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Chapter Twelve
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“I hunger, Sire,” I say pitifully.
“Do you know why?” he replies as if my hunger was worth studying.
“Because I have not fed?” I ask respectfully.
He chuckles at my remark. My ignorance appears to bring him daily amusement.
“Do you know why you need to feed, Theodore?” he asks.
It is not until recently that he has begun calling me by name. Why I do not know. Perhaps he is beginning to respect me. Or perhaps he is beginning to leave me. The latter would not bother me. I have grown tired of him, constantly lecturing me and laughing at my expense.
“I don’t, Sire,” I still reply courteously.
He turns his eyes from the path we are strolling on and places them on me with a sincere expression.
“It’s because you’re dying,” he says gravely.
Dying? That cannot be. I feel more powerful than ever.
“Dying, Sire?” I ask, aghast.
He laughs again. I hate him for this.
“Indeed. Your body is dying, Theodore. Just like a human’s,” he says as if it is as obvious as the fact that Earth circles around the sun.
“Am I ill, Sire?” I ask him worriedly.
I wish not to die. There are too many things to see first. Am I to share the fate of the family I have not thought of in decades?
“You’re just as ill as your next Brethren.”
I stare, confused, into his eyes as we take a seat on a park bench next to an electric street light.
“You look perplexed, Theodore,” he states. “Allow me to solve this mystery of yours.”
I nod gratefully as I focus on his words. Perhaps I still have things to learn.
“The humans have not yet realised this, but in order for their bodies to survive, they duplicate themselves inside. This is to prevent that the cells inside their bodies wither and die without replacements. However, every duplication weakens the cells – every new cell is somewhat weaker than its maker.”
He pauses and looks at me to make sure that I am following – I am.
“We vampires, a greatly superior race, have the embarrassment of sharing the same physical structure as humans. Like them, our bodies duplicate their cells to survive. However, unlike theirs, our bodies grow stronger with every duplication.”
“Which is why you are so powerful, Sire, because your body has duplicated its cells many times more than mine,” I interrupt to confirm that I understand his words.
“Indeed,” he continues. “But this superiority comes with a price. Even though our bodies grow more powerful than the humans’ for every day, we must still fuel such tiring feat for our bodies. A great deal of our blood is used in the procedure of duplication—”
“Which is why we hunger and must feed?” I interrupt him once more.
He looks at me somewhat aggravated. I suspect he does not like me interrupting.
“Exactly.”
I ponder his words while marvelling at the wonders of electricity. Humans have made some great technical progress these past decades.
“But, Sire,” I begin, “what if we were not to feed – what would become of us then?”
He looks at me with a grin. Clearly this was what he was coming to and has been wondering himself.
“No one knows, Theodore,” he grins. “Here, let’s give you a drink before we find out.”
We leave the park bench to stalk the night once more. I hunger so.
---
I expect Sarthimia to be pleased to see me again. She seemed to know that I would return the last time I saw her, despite the somewhat rude means she used to get me to leave. I still do not consider her a friend. She is too strange to earn that title. I do, however, have this odd feeling that I can trust her. If there had been any other choice but this, I would have taken it, but sadly there is not. During the ride to the monastery I have told Mina all about the Sisterhood, the few things I know.
“So they are religious?” she asks as we pull up on their driveway the second time this week.
“Something like that,” I say with a secretive smile.
Truth to be told I do not know much about the sisters. My prior and only visit here can only be described as brief; therefore I have not learned much of them. What I do know is that they are powerful and are not to be taken lightly. I inform Mina of this and she nods in agreement when I ask of her not to misbehave. I have not seen any signs from Mina that would as much as indicate any misbehaving, but I know from experience that Rebirth sometimes does strange things to a person. In fact, I recall one time when a Reborn misunderstood the extent of his powers and believed himself to be God for a brief moment. Indeed, brief it was. His hubris ended when he stepped outside the protective doors and straight into a sunny afternoon. He lit up as if having been dipped in gasoline. Moments later his ashes spread over a grassy field with a summer breeze. I doubt that this will be the fate of Mina, but I will watch over her carefully for now, making sure that she does not do anything stupid. A foolish thing is upsetting beings that are more powerful than the Lords. This fact still stuns me; how can the Lords with such hubris accept the existence of beings of greater power than themselves?
