Vampiris Sancti: The Elf (46 page)

“The Daughters
and Galt—you must be a very important little Vampire to be of such
interest to everyone.”

Siah frowned.
“I think it’s because of my blood line. I am Old World and that is
supposed to be special, more powerful, but I don’t feel
powerful.”

Zyre gazed at
the Vampire. “With these ones tis always about the blood. Old World
means you will reach Aunsin sooner than those of New World Houses,
they don’t tell you because they don’t want you to know your
power.”

The girl
absorbed the information then said, “Galt is playing a game of
revenge and is using me—was using me.”

She stopped for
a moment as if considering something that had not struck her
before.

“The
Revenant—if it was his monster then he could control it, that means
it was no accident that it was—was—sent to kill me!”

Zyre watched as
the terrible knowledge asserted itself and Siah sat struggling with
the reality of a truth that became a beast tearing into the air.
The Elf could feel the heat from her tears but offered no comfort
since she had no idea what could make a Vampire feel better.

Once composed
Siah continued, “I don’t know why the Daughters keep trying to
recruit me as Lyov said they can’t take me unless I am
willing.”

The Elf took a
hefty bite out of the rose bloom while she noted the Vampires were
controlling Siah by her lack of knowledge. She tired of the
politics of the mutants as much as she tired of all politics and
this world was fast annoying her. She gave her what knowledge of
the Daughters she had gleaned from others.

“The Daughters
want your bloodline. They use lots of Vampire telepathy for power
and Old World blood tis best for this. No matter about Galt and his
careless because he is my problem now.”

“Why is that?”
she asked.

The Elf
muttered as if an afterthought. “He killed my cat.”

The eyes of the
Vampire opened in surprise. “Your cat! You had a cat? I’m sorry
about that.”

Zyre smiled at
the girl as if remembering why she liked her since so far she was
the only one who cared about her loss. The girl turned to Zyre with
the innocence of one who knew nothing about the Reveal.

“I met your
demon friend the other night.”

Zyre wrinkled
her nose as if searching for meaning in her memory because she had
no demon friends. “Friend?”

Siah continued.
“I saw him in the lane and at the Ball, the Martyc—Vryn Dhaigre!
Everyone says you are going to get married!”

Zyre stood up
and took her companion by her arm. “Oh that—tis nothing more than
some Druqe lies.”

If the Vampire
thought differently she kept her thoughts to herself while her
magical friend led them back to the house where the Herald and Lyov
met them with grim expressions. Zyre was not about to allow two
pompous Vampires express their misgivings over her presence, so she
gave them the benefit of her glowing smile and mischievous
eyes.

“I think we
should go visit a Martyc for a little chat about some marriage
lies.”

The two
powerful Vampires exchanged startled glances, because in their
world one just didn’t drop in on Vryn Dhaigre—especially to accost
him about lies. It was best to stay out of the way and remain
unnoticed by any powerful demons, even when Aunsin.

“I don’t think
we would be very welcome,” responded a cautious Julius.

“Fine by you,”
she said happily.

Used to others
obeying his wishes the Herald moved forward and put his hand on her
arm as if to constrain her.

“Maybe you
should reconsider as these are difficult times.”

She gave her
arm a pointed stare saying, “Ahh, Estienne likes doing this one as
well.”

The mention of
one of equal rank had Julius stand down as silver melted back into
the black liquid of his eyes. Zyre didn’t know why she mentioned
the Vampire, but knew the more powerful friends she appeared to
have the less she would be bothered by the interests of others. She
snapped her fingers in warning and the Salvae caused the three
Vampires to stand back nervously as they watched her kaleidoscope
eyes flash through a myriad of colours. She didn’t revel in the
knowledge of her abilities because to her growing up with the
capacity to indulge herself easily was the same as being able to
walk across a room. Unfortunately, there were times she needed to
remind those around her that they would never control a magical
being.

Seeing the Tyro
was still upset Zyre tried reassuring her. “No mind the troubles
because I will make go away.”

Before the
Vampire could reply the Elf dissolved slowly as her eyes never left
theirs and she could tell by their expressions that they got her
message. She would go where angels feared to tread simply because
she could.

Love—the Death
of Expectation

Relationships
within the demon worlds were not seen in the same light as human
ones as families often lived decades, sometimes entire lifetimes,
apart with propagation not only means to an end, but often the end
of the interaction. To judge demons by their family life would do a
disservice to a creature able to compartmentalise their emotional
and professional worlds with an ease humans would envy. The
specialisation of demon worlds meant that those selling services
could be off world for most of their lives returning home only
during retirement or injury. In order to protect their home assets
demons of all worlds were encouraged to create a family life. They
married, had children, then left their spouses, parents, and other
relations living within family compounds. This was so that once
their professional life was finished they could return to enjoy the
fruits of their labours.

It would be a
mistake to believe a creature of brutal origins was devoid of
passion because for the demon love was merely the other side of
brutality. Struggling to climb from the mire of an antagonistic
universe passion was put on the back burner until the demon had
achieved the expectations of his world. The rise to success might
be a lonely road for a demon whose wife, often chosen by other
family members, was worlds away tending children hastily conceived
upon rare visits. It was not until settled upon a world for an
extended period did the demon find his thoughts wandering towards
the emotional side of his nature. Some demon worlds had women who
followed the same career expectations as the males and they lived
similar lives leaving their young to be raised by various family
members—usually their retired parents. Demon life was a continual
spiral of giving to the next generation, the only time a demon
could appropriate as their own was once they were successful off
world. When a demon permitted love into their life it was because
they had achieved comfort and was maintaining rather than striving
for as the old demon saying went—love is the death of
expectation.

