18. The Final Bloodlines
THE FINAL BLOODLINES
R yder’s eyes slid down to Grayson’s beautiful face, which was illuminated by the silvery-white street lamps. The young man was determinedly looking at the parade route and not at him or even Demos. Was the young man angry, hurt or perhaps afraid of the Weryn now?
Who would blame him?
The bruises on Grayson’s throat and wrist were dark and painful looking. They were like a chain around those delicate parts. The soft skin bloomed with purples, blues and blacks. Unlike a Vampire’s wounds, a human’s could not be cured with just a sip of blood. Grayson would touch his bruises and wince a little, but he was smiling and seemingly alert to everything going on. Not alert as in alarmed, but alert as in interested and excited.
“Grayson, I am truly sorry for Lawson’s actions,” Ryder said again, knowing that words could never be enough to erase what had happened even though the young man had handled himself very well.
Grayson had given far more than he’d gotten, and, the truth was, Ryder wondered who exactly they had been saving when they charged over to Grayson and Lawson. Yet the guilt still burned him. Grayson hadn’t known he needed to protect himself against Lawson. Ryder had . But he hadn’t warned Grayson. He hadn’t insisted on being by his side. King Daemon had practically given him a neon warning sign and he’d just… ignored it.
No, I underestimated how low Lawson would go. I thought that Lawson might only take advantage of an opening where they were left alone together. Not that he would seek Grayson out. My mistake...
Grayson looked over at him, but then quickly went back to staring at the parade route. He was flushed. Ryder thought that was better than pale. But perhaps it was because he was feeling ill. Ryder wanted to fix this. How could he fix this? Why had he ever left Grayson alone? Even for one moment?
“You’re not responsible for him,” Grayson said. “I’m more worried about what he’s going to do to you two.”
“Us?” Demos’ eyebrows lifted. “You’re worried about us ?”
“I saw how he was with you and Ryder earlier,” Grayson answered, lips flattening into a thin line.
Ryder tried to remember if Lawson had been anything different than he ever was when he was upset. Not really. Ryder’s concern had been Grayson. But Grayson’s concern had been him. Them.
“Aye, he’s a bit much right now, in general, because of the situation,” Demos said evenly. “He feels control slipping from him.”
“You’re downplaying it. He’s a bully. A creep. The type that has a short fuse and is just waiting to explode onto people near him. Shrapnel everywhere,” Grayson answered, summing up Lawson so quickly and clearly that Ryder felt foolish.
Demos met Ryder’s eyes then and there was a touch of “I told you so” in them. No one else would say anything against Lawson in their Bloodline, let alone their House. And he normally didn’t care what other Vampires thought, not that they ever spoke to him about his Master. But here was Grayson laying bare what he and Demos had not even said to one another.
“You sound like you have some experience with people like that,” Ryder said, eyes shadowed.
“On the street you learn to put people into boxes to keep yourself safe. We like to think we’re different, singular, and stuff, but there are types,” Grayson said with a shrug. “Even if you’re wrong, and someone isn’t the bad thing you think, it’s safer to make that kind of the mistake than the other.”
On the street… Ryder found himself grinding his teeth.
Grayson was beautiful, and though he was so tough, there was a vulnerability to him. Something about those wounded eyes that said he had once known life as sweet and still held onto that. He hadn’t become hard and all sharp edges. In a way, his gift might have spared him that, because he could defend himself where others couldn’t.
“Lawson is a type, huh?” Demos asked lightly. “Yeah, he is at that.”
“Is Lawson your Master, too, Demos?” Grayson asked, not looking at Demos either.
Could he not bear to look upon them? Ryder felt the urge to vomit paired with the desire to go after Lawson and pummel him into next week.
“I think of him as the one who turned me, not my Master,” Demos said.
Grayson blanched as he glanced at Demos. “Oh, God. I’m sorry I didn’t think when I said--”
“You’re thinking as a Black man calling anyone ‘my master’ is offensive no matter what the context?” Demos guessed with a thin smile. “There’s something to that. But no, that’s not why I don’t think of Lawson specifically that way.”
Grayson’s shoulders relaxed though he looked contrite. “I’m sorry. I should have thought before I said anything.”
