Out of troll territory, the three of us made our way back to the end of the dirt path splitting in two directions, one going west- back to the road where Henry and I just came from, and another heading South- where we should of walked along. We paused, Don sighed heavily and looked over his shoulder, a wool blanket wrapped around his shoulders as a potential shield to protect him from the sun if he ever gets caught by the light. "This is where we split."
I nod my head in understanding and stepped closer to his young frame. If I were a stranger in the street, I wouldn't have guest this man could wedge his way into my heart, if only he knew me during this time; we could of been best friends. "Good luck, I guess. Here." I pulled off my hat, placing it securely on his head and gave him my jacket. "It's not much but it'll protect from the sun."
"Thanks." Don mumbled, his eyes drift down the path that called for him, he was weary to go back; considering he was practically voted off the island. "Where are y'all headed?"
"Warlock territory." Henry spoke stern, still cautious in having a hungry vampire around.
I held the urge to roll my eyes and glare at the man, even though time has changed, he's still the same egocentric old dude. "Maybe you can come, it's best to have more hands; just in case. Besides, it's worse to return by yourself than making a longer detour with others."
The vampire smirked, a small humorless chuckle past his lips as he nod in agreement. "Yeah, I guess."
"Uh, Jupiter, may I speak to you?" Mister Chung grabbed my arm before I could respond, he only pulled me a few feet away, but that doesn't make a difference with a hypersensitive creature near by. "We can't bring him to the camp."
"Why? Because he's a vampire? The last time I checked the enemy our demons, spiders, and trolls."
"Yeah, and others not our kind. We have territories for a reason, if a vampire- one who hasn't eaten in weeks, comes to a camp with many live people walking around; what do you think will happen? It won't end singing around a fire and eating s'mores."
"Just let me worry about that, I got it." I whispered before walking back to Don, who tried his best not to show he heard every word. "Hey, so there's a small concern on you coming along. If we do get a chance to settle in the camp, it would mean you can't feast off of mortal blood, you would most likely have to survive on animals. Are you up for that or are you going to take your chances back home?"
He blinked twice, his green gaze flicked over my head to Henry and then back down to my sincere and pleading look. I wanted him to come along, not because of the triple man power during the night, but because I didn't want him trapped in another deadly situation. "Okay, I'll suffice on animals, if I can find some. Most were wiped out by the bombing, others mutated from radiation- quite distasteful on the tongue, it can also poison me to death, so-"
"You can drink my blood then, enough where you can survive on."
"Oh gaisgeach beag, sucking the blood from your veins will be an honor and can turn very intimate if you wish it." He grabbed my hand, placed a spine shivering kiss upon my wrist over the radial artery, I knew he felt the vein throb as my heart picks up pace- just one intimate kiss placed an arousing trance through my body.
I snatched my hand away and kept the urge of smacking him in the face. "I am a married woman, there's no intimacy between either of us. I don't care how lonely the nights will be and how cold it is outside, no one is touching or flirting with me. Got it?"
If Don has warm blood in his body, he would of blushed in embarrassment, instead he widened his eyes and cleared his throat to put in a serious demeanor. "As you wish gaisgeach beag. So, lead the way warlock, or should I navigate- all things considered."
Henry glared at home before leading the way south. "Stay close, there can be some creatures lurking in the dark, since we can't walk during the day- all things considered." He growled and stomped like a defeated child.
"It seems you knew me back there, personally. Have we met before?"
"Different universe."
"Huh? I heard many things but I never heard of a different universe out there."
I chuckled to myself, their oblivious minds always give me a good laugh. "How many galaxies do you think is out there? How many planets have the same components and properties as earth? Then there's the subject of time;
here now, future, past. It's all just a jumble of mess that no one can actually grasp, yet here I am, in another body, time and place."
"Another body?"
"A Greek god name Hypnos, stretches my mind from my own to another body- this one. Names Jupiter, in my world we helped each out a few times, you gave me advice, and I'm married to your friend- Lucas Maynor."
"Lucas Maynor, I haven't seen him in years. How was he, in your universe?"
I sighed heavily, the last image of him popped in my head; his forest green eyes, hit tears streaming down his face, and quivering lips that I wanted to kiss so bad. "Happy, you two actually resolved whatever he was running from. Clearly you two were friends once, like frat boys."
"Yeah, that part is the same." He adjusted the blanket on his shoulders, head hung low and eyes studying the ground, frowning deeply before pushing down his past emotions. "Anyway, pleasure to meet you Jupiter."
