Chapter 17

Chronicle Chamber, Snake Temple, South America, 08:00

In the sealed up chamber, Diego’s father, Raul, stood at the shelves stocked high with scrolls and read through his people’s history. He was searching for a specific portion of text along with the Keeper of the Chronicles, there was a story once told to him by his father that referred to “The Path of the Star”. His son was at Moonvale with the girl but he needed to get his hands on any power that he could utilise to his own ends. Scroll after scroll, tablet after tablet he looked through massive amounts of ancient writing.

“Here ... yes this is it,” the tribal chronicle keeper said. Long ago he would have been classed as a shaman but like the other tribes they had long since abandoned the old ways and focused solely on protecting the history of their race.

The tribal leader looked over and grabbed the aged parchment. He started reading but his face turned grim, aside from the title of the segment of Chronicle he couldn’t read it.

“What is this? It makes no sense,” he said as he threw it down.

The Keeper immediately moved over and picked the document up gently before returning it to its place. “When your ancestors discovered the resting place, they could not control or understand the significance of what they found. They barely survived the journey there let alone their encounter. However, they knew that should any tribe learn to control it they would have dominance over all others including the Apes. To that end they sealed the path and left it for future generations to learn the way to find control. So they left the information needed to find it in that generation’s Chronicle but they made sure that if we ever fell, the other tribes could not use that information to find it themselves.”

“Are you saying they write it in some sort of code?” Raul said.

“One they learned from their discovery. One of their very few things they learned,” the Keeper said.

“Can you break this code?” Raul asked.

“In time, but the true path was never meant to be found by us, only the Daughter’s Pride. They may already have started down their own path. The Prophecy said that only she was meant to go this way to Sanctuary,” the Keeper said.

“We must have a way to secure our place of power when the new age begins. I will not submit to a Rakas girl. My son is in place ... perhaps he can relay a few pieces to her and get her to decipher it,” Raul said.

“Perhaps but...”

“But what?” Raul asked.

“Your son will betray you. It is written,” the Keeper said.

The leader hissed loudly and grabbed the Keeper but his throat, pinning him against the wall. “How dare you. My son is loyal to me and our tribe,” he yelled.

“Forgive me, Chief, forgive, but this generation is quite lacking in the resolve of those who came before,” the Keeper said.

“Why do you think I sent them a guardian? I am not blind to the sentimentalities they have developed, especially Kali’s but she is mated to my son. Their guardian will keep them reminded as to their loyalties,” Raul said.

“And should he fail?” the Keeper asked.

Raul released him, “Then he dies but he won’t. My son will use the girl as I see fit to achieve our ends and whoever controls the girl, controls the future,” Raul said. He changed into his cobra body and slithered out of the small opening of the chamber.

When he was gone the Keeper turned to the tablet on which of inscribed their parts of the prophecy. He ran his fingers over the stone letters and stared at it. “The future is not as malleable as you think my Chief, not when we have it spelled out.”

While he was as devoted to the cause of their Tribe as their leader, he knew the will of the gods. It was his birthright to obey them and their prophecy, as it was for all those who were descended from the first Chronicle Keepers. The paths were all set out for Liz to follow but it was only the end result after one was chosen that the Snakes hoped to manipulate. They wanted to be on top of the other tribes.

Dining Hall, Moonvale, Same Time

It was breakfast time at the school and everyone was in the dining hall for their morning meal. There were a few people absent who decided to eat privately in their rooms with their groups but mostly the hall was full. Once again Kelly and the younger members of her father’s pride were sitting with Liz, Max, Isabel and the others. Scott’s Pack sat at a table over with some members of their own tribe.

Everyone was enjoying their food, as well as the cups of orange or apple juice they had with it. Unfortunately, while everyone was getting pleasure from eating, for one person in the room it wasn’t enough. David was in the same seat he was the previous day, there was an understanding in the room that that was his spot, as though he had marked it. As his group ate, he continued to stare at Liz until he looked to one of the people with him. Flanagan pointed to him and flicked his finger toward Liz.

