CHAPTER ELEVEN
We Need To Talk

Cantaria stood up and walked over to the stairs where Heylo was waiting for her. Stopping briefly to goodnight to both Vilona and Cham. Still shaken from her earlier encounter with Cham, her hand still stung slightly from his tight grip, she followed Heylo down the stairs to retiring for the evening. Neither of them said a word, Heylo was visibly disappointed about not being able to retrieve Cantaria’s belongings tonight. They reached the room she had being staying in, they hugged each other good night and she disappeared inside.

She stood with her back against the door and sighed heavily. Then made her way over to the bed, slipping between the curtains, she laid on the top of the magnificent soft bedspread. Trying to make sense of everything that had happened with the return of Priest, his harsh words replaying in her head. Although, she could completely understand that he was just trying to protect Vilona and the manor but she was unused to be treated in such away.

Then there was the matter of Samron, as soon as Cham mentioned that name it had a familiarity to it, but she didn’t know why well - not immediately anyway. Cantaria closed her eyes and concentrated on the name Samron. Then it dawned on her she had heard Clave talking about a Samron, they had been close friends once, but Samron or Sam as he called him, had moved overseas, she assumed before Clave and she had met, but they still kept in constant contact via the Internet and phone. These new inventions had always fascinated her, imagining contacting people almost instantly. It was so different to the old world that she had grown up in, when to contact a friend or loved one over seas it took weeks, even months to get a reply. She wished she could remember his surname, actually she wished she could recall anything about Sam. But she felt that this was leading to trouble. She pondered what she should do. She had to tell someone about this, but who and what would she say? She didn’t even know if THIS was the same person. But if it was, she needed to tell someone, finally settling on Heylo, she would tell her in private, when they could leave the house or when they had a few quiet moments alone without the watchful eye of Cham around. This lead to another nagging thought, he would probably think that she was involved in this somehow, like she was leading them into a trap or something. But equally, it could prove her trustworthy, but first she needed to find out a little more information about Samron.

Her thoughts turned to Heylo; she wondered what she was doing right now. She was glad that she had found both Vilona and Heylo, but Heylo especially, she smiled warmly at her memories, they always seemed to share a special bond even when she was mortal and would visit the nation besides, with Heylo here she felt a little more comfortable. Suddenly she thought about her duffle bag that she had left at the old abandoned warehouse where she had been squatting prior to seeing Heylo and Vilona at The Abyss, maybe that held some kind of information about Samron, but she doubted it. Think Taria think, she said to herself.

She prepared herself for bed, again thinking about her duffle bag, she had to borrow a pair of PJ’s from Heylo. She really needed to go retrieve it. She hoped that Vil and Cham would let her go get it soon. She crawled back into bed, this time underneath the covers, staring at the dark canopy, her eyes getting heavy they started to close. The Sandman was summoning her. She started drifting off to sleep. But it suddenly it came to her, his name is Samron Mead and he is an Assamite. Cantaria knew very little about the Assamites, she did know that they believed they, were the oldest of clans---far older than the fools of the Camarilla. But she was keen to learn more now. Heylo once mentioned that she had a large range of books in her room. Perhaps, they could do some research on them together. After all, she wanted to tell her about her suspicions about Samron. But that could wait She finally dozed off. But she tossed and turned anxiously waiting for the morrow. Finally, she heard the first sounds of people stirring. She went out into the hallway, but there was no one there. As she approached Heylo's room she heard a thump then sound of papers being scattered. Hurriedly she opened the door. Lying there unconscious was Heylo, papers from a nearby notebook spilled onto the floor. She had just reached Heylo when she looked up and saw Cham standing in front of them. He immediately stepped between Cantaria and Heylo and lifted her from the floor. As he laid her onto the bed he examined her quickly to see if she had been injured. In looking her over he could see she was in need of blood. She was beginning to show small signs of aging and her hair was dimming. "Get a bottle of the wine from the kitchen NOW!" Cantaria was gone and back within seconds and Vilona followed close behind her. Cham lifted Heylo's head and poured the blood laced wine into her mouth. She began to gulp eargerly and tilted the bottle to devour the entire contents. She finally opened her eyes and the youthfullness was returning. Her hair had regained it's luster and the ivory skin was smooth and supple again.

The four stood at the foot of the stairs in the open dark room that once served as Heylo's embrace room. Cham smiled slightly at Cantaria and in a low tone spoke in a guarded but friendly manner, "Good evening Taria, you don't mind if I call you that do you? I hope not. Would you mind please going with Vilona upstairs. I need to talk with Heylo." He immediately turned his attention to Heylo, "Do you mind taking a walk with me? You seem fine now." He held out an arm for Heylo to tuck her hand under as they walked toward a tunnel Heylo had not yet explored. Cham paused long enough to watch Cantaria slowly and reluctantly climb the stairs behind Vilona. Vilona paused and winked at Cham as he smiled up at her, then he nodded to Heylo for her to come with him.

"Heylo, I am more of a big brother in reality since I too was embraced by Vilona, but in the fact that my name is the FIRST in the book of Noble and Vilona and I have married and bonded, I can't help but look upon you as more of a daughter. For that reason I wish to tell you a few things, and also in return ask of you a few things."

They had passed the doorway and the torches along the hallway did not light as she had expected instead the room remained dark, but only then did she realize that she could see just as well as if they had. The had entered a large room with a piano several plush couches around the edges and in the center a dance floor. Their shoes click as they walked along the polished hardwood floors. The walls draped in a deep red velvet and lantern style candle holders hanging from above in 3 feet intervals. The far wall had an enormous painting of a sunset over an ocean with a barely visible castle showing among the rocks of the coastline. Below the painting an enourmous pool, a blood filled pool. The floor that surrounded that was in Italian tile. It seemed so inviting to Heylo, but she was drawn back as Cham smiled and extended an outstretched hand toward the couch nearest them. "Castle Noble in all her glory." His voice intruded into her thoughts of the pool, but then she gazed up at the painting in almost awe of it's magnificence.

"Heylo, I'm sure you are aware that Vilona isn't an old Vampire, since you knew her as a mortal also, but she is different. This difference is something that Vilona has only just discovered herself. In fact I only revealed this difference to her last night." He and Heylo turned to look at each other at the same time. Cham removed Heylo's hand from his arm and placed it over the other one that set lightly on her lap. He then leaned back and look upward. Heylo followed his gaze and then realized that the ceiling was not visible. The lanterns seemed to come out of no where. Cham's voice was low and gentle, "Heylo, Vilona is but a child herself in the age of Vampirism from her embrace. BUT, her Prince gave her a gift that he didn't explain to her. I discovered this gift and told her. I promise to explain all of this to you soon, but my real reason for needing to talk to you is because we must rescue Natashia soon. I know that Clave can not kill her or he himself will be destroyed.

Vilona has been scouting the place where she is being held and trying to find out how to best get her and not endanger you. She is also concerned for you in your need to feed. We hope to make things safe again for you to be able to establish your feeding ground. But we must bring Clave's clan under control or banish them from her Domain. What I need from you is your feelings about Cantaria. Do you trust her? Can 'I' trust her? We must protect Vilona, although ultimately SHE will protect us."

Vilona set a warm goblet of pure blood in front of Cantaria. "If I remember correctly you don't have a discriminating pallet, blood is blood, right?" Vilona waited for Cantaria to feed then she sat beside her and whispered her question, "Cantaria, I need to know if I can still trust you...your life depends on it." With an unwavering gaze she calmly placed her own glass down as she waited for Cantaria's answer.


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