The Vampire and the Goth Ch. 09

The Vampire and the Goth Chapter 9

Elizabeth held me in her arms and asked, "Why did you kill your parents?"

I sighed deeply. "I've been asking myself that same question for almost 600 years."

Elizabeth kissed the top of my head. I knew she needed to hear more about what happened.

"New vampires have a hard time controlling themselves. I didn't know that, though. After I became a vampire, all I wanted to do was go home. I thought I could do that. But new vampires don't have a lot of control at first, and the desire for blood is really strong."

Elizabeth tightened her arms around me. I realize now that she knew I was close to losing it.

"My sire found me and prevented me from killing the rest of my family. I think she felt guilty for letting me slip away from her for the rest of her life. She blamed herself for what I did to my family."

"How did she die?"

"Stanislav, it's time to go," Vadoma said, grabbing my hand in the dark and leading me away from my burning home. I felt numb and in shock. I didn't think about where we were going, I just let her lead me away.

We arrived at Vadoma's camp at the break of day. People were packing up and getting ready to leave.

"Hi, Vadoma! Do we have a guest?"

A pleasant-looking older woman waved Vadoma over with a broad, toothy grin. Vadoma steered us toward her.

"Masilda, this is Stanislav. He'll be traveling with us for a while," Vadoma said, gesturing at me.

Masilda looked at me closely. "He's new, eh?"

"Just last night."

Masilda smiled at me. "I'm sure you've had a shock, but you're among friends now."

I nodded without really hearing what she said. The older lady smiled at Vadoma.

"We're going to leave soon," Masilda said. "Why don't you go to your wagon? I know the new ones don't like a lot of sun."

Vadoma lead me to a large covered wagon and helped me up a short ladder. The wagon contained a bed and a trunk.

"This is where we'll sleep during the day," Vadoma said, as she turned the sheets down for me. I realized I felt absolutely exhausted as I crawled into bed. Vadoma put her arm around me and kissed my cheek, and I fell asleep almost immediately.

When I woke up, I could hear people talking. I rolled over and saw Vadoma sitting on the trunk next to a lamp. She was talking with a large man.

"I think he's awake," the man said.

Vadoma smiled at me and helped me sit up. "Stanislav, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

I looked at the man in front of me. Like Vadoma, he also had black hair and was tall, with broad shoulders. Unlike her, however, his skin was considerably darker.

The man smiled at me. "My name is Mairik. I'm the father of Lasho, the boy you saved from the villagers."

"Oh," I said. It felt like years had passed since that night, though it had only been a couple of days. "How is your son?" I asked.

Mairik laughed. "He's feeling better. He took some lumps and bruises but now he knows to steer clear of drunks!"

I smiled. I'd seen the boy getting beaten up by a few men from my village and I stepped in to stop it. The boy was slight, but given how big his father was, I felt sure he'd grow up to be substantial.

"I'm glad I could help," I mumbled.

"Mairik is my cousin, and he is the leader of our family. We call him our voivode," Vadoma said.

Mairik turned to Vadoma. "If he's new, he probably needs to feed, right?"

Vadoma nodded. "Probably."

Mairik sat next to me. "It would be an honor to provide you with blood." He moved his wrist under my mouth.

I wasn't sure what to do. I looked to Vadoma with an unspoken question.

"It's okay, Stanislav. You may bite his wrist and drink his blood.

Still feeling unsure of myself, I dropped my fangs and bit into Mairik's wrist. His blood shot into my mouth, warm and spicy. I swallowed a few mouthfuls, and then Vadoma told me to stop.

I didn't want to stop. The blood felt amazing in my mouth, and as it ran down my throat, it satisfied a hunger I didn't even know I had. But somehow, my mouth and throat simply stopped working.

I looked at Vadoma, and she smiled at me.

"We're hunters and protectors of our tribe. When we're on the move, we won't always be able to hunt. When that happens, our tribe will sustain us. But we can't drink too much from any one person."

That made sense, but it didn't explain how a simple command from her had made me physically unable to continue drinking.

Mairik smiled. "You will make an excellent addition to our family, Stanislav. Welcome, protector."

