Matthias

by Ariana Kenny

  Chapter 10 The Past

  Since I started drinking from Cassie, strength and improved vision were not the only changes I experienced. I started dreaming crazy dreams, mixing real and unreal together. The past was mixed with the present, and with what I could only imagine were my fears. The dreams were vivid, rich, surround sound like and an example of the ethereal nature of the supernatural element now present in me. They could bring wonder, bring joy. They could, and would, also bring pain and fear. Real or not, they felt real, smelled real, and made my heart beat as though they were real. But what’s real anyway. One particular dream kept replaying in my head about five months after we had killed Belil, and Michael had ‘died’. It was the same every time, though I hoped there was nothing linking the content to the truth. The one about Amy.

  Amy hit the off button on the alarm. 5:00am. Groaning, she dressed quickly in to track pants, a singlet shirt and running shoes. Strapping an MP3 player to her upper arm, she sipped on a glass of water and picked up a farewell card. ‘Good luck Amy’ it read. She smiled, setting the card back down and started securing her hair into a high ponytail as she walked out the door. Setting her earphones in place, she jogged out the front of a new estate subdivide. Amy made it down the street at a jog, then started to run, passing grassland areas, and venturing into blocked off land.

  It’s hard to separate her heart beat from the sound of her pounding feet. Running hard at first with her pony tail flicking behind her, Amy eventually came to a stop, checking her watch. 5:20AM. Amy bent over a moment, catching her breath. A few deep breaths later, she started up again, beginning by jogging on the spot, then breaking into a slow run. As she regained her rhythm, a field became visible, a long length of open land on the edge of the estate. She could follow the path, but decided against this, instead cutting the long corner of a grassy field by crossing straight across it.

  The field was almost empty except for a seemingly unperturbed section which had a charred outline of where a building used to be. I recognized it somehow at first. Only a few lone beams still stuck out of the ground to suggest there ever was anything more there, and what still lay underground. Amy slowed to take a good look as she passed.

  Suddenly there was a reactive gasp and she fell. Amy winced as she picked herself up and cradled her ankle, rubbing and flexing it before rising to her feet again. Stretching the sprained ankle out, she putting pressure on it slowly, then gave it a delicate test of weight on the ground before she set out again, picking up at a lighter pace. Increasing her speed, Amy was passing the scorched building remains, and headed towards home when the ground gave way and she suddenly disappeared in to the earth with a sharp intake of breath.

  Daylight was creeping over the horizon, barely visible through the small hole in the ground that had been just big enough to let Amy fall through. There was a long distance into the bottom of the cavern, which was more a naturally etched out room with a long stone table in it. The weak sunlight peeked in the hole at the top as Amy came to, clutching the back of her head, bleeding and in obvious pain when she tried to move her limbs. Staring up at the hole she fell through, Amy sat up with effort. She visually noted carvings all across the surface of the roof, except for the jagged opening where she fell through of course.

  Sitting up straighter and swinging her legs off the table Amy groaned and winced as she moved. Her face and arms were covered in dirt, and she squinted, orienting to the dark. Against the far wall Amy saw disused torches, rugs pinned to the earth and stone surrounds, along with wrought iron instruments. She furrowed her brow, and tensed in concern.

  It was then that Amy realized she wasn’t alone. A brief movement across the far wall caused her to stand bolt upright in response to the fear, looking around to discern there was no exit to be seen.

  Then, she heard a voice, I recognised it as though from a dream -Michael: “I believe this is what they call room service.”

  Grabbing at anything on the table to defend herself, Amy grasped a heavy candle holder as she climbed on the table to get the upper hand, maybe thinking higher ground would help somehow. “What is this?” she thought out loud while several shapeless dark figures scuttled towards her and the table. Amy tried to still her heart and breath, peering deeply into the darkness, but when she sees what was there, coming for her, she screamed…….

