"Are you ready for this?" she asked.
Silently, Valek nodded. But was he really ready? Would he ever really be ready? Probably not. Moira hailed a taxi, and they sat in silence as they were driven out of town. Moira had kept her promise, in fact, she'd gone beyond the call of duty. Moira had found the oldest "living" vampire within a hundred miles in each direction. If he couldn't tell Valek about these dreams and reincarnation, he could tell him of someone who could. But the operative word here was "could." Whether he would or not was something entirely different. And Valek had seen how powerful Moira was, and compared to the man they were racing to meet, she was a fledgeling. What awesome powers did this vampire have? Valek was terribly scared. Moira had told him that the "old ones" were sometimes very temperamental, and would cut off your hands for insulting them, or worst. Valek was trembling. Gently, Moira took Valek hand in hers, and gave him a comforting smile.
"Just remember why you are doing this."
Yes, think of that, and think of Leopold. Don't think of all the terrible things this old vampire could be, or do. Valek thought of his last dream, of Leopold, the grown man, coming to the tavern boy's rescue. The gentle eyes, and tender touch. Valek thought of the first dream, how kind and collected Leopold had been, when compared to the nervous and jumpy Valek. It has always been that way. He is a rock, it takes an incredibly strong blow to shake him. Even though he is still a teenage boy, even I can see that. Before Valek knew it, they were there. Valek paid the driver, told him to wait for them, and they exited the taxi. They stood before a huge mansion. It looked old, very old, and worn down. Shutters hung on the windows at uncanny angles. A thick layer of dust covered everything, even the door bell. The place looked as though it hadn't been lived in in centuries. It looked like a tomb. How very fitting. Valek moved to ring the bell, but Moira shook her head. Instead, she opened the front door and walked on in. Valek followed. The place had absolutely no light; the window drapes were pulled tight, and nothing seemed to drift in through the moth-eatten holes. The shadows were so thick they seemed to breath. Valek was afraid to inhale, afraid that this living darkness might seep into his body. Valek followed the sound of Moira's foot steps. He tripped when the ground below him suddenly dropped out, but Moira caught and straightened him. They walked down many flights of stairs, until Valek thought they must be in the bowels of the earth itself. It was also very hot, and thick cobwebs stuck to the sweat on Valeks forhead. Valek could hear rats running up and down the walls with his preternatural ears, and much worst things hissed at him as he footfalls took him within inches of these slithering creatures. Valek thought he would faint from fright when finally Moira's foot steps stopped and she opened a door. They entered a room lit only by a single candle, but nest to the seemingly living darkness they had just left, this light pierced Valeks eyes painfully and he could see nothing but the flame of this light. But he could sence there was something in this room, something truely alive, and yet not. Valek heard no heartbeat, no breath, and even Moira seemed to convert into something made of stone and unliving. Things remained in this way for sometime. Moira didn't move, and neither did whatever else was in this room. Valek suddenly felt like he was being tested, and he didn't even know the question. So, Valek followed his instincts. He didn't speak, for it seemed a crime to break this impermeable silence. Besides, Valeks voice was frozen in the back of his throat like he had swallowed a wad of those spiderwebs. Valek took a step forward, and then another. He searched the darkness with his eyes, but the light of the candle made the shadows all the thicker. Valek walked to the candle, licked his thumb and forefinger, and pinched out the light. Valek was swallowed by this breathing darkness. Valek felt as though he would drown in it. Valek took a deep breath to calm his nerves, then ceased breathing all together. Breathing was not a necessity to vampires, even new borns could hold their breath up to an hour. Besides, the noise of air entering and exiting his lungs was distracting Valek. He had to find the old vampire, through this abyss. Focus, Valek, focus. He's here, somewhere, I can feel him. But where? Pinpointing the man was impossible. It seemed he was here one moment, then there the next. Valek followed where his instincts led him, but he was so lost. He turned about, walked a distance, then turned back the way he came. This was frustrating. As calmly as he could, Valek spoke in the darkness.
"I can't see you, and I can't hear you. I can feel you are in this room, but where exactly I cannot determined." Valek jumped, it so startled him when an answer came back to him less than 10 feet away.
"You actually came closer than one would expect. And we must accept our limitations, otherwise we fool ourselves into thinking we have all the answers." A match was struck, and another candle was lit, but it illuminated a pale and withered hand, the black sleeve of some garment. The rest was lost to blackness. Back toward the entrance, Moira re-lit the candle Valek had extinguished. A pale hand gestured to said candle.
"A very wise choice, baby-fledgling. We may exist in light, but it is darkness which is our true nature. The light, albeit comforting, is nothing but a distraction. I've been told you have questions for me."
The old one was very direct, which was fine with Valek. The sooner he got out of here, the better. Valeks voice, however, broke when he first tried to ask his question. Valek thought he heard the old one chuckle, but it was so faint he could not be sure. Valek tried again.
"I have had dreams of a past life, or lives. I came to ask you if these dreams are true, if reincarnation is real? And if it is, what does that make us now? Are we shadows of what we were, or do we simply retain memories from when we were someone else, and if so-..." The old vampire raised a hand and cut Valek off. He took his time in answering.
