Chapter 14

“Very good. You are quick learners,” Ward nodded. “Kian O'Braonain, your clan was one of the greatest Hunters in all the world many hundreds of years ago. All Vampires feared the silver swords of the O’Braonains.” Turning to Aaron, he continued, “And the McReynolds clan comes from the descendants of the great Guardian Leaders. Not only that, your mother’s clan, the O’Riordans, were also highly skilled Guardians. With the blood of both of these clans coursing through your veins, you are sure to become one of the strongest Guardians of all time.”
Both men were still having trouble accepting the information. Aaron looked at Kian and only shook his head. His friend, a stunned look in his eyes, finally asked, “May I have some water?”
With a smile, Ward stood and crossed to a cabinet where he produced two glasses and filled them with water from a pitcher sitting on the counter before he took his chair.
They thanked him for the water, and Aaron took a sip as Kian downed his. He wondered if he’d actually wanted to ask for something stronger.
“This is all a lot to take in,” Aaron admitted.
“I understand,” Ward nodded. “Please, take your time. Ask as many questions as you’d like.”
“And are you a Guardian or a Hunter?” Kian asked, the water apparently helping him regain some of his composure.
“I am a Guardian,” Ward assured him. “My name is Ward Bernard. My father was a Frenchman, my mother English, thus the hybrid name.”
“Doesn’t Ward mean guardian?” Aaron asked.
“You are exceptionally bright, Mr. McReynolds,” Ward replied with a smile.
“So… what does this mean?” Kian asked, leaning back in his chair. “So… I’m a Hunter now? I have to go out and kill Vampires?”
“You do not have to do anything,” Ward replied with a shrug. “But now that the Transformation process has begun, you will not be able to stop it. The coding within your blood has begun to change. Soon enough, you will be stronger, faster, all the time, like you were yesterday while you were being pursued. There is no stopping it now.”
“How do you know about that?” Aaron asked. He knew that there was no one else around. He would have seen.
“We have our methods,” Ward shrugged. “There are not many of our group still here in Killarney, but there are a few. Also, we have a few Vampires on our side. We can listen to them from time to time. I learned of your situation from these sources. We are at a disadvantage because the Vampires can use their minds to communicate, sending messages back and forth through their thoughts.”
Both of them gaped at each other again. “They can read each other’s minds?” Kian asked.
“Yes, and intentionally communicate. It makes our job harder, as we are not able to do that. Not to my knowledge anyway. Many of us do have other talents, special talents, but nothing of that nature.”
“Like what?” Kian inquired.
“We have Healers who can touch a wounded individual and correct the injury. We have Sirens who can use their beguiling skills to influence the action of others. We have Manipulators and Emotional Feelers as well. There are others.”
“Do you have a special talent?” Aaron asked.
Ward smiled. “Yes,” he said, and left it at that.
For some reason, Aaron did not feel the need to ask more. “So, we will continue to go through this… Transformation process?”
“Yes.”
“And then what?” Kian asked.
“It is up to you. You may join us if you like. You could choose to stay here and protect the villagers from evil. You can do nothing at all, but Aaron you must know you are now immortal. The only thing that can kill you is a Hunter. And Kian, a Vampire can kill you, though it will be difficult. That is why you need a Guardian to keep you safe; a Vampire cannot kill a Guardian.”
As Aaron attempted to process what he had just heard—that he could not die except for at the hand of a Hunter—Kian asked, “And how long might I live?”
“It is possible for you to live several hundred years,” Ward explained. “But unlike a Guardian, a Hunter will die eventually, of natural causes, if a Vampire never takes his life.”
There was silence in the room for a moment before Kian slid his chair back. “Well, Mr. Bernard, I appreciate your time and lengthy explanation, but I believe that’s about all I can handle for one day.”
Agreeing, Aaron also pushed is chair back and the pair of them stood. Extending his hand, Aaron said, “Thank you for your time.”
Ward shook Aaron’s hand and then took Kian’s. “Should you have any questions, I will be around. I must tell you, I am off now to try and find some answers for this potato famine.”
