Chapter 3: A drop of sweat

As Velor lay on the bed, closing his eyes, the night seemed interminable. Images and scenes flooded his mind, weaving a tale he had never experienced before. The pounding of his heart echoed in the silence of the room, accompanied by the chilling gusts of wind that seemed to offer no respite from the haze clouding his thoughts.

As he lay there, the whisper of a woman's voice, carried on the breeze, reached his ears. 

'Velor, my dear son,'

Nightmarish visions battered him - twisted faces, hellish scenes. Waves of agony crashed through his body. Each ragged breath choked his lungs like inhaling smog. An unnatural chill weighed down his limbs despite efforts to move them.

His heart's steady drumbeat faltered arrhythmically, then faded - just like at the pond's edge. Breathing, pulse, all feeling ceased - a switch flipped to oblivion.

He gasped awake, disoriented. How long lost to that void? Moments? Eternity? Time was elastic in this reality.

The world took shape. Outside, the sky sang muted greys and violets - a symphony of night's fading grip as dawn's ethereal blues and purples crept across the canvas.

Blinding sun rays bathed his sweat-slicked form. Searing waves of heat, his skin scorching to the touch. Sheets clung like a second sheath as the internal furnace raged.

A ragged groan as he ripped off the damp nightshirt, seeking relief, buttons pinging walls. His pale torso rapidly flushing crimson, laboured gasps filling the chamber - overwhelmed by bizarre new sensations attacking from all sides.

The door creaked wide, voices murmuring. "I told you he would change."

"Can you fix him? Please, I beg you," a familiar voice pleaded.

"I cannot, though I wish I could. I don't know how." The other voice moved closer.

"Then why change him at all?" the familiar voice demanded.

"As I said, I'm not fully myself. It happened too fast, even for me."

"But how could you..." The voice paused, fabric rustling.

"Calm yourself, Marcus. This is new for me too, as the Dark Lord."

Marcus's scream thundered. "Promise you'll cure him! Or die by my hands"

"You know even holy bullets cannot kill me."

"I'll find a way to destroy you. I'd sell my soul to the devil himself to bring you down." Marcus's gruff voice strained.

"All right, all right..."

Velor's eyes flickered open, his vision blurred - two figures, one in a white shirt and breeches, the other in a darkened tunic past his knees.

"What's happening..." Velor's whisper cracked out.

"Velor! My lord!" Marcus rushed to his side.

"More drama?" the other man scoffed.

"Silence!" Marcus barked, worried about etching his features as Velor focused on his friend's creased expression.

"How do you feel?" Marcus asked.

"Hot...eyes blurry..." Velor's voice rasped out.

"Normal after turning. A drop of blood will help." The man sat on Velor's bed, Marcus glaring.

"Why that look?"

"Who are you?" Velor squinted.

"Dominick. The one who bit you." His tone is flat.

"You! I'll tie you up to bake in the sun!" Marcus seethed as Dominick chuckled darkly.

"Don't listen to him, Velor. Can you see me clearly yet?" Marcus asked

"Not yet, Marcus. I feel strange," Velor said, sitting up. Marcus tried to assist, but Velor's body temperature was rising fast. Sweat formed on his brow, his torso flushed, and his breathing grew heavy. Dominick approached Velor, intending to place his hand on Velor's forehead, but Marcus swatted his hand away in frustration.

"Calm down and let me help, your friend," Dominick said, grabbing Marcus's hand and gently touching Velor's forehead. The cool sensation brought Velor some relief, gradually cooling him down. His breathing eased, and clarity returned to his eyes.

"You did something," Velor observed suspiciously.

"Did I?" Dominick replied, looking genuinely puzzled.

"What did you do?" Velor asked.

"I do not know. I just placed my hand on your head," Dominick admitted, still puzzled.

"Are you truly a vampire dark lord?" Marcus interjected.

"I am indeed, though this is my first night," Dominick confirmed, flashing a smile revealing his unusual fangs.

"Well, if you're feeling better, we can call it a night," Dominick suggested, turning to Marcus. 

"Prepare a room for him, preferably in the darkest corner of the castle." Dominick then proceeded to walk around the room, closing the window before swiftly making his way to a nearby candle and lighting it.

"There are benefits to being a vampire," he began, pausing to glance at Velor's bookshelf. 

"Perks to this curse," Dominick said flatly, pausing to glance at Velor's bookshelf. "You don't age - face frozen at the turning point. Lifespans of centuries if the tales are true, though I've only seen 127 of those years so far. And we drink blood - a necessity, even if some abstain."

 "But the most important rule," he continued, moving with the swiftness of the wind to sit on Velor's bed, 

"is that we can no longer walk under the sun. It's common knowledge among vampires."

"Isn't that typical vampire lore?" Velor asked, seeking clarification.

"Yes, but there are exceptions," Dominick replied, his gaze shifting to the window where sunlight streamed in. 

"There are creatures known as Sunspawned - cruel, lethal beings who dissolve mortals with a touch, I'd rather avoid. I once encountered one about a century ago, back in my rural village. Their red eyes, sharp fingers... It's a sight I won't forget." He gestured animatedly, recalling the encounter. 

"And after my transformation, the dark lady warned me about them. But that's a story for another time."

Dominick then glanced at Marcus and Velor. 

"The day has already begun," he noted, his gaze lingering on Velor's puzzled expression. 

"I'll return after sundown. Be cautious in the sunlight - it can be deadly." With that, Dominick grabbed Marcus's collar and made a swift exit, leaving Velor to hear Marcus's muffled scream from behind the closed door.

