Chapter 13 （Nathan）Creatures Of Darkness
Chapter 13 (Nathan )
Creatures Of Darkness
I woke up to the sound of commotion on the boat. Memories of the siren attack, the blood, the bodies, came flooding back. Adrenaline flooded my blood, and I rushed out of bed. I could hear sounds, so the mute spell wasn’t in effect. My heart was pounding. I didn’t know what was happening but was ready to fight whatever attacked us. I hurried to the deck of the boat. The sun was rising, and most of the boat was still in darkness. I noticed that the sails had been lowered. I looked around and tried to see what was threatening us but found nothing.
I calmed down when I noticed we had reached the other side of the river. Dolgrom’s words from yesterday echoed in my mind. I never was so happy to see land. The commotion was only the crew getting ready to land.
“Aye, Nathan. I hope it wasn’t us who woke you up?”
I watched as the deckhands busied themselves, mooring us to the shore. I was glad we didn’t have another attack.
“It’s all right, Dolgrom,” I replied. “Can I be of service?”
The captain shook his head. “We’ll be able to go ashore soon.”
“Good. I’ll collect my things and wait for the others to wake up.”
I left the bridge, eager to continue my journey. I was happy to know that I was getting closer to Emerald with each passing minute. Xavier and Saphielle were still asleep. I returned to my room and tried lying on my bed while waiting, but I was wide awake. I finished gathering my things and waited for the sunlight to reach my window before knocking on Xavier’s door.
A tired-looking Xavier opened the door. “Is it morning already?” he asked sleepily.
I nodded. “How is she?”
He turned to look toward his bed. “She looked fine yesterday when we went to bed.”
“Good.” Of course, I hoped Saphielle was okay, but the one thing I absolutely could not afford was to lose my blood source before I found Emerald. “Get your things ready and come eat breakfast. We’ll leave as soon as you’ve both finished eating.”
Xavier ran his hand through his hair and nodded before returning nonchalantly to his room .
Later, Xavier and Saphielle sat at the table to eat. I noticed how Xavier stayed close to the woman, making all sorts of little gestures for her. He put her hair back in place and cared for all her needs. He whispered in her ear, and she giggled. They looked happy together. Loneliness filled me as it reminded me of Emerald and how much I missed her.
Turning away, I took the map out of my bag and studied it. The road to Desolation Hills was pretty much a straight line from here. If I were alone, I could do it in a single day, but considering I was with my friends, it would take two days. That meant Emerald had now been gone for five days, and it would be a full week by the time we got to the foot of the mountain. Was she still alive? A knot formed in my stomach.
She had to be alive. I would know if she was dead. I was sure of it.
“You’re not eating much,” Xavier remarked.
Saphielle had barely touched her plate and was poking at her egg with the tip of her fork. “I’m not too hungry.”
“I know you’re pretty shaken up from last night’s events,” said Xavier. Saphielle nodded but didn’t answer anything. “Still, you should try and eat,” added the half-vampire.
“How’s your shoulder?” I asked, concerned by the woman’s lack of appetite.
“It still hurts,” she replied.
I stared at her pensively. Xavier replied, “It’ll probably take a few days before it stops hurting.”
“Anyway, why do you care if I’m okay? I’m just a whore, after all,” she retorted suddenly .
I stared at her. I didn’t expect this surge of bitterness. I looked her straight in the eye and noticed she hadn’t put on makeup. I replied seriously, “My life depends on yours.”
Saphielle opened her mouth for a moment, surprised, then pulled herself together, murmuring, “Sorry, I got up on the wrong foot. I’m fine.”
I hoped she was fine, but I wasn’t convinced. However, I didn’t want her to worry about it. She would heal better if she weren’t concerned.
“Do you need anything?” I asked.
The woman shook her head, and I added, “If I can do anything, tell me. Okay?”
Saphielle smiled. “I will.”
Xavier wrapped his arms around Saphielle’s shoulders and gently encouraged her to eat. Slowly but surely, the woman ate everything.
Everyone gathered on deck to see us off. Xavier had made sure to pay the captain a generous sum of gold.
“What are you going to do now?” he asked.
The captain thought for a minute, his eyes shining with his projects. “I’m returning to Mytvathyr and Mumbur to boast of my maritime exploits and fill up with supplies before I find my next quest.”
