Golden Horizons

Golden Horizons

By

Laurie Bowler

Copyright © 2011 Laurie Bowler

Published by Laurie Bowler

License Notes

All rights reserved by the author. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Golden Horizons

Running across the hills, the wind blowing through my fur, my feet pounding the ground and kicking up a spray of dirt and debris with every movement.

I was bigger than before, growing in both strength and speed every single day. The unusual make up of my DNA was causing me to continue growing inside my Gulon form, and with every transition, I felt different. It was a joyous experience, and I felt elated.

The air around me was clear, no scents and no danger, a nice change to the elements surrounding me.

I couldn’t see the knights that seemed to follow me daily, their intrusion into my life was silent, but still I knew they were there, even at home with Charles they stood silently waiting for me to move and then followed a short distance behind. Inside my dream they weren’t anywhere to be seen, their intrusion was obsolete, making me feel freer than before.

I stopped suddenly inside my dream.

I’d run to the edge of the river, and I stood there waiting without any notion of where to go next, it seemed I’d reached a crossroad, much like my life and the world I now controlled, a huge expanse of space engulfed me. My breathing was hard and heavy, clouds came out of my mouth, and even though I didn’t have to breathe, I liked to try and maintain an element of my former human self. It was something I’d practised every single day, much to Charles’ delight. He’d always prided himself on becoming accustomed to humanity. Having the ability to mimic them was a bonus, and to be able to walk among them without feeding from them was a delight, a fantasy locked inside the real world.

The humans still had no idea we even existed, the secret had to remain that way for their own sake—and their safety. Little did they know we were always close by. The murders that appeared daily in the newspapers were caused by some unknown force that not even I had any idea about.

I stood at the edge of the river, motionless, statuesque and feeling the wind blow through me, the air was rippling through my fur, ruffling it and making me shiver with the delightful feeling it gave. The freedom of the wind was exciting to me, making me want to jump or fly.

I could do both, my formation and my strange DNA allowed me to retain all my vampire traits when I was in my Gulon form. It was wonderful, but Charles warned it was somewhat strange to see a Gulon cat, a large feline creature, flying through the sky, and I had to agree with him.

My dreams were always of freedom, to be released from the powerful role and status I now held. I was scared and unsettled by the numerous visitors that passed this way. Sometimes they came in the middle of the night in their search to see me, to ask for penance and to grow in their numbers. I was readily aware of the changes, the shifting of time that had been settled, I now knew who and what I was, though my destiny was still unclear and the images flashed through my mind.

Chapter One

My dream ended as abruptly as it had started, I woke yawning and stretching, vigorously shaking my limbs free from being bunched up most of the night.

Charles lay beside me with his eyes closed, but I could tell he wasn’t sleeping. He was simply waiting patiently for me to wake up. When he felt me beginning to stir, his eyes flickered open and he peeked at me. Smiling, he stretched, pretended to yawn, and then he cuddled me. Holding me close, he whispered to me, his voice and words soothing my edgy dreams and making them leave, but they weren’t far.

He knew what it was I dreamt of, as did the rest of the house, sometimes I shouted and other times I screamed. Horrific covens came to defeat me, taking my title and status for themselves. Some strange new clan passed by inside my nightmare, the same clan I couldn’t fathom, they were new and strong, passive to the rules I’d laid out and outrageous with their killings, taking anyone and everyone around them.

We’d better get up, I said, moving to the edge of the bed. They’ll wonder where I am.

Let them wonder. He smiled slowly. I don’t care, and besides, you’re the queen, which means you can basically do anything you want, right?

Yes, I sighed. But I don’t want anyone thinking the worst. I patted his shoulder and scuttled away to the wardrobe, the same oversized one I still couldn’t get used too.

All right, he chuckled. I’ll go and see what’s happening. See you in a minute.

