Children of Dionysus (Always Dark Angel Book 1)

by JN Moon

  “He's a violent abuser to others. He's of no concern to anyone. We did society a favour,” Tom snapped sharply.

  “And yet.” He paused for effect, and then slowly drawing out each word continued, “It is forbidden, Tom. Why didn't you just weaken him and distort his mind, as you usually do, to stop him hurting others? It really is stupid to kill your dinner. You, of all people, know the penalty, I think?”

  “How do you know what I usually do, and who the fuck are you anyhow?” Tom lashed out. Tom’s mouth had tightened and his eyes looked hard into this creature of power. But the soldier was completely unfazed.

  “Ah, Tom. I know all about you,” this golden-haired vampire said, striding towards him. There was no hatred in his eyes, just curiosity.

  “Who... are... you, what do you want with... us?” I stammered, though, in truth, I had an idea what he was, I was scared to find out.

  “Anthony,” he said and looked right into my soul. “Yes, Anthony. You have quite a reputation for one so young. You are screwed, my friend. You see, Alexander is an Elite vampire with the most powerful father. I am sorry to have to say it, but I do not like the thought of your fate. Shame, for one so young. Still...”

  “Alexander's a psycho!” I yelled. “The freak chained us up, abused us, tortured us!”

  “And you did what to the mortals, Anthony?” he said firmly. “I don't know what else to say. You may be allowed to live.” Here he laughed a little. “If they think you have potential, but I wouldn't count on it. Alexander's father is pretty pissed at you,” he smirked.

  To this, the golden one laughed again. “All of you get some clothes on. You are to come with us. If you resist, you'll be killed right now. Your choice.”

  He turned and strode out with complete indifference as to our choice. We dressed under the gaze of the armed soldiers. My heart fell to the bottom of my body, it was hard to swallow. Holy fuck...and as if it couldn’t get worse, they handcuffed us. Then they escorted us to a blacked-out SUV.

  Infernum

  Anthony

  We arrived at a large Victorian asylum and escorted down into cellars. We were told nothing more, separated and locked in cells.

  My despondency grew and I lay there not caring whether I lived or died, growing weaker and weaker. Minutes turned to hours. Hours turned to days and then I lost count. My head was dizzy and my body craved blood. My hunger was so intense that I drank from my own wrist. My once acute vision became blurry and the screams from the adjoining cells pounded into my brain, driving me crazy.

  Fear seeped its way into me, overriding my despondent state. I drifted in and out of consciousness, found myself shaking with hunger, and terror more intense than I could hold as a human. My mind was cracking up and I tried desperately to gain a glimpse out of the tiny window high up on the wall. It was barred and there was no glass. We are strong to be sure, but not strong enough to break iron bars, especially in a weakened state.

  In my cell, there was a metal bed, a metal sink, a toilet, and that was all. No one came. No guards, no staff, just total isolation. The quarantine was so hard to bear. Nothingness. Aloneness. My mind started to play tricks on me and I imagined Rachel there, with her warm smile and her arms open, ready to love me. Love. How I missed my beloved. I had lived and died an age since the time I dreamt or imagined—I don't know which—that Nathaniel was there sitting in my cell, so casually chatting to me. I knew I needed to do something to stop the insanity. But the screams, the cries were horrifying, agonising. Shapes in the moonlight of the cell came alive like shadowy nightmares threatening me, sending me shivering, cowering in fear. A dark ominous presence surrounded me there that chilled me to the bone. Something ancient, malevolent, and cold drawing nearer. I was losing myself, losing my mind.

  I tried to cling to that feeling of love I had lost. Of Rachel. I had had a glimmer of that with Sigurd, but I had been so absorbed in my own wonder, own desires that I had forgotten love. My baser instincts had driven me to this state. This empty state.

  I stood my bed upright against the cell wall and could just peer through the window. Elation filled me just to feel that cool breeze sweep over me and the sweet-smelling air. I just need this, I just need this.

