Sacred Blood

by Alys B. Cohen

  "You’ve met Jane?" Sunil asked.

  "I just said I did! What is your name?"

  "Sunil Shah, and this is my wife, Emma." Sunil clasped Emma's hand to introduce them both.

  "Sunil, Emma. And you three?"

  "Ash Franklin."

  "William Marshall."

  "Jareth Augustine."

  "Now I have names to your faces," Tyr continued. "I suppose we'll start at the beginning.

  "I was created over 3,000 years ago as part of an army intended to fix the world. Ramses was cruel and determined to right many wrongs. Cian was another vampire lord intending to do the same. Each wanted to be the one and only leader. If they had joined, they might have succeeded. Instead, the armies fought amongst themselves. Most died off, and a great number of humans perished as well. This was blamed on illness in the history books. The majority of those left formed a coven in what is a part of modern Europe, and a small group came here. Most remained behind, and more made covens in other parts of the world."

  "Sir?"

  "Yes, Miss St. Claire?"

  "How can vampires be killed?”

  “By giving our lives to save a human, silver through the heart, supernatural wolf bites, or our bodies being destroyed beyond repair.”

  “Were you made into a vampire by someone dying for you?” Juliette waved her fork at her family. “Like them?”

  Tyr raised his head high. "No. I am a night-walking vampire, as are the rest of us in this village. If I were to bite you, you would become the same type of vampire that I am. This method of creation results in the inability to go in the sun unless we wish to perish. We are the ones who crave human blood, though we can survive on animal, and we do. We also shift-shape into our spirit animals. Those of us created by bites cannot sleep. Our strength is greater than any human or other type of vampire." His smile revealed slightly elongated canine teeth that weren't as exaggerated as the plastic teeth popular at Halloween, but that were still unmistakably not human.

  “You’re so different than Tristan and...and...”

  A frown tugged down on Tyr’s mouth. “What do you know about yourselves?”

  Tristan leaned forward. "We were all created by another upiór dying to save us."

  "Upiórs are vampires. If any vampire dies to save a human, one like you is made. What else do you know, Mr. Larocque?"

  "Well, we change into animals. We weaken without the myoglobin in blood, but don’t have any desire for it. We thought sacrificing ourselves and silver were the only ways to die. None of us wanted to test the theory. We can live fairly normal existences among humans, even sleeping if we want. A bit stronger, faster, with keener senses, but nothing..." The more Tristan spoke, the less certain he appeared to become. “What are you getting at, Tyr?”

  Tyr nodded, seeming wistful. "You received a gift. You were created out of a selfless act, and for this, the sun is not your enemy. You can live lives the rest of us cannot. Not craving human blood and having to fear the daylight are wishes we in this village share. We all had days of mortality, of warming ourselves under the sun's ray. Now we hide to stay alive, damned to lives in shadow."

  "Sir, you said you crave human?” Juliette rubbed her wrists. “Why don’t you eat us?”

  Tyr's eyes unfocused and his brows furrowed. "A couple reasons. After a ban, we were covert by vampire standards until 1413. That year I met the family of a man I had consumed. I was going to finish them off. A young wife, three small children. Devastation. She begged me to take her and spare her little ones. They screamed for their papa." He dropped face to his hands, the memory overwhelming him. “I realized then I’d been a monster.”

  Juliette inched toward Tyr and laid her hand on his arm. “Sir? Who you were and who you are now aren’t the same. You can’t undo what you did, but you repented and changed. It’s like I told Tristan about his own past. You learned, and you took steps to prevent repeating your history.”

  Tyr raised his head and smiled at her. “You are a remarkable young woman.”

  “Will you tell me about the ban?”

  The crowd around them had stopped their own conversations and listened. Most of them started at Juliette, some with reverence, more with shock. One solitary vampire who appeared to be the age of a human teenager, with a long brown plait over his shoulder, stared at Juliette through narrowed eyes. Tyr ignored her question.

