The Teaching

some even stranger things.” “I am very confident that you are ready to begin the process of completing your destiny. I have been waiting many centuries for this to come to pass and the time has finally arrived.”

  He continued, “I know that you are aware that your life has been different than those around you and that you have always known that there was more to your life than cleaning the magistrate’s manor.” Val hesitated for a moment and then began again, “Almost 300 years ago; I was a poor peasant boy, living to serve others. Until one day, a nice, but eccentric old man came to me and told me that if I wished to have a better life for myself, he would help me. The only condition was that I came here to the castle to live with him and when the time came, I would take over for him in his quest. After some thought, I decided that anything was better than cleaning up after disgusting rich folk, so I agreed to move in here.” Val motioned to Szuzzanna to take a seat on the edge of the fountain. When she sat, Val continued, “During my stay, the old man taught me many things, most of them things that I would have been afraid of under other circumstances, but he made me feel safe. He also told me of a young girl that I would encounter many centuries in the future. This young girl would be my pupil and after her eighteenth birthday, it would be my duty to teach her all that the old man taught me. That is what I begin tonight.” Valdarius looked at Szuzzanna and let her ponder for a moment what he had just told her. Then he asked, “Are you ready to fulfill your destiny? You will not be able to return to your old ways after tonight.” “Make your decision!” Szuzzanna looked at Val with childish hesitation. He reached out and put his hand to her face and she felt like everything was meant to happen. Szuzzanna grasped Val’s hand on her face and told him, “I have no doubt that this is what is meant for me, will you teach me all that I need to know?” “I love you, Valdarius.” She added. Valdarius leaned slowly forward and gave Szuzzanna a delicate, but passionate kiss and said, “After tonight, you will live an eternity of joy, my princess.”

  At that moment, something inside Szuzzanna changed. She did not know what it was, but she knew that there was no going back. She liked the idea of eternity.

  When it was time, Valdarius took a small dagger out of his pocket and told Szuzzanna, “For the transformation to be complete, you must drink of my blood.” He then took the blade and cut the palm of his hand. Szuzzanna took Val by the wrist and placed her entire mouth over the wound and began to suck the blood from his hand. As she did this, she could feel her old self vanishing. It was being replaced by a wonderful new being. This being was stronger, smarter, and most of all immortal. Szuzzanna liked the feeling so much that Valdarius had to force her to let go of his wrist, he was still much stronger than her. Valdarius then said, “Let us go now; we have much to do tonight.” Szuzzanna noticed the wound on Val’s hand disappear.

  Upon the completion of his words, Valdarius transformed into a giant Raven. His Raven form flew just in front of where Szuzzanna was standing. She stood there with a look of bewilderment on her face. Although she did not see the Raven talk, she heard Valdarius say, “You are also capable of this transformation, all you have to do is will it and it shall happen.” Szuzzanna thought about becoming a Raven, and sure enough, she became a Raven. In her mind, she heard Val say, “I knew you could do it, shall we go now?” She replied, using her mind, “This is amazing, is the whole night going to be filled with other wonderful surprises?” He answered, “More than we can cover in one night, my immortal princess.” They then flew off towards the village.

  Szuzzanna was amazed at her new ability to transform and could not stop thinking of all of the new and exciting things that she would learn. As they were flying toward the village, Szuzzanna could hear Val talking to her in her mind. He was giving her instructions on where to go and what to do when they got there. He told her that they were going to the theater. While they were there, they would find someone, befriend them, and then use them as their meal. He taught her how to use her powers to mesmerize a victim so that the victim would be a willing participant. They were now approaching the outskirts of the village. Valdarius picked a safe spot for them to land and told Szuzzanna to transform back into human form. Szuzzanna thought of changing, and it happened, Easier this time than before. They started walking towards the theater. Szuzzanna now noticed that it seemed as if her feet were gliding just above the ground, just as Valdarius’ had done earlier. After a few minutes, they reached the theater and went inside.

