Chapter2

#Chapter2

Finn's standpoint

I watched as Lord Craig was bundled into the ship, he surrendered immediately he saw me, avoiding death. He's a smart and yet again stupid man, I would kill him anyways. He took the fun away from me, it was of no use killing an easy prey.

/"My Lord,/" Dixon, the commander of the Venom Squad who came with me called with a bow, /"I have news, good news./"

/"I don't have time for news, I'm going back to my castle.../"

/"I found the map to the location of the celestial gems you have been looking for, the gems of the twelve wizards of Horitha.../"

/"What! Where?! Where did you find it?!/"

/"I came across a witch who fancied me, we somehow stumbled into the conversation and she revealed the location to me. Turns out she had the map, I stole it./" He explained proudly as he stretched a black paper like scroll case to me.

/"Guess my journey here isn't for waste after all,/" I smiled. I tried to open it, but it wouldn't open.

/"The case is guarded by magic, I tried. I'm sure we are going to need a stronger witch to.../" His words froze in his throat as I rip the lid off, breaking the magic. He coughed nervously, reminding himself of who was standing in front of him.

I pulled out a golden fur cloth neatly folded, I opened the suppose map and stared at it. My eyes travelled through the path to the place the gems could be found. A sacred temple, a temple no vampire or living dead could enter. /"Just great,/" I folded the cloth and shoved it into the pocket of my pants. /"Guess where it is located,/"

/"Somewhere impossible, right?/"

/"The sacred temple of the twelve wizards of Horitha,/" he winced and clicked his tongue. Indeed, there was no way I was going to get that. Only pure hearted human females could enter, but no human would risk their lives to undertake such a meaningless journey. If the dangerous sea path doesn’t kill them before they get there, the temple would. And the most important, where do you find a pure hearted woman? One who is either pure by heart or virginity.

/"So what do we do now?/"

/"For now, you will go ahead with the ship and make sure Craig is jailed, then send Axel to me as soon as possible./"

/"You are staying back?/" He gasped.

/"What I have been searching for, for one hundred and fifty-three years is finally within sight, I'm not going to lose a lead. Go back, I have a feeling the answer is back here in Mego Island./"

/"As you wish, sire,/" he bowed. I wasn't sure what my staying back would find, but I knew that it was the right thing to do.

The following day, at dust, I sat in a pub watching every single filthy human drink, dance and do their filth. The local pub was the best way to look for what I needed to know. Still wasn't sure what I needed to know, but I had a feeling it was here. The scantily dressed waitress swayed her pitiful self towards me for the tenth time that evening, if I wasn't so focus on what I was seeking, I wouldn't have minded a human company. It was the best way to feed without having to fetch them.

/"Sir,/" she purred, cocking her hips to the left. I'm sure someone must have been deceiving her that she was sexy in some ways. The only thing sexy about her was nothing. I had my eyes on the barmaid who wouldn't stop gaping at me. As a vampire, attraction wasn't common. /"Are you sure the drink is all you need? I can assist you in other ways./" What's with human girls and sticking their tongues out? Do they think that thing is attractive? They look like dogs with two legs.

Or maybe the ones I've met.

/"Get out of my sight and don't drag your pitiful self here again,/" a gasp left her mouth, causing her to step back. She quietly turned around and scurried off.

/"...I can't believe you got your family jewel back from the Colonels, how did you do that? What deal did you make them?/" My eyes picked out from the chattering crowd.

/"Deal? Ha! It was no deal, just the handiwork of three felines,/" a louder voice boomed out.

/"Cats? You trained cats to get.../"

/"Not cats you dummy, females, the best women in the world. You know how that jewel means a lot to our family. So my sister told my brother in-law about it, use those women manipulating tears on him. Now my brother in-law's cousin brother's wife's younger sister knew someone who knew someone who knew someone that once hired three girls to retrieve his own family assets. These girls aren't whores, no, no. In fact, flirt with them and you die, but they are professionals at what they do. They are buglers, can steal anything and return anything in the blink of an eye, fast providers I say.

