Outcast, page 9
“The world is in a state of imbalance,” she replied. “In your musical terms, there is too much dissonance.”
“Not enough harmony?” he added.
“Precisely,” Beatrice said. “Think of the world as a great orchestra with shifters, humans, and vampires. Right now, the humans lead, but that isn’t the problem. If we sought out every human and turned them into vampires, we would end up wiping ourselves out. No more humans means no more human blood to quench our thirst with.”
Leif considered this, then thought of the little problem he’d run into before Beatrice had saved him. “What about the human hunters? Certainly they are cause for concern. From what I’ve seen, they are quite skilled in catching and killing vampires.”
She held up a single finger. “And shifters. While hunters do indeed pose a threat to us, they are extremely talented at finding shifters, too. They understand balance, but their goals are based out of fear. Ours are based out of power.”
Susannah had seemed quite the opposite to Leif during his short captivity. He’d detected no fear from her, but then again, every vampire in that warehouse had been in a horribly weakened state. She wouldn’t have had to fear anything. But Leif also knew that just because the hunter hadn’t shown any terror didn’t mean that her underlying purpose had been based out of her fear of vampires. For all he knew, Susannah’s drive could have been motivated by anger or revenge.
They entered into the luxurious common room of the first Initiate floor. It was a Saturday, which meant the Initiates didn’t have classes. A handful of students were in chairs and couches, their noses in books. Others were holding hushed conversations with each other, but those quieted down as soon as they noticed Leif and Beatrice standing there.
A reverence hung in the air like a cloud of smoke as everyone in the room regarded them with eager eyes.
“Good morning, Initiates,” Beatrice addressed the group of humans. The superiority in her tone seemed to only enhance their hallowed gazes. “Another vampire has joined our ranks today, and he is low on energy.”
Several eager hands shot up before Beatrice even asked a question.
She glanced at Leif and he saw that she was smiling.
“Take your pick,” she said. “You have quite a selection.”
“What about you?” he asked, preferring that she pick out her victim first.
“I only drink from one particular human,” Beatrice replied. She pointed over to the far wall where a leather couch sat holding three people. “Ramon,” she said, gesturing for him to join her. One of the three — a Latino male — got to his feet and stood, puffing out his chest, then walked proudly toward Leif and Beatrice. “This one’s destined for greatness,” she whispered to Leif. “It will be a pity when he is turned. I have yet to find anybody’s blood as delectable as his.”
Leif was repulsed by her words. Beatrice made it sound like the Initiates were a part of an all-you-can-eat buffet. While blood was the most satisfying thing in the world, the idea of taste-testing among the different Initiates until he found the person whose blood jived with him the most felt so wrong.
“Time for you to choose, Leif,” said Beatrice. “Draven is going to want us back in his trophy room before long, so we better do this before he summons us.”
Nodding, Leif pointed at the Initiate closest to him, a dark-haired and dark eyed-girl who looked young enough to have just started college. Her bangs came to a stop a few centimeters above her thin eyebrows. “You there, come along.”
She nodded eagerly, stepping her way quickly to Leif’s position. “Oh, thank you,” she said, bowing her head low and causing her hair to sweep forward like a broom. “I’ve never been chosen before!”
Leif could hardly believe just how excited she was. “You’re acting as if you’ve won the lottery.”
“She has,” Beatrice said. “There are several Initiates who have never had their willing blood taken by a vampire.”
Leif looked back at the female Initiate and shook his head. “Why in the world would you want your blood to be sucked from your body?” He looked around the room at the other Initiates watching him. “Why would any of you willingly submit yourselves to such brutality?”
“Leif.” Beatrice said his name with a cautionary tone.
“No. I want to hear it from them,” Leif replied, sweeping his arm around the room while pointing his index finger. Looking at the Initiate he’d chosen, he said, “What is your name?”
“Becca Stevenson,” she responded dutifully.
“Okay, Becca,” said Leif. “Will you please explain to me why you are so eager to have a vampire bite into you and drink your blood?”
