the pile, she took a select handful to her car and dumped them in the passenger seat. Looking over the front window of the gallery, she felt a tickle on the back of her neck, as though someone was watching her. Quickly turning around and finding nothing out of place she rubbed her temples, dismissing the sensation as a sign of stress from the extra work she’d put in, so the opening date would not be delayed again.Realizing it was almost 3:00 P.M. She decided to head home. The drive lulled her mind from the hectic schedule she had been living by. The rhythmic sound of the tires erased all the stress of the last few days. Moreover, for the first time, she knew in her heart that the opening would go off as planned with no backlashesShe was listening to a Final