  Finally, I heard the rattle of keys and Alexander entered. His face was like the mask of death and he looked so calm that my gut wrenched inside. I fell down from my window view and hunched between the bed and the wall. His strength was ten times mine, old blood. Fear rushed through me like a hurricane and I cowered beside my upturned bed. I thought I had left him for dead. Faster and faster my heart sped up and I found myself shaking, almost convulsing, gasping for air.

  Where's Nathaniel? I thought frantically in my petrified mind. Yet, after some seconds an unnerving calm washed over me. It was almost like being under a hypnotic spell and though fear seeped through every pore of my body, I felt oddly calm. I knew I would die now. I think I had resigned myself to it.

  He stood there staring at me, holding my gaze with his dead eyes not moving, not breathing.

  At length, I had to ask him the question, the question that had burned inside me for so long... “Why did your blood make me sick?”

  His contempt cut through me and he said, “Why the fuck should I tell you?” he shouted, his face crumpled up in anger. Grabbing me roughly and putting my wrists in chains, he dragged me out of the cell along the dark corridor. As he hauled me, I saw what lay in the other cells, and I wish that I hadn't. Pulling me by my chained wrists, dragging along the floor, up steps where I bounded and broke against the cold stone along to a large surgical-looking room where he threw me down and left me.

  Looking around, I tried to see a way out. If I could just start a fire, but with what? My hands were cuffed. And now the dread and darkness deepened. Death didn't scare me. But what preceded it did.

  Alexander returned with a malevolent grin on his face, accompanied by vampires in white coats. Stern expressions, small black eyes and pierced lips gave the illusion of clones. Their close-cropped hair, an air of obedience. Empathy and individuality was lost on them and to look at them was to see total submission to their superior.

  I was grabbed and led to a table. He strapped down my legs, unchained my wrists then strapped down my arms.

  I didn't bother to speak, I knew it was pointless. No, not because it was pointless. Because I was terrified. As a human, I had known pain, ironically now immortal and again in a situation where my immortality was to be used against me to inflict a lifetime of suffering.

  I knew I was powerless to do anything about my predicament, so meekly I just went along with it. I closed my eyes and the bloody tears on my face betrayed me. My death would be drawn out. After that, oh sweet release from this Hell I was living.

  Alexander seemed annoyed at my lack of fighting, but continued in anger, his temper taken out on his obedient staff. They all worked without talking, just gazes and nods to one another. One of them, a large man, but not a vampire, came over with a needle and plunged it into my arm.

  I screamed. Whatever it was burned through my blood stream like a wildfire.

  Alexander bent over my face and whispered, “You want my blood, underdog? You think you are capable of taking blood so pure, so powerful?” He moved away and spoke loudly to the others, “Hmm, what first? I had thought organ donation, but that involves killing him and I want him alive. I want him alive for a long, long time.”

  “We could remove the lesser organs, then bury him alive?” one of them suggested.

  “Excellent,” he retorted sharply, his voice almost shrill. He was excited by this. He spoke directly then to me, “I've never done surgery before, Anthony, you're my first. I'm very thrilled.” Alexander sounded demented, frenzied. The staff looked anxious, unsure, scared.

  “Let us take a kidney I think.”

  I struggled. I couldn't believe it. I started to scream so they stuffed some bandage in my mouth whilst Alexander removed my clothes to get at my torso.

  He
traced his scalpel along my stomach and quietly whispered, “Remember that night in the cellar, Anthony? You were quite good. I wanted to cut you then. I wanted to bask in your blood, did you know that? Your skin is so soft.” He ran his hand over my chest. I tried to stay strong, not to shudder, because I knew that would thrill him more. “I would have let you live. Can you believe that?” he asked alarmingly.

  One of his people offered him a surgical swab for the procedure. “No, I don't think we need to worry about that, do you, Anthony? After all, we haven't even sedated him.”

  I was struggling on the table and he peered over at me grinning. “Yes, keep struggling, Anthony, it will make it more fun when I cut you open.” He stepped back and started laughing hysterically.

  After a few minutes, he contained himself and before I knew it he had cut my skin deeply with the scalpel. It was so fast, so sharp, it took my breath away and I gulped for air. Sweat poured off my skin, my heart pounding fast, and I struggled to yell through the cloth they had shoved in my mouth. “You demented bastard!” was all I could strain to say.

