Chapter 20 - Kyrie

Lucy

The splintering wood moved noiselessly as I pushed on the massive doors. I closed them gently behind and walked slowly and reverently down the slanted path. Between row upon row of velvet covered pews I felt the familiar peace ease my troubled heart. I bowed once I reached the third row, crossing myself quickly. I rose from the floor only enough to move into the pew and kneel again.

I closed my eyes, and began my prayer.

"Glória in excélsis Deo, et in terra pax homínibus bonae voluntátis. Laudámus te. Benedícimus te. Adorámus te. Glorificámus te. Grátias ágimus tibi propter magnam glóriam tuam; Dómine Deus, Rex Cæléstis, Deus Pater Omnípotens. Dómine Fili Unigénite, Iesu Christe. Dómine Deus, Agnus Dei, Fílius Patris. Qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis. Qui tollis peccáta mundi, súscipe deprecatiónem nostram. Qui sedes ad déxteram Patris, miserére nobis. Quóniam tu solus Sanctus. Tu solus Dóminus. Tu solus Altíssimus. Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spíritu in glória Dei Patris. Amen."

Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace towards men of good will. We praise thee. We bless thee. We worship thee. We glorify thee. We give thanks to thee for thy great glory; O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesu Christ. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right of the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art Holy. Thou only art the Lord. Thou only art the Most High. Thou only, O Jesu Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art Most High in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The words flowed off my tongue as I whispered in the stillness of the old church. It had once been a beautiful Catholic church, built after the style of the many missions in the earlier centuries; but it had since fallen into disrepair. The wooden pews were aging and bowed in several sections, while the paint slowly peeled off the walls. The graffiti along the stone pillars and the ornate pulpit were perhaps the worst aspects of this once blessed sanctuary.

Only one window remained intact in the church, the most precious of them all. Stationed behind the pulpit, facing the congregation so the rising sun in the east would cast its warm golden light through the stained glass, was the risen Christ. Robed in pure white, with a purple sash to tie his robes to His glorified body, His arms were stretched forward to reveal the wounds in His hands.

The wounds that cleansed the world of sin.

The wounds that redeemed the fallen soul.

The wounds that I needed in my life.

I was resolved to my new life as a vampire. The challenges of my new life were simple enough to work out; as long as I kept the right spirit with me. I had learned early in my life, while helping my mother in the kitchen as she made homemade tortillas and beans, that attitude was crucial in overcoming my troubles.

My troubles? Almost anything to do with my life was a trouble now.

For one, I was resigned to stay inside a broken down manor all day. Teresa led all of us in keeping house, wiping out the cobwebs and repairing what damage we could with available materials. I felt guilty every time I helped though because I knew that every single piece of materials was not honestly worked for. It was stolen.

And the theft didn't stop there. Any money that we actually did spend was taken from banks or supermarkets by force; sometimes by coersion. The clothes we wore, though they did help me look better, were purchased by this dirty money; when it was purchased at all that is.

Thou shalt not steal.

Then, there was the fact that almost everything that I had known and planned on doing, focused on not revealing truth. I was a vampire; we existed in the world. We were no more myth or fairytale than sunlight or the changing tides. We had gifts that could change the world. But we were bound by an iron grip of fear to lie to the world. To hide behind closed doors and ignore the glorious world that our Maker has given us.

We especially had to lie whenever we were confronted by a human who saw through our charade. Even bending the truth is in effect a lie. A lie by omission is a truth told in the hopes of deceiving another.

Thou shalt not bear false witness.

I fought daily with my inner passions. I foolishly longed to still be human at times. The constant pain in my knees, the rigorous work schedule at work, even paying taxes on overpriced goods would have been nice. But more than that, to feel the warmth of my children's arms around me, the chance to cry at a sweet and tender moment, even a good night's sleep again. It was hard not to be envious of the humans that I hid from. They had all they could really ask for, and they squandered it on frivolous needs.

The things they wasted their time on were so infuriating when they had so much to be thankful for. "I'm not pretty enough", "I'm not rich enough", "I'm not worth the time of day because of where I was born" were such terrible things that these people wasted their precious lives on. I wanted to just shake sense into them.

Thou shalt not covet.

