by Lund, S. E.
“Bite me,” I say, for he needs to drink my blood so he’ll get the intense high off an ascended vampire’s blood. He does finally, his teeth piercing the skin on my inner thigh, the pain sharp and short. His tongue soothes the hurt and soon, I feel no pain. Soon, the endorphins in my blood take away any pain and euphoria fills me. When it hits Julien, I feel our connection, our senses joining, and I lose myself in him. Then, I can no longer sense the boundaries between us, and we’re just one big mass of lust and flesh and pleasure.
He forgets everything except my mouth on him, his mouth devouring me, bringing us both to ecstasy.
* * *
We have only a few moments to catch our breath and compose ourselves before Michel returns, earlier than Julien expected. He enters the sitting room just as I come out of the bathroom in my robe and nightgown. Julien’s fully dressed and sitting by the fire, reading the latest newspaper. I hope it looks perfectly innocent.
Michel takes a seat by Julien and the two talk about the battle.
“I’m going to sleep,” I say and smile at the two of them.
“Good night,” Michel says and smiles back. When his head is turned, Julien mouths I love you, to me and it warms my heart.
As much as I would like him to join me in bed, I know he can’t. We have to appear to not be together. I wonder if Michel suspects that we were together while he was away…
I fall asleep listening to their soft voices in the corner, the crackle of the fire the only other sound.
* * *
I wake in the morning to the sound of my servant stoking the fire in my room, to take the chill out of the air.
“You’re awake, miss?” she asks, standing at the foot of my bed.
“I am now,” I say and stretch.
She goes to pull open the heavy drapes at the window and the dim gray light of a winter storm fills the room. Outside, it’s a blizzard. A cold wind blows the trees that surround the house, their barren limbs scratching at my window. I can’t help but think the weather is appropriate for the dark deeds that will be done today. No doubt, Soren will want to kill Blackstone and make us watch.
“Will you bring me a tray with my breakfast?”
The servant shakes her head. “Lord Soren wants you to attend the dining room for breakfast.”
I sigh, eager to eat. I had hoped to do so alone so I wouldn’t have to face Michel and Julien at the same time.
The servant has prepared my bath and I soak in it, enjoying the heat. Once I’m finished and dressed, I follow the guard to the dining hall and see that the rest of Soren’s entourage is already there, seated around the great table with Soren at the head.
“There you are,” Soren says when he sees me. “Take your place. We have some delicious food on the menu as well as stimulating entertainment.” He winks at me and I turn my head away, not wanting to see his gloating expression. I find my place and of course, it’s sandwiched between the brothers. They both stand and pull out my chair together, and I sit, trying not to respond and give Soren any pleasure.
Your discomfort always gives me pleasure, Eve. You are so beautiful when you’re being petulant.
I smile at him and hold up my glass of blood, wiping away whatever petulant expression I had on my face. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.
We’re served a nice meal of an English breakfast with all the fixings, eggs, sausages, bacon, hash browned potatoes. There’s even fruit on the table.
Soren holds up a pineapple. “We had visitors from afar. Now that the plague has been stopped, a few supply trains have gotten through now that the blockades have been removed.” He raises his eyebrows and people clap in response. Then, he takes a sharp knife and cuts the pineapple in front of us, slurping down the juice and passing pieces around for the others.
When the servants clear off our plates and bring refills of the tea and coffee, Soren stands.
“And now for the main event. A little payback I’ve been waiting a long, long time to deliver. Please, everyone get on your coats and boots and assemble in the front entry. We’re taking a little trip.”
“Where are we going?” I say despite my intention not to resist.
“Oh, you’ll like this, Eve,” Soren says and motions to the door. “Some great theatre for all those who lived in fear of the vampire all this time. I hope you enjoy it.”
He winks at me and a sense of dread fills me. What Soren thinks I’ll enjoy and what I will enjoy are two different things, I suspect.
