Blood Reign

by Harvey W. McCarthy

  "Bonjour," she said.

  The maître d' bowed. "Bonjour Mademoiselle. Comment êtesvous ce soir?"

  "I am well," she said in her French accent. "I am impressed that you know my language."

  The maître d' smiled again. "White Star Line wishes to make this trip pleasurable for everyone. Dining alone this evening?"

  Checking me out, I see, she thought. "Yes, I am. I wish to have a private table alone."

  "Please follow me. At this hour, you should have your pick of any table."

  "Merci," she said as she followed her guide.

  The maître d' led her away from where Captain Smith had led his dining party. He showed her a table for two in the middle of the restaurant. He smiled at her and she pouted.

  "Is something wrong, Mademoiselle?" he asked.

  "I would prefer something over there," she said as she pointed towards the area where Captain Smith was seated.

  The maître d' cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, I do not have an open table in that area."

  She stepped closer and batted her blue eyes. She unbuttoned and refastened a button on his shirt. She rubbed her hand down his chest. She pretended to be adjusting his attire. "I really would like some privacy. You said that I could pick any table," she said as her blue eyes looked up at him.

  The maître d' swallowed hard. "I…I…I believe there is a table available."

  "Merci," she said seductively.

  "Please follow me," he said as he led her towards the table.

  He placed her at a table a few feet away from Captain Smith's table. Bruce Ismay and Thomas Andrews sat with their backs to her table. The maître d' held the chair for her and she smiled. She sat down and the maître d' pushed the chair in for her. She smiled at him. She removed her hat and her hairpin and shook her hair. She placed the hat on the chair next to her. She winked at the maître d'.

  "Your waiter will be along shortly," he said.

  She grabbed his hand. "Would you be so sweet and bring me a glass of your finest red wine?" she asked sweetly. "Also, do you have any gold utensils? Silverware is so…second class."

  He opened his hand and saw the one-hundred dollar bill that she had slipped to him. He bowed briefly. "Of course, Mademoiselle," he said before he disappeared towards the kitchen.

  She saw him adjust his collar as he left. She giggled. "Yeah, he will be thinking of me when he goes to bed," she muttered.

  Her waiter arrived shortly thereafter with her wine. It was some of the finest wine in the entire world, but it wasn't a substitute for fresh blood. She was getting truly hungry but she needed to wait for the real conversation next to her to start. The men had only talked about their day which was meaningless because they didn't have much to discuss. She ordered a blue rare steak with traditional sides. Her steak was barely cooked so it arrived very quickly. It still had a hint of blood which curbed her need to truly feed. She ate quietly as she waited. When the sixth member of the meeting arrived, her patience had been rewarded.

  Father Thomas Byles had joined the table. All five men stood and smiled at the approaching priest who carried a package under his arm. He placed the package on the table and he blessed the party. The group did not notice that Mikhaeli had cringed as Father Byles had said a small prayer. Despite her fears, Mikhaeli held firm as she listened.

  "Father, so good of you to join us," Captain Smith said.

  "Thank you and may the blessings of the Lord fall on this voyage," Father Byles said.

  Father Byles, a light-haired man, was born in England. He smiled at Captain Edward Smith, a white-haired bearded man, who stood between his crew members: Lieutenants Henry Wilde and William Murdoch. All three men wore their officer's uniforms while Thomas Andrews and Bruce Ismay wore their formal dining attire. As customary, Father Byles wore his clerical attire consisting of black pants, a black clerical shirt with a white collar, and a black jacket. He nodded to the Captain who motioned for everyone to be seated. Within moments a waiter had arrived and took their orders. All six men ordered light meals. Conversation, not dining, was the real reason for the gathering.

  "I am glad that you were able to join us," Bruce Ismay said. "I hope your accommodations are to your liking."

  "They are what one could expect for what my thirteen quid could buy," Father Byles said.

  "If you need further comforts…" Captain Smith began to say but he paused when Bruce Ismay held up his hand.

  "I am sure that the good Father is quite comfortable," Bruce Ismay stated.

  Father Byles smiled knowingly. "Yes, we wouldn't want to raise any suspicions now would we?"

  All five men nodded. For a parish priest to travel first class on the Titanic or any luxury liner would cause a lot of people to talk. Discussions over dinner were the highlight of any trip and usually the tales grew and grew until lines of truth were blurred. The six members of the Council of the Light couldn't risk their true identities to be revealed.

  "Did you bring it?" Ismay asked.

  Father Byles tapped the package that he had placed on the table. "Safe and sound," he replied.

  "Were you followed?" Andrews asked.

  "Thomas, how many people are aboard this vessel?" Father Byles asked.

  "Point taken," Andrews replied, "But I've heard rumors that the location was not kept safe."

  "Which is why it is aboard this vessel," Byles answered. "Our warriors performed their duties. Now, it is up to us to perform ours."

  "How can we be certain that the tome…" Andrews said.

