Admiring the natural artwork the crystals and gemstones provided, he was glad the people of his kingdom thought of this place as being safeguarded by spirits. This was not a place he wished to share with anyone. It would be his secret, his very own haven that he could escape to for mediation.
Chapter Thirty
A couple of years passed, and King Harold became ill with a virus that spread to Spain from Beziers, France. Since Lazarith was the prince, and the next in line, it was up to him to oversee the affairs of the kingdom.
As the weeks went by, the king grew gravely ill. While King Harold was getting closer and closer to his death bed, Lazarith grew in knowledge, becoming a better ruler than his father could have ever dreamed of being.
The night before the virus took his life, King Harold sent for his son.
Lazarith approached his father’s bed with indifference, his heart still bitter from the years of abuse doled out by the one who should have loved him most.
The king reached out his frail hand, but Lazarith ignored his father’s need to touch him in his final hours. “Take care of yourself, my son.”
Lazarith still refused to look down upon his father.
“I know you hold hatred in your heart for me.”
A grunt left Lazarith’s lips.
“You have proven yourself worthy of this kingdom. You have become the great ruler I never could be.” Those were the first words spoken out of love King Harold had ever bestowed upon his son.
A single tear rolled down Lazarith’s cheek.
The next day, King Harold passed away. Not knowing what to tell the people, he kept this knowledge between himself and those directly involved in the kingdom’s affairs. Turning to his father’s right-hand, he said, “I must journey to continue my father’s task. When I return, I shall address the people.”
Leaving the palace, he did not journey to carry out his father’s business. Instead, he retreated to his safe haven. There, he fell to his knees, begging the gods and goddesses to help him with what the future held.
Stretching his hands out toward the heavens, he cried out. “Oh, gods of the sky, I ask of thee this day to grant unto me the ability to never fall ill as my father has. I wish to live a long and exultant life. I vow unto thee a life-long servitude if you grant me this one wish. Anything you require of me, I shall do. I’m yours for eternity.”
While waiting for the gods to reply, he grew weary and fell asleep. A beautiful woman with an elongated face, a face like an angel, and high cheekbones visited him. Her eyes were emerald green, a color so inhumanly bright. Long, blonde hair waved along her back, past her buttocks.
Though she materialized in a smoky haze, her bronze skin color glowed from the moonlight reflected off the crystals. When she spoke, it was soft and inviting. “I am Ratri.” Pronounced RAH trih. “I am the goddess of the night. I have heard thy cry for help and am here to direct thy path.”
Kneeling before her, he lifted his hand. “I am yours.”
“My dear child, to accept what I have to offer, you must drink all of the blood of three maidens.” She paused to gauge his reaction. When he wavered not, she continued. “In taking their blood, you will be consuming their life source. In doing so, you will never fall ill or die.”
“I am ready.”
“Committing this act will transform your body. You will no longer be a mortal destined for death, you will become an immortal and remain forever the same.”
Looking up into her eyes, he wasn’t sure what exactly he was getting himself into but he knew it had to be better than what awaited him at the palace. “I understand, and I accept.”
The goddess Ratri held her hand out, and he accepted it, sealing their deal.
“Be forewarned,” Ratri cautioned. “You will not survive this new life without the consumption of blood for as long as you trek this earth. Your body will require the blood of the living just as the living require the oxygen from the air.”
“I understand.”
“Remember that you must never let another living soul know about what you are about to become. If the time arises and you find yourself needing to confide in another, only choose those you are willing to bring into your new family. For if the world knew it would be the end of the world as you know it and eventually the end of existence.”
What she spoke of confused him and he furrowed his brows. “My goddess Ratri, what am I becoming?”
“My dear sweet child, you will be the first of your kind. There has never been another like what you will become. You will be a night walker, and I shall call you a vampire.”
“Vampire,” he repeated the foreign word.
“I only bestow this gift upon you because you are deserving. Your heart is not full of evil desires as your father had. You, Lazarith, are my child now and forever. I will be here to guide you throughout all of your days.”
As Ratri spoke these words, Lazarith’s eyes filled with tears as he had never felt so loved by another being before.
The goddess explained he would eventually dream of five young women and five young men, their soul mates. These ten were to become his children and would one day save his race and his family through their mighty power.
“Your destiny awaits you through them, and it will be their destiny that will change the world.” Ratri stroked Lazarith’s cheek as a mother would her young son.
Bowing before his goddess, Lazarith accepted all she had spoken.
“There is no need for you to leave this cave in search of the maidens, for I will bring them to you. In five days’ time, you will have what you have sought from me.”
Leaning forward, she blew a sweet fragrance into his face, and darkness overtook him.
Chapter Thirty-One
The goddess put him in a deep slumber. When the sun had set and the moonlight was the only light in the sky, Lazarith awoke, weak and ravenous. To his left, a maiden slowly approached. The shiny object in her hand glinted in the moonlight.
