"Alexia." He grew stern, "There is something you must know about me."
"What is it that memories and visions have not shown me?"
He came to the side of the bed, cautiously sitting next to me. I was caressing his thigh lightly, letting him know to 'go on, it's alright - tell me everything.'
"I am an exile."
"An exile?" I softly repeated what he said.
"The Cognati banished me because I didn't conform to their beliefs of how mankind should be handled. I've taken some rather, drastic approaches in past times and for such transgressions, I am afraid I lost the battle I fought for."
And now, it was my turn to become rather serious - "Are they here to kill you?"
"I don't know. The terms of my exile were to stay far away from any Cognati-owned state and... " His voice trailed off. It seemed as if he didn't want to say the next part, "I was not to turn any human into one of us either."
"Aristide... " I sat up on the bed almost ready to burst in tears, out of horror, "I can't let you go out there alone!"
"It is best it happens this way. There is still something about you that I have not finalized yet, but if my predictions are right, then you may be the key to stopping the fall of our people. If they find you, they may attempt to kill you, if you are with me. I cannot allow that to happen. Please, stay here and wait for me. If I do not return in a timely fashion, don't attempt to look for me"
I cannot do that... I thought to myself
"Promise me!" He shook me seriously.
"Fine... fine! Fine!" I started humbly only to find myself protesting by the tone of my voice He leaned in and kissed my forehead, promising to return as he dashed to the window and turned into dark mist which sailed over the night's void. I got to my feet running to the window. My head was throbbing - I'd never experienced such a headache since my Exchange. I knew what he'd said was logical and true, no doubt; yet still, I was bothered.
I had to go out there.
I must have paced around the opulent bedchamber a thousand times ruminating on the possibilities of Aristide's demise - which, arguably, was rather dramatic but it is how I felt. I could not stay there while my senses told me that he was in danger and furthermore, he needed me. There was also a sense of empowerment. Aristide had done much for me - caring, giving, sharing and teaching me the walks of the shadow life as a Cognata and yet here was the time when I needed to act over being the helpless damsel he whisked away by dreamy whispers of a romance any woman would kill for.
I reached for my coat and darted out the door. I would not take no for an answer, not this time.
My maker was, undoubtedly, connected to me. I had a distinct reception for hearing his thoughts when he allowed me to and other times, when he would not. Aristide began training me in the act of telepathy but he never sought to perfect me in it. Perhaps it was a test to push me forward. The man had strange methods. I had to give him that.
I arrived in the city by boat, following on his trail like a hound, searching hungrily for a faded scent. This was a strange hour to be lurking around. It was past midnight, closer to dawn than dark, and the sunlight would not be my ally. If I were to be caught in it, I'd be drained of my energy and free for any of the petty-minded, religiously-induced degenerates to pillage, rape and whatever else their sick minds desired.
'Where are you?'I wanted to push this thought on him but I was also afraid that would anger him. He could be such a gentle, loving man and other times, the beast would slip out of the cage - yet he never crossed the boundary to make me fear and run for my life. I was too 'special' in his eyes. Too 'unique', for whatever reason, which still made me most certainly unsure of his true intentions for me.
Why keep me a secret?
If I am truly special, wouldn't it profit us both if our brethren were to know of my existence? Then again, the case could've truly been the other way around and I was simply being an ignorant, little girl. My maker was an exile, banned from creating new Cognati. By all reasoning, I was an outcast from the very beginning.
The moonlight did no service in aiding me to find my lover. Clouds blocked the way and fog rose thickly into the air. Nevertheless, it was a bit of a boon to my stealth as I slipped past the night watchmen with relative ease. They would do no harm to such a fair, young maiden of noble origin. However, I preferred not to disturb the peace of simpletons. Their tales of demons and ghosts living on a castle a few boat strides away was enough to deal with. Aristide and I could not afford a crusade against us, especially if we were to keep feeding on the 'livestock' available here. It was a nice living arrangement. We had what we needed.
As I prowled through every corner, avoiding the 'livestock' and hunting for Aristide, luck finally smiled upon me. There he was, in a dark alley, waiting with his arms crossed behind his back. I wondered what for, but I knew it was best to remain silent and try as hard as I could to keep my vibes lowered so he would not sense me. I hovered to the rooftop, looking down at him. He waited there for some time; a good amount too, almost to the point where I assumed he'd gone mad. I kept looking on anyway.
Two shadowy figures emerged from the seeming nothingness of the black of night. They appeared in front of Aristide. With careful footing, they made way to observe my maker. I could not identify them. They were tall, pale and ridiculously handsome statues of men, with one having a mane of blonde hair while the other, a deep brunette with faces that said 'we are the alpha lions'.
They were covered in clothing foreign to the region but I could tell with surety that these men were not street vermin; they were royalty. From their posture to the way they held their head so certain and almost looked down on Aristide in a manner of disgust.
"It has been a long time, Aristide." The blonde slithered his tongue to greet my maker.
"Not long enough." Aristide harshly responded, holding his ground, unafraid but paranoid of their appearance.
"Is that any way to greet your brothers?" The brunette taunted.