  I woke up one Thursday afternoon in a panic. Not from the dream, not from memories that floated through my mind, but from what was coming. I was taking Cassie to meet my family. The pestering had become too much and I had to relent. Not that I didn’t want them to meet her, she would impress them, there was no doubt, but the mixing of my two worlds, my double life, was making me anxious. I had awoken just before dusk. Another fine and sunny day had been left behind - I mainly operated at night now.

  During the in between hours though, Violet, if she was around, would keep me company. She often had amusing or amazing stories from centuries before, and she had manage to bridge the time she had been away quickly, mastering multimedia, and updating on current events. I suppose when you don’t have to sleep more than once a week you can get a whole lot more done. I could hear her now humming in the next room.

  I left Cassie asleep in our bed and wandered in to the lounge room. Though she clearly heard me Violet stayed in her chair, painting her nails and didn’t turn around.

  “How is it that you don’t need to sleep anymore anyway?” I asked her for the first time, though I had quietly asked the question to myself many more. She regarded me with some amusement before turning back and blowing gently across the tips of her fingers.

  “Same reason I am stronger and faster than everyone else. When I was….away, in that place….time was different. Cam had told me once time passed a lot more quickly, it seemed like a year, when in fact it was a day, but until you are there you don’t really appreciate it.”

  “Look, if you don’t want to talk about it…” I started, leaning back against the dining table behind me before she cut me off.

  “No, it’s fine. I can’t turn back the time I spent there. I know as sure as I am sitting here right now I am never going back there. But I may as well appreciate what I can. It is as if I was 1000 years older than I actually am, so I’m faster, stronger – even more than you perhaps.” She walked over to me with an inquiring look on her face.

  “How about we don’t find out” I replied as she came uncomfortably close to me. She draped her arms over my shoulders from behind and waved her freshly painted fingers in front of my face.

  “Violet” I started cautiously. “Why won’t Cassie take me out when she feeds.”

  “Why do you want to see?” she asked me back, leaning her body still pressed against me.

  “Just curious…” I responded straightening up. I had grown comfortable with them all, but this was still a little too close – felt a little too intimate.

  “Don’t worry,” she said calmly “She doesn’t kill them you know. Not for a long time. Lots of ways not to have to do that.” I pried myself free gently but firmly and moved away to a more comfortable distance, sitting on the couch. She noticed the stiffness in my body language but ignored it as she would. Violet came over and sat next to me her legs falling over mine. “Even if she did, we all die. Death is a side effect of living”. Her tone dropped. “Just sometimes you get extra benefits”. I considered her curiously. She seemed to love this, state of being undead, like she was made for it, and I couldn’t imagine her before this life of hers.

  I had to ask: “What were you like. .. before?”

  “Ah. I was wondering how long before you would ask.” She threw her head back as though she was too bored to tell the story again, but she was going to anyway because she couldn’t help herself. “I used to live with my father, as most young girls did then, but he beat me, badly, every day. One day he put up a stranger. They came to my room at night and that was the last time my father ever laid a hand on me”. I was mortified.

  “Reall
y?!” I exclaimed.

  “No!” – she broke in to a laugh as though I was some kind of fool.

  I furrowed my brow. “I fail to see what’s funny Violet. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.”

  “Oh come on. I just wanted to see the look on your face. Besides my story is a lot less grand. I was rich, spoilt even. I lived in a palace in what is now known as Egypt – the boundaries were a little different back then. My father was busy brokering a deal to acquire some new land by organising suitors to marry me. The prime suitor came to our house with gold and slaves and ‘things’ to throw at my father. He didn’t need them to tweak my interest of course - when he came into my room at night, I was all his. My father was furious when he found out.

  “So what happened to him?” I pressed.

  “My father killed him – he took my honour before marriage and settlement.” I was confused.

  “How did he kill him – what just like that? He killed a vampire? Did he know?” The story just didn’t make sense and when I saw the look on her face I knew she was playing with me.

