Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO: QUESTIONS WITH(OUT) ANSWERS

            I didn’t quite agree with Cedar’s statement, but I was relieved that Jack and his deputy would control the pack. Perhaps it was because I killed Leonard. Sure, to protect myself and Cedar, but still – I’d murdered someone, brutally taken away a human life. It went against my emotional nature to kill. Defend, certainly, but not kill. Cedar could only know the joy of surviving; I had to deal with the grief of murder. Feeling his joy wasn’t helping me much, either.

            We would remain in the “wolves’ den” for the time being. Gatesburg, the nearby town, was under populated – and also, Cedar had seen a vampire there.

            “Let’s go into town again,” he urged one evening. We’d taken to sleeping during the early morning hours and rising as the humans began their normal work day (around 9 a.m.). “You want to talk to the other one,” I said, a little bitter. Why couldn’t I be good enough for him? He hadn’t even explained to me the technicalities of supernatural existence. “Yes,” he replied frankly. “I don’t see why not.” I did, of course – we hadn’t seen another vampire in practically forever, and we just got out of a fight with wolves! “Let’s go,” I relented.

            We went to where Cedar had last seen the pale being – a dark bookstore on the corner of a dusty street. As luck would have it, he was there. “Sir, I don’t fully understand this legend. Could you help me, please?” His velvety voice seemed rushed, and I felt his excitement. Hearing my low, heavy breathing, he whirled in alarm. “Hello,” Cedar said quietly. “My name is Cedar. This is –” “Hazel,” I cut in. “Hazel Leaf. We were getting acquainted with the area and got lost. We were looking for the forest,” I lied smoothly. “I’m Dominic. Dominic Regan. Nice to meet you. I was just leaving; perhaps I could escort you to the forest,” the man said. I nodded. “Thank you so much,” I replied as we set out into the soft light.

            “If you don’t mind me asking – do you visit that shop frequently?” I asked, while monitoring his emotional reaction. He nodded calmly. “Yes.” “So, you’re interested in legends? About what?” Cedar probed. “Well…not dragons or anything…just to see what the general public believes about my kind –” He cut off abruptly, and I felt his alarm. “You’re in no danger. The werewolves set out the night before last,” I replied, sensing his alarm at saying too much. “Hunting is good and the public hold little to no suspicion.” Dominic nodded. “So you, as well, hide your identity from mortals?” Cedar answered, “Yes, Dominic, I have kept it hidden since my turning – Hazel understood immediately upon hers – and we have had just one argument with the werewolves.” “Wolves?” Dominic said sharply. “Yes,” I answered, bewildered. Why was he so alarmed? “Now that I’m sure you don’t need a way home,” he snarled angrily, “why don’t you tell me about your journey?” Something about the wolves upset him. “Dominic, don’t be so alarmed,” I began. “The wolves are recent history.” I went on to explain my turning, the standoff, losing Cedar, the wolf problems – and my empathy. “So, regretfully – that’s not…” I paused. Did I regret saving our lives? “I killed Leonard, their pack leader, and the new one says he won’t bother us.” Dominic didn’t relax his stressful, tensed position. “When?” He demanded. “A fortnight ago,” I replied. “So they’ve already gone?” Dominic questioned instantly. “I assume so,” I answered, perplexed. Why did he care so much? “Perhaps you’d like to come to our home,” Cedar suggested tactfully. “Certainly, we have much to discuss,” he added. Dominic nodded hesitantly. “Sure,” he replied. “Follow me,” I said, taking the lead.

            When we got to our house, Cedar showed Dominic around quite proudly – as if he has anything to be proud of, I thought bitterly, following them into the living room. Dominic began asking questions. “How long have you been here?” “Nearly a month,” I answered before Cedar could explain more fully. “How did you get this house?” “A…gift.” I’d let Cedar answer that time. “The wolves haven’t bothered you since Jack took the alpha position?” “No,” we answered together. “Impressive. Jack is what the wolves used to be – honest and loyal. Now, the pack is full of creatures who have no values save for lying and murder. I certainly hope he will live up to these values. Now…I believe you want an account of how I came to be.”

