Elixir of Flesh
Page 23
* * *
While Lucian visited, Lina rested in Vad’s capacious bed. As time passed, the unpleasantness slowly subsided from her body. Her head still exploded with the sensation of a profound headache; her muscles still ached and she still felt overall unhappy and displeased. But this time when Vad came in, felt her forehead and inspected her teeth, he told her, “The period of danger is over. You shouldn’t have to worry about getting sick—ever again.”
Lina smiled weakly when Vad told this to her and thanked him for his help.
“Don’t thank me yet,” he told her, “You still have yet to try your food.”
The smile fell from her face, and she looked anxiously at a wooden bowl that he now carried towards her. She sat up and looked at it. A thick red, syrupy fluid swayed back and forth as he moved the bowl towards her.
“Drink,” he said.
The liquid was warm, and it emitted an odor that was new to her and she didn’t find pleasant. “Blood?” she asked.
“Among other things,” he said.
“Is it of anyone I know?” she asked, the possibility that this might be the last remains of Nicoleta or Sister Oana popping into her head.
“You will drink it,” he answered, “When you’ve drunk this, you will be a vampire and a member of this coven for now and forever.”
Lina looked around. For the first time, she noticed that innumerable vampires were crowding at the door to Vad’s room. She could barely see them in the dim light, but their presence urged her insistently to drink. She couldn’t back down with all those eyes watching. She took the bowl in her hands, and she touched it to her lips. Her feelings were overwhelmed by guilt as she imagined herself consuming her former acquaintances, but she pushed forward. The warm liquid flowed into her mouth and down her throat, and she emptied the bowl in several large gulps.
The taste was familiar. She’d cut herself many times in her life, such as on her fingers or on her hand, and when she put the wound to her mouth to relieve that pain, it transferred to her tongue the same flavor she now tasted. But the sweetness of her own blood was no longer the same when she tasted someone else’s blood. It disgusted her. The disgust was not in the taste itself, but in the idea of tasting someone else’s blood, especially of someone deceased. Still, she could not show her disgust. She had to present the best she could make of a smile to all those who watched.
“This will be your bread and butter from now on. Forever,” Vad told her, “Don’t worry. You’ll grow to love it.”
From behind Vad, out of the shadows, Asha emerged and told Lina, “Welcome, Lina, to our coven. If Vad has deemed you worthy to join us, I’m sure that you more than are.” Asha tenderly kissed Lina on the cheek and left. Then from the halls of the coven the loud sound of a collective howl emerged, as all the vampires at once celebrated the entrance of a new member to their numbers.
When everyone had left and Vad and Lina were alone she asked, “Who is that woman who was just here. She was in the throne before. She’s so beautiful.”
“Asha,” Vad said, “Our ruler. The first and oldest vampire among us.”
“How did she become ruler?”
“Because she is the oldest. To become oldest she had to kill several vampires that preceded her. But this was decades ago.”
“Why don’t others near the top kill her?”
“Because they know they’ll fail,” Vad responded, “She is strong, agile—dangerous. And many would defend her. Most of us like her. She has transformed this coven for the better.”
“How?”
Vad laughed at her, “You ask endless questions. Like a curious little child. She has changed this coven by bringing order to it. You’ll see. I’ll tell you more about it in due time. For now, you rest. That first drink will tire you as much as if you’ve eaten a harvest feast. You must sleep.”