Chapter Fifteen: Unanswered Problems
"Midnight Vaperio, stand up!" Midnight rose from her chair and glared at her twin brother, Mithainde. His dark blue eyes flashed fire, and Midnight nearly flinched, then reminded her he was only worried, not angry.
"Andy?"
"Why did you risk your life for a human?"
"What is it with the males in this family claiming humans are beneath notice? They're not, or have you forgotten the human murderers who killed Mother and Father? The traitor who employed humans to kill Felicity and Marina? The scientists who came up with the dratted paralyzing venom? Well? I'm waiting. Hmph. Didn't think you had a response."
"You're only defending their importance because of that mortal you love so much." Midnight clenched her teeth, trying to remain calm. She detested Mithainde's snobbery. His tone, his expression, when he spoke of Kai was infuriating!
"Kai is half vampire now, Mithainde Vaperio. Show him due respect, for if you recall, I am older even then you. He has my blood in his veins, the blood of ancients. I am the oldest living vampire alive, my brother, save Lucian and Gabriel, who were born at the same time as I. Will you mock the one you swore loyalty too? The vampiress known as the Ancient One?"
"You're only trying to pull rank to shut me up, O Ancient One." That was a reminder that all that separated them was about thirteen or fourteen minutes. Midnight stuck her tongue out at him. "You see? I am correct. I will respect the mortal, Kai, if you pretend you're not quite so ancient and wise, angel face." Midnight smiled and hugged her brother, who was so much larger than she. While Midnight retained the appearance of a gorgeous teen super model, Mithainde (meaning "unknown night" if you want to know) had the appearance of a fully-grown Greek god. Midnight relaxed into her brother's usually quiet strength and pressed her face into his chest.
"Little darkling, you are tired." It was not a question.
"Yes." She was that. Even finding her soul mate hadn't changed that. Kai kept her anchored to this world, and usually she didn't mind, but just then, she was tired of living. "I've lived too long. I'm tired of it. Even with the powers of our kind, the world loses pleasure after ten hundred thousand years."
"Does Kai know this?"
"Kai is… he's too young to understand. It's strange. Only when I'm away from him do I feel the differences between us. I've experienced so much more. In truth, he is only a baby. But I only see him as such when we are apart."
"From experience that you don't have, little night, I will tell you this. When you fully convert your soul mate, the joys they experience are enough to make you happy, and you see these ordinary powers of ours in a completely new light. I will tell you this, also, if it will give you respite. There is a way to become human, that our father discovered not so very long before you were born."
"That was such a long time ago, when I was first a child."
"You're just bored being stuck at sixteen for seven centuries."
"If Kai heard you say that, he'd be very… well, it would come as a surprise. You were saying?" She sat down in her chair again, highly interested. A way to become human…
"Father has it written down in one of his journals, but…"
"But what?"
"You will not use this on yourself until Kai has had at least a century as a vampire."
"But-"
"Shush. Think how this will affect you. You are the eldest. Your people may have need of you. You need Kai, do you not?"
"I'm going home."
"As you wish, sister. Good night."
* * *
"Dara, where have you been?"
"Kai, I need to speak with you." Kai flinched. Her voice was different, just as sensual, but… it felt like ice crusted velvet. He mentally shook himself. She was the same, there was nothing different. He hoped.
"What is it?"
"I've found… my brother has told me of a way that… that I may become human. That you, a half vampire, may return to your original state."
"But-" She held up a hand for silence, ordering majestically, "Listen to me. Do not interrupt. I can't turn you into one of… into a vampire, Kai, I can't. You don't know what it's like. The constant hiding from humans who wish to destroy us, the hunting of night demons, vampaneze, rogue vampires. Kai… you don't want to be a vampire, believe me. I thought, if I was with you always, you wouldn't mind the hardships, but… but it's just me being selfish, I see that now."
"Dara, you're the most unselfish person I know!" The vampiress snorted, muttering, "You think. Everything I do has an ulterior motive, beloved mortal, everything. Nothing I do is ever not for me in some way. I always serve my own ends, no matter what. Do not mistake me for the angel of your dreams. Rather, think of me as your nightmare incarnate, for I am she."
"Dara-"
"Do not say my name like that! I can't think straight when you speak to me like that. Don't…"
"How do I sound, that you're so upset?"
"You sound so worried, so loving… be quiet. My decision is final. I'll change you back, change myself…"
"No!"
"Kai-"
"It's not just you worried for me, is it?"
