Haseena Raichand smiled at the attention she was receiving. A wicked and proud smile. She yearned for this moment years back and now she was having it from previous twenty years. Every night, she enjoyed the feast of her victory.
She looked at the sea of hooded black robes floating in front of her.
A black hooded man came forward and bend on his knees in front of her. Haseena sat with attention, and pride oozing from her.
"Sardar, there's a problem" he said
Haseena had a subtle smile. She was amused how vampire clan worked for her. The way they hailed her as their everything. She didn't care for the problems that kept on emerging every now and then.
"What's it?" Haseena asked, keeping her voice neutral
"Werewolves are breaching the agreement." He said "they are hunting us once again"
With victory and happiness comes the troubles and trials.
It was one such moment that made her nervous. She shifted uncomfortably. Her smile faltered. However, she braced herself soon enough.
"What are you saying?" Haseena asked
Man nodded.
"Am speaking the truth" he said
"you can come in" he spoke loudly looking at the small door to their left
A man in black robe with hood came in. His whole body was covered not even an inch could be seen. He stopped at a little distance from the bony chair, where Haseena was seated.
"Explain what you saw" The first man said
The second man who entered, turned to Haseena.
"It was their leader, Sardar" he spoke loudly and clearly "I saw him killing Aryan, our member."
Haseena hissed. Her nervousness doubled. She knew where it was going. But she couldn't understand the reason behind the chaos. Nothing of this sort was suppose to happen.
"You saw their leader?" Haseena asked cautiously
"Yes!" He replied "Samar! Samar is their leader."
Haseena took a sharp breath. She closed her eyes for a second to calm herself. She gave an unmindful nod.
Samar wasn't werewolf leader. Vampires were still unaware of the truth. It was the advantage for Haseena but she wondered how much?
The second man left from the door he came in.
She was thinking what should be her next step when first man spoke.
"We know their leader, Sardar. We should attack them. We can't keep quiet." He said with rage
Haseena fumbled with the arms of her bony chair. She had the advantage but she need to do something to handle the crisis. She couldn't let vampires attack werewolf. She could never let that happen.
Haseena was still thinking when the door facing her in the small room opened and another hooded man came inside.
He strided towards Haseena with an effortless gait. Other vampires turned on either side, clearing the path for him as he walked with unmistakable aura. He stood right in front of Haseena. He didn't bow or knelt. He stood straight with his head high.
"We need to talk" he said in a mere whisper that held the power no one could resist
Haseena was a little taken aback. She looked at the vampires clustered behind him. She nodded and stood up.
The man passed her and opened the door of back wall. He walked inside in silence.
Haseena gave a nod to other vampires and followed the man in the small room behind her chair. She locked the door and looked at the man standing in the center of the room.
"You are trapped!" He spoke
Haseena stared at him. She didn't know what was he talking about but he could help her was all she knew.
"They are testing your loyalty." He said
Haseena panicked. She thought he was talking about vampires.
"What are you saying, Rudra? Vampires can never go against their leader, you know that." Haseena said in frenzy
A sly chuckle echoed softly. Haseena looked on, confused and worried.
"You are telling me vampires can't go against their leader?" His voice came with a chill
Haseena looked away. It was one of her deepest truth that she buried with the crown of leadership but he knew about it. He knew almost every dark truth.
"They know about Jeh. They know the real leader of The werewolf. They believe you are working with him. This whole thing of attack is your test." Rudra informed
"But how?" Haseena was panicked and scared. It could cost her life and leadership.
"They aren't Naive." He said "this is your test. If you deny to attack, they'll finish you."
Haseena gulped. She looked around. Her body was shivering in silk robe. If Vampires would go against her then it would took them a second to finish her.
"What should I do now?" She asked looking at him with hope
"That's your problem." He shrugged " You are skilled in deception."
"But.." Haseena opened her mouth but closed it not knowing what to say, she ran her fingers in her hair.
"Tell them to ambush Samar." He spoke startling Haseena by his suggestion after a denial.
She stared the covert figure, processing his words in order to understand the real meaning.
"It will bring you the trust of vampires and the secrets will remain where they are" Rudra said
Haseena nodded slowly. Finally seeing the ray of hope in the tunnel of despair.
