Old ruined fort, Maarwa
Gasping for breath after having been fed Huraan and sparks of life back in his veins that were threatening to break out of suffocation a few hours ago, Danish , leaning against a wall , looked at the two Bolshva vampires in front of him. A swaggering , inhuman , grinning Natasha eyeing him with her flammable cat eyes and a quiet , disturbed but equally dangerous Tanushree who was sitting quietly on a rock, her arms crossed against her chest and her brandy eyes with a faraway look in them. Danish , unable to control this hunger in his body had called up T when he could no longer even attempt to control his body or understand what was happening inside him. T was equally shocked at this. She had only followed orders and with the majesty's voice in her head, she had exchanged blood with Danish. She was just as unaware of the repercussions as Danish was. T had instantly got in touch with Natasha and screamed her lungs out at her. What have I done to Danish? What did you guys make me do ? I knew it was for a purpose but Danish is suffering worse than death. Natasha had just rolled her eyes, blown her bubblegum pink nailpaint dry and told her to bring Danish to the old ruins at the border of Marwaa.
So, here they were , and Danish had just been fed blood from Natasha who was now healing her wrist into which Danish had just dug his angry and hungry fangs.
Danish ( sitting up on the ground and his head resting on the wall)- What ….( looks at T rather deeply)… what have you done to me exactly? The exchange of blood with Tanushree did this to me, right?....It was worse than the desperation a doper feels for drugs. I ….( looks at his palms and the back of them)… I felt as though my whole body is going to burst open.
Natasha ( flutters her eyelashes at him)- Awwwwww….. my poor little baby vampire. You still haven't figured it out , have you? … ( turns to T )… why don't you tell him, mutant?
T ( looks at Natasha a tad bitterly )- What do I tell him when I myself don't know what are we talking about here? I am a CONDITIONED vampire , Natasha. More than my instincts , I follow orders…. ( turns to Danish and throws up her hands )… don't give me those melodramatic looks , dude. I have no idea what have I done to you. Direct all those angry emotions at this hottie vamp.
Danish ( tiredly to Natasha)- What….
Natasha comes and sits next to Danish. She slings her arm around his shoulder like a buddy and looks into his eyes. Danish blinks. He is sure that he just saw flames of fire leap in her cat eyes.
Natasha ( frigid friendliness )- Congratulations , Czen. You've just become a slave of what everyone fears us of. Huraan. The infamous manipulative poison in the black blood of the Bolshva breed of vampires. Sounds cool, right?
Danish is stunned and T is confused at this revelation as she tries to make sense of what Natasha is telling Danish.
Danish ( looks accusingly at T and disgustedly at Natasha )- Slave of Huraan?
Flash : Danish recalls his body's fierce reaction and then , yearning for this addictive poison .
Natasha ( nods and gets up ,dusting off her catsuit and digging heels of her boots into the ground )- YUPPPPPP! …Too bad for you, Danish. You made the same mistake that all newborns make. They walk into the traps that Ancients , Creators , Initiators lay down- simply because you all are unaware of the rules, the loopholes , the weaknesses and the mystery truths of this entire supernatural labyrinth. It is like not having enough general knowledge as they would say in the human world……You obviously don't know what exchanging blood with a Bolshva means , hmmm? Let me do the honours for you. Huraan is acquiescent to the brains of the vampire in whose blood it runs. It kills, enslaves , induces psychological control – anything – as we like it.
Danish ( horrified )- Y-You…. Mean you control me, now?
Natasha ( laughs with a bounce of her gorgeous brown hair)- Ah, my innocent innocent Danish.If it worked so easy , wouldn't we all Bolshvas just gobble up you Czens? …..No. We don't control you, sweetie. The Huraan that T has released into your body does…. It will. You can no longer live on any other blood, Danish. You will need to exchange blood with a Bolshva all your life no…Tut.Tut. Sad , eh?
Danish is too shocked to react as he looks or rather gapes at a grinning Natasha and a quiet T with his wide eyes. He could actually see the world going foggy in front of his eyes as his temples throbbed and the nerves in his brain screamed. What , what was that ? That Natasha had just said. He was a slave of an addictive poison? He would forever be entwined with the Bolshva clan? No….No…. this is just not happening to me. Danish screamed inside.
Natasha ( narrowing her cat eyes at him)- This.Is.Real. We have polluted you and contaminated you. And let's cut the drama , can we?
T ( interrupts quietly )- Natasha, can we just get to the point? He is scared enough already. What high do you Bolshvas get out of playing these sadistic games and scaring the hell out of people?