Alone again, Velor sat back, trying to process the whirlwind of events. His mind still swam with Dominick's talk of sunspawned fiends and the supposed curse inflicting him. Velor sighed and stood up from the bed, exchanging his nightgown for a comfortable shirt. As he removed the nightgown, he examined his torso, now calm and no longer crimson red. Walking to the mirror, he studied his own reflection - a pale, haunted spectre staring back. His eyes were swollen, his face bearing the weariness of someone who hadn't slept in a decade. He grabbed a jug and cloth, cleaning his face of the exhaustion before approaching the window Dominick had shut. Warm, glowing orange light emanated from beyond the window. As he reached to touch it, the glass burned his hand like a hot brand. Jerking back, he inspected his reddened and swollen hand before retreating to his bed, pulling the white coverlets over his body, feeling the relief of the enveloping darkness, a sense of calm and relaxation washing over him

After a while, he heard knocking at the door, which then opened. He sensed someone walking toward him and felt the bed soften as if someone had sat upon it. Then came the warm embrace, one filled with care and devotion. Peeking out from under the coverlet, Velor recognized the embrace - it belonged to his father. The soft, bittersweet scent of coffee wafted to his nose.

"Father?" Velor's voice was barely above a whisper, filled with a mixture of relief and apprehension.

"I heard everything, my son," his father replied softly, his arms enveloping Velor in a tight embrace. 

"But do not worry. We will find a way to help you."

Velor felt a lump form in his throat as he struggled to find the right words. "I'm sorry," he managed to choke out, his voice trembling with emotion.

"It is not your fault, my son," his father said, his voice tinged with sadness. "Rest now. We will talk more when the sun sets. I have arranged a room for you in the basement."

"Thank you for everything, and I am sorry for always being stubborn," Velor said, his voice still shaky. With a final pat on the head, The duke stood up,pausing for a moment before leaving the room. 

After that, Velor tried to get some rest, as his father had said. As Velor drifted into a fitful sleep, a sense of unease lingered in the air around him. His dreams were haunted by shadows and whispers as his subconscious struggled to make sense of the day.

Suddenly he was jolted awake by a gentle hand on his shoulder. Blinking, he saw his father standing over him, the flickering torchlight casting an ethereal glow on his face.

"Velor," he whispered. "It's sundown. Time to go."

Velor rubbed the sleep from his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of his troubled dreams. As he sat up, a wave of exhaustion washed over him, but he pushed it aside, steeling himself for what lay ahead.

Together they made their way through the darkened corridors of the castle, the torches casting long shadows on the walls. Velor's heart pounded in his chest as they descended into the depths of the cellar, each step bringing him closer to his uncertain fate. 

Inside the room, Velor was greeted by the sight of a simple but comfortable bed, a small table and a few chairs. It was a far cry from the luxurious chambers he was accustomed to, but he found a strange comfort in its simplicity.

"I know it's not much, my son, but it will have to do for now," his father said, his voice tinged with regret.

"It's fine, father. Thank you," Velor replied, forcing a smile despite the uncertainty gnawing at him.

"I'll inform the lord you're awake." The duke turned, the door swinging open before he could finish. Dominick barged in, Marcus slung over his shoulder.

"We're here." He dropped Marcus unceremoniously.

"Must you fang freaks manhandle me?" Marcus fumed, rubbing his back.

"If you'd stop trying to force me into sunlight," Dominick shot back.

"It's nightfall, you undead menace!"

The duke raised a hand. "Enough. Lord Dominick, what more can you tell us of this...condition?"

Dominick settled on the bed with a sigh. 

"Truthfully? I know little beyond the cure itself. This affliction came unbidden, like a curse - tied to the last azure night as sunrise neared..." Dominick trailed off, brow furrowed.

"A curse?"Velor frowned. 

"Each azure phase, our lady kept to herself, locking down the castle tight. But not that night - summoned us all instead, like a woman possessed. Tried butchering her own kin without mercy as the sun crept over the horizon." Dominick stared at his hands. 

"Near succeeded too. I'm the sole survivor - had to lure her into the deadly morning light as a final act"

"So you killed your master?" Marcus' tone dripped with disdain.

"Last of my kind left standing." Dominick shrugged. "Thus my surprising promotion to leadership"

"This...defies all logic and reason" The duke shook his head slowly. 

"As does our very existence, good sir." his mist eyes glittered. "But I speak the truth."

"But how did this happen?" Velor gestured at himself, bewildered.

"Wish I knewLast thing I recall, I was laying low in a cave, avoiding the sun's deadly rays without a drop of human blood. Then that night before the azure phase hit..." His voice trailed off heavily. "Heard whispers, urges to hunt. Next thing I knew, you were my first turn." Dominick shrugged. 

"We Moonspawned only sire new kin during those azure nights." Velor's brow furrowed as Dominick stabbed a pale finger at him. 

"Moonspawned?" Marcus cut in, voice dripping sarcasm. 

"So not just the Sun-cursed fiends to worry about - demonic moon-children too?"

Dominick fixed him with a level stare. "You expected the Sunspawned but not an opposing force?" Marcus opened his mouth, then closed it, mulling over the implications.

"That's the long and short of it for now." Dominick rose abruptly. "I need to return to my lady's estate, dig for more answers."

"It's a fortnight's journey, even at my speeds." His eyes bored into Velor's. "In the meantime, you'll need to feed - animal's blood will suffice for now. But humans are...addictive. Difficult to quit once you've acquired the taste."

"You drank from me." Velor frowned. 

"And I can handle it." Dominick's tone brooked no argument. "Don't die while I'm gone."

"Safe travels, my lord." The duke nodded solemnly.

A faint smile ghosted Dominick's lips as he looked from Marcus to the duke. 

"Worry not for me."

Then he was gone, vanished into the dark like a whisper on the wind.