Markus Black And The Ruby Red Bloodston

Markus Black and the Ruby Red Bloodstone CHAPTER ONE His Arrival

12:20 a.m. Markus was the only person to step off the train at Station #17. The conductor would not even step onto the platform. Nervously, he threw Markus his luggage and told him not to leave the station until his escort arrived. Then he wished him luck. It had only been five minutes since the train had pulled away, and already the dense fog had started to roll in.

It now consumed

the single light above the station door. Every once in a while, he could see the light flicker as thin patches of fog passed by. Suddenly, Markus was startled by the howl of a single wolf that seemed to be dangerously close. Without shelter, he went and stood by the station door; he figured he could break it down if need be.

Ten,

maybe fifteen minutes had passed by, when he heard what sounded like

horseshoes clomping on an old cobblestone road and wooden wheels rolling behind it. The clomping grew louder and louder until it stopped at the end of the platform. Markus cautiously anticipated the arrival of the unknown person, who now stood just on the other side of the dense fog. He could barely see the outline of a tall lanky man, when he finally stepped out of the mist. It felt like an eternity before he spoke. In a peculiar voice he said, “Professor Black, your carriage has arrived.” Cautiously, Markus approached him. The closer he got, he noticed he was wearing a long black hooded cloak with skintight trousers, which were tucked into knee-high boots. The stranger held out his gray, clammy hand and introduced himself as Mr. Cornwall, Keeper of the Grounds. When Mr. Cornwall opened the carriage door he said to Markus, “We’ll be arriving at the School of Ancient Arts in about three hours. You’ll need to snap shut the window curtains, for the fall monsoons arrived early this year.” Without giving Markus a chance to reply, Mr. Cornwall closed the door. Suddenly, a cold chill ran down Markus’s spine; for some reason, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something was oddly wrong. As that thought entered his mind, he wondered if he had made a mistake in coming. While Markus snapped shut the dark blue velvet curtains, Mr. Cornwall loaded his luggage onto the back of the carriage, then he drove away.

Markus propped his feet on the blue leather bench seat directly in front of him, trying to get comfortable for the long journey. He ran his fingers through his short, curly, black hair, shaking the excess rain from his loose locks. As his dark brown eyes slowly adjusted to the flickering light of the kerosene lantern that flanked both ends of the paneled wall, he wondered why the school sent a horse drawn carriage instead of a car, considering that it was a three-hour ride in a monsoon. Time seemed to fly by as they traveled the winding mountainous roads at treacherous speeds. The few times Markus dared look out the window, he saw at least six sets of red glowing eyes, if not more. That scared him more than Mr. Cornwall’s driving. Finally, they came to an abrupt stop. Markus looked out the window and saw a twelve-foot wrought iron gate swinging open. In the far distance, on top of the mountainside, he saw the largest castle he’d seen since landing at Athens Airport in Greece. The mountain road that led from the gate to the castle took a horrifying fifteen minutes. It was barely wide enough for the carriage to travel down. There was at least a hundred foot drop-off on both sides, and no guardrail to prevent them from plummeting to their deaths. After crossing the gorge, they came to a second gate attached to the mountain. The other side of the gate was a cobblestone roundabout. On the east side was the castle. Markus climbed out of the carriage, and stood at the bottom of an enormously large, blue stone staircase. Looking toward the top of

the stairs, he saw a set of twelve foot, solid, wooden, arched doors. His eyes traveled up the side of the castle. Before he knew it, he was looking straight up into the rainy night sky. Suddenly, lightning struck, revealing a bell tower at the top of the hundredfoot castle. Markus heard a comforting voice calling down to him from the top of the stairs. She said, “Professor Black, you must come in from the rain.” As he made his way up the rain-slicked stairs, he saw a tall brunette woman standing in the doorway. She also was wearing a long black cloak. When he entered the foyer, he noticed that kerosene lanterns and torches, not electricity, lighted the castle. The staircase mantle had ornate carvings of gargoyles and other mythical creatures. So enthralled by his surroundings, he had not realized that the woman had spoken his name three times. Finally, he looked at her; that was when he noticed how radiant she was, even at this early morning hour. Her long dark hair cascaded down past her shoulders, olive colored skin and piercing green eyes. Her beauty was invigorating. Holding out her hand, in a kind voice, she said “Nice to finally meet you, Professor Black. I’m Professor Gorgon, Headmistress of this magnificent school.” Markus took her hand and said, “It is my honor to meet you, Professor Gorgon.” She smiled and said, “You must be exhausted from your long trip.

