by John Falin
“I’m fine. Not a hundred percent, but I can last another couple of hours before I start to decapitate your patrons.” I say it with sarcastic fun.
He relents with a laugh. “Very well. I have known Cassius for my entire life, as I was born from a member of the Council of War. He was already over a hundred years my elder, but had risen quickly amongst the vampire ranks due to his uncanny skills as a warrior and his depth of knowledge concerning our history. He possessed information that none of the elders had ever known and held it close to ensure it was advantageous to his political aspirations. I was already well established when he negotiated the treaty with the waers in 1353 AD and quickly became a global hero as myths grew. There were always rumors of secret information and conspiracies, but no one was brave enough to investigate, as he was also feared for his ruthlessness. As time passed, he became obsessed with a quest or a search for something. He would disappear for days, even weeks at a time, often to the neglect of his positions on the council. Yet, as I said, even the elders shared a healthy fear for Cassius. He is the only one left who can trace his line back to our progenitor, Anu. His family has always been in rule and has always been a force to be reckoned with.”
I interrupt with haste. “Why is Cassius the only one left? Didn’t he have children?”
“Ahhh, excellent question. First, you must understand that children to us are not like children to humans. We pass on our genes, but never parent our offspring. They are raised in a tribe that specializes in training and educating them before the Resurrectio occurs. Once the Resurrectio occurs, they are relocated to other tribes to continue their training. The young ones are informed of their lineage, but the ‘parents’ have no obligation to them. Cassius chose not to procreate. No one really knows the reasons, but most suspect that he did not want to share the throne or be challenged by the next in line. As I said, he comes from powerful stock, and his offspring would be powerful as well once they developed. The vampire tribes are not immune to assassinations and subversive takeovers.”
From a small speaker embedded in the ceiling, we hear his bodyguard. “Sir, there is a Percy here, requesting to visit with you.”
Bryn casually stretches his fingers over the chair and presses and camouflaged button, replying, “Let her in.”
I’m awakened from Bryn’s trance as she moves through the door with the music following like an entrance song. She is distracting with black leather pants, black halter-top, red leather jacket, and flat leather boots to match. I realize my own leather jacket with tank top and black jeans were her doing as well. Okay, she has a wild side or some rock-god fantasy. Either way, I’m in.
She gives me a serious look and, without polite conversation, says, “Where are you with the story?”
Bryn, standing gentlemanly, says, “I guess we don’t have time for civility, Percy? Would you like a drink?”
“I’m sorry, Bryn. We are at the crossroads and decisions will need to be made this night. Normally, I am not this rude, but I am worried.” She scans me over. “Why have you not fed?”
“There was no time. We can feed when this is over. Deal?”
She relents. “Okay. Bryn, thank you. I know this puts you at risk, but it must be done. I need your direction.”
He replies. “Relax, we are safe here, at least for a while. In the interest of time, I need to complete the highlights of my part in this story.” She sits down in the extra chair, holding on to a thread of anxiety. “It was 1949 and Cassius began to take leaves of absence for months at a time with no one fully aware of his location. It was during this time that Quilici, the waer you met a month ago, approached me through sources off the grid. Since the treaty, he and I had dealings concerning rogues or territory disputes and spent a lot of time in each other’s company. I grew to respect him for his ethics and sharp intellect, but mostly for his compassionate heart. Our relationship nurtured into a friendship that I value to this night.
“So, we met and he informed me that he was with Cassius on the mission that eventually spurred the treaty. Quilici is wise with his secrets and gives only what is necessary. Of course, he does benefit from it, but mostly he holds them for others, as some information can lead to the most unfortunate of circumstances. He spoke vaguely of Cassius and his unyielding quest for something that could possibly hurt all of our species. He would not intimate the details of the quest, but shared enough to convince me that Cassius was indeed maniacally driven to find an object that would have drastic consequences for us all.
“Now, Adriel, I did not enter into that relationship lightly. I was on the Council of War; I could have been… could be tried as a traitor and most certainly executed for just having that conversation. Yet there was something in his story that rang true. I knew Quilici and I knew Cassius. It is a cruel twist of fate that we are led by such a tyrant when our enemies have a leader that serves his kind with heart. After much thought, I made the decision to form an alliance with Quilici, something beyond friendship, as this was a deadly game to play.
“Quilici had a network of informants that had located a house that Cassius used during his absences, guarded and permanently occupied by a vampire scientist. He could not interfere due to his new position as leader of their pack. He is actually Cassius’s equivalent to the waers. I could not either because of my position, so I was forced to pull in someone I trusted.” He turned and looked directly at Percy.
I interrupt. “This is an incredible story, and I want to hear all of it, but I have a few questions that need answering.”
He says, “Adriel, your questions will be answered.”
“Listen, Bryn. I like you, I really do, but I’ve heard that for a month now. I’ve been patient with both of you, but this ends now or I’ll walk away and both of you can play spy by yourselves.”
