{"id":120,"date":"2022-09-23T13:50:14","date_gmt":"2022-09-23T21:50:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shannonbarber.com\/?p=120"},"modified":"2022-09-23T13:50:15","modified_gmt":"2022-09-23T21:50:15","slug":"the-awakening-of-naram-sin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shannonbarber.com\/?p=120","title":{"rendered":"The Awakening of Naram-Sin"},"content":{"rendered":"
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[image description: how I imagine Naram-Sin might look post make over]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

After\u00a0many years he heard her voice and only her voice. \u201cI want to see you in one month, perhaps you\u2019ll remember how to be a man. Not at home, you\u2019ll know the place.\u201d Then the silence he\u2019d known for so long settled back around his shoulders, he wanted to ignore the call, look on it as yet another of the demands of his progeny but, he knew he couldn\u2019t. In the ages since he had done more than watch the earthly realm, he had in fact forgotten how to be a man, he reached for the vial he kept around his neck and snapped it in his fingers. He felt the blood magic do what it had been created to do and the call for the leech went out he stepped out of the darkness of the Abyss and back onto the grounds of the House.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elsewhere the leech tilted her head, she felt the call and gestured for her man. The huge lycanthrope she traveled with\u00a0appeared at her elbow and bent down, \u201cyes lady?\u201d He listened to her quiet rasp and nodded. \u201cYes, at once madam. I will make the preparations.\u201d After he left, she sat in the suite looking out the window, she absently ran her fingertips across the feather she\u2019d had braided into her thick black hair for longer than she understood. She couldn\u2019t remember who it belonged to nor how long she\u2019d had it, but she knew where to go and as she stood to pack her bag, she looked out at the Atlanta skyline and sighed, another city she found nothing in.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drive out of New Orleans felt familiar enough she left her companion at the hotel in spite of his protestations, she hoped for something, her own demise maybe but as she pulled up to the big, beautiful manse, no joy. What she found was an enormous man standing in the driveway waiting for her, when she stepped out, he looked down at her and understood she was different immediately. \u201cYou called for me?\u201d He didn\u2019t like how she said it, \u201cyes. Do you remember me leech?\u201d She tilted her head and took a few steps closer, her brows knit, and she reached for the feather and rubbed it against her cheek, then she had to clear her throat. \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stepped aside to let her go into the house, as she got into the light, he had to hide shock. There was a thick dark scar that ran from just under her chin, down the front of her throat and down her chest, it disappeared into the v of her top and he frowned. \u201cWhat do you call yourself now?\u201d He felt something like sadness when she spoke, her voice was a broken heavily accented whisper, not the smooth contra alto he\u2019d remembered. He watched her think about the question then she shrugged a little, \u201cmy maker called me Minna, faithful guard.\u201d She snorted and stepped past him inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a room, this way Minna.\u201d She let him take her arm, he felt the power in her, but she guarded her presence tightly, had he not known her in her previous life he might not have thought she was the same creature. He opened the door to the room he\u2019d taken, and she stepped inside and sat on the bed looking up at him expectantly. He paced a bit before he spoke, \u201cI am going to see one of my kin in one month. I have to be a man.\u201d She tilted her head then nodded. \u201cOf course, first what may I call you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She stood up and walked to the closet, she poked around in it and shook her head taking out her phone to make notes. \u201cI remember little of recent years old friend. I was terribly injured and only a few years ago woke. I apologize I do not remember your name Alal. When I look at you, I think of the Akkadians. Were you an Akkadian?\u201d He sat and watched her move around the room, \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d She stepped into the bathroom then came out.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou remind me of a man I knew once, may I call you Naram-Sin?\u201d He thought about it and nodded, \u201cshe will like that.\u201d She gestured at the room, \u201cthis won\u2019t do. Come with me. Bring any things you need. I will meet you at the car, something about this place-\u201d she trailed off and walked out. He had nothing with him and followed. \u201cYou\u2019re not afraid?\u201d Having someone there talking loosened his vocal cords and he felt if not at ease at least prepared to do what he had to do. She opened his door and shrugged, \u201cmost men want to kill me eventually, I\u2019m sure if you were in the mood to have my death I would be screaming no?\u201d He chuckled and got into her car, automatically groping to figure out how to move the seat back. She pressed a button and his seat slid back all the way and he nodded his thanks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a house. Tomorrow afternoon my tailor will come to dress you. I will do something about your appearance Naram-Sin.