The Arrival (Children of the Morning Star Book 1)

by Kastie Pavlik

  Jonathan had just finished an informal meeting with him and was organizing his thoughts as he walked toward Snowblood Square. The meeting hall was almost at the very heart of the arc. Buildings dotted the outer perimeter: the elders’ private dwellings and courtyards, the bathhouse, and the guest accommodations. Designed after traditional Japanese homes, the structures featured sturdy, wooden post-and-beam frames and shoji screened exteriors.

  Pathways of wood, marble, glass, and stone provided scenic pathways through botanical beds, grassy meadows, and rocky terraces. Zen gardens offered meditation among rippling pebbles and large stone islands, and reflecting pools stood still and timeless while cascading waterfalls trickled into meandering crystal streams.

  Most animals, mammals especially, smelled blood on all vampires and the very essence of true bloods spooked them. Despite this, the dome buzzed with life. Butterflies, bees, and other insects worked the gardens, and speckled koi with flowing fins lived in ponds among an array of amphibian life.

  The arc’s electronic casing simulated daylight and replicated atmospheric conditions depending on the elders’ wishes. Although the sunless sky of morning still covered most of North America, time in the Realm of Man did not matter in their world—twinkling fireflies hovered in a virtual dusk.

  Jonathan stepped onto the cobalt glass path leading to his destination—a domed structure with Ionic pillars sitting atop a circular mosaic surround of glass tiles and water. No seams marred its smooth marble exterior. The entrance appeared only for elders and authorized true bloods, such as arc governors or squad commanders.

  Jonathan approached the building without stopping and stepped through a dark hole that opened for him and closed behind him. The building’s design blocked all exterior noise and contained the conversations within from any unintended listeners. Similarly, the eyes of the most perceptive true blood could not penetrate the interior darkness, vital when the elders needed anonymity. Jonathan had been in this circle more than any other and knew exactly how many paces it took to reach the room’s center, where he stood and waited.

  Gradually a light appeared behind him to reveal a herald draped from head to toe in black fabric that exposed only his mouth. The light seemed to die the moment it left the herald’s frame. Petitioners saw what the elders wanted them to see and nothing more.

  “Sir Jonathan of the Arc of True Blood appears before the Vampiric High Council of Elders.” The room swallowed the man’s rolling baritone before it could echo off the walls. “He requests the presence of the True Blood Elders.

  “Lady Aurelia.” She appeared to Jonathan’s right, awash in her own contained ray of light and draped in a cloak of deep crimson adorned with a silver starburst pin and silk ribbon bar. Upon the call of each name, the elders proceeded to appear in similar fashion, surrounding him on both sides and the rear. “Lord Raiden. Lord Swaran. Lord Endymion. Lady Lucine. Lord Satiereon. Lady Arria. Lord Ceallach. Lady Rainne.

  “The Eternal Blood High Elders shall now enter.” As he introduced them, they appeared directly in front of Jonathan, swathed in the same bejeweled fabric and bathed in the same restrained radiance as the others. “Lady Ambrosia. Lady Lucasta. Lord Corben.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, the herald finished, “Arch Elder Lord Lucien the Eternal enters and convenes this council.” As Lucien appeared before Jonathan, the herald bowed and faded into darkness.

  A source-less glow lit around Jonathan. He placed his right hand over his heart and bowed before the High Elders, briefly lifting his gaze to Lucien. As Lucien nodded to him, he straightened silently.

  Lady Aurelia spoke first.

  “Welcome home, Sir Jonathan.”

  “We await the results of your observations.” Lord Raiden offered a respectful nod.

  Jonathan addressed only Lucien.

  “Simply removing her from the environment stabilized her, as you suspected,” he told the arch elder. “The acceleration of her transformation stalled and eventually went dormant, with a few exceptions. She continued to heal quickly, although at a noticeably slower pace, and she remained free from bacterial and viral infections. There were rare instances of major symptoms, which manifested mostly as mild to moderate photophobia.”

  “And how did you address that issue?” The question came from Lord Ceallach, who stood on Jonathan’s right beside Lady Aurelia.

