The Great Families, Part 2, Chapter 1

Chapter One

It has been almost three months since the Masons tricked me. I have spent it practicing a lot of self-defense, strategy and politics, and learning about vampires.

I am actually getting pretty good with a sword. We have to use hand weapons against vampires because bullets really do not hurt them. Plus, most vampires are old and so see swords as the fashionable way to fight.

If I am having a really good day, and Neve is having a really bad day, I might win a few challenges against her. Jaime, on the other hand, is lousy with swords. He prefers martial arts, and is very good at avoiding being hit. He seems to know where you will be attacking him before you do. By the time you actually get your sword where you want it, he has dodged out of the way.

I also learned more about Vampires in general. Besides the 10 Great Families, there are hundreds of other lesser groups, called Bloodless Vampires. The 10 Great Families are like the royalty of Vampires, where the Bloodless are commoners.

The Great Families can thrive on their mortal counterpart’s blood. It is stronger than any other blood in the world to them. A Saxon Dearly departed is three times more powerful than a Bloodless Vampire when he has recently drank from a mortal Saxon. It has something to do with the mystical connection between the Patron, the Fountainhead, the Family and the Dearly departed. No one knows exactly why it works the way it does, but it does.

It is hard to become a Great Family- impossibly hard, in fact. A Patron needs to be made. A Patron can only become a Patron by killing another Patron. Then they need to groom their mortal family for generations. A vampire that has killed another Patron, and then gives birth to a human (something that can take centuries, if not millennia of work and luck) must then have their offspring drink the blood of all the other existing Patrons. Then the human becomes a Fountainhead. The Patron, and all its vampire descendants, can then benefit from drinking from their mortal counterparts and become stronger than regular Vampires.

There are bad sides to this. If a Patron dies, all the vampiric children of the Patron dies. If the Fountainhead dies, all the mortal descendants die. And, perhaps worst of all, all vampires in a great Family are addicted to their Family’s blood. All other blood tastes terrible to them. But when they do drink their Family’s blood, they have all the powers of a Vampire- plus specific powers available only to their own family.

Then there is us, the Renfields of the Families. Technically, to become a Renfield you must drink the blood of one of the Family vampires, as well as be physically related to the vampire you drank from. By doing this, your blood becomes even better to the dearly departed. Even more, you can learn some of the Vampiric powers and therefore be able to protect the Vampires while they are sleeping. I have been told that most Family Renfields are equal in strength to Bloodless Vampires. Renfields age very slowly, and can be incredibly strong in powers. There are drawbacks too to being a Renfield. Because our blood is so tasty to vampires in general we can easily become hunted, and many of us become so addicted to Vampire blood that we can lose our minds. It is a serious danger, and we are always watched closely for signs of Blood Addiction and insanity.

Finally, there are just the everyday mortals of the Family. Their blood tastes almost as good as Renfield blood, and they usually do not even know about the secret side of the family. They get the benefit of Vampiric protection, wealth and the Family name. On the other hand, they are like Ice Cream Sundaes to vampires.

Then there are the Bloodless Vampires, called such because they have no real family blood to back them. They tend to be younger, weaker and less wealthy. On the other hand, they are not addicted to any type of blood, and do not have to report to a family. They do not have to worry about their Patron dying or their Fountainhead dying. They are weaker, but freer.

The 10 Great Families comprise the Council of Elders. They deal with all the larger issues. They also enforce the Three Vows all Vampires must follow: Silence, Chastity and Obedience.

Silence: Humans must not know of the existence of the Vampires or any other supernatural creature.
Chastity: Vampires will feed only from their own family or those not belonging to any family
Obedience: Vampires will follow the chain of command. Family vampires, their Patron. Bloodless Vampires, their Regent.

Each city has a Regent, who gets it by being the most powerful. They are in charge of enforcing the Vows. Each city usually has a large number of Bloodless Vampires and a small number of Family Vampires. Technically, no area is off limits to any Family member, and all Vampires can live where they want to. In reality, most Family Vampires stick close to their native lands, as they have to have mortal family members around to drink from.

Vampires are political beings. They are immortal, and so do not want to do things that can endanger their lives. So, they rarely travel, avoid fights, and prefer to be hidden. But they are also social beings who need to have blood, money, wealth, power, and protection.

Vampires have enemies, too. If it is not another rival vampire, it is humans who hunt them, werewolves who have their own territory, Mages who need to use vampire blood to power their magicks, and a countless number of other horrible things that go bump in the night. It’s a dog-eat-vampire world out there.
Vampires love blood. They thrive off the stuff. To them, it is food, shelter, drink, comfort, love, passion and everything else. They first thing they do when waking up at night is think about blood. The last thing they do before going to bed at dawn is think about blood. Blood is everything. It is the root of their powers, and is the reason for their existence.

I have also learned more about the rare Fountainhead existence. Fountainheads must drink three times from the Patron. The first time is by force. It gives you access to powers (like my transferring of wounds) and once you reach 18 or so, slows down your aging. The second drink is the choice of the Fountainhead. By drinking a second time, you get more powers, and the Patron becomes attached to you. The third and final time, you gain access to all the powers of the Family. The third choice, however, is the choice of the Patron. To allow the third drink is to enforce a bond that is permanent. The previous Fountainhead is no longer the Fountainhead. The new Fountainhead no longer needs to drink the blood of any vampire- he or she makes their own vampiric blood.

