Vengeance in Blood (Book 2): Tribulations

by Thomas A. Watson

  Looking up at Tiffany through her red curls, Besseta asked hopefully, “You really think so?”

  Reaching over with her other hand, Tiffany brushed Besseta’s hair out of her face. “Of that, I can be certain,” Tiffany said with confidence. “He will only complain that you could’ve been hurt.”

  “I didn’t care,” Besseta admitted.

  “I know, and that’s what will upset him,” Tiffany said, smiling. “And you can’t be mad about that because if he did something comparable for a human, you would be just as upset.”

  “Yeah,” Besseta groaned and leaned over, laying her head on Tiffany’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I frightened you.”

  Tiffany laughed and caressed Besseta’s head. “You do know you made Maliki so frightened he urinated on himself.”

  Softly shrugging, she said, “I don’t care. He’s an ass.”

  “Besseta,” Tiffany said and paused. “I fear I’ve passed my feelings about Maliki to you. In truth, he’s not that bad,” she admitted and started caressing Besseta’s head again. “When I see or think of Maliki, I can almost see Herotho again, expecting him to show up. They were good friends and enjoyed each other’s company. Even then, I enjoyed Maliki’s company.”

  “He’s still an ass,” Besseta said, closing her eyes as Tiffany stroked her head.

  “He can be,” Tiffany agreed, letting out a chuckle. “Before he killed the succubus, Maliki was rarely an ass. Only when he tried to act like a general again. After that, he was scared and started the face you see now. He is cold to push others away so he could see anyone wanting to get close to him.”

  Lifting her head, Besseta looked into Tiffany’s eyes. “I would never hurt you, Tiffany,” Besseta stated. “You were scared about that.”

  “Ah, well, yes I was, Besseta,” Tiffany nodded. “You were systematically breaking every bone in that werewolf’s body.”

  Besseta looked away. “Yes I was, but Elizabeth was connected to that wolf, and every bone I broke of the wolf, hers broke.” She gave a small smile. “I could hear her thoughts to others around her wherever she was. She begged for me to stop, but I didn’t.”

  “Oh Besseta, if you’re asking for forgiveness, I can’t give you that because I wouldn’t have stopped either.”

  “Really?” Besseta asked, shocked.

  Tiffany took a deep breath. “Oh, I can guarantee you I would have probably done much worse,” she admitted. “Though I don’t know if I would’ve used the language you did.” Tiffany smiled.

  “Well, Elizabeth doesn’t like to be degraded with words, so I need to learn some more vile expressions,” Besseta admitted. “She’s used to her subjects worshiping her.”

  Reaching over, Tiffany pulled Besseta’s head back down to her chest. “Then we shall both study new vile expressions to verbally degrade and violate her with atrocious dialogue.”

  “I love you, Tiffany,” Besseta laughed, hugging her.

  “Oh, little Besseta, I love you too,” Tiffany sighed, glad to see Besseta back to herself. “Besseta, will you tell me how you copied William’s ability?”

  “You’re going to think I’m a monster,” Besseta moaned.

  “Never, little Besseta,” Tiffany assured her. Taking a deep breath, Besseta started talking. She explained how she discovered how to do it and experimented on another then what she did to William and the last one.

  Tiffany was impressed with the detail Besseta took to recreate the same situation. When Besseta was done, she just kept her head on Tiffany’s chest. “That’s all you did?” Tiffany clarified.

  “That’s not enough?” Besseta asked. “I did more than kill our kind; I drained them.”

  “Our kind, pfft,” Tiffany huffed. “Besseta, if you think I haven’t killed some of our kind for less than that, you are mistaken,” Tiffany informed her. “And to let you know, Besseta, I’ve tried what you did more than once, and it didn’t transfer any ability to me.”

  “Huh?” Besseta asked, sitting up.

  “I tried that,” Tiffany admitted. “I kept one vampire alive for over a year, feeding off him regularly, and I never got his ability to control animals.” Besseta’s eyes got wide. “Oh, he was an ogre. He used animals to lure kids to his cave so he could feed,” Tiffany explained.

  “If you did it—”

  “More than once,” Tiffany added.

