once held that will make you vulnerable. Often it is the faith of the person holding an emblem that imbues it with the power to harm. As a Christian with a cross can use it to burn your flesh, so a Jew with a Star of David can cause pain, or a Russian communist with a hammer and sickle on their badge. Beware symbols of faith, they can cause the most exquisite of agonies, but perhaps you enjoy such torments?"
Hitori ignored the question to ask another of his own. "What else?"
"Sunlight is our greatest enemy. If that touches your unprotected flesh it burns. If you are trapped in sunlight, you will suffer a most excruciating death."
Hitori shook his head, quite bewildered by it all. "So many ways we can die, it's a wonder any of our kind survive at all."
"You wanted to know the weaknesses of the vampyr, but becoming one of us has given you powers beyond the imaginings of mere mortals. You can fly, change your shape at will, understand the languages of others, and bend their wills to your own. You need never eat or drink again, except the blood of living humans. You do not even need to breathe, so you cannot be drowned. You are more than human: you are stronger, more powerful and far more important. Becoming a vampyr heightens latent abilities you already possess, gifts of which you may be unaware. It is not unknown for those made undead to discover they can sense when danger is approaching. That is a rare quality, manifested by perhaps one in a thousand vampyrs, but it is precious. If you find one among your recruits has that ability, nurture him."
Hitori filed that away in his mind. He had a more pressing matter he wanted to raise. "You haven't told me why the vampyrs are getting involved with the war. Surely these battles are irrelevant to us?"
Constanta nodded. "True, but when you become all but immortal, you have to take the long view. At present the humans number into their billions. For now, we are few, but our numbers are growing. The war in Europe will spread. Your own government cannot wait to accelerate that process. Soon the conflicts will involve almost every country, every continent on the planet. When the war of the humans is over, the vampyr nation will rise up to start a new war: the war of blood, a crimson conflict to decide the future of this world. We shall take our rightful place as the dominant species. Humans will be to us as cattle are to humans: fodder, nothing more, nothing less."
"That's why you came to Japan," Hitori realised, "to plant the seeds for your future empire. That's why you've made me like you, so I can be an agent for your kind, an insurgent against my own people."
"The Japanese are no longer your people. The empire you once served has forsaken you, just as you have forsaken it. This city is no longer your home, Hitori. You are a vampyr now. You are one of us."
"I made an oath to the emperor that I would serve him and Japan first."
Constanta smiled. "You may follow the will of your leaders, for now. You may fight their battles and strike at the Americans on their behalf. But there will come a day when I shall lay claim to your allegiance, and to all those you turn to our ways. When the war of blood begins, I will want you by my side, fighting for the vampyr nation. This war among humans is merely a prelude to a far greater conflict. Remember that, remember it well!" The Rumanian turned to go, but Hitori grabbed him by the arm.
"You're leaving?"
"I have done what I came to do. The rest is up to you. My part in the humans' war for control of the Pacific is over."
"But what do I do next?"
"You are a soldier, a brave and skilful one, or so I've been told. Use your natural talents and the powers I have given you to do what you do best. Find and recruit a cadre of men to serve as your seconds. Drink their blood and let them feed upon yours. The more you give to them, the closer in strength they will be to you. These seconds will go out and recruit their own lieutenants, form their
Hitori ignored the question to ask another of his own. "What else?"
"Sunlight is our greatest enemy. If that touches your unprotected flesh it burns. If you are trapped in sunlight, you will suffer a most excruciating death."
Hitori shook his head, quite bewildered by it all. "So many ways we can die, it's a wonder any of our kind survive at all."
"You wanted to know the weaknesses of the vampyr, but becoming one of us has given you powers beyond the imaginings of mere mortals. You can fly, change your shape at will, understand the languages of others, and bend their wills to your own. You need never eat or drink again, except the blood of living humans. You do not even need to breathe, so you cannot be drowned. You are more than human: you are stronger, more powerful and far more important. Becoming a vampyr heightens latent abilities you already possess, gifts of which you may be unaware. It is not unknown for those made undead to discover they can sense when danger is approaching. That is a rare quality, manifested by perhaps one in a thousand vampyrs, but it is precious. If you find one among your recruits has that ability, nurture him."
Hitori filed that away in his mind. He had a more pressing matter he wanted to raise. "You haven't told me why the vampyrs are getting involved with the war. Surely these battles are irrelevant to us?"
Constanta nodded. "True, but when you become all but immortal, you have to take the long view. At present the humans number into their billions. For now, we are few, but our numbers are growing. The war in Europe will spread. Your own government cannot wait to accelerate that process. Soon the conflicts will involve almost every country, every continent on the planet. When the war of the humans is over, the vampyr nation will rise up to start a new war: the war of blood, a crimson conflict to decide the future of this world. We shall take our rightful place as the dominant species. Humans will be to us as cattle are to humans: fodder, nothing more, nothing less."
"That's why you came to Japan," Hitori realised, "to plant the seeds for your future empire. That's why you've made me like you, so I can be an agent for your kind, an insurgent against my own people."
"The Japanese are no longer your people. The empire you once served has forsaken you, just as you have forsaken it. This city is no longer your home, Hitori. You are a vampyr now. You are one of us."
"I made an oath to the emperor that I would serve him and Japan first."
Constanta smiled. "You may follow the will of your leaders, for now. You may fight their battles and strike at the Americans on their behalf. But there will come a day when I shall lay claim to your allegiance, and to all those you turn to our ways. When the war of blood begins, I will want you by my side, fighting for the vampyr nation. This war among humans is merely a prelude to a far greater conflict. Remember that, remember it well!" The Rumanian turned to go, but Hitori grabbed him by the arm.
"You're leaving?"
"I have done what I came to do. The rest is up to you. My part in the humans' war for control of the Pacific is over."
"But what do I do next?"
"You are a soldier, a brave and skilful one, or so I've been told. Use your natural talents and the powers I have given you to do what you do best. Find and recruit a cadre of men to serve as your seconds. Drink their blood and let them feed upon yours. The more you give to them, the closer in strength they will be to you. These seconds will go out and recruit their own lieutenants, form their
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