Duel Nature

by John Conroe

  ***

  Citadel had been built with every contingency in mind including an auditorium that could seat a thousand people. It was close to half-full when Tanya, Lydia, Nika and I entered along with a large number of Senka’s people, many that I didn’t know.

  We were all dressed up, males in suits and the ladies in formal dresses. Tanya’s dress was a sapphire blue to match her eyes and her coal black hair was braided and styled around her head. She was beautiful, but I noticed that the knee length dress wouldn’t hinder movement and the close styled hair left nothing to grab onto. She picked up on my thoughts and winked at me.

  “A girl’s gotta be prepared,” she said with a shrug.

  “And still make it look great!” Nika said. “Now damp down your shields Chris. There are other mind readers here.”

  “Yes Mother,” I said.

  “Sister,” Galina said, gliding up behind us. “I’m the only Mother.”

  A dark haired, hazel-eyed older version of Tanya, she was jealous of her position as the only vampire to ever give birth to another.

  “Hi mother,” Tanya said, reaching over and squeezing her hand.

  “Dear one,” Galina said. ‘Chris. Ladies,” she directed at myself then Lydia and Nika. She was unfailingly polite to me – it scared me a little.

  Our group moved slowly into the room, entering the main floor through an arch that was big enough to let the five of us walk abreast. It reminded me of entering a football stadium through the teams’ corridor, except for the red velvet carpet and the ornate marble floor. Ahead the room opened to a giant circle with a series of raised judge’s benches on the lowest tier. Behind each desk-like bench, which appeared to be constructed of black basalt, a small arc of seats climbed for thirty or so rows. There appeared, by my quick count, to be about twenty of the raised judge-type benches, with vampires seated in the sections behind only about thirteen of them. The front of each bench had a Roman number carved from ornate white marble.

  Ahead of us, a tall, elegant blonde vampire wearing a full length evening gown was checking names off a list. With her hair up in a sophisticated arraignment she wouldn’t have looked out of place in an eighteenth century Royal Ball…except for the iPad she was using instead of paper.

  The group in front of us was checked off and directed to one of the arcs behind bench number four. We moved up and waited for the blonde to raise her head, which she did with a look of bored disdain. She looked us over with one eyebrow raised, then appeared to recognize Galina, Tanya and Nika.

  “Atta,” Galina greeted her reservedly.

  “Ah, the young mother and her….brood,” the blonde answered with an even frostier tone. She glanced back at her list and started checking off names as she looked at each of us. When her cold blue eyes reached me she frowned.

  “A human Galina? Isn’t that in bad taste..even for this country?” she asked with a sniff.

  Tanya tensed beside me and I could feel her mood darken instantly.

  Galina, however, laughed. It was a sincere, delighted laugh. “Hah, an easy mistake to make, Atta – for someone who has been, shall we say, away from society,” she said.

  The blonde frowned and tensed slightly. My vampire sense told me she was a little over six hundred years of age and I recognized her face from the deck of Significants. Atta was the Registrar of the Conclave and hailed from somewhere in Russia or thereabouts.

  “My son-in-law may appear to you as human, but he is far removed from that species. Don’t be fooled by the delicious scent of his blood, Atta dear. After all, I’m sure there are some humans who find you similarly appealing,” Galina said, her voice a cool hiss.

  The older vampire’s eyes narrowed at the insults, but her eyes flicked past Tanya to reexamine me. Her avoidance of my vampire’s gaze appeared nonchalant, but I could read her awareness of the danger standing next to me.

  She gave the slightest of shrugs. “You’re all in section ten,” she said, handing us each a slip of paper with a section number and seat number. Hmmm, assigned seating, interesting.

  Sections nine and ten were directly ahead of us at the center of the arc formed by the circular arena. The vampires in section nine were all of Asian descent so I felt pretty safe in assuming that dais number nine would seat Tzao and number ten was reserved for Senka. Armed guardians from both Senka and Tzao’s personal teams lined the upper level completely encircling the room, giving them clear fields of fire into all the sections. Arkady had a security checkpoint just outside the auditorium that all of the entering vampires had to go through. They had been thorough with us but the vampire supervisor had just sighed when I went through, recognizing that my most potent weapons are built in.

  We found our seats, four rows from the bottom. Some of the older vampires in Senka’s section were seated below us and Galina knew them all, although I only recognized one or two. Galina exchanged greetings with them, most also greeting Tanya. I received more than my share of stares, some with nods, most just curious.

  “That’s Lison and her lackeys,” Nika said, leaning forward and whispering.

  I followed her gaze to the Registrar’s check-in point where Atta was smiling and greeting an elegantly gowned black-haired vampiress. Lison was very slender and pale, her black hair cut short in a modern style, looking every inch like a French fashion model.

  A male vampire waited behind Lison’s party, for the most part patiently, but I spotted a couple of micro flashes of impatience. He had a long hawkish nose, his dark eyes hooded. His skin had most likely been olive toned prior to becoming a vampire. I applauded his aplomb as I would have been thoroughly put out by the fawning and ass kissing that the Registrar was displaying.

