Suzan (3)

''Can this be happening? Can this be real?'' Suzan wondered for the hundrenth time that day.
''How was it even possible? She had lived in the world of the undead for almost a millenia but THIS thing was something she, nor anyone else as far as she knew, had never heard or thought of.
''I can't keep it a secret for a long time, I need to share it with someone but who? Who will have the patience to listen to me and the discipline not to shred me to pieces?''
''Paul? I doubt that, he is too young, he is not a vampire yet how could he be a ....''
''Roxanne? She will kill me herself to avoid any attention drawn to her...''
''No it has to be Sarah, she has discipline over her inner beast and she always has a wise advice. Even if she won't help me at least she will understand me''.

With this thought in her mind Suzan walked faster towards her sire's and mother's house, one hand holding her necklace of old and the other holding the enevelop, the source of her problems.

''How was it possible that something which would be her happiest hour also be her death sentence?''

Back at Roxanne's house everything was quiet, the only sound coming from Sarah's room. She was probably taking her bath before getting out.
Suzan decided to wait outside her door.
Ten minutes later the sound of running water had stopped and she heard Sarah's voice from inside.
- Come inside, no need to stand outside my door, it makes me nervous.
Suzan entered the room with her eyes on the floor after all she was a servant and Sarah was a vampire even if she was the kindest and more humane vampire Suzan had ever known.
-I am sorry, it was not my intention to make you nervous.
-Oh my young Suzan, it was you? I thought that either Roxanne was testing my alertness skills or Paul was trying to sneak on me for a pardon, Sarah said and hugged Suzan, but judging from your look it must be something important to have waited for me out there. Has anything happened?
-...yes, said Suzan finally with a tone of fear in her voice.
-To Roxanne?
-No, god help us no!!!
-To Paul?
-Not as far as I know, though he is hunting an elder vampire that roams the city at night and I am afraid for him.
-Then to whom?
-...
-Come on Suzan, you should know by now that you can trust me and that I would never harm you. If it is something I can help you with, I will gladly do so.
-I know that Sarah and I am glad I had you all those years but I am afraid, afraid for me, afraid for Paul and ultimately afraid for you if I share this with you.
-Ok now you've intrigued me even more Suzan, what is that terrible secret? You should know better that in this house only the intruders should fear the wrath of your mother and even this youngling Paul has proved to be a skilled vampire.
-Do you remember months ago the night that you and I talked about me and Paul?
-Of course and to be honest with you and him, I am glad that he honestly feels what he feels for you.
-Do you remember what I asked you that night?
-I think you asked me if Vampires are able to love, am I right?
-Yes and something else...
-Reall , oh Suzan I am sorry, I can't remember at the moment. What was it?
-It was something that you called it...
-Come on don't stop, what was it?
-...
-If I promise you that everything will be alright after you tell me will it make you feel less afraid? You are more pale than Roxxane herself at the moment.
-You can't keep this promise Sarah but I will tell you, I can't keep it to myself any longer. I asked you if it was possible for vampires to have children...the moment Suzan let it go she closed her eyes in case death would come to her for what she had confessed.
-Yes, now that you told me I recall it and I already told you that it would be a blasphemy even to speak of such things... wait a minute...why are you asking me this now?
-You know that me and Paul have an affair right? And that we are frequently having sex...?
-I guess so, though I am afraid you do not take the same pleasure in it, said Sarah trying to be funny but her face revealed that she was afraid of what would come next.
-I could debate with you about the pleasure but not this time, it is more serious.
-Go on then...
-...Well, in the last 3 months I was late for my period and I...
-Can't be!!! Sarah said in fear and doubt.
-...I had some incidents of morning dizziness and sometimes after I ate something I felt nauseous but I didn't pay attention since I had nothing to worry about, right? But each day it was getting worse and even the blood that Roxxane gave me coulnd't cure those symptoms...
-WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME SUZAN? Sarah almost screamed the words.
-Last week I took a pregnacy test, more to have a silly story to share with Paul when I would be healthy again and...
-AND?
-And the test was positive...
-Couldn't it be a faulty outcome?
-But both the second and the third? So today I went to see a doctor, don't worry he is in a village out of Thessaloniki and I am pretty sure he is not the ghoul of anyone and since I went during day I am pretty sure noone followed me.
