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My soul was wondrously soothed by this event。 I am only confessing now what it meant to me。 For having lied to Bianca I lived with an unbearable guilt； and now； having given her this gift of the Mother's blood I felt a huge measure of relief from it。
It was my hope that the Mother would allow Bianca to drink again； and in fact this did happen。 It happened often。 And with every draught of the Divine Blood Bianca became immensely stronger。
But let me proceed with the tale in order。
The journey from the shrine was arduous。 As in the past I had to rely on mortals to transport the Divine Parents in heavy coffins of stone； and I experienced some trepidation。 But not as much as in former eras。 I think I was convinced that Akasha and Enkil could protect themselves。
I don't know what gave me this impression。 Perhaps it was that they had opened the shrine for me； and lighted the lamps when I had been so weak and miserable。
Whatever the case； they were carried to our new home without difficulty； and as Bianca gazed on in plete awe； I took them out of their coffins and placed them on the throne together。
Their slow obedient movements； their sluggish plasticity…these things faintly horrified her。
But as she had now drunk the Mother's blood； she was quick to join me in adjusting her fine spun dress and Enkil's kilt。 She helped me to smooth the plaited hair。 She helped me to adjust the Queen's bracelets。
When it was all done； I myself tended to the lamps and the candles。
Then we both knelt down to pray that the King and the Queen were content to be in this new place。
And after that we were off to find the brigands in the forest。 We had already heard their voices。 We quickly picked up their scent； and soon it was fine feasting in the woods； and a stash of stolen gold to make it all the more splendid。
We were back in the world； Bianca declared。 She danced in circles in the great hall of the castle。 She delighted in all the furnishings that crowded our new rooms。 She delighted in our fancy coffered beds； and all the colored draperies。 I too delighted in it。
But we were in full agreement that we would not live in the world as I had lived in Venice。 Such was simply too dangerous。 And so having but few servants； we kept entirely to ourselves； and the rumors in Dresden were that our house belonged to a Lady and Lord who lived elsewhere。
When it pleased us to visit great cathedrals…and there were many…or great Royal Courts； we went some distance from our home…to other cities such as Weimar； or Eisenbach； or Leipzig…and cloaked ourselves in absurd wealth and mystery。 It was all quite forting after our barren life in the Alps。 And we enjoyed it immensely。
But at every sunset my eyes were fixed on Dresden。 At every sunset I listened for the sound of a powerful blood drinker…in Dresden。
And so the years passed。
With them came radical changes in clothes which greatly amused us。 We were soon wearing elaborate wigs which we found ridiculous。 And how I despised the pants which soon came into style； as well as the high…heeled shoes and white stockings which came into fashion with them。
We could not in our quiet seclusion include enough maids for Bianca； so it was I who laced up her tight corset。 But what a vision she was in her low…breasted bodices and her broad swaying panniers。
During this time； I wrote many times to the Talamasca。 Raymond died at the age of eighty…nine； but I soon established a connection there with a young woman named Elizabeth Nollis who had for her personal review my letters to Raymond。
She confirmed for me that Pandora was still seen with her Asian panion。 She begged to know what I might tell of my own powers and habits； but on this I was not too revealing。 I spoke of mind reading and the defiance of gravity。 But I drove her to distraction with my lack of specifics。
The greatest and most mysterious success of these letters was that she told me much of the Talamasca。 They were rich beyond anyone's dreams； she said； and this was the source of their immense freedom。 They had recently set up a Motherhouse in Amsterdam； and also in the city of Rome。
I was quite surprised by all this； and warned her of Santino's 〃coven。〃
She then sent me a reply that astonished me。
〃It seems now that those strange ladies and gentlemen of which we have written in the past are no longer within the city in which they dwelt with such obvious pleasure。 Indeed it is very difficult for our Motherhouse there to find any reports of such activities as one might expect from these people。〃