The girl’s dark eyes shifted to Beatrice as if she were asking for permission. Leif saw Beatrice nod her head out of the corner of his eye.
“Well, sir, how else am I to increase my status among the Initiates? Proving myself in my schoolwork can only get me so far. But if I start getting noticed by vampires, it gives me a greater chance at receiving a recommendation to become one.”
“Leif…” Beatrice warned again.
Leif’s eyes narrowed. “And why in the world would you want to become a vampire?”
Beatrice grabbed his arm firmly. Through gritted teeth, she softly said, “That’s enough, Leif. Take your Initiate and let’s go back to your quarters.”
Leif knew the public scolding was heard and seen by everyone in the Initiate common room, and he wondered if that would come back to haunt him. Would word of this spread around the school? Had he just ruined his own status on his first day at the school?
He found he didn’t care. If Draven wanted to demote him, Leif was perfectly fine with that. If he was kicked out of the school, he’d be happy to run back to the comfort of his cabin.
But his thirst pricked at the back of his throat, sending waves of craving shooting from his head to his feet. And he could sense the blood pumping through Becca’s veins like a metronome. He needed to drink.
“Come along, Becca,” he said, tearing his arm from Beatrice’s hold. Turning around, he took long, quick strides to exit the common room.
“Yes, sir,” she said from behind, running to keep up with him.
Upon reaching the staircase, Leif took two stairs at a time. He knew Beatrice would give him more of a personal rebuke after they drank, and she’d probably report to Draven what he’d said.
“Slow down,” Beatrice said, catching up to him and grabbing his arm again. She pulled him to a stop and looked him in the eyes. “Hey, listen, it’s going to be okay, alright?”
Leif shook his head, hearing the pitter-patter of Becca and Ramon running up the staircase as fast as their limited bodies would allow. “Nothing about this is okay,” he hissed, feeling anxiety spreading through him like a drug and putting him more on edge. “Everybody is too content with how things are. I mean, humans volunteering to lose their blood?”
“This isn’t the late 1800s anymore,” she replied quietly. “Times are changing. Someday, every human will want to be a vampire. What we have to offer is beyond anything the shifters can give humanity. In our fangs, we hold the gift of eternity.”
“Has it occurred to you that maybe some people might think it’s a curse?” Leif asked. “Because that sure didn’t bounce through your head when you turned me.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic,” Beatrice chided. “You’re probably the most skilled pianist in the world at this point, and that would never have happened had I not turned you.”
Leif knew she might be right — he’d memorized thousands of the most challenging songs and could play them with perfect precision. But she was changing the subject. He pulled away from her again and took the final steps, his shoulder colliding with another vampire who was heading for the stairs. His thickly-spiked hair matched the pale whiteness of his skin, although his hairline had seen some recession.
“Watch where you’re going, newcomer,” the man said, grabbing Leif by his shirt and shoving him down the first few stairs, causing Leif to nearly slam into Beatrice as he fell.
Leif felt his left arm break as it smashed into one of the stone stairs. Coming to a hard stop, his knee made a sickening pop. He looked at it to see what the damage was, only to see it twisted and angling to the side. He gritted his teeth, trying to endure the momentary pain as his body automatically fixed itself, making more snapping and popping sounds as he healed.
Rising to his feet, he charged up the few stairs and back into the Great Hall, diving for the vampire’s waist, causing them both to collapse on the ground.
Although Leif had lived for so long, he had virtually no experience in combat training. He’d never had to fight another vampire before.
“Stop it, you two,” Beatrice demanded, keeping her distance from them. “Do I have to go get Draven?”
Leif didn’t listen. He was not a supporter of fighting, but he believed in justice. It wasn’t as if Leif had meant to collide with the other vampire.