  Jareth finally broke the silence, his hands tangling in his shaggy bronze hair. "We came all this way to try to warn you there's danger without even knowing if you existed, and you tell us we have a gift. A gift! My pregnant wife was killed in a stupid war, by a bomb, and you say I have a gift? Because I can go in the sun, my beloved Cora can't feel anymore? Or that I can sleep in a bed without her? Eternity with a pain that hasn't gone away in a century! A gift! Now you're in danger, and you're going to ignore it. I wish I had been warned so I could have protected the woman I loved or have died with her. You're being warned. Maybe you'll change your words about gifts if your family here is killed off by skin-walkers!"

  Tyr's head snapped up and he stood tall, his face so serious that vampires behind them shrank back. His words were softer than they expected. "Jareth. I am sorry about your wife, though we are not in danger."

  "How are you not?!" Jareth stood to challenge Tyr. Guards rushed to stand between him and the object of his anger. Juliette, tightening her arms around Tristan’s waist, feared for Jareth.

  Calmly, Tyr explained, "We have defenses. To enter this, our little village, one must be accompanied by a vampire from this city. From outside our boundaries, even we cannot see it. Ms. St. Claire could step out and not get back in without accompaniment. My guards patrol the forest to frighten off anyone who shouldn't be here. Does this allay your fears?"

  Gabrielle reached up to Jareth, trying silently to convince him to sit down. He shoved her hand off his arm.

  "How is that even possible? You didn't say anything about having magic!"

  Tyr shook his head. "Broaden your mind, Son. We are not the only beings on this earth. Long after settling here, we met an elderly witch. We had a common enemy in the skin-walkers. We needed protection from being discovered by them and other witches, and she had lost her family to their large appetites. In exchange for agreeing to never allow them into our midst and shelter until she passed on, she cast the charm giving our city the power of invisibility and gave me the ability to calm fire. Our protection remains as long as our boundary is never breached. Does that make you feel better?"

  Jareth huffed and plopped back onto his seat.

  Emma tried to stifle a yawn.

  "Do you need sleep? We do not have sleeping accoutrements,” Tyr told them apologetically, “but have plenty of tanned hides that should keep you warm. Follow Sela. She will take you upstairs. Rest this night, and we will speak again in the morning. I do wish to learn how you found us." He broke into a kind grin. His eyes twinkled and little wrinkles formed on the outside corners.

  As they filed past, murmuring their good nights, Juliette touched Tyr’s wrist and smiled. Out of Tyr's presence, Tristan wrapped his arm around her waist.

  The willowy brunette led them across a large hall and through glass doors, then up a stone staircase with a banister made of a smooth tree branch that had not been stripped of its knobs and natural imperfections. With their safety for the night assured, Juliette spared thoughts to appreciate the artistry used in the creation of this house, and the resourceful way elements of the forest were masterfully woven into a building of intense beauty.

  They followed Sela through a set of intricately carved double doors into a comfortable room where several plush, leather-covered pads sat on beautiful wooden frames, not so different from couches, had deer and elk hides spread over them. Four wide windows opened to the evening air. Somehow, the room was comfortably warm, not at all cold as their night sleeping beneath the stars had been.

  "If you need anything, like food, a place to do human things, or something to drink, just p
ull the cord by the door," she informed them. "Sleep well."

  * * *

  Juliette laid her head on Tristan's shoulder, leaning into his side. The hides over them provided a comforting weight. Outside the window, a few voices were loud enough for her to hear, but she couldn't make out any words. Across the room, William snored loudly, and Jareth beat his fist into the leather under him in irregular intervals. Suspecting a nightmare, Juliette sat up. Surprised that Tristan’s eyes were open, she put a finger to his lips. Quietly, not to disturb anyone else who may be sleeping, she made her way over to Jareth's makeshift bed.

  "Jareth?" She lightly touched his shoulder.

  His eyes quickly opened. “Cora?” Then he focused on her and frowned.

  “Who?” she whispered.

  Jareth stared at her, sadness replacing the alarm.

  "Do you want to talk about it?"

  He turned his back to her.

  She patted his arm and stood up. Though the room was dark, she could make out Emma on her shared bed with Sunil, her head inclined toward Gabrielle, the two talking softly. Sunil stared up at the ceiling. William honked another snore, and Ash kicked his leg over, planting it firmly on William's butt. It did nothing to lessen the sound. Tristan rubbed his temples.

  Juliette knelt next to Gabrielle and Emma. Confusion was clear in Gabrielle's eyes.

