Chapter 117 - Stones Of The Witches

Music Recommendation: Every Ending Has A Beginning- Tyler Bates

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Noticing Roman looking in the direction where the creature stood, Julie asked, "Can you see the Corvin?"

"Skeleton head of a raven's bird," answered Roman, walking towards it before he came to stop his feet, two steps away from it. "Looks like we finally meet," he said to the creature associated with the witches.

Julie wondered what had changed, that Roman was now able to see the Corvin.

'The son of the darkness,' the Corvin spoke in its raspy voice, and Julie heard the snapping of the creature's fingers as if it was stretching it, readying itself to push its hands into Roman's heart with its hand alone.

'It would have been better if you stayed in the cell instead of being around her.'

Julie's eyebrows furrowed at the Corvin's words to Roman, letting him know about its distaste towards the night creatures.

"You should already know by now that what you want is not going to happen.. Seeing how your body is unstable, I don't think I can entrust her completely in your care," stated Roman, his eyes holding a hollowness in them while looking at the Corvin.

The cracking of the woods increased, and Julie looked at Roman and then the Corvin. The next second, the Corvin raised its hand towards Roman, its wooden fingers turning sharper. At the same time, Roman brought his hand forward, and a red ball of fire appeared just above his hand that glowed brightly.

The bird-like creature stared at Roman before dropping its hand down, and Julie's mouth was left hanging. She quickly scrambled out of bed and stood between them, where the fire that had appeared from Roman disappeared.

She said, "Let's not fight, okay? You both are on the same team."

'Death is coming, near one dies,' said the Corvin in its whispering voice and both Julie and Roman stared at the creature. 'A wave that's going to wash. Always do.'

"And when is that?" questioned Roman.

'I don't know. But I sense it,' informed the Corvin. It then moved its head, its beak pointing towards Julie as if it was speaking to her and said, 'Not too late, stay away from the vampire.'

Roman's eyes narrowed, and he said, "If you think having her run like how the other witches did in the past is better, think again. It isn't going to work. They will eventually find and kill her."

Realizing Roman was able to speak to the creature, Julie asked him, "How are you able to see and understand him?"

"Vampires and witches go way back in time. The Elders were around during the witches' existence and they acquired the knowledge about the creatures that the witches were acquainted with," explained Roman. "But the choice lies with the Corvin, if it wants to show himself in front of a person or hide. But once it shows itself to a person, it cannot hide again."

So that was how it worked, said Julie in her mind.

She then turned to look at the Corvin and said, "I am sorry for giving you the trouble of sending you to Veteris."

The Corvin bowed its head, 'I am at your service. It is what I have to do now.'

Roman stared at the creature and then questioned it, "Since when are you around?"

The Corvin didn't respond to Roman. Julie said to the creature, "You can answer Roman, Corvin."

The Corvin then replied, 'Since a few years. Decades.'

"Do you know the exact year?"

The creature shook its head to Roman's question, 'Don't remember.'

"It is rather strange that you have been around for years, yet your body has never come to be stable," remarked Roman.

Julie said, "He told me that he knew my mother, that he visited me when I was small.'

"If the creature's abilities are still intact, it can put itself to good use and retrieve the box that your mother used to keep around. Unless you want to go back to your house and collect it yourself," stated Roman. As no one could see the creature, the Corvin could finish the job sooner. "Do you remember how the box looks like, Winters?"

Julie nodded her head and said, "It is wooden with carvings on it. This size," she moved her hands closer to each other to show the size and looked up at the creature.

"There is a possibility that the box might not be there in the house, but it is good to be sure about it. Will you be able to sense it?" Roman questioned the Corvin

'Will try to find it.'

And the next moment, it disappeared from their sight.

Julie's eyes looked left and right, trying to find where the Corvin was, but it was gone.

She then turned to look at Roman and offered him a smile, hearing him say, "It is probably after a very long time that a vampire and a Corvin are working together for a witch's sake."

"He despises vampires," murmured Julie.

"It doesn't bother me," remarked Roman.

With the Corvin gone, they got on the bed, pulling out the packed food from the bag. She took large bites from the burger as if she had been starving until now. On the other hand, Roman poured the blood from the jug to the glass, the first three glasses, and he downed it as if it were air. On the fourth glass, he slowed it down.

