Discworld and Member Articles
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Written by Mynona
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Friday, 26 August 2005 |
I silently made my way to the pens. I needed to feed, again, it never ended. The guards didn’t hesitate, they opened the giant doors quietly, smoothly so that I could enter. There were many other vampires in the common area feeding or talking. I saw someone clad in eye-hurting pink and went to Angelica, who despite her minute height wasn’t hard to miss in a crowd. Pink isn’t strong enough to describe the colour of her fake-snakeskin pants and an equally horrible, glittering top. And she disliked ‘my’ clothes, go figure. When she saw me getting near her eyes began to twinkle in time with her top. She was up to something.
I silently made my way to the pens. I needed to feed, again, it never ended. The guards didn’t hesitate, they opened the giant doors quietly, smoothly so that I could enter. There were many other vampires in the common area feeding or talking. I saw someone clad in eye-hurting pink and went to Angelica, who despite her minute height wasn’t hard to miss in a crowd. Pink isn’t strong enough to describe the colour of her fake-snakeskin pants and an equally horrible, glittering top. And she disliked ‘my’ clothes, go figure. When she saw me getting near her eyes began to twinkle in time with her top. She was up to something.
“Hello!” I barely had time to register the greeting I was busy catching the greeter since she’d launched herself at me. Vampire strength is useful every now an then. I carefully let her back down.
“Hello Angelica. Why are you so happy?” I couldn’t help but to smile, Angelica’s smile is contagious. I hoped WHO wouldn’t charge her for being the source of something that contagious.
“My father is here, he’s staying the rest of the week.” Something went ‘click’ in my head.
“Oh, that’s right, you’re going home in a week, aren’t you?” Her smile widened, I wouldn’t have thought it possible but it did. It never seized to amaze me how happy she became when someone did something as simple as remembering something she’d said. I got the impression that not many people had listened to her.
“Yes! My two years is almost up!” She was prancing in front of me, taking my hand and dragging me off somewhere. Possibly to meet with her father. That’d be interesting, other girls introduced their boyfriends, she’d introduce the one who’d been snacking on her for little over a year. Yes, that’s right, little over a year. I’m ashamed to say that all that pink scared me away. Like a vampire repellent.
“Dad I’d like you to meet Alexis, she’s a vampire princess.” Trust Angelica to bring that up. Her father offered his hand.
“Martin Reed.”
“Alexis Dracula.” His eyes widened quite a bit. My father really is renowned. Angelica’s father, on the other hand, was a small man in all ways. Thin, frail looking almost hunched in on himself. His hair was thinning out on top and his breathing as well as heartbeat was fluttering, as birds caught in the cage of his ribs. The thing was, Martin’s wife had made a deal with our coven, a business deal, which included a two year servitude for her husband as a blood donor. The Reed’s made good money on the deal and before the vampires demanded payment the wife left with half the money and conveniently ‘forgot’ to tell her husband about the rest of the deal. She knew about her husband’s health and she also knew what the ‘servitude’ consisted off. She planed on him dying. She didn’t plan on her daughter answering the door when the vampires came to collect nor said daughter agreeing to go in her father’s place. It all worked out in the end despite Angelica being scared at first and fainting at the sight of other people’s blood. We kept her away from messy feeders.
“You’re really Dracula?”
“I’m ‘a’ Dracula. My father, Vladimir or Vlad for short, is the one in the history books. And before you ask, yes, I’m also considered a ‘princess’ since my father is High Prince of the Camrille sect.”
“I see my daughter is in good hands.” He looked grateful, I felt odd. What to answer to that? Did he want an answer? We had kept Angelica rather safe because of her being as she is and partly because the other vampires had seen my fascination with her. Sometimes being someone ‘important’ was a good thing, bust mostly it was just annoying.
“So, Alexis, what brought you down here?” Angelica looked as innocent as always, though I didn’t believe that one could be innocent wearing pink.
“The usual.” I answered, I didn’t know how much she’d told her dad.
“Oh.” She actually made it sound as she hadn’t thought about it. Considering it was Angelica, maybe she hadn’t. She suddenly blushed and looked down on the floor, apparently her shoes held something of great interest. “You want me? Can dad watch?” I was puzzled by the last request. She actually wanted her father to watch her getting sucked?
“Of course, if he wants to that is, but let’s go to your room first, ok?” Angelica merrily led her dad and me down the corridors to her room. Her dad had obviously been here before because there was an extra bed and a suitcase at its foot. Angelica and I sat down on her bed facing her father. I looked at both of them from where I was sitting behind Angelica.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I wasn’t really clear on who I was asking, maybe I really had wanted to ask both of them. They nodded though and I carefully stroked the offered neck, now I was focused only on that faint throbbing hidden under the skin and the smell of human blood. The smell of life. I bit down and fed gently, neatly. I didn’t want to freak out her dad with bad manners. I gently released her and let her up. It now looked as if she had a hickey though if you looked close enough you’d see two faint marks from my fangs. I wasn’t watching Angelica though, I was watching her dad who sat there looking for all the world as he was watching something in science class. It was vaguely disturbing and I felt a bit of a frog, but it was better than him freaking out.
