Chapter 6
I left Kama with a general feeling of uneasiness. Could I
really trust her? Could I trust anyone? I felt the need for
familiar surroundings, and for somewhere I could relax, and sort
out my thoughts. No, I wouldn't head to the closet, not with
the chance of Velren popping up there. I headed for the only
other place that afforded me relaxation here, the pool.
I wasn't sure if my belongings had been transferred from my
locker or not and it was on the way so I opened it up. Now that
I had a room all to myself, I figured I didn't need to take up
valuable locker space. There wasn't much in there, my bathing
suit, some towels, a change of clothes, other personal equipment
and… "Hello, what's this?"
The locker was a mess, certainly not the way I had left
everything folded neatly. Had someone been in here looking for
something? I didn't immediately notice anything missing. There
seemed to be an empty space towards the back at the bottom.
There was a metal box there at one time. A picture of Erik
handing me the box flashed through my mind and I felt its cold
steel weight in my hands. The memory of Erik was so vivid and
created more. One after another I relived moments with him. It
was odd. I wasn't just remembering them. I was reliving them.
Erik was speaking to me as if he was right in front of me.
He took a breath as if gathering his strength and asked
quickly, "Can you keep a secret?" I blinked at him and nodded
slightly. There was just nothing I could say, really. I had
been utterly wrong about him. I had gotten so used to the
everyday life serving these beasts that I had forgotten that not
all had evil intentions and some could even become friends. His
smile returned and he produced a small, metal, keepsake box.
"Can you hide this in your locker?"
Then finally, almost as if it was happening now, the gooey,
stringy sensation of holding his decapitated head in my hands,
and seeing those large eyes popping out staring at nothing,
broke me out of the flashbacks. I was shocked at their realism
and found myself hoping I wouldn't go through that again. I was
not used to remembering things so clearly it made me afraid that
I might start living in the past and miss something in the here
and now.
Such as, I was doing something before the memories of Erik
popped in my head. Again the weight of a metal box and his
pleading eyes worked their way forward and it reminded me of
what I was here for.
Could I keep a secret? He had asked.
Obviously not. Someone had found and stolen the box.
Great. So much for honoring Erik's memory.
I closed the locker leaving my things there. They could be
retrieved later. I had a more important mission now. I had a
strong inkling that the box was important somehow. Erik thought
it was. So for his sake I had to find it.
Just as clear as the memory of Erik another came to mind.
Gary shook his head slightly and spoke to Erik. "Señor, I'm
sorry to interrupt. May I have a word or two with Antoniette?"
He spoke my name crisply and with a lot of emphasis.
Yes, Gary arrived just after Erik handed me the box and acted
odd. Had he seen us? He knew the box was there. He might have
told someone else or perhaps waited until I was a vampire and
took it. Of course, what would be the point of that? He knew
I'd get the truth out of him, and that was exactly what I was
about to do.
I moved through the slave court and fought to maintain my focus
on Gary ignoring all the other thoughts filling my head from
those around me. I felt him in the kitchen and so I went there
ignoring any questions or simple greetings.
I nearly made it all the way except someone resolutely blocked
my path. I looked up to see Heremon examining me with disgust.
"Oh, hi Heremon. You're back. Something I can do for you?"
He no longer intimidated me.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Well, I'm going to the kitchen-"
"You're a vampire!" Heremon shouted.
"Well, how astute of you."
"Don't toy with me." He hissed. "You don't deserve our gift."
"The King seems to think otherwise."
"You… You…" I swear I saw steam rising from his collar.
"Come now, Heremon. We're supposed to be friends."
I saw it coming and I surprised myself by grabbing his hand
before it hit my face. I strained a little to keep it from
following through until he pulled it away. "Just because you're
one of us, does not give you the right to insult me."
"Yeah, but it means I don't have to serve you anymore."
"We'll see about that." He spat and nearly walked off. I felt
the need to make sure he knew where I stood.
"By the way, how was Germany?"
