“Caleb,” he said softly. He sounded shocked to see him.
Caleb stood there calmly, staring back.
“Samuel,” Caleb answered, flatly.
The man stood there, staring, shaking his head just a little bit.
“Not even a hug for your long lost brother?” Caleb asked.
“You know this is very serious,” Samuel answered. “You have violated many laws by coming here tonight. Especially by bringing her.”
The man did not even bother looking over at Caitlin. She felt insulted.
“But I had no choice,” Caleb said. “The day has arrived. War is here.”
A hushed murmur erupted among the vampires standing behind Samuel, and among the growing group of vampires forming behind them. She turned, and saw that more than a dozen of them now encircled them. She was starting to feel claustrophobic. They were vastly outnumbered, and there was no way out. She had no idea what Caleb had done, but whatever it was, she hoped that he could talk his way out of it.
Samuel raised his hands, and the murmur died down.
“What’s more,” Caleb continued, “this woman here,” he said, nodding towards Caitlin, “she is The One.”
Woman. Caitlin had never been called that before. She liked it. But she didn’t understand. The One? He had put a funny emphasis on the phrase, as if he were talking about the Messiah or something. She wondered if they were all crazy.
Another murmur arose, and all heads turned to stare at her.
“I need to see the Council,” Caleb said, “And I must bring her with me.”
Samuel shook his head.
“You know that I would not stop you. I can only advise. And I advise you to leave right now, return to your post and await the Council’s summons.”
Caleb stared back. “I’m afraid that is not possible,” he said.
“You’ve always done as you wish,” Samuel said.
Samuel stepped aside, and motioned with his hand that he was free to pass.
“Your wife will not be pleased,” Samuel said.
Wife? Caitlin thought, and felt a cold chill run up her spine. Why did she suddenly feel so insanely jealous? How had her feelings for Caleb developed that quickly? What right did she have to feel so possessive of him?
She felt her cheeks turn red. She did care. It made no sense at all, but she completely cared. Why didn’t he tell me–
“Don’t call her that,” Caleb answered, his cheeks also burning red. “You know that –”
“Know that what!?” came a woman’s shriek.
They all turned to see a woman marching towards them from down the hallway. She, too, was dressed in all black, with long, flowing red hair that trailed past her shoulders, and large, shiny green eyes. She was tall, ageless, and strikingly beautiful.
Caitlin felt humbled in her presence, like she had just shrunk. This was a woman. Or was it…vampire? Whatever she was, she was a creature that Caitlin could never compete with. She felt deflated, prepared to concede Caleb to whoever she was.
“Know that what!?” the woman repeated, staring harshly at Caleb as she walked up to him, just a few feet away. She glanced over at Caitlin, and her mouth curled into a snarl. Caitlin had never seen anyone look at her with so much hatred before.
“Sera,” Caleb said softly, “we have not been married for 700 years.”
“In your eyes, maybe,” she snapped back.
She started to pace, circling both Caitlin and Caleb. She looked her up and down as if she were an insect.
“How dare you bring her here,” she spat. “Really. You know far better.”
“She is The One,” Caleb said flatly.
Unlike the others, this woman did not seem surprised. Instead, she just let out a short, mocking laugh.
“That’s ridiculous,” she answered. “You’ve brought war on us,” she continued, “and all for a human. A simple infatuation,” she said, her anger rising. With each sentence, the crowd behind her seemed to get bolstered, to grow with a concurring anger. It was becoming an angry mob.
“In fact,” Sera continued, “we have the right to tear her apart.”
The crowd behind her began to murmur in approval.
Anger flashed across Caleb’s face.
“Then you would have to go through me,” Caleb answered, staring back with equal determination.
Caitlin felt a warmth run through her. He was laying his life on the line for her. Again. Maybe he did care for her.
Samuel stepped forward, between them, and held out his hands. The crowd quieted.
“Caleb has requested an audience with the Council,” he said. “We owe him at least that. Let him state his case. Let the Council decide.”
“Why should we?” Sera snapped.
“Because that is what I said,” Samuel answered, a steely determination in his voice. “And I give orders up here, Sera, not you.” Samuel stared long and hard at her. Finally, she deferred.
Samuel stepped aside, and gestured towards the stone staircase.
Caleb reached out and took Caitlin’s hand, and led her forward. They stepped down the wide stone steps, and descended into the darkness.
Behind her, Caitlin heard a sharp laughter cut through the night.
“Good riddance.”
Chapter Twelve
Their footsteps echoed on the wide, stone staircase as they descended. It was dimly lit. Caitlin reached over and slipped her hand into Caleb’s arm. She hoped that he would let it sit there. He did. In fact, he tightened his arm around hers. Once again, everything felt OK. She felt that she could descend into the depths of darkness, as long as they were together.
So many thoughts raced through her mind. What was this Council? Why had he insisted on taking her? And why did she feel so insistent on being at his side? She could have easily objected up there, told him that he did that she didn’t want to go, that she’d rather wait upstairs. But she didn’t want to wait upstairs. She wanted to be with him. She couldn’t imagine herself anywhere else.
None of it made any sense. At every turn, instead of getting answers, all she got were new questions. Who were all those people upstairs? Were they really vampires? What were they doing here? In the Cloisters?
They turned the corner, into a large room, and she was struck by its beauty. It was incredible, like descending into a real medieval castle. Soaring ceilings capped rooms carved out of medieval stone. Off to her right there lay several sarcophagi, raised above the floor. Intricate, medieval figures were carved on their lids. Some of them were open. Was that where they slept?