Memorias de vampiro libro V

 

Sin Harvester Angel

 

Follow her until her thirst is sated

An immortal lie, heart blood

Can't help yourself, she's got you paralyzed

So would you kiss the sun goodbye?

And give your life to never die?

(Xandria, Vampire)

 

France, 1690

 

I knew I shouldn’t returned to Europe after the Anarchist revolt that gave birth to the vampire sect known as the Sabbat, and I also knew it was dangerous to come back because of the remnants of the Inquisition. You think the Inquisition only prosecuted heretics? No, they also hunted witches, werewolves and, of course, vampires. The great majority of the time they caught poor innocent people who knew nothing about the World of Darkness, as we called it, but every now and then, they caught the real thing, and always was a nasty business.

 

It was in those turbulent nights, that the Vampire Hunters known as the Society of Leopold were born, a secret branch of the Inquisition. And no, they don’t have superpowers like Buffy or Blade, or are as crafty as Van Helsing; but trust me; they can truly be a nuisance. Why am I talking about them in present? Well, because they still exist. Yes, don’t look at me like that, maybe you have saw them on the streets but you didn’t knew who they really are…

 

In the XVII Century, in the France of King Louis XIV, people didn’t believe in witches, werewolves and vampires as they used to do it in the Dark Ages. When Charlemagne was the King of the Franks, people not only believe in the supernatural they lived it; many vampires lived, literarily, as Kings ruling over vast territories and over hundreds of terrified human souls.

 

My clan, the Tzimisce, had a very good no-life during the Dark Ages. But, those shameless displays of power gave as a consequence the Inquisition. It wasn’t safe anymore to tell the world that we were immortal beings who feed upon the blood of men. It was then, when the vampire sect known as the Camarilla, created the sacred rule of the Masquerade: “Never reveal your true nature to those who are not from the Blood, because in doing so, you will renounce to your own rights over the Sacred Blood of Kaine”(1) In others words, you will die the true death as a punishment.  

 

I couldn’t care less about the Masquerade, but…since my 3 best friends are Ventrue, the central clan of the Camarilla, I learned to follow that rule…

 

But where was I?…Oh yes, France. Well, we arrived at Paris after going to Illyria to check upon Alexander, he was fine, as I already told you, but, something strange was happening…I couldn’t find Alexander’s soul. A few times I was able to contact him, then I was sure something was holding him at the Dark Umbra, the place were the souls rest, in the Empire of Stygia or Realm of the Wraiths. But now, I had no idea of what was happening.    

 

That night, I came back from a royal banquet in Versailles; the French King had moved the court there since 1682, and I had been living in Paris for almost 70 years by the time this story begins. Azrael, my Child, had been with me for almost 50 years, and then, she departed to Africa. To do what? I have no idea. But, as I was saying, I was alone in my carriage. Eric had stayed in Versailles; Lucius didn’t wanted to come in the first place, he hates this kind of social events, and Anaxagoras…well, we had no idea of where he was, but he appeared again a couple of nights latter.

 

The gentle sway of the carriage and the sound of wheels on the paved road seemed a bit far for him. For some time now, his mind wasn’t there; since he left the banquet he had been lost in deep thought, ignoring the world around him. It was always the same; whenever he went to the court of some King or powerful General, he always came back depressed. So, why did he continued doing it? Maybe he should adopt Lucius’ philosophy and stayed away from the frivolities of mortals, few vampires as old as he continued to have that much contact with society, but he had his reasons.

 

He missed Alexander; and this, was his own way of staying close to him, after all, when he was alive, he was invited to many banquets and had been at the court of the Great King himself…maybe that was why he always followed great generals, why he had stayed at Rome for so many years until her downfall.

 

Hephaistion leaned his head against the carriage’s window and closed his eyes. He was tired, he had lived for 2046 years…far too long, empires had lasted less than that…and nobody should live that long…

 

If only Alex were with me –he thought, feeling a thick blood tear sliding through his cheek.

 

The horses of the carriage reared, snorting up scared, and to him floated the angry voice of his driver, cursing and shouting insults against a man. Hephaistion poked his beautiful head out the window to see what happened and the cold wind gave him the welcome.

 

- What’s going on? –asked the Macedonian.

