And so we did. We had joy until things began to change.
****
It started with Sabba’s assassination. There was beginning to be political unrest within the kingdom. Ali had alerted me to that. He cautioned me not to worry. Naturally I did anyway for it is my nature—both my human one and my undead one.
Poor Sabba was murdered brutally. That was done to show Ali and his court the power of his enemies. When the palace walls were breached and many concubines slaughtered, Ali gathered his army to fight back.
He had his children, including his heir, moved to another location. There must have been spies because the location was discovered and they were all massacred. He had a kind of fit after that. Court physicians and others were unsure how to treat him.
I thought it best to see him secretly—so as to avoid the remaining concubines. His wife had been dead for years.
I did have Ramet’s company for which I was most grateful. Ali did not recover—he was nearly 31 when his condition worsened. Ramet thought it best for us to leave.
“I have heard rumors and I am certain we would be in danger. There are stories about a great political upheaval that is about to take place. There are foreign armies massing at the borders. Towns and villages have been invaded. As well you know, my dear friend when times are bad there are scapegoats. I have heard of mass destructions of vampires—their numbers weren’t many but they are even less now. They were discovered north of here.”
I agreed we would have to leave but both he and I knew it would not be while Ali lived.
We did not have to wait long. He passed from the world on what would have been his thirty third birthday. He never opened his eyes, so there was no farewell. I saw him die even though it was day time. The light had weakened me. Ramet too felt it, yet it was he who carried me to the sultan’s death bed.
I put a white lotus in his hands and folded them. I bade him farewell. I said other things too. And then just before Ramet took me away, I whispered, “May your journey be swift and your peace everlasting.”
We left under the cover of night—the twins and the wenches accompanying us for they too feared for themselves. We had no idea where to go. It was Ramet who said he knew of a safe house. “I have made the acquaintance of some people. They have agreed to help us. It seems they have helped our kind before.”
I wondered about that as I wondered too what the details were of that acquaintanceship.
****
We travelled amongst the shadows, Ramet assuring us it was not far. But he said any place of refuge is worth travelling to. Though I believed he thought highly of this haven we were bound for, I feared greatly. Ramet is sometimes like a child, despite the wisdom he has acquired in his long existence, he can be fooled. His is a trusting nature.
What lay in store for us? Did I dare to feel hopeful? If I had my own doubts I comforted Kana and Loret and the twins too. “Have no fear,” I said. “We will fare well.”
CHAPTER 33
Ramet led us into an alley. “We must feed before we arrive. I think it wise.”
We all did and we didn’t have to wait long. Two young men were approaching. I tried not to feel like the predator that I was but it wasn’t easy. Ramet moved toward the alley’s opening. He turned to us and we nodded. There is understanding in a look. We all moved en-masse, falling upon the hapless men within seconds.
They didn’t have time to cry out. There was the sound of muffled screams and nothing more. Their tunics had been ripped open so we could get to their throats. We fed voraciously the only sound we made was one of sucking and moaning our satisfaction. Our feeds had been too far apart and we were crazed.
Ramet stopped us suddenly for the men had died. “I will hide their corpses.”
It was the best he could do. He placed some coverings over them, whatever he could find. Then we all left but not before we wiped our chins.
The house was like many others, two storied, made of stucco. It didn’t seem as shabby as many of the other houses in the area. There was a shop downstairs. It looked like a bakery.
“They are a married couple. They run this place. Come.”
I felt fearful suddenly where I hadn’t before. Something disturbed me and I had the greatest desire to rush away. The door opened and a man appeared. His smile seemed genuine, but how could I be sure? I never had second sight.
His wife was also friendly, though she hardly spoke. She nodded and motioned for us to follow her which we did. She led us to the cellar door.
Ramet nodded. “Yes, we will be safe there. It is dark, without light of any kind.”
It smelled damp and dusty. If anyone had stayed there they hadn’t stayed recently. We looked around. One or two rats scurried past, sniffing the air. Then taking a good hard look at us they vanished. I made a joke about being too full of human blood to want theirs. No one laughed, not even Ramet.
The twins were quiet as well, they looked fearful. Kana and Loret were sitting stiffly. They also looked to be in a strange mood. I glanced at Ramet. He nodded slightly. He understood I wished him to help the situation. He began telling us about his living life—I had heard the stories before but enjoyed listening to them again, especially now.
He told us where he was born. “It was the fertile basin in sight of the Nile.” Hapi, he said was the God of the River. “He was patron and God of the fertile soil...”
I enjoyed listening to his rich voice and the telling of his colorful living life, the events and festivals. It was charming and we all began to relax. He paused finally to say that dawn was fast approaching. Whereupon we lay down to sleep, first ensuring that there would be no chink of light to invade our domain.
He took my hand and kissed it reverently as a servant would his master. I took his and kissed it too. Then I smiled. “We are friends and always shall be.”
“Yes, Justine.”
Justine now and forever and never Lela for Lela had perished with her love, Ali. As I waited for sleep to claim me I thought of our hosts and I wondered if indeed we could trust them.
