"The Books of Aurelius" The history of a Vampire: Five
The Teachings
The last tones of Coppelia filled the theater. Buffy sat with Charles in a balcony booth and the ballet was choking her. All she could do was cry and so she let the tears fall. That does it Now she was convinced that she still had her soul. That was until she looked at Charles and saw 2 lonely tears roll over his cheeks. I need to find out whether or not I still have my soul. I think I do but I'm so used to owning one, will I notice when I lose it?
As the final curtain fell Charles rose and took her arm into his. "Well I hope you enjoyed that." He looked at her and smiled taking in the tear tracks on her face. "I guess you did."
Buffy was curious and could not contain herself. "Well so did you. I didn't know that vampires could care about something so human as a Ballet?"Charles laughed while leading her towards the street. "You must have met some really cold vampires. Of course we enjoy arts and other forms of entertainment. Our lives are not solely based on the Hunt. Actually I spend little time providing for my daily needs."
That was a subject Buffy was not ready to discuss so she kept quiet, enjoying the crisp and damp London air and the streets she walked on. He lead her to a private club where he was greeted most graciously and they were lead to a table.There Buffy was assaulted with a thousand fold of what she had heard and felt around Marie. The music of the Ballet must have drowned out most of the noise but here in the club there was no escaping it. The drum of the heartbeats felt like a 20th century dance club and the sound of the blood rushing was like the Niagara Waterfalls times two. Charles spoke to her in a voice he knew only her vampire ears would register above the noise that she was hearing right now.
"You must choose one of the humans at the table facing you. Then focus on hearing only them." She chose a young girl and focus on her like Giles had taught her to do with vampires. Slowly all that was left was her heartbeat and blood pumping through the young body. Now instead of an overwhelming noise it became a siren's song.
She smiled at Charles indicating it worked. "Well done. That only took you 10 minutes. Usually newly bornes take 30 to concentrate like that. I made a good choice."
10 minutes? To her it had felt like 10 seconds. But it must have been more than that because on the table before her now stood 2 glasses and a champagne cooler. Charles spoke again while he poured her a glass. "Only Childer hear the 'song of life' as we call it. When properly trained or in a situation of dire need, you can use it to identify a human at 10 miles. Mere fledglings will have to feed from what comes their way. You have this ability to hunt for your prey from a distance."
Buffy was laughing out loud. "I always have had a radar for sensing the opposition. I think I should get a large pole and stand on it emitting sounds in the direction of my prey."
Charles was really getting confused by her. He was starting to hope that she wasn't mentally unsound because that could mean that his plans would have to be changed. "You say the strangest things sometimes." Way to wig him out, Buffy. Why don't you just tell him straight out that you are a slayer from the 20th century, he'll probably stake you sooner than you can say cuckoo. Luckily for Buffy the older vampire just wanted to get on with her education. "Okay, now we are going to try something to increase your stealth. Choose a human at the other side of the room and focus on them while you look at me and keep the conversation going."
Buffy set her concentration towards the bartender. When Charles had the feeling that she had made some sort of connection, he spoke again. "The Vampire Empire is divided in 5 orders. The Middle East and North Africa are ruled by the order of Elensina. The Order of St'lynovich rules over Russia and the Balkans. The whole of the Orient is the property of the Tai Pau Order.The oldest of the orders rules over Europe and the new territories. And the fifth Order are the Adventurers, the Rogues and the Bandits. They have no law, no structure and kill without respect or any thought for self preservation."
Buffy had great difficulties keeping the connection as well as understanding what Charles was telling her. It was so intriguing. She had never given much thought to vampiric ways. That was for Giles to explain when and if it was needed. Charles was now looking at her like he expected her to say something.
"I always had this idea that vampires roamed the land looking for something to hunt. Why do you need to have this Order thing? It's not like vampires get together in groups larger than a few dozen."Charles gave her a small smile. She was really a quick study and was achieving good results. It was highly unusual that a newly borne could keep up a connection without looking at all. But she did so and had grasped his explanation in the process. "Well I guess you have only come across rogue vampires then. All the Orders consist of somewhere between 3000 and 5000 vampires."
