Immortal Past II: Future Mortality

Part 3/?

By Christine Hantzopulos

Find earlier parts on my site, www.geocities.com/erika1228

Comments/criticisms welcome! Erika1228@yahoo.com

The blond vampire stood hidden in the shadows, carefully observing his sire's guests as they boarded the private airplane that would take them away from this remote place, back to wherever they had come from. To the outside world. To civilization.

How he envied them! With a yearning that pierced his barely perceptively beating heart, that wrenched at the remnants of his humanity, he wished he could steal away with them. But Stavros would not allow it. And these two vampires, who together could easily overpower him, were far weaker than his sire, and would surely turn him over to Stavros out of their fear of the Elder, and their respect for him. No, this wouldn't work. If he were to be part of this world now, he would have to adhere to the Code.

"Wish you could follow them?"

He looked up at the young man who had interrupted his thoughts. He had never trusted Dimitri much. For a human, the young man had the palest white skin he had ever seen, framed by long blond hair that curled to his shoulders. His connection with Stavros remained a mystery, just as much as his presence amongst these vampire elite. He was sure the boy was privy to more information than he let on, and that in itself made it hard to trust him.

"I don't even know them," he replied dully.

"You certainly couldn't stop looking at the woman. Not that I blame you. She was pretty hot."

He shook his head. "What are you, like fifteen? She's probably a few centuries older than you." He was silent for a moment, then said quietly, "I...feel like I've seen her before."

"Really. Hm." The boy raised his eyebrows in surprise, then was silent, as if trying to fit this bit of information into some puzzle he'd been attempting to solve.

But the vampire had no patience for guessing games. He turned back towards the house, heedless of the boy's calls to wait, and not particularly caring if he followed him or not.

Stavros looked up as his latest progeny entered the drawing room, dreading the latest installment of what had become literally a part of their daily routine. The new vampire's impatience was palpable. Even as they proceded with his training each day, Stavros could feel it through their bond of blood. So intense had become his desire to leave the isolation of Stavros’ private island, that he was finding it difficult to concentrate on their ‘lessons’. Stavros had warned him that this would only delay his reintroduction into the world, but even that could not deter his confidence in his ability to rejoin civilization.

In truth, he probably could function beyond these shores with relative control. He was not a young, reckless man; nor was he filled with the inherent evil that sent some fledgling vampires on a destructive path. But the reasons why Stavros had kept him back were more complex than he could ever reveal. With each passing day, even as the vampire grew more intolerant of the constant delays, the situation spiraled further out of control.

“Stavros. I must speak to you.” His expression was dark despite the pallor of his skin. He had practiced restraint, knowing that even the slightest glow of amber in his eyes might seem like a loss of control. It was a controlled anger, bordering on rage, that spoke now. “I can’t stay here any longer. I’ve been patient, I’ve learned to manage my power—“

“Have you really?” Stavros asked doubtfully. “You are my progeny, and as such stronger than most vampires in any community. Control takes years—“

“I don’t have years!” he replied angrily.

“You have eternity,” Stavros reminded him.

“No. I don’t. My family doesn’t. I must get back to them now. It’s been almost a year. I need to see them. I need to protect them—“

“They are safe,” Stavros said kindly. It was the first time he had ever blatantly admitted knowledge of their whereabouts or well-being, and the younger vampire opened his eyes wide.

“You know where they are? How? Have you--?”

Stavros put a fatherly hand on his arm. “I have ascertained that they are safe in order to put your mind at ease. They are being…cared for. You needn’t be concerned. All you have to do in concentrate on your training.”

The vampire sighed deeply, relief not washing away his anxiety. “Don’t you see, that’s not enough? I need to get back to them. I want to see them.”

Stavros looked into the pain-filled blue eyes, feeling every bit responsible for this predicament as he was. “You…can’t.” He said it slowly at first, but then reiterated, “You can’t. You can’t see them. You can’t return to them. You are no longer a part of their world, and they cannot be a part of yours.” It sounded like a cliché, and he knew it. In the past it might have been thus, but in today’s world, anything was possible. He had seen that with his own eyes, felt it with the ancient remnants of his own heart. But he couldn’t let him know that. Not now. Not until he was ready. Not until they had all been prepared.

