New Moons (Immortal love series) 3

Still caught in her slumber Ashleigh followed David's instructions and sat at the wooden family table. Gently something soft nudged her thigh causing her to look down only to see the mountain cat. Momentary panic overtook her body before flashes of last night returned to her cleared mind – it was Simba, David's highly unorthodox pet. Slowly she stroked Simba's head as the large feline purred before nuzzling back.What's your secret?

David shooed the animal bringing Ashleigh her breakfast on a white, clean, porcelain plate. Simba returned and laid his chin on her thigh purring softly.

"No." David stated casing Ashleigh to break away from the food lying beneath her nose, "You know where your breakfast is." He watched Simba who seemed to acknowledge David's words and sulked off out of the door.

"You made him breakfast?" Ashleigh enquired.

David flashed a grin, heart stopping – even if he was her brother – but shook his head, "He has to hunt to eat his breakfast."

"You mean he has to kill?" Ashleigh asked again not quite believing the thought of the gentle beast killing a helpless animal.

Seemingly David understood her thoughts, after all she had been raised in a controlled society where food was already killed and packaged, "I don't want him to become too domesticated. He knows he'll be fed for dinner."

The logic made sense but somehow her only thought was the next time she would see the beast it would be covered in blood from its latest devour. Finally David nudged her plate reminding her that there was her own breakfast elegantly cooked by her brother –remember that... brother... brother...

"So you're my brother?" Ashleigh asked after lightly nipping on a succulent sausage impaled on the end of her fork. David nodded but did not speak. "And our mother..."

"Dead." David answered quite bluntly.

"But last night?" Ashleigh took another timid bite of the sausage.

David sighed, "I don't know what happened last night, it's something we're going to have to figure out."

"We're?"

"Oh, sorry. I understand if you don't want to. I know someone who may know something so you don't have to come." David quickly rectified his error – she still must be unsure about him.

"No, no. it's fine. After all it does involve me." David nodded along but still kept quiet.

Finally she had to scratch the metaphorical itch, "So magic?"

David remained annoyingly quiet.

"I'm a witch?"

"Technically a sorcerer, a witch uses spirits."

"Ok start from the beginning." Ashleigh stated confused already by the new world she found herself thrust into.

In the hour that ensued David told Ashleigh all he could about everything he knew. The various types of magic, when and where they were born, how they fell in love, the fight, the curse, the death, all her past lives, and their future objectives: Find their mother, destroy their mother, destroy the curse. When all was done and finished David waited patiently for Ashleigh to say something, anything. Several times during their talk whenever she became sceptical about magic and sorcery David deliberately used energy magic to show her, he called a ball of flame to hover in the air, a 'be light' spell and a telekinetic spell to move her plate of barely touched food.

Ashleigh's head pounded, her heartbeat reverberated in her eardrums. Everything she had just been told defied natural law, the things she had seen defied the laws of physics. She needed a moment to think feeling faint from the purge of information.

After a cumbersome silence Ashleigh stood up abruptly and literally ran into her room – as told by David.

The room she barged into looked much like the guest room except with more personal items that gave the room character. A wooden framed bed sat in the right hand corner running lateral down the right wall. Plush purple – one of her favourite colours – covers spread out over the mattress. At the foot of the bed stood a large wooden and regal wardrobe made from solid oak and very old yet preserved immaculately that made her think it had been more than natural intervention. On the top of the wardrobe sat a row of ornamental items. A small china doll sat at the far back left resting against the corner of the room while ahead of that was a more modern teddy with yellow synthetic fabric in the shape of a bear. On the far right corner leaning against the back wall was a porcelain plate with a stencilled symbol on the head. They all resembled things that Ashleigh liked but she was looking at them through strangers eyes they held no meaning without their respective memories.

Ashleigh threw open the wooden doors of the wardrobe careful not to smash the parallel mirror on the left door facing the wall. Inside was to be expected with tens if not hundreds of clothing – again, the type of things that she would wear, some of the clothing however was extremely old such as the Victorian dress with the frilly hem and tight V neck to expose the bosom, beside that was a whalebone corset with intercalating laces for tightening.

