Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
According to an official report, its mast snapped in two and the vessel almost sank. Experienced sailors managed to salvage what was left of the damaged mast and the repaired ship continued its journey. However, due to the delay, it became separated from the two other vessels.
Two days before, Felipe had requested a transfer from the Nina to the Santa Maria, and misfortune soon followed on Christmas Eve. The Santa Maria ran aground on a sandbar and then sank, just off the Caribbean island of Hispaniola – more evidence of sabotage.
Columbus was shocked to hear that the man he’d befriended had been accused of treachery.
A late evening trial enabled Sunaria and I to attend.
We sat at the back of the courtroom, hidden by the crowd that clamored for a good view.
Dumbstruck, Felipe had no idea who’d framed him.
The journey halfway across the world had aged him and he’d lost weight.
New worry lines were evident on his weathered face, and the old ones were more defined.
Vicente Yanez Pinzón testified that Felipe had joined them at the last minute, insisting that he represented the king.
Although Pinzón had initially felt suspicion, the royal warrant given to him by Felipe was stamped with the official crest of His Majesty, and King Ferdinand had personally signed it.
The document, which I had meticulously forged, was now presented by Pinzón to the court.
During the voyage, Felipe had requested he leave the Nina and join Columbus on the Santa Maria. Felipe had claimed that he had important information for Columbus and the transfer had been permitted by Vicente Pinzón.
Felipe boarded the Santa Maria a mile from Haiti, or as Columbus preferred, Hispaniola.
Soon after, the Nina’s mast snapped, causing no real issue for the ship, other than a rattled crew.
Suspicions arose, but the journey took precedence, and with no time for an investigation, the expedition continued.
Despite Felipe’s protestation of innocence and his previous alliance with the king, the court case was not dismissed as more evidence came to light.
Firstly, the letter addressed to the king was examined and confirmed to be written in Felipe’s handwriting.
Next, the knife found on him was the size of the very one used to saw through the mast of the Nina.
The king’s investigators had discovered Felipe’s secret room, tipped off by a local source.
Other papers were discovered. More condemning still was evidence that Felipe had practiced the king’s signature and had in his possession a forged royal stamp, which was undeniable proof of treason.
Felipe’s once tanned complexion now paled as the judge proclaimed that the evidence had decided his fate.
It was done.
After all the pain he’d dealt to others, this ending seemed too gentle, clean and quiet. He hadn’t earned such mercy.
In a blind fury, I returned to our refuge. Back in the living room of the French-styled home, I stared out of the window. Melancholy, my new acquaintance, was brought on by my inability to find any kind of relief in Felipe’s undoing.
My thoughts had been so consumed with revenge that I’d given little thought to our future, and I’d avoided the real challenges ahead.
I considered that my altered emotions resulted from my transformation.
My capacity to love had not changed, for I felt the same affection for my son as I always had.
I’d also developed a deep attachment for Sunaria, but this ability to murder and feel less guilt than before surprised me.
I was even afraid of myself, or should I say feared what I could become.
Felipe had led me here. These were the consequences that followed that night in the bullring, my last night of innocence.
I hoped that Sunaria would remain by my side and together we’d face the future, the ultimate unknown.
Sunaria allowed me the illusion of control.
Looking out at the grey landscape, I wondered if I’d ever accept not seeing a sunrise again. Until now, I’d never given much thought to the profoundness of daylight, the colors that only a sun could sustain, exquisite hues now lost to me.
“Carpe Noctum.” Sunaria’s voice came from the corridor.
I turned. “Seize the night?”
She lingered by the door. “You may lose the day but gain so much in return.”
“Like?”
“Always looking young.”
I laughed bitterly.
“I don’t like seeing you like this.” She wrapped her arms around me.
“Why don’t I feel some kind of vindication?”
“Because you need answers.”
“It’s incredible that Felipe fell for our ruse.”
“He believed what he wanted to.”
After a long sigh, I asked, “How do I move on?”
