that grows daily within the vampire clans. It is the worst I have ever seen them for many a year.’
He turned away, staring once more out of the window. Below he watched as the Mayor and twenty men kicked their horses into action, at the back Tolon; around him six half-lings, half crouched, trotted alongside.
Drameer glanced at Karick’s reflection in the window, feeling his eyes boring into the back of his head.
‘For years … since the great War, we have tried to adjust to our new world, our new position, our new hierarchy.’ He turned back from the window; looked straight into Karick’s eyes. ‘I think we have been both blessed and cursed. The War that the humans brought upon themselves has left the sky dark, freed us from our one fear, fear of the light, and provided us a greater freedom. Yet…’ Drameer scanned the room, arms outstretched. ‘This is not us. Not truly. Not as we have been bred.’
‘But this is how we dreamed of being,’ muttered Voltan , somewhat unconvincingly.
‘Is it? Before we came to this world we were nothing more than criminals and scavengers, banished here centuries ago for our crimes. Our leaders thought that we would not survive, could not survive, because of the light and lack of food. They sentenced us to certain death on this planet. But against the odds, we did survive. We hid from the light and found an alternative food supplement’
He looked from Voltan to Karick.
‘Yet in doing so we have never needed to create anything, never needed to build anything. We have just taken. This, I fear, is our true nature and this I fear will be the cause of our downfall.’
‘But we are superior,’ stated Voltan, clearly unhappy with Drameer’s appraisal of their species.
‘We are stronger.’
‘We are cleverer.’
‘More cunning.’
‘Your point Drameer,’ questioned Karick.
‘ For us to survive, our nature has to change, really change. The war has left destruction. The war has destroyed much of our food chain, even if it has left us in command, you have to ask… in command of what?’
‘But that’s why we created the inner sanctum, why we have the breeding programmes. The research and development programmes, the bio-ethonol production, other crude based fuels. We do this for them, not us.’ Countered Karick, but uncertainty was already audible in his voice. He paused looking at Drameer for reassurance.
‘You and I understand that we need the humans. I mean truly need them. But not the likes of Rodan...’ responded Drameer as kindly as he could.
Drameer turned once again to stare out of the window and into the darkness. His reflection stared back at him, mocking.
‘Rodan wants to take. He is true to the nature of the vampire; he craves power for power’s sake, nothing more. He cares nothing of the consequences. Just like all the others.’ His eyes flicked to Voltan who stood silently. ‘I fear he will do anything to win, regardless of the consequence.’
‘All the others?’ questioned Karick
‘Unless we learn to change; but first we need to believe we have to. There are no consequences in the vampire mind. Rodan wouldn’t build - couldn’t build. You know how hard it’s been to create a semblance of order here.’
This time it was Karick who turned to gaze from the window.
‘You speak true. It has not been easy.’
‘Sometimes the path of truth is the hardest to walk, even as an individual, let alone when others must be made to follow.’
‘And you fear that Rodan wishes to lead the others from the path?’
‘With Rodan there is no path. He simply wishes to lead. He has for some time. Is it not far easier to deviate, create problems, concerns, than it is to maintain harmony? Especially when you do not fear any consequence, Drameer hesitated, not sure how far to go, not sure whether to make the next point, but he decided he needed to.
‘You also have to ask why they follow.’
‘What do you mean?’ Karick asked, a frown forming on
He turned away, staring once more out of the window. Below he watched as the Mayor and twenty men kicked their horses into action, at the back Tolon; around him six half-lings, half crouched, trotted alongside.
Drameer glanced at Karick’s reflection in the window, feeling his eyes boring into the back of his head.
‘For years … since the great War, we have tried to adjust to our new world, our new position, our new hierarchy.’ He turned back from the window; looked straight into Karick’s eyes. ‘I think we have been both blessed and cursed. The War that the humans brought upon themselves has left the sky dark, freed us from our one fear, fear of the light, and provided us a greater freedom. Yet…’ Drameer scanned the room, arms outstretched. ‘This is not us. Not truly. Not as we have been bred.’
‘But this is how we dreamed of being,’ muttered Voltan , somewhat unconvincingly.
‘Is it? Before we came to this world we were nothing more than criminals and scavengers, banished here centuries ago for our crimes. Our leaders thought that we would not survive, could not survive, because of the light and lack of food. They sentenced us to certain death on this planet. But against the odds, we did survive. We hid from the light and found an alternative food supplement’
He looked from Voltan to Karick.
‘Yet in doing so we have never needed to create anything, never needed to build anything. We have just taken. This, I fear, is our true nature and this I fear will be the cause of our downfall.’
‘But we are superior,’ stated Voltan, clearly unhappy with Drameer’s appraisal of their species.
‘We are stronger.’
‘We are cleverer.’
‘More cunning.’
‘Your point Drameer,’ questioned Karick.
‘ For us to survive, our nature has to change, really change. The war has left destruction. The war has destroyed much of our food chain, even if it has left us in command, you have to ask… in command of what?’
‘But that’s why we created the inner sanctum, why we have the breeding programmes. The research and development programmes, the bio-ethonol production, other crude based fuels. We do this for them, not us.’ Countered Karick, but uncertainty was already audible in his voice. He paused looking at Drameer for reassurance.
‘You and I understand that we need the humans. I mean truly need them. But not the likes of Rodan...’ responded Drameer as kindly as he could.
Drameer turned once again to stare out of the window and into the darkness. His reflection stared back at him, mocking.
‘Rodan wants to take. He is true to the nature of the vampire; he craves power for power’s sake, nothing more. He cares nothing of the consequences. Just like all the others.’ His eyes flicked to Voltan who stood silently. ‘I fear he will do anything to win, regardless of the consequence.’
‘All the others?’ questioned Karick
‘Unless we learn to change; but first we need to believe we have to. There are no consequences in the vampire mind. Rodan wouldn’t build - couldn’t build. You know how hard it’s been to create a semblance of order here.’
This time it was Karick who turned to gaze from the window.
‘You speak true. It has not been easy.’
‘Sometimes the path of truth is the hardest to walk, even as an individual, let alone when others must be made to follow.’
‘And you fear that Rodan wishes to lead the others from the path?’
‘With Rodan there is no path. He simply wishes to lead. He has for some time. Is it not far easier to deviate, create problems, concerns, than it is to maintain harmony? Especially when you do not fear any consequence, Drameer hesitated, not sure how far to go, not sure whether to make the next point, but he decided he needed to.
‘You also have to ask why they follow.’
‘What do you mean?’ Karick asked, a frown forming on
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