Page 65 of The Vampire Curse
“To become a powerful vampire, you must be made by a powerful vampire and be strong enough to bind with a powerful greater demon—mind, body, and soul… and to be able to control your demon. Once bonded, your soul makes the demon more powerful, and in turn, they make you more powerful. That is how Greater demons become Higher demons.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek. It’s hard to believe that Alaric is bound like that to Cherno. They have never seemed like a malicious being. I wonder how much of that is Cherno’s natural personality, and how much of it is Alaric’s control over them.
“If you cannot control your demon,” he continues, “thenthatis the curse. Some might claim being bonded to a demon is a curse in and of itself.”
Something he said has been nagging at my mind, and I finally realize what it is.To become a vampire, you must be made by a vampire… “How did Elizabeth become a vampire then, if she is the first?” I ask. “Wouldn’t someone need to make her?”
“Good, you caught that.” Cassius smiles warmly. He continues to pet the demon as we walk. “No one knows for sure, and if you ask Elizabeth, she would rather gut you alive than reveal the story. There have been many theories and whispered rumors through the ages, but as far as anyone can tell, she was a particularly strong human who happened to find a way to bind herself to a particularly strong demon.”
“How can you tell if someone is able to control a demon or not?”
Cassius stops up short and swings my arm until I stand in front of him. “There is no way to tell until a mortal is already bound.”
“What happens if they can’t control their demon?” My voice comes out as a near whisper, as if it will somehow keep me safe. Or perhaps because this information—as far as I know—has never been shared with a human before.
“The demon will control the person making them nothing more than a puppet for the demon to play with. It is hard to tell at first, but the longer the demon has control of them, the more they will show signs of their possession.”
“And that brings me to the final type of vampire.” He smiles kindly. “They are less powerful and are considered lesser vampires, but they are still important. Such as Della—she was sired by Mr. Harkstead two years after he was turned.”
“Where is her demon? I’ve seen Lawrence’s rat, your snake, Cherno, and Mr. Connor’s toad, but I don’t believe I’ve seen hers yet.”
“She was created by one of the court, and not Elizabeth herself. Della does not possess a demon. Lesser vampires are turned by a portion of our demon’s power.” Cassius leans forward, placing his mouth near my ear and whispers, “And if you accept my offer, little bird, you will have a chance to become one of them.”
His voice is thick, deep, and filled with the promises he made the last time he tried to get me to accept his offer.
As if pretty words and a husky voice is all it takes to make me fall at someone’s feet. I back up a step, uncomfortable with how close he has become.
I am an idiot. A fool to think he would actually share this kind of information with me. It was just a ploy to tempt me into allowing him to claim me and take me from Alaric’s side.
“Thank you,” I say, maneuvering back toward the music room. “I think I would make a terrible vampire.”
As I turn my back on him, he calls out softly, “I will always be around, little bird, for when you change your mind.”
I shiver, but my steps falter at his next words.
“It is a good thing you returned in time… there is no telling what Elizabeth would have done to Alaric had you not returned at all.”
I swallow hard, forcing myself to not look back and to continue on as if his words were not a threat.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Clara
The small flameflickers and dances on the wick of the tallow candle. I blink and look around. Night fills the hall around me.
My head aches. I didn’t think I had anything to drink when I returned to the music room, but maybe the conversation with Cassius had unnerved me more than I realized.
Vision blurry from sleep, I rub my eyes to clear them, but it doesn’t help. Something woke me, I knew what it was when I sat up in bed and lit the candle. Try as I might, I can’t seem to recall exactlywhatit was, and the harder I try to remember, the faster it slips away.
Still, something pulls at me, urging me onward.
The candles that are usually lit at night have been snuffed out.
To the right is the staircase that leads up to the third floor. I should go to Alaric and tell him something woke me. In a house full of vampires, it would be the smart thing to do.
No… there is no need,my mind whispers.
Instead, I go left, toward the open window that looks out to the south. My bare feet pad softly against the cold, wood floor. I pull the window open wide and look out. The chilled night air hits me in the face and sucks the breath from my lungs.