  “Why didn’t you get any of their abilities? Did you have them exposed to sunlight?” she asked.

  “Two of them,” Tiffany answered.

  “Um,” Besseta bit her lower lip, “just how many have you tried it out on?”

  Tiffany looked up and thought for a second. “Oh, I’m sure over a dozen,” she said, and that made Besseta feel better.

  Giving a frown, Besseta asked, “Well, why did it work for me? Think it was because I kept them under UV constantly?”

  Thinking for a second, Tiffany shook her head. “No.”

  “Well, how come I did it?” Besseta asked, confused.

  “Think, Besseta,” Tiffany said, squeezing her hand. Seeing Besseta wasn’t making the connection, she explained, “That is one of your abilities.”

  “To take others’?”

  “Yes, it’s not so hard to believe. There were rumors one of our kind had that ability long before you were born,” Tiffany said. “Each time the virus is passed, a small portion is changed in the host. In you, the virus has adapted to incorporate the gene responsible for abilities of others.”

  Stunned, Besseta asked, “Have you ever heard of anyone recently that could do it?”

  “No, and you can never tell another soul. Others will hunt you: some to kill you, the rest to see if they can take it,” Tiffany warned. “That’s the rumor how the other died long ago.”

  “Well, Kenneth knows,” Besseta stated proudly.

  “As well he should,” Tiffany smiled. “Are you handling the added abilities easily?”

  “Now I am,” Besseta nodded. “But it does take some time. The first time was strength, and it took the longest. It was a decade before I quit breaking things just touching them.”

  “So it took you feeding off them for a week before you felt the change?”

  Thinking and slowly nodding, Besseta admitted, “About that long. The last one was I didn’t need to feed as often, and I started feeling the change in days.”

  Reaching back up, Tiffany pulled Besseta back to her chest, caressing her hair as she thought. “I’m willing to bet you don’t need to feed off them that long,” Tiffany finally said. “I think you only needed to do it once. It just takes your body time to incorporate the new ability.”

  “So I don’t need to feed but once?”

  “I’m almost positive,” Tiffany replied, nodding. “The volume of the first feed should be more than adequate.”

  Thinking about that, Besseta held up her hand. “Tiffany, I’m sure some of the humans I’ve fed on would’ve had an ability. Why didn’t I get them?”

  “Their ability was never brought out with the virus. If they had turned and you fed, then you could’ve taken it.”

  “Wow,” Besseta exclaimed.

  “To put it mildly,” Tiffany smiled. “How long are we going to lay low?”

  “At least a few months,” Besseta said, raising her head. “I want to make sure Kenneth is safe before we go out.”

  “Agreed,” Tiffany nodded. “Would you be willing to experiment?”

  Cocking her head to the side, Besseta muttered, “Huh.”

  “Experiment, see if you can incorporate my ability?” Tiffany asked.

  Besseta’s pale complexion lost what little color it had. “What?”

  “Just to see if I’m right.”

  Besseta shook her head fearfully. “I don’t want your ability.”

  “Nonsense,” Tiffany said. “It would make you much stronger.”

  “It would freak me the hell out,” Besseta corrected.

  “Besseta, think. If both of us could use telekinesis, we would be a
force that would be very difficult to defeat. Not being modest, but I’m one of the strongest. I’ve seen others, and only one was more powerful, but he’s dead now. One of us could shield as the other attacked.”

  Really liking the sound of that, Besseta thought hard. “But I would have to bite you,” she whined.

  “I’ll bite myself, and you can just drink,” Tiffany offered, getting excited. Stunned, Besseta jumped back. “Besseta, how do you think I got my blood out to study it?”

  Not thinking of that, Besseta reached up, twirling her curls around her finger. “I like the idea, but I’m really scared,” she admitted. “Your ability seems much more powerful than any of the others I’ve taken, and if it does something weird, I can’t take it back.”

  “Now that is a valid argument,” Tiffany agreed. “Did you consider that on the others?”

  Shaking her head, she said, “No, but Kenneth did.”

  “That man is intelligent in many areas,” Tiffany admitted. “We must endeavor to change his mind about attempting the change. His thinking must be persevered.”

  Besseta smiled. “I’m going to try but not for that.”

