The vampire’s eyes pulsed an angry red. Jake stepped away from the hole backing up to the opposite wall. “You should not have witnessed that.” He said, his voice dripping with anger.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to!” Jake blurted out his body filling with fear.
The Maker took several deep breaths. “Fear not young man, as I told you before I could not hurt you even if I was inclined to do so. You must give me your word to never do that again. I do not wish to be seen in such a state. All I have left is my pride.”
Not wanting to anger him further, Jake gladly agreed. “I promise. I’m really sorry.”
“Think nothing of it.”
“Does it hurt?” Jake asked stepping away from the wall.
“Like you cannot imagine,” he said, softly. “I feel every second of it. My body is incapable of sleep. Therefore, I cannot pass out. Which really is quite inconvenient. But let us put the ordeal behind us.”
“Okay.” Jake said, swallowing the lump in his throat.
"I must admit, I am quite glad you came back. I have so little to look forward to."
"Well, to be honest I've been looking forward to this as well.” Jake said, uncertain if he should tell him this, but his nervousness wouldn’t let him stop. “The only other person I get to talk to is a tutor named Mr. Orwell. He’s nice enough compared to Paul and my grandfather. But he rambles on and on about the Roman Empire! You'd think he'd actually lived there!"
“Indeed?” The Vampire chuckled. "The Roman Empire?"
"Yeah. I hate it here! I wish my Grandpa and Dad would come get me. Grandpa said it would just be a few days, it's been over a month now."
"Well I am sure if they could be here they would be. You would be surprised what a grandfather would do for his grandson." The vampire said, sadly. "Tell me about your family. I have not seen my own in so very long."
Therefore, Jake told him about his dad, his grandpa and some of their strange habits. About his mom and how much he missed the smell of her perfume. He didn’t know why he told him. Part of him just wanted a friend, someone to confide in. It had been a long time since he had had someone to talk too. Not since he had been torn away from his life in Midland nearly a year before. He knew he couldn’t trust the vampire, not really, so he kept his family history and their employment a secret. He felt he could speak in confidence to this vampire. No names were ever given and the vampire never asked. The vampire listened to it all, asking questions now and then but overall being a very patient confidant. Before Jake knew it, it was nearly four am and he had to go back upstairs.
The next night he was back again, and again his new vampire friend was glad to have him. That night Jake decided to ask the questions. "Do you want to eat me?"
The vampire laughed heartily. "No. Though your blood does smell quite good to me, I would not if given the opportunity feed on you."
"Why not?"
He laughed again, "Is it not enough that I do not want to?"
"Well yeah, I mean. I was just wondering." Jake stammered, not even sure himself why he cared to know. It should be enough that he didn’t want to.
"Oh it is alright. I have lived long enough to learn to control my thirst far better than those younger than I. I must feed daily to stay strong, but I have learned to tame my thirst. I have learned to cherish the hunt. I have even on occasion, when at full strength of course, gone a full nine days without feeding."
"How often do young vampires need to feed?"
"At least once a day. The thirst really is a terrible curse. It takes centuries to learn how to control it."
"Centuries? How old are you!"
"At least two thousand years, possibly more. You tend to lose track after a while."
"Two thousand . . . did you just say two thousand years?!"
"Oh yes. Two thousand long years."
Jake couldn't believe his ears. "You don't look any older than sixty or seventy!"
Again he laughed. "Why thank you! Yes alas, I was almost eighty when I was turned. Therefore, that is the age I will forever be. However, I am much healthier and stronger than even a twenty-year-old human is. Just not strong, enough to escape this blasted prison. The old corpse has made sure of that.”
"How do you eat? Does Paul bring you humans?”
"Oh if only!" He laughed. "As I told you before, the slave, or rather the servant, brings me my food once daily. Blood contained in very odd bags. I heard the guards speak of him owning a blood bank once. Whatever that is. I cannot imagine one banking in blood. Unless they were an Immortal perhaps.” He grew quiet as if thinking of such a possibility. “Anyway, that's what the hole in the wall is for. If not for the blood, I have little doubt that I would be completely sealed in behind it. For a time during the sixteen hundreds I was actually buried alive."
