"I know," Calmet said. "Hard to believe that ugly sot and I came from the same lovely mother, but, alas, 'tis true."
"Don't talk about Mother," Father Andrew said, a bit of red rising from his collar.
"And what exactly is that job?" Ethan asked, in an attempt to redirect the conversation. "The one he does for our sakes?"
Father Andrew and Calmet exchanged glances, unsure of who should answer.
"I'm a slayer, boy," Calmet finally said.
"So the stories are true, then?" Ethan asked.
"Some. Depends on what story you are referring to."
"You banish demons back to hell," Ethan said.
"I try to, but some of them get away," Calmet lamented.
"What are you doing here?" Ethan asked.
"I am preparing for a trip," Calmet said.
Ethan waited for further explanation, but both men seemed reluctant to continue. "What does that have to do with me?" Ethan finally asked. "Shall I prepare some food for you? A knapsack? Get you a fresh horse?"
"Ethan," Father Andrew said, "do you remember a few weeks ago, when a man showed up with a letter for me?" Ethan nodded. "That man is a messenger for the Pope himself. He was relaying a letter from a man who was found dying in Northern France. The man was named Henry Jameson. Do you know this name?" Ethan shook his head. "His family moved to a small, rural village a couple of years ago. This town is not on any map, so we don't know exactly where it is. He had left his family to seek help. He died trying to save them. The Pope himself has decided that we cannot ignore his sacrifice and must send aid."
"I don't understand," Ethan said. "We are just a monastery. What kind of help can we send?"
"His village is cursed," Calmet said. "Terrors in the night."
Ethan's pulse quickened and it became hard for him to breathe. Images of wolves and winged demons suddenly flooded his mind. He rubbed his temple to try to stifle the pictures.
"I am convinced the man was from your old village, Ethan," Father Andrew said. "I don't know why it is not on our maps. From what I gathered, both from the letter and you, it is a populous town; it even had an ordained priest. But apparently, it is not supposed to exist."
"What do you mean 'had'?" Ethan asked.
"The letter said that the town's only spiritual leader died about two years ago, following several years of madness. The letter from Rome said they had no records of the city, nor of sending anyone there. Father James was a legitimate priest, however. He simply disappeared many decades ago while on a journey to Siberia. He must have stumbled upon your village and decided to stay. I am sorry for your loss, Ethan."
"My loss?" Ethan wondered aloud. "I left. It is not my loss." He rubbed his eyes and sat up straight. He cleared his throat before continuing. "What does any of this have to do with me?"
"I need you to take me to the village," Calmet said.
Ethan scoffed. "No, no way. I am not going back. Not ever."
"Ethan," Father Andrew interrupted, "the letter I received was a desperate plea for help. The town is under a full invasion from blood-sucking creatures. Two males have been seen, and as many as six females."
Ethan's pulse quickened. He began to sweat and he could feel his heart beating in his chest. He saw the face of the beast just beyond the bars of his dark cell. Ethan groaned in agony at the images in his head. He could hear the screams as people were drained of their blood.
He stood and leaned up against a wall. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths.
Calmet stood and approached Ethan. He reached out and tugged at Ethan's shoulder to turn him around. Ethan looked up at him and Calmet clearly saw the terror in Ethan's eyes. "You have seen them," Calmet said.
"I don't know what I saw," Ethan replied. "I heard more than I saw. What are they?"
"They are called 'vampires'," Calmet said, backing away. "They are undead beings that survive by drinking the only thing that gives any of us life – blood."
"Vampires," Ethan repeated. "Not nosferatu?"
Calmet looked sharply at Ethan and stared at him. For a moment, Calmet wondered if he had heard the boy right. "What did you say?" he asked. Ethan fidgeted uncomfortably. "You have spoken to a lycan? How are you even alive?" Ethan did not answer. Calmet laughed. "No wonder you are afraid."
"I am not afraid!" Ethan said stepping forward. "I…I just…I choose not to go back."