But perhaps the worst of all was our lust for human blood. Lust was perhaps not the best word for the insatiable need; it was as close a word as I could place on it. We had to feed in order to continue. Our bodies could not be denied this addiction. The longer we tried to ignore our thirst, placating our minds in what solace could be found against the inner fire, the more powerful the urge became. And fighting it only made us need more blood anyway.

David had come up with an ingenious solution for those of who were entirely opposed to hunting. We got blood from the local hospitals. It was donated to keep people alive anyway right?

It wasn't too bad really. It was kind of stale and , but it was palatable. I still felt guilty though because every drop of that precious liquid was another drop that a dying human might have needed. The few drops that might have meant the difference between life and death.

Thou shalt not kill.

I closed my eyes even tighter, whispering my prayer again more fervently. Everything about my life now was against God's law. How could I gain forgiveness when everything in my life was contrary to that of God? How could I save the souls of my new family?

Weeks had passed since I first returned to church. It was relatively depressing that it took becoming a vampire to push me back through the doors, but the truth is often hardest on the one who needs it most.

This chapel had seemed the perfect place for me to commune with my Maker. Run down, and in a ghetto-like neighborhood, I knew I wouldn't attract a lot of attention by slipping inside at night. There were no locks or bars on the windows to keep me from entering and leaving as I pleased.

It had been a shock to me at first that I could walk on hallowed ground, but I suppose it was only silly superstitions that Hollywood movies thrived on that brought up that lie. I still wore a cross around my neck, prayed and said my Savior's name, and could walk wherever I wished without any kind of retribution or hindrance.

The first night I had returned from praying all night, David had caught me at the door. He froze at the sight of me. "What have you been all night?" he asked me quietly, his eyes intensely scrutinizing my face.

I studied his face for a long while. I knew it was pointless to lie to him; even without using one of the others' gifts he could tell when I was lying. I was just that poor of a liar most of the time. Plus, what harm could it do? I was out praying all night; big deal.

"I was at church," I ended up telling him defiantly.

David studied me for another second before he turned away quietly, leaving me to wonder what his interest had been. I stood in the door for another full minute before I remembered what I was even doing.

Those first few weeks were some of the best. I came every night and poured out my soul. I knew that I couldn't confide in a priest for confession, let alone atone in the traditional manner; so I took my prayers to heaven myself. Every little misdeed in my life, I begged for forgiveness. Every time I fed, or even thought about feeding, I begged for mercy. Every time I saw humans I prayed for grace.

Often it felt as though I were asking for forgiveness for just living.

And at first, that had been enough. But the more attached I became to the vampires I was living with, the more concerned I became for their own souls. Especially some of the younger ones. They were becoming partially wild. It was as though the devil himself came and possessed their bodies sometimes.

Even the older matrons among our coven weren't immune to this blasphemous behavior. Several nights, Teresa, Sherilyn, Bekka, and Delilah prowled the city, and God alone knew all that occurred while those four were out.

I had started simply as a way to relieve my own conscience, but soon my prayers included every member of my family. The callous ways of our group were enough to make me cry in spiritual agony. I was desperate to save what was left of their souls. I began to feel like a mother to a whole new group of teenagers, begging for the prodigals to return to their senses.

I invited them often to join me, but so far only Teresa or David consented to join me. It didn't really offend me because religion was a very personal thing. It was definitely one of the three taboo subjects around the dinner table.

Worship had become harder for me since Barbara had imposed her new rules on us. At first I could come and go as I pleased, which was usually all night, every night. But now I had to bring someone with me. Teresa and David were very willing, though I felt bad burdening them on my behalf. I wanted to make life better for us, not more difficult.

Even though I was a vampire now, it still amazed me how much of my personality remained intact. I still tried to lighten all the loads I saw. I had been doing it since I was young; helping mother in the kitchen, watching my little cousins for my family, and other similar chores were common for me.

I didn't really mind it. It made me feel closer to the people I helped.

Tonight Teresa was scouting the city with Sherilyn's patrol, and David had consented to come with me. He was sitting in the back of the small chapel, keeping his own quiet thoughts about the mysteries of the universe. I didn't bother him with praying aloud, so it was a perfect situation.