 

- It’s a man, monsieur –answered the driver—He is blocking the road with a wagon.

 

Hephaistion frowned; he didn’t like this.

 

- Come out, demon! –shouted the mysterious man blocking the road—I know what you are, and that you are here, so come out and face me!

 

How interesting –thought the Macedonian, amused.

 

Hephaistion took off his heavy fur cloak and looked for his 2 katanas from under the seat.

 

What? Do you really think that I spend almost one hundred years in Japan and didn’t bring back a souvenir? I’m not a fool, I haven’t seen in my no-life better swords than these. 

 

The Macedonian fasten his swords in his belt, and came out of the carriage, calmly, with feline grace, his movements slow and calculated that made him appeared be merged with the darkness around him. He wasn’t worry, after all what could worry a vampire of more than 2 millennia of no-life? It was a moonlit night, and the dim light illuminated perfectly a young man standing in front of the wagon. The stranger was covered with a black leather coat; a hood hid his face. He had a sword in his right hand and a dagger and a wooden stake hanging from his belt. A silver crest on his right shoulder told Hephaistion everything he needed to know. This man was a Vampire Hunter.

 

Even more amusing.

 

- Driver –said the Macedonian, his gorgeous dark gray eyes on the stranger in front of him—Go back to Versailles.

 

And the man didn’t need to be told twice. He turned the carriage and left these 2 strange characters alone, in that solitary road that connected Versailles with Paris. It was a cold night, not that Hephaistion care, but it was also very lonely, he couldn’t hear the slightest sound around them, why? He needed to be alert.

 

- So, you are a Vampire Hunter…the Society of Leopold I presumed –said Hephaistion in a casual tone, accommodating his gloves.  

 

The man pointed at him with his sword, the blade reflecting the pale light of the moon.

 

- I came here to end with your existence, demon –he said with passion in his voice.

 

How cute. If he had remembered how to breathe, Hephaistion would have sighed.

 

- How old are you? –that question took the Vampire Hunter by surprise—Judging by your voice you are not too old.

 

- That is none of your business!

 

- 24 or 25 years old, I think –that left the stranger speechless, and the Macedonian smiled. Oh! He had guessed right—You know, lad, I can hear your heart beating like the one of a bunny who is just about to be slaughter…you are scared.

 

- I’m not! –the forced in his voice could have fooled someone else, but not him.

 

- I can smell your fear –Hephaistion said in a silky voice, almost like a caress—It runs with force through your veins. 

 

- Shut up! –that commanding voice threw the Macedonian out of balance, he had only once heard someone with that kind of fire in him.

 

- You are too young to be hunting vampires, why are you here? –now Hephaistion was intrigued—Do you know who am I?

 

- Yes, I heard them talking about a very ancient vampire who prey on the streets of Paris –explained the stranger.

 

- This is the first time you hunt, isn’t not? Why did you choose me for your first time? I’m sure there were easier targets –the Macedonian cocked his head. Who was this young man?

 

There is something strange about him, but what is it? He makes me feel nervous, but he is only a boy –thought the vampire. 

 

- I chose you because they say its impossible to hunt you –that answered made him slightly open his eyes.

 

- What’s your name?

 

- Sasha.

 

- You aren’t French –observed Hephaistion, that accent wasn’t from around there.

 

- No, I’m Rusian…—he drew the sword and took his attack position.

 

Hephaistion almost laughed, his arms crossed over his chest.

 

- They didn’t teach you never to face a vampire in a one-on-one combat? You can’t beat me, not now, not even when I was mortal –answered Hephaistion—Go home, kid and I won’t kill you. 

 

- I will not know if I can defeat you, until I try –said the Vampire Hunter determine...or stubborn. 

 

Sasha just stayed there, watching the Macedonian with attention, feeling his cold sweat on his forehead, and waiting for him to attack first. His great plan was to lure Hephaistion into attacking him, because he had cast a spell behind him, hiding the symbol under the wagon, but he didn’t knew that the Macedonian was a kondul, a Tzimsce who can use magic. Spells of basic magic didn’t work on him.

 

Hephaistion moved at an impossible speed, took Sasha by the neck and threw him over the wagon with force, but taking special care in not breaking his bones, in not hurting him. 