"The irony stemming from the fact that you used the word 'brothers'. If I recall, it was the two of you who worked so tirelessly to see me banished."
"Oh please... " The blonde stopped him, "You're still bitter over losing a game more than five centuries old? I thought you more sophisticated than that, Aristide. You've always been the idealistic one."
"What do you want?" Aristide snarled.
The two men looked at one another as if they were communicating mentally, then they turned back to my maker.
"The Council has discovered something... interesting." The brunette took over. "It seems possible that the lineage of Halona may have stumbled here, in this very region."
"I'm not sure what this has to do with me. This is my place of exile. I know nothing of such fabled discoveries." Aristide retorted.
"Really? Are we to believe that you've lost your dark gifts too? Surely you've felt the pull yourself. She's here. We must find her, and you, have been given a second chance to return to the Order; should you choose to aid us in this quest."
Aristide released a sarcastic grin.
"What makes you think I want to return? The life of an exile has been more fulfilling than the ignorant would assume."
"Oh, brother... " The blonde spoke again. "We both know where your heart belongs. No matter how far you try running or how cold you continue dampening. We know that it is your desire to make reparations - and what better way to do so through the only power that can make it happen?"
"Think on it. We'll be around." The brunette went on to finish their conversation as the two of them walked away, leaving a speechless Aristide behind, watching them vanish into black smoke.
"You can come out now."Aristide's voice vigorously entered my mind. His body did not move. He was waiting for me to go to him, and so I did, like a cat who knew she'd done wrong. I silently came to his side, expecting his wrath.
"You did not listen to me." His back remained turned to me as he coldly spoke.
"I'm sorry." That was
all I could muster.
He turned to face me at last but I was be surprised. He was not angered - he was worried.
"I'm sure you witnessed that event... "
"Yes... " I still remained unsure if I should speak truthfully or not. "What does it mean?"
Aristide bowed his head thoughtfully.
"It might be high time for us to move on from this land."
"Who were those men? They were so... familiar with you."
"They certainly are." He began walking toward the direction of the beach.
"Are you not going to tell me?" I questioned him as I trotted by his side.
"What is it you wish to know?"
I held his arm firmly, forcing him to stop and confront me but I quickly turned that gesture from threatening, to loving as I pushed him into the wall, seeping my hands up his chest and onto his face tenderly - "Are we in danger?"
Aristide looked at me well before holding my hands in his own.
"I can't say. Those men were once my brethren. It was a game of politics between the three of us. Eventually they sided to eliminate their strongest competitor; me, and so, I was banished. They are here on the Halonic Council's Orders - searching for the lineage of Halona."
"What is a Halona?" I crumpled my eyebrows trying to understand this strange word. He held my hand, leading me away from the area so that we'd avoid the night's prying eyes.
"She is an ancient legend. A myth. Once known as the mother of our kind. The Goddess of The Cognati."
"And she's here?!" I couldn't believe this was happening.
"That is what those fools assume. I do not believe in legends."
"I do not believe you." I trusted my instinct.
Aristide looked at me coyly.
"Is that so?"
"I think you know well of this 'Halona'. What other reason would those men have to come to you?"
"It's impossible to keep anything from you, isn't it?"
I smirked at him, urging him to tell me the story.
"Very well. Let us retreat to the safety of our chambers and I will share what I know."
'Legend has it, that there was once a star so bright, it descended from the blackness of the heavens and came to this world some 66,000 years ago. The natives who found the star immediately paid great reverence to it but it remained sealed like a shell for some time. On the 5th day, it opened and out came the most beautiful female creature anyone had ever laid eyes on. Her name was Halona and she was the first Cognata.
The mother of our kind as some call her. Her features were said to be so perfectly formed, that her beauty inspired others to follow in the ways of art and literature. She taught the simpletons of her time many wondrous things. She could wave her hand and dissolve someone into dust. She could fly and move things with her mind. Her power was unbelievable and she inspired many cultures of the time to rise to a higher standard of civilization.
It was said that she lived for centuries, as a queen to her people, nurturing and protecting them, until one fateful day - more stars descended from the skies and came to her side. The myth goes on to say that she was deeply envied by these strange people from the heavens, for all her power and all her worth and the influence she had upon the people of our world, although these star creatures were also worshipped as gods themselves as they began establishing cultures of their own. Yet she still found love for them and wanted to accept them. One of these gods, who was referred to as 'Guron', fell in love with our goddess and wanted to take her as his own, but the envy for their relationship only made matters worse and so begun a war of the star people, over much more than just that relationship - it extended to power and control over the whole world.
For many great ages, these star gods and goddesses fought a relentless bloody war with many earthlings perishing in the name of their so called 'saviors'. Halona and Guron were pushed back and along with their people, they were cursed by the victors; Infected by a bloodthirsty plague carefully constructed by their enemies which brought them to their knees. In utter madness, they cannibalized each other till their society came to the brink of total annihilation.
Guron succumbed to the bloodlust and it made him into the frenzied beast his enemies wished him to be. He became a heartbroken weapon until his untimely demise.