We do as he commands and get our coats and boots, and wait by the front doors. Outside, there are several large vehicles waiting, their engines running and I think it’s strange. I haven’t heard a combustion engine for a long time. Compared to the electric engines we’ve been using since the plague, it’s so loud and I can smell the scent of fuel burning in the vehicle exhaust.
We really are back in the fossil fuel age once more and I wonder whether that was a good decision. Regardless, it’s the new reality and so I stand beside Julien and Michel and wait for further instructions.
Soren arrives, wearing a long white leather trench coat, a white scarf and gloves. He looks like a male model in a photo shoot for a spy movie and once again, and in spite of my dislike of him in general, I have to admit that he is strikingly beautiful for a man. His fair skin, his platinum hair, chiseled features and piercing blue-grey eyes make him almost too beautiful.
He catches my eye as he walks by and the smallest smile graces his lips.
If you want it, you can have it. You just have to ask…
I grit my teeth. Bastard. Of course I have absolutely no interest in him sexually, but he loves to tease me.
Not a tease. An offer. It’s Michel’s greatest fear. Wouldn’t that just make his little heart break? You and me together? It would be almost too good to bear…
Never gonna happen, I think to myself.
Never say never...
Then he laughs and turns away, waving the group of us through the doors and to the waiting vehicles.
“Come on people,” he says, his voice ebullient. “Let’s get this show on the road. Time for some payback.”
We enter the five vehicles and I end up with Michel and Julien plus Soren and Kael. Soren sits in the front passenger seat, his arm on the back of the seat, his neck craned so he can watch us. He’s smiling, excited for whatever event he’s taking us to.
Is this going to be one of his feats of wonder? A miracle?
“No mere miracle, Eve,” Soren says out loud, his eyes narrowed as he examines me from the front seat. “Just amazing biotechnology, thanks to your wonderful brother. Did I ever tell you the story of your brother’s birth?”
“I already know,” I say. “He told me. He was conceived via my mother’s frozen eggs and whatever genetic trickery your scientists worked up to create a warrior for your use. You put him inside his crack-addicted surrogate mother in England and left him to rot so that his skills as an adept would develop.”
“Actually, no,” he says. “But it’s a nice story. He’s your twin. Same mother, different egg. One boy. One girl. A perfect pair. We made three of each of you, but sadly, both of your triplet siblings died, leaving only you two.”
As we drive through the snowy streets of Boston, I frown as I try to take in this new bit of information. “We were never twins. He was raised by one mother, and I by another.”
“Yes, but you started out life together. The truth is that you were separated at birth. Natalia and your father donated their egg and sperm, but I was the architect. After you were born, we split you up to keep you safe. Didn’t want to expose either of you to too much risk.”
Soren turns around and says nothing more and I sit frowning, wondering why he told me this.
“Did you know about this?” I say softly to Michel.
He shakes his head, his brow furrowed. “No,” he says. “As far as I knew, Natalia gave birth to a singleton. There was no mention of twins in her records.”
“
Of course not,” Soren said. “I had to hide that reality. But today, I can reveal it because the threat I’ve been hiding it from is now going to end.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, completely confused.
He turns and looks at me, his eyes dark. “The only one who knows what you two are and could use you two against me. Luckily, I’ve won this battle. Now, for the dénouement. The final blow that ends the war between us.”
I think about Dylan and wonder where he is. Like me, his early abuse made him sensitive, brought out his powers of prescience. Like me, he had an abiding interest in science. Like me, he became a vampire and ascended. Like me, he’s working for Soren. Helping Soren set himself up for his own form of religious Dominion. Were we really fraternal twins? If so, no one ever said anything about it. Not my mother. Not Dylan’s parents. We shared my mother’s womb right up until birth and then were separated?
Who would Soren want to keep us from and who could use us against Soren? What does that mean?
