Vampire Agápe 01 - Blood of Anteros

by Georgia Cates

  Sebastian placed an ancient book on the couch next to me and opened it, pointing out an illustration. “Curry, look at this. Do you know who this is?”

  It was an image of a man with wings in the shape of a butterfly, yet feathered like a bird and his wings spurred my realization that butterflies had always been present in pivotal times of my existence for the last 21 years.

  “No. I don’t know who he is. I’ve never seen him before.”

  “This is Anteros, the Greek god of requited love. He was one of the ever-youthful winged gods of love and we believe he is responsible for the creation of the agápe.” Sebastian turned the page and pointed to another illustration. This drawing was the same winged man, embracing a lovely woman and he continued, “Anteros was in love with a mortal woman, and as you know, the life of a mortal is only temporary. He couldn’t bare to face life without his beloved, so he struck a deal with Nosophoros. He asked her to spread her plaque to his mortal love with her bite, releasing the plaque into her bloodstream and giving her immortality and in return, Anteros created a supernatural beloved, an agápe, for Nosophoros.”

  “If Chansey is my agápe, what does this mean for us?”

  Sebastian answered, “Agápes are ancient and extremely rare. Legend states there have been few throughout history and I have only known of one in my 400 years as a vampire. An agápe is human and subject to death as any other human, but she is no ordinary girl. She is her parents’ child genetically, but she is also a supernatural occurrence, chosen by Anteros before she was conceived, and his blood also courses through her veins. He chose her family especially to raise her and nurture her ability to love you unconditionally.”

  “How he chooses whom receives an agápe is a mystery, but the chosen vampire is impassioned by her beauty and filled with consuming love for her. The highest and purest form of love fills the soul of the agápe, resulting in a divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing love between the two. She is named agápe because their love and relationship is patterned after Christ’s love for man. She is his blessing and he will choose death to save her or spare her pain.”

  “How do I know she is an agápe?” I asked.

  “She is marked with the sign of Anteros, a butterfly, but it won’t be a flashing sign on her forehead. It is subtle, yet the sign will find a way of revealing itself to you and Chansey will likely be unaware when it happens,” Sebastian explained.

  “What about all the physical changes I have undergone?”

  Sebastian continued, “Because you would never harm your agápe, your sacred and incomparable love for her has partially returned your humanity, preventing you from craving her blood. She has already proven she is your agápe by captivating you with her “Scent of Anteros.” It replaces your normal instinct to desire her blood with a different physical desire for her. Her instincts have prevented her from taking a mate because you will always remain faithful to one another, experience pain when you are apart, and relief when you are together. You are now part of her, as she is part of you.”

  “Does she know she is my agápe?” I asked.

  “She suspects she is different and likely suspects you are, as well. She should feel like she has spent her life waiting for someone, but has never been able to identify who it is.”

  “You said she was my gift, but you also called her my curse.”

  ”Anteros didn’t have the ability to create immortality, only requited love, so you will face a difficult decision. You are an immortal with a mortal beloved, which poses a problem. Your first option is spend many happy years with her, love her unconditionally, watch her age and eventually die then be left to mourn her the rest of your infinite days.”

  It was a cruel prognosis I didn’t care for. “So, what is my other option?”

  Sebastian didn’t speak. It was Solomon that spoke up to say, “Kill her and turn her into what you hate most, a vampire.”

  I shook my head. “No! Never! I would live in agony before I did this to her. You don’t do this to someone you love!” I regretted the words the moment I heard them leave my mouth. I sounded inconsiderate and judgmental. “I’m so sorry, Sol. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”

  Solomon replied, “This is a totally different situation and you can’t make a decision based on my mistake with Lisette. She could be turned safely and successfully.”

  I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing myself as a monster in her eyes. “What if she hated me for what I am.”

  Sebastian interjected, “You don’t have to hide from her because she will not be frightened by what you are. She was born to embrace who you are.”

  Solomon added, “I know you don’t want to talk about her, but I think it’s wise to consider Marsala because she could be a problem.”

  Of course, she would be a problem. She was always a problem and I was afraid to know the answer, but I asked, “How so?”

  “Vampire legend states that an agápe turned vampire is supremely powerful. Vampires are made from normal humans and an agápe doesn’t start as a mere human, she is a supernatural occurrence with the blood of Anteros coursing through her. Not only will Marsala be jealous of your incredible love for her, but she will fear the potential power placed in Chansey’s hands. She will expect you to turn her and use her strength as a tool against her, so she will order her execution. Chansey will be difficult to protect if Marsala discovers her existence.”

  I felt like I might be ill. “She already knows of her existence.”

  “How could she know?”

  I stared ahead blankly and said, “It happened the day of the eclipse. Marsala told me I was stupid fool because I hadn’t realized it yet, but she had arrived and I didn’t know who she was. Marsala swore I would never have her and she threatened to serve her heart to me on a platter and make me enjoy eating it. I thought she was mad, and talking out of her mind, but even then, she knew.”

  My mind began to think of ways to protect Chansey. “You said that Chansey is my gift, so a gift may be declined. Can I decline her love, if it ensures her safety?”

