--
Pia was seventeen and her name was Mah-Nakht. She was a priestess.
She carefully placed her offering in front of the statue while she started to say her prayers.
A step sounded behind her and she broke off, annoyed.
''I'm sorry, did I disturb you?'' It was a woman, a woman with long black hair.
''You're not allowed in here.'' Mah-nakht said sharply. ''Only priests and priestesses..'' Her voice trailed off. There was something about her.
''I just want to talk to you.'' She said. Her voice was mesmerizing. ''It's important.''
Mah-nakht could sense power in this girl's voice. But evil? She wasn't too sure.
''My name is Maya, and what I'll tell you may save your life.''
She stood still. A part of her wanted to run and get away from Maya. But a part of her was curious. ''I really shouldn't stop in the middle of a chant.''
''It's about the stranger.''
Mah-nakht felt herself gasp. ''I don't know what you're talking about.'' She said shakily.
''Oh, yes you do. The stranger. Tall, dark, handsome..with such sad eyes. The one you have been meeting secretly.''
Mah-nakht could feel her whole body shaking. She was a priestess, sworn to the gods. If anyone found about her meeting a man..
''Oh, don't worry, little one.'' Maya laughed. ''I won't turn you in. I want to help you.''
''We haven't done anything.'' Mah-nakht snapped. ''He says he doesn't want me to leave the temple. He will go away soon. He says we will be together in the next life.''
''No wonder.'' Maya touched her hair, and she pulled away instinctively. ''No wonder you believed him. I suppose you think you love him.''
''I do love him.'' She blurted out before she could stop herself. ''But I know my duty.'' She didn't want to tell Maya about the remarkable things she'd seen with him, about the promise, about the connection.
''You believed him? Oh my child, you're so innocent. I suppose that comes from living in a temple.'' She looked around and shrugged. ''I hate to tell you this, but the stranger does not love you. He is a evil man, a very evil man.''
Mah-nakht gasped. She had heard of demons like that, but she couldn't believe this. He seemed so gentle..so compassionate.
''It's true.'' Maya said. ''Why else would he want to taste your blood?''
''How do you know?'' She bit her lip.
''You have been meeting him at night when everyone was asleep.'' She went on. ''You thought it wouldn't hurt to let him drink a little of your blood. Just a little. But what you do not know is that he is a demon and he wants you dead.''
The voice went on and on about demons who drink blood and people who change into wolves. Mah-nakht's head began to spin, she could feel her heart breaking. Tears were forcing themselves out of her closed eyelids.
She couldn't deny that the stranger acted a little like a demon. Why else would he want to drink her blood?
And the feeling of destiny..he must have tricked her with spells.
''Look at me.'' Maya said, it was a mistake to look at her. They seemed to turn different colours from moment to moment. She was caught in a spell, she couldn't look away. ''Remember all that, remember this.. how he kills you.''
It actually seemed to Pia that she was two different people. Mah-nakht saw Maya disappearing, and the stranger walking in from the entrance, his arms raised. He pulled her in a rib-crushing hug. He showed his teeth.
Pia saw that Maya never left the temple. Her face and body rippled as if she was made of water. It was as if there were two images. The outward image was Abhay, it was Maya underneath him.
She felt her flesh tearing up, teeth sinking in.
''That's how she did it.'' Pia breathed and jumped up on the sofa. ''That's how Maya killed me.''
--
Misha threw the door open.
It was Raj. He was lying flat on the ground, his face turned the other way. She couldn't see if his eyes were open or not, it was too dark.
Everything seemed suspended for a minute.
If Raj died, if he had been killed..
Nothing will be all right. Nothing or no one will be able to make up for it. She would never be all right. She didn't know why, but she knew it was all true.
She couldn't breathe. Her arms and legs were out of her control.
Raj moved. He lifted his head up and pushed himself straight with his arms.
''Are you alright?'' Misha asked. It was a stupid thing to ask. His neck was bruised, there was blood on his shirt. His arm has a huge cut on it.
''What do you think?''
''Having problems in walking, Raj?'' Rhea appeared from behind the bush. She looked at Raj worriedly, and sighed.
Raj was getting up, shaking dirt off his shirt. ''I'm fine.''
''What happened?'' Panchi asked.
''He was attacked.'' Rhea answered. She took another deep sigh as she registered the injuries on his body.
''It wasn't an attack. It was a coward attacking from behind my back. I couldn't even see who or what it was. Before I knew it, he was gone and I was injured and covered in blood.'' Raj finished.
Misha's heart was thumping wildly. Her eyes never felt Raj's injury marks. She opened her mouth to speak, and shut it again.
''Come on in.'' Kabir opened the door. ''We have got some stuff to figure out.''
''But, first, erm, won't you want to clean up?'' Panchi raised an eyebrow at Raj.
''I took care of him, Panchi. Don't worry.'' Rhea smiled.
''I'm fine, okay.'' Raj rolled his eyes. ''Let's go in.''
Now that he was right, Misha wanted to forget what she had been feeling a minute ago, or what it meant.
What it meant, a voice inside her whispered, is that you are in big trouble, girl.
They all gathered around the table.
''So, what's the story?'' Panchi asked.
''The story is that there is no story.'' Misha stared at the paper in frustration. ''Look, let's start from the beginning. We don't know who did it, but we do know some things about them, right?''
''Right.'' Rhea nodded.
''First, the goat. Whoever killed the goat had to be strong, because staking it wouldn't have been easy. And whoever killed the goat had to know how your uncle was killed. And they had to have some reason for putting a black iris inside the goat's mouth, maybe they knew that it represents Raj's father as a Lord.''
''I think they are after Raj.'' Rhea shot a look at him, while Misha could feel her own heartbeat accelerating further. ''And they must have some reason to attack him, some reason to hate the vampires.''
''Whoever this person is, he or she is undoubtedly very smart, and over confident. They leave clues for us, and they leave such a mess behind them that we really don't know where to start.'' Raj said.
''Right.'' Misha said. She met Raj's gaze and saw something that startled her. As if it mattered to him that she thought he's smart.
Well, they were being nice to each other for the first time. Not arguing, just talking. It felt good.
''Do we have to keep thinking?'' Kabir said pathetically. ''I'm tired.'' Even Rhea slumped on the table. it was around 2 in the night.
''I don't think we are going to solve the mystery tonight.'' Rhea shrugged.
Misha didn't want to lie down. She didn't want her brain to wander about, think about..she didn't know what to think about. She didn't know what she wanted. ''If there wasn't a psychopathic vampire goat killer lurking around, I'd probably go near the lake outside.''
Raj nodded as if it was the most normal thing for a girl to go outside at the lake at 2. ''I'll come with you.''
PRECAP :
''You know, somebody told me this would happen.'' Raj said.
''That you'd come to a hill station and chase a goat killer?'' Misha grinned.
''No. That I'd care for somebody, and it would hurt.''
--
''I'm going to find him.'' Pia yelled. ''Maya gave me a clue. She didn't mean to, but she told me he had a house in Mumbai. I know where to start. I will find him in Mumbai.''
Edited by _Akanksha_ - 14 years ago
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