“No, little one, you’re just fine. I don’t offend easily especially when no offense is meant,” Demos explained. “I don’t think of Lawson as my ‘Master’ because he has never mastered himself and he certainly could never master me. You’re right about your typing of him though.”
“No one could master you, Demos,” Ryder grunted.
“Indeed not. And it looks like Lawson couldn’t master Grayson either. That was quite the Jedi mind-trick you pulled with him, having him strangle himself, little one,” Demos pointed out with evident amusement and a touch of dark enjoyment. Though Ryder knew by the way that Demos, too, kept checking out those bruises that he was concerned about Grayson as well.
Why did I leave him alone?
“I had an opportunity to let him think he’d won.” Grayson’s expression darkened. “But I wasn’t sure it was wise. Someone like that doesn’t stop because he thinks you’re weak. That might just inspire him.”
Again, Ryder felt a sickness inside of him at how Grayson understood his Master far more than Ryder had. King Daemon had seen it all too. Maybe it hadn’t taken an Immortal to figure out that Lawson was bad news. Maybe it just took someone with eyes to see.
At that moment, two of the Weryn Acolytes appeared with clothing for him and Demos. One handed Ryder leather pants, boots and a white, ribbed long-sleeved t-shirt while the other gave similar styled clothing to Demos, though he wore no shirt, just a long fur-lined leather coat.
“Pants. Finally,” Grayson breathed.
“That’s why you won’t look at us?” Ryder could not hide his relief.
Grayson flushed hotly. “You--you both must get used to being naked all the time.”
“It’s a hazard of being a Weryn Vampire. It’s Hell on clothes, too,” Demos said as he stroked his favorite jacket. The thing was that this was the fifth version of his favorite jacket that had gotten shredded in shifts over the years.
After Ryder had pulled on the pants and was sliding the shirt over his head, Grayson asked, “Why did you think I wasn’t looking at you?”
“Can you not guess, little one? From the guilt on his face, he fears you see us all as Lawson,” Demos answered as he shrugged on the long leather coat.
“What?! No, he’s not like you. Nothing like you.” Grayson’s eyes lingered on Ryder’s long legs before he was yanking his gaze back to the parade.
“I’m glad you don’t think so,” Ryder answered softly.
“Not just me. Eiji and Mairead knew you weren't either. That’s why they went and got you,” Grayson said, and there was this flash of almost bashful pride as he glanced down the line of people at those two other humans.
Mairead waved back and then said, “Aww! Eiji-sama, they put their pants on.”
“Young people.” Eiji just shook his head with amusement.
The old man had gone up to Ryder without any fear. More than that, he had spoken with the voice of command to let him know Grayson was in trouble and needed his assistance immediately. Ryder wondered what Eiji had done before deciding to become a Vampire. Whatever it was, he had Ryder’s respect. It had stopped any delay in them reaching Grayson.
“A woman saw me with Lawson. An Ashyr Vampire. I think she knew what I was doing to him,” Grayson said, frowning slightly.
“Which one?” Ryder asked, his gaze swinging out towards the crowd again.
They were all keeping their voices low. Eiji and Mairead were standing next to him, but the crowd was loud as they were excited for the next Bloodline and he doubted that human ears could hear them. He wasn’t sure how much they had seen themselves. They either had seen nothing or were just pretending they hadn’t.
“It’s the one keeping Balthazar suspended up there.” Grayson tipped his head towards the floating Eyros Vampire.
Ryder caught sight of the Ashyr Vampire near the other side of the fountain. She had long black, curling hair that fell to her mid-back. Huge, kohl-rimmed silver eyes were set in a golden-skinned face. He thought she might be Arabic. Those eyes were fixed on Grayson and only flickered to his for a moment. He felt a cold ball of dread form in his stomach.
“She knows,” Ryder stated. “She knows you did something at least.”
Did she think that Grayson was Ashyr reborn? The fact that Grayson had been greeted by several Immortals as if he were an old friend was already causing talk. The fact that he had single-handedly taken care of Lawson would as well. Those who hadn’t seen what Grayson had done would outwardly wonder. This Ashyr Vampire would know. She might think her Immortal had returned.
What if she’s right? What if Grayson is Ashyr reborn?
Ryder had given one reason to Demos why he didn’t want Grayson to be Ashyr, but the other reason was that he would lose Grayson’s company. The Ashyr would protect their Immortal. And considering that Lawson had already attacked Grayson… Well, he doubted he’d be allowed anywhere near the young man.