  “Don't worry, Anthony, you have two kidneys, right? And let's face it, you really don't need them now, do you? Not now you are a vampire, yes? Well, actually God only knows, but we'll find out anyhow.” He laughed hysterically.

  “Alexander, what the hell are you doing?” Nathaniel boomed and strode across the room so fast, knocking Alexander across to the other side of it. “What the hell is this? I told your father he's not to be killed!”

  “By whose orders?” Alexander screamed, standing up, trying to maintain some grace, some dignity.

  “By my orders, you stupid grunt.” Nathaniel hit him across the room again, this time harder. “Do I have to call the guards?”

  “My father will hear of this, freak,” Alexander yelled.

  “That's right, boy, run along, run to daddy.”

  I was in a panic as blood literally gushed out of me.

  “Stop his bleeding, fools!” Nathaniel screamed at the staff who then busied themselves around me. “You!” Nathaniel bellowed at one of the surgical staff, “give him a sedative now!”

  As the nurse sank the needle into my arm and with more care, I may add, Nathaniel bent over me, his face close to mine. “Well, I think we can consider your punishment completed. You'll be safe now, hang in there.” He turned around to the other staff and commanded, “Well, someone clean that and stitch him closed.”

  Then I felt the sedative course through my veins and I felt drowsy, very drowsy.

  “Alexander injected his blood into him, didn’t he?” Nathaniel asked the submissive staff. A nod. “Prepare him for gene therapy. I am to be the donor.”

  Redeemed

  Anthony

  Soft sheets and warm bedding caressed my skin, and slowly opening my eyes I noticed vitality and strength oozed through my body and a serene state encompassed my mind. Stretching lazily, I looked about me, a room lushly furnished and a sweet-smelling breeze from an open window. I could sense him before I saw him, and I knew that he knew I could sense him. I could hear his heart pumping, I could feel it. It was almost as if I was part of him. Both distorting and comforting at the same time.

  He sat there watching me, as still as stone and there were no words needed. I knew what he knew; I sensed what he sensed, even though at first, I did not know this to be true, I felt it in my gut. In my heart and in my soul.

  I could see what has always been there, but which my eyes had not seen before.

  Energy flashing around, faint wisps of mists. Ultraviolet light speckled in the dust of the room caught on the fading rays of sunlight, skipped around like dancers on a stage. Different wavelengths, though I didn't know what they were. I could hear the breathing of humans far away, of hearts beating, blood pumping. I swayed on the bed a little, all the senses overwhelming and Nathaniel leapt up quietly and caught me.

  I stared silently at him in the wonder of my new sensations. So, this was how it felt with the blood of an older vampire, as you matured you became stronger. I felt safe though now. Safe and comfortable.

  We sat in silence for a time. I didn't want that peace to end. I didn't want any answers. No future and no past. I just wanted this moment.

  At last, I was compelled to ask him, and as I did so, my heart raced... “So, do I have your genes inside me, is that what's happened?”

  Nathaniel remained inhumanly still before relaxing and sitting back. He smiled warmly, “No, not even we are that advanced, yet.” Then he sat back on the bed pulling his legs up, “Do you know what it is to be a vampire, Anthony? Do you know how you are a vampire?”

  He knew my answer to that so I just grinned at him. He continued,

  “It is said that the first vampire was infected many thousands of years ago by an evil spirit. It is written in the most ancient of texts written by man, the Vedas of India, the ancient Sanskrit’s.”

  I stared at him in disbelief. I had heard of the Vedas, I knew the stories. I knew vampires predate the modern myth and, in fact, are recorded in man's most ancient writings thousands of years old. I knew of what he spoke. And I knew the stories were disturbing. But Nathaniel had a sense of irony, even in this hour.

  “But that is not wholly correct,” he continued, smiling, “We know it began in ancient times, but it wasn't a spirit. We learned of this fairly recently. An ancient bacterium in the East tipped mountains was discovered. It had lain dormant probably for thousands of years under the ice. Until she found it. She uncovered it and was immediately infected. A new species emerged; whilst the bacteria merged and mutated, her DNA had no immunity, as it had never been encountered before.

