The Blood Bond - Short Story

Falling from the sky, the rain pattered against the ground, and I watched for a moment as the flow of rain washed the blood into the gutters. Around me, the village lay in pieces. Charred wood and singed stone were all that remained of houses where they once stood. Villagers lay scattered on the cobbled street – men, women, children. All dead.

Gripping the hilt of my sabre, I felt the anger flowing through my veins, and as I continued walking along the street, I swore to God that I would get revenge for them, and smite the evil that took their lives and send them back to the devil that sent them here.

As I turned to go back to the carriage, a scream pierced through my ears, and I turned to see a girl running through the shadows towards me. Her clothes were torn, and blood seeped along her skin from several wounds. Crying for help, she collapsed into my arms, and I watched where she had come from, waiting for something to follow. As nothing came, I looked down at the girl, no older than fifteen.

“I am a Hunter.” I explained, trying to calm my voice as urgency was ringing in my mind. “You to tell me what happened here, what were you running from?”

“A Vampire…” She sobbed, looking up at me with her terrified eyes. “It took me to the abandoned manor, just outside the village, but I got away… and now everyone is dead!”

Her crying got louder, but all I could focus on was abandoned manor. Having passed it on the way to the village, I knew exactly where it was. Before I could say anything else, I heard familiar footsteps.

Walking towards us, followed by two soldiers, was Commander Aldrik, my mentor. His short white hair shone in the dim light of the lanterns, and a large silver crucifix hung in front of his black Hunter uniform. To his side was a sabre, its hilt adorned with jewels.

“Elias, what have you got there?” He spoke, his voice old and low.

I glanced down at the girl, before replying. “She escaped from the Vampire. She says it took her to the old manor, outside of the village.”

“Is that so?” Aldrik spoke, before gesturing for me to approach. “Bring the child to me.”

“Go on.” I spoke softly, gently pushing her away. “It’s alright, he is the Commander, it’s safe.”

Trembling, from fear and the freezing rain, she approached the Commander. Taking her hands, he scanned her body for injuries, but nodded and smiled.

Gesturing the cross over her chest with his hand, he prayed. “God bless you, child. May he forgive your sins, and take you back in his arms on this sad day.”

I didn’t see the dagger until the last second, as it plunged into the girl's chest. Her scream echoed around the ruins, and she stumbled backwards. Gripping her chest, she turned, her eyes desperate as they met mine. My legs moved before I could think, and as she fell, I caught her in my arms.

“W-why…” She spluttered, blood oozing from her mouth. Then the light in her eyes faded, and the lifeless void stared back at me. I was stunned, and held her in my arms for a moment, words spinning round my mind, but none came out.

“Look around you, Elias, you can see what happened here.” I heard Aldrik speak, and I looked up at him.

“But… she doesn’t have the mark!” I responded, watching as he cleaned the dagger on his cloak before returning it to its hidden sheath on his leg.

“Have I taught you so poorly?” He retorted, his grey eyes glaring their warning. “A place that has been ravaged by a vampire like this, no one can be allowed to leave. If they do, they could spread the sickness further.”

“I thought you were ready to become a true Hunter, was I so wrong?” His words got angrier, and more impatient.

“No!” I responded quickly, but stopped myself and looked down at the girl. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I laid her on the ground and stood, turning to Aldrik. “No, you were not wrong, I am ready.”

Nodding in approval, the corner of his mouth raised slightly. “Good. Then I will give you a chance. Kill the vampire alone, and then when we return home I will promote you from apprentice.”

Sitting in the carriage, I could feel my hands sweating, and I rubbed them against my trousers. The idea of killing a vampire on my own felt both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Feeling the watchful eyes of Aldrik burning into my skin, I took a  breath and sat straight, doing my best to hide my fear.

The carriage turned, and as I looked outside the window, I saw the large gate that led to the manor. Suddenly, a memory jumped to the surface of my mind.

Roaring flames surrounded me, engulfing any surface it could reach. I was young, six or seven at most. A younger girl clung to me, tears streaming from her eyes as she cried for her mother and father. Grabbing the girl's hand, I pulled her through the flames. Outside, a big angry crowd grabbed us and tore us apart. I screamed and shouted for them to stop, and the girl screamed as she tried to reach me.

“Elias! Elias! El-”

“Elias!” Aldric snapped, and I jumped out of my thoughts as the carriage pulled up in front of the house. The rain had now stopped, and the moonlight was breaking through the clouds.

Standing outside the carriage, I looked up at the manor. All of its windows were gone, and parts of the roof had collapsed, leaving gaping holes. Even for a vampire, I couldn’t understand why it had picked such a broken place for a home. Pushing the thought away, I rested my hand on the hilt of my sabre and turned to Aldrik.

“May God bless you, protect you, and guide you in your mission tonight to destroy the devil's spawn.” Aldrik spoke, making the cross sign above my heart.

Dipping my head in respect, I turned and walked up the steps and into the manor. The smell of damp and rot hit me as soon as I walked through the door, and the only light came from the moonlight shining through the gaps where windows once were.