He tried to push himself up but found he was too weak to do more than tilt his head. She knelt beside him and sliced her wrist with the dagger she held. Holding her bleeding wrist up to his mouth, she dropped the dagger. “Please drink, for I offer myself to thee as a sacrifice.”
The young maiden was clearly under the influence of the goddess as she happily surrendered her life to him. His conscience told him that this was wrong, but another voice within reminded him that his life was at stake and he should accept this gift his goddess had bestowed upon him.
Pushing all thoughts aside, he opened his mouth and drank from her wound. The warm liquid soothed the ache deep in his belly and cleared the fog in his brain. With the small bout of strength his body received from her blood, he grabbed her arm and held it firmly in place. Sucking with all his might, he drank until her body fell limp into his lap.
Sated, he relaxed and welcomed the darkness. As his body transformed into its immortal form, he required uninterrupted slumber.
The second and third nights were much the same. Each time he awoke it was to find a young maiden standing above him with a dagger in hand, ready to offer herself as a sacrifice.
After he’d consumed the blood of the third maiden, he immediately felt a shift within his body. Finally having the strength to stand, he began to examine his body. The first thing he noticed was the change to his skin. It had become thicker and the pigment was paler.
It wasn’t long before exhaustion overtook him. Once again, he fell into a deep sleep. This final slumber would complete his transformation, making him the very first vampire to ever grace the earth.
The morning sun shined through the opening from above. Opening his eyes was a task. He rolled over and cried out in pain as his muscles tensed and began to spasm. With no strength in his body, he lay on his side, confused and alone.
“Why, my goddess, would you take my humanity only to let me die in this cave?”
No answer graced his ears.
“Please don’t forsake me.”
Still silence met his ears and he feared he’d made a horrible mistake.
“I thought that I would become a great man and save my family,” he cried out in a voice so weak it was barely a whisper.
Just when he thought he’d been abandoned, Ratri spoke into his mind. “Fear not, my child, for I am with you. Your body has been through a traumatic ordeal and requires replenishing.”
His eyes veered to the cave entrance where a young man stood, dazed and with a dagger in hand.
“You no longer need to steal the life of a human. Just drink enough to breathe life into your tissues and organs.”
Still lost in a daze, the young man wandered to Lazarith’s side. Unlike the maidens, he gently pulled the dagger across the side of his throat until a small droplet of blood formed.
The tinny scent of the man’s blood caused a tightening in Lazarith’s jaw. He massaged his face in hopes of releasing the pressure. Soon, his teeth shifted, and two animal-like fangs protruded from his lips. Touching the tips with his fingers, he inhaled a sharp breath at their needle-like feel.
Instinct took over, and he suddenly knew what they were for. Sitting, he pulled the young man close to his side, positioning his head just slightly to the right. Inhaling deeply, Lazarith sank his new fangs into the soft warm flesh of the man’s neck.
As blood flowed into his mouth and down his throat, he felt the last of the changes take place within his body. His senses grew sharper. Suddenly, he could hear what was taking place outside of his haven. Even sounds from the other side of the mountain were clear to his ears.
New life had been granted to him, and as he opened his eyes, he was astonished at the clarity in his vision. Looking up, he could see every bird that had perched itself at the top of the cave opening. His eyes widened when he realized he could now see every crevice in the earthen walls. This was the most amazing gift, and he sent a mental thank you to his goddess for her love.
Time passed by differently. The few seconds he drank felt like minutes. Soon, Ratri nudged his mind, letting him know he could now release the human. His body had the life-force it needed, and he could now return to society.
He sat back, licking the blood from his lips. The goddess appeared by his side. “Listen carefully, my son.” When he acknowledged her, she pointed at the young man. “First, you must lick his puncture wounds. This will stop the blood flow from his artery.”
Lazarith leaned forward to lick the two small holes. To his amazement, they sealed with no trace of ever having been there.
“Never forget to seal a human’s wounds after you feed. If this is not done, then they will surely die from the blood loss.”
“Yes, goddess.”
“Now, look into his eyes.”
Lazarith cupped the man’s face and gazed deeply.
“Gaze into the depths of his eyes, and push your will onto him. When his mind is open to your will, you must give him the verbal command.”
It seemed like an impossible feat, but Lazarith envisioned the river on the other side of the mountain. When the picture became a clear image, he added frolicking deer. “You ventured to the river this morning to be alone with nature. While you were meditating, you saw many deer.”
Under Lazarith’s trance, the man nodded
“Now go.” He released his hold on the man’s face and freed him.
Ratri beamed at him. “You, my son, are a night walker…You are vampire.”
Lazarith knelt before his goddess.
“Your body will require blood daily, more if you are in the sunlight for long periods.” Placing a hand on his shoulder, she ordered, “Rise.”
