Chapter 16: Compassion from Unexpected Places

His muscles screamed in protest as he sought to keep up with the dhampir. But even as powerful and fast as he was, he was finding it difficult to keep up with Kaileena’s blistering pace. The Vampire Hunter was hell bent on reaching the girl before Fickzo. It was clear in the fluidity of her movements and the intense focus in her eyes. Her lips were curled back slightly in a snarl and her right hand kept a firm grip on her beloved blade. He had never seen such devotion and desire before. No matter what her ulterior motive may have been, she was still a Hunter and her intent to reach the Chastity Maiden held the highest priority. Even so, his mind was still reeling from the events that had transpired between Fickzo and the dhampir. The Countess was responsible for the murder of her parents? How could she have survived the vampire’s wrath and make it to the town where Mordekai was stationed? Had this been her prime goal all this time? He should have been angry for being used by this woman to get to Elizabeth but he didn’t have the heart to. He had seen the hatred and anguish in her eyes when she saw the Countess’s coffin. She had been harbouring this for a long time and it would seem she would not rest until Elizabeth or herself was dead. It would seem this was all Kaileena had lived for and for some odd reason, it saddened him. She should have forgotten this quest for vengeance and gone on to live a normal life. She could have lived peacefully without having to take on the life of a Hunter.

Kaileena suddenly stopped in her tracks. There was a fork in the tunnel but she didn’t make a move to go through either one. Vincent frowned at the abrupt halt. Why was she stopping here? Didn’t she intend to find the girl?

“What is it?” he asked. Her jaw was clenched in anger.

“I’ve lost the scent,” she growled. “I can sense Fickzo and the girl is nearby, but I can’t determine where.”

“Can’t you single them out?”
“I’m trying but for some reason both their scents are scattered around here. I can’t tell which way they went.” She slammed her fist against the wall. “He must have done this earlier to throw off anyone who was tracking him down. Damn him.”

The vampire lord saw the tension in her frame and the way her nails dug deep into the palm of her hand. She was greatly upset by this. He understood completely. She was as devoted to her job as he was to his. And she would not take any failure in her duty lightly. He closed his eyes, trying to single out the scents. No luck. There was only one other option. He focused and called upon his concealed devil power to try and find the vampire or the girl. He glanced at the dhampir who was running a hand through her short hair in frustration. Then his eyes narrowed.

“Found it.”

Kaileena’s head snapped up and she turned to stare at him. “Fickzo?”

“No, the girl’s. She’s not far from here, down the left fork of the tunnel. Fickzo has gone down the right, very far off.”

“She must have lost him and gone to hide in the tunnels,” said Kaileena. She looked at him “How long till he catches on?”

“Another thirty minutes at most. He may be an elder but his powers are untested. He may not have even been trained as a vampire when he was turned.”

“That wouldn’t surprise me. Elizabeth’s familiars and servants tend to be untested in terms of their vampire blood. But that is what makes them more dangerous. They’re feral compared to the rest of the vampire race. They will turn bestial at any sign of fresh prey.”

Vincent nodded. He had surmised as much when he saw the pure lust for blood in Fickzo’s eyes, and the rage at being crossed by a half-breed who was a more skilled Hunter than he was. He turned to voice this assessment to Kaileena, but she was already disappearing down the left tunnel. Cursing slightly, he pushed forth, willing his tired muscles to keep up. It wasn’t long before they reach a large network of catacombs, all connected to the entrance of a large vestibule in the centre. Again, the insignia of the Circle was everywhere, but it seemed worn down and derelict. As though no one had used this place in years.

“An abandoned worship site,” she said. “Possibly left here when the antechamber and the Countess’s resting place were constructed.” She knelt down and scraped up a patch of dirt, bringing to her face and breathing in deeply. Her eyes flashed crimson and she glanced behind her. “She’s here. But she’s been wounded.” She rose to her feet and approached a small opening to the right of where she stood. She stopped at the entrance and peered inside.

