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The pain that shocked Geoffry awake shouldn't have come as such a surprise. Somehow he'd expected the fact that he'd fallen asleep at a church would equate to a peaceful circumstances. Instead he was stretched out on a metal frame, an incredibly strong electrical current running through him.
Imastious pulled the wires away from Geoffry as he realized his subject was awake. “Very good, I'm happy to see that you've rejoined us on schedule.”
Geoffry tried to speak, only to realize that he'd been gagged.
“If only you were equally compliant and dependable in other things as well, we wouldn't be forced to continually experience these kinds of unpleasant episodes.”
Geoffry thought that someone was standing at the head of the bed, but couldn't turn his head far enough to verify the fact.
“Now, now. Venice is indeed beautiful, but you should be contemplating your situation, pondering your sins if you will, rather than trying to sneak a peek.”
Confident that he had Geoffry's full attention, Imastious carefully set down the wires, and then turned back to Geoffry. “The first thing you need to understand is that trying to run or hide is futile. I've told you before that my resources are sufficient to know exactly what you do and where you go. We gave you several days in which to choose your hiding place, and then came and collected you.”
Shaking his head slightly at Geoffry's lack of response, Imastious picked up the wires once again, and returned to the bed. “You will learn eventually. You'll learn to obey me, and complete the simple tasks that you're given, of that I have complete confidence. You learned during our last visit that there are things worse than dying. Today you learned that you cannot escape me. Before I leave you tonight you'll learn that you are not important enough to my plans to merit any further indulgence.”
Before Geoffry could fully process Imastious' words, the older man had touched the wires to each of Geoffry's wrists, causing him to convulse and scream as well as he could past the gag.
No matter how Geoffry struggled and fought, he couldn't free himself. He was forced to endure shock after shock as punctuation of Imastious' determination to see his spirit broken.
Any thoughts of what he was experiencing being induced by drugs fled within the first few minutes, and although he couldn't explain how he could have possibly recovered from earlier sessions as quickly as the evidence indicated, he was finally sure that what he was experiencing was real.
At some point Geoffry started expecting to pass into unconsciousness, but his body proved tougher than he'd expected, a fact which combined with the careful breaks Imastious provided, to keep him coherent for what must have been hours.
Geoffry never felt the slickness of blood that would have indicated Imastious had started using his knife again, but eventually lost track of what what being done to his abused body. Pain simply moved from one part of his being to another at irregular intervals, leaving him shaking and ever weaker.
The torture had stopped for several minutes before Geoffry finally felt Imastious pat his cheek to capture his attention. “I hope you are starting to understand just how badly you can be hurt. I stopped just now not because I couldn't continue hurting you. In fact I have other ways of inflicting even greater pain than what you experienced tonight, but I think my point has finally been made.”
And you want me to understand that it could always be worse. There will always be a greater punishment waiting in the wings if I don't behave.
“Do you understand my son?”
A part of Geoffry knew that answering Imastious represented the first step towards compliance and cooperation, but the thought of what Imastious could do to him drove a response from him almost before he was able to think, and he found himself nodding violently in affirmation.
Imastious patted Geoffry once more on the cheek. “You must understand and promise to do better. I do not wish to do this to you. I do truly care for you. It's only your disobedience that makes me treat you so.”
As Imastious left the room, Geoffry idly wondered what Venice was going to do now that her master had left, but the cumulative effects of the last few hours were just too much. He passed out before he could string any more lucid thoughts together.
**
Geoffry woke to a fresh set of clothing and new sheets. The batteries and wires are gone, other than a little soreness there isn't really any evidence that I was tortured for hours last night.
The sound of someone shifting slightly should have made Geoffry nervous, but he'd somehow known that Venice would still be there.
“Welcome back, love.”
After every thing that had happened, a certain amount of caution was probably called for, but Geoffry opened his mouth and responded with the first thing he thought of. “Don't call me that.”
Venice shook her head slightly, and flashed him a smile that seemed to invite him to laugh at some secret joke, one that was shared only between the two of them. “Angry I didn't interfere last night?”
Geoffry nodded slowly.
