Guild of Rejects: Episode Four

***AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm trying this episode out with the pics in their original size, if you want me to go back to x-large, please let me know! If you like the new size, again let me know, your opinions matter to me! xLJx***

"The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out, you left me in the dark. No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight, in the shadow of your heart!" (Florence + The Machine, Cosmic Love)

 "So Avery? What's it gunna be?" as Avery stood mulling over his dilemma, his phone began to ring...

 ...seeing who was calling he knew he would have to cut short his conversation with Dane, "Sorry I have to take this!"

 Nathan was taking Sarah's disappearance rather badly and began to raise his voice to April, "When did you last see her? It's not a difficult question!"

"She left my house last night, she was fine I...I'm as worried as you are there's no need to yell!"

 Nathan hung his head, "Sorry, I didn't mean to get so intense she's...a good friend! I saved her from a vampire once and she put a protection spell on me as a thank you, she had my back when nobody else did...she' cool!"

"I'm sorry, we'll find her I promise!" April reassured him, "if someone has taken her she's no doubt left us some breadcrumbs, she's smart!"

 "I can be there in ten! I promise!"

 Dane glared at Avery as he attempted to leave, "Dude, we need to know if you'll rat us out!" 

"I won't, look I'll be back I just need to...there's an abandoned warehouse on the other side of town, go there and I'll meet you as soon as I can!"

"Why should we trust you half breed?" Nathan eyed him up and down,

"Because I can help you bring Matheus Roche down!"

 "Hellooooooo??? Are you there???"

 "Oh, hello Uncle Gideon!"

 "Hello nephew!"

"Thank you for coming!"

 1567

Once upon a time there lived a handsome young blacksmith by the name of Gideon Evers, he lived in his humble cottage with his younger sister, Aurora. She was the most beautiful young woman in all of the land and her brother worshipped her!

 Aurora could do no wrong in Gideon's eyes and at the tender age of 18 she caught the eye of a wealthy Count from overseas. He had ordered a dozen swords as gifts for his family and 26 year old Gideon was the skilled tradesman to craft them! Aurora and Gideon often joked about how they never saw the Count during the day, his pale, almost waxy skin and his glowing eyes to them indicated that he was the Devil himself. As a goodwill gesture Gideon allowed his sister to be courted by this mysterious Count...

 ...but eventually she began to change. She gradually lost her appetite and stopped eating altogether. She would shun the daylight as if it burned her very skin! She became irritable and snapped at her brother over the slightest thing...

 ...and on the day it happened, she lay on their straw bed and whimpered about the sun hurting her eyes. All Gideon could do was sit by her and weep! The Count was long gone and Aurora often muttered that he had "infected" her with his evil!

 Gideon's life changed forever that day, his sister was no longer the sister he knew...

 ...it was as if a demon had possessed her! Her eyes glowed ruby red and her entire body was lifted off of the ground, a blood curdling scream escaped her once perfect lips...

 ...and she was changed...forever!

 Then came the blood lust! Gideon allowed her to drink from him at first, but her hunger and thirst became too much for him!

 Weak, tired and distraught over the change in his sister, Gideon resorted to luring young men back to his cottage with the promise of meeting the wealthy Lady Aurora, his mistress. Once there she would attack from behind the door and drink her fill!

 Guilt would often wash over him, he was an accomplice to his sister's crimes! To avoid having to kill every night, Gideon allowed her to drink from him once again...

 ...but that was not enough for young Aurora! She wanted her brother to remain with her forever, and turned him against his will! "We will be together for all of eternity dear brother!" she purred as she drained his body and sealed his fate!

 For the next few days he was of no use to her, so Aurora went out "hunting" as soon as it was dark. When Gideon did eventually change...

 ...it was the end of everything he knew! The pain searing through his body, as if every organ was dying! He did not scream, did not cry out, he had nothing left! Everything he held dear had been taken from him!

 Aurora eventually left her brother, six months after making him a "monster" as Gideon called himself. He had promised his mother and father on their death beds that he would take care of her. They had both been spared of the plague but their parents were not so lucky! She never came back home, Gideon waited a long, long time living off of the blood of pigs, cattle and rats...but she never returned to their home!

 It would be another 300 years or so before he would see his sister again, 1878 to be precise. Now a wealthy man and living in his very own custom built mansion in Hallam's Cove, Gideon got the shock of his life when Aurora turned up on his doorstep with a little surprise in her arms...

"Hello dear brother!" she whispered in her sweet voice, holding a little boy! "This is your nephew, say hello to your Uncle Gideon, Avery!" the little boy looked at Gideon with Aurora's eyes before she was turned. He was beautiful!

 She sat him down on the marble floor and stroked his long hair, the same colour as his mother's, he was the image of her in every way!

 "I met a very charming young vagabond!" she began, "his name was Archie Rand, I became quite attached to him! Avery was the result of this...attachment!" she explained rather matter-of-factly!

"Sister? Please tell me this Archie is still..."

"Alive?" she snorted, "I'm afraid not brother! I got...carried away, as I always do and he is no more! I need you to take care of Avery for me!"

 She looked off into the distance with a sad expression, "I...love him you see! After all the horrible things I've done, I did something good for once...I want him to stay good, and with you he has that chance! With me, he will not survive, I'll either kill him or make him a monster like me! I want more for him!"

