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Rama and Lalita。 Arturo promised to give me back half of what had been stolen。 It had been over four thousand years。 Half seemed better than nothing。 As I let my blood drip into a gold munion chalice for Arturo； I prayed to Krishna to bless it。
〃I am not breaking my vow to you；〃 I whispered； not believing my own words。 〃I am just trying to break this curse。〃
I did not know； as I prayed to my God； that Arturo was also praying to his。 To allow him to convert human and vampiric blood into the saving fluid of Jesus Christ。 Genius may make a person a fanatic； I don't know。 But I do know that a fanatic will never listen to anything other than his own dreams。 Arturo was soft and kind； warm and loving。 Yet he was convinced he had a great destiny。 Hitler thought the same。 Both wanted something nature had never granted…the perfect being。 And I； the ancient monster； just wanted a child。 Arturo and I…we should never have met。 But perhaps our meeting was destined。 My blood looked so dark in the chalice。 The sacredness of the chalice did nothing to dispel my gloom。
Arturo wanted to place my blood above the head of select humans。 To merge the vibration of my immortal pattern into that of a mortal。 If he changed the aura； he said； the body would be transformed。 He； of all people； should have known how potent my blood was。 He had stared deep into my eyes。 He should have known my will would not bend easily to the will of another。
〃You will not put the blood in their veins？〃 I asked as I handed him the chalice。 He shook his head。
〃Never；〃 he promised。 〃Your God and my God are the same。 Your vow will remain unbroken。〃
〃I'm not fooling myself；〃 I said quietly。 〃I have broken a portion of it。〃 I moved close to him。 〃I do this for you。〃
He touched me then…he rarely did； before that night。 It was hard for him to fed my flesh and not burn。 〃You do this for yourself as well；〃 he said。
I loved to stare deeply into his eyes。 〃That is true。 But as I do this…for you as well as for myself…you must do likewise。〃
He wanted to draw back but he only came closer。 〃What do you mean？〃
I kissed him then； for the first time； on the cheek。 〃You have to break your vow。 You have to make love to me。〃
His eyes were round。 〃I can't。 My life is dedicated to Christ。〃
I did not smile。 His words were not funny； but tragic。 The seed of all that was to follow was hidden inside them。 But I did not see that then； at least not clearly。 I just wanted him so badly。 I kissed him again； on the lips。
〃You believe my blood will lead you to Christ；〃 I said。 〃I do not know about that。 But I do know where I can take you。〃 I set down the bloody chalice and my arms went around him； the wings of the vampire swallowing its prey。 〃Pretend I am your God； Arturo； at least for tonight。 I will make it easy for you。〃
There was one last ingredient in Arturo's technique that I did not witness during my first session。 While I was lying on the floor with all the paraphernalia around me； he had set a mirror above the crystals。 This mirror was coordinated with an external mirror； which allowed moonlight to shine through the crystals。 It was actually the light； altered by its passage through the quartz medium； that set in motion the higher vibration in the aura that altered the body。 Arturo never focused the sun directly through the crystals； saying it would be much too powerful。 Of course； Arturo understood that the light of the moon was identical to the light of the sun； only softened by cosmic reflection。
Arturo made with his own hands a crystal vial to hold my blood。
His first experiment was with a local child who had been retarded since birth。 The boy lived on the streets and existed on the scraps of food tossed to him by strangers。 It was my desire that Arturo first work on someone who couldn't turn him over to the Inquisition。 Still； Arturo was taking a big risk experimenting on anyone。 The Church would have burned him at the stake。 How I hated its self…righteous dogma； its hypocrisy。 Arturo never knew how many inquisitors I killed…a small detail that I forgot to mention in my confession to him。
I remember well how gently Arturo spoke to the child to get him to relax on the copper sheet。 Normally the boy was filthy； but I had given him a bath before the beginning of the experiment。 He was naturally distrustful of others； having been abused so many times during his life。 But he liked us…I had been feeding him off and on and Arturo had a way with children。 Soon enough； he was lying on the copper and breathing fortably。 The reflected moonlight； peering through the dark vial of my blood； cast a haunting red hue over the room。 It reminded me of the end of twilight； of the time just before night falls。
〃Something is happening；〃 Arturo whispered as we watched the boy's breathing accelerate。 For twenty minutes the child was in a state of hyperventilation； twitching and shaking。 We would have stopped the process if the boy's face hadn't looked calm。 Plus； we were watching history being made； maybe a miracle。
Finally the boy lay still。 Arturo diverted the reflected moonlight and helped the boy to sit up。 There was a new strangeness to his eyes…they were bright。 He hugged me。
〃Ti amo anch'io； Sita；〃 he said。 〃I love you； Sita。〃
〃I had never heard him say a whole sentence before。 I was so overjoyed that I didn't stop to think I had never told him my real name。 In all of Italy； only Arturo and Ralphe knew it。 We were both happy for the child； that his brain seemed to be functioning normally。 It was one of the few times in my life I cried； tears of water； not tears of blood。
The red tears would e later。
This first successful experiment gave Arturo tremendous confidence and weakened his caution。 He had seen a mental change； he wanted to see a physical one。 He went looking for a leper； and brought back a woman in her sixties whose toes and fingers had been eaten away by the dread disease。 Over the centuries I had found it particularly painful to look upon lepers。 In the second century； in Rome； I had a beautiful lover who developed leprosy。 Toward the latter stages of his disease； he begged me to kill him； and I did； crushing his skull； with my eyes tightly clenched。 Of course； now there is AIDS。 Mother Nature gives each age its own special horror。 She is like Lord Krishna； full of wicked surprises。
