The Vampires' Last Sacrifice

Taboo (Twelve)

                Vincent and I were now walking down to dinner, hand-in-hand. We had a slave show Krey to here room so she could freshen up. Apparently she had been traveling for a while and hadn’t had a safe place to relax. When we got downstairs Gren sat staring at the ceiling with Sarah beside him, texting. Krey was already seated as well. Gren turned to look at us then opened his mouth to speak.

                “Sister, dear, why are you so sad? Everything is going to be okay, don’t worry. Brother will not leave you,” he smiled at me then looked worried.

                “Why am I crying Gren?” I had been around him long enough to know how to handle these situations. If I wanted to know what he was seeing I’d have to ask him the reason for the action.

                “You are worried that Brother will leave you, but he won’t. He understands that you’re doing what you have to do. We all understand that, dear,” Gren stood up and gave me a comforting hug.

                “Thank you Gren,” I said as I took a glance at Vincent, only to see reassurance in his eyes.

                “How do you like your room Krey?” I asked her as we all took our seats.

                “It’s very nice,” she half-smiled.

                “Are you upset about something?” I asked her.

                “Huh?” she looked at me, obviously surprised, “No.”

                “Oh, I’m sorry,” I say a bit embarrassed.

                “I think I’m going to sleep,” Gren says as he gets up and stalks up the stairs.

                “I’ll check on him,” Sarah says, eyes never leaving her phone as she gets up.

                “I am actually rather tired. Is it okay if I retire as well?” Krey asked which surprised me.

                “Sure, if you get hungry during the night feel free to get something,” Vincent tells her.

                “Thanks, both of you,” she said cheerfully, but her face held sorrow.

                “What’s with her?” I ask Vincent when I know she’s upstairs.

                “Krey has been through a lot in her life. She’s not really all together. She hasn’t been for a very long time,” Vincent says as he cuts his dinner.

                “What happened to her?” I asked him.

                “I’m not sure if I should tell you, but I don’t think she’d mind. She likes you a lot,” he smiles.

                “It doesn’t seem like she likes me,” I tell him honestly.

                “She does. If she didn’t she would have beat the fuck out of you already. That’s just how she is, though,” he laughed.

                “So what happened?”

                “I don’t know the details because I never wanted to know, but basically she had her whole world ripped from her,” he tells me. I feel sorrow instantly for her.          

                “How?” I press.

                “She fell in love with her sire, Daeman, an old friend of mine. They created a child together, but it was never born,” Vincent said, sadness evident in his eyes.

                “So she’s so messed up because her child died?” I asked feeling guilty for being pregnant.

                “Not only that, love. Daeman was killed and so was the child. I didn’t ask how either event happened and I never want to know. I just know that this destroyed her world. She has never been the same since,” Vincent finished, taking a bite.

                “That’s horrible. I couldn’t imagine losing you and our son,” I told him honestly.

                “Nothing is going to happen to us, or you. I can promise you that. We will live happily ever after.”

                “Why did they kill Daeman?”

                “I haven’t told you everything about vampires, and sometimes I might have told you less than you needed to know, or maybe lied a bit,” Vincent bit his lip.

                “What?” I ask him, clearly worried.

                “Vampires aren’t born vampires, they are half. Usually their parents change them when they grow to a certain age. Vampires in my clan, the Toreador clan, age very slowly. There are many different clans. My clan adapts easier than most clans. If one were to turn a vampire in Krey’s clan, let’s say 100 years ago, it could not be a lover. Daeman turned Krey and they fell in love. Someone, whether it was from their clan, the Tremere, or another clan, was clearly not happy with this. They killed him and the ‘unclean’ child. Now all clans are different, like different races. My clan never felt that turning a lover was taboo, hence why I was allowed to turn you and hold the crown. Some people just had a problem with it, so they ruined her life to make an example, I assume,” when Vincent finished I was sure my mouth was hanging open.

                “That’s horrible. Who could be so cruel?” I asked.

                “I don’t know, love. I feel horrible for Krey, but I’m glad it’s not us. We will stay together and make a new example,” Vincent was now holding my hand.

                “Do you think she’ll ever be okay?” I asked, clearly talking about Krey.

                “No, I don’t. He was her life. He is dead and now she is too,” Vincent said looking down.

                “It would be like you dying. I’d die too,” I said, understanding Krey a bit more.

                “Yes it would, but like I said, that’s not going to happen.”

                “Maybe I should talk to Krey tomorrow, I mean it couldn’t hurt, right?” I asked, unsure of myself.

                “I’m sure she would like that, but let her choose the subject,” Vincent smiled.

                After a moment of silence we both spoke at the same time, “I think Gren is getting worse.” We glanced up at each other, “me too,” we say again.

                Another moment of silence passed until he spoke, “We are going to have to start gathering knowledge about the ritual. It will need to be performed soon.”

                “And the sacrifice?” I asked, not forgetting.

                “We’ll wing it,” he laughed nervously and I did as well.