Free Cognata: A Vampire Romance by Jedaiah Ramnarine

1932

    I never expected this day to come like this. The veil of being under some sort of untouchable ignorance, bested my ability to read the signs. There must have been a flotilla of boats on the sea's horizon, with armed men on a crusade; carrying their pitchforks and flaming torches.
    They amassed orderly and quietly, but their ill intent filled the air. I watched from the parapets, as the sea of torches formed in front of our sanctuary.
    "Reveal yourself fiends! Your unholy dealings are over in this world!" One of the pathetic priests shouted at our doors.
    Aristide warned me of this day. He was adamant it would come. He was also prepared, even before he met me and made me his own - Aristide had already devised a plan to deal with this regrettable outcome. To say this whole thing was our fault could not be further from the truth. In fact, it was not at all. We'd spread some rumors, sure, and yet it would be nothing grand enough to incite and inspire men to take up their holy insignias and go raging into the unbothered night. This was the doing of Caelinus and Hyginos. The mischievous duo who I'd come to know as the orchestrators of our misfortune. The same two Aristide was most displeased to see.
    In their ravenous, careless quest to find Halona's spawn, they'd feasted on whoever's blood they felt the thirst for at whatever time they desired. They raped them, distorted their shapes and murdered them without any remorse. They did not care for the beast within. For as beautiful and handsome men as they were, they were monsters. Only a subtle mask that worked occasionally to hide their venom-coated fangs.
    The banging continued - thud! Thud! Thud!
    "Do you have everything?" Aristide asked me while I looked outside pitifully.
    The thought crossed my mind: I hadn't gotten a chance to say goodbye to my parents. I'd been watching over them for the past 2 years, like a phantom prowling in the shadows, I kept watch on them. I'd think about them, try to let them know through pushing my thoughts upon the deaf ear - that their girl, their Alexia, would be okay. I knew the day would come where I'd depart for distant shores and I always thought I'd have the chance to tell them 'goodbye' before I left.
    How stupid of me...
    "Alexia!" Aristide's deep octave snapped me out of my trance.
    "I'm ready." I reached for the only bag I was allowed to take.
    Part of me began growing a distinct distaste for the one they called Halona. Was I truly to believe all this trouble would be worth fighting over? What was the difference between the Cognati and the iconoclasm? They were searching for a new icon too. The thudding grew louder as Aristide led me to the back passage. They'd soon break in, but they wouldn't find us there. We could have fought for our little castle. Put those maniacs down like the rabid dogs they were, but it would be in our best interest that we did not.
    Attracting the attention of more Cognati would be our undoing. Mine in particular, since I did not belong to any sect. I was an unwanted child, only cared for by my maker. It hadn't been but a few weeks since the order's hounds went out searching for Halona's lineage; needless to say, they did not find it, precisely as Aristide predicted. Yet they were unsatisfied in their grief, so they turned my own city against me. Ironic how this chapter of my life should end. I would never have the chance to see my family again. Even if I attempted to return after this whole fuss was over, they might, by the time, be dead.
    We escaped by boat, whereupon we bought passage on a ship to a far off shore - far away from the perils of our kind. I thought I'd be the one full of tears and regret, yet I was the solemn one, struggling to keep it all under control. Aristide, despite his carefully placed, complex outer shell, was both visibly furious and deeply saddened. He'd grown fond of the place, grown fond of me and now we were off to unknown seas.
    I can't remember exactly how long we sailed over