Alexa’s Point Of View
“We’re gathered here tonight to send a kind soul back to the goddess who brought him to life. Moribus was kind hearted. The most innocent man there is…”
I felt Isabella’s grip on my hand tighten and I looked down. She was trying so hard not to cry. I bent down and picked her up.
“It’s okay,” I assured as I patted her hair. She leaned on my shoulder as she cried silently.
“… We pray that his spirit would be accepted gracefully by our Moon goddess.”
“Urla.” We chorused. (Urla is a foreign word meaning Amen.)
“He will be guided to the afterlife and dwell with the great wolves who have once walked the earth,”
“Urla!”
“He shall watch over us with the seven great white wolves and keep us safe,”
“Urla!”
“His spirit shall be with his daughter and guide her in every step she takes.”
“Urla!”
“May our prayers be answered by the Moon Goddess and our hearts be filled with her essence.”
“Urla urla urlaho!” We all chorused. A loud horn was blown and two men dressed in white stepped forward and spread white lotus flowers over Moribus’s casket. I glanced to the side and I happened to see Riaz. His expression was blank. He looked empty.
I looked around and Ace was nowhere to be found. Something happened between them. I can tell.
Akira stepped forward and took a red dagger from a golden stool. He raised the dagger up and whispered some words before slashing his palm with it. He raised his palm over the casket and let his blood drain on it.
“Let my blood serve as evidence that he served his alpha well. I send you off, Moribus, to the place of greatness,”
We all bowed and observed a one minute silence for the deceased. After the silence, the casket was put into a boat decorated with petals and flowers and it was set into the sea. Cries burst out of the crowd as the boat began to float away.
“It’s okay, it’s okay.” I said repeatedly as I tried to calm Isabella down. I felt tears sting my eyes. I raised my head to stop them from falling. I have to stay strong for Isabella. When the boat was out of sight, we all settled on a field to have dinner. Rice cakes and rice wine were distributed among everyone.
Akira, his mum, Xena and I settled in the same place.
“Where is Riaz?” I asked Xena and she shook her head.
“How am I supposed to know?”
I turned to Akira and he was as clueless as I was. “Ace too isn’t here.” He said. “I don’t know where the hell he went to,”
“They might be together,” Xena said and I nodded. She isn’t wrong but why do I feel they might not be together this time? Pushing the thought aside, I looked down at Isabella who was resting in my arms.
“Do you wanna go inside?” I asked her and she shook her head.
“I wanna be with dad for some more,” she said as she stared at the sky. I looked up. “Is dad up there?” I asked her and she nodded.
“See,” she pointed up. “That star is the brightest among the rest. Daddy once told me that when people die, they turn to stars and shine over their loved ones.” She said as she brought her hand down. “That’s certainly daddy.”
I nodded smilingly. “Yes. He’s shining brightly over you. He’ll always be with you.”
I looked over to my side and found Akira staring at me. “What?” I mouthed at him and he smiled. “Nothing,” he mouthed back. I rolled my eyes at him and turned to Xena, who was busy staring blankly at her feet. My eyes caught a mark on her neck.
Looking closely, it resembled a bite mark. “Xena, what happened to you here?” I asked and she turned to me. “huh?”
“Your neck. There’s a mark and-” I tried touching it but she scooted back. “Don’t touch me.” She said angrily as she rushed to cover her neck.
“But it looks like-”
“Don’t!” She fired and I flinched. She got up and stumped away. I watched her retreating figure in surprise. Why did she have to react that way? I was only trying to make sure she was okay. I’m a hundred percent sure that bite mark is a vampire’s. I can’t be mistaken. Did she ever get bitten by a vampire? If so, how did she not die?
“Do you know anything about that?” I asked Akira.
“About?”
“The bite mark on her neck.” I said and he shook his head.
“Really?” I asked and he nodded.
“Y.. yeah. She never told me about it.”
I hummed thoughtfully. Well, Xena isn’t the type to tell people about herself. She keeps to herself a lot. Maybe that’s why she is not sociable.
“I wanna sleep,” I heard Isabella say.
“Come. Let me take you to your room.”
I stood up with her and said to Akira. “I’m taking her up.”
“Let me come with you.” He said and I nodded.
***
“Are you sure you’ll be able to sleep alone?” I asked Isa as I placed her on the bed.
“Yes.” She said. “I’ll be fine.”
She lied down and I tucked her in. I pecked her forehead and switched off the lamp.
“Good night, Isa,” I said to her before leaving with Akira.
Gosh, is she going to be okay? She might act strong but she’s still a child. She might cry herself to sleep and that is not good for her health.
“You look worried.” Akira said.
“Because I am! She’s probably going to have a hard time sleeping.”
Wait! Bedtime stories! That might get her to sleep.
“I need to go take something from my room.” I said.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a secret.” I said and turned in the direction of my room, leaving Akira in the hallway. Getting to my room, I rushed to the shelf and picked three books from it. I exited and rushed to Isabella’s room.
Getting to her room, I ran into Akira.
“I thought you went to your room.” I said. I glanced at his hand and saw that he was holding a book. What is he doing with a book?
Wait. Is he here to read Isa bedtime stories too?