Chapter 20 Finding Faith
Before there's any misunderstanding, I hadn't forgotten Michael. Hadn't forgotten anyone back home, but the distance was welcome. Time to think, to plan, and to let go of what was not important so I could focus on what was. Arriving in Egypt, we were hit with an immediate contrast to what we had become used to over the last five years of being away from what I refer to now as ‘real life’. I often thought I saw Michael hiding in a crowd, watching from a table across from ours at a restaurant. At first I used to get worked up, but then I started to realize it was just me reacting.
My dreams became more profound over time as well. At first dreams that seemed real, felt real, and had me waking, thinking I was still engaged in them. Smells, feelings, thoughts all carried over to the point where I found myself checking self for cues as to whether I was awake or not. I had dreams where I was walking in the sunlight with Cassie, tumbling through sheets with her, or floating in water. Those dreams I liked, and were a mix of memories, plans and wishes. Other dreams though….they came like disembodied visions of places and people I often didn’t know. I would see things like Michael killing indiscriminately to feed, forcing people to do things they didn’t want to do, or images of Myria lurking around caves, libraries and deserted alleys talking to guarded looking figures. Problem was, it was hard to tell if there was any reality in it. Like the dream I had with Amy in it from, years ago. I often thought of her. How much had been real, how much not. Given we found her shredded clothes in the chamber, did that mean it was all true? Was Michael there to direct her to her death? Was it the OldOnes’ influence alone, or did he act on his own? Now the OldOnes had been eradicated, could Michael be back to his old self? Or as much as possible given his change. If my dreams were anything to go by, that was doubtful. I sat staring out of the porthole as we docked in Alexandria. Cassie was getting dressed, while I was spending time lost in my thoughts.
As soon as we disembarked, we were struck with the busy, crowded streets, people milling and rushing about at the same time. The smells and sights were overwhelming. A little girl passing us in the street even tried her luck at picking my pocket, but I caught her hand before she got more than a pace. She gave me a frightened look, then disappeared into the crowd. We caught a taxi and headed further inland towards Cairo and our hotel. Once there, we spent about a minute in the room before we headed to the concierge to find out the best places to head off to. Guided by the tall woman at the front counter, we caught a cab to one of the busier districts and walked past a food market to reach a museum front that had a tour guide walk established to take you through a tour of the inner city, and guide you to points of interest for your visit. Cassie loved doing these cliché tours, and I loved to see her happy so tagged along. I would have been happy enough to race around town ourselves, picking up what we could about where to go, what to do. One thing I really did miss though was food. Since I was changed, I was hungry most of the time, and blood satisfied me, but I still enjoyed the smell of most food, enjoyed the thought of eating, but stomaching the stuff was impossible. It was disappointing, but I guessed after a century or so I could get used to it. Maybe I would forget what it was like altogether.
‘The land that gave birth to the first great civilisation: Egypt, locked in time’ read the banner above the doorway where the ‘Tour Starts Here’ sign was chained to the ground. Our tour guide was a tall, slim built, and wore a Dashiki with linen pants and short cropped hair. His smile radiated confidence, and his enthusiasm was palpable, but when he spoke was when people really became enthralled.
“Pharaohs, Gods and Goddesses, The epitome of all things civilized…” The guide began. “This is the journey I take you on today. This is the place where you start to see the world where it all began, and continues to grow. Egypt has always had ties with ancient Greece and Rome….”
“I can’t wait to see the pyramids” Cassie whispered to me.
“I don’t think that this tour is going to cover that.” I taunted. Cassie looked at me in scolding for spoiling her fun.
“I know that, but I just think its exciting. I remember studying Egypt in High School.”
“Shhh.” Came a comment from the person toeing the line behind us.
The guide continued talking “The heart of the people exists with the Nile, which is recommended to be seen from the waters. …… make sure you take a Felucca tour, a tour like no other, taking a traditional boat along the Nile River. From there you can gain a feel for the enormous architectural wealth before you move on to explore….”
“Look!” Cassie pointed across the market we were walking through. I couldn’t believe it, but Elias was there. He was running a stall of some kind in the far street, pressed against the walls of one of the buildings surrounding the market. We were moving past the market when he looked up to meet our stare. He simply smirked, winked, and kept on with his activity. It looked like a kind of game.
