0323: The Vampire’s Daughter, Book Four

“You have been keeping secrets from me?” Gan asked, mocking shock.

“Yes. As you have from me,” she said calmly. “Although you must be aware I know of your affairs through the years.”

“I had hoped you didn't, but I knew that was likely wishful thinking.”

“The executioner didn't cut your head off because it was I behind the mask. It was also my doing that brought your Grim and the remainder of your assassins to save you.”

“My God,” Gan said in true shock, “I never knew.”

“No one did. Not even my father. I killed the true executioner and took his place. Contacting your men was easy, too, I barely had to look. I knew your comings and goings. I knew where you went and when. Of course they were very happy to receive my directives. In fact, they had been planning an attack already. It likely would have failed.”

“Thank you my love,” Gan said, taking her hand and kissing it. He paused with his lips touching her hand for longer than one might expect.

Meredeth put her hand on the back of his head, stroked his hair, and said, “I couldn't let my love die.”

“But what of your father?” Sol asked.

“My father,” Meredeth said and then stopped talking for a moment, instead looking deeply into Sol's eyes. “What do you know of my father?”

“Nothing.”

“My father and I fought constantly. He said he believed in the Lord and was doing his work as handed down by the prophecies, but he clearly didn't believe. Or at least he had lost what faith he once had. Our largest fights were over Gan. When I made him he nearly killed both of us. I'm not sure what stopped him.

“When he found out about Gan killing our kind, he accused me, rightly so, of helping him. I denied it, as Gan and I had agreed.”

“I denied that you had any involvement, as well,” Gan interjected.

“I know you did and you likely saved my life, or perhaps my father's life—I'm not sure,” Meredeth said to him. “Since that day I have carried a heavy burden on my soul knowing that you risked your own life for me when I was too scared to risk my own.”

“But I find that you did,” Gan said, touching her face.

“Not nearly to the degree as you. You put your head on a chopping block for me. I hid behind a mask after having hid behind you.”

“After your rescue, my father again accused me. He hadn't seen me at the execution, for good reason as you now know, and assumed I led the assault. I, of course, told him that I couldn't bare to see my only child killed and had chosen not to attend.

“After that day, our relationship was never the same. For political reasons he could not easily dispose of me without absolute proof of guilt. For personal reasons, I don't believe he had the strength to kill me. But we rarely spoke after that. I eventually moved to a different land, building strength but never threatening my father.”

“And your father chose to make good use of my services,” Gan said.

“Yes, he did,” Meredeth replied quickly. “I believe he realized how valuable your role was. And having you out in the open was even more valuable. You were a threat to anyone, so long as he treated you well.”

“The money was good,” Gan said.

“He never wanted to let you out of his grasp because he believed you might be the one he was waiting for.”

“The one you believe I am?” Sol asked in shock.

“No,” Meredeth said, putting a hand on Sol's knee. “I believe you are the messenger. The one that is here to tell our kind about the one yet to come. That was what was missing from Gan. There was no messenger. But my father didn't want to take the risk of being wrong, so he kept Gan as close as he could.”


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