"Thank you," I said, still feeling overwhelmed.

After Mairik left, I turned to Vadoma. "How did you stop me from drinking his blood?"

"I'm your sire, the one who made you a vampire. You will always listen to me."

"So you'll stop me from killing anyone else?" I asked.

Vadoma sighed. "As a new vampire, you'll need a lot of blood. The longer you live, the less you'll need, but for now, you'll have to feed almost every night." She was silent for a moment, then she said, "I let you down once. I won't make that mistake again."

I nodded silently.

She continued. "I can promise you this -- you will not kill another person unnecessarily while I'm with you."

I thought about what she said. "What does that mean?"

"There are humans out there who want to hurt others. We can't stop people from hurting each other, but we can stop them from hurting the vulnerable and the innocent. There are more than enough such people out there to sustain us, but when we aren't able to find them our family will help us."

"Like Mairik?"

"Yes. They want to help us because we're part of them, and we keep them safe."

I thought about what she'd said.

"I saved Mairik's son, is that why you made me a vampire?"

Vadoma smiled. "Yes, partly. But also because you're cute." Then she kissed me on my nose.

"So a vampire can always command anyone they make into a vampire?" Elizabeth asked.

"To a certain extent, yes. Once you've been sired, you are bound to the vampire who sired you."

"Okay. So basically, they become your slave?"

I laughed. "Not exactly. It's more like a parent/child relationship. When someone sires a vampire, they're responsible for their progeny. They're supposed to teach you how to be a vampire, not how to be a slave."

We went outside to meet the rest of the family, which was much larger than I thought it would be. Everyone greeted us very warmly.

"Do they know we're vampires?" I asked

Vadoma laughed. "Yes, they know. We protect them, and they protect us."

I thought about what she said for a moment. Then, I heard a man's voice calling to me.

"Welcome! Please come sit down with us!"

Vadoma took my hand and walked with me to the fire. A tall, light-skinned man stood up and embraced me like a brother.

"Welcome guardian! I'm Menowin, and this is Vano and his wife, Aletta, my brothers, Patrin, and Timbo. And this is my sister, Naomie."

Everyone in turn stood up and hugged me. Naomie also kissed me on the cheek.

"He's handsome, Vadoma!" she smiled, and Vadoma smiled back.

"Your name is Stanislav, right?" Naomie asked.

"It is. But most people call me Stosh."

Naomie laughed. "Vadoma doesn't call you Stosh!"

Naomie had deep dimples and a heartbreakingly beautiful smile.

Menowin cleared his throat. "Vadoma isn't most people," he said with a laugh. "Naomie, get our new cousin some meat before it cooks too long."

Naomie handed me a wooden plate and a large chunk of nearly raw meat. I remembered what happened when I tried to drink my mother's soup and looked at Vadoma.

"It's okay, Stanislav. You can eat it."

I took a tentative bite of the meat. It tasted delicious, so rich and flavorful. I grinned, and everyone smiled with delight as I chewed and swallowed.

"Masilda said he's new. Is this his first time eating flesh?" Vano asked.

"Yes, it is. He's still learning what he can do."

Soon enough, the rest of the meat was presented to everyone else, as was bread, roasted potatoes, and wine. After eating, people started singing songs and telling stories. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Then, Masilda, the older woman who greeted us on our way into camp, sat down between Vadoma and I. People quieted down almost immediately.

"Tonight, our family has grown by one. Stanislav was born a gadjo, but he comes from our sister, Vadoma. We welcome him with open arms and we pledge our protection and acceptance as one of us."

Everyone was silent for a moment, then Mairik stood up and raised his cup high.

"Welcome Stanislav, beloved brother, and protector!"

Everyone spoke with one voice. "Welcome, Stanislav!"

Suddenly, I was mobbed by people. I was hugged and kissed, passed around between a dizzying array of men, women, and children.

The feeling of acceptance was overwhelming. Didn't these people know what I was? But Vadoma just smiled and whispered in my ear, "What happened before is the past. All that matters is the future."

Elizabeth smiled at me. "She was an amazing lady."