-And...what...did the doctor...say? Sarah was already afraid of the answer and what would come next.
-Sarah I am 13 weeks pregnant, said Suzan already crying.
Sarah stood up like if she was hit by lightning, her inner beast already lusting to shred this mortal to pieces. But Sarah was not an ordinary vampire, in her long life she had lost control only two times and she was considered young in both those times.
She focused her will and soon the beast was quiet again.
-Pregnant? she managed to say.
-...yes, I am going to have a child Sarah, what you thought as blasphemy and impossible is going to happen in less that 6 months. And the symptoms are the usual pregnancy symptoms but intensified thanks to the nature of the father, I guess.
-Suzan this is not a nice joke, please tell me you are joking right now...
-I know you have the power to check somebody's health status, try it on me and I beg you to keep in mind that all these days I've been praying for all this to not be true.
Sarah said nothing and touched Suzan on the head and at that same moment her mystical third eye opened on her forehead. It took her only a few seconds to confirm that what the young girl was saying was true and she backed away in fear and doubt again.
-So?
-It is...it is true, she managed to say, you are pregnant.
-What am I going to do Sarah? I came to you for help.
-Me? I don't know, this is far beyond my...I don't know how I can help you Suzan...
-Give me a piece of advice me like you always do, I know it's a terrible secret and I am sorry I had to burden you with it. I am not asking anything of you, I will carry this cross alone if needed, just advise me please.
-Oh my Suzan!!! said Sarah to the crying girl, if she were able to cry she would do so alongside her.
-What should I do? In a couple of weeks I won't be able to hide it anymore, please help me.
-First of all my little Suzan, are you sure it's Paul's? Is there no chance that something happened with another man? I mean a mortal man...
-Sarah!!! I love Paul and I wouldn't do that to him under no circumstance, of course I am sure it's his!!!
- Okay, okay, I still can't believe this was possible but I believe you.
-Will you help me?
-..........
-Will you?
-With all my heart, with every drop of blood I have, even with my last breath if I have to and not because it is a unique union but because it is your child Suzan and I will not let anything take this happiness away from you.
-Thank you Sarah! I knew you were gonna help me, said Suzan and hugged her once again.
-First of all, does Roxxane know or suspect anything?
-I don't think so.
-Lets hope so or else she will kill us both. She will never understand this situation, she will immediately lose control and kill us all. After so many years, for her the mere thought of something like that is considered a blasphemy.
-Then how will...?
-Well we will have to keep it a secret for now and since time is pressuring us we will have to think of something to keep it secret later on. Paul?
-What about Paul?
-Does he know?
-No, not yet.
-Maybe it's better this way....Sarah murmured.
-What is better?
-Well Suzan I will ask you something and I want you to think about it very seriously before you answer me.
-Go on.
-If you had to leave you mother for this child would you do it? If you had to spend your life hiding from everyone would you do it? And what's more if Paul had to do the same would he do it for you?
-Sarah I do not know how I feel for the unborn child but I know that a miracle has happened with the man I love and I love Roxxane for everyhing she has given me but if I had to choose between those two I would choose my child and if this means I have to leave her and spend another millenia hiding then so be it, but I cannot answer for Paul.
-Then that's what we have to find out. You need to tell him. After all it is half his fault, said Sarah trying one more joke and this time Suzan almost smiled.
-...and if he doesn't believe me? If he gets angry with me or worse if he rejects me?
-Then my little Suzan, I will come with you!
-You? Why?
-Because in the end what matters most is you and this unborn miracle!
-And what about Roxxane? Do you believe she will ever be able to forgive us?
-That I do not know! There are times that I believe she is fed up with this social lifestyle and she would prefer her violent past, she misses her path and I do not know if the path that I am showing to her will ever become dominant.
-Then so be it. I will ask Paul and we shall figure out what we are going to do.
-Yes, do that, the sooner the better. Even now, call him.
-Tomorrow, I think he has work to do with that elder vampire that's haunting the city these days. Tomorrow I will go to his house before sunset and I'll tell him about it.
-Tomorrow then, oh my little Suzan I am so happy for you! May the god be merciful on you.
-Thank you Sarah, I knew I could count on you.
-Always Suzan, always!