“I had no idea he was here” Cassie said.
“I’m not surprised. Elias is one of those people that appears from time to time, for no good reason.” I pointed out.
“Should we go over?”
“I think he’ll find us just fine Cassie. If not we can come back after the tour – see what he’s been up to.”
“Shh” came the repeat from behind my shoulder.
The tour guide kept going throughout our little conversation, seemingly unaffected: “…Thebes’ burial chambers, temples like no other, the Sahara, and the Red Sea, with coral like no other, holding healing properties. All of this are gifts from the cradle of life as we know it, almost untouched by time itself….”
“Sounds like us.” I noted. Cassie just smiled in response, but the tour guide must have mistook our banter for specific interest. He turned to us, offered Cassie his hand and she took it. When he touched her hand he rubbed it in response to the cold. An automatic motion I had noticed over time. That was one thing I didn’t like about our kind. When the blood we drank ran cold, so did our temperature. We didn’t feel it in each other of course, but it was a tell-tale sign to the outside world.
The tour continued and I tried to focus on the tour guide’s voice rather than my thoughts about what may have brought Elias here. “The city you are in, Cairo is also known to those who live here as Um ad-Dunya (Mother of the World).” The guide then turned to Cassie. “Where are you staying?” Cassie looked back at me.
“Garden City” I answered.
“Ah – such a wonderful place. It was designed around the British Embassy….” And he was off again “Giza makes you feel like you are 4,000 years ago, but Garden city, with its curved roads, elegant design - it offers the other side to Egypt.
After the tour, the crowd was beginning to thin out. Cassie and I headed back to where we had seen Elias. The table he was at was still there, a cheap pack of cards and small cups were on the table, but no Elias. The full moon shone down illuminating the side alleys which we scoured visually, but nothing. No Elias.
“He hasn’t left his stuff here.” I submitted.
Cassie picked up one of the cups and a ball rolled out. “Nice ret up” she confirmed before a few small stones fell from the rooftop above. Looking up, we saw Elias fall from the roof in time to jump out of the way. The table smashed to pieces and the stall owner beside yelled and fell backwards in shock. Elias promptly raised his head to look at us:
“Good to see you two again. Missed the fun.” He groaned as he got up and raced off. The stall owner beside us left his mouth gaping.
Without a second more to think about the situation, two more figures raced out from the shadows in chase of Elias, one was short and stocky, the other tall with long hair that flounced as he jumped carts and tables. By the way they moved, with the speed and strength they displayed, we immediately knew they were vampires. Cassie looked at me. I shrugged, and we both took off after them.
I caught up with them first, flashing ahead of Elias, who drew to a halt bes
ide me. We had moved to a side street on the outskirts of the area when the two who were in pursuit arrived, but stopped in their tracks when they saw us.
“You need to step away from the boy” announced the short one/
“Boy!” Elias piped up indignantly.
“Yes boy. Anyone who doesn’t know better than to steal from my boss is still a child.” The big guy next to him dropped a long chain to the ground. It clanged against the concrete.
“He’s wearing gloves” Elias motioned towards the chain wielding man.
“Silver chains. Nice work Elias, what the hell did you get yourself into?” I saw Cassie arrive just then and motioned to her to stop. She did, but the other two had already noticed her.
“A little of this, a little of that.” As Elias said those words, the little guy pulled out a long blade, and gave a nod to the tall one. The tall one stood still for a moment.
“Marcus!” snapped the shorter one. Marcus reluctantly moved forward.
“Hey wait. Lets talk.” I offered.
The short guy scowled. “No talk. We were told to collect, we are going to collect.”
“Sorry” Marcus apologies as he swung the rope.
“Marcus and Anthony?” asked Cassie from her post.
“Yes” answered Anthony, the shorter guy.
“Paul told us about you. Your bounty hunters as well as thieves are you?” she continued.
“I believe the term is mercenary.” Marcus offered up.
“So if the price is right, will you let him off the hook?”
“Not for this job. The guy who hired us doesn’t take no for an answer.” Anthony clarified for us.
So fight we did.
