“Is he dead?”The Pope asked. “Maybe he wasn’t the one to help you end this. We don’t have time to worry. If he is dead one less dark one we have eliminated. Leave him here, we will dispose of the body later. There is one more thing we must do before you head home Seneca.”
They led him back up the path they had come. As they approached the room he had originally been in, the door opened and out came Summer.
“What the hell? He stammered, “what are you doing here and why?” Before she could speak, the Pope told him, this bite must be done now. There is something she must receive before you go home.”
“what is it she must have other than the bite? Can I not give her all she needs with that?” Seneca asked.
No my son, you cannot. We shall allow you two the privacy of doing it in that room, but there is one more thing that has to happen after she becomes one of us.”
“How did you know where to find her?”
“We find what you did in telling her everything about our kind to be disturbing. We had thought about reprimanding you for it. We have known all for a long time. You have kept things secret except for the one mistake. We want this taken care of. Do what you must with Summer and then we will handle the rest before you depart.”
They motioned for he and Summer to go back into the room. They turned and walked back toward the area they had come presumably to dispose of Michael’s carcass.
“Are you ready to do this?” Seneca asked looking into her eyes.
“As ready as I will ever be.” I wish I knew what was going on here. I was home asleep and they next thing I know I’m being told I’m coming to Rome to be with you.”
“Then let’s finish this and then Finish Lilith.” He had never felt more confident in his life that this was about to be over. He had wished for it for a long time.
He shut the door behind him as he lead her to the same chair he had sat in to read the books. He turned the chair to face the desk and pulled back her long blonde hair. He tilted her neck to the side and sunk his fangs into the left side of her neck. He could taste her fear, He could sense her wonder of if she was going to die. He pulled from her until she was almost dry, and then he turned her around and pulling forearm to his mouth he took a big hunk of meat out of his arm. He stuck it to her lips and said, “Drink my love, drink until I pull it away, taste the eternity entering into you. Taste mortality fleeing your body, Taste everything you have ever know saying good-bye.” She was hungrily feeding from him now and he had to knock her away. “That is good, very good. Now rest and sleep. When you awaken everything you ever thought fantasy will become your reality. Your journey to becoming one of us is done.” He moved toward the door and thought to himself, I hope this is what you always thought it would be. I’m not sure I am happy about doing it to you.
“As soon as he stepped out of the room and shut the door one of the Cardinals came running up the passageway. “Seneca, Seneca, he panted out of breath, “He is gone, he has disappeared. When we went back to discard of the body it was not there. Nothing there. Not even a blood stain on the floor. It is as if he was never there to begin with.”
What are you talking about. How can he be gone? There was no life left in him when we came back here. How can he just get up and walk away?”
We don’t know. We are just as bewildered as you. What do we do?”
“What do you mean we” You brought him here. Now he knows what is going on in this place. I knew better than to trust him and bite him. Damn it all to hell. What have I done, what have we done?” He turned and went back into the room with Summer. He would let them worry about everything outside of this room, he would not let anyone harm his eternal bride. It would never happen again. He had given Summer the salvation she had longed for her whole life. He would be damned to let it be taken away.
Chapter 18
“When Death Makes the Light Go Dark”
Summer’s parents had been trying to reach her all day to no avail. Every time they called the phone went straight to voicemail. What were they going to do? This evil thing that took their Grandchildren had left specific instructions. They had followed them as she had instructed. Now what? What was going to happen now that they could not reach their daughter? Had something happened to her and Seneca? Surely not the creature Lilith wanted them to contact her for a reason. It was nearing dusk and they were scared of what would happen once nightfall came upon them.
“Holy shit, Seneca. You were right. I see everything so clearly now. This is amazing.” Summer stretched her arms out and turned them looking at them as if they had somehow changed. They were still the arms she had always had, but now they could withstand almost anything. They were eternal.
“I wish you had time to enjoy this new life, this new creature you have become, but we have to go into the chamber and see the Pope and Cardinals. Michael is gone. We don’t know how or what happened. If he is alive what is he? I guess we figure it out when the time comes.”
They entered the chamber together, arm in arm. The Vatican Vampires were seated in the room in various positions. On a table laid three swords, Seneca immediately recognized his and Amaranths, who did this third one belong to?
“Summer, step forward please,” The Pope declared. She did as she was told not quite sure how she was supposed to act in front of vampire royalty or whatever the fuck they were. The Pope reached on the table and grabbed the unknown sword. “Take it my child,” he said as he handed it to Summer. She felt unworthy. “This sword is unlike anything anyone has ever seen or held. It has been here in safe keeping since the death of Seneca’s mother, Caelina. This sword belonged to her, it was her sword.” Seneca was speechless. Why had the sword not been given to him? It was his mother’s, did it not rightfully belong to him? “Yes, I know Seneca, I understand your feeling right now. Your mother took great care in developing your sword and having it made specifically for you. You are the most powerful of us all. You do not need this sword. But it is special.”