Underneath all of the clothing at the base of the wardrobe was a pile of eight books bound in dyed red leather looking very old and yet at the same time regal and personal. She grabbed the first book and began reading:

1429

David has become obsessed with finding the cure. He thinks the cure may lay with another sorcerer who moved to Constantinople, so that's where we're going – I can't leave him to go alone now can I...

As much as I love David I think his search for the cure has become more feverent. He's finally managed to track down a ship that will take us – it's a trading ship and he's asked me to look presentable meaning I have to wear the dresses of the culture rather than my own clothing. Thankfully he's taught me how to write my diary even when away from home so all I have to do is think about what to write.

The trading ship David bought has just left so I'm writing this using the magic David taught me. The captain's quite nice, an old man who loves being out at sea. Our rooms nice too, David made sure that he and I shared the room together, for some reason he's become very protective of me, maybe he's forgotten he was the one who taught me how to hunt. The captain tells me it's going to be three days on the boat before they make land. I don't mind being with David but each day with us together unable to express our love keeps playing on my mind. David said he doesn't care that we can't 'be together' but I keep thinking differently... it's the most natural way to tell him of my feelings yet we can't. The urges keep getting stronger but we know as soon as we do finally I'll be gone. I just hope we find this man before we do anything.

Please god let us be free and together...

As she read quietly Ashleigh let a single tear trickle down her face, it was her life, of that much was certain. And it was certainly clear how in love she was with David despite there being a genetic link. As she read the pages she finally came to understand their bond together, they were more than brother and sister, even more than lovers but were indeed soul mates. David and Ashleigh belonged together she even felt as much lying deep inside herself that she too loved David with an unrelenting want. So perhaps if they released this curse that plagued them both David and Ashleigh could be together.

She finally understood David and her own societally challenged relationship and was determined to give it a shot.

"So what do we have to do?" Ashleigh asked standing on the stairwell facing David who was still sitting at the wooden table, head in hands.

He looked up from where he was sitting before determining quickly what she had meant. Given what he had told her he guessed at what her vague question was referring to.

"I know a man." He said looking at her, staring into her hazel eyes. "He should be able to help."

Ashleigh nodded.

The bar David drove to was quite literally the last place on earth that Ashleigh expected. Situated on the southern bank of the river Thames the small bar was a local tavern for sailors longing for a cheap beer and a good fight. The small grubby looking structure was wedged between two large warehouses like a child between two adults. The murky stagnant air of the river wafted in the night bringing with it a slight eerie mist and chilly temperatures. David unbuckled his seatbelt before facing Ashleigh.

"Before we go in I want to explain something first."

Ashleigh nodded but remained quiet except blowing out a small puff of air ready for another major game changer of information.

"The guy we have to see, you know him. Well, the old you. He might say something's that confuse you, or say something that you have no idea what he's talking about but don't worry nothing will happen. Just remember everyone in here has an ulterior motive and nothing is said straight. Don't agree to anything you don't know about and don't look afraid or intimidated."

"Now they already know that we're here, they have listening spells all over the place but you're safe in this car, so whatever you want to say please say now."

She remained quiet.What the hell have we gotten mixed into?

"One other thing." David said.

Ashleigh turned and faced him staring into his deep brown eyes.

"Whatever happens in there... this is for me."

He cupped her cheek in his hand before leaning in and pressing his hot mouth to hers. His lips remained closed careful not to scare her with the unexpected intimacy. Even so the touch of her soft warm yet moist lips mashed against his own felt incredible sending sensations of pleasure he never thought he would feel again. That little hole that had always damned his heart grew just a smidgen smaller.

Ashleigh closed her eyes and revelled in the intimate contact. Though not expecting a kiss as intense as this when he did the overwhelming sensations soon took precedence over her moralities. Her own hand snaked upwards to cup his face before her lips parted involuntarily. David reciprocated in full gently sliding his tongue along her bottom lip sensually probing and exploring before divulging deeper into her waiting orifice. Ashleigh followed suit allowing her tongue to gently rub across David's exploring a mouth that seemed so alien yet familiar.

