Book Three, Chapters 0311 to 0316

The Vampire's Daughter
Book Three

Chapters 0311 to 316
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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.


0312: The Vampire's Daughter, Book Three

Normally, Mina would go for a walk while Susan and Mary trained. She would visit with the children, talk to the Headmistress, or, sometimes, just go for a walk around the school's beautiful campus. She viewed the time as an escape from reality, not to mention an escape from Mary. She actually liked Mary, but she wound up spending too much time with the vampire.

Tonight, however, Mina couldn't leave. She had to watch. She had to see what Susan did. Sense why she did it. Somehow, she needed to know Susan better than she did. She didn't know why, but she wanted to truly love this child and the only way she could achieve that was to get to know her.

So Mina sat and watched as Susan and Mary fought. It was a spirited training session. Mary had long ago shown Susan all of the moves she knew. Susan, who turned out to be an exceptional student, learned quickly.

Now it was honing her skills and truly learning how to fight. As usual, the pair went through a number of drills to fine tune some movements and then ended with free form fighting.

Mina watched as Susan performed both defensive and attacking moves with such skill that it seemed the student was on the verge of at least matching the master. She noted how easily and fluidly Susan moved throughout each drill. Her speed was also impressive.

"Very nice," Mina said several times as she watched.

Once Mary and Susan switched to free form fighting, however, Mina saw a noticeable shift in Susan. She wasn't fighting.

It wasn't that the fight wasn't fast paced and spirited, or that Susan wasn't actually fighting, because she was. It was that she never used her true abilities.

Mina didn't say anything for a while and just watched. She thought about what she and Susan had talked about over the time they had known each other. How many times had the little girl really used her powers? A handful, maybe?

Mina knew that Susan had used her powers to make her do things she didn't intend to. She knew that the little girl had read her mind on more than one occasion. But the times that she did these things were not out of some selfish desire, they were always out of a desire to help others.

"Stop!" Mina said loudly, causing the two to stop and look at her.

"Susan, you aren't fighting," Mina said to her.

"I don't know what you mean," the little girl responded.

"Yes you do. You never fight. You don't truly attack. You don't do anything other than what you have to do to appease Mary.

"She tells you to attack her and you make a half hearted effort that kicks off a five minute fight. During the fight, you spend almost all of your time deflecting her attack. But again, all of your attacks are half hearted and ineffectual because that is what you intend them to be."

"Mina, I think you're being too hard on her. She is advancing rapidly. Perhaps she just needs more time to gain the confidence to be more aggressive," Mary said in defense Susan.

"I disagree," Mina said standing and walking over to the combatants. She looked at both of them, and then knelt down in front of Susan. "Do you believe your gifts are from God?"

"Yes," the little girl answered, looking Mina squarely in the eyes.

"Do you believe people should use the gifts they have been granted to their fullest potential?"

"Yes."

"Then explain to me why you don't attack Mary? I can tell that you know exactly what she going to do well before she makes a move. You allow these fights to continue when you could easily dispatch her."

"I am here to train, not win every fight," Susan said.

Standing, Mina said, "I will fight her."


0313: The Vampire's Daughter, Book Three

"You don't think I can teach the child how to fight?" Mary asked, sounding far more hurt than she intended to sound.

Mina looked at Mary and then at Susan. "This isn't about you and your abilities," Mina stated flatly. "This is about Susan.

"Even the greatest teacher cannot teach an unwilling student."

"I'm not unwilling," Susan protested. "I've learned a lot."

"What value is learning if you never use your knowledge?" Mina asked.

"Learning isn't always about doing," Susan answered.

Mary watched quietly, realizing that there was more going on than simply training Susan how to fight. In fact, this conversation was a battle of its own. What Mary wasn't quite sure of, however, was who was fighting. Was the battle between Mina and Susan, Mina and herself, or Susan and herself?

Whatever the answer, this confrontation certainly wasn't about Susan's skill as a fighter. Mary moved to the side of the room and sat against the wall, watching.

"If you learn and do not use, then you have failed," Mina stated flatly. "Attack me."

Susan stood and looked at the vampire. She was an ancient with skills well beyond those of Mary. She was hardened by time both physically and emotionally. After a few moments, Susan said, "I do not wish to fight you."

"Attack me," was the reply.

Susan looked down and then lunged at Mina. Mina didn't move and Susan small fist landed squarely against Mina's nose, causing it to bleed. Mina made no move, causing Susan to step back.

"I said attack me, not toy with me. You aimed for an area that was easily defended. You telegraphed that punch and, worse, you advertised it in your mind. I know all too well how powerful you are little girl. If you don't want me to know what you are thinking you will stop me. You are more than skillful enough to block your mind in a fight. Now attack me!"

Susan stepped back and then came at Mina again. And again Mina did not move, allowing the blow to land. This time it was a jump kick to the side of the head.

