11. IN TIME

IN TIME

" S hould we try them out?" Julian's eyes sparkled up at him. "The thrones, I mean."

"We should," Daemon agreed, grinning back at his fledgling.

He was glad that Julian wanted to take his princely seat. He knew that being in such a position--not a position of leadership as Julian excelled there--but being royal and all the attendant duties that came with that unnerved his fledgling. Julian was not comfortable with being set above others. His approachability would be a good thing, but he had to understand that he was someone greater.

Julian looped his left arm through Daemon's right one and they advanced down the length of the throne room. Their footsteps clicked as they walked over the marble floor. Julian's eyes scanned the room, his arm tightening on Daemon's, the nearer they got to the dais.

"There's no dust. The floor is shiny!" Julian remarked as they reached the steps up to the thrones.

"Oh, yes, of course," Daemon remarked a little distractedly.

He wanted to see how it would feel to have Julian sit beside him. He had been dreaming about it for so long. How many times had he sat on his throne imagining having his own fledgling? One he could teach and spoil and treasure. A fledgling that would do great things and make mistakes, too. A fledgling that would cling to him but also do things on their own. A fledgling that would challenge him as much as learn from him. Julian was all of these things and more.

Julian let out a laugh. " Of course ? Let me guess, it's all part of the Ever Dark welcoming us? Does it clean itself? Make sure there aren't any dust bunnies under the beds or spiderwebs in the corners?"

Daemon lifted a shoulder. He urged Julian up the stairs.

"Wait, if the Ever Dark isn't physically vacuuming itself, why does everything look pristine " Julian's eyebrows rose then drew together. "In Moonfall, time was flowing really fast. You could feel it, see it, of course, too. Here… here, I have no sense of time at all."

"In a way, time does not exist here," Daemon explained, knowing this would cause Julian to wonder greatly.

Julian blinked rapidly. "Is that why it's always night, but there are still trees? I assume the trees here need daylight to grow, but if time stopped…"

"Time exists, but is not the same here as you know it on Earth. For things to be as they are here, things must be as they are in Moonfall," Daemon slowly stated.

Julian chewed on his inner cheek, clearly considering what he was saying before blasting off a million questions. And Daemon was certain he had a million or more. He liked that Julian though tried to understand what he was saying before he asked for more explanation. His fledgling knew that some answers Daemon would not--could not--give even to him. But Julian would understand much of it on his own. In time.

"Sit." Daemon gestured towards the slightly smaller throne that was placed beside his.

Julian stared at the two thrones as if he was afraid they would bite him. Or more like, he thought they would transform him the moment he sat down upon one. And, in a way, Julian was right.

The thrones were made of stone. The infinity symbol was carved into the curving tops of both. There were purple pillows on the scooped stone seats with silver tassels. The stone was smooth on both thrones as if they had been sat in for decades, centuries, millennia. In his case, that was the truth, but in the matter of Julian's throne it just showed that his Childe should have always been by his side.

Julian drew in a deep breath, rocked back and forth on his feet as if preparing for some particularly taxing physical feat, before he turned his back on the throne and slowly lowered himself into it. Julian's hands were like restless birds as they rose and fell from the arms of the throne. Finally, they settled down and his fingers lightly curved over the ornate end pieces. Julian then slowly leaned back instead of simply perching on the throne's edge as if he intended to leap up at any moment. The seat perfectly fit him. Julian shifted a moment, and then made a slight nod as if confirming for himself that this was his spot.

Daemon tilted his head to the side as he observed his fledgling seated upon the throne. He could not hide his smile as he gazed upon Julian. Even in his Childe's modern, casual clothes he had a royal air. A young Vampire princeling surveying his domain with a cool, yet incisive gaze.

Julian didn't say anything at first. He simply stared down the rectangular throne room as if he saw their subjects approaching. There would be so very many, especially in the early days of their reign, who would come here. They would arrive with the belief that they would not bow, that they would get their way, but, in reality, it would be his way.

"You look like you belong there. How does it feel?" Daemon asked, eager to hear something from Julian.

