Chapter 2

The Stolen Ring

“Father Michael, it’s me, Damian,” he said calmly.

“Father…?” Damian called out as he titled the door knobs and opened the door.

“Father?” Damian called, but there was no response. It was like he wasn’t even there. Damian could have sworn that he saw Father Michael come into his room. He searched everywhere in the room for him but still couldn’t find him.

“Must I have been hallucinating?” Damian asked himself.

“What are you doing in my room, my boy?” Father Micheal asked calmly and confused as well.

“Father?!” Damian said he was frightened. “But-but you were just here a few minutes ago,” Damian explained in great confusion.

“Have you started seeing ghosts, Damain?” Father Michael asked sternly.

“Father, I’m telling you the truth.” “I saw you enter your room just a few minutes ago,” Damian declared.

“Damian, I just got back from the Welhoursts.” “How could I have just entered my room?” Father Michael asked with a chuckle.

“I’m serious, father.” “I just saw you enter your room,” Damian insisted.

“Damian, you’ve been praying all morning. Go have some sleep.” “I just got back,” Father Michael said sternly. He wasn’t having any of Damian’s jokes.

“If you say so, father.” By the way, two parishioners came looking for you today, and you spoke with them. “You told me that another priest had come to pray for the deceased, so you sent your condolences over the phone,” Damian said.

“I did not speak to any parishioner, and how many times must I spell it out, Damian? I just got back from the… Father Michael spoke sternly and then paused for a second.

“Describe those two parishioners you said I spoke to,” Father Michael continued.

“Those two you normally have conversations with in private,” Damian answered.

“I have conversations with all parishioners in private,” Father Michael stated.

“No, these two are different.” “With them, it’s like you’re planning a secret birthday party for me,” Damian explained, and immediately his father’s brain clicked to who he was referring to.

“God,” Father Michael said to himself. He feared that the worst had just begun. Whenever he met with Oliver and Roland, it meant something evil was about to befall the city, but they needed his help to avoid it. He thanked Michela for the information and then escorted Damian out of his room. He locked the doors and then quickly put a call through Oliver. It dangled for some seconds before Oliver picked it up.

“Anything wrong, father?” Oliver asked.

“Whoever you met today was not me,” Father Michael said worriedly.

“The fuck?” Oliver cursed.

“I don’t know what the hell happened, but whoever you talked to today was not me,” Father Michael stressed.

“Fuck!” Oliver cursed in anger.

“Is there anything you said or gave to me that…” Father Michael stuttered.

“I gave you the ring of the damned, father,” Oliver said slowly and sternly.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Father Michael let out.

“We have to find that ring,” Oliver said.

“I know where to start… the vampires,” Father Michael declared.

“Why them? “This was clearly the work of a shape shifter,” Oliver said.

“They knew how to take me out of the church by killing Mr. Welhurst.” He was found dead in his car, right in front of his house, with a broken neck. “I know the vampires in this city; that’s how they make their kills to avoid unnecessary suspicions,” Father Michael explained.

“Alright then. “Who’s the leader of the vampires?” Oliver asked.

“Ludacris. “He’s quite nasty when it comes to creatures like you,” Father Michael explained.

“I’m the only creature like me in this city,” Oliver said with a smirk as he grabbed his car keys, ready to meet Ludacris.

“That’s the thing, he hates you,” Father Michael said.

“Well, if you’re right about the vampires being involved in the stolen ring, then he’s going to hate me even more,” Oliver declared.

“Be careful, Oly.” “You’re the only one that can balance both chaos and order,” Father Michael said.

“Don’t worry yourself, father, I’m going to be fine,” Oliver said, and then he hung up. Roland, who was coming from the bathroom, saw Oliver taking his prepared to drive out.

“Any problem?” Roland asked. Oliver was hesitant to tell him. They both were assassins for the Vatican, and if the Vatican learned about the stolen ring, they were going to face serious consequences. The Vatican had entrusted Oliver with the ring since they knew it wasn’t going to be safe in their hands.

“Umm… “I just wanted to go for a little drive around the city to clear my head,” Oliver lied.

“The ring is going to be safe with Father Michael.” “Don’t you worry, my friend,” Roland said as he patted Oliver’s shoulders.

“The ring of the damned is gone,” Oliver confessed.

“Don’t fucking play with me, Oly,” Roland said. One could sense the fear within him in his tone.

“We never spoke to Father this morning. It was a shapeshifter. “Michael believes that the shape shifter was sent by the vampires,” Oliver explained.

“So that’s where we’re heading,” Roland said with all his bravery.

“Roland… it’s dangerous.” “A whole lair filled with vampires? No way,” Oliver said.

“Well, someone needs to follow you.” “We would call in enforcement from the Vatican, but they must not know about this,” Roland said.

“I’m going with the priest.” He made peace with all mystical creatures, which means no one can hurt him. He’s covered by a spell witches from my father’s line created, and he does not know about it. “Just in case any bastard wants to cross the line,” Oliver said.

Oliver’s father was a wizard and his mother a regular, so he thought. He never knew the immense powers he possessed. The truth was yet to be revealed to him.

“Be careful, friend,” Roland said, and then Oliver nodded his head in agreement. He then left for Ludacris after stopping by the church to get Father Michael.

Oliver got there with the priest, and all eyes were on him. He sat down by the counter, and the bartender poured out a drink for him while sneering.

“You want one father?” Oliver asked.

“I’m good,” Father Michael announced.

“Who let this abomination in?” Ludacris asked as he used his vampire speed to have a seat next to Oliver.

“I believe you have something of mine,” Oliver said calmly.

“You’re trespassing. “Get out!” Ludacris demanded, quite irritated. Most vampires in the room stood up, trying to protect Ludacris.

“Sit back down! I can wipe you all off the face of this city in a wink of an eye! “Isn’t that right, father?” Oliver asked.

“Ludacris…”Just comply with him,” Father Michael said calmly.

“We didn’t steal anything, and don’t you for one second think that I’m sacred to you.” “Now get out, Diablo,” Ludacris warned sternly.

“He’s telling the truth, Oly… He didn’t take anything. Let’s go” Father Michael declared, but Oliver wasn’t ready to just go yet. He used his telekinesis to raise a vampire in the air. He then squeezed his bones. Ludacris tried to stop him but couldn’t.

“You have five seconds to tell me where it is or else he dies,” Oliver ordered.

“Oliver!” Father Michael yelled.

“Let him go!” “We didn’t steal anything!” Ludacris yelled.

“4…3…2…1” Oliver counted then that the vampire he had in the air burst into several pieces. Blood splattered everywhere, and then Oliver was satisfied.

“Let this be a warning,” Oliver said sternly, and then he left with the priest. Ludacris was angry and promised his people revenge.

“That fucking mutant just made an enemy out of all of us,” Ludacris declared angrily.