Julie couldn't help but think about the fire that Roman had brought in his hand.

Roman questioned her, "Did you ever take a look into this box?" he then took a bite from the burger, which he held in his other hand.

"There were jewelleries. I remember she used to clip them into my hair," replied Julie with a slight smile on her lips at the fond memory. "But I don't remember her wearing any of them, I was small back then. I once asked her about it, and she said she was saving them for me. There was this one long chain with a white stone in it, it was very pretty."

"Gems or stones were often used to lock in abilities or powers. That is why the witches used them," said Roman. "The vampires hold some stones."

"They do?" asked Julie, her eyebrows raising themselves while Roman took a sip from his glass. "You mean the Elders?"

Roman gave her a small nod, "It is said in the beginning, some of the vampires stole or borrowed these rare gems from witches. The gems were turned into liquid before being consumed, giving an ability to the night creature."

"You mean the Elders?" asked Julie.

"No, not just the Elders. There were some other vampires who also existed that time apart from the Elders, when the witches were alive. With time, most of them are scattered, killed or in the casket. Veteris has turned the main hub for new born vampires to come and learn how to not get caught by the hunters and with the combined force of the four Elders, they stand above than the others," explained Roman.

From knowing the existence of the vampires, now she was finding that there were vampires who had upgraded themselves with unique abilities.

"You have the ability..." her voice trailed, and one corner of Roman's lips pulled up.

"It's probably because of Donovan's blood that courses in my veins," explained Roman, looking at the glass that had blood in it. He swirled the glass and said, "The first few vampires burnt down the information about the witches, as if no one wants their existence or the things my kind did, to be known. Each ability is different from one vampire to another."

Once they finished eating and drinking the things they had bought from the diner, both of them got under the sheets, lying down next to each other, and Roman put his hand around her waist, pulling her close to him.

Julie's forehead was pressed on Roman's chest, and with the blanket covered on them, she said, "Rome."

"Hm?"

"I have another idea for your career," said Julie, taking a deep whiff from him. "You can be the perfume maker."

Roman had tucked Julie under his chin, with his eyes closed, "I will consider it."

A smile appeared on Julie's lips, and she murmured in a barely audible whisper as she started to drift into her sleep, "Thank you for this week." It had been a crazy week, but Roman had made it easy for her, her breathing was slowly turning calmer.

"Goodnight, Winters," Roman kissed the top of her head, and Julie felt like she had turned into a precious person.

"Hmm," responded Julie, who was quick to fall asleep in his arms after the eventful day she had spent in the noon, evening and then in the night which she had dedicated to Roman.

Though Roman's eyes were closed, and he didn't move so that Julie could have a good rest, knowing she needed it, he didn't fall asleep. Because he enjoyed holding Julie. This evening, he had only tried to introduce her to what he wanted to do, and by her responses, he could tell she was comfortable enough to try the next things.

Minutes passed, and Roman heard her breathing. In her sleep, she moved to lay flat on the bed, and he let her, without the need to smother her.

Though Julie's heart didn't beat in a rhythm along with his, it did fill the gaps when his heartbeat didn't beat, and it was enough for him.

Roman opened his eyes to reveal those dark red eyes, staring at the sleeping human next to him. He didn't have the habit of letting anyone in, and having Julie here like this was as new to him as it was for Julie. His hand gently moved to push her hair away from her face so that it wouldn't bother her in her sleep.

'I am fine by myself,' Roman heard his own voice in his head, which was from an old memory that his mind had carried with him.

'I know you will, but everyone needs someone. Else you will be a ghost,' said Lady Petronille's voice in his head. It was a few weeks before the massacre of the town had taken place.

'Maybe I am one.'

Lady Petronille had smiled, not too wide, but not too small either. 'Maybe I would agree with it if it were in the past,' she said to him. 'You are anything but a ghost. Maybe not now, but one day, you will come to not just care, but actually depend on someone and even learn to treasure that one person.'

"I found her," whispered Roman, his words not reaching Julie, who slept sound asleep next to him. "And she's quite troublesome," his hand came to hover in front of Julie's face, and he lightly brushed the curve of her nose with one of his fingers.

When the morning arrived, Roman and Julie got ready and reached the front of the counter. The servant named Brooks stood behind the counter, and Julie looked at the vampire with a wary expression on her face.

