Chapter 17: The Church of Virtue

After they had cleared the mining area, it was a short drive to the gates of the Church of Virtue. Actually, it was the old ruins of Westminister Abbey but it provided a convenient euphamism for what was really going on there. Vincent and Kaileena emerged from the car, the vampire lord grabbing the girl and sweeping her into his arms. Abigail clung to him tightly, more out of fear than anything else. He couldn't blame her; she'd just escaped the clutches of a raving vampire who was hell bent on resurrecting the most evil and depraved blood drinker in history. Even Prince Dracula's exploits paled in comparison to Elizabeth's legacy of bloodshed. Kaileena pushed open the gates and quickly gestured for the vampire to follow her. He glanced at the horizon and saw the first glimmer of gold edging the London skyline. Dawn was fast approaching.

The two reached the doors of the old abbey in record time and quickly sought shelter in the shadows. Abigail gestured for the vampire to put her down. He hesitated slightly but a nod from the Vampire Hunter assured him that it was all right. He set down the Chastity Maiden and she trotted to the doors. Gently pressing her palm against the door, a glowing cross enveloped her hand and a voice echoed in the abandoned entrance.

“Who goes there?” the voice asked. Judging by the tone and the slight frailty, it was that of an old woman.

“Sister Laverne, it's Abigail,” the girl quickly replied.

“Abigail?!” There was unquestionable relief in Laverne's voice. “My child, are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“I'm fine now. I have two strangers here that wish to speak with the Holy Servant.”

“You know the penalty for bringing the unsanctified into this place,” hissed the woman. “I can sense them from where I am standing. They are not human, Abby!”

“I know, but they saved my life. Also, one of them is a Vampire Hunter.”

“A Vampire Hunter?! And what of the other?”

“He is harmless. He helped protect me from the one who kidnapped me.”

There was a brief silence before Laverne responded. “Very well. I will explain to the others that they are guests here. But you may not be able to see the Holy Servant until nightfall.”

“That is fine,” Abigail said, a smile on her face. The cross disappeared and the doors swung open to reveal a woman in with silver streaked red hair and a careworn face. She was clad in a pure white robe trimmed with silver and adorned with a cross bearing the Sacred Heart within a circle of ancient runes. The trio entered the abbey and the doors shut behind them, a shimmering barrier veiling the entrance. Abigail ran to the nun who hugged the girl tightly, smoothing her hair.

“My child, I am so relieved you are safe. I prayed every day for your safe return.”

“As I prayed they would never find this place.” Abigail broke the motherly embrace and turned to Vincent and Kaileena. “Sister, these are the two who rescued me.”

“A servant of the Vampire High Council and a Vampire Hunter. I suppose God works in strange ways. Nevertheless, I thank you for returning Abigail to us.”

“It was unjust for a young woman to be subject to the horrors of such a place, Sister,” replied Vincent. “We did what we could to help.”

“Normally, I do not take kindly to vampires,” confessed Laverne, escorting them to a large chamber in the abbey. It was furnished with old redwood tables and faded damask chairs and settees scattered throughout. Books of varying subjects from the holy crusades to bestiaries of demons laden the tables and a crackling fire warmed the old stone chamber with an amber glow. “But I see you have a good soul and a kind heart. Rarities amongst your kind.”

“Thank you for not judging me outright, Sister.” Vincent bowed low in respect. Kaileena fought the urge to smile and turned her attention to the nun.

“Sister, is it all right if we linger here until nightfall? There are some matters we need to address to the Holy Servant that are of utmost importance.”

“I do not see any problem in that,” Laverne conceded, seating herself in one of the old winged chairs by the fire. Abigail sat on the ottoman next to her while the pair stood in front of her. “The Holy Servant does not rise until nightfall. He is very old and thus cannot really function like the younger folk.”

“We can wait. Lord Vincent cannot venture out into sunlight at any rate.”

“Indeed.” Laverne looked at the vampire and gestured for him to sit down. He politely accepted the invitation and seated himself in a chair by the fire. She then turned her attention to Kaileena.

“I must thank you again for saving Abigail. For you see, she lost her parents when she was only a child and I have cared for her like she is my very own. When she was taken, I feared that the worry would shorten my life.”

“We are only doing our job, Sister. But we were not about to let an innocent be slaughtered in such an unholy ritual. We did what we could to eliminate the threat posed to us.”

