Thicker Than Water....

Chapter 17- Fate

The rebellion between Elders, Heirs and their sub-species, the Freshlings, had indeed started over the latter's wish to drink from the Desired.  Initially, it had anyway.  But, the Elders, in their complacency and arrogance to secure the sacred blood for themselves,  did not foresee Fate's hand in vampire evolution.  

A Freshling, named Abramo, who was revered as  the fiercest of the warrior-protectors, led his army on an assault on several Elders' homes in Southern Italy.  The battles had been ferocious and bloody, for not only did they fight the older, stronger vampires, but also those Freshlings which had remained loyal to their makers.  There had been many casualties on both sides.  One of the last battles took place near Naples where Abramo himself, was critically wounded. He crawled his way into the hills to seek shelter.  

Unbeknown to him, he had been followed.  Her name was Florentina.  She was sixteen years of age, scared, alone and she too had been injured.  She found Abramo as he lay bleeding in a man-made shelter of branches,  twigs and mud.  He was trying to shield himself from the sun.  The girl recognised him from the slaughter at her home. She was a Desired.  She knelt beside him and thanked him for killing her father.  Her gratitude confused Abramo.  She explained by revealling the secret of the Elder's ultimate goal.   Dante's disciples had envenomed many of their own Desired.   Dante's plan was to make them all immortal.  They were to become vampires sole source of food which in turn meant humans would no longer be required to sustain them.   Florentina had lost four sisters and two brothers to this practice. The vampire venom, whilst it did not effect the quality of the Desired's blood, did however, make them grotesque, deforming their features.  They were abominations.  She then offered Abramo her blood to heal him.   He drank, but conservatively.  Able to survive the sun now, and with his wounds rapidly healed, he in turn, tended her wounds.  The kindness the girl had shown him, overwhelmed him.

Abramo, approached the council with the information Florentina had given him.  It effectively changed the direction of the war.  He offered the council both his, and his re-established army's loyalty in exchange for their protection of their families. He was granted asylum, and issued the task of leading the rescue mission of the remaining 'untainted' Desired and destruction of the envenomed ones.  He was also charged with bringing to justice, any Elders and Heirs who opposed the council's decision and who violated their treaty with the Freshling Army.

Abramo and Florentina became lovers. And from their union, a new breed evolved. They had two children, a boy and a girl. The girl child was born with the sacred blood, just like her mother.  But, another gift was bestowed upon her. It was a power, an inner force.  It gave her the ability to heal human and vampire alike, merely by her touch. The boy child was vampire. He too had a new power.  His was destructive, but with guidance and patience, he learned how to harness it.  He also had the added bonus of the ancients' strength and resolve. He was the start of a new, more powerful warrior breed.

Many such unions between Freshlings and Desired formed from then on.  Their issue, did not always possess the powers that Abramo's did. Some were completely human with no powers, others had the sacred blood only, some were  just vampires. Others still, possessed a combination of one or two of  the new attributes.  But, they were all treated and protected equally by the council. They all swore allegiance.  Collectively, they became known as New Bloods.

When word of the New Bloods reached Dante's ears, his vision for vampire domination was suddenly threatened. He became rogue, and the battle was no longer just against rebelling Fleshlings but also against the council, their remaining loyal Elders, Heirs,  their army, their familes...but most of all against time.

 "The war continues to this day," Vittorio said.  He looked at us both, waiting for a reaction. 

   "Dante mentioned not'ing about New Bloods," Kula protested.  "Fleshlings hunted Desired for der blood and massacred der mothers.  He was protecting dem!"