He nodded and put down is fork and knife on his plate before he pushed back on his chair and stood up. His name was Ray Lake; son from a weaker Wild Pack that had been integrated into Flanagan’s a month before the fight. Of course it wasn’t so much as integration as it was an all out slaughter of the pack leader along with some of the others. He himself barely survived but David’s father felt generous that day and took the survivors into his Wild Pack. Ray looked to Liz and walked over to their table. Liz and everyone looked up as they sensed his approach.

“Liz, David Flanagan requests the honour of dining with you,” Ray said.

“You’re kidding, right?” Max asked.

“This does not concern the likes of you,” Ray said.

“I’m her mate,” Max said as he stood up but Liz put her hand over his.

“Thank him but please let him know, the answer is no,” Liz said politely, but firmly.

“No one refuses David or his Pack. My family learned that lesson,” Ray said.

“Well, we do,” Isabel said.

“Now back off,” Maria said.

“I’m afraid that answer I cannot take back to him,” Ray said.

“You have a choice,” Liz said to Ray. “I can either tell you to tell him where to shove it, or I can arrange a more visual demonstration for that jerk himself. Just so we’re clear ... you being the model,” she said as she picked up an apple, ready to stick it up his ass.

“As I said...” Ray started but Liz looked up at him. As her hand rested on the table and crackled with green. Her eyes had become Rakas but they glowed with a fiery yellowy orange light.

Ray saw it, as did everyone else nearby but he started to back off. Soon he walked over to David and informed him on her response. He wasn’t happy. Kelly and her group all just blinked.

“Okay Liz, breath,” Liz told herself before she took a deep breath and let her eyes change back.

“How did you... ?” Kelly asked.

“Side effect of being with me,” Max said.

“Hey, it’s a bonus not a side effect,” Liz said. “That’s just put me right off my food. So what’s on the agenda today that we can get to early?”

“Class selection,” Kelly said.

“Huh?” Michael asked.

“Follow me.” Kelly said

Everyone stood up and put their plates back on the counter before the followed Kelly out of the room and into the hallways.

Assembly Hall, 09:00

Kelly brought them one floor down to the Assembly Hall and as they entered they found teachers standing upon tall ladders, hanging banners from the ceilings. Each banner was made of red silk and listed different classes in bold white lettering down the length of the cloth. The entire room was filled with them, as a breeze flowed in the banners waved and fluttered. The only exception was a single black banner hanging down in the dead centre of the room, that one listed all the classes that were mandatory.

Stretching across the middle of the room was a line of tables filled with forms and pens. Everyone moved around quickly to get ready but soon they were finished and ready for students.

“So what do we do?” Alex asked.

“Simple, take a form and pen. Write in what classes you want and hand it in. That black banner, that’s classes you will be taking. Lycanthropian in all dialects of our language, Tribal History, Gym, Environmental Studies, botany, Xeno-biology ... you know for other species on the planet – we do not do the dissection thing, sex education and technique, also geography, Tribal Relations of the Council ... that’s Political Studies for us ... oh and Human Politics,” Kelly said. “We do not do mathematics beyond a standard level unless we want to, thank the gods.”

Maria and Kyle both sighed with a similar thankful prayer together.

“All other subjects are your choice,” Kelly said. “You just fill in what you want whether it’s computing, English, physics and god knows why but maths as well,” Kelly said.

“Okay,” Liz said as everyone moved forward while looking up at the class lists. “Oh what happens if there are too many people for a class? Is it first come first served?”

“No, no-one is excluded from a class they want. It doesn’t matter if there are too many students, they’ll just put another classroom to use. There are enough teachers, they make sure of it,” Kelly said.

Everyone nodded and moved forward, each picked up a form and a pen but under Kelly’s advice they didn’t write anything down just yet. They looked at each of the classes, moved to a corner and discussed it among themselves. Soon they had decided on their classes, mainly it was ones that they had excelled at back at Roswell High, like Alex with computers. Mostly they picked out subjects they were used to, ones they had back home but some they were more than happy to ditch.