  “I love your reactions” she said with a cheeky grin, “You lose that over time, nothing phases you anymore – not the same way anyhow.” She said thoughtfully as she cocked her head to the side. I gave her an aggravated look and she offered atonement “No, you misunderstand me, I didn’t lie to you. My father really did kill him. He wasn’t a vampire, his guard was. Turned out they had an arrangement, the guard would drink from him and in exchange the guard would protect him, help him win whole wars. If the guard had not been sent away to give he and I time alone, my father probably would never have been able to harm a hair on his head. When he came back, he was furious, he almost destroyed our home, killed every servant and guard. As he went to strike my father and I down he stopped himself, said he would rather see my father live with a curse on his family. He grabbed me and bit me, drained me while my father cowered in the corner of the room. I tasted his blood on my tongue and it was the last thing I remember before… this” she gestured extravagantly with her hands in the air.

  “See, that’s an amazing story, Violet. I like your stories – you don’t have to make stuff up.” I wondered if I could get away with pushing for more. “So what did you do after you changed.” That elicited a knowing smile from her. She bit her bottom lip and peered through me.

  “Lots of different things Matt” she replied to my question darkly.

  “So what’s your real name then”. Her face lightened but her lips remained shut. “I mean, I doubt Violet was a contemporary name 900 years ago. Is there a story for that one too?”

  “No, not really. They grew in the gardens of my house. Everywhere.” She closed her eyes. “The smell was intoxicating. Whenever I smell them now I imagine myself back there. Bittersweet as it might be. But I have been Violet so long, my old name doesn’t matter anymore. So I’m not going to tell.”

  Cassie’s voice came from behind me “Don’t take offence, she won’t even tell me and we’ve been together decades.” Violet obligingly removed her legs from mine and Cassie kissed my neck as she walked past me to the door. She grabbed her jacket and slipped it on. I jumped up to meet her.

  “You just woke up, stay.” I pleaded.

  “I need to go out before we go to your family for dinner” she looked pained and pale. I understood, but it frustrated me.

  “Take me with you. Show me” I was so curious and it burned me that she touched other people in a way she had never done to me. I knew she felt this was a kindness, but it plagued me none the less. I wanted to know what it was like. Were they tortured, were their faces in rapture as she kissed them. Were they men, women?

  “Not tonight, my love. I’m not ready for you to see me like that. Violet, keep him company for me.” And like that she was gone.

  “You see it too” Violet said.

  “See what?” I asked still staring after Cassie and the window she had left by.

  “She is one of a kind Matt. Over time she will become one of the oldest ones. A sage. Her nature speaks of it. Her temperament is pure. She isn’t like most of us, changeable by power and want. I remember when I first saw her. I knew it too.”

  “Cam said that once before. She won’t tell me about her life before she was changed. Was it very bad?” I didn’t really want to know it was, though I suspected and that was just as difficult for me. Violet came over to where I was standing and leant against the counter.

  “We were at a hospital. We had a special arrangement to take rejected blood from a blood bank in Minnesota. There she was. Cold, dying, hooked up to machines – beeping away unceremoniously. All alone and wasting away from some disease.” I tried to imagine her vibrant self, cold and close to death but failed. “Cam couldn’t understand, but I came back after lights out to see her again, bring her back to life – of a fashion. I kissed her forehead and told her we were sisters. She was so delirious from the medicines she asked if I was an angel. I told her I was her angel, and then I turned her. It feels like forever ago, and now… see what she wouldn’t do for me. I would do anything for her. She loves me. It is a special unbreakable bond between the one who makes you. But it is a dark passion and it can drive people in all the wrong directions”.

  Violet became silent before she leant closer towards me again and whispered in my ear. “We share everything you know” she reached out to touch my face but I grabbed her hand. She responded by looking genuinely surprised but not offended. “There’s nothing to worry about” she said. I moved her away from me and shook my head.

  “Violet, no. I love her”. At my words Violet suddenly seemed irritated.