"What?" He tried pushing into my mind to find out how I knew
that. I blocked him with nary an effort. It was just as easy
to tell that he frantically tried to figure out who might have
told me and how much I knew.
I dangled the carrot before him. "Is it cold there in Bremen?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." I didn't even need
to read his mind to see he was lying.
"Sure you do." I said with confidence as if I knew what I was
talking about. "You fix your family's problems?"
"How do you know-?" Yeah I was asking myself the same thing.
I guess he was easier to read than I thought. I could tell he
was trying to contact someone to ask the same thing. I couldn't
tell whom he was asking though.
Still I figured I could use this to my advantage. "Tell you
what, I'll keep this to myself if you don't harass me any more."
He laughed. The little jackass laughed at me. "Do you think I
care if people know. You're the only one who doesn't I'm sure.
And if you think for a moment that I have any intention of
treating you as my equal, you're mistaken."
He did walk off this time before I could come up with a decent
retort.
***
"Where is it Gary?" I stepped up behind him as he cut up some
melons.
"Where's what?"
"The box that was in my locker." I was in no mood for small
talk.
"Since when am I in charge of your possessions?" I could feel
his contempt.
I also knew he knew exactly what I was talking about because he
pictured it in his mind. It was so easy, this reading of
others. Though I was bombarded with half a dozen other people's
thoughts at that moment one was Gary's and there was no doubt it
was his. Not only because of the perspective of the vision but
all the other emotions that came along with it. However, there
was no image of him searching my locker for it.
I still felt irritated from my encounter with Heremon. I
swiped the knife from his hand, stabbed it through the center of
the melon and on into the cutting board while turning him to
face me. "You know precisely what I'm talking about, now where
is it?"
He went wide eyed at my display. He soon relaxed as he told me
the truth as he knew it. "I don't know."
"Who does?"
He grinned widely. He knew he had a way out. "I don't know?"
"Gary, so help me!" I began reaching for the knife.
"God, his blood has really effected you hasn't it?" He said
with just a little tremor in his voice. My hand stopped.
"Excuse me."
"You've got his temper now."
I took a deep breath. He obviously meant Keir. It pissed me
off that he would dare to compare me to Keir. It also cleared
my head a little. He was right. I was becoming upset over
nothing. Of course I've been through a lot lately so I figured
I had an excuse.
"Listen. I know you know something about its whereabouts. So
why don't you just help me out here."
"I'm sorry I can't help you. I have a gathering to prepare
for." He may have figured he was no longer in danger, but he
was wrong.
"You're going to help me locate the box and if you don't I will
tell Lacey your secret."
"My secret?" Did he know I was bluffing or did he think I
really had probed down to the deepest, darkest areas of his
brain? It didn't work on Heremon, but I figured it just might
on him.
"You don't want me to invite her in here do you?"
I felt him falter. He didn't know if I was telling the truth
or not. I guess all those poker games paid off. "Okay, fine.
I'll try to find out where the box is for you. But uh…"
"Yes?"
"Can you ask Keir for me? He's uh… We're not-" His mind
filled with reflections of an angry Keir and I immediately
understood so I saved Gary what little agony I could, after all
I knew how Keir could be.
"Yeah, I'll ask him." His body slackened with relief. "Now,
what's this about a gathering?"
***
It felt like a fresh start, as if I had never been a slave and
they accepted me as one of their own. The atmosphere was
festive. It seemed completely different from my first time. It
was a gala event. The biggest party that I had seen in
sometime. I'm told that it was much like the event at which the
King first bit me, but I don't remember much of that night so I
have to take their word for it.
I passed the mural outside the throne room hardly affording it
a glance as I'd gone by it many times now. Something struck me
as odd this time and I looked again. I saw the mural in a new
light. It's not that my vampire senses made me see it
differently, but they did allow me to see it in higher
definition. Perhaps it was just years of being around them that
had changed my perspective.
Five years ago I was disgusted to see a female vampire biting
her male lover who seemed to be in ecstasy over it. Now I saw
the woman too was happy. I saw something that had gone
unnoticed before, what I thought was a bracelet around her wrist
was a thin gold chain. I followed it and found the end not
wrapped about the man as I would have thought, but held loosely
in his hand. If that wasn't a statement about who really was
the master, I don't know what is.
