Once Awakened: Chapter Three

Romulus also told me of the Blood Amulets, the necklace given to every newborn by their maker when they are reborn. They curse it by putting their blood on it. No one mortal or immortal alike can touch it or wear it without the owner’s permission without suffering death. If the charm is destroyed the vampire loses their immortality and begins to live as a human starting at the age they were made with the everlasting blood thirst as a curse until they die as a human would. 1

Vampires put their soul into their amulet, it is how mortal emotions are lost, it is how our immortality is made possible. But it has to be done very quickly after the transformation, because the vampiric mind and body are incompatible with the soul. And if our soul is destroyed we have nothing left. There have been many vampires who have willingly destroyed their amulets in their desperation to have mortality again. Few actually have the strength to live on through the deaths of so many ages as Romulus and I have.2

Romulus showed me his amulet that night. It was a ten-point star and made of a sort of stone even Romulus could not identify. I saw on it the permanent red stain our blood leaves on whatever it touches. He gave me permission to hold it, to see his deepest memories and thoughts as that is what is held in a blood amulet, purely honest emotions, thoughts, and dreams. It is impossible for them to contain lies. 3

I was too scared, as ashamed as I am to admit it, it is true. I was afraid I would still die. Romulus took my hand and guiding it to his amulet put the charm in my hand, never letting go of me in the process.4

I shivered as it touched my hand. The charm felt warm and cold at the same time, it felt…. I can’t describe it. I felt its push on my mind and I tightly closed my mind to it. But I heard Romulus in my mind 5

Its alright he said in my mind let it in. It won’t hurt you. You know I would never let it. I opened my mind again, and again I felt the power of the amulet pushing at my consciousness but this time I did let it in.6

I heard Romulus’s thoughts almost as though he was speaking to me, I saw his memories as though I was watching through his eyes instead of my own, and I felt his emotions as though they were my own. I saw that which he loved and that which he feared and that which he hated. I saw myself. I saw that he would make me a vampire but it would break him inside to do it, he loved my innocence and hated to change it. For when he did I would no longer be innocent but guilty from the moment his blood touched my lips. 7

I saw his mortal childhood, running through fields with his father now long, long dead. I saw Romulus with his mother putting him to bed thousands of years ago, his eyes were shining almost as brightly then as they do now. I saw his family. They were slaughtered by vampires. All except him. Romulus had not been there, he had been in the woods nearby. But he heard the screams, and he saw the flames. 8

And later, many years later after he was changed, he came back when the town had long since died away, and seen the graves. The graves of his mother Gabrielle, and his father Marcus. But it had been his brother he mourned most, Adrian, older by two years. Romulus trusted him far beyond anyone else. It was this death that hit Romulus hardest. Adrian was closer to him then anyone. The sadness of the memory hit me as well, but it could not have been anywhere near the same.9

I saw when he was made. Morpheus did not love him near as much as he Romulus loved me. He changed him, taught him all he needed to know to survive and gave him a place to live. Morpheus, it seemed, strived to make Romulus into an apprentice of sorts, he wanted another to fight beside him not because he had to but because he wanted to. And Romulus hadn’t been the first one Morpheus made in attempt to do this. But though Morpheus made Romulus, Romulus did not trust him. He had seen his powers, powers greater then any other. Morpheus was an old vampire, the oldest left. He could do many things that had never been seen before. He could fly, and while Romulus and I can do that as well it took me many years to do and takes a great amount of power. I can barely do it at all because of the power required. Though when you are faced with no other choice you find you can do many things. Romulus can fly very well however, I have seen him do it, and I have flown with him. 10

But the worst thing about Morpheus was not his power. He was one of those sadistic vampires that killed for pleasure, not simply for blood. He was one of those that were excited by death. He did not care what was right or what was wrong. He controlled life and to him the only life that was important was his own. And it was when Morpheus began to kill vampires out of his lust for power that Romulus ran from him. He infuriated Morpheus when he did but because of the power Romulus possessed Morpheus did not kill him rather he hoped Romulus would change his mind. He didn’t and only when he heard that Morpheus had been pierced by an arrow through both his amulet and his heart did he at last sleep soundly again.11

The memories faded away and I was left with a feeling of emptiness that I could not explain. The amulet slipped from my small fingers and as it swept the memories away with it I slowly opened my eyes. I looked up to see Romulus watching me. I didn’t know what to say. After seeing what I had seen I don’t think any word could properly describe my thoughts. I fell into his arms silently as I had done so many times. And it seemed that he had expected this. Romulus was still holding my hand though. And I don’t know how long I stood there in his arms. Not a word was said and no words needed to be said but just being in his arms and having my beloved hold me is indescribable.12

The day was coming and I had grown so that I slept like him many years ago. He took me to my bed kissing me and giving me the blood as he had done since I was a child. I looked up at him to thank him for the gift but Romulus was gone. 13

When I got older Romulus gave me his blood differently, directly from his wrist. I remember the first time he did it. Normally I would sit beside him and drink the blood from the glass. He would tell me stories from ancient times when he was very young. And when I was near sleep he would carry me to my bed. But not this time, this time there wasn’t a story. He simply followed me to my bed and it took me under three seconds to realize what he had forgotten to do.14

“My lord?” I asked and his answer was immediate.15

“Yes?”16

“Your blood, you did not give it to me. You forgot.” I was slightly confused; you see Romulus never forgot anything, ever.17

“No I didn’t Sarah. I was waiting for you to ask, you’re not going to drink it from the glass anymore.”18

I must have looked even more confused and he must have taken this as a sign to continue to explain.19

“You’ll drink from my wrist. Not much now, that’s very important. Five swallows, no more. Do you understand me?” 20

“I do.”21

Romulus brought his wrist to his mouth as he did every time he bled for me and pierced his vein with his razor sharp fangs. But this time, instead of letting the blood pour into a glass, Romulus held out his wrist to me and I took it. I looked to Romulus and he nodded his head. I brought his wrist to my lips; the familiar taste of his blood comforted me. 22

The moment my lips touched his wrist and I drew upon the wound he gasped. I glanced back at him, afraid that I had hurt him somehow but there was a smile upon Romulus’s face. Four swallows of his blood later I pulled away and sat up. 23

“My lord? Are you all right?” I asked and I took his hand.24

“I’m alright, don’t worry.” 25

“But, my lord,” I persisted, “You gasped when my lips touched you.”26

Romulus smiled lovingly at me before answering.27

“It has been so, so long since I have felt the pull of another. It’s wonderful feeling.” He answered.28

I was still curious though, “What does it feel like?” I asked and when I did Romulus wrapped one arm around me and the other he place on my cheek and he pulled me within inches of his face, he did all this in less then half a second.29

“It feels something like this.” he replied and then kissed me like he had never kissed me before. 30

I fell back on my pillow with Romulus still holding me and kissing me. I wrapped my arms around him and found my fingers tangled in his hair. But I barely noticed my fingers, I noticed only his kiss. The gentle yet strong touch he always used with me, his tongue dancing around mine, the beautiful chill of his fangs as they grazed my lips. The love...no...The passion with which he kissed me was overwhelming. Wave of pleasure unlike anything I had ever felt tumbled over me one after another. I was flying in the air, alone, with me in his arms. I held onto him tightly. What else was there to hold onto? Warmth was spreading throughout my body and my every nerve cried out in protest as his lips separated from mine.31

“I see why you gasped.” I said breathlessly.32