"Where's Emerson?" questioned Roman.

"Master has gone out to buy groceries," replied the man in a dull tone. Groceries? Did he mean blood from the humans? "Are you checking out from the room, Mr. Moltenore?" he inquired.

"Probably in two hours. Ms. Winters and I plan to take a tour around the town and will be back soon. "I will take the regular once I am back," said Roman and Brooks bowed his head in acknowledgement.

Stepping out of the motel, Julie and Roman started to walk, and she asked him in a low voice, "What if they already left the place?"

"If the girl hasn't turned the boy yet, maybe yes. But if she came here in the intention to turn him and the boy has turned, my bet is that they are still here," responded Roman, his eyes scouting the area. His hand slipped into his pocket. Pulling out a cigarette, he lit the end.

"Are we going to check every place then?" asked Julie because that would take a lot of time.

"Not necessarily," replied Roman, blowing the smoke to the side. "One of the Veteris graduates lives here who knows most of the people's business. He might have an idea if the girl and the boy are still around."

"Who is that?" asked Julie.

"You'll meet him soon."

On their way, Julie caught sight of some of the people walking on the other side of the street, and they gave a look at her from the corner of their eyes, and when their eyes fell on Roman, they looked ahead of them, going on their way.

Roman and Julie continued to walk until they reached a dark grey looking building.

"How come the hunters are not aware that this is a vampire town?" she asked, keeping an eye around them.

"The vehicle's plates are checked, and they have build scanners at the posts to check the vehicles and people, entering and leaving Queenstorm. With every building or shop that is run by a vampire, I doubt any of the hunters would ever suspect that Queenstorm is a residence for vampires."

Reaching the building, Roman pushed the door made of tinted black glass that didn't let one see through what or who was behind the door.

Julie followed Roman, walking next to him, and in the corridor, they met a bulky and tall man.

"Good morning, Mr. Moltenore. Mr. Castle is in his study room," informed the man.

Roman didn't bother to greet the person as if time was scarce and continued to walk. The corridors inside barely had any light, and the gloomy weather outside the building only turned the place dimmer. The walls were black and the ceiling grey, which had low lit bulbs hanging on it. The sounds of their footsteps were heard, and once they came in front of a room, Roman pushed open the door.

Julie followed Roman, stepping into the room, which was moderately brighter than the corridors they had come through.

"Emerson told me you were in the town," said a man, who appeared to be in his forties, his physique lean, and he wore black shades on his face even though there was no bright light in the room. "What brings you here?"

"To fetch someone," Roman's words were short. The man turned his head a little to look at Julie. "This is Julianne Winters."

"Ah, I see," came the man's response. "It is nice to meet you, Ms. Winters. I am Rickard Castle. You can call me Ricky."

The name sounded familiar, and she wondered when Roman had mentioned the person's name to her.

"Good to meet you, Mr. Castle," Julie responded to his introduction.

"It is unfortunate that I haven't been able to find anything about Douglas Leighton. The man seems to be quite a hunter, every hunter is but tracing him is taking quite a bit of time," said the man with shades on his face. Julie then remembered this was the same person Roman had called when they were in the forest to know about her father's whereabouts. "I have put my men near the towns that are around Veteris. So if he tries to make a pass, I will be notified about it."

"Thanks for that, Ricky," Roman appreciated the vampire's help.

"I am just returning the favour, Roman. There's nothing to be thankful about here," the man smiled, his eyes curious, "I heard the Elders had woken up, Veteris must be lively again."

"You know how they are," Roman remarked in a bored tone and then said, "But that isn't the reason why I am here. I am looking for information about one of the vampire visitors who came in yesterday. Natalie. She was here to meet another vampire, do you know anything about it?" he questioned. "If she's still in town."

"Give me a moment," said the vampire, walking to the desk where his laptop was, and he tapped a few keys before saying, "She hasn't checked in to any place. She's probably in the barn area."

"Barn?" asked Julie.

Roman answered her, "It's a place behind this town." He then looked at the vampire and asked, "Do you know who else failed to check-in?"

"Just that person and her guest," answered the vampire. His eyes then fell on Julie, looking at her keenly.

Roman's hand pulled out something from his pocket, and he flipped an old coin that the man caught and smiled. "Always good to offer you services." Before Julie and Roman left the place, the vampire asked, "Does she know?" his eyes curiously looking at Julie.

