Chapter 44

With a tremendous, gorgeous, and victorious step, Marvel walked toward the small tent which was hosting her backup species. The small tent was located in the desert, outside Lamarck's city. The sun was now breaking in the sky. That means she had been out all night.

Marvel shook her head in irritation, followed by an exasperated sigh before she wrapped the cloak of alien illusion tightly and put it under her arm.

She stood a few inches away from the old witch, Hodesh's tent, and knocked. As her knuckle collided with the door, she felt something sharp pricking her hand. It was like a snake had just bitten her.

She hissed again and shook her head in frustration. That's the work of Hodesh. Marvel examined the sky again, and she could see that the sun was rising high. If all of them were sleeping, at least one of them should be someone who isn't a heavy sleeper. Besides, their vampire ears should have caught her scent, footsteps, and knocking.

Well, she couldn't blame them. They were all vampires after all. That's one of the disadvantages of being a vampire without the daylight ring.

Hodesh is useless. Marvel thought again. That woman was the one who selected her companion. All the seven vampires that Hodesh chose after her were newly turned beings, perhaps a month old.

That's why they haven't acquired the daylight ring. Without the ring, the sun will scorch them. If care is not taken, they will turn to ash. That's part of the reason why a lycan or wolf is different from a vampire. Except for the vampire, the rest of the night-walking creatures can walk in the sun.

That's why most vampires without a daylight ring always wear a huge, thick, long coat to cover their skin and an eyelid. Perhaps olive oil. They will drip the olive oil inside their eyes to avoid the burning sensation from the sun.

Unless they are sent on special and important assignments, the vampires despise going out in the daylight. Not even those with daylight rings.

Except for the burnt, sunlight always makes them weak. They won't have access to their full power. They will be very vulnerable to attack. That's why vampires always sleep throughout the day and use dusk for their purposes.

If it was Karen or Asher, Marvel was sure that they would have opened the door. They won't even leave her out there all alone. They won't allow her to face those beasts. They won't even allow her to go out there alone just to test some stupid cloak of alien illusion. All thanks to Hodesh. Marvel hates that woman.

She has loathed Hodesh ever since her husband died a week ago. Did she even like her before? That's No. Marvel and Hodesh never liked each other. She was following that old witch's order because she was Luna.

Abner, her husband, is the only one that knows how to calm her. Now that he is dead, killed by the beast which they nicknamed after their territory, Lamarck, there is no one left to control Hodesh.

Abner is their Alpha. She respected Marvel, and he never argued with her. However, Hodesh isn't like that. She is tough. That made Marvel wonder how Alpha Abner was coping with her before he was killed by Lamarck's Beast.

Marvel knocked on the old tent door again. This time, she made sure that it was hard and loud enough for whoever was inside to hear. After that, she waited for two minutes. Her vampire's ear was searching around like an antenna, hoping to catch any sound of footsteps or whispering of people. Yet, she didn't hear anything. Everywhere was as silent as a graveyard.

Marvel hissed again. This is the third time she will be doing it. She clenched her fist in resentment and then bit her lower lip to avoid screaming in anger. She couldn't believe that after spending all night outside with those ugly creatures with liquid acid moisture, she would be locked outside by her people. Even if all of them were asleep, at least Hodesh was inside the tent with them. She should have opened the door for her.

She could feel her anger starting to surface. However, she managed to keep it at bay. Well, she couldn't blame them. After all, they were all vampires. Not a single wolf nor a lycan was present here on this desolated, outcast side of the boundary with them. They were all inside the city, planning the oncoming war and enhancing their abilities.

Seeing that no one was willing to open the door for her, Marvel kicked it with her boot. As her feet made contact with the tent door, she felt a huge amount of electric current charging through her body. However, the door made a creaking sound.

That boosted her courage. She shifted back a little and took a deep breath. As Marvel prepared to kick the door once again, she imagined all the harsh words she would throw at Hodesh. Marvel had imagined the punishment she would give to those newly turned vampires.

Gathering all the strength, speed, and agility her vampire power could offer, Marvel darted toward the door again. With a strong kick, her boot collided with the tent door and it went flying away.

Marvel had just done the impossible. She removed a clogged tent door off its hinges. Not only that, she didn't feel any electric current shocking her again.

Perhaps the sun has risen enough. She thought. True to her thought, the sun was now high in the sky. Thank goodness, she was with her daylight ring. So, she had nothing to be scared about. Besides, she's a war goddess. She was different from other vampires. The Lycans are even afraid of her.

Marvel also noticed something. She didn't feel as if she had just kicked a door. It was like she just pushed it. It's like she didn't apply any force.

That's strange. She knew it. Nonetheless, she shrugged it off. She had serious issues to deal with. She couldn't allow that thought to cloud her mind.

Marvel inches toward the tent, and everywhere was extremely dark, which left her no choice but to activate her vampire vision.

A loud gasp escaped from Marvel's mouth as she walked deeper inside the tent. Since she had broken the door, she had expected the newly turned vampires to jerk up. She had expected Hodesh to lunge at her, pinned her to the ground, and throw punches at her face.

