A New Dawn

A game of chess. Shall we begin?

Chloe lay restless on the bed. Turning from side to side every few minutes. She had questions that laid heavy in her chest. Like what just happened earlier in the day at the Area building. She had questions in urgent need of answers before it eats her alive. She recounted the event in her mind as she tried to make sense of it.

She had stood close to the door, instructing the intruders to step outside with their hands in the air. Her first question was how could someone jump like that? or how would they attack a building with any weapons in the first place?.

She recalled how she has frozen upon close impact with the enemy. And also, how could Michael get there so fast to shield her without her notice? She recalled chasing after the intruders and how quickly they had escaped, jumping out a four storey building and kept on running unscathed and how Michael had disappeared before she returned without anyone in her team noticing. what troubled her more was how his eyes glowed yellow. That image of his eyes glowing yellow kept on replaying in her mind.

All these questions with no reasonable answer weighed heavy on her heart and she also felt her decision of leaving Michael to bleed after saving her wasn't the best choice. Her conscience troubled her. She decided to go to his house first thing in the morning to check up on him and to also get some answers. She turned again, trying harder to fall asleep.

***

Michael sat on his bed shirtless, with a glass of whiskey on one hand and the stake that pierced his shoulder on the other. He glanced at his shoulder which was healed completely as though nothing had happened.

He heard the elevator open just before he took a sip from his glass. “Hello brother" he said just before Sebastian walked into the room.

“You got mother's location and you didn't tell me about it but instead went with Mathew. Someone who's true motive of coming here is still unclear to us." Sebastian quarrelled

“You are still hung up on the idea that Mathew doesn't mean well huh?!" He stood up heading for the bar in the living room

“That isn't the point. The point is you trusted the affairs of our family in the hands of an old friend over that of your brother. I thought we were supposed to do this together?!" Said Sebastian

“When I got the location, Mathew was present here at the moment and I couldn't wait for you to arrive because she might move again before then. So I acted quickly with a friend that was present at the time" he argued

“And then you lost her"

“We don't know that for sure until we hear from Mathew. So until then we can't conclude anything. For now, what we should concern ourselves with is what the werewolves were doing in Area building and what the hell they'd want with Isabella." He explained

“And you are sure they were werewolves?" Sebastian asked

“One of them staked me brother, yeah, so I'm sure"

“The obvious explanation will be that they are working with someone. A vampire" Sebastian stated

“Possibly. But which vampire?" He asked

“That, we need to figure out. Which is why we can't trust anyone just yet. Old friends or not. We need to know what we are up against first" Sebastian advised.

***

Michael stood in the woods as he watched the cabin where Isabella was earlier dragged into. He looked around, marking the number of wolves put in place to protect her. He waited for a while, hoping to see whoever put them up to the task cause he knew the wolves would never on their own dare to attack a vampire, breaking the treaty and allow history repeat itself.

He waited for a while and soon it was dark but there was no sign of the mastermind behind the k********g. Only wolves going in and out. He brought out his phone as he headed back to his car he had parked by the road. He dialled Michael's number before placing the phone by his ear. “Michael!" He called

“I have been expecting your call. I thought the wolves got you too" Michael said from the other end

“They can come and try." He said

“Well? Did you get the location they took her to?" Michael asked

“I'm sorry man. I lost them. My car went off in the middle of the road and I was stranded, so I couldn't follow them. I just fixed the car and I'm returning to the city now" he explained

“Alright, come back. Maybe we can track them later on from where you stopped" said Michael.

“Okay then, see you soon" he ended the call.

***

Nicholas wiped the dust off his suit as he walked through the Ares floor in the building that was trashed by werewolves. He looked at all the damaged properties and his anger grew. He turned to face Ramona “So they happened to attack when the defense here was very low and Isabella was here at that moment too!" He stated

“What are you insinuating?" Ramona asked

“That there's a traitor in our midst. Ramona wouldn't have gone down without a fight, not with such few werewolves anyways. She could have taken them. But it seems someone leveled the playing field for them. It'll be someone she wouldn't expect, someone she knows. What about her so called vampire friends? Where were they?" He asked

“She said she sent them to go get something of value to her. So they weren't present at the time of the attack and they are not back yet" Ramona explained

“Werewolves are crossing lines and one of our kind are helping them. We need to locate that traitor. Make of list of those that'll benefit from her capture and find her fast! She's our ace card"

“That'll be a long list" Ramona pointed out

“Then I suggest you get started" Nicholas concluded before walking away.

***

Isabella was chained to the chair she sat on with a gas mask producing vapours from boiling blackthorn plant which weakens vampires, was placed on her, covering from her nose down as she is forced to inhale it, keeping her weak.

The lock of the door to the room she was kept, clanked right before it was pushed open by Viktor who was smiling as he stepped into the room. Isabella stared at him as he dragged a chair and placed it in front of her, sitting on it. “It's an honour to meet you personally Isabella. You know, we have met just twice before. Four or five centuries ago but you didn't me any attention. You know, I was a kid as far as you all were concerned.But here we are, some centuries later. You are my prisoner" He smiled

She tried to speak but the mask was preventing her from making out meaningful words. Viktor pulled down the mask and allowed her to speak. “You weren't paid any attention because you kept hiding in your daddy's shadow. Never a man of your own and now some centuries later, here you are, still battling with daddy issues." She mocked him

“You are my prisoner, I have my own agenda and I managed to make a small alliance with the wolves for now. I'll say I'm pretty grown" He replied

“What do you want?" She asked with a weak voice

“You see, I think it's time we abolish the old law where only the first Vampires can rule. That idea is outdated and so are it's rules..."

