I reeled at the silent impact of her words. I realized that I had nothihg to reply her with — because she was absolutely right. She had known me barely a day and yet, she had seen through me so throughly.
She had been staring at me for a while now, slowly, the flare of emotion in her eyes faded. She pinched herself softly. 'Sorry, that was . . . Strange.'
She shook her head, seeming a little dazed by the flood of emotion. 'It the same thing as when you died. I spend millenia perfecting my self control, all for it to slip at the sight of your face.'
'Maybe its because I see my brother's shadow in you, he was after all, also a kind soul.' She whispered.
She continued stare into my eyes as if entranced.
It was a few moments before I summoned the courage to break through the strange tension.'What would you have me do from here on out?'
She shifted way from me, her lips forming a slight grin. 'Wouldnt it be great. . . If a few words from me could somehow change your core nature. . . ' She chortled.
Her smile was warm now. "Mason, you need not feel like you owe me anything. You did not ask for this.
In some ways, this is most unfair to you.
But you are still so young . . . young even in human years. You're too young to let the darkness of this life chain your soul - and too young to allow your world to become dull and grey.
If you truly feel indebted to me, and if you must have an answer, then i would like you to survive." She traced a satin finger across my cheek, but the gesture didn't feel close at all.
'All right. Mason here, a meta ability deprived immortal vampire at your service.' I replied.
'Trait.' Rea softly corrected. 'In this life they are not called meta abilities, but traits. And you are wrong to believe you don't have one.'
'I can hear it you know? Singing quitely within your blood —such a unique sound.'
She placed her palm over my chest. 'You need to have faith, Mason Quill. You will need it for what is to –'
The air vibrated all around us, cutting off Hera's words, it sounded like a bell; rung with such ferocity that the sound waves seemed to be almost visible in the air.
'What's that?' I asked, alarmed. 'Are we under attack?'
'It's time. . .' Hera announced wearily– her voice was saddened. 'I was hoping we could avoid this.'
She took a deep breath and grabbed my hand. 'Im sorry, but now you must prove your worthiness now before the eyes of the council.'
I blinked. 'I need to what?'
She forced a smile as her grip tightened. 'Do not be afraid. But If you embarrass me, I'll kill you before anyone elese can.'
———————
How do I describe the vampire capital.
Well, it was old... and creepy, and yet, also impossibly beautiful.
I stared at the ancient obsisdian walls and towers crowning every hill in sight.
I felt not the slightest smidgen of discomfort, rather the ghastly city radiated a faint homely glow.
'Orcus.' Hera announced in an icy voice.
Vampires roamed the streets in pairs: always a male and a female. They all looked my age. . . Or slightly older —young and beautiful. But there was no chid in sight —another question I would ask Hera at the earliest opportunity.
After entering the castle gates, our paths aligned with another Dhampir.
Despite his perfect features and translucent skin, he appeard thin and weak.
He wore dark heavy robes and had a single gold earing embedded in his left lobe.
Out of habit I nodded politely.
He ignored me completely, and smiled coldly at Hera, his voice dripping with disdain. 'Is this the useless thing you brought to us?'
'Yes my lord,' Hera responded amicably, as if she had sensed nothing amiss . .
The man seemed like he would speak again, but Hera urged me to increase my pace.
'Apologies lord Renly, but we must take our leave of you. Come on.' Hera pulled me along.
We passed a thin woman in an overly exaggerated ball gown. She had cascading brown hair, ruby eyes and elongated finger nails.
Her features were beautiful, but also cold and cruel. She was arguing with another strange Vampire. 'The cattle belong to our house, what gives you the right?' She spoke in a heavy British accent.'
'Lars, those before me did not spend millenia selectively breeding our human food source so you could poach them as per your whims!'
'Illiana! It was a mistake we acknowledged, and we have conpensated you,' Lars boomed, irritated. He was the biggest vampire I had seen so far. Unlike the rest of his brethren, his skin was the colour of ash, rippling with bands of muscle and webbed with veins.
There were so many creases on his face it was hard to tell which ones were caused by his frown.
'What I want isnt you so called compensation but for you to return my property to me at once.' Illiana wailed as we walked past, fortunately they were too busy arguing to pay us any attention.
When I was certain they wouldnt hear us, I asked Hera, 'What were they arguing about?'
Hera pursed her lips slightly, probably not sure about answering my question. 'A Bloodlure of house Noctis went missing recently.
After investigations concluded, the culprits were found out to be members of house Korinth.'
'What is a Bloodlure?'
'Meta humans, poached from the human world like livestock and selectively bred across millenia to become nothing but the tastiest food.
To a vampire, the mere scent that emanates from them is equivalent to several exquisite meals.'
I shuddered at the horror of what she was saying. She glanced once at me, before continuing.
'You must understand. Those of us who remember our human lives more clearly can limit ourselves to hunting beasts in good conscience.
But for older, nobler, vampires who see humans as cattle. . .
Then she skillfully several wove through several other Vampires in the hall with me in tow.
At the end of the hall there was single throne that rose above twelve seats of judgement.
'Those are the seats of the house lords. And the one above them is the seat of Lady Rea.
She is lord of the entire clan.'
'Uh … I see. Thanks.' I did not know what to make of any of this, but as with every single time I thought of our meeting, a surge of heat flared through my loins.
The seats in the hall slowly filled.
Hera seemed to be both dazed and upset at the same time. I tried to think of something to say, preferably something that would takebher mind of whateverwas bothering her.
'So . . . how come I havent seen a single child since I arrived,' I noted. 'Are our kind completely sterile?'
'No, but for must of us, the thirst fo blood is overwhelming. Very few vampires even notice other desires anymore. And fewer act on them.
Also, nature must protect itself; Predators, stronger beings, always concieve with greater difficulty. The continuation of our species is entirely thanks to the power of change in our Venom.
Most of our kind simply use it to cripple their prey —to leave them writhing in agony so they can feed with ease. But when its allowed to spread. . . It warps the human base until it become unrecognizable —cursing it with the darkest of gifts.
You were also born in such a way.' Hera related calmy.
The seats were almost full now — the tables laden with blood filled goblets.
We found two seats at the farthest end of the hall. Nobody paid us much attention except for one female who kept shooting Hera with dirty looks.
She was dressed similarly —in the same soft pliable leather —also leading another Vampire by hand.
From the clueless look on his face —a look I had seen countless times in the mirror — I could tell that he was also new to this life.
Come to think of it, several of the pairs in the hall resembled I and Rhea –older armored Vampires dragging around the less experienced.
'Other newcomers?' I asked.
Hera nodded, her eyebrows furrowed. 'Far too many.'
'Is that good or bad?'
'More of us being created means more of us are being destroyed in the ongoing conflict with. . . ' She pursed her lips. 'Never mind.
Let's get seated.'
I glanced at twelve seat at the foreground— they were filled. Each of the seated twelve were grim and frightening in their own righr. Amongst them was Lord Renly — this disdainful Vampire from ealier, as well as the two who had been arguing.
Even seated, great tension and bloodlust were palpable in the air.
However, the throne above the seats remained empty, as if it's owner was eternally absent.
Lord Renly, who sat foremost amongst the twelve, shifted uncomfortably before glancing uncertainly at the throne.
Then he sighed as his pupils hardened, rising from his seat with matchless grace.