It was soon to be my choice whether or not to drink a second time. Technically, it is my choice. I can walk away with no hard feelings. But if I go that route, my whole family would be in jeopardy. My father is getting too old to keep being the Fountainhead. It is a powerful position, but tiring as well. And if my father dies, then we all do.

~

I had severely disappointed my family when I let the Masons trick me. I lost my mother because of it, and the Masons got another big step into becoming a true and lasting Great Family. I was determined that the next time I could prove myself, I would do so.

Yesterday, I made the decision to take the next step, and to drink again from the Patron. Luckily, tradition would not allow him to deny me on this second step- it was my choice alone. If he had a choice, I think he would deny me. I had embarrassed him, and Father told me that Saxon harbored serious doubts about whether I deserved being a Fountainhead.

I guess I never really had doubts as to whether or not I would drink. It disgusts me, and I hate the fact that I am basically becoming a living vampire. On the other hand, I have to help my family, and getting powers is a little cool.

Fall just started, and the four months since my birthday has passed pretty quickly. I haven’t heard from my mother at all, but that is to be expected. I miss her a lot.

Jaime, Neve and I have become close friends. We see each other every day, and we have all of our lessons together. They have both decided to become permanent Renfields- to take all three drinks. In a way, I am glad, because that means they will be good friends and good allies. I am sad, too, because being a full Renfield without being a Fountainhead can mean insanity, blood addiction and worse. They are both pretty close relatives to their Fountainheads, though, so it is almost expected for them to become full Renfields.

After I made my decision, I decided to do it immediately. I was not looking forward to seeing the Patron, as last time was so terrible. Now not only would it be terrible, but I had to deal with his disappointment in my recent mess-ups. And, of course, the nastiness of drinking blood.
I entered the Castle and went to his room. It was later at night, around midnight, so I assumed he would be awake. He was, but he was in a dental chair. He had his fangs extended, and a woman was examining them.

‘Saxon, I have told you multiple times to floss between your gums.’ She said, disapprovingly.

“aye yav beeng” Saxon said, keeping his mouth open.

‘And I have noticed you have been filing your teeth down. Yup, it looks pretty bad. Do you know how much blood it will take to heal this? I never understood you Family members. You have more than two fangs. Why file the other ones down?’

‘Ees fashunhabol’ he said, ‘Aye unt oo ook ike racoolya’. He said.

‘Well, its foolish and a waste of blood to heal.’ She said. She was obviously a Bloodless vampire, but she seemed to be doing well for herself. Vampire dentists. Who knew? I cleared my throat politely. The woman smiled.

‘Ahh, it’s the young Fountainhead. You keeping good care of your teeth?’ She asked.

I nodded, ‘You Saxons have worse cavities than even the McGregors. I do not know how you even grow fangs. Oh well, take care of them now. I do not want to have problems with you in a century or so when I start doing your teeth.’

She patted Saxon. ‘We are done here’. He sat up, spit into her cup she held extended, and removed the napkin on his chest. He smiled a horrifying, toothy, fanged grin. His teeth were very clean, and newly sharpened.

The dentist packed up as Saxon was checking his teeth. I stood uncomfortably until she was gone.
‘I am ready.’ I said.

The Patron sighed. ‘Come here’ he said. I walked closer to him.

‘The second time is… different. Drink up.’ He bit his wrist, and as the blood pooled up, I took a deep breath and went for my second taste of the blood.

The blood tasted different this time, like nectar from a fruit with a hint of tartness like grape juice. But, behind the taste I could taste the blood. I could feel the tang of iron, almost like licking a copper tube. The moment the blood touched my lips, my heart sped up, my eyes dilated, and the world disappeared. Everything was focused on the blood. Its taste, its effect on my body, the need for more even as it was pouring down my throat. I started gripping the Patron’s arm even harder, trying to wring out every last bit of the blood. Gulp after gulp, I wanted more, then needed more, then demanded more. I felt the Patrons arm start to move from my mouth. And I struggled to keep my mouth on the gushing wound.
‘Enough!’ he said, and I felt myself flying across the room. My body hit the floor with a sickening flood, and I was brought back to the world. I could feel the blood in me, changing me. My eyes could focus on the smallest details, like minute cracks in the smooth stone floor. I could hear ants walking across the window like they were buffalo herding through the plains. I could smell the stale sweat and dried blood that made up The Patron’s scent. My body was being overran with sensation. I screamed in pain and surprise at what was happening to me.

The Patron knelt beside me and whispered into my ear in a thundering voice ‘turn off the noise.’ I nodded, and willed the sounds to decrease. Instead, the Patron screamed in pain- the loudness and brightness and stench of the world hit him in surprise. He composed himself in a few moments, and nodded, as if confirming something he already suspected.

I had calmed down a little. The Patron stood and looked out a window.

‘It is the Sensation. Another of our family’s power. We can transform one sense at a time to become incredibly sensitive. I can see an insect on a blade of grass a mile away. Or hear it, or smell it, or feel its vibrations it makes as it moves, or even taste what it tastes. ‘

‘So, I control it?’

He nodded. ‘If you want. When you are struggling to see something, your eyes focus. Just do that, except focus them to see more.’

I nodded, and in a moment, I was able to see the details again- the most minute of things. Paintings were no longer paintings, but individual strokes of a paintbrush. Even The Patron’s smooth, dead skin became a bunch of hills and valleys. Then, just as I was enjoying looking at the world through a microscope, I was blinded by a flash of light.

The Patron had lit a match. ‘Watch out- having the increased sensations can easily lead to overload. Loud sounds can deafen, lights can blind, heat can burn, cold can freeze, and stenches can nauseate.’
I was writhing on the ground in pain, my eyes were burning by the brightness. I imagined transferring the blindness to the Patron, like I did last time. My sight instantly cleared.

