The Vampire's Heart (27 page)

Silence falls over us once more. The only sound now is the distant lowing of cattle and the wind touching on our hair and clothes. Come to think of it, I have no idea how he does survive. The fact that he can become human is amazing; once he is a Lys-Karalis he will have to explain how he managed it.

“
How long do you think?” Liesl asks, breaking the silence once more.

“
Only a few more moments,” I reply, hoping I’m right.

“
I can see a problem here. It’s taken him nearly a quarter of a day already; it’s going to take a long time if we don’t manage to get him what he wants straight away.”

“
Usually it takes about three hours for a turned to wake,” Revner answers for me. “We healed him during his time of turning, perhaps doing that again would speed up the process more next time; if we healed more?”

“
You may have a point there, Revner, what do you think Liesl?” I ask of our eldest member.

“
I think it’s worth…”

I catch the movement of the body twitching out of the corner of my eye.

“
He moved!”

My observation makes us forget the conversation as all of our attention is drawn to the stirring body, bound spread eagle to the wet earth beneath our feet.

He’s moving in the sunlight. Perhaps, just perhaps we’ve succeeded first time. I take a step forward, but both Liesl and Revner hold me back, stopping me from getting any closer. Within seconds there is a shaft of brilliant white light, this time angled from high in the sky, lancing down onto the defenceless vampire.

He screams with an agony that is so evident. It cuts through to my bones, and chills my already cold blood. As soon as the shaft of light comes, it seems to be gone, nothing more than a few instants of brightness.

The ground where he lay no longer sodden but now dry and cracked, the body is charred, and unsurprisingly to me, still alive, though only just. We have work to do.

***

“
Alleil, this is the last one before sundown. We won’t get another chance until the morning.”

“
Not necessarily true, we can use the Light,” I explain to Revner.

“
The Light?”

I understand his scepticism, for even I have been there; but I have already thought it through.

“
Admittedly it will be difficult to get him up there, especially as we’re so drained, but I think we can do it. A couple of times at least, and we’ll even have a good rest at that.”

Liesl is away to my right with the dead, yet currently turning for the eighth time, body of Kellum. Revner and I are discussing what we can do. We’re sat in one of the two scorched but dry patches of earth. Autumn is in the other, where he has been for all but his first attempt.

“
We can’t keep this up forever, you know. What if he never joins us? What if you have to meet certain criteria? We just don’t know enough to be able to do this!”

I’m about to unleash my counter argument about Kellum’s memories, and the fact that he knew he would become a Lys-Karalis, when Revner continues.

“
And what’s more, Alleil, we should be making our way to Vecen, we’ve funerals to prepare. Callic, Morren, and Luc deserve that much.”

I hope Autumn knew that he would become a Lys-Karalis, and not just that he could.

“
Okay, I agree, this may be something we can’t win, but he has answers and I have the corresponding questions. And for some reason I don’t think any demon will be willing to divulge those answers to any of us.”

“
So you expect-”

“
Here we go!” Liesl yells, dragging both of our attentions to Kellum, and mercifully away from the lively ‘debate’.

Liesl, using the palm of his hand, drives the stakes holding Kellum in place further into the dry and cracked ground. Once done he retreats to our position. The three of us can only wait for it to happen again.

With only a few instants of sunlight left, Kellum begins to stir; his body protesting against the bonds driven through it.

From our recent experiences and observations, we have come to understand that there should be a few instants of immunity from sunlight at the start of a vampire’s life. The sun goes down past the horizon and we’re cast into the darkness of twilight; brightened only by the Light above our heads, the blue sparks and the crescent moon in the sky, and the distant city lights. These provide more than ample illumination to our once our very human eyes.

A cascade of knowledge peals through me, targeting every receptor in my body, triggering memories of the only other birth I have witnessed.

I am the second youngest of the Lys-Karalis, or I was at least until Luc died. In fact I guess I still am, now there is another to take his place. But there is also Muzbeth as well, though Lys-Karalis is not a befitting title. I remember this feeling from when Luc was turned, I knew exactly what had happened; I had gained a new brother.

“
Did you two feel that?”

Liesl asks us; Revner and I both nod in response. My face is cracked with a smile. The silence between us is only broken by a voice not belonging to any of the three of us.

“
Hey, ah, hello? Could I get up now? I feel kind of normal.”

I approach the body of Kellum, as his body struggles harder against the restraints we had abjured, and bend down in front of him. Liesl and Revner stand back, wary in case of attack from the erstwhile vampire.

“
Kellum? Is that you?”

“
Of course it’s me, sort of! I put this plan in your head. And I know that you know that my name is Autumn. I’ve no reason to hide now.”

‘
He’s lying; you can’t trust him! Kill him! NOW!’
Fel screams from within.

Fel, when will you learn that I never have, and never will heed your words? I think back, as calmly as possible.

“
I’m sorry, I’m sure you’ll understand. We have to be sure.”

He sighs and stops testing the stakes holding him in place.

“
I know. Do what you must,” Autumn says, closing his eyes.

With that necessary conversation over, I return to Liesl and Revner. The former and I clasp hands and interlock our fingers; I hide our hands down by my side, out of Revner’s view so that he can’t see. I merely hold onto the exposed skin of Revner’s wrist.

The reason I am performing this casting, instead of Liesl, is that it is my mind that holds Kellum’s thoughts and memories, and most importantly, his plan. Therefore Liesl has allowed me to take charge of the situation.