"I am not toying with you little girl. I want you to attack me, not play. Use the skills God has given you."

"I use the skills and use them wisely."

"No, no you do not use them wisely. You use cautiously, fearfully. I do not wish to force your hand. I would prefer you to decide your own fate. But if you do not, I will decide it for you."

"Gifts are not meant to be abused," Susan said. "Mankind has abused its gifts so thoroughly, why should I add to the damnation?"

"If mankind is to be damned, then my kind are well ahead of them," Mina said. "Now fight."

"Maybe your kind is there to greet my kind," Susan said testily. "And I don't wish to be there at all."

"If you are who I think you are, little imp, you had better learn to use your gifts and use them well now, because when you need them, you won't have the latitude to fail. Now fight me."

"No," Susan said, putting her hands down. "If you want to fight, you'll have to attack me."

Mentally, Mina responded, "I will force you to fight if I must, but I won't attack you. And don't think I won't kill Mary."

Out loud, Susan said, "This is our fight."

"Not anymore," Mina said, lunging at Mary.

Mary's eyes went wide as she put her hands up to defend herself, knowing she didn't have much chance of even accomplishing that.


0314: The Vampire's Daughter, Book Three

Just before Mina's fist would have struck Mary's face, Susan's hand deflected the blow into the wall. Mina's arm went into the wall up to her elbow. She pulled it out and punched at Mary with her other arm, a blow that Susan also deflected.

Mina pulled her other arm from the wall and stepped back. "Fight me," she said with a great deal of anger in her voice.

"No," Susan replied.

"I will kill Mary if you do not."

"How did I get into the middle of this?" Mary asked, still sitting against the wall, her face drained of any color by the fear of dying.

"Shut up," Mina said to her. Then she relaxed her body and smiled. "Mary," she said. "Stand up." Mary did as she was told.

"Don't do this," Susan said.

"I'll do as I please," Mina said to the girl.

"Mary, come kneel before me," Mina said casually with a grin on her face.

"Mary stay," Susan said, with the slightest hint of anger.

Mina's smile grew. "Now that's better," she said. "Mary, come here and kneel before me."

"Mary stay," Susan said, with a great deal of anger.

This exchange continued for several more volleys, with Mary, little more than an automaton, walking forward and back with each command. Finally, Susan yelled, "Sleep!"

Mary fell to the ground unconscious.

"Nice trick, little imp," Mina said. "But what's she going to do when you're not around?"

Susan stood motionless for a long time. She just looked at Mina. Finally, she spoke. "This is silly. Why are you doing this?"

"It's only one life, what does it matter. If you don't want to fight, I'll just kill her."

"Every life matters."

"Why? She's a vampire, she's damned already. I'll just send her to hell sooner rather than latter."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Then why don't you explain it to me? Or, perhaps, you don't really know either.

"I'm tired of our little games Susan. It's time to put up or shut up. Use your gifts or go home. Fight or let Mary die."

"I won't let you kill Mary," Susan said.

"Well then, you'll need to fight," Mina said, lunging at Mary again.

Susan deflected the blow.

"I could control your mind," Mina said.

"No, you couldn't," Susan replied. "And you know you can't. You know you aren't strong enough to control my mind."

"How do you know that?" Mina asked.

"You've tried and failed."

"But you could end this by controlling my mind, couldn't you?" Mina asked.

Susan said nothing.

"Couldn't you?" Mina asked louder.

"That wouldn't end this. You would figure it out eventually," Susan said.

"Then I guess you'll just have to fight me," Mina said with a smile.

"Mary, get up and leave," Susan said to the vampire unconscious on the ground.

"Yes Mary," Mina mocked, "leave us be so we can chat a little more privately."

Mary got up and left the room without saying a word.

"Now what little girl?" Mina asked.

"What are you trying to prove? We don't have to do this," Susan said quietly.

"I want to see you use your gifts. I want to see how strong you really are. I want to know that I haven't been wasting my time."

"And if you have been wasting your time?"

"Then I'll leave and let you finish your schooling and your life, never to hear of a vampire again."

"Do you really believe that is what God has planned for me?" Susan asked.

"No," replied Mina. "That's why I'm confident that you will fight me."

"So be it," Susan said. She looked down and let her entire body relax.


0315: The Vampire's Daughter, Book Three

After a few moments, Mina said, "Come on little imp, are we going to fight or do I have to go find Mary?"

Susan lifted her head very slowly and said, in a barely audible whisper, "Let's fight."

Mina smiled and then lunged at the little girl.

As before, Susan could read every move that Mina was going to make despite Mina's attempts to mask her mind. Thus, every blow was either blocked or evaded.

"This isn't fighting!" Mina yelled, even though she continued her attacks.

