NEW DAY - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

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Penina Spinka
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NEW DAY - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

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I hope NEW DAY is finding new readers. It is a Sam and Francis story, newly revised. Mick and Josef are in it too, in a way. It takes place 3000 years ago in Babylon and Ninevah, and in Greenwich Village, NYC in modern times. If you read, please share your thoughts.

Chapter 9

Sam blinked his eyes when the yellow lights of the Vanguard marquee came into view. He looked at his watch. “I didn’t realize the time,” he confessed. “Thanks. Are you coming in?”

“Not right now, but I’ll be back in time to take you home. If you want to hear more of the story before you go to sleep for the day, put off your rehearsals for another night.”

Sam squeezed Francis’s arm. “Just you and me tonight, huh?”

“For talking, yes. What I do makes you weak. I’d never endanger you.”

Sam let disappointment tinge his voice. “Why won’t you turn me? We could really be together forever.”

“There are many reasons, one of which is that you’re well-known.” He pointed to the marquee with Sam’s name outlined in lights. “But the most important reason is that you always crave life and all it means. You require family as much as you did when you were Serali. You want to have children and pass on your human heritage.” He motioned to himself with both hands. “I’m a dead end. Life doesn’t come out of death.”

“You don’t seem dead to me,” Sam remarked.

“But I’m not human any more, and haven’t been for four thousand years and more. When you were Serali, do you think I wanted another man to have you? I wanted you to chose me over Miceas, but I couldn’t compete for you. I had no right. All I could do was be your friend and try to keep you from harm. You served the Divine Mother, the Lady of Life. You’re the most vital human I’ve ever known in over four millennia. You thrive on life and all you can take from it.”

“So do you,” Sam protested.

“You take it first hand. I can’t give you a family.” His voice was sad, resigned. “My existence is lonely for the most part. You wouldn’t be able to bear it. Ask me to turn you when you’re 35, the age of your first death, and I’ll consider it, but we’ve discussed this before. When you’re 35, you always say no.”

Francis bowed his head, thinking of the past. “I couldn’t tell Serali what we once were to each other until she was near the end of her life as an old, old woman. I cared for her in her last years and finally told her everything. It frightened her a little, but she died knowing the real me. She was sad for me, sad that I could never change or be born into a new life. I told her we’d be together again, and she believed me. You can hear and accept the truth sooner; your soul is more mature now.”

Sam found himself feeling bad for Francis, wishing he could do more to comfort him. “All right. I agree that family and heritage are important to me, but you’re my family, too. You’re my brother. My Francis. My Radu.”

“I’m the past. You’re the future. You’ve always worshipped life, whether in the temple of the Divine Mother or in the Creator your Mohawk people taught you. The best I can hope for us that Fate will be kind to what we have. I want you to find the one you’ll want to share your life with this time.” He paused. “I hope there is a God of justice. I’m not afraid to be judged. I kept my oath to protect or avenge you forever. Forever isn’t over yet. We’ll have more lifetimes and we’ll renew our friendship over and over.”

Sam opened his mouth to respond, but Francis lifted his hand. “Shh.” He listened to the night, sniffed the air and smiled.

“What do you sense?” Sam asked.

“In Washington Square Park, someone has dipped too far into what Nineveh was most famous for. I don’t think he’ll miss what I need. Play your drums well, Sam. I’ll be back.” There was a blur and Francis was gone.

# #

Much later, Sam lay close beside Francis, both of them staring at the dark ceiling of Sam’s bedroom. “Where did you leave the man when you were done?” Sam asked. “Was it a man?”

“Yes. Sadly, it was a young man. I left him at the Salvation Army and left a donation. I hope they can help him.”

“You’re a better drug than anything he’ll find, and no hangovers. I’ll bet you left donations in Ishtar’s House too.”

“Of course I did. When you served there, I could hardly find a better place to donate my money. Now, are you ready for more of the story?”

He turned to his side and leaned closer, resting his head on Francis’s curved arm. “I’m all ears.”

Francis sniffed Sam’s hair and ran a cold finger down his bare arm and hip. “And other good parts, but I will only pay attention to your ears this time.”

“Hey!” Sam pulled his covers more tightly around him, shivering with delight. “If you intend to talk, don’t tease.”

# #

Before Miceas brought me into the artisan’s factory, he said, “The designer will be here at this time of day. I don’t know where he lives.” Inside, men worked on small anvils, painstakingly copying the designs before them, looking from them to the ornaments. Miceas led me up to a man in a turban and a flowing robe. “Sheik Sulil, this is Lord Radu, physician to Babylon’s highest lords and ladies. He has asked to meet you.”

Sulil made a gesture of kissing his hand to his lips and waving circles to the floor. I took his motions for a greeting. “Welcome to the factory where Sulil’s thoughts come to life,” he said in foreign tones. “Why have you asked for this meeting?”

“I’ve seen your ornaments for arm and wrist. The designs intrigue me. I came to learn of their meaning and to study the symbols. I’m known as a magus in the capitol and I don’t like mysteries. Perhaps you will teach me what I want to learn.”