 

- You are too naïve, lad –said the Macedonian near his cheek, feeling him trembled under his cold body—But I admit that you are clever, this spell would have work on any other vampire, any other weaker and without knowledge of magic –Sasha’s heart beat even faster—Mm…your blood has a delicious smell…

 

He took off Sasha’s hood and for a moment he was froze, his gorgeous eyes wide open. Sasha had one eye cerulean blue and the other brown like amber, and he was also blond.  

 

- Who the hell are you? –asked Hephaistion scared, yes scared for the first time in many many years. He hold the Vampire Hunter’s gaze and felt again that strange sensation invading his body, but…what was it?—ANSWER ME!

 

- I told you –Sasha spoke with firm voice, even if he was very scared—I’m a Vampire Hunter…

 

- No –Hephaistion shook his head and took a step away from him—You are a trap, who sent you? Who created you?

 

- Created… me? –now the Vampire Hunter didn’t understand a thing.

 

I was in shock to say the least. The only thing I could think was that a sorcerer had created a homunculus with Alexander’s form to kill me. All right, Sasha wasn’t Alexander’s twin brother, but he was blond, with uneven eyes, and had the same force inside him, the same fire that burned inside my King…What is a homunculus? Well, is a fully-formed human body, sorceress create them and give them a limited life to do their bidding.  

 

What did I do after that? All I wanted to do was to run away, but before I could move...

 

- I knew it smell like death –said a strange guttural voice near them.

 

Hephaistion and Sasha turned and found a…Monster? Wolf?…Hard to say, it was more like a humanoid giant and muscular wolf, sharp fangs protruding from its powerful jaw and, in his hand/claw, he was holding a huge double-headed ax. He didn’t have one eye, and his black fur was thick and a long bushy tail moved behind him.  

 

- Werewolf –said the Macedonian in a low voice, and Sasha turned to see him with his uneven eyes wide open. Of course he had heard about them in the Society of Leopold, but he had never saw one, and they were truly horrifying and impressive, he felt his blood cold watching that powerful jaw full with fangs.

 

Hephaistion didn’t move, he knew werewolves never attack alone; they attack always in packs and that was why they were do dangerous. Where were the rest then?

 

There! –thought the Macedonian.

 

Seven figures moved in the darkness, encircling them, moving with lethal grace, fangs and claws ready to attack. 

 

Now, this is why I couldn’t hear a sound before, the werewolves scared all the animals near here –thought Hephaistion.

 

In front of them were 7 werewolves in Crinos, “the Wolf-man”, form, the most deadly form of a werewolf; armed and ready to kill them both.  

 

First rule to a newborn vampire: if you saw a werewolf RUN!. Why? Because they are tremendously strong, and not only that, they HATE vampires. Why?…well, that’s a very long story, but let’s say that werewolves served a force called Gaia and her natural enemy is another force called the Wyrm, that we can say is the devil or the evil; and they consider us creatures of the Wyrm. As they say: the only good Leech is a Leech that’s been burned to ashes and the ashes scattered to the four winds (2) So, yes I was pretty much in deep trouble, not even a 2 thousand year old vampire was a match for 7 werewolves, and not only that, they grew stronger when is full moon, like that night… 

 

- Sasha –said Hephaistion in a low voice—Drop to the floor and stay still.

 

- What are you…? –but before the young Vampire Hunter could say something the fight had already began.

 

The biggest advantage of the Macedonian was his supernatural speed, in one heart beat he cut one head, crossing both swords in front of him and feeling the warm and sticky blood covering his arms. Another werewolf came running and bite his leg. Hephaistion closed tight one eye, it hurt like hell, but he had to concentrate or these dogs would tear him asunder. He used Vicissitude to take off his attacker’s ribs, and the creature screamed and howled in a horrifying way that froze Sasha’s blood.

 

Hephaistion dodge an attack from behind, but one of the werewolves tore his back with his claws. It was a deep wound but the Macedonian didn’t have time to lose, he turned, and using Thaumaturgy, the magic used by vampires, made that all the blood of this enemy came out from his body through every orifice, it was a vision of nightmare and the Vampire Hunter on the floor closed his eyes. Then, Hephaistion saw that 2 werewolves were trying to run away to the Umbra, the spiritual world, he cast another spell, many chains appeared from the ground and trapped not their bodies, but their souls, pulling them until they left their body and dragging their spirits to the Dark Umbra; they empty bodies dropped on the floor lifeless. He hadn’t study Necromancy in vain.