Remembering my training, I creeped forward, keeping my footsteps light and my movements swift. As I approached the stairs, I spotted faint droplets of fresh blood leading up them. Pulling out my sabre, I climbed the stairs and followed the trail down a corridor where it stopped outside a door.

My heart pounded in my chest, and I could hear the pulse in my ears. Taking a shaky breath, I held my sabre tight and pushed the door open. It creaked at the hinges, and the room beyond was empty of any furniture, and a large arched window let in streams of light on the opposite side of the room.

Cautiously, I stepped forward, and when I reached the middle of the room I spotted it. Glaring red eyes watching me from the shadows behind the torn curtains. It creeped forwards, making no sound as it moved. As it stepped into the moonlight, I held back a gasp. A woman, no older than me. Her skin was as white as milk, and her hair the same raven black as mine. She wore a black dress that came just below her knees, and as we stood for a moment in silence, we looked each other up and down.

Photo by Faruk Tokluoğlu: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-room-with-floor-tiles-and-glass-windows-10339488/

“It cannot be…” She breathed, and I watched her eyes widen in disbelief. “Elias?”

My eyes narrowed as I straightened my stance, but I continued to hold my sabre in defence. “How do you know my name, Vampire?”

Hearing my response, she seemed surprised but then sighed and shook her head. “Of course, you wouldn’t remember.”

“Remember what?” I spat, fear and impatience knotting together in my stomach, but something held me back from killing her.

“Do you really not remember this place? …or remember me?” Her voice drifted off as she looked to the floor.

“No, why should I?” I spoke, my words sharp, but still I hesitated. I wasn’t expecting any of this. I was expecting a quick fight, an irrational vampire filled with the rage of millions of demons.

Snapping her gaze to the door, desperation suddenly filled her eyes and voice as she spoke. “We were only children when The Order came with the angry horde. They burnt the house down, and they were convinced our parents were vampires. Then they split us apart. They took you to become a weapon, and they cast me aside.”

She stepped closer to me, closing the gap but I stepped back until my back was against a wall. 

“A vampire found me dying in the snow. He felt sorry for me and saved me, he raised me before I got sick with fever, and then he turned me. But I have never killed a human, I only feed on animals!”

“You are lying. I just came from the village that was destroyed by you!” I shouted back, and we began circling each other around the room.

“That was The Order!” She cried. “They killed everyone in that village, believing that it was being run by vampires. I tried to save them, but they all ran away from me when they saw what I was.”

“Why would The Order do that?” I asked, my head spinning with all that she was saying. But all I could picture was watching the girl die. Could it be true? Could I have been taken as a child, and raised in lies?

“They live in fear and use fear to control people, Elias.” She stopped moving, and I could see the fear in her eyes. “Then they set it up to test you, to see if they can fully control you and use you as another weapon.”

“If you really don’t believe me, then at least look behind the door. We carved our names there in the stone when we were children.” She gestured to the door. “Please, at least look and then you can kill me, I will not fight you.”

Visions of flickering flames crossed my mind, but I shook the image away. Lowering my sabre, I stepped back and cautiously moved towards the door. The hinges creaked as I moved it, but sure enough, etched on the lowest stone was the words Elias and Alyna. Running my hand over the stone, the image of the girl clinging to me returned to my mind. A girl with raven black hair, my sister, Alyna.

“Elias!” Hearing the shout, my heart jumped in my chest, it was Aldrik.

Storming into the room, lantern and sabre in hand, he looked between me and Alyna. His eyes narrowed, and then they focused on her. My head was still spinning, pieces of fragmented memory began jumping into focus. Memories of my family, and my sister, but also memories of early training at The Order. Being beaten any time I mentioned my family or going home. Being locked away if I got things wrong. I was trained to be a weapon. A weapon against anything The Order deemed wrong. They had told me to kill so many people, were all of them guilty? Could I live with myself if they had been innocent?

“I see… I will have to do this myself.” Aldrik growled, placing the lantern by the door, and holding his sabre towards Alyna.

“By God’s will, you will die today, demon spawn!” He cried, lunging forward, slicing his sabre through the air. Diving out the way, Alyna went to run out the door, but Aldrik was one step ahead. Throwing a vial of holy water at her, it shattered on the doorframe and splashed over her. Screaming, Alyna tried to rub it off, but it burned into her skin, and she fell to her knees. Standing over her, Aldrik raised his sabre for the finishing blow.

Seeing the tears run down her face, my eyes widened. Feeling my heart shatter, I lunged forward, slamming my sabre against his to block his swing. Holding it there, I felt every muscle in my body tense. Meeting his gaze, I narrowed my eyes. I watched his eyes turn cold, and I knew I was finished.

“All those years, Elias. Everything I did was to keep you on the right path. Every lash, every test.” He yelled, desperation and anger sharp in his words. “It was all to harden you against sin. But now you side with the devil’s brood?”