“I haven't ruled yet. How would you know my reign will be in the old ways?" She questioned

“Oh please. You were the vampire that went insane and massacred a whole village just because you were denied your right to rule and then you were locked in a box for centuries. You'll be the worst. You should never be allowed on that throne. We need someone new and smart. Someone that can usher the Vampires into the future, not just to dwell in it but to dominate it." he explained

“And I'm assuming that someone is you?" She asked

“Well I wouldn't pick anyone over me" he smiled

“So why don't you just kill me now and get it over with. While keep me prisoner?" She questioned

“Yeah I'm not gonna kill you. At least not with my hands. You see, nothing goes on within the supernatural circle without my knowledge. You see, Gerard is dead, leaving just you and my father. But I won't make the mistake of killing you myself and jeopardizing my chance of ruling if the people were to find out. Word is, Mathew, Gerard's only son, is in town with a mission to take your head to my father in other to save his brother. And I know he knows you are here because I made him discover it. So why kill you myself when I can simply let him do it and take the fall for it. Killing you and staying on the safe side so I can remove the king from the chess board" He explained

“That's brilliant! I'll give it you. But there's a flaw and a piece In your so called chess board that I know you want to keep safe but the problem is, the piece is currently hanging." Said Isabella

“And what piece is that?" He asked with a curious look

“Your sister" she replied

***FRANCE***

Maya walked out of the vampire sanctuary and headed toward the direction she parked her car when she noticed someone following her. She moved quickly to avoid the person but when she noticed the person not backing down but getting closer, she slowed down and when the person was close enough, she turned around and dashed toward the person with superspeed. Pinning the girl to the car “Who are you and why are you following me?" She questioned, her eyes turning green. But the girl gave no response. “I said who...." She was cut off as her neck was snapped by another female vampire from behind. They picked her up and dragged her to their car, putting her in the backseat before driving off.

***NEW YORK***

“What about my sister?" Viktor asked as his facial expression dimmed

Isabella smiled “I can hear your heart rate increase. You do love her. You see you think you are smart but thinking and proving are not the same. You should really cover all bases before doing something rash. When I woke up, I knew it was only a matter of time before news spreads and your father will want my head again. So I woke up my friends who were placed in the same fate as mine and after helping them feel alive again, I sent them to France to secure your sister, a guaranty for my safety. Your sister, just to make sure I'm safe from any of your father's vile plans. But I didn't think it'll be the stupid son who will try something. So go ahead and have me killed but know you would be killing your beautiful sister" She smiled

“You are bluffing" he said angrily.

“Am I? Like you said, I am crazy aren't I?! So what do you think a crazy woman will do to stay alive and avoid being locked in a box again or worse, beheaded?" She asked

Viktor stood up instantly, bringing out his phone and dialing his sister's number but no response. “If you hurt her, I swear I'm gonna..."

“yeah yeah, blah blah blah. I guess it's really up to you isn't it" she stated. He stared at her angrily. He put the mask back on her face before walking out of the room.

***

Tyrell walked through the crowd gathered in circles and came upon another dead body of one of his pack members, heart ripped out and placed at the middle of a burning pentagram. As he stared at the body, he could feel the eyes of his pack boring holes in his body. He growled silently and turned to walk away. “You are just gonna turn your back and sweep this under the rug too huh!" A voice shouted from the gathering.

Tyrell turned and saw Ray coming out of the crowd. “First it was our brother and now it's our sister and you are not gonna say anything about it. We need justice, we need to retaliate and we need to avenger our people" Ray shouted in anger.

“You will do well to lower your voice" he replied him

“Or what?...I'm just speaking up for the members of this pack. We all think the same thing. You are growing weak and we don't need the other packs to tramp on us all because we have a weak leader" Ray said

“You think you can do better?" Tyrell asked

“I know I can do something and something is better than nothing" He retorted “I challenge you to a combat for alpha. A fight to the death" he blurted out. The other members cheered at this challenge.

Tyrell looked around and saw how the members were cheering “Very well then. Challenge accepted" he said

***

“Hey Jay! I'm currently in the city" Mathew said as he sat in his car, phone to his ears. “Well actually I'm here for business and I need your help. I know there's nothing that goes on in this city that you don't know about so, I need to know about the wolf packs in the city." He explained “Yeah, I'll be waiting" he concluded before coming out of the car.

***

Tyrell entered the fighting space where Ray was waiting for him already. The other members of the pack formed a circle around them with enough space in the middle for them to move around. Ray moved side to side warming up. His eyes glowed blue and his fangs came out.

Tyrell took off his jacket and dropped it on the floor, wiggling his shoulders. His fangs came out also and then his eyes started glowing red. The both of them positioned and was about to attack each other when a loud ringing sent them on their knees. The ringing intensified as they all fell to the ground. Tyrell looked up and saw some group of witches, eleven of them in a straight line, standing side by side. They wore red cloaks with hoods covering part of their long braided hair. half of their face was covered with what seemed like white paint. They continued mumbling some spells as they came closer to where they were.

***

Imani woke up suddenly, sitting up on the bed. Her eyes were pure white as she kept on staring at the roof. She seemed to be in some sort of trance. She was breathing heavily “They are here! The blood witches are here"