  “I informed her that she had migraines with aura effect. I had her wear an eye mask in case she displayed enhanced visual acuity and asked her to rest in a dark room. As I was not to interfere with her development, I waited for her to fall asleep before entrancing her to take blood samples during these episodes. Since she healed immediately, she never knew of the tests. Not one returned positive results for any vampiric gene, as we know them, and I have been unable to decode the abnormal finding. It does not exist in the human genome, either.”

  “And what of her supposed tie to the Universal Thread?” asked Lady Arria.

  “That dissipated as I moved her away from Sunset Grove. With the exception that she interacted extraordinarily well with domestic pets, she had no special bond with nature or any other organic item. However, that changed on her arrival home.”

  “How do you account for the change?” asked Lady Rainne.

  “I am at a loss to explain it. I am not restricted from entering any portion of Sunset Grove and have no proof of a spiritual nexus near her home, with the exception of the church that once stood there. Still, something reawakened her transformation. Upon her return, her spiritual energy spiked and instantly renewed her bond with the Universal Thread. I don’t believe the connection ties her to all living organisms, but instead places her in tune with them. In my opinion, this is secondary to the matter at hand, especially since we have seen this before with other humans, such as the one known as Saint Francis of Assisi. More importantly, there are new developments—”

  As Jonathan paused, the elders seemed hesitant, nervous even, for him to continue.

  “I’ve observed her spiritual aura affecting those around her, from animals and humans to... vampires. Just as she tames the beasts of the forest, so does she tame us. In addition to experiencing euphoria in her presence, I believe that I have felt... love. Her effect is much stronger now, especially on him. He fell in love with her the moment he saw her.”

  Jonathan’s eyes grimly centered on Lucien and his voice became firmer. “On two occasions he witnessed her teeth extending and, just hours ago, he took her body—and her blood.”

  Lord Corben’s voice cut through the chamber slowly and deliberately.

  “Eric Ravenscroft has bitten a member of the flock.”

  The elders collectively faced Lord Lucien, who remained impassive with his crystal eyes locked on Jonathan. No elder would dare break the silence, but Jonathan wasn’t an elder.

  “She survived without symptoms—no coma, no seizures, no fever,” Jonathan said. “She was completely immune. The punctures healed instantly.”

  Several elders began whispering to each other.

  Jonathan spoke above them and maintained eye contact with Lucien. “Furthermore, I am concerned that our former commander is involved. I witnessed his influence in the eyes of a human woman who resided with the subject’s uncle. She has incredible will power and evaded me frequently. Although I cannot be certain, I believe she is after the subject’s demise, which is one reason why I moved her into the care of a trustee early on.”

  At that disclosure, the elders’ murmuring grew louder. Jonathan hurriedly added, “She returned two days ago and grows stronger every day. We may see full transformation within a week. However, Eric spoke with a man who reports to the subject’s uncle and inadvertently started the plan moving forward. I need authorization to delay implementation for further study.”

  Jonathan kept his focus on Lucien, who remained mute and expressionless, indifferent to the growing unrest in the room.

  “If he is involved, how can we ascertain she’s not his means to destr
oy us?” Lord Raiden demanded. “This does not bode well.”

  “Why would he attack us in this manner? Eric loves her. Sir Jonathan quite possibly does, too.” Lady Aurelia lowered her hood, revealing the regal features all true bloods shared. Her richly toned garnet hair, braided and piled atop her head, shone like a gemstone and her magenta eyes gleamed.

  “Impossible!” Lord Swaran countered, his dark hand swiping through the air. “Only members of the flock can feel love. We have been denied that!”

  “Ah, but, she could be the one,” interrupted Lord Endymion, lowering his hood to face the others with intense, chartreuse eyes. Jonathan glanced over as the elder tucked long, flaxen strands behind his ears. Perhaps the most placid of all the elders, Lord Endymion would be a pivotal ally. “Why else would he want her dead?”

  “The Servator,” whispered Lady Lucasta. Long ago dubbed “The Gilded Lady” due to her golden eyes, skin, and cascading hair, she was the first high elder to enter the discussion.

