Sacrum

Sacrum

Chapter Nineteen

THE SPECIALS SUMMIT

Part 2

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to die? Let me tell you, it takes an age. In fact, you really have no idea how long it feels until after you find out that you are about to die. And then it feels like forever, and quick, all at the same time. I think that's what we call duality...Vinicius once told me something about that word. I strained my brain to remember what he meant, as the three fearsome creatures bulldozed their way in a mad attempt to get to me.

What happened after the black trap door opened might have taken ten seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. All I saw was a quick flash of white fangs and spit, followed by ravenous howling barks. Whatever they were, they must have been starving.

Upon closer inspection, and because I had been greatly intrigued by dogs as a child and had spent many hours with my head buried in books about all the different dog breeds, I recognized the breed almost instantaneously.

Arani Deadnus had released three rabid Cane Corsos out of the gate. Not regular ones though, these were at least double or triple their size. Grizzly and muscular, with a pitch-black coat, their eyes shining bright red. Whatever they did to them, they were no longer normal dogs.

Loyal, smart, and known as the 'bodyguard dog', that's what the book had described them as. They originated from Italy. Back in the days, people used them for hunting. It seemed like a sin to turn such beautiful dogs into weapons.

Suddenly I felt like the Biblical Daniel, stuck in the lion's den. But there was no angel coming down to my rescue and stopping these creatures from attacking me. I didn't even have enough time to think about using my gift before the first one was spitting right in my face-blood lust written all over his frightening snapping jaw.

Still, as a vampire I figured I possessed much more strength than even a scientifically enhanced dog. I grabbed him by the neck and tried to toss him aside, as the other two pounced towards me. He had incredible strength and for a moment I was sure he was going to snap my head clean off. But then he yelped in sudden pain, giving me a momentary advantage. Had I unknowingly hurt him? I wasn't even trying to use my gift, not having enough time to concentrate.

I rushed to my feet and out of the way in order to avoid the other two dogs. I took a quick glance at the judge's table. Would someone step in and stop this if I asked for help? But I remembered the brutality of the previous tasks. This wasn't a regular test. I was sure that Arani Deadnus would have no issue carrying me out of the panic room in a black body bag.

"You can do it, Dani!" I heard Antoine's voice. Could I, or was I going to be torn to shreds in a matter of seconds? The two black creatures were headed straight at me, while the third one was still momentarily down.

The second dog barreled toward me at the speed of light. It was happening too fast, physical combat was all I had left. When he finally made contact and crashed into me, it sounded like thunder. I held his fearsome jaw inches away from my face as the third one caught up and locked its sharp teeth on my right calf, making me cry out in pain.

I shook my leg helplessly, trying to get him off while at the same time trying to keep the one on top of me from taking a chunk out of my face. But he remained permanently latched, slowly tearing my flesh further apart. Then suddenly, the grip of his jaw loosened, and his eyes rolled upward. Foaming at the mouth, he went into convulsions. Was it the venom in my veins? His body turned rigid shorty after.

His friends' death didn't seem to faze the other dog, still fighting to take a bite out of me. His sharp teeth inching closer and closer to my nose.

I had to focus if I was going to survive this. Using as much of my strength as I could gather I turned us both to the side.

A sense of despair washed over me. I didn't want to do it. I didn't have it in me to kill an animal. But he just kept going and going, and I knew nobody was going to stop it. With a cry of frustration and hopelessness I took one hand off his neck and quickly tightened my arm around it, his shiny black coat madly struggling underneath my grip, and then I quickly twisted to the right with brutal force.

He was finally still. I was the one left shaking.

I unlocked my hold on his body, and we both slipped to the ground like deadweight.

In the midst of the silence, I suddenly heard a clap of hands, and then more joining in.

"Bravo, Dani," I heard Trusting exclaim, and then I saw her friendly face standing above me. "You did it," she whispered, holding out her arm for me to grab. And I did, I grabbed on for dear life.

Covered in dirt and dog spit, I made my way to my feet. My bitten leg was already fast on its way to full regeneration-the perks of being a vampire.

"Judges, let's go around the table and reveal your scores. I will start. Pass," Trusting said with satisfaction.

"Pass," Nathaniel Gold concurred, smiling at me once again.

