Zeuberg

"My legal name where I currently reside in the city of Liege, Belgium, is Gaspar Valessi. But that is not my real name. The name I was given some 30,000 years ago, when I was born in a Paleolithic settlement in the region that is now called Germany - the name my father gave me shortly after I was voided, bloody and howling, from my mother's womb - is Gon."

So begins the saga of the immortal Gon, a 30,000 year-old vampire. He recounts his mortal life in prehistoric Germany alongside his male companion, Brulde, and his two wives, the Neanderthal Eyya and his Cro-Magnon mate, Nyala. It details the fearsome events that lead to his transformation from man to undying monster.

Chronicles Of An Ancient Vampire

The innkeeper showed me to my room after supper, apologizing for her oversight the previous night. She was a bellicose woman, loud and fussy, but I liked her. She had heard about the day's events and fretted after Friar Justus and I like we were visiting royalty.

"Think nothing of it, Madame," I replied magnanimously. "Friar Justus was kind enough to share his bed with me last night. I was not inconvenienced in the least."

Relieved that I was not offended, she promised to charge me only half the going rate for the previous evening.

"You are a fair-minded woman," I said with a slight bow, and then I bid her good night and shut the door gently on her.

After her footfalls (and mutterings) had receded down the stairs, I crossed the corridor and let myself into Friar Justus's room.

Justus was sitting beside the window, reading his Bible. He looked up when I entered, his face drawn in the sallow light of the lamp. "Signor Fa did not reserve a room here for the night," he said.

"And who is that again?" I asked, shutting the door behind me.

"The fruit seller who lives out by Golub Creek."

"I asked the innkeeper when I did not see him come in. She said he was much relieved that we had killed the Tadic vampires and had decided to go home for the night rather than stay at the inn."

"Yes, most unfortunate, considering the corpses we desecrated today were no more vampires than I," the monk said, setting his bible aside and rising. "If Signor Fa is assaulted by your ghouls tonight, as he was the evening that he related to us, it will be our fault."

"We will go and check on his safety immediately," I assured the young man.

"And that is another thing," Justus said. "Why do you want me to accompany you? What good can it serve? I am no immortal. I do not have your preternatural strength. If you must do battle with those generate creatures, I will only be a hindrance to you."

"Are you frightened?" I asked. "Surely you know that I will protect you."

"Yes, I'm frightened. And I'm exhausted. I have been exhuming the dead and mutilating their corpses all day."

"Then go to bed," I said, a little more hotly than I intended. "I will go and hunt the degenerate ones myself. I do not need your assistance. You are correct. You would only be a liability to me. I only wished to share in this adventure with you."

"Why?" he demanded. "Why did you initiate me into your hellish inner circle? Why do you want me at your side? Why did you pick me?"

"I didn't choose this," I said. "You did."

His shoulders fell. "Your truths have shattered my faith, Gyozo," he murmured. "I am a tattered soul now."

"Then be a tattered soul with me," I said urgently.

"I do not want to be what you are."

"You don't have to be! Believe me, I would not force this curse upon anyone."

Chapter 280 - Last Rites part 11