As I looked closer, I noticed the dark undertones were overrun
by the light source. It wasn't as gloomy a picture as one would
think. While the colors were muted, perhaps with the passage of
time, they were mostly primary colors and somewhat cheerful.
I made out loving detail in the softness of the skin and
delicate lines in the cloth. I was certain I saw Kama's brush
strokes there.
I wondered at the new sensations and decided it was time to get
this over with.
Out of habit I almost stepped down into the stream. Only the
voices that rang in my head reminded me what I was.
I shook my head and looked about. There weren't many people
here yet. Not long after I spoke with Gary I received what I
could only figure was a general call out to all vampires from
Keir, as it was very impersonal. We were to assemble in the
throne room at 8pm. So there I was, early as usual.
Every vampire that looked my way smiled and welcomed me in
their own way. Neala waved, Corbon shook my hand energetically
and Missy gave me a hug but went off to be with others. Even
The Master of All Things came by and said more words than I can
remember him uttering at one time, "Welcome to the club. I hope
you come to enjoy it here as much as I have."
"Riiight."
I stepped over empty cushions and looked for Bram or Keir.
Neither was there yet nor was the King or the Queen. I knew
Bram normally sat near the King so I headed that way. Across
the way, on the other side of the u-bend that the stream makes,
Kama waved to get my attention then gestured for me to join her.
I glanced longingly towards Bram's seat. I felt, more than
read, from Kama that it would be frowned upon for me take a
place there until I was invited. So I turned her way.
I had a problem though. The stream flowed between her and me.
The other bank was eight feet away and I saw no way to cross to
it without getting wet or walking all the way back to the door.
Out of the corner of my eye I witnessed Raoul jump over the
water as if it were a small puddle. I as a human I couldn't
have done that on my best day. I had no inclination to try it
now. Another vampire crossed it without effort. I felt
inadequate. I doubted my new found strength would be enough to
propel me the distance.
"Are you thinking negatively, Antoniette?" Kama's voice
scolded me in my head.
Well, that was it. I couldn't disappoint her. I visualized
jumping successfully over the wide gap several times thinking
about the motion of each of my muscles. Then I took a deep
breath and two steps backwards. I pushed forward. Three steps
and leap! I flew farther than I anticipated and landed solidly
on the other bank. I bent my knees to cushion the impact and
amazingly I stayed upright. I laughed and looked back
triumphantly. I did it! I truly did it!
I took two steps forward and tripped over a pillow. I fell
face first and braced myself with my arms but it was too late;
my pride was bruised. Kama moved in with a hand to help me up.
I took it gratefully and followed her to where she had been
seated.
"Nice painting." I said.
"You finally noticed." She said with a laugh in her voice as
she sat. "We don't have assigned seating but most of us have
become comfortable in certain spots." She explained as I sat
and others took their places. The slaves started pouring
forward through the door and into the stream as well.
"What's so special about this spot, other than a good view of
the door?"
She shrugged. I noted that Heremon looked our way but he
didn't seem to be looking at me. Kama decidedly did not look in
his direction.
"Oh, come on. You don't honestly still have feelings for him
do you?"
She didn't answer but I understood one emotion coming from her.
Dedication. He was her genitor after all. I felt the same way
about Keir. I noticed him enter through a back door and I began
to stand to go to him. He shot me a quick glance and said in my
head, "Stay there with Kama until I call for you." I expected
him to finish with "good dog" when I returned to my seat.
The Queen entered and hardly anyone noticed. I noted Heremon
watched her intensely. One could feel the indignation rolling
off him.
Because I was looking in that direction, I watched as Isabelle,
a young lady who had just learned about vampires a week ago,
started to walk along side the vampires out of the water. It
didn't take long before she was pushed in.
I bowed my head in shame. The memory of my similar experience
rushed into my head. She made the same mistake as I did and
attempted to reach dry land.