“All by yourself?” Laverne eyed her dubiously. “He I can believe because he is a vampire but as capable a Hunter you may be and as strange as you are, even you would not have been able to kill them yourself.”

“Sister, she is a dhampir,” piped up Abigail. “A dhampir Vampire Hunter!”

“Really?” Laverne scrutinised the woman who merely stood there. “Come closer, child and let me look at you.”

Kaileena approached the nun and knelt in front of her. Laverne placed her hands on the woman's face, studying her with stern brown eyes. The Vampire Hunter merely accepted the scrutiny, her pale green eyes glittering with the brilliant flame of immortality. Vincent watched the entire scene with curiosity. He couldn't explain how, but he got the distinct impression that Laverne was staring into her soul, searching for anything that could deem her a danger. After about twenty minutes, the stern expression faded.

“I see...I thought you were a mite too pretty,” said the nun, removing her hands. “And yet you are no ordinary dhampir. You walk the darkness and yet you are as pure as the driven snow. A natural-born killer with a beautiful and good soul. And yet something drives you to continue this life.”

“It is something that I have accepted, Sister. And I will continue to walk this path until the evil has been purged from this world. Human and immortal alike.”

“You are unusual even for a Vampire Hunter. This is the first time I have ever seen one of your profession working with a vampire.”

“Lord Vincent has proven himself a reliable and capable warrior. I trust him.”

“I do not dispute this. I can see the goodness in his soul. Ironic since myth dictates they have no souls.” The nun chuckled, rising to her feet. “But you must be tired from your ordeal. You can rest here until nightfall. I will advise the Holy Servant that you wish to speak with him.”

“Thank you, Sister Laverne.”

“Come, Abigail. Let us get you cleaned up. He will want to hear an account of what happened to you.”

“Yes, Sister.” The Chastity Maiden quickly rose to her feet and followed the nun out of the chamber, limping slightly on her injured leg. Even though the dhampir had healed the external wound, the internal bruising was still present. It would take some time for the girl to fully recover.

Kaileena straighted up and glanced at Vincent who had gotten up from his seat and walked to the window. The first rays of the sun bathed the courtyard outside, but did not penetrate the grimy panes. There was a shadow over his face, the look in his eyes one of fear. She frowned at him.

“Are you all right?”

Vincent sighed. “All this time, I thought Mother was just a kindly noblewoman who had the heart to take in a vampire. But to find out that she used to be a member of this order...it's a lot to take in. And now I find out that the sister that sealed away Elizabeth all those years ago is her ancestor....” He ran a hand through his long hair. “Why didn't she tell me?”

“The Vampire High Council doesn't look kindly on the Church of Virtue,” said Kaileena. “They've campaigned for years for their disposal, but have been unable to find any trace of them. If she told you about her past, that would mean they would have to destroy her too.”

“I know that. Still...” He sighed. “What a mess. This case has turned from a simple serial homicide to a hellish vendetta to resurrect the most powerful vampire since Prince Vladislaus. How the hell are we supposed to combat something like this?”

“We'll find a way, Vincent. First you have to make sure that your mother is safe.”

“You're right....” Then a thought occurred to him. “Kaileena, there is something about all this that is still bothering me.”

The dhampir frowned, watching him closely. “What is that?”

The vampire lord turned away from the window to look her in the eyes. “Why didn't you tell me Elizabeth Bathory slaughtered your parents?”

Her eyes widened slightly before sliding closed. She turned away from him, leaning her hands on the table laden with books. There was a very tense silence. Vincent realised he had asked something extremely personal but he had to know the truth behind her reason for hunting the Countess.

“Kaileena.....what the hell happened to you?”

There was a long silence punctuated by the crackling of the flames in the fireplace. She finally broke that silence.

“You already know of the atrocities that Elizabeth committed. How over six hundred and fifty girls were tortured, maimed, and slaughtered just to feed her obsession with vanity. She went to extraordinary lengths to keep the supply of blood flowing, so she would not have to watch herself wither away into an old woman. She would bring girls in to be educated, to be taught ettiquette with the promise of a better life. She also started targeting noblewomen who were beneath her to live in the castle with her.” Her eyes glowed red at the memory. “My mother was one of those noblewomen. She was trained by Elizabeth personally, even taught the art of seduction to lure men into courting her. But the plan backfired. My mother fell in love with a nobleman who was travelling from a far off country. He helped her escape from the castle. They eloped and went into hiding. They eventually gave birth to a child....a daughter...everything seemed to be perfect. The nightmare was over. Or so we thought.”

