6. TRAINING

For the next month, Santiago led the vampires in training. He taught them the most effective way to kill their opponents. Go for the throat and rip out the flesh with your teeth, then rip off their heads and work your way down to the limbs. Afton was responsible for having several fires going to burn the pieces. Santiago also held special training sessions for those with added gifts. He pitted them against each other and set up different war scenarios. He studied them and their fighting skills to decide who would fight who in the war.

Renata, however, went through a different training with Aro as her only mentor. He wanted to test the boundaries of her talent and see if she could stretch her shield. She would use all her will power to push the invisible walls forward but they held tight around her and the efforts exhausted her. Until one night, all that changed.

"I can't, Aro!" she said in defeat. "What you ask of me is impossible."

Aro sat next to her on the ground and looked her in the eyes. "Do you trust me Renata?" She nodded. He picked up her hand and tenderly caressed the back of it with his fingertips. "Do you care for me the way that I care for you?" She began to feel nervous and glanced at the others that were training nearby. But she acknowledged that she did indeed care for Aro. "Then you can do this. You can do this to save me."

Aro motioned for Afton to come over. Afton followed the command.

"Afton," Aro spoke, "I want you to burn me."

"My lord," Afton began to argue.

"Just do it," Aro commanded.

"Aro! What are you-" Renata rose to stand next to Aro.

"Trust me. You said you did," Aro said to her. Then speaking to Afton, "Do it. Do it now."

Fear filled Renata's eyes as she wanted more than anything to protect Aro in this moment. She fought against the walls of her shield and used every ounce of energy left in her to wrap it around Aro. Afton allowed the small flame in his palm to grow larger. He aimed his hands in a deadly position towards Aro. Renata forced the walls harder than she knew she had strength for. Afton shot the flames toward Aro and he braced for impact. The flames licked the walls around Aro and did nothing more. When it was evident what Renata had done, Afton withdrew the flames.

"You did it!" Aro cried with glee. He wrapped the weak Renata in his arms and swung her around. "I knew you could do it!" She rested in his embrace and secretly enjoyed the moment. "You must always stay close to me, Renata," Aro whispered in her ear. "You shall always be the one to protect me."

When the night's training was over Santiago called for a meeting with the six original vampires of Volterra. It was time to start planning the attack. He laid the scrolls out on a table for all to see.

"I fear this list is too incomplete," Santiago said. "There are too many unknowns. I suggest we send a small party to their castle so that we might fill in the missing pieces. Eleazar would be invaluable to this expedition. Once he gets inside the castle he will instantly know what hidden talents they have."

Caius scoffed. "Do you really believe they will just let us walk in and take an inventory of their talents? Surely you are not such a fool."

"No Caius," said Santiago, "that is not what I believe. We must find a way to appeal to them, to flatter them. We must offer them something that they cannot refuse."

Aro smiled at once when the idea came to him. "A ball. We shall have a ball held in their honor. It will be our way of showing our gratitude for what an excellent job they have done ruling over us." The sarcasm in his voice was evident.

"Oh love!" Sulpicia spoke, "Make it a costume ball! Oh please do, it will be such fun!"

Aro laughed. "Of course love, anything for you." Sulpicia danced with delight around the room and imagined herself in costume.

"This can work," Santiago was thinking aloud. "If we invite them to a ball here on our territory we can have an advantage. They won't bring their entire army to protect them, only their body guards. It would be the perfect opportunity to strike!"

"I like your thinking, General!" Aro said. "This is all coming together wonderfully. I will lead the mission to Romania to invite them. If I can shake hands with some of them then I can get more information on their part without them even knowing it!" The wheels in Aro's head were spinning. Aro turned to Marcus who had been sitting quietly next to Didyme. "Will you come with me, Brother? I need you by my side to find out which members of the Romanian clan have wavering loyalties. That way Chelsea will know who to focus on when the time comes to fight."