I saw that face before me. Heremon. He was laughing at me.
They all were laughing at me. Then he reached over and dunked
my head down into the water. I struggled against his strength,
scratched at his arms and tried to scream.
I reached out with my mind and pointedly shoved into his making
it stop. He let go of my hair and I rushed to the surface
gasping for air.
Suddenly I realized I was sitting here dry as a bone, but that
poor girl wasn't. Heremon knelt over her, but he was looking
directly at me. I had been seeing him through her eyes. He
tried to drown her, not me, or was he? Again I reached out to
his mind, unafraid now.
"Leave them alone!"
He stood up defiantly, then glanced to my side towards the
throne. I followed his gaze. The King watched on silently.
Heremon then disappeared into the crowd. Wow, I can fight back
now. Maybe being a vampire wasn't that bad after all. I
watched a couple of the slaves help the poor girl out of the
water and back towards the court. I was glad I could help her.
It made me feel a little redeemed for what the vampires had done
to me.
Kama took two champagne glasses from a passing slave and shoved
one under my nose as I still stared towards the door reliving my
first gathering. The sharp smell of the drink broke my
concentration and I took it from her. "He'll be speaking soon."
She quaffed the champagne. I took that to mean the King's
speech would be a long one.
I looked towards him. The King stood arms spread in a regal
fashion. He projected his thoughts so all who could receive
them did. There was no need for loud speakers here.
"This conventus is to celebrate an auspicious year. We have
triumphed over sicarii on our own ground and for that alone we
should be grateful. We have advanced our knowledge of our
surroundings through tremendously impressive intellectual
advancements." Kama was right, not only was he long winded but
boring as well. I could feel others' apathy towards the speech
and I wondered if it bothered the King at all. Apparently not
since he kept on going.
"We have welcomed three members into our gens and I know you
will come to treasure them as you do your other familiae."
Yeah, right. We all knew whom he was talking about and we all
knew how unlikely it was for that to happen.
This went on a while longer as he uttered words I thought only
congressmen and lawyers used to put people to sleep. I almost
missed his "brilliant" conclusion.
"Now, relish in the food, and drink deeply. Shortly we will
begin the Tripudium Aequitatis!"
"Huh?"
Kama explained, "Dance of Equanimity."
"Oh. Why didn't he just say that?"
"He likes to show off." Harlow said as he popped a chocolate
into his mouth. It surprised me that not everyone felt the need
to kowtow to him. Yes, there is hope after all.
***
I was quite bored. While others feasted, and gabbed, I watched
with disinterest. I realized I really didn't belong here
sitting among the vampires. I belonged down there wading
through the murky water being bitten and tormented. That was
the life I had grown to know, whether I liked it or not was not
the issue, it was who I was, and now that had all changed.
After the King's speech Keir had jumped the stream and sat
beside me. He patted my head when I began thinking this way.
He gossiped with Kama and others about nothing that interested
me, mostly different places they've been in the world. He
hardly paid attention to his new pet, but made certain that I
knew he was still there. That's how I felt, not a slave, but
still a servant.
I looked over to Bram who was also deep into conversation with
the King. I wished to be with him. I even made sure he knew
it, hell every vampire in the place probably felt the need
washing over me. He looked over and smiled. At the same time I
got the feeling he was busy and I shouldn't bother him. So much
for my knight in shining armor.
Keir wrapped his arm around me. I figured it was just his way
of claiming his prize. It startled me when he spoke, "I have
something for you."
"Huh?"
He waved to someone. Slowly a small woman splashed up prodded
by another slave. "She is yours. Take her." Keir whispered in
my ear. I hated him more at that moment then I think I ever had.
It was Isabelle. Now he wanted me to humiliate her even more.
I knew he wanted to teach her the lesson it took me years to
learn. "Insolence will be punished and the vampires have no
mercy." Well, I still had some mercy left and since he said she
was mine, I'd do with her as I pleased. I almost sent her out
of the room when Keir stopped me.
"You wouldn't refuse a gift from the King would you?"
