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revulsion up Two s spine. She fought them off, gripped Theroen s hand instinctively.
But so bravely she stands! the creature said. It should please you, my dear.
Others have been unable to stand even long enough to hear my voice. Such bravery, yet
such fear. Do the legs tremble, my dear? Does the heart beat and beat? Does the blood
run thin?
This struck the creature as uproariously funny, and he howled out at them from
the darkness. Two felt what little grip she retained on her composure slipping rapidly
away. Theroen sensed this, spoke up, cut off the laughter.
This is the one of which I spoke, Abraham. This is Two.
A momentary pause. Two felt herself being considered by the thing, the sensation
like worms crawling sluggishly across her skin.
She is still young, Abraham said at last.
Yes.
You are still young! he roared suddenly, and Two was unable to keep from
cringing back, making some small cry. Her face paled, then reddened with
embarrassment. Theroen appeared not to notice. He stared into the darkness. Nodded.
You knew, when you made me, what I was to be, He said after a moment.
A sigh, like the shuffle of old papers.
Light a candle, my son, Abraham said. I would see you as a mortal does.
No mortal sees like we do, father, Theroen replied, but he produced a match
from a pocket, struck it against the granite table directly to the right of the door, lit the
wick of the massive candle that stood atop it. The room seemed almost to swallow this
light and then, perhaps finding it unpleasant to the taste, grudgingly released it.
A gleam at the far corner. Eyes.
Handsome, handsome boy, said Abraham, and Two could barely perceive a
slight shaking of the head. Why do you insist on looking such? Why cut your beautiful
hair? Why dress in these ridiculous clothes?
Those who do not change wither. Those who do not change die, Theroen
recited.
Speak not such things to me! Abraham leapt forward suddenly, slightly further
into the light, leaning over his massive wooden desk, white knuckled grip on the far edge,
powerful shoulders supporting the torso as he stared in fury at Theroen. Two shrank back,
managing to hold in her cry this time. The light helped. Theroen s apparent fearlessness
in the face of a being multitudes more powerful than himself helped more.
Speak not such words from the scrolls of Eresh, in such a manner, to he who has
given you everything!
Everything and nothing, father. Ashes and dust. Life in death.
Impertinence in youth, Abraham grumbled. He sat back down, and Two found
that she could barely recall his image, as if her mind had blotted it out. She remembered a
heavy head of hair, complemented by large eyebrows and a beard. Had he been young?
Old? She couldn t tell. Only that he was huge. Taller and broader than Theroen, thick
through the shoulders, muscular. A dangerous man even as a human, let alone in his
current state.
I speak only what you have taught, father, Theroen said. He took a step forward
into the room, gently pulling Two with him. Abraham chuckled. The sound was bitter,
cynical. There was no humor in it.
Ahh. My first thought was, he lied in every word. It does not suite you, Theroen.
I am no liar, father. No cripple.
Oh yes? Well. No cripple, anyway, as well you prove out there, traipsing about
in the mortal world, driving your fast cars, laying with your women in patches of grass.
He looked at Two with a raised eyebrow. Two made an effort to return the gaze,
succeeded. The vampire laughed again.
So brave, his voice was quiet, contemplative. Why is she not finished?
Thereon paused a moment, and Two sensed that the next few moments were
critical.
Her previous... employer. He forced things upon her against her will. Many
things, one of which was a drug.
She is impure?
The change will cleanse her.
And what drug is this?
Heroin, father. Do you know it?
Opium, yes?
Processed chemically, but yes.
She is unclean, Theroen.
She is pure in heart, father. She is pure in soul. The blood will strip her of mortal
needs, mortal addictions, mortal weaknesses.
So sure? There was dark humor in the old vampire s voice.
Theroen said nothing.
No, you are not sure. Not sure at all, my impetuous fledgling. Yet you do not
answer my question. Why is she not finished?
I did not know we were susceptible to such things. The drug is still too recent in
her veins. It ... It made me quite ill.
The vampire screamed laughter at this, rocking back in his chair. Two wanted to
cover her ears with her hands. The sound went on and on, madness and hate and anger
disguised as humor, as anything so remotely human.
And then, abruptly, stopped.
Oh, my. Quite ill indeed, I ve no doubt. That drug, Theroen, more than any
other, is poison to our kind. It would likely have killed a lesser creation. You are Eresh-
Chen, though. You seem to have recovered.
Theroen nodded.
Abraham turned his attention to Two, caught her in his eyes. Come to me, my
dear.
Two felt her feet moving, almost against her own will. She heard Theroen draw in
a breath, but he said nothing. Two understood now that Theroen felt no fear for himself,
held no question of his own safety, but that he feared for hers very greatly. The final
moment of the interview had come, judgment was to be handed down, and what Abraham
might deem proper was as unfathomable as his deep, black eyes.
Two stood next to him at the chair, terrified, gasping for breath but unable to
move away. Unable to look away. Abraham reached out, touched his finger to her
forehead. The contact brought with it a jolt like electricity. Two gasped, nipples instantly
hard, warmth between her legs once more awake and throbbing.
You enjoy? The vampire laughed at her. Two felt dizzy. She was
hyperventilating; couldn t help it.
A taste, Theroen, of this tainted blood? He questioned, and his voice mocked
Theroen, mocked them both. She was his for the taking, all three knew it, but he found
the formality deliciously, darkly entertaining.
If you must, father. Theroen s voice was strained. Abraham seemed to smile at
this, as if he approved of both the acceptance and the clear hatred in the voice of his
creation.
It is always such, my son, when this comes. She will break your heart.
So be it, Theroen said, and Abraham grinned broadly. He touched his finger
lightly to Two s shoulder, and her knees buckled. She fell to the floor, looking up,
enraptured, terrified. His fingers now under her chin, like those of a lover, raising,
exposing the pale neck below. Two gasped, panted, black spots appearing before her
eyes. She was dimly aware that she was weeping, and that the warmth below her waist
had become a roaring blaze.
The vampire leaned his head down, settled the points of his teeth against her neck,
waited. Just as before, the moment stretched out into eternity. The world became surreal,
painted in shades of grey and yet more vibrant than anything Two had ever witnessed.
She felt a tear grow on a single eyelash, fatten, drop. It hit her face, the warmth of her
body fading quickly as it cooled, leaving a track down her cheek. Her heart throbbed. The
vampire tore through the flesh of her neck in an instant, seeking the blood forced through
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