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Chapter 6
"Where is the Chosen One?" thundered Count Barrack. He slammed his hand on the table. The rest of the High Council murmured in approval.
Count Dracula glowered at Barrack before scanning the rest of the room glaring at each council member until they slowly quietened. "You know where," he replied haughtily.
"No, we don't! All we know is that the Chosen One hasn't been seen for weeks." Count Barrack remained standing.
"And you know why." Count Dracula leaned forward in his seat. "The Chosen One has gone to seek the source. It's written into his destiny. A task which we all needed him to perform. A task that each and every one of you accepted was his role and his alone."
"He could be dead." Count Barrack was refusing to back down. "And here we are accepting orders from you."
"I was regent for over four years," Count Dracula drawled.
"You haven't been communicating with him. Where is the proof that he is still undead?" Barrack roared.
"Don't raise your voice to me." Count Dracula said in a chilling tone. "How do you know whether we have been communicating? Sounds like somebody has been playing I spy." Barrack stepped back slightly at Count Dracula's accusation. "The Chosen One would not be pleased to hear of such treachery." The Count took a scroll of paper from his robes. "Here is a copy of a letter sent to the Slayers' Guild. You will find my son's signature at the bottom."
Barrack picked up the paper in disbelief. "But how?" he stared at the signature of Vladimir Dracula.
"My son is the Chosen One. Does it surprise you that he finds the means to avoid your spies?" The Count looked bored. He waved at Barrack to sit down and the irritable clan leader did so. "If you have to see his orders in writing, that can be arranged."
"We want to see him," Ramanga spoke in his deep voice. "And no faking it Dracula."
The Count glared at Ramanga. Would he ever tire of reminding him about that one little slip up? He had only faked his son's presence once.
"That's not all," Tai spoke up. "We would feel more comfortable if the Chosen One had a member of the High Council with him."
"Well I can't go. Vladimir left me in charge." The Count dismissed her with another wave of his hand.
"No, of course you are too busy and important to leave matters of state. However I have less responsibility on my shoulders and I'm more than willing to serve the Chosen One." Tai gave the rest of the High Council a wicked smile.
The Count raised a scornful eyebrow. This was what happened when you let women onto the High Council. Devious, conniving and treacherous creatures. "I'll put your request to my son."
"I still want to see the Chosen One," said Barrack. Murmurs of agreement followed his statement. All the other clan leaders looked pointedly at Count Dracula.
He shrugged. "Then he will throw a Halloween Ball. He shall abandon his crucially important task of saving our skins to make an appearance on Halloween in order to satisfy your petulant demands." The Count smiled patronisingly. "Save the date. As for your offer of assistance Tai, I will speak to Vladimir. Do not be surprised if he rejects you. My son gives the orders, he doesn't take them. Now I think it's time we moved onto the decidedly more pleasurable part of the evening - drinks and nibbles."
The deep red of the rose petals was like velvet under her finger tips. Scarlett sighed deeply as she stroked the beautiful roses Vladimir had sent her. His note was plain and simple 'Thank you Vlad x'. Scarlett tried to suppress her joyful smile.
"Wow." Charlie shook her head her dark hair dancing across her face. "Just wow!"
"I know!" Scarlett hugged herself in delight. She beamed across the roses at Charlie. "Aren't they beautiful? I've never gotten roses before."
Charlie snapped a photo of the roses on her phone. "I'm just going to remind Robin of his duties as a good boyfriend. I want flowers!"
Tamara set down her magazine. "So what did you do?" she asked bluntly. "Why is he thanking you?"
"Just for looking after him when he wasn't well." Scarlett looked at Tamara in confusion. Why was she trying to find something negative about Vladimir sending her flowers? Tamara had been so moody lately.
"Really that's all?" Tamara smiled cynically. "I guess Donna won't be happy when she sees them." Tamara gestured towards to the roses. "Or Sarah for that matter."
Charlie narrowed her eyes and glared at Tamara before turning to Scarlett. "It's a rumour; you know what college is like for rumours. Probably just kissed both of them in the bar. Anyone fancy another cup of tea?" Charlie reached for Scarlett's mug.
Scarlett deliberately kept her mug out of reach. "What rumour?" She looked from Charlie to Tamara.
Charlie shot another glare at Tamara. "Apparently," she said reluctantly, "Count slept with Donna and Ellie on Friday."
"What? Two girls in one night?" Scarlett exclaimed. She made a face of disgust. "Oh ugh!"
"You know Scarlett sometimes your convent upbringing is so obvious." Tamara flicked her long shiny hair over her shoulder. "Not separately. Both of them. At the same time. As in threesome."