I opened my eyes slowly, the window image filling my vision. "Kýrie, eléison; Christé, eléison; Kýrie, eléison," I murmured softly.

"Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord have mercy," David echoed softly behind me.

I smiled. "I thought you weren't Catholic," I murmured to him.

He chuckled quietly. "I was in choir in high school," he replied. "The Kyrie is a popular madrigal piece for a lot of schools. The vocal harmonies are difficult to master, especially when done a cappella."

I nodded my head in understanding, knowing full well he was watching every movement I made. I had anticipated his answer. David was often singing some song to himself throughout the day. It was beautiful to listen to, though frustrating whenever we couldn't recognize it. He was like a walking iPod some days. Now I know why he knew some songs that were just absolutely off the wall.

And I knew the words to the prayers in English as well as Latin, but it felt more powerful to keep it in the original dialect. The rhythmic flow was just so beautiful. It didn't really surprise me that so many composers' songs were taken from the texts of the church and put to music. It had a natural beauty all of its own.

David appeared by my side. "Can I ask you something?" he whispered quietly. He wasn't making eye contact with me, though the energy of his body was focused toward me.

I resisted the urge to make a sarcastic comment. "What is it dear?" I asked him in the same gentle tone. I don't really remember when I started calling everyone dear. It was just a term of endearment, no pun intended, that let people know I care about them. Only two people I'd ever met hadn't earned that title, and they had changed all our lives.

"How do you do it?" he asked. He turned to look at me now. "How do you keep your faith so strong?"

I stopped to consider his question for a moment. Sliding into the bench, I dropped my chin onto my fingers. It was a question I was not prepared for. Honestly I had expected him to tell him a technical question of the church, one that had a specific answer. But he was asking me a theological and personal question. Those were always harder to answer.

I answered his question with one of my own. "What makes you ask David?" I replied, turning to face him again.

David rebuffed quickly. "Nothing. Forget about it."

He turned to go before I grabbed his hand. "David," I chided him gently. "Talk to me."

Slowly I pulled David back down to sit next to me. His eyes were trembling, though his body was a perfect statue on the seat. David was so still he could have made the Thinker forget who he was.

He was silent for a moment or two. "David?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

He sighed deeply. "I'm just not sure anymore," he whispered so quietly I almost missed it. His words were so defeated it felt like he was confessing the darkest secret in the world.

"What aren't you sure of David?" I prompted him. I didn't want to push him to tell me anything, but he must have been even partially willing to tell me. Why else would he have broached the subject?

"I'm not sure what I'm doing anymore," he answered. I watched his face as he spoke, seeing the full depths of his uncertainty flow across like lines of a script.

"I just don't know why I'm still living. What is my purpose? Yes I know that I helped Amanda find a purpose for her life, but what about me? So much of my life has bent serving and helping others that I have not time left for me."

I nodded my head as he paused to refill his lungs with air he didn't really need. I understood that feeling all too well. I often felt like an emotional doormat that everyone wiped their feet on. Come tell Lucy all your troubles and I'll make them go away.

When I first met David, over two years ago when he was hired on at the company, I knew he was a lot like I was. He was hardworking and strong willed, but was also compassionate and caring to everyone he met. It wasn't to say that he didn't get upset; the fuse on his temper was even shorter than mine. However, David never let it interfere with his job, let alone how he tried to help people.

It was something I admired about him.

David continued.

"Everyone else in our little group seems to need more out of me than I can give. I have been given multiple, and sometimes conflicting, roles. Brother, caregiver, friend, confidant, teacher, protector, guardian, priest, and a million other titles that I don't feel like I can handle.

"I'm always the one who is putting their own self on hold for someone else. I have no real direction besides that. I'm not really good at anything else. I was so good at customer service because I was fixing people's problems. I was the 'problem child' that fixed all the issues I could. All for a lousy nine bucks an hour and a faux happiness plastered onto my face.

"I always have been good at helping others, but I can't seem to help myself. I know what and when to say things to others, to give them the strength, encouragement, and will to pick themselves up and move on. But who do I lean on when I'm weak? Who can possibly help me with my burdens?"

David's head dropped into his hands. I reached out and soothingly rubbed his back.

So this was the heavy weight he carried.

