Power of the Vampire: The Saga of a World Called Htrae

Chapter One

Ellie stopped suddenly; her automatic reflexes, pushing me back against the wall. We were just inside the tunnel that would take us to the entrance of the cave. She turned, finger to her lips. “Shhhhhh.” Her body was trembling, the unmistakable look of fear in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” I whispered. She didn’t answer. “Ellie?” I whispered a little more forcefully. Then I heard it, two male voices arguing, growling at each other. I didn’t recognize the voices; I thought maybe they were the King’s Guard. I tried to move back the way we came, but Ellie held my arm, pushing me hard against the wall. Her breathing coming  in short, shallow breaths, her eyes wild with terror. Her tension  became mine. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t move back toward the main cave and safety. The witches were always putting spells around  the caves, causing confusion for anyone who had  not  been  here  before and spells preventing anyone who passed by from seeing the entrance. There were exceptions though—hybrids who had witch blood in their lineage were unaffected. The spells were for the King’s Guard, who patrolled frequently in the mountains above Witch Town.

My concern grew, my heartbeat pounding in my ears; seconds became minutes, minutes drug on. Still, Ellie, wouldn’t move. She was frozen like a carving from the rock wall. We were so close to the entrance that all one needed to do was shine a light into the passageway to see us. Ellie’s reluctance to move was scaring the hell out of me.

The two males finally stopped arguing then they turned toward the passage. It was twilight allowing just enough light in the  passage,  for them to see  us. As  soon as I  saw their  red glowing eyes, I understood Ellie’s fear. They looked like werewolves or hybrids who didn’t belong here, both dressed in black. They had the look of renegades with their worn clothes and long shaggy hair. Even though the witches’ spell didn’t work on hybrids, they still didn’t come this close to the mountains and the king’s patrols. King Kasan’s law against interbreeding would mean certain death for them. As soon as they saw us they moved quickly, reaching for us.

Ellie, still frozen in fear, wouldn’t move. I grabbed her hand. “Ellie! Run!” I shouted. It was too late—one of them grabbed Ellie; the other one grabbed me by my hair, as I turned to run.

They dragged us out of the entrance into the dim light. “What do we have here?” asked the taller of the two who still had me by the hair. He looked to be six feet three inches or more, the other one only an inch or two shorter. “Humans? Human females are usually discouraged from venturing out after the sun has left us. What were you doing so close to the entrance?”

Trying to stop him from pulling my hair out by the roots, I grabbed my hair. “Please! Let go, and I’ll tell you.” I yelled, gritting my teeth from the pain.

He let go of me. I massaged my stinging head, sure he had pulled out a chunk of hair. “We were staying with a friend in Witch Town and got lost. We heard you coming, so we stepped into the opening.” I said defiantly. Ellie was struggling, frantically trying to get away from her captor. Her eyes were wide, filled with tears as she looked up at him. Did I see recognition on her face? I wondered.

“Please let my friend go,” I whined struggling against my captor. I watched helpless as Ellie’s captor pulled her tightly against him, cutting off her breath. “You are hurting her!” I yelled at him.

His eyes raised to meet mine, a slow smile spread across his face, revealing fangs. I had heard about the renegade vampires and werewolves who rebelled against the king’s laws. Taking a life by feeding on a human, was punishable by death.

Ellie was pulling on the arm around her throat, trying to scream, but all she could get out was a  mewling  gurgle.  Her  face  was  turning  red, and he continued to smile at me, his fangs hovering over her throat. Without taking his eyes from mine, he moved her hair away from her neck. I saw terror in Ellie’s eyes when she felt her neck bared to the cool night air.