Loving the Judas Priestess

Let The Games Begin

{Father Alexander}

I watched Xandria go over and talk to this Vlad character. Something about him was familiar, but I didn't know what. I was nursing a glass of seltzer water, making people believe it was vodka or some other clear alcohol mix drink. Vlad looked to be drinking red wine, and getting very cozy with Xandria. 

" So, is she your sister or a friend?"

I turn to find the bartender giving me a look. 

" She's my daughter. I came with her to make sure she stays safe. What can you tell me about the fellow she's with?" 

" He's new in town, a real ladies man, but he never seems to like any of the ladies. Your girl is the first to really make him strike up conversation." 

" What's he like?" 

" Seems to be a real old school charmer. Wonderful gentleman. I think he's a businessman, given his expensive suits. I have no real complaints about what I've heard." 

" What does he drink?" 

" Red wine mostly, very rarely does he get anything different. Always the same year too."

" What year?" 

" Spring of 1995. He says it's the sweetest year for producing the best wine."

I had a small chuckle with the barkeep, until my brain did some basic math, and realized Xandria's birthday would have been the spring of that year.

" Hey, barkeep, where is he from?" 

" Sounds Romanian, but says he came from London." 

Alarms rang in my head. Something wasn't right. I looked at the table to find it empty, and now I start to panic because I don't see her or him in the entire club. I grabbed Xandria's coat, and looked around for her signature blonde locks, and I didn't find them. I went to the door, and saw the bouncer. 

" Excuse me, did you see a tall blonde leave with a black haired gentleman in a suit?" 

" Yes, they left minutes ago. They went that way." 

" Thank you." 

I went the direction he had pointed, and looked down every crevice and alley I could find. 

" Xandria, where are you?!" 

I turned the corner, and heard giggles from an alley, and listened. 

" Vlad, you scoundrel, I need to get back to my father, before he worries." 

" You don't need him, you only need me. With me, you will be safe and protected. With me, you will be loved and cherished."  

I peaked around the corner, and saw he had red eyes, and that she had been hypnotized by his gaze. I summoned a bayonet, and threw it, catching the monster in the shoulder. A very audible hiss told me I had hit my mark. I rushed to Xandria, her eyes were glassed over, as if in a daze. 

" Xandria, snap out of it, it's Althair, come back to earth." 

" Althair?" She blinked, and a look of pain filled her face. " Oh, God, I have such a headache, what happened? How did we get here?" 

" You were charmed by a very powerful vampire." 

I look over to find the vampire gone, but in his place was a note under my bayonet. I go over, and read it, my blood boiling. 

' Let the games begin, Judas Priest.

-A.'   

I let out a yell, my blood boiling beyond understanding. 

" That rotten prick! That vile fucking heathen!" 

" What happened?" 

" Read it." 

She read it, and I watched as absolute horror filled her face, and she slowly turned green, eventually putting her back to the brick wall of the alley, vomiting up everything. I held her hair from her face, waiting her to calm down, her face streaked in makeup stained tears. 

" I let that fucking monster touch me! I let him get close! I failed at the most basic thing! How did I fail, where did I go wrong!?" 

" Hey, Xan, calm down, ok? It's not your fault, I didn't even notice it or have it click until I talked with the barkeep, you were none the wiser. I was none the wiser, if it was anyone's fault, it's mine. I almost lost you." 

The weight to those words hit me hard. I almost lost her. She was a virgin, so if he had bit her, he would've turned her. I pulled her into me, and I felt her cry into my chest. I felt a lone tear fall.

" I almost lost you to that monster. If he had bit you, you would've became one of his fledglings, and you couldn't ever come back home to the Vatican. Xandria, I am so sorry. I am so sorry for failing at the one thing I promised your mother. I promised to protect you, and I almost let you get turned by that damnable fiend." 

I felt my face grow wet, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself cry. I held her close, and let myself cry. 

" Althair, I want to go home." 

I wipe my face. " Yeah, let's go home. Put your jacket on." 

Without argument, she did, zipping it up to cover her torso. We walked home, her arms in a vice grip around mine, exactly like a scared small child. In a way, she was right now. A horrible thing that I know will haunt me, had happened. God, if you are listening, grant me the power to put this terror into his permanent grave should he ever hurt my child again.