The Impossible Task

"It's Viktor." He said softly. "I'm surprised you haven't asked about him."

For a moment Tori felt dizzy, as if she had taken a strong punch to the face. Alexander was right, aside from her recent visit to Viktor's house, she hadn't really put in much thought towards her brother's well being. However, after a while she spoke up.

"I know he gave up his powers," she replied. "Nothing else matters beyond that."

"Really? Oh."

Tori lifted her eyes and met Alexander's penetrating gaze. "He is... well right, Alexander?" She asked almost immediately. At the other vampire's slight hesitation, she asked again in a furious rush. "Oh, for heaven's sake! Is he well, Alexander?"

Alexander hesitated a bit, but then began in a slow scowl. "He and that human are now married, and are expecting a child soon. They even live in a motor home." He said, bristling with distaste. Exactly what you'd expect from them weird creatures."

Tori laughed, amused at Alexander's statement, but the sound of the laughter was a bitter one because she had realized the danger. "You've been following Viktor about, haven't you?" She accused, her expression dead serious. "You idiot—you've probably set half the ghouls of creation on his trail!"

The accusation made Alexander draw himself up in annoyance. As usual, he wore tailored evening clothes and a cape, and in one hand he held a very expensive top hat and a staff on the other.

"I veiled myself," he said scathingly, staring down his nose at a thoroughly undaunted Tori. "No other blood-drinker, not you or even the vampire queen herself, would have sensed my presence." He then seemed to deflate a little, though the change was almost imperceptible, Tori sensed it.

"The truth is I needed a distraction. I'd forgotten what mundane lives humans lead," Alexander said while examining his perfectly manicured and buffed fingernails. "Besides, I was bored within a week."

Alexander raised his head and met Tori's gaze. Tori was frowning, being unusually adept at such things, even for a vampire. Alexander read her thoughts, smiled gently then reached out to raise her chin.

"There, now," he said. "Don't be worrying about Viktor, my sweet. Only the vampire queen has reason to quarrel with your brother, and I've stolen all memories of him from her mind."

"And how did you manage that?" Tori asked, visibly surprised. "Don't tell me you approached her again, after your last encounter with her!"

"It was easy," Alexander scoffed. "When her plan backfired and she herself was almost caught in the light of sun. She was badly disfigured, and doesn't even rise to feed most nights."

Tori left her stool and went to the tall leaded windows on the other side of the room that looked out over London. "The vampire queen lies dormant?" She asked casually. Tori knew how cunning and mischievous the vampire queen was, but also knew she wasn't deceiving Alexander; it was impossible.

"For the most part," Alexander replied, moving silently to her side and pretending to be interested in the lights of the city.

"I now see why you've come," Tori said. "You hope to destroy her, and you need my help to do it."

Alexander stayed silent for some seconds, then spoke, and when he did, his voice was oddly hoarse and grim with determination.

"Carmilla is a scourge on the earth. She is a pandemic to both mortals and immortals alike," he said. "When she rallies—and believe me, Tori, she will. She will bring death and destruction, to all beings. I have seen her return from her monumental sulks over the centuries. She goes on rampages, feeding on the innocents, changing most of her victims into Vampires, and killing those who are too weak to make the transition. It must not be permitted to happen again."

"Why.. me? Why do you want me to help? Surely, there are others who are more older and more powerful."

"I think you know the answer to that question, Tori," Alexander replied camly. "Carmilla is the undisputed queen of all vampires, and you, my difficult darling, are her undisputed rival." He paused. "Or successor if you prefer. Although I like to make use of rival, as it has this usurper touch to it."

Tori said nothing for a considerable amount of time. She was particularly hungry and rather weak, having missed her feeding that night. Though Alexander had a perchant for high drama, she knew deep down that the older vampire wasn't on one of his dramatic episodes. Finally, she turned up to look at him. "Suppose I tell you I have no desire to be the vampire queen? What if I simply want to go on living strictly for myself, the way I always have?"

One would have mistaken Alexander's smile for a smirk, but even he would not have dared that, for he knew she was his equal, both in power and in skill. "I would not believe you—there is something of your herioc brother in you. Besides, you have no choice in the matter as it is, my darling." He paused, then looked away. "It seems to be fated."

"Fated," Tori scoffed, though she felt troubled. "Nothing is fated for our kind—we are not a natural creation, or have you forgotten?"

"Alas," Alexander said with a sigh, "you are right darling, but you are also wrong. Our kind came into being on Atlantis, some decamillenniums ago. Some thousand years later, other supernatural creatures waged war against us and we were nearly destroyed. We were forced into hiding, and then, in meditation of the elders saw a vision—a battle between Carmilla and a new queen, blessed—if that's the proper word—with powers more formidable than any other blood-drinker has ever possessed."

"And what does that have to do with me?" Tori snapped, fearing the responsibilities that would be thrust upon her, whether she desired it or not. Though she would have preferred to be spared the grief Viktor had caused her, she like her existence just the way it was. "There are strong female vampires, you know. It doesn't have to be me. Take your friend Lysandra, for instance. And then there's Astrid—"

"Stop this childish act at once!" Alexander snapped, interrupting Tori with a commanding wave of one hand. "Lysandra is not to be trusted with matters this critical, and it is rumored that Astrid consorts with Angels. There is no one but you. You have to help me destroy Carmilla before she regains her former strength and wreaks havoc on both worlds."

Tori was baffled. "Since when do you care, Alexander?" She asked. "Pardon my saying so, but you aren't known for your generosity—especially on matters concerning mortals."

Alexander turned his head for a moment, but Tori felt the fathomless grief he emitted. Don't tell me he misses Viktor, she thought, oh my goo—he does misses him.

"I've changed," he said finally, then turned to face her again, with a mischievous and slightly haunted grin. "I think."

Tori felt a rush of affection for him, and though she did, she offered no response to his statement. Instead, after a moments had passed, she sighed and said, "I must feed—it'll be sunrise soon."

"You'll think about what I've said?" Alexander asked, almost immediately.

She gave a reluctant nod and watched as the other vampire drew back, swirled his expensive cape, and vanished into a shifting vapor. Tori had never known another vampire with Alexander's inclination for showmanship.