  “That one is Gultekin – from Turkey. He represents most of Northern Africa,” Nika explained.

  “I notice a lack of African and Middle Eastern vampires,” I said.

  “There aren’t many, at least above the age of a hundred. There was a problem there last century and the older ones didn’t do well,” Nika said.

  “Problem?” I asked.

  “They disobeyed the Elders,” Tanya said. “They were Purged.”

  Gultekin had a small party – only ten other vampires with him, all quite young. When he made it past the Registrar, his group headed toward dais number three. Lison was placed at number twelve. There appeared to be a ranking system in place – the more important vampires placed closer to the Elders’ sections. Gultekin did not appear to rank high in the hierarchy.

  “Tavian and Elisabeta are here,” Lydia announced.

  “And there’s Frimunt coming in with Gault and Berit,” Nika added.

  Tavian and Elisabeta were striking even among vampires. Much of that could be laid at Elisabeta’s shocking blood-red hair, but they exuded charisma as they charmed their fellow Darkkin in line. The pair stayed close to one another, but it appeared to be an unconscious habit, something they weren’t even aware of. I realized that Tanya and I were pressed against each other at hip, thigh and shoulder and there was plenty of room on the bench. I was seated on the end of the row nearest to section nine, then Tanya, Nika and Lydia. Galina was in the row just in front of her daughter.

  Glancing back up at the Registrar’s check-in I saw that Tavian and his Chosen had passed through and were headed to section seven. When my gaze followed them, I noticed that most of the rising seats around us were filling rapidly. Across the aisle from me a very attractive Asian vampiress was settling into her seat and she flashed me a bright smile before turning forward. Several of her fellows also made eye contact with me and smiled while nodding hello. It was odd. I didn’t know very many Darkkin from Tzao’s contingent, just one or two of her security people. Yet here was at least a dozen unknown vampires giving me a friendly vibe. Unheard of.

  “You are seated on the end for a reason,” Tanya said very softly. I could tell she had picked up on my bewilderment.

  “To put me closer to Elder Tzao’s group?” I guessed.

  “Ex
actly. You are my Chosen and I belong here, but Senka is well aware of the pride Tzao has displayed at your heritage.”

  “That’s very diplomatic of her,” I opined.

  Tanya laughed. “Don’t you think Tzao’s people might be aware of who you are as well?”

  “I guess. Not sure I’m ever going to be comfortable with attention,” I said.

  “Then you will spend a vast amount of time being uncomfortable Christian Anthony Gordon,” she replied then gave me a quick kiss.

  When I managed to break away from her cobalt blue gaze I found myself more uncomfortable as we were the center of many a fascinated gaze from vampires all around the room. Most were unknowns, the rank and file of each Patrons vampire ‘posse’. I look human, radiate much greater body heat than a vampire and smell like dinner. Every other being in the room was a straight up vampire so my standing out wasn’t altogether odd. But several of the faces watching Tanya and I gave me a cold shiver. Lison met my eyes for a moment before greeting a new arrival. Elisabeta’s cold stare looked us over while Tavian talked to Frimunt and Gault. I’m pretty sure that she didn’t move or say anything, but suddenly Tavian looked up and matched his mate’s predatory stare. Frimunt turned to another vampire but Gault glanced our way, following the direction that Tavian and Elisabeta were looking. Then their heads swiveled to the doorway as a new entrant arrived.

  Mausya made her grand entrance at the head of a long swarm of Darkkin. Poised and elegant she carried herself as gracefully as any vampire I had ever seen. I glanced back at the group who had been watching me in time to see a look of hate flash across Frimunt’s face. Gault didn’t appear to have the same feeling toward Mausya, instead he looked slightly fascinated.

  Atta, as Registrar, was theoretically supposed to be impartial to the candidates, but then again the US media is supposed to be impartial in politics as well, and look how that has worked out. Atta kissed ass like a room full of White House correspondents with the President. The upshot was Mausya being directed to dais number eleven.

  Her oversized group filled up their seats rapidly, again sitting oldest lowest to youngest up high. Two-thirds of the way up the rows I noticed another face turned in my direction. Illarion, Tanya’s uncle by blood was staring icicles in my direction. I smiled back at him and made a little pistol shooting motion with the thumb and forefinger of my right hand. He stared a moment longer then turned away, face as stiff as a wax dummy.

  Tanya straightened beside me and I looked back at the entrance. The queue to enter had vanished, all the vampires now seated. The Registrar checked her iPad then turned to the room.

  “Rise for our Elders, our most Honored Tzao, Treasure of the Middle Kingdom and Honored Senka, Light of the Bulgarion Empire,” she intoned, speaking loudly enough to drown out all the private conversations under way. All eyes looked at the entrance as Senka and Tzao entered side-by-side, holding hands of all things. Senka was dressed in a midnight blue floor length gown that perfectly complemented her blonde hair and dark eyes. Tzao wore a silk kimono of white with yellow flowers, perhaps Irises.