He stood.
“Power lies within you. Go, and rule your kingdom.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Makinzee rested her elbows on her thighs and chin in her hands. “I have a question.”
“What is it, sweetie?” Earadessa folded her hands on her lap.
Makinzee worried her bottom lip a moment. “Well, if the goddess gave our sire the ability to feed straight from the source, then why do we have a law prohibiting just that? Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be comfortable biting some random stranger and drinking their blood, but I’m confused why the counsel has such a harsh punishment for those that break this law.”
Earadessa smiled. “That is a great question, and I’m glad that you asked.” Making eye contact with each of the girls, she explained, “You see, back then they didn’t have the technology that we do today. There were no blood banks to purchase bagged blood from. Lazarith’s only means of feeding himself was to go about it the old-fashioned way, biting his victims.”
“Oh.” Makinzee nodded, finally understanding.
“With the resources that we have today, there is no need to risk exposing ourselves in our need to feed.”
“I get it now,” Makinzee said. “Thanks, and I’m sorry I interrupted. Please continue.”
***
Before she vanished, Ratri explained to Lazarith that his ability to control minds and alter memories was just the beginning of his powers. As he aged, his powers would increase, and upon his fifth year as a vampire, he would ascend into his full power. “Now, my son, it is time for you to take your rightful place on the throne as the king.”
“Yes, my goddess.”
“Take heed to not stay in the rays of the sun for long periods of time. For the sun will deplete your energy and power.” Her form began to fade. “Remember that I am but a prayer away. Now go, and enjoy your new life.” Ratri vanished and Lazarith stared at the place she had just stood, in awe of her love for him.
When he arrived back at the kingdom he stood before the people to announce the passing of his father. There was murmuring at first, but the people soon cheered Lazarith, for he would be the blessing they’d been praying for.
For many years, the kingdom ran smoothly. There were no wars and no wasted life. That is, until the people aged and eventually died. For years, he grew close to humans only to stand by while they aged and moved on from their life on earth.
A hundred years passed, and Lazarith was tired of the heartache from losing those he cherished as friends. He hiked to his to safe haven to pray to his goddess.
“Oh, my sweet goddess Ratri. I come to you with a broken heart. For you told me that I could come to you in my time of need.” Lazarith inhaled deeply of the moist earthen air. “I do not wish to be alone any longer. Please, I wish to have a lovely bride that will live with me for eternity.”
The silence was agonizing. Did she hear him? Yet, he knew she had. After what felt like eons, she appeared. “My son, if this is what you desire, I shall tell you how you can make yourself an immortal bride.”
“Goddess, this is my earnest desire.”
“After you’ve found your soul mate, you must take a large sum of her blood. In return, she must take an equal amount from you.”
“That is all I must do, exchange our blood?”
“Yes.” Ratri closed the distance between them. “In two days’ time, she will complete her transformation and be as you are.
He smiled.
“But,” she warned. “Remember that what you take from her must also be given her or she will surely lose her life.”
“I understand.”
She cautioned him to only change those he wished to be his family — those he could trust with his secret life. There was no need to explain the danger any further, for he remembered her warning from years ago. With the knowledge of his immortality, there was a danger to his vampire family as well as the human race. Not to mention, if the wrong human was given the gift of eternal life, it c
ould mean the destruction of the world.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The next three years passed by without worry. Lazarith knew when he found love again, he wouldn’t have to sit idly by and watch her fade from this earth like everyone else in his life had.
It was a sunny day, and the birds chirped as they flew overhead. Lazarith smiled up at them as he trekked on his daily hike in the forest. Lost in the beauty above him, he almost missed her. Standing by the brook was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. Her long, strawberry-blonde hair flowed down her back in a mass of waves.
She twirled around, laughing. When he stepped around the tree he was hiding behind, she clutched her heart. It wasn’t until he smiled that she relaxed and returned the gesture with a bow of her head.
Closing the distance between them, he bowed his head in greeting. “Hello, madam. My name is Lazarith.”
The bashful smile that crossed her features melted his heart. “Yes, Master.” Casting her eyes downward, she said, “I am one of your servants. I care for the linens.”
He reached for her hand and offered a warm smile when she hesitated. “No need to fear. I do not bite.”
A rosy tint filled her cheeks, and she swallowed, taking a slow and deep breath before placing a shaky hand in his.
He lowered his head to kiss the back of her hand. “What, may I ask, is your name?”
The way she bit the right side of her bottom lip excited him in ways he had never felt. “My name is Aaliyah.” She turned her head and he wondered if it was to hide the blush in her cheeks.
Puffing out his chest, he took great pride in knowing he affected her in some way. “Aaliyah, would you kindly accept my dinner invitation?” Placing his fingertips on her jaw, he gently turned her head so he could peer into her eyes. “Please?”
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