“That’s it?” He breathed. “That’s all it is to it?” I met his eyes.
“Yes,” I said calmly. “that’s all there is to it.” I stayed and talked to the two for a while, knowing that Angelica would leave soon. I’d miss her but not overly much.
I wasn’t exactly ‘running’ trough the corridors but I was walking rather fast, soon Emilio would be let out from the oubliette. Oubliette is French and means ‘little forgetting’ rather fitting actually. An oubliette is a small hole where people put other people who they want to suffer, torture to the death. In most cases the oubliette was ceiled off never to be opened again. In this case, however, it was just punishment. A small cell, really small, used by my father from time to time. Emilio had been in there for 18 days, one for each year. It was harsher than usual, because the vampire being punished couldn’t feed but I knew of some that had been in the oubliette for far longer than that. It is not possible to starve a vampire to death, with the exception of really weak fledglings, so if left long enough the vampire being punished would look like a really old, really dry mummy, though it’d be alive.
I shifted my shoulders a bit uncomfortably, being reminded of my own punishment, 18 lashed with a silver-studded whip. Silver because it slows vampire healing down. The whip had hurt like nothing I’d ever felt before, vampires may heal fast but every injury hurts as much as it would a human. 18 lashes with a whip is a lot, though not fatal. I shifted my shoulders again. Both punishments were suitable for the ‘crime’ and the difference in the method was because I’d acknowledged father as my master, my sire, but to Emilio he was High Prince of the coven.
I turned around a dimly lit corner when I suddenly felt that something was wrong and I twisted my body just as I saw the knife heading towards my chest. It missed my heart with barely an inch but it was enough for me to look up and see the would-be-assassin. It was a vampire I’d never seen before and while he stood wondering why I hadn’t crumpled to the floor yet I threw my arm out hitting him in the neck. I went for the spine and closed my fist over the slippery bone and pulled, taking his head with me. Someone must have heard something because a guard came running towards me. I slowly sagged to the floor, a hit like that wasn’t fatal but I was loosing blood and my knees had turned to water. The guard caught me before my head hit the floor though it didn’t matter since I fainted anyways.
“Alexis? Alex, it’s time to wake up.” I struggled to do what the voice was telling me. I recognised that voice, it was Emilio but shouldn’t he be in the oubliette? My eyelids refused to open at first but with great effort I managed to do it. I saw Emilio standing over me and I was probably in my bed. And by the sounds there were three other vampires in the room but who, and why?
“Alexis, you were hurt rather badly by an assassin, you need to feed and Clay will help you.” I trusted him and let my eyes close again. I didn’t need to see to feed and when I felt a tentative brush of someone’s wrist on my lips I sank my fangs into it. It was vampire blood, strong, sweet, potent. It helped me regain strength and as I grew stronger my memory returned. I had been attacked but I’d manage to kill my attacker. And for Emilio to have been let out and look anywhere near healthy it must have passed at least a day, depending on how much father let him feed. I had had enough blood and Clay had donated enough, I reluctantly let go of his arm.
“Alexis, what happened?” That wasn’t Emilio’s voice, that was father’s. I slowly sat up while Clay backed down to stand next to Rafael, one of father’s best guards. I say father’s but they count themselves as much mine as his, I dislike the fact that I have someone who’d die for me. That indicated that I was someone important and to be important you need to be special in some way and I’m not.
“I was attacked, he stabbed me with a knife. I know that the only way to kill a vampire besides burning him is to take of the head or injure the heart. The throat looked easier.” My voice wasn’t strong but it carried. Father sighed.
“The vampire you killed was a professional assassin. When I get word on who hired him there will be hell to pay.” Father really was angry, though I could understand him. The poor sod who’d paid for the assassination had not only enraged a father or a sire but one of the most powerful High Princes and the Rector Lamia on top of that. He, or her I added, and his would pay, I hoped that I’d be able to join the party. I realised I should be paying attention it looked like Emilio was talking to me.
“Stay in bed for another few hours and you’ll be alright.” Oh, good, I’m not very patient, lying still in a bed did nothing more than drive anyone within hearing distance mad. “Lord Dracula and I will leave but the guards stay.” Both Emilio and father looked very stern. I didn’t like having guards in my room but I wasn’t about to protest just having survived an attack. Though I didn’t want them to leave, I’d been alone since I’d gotten here. Not alone ‘alone’ but a ‘no one to hug’ kind of alone. Sure I’d hugged father a couple of times but he really isn’t the hug-y type. I reached out for Emilio’s arm.
“Stay.” Such a simple word to say but such a hard thing to mean. He carefully looked at my father before lying down besides me. I took the chance and snuggled close. Can anyone say ