0283: The Vampire's Daughter, Book Three

The next night, Sol left Jamie in their bed as soon as he got up. He wanted very badly to find Meredith and learn what he could from her. As he dressed, he opened his mind to the castle, but couldn't sense her anywhere through the clutter of vampires. He noted, however, that he couldn't sense any of the other guests, either.

He walked upstairs and into the den, finding Meredith sitting directly across from the fireplace. She smiled.

"Do you mind if we go to the tower?" he asked.

She shook her head and stood up, offering Sol her hand.

Sol took her hand and led her through the castle to the tower. The walk was silent, but strangely pleasant.

Once at the top, Sol walked out and then led her to the edge to see the small army that was outside the gates.

"Everyone, it seems, is here for me," he said.

Meredith smiled at him. She looked younger than he thought in his first encounters. In fact, he guessed she was little more than sixteen when she was made. Although her pale complexion and fine blond hair gave her an eerie look from afar, there was an underlying beauty that was captivating.

After looking her over and contemplating her beauty for several minutes, he noticed that she was watching him with a slight smile on her face, so he quickly looked away.

"I'm sorry," Sol said. "I tend to think too much."

She put her hand on his, as if to say it was OK.

"I like to come up here and look out over the horizon," he continued. "Although the circumstances of my stay are less than ideal, the time has given me a chance to think quite deeply about my life and what I've done with it."

Meredith tilted her head to note her interest in what Sol was saying.

"I've spent so much time just being that I've never thought about why I am here at all. Why was I made? Why was I made by Elizabeth? Why did I meet the vampires that I've met? Befriend the vampires that I've befriended?

"I still have no answers," he said with a laugh. "But I have a feeling. I feel like I'm meant to do something, I just don't know what yet. When I find out, I know I'll grasp it and blossom. I almost feel like a butterfly that is still in its cocoon.

"John Paul told me that I was a Doubting Thomas, even when it came to myself. I need proof. He was correct about so many things, I have no doubt that he was correct about that. I wish I could believe more than I do. I want to be what he thought I was, I'm just not convinced that I am.

"And all of you are here because he believed in me, even though I don't believe in myself."

Meredith smiled and lifted a hand to Sol's face. Touching it gently, she spoke to him with her mind, "Few have the conviction of John Paul. And the task he believed is yours is a hard one. Only a fool or a zealot would take it on lightly. You are neither and I believe that makes you a better choice for the task."

"That is very kind of you," Sol said. "I wish I knew what to do now."

"Tell me about your past," She said.

"There isn't much to tell, you saw some important events the night you were in my room."

"I am sorry for that," she said looking down. "The situation we are in is important and I foolishly tried to force myself on you. It was a mistake."

"I was very upset at first, but now that I know your situation, I am not the least bit angry," responded Sol.

Meredith smiled.


[The Vampire's Daughter: An ongoing vampire story. Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009. All rights reserved.]