  “No! That girl is a danger to the Vampiric Nation!” Lord Ceallach challenged, raising his voice at Lord Endymion. “We have seen no proof of His heavenly hand!”

  “What of her birth?” Lady Raine’s voice spilled from the shadows of her cloak and clipped the charge in the air. “Or her connection with the Universal Thread? Only those close to Him have such a bond. Besides, do we need proof? What of our faith in our salvation? The humans do not require proof to support their faith in Him and we know He exists.”

  “What about her essence? If she can affect Sir Jonathan, then she can affect us all, perhaps even Lord Lucien,” Lady Arria whispered. “Suppose she can take control of us, too?”

  Lord Satiereon replied, “A human with such power—this will cause certain anarchy among our race.” He met Lord Ceallach’s gaze with an expression of allegiance. “For our salvation to come at the hands of a human is preposterous, even if she is one of His children.”

  “If so, then she is our only chance at salvation,” Lady Lucine said. Her brilliant amber eyes flashed with excitement. “We have waited for this moment for so long, why would we want to deny our race their due whether she is human or not?”

  “Humans do not spontaneously turn into vampires. Our blood is toxic to them. This is the Devil’s work,” asserted Lord Raiden. He brushed back his hood and held his head high. Modeled after the humans of Far Eastern descent, his dark eyes were angular and almond shaped, and his skin gave off a bronzed glow. “If anybody is the Servator, it is that man, Eric.”

  Lady Lucine nodded. “Elder Raiden may be correct. Eric is very different from any before him.”

  “Nonsense,” objected Lord Swaran. His complexion was so dark that the features of his face blended into the shadows of his hood. “His uniqueness is born of Sir Jonathan alone. I cannot believe our salvation would come from any being other than a true blood.”

  “Do not forget that Sir Jonathan was the one who created him, and under quite extraordinary circumstances, no less,” reminded Lady Rainne’s shadowed voice of reason. “A true blood can be a soldier of Destiny, but not the bringer of our salvation.”

  “If Eric is the one, she could have been sent to destroy him. She seduced him into breaking the most vital law of our treaty. We are all at risk now,” Lady Ambrosia countered. “Moreover, she’s given Sir Jonathan a taste of love. What if she had seduced him instead? If he had bitten a member of the flock, we wouldn’t be here now to have this discussion.”

  “She is an abomination created by a rogue vampire, nothing more! They must both be put to death—which should have happened ten years ago!” Lord Ceallach threw his hood back to reveal his fiery mane and angry scowl. He pointed a slender finger at Lucien, his charcoal eyes beseeching him. “You know I speak the truth now, just as I did then, milord.”

  Lucien lifted his impassive gaze. Lord Ceallach faltered and lowered his hand as Lucien slowly blinked and returned his attention to Jonathan.

  “She is of the flock. We cannot order her death,” Lady Lucasta scolded. “Mind your tongue, Elder Ceallach. Another outburst will not be tolerated.”

  “And the fact that Sir Jonathan chose Eric cannot be ignored,” added Lady Rainne. “We cannot order or request his death, either. That is for Lord Lucien alone to decide.”

  In all of his existence, Jonathan had never shown interest in any human other than Eric, and although Jonathan was not of the High Council, only Lucien held a higher social station. Jonathan had bestowed the same elevated stature to Eric in the moment of his alteration and that was something many of the elders hated to acknowledge.

  “Even despite his crime? He gave his blood to a human child. Lord Ceallach is correct; she is an abomination not meant for this world. We have been foolish to entertain this theory thus far,” charged Lord Satiereon.

  “Love?” Lady Aurelia asked. “That emotion rules the actions of humans. What does it mean for us? We have long awaited our Servator, but how will this affect the Nation? We have ruled for so long with our minds alone.”

  “She will destroy us, not save us,” Lord Swaran said with a crestfallen sigh. “What if enemies of the Vampiric Nation learned of her abilities? Maybe that is why he is involved.”

  “She was immune to his bite, yet Sir Jonathan reports that she’ll achieve complete metamorphosis in less than a week? How can her body survive that?” asked Lady Arria to no one in particular. “What happens to her soul? Will she be like Eric?”

