Evercrest Vampire Truth

Dylan held Suzan to him. It was time for them to leave Prislan and they had gone back to their room to "talk".

Suzan knew that he had been stressed since the trip began but he became even more so after Esma descended and spoke to them so unexpectedly.

"It will be fine Dylan. This is going to sound very corny and cliché but everything will be fine as long as we are together.

"It is just a simple truth. We align well, bottom line, and this is what makes it all okay. Not perfect, but okay."

She looked at him.

"Why are you so stressed?"

He sighed and kissed her forehead.

"I guess I just want you to be happy. The more we find out the more I feel it would be difficult for you to maintain your happiness. Now we have my niece…"

"Our niece. Calm down Dyl. Esma asked and I said yes. She is like me don't you think I would be happy to help someone in ways I have always wished someone would've helped me?"

"I will trust you for now. Maybe the true problem is that we do not spend enough time together."

Suzan rolled her eyes.

"And what will you do when you have to return to work and inspect distant lands."

He shrugged.

"You will go with me."

She just stared at him, stunned. Her expression softened and she smiled.

"Be honest with me. That is all? You are not worried about Tiran wanting to see me?"

He pursed his lips and averted his eyes in thought.

"To be honest I am not worried about Tiran. It is true that he is of the faction that wants to eradicate humans but there are a few things cause me to feel he will be a problem. First you are very strong and quite capable. Second there is a lot of support for our union. And third Tiran is ultimately my brother and I can handle him.

"My only true worry is the potential disrespect you may receive."

Dylan's voice trembled with an anger that Suzan rarely saw within him. She smiled and put a hand to the side of his face. She smiled into his eyes.

"Do not worry whatever happens I know that you will be there for me.

"You have decided to take me to your home without hesitation to protect to protect me from some unseen, from mere possibility. How could I not feel safe with you?"

The trip back down to the ground below Prislan and all transportation was uneventful. They did stop at another shopping level just to see the different stores and options. Other than this there was only the beauty of the city itself.

The next leg of their journey would take three days and they would spend most of it in their transport vehicles which consisted of three two level SUV's, that would serve as their living quarters. Three long transport trucks carrying supplies and all of their purchases from Prislan and four guard vehicles.

Just as everyone loaded into the wide, tank like, two level SUV's Ester looked up at the city above them. Suzan did not sense sadness from her. She sensed resolve and determination instead, it seemed that Ester was ready for change and maybe even a new beginning.

The SUV's were massive. The passenger compartment had two levels and many of the group went up to the second level for a better view of the lands around them.

The supply transports trailed behind them with a security vehicle in the lead, the rear and one each on either side of the main two level vehicle.

Patricia sat with Dylan, Marlon and Elsbeth while Suzan sat with the others on the upper level of the SUV.

She looked to Dylan concern on her face.

"Suzan told me that King Tiran wants to meet with her. She didn't seem too concerned but I am curious.

'Is there some sort of problem I should know about. Suzan is capable but I still feel a need to protect her."

Dylan sighed. "There is no problem. My brother is just a bit paranoid and he is very suspicious of anyone who is not an ancient vampire. I am not sure what is exactly going through his mind but the situation is much better with Esma on her side.

"Esma will not allow anything to happen to Suzan and she will talk with my other siblings and her children. By the time Suzan actually meets Tiran, the king, her backing will be too strong for him to even grumble."

Patricia nodded as she listened.

"But there is something else that is bothering you."

Dylan smiled but Marlon was the one to speak.

"You are very perceptive. My lord does not want to talk about his worries."

Elsbeth took up the conversation.

"The true issue is Suzan's power. To be honest she is more powerful than many of the most powerful ancient vampires. And she wields both human and ancient vampire magics. For a man drowning in paranoia…"

Elsbeth stopped her thought and allowed the others to fill in the blanks as they wished.

Patricia pursed her lips. She was beginning to fully understand her conversation with Esma at breakfast.

They spoke candidly and through mind speech. The conversation was so hurried and Patricia had to work to maintain her focus at the table and she had developed a head before they had finished.

Esma was an interesting woman and Patricia could tell that she valued humans greatly.

