She continued to watch the cabin. The cold air was beginning to affect her. She was about to go to the lower levels and feed with her minions when a member of the crew walked briskly past her. She smiled at him and he ignored her. Well, that's a first, she thought. She watched the crew member walk into the security cabin. She couldn't recall ever being ignored by a man. She was slightly offended. She regained her focus when she saw the crew member and Bruce Ismay having a very animated conversation. Moments later, Ismay could be seen grabbing his overcoat and speaking with an attendant in the security cabin. A minute later, both Ismay and the unknown crew member briskly exited the cabin and left.
She smiled and strutted confidently towards the door. She licked her lips. She wanted to feed, but she wasn't a minion. She had a greater purpose than the vampires that she had created. They were predators. They lived to feed like the sharks in the ocean. She was a greater being who lived at the top of the food chain. Hers was a greater purpose. That purpose would be satisfied when she was able to look inside the tome. Knowledge, the real power, was only moments away.
She opened the door. The cabin was warm. She hopped up and down. "It…It…It is cold out there," she said through chattering teeth.
"How can I help you, ma'am?" the crew member asked stiffly.
Asshole, she thought. "Yes, you can, Mister…" Her British accent was flawless.
"Crozier, ma'am," Officer Crozier replied.
She removed the receipt that she had slipped from Father Byles' lapel pocket and slid it across the counter. "Yes, Mr. Crozier, I am doing research with Father Byles and he asked me to make a couple quick notes from this book."
Officer Crozier looked at the receipt and back to the beautiful face that smiled at him. He smiled back. "Will you be removing the book permanently, Miss…"
"Wilkinson. Amelia Wilkinson," she said sweetly. "No, I just have to record a passage for him."
The crew member cocked an eyebrow. His light-haired moustache twitched. "It says that this book is his memoirs."
Fuckers, she thought. "Yes, it is."
"And you have to take notes?" he asked suspiciously.
Who the fuck are you? Sherlock Holmes? Her instincts took over. She realized that the guard could be one of the council warriors. She had hoped that her distraction would have sufficed to call all of their warriors into duty. She assumed that they must have had more warriors than she had expected. "Yes, I have to note whether or not he transcribed the scriptures correctly. Since I am paying for these memoirs, I expect to have a say in their preservation."
Officer Crozier bowed. "I apologize, ma'am, for the delay. I shall return shortly. The night is always darkest before the dawn."
"And his light will shine during the dawning," she replied.
Officer Crozier smiled. He bowed again. He disappeared into the back of the cabin where the green safe was located. Mikhaeli removed the stationary pad, from her handbag, that she had discovered in her cabin. She watched the man as he turned the dial. She noted every number for when they docked. She wasn't about to leave this ship without the tome. She was thankful that she remembered the council's greeting. She had instructed her followers to always learn the ways of their enemies because one day that knowledge would be valuable.
Officer Crozier returned a few moments later. Mikhaeli flipped to a new page on her stationary pad. She smiled as the man placed the tome on the counter. "I didn't realize that we had any female council members aboard," he stated.
"My late father had secretly provided funds for years. When he passed, he left me messages in his will to take up his cause. As you can see, I am not fighter, but knowledge is power," she said.
"Understood, ma'am," he said with a bow. "I will let you handle your business."
"Thank you. I will only be a moment," she replied.
The council warrior masquerading as a crew member disappeared. Mikhaeli closed her eyes and mumbled a vampire enchantment. Her eyes rolled up into her head. She placed her hands on the book. Her eyes flew open and she turned the book to a specific page. She jotted down every word on the page. When she had finished, she ripped off a clean piece of stationary paper. She placed it inside the book and closed it.
"All finished," she called as she placed the stationary pad back inside her handbag.
"Did you find what you needed?" Crozier asked.
"I believe so," she replied.
"Will that be all?" he asked as he picked up the tome.
She wanted to feed, but killing him on this level would draw unwanted attention. "Yes and please be sure that this is safely locked away. We wouldn't want that to fall into the wrong hands," she urged.
"I will lock it away personally," he said. "We are the light."
"We are the light," she repeated.
Crozier bowed and disappeared into the back. When he returned, Mikhaeli had left. He blessed himself and prayed for his fellow members of the council. If what he was told by Mr. Ismay was true, they were going to need it.
She spied Harry Whitner as she left the security cabin. He waved. Oh how quaint? she thought. I guess I hadn't reached my annoyance level for the night.
"Juliette," he called as he dashed up to her, "I have been looking all over for you."
"Oh, Monsieur Whitner, quelle surprise?" she replied.
"Surprise?" he asked as he tried to understand her language.
"Yes, I am surprised to see you," she said as she easily switched between her French and British accents. "After the meeting with your mother, I thought you had tired of me."
"Absolutely not!" he said emphatically. "It excited me."
"Really?" she cooed.