Marcus charged forward swinging. I ducked behind him and tried to pull on the chains. My hands burnt so badly in just an instant I thought I was going to throw up.
Marcus spoke again then: “Don’t get in the way mate, I don’t want to hurt anyone that doesn’t make my list.”
“I can’t do that – Elias is my friend.” Marcus looked concerned, but received a flying kick to the back of the head from Elias. The kick did little else than see Marcus’ mood change to irritation. At least Elias was quick. He dodged Marcus’ swings, first, second, third, and on the backswing for the forth Cassie arrived with a crowbar she had found. She grabbed the metal chain with the crowbar and pulled it free, but then Anthony ran towards her. I knocked him back and he flew 200 meters down the road. Marcus looked at me as though impressed.
“You are going to have to leave Elias alone now!” I stated, sure in myself that they didn’t want to take me on given my strength. Most people avoided fights with me because of that. This guy though, had a cheesy grin emerge, and lunged at me. I flipped him over my back, while Cassie came up behind and kicked him in the chest as he flew through the air. Anthony was back and running, but Elias played interference. Anthony ignored Cassie and I, opting to take on Elias. Elias wasn’t physically powerful so one hit from Anthony, who was faster than Marcus, saw Elias flat on the ground. I flashed over to knock Anthony out while Marcus was recovering, but he managed to grab my foot as I moved to rush forward. As I got tugged back, I failed to notice Anthony who jumped at me, slicing me with the blade he had. I felt a harsh burn in my little finger and yelped in response.
“Matt” I heard Cassie cry out, but the pain in my hand was so blinding I couldn’t look to see her. I brought my hand up and saw my little finger was missing.
Rage overtook me. I leaped at Anthony, and pounded his face until he stopped moving and lay unconscious. Marcus who had come up behind me grabbed my by the shirt, but then started screaming. Elias had taken his own shirt off to handle the silver chain and had now wrapped it around Marcus’ neck. Pulling Marcus back, Elias finally let him go when Marcus fell to his knees , clutching at his throat. Cassie had come over to see me, and held my hand like it was glass.
Elias stood staring at Anthony’s bruised an battered face. “Remind me never to piss you off. I don’t want to end up like that!”
“Just don’t slice of any of my fingers and we should be alright” I responded sharply. I had stopped bleeding at least, but needed to eat, and soon to replace what I had lost.
“Don’t worry – It will grow back” Elias dismissed.
“That’s beside the point” Cassie snipped. “He’s hurt.”
“Aw… where were you when I lost my hand in Marrakesh?” Elias held up his arm that still had a tide mark across the wrist from where is had grown back.
I strode over to Marcus, who put his hand up in protest. “Mercy.” he begged.
“Fine, but no more chasing Elias. Where he is, I am, and next time, I wont let you go. Understand?”
“Understood” Marcus responded. “We’ll sort it with the boss. Tell him Elias is dead. But he can’t come around there anymore?”
I looked at Elias. “Not a problem” Elias confirmed.
As we walked away, I turned to Elias to ask. “What did you do to upset their boss anyway.”
“Its not so much what as who…” Came the response.
“I don’t want to know” Cassie said interrupting Elias’ oversharing.
After ditching my jacket, which was covered in blood, we headed back to the hotel.
“I’m going to go get you a blood pack” Cassie announced and headed out the door we had just walked in. I eased on to the bed and looked at the stump left behind. It wasn’t pretty. Worse yet was my hunger. The missing blood was making me clouded in my thinking. My concentration impaired, so was my patience. When Elias bounced on to the bed beside me and started playing with the remote, I had to fight the urge to throttle him.
“You ever not getting into trouble Elias.”
“Depends on your definition of trouble.” He grinned, which made the urge I had to punch him all the more intense.
“Why are you here anyway. Last I heard you were in Greece.”
“Not exactly a huge stretch to see me here is it then. I heard you were on your way, so worked my way here, ended up having some fun…”
“I know that part” I scoffed.
“Yeah well, I wanted to deliver the news myself.”
“News?” I queried.
“Michael. I know where he is – hiding in Greece. I would have tried taking him out myself, but what you two have is personal…”
“…and you thought there would be a better chance of you not dying if I was there.” I finished for him.
