A/N: Ok, for anyone that hasn't figured it out yet, there will be blood sucking in this. Thus the M rating.
Disclaimer: I don't own Lilo and Stitch
Soul of the Night
By Twilightborn 1983
Chapter 3: Dark Embrace
Adamar looked down at the small girl in the mud. "It is very stormy out tonight, you could become ill." he said as he extended his hand.
Lilo looked up to see a shadowy man. A lightning bolt struck, revealing it to be the man from the hotel, the one she suspected to be a vampire. She normally would have backed away, the fact that he was out during a stormy night didn't ease her suspicions, but she was so upset she didn't even think about what he may be.
She took his hand and he pulled her up. "Thank you." Lilo said as she looked up at the man again, who was reaching into his coat. "What are you looking for?"
"You do not have protection from the rain, he take this." Adamar said as he handed her an umbrella.
"Thank you again. But who are you?" Lilo asked as she opened the umbrella.
"My name is Adamar. It is a pleasure to finally be able to make your acquaintance, Lilo."
"How do you know my name?" Lilo asked as she shivered slightly. The wind was blowing hard, and it didn't help she was soaked.
"We met at the hotel, remember?" Adamar said as he put his hand on her shoulder. "But come, and let us get out of this dreadful storm."
"Alright, since I can never go home again." Lilo said in sad tone.
Adamar decided in his mind that it was best to play dumb, since revealing that he knew what happened would lead to questions, which would lead to more questions. "My dear child, why can you not return home?"
"It's alright, it doesn't matter anyway. He will find me soon enough anyway." Lilo said as she walked along with Adamar.
"Who is it that seeks you? And why can you not return to your family?" Adamar replied, trying to hide the sadness in his voice.
"A social worker by the name of Cobra Bubbles. And I can't return to my family because I don't have one anymore." Lilo said as she fought back tears. She lost and began to cry. "It's not fair! Why can't I stay with Jumba and Pleakly? Why can't I stay with Stitch? Why did those bastards kill my sister!" she said as she fell to the ground crying once again.
This conversation was starting to get interesting. And at the same time, all was turning out for the worst. Adamar knew the name Cobra Bubbles, but not as a social worker, but as a top CIA agent. He knew because he had dealt with him before. 20 years ago, a clan of vampires staged an attempt to over take the government of a small country by enthralling its leaders. Cobra and some of his men had assisted his clan in thwarting their attempt. Cobra had proven a cunning and cool-headed human, something Adamar knew was extremely rare. Cobra would find this girl and turn her over to the courts, where only the gods know who would get their filthy hands on her. Adamar's heart filled with sorrow. "Young child, I feel sorry for your loss, such a thing should not happen to anyone, much less someone as kind and pure as yourself."
"How do you know that about me? Who are you? Better yet, what are you?" Lilo said as she looked up at him.
Adamar knew she had caught him. "Little girl, let us rest under that picnic area, and I will explain everything." Adamar figured with all the hell this child was going thru, he could at least validate her beliefs in the supernatural. He led her to the covered picnic area and sat her down on top of the table. "Now what I am going to tell you, you must never repeat to anyone, especially Cobra, understand?"
"You know Cobra? Do you work for the CIA?" she said as she tilted her head.
"Yes dear child, I do know Cobra, but no, I do not work for the CIA. In fact, I am in a group that the CIA denies the existence of. You see my dear, you were correct in your assumptions, I am indeed a vampire." Adamar says as he steps back and bows.
Now most people would have fled in fear at that, or thought that Adamar was crazy. Lilo however, merely wanted him to prove it. "Where are your fangs then?"
Adamar smiled, and Lilo watch as his teeth grew fangs. "Sorry, I had put them away. It isn't good for me to walk around with them out."
Lilo just stared. Then she finally said something, something Adamar had expected her to say, but without the fear he thought she should have. It was more of a direct question. "You aren't going to feed off me are you?"
Adamar just laughed at the girl's forwardness. "Of course not, I do not feed on children. I might kill them, and I do not wish to harm a young one."
Lilo got down from the table, and looked Adamar over carefully. "How long have you been a vampire?"
"Almost 600 years." Adamar replied as Lilo looked at his hand.