Haseena composed herself and left the room leaving Rudra alone. She walked to the platform and sat on the bony chair. She looked at the vampires attentive to her.
"Life for life!" Haseena said in a strong tone "I'll have a talk with them but later. At first, do what they did."
Haseena paused for a spell and observed them. There was silence, no reaction at all.
"Ambush Samar!" She ordered
She looked at the vampires looking at each other and nodding. She smiled with satisfaction, swelling with the confidence.
She waved her right hand and vampires left the room on the cue.
She walked back in the room. It was empty. She didn't know where and how he left. He was damn powerful but thankfully her ally. She closed her eyes and shook her head.
.
Jeh Khurana looked at the sky filled with darkness. His face showed no emotion. He turned his head to the rustling coming from his left. He gazed in the infinite darkness for a minute before a silhouette emerge from the far.
He stood silently watching the trees surrounding them. They weren't trees of Dehradoon Forest but were related closely since there was just a fine boundery separating the two forests.
A boundary that once crossed could cause the destruction because Dehradoon Forest was the name of destruction.
"You are two minute late." Jeh said in heavy voice
He turned to his left once again and saw Haseena standing before a tree.
"Your strategy." Haseena said proudly "a minute late is better than a minute wrong"
She was phrasing his words. Exact words he said on giving her the directions of not using her vampiric speed. It was twenty years back. He told her to look around so to make sure no one notice her when she was coming to meet him.
A perfect strategy.
A minute late is better than a minute wrong!
The corner of his lips raised into a smirk.
"I'm surprised you remember"
Jeh paused while Haseena looked at him confused. He always did that but something was wrong tonight.
"Oh yes, You must've done it to protect yourself, no?" Jeh smiled
"What are you trying to say?" Haseena asked boggled by his behavior, for a moment she thought it was because of her decision in Vampire's special room but then it just happened half hour back, no way he could've known it so soon.
Jeh shrugged and moved around her making her feel nervous.
"Vampires have rules. Rules they stick to." Jeh said
"Rules that were completely broken twenty years back and yet they knows nothing about it." Jeh smiled observing Haseena
Haseena looked away. She never liked the mention of past but she couldn't stop Jeh either.
"What is the meaning of all this?" Haseena asked
"Two years. Two leaders. And both dead. So strange! I wonder why vampires did not find it odd." Jeh said not really answering Haseena, increasing her disconcert
Haseena was his pawn and he enjoyed playing with his pawns particularly when they try to cross their boundary.
"See, one died in a fight and the other disappeared... just like that." Jeh continued "anyway, I was saying two leaders died in two years and the third leader was selected. SELECTED."
Jeh paused letting the word Selected hung in the heavy air of forest. He stood facing Haseena. He could see annoyance and worry on her face just like he wanted to see. He was satisfied but it wasn't the end.
"They never select leader. Their leader is always POWER. The one who is bestowed by extreme powers become the ultimate leader of vampires. But twenty years back, rules were suddenly shifted and the leader was Selected not on the basis of powers but was hailed as leader, for saving the vampires from their destruction in the absence of their leader."
Jeh leaned on the bark of tree and looked at Haseena with amused smile.
"Haseena Raichand was selected as the leader of Vampires because I, Jeh Khurana, the werewolf leader, gave her that privilege." Jeh said
Haseena shook her head. It wasn't meant to be discussed in clear words. Jeh never spoke of his favour or the past even though they met every night at the same place. There was an unsaid promise that past shouldn't be discussed but tonight...
"I remember the past, Jeh. But I don't remember that you were meant to tell me it." Haseena said unable to stand his tantrums
Jeh laughed irking her more.
"Of course Haseena." Jeh nodded "of course, you won't wish to listen it. Anyone can hear it and then you can lose so much."
Haseena wanted to shout and ask the reason for his behavior but she fisted her hand instead and closed her eyes. She knew very well, the moment she stepped that line nothing would stop Jeh from killing her but then she wasn't aware of the reason behind his so called calm behavior either.
"I gave you the gift of leadership just to have your loyalty in return. So think, what can I gift you if you backstab me?" Jeh paused and looked at her waiting for her to answer
Haseena moved a strand of her hair from her face and looked at Jeh. Suddenly, she had the feeling he knew. He knew about the half hour back meeting's details.