  "Shhhhhhhh!" All five men said.

  "How can we be certain that the tome's location will not be discovered again?" Andrews asked in a much lower voice.

  Ismay leaned forward. "Because from this point onward, we will no longer record the locations of the tomes. They will move around in secrecy. We cannot afford to burn cities to the ground as we have done in the past. We are preservers of life, not destroyers."

  "Then why don't we just throw the tome overboard?" Lieutenant Murdoch asked.

  Ismay chuckled. "In war, how do you defeat your enemies?"

  "Skill?" Murdoch asked.

  "You learn their secrets," Captain Smith replied.

  Father Byles nodded. "We have been attempting to translate their ancient texts for years. It takes great time and detail and even some extra encouragement from our captive enemies, which I know that I do not need to explain. Not only do they detail their powers, but their weaknesses too."

  "I still don't like it," Murdoch said.

  Bruce Ismay leaned forward again. His accented voice was low but commanding. "I don't give a fuck if you like it or not. We have been battling these monsters for centuries. Our only chance to kill them off is to find out how they continually manage to reproduce so quickly. I doubt that one of them will walk up to our table and reveal that information. Until that happens, we have to continue on the path that the council sets for us."

  "And how has that path been working so far?" Murdoch asked. "You said yourself that it has been centuries."

  Captain Smith held up a hand. "Gentlemen," the elder sea commander stated, "This argument is fruitless. The council isn't perfect, but it is the one unifying force against the darkness that walks the earth. It has even seen fit to form its own companies, like White Star Line, to enable us to move our warriors quickly. I say that we focus on the topic at hand. Father, if you will."

  "Thank you, Captain," Father Byles said. "We are on this voyage because there is a growing presence in the Americas especially the Western United States. Bringing this tome to our allies in the West will only strengthen their ability to stop the darkness. As the senior member of the council aboard this vessel, I must applaud Mr. Andrews for building such a fast ocean liner. Without it, we couldn't get the tome or our warriors hidden amongst the third class passengers to the New World so quickly."

  "In the meantime, I don't think that this tome should be freely moving about the ship," Murdoch again protested.

  Bruce Ismay
chuckled. "Do you expect us to be suddenly boarded by vampires? We are in the middle of the ocean."

  This time Captain Smith held his hand up to Bruce Ismay. "My friend, he does have a point. Our enemies could be anywhere. For safety sake, it should be stored safely."

  Father Byles nodded. "I agree."

  "I have a safe where passengers have requested to store their valuables. Bring the tome to me tomorrow. If you leave without it tonight, it could raise suspicions. Having, what we will call your memoirs, stored in the safe will not arouse any suspicions. When we arrive in New York, it will be given back to you to pass along to our agents who will take it to the safe house," Bruce Ismay stated.

  "What time tomorrow?" Father Byles said.

  "Bring it before sunrise. That way we will most certainly be alone. Any further business gentlemen?" Ismay asked.

  No one said a word. They rose as one and departed. Father Byles was escorted back to his cabin by the two lieutenants. Everyone pretended that the dinner meeting was nothing more than a casual dining experience amongst friends. They were so casual that they didn't even notice the beautiful young woman who had left just prior to their departure.

  Mikhaeli was already planning for sunrise.

  CHAPTER 14

  APRIL 13, 1912

  The RMS Titanic steamed through the slightly choppy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The water was rippled by the powerful ship as it continued its voyage towards New York. The skies were dark and the cold, dark ocean waters resembled a thick blue ink. It would be several more minutes before the sun would break the horizon and bring warmth to the day.

  Bruce Ismay wrapped his suit coat around his body as the cool ocean breeze whipped across the deck. His tired body and mind wanted to be resting in his warm bed, but he had a duty to his people. Meeting Father Byles so early in the morning would not raise any suspicions. Since the beginning of the voyage, Father Byles always rose early and headed to the lower levels of the ship to hold services for the thousands of passengers in third class. If anyone saw him, they would assume that he was headed below to deliver another sermon.

  Bruce Ismay unlocked the door to the security cabin. The cabin had been designed to be a secure area where passengers could have precious valuables locked away. Some first class cabins came with their own safe, but many more did not. This cabin was created for those first class passengers who didn't have the luxury of the safe in their quarters. Ismay had been given the keys by Captain Smith and he patiently waited for his friend to arrive.

  Moments later as the sun had begun to peak over the horizon, Father Byles stepped through the door. He had the tome of Lord Visigoth tucked under his right arm. The lines under his eyes told the story of a man who had not slept very well during the night. He walked to the counter and he removed the tome from underneath his arm. He extended his hand and held out the tome to his fellow member of the Council of the Light.

  "I will be thankful when we reach port," Father Byles said.

  "It will be safely locked away in here," Ismay said as he took the tome.

  "I know that it will be safely locked away," Father Byles, "But it doesn't make sleeping at night any easier."

