“Reveal your gift to the High Council. Swear your fealty to them and ask to join the Hunters.”
“The Hunters? No! Never. I won’t be a butcher.”
“Just because you swear fealty doesn’t mean you are bound to it. Becoming a Hunter is your only way out of this house. After that, you can escape. The Watchtower will not be able to track you because you do not feed. You will be invisible to us.”
“What about my friends? How will this save them?”
“I never said it would save them. Shufah will be fine. Marjek will not suffer her to be harmed, no matter what laws she breaks. Taos is strong and has the fire gift. I’m sure he will be a welcomed asset on the Crimson Storm’s next mission. The human, however, is on his own. The Stewards have suspended the changing of any infected human and the quarantine communities worldwide are on lockdown. There is nothing that can be done. I’m sorry.”
“Why?” Jerusa’s blood burned beneath her chilled skin. The moisture in her throat vanished, making it hard to speak or even breathe. “Why won’t they turn him? He’s more than handsome enough to pass their stupid test. He would make an incredible vampire.” Her voice trembled. “He’s innocent in this. Why would they kill him? Why have they closed the towns?”
“Because infected humans have become too great a liability and because the Stewards are frightened.” Sebastian’s words were slow and calm. He watched her as though he expected any moment for her to lose control.
“What are they so afraid of?”
For the first time, caution flashed in the dwarf’s eyes. “They are afraid of Suhail and his army of savages.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Suhail?” Jerusa questioned. She was glad she was sitting down because all of the strength went out of her legs. “That’s impossible. Suhail is dead. Shufah told us he’s dead.”
“She’s wrong,” Sebastian said, a deviant little smile playing on his face. “Or maybe she just lied.” Jerusa looked down on him, a slow-growing fury burning within her. The dwarf touched his chest as if to apologize. “Don’t look so surprised. You know the rules. When a mortal dies he sometimes rises as the undead. When the undead perish, they sometimes rise as something much worse. It’s the price of immortality. Did you think that Suhail was exempt from that? That you or I are exempt from it?”
“No, of course not.…. just, well…did you say he had an army of savages?”
“That’s the rumor, if you can trust what you hear being whispered while scurrying behind the walls like a rat.”
“Why hasn’t there been any news of attacks? From the human world, I mean.” Jerusa thought of the tales Shufah had told her of the last savage army. “It’s been six months. If it were true, then Suhail and the other savages would be rushing across the US like a plague.”
“Ah, that is the question, now isn’t it? Why indeed? I suspect when you discover the answer you’ll understand why the Stewards now cower in this ice fortress. Know this, though. There has never been a savage born from a vampire as old as Suhail. If he has devoured enough gray matter to regenerate his own brain, then he may be something terrific to behold.
“There is a war coming. The last time it came the savages were like a mindless swarm of angry bees. I sense this army is more advanced, better equipped and in full understanding of their purpose.”
“What is their purpose?”
“Control,” he said with a smile. “No different than our friends here.” He glanced at the door just as it burst open. Marjek stepped inside flanked on both sides by a vampire wearing the Hunters’ insignia.
Jerusa jumped to her feet, but Sebastian remained seated. He clapped his tiny hands together and held them outstretched toward Marjek.
“To what do I owe the honor,” he said. “I cannot recall the last time one of the High Council has graced me with their presence.”
“Silence you disgusting little gnome,” Marjek said. “I’m in no mood for your insolence. Please, explain to me why the fledgling is not confined to her room and why you are harboring her in yours.”
“Well,” Sebastian said, rubbing his chin, “that will be difficult to do without the insolence. I know you’re not a fan of heavy words so I will try to be as to the point as possible. She is my guest. Is that now a crime, too?”
Marjek kicked Sebastian hard enough to send him flying across the room. The dwarf smashed into a table and fell onto his face in a pile of broken wood. “I already have two tongues as trophies. Speak to me out of turn again, troll and I’ll add a third.”