Daemon could have looked into Julian's mind, but Julian was figuring out his own emotions and he needed to articulate them to truly know them.

Julian drew in another steadying breath before he looked up at Daemon. "There's a weight to sitting here. It feels sacred. Momentous. Not just sitting in an ornate chair."

Julian gave him an uncertain smile at that. Daemon nodded.

"You are not wrong. But you've always taken responsibility in your life for yourself and others," Daemon reminded him gently.

He wanted Julian to see that this role as prince wasn't all that different from what he had already been doing for those who followed him in life and online. Julian was, as he had realized from the first, a natural born leader. People followed him because he exuded a kind of paladin-like quality. His parents' deaths hadn't really tarnished that need to do what was right. Julian had even put away his revenge as he saw all sides of what had happened to cause his parents' deaths in the first place.

"But it's more than that." Julian's fingers curled tighter over the arms of the throne. He grimaced, the words not cooperating with him.

"Yes," Daemon agreed without elaborating.

Some things were beyond words. Like the Ever Dark itself, some things had to be discovered over time. Julian would learn exactly what the throne meant as he ruled Vampires and humans.

"I'm afraid of this responsibility," Julian admitted with a rueful smile. "It's so much easier to have a goal that's simple: reveal Vampires exist than to have something like: support Vampires and keep humans safe, but our food source and our future selves."

Daemon laughed. "That it is."

"We're going to make mistakes, aren't we? Even with Seeyr's ability?" Julian asked. "And Eyros', too? And all the rest? No matter what we see, it won't be enough."

Daemon could not deny that mistakes would be made. He had made his own, but without making them, he would not be here with Julian. He said as much.

"There is never a time when everything goes right for everyone," Daemon told him carefully. "There will never be perfect balance. Things will sway one way then the other. They are not mistakes, per se . It is how life is."

Daemon turned and gracefully swept down onto his own throne. The two of them faced the empty throne room together, except, for a moment, it was not empty. He heard Julian draw in a sharp breath as they both glimpsed the future here. Ghostly figures filled the room. The murmur of many voices crashed over them both. The throne room was not dark either, but well lit and glorious.

"Is this…" Julian stopped.

"The future? Yes. Let us see what the Ever Dark wishes to show us," Daemon suggested.

"But I thought you couldn't see your own future!" Julian cried.

"In a way, everything is our future. I cannot see the moments that are critical to my own existence, but we can see this," Daemon explained.

Directly before them, there was a Black woman in a well-tailored suit who was flanked by an Asian man who blinked rapidly to her right and a military officer who should have been pulled over by the amount of medals on his chest to her left. The figures were fully fleshed out, but still ghostly. Daemon could see the floor and back walls through their forms.

"That's Jameela Arnold. She's running for President of the United States right now," Julian whispered as if these figures who were not there--not yet--could hear him. "The guy to her right is her running mate, James Ito. I don't know who the military guy is."

"It appears they win," Daemon remarked.

"I'm planning on voting for them. She's amazing. So is he," Julian murmured.

President Arnold spoke in a precise, authoritative voice, "King Daemon, I will not allow my people to be made slaves." Her voice deepened as she added, "I will not allow that to be done to anyone whether they are under my direct protection or not. So if that is your plan, know you have an enemy in me."

She glared at them. Daemon had no doubt she meant what she said. He was quite certain that she would defend her people--all people--with words and weapons. Anything under her control or within reach to keep humanity safe from Vampires. He couldn't help but admire her.

"She doesn't appear to be very impressed by us," Julian said with a huff of laughter.

"She recognizes the threat we pose, not just to the people she was elected by, but to the world," Daemon answered evenly, not surprised by this.

Anyone sensible would realize that predatory creatures who saw humanity as a food source could not be trusted. Add in their abilities to control minds, raise the dead, and more and trust seemed more like insanity.

"But we're going to convince her that we're not a threat though, right?" Julian asked. His voice was hopeful as his eyes shone with the same admiration for President Arnold that Daemon had.

