Bartholomew was a single, young man of thirty years. Like so many others in his village, he was very poor. Even though their existence may have appeared sad to an outsider, they were a very happy people who celebrated life as if they were rich.
The single women in the village were always after Bartholomew since they all wished to marry him. But Bartholomew was not ready. He enjoyed the freedom of being single and having as many of the women in the village he wanted too much.
This went on for a time. Then on one beautiful summer morning, he was suddenly awoken by his dog’s barking. He threw the covers back, sat up, and rubbed his eyes. He looked out of his window, to see his dog barking ferociously at the barn door. Bartholomew pulled on some pants and walked outside to see what all of the commotion was about. When he opened the barn door, he saw no one.
“Hello? Is anyone in here?” he asked aloud with a nervous quiver in his voice.
There was no answer, but his dog still was barking. He decided to investigate further. He walked over to the horse stable, looked over the wall, and to his surprise, he found a woman.
Her name was Lily Talbot. Healthy, smooth, beautifully tan skin covered her short body. Thick, wavy, yellow hair was waist length and fell just shy of her wide hips. The dust which covered her hid her natural beauty. Bartholomew looked into her eyes. They were intensely green and reminded him of two pools of stagnant water.
Bartholomew was shocked to see her hiding next to his horse. So shocked, he didn’t even go into the stable. He only held out his hand to the stranger before him. “Come on out. I won’t hurt you,” he said in calm, soothing voice.
Lily didn’t move.
“My horse is not the best tempered animal,” Bartholomew warned. “If you make any sudden moves, he might decide to kick, and I promise it’ll hurt. Come on out now.”
Lily was afraid of Bartholomew, but didn’t want to be killed by a horse either. She stood up carefully and took Bartholomew’s hand.
“There now,” Bartholomew said with a smile as he took Lily’s hand. “Are you hungry? I’ll fix us something to eat.”
As frightened as she was, Lily was as hungry. She still didn’t utter a word as she followed Bartholomew inside his house.
“Sorry about the mess. I don’t get much company,” Bartholomew said with a hint of embarrassment. “Please have a seat.”
Lily pushed some papers out of a nearby chair and sat down in the one room house. Bartholomew knelt in front of her and smiled. Lily didn’t smile back. She just turned away.
“Well now, my name is Bartholomew. Welcome. What’s your name?”
Lily looked back and quietly responded, “Lily.”
“Welcome, Lily. Now tell me Lily, why were you hiding in my barn?”
Lily looked away and didn’t answer the question.
Sensing Lily’s nervousness, Bartholomew smiled and stood up. “Perhaps we could clean you up a bit and feed you,” he said. “Then we can talk, okay? Would you like that?”
Lily looked at him, and this time, simply nodded her head.
“Good. My washbasin is right there next to your feet. Go outside and get some fresh water from the well,” Bartholomew said as he handed Lily a rag. “Take this. You can wash up in the barn.”
Lily again just nodded. “While you’re doing that, I’ll get started on breakfast,” Bartholomew said as walked to his pot-bellied stove. “I’m sorry there’s no meat. Some hungry animal destroyed my last pig this winter. So, there’s only eggs and bread. Go on, I’ll start on our breakfast. How would you like your-”
Suddenly Lily was gone. She couldn’t wait to get the dirt from her body and hair. Once she was clean, she re-entered the house. Bartholomew was still cooking and the tiny house smelled of eggs.
“I’m glad you’re back,” Bartholomew said as he dropped the eggs onto the plates before him. “You were taking so long I thought you ran off with my washbasin. And then how would I clean myself? What took you so long?” Bartholomew asked.
“I decided to wash my hair,” Lily mumbled.
“What?” Bartholomew asked. As the words were leaving his mouth, Bartholomew looked up and saw the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. He was so awestruck, he couldn’t move.
“I decided to wash my hair,” Lily said louder.