"What's it like? Having to feed on humans. It must make you feel bad sometimes, having to hurt others to survive." Lilo said as she climbed back up on the table and looked at Adamar.
"You get used to it, but most vampires make it so that the humans they feed upon feel no pain at all." Adamar said as he leaned against a pole.
"But aren't they weak afterwards? Doesn't it make them ill from loss of blood?" Lilo asked as she continued with her questioning. She had never dreamed she would actually be able to have a conversation with a real vampire. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
"Vampire saliva has a sort of healing ability. It causes blood to regenerate much faster, so much so that a person can recover from a normal vampiric feeding without much trouble. It just seems like a fainting spell."
"But if it doesn't hurt, what does it feel like?" Lilo asked as she leaned in closer.
"I have experienced it and I still remember the feeling to this day. It is one of pure ecstasy. It is almost impossible to describe, but nothing a human can normally experience can compare."
"Wow, is it better than sex?"
Now this caught Adamar off guard. He looked at her, eyes wide, and asked "My dear child, where did you learn of that?"
"From Nani, she was describing it over the phone to a friend." Lilo asked, her attention still on Adamar. She was weighing the idea of asking Adamar to feed on her, so she could feel what he had described. Then she remembered what had happened, and she became depressed again. "I wish Nani was still alive, that way I wouldn't have to go away."
"I too wish you were not bound for a foster home. I have, how do you say, 'dealt' with several bad ones."
"You mean fed on them. Why would you grant them that great feeling you described?"
"I don't have to. Vampires can also make it hurt like hell when they feed, in fact, that's the way I normally do it."
"Why? Do you not like humans?" Lilo asked, her voice a bit fearful. After all, if the answer was yes, she might be in big trouble.
"I like you, don't I? Besides, the humans I usually feed on have no right to call themselves human. They are the kind of people who stain the earth." Adamar said, a smile on his face.
"You mean like bad guys? Like the ones who killed my sister?"
"Exactly, like those two bastards." Adamar said with a hint of anger.
"Wait, did you see what they did to her? Were you there?" Lilo said with a bit of excitement. If Adamar picked those two out of a lineup, they would go to jail for sure!
"Yes, but I do not believe you will need witnesses. Justice has already been served." Adamar smiled even wider, and his fangs showed.
"You killed them! But why, they didn't do anything to you." Lilo said, shocked.
"I'm sorry, but when I witnessed what had occurred, what I knew they had doomed you to, I lost myself in a blood rage. I am somewhat sensitive to the plight of children such as yourself."
"Have you been following me?" Lilo asked as she meet Adamar's gaze. "Are you planning to turn me into a vampire?" The very thought not only scared Lilo, it excited her. The fact that she would become a creature of the night, an immortal vampire, and that she too would live off the lifeforce of others. It excited her because it was something she had had fantasies about for years. But it frightened her because she would actually crave the blood of others, and she didn't like to hurt people.
Adamar laughed. "Well my dear, yes and no. Yes I have been following you, and no, I have no intention of turning you into vampire. I have never taken a ward, and don't plan on ever doing so."
"A ward? Is that what you call a new vampire? And why have you been following me then?" Lilo asked, somewhat disappointed.
"I will just say this. My superiors were curious about the abilities of some of your little friends, so they sent me to take a look. As I was investigating them, I found out about you. I was impressed with all that you had accomplished, and you were a good source of information on these strange creatures, so I started following you. You led me to many amazing sights, and I watched you challenge creatures that even I would have thought twice about." Adamar said as he walked over to Lilo and put his hand on her cheek. "You are an amazing girl, I have not seen any person like you in my many centuries of life, and had it been any vampire other than myself, I'm sure they would have already made you their new ward without second thought, or with your consent. Fortunately, I have more restraint." Adamar then started to walk away.
Lilo watched as he turned to leave. "Where are you going?"
"I have to leave for home soon. My mission here is finished. You should head home. Many trials face you now." Adamar replied.
"Wait! I don't want to be left alone yet. I'm, I'm afraid." Lilo said as she continued to sit on the bench.