  Lord Swaran pondered her question. “She is of the flock, so if she transforms, how will that affect our law? Eric may have given her his blood, but she was dead at the time and not of the physical plane.”

  “And only our intervention prevented the creation of a child vampire. His actions were reckless.” Lord Raiden motioned toward Lord Satiereon in agreement.

  “’Twould be worth noting that we lack any knowledge as to how the laws in the treaty apply to Eric, and that the girl is of the flock now regardless of actions taken in the past. How can a maiden protected by His veil be sent by the Devil to defeat our empire?” challenged Lord Endymion, an unusual amount of force building within his tone.

  Lord Raiden began to answer, but Lady Ambrosia cut him off with a knowing smile. “Can you prove she has favor with those behind the Celestial Curtain?” Without pausing to let Lord Endymion answer, she continued, “No, you cannot. And we are well aware that the Devil has an affinity for using women to do his work. He always comes as a wolf camouflaged as a lamb, so to come to us as a demon concealed behind angelic layers is easily within his power.”

  “Besides, if he really wanted her dead, she’d be dead by now, not interfering like this just beyond our reach,” Lord Raiden added. “There must be a motive.”

  A sudden obeisant stillness permeated the air. Lucien had moved his hands, lowering his hood to rest around his shoulders. Despite his apathetic manner, revealing his face meant the proceedings had disturbed him. He had reached a decision and would speak only once.

  The room was silent. Lucien rarely found it necessary to speak and often observed High Council sessions without uttering a syllable.

  As the original and oldest of his kind, Lucien’s features distinguished him from any other true blood and had never allowed him to blend among the human race. His hair, parted down the middle, hung straight to the center of his back and shone like frosted sterling. The crimson wool gathered at his neck added no warmth to the blue hue of his skin or color to silver flecked eyes clearer than a quartz crystal. His pointed ears and slim, lofty form, designed for stealth and speed, made him resemble an elven inhabitant of Álfheim rather than a modern human.

  As his pale lips parted, light glinted off long, ivory fangs. Unlike with the rest of his race, his canines never receded into his jawbone and instead were curved to match the contours of his mouth.

  Lucien was emotionless and unwavering in his decree.

  “Authorization to delay implementation is denied. Abide by our laws, ensure the girl’s demise as planned
, and bring the rogue before the High Council.”

  That was not the expected directive. Jonathan gritted his teeth and glared dead ahead without saying a word. Whether they agreed or not, none of the elders ventured any further argument. Lucien’s word was final.

  The arch elder raised the hood of his cloak, prompting the remaining elders to follow suit.

  “As you command, my lord. I request weapons to elude and pacify Eric so he cannot interfere.” Jonathan bowed his head to Lucien out of respect and kept his voice level, but did not erase his grim expression. Although the ruling displeased him, he would carry out his orders. Lucien’s heart beat at the core of the Vampiric Nation. He would never endanger them and had never once been wrong.

  Lord Corben replied, “Use the VaSH’s non-lethal weapons, such as the Ivor Bow, Hilja Ring, and anything else you may need.”

  Jonathan mulled over Lord Corben’s selections. The Vampire Shadow Hounds, an elite group of true bloods who hunted the lawless within the Vampiric Nation, utilized state of the art equipment to remain undetected as they captured and incapacitated their prey. They took their orders directly from the High Elders, and they alone possessed weapons capable of bringing down Eric.

  Stationed at the Arc of Mourning Eidolons, their arsenal included a vast array of non-lethal weapons. Few were capable of use by humans, but Lord Corben had selected two possibilities. Similar in appearance to a crossbow, the Ivor Bow shot out electric bolts that spread via air current to form a high voltage net, which would knock a target off his feet and pin him to the ground completely immobilized. Lethal to humans, the electric jolt could keep the strongest true blood contained.

  The Hilja Ring, made from protective obsidian infused with their sound blocking technology, aided in defense and stealth. Although naturally capable of silencing their bodies, VaSH hunters sometimes needed synthetic assistance to avoid detection. The ring’s barrier of silence made the user—whether vampire or human—inaudible to the sensitive ears of the vampiric race.