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〃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 molecules no one had seen； afraid to talk to me； to touch me。 I never realized until then how he saw me as both a gift and a test from God。 Of course I had given him my immortal perception on the matter； but he had seen me that way from the start。 I brought him magic blood and delicious sensuality。 He was supposed to take one and not the other； he thought。 He lost his intuitive sense that kept him from mistakes； I believe； because he no longer thought he was worthy of having it。 He stopped praying to God and started muttering to himself about the blood of Jesus Christ。 He was more obsessed with blood than I was； and I had it for dinner every few days。
One evening I could find Ralphe nowhere。 Arturo said he had no idea where he was。 Arturo wasn't lying； but he wasn't telling the whole truth either。 I didn't press him。 I think I didn't want to know the truth。 Yet had I insisted he tell me； I might have stopped the horror； before it got out of hand。
The screams started in the middle of night。
I was out for a walk at the time。 It was my custom to go out late； disguised； find a homeless person； drink a pint of blood； whisper in his or her ear； and put the person back to sleep。 Except for evil priests； I didn't often kill in those days。 The cries that came to me that night chilled me through。 I ran toward the sounds as fast as I could。
I found five bodies； horribly mangled； their limbs torn off。 Obviously； only a being of supernatural strength could have mitted these acts。 One person； a woman with an arm lying beside her； was the test one still alive。 I cradled her head in my lap。
〃What happened I asked。 〃Who did this to you？〃
〃The demon；〃 she whispered。
〃What did this demon look like？〃 I demanded。
She gagged。 〃A hungry angel。 The blood…〃 Her eyes strayed to her severed arm and she wept。 〃My blood。〃
I shook her。 〃Tell me what this demon looked like？〃
Her eyes rolled up into her head。 〃A child；〃 she whispered with her last breath and died in my arms。
Sick at heart； I knew who the child was。
Far away； on the far side of the town； I heard more screams。
I flew toward them but once again I was too late。 There were more shredded bodies； and this time there were witnesses。 An angry mob with burning torches was gathering。 They had seen the demon child。
〃It was heading for the woods！〃 they cried。
〃We have to stop it！〃 others cried。
〃Wait！〃 I yelled。 〃Look how many it has killed。 We can't go after it without help。〃
〃It killed my brother！〃 one man cried； pulling out a knife。 〃I'm going to kill it myself。〃
The mob followed the man。 I had no choice but to tag along。 As we wound through the dark streets； we found still more bodies。 A few had had their heads ripped off。 What was the mob thinking？ I asked myself。 They would fare no better against the monster。 Of course mobs and rational thought are not plementary。 I have seen too many mobs in my day。
When we reached the trees on the edge of town； I left the rabble to search for the monster myself。 I could hear it； two miles…ahead； laughing uproariously as it tore off the head of an animal。 It was fast and strong； but I was a pure vampire； not a hybrid。 It would be no match for me。
I came across it as it ducked from tree to tree； preparing to attack the mob。
〃Ralphe；〃 I whispered as I moved up behind him。
He whirled around； his face covered with blood； a wild light in his eyes。 Or I should say； no light shone there。 His eyes were snakelike。 He was a serpent on the prowl； searching for the eggs of another reptile。 Yet he recognized me…a faint flicker of affection crossed his face。 If it was not for that； I would have killed him instantly。 I had no hope he could be converted back to what he had been。 I have intuition of my own。 Some things I simply know。 Usually the bitterest of things。
〃Sita；〃 he hissed。 〃Are you hungry？ I am hungry。〃
I moved closer； not wanting to alert the mob； which was closing in。 Ralphe had left a trail of blood。 The stuff dripped off him； it was enough to make even me sick。 My heart broke in my chest as he came within arm's reach。
〃Ralphe；〃 I said softly； all the time knowing it was hopeless。 〃I have to take you back to Arturo。 You need help。〃
Terror disfigured his bloody expression。 Obviously the transformation had not been pleasant for him。 〃I will not go back there！〃 he shouted。 〃He made me hungry！〃 Ralphe paused to stare down at his sticky hands。 A portion of his humanity did indeed remain。 His voice faltered on a lump of sorrow in his throat。 〃He made me do this。〃
〃Oh； Ralphe。〃 I took him in my arms。 〃I'm so sorry。 This should never have happened。〃
〃Sita；〃 he whispered； nuzzling his face into my body。 I could not kill him； I told myself。 Not for the whole world。 But just as I swore the vow inside； I leapt back in pain； barely stifling a cry。 He had bitten me！ His sorrow had vanished in a lick of his lips。 I watched in horror as he chewed down a portion of my right arm； an insane grin on his face。 〃I like you； Sita；〃 he said。 〃You taste good！〃
〃Would you like more？〃 I asked； offering him my other arm； tears filling my eyes。 〃You can have all you want。 e closer； Ralphe。 I like you； too。〃
〃Sita；〃 he said lustfully as he grabbed my arm and started to take another bite。 It was then I spun him around in my arms and gripped his skull from behind。 With all the force I could muster and before my tears overwhelmed me； I yanked his head back and to the side。 Every bone in his neck broke。 His small body went limp in my arms…he had not felt any pain； I told myself。
〃My Ralphe；〃 I whispered； running my hands through his long fine hair。
I should have fled with his body then； buried it in the hills。 But the execution was too much； even for a monster like me。 The life went out of me and I wanted to collapse。 When the mob found me； I was cradling
Ralphe's body in my arms； weeping like a mon mortal。 My ancient daughter； my young son…God had stolen them both from me。