  Sebastian appeared disturbed by my question. “No. You mustn’t refuse a gift of Anteros. He isn’t only the god of requited love, he is also god of unrequited love and he punishes those who refuse to return requited love.” Sebastian sensed the turmoil in my heart and said, “I thought you would be pleased to hear this news.”

  I threw my hands into the air. “I can’t be the reason Chansey spends everyday of her life in danger. I won’t do that to her.”

  I sensed Sebastian understood my anguish. “She is your intended. You will love her, because you can’t not love her. You will protect her, because you can’t not protect her and you’ll do it because it is what you must do.”

  Sebastian and Solomon gave me a great deal of information in a little amount of time and it was happening so quickly, I needed time to absorb it. “I’m going to step out for a while because I have plenty of thinking to do.”

  I decided a walk on the beach might do me some good, so I walked in that direction. I sat on the cool sand and listened to the tide rolling in from the sea, but it offered no counsel.

  I weighed my options. Staying meant she would inevitably learn what was intended for us and I didn’t know if I could walk away once she knew. Loving me condemned her to spending the rest of her life in danger and although it could be years before Marsala found us, she would definitely come for her. Without doubt, she would order her execution. Marsala was powerful. It would be a constant battle to keep Chansey safe and I only had to fail once to lose her forever.

  Leaving before she learned the truth ensured her safety, but guaranteed my misery, so Marsala won again. Chansey would have an opportunity at a safe and happy life without my presence. I would spend the rest of her life protecting her, standing just out of site, but close enough if she needed me. I would be denied of her love, her touch and I would never hold her, or tell her how much I loved her, but it’s what I would do to keep her safe. I refused to tu
rn her into what I was, or place her in danger, so my decision was made. I could take what ever punishment Anteros dished out if it meant keeping her safe.

  I entered my apartment where Solomon and Sebastian anxiously awaited my return and the tension in the air was thick as I announced, “I have made a decision and I ask that you, please, hear me out before you say anything. Marsala vowed to kill Chansey the day she was born and she hunts her, even today. Over the years, she has been hunting for a needle in a haystack, but things are different now. If Chansey and I are together, she will be easier to find and Marsala will use any means necessary to find us. I am the link between Chansey and the monster planning to kill her. Marsala would gladly kill her loved ones, just to hurt her, and I couldn’t stand to look in her eyes and see her blame me.”

  Sebastian interjected, “I don’t like the direction this conversation is going. Do you remember what I told you about how Anteros punishes those who won’t return requited love?”

  “I do and that’s why I have decided to leave before Chansey knows who she is. It is the only way she will be safe from Marsala and escape the punishment of Anteros. I will stay close enough to protect her, just out of sight. Please try to understand. Chansey isn’t the only one I must protect because her friends and family are at risk, also.”

  Sebastian didn’t agree with my decision, but I was okay with that. He didn’t have to agree with it, but he did continue his quest to change my mind. “I don’t want you to look back on this decision with regret, so take a few days to think it over. Remember, son, love is powerful and it conquers all. You should give it a chance to be the vanquisher.”

  “It’ foolish to wait because the longer I’m here, the longer Chansey has to discover the connection between us and every minute I spend with her puts her in more danger. I love her too much to endanger her any further,” I pleaded, knowing they would never agree with my view of the situation.

  Solomon said, “So, after all of this, you’re going to give her up that easy?”

  “You think this is easy? This is not easy! I don’t have a choice!” I shouted.

  “We all have choices. They might not be the options we want, but we all have choices,” Solomon said, so certain, his opinion was the right one.

  “And look where your choice got you, Solomon. Lisette died. You could have had some great years with her, but you killed her trying to keep her forever, so you really aren’t the one to argue this point with me.”

  In a flash, Solomon was across the room. His fist slammed into my jaw and I heard the crash of being sent flying into the basement wall. He reached for my head, putting me into a head lock and began pounding my face with his fist. I didn’t try to stop his attack because I knew I had gone too far, and in this moment, I hated myself more than he did.

  “ENOUGH!” Sebastian growled deeply from his chest, stopping both of us instantly. “Do you foolishly forget we are among humans?”

  Solomon released his hold on me and pushed me to the floor. “I loved Lisette with all of my heart and I wanted to be with her forever. I regret she died, but she would have anyway, if I had not tried to change her, so keep this in mind. You might have forever, but Chansey doesn’t, and eternity is a long time to regret what you wish you had done.” Solomon turned to leave, but stopped at the doorway and added, “Marsala isn’t the one that’s going to keep you and Chansey apart. It’s you.”

  I watched my best friend leave, hurt by the words I used against him in anger.

  Sebastian reassured me, “He will forgive you, but Curry, his words are true. It is your decision to make, but don’t take it lightly because I strongly believe your attempt to save her will kill her in the end. When you discover everything you did to save her was in vain, you will hate yourself for not choosing differently. This is how the gods work. They always get their way. Trust me, it’s been tried before.”

  “I will think about it, Sebastian and I thank you for your wise counsel.”

  He gave me a fatherly hug and said, “You know where we may be reached.”