I had known for some time that he was overtaxing himself. As vampires our bodies were perfect and completely invulnerable to fatigue, sickness, and ailment. However, it seemed that all the weaknesses of our flesh had simply been moved to our mind and heart. Our emotions were so many times greater. Our feelings were that much more precious.

David had not taken a spare moment for himself since our creation. He ate, breathed, and lived for our family. David was the first one to take an extra watch of our blood lands. David was the first one to go looking for a wandering member who might get into trouble. David was the first one to jump when our monarchs ordered us to.

And it was killing David.

David's soul had been broken. I could feel it within every fiber of my being. This explained why he was so willing to come with me while I prayed. He escaped the numerous demands he felt compelled to fulfill. And he was not entirely selfish with it either, giving me a chance to serve our family. Even broken and downtrodden as he was, David was still putting the needs of others before himself.

"David?" I whispered.

He slowly pulled his head up to look at me. His garnet eyes were glassy with venom. It pained me to see him this way.

"I feel so trapped Lucy," he choked. "I want to help everybody so much its killing me. But at the same time, I know that I'm neglecting myself. I don't really have fun anymore. I can't even really remember what it feels like."

David closed his eyes, and bowed his head in a shameful guilt. It was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I reached out and jerked his head up to face me. "Now you listen to me David," I said. "You have got to stop this. You can't save the world. You can't save all of us. Its physically impossible. You're not Superman after all."

David smirked weakly at me. "You're right," he muttered. "I could eat kryptonite for breakfast, but stick me next to a stove and I'll melt."

I laughed in spite of myself. David laughed halfheartedly, but his laugh was genuine enough. He was at least still making jokes.

I sighed quietly. "David," I said. "You are just experiencing what it feels like to be a parent."

He looked at me curiously. I smiled warmly, knowing I had his attention now.

"You consider yourself our big brother," I continued. "Well listen to me now as a son from a mother." He nodded his head once, his gaze focusing intensely on my face. I took a deep breath before I continued.

"You are not responsible for all of us," I told him forcefully. David tried to interrupt, but I held my hand up for silence. He held his tongue. "You cannot be physically responsible for all of us. Don't think I didn't see you during our first battle. You were running around like a chicken with your head cut off to keep some of us from doing anything, myself included.

"I love you as I would a son David," I continued. "But if you keep this up you'll drive yourself insane. You are trying too hard to keep us safe."

"But how else can I make up for what I've done?" David moaned sharply.

"What have you done David?" I asked him quietly. "What could you have done that would require such heavy penance?"

David looked at me as though he had been crushed. "What haven't I done?" he muttered. "I've killed innocent lives, molded my own family into murderous weapons, then stolen and lied to support my family ever since."

David stood up and was across the room before I realized he had moved. I stood and walked over to him slowly. "God has forsake me," he said breathlessly. "I am paying for my mistakes."

My hand flew across the distance and slapped David in the face. It happened so fast I was in disbelief that I had done it. I had slapped him with all the strength my hand possessed.

He turned to me with a hurt expression on his face. "What was that for?" he gasped.

"That was the equivalent of God's hand," I spat. I was so furious at David I didn't know how else to get through to him at that point. He was ignoring everything that I knew he believed. He was believing his own lies.

"David you are the dumbest smart person I know," I fumed. "You are listening to a lie. God has not abandoned you. You really think we would still be existing at all if God had abandoned us? We wouldn't even be dust if He didn't will it so. We are nothing compared to His power. And yet He loves us enough to let us make our mistakes and help us fix them."

David began a retort, but never finished it. Our heads snapped in unison to the door where we could hear crisp footfalls heading toward us. In a blur of shadows we nestled ourselves on the top balcony, holding our breath in bated silence.

The door opened and a woman with blonde curls slid in through the small gap. She shut the door quickly behind her, and walked purposefully down the aisle. David turned to me, the question written plainly on his face. I shrugged my shoulders. I had no idea who she was or why she was here.

She had a small build, most likely a housewife. There was a flash of gold on her peaches and crème left hand and her clothes were modest in their value. It was the way she stared at the stained glass that made the most curious though. She was looking at it beyond reverence. It was as though she was looking on the risen Christ in person, and not just a semblance.

