Chapter Three
The Council Square 1522
The birth of the twins Grady and Markus Cole was a cause for celebration. It had been over five hundred years since the childbirth of a sweet blood vampire had been born in the Cole tribe. The difficulty with the sweet smellers and the continuation of their kind weighed heavily on Clayton’s mind.
After the three-day celebration in which he got to see his family once again, Clayton was in his small kitchen having dinner, while Ada Cole was feeding the twins in their bedroom.
Ada walked in and sat down beside Clayton. He was contemplative as Ada studied him. His long brown hair parted in the middle gave him a look of a holy man. Clayton had the bluest eyes she had ever seen. He had a thin, but a muscular body that astounded Ada with his feats of strength. Clayton was over five hundred years old, and she was only two hundred and forty-one, which was a young woman by their standards.
“What are you thinking about, husband?”
He looked at Ada, his wife of thirty-seven years. Her brown eyes were rare in this part of England. Her robust frame only enhanced her beauty. Ada’s long blond hair fell until it reached her lower back.
“I think there are far too few humans around these parts. I think we should move.”
Ada was taken aback. “Move? Move where?”
“Somewhere there are more sweet-smelling humans,” Clayton said cautiously.
“Why can’t we suck the blood from animals? They run around unchecked as if they’re daring us to suck nourishment from them!” Ada said in exasperation. Ever since she could remember, she was forbidden to take blood from animals.
“Other vampires have tried and died horribly. I imagine it has something to do with our blood not being able to recognize theirs.” Clayton pondered for a moment. “I don’t want to keep eating human food; while it sustains our existence, it suppresses our vampirism. If other types of smelling vampires sense any kind of weakness, our sweet-smelling kind will be in trouble!”
“But Clayton, we have family and friends here! Where will we go?”
He looked at Ada. He hesitated before speaking. “I was in private talks with a boatsman this past week. The boatsman knows of land across the pond that is big and vast.”
“Does he even know if humans live there?” Ada asked with concern.
“The man claims he has seen native people, tribes just like us.”
“I don’t know, Clayton,” Ada said reluctantly. “Even if we do decide to move, we would need permission from the council.”
“I am the head of the council, Ada,” Clayton said with a touch of annoyance.
“I know that, Clayton! But, if we don’t seek and get their approval, especially from your mother, we will be banished for life. Think of our children!”
Clayton stood up and pounded his fist on the oak table. “Dammit, Ada! I am thinking of them. I am thinking of us and our very survival too! Do you think we’re the only ones in this predicament?”
“So, you’ve been talking to other sweet smellers about moving away from our tribes without my knowledge?”
“Consider yourself told,” Clayton said a little too forcibly.
He looked at Ada, sat back down, and put his hands over hers. “I am sorry, Ada. But honey, we have to do something. I haven’t taken blood from a human in a while. Is there anything you can suggest that I didn’t think of that could help?”
Ada thought for a moment. Her eyes darted back and forth. “How about if our entire tribe moved with us? There’s strength in numbers. No other vampires are going there that you know about, right?”
“Yes, none that I know about. Your point does have merit. It would take some convincing from the other council members.”
“And what about your mother? Do you think she will go along with your scheme? After all, she is on the council too. She’s rooted in the affairs of our tribe. You do not care about the day to day activities; therefore, she holds more sway than even you.”
“We shall see,” Clayton said as they heard loud banging on the door.
“Who could it be this late in the evening? The festivities are complete,” Ada complained.
Clayton took a whiff of the scent outside. “It’s one of our sweet smellers.”
He opened the door. His neighbor, Pierre, fell on top of him.
Clayton carried him to the couch, propped up a giant fluffy pillow, which he knew was a sign of affluence many of his neighbors did not have. Clayton made him rest while he retrieved water from the well outside.
After Pierre took several sips of water, he managed to sit upright. He glanced at the expensive pillow but said nothing.
“Pierre, what was so urgent that you banged on my door at this hour?” Clayton asked with compassion.
“The sour smellers attacked us!”
“What? Are you sure?” Ada asked with skepticism.
“Of course, I’m sure, Ada! I barely made it out alive!”
“How many of them are there, and are they still here?” Clayton asked as anger built up inside him.
Pierre took a quick gulp of water before answering. “At least a half dozen of them. And they are still here because they were looking for you! You need to go out there and save our families! They want you to meet them at the Council Square now, Clayton.”
Clayton was out the door in less than a second, followed by Ada. It took them less than five seconds to get to the Council Square.
The Council Square was in the middle of the town. The square itself was made of wood from the abundance of trees that surrounded outside their village of crops. The square wasn’t square but built round to accommodate a circle so every council member could face each other.
Clayton walked up the steps and smelled five male sour smellers and one female. He looked at Ada, and she knew that she would have to take care of the woman vampire despite being in a weakened state. She nodded.
Six vampires came