Scarlett dropped her mug. "What?"
Charlie groaned.
"I was speaking to Donna. She said he was an arrogant bastard. When they were finished, he just got up, got dressed and walked out. Just said it was fun! Given Donna's reputation, I don't know what you had to do to get flowers!" Tamara tutted in mock disapproval as she reopened her magazine.
Charlie ripped the magazine from Tamara's hands and swatted her with it. "Shut up Tams!" she hissed. "You should know better than to engage in college gossip. It's a poisonous pastime."
"Ouch! What?" demanded Tamara. "She deserves to know what sort of person he is. Lovely sweet Vladimir pah! Total scumbag! I mean come on Scarlett, you have the whole religious thing going on and he's clearly a womaniser. Don't get your hopes up sweetie, that all I'm saying."
Scarlett pressed a hand to her stomach. "Oh I feel sick."
Charlie grabbed both of her friend's hands. "OK, so Count got drunk and copped off with two girls. It's not really a big deal."
"Yeah it is. It's gross," Tamara interjected. "I mean who wants Donna's leftovers?"
"TAMS!" Charlie snapped.
"Well it is!" insisted Tamara. "Come on Scarlett! You are all chastity and oh my goodness a threesome!" Tamara rolled her eyes in contempt. "I wouldn't be a real friend if I let you lie to yourself in this way. You are a bit weird when it comes to sex- you don't put it about. Vlad is clearly into stuff that you wouldn't ever dream of doing. So fancying him is a waste of time. You're only going to get hurt."
"Tams, get out!" Charlie ordered.
Tamara grabbed back her magazine and stormed off.
Charlie turned back to Scarlett. "Are you ok? No, stupid question obviously." She stroked her friends' hands.
"I suspected that he had...um well it's just different when it's confirmed," Scarlett said softly, her eyes suspiciously bright. "Tams has a point though. I am stupid to fancy someone who is clearly out of my league."
"There is no such thing such as leagues. People are attracted to different things and so what if it's true about Vlad? It doesn't mean that he doesn't fancy you. He's what? Twenty years old. Away from home. Full of tequila and with any number of girls ready to serve it on a plate to him. I mean what heterosexual twenty year old lad is going to turn that down?!"
Scarlett made a sound that was half sob and half giggle.
"Lads do not send roses for no good reason. OK so maybe he had sex with another girl. Or two. But he's single and free to do whatever he likes within the realms of informed consent given by adults. He spent the entire day with you yesterday and it sounds like you had a pretty cosy time of it. That's more meaningful than drunken sex. Don't judge him yet," Charlie said earnestly.
"Argh! I hate it when you are so fair and rational!" complained Scarlett. She knew Charlie had a point and that was what made it so annoying.
"I'm sorry. What do you want me to say? Vlad Count is the root of all evil and I will destroy him by kicking him in the balls with my sharpest stilettos?" Charlie was only half joking.
"Yeah. Please." Scarlett couldn't keep a straight face and began to laugh.
Charlie let go of her hands, her impish face grew serious. "Long sleeves today. You know you can talk to me." She picked up Scarlett's mug.
Scarlett avoided eye contact. "Yeah," she whispered.
"I think we should get some ice cream. GnDs? Fancy a triple chocolate sundae?" Charlie gave her a hug. "And they really are the most beautiful roses I've ever seen."
Thunder and lightning surrounded the castle. Count Dracula was letting everyone know that he was in a terrible mood. He hated that the High Council no longer showed him any respect. As soon as Vlad's eighteenth birthday arrived, the Count had been propelled out of power. The High Council was full of power hungry maniacs who would suck the life out of anything and anyone to get their own way. And he should know, he was one of them. Vlad's presence was greatly missed. He missed his son immensely. They had never been parted for this long before. The Count couldn't ignore the concerns of the High Council regarding his son's welfare because he was deeply concerned too. For two days now, his son had not turned up in the dreamworld.
Now Tai was pushing herself forward as a companion to the Chosen One. She sought prestige and glory by associating herself more closely to their leader. The Count's lip curled in disgust. He couldn't predict his son's reaction either. If anyone should be by Vladdy's side, it was him, Count Dracula, his father and trusted advisor. Tonight it was Tai, tomorrow it would be another member of the High Council. The Count feared for his son's safety. He had sat back and waited for weeks whilst his son and heir put his unlife in danger. No more. It was time he took action and out-thwarted both his son and the High Council.