Bartholomew’s feet still felt like they were glued to the floor. He couldn’t believe the small, wide-hipped woman was as pretty as she was. He had to talk himself out of his own excitement. ‘Down boy. You’ve got to get to know her first.’
Bartholomew, trying to hide his excitement, gently smiled and nodded. “Yes, I suppose you did. Please have a seat and eat.”
Lily sat down but only stared at the plate.
“I thought you were hungry,” Bartholomew said as he sat down. “I’ll admit I’m not the best of cooks, but I do what I have to, to survive.”
Lily, feeling a bit more at ease, dove into the plate as if it were her last meal. Bartholomew smiled at Lily and began eating himself.
“So, Lily, why were you hiding in my barn?” he asked again.
Lily finished the last bite of her bread and eggs and responded with just one word. “Nightwalkers.”
“Nightwalkers? What’s a Nightwalker?” Bartholomew asked.
“They take the blood and lives of my village,” Lily said in a very matter-of-fact way as she put her dish in the sink.
“I don’t understand,” Bartholomew responded.
“One was chasing me. I managed to get away. I’m still not sure of how I did it, but I did. Perhaps your dog kept him away.”
“Was someone after you?” a puzzled Bartholomew asked.
Lily all but ignored Bartholomew’s question. “I can’t stay. If I do, they’ll come for you as well. I have to keep moving.”
“Lily, please tell me more.”
Lily sat down at the table and began to tell her story.
“I was but a child when the first person disappeared from my village. As the years went by, more and more left us, never to return. Some were left to die in the village, but what was left of them was less than whole. Many of them had their windpipes torn from their bodies. We buried them and moved on. For a time we were left alone. No one mysteriously disappeared, and no one else died.”
Bartholomew could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise as Lily told her story.
“For many years, it seemed as thought whatever had plagued us, was over,” she continued. “Then three nights ago, they came…again. There were five of them, and 100 of us. I watched as our entire village was slaughtered. They run faster than humanly possible. I saw one of them lift a huge boulder over his head and crush my neighbor. They’re stronger than any normal human possibly can be. One of them entered my house and killed my entire family. All of their throats torn out, just for the fun of it. I was the last one alive. He came to me and said, ‘run little one,’ so I ran. That’s how I wound up in your barn. I must keep moving or he’ll find me.”
Bartholomew couldn’t help but have sympathy for the woman he’d only just met. “You can’t leave,” he implored with Lily. “He’ll find, and kill you. I can’t allow that to happen.”
Lily quickly answered. “You’ve been so kind to me. I won’t allow the Nightwalkers to take your life. One who is as kind as you, must have a chance to live. Think of those in the village that you’ll bless with your kindness in the future. No, I have to leave.”
“Why hasn’t your perpetrator caught you?” Bartholomew asked in confusion. “You say they run faster than the normal human does. If this were the truth, you should have been caught already.”
“They’re only awake during the night, and I travel during the day. I walk, and sometimes run, more than my body will allow me too.”
“Lily you’re welcome to stay here.”
“I mustn’t. I don’t want anyone else to die.”
“They sound like animals. If they remotely resemble a dog, you would have been sniffed out by now.”
“Bartholomew, if I stay, I’ll put your entire village at risk. I don’t want to do that. I can’t do that.”
“Well I can’t stop you if you want to leave, but hear me out first. You’re alone with no one to help you. I’m physically stronger than you are, and I have weapons. You have none. I can protect you and possibly kill the monster that’s been chasing you. Please stay.”
Lily said nothing. She just looked into Bartholomew’s beautiful black eyes and knew he meant every word he was speaking. “If he finds me, he’ll be hard to defeat, but because I see you’re not willing to let me leave, I’ll stay,” she replied.
For the next six months, they didn’t see or hear from the Nightwalker Lily said was chasing her. It was during this time, Bartholomew found himself falling in love with Lily. One evening when they were sitting in front of the stove, both quietly reading, Bartholomew decided it was time to tell Lily his true feelings.
