Leaving the Light By: Christine Schnell

 Chapter 42



	Depressed after being abandoned by the slaves I went back to
Sabertooth.  At least he couldn't walk away.  Well, he could
when his legs worked.  Which wouldn't be long.

	I flipped the switch.  Sabertooth lifted his head up and wagged
his tail.  He watched me almost expectantly.  "Stand."  He
pushed himself up straightening his legs seeming to stretch
after a long nap.  I backed up a little bit.  "Come here."  He
took the few steps to me and I hardly noticed any kind of
wobble.  I guess I was getting better at mechanics.  

	I opened up the door looked up and down the hall.  I turned
back to him and showed him the round object in my hand.  "Go get
it."  I threw it as far I could.  Since it was just a small bag
of screws and nuts, it didn't go that far.  Despite that he ran
like the dickens.  His wobble was much less pronounced when he
ran.  I'd nearly say he was graceful.  

	That is until he reached the bag, didn't slow down, tripped
over his legs while trying to stop and turn at the same time
then smashed into the wall.

	"Damn!"  I rushed to him.  I knelt down beside the poor robot
as it whimpered while trying unsuccessfully to get up.  I
mercifully turned his off switch.  It was a mercy for me as well
since I silently cursed The Master of All Things for putting in
the ability for it to cry.  

	I heard a soft laugh behind me and cursed again.  I was hoping
no one saw that.  Heremon's voice reminded me of the piercing
metallic sound Sabertooth just made as he hit the wall.  "You
think this thing will help you achieve your destiny?"

	"Heremon, I..."  Words failed me.  I hadn't been prepared for
his onslaught.

	"You what?"  He stood over me.

	I was about to rip into him with an insult or two, then
remembered myself.  "Was there something you needed?"

	"I can't walk down this hall without being accosted?"

	"I thought I'd offer my services if you desire them.  If not I
will return to what I was doing."  I kept my tone under control
as I knelt down to Sabertooth.

	"I was talking about that creature.  It nearly ran me down."

	I happen to know he was on the other side of the hall at the
time but I took it all in stride.  "I will attempt to keep him
out of your way."

	Heremon eyed me.  "Come here."

	I went to him.  My heart beat in anticipation of some form of
abuse.  Not one to disappoint, Heremon slapped me hard across
the face.  I hadn't braced myself so nearly fell.  I caught
myself on the wall and looked up to him expecting another.  He
didn't this time.  He watched me for a reaction.  I think he
really wanted me to fight back.  

	I stayed right where I was.  I had no wish to provoke him. 
"What a waste."  He turned his back on me and walked away.

	The waste would be if I expended brain cells on him so I forgot
him and dragged the robot's body back to the room.  There I
assessed the damage of the crash.  Besides his casing being
dented slightly, several belts were torn.

	This would take me quite a while to fix.  I could do no more
for today.  I had an appointment in a couple hours and wanted to
be ready for it.

***

	After a shower and fresh clothes I headed for Mistress Kama's
room.  Even with a couple hours to get ready I found I was still
going to be late.  Two people stopped me in the slave court. 
Lacey, who offered an apology for the slaves' behavior the other
day.  She knew how impossible it was to thwart the vampires. 
Yet she had caught the fever from the others.  I couldn't blame
her.  Her heart had been in the right place.  

	Then Augustine stopped me and asked me for advice on how to
block out the vampires probing.  He had been one of the few that
remained until I called out for them to do it.  I nearly told
him.  Then I realized how late I was getting.  Of course, I
could have just been having second thoughts?  If the vampires
learned I was giving private lessons...  No, I wouldn't think
about that.  "Later, I promise."  Augustine seemed to understand
the limitations placed upon me and accepted it for now.

	I hoped I could keep that promise.  I weaved my way though the
halls and approached Mistress Kama's door.  I stopped short for
there was yelling within.  My heart dropped.  Things were not
fun when Miss. Kama was in a bad mood.  I stopped to listen. 
"This is only the beginning.  We are not prepared for what could
come next."  An unmistakable gruff male voice said.

	"They are not beyond our control."  Miss. Kama bit back.  I was
sure she meant the slaves.

	"You do not understand what is at stake."  Keir was not as
certain as Miss. Kama.

	"I can handle this one simple thing."

	"She's not your pet.  You can't expect undying loyalty."  God,
I hope they aren't arguing over me again.

	"I do not expect it, but it is freely given.  You are just too
jealous to see that."

	"I am not jealous over that spineless filth." 

	"Then why are you upset?"  Mistress Kama purred.