Adamar gritted his teeth. Every moment he was near that child, he felt sad. He felt sad because he too feared her fate. But he could do only one thing to help her, and with her pure heart, he doubted she would be able to live that life. Even the fact that he was willing to turn her was a surprise to him, he had before wished to be bound by nothing and no one save his beliefs and his loyalties. Even after almost 6 centuries, he was afraid he would not be able to be the sire his was. But could he leave her to that fate? Wouldn't anything be better than that, even the life of a soul of the night? "I will tell you what, I will tell you a story, the story of how I came to be a soul of the night. Then maybe you will understand why I hate the evils of man so, and why I feel so sorry for you."
"Tell me please."
Adamar sat down next to Lilo, and began his tale: "I was born John Marnis in the year 1408, to a serf in what is now France. At the age of 6 I was sold into service of the local lord as a whipping boy for his son. Now this lord was a cruel man, and his son equally so. They loved to torture prisoners, sometimes who's only crime was that their looks or mannerism displeased him, some for no reason at all. His son loved to cause trouble, and I would always be beaten by the lord for his son's behavior. His son would always insist I be beaten when he had done wrong, even if he had done nothing at all, just to watch me bleed. This made the lord proclaim that his son was honest and responsible, an outright lie."
"That's awful! How could they do that to anyone?" Lilo said, angered by the thought.
"Calm down, young one. My tale is not finished." Adamar said as he continued. "One day they received their punishments. A man of considerable might heard of the lord's abuse of his power, and sent his army against him, in the guise of a land dispute. He overpowered the evil lord, and put him to death. That man was a vampire by the name of Lord Ganz Media, and he is my sire. He found me chained to the wall and released me. He said that I had no more to fear, that the lord was dead. I asked him what I could do to repay his kindness. Do you know what he said to me Lilo?"
"What?" Lilo replied, her attention fully on Adamar.
"I ask nothing of you my child. I have watched you, and you have suffered enough for a thousand lifetimes. But I will offer you something. I offer you a chance to take revenge on those who commit these acts. But my offer comes with a price, for you will forever be changed, and will no longer be a mere man. You will be the wolf that cleanses the herd of those who would weaken it. You can reward others by a feeling of utter ecstasy or punish them with extreme pain. You will become a vampire, a creature created by the Night Goddess to cull the undeserving from the human race."
"He offered to make you a vampire? What made you accept?"
"The chance to avenge. I wanted to be able to do something to make those who abuse others pay. Normally I don't kill them, because it would leave a mess, but I do instill in them a fear of death that they remember, even if they do not remember me, not to mention the occasional madness or two. But sometimes I lose myself, and I do kill, as I did today."
"If you don't mind me asking, who is the Night Goddess?" Lilo said as she listened to Adamar's tale.
"Selune. She is the creator of the vampire race. You see, we are not undead, as men think we are. That is one of the many veils of lies we have placed upon ourselves in the many millennia we have existed. But returning to your question, long ago Selune looked upon the land and saw man committing acts against nature, his own race, and the gods themselves. She grew angry at Man's display of stupidly, and decided that he needed his own predator. But knowing that Man was indeed crafty, and would one day overpower any direct threat to himself, she created us so that we would blend into the shadows and instill fear into human hearts rather than outright hunt him. We feed upon the lifeforce of man, and instill our dark energy in him, for good or ill, to make his life better or worse, depending on what he deserved. She commanded us to spread apart so that we would not be discovered so easily, but to stay in contact and to not fight amongst ourselves, for we faced other threats as well, such as what we hunted."
"So that means you're one, big ohana?" Lilo asked.
"We were. But then something happened. A group of vampires, known as the Shades of Darkness, separated from the rest of us. Quite violently. They thought that humans were no more than stupid animals to be fed upon and toyed with, and that killing was our job, not merely scarring. They were convinced that the world was theirs, that man was to be controlled. When we tried to stop them, they fought back. A civil war resulted, one that lasted hundreds of years."
"Why haven't they realized that? I mean, it's not like vampires are supposed to be evil. They are supposed to stop it, right?"
"Indeed, but to them man is already evil, and the only way to stop it is to control them. And it doesn't help that vampire's are filled with dark energy, which can lead to powerful, and often destructive, moods."
"What is dark energy?" Lilo asked attention still totally on Adamar.
