Other Fan Fiction / Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ On the run ❯ Aconite ( Chapter 10 )

I turned immediately taken by surprise by the gruff voice , how could I have let myself get so lost in memories that I didn't hear the wandering footsteps take a straight course towards me.

 

My weary eyes happened upon the site a man in a black leather windbreaker, his hair long and greasy obscuring my view of his wind worn, scarred face. His one eye that I could see was staring directly into mine, with the sheen of yellow like a cats as bright as day.

 

“Changeling Wolf.” Those two words tore from my throat in a vicious growl and I bared my fangs in warning.

 

“Now, now little britches don't get your man thong in a twist. I have a proposition for you. You are Charlie Valtonie, are you not?” The stranger's mouth upturned in an amused sneer as he took in Charlie never-ending growl.

 

“Why should I associate myself with one who's kind can turn any place filled with humans into an abattoir!” Sure I was treading on thin ground and my nose picked up the scent of Aconite resonating off of a handkerchief residing in his sickly scarred hand.

 

The wind picked up and I could hear the sound of distance off thunder rolling in off the sea. The whole time I was thinking if only looks could kill.

 

“You think you're so much better then me you vampire, your people do more damage to humans then we do. At least when we feast we have the decency to put the pathetic human out of their misery which is more then I can say for vampires in general, but especially for your particular linage.”

 

I could see spit fly from his mouth, and his words stung like a sharp slap. They were so close to home.

 

“Fortunately for you I did not come here to squabble points of view on carnage with you. Like I said I have a proposition for you. I am not fool I know you're a tainted. I know you can not stomach the twangy metallic smell of blood.” He seemed to take great pleasure in have the upper hand and my fist was itching to smash his bloody face in. “I also know that you may very well be the end of the Valtonie line, and in turn you may also bring the down fall of your kind. I would just love the opportunity to boast about having a hand in the end of all blood suckers.”

 

His words shocked and intrigued me to no end so when it seemed as though he may continue with his meandering I by all means somehow managed to shut my trap, as Kyle so kindly called it once. But that still doesn't mean that my fist didn't want to desperately connect with his face.

 

“Well okay fine, maybe not all that vampire's but you may very well at the least cause the down fall of the Valtonie clan. So what do you say, I'll give free passage aboard my fine vessel straight to Italy and in turn all you have to do is try your very hardest to be a dear Achates to me and… kill off your family.”

 

It just rolled off his tongue as though he was saying something as casual as asking someone to pass you salt, or many various other things. So needless to say I reacted before completely absorbing his words.

 

“Dude! What the Hell! You did not just ask me to kill my own family!” I swear even the veins in my eyes were twitching. “I mean yeah sure, they've tried to kill me on various occasions, killed my mother, ended all hopes of a normal life for both me and my companion, and to top it off killed the parents of the only person that has ever stuck around!” Okay so I certainly doing anything to help my situation and the more I thought about his proposition the more I wanted to boggle thinking about it.

 

“You'd live a very belying life if you did not take me up on this offer Charlie Valtonie.” That was it that was the only thing he said, accompanied by that oh-so-infuriating smirk of his.

 

“I'll take you up on your offer on two conditions.” Now it was my turn to smirk.

 

“And those would be?” Oh how the mighty have fallen, now who's the one sounding impatient?

 

“Well you see I travel with a human companion and I require him alive when I step foot off your, what did you call it? Oh yes that's right your fine vessel.” So I'm a jerk but I always wanted to try and rally up a changeling wolf, and I did it all with a snooty floozy British accent. Woot! Go me! “Second condition is that you will not in any way shape or form tell me how you knew all this stuff, nor will it be brought to Kyle's attention that you and you crew of seamen are Wolf Changelings. Will you adhere to these agreements?”

 

Again if looks could kill.

 

“I will adhere to said agreements and you in turn will uphold your side of the bargain.”

 

Such finality, I can almost compare his temper to my Father's, now there's a scary thought. Hmm my fist is still itching to hit him.

 

Opps I think I slugged him to hard. Woops a daisy.

 

“WHAT THE HELL!!!! YOU BLIGHTER THAT FUCKING HURT!” He took swift steps towards my retreating back as I made my way back down the narrow ledge.