I met up with them and they named their price, a high one. I was skeptical to give it to them but was assured by my brother in-law's cousin brother's wife's younger sister's friend, friend, something. Those girls had work for him more than ten times and had never fail, so I trusted them. They indeed didn't fail, brought back my jewels in less than three days. Those girls are amazing and I advise you let them handle that issue you once mentioned.../"

/"Sounds like you met The Wind, those ladies are.../"

/"Rubbish,/" I muttered, I had no idea why I was listening to that in the first place. I stood up abruptly, causing my chair to scrape on the floor. I walked to the counter, maybe the barmaid would know someone who was willing to risk her life for a good sum. I leaned on the counter with a plastic smile, folding my arms under me.

/"Oh sir, h...h...h... Are you done with your drinks? Do you need anymore?/" She stammered unnervedly.

/"Yes, but it's kind of a shame how I didn't get to have you to go with those drinks. It would have been more enjoyable that way./"

She stared at the counter sheepishly, her cheeks turning into a bright shade of pink, index finger drawing a shy circle. /"Sir, I'm still working, and I'm not cutting any shift tonight so...?/"

/"Hmm, that's sad, I was looking forward to a splendid holiday here on the island, with you by my side of course. Are you sure you can't change your mind? Even if I wiggle my brows?/" She giggled, catching herself with a cough.

/"Well, I'm sure we can work something out. I have an early shift tomorrow, so by evening I would be free. Will that be okay?/" Could her face get anymore pink? I shook my head, all ladies are the same.

/"That milady.../" I took her hand making the circle and planted a light kiss at the back of it. /"Would be perfect./"

/"Then I would meet you where?/"

/"Before that, I have a question for you, a question I'm sure only a lovely miss like yourself can answer./" She raised her eyes, her big blue curiosity filled eyes to look into mine, only to avert them not less than a second.

/"And what would that be?/"

/"I'm set to sail to a sacred place to fulfil a noble ritual soon, but I need a pure hearted woman or women, to help me. Only pure females by heart or virginity can touch and open the gates of the temple. You don't suppose to know anyone who would carry out that simple task for a handsome payment, would you?/"

/"What if I do it?/" She asked lowly, running her eyes over the ceiling.

/"Are you pure hearted my dear?/" Leave it to her to be ignorant to my scornful tone.

/"Guess not,/" she muttered.

/"I will pay you for seeking one out, you ought to know someone since you see a lot of things here. At least that is what I think./"

/"If the pay is indeed good, you can get The Wind to do it,/" that name again.

/"The Wind? Is she a person or a sociality?/"

/"Three sisters, their work is secretly known throughout the three Mego Islands. They are pure alright, I'm sure of it./"

/"And why do you think so?/" I sneered.

/"No man has beheld the beauty of their faces or even touch the locks of their hair. Maybe they have when they walk around normally, but you will never know. They are like their name, unseeable and untouchable like the wind. They don't associate with men, their only duty in life is working. I cannot vouch for their virginity, that would be ridiculous, but I can vouch that they are pure of heart. They might be thieves, but their hearts are purer than everybody here put together./" She explained with full certainty, one that made her relationship with them apparent.

/"If that is what you think, then it is so. Do you think you can connect me to them? Bring them along when coming tomorrow?/"

She sighed heavily and returned her eyes to the counter. /"It is not as easy as you think. I might know them, but I can never find them. No one can. You don't find them, they find you./"

/"Are you sure they are humans? They sound too.../"

/"Mystical and elevated to be real?/" She completed. /"That is exactly how they like it to seem. I will try to reach them or find a way to get them to find me, but I can't assure you that tomorrow will be the day. It will take a while./"

A small smile made it way up my lips. /"please, take your time./" One way or the other, those gems would be mine. I'm one step closer to you Dainty, just hang on.

Suzanne's standpoint

I stood at the shore of the little island the girls and I lived. We discovered the secret island attached to Mego, connecting all three islands in one path. No one knew it was there, only magic helped me see it. The island was our home, where we stayed and no one could find. As surely as the sea lived, no one would ever find it.

Anyways, I watched the water rage on, wave after waves clashing against each other. The water was deadly, a cold spear to anyone who dared venture too close, the angry voice of the one after me. No one else could see it, no one else could feel it except me. Each day the ocean grew wilder, deadlier, more unstable, swallowing lives after lives each passing day. Every single day drew me closer to the day he would find me, pulled me closer to the day I would fight for my liberty. He didn't know where I was, he could only feel me when my feet touch the water, but as long as my true form remain locked inside of me, he would never pinpoint my location. To him, I was everywhere but nowhere, the sea and again not the sea.

