She collapsed to a heap on the ground, powerless. Several guards rushed in and stood over her, just as they threw another net over Ruth.
Scarlet chided herself. She should have been more careful, and made an immediate escape.
Moments later, the warder was back on his feet, bloody, and scowling down at them. He stared down at Scarlet with a hatred she had rarely seen.
“Now you’re going to suffer,” he said. “Before, I was going to put you in isolation, in the silver chamber. Now, I’m putting you in with the murderers. You just dug your own grave. I hope you enjoy it.”
The warder marched out, moaning in pain, and as he did, the guards picked up Scarlet and dragged her out, back down the hall.
Scarlet, in the net, twisted and turned to break free—but it was no use. She was carried deeper down the corridors. After several turns, they reached another level below ground.
She looked out and saw an endless row of bars, behind which was a cacophony of noise. Hundreds of voices, screaming in the darkness. They were lit only by the torchlight, and as they shoved their faces against the bars, it made them look even more creepy. She could see the ugly and dangerous faces of dozens of treacherous types, sticking their heads through the bars, screaming out at her.
She swallowed. With the silver clasps back on her, she was weak and defenseless again. Surely, these prisoners would kill her.
The bars opened and the guards hoisted the net and threw her into the room. She landed hard on the stone floor, Ruth thrown in beside her, as the bars were slammed shut.
She scrambled to her feet and threw off the net—but she was still chained with the silver clasps. There she stood, in the midst of the cell, looking out at the faces of dozens of murderers. They stared back at her and licked their lips, as if a lamb had just been thrown into a lion’s den.
Ruth squirmed beside her, but with her muzzle back on, she was useless.
“Well well well!” one of them, a particularly large and nasty-looking convict, said. “Look at what we have here!”
“If the lamb hasn’t come to slaughter!” said another.
“I didn’t have my breakfast yet today!” another one added.
“This is going to be years of enjoyment for me. Do you know what it’s like to suffer slowly, little girl?” another asked.
Scarlet squirmed against her shackles, but no matter how much she tried, she could not get free. The group of convicts slowly approached. She backed up, until she was flush against the stone wall.
Soon, she hit it, and there was nowhere else to go. Outside, she could see the guards watching, the sadistic smiles on their faces. Clearly, they would revel in this, watching her suffer.
The crowd closed in, now only feet away.
Scarlet only wished that she didn’t have to die this way.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Caitlin and Caleb followed Aiden as he walked down the steep slope of the Mount of Olives, turning amidst hidden paths in the trees. They walked in silence, Aiden several feet ahead.
Caitlin was burning with so many questions for him, as always. How long had he been here? How had he known she was coming? And most of all, why did all the clues lead to him? Was he her father?
They continued in silence, trailing behind, until they reached a plateau at the base of the mountain, well-hidden by the trees. She watched as he walked right into what seemed like a grove of trees, puzzled. He disappeared amidst the foliage. After exchanging a look, Caitlin and Caleb followed.
As they did, she was amazed at what lay just beyond: here, nestled amidst a thick grove of olive trees, sat a large villa, long and wide. Surrounded by columns on all sides, with wide, open arches, it looked like an ancient monastery, with its clean, simple lines and empty space. Inside was a broad, limestone interior, with a simple courtyard and roman fountains. It reminded her of all the monasteries they had visited over the centuries.
Milling about silently were dozens of Aiden’s people, dressed in long, white robes, hands tucked in and heads lowered as they walked, as if in meditation or prayer. Caitlin was surprised they weren’t sparring, training, fighting, as Aiden’s coven always had. Here, they seemed more quiet, peaceful. Yet, at the same time, she could feel the power emanating off of them. She wondered if this silence, this meditation, was a form of training.
Caitlin couldn’t believe it. Just when she’d thought they were all alone, they had found Aiden and his coven, here in this time and place. Here, at the base of the Mount of Olives. Had this been the purpose of all the clues? To lead her to him? Was it time for her to use the four keys that lead to her father?
Caitlin looked all about, looking for any sign, any clue, as to where the four keys might fit. But there was none. She felt more confused than ever, and hoped that Aiden had answers.
Finally, he stopped and faced them.
“Yes, you are right,” Aiden began. “They are training.”
Caitlin flushed, embarrassed he’d read her mind.
“You just don’t see it, as you did in other times and places. In other days, it was a training of the body, a training of swords, and shields, and spears, and arrows. Here, it is a training of the spirit. Of the mind. It is a much deeper and more profound training. The final training, the final level of becoming a warrior. Here, our very souls are at stake.”
Caitlin surveyed the building with a fresh respect for the coven members, many of whom simply stood there, staring off into the horizon, hands folded, eyes closed. She wondered what the training entailed, and how it made them better warriors. She thought back to some of her earlier training sessions with Aiden, when he had pushed her to look inside. To stop fighting. It had been some of the most powerful training she could remember.
She turned back to Aiden. She was burning with so many questions, she hardly knew where to begin.
“Are you my father?” she began.