“Lily it looks like your Nightwalker is no longer chasing you,” he started.
“I realize that,” she said without looking up from her book.
“So, what are you going to do?” Lily opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, Bartholomew already stopped her. “Don’t leave me,” he said in a quiet, almost bashful way.
“Bartholomew you shouldn’t mumble.”
“I said, don’t leave me,” he said louder. “I’ve grown accustomed to having you around me. Please stay.”
“I’ve come to care about you Bartholomew. I’m not leaving,” Lily responded without even looking up from her book.
Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door. They looked at each other in silence. It was late and snow covered half of the cabin. They knew their neighbors would not be at their door, unless it was an emergency.
“What time is it?” Lily asked, almost sensing what lurked behind the door.
“Eleven thirty.”
Lily knew exactly who was at the door. “This is no one you know. The Nightwalker has finally come for me.”
“We’ll fight,” Bartholomew declared.
“No. I told you, I would not let you or the village, suffer my fate. I’ll go with him.”
“Lily, no.”
She heard nothing. She calmly got up and opened the door. Suddenly she was looking face-to-face with her pursuer. Bartholomew looked at the Nightwalker and was actually a little surprised. The Nightwalker looked just like a normal man, but a frightening aura surrounded him.
“I told you to run little one, but you didn’t. The game is over. You must come with me.”
Lily looked back at Bartholomew with hopelessness. “I love you, Bartholomew Crane.”
“Lily, please don’t go,” he whispered in a voice now filled with fear.
Lily just glanced back and walked out of the door. But Bartholomew couldn’t let her go. He loved her. He was afraid of the Nightwalker, and didn’t know how to defeat him. If he tried, he might die. Bartholomew paced in his house for a few hours reviewing the consequences in his head. After three hours, he couldn’t take it anymore. He knew Lily was worth the risk. He put his clothes on, loaded up his weapons, put on his snowshoes, and went after the woman he loved.
It was easy to track them since the snow was so deep. Bartholomew followed the trail for three days. They were moving faster than the average human. When he finally caught up to them, it was at a cave many miles from his house. He had no idea if he could kill the Nightwalker, but told himself Lily was more than worth it. He thought out his plan, and then proceeded. When he arrived at the cave entrance, however, he couldn’t believe his eyes. His beloved Lily was enjoying sex with the Nightwalker.
He was beside himself with grief and could barely speak. He could only muster enough strength to whisper, “Lily, no.”
Lily and her abductor stopped what they were doing. She was nude when she walked toward Bartholomew.
“Bartholomew dear, join us,” she said as she gently smiled at him.
“No! You told me you were afraid of him,” Bartholomew screamed as tears filled his eyes. “I want you back. Please resist, Lily!”
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” Lily explained as she gently kissed him. “If I do, you and all you know will be killed.”
“I love you,” Bartholomew whispered.
“Join us. I refused to change because of you. If you agree to be turned, everyone we know will remain unharmed.”
“Lily, don’t do this to me.”
It was as if she was a different woman, and Bartholomew didn’t understand. “You can go first,” she said. “That will ensure a commitment from you.”
“Lily, please don’t do this. We love one another.”
“If you love me as you say, you’ll be turned into a Nightwalker. I’ll follow soon after you. Do this for all the ones you love, including me.”
“Lily, this isn’t you speaking to me, but this monster. He’s put a spell on you,” Bartholomew said trying to understand what was wrong with her.
Lily only smiled and ignored him. “Once the both of us are Nightwalkers, we’ll find true happiness.”
“You came to me by accident. I loved you and never wanted you to leave me. The one who has hunted you for months desires you to be at his side. You told me you didn’t want this. Why do you want to be with him now?”
Despite his emotions, Lily continued to ignore Bartholomew’s words. “Become a Nightwalker so we shall remain together,” she said.