The woman was almost too far gone to notice what we were doing to her。 But Arturo was able to get her breathing deeply； and soon the magic was happening again。 She began to hyperventilate； twitching worse than the boy had。 Yet her eyes and face remained calm。 I was not sure what she felt； it was not as if she suddenly sprouted toes and fingers。 When she was through； Arturo led her upstairs and had her lie down on a bed。 But from the start she did seem stronger； more alert。
A few days later she began to grow toes and fingers。
Two weeks later there was no sign of her leprosy。
Arturo was ecstatic； but I was worried。 We told the woman not to tell anyone what we had done for her。 Of course she told everyone。 The rumors started to fly。 Wisely； Arturo passed her cure off to the grace of God。 Yet； during these days of the Inquisition； it was more dangerous to be a saint than a sinner。 A sinner； as long as he or she was not a heretic； could repent and escape with a flogging。 A saint might be a witch。 Better to burn a possible saint； the Church thought； than let a genuine witch escape。 They had a weird sense of justice。
Arturo was not a plete fool； however。 He did not heal more lepers； even though dozens came to his door seeking relief。 Yet he continued to experiment on a few deaf and dumb people； a few who were actually retarded。 Oh； but it was hard to turn away the lepers。 The lone woman had given them such hope。 Modern…day pundits often talk of the virtue of hope。 To me； hope brings grief。 The most content people are those who expect nothing； who have ceased to dream。
I had dreamed what it would be like to be Arturo's lover； and now that he was mine； he was unhappy。 Oh； he loved to sleep with me； feel me close beside him。 But he believed he had sinned and he couldn't stop。 The timing of our affair was unfortunate。 He was breaking his vow of celibacy just when he was on the verge of fulfilling his destiny。 God would not know whether to curse or bless him。 I told him not to worry about God。 I had met the guy。 He did what he wanted when he wanted； no matter how hard you tried。 I told Arturo many stories of Krishna； and he listened； fascinated。 Still； he would weep after we had sex。 I told him to go to confession。 But he refused…he would only confess to me。 Only I could understand him； he said。
But I didn't understand。 Not what he had planned。
He began to have visions during this period。 He'd had them before…they didn't alarm me； at least not at first。 It was a vision that had given him the mechanics of his transformative technique； long before we met。 But now his visions were peculiar。 He began to build models。 Only seven hundred years later did I realize he was building models of DNA…human DNA； vampiric； and one other form。 Yes； it is true； while we watched the people twitch on the floor under the influence of my bloody aura； Arturo saw more deeply than I did。 He actually understood the specific molecule whose code defined the body。 He saw the molecule in a vision； and he watched it change under the magnets； crystals； copper； and blood。 He saw the double helix of normal DNA。 He saw the twelve straight strands of my DNA。 And he saw how the two could be conjoined。
〃We need twelve helix strands；〃 he confided in me。 〃Then we will have our perfect being。〃
〃But the more people you experiment on； the more attention you will draw to yourself；〃 I protested。 〃Your Church will not understand。 They will kill you。〃
He nodded grimly。 〃I understand。 And I cannot keep working on abnormal people。 To make a leap toward the perfect being； I must work with a normal person。〃
I sensed what was in his mind。 〃You cannot experiment on yourself。〃
He turned away。 〃What if we try Ralphe？〃
〃No；〃 I pleaded。 〃We love him the way he is。 Let's not change him。〃
He continued to stare at the wall； his back to me。 〃You changed him； Sita。〃
〃That was different。 I knew what I was doing。 I had experience。 I healed his wounds。 I altered his body； not his soul。〃
He turned to me。 〃Don't you see it's because I love Ralphe as much as you do that I want to give him this chance？ If we can change him from the inside out； transform his blood； he will be like a child of Christ。〃
〃Christ never knew of vampires；〃 I warned。 〃You should not mix the two in your mind。 It's blasphemy …even to me。〃
Arturo was passionate。 〃How do you know he didn't？ You never met him。〃
I got angry。 〃Now you speak like a fool。 If you want to experiment on anyone； use me。 You promised me you would when we started this。〃
He stiffened。 〃I can't change you。 Not now。〃
I understood what he was saying。 Suddenly I felt the weight of shattered dreams。 In my mind I had been playing with a daughter who had never been born； and who probably never would be。
〃You need my blood first；〃 I replied。 〃The pure vampire blood。〃 It was true he had to replenish the blood in the crystal vial； not before each experiment； but often。 Old blood did not work…it was too dead。 I continued； 〃But what if your experiment does work and you do create a perfect being？ I cannot give enough blood to alter everyone on this planet。〃
He shrugged。 〃Perhaps those who are altered can bee the new donors。〃
〃That is a huge perhaps。 Also； I know people。 This will be an exclusive club。 It doesn't matter how good your intentions are now。〃 I turned away and chuckled bitterly。 〃Who will be given a chance at perfection？ The nobility？ The clergy？ The most corrupt will feel they are the most deserving。 It is the oldest lesson of history。 It never changes。〃
Arturo hugged me。 〃That will not happen； Sita。 God has blessed this work。 Only good can e from it。〃
〃No one knows what God has blessed；〃 I whispered。 〃And what he has cursed。〃
A few days went by during which Arturo and I hardly spoke。 He would stay up late making models of molecul