STORIES
215 - First Blood
Mez Cammeo
Friday night…
MEZ:
Hey.
CAMMEO:
Oh Mez …
MEZ:
Uh-oh, you're making tea. What's wrong?
CAMMEO:
What makes you think something's wrong?
MEZ:
You always make tea when you're upset.
CAMMEO:
I suppose I do. Well, I just found out the most dreadful news.
MEZ:
Yeah, I heard. They think Karanthir was poisoned.
It's so weird to think that could happen in our house.
CAMMEO:
I wasn't talking about that, although that's horrible too. This is worse.
They think my sister wants to be a vampire again.
MEZ:
What? That's crazy – even for Herita.
CAMMEO:
I suppose, but that's what Harmonia thinks.
MEZ:
Harmonia? Isn't she a little ... off herself?
CAMMEO:
I always thought so, but they all seem to believe her. She says she felt Herita's intentions - to return to her old vampire self.
MEZ:
Did you ask Herita about it?
CAMMEO:
I don’t want to do that. She'd be so upset with me if she thought
I believed such a thing. And if it were true, well, she'd only deny it then, wouldn’t she? No, I want some sort of proof first.
CAMMEO:
… And I’ve been thinking, what if she poisoned Karanthir?
MEZ:
Why would she do that?
CAMMEO:
Do you remember that book Racolo lost?
MEZ:
Yeah …
CAMMEO:
What if Herita has it? It's filled with notes on vampires. Karanthir's
symptoms were similar to the First Blood. What if there's
a potion in that book that can synthesize that?
MEZ:
You're moving a little fast for me Cammeo. I’m not up
on all that vampire stuff. What’s First Blood?
CAMMEO:
Oh I’m sorry, I keep forgetting. When someone’s first bitten, they
must drink blood or perish. Once they get a taste, they can't stop,
the drive is too powerful – that's First Blood.
MEZ:
What does that have to do with Karanthir being poisoned?
CAMMEO:
Well, he's only half vampire and a bit of a one-off. Things effect him differently. He's also an elf. know from experience that human vampires
and elf vampires aren't at all the same. Herita wouldn't know this,
she was never one to do her homework.
MEZ:
I still don't get it. Why would she want to poison him?
CAMMEO:
To control him. You know what a good cook she is. Cooking is similar to potion making. She could've created a potion of the First Blood, had Karanthir drink it - then he'd be forced to bite her and begin her turning.
MEZ:
Wow - but, if that were true, couldn't he have just killed her?
CAMMEO:
There's always the possibility of taking too much.
Perhaps there was more to her plan?
MEZ:
Wow - is she really that calculating?
CAMMEO:
When she really wants something, yes.
CAMMEO:
… Oh Mez, she was such evil vampire the first time around. I’m going to have to end her all over again. I can't bear it.
ME:
This is just a theory, a scary theory but still, just a theory.
CAMMEO:
But, what if it turns out to be true?
MEZ:
That would be very bad.
The tea kettle whistles …
CAMMEO:
Tea?
MEZ:
No thanks. Does Syrrah have a plan?
CAMMEO:
She asked me to watch Herita and let her know if she does anything odd.
MEZ:
Everything she does is odd. Uh no offense.
CAMMEO:
None taken. You know, I’ve had my eye on her ever since she
came here. She’s been quite steady.
CAMMEO:
… I don't want to betray her. Maybe Harmonia’s wrong?
I wish I knew if Herita had that book.
MEZ:
That's an easy fix - let's find it, and when we do
– it’ll could prove her innocence.
CAMMEO:
That would be lovely, but Racolo's been searching
for it for months with no success.