“I came here to save you from this beast, and now you’re saying you want me to become like him.”
“The both of us will be like him. Do this for both the village and me. I’m willing to do what it takes to save our home. Can you make the same sacrifice Bartholomew?”
Bartholomew hesitated. He loved Lily and didn’t want her to leave him. He loved the people in his village and didn’t want them to suffer. He didn’t have a choice. He knew what he had to do.
“Alright honey. I’m willing to be changed.”
Suddenly, the Nightwalker was upon him. Bartholomew took the pain. After several days, he awoke, a different man.
“I feel wonderful. I feel youthful,” Bartholomew proudly boasted. “What’s your name Nightwalker?”
“My name is Constantine,” Lily’s hunter responded.
“Please turn Lily, Constantine. I want her to feel the same pleasures as you and I do.”
Constantine looked at Bartholomew, almost with pity. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, for she belongs to another,” he explained. “It has taken several months to get you to this point Bartholomew, and my job is finally finished.”
Bartholomew was speeches for a moment. “What do you mean?” he finally asked.
“For some ungodly reason, you’re favored amongst my elders,” Constantine explained. “They sent me to turn you into one of us. I wish to live a blessed afterlife so I agreed to this. You see, Lily was merely a decoy. She’s only a servant. She never loved you. Everything you’ve experienced in the last six months was all a game. In the name of the Clan of Kings, my job is finished.”
“I’ll ask again, what do you mean by your job is finished?” Bartholomew asked in raised tone seething of anger.
“It’s as I said. Now in order for you to gain favor in the eyes of my elders, you must kill both Lily and me.”
Bartholomew still loved Lily, and certainly didn’t want to kill her. He decided to kill Constantine first.
“Fine. Tell me Constantine, how would I go about killing you?” Bartholomew asked.
Constantine pointed to a pile of thick branches. “There’s a pile of black wood branches. If you wish to kill me, this is how you’ll do it. I’m susceptible to black wood, and since I made you, so are you.”
“So, I just stab you with a stick from the black wood tree, and you’re dead?” Bartholomew asked in confusion.
“Yes.”
“Please go outside Lily. I don’t want you to see this.”
Lily did just as Bartholomew said. Moments later, she heard Bartholomew yell, and then a loud thud. Bartholomew soon emerged from the cave.
“I’m ready,” Lily said as Bartholomew walked towards her.
“Ready for what?”
“I’m ready to die.”
At that moment, the man Lily had come to love changed forever. The Bartholomew she knew was kind and gentle, but the beast that stood before her was extremely arrogant and cruel.
“No, Lily I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to keep you,” Bartholomew said in a sinister tone.
“You can’t keep me, you have to kill me,” Lily pleaded.
“No. Instead, I’m going to take you home, feed upon your blood, and then you’re going to have my child.”
“It’s forbidden,” Lily yelled in objection.
“Since you chose to punish me by turning me into a monster, I’ll become the monster you desire. Let’s go home.”
Bartholomew repeatedly raped Lily over the next month. When he wasn’t abusing her, he kept her tied up in his barn so she wouldn’t run away while he slept.
One night when he went to have his way with her again, he noticed she had been sick.
“Have you had your cycle?” he asked with a sense of excitement.
Lily didn’t answer. She only shook her head.
“Well that’s wonderful,” Bartholomew responded in elation. “In about nine more months, you’re going to be a mother.”
Lily looked up at Bartholomew and yelled, “The elders are going to kill you!”
Bartholomew had no idea of what he was up against. “The elders have no idea what I’m doing,” he said with arrogance. “Once you have had my child, you’ll get your wish. I know you hate me now, so when you’re of no more use to me, I’ll kill you.”
Bartholomew didn’t know it, but, Lily was a servant of one of the elders by the name of Jaymes Thorn.
Jaymes. A wise and cunning vampire of average height, dark brown eyes, and shoulder length light brown hair.