 

Two more to go.

 

He turned but it was to late. The alpha male, the pack leader, cut his arm with his massive axe; the Macedonian made a great display of his Disciplines and retained his arm in its place. He was wasting all his energy very quickly and his wounds were bleeding with severity but, very inside him, he felt the urge to protect Sasha…even if he didn’t understand why. 

 

He pierced the heart of another werewolf and finally it was only left the alpha male. But the pack leader also knew how to use magic, and he cast a fire spell. Vampires were very flammable and fire was their worst enemy.

 

- Shit! –Hephaistion cursed in Macedonian, and hid himself in the shadows, barely dodging the fire. He appeared again behind the last of his opponents and cut his head in a single blow. Then, he fell on the ground. 

 

- Are you…all right? –asked Sasha running to where he was.

 

Hephaistion smiled weakly.

 

- A strange question from a Vampire Hunter –Sasha blushed.

 

- You safe my life –he said reluctantly.

 

- Something like that… —the Macedonian tried to stand up but he fell again. He was very weak, his best choice would be to call someone using his Disciplines and hope that one his friends arrived here before the sun. 

 

- Let me help you… —said Sasha—I…I can take you to your, house.

 

Hephaistion smiled again.

 

- Thank you…

 

Even if he was a Vampire Hunter I knew he wasn’t going to take advantage of my situation…I just knew it…When I get to our house, or should I say palace; I was very weak. Sasha left me at the entrance and the servants brought me inside, I couldn’t walk. 

 

- What happened to you? –asked Lucius, running to Hephaistion, who was lying on his bed, bleeding abundantly, covering the blankets in red.

 

The Macedonian didn’t answer immediately, his hair had blood too, and a thick red drop ran through his cheek from a wound on his head.

 

- Phai!

 

- Werewolves.

 

- How many? –asked Lucius, undressing him to take a look at his wounded back.

 

- Seven…

 

- Seven? Are you out of your fucking mind? –the Roman scolded him—Even for you this was too much. Stay still.

 

Lucius licked some of his wounds and these healed immediately, but for the severe ones, he opened his wrist and let his own blood to cover them.

 

- This doesn’t look good…these fucking dogs left you in a very bad state –said the Roman shaking his head. Wounds inflicted by other creatures of the night never heal normally; you will have to stay in the house for a couple of nights.

 

- I’m hungry –said Hephaistion weakly, face down on the bed.

 

- Of course you are, you lose too much blood –Lucius sat at his side and helped him to lay on his side—Here, take my own blood, it’s going to be more effective.

 

The Macedonian took his wrist and buried his sharp fangs in his skin. For both of them it was the most delicious sensation. A vampire’s bite never hurt, it was one of the most fantastic sensations someone could experience, it could steal the reason from someone, but the ecstasy of feeling a vampire’s bite was only eclipse by the pleasure of drinking the blood. Drinking blood was like: “drinking the most exquisite champagne, experiencing the most sensual coitus and the ecstasy of an opium smoker when he tastes the first pipe” (3) all of that combine and that was just the beginning.   

 

And as you can imagine one thing lead to another; we kissed after Lucius gave me his blood and we ended having sex, very wild sex over that bed covered with blooded sheets. But, even after my adventures with the werewolves and our wild night, I couldn’t stop thinking about Sasha and his mysterious eyes…

 

- I saw…the strangest thing tonight –said Hephaistion, resting completely naked on his side, his hair sliding through his back and his wounds now almost recovered. Those words put Lucius’ senses on alert. If someone who had lived for 2 centuries told you that, fear.

 

- At the banquet? –Hephaistion shook his head.

 

- On the road back I…found a Vampire Hunter from the Society of Leopold –the Roman roared with laughter.

 

- You are like this just because a “Witch Hunter”, Phai, you are acting like an old woman –Lucius laughed until he saw the seriousness in Hephaistion’s eyes.