I smiled at the dwarf’s enthusiasm. He was born for a life of adventure, and I was certain he would find the challenges he sought. “Looking forward to hearing about your exploits,” I replied.
We thanked Dolgrom and his crew warmly before leaving the ship.
I was glad to be back on dry land. In front of us was another forest, but I knew there wasn’t much of it left. To the south were mostly plains dotted with trees. I hoped it would be easy to navigate there so we could get to the mountain quickly.
The first day’s walk went off without a hitch. The forest quickly gave way to a plain. We walked easily through the tall grass, chatting amiably. Although the pain of Emerald’s absence was still there, I knew I was getting closer with every step I took. Saphielle’s condition seemed to be improving, which was good news.
By nightfall, we were in the middle of nowhere, but because the terrain was flat, we could see the shape of the mountain looming in the distance on the horizon. The mountain’s silhouette on the horizon gave me hope to see the woman I loved again. I missed her so much. I couldn’t wait to hug her.
I didn’t know if Emerald could hear me, but I whispered anyway, hoping the wind would carry my words to her, “ Courage, my delicate flower, soon I’ll find you again.”
We set up camp for the night, and I lay down in the tall grass to admire the stars while Xavier and Saphielle ate supper.
There were more stars than I’d ever seen. It was magnificent, and I suddenly felt small before the grandeur of the universe. A shooting star suddenly passed, and I wished for the woman I love, my wolf growling softly in agreement.
I could hear Saphielle and Xavier talking, but I couldn’t hear them eating anymore. I joined them. The woman had her head leaning on the half-vampire’s shoulder, cuddled with him. Seeing them like that, I realized it was probably best to feed now and leave them alone for the evening. They’d enjoy time together.
“Saphielle,” I said simply .
The woman nodded, knowing what I wanted. She turned to Xavier and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back soon.”
Xavier nodded. I followed Saphielle into my tent. The woman looked refreshed compared to the day before.
“Is your shoulder feeling better?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes, I can hardly feel it anymore.”
“Good.”
It was reassuring to know that the woman keeping me alive was doing better. I couldn’t wait to get my mate back and let Saphielle return to her normal life. Unless she decided to stay with Xavier, but that was their choice, not mine.
I sank my teeth in and drank what I needed. These feedings were quick and impersonal, and I missed being able to plunge my nose into the hollow of Emerald’s neck and kiss her. Soon , I whispered to my restless wolf.
Saphielle quickly returned to Xavier, and I decided to retire to my tent early, eager for tomorrow. I drifted off to sleep faster than I imagined. I heard the sound of wings flapping. It was probably a dream. At least, that’s what I thought until I heard Saphielle’s high-pitched cry pierce the silence.
I jumped to my feet, disoriented. I stepped out of my tent, my heart racing. Two succubi fought with Xavier while Saphielle lay unconscious on the ground. The first succubus looked at me as I emerged from my tent and flung herself at me with wings spread. I didn’t have time to defend myself as she grabbed me in her arms, lifting me skyward, barely struggling under my weight.
“Let me go,” I hissed.
She held me too tight, and I couldn’t free my arms, so I sank my teeth into the skin of her chest. She shrieked in surprise, letting me fall. I used my vampiric powers to break my fall, softly dropping to the ground a few yards from our camp.
The succubus plunged furiously at me, the wind lifting debris from the ground as she stopped her fall with her wings. The succubus tried to claw me, but I dodged. She threw a wave of magic at me, and I sent one back. The two forces met a few inches before me, the grass tearing under the force. She was strong for a creature of darkness, but I was confident in my abilities.
I unleashed a second wave of magic, hitting the succubus full force and sending her flying a few meters away.
She rose to her feet, hissing aggressively and shouting, “Time to die. ”
I threw myself at her. She dodged at the last moment, and I shrieked as her serpentine tail slammed into my back. At the same time, she dug her claws into my arm, pain shooting through me.
I tried to free myself from her embrace, but she squeezed too hard. She was trying to pierce all the way through my back until her tail would come out. As she pressed with her tail, she sank her bird-like claws deeper into my arm.
I took advantage of this moment of proximity to slash her cheek with my free arm. She raised her face a few centimeters from mine. I didn’t wait and sank my fangs into her neck.
