“What happened?” She looked fearfully at me.
“Lukas... well, he...” I pulled away and her eyes glistened. I worried what they would think. “He turned me.”
Everyone was silent.
“There’s nothing that can be done now,” I said, much more strongly than I felt.
Riley’s body was twitching and I rushed over to him. I tried to be gentle when I touched his shoulder. He was coming to.
“Ariya?” He looked at me.
I was so thankful that he wasn’t afraid of me.
“Thank you.” I stared lovingly at my best friend.
That’s exactly what he would always be to me. My best friend. My feelings seemed easier to separate into compartments now. With everything magnified as a vampire, it was easier for me to see that the unconditional love I had for Riley was not the same as being in love. I was truly so in love with James.
“How did you two convince them?” James asked Caroline and Nick.
“Lukas must have been in a pretty big hurry at the end. He didn’t cover his tracks as well as he thought he did and Marik rushed out of the room, saying that we could be released,” Nick replied as he looked over at Lukas’s unmoving body.
“How did you manage?” Nick asked and James waved his hand in the air.
“I expect some of ours will probably need some time to heal, but I had to get out.” he said, dismissively.
“We came as soon as we could.” Caroline added.
“We found out what happened though,” Nick added afterwards.
“What do you mean?” James looked at him quizzically.
“Lukas had an affair with Audrey.”
“Yeah, we got that part,” I interrupted.
“Well, it seems Marik knew all about it and didn’t care. He didn’t lose control over your mom being taken, James. He lost control because that same night, one of Ariya’s bloodline members died.”
“What?” James was startled at the news.
“I knew about it, James.” I said softly. “He told me when he asked to speak with me in private. He admitted that he once loved someone in my line named Cianna. They weren’t just close friends. I didn’t have a chance to tell you earlier because everything happened so quickly.”
“There will be plenty of time for the details of this later.” He took a moment to compose himself. “What happened here, Ariya?” he asked, lowering his eyes as if ashamed.
“Audrey poisoned me somehow. Lukas wanted to retaliate for my role in destroying Audrey by killing all of you in front of me, and feared I would not live longer than the poison allowed. He turned me and brought Riley to me for my first feed,” I said, glancing over at him.
“I’ll take care of it,” Caroline said, rushing over to get Riley back up on his feet.
“You didn’t kill him?” Nick said, visibly shocked.
I gave a small smile of acknowledgement. Caroline moved quickly now, leaving us behind before taking Riley to safety. She was eager to get him the help he needed.
James’s arms tightened around me again. “I don’t know how to ever make this up to you… I’ll never be able to forgive myself.”
“It’s all right,” I replied as I held my hand up to his face. “Everything is going to be all right.”
He cocooned me with his embrace again, and I knew he’d never let me go. What we went through couldn’t destroy us. Everyone would be all right again.
“I’m sorry about Marik,” I said softly.
“I guess I didn’t know him at all,” James replied.
“We should give him a proper burial,” I said, unsure of what vampires did with their dead.
Guilt surged inside me when I realized that my line was over now and I should have been able to help him. “I wish I could have healed him,” I whispered.
“He knew you were a vampire, Ariya. He knew what saving you meant for him. He protected you anyway.”
“Just like you were going to do,” I said, locking eyes with James.
“I’ll always protect you,” he smiled.
“Should we take him somewhere?” I asked.
“We have a special place reserved for our direct line. One that the council built when my grandfather died. It’s where we train the Protectors.”
James and Nick reverently raised Marik up and began carrying him out of the building.
I stayed behind, with the intention of lingering for only a moment. I could not stop looking at this terrible place where my life had forever been changed.
“Thank you, Ariya.” I heard her voice in my head. Ingrid. She must have sensed Ivan’s powers had been returned to their family, where they belonged. They were safe now where an evil creature like Audrey couldn’t use them to hurt others anymore. That brought me some comfort. It’s probably all I would need to get me through this. The knowledge that she was finally gone, and the balance had once again been restored were enough. Best of all, the people I loved were safe.
I glanced around one last time, saying goodbye to the person I once was and turned to walk out and greet the next chapter of my life. My new life, as a vampire.
The next few weeks were filled with changes. I was still adjusting to my new life as a vampire and the Protectors were trying to decide what their purpose would be now.
We had just returned to the training facility, which James had mentioned to me only a few times before. It was a small area, hidden away like all vampire secrets. The direct Protector line ended with James, but with so many others having turned by their original blood, it wasn’t as if the amount of Protectors was obsolete. Even though their role met with a sudden shift when I became a vampire, the desire to Protect still remained, as if it had never been just a duty to them, but a trait engrained into them In fact, James mentioned that Protectors did many other things and had broadly expanded their role from what it was first created to fill, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Roland.
The council joined the remaining Protectors back at the training facility. Roland requested a private meeting with James, who was officially in charge now that Marik was dead. James insisted I be there, since in his mind, we’d have to start figuring out how things would play out together. Neither James nor I were sure what the next steps should be.
