0152

After Susan had left, Sabastian turned to his uninvited guest and asked, "Why are you in my home?"

"It was an attempt to show you my clan's superiority," Mina responded.

"I want nothing to do with you."

"While you may want nothing to do with us, you are still in my territory. I can't allow that without confrontation."

"Confronting me is usually not the best course of action."

"Your little stunt, though impressive, isn't enough to end this conflict."

"There is no conflict. If I wanted to take something from you I would have done so. I sensed your presence in the area, but assumed there would be little reason for us to interact."

"I think, Sabastian," Sol interjected, "that Mina is trying to insure that we know she is here and has, for the most part, run the local towns here with little interference from anyone. I imagine she would like to keep it that way."

"Sol, it has been a long time. You remain as perceptive as ever," Mina said.

"Am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on? Who is she?" Mary asked of Sol.

"Oh, but Mary, I know a great deal about you," Mina answered. "About you and Sol, but not Sabastian. I only know the rumors and folklore."

"O.K., enough games and posturing, what the hell is going on?" Mary asked.

"I guess it makes sense to get things out in the open. It's clear I'm not going to be able to use brute force to awe Sabastian.

"I run a message parlor in the town next to this one."

"I believe you mean brothel," Sol interrupted.

"No," Mina replied. "In fact, both terms are inappropriate. Our customers come to us looking for messages and, possibly, sex. We, however, don't just take money. We take their blood, but only a small amount.

"We live symbiotically with the humans. They get what they want, and we get what we need.

"It works very well so long as our system isn't disrupted. Having more vampires sniffing around makes things more difficult.

"As you know, Sol, We've lived peacefully with the Tribunal for many years. I don't want this arrangement to fall apart now.

"There have been a couple of missing persons reports of late and I assume they stem from your presence."

"Oh, they were probably from me," Mary said.

"As I haven't fed here, and I know Sabastian doesn't feed, I think that's probably the case," Sol answered.

"You don't feed?" Mina asked of Sabastian.

"I am no longer subject to the blood lust."

"He doesn’t even grasp his own power," she said to herself.



[Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005. All rights reserved.]