Brand New Night

by Nathan Spain

  Selene gave a kindly, amused laugh. “What do you have to be sorry about, my dear Damian? It was all so long ago. And besides, once I’d had time to adjust, it was as though a weight had lifted off me. I felt more at home among vampires than I ever did in the world of men.”

  “Who turned you?” Damian asked. His throat felt tight, but he forced the words out anyway. “You must have had a sire, like Draven…like Draven was to me and my daughter.”

  “At the time, Lord Aldon turned all the new Winebloods himself. We were not just his subjects, we were his children. It was under his leadership that the Manor was built, you know, once the humans’ new country expanded to the west. But his reign was cut short. Try as we might, the existence of vampires could never remain entirely unknown to the world at large. Consequently, the Sons of Helsing formed alongside us over the years. They plagued us like locusts.”

  She sighed softly, her eyes far away in memory. “Eventually, Aldon decided that enough was enough, and mounted a proactive strike on one of the Sons’ chapters – an uncommon move for him, as he much preferred peace and secrecy over violence and brazenness. But the threat had gone unchecked for too long, and so we took the fight to their doorstep. We dealt them a blow they did not soon forget, and crippled their activities in the region…but Aldon did not survive the battle.”

  Damian drew a long, sharp breath. “That must have been hard. If he was like a father to you, I mean.”

  Selene glanced at him, and something in her eyes told him that she knew why he was asking. “It was a devastating loss, for the entire clan. But I knew that we had no choice but to carry on, for the future of the clan was bigger than any one person, even its leader.”

  “And so the throne fell to you?”

  She sat up straighter, wincing a little. “Not directly. Ordinarily, after Aldon’s passing, the throne would go to whomever he had selected as his successor. The problem was, Aldon wasn’t the only member of the court to fall in battle that day – his second-in-command and his top advisors all perished as well. The clan’s leadership had been decimated by the hunters, and Aldon’s successor along with them.”

  Interested, Damian leaned forward and pressed, “What did you do?”

  “Something that has never happened before or since. The clan’s members assembled, and everyone who desired to lead had the opportunity to make their case. Once everyone had outlined their vision for the clan should they be elected, a vote was held.”

  “What did you say to win over the clan?”

  “I made the case that Aldon had been a good leader, but he had failed the clan in certain respects. At the time, the Winebloods controlled less territory than we do now. We were more reclusive and had not forged good relations with the other clans. The Nightcloaks and Blackwings had larger empires, and while they perhaps viewed us as insignificant, I feared that one day they would try to take what little we had. I thought we should assert ourselves more, but also prove we had something to offer them. In truth, I did not expect to win, but evidently, there were more than a few others who agreed with my reasoning.”

  “And now we’re getting to the parts I know,” Damian said. “The petitioning of the other clans to redraw our borders, the resistance and subsequent bluffing that followed, and the taxing of blood brews as payment for your demands. All bold moves for a newly-minted leader.”

  “True,” Selene acknowledged, “but I knew people would answer to boldness. It won me the respect of the clans, my own included.”

  “Along with their ire in the Nightcloaks’ and Blackwings’ case, I imagine,” Damian pointed out.

  “They certainly didn’t like it. But they respected my daring, and that was the key. The negotiations were difficult for a while, but the arrangements that followed secured us over a century of peace.”

  Damian let out a heavy sigh. “And now that peacetime is at an end. My Lady, if I may be bold myself, I fear Thanatos took the wrong lessons from your boldness.”

  Selene’s tone darkened. “Thanatos has always been ambitious. Back then it was a matter of being preemptive – showing him we were not pushovers before he could begin to push. But you’re right, I bear some blame for what has happened. I began to take the peace for granted and was not as vigilant as I should have been. If I had been more cautious, perhaps we wouldn’t have fallen into his trap.”