Daemon stared into the woman's intelligent face. "No."

"Wait! No?" Julian shifted forward in his seat to look at him.

"She knows we will always and forever be a threat," Daemon told him.

"What? But, no, that's not--"

"We are , Julian." Daemon reached over and covered Julian's nearest hand with one of his. "Without the need to hide, Vampires could very well overreach. It will be our duty to make sure that doesn't happen. But humanity must help us. We cannot be everywhere at once."

Julian's shoulders slumped. "I--I see. So she won't view us as allies, but as enemies?"

"Not enemies. And we will not view her that way. But uneasy allies. In time, she may come to respect us for reasons not associated with wariness," Daemon explained carefully. "But her role--and ours --mean that she must not be our unconditionally, loyal friend. She rightly intends to do all she can to keep us in line and make it so those that come after her have as good a hand as possible. I have no doubt she will like you, Julian. But she can't trust you."

Julian nodded. "I'm not human anymore."

"No."

"I'm not on her side."

"No."

"I have to protect Vampires first and then humans second?" Julian asked this as a question.

"In a way, protecting humanity is protecting Vampires. We need them to survive. They will want what we have, but they do not need us," Daemon clarified.

Julian looked out at the ghost figure of President Jameela Arnold. He let out a huff of breath and smiled.

"So she really is the right person for the right time," Julian said as he nodded.

"Indeed. I would like to offer her to join the Vampire ranks, but I think… I think she would refuse. Though we shall see," Daemon said.

The "ghosts" of the future changed. Other world leaders appeared before them in all of their resplendent garb. Elected or royal. Democratic or autocratic. All of them came. Julian recognized some of them. He gave Daemon a brief overview of all he knew, but admitted he didn't know enough.

"The Eyros gift will take us far, but we will need to know far more than what one individual understands," Daemon agreed.

Then it came back to President Arnold again. While they were seeing her here in the throne room, it was clear to him that they were in another room where they were all seated. On the same level. There were computers and tablets in front of the humans. Reams of paper were sorted and put in folders.

President Arnold leaned forward. "This school--this academy --there will have to be humans there monitoring the students to make sure that no one is being coerced."

She paused, clearly him answering her before she continued, "I know that you believe that humans will practically be breaking down the academy's doors." She ran a weary hand over her head, but her gaze sharpened again. "And you may be right. But people often desire what isn't good for them. I intend to have Vampires regulated ."

Julian laughed and shook his head in admiration. "She's so tough! I can't wait to meet her."

Daemon nodded.

President Arnold disappeared and there were others that took her place. One of them shocked Julian, though he admitted it should not.

"That's the Pope. The head of the Catholic church! And, look, I don't know who the others are, but clearly heads of other religions," Julian gestured to those seated around a man dressed in white. "Oh, boy, how is this going to go?"

"The Kaly Vampires claim to see a door to the afterlife?" the Pope asked. His nut brown face and deep brown eyes were warm, but wary.

Arcius was there. He was wearing his full Confessor's robes. No, not Confessors, Preceptor's robes. Arcius covered his hands with the sleeves of his black vestment as he placed them on the table between them. He licked his lips, clearly listening carefully to the religious people's minds. What he said--as much as how he said it--would make this go easier or harder in the long run.

"I would defer to Caemorn and Christian about exactly what they see and know," Arcius explained.

"But you are the leader of the Order," a man with a thick white beard and dark eyes remarked.

"The Order does not concern itself--or has not in the past--with what is beyond this life, because for Vampires, this life is their afterlife," Arcius stated. "We focus on the Immortals, like Eyros and Wyvern and, of course, King Daemon."

"So they are gods in your eyes?" A woman with silver hair lifted up her eyebrows at this.

"They are the ones that brought us eternal life," Arcius said simply.

"But they are people ," the Pope stated with a frown.

"They are not like us. They were never human. They are quite beyond even Vampires," Arcius explained and cleared his throat. "What they are, where they came from, what their purpose is, if there is a greater one than creating families is not altogether known to us. But they are sacred to us no matter what the answers to those questions are."

