Circle of Death

by Thais Lopes

  Only then Kelene spoke.

  “You were lucky to catch me unprepared. This will not happen again, and then I’ll finish what I started.”

  Seth’s expression became one of pure hatred, at the same time Kelene made a gesture and his neck turned at an impossible angle. I heard the crunching noise of bones breaking and noticed that he didn’t seem to be pressed against the wall anymore. Slowly, he was sliding down the blade and would soon fall. None of that would destroy him, as I was sure Kelene knew, but he would need some time to heal.

  Kelene turned to me, her expression unreadable.

  “Let’s go home before he recovers.” She said, helping me to my feet. I was healing, but still weak.

  “I can’t go out there like this.” I made sure she understood I was talking about the blood that covered my clothes and stained hers.

  “Lean on me.” She answered, and I thought she would ignore what I had said when she added, “We have no choice. Trust me.”

  She hesitated in the end, and it was easy to understand why. I had just seen her do things no human should be able to do. And still… My instincts told me to trust her, that Kelene wouldn’t betray me. Those same instincts had already saved my life so many times before that I had no reason to doubt. I leaned on her, only then realizing how strong she was. Together, we left the alley.

  18. Kelene

  As soon as we entered the apartment, Lucio fell limply on the couch. He had lost too much blood and needed energy to heal. He would need more blood than anyone would be willing to donate. And I was at the end of my strength after doing all that and keeping us almost invisible on the way back home. But there was nothing else I could do, I owed him my life.

  Without hesitation, I went to the kitchen, grabbing several protein bars from a cupboard, things I kept there exactly for this kind of emergency, and also took a knife. Taking a deep breath, I went back to the living room and sat beside Lucio, putting the bars on my lap. I didn’t need to turn to him to understand what was going on, all my instincts screamed for me to run, because right now he was only a predator. When I faced him, he stared at me with a smile that made me think about Seth. Yes, brothers, for sure. But I had been in worse situations before.

  Before he moved, I ran the knife over my left palm, making a cut which bled easily. Lucio’s nostrils moved, his face changing as he violently grabbed my arm and started drinking. That was dangerous, sure, but I owed him… He had saved my life. And as long as I wasn’t afraid his instincts would stay dormant and I would be safe.

  I looked away, picking up one of the bars and opening the package with my teeth before eating voraciously. I didn’t care if Lucio took my blood, and I was sure he would stop before I was in danger. My blood was strong and powerful, as I had found out long ago. Besides, there was no danger of getting addicted to the vampire venom, as he didn’t have a chance to bite me.

  Some time and six protein bars later, Lucio released my hand, the cut already closing as an effect of his saliva. It was easy to see that the wound in his arm had already healed, as had all the scratches and wounds from the fight. I looked away, ashamed, when he glanced at me, his face already back to normal. All that had been my fault, I had fallen into a trap and that had almost cost him dearly.

  “Kelene…” He called, holding my face and forcing me to look at him. “Kelene, there’s no reason to be afraid of me. I would never hurt you.”

  I needed a second to understand what he meant. Lucio thought I was afraid of him after what I had seen today. As soon as I realized that, I met his eyes.

  “It’s not that. It’s just that… I’m sorry. You were hurt because of my mistake. I fell into Seth’s trap like a stupid victim, I was caught unprepared, almost died because of that and put you at risk, too.

  His expression changed in the same moment, and I didn’t know how to read what was in his eyes.

  “It is a risk I’ll accept as many times as it’s necessary, without thinking twice. And the blame, for the most part, was mine. I should have warned you the sun wouldn’t stop him, but it’s instinct to keep the secret.”

  I tried to hide my reaction to his words. It was nice to know someone cared that much about me, that I would have someone beside me, to help me. And he had seen some of what I could do and didn’t argue, didn’t question what had happened or how I had done it.

  “The trap was for me, he knew I would leave. They knew… But thank you, thank you very much.”

