A Shade of Vampire 78: An Origin of Vampires

by Forrest, Bella

  I’d almost forgotten this key aspect of Amal and Amane’s relationship. Ta’Zan had made them as two genius halves of an even more extraordinary whole. The closer they were to one another, the more capable and powerful their brains were. Taken separately, the twins were more than enough to find a cure for a deadly plague. Together, however, I had little doubt that they could, in fact, develop the right treatment that would eradicate the Black Fever forever.

  “Provided our relationship stays friendly, I don’t see why not,” Valaine replied. “I’m sure our people would welcome putting a stop to this nightmare. It’s bad enough the Aeternae struggle to have children. Imagine losing them to this.”

  That was all I could do. Imagine what devastation the Black Fever could leave in its wake. Looking at Valaine, I noticed how deeply she cared about this. I wondered if she’d lost someone she loved to this disease, but the topic was far too sensitive for me to broach so early in our acquaintance.

  There was something about her that made me tick in ways I’d never thought possible. At the same time, Valaine also made me feel… uneasy. It was rather difficult for me to understand why. She had this aura about her, a presence of her own, so intense, so chilling, that it seemed to have been made of shadows. Was I the only one who got this sensation from her? I’d have to check with Esme. It can’t be just my instincts flaring, here.

  Valaine was, undoubtedly, the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes upon. Her reserved nature made her into a mystery that I was dying to unravel. She also came across as highly intelligent, though not keen on showing off this particular side of her—it enticed me even more, as I’d always had an appreciation for brilliant minds. She was different. Different from us. Different even from the Aeternae.

  Her long leather dress hugged her figure in all the right places, with a silver chain running across her torso. It kept a black velvet cape hanging from her shoulders. From an aesthetic and sartorial point of view, Valaine was as much an Aeternae as the others. But her face, her expression, her dark eyes, they made her seem otherworldly.

  A secret of Visio which I had to understand. How had she even come to be, in the first place?

  Esme

  Kalon and Valaine brought us to our quarters after the palace tour. I knew there were plenty of areas we’d yet to explore in this sprawling building, but I figured they didn’t want us poking our noses everywhere.

  Agreeing to meet later, the two Aeternae left us to our own devices. Tristan and I had been given separate rooms, and mine was absolutely breathtaking. A spacious apartment, complete with a wide lounge area and an airy bedroom, it offered views of the north side of the city. The sky turned purplish red at sunset, quickly darkening as the evening spread across the realm. Thousands of houses and small villas fit neatly along the snaking alleyways. Trees poked out from everywhere, their rich green crowns swelling and casting deep shades beneath.

  Lights came on in the streetlamps that lined every street. It seemed like afternoons were darker here on Visio—perhaps because of the haze. Workers had been tasked with refilling the oils and candles used to keep them burning through the evening. From my window, I could see them moving around the palace. One pulled the cart around, filled with oil pots, burners, and candles, while the other carried the ladder and used it to climb up to the top of every streetlamp. There were hundreds of such working pairs, all over the city. One by one, the fires lit up, their amber glow spreading.

  Turning around, I gave myself a moment to admire the embroidered wallpaper depicting a lake at twilight, shades of dark red and orange glimmering beneath a rising moon. The scene was designed to cover all four walls of the lounge, giving its guests the impression of standing in the middle of the lake as the sun said goodbye for the day. The ceiling was black, meant to accentuate the wall art. Black curtains framed the windows, while the floor was covered in a soft, dark blue carpet—the lake itself, beneath my feet.

  The sofas and the coffee table reminded me of an eighteenth-century tea salon. The woodwork was exquisite, with fleur-de-lys-style bass reliefs along the edges, sculptural armrests, and fine silken tapestries stretching over the soft seating foams and wools. I took a moment to sit and fully take in the experience of resting in this place, while the sky continued to darken outside. A pitcher of fresh blood and several glasses rested on a silver tray in front of me, on the table. Below, on a bottom shelf, books had been left for me to read. I browsed through their pages for the better part of a quarter-hour, noticing the selection they’d made. They were all history books describing the rise of the Aeternae and their conquests of Nalore and Rimia, complete with ink illustrations.

