Chapter 7:

The Past, Present and Future

Vampire Lanterns


Glaring red eyes were stalking Yan, who was slowly walking over to the forest line. He didn't pay attention to the front of him, he was looking around and mostly behind him to make sure nobody was following him.
As he was about to disappear in the shadows of the pine tree canopy, a hairy arm with claws reached out and snatched him away. Yan didn't manage to give out any loud because the other hand covered his mouth.
His heart was racing out of fright. The beast began to drag him far away and also was accompanied by a second werewolf, which looked like a female, smaller but still had the same level of menace to it.
They crossed a quite far distance, till they reached a dirt road, where a man with a woman were standing with hoods over their heads. The male werewolf dropped Yan to the snowy ground. He looked up to the other two figures and they revealed their faces to him. One was that unknown companion of the male werewolf the other... the other!
Danica?! What?! He turned back and Elena now with some cloak covering her body stood behind. How come they are unharmed and alive? The last time he saw Elena who sat next to him was on the brink of death.
The mysterious male spoke. "Follow us, we will explain everything to you. But we can't stay here, they will soon track us down." The group returned to the cabin where they repaired the door so it wouldn't be too cold inside. The smell of burning pine wood lingered in the air with some dread, which Yan felt.
Now even the male werewolf was in a human form. Yan observed that two males and felt an odd familiarity. He swallowed and picked up the courage to finally speak up. "Who are you two guys and why do you follow me?!" Mirko with Luka exchanged looks and introduced to him both with a deep bow.
"Maybe you don't know us in this life, but you know us from your past one." Yan flinched. What are they talking about? Past life? That couldn't be! Yan didn't believe in such weird stuff but on the other hand... He didn't believe in supernatural beings and here in front of the fireplace stands a real-life werewolf.
"Then who was I? Why are you seeking me out now?" Mirko pushed a glass with some tea to Yan. "Well, in reality, you were reborn with a purpose into this specific world. It was on your own request." Yan couldn't believe those words that young Mirko fellow spoke. "Why would I do that?!"
Cross-armed Luka got mad and with one fist hit the side of the stone fireplace. "You already forgot HER?!" Confused Yan looked between Mirko and Luka. "Who did I forget?" Mirko sighed. "Petrona..."
That name! A sting in his heart indicated that something was special about it. "Was she important to me in my past life?!" Innocently as the question sounded it made Luka even more mad and with a scrunched nose he had to walk outside to breathe in fresh air to calm down. Mirko followed him with his eyes.
He was much more patient and understanding about Yan's situation. "In reality, you are a vampire prince... no, soon-to-be King. Your real name is Demyan and you came here to bring back to life the one and only you love..."
Yan was Demyan? Love? "What happened?" Mirko leaned his face into the palm of his hand and sipped a little of the tea to refresh his dry throat. "You were proposing to her at the same moment when an assassination attempt on you was conducted and she was greatly wounded by protecting you and passing away."
Shocked Demyan squeezed the mug in his hand. "Then is the possibility to resurrect her? And I came here to search for it?!" Mirko nodded. "The time flow in this world and ours is way different. One minute in our world means a year in this. What seemed like over 20 years here means over 20 minutes in ours.
You were lucky to make friends with a powerful demon who is still holding to the spell. We were waiting for you and when you didn't appear after 25 minutes we had to follow you into this world. We need to get that flower that grows unfortunately on the other side of this world. Danica explained when I told her about it. Your past and future is in our world. Time to get what you came for and abandon this present."

Danica lowered her head because she took a liking to Mirko and hearing those harsh words made her realize they would leave soon. Outside Luka was comforted by Elena. "Don't be so harsh on him. He lost his memory and for what I know he had to grow up all alone. So he hasn't it here easier."
Luka turned to her with a warm smile caressing her cheek. Her gentle demeanor reminded him of Petrona. They both her seemingly similar personalities. Luka began to be attracted to his new female friend.
Both returned inside, listening to the continuing conversation. Demyan turned to them asking how he would regain his old vampire self. Luka smirked. "Easily!" He suddenly grabbed him by the nape wrapping his finger around his neck and pushing him into the wall. He began to transform into a werewolf.
Yan was scared to the bone and struggled to free himself but he simply had no power... not in this human body anyway. What could he do?! Danica stood up and Mirko all calm touched her by the arm and pointed for her to sit down.
Elena also looked puzzled at Mirko and he shook his head. She was ready to intervene if he would just lift one finger. Luka opened his muzzle with all those sharp teeth and was eerily coming closer to Yan's neck. He was in full panic losing his mind over it.

Then it happened. Yan's head dropped. A weird aura surrounded Luka and Yan... Mirko smirked. "Finally!"