But Isaiah’s new beginning wouldn’t be what he’d always thought. He found that out the hard way.
Isaiah and his brothers began feeling ill the day after the horrific events with Mathias. Serrina tried to comfort her sons as much as she could, but it felt like an unending battle was raging inside each of their bodies.
Four nights later, Isaiah was attempting, unsuccessfully, to sleep, despite the pain burning inside him and the dryness in the back of his throat, which had become more prominent by the day. He prayed to the creator that whatever ailed him would vanish, not only so that he’d feel better, but also so that he could finally move into the house he’d bought and get out of the manor that his father had perished in less than a week prior. He couldn’t fathom how his mother could still sleep in the same bedroom that her deceased spouse was killed in.
Isaiah and his brothers had been quarantined inside the house for the past three days, all three of them feeling ill and as though they were being smothered from within. All they’d felt like doing was lying in bed, unable to do much more than eat and bathe. Isaiah hadn’t even wanted to burden himself tonight with putting on his sleeping clothes. He just stayed in his room with a few candles flickering, feeling like he was burning up inside.
Suddenly, the pain shot through Isaiah like a bullet. He jolted up in bed, clutched his chest. The agony was even more unbearable than before. It washed over him, consumed him like a vengeful spirit, building up inside like a volcano ready to erupt. It pounded through his stomach, his arms, chest, and finally his head. With one final anguished cry, Isaiah felt his entire body change, and when he opened his eyes, he could see it, too.
An ominous red aura shrouded in bats (at least that’s what he thought he saw; he wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating or not) encompassed him. The candelight became harsher, as though his eyes had become more sensitive. Otherwise inaudible sounds were now almost thunderous. A speck of dust floating through the air was magnified. And Isaiah’s skin felt cold as stone. The only good news was that the pain was finally gone.
He traipsed to the mirror, almost petrified of what he might see. But that reaction was sufficient when he did at last see his reflection. The face he saw gazing back at him in the mirror was not his own. It was pale, almost sallow, and his eyes seemed to be glowing. When he opened his mouth to gasp, he saw that his two front canine teeth had become longer, almost like talons in his mouth.
Suddenly, he heard two more shouts (and a couple of curses) from down the hall, one from Dante and one from Xander, just moments later. He rushed out of his bedroom, and let out a bellow of his own at his godlike speed. He’d practically teleported from his bedroom to the top of the stairs in a matter of seconds. Many people might find this amazing, but Isaiah found it horrifying.
He and his brothers took one look at each other, all fully dressed with glowing eyes and pale skin. They all three descended the stairs, much faster than they’d planned, and darted to the parlor. Serrina was waiting for them, looking calm and, to Isaiah’s bewilderment, complacent.
“Mother, what’s happened to us?” Xander exclaimed in trepidation.
“Boys, please, sit down,” Serrina replied, that eerily calm demeanor not dissipating.
The boys complied, their imaginations running wild. Serrina began her speech with an inquiry.
“Do you remember when I said that I had a plan in regards to your father’s recent actions?” She asked her children. They nodded wordlessly.
“Well, the solution is actually very simple. This only happened because I’m not as young as I used to be. Age is inevitable and a burden we all must bear. However, I’ve found a way to combat that. In addition, I gain more benefits, such as superior senses, strength, speed, and other powers.”
Isaiah had to ask, “Mother, what are you talking about? What is this power you speak of?”
Serrina smiled, and that’s when Isaiah and his brothers saw it – her teeth. Long, jagged, pointy teeth, not unlike those poking through their gums now. Before she said it, the answer hit the boys like lightning.
“The power of the night. I’m a vampire now.”
“Mother, have you gone mad?” Isaiah gasped. He couldn’t believe this was happening. “A vampire? How could you...why?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I couldn’t physically confront your father, and even Dante met some resistance. Your father was, after all, one of the top fighters in his younger years. His skills couldn’t be matched. Not by a human, anyway.”
“You became a vampire to fight Father?”
“Not entirely. But I will no longer age. I’ll be superior to humans, and as an added benefit, I shall live forever. I now have eternal life and youth.”
“But what about us?” Dante interjected. “Look at us. How...?”
“The warm milk from the other night,” Serrina affirmed. “Your father’s death was no accident, though his body was to be disposed of before you three discovered anything.”
“Mother...” Isaiah knew he shouldn’t have tossed his suspicions to the side. He’d been correct in his assumptions. Mathias had been murdered and Serrina had gotten her revenge, just as the dark thought had suggested in his mind. One event coincided with the other, and it was no accident. Serrina had planned this. And the warm milk had tasted off. It hadn’t been because he was upset. There was a reason. “You murdered Father and drank his blood?”