“It’s all right. You can come out now. We’re not going to hurt you.” Her voice was gentle, soft and comforting. A strong contrast to the cold and stern tone she always adopted. Vincent was greatly surprised that this dhampir could even adopt such gentleness. But he had a strong feeling that this was a side to her that no one ever saw. His eyes suddenly focused on the opening she stood in front of as a small, slender hand came out of the shadows of the tunnel. A few seconds later, a young and frightened face peered out at them. Kaileena’s gaze softened.

“It’s all right,” she said softly. She extended her hand to the girl. “We’re not going to hurt you.” The young girl took the Hunter’s hand and allowed herself to be pulled out of the tunnel. Her white dress was torn and bloodied at the hem and there was a large gash on her left thigh that was exposed through a large tear running up the skirt. Vincent could smell the blood and he forced those baser instincts to the back of his mind. The girl must have seen the vampire’s hunger for she shrank back. Kaileena gripped the girl’s arm firmly, careful to exert enough pressure to keep her there but not frighten the girl further.

“Shh, don’t worry. He’s helping us.” Kaileena turned to the girl. She was very pretty with large honey eyes and wild, untamed chestnut ringlets that fell to her waist. Her slightly freckled skin had a sheen of perspiration to it and her willowy frame seemed barely able to keep her upright. She eyed the vampire lord with mistrust and fear but a firm squeeze of reassurance from the dhampir calmed her down. She looked at the Hunter who nodded gently.

“What is your name?” asked Kaileena.

“Abigail,” she stammered. She looked at the dhampir. “Y-you were in the chamber with that vampire. Did you come to rescue me?”

“We came to stop that vampire from awakening the Countess,” replied Vincent, breaking his silence. Abigail looked a little awkward being answered by a vampire but Kaileena gently knelt in front of her. The girl flinched but the dhampir gently hushed, reassuring her that they were not going to do her harm. Abigail hesitated but nodded and the dhampir pushed aside the torn skirt to examine the wound. It was pretty deep but it was not infected. Kaileena raised her wrist to her mouth and bit firmly, spilling her own blood. She asked the girl to sit down and Abigail quickly obeyed. The dhampir held her bleeding wrist over the gash in Abigail’s leg and both Vincent and the girl watched as the wound slowly closed up and healed. Abigail stared at the dhampir with wide eyes as Kaileena swiped her hand across the wrist wound, healing it instantly. Not a mark was to be seen on her pale flesh.

“You’re a dhampir,” stammered Abigail in awe and fear. “This is the first I’ve heard of one of your kind. A dhampir Vampire Hunter.” She looked at Kaileena. “You’re a Protector, aren’t you?”

“A Protector?” repeated Kaileena. Vincent frowned slightly. Abigail nodded.

“One of the only Hunters in existence that was trained to protect mortals from the unholy plague,” she said quietly. “One of the chosen servants of God that stand between the threshold of demons and humans.” Vincent’s eyes widened. He had only heard of them in stories but they were rarely told in the vampire and demon communities. It was a decree by the Dracului that to speak of the Protectors was forbidden. He never understood why though. Still, he couldn’t help but be astonished that this slip of a girl knew the stories. Clearly, the Church of Virtue did not pay heed to the decrees and laws of the vampire High Council.

“The Protectors became extinct centuries ago,” said the vampire lord. “What makes you think that she is one of them?”

“How often do you hear of a half-human half-vampire hybrid that chooses to protect humans?” asked Abigail.

“Never. Kaileena is the first one I’ve heard about.”

“Exactly. They are only stories to the humans and demons. That was how their secret was protected.” Abigail grabbed the dhampir’s arm. “You must come back with me. The Church of Virtue will be overjoyed to hear that the Protectors have returned!”

Kaileena’s gaze softened and became filled with sadness. She gently pulled her arm out of the girl’s grasp.