"I know, Jeh. And I never backstabbed you nor I will ever do that. You need to understand me, I'm not your enemy." Haseena said vehemently
Jeh raised his eyebrow like challenging her.
"I thought you once said something like vampires don't have emotions right?" Jeh said with the same savage smile as before
"So you don't trust me anymore?" Haseena said with stony eyes "if this is because what I said to vampires then you need to listen to me, Jeh."
"Ah, finally! So you are accepting what you did" Jeh said happily
Haseena closed her eyes and nodded.
"Jeh, it was necessary. I have to do it or else..." Haseena stopped as Jeh cut her
"Or else you would've been in danger something like that right?" Jeh said coolly
Haseena nodded.
"So just because vampires are planning to kill you, you went on backstabbing me. Did you forget, Haseena, what I say to you? Twenty years back?" Jeh voice was neutral but Haseena could sense the danger lurking suddenly
"I told you the moment you'll go against me I'll give you the last gift." Jeh said, his right hand moved behind the tree he was leaning on and a second later an object materialized in Haseena's view, panicking her.
"Jeh, you need to listen.." Haseena said looking at the object in Jeh hands
"There's nothing to listen, Haseena. On your orders, Samar is killed. My right hand! Life for a life, Haseena." Jeh said coldly as he leveled the log on her chest where her dead heart resided
"Killed?" Haseena looked at him shocked, confused and panicked. Her eyes were oscillating from Jeh to log.
"This is not possible, Jeh. I ordered..." Haseena stopped as the pain striked her
She looked at the log pierced in her stomach. She wobbled back and looked at Jeh leaning on the tree and his right hand extended forward, now empty where log was, a second before. She couldn't believe he stabbed her.
"Don't worry" Jeh said "you'll die anyway. Its a Vampire Slayer's weapon. Enchanted one. It has missed your heart but it has touched you and that's enough. You might live a minute longer before you die."
He straightened himself and looked at her agonised face. He smirked.
"I don't trust Vampires, Haseena. I'm not an idiot." He said
Haseena watched with pain as he walked away.
"Jeh... Listen to... Me... I ordered ...half hour back... Its not possible... Sama.r can't... Die..." Haseena tried to call him trying to make him understand that vampires couldn't kill Samar so soon in a hope he would help her and listen to her explanation "please.. help... Me..."
Haseena looked with pain as Jeh disappeared in the darkness of night. She held the log trying to pull it out from her stomach but it won't budge. She squeezed her eyes not able to stand the burning pain. She didn't realize falling down on floor. The smell of dirt and the hard terrain scratching her face made her aware of the fact.
She was burning and death was coming closer every second. She couldn't stand it. The pain was unbearable. She just wished for some miracle to save her. She couldn't die like that.
She was half conscious of her surroundings and didn't hear or felt anything until another pain shot her stomach as log was pulled out. She felt a little better a second later but she knew she was going to die until or unless someone would help her bit more. Anyhow, she was hopeful that there was someone to help her. She forced her eyes open and tried to see who took mercy on her. She could see flash of dark hair moving and then blurred hand coming towards her.
"He...help..." She managed to say in a hope that her life would be saved but she lost her senses
A minute later, burning pain made her aware of her senses. She was lying on ground but something about the terrain was different suddenly. She touched her stomach hissing in pain. There was no log but a big hole. She was somewhere in closed space. She tried to understand the place but it was dark and her vampiric sight was blurring. She was dying.
Haseena tried to look around for help. She whimpered as pain intensified with her each movement. There was no one around. The place was closed but she could feel air around her, maybe there was some opening. She tried to sit up but pain won't let her. She could see the roof. There was something vague familiar about it. She tried to focus her gaze. It wasn't plain roof. The outlining was rough. She tried to understand.
"..help..." She managed to mutter in pain
She looked around trying to focus. She realized she was in cave but she couldn't understand the familiarity. She heard the faint footsteps. Her body was burning. She whined and squeezed her eyes. As pain slowed a little, she opened her eyes. She saw a figure hovering over her.
A guy! Dark hair and fair complexion. With blue eyes.
Something about him was familiar. It was like she knew but wasn't able to remember him. Everything seemed known yet so unknown. She wondered if it was her dying state causing the complexity.