"Likewise, Donovan."
"That's really creepy." He laughed while picking up his pace.
"We should rest." Henry stopped, the man made path lead us deeper into another part of roads. A steep hill stood in the way of seeing the rest of this yellow brick road of ours. "I'm feeling awfully sick, I think I have a concussion."
"Sleeping won't help with that." Don stayed while walking into Henry's space, causing the head warlock to step back into the nearest tree. "I can help with that, heal you right up."
"I heard what vampire venom can do to a person, I don't need an addiction in my hands."
I paused, my own head was feeling a little dizzy, my rush of adrenaline was wearing out as the bile started to sneak up on me. "I would take some of that venom, it'll help. If we heal now, we'll have enough energy to last through the night. We'll do an exchange, blood for blood." Removing the cloth on my palm, the cut was still fresh- the bleeding stopped but it was still open and vulnerable for infection.
"I would have to cut in on this. I advice we all keep our own blood for the night and just settle."
"Settle where?" I scoffed, eyes wandering around the open space, the moonlight guided the path- along with the flashlight hanging off my belt, but even that's not enough to get rid of creepy crawlers or anything else that wants to eat us. "How far is the camp?"
"Twenty. Twenty-five miles."
"Which one is it?" Don snarled, his frustration was well noted. I grabbed his arm to hold him back, the last thing we need is a fight.
"Twenty-five."
"Okay, we can get there by dawn." I looked up, the moon was starting to set, now past twelve and most likely have five hours left; there's no time for rest. "Mister Chung, I assure you everything is going to fine, just some venom- that's all. But I'm not going to pressure you, just know we're going to continue on." Pulling out the knife, I went to make a fresh cut, however, Don stops me.
"No need for that." Biting down on his tongue, he licks the wound. I felt the venom enter my vein, fueling a sudden rush and getting rid of every pain of sense of worry in my body. "Better?"
I sighed in relief. "Yeah. I'm going to a short break, I have can food." Taking the back pack off, I blindly reached in to grasped an old can without a label. "I guess start a fire or something, not too large- it'll attract others."
Henry took the offering with a light smile. "What is it?"
"Uh, I think beans but don't be too surprised if you get dog food. I won't stray too far."
"Number one or number two?" Don teased, a devious chuckle passing his lips.
I swat his arm before setting my stuff down, discreetly grabbing the rough napkins in the pack. Thank goodness Damon gave me the proper items to survive. I dashed past the tree line, not too far to not see them but not close for them to see me. I settled behind a tree, checking for spiders or anything else that can sneak up on me before pulling down my pants and squatting. I sighed in relief, holding in hours worth of pee in a unfamiliar body is more torture than a stab to the gut.
I stood, pulling up my pants while sighing in relief, a speck of glistening silver shined in the distance- growing closer and closer, cutting down anything in its path, along with my head. I ducked before the object could chop my neck, instead is chips the tree behind me, placing a huge gash in the bark and became stuck by the unfathomable force. A freshly polished hatchet, just an inch away from my head, I gulped as my heart stops and lungs tightened.
Although, I almost soiled myself right then and there, I didn't receive the chance to take a breath as a beloved fist went straight for my cheek. I raised my arm, blocking the punch and returning a quick jab to the person's face. A large hood and clothe covered their face, only showing light brown eyes and thin eyebrows only possible owned by a woman.
She was quick, light on her feet and punched harder than anyone I know, considering the only people I fought hand to hand were Antonio and Lucas- plus Lilith but she's an ancient demon. Proceeding with a half twirl, the woman kicks me in the gut, second me back into the tree with a grunt.
I grabbed the handle of the hatchet, giving it a harsh tug that only made the wood croak in protest. Swinging my hand out, I back hand her and used the weapon as a bar to do a quick pull up and kicking the woman in the chest with both feet. She flew back, stumbling over twigs and risen root, but regained herself quickly. "Listen, I don't know who you are or why you're doing this, but can't we ju-" one jab to the lip, I was lost for words and foaming at the mouth. I guess a conversation is off the table then.
Making use of the hunters knife in my boot, I steady myself, waiting for her to grow closer instead of running into whatever weapon or move she has up her sleeve. Unlike an idiot, she pulled out her own choice of weapon from her back; it was bigger, wider, longer, and curved- a classic kukri. I kept myself from running away like a wuss, but still called out for back up- clearly aha has more experience than me. "Don!" I screamed before forced to duck to the ground as the blade sliced the air.