Jerusa rushed over to Sebastian. She pulled him to his feet and knelt down to make sure he was all right. He grunted, swaying on his feet, but there were no wounds that she could see. He reached out and touched her face. Hidden within the deformities of his face, his eyes sparkled with genuine gratitude. Jerusa wondered once again if she was the first to show him any kindness at all. It was sad to think he had lived such a long life surrounded by only cruelty.
He moved his hand from her face down to her chest. She gasped, uncomfortable with this action, but he merely tapped the top of her scar. “Don’t worry about me. You’re the one in danger, my dear. Please take my advice. I would find this world even more boring if you were no longer in it.”
Powerful hands gripped Jerusa by the shoulders, hard enough to bring a yelp of pain and turned her to face Marjek. The Hunters still remained where they had been. No one held her. She had been turned by a telekinetic hand and she could tell from the look on Marjek’s face that the pain she felt was only a taste of what he wanted to give her.
“Night is coming,” Marjek said to Sebastian. “Shouldn’t you be getting back to the Watchtower?”
“It’s good to be needed,” he said, dusting off his clothes.
“Come with me, fledgling.”
The invisible hand jerked Jerusa forward, almost taking her off of her feet. She walked forward, to keep from being yanked again, but it took all that she had not to rush Marjek and rip his eyes from their sockets. She doubted that she would get close enough to even scratch him before the Hunters smashed her to the ground and set her on fire, but it seemed better than marching to her death like some condemned prisoner. She glanced back at the dwarf. He urged her with a stern look to obey, to take the pain and humiliation that was about to come and endure.
Marjek started out the door. Jerusa fell behind him with the two Hunters standing at her shoulders. They passed through the halls of the great house without speaking another word. Though the sun was still up, Jerusa could sense that it wasn’t far from setting. Other vampires—at least the ones not confined to their rooms—were stirring about. They watched in silence as Jerusa and her escorts passed and as soon as they went by, turned to each other in little gossiping huddles.
When they finally made it back to Jerusa’s room, Shufah and Taos rushed to meet her. Marjek held out his hand, stopping them in their tracks.
“What is the meaning of this?” Shufah asked. Her honey badger fierceness had resurfaced. Her eyes blazed like molten bronze as she met Marjek’s haughty gaze.
“Your fledgling is a bit of a roamer,” Marjek said. “And much like you, has a problem with the laws of our people.”
“Your laws,” Taos said. “Not ours.” He stood with his shoulders squared and his fists clenched. His pale eyes kept flickering to Jerusa. If she gave the word he would attack. It didn’t matter that they had no hope of escaping this house. He would battle any that stood before him without fear of death.
Jerusa didn’t give the word though. She turned her eyes to the floor. If she was condemned to death, she would accept that, but she would not allow her friends to die for her.
“We found your fledgling in the north wing,” Marjek said. “I thought that I made it clear that it is off limits.”
“I was invited by Sebastian.” The strong telekinetic hand tightened around her neck, silencing her.
Marjek laughed. “The dwarf thinks he is above the rules, just lik
e the rest of you. No one is above the laws.”
Yeah, unless it’s the High Council feeding on other vampires, Jerusa thought. She kept this to herself, though.
“It’s forbidden for anyone but a Steward to commune with a member of the Watchtower. And someone was down in the dungeons stirring up trouble.” Marjek turned to Jerusa and forced her to look up at him. “Would you know anything about that?”
Thad poked his head out of his room. His face was pale and a faint pink ligature mark curled around his neck. Marjek looked at him as if he was an insect and though Thad seemed shaken by this he stepped out of the room. He opened his mouth to speak and in that moment Jerusa knew he was going to confess.
“I was down in the dungeon,” Jerusa said, before Thad could speak. His eyes became as large as saucers and he seemed stunned into silence for a moment. “I was looking around and got lost. I somehow found my way downstairs, but I didn’t mean to stir up any trouble. I was just trying to find my way back up here. Sebastian found me downstairs and invited me to his room.”