She isn't going to be honest with me, but I may as well be honest with her. I don't know anything to give away.
Venice smoothly rose from the chair where she'd sat both times she'd visited. She's staking out her territory and not just with my furniture.
Smoothing the loose, black pants she was wearing, the blond gave Geoffry an appraising look. “I told you. I can't afford to incur too much of Imastious' displeasure. He is more powerful than you understand, maybe stronger than you can imagine in your current state, and my life is only of slightly more worth to him than yours.”
Walking over to the bed, Venice continued. “At one point you had an incredibly logical and powerful mind, but apparently no more. The real question we should be examining is why you bloody well seem to want me to intercede on your behalf, while simultaneously denying the kind of attachments which would make me inclined to do so.”
Taking in the smooth expanse of shoulder that Venice's tank top revealed, Geoffry suddenly realized that he was more uncomfortable than the sight of so much perfect skin could account for.
What happened to me? Was I really the cold-blooded killer she makes me out to be? If so why am I so reluctant to kill again? I was obviously capable of doing so before.
Venice apparently mistook Geoffry's silence for agreement. “That is what I thought. Honestly you need to start thinking rationally before you force Imastious to kill you and save himself the aggravation you're causing right now.”
Geoffry wanted to respond, but there were just too many things he didn't know. “What am I?”
Venice smiled, but Geoffry fancied that it didn't reach her eyes. “I was wondering how long it would take you to ask that question, it was that or you'd just decide that you were loosing your mind.”
Even though Geoffry was aware that nothing Venice was about to tell him would necessarily be the truth, he felt a slight surge of hope wash through him at the prospect of finally understanding some of what was happening.
“Understand that there are a lot of subjects I can't talk about. Imastious would be very displeased to learn that I'd told you anything he didn't want you to know, but there are a few things I can tell you, things that I think will help your transition back to a functional member of the team.”
No doubt the kinds of things that I could probably figure out on my own eventually. Have to make sure you can throw me to the wolves later if circumstances require it.
Venice sat down on the bed facing Geoffry and leaned against his outstretched legs. “I'm kind of surprised that you haven't figured out some of it, especially with all the hints I've been dropping. The cravings for blood must have given you some idea that the myths and legends were based on something real.”
Vampires.
“I'm told that our condition is caused by a virus of some kind, one so targeted that it can't survive in most hosts, and which hasn't mutated appreciably in the last several thousand years.”
Geoffry opened his mouth to protest that he didn't know anything about viruses, only to realize that as he thought about the subject he started remembering all kinds of basic biology information.
“That rot really doesn't matter though. Most people die within a few hours of being exposed, but those like us who survive enjoy a number of incredible benefits. Strength and speed surpassing that of most normal individuals, as well as a greatly slowed aging process. What do you think about eternal youth, love?”
Geoffry suddenly had visions of unending life, of centuries passing slowly as he remained a slave to Imastious' whims. “You mean we're immortal?”
Venice shook her head with a pout. “Not quite. At least I don't think so. The older vampires like Imastious are obsessive about cloaking themselves in secrecy, so I don't know how old they really are. Probably thousands of years, but there are some indications that the aging process has other effects on the eldest of us that would possibly eventually lead to death either effectively or actually. Not only that, but we can be killed through violence in much the same manner as a normal person.”
Geoffry's head was swimming, he could hear what Venice was saying, but it seemed like there was another voice, one heard only inside his head, that was telling him that she was leaving out information, important information.
“You said that we're the base from which the ancient legends sprung, they aren't entirely accurate?”
Venice reached out and stoked Geoffry's cheek. “There you go, that beautiful mind is working once again.”
Geoffry waited out the pause that followed, hoping that Venice would elaborate.
“Obviously we don't burst into flame once the sun comes up, but most of us sunburn easily and the older we get the harder time our eyes seem to have adjusting to full sunlight.”
Venice paused again, as if trying to gauge the effect that little tidbit of information was having on Geoffry's thinking.
“As you've no doubt noticed, we crave blood. Most use normal food to fulfill their calorie requirements, but it still leaves some kind of dietary deficiency which blood is required to meet.”