	"I am not upset."  Keir bellowed.

	"Come in child."  Mistress Kama called to me.  I wondered if
she knew how long I had been standing there.

	"She is here now, Keir.  Keep to our agreement."

	I heard Keir growl in consent as I stepped in and expected him
to push past me.  Only he didn't.  In fact he wasn't there at
all.  I looked about in confusion.  Perhaps he was in the rest
room.  "Where's Keir?"  I asked trepidly.

	"Keir?"  Miss. Kama asked back somewhat befuddled.

	"Yeah, I just heard you arguing with him."  I thought I did at
least.

	Her face fell just a notch before she caught herself.  "My
dear, I haven't talked with Keir in days."

	"But I know I heard him and you!"  I was getting rather
agitated.

	She eyed me scornfully, then with a bit of pity.  "Are you
feeling all right?"  She brushed my bangs back feeling my
forehead.  "You are warm."

	"You were arguing about..."  No, I couldn't have forgotten
already, "About me and ... Me and..."

	"Sit child.  Let me get you something to drink."  She set me in
her most comfortable chair.

	"I could have sworn..."  It had to be a joke.  Keir would pop
out from behind my chair any moment.

	"Drink this."  Mistress Kama handed me a glass of noxious
smelling liquid.  

	I cautiously took a sip.  If I wasn't warm before, I was now. 
I drank a little more and the stuff took immediate effect.  I
became completely relaxed and sunk further into the chair.

	I must have fallen asleep for the next thing I knew I was
falling from a great height.  As gravity pulled on me I came to
the realization of someone watching me.

	I looked up and found Mistress Kama's face looming over me.  My
hands clenched and they fell upon the soft material under me. 
Miss. Kama's hand came off my forehead as she was testing my
temperature again.  "Are you feeling better?"

	I took inventory of my body.  I seemed to be in one piece.  I
nodded.

	"What?"

	"Yes, Mistress."  

	"Excellent.  Come here."  

	She put me in the hot seat again.  This time Mistress Kama
instructed me to show her that I knew appropriately how to apply
mascara, something I had theretofore had trouble mastering.  I
call it the hot seat because despite its innocent appearance of
a vanity it was really the one place that Mistress Kama had
complete control over me.  She stood now examining me.  I always
dreaded this and her piercing glare only made it worse.  If she
had granny glasses and was peering over them it would complete
the picture.

	Mistress Kama placed her soft hands on my shoulders to rub
them.  I stiffened.  It was the first time I had come to see
Miss. Kama after Cindy's death.  It had brought back memories of
Lowell.  It had been far to late for the life support machines
to save Cindy.  I couldn't help wondering if someone put it in
her head to overdose.  And if so, who?  The only one I knew to
have killed other than Bram was Mistress Kama.  

	"You have no reason to fear me pet."

	"I know."  It wasn't me that I was afraid for.  Something was
just making me more nervous around her than normal.  I began to
wonder again why I was associating with a known killer.

	She leaned down, brushing my hair aside.  Her lips caressed the
nape of my neck.  Shivers took over my body.  Half a second
later her teeth nibbled at the skin but didn't break it.  I
closed my eyes trying to push away the image of a dagger in her
hand about to plunge.  She was not that kind of murderer.

	A sharp pain brought me out of the reverie.  There was no
knife, only her teeth scratching my collarbone.  The blood
flowed out now after she had punctured my vein.  I let out the
breath I didn't know I had been holding.  I relaxed as she drank
from me.  One of her hands reached for mine as the other
fingered the ends of my hair.  I closed my eyes again as I felt
something I couldn't ever before imagine while being bit. 
Enjoyment.  Was this another vampire mind trick or was it real? 
A delectable, almost orgasmic wave circled out from my pounding
heart.  I moaned in delight.

	She kissed my cheek when she finished.  I nearly collapsed, but
not from the lack of blood.

	She ran her fingers through my hair and I watched her peaceful
face.  She glided my hair back gently brushing it into three
parts to braid it.  "So how's Bram?"  She said nonchalantly as
if nothing had happened.

	She startled me so that the so far unused mascara brush went
flying and I now had a big black mark on my brow.  I knew this
subject would come up sooner or later, I just wished she
wouldn't have asked while I was sitting Here.

	Of course she knew how he was.  She was more interested in how
our relationship was.  I couldn't tell her it was rocky but I
couldn't lie to her either.  So I figured I'd tell her what I
told Al.  "He's fine."

	It didn't work on Al so of course it wouldn't work on her. 
"You've treated him poorly."

