Quinn walked around the warehouse slowly watching the device carefully.
He stopped at one aisle then walked slowly down it. Half way down he stopped then opened one of the crates in front of him.
"Found them. It looks like a lot of crates." The crates were marked 'Jewelry with box.' There was eleven crated in total and fourteen of us, we took turns carrying the boxes.
We were back at the cave within twenty four hours.
The Councils ushered us into their Chamber. "We have them Madam and Sirs." Shaun told them.
"Good. Let us see them." We opened all the crates taking a box out of each one then handing them to the Councilmembers. They opened the boxes revealing the device inside.
"Excellent!" Councilman Klaus said. The rest nodded. "Shaun we resume the trial in two hours."
"Yes Sir." We left the Council Chamber and went to eat.
We were assembled in the main square two hours later listening to the questioning. "While we were resting we asked everyone here to let us know who in their clans had been destroyed because of these devices," Councilman Antonio was telling the prisoners. He held a piece of paper. "This is the list of known deaths due to the creature tracker."
Elves- 300
Watersprites- 25
Fairies- 200
Manimals- 20
Shifters- 400
Werewolves- 750
Vampires- 1000
"And list also shows that there is an undetermined of unknowns. These deaths are on your hands. No one else." The Councilman was very upset. "These people were your friends." Councilman Antonio was so emotionally that he could not speak anymore. Councilman Klaus walked over to him and lead him back to his chair.
Councilman Klaus turned to the Accused. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"
"Sir, like we keep telling you..."Barkley started.
"Yes you were protecting our blood supply." The Councilman said.
"That is right."
"But in doing so you have destroyed thousands of our community. That is something you will be punished for."
"Yes Sir." They both said quietly.
Councilman Klaus turned to the audience. "I would like all of you to think of an appropriate punishment for Barkley and Franklin. You do not have to answer now. We will reconvene in twenty four hours. Give us your ideas then."
"Court is adjourned."
The prisoners were returned to their cell. The Councils went into their Chambers. The guard took the vampires out to feed. I went down to our bathing pool and washed. I felt dirty being near Barkley and Franklin. Paddy joined me.
The next day before we resumed the trial. The Councils heard everyone's idea on the punishment they should have. They even heard ideas from the Guard.
"Kylie, you are next. What is your idea?" Councilwoman Cleo asked.
"If the verdict is death, I think we should all be given a tracker with their blood on it so that they will feel what many of our people went through before they died." The Councilwoman smiled broadly.
Everyone had a different version to their punishment for the Accused.
The Councils thanked us all for our ideas, next we continued the trial. The prisoners were brought back out.
"Today my friends, we will hear some accounts of how a member of your family, coven, pack or clan died. This will help in determining the severity of the punishment."
The first one up was Mikala.
"Senoras and Senors, I will tell you how one of my family was tracked down and killed. One day my daughter, Angela and her husband, Roger and I were traveling to one of our families home to check their children that were ill. As we came close to their home we could smell mortals there. Four of them in the area. Roger had Angela and I hide while he checked to see if the way was clear." She started to whimper. "We heard the mortals say 'they have another one nearby' Roger for some of you was werewolf as was the family we were going to see. He made sure the mortals did not find us but we could hear them closing in on him. They shot him with silver bullets then left him to die in the woods alone. Angela and I found him and brought him home to die with his loved ones." Mikala was staring at Councilman Samuel. Roger was his father. He had heard this earlier but it was still too fresh.
"That day they killed seven members of my family. The five members of the family were going to see. Roger and my daughter Angela. She could not live without her love. Her soul mate. She hunted down those mortals that destroyed her life. They knew how to kill vampires also but not before she was able to kill two of them. We found her head. The rest of her body was burnt to ash." Councilman Samuel nodded to Grandmother. "How did they know how to kill vampires and werewolves" She cried.
Everyone started at Barkley and Franklin.
"Sir, may I be excused?" Councilman Samuel asked.
"Yes, Cassie you may go with him if you wish." Councilman Klaus told them.
"Thank you Sir." Councilman Samuel went straight to his grandmother and held her for a very long time. Wilbert and Councilwoman Cassie guided them out of the main square, we heard a door close quietly a few moments later.
"In case some of you do not know Roger and Angela were Councilman Samuel's parents." Councilwoman Serena told the audience.
Barkley and Franklin gasped.
"Is there anyone else who would like to say something?" Councilwoman Serena asked. Lady Maxine stepped forward.
"I have something to say." The Council nodded. "Recently I went home to visit my family while there I heard many accounts of our kind being slaughtered. My grandparents were among dead. I will not go into detail it is too painful to recount. Also to let you know my grandparents were very old friends of Elder Camarillo."
Elder Camarillo came and held Lady Maxine. "Not only were they old friends but they were distant cousins on my father's side." They bowed to the Councils then left the square. Everyone was quiet for a moment.
"Anyone else?" The Councilman asked. Athos and Julian came forward.
"We have been speaking with some of our friends from Rome. A few of our friends there have tracked down and butchered." Athos told them. "They were chased into a volcano by ten mortals with trackers."
"The last time they were here. You, Councilman Klaus, showed them some of your swordsmanship." Julian said.
"Remus. Thaddeus. Demitre?" Councilman Klaus whispered.
"Yes Sir."
"Gone. They were excellent soldiers."
"Yes. They were, Sir."
"They will be greatly missed."
Athos and Julian nodded. The three men were overcome with emotion. Councilwoman Cleo guided Councilman Klaus back to his seat. Councilwomen Anna and Serena went to console their husbands.
