Deamhan

by Isaiyan Morrison

  “My own maker was older than dirt when he made me vampire.” Lambert crossed his hands. “She was a true beauty back then. Pity that I can only remember brief images of our time together before she abandoned me on an Italian beach.”

  Veronica wanted to question Lambert about his sire but that wasn’t the information she wanted to know. Not yet anyway.

  Lambert turned to Veronica and he spoke slowly. “What do you think?”

  “I’ve never researched vampires,” she answered. “So I don’t know.”

  “What about your researcher friend? Perhaps he knows?”

  Veronica shook her head. Here he goes again; about Sean. She didn’t play into it.

  “Veronica”—Nathan held up his hand to respond—“there’s something you need to know about Sean.”

  “I’m sure she knows he’s a researcher,” Lambert interrupted.

  “He’s not a threat to me or to any of you.” She raised her voice slightly.

  “They’re always a threat, my dear.” Lambert snickered. “You told me you had no affiliation with The Brotherhood but your friend Sean is a member, which makes you an affiliate.”

  Nathan cleared his throat and Lambert stopped his attack. For the first time Veronica witnessed Lambert’s respect for Nathan. Like Deamhan, vampires showed it in crazier ways (murder being one of them.)

  Nathan spoke up. “I was once an affiliate, Lambert. So according to your logic, I’m a threat.”

  “Stop trying to turn Veronica into a harmless human,” Lambert interrupted him. “You know this is vastly different.”

  Veronica felt her breathing increase. If Lambert already knew about Sean, what else did he know? She decided to back off from her defense. “He was my connection in The Brotherhood, Lambert, but he left. I don’t know where he is now.”

  Nathan exhaled slowly. “Lambert is partially correct, Veronica. Your friend may not be as trustworthy as you think. He’s working for your father.”

  Veronica didn’t want to show that she already knew Sean’s true reason for being in Minneapolis. She dropped the papers on the table. The bowl of grapes bounced gently to the side. She forced herself to exhale, and she looked to the floor. Her act was a lie and she was a fabulous actress.

  She sifted through the paperwork page by page until she came across the documentation on Lambert. Like the other information, the heavily inundated markings made it somewhat hard to read. She skimmed through what wasn’t blackened out, cursing under her breath that she should’ve done this before, the moment Sean gave them to her.

  “Here.” She tossed it into his lap. “This is what my affiliation with Sean was able to provide.”

  Lambert slowly lifted the paper to his line of vision and he began to read.

  “Brotherhood files?” Nathan asked.

  “I’m flattered. They actually have an interest in me.” Lambert skimmed over the information.

  “Are all of them blacked out like this?” Nathan asked.

  “Yes,” Lambert crudely answered for Veronica. He held one piece up close to get a better view. “This is nothing.” He placed the papers back on the table. “Should I be surprised about this?”

  Veronica stared at the documents on the table, thinking. The idea that The Brotherhood somehow came back into Minneapolis devoured whatever positive thoughts she had left of Sean. They overwhelmed her. Her breathing increased, and her stomach twitched.

  Lambert gently pushed the bowl of grapes closer to Nathan with his foot.

  “Hungry?” He pointed to the grapes. Nathan grabbed a grape and popped it in his mouth.

  “Eating is the one thing I miss about being human.” A caricature smile appeared on Lambert’s face, revealing his fangs. “Grapes were my favorite food to eat when I was human.”

  “I’m sure I wasn’t invited her to talk about grapes.” Veronica’s bold statement silenced Lambert’s fluffy thought.

  Suddenly the tension overcoming the room became gut-wrenching.

  She felt the blame, and it made her want to lash out, to clench her teeth and exert her anger by punching at random walls. This blame would never stop. Her thoughts gravitated to her father. He pushed Sean into spying on her, if it was true. Nothing in that organization happened without his say. Sean turned into an expendable researcher. She wasn’t going to let her father win, even if she had to endure Lambert’s pithy comments and his lack of trust.

  “You do know you are protected.” Nathan leaned over to her.

