Aaron Page 5

  “They’ll be importin’ us so that they can spare their own necks,” was shouted back.

  Aaron was quiet, observing the crowd, taking in the discussion. While he was certain there would be no information from this crowd about how to solve the problem of the blight, he wondered if any of them might know more about the Dark Ones and how they could be defeated.

  “What say you, Ward?” the first gray-haired man asked the younger fellow who thus far had been quiet.

  “What say I?” Ward repeated. “Oh, I’d rather not say.”

  “Come, now. Speak up,” one of the others insisted. “Surely, you must have an opinion.”

  Ward took a sip out of the glass sitting before him, and Aaron noticed it appeared to be water. Returning the glass to the table he began to slowly give a response. “My belief, and it is just an idea, is that the English have sent the potato blight on purpose. As the Dark Ones invade their homeland, feast upon their noblemen here, they see that the only way—in their eyes—to destroy the beasts is to cut off their food supply. And that food supply is the Irish.”

  The room was silent for a second as everyone considered Ward’s opinion, and then once his answer was comprehended, the entire group exploded in raucous laughter, as if his words were the most ridiculous theory anyone had ever posed.

  Aaron and Kian did not laugh, however, and Ward, who looked uncomfortable but not deterred from his believes, took another sip of his water, and then quietly slipped out the door. Catching Kian’s eye, Aaron gestured for him to come along, and they followed Ward out into the street.

  “Ward!” Aaron hollered after him as he saw his figure begin to disappear behind a building.

  The man heard him and stopped, leaning against the stone wall of the shop, crossing his arms and waiting. Once Aaron and Kian had caught up with him, he said, “If you’ve come to poke fun at me, you may as well go on back inside. Nothing you say will bother me.”

  “On the contrary,” Kian assured him, “that was an interesting theory you proposed back there.”

  “Did you think of it yourself?” Aaron asked, stepping out of the glare of the sun so he could see him better.

  “No,” Ward answered, though after such a firm answer, the rest of his response began to waver. “I heard it… somewhere else.”

  “Where?” Kian asked, glancing at Aaron and then back at Ward.

  “I’d rather not say,” he replied. “Listen, the pair of you look like intelligent young men, but there are things you do not know about at work here—things this village chooses to ignore. I do not know you well enough to say more at this time. Only know this, the Order means nothing; there is no agreement. If you have family members you care for, do all that you can to protect them.” With that, the mysterious man turned on his heel and began to walk away, leaving Aaron and Kian staring at each other, both confused and bewildered.

  It was Kian that recovered first, and rushing after Ward, he grabbed him by the shoulder and attempted to spin him around. He was strong however—surprisingly so—and before Kian knew what had happened, Ward had pulled his hand off of him and pushed him away so that he found himself several yard’s distance, bumped up against another stone wall.

  Aaron checked to make sure his friend was unhurt and then attempted to catch up to Ward himself, but the other man was too fast, and before he even knew where he had gone, he was out of sight, leaving Aaron standing in an alleyway, shaking his head.

  After a few moments, he returned to Kian who was rubbing the back of his head but otherwise looked just fine. “Who was that fellow?” Aaron asked, glimpsing back the way he had come.

  “I don’t know,” Kian admitted. “But I’ve never encountered someone so strong.”

  “Or so fast.”

  “You don’t think he could be a… Dark One?” Kian asked, finally moving his hand off the back of his head.

  “No, I don’t think so,” Aaron said quickly, though he wasn’t sure. If Ward really was a Dark One, wouldn’t he have destroyed them? Why would he offer an explanation for the English’s reaction to the Dark Ones? No, he didn’t seem to be evil—just leery of trusting anyone. And definitely not human, though what he might be, Aaron had no idea.

  “Come on,” Kian insisted, tugging on Aaron’s sleeve. “Let’s go visit our parents and then head back to our loving wives.”

  Aaron held back a chuckle at his sarcasm, and with one last look at where the dark-haired man had disappeared, he followed Kian back the way they had come.

