Chapter 250 - The Rebirth (1/2)

The villa on the cliffs belonged to a trade family that did humbly well for itself. They were kind enough people, they didn't deal in slaves and any servants they did have were well looked after. They even used any extra food or money they had to hold events for the village on the coast just a few kilometres from them.

That being said, when Rassa dropped into their courtyard with Aegin's pale body in his arms, they were not as welcoming as their reputation would suggest. At least at first. A few words from the exhausted Rassa and the villa was theirs to use. Free of charge, of course.

Rassa only stopped there long enough to lie Aegin on one of the beds before he asked the servants of any nearby prisons. Frankly, Rassa didn't care who he drank from, though he would at least not aim to kill those who were innocent of crimes. Aegin however, would probably care quite a bit.

Five prisoners disappeared from the city prison that night, their bodies found washed up on shore many weeks later.

It was near morning when Ebony and many of the others arrived at the Villa. Most of those that had been on the ships coming from Herguard had decided to make their own way. It was only the Reapers, a few servant girls and the Madame that had come with Ebony.

Despite Rassa instructing the servants not to let anyone pass, Ebony was insistent. She made her way through into the room that Aegin occupied, and Rassa lay on the day bed that overlooked the balcony. The room was open to the elements, and the breeze from the ocean was quite calming.

Ebony rushed to enter, but paused when she noticed the five dazed looking men in manacles on the far side of the room. Her eyes shifted from them to where Rassa lay and she spoke.

”Who are these people?”

”They were due to be executed if you must know, I don't actually care to ask their names seeing as they likely won't survive another day,” Rassa replied.

Ebony's eyes narrowed, ”You seem different”.

Rassa scoffed, ”You mean to say that over the past two and a half years with all you and Aegin have been through, you didn't expect anyone else to change as well? How naive”.

Ebony's eyes turned angry before her gaze caught Aegin's pale body on the bed, ”Is he dead?”

”No,” said Rassa, ”Though he might wish he was. Honestly, he's rather silent. The poison must have had a paralyzing affect. I screamed for what seemed like hours when I changed. I couldn't stop thrashing and clawing at anything around me and begging for it to stop”.

”Then...you changed him?”

Rassa just nodded, turning to look at Ebony to see how she would react.

”So he is like you?” asked Ebony.

”He will never be like me,” said Rassa, ”Nobody will. But he will be close enough”.

”What do you mean?” asked Ebony.

”I mean that I carry the power of those who existed before me. I was changed by them, they trained me and taught me who and what I was, and then I took their power as my own. Aegin, and anyone that becomes a vampire following this, will be ordinary, at least in vampire terms,” said Rassa.

”And what is ordinary?” asked Ebony.

”I suppose we will find out,” said Rassa, then he pointed at Aegin, ”He'll be waking up soon, you might not want to be here for it”.

”Why not?” asked Ebony.

”Because he will be hungry,” said Rassa, ”And I know you never particularly enjoyed watching me eat”.

Ebony hesitated, looking at Aegin, then back at Rassa, ”We don't leave each other. Not when we're the only thing left to hold on to”.

Rassa sighed, sensing that , ”Fine, but stay to the side, preferably somewhere behind me so I can stop him if he goes after you”.

”Will he?”

”I don't know. I haven't turned anyone before,” said Rassa, ”But I will certainly be able to stop him if I need to”.