  Once inside, They encounter many different people. These were the higher society class, the ones with money. Valdarius purchased tickets and they began to make their way into the auditorium to find their seats. From somewhere in the crowd someone was calling out to Szuzzanna. Valdarius told Szuzzanna, in her mind, “Whoever it is will not know that anything is different, so act as you regularly would.” Szuzzanna spotted the origin of the beckoning; it was her best friend, Morgan. Szuzzanna and Morgan had grown up together and had been best friends for many years. Szuzzanna liked Morgan very much. Morgan rushed up to Szuzzanna and threw her arms around Szuzzanna in a great big hug. Morgan said to Szuzzanna, “Where have you been? I have been worried sick about you. Your father has no idea what has happened to you. I’m so glad to see you are all right.” Morgan paused long enough to notice Valdarius, she then began again, “Oh, no wonder nobody has heard from you for several days, you have found yourself a handsome man. Probably been tucked away in some quite house someplace learning all you can about this fine gentleman.” Valdarius spoke to Szuzzanna using his mind, he told her, “Why don’t you invite her to a late meal after the theater is over?” Szuzzanna replied, “I could not, she is my best friend and I wouldn’t do anything to harm her. Valdarius assured her, “We don’t have to kill her, we will just use her for what we need and she will remember nothing about it, besides wouldn’t you like to spend some time with your good friend?” Szuzzanna agreed. Morgan was finishing up with her conversation that Szuzzanna was not really listening to when Szuzzanna asked, “Morgan, would you like to join my friend Valdarius and myself after the theater for a late meal? It will give me a chance to tell you all of the news.” Morgan gladly accepted and they made arrangements to meet after the play.

  Szuzzanna enjoyed the theater, she had never been before, her family was not considered high society. All throughout the play, Valdarius would enter Szuzzanna’s mind. He would tell her all that she needed to know for their encounter with Morgan later. How to mesmerize her, how to erase her memory, and most of all, how to use her for what they needed without killing her. As the play was coming to an end, Szuzzanna could feel herself getting excited and anxious. She could not wait to spend time with her best friend. She also knew that she would be feeding soon. When the play was over, Szuzzanna and Valdarius made their way to meet Morgan in the lobby.

  Morgan was already waiting for them when they arrived. They exchanged pleasantries and went outside. Morgan turned around to speak to Szuzzanna. Szuzzanna used this opportunity to mesmerize Morgan. Szuzzanna gazed deeply into Morgan’s eyes, she could tell that it was working because Morgan got a glossy look in her eyes. While Morgan was mesmerized, Szuzzanna asked her, “Would you like to come up and spend a day or two with us at the castle?” Morgan replied, although it was really the answer that Szuzzanna had given her, “Yes, I think that would be lovely.” They then walked to the spot in which they had landed earlier in the evening. When they reached the secluded spot, Valdarius gazed into Morgan’s eyes and then he turned into a Raven. Szuzzanna followed shortly after. They each grabbed Morgan by a shoulder and began to fly towards the castle. They stayed low and under the cover of the trees until they were well out of the village.

  When they reached the castle steps, they put Morgan on her feet, and they changed back into their human forms. Szuzzanna was so thrilled to have her best friend at her new home that she gave Morgan a big hug and held her for several moments. As she was letting go
of Morgan, she put her face in Morgan’s neck. This sent chills through Szuzzanna’s body. She did not understand why she was getting these kinds of chills for another woman. Valdarius noticed and sensed the question in Szuzzanna’s mind. He told her, “The being that you have become, and the actions that you are going to do are very erotic and sensual, the feelings that you will get will be very sexually satisfying, remember how you felt when I kissed you? That is how you will feel, but more intensely, every time that you feed from a human.” He then suggested that they all go inside and get Morgan settled into a room. Szuzzanna told Val, “I want her to stay with me in my room tonight, we are really good friends and I want to spend as much time with her as possible.” “Very well then.” Val agreed, “But you must not feed from her without first talking to me, you might kill her.” Szuzzanna agreed, and then took Morgan by the hand and led her up to the room.

  Szuzzanna closed the door behind them and went to the dresser to get some nightclothes for them to change into.