  The bedroom was just as wonderful, with a massive canopy bed. A window had been left open, and the ocean breeze swooped through and made the delicate tulle curtains hanging from the upper frame billow out. The posts were sculpted, depicting maidens with long, flowing hair, their hands reaching for the heavens. The flowers they held in their hands served as finials, and the headboard was upholstered in lavish dark red velvet, which matched the floral red-and-white ensemble of the bed covers and pillows—so many pillows…

  “This is freaking royal,” I mumbled, noticing the giant wardrobe which had been fitted into an entire wall, the reddish wood commode with brass, rose-bud-shaped handles, the vanity table with its upholstered stool, and the plethora of perfumes and lotions nestled in a square, mother-of-pearl tray by the tilted mirror. “The home of a princess.”

  Indeed, whoever lived here would clearly be given most special treatment. The lounge was restful and warm. The bedroom was sensual and elegant. The bathroom, I quickly realized, was a slice of ocean heaven, with gray stone brick walls, white marble, and brushed brass fixtures. Lights burned softly in the swirling wall-mounted sconces, and a white linen curtain covered the only window.

  The tub, a giant white shell, was fitted with a drain. The faucet had two knobs, and I quickly realized they had a hot water system running through the entire palace. My first guess was a coal-powered base beneath the building, its fires used to heat the water before it was pushed through the moaning pipes.

  It didn’t take long for me to slip out of my clothes and dip into the hot tub, which I’d enriched with several essential oils left on one of the white marble shelves precisely for this pampering moment. The air filled with relaxing aromas of lavender and acacia-like blossoms, as I leaned back and allowed the bath to work on my skin and muscles.

  Glancing around, I smiled, feeling much like a princess. If this was the impression they’d gone for with this room, well… I had to give them an A+. They’d nailed it, and then some.

  A knock on the door outside startled me. “Who’s there?” I shouted.

  “Zurah, milady,” a delicate voice said. “Your handmaiden.”

  “My handmaiden?” I asked, loudly enough for her to hear me.

  “Yes. I am here to look after you and run your bath, if you’d be so kind as to let me in,” she said. This was a tad awkward, I realized. I’d already run my bath.

  “I’m already in the tub,” I replied. “I mean, you can come in, but—”

  “Oh, no!” I heard her exclaim as she stumbled into the room. I could see her through the open bathroom door, flustered and panting, tightly fitted into a servant’s black dress with a white lace collar and waistband. “Milady, I should have done this for you. Please, accept my apologies!”

  I chuckled softly as she closed the outside door and meekly walked into the bathroom, her gaze stuck to the floor. She looked skinny, her skin dark, her eyes the color of ruby chestnuts. “There’s nothing to apologize for,” I said to her, comforted by the foam that covered the water in my tub. Not that I was shy, in general, but I did not know what the nudity norms were around here. Tristan and I had spent weeks with tribes where they barely kept a leather patch on to cover their privates, so I did not have any qualms about my own nakedness. “I’m the one who jumped into the bath, to begin with. I had no idea you were coming.”

/>   “That is my mistake, my lady. I should have been here already,” the girl replied, her voice trembling. She felt awful, and I needed to get her out of this state. It wasn’t like she’d offended me in any way. “I should have been here to greet you. I am late, and I am sorry.”

  “Please, there is no need to worry.” I sighed, smiling at her. “As you can see, everything is okay. So, you’re my handmaiden, huh?”

  Zurah exhaled, as if a huge weight had just been lifted from her shoulders. I had a feeling she would’ve gotten in major trouble if I’d told anyone that I’d run my own bath. It probably had something to do with the service etiquette—likely very strict and punitive toward the servants.

  “Milady, I am here to serve you and make sure you’re well taken care of while in these chambers,” she said. “Again, forgive me for my tardiness. I only learned I’d be serving you a few minutes ago.”

  “That’s okay. Seriously. I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about, Zurah. It’s perfectly normal to be late.”