  "I always thought…I just…"

  "It's all right, Gabby! It really is."

  "What's going on?" Juliette asked.

  "Gabrielle thinks this is somehow her fault because she didn't know about this vampire business."

  "I should have! I think. I…"

  Juliette shook her head. "How could you though, Gabby?"

  "Is this how it was for you? When you found out about upiórs and skin-shifters? Like everything is surreal and wrong?"

  "No. I was scared seeing Tristan become an animal, but a part of my identity wasn't challenged. You thought you were one thing, and found out you’re a lesser form of something you had no idea existed."

  Sunil interrupted. "So what do we do now? Go home? Well, find a new one, since ours is gone. Back to France?"

  "Nate is still out there and must be dealt with," Tristan responded without getting up. "We can't just move on and forget this.

  “Will, wake up Ash.” Gabrielle sat upright. "You two need to be in on this conversation, and Jareth too, if he's up for it."

  Jareth merely raised his hand, no more than an acknowledgement that he heard. He kept his back to the room. Jareth and William begrudgingly got up and sat on Gabrielle's bed. Tristan sank to the floor next to Juliette.

  "So what do we do?" Juliette asked.

  Tristan sighed. "If you can stay up here, then I think we should watch and wait. Maybe they won’t come, but if they do, we’ll be ready to finish them off. If they don't make an appearance, then we leave. I don't feel good about leaving just yet, nor can I even consider staying anymore."

  "I want to help, not to stay locked away!" Juliette cried in protest.

  “Tristan’t right,” Sunil told her. “What could you do this time? It would be animal against animal. You'd be no match for wolves of any sort."

  "Et tu, Sunil? Siding with Tristan? Do all vampires turn into creatures that can fight, or are there birds, and maybe even bugs?” From the side of the makeshift bed, Juliette pulled her bow and held it up. “Arrows have taken down large game. In case you've forgotten, I’m an archer."

  Sunil's chuckled. “No, I remember. You’ve forgotten that arrows won’t kill us.”

  “Tristan said you were made my another upiór, or another vampire, dying to save you. So don’t me you’re immortal. You lose your immortality when you’re in harm’s way for a human, right? So you can die then.”

  "Juliette, please reconsider." Tristan ran his fingers through her hair.

  "Let's rest a few days and not make any decisions now," Gabrielle said, "and if all stays calm and quiet, then we talk about heading out. We'll decide later where we want to settle. Juliette, I hope you'll remain with us, though it interrupts your education."

  "I'll stay, Gab, and can take courses at a distance or try to transfer. I can probably get some loans to take care of it."

  "No, I'll cover the tuition," Gabrielle firmly told her.

  William and Ash flopped back onto their beds without a word, their feet closer together than their heads. Within moments, William's snores refilled the room.

  "Good night, Gabrielle, Emma, Sunil," Tristan told them, his hand at Juliette's elbow. She smiled her own goodnight and slid beneath their shared covers.

  Tristan pulled her close. “For ages I wanted to be one of them only because no one knows what an upiór is. I didn’t understand myself half the time. Now I think I’d rather be a full upiór than a lesser vampire.”

  Juliette chuckled and rubbed his cheek. “You are a hundred percent perfect as you are. Whether you’re a vampire, an upiór, or anything else, you’re still my Tristan, and nothing has changed about you.”

  “Yours? I like that.”

  “Yeah. I’m yours too, Sweetheart.”

  The comfort of Tristan's arms around her and the warmth of his breath slow and steady on the back of her neck should have lulled her to sleep. Instead, a growing and unexplainable unease kept her awake until the first filtered rays of the morning sun started peeking around the curtains.

  21. Strategy

  Metal scraping against the wood floor roused Juliette. She opened her eyes to search for the cause. A series of screens lined the wall nearest to the door and steam rose from a metal-framed wooden tub not yet concealed. Along the top of the dividers, several sets of clothing had been draped. A brunette woman caught Juliette watching and whispered, "Tyr thought you might enjoy scrubbing up and having something new to wear. Come down whenever you're ready." The door silently closed behind her.

  Juliette shook Tristan. "Hey! Baths! I'm going to take one!"