Let me show you to your bedchamber.” She led him up the three flights of stairs. On the stone wall there hung old portraits of past headmasters. The landings were lit by torches, revealing long corridors with at least a dozen doors. Above each door was a dimly lit lantern. She noticed his curiosity and said, “After a good night’s sleep, your adviser will give you the grand tour,” then she handed him a long skeleton key that opened chamber 355. After he pushed open the heavy wooden door, Professor Gorgon stood just inside the bedchamber while he walked around.

The first

thing Markus saw was a king size, four-poster, canopy bed, with heavy burgundy drapes that flowed to the floor. The two nightstands that stood on either side of the bed had a soft glowing lantern. The other side of the room was a stone fireplace. He could hear the soft crackling sound the logs made as the cozy fire burned. The outside wall had a set of etched glass windows, a large bench seat with white and burgundy pin stripe cushions, and two large burgundy pillows. His view was the snowcapped mountains. Looking around the dimly lit bedchamber, he realized there was no TV. At that point, he knew with the lack of electricity, he would have no outlet for his radio or shaver. He made his way to the private bath, surprised to find it somewhat modern, with warm running water. When he walked out of the bathroom, Headmistress Gorgon said, “Professor Black, I hope your bedchamber is to your satisfaction?” Perplexed, Markus replied, “Everything looks fine.”

In a soft voice, she said, “When you awaken, pull the call rope that is next to your bed. Your advisor for the day will come for you.” Before closing the door behind her, she wished him a goodnight. Mr. Cornwall had already put Markus’s clothes and suitcase away, and next to them were seven black cloaks. Markus took a long hot bath, and climbed into the most comfortable bed he had ever slept on. He closed the drapes on the canopy to help drown out the light from the constant lightning. The moment his head hit the pillow, he began to dream. He dreamt about red glowing eyes chasing him through the wet misty mountainside. No matter how fast or slow he ran they sustained the same distance. He knew they could smell his scent. It was futile to try and hide, for at every turn, there they were. There were many times an attack was inevitable, but it never came. That’s when he realized he was being herded instead of hunted. 11:35 a.m. Markus woke up, completely refreshed, and could barely remember his dream. By the time he was dressed and pulled the call rope, it was lunchtime. It took less than ten minutes for his adviser to come knocking. The gentleman on the other side stood at least six foot, his ash colored skin looked odd with his long curly black hair and dark brown eyes. He too was wearing a long black cloak. In a subdued voice, he said, “I am Stefan Prescott, Professor of Astronomy.” Markus held out his hand and said, “Nice to meet you Stefan, I’m

Markus.” Without offering his hand for Markus to shake, he muttered, “Yeah, nice to meet you.” Markus was just about to shut the door, when Stefan stopped him and said in his usual aggravated voice, “Professor Black, you must always wear your cloak whenever you leave your bedchamber.” Shocked, Markus went back and retrieved one of the cloaks that were hanging in his closet. Feeling foolish, he put on the long cloak. It fit his five eight-frame perfectly, like it had been tailored precisely for him. Stefan led him down to the dining hall for lunch; it was an enormous room that seated at least a hundred students. The long rectangular table that sat at the head of the room had twelve chairs and a throne in the middle.

Hanging from the ceiling were eight lit candelabras.

