Chapter 7 - It's all lies!!

Viktoria’s POV

I scanned the books, and I wanted to be careful with them as they didn’t look fake old. They were really old. As I pulled one off the shelf and I felt the texture of the cover, I dropped it on the floor! A shiver ran down my spine as I looked at the book. The cover was made out of skin, not leather! It wasn’t human, and it wasn’t an animal. I couldn’t place what kind it was, but it was definitely skin! I carefully picked it up and shivered as I put it back. I would have to be more careful and was lucky that the book didn’t tear or get damaged. No longer able to slip my finger over the backs of the books for fear I might touch something else I didn’t want to know about, I tried to read some of the titles, but I could see these books had been handled a lot.

I wondered where they would have been stored in the library and who would have spent so much time reading them. I found one that had to do with the history of the first beast and made sure the cover was animal before I pulled it out. I could deal with animal leather. Finding a seat, I made myself comfortable and started reading the account of one of the royal council members.

“September 15th, 1789

For many years, I’ve pondered the idea that our fearless leader is much, much older than any of us can fathom. I even wonder if he is not perhaps a woman. There are many things that do not make sense, but it seems as if I am the only one who thinks this way. I have to keep my thoughts to myself or others may turn on me. However, how else would the first male have been born if not through a woman? But I digress. Today, we experimented on the beasts again. Combining the blood of a wolf with that of a human to create the perfect combination of a large predator that can protect us but is tame enough that we may control it.

Unfortunately, our specimen didn’t survive. It lived longer than its predecessors, which is progress, but it is not yet good enough. There is a wolf pack deep in the mountains of Croatia that looks different and acts differently than the norm and I have requested that some be caught and brought to me. Our time is fast running out and I can see in the eyes of the natives that they suspect something. Soon, our prey will become hunters and we will not stand a chance against their numbers. Maximus has ordered that no new vampires be turned. He wants us to try and breed with humans. His scientific mind is incredible, but I do not see why there is a need for us to do this, since vampires that were turned at an older age are so much more beneficial to our security. Being unable to walk in daylight is also fuelling the human need to portray us as monsters. They are a strange species. They want to be safe and saved from us, but they also create all these impossible myths and monsters that could harm them. None of which actually exists. Their irrational fears are what seems to drive them.

I will have to wait for the new wolf subjects to arrive before I go out to find more humans.”

I frowned. This was not what we were taught. Yes, the ancient created the wolves, but there was never any mention of human subjects being used! Our history teaches us that humans have always lived in harmony with vampires. They wanted vampires to feed on them since their venom was like some kind of drug that put the humans in a state of bliss for a few hours. I also couldn’t believe that there were more humans than vampires at some point. Vampires have always been the dominant species. Created by the saints to rule the world and take care of the weaker humans.

I put the book down on the table beside me and sighed, wondering if I really wanted to read all these lies. I was sure that if the ancient read these, he would lose his mind. He was currently in one of his hibernating cycles. I had never met him since he went into hibernation before I was born and, since it lasted a hundred years, I wasn’t sure if I would ever meet him. Sighing, I walked over to the window and looked out at the square. People were laughing and talking, and it looked like any normal village in the books I read. You would never think that these people could turn into vicious beasts. I wondered if their children could turn, and thinking about it I felt scared for the mothers of those children.

As I thought back to the convent and how Belinda treated me, I wondered how a young pup would keep his beast in check if he was …

“Are you hungry yet?” Fynn’s voice soothed what I was just about to think and the idea fell into the depths of my thoughts. I shook my head. “Not even for a snack?” He tilted his head to one side as if he didn’t believe me, but I shook my head again. “Well,” He sighed. “You have incredible control over your blood lust then.” He walked into the library and I remembered my little stunt from before! If I was really half vampire, they would probably think I needed more blood more often.

“Only half of me is vampire.” I took my seat and crossed my arms over my chest. I guess this wasn’t just about me getting to know them. They were probably just as curious about the dhampir who took over their place next to the vampires. “I don’t have the same blood lust as a full vampire. I can survive with both food and blood or just one of the two.” He sat down beside me and I could see his eyes flashing from the book back to me.

“So? What did you think?” He looked amused and I rolled my eyes.

“It’s all lies or the ramblings of a mad scientist. It wasn’t written by the ancient himself, so how am I supposed to believe it?” I frowned and he laughed. All our teachings were written by the ancient. There wasn't a single book that was written by someone else.

“How far did you get?” That question could have a hidden meaning and I squinted as I looked at him. He wanted to know how fast I could read, more than if I got to know more about their history.

“Not far. I couldn’t stomach the lies.” I crossed my legs and felt his eyes scan over my body. Goosebumps broke out all over my skin and I shivered.

“Are you cold?” He jumped up out of his chair and brought a blanket which he threw protectively over me. “I’m sorry, our home is pretty cool due to the fact that our blood runs a lot warmer than yours." He frowned as he said it. Vampire blood ran cold and the temperature really shouldn't have been bothering me. I wasn’t going to tell him that his eyes on me were what made me shiver and I pulled the soft blanket closer. “What makes you think it’s all lies?” He studied me as he sat down. I had just given him an enormous piece of information about the dhampir and he wanted to know what I was thinking.

“For starters, there were never more humans than vampires. Vampires have always ruled the world.” He laughed at me again and asked what the vampires were teaching us, to which I felt utterly confused. Standing up again, he opened a cupboard, and inside there was a large flat-screen television. I smiled as I hoped to see my father on the screen, but when he switched it on, there was something else.

Humans! Lots of humans! He went through what he called channels and I couldn’t believe there was so damn much! He stopped at what he called a movie and I gasped as I saw what they referred to as a vampire. We watched it and at the end, I was feeling infuriated! First off, vampires weren't pale! They weren’t dead as described in the movie, and they sure as hell didn’t shine! Only the royal males could walk in the sunlight, and no vampire I knew of, worked in the human world!

“Why are you showing me these lies!” I jumped up from my chair, feeling as if my world was spinning out of control. I wanted to get out of here! He was trying to feed me lies so I would turn on my people and tell him all of our secrets! Our teacher told us that beasts weren’t intelligent, but I could see that they knew how to manipulate one’s feelings! I can’t stay in this room. I felt the walls slowly moving in on me. As I felt myself start to hyperventilate, I felt his warm hand on my lower back and we moved outside. It didn’t take long for the fresh cool air to calm my heart and I glared at my capture. “I want to go home.” My voice was calm, but inside there was a storm brewing.