  Staring straight ahead, the two Elders floated across the room followed by Ondrej and Hosokawa. Upon reaching their dais, the two vampire leaders stepped up to their respective seats and stood in front of the heavy throne-like chairs.

  The two body guards took up a position to the left of the raised seats. That put Hosokawa right at the bottom of the stairs next to my seat, between dais nine and ten. As he positioned himself he glanced up and spotted me. Grim rose to the surface beneath my skin, twitching, ready to react. Power pooled in my right hand without my conscious thought.

  Hosokawa drew himself up straight, stared directly in my eyes and – bowed. It wasn’t a slight lean at the waist thing, but a full-fledged martial arts type, eyes down, bow.

  I froze, completely caught off guard.

  “Bow back you idiot!” Lydia hissed at me, her voice almost inaudible.

  I stood and awkwardly bowed back, doing my best dojo/sensei bow.

  He straightened and turned smoothly to face forward as I hurriedly sat back down. Every eye in the arena was on me, every vampire having seen the Duelist’s action.

  Tzao’s face reflected nothing as she turned forward, but Senka had a slight gleam in her eye as she faced the room and began to speak.

  Chapter 31

  “Welcome my fellow Darkkin. Welcome to the Conclave of the Coven,” she began. “Called by the Patrons, this will be the thirty-seventh occasion when we have gathered to select a new Elder to help bring calm and control to our world. Thirty-seven moments in history since the savage times of the Anarchy have Darkkin come together and picked strong leaders to guide our race with grace and direction.

  The centuries of the Anarchy saw the full extent of our unbridled appetites and emotions, but not our wisdom and intelligence. Little better than animals…that’s how we existed. But strong leaders emerged and fought to select an even stronger triumvirate of Darkkin to bring order to chaos, reason to insanity, and direction to our people.

  Now, once again, we are called on to select a new leader, as one of ours has fallen. Venerable Fedor, he of iron will and iron hand, has left us behind, preceding us into the Dark. He will not be easily replaced – no, in fact, our next Elder will have a long row to hoe and the shoes of a giant to fill. But while he will be missed, Fedor will serve in death as he did in life, as the specifics of his passing have much to teach us. About our fast changing world and our place in it.

  Therefore, as tradition dictates, the Conclave will first explore the details of Fedor’s final death to best extract the lessons he left us to learn. Then our Conclave of Patrons will sift and filter, test and retest those among them who seek a higher role. Finally, they will vote and re-vote until they agree on which of these candidates will best serve our needs.

  Thirty-six times before has this happened, but this Conclave will be at least as important as any before, including the first. You see my fellow Darkkin, your Elders, including fallen Fedor, have known for some time that we stand on the cusp of a new era. Our human brethren, whom we have nurtured and guided over the centuries, have grown and expanded the sciences and world of technology as never before. And our own scholars have worked right alongside them, helping bring forth these new understandings and insights. The last one hundred years has seen an exponential explosion of growth in physics, chemistry, astronomy, the biological sciences and technology itself. From the forges of the blacksmith our flock has arrived at the new forges of Nano science, computer science, quantum physics and genetic engineering. The future is difficult to see, increasingly hard to predict with each new breakthrough. So we must be more than ready. We can’t just be positioned to survive, but to thrive. To ride this wave of knowledge into our future. But should we not prepare, should we fail to plan – than we may face dangers we have never known. Weapons far beyond silver, wood and fire. Enemies that can match and exceed our abilities and strengths, enemies that fear and hate us. That is the challenge our next Elder will face, a challenge that Honored Tzao and I identified decades ago. One that she and I have planned for in exhausting detail.

  Fedor too saw these changes coming. He sought a different path, one he felt was better for our people. Long did we debate the directions we each took, not knowing which was best. That, my fellow Darkkin, may well be the final truth that Fedor bestows us. For in the manner of his passing the kernels of knowledge may lay scattered about for us to find.

  You see, there are two ways to look at these changes: you can either fear them or you can embrace them. Fighting the change is like fighting the transformation into vampire…it doesn’t work. In fact it can kill you. But accepting new ways, new ideas,…new beings, all can make us stronger just as the Turn made you stronger as Darkkin.

  Tzao and I have chosen this path, the one that gives our people the best of the new world. Some of you fight that. Some will see only danger and threat where we see opportunity. I promise you that hiding from
these changes is futile and leaves the best of these new resources available to our enemies.

  So I challenge the Patrons to select one among them who can embrace change and help guide us into this new reality. I challenge them to put aside their fear and gather their courage.

  Now is the time – let the Conclave begin!”

  Every vampire in the stomped their right foot once, in unison, while shouting a guttural ‘ASSA!”.

  I had been prepared for clapping, not this. Lydia, Nika, Galina and Tanya all stomped and shouted with the others. I was the only one in the room who didn’t.

  That one unified action, that one group response sank home how completely out of place I was. The feeling had been there all along, the understanding that I stood outside of the group. In Senka’s message I wasn’t part of them, I was the new thing...the new idea…the new being.

  It was like being in a new church and not knowing the right time to say ‘amen’, but worse. Every vampire around me was aware of my lack of understanding…my failure to belong.