Realm Komiks Prequel Chapter 19: Forbidden Fruit

Chapter 19:

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

Adrian pulls himself from under the covers, feeling his way through the darkness, making his way toward the kitchen. The kitchen is subtly lit with the full moon giving him enough light to find the handle on the fridge. He pulls on it, opening and searching for his last meal, Frigarui, his favorite left over. He pulls the tray out and sets it on the counter, taking a few off and placing it in the microwave. He stares at the remaining pieces as the microwave whirls and decides to shove a cold piece in his mouth.

The microwave beeps politely, and he pops it open grabbing out his treasures, turning to walk toward the table, a figure stands in the shadows. His body quickly jilts unexpectedly.

He grabs a knife from a wooden block, “Whhhy, why are you in my house?” he manages to stutter.

The dark shadowy figure narrows in on the body, silent.

Adrian falls backwards, stumbles. “I’ll stab you. I will.” He threatens.

The vampire rushes towards his victim, the knife falling through his chest gives him only a moment of hesitation, before he sinks his fangs into the prime mister’s neck.

*********************

Sultana sits in the corner bar, a hole in the wall, located in Cluj, called The Jack; the name mundane and simple for sitting in the biggest city of Transylvania. It is slightly crowded, inside as well on the outside, people stand around listening to music any sipping on beers from pint glasses. The queen’s attire is subtle, almost blending in with strangers. She gazes down the bar at a plump man, dangling his short legs off the bar stool as he shifts the ice in his glass, staring nervously at the television. The reporter booms information about the recent slayings of numerous important government officials and he is one of the few still living. He wipes his bald head, pushing his glass toward the bartender as he passes. “Another one,” he snaps, slightly turning his head toward the people of the bar.

Sultana’s eyes shift away from the man and passed various people interacting, finally finding a familiar face, Lucius, who nonchalantly nods. Taking the cue, Sultana pushes away from the table, exiting towards the back of the bar, the crisp air invigorating to her icy body. There is a sudden moment of ghostly silence before blood curdling screams begin to echo from inside the bar, without reaction her head raises to the air pausing. Feeling the presence in the shadows, she speaks steadily, “I’m not being presumptuous by assuming you have begun your part?”

The shadowy figure slightly comes into the light, Poisonous Dart revealing herself. Her voice is low and wispy as she speaks in a commanding tone, “I needed to be assured you were being successful before I proceeded.”

Sultana’s fist clench as anger boils inside her, “You question me?” she whispers from her throat.

“Question you? Don’t flatter yourself.” Poisonous Dart scoffs.

Sultana slowly turns toward her. “Romania will be ours by tomorrow morning. Cluj will be my headquarters for operation. Bucharest is ours. Taken over their armed forces and currently their air forces. Things are as in order.”

Poisonous Dart smirks, “The creatures are ready. I will wait until then to release them.”

“No, release them now.” Sultana demands. “The chaos must divert.”

Dart’s eyes narrow and ignoring the queen’s demands she turns away, starting to walk.

“Dart!” Sultana calls, causing Dart’s head to swing around; eyes dry against the brisk wind. “I don’t trust you; but I believe in you.” She confirms confidentially.

Poisonous nods towards her, “Unfortunately our minds may think too much alike, my Blood Sucking friend.” She vanishes into the dark.

Sultana snaps at the touch against her shoulder, turning to Lucius’ blood covered face staring at her. “Our work is done here.”

She tilts her head toward the bar, silences hovering in the outside air. She grimaces, flinging her coat toward the street, “Come, Lucius, we have a long overdue conversation with someone.”

Lucius’ head tilts downward as his body thrust forward, following his Queen.

*********

Janet intently watches the television as the boat whirls against the wind on the top deck. Her chin rests her hands, her eyes wide. Her father’s feet thumping against the steps behind her don’t grab her attention. “Janet.” He firmly tries.

“Dad, you should see this.” She points at the TV, not taking her eyes away from it.

Her father takes the remote ready to shut down the set but stops for a moment. “What the heck…”

“Yea, all over Florida, people stuck in their houses because of the alligators. But it’s not just there; there are places in South Carolina and other states around the coast. Reporters also mentioned other countries like Australia and…,” without finishing her thought she quickly jumps, “Dad; they said climate change or global warming effect…”

Daniel interrupts, “Grab your phone, and get up deck.”

Janet looks confused as her father begins grabbing wires from the wall, disconnecting things. “What’s going on, Dad?”

“Janet, top deck I said. Take your phone.” He firmly scolds at her.

His face suddenly looks defeated as she takes off toward the deck, the air smacking in her face, pushing fresh tears toward the back of her ears.  Daniel follows up close behind, grabbing the cell from her hand and tosses it to the crashing ocean.

