She could see Michael standing in front of her, His dark brown hair carried out behind him as if on an invisible breeze. His dark eyes locked with hers, he was smiling, and the warmth that emanated from that smile took her breath away. He seemed so close, that if she had taken just a few steps forward then she would have been able to reach out, and touch him.
But for now…she just stood where she was…not saying a word, allowing her deep brown eyes to show her feelings better than words ever could. Taking in every line, every detail of the young man's face, imprinting it on her memory for all time…so she could look back on it…in those times when she felt the burden of everything that had happened in the past pushing down on her, making her head hurt, and her heart feel weary from the pain of having to remember.
Slowly…as if she feared he might fade before her eyes, she reached out with tentative trembling fingers to touch him. His eyes still locked with hers; the smile still fixed on his lips as he reached out his own hand towards her, and then she saw it, something hovering behind him, a dark shadow that appeared small at first, but gradually began to get larger, becoming more, and more solid with each passing second.
Opening her mouth she tried to call out a warning, to urge Michael to look behind him, but all that emerged from her throat was a strangled whisper. Reaching down she grabbed blindly for her weapons, but they too were gone…in a last desperate effort she lunged forward, but her legs refused to cooperate, powerless to do anything…all she could do was watch.
Squinting, she tried to see through the mass of darkness, her breath catching, as a face began to slowly form from the shadow….a face she instantly recognised as Marcus's
No…must move…must help Michael…
But the more she struggled, the more the invisible bindings holding her in place seemed to tighten. Marcus's leering face staring down at her, his cruel lips pulling back into a twisted smile of triumph, everything seeming to happen in slow motion, as a long pointed claw embedded itself into Michael's shoulder, her whole body shaking, tears forming in her eyes, ; Her hands clenching into fists, her nails digging into the back of her hands with such force that she drew blood… she awoke screaming out Michael's name. Hauling herself up into a sitting position she looked around her…confused by the unfamiliar surroundings…where was she? Directly in front of her a campfire flickered brightly its orange flames casting strange shadows on the trees around her. Her mind still fuzzy from the dream she rubbed her head trying to focus.
"Are you okay?"
Selene jumped, and stared at the girl who was now kneeling beside her, who was she?... looking around she still had no idea where she was…or how she had got her….or what had happened to Michael…
"Was there a young man with me" she asked "His name's Michael" she said her dark brown eyes locking with the young girls emerald green ones "I have to find him…please if you know where he is then you have to tell me"
"I'm sorry" said the girl "But there was no else with you"
Selene looked deeply into her eyes to see if the young girl could possibly be lying, but in those hugely expressive eyes that seemed to pull her into them...making her feel somehow safe in this strange landscape, she found nothing but kindness and honesty.
Never before had she seen a soul so pure, and so untainted by the life. An age ago she had been like that…before the nightmare that had been victor had come into her life….and tore her world to shreds. She supposed the pain the memory evoked must have shown in her eyes, because the young girl leaned over, the expression on her face one of genuine concern.
"Hey" she said "Don't worry I'm sure we'll find him…"
Selene smiled, and the young girl turned and blushed which made Selene smile even more at the sweetness of it. "What's your name?" asked the girl "IF you don't mind me asking."
"Selene…my name's Selene"
"Selene…I like it,"
"I'm Gabrielle" she said, offering her hand for Selene to shake.
Hesitantly Selene reached over and clasped Gabrielle's hand gently in her own.
"When my friend gets here she'll be able to introduce herself," said Gabrielle.
"You mean there's another here," said Selene, looking nervously around the small campsite.
"Yes, my friend Xena…but don't worry…she won't hurt you…I mean I don't know what you've heard of her, but she used to follow the path of evil, before I met her she was fighting her own personal war, regardless of who got in her way."
"I know what that's like," said Selene, staring off into the distance as the memory of her own personal ghosts fell over her like a dark cloud.
"So our guest is finally awake," said a voice behind them.
Selene jumped, her eyes fixed on the woman standing behind them. Her eyes travelling up the long legs, passing over the worn battle armour, briefly glancing at the well defined muscles beneath, and straight up into the most bluest eyes she had ever seen, eyes that reminded Selene of a summer sky, something that her own eyes had never been able to look upon for what seemed like forever.