Her words shocked even her. She hadn’t meant to be so blunt, so direct—but the words just came flying out. She couldn’t help it—she had to know. Was it him, all this time? A part of her felt that it was. But another part wasn’t sure.
His response surprised her even more.
“That is a distinction of which I would be very proud,” he said, smiling slowly. “But alas, it is not the case. No. I am not he. But I know him very well.”
Caitlin felt her heart pounding. At least that put that idea to rest. But she was equally excited by the idea that Aiden knew him. And it made her wonder: was he here? In this place? Was she about to meet him now?
“No, he’s not here,” Aiden replied. “Nor can I reach him myself. If it were that easy, we wouldn’t need you, would we?” He smiled, then asked: “Do you have the four keys?”
She nodded.
“Good. You will need them.”
“But I still don’t understand,” Caitlin said. “Where is he? When will I see him?” Her heart was pounding with anticipation.
“There is a final relic waiting for you,” Aiden said. “One last, final clue, that will lead you to him. We have been holding it for you here, in safekeeping. Of course, I cannot open it. Only you have the key.”
Caitlin looked back at him, puzzled. The key?
He looked down at her necklace, and Caitlin suddenly remembered. She reached down and felt it, her heart pounding.
“Where is it?” Caitlin asked, expecting him to present her with perhaps a locked chest of some sort.
Aiden shook his head.
“Before I lead you to it, you must first complete your training. Tonight, you and Caleb will spend the night with us, and rest up for your final night before you see him. In the morning, we will ascend to the Mount, and you will complete your training. And then, you will meet your father.”
Caitlin swallowed at the thought of it.
“Great forces are aligned against us,” he continued. “Even now they have put into motion plans to destroy us. We have no time to spare. At the first light of dawn, we shall ascend to the mountaintop. And
then you must find your father, and get the shield—quickly.”
“What about Scarlet?” Caitlin asked the question burning most inside of her.
Aiden slowly shook his head, and Caitlin’s heart sank.
“Now, of course, you ache to find her. But you must find your father first. Only by finding him will you find her. But I must warn you: you must keep sight of what is important. The shield. Humankind. The greater good. Saving us all. One day, you might have to choose. Between family, and humankind. Between your legacy, and your destiny. It will not be easy; in fact, it will be the hardest choice of your life. I cannot explain: this must all remain hidden for now. It will be revealed when it is meant to be revealed.”
Caitlin racked her brain, trying to understand what he meant. But she had no idea. It was all too mysterious.
“I don’t understand,” Caitlin said. “Is Scarlet in danger? Right now?”
“Yes,” Aiden answered flatly. “She is in grave danger. And only you can save her.”
Caitlin’s mouth went dry and her heart started pounding, as she felt overcome with a desire to leave and find her that very moment.
“Then I have to go,” Caitlin said, turning to leave. “I’m sorry.”
“And where will you go?” Aiden called out.
Caitlin stopped in her tracks.
“You don’t know where she is,” Aiden continued. “And you can’t. Not until you find your father.”
Aiden stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. Slowly, she turned.
“You must trust me. Once you find your father, all will become clear.”
Caitlin looked out at the blood-red sky, the sunset lighting up the slopes of olive trees, and wondered.
“Is my brother here?” she asked, softly, almost afraid to know the answer.
She looked at Aiden and saw the concern in his eyes. That told her everything.
“Sam…” he began, and turned away, as his eyes welled up. “I’m afraid…we have lost him. He is alive. But no longer one of us.”
“Don’t say that,” Caitlin snapped, hearing the anger in her own voice. “He is my brother!”
Aiden shook his head.
“He was once your brother. Now…he has a different fate. I’m afraid we have lost him to the dark side.”
Caitlin fought back tears, not wanting to believe it.
“I am sorry,” Aiden said. “You two are of the same lineage, but you have vastly different destinies. It is your destiny—and yours alone—to find your father.”
Aiden placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I know this is hard to hear. But you are alone now. Caleb and I are here with you, but it is you, and you alone, who can find your father. The final leg of the journey must be yours and yours alone. Caitlin,” he said, with added seriousness, “after all these centuries and all the places and all the relics, the time has come. This is your time now. Use it wisely, and you will save mankind. But if you use it only for your own means….then there is no hope for any of us. Do not let us down. Whatever you do, do not let us down.”
*
Caitlin sat in an alcove in her room, looking out over the Mount of Olives. She watched the fading light of day, the twilight illuminating the silver branches as they shimmered in the burgeoning moon. Far off, in the distance, she could just barely see the flickering torchlights of Jerusalem, beginning to light up against the night. It was so beautiful, so still, it looked like something out of a painting.
Caleb sat at the opposite end of the room, reclining in the chaise lounge. She already sensed he was asleep. It had been a long day and night for them both, and when Aiden had suggested they retire to their room, they had gladly accepted.
Aiden had told her the final training could not begin until sunrise, but even if she’d been allowed to begin now, she couldn’t. She had never been so tired. In other places and times, she had been physically tired; but here, it was a different kind of tired: it was a psychic and spiritual exhaustion.