“Dad!” she screams. “My cell!”

He then feeds his phone to the dark ocean, it splashing into the screaming waves.

“Dad! What are you doing?” Janet cries louder this time, grabbing her temples. “What are you doing? You cut off all communication!”

“We don’t need it Janet…” he yells over nature’s noise.

“How’s mom going to find us?” she screams hysterically, “How’s anyone going to find us?

“Listen to me, Janet.” He grabs her arms as she tries to breaks free.

“Dad, no! No! You’ve lost your mind!” Janet’s tears stream down her flushed cheeks. “We’re going to be lost at sea forever!”

The clouds begin to darken over them, pushing the waves harder into the boat. The wind whirls louder, smacking against their bodies. “Come in Janet. We are going to talk.”

“Dad it’s going to storm. The boat won’t hold in this storm. We’re never going to see mom again. We’re never going to see anyone again.” Janet’s voice becomes flat, arms flinging around her father’s torso holding him tightly, tears quickly damping his shirt. “You won’t tell me what is going. I’m scared, Dad.” She sobs.

Daniel’s arms grab her tightly, pulling her toward the lower deck, the wind working against them. “Listen, Janet, I need you to wait down here while I steady the boat.”

She’s blank, staring at him in dismay.

“Janet, co-piolet, I need you hon. Be with me.” His palms finding her cheeks while his eyes continue to search for hers.

“Why are you trying to kill us, dad?” her words stale flat against the air.

“You listen, Janet.” Daniel persist, desperately closing his eye’s flood gates, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you little girl. You aren’t going anywhere under my watch. You understand me?”

She nods at the desperation of her father’s voice.

He grabs her and hugs tightly again before steading. “We are meeting your mother at ‘our paradise.’ Understand me, baby girl?”

Janet’s head hesitantly nods, tears dripping off her chin and then landing onto her father’s knee.

“She’s going to be there Janet. We are all going to be safe together.” He kisses her forehead and then slows and calm, “I’m going upstairs to steady the boat. Get that Jane Eyre book you love, okay? It’s just like any other storm. Read. Calm. I’ll be down.”

Her neck leads slightly, standing still.

Daniel grabs the book off a shelf, shuffling her over to the bed. “Climb up.”

She does as she is told. Daniel fluffs the pillow around and tucks her under the blanket. He grabs her iPod, setting the playlist and snuggling the head phones against her ears. “It’s Shubert’s ‘Serenade’.” He forces a smile opening her book. “Start at chapter one. Read out loud baby girl, don’t worry I will be able to hear you.”

The music dances against her ears, slowing her heart against her chest, her father’s voice falling quiet as she reads, and “There was no possibility of taking a walk that day…”

Daniel quickly leans down and kisses her on the forehead once again, then rushing to the top deck; he raises his head watching the clouds parting, brightly the sun shining through; The wind calm against the ocean’s gentle waters. He blinks his eyes against the rays; once again a storm has quickly passed them by as fast as it had come.

*****

President Cromwell twirls the pen between his fingers. The thin utensil feels heavy and thick as he tires from fondling the ball point pen, dropping it, letting it ting against the desk. His hands fold under his chin, eyes rise to the top of his forehead, meeting the Chief of Staff’s. “We need to call military action to Romania. I’ll call an emergency meeting to order. Handle contact of the alliances. I will directly contact the Planeteers.”

“Sir, some of the Planeteers have already arrived.” The chief of staff reveals, “We just received word before you requested my presences.”  

Cromwell’s palms find his eyebrows, pulling them to his temples as if he were shaping them. “Where are they?”

“In the US, sir, on their way to Washington. They seemed to have some trouble on their travels and arrived through the Pacific Ocean, outskirt of California.”

“Media’s going to love that.” Cromwell groans. “Get them to me personally. I’ll contact the others.”

“On it, Sir,” the chief walks toward the door but pauses, slowly turning his body toward him. “Sir…?”

“What is it?” Cromwell answers matter of fact.

“We also need to address the issues in the South, with abundance of alligators surfacing. Some people are making claims that they are walking on two legs…”

President Cromwell shakes his head, “Important things first. We don’t have time for outlandish stories and theories. We need to be assured all measures are taking place to bring an end to Queen Sultana or we might not have a South.”

“Yes, sir,” the lengthy man nods, hurrying from the oval office.

******

Sultana’s heels click against the flooring, echoes following behind her as Lucius and Domninious trail inches behind.

