Curse of the Asuune

Chapter 2

"No need to sneak around, Katie," the preacher said loudly from his office.

How did he know she was there and more importantly, how did he know it was her? Before she was sent to live in a foster home, her name had been Kathrine, Katie for short. How could Albet possibly know she was the one sneaking around in his church?

There was no use sneaking now, so she yelled back loudly. "Come out of the office with your hands up!" She had no intention of arresting him, but she also had no intention of walking into his office, where he had the advantage.

Although she was just an analyst, she had taken many classes on how to use a gun and many self-defense courses. She had also continued her studies after becoming an analyst, in the hopes of one day becoming a profiler for the FBI. Even though she had never been out in the field, she had studied every aspect of it.

"Alright, sweetie, I'm coming," Albet said calmly.

"I'm not your sweetie!" Lyndsee snapped.

Mark walked out of the office with his hands up, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I knew this day would come, but I didn't think it would be this soon. I apparently haven't done a very good job of hiding. You just became an FBI agent," Mark said, turning his gaze to Lyndsee. His eyes didn't look evil, they looked kind and caring, and the look on his face was not angry, more disappointed.

"I know what you are!" Lyndsee shouted, trying to change the subject. It was disturbing that this man, the man who killed her mother, had been watching her.

"Katie, I don't think you do. Now please put down the gun. I don't want you hurting yourself," Mark said, lowering his hands.

"I have oak bullets with silver tips, and I know you are a vampire," Lyndsee's voice got quieter, she almost didn't believe what she was saying.

Mark didn't react the way she had assumed. He didn't seem alarmed, nor was he even upset.

"I'm not a vampire," Mark replied with a laugh.

"I don't believe you! This is for my mother!" Lyndsee shouted as she fired off all six rounds.

The shots were spread out all over the place, and only one of them hit his chest. This gun had way more kick than the ones she had practiced with, so even at about twenty feet she couldn't hit the same spot twice. It wasn't that she couldn't handle a gun, her nerves mixed with the unexpected kick of this gun, just threw off her aim.

Mark stood in front of Lyndsee and looked down at his bloody white shirt. Mark laughed as the hole in his chest stained his shirt with blood, not an evil laugh, more in disbelief that Lyndsee had actually shot him. He didn't take a step toward Lyndsee. Instead of getting angry, he calmly crossed his arms and spoke.

"Now I'm going to need a new shirt. And those bullets wouldn't work on a vampire either," Mark said jokingly.

"Buthbut-how?" was all that Lyndsee could say.

"Katie, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Vampires aren't like the ones from movies and books. You need to be smarter," Mark spoke softly, not condescendingly.

"Quit calling me Katie!" Lyndsee screamed at him. The futility of her situation left her with little else to say. She couldn't kill him and probably wouldn't escape. This was wrong, her careful planning had gone horribly wrong.

"You're right; you're a little old for Katie. How about Kate?" Mark asked, kindly.

"My name is Lyndsee," Lyndsee said through gritted teeth as she slowly walked backwards. Maybe if she could distract him, she could make it to the door, find someone else, maybe a crowd. He wouldn't want too many witnesses.

"You're right; Kate doesn't quite fit either. But, your name is not Lyndsee, it's Kathrine," Mark rebutted, still quite calm.

Mark started walking toward Lyndsee, and she turned to run. The agile man caught up with her quickly and grabbed her shoulders. His grip was strong, far too strong for a human.

"If you're not a vampire, then what the hell are you?" Lyndsee struggled to escape his grasp but it was no use.

"What I am is complicated. I can tell you that I'm called Asuune, but that word means nothing to you. So you will need to listen to my story," Mark said calmly as he picked up Lyndsee and sat her in a pew.

"Why did you kill my mom?" Lyndsee was now crying. She had given up trying to escape, but maybe she could get some answers before he killed her.

"That's also complicated, again you will need to listen to my story," Mark said as he sat down next to her in the pew.