	Somehow the fact that I have emotions and occasional misgivings
translated into me being a bad person.  Yet, I knew she was
right.  "I know, I'm just not ready for that deep of a
relationship."

	"How deep?"

	I had no doubt that she could interrogate me all night and I
had no reason to hold back from her.  "He knows me too well."

	"And?"

	There was an "and?"  "And..."  I rolled it around in my mouth
until I thought of something.  "I don't want to give up my
independence?"

	"And?"

	God how annoying!  I used to play this game with my friends but
that was mostly to see how long it would take for them to
strangle me, I didn't like it being used on me.  "And..."  I
said sharply but there was nothing to come after it.

	I thought back to the time Bram and I spent together recently. 
There was no definite moment that I decided I didn't want to be
with him.  It happened by degrees.  There was something that was
a catalyst.  Strange I had forgotten it.  I shouldn't be
surprised since it wasn't the first time I had forgotten
something important.

	"Something you found."  Miss. Kama prompted.

	Yes, I had found something while Bram was out.  When he came
back, I confronted him about it.  What was it?  

	My mind went in circles for a while before Miss. Kama filled in
a gap, "Something heavy and metallic."

	Yes, that's just what I needed.  The memory was fuzzy but it
was coming back a little.  Bram had gone out to scrounge some
food and left me in his room.  My curiosity got the better of my
boredom and I investigated his closet.  In which I found
skeletons.

***

	I put my hand inside a box, which had been buried under several
smaller ones.  Those only held shoes and the like.  This one was
mostly filled with clothes.  In a way I was curious to see what
type of clothes he used to wear.  Had he kept in fashion all his
life or wore the same thing?  I didn't go very far before I hit
something hard.  I peeled back the crisply folded clothes and
found a heavy cloth that seemed attached to this hard object.  I
wrapped my hands around it and pulled gently.  It came
grudgingly.  There were a few layers to the bundle, the outer
being a courser material and the inner soft like loose spun
cotton.  I carefully unwrapped it knowing I'd have to put it
back quickly I only undid what I thought was the top.

	The first glint of gold appealed to me and I quickly swirled
the cloth off to reveal the back of a helmeted head.  It was a
small metal statue.  I turned it over to peer into the face and
almost dropped the thing on my foot when I gasped.

	It was like a reflection that had been frozen in time and
colored all gold.  I quickly undid the whole thing and beheld
the figure of a knight, a female knight as the armor was form
fitting.  It was me.  The detail was intricate, from the
eyelashes to the creases in the armor there could be no doubt. 
I had been idolized in miniature.  The artist had a poor sense
of humor dressing me in armor and placing a glinting sword in my
hand.  An eerie feeling crept over me and I instinctually
reached for my belly.  Nothing was there.  I dropped the statue
onto the bed. 

	I was still drawn to look at it, even if I didn't want to touch
it.  A second sword hung loosely against the thigh of the
statuette.  Somehow this was familiar to me.  I looked up to the
box on the wall.  There was no doubt the sword in this knight's
hand was also a mini-clone of that one.  The dragon head was
more pronounced on this miniature sword as it hadn't been worn
down by time.  So I had been right, there is a twin to this
sword, or at least the artist had the same thought as I.

	I knew who the artist was.  I was just in denial about it.  I
had remembered why the little figure looked so familiar.  I had
seen armor like this before in a fantasy, Bram's fantasy.

	I heard the doorknob wiggle and I knew I had no chance of
hiding my find.  So instead I took the bold approach and stood
waiting for the door to open.  He had a bundle in his arms
larger than mine, but he was quicker than I.  "I know, let me
put these down first and I'll explain."

	"What is there to explain?"

	He did put down the groceries.  "I've been working on it for a
couple years, I wanted it to be a surprise for your birthday. 
I've always fantasized about seeing you in armor."  He was lying
and I knew it, well okay, not about the fantasizing.  "It's just
a thing I did to bide my time while I waited for you when you
were upset with me."

	I let that lie slide by after all I had been harsh on him then.
 "So it is yours?"

	"Yes, it is my work, so are these."  He pointed to several of
the metal pieces in the room.  "I also did some of the relief
carving around the complex."

	"They're beautiful."  I couldn't help showing my appreciation.

	"Thanks.  That's my favorite."  He pointed to the statuette I
had left on the bed.

	I cocked a half smile feeling a little embarrassed.  "I can see
why.  Where's the other one?"  I indicated the sword on the
wall.  

	"I don't know."  Another lie.  Why?  

	"What aren't you telling me?"