"Yes, she was," I said, feeling a familiar pain. Remembering Vadoma will always be bitter-sweet for me.

One by one, everyone went to bed until only Vadoma and I were left.

"So what happens now?" I asked.

"Now we go to work," she said.

We walked through the woods around the camp as Vadoma explained to me that we were the night guardians to her family, who watch over us in the day.

"They keep us safe during the day, and we keep them safe at night."

I wondered how safe I could keep anybody if I couldn't keep my parents safe from me.

Vadoma squeezed my hand. "Someday, you'll forgive yourself. But for now, you must learn to live with it."

Elizabeth gently kissed me.

"How long did it take you to forgive yourself for what happened with your parents?"
I gave her a sad smile. "I'll let you know when it happens."

Vadoma and I were walking through the forest in the dark when suddenly, she stopped in front of me. "Stanislav, what do you smell?"

I wasn't sure what she was asking.

"I smell the forest."

She chuckled. "Silly boy! Close your eyes and take a deep breath."

I did as she asked.

"Now what do you smell?"

"I smell... earth, trees, smoke from the fire... and there's... there's a pig."

Vadoma smiled. "Not a pig, Stanislav. A boar. And now we hunt!"

Vadoma took off running through the woods toward the scent of the boar. I followed her, feeling my heart race and my blood pump, lost in the thrill of the hunt. She stood at the edge of a clearing and put out her arm as I came to a stop next to her.

We could see the boar in the darkness. He was a big, imposing animal, but he didn't seem to notice we were there. She looked at me for a moment and motioned that I was to circle around the animal and chase it in her direction. I wasn't sure what she had planned, but I was ready to go.

I gave the boar plenty of room as I walked around the edge of the clearing. The boar was preoccupied with his search for wild onions and paid no attention to us. I could see his enormous tusks but I wasn't intimidated - the pursuit had me excited and ready for a fight. Suddenly, I heard Vadoma clap her hands together. The boar picked his head up at the noise and started to trot away, not interested in investigating the strange sound. Immediately, I ran towards him, waving my arms and yelling.

The boar squealed in shock and took off in the other direction, toward Vadoma. Her fangs and claws were out as she jumped on the beast. Immediately, they were rolling and twisting on the ground, with the boar now screaming in outrage and pain. I was worried he would trample her, so I tried to grab him, and promptly took a hoof to my face, choking on the dirt the beast had kicked at me. Meanwhile, Vadoma took advantage of the distraction to tear the animal's throat out.

We stood over the beast, watching the life pour out of him.

"I didn't know two people could bring down such a big animal," I said, amazed at her skills and my new strength.

Vadoma kissed me. "This is how we protect our tribe. We keep danger away, and if we can provide a meal, so much the better."

Vadoma and I dug up some of the wild onions the boar had been foraging, and we dragged his carcass to camp. The sun was just coming up as we saw Naomie bringing water from the river.

"Oh wow! Looks like you had a good night!"

Vadoma beamed. "I couldn't have done it without Stanislav."

Naomie called out to her brothers. "We'll get this beast squared away. Why don't you clean up?"

Suddenly, I realized we were both filthy.

"Uh, yeah, let's go to the water," I said, taking Vadoma by her blood-soaked hand and leading her away, as she chuckled.

"You don't want to let Naomie see you dirty, huh?"

I blushed. "I just don't want to be this dirty."

"Well, girls love a hero, and you've helped feed everybody for a few days. That should get you laid at least a few times."

Elizabeth cut me off. "No! I don't want to hear about you sleeping with someone else!" She put her hands to her ears.

I sighed. "You know vampires aren't usually monogamous, right?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Yes, I know. But we are. Or we better be!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, dear."

I pulled her to my chest and thought about what Alex had said. "You really want to be a vampire, don't you?"

She answered without hesitation. "Yes, I do. More importantly, I want to be a vampire with you, Stosh."

I didn't say anything, I just held her close.

We traveled with Vadoma's family in a covered wagon and at night, we patrolled around the camp. Sometimes, we went hunting for game. Sometimes, our prey came to us.