“At least, she’s too tied up with Balthazar to come over here and demand to know how a human can do what only her Bloodline can,” Demos muttered. His Blood Brother didn’t look all that happy at the idea of the Ashyr Vampires knowing about Grayson either.
“I don’t regret it,” Grayson said, tipping his chin up. “If the Ashyr have a problem with me being telekinetic without being part of their Bloodline so be it.”
Ryder met Demos’ eyes again. The young man had no idea that his ability might mark him as the founder of that Bloodline.
“Grayson, we might need to talk about that,” Ryder began.
But then there were screams from the far end of the road. People’s heads craned that way to see what was coming, but though there were more cries, most couldn’t see what the problem was until there were roars and snarls and howls!
“What’s going on?” Grayson asked and Ryder could almost feel the hum of the young man’s power in the air.
“Not sure.” Ryder positioned himself between Grayson and this unseen danger. Demos joined him.
Two werewolves--they could be nothing else--stood on their hind legs, looking like a cross between man and wolf. They stood over seven feet tall. They were covered in gray fur, except for their considerable sexual organs that looked partially engorged. They lifted their snouts to the moons and let out howls of delight.
“Tarn and Farun!” Demos laughed. “Looks like this is part of the show.”
Demos clapped Ryder’s shoulder and snorted.
“Tarn and Farun? Are they Weryn?” Grayson asked.
He’d somehow managed to wiggle between Ryder and Demos and was staring wide-eyed at the werewolves.
“No, they’re creations of the Kaly. These two are Caemorn’s… pets? Friends? Who knows with that Immortal,” Ryder explained with a slight moue of distast.
“I thought the Kaly Bloodline controlled the dead,” Grayson pointed out.
“They can do a lot more than that, little one,” Demos answered. “Yet I don’t think the Kaly Bloodline is next. I think… ah, yes, I should have guessed.”
Tarn and Farun were not alone. They were herding creatures ahead of them.
“Monsters!” Grayson cried.
Dozens of Night Hags were harried ahead of the werewolves. They looked like elderly women swathed in ancient tattered robes, but they were deadly predators that could spring over twenty feet and take down prey many times their size. Night Hags, unlike the other monsters in the Ever Dark, were attracted to life so they surged ahead eagerly towards all of the humans, eager to feast on their flesh and organs, leaving only picked bones in their wake.
There were creatures resembling weeping willow trees only they walked and their branches were sharp as spears and dipped in blood. They sank those branches through their prey, pinning them to the ground and sucked them dry. They called them Weepers not only because of the types of tree they resembled, but also because they let out cries that sounded like the wailing of women and men.
Then there were the Rabid Hounds. They reminded Ryder of the dogs in a video game called Resident Evil where the skin was all peeled off and only raw muscle, slick with slime or blood or something, glistened on their bodies. They had no lips so their massive jaws and razor sharp teeth were clearly visible.
“Are you sure this is part of the parade?” Grayson shrank against Ryder’s side.
Ryder was surprised at the burst of pleasure that brought him. He slid an arm around Grayson’s back.
“Yes… I am pretty sure,” Ryder said with a glance at Demos who shrugged his shoulders as if to say he was keeping an open mind.
The creatures started to advance upon them. Hunger and actual evil seemed to radiate from them. The crowd reared back. Alarmed cries rang out. But then figures in elegant black emerged from the darkness behind the creatures. They crossed their arms and bowed their heads towards Balthazar before turning their gazes upon the slathering horde.
Which stopped.
In their tracks.
“What’s happening here?” Grayson asked.
They barely seemed to breathe. The eyes that had been illuminated by hunger and malevolence were now blank. They stared ahead but did not see. Their gaping mouths shut. Those that had arms had those arms hanging loose at their sides. The clacking of fangs ceased. The crowd crept back along the edge of the parade route to get a closer look.
Now, you know from experiencing my voice in your mind that the Eyros Bloodline has the power to speak telepathically. We can know your thoughts. Your deepest secrets can be laid bare for us, Balthazar sounded smug, but he had earned it from this display. But there is another side of our power, which is that of control!
