Immortal Part 15

            We have designated protectors whose duty it is to… uh detain those curious, intelligent humans that set out to expose the reality of our existence. It’s a full time job. And normally the perpetrator is detained and disposed of, story over.

            But with Payton and your friend Mr. Pemstein the protectors have not been able to harm them.”

            “They’re alive?” I cried hopefully.

            “That is the rumor,” Quintas confirmed.

            “How?”

            “Unfortunately I am not a protector so I don’t quite know. I just hear stories and whisperings. It is actually very embarrassing for the protectors and so they’ve kept the details of everything hush, hush. They don’t want to admit their failings but they cannot keep hidden that they have failed. Somehow, Payton and your friend are just fine.

            Keep in mind, however, that the protectors are not content and they are continually working on solutions to their little problem and how long they’ll remain safe is unclear.”

            “So how do we find them and save them?” I asked.

            “Ahhhh,” Quintas drawled. “That is the very thing the lovely Zhivvah and I have been discussing. Quite the conundrum, I must confess.”

            “Why? You said you had heard rumors of where they are. Let’s just go there and…”

            Zhivvah held up her hand as if to stop me, “There are many secrets and therein lies the problems we speak of. We’ve never attempted to share our secrets with a human before. Normally we either avoid humans…”

            “Or eat them,” Tavian interjected showing his very sharp, very white teeth.

            “Tavian,” Zhivvah warned.

            He didn’t look contrite, rather he grinned even wider at me and winked.

            “We’ve decided, however,” Quintas said, “That considering that we are talking about both Dr. Payton and Emryl Pemstein… we are willing to take the chance and share our secrets with a human in order to save them.”

            “Me?” I asked. “Me?”

            “You,” Zhivvah said proudly.

            “But there is great risk,” Quintas told me.

            “Yeah, yeah,” I said dismissively, “Vampires, werewolves, zombies… Got it.  Risk.”

            “More immediate risk,” Quintas stated. “I cannot emphasize to you enough.”

            “So let me ask you something,” I said taking a deep breath, “the way I see it… I take risk and save Emryl or I bury my head and let Emryl die. Right?”

            A wide smile spread across Quintas’ face and he nodded approvingly, “Then let’s get right to it. Never before in all of history have we shared our most treasured secret.”

            “Okay,” I said unsurely. “So why now?”

            “Because we are attempting to save Dr. Zachary Payton and your friend, Emryl Pemstein. You don’t understand how important they are, especially Mr. Pemstein.”

            Emryl? I thought to myself unsurely. Quintas had that right. I really didn’t understand why Emryl was so important. To me, he was just like an annoying brother. He was irritating.

            “Why are they so important?” I asked bluntly.

            “The same reason that you are,” Quintas answered easily but he didn’t expound. I felt my face grow hot and I wondered what he meant but I just gawked at him in surprise. He leaned forward then and stared me right in the eye. It was unnerving and finally I had to look away. I’ll admit, it was a bit creepy and I wondered if he was really debating whether I was worth all this effort or if it would be a more worthy endeavor to enjoy the tasty snack that would be me.

            “Zhivvah tells me that you’ve seen the dirt.”

            “All those bottles in the basement?” I asked. “I… I just figure since vampires have to sleep in the dirt of their homeland…”

                        “Yes. That is true. To rest, dirt from our homeland is a necessity. But there’s more to it than that. As you know vampires are immortal. We’ve been in existence since the war in heaven. Before the Earth was created. Do you understand?”

                        “Sure,” I said with a shrug. But truthfully, I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around it.

                        “Dirt from prehistoric times… allows a vampire to exist in prehistoric times. Dirt from medieval times… allows a vampire to exist in medieval times. Dirt from a beach in Hawaii, allows a vampire to exist in Hawaii.”

            “Like time travel?” I asked unsurely.

            “No. Not like time travel. Being undead or… immortal if you prefer, gives us certain advantages. Many disadvantages,” Quintas admitted a little sadly, “but some advantages. When we sleep in the dirt of our homeland we are able to rest. And one of the realities of our condition is that we require much rest. When we sleep in the dirt of other than our homeland… that becomes our reality. Our existence.”

