Blood Mother. A Vampire Tale

Ch. 24 Dimitri

Dimitri's mind whirled after seeing Tessa. She looked vibrant and alive. Seeing her fall on that floor took everything he had to not catch her and run. Despite being the thing she hated most he would have done it. But he couldn't risk conveying anything to Luka. It would mean his death. And more importantly, Tessa's.

Dimitri stood on the deck after his meeting with Luka. Holding the railing so tight it splintered beneath his fingers. Fingers that should bleed and hurt but wouldn't. He didn't know why he had regenerated his memories and feelings. Of all the vampires he had come in contact with over the last few years only a handful of the very old confessed to emotion. And only as a flaw.

Dimitri knew better. It was a form of mutation that could help him create a better world. His new band would be better, stronger, and have the ability to reason beyond greed and bloodlust if he was patient. It hadn't happened to him instantly. When he was turned he was aware of only hunger and self satisfaction a miserable existence of constant need and want.

But somehow it had changed. He began to actually form more coherent thoughts and memories slowly swam back toward consciousness. Brining a type of attachment. Some of the others he had created were beginning to show signs of a new awakening.  Secretly he had made them, and trained them to be strong and careful until there were enough of his own to take over Luka and his band of henchmen.

But for now, the task at hand would be taken care of. He knew Calina was loose. He had been there when she was turned. Back in the beginning. When all he cared about was filling his empty burning need.

He would find her. Not out of devotion to Luka or to save children. But Tessa was on the case. Her life was a feather in the wind. But he wanted her in his world. Even if it meant seeing her from afar. Calina would kill her. She was an animal, untrainable like Luka. He had turned her lose on the world. A decision based on poor calculation and young emotion.  But he would undo that. Tonight.

He scanned the surroundings with all his senses. It was in the air by the park. Her smell. A decay mixed with burnt flesh. He saw a flash off to his right and thought the accompanying men into location surrounding the park. They had been trained by Luka and wouldn't hesitate to kill on the street worrying about consequences later. His own men stayed far from the city. Tucked in shadows.

Dimitri surveyed the park and found the girl laying on a patch of grass. She was alive. He followed the scent to a quiet tree lined street where the trail was strongest. He stopped at the first house and mentally relayed to the others to spread out. Each taking one side of the street working house to house towards the middle.

It was a small white home  with a ramp entrance that he felt hummed. He knew she was in there. He could feel the cold numbing wave. The soldiers arrived before he finalized his mental alert. Surrounding the house. Dimitri entered silently with Niko. A rather large but effectively ruthless vamp that he trusted to do the job correctly. Niko would start at the top of the stairs while Dimitri searched below.

The house smelled of must and old person. It was tidy and clean. But his senses were stronger than cleansers and sprays. He felt a single heart beating. Slowly, erratically. Perhaps a sick human or one Calina had been feeding from.

When he got to the bedroom she lay sleeping. Old but alive. Uncharmed and untouched. He wondered if it were possible that Calina had passed the bloodlust stage. Living among a human was hard for any vamp. But he would have thought it impossible for an untrained outcast.

He was immediately thrust into high alert. Niko was distressed. He followed the his senses to a back structure. Like a small garage apartment behind the white home. He removed the door with a an effortless push. In the back room he found the body of Niko. Headless. By an open window. Looking down at the lawn below, he saw her. Fighting like an animal. Lightening speed and full of fury taking down the other soldier. He jumped from the window just as she ripped the throat from Lee, the second soldier.

Dimitri saw her as he landed. Coated in blood. A look of almost euphoria spread across her face. She smiled and in an instant fled to the top of the trees. He followed. Not able to repress the small bit of pride in her ability. All young vamps were quick and strong but taking out both soldiers and living with a human. That was not ordinary.

As he chased her through the city for miles he felt the call of dawn approaching. Surely soon she would stop to hide. They would never tire, either of them. His his mind began to wonder if she would be content with the game of running until the sun came out in full to end them both or until she was weak from hunger. Perhaps that was his greatest advantage.  More frequent feeds were needed in the young.

He remembered her scarred skin. The way she dismissed the pain of sunlight and refused to bow to the idea of conforming. Her flat determined rage filled eyes as she learned his verdict for her crimes. He wondered if she remembered any of it. He was on alert as the sky started to lighten. Torn between ending the chase or braving the pain of day. He would need time to get back under cover. His choice was made for him by a prickling sensation almost pain running up and down his body. A call to protect itself. To survive. Tonight he would be ready. With his own men.

As he stopped he could hear her laugh carried away on the wind.  Some would have called it maniacal but Dimitri understood it for what it was: Joy. Calina was progressing.