“Esme. I didn’t know you were here,” Valaine said, bowing politely.
“Sorry I took a while to greet you,” Tristan replied, while I gave the Aeternae a soft and friendly smile.
“My brother and I were just catching up.” I sighed. “We’re loving our quarters, just so you know. The rooms are simply gorgeous.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Valaine replied, then glanced at Tristan. “The lord and lady supreme have requested your presence in the garden for an appetizer before dinner.”
“Oh?” I mumbled, straightening my back.
Valaine smiled. “They want you to try a few blood selections, infused with various aromas and oils. We try new recipes every year, and the lord and lady supreme want to make sure that everything is to your liking during dinner.”
“You are most kind,” I said, getting up.
Her eyes widened with surprise. “Esme… You look beautiful!”
My cheeks burned. It felt nice to have her attention on such a positive note. I wasn’t sure why, but I enjoyed her compliments more than anything. I doubted the lady supreme’s appreciation would’ve struck a similar note. “Thank you,” I murmured, my head low. “It’s a beautiful dress. I’m merely the one wearing it.”
“Nonsense, you’re the one who brings out the dress’s finest features,” Valaine said. Her kindness surprised me. No wonder my brother was nearly smitten with her. “Shall we go?”
We followed Valaine through several corridors, picking up Derek, Sofia, Amal, and Nethissis along the way, and occasionally stopping to marvel at the marble and brass sculptures, the ornate columns, and the enormous, hand-painted porcelain vases that decorated the spacious hallways. A lot of care and attention had gone into the interior of the palace, making sure every corner was used to its full potential, regardless of its function.
The gardens were out of this world, much bigger and downright astonishing from up close. A maze stretched out before us, made of hedges and sparkling fountains, blossoming trees and elegant statues on solid marble bases. Again, just like with the palace’s interior, the garden made use of every single patch of dirt to create this enormous masterpiece.
Water gushed from the fountains, its rushing sound making me smile. Birds sang in the trees and the flowery bushes, and the evening breeze added a delicate chill to my skin, reminding me of midnights in The Shade. In the middle of these gardens, a white gazebo rose, its pillars covered in pink rose-like blossoms with spade-shaped leaves. A table had been set there, made of white iron, with matching chairs.
The lord and lady supreme were already waiting, along with Kalon. I’d expected to see Petra, Zoltan, and Corbin, as well, but they were nowhere to be seen. Several servants waited behind them, dressed in black-and-white uniforms—much like what I’d seen Zurah wearing. It was definitely the signature style of the palace staff. Around the gazebo, a dozen golden guards stood quietly, the colored feathers from their helmets dancing in the wind.
“Where are the high priestess, the chief councilor, and the master commander?” Derek asked as we approached the gazebo, walking behind Valaine.
“I believe they have administrative duties to attend to, milord,” she said.
Glancing around at our crew, I found a sense of relief knowing that my brother and I weren’t the only ones who’d been dressed up for the occasion. Derek had also been fitted into a dark gray three-piece velvet suit, while Sofia looked simply stunning in her copper satin dress, a black lace bodice tightened to bring out her gentle curves. Amal didn’t seem comfortable in her pale orange dress, but she was beautiful, nonetheless. Her long, white hair had been pulled up into a tight bun, diamond earrings pouring down to her collarbones. Nethissis was a true vision in emerald green, and she seemed to enjoy this a lot more than Amal.
“Welcome!” Acheron said, rising from his chair as we reached the gazebo. Danika didn’t move, but Kalon stood, as well, his eyes immediately finding me. For a split second, I felt like an ant under a magnifying glass, the sun burning through me, even though the sky above was dark, with a handful of twinkling stars just overhead. “We usually dine much later in the evening, but we didn’t want you to spend too much time waiting.”
“And we have some delightful new varieties of aromatic blood we’d like you to try,” Danika added, motioning for us to sit down. Every move she made felt like a dream. Her grace was impossible to describe, but I took a stab at it by mentally comparing her to a porcelain swan into which the universe had breathed life. The term “poetry in motion” came to mind. But then the mental image of Exiled Maras rammed through my head and ruined the moment. There were a lot of common points here, so I became increasingly determined to figure out where the similarities stopped.