Vlad worked alone in the library that evening. When he arrived Scarlett was absent from her usual spot. Vlad was surprised at how much he missed her presence. Without either of them consciously deciding to do so, they had fallen into a routine of working together. They gathered the necessary books and sat together because it was convenient. They began discussing which books had been useful. They swapped notes. Vlad would stay and work after Scarlett left to go to sleep and sometimes left her a note to say he had taken a book home or that she should look at this section of the manuscript. Vlad found himself looking forward to spending the evenings with Scarlett. When she left, the library seemed cold and lonely. He found himself dreading that time of the night, when she would sleepily rub her eyes and declare her work done for the night. He noticed how she wore her hair all swept up in a prim bun and then after about fifteen minutes into studying, she would loosen it and her hair would fall around her filling the air around them with her perfume. He noticed that she wrote with an elegant silver fountain pen rather than a biro and the ink would stain her fingers.
Vlad flung down his pen. He couldn't concentrate on the manuscript in front of him. All he could think about was Scarlett. He felt restless and irritable. Deciding that tonight would be a write off, Vlad scribbled a note to Scarlett and then left the library. At the entrance he collided with the object of his thoughts.
"Scarlett!" He was acutely aware that his response was far too enthusiastic. He reached out his hands to steady her as he nearly knocked her over.
"Vladimir," she responded her voice light and teasing. "Leaving so soon?"
"Yes, I mean no, I was going to take a break. How was your day?" he changed the subject quickly. He realised that he was still holding onto her and hurriedly let go.
"Good. Thank you for the roses." Her smile was radiant. She touched his arm lightly. "They were so beautiful. You didn't need to thank me."
"No, trust me I really did," Vlad said firmly. He glanced over her appearance. The soft vulnerable Scarlett of yesterday had gone. The cool and confident young woman was back in her place complete with the red lipstick and tightly constrained hair. "How was your day?" he asked again. Scarlett gave him a sceptical look. Vlad backtracked. "Sorry, I asked that already. Bit tired today, I reckon I should get tea. Would you like tea too?"
"Sure. Fancy going somewhere else instead of the common room?" Scarlett began walking with him. "I know this lovely cafe. It's in an old Georgian house off the high street. Best chocolate brownies ever."
"Chocolate brownies, I'm sold." Vlad walked with her all feelings of irritability and restlessness suddenly gone.
A priest passed them as they walked into the cafe. "Good evening, Father James," Scarlett nodded to him respectfully. The priest declined his head in greeting. "Good evening Scarlett." The priest's eyes flickered over Vlad, and he had the uncomfortable sensation that the priest knew what he was but the priest continued to smile at them as he walked past.
"That's one of the priests at my church. He is a really lovely man." Scarlett tugged on his arm. "Come on, maybe we can nab a place by the fire."
The fireplace a prime location was already taken so they nestled into a corner with hot steaming cups of tea and thick slabs of chocolate brownies. Vlad adored the taste of chocolate. His vampire transformation hadn't changed his preference for breather food and chocolate was probably the best breather food of all.
Eating the brownies also helped Vlad and Scarlett avoid actually talking to each other about Saturday. Both of them knew that the other was pretending that their demons didn't exist, both of them were reluctant to talk about their respective demons and therefore both of them understood the other's silence. However it didn't stop both of them being intensely curious about what the other one was hiding.
"Sorry to be geeky." Scarlett licked the chocolate off her fingertips and fixed Vlad with a determined look. "But can we talk about the research project?"
Vlad was instantly alert. "Yes, go ahead."
Scarlett gazed thoughtfully into her cup of tea before speaking. "So basically this source that Professor Teverson is researching is based on a prophecy about vampires and the end of the world which incidentally sounds like a good disaster movie. Maybe she should think about selling the story to Hollywood? Three thousand years ago a race of vampires dominated the world. Humanity rose up against the vampires and there was a terrible war. Somehow humanity created a source of power to use against the vampires which wiped most of them out of existence. The vampires fall from grace and no longer rule the world," Scarlett intoned the words with mock seriousness as if she were speaking for a film trailer. "Ancient human civilisation is able to take form and we have history as we know it. Nice bit of mythology but then it falls to take account of the great ancient civilisations like Egypt who would have existed around that period." Scarlett frowned for a moment as she tried to remember the earliest dates of the various ancient civilisations.
"Egypt is sunny," Vlad remarked flippantly.
Scarlett laughed softly. "So world domination excluding the sunny countries?"
"I imagine they had to prioritise their resources." Vlad shrugged. "So the prophecy is that the vampires will try to rise again because of some special vampire leader." He tried to keep his voice casual which was difficult given the bizarre nature of this conversation
"Oh yes! The Chosen One!" Scarlett exclaimed as she remembered the official title from her history notes. "He or she will lead vampires to world domination again which is not good news for humankind. So naturally the humans have to use the source to zap the vampires and restore world order. It sounds fascinating! Ok it sounds fascinating to a history geek like me. But some of it doesn't make sense." Scarlett picked up the teapot and poured them fresh cups of tea.