  His mother had been in a better mood than Aaron had seen her in several weeks. She’d just received a letter from Genty, letting her know that she was doing well. Having married an American man a few months ago, she was expecting her first child, and Aaron couldn’t be happier for his older sister who had always taken such good care of him.

  While his mother was doing better, Granddad’s health was rapidly deteriorating. Lack of nutrition and rest had paid its toll, and Aaron realized it wouldn’t be too much longer before he’d have to find a way to take care of his mother and grandfather as well as himself and Aislyn, which wouldn’t be easy with no potatoes. He considered approaching his older brother, Channing, to see if he could also help, but Channing’s wife had just given birth to their third child, and Aaron couldn’t imagine trying to provide for three wee ones with all that was going on around them, let alone being partially responsible for two elders.

  Aaron and Kian took off for home by way of the road that meandered past a few small ponds and a stream, thinking they might try their hand at catching some fish. Though most lords forbid anyone from fishing on their property, there had been no such decree here just yet, and occasionally a family might make it another day on the grace the water provided. They had no poles and knew their chances were slim, but they may as well take that path back as opposed to the other route; it was only slightly longer and much more scenic.

  “What do you make of that man in the alley?” Kian was asking as they wound their way over the rocky terrain. “Now that you’ve had a chance to think about it.”

  “I don’t know what to think,” Aaron admitted. “It does slightly remind me of something you said, though, years ago.”

  “What’s that?” Kian asked, glancing back over his shoulder as he led the way down the narrow path.

  “Something about a… hunter,” Aaron recalled. “I wasn’t quite sure what you were talking about back then, but it stuck with me.”

  Kian looked confused. “I don’t recall that conversation.”

  “It was when we were kids, a long time ago. You said your grandmother mentioned that the agreement between the Dark Ones and the Order had something to do with hunters.”

  Stopping to turn and face him momentarily, Kian shrugged. “Hunters?” he repeated, “Huh.” He turned and continued on his way, Aaron following. “Well, I believe I said it, but I don’t know what it means.”

  “Me neither,” Aaron reluctantly admitted. “I wish we could have caught up to that Ward fellow, though. I think he may have been able to tell us more.”

  Kian nodded in agreement. “Maybe we could go back to the tavern in a day or two and see if he’s around. The others seemed to know him; they knew his name, anyway.”

  Aaron was just about to agree when they came over a ridge and froze. There at the base of the line below where they were standing, in a clearing near the lake, stood two sinister figures hovering over three little girls who were backed against a tree, their wee bodies shaking in fright.

  The two larger figures were dressed like villagers, and in fact, Aaron thought he recognized one of them from church, but their appearances were altered, and once they realized they were being watched, their heads slowly turned to face the interlopers.

  Their eyes were sunken black holes, their mouths deformed and elongated. Sharp white fangs glistened in the daylight, and their mouths were coated in a thick red substance. They were taller than any men Aaron had ever seen before, but their bodies were stretched out so
that their necks reached out in front of their chests, their heads bobbing above them. Even as he stared, Aaron realized one of them was shifting his shape again, becoming even taller and more drawn-out.

  Aaron looked at Kian whose eyes were like saucers. Though he could tell his friend was just as terrified as he was, there was no question both of them knew what they must do. Having taken the attention off of the children, Aaron shouted to the girls, “Run!” and then without thinking of the consequences, sprinted right at the closest of the two Dark Ones. Kian followed suit, and Aaron could hear his footsteps pounding the rocks behind him.

  The monsters looked confused at first; even though the children would be easier prey, the men seemed to be taunting them. They turned to face the approaching pair as the girls scurried behind the trees and off into the ridgeline, and just as Aaron and Kian neared the undead, they turned and began to sprint away toward a copse of trees.