	He tried to bring me into a hug.  "I wouldn't hide anything
from you."  Why all the lies?  Why couldn't he trust me enough
to tell me the truth?  Surely this wasn't that big of a deal,
not if he was really going to give this to me eventually.

	I searched around his thoughts as much as I could but found
nothing other than more fantasies.  I pushed away from him.  He
felt rejected and should.  I felt the same with his lies.

	To have something to do, I started looking through the bags,
ripped a banana apart then stuck it in my mouth while I
continued my search.

	"Toni?"  He put a hand on my shoulder which I shrugged off.  "I
don't understand why you're upset."

	"Don't you?"  He shook his head.  "What's the real story behind
that Bram?"  I shoved the banana in the direction of the bed
where the statue lay.

	"Real story?  I told you-"

	I held up my hand to him before he could reestablish the lie. 
"Forget I asked."

	"I'm sorry."

	"You're always sorry.  If you were sorry you'd do something
about it.  Show me you're sorry, don't tell me."  He tried to
take me in his arms again.  "Not like that."

	He picked up the statue and held it out towards me.  "I made
this because I love you.  The other sword is lost and not coming
back.  There is nothing more I can do other than say please
forgive me if I wasn't completely forthcoming."  He had dropped
down to his knees and held the statue up to me.  Behind it he
mocked my voice.  "Don't let him humiliate himself like this all
day."  I tried hard to not let the smile break through but he
persisted.  "He's a dumb ass for lying, but he's a cute dumb
ass."

	"Stop reading my thoughts."  I laughed at him, pushed the
little troublemaker aside and took his face in my hands then
laid one on his lips.

	The strange thing was I wasn't sure it was a real memory.  I
don't remember seeing the statue again, and Bram never mentioned
it.  Had Mistress Kama not brought it up would I even have
thought about it again?

***

	"That wasn't so bad was it?"  Mistress Kama knocked me out of
the reverie before it got to the good part.  

	I did it again, this time I had a large black streak under my
other eye.  "You look like you could use a few more makeup
lessons."  I looked in the mirror and my reflection showed me a
face that looked like a dumb jock who didn't know how to apply
the eye black strips.  I laughed at myself.  I then quickly
grabbed a moist towelette and cleaned my clown-like face.

	After she stopped laughing and in a moment of composure
Mistress Kama said, "He is a good man.  If he has lied there is
a good reason for it."

	"I know Mistress."

	 "You will do the right thing in the end."

	Something in her tone that made me ask, "About Bram or
everything else?"

	She was pensive for a moment.  "Sometimes they are one and the
same."

	"Are you talking about the prophecy."

	She stopped playing with my hair and pulled up a chair to look
me directly in the face.  "I wasn't exactly.  Now that you
brought it up, we should talk."

	"Please Mistress, I don't really want to talk about it."

	"Sometimes one doesn't have a choice about many things.  This
is one of them."

	"You really do believe in destiny and this prophecy?"

	"Absolutely." 

	"Why?"

	Miss. Kama bowed her head.  She didn't often look away from me.
 When she did it was because I hit upon something she didn't
want to answer.  I couldn't figure out what I had said to cause
this now.  After all she started it.

	"I believe a person is put on this earth to accomplish
something."  This wasn't answering my question, but it was
fascinating.  She spoke very passionately.  "I believe we die
only after we accomplish that task."

	"So after I fulfill the prophecy I'll die?  That's a good
enough reason for me not to do it.  Let someone else do it."  

	Mistress Kama stared at me for several moments, blank but there
was a sense of amazement there.  "What's wrong?"

	She shook herself out of it.  "Nothing, I just had a feeling of
déjà vu."

	"I get those on occasion."

	Mistress Kama pulled herself together quickly and seemed to
change her mind several times on what to tell me.  When she
finally did answer it was with a bit of indecisiveness. 
"Actually I don't think the prophecy is why you're here."

	"Why then?"

	"There is certainly one task that you must finish before you
can die but who knows what that is.  Even on your death bed you
may not be aware of what you accomplished."

	"So a simple act like fixing a life support machine to save
someone's life could be my task?"

	I didn't really mean it as a jab towards her.  She took it as
such.  "If you do not wish to listen, we will move on to other
activities."

	This certainly didn't excite me so I apologized.  "I'm sorry
Mistress.  I just meant something simple like that.  I could
have said fixing the jukebox or something."

	She relaxed again.  "Keeping the slaves from striking could
have been it too, though I doubt with you it's something so
trivial."

	"Then what?"

	"Only time will tell."

	It was my turn to take a moment to think.  "How much time?"