Charles left the room after hurrying to dress, sending me a backward glance over his shoulder as he closed the door. It sometimes felt like he knew me better than I knew myself, no matter how hard I tried to be strong, and willed my other thoughts of freedom far away, it never worked, and I felt as if I was a ticking bomb waiting to explode.

Time shifted before I could become accustomed to any of the changes around me, and it didn’t stop for anyone—it was far too late.

Visitors passed by daily, each of them wanting to see me, to ask for my advice and to glimpse the new unusual queen that appeared to be a species all of her own.

I was, after all, a Gulon-vampire. The latest scientific reports from Charles had confirmed that my DNA had now managed to level itself, and I’d begun to grow my own strain of special blood. Gulon strands and those of the vampire streamed through my veins, making me unusually strong and harder for any other perpetrator to stand a chance of beating me, such as those that had already faced their untimely endings. I had to admit it felt good at times, particularly inside my dreams, to be so different and incredibly strong.

Charles reappeared, his eyes resting on me the minute he stepped back into the room. He was waiting for me to get up and go downstairs.

Do you think I should go to the invitation I got the other day? I asked Charles, fingering the invite. I mean, I shrugged, it does seem to be legitimate and all that, doesn’t it?

He crossed the room, taking the invite from me and inspecting it closely. Whatever he expected to happen I had no idea; maybe the scientist in him thought something might happen with his apparent x-ray vision!

It’s up to you, he said. Just be careful.

We’d changed positions lately, instead of me being a helpless damsel in distress and confused by the turn of events, I’d managed to summon my own strength and courage to face those that chose to visit. My only question and command to others around me was to have them at least try the new way of feeding and to try to adapt themselves to the climate they lived in. Some, I knew, were still residing as the first vampires had done many centuries ago, and it didn’t bode well for the survival of the newest of our kind.

The nearby village had begun to grow suspicious of the strange and often distant family that resided on the hill. The local paper had speculated in articles of the age and the time that had passed, they’d even had an artist draw an impression of Charles and how he should look. Their imaginations were running on course to the factors that they assumed pointed to some kind of weird witchcraft happening in our house. This had led to the ultimate decision I’d had to make in response to the devastating news that poured in from Benjamin. Some of the villagers were collecting together to storm the house and seek answers to the riddles the papers had managed to accumulate.

We have to move in the next few days, I muttered over breakfast. It’s impossible to stay here with the speculation, which is growing faster than I first expected it too.

Glasses clinked in an instant, and my shocked family stood around me gawping like I’d grown extra heads.

I waited with my own glass poised in my hand, ready to drink my breakfast until one of them had the audacity to speak and try to place a barrier in front of what I knew was the right move for us.

Where are we going? Marissa asked.

Her gentleness had been beautiful to watch, and she’d truly flourished under the umbrella of the vampire strand. And her loyalty to me made me feel humble; she never contradicted or tried to argue with me, she accepted everything I said and stood by my side through every conflict I had with anyone.

I’ve found us somewhere. I pulled the article from my back pocket. It’s here, the other side of the country, where I think we’ll be safely hidden. It’s perfect for us, remote but not too far away from any kind of civilisation that we can’t go and meet people if that’s what any of us want. Much like here really but not too close to mortals. What do you think?

Marissa edged closer, freeing her hand from the locking grasp Carter had on her. Their love had also blossomed with every passing day. Their laughter had always made me smile and reminded me of my own days when I’d first fallen in love. It seemed eons ago, and now my love was taken with Charles, who was a typical scientist and a recluse most of the time when he decided to concentrate on DNA and such in his laboratory.

I think it’s perfect, she said. Her imagination was whirling out of control, and I already knew she was planting herself inside the descriptive details of the rooms. I can’t wait to decorate, she gushed.

She moved quickly back to Carter and handed him the real estate article. His quick glance was all I’d get out of him; the only thing he cared about was her. His jealousy had risen many times, and I’d had to turn on him and point out that he could not use his strength to manipulate humans anyway he wanted when his anger came to a boiling point.