“You prevent the inner demons from consuming you.”
“My demon is lying in a prison.”
I spun round and she took my hand. With my heart in my throat, I followed her, ascending the stairs. We headed for the rear bedroom and, sensing something was off, I kept glancing at her expression.
I had an uneasy feeling as I turned the corner and entered the room.
Felipe was crouched low, unshaven and bedraggled, his once white shirt now crumpled and filthy. He was chained to the fireplace.
I stared at Sunaria. “He was to be hanged tomorrow!”
He seemed an unlikely enemy, and yet this man had decimated my world.
Felipe tried to focus, squinting up at me. “Impossible. They…buried you.” Felipe’s voice was flooded with fear.
I almost smiled at his reaction. “Most unpleasant.”
Felipe began to tremble. “You couldn’t have survived.”
I moved closer to him. “How was your trip?”
“You framed me.” He yanked at the metal cuff and pointed to Sunaria. “I should have known you’d have something to do with this.”
“She makes a fine gentleman, don’t you think?” I scowled. “Consider this your confession.”
“Where’s my son?” he asked, his voice shaking. “I’ve lost everything because of you.”
I folded my arms. “Whose idea was it to kill my brother? It was yours, wasn’t it?”
He refused to answer, staring at Sunaria and then at me. “Witchcraft?”
I shook my head.
He grimaced. “My men buried you.”
“I’m resilient.”
“No, you’re something demonic.”
“Time to take responsibility for what you created.”
“Unchain me.”
I trespassed into his thoughts. “Start talking.”
“Not until—”
“Talk!”
He flinched. “Ricardo caused a rift between Roelle and his father.”
“Go on.”
“Not until you promise to let me go.”
“I promise to wrap that chain around your neck.”
“Senor Bastillion wanted to adopt your brother, give him what belonged to Roelle.”
“Was the bull your idea?”
Felipe’s smile was defiant.
“You named your son Ricardo, why?” I asked.
“Ricardo was a brilliant bullfighter, the best.”
“And yet you murdered him.”
“So you say.”
My fists tightened.
“Your brother stood to inherit money from the Bastillion legacy,” he said.
“He threatened Roelle’s birthright. His father favored Ricardo, he saw his potential.
Your brother reminded Senor Bastillion of the old days when he’d once been crowned as Spain’s greatest bullfighter.
Roelle paled in comparison to Ricardo’s talents. ”
“What did that have to do with you?”
“Roelle promised to fund my political career.”
Felipe glanced at Sunaria and then back at me.
My stare forced him to look away. “And Aaron?”
“Aaron was misguided.”
“You sent him to kill me?”
Felipe tugged, trying to pull his wrist out of the metal cuff.
“And Roelle?” I asked.
“Roelle wanted to keep you quiet.”
“Then why didn’t he kill me?”
He turned to look out of the window. I could smell his fear.
I followed his gaze. “I imagine they’re searching for you, yes?”
He shrugged.
I tried to subdue my hatred, fearful that I’d kill him too soon.
He yanked at the shackle.
“Have your political achievements been worth it?” I asked.
“And what do you have to show for your life? A mere horse breeder?”
“Ask me in a millennium.”
His eyes widened and I thought I read his expression.
I smiled. “Yes, I am.”
He stared at Sunaria then back at me. “Vampires.”
“And capable of more love than you can imagine,” I said wistfully.
“A weak emotion.”
“You love your son.”
“He has yet to earn it.”
I glanced at Sunaria. “And I’m called cold-blooded.”
“Your soul is damned,” he spat out.
“Just like yours.”
“You’re not going to kill me.” Felipe leaned back against the fireplace.
I tilted my head and felt a sense of calm.
He read my expression and cowered. “I’m Ricardo’s father.”
“Not anymore.”
“Is it money you want?”
“I remember everything about that night before the bullfight.”
He looked horrified.
Sunaria approached Felipe. “Perhaps we can offer you something else.” Her fingers traced his unshaven face and then moved lower and hovered at his neck, lingering there.