            “It was the year 1994. I was in the graveyard – I had a slight obsession with death – that night. The cold didn’t bother me; the graveyard was deserted, however, for the reset complained about the temperature. I was pondering a particularly difficult philosophy topic when I heard him.

            “I didn’t hear him with my ears, but with my mind. He called to me, saying, ‘outcast Dominic, come to me.’ I did. I didn’t want to be an outcast, and wordlessly he told me he would take the loneliness away. He…you know how it goes. After the pain passed, two nights later, I was introduced to Nathaniel.

            “My turning was uneventful, he said. Just like the rest. ‘The rest?’ I’d asked. ‘The others; ten others I turned. All were rejected by the werewolf counsel. Maybe you’ll be different.’ Leonard was deputy then. A wolf named Rachele was alpha female. She was wise and friendly. She accepted me, and therefore Nathaniel, the one who turned me. He took me back to his hideout, where I met the others.

            “There were ten, as he’d said. Natalie and Ronald, Madeline and Roger – they were all vampires by way of Nathaniel. He killed them all that night. He made me watch; he wanted me to be a killer like him. First the oldest – Natalie, Roger, George – and progressively younger. He tried to make me kill an eleven year old (physically eleven years old, anyway) immortal. I refused. He did it himself.

            “It was sad to watch, but he had no use for them. Still – a waste. Perhaps Rachele would have accepted them – she wasn’t alpha in their time – or Jack. I should have saved them. They could have been good vampires, not murderers like Nathaniel – or murdered by him. Nathaniel fed me then, with pre-chosen human victims. Then he told me that while the sun wouldn’t hurt me, it would burn me painfully. I only needed four hours of sleep a night and – contrary to popular belief – I didn’t need a coffin or my home soil to sleep. I slept four hours and ran before Nathaniel awoke. I landed here and I’ve been here ever since. I tell people I have a rare aging disease, and when it doesn’t work, well, I make sure they’re taken care of.” He paused, seeing the horrified look on my face. “I don’t kill them! I just give them another option!” He rolled his eyes and continued. “I’ve been here for…twelve years, more or less.”

            Dominic paused in his story for a moment before continuing. “Nathaniel told me that a long time ago, a sadistic vampire by the name of Abel turned a lot of humans and killed even more. When a few vampires were found while feeding, Abel began feeding on animals, for which vampires like me thank him. The werewolves found out about the discovery and so we now need permission to have companions, to keep the number of human death and vampire life down. If they’re rejected, well…it’s either a secret or death for them all.”

            Dominic sighed. “I was accepted due to my concern for human life. I wish I wasn’t. Even though I was Nathaniel’s pride and joy, it didn’t change how much of a sadistic necksnapper he was, even around me. He preferred to terrify his victims before feasting on them, a practice I despised. I hated his behavior, his lofty and slovenly ways. I was his Louis and he was my Lestat, just like in the Anne Rice novels - but this time there was no Claudia to come between us and make the choice I wasn’t strong enough to make.

            “Eventually, I was strong enough to kill Nathaniel.” Seeing the shocked look on our faces, he stuttered out a quick sentence before continuing his tale. “No, I – I didn’t kill him,” he said hastily. “I ran from him. If he’d come after me, I would have killed him. But I was never the murdering type; that was Nathaniel’s personality. He let me go.

            “I was shocked that he didn’t track me down. Apparently this town is unknown to him. I’ve been here ever since that day – twelve years.” Dominic finished his tale with a small smile. “And I’ve been here ever since,” he repeated softly. “I’ve never left.” I instantly understood the significance of this statement. “No one ever suspected anything?” Cedar asked incredulously. “Never. Oh, I’m sure they have their suspicions,” Dominic replied, “but no one’s ever come close to guessing the truth. I catch any thought that says ‘vampire’. Alarm system – quite useful in human areas. Like I said, though, no one’s even guessed.” I noticed his mood change – desperate fear at mention of the wolf pack to calmness while telling his story. “Is that why you’re…nervous…about the wolf pack, then?” Cedar asked, choosing his words carefully. “Well…no,” Dominic replied, taking a deep breath.