So far Mina appears calm, at least as calm one can be after just having found out about the world of vampires and that she is now one of us. She is taking it well. A bit too well actually. A Reborn is bound to have a crisis sometime around its Rebirth. I fear that if Mina’s crisis does not bloom now, it will come in a more inappropriate time.
As we leave the car and approach the gates to the monastery they open before us. We are expected. I am not surprised. When we enter the monastery the gates close after us. Are they expecting someone special that they wish not to enter, or are they simply being cautious? I believe we are about to find out.
The sister with the iron coloured eyes that greeted me on my last visit is the first to welcome us. She still looks like a thirteen year old, though tonight a very worn-out thirteen year old. It appears to be a rough time to be in the Sisterhood.
“Sarthimia awaits you,” she says and bows courteously.
I notice that the monastery is not as cold as it was last time. Did they actually take my advice and turn up the heat? Looking at Mina I realise that they did not – she is freezing. Her lower lip is trembling with a bluish colour and she is embracing herself, trying to keep warm. I place my coat around her. She smiles.
“Thanks.”
I think that I know why Mina is freezing a lot worse than I did during my last stay, whereas I am feeling only a chill – my blood. The stronger I become, the less I am affected by whatever is causing the cold. I noticed the same thing in the Council chamber when I was there. Perhaps that means that Sarthimia and her sisters will not affect me as easily as last time. Time will tell.
We follow the sister on the same path that she guided me last time. Like last time, I cannot sense any signs of life whatsoever. I have clearly not surpassed them in power. I did not expect having done so either. The Lords are still my superiors, thusly the sisters should be so too.
Sarthimia sits in silence as we enter her office. This time she is alone. No sisters are accompanying her. I wonder where they are.
“In their chambers, resting,” Sarthimia informs me, clearly having read my mind.
Mina looks confused. She does not know of Readers yet and cannot possibly understand what just happened. Myself, I am not surprised that Sarthimia can read me. In fact, I would be surprised if I found out that she is not capable of more.
“Have a seat.”
She is not as welcoming as last time. Mina and I appear to have shown up at a bad time. But she did say that I was to come to her whenever I needed help.
“That I did,” Sarthimia agrees after having read me once more.
“I do not appreciate that,” I say, annoyed.
“I am aware.”
Mina is looking more confused than ever. I suppose that she is feeling out of place in this world. I feel sorry for her. She does not belong with us.
“Don’t be so sure,” Sarthimia says, not caring about my remark. “You have come seeking answers just as last time, I gather?”
I glance at Mina to make sure that she is doing all right.
“We have come for protection,” I state.
“Ah, for your friend here,” Sarthimia nods. “That can be arranged, we have an available chamber.”
“So she can stay?” I ask surprised.
I had not expected them to take her in so easily without asking any questions. Surely they must know that I have broken my vow to the Guidance by siring her. Why would such powerful beings not punish a lesser Elder like me for my blasphemy, I wonder. Do they not live by the Guidance?
“She can,” Sarthimia informs. “She will now be escorted to her chamber, where she will stay her entire visit.”
“You’re locking me up?” Mina exclaims. “Theodore – stop her!”
I look questioningly at Sarthimia, searching her deep silver eyes for a reason for locking Mina up. I find none.
“Is that truly necessary?”
“It’s purely a precaution.”
“For what—”
That very instance I hear Mina’s heart skip two beats. She falls off the chair and hits the floor hard. She is desperately gasping for air, clawing the wooden floor.
