TEARS FROM THE PAST
by Vanessa Delvalle, 1995
delvalle@sju.edu
sequal to Born to Darkness and The Defeat


	 It was a warm summer night in South Beach. The old Coven House 
in the Night Island was bathed by a temperate breeze coming in through the 
windows; the scent of the sea was carried into the house by the warm ocean 
wind.
	It had stopped raining only a few hours ago, after several days of 
tempestuous weather. There was a light on in the house and standing by one
of the windows, the figure of a young girl with dark-brown hair could be
seen. She contemplated the waves caressing the sand, the wind disheveled 
her hair, and the moon reflected in her big-brown eyes. Her sadness could be 
felt in the atmosphere, her lips curved in a sardonic smile.
	Six months had passed since she had left her home, since she had left
Armand and JoAnne... She was running away from the past, trying to forget,
to heal her wounds. Yet, she could still feel the pain...
	She didn't want to think about it anymore; it hurt too much. 
She was away from everything now; she didn't have to remember...but she did.
	This house, so full of ghosts! She had made a bad choice by coming
here. The city of Miami, the place where she had been made was definitely not
a good place to reach oblivion. 
	She wanted to escape from the torment of her memories; it was almost 
impossible. She was trapped between a world of reality and fantasy and she 
couldn't find her way out. 
	"Goddamn you, Armand! I need some money," she muttered again, and
again.

	Outside, another figure moved towards the mansion with unearthly
speed and grace. He paused at the entrance and ran his fingers through his 
long jet-black hair. He threw the door open with preternatural strength and 
made his way through the vestibule and up the stairs of the enormous 
residence.
He stopped for a moment before entering the lit room, this time, walking very 
slowly, with hesitation.
	Without turning around the girl spoke with a tone of command in her 
voice. "Stop right where you are Santino!" She sighed briefly. 
	Ignoring her order, Santino continued to approach the girl.
	"I've been waiting for this moment for many years," he said sadly.  
	"Don't come any closer..." She left her head fall forward and blood 
tears rolled down her cheeks; her white silk robe was stained with the carmine
color of them.
	"Why did you come?" she inquired, trying to compose herself. 
"Why do you disturb my peace?" she hissed.
 	"Please...don't!" Santino drew closer with a deeply drawn frown on
his face. "Don't cry. I can't stand it."
	He tried to embrace Vanessa's petite figure but she bolted to the
other side of the room with vampiric speed.
	Santino thought of the little fourteen year-old girl that he'd once
held in his arms, the warm radiance of her face, the face he had kissed and 
caressed only a decade before.
 	"That was a long time ago," she said, reading his thoughts.
	Santino turned to the window and shut it closed. The sound of the 
sea ceased. Silence reigned in the room.
 	"We must talk..." Santino's voice soft, almost a whisper. "...I think
 you should know---"
 	"There's nothing to talk about!" She interrupted. "I know enough."
	Her vision was blurred by her tinted tears.
                                ******
The images of a young, handsome boy in a hospital room. Tears rolling
down his cheeks. Santino bending over the bed and closing his mouth
on the boy's own rosy lips. A lingering kiss.
	"Come with me my darling" Santino pleaded.
  	"I can't!" The young boy's voice was filled with pain.
 	"But can't you see, otherwise you will die!" Santino's hand touched 
the boy's pale face.
 	"So be it," the boy whispered.
 	"I offer you eternal life...by my side. Don't you love me?" Santino's
face was full of despair.
 	"I do, but I can't live like that." The boy's voice was weak, but his
answer was firm.
 	"You must not love me then!" Santino exclaimed with anger.
	The vampire took his gloves off very slowly, letting his long, 
glass-like nails reflect the whiteness of the hospital room. He passed his 
fingers over the boy's face, and then, touched his lips.
	"I'll ask you once more, will you come or not? We will be happy
  Stefano! Can't you understand? You and I living in Elysium...FOREVER"
	"I will not be damned! I'd rather die."
	Those were Stefano's final words. The Vampire held him in his arms
and sank his teeth into his soft throat, drinking the elixir of life out
of the boy's defenseless body. The boy moaned softly as the last vestige 
of life was leaving him.
	Santino drew away from the lifeless corpse and screamed. The invisible
force of his telekinetic powers broke the windows of the room and started the
fire alarm. He collapsed on the floor, right by Stefano's bed and with his
head buried in between his knees, he wailed.
                              ******