Balthazar gestured for the creatures to be marched forward. And they marched. They were controlled. They looked neither right nor left. They moved in unison to the Eyros Vampire who had hold of their minds. A girl with short black hair, black lipstick, and silver eyes controlled the nearest Night Hag. The hag started to wrestle for control, blinking and snarling confusedly. The scent of her prey so near was causing her to yearn.
She lunged for a nearby male student that sank to his haunches in fear. But the girl lifted her chin and the hag jerked backwards. The girl made a circular movement with her right hand and the hag danced a jig. There was shocked laughter and awe. But there was also a touch of something else.
Was it fear?
Ryder glanced towards Grayson. The young man’s eyes were huge. He stared at this display with a mixture of awe and shock.
“The other powers were really cool, but this…” Grayson stopped and swallowed. “It’s different, isn’t it?”
It was.
“The Eyros’ power makes them seem… more alien from humans than the rest of us,” Ryder admitted.
“They’re power is more personal. More what a human would fear from a Vampire,” Demos said with a grunt. “You see that Night Hag twirling and you know that’s not her nature. So if they can do that to her, what can the Eyros do to you?”
Grayson slowly nodded.
Mairead jumped up and down, clapping her hands excitedly, as if she were seeing her favorite sports team in action. The other students were not as outwardly enthusiastic, but there were many speculative glances at the Eyros Vampires as they calmly walked by with their monstrous charges. How many of the students now wished to become an Eyros?
“This parade wasn’t stupid,” Demos grunted as he looked at the back of Tarn and Farun frolicking amongst the Eyros and the creatures.
“No, it wasn’t,” Ryder agreed, and felt a fool for the second time that night.
The parade had allowed the Bloodlines to show off, to engender interest. Perhaps someone had come wanting to be a Wyvern in order to travel the globe with a thought, but maybe after seeing the Horys’ control of nature they would rather have the ability to strike their enemies down with lightning or cause the earth to shake with thunder. How many had written off the Mirryr only to see that the ability to become anyone at any time, to shift to fit one’s environment, to be whatever and whoever was on top, was damned powerful? And who had seen the ability of the Weryn to become truly one with nature and wanted that as well?
“That was brilliant! Wasn’t it, Eiji-sama?” Mairead breathed, one hand over her heart.
“Indeed. There are only two Bloodlines left. I thought that Lord Ravenscroft would put his own Bloodline last, but evidently not,” Eiji murmured.
“Oh! Oh! Look! There’s someone there!” Mairead pointed down from where the werewolves had appeared.
A single man, dressed in a long crimson coat that hung to his knees stood in the center of the road. His head was lowered so they could only see his fine, white hair. His legs were spread shoulder’s length apart and he had a black walking stick that he had sunk the tip of into the road before him.
Caemorn, Ryder realized, recognizing Lord Caemorn Losus, the Immortal Kaly.
What appeared to be thick white mist surged between Caemorn’s legs and started to flow over the stones towards them. It was so thick and overwhelming that Ryder lost sight of him.
Then the mist looked at Ryder.
Ryder reared back in shock as a ghostly face stared into his own.
“This isn’t mist!” Ryder growled.
“It’s spirits!” Grayson sounded strangled.
Ryder thrust Grayson behind him, keeping their bodies touching as the spirits swirled among them. Aching cold seemed to seep into Ryder’s bones as the spirits caressed his skin. Grayson let out a gasp and Ryder wrapped his arms around the young man. Grayson thrust his face against Ryder’s chest and breathed hard.
“It is all right,” Ryder said as he stroked Grayson’s back, trying to soothe both of them.
“I can feel them,” Grayson said against his shirt. “I can feel them!”
Ryder wished he had a coat to cover Grayson in and keep him from the wispy fingers of the spirits. He looked over at his Blood Brother. Perhaps Demos would give up his coat.
Demos stood very still as a female spirit with a haggard face tried to speak to him, but no words came. That she was suffering was clear. Demos swallowed hard, but averted his eyes from her. The request for his coat died in Ryder’s throat.
“God, I think that was my gram!” Mairead choked out.
“Do not worry. The Kaly would not bring the spirits of people we know,” Eiji cautioned. The Japanese man’s expression though was hard.
Suddenly, there were glowing lights just above head high from where the single figure in red had stood. The spirits were suddenly being drawn away from them. The mist retreated, being sucked into the glowing lights. As the spirits disappeared, Ryder realized what was happening. The lights were soul gems held in Kaly Vampire hands. The spirits were being imprisoned within them.