  “Love. Ah yes. Undying, happy forever after love. I know it well. The bond, the bloodlust is better you know… or you’ll find out soon enough anyway. Or maybe not. You’ve got to ask yourself why she hasn’t turned you yet, surely. I know it has Camille and I stumped”.

  “I don’t want to anyway, I can’t… I don’t really know what it means to be like you yet and there’s my family….” I hated that she voiced what I already knew to be true.

  Violet gave me a puzzled look. “You’ll need to eventually if you want to stay with her. You know that right. I’ll do it for you if she won’t.” That cheeky grin emerged again.

  “Do what” Cassie’s voice sprung out from the open window.

  “Nothing” Violet replied.

  I moved over to her “We have a door you know.”

  “Yes but I overheard the landlord saying something about suspecting you of subletting or running a brothel out of here so thought I might avoid the gossip”. I kissed her and when I turned around Violet was gone.

  “Are you ready?” I asked her, smiling as she squirmed.

  She looked at me endearingly. “No, but I don’t think I will ever really be. We have to make a stop on the way though, I have to say hello to someone.”

  “Hmm” I played, “someone, someone…. Could you be any more enigmatic?”

  “Her name is Myria. She’s where Cam spends all her spare time. They are very close.”

  I made my face serious for her “This isn’t another sister is it, because I am running out of bedrooms” she pulled against my hand lightly and shook her head at my ridiculousness. I couldn’t help but continue, when she smiled I smiled. “I’m serious Cassie, if Cam has anymore sisters, Aunts, Uncles etc times are going to get tough. If Peter already thinks I am running a brothel out of here …”

  “Matt! C’mon. I’m nervous enough about eating…I mean meeting your parents for dinner.” She shot me an amused glance.

  “You are hilarious!” I mocked. “But speaking of dinner, what are we telling my parents about your eating habits?” I asked as we left the building and we strolled hand in hand down the road towards the mysterious Myria.

  “As a matter of fact that is what we have to stop off for. Myria is going to help us out in that department” she quipped. Now I was curious.

&n
bsp; “So she’s going to sneak in and eat your dinner for you while my parents aren’t looking?” I asked before she smacked my chest lightly in playful response. To be honest – it hurt – but I wasn’t about to admit that.

  “You’ll see…” and I knew not to say anything more. She loved surprises.

  “So how does Cam know her?” At least she might answer some of my questions, and while she was talking I found myself stressing less over how the rest of tonight might go.

  “Cam actually saved her.” Cassie stated, sounding impressed with her older sister’.

  “Like from a car accident, mugger? What sort of saved?” I prompted.

  “Myria was only five when Cam met her. Cam had hooked up with some pimp/drug dealer guy. She pretended to have a coke habit to access the type of people who don’t run to the police to tell on you.” Cassie took a pause as we crossed the street. “So she goes with him to some club and on the way he stops to make a drop off to a unit in some slum. Then Cam, who he tells to stay in the car…”

  “As if.” I interrupted not being able to imagine anyone stupid enough to give Cam an order to stay anywhere.

  “Exactly….as if she was ever going to stay put. Anyway, she follows him upstairs to this dingy unit, but he’s having an argument with the people inside. When she gets in there the place stinks, and there is this couple arguing that they will pay this guy some money in two days if he just fixes them up now. He refuses and they offer him their little girl. Can you imagine? ‘Take her for the night, or two’ they say. Some people are just fucking wrong in the head. So Cam appears at the doorway expecting him to be disgusted and freak out, but instead he gets on the phone and organises someone to come pick up the girl, given that he and Cam were on their way out.” She noticed my horror and squeezed my hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry, this is my favourite part of the story coming up. See Cam was always a big sister when she was human. She had ten little brothers and sisters- Ten! I had one and still couldn’t share nicely. As you would expect, Cam has this like natural instinct to protect little ones, it’s always been part of who she is. Cam turns to this guy and says she feels like a top up line anyway and why doesn’t she just pay, give them a free hit so the two of them can get on with the night. He says ‘hell yeah’, cause who says otherwise to Camille, and they settle in to have a hit. All this time the little girl is sitting in the corner clutching a teddy bear and crying, so the father starts shouting at her to stop sniffling or he’s going to burn her again. I don’t know how Cam kept it together so long, but she calmly says to these idiots that she can’t take a hit in front of the little one, so the mother picks up the child and throws her into her bedroom. When the mother gets back to the table, Cam removes her gloves and then tears everyone in the room apart, one by one. The newspaper report says the ‘drug deal gone bad’ was so bloody the blood literally seeped out under the door and the first cops on the scene were sick at the sight”.