"Really! I was wondering if you would like to join me for dinner."
"Oh absolutely!" she replied excitedly. "I'm starving!"
He extended his arm and she took it gently. He led her towards the dining area. Mikhaeli smiled and pointed towards the stairs. She winked at her companion. He smiled knowingly. He grabbed her hand and led her to the stairwell.
Minutes later and several decks down, she wasn't hungry any longer.
* * *
Lieutenant Wilde had never expected to be leading his own patrol into the bowels of the ship. Screams of agony and fear reverberated through the hallways. The stench of death filled the bow section of F deck. A lone warrior had returned earlier in the day to report their findings. He was currently in medical area being treated for what had been described as 'severe seasickness' to the passengers. However, Wilde had spoken to the man briefly before he had passed out from loss of blood.
He had managed to escape by heading into the boiler rooms. White Star Line had a policy that the passengers and the engine room crew should not meet during the voyage. The engine and boiler room staff were housed on the starboard side of the ship. Their rooms were near the forward end of the ship and their rooms were connected to their work area by two spiral staircases. The young warrior found one of those staircases and hid in one of the rooms. The boiler room workers escorted him to the medical area when they saw his injuries. They apologized for breaking protocol but Ismay dismissed them. The report from the warrior was more important than White Star's policy.
Ismay, Wilde, and Captain Smith had wished that they hadn't heard the report. The recon patrol, under the command of Corporal O'Connell, had split into two units of four men. Armed with holy water blessed by Father Byles, crosses, and wooden stakes, they combed every inch of the lower levels. It was a very brief time before they caught what they believed was the vampire feeding on an immigrant family. The vampire was killed quickly but the family could not be saved. The recon patrol was ready to report back to the upper levels of the ship when the oldest member of the family rose.
Before they could react, they heard more and more screams. They killed the newly arisen vampire, when two more lumbered down the hallway. Just as the patrol had eliminated them, they faced two more and then two more after that. The young man was told to get word back to their council memb
ers at all cost. He along with another warrior fled but they also ran into trouble. He had barely escaped with his life. His fellow warrior wasn't so lucky.
Holy water dripped from the walls. Blood stains and smears coated the once pristine paint. Despite the screams, the patrol moved forward cautiously. They had already lost two members of their unit. The remaining men were frightened but they did not shy away from their duty. They knew that fighting in the confined spaces of the third class cabins would make their lives extremely difficult and probably very short. They continued onward. They continued cautiously until the pleadings of a young woman sent two of the warriors dashing ahead.
They came across a locked room. They repeatedly bashed the door with their shoulders until it splintered and flew inwards. A young woman, who they concluded had to be in her middle to late teens, was surrounded by two men. Her clothes were ripped off and she was tied down. They too were naked. They both turned when they heard the door burst open. The young woman screamed again.
"Be gone demon!" the young warrior screamed as he plunged his stake into the heart of the nearest man.
The man glanced down at the stake protruding from his chest. His eyes begged to know why. Blood filled his mouth and he staggered backwards. His expression mirrored his companion's when the other warrior's stake found its mark. Blood sprayed onto the young victim as he fell next to the other man. The young woman screamed loudly and then the screaming stopped. She started to laugh.
The two warriors glanced at each other and then at the naked young woman. She threw her head back and laughed. She had ripped herself free. The bed posts snapped as she sprung to her feet. Her eyes turned yellow and she bared her fangs. She hissed and leapt onto the stunned warrior. Before his fellow soldier could produce a cross, she had ripped out his throat.
"VAMPIRE!" the young man called as he slammed his cross into the vampire's face.
The vampire screamed as the holy symbol burned into her flesh. She hissed and dove out the door. She was met by a wave of holy water. Five vials splashed onto her body. The holy liquid burned her flesh like tiny rivers of molten lava. She screamed louder as her flesh melted. She threw her head back in pain. The surviving warrior from the room opened his bottle of holy water and grabbed the vampire's hair. He poured the contents of the bottle down her throat and the vampire gagged. She shook several times before falling to her side. The holy water ate through her body like an acid. Seconds later, the vampire was gone.
"How many more can there be?" Lieutenant Wilde asked.
Another warrior tapped him on the shoulder and he pointed at the end of the hallway. A group of vampires, covered in blood, stumbled slowly down the hallway. Their eyes were yellow. Their fangs were bared. They headed directly towards the council warriors.
"I think that you have your answer."
* * *
Bruce Ismay dined in the À La Carte restaurant. He watched people come and go. The night was dark and the seas were still. He was waiting for word from his fellow council members. Lieutenant Wilde had headed into the depths of the ship and he had not reported in. Rumors began to circulate amongst the crew who were not members of the council. He saw Captain Smith approaching which allowed him to finally touch his food. Without news of his people, he did not have much of an appetite.
He stood as Captain Smith approached the table. "Good evening, Captain. Will you join me?" he asked.
