Chapter 29
They left Ivan to watch TV with a blood bag and headed to the park with a picnic basket full of delicious mushroom stew with herbs and two wine bottles full of blood.
When they made it there, there was just one free table left. They sat on it, Dimitri and Nikola on one side, Malkav opposite them, and Dimitri unwrapped the food.
Nikola sent a nervous glance at the surrounding people, but they didn’t seem to be paying them any attention.
“Don’t worry, as far as they are concerned, we are speaking about the stock market and playing chess,” said Dimitri and Nikola raised his eyebrow.
“How did you pull something like that off?” Dimitri tapped his lips and Nikola slowly leaned in to peek him on them.
“Devil, remember? Little I can’t do,” Dimitri was smug after that and Nikola stared in amazement. People were not staring at them, even after the kiss. That was all the proof he needed.
“Now, you wanted to know about ghouls?” Asked Malkav, a little put off to be left out of the conversation.
“Yes. In the videos, Dimitri attempted to turn me into one,” Malkav glared at Dimitri who chuckled nervously.
“I wasn’t in my right mind. Believe it or not, it took tough love from you and anger management classes from a Ventrue to get me back to normal,” and even your normal is demanding, thought Nikola to himself.
“Ghouls are the servant of the Kindred. They drink our blood, and they gain increased life and vitality. But the trade-off is that they suffer from mood swings when the blood in their system gets metabolized. More than one has torn their family because they were crazy with withdrawal.”
Nikola stared at Malkav with wide eyes. Then, slowly, he turned to Dimitri.
“You wanted to do that to me?” Nikola’s voice was covered with betrayal and Dimitri looked guilty, for once.
“I was just beginning to appreciate you, back then. But, you used to always remember in a couple of days. The day of your first death. So, I needed assurances. But then, you offered me love, so, I figured that if you fall for me, you won’t attempt to get my head on a spike,” Nikola shook his head.
“To become a ghoul is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, and you attempted to trick me into it!” Dimitri shushed him with a look, but Nikola’s eyes remained narrowed.
“I am not perfect, ok? I am demanding and selfish, and was like that before I became the Devil. And, in a few days, when you remember everything, you will come to the same realization,” Nikola looked down at his steaming stew. He needed to distract himself from all this, so, he began to eat.
“What else can you tell me about ghouls, apart from you using them as brood mares and breeding new ones with more potent blood?” Malkav reached out a hand across the table, and Nikola gripped it with his free hand.
“The ghoul takes the traits of their Kindred master. For example, a Malkavian ghoul would suffer from insanity and be connected to the madness network. The hive mind I ended up creating after the first attempt at my destruction,” Nikola nodded. It was probably a blessing for the ghouls Malkav kept that he was no longer insane.
“And a Toreador ghoul will become more artistic. Do you like the stew?” Nikola allowed the olive branch Dimitri was giving him and nodded.
“Your food is, as always, to die for,” Dimitri preened at that and Malkav snorted.
“How good could it possibly be?” Dimitri frowned at Malkav and stared pointedly at Nikola. Deciding to defend the food before him, Nikola spoke.
“The mushrooms are practically creamy, the souse is the right among of buttery and the herbs make the whole stew fresh and filling,” Dimitri beamed at him and Nikola smiled despite himself. “Now, can you both tell me of the clans?”
Malkav squeezed his hand and Dimitri made him a by your leave sign.
“The Malkavians suffered from a mind disorder, but you already knew that. Now, we can walk in the sunlight with clear minds, thanks to you. I wish to make the clan one of scholars. I am thinking of having University attendance something each of us must do, myself included,” Nikola imagined Malkav in a university with hipster clothing and a laptop and thought that it would fit the angel.
“And you are going to the University with me. I consider you a part of my clan,” Nikola opened his mouth to protest, but Dimitri placed a finger on his lips.
“Niki here has had lifetimes to go to universities and even military schools. When he remembers, he can tutor you on practically anything,” spoke the blond. Nikola raised an eyebrow. Why had he done such a thing when the only thing he wanted to do with his life was to make candy?
“Because you needed knowledge to get rid of me. There was this one time you hijacked a space shuttle and threw me at the sun. I died the moment I went into the vacuum,” Nikola’s eyes widened. He had done what?
“How did I pull something like that off?” He was almost ready to believe that Dimitri was playing with him.
“Well, you were working for NASA and the shuttle was supposed to go off that day anyway. Then, I appeared inside to mock you at launch, and you lost it. Piloted the whole thing in the sun, dying in the process. But not before throwing me in the cold dead space. That was my worst death by far, morsel,” Nikola didn’t know what to do, bar one thing.
“I am sorry,” he murmured, and Dimitri snaked an arm around his shoulders.
“No harm done, I deserved it, plus, it might as well have never happened. Besides…”
Nikola blinked as a sudden pain in his head appeared. Then it increased as if something was putting him to a press. He dropped the spoon and fell into Dimitri’s arms as both vampires looked on, panicked.
