Sacrifice Helle

Chapter 16

When Monday morning came I was looking out of the window from our room, watching the sun light up everything. This had been one wild week. My brain felt numb from lack of sleep and too much thinking. I grabbed my bag, the one I had already packed when me and Asami planned to run away. With a sad feeling I left her bag underneath my bed. I eat breakfast while waiting for mom and dad to wake up, and when they finally did I gave them a hug and left the house. They said they would come by later with food and to check up upon me. The morning light was beautiful, and the park looked so peaceful in it. The cathedral stood there, mighty and great, like a last outpost in an ocean of darkness.

I was greeted by Daniel who stood on the doorstep waiting for me. He smiled at me, but I couldn’t find it in me to smile back. He led me inside and showed me where I could stay, I left my bag there and we went outside and sat on the stairs, looking at the morning. "When people come," he said to me, "you will not be able to see me, if I let you see me, they will all see me. But don't worry, we will be here, and when you are alone we can show ourselves to you." "Where's Raphael?" "He is here. Just.. keeping a distance." "I see."

The hours passed and it became day when the first others came. A family. They greeted me and walked inside. I followed them, maybe I should meet the minister to let her know I had arrived. She was in her office inside the cathedral, and to be honest, she didn't look to happy to see me. "Maybe... Do you have a nickname?", she asked me. "No, I don't. But feel free to give me one.." The minister smiled, "Okey, let's just call you.. hmm... Rose! Do you like that?" "Sure ^^" She was puzzled with how I had been able to get into the room I had occupied, but she accepted it. Most of the others would sleep in the big 'room', the benches had been moved away to make place for them to sleep there, but since she saw me as a special person, having recently loosed my sister and all, she let me have the room on my own. Time passed and more and more people arrived, the cathedral started filling up, but there was still room for more. "How many people will come..?", I asked myself. "About 200 or more, some come from far away even..." I turned around, but couldn't see anyone. "Daniel?", I asked. "Yes ^^" "You freak me out." "Sorry." "Okay, well, now I know you can still talk to me and hear me, even though I can't see you." "It can come in handy." "Just you make sure you're not in my room while I change." "What are you gonna do about it?" "I'll kick your ass!" "To bad for you you can’t see me then!" "Stop teasing her!" "Raphael?" I felt a couple of warm hands on my shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll make sure Daniel's not in your room while you're changing." I smiled a little. Then they both were gone again.

Later that afternoon I was standing outside of the cathedral when a huge group of people arrived. It wasn't allowed to drive in the park, so they all came by foot. They must have been 100 alone. I was shocked by their numbers, there were old ones, children and babies, teenagers... I asked into the air, "Who are all those people?" I heard Daniel’s voice close to my ear, "That's the family of Iselin Joakimson. They're not all called Joakimson any longer though, but they are all related and inherit from one man: Iselins son, Kai. 100 years ago, Iselin and her sister, Johanne, disappeared, just like your sister. In the years after their disappearing, the family, and especially Kai, was given great fortune. Everything they did ended up in success. Now the family is extremely wealthy. So they come here again, believing that they were given the good fortune by God, due to the sacrifice of the sisters." "True believers in other words." "Everyone here believe. The Joakimsons are the living proof to them, proof that the ones behind will be blessed for another 100 years. The family off course doesn't want to loose it's blessing, so they all come here. Every single living member." I studied them as they entered the cathedral. They were so many. "Look!", it was Raphael’s voice this time. "What?", I whispered back. "Yeah, I hear ya.", Daniel said. "Whaaat..?" Raphael told me, "You see that one, soon entering? The huge black hood?" I had noticed her, a girl wearing a black dress and a long cape with a big hood covering her head, it was impossible to see her face in the shadows of her hood, plus; she was facing the ground. "You notice how she is entirely covered up? Even her hands, see?" Correct, black gloves. No skin could be seen. "What about her?" "Vampire.", Daniel said to me. I froze. "What is a vampire doing here?" "We were hoping you could tell us...", Raphael said, "Find out will you?" "Why don't you do it yourselves?" No reply. 'Okay, okay.. I'll do some investigation....'

