Page 108 of Fated In Ruin
“Don’t block the world out, Malachi,” I murmured, my heart pounding. “I’m not afraid and you shouldn’t be either.” His eyes flashed, but he didn’t argue, as if he’d already said everything he was going to say on the matter.
“Romulus,” I said, as if an entire conversation was wrapped up in that one name. “He bleeds black. And he said we were too late, that the transformation had started. What did he mean?”
“The black blood…they used to call it Obscuratio, or The Darkening, a manifestation of corruption that occurs over centuries. As vampires age, their sins and malevolent acts don't simply vanish into the ether—they collect within their blood like sediment in an ancient bottle of wine.”
“I’ve heard of aging like fine wine, but that’s a bit much.”
“Eventually, the blood darkens to black, carrying with it the weight of centuries of sin, each new kill, each act of cruelty adding another layer of darkness to their essence.”
Sin.I turned that over in my head, weighing the potential for weaponizing such information.
“Your blood is red,” I felt obligated to point out. “So you’re not the villain you think you are.”
“I know exactly what I am, Evangeline, I don’t need my blood to tell me,” he muttered, the words disappearing beneath another roll of thunder. A band tightened around my chest at the self-loathing in his voice, and every part of me wanted to soothe that away, to force Malachi to recognize his own goodness.
“The Darkening manifests differently in each bloodline, but all ancient vampires describe a sensation of their sins becoming almost tangible—memories crystallizing into something physical, as they accumulate corruption like rings in an ancient tree.”
That sounded…promising.
Maybe Icouldweaponize this.
“What about this transformation? What was he talking about?”
Malachi was silent for so long I didn’t think he’d answer, nothing between us but the sound of the rain beating against the windows, the heat where our bodies touched.
“There’s only one thing Romulus could be talking about, and I’ve only read about the phenomenon. It’s never been done, and if that’s what he’s planning…” His canines lengthened, eyes darkening. “There were always rumors Caine planned to create another type of vampire, a higher life form, almost a god.
“That was what he was searching for, across the continents, hand selecting humans who had magic, or special powers, looking for those rumored to be descended from gifted bloodlines. The Elders were powerful and flawed, but all the generations that have come after…are weaker, by nature of basic evolution.”
“I don’t know whether to be relieved or offended by that statement.”
He didn’t smile, his hand on my knee tightening.
“He would require several things. A vampire, powerful in his own right, first or second generation. Some unlimited source of cosmic or divine energy, to jumpstart the change, and…” His eyes rose to capture mine, “The blood of a powerful witch, from one of the original, ancient bloodlines.”
Something jagged rattled in my chest. “I…uhm…don’t know what to say. Like…cosmic energy? Are we talking the power of the universe?”
“Something powerful enough to transverse this realm, to create a quantum instability…a place where the boundaries between two different realms becomes malleable, creating an energy field that could be absorbed or transferred to a living being.” He shook his head. “Your ancestry, your bloodline, nothing matters without access to that primordial energy and unless Ravok plans on flying a rocket to some dying star, I can’t see how he plans to accomplish this feat.”
A faint tendril of hope wrapped around my rattling heart. “Well, that’s good. Because I don’t plan on being around to jumpstart some new species.”
Malachi didn’t smile, he just looked more serious.
“There’s something you should know. Ravok is the last remaining Elder,” Malachi murmured softly. “Caine and Lilith are gone, the rest of the Thirteen perished a month ago. There is a good reason he chose this exact moment for his rebirth, and there is a reason Romulus said what he did.”
“You think this…transformation thing is possible.” Fear seeped through my bones, my flesh, my heart, weighing me down like I was drowning.
“I think they think it’s possible.” Another bolt of lightning struck, closer this time. “And it doesn’t much matter if they don’t have all the pieces, Vicious, if they take you, they will hurt you.”
The shudder that went through him shook the entire room like an earthquake, a tremor of pure pain that brushed over my skin, leaving goosebumps. “They willfucking hurt you.”
“They won’t touch me, because you won’t let them,” I said fiercely. “Like you already said, they don’t have this...cosmic energy needed to make the change happen.”
“The Terminus,” Malachi murmured. “It’s called the Terminus. The End, the closest thing to a god our kind can have. Ravok would like that,” He squinted at the rain pounding against the glass. “Being worshipped, everyone on their fucking knees before him.”
“But that won’t happen. Because we’re going to stop him.” My eyes darted frantically to the door, another crack of lightning—closer, this time—peeling the silence apart.
“Not if he’s seen a way.” His eyes met mine, the same horror etched in them as was clawing at my chest right now.