After writing it all down on the forms most of the other students started to pour into the hall and went for the forms. The Pride stood up and went to hand in their paperwork after filling in their personal details. Kelly walked them to a teacher who stood at one end of the tables.

“Thank you,” the teacher said as he took the forms and placed them into a box. “When your timetables have been compiled they will be sent to the computer in your room.”

“Thanks,” Max said.

“Huh, how do I sign up for the football team?” Kyle asked.

“Football huh? Good luck. Last table at the end has the lists for extracurricular activities,” the teacher said.

Kyle nodded and they moved down to the far end of the tables to look over the new forms. Kyle didn’t even hesitate as he put his name down for the team and signed the form. There were even a few things that drew the attention of some of the others. Michael decided that a little extra work with painting wouldn’t hurt him any. Liz and Max signed up for the science club while Tess saw a nice little advertisement saying “Model Wanted”. She figured so long as one of her lovers was in that room it could be okay and Michael already signed up to take the class.

“Hey. Are you Maria Deluca?” a slightly older student asked as he came closer.

“Yeah, what of it?” Maria asked, usually if someone was interested in their group it was with Liz or the aliens.

“Name’s Luke Miller, I’m captain of the track team and I was wondering if you’d be interested in signing up,” he said.

“I’m so not a runner,” Maria said.

“You’re a cheetah right?” Luke asked.

“Yeah, so?” she asked.

“All the track team are Cheetahs,” Kelly said. “They are the fastest land animals.”

“It’s kind of an unwritten tradition for Cheetahs to sign up but you don’t have to. A lot of people say no but the offer is always made. Don’t make a choice just yet. Think about it,” Luke said.

“Uh, sure, thanks,” Maria said.

“Something to consider,” Michael said.

“Me ... on track?” Maria asked.

“Just think about it Ria,” Liz said. “Besides, you might be good at it. We did beat everyone in that race when we arrived.”

“Hmm ... yeah,” Maria said as she thought about it. “Okay, I’ll think.”

“So, Alex, Isabel you two thinking about any if the out of hours stuff?” Max asked.

“Nah, not really,” Alex said as he looked over the lists.

“Me either,” Isabel said.

A teacher then approached the rear of the table; “Well you don’t have to pick anything today. It’s just less than thirty days before classes and activities start. You have until then to look everything over. You don’t even have to pick anything. You could use the time for extra studying or whatever you want,” she said.

They both nodded. Soon the Pride had finished their business in the room and walked out of the large room. Kelly recommended some time in their animal forms in the woods to relax. They did. They ran around amongst the trees and were even joined by Scott’s Pack of Wolfen. The two groups sent time having fun by chasing each other around.

Vampire House, Outside London, 09:30 (16:30 GMT)

In the meeting hall of the house, the Vampires sat on their chairs and summoned their pets after they had come back in from school. The two young men and six young women came in wearing the garments given to them by their masters and all knelt before the chairs with their eyes cast down to the floor. Every time the servants were in this room there was a sense of nervousness that overcame them as the Vampires stared. The Vampires liked it when their servants were afraid. It kept the pets servile, from trying to move against them since the teenagers had access to them all the time. Still, fear only went so far. They needed loyalty and for that the rewards helped to that end.

From his chair Andrei stood up and started walking around the pets, “Things have changed here recently. There are too many people becoming suspicious, we have what we need, and so it is time to leave,” he said.

“Yes Master,” Will said.

“Will. You will take the others to your rooms and pack your belongings. Pack light, one case each. Then you will pack our belongings,” Andrei said.

“Yes Master,” Will said without looking up.

“Now,” Tanya said as she stood up and pulled out a piece of plastic from her pocket. “I believe you know how to use this,” she handed Will his father’s credit card and he took it. “You will use this to book transportation, use this Internet thing you’ve talked about. We require a ship to take us across the sea. Still, that won’t entirely protect us against sunlight. We will need to hibernate on the journey. You will arrange for two shipping containers. One will be used to transport our belongings, the other we will travel in. When we need to, we will feed on the crew.”

“Yes Mistress,” Will said.

