Celestial Clans: The vampire prince's origin

The Houdini trick

Eric walked to the door and smiled as he noticed the white brightness that accompanies a teleportation spell vanish into nothingness shine beneath the closed door. He swung the door open to look at his enemy turned close friend and unofficial elder sister then proceeded to step out the door and hug her warmly before letting her in. He had gone on a mission almost five years ago with the aim of killing a witch but he had spared her life instead and had kept on blackmailing her to get free magical help from time to time, he had hid the fact she was still alive from the Guild and had used her life to bargain with her from time to time. As Celina walked into the log cabin for the second time that week she knew she had come to care for the younger Eric much more that she had ever planned to. After working with her closely for 4 years they had gotten past their differences and were now as close as siblings, this was nice because they both had no actual siblings or even relatives left. Eric helped Celina out financially whenever she needed it and even kept her on a payroll from his massive family fortune while Celina helped him with spells and advice whenever he neither either or both. She had helped teleport an entire log cabin to a different continent for him just so he could spend more time in a thrilling location with his wife. It had gone sour though but he was still happy to see her.

“I was here just few days back to help you teleport her back to the states for the burial, what could have changed so quickly from then till now to make you call me back here so soon?” Celina asked directly. At 40 she hardly had love for indirect talking, she considered Eric her younger brother and would always help him out when she could but she needed to know what was going on in his mind as well.

“I am truly sorry if I am stressing you out so soon again, something really important just came up.” Eric said calmly but Celina could sense a tinge of excitement coming from him. He showed her to the sofa in the sitting room and pointed to the cot now placed squarely in the middle of the long sofa. “I just adopted a kid without any planning or actual intention to do so. I think I will really need your help on this.” Eric said and then paused to see the look on her face as she lifted the baby from the cot and smiled as she looked into those grey eyes that were smiling back at her. A ring fell from the cot as she lifted the baby boy from it and Eric picked it up and stuffed it into his pockets after looking at it for a while.

“How did this happen?” Celina asked turning to look at Eric still with the baby rocking gently in her arms. “How did you adopt a healthy new born baby in the middle of the Hoia-Baciu forest? This is one of the most uninhabited places on this planet Eric.” She asked again now staring at him for seconds so he could be moved to say something and offer an explanation.

“I just need you to help me disappear from here and be gone without a trace in the world. I don’t know where the baby came from but I have decided to adopt him already and raise him well and with care back at home so do not try to dissuade me.” He said stubbornly

“Okay then” Celina said without looking up at him again.

“Okay then, just like that?” Eric asked shocked at just how easily she had agreed to his request.

“I think having a child to yourself like you both wanted and had plans for would help you heal or at least keep the pain in your heart at bay for now. I said okay because I want you to be happy and I think you being totally clueless, stressed and confused from taking care of a baby would help you get smiling again.” Celina said before walking back to the sofa and placing the baby back in the cot.

“How soon can you teleport the log cabin? It won’t totally drain you right?” Eric asked walking to his room as he spoke and coming back with a duffel bag. He seemed to be in haste.

“It depends on where I am moving the cabin to, back to America would be really hard since I have to teleport you and the baby as well. Moving across continents in a flash takes a toll on a 40 year old body.” She explained as she sat on the sofa beside the cot grinning at her impatient looking friend.

“I don’t want the cabin anymore, take it. You can move it anywhere else in Europe if it will be less stressful as long as you cloak all the celestial essence in the area when we are gone. I won’t be going straight home from here either, just drop me off in the city. I have a friend at the Henri Coandă International Airport; I’ll use a Pan-Am flight and be in the states by tomorrow.” Eric said looking totally serious. Celina could not hide her shock at how crazy he was being right now; he was normally so calm and calculated.

“Why not just let me teleport you home directly?” Celina asked to get some clarity

“I already thought it through and have my documents in the bag. I’ll get birth certificates for him in Bucharest and tell everyone back home me and Alice had a baby during the year we’ve been touring Europe and decided to keep it a secret. Using a flight would make it all more believable, besides I don’t want to teleport a baby across an entire continent. It would also give me a chance to speak to Deputy Director Michael about things before getting home” Eric said and got a nod from Celina, she was always impressed by how quickly his mind worked.

“Okay, so when do we leave?” she asked yawning

“Get up Celina, we are leaving right away. I just don’t want to waste any time. If I am being honest, I think a part of me doesn’t want anyone turning up here with regret and deciding to take the child from me.” He said with absolute sincerity as he began heading for the door signaling Celina to pick up the cot and follow after him. He was going to raise this child himself and give him everything he needs, just like his wife would have if they eventually had a child together. For now he was going to do a Houdini, just in case anyone came back to this forest in Romania searching for the baby.

