Finding Blood (City Underdark #1)

The Allegiance

"Well, now that this is done, let's get into what I really wanted to discuss with you," said Ranphoros. "Can I serve you a drink?"

Knowing that he better not refuse, Barmond nodded.

Ranphoros gestured for him to sit down next to a small table, on which there was an unmarked closed bottle alongside a couple of glasses, each with a slice of lemon. Ranphoros sat opposed to him, opened it, and poured each of them a serving. It was gin, according to the smell of juniper berries in the air.

"My favourite. They call it jenever around here. Funnily enough, the one that made the one in this bottle keeps smuggling some to me just to remain in my good graces - he has no idea what I am or even that I love it so much. He's convinced that I am nothing but an eccentric merchant. Not that he is wrong to believe that. It's not too far off what merchants are like."

Barmond nodded and made note of that information. Maybe one day he would have to buy Ranphoros' good favours too. He brought the drink to his lips. Gin was not his favourite drink, he much preferred when it had less alcohol.

"Now, Rotberg. As you might be aware, your sire and I are old acquaintances," said Ranphoros. "Not that we have spoken all that much, recently, but we have known each other for quite a while. In fact, I've known him before founded he that clan of his, when he was still a vampire stumbling accross the world, chasing love and fortune as one might say. Mostly love. There was a time where he was like that."

"I did not know that."

"Not at all? Well, now you know. And I find it most curious that you managed to make him change his mind about making a vampire of his own blood. Last time we spoke face to face, he had sworn to me that he would never make a heir."

"Is that so?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You know it too."

"I do... indeed know that."

"Good! Because I couldn't help but be curious about why he changed his mind. It is not often that he does."

"I am a good negotiator. As for what, exactly, convinced him, you would have to ask him yourself. I am not privy to his every thought."

"You are telling me that you don't have the slightest idea?"

"No! Not at all. I'm only saying that I do not wish to say something that would be nothing but conjectures."

"Ah. Is that so."

Ranphoros leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his drink. There was a small smile on his lips, and that smile was bad news.

"Let me go over the situation how I see it, Rotberg," he said. "Otto, the most stubborn vampires of all, that claimed his position by sheer will, suddenly changes his mind about making vampires for a nobody like you. Not only that, but he makes you his very first child. However, he then goes on to purposefully withdraw blood during the transformation process, making you a half-blood. And, from my observations, he was quite happy with handing you over to the enemy like you're some disease-riddled dog."

Barmond gritted his teeth at the description, but it was accurate.

"Surely, you don't mean for me to believe that you convinced him through the power of your pretty words," continued Ranphoros. "And while Otto is very prone to lust, I know for a fact that you are not his type. So, what is it? How did you do it?"

"Well, first off, the half-blood part was certainly not in our initial agreement," said Barmond.

"Oh! So, you mean to tell me that not only did you convince him to make you into a vampire but on top of that a full-blooded one? With all of the powers and abilities of his bloodline? And, if he died... you would have been the direct heir to his entire clan?"