by Bell Stoires
“Oh Ari,” she said, “I’m sorry. This must all be so confusing. Larissa and I aren’t use to being around humans, and we just naturally assumed that you were being lulled by Ragon. I must say, it is refreshing to know that your mind is your own, but it is entirely unheard of amongst vampires.”
“What do you mean?” asked Ari, leaning forwards.
“Well,” said Sandra, “vampires and humans do not form relationships. There is a reason why mortals do not know of our existence, we are forbidden to have them in our lives, except of course to be sources, in which case the human has been lulled and will not try to escape.”
“Sometimes,” said Larissa, “newly made vampires, who loved humans in their previous life, will turn them so as to be together, but even this is very rare. And… and I gathered from the fact that you two have separate bedrooms, that you are not lovers.”
Ari blushed and shook her head.
“But for one vampire to keep a mortal safe from another vampire, without lulling them… well it is downright unheard of,” said Sandra.
Ari was surprised with how at ease she felt with Sandra and Larissa. When first she had realised she was going to be babysat by two unfamiliar vampires, she had been nervous, even slightly afraid. But Sandra and Larissa were lovely. After ten minutes alone with them, Ari felt more comfortable than she had with most human girls she had hung out with. But more than that, she finally understood just how much Ragon was putting on the line. He had called his friends from halfway across the world to keep her safe. As she realised this, Ari shook her head determinedly; she would not try to escape again. Only one question remained; why was Ragon going out of his way to protect her?
Ari leaned in closer and asked, “So, how do you know Ragon?”
“Oh, well, that’s an easy one. It was 19…” said Sandra, trailing off to look at Larissa.
“1933,” Larissa finished for her.
“Oh right, so it was 1933 and we were all living in Massachusetts at the time. Back then vamps didn’t really bother too much about keeping a low profile. There were parties going on every other week. It was Winter Solstice and one of the Elders was throwing a ball-” said Sandra, before Ari interrupted her.
“Elders?” she asked.
“Yea Elders, they are kind of like royal policemen, except there are only a few of them, about five or so per country, depending on how big it is, or how well populated it is with vampires.”
“So what, they keep order?” asked Ari, picturing a vampire wearing a police suit without a gun or Taser, for which they would have no need.
“Yea basically; they answer to no-one except the Ancients. Mainly they are superfluous now, what with the rules of maintaining secrecy being so well known. Back in the day they were out enforcing vampire law, but these days they mainly just sit in their palaces making sure no vamps out step their boundaries. Before the age of technology it didn’t really matter if a vamp was caught, but what with the internet, youtube, twitter and all the mass media, if a vamp gets caught its bad news, literally. Most vamps aren’t stupid enough to put themselves in the spotlight; else they will have to deal with the Elders.”
“And the Ancients?” asked Ari, “Who are they?”
“Picture the oldest, most elusive vampires of all time, and that’s them. I don’t know anyone who has ever seen them, but they are the ones who make the rules. They’re the first of our kind, as far as I know.”
“Anyway,” said Sandra, calling Ari’s attention back to her original story, “we had met Ragon and Kiara a few times, just socially by then. One night at the Winter Solstice party they had a huge argument, very public and nasty. But Ragon seemed like an alright guy so we approached him and asked if he wanted to join our coven. He accepted and for a few decades we all lived together.”
“But after a while he left us and went back to Kiara. Don’t ask me what he saw in the silly cow the second time round, but I guess it ended the same way,” said Larissa. “And he’s been in Australia ever since.”
“So Ragon and Kiara were together?” asked Ari. “Like together, together?”
Both Sandra and Larissa exchanged a knowing look and then Larissa nodded slowly.
“But then why did they break up?” asked Ari.
“Don’t know. He didn’t really like talking about Kiara, not that I can blame him. She was a possessive bitch. He just told us that he didn’t love her and didn’t want to waste eternity with her,” said Larissa.
“Oh,” said Ari.