The wise vampire known as Arcadius Nomad regarded me for a moment, then exclaimed, "Pass!"

Andrei Chirilov waivered monetarily, but then said, "Pass".

"Pass, absolutely," Aleksandra Lesieu said, clapping her hands once again.

Attorney General Dominic Grant stared at me for a moment. "It wasn't the cleanest presentation, but I'll give you a pass," he admitted. Secretary of Defense Lee Choi nodded.

"Pass as well," he called out.

It was all down to Deadnus. Not that I cared anymore. All I wanted to do was get out of there and take a shower. Wash away the grime, the spit, and the dirty feeling of ever having been a part of this revolting spectacle.

She looked at me with fury in her eyes. What did I do to make this woman dislike me so much, I wondered. Suddenly, there was commotion by the elevator. Three vampires with black Protection League uniforms entered the room and made their way to Deadnus. One of then whispered something in her ear, and we watched as her face grew even more enraged, which I wasn't sure was possible at the moment. She looked positively murderous. "Are you sure?" I could read her lips as she asked him. He quickly nodded. Whatever he told her, it was definitely bad news. She got up straight away.

"I apologize, but I have urgent matters to attend to," she announced.

"Uh, Arani, please give us your score," Trusting urged. Deadnus glanced at me with contempt.

"Pass. Barely, but pass," she said, and just like that, she was gone.

I looked at the two dead dogs on the ground, and the one still whimpering a few feet away and I felt sick by what I had done.

"What are they going to do to him?" I asked Trusting, looking at the only surviving dog. She seemed surprised by my question.

"They'll take him to the medical wing and we'll bring in a vet. Don't worry, he'll be fine," she assured me.

"Can I come visit him?" I asked.

"Of course you can, silly," she replied.

Suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Arcadius Nomad. "You did good son," he said. Then, making sure he was out of Maratoni's earshot he leaned down and whispered, "Vinicius would have been proud."

I looked down, feeling sure to my core that the opposite was true.

"Thank you," I replied, though his compliment didn't mean much. Before coming to the Summit, I had no hope of ever passing. I wouldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams that I'd even stand a chance. Here I was, having successfully completed my two tasks, yet I felt anything but accomplished. I let four people get tortured on my watch. Four innocent human beings-volunteer or not. I murdered two dogs and hurt another one. I did not live up to Vinicius' expectation. I had turned into someone he wouldn't have recognized.

I glanced over at the bench where Maratoni was having a heated conversation with Demetrius about something. Was he upset that I passed, or was he upset about whatever it was that Deadnus had just learned? I remembered his conversation with Vincent, and I wondered if Deadnus' premature departure had anything to do with it. Then, without so much as exchanging a comforting word with me, Maratoni left the room as well.

"Congratulations, Dani, at least one of us passed," Antoine came over, shaking my hand. If I could, I would have traded my pass, I wanted to tell him. He could have it. I didn't want it anymore.

I received a few more congratulations from the other judges, and suddenly Chief Gold and his perfectly styled hair were in front of me.

"Spectacular show, Dani!" He raved.

"Thank you," I mumbled back. I didn't have the strength to talk to him. I just wanted to get back to my room.

"I'm curious as to why you chose the methods that you did. I was sure you'd go for fancy tricks, but you surprised me by taking the more physical approach. What was your logic behind that?" He inquired. He was trying to figure something out, but what? I thought about my answer carefully.

"Vinicius taught me that it was wrong to hurt animals. So if I was going to have to fight these dogs, I decided it would be with my own hands," I said.

"Vinicius, of course," he said. "He was one of a kind, wasn't he? So wise...almost like he had the answer to everything," he mused.

"No, as powerful and intelligent as he was, he also knew his shortcomings and his limitations and wasn't ever afraid to admit them," I replied. My skin prickled with an unpleasant sensation. I wanted to get away from Gold, but I didn't know why. He didn't stare at me with outright hatred like Deadnus. He was pleasant. So why did I have such a visceral reaction to him?

"Right, you're very protective over him, as you should be," he said. "As the new head of the Specials program, I look forward to us working together in the future, Dani," he said, holding out his hand. As I shook it, it seemed like an unpleasant wave of electricity struck both of us, and we swiftly pulled away. He chuckled nervously.