Natasha ( raises her left eyebrow with a dark grin)- You Bolshvas?....( T looks down)….Its 'US Bolshvas', darling…..( smirks at her ). A strange creature you are, Tanushree Ambolkar. As long as you were a regular mortal, you were a bitch and a half , snob of the highest order and excelled in hurting and insulting people but I see all your dormant morals bursting forth like tap dancers ever since we evoked the vampire in you!
T's fists clench and she can feel her canines trying to leap forth and her iris turning red but she controls the urge to pin Natasha down on the ground and cut her throat.But she remembers what Sambhav told her – she has to handle this co-existence. No. She can't get into a fight with this bombshell right now. It was about Danish , anyway , not her cat fight with Natasha.
T ( snarls and shrugs her shoulders )- Whatever.
Danish ( stands up )- No point in saying anything , T. You've done what you had to… ( looks sharply at Natasha )….or should I say what you were told to do….( fighting his fears )… I guess it is time to face the truth and know what the game is all about . I am sure you haven't polluted me with Huraan just to pass off a lazy Sunday.
Natasha smiles and puts her arms around Danish's neck and pulls his face close to hers making him momentarily dizzy with the sheer hypnotism of her cat eyes. An evil sexy smile plays on her bee stung glossy pink lips.
Natasha ( softly )- I like men when they are on job and to the point…( clucks her tongue )…Good. Get ready to do some vampire duties. Not for the Czens but us.
Danish ( not liking the look in her eyes )- What?
Natasha – Kabir.
Danish ( numbed by the current of the word)- Kabir….
T looks shocked upon hearing this. Damn! Kabir? Were these Huraan Containers out of their evil heads? Turn Kabir into a vampire? Heck, why? Do they want to turn the whole city into a vampire hub?
Natasha ( nods )- Yuppp. Kabir. Your innocent stud brother who is going all chocolate mousse on that stunning witch-bitch Anushka. Turn him into a vampire.
Danish grabs Natasha's neck , digging his claws into her neck and his fangs out with eyes dilating but Natasha fights back , pushing Danish to the ground , sitting on his chest and unleashing her fangs on him as he growls. T stands rooted to the spot and doesn't budge. She looks at the fight but feels nothing inside – neither for Danish and nor for Natasha. She just watches the sight with an unfeeling heart.The traits of Bolshvas were setting in now. Carnivorous instincts had already messed her up and now, the last bits of humanity were ebbing out and they would disappear if T did nothing to save the human being that she was.
Natasha ( evilly )- DON'T! Don't you just get it in your rabbit head that you have to do what we want you to do!
Danish ( screams )- Kabir is my brother , you monster! Why drag him into this hell? Just leave him to lead a normal human life and die instead of walking on this earth like predators waiting for a slayer or a spell to run a truck over us.
Natasha ( holds him down on his neck )- Because we want to use him. We will. Kabir is no longer your brother , dude! You no longer have a family , nothing at all. You only have the Czens who will finish you the moment they come to know that you have been polluted by Huraan. And then, you have me who will kill you with withdrawal symptoms if I don't see fangs on Kabir! UNDERSTAND?
With this Natasha gets up and pointing a warning finger at Danish , kicks him hard in the stomach and goes off , giving T a hard stare and T gulps. Natasha , inspite of all her beauty , could never hide the evil countenance of her face. As they say – whatever you are made up of inside always shows up on your face – if nowhere else, in your eyes for sure.
Danish lay on the ground , holding his abdomen and tears welling up in his eyes as Natasha's words rang in his ears. Turn Kabir into a vampire? Kabir? That innocent teenager who lived in a happy bubble. Turn him? The hell that Danish lived everyday , wasn't that enough?
Danish was tired. Tired of living a monster's life. Tired of hunting and surviving on someone's blood every single day. Tired of just being what he was. He lay there in the middle of the ruined fort , his eyes closed and tears quietly snaking down his cheeks – and his inner being just as shattered and broken as the walls around him. T looks at him with a deep expression in her eyes – trying to identify with what he is feeling at the moment. Then, she turns away and slowly walks out of the ruins , her hands tied behind her back and her face lifted to the moonless sky…….
Boys' Room , Guesthouse, Irugarh
Sambhav was sleeping soundly on the bed , his right arm hanging from the bed's edge and his head peacefully tucked into the white cottony pillow and a check tribal patterned blanket thrown over his blithe lean muscled body. Abhay was sitting by the window, his arms crossed across his chest , head resting on the wall at the back of his head and looking out at the stars and the crescent moon. He looked lost and thoughtful- his face as innocent as a child's as his ice blue eyes looked like sapphires in the night
Flash : Piya bursting into tears on not finding Abhay in the forest and clinging to him for dear life.