The Patron fell down, as he was struck with blindness. ‘Normally, even the Dearly departed can’t do that. It seems you have a talent of passing off our powers to others.’ He said coolly.

‘You had your drink. Now leave.’ I nodded and turned to leave. We didn’t seem to like each other’s presence.

‘If I had to choose, now, I would not let you drink a third time. You have done nothing but embarrass me and your entire family. I expect miracles out of you before the end of this year.’ He said, quietly. I turned around, nodded, and left the Castle.

I needed more than a miracle.

I took a deep breath and reminded myself who I was- I was a Saxon. And Saxons never lose.

~
Neve was walking in around the Compound as I was leaving the Castle. Since we need so little sleep, Renfields develop odd habits. Neve tends to patrol the Compound at night to make sure everything is safe. Jaime has picked up shuffling decks of cards, and has even learned a card trick or two. At night, I check in with as many of the dearly departed as I can. I have gotten to know all of them pretty well- at least the ones who live in the Compound.

I decided to join Neve on her patrol, and we walked in a comfortable silence for about 15 minutes. I was practicing my new senses as we walked, and had improved my smell. The night was beautiful, and its aromas were many. I could smell the pollen of closed flowers, clover, and pine trees. I could also smell Neve. She smelled wonderful, like light soap and lavender. Just before I was going to switch to another sense, I noticed a horrendous smell.

‘Wait,’ I said. The smell was like the smell of dried blood and rotten mushrooms. It was horrible, but it was also very faint and far away.

Neve looked at me. ‘What is it, Ally? She said, slightly curious.

‘Follow me,’ I said. I tried to follow the scent. It was leading to the edge of the compound, near the heavily forested section, closer to the Hocking Hills area. I caught the direction, and started following it. It was a trail, so periodically I needed to stop and sniff the ground.

‘Umm, Ally? What are you doing?’ Neve asked, clearly weirded out.

‘I drank my second drink. This is part of my new power. I will explain later.’ I said, not wanting to be distracted from the scent.

We ran quietly for nearly 20 minutes, and were at the very edge of our land. Soon, we would be off our property. The scent was getting stronger. It was horrible, so bad that my stomach turned over. It was the stench of death- of decay. Something was dead, and it was horrible.

‘Oh gross,’ Neve said, covering her nose. ‘What reeks?’

‘It’s over there,’ I said, and pointed to a tree. I turned off my improved smell. I didn’t need- or want it- on anymore.

‘Well, go check it out, Ally.’ Neve said, prompting me. I hesitated, and then went towards the smell.
At first, it took me a moment to figure out what I was seeing. There was a pile of clothes- jeans and a t-shirt. But there was also bones and a skull under the clothes. And blood. Sticking out of the t-shirt was a wooden stake.

‘It’s a dead vampire’ Neve said, standing close behind me.

I pointed to a stitching of the the Saxon crest on the jean pocket. ‘No, worse.’ I said, ‘It’s a dead… dearly departed, a Saxon.’ I said.

Someone had murdered one of my family.

The Great Families: The Saxons, Part Two, Chapter 2

Chapter Two

My father, the Patron, and a few other cousins were standing next to me. Neve had run to get help, and had come back with them and Jaime. Jaime had sat down a few trees away, and was absently shuffling cards.

‘I thought stakes didn’t kill vamp- dearly departed?’ I asked. My father shook his head.

‘No, it merely paralyzes them. He didn’t die from this wound.’

‘Then how did he die?’ I wondered, out loud.

The Patron sniffed the air like a dog, and then knelt next to the body.

‘Loss of blood.’ The Patron said, quietly. I turned to him, hoping for more information. He didn’t give any. He turned and walked away.

‘Someone killed my broodling’ the Patron said, darkly. All descendants of him, vampiricly, are his broodlings. It was the vampiric term for child or offspring. He let out a screech. It sounded like a scream, but more reptilian. It was the sound of sadness. But it was also inhuman, and terrifying.
Bats, thousands of them, came to the trees, and they started screeching with him. It was horrible and sad, like an animal symphony or dirge for the dead.

He stopped, and turned to me.

‘Find who did this, and bring them to me.’ He said, and walked away. It was not a request, it was a command.

My father stood still as the bats left, and my cousins – some living, some dead- followed the Patron. Soon it was only Neve, Jaime, me and my Father.

‘I will find out which dearly departed this is. It will be an easy process of elimination. You can look for clues.’

I nodded. ‘Careful, the Patron will not accept failure in this area. When an dearly departed meets second death, the Patron takes it very seriously.’ My father said. He laid a hand on my shoulder. ‘Good luck, son.’ He walked away.

~
I was looking at the body with improved sight. I could see every detail clearly. He had tiny little cuts in his t shirt near his right lower ribs and another similar set near where his belly button was. The bones were all bleached white, letting me know that this dearly departed was not too old. Older ones dissolve into ash almost completely, leaving no trace of skin or bones. By daylight, these bones would be gone too.

None of them appeared to be broken, except the ribs, where the stake had gone. The jeans had no discernible marks on them, other than dirt from laying on the ground.

There were a few drops of blood, but not much. Some was around and on the stake, and there was a drop or two near the shoulder bone.

I looked for footsteps leading to or from the body, but found none.

From what I could tell, it was like someone staked the vampire, and dropped him from a tree or something. Or, we had a very smart killer who could somehow remove his footsteps or any other clue.