Magical flushes race throughout my body as a result of the skin to skin contact with Liesl. His cold hand pressed into mine and his magical power flowing into me; they only serve only to intensify the feeling inside.

‘
Just imagine what he would think if he knew how you felt about him? He’d be as disgusted as I am. But at least he’d be able to get away from you; to distance himself from you and your illness.’

Fel, this is not the time to try me, I think at the demon inside.

‘
Very well, but mark my words, when he and the others find out, there will be nowhere safe for us. Don’t think for a second that the Lys-Karalis will accept you. Never even hope that Liesl will.’

Ignoring Fel, I cast and our three magics are combined into one. Instantly the bindings that hold Autumn to the ground are ripped free and he slowly rises toward the bright column of Light emanating from the Calcian stronghold to the west.

As he enters the Light I half expect a scream of pain, but it never comes; he merely floats amidst the Light that would once have been fatal to him. He is a tiny speck of Lys-Karalis in the midst of a wash of godliness. We have done it!

“
I don’t believe it! This is amazing,” Revner says, stunned.

“
Well, we’d better get our new brother down from there hadn’t we? He does have an inauguration to attend,” Liesl adds.

Within a moment Autumn is on the floor.

The three of us rush towards him to make sure he is okay, and to welcome him to our calling.

I can’t stop myself from smiling. Autumn’s plan will soon come to fruition.

- Muzbeth -

How do I know that: is it instinct? Well, whatever, it was quick, I’ll give them that much. Now there’s a brand new Lys-Karalis running loose, especially for me to have my wicked way with. How nice of them, how thoughtful. They’ve managed to breed me an extra special kill.

“
Honey?” Summer asks, looking at me. I can see the questions in her eyes and hear them in her voice.

“
And then there were four,” I say simply, smiling.

She cocks her head to one side inquisitorially.

- Autumn -

11 days until the birth of a god

The 22
^nd
day of Spring-Fall, 1538

The other three Lys-Karalis are a good twenty yards behind me, giving me the space I need at the moment. We’re heading to a town called Vecen to mourn the loss of the other Lys-Karalis, and to inaugurate me as one of their own. I’m sure that will be fun.

We’ve been travelling for over two hours, and it is well past wanemoon now, not that there is much moon to see.

Since we first spoke they’ve been keeping their distance, allowing me to gather my thoughts and feelings; to find myself, as it were.

‘
And your name is?’

I turn to face the three following three ‘Karalis. I wonder why they’re asking. What’s the point? They already know my name’s Autumn.

‘
A little seasonal, wouldn’t you say? What’s wrong with good wholesome Jehovan names?’
the voice says again, though it comes not from any of the Lys-Karalis following me.

I’m crouched, hands reaching for weapons that aren’t there. My vampiric eyes pierce the darkness as if it were day, searching for who can only be Spring, Summer, or Winter. I’m in trouble. We’re all in trouble.

Alleil, Revner, and Liesl have stopped and are stood watching me, I gesture them to get down. They don’t; apparently they think Lys-Karalis are above such things.

‘
Who are you looking for?’

They seem completely unfazed! Can’t they hear him? Him – male voice; it must be Winter.

‘
Of course they can’t hear me! And I don’t have a poncey name like Winter. My name is Azel.’

Either Winter is lying, or Spring has possessed someone else. That’s the only explanation of how she can read my mind.

‘
Are you real? I can read your mind because I’m in it, part of it. We share the same body. C’mon, it’s not hard to grasp. You’ve shared bodies before.’

“
Show yourself!” I shout out into the dark night.

This is becoming unbelievable; I can’t sense any living thing anywhere near us, but there has to be someone.

‘
Get with it. There’s nothing to show, I’m a demon. It is my job to tempt you to do ‘naughty things’. You do still know what a demon is, don’t you? Getting cooked that many times hasn’t buggered up your memory, has it?’
the voice, Azel, says chidingly.

What’s going on? This doesn’t make sense! Why can only I hear the voice? What the fuck is happening? What have I done? I’m hearing voices. I’m hearing… hearing…

‘
Calm down. Relax.’
The voice says again.

Voice… Blackness comes. Sound fades.

‘
Bugger.’

- Alleil -

The Brangaine Woods to the south of us are dark and brooding; the trees are mourning the loss of their great city. The smoke has long gone though the rains are somewhat more recently gone. The funeral pyre of the city’s buildings served as a beacon to all, passing out the knowledge that Tomam is gone. The column of black smoke was all that was needed to be said. It was visible for miles and miles around.

We are talking to Autumn now he’s done with his demon, for the time being anyway. That sort of thing usually happens when they go from normal vampire to Lys-Karalis; they expect the demon to be quiet – but it’s exactly the same, both can hear each other in both circumstances. It’s just that demons tend to ignore the people inside the body with them. Autumn’s still quite shocked at being in control of his own body.

The conversation is teetering on the verge of his plans, his ability to survive, and his history.

“
I became a vampire to hide from my sister, Spring,” he tells us.

“
What is all that about? And what’s a Season? I saw when I turned you the first time.” I ask. This was one of the many things that confused me when I gained a sample of his memories.

“
We’ll I guess it can’t hurt for you to know, not now that I’m one of you. I am a Season. It was my job to govern each of the four dimensions for my particular season: Autumn, obviously.”

I suppose he could be delirious, dying and being turned so many times…

“
Okay, ah, A: four dimensions? And B: how could you even be in four places at once?” I ask again, trying to clear up some of the new questions he’s just created.