“Mina?” I cry. “What’s happening?”
I look at Sarthimia, pleading for the answer I suspect she holds.
“Stand aside!”
However, I do not react fast enough to move on my own will. I feel the air push me away as if there was an invisible hand in front of me. Looking at Sarthimia I realise what is happening to me – telekinesis. I have read of this from stories in the Archives but I have never met anyone capable of performing it before. I stand pinned to a wall by Sarthimia’s telekinesis, watching helplessly as Mina starts shaking uncontrollably on the floor. I recognise now what she is going through.
“NO!” I scream. “Not you! MINA!”
But I can do nothing to help her and neither can Sarthimia. We both stare with wide eyes, powerless bystanders, as Mina is seizuring. In moments she clenches her fists and shots her hips towards the roof in a shriek of horror. Soon her fingers break away from her fist and point towards the roof too. I watch helplessly as my beloved Mina’s nails push themselves through her fingers. I feel my heart break as she cries out in pain. I did this to her – I turned her into a monster. She is standing on all four, gasping for air. It is then I see the blood seeping out of her eyes, dripping down on the carpet below her. The change is complete.
Without a warning Mina plunges herself not at me, but at Sarthimia. Her claws are all aimed at Sarthimia’s arteries. I think that I am screaming, but I am not sure.
“Death,” I hear Mina hiss as she swings for Sarthimia.
“Pitiful,” Sarthimia replies and raises her right hand before her. “You’ve steeped too low.”
Still pinned to the wall, I see a Sarthimia emit something from her hand. It stops Mina in mid-air, only centimetres from Sarthimia’s throat. I fear what Sarthimia will do to Mina next.
“Don’t harm her,” I beg.
Sarthimia turns to me and it is not until now I see her true power – her silvery eyes are gleaming with it. It is as if the stars themselves reside in them.
“I won’t,” she reassures me, already aware of my wish.
Mina is glaring furiously at Sarthimia as she soars in mid-air, incapable of doing anything but exist. A tear leaves a trail down my cheek as I see what I have turned her into. This is my fault. I swore never to cause her any harm – but I have. Why am I not turning into a monster instead of her? It is my blood flowing inside her veins. It is my blood that has turned her into a senseless monster. Take me instead!
Mina goes limp, still soaring in mid-air. It is a strange sight, seeing her floating in the office. Sarthimia gently puts her down on the carpet.
“What did you do to her?” I whisper hoarsely.
“She’ll be fine,” I am reassured, “but she shall have to remain here for the time being.”
I nod weakly. I refuse to spare her from that illness, knowing of only one cure yet. She does not deserve death because of my ignorance. I watch sadly as two sisters enter the office and carry Mina out of the office. I assume that they are taking her to the chamber she was offered before turning. As they leave, Sarthimia looks seriously at me.
“We have to talk.”
I nod silently. I am in no state to speak, though I gather that she has information that she is willing to share with me now, after having seen one of her kind turn right before her very eyes.
My precious Mina, why you? You are too beautiful for a fate like that. I should not have sired you. Had I not though, you would not still be alive. Which fate is worse – dying or turning into a monster? I cannot decide. All I can do is to swear never to create another one, now aware what fate await it. It grieves me that I should have to witness you loose that which I loved about you, to come to this realisation. But the world is better of without monsters, maybe even without vampires. No, I cannot give up yet! I swear to cure you, may it even cost me my life.
“It might,” Sarthimia says with a grave tone.
“Tell me,” I sigh in grief as I sit back down in the chair in front of her desk.
“First,” she says as if she was to regret her words, “you must learn of something that only one Lord knows of.”
“Very well,” I nod.
She appears unwilling to share her story with me, but her grave expression and the grief of having witnessed Mina turn has convinced her to do what must be done.
“Make yourself comfortable, this will take some time,” Sarthimia says, a faint smile showing on her lips.
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Chapters
Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Epilogue