  “So what did Cam do – leave her there? She didn’t raise her.” I queried this as I didn’t see Cam as the mothering type, nurturing and protective instinct perhaps, wiping bums and brushing teeth – not so much.

  “She took her from her room, and brought her to someone she trusted, someone she had known who owed her a favour.

  “Some favour” I thought out loud.

  “Anyway, they raised her, Cam visits her when she wants and Myria and Cam have always had this unnatural tie. Myria may have been young, but she knows. She went from hell to happy via a bloodbath. Traumas like that though, they always leave their scars somehow. For good or bad.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, a whole new respect for Camille building inside me.

  “You’ll see. Myria is special. We’re here now anyway.” We had arrived at an old house near the local college and only about five minutes from my parents place. “Come inside. Trust me”.

  “Trust isn’t the issue Cass” I reassured her. “I’m just afraid I am going to have to show a new level of reverence for Camille that’s all. It might go to her head and it will finally explode.” She laughed and I followed her up the stairs and into the house.

  It was dark inside, in a gothic revival kind of way, with a deep bass strum coming from a decent stereo somewhere. I heard voices talking in a back room, Cam being one of them. As we came in, I noticed a low lying square coffee table with a Rastafarian looking guy, a petite pale girl with auburn hair, and Cam sitting around it. A bottle of booze and glasses were littered amongst bowls full of herbs, a mortar and pestle and small material bags. The room was appropriately teen Goth, with gargoyles, a crystal ball, pentagram and a drying herbs hanging off cabinets full of books, music and DVDs.

  Cam was so relaxed and casual, and seemed to be legitimately happy. She had dropped her usually cool disposition. Taking one look at me Cam exclaimed: “Great – you told him the story didn’t you Cassie? Now he’ll have that look in his eye for at least a month when he sees me.” She sounded scornful but she was actually smiling when she said it.

  “Matthias how are you?” The petite girl, who gave me the impression she was about 16, hopped to her feet, sprite like, and offered me her hand. I took it to shake it in return. Grabbing it instead, the girl pressed a finger into my palm and one into my wrist. Her eye caught mine and she sighed as though exited by something she saw. “Matthias, I have been waiting for you to come along for ages. I am so happy we finally get to meet.”

  “You were expecting me? I’m glad but whatever Cam’s been telling you it’s all lies - I promise.” I heard Cam giggle in to her glass, and Myria smiled at me like she had known me forever. She broke her hold on my hand and my gaze to acknowledge Cassie.

  “Cassandra, it’s been too long.” Myria gave Cassie a reserved kiss and a hug before resuming her seat on the floor. “Tell me what’s been happening, other than you finding the only guy who could free Violet from her prison and take out Belil so you could be free.”

  “Actually Violet managed to take out Belil all by herself.” I chipped in.

  “Is that so.” Myria stated. She peered up at me while she was ripping up herbs into a bowl resting on her crossed knees. Myria must have seen the concern flicker across my face because the next words out of her mouth were set to ease me. “I’m not dealing drugs you know. These are just herbs.” She continued hacking away at the contents of the bowl as she lowered her head and smiled into her lap.

  “Hey.” I nodded towards the Rastafarian guy. He nodded back and said nothing. “OK. Nice chat.” I whispered to Cassie who nudged me to be quiet.