Halona escaped with a few noble and loyal servants who fought their bloodlust as much as they could, and this became the first, original society for the civilized Cognati. Through deep forms of meditation and the unlocking of strange, mysterious, creational power - these Cognati developed ways to control their bloodthirst without the need for even drawing on blood. They went to a hidden place, deep underground as legend has it; hiding from the madness of the surface. They became their own society and did their best to stay away from the perils of the upper world, thriving in their twilight dark arts - it was a rather interesting balance. They drew upon dark powers to exhibit light intentions and this was the gift our great mother passed down to us to ease the bloodlust until the time of her passing, some thousands of years later.
Our line eventually descended into madness once more, being leaderless - many gave in to the bloodthirst. The loss of the Goddess proved too much for some and many took their own lives in a final act of desperation, rather than face the tribulations on their own, but hope eventually prevailed. Over time, we slowly crept back to her proper teachings after endless swashing away of the falsified promises and messages our ancient enemies so carefully spread against us. It took several great ages before the Cognati learned a balance between the blood needed and the blood lusted...'
I'd known Aristide for almost 2 years. As I watched him relay the tale, I could sense a taste of dissatisfaction and an unquenched yearning for more than what he'd known. I'd never seen him like that before; so... wanting. Still, the tale of this 'Halona' was far more than a mere legend. She was undoubtedly a crux in my kind's history. I was tempted to learn more when the time came. As for then, I had no choice but to squiggle my cognitive mind's factory to reach out and visualize the tale on my own. I felt drawn to it and it was exceptionally vivid. I could see the Cognata Queen in her glory as if she were right in front of me.
The thought crossed my mind, whether Aristide had been playing mind games with me - but he certainly was not and he had no reason to either. Our relationship had grown stronger as time went on. We were lovers, but he was also my teacher, a great friend and my relentless protector.
"Why do you choose not to believe?" I asked him as we sat on opposite couches, sipping blood wine to the dimming fireplace heat against our faces. Aristide's eyes were on the fire. He was locked in deep laden thought, and I was determined to pluck it from his mind.
"So much of our history has been mutilated and deformed, used by our own people to satisfy their own ambitions and sway others to their goals." He slowly tilted his head in my direction, "It's hard to believe in anything these days."
"Do you think she never existed?"
"Do not misunderstand me, Alexia. She did exist - of that, I have no doubt. However, I cannot say if her image is used as a holy matriarch for power or a reminder of the truth. She taught us not to give into the bloodthirst. Not to kill men out of depravity... "
He paused thoughtfully as his eyes naturally danced back to the alluring fire, "I fear the Cognati's bloodthirst has been replaced by a deeper, more, sinister hunger - Greed." Greed? I wondered carefully.
Aristide took a long sip of his wine, the blood dripping down his mouth as he released a sigh of contentment and satisfaction, "There's a storm coming, my precious Alexia, and no one will be able to hide from it. The question is - what will you do about it?"
Interlude III
Samuel Speaks, 2017
"Sam?" Her tired, groggy voice is struggling to harmonize after her sleep, when she catches me reading the journal without her permission. Not going to lie, I'm a bit scared. Frozen, really. It's like that moment you walk in on your kid and he's done something really, really bad. I feel like that kid
, and mommy is probably not pleased. That's just how it seems anyway.
"Are you reading my journal?" She asks, sitting that finely crafted naked body right in front of me on the couch. The more I get into this journal, the more I start looking at her very differently. I love her. That's what makes this so hard.
"How'd you sleep?" I try diverting.
"It was wonderful. I dreamed of you." It's so hard not to resist this woman, you really have no idea, "Do you find my journal that interesting?"
"Yes. Yes, I do. I can't stop reading it." Way to go man, might as well tell her you stole the cookies too - "I don't know why. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry... "
"Stop." She rests her hand on mine and once more, I am frozen, "I wanted you to read it." Those eyes look at me like a feline ready to pounce, knowing exactly what the fuck she wants.
"Did you know I would read it on my own?" I have to know
"Naturally." She starts smirking, holding my hand to her lips and kissing my fingers, "Let's go for breakfast. I am starving."
"Me too... " Hey wait a minute, "Wait, you eat?"
"What kind of silly question is that? Of course I eat. You've been used to too many fables of vampire culture."
"Is it necessary for you to eat?"
"Now that is a good question. Do you ask if I eat for my metabolism's sake or for the sake of pure pleasure?"
"Uh... " She can be so intimidating sometimes, "Sure! Which one is it?"
"A bit of both. I do not have to eat, although my appearance may change drastically if I don't and at the same time, why should you get all the oral pleasure?"
My face was twisted in awe of this woman till I found myself starting to crack up with her.
"Oh you are bad... " I'm beaming at this point. Something about her presence. It's like a trip from start to finish - a wild rollercoaster and I love every moment of it, "Alright. Let's go get something to eat."
She leans in and gives me a little smooch on my lips before she's off to get some clothes on. I close the journal and take a good look at it. She leaves me with it. She has to trust me. Whatever secret, whatever dark crypt I'm about to crawl in. She trusts me with it.
Cognata: A Vampire Romance Page 5