"Help.." she cried painfully
She saw him looking at her. There was something in his blue eyes.
Blue eyes!
The pain shot through her as she forced her eyes open. She could see the roof of cave. Her brain worked. Slowly, the realisation dawned on her. Yes, she knew the place.
Cave of Dehradoon Forest!
She gasped. It wasn't possible. She couldn't believe she was in the cave of Dehradoon Forest. That place was living storm that won't let anyone step in it then how could she reach there and still be safe from the storm.
Haseena tried to focus on the guy once again. She knew those blue eyes but she wasn't ready to believe her eyes. She wanted to see his face to confirm.
Then she saw it. And for a moment she forgot the pain. Everything stopped.
"Abhay..." She gapped
The blue eyes dimmed with pain, gazed her with longing. The pain he lived and the longing he died with.
Haseena shook her head in disbelief. Her body was burning but she paid no attention to it anymore. All she was thinking about was what she was seeing. She couldn't believe it was real. It wasn't possible by anyway. She couldn't be in Dehradoon Forest. It was a forbidden place. She couldn't be seeing Abhay. He was dead.
Abhay Raichand was dead.
She, suddenly, wondered if it was all a delusion. Was it the part of journey to embracing death? She once heard from humans that when a human is about to die, he sees all his life like a movie. Was it the same with vampires? Was she too seeing her past? her sins?
"Why?" She heard the familiar voice with familiar question and turned her head
She saw Abhay Raichand looking at her with pain in his eyes. She started to believe she was dying and was watching her past. The face, the eyes, the pain and the accusation. All were same as before. He was questioning her deceit.
She tried to look around to see if there was someone else too. She wasn't alone on that fateful night. But there wasn't anyone. She was alone. Even Abhay wasn't caged.
She wondered if she had already died and was meeting souls but that thought was soon pushed away as she felt another sharp pain.
No one feel pain after death.
Then what was she seeing?
Then she felt it. A touch on her cheek. She raised her eyes to see Abhay touching her cheek.
"Why did you betray me, mother?" He asked
"Abhay..." She struggled to speak "save.. me"
She didn't know whether it was dream or delusion anymore. All she wanted was to live. She wanted to be saved and protected.
"I too begged you, mother, I begged you to save her. I told you I'll give you my powers but you betrayed me. You listened to Jeh. See he betrayed you, too." Abhay said softly
He stood up. Haseena moved her hand to stop him but she couldn't raise her hand due to weakness. She panicked but she saw him standing there and looking at her. He wasn't leaving her.
"It was this place, mother. You could've save her. I could've give you powers. You could've live. But you cheated me and he cheated you too. He tried to kill you. He stabbed you. But see its me. Its me who saved you from the pain even after what you did. See I pulled that weapon from your stomach so you don't feel the pain. I could've save you from dying too. But you betrayed me, mother. You killed me instead. Now I can't save you." He said taking a step backward
"No.. Ab..hay... Am.. sorry... Please... Save...me" Haseena cried helplessly
"You will die here, mother. You will die where you killed me. I can't save you mother. I can't save you because am dead, mother. Abhay Raichand is dead, then how I save you?" He said with pain in his voice
"I still saved you five minutes, mother. You'll live little longer. You'll feel little pain. But you hurt me, mother and even then, I helped you." He whispered
Haseena felt the tears soaking her cheeks. She felt she was crying. But more than that she felt regret and guilt. She was going to die at the place she sinned but she was saved from the horrible pain by someone she killed. She couldn't understand what was happening but she knew at that time, she did the worst mistake of her life twenty years back. And now she was going to die. Die due to the same mistake of years back. She cried in agony.
"You are crying, mother?" He asked "but you had told me vampires don't have emotions then how are you feeling them now?"
"Am.. sorry.. Abhay..." She muttered
"You lied right?" He asked "you lied vampires don't have emotions when you yourself was showing love for powers. You shouldn't have done it, mother. Father and I would've save you, but you went on killing us for powers."
"Help... Me..." She whispered feeling the pain burning her completely
"You killed me, mother. Am dead. A dead can't save. I want to help you but I can't save you. You shouldn't have trusted Jeh." He said taking about another step backward
"Abh..." She couldn't speak, her voice was strangulated in pain
Her eyes filled with guilt of everything she did and longing to live a second more. She wanted to ask forgiveness. She wanted to ask for a life. But she wasn't going to get any such thing. No forgiveness. No life.