Sultana comes to a halt at the dark wooden door and then without any thought swings the door open, letting it slap against the door stop before hitting the wall.  “Euguen!” Sultana exclaims as the man quickly stands up from behind the desk. “Chayse, wonderful to see you in person again.” She grins widely to the woman standing behind him.

“Likewise, my queen,” the blonde leans back against the painted wall, her arms dangling next to her side, returning a toothy gleam, highlighted by her red lips. “Also good to see you again, Loosh. Dom.”

The two say nothing in return as Sultana slinks in cutting off the introductions. She slides her rump across the front of the desk, slapping her hand on Euguen’s shoulder, gliding him back to a sitting position.

“We’ve done it.” He announces, with some uncertainty.

“We’ve done it.” She gently whispers back, snapping her neck toward her wicked friends. They all begin to laugh among each other. Euguen’s eyes shoot around the room in confusion of the chuckles. He gradually begins chiming in as Sultana’s cackle crescendos, echoing against the walls of the room; then suddenly cut off by her hand slamming down on the desk before him, indenting the heavy oak into the floor.

Silence.

Eugen Adam’s apple feels as if it is floating in his throat.

“Tell me exactly what you have done again, Euguen?” Sultana smirks, leaning toward him.

The expression quickly begins to change on his face and he bottoms up some courage.

“I’ll tell you what I did; you blood sucking Strigoi,” he firmly finds his voice, “I collaborated and infiltrate of our government, arm force, air force…” standing from his seat he continues, “without me your whole operation would have been sloppy; destroyed.”

Sultana scoffs, “You were merely a pawn, Euguen. A very small pawn in a very huge game.”

Euguen’s body trembles with rage, “We made a deal, Strigoi!”

“Ha!” she mocks rising to her feet and turning her back to him.

“You will turn me into one of you! I move to your planet. That is the deal.” His voice now quivers through his breath, words short and choppy. “You are a Queen. Honor your deal.”

Queen Sultana’s body snaps toward him. “I am Queen. I most certainly do honor my deals… just not with humans that continue to refer to me as Strigoi. You say the words in such a vial way, I really despise it.”

“Your majesty,” he grovels slowly, “I know Romania like one else…”

“Actually, that is very untrue.” Sultana’s lips tighten, “I used to live here.”

“Yes, but in what decade? Things have changed. People have changed. You really think you can just conquer all the Romania people?”

“I haven’t conquered all of them. I have turned many Romania people into one of us. They are useful.”

“You, sick, Strigoi! Do you really think no one is hiding? Do you really think the people of Romania are just going to belly up and become one of you? They are waiting for the right moment to take you down and without me you are going to be fucked.”

 “Chayse.” She directs her attention toward her.

“Yes, my Queen?” she takes a step closer.

“Are you exhausted of fucking with this man?” Queen Sultana asks blankly.

Euguen turns toward Chayse with pleading eyes.

She shrugs her shoulders at him and then directs Sultana, “Incredibly. Fucking with him. Fucking him. All of it.”

“Well do it one more time.” Queen Sultana nods with a wicked grin toward Chayse.

“Yes, my Queen,” she grins, pulling out a dagger from behind her side.

“No!” Euguen screams about to run. But his reflex is to slow, the dagger thrust into his back, “Du-te Dracu!” his head howls to the air for a moment.

After a brief second of thought, Chayse continues withdrawing the knife from his spine and thrusting it again and again. Blood spews from his body, splashing on her face. His body falls limp against the desk but Chayse continues to viciously hack at him, gore decorating the room in red.

“Chayse!” Sultana raises her voice slightly annoyed, as she is slapped with a splash of blood against her cheek bone. “Chayse!” she screams out finally catching her attention.

Chayse slowly removes the dripping dagger, “He’s dead.” She proudly grins like an ‘innocent’ five year old.

Sultana nods, “Yes, I can see that. A dagger? Couldn’t just snap his neck or something?”

“He was a creep.” She whispers.

“That was noticeable and very evident. Glad I didn’t have to fuck him.” Dominious chimes in. “Kind of like the office is ruined but makes me a little hungry too.”

“Yes, I need some fresh food,” Chayse drops the dagger sliding toward them.

Sultana ignores the women’s idle chit chat, meeting Lucius’ pale eyes. “It’s time. Let’s continue on.”

Lucius gives a slight movement in his neck allowing his Queen to lead the three vampires from the massacre.

****************

Susan’s head rest against the door of the car, her forehead pressed against the glass, watching the fields pass by in one patch of green.

“How do you do this?” Susan’s voice falls flat not expecting an answer.

Silence falls heavier in the vehicle’s box, Susan grasping her eyes and tightly rubbing them. “I’m tired. Are we almost there?”