  She smiled, completely relaxed, all of a sudden. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would’ve done, had I displeased you in any way. I like my job here.”

  “You’re not an Aeternae, are you?”

  She shook her head. “No, milady. I’m from Rimia. I’ve been in the palace service for six moons, now. While it can be… complicated, at times, I do enjoy it very much.”

  “I see. So, you like living with the Aeternae?” I asked, curious to get insights from the occupied nations, as well, and not just their conquerors.

  Zurah stared at me for a moment, then walked over to a corner cabinet I hadn’t even noticed until now. A dark blue velvet dress rested on a coat hanger, hooked against the wall next to it. I’d been so absorbed with the tub and the beautiful brass details and fragranced oils that I’d completely ignored the southern part of the bathroom. There were watercolor illustrations of ocean fauna and flora mounted on the wall, fitted in brushed brass frames that matched the bathroom fixtures. Zurah took out a large white towel from the cabinet and placed it on a small stool next to the tub.

  “I am treated well,” she said flatly. But I wasn’t satisfied with that answer.

  “But are you happy?”

  She threw me a half-smile. “I can provide for myself and my family, milady. That makes me happy.”

  I nodded slowly, understanding that she would not tell me more—at least not at this stage in our relationship. I hoped I would get her to open up, later down the road. The tension was already filling the air, and I’d made her slightly uncomfortable, so I pointed at the dress. “Is that for me?”

  “Yes, milady. We have gowns and dresses ready for guests at all times, in line with palace etiquette and color codes. Our lord and lady supreme are quite specific in their preferences for those who come here, even for a night or two.”

  “It’s beautiful,” I murmured, gazing at its flowing midnight blue velvet skirt, fitted over a crinoline undergarment. Its tight sleeves would likely feel like a second skin, and the bodice was made with silver thread, adorned with delicate diamonds.

  “The lady supreme’s style artist handles all the dress designs for our female guests,” Zurah replied, lovingly gazing at the dress. It stood out all on its own, so one could only imagine what it would look like on a woman, how curves would amplify the beauty and the intricate embroidery. “Would you like to come out now? I’m worried you might get all pruny if you stay in the water for too long.”

  “Yes, I think it’s time, before I fall asleep. It’s so relaxing.”

  She giggled and stretched the towel out for me, staring to the side so as not to see me naked. I got out of the tub and took over from Zurah, wrapping the towel around myself. She bowed politely, moving toward the door. “I will be in the lounge, waiting, milady,” she said. “Please, put the dress on. There are undergarments in the bottom drawer of the cabinet. I’ll prepare your shoes and jewelry, in the meantime.”

  “Thank you, Zurah.”

  Left on my own again, I took deep breaths as I patted the water from my skin. Those essential oils had worked like magic. I had never felt like this before—it was as if my entire body had been glazed in a soft layer of silk. The fragrance lingered in the air as I slipped into the dress, but I was unable to tie the bodice myself, since the laces were at the back, and I’d spent most of my life in T-shirts and slacks.

  Walking out of the bathroom, barefooted and slightly flushed by my inability to wear a style that many women had flawlessly worn before me, I found Zurah waiting patiently next to one of the sofas, smiling. Just like she’d promised, a pair of elegant, mid-heel shoes awaited on the floor next to her, while a selection of jewels had been displayed on a white satin cloth on the coffee table.

  “I need some help,” I said, turning around for her to see the bodice laces.

  “Of course, milady,” Zurah replied, taking a firm hold over them. She tugged and fastened, the bodice tightening around my waist and chest. Gradually, it became a little bit harder to breathe, as she reached the upper part and tied the laces tightly. “I’ve taken the liberty of bringing a tall mirror for you to see the entire ensemble,” she added as she moved to stand by the mirror.

  Oh, I was breathless at the sight of myself, and not because of the tight bodice. The dress was a work of art, fitting me perfectly. My curves were masterfully accentuated, with delicate cleavage—just enough to entice and reveal a little bit of pearlescent vampire skin. The velvet sleeves looked painted down my arms, leaving my shoulders bare. The skirt was full and wide, and not at all heavy. The Aeternae had found a way to make this fashion last, without it being uncomfortable in any way. I loved it.

