Vampire Wares pt 40

In this massive room, the Great Hall, were some sixty vampires, and they were turned to look back to the group now entering, Madalina standing to the side of and behind Sim, while the other two vampires, who bore Sister Oana and Nicolete prisoner, stood behind her.

Asha then arrived, with a large shout of, “Stand Aside!” which caused the crowd of vampires to part down the middle, making way for Asha, who walked towards the throne in front without impediment.  Asha wore a simple black dress, but behind her trailed a long cloak of thick, ornamented material, which dragged along the tiles behind her.

When she reached the platform, she turned around, pulled the cloak up towards her and dropped it onto the ground.  Then she sat down on the throne with relaxed confidence.  The dress she wore hung on her body loosely, like a toga, in stark contrast to the typical puffed-out hoop-skirt dresses that one would find in the courts of the aristocracy.  Asha’s dress was something more appropriate to the warmth of the Mediterranean, than to the cold winters of middle Europe.  That dress, thigh-length, sleeveless, with a low neck line, revealed the physical perfection of Asha’s body, her pale white, flawless skin, her precise curves and the strength of her, sleek, toned muscles.  Her radiant face had the severity of a person of power and experience, and none of the sweet innocence of a young woman.  She looked like a person who’d seen more seasons than the tallest tree in their forest and was determined to survive forever.

“Send those prisoners off,” Asha said, screeching her command to the vampires that were carrying Sister Oana and Nicoleta.  Madalina watched as Bai and the other vampire dragged Madalina’s two acquaintances from the convent down a separate cave where she assumed she would see them no more.

“Present yourself!” Asha then said, addressing Sim and Madalina.  Sim started to move towards the front of the room, grabbing Madalina by the hand to take her with him.

Once at the front of the room, Asha said to Sim with a certain personal intimacy, “This is the girl who will join our coven?”

“Yes,” Sim replied, and Asha asked, addressing Madalina, “Name?”

“Madalina,” Madalina replied, and then Asha addressed herself to Sim and said, “And you agree to be the one to infect her, before all these witnesses, understanding the responsibilities this entails.”

“Yes,” Sim responded, “I agree to take care of her.  She is my responsibility.”

“And you’re willing to become infected, understanding all the risks, burdens and responsibilities that entails?” Asha said, now addressing Madalina.

Madalina had no understanding of the risks, burdens and responsibilities that Asha was referring to.  She was aware of certain limitations of being a vampire, such as being unable to see the sun anymore and her dependence on humans for food, but she was otherwise ignorant of what a life she was trading her convent for.  Nonetheless, she told Asha, “I’m willing.”

“So be it,” Asha said.  Then from a side holster she drew a dagger and raised it so that everyone could see.  She said to Sim, “This will be your sacrifice,” and then she grabbed his hand pulling it toward her and exposing his wrist.

Delicately she sliced across his wrist, to open a small sliver in his skin.  A single dark red drop of precious blood appeared and swelled at the surface of his skin.  Sim then turned to Madalina and said to her, “Drink.”

She looked uncomfortably at the blood before her, which appeared neither appealing nor appetizing, but he shouted at her one more “Drink!” grabbing her head and pulling it towards his wrist.

She put her lips to his wrist, and took the large drop in her mouth.  The salty, bitter taste touched her tongue and she swallowed it and then backed away and looked up at Sim.  He nodded to her to indicate that she’d done well.

Sim then warned, “You’ll feel light-headed.  You’ll develop a fever.  You may pass out.  It should subside in a day.  If you survive, you’ll be a vampire.”

Madalina’s response to these words was shock.  She hadn’t been told there was some chance of death.  She wanted to protest with anger, but she was starting to feel the effects of the infection as her body rebelled against the pathogens swirling in her blood.  Her head was feeling light, and she was sapped by a growing weakness that was taking her legs from beneath her.

Sim reached forward and picked her up in his arms.  Her forehead was already beading with sweat and she felt as if the whole world was disappearing from her.  Before she lost her consciousness, she heard Sim say to her, “Don’t worry.  I’ll take care of you.”

<-- Go to Part 39         Go to Part 41 -->

You can see what's been written so far collected here.