“I’m sorry sir, but it is still my mothers. I mean no disrespect, but I am the only born from her, from her lineage. Why do I not deserve to have this sword in my possession?”
“Seneca, this sword is made for the one that is to help you bring down Lilith. She gave you something that will never be given to any one else. She gave you life and the gift of the light. Yes, we were created by her, but everything she did was for your protection. We do know somethings you do not. Summer was prophesied a long time ago by your mother. When she came to us to write these books, she told us thing that she did not want you to know. Distracting things. We knew Amaranth would die, but everything had to happen to reach the here, the now, this exact moment in time. We were instructed to not make the sword known or allow you here until this very specific time. We are as much in the dark as you as to how this all ends. But we feel, you are the one to finish it. The end is the only thing Caelina could not see.”
“What makes this sword so special? Seneca asked, as he watched Summer maneuver with it.
“She will be well protected with this sword. You see this sword is different.”
“What do you mean different?” Seneca asked.
“This sword contain blood droplets from the Christ.”
“Huh? Seneca stammered not sure he had heard what was just said.
“Yes, I know that is part of the story that no one knows. When Caelina sucked the blood from the wounds of the Christ, she managed to somehow spit some into a clay container she had with her. How it did not break when she fell to the ground trying to escape is beyond all of us. This sword was built incorporating those drops of blood. We have seen the power in this sword. We have brought those of the night in here to test it on to study its powers. Nothing heals when cut by this sword. Wounds never close up. We believe if you can get Lilith to focus on you and have Summer attack, then any cut can doom her.”
Lilith knew she was in perfect position to win this war. She was still very agitated with that idiot Michael. Where was
he at? He had never been away this long no matter what had happened between them. She o longer wanted to kill him, but wanted him here to see her latest work. It was indeed a masterpiece. She had placed Kelsey into a deep trance and left her in the deep underground cellar of the old home hidden deep in the swamps of New Orleans. It was her go to hiding place. She grabbed the little boy and placed him under her wing. It was time to pay the grandparents a visit.
This was a moment she never thought possible. She wanted to see all of them right now, Seneca, Summer and Michael. Oh, my she thought what a treat this moment in time would be for her if they were all here.
Lilith and Adam appeared in the living room of Summers folks silently. The grandmother screamed with excitement when she saw her grandson, but instantly asked about Kelsey.
“That is none of you concern, at least not right now,” she turned to the little boy, Go ahead Adam, why don’t you go give your grandparents a hug?”
Summer’s mother knew something was wrong when he left this evil creatures side, the light in his eyes were gone, what should have been a bright, vibrant little boy, was gone. His skin was a pale white, he looked cold and empty, void of life that a little bot should have, should possess, but he was possessed, possessed by the evil darkness this woman had done to him, she knew he was no longer her grandson but a creature of the night.
The old woman screamed as the child lunged for her neck. Swinging wildly trying to knock him away.
“What’s the matter grandma’,” He said, “Don’t you want to give me a hug?” Summer’s father jumped at this animal and tried to knock him away.
“Now, now grandpa’, is that anyway to treat me?”
“Don’t call me grandpa, you are not my grandson, you are a creature of Satan.” His wife crying hysterically, hands over her eyes as the tears fell from her cheeks. “My sweet, sweet little boy,” she sobbed. “Don’t turn us into one of you,” she said, “Please, I beg of you.”
“I agree,” said the old man defiantly. “I know I have a home in heaven with my Savior! Kill us and let us see out Jesus!”
Lilith laughed with a voice that sent chills down their spines. “Your Jesus cannot do anything for you. You will never see your so called heaven, it does not exist, at least not for you. What does your good book say, from dust you came, and to dust you shall return?”
“Oh, you evil, wicked thing, I know there is a home waiting for me on the other side, there shall be nothing but torment and damnation for you, I hope I can watch with my God when you meet your end and you burn forever in torment in hell you vile thing.”
Lilith smiled as she looked at them, “Finish them”
Summer and Seneca landed back in New Orleans. Summer felt as though everyone was staring at her.
“Seneca, I feel as if everyone knows what I am.”
“My love, it is all in your mind. You look as normal as they do, and it is daylight, they have no idea what you are.”
“How long does it take before I am used to this?”
“You get over it fairly quickly.”
“I hope you are right. My mind, my ears, my sight, everything is so in tune, I can feel, see and hear things I never dreamed.”
When they opened the front door to her parents house they were immediately greeted to a gruesome scene. Her parents lay cold and stiff on the floor, both of their throats had been ripped out. Blood was all over the floors and walls. Summer fell to her knees on the floor, wanting to cry but in such a shock it was not possible. All she could muster was, “My babies, where are my babies?”
Seneca knew Lilith had somehow found out where they lived, that he had a wife and kids. Oh, dear God, what the fuck had she done?