But the darker the colour of the sea became, the closer he was to finding me. Hopefully, I would be ready for what is to come.

I shut my eyes and listened to the faint music of the sea, breathing in the freshwater. /"I don't even know how to find these girls, why did I tell him that I would!/" Beatrice's voice floated into my ears. Through the magic of the island connected to the sea and then me, I could hear when someone was talking about us. /"Suzanne, Claudia, Kassandra, please do your thing and find me already, I don't want to disappoint him./"

/"Hmm,/" I opened my eyes and turned back to the cave. Claudia was training at the entrance of our home which is the cave, whilst Sandra sharpens her knives. /"Beatrice seeks us, I think she has gotten us another job./" Beatrice was an old friend, she grew up with us in the streets before she became a barmaid and got a nice place to stay. We didn't follow her because sluttiness wasn't our thing.

/"Really?/" Claudia huffed, roundhouse kicking the hard tree she was training with. Claudia was a beauty to behold, a replica of her mother. Her crinkly ginger hair and damask lips were her main attraction, not that any man has dare approach her. Her mother had the exact same feature; slenderness and orange-brown eyes included. She was bold with masculine voice and hard veins from years of training.

Claudia was what you would call a /"I don't care/" person, everything was 'meh' to her. The only thing she cared about was us and punching someone in the face. I loved her most because she was more understanding and knew what to say at the right time. /"Yeah, she needs to see us, I'll stay back as usual while you go handle it, okay?/" She stopped kicking the tree and grinned expectantly.

/"Do I get to punch someone for real this time?/" She asked with that same grin.

/"Ur, no./"

She pouted and folded her arms. /"not even one?/"

/"Don't fight, Sandra goes with her just to make sure she doesn’t break anyone's head./"

/"But I have to finish this good book later,/" Sandra whined, /"I'm almost at the part where Derek confesses his love to Anastasia,/"

/"You can read it on your way or when you get back, go before she leaves the tree she is standing at,/" Sandra began grumbling. She was a sweet chatterbox, but when it came to sending her on an errand, she grumbles too much.

Kassandra is awfully laid-back; lazy to be precise. And her book time is her own time, just like her mother. Unlike Claudia, Sandra had orange-blond hair, light brown eyes and scarlet skin hair and lips. You could call her a female Esau because of her red skin. Her hobbies include reading, writing, eating, sleeping and not stressing herself. Her likes include stealing, cute boys, pretty dresses and more sleeping. Her special abilities consist of speed, tracking, agility, whining and laziness. I love her though. Sandra was extremely cute and small, like a growing child. Don't ever call her cute to her face or she will blow your head off.

/"Get your ass moving,/" Claudia said loudly, kicking Sandra's butt. Sandra cried out childishly, stomping her feet in childish annoyance.

/"But I'm tired,/" she cried. I smiled as Claudia chased her inside to get ready. They were my family, a family I would leave soon in order to protect them. Hopefully, it wasn't anytime soon.

Kassandra's standpoint

Nobody ever listens to me, nobody ever cares about my resting. I adore snatching things, but my resting time remains my me time. I need to read, eat, sleep or do anything that doesn't involve stress. Claudia could go on her own and then report back to us, then I would move my sorry butt to the next mission. Why drag me along?! I blame Suzanne, enemy of Sandras everywhere.

/"Will you stop muttering and shuffling behind me,/" Claudia snapped irritably, /"we are here already,/" she inclined her head towards the tree Beatrice sat. She sat under the tree, staring up at the sky in thought or whatever. The trees were out teleportation station, Suzanne's magic and connection to the sea which connects to the island is quite useful. /"So stop yapping and start walking, qui-et-ly, kapish?/"

/"Yes, Lady Grandma,/" I said sarcastically. She smiled before pulling her mask over her nose. I did the same too, also pulling my headcover down.

We soundlessly walked towards her, me mentally grumbling and she is humming. When we got to her, Claudia folded her arms and cleared her throat, Beatrice didn't move. /"What's wrong with this one?/"

/"I know that look, she's daydreaming about the sex she had the previous night or daydreaming about the guy she's crushing on. I vote the former, and now I'm bored, bye bye./" I turned to leave but she pulled me back by the cloth covering the scruff of my neck.