Xena looked over at Gabrielle, and signalled her to come over, and then the two women disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
Selene watched, as they disappeared from sight, lowering herself back onto the ground she tried to make sense, of everything that was happening, one thing she knew for sure though was that sunrise couldn't be far away, and she needed to find shelter from it as soon as possible…
When Xena and Gabrielle returned to the campfire, Selene was almost asleep, above them the sky had turned grey, and huge storm clouds had gathered, stretching outwards across it, until the moon disappeared from sight.
Signalling Gabrielle over, she looked upwards apprehensively as the first drops of rain began to fall.
"We have to find shelter" she said
"You go wake Selene, and I'll get our things together"
Treading softly over rust coloured autumn leaves, and scattered twigs, and branches that lay strewn across the floor of their makeshift camp, Gabrielle made her way over to Selene, moving towards her as quietly as she could so as not to startle the now sleeping girl.
Touching her shoulder lightly, Gabrielle leaned over her, shaking her gently. "Selene wake up" she whispered.
Swatting her right arm outwards as though fighting off an invisible intruder, Selene made an incoherent grumbling sound, and turning round rolled over onto her side so that she had her back to Gabrielle.
Moving closer, Gabrielle tried again.
"Selene Wake up" she said a bit louder, exasperated at getting no response she shook her a bit harder.
"Wha... What" said Selene reaching out blindly for her weapons,
"What's going on?"
"Hey, calm down" said Gabrielle placing her hand gently over Selene's "Everything's fine…we just have to find some shelter" she said indicating to the sky. Following her gaze Selene frowned as she noticed the dark storm clouds above.
"Here, let me help you up" she said extending her hand out towards her.
"Thanks" Said Selene grabbing her hand…"ahh" she exclaimed as fresh bolts of pain shot through her already fragile feeling body, as she rose slowly to her feet.
Her movements slow and sluggish, her head pounding, she swayed, and almost fell. Grabbing hold of her, Gabrielle placed her arm around Selene's waist to stop her falling.
"Are you okay" she asked, the concern in her voice mirrored in the expression on her face.
"Yeah, fine…just a little tired I guess" she said
Before Selene could so much a blink Xena was at Gabrielle's side in an instant.
"Here, let me help" she said wrapping her own arm around Selene's shoulder.
"We should get moving" she said
"You should ride on Argo" she said to Selene. "You don't look good"
Nodding her head absently, Selene let the two women help her climb up onto Argo.
"C'mon" said Xena after she was safely secured into the saddle.
"Let's go"
Staring down at the path below her, Selene shook her head, trying in vain to get rid of the dizziness that had suddenly washed over her. She hadn't eaten in hours, and her tired body was beginning to feel the effects of it.
What could she do though?
She couldn't very well, just turn around and tell these two women that she was a vampire, and was sick because she needed blood the same way that they needed food, and if she didn't get any that she would only become weaker, and dizzier as the night wore on.
She had no idea where she was for a start, or what might happen if she were to tell them the truth…would they still be willing to help, or would they turn on her…not that Selene would blame them….if she were standing in their shoes than she would probably turn round, and do the same.
In her world she was thought of a killer…something to be feared, and avoided at all costs. Contrary to belief though Vampires didn't kill humans, hospitals, and blood banks provided all the blood they would ever need, despite this fact though Victor had slaughtered her…not because he had been starving, and there had been nowhere else to turn…he had killed her mother, father, and two younger sisters simply because he could, for years she had thought the lycans were to blame for her family's death…victor had lied to her…head told her they were, and had than offered to give her the strength, and ability to get revenge on the monsters that had tore her world apart, by turning her into a vampire.
She would never grow even one day old, she would gain superhuman strength, and speed, and would be virtually invulnerable, but she could never stand in the sun again, never feel its warm rays upon her face. Her life was now a half life, and until Michael she had never known a moment of joy. The bitter memories of her family's murder and her quest for revenge the only things that pushed her on. A wraith of her former self, she was trapped in a world of eternal night, forced to stalk in the shadows, surrounded by everlasting darkness, with no hope of ever standing in the light.
"Well this looks as good a place as any" said Xena cutting in on her thoughts…wiping a hand across her face Selene lifted her head up, and looked across at the cave that they had stopped at. IT was huge; the rock crumbling in places round the cave's entrance, two torches hung on either side of it, the flames flickering wildly, but failing to illuminate the darkness beyond which seemed to stretch on forever.
To Be Continued...