The mob surrounded me。
They wanted to know how I had stopped the demon child。
A few in the mob knew me。
〃〃You take care of this boy！〃 they cried。 〃We saw you and the priest with him！〃
I could have kilted them right then； all fifty of them。 But the night had seen too much death。 I let them drag me back to the town； their torches burning in my bleary eyes。 They threw me in a dungeon near the center of town； where the executions took place； taunting me that they were going to get to the bottom of how this abomination was created。 Before the sun rose； I knew they would be pounding on Arturo's door； digging into his secret underground chamber； collecting the necessary evidence to show the feared inquisitors。 There would be a trial and there would be a judge。 The only problem was； there could be only one sentence。
Yet I was Sita； a vampire of inparable power。 Even the hard hand of the Church could not dose around my throat unless I allowed it。 But what about Arturo？ I loved him but could not trust him。 If he lived； he would continue his experiments。 It was inevitable because he believed it was his destiny。 He had enough of my blood left to make another Ralphe； or worse。
A few hours later they threw him in a cell across from me。 I begged him to talk to me but he refused。 Huddled up in a corner； staring at the wall with eyes as vacant as dusty mirrors； he gave no indication of what was going through his mind。 His God did not e to save him。 That was left for me to do。
I ended up testifying against him。
The inquisitor told me it was the only way to save my life。 Even chained in the middle of the high court with soldiers surrounding me； I could have broken free and destroyed them all。 How tempting it was for me to reach out and rip open the throat of the evil…faced priest； who conducted his investigation like a hungry dog on a battlefield searching for fresh meat。 Yet I could not kill Arturo with my own hands。 It would have been impossible。 But I could not have him live and continue his search for the sacred blood of Jesus Christ。 Jesus had died twelve hundred years ago； and the search would never end。 It was a paradox… the only solution was agonizing。 I could not stop Arturo so I had to let others stop him。
〃Yes；〃 I swore on the Holy Bible。 〃He created the abomination。 I saw him do it with my own eyes。 He changed that boy。 Then he tried to seduce me with the black arts。 He is a witch； Father； that fact is indisputable。 God strike me down if I lie！〃
The old friar at the church also testified against Arturo； although the inquisitor had to first stretch him on the strappado to get the words out of his mouth。 It broke the friar's heart to condemn Arturo。 He was not alone in his guilt。
Arturo never confessed； no matter how much they tortured him。 He was too proud； his cause too noble； in his mind。 After the trial； we never spoke。 Indeed； I never saw him again。 I didn't attend his execution。 But I heard they burned him at the stake。
Like any witch。
9
I sit at a poker table trying to bluff a high roller from Texas into folding。 The game has been going on awhile。 There is one hundred thousand dollars in cash and chips on the table。 His hand is better than mine。 Yaksha's mind…reading gift has grown more powerful in me…I can now see the man's cards as if viewing them through his eyes。 He has three aces； two jacks…a full house。 I have three sixes…Satan's favorite number。 He has the winning hand。
The Texan wears leather cowboy boots； a five…gallon hat。 The smoke from his fat cigar does not irritate my eyes。 He blows a smelly cloud my way as if to intimidate me。 I smile and match his last bet； then raise him another fifty thousand。 We are enjoying a private game； in a luxurious corner of the casino； where only fat cats hang out Three other men sit with us at the table； but they have since folded。 They follow the action closely…they all know each other。 The Texan will not like to be humiliated in front of them。
〃You must have a royal flush； honey child；〃 he says。 〃Betting the way you do。〃 He leans across the table。 〃Or else you got a sugar daddy paying your bills。〃
〃Honey and sugar；〃 I muse aloud。 〃Both like me。〃 I add； sharpening my tone； 〃But I pay my own bills。〃
He laughs and slaps his leg。 〃Are you trying to bluff me？〃
〃Maybe。 Match my bet and find out〃
He hesitates a moment； glancing at the pot。 〃The action is getting kind of heavy。 What do you do； child； to have so much dough？ Your daddy must have given it to you。〃
He is trying to ascertain how important the money is to me。 If it means a lot； in my mind； then I will be betting heavily only if I have an unbeatable hand。 Leaning across the table； I stare him in the eye； not strong enough to fry his synapses but hard enough to shake him。 I don't like being called a child。 I am five thousand years old after all。
〃I earned every penny of it；〃 I tell him。 〃The hard way。 Where did you get your money； old man？〃
He sits back quickly； ruffled by my tone； my laser vision。 〃I earned it by honest labor；〃 he says； lying。
I sit back as well。 〃Then lose it honestly。 Match my bet or fold。 I don't care which。 Just quit stalling。〃
He flushes。 〃I'm not stalling。〃
I shrug； cool as ice。 〃Whatever you want to call it； old man。〃
〃Damn you；〃 he swears； throwing his cards down。 〃I fold。〃
My arms reach out and rake in the money。 They're all staring at me。 〃Oh；〃 I say。 〃I bet you're wondering what I had？ But you're all too professional to ask； aren't you？〃 I stand and start to stuff the cash and chips in my purse。 〃I think I'll call it a night。〃
〃Wait right there；〃 the Texan says； getting up。 〃I want to see those cards。〃
〃Really？ I thought you had to pay to see them。 Are the rules different for Texans？〃
〃They are when you've got fifty grand of my money； bitch。 Now show me。〃
I dislike being called a 〃bitch〃 more than a 〃child。〃
〃Very well；〃 I say； flipping over my cards。 〃You would have won。 That's the last time I show a hand you didn't