“I will not accept that,” his child in blood responded resolutely.

“You will have to,” he said gently. “For now, at least.” He reached for a bottle of his private stock, the sweetest of human blood that would remind this man that he was no longer…a mere man. “Here, drink. And rest tonight. Tomorrow night, we will begin again.”

The vampire looked at him, clearly dissatisfied. But as the aroma of the blood reached his preternatural senses, his eyes filled with the gold of pure hunger. He grabbed the bottle, taking a swig, relishing it…then walked away to contemplate all that his sire had told him.

When he was gone, Stavros breathed deeply, an unnecessary habit that he had been unable to break in centuries.

“He seems to be satisfied for the moment,” the young man commented.

Stavros looked up to see the young man who had spoken. Deep in thought, he had not even noticed the boy’s approach. But then, his scent was so familiar that he had gotten used to it. “Listening to my meetings again, Dimitri?” he asked dully.

“There’s very little else to do here,” the blond teen commented, pushing back his shoulder length blond hair.

“You were not so bored as a child,” Stavros observed, a hint of wistfulness in his voice.

“I didn’t know any better,” Dimitri replied mirthlessly. “It would seem, though, that your latest child is ready to leave the nest.”

Stavros looked down. “He needs to learn control. He is very powerful.”

“And you are the Master of Control, aren’t you?” Dimitri said tritely. “How long have you kept me here under lock and key? Ten years? Eleven?”

“Since you were four,” Stavros reminded him. “It is my duty to protect you. You know that.”

“Then grant me the power to protect myself!” Dimitri flared angrily.

Stavros shook his head vigorously. “I’ve told you. It is against the Code to bring across a child. Only one person has ever dared—“

“Your earlier visitor, LaCroix?” Dimitri asked, as if wanting to make sure Stavros both knew the truth as well as that he was perfectly aware of what had been going on in the last few hours.

“Yes, LaCroix. And that did not work well, as you know.” Stavros pursed his lips, as if considering his words, then said, “You’ve only three years until your eighteenth birthday. I’ve already told you, that when you are of age, you may decide. If you still wish to be brought across, I will be only too happy to oblige you.”

Dimitri seemed to consider that, but his youth and inexperience made him eager for immediate gratification, and three years seemed like an eternity. An idea seemed to suddenly strike him as he said, ”Is that what will happen to the girl dhampir too?”

Stavros eyed him sternly. “You may listen in on my business, but I needn’t remind you of the severity of such classified information. The girl is hidden for a reason, which you of all people should understand. You must never speak of her to anyone but me! Her life depends on it.”

“Wouldn’t that alone be justification to bring her across? To allow her to protect herself?”

Stavros didn’t like where this conversation was going. It was enough that Dimitri plagued him daily with his incessant desire to be made a vampire. Must he champion the cause for Nicolette de Brabant as well? “It will never happen,” he said gruffly. “Her parents will not allow it.”

“That doesn’t mean she doesn’t want it,” Dimitri countered.

“Why must you be so argumentative! You don’t even know the girl.” Stavros had never met her himself, yet he had felt her presence that night on Nicholas’ island. But he knew Nicholas too well. He would rather die than see his precious Natalie or their daughter brought across.

“I’d like to know her,” Dimitri said with meaning.

“Absolutely not! You would put her and yourself in grave danger if you were to meet her. This is none of your affair, Dimitri, so I am telling you to forget anything you know about these people. This is not a game.”

“And yet aren’t you playing games with people’s lives?” Dimitri countered.

Stavros set his jaw in anger, then replied calmly, “It was not my intention. But it is my responsibility to set things right.”

Dimitri was silent. Perhaps it was because he saw the real regret in Stavros’ eyes. Stavros watched the boy leave the room, wishing he could know his thoughts. Information was a dangerous thing, and perhaps Dimitri knew just too much for his own good.

End part 3