\u201d The man frowned at the side of her face while she started the car and lit a cigarette, \u201cwhat is wrong with my appearance?\u201d She glanced at him; one eyebrow lifted. \u201cReally? You look like you\u2019ve been wandering the back alleys of Marrakesh for a month. I assume you are going to see the girl? Lostrus?\u201d He shifted in his seat and pulled his seatbelt on, \u201cyes. She asked to see me and said to remember I was a man.\u201d She pulled out onto the main road and smiled, \u201cof course. She has exquisite taste in men. But you must be special to her, most males I have seen her speak to she calls boy. Or food.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou remember her then?\u201d She shook her head, \u201cnon. We ran into each other in Brazil. You smell similarly. She moves like you.\u201d She turned the radio on and fiddled with her phone until the car was full of slow deep bass music, she looked at him as he stared out the window, believing he was preparing to have to destroy the most unique of his family, she left him to his thoughts as she drove. He leaned over after a long while and turned the music down, \u201cwhat happened to you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She lit another cigarette and didn\u2019t look at him. \u201cApparently my sire tried to create some ridiculous blood empire, and, in his attempt, something happened to me. He said when he found me I was cut from there,\u201d she gestured to just under her chin down to her belly, \u201che had to put me to sleep to try and fix it. When he woke me, we had a disagreement. Unfortunately for him, he did not leave me where I was.\u201d He nodded, that was not her history. He\u2019d known her for what, twenty years by that time? But he could sense she wasn\u2019t trying to deceive him, so he let it be, figuring her marriage had perhaps dissolved again.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naram-Sin looked out the window again, \u201cand the others in his empire?\u201d He could hear the pleasure in her voice, \u201cI killed every creature on this planet who shared blood, bond or loyalty to him. And now, I do as I please.\u201d Ahead the road was closed off, flashing lights and ambulances littered the roadway in both directions. She cursed under her breath and pulled over, she turned the car off, scooted her seat back and turned with her back against the door. \u201cThis is how you looked when you were a man?\u201d He realized he\u2019d made the right decision on who to call, maybe more so with her in that state.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looked in the side mirror, rubbed his beard lightly and found himself smiling. \u201cYes, more or less. She never saw me like this. It feels-\u201d he paused, frowning trying to remember how to allow this. \u201cI don\u2019t like it.\u201d The woman laughed, \u201cnone of us do non? When one has spent so long avoiding being or knowing humanity, to return is shit.\u201d He finally turned to look at her, he looked at her not as a leech he was, what? Fond of? Familiar with? He had to think about it beyond the hatred he\u2019d known for everyone and everything for so long.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She waited for him, she seemed to understand it without him having to try to explain. He reached out to touch her face then the ends of her hair, \u201cyou cut your hair.\u201d She chuckled, \u201cyes. Often. What is on your mind? You may speak freely with me; I understand it is not a simple thing.\u201d She allowed the touch, he understood that much. His brows knit together, \u201cyou are still a beautiful creature. Thank you for this. I believe this was the correct course.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they talked it got easier for him to speak normally, like a man. The rage and pain that kept him unable to think of or do anything else, he even managed to laugh when she joked about having been set on fire and subsequently burning down another of her sire\u2019s houses. Once the accident cleared, she pulled back into traffic, \u201cthe house I am renting is a short way away. I am not sure I can stay for more than a few days. My tailor will come to you, I will leave you a phone and some cash. If your reunion goes poorly, please don\u2019t destroy my house.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they pulled up her companion opened the door for them, he bowed and offered her a mug as she stepped inside. \u201cThank you. Kenyon. This is my friend Naram-Sin. Naram, this is my companion Kenyon. If you gentlemen will excuse me for a moment. Calls.\u201d She walked away; Kenyon smiled. \u201cGood evening, sir. May I offer you something to drink? Eat?\u201d He thought about it, \u201cgrapefruit juice if you have it, please.\u201d The wolf nodded and walked out to get it; Naram-Sin sat to wait.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenyon and Minna made him comfortable in a guest room, Kenyon and he were nearly the same size and rather than wait for a tailor Naram-Sin was given clothing to wear. Minna, no he wouldn\u2019t call her that it was not her name, the next morning was up and waiting for him when he walked out of the shower to find her sitting on the bed waiting. He had a towel around his hips and tried to find a shirt, she waved him off. \u201cWe will be leaving this evening. Come, let me make you the man you should be.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He sat on the chair she nodded to, he thought he should be uncomfortable, but he wasn\u2019t. She draped a sheet around his shoulders and moved around him to look at him, lips pursed. \u201cYou are lovely, I will only make you look like the man of this time she wants to see. Relax, I will do my worst.