“I am not who you think I am,” she said softly. Abigail looked crestfallen.
“What? But you’re a-“
“I am a Hunter by choice,” said Kaileena, gently overriding any protest the girl would have made. “I am truly sorry. But I am not one of your Protectors. I hunt on my own free will.”

Abigail looked disappointed. Vincent glanced at the dhampir’s face and saw a flash of anguish and sorrow flicker across it. Why didn’t she speak of Mordekai? She had thought of the man as her own father. Why would she not speak of the priest who had taken her under his wing and trained her as a Vampire Hunter? He had a feeling there was more to this than was being said. He made a mental note to read more of the priest’s journal when he returned to his estate. Kaileena steeled herself and looked at the girl.

“What happened to you? Why was Fickzo trying to use you for a sacrifice?”

Abigail looked a little frightened by the question but relaxed when she said the softness in the dhampir's face, reassuring her she was safe. She sighed.

“I was heading for the book shop in town,” she explained. “The owner has an affiliation with the Church so he supplies us with the ancient texts and means of vampiric eradication that was forbidden by the High Council in their last decree. But one of those creatures in black robes caught me and dragged me here. That vampire said I was going to be sacrificed for the good of the world. That the Queen would be eternally grateful that my blood was spilled for her resurrection.

“So they were resurrecting Elizabeth,” growled Kaileena. She looked at the Chastity Maiden and frowned. “But why did he need you specifically?”

“My great great grandmother was the one who sealed away Elizabeth in her coffin,” said Abigail. “He needed my blood to break the seal.”

“And in turn imbue Elizabeth with greater power than she had at the time of her sealing,” said Vincent quietly. Kaileena glanced at him with a frown.

“What do you mean “greater power”?”

“Elizabeth was sealed away by Sister Quedia,” the vampire lord elaborated. “She possessed unparalleled talents in sealing magicks and was the very embodiment of purity. By sealing away Elizabeth, Quedia nullified Elizabeth's power and thus rendered her unable to break the spell on her own. By using Abigail's blood, the blood of Quedia's descendant, the power of the spell is cancelled out and Elizabeth is restored at the very moment of her awakening.”

“So by taking away Abigail, we've stopped the Queen's resurrection.”

“No, you haven't.”

Both Vincent and Kaileena turned their gaze towards Abigail who looked very scared.

“There is one other descendant,” said the girl. Kaileena frowned.

“One other descendant? Who?”

“Lady Catherina, the Duchess of York.”

Vincent's eyes widened in shock. “But that's impossible! How can the Duchess be a follower of the Church of Virtue? She's not an initiate.”

“She used to be,” said Abigail. “But she abdicated her position because she'd taken in a vampire and raised him as her son. She chose not to disgrace the Church by still being a part of it and raising a vampire. She was one of the Sacred Thorns before she resigned and left the Church. Sister Quedia is her great great aunt.”

“Which means her bloodline is linked to the ancestor that sealed away Elizabeth,” added the dhampir Hunter. Abigail nodded. She glanced at Vincent who was seething with rage and fear. She glanced at the Chastity Maiden who was frowning at the vampire.

“Is there something wrong with your friend?” asked the girl. Vincent sighed and glanced at her.

“No, it's nothing.” He looked at Kaileena. “We need to get her out of here and back to the Church. Fickzo can't be far behind.”

“Agreed. I'll take point.” She knelt next to the girl. “Now listen to me. Lord Vincent is going to carry you so you won't slow us down. He won't harm you; he values human life,” she added as Abigail opened her mouth to protest. She wasn't sure about the last part but she didn't have time to question her own words when the girl was clearly very scared. Abigail glanced at Vincent who was still trying to keep his fears at bay.

“How do I know he won't try to bite me?”

“....”

“Vincent.” Kaileena's voice gently prompted him to look at them. He saw the look in the dhampir's eyes and she nodded. He sighed. Unless he spoke the truth, this girl wouldn't trust him. A necessary choice, but one he wished he didn't have to make.

