Chapter 49: With This Ring

April 1999

Tayla regained her composure. The look of pity and concern was on her face as she sat back in her chair. “Malcolm, I fear for you my friend and you as well, Rachel.” She had not expected this, as she feared greatly what Rascha had just done. Without my asking, she began to explain to me what had just happened. “He has placed his mark on you. You are marked, now and forever as the enemy of all vampires, who will always hunt you and your family. It has become personal. This does not just come from the vampires of Rascha’s clan, but also the Order of the Jackal. I am certain the clans of Othar and Prieta will uphold the sentence. The sentence is more than just death, Malcolm, as it is to bear witness of the loss of all that you hold dear.”

Tayla explained that I would suffer the most terrible loss and experience the most severe punishment. They would extract from me all the pain they could before the numbness of death would rescue me. This was a curse from the Jackals, but mostly from my archenemy, the Dragon. I had eluded him twice now, but now he was as determined as ever to kill my family and me...

“My God will protect me, Tayla. He will protect my family and me as sure as He exists. He protects me now, with His angels. You met them. Each time your demon has tried to attack me; they have bound him up and allowed your humanity to surface. Now, I have met both my enemies. Your brother and the Dragon are beyond hope. That is why you are special. I believe that because you have a soul, it is still worth saving. My Lord is capable of that too. You will see.”

Tayla had scheduled herself to perform that night in the theater where many famous acts had played to a crowd that usually numbered about five hundred. Tonight, the crowd was no less than that. Now, she was obviously upset at the events of the night. I could tell that she could not bring herself to perform.

I told her if she did not perform tonight, it would give Rascha some degree of victory. Rachel chimed in, claiming that if she did not get out there to perform, Rascha and the Dragon both would know that they could upset her, and thereby cause her to make mistakes that would leave her vulnerable.

Tayla had let her young teenage-girl’s personality come through, a side rarely seen by anyone. However, I had also seen her power on display, as she had put her brother in his place while she had defended her title, herself and her friends. Tayla showed integrity, and loyalty to those she knew she could trust. She was rewriting the relationship of mortal and vampire, an unintended relationship!

Feeling it was the only way she could continue to show strength and poise after the confrontation with her brother, Tayla agreed to perform. As she stood up, she whirled around in a familiar manner and the voluptuous and sensuous blonde Tayla had become replaced the tall, dark-haired Tayla. She went on and gave a sterling performance with her band. The performance mesmerized Rachel. The light show, the music and Tayla’s super athletic and graceful moves across the stage showed an uncanny ability of the vampire to entertain the mortal crowd. She performed for about ninety minutes, exhausting her fans.

As she began to walk off, a male fan jumped up on the stage to touch her. She immediately was able to intercept him, and perceiving him to be a mortal, and not a Jackal, she kissed him, deeply. This brought out a roaring cheer from the theater’s patrons, and after a few seconds of this, she let him go. He fell to the floor, weakened with passion and poisoned from the pleasure of her intimacy. I knew he never would be the same. He could barely rise to his knees.

Anubis escorted us backstage. I asked, “Anubis, where were you when all of the commotion between Tayla and her brother Rascha was going on?” Anubis, apparently annoyed, said, “I was summoning the guard. Tonight, they were slow in reacting. In addition, we had intercepted some Jackals in the area. I think they were going to try to ambush us tonight, as we left for the mansion. No chance of that now, at least not as we go from here to the limousine. Tayla’s security detail has the Jackals in custody. I doubt they will survive the night. Tayla has fed only once tonight, but I know she will be hungry when she meets them.”

Tayla met us in her dressing room, transformed in the blonde version of herself. She was ready to leave the club right then, as she knew the Jackals had been up to something, and probably so were the black clan vampires. “I am ready to go, and for your safety, so must you! Anubis, the limo! Rachel we must talk on the way home. It is especially important.”