White Domnitor's Arc

Chapter 4 of 4

Miguel walked out of Castle Dracul with his father's warning still cold in his ears. Guard your humans. He needed a spell to hide them, to shield them from the clans. He knew only one place to build such a working. He went to Ali Gamal's workshop, deep in the Hall of Monsters, and brought Renfield with him. Ali did not look up from his desk. Gold pipes and glass vials covered the black stone behind him, all humming with dark blood. He was the vampire who had given Miguel the daylight rite. He had made half the tools every vampire used. "You failed the dawn spell," Ali said. "Now you come back." "Not for the sun," Miguel said. "For my lovers. The clans will hunt them. I want a white spell to hide them from vampire eyes." Renfield hunched by the door. "He means a masking rite," he said. "Ali knows the one." Ali set down a gold tool. "I know it. It draws moonlight to blur a human's scent and trail. But you have no stone left. You burned your reserve on the dawn." "Then I will use my own blood," Miguel said. "My witch blood glows white. I can power it myself." Ali stood. For the first time he looked angry. "You want to strip protection off vampires and give it to humans. Do you hear yourself? Your kind is cursed by Hecate. You would spend your own life to shield beasts we are meant to feed on." "They are not beasts," Miguel said. "To every clan out there, they are." Ali's red eyes narrowed. "I gave you a rite because I honor your father. But this is reckless. A white spell to free humans from us? You will bleed yourself dry and make enemies of all Walachia." Miguel felt the anger, but he did not bend. "Then teach me the words. And let the enemies come." Ali stared at him a long moment. Renfield said nothing. At last Ali turned to a shelf and drew down a thin glass vial. "The words I will give. The blood is yours to spend. Do not blame me for the cost." He spoke the sequence slow. Miguel repeated each word until Ali nodded. Then Miguel cut his own palm above the vial. White light spilled from the wound and filled the glass. His knees buckled. Renfield caught his arm. "Enough," Renfield said. "You've given plenty." Miguel closed his hand. The vial glowed white in his palm. It would mask three of his lovers, no more. But it was done. He had the spell. "You have your shield," Ali said. "You have also made a choice. Word of this will spread. The clans wanted your weakness. Now you have handed them a reason." Miguel looked at the vial. He had protected the ones he loved. He had also declared war.