Jaime stood close to the body himself, and then stood up. ‘He died this evening, probably 3 or 4 hours ago- probably just after dusk. There is no one near here or on your Compound that shouldn’t be here.’

Neve and I looked at him. He just shrugged. ‘It’s my power’ he said, refusing to say anymore. Santiagos never discussed their family power- it was something like being psychic, though it always seemed to be in different forms for Jaime. I couldn’t quite pin it down. I dismissed it- he would explain when he felt comfortable.

‘I wonder where the cuts on his shirt came from,” I said.

‘What cuts?’ Neve asked. I tried to explain, but decided to show her. I passed the power to her. My own sight went normal, but I saw her blink a few times in amazement, and then look at me.

‘Cool!’ she said. Then she looked at the clothes. ‘Oh, I see!’ she said. She then picked out a small dagger.

Neve compared her dagger to the tears. ‘Whatever did this was sharp- but a lot smaller than my dagger. Maybe a pen knife or something’

‘Who would kill one of the dearly departed?’ Jaime asked, while shuffling his cards.

‘Who wouldn’t? Mortal hunters, the Masons, Mages, rogue Werewolves…’ I said

‘Well, I think we can rule out werewolves. They kill by biting and clawing- this is too clean.’ Neve said

‘And hunters, well, we would see bullet wounds or some other type of injury.’ Jaime said. I agreed with both of them.

‘So that leaves… other vampires, mages and other unknowns.’ Neve said. ‘That doesn’t help us too much. What about this vampire- maybe he had an enemy or something? Like a spouse or broodling or something?’

‘Right, we shouldn’t leave out the possibility that a Saxon did this.’ I said, quietly. I hoped that wasn’t the case.

‘There is one clue here that is important, I think’ Jaime said.

‘What is that,’ I asked.

‘The lack of blood. He was drained dry before he was killed. Which means that whatever killed him either drained him of blood to kill him or-‘

‘Killed him for his blood!’ Neve and I said, together.

‘What can use vampire blood?’ Jaime asked, leading us on.

‘Other vampires, Renfields, and Mages’ I said.

‘I have heard the Fae can use it too’ Neve said.

‘Well, if we can rule out Mages for sure, it will help us focus on Vampires and Renfields, for the most part.’ I said.

‘Count me out- I hate magic,’ Jaime said. Neve nodded, as if confirming something. Sometimes I feel like I know the least about the Families. Neve and Jaime sometimes acted like they shared some secrets. For instance, Neve seemed to really hate werewolves, and Jaime creeps out anything magic was mentioned. The really weird thing is that you could present Jaime with a thousand zombies, and he wouldn’t blink. Bring up the idea of even a little white magic, though, and he disappears in a second. Thinking this made me wonder about zombies. I made a mental note to ask Master Jamison about them, if they existed or not.

‘Get a sample of his bones, so the magicians can test it to see if it died by magic’ Jaime said, and then walked off.

‘What’s his deal?’ I asked Neve. She shrugged ‘Santiagos hate magic.’ She said

‘Why?’ I asked. She glared at me. ‘It is rude to ask about another Family’s problem.’ She responded, sounding annoyed. I already knew this.

The Families seem big on keeping secrets. For instance, each of the family powers are kept under strict secrecy- you don’t know them until you get them. Most families share some common powers- like moving fast, healing fast, being strong, and speaking to animals (well, only predatory animals, from what I can tell). But when it comes to their special power, wild horses couldn’t drag them out of a vampire for anything. At the end of the day, it is what keeps the Familes in power.

Just like they are with powers, so too are they quiet about any problems a Family might have. To talk to most different Family members, their Family is fine and perfect. But every once in a while, Neve or Jaime let slip how easy the Saxons have it.

Except we don’t. The Masons are ruining us. We are losing money, power and control every day the Masons are around.

After I had collected a little of the ashes, the sun was starting to rise. Neve and I sat quietly as the rays of the sun hit the bones, and they turned to ash. In a way, it was kind of peaceful, but it was sad too. One of my cousins just died, and I needed to know why.

Neve and I trudged back to the main building in silence. I knew how to contact mages, but I didn’t really want to.

The Great Families: The Saxons, Part Two, Chapter 3

Chapter Three

In nearly every city there is an open market. In Seattle, it is called Pike Place Market. In San Francisco, it is Ferry Plaza. In Columbus, it is called the North Market. What is unbeknownst to most humans is that at night, after those markets are closed, the Dark Market opens.

The Dark Market is the one place in any given city where violence between the difference supernatural races is not allowed. In fact, it is enforced magically, so that violence literally cannot happen there. Here is where Vampires and Werewolves, Magicians and Renfields, Faeries and Demons, Angels and Ghosts all gather. It is there that anything of interest to supernatural beings are sold. Enslaved humans, mythical ambrosia, vampire blood, spell books and an endless supply of other odd things of interest are for sale at the Dark Market.

In Vampiric society, going to the Dark Market is like going to the sewers. It is mixing with disgusting filth and opening yourself to any number of undesirable diseases. But, it is also the safest place to go to meet with another supernatural race, like Mages.

I have not yet gone to the Dark Market, and was not really looking forward to it. I had been told that money is valueless there, but that some things that I owned were indeed valuable. When I told my father I was going to the Dark Market, he quietly gave me my baby blanket.

‘This will sell for a decent price.’ He said. I took the blanket, slightly confused. ‘Be careful of what you buy and sell there. Everything has a higher price than you could imagine.’ He shuddered, and turned around quickly, but not before I saw him put his hand to his chest absently. I guessed that he had sold something there a long time ago- something he regretted. But he wouldn’t say.