20th July, 1974

9:41PM

The Bleeding Heart forest, Havana

The bright white light shone for some seconds then vanished; King Darien and Julian were both back in the forest now and back from the normal earthly plane. Hazar sat there still unable to move but the look of anger that had been on his face when they both appeared was gone now, the Chief Mage was laughing all of a sudden.

“You were both gone for what I can guess was more than an hour, why then are you back without the new born Prince. Where is your Prince Valentine?” Hazar asked before laughing some more. He was speaking more freely now, the paralysis was wearing off. He laughed for a bit and stopped laughing when he noticed King Darien was laughing with him now. He stopped laughing but the vampire King kept laughing for a few more seconds before stopping and squatting next to Hazar where he was propped against the tree trunk.

“You are going to wish I found my son, especially since this is entirely your fault old friend.” Darien said in a cold, emotionless whisper of a voice that got Hazar’s attention. “I am going to pass your judgment for all the crimes and betrayals you have committed in Havana today. Firstly, you are stripped from your position as Chief Mage at this very moment.” That had the desired effect; Hazar’s eyes were wide, filled with rage and attentive now. His eyes searching the King’s face to try and read what he was thinking.

“You have no right to do that Darien; Vampires do not make political decisions for the Mage Clan. Only the Mage Clan can officially remove me as the head of the Mage Clan. You will have to take me to the Peridia so I can be judged by the council of Mages.” Hazar explained. He was right, the Vampire King and Chief Mage walked hand in hand to pretect the rest of Havana and although the Chief Mage was under the authority of the Vampire King, he had no authority to make decisions for the entire Mage Clan.

“You are right, but I just spent an hour searching for my son and heir in the normal earthly plane without finding even an atom of a clue. Time on that Plane is slower than time in Havana so I can’t stay there long searching for my boy even though I want to, I have to be at the palace before midnight and ensure everyone is safe and Bloodhaven is secure.” Darien said before pausing and letting out a deep breath. “Julian I hope you can understand why I am doing this?” he asked turning to look at the younger mage behind him.

“Yes my liege, I understand” Julian said bowing his head as a sign of submission to the king’s will.

“Hazar, Julian will be using a drop of my blood to maroon you on the normal earthly plane for possibly the remainder of your life. Your punishment is banishment from the Havana plane.” King Darien said standing from his earlier squatting position. Hazar looked into his eyes now and saw that the vampire had made up his mind on this.

“Darien you would never do that to me.” Hazar said nonchalantly and regretted saying it instantly when he saw the Vampire king bite into his own risks with his own fangs and let his blood flow from the wounds and drop on the forest floor.

“Here is your saving grace Hazar, if you can find my son on the earthly plane and use his blood to come back to Havana. I will forgive you and let you live here again in peace till you die. Remember that there is only one way to get through the barrier, you must cast the teleportation spell when you spill the vampire king’s blood. I won’t be on that plane for a long time which means you can't use my blood so I hope you can find the Prince and future king soon. Give it your all.” Darien said then turned to wave at Julian.

“Nenaya transporta dimensia earthia” Julian said as the white light began appearing.

“Darien no, no you cannot do this to me!” Hazar screamed from where he sat, unable to move or cast a counter spell. The light was surrounding him now.

“Remember not to use much magic there or you’ll get weak faster and you will probably end up being hunted and killed by the Hunter’s Guild. If they ever think you are way more powerful than normal mages, they will do anything to end you. If you want to come back here, if you ever want to get home, find the Prince. Find my son.” Darien said as he turned away from Hazar and began walking away, already trying to get out of the forest. The light vanished quickly and Hazar was no longer there. Julian was still in shock at just how direct the King’s retaliation was. He had that unhinged look in his eyes that made Julian know he planned to do more. “Let's get going Julian; you can draw essence from the catacombs beneath the palace whenever you feel weak from that wound. If anyone ever asks you from this very second till we have searched extensively for him, say the Prince is dead to curious people. That way even if he is alive no one will be trying to hurt him for a while; no one will know where he is.”

“I hope the prince will be okay living with humans.” Julian asked walking quickly and catching up with Darien.

“He is my son, grandson to Maximus and from the bloodline of Dracul himself and Vlad the first. He will be more than okay.” Darien said as they walked into the darkness of the forest, heading for the Palace as soon as Julian gathered enough essence.