“A little under thirty minutes, Mrs. Smith,” the man answers dryly.

Susan’s head fall back against the window’s glass, her eyes shifting toward the lights in the rear view mirror. She sits up quickly, “I think you are being pulled over.”

Watching the lights flash behind them, searching for an expression on the agents face.

He only keeps driving.

“You need to pull over agent.” She sarcastically announces.

“They aren’t after us.” He dryly moans, checking his rear view mirror.

As the lights flash on the passenger side she confirms, “Um, yes. No other cars around. It’s you, Mr. Agent ‘Above the United States Law’.” 

The agent grunts and with a smirk of humor decides to pull over. He stares in the mirror, waiting for the officer’s vehicle to past, but instead the vehicle pulls behind him, lights flashing.

Susan smirks, gazing toward the agent, the red and blue lights flickering through the vehicle. “Looks like everyone isn’t on your page, Agent.”

He turns away from her, adjusting his mirror as the police officer steps out of his cruiser, walking toward them.  He clicks the button on his door, allowing the window to lower, waiting for the officer to approach.

“Sir.” Agent addresses.

“License and registration,” the officer announces, pulling his mirrored sunglasses from his eyes, staring at the agent.

“What’s the problem, officer?” Susan watches as the agent leans out the window.

“Sir, I need your license.” The cop reminds him.

“I think you need to radio into your captain, deputy.” He dryly suggest, threatening the officer’s integrity. “FBI Agent.” He displays his badge.

“Sir you need to step out of the car,” the officer challenges, peering into the car, directly shooting a glance at Susan.

She stares into the officer’s green eyes, and he quickly looks away, focusing back on the agent. “I need you to step out of the car, sir.” He firmly says, opening the door and waiting for the agent to exit.

Agent XXG gives Susan a brief glance and then steps out of the vehicle. “Contact your captain now.” He says more demanding, “You are representing your agency poorly.”

The officer steps past the agent, peering into the door, “Are you okay, mam?”

Susan, not expectantly, turns toward him and nods as if she were being the one interrogated.

“Your name?” the officer asks XXG.

“I’, an agent.” He answers annoyed, “I will have your career on the…” he begins to threaten but is interrupted by his cell vibrating through his pocket.

“You should answer that.” Suggest the policeman.

Agent hesitantly pulls out his phone, “Yea?”

Silence as chatter against the phone spits in his ear. “I have a rookie officer pulling me over right now.” A pause. XXG wryly observes the officer. “My boss would like to speak to you.”

The officer anxiously goes to grab the phone and the agent pulls it back for a moment as if to challenge him. “I suggest you listen closely to what he has to tell you. We are on a time frame and I am only standing here out of politeness and respect to your commissioner.”

The blue suit sneers taking the phone. “’Ello.”

Susan’s neck extends from the passenger seat as if she were a heron spotting a jumping fish, trying to catch all of their conversation.

“Uh huh. Officer Steve Walch, sir.” Pause. “Almost two years now, sir.” Pause. “No, sir I most certainly would not want to hold up a man of the FBI. Important I’m sure.” Pause. Longer pause. “Well, sir, if it’s so important I can escort him in case of traffic or something, sir.”

Agent XXG tries to grab the phone, “There is no traffic.” He spits frustrated, making Susan give an unexpected soft smile.

Officer turns his back toward the Agent, “Yes sir. Will do sir. Proud to do so sir.” Pause. “Yes, sir, good-bye then.” He hangs up the phone and spins around handing it to the agent. “I’m to escort you sir. You are a very important man and after you drop her off, another agent needs to take over. Apparently there is some shit happening and they need you on it.”

“I know.” He moans. “My politeness has expired.” He climbs into his vehicle fastening his seatbelt.

The officer’s knuckles tap against the window. “ugh…” Susan confused taps the button allowing the window to drift down.

“Want to catch a ride with me? Since we are all going to the same place and all.” He grins.

“Ugh…” she nervously scratches against the cardboard box of Cheeze-Its laying in her lap, shooting a glance toward the agent.

He moans and starts up the car. “She’s my responsibility. Step away from the car.”

Susan takes a long deep breath and shrugs with pleading eyes.

“Right understand, agent.” He hit the top of the vehicle with the palm of his hand, “Let’s get you there.” He gives Susan another look with short reassuring nod.

Agent XXG doesn’t wait for him to climb in his vehicle and begins to drive, making the officer act quickly to keep up.

Steve’s radio comes through clearly, “Where are you, Steve?”

He grabs his radio, “I’m off duty. Have the cruiser back in the morning.”

*******

Read Chapter 20: Unified

Read Past RK Chapters