A Brief Moment of Insanity Ch. 02

"Why, did you ever discover why he took it?"

"No, that is the one mystery he took to the grave. He went mad at the end and was babbling incoherently. I fear before I perish that I may never uncover what drove that man insane."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright Warren that was before you were even born."

"Still, I think how close Willow and I are." I said and stopped. "I said too much."

"No, it's alright; follow me we are almost there." She said as she pushed one of the tapestries aside to reveal a hidden door. She opened the door and we stepped inside. The floor was white marble but the walls and ceiling were black marble. The silver sconces on the walls lit up with a blue flame illuminating the room as the door closed behind us. Grandma directed my gaze to each wall in a specific order.

"The West Wall," she said and there was the stylized cross etched into the marble three feet high. Then she turned me to face the next direction. "The North Wall," she said reverently. A downward facing sword cut into the marble illuminated by the shimmering blue flame. "The East Wall," she said turning me to face the crescent moon with its horns turned up to the ceiling. "And at the last the South Wall my heir," she whispered and we turned to face the complete design that even now was in my back pocket. I was a fool to bring it with me! "

"This is the sign of our house, this is your sign," the Old Vampire said as she ushered me towards it. There were two of the sconces shedding their blue flame over the sigil that was the Family crest. As we got nearer the Great Seal itself began to glow, just along the edges at first but brighter the nearer we got, I got to the thing.

"Is it supposed to do that?" I asked. She looked from me to the seal in something between joy and confusion.

"It has never done that before," she said. "Reach out to the Great Seal Warren as it reaches out to you."

"If that's what you want," I said not wanting to get anywhere near this thing.

I lifted up my arm and the inner part of the seal was not only got bright but hot. Then I felt the old bitch shove me forward and that's when things went white then black. The next thing I know I am being pulled to my feet and standing naked before twelve men and women. They are sitting around a marble table that is equal parts white and black. Even my addled senses realize these are the Elders of the Family. Not sure what to do I drop to one knee and bow.

"He has excellent manners for someone with no name," says an Asian woman.

"But there is the stench of mortality about him," says a black man whose skin is so dark he makes the marble light by comparison. "Rinse the stench from him!"

Hooded figures carrying buckets toss ice cold water over me but I refuse to cry out or rise up, I just clench my teeth and shiver.

"Still the stench clings to him," a gorgeous Latin woman says. "I fear only fire can cleanse him.

A second group of hooded figures arrive and dump some sort of slime on top of me. Then a lit torch it brought forth and I fight the urge to flee with everything I have.

"Light it," the woman says without a single hint of emotion.

Whoosh, I feel the heat but the gel does not burn my skin or hair. After ten seconds a heavy tarp is thrown over me and the fire goes out. The tarp is drug off of me and the Elders are now standing.

"He has passed the Great Seal. He has passed the burning ice and the fire that does not burn. What say you," said the Unseen voice.

"Aye," said the entire council of Elders.

"Then make him ready," said a man with a heavy Aussie accent.

I was helped, half carried, from the council chamber to a shower where three lovely girls hand washed me from top to bottom. Then I was given a manicure and a pedicure. My hair was cut and even the hairs on the bridge of my nose were waxed, yikes! They offered to shave my privates but that was a little too personal for my likes. Then I saw the gal who was going to do it and waved her in, what the hell. In the end I was dressed in something very like a Japanese kimono but on the back was the Great Seal. I carried no sword and for that I was grateful. Once I was prepared I was led out a different door and down a different hallway. At the end of the hall was a double door and waiting in front of it was the Old Vampire. I was surprised at how plainly she was dressed compared to me. The two young ladies stopped just before the doors and each kissed a different cheek and headed back up the hall.

"What's going on and why didn't you warn me," I asked her.

"Tradition," she said. "When a new head of the Family is installed there is a bit of a hazing ritual."

"So burning my clothes off of me was part of it," I asked her.

"No," she said frowning. "We need to talk about that later. But now, we need to celebrate a new era for the Family."

The doors opened as she said those words and the room beyond were filled with elegantly dressed people. These were the most powerful people on the planet and my family, The Family.