"Why does he keep you here?"
"Why does he keep you here?" he answered Jake’s question with a question.
"Bait." Jake answered truthfully.
"Bait?"
"Yeah. He thinks the vampires want me since they wanted my mother. Therefore, he keeps me here hoping they will come for me and he will convince one of them to turn him into one of you. Or something like that, I’m not exactly sure."
"Using his own grandson, as you put it, bait. This creature is viler than I had imagined."
"So, I answered your question. Will you answer mine?"
"He longs to be immortal and believes I can turn him. He has begged me, threatened me. He has starved me, tortured me. Everything imaginable, horrible things that I will not say in front of such young ears, but no matter what he has done to me or threatened to do to me, I have refused. I will not unleash such a foul creature upon the world as an Immortal again. As a human, he is evil, as an immortal . . . it would be as if releasing the devil himself upon the world. I will burn in the pits of hell before I do such a thing again. Therefore, he keeps me walled up in this prison of iron and brick. At full strength, I could dismantle it with my bare hands. That will never happen. The corpse will not allow it."
"Again? So you’ve made vampires before?" Jake asked.
"Yes. It was long ago. Another life."
"Tell me about it. I mean . . . if you want. I would love to hear it."
"Very well. If you insist, but you might want to take a seat, it will be a long tale."
"That's okay. I brought a blanket from my room to keep me off the cold floor."
"Good thinking dear boy, for this is a long tale."
Chapter 12
Jake
The Riker Mansion
May 7, 1995 1:46am
Jake sat cross-legged on his blanket as the vampire began his tale.
"I will not bore you with the tale of my early human years. To be honest I have trouble recollecting most of them. I have been an immortal far longer than I was ever human. In comparison, those years are little more than a blink of eye. I will tell you that I was once a ruler of a great and powerful nation. It is my opinion, that history judges me much harsher than I deserve. True at times I was cold, even heartless. Nevertheless, I was fair. I did not learn to the find humor in life until long after my human death.
“As I grew old in human years I decided I had had enough of the corruption of those around me, always clamoring and positioning to take my seat. A seat I never wanted to begin with. I belonged on the battlefield leading my legions into glory! Not in the dealings with corrupt politicians trying to increase their own wealth! My place was with my men. So shortly after the death of my son, I turned my kingdom over to those I trusted most. Among them was my adopted grandson. He was a kind young man that seemed to care for the masses a great deal. Therefore, I left him in my stead and took my leave.
“Wandering into the wilderness I prepared for death. It was there that my Maker found me.”
“After two weeks alone with nothing but the snow, trees, and the beasts as my companions, I was on the edge of death. I had not eaten in nearly fifteen days and had gone without water for at l
east four or five. I lay there looking up into the bright stars above, praying to the Gods that my legacy be a good one. I had not always been a good man, but I had tried my best to be righteous.
“I was at my weakest, mere breaths from death when he found me. His shrouded form stood over me blocking out the stars. I remember thinking that he was Pluto, the God of the underworld come to take me for my judgment." The vampire grew quiet for several seconds.
"He was far worse than the God of the underworld.” Again, he paused. “By the Gods he was terrifying!”
Jake leaned forward resting his arms around his knees. “Who was he? I mean did you ever learn his name?”
“No. I have no idea why he chose me . . . He was massive, taller than any man I had ever seen. His red hair hung down around his shoulders like a mane. His eyes glowed the darkest red of any immortal I have ever known.”
“Did he tell you what he was going to do? Did you choose to become a vampire?”
“No, I was given no choice in the matter. At first, he toyed with me, like a child torturing a small animal. He broke the bones in my arms and legs with his bare hands, as if they were twigs. He placed his massive hands on either side of my skull and squeezed until my skull cracked.