“So since then, Sandra, Thomas, Cambridge and I have stuck together, but the second we had word from Ragon, we knew we had to come and help,” said Larissa. “It is so typical of Kiara to move over here in pursuit of him. We would have liked to visit more often, but I can’t stand Australia; too damn hot.”
“So what else would you like to know sugar?” asked Sandra.
Ari smiled. What wouldn’t she like to know?
“Are vampires the only, err… immortals out there, or are there other things?” asked Ari, recalling how Ragon had mentioned werewolves.
“Oh there are defiantly other things that go bump in the night,” said Larissa.
“Yea,” agreed Sandra, “let’s see; in America there is a pretty large witch population, there are supposed to be wraiths there as well but they keep to themselves, um… a lot of the older vamps are in Latvia, but there is also a fair few in the UK. What am I forgetting?”
“Weres,” said Sandra.
“You can’t count them, there aren’t any left,” said Larissa, still with her fingernail in her mouth, as though trying hard to remember something.
“Weres?” asked Ari. “Like werewolves?“
“No like were-anything’s,” said Larissa, smiling. “A werewolf is just a were being a wolf, but they can be any animal they want. There used to be a heap of different clans of weres, but they don’t exist anymore.”
“What happened to them?” asked Ari.
“All killed; I don’t really know all the gory details, it was well before my time, but basically I think that the vamps got sick of competing with them, so they hunted them down and got rid of them all,” said Sandra.
“So what, the vampires decided to get rid of them, and then all of a sudden their all gone?” Ari asked in confusion.
She knew that vampires were powerful, but their ability to destroy an entire immortal race somehow made them even more ominous and impressive.
“Yep,” said Larissa. “But I wouldn’t get too upset about them; apparently they weren’t good company.”
“And there are real witches? What are they like?” asked Ari.
“No hats, cats or warts, but they do cast spells and curses, among other things. Vamps and witches don’t get on well; we’re kind of opposites,” said Larissa.
“Right,” said Ari, “and what are the other ones you mentioned… raffe?”
“Wraiths,” corrected Larissa.
“And what are they?” asked Ari.
“Wraiths, well there… I guess you could say they are kind of like an evil version of a witch. Witches are responsible for maintaining the balance of life and wraiths are all about death and responsible for destroying life,” said Sandra.
“So, wouldn’t that mean that wraiths and vampires are on the same side?” Ari blurted out.
Ari realised from the look of annoyance on Larissa’s face, that this was the wrong thing to say.
“I suppose you could say that,” said Sandra, who was laughing at the look on Larissa’s face.
“Not all vamps are bad,” retorted Larissa, her chin slightly raised as she stared at Sandra in disbelief.
At this statement more light musical laughter burst from Sandra, and Larissa glared at her, an undignified look plastered on her face.
“What do you mean, ‘vamps aren’t all bad’, of course we are!” said Sandra.
“I just meant… I mean… there are some vampires that are overtly evil, like blood hunters… but some vamps have simply been dealt a
rotten hand and now have to live with it forever,” explained Larissa.
“Yes and they live with it by killing and drinking the blood from innocent mortals,” said Sandra. “So you can hardly call them good.”
It was wonderful taking to Sandra and Larissa; they provided comfort and distraction from the bizarre situation that Ari had found herself in. Time swept past quickly; Ari didn’t realise how long they had been talking for, until she glanced across the room at the little owl shaped cuckoo clock and saw that it was almost midnight. She was just beginning to wonder where Ragon was, when the large french veranda doors opened.
“And what are you three gossiping about?” Cambridge’s deep voice asked, as he swept over to Larissa, brushing asides her blonde hair before kissing her on the forehead.
Ari jumped when Cambridge had spoken, but Larissa winked and replied, “Just girl talk.”
“I have a surprise for you,” said Thomas, entering the room quickly after Cambridge, as he stared down in adoration at Sandra.
Thomas blurred over to the kitchen and retrieved two glasses. From behind his back he produced a long cylindrical bottle. Ari watched as he poured two glasses of thick, sticky red liquid. She knew that what she had thought was red wine, was actually blood.