She walked straight up to the altar and knelt down slowly. Crossing herself she bowed her head and began to prayer. The words escaped her lips in hushed whispers, but I heard every word.

"Lord, its Joyce again. I need you now more than ever.

"I'm really worried about Carlos right now. His new friends came by and picked him up tonight for some 'big event' planned. They seemed alright at first, but I'm not so sure anymore. They have tattoos, carry guns and knives, and dress in really baggy clothes. I think he might have joined a gang."

I nodded my head to myself. The description fit. The sound of the mother's worried voice fit. Only seeing this kid Carlos in person would really confirm if it was actually a gang or just punk friends.

My heart immediately went out to her. I had suffered through a gang encounter with my own son. Paul, my godson, had been a gang member. I had loved him as much as any mother could love a son. And it had torn me apart when I found out all that he had done.

Naturally I had my suspicions when he started changing the way he dressed and acted. The friends he hung out with didn't seem bad at first. They didn't fight with their parents, but were in fact very respectful of the familial authority figures. It was the law they had the problem with.

Joyce continued. I could see the glisten of tears on her hand as she wiped her face.

"Lord, I don't know what to do. I'm so afraid that he is following the footsteps of his father, Jorge. I did my best to try to teach him Your ways, the right ways. But I feel like a failure.

"Have mercy on me. Please let me see my son again. Please bring him home to me. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen."

Joyce bowed her head and continued her prayer in silence. David and I were mesmerized by her. The sound of her steady heart was a soothing lullaby to our senses. I could feel the heat from her body here, pulsing softly like a lighthouse beacon. The dry thirst in the back of my throat throbbed with pain to taste her blood, but I held on. David's knuckles were tight as he gripped the railing to steady himself.

A loud screeching split the night. Bullets exploded from multiple origins. Joyce leapt from her position, running across the church in a panicked state. "Carlos!" she screamed.

She burst from the doors, her voice drowned out by the violent scene outside. David and I watched in horror out the balcony windows as everything happening outside played on in a terrible dance. I was too scared to move or even think to react. It was just so gruesome.

Joyce stood transfixed on the front steps of the church, staring down at the pavement, clutching her broken heart. A boy, not more than maybe seventeen years old, lay motionless on the ground. His leg was badly wounded, I could count at least three bullet punctures. He was breathing heavily so I knew he was in pain.

Joyce screamed painfully and collapsed onto the ground. Grasping his head she brushed a strand of hair away from his sweating face. "Carlos," she moaned. "My poor baby." She cradled his head to her chest and cried as she rocked back and forth.

A black SUV raced onto the black street. Joyce came to her senses and began dragging her dying son inside the church. With an almighty heave Joyce pulled her son up the stone steps, shouldering her way through the doors.

The fresh warmth assaulted me like a tidal wave. Everything in me screamed to claim the youth's blood and take the mother's as well. But somehow, I stayed where I was.

Spellbound I watched as Joyce lay her son before the glass window. Removing the sash around her simple dress, Joyce tied the top of his leg tight, Carlos wincing in pain. Joyce fluttered back over to his head and tried to soothe his pain. Under her breath I could hear her desperate prayer, whispered in sobs of pain, "Kýrie, eléison. Kýrie, eléison."

The SUV stopped and several tattooed men jumped out. Quickly they cased the empty street, looking for something, or someone I thought dryly. One bald one with a tight muscle shirt, stopped and studied the ground in front of the church. He dipped his fingers in the coalescing blood, his eyes following the blood trail.

"He's inside," he murmured quietly. His voice carried the unmistakable Mexican accent rich in the desert metropolis.

"What do we do boss?" another one asked, though his voice was uninfluenced by an accent.

The boss stood up and pulled a gun from his back pocket. He cocked it, and then turned to the church. "We kill the rat," he said with a vicious finality.

I turned to David, my emotions beyond words. He face was as still as stone. He could have been watching paint dry with that face. I exploded in silent anger.

"David!" I hissed at him.

"Yes Lucy?" he responded in a dead voice.

"Why are we still standing here when we can help them?" I shouted at him in the same shushed whisper. David could hear me as if I had been yelling in his ear, but the humans below us wouldn't think it anything other than the whisper of the wind.