	"I didn't want to do it," Santino spoke, breaking the silence. 
"I loved him...more than you can imagine."
 	"But you killed him," Vanessa responded with melancholy. "You didn't  
love him, you needed him. You were lonely and needed a companion; there was
not such love."
 	Santino was obviously hurt. He walked across the room, gazing from 
side to side. This room was so full of memories--- he had played chess with
Armand here, not long after Akasha had been defeated. Yes, this had been 
Armand's room when the coven of the beautiful and powerful had inhabited the 
 mansion of the Night Island.
	He sat on the king-size bed, and looked at the other vampire.
	She was so beautiful, barely eighteen when she had been made, her 
womanly body was only covered by the long silk robe; Her dark hair shone 
and the expression of her eyes had not been lost---sweet, tender-- Her skin 
had changed, from the olive complexion of her mortal existence; It was now 
pale and translucent- A contrast that added beauty to her dark eyes.
	"Come here, little one, sit by my side." Santino looked at her with a 
pacific expression. "Please."
	Vanessa didn't move. She stood motionless for a few minutes, her 
eyes fixed in vacuity.
	"Please!" Santino begged once again.
	Vanessa finally moved, and advanced towards Santino---walking 
slowly, gracefully. She posed her eyes on the black-haired vampire and he 
shuddered at the reproachfulness of her gaze. She sat next to him and looked 
away. 
	Silence took over once again.
	It was she who spoke first this time,
	"Well, here we are... you and I" she stared at the blood stains in
her robe and sighed.  "I always knew you'd come, sooner or later, I knew 
you would." Taking a deep breath, she continued speaking, "I had dreams 
about you; I saw you many times while I slept. It was the very day of 
my making that I realized who you really were---"
	Santino interrupted, holding her hand between both of his. She didn't
reject him this time. "I know about your dreams. I had dreams about you too."
he paused for a moment and pressed her hand very tight. "I was worried..." 
He thought of the tiny figure of the mortal Vanessa being struck by
Armand's powerful arms.
	"He didn't hurt me," she said after reading his thoughts. "...Well, 
at least not that time." A scornful smile drew on her lips. 
	"How can you say he didn't hurt you? He's been tormenting you since
the day he made you---" Santino yelled.
	"I said, he didn't hurt me *that* time," she interrupted.
	Their eyes met but neither one said a word...
	Silence.


 	The night was lovely outside. Most people in the surroundings of 
the Night Island were already asleep. All lights were off, except for the dim 
light in the room occupied by the two vampires.  Only the sounds of the wind 
and the sea could be heard; the full moon and the stars illuminated the night 
with silver rays.
	Santino thought of the beach, of the soft touch of the sand on his 
skin. Memories from his mortal life came to his mind.
 :Regarding the sunrise from a boat off the Italian coast. The warm rays of 
the yellow star, tanning his beautiful face:
	He had not seen the sun in seven centuries. He missed its warmth.
 	"Yes, the sun" Vanessa said, enjoying the images that Santino had
sent. "Our old friend the sun, a sign of life and strength for the human 
kind, the sun that feeds the flowers and keeps the little children warm
while they swim and play," she paused for a moment and looked away with 
sadness. "The sun, sign of death for us, The Children of Darkness."
She pulled her hand away from Santino and stood up.
	 "Let's take a walk by the beach." Santino's voice sounded appealing,
inviting. "I would like that very much...especially if you'd come along."
	He stood up from the bed and extended his hand to her, a charming 
smile on his lips. Vanessa was haunted by the beauty of his onyx eyes.
 	"Very well, we shall go." Vanessa turned and started her way towards
the door, leaving Santino's hand outstretched.
	Santino let his hand down, closing it on a fist; he trembled---how 
much hatred could she feel for him?
	 "Aren't you coming?" The female fiend turned to look at him 
questioningly.
	 He walked with extraordinary speed, catching up with her in a 
fraction of a second. 
	In silence, they walked out of the house and reached the beach in
an instant. The moon and the stars formed a layer of brilliant diamonds in 
the firmament; the froth of the sea resembled the clouds of the sky...
	Santino's face brightened with joy, the sight of the ocean had always 
pleased him, even as a young mortal boy--- he'd loved walking by the beach.
	Vanessa lay down on the sand, letting her robe slid down from her
body, exposing her perfect nudity to Santino's eyes. He did the same. 
He quickly removed his green silk shirt and the black wool pants that he'd 
been wearing. He took off his shoes and socks, and laid on the sand, next to 
the other vampire.
	Vanessa laughed as she noticed the kind of clothes that Santino
was wearing. "You are lucky you don't feel the heat the way humans do; 
those pants are not appropriate for this kind of weather."
	Santino nodded and he also burst into laughter.
	Vanessa's expression changed back to the initial sadness; she admired
the peaceful sky and thought of Armand---she missed him.
 	"You really love him, don't you?" Santino inquired as he placed his
hands in the back of his head and closed his eyes, trying to relax.
	Vanessa answered with passion and excitement, a spark of love in 
her dark eyes. "I do. Without him nothing makes any sense. I live for him and 
by him...I miss him so much." She was forced to stop speaking by her sobs.  
Santino gazed at her with the corner of his eyes and sighed.
	"Why don't you go back to him then?" he said.
	The young girl tried to calm herself to answer; she was unsuccessful
her voice cracked, tears rolled down her face, landing on the sand.
 	"I can't...JoAnne is there and ...Why do you care?" She sounded
irritated.
	"I do care! More than you can imagine!" Santino said.
	"I don't believe you! You lie."
	"No, I don't lie. Why don't you tell me about *her*"
	"What do you want me to tell you?" She answered, staring at him,
wondering what he was thinking.
	"Whatever you want to tell me. I've never met her, but I've heard
about her from the others," Santino said quietly.
	"She is a demon. I hate her!" She muttered.
	"She was with Lestat, you know...She might still be with him now."
	"I couldn't care less! She should be in hell, for that's where she
belongs!"
 	She stood up and ran towards the water, much to Santino's surprise, 
she immersed into the sea. He followed her. 
	The water felt cool and pleasant as it splashed his hardened skin, his
wet ebony hair and his beautiful anatomy were a feast to Vanessa's eyes.