Since Jaime refused to go, Neve and I were forced to use my Chauffer. We drove the hour it took to get to Columbus, and it was just getting dark when we went into the North Market parking lot. It was empty, and a fog which never happened in the city started to encompass the market. I picked up my baby blanket, and Neve took out a wooden dagger. ‘I made it myself, and killed my first animal with it during a hunt’ she said defensively when I looked at it. I smiled, and decided not to joke about it- at least not when I was holding my baby blanket.

We walked to the front door, and I thought it would be locked. It wasn’t. It opened easily and what I saw inside nearly brought me to my knees.

Imagine walking into a building and seeing a thousand circuses crammed into a room, like clowns in a car. The smells and sights were enough to keep me occupied for hours. There were hundreds of shops, selling all kinds of wares. There was a shop, called Gideon’s, that was devoted entirely to broken glass. Another shop, Limey’s Lemons, sold a hundred types of lemonade that were each flavored with ‘real children’s tears’.

An old woman, with wrinkles that actually sported their own wrinkles, came up to me. She started sniffing my blanket.

‘Ohh, let me have it now, boy! I want it now! Gimme, gimme-!’ she said, trying to take the blanket. I pulled it back from her.

‘Lay off, old woman!’ I said, a little scared. Her eyes were pure white- and she looked as blind as a bat.

‘I will buy it from you- I will give you the last tooth in my head- it’s a steal!’ she said insistently.

‘Listen, lady, he doesn’t want to trade with you’ Neve said.

The old woman looked from her to me, and then at the blanket. She spat on the ground and walked away.

‘Bah, who needs the innocence of a Saxon anyway,’ she mumbled. I gaped after her.

‘Don’t mind her- she is a simple kitchen witch, nothing to worry about’ Neve said.

We continued walking around. I saw a store called ‘Long Tail’ and it looked to sell dream catchers and panther paws. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a store called ‘The Technomancer’. It was a store full of technology, like I-Pods and laptops, except magically imbued.

‘Whoa!’ I said, as I walked in. I picked up a GPS device that also promised to ‘teleport you safely at least 80% of the time’. I saw a pinball machine that also was a ‘fortune telling device’, and a Telephone that promised to ‘let you call the dead’.

Neve grabbed me, and we walked on. “Lizzie and Laura’s Goblin Fruits” shop caught Neve’s attention.
‘Ohhh, Goblin Fruits!’ she said. ‘I have heard they are the best food in the world!’ a small man with a face like a cat spoke up.

‘Why, my dear, we certainly do have the best fruits in the land!’ his voice came out in an odd cooing sound, almost like a dove. This was definitely not a human- he was one of the Fair Folk.

‘Ohh, I want a Banana and a, um, orange!’ she said. He nodded, his cat whiskers trembling in excitement.

“Well, I will be happy to ring them up for you- what will you be willing to pay for it?’ the goblin asked.

‘Oh, um, would this dagger do?’ she fished out her wooden dagger. The goblin cringed. ‘Oh, I could never sell a goblin fruit for something violent. Oh dear, no no.’ it said.

Neve looked sad, and started going through her pockets.

The cat spoke up ‘oooh! I know! Your hair! Oh, and a tear!’

‘My hair!’ Neve said cautiously.

‘Oh not all if it, just a tiny bit, a snippet, a snappet. Red goes a long way, you know.’ The cat said.

‘And a tear, too?’ I asked.

‘Well, a tear or a pearl or a rare tear pearl. Either will do!’ Neve pulled a small strand of her hair and gave it to the cat, who placed it in the cash register.

‘And a tear too!’

‘How will I cry?’ Neve asked. I got an idea. I kicked her in the shin.

‘Owww!’ she said. I kicked her exactly in the right spot, and a tear shed from her as she hopped around. The cat quickly got a small napkin and patted her face.

‘Sold, an orange and a nanner for the lady!’ the cat said. It rushed into the back, and came out with a small basket, holding the orange and banana.

‘Ooh you lucky girl, the best nanner and orange in the world for you!’ the cat man said. ‘Closing time, now leave, leave and don’t come back no more, no more!’ the cat-man said, shooing us out the door.

We turned around in surprise, but the door was closed, and the shop empty.

We walked on a bit, and I finally saw a store that might be helpful, called ‘Whodunnit’. It had a sign that said ‘The best place to stop for clues on who (or what) killed your vampire relative. Now accepting baby blankets and wooden daggers as payment.’

‘That is oddly specific’, Neve said.

‘I have been told that there is always a store that exists specifically for you when you go to the dark fair.’ I said.

We walked together into the store. Inside sat a boy at a table, there was nothing else in the store.

‘Welcome, young Fountainhead. Welcome, young High Regent. How wonderful to see you twice in the same week!’ The boy said. He looked to be our age, with brown hair and glasses. He did not hold himself like he was young though. His movements made him look like an old man with arthritis. And he spoke oddly too, like he was born in a different century. I used my newly improved senses to see if he had a pulse. He did- he was human, I guessed.

‘Hello, um…sir.’ I said. ‘Do we know you?’

‘Well, I know you, to be more exact. We have met many times in my past… your future. I guess this will be the last time we meet. Such a shame.’ The boy sighed wistfully.

‘Oh, silly me, my name is Simon! I am a Time Magus. I know the magic of time and space. I see you have brought me the fabled blanket and the mighty sword.’ He held out his hands, and we handed him the wooden dagger and baby blanket.