As with
everything else in the universe demon love was a complicated, messy
affair usually bitterly paid for—one way or another. Those involved
in demon affairs off world knew their lover would have a family,
would send most of their assets to that family, and the affair no
matter how torrid was temporary. Demons loved with a passion that
was as brutal as their rage. They would smother the object of their
desire, restrain, stalk, own, whatever it took to control an
emotion they had no hope of controlling. Those finding themselves
in the sights of an enamoured demon had two choices, succumb or
flee, because demons were as dogged in their pursuit of desire as
they were wealth.

Of all the
demons it was the one most in control of his passions that allowed
love to touch his life the least for the Martyc only could allow
himself the comfort of emotion after he had reached the pinnacle of
success. The prince of an Empire couldn’t allow himself the luxury
of relaxing because he was always on call for his world. Only once
a Xatn could he pursue emotional interlude and only then see the
interlude into a binding relationship. Though the prince might have
a wife during his entire rise within the Empire, the one he loved
would have been a choice made long ago—sometimes even from youth.
Able to remove himself from personal needs the Martyc would close
off his emotional interior, but he did little to stop his sexual
activity since that was deemed no more than a basic need.

Emotion was a
luxury few demons could indulge in and the Martyc indulged in it
only once firmly established as an authority upon a world. The
longevity of demons meant they could wait with patience before
showing their romantic interest in another. They had mistresses to
satisfy basic urges, but love was something demons took with
seriousness that would shame even those devoted to emotion. The
problem with waiting until life was in order before allowing an
emotional interior to exist was that it took a lifetime to learn to
control the powerful grip of passion for another. The demons that
waited the longest were those most susceptible to Folly, those who
fell the hardest, those willing to chase an unwilling partner
across the Reveal forever.

Demons loved
for many reasons, they loved their world for it was their duty,
they loved their children for they were their future, and they
loved their families for they were the network that kept them
anchored. However, demons in love were erratic, dangerous, and most
of all obsessed. Those viewing a demon in love didn’t envy the
state for it often was a sign of one with nothing left to conquer
but self.

**********

A good
traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.

Lao Tzu

Much to the
obvious relief of the Herald Zyre asked that a car to take her into
town and Julius, mindful of the wishes of the Ghuvk, queried if she
required a room. She shook her head and despite her struggle to
remain focused without blasting everything she couldn’t help enjoy
his inability to hide the easing of his tension. The Zhismi driver
took her back towards the centre of town, but she stopped the car
stop short of the Martyc fortress because the Elf was uncertain
what was going to be her next move. The car sped away into the dark
and she sat on a nearby roof watching the silent flit of demons and
Vampires through the night. Her sojourn in the garden with Siah had
done the trick and she was now replenished with the extra boost of
a bear of honey in her pocket. She was no closer to how to deal
with Galt and had she examined her reactions she would have been
surprised at how demonic her interior turmoil appeared. Like all
those going through the changes of maturation she didn’t have a
firm grip upon the rollercoaster of her emotions, so she plunged
frequently between thoughts of revenge and running off to a quiet
corner of the universe. Sitting alone in the dark enjoying the
scurry of nocturnal creatures she nearly acknowledged of the truth
of the situation. Zyre realised that it was not only Vryn Dhaigre
who was fighting for survival as she had been sought out, accosted
and threatened. Then there was the strange connection she had with
Vampires, though she refused to think of Estienne by name. The
Vampire girl was still in danger from the Daughters and Galt, who
threatened the security of an entire world. Yet the slow moving
Vampires had yet to respond—the Veil would be torn down and set
alight by the time the Ghuvk were moved into action. Everything was
tied to everything else and she came to the reluctant conclusion
that she was going to have to speak to Vryn. She was not so
accepting that she could admit that she was deferring to the
knowledge of the Martyc in how to handle attack, so it translated
as her need to irritate a demon. First she had to deal with the
annoying purple that just didn’t have the courtesy or courage to
approach her openly.

She let out a
snort that echoed into the wind and said to no one present. “Stop
hiding in corners—don’t make me find you.”

She was aware
of the new layer of a non-human presence upon the atmosphere. It
disturbed her that whatever it was it had almost been almost able
to approach without notice and even a Lazulul couldn’t manage that
feat. Zyre snapped her fingers allowing the Salvae to colour the
air and the being finally came out into the open and into view.

Zyre stared at
her unexpected stalker, a girl that was almost a mirrored
reflection of her except where she was a colourful being in drab
clothing this creature was a drab being in colourful garb. Well the
cloak was colourful rich dark purple; the pants and shirt were a
dull light grey. The girl was of similar height and build as the
Elf, with auburn hair so dark it looked brown and blue eyes lightly
flecked with green. Unlike the Elf, her bearing possessed the
authoritative air of maturity. She waited calmly while standing on
the edge of the roof as Zyre examined her without comment. She
didn’t need an introduction because the Elf knew a Mage when she
felt one.

“So, what
brings a sorcerer to hide in my shadow?” she sniped at the
girl.

Zyre was not
worried since one Mage was not a problem—well at least not so far
as she knew because no one had ever accosted one in her lifetime.
She was certain even a bunch was not exactly a problem as it wasn’t
though they were magical—they just did magic. She considered that
the girl might run temporary interference with the Salvae and that
would be bothersome. At least Zyre thought she could, since the
rumour was they had been the ones to cast the Seal of Sere and
admittedly that was one powerful spell. The girl smiled as she
walked slowly over to Zyre whose eyes blazed into teal while she
centred herself. Usually she prepared for flight when accosted, but
her recent temper had her ready to fight.

Sensing the
bleak mood of the Elf the girl stopped. “A dirt spell from Kheleyk
was cast, so I was sent to see to the balance of this world. Many
things have been happening since I arrived and now I come to speak
to you.”