  I didn’t need time to make a decision because it had already been made. They didn’t know Marsala nor had they seen the vengeance in her eyes when she spoke about Chansey all of those years ago. She wouldn’t just kill her, because that would be too merciful. She would make her suffer while she forced me to watch.

  I would tell Grady and Anna tomorrow that I would be leaving. I would continue to pay the rent so they would hold the apartment because I didn’t want a stranger living among them. They were my family now and I wanted to protect all of them.

  Chapter 17

  Leaving Chansey, without being forced, would at least give me the time I needed to fabricate a lie about the reason for my departure. Lying had regretfully become second nature to me, but deceiving Chansey proved to be nearly impossible. My heart conspired against me and vetoed every falsehood I conjured to hold me near her for as long as possible. My heart’s plan worked for the moment because I was empty handed when the morning arrived.

  I tried to convince my heart it was a dangerous game for Chansey, but in the end, he won, convincing me I should be with her today. Since he successfully thwarted all of my deceptions, I left in search of her, allowing myself one last day with her.

  Anna let me in the backdoor and directed me to find her in the living room. With each step toward her, the distance closed between us and my tension diminished, until I realized she wasn’t alone.

  I stood in the entryway to the living room, unnoticed by Chansey, and saw her holding a tiny infant wearing pink and white. She gazed upon the face of the sleeping baby and hummed as she instinctively rocked back and forth, while examining the grasp of the tiny hand around her finger.

  Lorelei was stretched across the floor coloring and noticed me first. “Curry!” She jumped up and ran over to me, hugging my legs and I was bewildered by the way she seem to have taken up with me. “Are you going to help babysit me?”

  “I’m certain Chansey is a much better babysitter than me.”

  Chansey watched my exchange with Lorelei and said, “Come see who’s here to visit me.”

  I entered the living room and sat next to Chansey and the baby on the couch. “This is Lorelei’s baby sister, Lily.”

  I leaned over to take a better look at the fragile little one. “She’s so tiny. Aren’t you afraid you’ll break her?”

  “She’s not that small. She weighed over seven pounds when she was born.” She adjusted the baby’s position and asked, “Isn’t she beautiful?”

  I didn’t know a thing about babies and wasn’t interested in learning, but she did appear to be a beautiful. “She is a lovely baby. I like the way her hair spikes up. Makes her look like a punk rocker,” I joked.

  Chansey stroked her hand gently over Lily’s hair, uselessly attempting to make it lay down. “I know. I love it, too. I could just eat her up, she’s so cute.” She continued to stroke Lily’s hair and her eyes lit up brightly as she looked upon the little person in her arms.

  I saw the happiness this baby brought to Chansey and it added yet another reason to my list of why I should leave. I couldn’t give her this thing that she so obviously wanted and deserved because I could never father a child. Only a human could give her babies.

  Lily squirmed in Chansey’s arms and began to fret, before advancing into a full blown cry. She might be tiny, but her wailing was not.

  “What’s wrong with her? Why is she crying?” I anxiously asked.

  Lorelei shouted, “I bet she has a stinky diaper. Are you going to change it?”

  “Definitely not!” I replied.

  “Her diaper is still clean. I think she’s just hungry. Don’t you get a little cranky when you’re hungry?” Chansey rose from the couch and leaned over me, handing the baby to me.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, making no move to take Lily from her.

  “I’m giving you Lily so I can get her bottle,” she answered.

  “Can’t I go get the bott
le?” I questioned.

  “You can if you know how to prepare it, do you?”

  “Well, no,” I admitted.

  “Okay, then. Chill. She won’t break and I’m sure Lorelei can help you if you need it.” She turned to her and said, “Isn’t that right?”

  “Yes, ma'am,” she respectfully answered.

  Without further discussion, Chansey placed Lily in my arms and went to the kitchen. I looked at the crying infant in my arms, and as if on cue, she stopped crying and looked at my eyes watching her.

  Lorelei noticed her change in temperament and said, “Hey, I think she likes you.”

  “I think you’re right,” I agreed as I stroked Lily’s hair, mimicking the way Chansey did it. “You know, Lily, I’m a little jealous of you because Chansey has never smiled at me the way she does at you.” I turned to Lorelei and said, “But, it’s a secret so you can’t tell Chansey, right?”

  “Right,” Lorelei promised.

  Chansey returned from the kitchen with Lily’s bottle and said, “What are you three talking about?”

  “Its a secret between the three of us and I know this little one is not talking.”

  “Well, she seems to have taken a liking to you and since the three of you are sharing secrets, you can feed her.” She held the bottle in my direction.

  “Nope, not happening. I’ve never done that and I’m not starting today,” I refused.

  “Stop looking at me like I’m crazy, I didn’t ask you to breastfeed her. It’s just a bottle with milk in it and you put the nipple to her mouth, she does the rest. That’s how it works.”

  I took the bottle from Chansey and nervously did as she instructed and watched Lily alternate between sucking greedily and catching her breath. “Doesn’t she need burping, or something like that?”

  “Just put her against your shoulder and pat her back gently.”

  I followed Chansey’s instructions without protest and placed Lily over my left shoulder, patting her back until I heard her burp.