“This will be done tonight and we will leave as soon as possible,” Andrei said.

“Master if I may... ?” Stacey asked and her master nodded. “If we travel by plane, we will be there to meet you when you arrive. If there is a location to be used by you that you’ve already picked out we can ensure it is secure for your arrival.”

“Agreed but you won’t need to secure anything. The humans would never find the entrance. Its’ five hundred feet under what you call the Empire State Building. Yes, having it prepared for our arrival would make things easier while we track down the towns the other tribes reside in,” Andrei said.

“Stacey,” Katrina said. “Stand up.”

Stacey did as she was ordered as the other Vampire woman rose from her chair and approached the girl. She circled Stacey, her hand running over the girl’s skin and felt the body heat. All three of the vampires smiled.

“I have a little surprise, my little pet. For you, and young William. Have you been feeling a little different lately?” Katrina asked.

“No Mistress,” Stacey said.

“Well perhaps it’s still too soon,” Katrina said. “You, my pet, are pregnant.”

“You are to be congratulated, boy,” Andrei said to Will.

Neither Will nor Stacey could even blink. Both were stunned to the point that their heads were going to explode as they looked to each other and dealt with it in their heads.

“Now, all of you leave and pack,” Andrei said.

Everyone stood and left the room, Will stayed very close to Stacey as they walked to the nearby room. The Vampires immediately went to the Chronicle room, they had to carefully pack them and with the Chronicles, they wouldn’t trust anyone but themselves.

Will & Stacey’s Bedroom...

Stacey entered her room and walked to the other end of the bed; her hands moved up to her head and let her fingers run through her hair.

“Are you okay?” Will asked as he came up behind her.

“How can you even ask that?” Stacey asked. “I’m ... I’m...”

“Going to have a baby ... my baby,” Will said as he turned her around to face him.

“I’m too young. I’ve no idea what to do ... I’ve...” Stacey closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

“You’ve made them happy,” Will said.

“And that doesn’t worry you? Why would they be happy about this?” she asked.

“We’re their servants, a child means another servant one day.” Will said.

“Or a meal,” Stacey said looking at her boyfriend. “I won’t let them hurt our baby. I will do everything they ask of me but that.”

“They won’t ... and I won’t let them,” Will said as he hugged her. Then he backed off a little and looked into her eyes, “Pregnant?”

“Yeah,” Stacey said just as their two other lovers arrived in their bedroom.

Both pressed up against each other tightly and watched the pair, “So, when do you do us?” one of the girls asked.

“Are you kidding?” Stacey asked.

“Nah uh. I saw their eyes. They’re going to treat you like princess,” the other girl said.

“Got that right,” the male of the other foursome said as he and his girls entered. “Congrats bro.”

“Thanks,” Will and Stacey said.

“I can tell you, these three are eager for me to knock them up,” he said, and he wasn’t kidding; the three girls with him were running their hands over his bare, hard chest while pressing their breasts against him.

“Better believe it,” one of his girls said.

“So come on Babe, make some room on this bed,” one of Will’s girls said.

“No,” Will said. “We all have work to do.”

All nodded and returned to what they had been ordered to do. The other four left to their bedroom next door while the two of Will’s girls pulled out their bags as well as Will’s and Stacey’s. The three girls packed as Will sat before the computer, in seconds he was online and searching for what was required for their trip. First he booked the large metal shipping containers and made sure that filling them could be done long after the sun had set. He knew his masters would want to be there to make sure they were secured properly before they themselves entered hibernation in the second container.

Will was diligent in every detail and made sure that the ship was booked, also that there was a crew that would do the job without questions. At any rate, if the crew decided to see what they could swipe from the containers, then they would most likely end up as premature food for disturbing the Vampires. After that it was a simple matter of arranging a flight for the eight teenagers but Will decided to make it a little bit of a roundabout journey in case anyone was going to try to track them. He booked the flight to the east coast of Canada where they would have a vehicle waiting to drive to New York. After that it would be easy to disappear by switching vehicles here and there, back tracking enough times to cause confusion. So long as they were in New York with time to spare before the ship docked.