“Besides” Elias continued, ignoring me, “I actually miss hanging out with you. You were always…decent, you know.”
Cassie arrived back and handed me a warm blood pack. I looked at her curiously. “It’s warm?” I noted.
“There is a teaching hospital down the road. I picked this one up fresh.” Cassie sat down beside me. “How are you feeling?”
“I’ll be fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore.” I said, ripping a hole in the bag. I gulped back the blood, before I leaned back against the headrest. I noticed Cassie looked flustered, and as soon as I had leaned back, my finger started to tingle. It was growing back as I watched. Cassie marveled and grabbed my hand to touch the newly grown digit.
“That was faster than I have seen anyone heal before. Usually something like that would take a couple of days at least. I’ve seen you heal before Matt, but this is accelerated. I wonder what else is in store for you.”
“You get all the cool skills” Elias muttered as he rose from the bed to hang over the balcony. I looked at Cassie’s somber face, she hesitated before she spoke.
“There’s a lot we don’t understand about ourselves, our bodies. How we work. How come some of us can smell, hear, project more powerfully than others....”. Cassie said as she laid my hand back down on the bed. She looked less pale, less concerned about me. “It makes things worthwhile – the difference. I think it keeps us in check too, knowing we aren’t all equal in exactly the same way.” The phone rang, and Cassie answered, taking her mobile out o
n the balcony. I stared at her for a long minute as she walked away. Clearly she was talking with Violet. When she came back, she looked peaceful enough, but thoughtful nonetheless.
“Cassie” I interjected. There was probably not a good time for this, so I may as well plunge in. “Elias has found Michael.”
Cassie looked up at me. “You’re going to go track him down finally.” I nodded, waiting for some kind of protest. “I think you should.” Her eyes flickered back at me. “Some things need to be buried, even if it’s difficult to do that.”
Elias tuned in. “How about if I come back the day after tomorrow? I can book tickets. We can leave at nightfall. Be there by early morning.” Never taking my eyes of Cassie, I agreed, and Elias was gone, to do all those things he did when we weren’t looking.
Cassie didn’t look sad, but I had a feeling like we had lost something in the last few hours. “It was almost as if we were already home.” Was all I could muster to say.
Cassie sighed “Yes. Holiday over. Interesting timing too, because that was Violet on the phone. She says Myria thinks she found the location of this equipment, this device she's been looking for. She thinks she can restore Camille.” She smiled back at me.
“You mean, as in bring her back completely?”
Cassie nodded. Then rolled her eyes and shook her head instead.
“You look like you don't believe it.” I toyed with her. She had always been dubious about this mystical solution to bringing back her sister.
“It is just a little fantastic don't you think. It also happens to be just a few kilometers from here.” Cassie made good sense.
“Myria is coming here? Now?”
“Yup. Some coincidence. We arrive, and suddenly.....”
Now I tried to reason with her. “It has been a few years. I admit I am trying not to read too much into it, but maybe it is more fate trying to save us a plane ticket, than some kind of set up by Myria?”
“Aren't you the optimist. After last time, I just don't trust her. She lost her marbles years ago, and the fact she is a witch with immense powers on top of madness, well, it doesn't inspire me with confidence Matt.”
“When I spoke with Russell last, he said he thought she was making headway.”
“I guess I'll find out.” Cassie rose off the bed to get a drink form the bar fridge.
“We can find out.” I made clear. “I can track Michael down after Myria comes and goes.”
Cassie laughed that beautiful crystal laugh. “Don't trust me 'eh.”
“I trust you. Don't get me wrong, but like you said, she doesn't inspire me with confidence either.” She handed me a drink, and poured one for herself.
“Are things always so dramatic?” I asked of Cassie.
“What do you mean?”
“Living as a vampire. Is life always going to be this intense?”
She smiled, as did I in response. “I can’t remember a time they weren’t. But then there’s good intense as well don’t you think? The last few years have been incredible.”
“Definitely a good kind of intense.”
“Definitely.” She confirmed
So Myria was on her way. Life was almost back to how we left it.
The next day I met up with Myria and Russell at the airport, leaving Cassie at the hotel to sleep until dusk. Waiting at the airport after touchdown, I was borderline nauseous, not sure what to expect.