"It is a mystic force that the Night Goddess imbued into vampires millennia ago. As to its true origins, not even the eldest living vampire is sure. It gives us our powers, but also our weaknesses, such as a dislike of sunlight and the blood rage, which those two bastards experienced firsthand."
"Why do you not like sunlight?"
"We may not know much about the origins of dark energy, but we do know it is of the night. The sun interferes with it, so we cannot use its power during the day as easily as we can at night. As for the hurting part, it is embedded in a vampire's soul, and if the sunlight can reach the part in the vampire's soul, if there isn't enough dark energy elsewhere to block it out, well then it hurts. It's just like with sunburn, if you wear sunscreen; you just get hot, not burned."
"Oh, that makes sense. And I guess the dark energy sometimes messes with your emotions, huh?" Lilo then turned to look into the night, thinking of what it would be like to have that energy in her soul. What would she be like as a vampire? How much would she change? Would she still be understanding like she was now, still believe that there was good in everyone? Or would she begin to give up on humanity? She thought about it as she listened to the vampire.
"Indeed, that does happen, but in the Shades case, that was just part of the problem. Dark energy doesn't create arrogance." Adamar answered back. "Much of what a vampire is is decided on what he has experienced, and what he was as a human. The Shades turned those who are arrogant and selfish. Some hate humanity and wish to change it. Some just hate and wish to destroy."
"What happened to them? Are they still around?"
"Well, yes and no." Adamar replied. "When the war ended, the Shades fell to a clan called the Souls of the Moon Goddess. A powerful vampire, who called himself the Hand of Selune, then commanded the clans to disperse, as their infighting had alerted the humans. To this day, clans never grow very large, due to the hunter orders that were born of the Inquisition. But this has not dampened the plans of the Shades; they still seek to dominate humanity."
"But don't they realize that there are way too many humans? Didn't the goddess say that man would overpower any direct threat to himself?"
"Unfortunately, they are aware of that. That is why they are trying to infiltrate governments, take control from the inside, and then hide there until they have enough power to overtake the humans of other nations. Some of the other clans have been trying to thwart them, and I do admit, we have had some success. But the Shades turn others far faster than ourselves, they take those who we would have originally punished, and turn them into power-mad foot solders. Soon they will outnumber us, in fact, they may already."
"That's horrible. Family should never fight like that. But how come they turn people faster? I thought there was no difference between you?"
"That's true. But where as we hoard our ability to turn, which we only gain once every 50 years or so, the Shades use it the minute they get it. There is no shortage of angry, controlling people in the world, so they never have to look far to find a ward."
"But there is no shortage of good people either. Why do you guys have to wait?"
"Because the Dark Embrace is a gift, not to be given to just anyone. You see, in our belief, it not only creates a vampire, it creates a child for the sire. So it is a great responsibility, one that the Shades disregard."
"A child? So it's a parent-child relationship? What if a vampire falls in love with a human? Then what?"
"Why do you think we hoard our ability? So that we may assist in such a matter. A vampire need only ask another with the ability available, and that vampire will assist. Of course, I have never been asked, since the others know about my beliefs on ward-taking."
Lilo looked down at the ground as she asked the question Adamar did not want to hear. "Would you turn me if I wanted to?" She had figured anything would be better than a foster home. And she had decided that if anyone was to be her new parent, she wanted it to be Adamar. She had only known him for a day, but his actions, his beliefs, the way vampires viewed wards; she believed that she would find no better father.
Adamar stood up. "Do you know what you are asking? You do know what you would become, right? You would have to survive off the life of others. Do you want that kind of life?"
"I don't know. I don't want to go back and be taken away, but I don't like to hurt others for my own gain. But you said I could make it so I wouldn't hurt them, right?" Lilo said as she looked back up at Adamar.
"Yes, but you would be stealing lifeforce and in the eyes of men, you would be a monster. One that would be hunted down and destroyed." Adamar said, trying to dissuade her.
"I'm already a freak to most people, I only have one human friend, and tomorrow, I'll never see her again. Or any of my other friends." Lilo replied as a tear fell from her eye. "But I understand. You don't want a ward. I'd just get in the way."
"No child. If you wish to, I will turn you." Adamar said, not believing he actually said it. This child was indeed truly like none he had ever met. She was almost his opposite. She saw the good in all things, no matter what they had done. He wouldn't even be surprised if she had already forgiven the men who murdered her sister.