  He smiled and hugged me. I didn’t even care about the blood that covered him, part of it still wet. We were both filthy, a little bit more blood wouldn’t make any difference. We stayed like that for a moment, and then he moved away.

  “What was that you did?” He finally asked, and I sighed.

  “I can’t explain. Let’s just say that I have my tricks.”

  He nodded, just as I had done when he told me there was a threat but he couldn’t explain what it was.

  “And can you explain what you meant about finishing what you started? I have never seen Seth so furious.”

  I smiled, satisfied. I didn’t kill him, but at least I had marked him in a way he would never forget.

  “He was always vain, wasn’t he? Apparently he didn’t like the scars I gave him.”

  Lucio had no reaction, just stared at me, and I couldn’t avoid laughing.

  “You gave him those scars?” He finally managed, incredulous, after a couple of seconds.

  “Yes, but I can’t tell you more than this.”

  He nodded, still surprised. Laughing, I got up and went to fill a bucket with hot water, to try to get the blood out of our clothes.

  “Go take a shower first.” I told him. “And throw your clothes out of the bathroom, I’ll see what I can save.”

  He laughed and nodded, getting up. Some minutes later I grabbed his bloody clothes and threw them into the bucket, as I had just done with mine, after changing. No, I had never been very domestic, but had learned quickly to at least try to clean blood stains. Emphasis on try. I waited a bit before emptying the bucket and filling it with more hot water. I would leave out clothes there for a while, until the water was almost cold again.

  Only then I grabbed a piece of cloth and went to clean the couch. That was why I had asked for synthetic covers for my couches: it would be easy to clean any stain.

  19. Lucio

  Kelene had given those scars to Seth? How? She was only twenty, truly, and those scars were at least five hundred years old! Also, she was human. How could she have hurt him like that? And what had she done? I wasn’t sure, but it had seemed she was using powers of death. If that was right, how could Kelene have gained them? But she had already made it clear she wouldn’t talk about it and, no matter how strange it seemed, I trusted her, even though I knew she was what Seth needed to destroy me.

  I left the shower feeling refreshed, fully recovered from the effects of the fight against Seth. Again, how? Usually I would need to feed from at least three or four people after losing so much blood. And human blood shouldn’t have fed me, if what Avés said was true. And he had never given me any wrong information before. Unless that restriction didn’t apply to me, as one of the firstborns. Still… Kelene’s blood was unusually strong, more powerful than any I had tasted so far.

  When I went back to the living room, she was still cleaning the couch, and was now dressed in jeans and a faded black shirt. Almost all the stains were already gone, and she was searching for the last signs of blood.

  “Won’t you go to class?” I asked, as I knew she had finals that week.

  “The day isn’t over, and I have a feeling that we’ll have more surprises as soon as Seth recovers enough to…” She stopped herself and left me to wonder what she had been about to say. “But he won’t catch me unprepared again.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The next time, I will destroy him. Finish what I started.” She had steel in her voice and fire in her eyes.


  I shook my head, knowing it wasn’t possible.

  “You won’t destroy him. No weapon you have can do it. He is old beyond what you imagine. Nothing can destroy him now, other than Death herself.

  She stared at me, surprised.

  “Just like you.” She wanted a confirmation, and I wondered what would be her reaction when she finally understood what it meant.

  “Just like me.”

  “Then I’ll make Death take him.” She replied, going back to what she was doing.

  I stared at her back, surprised. She didn’t even blink at the knowledge that I was old enough to survive any kind of damage inflicted by anyone that wasn’t Death herself. I was so surprised that it took me a while to realize that she had understood what I said about Death, and recognized her as an entity, unlike any other human I had met. And it wasn’t the first time she had done it. She had mentioned Death the night before, when she told me about her nightmare

  But when I was about to ask her about it, Kelene was already on her way to the bathroom, and I let the moment pass. With a resigned shrug, I went to my bedroom and turned the TV on. A little later later I heard Kelene leaving the bathroom and, some minutes later, she knocked on my door.