The siblings remained inside the car kissing with a renewed strength as if they were all that remained; the outside world oblivious to their existence.

David was the first to break away leaving Ashleigh a yearning for more. When she finally regained her senses her breaths were short and rapid with a slight flush over her face bringing out an angelic aura.

David stepped out his car before opening the passenger door for Ashleigh.

Remember the saying: Can't judge a book by its cover? Well in this instance you can, this was the exact thought of Ashleigh as the tavern door swung open allowing the pent up stench of stale alcohol and grime to escape into the salty river air. Inside was exactly as expecting if not somewhat worse. Rowdy sailors'' clogged the long wooden bar, assortments of mixed alcohol, peanuts and other grub littered the wooden top spilling over the side and onto the grimy floor. The floor was scattered with wood chips and sawdust, random splotches of red stood out indicating a fight had broken out with injuries enough to draw blood. Mahogany table tops with a poor quality finish, caked in dried alcohol and other substances best left unknown loitered around the room with no discernible pattern. Out of the twelve tables nine of them housed a too drunken man who at some point during the day had become so incapacitated they were unconscious in the chair they sat. At the far back of the room three men pitted against each other in a game of darts laughing bawdily when the other missed their target.

David seemed amiss to the chaos, even when he side stepped casually to avoid the sloppy punch thrown by a man with too much beer in his system. Without batting an eyelid to the unconscious horde he casually strolled to the back of the bar where a lone man sat drinking the foul liquid. Ashleigh followed close behind trying her best to keep a straight face and not show the extreme discomfort within. The lone man finally looked up from his mug as David and Ashleigh pulled up a chair at his table. With his drink gone he laid the mug neatly in a line with several others – twelve to be precise.

The man was the poster child for the alcoholic man who had spent much his life on a deck and not a home. With unkempt skin dirt and sweat masked his face giving an oily black sheen. A deep and ugly purple scar stretched along his face starting from under his right eye and ending just beside the corner of his mouth. Atop his head was a thick mass of jet black hair that had not seen shampoo or even water for many days. A scraggy thick black beard was just beginning to bloom giving patches of random stubble. When he spoke his breath virtually dripped with the foul stench of cheap beer and tobacco. A hint of a Russian accent gave suspicion to the man's natural nationality.

"Ah, Mr Stanhope I trust your drive was pleasant."

"Let's cut the shit Mikhail. I trust you have what I need?" David said.

The man clasped his hands together grinning stupidly, "Why David a little civility please. I trust he doesn't speak to you like this my dear?" He turned to Ashleigh as if actually a serious question.

Ashleigh stammered several times without coherency but it was the low growl from David that drew back Mikhail's attention.

"Fine yes I have the item." The man reached underneath the table before hefting a black leather suitcase onto the table and turning the case to face David and Ashleigh. His fingers worked nimbly for a second over the golden plated latches on the side releasing a springing mechanism that instantly opened the top to reveal the inside. The inside of the case was lined with beautiful deep red velvet contradicting the dull exterior. But it was the item in the middle, the item in question, that was the star. A gleaming silver dagger.

The blade was at least eight inches long and three inches wide looking as razor sharp as it is deadly. The handle while wooden and five inches long was intricately carved with skilful markings the most obvious being the form of an ash tree.

"It is yours." Mikhail said while holding up his hand like a student in class. Within moments a waitress who looked more burly than female arrived holding another glass mug filled to the brim with a straw coloured liquid. She placed the glass directly in front of Mikhail before walking away; Mikhail lifted the glass before gulping down a good third of the vile brew. "For a price."

"Mikhail you are three words away from losing your liver." David growled with an angry look on his face, his jaw clenching along with his fists underneath the table."

Ashleigh placed her hand over his own entwining their fingers in an effort to subdue his anger 'case he made true his threat. She secretly smiled as she felt a reassuring squeeze of his hand as his expression softens slightly.

