Deathless (33 page)

Rave had been watching and listening with keen interest. “As would I,” he said.

“
It’s a long story,” Dominic said. “I will try to cover the highlights now, and fill in any questions later. Does that sound okay to both of you?”

“
Yeah, it sounds great,” Leesa said. She could feel her heart beginning to beat faster. She was finally about to get some answers!

45. DOMINIC’S STORY

“
T
o start with,” Dominic said, “I am a wizard. My people were known as waziri. Perhaps Rave has heard the name. My people had dealings with volkaanes many years ago.”

“
Yes, I have heard of your kind,” Rave said.

Leesa sensed a slight lessening in Rave’s guard when Dominic said he was a waziri.

“
Rave mentioned the name to me,” she said, “when I told him about some of the things that were happening.”

“
We are a clan of wizards,” Dominic said. “Or, at least we were.”

“
Were?” Rave asked.

The sadness that descended over Dominic’s eyes was unmistakable.

“
I am the only one left, the only one I know of, at least,” he said after a moment. “The rest are dead—or changed into something no longer recognizable as waziri.”

Leesa did not like the sound of that at all.

“
What happened?” Rave asked.

“
That’s another long story, whose details can wait until another time, I think. In brief, some of my brethren were seduced toward the dark arts and were banished for practicing forbidden magic. One night, they returned and attacked. Though they were fewer in number than us, the battle was never really in doubt. They possessed the same powers we did, and more. The surprise attack and their dark arts were the difference. At the end, there were but two of us left, against more than a half-dozen of the renegades. I survived only because Denethon, the most powerful wizard among us, sacrificed himself so that I might escape and keep the hopes of our clan alive, meager as they might be. I wanted to stay and fight, but Denethon insisted I go. I have no doubt he vanquished one or two more of our enemies before he fell, but fall he did. I felt his life force leave him. Fortunately, by then I was beyond the grasp of our foes.”

“
When did this all happen?” Rave asked.

“
More than a hundred years ago. I have been in hiding ever since, biding my time, hoping one day to right this wrong, or at least to thwart some of their plans.”

“
What are their plans?” Leesa asked nervously.

“
Those who were banished joined with an old enemy,” Dominic replied. “He goes by many names, most of them unpronounceable in your tongue. He is sometimes called the Necromancer.”

Leesa gasped, remembering Dr. Clerval mentioning that name when they were discussing her zombie dreams.

“
You have heard the name before, I see. From Rave, perhaps?”

“
No, from one of my professors,” Leesa explained. “He’s an expert about vampires, but he knows lots of other stuff, too.”

“
What did he tell you about the Necromancer?”

“
I don’t remember, exactly. Something about dead people, though. He didn’t know anything real specific.”

“
The Necromancer seeks dominion over death,” Dominic said. “For centuries, he has sought to raise an army of the dead and to use them to bring the world under his rule. My people long opposed him, until the traitors crossed to his side.”

“
If the Necromancer has been at this for so long, why haven’t we ever heard anything about it?” Leesa asked.

“
You have,” Dominic said. “Human cultures are filled with tales of the walking dead. But you couch them in stories meant to scare children, not as histories.”

Images from her dreams rose up in Leesa’s head. “Are you saying this has actually happened? That the dead have risen from their graves?”

“
Not recently, no. But yes, it has occurred, more than once over the ages. Each time, the Necromancer seems to gain a little more control over them. A hundred years ago, when he began successfully raising the dead in isolated areas of Eastern Europe, the waziri stopped him. We pooled our magic and created a seal between the world of the living and the world of the dead. He has undoubtedly been seeking to break the seal ever since.”

Leesa recalled Dr. Clerval telling her about stories from Eastern Europe of gangs of walking dead attacking villagers. Dominic was confirming those tales were true. She wondered if her dreams were a sign the Necromancer was beginning to penetrate the waziri seal.

“
Do you think that’s where he still is?” she asked. “In Eastern Europe, I mean?”

“
I sincerely hope so,” Dominic said, for that would mean Leesa was still as safe as she could be. “I could locate him if I wished, but doing so would be like lighting a beacon to show him where I am. Indeed, almost any use of my powers would reveal me, and I am not yet ready to face him and his renegade minions.”

Leesa decided it was time to tell Dominic about her dreams.

“
I’ve had several dreams about bodies rising from the grave,” she said.

Dominic’s face grew tight at Leesa’s revelation. “Tell me about the dreams,” he said.

Leesa described her three zombie dreams and then told Dominic how she had later seen something similar to each one on the news. Halfway through her story, Dominic got up from his chair and began pacing around the room.

“
This is ill news,” he said when Leesa finished. “If what you say is true, it means the Necromancer is beginning to learn how to break our seals. I had hoped we would have more time—much more time.”

Leesa stifled a yawn. It was still early—why was she so tired? It certainly wasn’t because Dominic’s story was boring her. She was eager to hear everything he could tell her. So why was she having so much difficulty shaking her fatigue?