I followed the group of people inside. The vampire took place in the main room together with all the others. I watched her from a distance, she took her hood off and long black hair flooded over her shoulders. She was stunningly beautiful, skin so pale and eyes so brown, the contrast made her look like she was cut out of marble. I watched her unpack and help the others, they even smiled at her. It looked like they knew her. I decided to do a stunt and walked over. "Hi." She turned around. "Hello.", she said in a soft voice, "You will certainly make this month more interesting then I thought it would be. You're staying I presume..?" "Yes.. I .." She smiled gently at me, but her eyes stayed cold, then turned around again and continued what she was doing. I sat down next to her, she was helping some children make their beds ready. "What are you doing?", I asked her. "Preparing their beds." "If you have come here to prey on this people I ca..." "I'm NOT here to prey on anyone!", she said between her teeth with a low whisper. "Then why.." She turned and faced me with a smile, "Your sister is such a lovely child, I don't think I've seen anything like her before." "Where is she?!" The vampire just smiled at me, then looked away and continued with her business. "Please tell me..." "Why?" She was laughing slightly, "Listen to me, sweetheart, the best thing you can do now is to stay right here. I wish I had. Going after Vaan will not be in your interests." "I want my sister back!" "You can’t!" "Fuck you." The vampire quickly laid her hand over my mouth and actually got a worried look on her face. "Not only is your name Helle, you also have a bad language. You're in church, young lady, and there are children present! Watch your tongue!" "Who are you talking to? Like you are such a holy bitch who can just come to church whenever it suits you!", I snarled back at her, keeping my voice low so the others wouldn't hear, "You're not even supposed to be here, you belong to the shitty mud outside! I don't even know how many you must have killed so far, but you are certainly not welcome here!" She just looked at me, then a smile came onto her lips, her eyes even glowed a little. "Heh.. Looks like someone has been a little affected with vampire hatred... Wonder where that came from... If you only had met us first you would have learned to respect us a little more. I 'd dare you to talk to me like that again. And this time no little demon friend will come to your rescue." "Demon friend?" She started laughing out loud, I could clearly see her fangs, but she didn't seem to care. "You didn't know?!", she laughed. My heart sank, off course... I had known, but I was just..."Living in denial? Sounds like that’s what you do best!" I stared at her. "No need to worry, I wont tell anyone what's on that dirty mind of yours..." She leaned closer to me and whispered into my ear, "But just so you know, Vaan took pretty good care of them last night, they're all too busy licking their wounds to come help you. So I suggest you shut up from now on." "What did he do to them?" She laughed again and continued her business, ignoring me.

I rose up and walked outside to get some fresh air. It was almost sunset. I walked around the corner of the cathedral and met Daniel. "Now? What does she want?" "I don't know, but she seems to know a lot about Asami... and me. And Vaan. Is there no way we can force her to leave?" "No,", Daniel replied, "we can’t force her to leave. But no need to worry, she can’t kill anyone inside of the church, neither hurt them or do them any harm. Its sacred area." ”'No need to worry', that’s the exact words she used when she read my mind! How can I not worry?!" "Oh, she read your mind? Then maybe that's how she could know about you and Asami and Vaan?" "I don't think so, it seems to me like she knows a lot more then I do." Raphael showed up, "Darien is alive.", he said. He had felt my concern. "How do you know?" "He was here last night. With his pack." "Where is he now?" "No. Don't even think about making him lead you to Asami, you'll both get killed. Now go inside before the sun sets." I walked back inside, kept a distance to the vampire, but didn't let her out of my sight.

