*
During the later months of her pregnancy, Alex sat in on many philosophical conversations, one on the physical manifestations of quantum mechanics and the implications on paranormal activity. She was amazed at how much smarter she'd become, and how easily her mind absorbed information. She realized that her new intimate connection with her psyche allowed her to gain insight into any subject quickly. She'd gained access to some sort of communal knowledge and intellectual dexterity. It was much like being on the Internet. She longed to attend Oxford to see how this would enable her.
Alex then migrated to discussions of major historical events of which some had witnessed firsthand. Alu occasionally sat in on these, and with them all gathered in a circle around a single candle, he told of witnessing and participating in the Trojan War, how he'd never heard of Achilles and that retrieving Helen was an afterthought. She'd almost been left behind once the Greeks had burned Troy. He'd known Oedipus and his sons, and saw the famous battle of what is now known as Seven Against Thebes, and then a generation later, the burning of the ancient Kadmia. He'd known Teiresias, the great Greek seer who'd lived 140 years, which wasn't so impressive to a vampire. In the flickering light of the tiny flame, Alu told of witnessing the Crucifixion, although he wouldn't talk about it further. Alex questioned some of the elders later and learned that Alu had actually tasted the blood of Christ, and that it was a huge mistake. It had caused the vampire's fear of the cross and all the afflictions that come with just simply viewing it: the lashes, excruciating pain in the hands and feet, consuming tiredness, even disillusionment.
Humm..., thought Alex. All the afflictions I didn't inherit, except possibly the disillusionment.
Alu did talk extensively about WWI, in which he'd also fought. He spoke fondly of Queen Marie, how she'd given hope to the Romanian troops in their most desolate hours and the tragedy during the later years of her life, when her own cowardly son turned on her. Though his comments seemed targeted to get Alex to speak up, she remained quiet, not wishing her own heritage exposed to the public.
Alu thought the fifty years under communism particularly abhorrent. The suffering of the people reflected in a degradation of their blood and made it little more appetizing than that of an animal's. "Let us never forget," he said, "that our wellbeing depends directly on that of humans. We are inexorably linked."
Alex marveled at how these ancient beings were still alive in the world. Outside, humans had written history. But within the vampire community, they had actual memories of historic events and personal experiences to season the tales of yore. She felt that somehow the Cathedral was ancient and yet timeless. In a sense, time stopped there. It went on outside, but within the vampire world, time had little meaning. Since they were eternal, they had every wish to maintain the world as it was and only sought to reduce suffering in both communities.
Everyone was glad to see Alu come among them again, even though he was fidgety and cranky. After one such symposium, another vampire from within Alu's inner circle told Alex that Alu had been different of late. At first, they'd thought it was because of her presence, but they'd come to realize that it was more than that. For some time, he'd been more distant, less interested in the intellectual side of vampirism, and less concerned with each individual. He'd been distracted, as if preoccupied with some weighty concern about which he wouldn't talk. He was gone much of the time.
Alex related this to the whispered conversation she'd overheard between Cosmina and the ephemeral vampire. Something was going on beneath the surface of normal vampire life not only in the Sinaia colony but also internationally.
Alu did have one personal contact with Alex. He came with two armed vampires that were obviously from the Cathedral's security forces. Alu explained to her the special need for protection during the later stages of her pregnancy. "Word has spread throughout the vampire world that a pregnant vampire has come among us. Some unaffiliated groups may try to kidnap you. I offer this higher-level protection. Both of them will stay out of sight but respond if you should need them."
Alex let it go at that. She did however suspect there was more to his security precaution than he let on. And indeed, that turned out to be the case. The two men started giving her orders and tried to control her movement. She developed means of evading their control to their consternation.
Alex was a favorite of those who'd been young when turned. She talked with them for hours, and some she spoke to in private. They'd come to confess their sins. These isolated, one-on-one conversations were highly emotional, and many tears fell. Through youth, they'd developed a great arrogance and come to know regret. Some had used war as an excuse to drain and kill indiscriminately. They corrupted themselves through their love of carnage. Alex could relate to that. At times, she'd felt a pull toward butchery herself. Memory of the wild frenzied killing of Petru Balc, the thrill of it and the unbridled rage, still haunted her. Of course, she frequently ruminated over her assault in the graveyard when Father Zosimos and his henchmen tried to uncover her grandmother's coffin. At times, she felt regret over not sucking a couple of them dry.
