Nasferas: The Begotten

28

"Stop right there ... or y'all be shitting lead for a month," the gangly human said. His finger slid up and down the trigger of the weapon he held.

Ralia stopped and grabbed Davidar's hand. "Do you think they're going to hurt us?"

The human had hunkered down behind a large tree stump. A drop of sweat splashed from his forehead and landed on the weapon he rested his chin against.

"I think he's afraid of us." Davidar looked to his mother for their next move.

"Get a whiff of that!" Dram said.

"Intoxicating. What is it?" Misha stuck her button nose up, sniffing the evening air.

Several more beings entered the meadow. Each one seemed out of breath and equally as frightened as the first.

"Stay behind me, kids. I'll protect y'all." The man held out his hand. It stopped the others from moving forward.

Davidar could see they all had weapons. Mother, what do we do?

"Children. They're only children," Tarisha said. "We need to relay our peaceful intentions before one of them gets hurt."

Aleese snuck up and took hold of her mother's hand. "Why can we understand their words, Mother?"

"The information Moroo fed us while we slept also taught us their language. It is English if I am not mistaken."

"Speaking of fed..." Dram wiped his mouth. "My mouth is watering. Whatever they have with them smells delicious."

"I'm with Dram," Misha said. "I'm so hungry. Those stupid mushroom plants Davidar and Treylor brought us made me so sick." Her sky-blue irises melted into a cold obsidian black.

Davidar put his hand on Dram's shoulder. He felt the power surging within his youngest brother. "I think Mother's right, we need to speak with them."

"Do we?" Alek's eyes had also bled black.

One at a time, Davidar witnessed his family's eyes turn black, except for Ralia's and Treylor's.

"Your eyes, they aren't changing like the others." He took Ralia's hand.

"Neither is yours." She ran her fingers between his. "I think I know what the problem is."

"What?"

"The aliens. When you work around blood for a long time, the subtle undertones of the fragrance are ingrained into you. Under that, the old rusted metal odor is something sweet. I fear we caught the scent of their blood and for some reason, their blood is tantalizing."

Treylor stepped up to Davidar. "I think we need to put the black-eyed ones back on the ship. These beings seem harmless, but I think they're something else to us."

"What are they?" Misha had crept into the conversation.

Treylor looked down at Misha and put his hand on her head. "Food, little one. They are what we need for true sustenance."

One of the family members snarled. Davidar whipped his head around. Alek had his hands over his mouth and had fallen to his knees.

Fladir opened his mouth wide, revealing a row of razor-sharp teeth across the top. "They are food!"

More grunts and growls came from the crowd. Davidar needed to do something quick before they lost control. "I'll speak to the children."

Tarisha nodded. "We'll go together."

"Everyone, calm down. Try and get a hold of yourselves." Treylor stood in front of the huddled group. Aleese sat at his feet with her arms wrapped around his leg. Her black eyes darted back and forth as if she had no clue what was going on.

Fladir pushed his way to the front of the crowd and came face to chest with Treylor.

"When did you become captain? Last I checked, I was in charge and captain of this ship. I say we eat first and interrogate the leftovers." His tongue shot out of his fanged mouth and caressed his upper lip.

"You will stand down." Treylor puffed his chest. "Until Davidar and Tarisha ascertain their intentions."

Fladir turned his head until he had the group of humans in his sights. "Tell me you don't want that?" A shudder shot through his body as his eyes rolled back.

"I'm a military officer. A commander of others. In situations such as this, it is the jurisdiction of the military how to lead a group when on foreign ground. You all need to control your hunger." His eyes darted from one family member to the other.

Fladir faced the group. "They are cattle, here to feed us." He wiped a stream of saliva trailing from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Yes. Please, yes." Misha stood next to her brother.

"No one goes over there, except for Davidar and Tarisha," Treylor said.

"You can't stop us, Treylor." Fladir addressed the black-eyed family members. "We don't follow your command. You're not the military here."

"Move aside." Fladir, Alek, and Dram pushed into Treylor.

Treylor shoved and Fladir launched into the air. He did a backflip and landed on one knee, putting a two-foot indentation in the valley floor. With his feet planted, he put all of his energy into his legs and launched at Treylor.

"Stop!" Tarisha ordered.

Fladir tumbled to the ground, paralyzed at the feet of Treylor. "Let me go, Auntie," he said through his clenched jaw.

"Not until you promise to be civilized. If anyone else lifts a finger to harm the humans, they will be dealt with in the same way."

"I'm so hungry." Alek sat on the ramp.

Dram joined Alek. "Mother. They're food. Can't you tell?"

"No, boys. They're local citizens. The humans rule this world. We need to make peace with them."

She released Fladir from her mind control. "Treylor is in charge. The land is military jurisdiction until you can control your urges, Fladir. You will only be the patriarch of your family."

Fladir glared at Tarisha as if he knew something she didn't.

Davidar led his mother toward the row of humans who had gathered at the other end of the ravine. Their weapons made clicking noises, as did some of their teeth.

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