"Let's go," Demetrius said in my ear out of nowhere. I followed him into the elevator.

"Where did Maratoni go?" I asked.

"I don't know," he replied. It was the first obvious lie I ever caught him in.

"You do know," I said. We were the only two in the elevator. He looked at me.

"You're right. I do know, but I can't tell you," he replied.

"Why not?" I inquired.

"They don't want you to know yet," he said.

"Who's they?"

"Don't make me spell things out for you. Use your brain," he said in a harsh tone. I winced.

"Vincent and Maratoni," I said. He nodded.

I thought of the three people Demetrius had tortured laying there on that dirt. "Why did you do that?" I asked.

"Why did I do what?" He said, not following my train of thought.

"Why did you torture three innocent human beings?" He looked ahead, we were almost on ground level.

"Did you expect me to take on the whole panel and get arrested?" He huffed in a resentful tone.

"No, I expected you to decline the task and take the fail. But you just had to show off, didn't you?"

"Show off? It's a test. I decided to do what I was told and pass, just like you did," he replied, reminding me about what I had done out there on that dirt. I continued, undeterred.

"Please Demetrius, you're the big guy around here. You don't do anything anyone else tells you. Suddenly you're performing on demand at the Summit? You had no problem letting Maurizia take a fail so that she could help heal those you've wounded!" He finally turned to look at me, his eyes sparking with justified anger.

"Maurizia made that choice herself. And anyway, that's exactly what you expected from me, wasn't it? So stop acting so surprised." I had no answer to that. "We're no longer at the Valentini Academy where it's sunshine and roses. This is the real world, Dani, and it's not about to get any nicer anytime soon, so you better get used to it," he barked out at me in his accent just as the elevator door opened, then walked past me. I silently followed him to his room, trying to gather my thoughts, but he proceeded to slam the door in my face for good measure. It wasn't how I envisioned our last night together to go. I had developed a liking towards the stoic vampire and felt grateful to him for what he taught me in such a short amount of time. I didn't want us to end up on bed terms. But I couldn't just ignore the fact that he tortured human beings in front of me.

The word 'duality' popped into my head yet again. What had Vinicius taught me about that, I tried so hard to recover the memories. "It's called duality, Dani. The quality of having two opposite parts." What was he talking in reference to?

"I guess our goodbye party has been unofficially cancelled. Plus, it looks like we're the only ones in the mood to party anyway," I heard Luciana's voice from behind me. "Congrats, Special. We are now considered the best of the best," she said, sounding anything but excited, then shook the blood juice in her hand like it was champagne and drank it. I thought about the power she exhibited down there, and the complete lack of care she showed as she burned the vampire on the cross to his demise.

"Where's your Mentor?" I asked.

"He had to leave right away. And the rest of us are off tomorrow morning. You'll be back to your lonesome self for another couple of months, I suppose," she said. I nodded.

"I'm going to check on Maurizia," I told her. She made no move to join me.

Rebecca De Rossi hovered over her tiny Special inside of the medical wing.

"Is she going to be alright?" I asked, startling her.

"Oh, hi Dani. Yes, she'll be fine. That was a lot for her. The gift takes much of her strength. Using it this many times in such a short period of time...it just exhausted her. She needs rest," she said. Suddenly, she noticed my wild appearance. "What happened to you?" The answer to the question would have left me passed out on a white hospital gurney just like Maurizia, so instead I opted for, "It's a long story." Her eyes shone with empathy.

"Oh Dani, it wasn't right. None of it was right," she whispered. But then Maurizia's hand trembled, and all her focus turned back to her Special.

On my way out I stumbled on a smaller room where a young vet was tending to the magnificent Cane Corso I had injured not too long ago.

"Will he be okay?" I asked, popping my head in. The dog was laying down, but his ears perked up upon seeing me. I worried he might attack once again, but he seemed docile. His eyes were no longer red. Whatever they pumped the dogs up with, it seemed like it had wore off.

"He'll be just fine. He's as strong as a horse. Just needs some recovery time," he replied in good humor.

"And the other two?" I asked.

"Oh, they're gone. I'm sorry," he said.

"What's going to happen to him?"

