“Hello little one.”

Lumi is so smart and so fun. She figured it out pretty quickly.

“Hello, Aria. That is who you are, are you not?”

I give my lips a lick and feel my grin grow wider.

“Indeed, I am, but I am not. Well, I used to not be Aria, but I have been for the past 13 years or so.”

“You are the source of her vampirism, are you not?”

I grab Lumi’s body, and stand up before moving onto the sofa. Sitting down I place her on my lap, and our eye levels align.

“Indeed. I am the ***** of Vampires, and I integrated into Aria’s body after my last one died.”

Little Lumi tilts her head, of course she’s confused.

“Yes, we can die. No, not by normal means, but that is not important right now, is it?”

Little Lumi shakes her head.

“Are you what she refers to as the beast she awoke?”

I let out a little giggle, this girl is so much fun.

“Yes and no. I am no beast, but I did wake up in response to our desire to protect our *******.”

Little Lumi’s eyes widen, and I can see the gears spinning in her head, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place.

“I am your *******?”

“Yes little one, you are. You have been since the first day, it’s why our emotional link exists.”

“I see.” She tilts her head. “Then Megan?”

I shake my head at Little Lumi. “No. She is a potential one, but we have not accepted her. It would require consent from the primary *******, but only after we accept her.”

“Are there any advantages to being a *******?”

I let out a little laugh and move one hand to stroke Little Lumi’s back.

“Indeed, but I will let you discover that for yourself.”

“Is Aria’s, main personality? Sleeping right now?”

Keeping her in place with the hand on her back I raise the other one and tap my chin.

“No. We aren’t separate in that way. We are one an the same, you can see it as the current me being the future Aria, once we fuse. Think of me like an integrated AI, except I am a living being. No little Lumi, what you are thinking is not the case. I only select a new ***** once the previous one dies.”

“Then how do you fuse completely?”

I give her a giggle and peck her cheek. “Mmm, let’s just say you’ll know, but for that to happen we have to turn on what we have turned off.”

Little Lumi let’s out a content sigh. Another giggle escape my lips. She’s so smart, she already knows.

“Can you tell me about your history?”

“Mmm, I can. We were given existence from the minds of men. During the early stages of mankind, our Goddess wanted to give birth to her own race, and she used the last of her faith to create me. I am the first, and I will be the last.”

“Wait, Goddess?”

“Indeed little one. Why do you think we can not utter the name of the false deities? Most of them are real, but they are dormant. The minds of men and their faith combines with universal forces to create deities. They protect this world from outside interference, but they are not true deities. Our Goddess is a true deity, born from the cosmos, and not faith or belief. Of course, believers strengthen her powers, but they are not necessary for her to live, like the false deities.”

“Does that mean you remember everyone before Aria?”

“No, it does not. I retain their knowledge, but memories and personal experiences are purged once the previous ***** dies, so I take the shape of my current host.”

Lumi brings a hand to her face and facepalms, I can only imagine what she is thinking.

“Then there are others?”

“Indeed. I do not remember who, what or when, but they are out there. Some of the vampires are, ‘friendly’, while others want to destroy me and take my place. One calls himself the ****, but he will never be one. Do not fret little one, for we are undiscovered, and we would need to become stronger before the ****** ** **********.”

“Will ‘other’ Aria remember this conversation?”

I look into Lumi’s blue eyes, happy that our first ******* is someone like her.

“Yes, although certain words will be scrambled. Of course, you can tell her if you want, but there is a reason she does not yet understand them.”

Feeling the restlessness of myself, I understand.

“Little Lumi, we have to go into hibernation for a few hours. We have a lot to process and discover. I will leave you with a little gift, you will not be able to use it yet, but you will understand it.”

Pressing against Little Lumi’s back, I press my lips onto hers. As she closes her eyes I slip my tongue with knowledge and intertwine with hers. For a few moments the world disappears around us, before I pull back.

“Remember little one. We have to turn on what we have turned off, accept and act on it. I hope you will keep us on the correct path, that is your primary task as our ******. You are our primary shield and anchor. Oh and Little Lumi?” She looks at me. “Good luck.”

I give her a last grin as her face flushes.

“Mmm. Sorry Lumi, I’m tired, that was, a lot. I’ll have to go into hibernation for the rest of the evening I think.”

Realising the position we’re in, I curse myself for being awake but not aware. It is a weird sensation, but I finally understand more of myself.

‘Sleep well, me.’

My body shuts down, and I go into hibernation.