Jaymes can only consume the blood of other vampires. To consume the blood of humans, will mean his death. Powerful and very old, he holds the second seat of the Clan of Kings. Only one was older and more powerful than he.
Jaymes expected Lily would be gone for a while, but by now, he began to worry. He even sent members of other clans to find her. The search parties would be gone for weeks at a time. When they returned without her, he would kill them all, and send others.
When he finally got word that Lily had been located, she had been gone for over a year.
“We have found her, my lord,” a nervous young vampire exclaimed.
“Well it’s about time. Where is she?” Jaymes asked with a sense of relief in his voice.
“In a village not far from where we left her.”
“What’s her condition?”
The young vampire was afraid to speak the truth, but he knew if he didn’t, Jaymes would kill him. “She’s well, my lord.”
“Good.”
“However, she’s not as she was when she left us,” he continued in fear of his life.
“You just told me she was fine,” Jaymes snapped.
“My lord, she’s with child.”
‘With child?’ Jaymes thought. “How far along is she?”
“It looks as though she’s due any day.”
Jaymes was now obviously upset. “Who has done this to her?” he asked.
“We suspect the man that she’s living with. I might also mention that he’s no longer human.”
Suddenly Jaymes rose from his seat and walked towards the young vampire. “I want you and your hunting party to go get Lily and bring her back here. We’re going to try and save her,” Jaymes demanded.
“What of the man she’s living with, my lord?”
Just as Jaymes was about to answer, the king entered the chamber. “Kill him,” Jaymes said in a cold manner as he acknowledged the king’s arrival with a nod.
“Belay that order young one,” Hannibal Cross, the leader and king of the coven, suddenly said to interrupt them.
Hannibal Cross was the leader and king of the coven. Very tall and graceful. Long black hair worn in braids. His eyes, so full of wisdom were hooded looked like two pieces of the sun. Aristocratic and poised. As far as his coven knows, he suffers from no afflictions at all.
Jaymes was visibly angered by the king’s input. “Hannibal, he’s violated my Lily. He has to pay for this.”
“Relax Jaymes, he will. Remember, I was the one that showed interest in Bartholomew in the first place. He’ll do nicely for what I have planned. Young one, bring them both back to us, whole and in tact.”
“Yes, my lord,” the young vampire said as he lowered his eyes before exiting the chamber.
Jaymes was still angry, and lashed out at Hannibal as soon as the two of them were left alone. “How dare you! Lily is my servant, and will do as I like,” he said as he stared Hannibal right in the eyes.
“You forget yourself, Jaymes. I’m the one who has the final say on all decisions in our coven.”
“So, what do you have planned for this, Bartholomew?”
“When they return, all will know.”
“Are you going to punish him?”
“Well of course I am. He did something that goes against our laws, and for that, he’ll pay.”
The hunting party returned with Lily and Bartholomew a few days later, and immediately rushed Lily to the infirmary. She was in labor, and they had to save her or face the wrath of Jaymes. They took Bartholomew to the council chamber. All of the clan leaders, including the five members of the panel of elders, were waiting for him.
Bartholomew was angry, but he made no sudden moves. “Why am I here?” he asked as he surveyed the room.
Hannibal stood up and said, “Well, originally I was going to bring you here as an experiment. But since you decided that you could go rogue, and do whatever you wanted, I’ve changed my mind.”
“An experiment? What kind of experiment?” Bartholomew asked while still looking around the room.
“A sexual one. It’s well known that you’re, how do you say, one with the ladies?”
“How do you know that?”
“We have our ways. My brother in blood is furious with you. You violated his fair Lily, and you have to pay. Bartholomew Crane, you’re here because you’ve committed a crime. One that goes against the very principals of our founder.”
“I’ve committed no crime. I simply created a little life.”
“That in itself is a crime. There has never been a life created between vampire and human. It just isn’t done.”
“Well, how are you born then?”