\u201d He did as he was told, after sleeping in that body, in a bed, he felt like a man. That being what it was, he watched her move with a new gaze. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She came out of the bathroom with a basket full of items, clippers, scissors, little bottles of things. She got to work on him and he felt his eyes close. No one had touched him so freely in more time than he could imagine. Her hands were warm, she ignored when he twitched or tensed. \u201cDo you mind if I reshape your beard?\u201d He shook his head and tried to smile but it was a little weak around the edges, \u201cdo whatever you want.\u201d Only a second later he realized how that might\u2019ve sounded to her, given that she was standing in front of him and of course his eyes were a little all over her.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She chuckled and got back to work. Once she finished with him she used a little brush to clean off his head and face, she rubbed nice smelling oil into his hair then his beard. She bent in front of him and used little scissors to trim his eyebrows. He felt his body relax and relax again, he felt pliable, if she\u2019d told him that she intended to drown him like a cur pup he would have happily agreed. \u201cWhat did you do to me? Fucking-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before he finished that she chuckled in his ear and her damaged raspy whisper and hot breath sent chills up and down his body, \u201cI am a fucking witch. You\u2019re just calm, you\u2019ll be fine. Now go look and if you like we are finished with that part. I had Kenyon bring some suits he bought for himself that he never has worn but I think will look fine on you. She waits.\u201d She didn\u2019t know how she knew that but she knew. Before he got up she moved around him to stand between his knees. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he looked up he wanted to reach out and touch her, he wanted to remember what a warm willing body felt like but that was a liberty too far. She waited for his urge to pass, \u201cnow I must leave you Naram-Sin. Perhaps we will see each other another time and-\u201d she stopped, smiled and kissed him lingeringly and tenderly. As she straightened and walked out of the room he just sat there trying to calm down. Instead, he got back into the bed for a nap.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hours later the little cellular phone he left on the bedside table rang and lit up, he almost threw it out the window but instead pressed the green button to speak, \u201chello?\u201d The voice on the other end sounded amused, \u201chi. Are you ready, man?\u201d He was quiet for a moment before answering, \u201cyes.\u201d He could hear her smiling but, he couldn\u2019t feel her. \u201cGood. Tonight then. I\u2019ll text you the address.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While he waited, he dressed and went back into the bathroom to look at himself. She had cut his hair and trimmed his beard, had he looked like that? After dressing he went downstairs to find a note from the vampire, she\u2019d left him the car if he wanted it and a stack of cash. \u201cEnjoy yourself Naram-Sin.\u201d He took the keys and headed for the car, it took some adjustments and false starts before he figured out what to do. He\u2019d been watching the world so long he knew more of how it worked than he thought and once he was on the road, he settled in.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naram-Sin drove around New Orleans, stopped at a gas station to buy anything really. Inside the woman behind the counter smiled up at him, \u201cwell ain\u2019t we big and pretty. What can I do for you darlin\u2019?\u201d The pretty Black woman gave him a gap-toothed smile, her posture reflecting interest rather than fear, he leaned on the counter and smiled back. \u201cI need some gas and directions if you please ma\u2019am.\u201d He allowed himself inflection, she rewarded him with her body leaning towards him, cleavage first.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs there any and I do mean anything else you want baby?\u201d He shook his head sadly, \u201cme no. I have an appointment. Maybe I\u2019ll swing by again sometime.\u201d He gave her money and purchased mints, a pack of sweet-smelling little cigars and a bottle of juice. As he left, he heard her whistle and say to herself, \u201cgod damn he fine.\u201d Back in the car the phone was blinking he was ready.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The restaurant was empty save for one table in the middle, as the man lead him in he slowed to look at her back. She wore braids and as she turned, he saw she had changed. Her glamour no longer resembled him and her image of the mother she wanted, no. She was something else and as she smiled at him, he felt a warning in his gut but ignored it. When he got close, he took her hand and kissed it. \u201cHello Lostrus.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lostrus stood up and when he let her hand go she ran her hands over his arms, picked his hands back up to look at them, then she put her fingers in his beard and smiled. \u201cDid the bloodsucker give you a name?\u201d He had to clear his throat, \u201cNaram-Sin.\u201d She nodded and put her arms around him to pull him into a tight embrace, \u201cgood news Naram-Sin. You, are not the father.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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