	"I don't know."  

	"So vampires are given more time to achieve their destiny?"

	"I think in that respect humans are better than us.  We haven't
been smart enough to figure out what we're here for." 

	"So you don't know why you are here?"

	"That's probably why I'm still alive.  However, I do have an
idea."     

	"What's that."  She smiled, looked away, then she changed the
subject.

	"I really know what your problem is."

	"Oh here we go again."  I hadn't realized I said it aloud until
she reached for the brush and showed me the backside of it.  I
got the meaning quickly and apologized.

	Satisfied, she continued.  "You haven't learned how to
manipulate people properly.  You allow yourself to be
manipulated by everyone here.  You must learn their tricks to
protect yourself."

	"Manipulating people is how you pissed me off before."  Now I
was thinking about the life support machine and she knew it.

	"You're right, but if you understood I was using the machine to
kill him indirectly you would not have gone off track and
accused Bram."

	I tried to keep from screaming.  It wasn't easy.  "How was I
supposed to know that's what you were doing?  I thought the
whole point of manipulation was to try to control a person
without their knowledge."

	"You're catching on.  Manipulation can be a good thing."  

	"Yeah for the manipulator."

	"Yes, but it can be used for good.  Look what you did with
those hunters."

	"Yeah, that wasn't manipulation, it was survival instinct."

	"Call it what you will, it was a fine piece of work."

	"Thanks, I think."  It wasn't easy for me to think of it that
way.  "I got Gwen to go out with Wen so he could make me the AI
program."

	"My dear, who was manipulating whom there?"

	I thought about it and realized I hadn't been as clever as I
thought, so I consented.  "I wouldn't even know how to do such a
thing if I wanted to.  Why should I want to?"

	"Take this strike for example.  You had a perfect opportunity
to manipulate them and you threw it away."

	"The slaves?"

	"And the masters."

	"There's no reason for me to force them to do anything."

	"Think about it.  You pushed them away.  In the future they
won't want your advice.  Had you strung them along the King
still would have taken them from the room but they would still
trust you.  You could have used their loyalty in the future."

	"Again, Why?"

	"The prophecy child."

	"The prophecy be damned!"

	"Don't you speak to me like that."  She snapped.

	"Sorry Mistress."  I calmed myself.  "I just don't want the
prophecy to be true.  I'm not the leader everyone thinks I am. 
Let them have a mind of their own, they don't need me."

	"Is that why you let them do that to you?"  

	It finally struck me how similar Mistress Kama and Lacey were,
or was it just Lacy's devotion to Mistress Kama?  "Please don't
do this to me."

	"You can't let them walk all over you."

	"Please you already have your prodigy in Lacey, don't ask the
same of me.  Let me handle this in my own way."

	Was she pouting?  "Your way is not working."  At least her
lower lip was sticking out.

	"Give it time." 

	"You haven't yet learned how to control a situation.  If you're
to become a vampire you should learn this."

	Something hit me, a memory of something she said.  "Is this
what you meant?"

	"What dear?"

	"By handling me?  Are you trying to manipulate me right now?"

	"Don't be paranoid."

	"I'm not, I'm asking a simple question."

	"I never said anything of the sort."

	"I could have sworn."  I racked my brain.  "Keir!  When you
were arguing with Keir."

	She covered her astonishment well, but it was there.  "We went
over this before, I wasn't-"

	"Please don't lie to me.  If you wish me to trust you, don't
lie right now."

	"Yes."  She took up the hair brush and rounded me.  I braced
for a hard tug on my hair, or an order to submit to her, but it
didn't come.  She petted my head with the soft bristles.  "I was
arguing with Keir before you came in.  I didn't think you could
overhear us as we weren't speaking aloud.  No, I am not trying
to 'handle' you or manipulate you now.  I am trying, as always,
to help you."

	"Help me, how?"

	"Men dear, more than the slaves, more than the vampires, you
have a problem with men."

	"I do not."

	She leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Now who's lying?"

	"Okay, fine, but I still don't see what this has to do with our
conversation."

	"You can use my experience to make your life more comfortable."

	"I still don't understand."

	Exasperated she said.  "Most men want to be dominated.  Take
their messiness for example they want to be yelled at before
they clean up.  They'd never admit to it but they do.  It's a
masculinity thing to prove they can take the torture.  They
need... want to be told what to do.  That's why they have
leaders so the little grunts don't have to think at all.

