Soulless: The Story of Shayan (Prequel to The Soul Quest Trilogy) (6 page)

“Hmmm, I wonder…” A light bulb flickered in
my noggin and I grabbed my coat and keys and sprinted to the New
York City Public Library. “A virus… I can’t conceive a child with a
human woman in the biblical sense but maybe I can give her… a
virus. Maybe I’ve been looking at this from the wrong
perspective.”

I grabbed an encyclopedia off of the shelf
and immediately began flipping through the pages.

“Ah, here we go. Infectious diseases.”

:
a disease caused by the entrance into the body of
organisms (as bacteria, protozoans, fungi, or viruses) which grow
and multiply there—see contagious disease, communicable
disease

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” I smiled and
began whistling a happy tune as I fingered the pages back to the C
section. “Yes, yes, here it is.”

:
an infectious disease communicable by contact
with one who has it, with a bodily discharge of such a patient, or
with an object touched by such a patient or by bodily
discharges—compare
communicable
disease

“No, no this won’t due. I’ve had unlimited
amounts of contact with humans and simple interactions or even
intimacy has had no effect. It’s more complex than this.”

:
an infectious disease transmissible (as from
person to person) by direct contact with an affected individual or
the individual's discharges or by indirect means (as by a
vector)—compare contagious disease

“As by a vector...” I contemplated as my
pinky finger guided me toward the back of the book.

1

:
a quantity that has magnitude and direction and
that is usually represented by part of a straight line with the
given direction and with a length representing the
magnitude

2

:
an organism (as an insect) that transmits a
pathogen from one organism or source to another
vectors
of plague>
—compare
carrier

3

:
an agent (as a plasmid or virus) that contains or
carries modified genetic material (as recombinant DNA) and can be
used to introduce exogenous genes into the genome of an
organism

“An organism or an agent… Well, if it was
simply a matter of a mosquito biting me and transferring my blood
onto the next guy there would be Daevas milling around all over the
world by now. That obviously hasn’t happened… but mosquitoes are
very small. What if my blood was infused with the human’s blood in
larger quantity? What then? I believe I am in need of a few medical
supplies.” I smiled to myself with the first hint of satisfaction
I’d felt in a long while.

My suspicions proved to be
true.
After several rounds of trial and
error I finally succeeded in infecting a human with out killing
her. As usual, the human woman immediately became violently ill
after I injected a vial of my DNA into her bloodstream. This time
however, instead of dying shortly after the painful injection, she
slowly regained her composure and strength and stabilized. I was
fascinated to say the least. As I continued to observe the virus’s
progress over time I stumbled across an unexpected discovery. The
subject seems to be morphing into something hideous yet
significantly more powerful than a human and the female now craves
my same maddening desire to consume human souls as a means of
nourishment.

“How are you feeling today, Clara?” I
probed.

“I feel much better today, but I’m still a
little weak.” she admitted.

I nodded my recognition as I made note of
her progress. I’ve been keeping careful documentation of my
experiment and now know the exact proportion of DNA necessary to
make the conversion. A single percentage point too high is fatal
and a single percentage point too low has no affect at all.

I was so excited about my success with my
first subject that I began experimenting further. After I captured
and infected more humans using my new calculated dosage of DNA I
was quickly dismayed when some of my new subjects expired. Why had
some lived while others died? I was missing something very
important.

“I just can’t seem to figure it out, Clara.
I’ve been over my calculations a dozen times and my math adds up so
why did the others die?” I wondered aloud.

“Perhaps it has nothing to do with the
calculation and more to do with the physical or emotional state of
the human. Perhaps those that died were sickly or physically
weaker. Maybe their emotional state played a role. Were those that
passed more fearful than the others?”

“No, they were just more resistant than the
others.” I realized. “… but you may have a point. Please interview
the new subjects about their state of mind prior to the infection.
Find out if they were scared or if they objected to the
experiment.” I instructed.

The results to my interview proved to be
quite enlightening. Not only were the subjects less fearful, in
every case the subject admitted to wanting the injection. They
wanted to be immortally powerful. With this new piece of
information it didn’t take me long to realize what was missing in
the equation in my failed attempts. Those who died never wanted the
change. They thought I was a monster and wanted nothing to do with
my way of life. They died in protest. Well, good riddance!

Acknowledging this realization I decided to
move forward in my experiment. I would allow my progeny to feed on
the souls of humans and observe the outcome. I quickly learned that
with each soul they consumed they become closer to what I am.

“I could create an army of Daevas to join my
ranks. This is remarkable!” I delighted in this new revelation.

Five years later…

My experiment has come full circle. Not only
have I discovered how to infect humans with my DNA I have most
recently discovered that the infection’s cycle will eventually
reach a phase of completion. This completed cycle’s product is a
being that is one – hundred percent biologically identical to me.
What I mean to say is that the infected subject will morph into a
Daeva after several years of repeated consumption of human
souls.

“Congratulations, my pets! You are a
success! My experiment has come full circle with Clara’s final
conversion into a Daeva.” I smiled at my progeny one last smile
before I truly finalized my project. I was met with smiles and
Clara was showered with hugs and peppered with kisses of
admiration. “Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.” I
said gravely. The faces surrounding me sobered in confusion. “You
see, I only wanted to see if I could convert humans into Daevas.
Now that I know it is possible I no longer need your assistance.
I’m afraid you are nothing but a burden to me now. It really is
quite a pity, especially since Clara has evolved into such
loveliness.” I spared one last glance at the dark haired beauty
with icy blue eyes. “Unfortunately, my dear, you remind me too much
of the one and only woman I have ever truly loved… and lost.”
Before they could give my last words much thought I swiftly
obliterated them and consumed the thousands of souls they had all
devoured under my guidance. I grew decades stronger in minutes.