His words cut into my soul, and seeing a glint of pain in his eyes, my chest tightened. Hesitating, I looked back at Alyna. Her eyes were wide as she stared up at me, and blistering wounds covered her body. Taking a shaky breath, I turned back to face Aldrik, and steadied my stance.

“Fine, I knew you didn’t have it in you. You are nothing but the son of demons, and I should have killed you the day I first saw you.” He spat, gritting his teeth. “Today, I will fix that mistake!” 

Diving towards me, he slashed his sabre at my chest. I jumped back, and blocked as he struck again. Pushing him back, I jabbed my sabre forwards. Laughing, he slammed my sabre from my hand, and before I could react, he kicked me to the ground and plunged his sabre into my arm. Yelling in pain, I felt my arm throb, and as he pulled it out, the warm burning of blood as it trailed down my arm.

“No!” Alyna cried, darting towards me. Grabbing her before she got to me, Aldrik threw her to the ground.

“Now, to deal with you.” He growled, pointing his sabre to her, smeared with my blood.

Pushing through the pain, I forced myself off the ground. Just as he was about to dive his sabre into her heart, I pushed her out of the way, and the blade plunged into my chest. Feeling the blade get ripped out, I gripped my chest, and the blood pumped into my hands. Collapsing to my knees, I coughed, spitting blood onto Aldrik’s boots.

“You stupid boy.” He hissed, kicking me back.

“Elias!” Alyna rushed over to me, pulling me to her chest. “Hang on, please hang on.”

Laughing, Aldrik wiped the blood off his blade with his cloak before picking up the lantern. “Enjoy your trip back to hell, the both of you.”

As he smashed the lantern on the floor, the doorway erupted into flames, and I heard the thundering of his footsteps as he ran down the hall. Holding me close, Alyna begged me to stay with her as she watched the flames get closer. Stars began to cover my vision, and I thought of all the lives I had taken, and the girl who had died in my arms earlier that evening.

“I can get us out of here.” Alyna spoke. As she put her arm underneath my legs, and the other behind my back, I completely forgot she was a vampire until she picked me up without even a grunt. Carrying me to the window, Alyna looked back briefly, watching as the crackling flames began to overtake the room.

Leaping from the window, she landed on the grass and sprinted into the forest. I felt the wind rush past us, and heard the faint cracking of sticks beneath her bare feet. It didn’t feel long before she stopped, and placed me down on damp grass. As I looked up to the sky, I could see the bright moon casting light down on us, and then Alyna leaned over me, her wide eyes contemplating a choice.

“I’m sorry, Elias, I am so sorry.” She cried, and brushed the tears from her eyes. “I can’t lose you, I only just got you back.”

“Forgive me for this.” She whispered, and as I saw the glint of fangs, I realised what she meant.

As her fangs pierced the skin on my neck, I cried out and tried to push her off, but she pinned me to the ground. Burning through my veins, the venom burned its way like lava to every part of my body. My muscles tensed and contracted, tearing themselves apart.

My entire life I had been raised to hate vampires, and I had been trained to kill them. Yet, somehow, it felt right, and I welcomed the change as I felt my heart slow down. The regret and pain I had felt vanished from my mind, and there was only one feeling left. Revenge.

The Order had killed my family, left my sister to die, and lied to me my entire life. They have killed thousands of innocents, and forced me to kill them too. So, although my target has changed, I will keep the promise I made, and take out the evil that has caused so much death. One by one, until The Order collapses, and ceases to exist.

As my heart thumped in my chest for the final time, and the world faded to black, I accepted my new fate.

Gasping for air, my eyes burst open, and I jumped to my feet. Feeling my chest burning, I clawed at it and felt the silver crucifix I had worn since I was a boy. Ripping it from my neck, the skin on my hand scorched red at the touch, and I dropped it to the ground.

The silver cross, once a symbol of protection, now hissed like a branding iron as it had touched my skin. Quickly picking it up, I cast it into the trees – God can have it. I needed no protection now.

Taking a deep breath, I looked to the sun that was barely breaking the horizon, and I saw the sky was slowly turning orange. A distance below, I could see smoke coming from the old manor house, which was now fully engulfed in flames. Breathing in the damp air, I could just about taste the smoke.

“Elias?” I heard someone shout my name, followed by a thunder of footsteps. Throwing her arms around me, Alyna buried her head into my chest.

“Alyna!” I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. Then I remembered the pain, and the strong smell of blood hit my nose. 

“You need to feed quickly, before you lose control.” Alyna raised a squirrel to my face that she had been holding, and as I took it, I swallowed nervously. Brushing my tongue along my teeth, I felt the sharpness of my fangs. 

As I bit into the squirrel, I fed on the blood, which was still warm, and a satisfaction rose in my chest. Despite it all, I felt no guilt or regret. 

Dropping the squirrel to the ground once I was finished, I brushed the drops of blood from my face and turned back to the horizon. Standing by my side, Alyna smiled slightly, and placed her hand on my arm.

Seeing the smoke, the rage burned in my chest. Grabbing the Hunters cloak on my back, I ripped it away, and threw it to the ground. “If monsters are all The Order sees… then monsters they shall get.”