“I didn’t murder him, son,” Serrina explained in a maddening lull. “I told you that I’d get revenge on your father for his betrayal, and I did. I told him that night that I took a vow to love him until death do us part. Unlike him, I kept my vow, as he is now dead. And I will never be betrayed again due to my age because I shall remain forever as I am now.”
“No wonder you didn’t want us to notify the authorities when we found Father dead,” Isaiah continued in a robust tone. “Mother, have you taken leave of your senses?”
“Don’t speak to me with such insolence, Isaiah,” Serrina scolded. “Look at me. I’m much better than before. And at last, I feel free and happy once again.”
“But why did you do this to us? You didn’t even consult us!”
“Isn’t that much obvious? The worst thing a mother can go through is the death of a child. I won’t stand idly by, living forever, while the three of you perish. I can’t outlive my children, and I refuse to. You are all vampires now, as I am. Don’t worry, you’ll thank me one day.”
“How did you even do this?” Xander wanted to know. “You said the milk, but...”
“I’ve become quite acquainted with a witch in the village. I explained my predicament to her and she said she knew of only one way to prevent me from aging, and that was to become a vampire. I accepted her offer, and she made four potions that caused our transitions, which I mixed into the milk. She used quite an odd concoction – a red valerian root, a bloodstone, and a vampire fish – but the effects are quite evident. I, of course, took precautions and tested the elixir first, but since it’s obvious that it worked perfectly, I knew it was safe for the three of you.”
Isaiah fixated his eyes on his brothers, hoping they, like him, found their mother’s behavior beyond asinine. But they actually appeared to be leaning in toward her as she talked, as though entranced by this deceit.
“Are you two actually embracing this?” Isaiah demanded of his siblings. They both gaped at him like he was the insane one.
“What’s wrong with it?” Dante countered. “Mother’s right; we have such power now, and so many new abilities.”
“And we get to live forever,” Xander added.
“Well I think you’re all crazy!” Isaiah boomed as he stood up. “I’ve been turned into a monster against my will, with no discussion about it whatsoever, and I’m supposed to just accept it like some wonderful gift?! Mother, what’s come over you?! It’s as though you’re bewitched!”
“Isaiah, I expected resistance from you. You are, after all, more level-headed than your brothers. But trust me when I say that someday you’ll thank me.”
“I doubt that. And what did you plan to do after our transitions? We can’t stay here; vampire hunters are everywhere. And have you even considered the fact that in order to survive, we must drink blood?”
“A small price to pay. As for where we’ll go, the witch told me of a place known as Bridgeport where vampires are fully in control. It’s like a safe haven for the creatures of the night. That is where we will go. And need I remind you that you and your brothers gave me your word that you would stand by me no matter what?”
Isaiah gritted his teeth together in a very perceptible manner. “Mother, I’m sorry, but I don’t want this life. It’s not natural. When you said you wanted us to stand by you no matter what, I had no idea this is what you meant. It’s not what I want. I want to spend my life with someone special, raise a family, grow old and die together with her. You’ve actually taken that away from me. You’ll never be a grandmother. Dante and Xander will never be uncles.”
“That’s not entirely correct, Isaiah. Vampires are actually completely capable of reproducing.”
“And what then? Watch our families wither away and die while we go on living until the end of time?”
“You can easily transform someone into a vampire should you desire to.”
“I wouldn’t wish this life on anyone! I’ve never been more furious in my life! Mother, I don’t condone what Father did, but I can forgive him for breaking your heart easier than I can forgive you for choosing our lives for us. We had no say in it at all; you were selfish and did only what you wanted so that you would be happy. You never even considered our feelings.”
“Isaiah, I think you’re the one who needs to open your eyes,” Xander retaliated. “The biggest price we must pay is avoiding sunlight. That’s well worth it for eternal life. I’ve never had any desires to be a father or husband, and these heightened senses are incredible. Think of all we could achieve, what we’re capable of.”
“Forget it. I want nothing to do with any of you. Mother, the night I found Father dead, I was going to tell both of you that I’ve bought my own home and will be leaving. The only reason I haven’t yet was because I was horribly sick. And now I realize it was because of you and your selfishness. I will never forgive you for this. I forgive Father before I forgive you. Maybe there was a reason for his infidelity after all.”
Serrina stood up from her chair, glided toward Isaiah, and slapped him hard across the cheek. The sound seemed to reverberate off the glassware.
“How dare you!” Serrina scolded. “I’ve given you the greatest gift a mother can give a child, and you throw it in my face! You insult me with such snide comments.”
Isaiah rubbed his cheek, refused to back down. “Mother, I don’t really give a damn what you think right now. This is not the life I wanted, and even if I was dying, I’d take that over this.”