/"Easy there, kitty, easy,/"

/"That does it,/" I huffed, turned around and growled at her. /"I am not a kitty! Kitties are cute and I...am...not...cute!!!/" My snappy voice made Beatrice jerk up with a scream.

/"Now look what you did, kitty, you startled the girl,/" Claudia continued, nevertheless.

/"I am not cute,/" I cried.

/"Hey girls,/" Beatrice breathe, her hand on her chest, /"you startled me there... Hey! You came!/"

/"Whoo, we came,/" I said sarcastically, /"now why the hell are you looking for us? I have a date with a book and my bed so start talking./"

/"There's this guy that needs your help, money is involve,/" she blushed and bit her finger shyly. I rolled my eyes with a scoff.

/"You mean there's this guy you are sleeping with that needs our help,/" I said as a matter of fact, crossing my arms under my breasts.

/"Well, there's no denying it,/" she giggled, /"I met him two nights ago and last night he was so sweet to me.../"

/"Sweet, really?/" Claudia asked with a knowing look.

/"Okay, he was really rough and his strength almost broke my spine, but it was the sweetest roughness I had ever experience. Even though it hurt, I kept digging for more and.../"

/"Okaaay, I'm bored,/" Claudia said mirthlessly, /"now who is this man?/"

/"He's right here,/" my body twirled instinctively, taking up a protective stand. Standing far behind us under the sunlight, skin shimmering like a sea of diamonds, like Suzanne's. He was literally the most good-looking man I had ever seen, the best looking.

Jet black hair with little streaks of ebony, scintillating under the sunlight. Pale white skin, – glistering pale skin by the way – ruby red lips and muscles, oh sweet muscles. Where have you been all my life? He walked closer to us, hands behind his back. Claudia stood in front of me, warning him to stay back.

/"Who are you and what do you want from us? Be fast about it./"

/"I thought you were three?/"

/"How did you follow me?/" Beatrice asked in shock.

/"Thank you very much for your assistance, Bee, I'll take it from here,/" is it me, or am I getting wet? I sighed dreamily and dramatically collapsed on Claudia's back.

/"Now I understand why you are daydreaming, he is so hot,/" I blunted out. Claudia nudged me with the back of her shoulder, mentally nudging me to shut it. /"Ignore me./" I whispered, hiding my masked face behind her back.

I stayed there daydreaming, I was getting married to him already and carrying our baby. I only opened my eyes after Claudia stepped away, causing me to stumble to the ground face flat. /"Ow! My beautiful face!/"

/"Kass, be serious,/" she whispered yelled, /"this dude is saying things that you should listen to. Now stop acting like a klutz and be professional./"

I lift myself up to my knees and glared at her. /"I was professionally daydreaming about our marriage, you ruined it./" I chided.

/"Are you trying to annoy me now you little.../"

/"Don't you dare call me what I know you want to call me,/" I warned, pointing a finger at her.

/"Will the two of you stop bickering and focus,/" Claudia snapped. /"must I do everything myself, that is what Suz would say if she was here. Do you want her to be here?/" She huffed.

/"Well, blame her, she ruined my dream. That is what I would say if she was here./" I folded my hands adamantly. Claudia face palmed herself before turning back to the man.

/"I'm sorry about... Where's Beatrice?/"

/"She left,/" the guy said coldly.

/"Okay, you have our ears, speak./"

/"My name is Finn, I'm a sort of gentleman sailor,/" he rolled his eyes at his words. /"I came here looking for a lady or ladies that would help me retrieve an item from a sacred temple, a temple only pure hearted virgins or soul can enter. Beatrice believes that you can help me./"

/"And what makes you think we are ‘virgins?/" I asked derisively, making air quotation.

/"One, Beatrice believes you all are and two, you don't necessarily have to be, just have a good and pure heart./"

/"We are literally thieves, how do we have a good heart?/" Claudia snorted. I burst into laughter, stretching my legs out.

/"Look on the bright side, sis, someone finally saw the aureoles on our heads,/" I said laughingly. Claudia rolled her eyes and placed her palm on her forehead.

/"I'm not so sure about the pure heart thing, give us another job./" She said softly.

