Haseena's Study, Raichand Mansion
Piya , Sambhav and Misha were sitting all tensed up in the Brit styled study of Haseena Raichand. John was quietly making coffee for everyone , stirring sugar in the delicate porcelain painted mugs. Haseena was standing at the large window , looking out at the beautiful meadows and flower beds of the Raichand estate, lit up in lamps. Chaand was rocking slowly in the antique grandfather's chair , tapping his ringed fingers on the arms of the chair. The only other sound that could be heard in the room besides the sugar-stirring and finger-tapping was the ticking of the huge time piece with a carved brass pendulum.
Sambhav ( breaking the silence ) – We can't undo what Anushka has done. Nobody can , without sacrificing her life. Zeenia is a Keeper and the best that she can do is defend and protect. Abhay in the clutches of Maithli means Abhay in the clutches of Natasha , the Bolshvas and consequently the Majesty…( throws up his hands) ….I think am going to have a nervous breakdown.
Chaand ( stands up and shakes his head )- This was so unexpected! So unexpected. And if all these troubles were not enough, Abheer is on his way. For what? To get hands on Abhay and hand him over to Majesty.
Haseena ( taking the cup of coffee that John is offering her with a sullen face) – And the onset of Vampire Slayers . The coming of Abhay's father……..We cannot counter anything if Abhay is taken aay from us. ….( sits down fuming)…I could have sucked every single drop of blood out of that Maithli when she walked into my house , holding Abhay's hand!
Piya( sadly)- What are we going to do now? I only see problems , problems and more problems.
Misha ( thinking )- Hmm….we all may not be friends with each-other but right now, we have to get together to save Abhay.
Chaand, Haseena and Piya look at Sambhav. He nods.
Sambhav ( seriousness in his grey eyes)- I know what you all are thinking. I am a werewolf who has been hunting down Abhay for centuries. I am not saying that am your friend….I am not. Like Majesty, even I seek Abhay for the sacrifice that will immune the entire bloodline of werewolves against deaths at the hands of vampires . I am just waiting for a particular planetary shift of the nine planets and I will attack Abhay…..sounds evil? Well, its my duty and am not defending myself. But as Misha just said, we are TOGETHER in the situation right now. It is in my interest to save Abhay and I will do whatever I can.
Misha looks at Sambhav horrified and Sambhav can see that she is seeing him as an enemy again but he had to be honest.
Sambhav ( continuing )- Don't have blind faith in me. But trust me on this account.
Haseena ( looks at Piya)- Piya…..you are our trumpcard. And I have no qualms in saying it on your face. You know that I do like you even though I never have and I never will support your relationship with Abhay as I have told you before. But if there is someone I can trust to break through Abhay inspite of Anushka's spell, its you.
Chaand ( keeping a fatherly hand on Piya's shoulder)- Abhay may have forgotten his love for you, child. But he remembers you. That is what the spell says. That is our only hope.
Sambhav ( concerned)- Its going to be a tough job, Piya. We need you to keep an eye on Abhay. His life with Maithli and what she and Natasha are going to do.
Misha ( gets worried )- But that will put Piya in danger! We are endangering her to supernatural villains!
Piya ( holds down Misha's hand)- AM READY. ….(tears of strength shining in her eyes)…..its about Abhay. End of matter. He may not love me but I do and I always will.
Just then, the door is thrown open and a whistling Anushka walks in , her eyes sparkling and her mischievous smile bigger than her face. Everybody looks at her in shock . Hair cut short into a sexy bob with flecks, heavily kohled eyes , bright red lipshade on her rose-bud mouth ,a diamond stud glittering on her pretty nose , a hideous vest teamed with denim hot pants and velvet brown boots climbing up her long fair legs. Uh,oh. Wait that's Zeenia.
Sambhav ( blinking his eyes)- What the Beep Beep Beep did you do to Annie!
Piya ( shocked )- You cut Anushka's brown curls?????????????? Are you MAD? She is gonna kill you?
Misha ( her mouth falling open )- RED? Anushka would need a master cleanse !
Haseena ( looking at her in disgust )- Zeenia, as far as I know , you are supposed to KEEP Anushka's body and not turn it into a gothic disaster.
