The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Sixteen

"Dolly's fine."

Laudanum made a gesture aside his ear, telling Morpheus to call should he need him.

"We'll go down to the kitchen," Ganymede said, as behind him, Athen was leading Psyche, Absinthe, and Julien up the west staircase. "Ganymede's me 'Vampyre name', but it's what everyone here calls me, or just G."

"Dolores is what my...maker called me. After the character in that book by Nabokov."

"Lolita," Morpheus said to Ganymede, just mouthing the words.

"Did he...or she...?"

Dolores glanced sidewise at Ganymede as they moved to the stairs, "He. Vlad. That's not his mortal name, either. He's a Dracula wannabe. He turned me because he thought I resembled the character."

"Isn't Nabokov's first name Vladimir?"

"Meta," Ganymede said under his breath, then hopped atop the bannister and railing. He made a small jump to the newel post. Morpheus teleported to the grande hall below, and watched as Dolores leap from railing to railing at Vampyre speed. Ganymede hopped casually to the lower floor, while Dolores followed with a neat dismount and finishing pose.

"And she sticks the landing," Ganymede said. He laughed, but went directly into a personal question, "Vlad give you a choice?"

"Did you choose?" Her tone said she disbelieved anyone would.

Ganymede shrugged, "Was terminal, so it was my only chance to live."

"He just did it."

"I feel you. Kitchen's just through here. There's sometimes a meeting, or family dinner around sunset, a little earlier in summer."

As they came through the doors into the large kitchen, Dolores stumbled. Morpheus extended his wings, then spread the right one between Dolores and the windows facing the north.

"...vais bien," Dolores whispered. Morpheus thought it might be French. He'd have to use telepathy to translate if she continued, but Dolores switched quickly back to American-accented English. "I'm OK. It's indirect. It's better if I don't see it. Thanks."

Ganymede opened the door to the blood cellar and beckoned them inside. Dolores ran without using any apparent preternatural speed. Morpheus shut the door behind them.

Ganymede first pointed out the posted rules. "Glasses are here, if you're not going to drink the whole bottle." Ganymede opened a door in the island's cabinetry. Morpheus half-listened as Ganymede explained where they sourced their blood: from hunts, or from the rabbits in hutches on the grounds.

Morpheus took his mirror from a pocket and focused one looking glass. Julien's bed was empty, but Absinthe was in his room, doing something with the music players. Morpheus searched for Julien and found him and Joy together. They slept curled together in Joy's bed, Julien yet wearing loose red garments, and Joy in a black slip.

Faye was asleep in her own bed, with Min lying at her side, arm draped over her sister protectively. Morpheus had a sense that his mother was present, though unseen. He focused the second glass and saw her in the mirrored tower room. She looked toward him, knowing, and Morpheus made a nod to her in the mirror.

"Whose initials are those?" Dolores asked Ganymede.

"JD. Julien."

"He's signed for more of these bloodborne kits than anyone."

"I dare you to ask him about it," Ganymede laughed. And then more seriously, he said, "But you gotta use them if you spill blood anywhere in the palace. Shade tells me its Steven's rule. You know about him?"