“Oh darling,” said Sandra, taking the glass gratefully and gulping down the liquid.
Larissa smiled as she accepted the glass offered to her, and began sipping the blood leisurely.
“I’d offer,” Thomas said to Ari, “but I don’t think you would enjoy the vintage.”
Cambridge laughed at this. It was a deep booming laugh, and when Larissa’s own light laughter followed suit, it was like listening to music.
“Well, I need my beauty sleep,” said Sandra, jumping off the couch.
Another thud on the veranda, told Ari that Ragon had joined them.
“Wait,” said Ragon, and everyone in the room turned to face him. “I think we need to talk about what we’re going to do about Kiara?”
“Right,” said Thomas, his hand at his chin as he considered Ragon’s words.
“Why not leave for England?” suggested Sandra, “your estate is there.”
“You know I can’t run or hide; Kiara was my maker. She will be able to find me no matter where I go,” he said.
“We could fight?” suggested Ari, and all eyes turned on her. “It’s just that… I thought you said what with the five of you and the two of them, they would be no match for you?”
“That’s impossible,” said Thomas.
“Why?” asked Ari.
“Vamps aren’t allowed to kill other vampires. The Elders make sure that law isn’t broken and the last thing we want is to go up against them,” explained Thomas.
“Don’t worry,” said Ragon, “I have not called you here to fight. I just need you to help me keep Ari safe.”
“But for how long, indefinitely?” asked Cambridge, now looking at Ari sceptically. “For fifty or sixty years; Ari is mortal. Why not change her?”
Ragon glared at Cambridge.
“We don’t need to make any rash decisions,” Sandra said soothingly, now looking at Ari’s petrified eyes. “Thomas darling, Ari has not been lulled, so-”
Thomas’s eyes became huge while Cambridge stared, open mouthed, at Ari.
“What do you mean?” said Thomas.
“I don’t understand,” said Cambridge.
Ragon looked down sadly at his feet, about to speak, but then Sandra broke the silence.
“I think,” she said slowly, taking a meaningful look at Thomas, “that we need to trust Ragon. He does not want to lull Ariana, and we need to respect his wish. He has asked us here to keep Ari safe, and I for one will stay to do so.”
Ari looked up thankfully at Sandra, who winked at her. As the vampires discussed Kiara’s imminent attack, Ari remained on the couch, still slightly in shock, listening to the five immortals talk. Finally, when it was apparent that no one could think of anything else to discuss, the vampires left for their bedrooms one by one, until it was only Ari and Ragon left alone.
“Are you alright?” asked Ragon.
“We can’t hide from her; we can’t run… and we can’t kill her. What are we going to do?” asked Ari. “Wouldn’t it be easier to just bite me and lull me; to make me forget?”
“I promised I wouldn’t hurt you,” answered Ragon, shaking his head.
Ari let these words swim around in her head. Ari had watched Ragon for two years, even dreamt about him; but why did he care about her? He had never so much as spoken to her, not once at all during those times she had seen him at the library. And what had he been doing there? She knew now why he had only ever been there at night- vampires didn’t go out in the sun, but why go to the library in the first place? Since meeting him she had not seen him sketching or reading at all. In fact, she had not so much as seen a sketch pad, pencil or book.
Chapter 7- Sources
It wasn’t until 4pm the next day when Ari finally dragged herself out of bed. Her body clock had almost completely become in sync with Ragon’s and the night life that ensued. Once she had showered and dressed, she tiptoed out of her bedroom, peering idly around the bend in the hallway. After a few minutes of searching the house and neither hearing nor seeing anything, she was satisfied that she was the only one awake yet, and set about doing the ordinary day to day things that might have occupied her time when she was living by herself. It had been hard to adjust to Ragon’s lifestyle. Quite apart from eating at odd hours and being awake during the night, there was also the absence of the gruelling courses she had been undertaking at university. Periodically Ari would catch herself thinking about her ambition of becoming
It was at least two hours later when Ragon joined her in the kitchen. She had already done the last weeks’ worth of washing, and was now cooking some eggs and bacon in a large frying pan on the stove.