“We’re not born, but made. All of us in this room were adults when we were made. We lived normal human lives up until being bitten. You, yourself were made, were you not?”
“I did it for the woman I love,” Bartholomew explained.
Jaymes stood up and hissed at Bartholomew.
“Sit down brother,” Hannibal told Jaymes, who stared at Bartholomew for a second more before sitting down. Hannibal continued. “Well now, I suppose if I don’t hurry and pass sentence, my brother is going try to eat you. You really don’t want that. Tell me Master Bartholomew, do you still think of yourself as human?”
“Not really.”
“Good, I shall explain something to you. I cannot speak for other covens, only for mine. We have huge sexual appetites, which often leads to huge orgies. Sometimes in this very room. I rather enjoy having many women at once. But not all of us in this room enjoy only women. Some of us like both, while some of us enjoy only men or women. But it doesn’t matter. We are who we are. Not once has a human, man or woman, been a part of what we do. Do you know why that is?”
“I bet you’re going to tell me,” Bartholomew said sarcastically.
“Conception. According to our laws, humans can’t be a part of who we are simply because they’re trouble. At least that’s what our founder thought. I however, am different. I’m thinking that since all of the clans are dying out, and I’m now their leader, I have to find a way to keep the bloodlines going. Vampire couples cannot have children. We’re dead and we can’t produce life. This weighed heavy on my mind and soon I had a brilliant idea.
“I sent scouts to scour the neighboring villages for males with huge sexual appetites. In case you were wondering, yes, that’s how I learned of you. I was going to use human males to impregnate our vampire females. With the help of my medical team, we created a serum that would enable our undead females to carry a child. It was a revelation. I was excited about what the outcome would be. Even if the child didn’t survive, there would be no harm to its mother. We’re very hard to kill you see.”
Bartholomew was trying to make sense of everything Hannibal was telling him but was having a hard time keeping up.
“Long story short, none of the children survived. I then had another idea,” Hannibal continued. “Human women have been caring babies since the beginning of time. I altered the serum and gave a dose to Lily. Her mission was to find a kind man, stay long enough for him to fall in love with her and get pregnant. However, in order to test my theory, the unsuspecting man would have to be turned. That’s where Constantine came in. He had to turn you, and by looking at you, he did a good job. I wasn’t sure about how he was going to get you to agree, but since he did, he is no longer relevant.”
“It wasn’t Constantine who got me to agree to become a monster. Lily convinced me,” Bartholomew said to correct Hannibal. “I love her.”
“Again it’s irrelevant. When you were human, I planned to use you in my great experiment, and make no mistake I still plan on doing it.”
Jaymes still was stewing in his anger and needed to speak up. “Hannibal, what are you planning to do? You sound like you’re negotiating a deal,” he said.
“As a matter of fact I am.”
“Let’s just kill him and get this over with. Lily’s in trouble.”
“One more minute, Jaymes.”
Just then, the chamber door burst open, and three young vampires entered the room.
“My lord, Miss Lily is dead,” one of them announced while fearing what might follow.
Jaymes jumped out of his chair and stormed out of the council chamber. Hannibal couldn’t help but pity Jaymes as he left.
“Well that’s most unfortunate,” Hannibal said to break up the silence as he looked back at Bartholomew. “Be glad I’m the leader of this coven and not Jaymes. Well then, here’s what I’m proposing to you. You’ll be the father of at least thirteen children. Fourteen if Lily’s baby lives. Your task is to go out and impregnate the women who the clan leaders desire you to.”
“Now how am I going to do that?” Bartholomew asked.
“You managed to do it very well on your own. Therefore, I’m sure you won’t have any problems. Do what’s necessary to get into the beds of unsuspecting human women and make them pregnant. Afterwards, you turn the children over to the clan leaders so they can raise them as their own.”
“Wait, you want me to propagate the clans alone?”
