Empire of Blood (Book 2): Fading In Darkness (4 page)

Still, he worried about the boy. He couldn't tell Dustin about Draper any more than he could tell him about the blood or his new assignment. He was about to start packing his clothes when the Emperor's voice spoke inside his ears for the first time.

Chapter 5

A Heavy Burden

Ishan
sat at the head of the table waiting for Simon to arrive. Internally, he could experience input from any of Simon's senses at will, but he'd been trying to give Simon his privacy as lately there seemed to be a lot of friction growing between the two of them. After 2000 years of various different life experiences, this linking of minds between he and Simon was far different than anything he'd ever been through before.

Stanislov
sat to
Ishan's
right, tapping his finger on the table as a warm breeze gently stirred the thick brown hair on his face. The lights of the city cast a light neon glow on the somewhat reflective surface of the table. Edgar cleared his throat from the other end of the table.

"Should we carry on without him, Master?"

"No, give him another moment. In the meantime go ahead and tell me about what the scouting party found."

Edgar gave
Ishan
a nervous glance, looking as though he had just impossibly aged another decade.

"Boris and Rachel's remains were found."

Ishan
tensed, unsurprised and yet shocked.
Emotionally shocked.

"Our
analysis of the ashes were
inconclusive as to whether they died before the sun rose, but there is very little trace evidence of blood, so it's at least conclusive there was some major blood loss. Just like the others."

"Are you telling me they might have been drained?"

Edgar sat in silence.

A coldness
passed over
Ishan
as the loss fully registered. Although he wasn't sure if she had kept loyal to him or not, he still couldn't hold back his feelings for Rachel. If it weren't for the Queen, things would have been different.
But that was a thought best left behind.
Especially now that he knew she was dead.

Simon rushed through the glass door then. He walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

"Sorry I'm late. What else did the scouting party find?"
Ishan
needed a moment to soak in Rachel's death and Simon knew it would be best to move on with important matters.

"Very little.
Trace evidence of Mr. Evans and his escort mostly," Edgar said, his throat tightening around that last word.

"Mostly?"
Ishan's
voice whispered, his eyes glaring into Edgar’s.

"Well, sir, we did find signs of a struggle."

"What signs?" Simon asked as
Ishan's
jaw clenched.

“Several dried pools of Mr. Evan's blood were found near Rachel's ashes.
And no evidence of a third party."
Edgar coughed to punctuate his sentence.

Ishan
stiffened and Simon knew it was time to move on to other things.

"I think it's time to shift gears. There's the issue of this girl that keeps getting put off."

Stanislov
seemed to harden in his seat as his fist came down to strike the table. His other hand came up with a large sausage-like finger pointing at Simon's face.

"And just what have you contributed the past few council meetings to do anything about that?"

Simon opened his mouth to speak, but before he could,
Ishan
spoke up for him.

"I'll be the first to admit disappointment in Simon's lack of participation, but Simon is doing something to keep this council meeting moving and I see that as a welcome change." At that
Stanislov
sat back in his seat, his body still tight as a drum. But he made no attempt to argue nonetheless.

"Well, personally, I don't understand why you haven't already sent her on her way out into the desert, master. She's a useless child and an insufferable brat. She's managed to waste her time as a fledgling only groveling and whining. She has done little to attempt adjusting to the new life she's been given," Edgar said and sighed.

Simon's face turned a sharp red.

"The ancestors have made their choice. And whatever the Queen may have behind it, she must have a reason,"
Ishan
said. "If the fledgling will not choose to do something with her life then the choice will be taken from her."

"What do you suggest, master?"

"Put her to work. A few weeks on the restoration team should give her a sense of discipline."

Edgar smiled. "Indeed, sir. It would be my pleasure."

Ishan
was getting back into a rhythm now. "
Isingoma's
latest results have yielded no new breakthroughs. All 12 subjects died within minutes of ingesting the ancestor blood. Each one represented a different biological history, including samples from various regions, races, and blood types.
All with the same result.
Almost instant death.
It is my opinion that we must do all we can in our power to peacefully encourage Mr. Evans to submit to some testing to help us single out what has made him so unique, what it is in his body that allowed him to survive. I refuse to believe he is the only human being who can survive let alone reap the rewards of drinking the blood."

