I could feel their presence from afar. I felt their sensations of lust, of anger, and of the thirst. We were close. I didn't want to go yet I had to. I had to see him for the final time. My friend. My comrade. My hands gripped the steering wheel as we approached the house of the dead. It was a grandiose estate. It oozed wealth and power; old and new. My breath caught in my throat only for a moment. Fear. It was fear that caught me off guard. I was afraid of what I'd see inside, what he will be now that he's dying. Death must've lingered around him, waiting for his time, the right moment. I felt a small hand on my own. It was pale, the nails painted black. She held on to my hand, to ensure me. I looked into her innocent face. Kasey gave a small shaky smile. This would be the first time she'd ever meet others like us. Dead, thirsty for flesh. Nelle was quiet. Through the rearview mirror, I could see Nelle. Her posture was stiff, her skin was paler than usual. We all felt the same way, that word that I hated so much, fear. I was the first to get out of the car, the black leather trench coat trailing behind me.
I opened the door with ease, entering without so much of a knock. I knew they had sensed us coming from miles away, there was no need for a grand entrance. They all sat clustered together in small groups. Their voices were low. The music was loud, pulsating through the room. I could feel the bass beating under my feet as I walked toward the back room. The vampires stopped their conversations. Silence, except for the music. They all looked upon us with wonder and amazement. Kasey trailed close behind me, at times she would trip over a carpet spot or the back of my shoes. Nelle trailed farther away, taking her time, enjoying the attention. Her head held high among the black and reds colors that masked the room.
I led the group to the room, the dark room where he was situated for all these years. After all these years, it was finally time. As we reached the double door, the doors behind us shut; silencing the electric music. It was dark and silent as we waited. Two guards were posted on either side of the doors. Their stature was stiff, all business like. The type that could kill anything that posed a threat. A small woman opened the door, her heels clicking with each step. She had a notepad in one hand and a cup in the other. I could smell it from here; blood. She was drinking blood from a coffee mug. Her black rimmed glasses glistened in the darkness.
"Senor Borgia has been expecting you for some time now, Gregory. Your visit has long been overdue." The stunning woman with the long, sleek black hair, a thick Spanish accent, and black rimmed glasses looked at the party behind me. "They are not allowed. Sorry, not sorry. Those are the rules. No one sees a Borgia without prior arrangement." She walked back to the now closed door. She stood in front of it, waiting for me to follow suit. I looked behind me only to see Nelle and Kasey still standing, hesitating to be left behind in a place full of strangers.
"Don't worry, they won't bite." I winked oozing confidence I failed to have. Nelle gave me a smile before leading Kasey back into the parlor with the others. My hands shock. Goose chills ran up my arms, my spine. This was the moment. As they opened the door, the smell of sulfur and smoke was overwhelming. I covered my mouth as I entered the room, the large wooden doors closing behind me.
*
I stood near the, now closed door. Fear and weariness have gotten the better of me. He laid in bed. We both were enjoying the silence. We were enjoying each other's presence for the first time in centuries.
"Forgiveness is a thing for idiots who have something to be forgiven for. I did not bring you here for that filth. That lie." He paused to cough, blood soaked his silk nightgown. "You are here because you are a part of my brother. I know he still lays within you, he courses through your veins." He motioned his hands for me to come forward, I did so out of obedience and pity. Memories engulfed my mind, my vision. My god.
As I got closer to the old man, he began to closely resemble the man I loathe for so long. His brother. My master. This old man, basking in linen and silks, gave a groan as he tried to move. Even the simplest movements pained him greatly. He gave a smile. Putting on a brave face, I approached closer to him. I sat next to the bed on the red silk chair. I could still feel the warmth from the previous tenant. He reached his hands toward my face. I was stiff, letting his pull my bangs back behind my ear. I loathed his touch. He felt sinewy and leathery. His nails were as long and sharp as knives.
He put his hand back on his stomach, exhaling from the movement.
"My God, Gregory, you are as stiff as a board. Why must you be so cold to me?" I said nothing. I couldn't answer him for a moment. I just stared into the fire across the room. Its vibrant colors of red and yellow dancing around the room.
"You know why." I mustered. My voice came out in a whisper.
"I know. I know. But it is Carlos you should be cold to. After all, he was the one to turn you." He turned away. I could see the dark contours of his face. Shadows in the cresses. His face was skeletal like. Death was knocking on his door and it may be tonight Death shall enter the threshold of Renaldo Borgia's bedchambers. Many thoughts ran through me, questions that I needed answers to.
"My child. What life we have lived. What traumas and tragedies we endured. I know why you are so cold. You were hurt more times than one can fathom but I am not the one that hurt you. My other half did. He was selfish, I know. So that is why I must apologize for his sake, for his part in your ruin." He did not turn to me as he said this. He was still facing the shadows across from him. I could only imagine what he must be thinking, what he must be feeling as he transverse from this world to the next.