It was odd, as I handed over the blanket, I felt I had lost something. Something very specific, something terrible. It took me days to figure out what it was, exactly. It took Neve only a few seconds.

‘Hey!’ she said ‘My memories of the dagger- you are taking those too!’

Simeon shrugged. ‘I need them more than you, anyway, those are silly memories. Very childish and naïve for you. But to think of the tales they hold for children many centuries in the past! It will be a thing of wonder that the kings of old will pay dearly for!’ He tossed the payment into his knapsack.

‘Well, I am sure that you are curious who killed your cousin, young master Fountainhead. You did bring me a sample?’ he asked, again holding out his hand.

‘How do you know what we came here for?’ I asked, confused.

‘We talked about it quite a bit a few days ago.’ Simeon said. ‘In fact, it was you who convinced me that I needed to move to Columbus. I would still have been in that rathole you saw me in next year! And, well, I owed you a favor, so there.’

I handed him the sample. Neve was about to speak, but Simeon the Magus spoke up ‘I see, yes- exactly as you told me in a few days. Ohh, how sad! Very terrible!’

‘What is?’ Neve asked.

‘Oh, just horrible! How horrid!’ Simeon continued. ‘Yes it is all very clear to me.’

“Who did it?’ I asked.

‘Well, I do not know! I am not a total psychic, you know! But I can tell you who didn’t do it! Not by magic did your cousin die, nor by faerie fire, nor claw and fang. No, I sense powers of the blood. I sense hunger. I sense addiction.’

‘A Vampire?’ Neve asked.

‘Possibly, or a blood addict, a lunatic.’ He said, shuddering.

Lunatics were the nickname of the Renfields who lost themselves to addiction. They were hopelessly crazy, and utterly dangerous.

‘Oh, great!’ Neve said.

‘Is there anything else you can tell us, Simon?’ I asked

‘Like, you called me a High Regent- what’s that?’

‘That is none of your business, little lady. And against the rules’ Simeon shook his head at her in disapproval.

‘And, young Fountainhead, there is nothing else I can see that would be of help- though I would suggest you ask Jaime about last night as well.’ Simeon stood up.

‘Oh, look at the time- it is almost time for you to arrive! Leave through the back so you cannot see yourselves. I am not in the mood for a paradox!’ Simon started to push us towards the back door. I started to wonder why people at the Dark Market kick you out the second a deal is done.

Before he shut the door, he paused and looked me in the eye. ‘I will truly miss you, dear friend and Fountainhead.’ His eyes seemed to tear up, and he shut the door.

We soon found ourselves alone, behind the North Market. I looked at the door that had closed and noticed there was a window. I looked in the window. It was empty.
And it was almost dawn. ‘Time flies when you are in a Dark Market’, I said.

The Great Families: The Saxons, Part Two, Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Both of us were starving- we hadn’t eaten in over 10 hours. Neve remembered her fruits, and tossed me the banana while she started digging into the orange.

It was the best thing I had ever eaten- even better than the blood of the Patron. It tasted like a hundred things at once. The closest thing I can describe it as, is that it tasted exactly as you pictured a banana. The taste was stronger than the average banana. It tasted perfect. I ate it quickly, lamenting that every bite would be one less bite left. When I finished, I noticed Neve was finishing her orange.

I started to laugh- her hair had changed! It was pure white- it was as if the orange had drained her hair of its red. I realized I was giddy- drunk off the fruit. Neve looked at me, with the orange juice dripping from her mouth and started to laugh too. I pointed to her hair, and she pulled a strand in front of her eyes, and started to laugh even louder.

I started licking my lips, and the grabbed the banana peel. There was no more of the banana flesh left, but I wanted more. My whole body wanted it – I started to eat the peel. It wasn’t as good, but it still had some of the taste. I could tell Neve was laughing at me, but I didn’t care.

When the peel was gone, I started to laugh again.

“You have gone bananas for that banana!’ Neve said, laughing at her own lame joke.

‘Well, orange you glad you had an orange?’ I responded, even more lamely. Both of us started howling. We were laughing so hard, that I didn’t even realize we had pulled into the Compound.

Master Jamison was waiting for us. He and my Chauffer, Jonathan, were talking worriedly.

I tried to act normal. ‘Hello, Master Jamison’. I couldn’t hold it in much longer, so I started laughing again. His face looked so serious, and upset.

‘Mister Saxon!’ He said in shock. ‘Miss McGregor!’ Neve started to laugh again too, and nearly fell out of the car.

‘I have never been more disappointed in you than I am this minute!’ Master Jamison said to me. I was shocked, and hurt! What had I done?

‘Here we are, the whole family is in mourning over the loss of a young dearly departed- it was Adam, by the way! – and you have gotten… drunk!’

‘Drunk?’ I said in shock. ‘Never- all we ate is goblin fruit!’ The name sounded absurd and I started laughing again.

Master Jamison turned to Jonathan. ‘Get the doctor here, immediately.’ Jonathan left. Master Jamison started walking us to my room. I kept on getting distracted by paintings or sounds. I had lost control of my new senses, and they were improving and jumping from sense to sense. I had never been drunk before, but this is what I would have guessed what it felt like.

When we got to my room, I noticed Doctor Jacey Saxon standing near the bed.

‘Lay them down- quickly!’ She said.

She started to slap my face to get my attention.

‘When did you eat the fruits?’

‘At dawn, why?’ I asked, lost and confused. I had started to get worried.

‘What did you two eat?’