Abhay still couldn't get over Piya's face , her terrorized eyes and her heart beating like a bleating lamb's against his chest. He could still feel her heartbeats in his chest- they had been so torrid almost as if her heart would burst out of her body.
Abhay ( looks up at the sky )- She says she is ready for the future only if it has me in it . But what if…. What if I am not there in her future? Her fear of losing me is so… so real.. it freaks the living hell out of me. If something happens to me tomorrow, how will she……..
Abhay doesn't want to complete the sentence and with a disturbed look on his face, he just goes and lies on his bed, pulling the covers on him but the sapphires refusing to go behind the skin curtains. Yes, Piya's fears were beginning to breathe in Abhay now. What was this restless feeling inside him and it was dark. There was something lurking around the corner but he didn't know what. Wasn't Piya supposed to be happy because he was with her and she had got what she wanted – him and her together and in love. Then , why was she a jittery nerve on the loose? Thinking of all these questions and Piya's loving face swimming in his eyes , he didn't realize when he fell asleep.
Sambhav , as he slept , his eyebrows narrowed and his pupils seemed in unrest under his eyelids. His lips parted as he heard a familiar voice rise in his head….a honey soft but dark feminine voice , calling him. Sambhav felt the voice was coming from the end of a tunnel in his mind and he followed the voice in his dreams as it kept calling him.
Voice : Sambhav?.....Sambhav? Come with me, will you? I need to show you something.
Sambhav's dream:
Sambhav opened his eyes and he found himself in a jungle. He sat up with a start and wondered where he was. The feminine voice was whispering in the woods , making the hair at the back of his neck stand.
Voice : What are you going to do now, Sambhav? Save her?
Sambhav suddenly sees Tanushree standing at a distance , her face a picture of pain and her delicate long hand raised towards him for help. Sambhav takes a step towards her but the voice stops him.
Voice : Or are you going to win her love?
Just then, Sambhav sees Misha on the opposite side opening her arms to him and smiling with the most loving expression on her face.
Sambhav's face melts at that sight of Misha and he takes a few steps in her direction but the first cry of Tanushree stops him in his tracks and he jolts out of his trance. Misha's face falls as Sam shakes his head at her and retreats his steps.
Sambhav ( shaking his head )- No. I am going to do what is more important. I am going to the one who needs me. She … she needs me.
Sam turns around and T steps back into shadows. Sambhav screams her name and runs after her.
Sambhav ( runs after her )- T! Just stop! Don't go there . Its not safe. T! Trust me.
Sambhav keeps running after T and Misha's image dissolves. T stops at the edge of the cliff and Sambhav stops in his tracks , raising his hand in horror.
Sambhav ( tears springing in his eyes )- NO!
T ( hoarsely )- Go back. Go back to her , Sam. There is nothing for you here, There is nothing you can do for me.
And T throws herself off the cliff and Sambhav screams , falling on his knees.
Sambhav wakes up with a start , huffing and palpitating and his hand outstretched to stop T. His eyes are wet for real and his face caught in a spasm of terror as though he had just seen a ghost. Sambhav looks to his left and sees Abhay's bed empty. Sambhav puts his hands on his face to calm himself , his breathing still restless. What was that? What did he just see? He was asked to choose between Misha and T? He chose T? He lost T? But… this was nonsense because there was nothing of that sort happening in his life right now. Misha did not love him , he didn't want to think about his torrid relationship with her. And T? He was just helping her but he was not attached to her like he appeared in his dream! And he was crying? Over T? ….And that voice. Suddenly, Sambhav's muscles and nerves stiffened. THAT VOICE! He knew that voice for sure. As Sambhav removed his hands from his face, she was right there , standing at the foot of the bed, watching him with a dark grin on her face. Yes, Maya had kept her promise. The promise of settling scores. Sambhav was not scared , of course but he was shocked and he stiffened at this surprise visit.
Maya ( looking like a glow ball in the wind)- Will you do what you did in your dream?
Sambhav ( exhausted but still in shock )- That was unreal, right? You did it to scare me! A situation like that would never happen, Maya. Stop haunting me.
Maya ( laughs )- Don't bet on future, Sambhav. Yes, the dream that I showed you was unreal but the essence was not , the meaning was not. Aren't your tears real, Sam?
Sam ( dries his eyes )- What is the meaning of this, Maya?
