by Brian Carmen
The air seemed to grow a little more intense. For some reason however Claire’s demeanor helped with the odd feeling. Nia could feel that she was not trying to be deceptive. She really did trust that none of them would hurt her.
“I have two masters in Sociology and Psychology. I also have three Bachelors in Hematology, Philosophy, and Child Development. When I was fifteen, I volunteered to allow my blood to be drained. At twenty-one I was given a chance to be turned. At twenty-six; I took the job here as a director for the wellbeing and study of Sanguines and Volstir Blood relations.
“I give the tour because I want to help new born Volstirs have a better understanding of what it’s like for humans. I want you to understand those who were not born on the outside or have given themselves to servicing Volstirs. Contrary to what some believe; I am not a slave, and I am certainly not cattle bred for only one purpose.
“History shows that the Sanguines have been a major part of Volstir society since the first family of Sabriel. We work together to create a harmonious relationship between our two species. Sanguine have even helped create some of the laws that we all follow” Claire continued as the young Latina raised her hand and asked a question.
“What about the kids, they can’t be safe all the time can they?” she asked as Nia noticed a surge of longing swell inside of her. She had obviously smelled the blood of children and knew the lust of wanting to drain them of their blood. Nia noticed the Latina’s maker place his hand on her leg. He seemed very in tune with what she was feeling.
Claire chuckled as she looked at the young Volstir. “Adult Sanguines are free to roam around the city like any Volstir. The children however are kept separate and guarded for their own protection. You may have already seen some while walking around the city and noticed that they are carefully watched by both Sanguine and Volstir. Both set of security are heavily screened to ensure nothing goes wrong.
“They also carry small bombs that monitor certain blood levels. if any Volstir guard even drinks a drop of child blood they will be killed on the spot” Claire answered as she quickly added that Loc Moines has never had a child Sanguine killed by a Volstir in it’s entire history.
She pulled out a few diagrams from the side of her chair that showed the children Sanguine’s education results. They were also able to see their overall health charts. Both showed that in contrast to the children born and raised on the surface; the Sanguine children were better in all categories.
“The children you see are born and raised inside the city. They are given as much outside influences as possible to allow for normalcy. Should they choose to leave when they are adults they are able to adjust in the human world. Most however decide to stay because they see Loc Moines as their home.” Claire explained calmly.
Nia had always known that the children raised in the lost cities were either brought when they were first born or otherwise born in the city. Victor was raised by Nia and would never have been chosen as a Sanguine. He would have been too old when his biological parents died. They all listened as Claire assured them that the children’s best interests and happiness were always a top priority.
Both the council and the Sanguine board of directors had always made that a priority. Claire then began to explain that at the age of fifteen an outsider may be brought in under contract to be drained. This same option is given to all Sanguines and everyone is given a monthly payment of thirty Dents or three thousand U.S. dollars.
Within five years and with good behavior anyone under contract is given an option to be turned into Volstir. It is an option that is completely governed by free will. Claire even asked if they had all been willing when given the choice to be turned. Victor and the other newborns nodded in response.
Those that choose to be turned are heavily monitored for two years. They are given special treatment so that they almost always turn successfully. If they choose not to be turned they may request a different assignment. They could also request a right of abjection which will allow them to leave with their memories erased. An appropriate alibi is given to explain their money such as a death of a relative or winning a lottery.
They are given proper papers and a new history. They are also monitored to ensure they have blended in with the human world. “Any other questions before I continue?” Claire asked as everyone looked around though nobody said anything.
“You’ve learned a bit about my side however now you get to learn about what I really do for you” she explained with a smile as she began leading them to another room.
Nia could sense that Victor was slightly relieved though she could still feel a tense emotion swirling within. It was not only him that had it as she noticed the other newborns seemed to have the same tense emotion. She wondered if it had to do with the children that were currently inside the building. The other makers seemed to be keeping a close eye on their progenies. It seemed like none of them wanted to look bad in front Claire.
They were all taken to another room that was empty except for a glass window. It allowed them to look into an adjoining room without being seen. Laying in beds lined up in neat rows were humans. They were having their blood drained while being closely monitored.
“Including the children; there are over six hundred Sanguines. Those over the age of fifteen allow themselves to be drained once a week. They are all monitored by a professional medical team” Claire explained as they all watched ten doctors check up on different patients.
Claire then began to explain that the blood is modified so that it could last longer. It was also mixed so that less blood would be needed to sustain the average Volstir. She also showed them a diagram for those who choose to become Volstir. They are given special pills that can help shift their potential abilities into a more specific one.
“This does not always work however the numbers show that there is a great amount of success” Claire said as she showed them a chart that listed certain abilities. Two of the more popular ones were Gabriel’s and Ebony’s ability.
“It took over three hundred years to come up with this method. It allows us to create more Volstir with the abilities that can greatly improve the lives of everyone. We have studied the blood of both Volstir and Sanguine. We’ve come very close to determining the factors that are needed in order to have a perfect turn.