A final strike of pain and she died at the place she committed the biggest mistake no less than a sin.
He looked at her body twisting into smoke. He stood straight and adjusted the collar of his long cloak. His face turned emotionless.
A stone came tumbling down from roof and moonlight illuminated the cave. His hair flowed softly. His soft features were enlightened by moon, at the sky, just above his head. His blue eyes shimmered like ocean illuminated by light.
Abhay Raichand wasn't an illusion or dream. He was reality. A truth!
Abhay Raichand was back!
Back to fulfil the promises. This time without fail.
He closed his eyes and turned his face to sky. The moonlight gave his face a luminescent glow.
He walked away letting his cloak float behind him. An aura of unmistakable strength surrounded him. He wasn't the teen loving boy but a Fire. The Fire burning for the revenge.
~*~*~
Jeh leaned on the chair. He was in an old dusty room that was wide and was of woody style. The room was lit by fluorescent bulb. He was calm. There was no regret of killing twenty years old ally. He knew at some point he had to clean his hands from her. After all vampire and werewolf can only have contract not friendship.
The silence was peaceful. He closed his eyes. His mind was making images of Samar dead body. He was pained to lose the oldest and closest friend. A partner in crime. Yet, he was at peace to know he avenged his death.
I took your revenge Samar, Jeh said in his mind silently thanking him for his years of friendship and help.
"Do you really think you have avenged him?"
The whisper really closed to his ear, startled him. He opened his eyes in urgency and met with complete darkness in room. He tried to look around but couldn't see anything. He heard the soft ruffling of fabric from behind him and spinned around. He caught a glimpse of a long cloak that didn't last a second. He tried to see in darkness but saw no one.
Then he saw it. As soon he turned to his front.
An apparition!
Sparkling blue eyes!
Jeh was startled and disquieted. He let out a breath and tried to calm himself. He wanted to shout. He wanted to question who the guy was, how he was inside and what he was saying but all he could do was to just stare at the guy sitting in front of him. He couldn't get over the panic of second before.
"I must admit you have nice taste for strategies." The voice spoke this time clearly and strongly "a minute late is better than a minute wrong."
Jeh observed the darkness. He understood the guy worked very well to reach him but how did he know so much was a question. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it not knowing what to say. He had too many questions and now he didn't know from where to start so he started to focus on observing the guy and understanding who he was.
All he could see clearly in the darkness were the pair of blue eyes that reminded him of ocean. Ocean. But there was something else familiar about them too. He racked his brain to remember if he ever saw those eyes but all he came up was Vampires and it had the question in itself. How could a vampire trespass werewolf territory and enter in his room without any bloodshed?
He started to focus more and the more he observed the more he thought it to be a vampire but then there was something he never saw vampires wearing. Cloak! The guy was in complete black like vampires but he was wearing black cloak that was different from vampire's black robes. It wasn't of silk. Neither it had hood because Jeh could see the raised collar. It was of different type. Something he think he once glimpsed years back. In an Enchanted Book. Of, Unknown Creatures!
"So what have you concluded from your observations? Do you remember me, Jeh?" He asked leaning forward
Jeh was surprised once again. The guy was aware of his each act and thought. No vampire could do that with werewolves. He felt a tight knot in his stomach. He felt like being against some unknown power.
"You are a vampire?" He managed to question
"Too slow!" The voice came "seems like you don't have nice memory like vampires."
Jeh focused on voice and felt he heard the voice before too but couldn't remember when. He started to get frustrated by so much of confusion. He was ready to stand up when the guy understanding his intentions spoke halting his action.
"In a hurry eh?" There was amusement in tone like satisfied "you need to remember me so let's help you. Maybe light will bring some light on you."
Jeh narrowed his eyes. He saw the wave of hand and voice of switch being used. The light came flashing in room. Jeh was blinded by the sudden flash. He was boggled on the process as he was sure he didn't see the guy moving from the chair. He wondered if there was someone from werewolf side helping the guy.
Jeh turned to the guy sitting in front of him. He could now clearly see him and he was sure he saw him somewhere before.