What did this mean？ Had Santino abandoned his coven？ Had they gone on to Paris en masse？ And if so； why？
Without explaining myself to my quiet Bianca…who was more and more hunting on her own…I went off to explore the Holy City myself； ing upon it for the first time in two hundred years。
I was wary； in fact； a good deal more wary； than I should want to admit to anyone。 Indeed； the fear of fire gripped me so dreadfully that when I arrived I could do nothing but keep to the very top of St。 Peter's Basilica and look out over Rome with cold； shame…filled eyes； unable for long moments to hear with my blood drinker's ears no matter how I struggled to gain control of myself。
But I soon satisfied myself； through the Mind Gift； that there were only a few blood drinkers to be found in Rome； and these were lone hunters without the consolation of panions。 They were also weak。 And as I raped their minds； I realized they knew little of Santino！
How had this e about？ How had this one who had destroyed so much of my life freed himself from his own miserable existence？
Full of rage； I drew close to one of these lone blood drinkers； and soon accosted him； terrifying him and with reason。
〃What of Santino and the Roman coven？〃 I demanded。 〃Gone； all gone；〃 he said； 〃years ago。 Who are you that you know of such things？〃
〃Santino！〃 I said。 〃Where did he go！ Tell me。〃 〃But no one knows the answer；〃 he said。 〃I never laid eyes on him。〃 〃But someone made you；〃 I said。 〃Tell me。〃
〃My maker lives in the catabs still where the coven used to gather。 He's mad。 He can't help you。〃
〃Prepare to meet God or the Devil；〃 I said。 And just that quick I put an end to him。 I did it as mercifully as I could。 And then he was no more but a spot of grease in the dirt and in this I rubbed my foot before I moved towards the catabs。 He had spoken the truth。
There was but one blood drinker in this place； but I found it full of skulls just as it had been over a thousand years ago。
The blood drinker was a babbling fool； and when he saw me in my fine gentleman's clothes； he stared at me and pointed his finger。 〃The Devil es in style；〃 he said。
〃No； death has e；〃 I said。 〃Why did you make that other one whom I've destroyed this night？〃
My confession made no impression on him。
〃I make others to be my panions。 But what good does it do？ They turn on me。〃
〃Where is Santino？〃 I demanded。
〃Long gone；〃 he said。 〃And who would have ever thought？〃 I tried to read his mind； but he was too crazed and full of distracted thoughts。 It was like chasing scattered mice。 〃Look at me； when did you last see him！〃
〃Oh； decades ago；〃 he said。 〃I don't know the year。 What do years mean here？〃
I could get nothing further from him。 I looked about the miserable place with its few candles dripping wax upon yellowed skulls； and then turning on this creature I destroyed him with the Fire Gift as mercifully as I had destroyed the other。 And I do think that it was truly a mercy。
There was but one left； and this one led a far better existence than the other two。 I found him in handsome lodgings an hour before sunrise。 With little difficulty I learnt that he kept a hiding place beneath the house； but that he spent his idle hours reading in his few well…appointed rooms； and that he dressed tolerably well。
I also learnt that he couldn't detect my presence。 He cut the figure of a man of some thirty mortal years； and he had been in the Blood for some three hundred。
At last I opened his door； breaking the lock； and stepped before him as he stood up； in horror； from his writing desk。
〃Santino；〃 I said； 〃what became of him？〃
Though he had fed like a glutton； he was gaunt with huge bones； and long black hair； and though he was very finely dressed in the style of the i6oos； his lace was soiled and dusty。
〃In the name of Hell；〃 he whispered； 〃who are you？ Where do you e from？〃
Again there came that terrific confusion of mind which defeated my ability to subtract thoughts or knowledge from it。
〃I'll satisfy you on those points；〃 I said； 〃but you must answer me first。 Santino。 What happened to him。〃
I took several deliberate steps towards him which put him into a paroxysm of terror。
〃Be quiet now；〃 I said。 Again I tried to read his mind； but I failed。 〃Don't try to flee；〃 I said。 〃You won't succeed with it。 Answer my questions。〃
〃I'll tell you what I know；〃 he said； fearfully。
〃That ought to be plenty。〃
He shook his head。 〃I came here from Paris；〃 he said。 He was quaking。 〃I was sent by a vampire named A