Chapter 5

THERE WERE A group of creatures whose jobs are to study the world’s population. They constantly watch the ripple of life for a new sign of life. They knew the exact number of Vampires, Werewolves and all other creatures. They knew when a new human has been turned into a Vampire. They know when a new wolf has been born. They are a special group of Feys, specially chosen and  trained to perform this hectic task efficiently. 

Each new magical creature starts a ripple in the life crystal. Only Feys with trained eyes can detect the ripple of a wolf from that of a Centaur or an Elf, so when a new ripple started out, they weren’t so surprised until they studied it more. 

This was not one of a Vampire or an Elf, neither was it one of any other creature of mistake like a giant or dwarf. It was very much like that of a Werecat but not exactly.

A new kitten hasn’t been born in over a century, The other species saw to that by killing of 99% of the Cats population.  

They looked at the ripple once again, concluding that was closest to a cat but not exactly. They knew where the ripple started from. North London. An investigation ensued. 

“HE IS NOT in his room.” Jason’s mother, Lydia said, coming downstairs. She was worried. 

“Calm down, honey. You don’t want to disturb Harry now, do you? Jason’s is probably at his uncle’s place.” 

“No, Claude. He is not. He would tell me before he slept over and besides I feel it. Something changed. But he’s not hurt, atleast not physically anyway.” 

“I’ll go check with your brother. Just wait here and try to relax. Take some tea and watch TV.” Claude, Jason’s father said, grabbing a coat and heading out the door. 

“What if he shifted?” Lydia asked silently. Fear made her lower lip tremble. 

Claude went to her and held her in his arms and said in her hair. “As long as he doesn’t shift completely, he somewhat safe. The watchers won’t be able to detect what he is. He is safe, stop worrying.”

“But what if he isn’t? Why are you so certain?” She drew away from him and turned her back. 

“Because I ordered the feline not to surface unless it is to save his life.” 

That seemed to soothe her because she collapsed on the sofa closest to her. 

“I’ll be back. Let me check on the Alpha’s house.” Claude said, opening the door gently.

He walked over to the next yard. He really hoped his wife was wrong but he knew that was unlikely. 

Whistling silently, he rung the bell of the Alpha’s House and walked in. The architectural design of the inner house made it seem like the house was bigger inside than it looked from outside. Maybe it was. Such things have been done by magic before. 

He saw the alpha, Jamie sitted on a desk and poring over some paper. He looked up when he heard Claude enter and smiled widely. 

“Claude, you are the king of great timing.” He bellowed from the corner of the room. “I didn’t want to disturb you by calling for you tonight, but here you are.” 

“Jamie, I, uh...”

“Exactly, come, come, come, i need your help. Here, take a look at this.” Jamie pushed a sheet of paper over to Claude who had sat down on a seat opposite Jamie.

Claude picked the paper and looked at it. “What am I supposed to see?” 

“What you are looking at is the plan for the future of our pack. I plan on extending the territory by the western region.” 

Claude looked impressed. “That would mean we will go past the stream...” 

“Yes. And here, look...” Jamie pushed another paper to Claude. “The Elves are increasing the damn prices of their stuffs. I think this is their way of sending war signals.” 

“No No!” Claude interjected. “You do not just jump into war mode immediately. Maybe they are truly hard times over there. Maybe their stuffs are getting rarer... I heard Monkswood is going extinct. Besides, what should be bothering us is the rapid increase in Vampire population.” 

“Yeah. That’s true.” Jamie said, rubbing his chin. “it’s like they turn people for fun. Like they’re bored.”

“Or they’re creating an army for war.” Claude suggested. “I hope not.” 

“I’ve not even thought of that.” Jamie sighed and rested back on his seat. “You’re so wise. That’s why I made you my second in command.” 

Claude got up and walked to the minibar by the side of the room. “Want some wine?” 

Jamie nodded and asked, “Why are you here?”

Claude walked back to the table holding two glass cups half filled with red wine and said, “I came to check on Jason. I thought he’d be here.” 

Jamie looked up from his drink. “We concluded Jake was at your place, when we didn’t see him in his room.” 

“Well, they’re both not at my place or yours. Where else?” 

Jamie stood up and started pacing the room, more from habit than nervousness. 

A knock came that jolted the both of them. A house dwarf attended to the visitor who was a young man, he immediately asked for the Alpha. He was directed to the back of the room.

“Sir, I have something I would like to show you sir.” He said after the necessary greetings. 

“Can’t it wait?” Jamie boomed in an all Alpha’s voice.

“N-no sir. I’m afraid it can’t.” 

Jamie groaned and looked at Claude for support but the latter just got up and grabbed his coat and said, “Lead the way, boy.” 

When they stepped out, the young man started talking. “I and my squad were doing our normal routine of patrol round our territory. When we got to the western stream, we stopped for a while to cool our bodies and relax for a while.” 

“And?” Claude prompted when the man stopped talking.

“It was the scent that attracted me first. I caught it first, before the others. It smelt like Vampires... and death. Me and some boys went to check what it was.” 

Because they were walking briskly, they had gotten to the stream border quite qquickly. The alpha inhaled deeply and then looked around. “I can’t see anything.” He muttered.

“Oh no, not here sir... outside the territory.” The man said, leading them across the stream and through some thorns and bushes. 

Claude immediate caught the scent. But not the scent of the gory view before him but the scent of his son and nephew. He was sure Jamie had perceived it too because he stiffened for a second before bending down in front of the Vampire with its chest ripped out and heart missing. 

Claude glanced around to see another lying dead not so far away with the hilt of a knife sticking out of its chest. He withdrew the blade and recognized it immediately. He had given Jason the knife on his 14th birthday. 

“Our sons did this?” Jamie whispered, beneath the fear in his voice, there was a touch of pride. 

“They sure did. Here, this is Jason’s blade. I gifted him this.” Claude said, holding out the blade. 

“What were they thinking, taking a hike outside the territory?”

“Where are they now?” Claude asked, turning to look at the man. 

“We caught different scents. We suspect they might have had help and that there was one Vampire left who escaped.” 

“A wolf can’t have done this.” Jamie said, tracing his fingers along the edges of the open space in the Vampire’s chest. 

“Yes, sir. That’s why we suspect a little help. We followed the scent of the two boys deep into the woods. The same with the runaway vampire too.” 

“This is not good. The Vampires were already agitated before. This would give them a solid reason to propose a war.” Claude said, standing and gesturing to the massacre around him. 

“This one is surely my son’s doing.” Alpha Jamie said, as if he didn’t hear anything Claude just said. He was staring at the gaping wound of a bite on a Vampire’s neck. “He took a large one off this beast.” 

“Have you sighted any other Vamps around?” Claude inquired, turning to the man. 

“No sir.” 

The alpha stood up slowly, and looked around. His mind was running in full steam trying to figure out everything that had happened here. His eyes fell on the morteaux flower nestled between rocks. 

He drew closer to study it. He noticed two stems had been plucked but one was cut just recently seeing as it still had a white liquid covering the cut. 

“They came for this...” He said without turning. 

Suddenly the air compressed and expanded and a swirly like portal appeared in mid air. 

Five grey robed figures stepped out from the portal. They wey Feys... even the hood that some of them wore didn’t disguise their slim faces and slight build. 

Claude recognised them and groaned inwardly.

Jamie turned to look at them and groaned out. 

They were The Fey Watchers.