But, she was met with something else. Lying on the floor with a decapitated head is Hodesh's body. She was stabbed in multiple places with a sharp blade. Hanging upside down on the roof of the tent are the bodies of the newly turned vampires.

Their eyes poke out. A silver dagger and a wooden cross were also seen piercing different parts of their bodies. It was an awful sight to behold.

Marvel let out a great howl. Her voice was filled with pain, grief, anger, and rage.

They had just murdered her pack member. She had failed again. She failed to protect the Alpha Abner, Luna Hodesh, and the newly turned vampires.

Hodesh caused this. She thought. If she hadn't forced her to go out; perhaps, she might have saved these newly turned vampires. She's useless.

If she had known, she wouldn't have gone out to test that stupid veil of alien illusion. Perhaps, she might have nailed the killer.

Marvel started walking around the corpses one after the other, her eyes examining them like the professional warrior that she was. It wasn't the mark of the Lamarck Beast. Marvel was sure of it. Those beasts never leave traces behind. Those beasts were invisible, and they didn't leave their victims' bodies behind.

The only thing they left behind was the heads of their victims. It was a massacre. Marvel was sure of it. Not only that, it was done by someone within. Someone very close to Hodesh.

Whenever Hodesh locked a place with her witch's power, she hardly opened it again until sunrise. For Hodesh to open the door and allow entry, It was someone with a high rank in the camp.

She scans the room again for any sign of forced entry. Yet, she didn't find any. That means the person was a trusted being. It's also an unexpected attack. Whoever did this caught them off guard.

With tears in her eyes, Marvel walked out of the small tent. She inhaled the fresh morning air and exhaled gently. Before the blink of an eye, she darted out of sight. She was heading back to the main territory, Lamarck.

It takes approximately five minutes before Marvel reaches Lamarck's city. It was more of a snowy mountain. Huge frozen branches hung on the city wall. From afar, one would think that it's an abandoned mountain.

Marvel examined the sun again, and she could see that it was now shining brightly. She was sure that Hodesh's spell would have worn out. Except for the guards, all the vampires would be getting ready to sleep now.

She's the only one among them who hardly takes a siesta. That's because she's a warrior. Despite how Lamarck is well hidden from the other territory in the middle land, Marvel didn't like taking risks. She has been doing this ever since the last raid from the Lycan's pack.

She, Karen, and Asher were the strongest beings in the pack. Marvel wondered how they would react when she broke the news to them. She wonders what will happen next. Worse, she was wondering who the killer might be amidst the pack.

As Marvel walked inside the territory gate, she brought out the silver dagger and wooden cross she had extracted from Hodesh and the seven newly turned vampires' bodies. She was sure that whoever did this was playing a dangerous game with her. If not, he/she wouldn't leave a clue.

Perhaps the killer forgot to retrieve them. Marvel thought.

She returned the cross to the pocket of her black jeans and proceeded to the small tunnel leading to the main city.

Marvel pushed the small gate, and it made a creaking sound before it opened. As she did this, she was welcomed with blood. Bodies were littered all over the field. Bodies of vampires and the few lycans that were guarding the door. It was a terrible sight to behold.

Finally, Marvel couldn't help the tears that escaped her eyes. She let out a great painful whimper. It was the voice of a wounded lion. It pierced throughout the whole field, and thunder clasped at the hearing of her voice.

Instantly, something struck her mind. Karen and Asher.

Marvel darted further into the territory. After what seemed like forever, she appeared in front of a small tent with a red canopy. Hastily, she walked closer to the door, kicked it with her leg, and the door went off its hinges.

"Asher," she screamed as she walked in. But her friend wasn't there. She examined the small room, and her gaze collided with the writing on the wall.

Slowly, she walked toward the words, which were written with blood. "The inn at the bamboo forest," she read the word out.

Marvel ransacked her brain, trying to find out the meaning of the words. She knew whoever did this was trying to tell her something. Perhaps, where she will find her friends. But she didn't understand.

Marvel brought out the cross and wooden cross. She examined it very well, and she saw a symbol on them. It's a symbol she recognized very well. At the sight of the symbol, Marvel could feel fear that was creeping into her heart. Her worst suspicion is coming to life.

Despite how she had tried to hide from the middle land, they had managed to find her. She had thought Lamarck City would be the best place to conceal her identity. How wrong was she? They had found her.

How was that possible? She couldn't tell. Yet she was sure of one thing. There's a traitor in Lamarck. Perhaps it's even one of them.

They were forcing her to come back. All these people had died because of her. She had endangered their lives. She couldn't believe that they could still find her in this desolate, well-hidden city. The eight electrified councils of the supernatural realm had found her.

They were calling her back. They are warning her to join the sect again. If not, everyone around her will suffer.

She could now fix the puzzle together. They captured her friend to lure her in.

Instantly, Marvel knew where to begin her search.

She wasn't ready to join the electrified council again. She wasn't ready to become their assassin. She wasn't ready to work for them again. She was determined and nothing was going to stop her. Not even the council themselves.

T.b.c