Without another word, the three of them retraced their steps and left. Clayton stood in place for a few minutes. While the three vampires retreated, he contemplated what one of them had said. Was there a strife or war brewing among the different blood types of vampires? And if so, why wasn’t he aware of it? In a few short weeks, it would not matter. His well thought out plan would come to fruition.
He walked back to the tall, thick tree. So much had changed within the centuries he had been alive. With gentleness, he placed his hand on the ancient tree, closed his eyes, and remembered the day it all began when he ascended to vampire-hood almost a thousand years ago. Quiet tears found their way out of his eye ducts as they gently strolled down his face.
Chapter Two
1020 AD Year of Clayton’s Ascension
Clayton paused before entering the dark, dank, and foreboding underground cave. He peered at his mother with anxiety. “What’s going to happen to me?”
His mother, Tabatha, looked at her son. “You know I can’t tell you much, Clayton. The only thing you need to know is it’s your thirteenth birthday, and you will ascend to vampire-hood just like the rest of our tribe.”
Clayton nodded and, at his mother’s insistence, began to move forward.
“Why couldn’t I just be born a vampire? Why do I have to ascend at thirteen?” Clayton asked. He could feel his heart race and his palms were sweaty.
Tabatha took a few deep breaths as she prodded her son to move forward. “When we are born, we are called in-betweeners. While we can take nourishment from the blood sack when we’re in our mother’s womb, our bodies can’t handle the power when we are given human blood as babies. Children, even babies, have gone insane, and if you think puberty in humans can be rough, imagine times that by ten thousand with our culture.” Tabatha sighed. “Generations ago, our ancestors decided the transformation was too difficult and brutal on babies, kids, and of course, the parents. Our tribe met and decided to enact a law forbidding anyone to transform before the age of thirteen.”
“Why?”
Tabatha put out her hand. “Come, Clayton. There’s no time for more questions.”
Clayton looked ahead. “It’s dark at the end of the tunnel, mother.”
“Yes, and it needs to be so. There are candles further down to light your way,” his mother said with a composure that she did not feel.
Clayton walked several more yards and stopped. His body shook and quivered. “I don’t know if I am ready for my ascension, mother!”
Tabatha went to her knee and knelt beside Clayton. She placed her steady hands on his trembling shoulders. “Look at me, Clayton! Get hold of yourself! You are going to ascend today. Everyone in our tribe does. You have to push through your fears just like the rest of us had to.”
Clayton bit his lower lip. “But I am nervous, mother! Suppose I die?”
“Don’t be silly. No one has ever died in the ascension to vampire-hood.”
“But I am both a non-vampire and a vampire. I am an in-betweener until I ascend. I can be hurt!”
“True, but you are far tougher and stronger than a human.” Tabatha looked at her young son.
His dark hair came down to his nose. Tabatha combed his hair with her fingers and straightened his posture. She looked at her son and smiled warmly.
“I will let you in on a well-kept secret, Clayton. Vampires are not the undead creatures described in the oral history of humans. We have all of the same body parts as a typical human. Our hearts pump and beat like them. We can cry; we have hunger pains, and women give birth. But how we differ from humans is our skin is impenetrable, meaning nothing can get through it. A wooden stake will not kill us, nor will sunlight. Garlic and holy water do not affect us, nor does anything in folklore. We have superhuman strength, hyper hearing, and hyper seeing abilities. We are nearly immortal, yet you’re afraid of some silly ritual?” She seized Clayton’s innocent face. “Think of the power that will course throughout your body once you ascend, Clayton!”
“What can kill us?” Clayton asked his mother to stall for time.
Tabatha stood up and looked down at her son. “The only thing known that can kill us is by another vampire. Only we have the strength to penetrate each other’s skin.”
“Huh? You told me we couldn’t be hurt because we have skin that no one can pierce.”
Tabatha looked at the darkened cave and held her hand out to Clayton. “All the other smeller vampires are strong enough. We don’t have time to talk about this topic. You will ascend. You must ascend!”
“What are other smeller vampires?”
Tabatha ignored his question. The ceremony will provide the answers he sought.
They walked several yards. The darkness surrounded them.
“Where are we going, mother? I can’t see.”
“When you gain your powers, you will be able to see much better in the dark. We have to make a right turn soon.”
“I thought you said there were candles.”
“There are Clayton. It will start to get lighter soon. Don’t worry; I will guide you. We placed the candles much further in to avoid any nosey and curious humans.”
They turned right and walked for some time. Clayton tried to listen for any sounds or signs to tell him they were close. He heard a chorus of voices in his language. Strange, thought Clayton. He could discern a human man nearby, and the man was yelling and screaming in the human tongue.
The further along they went, the brighter it became. Clayton and his mother made another right and came to a large clearing. He noticed that his relatives were sitting side by side. He looked up at the ceiling; it towered over himself and his mother.
Clayton saw a thick chain descending from the high ceiling that went down, which kept the yelling human bound. The man was
