Atomic Redwood Revamped

Chapter 4: “More than vampires out there”

“Are you okay?” Jacques asked, still with his smile.

Tempest blushed. “Yeah…” Tempest answered, her head looking towards the ground, trying to hide her blushing.

“Damn him! On of these nights I’m going to kill that wolf of his!” Jacques spoke, pissed off.

“Wait, you know that wolf?” Tempest asked, finally looking up at him with a confused look on her face.

“Yeah his name is Julius, the wolf I mean. The guys name is Julian. Yeah I know the wolf has a better name.” Jacques explained.

“Watch it Jacques, my mother gave me that name.” Said a man with green and orange hair. Tempest saw that he had red eyes…

“Julian, this is Tempest, Darius’s daughter.” Jacques introduced.

At the name Darius, the mans eyes got big. “…Desari’s niece… Dear child, your father was my best friend…” Julian spoke, walking up to her with now that same wolf at his side, calm as can be.

Once in front of her, Julian grabbed her hand and kissed it. This made Tempest blush. “How can I help my best friend’s daughter?” Julian asked, looking into her eyes.

“We need weapons and opponents.” Jacques answered.

Julian glanced at Jacques. “You came to the right vampire.” Julian answered, walking the way he came. “Well are you two coming or not?” Julian asked, not stopping or looking back… they followed.

After following him for a minute or two they came up to an old cell looking building.

“I don’t have that many left, so just try not to kill them okay.” Julian spoke, stopping in front of the building.

“Why so few?” Jacques asked.

“Our so called master has been killing them off lately. They went into hiding…” Julian answered.

“I see.” Jacques responded.

“Well first off, the weapons! What kind do you need?” Julian asked, turning around with a smile on his face.

“Anything with silver really.” Jacques answered with a blank expression on his face.

‘Great now he’s back to the way he was when we first met.’ Tempest thought to herself, being sarcastic.

“Jacques, don’t be stupid.” Julian responded, losing his smile.

“I am afraid I have no choice now. It’s kill or be killed…” Jacques answered.

Julian’s face went from serious to sad in a heart beat. “I might be an outcast Jac, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still responsible for you. You’ve become a son to me.” Julian said, walking up to him.

“I know. I’ll be careful.” Jacques responded.

Before Tempest’s eyes, Julian gave Jacques a big hug and if that wasn’t weird enough, Jacques hugged back, smiling. ‘Vampires hugging?!’

Julian chuckled a little once they stopped hugging. “Speaking of family… How are your sisters and brother?” Julian asked.

Jenae’s still rebellious as ever. Sarantha’s got a two year old boy now, and Nicolae, well… He just told us not too long ago that he’s gay, and in love with a guy. I asked who and he dropped the subject though.” Jacques answered.

“Hmm… Maybe the guy is someone you don’t like? Or maybe even the guy hasn’t come out yet? The question is though, how do you feel about your little brother being gay?” Julian asked.

“I’m okay with it I guess. Of course as long as he’s happy, that’s all I want for any of them really.” Jacques answered.

“I know what you mean. The blond and short haired girls you saw the night we meant, they’re together… I’m completely fine with it, just as long as they don’t keep asking me to join in a threesome.” Tempest spoke.

Julian and Jacques just looked at her, which made her feel really stupid now.

Julian smiled at her. “You know Jacques, I like her, and she’s got the right mindset about people.” Julian spoke, smiling even more at him before turning and walking to the door.

Julian took out some keys from his right pocket and took the only silver one in his fingers. When he unlocked and opened the door, he spoke. “Follow me Tempest. If you want to stay alive, stay close and no matter what you hear, don’t go wondering off.”

Tempest looked from Julian to Jacques very nervously. “Stay close to me and nothing will harm you, I give you my word.” Jacques answered her unspoken question.

“Sire reasoning…” Julian said inside the building.

Tempest saw Jacques blush. “Do you blame me Julian?”

Julian laughed. “No, no… I completely understand.”

Tempest gave Jacques a questioning look again. “Don’t worry, just a joke between us. Its nothing to worry about, now let’s keep up with Julian.” Jacques answered putting his hand on her back, leading the way in, closing and locking the door behind them.

“I believe they are asleep. They can’t turn back because of the lab experiments which makes them very dangerous.” Julian said, looking back, nodding and then walking again.

“What are they?” Tempest asked.

“Lycons. You might know them as werewolves.” Jacques answered.

Inside the building was quiet, almost too quiet… “The weapons are just down this hall.” Julian informed.

That’s when Tempest started to hear whimpering to her right. When she looked she saw glowing green eyes staring back at her in the distance.

She must have stopped without knowing because Jacques had put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t stop moving and don’t stare at them.” Jacques ordered.

At the end of the hall there was a door. When Julian opened the door, she saw what Jacques meant when he said Julian had a lot of weapons.

Every kind of weapon you could ever think of all filled a 3 x 50 sq. ft. room. Swords of all different sizes from just as big as you hand to long as someone being 5’2”. Axes, long death spear things, to even guns.

The only thing Tempest could do was look at them with her mouth wide opened and her eyes as big as silver pieces.

At seeing Tempest’s reaction, all Julian and Jacques could do is grin and chuckle a little bit at her. Neither of them found the weapon room that fascinating because that have seen bigger and grander, but Tempest was impressed nun the less…

“Well for you Tempest, pick whatever and how many catches your eyes.” Julian said, showing her into the weapon room.

Tempest started looking around until she came across a very weird sword-dagger thing. It was as big as a normal sword but it had two ends as a normal sword but it had two ends with a handle in the middle of the thing. “What’s it called?” Tempest asked, pointing at it.

“What do you think it’s called?” Julian asked back.

“I don’t know… um I guess a two ended sword?” Tempest asked.

Julian smiled at her again. “That’s exactly what it’s called me dear.”

“So is that the weapon you want to try?” Jacques asked.

“You know you can have more than one my dear. It’s the least I can do. Most of these were your fathers.” Julian told her.

“Really…” Tempest said, picking up the two ended sword. “Not this one… It’s too weird to hold and I’m afraid of hurting myself.” Tempest said, putting it back down very carefully.

Tempest kept looking around when she saw a box. The box was silver in color with a ‘D’ on the top. When she picked it up she found it was kind of heavy.

“Open it.” Julian said with a smirk.

Tempest opened it to find throwing stars. She picked one up to find that she liked the feel. “Can I have these?” Tempest asked.

“Of course. Funny that you picked those.” Julian said walking up to her and closing the box to show her the ‘D’ on top. D for Darius.” Julian finished, putting the box back into her hands.

“I’ll take them, and that sword there. It was his as well, wasn’t it?” Tempest asked, pointing to a sword engraved with a ‘D’.

“Why yes it is. You’ve seen it before, the night you was born. After what happened, Desari gave me Darius’s sword and throwing stars. They’ve been in here since then.” Julian said, picking up the sword and handing it to her.

“She gave you his sword and throwing stars, why?” Tempest asked.

“Please understand that she had no choice. It was kill them or have their own father kill her and still kill them. She said at least she was able to save you… She blames herself so much. I haven’t seen her even smile after that night. She left shortly after.” Julian answered, very seriously and with a hint of sadness.

“We should start the training Julian.” Jacques said.

With that they headed out of the room into the hall and out the front door towards the only house. Inside the house they headed towards the basement without a word.

Once in the basement, Tempest found that it was a training room. “Tempest its time to teach you how to fight…” Jacques said handing her the box of throwing stars…