Black Blood

‘You’re throwing your life away, Novak!’ At Myles’ irritating remark I raise my cigarette in my hands, above my head. I don’t reply, don’t answer back.

The little houses, tents and the big main building come into my sight. Vampires have lived in the woods since time immemorial, mainly for the little light. There used to be some vampires who ignited in the sun, but fortunately that has faded over the years.

We have no king, general or alpha. We have a mayor who holds the camp together and makes decisions. Should I have the misfortune that my father is the mayor, Myles his successor and I nothing at all. Not that I’ve ever longed to be mayor, I’d rather not. Unfortunately, not wanting is less valued than not being able. It is expected that you have a goal in life that you want to achieve something. I have no goal and no intention of achieving anything.

With a camp of over 500 vampires, my dad thinks Myles needs help, I don’t share that opinion. I think Myles is perfectly capable, together with Sara, to suffer this camp and leave me alone. Myles already has plans to propose to Sara, claim her and have children with her.

I have no intention of ever marrying anyone, of being tied to anyone at all. I enjoy the free life. Meanwhile, I have walked into the camp.

The hundreds of tents and small houses are built in curves around the trees. Morning begins to give way to afternoon, life begins to appear in the camp. Vampires leave their homes, start breakfast, bring their children to school or go to work.

Strangely enough, we are a simple people. Nobody has a job, jobs do not exist here. The camp runs on consistency. Everyone takes a place that he or she is good at.

Money is not a thing either, something I had to get used to when I left the camp for the first time. My father thinks money is nonsense. Why would money be needed if everyone is sharing anyway? It is not as if you can buy blood, water is abundant and the rest of the food is shared. If you want a new chair or table, you trade or pay in return. I don’t entirely agree with this sharing culture, but apparently it works.

The only good thing it brings, in my view, are the communal dinners that take place every evening in the clearing. A big campfire, booze, food and talking vampires. They are fine memories from my childhood. I look around the camp and see myself playing tag with Thimon and Myles. A small smile graces my lips. This is not my place but that doesn’t mean I don’t have good memories of it.

Just as I am about to throw away my cigarette butt and walk into the main building, I notice a group of vampires. They seem to be standing around something, something big. My curiosity wins over my agenda, my father can wait. I throw the cigarette butt in the grass and start walking towards the group.

The closer I get, the more screams I hear. I push the first vampires aside, continuing my way through the crowd. I push myself forward through the crowd to see what everyone is so excited about. I get a few annoyed looks, but I don’t care for a second.

My breath is taken away at the sight, a beautiful black dragon stands in the middle of the crowd. My knowledge of dragons is broad so I can immediately place the dragon as a nazu. There is only one kind of black dragon, one of this size at least. The animal is almost two and a half metres tall, its scales glistening in the sunlight.

I wonder what a nazu is doing here, with no apparent reason or night rider. A nazu is the regular dragon of the four night riders, which makes him extra special. Night riders hardly ever show themselves, they are rare.

The animal does not seem to have any intention of attacking; it stands dead still at the edge of the camp. Its black eyes shoot back and forth.

Dozens of vampires have gathered around the dragon, all interested in what the dragon is doing here.

I notice that the dragon is getting restless because of the group around him, his legs start to move and his wings glide over the grass.

‘He is attacking!’ I see a man next to me take a knife out of his halter and aim it at the dragon. The dragon makes itself bigger, opens its wings and whips around. A few vampires are thrown through the air, falling into the grass dozens of metres away.

I stand still, watching the strange behaviour of the animal. Why doesn’t it fly away? Why doesn’t it attack? It doesn’t look wounded. I silently put my hand on the arm of the man next to me, push his hand with the knife back down. If he is not wounded and has no intentions of attacking then he is protecting something.

The dragon continues to move uncertainly with its wings, mainly because more idiots have thought of aiming their knives at it. I walk past the dragon, past the vampires. I look inquiringly at the dragon, looking for what it is protecting. The dragon follows me with his eyes.

‘Attack him!’ Myles’ words travel past the trees. Then my eye falls on what the animal is protecting, or rather who he is protecting.

‘No!’ I stop the vampires and their knives before they can injure the animal.

‘He’s dangerous Novak,’ Myles protests. I don’t respond to my self-righteous brother’s protest. I walk back to the front of the dragon, back to its head. The dragon’s black beady eyes follow every move I make. I slowly extend my hand to the dragon’s head. Its great head slides in a curve towards my hand, its nose running over my skin. I know that dragons have a very good nose, for smell and intention. Dragons can sense what intention you have with them, they never attack without reason.

‘Novak what are you doing?’ The dragon’s eyes shoot to Myles, who has now come to stand behind me.

‘Ignore him, trust me.’ I whisper to the dragon, hoping he will let me. The dragon’s nose brushes over my hand for the last time before he lowers his head, the sign that he trusts me. I smile slightly and nod gratefully at the dragon.

I push myself off the ground and jump on its back. With a graceful bow, I land on the black scales, bend my knees and look at the lady. An unconscious lady, not much older than twenty, lies on the dragon’s back. I gently brush a tuft of hair from her face and am shocked by what I see.

The lady’s face is bandaged and blue, her lip torn and her cheeks sunken. I turn her gently on her back and try to find a reason for the situation. The dress she is wearing tells me that she is a lady of rank, a highborn. The black dress is full of diamonds and lace. Her eyes are closed, her hair is tousled and she is not wearing shoes.

I put my fingers on her neck to feel her heartbeat, even though I can hear it. It is low, as is her breathing.

‘Novak what are you doing there?’ I try to ignore Myles and don’t answer. I put my hands under the lady’s knee and back, lift her off the dragon. I stand up straight, jump off the dragon’s back and look at Myles in his surprised eyes.