“These beings have powers we cannot even comprehend. And access to realms where we cannot traverse.”
“But if we do nothing, you’ll always be under his thumb,” I argued. “And sooner or later, so will I.”
You sat down at the edge of our bed and ran your fingers through your long hair. I dropped down to my knees and made another appeal. “If we get caught, we can say it was a humanitarian effort, that she was being denied bloodmeals.”
“If we’re given the opportunity to argue our case,” you said with a sigh. “If this goes badly, they’ll separate us, Vincent. They’ll torture you—mind, body, and soul—for lifetimes. They’ll…” Your shoulders dropped as you let out a miserable groan. “They’ll break you, my darling, and I can’t endure it again.”
Again. You’d been through this twice already. Because of him.
“He’ll do that to me anyway. Because he can. It’s only a matter of time, Henri. Our best option is to take a stand, and this is our chance.”
Your eyes focused in front of you and you said with steely determination, “My answer is still no.”
You were so goddamned stubborn. Trying to persuade you was like banging my fists against a cinderblock wall. So, I would make this easy for you.
“I’m going with Lucian and Seneser to free our mother,” I said with all the conviction I could muster. “Are you coming with me or not?”
You glowered at me for a long moment, and I almost took back my words. Until at last, you shook your head miserably. “That’s not a choice, Vincent.”
Maybe not, but it wasn’t me who’d backed us into this corner.
While we were arguing in the bedroom, Lucian and Seneser had mapped out a mission plan, including a list of supplies, which they shared with us. The most alarming item on the list was “a few humans.”
“What are the humans for?” I asked. It seemed like they’d only attract attention and make things more complicated.
Lucian glanced at you like I was an idiot, then shot me a condescending look.
“For feeding?” he said with exaggerated patience.
“And to give as an offering,” Seneser added. “Ashur, Lena’s guard, is less likely to mistreat us if we can offer him a blood sacrifice.”
“No,” I said, and they both looked at me questioningly. “I want to rescue our mother, but I’m not going to kill people to do it. We can bring blood, in bags or bottles, but we’re not dragging innocent people into this.”
Lucian argued with me about it, telling me how the blood wouldn’t last more than a few days without refrigeration and that we needed living beings to replenish our blood supply. But I told them both flat-out, I wasn’t joining them if they planned on killing people.
“This is only the beginning of our partnership,” you said, “and we all have things where we’re unwilling to compromise. Vincent will not take human life. That’s his rule, and I doubt it will change. So, if your plans are to include him, you’ll need to honor his condition.”
I shot you a suspicious look and wondered if you were trying to sabotage our mission before it even began. You’d still not committed to joining us, but I was hoping you’d come around.
“And what are you unwilling to compromise on, Henri?” Lucian challenged.
“Isn’t it obvious?” you said and laid a hand on my shoulder.
Seneser only frowned and said, “How are you at slaying beasts, Henri?”
“Even beastborns feel pain,” was your clipped response.
I recalled Mater’s explanation of Priapus as the patron of the beastborns.
“Is this Ashur character a beastborn?” I asked.
Seneser nodded. “A beastborn with a blood craving, which was why he was chosen as Lena’s captor. He understands your thirst and the methods you must go about to quench it. And he’s been conditioned to repel your seductions.”
“Conditioned?” I asked.
“By the Imperium,” Seneser said ominously.
“How does he get blood?” I asked.
Another look was exchanged between you and Lucian.
“I didn’t see his den, but I’d imagine he keeps blood slaves,” Seneser said. “He certainly accepted my human offerings the last time I was there.”
“Was my father a blood slave?” I asked Seneser.
“I don’t know. Lena never mentioned him to me.”
“Why would Ashur let you leave with me?”
Seneser tilted his head thoughtfully. “That is a mystery to me, but perhaps he believes in the prophecy as well.”
I’d always thought Mater had fixated on the idea of Parousia as a way to combat the psychological torture of imprisonment and isolation. To know that others believed it as well made