The flicker of the candlelight illuminated a painting that covered the entire ceiling. The painting was of a great battle between eight winged mythical creatures and eight western dragons. All of the mythical creatures were enormously large cats of different kinds. The people upon their backs wore strange gothic clothing. The other eight riders on the western dragons wore long black cloaks that blew in the wind, creating a black silhouette. The only thing you could see coming from their hoods were their red glowing eyes. Staring down onto the battle were seven fairies. As their wings fluttered, sparkly dust fell from them, revealing different colors; they were red, blue, lavender,

green, pink, orange, yellow, and finally, aqua. On the ground, below the battle were many different mythical creatures. They too were watching. On the far left was Cerberus, Guardian of Hades, and the ground he stood on was cracked open. You could see the red molten lava flowing from below, waiting to devour its prey, pulling them down into the Greek underworld of Tartarus. During lunch, Markus studied the painting. He felt its significance somehow pertained to him, but was not sure how a three thousand year old painting of Greek mythology would relate to him. Yet he felt drawn to it; it was almost hypnotic. By the time lunch was over, he had met all eleven professors and one of them was from New York City. There was something about her that he found quite intriguing, almost to the point to where he was unable to pull himself away from her. After clearing his mind of the thoughts of her, he was quite surprised that a school this size had only twelve professors and less than a hundred students arriving at the end of the month. Stefan started the grand tour on the main floor. Directly across from the dining hall was the hearth room. He showed Markus through a large arched doorway. The first thing he saw was a row of etched glass windows that soared at least twenty feet up to the ceiling. On both ends of the room was a large stone fireplace, with a roaring fire in both of them. Hanging from the ceiling were three large lit candelabras. On the blue stone floor laid three beautiful rugs with at least fifty overstuffed chairs arranged in many different groups.

Even though the room was large, it still had a cozy feel to it. Between the hearth and dining room was a long corridor that led to the library, kitchen and bathrooms. They made their way back to the foyer and headed up the stairs. Stefan informed Markus that the second and third floors were all dormitories. The professors each had their own suite and the students shared four to a bedchamber. Without stopping, they went directly to the fourth and fifth floors. As they walked though each classroom, Markus could not believe how different and unique each room was. They were not normal math or English classrooms, but laboratories, and conservatories. The botany room had plants he had never seen before. There were rooms where ancient Greek spells and magical potions were learned, and in one of the rooms, hanging from the rafters was a large skeleton of what looked like a dragon. They finally made it to Markus’s classroom; the history books did not contain stories of World War II, or any other world events for that matter. They told bizarre stories of mythical creatures and ancient gods and battles he had never heard of. Stefan noticed the bewildered look on Markus’s face and said in the same unpleasant voice that Markus had quickly became accustomed to, “Professor Black, didn’t you receive the registration packet explaining our academic program?” “I came to Greece two weeks early for a holiday. It must have come after I left,” Markus said, while walking around his classroom, wondering if he should be here. After a long sigh, Stefan said, “After dinner tonight,

Headmistress Gorgon will be hosting the Party of New Beginnings for the professors. During that time, everyone will receive their orientation program, and instructions of their requirements.” When they left the room, Markus noticed the door at the end of the hall and asked about it. “It leads to the bell tower, and Headmistress Gorgon keeps it locked at all times. It is quite dangerous up there.” “I saw it last night upon my arrival, and I thought I saw a shadow when lightning lit up the sky, revealing the tower.” “That’s ridiculous. No one could have possibly been up there,” Stefan said in a harsh voice. He quickly changed the subject, for he too had seen strange things that could not be explained, but did not dare speak of them. Hastily, Stefan said, “There’s much more to see, so we must keep moving.” They made their way down the five flights of stairs in an awkward silence; Markus was taking in all of his surroundings. Looking at the long corridors and tall ceilings, he wondered if secret passages lay on the other side of these ancient stone walls; he knew that was one question he dared not ask Stefan. The silence was broken when they stepped off the stairs and into the foyer, with Stefan saying, “I’m sure you will love the grounds; everyone else thinks they are quite breathtaking.” While making their way around the school, they came upon many different gardens, waterfalls, and mountainsides. The treacherous cliffs had cobblestone walls around the edges to prevent the children

from falling. On the south side of the school was a large veranda with two French doors leading to the dining hall. That way, the students and staff could enjoy lunch outside on a beautiful sunny day. It had a magnificent view of two mountain peaks that lay across a deep gorge. The grounds on the other side of the veranda had a long winding trail that led down into the Black Forest. Markus looked up at the peaks and thought he saw something glowing inside one of the many caves that were on the side of the mountains.