"It is rare for a vampire, especially one so young, to remember 'past lives,' as you call them. Tell me, what started these dreams?"
"I... met someone. A mortal boy, whom I have... feelings for. And strangly, it seemed I loved him upon first glance. I'm not one who beleives in love at first sight, there must be something else to it."
Again, the old one took his time in answering.
"You say you don't beleive in 'love at first sight.' How can you be sure then that your subconcious did not create these dreams in attempt to explain your sudden 'feelings' for this mortal boy? By refusing to accept the truth, your mind created a separate truth?"
"Then, reincarnation doesn't exist?"
"I did not say that. I did not say whether either truth is wrong, or right. But why does it matter so to you?"
Valek took a breath. "If the only reason I care for this boy is because I had feelings for him in a different life, I want to know that there is something controlling my feelings, or if they are indeed mine own."
It seemed the old one smiled, though Valek couldn't guess the features of his face.
"The baby wants to know he's in control. Then the truth is, fledgling, that you are not. There is always someone higher on the totem pole controlling aspects of your life. I've known vampires so powerful they could make entire leagions of men worship them. I've seen a vampire so powerful she seduced an entire town of men with a simple glance. My words discourage you, I can see it in your face. And you've given me no reason to tell you the 'truth' or give you any words which might comfort you."
"Even if I tried, you would not. Pleading with you would make you think me all the more inferior, bargaining with you might offend you, and besides, I have nothing to offer which you might want."
"Oh, but my young one, you do. You have youth."
Valek was confused. "But how can I use that to bargain?"
"Think about when you feed, when that first and most precious drop of blood enters your mouth. For that split second, you have all the memories, all the feelings, all the vitality of your victim. Times this by a thousand and you migh tbegin to imagine how it feels when the blood is a vampires."
It didn't take Valek long to put the peices together. "You want to drink from me?" He was shocked, and mildly disgusted.
The old vampire moved closer to the flame of the candle. Still nothing could be seen of his black clad body, but at least his face could be seen now. He had been ancient when made a vampire, and it looked as though he had been sitting in this dark cesspool for years. His skin was possitively white, his eyes swallowed by his enlarged pupils. His cheeks were sunk into his mouth, and when he talked, there was a greenish moss stained with red on his teeth. The creature was possitively repulsive.
"I am very old, and very powerful. I needn't ever leave this room, I have such power as to make my meals come to me. But I have lost the vitality of my youth. Youth, which you still possess. I want to taste how it is to be young in this age, to be blissfully ignorant. Agree to this, and I will tell you the truth."
Valek stared at those green and red stained teeth, imagined them puncturing his strong and beautiful neck, and he shuddered. Then he thought of the two lovers in his dream. How they suffered when they caught fire, how frightened the dark haired boy was, how protective the blond man was, even in the end. What was this when compared to their noble and painful sacrifice? Besides, Valel had the impression that the old one didn't have to ask Valek's permission. If he wished to, he could attack Valek this instant, and Valek would never be able to do anything about it. Valek nodded.
"Very good. The truth to the matter is reincarnation does exist, under certain conditions. If a vampire dies a very tragic death, or dies when his emotions are elivated enough, he can be reborn into a mortal body a year later, or a millinia later. Fate is a very fickle mistress, I'm sure you've heard this, but from time to time, she comes down from her high pedestal and takes pity on us. She may have saw how pure the love between the two of you were, and gave you a second chance. Even more, she placed you in the same family, born only years apart, so as you might find each other and re-kindle your love."
Valek startled. "I never told you we were in the same family."
"You were told you were meeting a very powerful vampire. Now, come give me my part of our bargain, and be gone with the both of you fledglings."
It was a comand of impatience. Valek shuddered and tried not to look at the old creature. He removed his coat and stepped close to the ancient one. His breath reaked of mold and things long since dead. Valek was about to back away when old, whithered, but strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him close, as though they were lovers. Valek resisted, trembling. Valek did hear the old one chuckle this time. He whispered in Valeks ear, "There's no greater ectasy than having a vampire at your mercy."
The old ones breath was making Valek sick and the disgustingly withered body was pressed entirely to close to Valeks. This was not part of the bargain; the old vampire was prolonging this, and he was enjoying it! Valek shoved against the seemingly frail body, but he might as well have pushed against a mountain. And then the filthy fangs sank into Valeks soft neck. Valek cried out, but his cries were supressed by a boney hand. Still Valek struggled, vainly. When the vampire sucked the blood from Valeks opened flesh, it was as though a surge of lightening raced through his veins. But this wasn't like the erotic electricity Valek felt with Leopold, this was painful, and Valek was completely helpless against it. Stop, oh god, stop, please, it hurts! Kill me, if need be, but make it stop! The old vampire did not. He drank and he drank. This was more than just a taste, he was going to drain Valek! Valek now understood how rape victims felt, so completely helpless. Death would be an escape, but no escape was granted. Fianlly, the light of the candle faded out, and sweet abyss smothered Valek into unconsciousness.
Next page, Love's a Two Way Dream