There is an awkward silence and Percy says, “What are your specific questions?”
“What does Cassius ‘know?’ How and why are we connected? Why am I different from all of you, yet accepted as the same?”
Percy looks to Bryn for approval and receives a nod. “Adriel, I will not avoid your questions, but if you will allow me to continue, the story will answer them naturally.”
I huff through my nose, but yield.
“It was then, nearly four decades ago and after years of gentle probing from that new alliance, when Bryn approached me about this… potential threat. I did not offer my allegiance with immediacy, obviously. Bryn is more my father than my actual father, but to commit treason is a life-changing request. After several evenings of thought and a little personal investigation, I made the choice to join Bryn and Quilici.
“Quilici and I never really communicated in the beginning and Bryn served as the mediator. We were very cautious and did not want anyone to be able to connect the dots. Bryn and I met one evening and he supplied me with a location that Quilici’s informants had discovered. I was asked to find the house, get a head count, learn of their defense surveillance, and gain all the usual information that happens within a strategized mission. During this time we did not live in Frederick County, but had residence in Charleston, South Carolina. So, it was within driving distance to the northern part of Georgia on the outskirts of a small town named Dahlonega.”
I excitedly interrupted. “I know that place. When I lived in Georgia, I passed through there a couple of times. It was beautiful during the winters—covered in white and nestled between mountains.”
She darted her eyes to Bryn and returned them to me. “I’m glad you like it there. It was the place of your birth.”
I am unable to hide my shock. “What?”
She allows me a short moment to absorb this new revelation and then continues as if it wasn’t mentioned. “I spent a couple of nights memorizing security guards, perimeter alarm systems, and the nocturnal feeding habits of the scientist as he came and went. As one would expect, he was very methodical with his routine and it was quite easy to slip in and out unnoticed. There was only one sentry and the sec
urity system was primitive. Cassius was back in Charleston participating in council meetings that were unavoidable, so I decided to modify my mission and infiltrate the cabin. It was rather easy getting inside. Of course the sentry didn’t appreciate it when he awoke a night later. I had to scout the cabin quickly because the scientist fed locally and never left for more than an hour.
“I found the basement entrance hidden under the area rug, as it usually is, and followed its path. The stairs led directly to a hallway with drywall painted sterile white and large windows on each side that allowed one to see each room in detail. One was quite impressive with Bunsen burners, large refrigerator units filled with multi-colored vials, and several rooms appeared to be dedicated to research. The basement was at least three times the size of the façade house above. The environment was eerily silent with the soft glow of lighting. At the very end of the hallway was a windowless white door made of metal that looked like a decompression chamber one would find on a ship. It was completely soundproof to ensure no unannounced visitors would hear whatever experiments were being pursued. I knew that was the room that needed my attention. The door was vacuum sealed, like this one, really.” She gives a knowing look to Bryn and shakes her head.
Bryn replies with, “What? Can’t a vampire have a little fun without others listening?”
She gives him a warm smile and resumes the story. “The door handle was more like a steering wheel that no human could have moved. It was designed so that only one of our kind could enter—only our kind has the strength needed to turn the lock. I recall the sound of pressure being released and air righting itself, but most of all, I remember a child crying.” She pauses for a moment, reliving the night. “Against the wall, on the left side of the room, was a hospital bed with one of the most tragic and beautiful creatures I have ever seen. Her arms were littered with needles and tubes feeding her constant sedatives so that her metabolism could not burn. She was frail and emaciated from hunger, but her cavernous black eyes radiated power. Her scent was unfamiliar, not a human, not a waer, and not one of us, either. She was thin and tall; her bare feet hung slightly over the bed. Her skin hinted of a sunlit tan lost over years hidden in the earth. As I was processing the moment it dawned on me that the child was not crying; it was her. They were tears brought on by relief and hope as she looked into me and found empathy. I cautiously walked over to her and noticed the child’s resemblance to his mother.” She looks at me with blazing intensity. “They both shared snow-white hair, but the newborn had near-transparent eyes with only a hint of green.”
I feel the pressure build and fight for control as I scan all my memories for a remnant of an image of her and have no success. The emotions leak from my tight grip and I hold back the flood. “You knew my mother? You know who I am? You knew all this time and never said a word?”
Percy stares at me pleadingly. “Adriel, you were aware that I knew your name and that I had some information concerning your history. If I had shared this with you, Cassius would have found out.”
I calm myself and search for objectivity. “Alright, I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand. So, Cassius never knew it was you who broke in? You said that he knows now; what happened to change all of it?”
She relaxes her tense shoulders and releases a breath, easing her tension. Bryn takes this moment to touch her knee, silently encouraging her. I decide now is the perfect opportunity to finish my scotch and drink in every strong scent and taste it offers. My head tingles with gratitude and my body reacts with soothing delight as it runs through my system. I take an extra moment, closing my eyes and disappearing in a childish game of peek-a-boo. When they open, the room seems more pleasant and tranquility has stabilized for the moment.