“
You are tired,” Dominic said. “Forgive me. I should have expected this, and explained it to you sooner.”

“
What do you mean? Explained what?”

“
The amount of power you employed earlier would have drained even a trained wizard a bit. It has no doubt drained you far more. You need to get some rest. We can continue this tomorrow.”

“
Not yet,” Leesa said. “There’s still one thing I have to know, if I’m going to get any useful sleep. Why did you say you were my father? What did you mean by that?”

Dominic sat back down and blew out a deep breath. “That’s another very complicated story. For now, I’ll try to make it as simple as possible.”

He took a moment to gather his thoughts. Leesa watched him anxiously, wondering where this would lead.

“
You need to understand a little background on the waziri,” Dominic began. “Each of us may pass along our magic but once in our lives. We usually choose a child, someone in whom we sense the proper qualities, and impart out powers to him. From that moment on, we mentor him, training him for the moment he turns eighteen, when his magic becomes active.”

“
You keep saying ‘he’ and ‘him,’” Rave said. “What does this have to do with Leesa? Were not the waziri always men?”

Leesa was suddenly struck by how similar Rave and Dominic spoke. Not in the way they sounded—Dominic had a bit of an accent, similar in some ways to Stefan’s—but in their cadence and the way they put words together. Rave and Dominic both spoke in a slightly stilted manner, a bit formal almost, using few contractions. She wondered if it had to do with growing up so long ago. Perhaps people spoke more formally back then.

“
Yes, the waziri have always been men,” Dominic replied to Rave’s question. “But that was part of my plan.”

“
What plan?” Leesa asked.

“
My plan to stop the Necromancer and his renegade waziri underlings.”

Leesa tried to make sense of what Dominic was saying, but her tired brain was making it difficult. Was he telling her that
she
was part of some grand scheme to stop the evil wizards? She sure hoped not. She’d had enough of this magic stuff and supernatural creatures to last a lifetime—enough of all of them except Rave, of course.

Dominic had been watching Leesa’s face closely. “I think you are beginning to understand,” he said. “I chose to impart my magic to you.”

Leesa’s head felt like it was spinning. Dominic had imparted magic to her? Rave sat down beside her and put his arm around her back. His touch was comforting, as always.

“
How…when?” she managed to ask.

“
Before you were born,” Dominic said. “Before you mother even knew she was pregnant with you.”

Leesa shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“
I was afraid that if I tried to pass my magic along in the traditional way, my foes would detect it,” Dominic explained. “That would have been dangerous for the child, as well as for me. And remember, I only had one chance to do this. So I decided to take a chance, to pursue a different route by choosing an unborn child—a female child. By doing something that had never been done, I hoped for her to elude detection. So far, that part of my plan seems to have worked.” He studied Leesa’s face for a long moment. “Are you with me so far?”

“
Sort of. I think it’ll take me awhile to understand completely.” Leesa yawned again. She really was exhausted.

Rave kissed her hair. “I told you there was more to you than either of us knew.”

“
There is much you still need to hear,” Dominic said, “but I think I have given you enough to digest for now. Besides, you need some rest.”

Leesa smiled. “I can’t argue with that. Rave, will you stay with me tonight?”

“
Of course,” Rave replied. “Nothing could make me leave you right now.”

Leesa leaned her head against his shoulder. She had a lot to think about, but with Rave beside her, she hoped she would sleep peacefully.

“
I will be nearby, keeping watch.” Dominic said. He stood up and moved to the door. “I will see you tomorrow.”

With Dominic gone, Leesa gave in to her exhaustion.

“
I really am tired,” she said. “I want to talk with you about all this, but I hope you don’t mind waiting until tomorrow.”

Rave kissed her hair. “Not at all. Go to sleep, my love.”

Leesa stretched out atop the bed, and Rave lay down beside her. She nestled her head into the crook of his arm. Within moments, she was fast asleep.

46. CHOICES

W
hen Leesa opened her eyes the next morning, Rave was still beside her, smiling. She could not think of any better sight to be greeted by.

“
Good morning, beautiful,” he said.

Leesa smiled. “Good morning to you, too.”

Thin strips of pale daylight outlined her curtains, telling her it was at least eight o’clock. She stretched her arms out over her head, feeling deliciously refreshed. She always slept well with Rave beside her.

“
You slept very peacefully,” Rave said. “It was good to see.”

Leesa ran her fingers through her hair, moving some tangled strands away from her face.

“
Don’t tell me you were staring at me the whole night,” she said, hoping she hadn’t done anything gross, like drooling in her sleep.

“
No, of course not.” Rave kissed her forehead and grinned. “Just most of it.”

“
Ugghh!” Leesa hid her eyes behind her forearm.

“
Don’t worry, you’re beautiful when you sleep.”

Leesa smiled. “Thank you. You look pretty good yourself, considering you spent most of the night watching me.”

“
I told you, volkaanes don’t need much sleep. Did you have any dreams?”