Truth

I was still open to Eli’s counsel although I had not seen him since Louis found me. In many ways Louis had taken his place. With Louis’ military background and intimate knowledge of Antonio’s nest we sought to turn experience and insight to our advantage. I listened to Louis recount all that had happened while I was trying to start over in the Caribbean.

La Safer left him to discover his affliction alone for nearly a century before he saw him again. No longer human and unable to control the source of his supernatural existence, Louis struggled with his blood lust until La Safer returned and revealed the power of his abilities and the privileged place he now held over humanity. Not before long though, he grew tired of the deceit and cruelty of his new father and found ways to distance himself from La Safer’s methods.

As I listened to Louis I was grateful that I had found true allies. I also felt a deep sense of regret and remorse for their existence because I felt, in some way, I played a role in them being made into what I am. Whether or not La Safer could, himself put an end to our existence as he had often implied he seemed to enjoy having others do his bidding and in this trait I saw both his strength and vulnerability. I thought of the fact that some could not be turned into what we had become, that in some way we were all complacent in our desires to be more than we were entitled to be. We could feed on most anyone that we desired but in the process of glamouring them if they did not extend an invitation to us, our abilities were not as effective.

Slowly I understood why some could not be made why in the process of trying to make some in our own image death was the outcome. What we saw as a sign of their inferiority and weakness was in fact quite the opposite. These individuals had desired nothing more than to be human and this, in of itself, was a strength.

As Elizabeth eagerly questioned Louis my almost physical epiphany continued. Much of La Safer’s power lay in our belief that there were no limits to his abilities, but I was more certain now that much like us he had limits and a very possible end. A smile teased the corners of my mouth and the comforting sound of their conversation ceased.

“You seem strangely at ease?” Elizabeth asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“How do you feel?” I asked, smiling now at both of them.

“What?” Louis asked.

“Both of you. How do you feel?”

“Tired.” Elizabeth responded with undisguised irritation. “Angry, ready to be free of this.”

“What is this about Nicholas?” Louis asked with some concern on his face.

“Listen.” I began raising my hands to calm them. “You’re both tired, angry and frustrated with our predicament I’m sure. But there is no longer that fear of what is going to happen to us.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened as I continued because she had not given any thought to the now absent fear that had become her constant companion.

“I can’t explain how I know for certain, but I am sure that we hold a considerable advantage in this impending confrontation with La Safer and Antonio. Their gravest error is underestimating our abilities.” I stood up and looked into their eyes in turn. “We head out at dawn. Tomorrow we return with Sophie and Victoria, so rest well. Much blood will be shed.”

Resurrection

Seeing my wife and a grown daughter who shared our features, felt less real to me than my own extraordinary existence…but the truth of my own circumstance made this is impossible reality at the very least plausible. I had buried my dead pregnant wife with my own two hands, along with my humanity. Now I felt like I was being given an opportunity to reclaim all I had lost. I was overwhelmed and consumed by fear.

Louis was almost as old as I was and seemed more comfortable with his abilities. He also seemed more certain of my place as the most powerful of our kind, second only to La Safer, whose true agenda and abilities were still mostly unknown. Still, we were cautious in our observation of Sophie and the daughter she called Victoria. The daughter cast an almost maternal watch on the mother who was in the constant company of at least ten vampire guards when she walked the grounds of Antonio’s castle like house.

On this evening she tended to the flowers in the substantial garden with a pained expression in her eyes. This activity had always brought her peace and contentment at our home, in a life that now felt strangely like someone else’s. Now she appeared tired, distracted, and perhaps even afraid. Louis kept a firm hand on my shoulder as a reminder that we had not yet formed a plan and that we should have one before we acted.

But behind Sophie’s sorrowful expression I saw a glimpse of something so familiar and as she pruned a rose bush her lips recited a song that only my wife would know because she created it when she found out we were going to have our first child.

‘My love, my love, we have created a new

A brand new life a replica for true

In their eyes I see me and you

My Nicholas It’s my gift to you…’

I blinked tears away and tried to focus on Victoria. She seemed full of life and promise. She was never far from Sophie and in her erect posture and uncompromising gaze I sensed a strong will that seemed all but broken in my Sophie. As we crouched within the canopy of the old tree, less than half my age we were not only physically camouflaged, but our essences were undetectable to those younger and less sophisticated than Louis and myself.

“What do you see?” Louis asked quietly, calmly looking at me.

“I’m not quite sure.”

“I know you were understandably skeptical when I told you about them, but now that you have seen them for yourself?”

“I believe.”

Louis nodded solemnly.

“What would you have us do?” He asked with his head still bowed.

“I think it best that you tell me all that there is to know about this nest.” I began, once again focused on Sophie.

“Then?”

“Then you, Elizabeth and I will come to them when they are most vulnerable and take what is rightfully ours.”

“What of Antonio and La Safer?”

I turned and looked into Louis’ eyes and spoke with quiet certainty as the weight of our existence settled on me.

“The father and the son must be destroyed Louis, I can no longer ignore my responsibility.”

Blindside

News of my cousin’s death was reported long before I left France. It was one of the incidents that made my decision easier. There is a tomb with his name in Condé with the simple epitaph - Patriot. Son. Friend. There are many graves of the fallen in our homeland with little or no remains. Still, the sight of my very alive cousin was both beautiful and unnerving. In the interim he had obviously done well for himself and the comfortable cottage that I now sat in felt personal. There was a fire roaring from the modestly ornate fireplace and I sat uncomfortably in a very plush chair facing it. There was little said between us on our way to his place and as he stood with his back to me, the reality of what he might be settled with me.