  “Even knowing he won’t attack today, I don’t want to be alone.”

  I pointed to the space beside me on the bed and she sat there, leaning against me. That caught me by surprise, I didn’t think she would forgive me for what I had done that morning. But maybe, probably, what had happened later had taken everything else from her mind.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

  “I won’t promise to answer.”

  “Why does Seth hate you so much? You said you’d never seen him as furious as when I mentioned what I did to him, but I’ve never seen him so angry with someone before. I’m a job that turned against him and marked him for eternity, but you…

  I sighed before I leaned over and kissed her, thinking about how to tell our story, and what I could tell. Kelene didn’t say anything, just waited while I ordered my thoughts.

  “Seth and I were raised as brothers. We played together as children, trained together as young men and later took our vows together. We became Keepers of Death’s Sanctuary. You heard about the Sanctuary before, didn’t you?” I asked, turning to face her.

  But I didn’t need her answer. There was a grim recognition in her gaze, and I wondered what she knew about the Sanctuary. When she didn’t say anything, I continued.

  “There was something being kept in the depths of the Sanctuary, and that was what we had to protect. Or at least that’s what I believed. In fact, as I found out later, our mission was to keep it confined to the Sanctuary. When he woke up, we held our ground. We were the last defense, the last thing keeping him there. He couldn’t leave as long as we stood strong. But…”

  “But Seth heard the Nameless’ proposals,” Kelene interrupted me, her voice sounding too serious, surprising me again with what she knew. But there was a note of surprise that made me notice that she could know the story, but had never linked Seth to it. “And he gave in.”

  I nodded and continued. “Seth was like and older brother to me. After he gave in, he convinced me to follow him. That’s how we became vampires, the firstborns, the Nameless’ creatures. His servants, until Death intervened.” I made sure I didn’t mention all the slaughter that followed, the memories I tried to ignore. “For a long time Seth and I wandered together, we had humans serve us, killed as much as we wanted, and used what the Nameless gave us however we wanted to. Until the day…

  A sharp pain on my right wrist made me stop and raise my head to see what it was. It had been too long since I felt any kind of pain, as vampires were immune to it. A strange mark, a dented line, was on my wrist, as if it had been burned there.

  I wasn’t an expert in symbols of any kind, but even I knew that was one of Death’s marks. I needed to leave before she found me, or Kelene would be in danger. But, before I could move, she grabbed my wrist, staring at the mark.

  “You’re not going anywhere.” She said, using that tone that didn’t allow any kind of argument.

  “This…” I started.

  “This is one of Death’s marks. One that says your existence is part of a deal.” She interrupted me, telling the meaning of a symbol few people had seen and survived to talk about it. “You’re not going anywhere. This is my fault and I won’t let Death take you.”

  Her words left me helpless. How could that be her fault, and how could she know the meaning of one of Death’s marks? And, questions aside, that was a new feeling for me. She cared. She didn’t want me to be taken and cared enough to challenge Death herself. For one moment, that was all that mattered.

  20. Kelene

  As soon as I saw the mark, I understood what was going on. Death couldn’t order anyone to turn me, not anymore. But if someone already knew she wanted me as a vampire, that person could turn me and use it to make a deal. In that case, considering the mark in Lucio’s wrist, turning me would be used to make sure he was destroyed. And I wouldn’t let it happen.

  I knew Lucio didn’t believe me when I said I wouldn’t let Death take him. After all, what could a human girl do against her? But my words did catch him by surprise and gave me time enough to understand what I needed to do, before he tried to run again. Decidedly, I took out the long-sleeved blouse I was wearing above a faded black t-shirt. Now Lucio would find out about some of my secrets, and I hoped I would get him curious enough to stop questioning what I wanted to do.