“The blood also tells us about the different abilities that Volstir have. Along with which of the five chromosomes are used in determining the ability. It‘s all quite exciting and the Sanguine are just as pleased with the results as the Volstir. We live together and so what is best for one species will naturally help the others”
Throughout the next two hours Claire took them too many different rooms. She explained to them the three classes that every Volstir fell under. Nia knew that she was an internal Volstir like Olivia, Ebony, and Venus. She also knew that Victor was classified as an external. Claire admitted that the augment Volstirs were still a mystery but that it was one they planned on solving.
When the tour was finally finished Nia went outside while Victor went to use the restroom. He returned a few minutes later with a big smile on his face. Nia didn’t like the look and was a bit annoyed when Victor mentioned that he’d ran into Claire. She’d apparently enjoyed having him for the tour and had given him her number.
Nia couldn’t help but feel that it was a bad idea for Victor to meet up with her. Instead she tried suggesting that he forget about Claire. Victor started looking at Nia as though she were crazy. He tried to remind her about how intelligent and sexy Claire looked. Nia thought about Venus as they both walked back to the shop.
They arrived at E.V. where they found Ebony and Venus accompanied by two pale blond haired, blue eyed people. Nia instantly recognized that it was her sister Lauren and her potential Edvin. Nia never knew what made Olivia want to turn Lauren however she had better sense than to ask. Both were incredibly thin with faces that made them look extremely snobby. If Nia hadn’t known better than she would have thought they were br
other and sister.
Lauren wore a very short yellow miniskirt along with a white short sleeved shirt that showed a lot of cleavage. Edvin wore a pair of khaki pants and a blue collared shirt. Both Ebony and Venus seemed a bit disgruntled that the pair had arrived a day early. Lauren however acted as though she could do whatever she liked. When they had entered the room, she was in the process of ordering Ebony to bring her lunch.
“Helaina, it’s so good to see you again” Lauren said loudly in her high pitched voice. She now had an accent that sounded German however Nia wasn’t quite sure.
Lauren didn’t wait for a response as she walked over and began examining Victor closely. “He’s not bad I suppose. Where have you two been anyways?” Lauren asked as Nia explained the registration and the Sanguine tour.
“Honestly; I don’t know why they bother to give those tours. If a Volstir feels guilty for doing what it takes to stay alive then they should just commit suicide. It would spare the rest of us from having to endure their whiny attitude” Lauren said in a stuck up manner that made everyone else want to slap her.
Victor opened his mouth but closed it when he saw the look on Nia face. Lauren was around one hundred twenty; she was the progeny Olivia made after Nia. Together they watched when Olivia had turned Ebony and later Venus. Lauren was not someone you could argue with. It would only become a big mess that was better to avoid. She was glad that Victor seemed to have understood her point.
“So what brings you two to Loc Moines anyways?” Nia asked as she hoped that the subject would be changed.
Lauren immediately began discussing the Arena Fights and how a few of her friends were going to be competing in the Execution Royal. Nia didn’t understand what she was talking about until she pulled out a flier from her small purse. In one week four criminals sentenced to death were going to be fighting each other and five other Volstirs in a battle royal. It was being advertised as an Execution Royal that had been planned months in advance.
If a criminal is able to kill all the others than they would be granted an official pardon. Her friends were a couple of Volstirs named Melbourne and Cedric; both were over two hundred. Nia had never met the two however if they knew Lauren than she wasn‘t sure that ever would want to.
Nia continued reading and noticed that the third non-criminal combatant was a man named Marcus Solbid. She remembered hearing that he was one of the progeny’s of Thereon and figured that he was probably over three hundred. Marcus was an external and rumored to be quite strong.
“Who are the criminal’s to be executed?” Nia asked as Lauren shrugged in response. “dunno, but you know they’ll tell us all about it” Lauren said simply as she and Edvin decided to ‘rest’ after their long trip.
Noises could be heard coming from the bedroom that Venus had spent a long time setting up for them. The four Volstirs and En decided that they didn’t want to sit around as they left to get away from the two. They started walking around and looking at the other shops. They saw a pair of red designer shoes and a matching jacket that looked interesting however none of them bought it.
“So how was the tour?” Ebony asked as she focused her attention on Victor.
Nia could see that he was relieved to know more about the Sanguine. Victor seemed alright with not knowing everything about the Sanguine. He pulled out Claire’s phone number and began to show it to Ebony. He smiled while explaining to Ebony that someone wanted to give him some private lessons.
“The woman in charge gave me her number. She wants me to call her tonight” Victor said slyly as Venus’ eyes widened for a brief moment.
Ebony looked at Venus before deciding that they should go to one of her favorite places. Both Venus and Nia agreed since there seemed to be another thing to try and forget. The small group walk down one of the small alleyways towards a pub called the ‘The Broken Neck’.
The pub had old yellow paint that was chipped in several places. Old posters were attached to the wall. All of them were aged like the wall, the men were all boxers. Every one of them had participated in matches inside the pub. Several of the windows were broken and the ones that weren’t had cracks on them.
