Blood and Gold - Anne Rice [87]
Then for a long time I pondered this problem with Eudoxia, and I saw it a little more clearly.
It occurred to me that in the absence of a clear sign to Eudoxia, my battle with her would be to the death. She would never allow me to remain in this city, and she meant to take Those Who Must Be Kept from me, so that I would have to use the Fire Gift against her as best I could. What had happened earlier this night was only the beginning of our little war.
It was dreadfully sad to me, because I admired Eudoxia, but I knew that she had been far too humiliated by our struggle ever to give in.
I looked up at Akasha. “How do I fight this creature to the death?” I asked. “This creature has your blood in her. I have your blood in me. But surely there must be a clearer sign of what you mean for me to do?”
I stayed there for an hour or more, and then finally I went out.
I found Avicus and Mael waiting where I had left them.
“She’s given me her blood,” I said. “This isn’t a boast. I only mean for you to know it. And I believe that that is her sign. But how can I know? I believe that she does not want to be given over to Eudoxia, and she will destroy if provoked.”
Avicus looked desperate.
“In all our years in Rome,” he said, “we were blessed that no one of great strength ever challenged us.”
I agreed with him. “Strong blood drinkers stay away from others like them,” I said. “But you must see, surely, that we are challenging her. We could leave as she has asked us to do.”
“She has no right to ask this of us,” said Avicus. “Why can’t she try to love us?”
“Love us?” I asked, repeating his words. “What makes you say such a strange thing? I know that you’re enamored of her. Of course. I’ve seen this. But why should she love us?”
“Precisely because we are strong,” he responded. “She has only the weakest blood drinkers around her, creatures no more than half a century in age. We can tell her things, things she may not know.”
“Ah, yes, I thought the same things when I first laid eyes on her. But with this one it’s not to be.”
“Why?” he asked again.
“If she wanted strong ones like us, they would be here,” I said. And then I said dejectedly, “We can always go back to Rome.”
He had no answer for that. I didn’t know whether I meant it myself.
As we went up the steps and through the tunnels to the surface, I took his arm.
“You’re mad with thoughts of her,” I said. “You must regain your spiritual self. Don’t love her. Make it a simple act of will.”
He nodded. But he was too troubled to conceal it.
I glanced at Mael, and found him more calm about all this than I had imagined. Then came the inevitable question:
“Would she have destroyed Avicus if you hadn’t opposed her?” Mael asked.
“She was going to give it a very good try,” I said. “But Avicus is very old, older than you or me. And possibly older than her. And you’ve seen his strength tonight.”
Uneasy, filled with misgivings, and bad thoughts, we went to our unholy rest.
The following night, as soon as I rose, I knew that there were strangers in our house. I was furious, but had some sense even then that anger renders one weak.
Mael and Avicus came to me immediately, and the three of us went to discover Eudoxia and the terrified Asphar with her, and two other young male blood drinkers whom we had not see before.
All were settled within my library as if they were invited guests.
Eudoxia was dressed in splendid and heavy Eastern robes with long bell sleeves, and Persian slippers, and her thick black curls were gathered above her ears with jewels and pearls.
The room was not as fine as the one in which she had received me, as I had not finished with my furnishings and other such things, and therefore she appeared the most sumptuous ornament in view.
I was struck once more by the beauty of her small face, especially I think by her mouth, though her cold dark eyes were as mesmerizing as before.
I felt sorry for the miserable Asphar who was so afraid of me, and as for the other two blood drinkers, both boys in mortal life, and young in immortality, I