You get lost. It’s hard to find reality. You forget things. Things like… you and the Darkness are actually one and the same. Or things like… you’re on a mission from God.
So while I’m sure it was there, inside him, this hatred for me—I’m not convinced that he understood it.
Which is why I went along with many of his ideas.
The Vampire Paul is an infection and he’s contagious. It was easy to get caught up in his plans.
Especially the American Vampires.
There can only be one king.
Just one, no more.
And I’m not talking about one American king, either.
One World King. One king to rule over everything in this realm.
This is how it was written in the Book.
There is but one, he rules us all.
And that One is me.
For I am the Darkness.
And this world was my promise.
I leave my bunkerand go upstairs. The floor of the grand foyer is stained with the blood of halfbreeds where I poisoned them using the girl called Echo.
My head tips up and I smell the air. Paul was here and so was Ryet. Recently. Looking around, I realize Ryet is on the other side of the lodge. Close. So close my sensitive ears can hear him talking to his little Black witch.
But I am not interested in Ryet. He will be dead long before this is over. Whatever Paul did to try and save him, it won’t be enough.
I always knew Paul would betray me for Ryet. How could he not? Ryet is his firstborn. A true vampire. He’s a magnificent achievement, even I will admit that.
My feelings for Little Baby and Dark Baby are the same. There are powerful threads of loyalty attaching me to them.
I knew this was coming and I prepared.
Ryet, as far as I’m concerned, is not worth my time. He’s going to die and Syrsee will be the one to kill him.
Smiling, I turn towards the door and walk out into the sunshine.
The air is cooland crisp and the breeze passing across my naked body feels magnificent. The path to the cave is nothing but a deer trail, but it’s a well-traveled one, so it’s not hard to follow. But even if it were, I would know the way—not because I’ve used this path before, but because there are fresh footprints in the dirt.
My scions.
Mine.
Not Paul’s.
Mine.
They belong tome, the Darkness. Yes, they fed on Ryet and Syrsee and both of these creatures are technically Paul’s. But Paul has no access to the Darkness except through me.
Did he really think I would hand over all that power without a down payment?
Without assurances?