  “Wow,” I managed. “It’s… It’s quite something.”

  “Perhaps something to cover your shoulders, if you’d like?” Zurah asked.

  Had she read my mind? I’d just remembered the intense looks that Kalon had stolen at me, and how exposed I’d felt whenever he’d given me his full attention. One could only wonder what he would think of my outfit, given how different it was from my more casual GASP uniform. Under any other circumstances, I would’ve found his smirks and stares unsettling, but there was something about him that stirred me, and I wasn’t yet sure what to make of it. Of him, in general.

  “Yes, please,” I replied.

  She placed a dark gray, shimmering tulle scarf over my shoulders, pulling both ends behind me and clasping a silver ring around them to stop the whole thing from slipping. Indeed, this looked a lot better, in the sense that I had fewer chances of capturing too much of Kalon’s attention. Then why am I slightly disappointed?

  “Tell me, Zurah, how well do you know Kalon Visentis?” I asked, while Zurah motioned for me to sit down. I took a seat on the sofa, and she put the shoes on my feet with cautious and gentle movements, as if I’d been made of porcelain.

  “He is a good Aeternae, milady. He is kind and generous. Many of the court people love him,” she said, almost mechanically. I wasn’t buying any of it.

  I laughed. “Please, don’t lie to me. Give me an honest opinion. I won’t tell a soul. I’m just trying to understand the guy, that’s all.”

  Zurah gave me a worried look but seemed to soften a bit when she saw me smiling. “He’s… He’s complicated, milady. Not in a bad way, but I suppose you never know where you stand with him. Lord Visentis is a decent Aeternae, if I’m to be completely honest with you, but he’s also rather mysterious. He uses his sharp wit and even sharper tongue as weapons, and, I must say, sometimes those hurt more than his sword during the Blood Arena tournaments.”

  “How does he treat you and the other servants?”

  She got up, helping me stand, as well. Yet more brownie points for the Aeternae, I thought to myself, pleased to find the shoes remarkably comfortable, despite the heels. “He’s respectful, milady. Always respectful. I hear it’s the same with his house servants, as well. While the high priestess might be strict at times, even abrasive, Lo
rd Visentis is good to them. He never issues punishments when they make mistakes. On the First Moon of the year, he even treats them all with fine foods and drinks in the kitchen.”

  That was interesting. I hadn’t seen this side of Kalon—though, to be fair, I hadn’t had the opportunity just yet. Maybe I would soon, provided our stay on Visio would be lengthy enough. But I did find this information to be soothing. Kalon had come across as curious, arrogant, and daring. It was nice to hear he treated the servants well. It was a mark of a generally good person, though that was not a rule set in stone.

  My brother and I had met plenty of tyrants disguised as decent people.

  “Does he come to the palace often?” I asked, as Zurah put a delicate silver necklace around my neck. Diamonds and sapphires were mounted in teardrops which hung gently from the chain. They brought out the blue in my dress, even softening the green in my eyes. She then gave me clip-on diamond earrings to wear. Shaped as teardrops, they were the perfect complement to the necklace.

  “I’d say three, maybe four times a week,” Zurah said, admiring me in the mirror. “You look beautiful, milady. A true vision in midnight blue.”

  “Thank you, Zurah. I have you and the lady supreme’s style artist to thank,” I replied. “Does Kalon come to the palace so often on business?”

  She smiled, bound to have noticed my interest in him. I held my breath for a moment, worried she might point that out. “His business with the lord and lady supreme is scarce, at best. Lord Visentis mostly deals with the chief councilor. It’s the high priestess whose work is mostly tied to the palace. Lord Visentis is good friends with Valaine. They have been since she was born, in fact.”

  I glanced at her over my shoulder. “Friends?”

  “They are like brother and sister. She usually counsels him in the affairs of the heart, though it’s rumored he never really listens,” Zurah replied. She giggled, making her way into the bedroom. “Come, milady. I must do your hair, as well.”