We met with Roland a few days after we buried Marik. He now lies in a stone tomb under the current stadium, where most of the training occurs.
“Hello, Ariya,” he said, kissing my hand. “And James.” Roland gave a slight bow in respect towards him.
“We’re honored that you’ve requested a private audience with us,” James replied reverently.
“Yes, I wish to discuss your plans,” Roland said, standing and clasping his hands behind his back.
“Plans, sir?” James asked.
“Now that the bloodline is gone, there are a lot of Protectors without much to protect anymore,” he explained, watching James.
“We considered that, but I’m not sure of our plans yet,” James admitted.
“Perhaps I can be of assistance,” Roland said, beginning to pace while watching for any reaction from James before he continued. “The council has voted to build an academy of sorts. You’ve already gotten quite a few vampires interested in your organization. We would like to see them continue their training.”
James looked taken aback, trying to rein in his obvious surprise.
“That would be extremely generous. I’m not sure of the need for such an establishment though.”
“There may be no more line to protect my boy, but evil will never cease to exist in the world. You have opposed evil for generations and you stood firm and without compromise. You also managed to create an organization of vampires whose sole purpose is to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The world is full of evil. It never diminishes simply because the latest, greatest threat is eliminated,” Roland explained.
“How, exactly, would this benefit the council? It’s extremely generous, but it’s a lot for some kind of feel-good gr
atification,” I inquired, hoping I didn’t come across as being too disrespectful.
Roland smiled. “I like you, Ariya,” he said. “Of course, we’d require their protective skills and services free of charge, but we’d also assist them and turn it into a fully functioning academy. You two obviously would be at the helm. Think of a vocational college, Ariya. Imagine your own Kingsbrook College, but designed specifically for Protector trainees.”
“So we’d be missioned to ensure that an evil like Audrey could never grow and thrive to the point of becoming that strong and powerful again?” James asked.
“Precisely!” Roland smiled. “Will you think about it?” he asked.
“Yes, sir. We will. Thank you for your confidence and continuing support,” James replied, taking Roland’s hand and bowing.
“James, you come from a line of very good men. The very best I have ever had the pleasure of knowing in my lengthy and prolonged lifetime. There is a no more noble a family than yours whom we could entrust with something like this. Audrey woke the council up. Now we’re all aware of what could happen if there isn’t some way to enforce a system of checks and balance with us. Now that the bloodline has ended, perhaps this is the best course of action. Promise me you’ll consider it,” he said, glancing my way and nodding with a kind, proud smile before leaving.
“Wow,” I said once he departed. “What do you think?” I asked. I was curious to see how James would feel about the change being brought to the table.
“It gives us a new job,” he smiled. “And allows us to continue to do what we do best.”
“Even if it means protecting some of those council members,” I teased.
“A small sacrifice. Perhaps we can use that for trainee punishment,” he grinned.
It didn’t take long for the academy to be built. It was a living testimony of what miracles can be accomplished with unlimited resources and a workforce that never sleeps.
The entire campus was built around the stadium and tomb where Marik and James’s grandfather were buried. Eventually, more tombs would be created for the other Protectors from the original line, i.e. James. However, that subject was something I preferred not to discuss. The tomb remained a place of great respect and veneration.
Unfortunately, in addition to the academy, we had to find somewhere to keep Lukas. As part of his punishment, the council decided he needed to be locked away. They were looking for somewhere miserable; a place where he would be surrounded by constant reminders of his betrayal to both the vampires and his best friend. I didn’t vote for that option. I knew Lukas could never feel remorse for all the grief he caused us, and Marik. He always had an ulterior motive. My opinion in this, however, didn’t matter. I was considered too new to comprehend all the knowledge that came with immortality. At least that was the bullshit I got from Roland when I became enraged at the idea of Lukas being anywhere near the people I cared about.
While we didn’t necessarily need a jail, we needed something like that. A place to confine the evil doers that we were duly entrusted to protect the world from. We hadn’t quite figured out what to do with them yet, since we were just beginning our work. Where does one usually confine their traitors and doers of evil? In the end, he was properly secured and safely locked away, no longer the source of public worry or fear.
James and I agreed to name the academy Hartenfels Academy, in honor of where we all started. This was our new mission. A secret, underground college for vampires to teach them how to become Protectors. They had all kinds of classes and courses: self-defense, hands-on experience in survival tactics, and combat training in general. It was a whole world in and of itself. Nick and Caroline were in charge of running it. James really had no choice and achieved the role of honor by leading everyone. He would have been happy to stay in the shadows and on the sidelines, but being the last survivor of the official bloodline, the community decided that he needed to be celebrated as a figurehead. Given his vast capability, skills and knowledge, I could think of no better place for him.