"Thanks for the information," said Roman, and he stepped out of the room. Julie gave a slight bow to the vampire before following Roman.

Once they were outside the building, Julie asked him, "Are we going to confess to the Elders that I cannot be compelled and know about the vampire's existence?"

This was something they hadn't discussed, and it was better to be done before she stepped foot back in Veteris.

"For the time being let's use your acting skills," remarked Roman.

Julie nodded her head, taking a deep breath and exhaling. She said, "So it's going to be a secret."

"Donovan's head is still running in the direction where he wants to snap your head. He's agreed to meet you, and I don't want to give him a reason to kill you," stated Roman. They made their way towards the woods, leaving the buildings behind them.

Elder Azazel Donovan had more than one reason to kill her, thought Julie in her mind. One, she was a human. Two, she and Roman were in a relationship. Three, she couldn't be compelled, and finally, the last one where she was a witch. Acting was good with her, thought Julie in her mind.

Once they reached the edge of the forest and walked for a certain distance, Julie caught sight of a large barn situated in the middle of the woods.

Walking near the barn, Julie was going to say something when Roman raised his finger to place it on his lips. He walked in the front, and she followed him while turning back to ensure no one was following them.

They stepped inside the barn, and Julie's eyes widened when she saw Keith on the ground in a fetal position. She was ready to go where he was, but Roman caught hold of her arm and warned,

"Don't let your emotions get to you. Look closely, he's turning… but he won't make it."

Julie noticed Keith's eyes had turned red, and he growled.

While Julie was staring at the person on the ground, Roman's eyes moved to the corner, and he quickly pulled Julie behind him. Julie heard the loud gunshot, and she turned around and saw Natalie standing there with a vampire.

"Looks like we have some humans to turn them into vampires," said the man with a smile on his face. "Are they your friends, Natalie?"

"The boy is a vampire," announced Natalie, who held the gun pointed at Julie and Roman.

"Is he?" asked the vampire in doubt and then said, "It is impossible for a vampire to have a beating heart."

"I was under the same impression until I saw his red eyes. He is a vampire, boss," the vampiress informed the man.

"So you are the one who is trying to control and turn the humans," stated Roman, his eyes calmly looking at the vampire. When Natalie pulled back the cork of the trigger, his eyes snapped at her, and he said, "Looks like you have a hearing problem. Why don't you drop the gun so that we speak?" he negotiated.

Natalie huffed, "Do you think I haven't met people like you? Who says something and does something else? Also, I think I would rather see her dead than alive."

Julie, who had been pulled behind Roman, saw Keith continue to growl as if he were in pain and wasn't himself anymore. She asked Natalie,

"How could you do this to him? You turned him knowing it could fail."

Natalie rolled her eyes and said, "Oh my, I never thought you would know about vampires. Who would have thought. Keith was a good guy and I have always admired him being stronger than others. But it seems like he isn't good enough to be a vampire."

The boy on the ground was coughing black blood, and Julie's frown on her face deepened. "Why?" she questioned Natalie.

"Why?" Natalie repeated Julie's question. "Isn't it obvious? I hate you, I always did and you have always been pathetic. You are really stupid, to think you being nice and kind will make everything okay."

"S-stop!" Keith tried to speak while his body convulsed in pain. He looked at the girl. "D-don't do this, Natalie."

"I love you, Keith," said Natalie, but her voice held no emotion in it. "But it is clear that you will always care for this bitch and not me. Trying to find and know if she has been doing alright. I did so much for you, but in the end, you still fucking choose her."

Keith threw out black blood from his mouth on the ground, "You… you don't mean that. It was never her fault, l-let her go."

"It's too late for that," replied Julie.

Roman put his hand into his pocket, and Natalie quickly pointed her gun at him. But all he did was pull out a cigarette, placing it between his teeth and then bringing out the lighter.

Natalie's boss vampire narrowed his eyes at Roman's gesture, not knowing he was being a fool or if he was being smug about the situation when the gun was pointed at him.

Keith continued to throw up more blood until his body went still, and he stopped the growls. Julie's hands clenched at the sight of the person who had turned dead. 

Julie couldn't believe that Natalie didn't care about him. When did the person grow so cold and turn into a murderer?