‘Orange you glad I had a banana?’ I said, we both started laughing again.

‘You had the banana?’

‘Yes, I ate it all, peel and everything!’ I said, making a slurping sound.

Neve said ‘I ate the peel too, but I saved a seed!’ she said, handing the doctor the seed, acting very proud.

‘What did you pay for the fruit?’ she asked me.

‘Why, I paid for both of them- a lock of red hair and a tear!’ Neve said.

‘Wait- you paid for both of them? And you let Alistair eat a fruit you bought?’ The doctor asked,
Neve nodded.

‘Stupid girl! You can never get anything for free! Alistair shall pay dearly for this!’

With that, my drunkenness turned worse- I felt nauseous.

“Ohh, I feel sick!’ the doctor nodded, as if she were expecting this.

Neve said ‘I don’t- I am starting to feel normal again.’

‘I would feel better if I had another banana.’ I said. It was true- I would feel better, if only I could get my hands on another banana!

‘Jonathan- get me a banana!’ He nodded, and left the room.

‘It will dull your pains- but what you want is Goblin fruit.’ The doctor said. ‘But you must not have it- a second taste will cause you to be hopelessly addicted. You will become a slave to the fruits, and a goblin servant yourself. That is the cost of all who do not pay for the fruit, those who steal it.’
I started to feel worse and worse. I started to feel like I had a fever, and started to sweat uncontrollably.

‘So that’s why I am fine?’ Neve asked ‘Because I paid for it?’

‘Yes,’ the doctor nodded. ‘You got the positive side effects, and a random one- the loss of hair color. But that is temporary, well usually.’

‘I hope so! I do not want grey hair forever!’ Neve said. ‘But what about Ally?’

‘He will be fine soon, but he must not ever have another goblin fruit- whether he buys it or steals it. You are his friend, along with that Santiago?’ The doctor asked.

‘I am his amigo, yes.’ Jaime said, appearing out of nowhere, as usual.

‘Good, you two need to keep an eye on him, even after he gets better. He will try to do anything to get at the fruits.’ The doctor warned.

‘Um, hello. I am right here.’ I said, slightly annoyed that they were talking about me. I started to have a terrible feeling inside of my stomach. It was kind of like how when I swim, and take a deep breath to go to the bottom of the deep end. When I start to go for the surface, and I want air, but cant breathe in that moment- that was how I was feeling right now. I needed something desperately, but couldn’t have it. Jonathan came back in with bananas, and I tore into one. It was good- but it wasn’t the same. This banana was a pale shadow of the banana I had earlier. In my mind, I felt myself being totally absurd. All of this over a banana? But even though I could feel how absurd it was, my body was craving it.

‘We will keep him busy- we need to find the killer, anyway!’ Neve said.

‘Please tell me its not a mage!’ Jaime begged.

‘No- it is either a vampire or a Renfield’ Neve responded.

‘Maybe even a Lunatic’ I added, wanting to contribute, even though I had started eating my third banana.
As each minute passed, my body was craving it even more and more. I realized I needed to get by myself, that way I could get back to the Dark Market. Or maybe even follow a goblin to wherever its groves are. I wondered ‘how I could find a goblin’?

The doctor was speaking quietly with Neve and Jaime, who kept looking at me like I was growing a second head. I finished eating the fifth banana, and started looking around for more. Jonathan told me that his mother had run to the store to buy more bananas. I couldn’t wait any longer.

I fell into a feverish dream, where I was eating banana pudding, banana bread, banana cream pies, banana splits with banana flavored ice cream and fried bananas. I was gobbling them down, pouring them into my mouth, eating nonstop. It was blissful.

Then Neve and Jaime were in my dream too, trying to stop me from eating. I realized, then, that I hated them. They were stopping me from what I wanted- no needed! If they were real friends, they would have helped me get what I so desperately needed.

‘Wake up!’ I heard Neve saying. She was standing between me and a banana tree, where hundreds of ripe goblin fruits were hanging, ready to be eaten.

I started to shake, and awoke from my dream to see Jaime shaking me. Confused, I looked around, wondering where I was. I was no longer in my room- I had somehow gotten to the woods, around where my dearly departed cousin died.

‘How did I get here?’ I asked. If I had been under watch, there was no way I could have gotten out of the main building without being stopped.

‘We have been looking for you for almost a half an hour! Neve said. ‘Somehow, though, Jaime was able to find you.’

I nodded, and started to look around for the goblin fruits I had dreamed of- I felt like there were some close by.

Jaime pointed to the ground. I was walking on a patch of grass that was slightly darker than other patches. ‘It was because of these- since you have taken those goblin fruits, the dark and light patches of grass have been appearing all over the Compound.’

Neve nodded. ‘Faerie Trods!’ She said ‘The goblins are trying to get to you, or have you get to them more easily, so you can eat the fruits. So they have installed Faerie Trods. They are like goblin super-highways. Any of the Others can use them, or any person who has been Fae Touched- like you.’
‘What do they do’ I asked curiously.

‘They allow you to cover vast distances easily and invisibly, and they can take you to the Summerlands, where the Fae live.’ Neve shuddered.

Jaime and I looked curiously at the darker patched of grass, but Neve grabbed me.

‘No, you don’t understand. The Summerlands are beautiful, but deadly. Up is down, left is right. Trees are vicious monsters, and even houses can gobble you up. It isn’t a happy Neverland or even as nice as Through the Looking Glass. It is literally Hell and Heaven in the same place. Never go there!’ Jaime stopped looking at the trod, but I was still curious. Goblin fruits could be found there!
I was starting to wonder how I could possibly shake them off so I could go to the Summerlands and get some fruit, when I noticed one of my cousins, a dearly departed, walking through the trees. He was far away, so I looked at him with improved sight.