They walked inside and took a seat. The pub was cleaner than how someone might have expected it to be. The pub was dark except for a large spot light that showed down from above; underneath was a large ring that had two males boxing. The tables were all around the ring however most were wobbly. The drinks that were being served were absent of blood and were simply beer.
What surprised Victor and Nia the most was that the two guys boxing were both human. A vast majority of the people watching the match were also human. The Broken Neck was obviously one of the pubs made for the Sanguine. The pub’s owner was a man named Camden. He greeted Ebony and Venus like old friends as he took their orders.
Camden was past middle age. He was tall, and bald however his a red beard and mustache had a bit of grey that made him appear more distinguished. His nose had obviously been broken more than once and a few of his teeth were missing. Despite his age, he seemed quite popular as a couple good looking women sat at the bar waiting for him.
Camden was nice as he chatted with Ebony about one of the fighters. Victor’s attention was turned towards the ring as well until his food arrived. Nia couldn’t help but laugh when she saw how happy Victor was at being able to see a cheeseburger. The woman at the bar seemed a bit annoyed that Camden was no longer paying attention to them.
The men in the ring were both muscular and in their mid-twenties. Nia doubted that Victor was able to see the scar tissue that was located on their arms and thighs. She figured they were both Sanguine that were contracted to have their blood drained. She also guessed that they had been in sexual relationships with a few Volstirs in the past.
One had long brown hair and the other had short black hair. Both had long beards and were shirtless as they moved around the ring. Nia watched the sweat on their muscles as they grunted with each blow. They were both quite attractive and seemed to radiate masculinity.
Nia later found out that their names were Lenard and Garret. They both lived in the pub with Camden. He had also enjoyed boxing when he wasn’t taking care of the customers. It was interesting that Camden had held a few boxing titles in Loc Moines.
Ebony was apparently good friends with many of the Sanguine in the pub. She enjoyed coming to this pub almost every night. Venus didn’t enjoy the boxing as much but did have a few admirers from several of the guys. She seemed to enjoy the attention especially once she found out that Victor had noticed how popular she was.
Victor stayed in control of himself even when several punches resulted in blood being splashed over the ring. Nia figured that he was drinking enough blood to keep his thirst down. It was good since he didn’t need as much compared to the rest of them. She was happy to see him enjoy himself inside the Volstir city.
They all decided that despite having to deal with Lauren that they would see the Execution Royal. It was rare for the Coliseum to hold fights involving older Volstir. Nia couldn’t believe the good luck they had. It would be great for Victor to see experienced Volstirs fight. It would also give Nia a chance to investigate who was responsible for Utaru.
After about four rounds the match was over with Garret claiming the win. Throughout the match Ebony and Victor joined the crowd in calling out to the boxers. When Lenard lost Ebony swore loudly as she handed Victor a couple Dents. Lenard normally won the matches and it was quite an upset for him to lose. The match had been close despite Lenard‘s loss. Thirty minutes past as two more fighters entered the ring. Victor however had his attention drawn towards the door. Nia turned to look and noticed that Claire seemed to be waiting for him. He looked at Nia as she felt the lust begin to rise in her again. It had been a while since Nia had felt turned on.
Nia realized that she only had two options at the moment. She decided on the more convenient of the two. Nia asked him to be careful before looking back at the two boxers. She was able to
notice how attractive Garret was as he flirted with one of the girl’s at the bar. A brief image passed through her mind as she imagined feeding from Garret’s thigh.
Before leaving, Victor thanked her for not cock blocking him. He quickly got up and left the pub with Claire. Ebony and Venus had seen what happened with frowns. Both seemed a bit displeased that Victor was leaving but neither said a word.
Victor might belong with Venus but they all understood that he was still a man. He was also much younger than they were. They couldn’t be mad that he would want to have some fun. The time would come when the two of them would be happy together. It also seemed that Venus had gotten a few ideas from looking at Claire.
Venus might not enjoy watching her true love run off with another woman however she had enough sense than to chase after them. Even if Venus had a strong urge to rip Claire’s head off. Nia frowned slightly as she felt the urge swell in Venus for a moment. Venus gave her admirers the cold shoulder as she sat down with Nia to watch the fight.
Nia however closed her eyes and focused on En. She could through En’s eyes, who was following Victor and Claire. He seemed to be much more careful about following Victor now that he was a Volstir. En was sure to stay a bit further back than normal.
Nia opened her eyes and jumped slightly as she saw both Ebony and Venus giving her a knowing look. “What the look for? I trust Victor but I’m still his maker and have to look after him” Nia said to the both of them. Ebony rolled her eyes while Venus asked about what they were doing.
Chapter Twelve: Saint Sabriel the First
Victor and Claire were simply walking as they talked about Claire’s job. She seemed a bit more interested in what had made Victor decide to be turned. They didn’t see the brown and white cat following them from a short distance. They were completely focused on each other. The light from the top of Loc Moines reflected brilliantly off the yellow sun dress Claire was wearing.