She choked on her champagne. The world had 4 times 5000 vampires walking around. At that moment she lost the connection. Charles got up to pat her on the back and offer her a handkerchief for wiping her mouth.
"Man, I don't envy the slayer at this moment."
Charles stopped mid air in the process of reseating himself. "You know of the slayer?"
Buffy started to stammer trying to buy time thinking of a convincing lie. "Well, ehm, you see, my father, he, ehm, was, a Liberian," Thank you, Giles! "For the,ehm," think think think! "Council" She spat out. And let the air out of her lungs when Charles sat all the way down looking relieved.
"That explains how come you know what you know about vampires and the slayer and why you fight so good. I guess he must have trained you for selfdefense."
A very relieved Buffy was nodding vivaciously. "Yep, just self defense! But now I've lost my connection. I'm sorry I disappointed you." Buffy gave him her patented puppy dog eyes and pout.
"Oh, don't try those tactics on me!" Charles said laughing at her with sparkles in his eyes. "Besides you did outstandingly. I have seen very little newly bornes do this well. Let's get out of here." Charles knew that the biggest test was yet to come. Could she make the kill?
When they hit the street bundled up in their coats, Charles brought up THE TOPIC. "My dear, you have exceeded my expectations faster than I could have dreamt but there is still one thing crucial to your survival. It is time to hunt for your dinner." Buffy felt a cold shiver run down her spine. What was she going to do? Her stomach was starting to send her signals that it would like to have something to do but, was she willing to kill? The answer came to her loud and clear. NO, I guess I still have my soul. That did not make her predicament any easier but it did relieve her of a large burden. "Let me make something clear for you," Charles began while he started to walk. "Until we reach your new home I will not feed you again. You must take care of your own needs." Buffy took a big cleansing breath and decided to hunt and feed but never kill. She knew she could hear the heartbeat and blood plus with the soul she should be able to stop in time before she committed a murder.
The last tones of Coppelia filled the theater. Buffy sat with Charles in a balcony booth and the ballet was choking her. All she could do was cry and so she let the tears fall. That does it Now she was convinced that she still had her soul. That was until she looked at Charles and saw 2 lonely tears roll over his cheeks. I need to find out whether or not I still have my soul. I think I do but I'm so used to owning one, will I notice when I lose it?
As the final curtain fell Charles rose and took her arm into his. "Well I hope you enjoyed that." He looked at her and smiled taking in the tear tracks on her face. "I guess you did."
Buffy was curious and could not contain herself. "Well so did you. I didn't know that vampires could care about something so human as a Ballet?"Charles laughed while leading her towards the street. "You must have met some really cold vampires. Of course we enjoy arts and other forms of entertainment. Our lives are not solely based on the Hunt. Actually I spend little time providing for my daily needs."
That was a subject Buffy was not ready to discuss so she kept quiet, enjoying the crisp and damp London air and the streets she walked on. He lead her to a private club where he was greeted most graciously and they were lead to a table.There Buffy was assaulted with a thousand fold of what she had heard and felt around Marie. The music of the Ballet must have drowned out most of the noise but here in the club there was no escaping it. The drum of the heartbeats felt like a 20th century dance club and the sound of the blood rushing was like the Niagara Waterfalls times two. Charles spoke to her in a voice he knew only her vampire ears would register above the noise that she was hearing right now.
"You must choose one of the humans at the table facing you. Then focus on hearing only them." She chose a young girl and focus on her like Giles had taught her to do with vampires. Slowly all that was left was her heartbeat and blood pumping through the young body. Now instead of an overwhelming noise it became a siren's song.
She smiled at Charles indicating it worked. "Well done. That only took you 10 minutes. Usually newly bornes take 30 to concentrate like that. I made a good choice."