	After cleaning the last signs of blood on her face, Vanessa made 
her way back to the spot where she had been laying down. She looked
at Santino, and for a moment, she thought of the love she had felt for him in 
her mortal life...
	Her thoughts were interrupted by Santino's voice. "All that lives
must die," he said, referring to Stefano's death.
 	"ALL?...except for us!" She replied sarcastically, hatred flashing
in her eyes.
	"Vanessa, you must listen to me."
 	"I don't want to!" 
 	"Shut up Vanessa! Shut the hell up, and now you'll listen to me."
Santino shrieked consumed with anger. He had been waiting to talk to this 
little devil for over 10 years, and she was going to listen to him quietly. 
Even if he'd have to cut her tongue to make her silent.
 	"My tongue? Like Mekare's?" She asked incredulously. Laughter.
	She swung around abruptly and tried to leave, but was caught by
Santino's powerful arms. Vanessa struggled to free herself from his embrace, 
and then, she felt his immortal kiss in her neck. He was drinking from her, 
taking her to ecstasy.
	Their bodies lay on the sand, the wind caressed their alabaster 
skin. Silence. Santino feasted on her blood with insatiable desire, 
delectating on the deafening sound of her heartbeat.
	He drew away and offered his throat to her. Her eyes were full of 
lust.
	They drank from each other; the pounding rhythm of the drums...ice, 
fire...the universe...Climax.
	Visions came and went...

                              *******
...Young Stefano, sitting by the TV in Santino's old, Boston house.
Santino's arm around his waist. 
	"I love you Stefano!" Santino pronounced tenderly...

...Santino and Stefano, entering the theater.
   	"I am so glad we came tonight," Stefano said with, a bright smile
on his face. 
	"I like 'Candide' too." Santino replied, "It's not a sacrifice to 
come here with you."
Both men smiled...

...Stefano's face was perplexed. 
	"You mean that you..." He couldn't finish the phrase.
   	"Yes." Santino replied, "I am a vampire. I trust you will keep my 
secret"...
                              *******

