Inside, several red candles burned before the statue of a tall, handsome Vampire holding the prone form of a woman. The Count motioned for the boy and his dog to enter. Then Vampire Count followed. He quietly closed the wood doors behind them.

Regis bowed reverently before the statue and lit a stick of sandalwood incense in the candle flames. After popping the stick into a decorative soapstone container, he turned to the child. He motioned around the small gazebo with one hand.

“A garden sanctuary.” he said softly. “We come here to worship alone.” He drew the child close and gently lifted the child’s chin to inspect his neck.

“I want to warn you.” he said, almost prayerful, “that the bite hurts at first. Then you will feel pleasure. It’ll be difficult for the first few hours as you adjust to your new senses.” His expression was firm. “When I bite you I can’t make you human again. You will be a Vampire for life. Are you SURE you want to continue with this?”

The boy’s bottom lip jutted out in determination.

“Yes. I am SURE.” he said, aggravated with the question. He instinctively reached out to pet his dog’s head.

Regis chuckled and motioned the child to stand before the statue.

“Introduce yourself to Dracula. Say who you are.”

The child looked at the Count, puzzled.

“The Statue? The Ancient Ancestor?”

Regis chuckled again. It was deep and tender.

“The statue only represents the Vampire God. It’s a focal point for out thoughts.”

The child nodded, finally understanding. He faced the statue and defiantly announced his family name in the biggest, boldest tone he could muster.

“My name is Meier Link.” he said. He could swear he heard delighted laughter appear. It swirled around his soul like a flickering breeze. He looked back at the Count with hesitant concern but the Vampire gently motioned him to continue.

“Speak to him. Tell him what you fear. Tell him what you want. He’ll listen.”

Meier faced the statue again.

“I want my mom and dad back.” he said sadly. “ Why did they leave me and Avis behind? Are they really in that much trouble?”

The voice in his head was soft but commanding.

Ah, child! it said. You miss your family so. Here. Taste the gift of my waters and you will soon understand that there is more to the universe than what you seek.

At that moment he felt the Count pull aside his collar to expose this neck’s soft skin. Meier trembled, nervous. The strange voice didn’t make sense, but he listened. He wanted to say more but the Counts actions distracted him. The Vampire knelt beside the child and after a quick prayer, he lay his fangs along Meier’s neck.

There will be a brief pain, the voice warned, just as you were told. The voice paused. Then the Count bit.

It was sharp, like being grabbed by a powerful dragon. Meier struggled against the pain for a moment and gradually, a peaceful sense of calm took over him. There was one brief gasp as he settled into the bite and tranquility filled his mind. Then, before he knew it, the Count was standing over him, tossing his dreads over his shoulder before licking the wounds closed.

Instinctively, Meier’s hand flung to his neck and he stared at the Count. The child was horrified. He was surprised to discover no wound lay where Regis bit him.

“But...” he began.

The Count rose. “Wounds heal faster when you lick them.”

Meier turned to stare at the candles. “Oh.” was his only response.

Regis sat down on the bench that lay at the Gazebo door. He encouraged Meier to join him.

“We won’t leave for a few minutes yet. Turning is individualistic and I would prefer that you Become while in the safety of the temple.”

Meier said nothing, but ran the fingers over where he’d been bitten. He felt no pain now, but the area felt numb, like it had been put to sleep. The feeling was fading rapidly and he couldn’t resist the urge to poke the spot with his index finger. The Laughter he had felt was still giggling about him. It also lay smiling at all sides of the temple, waiting for something. He surveyed the sensation for several minutes, growing impatient with the delay. The watching Laughter was eerie and it have him an uneasy feeling. Just as he was going to complain about the situation, he grew dizzy. The Count held him gently.

“Feeling okay?”

Meier shook his head.

“I’m starting to feel funny.”

The Count had the child lay down and he found a pillow underneath the alter to place under Meier’s head.

“Things are going to be unusual for the next minute or so. You should feel really... good ...soon.”

The child closed his eyes as the dizziness increased. The laughter drew closer and it formed into a tall, elegant man in a cloak. The red eyed stranger smiled, winked, and gently placed his hand on the child’s chest. Then, with a wave of inexplicable pleasure, Meier felt himself, the world around him and the silence in his head change. He felt the urge to cry out and he threw his head back as the ecstasy overwhelmed him. Then, as swiftly as it came, it was gone. When he opened his eyes, he flinched. The candle light seemed brighter than it had been and the mysterious stranger was gone.

The Count was looking at him with a touch of envy. Meier stared at him, curious. He flinched when he felt something touch his mind and he whirled to see who the interloper could be. The emotion was jealous and proud, floating on a sea of sweet anticipation.

“Imagine a bowl covering your head.” The Count said. “Like its protecting your mind. You need to start shielding right away or you’ll drive yourself mad.” His smile was soft. He rose to pull two glasses from a wicker storage basket beside the alter. The emotion of devout concentration followed the older Vampire as he attended the goblets. Meier noticed that the small mirror that lay above it showed no reflection of the Count despite the fact he stood directly before it.

“You have no reflection.” Meier said, awed. “That’s why you own no mirrors.”

The Count looked over his shoulder, his clay red eyes laughing.

“You’re only noticing now?” he said with a teasing smile. He handed the child red fruit juice. ‘Drink this. I don’t think you’ll be able to handle blood yet.”

Meier looked at the Count with panicked horror.

“BLOOD?”

The Count lifted an eyebrow, amused.

“Your father told you we drink the stuff. I’m sure of it.” The Count put down his goblet of wine. “You don’t have to bite someone to get it.”

“I don’t want to drink blood.”

The Count roared out with laughter. It was lighter and more robust than the laughter Meier had heard before the bite.

“Little Link! You are now a Vampire. Blood is our destiny.” He smiled and raised his glass in a toast to the child. “However, there is Sanguine, Blood Pills and Sanguine Wine.” With that said, he downed the glass in two quick swallows.

Meier stared at the juice in his glass. He carefully sniffed it and found it delectably delicious. He’d seen the fruit growing in a local farmer’s orchid and he had stolen a berry or two on a dare from a friend. He had quickly spat out the unripe berries as they had an awful, metallic aftertaste that permitted even the seeds. Unwilling to repeat the experience, the young Vampire dipped his tongue in the cup. To his delight, the juice was heavenly!

The Count smiled. Meier could feel the joy the older Vampire was feeling. He blinked, the sensation trying to override his own emotions and the child shield the way the Count suggested. He knew when he succeeded when the emotions in his head subsided enough that he could concentrate.

“Shielding is a skill you learn early.” the Count said, pouring himself another glass of wine. “The next skill is adjusting to a new sleep schedule.”

“That’s why you’re only awake at night.” the child said.

The Count nodded.

“The night can be a slave. You cannot wander into daylight because you will burn. The burns heal, but they’re painful. If you must wander about during the day, wear a hood. The darker the better, though anything that gives you shade will suffice.”

“Will I have to have sex right away?”

The Count almost choked on his wine as he strangled a laugh. He punched a fist lightly into his chest to clear his throat.

“Sweet Ancestor, NO!” he said when he recovered. “It’s a nice thought, though.”

“But I thought-”

Regis shook his head and put his goblet down.

“We, as Vampires, have the biological need to have sex. We thrive on the pleasure. We can’t live without it, unlike humans.” He tapped the child’s chest firmly, as he made his next point. “ YOU, however, are MUCH too young.”

Both Vampires and the dog abruptly caught the sound of someone opening the garden gate.

Forever Turned, part 1

Forever Turned, part 2

Forever Turned, part 4

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Where Vampires Rule and Humans and Mutants Resist