Her blood tasted awful, and I almost let go, as disgusting as it was, but it was my best option to free myself from the creature.
The creature tried to disengage itself from my fangs, but I continued to swallow the blood despite the nausea that was taking hold of me. She emitted a screeching sound .
Every mouthful of blood I took weakened the creature, and she was well aware of it. She tried to pull so hard that I felt the skin of her neck would tear apart, but she gave up, screaming in pain. The succubus finally withdrew its claws from my arm and let go. I immediately removed my fangs from her neck, unable to drink any more of the vile liquid.
As soon as I was free, I spat some of the blood I’d drunk onto the floor and wiped my chin. The succubus was holding her neck with her hands. She was in a haze, affected by the loss of blood. Not waiting for her to come to her senses, I jumped on her and tackled her to the ground. I used all the strength of my vampiric powers to keep the upper hand on the succubus. The force was so great that a shockwave spread around us, creating a wide circle of burnt grass. Thus placed in a position of advantage, I clamped my hand on her neck, preventing the creature from breathing, while with my other hand, I lacerated her skin to hasten her death.
As she had already lost a lot of blood, the succubus quickly fell unconscious, but I kept my grip. When her chest stopped rising, I waited a few more minutes to make sure she was really dead before releasing my hold.
Tired, I took a moment to catch my breath. My arm had deep lacerations, but I could feel my body healing quickly. By tomorrow morning, it would all be gone.
I remembered that Xavier and Saphielle were battling a succubus too, but I didn’t hear any sounds.
I rushed to our campsite to find Xavier holding Saphielle in his arms, tears streaming down his cheeks. My heart sped up, anguish tugging at me, and I held my breath. Xavier spoke between sobs. “Saphielle . . .”
I touched her chest, close to the collarbone, and breathed a sigh of relief when I felt the blood pumping weakly through her body. She wasn’t dead, yet . . .
But concern mounted when I saw her shoulder, the same one the siren had attacked. It was open even more deeply than on the ship, and black-mauve liquid spread across it.
“What the fuck happened?” I asked Xavier.
“The succubus . . . She attacked Saphielle.”
“Yes, I can see that,” I shouted, irritated. “But her shoulder?”
The man looked me straight in the eye, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I tried to protect her, but I’m not as strong as you against a demonic creature.”
I tried to calm down, knowing it was true; I was sure he did as much as he could to protect her, but it was hard to be calm when my feeding source had been wounded again. I should have defended her. “Where is the succubus now?”
“She flew away. I heard a scream coming from your direction. She probably got scared.”
A pungent, acrid smell wafted from Saphielle’s shoulder.
I was shocked. “How can she be in that state? Succubi aren’t poisonous, damn it.”
Xavier shrugged. “It must be the Shadow Weavers.” I looked at him, surprised, and he continued, “We’re approaching their lair on Desolation Hills. They must have sent them, conjuring a spell to render them poisonous or something like that.”
I muttered hatefully, “The bastards. ”
Wasting no time, I signaled Xavier. “Give her to me. I’ll cure her.”
He looked at me, shocked. “What? No way!”
“What do you mean no way?” I asked. If we left Saphielle in this state, she would die.
“I’ll cure her,” he added possessively.
I sighed, understanding where Xavier’s reluctance was coming from.
“Listen. I know you care for her . . .” Xavier flinched at my words, but I continued, “But my powers are stronger than yours. I’m certain I can heal her.”
The half-vampire stared into my eyes. “Would you let someone else heal Emerald?”
His words caught me off guard, and my wolf growled. “Unless I’m certain I can’t help her, no. I’d be the one who heals her, and that’s that. I’d give my life for her.”
“Then you know how I feel.”
His words were resolute, and I knew there would be no way to change his mind. I would do the same for my mate. Waiting no longer, Xavier applied his mouth to Saphielle’s wound.
“Don’t drink all the poison,” I reminded him as he worked to heal her. “You’re half-human. You’d die from it.”
He answered nothing and continued. I swore, unable to see what he was doing and hoping he’d be able to heal her. I also hoped he wouldn’t get poisoned himself. I couldn’t afford to lose one of the only people I had left.