But one vampire, named Braxton, a small, smelly vampire with a short greasy beard who had newly come to the Cathedral, told her of the crimes he committed before becoming a vampire. He had been a child molester, and was still, self-confessedly, on the prowl. He was proud of his abuse of children and seemed to be bragging instead of owning up to his sins. Alex thought of William and Jessica. The baby kicked the wall of her womb all the time Braxton talked to her. She saw this vampire's remarks as a challenge and silently vowed to accept it. Her blood boiled.
Alex learned that vampires have an active social life on Millennium Road, and during their waking hours, they talked of their experiences on it. Millennium Road seemed to be the source of new intellectual strength and a way to absorb others' wisdom. Some dreams they viewed as prophecy and tried to relate to coming events in the real world. She heard from them that Millennium Road had become disturbed of late. They had visions of a coming war, and realized that something had recently changed. Many were afraid. Alex's own dreams, visions of Millennium Road, pointed to a great evil coming upon the world. They foretold of the Vampire Wars, a cosmic conflict among different races of vampires. She questioned them about other types of vampires, but they knew of only one, and that composed of all human races. No one had ever heard of feral vampires.
Alex asked Cosmina, "If my child is born a vampire, will it always be a baby?"
"Children who become vampires age until they go through puberty. From late teens on, they no longer age. Your child won't be a vampire. It takes more than contact with a vampire's blood."
"So William and Jessica do age?"
"Of course. And will until they become fully adult. It's the age-related disintegration process that's suspended. Not growing up."
She learned that the two children were forever sad that they'd become vampires. They had no other companions to play with and wished they had a mother and father instead of the being raised by communal effort. Alex thought about the situation and that she just might be able to solve their predicament, but she'd have to wait until the time was right.
Alex heard that a great woman called Kate had come amongst them. She was visiting Alu, and such was the fuss her presence created that Alex hoped to at least catch sight of her before she left. She was not supposed to be of great age, but never the less had become an important person among the vampires of Sinaia because she was originally from there. Kate had returned to Sinaia because her daughter had recently passed away.
And then one morning while Alex was enjoying her splash bath along with other men and women, this woman showed up with Alu. Alex was just patting herself dry when the famous vampire entered the pool, acknowledged Alex with but a nod and didn't speak, remaining at a distance. At first, Alex didn't believe it could possibly be she who had created such a stir. Kate was rather small and quiet, subdued actually, but she had the golden hair Alex h
ad heard so much about. They shared that attribute. She seemed quite bashful. Alex thought there was something familiar about the woman, and then she realized what it was. It was the woman on Millennium Road who'd said that she didn't belong there. Alex looked at her again, this time in recognition, but Kate was also looking back and shook her head no. Alex said nothing and looked away. What could that mean? Who was that strange woman?
Alex lingered at the edge of candlelight hoping to get a chance to speak with her, but she and Alu were in and out of the pool quickly and on their way.
"How did her daughter die?" Alex asked Cosmina.
"Old age," she replied.
Alex thought a moment. Kate had looked so young. "Oh," she said. "I get it." Obviously, Kate had the child before she became a vampire and hadn't physically aged since becoming one. Her daughter had.
Generally, vampires took little notice of their own past lives, but Kate had been unable to completely give up her past. Although she'd been on an international assignment of great importance, she'd returned over Alu's objection.
"Why is she such a great woman?" asked Alex. "What has she done to have such acclaim?"
"She's a lawyer, involved in international law. She advises all the countries of the world."
Lawyer, huh? thought Alex. The word "lawyer" always made someone commonplace in her mind. Kate's big bubble popped, at least for Alex.
One thing Alex experienced that she would have never anticipated. She loved the Cathedral. She'd grown attached to the tight-nit community and the ever-present sense of purpose. But she also like the way her body felt, the intense passion. She was physically more functional, even being pregnant. She enjoyed feeding, the flow of warm blood from a human being into her body, the awakening and sense of gratification, the intimacy. In short, she loved being a vampire.