“Seneca, you said they were safe, you said she could not find them, she knew nothing of us.” Summer was a wreck, even in her transformed state this was still her parents, her mortal flesh and blood, they had given her life just as he had taken it and given her a better one.
“I know, I know what I said and believed to be true, I…I have no words, it is impossible for her to know.” I don’t know, I just don’t know how.” He felt the pain of seeing her parents ripped to shreds like this and seeing his wife in torment over something he had caused. He should have know it would come to this, that it would happen, but God damn it, how?
“Hello mommy and daddy, I have missed you!”
Summer looked up and saw her son, their son with bloody lips standing in the hallway. Seneca felt the urge to hold him, but knew Lilith had changed him and he was no longer his son, but a dark child. Summer stood and started walking toward her child.
“No, no Summer, he is no longer our son, he is one of the dark, stop, stop walking, he must be destroyed!” Seneca said sternly fighting back the pain her felt for what he knew must be done.
“No, Seneca, he is my child, we can change him back. Just as you changed Michael.”
“Stop it Summer, we don’t know what I did to Michael. We don’t know if it was good or bad, if he is even alive. Oh, what I fool I have been.”
The small vampire of the dark knew he could play on his mother’s sympathy and reached out his arms for her to hold him. Seneca with pain in his cold heart drew his sword and before he could reach his mothers arms plunged it deep into his child’s chest, withdrew it and cut off the head. It rolled across the floor, and landed in front of his mother, eyes staring at her.
Chapter 19
“Fat Tuesday Confrontation”
Seneca dropped his sword and took Summer in his arms. He had to dispose of the evidence, that anything had gone wrong here. But how? There was no way other than to leave everything as it was and let the police find it. They would leave, get their story straight and call 911 to say they could not reach her parents. He could only think of two other times he had hurt like he was hurting now, but he had to keep it to himself and let the rage burn a slow fire until he found Lilith which should not be too hard to do now. Where was she and why wasn’t she here? Then it hit him, Kelsey, she had to have her too.
Summer just sat there and stared blankly. “Seneca, this is not what I signed up for, to lose my children, our children. I have never felt this much hurt, and my parents, my poor parents. Why Seneca, why?”
“I have told you she will stop at nothing to get from me what she wants. Just as Michael thought my blood pumped into him would change him, save him, she thinks the same.”
“I don’t know if I can do this Seneca.”
“Yes, yes you can, it is in your death as a mortal and the deaths we have now witnessed that you will find your strength. Think of what she did and use that rage as I am. It will get you through, get us through.”
Lilith had never been more pleased with herself. She was more proud of this moment than when she had tricked that man in the garden, and how fitting that she had found the child of her enemy, another Adam and cause his demise. She felt great pleasure from destroying the child. She had no doubt what Seneca would do even though it would be terrible for him. She did wonder however about Summer. Mother’s were always different. Nothing like their children and the pain would be something that Lilith wondered how she handled. That was something for another day. It was time to sleep, tomorrow would be the start of a beautiful battle she had no intention of losing.
Seneca and Summer arrived back at their New Orleans apartment. Summer was still unsure if she were dreaming or all of this was really happening, and it was happening at a pace she could not wrap her mind and thoughts around fast enough. She hurt, she was in mourning, but there was not enough time for that. Seneca had been right in everything he told her and he was right now. It was time to find strength. She was one of them, one of him. The visit to the Vatican had provided her with one thing. She was vital to his achieving his goal, to ridding this planet of the most vile creature it had ever known and if anyone did know the mythology, knew what she was. How had she never known? He had told her on the way home that tomorrow and Fat Tuesday would be the start of a new beginning or the
end of it all.
“Summer?” He asked. “No matter what, I love you. You are the one I was created for in all actuality. You have always been my destiny. I see that now. I felt it all along. You are the reason I have survived all these years. I will, we will either end it or it will end us, but I will do so with you by my side and there is no other way I would want it.”
“Oh, Seneca, as much as all this bewilders me and I don’t understand why my son and parents had to die, I realize that like everything, it all works out as it should in the end. And at the end of this we will stand side by side, victorious. You know I love you too.”
“Are you ready to do this babe?” Seneca asked, “If so, then let’s get some clothes and it is time to visit the swamp. Are you wondering about Kelsey? I am too. Hard to get it from your mind I know. If I know Lilith, she accomplished what she wanted to at your parents house. She will hold Kelsey until we meet her tomorrow.”
“How can you be so sure she is not already one of them or just dead?”
“She doesn’t want us to do it twice, she wants us to watch her do it to Kelsey.”
I don’t know if I can stand that. Why does it have to be this way Seneca?”
“If I could answer that, then we wouldn’t be here doing this.”
“What is in the swamp by the way.” She asked.
“Another of the many places you have never been or seen. It is time to put on the armor of battle or at least get it ready.”
She was now an immortal creature, and how long would she have it? Was she to become this creature who was to have no fear of death only to lose it a short time later? Ah, how fleeting salvation could be.
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