"It is a strange tale, Ethan." Calmet returned to his seat. "Male vampires are very territorial. The females greatly outnumber them, so it is not uncommon for several females to bind themselves to a single male. To have two males stalking the same village is strange. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
"Why would I?" asked Ethan.
"Ethan," said Father Andrew, "you were drunk when I found you. At the time, I thought many of the things you said were just wild stories. But after what you have told me over the years and from what I know from my brother…you said that she left you to marry another of her kind. What did you mean by that?"
Ethan hesitated. He did not want to replay the last conversation he had with her over in his head again. "She was one of them and her father asked her to marry another so as to break the curse."
"Her father," repeated Calmet. "A vampire had a child? That is not possible."
"Why?" asked Ethan.
"Vampires cannot breed. It is the price exacted for their immortality."
"Her mother was not a vampire," Ethan said. "She was human."
"A half-vampire…" Calmet mulled as he rubbed his temple and jaw. They all sat in silence for a moment as Calmet pondered. "She is half-human. Is it possible? Could she bear children? Could that be why the other male is there – to breed her?"
Ethan growled to himself and crossed his arms in disgust at the callous way Calmet talked about her, like breeding a stock animal.
Calmet continued. "Brother, I must leave at once. I must find this town. If they succeed, I cannot imagine the consequences."
"I agree," Father Andrew said. "Ethan, you must lead Calmet to the village. There is not time to waste."
Ethan felt uneasy. He had spent the last seven years hating Victoria and her father, but the thought of returning, of confronting them, killing them, it almost seemed as wrong as what the vampires were doing – especially if she was cursed. Could he condone killing them if they were just innocent victims? "But, why?" Ethan asked. "They are cursed, they cannot help what they are; it is inherited. She had to marry to break the curse somehow."
"What are you blabbering about, boy?" Calmet asked.
"She told me that they are a cursed race," Ethan firmly reiterated. "She could break the curse by bearing children with another of her kind."
"What kind of nonsense did she fill your head with?" Calmet asked. "There is no curse. There is nothing to break. There are only two ways to become a vampire: either you are transformed by another vampire or you sell your soul to the devil. Until now, vampires were not born. However it happens, there is only one way to stop them – they must be killed. We cannot allow these parasites to infect the whole world."
Ethan pondered Calmet's words of for a moment. Could it be possible? Had she lied to him? There was no curse and she chose to stay with her own kind to continue their race? Maybe this was Ethan's calling. Maybe this was his way of finally attaining forgiveness. If he could aid Calmet in ridding the world of this scourge, maybe his soul would finally be at peace.
"If this vampire, her father, is who I think he is," Calmet went on, "I have been searching for him a long time. I have heard of your village, climbed all over those mountains trying to find it, but I have been unsuccessful. You must show it to me."
"Maybe…" Ethan hesitated. "I don't like it."
"Don't worry, boy. I have something that will help us." Calmet reached into his pocket and pulled out a ruby-encrusted amulet on a long gold chain. Ethan looked at the amulet and felt a pain in his heart.
"Actually, sir, I already have one of those."
> Calmet looked at the amulet and then back at Ethan. "Are you sure?" he asked. Ethan nodded. Calmet erupted in another bout of laughter. "Oh, oh, my dear boy! You possess almost as many secrets as I do!" He leaned over and patted Ethan hard on the shoulder. "Come, boy. Lead the way. Our destinies await."
Ethan gave a reluctant sigh and opened the door for Calmet and himself.
12
Ethan went back to his room to pack a few things for the journey. Not that he owned many worldly possessions, but he knew he would need some warmer clothes. He thought it might be more comfortable if he traveled in civilian clothing, so he removed his monk robe and pulled out some pants and a flannel shirt. They didn’t fit, though. He had gained quite a bit of muscle in his chest, his neck was thicker, and his legs were bulkier. He wondered if anyone would even recognize him. Of course, the way they allowed him to be beaten and imprisoned on his last night there, he didn't really care if they knew who he was or not. Except, maybe for Sara. The one kind face in that crowd and the only one who wouldn't let him freeze overnight. He chuckled when he thought of the look on her face when she saw him, her cheeks as red as her hair. He wondered if she was married yet…or even still alive.