She's lying, there must be a way to survive without blood.
Looking Geoffry in the eye, Venice continued. “Based on how you've been acting lately, you're probably now trying to think of some kind of alternate source of whatever it is we need. You should know that nobody has discovered one yet. Animal blood comes close, but still lacks something. If you go long enough without blood, you'll loose all ability to control yourself, you'll kill and feed again and again until the hunger has been satisfied, and you finally regain your senses.”
Venice seemed to expect a response, so Geoffry shrugged.
“You probably don't believe me, but it is true, and I'd much rather see you be selective in who you feed from, rather than suddenly snapping and killing the four or five people who happen to be handy. Also you run the risk of killing yourself if you do that. We need blood, but too much blood at once will make you very sick. A binge like what you'd probably go on if you were starving yourself could very easily kill you afterwards.”
Geoffry remembered the strange, disconnected way he'd felt in the subway tunnels, and felt the first glimmers of hope. Is it possible that she is telling the truth? Was I really unable to control myself? His death would still be my fault, but it would be because of ignorance rather than actual murder.
Venice interrupted Geoffry's train of thoughts by reaching down to the floor and picking up not one, but two wooden swords. “Enough. Imastious left me with strict instructions and he's right, it's time for you to start learning how to use one of these things again.”
Despite all of the more weighty things worrying at the edge of Geoffry's mind, a surge of anticipation swept through him as he accepted the practice katana and rose to his feet.
“You always did enjoy weapon work, but I suspect that it's going to be a while before you regain anything approaching your previous mastery. For now I get to be the teacher.”
Geoffry was still digesting Venice's statement when she drew her weapon and attacked him. It quickly became obvious she was just testing him, attempting to determine how much reflexive muscle memory had survived his amnesia. Despite that, it was all he could do to avoid or block her strikes in the limited space they had to work in. Venice finally cracked him across the chest with a casual blow, and then finally lowered her weapon.
“You're not very good anymore, obviously, but you seem to remember more than I would have expected. Your blocks and strikes are well executed still, you just don't know how or when to use them.”
The next two hours were a bittersweet joy for Geoffry. There was no denying that he derived great enjoyment from learning everything that Venice deemed him ready to know about fighting. Everything seems completely natural and right, from learning the correct way to hold the weapon, to the various ways of executing a strike. It really is like I knew this all before, like my body still remembers the things my mind has lost. But what kind of person other than a violent murderer would take this kind of joy in learning how to kill and maim?
Once Venice felt that Geoffry had received sufficient instruction with regards to the blade, she demonstrated a few unarmed techniques, one of which he realized he had used on the person that had accosted him in the tunnels.
By the time Venice waved Geoffry over to a chair, they were both soaked in sweat and breathing heavily. Venice waited until Geoffry had set his practice weapon on the floor, and then sprawled out across his lap.
“You're doing well, love. All that remains is for you to make the kill, and Imastious will be pleased enough to more or less leave you alone except for those times when your special talents are needed.”
Geoffry stiffened momentarily, first because Venice had invaded his space, and then again as she once again calmly suggested he take another life. The memory of his attacker in the subway dying beneath him terrified Geoffry. But Imastious will really torture me if I don't do it. It was bad enough when it was just memories, now that I know it's real, I'd rather die than go through that again.
It won't matter what I say, arguing with her gains me nothing, I'm better off remaining silent.
“What, no denials? You are strangely compliant today, love. I suppose it is to be expected after a session like you had last night, but I must admit I'm surprised. Your general stubbornness should have seen you through another couple like that before you really started cracking.”
Leaning her head slightly to the side, Venice looked into Geoffry's eyes. “I don't suppose that your new attitude extends into other areas?”
Geoffry felt his face turn to stone, and not trusting his voice he shook his head.
“Very well, you probably have a few days before Imastious decides that you aren't going to comply with his wishes, and sets about arranging a suitable punishment for you. Since you're no doubt going to ignore my advice, at least enjoy the next couple of days. Whatever he plans for you will be much worse than what happened last night.”
Venice rose from the chair, and collected her things, leaving Geoffry with nothing but his thoughts to torment him.