	"To get them into this frame of mind is simple.  If a man
expects you to be happy, you be sad and vice versa.  Use them
against each other.  Show affection to one man knowing it would
get another jealous.  If a man complains, exaggerate your
faults.  Speak to him how you think he should treat you with
contempt.  For the most part any man would deny this and once he
sees your tears he will try to convince you everything is okay
and may even immediately do what you wish.  Then beg his
forgiveness for doubting him to boost his ego.  	You have to woo
them and lure them into the web.  Only then do you strike."

	"So basically you want me to lie."  I crossed my arms showing
my dislike for the idea.  After all I was supposed to be serving
them, not fighting them.

	"It's not exactly a lie.  Think of it more as strategy if you
do not like the negative connotation of the other.  Use it to
put yourself in a good position for the future."  

	"Well it's not who I am, and thus would still be a lie."

	"There are other ways.  It is important to be flexible when you
are strategizing so that you can account for unknowns and adapt
quickly.  You need to be able to change strategies on a whim to
whatever suits your needs best.  You obviously have grown
stronger in the mind.  Use it to pick up on what a man wants. 
Simply provide him with that and he will be grateful.  Once you
know a person's nature you can set them off in a direction that
seems natural to them and beneficial to you.  Take Heremon for
example.  His nature isn't very complex.  He thrives on your
reactions.  Any reaction at all that he can get out of you will
only provoke him further.  So you must ignore him."

	"I tried that, it didn't work."

	"Didn't you notice that when you did not react while the sword
was at your throat, and again when you ignored him recently, he
became upset."

	"So you want me to upset him?  I really don't see how that will
help."

	"He will only be upset for a short time.  If you are consistent
in ignoring him, he will become bored with you.  He will of
course try again and again, but eventually he will give up
completely."

	"I don't know..."

	"Trust me on this, I know him very well."

	Somehow I didn't doubt that.	"Furthermore, Heremon adores the
Queen and dislikes everyone else."

	"That's not new."

	"What is new is that you could find yourself in a unique
position with him."

	"I don't think any of his positions are unique."  It was my
weak attempt at lightening the mood and changing subjects.

	Miss. Kama giggled softly but otherwise wasn't lead astray. 
"If you can manage to get on his good side you may find yourself
an unlikely ally whom the others wouldn't believe was.  Through
him you could indirectly manipulate the Queen."

	"To what purpose?"

	"That my dear is not my problem, nor should I know anything
about it."

	"The prophecy again?"

	Without missing a beat she continued as if she didn't hear me. 
"I think once you start realizing the possibilities you will
figure it out for yourself.  For instance if people come to you
for advice use that to your advantage."

	"I tell them what's good for them not for me or anyone else."

	"Maybe you need to start thinking about the bigger picture. 
You will have more responsibility when you are one of us, you
must consider that."

	"I don't even want to think about it."

	"No matter.  For now find ways to help your current situation. 
Plan ahead so that when someone does comes to you, you can point
them in the direction that will benefit more than just that
person.  There is no harm in improving everyone's welfare as
long as you still meet the needs of the petitioner is there?"

	"No."  I granted.  

	"So if someone came to you and asked you what they should do
about a vampire mistreating them, what would you say to them?"

	"Learn to deal."

	"Be serious!"

	"I am."

	"And how would this profit you?"

	I thought about it for a moment for fear of her reprisal if I
didn't try, "It would keep the vampires off my back."

	"And if this person dies from the mistreatment?  The other
slaves would hold you responsible."

	"I doubt that."

	"Even so you must think of the possible consequences your
decision could make."

	"What decision?  What else could I have said?  Had I told this
person to fight they would still die."

	"There are other options."

	"Such as?"  

	"Use your resources.  Some of us would protect you and your
friends."

	"So what?  I would come and tattletale on this other vampire? 
I'd be no better than the gossip circle." 

	"Basically yes.  You shouldn't let your morals get in the way."

	"Yeah, maybe that's my real problem."  I of course was being
facetious.

	"You may have stumbled on to something!"

	"Please!"  I didn't feel I was the one with a problem in that
department.  "It's not gonna happen.  Besides I can't manipulate
them.  They can read minds remember?"

	"Not if someone else is keeping their minds busy."

	"You really are a manipulative bitch aren't you?"

	"I try.  Now back to your problem with men.  I have a small
task for you.  One you'll most likely enjoy."  I squirmed.  I
knew I wouldn't be doing her laundry this time.  "You know that
sweet young Erik?"

	Oh yes, my jester friend.  I nodded to her.  "The poor boy has
yet to come out of his shell.  I happen to know you will be
spending some time with him soon.  I believe this will be an
excellent chance for you to do something for me."  Uh oh.  I
liked Erik and I didn't want to do anything that might hurt him
in some way.  "It is nothing bad child.  If it backfires he
should simply think it a fine jest."