He was walking, as if in a dream. He almost looked like a puppet, with someone else moving his invisible strings. For a moment, I forgot about goblin fruits. This could be related to the murder!
I pointed him out to Jaime and Neve, and we started to go the direction of the wandering vampire. I was about to call out to him, but thought that it might scare away whoever was here causing him to act like that.

As we crept closer and closer, I could see that some things were just plain weird. The dearly departed was one of the younger ones. He was made a dearly departed around a year ago when he was just 25. His name was Dominic, and he had always been very nice to me, especially when I was younger.

Dominic was walking oddly. It was like he didn’t want to move, but something was forcing him to. I looked more closely, and then I noticed something horrible.

A thick, black ooze was going through the forest towards him. It was almost like someone had spilled a dark, black ink. It was horrible looking, like the darkest of nights.

‘Dominic, watch out!’ I said, and started to run towards him. Jaime and Neve followed,

and we tore through the forest with a speed that only a Renfield or a vampire could muster. Branched were whipping at my face, but I ignored the scratches. This was life and death!

The blackness started to creep up and over Dominic. But he just stood there, allowing it to hurt him! I knew I would not get to him in time to stop whatever was attacking him.

‘Madre Dios!’ Jaime said, as he saw what was attacking my cousin. Neve stopped still and gaped at this inky, black darkness. As the darkness encompassed Dominic, it ate his flesh away quickly and efficiently, so all that was left was a skeleton. Just as quickly, however, the inky blackness finished and left through the woods, way too quickly to stop it.

Dominic had died- right in front of me! Worse yet, I still had no clue who – or what- was causing the murders.

The Great Families: The Saxons, Part Two, Chapter Five

After we had alerted the family – including a very upset Patron – as to what happened, I finally had a moment to speak with Jaime, like Simon from the Dark market had suggested.

‘It is an old story, amigo. When the Santiagos first got to America from Spain and Portugal, there were already two Great Families here. One of them was the People of the Panthers. They lived in Northern America, and we only knew them by rumor. But their powers were well-known. They could travel very quickly and quietly, and they could take on the form of darkness.” Jaime said.

‘Like what we just saw!’ I said, starting to understand. Jaime nodded.

‘Si, Amigo. They disappeared around a hundred and fifty years ago. But they are not forgotten. Even today, young Santiagos are warned the People of the Panther will take them away in darkness if they do not behave.’

Neve shuddered, and I felt like I was in total agreement.

As we were talking, the Patron arrived. I was not looking forward to this discussion.

‘Whelp, you did not stop the murder, and another broodling of mine has perished.’ He said, fangs out and eyes glowing red. I looked down, feeling scared and guilty.

‘I think I at least know what did this.’ I said.

‘Oh, and what is it?’ He asked, ready to pounce on me if I was wrong.

‘The People of the Panther.’ I said. Instantly his fangs disappeared.

‘Why do you think this?’ he asked, very insistently.

‘I… I saw the darkness. It was horrible.’ I said.

‘Impossible- they have been dead for over a century. Their Patron was usurped!’ He said.
‘Yes, as I have been told- once the Patron dies all the vampires of his or her family dies. But what if the Fountainhead is still alive?’

He stopped to think. My father stepped in. ‘Then the mortal family continues to exist- without the protection of the Vampires. The Renfields also will live, for a time. But they would still need blood’
‘And that would mean blood from a Great Family member!’ Neve said, interrupting.

The Patron nodded. He was starting to believe me. ‘Their first choice would be the Masons- their Patron killed the Panther’s Patron. Therefore, their blood would fill them more quickly.’

My father smiled ‘Well, well. The Masons have been oddly quiet about their dirty little secret. Panther assassins running about!’

‘But what are we going to do about the Panther vampires killing your family?’ Neve asked.
‘You will stop them, by any force necessary.’ And with that, my father left us to deal with the issue.
~
Once things calmed down, my mind instantly returned to the issues of Bananas. My whole body ached, demanding the forbidden fruit. Even thinking of the word seemed to cause the oxygen to leave my body, causing me to quicken my breath and feel a panic rising in me. While Neve and Jaime were still looking around for additional clues to point us in the direction of the Panther People, I started to notice Faerie Trods everywhere. One was just a step away, and it was enticing me to follow it. I smelt the smallest hint of bananas wafting from the path. Just a step and I would be on my way to eating another Goblin Fruit! Oh, how succulent! How wonderful the thought!

I was about to take a step forward when Neve slapped me on the head. “Nice try, loser” She said. “All the Masons will have to do is wave a banana in your face, and you would sell out your whole Family!”
I stopped in shock. How dare she talk like that to me! I would never sell out my family. I would never let the Masons win! I turned to face her, and she arched her eyebrow coldly. She stood there with her arms crossed.

“Well, go on then! I see the trod- it is only a step away. Go ahead, leave us. Leave the Panther People to kill your family, leave the Masons to take away everything your family has built over the last two centuries.” Neve dared me. I felt my temper starting to lose control. She was implying I was weak- a loser. My temper fought with the need to eat a Goblin Fruit. And my temper won. I was a Saxon more than I would ever be a Goblin Fruit addicted freak. With an iron will lent to me by my family, I pushed down the desire for the Goblin Fruit into a bottle inside of me. I locked it away, and with a cry of frustration I stormed away from Neve.