 

“Oh stop preaching to a deaf choir.”

 

Amazingly enough I managed to make it back to Heuston train station with my life intact. With leads me to a further predicament.

 

His arms were bent; he had his elbows resting on his knees. The air around him seemed to be thickened with sadness, and I could just barely make out the faint shape of his small nose through his fanning curtain of hair.

 

God if this got any drearier I might not make it out with my sarcasm intact. What kind of world would it be then?

 

My approaching footsteps seemed to have reached deaf ears for Kyle did not look up when we, meaning me and rude Wolf changeling… I got to find out his name, stopped right next to him. We were only standing a finger's length away from the miserable whelp and his equally miserable bench.

 

“Kyle you are a depressed child. How does that make you feel?” I pushed imaginary glasses up onto the bridge of my nose and gave him a calculating look as he looked up.

I guess I surprised him because the next thing I know he's up off the bench and grasping his chest as though he was having a heart attack. My cool composure was nearly broken and I sweated from the exertion of holding in my laughter. I never expected the idiot to blow up on me.

 

“You ASSHOLE!!! I thought you had actually left me here! Do you know what kind of mental problems I'm going to have because of you!?” His arms were flailing about in every direction conceivable and he resembled an old geezer worrying over were he left his teeth. Yup I can see Kyle ten years from now doing just that.

 

“Hmm well I guess you might be a bit more damaged then you were when I got you 6 weeks ago.” Did I mention that I have a peter pan complex; I know it has nothing to do with the current happenings but I just felt the sudden urge to put that in there.

 

“Six weeks ago I was perfectly normal.” He quickly corrected himself after receiving an incredulous look not only from me but also my companion *hack*dog*cough. What I know what your thinking- how childish, but you have to admit it's true. “Well okay fine maybe I wasn't completely normal, but only if you count the vampire hunting skills.”

 

Really he has got to stop pouting, especially about being outmaneuvered.

 

“Real smart Kyle, what if I told that the person standing right behind me knows nothing about the darker side of life?”

 

“Impossible, not only does he reek of wolf but his entire person screams out sinister-no offense- plus he still holds in his hand the cloth covered with Aconite in order to stall for time if you had not agreed to his proposition.” There was a smirk marred on his face and he crossed his arms over his chest and turned his gaze towards Mr. Something or other standing behind me, as though just daring him to challenge his assessment of the situation.

 

Man what the hell! When did he get so good? And here I was living with him for 6 weeks and the whole time I was under the impression that he really was not a vampire hunter's offspring. Really my whole entire opinion of him was based off my calculations that he was a brain-in-his-feet-monkey.

 

“Very good Mister. O' Reily. I suppose you'll be wanting me to tell you just exactly what it is that your vampire lover has gotten you into?” It was a slip of the tongue, and his expression said it all. He was expecting a fight from both of us about that particular title.

 

Well believe me, I was as surprised as he was when I opened my mouth to tell him that I, Charlie Valtonie, would never touch Kyle or think of him as any such thing but I was instead interrupted by Kyle, himself, responding with a simple and cold toned yes.

 

The stranger seemed taken aback for a split second before he regained his composure.

 

“Your in need of transportation to Italy, I have agreed to provide you with free transportation to
Italy aboard my fine vessel. In return Charlie has agreed to try his hardest to eliminate the Valtonie line.” Straight forward and precise, but I still can't believe that I agreed to do that. But then again I am desperate.

 

“Very well then, I guess since I have no choice but to aid you in this venture, I might as well inquire as to your name stranger.” Kyle was taking slow steps toward the back street alley that would give us quick passage to Dublin port. His hands were in the pockets of his black jacket and his hair was blowing in the wind.

 

“Alexander Telic. But most blokes call me Captain, and it's my preferred title.”

 

Guess I was the only one not moving now, and I was debating just staying there to see if they would even notice my absence. Unfortunately for me, Kyle took the opportune moment to turn around and give me the “look”. You know the look that says we're talking later and you'll have your flesh devoured if you don't cooperate.