  The plan worked and the Dark Ones gave chase to the two men, abandoning the children and rushing after the meddlers instead. Aaron knew there was absolutely no way that he could possibly outrun the Dark Ones; he had heard numerous stories of those who had tried and failed. Even as he began to accept that his fate was sealed and that he may never see his sweet Aislyn again, he realized a strange sensation, one he’d certainly never felt before, was beginning to spread throughout his body. His legs began to tingle, and while at first he thought it was due to the speed he was approaching, he soon realized that wasn’t it at all. He suddenly felt stronger, faster than he had ever before.

  A quick glance over his shoulder revealed that Kian was taking another path, a smart move. Perhaps that way one of them would escape. However, as the monsters closed in, they also split, and Aaron knew he’d have to turn and face his assailant soon. He couldn’t keep running forever.

  Or could he? Though he’d certainly covered a lot of ground in his day, he could never remember running this quickly for so long without a stitch in his side. Something was happening inside him; he could feel it. Perhaps it was a response to certain death, but as he continued to sprint away, he felt it was more.

  He noticed a large branch lying on the ground up ahead on the left. This might be his only opportunity to find a weapon. Though he was tempted to continue to outrun the Dark One, part of him also felt intrigued by this newfound strength, and before he was even sure what he was doing, he found himself stooping to pick up the branch. He turned just in time to see the Dark one closing in, and taking careful aim, he swung, hoping to hit the monster in the head.

  As the wood made contact, it splintered and broke into a thousand pieces, debris flying everywhere. Aaron closed his eyes and ducked his head. Once the blast was over, he looked up to find the Dark One stumbling backward and tumbling to the ground. Though the blow had caught it off guard, it wasn’t down for the count, and before the monster could get up and give chase again, Aaron launched himself at the creature, knocking it backward onto the ground.

  Despite the fact that he was no longer human, the man looked surprised as Aaron closed his grip around his neck. With absolutely no conscious thought streaming, Aaron followed his instinct and began to squeeze. He realized the long claws were coming up to scrape at his hands, and Aaron shifted his position so that the monster’s arms were beneath his knees. This also allowed him to put more pressure on the Dark One’s neck, and a few seconds later, there was a resounding popping noise as the Vampire’s head actually came free from its body. Aaron could hardly believe what he had done, and as the creature let out a scream similar to the one he’d heard the night he walked Aislyn home from the cross-roads dance, he tossed the writhing skull away. Before it even hit the ground, it turned to ash, which caught in the wind and scattered all around. He looked down to see the body had also dissolved, the only remains the echoes of the scream that lingered on in his ears.

  There was no time to stand and ponder what had just happened, and brushing his hands off on his trousers, Aaron took off sprinting up the hill in the direction Kian had disappeared, hoping he would get there in time to help his friend. He couldn’t imagine what he might do if something happened to his best friend.

  He arrived in time to see Kian deliver one final blow with a sharp stone from where he sat straddling the monster. With that last blast, the monster’s head caved in, and once again the air was filled with the haunting shriek of the undead. This time, Aaron covered his ears, and Kian jumped back in shock. Within a few seconds, this body, too, disappeared, and the two friends stood staring at each other in amazement amidst the blowing ash.

  “Are you all right?” Aaron asked as Kian dropped the stone and turned to face him. He hugged his friend and clapped his shoulders before taking a step back and looking for damage. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

  “Nay,” Kian answered, though his eyes revealed that he was still in shock. “You?”

  Aaron shook his head. “I’m fine.”

  Before he could say more, Kian began to spew a string of disconnected phrases indicating that whatever it was that had happened to Aaron as he was running away from the Dark Ones had happened to his friend as well. The only parts Aaron could firmly grasp were, “I’ve never run so fast,” and “I felt like my body was on fire.”

  “Me, too,” he assured his friend. “I’ve never had anything like that happen before.”

  “What do you think it was?” Kian asked.

  “I have no idea,” Aaron replied. “But I think we need to find this Ward person again and see if he does.”

  “Yes,” Kian agreed. “But not today. All I want to do now is go back home and lie in my bed and try to forget what I just saw.”