Kalon pulled up a chair for me to sit in, and I had a hard time looking at him, worried he might peer right into my eyes if I wasn’t careful. “You’re a true vision tonight, Esme,” he said, his voice low, as I took my seat and gave him a faint but thankful nod.
“Thank you,” I managed, trying to focus on the table, instead.
There were crystal pitchers filled with blood in the middle, but the servants had also added a couple of fruit and cheese platters to the display, along with fresh water bottles, for Amal and Nethissis.
“How is your stay in the palace, so far?” Danika asked us, as Valaine sat next to Tristan and me. To my right, Kalon was quiet, but I knew he was still watching me.
“It’s wonderful,” Sofia said. “The staff is incredibly kind and considerate.”
“And the rooms are stupendous,” Nethissis replied. “I admit, I’ve rarely experienced such lavishness.”
“I’m glad to hear that!” Acheron said, jovial and practically beaming at us. Out of all the Aeternae we’d met so far, I could easily see him as the most excited for our presence here. We were like shiny new things for his sole delight, and he planned to enjoy every second he got to spend with us. “My beloved Danika has spent centuries perfecting our home. Every guest room is a reflection of our philosophy of living.”
Danika smiled. “I still change things up, once in a while. So far, I’m happy with the styles we’ve managed to accomplish.”
“You are personally involved in the decorations, then,” I concluded, and the lady supreme nodded in return.
“Along with a team of artists and craftsmen, of course,” she replied. “I like to heed their advice, but sometimes I’m also a bit hard-headed. The end results have yet to disappoint, so I reckon I’ve done something good.”
“You most certainly have, Your Grace,” Sofia said. “And the gardens are equally breathtaking.”
“That would be the lord supreme’s doing.” Kalon chuckled, pulling a crystal glass closer to my side of the table. Acheron grinned.
“I am an aspiring gardener, at best. I enjoy the tranquility of nature, so I make sure we have as much of it beneath our windows as possible,” he said, watching as Kalon poured blood into my glass. It was a thick liquid, crimson red, with an irresistible scent. My mouth was practically watering, already.
“Try this one first,” Kalon said, glancing at me. “It’s Rimian, with a hint of hot spices.”
“New menu,” Danika clarified. “We always taste new varieties before we allow them to be served at our dinners, especially with new and special guests such as yourselves.”
The servants mobilized, coming closer to the table and pouring different bloods in multiple crystal glasses, from which we could easily choose. I was still staring at my glass, my tongue increasingly restless as it yearned for a taste. I could certainly understand why the Aeternae had chosen to consume the blood of humanoids like the Rimians and the Naloreans. Much like the earthlings’, it was bound to be delicious and far more nourishing than what we got out of animals.
Briefly glancing at Tristan, I braced myself for the tasting. I knew I’d love every drop, as my senses were already on high alert, preparing my body for the reward ahead. I took my glass and brought it to my lips, feeling Ka
lon’s gaze drilling into me. The first sip was like dipping my toes into a warm ocean of golden sunshine.
It was sublime. The taste lingered in my mouth for what felt like an eternity. I could almost feel the donor’s emotions coursing through me. I wondered if I’d experience more, if I drank the whole glass in one go. I took a chance and did not regret it. An avalanche of aromas paralyzed my tongue, my own blood rushing as I closed my eyes and allowed the experience to take a firm hold over me.
In that sweet and spicy darkness, I caught snippets of a past, enhanced reality. Sunshine through a window, bathing me in warmth when I was only a child. The smell of the forest after a summer rain. The sound of a musical instrument playing somewhere behind me. The feel of soft linen against my skin, the hard ground beneath my bare feet as I climbed up a redwood tree. I wasn’t myself anymore. For a few fleeting seconds, I was a child again. I ran along the sharp edges of a stony ridge, the ocean breeze combing through my hair…
“Esme.” My brother’s voice brought me back.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I realized I wasn’t the only one who’d been transported to another realm, baffled by my own experience. Tristan’s eyes were so big, they were bound to pop out of their sockets soon. Derek was speechless, and Sofia’s breathing was ragged and excited. Amal and Nethissis watched us with genuine curiosity, fascinated by whatever behavior we’d probably exhibited without even realizing it.