  “You ought not to blame yourself, my Lady. You couldn’t have known this would happen. But you see what I mean about the relevance of the past. It was a decision by consensus that granted you your current standing all those years ago. Winebloods coming together to pick the best path for the future. No wonder you had faith that such a process could work again, on a larger scale. Your only mistake was in assuming everyone would share your goal for a better future.”

  Selene shook her head. “Thanatos does want a better future. It’s just that his idea of ‘better’ is far removed from mine. I made the fatal error of projecting my worldview onto others, thinking we could find common ground.”

  Damian felt he should say something encouraging, so he half-heartedly offered, “We can still salvage the situation, somehow.”

  Selene’s voice was sad and sympathetic. “You have the optimism of youth, the same headstrong hope that guided me when I first took command of our clan. But I need you to learn from my mistakes. That’s the only hope any of us have left for survival.”

  Damian frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  Looking him in the eye, Selene said, “When I started speaking publicly about building bridges between vampires and humanity, there were many who thought me naïve. Such an alliance, they said, could never come to pass. The differences between us were too irreconcilable. I didn’t share their views, but I’m beginning to understand them. They were right, but the context was wrong. The truly irreconcilable divisions lie between our own kind. You have a gentle soul, but you must realize this as well. If you survive, it will not be by winning over your enemies’ hearts and minds. You must plant yourself firmly in accordance with what you know to be right, and be prepared to resist those who oppose you.”

  “Selene, I –”

  “Please, Damian,” she interrupted, and the urgency in her eyes silenced him. “I need you to hear this. You are wise, in some ways more so than me, but you have much to learn, and I’m so sorry, my friend, but you will have to learn quickly. We shared a dream for our people, you and I, and now I fear it will fall on you to defend that dream. Make what alliances you can, for you will need the allies, but remain realistic. Remember that those who fight oppression rarely have the luxury of choosing the terms of engagement. I know you will do what’s right.”

  Dread seeped into the corners of Damian’s mind as he tried to understand the context of Selene’s advice. “Why are you saying all of this?”

  Selene’s voice was tinged with sadness, but calm acceptance, too, as she said, “Because I want you to be my successor, Damian. Do you understand? When all is said and done, whatever remains of Clan Wineblood is yours to lead, should you want it.”

  Damian swallowed. His throat had become tight and dry. “Why me?” he whispered. “What about your sister? Callidora is more experienced, surely she –”

  Gently, Selene interrupted, “Callidora is smart and loyal. She’s been at my side since the beginning, and I would trust her with my life in battle. But she’s also hot-headed, quick to react. There’s a reason I preferred that she stay and mind the court rather than join me at the summit. She is better at strength than at diplomacy, and it will take both to be a leader in times like these. You have those attributes, both the daring and the humility, the conviction and the compassion. Whatever happens, I want you to know that I believe in you.”

  Damian swallowed again, trying to control the emotion that welled in his throat and his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak – and froze, instantly alert.

  Selene’s eyes snapped to the door. She had heard it, too: the click of a lock turning.

  Two Nightc
loak guards descended the stairs, stopping at the bottom and staring at them with stony expressions.

  No one spoke. Damian and Selene glanced at each other, then slowly got to their feet.

  Damian's apprehension was mixed with curiosity. They had not been summoned since the first day after the battle. What did Thanatos want from them now? Had something changed since their last conversation?

  In silence, they followed the guards upstairs. Judging from the soft orange light outside the drawn curtains, it was sundown.

  The guards led them down the hall toward the front entrance. Nightcloaks and Blackwings filled the halls; guards stood rigidly at their posts, while others just sat on the couches or hunched over tables playing cards and talking to each other in low voices. There seemed to be more of them about than there had been a few days prior. They had the quiet, tense look of people who were patiently holed up, killing time until the time came to kill something else. Soldiers uncomfortably occupying foreign territory, waiting for the fighting to break out once more.

  But something else hung in the air as well, something that grew more palpable when the captive Winebloods entered the room: a hushed anticipation. All eyes gravitated to Damian and Selene as they passed by; those who had been speaking fell silent as their companions nudged them. Damian carefully scanned the room as they passed, not meeting any pair of eyes for more than a moment.