“Not alone, but first. Remember, it’s an experiment. If it works, this is what we’ll do from now on.”
“That doesn’t sound much like a punishment to me,” Kali, a younger member of the council, chimed in.
“That’s because that in itself is not the punishment Kali my dear,” Hannibal said as he glared at her. “If this works, Bartholomew’s punishment will be to establish a Baby Farm for us, and oversee the operations of this farm for eternity. Since you’re no longer human Master Bartholomew, it will definitely be a punishment. I myself have been the leader of the Clan of Kings for almost a thousand years. If you fail, I don’t intend on making it pleasant.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The children who come from this farm of yours will all live. There’s to be not one death. If there is, the next death will be yours. So, I suggest you figure it out.”
“That hardly seems fair,” Bartholomew argued.
“Punishment is always one sided or it would not be punishment, but a negotiation. I don’t intend on it being the latter. So, with that said, I happen to know that Master Heinrik Shade and his mate love children. Isn’t that right, Heinrik?”
“It is,” Heinrik said with a nod.
“His choice will be your choice. Befriend her, lay with her, and love her if you must. The outcome will be a healthy child. If not, you already know your fate. What say you?”
“Seeing as I have no other choice but death, I guess I’ll do it,” Bartholomew said with a sense of defeat.
“Good. Master Heinrik, where might Bartholomew find this woman?”
“In the village of Atla that’s to our east. Her name is Cecile,” Heinrik explained.
“There you have it. Cecile. I’m thinking she’s very beautiful with good genes and a good background?”
“That’s correct,” Heinrik agreed.
“I’ll allow you some time to rest, Bartholomew,” Hannibal said. “Tomorrow you begin your journey. Make a healthy half breed, and you live. If not, well you already know the outcome. Good luck.”
Bartholomew had no choice but to do what Hannibal asked. He eventually found Cecile and impregnated her. Cecile died during birth while the newborn barely survived. As the years went on, this seemed to be the norm. The child would survive, and the human mother would die during the birthing process.
Hannibal came to Bartholomew to ask if there was something that could be done to save the humans, but Bartholomew knew of nothing. It seemed as though the vampire DNA in each child was stronger than the human DNA. It was because of this that the child always killed their mother.
Bartholomew allowed the children to taste the blood of their mothers during the early stages of the experiment. After all, he reasoned, they had to feed soon after birth, and there was no blood bank within Bartholomew’s operation. Hannibal witnessed this practice after the third birth and immediately altered things.
“Congratulations, Bartholomew. I’m very pleased things are going according to plan,” he started. “But there’s something very immoral about a child feeding off its own mother.”
“There’s nothing else we can do, my lord,” Bartholomew reasoned. “The children must feed, and I don’t have an ample supply of blood to sustain them.”
“As you wish. I’ll supply you with the necessary blood to feed them.”
“How will you do this?”
“That’s none of your concern. I’ll get the necessary blood for you. Will that make you happy?”
“It will my lord, thank you.”
Hannibal could tell something else troubled Bartholomew. “I sense you’re wondering about the child you created with Lily,” Hannibal said.
“I am, my lord.”
“The child survived. It was a boy. He’s healthy and very happy. That’s all you need to know for now.”
“Will you tell me more?” Bartholomew asked.
“You have ten more children to sire. When you’ve completed that task, I’ll reward you with more answers.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“Bartholomew can you answer a question for me?”
“What is it?”
“What’s so special about the child?” Hannibal asked. “Why do you even care?”
“Because I loved Lily,” Bartholomew proudly declared.
“Hmmm, that’s strange.”
“What do you mean, strange, my lord?”
“You should see your face right now. One mention of her name and you go soft. What was it about Lily that turns you soft?”
“Master Hannibal, I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Amongst the clans only Master Darth is crueler than you. Your job is to create life, and his purpose is to destroy it.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“Did you not know your peers despise you? I chose you for this because as a human, you were a very kind man. You would almost say you had nurturing qualities. Generally, once turned, the personality of the human becomes the personality of the vampire. That didn’t happen with you. One moment, so sweet it would make you sick. The next, an arrogant, cruel bastard that deserves to die.”