Reptile Residences, Moonvale, 10:00

The dormitories of the Reptiles, and now the Snakes, were practically identical to the others in the main school area with one exception; these rooms were carved out of solid rock. There were no windows; the only light was from artificial lights and pits that lead deep down into lava flows beneath the town. It wasn’t entirely like the Snake temple in how they gained the heat they needed, especially since they were in a much colder climate, but it was enough. It may have been a cave but that didn’t stop the Lycanthropes from making sure that all the rooms had the modern conveniences. However there was one difference, all the group rooms were connected to a central chamber that acted as a tribal common room. In that room all the Reptiles gathered and meditated together as they basked in the radiant heat. The only exceptions to that were the Snakes, they never meditated, but there was a standing invitation from the Reptiles to join them.

At the furthest end of the sect rooms was those for the Snakes but they didn’t use all the bedrooms. Instead they remained in one room, Diego’s, and slept in their animal bodies. In that one bed they all found comfort as they wrapped and slithered around each other. Just now they were using the room to talk privately, but their guardian was keeping an eye out in his animal form as a grass snake.

“Is he around?” Kali asked with a whisper.

“I don’t see him,” Diego said as he looked around the room.

“You’d figure that we could get some peace being here. He’s not even allowed on school grounds,” Kali said as she took off her robe and stood naked before the heat source. She stretched out her arms and exposed the front of her body to the heat, “Oh that feels good.”

Diego looked up and down her with dazed eyes, “Looks good too,” he said.

Kali smiled as she looked over to him with seductive eyes, “We never slept at all last night. I would have thought that would be more than enough to keep you down for a while,” she said.

“Not with you,” Diego said. “So ... anymore ideas on why my great and powerful dad sent us here?”

“Nah. I’m still stuck on the whole play for power thing. Louis thinks he wants you to screw your way through the school and town. You don’t want to do that do you?” Kali asked as she tossed her luxurious black hair over her shoulder to look at him.

“Me? No. Well maybe just Liz Parker,” Diego said.

“Oh yeah. I mean before, yeah, but now that we’ve met her ... yummy,” Kali said.

“You mean yummy as sex yummy, not food yummy?” he asked.

“Of course I mean sex. And those aliens ... damn. I wouldn’t mind all of them,” Kali said.

“Yeah,” Diego said as he stood up from the bed. He moved closer to his mate and wrapped his arms around her mocha coloured skin and enjoying the warmth from her.

“You feel good,” Kali sighed as his hands ran over her and pressed back into him.

“I know,” Diego said confidently into her ear but then started to whisper, “He’s here. He’s watching us.”

Kali nodded subtly before she span around to kiss her mate hard. She knew what her lover had planned and was eager in making the scene look like they were about to have sex. They inched to the bed, their hands running over their bodies as they became covered with scales. They had changed into their animan bodies, they knew that sex was more intense for them in their other bodies.

Their tongues became thinner and longer as their eyes changed shape and became yellow in colour. Their scales were green and had the shiny gleam to them that snakes had. They had tails like most of the Tribes but they were thick at the base and came to a point like a rattlesnake. From the sides of their heads down to their necks was a flap of skin that could open wide like that of a cobra.

As Diego caressed Kali, they parted and looked at each other. All during it, as they moved they had been picking up on their guardian and where he was in the room. So long as they were copulating, the protector wasn’t worried but all of a sudden Diego span his mate away. He reached out and grabbed the grass snake at its neck. Kali moved closer as Diego lifted their protector up. “Now what are you doing here?” Diego asked.

The snake changed shape and grew, entering his animan body. Soon his feet were on the ground but Diego’s hand remained around his throat. “It is my duty to watch over you,” he said.

“Don’t give me that. No one is allowed to come to the school without prior arrangement with the Principal. Not even tribal leaders get in. You know the rules and we are vowed to obey them, my father knows them as well as we do ... why did he send you here with us?” Diego asked.

“He told me to watch you. The rules don’t matter to him and to protect you I will ignore them,” he said.

“No not buying it,” Diego said.