  As they drew closer to the entrance foyer, the silence was disrupted by the sound of voices filtering through the doors.

  Hotly, Brone’s voice said, "I'm telling you, this is getting out of hand."

  "Relax," came Thanatos' calm, controlled voice in response. "Our plans haven't changed.”

  "And if the Winebloods resist?"

  "We’ll deal with them after the city has fallen. Let them try and stop us if they so desire. If they wish to survive, they will not get in our way. We will make that very clear."

  The voices cut off as one of the guards knocked on the doors. "Enter," Thanatos commanded, and the guards shunted Damian and Selene through.

  Damian’s gaze fell first on Brone, who appeared disheveled; his usual fancy clothes were covered by a traveling cloak of the Nightcloak style, and a deep cut marred the bridge of his nose. The effect, along with his mutilated eye, made him appear quite monstrous, not helped by the dour expression he wore in place of his usual oily grin.

  "Ah, Selene. Come in, come in,” said Thanatos.

  "Thanatos," Selene acknowledged stiffly. "Is there something we can do for you?"

  Thanatos crossed his arms and stared at them for an uncomfortably long moment. When he finally spoke, his tone was even more measured than usual. "I sent Brone to...negotiate with your clan, but it seems they're determined to stand in our way. Their stubbornness would be almost admirable, were it not so misguided."

  "Master plan not going the way you pictured?" Damian said sarcastically. A faint smile crossed his face, despite himself, at the knowledge that the other Winebloods weren’t giving up without a fight.

  Thanatos gave him a brief but withering glance. "It’s nothing to celebrate. Your friends and family have chosen their pride over their loyalty to you, and I cannot allow that choice to be without consequences."

  "What exactly are you saying?" Damian asked.

  "I'm saying," Thanatos replied, "that the two of you have proven to be less effective motivators than I’d hoped. It would seem the time for hostages has passed."

  He nodded at the guards. Before Damian could react, one of them grabbed Selene by the arm and dragged her into the center of the room to stand before Thanatos.

  "Hey!" Damian stepped forward, but the other guard seized him around the chest and held him back. He strained impotently against the guard’s arms, panic flooding his brain.

  The ghastly smile was back on Brone’s face, wider than ever.

  Thanatos held out a hand, and the guard drew his sword and gave it to him.

  Outside, the light was growing fainter. Thanatos turned and strode to the front doors of the lodge, opening them wide. He stood at the threshold and gazed out at the gathering shadows. The sun had just vanished behind the hills; the sky still glowed a pale red.

  "A new night begins..." Thanatos said softly, and then, louder, "Let's go outside."

  "What are you waiting for?" Brone interjected. "We should kill them already and be done with it."

  Thanatos' hand twitched slightly, but his voice remained calm as he said, "Patience, Brone.” He gestured to the guards to follow as he strode through the doors. "Bring them."

  Damian and Selene were guided none-too-gently outside and down the front steps, trailed closely by Brone. The piled heap of corpses from the battle still lay off to the side, nothing but ashes and charred bones now. It drew Damian’s eyes even while his stomach turned at the sight of it.

  The guards halted and forced them onto their knees on the pavement. Brone stood over them, a long knife in his hand, watching them intently. He growled, “Don’t even think about trying to change shape and fly out of here. Any move out of either of you and this knife goes through your skull before you can make it off the ground.”

  Thanatos stood with his back to them, sword in hand, looking up at the sky. "I didn't want it to come to this," he said quietly. "You forced my hand."

  Dryly, Selene said, "If you're going to kill me, Thanatos, at least do me the courtesy of not trying to make me feel guilty about it."

  Thanatos whirled around and placed his sword under her chin, its tip against her throat. "Dammit, Selene," he hissed, and there was a hint of desperation mixed in with the anger in his voice. "I’ve given you every opportunity to cooperate. Are you really so determined to die?"