/"At first I doubted Beatrice but seeing you girls now, I can now see what she sees, you are the ones to help me. My coming here is not a mistake, please help me. I will pay you whatever amount you want./"

/"Where are we heading to?/"

/"The sacred temple of the twelve wizards of Horitha,/" that sounds dangerous, this is Suzanne's job.

/"That temple have been sealed for years, what do you want with it?/" I looked at her, she knew. /"The temple belongs to the wizard of Horitha, they were said to own the celestial gems. Each gems holds different power and purpose, each stands for different thing and balance the universe in a way. Which one of the gems are you after?/"

/"How come I don't know about it?/" I asked poutingly. She sighed again.

/"Because I spend more time listening to Suz speak than you do,/" she snapped, /"now stop interrupting and let me finish!/" She looked at Finn with blazing eyes.

/"I am after the gem of life, fate and time,/"

/"Three out of the strongest, and we get paid, right?/"

/"Whatever you want,/" Claudia nodded.

/"I don't know much about this thing, my youngest sister would have to.../"

/"I'm here,/" Suzanne said calmly from behind him. He turned around in a flash. Suzanne wore her full facemask and coat, the only thing one could see was her ocean blue eyes. The moment their eyes met, the wind around us changed.

It was like something snapped, something shifted, a powerful force. I could feel it squeezing my heart, holding the breath from passing through my lungs. I looked at Claudia who looked at me too, we both felt it. I looked back at them, I could feel some kind of electricity, a strong spark flying between them. Suz stepped back, like a reel.

/"Vampire,/" she whispered loud enough for us to hear, /"you are a vampire, a strong one./"

/"What are you?/" Finn asked back, stepping closer to her. She stepped back further.

/"A human who reads a lot, a human who knows too much,/" she lied so smoothly even I believed it for a second. /"I do not think I want to get involve with your kind, not when I don't have the map to the temple. The temple may be legendary, but I do not know the way there, even when it concerns the sea./"

Finn quietly pulled a golden cloth out of his pocket and threw it over to her. She daintily caught the cloth between her fingers, face straight up. Suz lowered her head and unfolded the cloth. She let out a chuckle and shook her head. /"you have the cloth, but not the map./"

/"Meaning?/"

/"First, let's talk about the price, how much are we getting paid? The sea is a dangerous place you know./"

/"Now you're talking,/" Claudia said happily, /"come girls, let's talk about the money first./" She walked off, going further away from us. I stood up from the comfortable grass and followed her, Suz doing the same thing. When we were far from him, Claudia spun around abruptly. /"Are you crazy?/" She whispered yelled. /"you want to get involve with a vampire?/"

/"The vampire less concerns me, what we would gain do. For the longest of time I have been looking for the temple, the map to get me there and it is right there. I need the gems to forge what would save my life later, he is going to provide transportation and food and money enough for us to finally start afresh somewhere far. We wouldn't have to steal or do anyone's dirty work again, we would be free. You and I both know that I haven't been able to leave this island because when I fell here, my spirit was sealed to never leave until another mystical power gives me authority to leave. This... 'man' inviting me out is breaking my shackles. I also didn't find a way to leave because I can't stay in the water for too long or my scent would spread. He would provide everything I need to get there and that's a fair deal./"

/"You do realize that he needs the gem of life, fate and time, right?/"

/"There are twelve gems and other sacred items, sacrificing three won't shake me. Girls, I really need this but I can't do this without you both, please help me./" She pleaded.

/"What if he tries to suck our blood? Your blood especially?/" I asked worriedly. /"he would find out your secret and take your powers./"

/"My blood is poison to all who I do not give it to, he takes it, he dies. Plus, I don't think he would want to harm the only people who can help him,/" she looked back at the guy waiting patiently. /"So what do you say girls?/"

/"Two chest of golds or nothing else,/" Claudia concluded. Suz nodded and walked back to him.

/"Why do I have a bad and yet good feeling about this?/" I asked rhetorically.

/"Because with a vampire, nothing ever ends well. And two, he doesn't look like an ordinary one, we don't even know what he wants with the gems./" We remained quiet as we watched them talk, that invincible spark was flying again.

Something odd, that's for sure. Maybe it was the spark of meeting a being like her; supernatural.

/"Fate,/" Claudia said softly, breaking the silence, /"fate has brought those two together for a reason and we have to go with the flow./"

Flow? What flow can a mermaid have with a vampire?