He looked at himself in the mirror as he buttoned his shirt. He froze when he saw his reflection. In that shirt, just for a moment, he saw himself as a much younger man. He was suddenly back in the upstairs bedroom of the house he grew up in. He opened the door to the room and saw the most beautiful woman lying on the bed, beckoning him to her. He wanted to reach out to her, but there was something in her, something evil. A dark purple aura began to emit from her and the whole room darkened. He started to feel dizzy. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer. He opened his eyes and everything was back to normal. He looked at himself in the mirror again and felt ill. He quickly removed the shirt and put his robe back on. He packed some clothes in a bag, extra shoes, a blanket, his Bible, and closed the door. He stood for a moment, afraid he had forgotten something. He sighed as he remembered the amulet. He slowly opened the door and stared at the nightstand. He knew he should take it. It was promised to protect him, but it was a gift from her, and Dom Calmet was going to kill her. It felt wrong to use her own gift against her.
But then he thought of Jacob's curiosity. He would not be surprised if the little sneak went through his drawers before he even left the churchyard. He didn't know how the amulet worked or how it was related to the evils of the world. He did not want Jacob brought into such a world. With great hesitation, he decided to take it. He took it out of the drawer and put it in his pocket – only for safekeeping.
He went to the kitchen to get some bread, fruit, salted pork, and a few other necessary things to sustain them. It would be quite a long journey. Who knew what kind of reception they would receive. They might need to fend for themselves even after they got there. He put the things into another sack and headed to the stables.
Gregory was happy to see him. He snorted and stamped his feet. Ethan gave the horse a carrot to calm him down so he could pack and saddle him. He still had the original saddle and bags; things like that would have been too expensive for a monk otherwise. He had thought about selling them and the horse, but couldn't do it. As much as he wanted to forget the past, he could not send his friend away. The thought of how she simply handed the loyal steed off made Ethan a little angry. He got the horse all ready and led him outside.
He looked about and saw Calmet's horses and small wagon outside the front of the church. Ethan began to worry about the wagon making the journey, it seemed so loaded down. He looked into it and pulled up the tarp to see what all Calmet had packed: shovels, pick-axes, mallets, long wooden and metal stakes, a shotgun, some revolvers, something that looked like a harpoon, rope, and a whole barrel of some kind of alcohol. He shook his head and sighed as he tied Gregory up to the hitching post with Calmet's horses and went inside.
Calmet was at the end of the hallway just before the main hall opened up, where the holy water was kept. As Ethan got closer, he saw Calmet filling small jars of various shapes with the water.
"What are you doing?" Ethan asked him.
"Oh, you never know when this stuff will come in handy," Calmet said. "I thought I better stock up since the town we're going to doesn't have a priest to bless the water and you don't exactly qualify."
"I doubt you will be going to any Masses since there are no priests," Ethan observed. "What do you need so much for?"
"You would be surprised in my line of work just how much of this stuff you can use."
"Use for what?"
"This is deadly for vampires. It is like acid. It eats right through them."
"Eww," said Ethan. "How can that be? It's just water."
Calmet raised his eyebrow and looked at Ethan. "And you wonder why my brother won't ordain you?"
"What I mean," said Ethan, blushing, "is that I know it represents purity and cleanliness and such, but, technically, it is still water."
"Is it?" Calmet asked. "Don't ask me how it works, boy. I just know it does. Help me carry this box out to the wagon." Calmet had carefully filled, corked, wrapped, and stacked all the bottles into a crate. Ethan took one end and helped Calmet carry it outside.
"By the way," Ethan said, "are you sure you need all these things? It is not an easy journey. The village is hidden way up in the Carpathians. Some of the trails are narrow and steep. I am not sure the wagon will make it."
"Let's hope so, boy. Believe me, everything in here is a necessity." They hoisted up the crate and Calmet began securing the tailgate.