“It’s not a famine,” Kian interjected. “It’s only one failed crop.”
Dismissing his comment, Ward continued as if his thought was never interrupted. “What I said in the tavern yesterday I believe to be true. The only way to get the English to truly step in and begin to help the Irish is to convince them that killing off the Irish will only draw the Vampires further into England, not kill the Vampires, too. They will find a food source.”
“Are there no Vampires in England?” Aaron asked.
“Oh, no. They are there. But in England—as in the rest of the world—there is a balance. The Vampires are not allowed to roam unchecked as they are here.”
“And what of our families,” Kian asked, his hand on the door. “Could they go through this Transformation process as well and be saved?”
“Only those below the age of twenty-one. Once they’ve reached that age, there is no going back,” Ward explained. Then, as if reading their minds, he added, “And I’m afraid neither of your wives are members of the Ternion, so there is no way that they can be changed.”
Aaron was disappointed to hear that answer. He was hopeful that he could help Aislyn go through the Transformation process so that he would no longer have to worry about her safety. At least, he was relieved that he could keep her safe for certain now.
“Silver is the key,” Ward offered, as they walked out the door. “Silver and holy water will often end them quickly, although, as you found yesterday, sometimes your bare hands or whatever you can find can also work. Tearing the heads off, obviously, is an injury they cannot recover from.”
Still stunned, both men nodded, and waving goodbye, made their way back the way they had come, wondering what world they had just stepped into.
On their way back home, they heard a commotion coming from one of the nearby houses. A woman was wailing inside while a crowd stood about outside. Thinking they might be able to use their newfound powers to help, Aaron and Kian rushed over. “What’s going on?” Kian asked an older woman who was standing near the door.
“The widow Smith has just discovered her three girls, feasting on their grandmother in the backyard,” the woman replied in a hushed voice. “It’s too much for the dearie to take.”
Aaron looked at Kian, whose eyes were as large as he imagined his must be. “Three girls?” Kian repeated. “Three little girls with curly red hair, no more than three, five, and eight?”
“Yes, that’s them,” she nodded. “All three of them must’ve been turned last night as their mother slept, and now they’ve disappeared into the woods, just as giggling and happy as could be, blood streamin’ down their chins. Not only is she mournin’ her husband who died last year, but she’s lost her mother, her youngin’s, and now she fears they will return and have a go at her.”
“Poor soul,” Aaron muttered as Kian thanked the woman and they walked away.
“This must’ve been done out of retaliation,” Kian whispered as they made their way back to the road. “Ward said they could read minds. Those two blokes we ran off yesterday must have let the others know the girls had gotten away.”
Aaron nodded. “Perhaps we should go look for them.”
“Look for them?” Kian echoed. “And do what? I don’t know about you, Aaron, but I’m not sure I quite believe everything that Mr. Bernard had to say back there. What if he is wrong and there is no Transformation? What if we were just lucky bastards yesterday? I am not about to go running off into the woods to chase down three little banshees when I’m not sure I am capable of killing any of them.”
He had a point, Aaron was certain of that. And then there was the fact that Aaron couldn’t imagine destroying the three little girls he’d worked so hard to save the day before. “Maybe they’ll run off now and leave the villagers alone.”
“Maybe,” Kian nodded.
“Or maybe, if what Ward said was true, we will continue to feel this power coursing through our blood, and in a day or two we will be able to face them without fear,” Aaron continued.
“Perhaps,” Kian agreed. “I wish I had thought to ask what this Transformation process feels like,” he added. “My legs have been a bit sore today.”
“Mine, too,” Aaron said. “I hope it’s not awfully painful.”
“Surely not,” Kian replied. “He would have told us if it were going to get worse, wouldn’t he?”
“I’d like to think so, but then that Ward seems like a man of many secrets,” Aaron responded.
“True. But I don’t think it will be that painful,” Kian assured him as they continued on their way back to their farms.
Aaron prayed he was right. A little pain he could easily handle, but if this was going to be excruciating, he may as well have just let the Dark Ones have him.