  Ismay nodded as he reached under the counter. He removed a pen and a small slip of paper. "I need you to fill this out," he said.

  Father Byles read the paper. It was a receipt for the items locked within the safe. "Is this necessary?"

  "If you come to retrieve the tome and I am not available, then you will not be given access to the safe. Company protocol," Ismay said.

  "The same company that was founded by the council," Father Byles said sarcastically.

  "Yes, but very few people know about it," Ismay said.

  Byles sighed and he began to fill out the required paperwork. Both men jumped as the door behind them opened. They tried not to look surprised as the woman known to Bruce Ismay as Juliette Rougeau entered into the security cabin. She had changed into another less formal dress so she too wouldn't raise suspicion. She smiled sweetly at Bruce Ismay.

  "Good morning, Mr. Ismay. Good morning, Father," she said in the French accent that she had perfected.

  "Good morning, Miss Rougeau, correct?" Mr. Ismay asked.

  "Yes," she said with a smile.

  "This is Father Byles," Mr. Ismay said.

  "Good morning," she repeated.

  "Good morning, my dear," Father Byles said. "You seem to be up quite early."

  "I was about to say the same thing! Is there anything that I can help you with?" Mr. Ismay inquired.

  "Well, who wouldn't want to be up early to experience this luxurious vessel?" she retorted.

  Bruce Ismay smiled. "I cannot argue with you there."

  She smiled back at him. She knew that she had him in her power. Beauty, as she had learned, was more powerful than money. A beautiful woman could make a man do just about anything that he wouldn't do for money. The almighty dollar paled in comparison to the almighty smile of a stunning woman. Ismay again smiled back.

  "I heard through another passenger that you have a secure safe in here for our valuables," she said.

  Ismay reached under the counter and grabbed another receipt and a pen. He handed it to her. "If you fill out this receipt, I can store any valuables for you. What is it that I will be keeping for you?" he asked.

  Mikhaeli unbuttoned the top three buttons of her blouse. Her amble buxom was exposed. Hidden underneath her silk white blouse was a beautiful diamond and gold pendant. The heart-shaped design sparkled in the limited light. She knew that she needed to make this transaction faster. The sun was peaking above the horizon. A few more minutes and she wouldn't be reading anything let alone Lord Visigoth's tome.

  She removed the pendant and handed it to Bruce Ismay who swallowed hard. "I can see that it is quite beautiful. Is it a family heirloom?"

  "Yes it is. My father gave it to me. I wore it the other night and then I heard someone outside my cabin. I am worried about thieves," she said as she buttoned her blouse.

  "I assure you that it will be safely kept here. Now, if you two don't mind, I must lock these items away."

  "Of course," Father Byles said as he folded his copy of the receipt and placed it in his lapel pocket. "Will you be attending my mass this evening?"

  "Of course," she said sweetly.

  She gave the priest a hug which he returned in kind. Despite being a man of the cloth, he still appreciated her beauty. She smiled and curtsied before she disappeared out the door. The priest tapped his lapel and the paper rattled in his pocket. He turned to Ismay who smiled at him.

  "A woman like that would test any man's loyalty," he said with a laugh.

  The priest blessed himself. "Give me strength," Father Byles said with a smile.

  Both men chuckled. Mikhaeli heard them laughing. She smiled as she ducked into the first class dining hall. She had barely made it out of the security cabin in time. The sun was beginning to rise and the security cabin was facing east. She immediately dashed into the dining hall which fortunately for her ran the entire width of the ship. Her cabin faced west during this part of the voyage. After a few hours of rest, she would rise and begin her day. She unfolded the receipt that she had slipped from Father Byles' lapel pocket.

  "Now I just need a distraction," she mumbled as she entered her cabin.

  * * *

  It was early evening and the sun had started to descend. The brilliant bright blue sky was rapidly turning to various shades of pink and orange. Many travelers had headed to the bow of the ship to watch the brilliant orange ball disappear over the horizon. Slowly, the bright round ball of earlier in the day lost its power. It slowly faded from sight. The beautiful pink and orange sky switched to a shade of lavender and then a dark purple. When her favorite color appeared in the evening sky, Mikhaeli emerged from her cabin.

  She too watched the sky change colors. During her years as a vampire, she learned that when the sun had virtually disappeared for the day, she could emerge for her day.
Direct daytime sunlight was detrimental to her health. But as the sun began to set for the day, she saw its power wane. She had tested her theory by establishing her American base of operations in Colorado; the brightest state in the country. The sun was powerful even in the winter. As she had learned, when the sky turned purple, the night was hers for the taking. She had many plans to accomplish.

  She passed through the dining hall and headed towards the elevator in the bow section of the ship. She smiled at each man that noticed her. She noticed several married men admiring her as she passed. She winked at each and every one of them. Their jealous wives would immediately start arguments. She'd giggle quietly and smile as she had made someone's life miserable. She truly loved being her. As the sun had completely disappeared for the night, she had reached the elevators to the lower levels.