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No more than that； that was my calculation。
The creature wanted me to know he was there。
I turned around and saw a tall； well…muscled and dark…haired figure； clothed in the black robes of a monk。 His face was white and he did nothing to disguise it。 Around his neck he wore a glittering golden crucifix upside down。
〃Marius！〃 he whispered。
〃Damn you；〃 I said in answer。 Yea gods； how could he know my name！ 〃Whoever you are。 Leave me。 Get away from me。 I warn you。 Don't remain in my presence if you want to live。〃
〃Marius！〃 he said again and he came towards me。 〃I have no fear of you。 I e to you because we need you。 You know who we are。〃
〃Worshipers of Satan！〃 I said in disgust。 〃Look at that fool ornament around your neck。 If the Christ exists； do you think He pays any attention to you？ So you still have your foolish little gatherings。 You have your lies。〃
〃Foolish？〃 he said calmly。 〃We have never been foolish。 We do the work of God as we serve Satan。 Without Satan； how could there have been the Christ？〃
I made a dismissive gesture。
〃Get away from me；〃 I said。 〃I want no part of you。〃 In my heart was locked the secret of Those Who Must Be Kept。 I thought of the paintings in the Sistine Chapel。 Oh； those lovely figures； those colors。。。〃
〃But don't you see？〃 he replied。 〃If one so old and powerful as you were to bee our leader； we could be a legion in the catabs of this city！ As it is； we are a dreadful few。〃
His large black eyes were fall of the inevitable zeal。 And his rich black hair shimmered in the dim light。 He was a ely creature； even coated with dust and dirt as he was。 I could smell the catabs on his garments。 I could smell death on him as though he had lain down with mortal remains。 But he was handsome； fine of build and proportion as Avicus had been； not unlike Avicus at all。
〃You want to be a legion？〃 I asked him。 〃You talk nonsense！ I was alive when no one spoke of Satan and no one spoke of a Christ。 You're merely blood drinkers； and you make up stories for yourselves。 How could you believe that I would e to you and lead you？〃
He drew closer so that I could all the better see his face。 He was full of exuberance and honesty。 He held his head proudly。
〃e to us in our catab；〃 he said； 〃e and see us and be a part of our ritual。 Sing with us tomorrow night before we go out to hunt。〃 He was passionate and he waited in silence for my reply。 He was not a stupid creature by any means； and he did not seem callow like the other followers of Satan whom I had glimpsed in centuries past。
I shook my head。 But he pressed on。
〃My name is Santino；〃 he said。 〃I have heard of you for a hundred years。 I have dreamt of the moment when we would e upon each other。 Satan has brought us together。 You must lead us。 Only to you would I give up my leadership。 e see my lair with its hundreds of skulls。〃 His voice was refined； well modulated。 He spoke a beautiful Italian。 〃e see my followers who worship the Beast with all their hearts。 It's the wish of the Beast that you should lead us。 It's the wish of God。〃
How disgusted I was； how much I deplored him and his followers。 And I could see the intellect in him。 I could see the cleverness and the hope of understanding and wit。
Would that Avicus and Mael were here to put an end to him and all his kith and kin。
〃Your lair with its hundreds of skulls？〃 I repeated。 〃You think I wish to rule there？ Tonight I've seen paintings of such beauty I can't describe them to you。 Magnificent works rich in color and brilliance。 This city surrounds me with its beautiful allurements。〃
〃Where did you see such paintings？〃 he asked。
〃In the Pope's chapel；〃 I declared。
〃But how did you dare to go there？〃
〃It was nothing for me to do such a thing。 I can teach you how to use your powers…。〃
〃But we are creatures of the dark；〃 he said in all simplicity。 〃We must never go into places of light。 God has cursed us to the shadows。〃
〃What god？〃 I asked。 〃I go wherever I will。 I drink the blood of those who are evil。 And the world belongs to me。 And you ask me to e down into the earth with you？ Into a catab full of skulls？ You ask me to rule blood drinkers in the name of a demon？ You're too clever for your creed； my friend。 Forsake it。〃
〃No；〃 he said； shaking his head and stepping backwards。 〃Ours is a Satanic purity！〃 he said。 〃You can't tempt me from it； not with all your power and your tricks； and I give my wele to you。〃
I had sparked something in him。 I could see it in his black eyes。 He was drawn to me； drawn to my words； but he couldn't admit it。
〃You'll never be a legion；〃 I said。 〃The world will never allow it。 You're nothing。 Give up your trappings。 Don't make other blood drinkers to join this foolish crusade。〃
He drew closer again； as if I were a light and he wanted to be in it。 He looked into my eyes； trying no doubt to read my thoughts of which he could get nothing except what I had said in words。
〃We are so gifted；〃 I said。 〃There is so much to be observed； to be learnt。 Let me take you back with me into the Pope's chapel to see the paintings I have described。〃
He drew even closer and something changed in his face。
〃Those Who Must Be Kept；〃 he said； 〃what are they？〃
It was like a harsh blow…that once again another knew the secret； a secret I had guarded so well for a thousand years。 〃You will never know；〃 I responded。
〃No； listen to me；〃 he said。 〃Are they something profane？ Or are they holy？〃
I clenched my teeth。 I reached out for him； but with a swiftness that surprised me； he escaped me。
I went after him； caught him； and spinning him around； I dragged him to the head of the narrow stone stairs that went down the hill。
〃Never e near me again； do you hear？〃 I said to him。 He struggled desperately against me。 〃I can kill you by fire with my mind if I choose it；〃 I said。 〃And why don't I choose it？ Why don't I choose to slaughter you all； you miserable vermin？ Why don't I do it？ Because I loathe the violence of it and the cruelty； even though you're more evil than the mortal whom I killed for my thirst tonight。〃
He was frantically trying to get loose from me； but of course he had not the slightest chance。
Why didn't I destroy him？ Was my mind too filled with the beautiful paintings？ Was my mind too attuned to the mortal world to be dragged back into this abysmal filth？ I don't know。
What I know is that I threw him down the stone stairway so that he tumbled over and over again； clumsily； miserably； until he finally scrambled to his feet below。
He glared at me； his face full of hatred。
〃I curse you； Marius！〃 he said with remarkable courage。 〃I curse you and your secret of Those Who Must Be Kept。〃 I was taken aback by his defiance。
〃I warn you； stay away from me； Santino！〃 I said as I looked down at him。 〃Be wanderers through time；〃 I said。 〃Be witnesses of all splendid and beautiful things human。 Be true immortals。 Not worshipers of Satan！ Not servants of a god who will put you in a Christian Hell。 But whatever you do； stay clear of me for your own sake。〃 He was planted there； looking up at me in his fury。 And then it occurred to me to give him a small warning； if only I could do it。 And I meant to try。
I brought up the Fire Gift inside of me； feeling it grow powerful and I quelled it ever so carefully and I sent it down towards him； and willed it to kindle only the edge of his black monkish robes。
At once the cloth around his feet began to smoke and he stepped back in horror。
I stopped the power。
He turned round and round in panic and tore the scorched robes off himself； standing there in a long white tunic staring at the smoking cloth that lay on the ground。
Once again he looked at me； fearless as before； but enraged in his helplessness。
〃Know what I could do to you；〃 I said； 〃and never e near to me again。〃
And then I turned my back on him。 And off I went。
I shivered even to think of him and his followers。 I shivered to think that I should have to use the Fire Gift again after all these years。
I shivered remembering the slaughter of Eudoxia's slaves。