Chapter Ten

Elise slipped into Master Vrykólakas’s quarters the second night after Reina’s final exchange. She found him in his bath and picked up the sponge as he leant forward. Almost half a century spent as one of Master Vrykólakas’s courtesans had taught her the best way to act when bearing bad news.

'Well?'

'Still no change.' Setting down the sponge, she worked on a knot in his shoulder.

'Elise, my dear, you should not worry. I am not angry – the Creation of a fledgling vampire is sensitive. We cannot control it fully, but I am confident our Little Slave will awaken.'

'How can you be so sure?' Elise asked, standing up to hand him a towel at his gesture. 'I’m Damien’s only Creation, and that he did the normal way.' Master Vrykólakas pulled her close, kissing her forehead. Elise felt her stomach flutter in a mixture of fear and anticipation.

'My dear, surely you know by now not to question me?'

'O – Of course.' She smiled too brightly. 'Forgive me, it was not my intention to question. I just…I don’t understand how you can be so confident. Damien is convinced he has lost her, but you…there is no doubt in your mind that she will survive this?'

'If you are lucky to live as long as I have, you will know when to trust your instincts.' Master Vrykólakas scooped Elise up, kissing her hungrily. 'Join me for dinner?'

'Of course,' Elise said, trying her best to hide a flicker of guilt. She had met Reina once, but talking to Damien had made her sympathise with the young woman. It was harder to feed on slaves when pitying them.

'And Elise, you will go to Damien’s rooms each night. I want to be sure he does not try anything foolish when his slave wakes up.'

'Yes, Master.'

Shortly before sundown, Elise departed Master Vrykólakas’s quarters for Damien’s rooms. She found him sitting vigil over Reina. His appearance was unkempt, and she ushered him out of the bedroom to bathe and feed.

'You will need to flee as soon as she wakes. I have to return to Master Vrykólakas as soon as she wakes up.' Her words had the desired effect as Damien paused in his vigil to let Elise watch over Reina.

Reina looked as if she slept. Her hair had been swept back into a ponytail and Elise had dressed her in one of the young woman’s simpler gowns. She would be able to trade her clothes for modern ones once they had left Tenebrae; for now she wanted to avoid all suspicion on what Damien planned. When Damien emerged, he stood in the doorway looking at Reina guiltily.

'She said she could not forgive me.'

'She will, once she has adjusted to her new life. She will see things are not as fearful as she thought they would be.' Seeing the flicker of grief in Damien’s eyes, Elise wondered if she should tell Damien that Master Vrykólakas was confident Reina would survive. The thought lasted for only a split second; why raise his hopes? She was certain Master Vrykólakas was wrong; it had been over a week. 'Damien, how long did it take for me to wake up?'

'Four nights,' he croaked in reply and slumped beside her.

'What if she doesn’t wake up? You can’t keep her here forever, she’ll…'

'She will wake up!' Damien snapped. 'She has to!' Elise looked at him sympathetically and moved up to Reina’s head. Tentatively she pulled back one of the girl’s eyelids, her heart sinking painfully.

'Damien…' Her voice cracked as she turned to look at him, shaking her head slowly. 'I’m sorry but…she isn’t going to wake up.' As Damien leant over her shoulder, Elise pulled back the eyelid once more. An amethyst eye stared lifelessly back at them.

Damien let out an anguished roar Elise hoped to never hear again. His grief was so strong she could feel it pulling at her own heart. She squeezed Reina’s arm protectively as Damien set about destroying his room. He tore the furniture apart as if the wood was nothing more than tissue. The only furniture he left untouched was the bed Reina lay on.

'Elise?' The voice snapped Elise from Damien’s grief and she looked down at Reina unbelievingly. Amethyst eyes stared up at her blinking in confusion; Elise opened and closed her mouth several times.

'D – Damien,' she croaked, ignoring her confusion and rising to her feet but Reina clutched her hand, pulling her back down. 'Damien!' she shouted as Damien continued on his tirade. Turning to look back down at Reina she spotted the tiny fangs resting on the woman’s lower lip. She helped Reina to sit up as Damien turned to look at her. She barely managed to step out of the way as Damien launched himself at Reina, kissing her fiercely. Out of the corner of her eye, Elise saw Reina’s fists clench and her body tense. 'Y – You need to go, now,' Elise said, her eyes darting to the main room. She would have to return to Master Vrykólakas soon; how would she be able to hide this from him?

'We will, as soon as Reina has fed.'

'No!' Elise and Reina shouted together. Elise smiled sadly; it looked as if Reina had been granted one thing she wanted. She didn’t seem to be driven half-crazed by her bloodlust. Elise remembered how she had could have slaughtered an entire village just to quench her thirst when she had first woken up. 'I won’t—'

'You don’t have time.' Elise shook her head at Reina. 'I have to return to Master Vrykólakas and tell him you are awake. You don’t have time to feed or argue.' She looked pointedly at Damien. Reina nodded, and Elise admired the fledgling’s grip on her sanity. 'Here.' She grabbed a hooded cloak from a trunk, recognising it as one of her old ones. Helping Reina to her feet, both Damien and Elise supported her as she walked back and forth to get her legs working. It was clear Reina needed to feed, but time was not on their side. The speed at which they moved was disorientating to Reina and several times she stumbled and almost fell to her knees.

'Why can’t you come with us?' Reina pleaded as Damien led her towards the door.

'She’s right, Elise, if we all go…I don’t want him to harm you.'

Elise plastered a brave smile to her face as she quickly embraced them both. 'He won’t, much. We would never pass with all three of us, I’m a courtesan – I cannot come and go as I please like you can.' She kissed Damien swiftly. 'Don’t worry – I’m going to put as much of the blame on you as I can.' She said it half-teasingly. 'I can look after myself. Reina, keep your hood up and your head down.' Confused, Reina flipped the hood of her cloak up and lowered her head. Elise watched them sprint from Damien’s rooms and down the hallway.