"Uh, I'm not sure. I think they're Protection League dogs. He'll probably be shipped back to their headquarters tomorrow." He must have noticed my reaction because he added, "You can come see him tomorrow before he leaves, if you want."

Strangely, I did. Even though he was ready to snap my head off just an hour prior, I suddenly felt like I was responsible for him. Maybe it was a trauma bond, I thought.

"Thank you," I said, and slowly made my way back to my room. I couldn't face anyone else. I could barely face myself.

I took a long shower, washing the grime and dust off my body. The bite on my leg was now completely gone. I wondered what happened to the humans. Where did they go? More importantly, how could I conceive ever working for someone like Arani Deadnus? I was supposed to help protect humanity, not harm it. In just a few months she was going to become my boss. But it was becoming very clear to me that she was corrupted. Vincent told me there would be another option, and while I technically trusted him, I did not trust Sebastiano Maratoni. If he was part of that option, then I couldn't possibly join in. And where was Demetrius in all of it? I wanted to go next door and ask him. He'd been honest about everything up until now. I could trust his word. Which way was he going to go? Obviously Vincent and Maratoni thought they had him in their pocket. But officially, he was about to become a State worker, just like me. Would he choose his Mentor, or Deadnus?

My head hurt from all the possibilities as the dirty water circled the shower drain. I stepped out and put my shorts on. Then I collapsed on my bed, my head throbbing with pain. As soon as I closed my eyes, I found myself in Melinda Moretti's expensive living room.

"You're getting better at this," she mused, taking a sip of her tea. There were biscuits on her table.

"I am?"

"Yes, it's easier to find you now."

"What exactly are we doing?"

"We're dream walking," she replied.

"Oh?" I uttered, unable to comprehend what was happening. "And how exactly does that work?" I asked, as politely as I could muster. The whole thing seemed crazy.

"It's not an exact science, my dear," she replied. "But it is a good way for us to communicate."

"How do I know how to dream walk?" I asked.

"It's a gift you have."

"Another gift? How many gifts can one vampire have?" She chuckled.

"This one isn't the same. It's just something you were born with. We don't know where it comes from," she replied.

"But..." I started, confused, but she shook her head gently.

"We have more pressing things to discuss now, Dani. I know you want to come and find me. That's not safe at this time. This is the only safe way for us to talk."

"But are we really talking, or am I just dreaming this?"

"Both. Like I said, it's not an exact science. Many times, you will dream of things that already were and things that will be in the future. At times, your dreams won't be real, but they will serve to guide you if you can interpret them correctly."

"How do I know what's real and what's not," I asked.

"That will be for you to figure out. Here's your first chance," she said, and suddenly I was transported to a grim and dark place with a blanket of snow on the ground.

Then I saw him. My one and only Mentor.

"Vinicius!" I called out, my voice breaking halfway through. But he didn't hear me.

He was focused on something else. Or rather, on someone else.

There was a small brown-haired boy across from him. Suddenly the dream didn't feel like a dream-it was a very vivid memory. Different than all my other dreams.

My mentor knelt on one knee to reach the boy's eye level. He passed a child-size basketball to the boy. "A small gift from America," he said in a friendly tone. The wary brown eyes looked at him with hesitation, but the small vampire finally grabbed the ball from my Mentor's hands, holding it close to his chest like a protective blanket. Vinicius continued, "My Russian is not the greatest, despite many failed years of learning, but it is my understanding the locals around here call you, "Tot, kto prinosit bol'?"

The small boy nodded; his head hung in sudden shame.

"Ah, what a formidable nickname. The one who brings pain," Vinicius said, searching the boy's face with his eyes for a reaction to the nickname. There was no judgement in his voice.

The boy spoke in his own defense. "I don't have control over it, Professor. It ends up hurting people around me when I get mad," he confessed. Vinicius nodded his head.

"Your gift is extremely powerful, and thus it's imperative that you master it to absolute perfection, Demetrius. Placed within the wrong person, it could cause unbelievable pain to anyone in the vicinity," he said.

"I don't know how, it just keeps happening," the boy admitted with a shrug. He seemed terrified of the dark power he possessed. Vinicius got closer, as if he was about to tell him a secret.