  “I’ve heard, but I don’t know what that means. What does it mean?” she questioned in an untroubled voice.

  “It means that somewhere, out there, a Deamhan has claimed you,” Lambert answered. “And no one can harm or kill you.” He didn’t stray from his skepticism or from his continuing comments. “Oh, the pressure of being related to the Midwest Region Leader.” He began to mock her. “It’s just enough to make me heave up the blood I devoured earlier.”

  “Only a Deamhan with power and age on their side could give out an order like that,” Nathan added.

  Veronica thought about the mysterious woman she saw at the burnt home, the van, and the two Deamhan twins. Maybe it was Kei? Apparently not every Deamhan obeyed this order. She grabbed the pieces of paper on Blind Bluff Manor and handed it over to Nathan. He accepted the paperwork and slowly went through it page by page.

  “Sometimes you have to play along with Lambert’s comments.” Nathan witticism appeared to finally cease the tension.

  “Yes, yes, yes, ignore poor miserable Lambert.” Lambert motioned Nathan’s remark away by flicking his wrist. “I’m the vampire who doesn’t know anything, even if I’ve been around longer than most.”

  “My old friend,” Nathan replied. “Your advice is always appreciated and needed.”

  “Well, my advice for Veronica is to give up her search,” Lambert said. “Go back to your father and forget coming to Minneapolis.”

  Veronica remained quiet and listened.

  “It doesn’t help that you’re the daughter of a man in a high position in The Brotherhood.” Lambert shook his head. “It’s a stamp of disapproval. And now you want to find Kei? Oh, how the turns keep turning.”

  “It’s crossed my mind,” Veronica replied. “Unlike you, I’m not scared of him.”

  “You say that now.” Lambert laughed openly.

  “My mother was assigned to research Lucius. She went missing when he went missing. Lucius sired Kei and Kei is involved in his sire’s disappearance. Why wouldn’t I not try to find him?”

  “Maybe because he’s a psychopath?” Lambert answered. “Kei hosts what the Deamhan call a Congregation almost every weekend,” Lambert said. “Savage Deamhan fuck fests and feeding sessions mixed with dead and dying humans. If you find the location of his Congregation, you will find him.” He smiled deviously. “But humans are never invited, unless they’re the main course.”

  The concept was farfetched. She’d heard about Deamhan Congregations from Sean and other members in The Brotherhood. They were meetings, held in a secret location. It was one of the rarest times when you could find different Deamhan types socializing together without any bloodshed. Ancient Deamhan used these Congregations to go over The Dictum or to call a Decretum. Some Deamhan either sired their loyal minions or killed their un-loyal minions in these meetings. Whatever the case, humans definitely weren’t allowed.

  “You can't go Veronica.” Lambert turned to Nathan with an enervated look. “And you shouldn't encourage her.” He pointed at Nathan. “Your oddball ideas are going to get her killed.”

  “I’m protected, right?” Veronica replied.

  “Yes, but again, that does not mean that every Deamhan will respect that,” Nathan answered. “For example, you and Sean were followed to Blind Bluff Manor by a human. By the time I realized that, the human had disappeared. With news of your arrival spreading, any Deamhan with a grudge sees this as an opportunity to get their revenge on The Brotherhood.”

  Veronica leaned her chee
k against her right hand. “There is a woman I’ve seen twice following me. Once when I first came back here and just recently at the new fire in south Minneapolis.”

  “A minion.” Lambert looked at Nathan. “Probably Kei’s minion. Seriously, Nathan,” he complained, “you’re going to get her killed.”

  “Lambert,” Nathan said, attempting to calm him.

  “No, no, Nathan.” Lambert stood up from his seat. “I’ve known you for a long time. You are the only human that I trust. But if you decide to help her, even I can’t protect you from the Deamhan who want her dead.”

  “I wouldn’t want you to, Lambert,” Nathan replied. “But I understand and respect your decision.” He looked to Veronica. “And that’s why I brought you here, Veronica. I could’ve told you this at my own home, but I felt doing it here, in this protected environment, was best.”

  Veronica squinted. She didn’t know what Nathan referred to but she let him continue.