I could hear their voices—though I did not make out what they said. Then I heard footsteps and felt sure they were going to their bed chambers. Perhaps all is well, I thought—though my mind, still not ready yet for sleep, began to wonder how long we would stay. I thought we should not be too long in any one place. I had learned the lesson of such thinking many times in my undead existence.
Something moved in the shadows. I wasn’t certain what it was. When it came closer, I could see it was a cat. “Have you come to keep me company?” I whispered. I hesitated before reaching out to pet it. But the urge to feel its soft fur was so profound in me that I did touch it. It stiffened for a moment but then relaxed and curled itself up close to me, not touching me, but not far away. It was a small mercy that it chose to be friendly and not fearful and I was grateful.
****
I was the last to waken. Ramet called out to me not to be frightened. But how could I not be? He and the others were chained. I was also chained quickly—and pulled up so harshly, I stumbled several times.
Up the stairs we were dragged, the twins and the wenches cried out, their wails sounded heartbreaking. I could smell blood then, blood and something else, the scent of human death.
Our protectors had both been killed, their throats cut. Who were these murderers? Were they Destroyers?
Ramet was pleading for the wenches for they were particularly brutal with them. Threatening and kicking them as they pulled them along and with each violent assault, the staking threat was made.
I had enough and just asked if they were Destroyers. For my answer I got laughter. “We are servants. And who we serve you will soon see. Be silent now for though you are pretty and would fetch the greatest money, I would take your head off without a further thought.”
The chains had so weakened us we were theirs for the taking. Just before we were dragged outside, we were covered, in case anyone would see us. We were taken to a house ne
arby. There was raucous laughter and the sounds of shouting. As we were dragged inside, our covering was pulled off. One of our attackers pulled it off.
“I told you about this one, see?”
Clearly, I was their prize.
I found myself inside a large room—it was full of smoke and sweet smelling opium. One by one every man there got up to inspect us. The twins were carried off first then Kana and Loret were.
Ramet pleaded for us, and was attacked so violently, I felt sure he would perish. As for me, my terror had just begun, terror that would last for a long time.
CHAPTER 34
I had no idea that this horror would turn into something more permanent. We were grabbed and defiled. Yes, I say that as the impure creature that I am. Never in my existence have I been treated so. If I thought the sins of Joy House disgusting, this was worse.
There were men, most of them poorly clothed and filthy. We were for their use, for whatever they wished to do to us. There were other victims there as well—some looked quite young—human girls and women that were being used by these horrible men.
One of our kidnappers announced to the men we were special. “They are vampire wenches, she devils from hell. Touch them at your peril.” Some of the men looked thrilled, others looked wary.
“Don’t worry we will drug them so that you may use them as you wish!”
So began a time of terror and confusion when I was used and abused. I remained nearly insensible. Although I remember arriving there, I don’t recall much else. Time passed in a fog of shadow and pain. My own mind was in retreat, my brain not functioning well.
I can only remember faces and voices—and touch too—much of it painful, none of it pleasurable. There were beatings and whippings. I felt my arms stretched way over my head. A thought, one of the very few sensible ones I had, was that I was hung from the ceiling. There flashed before me the food stores I had seen in my undead existence. Was that what this was about? The thought faded as my consciousness did.
Time had no meaning. There was light and dark and pain, mostly pain. I heard screams from the wenches. That was usually preceded by a shout of orgasmic delight from their attackers.
When the dark claimed me I hoped it was death—but it wasn’t. Gradually, I began to become aware of my surroundings. I saw Ramet and the other wenches. We cried out for each other, but were beaten back by those awful silver chains.
I realized that we were no longer drugged as we had been. Now for the first time, I was able to think. It was obvious we were being groomed for something. Although none of us understood the language, not even Ramet, we did get the sense that guests of some importance were coming.
That was when the preparation began. We were washed, that is, buckets of water were dumped on us. The men took great delight in doing this as we were naked. We were made fun of. Ramet was made fun of too—being a eunuch. Our tormentors took great delight in that.
I felt so sorry for him. I called out to him to be brave—but was beaten each time. Ramet’s face was contorted with rage. He’d have torn the attackers apart in an instant if he could have.
If I suffered, the twins suffered more. They began to grow more pale—until they looked to be dying. Though they were given blood, they soon refused it. They tried forcing them, but it was no good, for they perished anyway—their sad remains thrown into a fire.
Kana and Loret, not over the twins’ death didn’t look well to me. Ramet thought they too were sickening. The brothel owner shouted at them. He wanted them to eat or he knew he’d be out of business. They tried, for they feared being beaten but it was too late for them. They were soon gone. This threw the proprietor into a rage. He kept staring at me, examining me. It was clear he had plans for me.
Ramet said he must have wanted the wenches to survive for a reason. “The same reason he is worried about you!”
Sure enough, some men arrived. They did not look foreign. They greeted our captors in English. A translator had to be sent for. One of the men, rather tall and thin, dressed fairly well, looked my way at once. He smiled. “That one there. Is that the only wench?”