I attacked her legs, taking that first available cut at her left calf, stood to my feet and punched her in the cheek. Dropping to the ground, I sweeper my leg out, easily knocking her on her ass and straddle her waist; placed the hunters knife upon her throat and grabbed the kukri from her hands before she gets a bright idea.
"I thought you needed help?" Don finally showed up using his abnormal speed.
"I guess I got lucky." I pressed the knife deeper to her throat as she squirms. "I'm not going to hurt." I state, although, I had many reasons to feed her to Don. "Hopefully you won't do the same if I put this knife away. If you do, my friend will take primitive action."
"I can eat." He teased, not caring about the fact it was freaking the girl out.
I rolled my eyes before, slowly, putting the knife away- securely tucking it back into my boot with my other hand raised. But I still placed some of my weight on her thighs, keeping her from running; yet, I was still vulnerable to her attacks. "What's going on?" Henry cane stumbling, eyes wide and grew even wider when seeing the situation.
"And now he shows." Don continues his quirky ways.
"I was taking a leak asshole, aren't you the one with the sensitive hearing?"
"Oh my god, is this really important right now? Seriously, y'all need to get your shit together and stop acting like stuck up bitches. Who cares if your a warlock and vampire? It's been five years since the fucking apocalypse and y'all still have specie wars. Christ, I thought my timeline was still stuck up on race."
The woman shifts, not to attack or throw me off, but to study my face. Her eyes blinked twice as if she was missing the glue to the puzzle, along with the brims turning a hue of red as she threatened to cry. "Jupiter?"
I raised a brow, immediately snatching the hood and clothe off her face. My throat tightened and heart beats fast in relief and fear. "Katherine?" I slide off, mouth open in shock as I tried not to jump with joy.
She looked the same but also different, hair longer, body skin, and she has a long cut along her cheek and down to the base of her jaw; it was healed and old. "How is this possible?"
"I should ask the same thing. I thought you were dead, the beginning of all of this was the same, I mean, I assumed it was."
"What are you talking about? Where did you come from? You're supposed to be dead, they said you were dead." Katherine scrambles to her feet, she stepped back from all of us while fiddling with her fingers to not pull her own hair out nor cry. "No, no, you're an imposter."
"I can assure you Katherine, the Jupiter is here, but she's not the Jupiter we know." Henry jumps in, his tone strict and stern. He steps forward, hands out to show he was harmless and clasped onto her own fumbling hands out of comfort.
Katherine was definitely not the strong and stern woman I knew before everything happened. She looked weak, vulnerable, her face held stories of sorrow and not enough happiness to weigh it all down. I wanted to gather her in a hug, whisper 'everything is okay', cry, and act as if tomorrow will be a better day; but it's not. "Katherine." I took a half step forward, hesitant on going any closer than that. "Read my mind, look back on my memories."
"What?" She scoffed lightly in disbelief. Surely the Jupiter she knew would hate to be poked at in the head, but in order for her to believe and trust me, I would have to push down that phobia of mine. Seeing that I was serious, Katherine breaks the space between us, the palm of her hands pressed against the side of my head and she closed her eyes.
The pricking sensation started and this time I didn't fight. I let her in, closing my eyes the first set of memories with her came around, us drinking wine with Athena and Lucas. Then another after another game like images, rather it was with her or not, them it all stopped once coming upon her funeral. It was one of the things I tried not to look back on, something I wanted to hide away forever but also acknowledge the fact she's gone in my world.
She pulled away, a light sigh past her lips as a tear rolled down her cheek. Without hesitation she sweeps me into a hug, tight and lingering with unspoken emotions. "I'm so glad to see you." She whispered, her voice thick and coated with relief.
I chuckled softly, my own tears spilling upon her shoulder. "Ditto. Is everyone okay?"
Just the question alone made the air shift and her body stiff as a board, that was never good, but I still held my breath for good news. Katherine pulls away, a deep frown upon her gorgeous face and eyes advert to Henry who encourages her to explain- just by giving a nod and walking back to the path, instantly dragging Don along with him. We were alone, stuck in this deadly silence. I could no longer hold my breath, I was on the edge and I knew deep down it wouldn't be good news.
"Jupiter, its-" She paused, brows furrowed as she tried to figure out what to say. "They didn't make it."
"All of them?"
She blinked once and nod her head yes in confirmation. "I'm sorry, Jupiter."
I couldn't breath, I didn't want to, but I also didn't feel anything but a skin strain of remorse. This isn't my universe, I'm not supposed to be here in the first place. Still, I felt upset and revengeful.