The Monster Inside: The First Vampire 270 A Poem in a Prison

Despite it's name, the brig inside the Yilish ship was a cut above the last Brig Aegin had seen. That had however been on a Pirate ship, and he had been on the other side of the bars. Still, seeing the Priestess sitting with a cup of tea with a small chair and table beside a cot in her cell seemed counter-intuitive. Was she a prisoner or a guest? The bars were the only thing that seemed to really differ from his own room.

Gelling sighed, "I'll give you fifteen minutes. Then you'll have to leave".

"Thank you, I appreciate it," said Aegin.

Gelling nodded then turned and headed back out, into the main hall, leaving Aegin and the Priestess staring through the bars at one another. After a moment of silence, the Priestess sighed.

"Well, this is surprising," she stated, "Even with all the blood drinking you didn't seem like the gloating type. I suppose the white lie that got me stuck in here should have given it away".

"Don't blame me for your stupidity, you're the one that jumped before you knew what you were up against," said Aegin, "And were unprepared for the consequences".

The Priestess sighed, "Yes, thank you, I've had nearly two days to contemplate that particular decision. From what they tell me I have at least one more before we reach the next Port".

"I see you've been made to be comfortable," said Aegin.

"You're not here for idle chatter, I know that much," said the Priestess, "And if you're not here to gloat it must be something else. It may seem like I have all the time in the world but I really don't care for the company of a monster".

Aegin couldn't help but chuckle at the term, "Monster? Well, I suppose I am. There are different levels of monster though. And each is subjective. I won't pretend that I'm ever going to agree with you on it. You're a Priestess of the Holy Order after all, you've literally been made to be the opposite of what I am. Have you ever thought that to me, you're the monster? The one who hunts me when all I'm doing is trying to have a decent meal. Well, I suppose my meals are not decent in the slightest. After all, I made sure to only partake from those who had ill intentions".

The Priestess' eyes narrowed, "So you fully admit that it was you?"

Aegin raised an eyebrow, "Did you not already know that? After all, as much as I want to tease you for making that foolish decision to come after me, you were following your instincts. You knew what I was and you pursued me to stop me".

"And I will," she stated.

Aegin smirked, "I don't think so. You've got no idea what you're up against. You, who grew up in a world where only Order existed. You know nothing of Chaos".

"So you're saying you've had encounters with the Holy Order before?" asked the Priestess.

"No. Wannabes perhaps, but not the real deal," replied Aegin.

"But you...weren't you born into Chaos?" asked the Priestess.

"Were you born as a Magician?" asked Aegin.

"You were...you were turned into this?"

Aegin sighed, "Not everything is in black and white as you seem so intent on making it. The lines blur more often than not".

The Priestess sighed, "If you're trying to talk me out of killing you, you won't succeed. You must need to feed often. You won't survive a journey all the way to the Western Continent without feeding on someone on this ship, and I won't let you do that".

Aegin raised an eyebrow, "And I don't think you're in a position to be threatening me".

"It's only a day to the next Port. Once my Paladins show up, there won't be any way out for you," said the Priestess.

"Oh, there'll be a way out. It'll just be a mighty inconvenience," said Aegin, "After all, I really don't want the Holy Order to get their Priestess and...Paladins, was it? To get those back in coffins. Or urns as the case may be. You burn bodies, don't you?"

"You're fast, but you can't possibly stand against seven of us, not with the aid of our great gods-"

Aegin couldn't help but snort, "Did it look to you like the Great Gods helped your Paladin the other night? I admit, he was almost fun to play with. It got rather boring quickly though".

The Priestess paused, "You...you were expecting him..."

Aegin nodded, "I couldn't work out how you were tracking me until I found it had to do with the state I settle into when I hunt.. That was enlightening".

"That's how you managed to evade us at the docks," said the Priestess.

"You are clever," said Aegin, "Now, I'm interested if you can work out why I would come down here".

The Priestess paused a moment, staring back at him through the bars, then she sighed, "Because I know where you're going".

"That you do," Aegin nodded, "And I'd rather start my new life without the Holy Order breathing down my neck".

"Then you'll have to kill us," said the Priestess.

"That is an option, but as I said, sending you back in coffins would only provoke the Order, and I don't want that either," said Aegin.

The Priestess frowned, "Then how do you...you want to keep me here?"

Aegin shrugged, "That would be ideal, but I don't have the means to keep you imprisoned. So I'll propose a deal instead".

"A deal?" asked the Priestess, scoffing, "No".

Aegin smiled, his fangs flashing as he approached the bars and leaned against them, "I think you'll take it though. Curious?"

"Not in the least," she turned away from him.

Aegin continued to smile, "Well Priestess, if you take my deal. I will have you freed and you can pose as my lover for the duration of the trip to the west where we will part ways".

She began to protest before Aegin continued.

"Of course, I have no interest in you that way either, your blood on the other hand...well, taking a sip of that every day should stop me from taking the odd life on board," said Aegin, "Alternatively, you can be let out tomorrow and hope your Paladins have been able to keep up with the ship for three days straight. If they have, I am very capable of decimating the inhabitants of this ship before you come on board. So what'll it be? A couple of months of your life, or a thousand innocents?"

"If you think you're not a monster after saying that-"

"I never said I wasn't a monster, Priestess," said Aegin, "Just that it's a subjective term. I recommend you contemplate the deal and tell me before we arrive in port tomorrow".

Chapter end