It’s all right, he shrugged. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we go.

Charles entered the room and snatched the article, scanned it and placed it on the table where he stood facing me. The questions flashed in his eyes along with the hurt that I expected for not discussing it with him. The leader of the coven was gradually being replaced by the queen that had arrived in their midst quite unexpectedly.

His face remained impassive; he didn’t flicker, blink or move his lips.

If a human had been watching right at that moment, they’d know for sure that we were different, which was one of the reasons I’d decided that a move was in the best interests of the family, particularly in light of the fact that visitors had pooled daily across the village path and the house. This caused much controversy with the humans, and their speculative natures had grown—their watchful eyes ever ready.

What do you think? I asked, gulping down the remainder of my meal.

You’ve done your homework, he said accusingly. It’s OK I suppose. But have you thought about how we’re going to get supplies?

I had thought about it, long and hard, and I’d also made enquiries into Benjamin’s circumstances, coming to the conclusion that he had no one here to support him, no family could be traced, and he was truly a loner amongst the villagers and in the world.

I’d decided to include him, and I’d already secured him a job with the local hospital. It had all been incredibly easy, and all my efforts had been forced out of me in order to secure our future, and also Benjamin’s.

He’s coming with us, I said. I’ve made enquiries into his home life; did you know he has no one? Are you aware the only people he mixes with are us, dead people? And not to mention the fact that when we leave, he’ll be well and truly on his own.

I felt the instant pangs of guilt for not sharing the news sooner, and not including him in the decision, but at the time it had nagged at me, eaten away at me when I’d first seen the unsettling article in the local paper that Benjamin had brought up to show me. It was since then that I’d made the choice on behalf of the family; after all, they’d done so much for me, including the readiness to give up their lives to save my own.

I guess you’re right, Charles sighed, defeated. We’ll have to move tomorrow though. Alejandra has just returned and informed me of the gossip in the village of the impending visits they’re planning on making, and we can’t afford to risk them coming here. It’s too dangerous for them to associate themselves with us. Especially with you getting so many visitors every day.

I know, I quickly agreed. Relief flooded through me that he hadn’t decided to have a ‘family’ discussion, which usually comprised of him becoming the leader and then Marissa and Carter insisting that I make the decisions. This was heart warming but also embarrassing for me to command above Charles, who’d always been the leader of this family.

Tomorrow it is then. I smiled and patted the seat next to me for him to sit. Here, I got one out for you, it’s not warm or anything, so it should still be OK.

I handed him the glass of blood, which was the only consuming morsel we could take, considering our vampire state and the way we were made. Our coven wasn’t like any other; instead, we drank the infected blood that humans could not sustain inside of them, the kind that carried rare incurable diseases.

Thanks, he said, touching my hand lightly before drinking heavily from the cup. We can take as much as we can pack into the van. But it won’t be everything. Is there any furniture there? And I’ll have to have this place covered and locked up until we’re able to come back, when it’s safe of course, he added quickly, glancing at me.

There was a sudden and urgent sound of the knocking, and the newly installed doorbell chimed continuously, disturbing the peaceful breakfast. We all stood and raced to the sound, but I hang back slightly so as not to be the first to face whoever was on the other side of the door. It was a sort of enigma I’d found worked with my family to allow them to have some kind of freedom, even if it was just answering a door. Because they chose to continue to dwell with the Queen of the Underworld, their own lives were in peril daily, and this was something that had always been out of my control. They all knew the limits and the sorts of strange occurrences to be on the lookout for, as well as strange smells from other covens that may have passed on by or be waiting to build up enough courage to explode through the door and take on the entire family.

Who is it? I asked from behind everyone.

One of the villagers, Carter gasped heavily, holding in his arms a giant-sized man, who was bleeding profusely all over the floor.