  In silence, he took my right hand and turned it, leaving the inside of my arm on display. I had several scars there, tiny versions of the mark on his wrist, some of them partially covered by my tattoos. I usually hid them with one of the abilities I had negotiated, but now they needed to be visible.

  “What is this?” He asked.

  “You’ll find out soon enough.” I made a gesture that told him to be quiet. Death was on her way, I could feel it.

  Then she was there, in the bedroom, standing beside the bed. Once again she appeared as a young woman, of medium height, with eyes of a bright grey, pale skin and dark hair that reached her waist. She had exotic features with a hint of native South-American traits... She was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, just like me, and the only things that revealed her real identity were her icy gaze and a staff made of bones that sometimes moved and reorganized themselves, as if they had a mind of their own. Each time, Death used someone as her reference about how to act among humans – and I knew that now that role was mine.

  I made Lucio release my hand, while he was still shocked after Death’s entrance, and put my arm between them, my scars clearly visible. Yes, there was still one thing capable of leaving a vampire without any kind of reaction, and that “something” was Death.

  “Hello, Kelene. I see you decided to help me.” Death’s voice was cold and calculated, and now held a touch of irony, too. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to get this over with quickly.”

  “Stop where you are, because you owe me.” I said, keeping my arm where it was, the scars burning when I said the ritual words. “You owe me for the death you had me cause, and now I call the debt.”

  “I hate when you do this.” She answered, still in the same place, and crossed her arms as I used to do.

  Actually, all of her was reflecting my own reactions to a particular nasty order coming from her. Forcing myself not to smile, I made a mental note to pretend indifference the next time, it would be more annoying. And if she thought that it would distract me or make me angry, she was wrong. It made me feel sure, instead. She owed me. Now I was in control.

  “I know.” I replied, smiling, before turning to Lucio, who was about to interfere. “Trust me, Lucio.”

  Death raised an eyebrow, surprised, when he just nodded and didn’t say anything. Widening my smile, I faced the other woman again.

  “Shouldn’t y
ou have waited until Seth turned me before coming after Lucio? Oh, yes… He probably said that once Lucio was out of the way it would be easy to finish his job. Right?”

  “What do you want, Kelene?”

  “Immunity for Lucio. I want you to be unable to destroy him.

  “Not even you have enough lives to pay for this.”

  “A life for a life. He’ll be protected during the time of a human life, starting now.”

  “This is unacceptable!” She was furious. “This is far beyond what you can ask.”

  “No, it’s not. I can’t ask for my life, but our deal never mentioned anything about asking for someone else. You owe me.” I reminded her o the terms of our agreement, knowing that she was as bound by them as I was.

  “Whatever” I could hear the anger on her voice.

  “And there’s one more thing. Keeping your vermim here isn’t exactly a good move.”

  “And why not?”

  I almost smiled, knowing I would get rid of Seth for a while.

  “Because I will die before being turned, and this would be a small problem in your plans, I think.” I opened my most innocent smile.

  She didn’t answer me, disappearing in the next moment. But I knew she would order Seth to leave me alone, at least for some time. I had barely finished the thought when I felt a sharp pain in my forearm, and one of the tiny scars was crossed by another one. One death had been paid.

  Only then I looked at Lucio.

  “Death can’t destroy you anymore. It’s not a permanent solution, but it will be enough until we figure out what to do about Seth.

  He dragged me close and hugged me tightly, almost like someone trying to keep something precious from disappearing. I stood on his arms for a moment, feeling safe there, as I never felt anywhere else. But it couldn’t last. I tried to put some distance between us, as we needed to talk, and Lucio took that as a chance to kiss me. It was wild and demanding, and I could feel his control almost snapping. I gave myself to the kiss, needing that reminder that I was still alive after facing Death. I didn’t care about what he had done earlier, or about how he had acted. When I needed, he had been there, risking his existence for me. And Lucio meant too much for me to keep a grudge over such a small thing.