She says, “He never found out, although he removed any potential I had from being on the Council of War due to his reservations. It was when he was asking you about your travels. You gave a list of places you had visited or lived for the last twenty years:
‘I played safe at first, working my way from New Orleans to Atlanta. After a year or so, I developed the confidence to spend the next two decades experiencing the world. I cashed in a paycheck and bought a ticket to Frankfurt. After several months, I felt something pulling me to Munich, then Paris, and on to Venice, Russia, Spain, finally resting in Africa, with several stops on the way back home.’
“Adriel, we are allowed time off, just as humans have vacations, and one of my duties includes visiting other tribes to make certain their training is up to par. I use those trips and take extra weeks to travel throughout the world. A little more than twenty years ago, I felt a compulsion to move, to travel from this place to the next. He knows because that list you gave was my exact list as well. Every place you visited, I was there… in perfect order.” She let that one sink in.
“How is that possible? Were you following me?”
“No! I don’t know how to explain it. I had no idea you were in any of those places. I had lost track of you the very evening I found you. You said it yourself; something was ‘pulling’ you from place to place; it was the same for me. I see now that we were being drawn together. He figured it out. He must have recognized the sword was special.”
“What do you mean the sword was special?”
“For me to answer that, I must go back to where we left off. She was dying; I could smell death upon her as the pain of childbirth must have been more than she could bear. She spoke with an accent that was ancient and lost, yet I understood every word. Softly, she asked me to come closer so that she could ‘conserve what little strength I have left for Vinculum.’ She asked me to take her son, you, and find a place of safety. You were her only child and must live, as the others have fallen in despair and need you.”
“Who are the others?”
“I don’t know and that is all she spoke of them. She asked if I would grant her that dying wish. Without thought, my heart leapt from my chest and I consented. She then said in a serious tone, ‘This is no mere obligation, it is an ancient oath that costs much, but rewards more.’ I knew my hour was nearly over and the scientist would be there very soon, so I agreed with haste. She led my eyes to her IVs with a silent plead for assistance and I removed them carefully. I could immediately feel the pressure shift as if a cold front was inside the room and she walked to the corner with you in one hand, grabbing the sword with the other. She stared with teary eyes and whispered, ‘Vinculum.’ All those years I thought it was the sword’s name.” She stops suddenly and sinks into herself.
Bryn breaks the stillness. “I had thought that as well, Percy. It appears that we both missed a very important piece of this puzzle for many years.” He shrugged back into his chair, pondering some alluding mystery. I kept my mouth shut so the story would unravel at a quicker pace.
Finally, after nearly a minute of quiet, Percy speaks. “She was already beginning to heal, but we both knew that her life was near its end. She sat down on the floor, crossing her legs, and gently placed you on her right side. She said to me as a mother speaks to a daughter, ‘Please, sit on my left and do not be afraid. I will not live through this, so I must ask more of you. His name is Adriel and his power will be immense and unknown, as we have not seen one like him since the beginning. He must have access to my sword, which will soon be his by rightful inheritance. Do you have something I may write on?’ I scanned the sanitized room and found a blank paper and she penned the word ‘Vinculum,’ folded the paper in half, and asked that you receive it when you were ready. I hesitantly accepted the note when she started chanting in a language that was hauntingly seductive with fluid incantations that resonated like melodies.
“The air smelled clean, with no active or competing scents, as if oxidized by a strike of lightning, when she asked me to grab the hilt of the sword. She stopped abruptly and said, ‘It is time. I can sense your sorrow, and it is for that reason I know it is no mistake that you were chosen for this task. Please do not shed tears for me, as I have lived a full life for t
wo millennia… and tolerated things in the last two decades that no one should experience. I am ready for this life to end; it would be a worse punishment to live with these recent memories.’ She had to stop and regain her composure as a quivering lip expressed her deep well of feelings. ‘When he is ready, find him. I… I cannot last much longer, remember this ritual, you will be his and he yours.’
With wet eyes she gently reached for you and placed your hand on the tip of the sword. In that beautiful moment, I felt the air move. Well, not the air, but a current in the air pulled into her. Somehow she absorbed it, manipulated it, and nurtured the current until it crackled with blue electric lines arcing around us. She intangibly reached into you, extrapolating your personal storage of energy and it buzzed and shot out in crooked bolts eaten by the sword. She poured her life essence in the form of electricity into it as well and it glowed with a blue haze. The sword slowly heated until my fingers blistered in response. I desperately wanted to let go, but it would not allow me, as my hands were welded to the hilt. You began to cry with pain as we both felt our insides being pulled, then filled, pulled, then filled as pulsating energy became our blood. The entire room hissed and thundered as lights faded on and off with synchronized effort. Then it stopped. Total and complete silence as your mother collapsed, and in the midst of breathing her final breath, she said, ‘When the time comes, the others will fear both of you, but they will need an heir.’”