“Because Lady Catherina is my surrogate mother,” he explained quietly. “I'm the vampire she took in.”

Abigail's eyes widened. “You? A member of the Vampire High Council?” Vincent nodded.

“Yes, and I have to say the truth about her has shaken me. I know nothing about her past, but she took me in and cared for me when I was abandoned. And now I know the truth, I am afraid for the first time in my life. She did so much for me and ensured my entry into the Council...I can't afford to lose her.”

“You care a lot about her,” said Abigail. Vincent looked straight at her.

“She is my mother. Regardless of the fact she is human, she is my mother.”

Abigail seemed very surprised, as did Kaileena. It was the first time she had seen a shred of affection towards humans in the vampire lord. The passion with which he spoke of Lady Catherina and the tremor in his voice....it was clear he loved her dearly, as a child would love his mother. It would seem the pure love of a child extended even to vampires who were meant to feel no hint of human emotion. The more time she spent in the vampire's company, the more she realised she'd misjudged him. She blinked as she saw a single tear trickle down his face, staining his pale skin red. It may have been the dark tears of a vampire, but they were tears nevertheless. He wept for his mother's safety, feared for her life....and felt an incredible amount of guilt for burdening her with his existence. But then, what happened next shocked the dhampir. Abigail rose to her feet and walked to the vampire lord, reaching a hand towards his face. Vincent looked down at her and blinked in surprise as the Chastity Maiden brushed away his tears and hugged him tightly.

“I'm sorry if what I said upset you, my lord,” she said genuinely. “I can tell you love your mother very much, even though she is human. I was wrong to think you wouldn't care because you're a vampire.”

Vincent was shaken to his core. Never had he ever experienced any kind of warmth from humans outside of his mother's care. He had remained aloof from them, distancing himself from contact with their kind. Now this child showed remorse for misjudging him and pity for the pain and fear she had incited by divulging the truth about the Duchess. He glanced at Kaileena who was watching him closely, wondering what he would do. The vampire lord wrapped his arms around the girl briefly before pushing her back at arm's length, bending down to look into the Maiden's eyes.

“You have nothing to apologise for,” he said. “It is better I find this out now than when it is too late.” He patted the girl's shoulder and straightened up to his full height, meeting the Vampire Hunter's gaze. “But we don't have time to sit around here and be friendly. We need to get you out of here and away from Fickzo.”

Abigail nodded and raised her arms to the vampire lord who promptly picked her up. Kaileena fought the urge to smile. Now wasn't the time for this. She drew her sword and glanced at Vincent.

“It looks clear and I can feel a breeze coming from the right tunnel,” she said.

“According to the maps of this district, there is a ventilation shaft that leads outside the industrial area,” said the vampire lord. “I'm guessing the shaft is where that breeze is coming from.”

“I'll take a quick look. Be back in five minutes.”

“Be careful.”

“Don't worry about me. Just keep Abigail safe.” Kaileena crept into the tunnel, leaving the vampire lord alone in the chamber. Ten minutes went by, then twenty. His frustration started to rise and he felt concern for the Hunter. Abigail tightened her grip around his neck and he relaxed. He couldn't show fear, not when the child was already scared to death of her pursuers. Just as he forced the fear down, Kaileena emerged from the tunnel, covered in soot.

“It's clear. Just very filthy.” She grimaced at her clothes.

“What took you so long?” growled the vampire.

“Hey, the tunnel is at least 5 km long. It's better to scout out the entire thing before making sure we're safe to go,” retorted the dhampir. “And you were right. The tunnel leads directly out into the east end of London, just behind the old Whitechapel district.”

“So we're good to go?”

“Yeah.”

“All right then. Let's get her home.” And with that, the vampire lord adjusted his hold on the Chastity Maiden before following the soot-covered dhampir out of the mining area. The sooner they left this site, the better.