“Make me into what you are?” His eyes were full of terror.
Sunaria gazed coquettishly at him. I stepped forward, but her hand shot up and she gestured I was to stay put, and then she turned to face him again.
Felipe had caught our interaction.
Rip out his throat.
With a pointed fingernail, Sunaria stabbed Felipe’s neck, striking an artery. He flinched as the warm blood snaked its way down, and he stared aghast at his shirt, which was fast turning red. He got to his knees, pressing against the hemorrhage, though blood seeped beneath his trembling hand.
Sunaria dipped a finger into the flow and sucked on the tip, causing Felipe to whimper.
She stepped back and gestured for me to approach. Ready for the truth, I leaned in and followed the scarlet trail to its source, biting hard, cringing at Felipe’s wails. He thrashed, but I held him still.
Raping his mind, I trespassed into his streaming thoughts, and a dreamy haze unfolded back over time.
With the coursing of his life source came the images of faces, conversations, and decisions, an argument: Roelle and Felipe discussing my brother, silent words flowed and delivered a torrent of truths.
Felipe had decided Ricardo’s fate, and then he’d persuaded the others to join him.
For my brother, I kill you, for Annabelle, Eduardo, for Miguel, for what you did to Salvador. My sister’s pain…for desecrating my life.
Felipe’s jaw went slack.
Sunaria tugged at my shirt, but I ignored her and continued to drink. For every life you’ve destroyed.
Again she yanked at my sleeve.
I pulled away. “What?”
Sunaria shoved me aside and bit into her wrist, then thrust it firmly against Felipe’s mouth.
“No!” I shouted in disbelief.
She crushed his lips with her wrist and Felipe’s mouth gaped as he tried to catch his breath and find air, and in a daze his tongue lapped at the bloody slash on her arm.
Sunaria tilted her head and smiled at me.
Felipe sucked loudly, enjoying the drink, seemingly aware that salvation came with this very act. Pulling on his restraints, he thirsted for more, mouth wide open, gorging on her.
Filled with jealousy, I wanted to rip out his heart.
What are you doing?
Felipe convulsed, fighting the impossible, a violent transformation as his age softened and he writhed in ecstasy.
I wondered if the expression on his face had been similar to mine upon my turning.
Felipe reached the height of pleasure, moaning loudly, and then lay still, panting, with that tell-tale wet patch at his groin.
Fear tore a yell from him so primal that I backed away. Hating this moment, I tried to find the words to tell Sunaria that she’d made a mistake.
She came closer and whispered, “Then you admit that this gift is only for the worthy?”
I held her dark gaze for the longest time until she got the answer she wanted.
Felipe was studying us with a mad expression. “I feel strange,” he murmured.
Sunaria assisted him to his feet. “It’ll pass,” she said, her tone comforting.
He glanced at her half in terror, half in awe, and Sunaria guided him toward the window.
“Look,” she pointed outside, “see how perfect the world is now.”
Felipe’s eyes bulged and his thin lips slid into a smile. Silhouetted at the window stood my lover and her new fledgling.
My jealousy was so fierce that it burned me up from the inside, and, as though hearing my inner screams, Sunaria’s attention turned to me, her stare so shocking that it silenced them.
But something about the way her mouth curled and then pouted and the glint in her eye as she arched a brow, in those gestures she gave me her permission.
I let out a long sigh.
Felipe examined his hands, fascinated with their appearance. “I am immortal.”
“That’s the good news.” I bolted forward and shoved him.
Felipe tumbled out through the window.
We both leaned over the sill and peered down to see Felipe clambering to his feet, seemingly impressed with himself that he’d survived the fall. He stared back up at us with a crooked smile.
Sunaria pulled the curtain closed and we leaped back.
Silence followed, as those perfect seconds dissolved and the air stilled with nature poised ready, just moments before the arrival of daybreak.
Felipe’s wails carried up to us.
“And that is the bad news,” I said.