“I appreciate your words on my tomb, and I’m truly sorry about not reaching out to you before.” He finally said.

“Should I ask?”

“What I am?” He said turning to face me. “I think you know.”

“How?”

“I should be dead, I suppose. We were on the frontline, and we were outnumbered. Men were falling all around me. The injured and those of us still living tried to escape the blades and gunpowder, but all seemed lost. That’s when it happened. I felt the sharp pain of cold steel enter my side before being twisted and I could feel my life slipping away. On the brink of my permanent sleep I felt myself being carried by strong hands, by a powerful body. Before too long, I felt the warm sticky liquid being dripped onto my lips and into my mouth and I felt my strength which was all but gone, return slowly at first and then it was surging. I opened my eyes to this…this thing that I was feeding from and it filled me with terror. Then I slept, or maybe I died, I am not certain which but when I did open my eyes again I was not the same. I felt the presence of the entity that had changed my existence, only now he seemed to be the most beautiful human I have ever seen.”

“La Safer.” I whispered in contempt.

“Yes. He told me his name and said simply that he had given me the greatest gift that any one could. He didn’t only save my life, but he had given me eternal life. I had so many questions, but all he would say is that everything had a cost.”

I saw the pain in his eyes as he continued.

“I soon understood what this cost was, and I could not burden anyone, especially you, with what I had become.”

“I’m so sorry Louis. But I have always suspected that you knew that I too was remade into to what you are now.”

“I knew that you were changed. That was easy to see, more confident, somehow wiser. But I thought that you were just changed by all that you had lost and I still saw the pain in your eyes. Now I understand why.”

I stood up overcome by the emotion and hugged him. We held each other for a moment before I stepped back and patted his shoulders.

“It is good to see you Louis, circumstances be damned.”

“It is good to see you as well.” He said waving to my seat as he sat in an identical replica facing me.

“You are the oldest of our kind.” He said smiling grimly. “But there are many now. And La Safer is not pleased with your reluctance to assume control…to execute his plans. But then he is not to pleased with me either.”

“What did he ask of you?”

“He asked me to convince you of the wisdom in accepting your destiny.”

“Or?” I saw the discomfort and hesitation before he answered.

“Or you will never see your wife again.” He finally said, unable to hold my gaze.

“What? Sophie died from the plague Louis you know that. I buried her myself.”

“I know.” He said looking me in the eyes. “But, I have seen her and.” He paused.

“And what?”

“And your daughter.”

His words reverberated in the long silence that lingered and I no longer felt any warmth from the fire.

Control

La Safer was the architect. He had convinced Antonio that he should lead our kind forward and that I must be destroyed before he could claim his place as the favored son. La Safer had given me my dark abilities and allowed me my free will on the condition that I would play my part in his design. I suppose I have never really lived up to my promise of ruthlessness. For that though, there was still time.

Elizabeth recalled, in great detail, where she stayed with Antonio before she was allowed to leave. I didn’t need to see this place myself; I could sense how close he was. I was ready. I was feeding regularly, for the first time in decades, because I needed to be at the height of my powers for what lay ahead.

I left Elizabeth to rest in the daylight hours while I observed Antonio and his growing nest. He had become stronger, more confident in his abilities, but his arrogance had also progressed unchecked. His unnatural abilities were clouded by his ego which also impaired his ability to impart proper instruction to his novice charges. They were feral, and wore their contempt for humans beneath the thinnest veils. I, who had mastered many of my abilities, could be a few short yards from them unnoticed as I assessed their numbers and inferior abilities.

It had been twenty-one days, and Elizabeth was becoming anxious about our next move. Moreover because I had said little about what that move would be. She was not yet ready to face what we had to and was only just recovering from her infection. Still, I felt her fear and uncertainty, symptoms of the sickness.

She observed as I packed a leather satchel with two curved daggers and a longer straight blade, half a foot shorter than a sword. It was not uncommon for persons, of means, to commission blacksmiths to make weapons to particular specifications. I had found a very skilled blacksmith who made ceremonial pieces for nobility and army officials and made certain of his discretion before rewarding him handsomely for what I required. He employed a little know Asian technique of refolding the metal numerous times making the blades, sharper and more durable.

“Should I ask where we’re going?”

“WE are not going anywhere. I will be back before nightfall.” I said adjusting my street clothes and the smudges on my face.

“Impressive.” She said appraising my appearance, trying unsuccessfully to hide her concern. “If I didn’t know better I would think that you were a vagabond who has broken into the room.”

“I will see you soon. Be vigilant.” I said locking eyes with her before walking out the door.

There was a light rain throughout the day and the mud from many of the side streets could be seen splattered against expanding cobblestone streets and walls. Antonio had made it his custom to frequent a restaurant four blocks from where we stayed, always in the company of one of three of his new female soucouyants. He looked as if he belonged to nobility, and I suppose he did share some of the characteristic of some conferred the title.

I observed them from my vantage point in the alley across from the restaurant. I saw Antonio give a, near imperceptible, nod to different members of his nest as they entered and sat in different areas of the restaurant. I passed for a street vagrant and was unnoticed as I reached into my worn satchel and checked my weapons. It was time to reveal myself to Antonio. As I relaxed my focus revealing my essence I felt a presence to my back. I turned in disbelief at the sight before me. Impossible I thought. His voice interrupted my reverie.

“Come Nicholas, quickly! Before you act there is more you must understand.”

Antonio was on his feet searching the images outside the window for the presence he suddenly felt. But Louis and I had already disappeared into a human sea of flesh and despair.