Zeenia rolls her eyes , makes a face at the coffee that John offers her , checks out Sam making him conscious , climbs on Chaand's study desk , dangling her legs and looks at all of them.
Zeenia ( puckers her rose bud mouth )- Tut,tut, tut. You guys need to stop behaving like unpaid bodyguards and get back to business. I need to protect this curly haired chick from some witches and vampires while you all need to find a way to protect your precious Abhay. …..(rolls her eyes)…stop gawking at me , will you? John, a martini please. Coffee is for smug intellectuals, not for hotties like me!
John shakes his head and goes out , closing the door behind him quietly. Zeenia winks at Sam and Sam is just not able to handle this version of Anushka . Misha notices the look-exchange between the two and her jaw tightens. Great! Now, we have spirits flirting with Sam as well.
Chaand ( seriously)- Zeenia, all I care about is that you do your job of protecting Piya without fail. Natasha , Maithli , Bolshvas and now, Abheer will attack Piya if she is seen within 500 yards of Abhay.
Sambhav- You have to be her shadow. You are Anushka in her life now and I hope you understand the meaning of that.
Zeenia ( raises an eyebrow ) – I am older than you Sam or anyone else in this room. I have kept more than a 700 bodies in my life span of 1900 years. Don't take me on face value . I know the promise and deal that I made with Anushka. Piya is PROTECTED.
John brings in the Martini and Zeenia picks it up. Sipping it , she hops off the table, and goes to check out the books in the huge book cases. Haseena gives her a look that screams 'I-DON'T-LIKE-YOU'.
Piya ( clearing her throat )- I trust her. Anushka chose her and I trust her choice.
Haseena – Still, be careful around her. Except for Anushka's body and her powers, Zeenia is nothing like Anushka.
Piya nods.
Piya ( innocently )- I need to ask something. Regarding Abhay. Can I ?
Chaand, Haseena and Sambhav exchange looks and then, nod at Piya as a puzzled Misha looks on.
Piya ( looks quite broken )- I understand Maithli wanting Abhay. She is desperate. But why everyone? Sambhav …( looks at him in disappointment )…., the Bolshvas, somebody called Majesty and now….Abheer…WHY ABHAY?
Sambhav looks guilty all over again, no matter how hard he tries to hide it. Chaand and Haseena look stricken while Zeenia smirks at the supernatural trio as she runs her fingers over the book rows.
Zeenia ( ridiculing )- Tell, tell, tell the secrets pussy cats. I am sure the chick deserves to know just why you all 'LURVE' Abhay so much. Hmmm? Or should I tell her….Chaand Uncle?
Chaand( raising his hand )- Zeenia. Shut up…..(turns to Piya)…..I don't know why am I telling you all this, Piya. Maybe because you are someone who is guaranteed not to backstab Abhay or us. I know it sounds wickedly unbelievable that why would anyone want Abhay. ……( looks at her searchingly )….you know what is a solar eclipse?
Misha ( rolling her eyes)- Uncle, what has Solar Eclipse got to do with Abhay?
Sambhav – Everything.
Piya ( puzzled)- Yes….i do understand what a solar eclipse is. Moon passing between earth and sun and eclipsing the sun totally. But what is the point?
Chaand – The point is that Abhay is not just a vampire. He is a powerhouse of energy. Me and Haseena turned him into a vampire to save him from an ugly death sacrifice at the hands of his sorcerer father…..more than 350 years ago. But the catch is that the completion of the ritual of turning him into a vampire happened right at the time of a total solar eclipse. Something that has never happened in the history of vampires on this earth.
Piya ( shocked and confused )- H-How does that make Abhay different?
Haseena – Abhay is the most powerful vampire on this earth, Piya….yes, more powerful than even the majesty. He combines the power of both the moon and the sun. He is a walking superpower who cannot be killed by any human-being or any supernatural force. The only way to finish Abhay is to kill him during a particular hour on a particular solar eclipse that comes only once every hundred years. The werewolves want Abhay so that they can sacrifice him and release themselves from the curse of turning into a werewolf by force every full moon.