When he was told I was, he looked disappointed. Still nothing could be done and he said something about the price being lowered then. “And that dark man—what’s he, part of it?” he asked.
The answer was yes and the man said, “Very well, he could use someone like that.” He came over to me and smiled. “I will not hurt you. I am not here for that.”
He looked as though he wished me to speak but I didn’t want to. “Please. What is your name, I do want to know.”
“Why?” Ramet asked.
The man looked almost amused at Ramet’s intervention. “Very well, I shall tell you both because I have purchased you as well.”
Ramet laughed. “I have been a slave before. It is nothing new to me.”
I worried that he said that as I didn’t know what to expect.
“I am the proprietor of a show in London. I feature interesting acts. People come from all over to see my show.”
Ramet and I exchanged looks. Another freak show.
“You will both be treated fairly. If you don’t act up or fight me or kill any of my employees you will be better off. You think you are invincible but you are not. I too have effective methods of subduing rebellion.”
He left us then to eat. He wished to have his men fed too. “We have come from afar and are tired. We will eat and rest and then perhaps...”
This I heard plainly and I hoped he was not thinking of taking me for his pleasure. But he didn’t and I was so relieved I fell into a peaceful sleep. When I woke, I found myself aboard a ship. Ramet was there as was the man.
“We took you while you slept, boxed like cargo to be transported as I wish.”
I began to shout but it was no good.
He shook his head. “You are powerless to change your fate. I paid nearly as much for you and him as I had intended to pay for all of you vampires. There are others of your kind already aboard.” He added. “They were ... acquired east of here. They are wild...”
Ferals, I thought, he had Ferals!
He had Ramet taken by his men. As for me, he said I would be in separate quarters. “You will be left alone—no one shall interfere with you.”
Whether that was true or not, would remain to be seen I thought.
“Whatever you’re thinking—please judge me on my actions,” he said. As he was waiting for an answer I nodded. “Very well, take her to her quarters.”
Quarters? What would they be like, I wondered?
CHAPTER 35
He called himself Ned. “I am a showman. I give the people what they want.”
I was not so naïve as to believe him. Freaks were what he was collecting. I had been down this road before and survived. But would I go on surviving? And even more importantly did I wish to go on?
In truth, I had begun to think a great deal of Gascoyne. Now, guilt set in about my time with Ali. Ramet had said wantonness was the mark of the vampire and so it was. I had proved it, hadn’t I? There was now too much time for me to think. And thinking and not being able to speak with Ramet was a punishment in itself. But so was everything else.
My quarters proved to be a cubicle within the Hold. As soon as I smelled it, I knew the Ferals were in there, their stench is unmistakable. We were all fed on rats or any sailor that happened to fall ill.
I called out many times to Ramet but received no reply, just the occasional hiss from the Ferals. Ramet was nearby and I could sometimes hear him shouting to me to have hope. He was beaten for it, too.
The voyage was horrible. Those four weeks seemed an eternity. I was laughed at and teased by Ned’s men. He’d come too to speak to me. His motives were clear. He wished to bed me but feared my power. That gave me a great deal of satisfaction. Ah, the pathetic triumphalism of the vampire.
I wondered when I would see Ramet again—I think I had begun to doubt that I would. But then, suddenly he was brought to be with
me. We could not embrace but just seeing one another was enough. Our words were as rushed as our emotions. I think we did more crying than speaking.
“I guess they will let me stay here now. I am certain the voyage is nearly over. Of course without seeing daylight, it’s difficult to know.”
The Ferals were stirred up. They began to moan and shriek. Ramet thought it was his presence that was causing that. “They feel things first. Like second sight,” he said. “I think they know we are almost at our destination.”
I knew he was right as they began to weep a lot. They even comforted one another, not verbally of course for they cannot speak. Still they snuggled and hugged one another and it was moving to see.
The time eventually drew near, we could tell as the Ferals grew frantic once again. They’d cry out and rattle their cages. They were not chained as we were, but caged.
Ned came to speak to us shortly before we landed. He told us we were docking at St. Katherine Docks in London. “It is not far from there to the place! Your new home will be The Circus of Delights! But first I will show you the dress I have for you. Nothing is too good for you.”
****
The dress was not easy to put on me. I had to do it myself. Ned came in to help with the buttons. He looked wary of me as my chains were off.
“I will not attack,” I assured him. I felt almost joyful because it gave me pleasure to know he was fearful.
“I wished you to look nice and you do for we are riding in a carriage.” He looked very pleased with himself. But as a precaution, two Handlers rode with us, chains at the ready.
I enjoyed listening to the sound of the horses—I just wanted Ned to be silent but he wasn’t because he was too excited. When he announced we had arrived, I braced myself to take a look.
“No, you must step out!”
The Handlers pulled me out. Their grave faces warning me against trying anything. Ned was babbling away. “Well what do you have to say?”
I looked up at what seemed to be an unremarkable building. It looked like a warehouse and not a residence.
“Looks can be deceiving, Justine. You will be very comfortable I am sure.”
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