The looks of jealousy that passed over the faces of Thad and Taos when Jerusa mentioned Sebastian was almost comical. The look on Marjek’s face, not so much.
“And what was the little gnome doing lurking around in the dungeons?”
“He said he was looking for me.” She didn’t think Marjek believed this, but he said nothing to contest it.
“I brought your coven into my house in peace,” he said to Shufah. “I gave you comfort and nourishment when by all rights I should have confined you all to the dungeons. And in one night’s time you have spat on our customs. I know you have no love for our laws, but they are for our protection and not just ours, but the humans as well.”
“Spare me the speech. I have heard it before. We were not forced to come here for comfort and nourishment. We were brought here to be judged by the all-wise High Council.”
“True,” Marjek said. “But is it so wrong to want to show kindness to you first? The rest of the Council would have judged you the moment you came through the door. They are most disturbed by the death of Kole and the creation of your fledgling. And your human pet angers them even more. But I fought for time. Time for you to gain their trust.”
“I don’t want their trust,” Jerusa said, shocked at the anger she heard in her own voice. “You don’t want time for us. You want time with Shufah. Taos, Thad and I are just a means to an end. I’ve spent the last six months dreading this day. If you are going to judge me, then judge me now.” She stepped away from Marjek and the Hunters, expecting at any minute to be dragged back by a telekinetic hand, but they let her rejoin her friends.
Marjek’s handsome face pursed tight. Had he clenched his jaw any tighter his teeth would have shattered. “Do you both feel the same?” he asked Thad and Taos.
“Wait,” Jerusa said. “I only meant my own judgment.”
“The giant must answer for infecting the human instead of killing him. And the human must be judged worthy to bear the vampire spirit.”
Jerusa started to argue but Taos cut her off.
“I am ready to be judged. I don’t fear my destiny.”
“I’m ready, too,” Thad said. “Let’s get this over with.”
“No, wait,” Jerusa said. “You don’t understand.” She wanted to explain about the judgments she had witnessed from beneath the stage. She wanted to tell them what Sebastian had told her. But how could she without getting Celeste and Sebastian into trouble.
“Do you consent, Shufah?”
Shufah searched Jerusa’s eyes, but offered up no advice out of this predicament. “If there must be judgment, let it come sooner, rather than later.”
Marjek’s face was somber. “If that’s your wish, so be it. You are all confined to your rooms until we call for you. Break this commandment and you will be sentenced to death. The fledgling and the human must be inspected to be deemed worthy.” Jerusa’s scar burned. “Yield yourselves or the penalty is death.”
“We understand.” Shufah motioned for them to return to their rooms. Jerusa tried to argue, but Shufah’s stern eyes told her the time for debate was over. The others did as they were told, but Jerusa remained in her doorway.
“Whatever you may think of me,” she said, “Taos and Thad have done nothing wrong.”
Marjek gave her a mocking smile. “I really don’t care.” With that, he turned and left, but the Hunters remained.
Jerusa went back into her room and closed the door behind her. She found it strange that she could feel so alone when there were so many spirits moving around her. Foster stood close to her side. The concern on his face made her want to cry. What she wouldn’t give to be able to hear his voice again. She needed his advice more now than ever.
“I’m so stupid,” she said to him. “Why couldn’t I just keep my mouth shut? It’s bad enough that I’m gonna die, but now Taos and Thad are gonna die, too. Maybe if we had taken our time, we could have made friends with the Stewards. If I could have explained to Shufah what I saw in that pit, maybe she could’ve convinced Marjek to spare them.”
A hand touched her shoulder. Alicia pulled her in and hugged her tight. Jerusa knew the ghost wasn’t really there. Alicia’s corporeal body had been in the ground for more than two years, yet somehow Jerusa felt her touch nevertheless. A tickle of the thirst rose from deep within, but the absurdity of trying to draw blood from a restless spirit was a level of insanity she had not reached yet.
She held onto Alicia until the sun finished its trek across the sky and the blanket of night fell heavy over the great house. A knock came to the door. Two female vampires stepped inside, without being invited.