"SSSHHHH!! They'll hear you!" I heard the drunken lout say.

His friend giggled.

"Where do you think they keep the gold?"

"I don't care about the gold. I just want to strangle that old bitch."

His friend giggled again.

"Oh come on. You've hit Sofija lots of times!"

"Only when she disobeyed me. And she never said anything until that hag told her I was going to kill her one day. That old bitch should just mind her own business."

The men were standing near Masilda's wagon.

"How are we going to do this?"

"You hold her down and I'll slit her throat. She'll be dead before she can even make a sound."

"Great! Then we split whatever gold we find!"

The men started to creep toward Masilda's wagon. Vadoma nodded at me silently in the dark, and I grabbed the first man by the shoulder. I put my hand over his mouth as I drove my teeth into his neck.

"Hanis?" the other man said, just before Vadoma broke his neck.

"Were there really that many people trying to mess with you?" Elizabeth asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. Wherever we went, we were outcasts. We lived on the edges and traveled all the time because of it."

"That sounds miserable," she said.

I took a deep breath.

"You know that's what it's like to be a vampire, right? You have no roots, no history, no family or friends."

Elizabeth chuckled.

"Oh, you think that's funny?" I said, with a bite to my voice.

"David calls you brother."

Okay. She had a point. "Yes, but - "

"And so does Dmitri."

"Well..."

"You've known David since before the Civil War. And you've known Dmitri even longer."

I didn't know what to say.

She picked her head up and kissed me.

"My dear man, you say vampires have no roots and no history. But what have you been talking about for the last couple of hours?"

I sighed deeply and thought for a moment about how to respond.

"You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"

She laughed. "No, I'm not."

We lay together in the dark, and she hugged me tightly.

"Tell me more about your time in Europe."

Our life with Vadoma's people soon fell into a familiar pattern - they protected us during the day and we protected them by night. They considered our presence a blessing and included us in their everyday lives, even asking us to bless their babies. They opened their hearts to us without judgment. That, more than anything, helped me to heal from the past.

And then we came to Salaspils.

Salaspils was a large village on the bank of the Daugava River at the time we got there. It should have been a great place to set up camp, but instead, we found a city on edge, suspicious of outsiders. Unlike everywhere else we went, there were no curious onlookers as we set up camp, and no one wanted to trade with us.

The cold welcome from the village put me on edge, and I could tell it bothered Vadoma as well. Usually, when we were camped near a village or a human settlement of any size, there would be signs of life. Humans would go outside to eliminate, or we would see them returning from the local pub or hunting. But when nighttime around Salapils, there was nothing -- no human sounds, and no animals either. Not even owls. It was very unnerving.

"This place doesn't feel right to me, Stanislav."

I agreed with Vadoma, something was wrong with our surroundings, but I couldn't put my finger on it. We didn't speak to each other any more than necessary and we looked over our shoulders constantly. The surrounding forest was too quiet.

But nothing happened.

When we got back to camp, we went straight to Lasho, who was our leader at this point, to ask him if he knew what was going on in the village.

"Wait a minute... Lasho... Wasn't that the kid you saved from the drunks?" Elizabeth asked

"Yes, but that was about fifty years before this happened. Lasho grew up, became a father and a grandfather, and the leader of our tribe."

"Geez. I really should be taking notes about this, or maybe recording you..."

"Don't." I knew where she was going with this.

"No, no, I mean it. We can record you and make it into a podcast. We could call it... Dialogue with the Vampire," she giggled.

"Stop it."

She continued to giggle. "Or if you don't like that... maybe we could call it... Stosh's Lot."

I smacked my forehead, and she started to laugh openly at her own joke.

"You're so cute when you're annoyed!"

Then, she booped my nose. She ACTUALLY booped my nose! I was indignant and a little offended.

"You know, shit like THIS is why we don't talk to humans."

For some reason, this made her laugh even harder, and I started to laugh with her, in spite of myself.

"Okay, okay. So what did Lasho say?"

Lasho agreed with our concerns and said that he would go into the village to find out what was going on. He was waiting for us when we woke the next evening.