Mr. White-Spikes bounced to his feet with a snarl, kicking Leif in the stomach with such force it sent him sprawling. Ribs cracked, then almost instantaneously mended themselves. He dodged a punch aimed for his chin, sidestepped while sticking his foot out, tripping the vampire. In the process, Leif slammed his hands into his assailant’s back, this time sending him sprawling. He relished in the small victory. But his moment of pride was short-lived. The vampire’s blur of movement sent him crashing back down to the floor, and he found himself stuck in a debilitating hold.
He quickly realized he wasn’t getting any advantage on the more experienced vampire. Leif figured that the vampires at the school were trained to fight shifters — he had virtually no chance at beating this one.
He was pinned to the ground, his face exposed to a crushing barrage from a wound-up fist. Leif’s nose snapped to the side from the impacts, causing an explosion of pain to erupt on his face.
And then Leif felt the weight of his attacker disappear. Keeping his eyes closed, he waited for another heavy blow to come down on his head. Instead, he heard the other vampire grunt, followed by the cracking of wood.
Opening his eyes, Leif saw the vampire who had attacked him was lying in a heap on a broken credenza.
The small form of Beatrice stood between him and Leif. The other vampire jumped to his feet and threw a punch at Beatrice, but with blurring speed, she easily knocked his arm harmlessly away and struck his chest with both of her fists, sending his body flying into the wall. Leif heard the vampire’s spine snap as he struck the black bricks.
Leif looked at Beatrice with surprise, his throbbing from its displacement.
“That was amazing,” he said, taking her hand as she extended it to help him to his feet. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”
“Hand-to-hand combat training throughout the years,” she replied. “Sorry you ran into Rory Salmond. He’s in charge of the dungeons and feels like he has to push his weight around whenever he’s given the opportunity.
Rory stirred nearby, groaning as his body began healing itself.
“Why… do you have to… hit so hard?” the dungeon master stammered.
“You picked a fight with the wrong vampire,” she replied. “If you mess with Leif Villers, you’ll be answering to me. Lesson learned?”
Like a row of dominos falling, his vertebrae popped back into place. The sound caused Leif to shudder with disgust.
Rory slowly got to his feet, straightening his back and causing more popping to occur. His gray eyes focused as they met Leif’s. “Is he with you?’
“Yeah, he’s with me,” Beatrice replied coolly. “Now run back down to your little dungeon and do your job before I call in Draven.”
Glaring at Leif for a moment longer, Rory finally turned around, passing Becca and Ramon on the stairs while he grumbled.
“By the sun’s light, you don’t know how to protect yourself, Leif?” Beatrice asked.
Leif shrugged with embarrassment. “I’ve never had to before. Not against another vampire, at least.”
Beatrice shook her head disapprovingly. “A vampire who doesn’t know how to fight. That’s as bad as a kitsune who can’t figure out how to channel electricity.”
“I’m a pianist, remember?” Leif said.
“Well, you’re going to become a fighting pianist,” Beatrice replied. “I’ll see if Draven is fine with me giving you private lessons. Just as you have mastered the piano throughout your life, I have centered my studies on many forms of combat. You could ask for no better teacher.”
“After what I just went through, I will gladly take that offer,” Leif replied. With a sudden, painful pop, his nose finally snapped back into its proper place, causing Becca and Ramon to gasp.
“That is so… cool!” Becca whispered.
“I was beginning to wonder if your nose was going to fix itself,” Beatrice said with a grin.
Rapid healing was a huge benefit to being a vampire. It made the pain a short-lived nuisance to endure, especially compared to how long it took humans to recover from similar injuries. Still, Leif had to learn to protect himself better.
“After going through that ordeal, are you ready to eat?” asked Beatrice.
Leif nodded. “My body is on the verge of going primal.” A human’s stomach would growl at the hunger he felt, but Leif’s insides roared.
“Shall we, then?” she said, glancing back at the two humans behind them and bobbing her head in the direction of the staircase leading upwards.
This time, Leif stayed side-by-side with Beatrice as they headed up the nine floors to his quarters. He was not surprised that Beatrice had become a master martial artist, but he had to chuckle at the irony of how such a small, petite person could be such an effective fighter.