"You're thinking about it, instead of feeling it," he told the young Demetrius. "It comes from right here," he said, placing his hand over the boys' abdomen. "And then it floats all the way up to your sternum. Only then it can be released. Try it," he said as if he was telling him to try a new brand of blood juice, and not asking for the boy to cause him an immense amount of pain. Demetrius looked perplexed.

"I don't want to hurt you," he replied, shaking his head. Vinicius smiled with ease.

"Oh, I've felt much worse than this my boy. Go ahead," he said, pleasantly, as if they were having the most normal conversation in the world.

"Are you sure?" Demetrius inquired, still looking uncertain.

"Positive," my Mentor replied.

Demetrius silently focused for a moment. Then, not too long after, Vinicius winced in pain. The boy stopped right away.

"No, no," Vinicius said. "I have to make sure you know how to control it. Continue, until I tell you to stop."

"But Professor," Demetrius protested.

"Do it, my boy."

Demetrius looked hesitant, but after a while, he focused once again. Not long after came a shattering scream of pain. It was Vinicius. It went on for a few seconds, until he raised his hand in a silent protest, and Demetrius immediately stopped.

He ran up to my Mentor.

"Are you okay?" He grabbed Vinicius by the arm, making sure he was steady. The old vampire nodded, but it took him a while to speak.

"I'm fine. I'm relieved to know that you've got everything under control," he said, patting the boy on the back.

Suddenly I was transformed into yet another dream, right in the middle of a heated exchange between Vinicius and Maratoni.

"I've gotten permission to train my Special as I see fit, Vinicius. The approval comes all the way up from the State, and you can't do anything about it. You've lost that battle," Maratoni snarled, yet I could sense he was still intimidated by my blue-eyed Mentor. Vinicius regarded him for a moment, as one would regard a child in a supermarket having a tantrum.

"Indeed. But, my dear Sebastiano, let us not forget I am still the one in charge of the Specials program, and thus I would like to be informed on Demetrius' progress through monthly reports. I also urge you to relocate back to America."

"Why, so you can watch my every move?" Maratoni snapped back. It was comforting to learn that he'd always been an ass, it wasn't just me he despised.

"I don't particularly have the desire, nor the time, to do that Sebastiano. But having Demetrius in this barren setting, torturing farmers and factory workers who are looking to earn extra money for their starving families isn't going to breed the type of Special you're hoping for. It will backfire. He's not a machine, the gift you've chosen for him takes a great toll on his soul."

"His soul? What do you know about it? He's here so I can toughen him up. Unlike you, I don't plan on keeping my Special sheltered like a delicate flower forever. Demetrius is going to be powerful and have a mind of steel."

"The mind can only take so much before it breaks," Vinicius retorted, and there was a pleading tone to his words. He was advocating for the boy. "You'll permanently maim him if you're not careful."

Maratoni looked unmoved, once again, I was transported into yet another scenario. Vinicius was back with Demetrius, except the brown-haired vampire was older now. His eyes seemed to carry the pain of the world as he spoke.

"I don't want to hurt them," the now-older vampire admitted.

"Of course not. Very few individuals get enjoyment out of seeing others hurt," Vinicius replied.

"But if I don't, Professor Maratoni gets mad," Demetrius confessed.

"Ah, yes. You find yourself in what we call an impossible predicament," Vinicius sympathized. "I cannot stop Professor Maratoni from using his own personal training techniques with you. The State has made their decision on that clear," he admitted with sadness. Demetrius looked heartbroken. "But, let me give you a small piece of advice," Vinicius continued, leaning down to whisper. "Whenever you have to use your gift on somebody, count to seven. From my small research, I've found that almost anyone can withstand a high amount of pain for up to seven seconds without long term side effects," the wise vampire advised, giving the boy just a small glimmer of hope.

I woke up with a start and jumped out of bed right away.

"The one who brings pain," the Russian locals had called him.

"The one who brings pain has a heart that's pure," the prophecy had stated.

It referred to Demetrius, not Vincent. The favor he owed was a thanks to Vinicius who had helped him control his terrifying gift and ensure it wouldn't cause others permanent damage.

I raced over and opened the door to his room, my chest aching to hold the scared little boy in my dream. But true to his word about not liking goodbyes, it was empty, and he was already gone.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.