  “As will I and not for that,” Tiffany agreed. “That would just be an added bonus.”

  “Tell you what,” Besseta offered. “Let’s run this by Kenneth and see what he thinks.”

  “Excellent idea,” Tiffany agreed, nodding. “Ah Besseta, do you have any other known quests in Chicago? I’m thinking we may need to take a few home so we don’t have to leave.”

  “Now that is a good idea,” Besseta said, getting up and seeing their plane was boarding. “No, I don’t, but it won’t take but a few hours to find some. One thing I can say about mankind; evil is always close.”

  Getting up, they walked over hand in hand and scanned their tickets. “Yes, Besseta, it may not be as prevalent now, but evil is still here,” Tiffany said as Besseta led her to first class. “My, these seats are rather big. I would think they would want to put more on a plane and make them smaller.”

  “This is first class. The seats in the back are small for me,” Besseta told her, sitting down. “When was the last time you flew?”

  “Still just the once,” Tiffany said, sitting down.

  Besseta laughed. “A jet is much better than a biplane.”

  “At least the wind isn’t hitting my face,” Tiffany smiled. “I swear it took me a week to pick the bugs out of my teeth.”

  “I kept my mouth closed,” Besseta grinned.

  Sniffing the air and looking around, Tiffany leaned over, whispering, “Do many of our kind travel like this?”

  “I’ve met, or should say noticed, a few over the years.”

  Still leaning over, Tiffany waited till the stewardess walked past. “What about wolves?”

  “I’ve only met ones that weren’t changed in small towns and run into one that had changed in a forest. Don’t know much about him except I could run much faster,” Besseta said.

  Sitting back and putting her seatbelt on like the stewardess was demonstrating, Tiffany was lost in thought. “I’ve never met a wolf in a large city. Only in far-off places like the places our kind make hideaways,” Tiffany mumbled. “I know there are a lot of them, so why aren’t they in the cities?”

  “They’ve been hunting us,” Besseta told her. “And yes, there are a lot of them. Wolves outnumber us two to one and have for the last few hundred years.”

  Like a light going off, Tiffany said, “Of course, none like exposing their hideaway. It would always be one. You pick that out of a thought?”

  Staring ahead, Besseta didn’t respond at first then slowly nodded. “Yes,” she finally said. “The cubari have been slowly taking over the wolves for the last century and a few of our kind. They positioned the wolves in those areas like you thought, picking us off one at a time slowly to not arouse suspicion.”

  “See, that is the cubari I’ve read about: calculated and working through others,” Tiffany said.

  With the barest nod, Besseta said, “Yes, they want the most powerful of our kind like they had for the wolves. It’s someone in China.”

  Tiffany laughed. “That could only be Wu. If they try him, they will lose many.”

  Shocked, Besseta asked, “You know him?”

  “Yes, he’s on the Asian League and has been since it was founded five centuries ago.”

  “What’s his ability?”

  “More than one, but the only one I observed was he can make himself invisible,” Tiffany said, and Besseta gasped. “Not like for real; he uses telepathy and convinces everything that can see him that he’s not there. Let me tell you; that alone is very unnerving. It’s rumored he has more telepathic abilities and is very strong.”

  “Now that would be cool,” Besseta admitted.

  “To have, not to fight,” Tiffany clarified. “It’s rumored he does it in when he sleeps so others can’t find him.”

  Besseta laughed. “Well, it’s worked because the cubari haven’t got close to him even though they have tried for a very long time.”

  As the plane taxied away from the terminal, Tiffany’s body became stiff, and she gripped the armrest so hard they cracked. “Tiffany,” Besseta said, putting her hand on Tiffany’s forearm. “Not so hard. You’re breaking it.”

  Letting go of the armrest, Tiffany felt vulnerable. “This thing is too big to fly,” she announced, making several passengers look over at them.

  Grabbing Tiffany’s hand, Besseta gave it a squeeze, and Tiffany’s hand locked, making Besseta jump. “Tiffany, just breathe. I’ve done this thousands of times. You’re going to be fine,” Besseta told her, making the passengers that were looking over grin. Besseta had a very good reason to calm Tiffany down; she didn’t want Tiffany to knock stuff off the plane with her mind.