The Captain removed his hat. "It will be my pleasure to dine with you, Mr. Ismay," the white-bearded man said as he sat.
Immediately, a waiter approached the table. "Can I get you anything, Captain?" he asked.
He glanced at Mr. Ismay's food. "I will have what he is having," the elder British captain said.
"Very well, sir," he said before departing.
"How is she running?" Ismay asked while the waiter was still within earshot.
"As well as expected with the crew that is aboard," Smith said softly. "Any news from Wilde?"
"None and that disturbs me. People are already starting to talk," Ismay whispered. "We cannot keep this ruse up much longer."
"Our warriors will handle it," Smith said.
"I wish that I could be so certain," Ismay said as he lifted his fork to his mouth.
The waiter returned and poured a glass of wine for both men. Captain Smith smiled. Ismay nodded his approval as he continued eating. As the waiter departed, Harold Bride, a Marconi employee from the wireless room, approached the table.
"Mr. Ismay, Captain Smith," he said as he acknowledged both men, "I hate to disturb you but we have received several telegrams which I need to bring to your attention."
He handed Ismay the first telegram which was a response to a telegram that he had sent to the Californian, another council ship in the area. He read:
ACKNOWLEDGED STOP IN ROUTE STOP CAN PROVIDE TWENTY STOP TWENTY THREE HUNDRED HOURS STOP
Ismay folded the message and placed it in his pocket. He took the second message from the messenger and read it quickly. He handed it to Captain Smith.
"What is this?" Captain Smith asked.
Ismay raised his voice as he removed the first note from his pocket. "JUST LIKE THIS ONE. AN ICEBERG WARNING. THIS SHIP IS UNSINKABLE. PAY IT NO MIND," he said as he dismissively waved his hand.
"Are you sure, sir?" Bride asked. He was surprised at the White Star Line chairman's boasting.
Ismay scoffed. He handed Mr. Bride a tip. "Of course, I am sure, good man. Now run along, but I require you to return at the top of the hour. I will have a response for the Californian. Please tell Mr. Phillips to expect a response. I say we fire up the remaining boilers and get to New York in record time. What do you say, Captain?"
"I couldn't agree more," Captain Smith said cheerfully.
"Very well, sir," Bride said before he departed.
Ismay watched him leave. He glanced around and he waited until they were again out of earshot. He had specifically requested a private table to discuss topics with the Captain. The waiter returned with Captain Smith's meal and he refilled their glasses. Ismay knew that they should have fifteen minutes of uninterrupted conversation unless a passenger decided to stop by and talk.
"Do you think that it is wise, Bruce, to fire up the boilers? Iceberg warnings are serious business," Captain Smith asked.
"Edward," Ismay whispered angrily, "Please don't treat me as a fool. I know that they are dangerous. However, we have a very real danger aboard this ship. If we do not power up to full speed, we might have a ship of the undead. We need the warriors aboard the Californian. Full speed is the only way that we are going to reach her in time."
"My apologies. How did you know that she would be in the area?" Smith whispered.
"It is I who should apologize. I am a little on edge. I ordered the Californian to follow us. She has been mirroring our voyage. I knew that the tome was going to be traveling with us. I wanted extra security in the area."
Captain Smith sipped his wine. He, like Ismay, continued to speak softly. "Bruce, I am still worried about the icebergs. The temperature is dropping rapidly and it is a moonless night."
"Edward, I understand your concerns, but I must have you order the ship to be brought to full speed ahead."
"I have to admit that your comment about reaching New York in record time does disturb me. I know how dearly you want to beat the Mauretania's record."
Ismay chuckled. "Yes, sticking it to Cunard would not break my heart and the company could always use the press, but that has nothing to do with it. If Wilde were to report in, then this conversation could be meaningless."
Lieutenant Murdoch, the Titanic's first officer, briskly approached the table. Ismay gave a short wave. Murdoch nodded.
"Murdoch," Ismay said.
"Gentlemen," Murdoch asked, the slight pant to his voice indicated that the man had been walking briskly or running, "Could I have a word with you?"
Captain Smith motioned to an empty chair at an adjacent table. "Please, sit and join us, Mr. Murdoc
h. The wine is lovely," he said matter-of-factly to deflect any wandering eyes.
"Captain, I must insist…"
"And I must insist that you sit and join us for a meal," Captain Smith whispered. "From the look in your eyes, it very well could be our last one."
Lieutenant Murdoch nodded. He grabbed a chair from the adjacent table and he sat. Captain Smith raised his hand and moments later their waiter approached.
"Lieutenant Murdoch has decided to grace us with his presence. Please be so kind as to bring him a meal and glass for some wine," Captain Smith requested politely.
"Of course, sir. What would you like this evening?" the waiter asked Lieutenant Murdoch.
"What they are having looks appetizing," he said honestly.
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