	Vanessa jumped up and threw Santino high into the sky with a
devastating blow. Santino was not hurt, just a little confused.
 	"You bitch!" He muttered. "DAMN YOU! I loved your brother with a love
that I've never felt before, that I will never feel again. He knew what I was
and loved me just the same." he stopped for a moment, he was weeping.
 	"I didn't want to kill him; it was an accident. I drank too much, I 
thought that the fear of death would make him want the *dark gift* but he 
refused it." He stopped. His sobs impeded him from saying any more. Vanessa  
was crying too, thinking of Daniel...The day of her making, :IT WAS AN 
ACCIDENT!
 	"You mean that you've been drinking from him during all that time?" 
	 "Vanessa, we were lovers! I drank from him several times. 
I offered him immortality, but he always turned it down...I drained him. 
I thought that he'd ask for it." Santino covered his blood stained face with
his hands. "He didn't take it; he chose to die!"
	"Ah, so it was not an accident!" She said, despising Santino more than
ever. "And Renata? Was she an accident too?" She asked coldly.
	"Renata? What did I do? I saved her from Armand's cruelty, that's all.
I did it for you!  She hated you then, she hates you still...You should've
never made her."
	"That's none of your concerns. You weren't supposed to take her 
away from me!" she answered.
	"What was I to do? Leave her underground? Let Armand kill her...."
Santino shook his head. "No, I couldn't do that. I did it for *you* I didn't
want her to die. I knew that would hurt you."
	"So you decided to 'protect' her...Is that what it is?"
	"Vanessa, I only did it for you!"
	"No! You did it for yourself. Just like you sacrificed my brother's
life because you were lonely. You tried to force him to take the Dark Gift
because *you* needed him. When Pandora left you for Marius you ran to 'save'
Renata because *you* needed a companion. It's always this way...You are
completely selfish, Santino...Selfish."
	Santino remained quiet, taking all he accusations.
	"You can't even defend yourself. You have nothing to say, you bastard.
You caused me pain when you took Renata away. Eventually, she would have come
to love me but you took her away. You denied me that chance..."
	"Vanessa, I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you." Santino finally
said.
	"But you did...everyone does." she whispered. She began to think
of JoAnne, that demonic creature...how she loved her and hated her at the 
same time.
	"You think of her in your worst moments...You must love her! 
One always thinks of the loved ones in the saddest times."
	She didn't answer.
	"Vanessa, let's forget about Renata, about Stefano...Both of them 
were mistakes; Stefano was my mistake and Renata was yours. You must admit
that you are responsible for the hatred she feels for you! They were 
accidents; let's forget about them." Santino said, drawing closer to her.
	"Forget? You ask me to forget...And my father's death?" she burst 
into tears.
 	"I didn't kill your father!" Santino yelled.
 	"You caused his death!" she said, her sobs growing louder.
 	"Fuck you!" Santino exploded with anger. "Have it your way. Armand 
killed your mother and you forgave him right away!"
	This struck a deep pain in Vanessa.
	 "Damn you, Santino! You have not right bringing Armand into this."
	 "Is your love so blind?" he asked mockingly.
 	"You are crazy. Armand did it because...he had to do it. You know 
how to hurt me, but Armand's situation was different."
 	"Was it really?" he asked with marked sarcasm, shaking his head in
disbelief. "Armand's actions were as despicable as mine..," he stopped,
and looking at the sky, he hissed.
	Day-break was near. The sky started to look red, revealing the first
rays of the sun.
	 "We must leave!" she said dreadfully.
	They gathered their clothes and ran away from the beach. The coven 
house was already being visited by the light of dawn.
	 "Well," Santino said, "farewell to you." He turned around and 
started his way out.
 	"Wait, you can't go now. You must spend the day here." Vanessa's
voice sounded concerned.
 	"I will be safe, but I must go now. I don't have much time left."
he responded without turning to look at her.
	 "But where will you sleep?" She insisted.
	 "Oh my dear! You think that I would let *you* know of my lair?"
Santino grinned and he kept walking.
	Vanessa ran to Santino and embraced him. The black-haired vampire 
swung around in surprise, and was face to face with Vanessa. 
	She kissed his lips softly.
	"I forgive you, my love." she murmured.
	They embraced. 
	Santino hands came in touch with a silver locket that she wore around
her neck.
	"You still have this," he said, picking up the heart-shaped locket
from her bosom.
	"I always kept it as a happy memory from my childhood. I always loved
you, Santino. I still do!" She pressed her lips to his once again.
	"Take care of Renata for me," she said.
	"I always have, and I always will."
	"Santino!" A female voice called out from the gate of the house.
	Vanessa looked around, searching for the source of the voice.
For a second, she was terrified; hiding in between the trees, a mane of 
auburn hair, glimmered under the moonlight. A figure moved with supernatural
speed and feline movements.
	Vanessa's heart stopped.
	"Armand!" She gasped.
	"No. It is not Armand, cara!" Santino said, trying to calm her down.
	The figured emerged from the shadows, revealing a pair of beautiful
green eyes.
	"Santino, we must go; sunrise is near," the red-haired vampire 
spoke again.
	Vanessa stared at her in amazement. This creature was about her 
height, and the fall of auburn hair, so much like Armand's. Beautiful.
	"And who is she?" Vanessa asked Santino. She was a little uneasy,
having a strange vampire sneak up on her without even noticing. "Is she 
a new fledgling?"
	Santino laughed. "No. She is older than you, younger than me, and
nearly as powerful as Lestat!"
	"What do you mean?"
	"She is Mekare's child; her name is Sherri Blevins---"
	"Santino, we must go. We don't have much time," Sherri interrupted.
	"No, no! Please stay! I want to know you..." Vanessa said, the 
curiosity was painted all over her face.
	Sherri laughed. "There will be more time,'Mademoiselle Delvalle'?"
	"Yes, Vanessa Delvalle."
	"Well, Vanessa, we shall meet some other time. I'm sure you and
I will have much to talk about." Sherri gave a mischievous smile. "Are you
ready?" She said, turning to Santino.
	Santino nodded. He gave Vanessa a quick kiss on her forehead and 
approached the red-haired beauty. Sherri held him in her arms and ascended.
They vanished under the moonlight.

	Vanessa felt happiness when she went to sleep. She was finally 
relieved of the burden that her rancor for Santino had been to her, for all
these years. She was at peace...at last. She though of Armand...
	Yes, maybe it was time to go home to him.



		               	THE END