  "If the alternative is living in a world of your making, then I know which option I prefer."

  Thanatos’ eyes narrowed as he looked down the length of the blade at her. Slowly, emphasizing every word, he said, “Because I am merciful, I will give you one last chance. Join me, Selene. Join me and your life will be spared.”

  “Oh, Thanatos,” Selene said, pity in her voice. “You cannot win loyalty at the point of a sword. Even if I were to give you the answer you seek, it would be hollow and false. And so my answer is unchanged. I will not be swayed on the matter.”

  Thanatos’ nostrils flared, and he gestured sharply with his head at Damian beside her. “And your friend here? Does his life mean as little to you as your own?”

  Damian glanced at Selene and met her eyes. There was sadness in them, but a certain determination as well. She nodded ever so slightly and mouthed, “Don’t be afraid.”

  He swallowed hard, then looked up at Thanatos defiantly. “If my Lady is prepared to lay down her life, I can do no less.”

  “Then you give me no choice. Any last words?”

  Selene looked up at Thanatos, fire in her eyes; perhaps it was merely the reflection of the dying fire in the sky, or perhaps something deeper. When she spoke, her voice was calm. “Your mad ambitions will burn you to dust, Thanatos. You may take me with you, and countless others, but in the end, you will not survive. Men like you never do.”

  Thanatos said nothing, but tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.

  Despite Brone’s warning, and even though he was outnumbered, Damian found his mind racing and his muscles tensing. Brone and two guards behind, Thanatos in front…if he moved quickly enough to take them by surprise, then perhaps…

  But then Selene caught his eye and gave a tiny shake of her head.

  Tears welled in Damian’s eyes. “Selene,” he said thickly. It was a statement, a question, an unfinished thought, encompassing all the things he lacked the time to say.

  She smiled at him, a kind and sad smile. Gently, she said, “Don’t cry, dear Damian. It’s been a long life, but all things must end. This is not the end I would have chosen, but I’m grateful you’re here with me. I will see you in the next life, my friend, should we be so lucky as to get a third.” She reached out and squeezed his hand. “Reme
mber what I told you.”

  He nodded. The tears came thick enough to blur his vision now, but he didn’t want to look away from her eyes, not even for a second.

  “Good. I stand by what I said. Thank you, Damian, for standing by me now.”

  She turned back to Thanatos. “Do what you must.”

  Rough hands held Damian’s arms in place so he could not intervene. He barely noticed them. Everything seemed both immediate and far away. Selene was right beside him, but his mind felt detached from what was happening; he drifted in a helpless horror as she bowed her head and exposed the nape of her neck. Thanatos stepped forward, but the movement seemed elongated; the world was stuck in slow motion. The long, sharp blade of Thanatos’ sword rose into the air, poised above like a bird of prey about to swoop down and strike, and that was the last thing Damian saw before he turned his head away and clenched his eyes shut.

  He didn’t need to see it happen to know when the sword found its mark, swift and terrible and true. The sound confirmed it.

  Damian stayed stock-still, eyes tightly shut, waiting for it all to end.

  I’ll see you soon, Ariadne…

  But the seconds passed in silence, and no end came.

  "Get up," he heard Thanatos say. "Open your eyes."

  Confused, he obeyed. Thanatos stood in front of him, and there on the ground...he looked away, trying to resist the awful magnetism that drew his gaze to the sight. Instead he found his eyes looking at the pile of charred bodies. His stomach churned once again.

  "Don't worry,” Thanatos said, “I'll see to it she gets a proper burial. She deserves that much."

  Damian looked at him, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice, and said, "What are you waiting for? Want to gloat before you kill me?"

  Thanatos sighed. "I'm not going to kill you, Damian."

  "Wait, what?" came Brone's harsh voice from behind. "Why not?"

  Thanatos dismissively held up a hand to silence him, his eyes fixed on Damian. "I only kept you here to incentivize Selene's cooperation. That ship has clearly sailed. There's no longer any reason to hold you prisoner."