As she continued, Susan started to land blows between Mina's attacks. She simply waited for the right moment, and then slipped a punch, kick or scratch in. Usually, Susan waited until Mina had just attacked, so that Mina was off balance or had a weak spot in her defense.

Before long, Mina was bloody and bruised. She was tired, too, but it was obvious that Susan was more tired.

"You are only human little girl. You have spirit, but that can only sustain you for so long. You've scratched at me and bruised me, but I still stand. Your little blows won't stop me and you know it. I can carry on all night if I so choose. You, on the other hand, will collapse if you don't do something soon."

"No, Mina, you are wrong. I may tire soon, but you no longer have the night at your disposal. Look out the window," Susan said, watching Mina closely.

As Mina turned to look out the window at the approaching dawn, Susan lunged at her. Distracted by rage, Mina didn't even notice until Susan was too close to block.

Susan's entire body was flying through the air. She grabbed Mina's head and with her momentum, pushed it into the wall behind her. A dull thud and crack sounded, as Mina lifted her fists up into Susan's belly, flipping her up so that her back hit the wall above Mina's head.

Susan fell to the ground hard, letting out a whimper, though she didn't cry. Lifting herself up to her hands and knees, she didn't look at Mina. She gritted her teeth and said, "Was this what you wanted?

"We are both hurt. Not just our bodies, Mina! Our faith in each other. I only hope that you live, so that we can try to heal what has been broken here today."

The little girl looked up at Mina, who's eyes were wide open, but empty. There was blood flowing down the wall, obviously from the vampire's head. Susan shook her head and cried at the sight.

She walked over to the other side of the room and sat, crumpled against the wall.

After a few minutes, Mary came bursting into the room, "It's almost dawn, we must..." She stopped and looked at Susan, who had fallen asleep, and Mina, who had slid down the wall into a pile on the ground. There was a bloody trail left behind, clearly showing where her head had hit the wall.


0316: The Vampire's Daughter, Book Three

"Oh my God," is all that Mary could say. She was shocked on more levels than one. First, she had just found out that Sol was in Europe being protected by Gan while a rather large army stood outside waiting for him to leave. Second, at least at first glance, it seemed as though Mina and Susan had managed to kill each other.

She walked over to Mina and looked at her. She wasn't dead, but she was hurt very badly.

"She needs blood," Susan said quietly, as she moved to stand up.

"You're alive," Mary said, somewhat shocked.

"Yes," the little girl said, slowly limping over to Mina. "But I am hurt."

"Not as badly as Mina, it seems," Mary responded.

Susan took Mina's head and shoved her wrist into the vampire's mouth, cutting herself on the upper fangs. A small amount of blood trickled into Mina's mouth before Susan pulled her arm away.

"That will help, but she'll need lots more blood before she's better," Susan said, looking at Mary while applying pressure to the small cut on her arm.

"Well I'm not doing that," Mary shot back, before realizing that Susan wasn't suggesting she should. She was waiting for Mary to say something.

"I've found something out," Mary finally started.

"Sol is nearby," Susan said.

"Yes."

"He's in trouble."

"Yes."

"There are things happening with your kind that suggests we should leave."

"Yes. How do you know all of this, are you reading my mind?" Mary asked.

"No, I'm too tired to bother. A friend of mine told me what was going on and that we would need to leave soon," Susan said.

Pointing at Mina, Mary asked, "Did he tell you about this, too?"

"Yes, but I didn't want to do it. I didn't want it to be true."

Mary was taken aback and confused.

"So what do we do now?" the vampire asked.

"We leave," Susan said.

"Where to?"

Susan looked at Mary and marveled at how little she knew. Or at least how little she let herself know. This vampire had lived for years in the shadow of others not because she was necessarily held back, but because she couldn't lead. She had the skills, but not the will. She needed to be directed, even though she was often angered by that direction.

Both Thomas and Tobias had selected a perfect victim for their crimes; Thomas using her as a feeder and Tobias using her as one of his many loyal followers.

"China," Susan said softly.

"China?"

"Yes. That is where we'll find Mina's sire. That is where we must go. For her and for me."

"And your little friend told you that, too, I guess?"

"No. It is what I feel is right and it is what we'll do," Susan said firmly.

"And if I feel you're wrong?" Mary asked sarcastically.

"I'll simply make you do as I wish, but I don't want to do that. I want you do this because you want to do it."

There was a silence before Mary said, "We don't have time to get to China before dawn."

"You'll take her to the car and I'll follow. We'll stay in your house for now. Tomorrow you can find some blood for Mina to help her get better and plan our trip to China. We should go by boat."

"OK," Mary said, carefully picking Mina's rag doll body up and walking out to the car. "Why boat?"

"Because it takes longer," Susan said.

"Why is that important?"

"Soon, this will be a dangerous place for vampires. Being out of contact for a couple of weeks will be a good thing."

Mary didn't question that statement, though it bothered her greatly.

~End of Book III~




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