"You will?" Lilo said, with bits of excitement and happiness. She felt her heart begin to race. This was something that had often haunted her dreams, being changed into a vampire, feeding off humans in the night. (She had even once had a dream solely about sucking the blood of Myrtle Evans; she was even sucking on her pillow when she woke up).
"Yes, I will. But only if you realize that it cannot be undone. One the change has started, nothing will stop it. You will become a vampire, and will become a wolf among the herd of man. You will be compelled to feed off humans, and at times, the hunger will be so powerful that you will not be able to control yourself at all. Only death will free you from it."
"I understand." Lilo said as she rose from the tabletop.
"And you must understand that you may one day forget all you held dear as a mortal. They will grow old and die, and as the centuries wear away at your mind, you may forget them. Your sister, your parents, even Stitch."
"I won't forget them. I will keep pictures and videos of my family, and Stitch lives for a really long time. Jumba said he keeps regenerating his cells, so he might live forever." Lilo said as she stood at Adamar's side, looking up at him.
"Then ask yourself this: why do you wish to become a vampire? Is it your curiosity? The fact you are now an orphan, and might face a horrible foster home? Or the fact that, like I, you want revenge for the deeds done my evil men? If it is any of these reasons, I will not turn you."
Lilo thought about it. All of those things were defiantly true. But was there more to it? Why did she want to become a vampire? I know I want to stay with my family, but either way I won't be able to, so that doesn't matter. I mean, I could come back for Stitch if I became a vampire, but would he want me? I would be a monster, a mockery of what I am now. Would he still love me? This thought hurt her. Stitch fearing her was defiantly something she didn't want. But if she went to a foster home, Stitch would have to return to space, and she would never see him again. No, she would want to see him, if only from afar. But that in itself was not a good enough reason. Then it finally hit her, the answer.
She turned to Adamar and said this: "I want to control my own destiny. If I let Cobra take me away, I will have not lost only my former life, but my freedom as well. The state would control my fate, and might hand me over to a stranger that might steal all of my freedom, or worse. I know if I go with you, I would have to obey your word. But it would be for my own safety, and more importantly, it would have been my decision. I want to choose my own path, and this is my choice."
To say that Adamar was impressed by the girl's words was a great understatement. She was more mature that he could have ever guessed; indeed mature enough to receive the Dark Embrace. And her independent spirit would aid her when the time finally came for her to leave his side. "Very well, then let us begin." Adamar said as he picked Lilo up and placed her on the table. "Now stand up."
Lilo did as she was told. She knew that if the books she had read were any indication, this would involve not only the draining of her blood, but the ingestion of his. She would not only experience the feeling of being fed upon, she would learn to feed, an initiation into her new life. She closed her eyes in anticipation of Adamar's bite. Adamar drew his fangs in close to Lilo's neck, and bit down. Lilo felt a sharp pain in her neck, and let out a small cry. Oh god it hurts. Please make it quick.
Blood began to flow from the wound as Adamar closed his mouth around it. He could feel Lilo's knees get weak. Hold on child, the pain will vanish soon. He scooped Lilo up in his arms as he began to suck the blood from her body.
As Adamar had promised, the pain soon vanished. In its place was a surge of feeling unlike Lilo had ever experienced. She couldn't even begin to comprehend the powerful, consuming feeling that had overtaken her. All she knew was that she never, ever, wanted it to stop. This…is…amazing. I don't…ever…want it to stop. I don't care… if he drains me dry; I want to feel this forever! It was like every nerve in her body was overcome with pure emotion, and her spirit was in paradise.
Adamar could sense Lilo go limp in his arms, and could hear the moans coming from her mouth. She's enjoying herself. As she should. But this is only the beginning, the sensation created by feeding is sometimes just as powerful, but she will have to learn how to control herself, less she kill every soul she feeds upon. He removed his fangs from her throat, and drew the knife he had taken off the robber when he disposed of the bodies. He laid her down on the table and then held the knife to his wrist. He slit his wrist, and his face contorted in pain. He then focused his power on the wound so that it would not close, and blood began to rush out of it.