David didn't respond for a moment. I was so furious I was ready to attack him again. How could he stand there and be so selfish to let these gang members come in her and kill Carlos? They would kill his mother too, just for witnessing the act. The blood would be on our hands too for not preventing it.

"David?!" I hissed in frustration.

"What do you want us to do Lucy?" he looked at me with pained eyes. I hesitated in my anger for a moment. He was actually as torn as I was.

"What can we do Lucy?" he whispered quietly, his voice broken with pain. "If we intervene we'll have to kill Joyce and Carlos too. We have to stay hidden. And to protect the two of them we would probably have to kill the gang."

David paused and let his words sink in. "Are you prepared to do that?" he asked me.

I was so stunned I didn't know what to think. Was I fully prepared to take a life like this? I had taken lives before, but that hadn't really been me. That had been the darker side of my vampire nature reacting to an intense need. It wasn't the same now. I was having to consciously choose who's life I would end. It was a decision I didn't like one bit.

Ayudame mi Dios! I screamed in my heart.

The doors opened with a loud bang. Joyce spun around to face the invaders of the sacred sanctuary. Her face swam from fear to anger to calm in a matter of microseconds.

"We come for the boy," the bald one said in contempt. I could tell now he was the leader of the gang. He definitely looked the part. He was easily two to three years older than all the others, and I could see scars up and down him that came from fighting.

"My son is not going anywhere," Joyce squeaked in a hoarse voice.

The leader didn't even smile at her bravado. "Chico; Ricky," he barked.

Two of the boys detached themselves from the small group and walked toward Joyce. Joyce slid her foot back in a defensive stance. I could hardly believe what I was watching. She had no prayer of winning a fight with these guys.

The first one tried to brush past Joyce, but Joyce caught him in the face with a wicked right hook. He fell back with a startled expression on his face. Joyce looked just as stunned, but even more determined; they would not touch her son.

Carlos stirred ever so slightly. So he was still conscious I thought in relief.

Chico and Ricky pounced on Joyce, pulling her out of the way. The leader walked forward slowly until he was standing face to face with Joyce. "That's better Mrs. Romero," he cooed. He swung his open hand quickly in a loud clap against Joyce's face.

In that moment I snapped. I made my choice right then and there.

I turned to David and saw the same anger boiling underneath his eyes. "We take them down," he swore darkly. If I hadn't been as angry as I was he actually would have terrified me.

David leapt from the balcony, landing soundless on the floor. He spun into the shadows as I ran along the upper banister to sweep down the stairs into the other side of the chapel. I reached over and switched the lights off. The church was plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the lit candles by the altar.

"What's going on?" the leader barked. "Who's there?"

David and I could see just fine, though I couldn't say the same for the gang members. I smiled at the cruel irony that the ones who were in power no longer had the power.

David sprung from the darkness, his face set like an avenging angel. He bolted past one of the loose wingmen fanned out to keep watch and clutched him with iron strength. Without losing any momentum, David spun on his heel and flung the man away. He flew through the air, landing in a crumpled pile by the front door. He didn't move a single muscle.

David was back in the shadows before anyone knew what happened. While they all turned to stare at the man laying motionless on the floor I made a run into their midst. I slammed into the ruffian holding Joyce and pulled him off of her. I didn't slow my speed as I plowed toward the wall. I stopped just short of the wall and jumped into the deep shadows again. But my victim collided right with the hard stone wall with a dull thud.

"Ricky!" the leader shouted.

I heard guns cocking and smirked at the thought. Like those would keep me from ripping them limb from limb.

A shower of papers dropped from the rafters. No sooner had everyone looked up then two more of the goons fell, the familiar sound of bones snapping reaching my ears as David joined me in the deep shadows.

His eyes were alight with a scary fervor. David turned to me and nodded his head before he spun behind the altar and waiting there. I understood perfectly.

Bullets erupted from the guns. The remaining three gang members were firing into the darkness, desperately trying to defend themselves. I felt a small pop on my arm, turning idly to see a bullet hole in my shirt sleeve. But my skin didn't even have a scratch on it. I smiled at the knowledge to know that I was bulletproof.