I’m so tired of all the cryptic messages, I give up trying to understand and instead, I watch out the window. We’re approaching the park where Soren raised Kael from the tank and Kael killed all those civilians. I can see that crowds have gathered in the central clearing of the park, actually walking on the graves of those who came before them. They stand around in clusters, their breath visible in the cold air. Some stomp their feet and rub their hands together. The day is gray and chill, the skies filled with thick clouds.
The cars stop and we get out, joining Soren as he walks into the center of the park along a path that has been cleared by the guards. Soren extends his wings, great grey-white monsters that stretch out eight feet on each side of his body. I can see and feel the awe in the crowd. When the Twelve follow suit, it’s a fearsome sight.
A phalanx of soldiers stands together in a tight circle just off to the left of the clearing. Soren motions to the soldiers and they part. As we watch, several soldiers drag forward a bloodied Lord Blackstone and his son. Both are in shackles and are badly beaten, faces swollen almost beyond recognition. Both need help to stand. The son wavers on his feet and has to be propped up, his head bowed, pink-tinged drool hanging from bleeding lips.
“Michel,” Soren says, and Michel goes to his side. “Did you bring it?”
Michel removes a chalice from a shoulder bag I hadn’t noticed when we first arrived. Then, we go through the blood sharing ceremony. Michel uses a small sharp dagger, and slices my wrist, blood dripping into the chalice. Michel repeats this with Soren and the Twelve, going to each of them one after the other, so that their blood mingles in the cup. Finally, he takes the chalice around to them all and when I drink, as before, I’m assaulted by the force of their minds, the strength of it almost making me fall to my knees.
I feel it immediately – the emotions of the congregation gathered to watch this ceremony – or execution – whatever it is. They feel fear and hope, dread and awe.
Soren strides to where the guards stand with the two men and he lifts Lord Blackstone’s chin so that he looks at Soren through the one eye that is not swollen shut.
“So, old friend, ancient nemesis,” Soren says, his voice soft. “The vampire who would be king, we meet on the final battlefield. Surprised it’s a park in my territory instead of a field outside your compound like you planned? Remember what Sun Tzu wrote – the wise general wins the war before going to battle.”
Lord Blackstone says nothing, but spits on the ground a few inches from Soren’s feet.
“Nothing to say, hmm?” Soren shakes his head and moves to the son and does the same, lifting his chin and staring into his face. He looks unconscious, his eyes rolling back in his head.
“I have something for you,” Soren says and snaps his fingers. Immediately, a guard comes forward and hands Soren a vial. I realize that it must be the cure.
Soren takes the vial, breaks the top off and then pours the liquid down the younger Blackstone’s throat while the guard holds his mouth open. He swallows the liquid and within moments, while we watch, he starts to cough, then his body is wracked with convulsions and the soldiers drop him to the snow-covered ground where he shakes and wheezes, gasping, blood foaming out of his mouth, staining the snow beneath him. He gurgles as his last breath escapes his red lips.
Finally, he lies still and I see Lord Blackstone finally raise his head and stare directly at Soren.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Soren says. “You served your purpose, and now, here’s some payback for all my brethren you killed.”
Blackstone struggles, and I wonder what he means – Blackstone killed Soren’s brethren? Some of those two hundred of his kind who went missing over the forty thousand years since they arrived?
How?
If this is true, no wonder Soren has hated Blackstone so much.
“Aren’t you going to resurrect him?” Blackstone demands.
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Soren says lightly.
“You son of a bitch,” Blackstone rasps, his mouth still bleeding. “You said you had a cure.”
“Actually, not a son of anyone,” Soren says and winks at me.
I turn to Michel. “I didn’t know Blackstone killed some Ancients,” I whisper. “Soren never said anything about that.”
“No, he didn’t,” Michel says, keeping his voice low. “Probably didn’t want anyone to know that he has vulnerabilities. Not something you want to get around, especially if you tend to the tyrannical side.”
So Soren can die…
I told you we don’t die, Eve, so don’t get your hopes up. I don’t plan on dying – not anytime soon.