Caitlin felt so close to finding her Dad, she could hardly stand it. She felt as if she could find him at any moment, and the feeling was tiring her out. She also felt consumed by a burning need to find Scarlet, to save her from whatever danger she might be in, and the thought of that kept her on edge.
At least she had found Aiden. Caitlin felt so grateful to have found him, to be back in time with him, one last time, with his people, in his place. It was the first time she’d actually felt grounded in this time and place, felt a true sense of sanctuary. She felt reassured by his presence, as always, but at the same time, she had never seen him like this before. She could sense his nervousness, as if he saw some impending doom, and he was not surrounded by all the people she knew and loved from previous years. Polly, Blake, all the others…. It seemed as if they were all gone, as if, one by one, they were all killed over the centuries. Caitlin felt a profound sense of loss. She felt in some ways like she was the lone survivor.
It was odd, she thought, how much things had changed. In the beginning, she had felt like such a newcomer, such an outsider. Such a novice. And now, here she was, the last one standing, the oldest veteran of the bunch. Life, she realized, was always changing, and was never what it seemed to be.
Caitlin sat there, watching twilight turn into night, and finally pulled the burning candle closer to her. She rested on the small stone jutting from the wall, on which she laid her journal. As she’d set it down, she’d been shocked to see how worn and weathered it had become. By now, it looked like a museum relic. She turned the pages slowly, and they crackled with age. Each entry brought back fresh memories, and she had to fight to hold back her emotions.
Caitlin turned the pages until she finally came to the very last blank page. It was the final page of the book. She couldn’t believe it. When she finished this entry, the journal would be finished. Forever.
She swallowed in anticipation. Did that mean her journey was over? For good? In some ways, it felt like it was. What did that mean the next step would be? Would there even be a next step? When it was over, would they all just die? Or would they go on living somehow?
And what would happen to all the people that she loved?
Caitlin took a deep breath and, resting her head in one hand, she grabbed the quill and slowly began to write. The sound of it scratching against the thick parchment slowly filled the room.
This is my journal entry. My final time and place. I miss everyone so much. Sam, my brother. Polly, my best friend. Yes, I have to admit, even Blake a little bit. Actually, any familiar face. If Cain were here, I’d probably miss him, too.
I miss other times, other places. When everyone was together, and happy. In this place, everything is so serious, so urgent, so somber. There is so much at stake. There are no celebrations. No lavish courts, castles. No balls, no dances. Instead, we go from holy place to holy place. And next, it seems, will be Jerusalem. I never thought in a million years I’d ever visit it.
But this is also such an exciting time. I can feel Dad, so close now, and the feeling is keeping me going. The four keys are burning a hole in my pocket, and tomorrow morning, I will complete my training with Aiden. It’s so crazy to think about: my final training session. Then what?
I’m so happy that Caleb is back here with me. We are together, finally. But I also fear for our future. I have a sense that we’ll be parting. That I’ll have to meet my Dad alone. I hope not.
I desperately miss Scarlet, and it’s killing me that she’s not here with me. I’m told I have to find Dad first. So I’ll do everything I can to do that.
But then what? Will that bring back everyone I love? Somehow, I don’t think so. I can’t help feeling that everyone, and everything, I’ve loved will be lost to me forever.
And after all these times, and all these places, and all these clues and keys, I still don’t know who my Dad is. I was sure it was Aiden. But, I learned today that I was wrong. Now, I have no idea who it can be. More than anything, I just want to see him. T
o know for sure. Who I come from. Who he is. Why it was all such a secret. What the shield is.
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. I would give anything for this to be over. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.
As Caitlin wrote her final sentence, filling the final page, she slowly closed the journal. It was finished. She could not believe it.
She held it there, in her hands, feeling the weight of it. A tear ran down her cheek as she pondered all the times and places she had written in it, all the hard times she had gone through. Somehow, she had survived. And this was her testament. Her vampire journal.
Caitlin closed her eyes and rested her head on it, and she didn’t know why, but she began to cry. Her cries softly filled the air, blended with the cry of a night bird’s song, and slowly, she lulled herself to sleep.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
As the convicts crowded in around Scarlet, one of them stepped forward, the largest of the bunch. He towered over the others, and he looked to Scarlet liked he was seven feet tall. He was bald, missing one eye, and was bulging with muscles. He was clearly the leader in here.
He stood in front of the others, then turned and faced them.
“She’s mine,” he announced. “She’s my plaything. Mine to torture as I wish. Do any of you have a problem with that?”
The dozens of faces stopped, and Scarlet could see the fear in their faces. Clearly, no one was willing to challenge him. Clearly, this creep was king of the hill in here. The others slowly slinked away, disappointed but resigned.
The creep turned and reached down and grabbed Scarlet with one hand by the back of her shirt. He picked her up high in the air with a single hand, and inspected her as if she were an insect. He was so powerful, he held her as if he were carrying a fly.
Scarlet wiggled and squirmed, struggling to break free as she was hoisted in the air and as he walked with her, bringing her to a dark, dark corner. She heard Ruth snarl down below, then watched the creep lean over, and kick her hard. Ruth went flying across the room, yelping, and hit a wall.