0311: The Vampire's Daughter, Book Three

"We have not had a productive lesson in months," Mina said to Susan, standing abruptly and walking across the room. "I know full well that Mary believes she is having great success with you, but I am, quite frankly, disappointed."

"I'm sorry," Susan answered, not moving.

"I do not believe you."

Looking up, Susan said, "You're right, I'm not really sorry. I just said that to make you feel better."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to feel bad."

"No. Why have we hit this wall? What is the problem?" Mina asked.

"I don't know. I just don't seem to be able to connect with you like we did before. It's like we are battling again. Like in your brothel."

A long silence ensued before Mina asked, "When were you going to tell me about your visitor?"

"What visitor?"

"The man."

"No man visited me."

"The headmistress is an open book to me. I command her to do my bidding as I see fit. Do you think I fail to check up on you?" Mina asked angrily.

"I told you that no man has ever visited me here."

"Then who was he? This Mr. Jude?"

"Oh," Susan said, almost relieved. "That's just Judas. He stops by all the time. I tell him he shouldn't, but he never listens to me."

"Judas?" Mina asked.

"Yes, Judas."

"He isn't a man."

"Oh no. Not anymore."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"He was a man, but he's not anymore."

"Is he a vampire?" Mina asked.

"No," replied Susan.

"Why won't you give me a straight answer? Who is Judas or Mr. Jude or whatever his name is? He gave the headmistress..." Mina trailed off and looked at the wall.

"Thirty pieces of silver," Susan said. "As a donation. I thought it was quite nice of him."

There was a long silence, as Mina just looked at the little girl sitting before her.

"Do you know how old the coins he donated were?" Mina asked.

"No, but I got the feeling that they were collectibles."

"They were more than just collectibles. They were from..." Mina trailed off again, continuing to look at Susan. "Does this Judas have a last name?"

"Iscariot. I think. It's kind of hard to say," Susan answered.

Mina walked backward, away from Susan, until she hit a wall. She leaned into the wall and let her body slide down until she was sitting on the floor. She said nothing.

"Is everything OK?" asked Susan.

Mina didn't respond, as she was too busy playing the events of the past year in her head. How could she have gone from a comfortable life, running a virtual grocery store of feeders for her coven to babysitting a little girl who. She couldn't even finish her own thoughts. Who what? Who seemed to be so much more than a little girl. Who knew so much more than a little girl, let alone an adult should know. Who seemed to have powers beyond the mortal realm.

Mina realized that it wasn't Susan that was the problem. She had created the block. She was afraid of this little girl. Afraid that if she gave too much knowledge to Susan, that Susan might actually be the one her sire was waiting for.

"You are the one," Mina said out loud. "But I just can't believe what you are telling me."

Susan stood up and walked over to Mina. "I'm not telling you anything."

"You could control me if you wanted to, I know you've done it to me," Mina said. "Why don't you just do that now? Just make me train you or tell you whatever it is you want to know."

"I don't know what I want to know or what I want to learn. All I know is that I'm not the one blocking our connection," Susan answered, sitting down next to Mina.

"No, no you aren't," Mina said. "I realize now that I am the problem. Perhaps we should finish up now and you and Mary can continue your fight training."

"That sounds fun," Susan answered.


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