David appeared over by the light switches and flipped the lights back on. The gangs turned to where David had been just seconds before, but he was hiding in the upper balcony again.

I sprang from concealment, my feet making no noise across the floor as the previous attacks. I grabbed the gun wrist of one the remaining guard over Joyce and flipped him over my shoulder with it. He crashed into two pews at the same time and rolled to the floor, sliding to the floor with a low moan.

The two remaining members turned their guns to face me. I revolved on the spot slowly, facing them down with a steely glare. They held their ground impressively, leveling their guns in my face.

Big mistake.

David leapt from the balcony again, tackling the other gang member to the floor. The gang leader swung around to place his gun in David's face, sweat pouring down his face. David looked at the gun amused and swatted it out of his hand with a force so strong I heard the bones break in the leader's hand.

"You were out of bullets anyway," David said softly.

The leader turned to David with pure fear in his eyes. "Who are you ese?" he gasped in pain. He cradled his hand against his stomach.

David smiled at him, the gang leader backing away slowly from his face. "I am a messenger," David said quietly, though every word made the gang leader paler. "And this is the message for you. If you ever trouble Joyce and her son Carlos again, I will find you and I will end what was begun tonight."

The gang leader stumbled back toward the door, running for his very life. I stared at the door with David as the gang leader stumbled out the door. The SUV roared to life and with another squeal of rubber the vehicle drove off.

I felt my anger slowly ebb away, turning back to see Joyce. I knelt down to wake her, placing my hand on her cheek gently. It was sticky to the touch.

"David!" I yelled.

David was by my side in an instant. "She's been shot," he whispered in a defeated voice. "She's dying."

"Carlos," she whispered. "Is he alive?"

"Only just," David whispered. He turned to me. "I've got to take him to a hospital."

I nodded my head, not taking my eyes off of Joyce. The thirst was the last thing on my mind right now.

David moved like liquid lightning. In an instant he had Carlos cradled in his arms and taking one last look at me sprinted out the door. The air cooled around me with the absence of Carlos' body.

"Carlos," Joyce moaned.

"He's safe," I whispered softly, moving a strand of hair from her face.

Joyce smiled weakly. She rasped a cough. I could hear now what David meant. I could tell her lung had been punctured by a stray bullet. She was suffocating to death.

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking away the pooling tears. "I thank God for sending me guardian angels," Joyce choked, fighting the blood in her lungs. "Please protect my baby."

"We will," I promised solemnly.

Joyce closed her eyes, arching her back slightly in pain. As I knelt there, holding her hand I felt so powerless. All the power in this new vampire body and I couldn't save this woman. This mother who was willing to give her own life to protect her son. I couldn't save this valiant soul. I was powerless for once.

But I wasn't entirely powerless.

I had venom.

The venom had been enough to bring all of us back from the brink of death. Logan and Barbara's venom was strong enough to repair the body as well as change into a vampire. But would I have the strength it took to not kill her any faster?

I brought her hand closer, knowing all it would take was one bite. One small knick of her skin and the venom would do the rest. I would even get to taste her blood after all. It would be a full "win-win" situation.

I froze as my lips neared her warm flesh. How could I punish this woman for her faith? It would be a punishment, not a salvation for Joyce. She could live, but would suffer with this demonic thirst. She would live with the pain of knowing that everyone she ever cared about would eventually die and leave her alone. She would become marked for the rest of eternity.

I shook my head in shame. I didn't want to change her to preserve her life. I wanted another companion. I was being selfish. I was being proud. I would not be that selfish. I would let her have her peace.

For the love of her son I couldn't change her. For the love of the kindred spirit in her I couldn't change her. For the love of God I would not change her.

It took every ounce of will power I had to pull back from her hand and hold as she took her final breaths. I could only sit and watch as every breath came in pain. I could only silently listen to the ever slowing beats of her heart.

Then, all at once, Joyce was gone. Another angel joined the hosts of Heaven.

But I found no solace in this fact. I had the power to protect her, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I dropped her hand from my grasp and dropped to my hands, bowing before my Maker. I felt like a monster inside. More now than when I had slaughtered countless inmates to slick my thirst for blood, more than when I had watched my godson be carted off to jail. More than when I had destroyed a little boy's family in my first violent act as a vampire.