I looked towards the King and he tipped his glass to me. I
looked around and found all eyes on me. I sighed. I was a
vampire and they expected me to do as a vampire would do, not as
I, Toni, the mortal, low self-confident, young woman would do.
After all I wasn't that woman anymore.
This is when Isabelle started to realize the strangeness of her
surroundings. She did not wish to be the center of attention
any more than I. If I waited much longer she would freak, and
then what would I be left with?
I felt the hunger but not the want. I also felt her starting
to panic.
I lunged. I put a little more power in it than I thought. We
cleared the water completely and landed in a mass of people on
the other bank but that didn't matter. I grew fully involved in
taking in the blood. I wasn't overly hungry and really I felt
sorry enough for her as it was. I wanted her to walk out of
here on her own, so I didn't take as much as I wished.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and in my head heard the words,
"The King does not wish her dead. You have done well and have
learnt your limit." Keir waved to several of the slaves
standing there to rush the poor girl out of the area.
Keir proffered a drink. "To wash it down."
I stood to take it and was immediately applauded.
What monsters, I thought, to encourage someone who could have
killed a girl.
I looked to Bram. He didn't meet my gaze and I had a feeling
he hadn't watched the whole event. I knew he wanted to be the
one to be there at my side instead of Keir. I wish he had. He
wouldn't have let me do this.
Keir took my hand now and gestured me towards my seat on the
other bank. We both crossed and landed smoothly. I felt anger
emitting from Bram towards Keir and for the first time that day
was happy.
***
Now that I was properly intoxicated by blood and wine, I began
enjoying myself. Of course it helped that Keir returned to the
King's side and everyone's attention no longer focused on me.
At least I was cheerful until a slave I recognized too well came
up to me. "Now that you're a vampire I was wondering…"
"Don't even think it, Lacey." Of course she was thinking about
something, it was not the something I had expected from this
nymphomaniac. Quite different in fact. I looked about me to
the other vampires but they were too involved in their own
business to know what was going on in Lacey's head.
"You can do it now, while they're distracted." She pleaded.
What a way to ruin a good time. She's always had bad timing.
And she was completely out of place to ask such things of me.
"I can't." I was a bit saddened to refuse her, but I had to.
"You helped Al escape, why can't you help me?" She asked of me
in her mind.
Why should I? What obligation did I have to her? Besides I
couldn't do to her what I did to Al. When I didn't respond, she
came up with another argument.
"Besides it's in the prophecy, you will free us, and I'm hoping
my dad's town as well."
Oh no. Not the prophecy thing again. I didn't become a
vampire because I was destined for it or to save the slaves. I
did it for Bram. Who hasn't said two words to me since the
gathering began. Now I was blowing Lacey off just because she
was asking me for help. There was no other reason really. I
realized I had suddenly begun thinking like the other vampires.
She was just a slave and thus she didn't matter. That wasn't
true, if nothing else Bram had proved that to me. He never
thought like that and so I shouldn't either.
I felt the need to help her, not only because it would be the
unvampire thing to do but also to get a little piece of myself,
"the fixer" back. It was possible I could pull it off, but it
would take planning, and around here things could not be planned
secretly very easily. "I'll see what I can do, but it will take
some time." I told her in her head.
She took my hand and in a very regal fashion kissed it. "Thank
you." She said aloud and moved off. I felt someone watching me
then and I turned to find Bram looking very sternly down at me.
I had been found out. So soon, too soon, before I even got a
chance to help her. His expression changed and he showed me
that smile that I love, one that told me he knew everything but
he understood. He turned back to the King before I gave myself
away.
Lacey treated me like royalty or at least as if I had some sort
of power over her. Kind of like she does Mistress Kama. As if
I'm…
I started laughing.
Before now Kama distracted herself with a slave, so she missed
my whole interaction with Lacey. Only my laughter caught her
attention. "What is it dear?"
"You." I laughed some more and it pissed her off a little.
She liked straight answers after all. "I don't know why I
didn't see it before. You manipulated me again."