The problem was that humans were still seen as a threat by many of the ancient races. And their tendency to seek advancement through any means necessary did not improve their reputation.

Many a human had betrayed an ancient friend to achieve a goal. The race was too vast and young in their understanding of things. They wanted what others had and they became resentful when they could not acquire what they wanted as easily as the ancients.

It was a flaw of humanity. Ambition. But not all humans allowed their ambitions to drive them beyond their moral code. This did not matter to ancient that only registered betrayal and forgot how some forever remained assets and allies.

This was the way of existence. All remembered the bad and most forgot the good.

Patricia sighed deeply as she pursed her lips.

"I know the rules laid down by your father. Many have evolved and many still remain. You are both Suzan's salvation and her damnation.

"My family never wavered in our loyalty to the ancient vampires but even we had to exile or even condemn to death those of us that chose to betray our overall ideals.

"Unfortunately, when it comes to humans, you have to take the good with the bad. None of us are learned enough to approach even a facsimile of perfection. We are too driven and we live by trial and error because our time is so limited which in turn limits our patience for advancement and discovery."

She paused, sighed again, then stood heavily. Her expression solemn.

"I know you will keep her safe. We will work to keep her happy."

She nodded to Elsbeth and she nodded her agreement.

Suzan could not help but think. Many things floated through her mind most drifting through never gaining her full attention. Concerns about Tiran was one of these.

But there were two thoughts that continued to garner her full attention and led to her distraction.

Ester and Terese.

Ester was currently sleeping with her head on Suzan's lap. As she slept Suzan had been fixing her magic pathways. They were going to travel for the next three days, through deserts and other badlands, none stop and it was Suzan's goal to be finished with Ester's pathways by then.

As she repaired Ester's pathways she began thinking about Terese. They had a conversation yesterday and today and she was sure they would speak everyday for the rest of her life.

Elder Terese, of the ancient vampires, was now her teacher and she continually ran her teachings through her mind trying to engrave them into her memory and her being. Trying to know them all like they were the most important things in her life… because they were.

She felt her grandmother suddenly become deeply sad and she looked at the floor but forced herself not to look through it.

She knew her grandmother was worried. She knew Elsbeth was worried. She knew Dylan was worried but his worry was laced with determination.

She sensed the relief in Esma as if she were the answers to her prayers and the manifestation of her desires.

Suzan was tired of knowing. Most of the time she just wanted to know Dylan. She wanted to know his body, his thoughts, his desires, his yearnings. She wanted to know his touch his kiss the feel of his eyes on her body. She wanted to know the sensations of his child growing within her.

She wanted to throw all other things away.

All she wanted was life with Dylan. But she realized that if she wanted Dylan she wanted all that came with life with Dylan.

He would never stop being an ancient vampire, and she did not want him to. She wanted all that he was not only some part of him, the whole him.

Sacrifice. It seemed that was all she really knew in this life.

Then her mind slipped into one of Ester's magical pathways and she sighed internally. She wanted Dylan and she also wanted to have his children and she refused to have her children live in a world where they were afraid to be themselves.

This was a sacrifice she had no problem making. She would ensure that this world was a better place for Dylan and their children. She wanted them both as free from worry as possible.

Because of those who called themselves true vampires humans were seen as dangerous entities. They were seen as deceptive and conniving and always wanting what they should not or what they were not ready for.

That did not concern her. What concerned her was their role in the deaths of her biological parents. She was concerned about having children as powerful or more powerful than she was and the liars wanting them.

Suzan understood many things intuitively. And she realized, after she found out who her father was, that this was due largely to the ancient vampire blood flowing through her body. It allowed her to know ancient vampire memory and experiences. It allowed her to use these memories and experiences to extrapolate information related to her current experiences and situation.

And she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the liars would never stop. They would always want more.

First it was longevity, now it was longevity without dependence and advancement.

Another of Ester's pathways cleared and Suzan redoubled her efforts. Ester stirred and looked up at with a smile.

'Thank you auntie. When will you begin training me?'

Suzan smiled into that youthful face that she knew had seen way more years than she had ever known.

"Tomorrow."