Sulil turned to Miceas. “I will take care of this guest to Nineveh. Thank you for bringing him.” It was a dismissal, as if Miceas was his servant. The trader gave me a troubled look, but let himself out.

When we were alone except for the workmen, Sulil came to me, silver armlet in hand. He pointed to it, tracing the lines. “The pictures of fish and dragon represent Dagon and Anu, whom we in the south call Ashur, as the Assyrians do. The symbols are Phoenician. Each one stands for a sound. Together, they make words that ask for my god’s blessings. See. Here is Ashur. It says, Ashur, give your blessings to the wearer.” Before I could think of words to stop him, he fastened it around my arm.

I began to feel the pain of it, but I was careful to remove it slowly and set it down. I covered my arm with my sleeve so he would not see the redness. “Silver is for women,” I said. “I prefer copper. Do you have one to fit me?” Since I was no longer human, I wondered if the spells on it would have the same effect on me as it had on others.

“Silver is not only for women in my country, but as you wish. Here is one in copper. See Dagon? His symbol is a fish, and he is my god. He will devour my people’s enemies. The inscription asks for his protection. A clay coin with the design of a wheat sheaf is my price. Do you want it?”

“A loaf of bread for an armlet? What kind of trickery is this?”

“You wound me. Enough of such coins and I can buy a farm. Enough farms and my people can come out of the desert and into the cities.”

“Silver and copper can buy farms. You already have those. Conquest can take farms. Why the coins? Why the ornaments?” I hadn’t intended to confront him head on, but his directness was difficult to turn aside. I had to be blunt.

“I like people to honor my gods.” I paid the requested price, but I did not believe him. There was more to it than that. To my small surprise, once I had put on the copper and lowered the sleeve of my robe over it, Sulil invited me to visit his home. Nothing should have frightened me. Nothing but fire and silver, to my knowledge, could hurt me, but I felt fear, a premonition of evil. Despite my misgivings, I had to learn more. I accepted his invitation.

His house was nearby. It was not imposing, not even as big as Miceas’ house. Sulil spoke to his servants in his language, Syrian, I guessed. I knew a little of it from a stay with the Hittites some centuries before, but his was a different dialect. “Drink with me.” At least he didn’t offer me salted bread, a method known for trapping spirits. “My servant is bringing us wine. You partake, don’t you?”

When the wine cup was offered, I took it and sniffed. Something had been added to it. I put it back on the tray. “No. No. It’s not poison. Look. I’ll drink from each cup and suffer no harm. It is only a bit of extra spice we add in my homeland.” Sulil took several sips from each. I identified the underlying smell as poppy syrup and wondered if he was immune to its effects. Too much, Haggai told me, could be poison. I was immune to all forms of death that I knew of except for beheading and fire. I took the cup, tipped it back and drank half of the wine. The poppy juice would do me no harm.

Sulil invited me to be comfortable and watch while he drew more designs for his ornaments. He worked with a paintbrush over stiff parchment. After a while, he said, “May I offer you other forms of refreshment? Food?”

“No. The wine is enough. Why did you invite me to your home?”

“I’ll tell you shortly. Do you feel the relaxation of the spiced wine? Do you feel the blessing of the armlet?”

I felt nothing. “How am I supposed to feel?”

He looked at me, clearly puzzled. Sulil deepened his voice. “You ought to feel comfortable and happy. You should be glad to be with me. Drink more wine. Perhaps you have not had enough.”

I realized then that the poppy juice with which he laced my wine combined with the influence of the armlet were supposed to subdue me and deprive me of my will. At last, the purpose of the ornaments became clear. “Perhaps I have.”

Sheik Sulil rose and looked toward his door. It came to me that the man must be a sorcerer. I’d met his kind in the past. I stood up myself, wondering how to tell him his plan would not work when the door opened. I had barely noticed the passage of time while I was with Sulil. It was night. Three people entered, the sort of people I had not seen in more than a thousand years. They were blood drinkers.
Last edited by Penina Spinka on Sun Jul 25, 2010 6:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
Read Sam stories by Penina My index: http://www.moonlightaholics.com/viewforum.php?f=560
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Re: NEW DAY - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by AggieVamp »

Hi Penina -

I've caught up in the story - WOW! This is getting ready to be REALLY interesting!!! I can't wait to see how Radu/Francis handles this new development!

Karen
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Penina Spinka
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Location: Sun City Arizona, USA

Re: NEW DAY - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by Penina Spinka »

Thank you Karen. Yes, it is not your typical vampire story, as your picture says. That scene was not in the episode on Santa Monica Pier. How did you get it? I'm glad you are enjoying Radu's adventures in the past.
Read Sam stories by Penina My index: http://www.moonlightaholics.com/viewforum.php?f=560
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AggieVamp
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Re: NEW DAY - Chapter 9 (PG-13)

Post by AggieVamp »

Penina Spinka wrote:Thank you Karen. Yes, it is not your typical vampire story, as your picture says. That scene was not in the episode on Santa Monica Pier. How did you get it? I'm glad you are enjoying Radu's adventures in the past.
Penina -

I didn't get the screen cap - I am using one of Cassy's banners she did for Moonlight being on the CW for summer. I don't know how to make banners.

Karen
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