After a moment that seemed like an eternity, Xavier withdrew his mouth. Saphielle’s shoulder was closed, but I knew it was on the surface. I could see a sizeable blackish stain under the surface of her skin, showing that there was still some poison left.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Xavier hesitated and nodded. “Yes. I don’t think I drank too much poison.” He looked at the woman he was holding, caressing her cheek. “I hope she’ll be okay.”
Saphielle’s heartbeat was already more regular, which was reassuring.
I was about to add something when Saphielle stirred. We both waited impatiently as she slowly came to. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when she opened her eyes.
“What . . . What happened?” she asked softly.
Xavier replied, “A succubus attacked you, but I healed you,” he added proudly.
Saphielle tried to stand up, then vomited violently onto the ground. She staggered, and Xavier caught her.
“You’ve been poisoned,” I said. Saphielle’s eyes widened in shock, and I quickly added, “You should be fine. It should go away quickly since Xavier drank the poison.”
I only hoped I was telling the truth.
“Let’s get some rest,” Xavier said kindly.
She nodded, and I watched them enter their tent. I decided to do the same as they had, exhausted from the fight.
? I had nightmares all night. I dreamt I’d found Emerald, but every time I was about to take her in my arms, she was taken away again. It was a torture that continued before my eyes. What had I done to deserve this misery?
I got up grumpy, but my mood quickly changed when I remembered that we might reach the base of Desolation Hills today. I was closer than ever to rescuing the woman I loved.
I emerged from my tent to find Saphielle sitting with Xavier. Her complexion was pale, and the black stain on her shoulder had spread even further. I clutched my fingers as anxiousness took hold of me.
They both turned to me when I asked gently, “How are you?”
It was obvious she wasn’t well. Her gaze was blank, while Xavier’s shared the same concern as mine.
“I’m . . . fine,” Saphielle replied absently.
“Come on, you’ve got to eat,” Xavier told her with concern, holding a spoon to the woman’s mouth. Saphielle’s plate was full, while Xavier had already eaten his breakfast.
“I’m not very hungry,” the woman replied.
I could tell something was very wrong. “You have to try to eat,” I added.
Saphielle didn’t react. This wasn’t good. “Let’s remove more poison,” I said.
Xavier’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? You know we can’t do that.”
I challenged him. “Why not? It’s clear not enough poison has been removed. Let’s re-open the wound and remove more.”
“Re-opening her wound will kill her!” the half-vampire exclaimed. Saphielle gasped at those words.
“I’ve seen soldiers wounded in battle before. We would reopen wounds to remove whatever was making them sick. It worked for them. Why wouldn’t it work for her?”
Xavier shook his head. “But soldiers are battle-trained, used to enduring pain. Their bodies were strengthened. Saphielle has never wielded a sword. Her body can’t withstand as much as the soldiers.”
I froze. “You have a point.”
Saphielle looks at us. “If my opinion counts for anything, I’d rather you didn’t open my wound again.”
I sighed. Xavier landed a kiss on top of the woman’s hand. “We won’t. I promise.”
But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I needed to find a way to heal her. An idea popped into my mind. “What if we made her drink from my blood? My healing powers are strong. It could heal her.”
Saphielle winced, and Xavier shot me a disapproving stare. “You would risk her rejecting the blood and worsening her condition?”
I shook my head. “I know risks are involved, but I’m trying to find a solution.”
“And if she’s too weak,” started Xavier.
I interrupted, “I know. If she’s too weak, she might turn into a vampire herself or die in the process.”
“Then you’ll be at the same point without a blood source,” the half-vampire argued.
“Do you have a better idea?” I asked. I was running out of ideas .
Saphielle asked, “Can we not discuss options that can kill me?”
I looked at the woman and realized how inappropriate it was to hear us talking about her like that.
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
Xavier added, “How about we let her heal by herself?”
The woman seemed happy with this suggestion. I sat down on the other side of Saphielle, motioning to Xavier to bring back the spoon.
“Come on. If you want to heal by yourself, then make an effort. I know you’re not hungry, but you’ve got to eat,” I said firmly.
The woman looked at me and then back at the spoon. She finally opened her mouth and swallowed the food. We continued feeding her this way until she had completely eaten her breakfast.