When all the spirits were gone, Caemorn no longer stood alone, but was surrounded by a dozen Kaly Vampires. All of them, no matter what race, all took on the white hair and solemn aspect of that Bloodline. They slowly lowered their glittering soul gems, now filled with spirits, to their sides.
But they were not done yet. The show continued.
There was a clacking sound as a hundred skeletons, not just human, but some recognizable animals like bear or wolves or deer, but others clearly of the Ever Dark variety, marched out of the graveyard that was the Kaly Palace’s front yard. This skeletal army followed the Kaly Vampires who sauntered ahead of them with Caemorn in their lead.
The only sound other than the clicking of bones was that of Caemorn’s walking stick hitting the stones. The crowd was silent. People looked on with huge eyes and pale faces. Some covered their mouths with their hands as if to hold a scream in as the Kaly Vampires swept by in their stately procession.
Truly the Kaly need no introduction nor does their Immortal, my good friend and co-headmaster of the academy, Lord Caemorn Losus! Balthazar flung his right hand towards the Kaly Vampires.
There was a scattering of applause that died out as the Kaly simply walked by without looking at anyone. Only Caemorn deviated from the procession when he, like Balthazar, was suddenly lifted off of the road and was levitated alongside his co-headmaster. Balthazar patted his arm, which Caemorn seemed to tolerate. He did give Balthazar a thin smile. And he did pet the cat on Balthazar’s shoulder under the chin.
The Kaly! Are they not magnificent? Are they not terrifying? Balthazar asked, which had people jerking as if they felt the sting of judgment against them for judging the Kaly. And you haven’t seen anything yet!
“Why does that sound like a threat?” Demos muttered.
Grayson withdrew his head from Ryder’s chest though he didn’t make a move to exit Ryder’s arms. He looked pale and a little shaky, but he was intent on watching the rest of the show.
For those of you counting, we have one more Bloodline to go. Balthazar again rubbed his hands together. Ah, you might be asking what about King Daemon’s? But that is a Bloodline available just for two. No! The last Bloodline, but hardly the least is… Seeyr!
Once more that right hand shot out and at the end of the road was the Immortal Seeyr with her bandaged eyes. A child-looking Vampire stood beside her with blonde pigtails and a wide smile. There were only half a dozen Seeyr Vampires in existence. They all wore creamy white and smiled gently at those that they passed.
There was no fanfare. There was no magic show. They simply walked and smiled. Ryder saw that each Seeyr Vampire, including the Immortal herself, carried a dozen or so white envelopes. They stopped walking at the base of the fountain and turned to face the crowd.
“Bit anticlimactic if you ask me,” Mairead muttered.
“They tell the future. What could they do for a trick? Read our fortunes?” Eiji asked.
For those of you wondering what the Seeyr can do, they have the gift--and burden--of knowing the future, Balthazar explained. Do you notice the envelopes they are carrying?
The little child Vampire held up hers so that all could see.
There is one envelope--sealed!--and addressed for each of you, Balthazar said. Inside it are the answers to what you most want to know. Will you be a Vampire? Who will be your Master? And what Bloodline will be yours?
The students, excepting Grayson who stayed put in his arms, surged forward towards the Seeyr, wanting to get their hands on the envelopes. Lightning bolts struck the ground between the students and the Seeyr. The crowd scattered. Grayson’s hands tightened on Ryder’s shirt, but he looked more bemused than scared.
Now, now, we can’t make it that easy for you! Balthazar laughed. As you know this is a school, and along with classes, there will be tests. If you fail these tests your chance of joining a Bloodline may be over… unless! Unless you are able to steal your envelope from one of the Vampires who will hold it! Or… if you get it early, you can just skip to the end.
The crowd gasped. The students looked avidly at the envelopes. Grayson shook his head.
“Oh, man, this isn’t good,” Grayson muttered. “This is going to cause some people to act crazy.”
“I think that may be the point,” Ryder muttered as he strove not to sniff Grayson’s hair or nuzzle his wounded throat.
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Grayson sighed.
But I’m sure that all of you will succeed! Balthazar grinned. We chose you all very carefully. So welcome to Ever Dark Academy! Welcome to the World of Vampires!
Story Continues in Book 2!