He asked Stefan

if he had seen a red glow. “It’s probably the sun reflecting off the clouds, so we had better start heading back in before the storm arrives; they roll in very fast here on the mountain.” Just as they made it to the front of the school, a bolt of lighting streaked across the sky; accompanied by the loudest clap of thunder Markus had ever heard. He looked up, and once again he saw a shadow in the bell tower. This time, he did not mention it to Stefan. The moment Markus and Stefan stepped into the school and shut the door behind them, the onslaught of the rain began. Stefan informed Markus that dinner was in an hour and that he should head to his bedchamber and freshen up, for the Headmistress frowned on tardiness. They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways, with Stefan walking toward the library. As Markus began to walk up the stairs to his bedchamber, he noticed the storm outside had intensified, almost to the point of an angry roar. The constant lightning lit up the stained glass windows

that were at the end of each landing, cascading an array of colors along the halls. When Markus finally made it to his bedchamber, he noticed that someone had been there. It must have been housekeeping, because his bed was made and the bathroom cleaned, with fresh towels folded and neatly placed on the shelf. He said out loud, “Wow, I could get used to this, considering my loft in D.C was always a mess.” He was just about to go and get ready for dinner, when he heard a noise at the door. He turned around just in time to see a letter slide from underneath it. He picked it up and it read:

You are cordially invited to the Party of New Beginnings. The black tie affair will be held in the hearth room; with drinks and hors d’oeuvres at 6:00 p.m. Dinner will be promptly served at 6:30 p.m. followed by a brief orientation. Sincerely, Headmistress Gorgon

The invitation came with a note informing Markus that his formal wear was hanging in his closet. By the time Markus changed his clothes, it was time for him to head down to the hearth room. He entered just as the giant grandfather clock struck 6:00. Headmistress Gorgon looked up at him and smiled. She walked over to him and in a kind voice she said, “I hope you

enjoyed your tour of the grounds today.” “It was quite invigorating. I can’t wait till tomorrow. If it’s a nice day, do you think I could possibly take a hike on the trail I saw down by the veranda?” “The trail is dangerous and only experienced hikers should attempt it.” He told her that he and his father had been hiking and mountain climbing since he was twelve years old. She finally agreed to let him go, but not without a guide. She informed him that Mr. Cornwall would assist him on the trail. Then she excused herself and went to talk to the head chef. While Markus mingled with the professors, his eyes kept trailing back to the distraught looking Professor O’Connor. Her long brown hair and ice blue eyes were captivating; it was like Markus was magically drawn to her. Oddly, he felt the burning need to protect her, but from what? When the dinner chimes rang, the professors were led to the formal table that was set up in the hearth room. The foods on the plates were nothing like what he would see in his hometown of D.C. The mashed potatoes, if that was what they were, were a deep purple and the other stringy vegetable was lime green. The white chicken was the only thing on the plate that looked normal. Not wanting to offend the Headmistress with a disgusting look, Markus concentrated on the seating arrangements, instead of the strange food. He was pleased that they would be sitting in the same order as in the dining hall. That way, he would be sitting next to Professor O’Connor. He knew he had to find out what was bothering the woman

that had sent the hot pulsating current which was now traveling through his veins. During dinner, Markus leaned over and whispered in her ear; he said, “Professor O’Connor, is there something wrong?” His lips were so close to her ear, she could feel his warm breath and smell his sweet scent. Trying to shake off the slight tremor that was running up her spine; she said in a shaky voice, “This place scares me.” Concerned, Markus said, “What do you mean?” “I have seen and heard things. That’s all I can say for now. We can talk on our way back to our bedchambers.” After dinner, Headmistress Gorgon stood at the podium that faced the large table and said, “I am pleased to announce that we have two new Professors. Mr. Black will be head of ancient history, and Miss O’Connor will teach Greek math scrolls and ancient navigation. This will be the first time The School of Ancient Arts has had professors from the United States. As most of you know, the school requires that all of our professors have Greek heritage, but for some reason the school council has chosen these two wonderful professors to join our elite fraternity. I strongly suggest that each and every one of you welcome them gracefully.” After finishing her speech, in walked two people wearing long black cloaks with their hoods pulled up over their heads, making it impossible to see their faces. When they reached the table, one went to the right, the other to the left. Simultaneously, they laid

bookbinders down in front of each professor until they met in the middle. They turned around and silently walked out. Headmistress Gorgon told everyone to study and memorize their academic journal that was in front of them. Before stepping down from the podium she wished them a goodnight, and for them to enjoy the rest of their evening. While the other professors commenced to retire to their bedchambers, Markus knew he couldn’t let Professor O’Connor go. His bizarre need to be around her was intoxicating. He leaned over and said, “Professor O’Connor, would you like to stay and have coffee and dessert by the fire?” Dreading the thought of being alone, she said, “Yes, only if you call me by my first name.”

