would have recoiled from such a sight, now he enjoyed it. He understood it. Even sympathized. These vampires needed an outlet for their boundless rage and lust, needed something on which to unleash it.
In the center of the room, on a throne atop a raised dais built of solid gold, sat a single vampire, watching over it all, his back to them. Around him stood a dozen minions, awaiting his smallest nod.
Sam and Samantha took several steps in, and as they did, the seated vampire spun in his chair and turned to them.
Sam recognized this vampire. He had seen him once before, centuries ago, in New York City. Beneath City Hall. It was their grand leader. The ancient one, who had lived for thousands of years. Rexius.
A shriveled-up old man, his face covered in endless age lines, nearly bald, with white hair and drooping eyes, Rexius sat hunched in his throne, looking down on all of it with satisfaction. Sam could see he was living vicariously through all of it.
Rexius fixed his ancient, pale-blue eyes on Sam, and Sam could feel the evil emanating off of them, aiming right for him. Rexius reached up with his huge, golden staff, banged it several times, and slowly, all the motion in the room stopped. The room gradually quieted, as much as it could amidst the screams and moans.
Sam felt Samantha take his hand, and they walked right through the room, through the crowd of bodies that parted ways, and right up to the dais. They looked up at Rexius, who gazed down at them. He was ancient, inscrutable, and Sam couldn’t tell if he was looking at them with rebuke or approval—or both.
The room quieted, as hundreds of eyes turned to watch the encounter.
“So…” Rexius began slowly, in his deep, gravelly voice, “…the chicken comes home to roost.”
He breathed deeply.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for centuries. I should kill you now, just for making me wait so long.”
Sam was not intimidated; instead, he felt a fresh dose of rage rise up within him. He could tear this man apart. How dare he—or any man—talk to him that way.
“And I should kill you for speaking to me this way,” Sam responded, snarling, beginning to walk forward.
But he felt Samantha’s reassuring hand stop him, hold his shoulder, and he hesitated.
Rexius’ eyes opened wide, as an astonished gasp spread throughout the room. It was apparent that no one spoke to Rexius this way.
During the tense silence, Sam braced himself for an attack.
But suddenly, Rexius threw back his head and roared with laughter.
“That’s what I like to hear,” Rexius said. “Good. Very good. I like your hatred. It rejuvenates me.”
Rexius surveyed Sam, nodding.
“Yes, yes,” he said slowly. “You are truly one of us now, aren’t you? Yes, very good. You will serve us well. You will serve our cause very well indeed.”
He sighed.
“You have arrived not a moment too late,” Rexius continued, his voice booming, echoing off the walls. “Now is a time of great urgency. Other forces are close to the shield. We must stop them. You are the final key to attaining the shield.”
Sam stared back, racking his brain, trying to remember. The shield. He vaguely remembered…there was something about this father…. But it all seemed so hazy now, so far away. And with Kyle’s spirit overwhelming him, and with thoughts of Samantha racing through his head, it was hard for him to think clearly.
“We stand at the precipice of history,” Rexius said. “Now is our moment. If we find the shield before they do, we can dominate all humankind, all vampire kind, forever. There will be nothing but wars and bloodshed and chaos and destruction for all time. It is the moment we have all been dreaming for. For thousands of lifetimes. We are as close as we have ever been. And with you here, there is nothing left to stop us.”
He breathed.
“But, unfortunately, your sister is searching, too. And she is very close. So is her husband. Your sister is the one I most fear, though. She is here, back in time. And she’s aligned herself with powerful people. Even as we speak, she is searching. And she is close. Too close. We must find it before she does!” Rexius suddenly screeched out, slamming his staff against the floor, the veins popping out of his face.
The entire room went silent.
Sam tried to concentrate, to remember all the details. His sister. His father. The shield. Somewhere, deep inside, he thought he detected