I hurried to collect the camp while Xavier supported Saphielle. Given her condition, I doubted we’d be able to walk quickly. I stared at the mountain’s silhouette on the horizon, trying to estimate how long it would be before we arrived. I was confident we could get there by the end of the day, provided Saphielle could walk. I only hoped she would be fine.
We walked more slowly than yesterday. As the mountain got closer, my hope of seeing Emerald again increased, and my wolf grew restless. He knew we’d find her, and he couldn’t wait.
The plains were replaced by steep, rugged terrain of large stone plateaus. There were barely any trees here, and we heard the cry of a lone raven in the distance. Nature was harsh and inhospitable.
Saphielle struggled to hoist herself over the rocks despite the help Xavier and I offered. As impatient as I was to get to the mountain, I preferred not to push too hard and risk injuring her further. We would slow to a snail’s pace if she hurt her ankle.
The sun dipped below the horizon, and the mountain loomed majestically before us. It was good that we had reached the mountain’s bottom. Saphielle was utterly exhausted. I’m not sure she could have gone any further.
I admired Desolation Hills in all its grandeur. Its craggy rocks soon gave way to snow and ice walls. I understood why nobody ventured there. It looked as treacherous as people described it back in town.
To think that the accursed Shadow Weavers had taken my beloved to its summit made me furious. It was indeed the perfect place for their foul cult. They were sure not to be disturbed. Or so they thought, for I would face any raging mountain to find my sweet, precious flower.
Xavier was setting up camp for the night while Saphielle sat on a large rock, her breath wheezing, beads of sweat on her forehead. Worried, I made my way over to her.
“How are you?” I asked.
“I . . .” She hesitated. “I don’t know.”
I could feel her body heat radiating, and I could hear her heart beating fast, too fast. This wasn’t good. The poison was gaining ground.
I reached out to her. “Come on, let’s get you some fresh water.”
She took my hand, and I was surprised it was even hotter than I thought. She obviously had a fever, and my concern grew even greater. I offered her water that we had filled at the last spring on our way. Saphielle drank eagerly, and I hoped it would help.
We joined Xavier, who had finished setting up camp. He pulled out some leftover dried sausages he’d brought and some fresh vegetables to cook. I took care of the vegetables while he shared the sausage with Saphielle.
Saphielle had eaten her meal and was exhausted. The black spot had spread all over her arm, the veins visible through her skin. I couldn’t see under her clothes, but I guessed the poison had spread that far.
Still, guilt filled me as I knew what needed to be done.
“I need to feed,” I announced.
Xavier furiously objected, “No fucking way!”
“You know I need it!” I retorted.
“I don’t give a damn. Have you seen the state she’s in?”
I looked at Saphielle once more. She was in a terrible state, watching us argue quietly without saying anything. I knew I was asking too much.
“And what do you suggest?” I replied. “That I drink from you?”
These words stopped Xavier immediately. He hesitated. “You know it wouldn’t work.”
I shrugged. “We haven’t tried it.”
His eyes widened, and I knew he didn’t like the idea.
“If you don’t think she can take a feeding, then take her place. We’ ll see,” I challenged.
I knew I’d hit a nerve when he didn’t retort, a muscle ticking in his jaw. I felt terrible for being so rough with my friend, but it was a matter of survival.
“You know I don’t have a choice,” I added softly.
Xavier let out a long sigh. “Okay, but try not to take too much.”
I nodded. I didn’t want to hurt Saphielle. “I promise. I’ll only take the bare necessity.”
The woman didn’t move when I gestured for her to follow me. Remembering her condition, I decided to drink directly where she was.
I took her left hand, the arm with no black veins. Looking her in the eyes, I called her name so she would focus on me. After several times, she stared at me as if suddenly remembering where she was.
“Are you ready?”
She nodded, and I sank my fangs into the woman’s forearm. Saphielle remained still and silent as I drank. I could taste the poison present in the blood, fully aware that it was more concentrated in other places in her body. I didn’t fear ingesting the poison as I knew that my powers would reject it in no time. But I didn’t want to weaken the woman any further. I drank the bare minimum, just enough to know I’d be okay and survive.
I looked at Xavier as I withdrew my fangs. He took the woman in his arms and immediately went to carry her into the tent to rest afterward. I was left alone to contemplate the stars shining in the still slightly mauve sunset sky. I basked in the hope that tomorrow, I’d find Emerald.