"Is that so?" asked Ethan. "Are you sure you need those shovels? They do have shovels in the village."
"I like my own," Calmet said.
"Do you need so many guns?"
"You'd be surprised."
"You need wooden and metal stakes?"
"Sometimes wood is better, sometimes silver. Best to be prepared, don't you think?"
"What about this big harpoon thing? Not many whales to be found in the mountains."
"Now that is quite necessary."
"The alcohol? Is that quite necessary too?" Calmet paused for a moment.
"I need it to help me sleep. It's hard to hunt when you're tired," Calmet said.
"Hard to hunt when you're too drunk to hold a pistol straight," Ethan said.
Calmet tied the rope taut and turned to Ethan. "What's your problem, boy?" he asked. "Are you questioning my methods?"
"No, sir," Ethan said. "I just don't want to go all that way and get stuck in a mud puddle or killed because you're a little inebriated."
Calmet sighed and turned away. "You worry about keeping yourself alive. I'll worry about everything else."
"Doesn't the amulet help you sleep?" Ethan asked. "Doesn't it keep your nightmares away?"
"So that's it?" Calmet asked, stomping back toward Ethan until they were nose to nose. "You think that just because you've seen them, just because you've heard the voices of the wolves, just because a vampire cared for you enough to give you that charm, you think you know? You think you have nightmares? Is it the one where you can't reach her? Is it the one where she is crying for help and you can't find her? Is it the one where she is ramming the stake through your heart? Is it? Or is it the one where you smash a vial of holy water over her head and watch her scream and writhe in pain as her face, her skin, her hair, her eyes melt away and she is banished to hell for all of eternity? Well, which is it, boy?
"I have seen things you can't even imagine. And when you do see them, believe me, your little necklace won't be enough for you to close your eyes at night without seeing into the lair of the devil himself. So if I need a little help to get just enough sleep to carry on for one more day, I think I've earned the right to do that without being criticized by a little whip like you."
Ethan's breath quickened as he saw the pain, hurt, and anger in Calmet's eyes. He could not bear it and looked away to see that several men who had been walking by had stopped and were star
ing at their confrontation. "Yes, sir," Ethan said in a low voice. "I am sorry, sir. Forgive me."
Calmet backed away and finished tying down the items for the journey.
Ethan wondered just what Calmet had been through, what the demons he fought had put him through. Ethan imagined vampires and lycans spending their lives trying to kill Calmet and wear him down, but only making him stronger. In attempting to destroy their enemy, they had made him more powerful, and he was still coming for them.
"You had better go and see Father Andrew before we go," Calmet said. "It will be your last chance to confess or get any blessings for a long time."
Ethan nodded and headed into the church. He took a place in the front pew, pulled out his rosary, and began to pray. He was not exactly sure what to pray for. Should he pray for the death of those creatures? It did not seem right. Should he pray for Calmet? He did not seem to need it. Should he pray for her? Or would she be better off in hell? He recited the Hail Mary; that seemed rather safe and all encompassing.
"Elévè?" Father Andrew interrupted, placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder. Ethan looked up from his rosary and saw the priest standing over him. "Ethan, is there anything you need before you go?"
"No," he said. "I don't think there is any more you can do for me."
"We don't have to talk about sins or even God right now. If there is anything you need to unburden yourself with, I am here for you."
Ethan sighed. "It's just…what if I can't do what is necessary?"
"What do you mean?" Father Andrew asked.
"You were right when you said I was too angry to take my vows. But I'm not always angry. I think a part of me…maybe the reason I am so angry is because just a small, tiny, little part of me still loves her, or at least cares about her…just a little bit."
"You are still hurt, Ethan. She broke your heart. But wasn't it for the best? Would you really want to be bound for eternity to a creature like that?"
"That is exactly it," Ethan said. "What if a part of me still wants her? What if when the time comes…I just can't do it? I just can't kill her?"
The Vampire's Daughter Page 12