Meanwhile, Lilo realized that he had stopped feeding on her, and the feeling had left her. "No, please don't stop. It was wonderful." she said weakly, still unable to move her body.
"No child, it is time to complete your transformation. I assure you, you will feel that again. Every time you feed, you will feel it for a moment, your soul infusing its dark energy into your victim." Adamar said as he placed his wound on hers. "But now, to infuse my blood into yours."
The blood from Lilo's wound began to flow backwards, as if being sucked back into her drained body. Then the blood from Adamar's wound followed it. As the blood entered Lilo's veins, she began to feel a new sensation. It was almost as overpowering as the first, but it wasn't a pleasurable feeling. Nor was it painful, or even unpleasant. No, it was an overpowering need. Her wound immediately closed, and she shot up, the need driving her. Adamar held his bleeding wrist in front of her, and she latched on instinctively. She began to suck on his wound, the blood filling her mouth. Then the wonderful feeling she felt before overtook her mind and body, but instead of becoming limp like before, she continued to drink Adamar's blood, as he had done with her. The feeling faded slowly, replaced with a feeling of satisfaction. She loved this; she loved the way the hot blood filled her mouth, the taste of it, and the way it dribbled down her chin.
Adamar watched as his ward's expression as she latched onto his arm, feeding on the dark energy in his blood. He watched as her eyes rolled back, the dark energy most certainly filling not only her own blood, but her soul. Within a few days time, it will have completely transformed her. Then her eyes closed, and he knew she was feeling the satisfaction of sating her very first blood thirst. All of this made him remember his transformation, and he smiled slightly. It almost feels as if this was meant to be, as if it was my destiny to find her and free her from humanity. Certainly they don't deserve her.
As Lilo continued to ingest her sire's blood, her hunger, her need, slowly faded. Suddenly it stopped, and Adamar's wound closed, almost as he instinctively knew that the deed was done, that Lilo had taken her first steps to becoming a vampire. Now he had her cradled like a small baby in his right arm, and he then slid his left arm, now no longer bleeding, under her to support her better. "Rest now, little Soul of the Night, you are most likely extremely tired from your experience. Now I will take you home, and in three days time, your transformation will be complete: you will be human no longer. You will be a vampire, a wolf in the herd of men. You will become more than you could ever have possibly dreamed, and I will guide you in your new life."
"Three days? What will happen to me if Cobra tries to send me away?" Lilo said looking up at her new sire, her new father. Father, that is what Adamar is to me now. He is my father, and I am his daughter.
"Nothing will keep you from me my ward. I will be watching you everyday and every night, and at the first sign of trouble, I will take you away. But I do believe he will let you see your sister's funeral, and that should take the required amount of time to set up." Adamar said in a comforting tone.
"Soul of the Night? Is that what we good vampires are called?" Lilo asked as her eyes got heavier. She was indeed very tired, all the feelings she had experienced had drained her greatly.
"Yes, that is the name for the clan that was founded from the remains of the victors of the Falling Wars, but I wouldn't technically call us good. After all, we do drink human blood." Adamar said as he raced through the storm.
"I mean good in vampire terms. Humans don't like things that are more powerful that them, that's why the experiments have to keep a low profile." Lilo said as she rested in her sire's arms.
Adamar was impressed. She was already starting to think like a vampire. Maybe she would adapt better than he thought. Of course, he would have see how she would respond to feeding, and dealing with the Shades, but now was not the time. Then she asked him another question. "What will happen to me over the next three days?"
"Your soul will become infused with dark energy, and your blood will follow suit. Your body will change as well, but it will not be apparent to you. What will be apparent to you is the fact sunlight will hurt very badly and you will sleep during the day. You may also have strange dreams. Many vampires never have them, but I did, and so did my sire."
"What kind of dreams?" Lilo asked as she settled into her blood sire's arms.
"No two vampires ever have the exact same dream."
"And what about feeding? Won't I get hungry? What if I try to feed on my family?" Lilo said worriedly, although her voice also suggested that she was extremely tired.
"You will not feel the hunger until you fully change. Until then you can subsist on human fare. And I would advise you to be away from your family when the sun sets on the third day, for the hunger will overtake you, as well as ward sickness."
"Ward sickness? What is that?"
