Gabriel stood motionless in the library, staring at the ancient theological text he'd been attempting to read for the past hour. The words blurred before his eyes, his thoughts entirely consumed by Maria's sermon in the courtyard.

  "Demons from hell," he murmured to himself, pcing the book carefully back on its shelf. The irony was not lost on him. For decades, he had questioned the same thing about his own kind.

  The sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention—Morris, moving with the quiet efficiency that had made him an invaluable household manager for decades.

  "Viscount," Morris said with a small bow. "Miss Maria has finished her... spiritual gathering in the courtyard. Sarah is bringing her to the library as requested."

  Gabriel nodded, noticing the careful neutrality in Morris's expression. "You heard her sermon, I assume?"

  "Yes, Viscount." A hint of discomfort crossed Morris's face. "The staff responded as instructed—with respect, regardless of their personal reactions. Though I admit, some found it more challenging than others."

  "And what did you think of her message, Morris? Speak freely."

  Morris hesitated, then answered with careful honesty. "Her beliefs are... understandable, given her experiences. The blood farms operated by certain nobles could indeed be described as... demonic."

  "Indeed." Gabriel's voice held no offense. "When Countess Veronique drains three humans to death at a single banquet for mere entertainment, or when Baron Helstrom breeds humans like cattle with no regard for family bonds—are these not demonic acts, Morris?"

  "I would not presume to judge vampire nobility, sir."

  "But I would," Gabriel said quietly. "And do. What struck me most about Maria's sermon was not her misunderstanding of our nature, but the accuracy of her assessment of our behavior."

  Gabriel moved to the window, watching as birds gathered at a feeder in the garden. "She spoke of demons who feed on human suffering, who view humans as mere resources. How many of our kind fit that description perfectly, Morris?"

  "Many, Father Gabriel," Morris admitted. "Though not yourself."

  Gabriel smiled faintly. "And yet she treats me with kindness. She believes I am a demon, yet she has never shown fear or hatred toward me. She speaks to me about her faith, shares her questions, accepts my presence."

  The realization had struck Gabriel forcefully during her sermon. Maria, believing him to be one of the very demons she preached against, had shown him only respect and warmth. She had never once treated him with the terror or revulsion that most humans showed toward vampires.

  "What amazes me most," Gabriel continued, "is her capacity for compassion despite everything she's endured. She doesn't preach hatred of demons—only the hope that someday redemption will come for everyone. Even as she condemns what she sees as demonic nature, she offers the promise of eventual peace."

  Morris nodded thoughtfully. "It is remarkable, sir. Most who survive the harshest blood farms emerge with nothing but hatred."

  "And yet she emerged with faith," Gabriel said, genuine admiration in his voice. "Misguided, perhaps, but genuine. She created a theological framework that allowed for both the suffering she witnessed and the hope of eventual redemption."

  He moved away from the window, adjusting a book that sat slightly out of alignment on a nearby table. "We must be very careful, Morris. Maria's worldview may be built on misunderstanding, but it has sustained her through horrors we can barely imagine. We cannot simply correct her—that would be cruel."

  "How will you proceed, then, Viscount?"

  Gabriel considered the question carefully. "With patience. With respect for her faith, even as I hope to expand her understanding. Her instincts about the nature of good and evil are sound, even if her cosmology is incomplete."

  A soft knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

  "Enter," Gabriel called, straightening his clerical colr in a gesture that had become second nature over centuries.

  Sarah opened the door. "Father Gabriel, Miss Maria is here to see you, as requested."

  Maria stepped into the library, her eyes widening at the thousands of books lining the walls from floor to ceiling. She held her wooden cross in one hand, a gesture Gabriel had noticed she made when seeking comfort or strength.

  "Thank you, Sarah," Gabriel said warmly. "That will be all for now."

  As Sarah and Morris departed, closing the door quietly behind them, Gabriel turned his full attention to Maria. Her face still glowed with the fervor of her sermon, her expression open and trusting. How rarely vampires saw such unguarded human expressions—without fear, without calcution, without the mask that survival among predators necessitated.

  "Maria," he greeted her with a gentle smile. "I hope you're feeling well recovered after your... difficult night."

  "Yes, Father Gabriel," she replied, her voice warm with gratitude. "The special room helped very much. Thank you for the food and water you left for me."

  "It was the least I could do," he said, gesturing to a comfortable chair near the window. "Please, sit. I thought we might talk, if you're feeling up to it."

  Maria sat eagerly, her posture attentive. "I would like that very much. I have so many questions about the Light and its teachings."

  Gabriel took the chair opposite her, noting the irony of the situation. Here he was, a vampire Viscount—what Maria would call a "demon from hell"—about to discuss theology with a young woman who believed him to be a fellow human servant of the Light.

  And yet, as he looked at her earnest expression, Gabriel could not find it in himself to correct her misunderstanding—not yet. First, he needed to understand the faith that had sustained her. First, he needed to honor the spiritual framework that had kept her soul intact through suffering that would have broken most humans.

  "I'd be honored to discuss the Light's teachings with you, Maria," he said sincerely.

  As Maria began speaking with passionate conviction, Gabriel listened with genuine interest. Her theology might be built on misunderstanding, but the heart behind it was pure. And in a world where vampires often behaved exactly as the demons she described, who was he to say her vision was entirely wrong?

  Sometimes, Gabriel reflected as he listened, truth came in unexpected packages. And sometimes, those we think we must teach have just as much to teach us in return.