I cried. I cried and pleaded with my Maker to spare Joyce's son. It was too late to save her body, but her son had to live through this. It would be the only saving grace from this debacle tonight.

I don't know how long I prayed for mercy before David returned. He ghosted behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Carlos will live," he said in a breathless whisper. "Its time to go. The police will be here soon."

I nodded my head and followed behind David as we ran home. I felt so hollow and empty inside. The whole way home I cried inside, hoping my prayer reached heaven. Hoping that my Lord would forgive me yet again for my own weaknesses.

Kýrie, eléison; Christé, eléison; Kýrie, eléison.

Aro looked up as Demetri entered the hall. He was followed shortly by Jane, Felix, and Corin. So all of them survived, he thought idly. What a surprise this is.

Demetri walked briskly over to Aro as the other three became immersed in a recount of their adventures to the rest of the Guard. Demetri knew that Aro would want to hear, and see, for himself what they had witnessed.

Aro waved Demetri forward, a rich smile on his face. He knew from Demetri's body language that something important needed to be said. What he could only guess at, but the thought of the information was exhilarating. It was as akin to Aro's joy as Christmas morning for little children.

"Master," Demetri said with a bow. "I have no other way to describe what news I have."

Aro looked at Demetri with surprise. Demetri was one of the more articulate among vampires that Aro had met. For Demetri to be short of words was a marvel in and of itself. So the information he had must be worth its weight in gold.

Aro stepped forward out and extended his hand to Demetri. Demetri grasped his hand in eagerness. The thoughts that flowed into Aro amazed him. The strength and power these newborns presented was incredible. Some of their gifts hadn't even been fully developed yet when Demetri left, and that was two days ago. What an addition to the histories this would make. What a powerful advantage to be had from these newborns.

"What is it Aro?" Caius asked excitedly. "What makes you smile so?"

Aro turned to his brother and his smile deepened. "We have found our advantage my dear Caius."

Caius studied Aro for a moment before breaking into a maddening grin all of his own. "How fortunate," Caius crowed. "Shall I?"

"Yes, yes," Aro said, waving Caius away idly. The information was incredible and Aro was still analyzing it all. The power. The strength of mind. The acuity of their identity was unheard of. What had been the trigger for them to be powerful?

Most powers of these magnitudes cropped up every few centuries, but not like this. It was like a vein of pure refined gold had been discovered right under Aro's feet. It was ready for the taking. It was ready for the polishing.

Aro watched as Caius rounded up about half of the guard present and left out the door. Demetri, Jane, Felix, Chelsea, Afton, Santiago, and several others joined the hunting party. Only this time they would come back with a very good catch. A very good catch indeed.

******************************

Maria looked at her troops. They were ready. Twenty six of the meanest and toughest men she could round up. Her gaze swept over them, her possessive nature relishing the power they entrusted in her.

"Come," she said in a calm commanding tone. Maria took off into the night, running for the concrete oasis, only one thought on her mind. Possession.

It was time to reclaim what was rightfully hers. Nothing would be denied her anymore. With this new army, not even the gifts of the army she was facing would stand a chance. They would be mercilessly slaughtered. And Maria would have her treasure again.

"Maria," a soft voice asked her.

Maria turned to see the only other female vampire in about a hundred miles by her side, running as easily as she. She was lovely for a vampire too. Her dark chocolate hair was swept away from her face in an elegant style, her fair wintry skin suiting her perfectly.

Maria was almost jealous of this delicate beauty.

"Yes Natasha?" Maria responded.

"Are you sure we're ready?" Natasha whispered secretively. "I'm not sure that we can win."

Maria laughed wickedly. "That is not the point," Maria replied. "We are going to war now."

Natasha nodded her head and fell back into line. Maria had not intended to choose her, but something about her reminded Maria of the past. It reminded her of something precious that she had lost. Something that Maria still longed to have back.

Maria quickened the pace, running from the memories of the past. She had no time to reminisce right now. Soon it would all be resolved anyway. Just a little longer and the pain would leave.

A smile crept across Maria's face. Its time, she thought to herself euphorically as the sun began to rise in the east behind them.