“Hmm. I think you like this blood type almost as much as I do,” Kalon said, his voice low and raspy. His cold blue eyes had darkened, and storms were gathering around the enhanced pupils. I could see a reflection of myself in them, my lips parted and my cheeks pink.
“What… What did we just experience?” I asked, barely hearing myself as I came down from something akin to a sweet, sweet dream.
“A Rimian’s blood,” Acheron said, obviously satisfied by the effect that the blood had had on us. Danika was smiling, as well, while Valaine watched us with a mixture of amusement and concern. I couldn’t even read Kalon’s expression, but I knew I couldn’t get enough of it. “It’s a powerful thing, and certainly a favorite among the Aeternae.”
“I could… I could see through my own, younger eyes,” I said, trying to pull myself back together, my dress suddenly too tight. I fought against the urge to take it all off and walk straight into the ocean to cool myself down. “I was a child again. Not remembering moments, but living them, once again.”
“How can this be?” Derek murmured. “I’ve never…”
“You’ve never felt something like that, huh?” Acheron chuckled. “I know! It’s in their blood, Derek. We’re not sure what it is, exactly, but drinking it allows us to commune with ourselves on a deeper level. It’s incredibly relaxing.”
“All Rimians have blood like this?” Sofia asked, red roses bursting in her cheeks. Out of all of us, she’d been the most ethical about consuming non-animal blood, yet she was ravished by the effects of Rimian blood. “This life force that just fills you up?”
The Aeternae nodded. “It’s what makes them special,” Danika said. “Rimia gives us fine raw materials, but it also gives us the best blood we’ve ever tasted. The older the Rimians, the more delicious the blood, too.”
I was already in awe of it all, and I’d only tried one of the many blood specialties they’d prepared for us. One could only wonder what the others would be like. What sensations they’d send through my body, how they would amplify my mind for the briefest of moments. I’d thought I’d gotten used to living in the darkness forever as a vampire, but my soul was suddenly twisted and turned inside out, as I’d just relished the warmth of the sun on my skin through a Rimian’s blood.
Maybe I wanted the day-walking cure as badly as my brother, after all, but I just hadn’t known… until now.
Tristan
If before I’d had my doubts about why the Aeternae had insisted upon feeding on Rimian and Nalorean blood despite the risk of Black Fever emerging, they were all gone the moment I’d come down from the ample tasting offered by the Lord and Lady Supreme. This wasn’t just about feeding, though I could certainly feel my strength grow, my muscles twitching slightly, delighted by the nourishment I’d just provided.
It was about the intense experience that came with drinking someone else’s life force. It was like peering deep into my own soul, reliving my own memories, and it was incredible. Beautiful, disturbing, and impossible to reproduce with human or animal blood. At least they weren’t drinking the Rimians and the Naloreans dry. That would’ve raised some troubling red flags.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” Acheron said after a long pause, still very much amused by our collective reaction to the blood. Amal and Nethissis had their eyes on us at all times, and they, too, were astonished. They’d probably never seen vampires soften so quickly under the influence of foreign blood. “Perhaps now you have a better understanding as to why we’re so keen to maintain the balance we’ve fought so hard to achieve.”
“We most certainly do,” Derek replied, briefly staring at the empty crystal cup in front of him. “You’ll have to forgive our reactions. This is all very new to us.”
Danika smirked. “That’s perfectly normal, Derek. At least we know you’ll enjoy your dinner tonight.”
“I’m curious, and you did say you’d tell us more about it,” Kalon interjected, watching Derek like a hawk. “How come you’re the day-walker among your vampire people?”