"Are you frightened?" I asked.
The soft crackle of the fire filled the silence as I waited for him to answer.
"Yes. I am. Do you know how long I have been here on this earth? I am weary of life itself. It is cold. It is warm. It is good and evil. I have seen it all and felt it all. I am ready. Tell me, son, do you know why I am dying?" I shook my head. His mistress failed to give me the details on his condition.
"Miss Sonja Santiago can be a dramatic at times but I love her all the same. You see, she failed to tell you that I was shot while on the hunt. We were careless fools. We were messing about, too confident of our abilities when they came after us. One of them shot me right in the side. I wish to show you the wound that will never heal." He struggled to lift up the sheets and his gown but frailty and fatigue consumed his body.
"I need not see the wound. I see the pain you are in. Rest, my friend, for another day will arrive for you." I gave a soft chuckle. "You're not dead yet." I patted his hand, reassuring him.
He slowly faced me, his black eyes glossy.
"No, Borgia. No tears for Death. No tears for the past. You must let go-"
"Do you know why he chose you out of thousands of men and women to turn?" He interrupted me so suddenly. His question shook the very core within me. I was rattled. I shook my head.
"You were pure. A holy man. Not corrupted. Innocent. Angry at the world for making him become who he was at that moment in time. A young man with so much potential that it killed the very spirit just to see you walking by. With your head held low, your face contorted into a mixture of hate and sadness. Oh, such sadness, Gregory.
"We made a wager, Carlos and I, to see which one of us could convince you to become one of us or to die with your belief. We wanted to destroy you. To destroy that pureness within you for we believed in the wickedness. You were just a game to us, Gregory. Another pawn on the chess board. Carlos was the first to notice you, walking one night in West Kent. Then and there we wagered like two devils. I stabbed him in the stomach and shoved him forward. We were curious creatures back then. You fell for it. You fell for the bait and Carlos won." He tried to let out a chuckle but it came out more of a cough. I did not know what to say nor what to do. Every emotion I could possibly feel was bottled up inside me, waiting to explode. I was fearful yet fearless. I was angry yet sad. But most of all, I felt worthless. I needed time to recover. To soak in the words he had just spoken.
"I just wanted to tell you this before I leave this world. I know how Carlos fed you lies throughout the years but the truth is you were just one of many fledglings he had turned. He made you feel special. But the truth is he made you a killer of men. A merciless god. Carlos was filled with hate and such evilness. You must understand that our lives weren't easy. Being a Borgia had its strengths and weaknesses. We embraced the gift together because we want power, since our cousin took that from us. We wanted to ruin the world. We had too much to do. We didn't want to die." I stood up, walking toward the fireplace. I leaned my head on the mantelpiece, lost in thought.
"Oh, Greg -"
"Do not call me that! Do not let my name slip from those filthy lips of yours!" I turned quickly facing him. My eyes wide. My voice growled in the night. My heart beat so fast, so hard that I thought it would burst from my chest. I could hear pounding on the door and a thunderous voice coming through.
"I am quite alright, my love. It's just Gregory's way of dealing with the truth. You must go back to your party. We will not disturb you again." His eyes never left mines. The pounding stopped. The whispers and shouts stopped.
"Why?" I asked, this time a much softer tone of voice than before.
"Because we were young and we were bored. You gave us fun for a little while but even you made us weary with your desires and impulsiveness. We left you there in that dreadful city, so you could learn to live, to truly live as one of us. We wanted you to truly see your potential but you were too selfish and inconsiderate. Carlos grew tired of dealing with a child." He sunk lower in the haven of sheets and pillows.
"Now go. You've worn me out. I must sleep the sleep of the dead."
Without uttering another word, without so much as an apology nor a farewell, I stayed where I was. Listening to the faint snore of a devil. I was in disbelief, in shock. The doors opened and Miss Santiago stepped in, two bruly men followed her in. She didn't have to say anything for I knew I didn't belong there, not anymore. This was no longer my home, my sanctuary. No, it was a prison. A circus for freaks. I stormed out of the room, throwing viciously every door in my way. As I made it to the parlor, I could see I had grabbed their attention. They stood on the sides of me as I thundered through them, paying no heed to the scuffling footsteps of Nelle and Kasey behind me. I needed air. I needed to leave. I couldn't stand it any longer. And as I felt the cold breeze hit my body, I felt to the ground. I laid my head in my arms, curled up in a ball on the steps of the coven. Tears streamed my face. Angst was on the verge of making me insane. Right then and there I realized what I was and who I was. Worthless.936Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF3YXeZP7W