Vincent listened intently, silently waiting her out. He could hear the strain in her voice, the anger and the anguish. It pained her to recall this. Kaileena took a deep breath and continued.

“Elizabeth was furious. She would not tolerate defiance. She also feared that Mother would expose her to the public and that her experiments would be ceased. It was something she couldn't allow. So she hunted her down. Mother hid me in the underground cellar but I saw everything. My mother refused to reveal my location and my father tried to fight her. He was struck down and left incapacitated. My mother, she renounced her ties with Elizabeth and tried to attack her....Elizabeth decided to teach her a lesson. My father's heart was ripped from his chest and crushed in her bare hand, right in front of Mother.....this sent her into a rage and she tried to take her down. Elizabeth broke her spine in two and dragged her away, saying that she was going to make her beg for death before she granted it....I sneaked into the castle to try and find her...but it was too late.”

“How did you manage to escape the castle unseen?”

“I used the cellar as an entry point into the castle and dug a tunnel with my bare hands and got back out the same way. Even for a child of three, I had considerable strength. The tunnel led into the sluice tunnels where the dead blood ran off. I saw the whole nightmare from the grate that allowed leftover blood to drain from the floor....Saw what kind of monster my mother and father tried to protect me from.”

“Oh my god,” whispered the vampire lord. He noticed crimson dripping from her face and onto the table in front of Kaileena. Her fists clenched and she lowered her head, trying to keep the torrent of emotion from pouring out.

“Elizabeth butchered my father and mother. She took the only family I had from me....It was that day I swore that I would not rest until Elizabeth was dead. I have only encountered her once while she was still awake and I barely escaped with my life. But that encounter only proved that she needs to die. That this world would not be safe until she is sent to hell in a matchbox. ” Her voice was choked with angry sobs. “If I had told you the truth, you would have either not believed me or turned away my assistance. I couldn't afford to lose the only lead I had to her...”

“I see,” Vincent said quietly. She fell to her knees and slumped against the table, crying softly.

“I lost everything that night....It was only thanks to him that I have survived this long.”

“You mean Mordekai Varcolak.”

Kaileena raised her head and whirled to face the vampire lord. “How the hell do you know that name?”

Vincent didn't see any reason to hide it from her. He dipped into the satchel he'd kept hidden in his coat and pulled out the old tome, setting it on the table in front of the Vampire Hunter. She blinked and stared at the silver cross emblazoned on the cover. She dried her crimson tears and pulled herself to her feet, walking over to the table and kneeling before it. She ran her fingers over the cover, touching the initials inscribed there.

“Where.....where did you get this?” she croaked out.

“It was in the archives at the Arcane Library,” answered Vincent. “When you lashed out at me, I wanted to know why you held such hatred towards vampires. I wanted to know more about you.”

“You've read it?” There was a slightly accusatory tone in her voice.

“Only the first two entries.” He looked at her. “But he left out the part about you witnessing your mother's death.”

“It's because I didn't tell him....Why didn't you just ask me?”

“Would you have told me the truth at that time?”

He had a point. She continued to stare at the cover. The vampire lord pushed it a little further towards her.

“I think it's only right to return this to you.”

Kaileena shook her head and pushed it back. “Keep it. You've already taken a glimpse into my life with Mordekai. It's only fair you get to read the whole story. Besides....” She smiled slightly. “It actually comforts me that someone is taking care of it.”

Vincent took the tome back and carefully placed it back in the satchel. The dhampir's smile faded and she slumped forward again, burying her face in her arms and sobbing quietly.

“That b***h stole everything from me...I have nothing left to keep me going but vengeance...how am I supposed to go on like this?” She felt strong hands rest on her shoulders and she glanced up to see the vampire lord gazing at her with sympathy in his eyes. He gently brushed away her bloody tears.

“You don't have to do this alone, Kaileena,” he said softly. “I'm here to help you, if you will let me. You don't have to carry this burden on your own. Let me shoulder it with you.”

She stared at him, studying his expression. He was serious. Incredibly moved by the vampire's words, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He was surprised by the sudden gesture but returned the embrace, gently smoothing her hair. Now that he knew her true motivation, he was more than willing to help her in her crusade. Especially since she had already saved his life numerous times.