 

Well I guess I should go. I followed them both making a point to sigh every 5 minutes, or at least until one of them killed me. Who ever heard of an annoying vampire? HA! I am the first in the world. Woops I'm of topic again.

One thing you should know about Dublin port. It's huge, and currently at the moment really, really cold. Normally this time of year the high would be about 65 degree's Fahrenheit. But currently, man if it's 65 then please ship me off to some tropical island that's currently roasting in heat. Because I'm freezing off body parts that I am in way, shape, or form talking about.

 

No words were spoken as we made our way through the many rows of docks, smoke, and cursing sailors. Every once and awhile we would draw scrutinizing stares and occasional whispers, but those were all laid to rest by piercing and sharp stares from Captain.

 

Never thought about it but now that I do I think I'll call him Captain Crunch. Oh yeah I bet he'll love that. Oh dear I must be mumbling again, otherwise there looking at me like I've grown elf ears because I have. Highly doubtful, but plausible.

 

“What?” I shrugged my shoulders when I said that and I gave them a questioning look.

 

“What in the hell are you mumbling about Captain Crunch for?” Wow that was freaky, they must have the same brain waves or something because they just said that at the same time, oh no now their looking at each other as thought the want to kill each other.

 

Hmm how to answer this… I guess scratching your head doesn't always work.

 

“Heh I don't know what you're talking about. Captain Crunch who?” I walked past them holding myself high. It just occurred to me that I don't know how to be serious. Wow. Guess I have to work on that.

 

So here I am walking for 5 minutes and again something has occurred to me. I don't know which of these vessels we are boarding, though if I had to choose any of them to go with Captain Crunch man; I'd have to choose the bright hot pink one to my left that has neon green letters spelling out “The Pink Ladies” on the side. Okay, okay I know serious, but it's just so hard not to have my loveable sarcasm intact at all times. Heck even when I was being threatened by my Father all I could think about was his large fat nose. Greek much. Opps to all those Greeks out there I am terribly sorry.

 

Oh crap, anyone want to explain the absence of footsteps behind me?

 

I could feel their eyes on me and I straightened my posture out of instinct. Instead of turning around to return them with a glare before moving to stand next to them at the `fine vessel' I just stood there facing the sea.

 

I never realized just how windy it had gotten and the once blue skies were now turned a deep grey. I followed the contour of the rolls and dips of the thunderheads and far off I could make out the intense flash of lightening. Boy I could not wait to get on a boat and sail through that storm. Note the sarcasm.

 

Further more I had not a single shred of proper close for this kind of stuff, if I thought that the weather inland was chilly, again I can not wait to get out there. On the open sea where the wind blows harder and it get even colder, oh and my favorite feature the possibility of a shipwreck. Oh joy.

 

Guess there's no sense in worrying about something I cant change, besides if all goes the way father said it would I am going to end up dead anyway.

 

I can hear footsteps behind me now as I swipe my brown hair out of my eyes to get a better few. If I had to guess right I would have to say they were Kyle's footsteps.

 

I didn't bother to turn around until he started to speak to me.

 

His gaze was questioning and he had his arms crossed against the cold.

 

“Are you going to stand there all day, a storms moving in and Captain says we need to get out of the port before all hell lets loose in the clouds. Otherwise we'll be stuck here another night. Is something eating at you Charlie? You seem kind of distant ever since Mr. Telic showed up.” The wind blew his hair askew and his eyes squinted in slight alarm when another eruption of lightening and thunder surprised him.

 

“Yeah I'm fine Kyle; sorry I didn't mean to be distant. Are you sure you want to go with me to Italy? You don't have to; after all it could very well be the end of both of us.” Maybe just maybe I can manage to save at least one life before I die.

 

“Just shut up and get onto the ship.” He gave me one finale look before turning his back to me and walking down the rickety old boards making a path through the bustling body of sailors preparing for the storm.

 

Guessing I should follow I took my cue and made my way after his fleeting footsteps until he stopped in front of and old time pirate looking vessel.

 

This impressive display or wood working must have been at least 75 feet from stern to bow. The mast was covered in intricate carvings and mermaid adorning the bow was to life like to even imagine that it was made of thick Cedar wood.