"Child, I can't manipulate you."
"Right. That whole speech earlier today, about just wanting to
be friends, that I'm not your slave anymore. Lacey coming over
here and treating me like I'm you. All of it. It is just about
giving me confidence. Isn't it?"
"I've never needed to manipulate you for that." She smiled
wickedly. I knew that smile. Perhaps giving me confidence
wasn't her intent.
"Then why are you?"
"Now if I told you, that would be cheating wouldn't it?" The
slave she had been indulging in waited long enough and tugged at
her drawing her attention back to him.
I felt jealous and didn't watch. Everything today was going
horribly wrong.
I pouted. I wanted to enjoy myself, everyone else was, but
each time I did something else went wrong. So I just watched
others and refused any attempt to brighten my mood. I mostly
watched the area around the throne. At one point I thought I
saw Urquhart watching me. He stood just behind the throne and
held my gaze for some time. It was strange, as if he expected
something from me. I tried to reach out to his mind but came up
empty.
Urquhart looked to the King and I followed his gaze. I felt
tired and hopeless, bored and futile. At first I thought these
were my own feelings. Then I began to work up the energy to
speak. It was time to gain everyone's attention. I needed to
announce the Tripudium Aequitatis.
Okay, that definitely wasn't me. I looked back to Urquhart to
see if he'd explain the meaning of this, but he was gone.
At the same moment the King rose and raised his arms again to
gain everyone's attention. He spoke aloud this time. "Esteemed
friends, I call you forward now to join in our euphoric Dance of
Equanimity!"
Every vampire jumped to their feet to join in. Well, everyone
except me. Kama noticed and placed a hand out to help me up.
"It's not as bad as you think."
Then a voice from the past urged me on and I finally stood.
"Let yourself go, and enjoy yourself, Kiddo."
Okay, I'll try. I took her hand and let her lead me over to an
area they cleared out near the throne. We waited there near the
middle of the semicircle that formed around the chosen slave,
Kenneth. All kinds of lust rolled out of Kama. She had enough
discipline to not go rushing to him. Once he saw her he no
longer felt nervous.
I looked across the circle to Bram. He winked at me. I
blushed unconsciously. Unlike Kenneth, I still felt nervous. I
didn't even know why I was there watching this spectacle.
Then the music started. Bram was the second to dance so was in
no danger of having the music stop and have to bite Kenneth.
Though, I knew he wouldn't hesitate as he had with me. The
music stopped on the sixth person and Kenneth jumped a little.
He hadn't realized what would happen. I guess no one told him.
The music started up again and the next dancer took over.
After a couple more stops he got the hang of it and then came my
turn. Thankfully the music did not stop while I tripped around
the stage with him. The music was upbeat and so I didn't dance
very close to him but when I got the chance I asked quietly,
"You okay?"
He nodded. My turn was over and Kama practically pushed me out
of the way. I got a chuckle out of it so I let her take over.
I did let myself relax and after a couple more turns I began to
enjoy myself.
My turn was next and Harlow twirled Kenneth in my direction.
The music stopped and so did Kenneth.
There he stood before me his hand outstretched expecting me to
take it. At least he wasn't flung into my arms by the momentum.
It felt like an eternity while I decided to take his hand and
drink from him or not. I felt eyes and minds upon me and an
urge to take him. It sickened me that anyone would enjoy
torturing this poor soul. And yet I remembered my stint at
being the center of attention and spun from one vampire to
another. I had enjoyed that for a short time. Kenneth no doubt
did also. I just couldn't bring myself to do what was expected.
He was my friend. As a friend, I probably shouldn't ruin the
dance for him.
I blinked and just as I decided to reach out for him Kama
stepped in and took him in her arms. In a showy gesture she
dipped him and bent down to drank from him. I took a step back
somewhat grateful that I was spared any further embarrassment as
all eyes were now on them and not me. I backed away a little
more as the music started up again and Kama swung him around the
dance floor.
I couldn't watch anymore and like a shadow I faded out of the
room, unnoticed.
By: Christine Schnell