As I watch the guards drag the dead body of Blackstone’s son in front of the crowd, I realize that I don’t want Soren dead. However, I don’t necessarily want him to rule the world as a god.
I always have. It’s what I was meant to do until Blackstone and his kind came along and reduced our numbers and our powers… I’ve been waiting all these years, planning and plotting, putting things in place so that we could get back what we lost. You’re key, Eve. You’ve already done so much. You have one more task and then you’ll be free to live your precious eternal life with your beloved brothers…
I try to blank my mind so he doesn’t know my true feelings, but I’m happy to have him reveal more of his plans. I wonder what task I have left – probably helping him perform feats of magic, miracles, and other wondrous events to channel more worship his way, and towards the Twelve, so they can be even more powerful and take over the Church…
Precisely. As soon as you do, you and every other vampire will be cured and immortal. You and your lovely brothers can go off and live by the ocean if you want, for all I care. Do your part, and I guarantee you’ll get your reward. Not in heaven, but here on earth. Think of it – the brothers, yours for all eternity…
I force myself not to react to that suggestion. Instead, I do my best to keep my mind blank. The three of us are silent. Witnessing the death of your fellow man, or vampire, whatever the case may be, is unsettling. I know that Soren could do the same to me if I displease him.
And Michel and Julien, too…
I make fists and dig my nails into my palms.
“When will he release the cure more widely?
Julien shrugs. “He doesn’t tell me his plans.”
Michel nods in response. “Me either. I imagine when it suits him. All we can do is wait. I do know that he’s planning some feat of wonder to prove that he has godly powers, so be prepared.”
“I imagine he’ll need us to share blood and channel worshipers to do that,” I say, dreading being part of another one of his charades.
“He will.”
I sigh heavily. I’m tired of all this. I want to go to St. David’s and sit on the beach, listen to the roar of the ocean and watch the stars come out one by one when the sun sets…
You will, Eve. You will. Soon enough, I promise.
I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing I
could find something that would block him.
No, you don’t, Eve. If you did, I’d have to kill you. Now, grow up. I’m the only hope for humanity. Accept it.
I open my eyes and try to relax. It’s no use trying to fight Soren. I have to just live with this constant intrusion into my mind.
Then, Kael shouts to a group of soldiers and they part, exposing shackled vampires dressed in black, hidden behind a high fence. They begin to walk down the pathway towards Soren and the Twelve, each one chained to the person in front of them. Their pale skin marks them as vampires and the fact they can exist in the sunlight means they’re ascended.
They’re all Blackstone’s soldiers, each bearing his family crest on their jackets.
I count them as they pass and stop once I reach seventy-five. More and more file past and it’s then I realize Soren’s going to do a mass cure in front of the crowd to prove he can do what he promised – cure vampirism.
Bingo.
Soren snaps his fingers once more and a guard hands him another vial. He motions to his own soldiers and they hold Blackstone firm, one soldier opening Blackstone’s mouth while Soren breaks off the top of the glass vial.
“The world will be better off without the two of you or any of your followers. While I gave your son a cure tailored specifically for him, this cure is for your entire line. You should know that once I give you this cure, all of your line will die within minutes of your death. Thanks for developing it, by the way,” Soren says, a smug expression on his face. “I know you intended it for me and the Twelve, but that attempt failed terribly. I imagine you didn’t expect to have it used against you and your line. I was going to tweak it so that it merely removed your need for blood, but I decided to hell with it. I want you and yours gone for good.”
Soren shoves the vial into Blackstone’s mouth, which is held open by the soldier behind him, and soon, he falls to the ground, quivering and shuddering, gasping and coughing out blood and foam as he is cured of vampirism and of life itself.
Soren watches, silent, his face expressionless. When Blackstone is lying deathly still on the ground at his feet, Soren looks up and meets my eyes. In them, I see such darkness that I feel actual fear and revulsion…