Chapter Twelve

Shyam Donovan

Time: 1987

Place: Manhattan, New York

Avna

“Good nature will always
supply the absence of beauty; but beauty cannot supply the absence
of good nature.”

~Joseph Addison

I stood on the balcony of my suite at the
Waldolf Astoria and gazed out into the twinkling midnight sky. This
is the time of day I truly cherish the most. I enjoy reminiscing
into the past and reflecting on how much my life has changed for
the better. For so many years I felt abandoned and unloved. Even
the satisfaction of the wealth and power I’ve achieved could not
compete with the overwhelming feelings of loneliness… until the day
I met my mate, Avna.
She was born in Pittsburg in the early nineteen - sixties. Her
mother died when she was only four years old. Her father was a
drunk and completely negligent father. Avna had to raise herself
for his lack of interest. Still, she may have managed to survive
had she not hit puberty and blossomed quite so well. By the time
she was twelve she was already well endowed with enormous breasts
and a shapely figure. Her father, who never acknowledged her,
finally noticed her in a very wrong way. It was bad enough that he
repeatedly raped her himself, soon after he realized his daughter’s
voluptuous body could be a meal ticket. He pimped’ her out to every
low life who extended an open wallet. She ran away when she was
sixteen after she slit her father’s throat and left him for dead.
She settled in New York City where she took to prostitution to
support herself.
At any rate, her career as a prostitute didn’t last long. One
particularly cool evening in December of 1985, about one year after
she arrived in New York, she met a very handsome and wealthy man,
none other than yours truly. She was barely seventeen, tall and
lean with fiery – red hair and playful, plotting eyes. A feeling
came over me that I had not felt in a very long time, not since
Anastazja. Yes, for the first time in a long while I found I was
capable of feeling something for a woman that was more than lust or
spite.
“What is a beauty like your self doing in this… uhm, business?” I
had asked hesitantly.
Initially she flushed with embarrassment at my question but quickly
righted herself. I was not judging her and when she looked more
deeply into my eyes she must have gained some sense of this fact.
She did not see disgust, only curiosity.
“Trying to survive…” she answered honestly.
“Hmmm…” I considered what she had said for a long moment. “What if
someone offered you a more suitable… or uhm, fitting line of work
to ensure your survival? Would you be interested?” I had asked very
carefully.
“Hell yes!” Avna replied quickly.
I had to smile at her enthusiasm.
“Very well, do you trust me?” I probed further.
“…as much as I trust anyone.” she shrugged.
Once again I found myself laughing at her candor. It felt good to
laugh again so I gestured toward my sleek, black Mercedes Limousine
parked along the side walk. My chauffeur opened the door to the
vehicle as I raised an eyebrow at Avna.
“Shall we?” I dared.

That was the night I met Avna and my life
had changed forever. She had saved me. So, I offered her a new
life, an eternal life filled with eternal beauty, money, power and
prestige. I admitted to her that there would be some challenges
along the way, but suspected she had been through worse. She agreed
to the change after carefully considering everything she had gone
through in her human life. She decided she couldn’t sink much
further down into life’s cesspool.
True to my word, the first few years of the transition were
difficult for her. Being an Aengel had been no picnic. Avna was
hideously ugly and, inconveniently, she found her self falling in
love with me during this less than appealing phase. I can still
recall the night she admitted her feelings for me. I tried to be as
honest and gentle as possible.
“Yes Avna, I am aware of your feelings.” I had smiled at her. “I am
quite fond of you as well, but surely you can not expect me to hold
any kind of physical desire for you in your present form.” I added
apologetically. “Be patient, the human women I… uhm, amuse myself
with now are merely pre – dining entertainment.” I had chuckled in
an attempt at diffusing the awkwardness of the situation. I could
see in her eyes that my words hurt her instead, so I took her hands
into my own and spoke very solemnly, “I swear to you, Avna, once
you have completed the transition I can assure you I will have no
trouble summoning those types of feelings for you. As you were
extraordinarily beautiful in your human form, I have no doubt that
you will be outlandishly beautiful as a Daeva. When that day
arrives you will have my undying loyalty and devotion. Never again
will I amuse myself with another woman. My heart will be yours and
yours alone.” I had vowed… and I meant every word.

That was two years ago.
Avna voraciously consumed souls, completed the transition and
became a Daeva in between the short time span. Just I imagined she
would, Avna has blossomed into a beauty that no other woman could
ever dare to compete with. Her loveliness is overwhelming, a
perfect match for her intelligence and bravery. I haven’t so much
as looked at another woman to this day. Even when I’ve compelled
them into bidding my will I have remained faithful.
Avna and I make a good team but our lives are very busy. It’s hard
work to blend into the human world and maintain the type of
lifestyle we appreciate without raising alarms to the humans. I’ve
done this for far longer than Avna. I’ve manipulated, compelled and
consumed thousands of souls over several millennia. I am more
powerful than any Daeva could dream to be because I am the first
Daeva to ever exist.
Now, I just want to enjoy the life I’ve worked so hard to build.
This is how Avna and I came up with the idea to create two more
Daevas. They would not be our children, they would be workers. They
would carry out the tasks set forth by me, allowing our needs to be
maintained discretely while Avna and I enjoy a retirement from the
monotony.
Since I’ve succeeded in
earning Avna’s love and loyalty we have set out to take over the
human and Spirit World. Rest assured, our quest to conquer human
kind will begin with a bang!