The hours passed, some had brought instruments like guitars and started playing songs. Others made food. It was a real campsite. My parents had stopped by earlier. They told me that they had called the police again, this time they would start a search for Asami. I noticed the vampire look at us and stared back at her, thinking clearly 'You mess with my parents and I'll kill you!' She had looked away with a smile. "Oh, I almost forgot." mom said, "Your friend came by to look for you. He said he had heard the sad news and wanted to talk to you." Mom smiled and teased me despite all her sorrow, "You didn't tell me you had such a handsome friend... Is it your boyfriend?" "Seriously mom, I don't know what you're talking about. Who was it? He must have gone to the wrong house or something." "Oh, what was his name.,..." Mom turned and looked for dad, then called him over. "Honey, do you remember the name of that young man who came by earlier?" "Oh, you mean Helle’s boyfriend?" "Shut your yaps folks, I don't have a boyfriend!" Dad smirked. "Well, what was it.. Darien, right?" He looked at mom, "Yes, that’s it. Darien." "Darien?! You guys spoke to Darien?!" "What’s so weird about that, now Helle, we love to meet your friends, I wish you would introduce us to them more often." I blinked. 'My parents like Darien?! O_o' "Anyway, what did he say?" "We told him you were here, and he said he might drop by later tonight. "When?" "He didn't say, so we don't now.", dad answered.

I kept watching the vampire, she seemed like an ordinary young girl from a distance. About my age. She looked so nice, if I hadn't know she was a vampire I might have wanted to become friends with her. Raphael and Daniel didn't show themselves or speak to me all evening. It was night already, the children had gone to sleep, but many adults were still awake. Suddenly the vampire stiffened. She stood still for about 3 seconds, then she sent a death glare towards the entrance. I looked at the door, but there was no one there, and the door had been closed all evening. When I looked back at the vampire she was gone. I walked towards where I had last seen her and looked around. 'Weird...' I looked towards the entrance again, the door still shut. 'Okay, let's have a look...' I opened the first door and came out in the hallway. It was colder out here. I walked slowly over to the main doors and peeked through the keyhole. Then I opened the door slightly and peeked outside. It was empty in font of the cathedral. I waited a little, didn't know what to expect, but the vampire had clearly reacted to something. Was she just playing games with me? Did she just want me to go outside so she could kill me? I started closing the door and was about to walk back inside, when suddenly something held the door back! I let it go and tumbled onto the floor with surprise, hoping that the 'sacred area' Daniel had talked about counted for the hallway as well. "Please, come out..." A weak voice said from behind the open door. I got goose bumps all over. Then I heard some coughing and spitting and I jumped for every cough. Then the door slid back in place and closed. I sat on the floor, staring at the door, almost expecting it to fly open and have some monster jump in. Nothing happened.

'Okey.. 1, 2... 3!' I got up from the floor, built up some extra courage and opened the door again, this time I flung it open. Prepared for everything I got disappointed. There was no one there! But then again, that was freaky enough. The door had gotten extra speed on its way out and I had to go outside to close it. I built up my courage again and took the first step outside. Then the second step. I reached out for the door with my eyes almost closed, I was freaked out and imagined all sorts of horrible things in my head, all the horror movies I had ever seen came to mind. Then I saw something move in the shadows of the trees.

I froze, didn't dare to even breath. Then that voice again, "Come..." "Who..wh..who are you?" I looked into the shadows and the creature in there looked back at me, it's eyes were shining in the dark. Ice blue. "Darien!" I grabbed the stupid door and threw back where it belonged. It closed behind me as I ran down to him. It was Darien, but he didn't look too good. He sat on the ground, breathing heavily. "What's going on?" "I need to.. get away from this place..", he said, hinting to the cathedral. "It sucks up.. my energy.." He apparently wanted me to come with him. I bit my lip, thinking about what to do. "I know.. where your.. sister is.." "Okay, that does it, we're out of here!" I bent over him, and helped him get on his feet, my hands got wet with some black liquid. "What’s this?" He looked at me with wild eyes, pulled me close and said, "My blood."