	"All right, what is it?"

	"I simply want you to get him to publicly show signs of
affection.  You may do this however you want.  There will be
extra points if you do it subtly."

	Oh yes, she was a manipulative bitch.  She knew I didn't even
like to show signs of affection in public.  Getting Erik to do
so would mean I would have too as well.  "And if I don't."

	"I will be very disappointed in you."

	Ouch.  Her disappointment was often more stinging than her
paddle.  So I acquiesced.

***

	A little while later I lay in bed pondering my future and my
strange companion who had become a good friend.  It was strange
how comfortable I had become with her, not so much as Bram and
not in the same way.  She was different from the others, that
much was certain, yet there were so many unanswered questions
about her.  Perhaps it was her mystery that made her so
alluring.  I love a good mystery but I hate not knowing, so I
asked.  "Mistress when did you become a vampire?"

	"Sometime around 814, we didn't keep records back then.  It was
in a small country that is now part of Pakistan."  She said as
she brushed her hair out, she was very anal about that.  She
would never allow me to do it.

	"Who's your sire?"  I wished to know everything about her and
of course she knew it.  She had kept information from me for so
long, but now there wasn't much reason to.

	"We prefer to call them genitors."  She wasn't chastising, just
informing.  Just as casually, she continued.  "Heremon, we
had..."  She was choosing her words carefully again, which meant
there was more to it, but I was not to pursue it now.  "I
suppose you would say 'dated' for a time back then, but of
course I had no idea what he was."  She smiled fiercely.  "Of
course he was unprepared for my zealousness.  He soon learned I
was not your typical girl."

	"Heremon, eww.  How could you have ever let him touch you? 
He's so creepy." 

	"Back then he was a good catch."  We laughed a bit.  Neither of
us believing it would be possible for someone like him to be
attractive to anyone.

	"Were you a slave first?"  For some reason the history of the
clan intrigued me, maybe it's because only she and Bram would
humor me and give me the information I so much desired.

	"No, there were no slaves then, though they did come slightly
after I joined, I'd like to think I had a bit of influence on
it."

	"They had dominatrix back then?"

	"Not per-se, but I was a bit more... liberated, then most women
of that day."  She loved that I could tell.  She just loved to
be different, and loved people who were different, I guess
that's why she took such a liking to me.

	"How much control does he have over you."

	She scoffed at that and I was sure she was going to punish me
for even thinking that someone could be her master, but then
again everyone must have a master at one point.  She seemed to
know this and took it in stride.  "Not much anymore.  We've
grown apart.  I hardly see him.  He seems to have an interest in
a certain slave."

	"Eewww."  I made her laugh again.  I liked her laugh.  It
wasn't a prissy high society laugh but it wasn't the guffaw of
an uncultured swine.  "Who have you genitored?"

	"The correct usage is genere, but sired will do.  These Latin
words were always out of my reach too.  Yet the King insists on
keeping with tradition."  She rolled her eyes.  "To answer your
question, very few people, only Neala is still with us."  She
smiled devishly, "You did a decent job of disposing the one I
regretted."

	"Mackenzie?"

	"Yes, he was a dear at first.  He was very willing to please
me.  After he became a vampire and got a taste of the power his
head grew too large to fit through my door."

	"So he didn't like you anymore?"

	"No, he still wished to serve me.  I on the other hand knew he
was beyond my help.  I released him from me."

	"Wow, that must have upset him."

	She nodded sadly.  "He took it as an endorsement for himself to
become a Dom and treated slaves roughly as I'm sure you knew."

	"Yeah, the guy was a jerk."

	"Are you happy you killed him?"

	I thought about it for a moment.  "Not really, I don't think he
deserved death.  Maybe a little extra bit of your manipulation."

	"I think he deserved it.  I wish I would have been permitted to
do it."  Note to self, if I become a vampire do not allow myself
to become big headed.

	To avoid any further problems I changed the subject, "And what
about Bram and Keir who have they sired?"  My quest for
knowledge was insatiable and I of course was curious to find out
whom Bram had control over.

