“ELOIM SAY SOMETHING,WE NEED THIS WITCH. I DON'T THINK THERE ARE MANY MORE LEFT IN THIS LAND. I CAN'T STAY IN YOUR HEAD FOREVER AND AT THE MOMENT SHE IS THE BEST CHANCE WE HAVE OF RETURNING TO OUR OWN TIME.” Alexia’s voice warned.
“What if I could return this thing you lost?” Eloim said desperately, taking a step forward. “If I could get this thing you lost, would you help us?”
The movement in the trees stopped. “You don’t look up to the task boy, stood there in your rags you don’t look like a warrior.” The voice answered. “But as you’ve offered, I don’t see why we can’t at least talk. Meet me at my hut. If you try any tricks, I will destroy you and don’t think I don’t have the power.”
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Eloim looked down at his jacket and noticed the threadbare condition of it. The brocade half missing from the cuffs, the white socks beneath the knee-length trousers seriously needed a wash. And remembering his boot collection in his rooms made him want to cry at the shoes on his feet. His time spent there had been a nightmare when it came to finding anything stylish to wear and the fact that the male styles were more appealing to him than the women’s spoke volumes of the state of female fashion in that time.
“No matter what the task is, I can’t keep living like this.” Eloim whispered despondently.
“BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, IF THE WITCH NEEDS SOMEONE ELSE TO RETURN THIS ITEM TO HER THEN IT WON'T BE AN EASY TASK. WHATEVER THE TASK IS GOING TO BE, I THINK THERE WILL BE GREAT RISK INVOLVED. YOU MAY END UP THINKING THAT LIVING LIKE WE ARE IN YOUR WORN-OUT OUTFIT ISN'T THE WORST THING TO HAPPEN TO YOU. ” Alexia’s voice warned.
“That cheap track-suit thing with the hood and white training shoes that Karla made me wear to seek out Lynne was the worst thing to ever happen to me.” Eloim said as he walked into the trees. “Nothing will ever be as bad as that.”
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The hut was a rickety wood and mud shelter built using trees to support it. In front of the doorway, an old woman sat poking a small fire into life. As Eloim approached she didn’t bother to look up.
“Nice home you have, very rustic.” Eloim said, crouching on the other side of the growing fire.
“No it’s not! The local farmers’ bloody livestock live in better conditions. Now back away some more, your kind stink of death and the grave,” the old woman said sourly. “You smell of the blood and death you feed on.”
“So does that explain why you smell like pig shit?” Eloim responded and could feel the mental face-palm Alexia would have performed at his comment.
“WAY TO GO TO GET HER ONSIDE ELOIM, SUCH CHARM YOU'RE SHOWING THERE.” Alexia said dryly.
The old woman looked up and gave Eloim a grin that revealed an amazing lack of teeth; the few still clinging to her gums were blackened. “Nar vampire, I smell of pig shit because I sleep with the pig. A great way to stay warm, but he tends to shit all over inside the hut. I think there could be a lot more to you than that scruffy appearance suggests. Now why is it I can sense a demon? It’s faint but it’s centred around you.”
“You’re the witch, why don’t you look in your crystal ball.” Eloim said as he shuffled back.
“A crystal what?” The old woman asked, then waved away the question as she returned to the subject of sensing a demon. “I sensed the demon last night when you sat on Hartest Hill watching the village. Even heard you talking to yourself, you’re a strange one, vampire and no mistake.”
“So my sisters kept telling me,” Eloim said with a shrug. “So let’s get down to business and let me tell you what I need.”
“Don’t bother, you return my treasure and I’ll ether do what you require or send you away. Them’s my terms and you either agree or leave now.” The old woman said, adding wood to her fire.
Eloim’s body jolted and he almost toppled over; he felt a strange detached feeling and his mouth began to work without him doing anything.
“LISTEN WELL WITCH! UNLESS YOU WANT TO FACE MY WRATH, YOU WILL DO AS MY BELOVED ASKS. IF YOU EVEN CONCIDER DOUBLE CROSSING HIM, I WILL DESTROY YOU, THAT FILTHY VILLAGE AND EVERY HUMAN ON THIS DISGUSTING ISLAND.” Alexia’s voice snarled from Eloim’s mouth causing the witch to fall backwards in fear.
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Just as suddenly, Eloim found himself back in control and looked around, confused.
“Alexia, what did you just do?” Eloim asked out loud.
The old woman sat back upright, fear still evident on her face. “You have a demon lord within you?” she said in a shaking voice.
“Empress,” Eloim said absently, still wondering what had just happened. “She’s the Demon Empress of the Fifth Circle and I think you just made her mad.”
“I think I will reconsider my proposal and would like to hear your story and what you want me to help you with.” The old woman said, recovering her composure.
The old woman sat back and stared at Eloim, her expression was unreadable and for a minute she didn’t speak.
“I need time to consult with the spirits. I don’t know if it is possible to do what you ask,” she finally said. “To travel to the future is beyond my knowledge. You speak of things that I find hard to believe, why would anyone need so many boots?”
“OF ALL THE THINGS TO LATCH ONTO, SHE CHOOSES YOUR BOOT COLLECTION.” Alexia said in disgust.
“You’re only saying that because you haven’t seen my boot collection Alexia.” Eloim said in defence of his boot collection.
“NEVER MIND THAT, IT'S TIME WE FOUND OUT WHAT SHE WANTS, APART FROM OUR RING,” Alexia said. “COULD SHE BE ANY MORE LECHEROUS?”
Eloim looked over at the old woman; her gaze was locked on the ring on his finger, a look of hunger in her eyes. “She would destroy you if you gained ownership of it. Now what is this treasure you want returning and who took it?” Eloim said.
The witch’s eyes blazed for a moment in anger at being caught out, but she hid it well and looking at Eloim, she smiled.
“My granddaughter is the treasure that was taken; I need her returning to me. She is special and will take my place when I die, she must be returned to continue her training.” The old woman said.
“OK, so we rescue you your princess, that shouldn’t be too difficult. Who has taken her and where is she held?” Eloim said confidently as he was only dealing with some village girl, not a lady of standing or political importance.
“She was taken to Baugh Park Manor by agents of the church of Rome,” the old woman answered.
“And these agents are?” Eloim asked with a sinking feeling.
“The Knights of Blood, I’m sure you may have heard of them.” The old woman said with a cold smile. “I have travelled to her in spirit and she is held in the big house. What do you know of the Knights?”
“Only that they were responsible for wiping out hundreds of my kind in this time. Our records of this time are fractured.” Eloim said remembering his history lessons.
“Did you know that their order only numbers seven active Knights?” The witch asked.
“How could only seven humans wipe out entire nests of vampires?” Eloim asked, not believing what the witch had told him. “Because the Knights of Blood are not human, they are kin to the Faye who for some reason are now fighting for Rome.” The witch replied calmly. “All seven of their order are based at Baugh Park Manor, resting after their campaign in the north, killing your kind.”
“Well you’re not asking for something easy are you?” Eloim said shaking his head.
So ends part 4, thanks for reading.
All images are mine.
Part 1 is here:
https://steemit.com/writing/@alienbutt/the-knights-of-blood-vampire-eloim-book-4-part-1
Part 2:
https://steemit.com/writing/@alienbutt/the-knights-of-blood-vampire-eloim-book-4-part-2
Part 3.
https://steemit.com/writing/@alienbutt/the-knights-of-blood-vampire-eloim-book-4-part-3