The two women, both turned in their youth and astoundingly beautiful, paused in the doorway watching Jerusa with puzzled looks upon their faces. For a brief moment, Jerusa couldn’t grasp what had confused the pair, but then Alicia vanished from within her embrace and Jerusa’s arms fell limp in her lap. The rest of the spirits followed Alicia’s example, though she once again felt they hadn’t gone far.
“What?” Jerusa asked them, making sure they caught the full force of her disdain. “You never see anyone hugging the air before?”
The women kept their eyes focused on Jerusa, but she could tell they were uncomfortable with her strange actions. They were both clad in long red dresses—simple, elegant coverings that looked both modern and ancient at the same time. The women gained their composure, their faces falling placid and unreadable. One of the women—her hair much the same color as Jerusa’s—stepped forward.
“We come in the name of the High Council of the Stewards of Life,” she said as though reading a royal proclamation. “You have been called to judgment and must be inspected to deem your form worthy of immortality.”
“Why don’t you just say you’ve come to make sure I’m not too ugly to be a vampire?” Jerusa spat back at them. “Do you talk like this on purpose or have you forgotten what century it is?”
The women looked shocked that someone had spoken so harshly to them. Maybe it was their first time.
The thirst was rising in her again, burning in her bones, slithering in her skin. Her fangs ached to be used. The events of her short life raged in her mind like an uncontrollable tempest. She not only wanted to kill, she wanted to bring pain.
Jerusa started up off the bed with every intention of ripping out the throats of the two women, but before she made her feet, Alicia was there to push her back on the mattress.
This time the women did glance at each other. A cloud of fear passed over their faces, but they quickly buried their emotions. The other woman (this one a blonde) took a step forward, perhaps to assert her authority over Jerusa, or to prove to herself that she was not afraid.
“You must be searched,” she said. “Please remove your clothes.”
Jerusa stood to her feet, bulling past Alicia, but stopping out of reach of the women. She leaned over, pulling her shirt collar down so that they could see her s
car. “Here, are you satisfied? I’m a deformed mutant not worthy of the vampire spirit. Go tell your masters what you found.”
A moment of tenderness flickered in the eyes of both women. Though it was fleeting, they seemed genuinely sad for Jerusa.
“That being so,” the vampire with the dark hair said. “We still must inspect you. I’m sorry.”
It wasn’t enough to condemn her for a simple scar, the Stewards wanted to demean her in the process. It was just one more weapon of control wielded by the Stewards. Demean, deface, abuse and destroy. Repeat often enough and those that would oppose their rule become too afraid to speak up.
Jerusa turned her back on the women and undressed.
The women did a fast, yet thorough job. Alicia remained in the room, but the other spirits remained hidden. Jerusa kept her eyes fixed on Alicia, willing herself not to cry. Not while the women were in the room.
When the inspection was over, one of the women—Jerusa wasn’t sure which one—placed the terrycloth robe from the bathroom over her shoulders. They turned to leave the room without word.
“Well,” Jerusa said stopping them. “Am I worthy?”
“If it was in our hands?” asked the blonde. “Then yes, you are worthy.”
“But it’s not in your hands.”
“No. I’m sorry. I can find no flaw in you, but . . .”
“But my scar,” Jerusa finished for her.
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
Jerusa wanted to curse them, to spit on them. She hated them for their flawless beauty. She despised the long lives they would be permitted to live. Yet when she opened her mouth to scream at them, she found she had nothing to say.
“If the vampire spirit has given you any talents, you should show them,” the dark haired vampire said. “Beauty is Marjek’s standard for immortality, but Heidi will choose power every time. And if you have Heidi’s vote you will gain the votes of the others.”
The two women left the room and as soon as the door latched behind them, Jerusa’s bloody tears burst forth. She went into the bathroom and took a shower, allowing the water to drive out the deep chill that had settled in her flesh ever since she had crossed the threshold of this house.
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