“As the darkness finally crept in on me and he allowed me to die, I lost all feeling in my body. Only a vague awareness of what was around me remained, that is until he bit into me. His fangs sank deep into my neck puncturing my skin. My lifeblood spilled from me by the gallon. He lapped at it like a dog drinking water.”
Jake shivered in disgust.
“I saw a bright light in the distance and my mother’s voice called to me . . . by the Gods it was beautiful. Once he had his fill he sliced his wrist open with one of his talons and poured his own blood into my mouth, then placed his hand over it forcing me to swallow. The bright light disappeared forever; my mother’s voice was gone.” The Maker cleared his throat.
“The taste was disgusting, utterly revolting. My body lit up with a terrible feeling, like liquid fire coursing through my veins, burning me alive. I screamed louder than I had ever thought a man capable. My body spasmed in pain for the Gods only knows how long. Perhaps minutes, perhaps hours. I only know that I was fully aware through it all. As the pain finally subsided and the transformation was completed, my wounds closed, my bones healed themselves. When I rose to my feet, I was whole again but I instantly knew that something had changed inside me. I felt strong! Stronger than I had ever felt in my life! I looked around for my assailant, ready to rip him to shreds with my bare hands. However, he was gone. I stood alone in my tattered rags. Nothing but frost covered trees around me.
“Where did he go? Did .you ever see him again?”
“No, I never saw him again, and to this day I do not know why he did what he did. Years later, I learned from others like me that most Makers remained with their children. They did not create another Maker unless they were prepared to remain by their side. Creating a slave is one thing, but to create an equal is a very intimate, very personal event. I would imagine it to be akin to giving birth. I have no idea why he did not just turn me into some mindless beast that he could control. I doubt that I will ever know. Whatever his reasons he made me powerful among my kind, stronger than all others. Of course I did not learn this until many years later.”
“What did you think had happened to you?” Jake asked. “Did you know you were a vampire?”
“I did not know what I was. Without my Maker to guide me, I was lost. I had no idea if I was unique or if there were others like me. I just knew that I was different. Ripping the tattered, blood soaked rags from my back I took off running across the land, my feet carrying me faster than I had ever run before. I was a force of nature! I covered mile after mile without tiring! I picked up and threw an ancient, broken log the length of the two coliseums! Nothing could hurt me. I fought toe to toe with a pack of wolves and killed them all with very little effort. The darkness of the night held no power over me, I could see clear as day on even the darkest nights. It was absolutely amazing!
“But all too soon, I learned of the curses that came with my new gifts. I could not walk in the sunlight. At the end of my first night, an overwhelming feeling to dig deep and hide overcame me. No matter how hard I tried, I could not fight the urge. I buried myself deep underground, but was not fast enough. Before I could finish the sun began to rise in the east. My skin began to smoke and char. Bits of skin fell off as ash. It hurt worse than anything I had ever before endured. Even worse than the beating, I received at the hands of my creator. So I climbed into my shallow hole and covered myself with dirt . . . Gods how I long to see the sun again! Even after all these long years I still long to feel the warmth of it on my face just one more time."
Jake sat there patiently waiting for him to continue.
"I'm sorry. My mind sometimes wanders. What was I talking about? Oh yes, curses! Worse than my newfound fear of the sun was the hunger growing inside me. It took me some time to grow accustomed to that. On the second night of my transformation, I waited too long to feed. My mind became lost with insanity and when I became aware, I had feasted on an entire family. The man, the wife . . . the child . . . I was sick with agony. I could not stop myself. Each night if I did not choose a victim I would go into a blood rage and my body would choose one for me. After many months of fighting it, I learned to give in to my desires and begin to hunt. Therefore, it went for many years. I wandered alone in the shadows, growing accustomed to this new strange existence.