Vlad frowned with concern at the direction this conversation was taking. "What do you mean?"
"For starters, it's really bugging me that Professor Teverson hasn't shown us the prophecy. Surely we need to know what it says before we start researching. And the stuff that we are doing now doesn't feel right." Scarlett sighed and leant back in her armchair. She pulled down her hair and began to twist the strands around her fingers as she thought aloud. "She has us researching general myths about sources of power and destruction but it's too vague. If it was me, I'd start by researching the original vampire/human confrontation. Surely there would be some description as to what the source is in those stories. I don't think this general literature review of myths getting us anywhere. It's as if Professor Teverson is deliberately fudging the issue." Scarlett looked up at Vlad and smiled ruefully. "You must think I'm dreadfully big headed. There I go questioning the expert's methods."
"No," Vlad said slowly, "I think you are right but the confrontation happened nearly three thousand years ago. How would we research that?"
"The book on vampires in Rome mentioned some scrolls that I would be interested in studying. The Bathius Blood papers. I have also found reference to them in sources from Ancient Greece and Egypt texts. The Bodleian Library has copies of them. We bought copies in the nineteenth century from a baroness in Russia. The problem is gaining access to them. The Bodleian Library will have them under the strictest surveillance. I think there are other leads as well but we would need to gain access to rare materials not generally available to undergraduates."
"I think we could gain access to the scrolls," Vlad said with a slight smirk. "Trust me, I'll pull some strings." He was impressed by Scarlett's knowledge. The name Bathius stirred up a faint memory in his mind. He remembered reading about it in the papers he had received from Dhvani. Scarlett's thoughts sounded much more like the research that he should be doing rather than the work Professor Teverson had given him.
"Maybe she is just giving us the easy stuff to keep us occupied until she locates the actual prophecy," Scarlett mused. "Do you really think that you can get us access?"
Vlad nodded confidently. "This way we could prove to her we are not just a couple of kids to be placated. Tell me where we need to look and I will sort it out for you."
"I just want to know more about this myth. It's a fascinating story and I want to know where it comes from." Scarlett sipped her tea and sat back in her armchair.
"Bodleian library tomorrow evening then?" Vlad asked. He picked up another chocolate brownie and bit into it. "Wow, these are amazing."
The librarian led them along the winding corridors behind the scenes of the Bodleian Library. The sound of their footsteps was swallowed up by the soft carpets. The librarian tapped the code into the keypad on the door and ushered them into a dark room. "Please only use the lights provided in this room, they have been specifically designed to reduce harm to the parchment. She handed Vlad and Scarlett white gloves to reduce any damage to the paper. "The door will lock automatically when you leave. I will be checking the papers for any damage so be careful!" With that warning the librarian left them alone.
"You weren't kidding about how seriously Oxford takes its security," Vlad complained.
Scarlett pulled on the white gloves. "We can't photocopy the papers for obvious reasons so if I read them out to you, can you transcribe?" She began to unfold the layers of issue paper surrounding the parchment until the first of the yellowed pages of parchment was exposed. The writing was a dull rusty red against the yellow paper. "Supposedly written in blood hence the title," Scarlett murmured as she gently traced the writing.
Vlad looked over her shoulder. "Wait a minute that's Aramaic!" he exclaimed as he recognised the ancient vampiric language. It was a language mostly lost to the vampires only a few scholars specialising in it.
Scarlett looked up at him clearly impressed. "Yes."
"How do you know it? It's supposed to be a lost language. It's contested as to whether it's even a real language. How could you possibly know it?" Vlad demanded. What he really meant was how could a breather possibly know an ancient vampiric language but he couldn't say that.
Scarlett was absorbed in the reading the parchment. "Oh my father taught me," she said vaguely as she gently unfolded the next page. "Oh but this is wonderful." She gave him an excited smile. "We have a description of the fall of the vampires."
A red sky stretched above our heads. The ground beneath our feet was red with the blood of our enemies. We celebrated by drinking and bathing in the scarlet rivers of blood. The ones who breathed were slain and darkness was restored to its righteous place. Then the light appeared on the horizon, dawn danced with the black night as the red faded. The ones who breathe approached us. The light shielded them from our thirst and one stepped forward. Our eyes begged not to gaze upon it. The one who breathed held a star from the heavens. The world exploded with the light of the sun piercing our hearts.
Chapter 7 teaser
'Sometimes she wondered if reality was similar, if you could just tear it apart and it would continue to swirl around you.'