10 minutes? To her it had felt like 10 seconds. But it must have been more than that because on the table before her now stood 2 glasses and a champagne cooler. Charles spoke again while he poured her a glass. "Only Childer hear the 'song of life' as we call it. When properly trained or in a situation of dire need, you can use it to identify a human at 10 miles. Mere fledglings will have to feed from what comes their way. You have this ability to hunt for your prey from a distance."
Buffy was laughing out loud. "I always have had a radar for sensing the opposition. I think I should get a large pole and stand on it emitting sounds in the direction of my prey."
Charles was really getting confused by her. He was starting to hope that she wasn't mentally unsound because that could mean that his plans would have to be changed. "You say the strangest things sometimes." Way to wig him out, Buffy. Why don't you just tell him straight out that you are a slayer from the 20th century, he'll probably stake you sooner than you can say cuckoo. Luckily for Buffy the older vampire just wanted to get on with her education. "Okay, now we are going to try something to increase your stealth. Choose a human at the other side of the room and focus on them while you look at me and keep the conversation going."
Buffy set her concentration towards the bartender. When Charles had the feeling that she had made some sort of connection, he spoke again. "The Vampire Empire is divided in 5 orders. The Middle East and North Africa are ruled by the order of Elensina. The Order of St'lynovich rules over Russia and the Balkans. The whole of the Orient is the property of the Tai Pau Order.The oldest of the orders rules over Europe and the new territories. And the fifth Order are the Adventurers, the Rogues and the Bandits. They have no law, no structure and kill without respect or any thought for self preservation."
Buffy had great difficulties keeping the connection as well as understanding what Charles was telling her. It was so intriguing. She had never given much thought to vampiric ways. That was for Giles to explain when and if it was needed. Charles was now looking at her like he expected her to say something.
"I always had this idea that vampires roamed the land looking for something to hunt. Why do you need to have this Order thing? It's not like vampires get together in groups larger than a few dozen."Charles gave her a small smile. She was really a quick study and was achieving good results. It was highly unusual that a newly borne could keep up a connection without looking at all. But she did so and had grasped his explanation in the process. "Well I guess you have only come across rogue vampires then. All the Orders consist of somewhere between 3000 and 5000 vampires."
She choked on her champagne. The world had 4 times 5000 vampires walking around. At that moment she lost the connection. Charles got up to pat her on the back and offer her a handkerchief for wiping her mouth.
"Man, I don't envy the slayer at this moment."
Charles stopped mid air in the process of reseating himself. "You know of the slayer?"
Buffy started to stammer trying to buy time thinking of a convincing lie. "Well, ehm, you see, my father, he, ehm, was, a Liberian," Thank you, Giles! "For the,ehm," think think think! "Council" She spat out. And let the air out of her lungs when Charles sat all the way down looking relieved.
"That explains how come you know what you know about vampires and the slayer and why you fight so good. I guess he must have trained you for selfdefense."
A very relieved Buffy was nodding vivaciously. "Yep, just self defense! But now I've lost my connection. I'm sorry I disappointed you." Buffy gave him her patented puppy dog eyes and pout.
"Oh, don't try those tactics on me!" Charles said laughing at her with sparkles in his eyes. "Besides you did outstandingly. I have seen very little newly bornes do this well. Let's get out of here." Charles knew that the biggest test was yet to come. Could she make the kill?
When they hit the street bundled up in their coats, Charles brought up THE TOPIC. "My dear, you have exceeded my expectations faster than I could have dreamt but there is still one thing crucial to your survival. It is time to hunt for your dinner." Buffy felt a cold shiver run down her spine. What was she going to do? Her stomach was starting to send her signals that it would like to have something to do but, was she willing to kill? The answer came to her loud and clear. NO, I guess I still have my soul. That did not make her predicament any easier but it did relieve her of a large burden. "Let me make something clear for you," Charles began while he started to walk. "Until we reach your new home I will not feed you again. You must take care of your own needs." Buffy took a big cleansing breath and decided to hunt and feed but never kill. She knew she could hear the heartbeat and blood plus with the soul she should be able to stop in time before she committed a murder.