            “Okay,” I replied. The idea was kind of cool, I guess, but I didn’t understand what this revelation had to do with anything. How was this going to help me find and save Emryl?

            “It means,” Quintas continued, “That Dr. Payton and Sir Pemstein could be anywhere… at any time. It complicates our search quite a bit.”

            “Oh,” I muttered disappointedly as the meaning of his words hit me. Anywhere at anytime… it was daunting. It was impossible and I felt hopelessness overcome me.

            “But there is some good news here,” Quintas added, sensing my sudden despondency. “I’ve never considered that a mere human might be able to take the same journey as the vampire. I always just assumed it was one of the few perks of being a vampire. Being undead… being immortal. But the protectors have been using the magic with humans for centuries. If your friends could make and survive the journey than perhaps you can too. Septimus and I spent some time discussing the possibility and as you know… Septimus is very, very old.”

                        “4000,” I said glancing at Zhivvah.

            “4000,” Quintas repeated. “He has witnessed much in that time. He says, with the right preparations, a human might make the journey. But this is the part where there is risk.”

            “But you said they could be anywhere… at any time!” I cried desperately. “Where would we even begin and… this risk you keep talking about. Are you saying I might die?”

            “Yes,” Quintas answered simply. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a bottle. The bottle was clear but the liquid within it was a putrid green color. He held it out to me and slowly I accepted it.

            “What is this?”

            “Septimus called it Tloq. It will require you to be in a different consciousness. It’s not as if you can lay in some dirt, go to sleep and you’ll be able to do what we do. As a human you will need help. That, my dear girl,” Quintas said pointedly, “Is more valuable to you than a mountain of gold. Protect it with your very life. Septimus says it takes but a few drops. Too much, and it will kill you.”

            I swallowed very hard and clutched the bottle in my hand.

            “But where do we start? Anywhere… any time?”

            Quintas smiled again, “Septimus might have provided us some help there too. We know they were taken by the protectors and that normally humans that get to close to our secrets are merely disposed of. Since they haven’t been able to harm them they will need somewhere to keep them. Correct?”

            That made sense to me and I nodded my agreement.

            “They will seek somewhere that they consider safe and where they will feel like they’re in control. Septimus has informed me that the leader of the protectors is called Bartholomew. Bartholomew is an interesting if not predictable character. He originates in Spain about 800 years ago. They are naïve, superstitious people that are easily frightened. Septimus thinks he’ll go there. It’s his homeland and he knows how to manipulate and control the people and the environment. We’ll start there.

            Before we go there I must be clear. What happens to you while there… happens to you for reals. It isn’t a dream state. It isn’t just a different consciousness or something like that. It is your reality. And understand, Miss Gerken, that what you are going up against are supernatural creatures that would like nothing more than to suck your blood, eat your flesh, tear you limb from limb and steal your soul.”

            “Don’t sugar coat it for me or anything…” I mumbled unhappily.

            “I can be considered many, many monstrous things,” Quintas said, “But one thing I pride myself on always is my tendency to tell the truth. I feel it only fair to warn you what you’re up against.”

            “Are… are you going with me?” I asked cautiously.

            Quintas studied me again with his unsettling pale blue eyes. “Yes. I think so. And Tavian and Zhivvah have also committed themselves to assist you. But you need to understand this as well… this is your war. As important as your friends are… they are still mere humans. It is ultimately up to you.”

            Now I wanted to cry again. Did his eyes work? I was a little bit chubby and had never been in a fight in my entire life. I preferred to sing and dance. I wasn’t any kind of a warrior. In fact, now that I was thinking about it, I had never held a weapon stronger than a stick in my entire life. I had never even been to a shooting range or anything like that. My idea of exercise was getting up and walking to the kitchen for a snack during the commercials of my favorite television shows. If saving Emryl and this Dr. Payton guy really was left up to me, they didn’t have a chance. And I said so, the entire time on the verge of hysteria.

            To my surprise Quintas laughed. He stood up and approached me and kissed me gently on the top of my head. “You have more of a warrior’s heart than you know. It is your choice, little girl. We will help you save your friends. Or like you said, you can bury your head and let them die. It matters little to me.”