Didyme stiffened at Aro's words and Marcus noticed. She did not want Marcus in any sort of danger. Though she never spoke it aloud, she cared for him. Behind them, out of view, Marcus reached his hand over to Didyme and held hers. He did not want to leave her either.

"Yes, brother, I will follow you to hell and back if that is what it takes to remove the Romanians from their thrones," Marcus pledged to Aro.

"I will go too," said Caius.

Aro looked at his white haired friend. "I'm afraid that won't work. With Eleazar, Marcus, and myself going we can't have any more in our party or we may appear threatening to them."

Caius scowled "Because I have no powers? You deem me useless?"

"Not at all!" Aro argued. "You are needed here; someone must keep order over all the vampires in Volterra. Surely you can handle things while we are away?"

Caius delighted in the thought of being in charge and therefore ceased to argue. The planning would have continued if it had not been for the sweet smell in the air. It wafted into the turret through the window slits carried by the morning breeze. Everyone in the room paused and listened closely. A large group of humans were approaching the castle. There was an electric stir in the air. From the sounds of their murmurings, they were not happy.

Everyone in the turret worked their way down to the lower level. Aro commanded all the vampires to be quiet. They all stood eerily still and waited. A heavy knock came at the door. Aro looked around for the blackest eyes he could find. It had been the longest since Marcus and Didyme had fed so there was hardly any red to their irises. "Go!" he whispered to them. Marcus and Didyme went to the door and opened it. The rush of their scent flooded their nostrils and made their mouths water. A large Italian man shadowed the frame and was obviously the leader of the group.

"Can I help you?" Marcus asked.

The humans gazed at their beauty and seemed almost mesmerized by it. Marcus imagined inviting them in so that he and his comrades could feast.

"Pardon me sir, my name is Pino." It seemed like a peculiar name for such a large man. "Many of the townsfolk have gone missing or have been found dead and we were wondering if you have experienced the same misfortune."

Marcus eyed the large crowd carrying sickles and pitchforks. "You all were wondering?"

Pino smiled as he perceived that Marcus saw through his facade. "Well it turns out that the dead have been drained of their blood. We suspect vampires." Pino eyed the beautiful couple carefully for any reaction. When there was none, he continued. "You and your family hide in this castle and we never see you during the day. Would you mind stepping out into the light?"

Marcus glanced at the sky and saw that a cloud was blocking its direct light. He put an arm around Didyme's waist and stepped forward to meet the crowd. They all unconsciously took a step backward and half expected them to burst into flame.

When disappointment washed over Pino's face, Marcus spoke, "It's a lovely day isn't it?" Pino did not answer.

Then Marcus decided to have some fun. "You know, I have fought with many a vampire." Pino looked up with sincere interest. "I caught them prowling around the castle. I suspect they are the same ones who have taken and killed your loved ones. I killed them though so they should no longer bother anyone in our community."

"How did you do it?" Pino inquired.

"Well you must carve a wooden stake; it can only be made of wood. Then drive it through their hearts!"

The crowd cringed. Then an older woman spoke "Is there a way to ward them off so that it does not come to fighting them?"

Marcus thought for the briefest of moments. "Why yes." He wrapped his fingers around the cross that Didyme wore at her neck and she tensed at his touch. "My lady wears a cross. A vampire will not attack any person who wears this emblem." Not everyone in the crowd was a Christian but they all mentally committed to wearing a cross from now on.

"Anything else?" Pino asked.

Marcus mused for a moment. "Garlic. Lots and lots of garlic. Hang it from your doors, windows, around your necks. It will be sure to keep the vampires away." Didyme had to stifle the laughter that wanted to pour out. The crowd was so pleased with this new information on how to repel the evil creatures of the night.

"What is your name, signore?" Pino asked.

"My name is Marcus."

"Three cheers for Saint Marcus!" cried the woman who spoke earlier. The crowd cheered him and would forever remember the man who chased the vampires from Volterra.