Bayou Moon (6 page)

             
Charlie’s body began to shake as those two large ears stood up and came to a point. Below the surface of his lips, two fangs began to sprout.

Chapter Twenty

             
Maggie had Kreel on the ground. His strength was no match for the demon. She glared down as she hovered over him. Her mate had betrayed her and now expected to take her life. Now that she knew she had really lost him, she had no more want of living, only she would not be leaving this life alone, she would take Kreel with her. Her eyes flashed with fire that heated the hatred she felt in her heart.

             
As she lunged for Kreel’s throat, she suddenly pulled her body up and howled with pain. Latched to her ass was Charlie holding on for dear life by the jaws of his mouth. Maggie ran and tried to push the old man away from her, but old Charlie refused to let go. Only when the powder had worked its magic and finally brought the vampire to her knees did he finally release his grip on her.

             
Backing away from the vampire, Charlie scurried over to Kreel whose eyes were wide as he could not believe what he had just seen. Kreel was still taking in the transformation that had come over the old man as Charlie held out his hand to help his old buddy up. “Charlie, what the hell happened to you?” he asked. Then Kreel just shook his head and reached out and pulled the old man into a bear hug. “Oh hell Charlie, I don’t care what happened to you.”

             
Smiling, Charlie’s eyes just beamed. “I couldn’t let her hurt you Kreel, even though I didn’t do what you said.”

             
“Charlie, for once I am glad that you didn’t listen to me.” Then he remembered the vampire lying on the ground, followed by the memory of the old woman’s words. “She will only sleep for a short time.”

Chapter Twenty-One

             
Kreel reached under his shirt to retrieve an object, a stake. He had to pierce the demon while she slept, it was the only way. As Kreel stepped towards the sleeping vampire, he raised his hands holding the stake above the demons heart. But just as he had started to bring the stake down to its target, the old woman from the swamps appeared from nowhere and threw her body over the vampire.

             
“No, do not harm the child.” cried the old woman

             
Kreel was confused, first the old woman had told him the only way to end the curse was to kill the vampire, now here she was protecting the demon. “What is wrong with you old woman? Move away from the demon so that I can end this curse!”

             
“She will not be harmed!” cried the old woman, “She is my daughter. I have searched many years for her, I only took the chance that it was her that had placed the curse on you. Now that I have finally found her, I will not allow you to take her away from me again. If you try, I will place a curse on you that is ten times worse than the one that you now bare.”

             
A cry could be heard coming from the vampire as Maggie awoke, more like that of a small child’s whimper. Maggie looked up and saw the old woman hovering over her. “Mamma?” Only that one word, but there seemed to be something different about the demon now, as if a change had come over the vampire. Her attention was no longer focused on Kreel, but upon the old woman that held her safely. “Mamma, is it really you?”

             
“Yes sweet baby girl, it is. You are safe now, rest my child.” As the old woman cooed to her, Maggie drifted back to sleep.

             
It was more than Kreel could bear. He dropped to his knees. “Then it is done, I am destined to live my life as a demon, the curse will remain.” Shaking his head, he peered at the old woman. “Why did you say the curse would be lifted, if you were only going to leave me with false hope old woman? Why did you make me believe that Charlie and I would have our lives back?”

             
The old woman sighed and lowered her head. “It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. I did not foresee this.”

             
Kreel nodded, believing her. “No matter, I will end my torment soon enough.” Then he turned towards the old man. “And that life of my friends.”

             
Charlie came over to where they now stood, and placed his hand on Kreel’s shoulder. “I don’t want to die Kreel. I don’t want you to die either; you’re my only friend that I have.”

             
Kreel lifted his head to look at Charlie. “I won’t let any harm come to you Charlie.” But Kreel knew that to leave the old man to fend for himself would be a cruel act, what he would have to eventually do would be much more merciful.

             
“Yes,” she said, “you will. Shall I tell you why you will live?” asked the old woman

             
Blinking the salty tears from his eyes, Kreel nodded, and managed to get to his feet again. “I don’t suppose I have a choice. Go on, tell me why I would put myself through the hell of living even one more day with this curse.”

             
“I have had a vision,” she told him. “I don’t get them often. But the older I grow; it seems they become more powerful. But this one was mighty powerful, stronger than any before. Do not even think to doubt its truth.”

             
“No one dares to doubt your vision old woman, but your words I am becoming to think may be false.” Kreel was beginning to lose all hope, and began to think that he may just take the life of the vampire after all, no matter the consequences, and the old woman’s life as well if he had to. “Go on then, tell me if you must old woman. I cannot walk out into the sun until it rises anyways, and there is still time to endure the pain of this curse until I can. So go on, tell me the vision old woman.”

             
“There remains one that can still lift the curse that has been placed upon you.”

             
Kreel’s head came up; he stared at the old woman, allowing what she had said to register within his mind.

             
“Oh, it will not be so easy. You will have to seek this person out, and this one person particular does not like your kind. You must follow what I tell you to the very exact word, otherwise there will be no hope for you. If not, there is no telling whether you will ever find another chance like this again. So you cannot end your life and walk out into the sunrise, unless you no longer have the will to try? You must live, in spite of the curse. Or you may die, the choice is yours to make.” said the old woman

             
Kreel shook his head. “I would do anything to be released from this curse. But how do you expect me to find this person when the sun will be up soon? This is the night of the full moon that you predicted. Will the curse still be lifted even after it passes?”

             
“You will find him in a place called Caterville, in a building called Jackson agency.” said the old woman

             
Kreel held her gaze, studied it. “Are you certain the words you give me are real?”

             
“I am.”

             
Sighing, Kreel turned to look at Charlie. “Ready for another adventure old friend?”

             
Old Charlie smiled and his eyes beamed as he nodded his head. Then Charlie had the look of surprise on his face as he lifted his hand and pointed to where the old woman and vampire had been.

             
Kreel turned to look but the old woman and her daughter were gone, as if they had just vanished into thin air. All that was left in their place were two vials of a purplish liquid with a note lying beside them. Kreel walked over to the spot and picked up the note and began reading the words scratched across the parchment.

             
Charlie came up behind Kreel to peer over his shoulder at the note. “What’s it say Kreel?”

             
“Well Charlie, the old woman wants us to drink this here liquid, she says it will buy us some extra time and prevent the curse from taking its hold on us completely. But she doesn’t say for how long.”

             
“Is that all it says Kreel?”

             
“No, it also says the name of the person we have to find.” Kreel couldn’t quite make out the first name. “I believe the person we have to go see is named…Nate Jackson.”