“You can’t possibly mean that.”
Isaiah was about to argue that he’d never been more serious in his life, but then a thought occurred to him. He plastered on a look of discernment and replied, “You’re right. I’m sorry, Mother. This just caught me off guard. I’m looking at the cons, but I should also be looking at the pros.”
“That’s better.”
“Mother,” Xander broke in, “I’m thirsty. My throat feels like it’s on fire.”
“Yes, that’s the end of the transition. You should all three be experiencing that right about now. How would you like to embark on a hunt together?”
“How do you know how to hunt?” Dante asked.
“It’s quite simple, really; you just use your keen sense of smell to find the perfect victim, and then strike when they least expect it.”
“I’m ready!” the two boys exclaimed. Serrina turned to look at Isaiah. “Are you coming as well?”
“I’ll catch up to you. I’d like to use my new sense of smell to track the three of you as well as my meal.”
“Ah, very clever. Very well, Isaiah. We’ll be waiting.”
“Thank you.”
When they left the house, Isaiah dashed upstairs and closed his bedroom door. Breathing rapidly, he looked at his dresser and mercilessly shoved everything off of it in a fit of uncontrollable rage.
Never before had he been so infuriated. What right did his mother have doing this to him and his brothers, even if they welcomed it? He hated them. He wished them dead, buried deep in the ground without a single flower on their graves. And he wanted to kill them himself.
But he was no match for them. Not all three of them. But that didn’t mean he had to stay with them. Bridgeport was a place for vampires, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t live his own life elsewhere. They’d never see him again, never know what became of him. He would leave them tonight and avoid them more than any plague that swept through Dragon Valley.
After changing his clothes and taking one last look around the room, Isaiah made a vow. He vowed that he wouldn’t become a monster like his former family. He knew that he would have to ingest blood to survive, but he would live off the blood of criminals who hurt others. Many village men took advantage of young maidens, some were thieves who stole from families who truly needed food and money, and there were some that were just trouble makers that no one would miss. They would be Isaiah’s victims. It wasn’t something he wanted to do, but he wasn’t going to hurt someone who was innocent.
He’d cover his tracks, no matter how long it took, so long as he never saw his mother and brothers again. What they did was beyond unforgivable, and he wanted no further part in their lives. He vowed to leave Dragon Valley and never return, and he vowed to live out his own life as normally as possible.
With that, Isaiah departed on horseback for destinations unknown, his intention to be as inconspicuous as possible. He would try to blend in with humans and be as normal as possible. He’d adapt to the changing times and never reveal his secret to anyone. He didn’t know what the future held, but he did know that he would be there to witness it. And he would be prepared for it, no matter what.
**********
Isaiah couldn’t believe how long ago that had been. He was transformed in the year 1902; that was more than one hundred years ago. It was a nightmare he still dreamed, an illusion he could never shatter. He could still feel the pain coursing through his body as the transition consumed him, his father lying dead on the floor, and his mother admitting what she’d done to him and to her children.
Serrina had stated that she never wanted to lose her children, but she’d lost Isaiah the day she’d chosen his fate for him. He’d told her that in Bridgeport nearly four years ago, when he’d first met Kenzie and saved her life from them, and when the nightmare had finally ended.
Isaiah had never wanted to see his family again. But as time progressed, vampires were hunted more and more, nearly to the point of extinction. All that remained had gone into hiding. That’s when Isaiah moved to Bridgeport – he knew it would be safe then.
Unbeknownst to Isaiah, his family had been hiding underground in Bridgeport for several years all along, just waiting for their chance to strike and take the city back. Isaiah had managed to thwart their malicious plans, and he felt hardly any remorse at all for getting rid of them.
Still, Isaiah’s mother had been correct about one thing – losing someone you loved was something that no one should have to endure. He was very careful to never fall in love. He’d had his fair share of ladies over the years, but never a full-on commitment. He didn’t want to stay the same every day and watch someone he loved wither away and die.
And then came Jillian Swansen, the only woman he’d ever loved, and with such ferocity. And she knew about him, knew what he was, and she embraced it. And even more so, now they could enjoy more time together thanks to Austin. And since Paige had formed some sort of special witch bond with Jillian’s cat, Muffy, he didn’t have to worry about the pesky feline trying to keep him at bay whenever he visited his girlfriend. Muffy was now Paige’s familiar, and Isaiah was more than thrilled about that. It gave him and Jillian more relaxation together.
Still, the thought of watching Jillian age daily while he remained the same was a painful one. But he didn’t know what to do about it. He didn’t want to end their relationship; that would hurt both of them. But he didn’t want to turn her into a vampire either. Isaiah was at a standstill on that subject, but only time would tell how their relationship would unravel.
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