	"I think you've asked enough questions for one night, it's time
to go to sleep."  Just like that it was over.  She would hear no
arguments as the lights went out and left me in the dark in more
than one way.  There was much to be learned in what she said,
and more importantly what she didn't say.  Almost by her words I
gathered that this was indeed a touchy subject not to her, but
to someone outside the room who may have been listening in. 
Further I could guess that had they sired anyone at all, then it
would not be many.  I've watched the vampires, their skills,
their strengths.  Bram, Keir, and the King were definitely the
strongest, all those under them, including the Mistress, were by
far not as skilled in the ways of being a vampire.  Why would
there be such a gap if they had sired any of these people?  My
guess was they hadn't, and the King wanted to keep that gap,
somehow it gave him more control over the weaker of the
vampires.  My next question scared me even more.  If this were
so, then why would Bram, Keir, and especially the King, have so
much interest in me?

	Which also brought me back to the point in which everyone has a
master.  Obviously the King controls Bram and Keir directly, so
there's no question about that hierarchy.  But who was the
King's master?  That question drifted in my mind for sometime
until I received an answer from the Mistress.  "Fate.  Now go to
sleep."

***

	It was very pleasurable.  Hell feeling pleased at all instead
of having to please others was great.  In the back of my mind I
knew it wasn't real.  I didn't care.  It was pleasure no matter
how one looked at it.  The cool breeze on my bare back was a
welcome contrast to the warm slick hands that caressed it
sending goose bumps running over my entire body.  I knew someone
watched us, and somehow that made it so much more alluring.  The
young man was dark skinned and lean.  Strange I have no idea
what he looked like beyond that.  He stopped massaging my back
for just a moment to apply more warm oil onto his hands.  I took
that opportunity to look around in hopes to find the voyeur.  Of
course I saw no one and the young man promptly put my head back
down onto the pillow.  "Relax me love, you're gettin' tenser by
the moment."  His Irish accent nearly relaxed me on its own and
I allowed him to work my muscles out of their knots.

	I loved his roof top apartment.  It gave a marvelous view of
the clear night sky.  Yet it had one downside to it.  I felt
extremely vulnerable here, especially at night and when the
waves crashed up against it.  

	I knew of evil things that lurked beyond the day's horizon. 
Normally I would have taken measures to protect myself from
them.  The young man was ignorant of such things and insisted I
would be safe without them.  So it came as no surprise when I
heard a voice in an accent that came from much farther away than
Ireland.  "Enjoying yourself D'Arcy?"  

	I jumped off the bed and the building blocks it was made of
scattered around my feet.  Not worrying about my clothes and
without looking at the man I told him.  "Quickly go get my
sword."

	"Your sword?  Why?"

	I had no time to answer because I was looking for something
else to fight with.  The newly arrived female stood calmly
seeming to admire the view.  Her voice was somehow familiar to
me though I didn't quite recognize the owner.  She too was not
well defined.  Her curly hair was all I remember.  "You're a
beautiful woman D'Arcy, you don't have to fight me.  I don't
want to make that beautiful skin bleed."

	"I don't want you too either, but I'm not going to allow a
monster like you touch me."  I found a coconut lying near the
table.  Obviously coconuts protect you in dreams.

	"Monster?"  The young man asked.

	"Yes."  I responded without looking at him.  "A vampire, now go
fetch me my sword."  Finally he did as I told him.  I quickly
wrapped my shawl about me.  I hoped it would stay if this came
to blows.

	The monster started to attack her fangs grew six inches.  I
knew they would pierce like daggers.  I threw the coconut but
missed her completely.  It darted overhead hitting a swallow. 
In a little poof it and the bird exploded little feathers
floated all around like a cloud.  My feet lifted from the floor.
 I flew through the cloud and became cold as the mist held me
aloft.  I saw green hills rolling beneath and clear blue sky
above me.  

	No, I had to defeat the evil.  I pulled myself back and I
looked about for her.  She danced around the rooftop doing a
strange kind of belly dance mixed with a hula.  Her
cat-o'-nine-tails was a prop she swirled around about her like a
ribbon.  I forced myself to see past the illusion.  

	She was a normal human looking vampire again.  Yet she was
still fierce and moving towards me her leather crinkling along
the way.  "D'Arcy, I have come to warn you."

	"I will not listen to your lies."

	"I don't want to hurt you."  

	"I want to hurt you, bloodsucker."  My hands jabbed at her
throat.  She grabbed them and we started to tussle.

	The waves shot up over the railing and the rooftop gave a lurch
in the water.  We went tumbling and the bloodsucker was digging
into the skin of my arm.  No doubt she was ready to bite.  I
pushed her face away and twisted from her grip.  Too late I
realized I was over the side and now I was falling.  I looked up
and found Mistress Kama's face looming over me.  Her laughing
eyes were the only thing I concentrated on as I plunged into the
darkness.