Book 2: Going Back Part 5

Honor, the world's greatest female demon hunter, and her vampiric compainion Alexander head to Vamun Castle, Alexander's childhood home, to learn what really happened the day the vampiric royal family was killed.

Alexander's room was very dark. The walls and furniture were painted black and the curtains and bedspread were a dark gray. The lightest things in the room were the pillows and sheets which were a pretty light gray. Alexander carefully laid Honor on the large bed and went about lighting candles and the wood left in the fireplace.

Honor rolled onto her side and watched him. Finally, after months of waiting, he was going to spill the beans. Not much is known about vampires to those who aren't vampires. Alexander's people seemed to be a secretive bunch and Honor could see why. If the general public knew that vampires and blood demons were just about the same creatures, chaos would reign and vampires would be hunted like deer. So, Honor was glad Alexander could trust her enough to tell her the secrets of his people. She waited patiently as he pulled a chair closer to her side of the bed and sat, facing her.

“So,” he said in his wonderful voice, “where should I begin?”

She shrugged. “The beginning, I guess. Maybe with the basics and work your way up.”

Alexander nodded and took a deep breath. “Most people know the basics. We don't die unless killed one way or another, we drink blood to survive, we can't catch diseases, and people can't become vampires. What people don't know is what we really are, under all the manners and control are monsters, the demons that no hunter wants to tango with. We're blood demons, creatures of violence, instinct, and vast power. In the Dark Age before man came to power we ruled over demons, lived the life of luxury and evil.

“When man came from across the ocean, it changed everything. Humans were weak and so prey-like they triggered the most basic instinct of blood demons. We desired them in every way, but they feared us, feared our power and evil ways. My people gathered, there was only a few hundred of us, and we decided we would change our way of life, control our demons, hide our power and ages, all so the humans would be more comfortable with us. We changed the name of our species to vampires,which we took from some of the human legends. The other demons did not understand this decision, so they decided to attack what humans were not close to us as a form of revenge.

“When we controlled our demons, we had to change our names. The names we had been born with were not fitting to us. So, we took the names we were born knowing and reversed them. The name I was born with was Rednaxela. You were right, the Prophecies are about us. That is why I am always pestering you about being cautious.

Honor nodded and sighed. “I promise to be far more careful, Alex. You won't have to worry too much when we got to my home. It is one of the safest places in the realm.”

“I know, dear, but I fear the danger will come from me and not from an outside source.” He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. “My ancestors made a startling discovery a few hundred years after we started locking our demons deep inside us. The kinder the vampire, the more good they are, the stronger their demon is. It is like the demon has to fight more fiercely and with more strength to survive when the vampire is good. On the other end of the scale, the more evil the vampire, the weaker the demon. Some times the more evil vampires have stronger demons because they get more exercise. Those vampires are killed as soon as they are identified, normally before the vampire turns ten years old, which is very, very young for my kind.”

Honor thought about this for a minute. “So that's why Rednaxela could kill all life, right? Because you are so good. You're one of the greatest people I've ever met.”

Alexander shifted in his seat and tipped his head back, closing his eyes. He was tense, had been tense all day. He was never really relaxed, but today he looked as if he was really suffering. Honor rose a bit, putting her weight on one arm as the other reached for Alexander. Her worry showed in her voice as she asked, “Are you okay, Alexander?”

The vampire moved forward in his chair and caught her hand in his. His nose skimmed the skin of her wrist as he breath deeply with his eyes closed. The atmosphere in the room changed, grew heavier. Honor sensed a power larger than any she had felt before, a power that could easily dwarf her younger brother's, who was the most powerful mage in the realm. It was tightly leashed, but the force restraining it was close to snapping.

Honor knew what was happening when his tongue flicked over her pulse. Alexander was loosing control and she knew what was on his agenda.

prev chapter