She held out her hand and said, “My name

is Elizabeth.” He reached out and took her hand into his. His warm hand sent a second shiver running through her. By the time it reached her trembling heart, it was an intense surge. Her body began to quiver as the exhilarating rush flowed swiftly through her. Before she drew her hand back, he said, “Nice to meet you Elizabeth, I’m Markus.” Staring into his brown eyes she muttered, “It’s an honor to meet you, Markus.”

Quickly, she pulled her hand away and looked down at

the floor, fearing she would forget how to speak if she kept looking into his dark enchanting eyes. The two of them walked over to the two closest chairs by the fireplace that faced each other. After an awkward moment of silence,

Markus began to talk. The longer they sat and talked, the easier it had become for her to look at him. In the moment he leaned over and took the empty cup from her, his fingers intentionally brushed across her hand. She couldn’t believe the rush of emotions pulsing through her, just from a single touch. That was the first time she felt safe since arriving at the school, knowing that she had someone like Markus with her. Her sense of security would have been shattered if she had known of the red glowing eyes that were watching them from the other side of the large windows across the room. The more comfortable they became with each other, the less they wanted to say goodnight, but it was getting late. When they left the hearth room, Markus saw something enter a room across from the library. Immediately, Elizabeth noticed the changed look on his face. She asked, in a worrisome voice, “What’s wrong?”

He told her what he had

seen; they both knew that there was no door there. Cautiously, they approached the unseen door, hoping for a quick glance. They reached it just in time to see it close, revealing only the stone wall. They stood there, wondering what was going on. Suddenly, the wall started to move. Markus grabbed her hand and they both ran up the stairs, not stopping till they reached his bedchamber. While trying to catch their breaths, they leaned against the door, waiting for their pounding hearts to slow down.

Frightened, Elizabeth frantically

asked, “What the hell was in there?” Calmly, Markus replied, “I wonder if it was the two that handed

out our bookbinders.” She looked at him and said, “It was quite creepy how they came in. You couldn’t even see their faces or hands. I told you there was something odd going on around here.” Anxious, Markus said, “Our binders are down in the hearth room. I need to run down and grab them.” He could tell how frightened she was. He took her hand and said, “You’ll be OK as long as you keep the door locked. Do not let anyone in until I return.” She grabbed the arm of his shirt and pulled him back. He was so close that their lips were slightly touching when she whispered, “Be careful.” When he pressed his lips to hers, he could taste the strawberry gloss she had applied to them. She let out a slight moan; he pulled back and smiled at her, a smile that made her melt. Quietly, he made his way down the stairs undetected. He walked through the arched entrance to the hearth room just as a bolt of lightning lit up the etched glass windows. It revealed a large winged creature hovering on the other side of the window. Markus froze in fear when he saw what looked like an extremely large snow leopard with wings on its back. Markus stared into its red glowing eyes until the night sky went black and he could no longer see out the window. He didn’t dare enter the room, not knowing if the creature was still there. Suddenly, he was startled by a noise behind him. Quickly, he turned around. He was relieved when he saw that it was Headmistress

Gorgon standing behind him. “Professor Black, can I help you?” His abrupt reply shouted out of his mouth so fast that it sounded wary, even to him, when he said, “No thank you, I’m fine.” In a suspicious voice she said, “What are you doing down here so late?” Trying to sound calm, Markus said, “I left my binder there on the table, and I wanted to read it tonight before I went to bed.” “I love your enthusiasm, but well enough, you should get back to your bedchamber, for it’s late. Mr. Cornwall loves to get an early start when he goes hiking. He’ll probably be calling on you by the crack of dawn, so if I were you, I would read it tomorrow, after your hike.”