In this massive room, the Great Hall, were some sixty vampires, and they were turned to look back to the group now entering, Madalina standing to the side of and behind Sim, while the other two vampires, who bore Sister Oana and Nicolete prisoner, stood behind her.

Asha then arrived, with a large shout of, “Stand Aside!” which caused the crowd of vampires to part down the middle, making way for Asha, who walked towards the throne in front without impediment.  Asha wore a simple black dress, but behind her trailed a long cloak of thick, ornamented material, which dragged along the tiles behind her.

When she reached the platform, she turned around, pulled the cloak up towards her and dropped it onto the ground.  Then she sat down on the throne with relaxed confidence.  The dress she wore hung on her body loosely, like a toga, in stark contrast to the typical puffed-out hoop-skirt dresses that one would find in the courts of the aristocracy.  Asha’s dress was something more appropriate to the warmth of the Mediterranean, than to the cold winters of middle Europe.  That dress, thigh-length, sleeveless, with a low neck line, revealed the physical perfection of Asha’s body, her pale white, flawless skin, her precise curves and the strength of her, sleek, toned muscles.  Her radiant face had the severity of a person of power and experience, and none of the sweet innocence of a young woman.  She looked like a person who’d seen more seasons than the tallest tree in their forest and was determined to survive forever.

“Send those prisoners off,” Asha said, screeching her command to the vampires that were carrying Sister Oana and Nicoleta.  Madalina watched as Bai and the other vampire dragged Madalina’s two acquaintances from the convent down a separate cave where she assumed she would see them no more.

“Present yourself!” Asha then said, addressing Sim and Madalina.  Sim started to move towards the front of the room, grabbing Madalina by the hand to take her with him.

Once at the front of the room, Asha said to Sim with a certain personal intimacy, “This is the girl who will join our coven?”

“Yes,” Sim replied, and Asha asked, addressing Madalina, “Name?”

“Madalina,” Madalina replied, and then Asha addressed herself to Sim and said, “And you agree to be the one to infect her, before all these witnesses, understanding the responsibilities this entails.”

“Yes,” Sim responded, “I agree to take care of her.  She is my responsibility.”

“And you’re willing to become infected, understanding all the risks, burdens and responsibilities that entails?” Asha said, now addressing Madalina.

Madalina had no understanding of the risks, burdens and responsibilities that Asha was referring to.  She was aware of certain limitations of being a vampire, such as being unable to see the sun anymore and her dependence on humans for food, but she was otherwise ignorant of what a life she was trading her convent for.  Nonetheless, she told Asha, “I’m willing.”

“So be it,” Asha said.  Then from a side holster she drew a dagger and raised it so that everyone could see.  She said to Sim, “This will be your sacrifice,” and then she grabbed his hand pulling it toward her and exposing his wrist.

Delicately she sliced across his wrist, to open a small sliver in his skin.  A single dark red drop of precious blood appeared and swelled at the surface of his skin.  Sim then turned to Madalina and said to her, “Drink.”

She looked uncomfortably at the blood before her, which appeared neither appealing nor appetizing, but he shouted at her one more “Drink!” grabbing her head and pulling it towards his wrist.

She put her lips to his wrist, and took the large drop in her mouth.  The salty, bitter taste touched her tongue and she swallowed it and then backed away and looked up at Sim.  He nodded to her to indicate that she’d done well.

Sim then warned, “You’ll feel light-headed.  You’ll develop a fever.  You may pass out.  It should subside in a day.  If you survive, you’ll be a vampire.”

Madalina’s response to these words was shock.  She hadn’t been told there was some chance of death.  She wanted to protest with anger, but she was starting to feel the effects of the infection as her body rebelled against the pathogens swirling in her blood.  Her head was feeling light, and she was sapped by a growing weakness that was taking her legs from beneath her.

Sim reached forward and picked her up in his arms.  Her forehead was already beading with sweat and she felt as if the whole world was disappearing from her.  Before she lost her consciousness, she heard Sim say to her, “Don’t worry.  I’ll take care of you.”

<-- Go to Part 39         Go to Part 41 -->

You can see what's been written so far collected here.

Vampire Wares pt 40