 

- Lucius, this…Vampire Hunter, has the same eyes of my Alexander.

 

- So what? You can’t expect that he was the only man in history to have eyes like that –said the Roman.

 

- You are not understanding, this man’s eyes wasn’t only “eyes like that” they were his SAME eyes –said the Macedonian with force.

 

- That’s nuts, Phai…and impossible.

 

- Impossible? After 2 millennia you still think there is something impossible in this world? –Hephaistion questioned him.

 

- Fine, let’s say it’s true. If the Witch Hunter has the same eyes, I think you were tricked by some kind of illusion –said the Roman, crossing his arms behind his head, his green eyes on the magnificent ceiling—Malkavian and Ravno clans have the ability to create illusions with Dementation and Chimerism Disciplines. 

 

Hephaistion shook his head. 

 

- Do you truly believe that I can be trick with that?

 

- Good point…mm…what about a Mage?

 

- I thought that too, but no, I don’t think so –the Macedonian said, brushing his hair behind his ear.

 

- Vicissitude, another Tzimisce that had modified this lad’s body –said Lucius, thinking really hard.

 

- Unlikely… —Hephaistion’s mind was racing.

 

- Then, why don’t you tell me what are you thinking? –asked the Roman, tired of that game and the Macedonian took a moment before answering.

 

- Lucius, once a Necromancer told me that the eyes are always the mirrors of the souls –said Hephaistion slowly—I felt very uneasy near that man…Sasha is his name, and his eyes…I think he has Alexander’s soul.

 

- You mean like, he reincarnated? –asked Lucius frowning.

 

- It’s possible, is rare but it had happened before –said Hephaistion still thinking—That would explain why I can’t find his soul in the Dark Umbra.

 

- That would be hilarious –the Roman looking at him—You have been trying to bring him back to life and the Son of a Bad Mother reincarnated –he laughed.

 

- I have to so something to confirm this –the Macedonian stood up and looked for his cloak.

 

- What are you going to do if it’s true? –asked Lucius, watching him walking to the door.

 

Hephaistion stopped and turned to see him.

 

- Find him of course –he smiled.

 

I did many Necromancer rituals and the result was clear as water. Sasha had my Alexander’s soul. I felt I was going to faint when I saw the undisputed result. What did I then? Looked for him, of course, and let me tell you that finding him was very easy. He lived in Paris in a very modest street, and after following him for a week I decided to talk to him one night.   

 

Hephaistion appeared, apparently for nowhere in the middle of the dark and lonely street, taking Sasha by surprise. The blond took his hand immediately to his sword, but when he saw who was in front of him, he went pale.

 

- What are you doing here? –he was always defiant, and that, made the Macedonian smile.

 

- I came to see you –he barely could restrain the emotion inside him. It was his beloved King again…a little different, but his eyes…it was him, after so long. 

 

Sasha raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

 

- Why? –Hephaistion shrugged.

 

- Nothing in particular, I just wanted to talk –he wanted to run, embrace him, tell him everything, their story together, that he had the soul of a King who had died 2 thousand years ago. 

 

- Right… do you think I’m an idiot? You came here to drink my blood –not even Sasha was sure of his words, after all Hephaistion had saved him from the werewolves, but, he had heard so many bad things about vampires…they were demons! Damn creatures, monsters that prey upon the innocent …or not?

 

- Sasha if that were true, I wouldn’t be losing time talking –explained Hephaistion and that made perfectly sense to the Vampire Hunter.

 

- Why do you want to talk to me? –the blond didn’t trust him but he was curious.

 

- Because you remind me of someone –the Macedonian decided to tell him the truth, or at least all the truth he could tell without freaking him out.

 

Sasha knew it was wrong to talk to him, but he was also intrigued about this vampire in particular. He liked to have his own opinion and this was the first vampire he met, so he decided to take his chances.

 

- Fine –the Vampire Hunter released his sword—Where do you want to talk?

 

- Wherever you want is fine with me.

 

Sasha never knew why but he took Hephaistion to his own house, a small and modest house. The Macedonian gave him his 2 swords as evidence of good faith, which didn’t mean he could kill him without weapons, but he wanted the blond to feel comfortable, to give him some kind of guaranty that he meant no harm. As soon as Sasha lighted up all the candles inside his house he gasped, he hadn’t been able to look at Hephaistion properly and now, he was sure he had made a mistake. This wasn’t a demon; this man in front of him was as beautiful as an angel.

