Trials of Darkness

It occurred to me to wonder what
was going on. I was still surrounded by darkness. And the presence from before
had returned. So it hadn’t been Izawa; it was . . .

            Cain!

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He appeared before me, the intense
darkness drawing in around him. I tried to stand, to run, anything! But found I
could not.

            His dark,
velvety voice made me shudder. “You haven’t the energy for it. You starve yourself
here. Why? – when you could rightfully take anything you ever wanted.“

My mind returned to a previous time
– an encounter between Shido and Cain in a similarly dark room. It had been the
last time I’d seen him, over 130 years before.

It all came flooding back now –
Cain’s brutality, his view of humans as inferior livestock, his cruel and violent
part in my turning, and the one thing I’d never forgive him for: his treatment
of Shido. Sometimes my dreams would merge with Shido’s or his with mine. Many
times I’d awakened from a foreign world to find Shido sweating and trembling
like a child in my arms. Always, it was after a nightmare of Cain and the
hellish years Shido had spent as his companion, before turning toward the
light. What did this bastard want now?

The elderly priest’s voice echoed
in my head, “Mikao was on his way to warn us.”

My eyes widened in realization, my
voice only a whisper. “You did it! You killed Mikao!” I knew I should feel fear;
what did this monster want with me? Did he know where Shido was? – But I
couldn’t feel anything but anger.

“I did. He was in my way.” His
honeyed voice lingered in the space between us, almost tangible. “You didn’t
answer my question. Why stay here, a pathetic lapdog to creatures you could
easily rule?”

“I – ,” I didn’t have an answer. I
knew that I cared about many of them and that I couldn’t bear to see them hurt,
much less do them harm myself. I also stayed because this was where Shido was,
and I loved him. But how could I explain any of that to this demon. “I don’t
have to explain myself to you!”

“You might consider differently, if
you knew why I have come.”

“I don’t care why you’re here! Shido
will be here any minute. Then –”

He laughed – a deep, resonating
laugh which contained no mirth. “Don’t bluff with me. I know better than you
where Shido-kun is.”

My jaw dropped. No. This wasn’t
happening. If he’d found Shido, then . . .

I knew Shido could never win in a
fight against Cain. Cain was far older and more experienced. What was more,
Shido wouldn’t kill him – not the one
who had made him. Somewhere, deep inside, my lover had a hope that Cain might gain
the light one day. Once Shido might have destroyed him, when he thought Cain
had killed me. But both Cain and I had cheated death that night. I could feel
what little blood I had left leave my cheeks.

“What have you done with him? Where’s
Shido?!”

“I have not done a thing . . . yet.
Whether that remains so will rest on you.”

“What?” What was he playing at? How
could I do anything about it? A prickling sensation finally started rising
within me.

“I miss him,” he cooed. “I wish him
to rejoin me in Transylvania. Shido has been so reluctant, though, that to
achieve this I may have to resort to force.” I gasped. He wouldn’t!

“But! There is an alternative. You
must choose: if you wish me to leave Shido alone –“ style='mso-spacerun:yes'> 

“I’ll do anything!” I was gasping
for breath now, and I felt so weak . . . but if I could do something to help
Shido, I would!

Cain’s eyes shone with anticipated
victory. “Take his place. Come with me yourself, and learn what it truly is to
be of the night.”

No. Leave Shido? How could I? I
couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. Shido was my world.

Moments of our life flashed before
me: a quiet night alone together, a kitten he’d brought me, Shido quietly
smiling at one of Guni’s pranks, Shido gazing at me
when he thought I wasn’t looking . . . If I refused . . . couldn’t . . .
breathe . . .

I whispered my answer. “Alright.
I’ll go.”