  “And what I’ve just done,” Aaron added, although there were only parts of it he’d like to forget. The horrible, distorted face of the monster, particularly when it screamed, was an unwelcome sight he’d like to forget, but not the rest—not the power and the strength he’d just felt pulsating through his body. That he’d like to hold on to for the rest of his existence. If he was able to destroy this Dark One, perhaps he’d have a fighting chance at keeping his family safe after all.

  Neither of them made mention to their wives what had happened, though they didn’t discuss keeping it a secret. It just didn’t seem like the sort of thing one mentioned to a person who was not there; no one was likely to believe them anyway.

  The next morning, Aaron met Kian outside near the road. They decided they must return to the tavern to try and find Ward. Without a word to their wives of where they were going, they set out, certain that Ward would have some answers, though the longer time went by, the more Aaron began to doubt anything about the experience was real.

  As they walked along, Kian voiced the same thoughts. “That did really happen to us, didn’t it?”

  “I think so,” Aaron shrugged. “I mean, it couldn’t be a dream or else one of us wouldn’t remember, right?”

  “Right,” Kian agreed, though his voice wavered. “I do hope those girls made it home safely. I would hate to think that anything happened to them after all that.”

  “Me, too” Aaron replied. “Perhaps we can check in on them on our way back.”

  Before they even reached the tavern, they saw Ward leaning against the same building where they’d seen him yesterday, his arms crossed over his chest, as if he were waiting for them.

  “Ward!” Kian shouted as they approached, “may we speak with you?”

  He nodded, though he didn’t say a word, and as Aaron and Kian reached him, he turned sharply on his heel as he had the day before. “Where are you going?” Aaron asked.

  He called quietly over his shoulder, “Not here.”

  Exchanging glances, Aaron and Kian rushed after him. Aaron had noticed a sharp pain in each of his legs earlier that morning, and he wondered if it wasn’t because he had run so quickly the day before. Here it was again, now that he was rushing after the stranger in the alley, and he had to concentrate to keep it out of his mind as he made his way after W
ard.

  “Where are we going?” Kian asked as they crossed another path and headed off towards the woods.

  Ward said nothing, only kept walking. The other men hurried on behind him, trusting, for some reason, that Ward would do them no harm.

  Eventually, they came to a small dwelling back in the trees. While it was nothing fancy, it was made of stone, which made it a bit nicer than most, and Ward held the door open for them, waiting a step inside.

  Kian made his way in first, Aaron following. Inside there was a large front room with another room in the back and a loft. Aaron couldn’t remember the last time he was in a home with more than one room.

  Ward stepped toward a round table with four chairs and gestured for them to follow. He sat down across from two empty chairs and waited as the other men took their places. He was silent for a long moment, and Kian and Aaron continued to exchange glances, not sure who should start or what might need to be said.

  “You’ve began the process then?” Ward asked, looking from one of them to the other. “You killed the Dark Ones yesterday, and now you feel the fire within your blood, don’t you?’

  Both of them were confused. “We did kill the Dark Ones,” Kian admitted, “but they did not turn us. Neither of them was able to wound either of us.”

  Shaking his head, Ward said, “That’s not what I mean. Not at all. You are both members of what you refer to as the Order, yes?” They nodded. “What it really is dates back thousands of years, and though your Irish countrymen refuse to acknowledge it, you have unknowingly unleashed your own power, and now you must embrace the Ternion and all the power that lies therein.”

  As he spoke, Aaron realized his accent was shifting. He was no Irishman. He sounded almost French. Aaron’s brow narrowed as he struggled to comprehend all that was being said to him. “The Ternion?” he finally asked. “What is that?”

  “When the world was first created, thousands of years ago, the Vampires sought to destroy all mankind. That would never do. In order to balance their lust for blood, the Vampire Hunter was created. However, sending the Hunter out to fight the Dark Ones alone would not work either, and so the Guardians were created, a group whose sole purpose is to defend the Vampire Hunter, and if that means destroying the Vampire then the Guardian does as he or she must.”