Maya ( narrows her eyes at him)- That you are headed towards something that didn't happen to you ever in these 500 years, my dear foe. You are approaching your weakest, Sam. Somebody , something is going to break you and you are not ready for it…. ( glares at him hatefully )….all your life , you have just used people and abused their feelings. You manipulated and destroyed a whole lifetime of Abhay and the repercussions continue till date. You plan to play with Piya and Maithli's lives. I trusted you to protect me and I paid with my and my child's life.
Sambhav cringes at what Maya says because he knows all this is true.
Maya ( bellows)- Karma, Sambhav. It is the law of this universe and it transcends mortality and immortality. Your deeds are catching up with you , Sambhav.
Sambhav ( not wanting to look at Maya)- Just go away, Maya. Please. I –I don't want to hear any of this. I don't believe in any of this. Leave me alone.
Maya ( smiles devilishly )- No, Sam. I am not leaving you alone. I am your guilt symbol and I will keep coming back…. ( dissolves into nothingness with her voice echoing within the four walls )….. I will be back, Sam. I will.
Sambhav sits numb and shaken at what Maya had just said and what he had experienced. He couldn't get the image of Misha wanting to take him in her arms and T telling him that he can do nothing for. But no matter how much he fought the truth , deep down , he knew that even though his heart had fluttered at the sight of a loving Misha in his dreams, his tears and his raw emotion had been for Tanushree. And no matter how hard he tried , he couldn't make sense of anything.
Backyard of the guesthouse, Irugarh.
Abhay saw her standing by the pond . Moving her fingers magically over the crystal clear water and making those shiny fish swarms dance to her tunes. Her fair , beautiful fingers which looked like poetry in motion. He smiled at that sight of Anushka- his soul sister as she always insisted even though so much dirt and animosity had passed between them in these 200 years There was more bad between them than good but somehow , fate had always reconciled them. Besides , this was the best phase of their relationship in decades. They were honest with each-other , they were staying together like siblings with a common surname and under one roof , they were supportive of each-other. Abhay and Anushka were finally finding a ground of trust, love and friendship. So, when, Abhay's cellphone had buzzed and Anushka told him that she wanted to see him now and was coming to see him, he had been happy. He had not seen her or heard from her in these two-three days except the time when he had escaped to the crypt from Piya. Abhay smiled and tapped her on her shoulder as he saw the dancing fish in water , glimmering like firecrackers due to the fairy glow that Anushka's magic had conjured up.
Anushka looked up and saw Abhay smiling down at her.
Abhay ( taps her head )- Hello, there.
As Anushka looked at Abhay's face , slowly getting up , she noticed something had changed about him. That permanent frown and that grimness of his jaw was gone – his mouth appeared gentler , surprisingly. His face was shining even though the mild storm in his sapphires didn't escape her sharp witch eye. He was in love and that love was with him. Piya and Abhay were together and happy. She knew it but until she saw Abhay's face , she didn't know how deep it ran.
Anushka ( touches Abhay's face )- Don't think me stupid for saying this but , yeah , you've become beautiful.
Abhay ( smiles at her )- Finally, you admit it that am more good looking than you… ( hugs her , ruffling her hair )…..i love you.
Anushka was taken aback by this expression of affection by Abhay. That was so unlike Abhay! He…. Oh , what could she say? He had truly become so beautiful. He was smiling , he looked happy and he was so emanating love and warmth that Anushka could see stars glittering through his body. And… and Abhay had hugged her with such genuine and happy emotion after a time as deep as the gorges.
Anushka ( smiles at him )- Shut up. I will always be the more good looking one. My cheekbones , lips and nose are more symmetrical than yours!
Abhay laughs and lightly boxes her ears.
Abhay ( putting an arm around her shoulder )- Whatever. We will argue about this later, Anush. Now, tell me why did you come from Marwaa on a broomstick to see me?
Anushka ( elbows him in the rib)- Give witches some respect will you. We don't fly on broomsticks. We use teleportation and telekinesis! ….( Abhay rolls her eyes and Anushka's face falls as she thinks to herself)….and I am here to…. ( gulps a lump in her throat )….ruin your and Piya's fairytale. H-How am I going to do this? I…. I mean, all this is so perfect… he … he is happy , he is in love , he is alive, he is changing. He is treating me like I always wanted him to and I…..
Flash : Natasha an Maithli's warnings and threats that how she has no choice but to do what they want her to do.
Abhay ( shakes her by her shoulders )- Anush? What happened?
Anushka ( snapping out of her drifting thoughts )- Oh nothing! Abhay , actually I … ( just do it , Anushka! Do it. This is for Piya's life. You have no choice at the moment )… Ummm… actually … ( clenches her fists )…. I need you to come to the Bloodstone Dungeon.