"Twenty years!" The guy said "is it such a long time that you forget me, Jeh?"
Jeh eyes widened. The flashes of past occurred to him. He observed him once again. Same eyes, same face and same person. There was no mistake.
He was Abhay Raichand.
"How is it possible?" Jeh muttered still in shock
Abhay smiled gleefully. He liked it. He liked the shock. He liked the recognition and skepticism. It brought him tremendous satisfaction.
"You are weaker than humans, Jeh" Abhay said standing up "you can't understand a thing."
Jeh watched with shock. He shook his head.
"I killed you then how?" Jeh couldn't help saying
Abhay chuckled.
"Wrong! I killed myself, Jeh." Abhay smiled
"How did you enter?" Jeh asked after a minute of silence
"No one can stop me." Abhay walked to back of chair he was sitting on moment back and leaned on its head looking directly at Jeh
Jeh composed himself. He knew he was in danger and at that moment, more than questioning, he need to control the situation.
"What do you want?" Jeh asked as calmly as possible
"What do you think?" Abhay smiled, his eyes flashed
The echo from past made Jeh shiver.
"Remember... You all... Remember that... I'll return... I'll come back... I'll come to take my revenge... Mai wapis aonga apne pya.. pyaar ka badla... Lene... Is..is...dhoke ka badla... Lene... You won't die until... Untill I don't kill you... You'll live until I don't sna.. Snatch everything.. Everything from you... I'll come back to destr... Destroy... You"
Jeh tried to calm himself. He was clever but he was surely spooked. He had questions. He didn't know how was Abhay alive. He didn't know how he entered his room passing werewolves. He didn't know how he read his mind. And then there was his stunt of closing lights and then opening them damn knows how.
Suddenly he didn't know anything.
Jeh remembered the time he saw him dying. He composed himself.
"Do you think you can kill me, Abhay?" Jeh said and smiled at the idea, he knew Abhay won't kill him, he knew the ways.
Abhay smiled in reply waiting for him to say something more.
"You can't even kill a human for your food, Abhay, and you think you will kill me." Jeh chuckled "you will kill Jeh Khurana? Jeh who killed your dear mother just a moment before!"
Abhay laughed. He stood straight and walked behind Jeh. He leaned near his ear.
"Do you really think you kill her?" Abhay whispered in his ear
A chill ran down his spine. Jeh stood up stumbling on his feet, turned around and looked at Abhay who was looking at him with amused smile. He looked away and composed himself. It weren't the word that shook him but the voice and its effect. There was something chilling in the room that Jeh was unable to understand due to the torrent of questions fogging his mind.
Abhay played with the collar of his cloak and looked at Jeh. It was a gaze that made Jeh shuddered giving a feeling like Abhay was able to see what's going inside his head.
Abhay waited for Jeh to say something. There was silence in the room. An eerie silence that Jeh was unable to stand.
"I killed your mother by stabbing her with slayer's weapon" Jeh said and looked for some emotional reaction from Abhay but there came none
"You can't kill me" Jeh said defiantly
"That's a question" Abhay said sitting on Jeh chair "I can't kill you. But, Jeh, I can kill you."
Abhay paused. He looked at directly at Jeh and smiled.
"Think, how I entered your place and your room even with your guards around. If I can pass them without being stopped, then I can kill you too, right? Without anyone's notice."
Jeh ran his fingers in his hair. He was going mad. There were questions and there was threat. He had to do something.
"You have questions and confusion, Jeh" Abhay said easing himself on chair "and I'll make sure you get the answers and clearance."
Abhay looked at Jeh. He could see Jeh in tremor. The feeling of impending danger was clear on his face.
Jeh stopped. Then the idea came in his mind. Abhay was talking so Jeh thought to bid some time and call the werewolves inside. He was satisfied at the idea.
"How did you enter?" Jeh asked cautiously
Abhay smiled. He knew what Jeh was doing.
"Scared" Abhay thought with amusement. Nevertheless, he liked Jeh idea. Jeh was working for his own death after all.
Jeh was satisfied but he didn't know his feelings were feeding the fire in Abhay.
Abhay eyes glittered sharply and the ocean in them danced softly as the fire in him laughed at the path laid ahead.
Two players of death and both planning to kill each other! Who will win and who will die?