The next evening Suzan walked, almost ran towards Paul's house, a huge smile on her face. She couldn't wait to share these news with him. She couldn't wait to see his face, everything about their union was unique. He was not a typical vampire, he spent hours with her, he cared for her, he couldn't even lift his eyes from her and as for the sex, Sarah was wrong. Paul enjoyed their union even though he was an undead, yes everything was unique about them two and she couldn't wait until sunset to share her news with him.
''Please god make him believe me and share the same feelings with me, please make him as happy about this child as I am''.
She was so lost in her thoughts that even after centuries of being cautious and aware of her surroundings she missed the weird van that had been following her all this time, she missed the men with hoods on their faces that were sitting in it and she missed the van speeding up the moment she entered that dark and quiet alley.
She realised it too late, just a second before the van was beside her and the doors opened letting some monstrous men with hoods get out and grab her.
She would scream if she could but no voice came out her mouth.
She would resist if she could  after all she was a well trained ghoul but one man injected something to her and in her weakened state she couldn't.
And then everything blacked out...

She had no idea what time it was or where she was when she next opened her eyes.
She knew though that she was tied with metal chains on a metal chair.
She had to be somewhere underground judging by the incoming sounds but there was no light so she could see better.
And then she felt fear, not for her but for her unborn child.
Suddenly she realised that her carelessness could have cost her child's life and in that moment she loved it more than anything.

She heard footsteps approaching.
-Who is there? she screamed.
-Silence bitch, she heard an unfamiliar voice, silence or I will silence you forever.
-Who are you? What do you want from me?
-Me? Nothing. I would have killed you already bitch but he wanted to talk to you...
-He? Who is he?
-It's me, said a familiar voice and the same moment the lights went on.
Suzan had to close her eys for some seconds and then she recognised the man in the luxurious suit standing only a few meters away from her.
-Edward? she whispered in fear.
-Young Suzan de Castile! said the man imitating a fake salute, I am glad you remember me.
-I remember you and also my mother remembers you!
-How is my queen? How is Yvet or should I call her Roxxane now?
-How did you...?
-How did I find you? Well, it took us a while but patience always pays off, after all Yvet may have changed her clothes and her hair but she can never hide her face and I would recognize the majestic queen of Castile even among a million other women. So here we are, you and me having this little chat.
-What do you want?
-Well to be honest her head on a plate to serve to her husband but I am afraid she will refuse to cooperate and we would have a fight and I hate fights.
-As always a coward! said Suzan disgusted.
-For many a coward, for others a survivor, but this is not the point of our meeting.
-Then what is? You can't possibly expect her to surrender because you have me.
-Surrender? Of course not, she wouldn't be Yvet then. No I have a message to send her and I needed a messenger.
Suzan breathed a sigh of relief, maybe she would survive this meeting.
-Alright, what's the message?
-That depends on you ...Suzan? Am I right?
-What do you mean?
-Well my faction hates ghouls but I find some of them to be of use, for example the ones that captured you today. And you Susan, you have been a ghoul for centuries now, a well trained ghoul as far as I know.
-So?
-So you would make a fine soldier for my faction and at the same moment a nice message to your mother!
-How do you expect this to happen?
-Well if you agree on this plan, I will have a friend of mine embrace you and you will join our packs in this nightly war.
-Are you so sure that I won't betray you if I join your ranks?
-Oh my little princess of course I am but our Vinculi, our union will make sure this doesn't happen cause once you drink your loyalty will become you pack and our cause, nothing else.
Suzan realised her fate, she would become a soldier for them and a lure for her mother, a moving bait that would help them capture her but the worst was the fate of her child, no unborn had ever survived an embrace, the moment she would take life eternal her child would die and she was not able to let that happen.
-And if I decide not to accept your kind offer?
-Then unfortunately you will give the message in another, unpleasant way...
-....?
-I am afraid I will have to let my pack's priest play with you and then we will dump your body somewhere to be found hoping that your mother will be able to recognize you and get the message.
-So either way I die?
-More or less, though I should advise you take the first option. It's less painful and I am willing to let you choose the clan you are going to join, said Edward with a fake smile.
''In both cases my child dies but in the second I can protect Roxxane, Sarah and Paul''
Suzan already knew about this "Vinculi" and she knew that after it she would expose every secret and share everything with anyone in her pack. That was the way that faction worked in order to ensure loyalty amongst them and she knew better than to take that choice, after all her mother belonged to that faction for centuries and Suzan had learned from her about their practises. At least with the second option she would die, painfully and in a perverted way, but she would not betray her loved ones.