"You will for a short time forget everything. Who you are, your family and friends. Every human you see you will see as prey. You will only know that you are extremely hungry, and how you can sate your hunger."
"That's awful! How will I keep myself from killing someone, or feeding in the open?" Lilo asked fearfully. This vampire thing may indeed be more than she can handle. But she had no choice now, there was no going back. Indeed, she could already begin to feel the energy in her blood.
"Do not worry. Your instincts will drive you to hunt in the shadows, so that you will not be seen. And, as your sire, I can exercise a small amount of control over you during ward sickness, so I will be able to stop you from killing. But you may need more than one human to sate your thirst safely."
"How come? You don't need more than one human a night, how come I will?"
"I do not need only one human a night, more like one every few days or so, depending on how much power I use. But you are a ward, and a child ward at that, you and your powers still need blood to grow, so you will require more. Besides, it will be your first feeding as a vampire, so you will drink a lot more blood than normal. It's just the way it is."
"I'm wondering though, do we just drink blood, or can we eat other things? I really like pumpkin pie." Lilo said with a weak smile.
"Yes, we can eat, but our bodies do not require it. Now rest, you will need it for the days ahead." Adamar said as they approached Lilo's home.
Lilo's house was surrounded with people. Several officers, Pleakly, and even Mr. Jamerson. They saw Adamar walking up to the house, Lilo in his arms. "Lilo! Oh my goodness, is she okay?" Pleakly screamed as he ran over to her.
"She is fine. I got caught in the rainstorm and took shelter under a picnic area. It was a good thing, because she can running out of the woods and tripped. I think she may have busted her lip slightly, because of the blood stain on her shirt, but other than that, I think she will be okay. She and I talked for a few moments, and then I brought her home. I think she fell asleep on the way." Adamar said as he handed over the small girl to Pleakly.
"I don't know how we can thank you enough Mr. Grey. We are clearly indebted to you, her sister was one of our best employees." Mr. Jamerson said, clearly relieved.
"I'm am sorry for everyone's loss, and ask only one thing, that you take this." Adamar said as he reached into his wallet. It was 5 grand. "Use this to bury that poor girl's sister. It's the least that can be done to make up for this tragedy."
"But we can't accept this, I mean, it wouldn't be right." Pleakly said as he looked at the money.
"It's alright, Mr. Grey has a bit of a generous streak. Just a week ago he bought ice cream for every child in the day-care just because one child couldn't afford any." Mr. Jamerson said as he shook Adamar's hand. "In fact, I think I will match his contribution, so that Nani can receive the funeral she deserves. She was a hero in life and death, and should be honored as such."
"I thank you Mr. Jamerson for your kind words. But if you will excuse me, I have matters to attend to." Adamar said as he turned away.
"Of course Mr. Grey, thank you for you kindness. The people of this island won't soon forget it." Mr. Jamerson said as he waved goodbye.
"Yes, thank you so much!" Pleakly said as turned to take Lilo inside. "Now to get you inside and to bed young lady. You gave everyone a big scare."
As Adamar walked down the road to the hotel, the sky cleared, and the moon shone bright. He saw a familiar face walk up the road. "Cobra." He said with a slight nod of the head.
"Adamar." Cobra replied with a glare. "You didn't harm her did you?"
Adamar just smirked. "You know I don't feed off children, agent. Besides, I had a far more satisfying meal earlier today."
"Very well. Thank you for your assistance in this matter."
"Your welcome." Although you won't be too happy when you finally grasp the reality of the outcome of all this.
Adamar and Cobra parted, as a small blue creature ran up the road. He smelled Lilo all over this man, but Cobra had just spoken to him, so he must not be the bad guy. Then the man looked down at him and said: "Lilo is at home, she is probably waiting for you. You should hurry."
"Adamar was kind enough to find Lilo and bring her home safely. You should thank him Stitch." Cobra said as he turned to walk toward the house.
Stitch stood on two legs and looked up at Adamar. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome, visitor from the stars." Adamar replied, bowing.
This came as quite a shock to Stitch. This man had actually recognized him as an alien! "You know Stitch alien?"
"Indeed, I am a bit sharper than most though." Adamar said as he patted Stitch on the head.
