Chapter six

As soon as Asher and Mariah appeared in the room, Edward said, “be out with it, now.”

Once more, Asher and Mariah shared a look. Guess it was inevitable. But the question is, where should they begin?

“Don’t make me ask again,” Edward ordered.

Mariah had no choice but to explain everything that happened that day and the fact that she had been seeing the man in her dream for years.

“And you chose to hide this from your mother and I because?” Edward asked when she was done.

Mariah bit her lip and stared at her brother for help but Asher looked away. When faced with their father, he too has to choose his words wisely. “I didn’t want to worry you. And mom, she would start reading meaning into it, maybe even thinking that he is the reason I have not found my mate.”

“And what if he is?” Edward asked.

Mariah wriggled her fingers to avoid looking him in the eyes. “I don’t think so. Goddess Selene assigns us with mates, so how can his existence be the reason she hasn’t given me one?”

Edward didn’t want to dwell on that one fact and so turned to Asher, “you said he drank her blood?”

Asher wanted to correct him that he wasn’t the one that said it but oh well, so he just nodded. “And he insisted that he only needs her blood.” He added.

“Could he be a Nightwalker?”

“I suspected it too but then, he doesn’t smell like one.” Asher frowned, “besides, he could walk under the sun.”

“I can walk under the sun. Long before I became a demon,” Edward answered, ruling out that point. “So that means, could he be an original? The very, very, very first original? You said his coffin looked ancient. What if he was the first that stumbled upon the Death tree long, long ago?”

“I have come upon that theory. I mean, his coffin was secluded in the mountain. It looked like he was cast out. The entrance to the cave was even sealed. What if the humans were able to find a way to subdue him and then buried him there never to be seen again?” Mariah asked, staring between her father and her brother.

Asher frowned, deep in thought. “But it didn’t make sense. I mean, his eyes weren’t red in thirst and when I suggested he go to the human realm, he looked genuinely puzzled when he asked why he would need human blood.”

“So what are you saying?” Edward raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t think he is a Nightwalker.”

“I don’t think so too,” Edward said, shocking them. He shrugged when he saw their gaze on him. “If he was a Nightwalker, denied of blood for so long as you mentioned, he would need more than a pint of blood to recover his flesh.”

“Then what do you think he is?” Mariah asked, her worry deepening. She would really prefer he is a vampire original than to be a creature they know nothing about.

“That is what we have to find out. If he is wounded, it means he would still be in the mountain. Let’s go check it out.” Edward said, “stay home, Mariah,” he ordered and Asher nodded. Holding hands, they teleported and Mariah could only stare at where they once were, praying and hoping that they come back safe and sound.

***

Alaric was lying in his coffin, moaning softly in pain as his wounds were still healing. Normally, he should have been fully healed by now but he was still too weak and since his strength is not as it used to be, his healing properties are at its lowest. He wondered how long he would have to wait to be fully healed and it wasn’t helping that he was hungry. Very hungry. Oh, what he would do for a roasted pork leg now. He licked his lips at the image in his mind and his tummy growled. Just then, he remembered what the boy had said about human settlement and how close by it was. But trying to move made his stomach hurt, and he could only groan and lay back down. Oh, how he wish he has a servant now.

He hates his condition. Normally, by now, his servants would have prepared a buffet for him, so many choices to choose from and how he would causally pick a bite and let them do away with the rest. Now, if only he could get just a plate of those many options. Oh, life is really unfair to him now. Look at him, a king but with no servant to tend to him and he is hungry like a child because there is nothing he can do. This is such a huge blow to his ego. Perhaps he shouldn’t have tried to kill Mariah so soon, who knows, maybe she would have brought him home, and now would have fed him to a bounteous meal. His mouth watered at the imaginary meal and he could only swallow his saliva while his stomach churned again.

He closed his eyes and nearly cried, this was the highest punishment to ever be dealt on a king; to die by starvation. He sighed and tried to force himself to go to sleep when he sensed it, strange presence at the entrance of the cave. His eyes widened, could it be that the offspring of Aspa has returned to finish him off? No, no, no, no, no, he cried in his mind and forced himself out of the coffin. He can’t fight him now, he hasn’t even recovered from the wound he dealt on him. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to teleport and he appeared just a little far from the cave entrance.

He peeked from behind a tree and saw him, or rather, them. And it was as he feared, it was Aspa’s offspring and a man. He sniffed the air and his eyes widened, the demon king. Wait, what is Aspa’s offspring doing with the demon king? Hold on, could he be the one that she mated with to birth the boy?

No, no, no, no, no, if Aspa had mated with the demon king, it means he can never escape her now and neither can he fight her now. Aspa was already vindictive, after all, she challenged him to a duel just because he rejected her, who knows what lies she must have told her mate and son to make them come back here. No doubt she sent them, after all, the son must have told her he saw him. However, he was surprised she didn’t come with them. He would assume she would want to end him herself, after all, she lost to him. A goddess losing to a dragon, how unheard off. Or wait, maybe she sent them here to capture him for her?

Alaric shivered at the thought of what Aspa would do to him should she capture him. “Oh, Mariah, where are you? I need your blood.” He whispered sorrowfully as the demon king and his son entered his cave. He must get out of there, even if on a normal, a dragon king is stronger than a demon king, right now, he is like a measly human in front of that demon king and not to forget that his fire can actually extinguish his soul.

Alaric clutched his chest at the thought of his soul vanishing. He can’t even imagine himself seizing to exist. How then can he have his revenge on Ramiel and Aspa for what they have reduced him to? He turned to run away, no, to just go to another place. Hell, how can he, the dragon king be running away from a measly demon king? He is just going to another place. They can have his cave for now, he will come back later. He is just giving them a free tour. He nodded at his assessment, as if giving himself a pat on the back before leaving. This was the biggest blow to his ego. Imagine he, Alaric, running away from a fight? Oh Almighty, how was I reduced to this? He wondered as he left.

“I don’t think he is here,” Asher said after looking around the cave.

“I sensed a presence a while ago, but no matter how much I searched, I couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from. If he could hide his presence even from me, then he is not a simpleton.” Edward replied, glancing around the cave. “This cave is quite old. I should give it five or six thousand years old.”

“What?” Asher was surprised. “I know it was old but I didn’t think it was that old.”

“I can feel the age, it may even be older. Which means, the man it houses is quite old too. Wow, Vertimon is the oldest creature on earth at three thousand years old, and now finding someone much older? I wish he is not the enemy, I would have loved to sit and have a talk with him. However, whoever wants to kill my daughter is an enemy to me, in fact, he shouldn’t even live to see another day.”

“If he is that old, then could he be a demon?”

Edward shook his head. “The scent I perceive doesn’t smell like a demon, in fact, I have never perceived anything like it before. I really wish we can find him in this ‘weak’ state of his.” He sighed. “It will make it much easier.”

“I know right?” Asher sighed. “I can only think that he sensed us and ran away. Which only proves what he said, he really is weak for now. But then, since you sensed him a while ago, could it be that he is still in the woods? Should we span out and look for him?”

“That would be great. Let’s meet back here in thirty minutes.”

Asher nodded and teleported away while Edward casually walked out of the cave.