 "You can give him more Gideon, dear brother!"

"Is he...like us?"

"No, he is human. He eats and drinks and...well he is very human! Please say you will raise him? Tell him I am dead, that I was killed by the flu or small pox!"

"Aurora, he is a vision, like you were at his age! You have to be a part of that!"

"No! You must tell him I am dead, it is imperative! Promise me!"

"I promise!" Gideon sighed sadly.

 As she left her son on the floor of Gideon's home, she turned back briefly and said "This is the last you will see of me my brother! My beloved Gideon! I took so much away from you, this is my way of giving back! I love you!"

 Gideon heard the door slam shut, his sister gone forever! He looked down at the boy staring inquisitively at him and immediately scooped him up...

 ...Gideon had been so alone since he had married a human and lost her to old age. This was a chance of normality! A baby to raise and nurture!

 "I will not let you down, Avery!"

 At eight years of age, young Avery Rand was worryingly intelligent! He was so bright it surprised his Uncle! Gideon home schooled him of course, Avery was not a normal child...

 ...when he was six years old, Avery had a horrible fall down the stairs and to all intents and purposes broke his neck! Gideon was devastated, he wasn't breathing...then something amazing happened, he came back to life!

 Gideon contacted a Shaman who examined the boy, concluding that although he was not a vampire like his mother and uncle, he wasn't a human like his late father either. The Shaman said he was a rare individual indeed, a "damphyr" was what they called it, a child of a vampire and a human...

 ...this beautiful, intelligent boy who hated wearing shoes was immortal! He could not die, as far as they were aware! He studied hard and adored his uncle Gideon with all of his being!

 He continued to study and learn right into his teens! On Avery's 16th birthday, Gideon had a gift for him, it was a special book of Celtic designs. He was fascinated by their symbols and meanings...

 ...any book would have been the ideal gift for young Avery but as it was a gift from his beloved uncle, it was doubly special!

 "Thank you Uncle! It's just what I wanted, how did you know?"

"An uncle knows these things my boy!" he laughed and for a moment forgot himself, "Your mother would be so proud of you, I wish she would see what a handsome man you have become!"

 "What did you say uncle?" Avery pulled roughly from Gideon's grip,

"Sorry my boy? I said I wish your mother could see the man you've become..."

"No you said would!"

 "Uncle Gideon...is...my mother...alive?" Avery's voice cracked when he said the word "alive", if his uncle had been lying to him all this time he would just die! Everything he knew would be a lie!

"Avery..."

"IS SHE ALIVE???"

"Yes..."

 "AVERY!!!" Gideon called out to his nephew, the panic in his voice as he ran as fast as he could leaving the book lying on the floor at his uncle's feet, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING???"

 "Please stop! Let me explain..."

  Avery stood at the front door and looked sadly at his uncle, "I have to find her!"

 A hundred more years passed and Gideon was once again alone! He had heard that Avery had moved back to Hallam's Cove and was working for Matheus Roche. He visited once to tell him that he was unsuccessful in tracking down his mother. Gideon was able to explain why he'd told him Aurora was dead and they buried the hatchet, uncle and nephew once again! Despite having been reunited with his charge, Gideon liked to visit his wife Mary's tomb on a nightly basis, and on this night a young woman had followed him...

"I see you watching me young miss, please, I am far too old for these games...what do you want?"

"I watch you here, every night vampire! You're lonely..."

"...what if I could put an end to that loneliness?"

"Please child, the only way I will not be lonely is if I turn someone and make them my progeny and as I am not prepared to do so because I have never tasted the blood of a human for over 400 years, then I will remain lonely!" 

 "You misunderstand me Mr Evers! My name is Doctor Helena Vale, I am a scientist and I specialise in prolonging the lifespan. I have found a way for a human to live forever...if they choose it!"

 "I need you to help me with my research. I can create human life that can live forever, a young woman who will live with you and be your companion! All I ask in return is funding for my research and constant progress reports from you!"

Gideon shot up and pointed his finger angrily at this doctor woman, "ALL YOU WANT IS MY MONEY!!!"

"That is true Mr Evers, but we both get something out of it, I get to continue my research and you..."

"...well you get to love again!"

 Eight months later Doctor Vale was true to her word and delivered "Project X" to Gideon, she was created from parts of other women who had donated their bodies to science upon their deaths, but she had personality and charm...and despite her scars...she was beautiful!

"I can't keep calling you Project X, we must think of a name for you..."

"...I know! I'll name you Samirah, it means companion!"

"That is a lovely name Mr Evers!"

"NO! Please call me Gideon?"

"Gideon!"

"I've been lonely for so long, no matter, I have you for company from now on!"

Present Day

 "What happened?" Avery asked his uncle as the bloody tears ran down his porcelain face,

"I...have been misled! I paid a large sum of money to a Doctor Vale and...I got attached to her...I even...loved her! And now she is dead! She said there was nothing she could do, the project failed..."

"Uncle, what project? You're not making any sense!"

"Project X she called her, I called her Samirah, you know what it means it..."

"...it means companion! Did you say Doctor Vale? Helena Vale?"

"Yes! She made me a companion, promised me she would live forever...but she...she's gone Avery!" 

 "What do you want to do uncle?"

"I..."

"...I want her to PAY!!!"

To be continued...