After, Taras and Theron: Beyond Jerusalem (bachiyr)
Page 6
The new Bachiyr’s eyes went from Theron to the dried up corpse of Adonia, and then back. In Theron’s time, Adonia had been the most powerful Bachiyr in the city. That would explain the young vampire’s sudden reluctance.
“You know her?” Theron pointed at the body, which had started to flake away in the light breeze.
The youth nodded.
“You feared her,” Theron noted.
The youth nodded again.
“You see what I did to her, this most powerful of Athens’ Bachiyr?”
He nodded and took a step backward.
Theron sprang forward, catching the other Bachiyr off guard and grabbing his shoulders before the youth could think to block him. The young vampire struggled, but Theron’s hand clamped onto his shoulder and brought him in close. Fear radiated from him like a cold mist, and he reprised his opinion of the youth’s age. Not more than a decade, most likely. Theron flashed his fangs, smiling as the younger vampire shut his eyes and tried to look away. Theron dug his claws into the youth’s flesh, reveling in his victim’s pained groan.
“Look at me,” Theron commanded.
The young vampire turned to look at him, his face a mask of fear and pain.
“You know who I am,” Theron said.
The young vampire nodded.
“Say my name.” Theron squeezed his fingers, digging them deeper into flesh.
“Theron!” the other gasped. “Theron of Macedonia.”
“Good.” Theron relaxed his grip a bit, and some of the tension went out of the other vampire’s body. “Tell every Bachiyr you meet about this. Make sure they know that I am the one who killed Adonia of Athens, and let it be a warning to them. I will do the same to every Bachiyr who tries to hunt me. Swear to do that, and I will let you live.”
The younger vampire nodded, his face reflecting his eagerness to get out of this alive.
“Swear it!” Theron dug his claws deeper, grinding their tips against the young vampire’s bones.
“I swear it!” he replied. “By the Father, I swear!”
Theron released the youth’s arms, smiling. The younger vampire dropped back a few paces, rubbing the bloody holes in his arms. He glared at Theron for a moment, then turned to go.
“Wait,” Theron said. The youth turned around to face him, a wary look on his face. “There is one more thing I want you to do. Take her body back to the Council’s gate in Athens and leave it with the clerk.”
The young vampire’s eyes widened again. Theron understood. Such a thing would be taken as a direct dare to the Council. Doubtless the youth thought he was crazy.
“Do it,” Theron repeated, “or I will kill you and find someone who will.”
The youth nodded again and stepped over to Adonia’s body. He lifted it over his shoulder and started walking down the street. Occasionally, he would glance over his shoulder, perhaps to make certain Theron was not about to go back on his word. Theron considered going after him and driving his claws through the other vampire’s spine, but decided against it. He wanted this message delivered.
Once the Council saw Adonia’s body, they would know they had underestimated their former Lead Enforcer. Few, if any, of their servants would be a match for him. Which meant if the Council of Thirteen wanted him brought to justice, they would have to do it themselves.
He walked down the street, headed for the edge of the city. It would take the youth an hour or so to reach the Council’s portal in Athens, and it would take another few hours for the Council to be roused and alerted. By then the young vampire would be in a cell somewhere, waiting for Algor to interrogate him. Theron had witnessed many such interrogations. The young vampire would very likely never leave the Halls of the Bachiyr. An older, more experienced vampire would have simply fought Theron then and there, preferring to die outright than suffer through Algor’s manipulations. Theron had done him no favors by sparing his life.
He smiled as he left Athens and began walking through the lush, moonlit countryside, wondering how long it would take Ramah to find him.
However long it took, he meant to make the bastard work for it.
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Document ID: fbd-e49558-2d8c-194c-ff8b-f309-25e2-9a8909
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 31.10.2011
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