  "Hmm?"

  "Bath. Clean. They set up tubs!" She kicked the blankets off and padded barefoot toward them. Three vessels had been placed behind a row of them and five behind the other. One had an old-fashioned chamber pot. Ducking behind the smaller setting, Juliette stripped off her dirty smelling jeans and sweater and made her way first to the porcelain bucket.

  Sudden life filled the room. "Wake up!" Tristan called to them.

  "I wanna deck you," one of the boys muttered.

  Juliette laughed and lowered herself into the tub. She inhaled deeply, marveling at how good simple hot water felt.

  * * *

  Gabrielle led her family, dressed in the garments of the village, downstairs. The woman Juliette had encountered earlier met them at the bottom of the stairs.

  "I am Vivian," she greeted them with a large smile, "and I will assist you in any way you need while you're here. Tyr is waiting for you in the dining hall. Please follow me."

  Vivian led them down a corridor of stone with huge panels of stained crystal. From the high ceilings hung wrought iron chandeliers where hundreds of unlit candles sat. Juliette briefly wondered how anyone could light them. She followed Vivian into a hall and gasped.

  Sunlight filtered through the ceiling of lightly tinted glass. Full, high bushes pressed against the transparent walls. Inside the room several small trees suited for a rainforest had taken root. Perched on many of the branches were green, red, and blue parrots. It was like being in another world.

  Tyr petted an emerald parrot on his arm. "Good morning," he called to them. "Please, have a seat. Let us better acquaint ourselves and leave a second first impression. I am afraid I gave rather a bad one last night."

  A breakfast plate was set in front of Juliette as she sat. Tristan moved his seat closer to her.

  "Please, inform me how you came to find us," Tyr requested.

  No one spoke at first, until William elbowed Tristan. Tristan took a deep breath and began to tell the whole long tale.

  "Well now, isn't that something." Tyr stopped near
a tree and held his arm up. The bird hopped onto a branch. "The long-haired harpy was mine, one of the last in the world. She went missing this past spring. She wasn’t a very intelligent creature. I thought she was attacked by a bear or some other manner of creature."

  "What about the skin-walkers?" Tristan asked with an edge in his voice. "They're trying to find you. We found you. They can too. Why aren't you concerned?"

  Tyr's staff clicked on the granite floor as he began to pace. "I told you, our village is secure. No non-vampire can enter unaccompanied. Even vampires can’t their first time. Skin-walkers are not one of us. Calvin desperately wanted to eat your young girlfriend. Otherwise my guards would have done nothing more than watched you until you left."

  Sunil clenched a hand into a tight fist and lightly pounded on the just-cleared table. "So coming here was a giant waste of time and energy. All the trouble we went through, all for nothing."

  "Not nothing." Gabrielle’s mouth tightened. "We know now what we are. This knowledge makes the hardship worth everything."

  Juliette fingered the smooth fabric of her flowing cream gown and glanced at the tiny stitches on the lavender leather vest. She flexed her feet in soft, lightweight boots, no longer desiring to sit. "Excuse me. What do you do here? Like for fun. This village is so huge in landmass. Also how is this sunlight not killing you?"

  Tyr glanced toward the ceiling and held a hand palm-up. "Humans did create a nifty little thing called UV protection film that keeps out more rays than trees and cloud cover could."

  "Humans?" she asked. "How--"

  "You didn't realize that Vivian is one?"

  Juliette’s eyebrows shot up. "We can't tell the difference like you can. Why is a human here?"

  Tyr smiled and finally took a seat. "We have a human living with us, and a vampire on the outside. This arrangement makes filling our needs easier. UV film, for instance. Iron pots. New books, especially textbooks, for our library."

  Sunil leaned forward. "You have a library?"

  "Yes. As Miss St. Claire--"

  "Please call me Juliette." She blushed. “I’m sorry for interrupting you.”

  "As Juliette," Tyr said with an acknowledging nod, "asked, we fill our days with a variety of activities, and chief among them is education. Science, history, the only things that really change. Some of us observe art the best we can from afar. Quite a few paint or sew. For sport, some of us practice archery or duel. Making music, both singing and playing instruments, and dancing. Look around. You’ll see the same knowing smiles and nods I do."