“Thank you, Vincent. I'm sorry I misjudged you.”

“I think we're both to blame for that one, Kaileena.” He pushed her away to look at her and a small smile curved her lips. Then a frown crossed her features. Vincent was puzzled by the sudden change in expression.

“What is it?”

“You haven't fed to recover your strength, have you?”

He blinked and shook his head. He'd been so preoccupied with survival the last forty-eight hours that he hadn't even been worried about feeding. The plasma pills had helped a little, but that was only a temporary thing. Now they were out of danger, he felt the thirst rise in him and he growled slightly. This was a bad place to be craving blood. He had just gained the trust of the Church of Virtue, he didn't want to give them a reason to doubt his integrity. He raised his hand to his mouth to bite it, but Kaileena grabbed his wrist. He looked at her in surprise.

“You can't do that. Even a small amount of your own blood can poison you.” She pulled off her coat and sat Vincent down in his chair. She knelt in front of him and looked him in the eyes, baffling the vampire lord with her actions.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice slightly strained from holding the thirst back. The Vampire Hunter looked at him.

“I think you already know.” She tilted her head to the side, exposing her pale throat to him. His eyes widened as he stared at her.

“But....”

“You need to feed, Vincent. You can't hold it at bay forever.”

He was about to protest but the thirst kicked in and this time he couldn't resist it. He gently grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close. He leaned into her and breathed in her scent, his lips briefly pressed against her vein.

“This will hurt,” he said apologetically. “Do you trust me?”

“I trust you.”

With that consent, he opened his mouth and sank his fangs into the soft flesh of her throat. She gasped at the sharp jolt of pain, tensing slightly. But then a strange sensation akin to euphoria swept over her and she clung to him, her eyes sliding shut. Vincent pulled her close and slid off the chair onto his knees, cradling her as he drank. Her blood was like liquid fire, strong and full of vitality and yet carrying the innocence of one who had never been turned. A true dhampir. His eyes slid shut and he lost himself in the dark passion of bloodlust. She rested her arms on his back to keep from losing her grip, feeling slightly light-headed from the loss of blood. He could hear her pulse throbbing in his lips, his darker instincts urging him to drink more. But since he had spent a lifetime of feeding, he knew when to stop. When he fed from people, he never killed them. He valued life too highly to drain someone completely of it. He gasped as he pulled his fangs out of her throat, rising to his feet. Kaileena slid to the floor on all fours, gasping for breath. She never knew the experience of being fed from would be so intense.

“You've never offered yourself before, have you?” Vincent had already gained control of himself and he felt more invigorated than he had ever felt in his life. The dhampir shook her head, slowly rising to her feet.

“This was my first time.”

“Same here. Well, first time feeding from a dhampir.”

She chuckled slightly and walked over to the table to pore over the books there. Her knees buckled and she lost her balance. Vincent swiftly caught her before she fell, gripping her firmly by the shoulders.

“Whoa! Not so fast. You're still dizzy from the loss of blood.” He steadied her as she gripped his arms to stop herself from swooning.

“This is a real headspin,” she muttered. “Do all of your victims go through this before they die?”

Vincent blinked. “I've never killed anyone during my feeding.”

Kaileena stared at him. “You're joking.”

“I am not. I do not believe in taking life to sustain my own. My victims do get a little dizzy from the loss of blood, but I do not kill them.”

“But that could expose you!”

“I put a glamour upon them first before I feed. This way they merely fall asleep after the feeding and when they wake up, they barely remember anything. They just believe they had a very vivid dream or they drank too much the night before. The puncture wounds on their neck are gone by morning.”

The Vampire Hunter blinked as she studied him. There was no deceit in his eyes. He was telling the truth. “You're a very strange vampire, Vincent. I've never known one of your race to be so kind to humans.”

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Well, don't let anyone know that. It could ruin my reputation as a ruthless killer.” He grinned. The dhampir couldn't help but giggle.

“You really are one of a kind, you know that?”

“He is a rarity to be sure. The first vampire I've ever come across that exhibits very human qualities.”

They turned to see Laverne and Abigail enter the chamber. The girl's chestnut hair was shining and her gown had been changed. She looked like one of the pure Chastity Maidens depicted in the murals Kaileena had come across in her travels. A fitting image considering that Abigail was indeed one of them.

