Theo – Part 4

Theo felt the blood drain from his face. Right there before him, was the vampire that tried to kill him. He had been delivered to her by the same half-orc that saved him; ‘Do the Gods play with me’.

“Ah, Thana,” the half-orc said when he noticed her sitting across the room beside a cot. The room was lightly lit, and Theo knew why. He had always wondered how the guilds doctor could work in such dim light, now he knew.

“It’s as if you knew I was bringing you a patient” the half-orc continued, smiling. He lifted Theo into the cot beside Thana, Theo opened his mouth to speak but the pain was so fierce, it hurt to even breathe. He mouthed ‘help me’ when he met the half-orcs gaze, but the orc paid no mind, taking it for the pain Theo was surely in.

“Thank you, Brock” Thana said. Her hair had been tied into a long ponytail but still glistened with oil. Brock the half-orc gave Theo a reassuring pat on the shoulder and left the infirmary. Theo lay there, in pain and in shock. He felt helpless and once more at the vampire's mercy. 'Who was she and how is she here'

“Lay still little rat,” she said.

She undressed him, disregarding his sudden outbursts of pain when she moved him, perhaps she was used to hearing such distress; and once Theo was naked, except for his small clothes she pushed a potion to his lips.

“Drink this,” she said, and when Theo refused by sealing his lips tight together, she leaned in close.

“If I wanted you dead, you would be, now drink. It’s a healing potion, nothing more”

Theo stared into her eyes and slowly opened his mouth to accept the potion, half expecting his vision to suddenly grow cloudy and dark. Instead, he felt a ‘pop’ as his ribs clicked back into place and his internal wounds heal up. He was still in pain, but the pain felt more like a burning discomfort than agony.

“Who are you,” Theo said when his courage allowed him to speak.

“Thana the vampire,” she said. “and you’re Theo the informer”

Theo could not believe what he was hearing, how a vampire was able to assimilate so boldly and easily with mortals.

“Does the guild know?” Theo asked, unsure whether he wanted to know the answer.

“We'd likely be dead if they did, well, me more dead I suppose,” Thana said. She sent Theo the same sinister grin which sent fear into his heart.

“You’re lucky informer, I wanted to feed on you down there in that sewer,” she said. “Would have too, if Brock hadn’t interrupted us”

“You still could have” Theo spat.

“Oh Aye, but I would have had to kill Brock, and I’m awfully fond of him,” she said.

Theo pondered this and could not understand what he was hearing. He was not aware vampires could grow fond of mortals but considered. He supposed farmers grew fond of their cows, and sheep, why not vampires.

“So, what happens now then,” Theo said. “I know your secret”

“Aye, you do. But I know yours, and that means you’re as dead as me down here”

Theo felt his anger flare. She had leverage, and Theo was all too familiar with being ‘owned’ that way. But she was right, she had him. A part of him still knew she could kill him now and no one would be the wiser, not even Brock. A sinister lie from Thana would be enough, perhaps that he had died of shock from the pain or expired due to other complications. So why was she keeping him alive?

“What do you want?” Theo said through gritted teeth. Thana smiled and sat beside him in the bed, grasping his wrist in her death grip, Theo tried to resist but it was useless, like a toddler trying to break free from his mother's scolding, she was just unapologetically stronger than him.

“I want to feed in peace,” she said.

“Then leave this place and feed somewhere else,” Theo said.

“You short-lived mortals harbor so much ignorance,” Thana said, letting go of his wrist, her eyes flashed red. She had been concealing them behind what Theo suspected was magic, but now they glowed like the burning ruby’s they truly were.

“Why should I be the one to leave. I was here long before the city even took the name ‘Leeside’, back when the first stone was placed by Earl Pembroke himself. It’s this guild that should leave, these are my sewers”

Theo listened intently. A vampire living down here all this time, without even a hint of knowledge from the city above, or guild besides.

“Why are you part of the guild then? if they encroach on your territory, why not kill them” Theo asked.

“Kill them?" Thana said scoffing "now why would I do something as reckless as that? I have been able to feed for centuries by convincing the world I do not exist. Piling up bodies in the sewer is a fine way to attract attention”

“So, you join them instead?” Theo asked.

“They have their uses; I’m able to gather intelligence and the occasional wandering member,” Thana said this with glee as she looked over at Theo, and Theo noticed her deep red eyes flicker to his neck. Theo shortened his neck in response and didn’t know what to say at first.

“I’m still not sure why you’re keeping me alive,” he asked incredulously.

“You may be of use to me,” Thana said immediately “And I know you’re not going to ‘inform’ on me”

“Are you sure about that?” Theo asked as convincingly as he could. But even heard the doubt in his own voice. He would not tell, couldn’t. And even if he did tell the guild, he doubted they would believe him; not only that but Theo thought this vampire (as old as she seemingly was) probably had a few more tricks up her sleeve and Theo didn’t want to see them first hand. She also had him over a barrel. If she did not kill him herself, a whisper in the ear of Skinner about him being an informant and he'd discover first hand how he got that name.

After a few seconds of unconvincing silence, Thana smiled sympathetically, letting Theo know he wasn’t fooling anyone, and he indeed would stay quiet.

“What do you want from me then,” he said scornfully.

“Nothing right now, but I might require your….” She stood up to run a hand up Theo’s leg. They weren’t cold like before, quite the opposite. He felt his manhood stiffen despite himself when the hand got to his thigh. “Services.” She finished, and thankfully she stopped there before her hand could feel his excitement.

Theo lay there as still as a statue, his heart racing, and his mind trying to make up whether to be frightened or excited or both. Suddenly the infirmary wooden door slammed open giving way to Skinner, who had to dip his head slightly under the roof of the door to enter. Thana’s eyes blinked back to their tree-bark brown as she turned.

“Had a stroll in the sewers have we elf” Skinner announced, he looked wroth.

“Yes sir,” Theo said nervously, trying to formulate a story in his head that was not the truth.

“Heard you broken some ribs,” he said, and Theo figured he must have bumped into Brock.

“Yes sir” is all Theo could think to say.

“He—” is all Thana had time to say before: “Quiet wench,” Skinner interrupted. “How did it happen, that you broke your ribs, Mr. Wood”

“Chased by rats, ran into some iron bars” Theo heard himself say before he could think.

Skinner pondered it and narrowed his eyes suspiciously before saying: “You’re either a fool or a liar”

Before Theo could respond, Skinner raised a hand.

“No matter, your services are required. We finally have an opportunity, but it must be TONIGHT,” he said looking at Thana. “Ensure he is as well as he can be, and you both meet me in the feasting hall at nine, not a minute late you understand”

Theo would have said ‘yes sir’ or at least nodded, but Skinner turned on his heels and left the infirmary. Theo and Thana looked at each other. It was time for his initiation.