 

- Sweet Lord! You are…beautiful –if Hepahistion could, he would have blushed. He had heard those words countless times, but there was something in this young man’s voice that made him felt again as when he was still alive.

 

- May I sit down? –for a moment Sasha didn’t know what he was talking about, then, he remembered how to speak and he nodded.

 

The Macedonian noticed the blond had a crucifix hanging around his neck, that didn’t surprised him, after all, his King had always been devoted of the Gods.

 

- I think I never told you my name –said Hephaistion.

 

- I heard in the Society, that you are called “Phai” –answered the blond, taking a seat near him. The Macedonian noticed he had left his sword on the table, good, then he was starting to trust him.

 

- Do you know why? –Sasha shook his head—Do you know my age?

 

- No, we…I only know that you are an ancient, that’s all.

 

- How old do you think I am? –asked Hephaistion amused, watching him thinking really hard.

 

- 500 years –the Macedonian smiled, and Sasha blushed.

 

- 500 years –Hephaistion repeated slowly—No, I have 4 times that.

 

And the uneven eyes of the Vampire Hunter opened in astonishment.

 

- But that is…

 

- Impossible? What is impossible, Sasha? –said the Macedonian, remembering his talk with Lucius—I’m very old, and my real name isn’t Phai…it’s Hephaistion, I was born in what is now know as the Ottoman Empire, in my time it was called Macedonia.

 

Sasha stayed very still, listening with all his attention.

 

- Why are you telling me all of this? Aren’t you afraid that I’m going to tell all of this at the Society of Leopold? –Sasha questioned him.

 

- No, Sasha.

 

- Why? You didn’t even know me.

 

- No, you are wrong –said Hephaistion with intensity—I have known you since long before you were born.

 

And I have love you all this time, and I will continue to do so until the end of times –he thought, unable to tell him how much he meant to him.

 

And even if Sasha didn’t understand his words, deep inside his heart, he knew it was true. Hephaistion’s voice made an echo in his soul, he could feel his heart aching and crying but he didn’t know why. Why was this ancient vampire crying? Why was he crying? And why, did he felt the urgent necessity of embrace Hephaistion and comfort him?

 

XXX

 

- What happened with him? With Sasha –asked Zophiel, so interested in the story that she didn’t noticed at what point she had ended sitting at the edge of the sofa.

 

- He died –Zophiel frowned.

 

- Why? How? What happened? I thought…I would have imagined that you turned him into a vampire –she wanted to know, to understand.

 

- That was my idea, but…he died first –said Hephaistion, a thick tear sliding through his cheek.

 

- How? –Zophiel insisted.

 

- Have you ever heard about a Tzimisce named Vikos? –Zophiel opened her eyes in astonishment.

 

- Yes, she is…very old and cruel.

 

- She? Well I imagine he was bored of being a man, so now is “she” –when the woman in front of him didn’t understand he explained—Nobody knows with what genre was Vikos born; when he/she gets bore he changes his genre. In Paris it was he the one who killed Sasha, and since then I swore that the next time we meet he is going to learn the true meaning of Tzimisce Torture.

 

Those words made Zophiel trembled.

 

- And…what happened with Alexander’s soul? –she asked when she could speak again.

 

- He went back to the Dark Umbra, but I can’t enter there to bring him back…that’s why I need Kaine’s sword.

 

Zophiel nodded.

 

- Do you know why he reincarnated? –she wanted to know.

 

- Yes, someone explain that to me… —the Macedonian closed his eyes for a moment—He reincarnated because he was looking for me…but, he didn’t have his memories. I suppose that he was part of the Society of Leopold because, unconsciously, he knew what I become, and…that was a way of finding me…

 

Zophiel wanted to embraced him, but she didn’t dare. Hephaistion’s story was even more interesting each night; she only hope it would have a happy ending.

 

XXX

(1) White Wolf. Vampire the Masquerade, p 39

(2) White Wolf. Werewolf the Apocalypse, p 278

(3) White Wolf. Vampire the Masquerade, p 5