-Then I choose the second option! I am not afraid of your pack priest or death. I am the Princess of Castile, child of the greatest Queen. I belong to the clan of the shadow masters and I refuse to be afraid of anything! Suzan said the words full of pride but she was lying. She was afraid, not of death, not of the afterlife, if there was any but she was afraid for her child, her unborn child.
-I was sure Princess, Edward mocked her, though I had to try. IVAN!!! COME HERE!!!

A monstrous man appeared. He belonged to the clan of the fiends, great magicians of the central Europe known for their grotesque appearances and their perverted experiments on other beings.
-I shall take my leave now Princess, Ivan is a very capable artist of the bodycrafts and though I love a fine piece of art I am afraid I will not like your pieces after he is done. She is all yours Ivan, make it slow, make it painful and make her beg for death many times before death finds her.
-With great pleasure my leader!said the monster and approached Suzan.
She screamed with all her power for the first time this night but not the last, her centuries of ghoul status made his ''work'' easier since she could withstand a lot of pain and torturing and some time before the dawn when death came for her, she could only thank him for having been merciful. Her last thoughts though were about her unborn child and Paul and her happiest hour was indeed her death sentence!




Three days later Roxxane was walking down the stairs to the morgue. The doctor, a vampire necromancer belonging to an Italian family had called to inform her that someone had found a body that looked like Suzan.
She was going there not sure if she was sad for the loss of her ghoul and daughter or angry, on the verge of frenzy, for her enemies who once more hadn't had the honor to face her.
The doctor awaited her with a strange look on her face, not sure how this mysterious woman of unknown origins but with great powers would react to the sight of the body. Still it was her job for the Prince and the city to take care of such bodies so the ''masquearde'' wouldn't be endangered by a mortal doctor.
-My lady, she said when Roxxane stormed the morgue.
-Marcela! Roxxane said in responce. Where is the body?
-Right here, Marcela said and pointed at a frozen body, well not exactly a body but the weird remains of it. I am still curious how a human body could turn out like this. Is it her?
Roxxane took a good look. Unlike others who would take a quick glance and then look away she bathed in the gore of the remains of her daughter, the sight fueling her thirst for vengeanse.
-Yes she is...she finally said.
-What do you want me to do with it?
-.....
-My lady?
-...Burn her!!! Ashes to ashes and dust to dust!!!
-As you wish my lady, said the Italian woman with relief.
-One moment, Roxxane strafed towards the body, took another look at the remains and searched the body for it...finally she found what she was looking for, the necklace, her necklance, her gift to her daughter.
-What's this?
-A gift, she will no longer miss it. Are we done here?
-Two questions my lady, shall I inform the Prince?
-I will inform him if needed, no damage has been done to the ''masquerade'' right?
-Of course, and the second thing...shall I inform our sheriff?
-I already told you...
-Not "Faceless", the new one, your child, I know he was very close with your gh...with Suzan.
The Italian necromancer almost cowered in fear from the look of this woman, she was ready to grab her and shred her to pieces.
-Do as you please with Paul, I don't care, said Roxxane in a cold voice, but I need her burnt before sunrise, am I clear?
-Of course my lady, always at your service.


Three days now with Suzan gone Sarah could not find rest, not at home, not during her meditation not even in her torpid sleep during the day.
She was haunted with visions of Suzan's pain and death in the hands of that monster...
Sarah couldn't forgive herself for letting Suzan go alone that day. She had pushed her to inform Paul and that was the outcome.
A miracle would have happened and Sarah had destroyed it.
She would never, ever forgive herself for that.
And when Roxxane came back from the morgue to confirm Suzan's death something died inside Sarah as well.
And that sunrise, moments before her sleep, Sarah couldn't hold back anymore...
And she cried, not like an adult woman but like a hysterical child...
And her tears were red lines on her face,THEY WERE TEARS OF BLOOD!!!