Cobra turned around, suddenly realizing why Adamar was here in the first place. "Your elders sent you to examine the experiments, are you finished yet?"
"Yes, I have gathered enough information for them. I doubt the Shades will trying anything with them. Most likely they would be angered by the thought that a small blue creature is smarter and stronger than they are. You have seen their arrogance first hand. And I doubt you will have trouble with any human organizations, as I'm sure you've seen to that." Adamar said as he smiled slightly. "We also have no intention of taking any of them either. Lilo worked too hard to find them their place."
"Good. Then Stitch and I will leave you to your business" Cobra said as he motioned for Stitch to follow him.
As the group parted ways, Stitch looked up to Cobra and asked "Who was he?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Adamar returned to the picnic area to make sure no evidence was left of what had occurred. A few spots of blood were all that remained, but they were easily wiped away. He then sat down and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number, and put the phone to his ear.
In a small dark room, with nothing but a computer screen as a light source, sat a young man in what looked to be his late 20's. The phone rang next to him, and he picked up and answered it. "Hello, Magicman here, how can I assist you tonight?"
"Trevor, I need a favor." Adamar said on the other side of the line.
"Yo, Adamar. What can I do ya for?" Magicman said happily over the phone. It wasn't often that he spoke with Adamar, not since he left his wardship with Sonya over 2 decades ago.
"I need a new identity created." Adamar said calmly.
"Funny, that's not like you to get caught. Did you go into a blood rage again?" Magicman said as he turned to his keyboard.
"Yes, but that's not why I need it. It's…not for me." Adamar said, clearly having trouble with the last few words.
"Man, you shouldn't be using the system to help a human cause they got in trouble. I mean, I know you like helping little kids escape foster homes, but the fact remains that…"
Adamar cut him off. "She won't be human much longer."
Magicman nearly dropped his phone. "You…you took a ward! You?"
"Yes me." Adamar said, anger apparent in his voice.
"Whoa, I mean, wow, me and the others really thought you never would." Magicman stuttered, still in shock.
"I suppose Ganz was right. Sometimes it just happens." Adamar said, recalling a talk he and his sire had had. He remembered what Ganz said we he told him he never planned to take a ward.
Sometimes, my son, you don't plan on it. It just happens. You can't plan on everything. One day you might come across someone who is in trouble, just like you were. And then you won't plan, you will act.
Meanwhile, Magicman had brought up the proper programs. "Ok, I need the lady's name. Oh and don't worry, I won't tell Sonya you took a female ward. Don't need her getting jealous."
"It's a little girl, idiot. And her name is Lilo Peliaki." Adamar said as started to lose his patience. Trevor was Sonya's 3rd ward. She had 3 in a span of 250 years, where as Lilo would be his first in his 500 years of being able to have one. Trevor was also her most successful ward, after leaving her care after a mere 8 years, he went on to become the Souls top hacker, but was a little too brash and tactless for Adamar's tastes. Adamar knew he would probably have Lilo a lot longer, and would therefore be able to mold her into the type of vampire he thought she would need to be.
"Ok, got her info up. Man, her sister just died today? Did you witness it or something?" Magicman said as he typed at the keyboard.
"Yes, and I took care of the murderers." Adamar said as he fiddled with the blood vase.
"Oh, so they are resting somewhere at the bottom of a lake huh? Never could control your temper when it came to kids getting hurt, could you?"
"No."
"Well ok, I should have her a new identity within a day or so. Was that all you needed?" Magicman asked as he finished the first part of the program.
"I need you to keep quiet about this. I don't need every vampire on Earth knowing I took a ward today."
"Sure, no problem." Magicman said, fingers crossed. "I got too much to do anyway. The Shades tried to hack the system again, and now I have to reset all the security measures."
"Alright, thank you. Goodbye." Adamar said as he hung up the phone.
He had just gotten back to his hotel room, around 2 A.M., when his phone rang.
He looked at the id, it was his home. Probably Harlan, must have broken another one of Sonya's decorations practicing, and now needs me to find a new one before she finds out.
However, the voice on the other end was a complete surprise, both in who it was and reason for calling. It was Sonya, and her first words were:
"YOU TOOK A WARD!"
End Chapter 3
Next Chapter
Dreams and Last Days