Zeenia ( finishing her martini )- Majesty and Bolshvas want Abhay because drinking Abhay's blood will immortalize and immunize Majesty forever. Majesty is cursed to be devoured by his own race every 500 years on a full day. But he has escaped always. Those killer 24 hours , he has escaped them. Trying to find a solution, he came to know that Abhay was a powerhouse. Infact…..Chaand Uncle and Haseena Aunty themselves told him….(flutters her eyelashes at them)…right?
Misha ( horrified )- What????????....Both of you?
Piya ( in disbelief )- Abhay is your son……you exposed him to Majesty?
Sambhav ( defensively )- They had no option.
Chaand ( nods)- Yes. Abhay was unconscious and we were attacked by Bolshvas in their area, with Majesty, disguised as a teenager , heading the attack. Me and Haseena could not fight them. I had to bait Majesty. I promised him Abhay if he spared our lives.
Haseena – He agreed and obviously, we betrayed him. We promised Abhay to the Bolshvas and we went back on our word. Now, Majesty has to get Abhay by playing political. Abhay can't be taken away against his will. Majesty can't come to Abhay . Abhay has to go to him on his own will.
Sambhav ( going behind Misha to escape Zeenia's eye games )- Abheer is Abhay's vampire brother who was activated by Bolshvas. Separated at birth , found by Majesty and yeah, Bolshva Breeding. Abheer can even compete with Majesty in 'who is more evil' competition. I still can't believe that he is coming back.
Piya ( her head reeling )- A-And vampire slayers?
Chaand – We don't know who they are. But they are coming. To finish Abhay. They know Abhay's secret. They want to kill evil before it flourishes.
Piya ( stunned)- Evil? Abhay?
Misha ( raises a doubt ) – Wait a sec! If Abhay is such a HE-MAN, then, how come the likes of Natasha and ….( throws Sam a look )…. Tanushree attack him? He was near death sometime ago if am not mistaken.
Sambhav ( looks at Chaand and Haseena )- That is something that I didn't understand either. Abhay is a powerhouse, an endless energy center. Then…..
Chaand ( interrupting )- He doesn't know.
Sambhav ( taken aback )- Excuse me?
Misha – He doesn't know?
Piya – How can he not know that why everyone is after his blood?
Haseena ( sits down and locks-unlocks her fingers in tension )- Abhay knows he is special but he has no idea why. We….we have just told him a bunch of lies.
Piya ( sits down in shock )- You've lied to Abhay? Lied?
Sambhav ( puzzled)- Why would you do that?
Zeenia throws the books aside and joins the meeting .
Zeenia ( giving a bored look to Chaand and Haseena )- Too scared to spill the soyabeans, oldies? C'mon, the kids need to know or else I can already see a fossilized Abhay!...( pointedly)….Abhay has no idea of who he is and what he is capable of. His exceptional powers are latent because these two oversmart oldies …have EXORCISED his powers in his unconscious state into a gold ring which Anushka has been guarding forever. Right , Uncle? Aunty?
Misha, Piya and Sambhav look at the two vampires in horror as they nod.
Chaand – Don't look at us like that, the three of you. We had to do it. For Abhay's good and the world's good.
Piya ( feeling betrayed on Abhay's behalf )- Lying to him. Telling him a bunch of lies. Exorcising his powers without his knowledge. That is Abhay's good?
Sambhav ( still in shock )- You are Abhay's family. You saved his life from his biological father. How could you….
Haseena ( angrily )- WE HAD TO! WHAT DO YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT ABHAY? TELL ME!.....(Chaand puts his hand on Haseena's shoulder to calm her )…..No Chaand! Zeenia is right. These kids need to know the truth! Listen now. Abhay's powers are deactivated because once those powers and that strength is unleashed in him, he will be CORRUPTED. The sun and the moon – the good and the bad – they all combine in him. If Abhay finds out what he is – he and all of us will have to live with TWO ABHAYS.
Piya ( struck )- Two Abhays?
Chaand ( as though forewarning )- Good Abhay. Bad Abhay. Or maybe….evil Abhay……
Zeenia ( seriously for a change )- Abhay is Abhay only as long as he is a latent superpower……if that ring ever reaches his finger……
Misha ( her breath indrawn in shock )- It's doom…….
Piya and Sambhav look at each-other in shock as Zeenia nods at Misha who can't believe that she is already beginning to understand the supernatural….
TO BE CONTINUED…………………
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Veer Hanuman