“Good evening,” he said, greeting her with a large smile.
Ari couldn’t help but grin back. It was unbelievable how her relationship with Ragon had grown, despite the fact that her world had been turned upside down. One minute she had been studying to become a vet and the next, had discovered that vampires existed.
“Are you hungry-” she began to say, hurriedly stirring her scrambled eggs.
“Food, err… doesn’t go down well,” he said simply, looking at the frying pan as if it were some sort of undesirable entity in the room.
“Right,” said Ari, beginning to serve up her dinner as she tried to ignore the disgusted look on Ragon’s face. “I was actually wondering… do you think I could come with you next time you go to the shops?”
Ragon looked at her curiously, and Ari thought that perhaps she had offended him, so quickly added, “It’s just… I’m used to buying my own groceries and there are some things… some personal things that I need.”
She guessed by the confused look on his face that he had no idea what she was talking about, and this was confirmed when he said, “I will get you anything you want.”
Ari blushed, looking down at her feet as she hurried to think how to phrase her sentence, but then shook her head, resigned. The absolute last thing that she wanted to ask Ragon for was tampons. Mercifully she was saved having to explain her need for female sanitary items however, when Sandra and Larissa walked into the room.
Clearly they had been listening to Ariana’s and Ragon’s conversation.
“I’m obviously going to have to tell you the story about the birds and the bees,” said Larissa, frowning at Ragon before smiling knowingly at Ari.
“Don’t worry honey; Larissa and I are going hunting tonight. We can swing by the pharmacy on our way back,” said Sandra. “One of the perks of our infliction is that we don’t have to worry about monthly mood swings.”
It looked as if Ragon was going to question them further, but then Cambridge walked into the room and pinching his nose, said, “What is that god awful smell?”
Ari looked down at her
plate of scrambled eggs and sizzling rations of bacon in confusion.
“Oh right… I thought that perhaps something had died in here,” Cambridge said, before adding, “I’m not used to living with humans. Larissa and I don’t believe in keeping sources.”
Ari shrugged, piled her fork with scrambled eggs and took her first mouthful. She savoured on the delicious texture of soft fluffy eggs, until she realised that her meal needed seasoning. Putting her folk down, Ari moved back into the kitchen looking for the salt. Her eyes were scanning the shelves in the cupboard, when she noticed a small container sitting next to a bag of unground, whole pepper corns. Reaching up for it eagerly, she moved back over to her breakfast and was just about to sprinkle the contents onto her food when Ragon blurred towards her.
“Stop,” he yelled, and Ari felt her hand loosen around the purple bottle, so that it dropped to the floor.
“What?” asked Ari, watching as Ragon reached out and caught the bottle, inches before it could shatter onto the floor.
“What are you doing?” growled Ragon.
“What do you mean? Just putting some salt on my eggs,” she said innocently, her eyebrows creased together in confusion.
“This isn’t salt,” said Ragon, taking the lid off Ari and gently securing it back onto the bottle. “It’s EDTA.”
All the vampires in the room gasped, and Ari looked around at them in confusion.
“What’s EDTA?” she asked.
“An anti-coagulant that’s toxic to vampires; I bought it in case we had any unwelcome house guests,” explained Ragon.
“Oh,” said Ari, looking down sheepishly at her food. “That explains why you keep it in the pantry,” she added sarcastically.
Ragon didn’t answer but reached up high and placed the small bottle of EDTA on the top shelf in the cupboard, out of Ari’s reach.
Ragon was still staring in disbelief at Ari, when a loud knocking on the front door distracted everyone. Cambridge and Thomas, who had been talking animatedly in the hallway, blurred into the kitchen to stand protectively in front of their mates. The sound of the knocking was still ringing in the living room, when Ragon reached the front door and opened it.