“Well except for the rules not mattering. Your dad never did mind breaking any rule when it could achieve his goals,” Kali said.

“True,” Diego said. “Still, not buying it. Why did my dad send you here?” Diego squeezed tighter and tighter.

“I swear. Only to make sure that you are ... safe and ... that you ... you don’t forget our tribe,” he strained out.

“Oh there, that,” Kali said.

“Yes. Now, why would we forget?” Diego asked.

“I ... the Reptiles, the Rakas and the other Tribes. They will try to manipulate you in to betraying the tribe,” he said.

Diego released him, “Okay. That’s just paranoia.”

“It was the reason why I was sent,” the guardian said while he rubbed his throat.

“Get off of the school grounds and you can tell my dad I’m fine. I won’t forget where my loyalties lie,” Diego said.

Their guardian left the chamber and changed back into a grass snake. He kept out of sight as he slithered out of the dormitories and off the school grounds. He would pay more visits but for now he felt it was best that he made himself scarce from his wards.

“What was that?” Kali asked. “How could you let him go like that?”

“Because I learned what I needed. Dad is up to something and is worried about things on our end,” Diego said.

“Our end? Why did he send us here?” Kali asked.

“Specifically, I don’t know,” Diego said. “But it’s a safe bet that Liz is a part of it.”

“This is the time of Prophecy,” Kali said before she looked up at her mate, “Everything is up in the air when she’s involved. I think we better keep our eyes open.” Diego nodded as the two locked eyes, “Now, weren’t we in the middle of something?” The two smiled and moved onto the bed.

Living Room, Valenti Residence, 11:00

In his house Valenti was going mildly nuts. He had been told everything, including the fact that his son was now at Werewolf High, as he put it. Jim called in sick and stayed inside with the curtains closed. He already downed a few beers and was pacing back & forth in the living room. All in all he wasn’t having a good time of trying to wrap his brain around the situation. His son was different; he was younger and was more open about things in the world. Besides, Kyle was bombarded with his feeling and attraction to Tess that helped override his fear.

As he moved around the room he could feel his blood pumping. The television was on but despite the volume being down it was blaring in his ears. Every time he tried to change the station it always ended up on some animal show. First there were lions on the Serengeti, then horses running across the wilderness, there was a documentary about a wolf pack and a group of whales swimming off the coast of Australia. He couldn’t seem to get off those channels. Then he heard the wild roar of a lion and he punched the screen. He just wanted it to stop but his fist went right through the screen; spark flew everywhere as the box fell off its resting place to the floor. He pulled back his hand but there wasn’t even a trace of a cut on him as he looked between his fist and the television. Then he realised what he had done.

“Have some issues?” Jeff asked.

Jim turned around and saw Jeff standing at his back door. “What the hell are you doing in here? Get out.”

“Uh, no,” Jeff said.

“Get out now,” Jim said.

“Someone I know is going through something big and I can help. This is your inheritance, the blood has woken up ... the spirit calls to you, the sound of a rushing river, the rustle of leaves ... it all calls to us, and now to you,” Jeff said.

“I don’t give a damn about that. And I want my son back,” Jim said.

“Well you might have a problem separating him from Tess. But I have put a call into Moonvale, they’re going to tell him what happened to you soon,” Jeff said. “Now sit down so we can talk.”

Jim stood there. “Just leave me alone,” Jim said as he turned around.

Jeff reached out to grab the Sheriff’s shoulder, as he made contact Jim swung around with his fist ready to strike. Jeff acted quickly and grabbed his fist in mid-punch. “Sit. You’re stronger than you were but you’re still new, and I’m stronger,” Jeff said. He sat on his sofa and put his face in his hands as Jeff went through to the kitchen. He came back through with a glass of cold water in his hand. He put it down on the coffee table in front of the Sheriff and moved around to sit on the armchair.

“So,” Jeff said.

“So what?” Jim asked.

“Well there really isn’t that much to tell you that you don’t already know. You’re simply a part of a race that’s been hunted and persecuted since the dawn of time,” Jeff said.