  Tiffany panted as the plane turned onto the runway. “Oh my, oh my, ohmy, ohmy…” Tiffany almost chanted, getting faster.

  “Hey,” Besseta barked as she snapped her fingers in Tiffany’s face. Shocked, Tiffany stopped chanting. “You’ve been through worse than this. Stop being a sissy.”

  Actually looking at Besseta now, Tiffany forced a smile. “Yes I have. I’m sorry.”

  “We have to get home; the babies miss us,” Besseta reminded her.

  Closing her eyes, Tiffany took a deep breath as the plane started rolling down the runway. Letting out the breath slowly, she told herself, “Yes, I can do anything for the babies,” and grunted as the nose of the plane lifted off.

  Swearing the bones in her hand were about to break, Besseta said, “Tiffany relax,” as the plane continued to rise.

  “Shit, how high are we going?” Tiffany groaned.

  Not wanting to answer that question, Besseta reached over with her other hand and patted Tiffany. “Just breathe. See, we are fine.”

  In what seemed forever to Tiffany, the plane leveled out, and her grip loosened on Besseta’s hand. Besseta looked at her hand and saw indentations from Tiffany’s fingers. “Sorry,” Tiffany whispered.

  “Ma’am, are you okay?” the stewardess asked, walking over.

  “Uh huh,” Tiffany replied, forcing a smile.

  “Can I get you something?” the stewardess asked.

  Tiffany turned her head. “Do you have something with alcohol?”

  Smiling, she said, “Yes, but I will need to see your ID.”

  Not releasing Besseta’s hand but releasing the armrest, Tiffany slapped her pockets until she found the card holder for her license and credit cards. Pulling it out, Tiffany just handed the whole thing over. “Here,” she said as her hand shot back down to clutch the armrest.

  “Ma’am can you take the license out please?”

  Breathing through pursed lips, Tiffany said, “Young lady, you have two hands. Mine are busy.”

  Trying not to laugh, the stewardess pulled out Tiffany’s license. “Twenty-two. You’re old enough,” the stewardess smiled. “What would you like?”

  “What has the most alcohol
concentration?” Tiffany asked through pursed lips.

  “Our Grey Goose Vodka,” she answered. “How would you like it?”

  “In a glass will be fine,” Tiffany said, closing her eyes as her ears popped.

  “Which card do you want me to use?” the stewardess asked.

  “Just pick one; I don’t care!” Tiffany grunted.

  Patting Tiffany’s arm, Besseta smiled. “Just relax,” she coaxed.

  “That little girl better move,” Tiffany warned.

  “Tiffany,” Besseta whispered, “remember how old your ID says you are. She’s not a little girl.”

  Tiffany tried to keep her breathing regular. “Besseta, right now, I don’t care,” Tiffany confessed as the stewardess ran back holding a glass.

  “Here you go, ma’am,” she said, holding out the glass and Tiffany’s card holder.

  Hearing that, Tiffany’s eyes popped open as she snatched the glass and drained it in one swallow. “Another please, in a bigger glass. Keep that until I can let go,” Tiffany said, nodding to her card holder. “Wait, let’s make that four more.”

  “We do have a limit,” the stewardess told her.

  Shaking her head, Tiffany said, “Today you don’t.”

  Chuckling, the stewardess walked away as Besseta leaned over. “Tiffany, you only drink wine. You can’t get drunk, or you might break the plane,” she whispered.

  “Why do you think I’m drinking?” Tiffany asked. “I can’t focus that part of mind when I do.”

  Besseta stood up. “Hey, little girl you need to step up on those drinks before she rips the armrest off!”

  The stewardess ran back carrying four glasses, and Besseta flipped up the table area. When the stewardess put the glasses down, Tiffany snatched one up, draining it and making a face. Putting down the empty glass, Tiffany picked up another and drained it.

  “You need to slow down,” the stewardess warned.

  “Not yet I don’t,” Tiffany said and drained number three. Feeling the alcohol take effect, Tiffany started to relax. As the tension left her body, Tiffany set down the empty glass and drained the last one. “If man were supposed to fly, nature would have given him wings,” she said, looking over at Besseta then turned to the stewardess.