Page 37 of Theoden
“I fought for five years and had been quite successful, the champion of my Ludus. It was one day when Ara saw me perform in the arena that he decided he wanted me. The next thing I knew, I was sent to him, having been sold three times in total. While on the road traveling back to his home, he told me what he was, said that he wanted to grant me the power to never be anyone’s slave again.”
“You wanted to become a vampire?”
Titus nodded. “I was finally given a choice in which direction I wanted my life to go.”
That shocked me. “Ara—I mean, our Father gave you a choice?” I had to ask because I hadn’t been given a choice.
He nodded again. “As were Nolan and Karim.”
“Why… why was I not given a choice?” I asked, feeling a bit confused at the moment.
Titus shrugged. “That, I cannot answer. Again, ask Father. I chose power and freedom and have no regrets. You should not regret it at all. Perhaps Father did not give you a choice as he knew you would make the wrong one. Now, let us feed you.”
He led me out of the training hall toward the cell where we had fed earlier. Humans were huddled together in the large cell, terrified of what was coming. I thought about Titus’ story, of how he had been a slave and wondered how he could feed on these humans.
“Why do you kill them if they are slaves like you had once been?” I asked.
Titus was about to unlock the gate when he stopped and turned toward me. “I have been a vampire for many centuries, little brother. Being a vampire makes you the ultimate predator. These are not slaves to me, but cattle to which I am to feed upon. This is not a cell, but a farm for which to house our cattle. The sooner you accept that fact, the better your life will be.”
After that, he opened the door and walked in, snatching up a screaming human woman. She thrashed and struck at him with everything she had, but it was all futile as Titus was far too powerful. He brought her out of the cell and tossed her to me. I caught her in my arms and looked down in her pleading and terrified face. Tears streamed down her dirty cheeks as her lips trembled.
“Pl—please—spare me,” she begged.
“Feed,” Titus commanded.
I knew what would happen to me if I refused, and I knew how it would feel to starve again. Already, I was starting to feel the pain of my hunger and I didn’t wish for more. I grabbed her by her dirty, stringy hair and pulled back, exposing her throat. She smelled as foul as the others, but I didn’t let that distract me from what I needed. The vein pulsated, beckoning for me to drive my fangs through her flesh.
I allowed my new nature to take over and I struck, sinking my monstrous fangs in her skin and locking my lips around the wound. The blood poured freely and I sucked with all my might as I fed my unnatural hunger. The pleasure that coursed through me was indescribable and I wanted it to go on forever, but alas, the blood ceased to flow and I had to release her corpse.
“Look at her,” Titus said, pointing to her crumpled body that was laying by my feet. “That is their sole purpose. It is a fate they deserve for all of the atrocities they have wrought upon this world. For those who believe vampires are a curse, I believe that we are a reckoning. You will see, little brother, for the longer you live, you will bear witness to what men will do and you will learn that they are beneath you. They are true evil and we are their executioners.”
“What did this woman do to deserve death?” I asked.
“She was human, that is all,” Titus said. “Dispose of her body and return to the training hall. We have much to do.”
He left me after that, along with the humans staring at me from their cell and the body cooling at my feet. His words struck a chord within me. I had only known a fraction of the cruelty of man that had been shown to him. I still wanted to speak with my Father and ask questions only he could answer. But first, I had to take another lesson from Titus.
I quickly disposed of the body by burying her where I had buried my victims from last night, then I returned to him. Once again, the training was brutal, but with every slam to the floor or wound inflicted, I learned how to better defend myself. I learned that what I knew from the Church was nothing compared to what Titus was teaching me. This was going to be a long and painful night.
***
“Titus told me you were very impressive in training,” Ara said upon entering the bath.
I had been soaking in the water, cleaning the blood and grime from my body. I had been training with my brother for hours and the sun was on the verge of rising. I had to feed twice more before Titus finally ended the training, but I felt stronger and more in control of my abilities. I knew how fast I was, how high I could leap, and by the end of our training, I had successfully landed a blow on him. He rewarded me with much deserved praise, which made my heart fill with pride.
I looked up at Ara then, grinning. “Yes, Father. It was very educational.”
Ara took a seat on a stool beside the bath and looked down at me. “He also told me you had many questions.”
My smile faded because I wasn’t sure if Ara was angry with me or not.
“I am not,” he said, answering my concerns.
“The Church has deceived me so much, Father. I do not know what is truth and what are lies.”
Ara nodded. “I will never lie to you, my son.”
“Can I ask you the questions that bother me without incurring your wrath?”