The three other vampires only nodded. But Simon spoke to
Ishan
with their connected minds.
I think it would be wise to keep the Queen's “information" about Evans to ourselves for now. It might affect our meeting with him negatively.
Ishan's
agreement went unspoken externally and internally, but Simon knew it was there. Often,
Ishan
had shown himself to be even more expressive by expressing nothing at all.

"Does anyone else have anything to add to this session?"
Ishan
asked.

The others shook their heads in that detached, lightning, efficient way.

"No questions? Okay. This meeting is adjourned."

And with that
Ishan
was gone. Only Simon saw his movements.

* * *

Ishan
stood within the shadow of the giant welcome sign that bordered the eastern edge of the city. Tears streamed down his face as he looked out into the desert, longing to run free of the place. If he went no one could stop him of course. He could even return most likely unnoticed. But he had battled with this impulse before. The risk was still too great. Only when the time was right would he make his move. He longed for the touch of his queen and the reassurance that came with it. He wondered how long it would take for Simon to realize that he had learned how to block Simon's side of the connection. So far, he'd been careful to keep these moments of relief few and far between and as short as possible. But this time he needed more. He would risk having to explain and possibly argue with Simon for this one time. Even if that meant he would have to teach Simon how to do it himself.

No,
the Queen's voice spoke in his head.
It's too soon. He is not ready to have privacy yet. You know the doubt that still lingers within him. He doesn't yet know his place.

The sound of her voice in
Ishan's
head made the longing grow. He lifted his foot to take that final step that would take him over the boundary of the city. A feeling of weightlessness hit him before he could even set his foot down. He landed about a hundred feet back from where he had been, his body lying in the crater of grass and concrete its impact had made.

You have much more self control than this, young one. Show it. I didn't call upon you to have you mourn and make foolish decisions.

Then why have you called on me?

I’ve called on you to heed warning. The one who was Penitent and become Mediator will come bearing a heavy burden. Until the time is right, do not show him your trust.

But you've told me his future. You've told me his importance. How could I see him as anything but an ally?

An ally he remains, young one. But his hands are bound by the Emperor. I sense something weighing on his heart as he changes his mind many times each day.

If his loyalty is questionable, we don't have a chance.

The Queen's laughter filled
Ishan's
head.
Since when do you put so little faith in your mother?
In your lover?

Ishan
was stricken then. He knew beyond reason that the Queen would never lie to him. But he couldn't help feeling unsure at just how much truth she would tell him, either. A terrible pressure squeezed his temples.

You would be wise to remember that while you may be able to hide your thoughts from Simon, you are unable to hide them from me. Remember, my love. I need no arm to reach you. I need no means to find you. I need no mouth to drain every last drop of blood from your body. You are my chosen and I can
un-
choose.

A deep bitterness and despair overtook every bone in
Ishan's
body.
No. Please, my love, forgive me. Drain me if you must, but please, please do not
un-
choose me.

Goodnight, my love.

Ishan
lay there a long time holding himself; metaphorically trying to keep
himself
warm from the Queen's icy threats. Without her, each century would be an empty shell of time. He couldn't go back to that place again.
Wouldn't.
He closed his eyes as wind began to gust and blow a wall of sand above him and into the city. He let his thoughts stray to what she had told him of Hank. He hadn't respected another human being so much since his father had left the earth so many centuries ago. And the Queen had told him Hank's future. She knew what he would go on to do. What he would choose. She had shown him from her very own vision the day in the future when he would decide to lead them.
All of them.
Vampire and human.
When he would lead them against the Empire.
When he would make the decision himself to go after the Emperor, personally.

Ishan
felt
another awareness
then.

Simon.

What the hell happened? Are you okay,
Ishan
?
Ishan
didn't answer. He could feel Simon searching his senses then searching his mind.
What the hell happened to you? I've been unable to sense you for hours now. Why are you so close to the city
limits.
And what the fuck happened to the connection?
Ishan
continued to sulk as he lay there. He no longer had the energy to block Simon and now he no longer cared.

Fine.
Don't say anything. Leave me in the dark. But when you've had your little
hissy
fit, you'd better start explaining. I don't have any other reason to be here but you. You take that away and why should I bother staying in this city? Or even staying alive?
Ishan
could see the image in his head then of Simon standing in the desert waiting as the first light of dawn spilled out over the horizon and scorched every inch of Simon's flesh.