Abhay ( taken aback )- Bloodstone Dungeon? Why? What are we going to do there? I mean, we use it only when important rituals are to be performed or questions asked to the oracle. And as far as I know, there are no important rituals in Czens at this time of the year and we don't evoke the Oracle without the written , signed and sealed permission of the sanctum.
Anushka ( not meeting Abhay's eyes )- Abhay , we are meeting there unoffiocially.
Abhay ( his eyes go wide in surprise )- Unofficially? You mean without permission? At the Bloodstone Dungeon? Are you drunk or are you crazy? Why would we do that?
Anushka ( quickly )- Because I need to perform a ritual on you to protect Piya, Abhay! ….( damn! Why doesn't the earth open and I go and sink to its bottom)…..The shield is invincible only as long as I am invincible. If something happens to me tomorrow, Piya will be in danger. And I have had a premonition that I have an enemy approaching. I need to perform a ritual on you to keep her protected because you both are CONNECTED. Get it?
Phew! There. She said it all in one breath – this big fat lie in one breath as she had prepared and resolved. She knew that if she shakes even a little bit , she would collapse and Abhay would get the truth out of her.
Abhay looked horrified and put his hands on Anushka's shoulders protectively and worriedly.
Abhay ( seriously )- Premonition? What premonition? Who is posing danger to you?
Anushka's heart broke as she saw his concerned face. She wanted to tell him, that Maithli and Natasha were out to screw their lives but no, she had to continue with the lie.
Anushka ( calmly )- Abhay , relax. You know these things keep happening with us and being an almost prehistoric witch , I have a surprise danger every now and then. Karma , you know.
Abhay ( forced to smile)- Prehistoric witch. You are mad. Seriously.
Anushka ( crossing her fingers )- Day after tomorrow. Midnight. Bloodstone Dungeon.
Abhay ( nods )- Anything for Piya. Anything that will keep her safe and protected…..( pulls her nose)…. And you of course are going t0 be okay, witchy. Nobody can win over your magic. You are the greatest ever when it comes to witchcraft and power applications.
Anushka just nods at him , his trust and innocence making her want to jump into the pond and drown in it. She again felt that lump in her throat as Abhay looked at her with trusting eyes.
Just then, they both saw Piya walking towards them in her bugs bunny night suit and her curls swept at the back of her head.
Anushka ( waves at her trying to smile )- Hey stalker!
Abhay ( grins )- Who says only vampires venture out at nights?
Piya comes and Abhay naturally puts his arm around her waist and kisses the top of her head as Piya smiles in surprise at Anushka.
Piya ( her hand going around Abhay's waist as though it had always been there )- Anushka? How come you are here? …( looks at her and Abhay alarmed)…. Everything is okay , right?
Abhay ( looks at her )- Piya , were you a firealarm in your last life? You are, like, forever alarmed.
Piya ( makes a face at him )- You would know better. You were around on this earth in my last life.
Abhay ( rolls his eyes )- There were no fire alarms at the time of your last past life. I am sure if there were , they would go off with a 'Piya, Piya, Piya'.
Anuska is moved, touched and ashamed at this pretty picture of couple bickering. Just look at them. They fit so perfectly into each-other. He has blown life into her . She has taught him to live.They are two parts of a whole. Piya has crashed heaven and earth to get Abhay and see this day when he so casually slips and arm around her and kisses her soft head. Anushka! You are breaking them up! Them? Sending a conditioned Abhay running into Maithli's arms and sending Piya into gallows. Anushka's feet felt like clay and she turned her face away.
Piya ( notices )- Anushka?
Anushka ( not looking at Piya's face )- N-Nothing. I had just come to inform Abhay regarding something important … something to do with the vampire business. I should go now , actually.
Abhay ( pats Anushka's head )- Don't worry, Anushka. All is going to be okay and I will keep my word. See you there.
Anushka ( smiles sadly)- See you…. There.
Anushka walks away and watching her go, Abhay and Piya turn to go back into the guesthouse, holding hands. Suddenly, Anushka calls them from behind and they stop.
Anushka ( walking towards them with heavy feet and wobbly legs )- One second , guys!
She walks towards them, her heart sinking and her tears not daring to drip out of her eyes. She just comes and looking at them for a second or two, she hugs both of them- together – closing her eyes as though to just live and capture this moment as a beautiful memory.
Abhay and Piya are taken aback but warmed by this hug from Anushka. They both looked at each-other as they patted Anushka's back and smiled at each-other.
Anushka ( meaningfully )- I love you.
Abhay ( affectionately )- I love you , too….( looks at Piya' warm face and keeps his hand over hers )…. We love you, too.
TO BE CONTINUED…………………….
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