Seeing this, Natalie's boss said to Natalie, "Looks like we'll need to bring in another human as this one didn't survive. Finish them both quickly so we can get out of here."

Julie tried to use her hands, clapping them in hope to see if any ability would appear like last time out of the dire situation. But apart from the smacking sound of her hands, nothing else happened, and she cursed under her breath. She quickly ducked down while Roman flicked his lighter to light one end of the cigarette as if he was least bothered about the gun pointing at him.

Julie kept trying to bring out any witchy ability out of her, while Natalie decided to first shoot Roman because of his arrogant behaviour. The vampiress pulled back the trigger, and at the same time, Roman lit the fire from his lighter.

Suddenly the fire blew up in front of Roman like an explosion without a sound, swallowing every dried hay and twigs that was in front of him in the barn. Julie quickly took herself to hide behind a wooden barrel.

The flames surrounded the vampires, and  Natalie shrieked, jumping behind because of the sudden fire.

Roman flipped the lighter and put it back in his pocket, taking a long drag from the cigarette, he raised his head to blow the smoke as if he was enjoying the moment.

He commented, "I try to mind my business but someone always has to annoy me."

The vampire glared at Roman, with his eyes narrowed in suspicion. On the other hand, both Julie and Natalie's eyes had turned wide.

"You are not an ordinary vampire," whispered the vampire in doubt in his eyes.

The vampire snatched the gun from Natalie, pointing it at Roman, he started to fire continuously. Roman quickly dodged, and in one swift movement, he caught hold of the armed vampire. While fighting, the gun fell to the ground. They tried to punch and kick, aiming for the other person's heart.

The vampire locked Roman's head in his arm, trying to rip his head. But Roman kicked the person's leg with force, twisting the vampire's arm around, and he elbowed the person from behind, who fell on the ground. 

Roman picked up the gun on the ground, and just when the vampire got up, he placed it right on the person's forehead. 

"Any last words on why you are trying to turn humans?" questioned Roman.

After seeing what Roman was capable of, the vampire was alarmed with the thought that this person in front of him was one of the old vampires. Because there were only a few among the night creatures who had a beating heart, but he had never heard of this person before. 

"Look there was some slight misunderstanding. The girl was the one who wanted to turn the human into a vampire so that she could lead a happily ever after with him," laughed the vampire. 

Seeing the unwillingness of the vampire to answer his question, Roman said in a nonchalant tone, "Have you ever thought how it feels if your brain blows out?" 

Earlier, when Roman and the vampire were fighting, Natalie had moved to where Keith was, and she said, "It was good knowing you, Keith. I am sure you will help me with this last thing as I am thirsty." Her fangs appeared, and she was about to sink her fangs, but something hard hit her head. 

Julie had picked up a wooden log and had used all her strength in swinging the log at the vampiress' head, who now fell on the ground with a growl leaving her lips. 

"Do you know how much I hate you?" asked Natalie, and Julie nodded her head. 

"I can understand now, after what you have done. You hurt people before, you still do, to never have true friends near you," replied Julie. 

"Think what you may, but I led a better life than you. At least my father, unlike yours, didn't put a bullet into my mother's head," laughed Natalie. "At least I stood up for myself. But you ran away, and you will do it now too. I was saving you for last, but it seems to be pointless to wait."

"At least I didn't manipulate and force people to like me. Wasn't that why you did it?" asked Julie, the grip of her hands on the wood tightened. 

From behind, Julie heard a gunshot. 

It was Roman, who had pulled the trigger, and the vampire's eyes turned empty. Roman noticed that the vampire's body didn't start to disintegrate like it was supposed to. Looked like they weren't silver bullets. Somewhere deep in his soul, it felt good to be able to shoot a person properly than use fists. Turning the cork again, he shot the vampire's head one more time, and blood splattered to fall on Roman. 

Natalie quickly tried to attack and drink blood from Julie. She snatched the wood away from Julie, opening her mouth wide to bite the human. But Julie used all her strength, and when she pushed Natalie away from her, something glimmered in the air, similar to the way how the mirror's surface had moved. 

Roman turned around, ready to tear the vampiress' head from her body, but he noticed something move behind her. 

Natalie stumbled backwards, trying to catch her balance, but it was too late, and she fell back. She sank into the medium behind her, disappearing in thin air right in front of them.