"I don't want to listen to a story; I want you dead!" Lyndsee screamed as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Kathrine please," Mark said as he tried to wipe the tears from her face, but Lyndsee quickly pulled away.

"Don't touch me!" Lyndsee yelled, but slightly quieter. The reality of the situation was beginning to sink in. She couldn't do anything unless he allowed it, but she needed some sense of control.

"Ok, I'm sorry," Mark said, sliding a few inches away to give Lyndsee some room. "Let me tell you my story, and then you can decide."

"Decide what?" Lyndsee asked quietly.

"Decide if you want to join me or-"

Lyndsee interrupted. "Or you kill me, right!?" The volume in Lyndsee's voice came back.

"Now, why would I kill you? I've spent the last seven years doing everything I can to protect you. You can decide whether to join me or forget about me. Forget everything I tell you and quit looking for me. I will leave and never see you again. I hadn't realized how living so close to you was actually putting you in more danger. But, once you know the truth, you will be able to protect yourself. If you choose to leave you will at least know what to look out for. I will even leave you with a name, someone who can find me, in case you are ever in a situation where you need me." Mark paused and gave Lyndsee time to think this over.

"Fine, I will listen, but I will never forgive you," Lyndsee spat back. She hated this man with everything she had. He had taken her mother from her, and he needed to pay.

"I don't need your forgiveness; I didn't kill your mother. I have come to terms with you hating me, and that's fine. Whatever it takes to keep you safe. But I didn't let you find me because I want forgiveness. I let you find me because you were getting too close to the truth. A very dangerous truth." Mark looked at his hands, trying to figure out how to say what was on his mind.

"You didn't kill mom? Then why let me believe it was you?" Lyndsee asked, confused.

"You see, there are events in a person's life. Things that change you so completely that you become another person. I've been lucky enough to have several good ones along with the bad. Something most people don't get, or simply don't appreciate. The first was when I met your mother. She changed my life so much that I wasn't the same person anymore. I was happy for the first time in my life. But, little did I know that it was nothing compared to the event that came next. The day you were born. That single event changed my life so much more than any event before or since. I can barely describe the feeling of suddenly being more concerned for someone else's life. And when your mother died, your safety became more important than you liking me." Mark stopped. He had held this in for far too long. Finally, his daughter would know the truth about him.

"Dad?" Tears ran down Lyndsee's face. She had no idea what to say. Lyndsee believed him immediately, though she had no reason to. Every piece of evidence, every witness account, everything said that her dad had killed her mom. But hearing him say he didn't do it? That all of this was to keep her safe? What else could she believe? He was her dad.

"Now, I'm not a vampire, but I am something. Something you might find hard to believe." Mark paused. "I'm half angel," Mark stated. He knew how it sounded, but he needed Katie to hear it. It would make his story easier to understand if she knew.

"Half angel? You're a Nephilim?" Lyndsee asked in disbelief.

"No, you're a Nephilim, I'm something called Asuune," Mark said matter-of-factly.

"Haven't you ever wondered why you are physically stronger and faster than everyone else? Have you ever even gotten a cold?" Mark asked then waited patiently for the answer.

"No, I don't think I've ever been sick," Lyndsee replied absentmindedly as she went over her life.

Strangely this made sense. She had always known there was something different about her. In track, she could beat anyone without trying. She always put on the same weights as everyone else in the weight room because she didn't want to be noticed. As a teenager, the worst thing you can be is different. Her foster parents were kind and gentle people, but she could never tell them either. She didn't want them to change their mind about keeping her. It was hard enough to take in a teenager, she didn't want to give them any reason to send her away.

"So what is an Asuune?" Lyndsee asked.

"That, like most things in my life, is more complicated than I can explain in one sentence," Mark replied with a sigh.

"So tell me your story," Lyndsee said. She was now ready to listen. Her urgency to run away or kill him had left. This was so much better than revenge, her dad was innocent.

Mark readied himself and then began. "I suppose I should start with the day your mother died-"