"Some of our religions state that only through God can one have eternal life," a woman in a nun's habit said. She was very elderly with parchment-thin skin and rheumy blue eyes.

Arcius cleared his throat. "Yes, I am aware of that."

"Your very existence places that in doubt. And if one of the pillars of our faith is disturbed…" The nun left this hanging, but Daemon was certain everyone in that group knew where that would lead.

"I am not here to tell you your religions are right or wrong," Arcius again spoke carefully. "Religions are matters of faith . Vampires and Immortals and all of their gifts are factual . How you address… what lens you address that through, that is up to you. The Order does not proselytize."

An Asian man dressed in orange and red robes with a bald head spoke then, "If we do not address your existence, the people will do it for us. Why go through all the hardships of reincarnation if one can live one life? Why seek immortality in an afterworld when you can have it here?"

There was another brief cough from Arcius. "We do know that, at least for Immortals, that reincarnation exists."

The Asian man merely inclined his head. "Some might think that you are lost in this world, unable to reach full enlightenment. Others will see you as supernatural beings to be aspired to. Your existence deepens the mystery of existence."

"How do we know you are not demons?" A very erect man in saffron colored robes asked. "You sustain yourselves on our blood. Humanity is your prey. You flee the sun. You can lure us to do terrible things. Why should we not denounce you?"

Julian was stiff beside Daemon. He'd been watching the whole debate, hardly blinking.

"In the future, we really need to have more than just Arcius in there!" Julian cried.

"He is the Preceptor. He is the right person to discuss all of this with them," Daemon contradicted.

"But--"

"Would you have them speak to Caemorn?" Daemon asked him dryly.

Despite what Arcius had said about deferring to Caemorn and Christian about what they saw, neither of those two had any real patience for faith. Julian's mouth opened and shut rather comically.

"Ah, maybe not Caemorn. He would probably raise the dead in front of them and do other things that would offend and frighten everyone," Julian admitted.

Daemon nodded. "They know we are a threat of another kind to them."

"People's faith is going to be completely shaken," Julian admitted.

"And, unless they can adapt, their flocks will shrink. But, then again, people cling to ideas long after there are facts to show that these ideas are not true," Daemon said. "Sometimes, the more facts you give them, the tighter they hold to the lies that sustain them."

"But that's--that's crazy!" Julian frowned deeply.

"Yes, but true."

The scene in front of them changed. Huge, male Vampires who wore fur and had long hair and beards--who really reminded Julian of werewolves--strode down the throne room's aisle. In one hand they held stakes made of wood, ropes of garlic, large Christian crosses, vials of water and in the other they had canvas bags that dripped a trail of blood behind them.

"We hunted these down," the hulking, handsome Vampire in the front said as he upended his bag and half a dozen heads plopped wetly onto the pristine floor. "You need to have your Eyros Vampires go out and identify these fools before they get so far with their plans."

He tossed his other hand's contents down beside the head.

Julian leaned forward. "Crosses. Holy water. Stakes. Vampire hunters!"

"Respectfully," the big Vampire said, "The Weryn are here to serve, but we cannot be the only ones who act . We need our alpha-- you --to do something about these unruly humans, King Daemon. Will you?"

Julian let out a hiss and charged the vision of the Weryn Vampire. His hands sliced the air where the hulking man would be at some point. Daemon smiled. The Vampire Prince whirled around, purple eyes glowing red, chest heaving.

"He had-- has? whatever!-- no right to speak to you like that!" Julian snarled. "He was-- will be? --practically challenging you!"

Daemon lightly got down from the throne and put his arms around Julian. "There will be many challenges ahead, my Childe. But with you by my side, I know that we will face them and we will win."

The ghostly visages of the future were gone. The throne room was empty but for the two of them once more. Daemon lifted his head. He could hear the pool on the balcony of the second floor filling. He smiled. The future would come soon enough. But the present was filled with pleasures he did not want to miss.

"Come, Julian," Daemon said, "let me show you the rest of your home."