James, Nick and Caroline developed strict training regimens, and taught the hands-on classes. Sometimes, they advised me about hiring faculty and other administrative duties like student housing. Okay, let’s be honest, Caroline was the only one who helped me with that. James and Nick conveniently seemed to have more pressing matters whenever those discussions arose. The four of us began a new life together. One in which we all worked very hard to keep the world safe.
While we were settling into our new roles, I felt a constant, compelling urge towards Marik and the tomb area. It happened almost daily. I’d stand at the top of the stairs, sometimes for an hour, wondering what to do.
Feeling especially drawn to Marik’s tomb one day, I knew I needed to see him. I wanted to close out the chapter on the life of this Protector, the man who saved me, and I planned to do it by offering him my blood as if I tried to save him. I knew it wouldn’t work. But something inside me urged me to show him the respect he deserved and my desire for his return, if I could have brought him back. Perhaps it was because of Marik’s constant, belittling speeches about honor and duty that stuck with me, even in the end.
I told James my plan, and of course, he hated the idea. He didn’t see any purpose in it. But maybe he couldn’t understand. After learning that Marik once loved someone in my line, and got betrayed by his best friend, my heart had to soften towards him. The man always thought he knew what was best, and insisted his way was the only way to accomplish whatever needed to be done, but he had suffered greatly for his diligence. Although James would never admit it, he was just as stubborn as Marik, especially when it came to me. At the end of the day, Marik saved my life; and as the last of my line, I felt I owed him this final sign of respect.
I waited until James was summoned to yet another meeting among the Vampire Elite (as I liked to call them), aka, the council. They all seemed very keen on listening to James after everything that happened. Roland easily convinced everyone that James was the face of the future. While he hated any titles or feeling like he had to fulfill a role in the world, James’s innate sense of duty kept him from denying the council the generosity of his advice.
I made my way down the ornate spiral staircase to the tomb below. Marik’s body lay under a marble slab in the center of the room. I approached it cautiously, remembering what else was down in this tomb.
Lukas.
Banishing the thought of him away as quickly as I could, I recalled my last mission. I ran my hand over the marble slab, remembering how Marik so fearlessly sacrificed himself to save me. He must have known there was nothing I could do to save him. James said he knew I was already a vampire the moment he arrived, as they all did. And yet, he proceeded to stop the super bullets that Lukas intended for me. We later discovered there was also magic in the bullets, which was why Marik died so fast. No doubt, it was just another one of Audrey’s final attempts at a revenge plot she never lived long enough to carry out.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered towards the tomb. “Thank you for what you did for me, Marik…”
A slow, shuffling sound came from around a dark corridor to my right. It was a corridor that I knew contained two solid doors and special, unbreakable chains designed by the council to contain a fallen vampire. Lukas was kept in a state of weakness on top of all that, and only being fed occasionally. He ate barely enough to stay alive, but not enough to sustain his former strength.
I turned back to the task at hand: paying my respects, and completing my role as a former Protectee, even in the end. I easily slid the marble lid back, and revealed the decaying corpse of a man. I wondered what would happen to Marik’s body eventually and if this were his permanent state or he would continue decomposing. It was eerie and so strange to think about. Seeing someone who was an immortal, dead.
“I’m sorry that we never saw eye-to-eye on things,” I smiled slightly. “I love James and you’d be proud of the leader he has become in these few short months. I think that’s a
ll you ever really wanted, for him to reach his fullest potential. You went through so much heartache in your life, Marik. Loving Cianna, having to endure Audrey, and all the pain James went through at losing his mother and then this. I can’t imagine how the end must have been for you. The horrible betrayal.” My voice cracked and I thought back again to that moment when his body shielded mine. We had so many disagreements, but at the end of the day, Marik fulfilled his role as a true Protector. He did his duty right up to the end and his generous sacrifice allowed James and me to live.
I brought my wrist up to my mouth and bit lightly. “I know it’s not going to help you now, but I’d be remiss if I failed to show you the respect I have for you and the gratitude I feel by not offering you the Protectee blood.”
“He hated you.” I heard a dark and scruffy voice coming from the dark corridor I kept trying to ignore in my mind. “He thought you were weak, because you were. You always will be.”
I refused to listen to him. I had nothing to say and Lukas could not stop me from paying my respects to Marik. I lifted my wrist to Marik’s mouth for a moment and silently thanked him again before placing the marble lid back on top of his tomb, very gently.
“Hey!” the voice tried shouting louder. “I’m talking to you, Ariya.”
I smiled, backing away and knowing my silence was much worse than actually engaging with the monster locked away below.
Caroline met me at the top of the stairs that led out of the tomb.
“What were you doing? Finally submitting to your weird calling?” she teased. Caroline didn’t think it was a big deal either, about my needing closure, just like James. Maybe it was a Protectee trait only.
She looked at me excitedly, dragging my arm. “Enough dilly-dallying. Let’s go!”
“Where are we going?” I looked at Caroline and she stopped jerking my arm and relaxed into a leisurely stroll, heading towards the common room of the new academy.
Sacrificed Page 20