“He wouldn’t have killed you,” Beatrice said, her voice bouncing off of the walls of the stairwell. “Rory’s just got issues with his status. He saw a vulnerability in you and wanted to exploit it. It helps him feel like he’s above others because his duties require him to be on the very lowest level of the school.”
“I’m glad I could be an outlet for his ego,” Leif replied. “I’ve got a lot to learn.”
Beatrice laughed. “Yes, you do. Fortunately, you have eternity. Even more fortunately, you have me to help you.”
And she has got a lot of nerve, Gemma said.
They finally arrived at his quarters, the lights embedded in his walls blinking on, either detecting their presence, or a trigger by the door opening. It showed just how important the latest and greatest technology was to Draven.
“I’m afraid it’s not too homey yet,” Beatrice said to Becca and Ramon as they stepped inside. “Leif only arrived this morning and didn’t pack anything.”
“It’s perfect!” Becca said, clapping her hands. “I can’t wait.”
Leif’s shock at her words was only amplified by the fact that she was physically shaking.
She approached him until their bodies nearly touched, causing Leif to swallow with difficulty. In the past, he’d always had to force his victims down to the ground, using his super-human strength to keep them subdued until he could sink his teeth into their flesh and let nullifying venom seep into their bloodstream to help them relax. But the way Becca looked at him — her countenance radiating anticipation as she tilted her head to the side and exposed her thin, soft neck — was provocative.
“Oh, she’s ready,” Beatrice said, broadly grinning at Leif.
That was an obvious observation — Leif could smell her blood, could hear how fast her heart was churning it through her body.
“Her heart’s a-racing,” Beatrice continued. “At that rate, drinking from her won’t take long at all. She’ll practically be a gushing fountain.”
The imagery did not help Leif’s resolve one bit. He was used to fear causing that kind of reaction, not joyful excitement.
“Lucky me,” he said softly. At the very least, the experience would go by quickly.
“Enjoy it,” Beatrice said, wrapping her arms around Ramon’s dark neck, finding the perfect part of his flesh she planned on setting her teeth into. “Get lost in the moment.”
Her casualness with the Initiate was jarring to Leif, but he nodded slowly, breathing in the scent of Becca’s blood in an attempt to flush away his anxiety and concern. Doing so sent goosebumps prickling down his spine. How human of me, he thought. He couldn’t deny how tantalizing her smell was.
“Smelling her isn’t going to fill your belly,” Beatrice said smartly. Was she waiting for him to go before she began to drink from Ramon?
Leif awkwardly put his arms around Becca, placing his hands on her thin shoulder blades to steady her. The warmth of her back bled into his fingers, sewing threads of guilt into his heart even though he hadn’t done anything yet. Becca’s shaking seemed to increase with anticipation, making it even harder for Leif to force himself to ignore his feelings.
His lips brushed the soft skin of Becca’s neck, and he felt small goosebumps rise at his touch. In a mix of emotions, Leif slowly opened his mouth, hesitating another moment before sinking his fangs into her soft flesh.
Becca stiffened, releasing a soft, painful gasp at the sudden punctures, but Leif released the harmless venom that would strip her from the ache and replace it with relaxation and pleasure. As he did so, her quaking stiffness ceased, and she relaxed, drawing him into an embrace while he sealed his lips around her skin and began drawing blood from her.
The scent of her blood had been tantalizing. The taste of it within his mouth was exquisitely indescribable, and he found himself taken to another level of pleasure himself.
Opening his eyes, he glanced at Beatrice who was watching him with satisfaction. But he was too enamored with Becca to care what was going through the other vampire’s head. Leif watched as Beatrice looked away and bit into Ramon’s neck. And seeing it drew a memory from his mind that pushed his pleasurable experience with Becca completely aside.
He was back in the dark stable, the rainstorm still as thick as ever peppering against the other side of the wooden wall. The light from the lantern flickered just outside of Misty’s stall.