  “The bacteria were infectious and caused a mutation to her physiology. Unable to take food or water, she found herself hungry for one thing only, and that thing you already know. This was the start of the purebloods, the first.”

  He continued, “Over time, like any bacteria, it, too, mutated and some built up an immunity, which evidently would save them. For others, their physiology would not adapt. Think of it like those who have severe allergies to food, and if infected through blood, they die. You couldn't take Alexander's blood, your body rejected it, fought it. Even though you, too, are infected, but you have a different strain of the infection, of the bacterium. Now, however, you have the same strain of bacterium as me, in your blood. I am from a purer source than Tyrell, but I have mixed my blood with others, and ironically, have a stronger resistance. And I've passed this onto you.” Clasping his hands together, he smirked, “You look a little lost. The bacterium itself alters our genomes. Over time, it has...changed, mutated. It is that which alters our physiology, just as some bacterium can cause disease in humans. You weren’t compatible with Alexander’s blood. You are with mine; you had drunk my blood before. It makes you think, doesn’t it?” Shuffling off the bed he continued, “We can’t always tolerate the blood of other vampires, and in these times, it has even been known that some vampires have gotten sick drinking blood from humans. If the human is on medication, say... We may be stronger, purer but maybe also more primitive and not accustomed with pharmacology.”

  He sat back down and let me digest this information. I stood slowly and walked to the window. Energy pumped through me in waves, my muscles stronger, my senses intensified.

  I looked at my hands, my arms. Everything felt sturdier, keener. “So, what now?” I asked quietly.

  “Well, first, dinner! Then let’s have some fun. You'll be hungry. Here,” he offered me his wrist, not moving from his seat.

  I took his graceful wrist to my mouth. It occurred to me then that I hadn't even realised I was hungry. I bit and slowly drank. I felt heady but not in an urgent way, but in a languid sensuous way. I was beginning to see the world, to feel the world through Nathaniel's eyes and senses.

  “Next,” he said softly, “Next we are going to go out.”

  After I showered and dressed, Nathaniel having brought me some clothes, we walked outside, and for me every s
tep, my foot touching the ground, a thrum of energy ran through my feet as if the ground was surging power into me.

  I smiled with that feeling, it was tingly but my smile increased when I saw Nathaniel’s car. I hadn’t even known he could drive. A blacked-out Lotus, a practical but showy car- it matched him perfectly. He grinned at me as he saw my response. I was so aware of all the smells, the sensations. The air seemed to breathe around me and the wind was a part of me, part of my soul. I trembled as I felt a deep connection as if I were some ancient creature having been awakened after a long, long sleep now connecting with all things. I was so overcome that I had to just stand there, taking it all in.

  I turned and got slowly in the car still spellbound by nature, by the new world, which now surrounded me.

  As he drove across the dark Mendip hills that night, I gazed in wonder out of the window, too awestruck to speak. The vastness of the rolling blackness, the fields, their ancient presence. He put some music on softly.

  It was truly beautiful. I had to keep reminding myself that I didn't need to speak to him because he sensed my thoughts and he knew my emotions. I picked up on his elation, excitement, and serenity. The peace that was something I hadn't truly felt since I had stayed with Sigurd. It seemed to me that my life was either rushing into chaos or running away from it. I had found no balance since that fated night, which seemed so long ago now.

  As he drove, I absorbed it all. There was no moon to speak of, but I could make out more shapes across the vast open flat countryside as his car sped and weaved through the country roads like a Spitfire. I could see cows and sheep in the pitch-black distance and was aware of the smaller animals in the spaces. My senses picking up foxes, owls, rabbits. Although I had experienced this before, this time the signs of life I was aware of were not in close proximity to me, they were a vast distance away. I saw them in my mind's eye when they moved. I had a sense of them. As individuals, it was spellbinding. I flicked the switch to roll the window down and allowed that sweet clean air to fill my body. I felt like a kid, looking in wonder at a new world.