0340: The Vampire’s Daughter, Book Four

Mina brought the bodies to the roof and then the pair changed hotels.

“My sire has long forgotten the coastal cities,” Mina said, as they set up in the second hotel room. “There has always been a power struggle because of it. My sire doesn’t really care, though. It makes for interesting trips. Of course I haven’t been back in a very long time. This was little more than a fishing village filled with poor peasants the last time I visited.”

“You’ve been away that long?” Susan asked with genuine interest and surprise.

Mina chuckled, “Yes. I’m very old. Most from my time are dead or have gone to sleep.”

“Why haven’t you gone to sleep?”

“I’ve never wanted to. Like my sire, I’ve always wanted to see what is happening in the world, to be a part of what is going on. Those that sleep, they seem to lose interest. Time drags on for them.”

“Yeah, time gets boring sometimes. Like on the ship,” Susan added.

“Like on the ship. That was months, but I’ve lived for centuries. Your time here on Earth is but a blink of an eye to me. A generation can pass and it means little to me. I must adapt and change with the time, but it is just that. I am moving with time.” She looked away, thinking about her life. She felt somehow that it was going to end with this little girl. “Do you know when I’m going to die?” she asked.

Susan looked at her and then looked down. “Yes.”

“Do you know how?”

“Yes,” Susan answered with her head still down.

“Do I die protecting you?” Mina asked, looking away.

“No.”

“Do you kill me?”

There was no answer.

“Is it in self defense?”

Susan did not answer.

“Can I change that outcome?”

“You can always change the outcome. You have free will,” Susan said, coming over and hugging Mina.

Starting to cry, Mina said, “It was your choice to bring us here. Is this the path we must go down? Can’t I take you away? Can’t we go somewhere that no one will find us?”

“We could try,” Susan said, crying in sympathy.

The pair sat holding each other for a long time. Mina was stroking the child’s hair and singing gently in Chinese. Susan listened and rocked with Mina’s body. It was nice.

“They have found us again,” Mina said.

“I know. They always will,” Susan answered just as the door broke in.

Mina put Susan behind her, and watched as four vampires walked in to the room. A fifth vampire followed.

“You killed two of my best men,” he said. “You must be quite powerful.” He was small and looked as though he was made when he was very old.

Mina looked at him keenly and replied, “Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t care who you are. You are in my territory and you are not welcome. You’ve killed my children. It is now your time to die.”

“I have it on good authority that it isn’t,” Mina said.

“I think I’ll decide that.”

“I suggest you leave,” Susan said, stepping out from behind Mina.

“Oh, the child you protect. It is very sad when a vampire tries to relive the life before. It is gone. Forever gone.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mina said. She let out a sigh, “But if we must fight, let’s get it over with. I suggest that you and I do battle alone. If I win, your men leave. Unless you are afraid,” she challenged, assuming that he would have to take her challenge to save face.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “Not after what you did to my men.”

“Times have changed greatly since I was last in this city. It has grown from a poor fishing village to a haven for misfits.”

The vampire put his hand up as if to stop his men. “A fishing village? What is your name?”

“My name is Mina. If you are old enough, you would remember me as the Mountain Princess.”

There was a silence in the room that lasted several minutes. The vampire was clearly contemplating what to do next.

[The Vampire’s Daughter: An ongoing vampire story. Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010. All rights reserved.]