  “That’s Russell.” Myria introduced. “He doesn’t say much until he gets to know you, Even then, ….but we get along just great. He looks after me well.”

  “Did you get a chance to help me out?” Cassandra asked.

  “Yes, yes, here you go, if you drink it now, it should kick in, in around 20 minutes” Myria handed Cassie a vial and she drank down the contents.

  “What is that?” I asked Cassie.

  “A little something so she can stomach human food for the night.” Myria answered for her.

  “Really, you can do that?” I asked amazed. Everything I was told indicated that she would be throwing her guts up at the taste alone.

  “I can do lots of things Matthias.” Myria said as she held her hand over a candle that was burning on the table. The flame then followed her hand as she moved her palm slowly away from the candle. It rested, not burning, but flickering as she brought her palm open hand in front of her. She held her other palm out so her hands were both outstretched in front and she closed them both in synchrony. She gave me a dramatic look, then opened the palm that had not contained the flame. In it was a small black rock. She proceeded to offer it to me. “Obsidian - To take away negativity Matthias”.

  “Show off.” muttered Cam clearly full of satisfaction.

  Russell drew out a cigarette and lit it. I thought I saw a curve in his lips but in truth it was hard to read this guy. He was somb
er, hiding behind dreadlocks and sunglasses.

  “How did you do that?” I was in awe. Myria just smiled.

  “She has many talents, my Myria.” proclaimed Cam. Cam’s voice was full of affection and pride.

  “Just imagine if I was a vampire too” Myria snapped back teasingly.

  “Never” Cam responded resolute “You are going to have a wonderful long life”.

  “And then die. Thanks” was the comeback. Clearly this was an issue between the two of them.

  “How did you do this, were you born this way?” I was fascinated.

  “We are all born this way Matthias” Myria replied “It’s just that most are taught it is evil, that the power comes from somewhere else other than themselves and it should be feared. Sure there are some things that can enhance aspects of our will, those we can learn, but really it’s all within and around us. I can show you if you want Matthias”. Cam l suddenly gave a stern stare towards Myria, then myself with concern.

  “Let’s go Matt” Cassie prompted “We’ll be late”.

  “Maybe another time” I said to Myria, somewhat aware something else was happening here that shouldn’t. “Nice to meet you my friend” I called loudly to the Rastafarian “Good catch up – really - we’ll have to do it again”. He grunted by way of a response and I caught Cassie bite her lip to keep from laughing. I got up and Cassie and I walked out arm around waist and we were off into the night.

  “See you soon Matthias” Myria called.

  “That was amazing” I said to Cassie. I couldn’t believe what I had just seen. “Is there anything else I need to know about, other than Vampires and Witches – trolls, werewolves, dragons perhaps?” She squeezed me tight, but was quiet. “What’s wrong?” I asked her, stopping in the street.

  “Nothing, my love. I think Myria might have a crush on you though.” She might have smirked when she said it, but I could tell she was not amused.

  “Don’t worry, Cass” I turned her to face me “I kind of like my women more mature, 70 to 100 years old at least. Poor conversation otherwise...”.

  “You don’t get it Matt. You’re not just any ordinary person. You have a destiny about you and people like Myria are attracted to that. Like Violet… As much as I love her I’m not blind, and I know how special you are. So do they.”

  “You can see the future now?” I taunted. This destiny and you’re special stuff didn’t sit well. Only recently I caused the death – or undeath- of my best friend, was betrayed by my ex and faced a life and death duel with one of histories most maniacal of vampire leaders. “I’m just Matt. Matt with a weird bloodline. Matt that makes crazy choices.” I kissed her before I whispered to her “Are you scared?” She gave me a curious look. “Because if you aren’t yet, you soon will be - I think my parents invited Anton over as well” I raised my eyebrows and she kissed me back.

  “Dragons, werewolves and trolls couldn’t hold me back.” she responded and we bounded up the stairs to my parents’ house.