«
In the Eyes of a Vampire
»
Chapter 10
With a pounding heart and a hopeful spirit, Nazarene awoke to begin his search for Aspaisia. He knew it would not be an easy one, but one he felt he must do. They had no clues, no place to start, barely a trail to follow. He met Lais in Aspaisia's room, one last time to search for any clues they had missed. Going into her rooms always left him uneasy. Until he discovered the truth, there would always be the part of him that believe the ashes he found were in fact his beloved. Memories of the moment flooded him when he entered the room, but he pushed them back down into his secret chambers. They would be of no use to him now.
Lais stood stark still in the middle of the room, paper in hand. He gestured for Nazarene to come closer as soon as his presense was noticed. He handed the paper to Nazarene. It was a note, typed in plain style. No formality or friendly hello was included. The note simply stated:
You took from me the only one who mattered.
I will not allow you to do it again.
Seek not what you shall never find.
We are even.
It was unsigned, with no idication of who it was to or from. From the look on Lais' stunned face, Nazarene knew immediatly that the note need not say, he already knew. His heart pounding and his mind reeling, he finally spoke.
"She's alive. Thank the heavens, she is alive." He fell to his knees and breathed deeply. Emotions rushing through him. Looking back up at Lais, he stopped, his heart frozen. Lais was stone cold, no emotions, no indication that he too believed she was alive. Nazarene watched as fire built up in Lais' eyes. He watched as an fury of anger grew until it seemed it would burst from the very retina's that contained it. Fear crept up in Nazarene, never had he seen such things in his makers eyes. Always the calm one, never to lose his cool. He stood, backing away slowly, he did not know wether to question or to turn and run.
He couldnt run, he couldnt leave, not without knowing who this note was from, who had Aspaisia and why.
"Lais," He approached slowly. "Is everything alright? Do you know who this letter is from?" Lais turned as if he were a robot, his movements stiff and precise. Nazarene swallowed his fear and held his ground. No matter what happened, he needed to know. Lais' eyes settled on Nazarene's face, the fury melting slowly.
"Nazarene. Yes, I do know who this is from, I know who has Aspaisia."
* * *
They sat in a crowded cafe, engolfed by noise and humans rushing frantically about. It was the perfect setting, no one noticed, nor cared what they did or what they had to say. Lais Began in a slow, controlled manner.
"The letter is from an very old Vampire by the name of Judas. One I have not seen or heard of since the night I shared my gift of immortality with him. Yes, he is my fledgeling, and was my best friend in our mortality. But our story begins long before that night.
We were born on the same night, within minutes of each other. From our first breaths we were unseperable. Raised in the same villiage, practically in the same house as our mothers were sisters. There was a time when nothing could seperate us, our lives were centered around each other. Anything we did was always together. At a very young age, we swore, making a pact to never allow anyone or anything to come between us. And for 21 years that pact remained unscathed.
Our villiage was one that was a crossroad for many travellers as we often made welcome to weary travellors and willingly found them food and a plpace to sleep. One summer, during our ritual solstice festival, our pact was stamped with a foreshadow of doom. Doom that came in a beautifully shaped, uncomporable female by the name of Liana. She was the daughter of a widowed traveller who roamed from village to village, until finally settling in ours.
She was a vision to behold and smarter than any woman I had ever known. The three of us became unseperable. Both if us competing for her attention. We were so wrapped up in oour admiration for this amazing creature that we did not see the rift forming as wide as the largest ocean. We both fell hard and fast, proclaiming our undying love for her. But neither of us realized the other's affection for Liana, We were to wrapped up in ourselves to see it.
One night as storms ragged through our village, I confessed my love for Liana to Judas. Rage and anger as fierce as the storm surronding us ripped through him. He accused me of purposely vying for her attention, stating I knew of his feelings for her. I denied such knowledge which sent him into an evern greater rage. He fled from the hut and into the night. I did not see him again until the next evening, his clothes torn and ragged from the storms rath.
He demanded we make her choose between us. Sated he could no longer remain friends due to my betrayal, or the betrayal he thought I had made. Sure that Liana would choose him, he confidently brought her to us. Professed his undying love, and stated that I to held affections for her. He demanded she choose between us, stated she could no longer toy with us like puppets on a string. told her she could no longer remain friends with both of us.
I could see the hurt and torment in her eyes. She loved us both and it tore her apart. She searched both of our eyes. I cold not hide the sadness within me no more than Judas could hide his anger. She begged him ot to do it, not to force her to choose. But he would no hear of it, and demanded again to know which of us she was in love with.
She closed her eyes, swallowed hard and spoke my name in a whisper. She claimed she had loved me since the first moment she laid eyes on me and that Judas was more a brother to her. He exploded in rage and nearly distroyed everything within his reach. We were both so frightened we cowered in each others arms. I alone knew the power of his rage, and I was afraid for both of our lives.
He stopped and turned towards us, my heart stopped as Im sure hers did as well.
"I disown you Lais, we are no longer family, never will be friends. A bitter enemy is what you have become." He did not speak, nor did he look at Liana, but instead stormed from the house. I did not see him for almost a year. And within this time Liana and I were married and she became pregnant with our first child. I was elated, I prayed nightly to the gods to bring me a son. We were happy, though deep inside I still mourned the loss of Judas. It was as if a piece of me had been ripped out and I would never again have it back.
One night, near the time Liana was to give birth to our child, Judas appeared. In the market I found him, drenched in the rain and begging for shelter. Like brothers reunited, we embraced and tears of joy ran down my face. He had forgiven me, all would be as it was before. I brought him back to my home where Liana was preparing a wonderous dinner to welcome him back. We ate like Kings and celebrated our reunion as if the three of us had never quarrelled. It was one of the happiest nights of my life.
The next afternoon Liana left, stating she wanted to take a walk through the woods and gather some wild berries to make pie for that evenings dinner. I was left alone as Judas had also left to reunite with his mother. After an hour Liana had not returned and I began to grow weary. Two hours and I paced, my heart sick with worry. After three I could not stand it any longer. I raced into the words, calling her name, searching for her everywhere. She never amswered, she could not answer.
I found her under a tree, her throat cut, the baby ripped from her womb. My son lay dead in his mothers arms. I fell to my knees, emotions ripping through me. Had I a knife I would have joined them there under that tree, but alas I was helpless. Astranger found me lying on the ground, my arms wrapped around my wife and child, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to shed one more tear. He pried my cold halds from their bodies and pulled me to my feet. He searched my eyes, looking for a murderous intent within them, but foundnothing but grief. He led me away deeper into the woods.
It was that night I became a vampire. Blinded my anger and devasted with grief, I did not know what I was consenting to. I stumbled back into the village, almost blinded by my new vampiric vision. I found Judas waiting for me, the lines of worry working into his face, relief washing over him as I stumbled through the door. I could not think nor could I speak. I stumbled towards him, sinking my fangs into his neck. I gave to him the gift that I had been given. I wanted my only companion, the only one I trusted to be at my side in immortality.
When it was finished I broke down and told him what had happened. Told him I wanted to leave the village, start a new life in immortality with him. anger rose into his eyes. He did not want the gift, nor did he see anything good in it, or the escape I had seen. He lashed ot at me, confessing to the murder of Liana and my son. He told me it was his revenge, the reason he came back to the village. I was again devestated and fled into the night. I never saw him again."
|
|
|