“The Holy Servant will see you now,” she said. “He is waiting in the inner sanctum.”

“But it is not nightfall.” Kaileena frowned.

“He sees this as a special case,” explained Laverne. “I will take you to him.”

“Thank you.” Kaileena glanced at Vincent who followed her as the nun led them through the abbey. It was dark and sheltered, plenty of shadows for a vampire to wander without fear of burning in the harsh sunlight. A welcome feature as Kaileena didn't know if Vincent could withstand much light. He may have been a hybrid, but he was still a vampire. And everyone knows that sunlight and vampires do not make good bedfellows.

It didn't take long to reach the cloister where the inner sanctum was located. There was something very prominent about this part of the abbey. The dhampir couldn't explain it, but it seemed that some kind of power was converging here. The intensity of said power was enough to knock the breath out of her and she risked a glance at the vampire lord. Even he seemed to be unable to take the force this power presented. What kind of place was this?

Laverne and Abigail both pressed their hands against the huge wooden door. Two crosses encircled by runes appeared around their hands, glowing with a pure white light. The door was suddenly flooded with intricate whorls and ancient runes bordered the wooden surface. Kaileena and Vincent watched in amazement as a sculpted face with blank eyes emerged from the centre of the door. The face was covered in the same whorls as the door and wings of the purest gold emerged from it, unfurling to span the width of the door on either side. Using their free hands, Abigail and Laverne grabbed the wings and pushed them closed. The face glowed brilliantly and vanished and a shimmering veil vanished from the door. It would seem a very powerful barrier spell protected this place and whatever it contained. The door swung open by itself and Laverne and Abigail gestured to the pair to follow the. Kaileena glanced at the vampire lord who nodded and they followed them inside. Their eyes widened and the dhampir gasped in awe.

The interior of the sanctum was crafted from brilliant white marble engraved with the whorls and runes that seemed to be synonymous with the order. Angels of the purest silver flanked the long hall, raising spears to the ceiling which was adorned with a mural similar to the one Da Vinci painted in the Sistine Chapel. But instead of cherubs and the image of a man resting in clouds touching the hand of God, it was a scene of angels battling demons from the deepest pits of Hell and sending their souls to the netherworld. The eternal struggle between good and evil, the holy and the damned. And at the very end of the hall was a large throne with carvings of armoured angels and the Sacred Heart mounted above it. A wizened old man sat in this throne, clad in robes of pure silver adorned with the sacred cross that all the order bore on their clothing. A cross engraved with runes and set with a pale blue crystal hang around his neck and his withered hands were covered in whorls. Laverne and Abigail stood before this man and bowed low in respect.

“Your Grace, outsiders have come to seek an audience with you,” said the nun deferentially. The man raised his head to study the newcomers. His eyes were of the deepest blue and filled with a wisdom and intelligence that surpassed his years. As frail as he seemed, those eyes burned with the vitality of someone far more energetic. There was power in this man that Vincent couldn't even imagine and he couldn't help but stare in awe. This....is the Holy Servant? The one said to be the vassal of God himself? But if that's so....why do I feel like I know this man? He risked a glance at Kaileena who was staring at the man, utter shock and disbelief written on her face. He frowned and nudged the dhampir but she seemed frozen where she stood. What's wrong with her? The man raised a hand and gestured to the nun and girl.

“Leave us,” he ordered, his booming voice belying his frail appearance. “I will summon you later when I am ready to discuss the matter at hand.”

Laverne and Abigail nodded and exited the hall, leaving the pair alone with the wizened old man. He studied the two before him, a gentleness entering his careworn face.

“I have lived many years and yet I never imagined that I would find myself in the company of a member of the Full Moon circle,” he said.

“It is an honour to be within the presence of the Holy Servant, Your Grace,” said Vincent respectfully. The man chuckled.

“A young vampire with human emotion and manners. Indeed, I am grateful that there are still traces of benevolence in this world.” He turned his gaze to the dhampir who was still staring at him in disbelief. A warm light entered his eyes and a smile lit up his wrinkled countenance.

“You've truly grown, Kaileena. It warms my heart to see you are still alive after all this time.”

Kaileena staggered back, the voice of the man assaulting her ears and sending her mind reeling. It seemed an eternity as she slowly opened her mouth, her voice trembling and barely above a whisper.

“.....Papa?”