Page 21 of Theoden
“I thought Ashur was near death, Sire,” I whispered. We had left him with the priests as he was too weak to continue. I had thought him dead for sure.
“That is the power of our blood, Théoden. Nolan healed him.”
“My god,” I gasped, remembering how a vampire’s blood had healed Ashur from his wounds once before.
“I have been known to answer to that name as well,” Ara said with a chuckle.
I was truly witnessing a miracle as I had no idea vampire blood could heal a human from sickness. Apart from a few bruises and a bloodied nose and lip, Ashur was healed of the fever that had plagued his body.
“How does our blood do that?” I asked.
“How should you address me?” Ara asked, arching one of his dark eyebrows.
“Sire,” I corrected.
He smiled. “Very good. You are learning. Our blood is divine and blessed with many powers, as you have experienced. You are now immortal, and no man will ever be your equal.”
“Traitor,” Samuel cursed.
“Silence, mortal. I did not give you permission to speak,” Ara snapped. “If he opens his mouth again without cause, rip out his tongue, Nolan.”
“Gladly, Sire,” Nolan said. I looked at him and he was watching me with what appeared to be curiosity… and resentment. I was not fond of him either, as he killed Magnus and betrayed my trust.
“Betraying your trust is inconsequential when he was following my orders,” Ara said. He was reading my mind and I found that aggravating.
“Please stop doing that, Sire,” I said.
“No,” Ara said bluntly, then continued. “Now, I have had them brought before you so that you can learn the truth of your former Church. Go on, read their minds,” he encouraged.
“How, Sire?”
“Pick their minds for what you want and will the information to you as if you are gathering from a garden… a garden of knowledge, my son.”
I looked at my two companions; Samuel, in particular, gazed upon me with such rage, as though I had betrayed him. I couldn’t help what had been done to me, but I also wasn’t completely regretting it, either. Ara was right, I could feel power coursing through my body. I was practically buzzing with the energy of my new abilities. I liked the way it felt. I pushed the guilt from my mind and focused on reading theirs. I stared hard at them, and that was when I heard Nolan laugh.
“Attempting to bore a hole into their skulls with your eyes will not give you the vision you seek,” he taunted.
Again, Ara gave me instructions and I closed my eyes to concentrate as I followed them.
He has been cursed.That thought came from Samuel.
Why was he chosen and not me?That was from Ashur.
I opened my eyes, looking down at them, and I could see that their expressions did not betray their thoughts. Ashur wanted to become what I was, which was a deviation from his earlier claim that he would rather die than become a vampire. He was envious of me, and that was why he looked at me now with hate. I wanted to know more, so I pried deeper. Samuel thought I had turned my back on the Church and Ashur only wanted more of the blood he had been given that restored his body.
“Have you indulged in what you consider sins?” Ara asked them.
“No, never, demon!” Samuel said, frowning.
“No,” Ashur answered.
Again, I listened to their thoughts and discovered they were lying. Neither man was a virgin. And as a young boy, Ashur had lain with Father Lucinius. That reveal made me gasp and almost broke my concentration. I had never suspected such things had happened between them. Father Lucinius was very strict with me, as it was his idea to lock away my private parts. Yet, he and Ashur had sinned in sex.
However, that was not all. Samuel had spent his passions in the arms of several whores. He also knew of my desire for him and he had none for me. I had been made to believe that we were to remain chaste, and yet, they gave into their base nature at every turn. Why then was I not allowed to? The realization that I had been lied to and manipulated struck a powerful blow and I staggered back against Ara, who caught me.
“How many clergy do you know of that has sinned?” Ara asked them.
“Father Lucinius, Father Icus, Father Quintus, Father Lucius, and Bishop Francisco,” Ashur replied. “They have all laid with both men and women. I have seen them with my own eyes, Sir.”