            “The wolf pack found Nathaniel killing his final failed vampire. They questioned the injured young one – recently turned, after me – and found the ashes of the others. They brought him to me. They asked for information about his ways. Then they killed him in front of me. They warned me that – if I ever did something like this – the same would happen to me. They did it to scare me, to make sure I couldn’t follow his ways, to make sure I was terrified – like Nathaniel. They began to monitor turnings. There was an overthrow attempt once, but – as we are allowed ruling over newly formed werewolf packs or loners – most see the necessity for such a rule.”

            Cedar was nodding as if he understood. “Of course,” he said. I hated how he was feeling – arrogant, full of himself, and driven by success in guessing why the werewolves had power over us. In other words, the way I’m sure Hitler felt before the Holocaust truly began. “There’s a wolf council and a vampire council, then?” I asked. “Yes, they employ only the most experienced and wisest of their kind. They would admit you, very young as you are – you seem to know much,” Dominic answered my question with a compliment. “And you’re empathic,” he added. “They’d have no quarrel with admitting you into the council.” I wondered why he knew so much about the council…and about the wolves. I also wondered why he knew so much about me, or why he wanted to. “I’d better get back to my establishment,” Dominic grinned. “But I’ll be back tomorrow if that’s okay.” Cedar nodded regally and said, “Certainly. We will continue our talk then.” I folded my arms as Cedar turned to face me. “Cedar. What the hell.”

            I glared at Cedar angrily, already prepared to deliver my rant. I became more aggravated when he raised his eyebrows, as if he was going to pass off whatever I said as meaningless. “You little arrogant excuse for a vampire. Exactly what you wanted to accomplish is beyond me, but don’t act as if I’m little more than a damn housewife. I’m a vampire, damn it!I got him to talk to us and you went on your damn ‘I know everything, I can have this conversation intelligently, unlike you’ spree!” I was absolutely livid at this point; I wouldn’t have been surprised if smoke began to come out of my ears. “And then you invite him back for more ‘intelligent conversation’ where I’m sure you’ll shut me out again. You didn’t ask nearly as many questions as I would have, and on top of that –” But I never got to finish. “Wench,” Cedar said, his anger fueling my rage. “Don’t call me that,” I seethed, hissing at him. “You’re not as knowledgeable about the world as I am. You’re not capable of holding conversation with him, nor with any other vampire.” Cedar said coldly. “Firstly,” I growled, “how do I learn if I don’t participate? Secondly, I know more than you think I do – you underestimate me, just like you did when you turned me.” Cedar opened his mouth to reply, but I continued ruthlessly. “Don’t talk to me, since you obviously think you’re much higher up than I am! I’m sure I’m below your level!” I sat down on the couch, pleading silently with him to leave me alone so I didn’t have to go on with my argument. Fighting with him reminded me of the time we were apart, and it was a painful memory. When he sat down in the dining room across the hallway, I went hunting.

            The forest was dark, and the moonlight was dimly filtered through the trees. The forest floor was damp. The deer I drank from put up no fight, and I wondered if animals could be suicidal. “Can they?” I whispered to the cold, still air. “Debatable,” a familiar voice answered, and I whirled to face Dominic. “Depends on what you’re asking,” he said, smiling gently. “I’m sorry if I startled you.” His eyes glinted in the dim light. “Sure,” I muttered to myself, slightly wary. “Not a problem,” I continued warily. “I was just thinking.” “About…,” Dominic prompted, and I felt his kind curiosity through my lowered defenses. “Cedar and I had an argument,” I answered, letting my guard down a little more. “Ah…yes…that’s why I came to talk to you.”

            Dominic sat beside me and said, “Cedar isn’t underestimating you. You aren’t as strong as you think. You’re the one underestimating him.” So now he’s selling me short, I thought bitterly. “Yes…I…am,” I replied, drawing upon all my control to say it calmly. “No, you’re not.” Dominic was fierce and steadfast – stubborn brat. “Don’t tell me what I am and am not capable of. I’m pretty sure I know myself well enough to make that decision on my own – at least more than you know me,” I glared at the stranger who had suddenly invaded our lives. “No, Hazel –” he began, but my growl cut him off. “Just think about what you’re doing,” he finished, turning away and leaving me alone in the dark, damp woods.