  “I understand your need to search for your mother, but you have to understand that you’re heading into dangerous territory. You have to think this over carefully, Veronica.”

  “Is that what you invited me here for?” Veronica reached into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone. “To tell me that I should stop looking?” She watched Nathan and Lambert stare at each other for a moment.

  “No one can protect you here, even the Deamhan that claimed you,” Nathan continued. “If you go looking for Kei, you’re going to get killed.”

  “I’m not going to just leave,” Veronica replied.

  “You might not have a choice, my dear,” Lambert said.

  Veronica flipped her phone open, glaring at the time. She felt her body tense. First Sean, now Nathan. She didn’t care what Lambert thought about the situation, but she expected Nathan to at least understand.

  “I’m not going to stay where I’m not wanted.” Veronica closed her phone and she stood up. “Thank you, Nathan.”

  “You shouldn’t be out there by yourself.” Nathan stood up from his seat.

  “I’m not some weak girl who can’t take care of herself.” Veronica ignored Nathan’s statement. “I’m not leaving Minneapolis until I find out what happened to my mother.”

  Nathan looked at Lambert, who sighed and slowly stood up in his chair.

  “Fine,” Lambert sighed. “But I’m not bringing in any more drama to my dance floor. Having her in my club is enough.” He slowly walked over to his miniature bar.

  “Veronica, at least stay here until morning,” Nathan said.

  “I’m fine.” Without warning, Veronica promptly headed for the door. She had better things to do than listen to Lambert talk about grapes and complain to her. She needed to know where Sean had run off to. Second, she had to find Kei. Kei was her ticket to Lucius. She sprinted down the hallway, down the stairs and out to the main room.

  She walked through the club passing by Remy’s booth but he was no longer there. The air grew hot and her desire to be in Dark Sepulcher completely diminished. She stopped and stared at the entryway. Nathan was right about one thing. It wasn’t safe for her to be out on the streets at this time of night. But her desire to leave the club clouded her judgment. She couldn’t think about what might happen. Like her mother, she had to be brave. She felt Lambert and Nathan staring down at her from above, and she took no notice. She walked toward the entrance and headed outside.

  The wind picked up tremendously, scattering trash along the pavement. She turned the corner and walked down the desolate street; her pace slowed. A glaze of frost covered the front windows of the parked cars; overfilled garbage cans sat on the sidewalk, moving slightly left and right from the wind. She heard police sirens in the distance and the sound of a screeching car. The smell of urine fumigated her nose. Her body shivered and goose bumps appeared on her forearms.

  Veronica reached for her phone but stopped herself. Why leave Dark Sepulcher just like that? She told herself nothing would get in her way, but she didn’t think her own feelings could threaten her search. Both Lambert and Nathan knew more; maybe something that could help her.

  She crossed the empty street, turning around to head back to Dark Sepulcher when a cold hand quickly covered her mouth. She felt an arm wrap around her stomach, pulling her from the street to a nearby alley. She struggled against this force, dropping her phone. She kicked her feet and tried to scream. Suddenly the strong force tossed her against the brick wall and she fell to the ground, landing on broken bottles and trash. She felt the sharp stings in her forearm from the embedded fragments of glass shards. Dizziness overcame her and she looked up, struggling to concentrate on who had thrown her like a rag doll.

  Someone giggled.

  Brandy flicked back her long brown hair, revealing a face that Veronica was all too familiar with. She recognized her immediately as one of the two Deamhan twins who attacked her in the bathroom at Dark Sepulcher a few nights ago. A jagged scar extended from the left top of her forehead, over her closed right eye and to the lower right portion of her jaw. From the indentation, she no longer had a right eye.

  “I just love it when I run across a free meal.” Brandy slowly knelt down next to Veronica and tilted her head slightly.

  Veronica slowly stood up in shock, using the wall for leverage.

  “Do you like it?” She pointed to her scar, giggling again. She raised herself up, and the left corner of her mouth slowly curled in a malicious smile. “Well, you should like it.” She took a couple of steps back.

