Maxim Darko: The Greatest Gift of Evil. A Vampire Chronicle

CHAPTER ELEVEN THE UNHOLY UNION

Mustafa stood up from his desk, and immediately winced in pain. Leaning back, he gripped his lower back with both of his hands. When the pain passed, he thought. Tonight. Tonight, the pains of old age will disappear. But now, I need to prepare for my upcoming meeting with the Cardinal. He leaned further back, until his spine popped in multiple places. When the tension in his back released, he paced his office, searching for any information that he did not want to disclose to the Cardinal. Stopping in a corner, he covered his map with a cloth. Satisfied that anything of importance was hidden from sight, he sat down, and poured himself a glass of wine. After taking a deep drink, he leaned back and folded his hands across his stomach. He visualized his youth. Young, strapping, energy, oh the energy. And women. A dreamy smile spread across his face. Yes. I will have it all again. He drifted into a pleasant sleep.

Awhile later, a knock on his door woke him. Before answering the door, he licked his teeth to remove the acid taste that had coated his mouth while he had slept. To completely rid his tongue of the acid taste, he took a drink of stale wine. After swishing the vinegary wine around his mouth, he spat it back into his glass. He licked his teeth again, straightened his robes, and bellowed, "Enter!"

A thin, frail man wearing a worn, brown robe entered his office. Cardinal Todori's ghostly appearance always threw Mustafa off-balance. Mustafa knew it was rumored that Todori beat himself in private. Two unassuming guards, and Ciril followed behind the Cardinal. Mustafa stood, and with a smile said, "Cardinal Todori. Always a pleasure to see you."

As if in pain, Cardinal Todori attempted a smile, but only grimaced. Almost skeletal hands appeared from beneath his robe to shake Mustafa's large, and once powerful hands. "Likewise," Todori whispered in a raspy voice.

"Please sit," Mustafa invited Todori to sit in a plush purple velvet chair. Instead, Todori chose to sit on a hard stool. Mustafa glanced down and saw Todori's gold trimmed red slippers. Inwardly he smiled, he knew the shoes were Todori's one visible vain weakness. Besides the non-visible rumors of nightly wine, and dark slave women. Mustafa sat down on the other side of the polished table. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

In response, Cardinal Todori slightly coughed.

Mustafa picked up the wine jug, and pleasantly asked, "Would you like some wine?"

Cardinal Todori held up a translucent finger. "Just water please." Salih, who had quietly returned to the office, set some water in front of Todori. Todori took a drink, and then spoke, "I think I know why you have called upon me." He dramatically raised one eyebrow. "The child beasts?"

Mustafa gravely nodded. "You mean the vampires."

Todori looked slightly surprised, but quickly recovered his composure. "You know this to be true?"

"Just today, Mangata confirmed it."

Disconcerted, Todori tapped his finger tips on the table. "We must stop this unholy scourge before it spreads. Vampires are the work of Satan."

"Or in this case, Tiarnoglofi's, and The Devil's Nun's work."

With disgust, Todori retorted. "Bah! Tiarnoglofi is just another name for Satan, and The Devil's Nun possesses no real power. This is only more of Satan's wretched trickery." Todori leaned slightly forward. "What help do you desire from the Church in ridding the World of the vampire scourge?"

Mustafa sat slightly straighter and thought. I'm glad he knows nothing about The Branch of Zaqqum. "Information. I require information on the location of the strongest cell of vampires."

"Why should the church help you? We are in fact, enemies."

Mustafa slowly stroked his beard. "In this case, we are allies."