Mikhail seemed indifferent to his anger as if enjoying his psychological torment; "Again with the brutality David. Yes, we are all aware of your penchant for violence."

His statement brought the acute awareness of his scar causing Ashleigh to observe it more closely. This in turn caused Mikhail to break away from looking at David to notice Ashleigh; slowly Mikhail ran his hand down his face over the purple angry scar. "My dear it is rude to stare."

Ashamed and embarrassed to be caught Ashleigh quickly averted her eyes but tried to keep her expression neutral as David had told her, Mikhail literally burst out laughing, an wide yet malicious grin on his face, "So the rumours are true!" His overemphatic boisterous laughing continued, "She does not remember."

The entire bar became deathly silent as every pair of eyes seemed to settle on their table. Even those not moments ago snoring loudly became suddenly alert as they watched the drama unfold. David was at breaking point, his face scrunched up as his skin turned deep red. With an inhuman roar he stormed out of his chair knocking it over before leaning over the table and grabbing Mikhail by the collar of his dirty shirt. His left hand balled into a fist and hurtled towards Mikhail aimed at his face.

"David!" Ashleigh shrieked.

Mikhail eyes were scrunched close and his teeth clenched together awaiting the impact. After several long tense seconds he finally opened his eyes to see David sat back at his seat, his hand clutched with his sisters who regarded Mikhail with a somewhat smug expression. Mikhail cleared his voice before speaking but it did nothing to prevent the stressful tone of his voice, fear evident with every syllable. "M-Mr David, you are a noble man. Let's make a deal for the dagger shall we?"

Calmed down a little David nodded a managed a curt smile.

"Ah, Rasputin's dagger... a rare item indeed. Took me eighty years to track it down."

Ashleigh gave David a quizzical stare but could not stop the question popping out her mouth, "Rasputin?"'Why does he need a dagger belonging to Rasputin?'

Mikhail answered her question, "The mad monk, my dear"

"I don't get it."

"What do you know of Rasputin, my dear?" Mikhail asked.

Ashleigh replied, all her knowledge from a single semester based on Russian history, finally she ended, "... he was asked to heal Alexi Romanov from haemophilia. He started to slander the royal family and was stabbed, poisoned, shot and downed before he was killed."

The entire time she was explaining what she knew Mikhail steadily nodded along with a creepy smiled played out, his new friendly attitude becoming increasingly creepier by the second. Thankfully David took over the explanation.

"What most people don't know is that Rasputin was actually immortal. That's why he could heal haemophilia – he gave his own blood in a drink. When he was killed he was stabbed with this knife, a very holy priest cursed the knife to be able to break any spell that the victim may be under. It was this knife that was the reason he was finally killed."

"So you want to use the dagger to break the curse?" Ashleigh asked.

David held his breath as he finally nodded. It was too late to keep the secret he wanted to break the curse, just by buying it from Mikhail one could guess the reason behind it, but having all his plans revealed in one night with people he didn't trust was unsettling.

"Eighteen." David said to Mikhail.

"Twenty." Mikhail countered.

"Eighteen and you keep your life." David said.

"David please I have four children to feed."

"Then be lucky they still have a father."

"Nineteen and a half." Mikhail finally settled on.

David finally closed his eyes and sighed, "Deal." The two men shook hands before David closed the case and put it beside his chair. Mikhail downed the rest of his beverage in a single gulp before laughing weakly. If it hadn't been for Ashleigh sitting beside him it would have been easier to simply kill the man and take the case – although given her attitude of dislike to the man he doubted if she would have any objections.

The chilly night air felt great against her warm face. The foul stench of the tavern lingering in her nose for a brief second before the salty river smell washed her sinuses. She looked out to the river watching the shimmering reflections of the houses and night sky against the murky darkness. A single yacht was moored on the opposite side, bobbing very slightly against the weak current. Without any noise David appeared besides her looking out at the water.

"Kiss me." She heard the voice but it seemed deep within her head not her ears.