“One day many years later, I began to hear rumors. The people were becoming unhappy with my grandson’s rule. Many said that he was plunging not only himself but also the empire into insanity. Rumors of mass trials and executions for so-called ‘enemies of the state’ began to reach my ears. Then I heard even stranger things, rumors of my grandson proclaiming himself a God.
“Now rumors had always run rampant during my own rule, so this did not surprise me. It only seemed natural that my grandson would face the same. Nevertheless, I had to know for sure. Moreover, I longed to see my home again. So I returned.
“Once there I lurked in the streets at night as a common vagrant. You would be surprised what you can hear when those around you think you are little more than trash. I felt a fear emanating among my people that had not been there as I ruled. They reeked of it. It did not take long for me to learn why. The rumors were true. Anyone that questioned the new emperor was branded a traitor and executed.
“But the acts I saw with my own two eyes were much, much worse than any discontent my people felt for their new ruler. What I saw shocked me beyond words. Even today nearly two thousand years later I cannot convey to you the disappointment . . . the embarrassment I felt.”
Jake could almost feel the pain in his voice.
"One night, while hiding in the shadows, I watched my grandson dress up as the Great God Apollo. He covered himself from head to toe in human blood, and then danced with seven naked women like some wild barbarian!
“I tell you truthfully young man, that if I had not seen it I would not have believed it. He was mad. Mad with power, mad with . . . Gods only knows what.
“What had happened to the young man I had become so proud of? I never should have left such a burden on his shoulders.” The Maker let out a deep breath before continuing.
“I knew he didn't have much time left. It would not be long before the Senate put an end to his madness. Therefore, I watched, I waited. Sure enough, within a month’s time they plotted the murder of not only himself but of his sister. I could not help but feel responsible for his fall. I had not prepared him, as I should. I had left him alone, abandoned him to his own demons. It was my fault. To this day I still feel as such."
"So what did you do?" Jake interrupted. "Did you let them kill him?"
The vampire took in a deep breath then exhaled. "I did what I thought was best. I waited until the act was committed and then as he lay dying I gave him the gift that had been gi
ven to me. I made him immortal. It occurred to me at the time that with a lifetime of my guidance I could lead him back to the light. Show him the error of his ways. After he awoke to his new life, he begged me to do the same for his sister. She was the Senate’s next target. However, I refused. She was cruel and manipulative and I wanted to separate him from his old life, but alas, it was not to be. Without my permission he turned her and then turned the man she loved, a man I had grudgingly left behind to rule alongside my grandson. He was a brutish, violent man. It did not bode well."
"Why? What happened?"
"For centuries everything was fine. My grandson had some very . . . bad eating habits as did his sister and her companion, but I chose to ignore them. Who was I to judge? I was a killer the same as them."
"I don’t understand,” Jake said, scrunching his brow. “How does a vampire have bad eating habits?
"They . . . well I suppose the only way to say it is to come right out with it. They ate children. Young children. Babies still clutched in their mother's arms. They would rip the tiny babes from their beds, feast on them and then laugh when the mothers discovered what had been done. ”
“My God . . .” Jake said, shaking his head.
“Another thing that bothered me was their constant creating of slaves. In every town we dwelled they would create two, three, sometimes even six slaves! Then it got to the point where they were creating Makers! ‘Why did you do this?’ I would ask. Why bring such attention to our kind? They would shrug their shoulders and say, 'Why not?'
“The decades turned into centuries, the centuries into millennia. I saw countless wars fought, even the fall of my beloved empire. All those I had cared for as a human were long dead. Even their bones had turned to dust. All were dead but my three companions. I began to see in their eyes that they had grown tired of my company. I know now, if they had been able to kill me they surely would have."
"Why couldn't they kill you?"
"For whatever reason a Maker cannot be killed by those he made or by those his children make. Having never known my own Maker I have no answer as to why this is, and no immortal I have met since has been able to answer either. It is something written into our blood."
C.O.T.V.H. (Book 1): Creation Page 17
