Virtue Inverted by Piers Anthony & Kenneth Kelly

Author:Piers Anthony & Kenneth Kelly
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781947381001
Publisher: Dreaming Big Publications
Published: 2017-07-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Despite the climactic end of Virtue’s coven, the ride back to Gant was relatively peaceful. Since fetching the horse and wagon that his companions had abandoned, Benny had tried to keep Virtue’s mind off recent events by telling her about his past. There wasn’t much to tell, however, and after not too long Virtue felt compelled to share her story.

“I was a human child in an abusive family. I was beaten regularly for little cause, and it seemed that nothing I could do would benefit my status. I longed to escape, but I had nowhere to go. Then a vampire came to me one afternoon when I was playing in the dirt. She had come to feed on me, but desisted when she saw how young I was. She looked nice. 'Take me with you,' I begged her. 'I can't,' she said sadly. 'You're not a vampire.' 'Can't you bite me and make me one?' I asked. 'I could, but we take only those who really want to join us.' 'I really really want to,' I said. So she gave me the conversion bite. It didn't even hurt. The effect was not immediate, but I could feel it working inside me, slowly converting me to her kind. Then she took me by the hand and led me away. 'You must choose a name,' she told me. 'Virtue,' I said, because it was a word and a concept I liked, even as a child. So I joined her coven as Virtue, and had been happy there for the past ten years as I learned the ways of the vampires. But now that they’re gone…” Virtue stopped at the memory of her family.

“I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do. I can’t help but feel responsible somehow,” Benny said.

“It’s not your fault. You were only doing what you thought was right, but when you saw my true nature you showed mercy upon me. Were the members of my coven still alive, I’m certain they would not deem you guilty either.”

“Still…” Virtue smiled kindly at Benny, placing her hand on his knee before glancing around at their method of transportation.

“Please, I do not wish to make mischief or change subjects,” Virtue said, “but whose horse and wagon are these?”

“They belong to Laughing Jack Baldwin, the innkeeper. Now I am returning them.” That was a simplification, but it would do.

“Will your friends be angry about losing this?”

“They're not my friends! The truth is, I'm glad to be rid of them. Especially now that they have slaughtered your coven.”

“Still, it may be arguable who should have the wagon.”

Benny shrugged. “It may be, but they'll know I have the right of the case. They can come and get it again from Jack if they have a mind.”

She let it be, and they rode on. But it lingered in his mind. Was he wrong to take the wagon instead of walking? Beranger had said it was to be returned after this mission. Still, maybe not right now.

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