Sofia gave Derek a nervous glance. In return, he gently squeezed her hand, reassuring her in his own way. It was time to pull the cat out of the bag, as carefully as possible, laying out the case for the day-walking protein. We’d gotten to know these people well enough for them not to be taken aback by the core of our mission to Visio.
“About two years ago, we stumbled upon a planet called Strava, very far from here,” Derek said, circumspect in his choice of words. “There was a mad scientist ruling that world, and he’d made a habit of genetically engineering creatures he considered superior to other species. Ironically, he’d used genetic material from those same species in order to build his hybrids.”
“The first batch were my people, whom he referred to as Faulties,” Amal added, prompting a slight nod from Danika, who was still visually displeased with the term. “He experimented some more, until he designed the Perfects and, later on, the Arch-Perfects.”
“How is that possible?” Valaine asked, her brow furrowed.
“Artificial wombs,” Amal explained. “We were conceived and developed in his laboratory, without the nurturing of a mother and a father. He made sure we came out as fully adult specimens, and he educated us to fit his agenda.”
“At the time, Sofia, myself, and a few others from our crew became his prisoners, while the rest of our people worked tirelessly to get us back and to stop him from turning his Perfects and Arch-Perfects into the deadliest army the universe had ever seen,” Derek continued. “During my time in captivity, unbeknownst to me or anyone else, Ta’Zan—that was the mad scientist’s name—experimented on me, as well. He occasionally gave me a pill that allowed me to walk into the sunlight without burning, only I didn’t know that the effects would be permanent.”
“Oh…” Acheron gasped, his eyes wide.
“The pill modified Derek’s genetic structure, adding a protein that eliminated his vampiric sensitivity to light,” Amal said. “We haven’t been able to reproduce it from his blood. We need the original source of that protein, in order to design a day-walking cure for all the vampires. Ta’Zan is dead now, and he didn’t leave any notes behind.”
“Or whatever he did have written down on the topic was destroyed during our war against him, when his coliseum came down.” Sofia sighed.
“Where did he get that protein from?” Danika asked. Her expression told me she was already suspecting Visio as the source, but she likely wanted confirmation before drawing conclusions.
“We don’t know, exactly,” Amal said cautiously. “But it
had to be a fit with the vampires’ genetic makeup in order for it to be added into the code, for it to function like it did with Derek.”
The corner of Derek’s mouth twitched, almost unnoticeably, as Danika and Acheron stared at one another for a good minute. “Marlowe,” Danika murmured. “Do you think he’s the…” Her voice trailed off as Acheron nodded. She looked at us. “We have reason to believe that protein came from someone we knew.”
“You’re not the first foreigners to visit,” Acheron added.
“The protein was extracted from an Aeternae, then?” Derek replied, trying to keep himself calm. These people had no clue about our detection methods, or the magic we’d used to track the protein back to Visio. For as long as we could, we were going to chalk it all up to a most fortuitous coincidence—the vampires came to visit, and, as it turned out, they also found the source of the very protein they’d been hoping to reproduce. It was a long shot, I thought, but it could still work.
Acheron nodded again. “It’s possible. A few centuries ago, a creature came to our world, claiming that he was looking to build the perfect species. He’d watched us from afar for a while and had decided to make contact.”
“Ta’Zan,” Amal murmured. “It had to be him.”
“He introduced himself as Marlowe,” Danika said.
Amal scoffed. “Yeah. I think I remember that name. He used it as an alias sometimes, just to make sure no one traced him back to Strava or his lab. He was rather paranoid about hiding his tracks.”
“He stayed here for a few weeks,” Acheron remembered. “In secret, of course. We didn’t allow him to leave the palace without an escort, but he was compliant. Didn’t give us any trouble. Eventually, we decided to give him two of our Aeternae… terrible people. A killer couple who’d murdered many innocent Rimians and Naloreans, drinking them dry like mindless animals. They were bound to be executed, but we figured Marlowe would make better use of them.”
A Shade of Vampire 78: An Origin of Vampires Page 15
