0326: The Vampire’s Daughter, Book Four

Night watched as Sabastian walked into Thomas' coven house. Listened as he spoke to her with his mind and told her to lead him to a quiet place. Silently, nervously, she did as she was told, the whole time wishing someone would see him other than her. She didn't understand. It made no sense. Why couldn't anyone see him? Was he real or just her imagination? Was it some strange power that she had never seen before? Was he projecting himself?

When they reached the roof, Sabastian said, “I am as real as you,” as he touched the still healing wound where he had pushed his hand through her abdomen.

“Why can no one see you?”

“Because I do not wish them to.”

“I don't understand,” she replied with a look close to terror. She had never seen anyone capable of this. She had never heard of anyone capable of this.

“You do not need to understand. You simply need to listen and do as I tell you.”

“Are you here to kill me?”

“You would be dead already if I were.”

“Are you here to kill Thomas?”

Sabastian looked at her closely. “I am here to acquire information.”

“For Elizabeth?”

“I could care less about my sire and I no longer wish to answer questions.”

Night went silent.

“I need you to arrange for Thomas to be completely alone in a safe location. I will not kill him, but I desire the opportunity to speak freely with him.”

“It will be difficult to arrange that,” Night replied with complete honesty. “Thomas does not go anywhere without attendants and guards. Elizabeth's uprising has him very frightened. That fear is driven not just from Elizabeth, but from the fact that she has you on her side.”

“He is wise to be afraid of Elizabeth and her Tribunal. She is a good leader, the constituents of her army respect her and they believe freedom is worth dying for. I believe she will defeat him.

“As for his fear of me, it is presently misguided. I have one purpose, and that is to acquire information.”

“Can I tell him you want to speak with him?”

“If you believe it is the only way to arrange such a meeting, but I would prefer no one know.”

Night looked around and chuckled under hear breath, “Trust me, I don't think he'll want anyone knowing either.”

“Then do as you must.”

“How will I tell you when I've set something up?”

“You will send a messenger to see me.”

“You want me to send a messenger to an adversary? How will that keep anything a secret?”

“I fully intend to kill the messenger.”

Night just stood silent for a moment, contemplating what she was being told. She knew the story of Sabastian and the little girl. She knew that she was lost. She also knew that Thomas would be of little help in finding her, but that Sabastian would be asking anyway. And it appeared that he cared only about finding the girl. “So I am to send a vampire to his death?”

“Unless you wish to come yourself.”

She looked at him in disbelief again. He knew exactly what he was asking, but it didn't matter to him. “I certainly don't want to go myself,” she eventually said, adding, “I'm certain that Elizabeth will not take kindly to my presence.”

“I would assume you are correct,” he said, turning to leave.

“Wait,” Night let out, grabbing his shoulder. She was shocked at how hard his body was, like stone. She knew from the feel that he moved only because he wanted to, not because of any force she applied.

Sabastian paused, then turned and looked at Night.

“You could have killed me, but you didn't. Why?”

“It was not your time Little Bee.”

“You could have killed Thomas, but you didn't. Why?”

“It was not his time.”

“Who is the arbiter of time?” Night asked. “How do you know when it is someone's time. The vampire you ask me to send, do you know who it will be?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know it will be their time to die?”

“It will be their time to die because I will decide it is their time to die.”

“Who gives you that power? That right?”

“You make the same choices for humans, why are you so surprised that I make such choices for vampires? Are your decisions on what human should die better than my decisions about what vampires should die? Are they grounded in any more certainty, any more righteousness? Has anyone or any being given you the power of judge, jury and executioner?”

After a long pause, Night tentatively answered, “No.”

“Then trust that my decisions come from the same authority that approves your decisions and worry yourself about it no more.” He walked away, leaving the coven house without being stopped or noticed.


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