Then she said, “Good night.”

Markus retrieved the binders

and quickly exited the hearth room. He had forgotten about the hike, and it was too late to back out now. Markus made it all the way to the third floor landing before he heard voices. There was someone on the fifth floor. He crept up the dark stairs and silently entered the hall, but no one was there. He walked past every classroom, peering in through the glass doors, seeing no one. Finally, he came to the bell tower door. He leaned his ear against it to see if he could hear anything. The only thing he heard was two muffled voices behind him. Slowly, he turned around to see that there was no one there, but a light coming from one of the classrooms he had just passed. He heard voices again, and then the door started to open. Quickly, he hid in one of the shadows up

against the wall, hoping not to be seen.

Quietly, he waited for them

to disappear down the stairs before he emerged out of hiding. He went back to the door and turned the knob. It was sealed shut. It wouldn’t even budge. Suddenly, the door violently shook, and then he heard a low grumbling growl coming from the other side. Markus turned around and ran toward the stairs. When he reached the landing, he looked back at the door one last time. All around the frame was glowing red. He ran the rest of the way to his bedchamber. When he opened the door, Elizabeth said in a frantic voice, “My God, what took you so long? I was terrified!!!” He told her everything that had happened, and then said, “You’re staying here tonight.” Shocked by his demands, she said, “It’s against the rules.” “To hell with the rules, I’ll get you back to your bedchamber before anyone is up, so don’t worry.” He told her that he was going hiking tomorrow with Mr. Cornwall, and didn’t like the idea of her being alone.

He asked her in a much

calmer voice, “Do you know how to hike?” “Are you serious? I lived in New York City. Central Park was the closest I ever came to any type of woods, let alone hiking in the mountains.” With the thoughts of the day racing through her mind, she walked over to the window. Silently, she looked out at the raging storm. She wondered what kind of creature was lurking out there. Through her thoughts she heard a muffled voice say, “Well, you’ll get a crash

course tomorrow, because you’re not staying here alone.” As his voice echoed through her mind, she turned away from the window, and went and sat on his bed. After a brief moment of silence, she looked up at him and muttered, “I can do anything, as long as you’re there to help show me the way.” He took her hand and pulled her up toward him. Slowly, he leaned down and stroked her long dark hair, then traced her jaw line with his fingertip. He placed his hand behind her neck; after entangling his fingers around her hair, he drew her in even closer, until his lips softly touched hers.

He pulled back, and looked into her ice

blue eyes. She stared back at him, drinking him in with her warm gaze. He felt her shudder when he said, “Trust me, I will never let anything happen to you.” Just hearing his voice made her heart flutter with excitement. The moment his yielding lips reconnected with hers, she felt her pulse quicken as the blood raced through her veins. When Elizabeth’s lips parted, he could feel the fire inside of him intensify. Markus tasted her sweet scent, as he fed on her mouth. The thoughts of the day had left his mind, and were replaced by desire. Elizabeth arched backwards as he moved his mouth down on her throat, taking nibbles with his teeth. His hair clenched in her fists, Elizabeth whimpered with need. The sound Markus heard fueled the fire inside him, yet he knew it was wrong. He wanted her, but before he would make love to her, he needed to know that this was what they both wanted. Not some strange desire to protect her, or her need to be protected. He slowly

made his way back up to her mouth, pulled back and with a sigh he said, “Although we have only met a few hours ago, my need to have you is overwhelming, but not now. I have to know that the dangerous circumstances are not the reason you’re drawn to me.” “Markus, I have never been with anyone before. Nor have I felt this intense passion that is flowing through me at this moment, yet I have to agree with you that it’s not the time.” After kissing Elizabeth good night, Markus laid next to her. Somehow, Elizabeth knew he was the one. She had finally met someone she could fall in love with, for she would never have kissed him the way she did, nor would she have allowed him to hold her until she fell asleep. While they slept, they were unaware of the stranger that was lurking outside of Markus’s door. It was now confirmed that Professor Black was indeed on the fifth floor. As silence fell on the hallway, Augusto disappeared behind the unseen door.

Coming Soon Chapter Two The Black Forest Trail