"No, it isn't. No. No, Kai, I… I want to be human. I so want to be human." She wanted to be human? To be preyed upon by the very beings she hunted? Why? She protected the world from evil, made the night safe. She had the world and the most godlike power at her fingertips. And she wanted to be a mere, pathetic human? It didn't make any sense at all.
"But, Midnight, your powers, your immortality… why would you want to give that up?"
"Why? Why!? Because I'm tired. I'm sick of seeing the humans that I care for grow old, wither, and die, while I remain young. I'm tired of the hiding from those who would hunt me down and slaughter me for something I can't change, and I'm tired of the hunting of my old friends and family, and I'm sick of the constant danger to the ones I love. I can't stand the danger to you, who mean more than anything in this world to me. I'm tired of living the life of an immortal. I've lived far too long, longer than almost any vampire alive, or any that have died.
I have seen countless friends die, their children and their grandchildren and their great grandchildren, and I am tired of it! I'm the only one of the four ancients who has ever felt for a mortal that died. My brother and my cousins only care for their lifemates, and Gabriel for his daughter, Tamora, but I have lost thousands upon thousands of friends, have lived to see the beginning and growth and destruction of entire civilizations, and it's all the same.
Nothing changes at my age, I've seen it all, and I can't stand it anymore! I've lived too long to have to live much longer. None but my twin and the Dark Twins have lived this long, none.
My father… Raksha's Daggers, Kai, my father was less than half my age when he died! He was killed at four centuries, when I was only a little girl. My mother took care of me until my twin brother came of age, and then she went out to meet the dawn. She was less than a full century. I can't do this anymore, Kai, I can't! I'm ten fucking hundred thousand years old! I can't live forever, I can't! It's too much!"
She hadn't realized at the time that she was crying, but she felt clear, diamond tears falling down her cheeks. She fell to her knees, sobbing in pain. She'd never spoken her resentment and sorrow at the long, lonely life she had, but now she had done so, and she could not stop crying. It just wasn't fair, it wasn't, why could she find no joy in anything anymore? She sat there, sobbing and rocking herself back and forth.
Kai was shocked. Midnight only cried when she was very upset. He hadn't meant to make her so with his idiotic questions. He went to her side, unsure if he was welcome. Midnight's eyes were glowing rubies, feral and pained, and Kai knew she was in utter despair. She wanted to be human, but she wanted him to have the immortality he wanted. She was so stuck…
"I'm tired, Kai, I am…" Kai's arms were around her, and she sobbed into his shirt, "I'm so tired of this life, this eternal night, the hunting and killing and losing everything…" He hushed her, holding her close, rocking her gently. His hand rubbed her back soothingly, and eventually her sobs quieted. In the silence, Kai became aware of the sound of her heart beat, of her blood rushing through her body. Sharp hunger spread through him, as Midnight's heart pulsed in her chest. He could hear it, like a drum. The sound of her blood surging throughout her form was a symphony to his highly sensitive ears. He wanted to taste her blood so much…
Kai's eyes were glazed, going from their gorgeous blue to golden, cat like. Midnight looked up at him, into his eyes, and her eyes in turn became languid, golden pools with slitted pupils. She could hear his heart beating, throbbing, the rich scarlet blood pulsing under his skin, calling to her. Midnight's own life's blood was a sweet temptation to Kai. Their lips met, but then Kai's mouth was at her throat, his tongue swirling lazily over her frantic pulse. "Kai…" Fangs lengthened, sharpened, and Midnight's breathing hitched when his teeth scraped over the flesh of her throat. She forgot the sorrow and death in her long life. All there was was Kai's mouth and fangs. "Please…"
White-hot pain flashed at the base of her neck, and then Kai was feasting on that sweet life, holding his soul mate close. Her hand went to the nape of his neck, exerting only a small amount of pressure to keep that delicious mouth feeding. A thin trickle of blood rolled from the corner of Kai's mouth, but he paid it no attention. He continued his gluttony. Midnight's warm blood flowed over his tongue and down his throat. Light was flashing in the back of his mind, and they were both lost in their own little world. Kai pulled back after healing the wound at her throat. His lips were wet with fresh blood, his fangs glimmering in the dull lamplight. He gazed at her, his eyes roving over her face. Midnight's body cried out for a simple taste of that almost human life force…
He kissed her, harsh and demanding. The demon Midnight knew lay dormant sprang to life. Their tongues warred for dominance, but Kai forced her submission. She didn't care. She never wanted this kiss to end.