Blood to Blood

There was something unsettling about the dark hallway he walked through, even with skin now pallid and cold, it stretched its fingers over his eyes until he found himself too happy to stumble into the dim light of the vampiric court. No matter how many eyes looked over him, Red would always walk towards the light.

Something he imagined he wouldn’t tell other vampires, not when so many seemed too happy to delve into their shadows and mysteries. Even Red’s creator, Islwyn had his share of odd quirks, entirely what someone would expect from a vampire.

It was enough to make Red smile faintly, before he jolted with the sudden thought that he needed to pay attention. He blamed his creator for his straying thoughts, Islwyn didn’t want to come with him because the other bun thought the initiation would be as boring as his own. He also muttered something about his spawn being able to do things themselves, but Red figured that was the kind of bullshit someone talks when they don’t want to do things.

He should know, he had plenty of practice with people that said more than they meant; especially after hours at a shitty rundown bar. Everyone had two faces, it was a trade secret.

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus once again, even smiling weakly at the vampire standing in front of him.

Red couldn’t make a bad impression here, not when he vaguely represented Islwyn. He needed to prove he was capable, even if he just wanted to hide and squeeze his creator’s bun form like a teddy bear.

“You seem troubled,” A voice interrupted his thoughts, amused by his fidgeting. “If you’re worried about being a vampire, it seems a little late for regret.”

Red looked up, feeling a small spark of embarrassment when he realized it was one of the vampire lords speaking to him. And yet, there was a strange feeling that he had seen her before, something else, somewhere dark with a lost lord’s laughter in the background. He shook his head, “No, no regrets here… just ready for the ritual to begin.”

Calla tilted her head, inspecting him like someone might stop to stare at a bug inching its way past her foot, “It is about time we started, isn’t it?”

She walked to the center of the room, addressing the other vampires gathered around them, before she looked at Red. She was waiting for him, her eyes sharp as each step bought him closer to her.

Red did his best not to stumble over his own feet, there was something unnerving about Calla. Her presence was nothing like Lord Legoshi, she had the mind of powerful aura that made him want to start running and never return.

She raised her voice, letting it carry around the court, “Kneel.”

Red knelt, his eyes flicking back and forth nervously as his high heels nearly slipped against the floor.

Calla continued to speak, almost with a controlled disinterest as if she was read a script she didn’t care for. “Red, spawn of the vampire Islwyn, do you pledge yourself to our vampiric law? That you must not disobey this governance of the vampire lords and their court. Should you do so then you understand that the consequences will be grave.”

With the looks he got from the other members of the court, Red had a feeling he didn’t want to know what would happen to him if he broke vampiric law. “I do.”

Calla grinned, her lips pulled back to show her fangs. “Very well.” A chalice was handed to her, the liquid inside moving slowly. “Drink from this chalice and be welcomed into our society.”

Red looked down as the chalice was pressed into his hands, up close he realized quickly what it was filled with.

It was blood.

He looked up.

Calla tapped the side of the chalice, “Drink my blood and all that is vampiric will be yours.”

Red would have argued that he didn’t think everything vampires did could be his, certainly not being lords like the court, but he didn’t dare admit that. He was something that comforted him, he didn’t want to think he could have power like that one day, he didn’t want it.

He took an unneeded breath in and out, before he raised the chalice to his lips. His head rolled slightly back as he tilted the cup, his lips twitching as he drank quickly. Although not too quickly that he might insult.

Once he was done, he held out the chalice, his head bowed. Red didn’t want Calla to see his face, while blood tasted much better than it did before he was alive, there was something terrifying about someone telling him to drink their blood in a setting like this. Eyes that felt like judgement on every exposed piece of skin.

The silence was held for a few moments, until Calla took the chalice from him. “Welcome, Red, to our society. Might you stay longer than most.”

There was a murmuring around the other vampire lords of the court, nothing about him, just the ebb and flow of daily life returning. Even Calla only gave him one more look, before returning to the sides of her equals.

Red wasn’t offended, instead he was happy to stand up on his own two legs. He had done it, he had his place in vampiric society and it was more than he had ever done in his life. He wasn’t a cheap bartender anymore, someone that anyone could walk on as it suited them, instead he was stronger, confident and he felt like he could be himself after what felt like a waking nightmare.

He just couldn't wait to tell Islwyn, couldn’t wait to see what the other vampire could show him about their way of life. Red was excited for the first time in what felt like his entire life in the burrows, he wanted to see what would come next for him.