Bartholomew didn’t know how to respond and immediately started begging for his life. “Master Hannibal, please don’t kill me. I’ve done as you asked. I thought you were pleased with my work.”
“Bartholomew, you misunderstand. I’m not going to kill you. I simply asked you a question,” Hannibal said with a chuckle.
“Don’t make fun of me, my lord.”
“I’m not making fun of you, Bartholomew. I just asked a question. What was it about Lily that makes you so soft?”
“Lily came to me when I was lonely. After a time, I loved her. To answer your question, this is the only reason. I loved her before I was vampire, as well as after. Master Hannibal you’re the only one who knows this.”
“It’s so refreshing to see you instantly turn into a different person. I get great pleasure in this.”
“You’re making fun of me again.”
“No. It’s obviously clear you loved Lily. However, you didn’t love her enough to allow her to live. Of course, at the time you weren’t aware of your actions. Had you been, I would have allowed Jaymes to kill you. Since you weren’t, will you ever do it again?”
“Please forgive me, Master Hannibal. I’ll not be so selfish again.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Well, I have other business now. I’ll see you another day.”
As Hannibal got up from his chair, Bartholomew’s thoughts turned to his child. Bartholomew was happy that Lily’s child survived but wanted to know more. He only knew the child was being brought up in secret by Jaymes and his mate.
Many years later, Bartholomew witnessed the birth of the last child he sired. This was not a normal situation. In fact, the entire council witnessed the birth of the last baby in council chambers. Things went as they normally did. The child was born and survived, and the mother died. Soon after birth, the child, taken away.
Hannibal was thrilled that things went as planned. He now felt it was time to reward Bartholomew.
“Master Bartholomew, no one in this room is more pleased than I. You did exactly as I told you to, and now fourteen couples are extremely happy.
“Fourteen, my lord?”
“Yes. Have you forgotten the child you created with Lily?”
“I haven’t.”
“Well, I’ll admit I thought you were going to fail. I thought I was going to have to kill you after the first baby. Nevertheless, with my help, you found a way to allow our people to continue. With this, I’m going to reward you.”
“I’ve waited so long, my lord, thank you.”
“Since you were successful, you’ll be awarded a seat on this council. It has been well over 500 years since a new clan was established. Including the Clan of Kings, there are now thirteen clans. Yours will be the next. Your clan will be the Clan of Farmers, the fourteenth clan. It’s your job to keep our race going. However, your first-born will remain in the hands of the parents who love him now. When he’s of age, he’ll join you in your task. His place will be above all the others who work for you. He’ll become the overseer in charge of all that takes place. You’ll teach him what he needs to know. When he’s ready, he will succeed you, at your discretion of course. Afterwards you’ll take your place amongst us.
“Everything about your very existence will be perfect. Make no mistake, it will hard to be to be a clan leader under my rule. Just ask any in this room. Every leader needs a queen to rule. She’ll need to be smart, as well as beautiful. As the panel of elders, we collectively chose your fate. I hope you’re pleased with our choices.”
“I am, my lord.”
“Jaymes had something to add to which we all agreed.”
“What’s that Master Hannibal?”
“Your son is not to know you’re his father.”
“My lord, that isn’t fair.”
“Don’t forget what got you into this predicament in the first place. You’re free to care for him as a son within yourself, but you can’t tell him who you are. Granted in time he may know you’re his father. If this is to happen, you can’t be the one to tell him. If you do tell him, we’ll go back to the original agreement.”
“I understand, my lord. I thank you for your mercy.”
~~~
“Alec, it’s time for you to leave us. It is your destiny to eventually run the Baby Farm. Master Bartholomew will be good to you, I promise.”
~~~