  Veronica’s eyes scoured the dirtied ground for anything she could use against her as a weapon. Brandy jumped forward and Veronica slid back against the wall, feeling a warm trickle of blood draining from her forehead and down the side of her face. Brandy slightly covered her mouth and giggled again. She reached out with her hand and attempted to touch Veronica’s face. Her eyes began to twitch, and soon she busted out into a calm whistle.

  “Please.” Veronica found herself gasping and stuttering.

  Brandy wiped the blood from her face. A small throb of pain pierced Veronica’s forehead. Veronica searched for the wound and when she found it, she discovered that it was deep and bleeding profusely.

  “She killed her.” Brandy leaned up against the wall next to her with the same dark and mischievous look her eyes. “That Deamhan bitch killed my sister to save you that night and gave me this nice, little scar.” Again, she pointed to the scar on her face. “And these.” She revealed her palms covered in rippled and jagged scar tissue.

  Veronica didn’t know who Brandy referred to. “Please.” Veronica felt the corner of the wall against her back.

  “Please what?” Brandy grabbed Veronica’s wrists, pinning both of them to the wall. “I’m gonna rip you apart.” She slightly opened her thin lips. In a slow, shocking appearance, her teeth extended to three times the normal size. They were now sharp and materialized into the pointy teeth of a Ramanga. She moved her arms above her head and re-grasped Veronica’s wrists with one hand while the other forced Veronica’s head to the side.

  “I’m going to drain you into a pretty corpse.” Brandy’s raspy voice frightened Veronica. “And if you survive, I’m going to do to you what she did to my sister.”

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about.” Veronica tried unsuccessfully to pull her arms free. Brandy slammed her against the wall again, and Veronica lost her breath for a second. She grabbed Veronica’s hair and yanked, throwing whatever strands she managed to tear from Veronica’s scalp. Her strength was superior. She moved Veronica as if she weighed absolutely nothing.

  “Or I could sire you,” Brandy whispered. Veronica flinched, feeling her sharp teeth sinking into her neck. The pressure of her blood being sucked was excruciating. Veronica struggled and scratched, drawing blood from her attacker’s face. Her fighting did little, and Brandy refused to let her go. She felt her arms being the first part of her body to succumb. Her strength soon followed, and her legs buckled from under her. She became weaker, paralyzed, and
on the verge of passing out.

  In an instant, Brandy stopped and loosened her grip. She stared down the alleyway. She cringed, looking back at Veronica then back down the dark alleyway.

  “I knew that bitch would come.” Brandy released Veronica. Veronica fell, landing on the right side of her body. She had little energy to look up at what made Brandy release her. Her blurred vision made it hard for her to see the shadowy figure at the end of the alleyway. Brandy snarled at the dark figure that didn’t respond. It took a step forward and again there was silence.

  “Why did you kill her?” Brandy shouted at the figure as it took another step forward. “You were her sire!”

  The figure didn’t respond. Instead it disappeared in a blurred image only to suddenly reappear feet from them. Veronica heard Brandy gawk as she and the figure began to scuffle, throwing each other into the brick walls. Veronica attempted to raise her body and catch a better glimpse of this Deamhan squabble, but she fell back to the floor. The fight moved too quickly for the human eye to see. They streaked back and forth, crashing into walls and garbage cans. The fight paused long enough for Veronica to witness the dark figure; a female, with her hands on the side of the Brandy’s neck. The figure twisted.

  Snap!

  Brandy’s body went limp and the female moved the head aside and gracefully sunk her teeth into the base of Brandy’s neck. A considerable amount of blood spurted from the wound followed by the gentle suckling as the figure drank. Veronica focused her eyes. She’d seen this figure before.

  The victorious Deamhan leaned her head back, vivaciously licking the remaining blood from her lips. Veronica panted, and her heart pumped frantically.

  The woman turned her attention toward her. The white portions of her eyes were exorbitantly blood shot red, and her Ramanga teeth began to retreat to the size of normal teeth. Splotches of blood covered her face and dripped from the ends of her dark hair. The dark figure was the woman at Nathan’s sanctuary.