My own resistance to blood, and that spilled like this, had built up every day, and I’d learnt not to overreact, especially on a full stomach.

Bring him in, I ordered, standing back and ushering Carter into the front study. Put him down on the sofa. And go and get some bandages—the ones I brought the other day are under the sink.

Since becoming the lead female of the coven, I’d taken it upon myself to make the house look and seem as mortal as I could. I hoped that, should they stumble into our midst, it would fool the villagers into thinking this wasn’t anything other than it should be in their manner of thinking, a large extended family living together harmoniously.

What’s wrong with him? Alejandra said, entering the room. Her gaze fell to the man breathing shallowly on the sofa, his large body overflowing either side of the couch as he lay helpless and weak and heading in the direction of death.

I could smell death in the room. The tinge of the clotted blood along with the smell of the fresh blood that continued to pour from his body was mouth watering.

Gunshot wounds, I announced, looking closely at the holes that were only just visible in his side. Charles, do you have anything we can anaesthetise him with? And I need some instruments to remove the bullets and then stitch him, I ordered clearly while I began removing the man’s clothing and placing it on the floor.

The stench of the blood was overwhelming my courage, but my determination to pay no attention to that particular detail was winning. I was defeating the never-ending call of the thirst that could override me and make me lap up whatever he spilled rather than help him.

Do you know what you’re doing? Alejandra stepped into the room, watching me softly and waiting for me to answer. You’ve never removed bullets before, I’ve seen you stitch up a stab wound, but I didn’t think you knew how to remove bullets, she commented thoughtfully while I handed her the gentleman’s sodden shirt.

She held it gingerly and dropped it causally on the floor near the rest of the sodden bloodstained pile of clothes.

The man’s breathing began to sound fainter, signalling that he was at the edge of his life, and I wasn’t going to turn him.

I’d passed a law that stated no other person shall be turned unless given just cause, and if they were at the edge of their life, and they had something of particular interest to offer our race—whatever the interest. I hadn’t quite figured it out, but it had been effective enough to stop the misled covens from developing into much larger and unruly gangs and in turn had stopped, or at least slowed down, the murders being reported daily on the TV and in the newspapers.

I haven’t removed a bullet before, I replied, rubbing my neck, aware I was rubbing blood all over my skin. But I’m going to give it a try. Will you stay and help me? I asked, hoping she’d say yes and not leave me to deal with this unusual situation on my own.

Of course I will, she gladly agreed.

The animosity I’d felt from her for a long time had evaporated the minute she realised I’d regained my full memory and tried to give my own life away in order to save theirs before with the Cassis coven. She’d become my friend, confidant and ally against Charles. Many times we’d both stood up to him and watched him walk away grumbling about too many females living in this house and how he needed some space.

Good, I replied, giving her a quick smile of appreciation. I’ve read about how to remove objects from the human body and how to stitch someone up, which I’ve practised, but I don’t know about bullets. I can’t let him die either, not without helping him first, and there isn’t enough time to call for an ambulance. By the time they get here, he’ll be dead. And there will be the matter of the police swarming all over us, and I can’t take that chance, so I guess it’s down to us.

I hesitated when the man clasped my hand. His fever had started to spread, taking away his rational thoughts and leaving him disillusioned about who I was and the correct time he lived in. He began to mutter of some past events of people he must have once known and the places he’d visited. To my astonishment, he called my name.

Chapter Two

Did you hear that? I gasped, holding his hand.

Hear what? Charles returned armed with bandages and other instruments to help the man. I didn’t hear anything. What did he say?

I’m sure he said my name, I said. I think he knows me somehow.

Stunned silence prevailed around me, the others stood by watching. Marissa cautiously stepped into the room to take a closer look and quickly retreated back to Carter, holding her nose and muttering to him that she had to leave because the smell was too inviting.

I watched them quickly leave, a knowing smile flittered briefly on my lips at what they must be feeling, and knowing I’d once been there. In actually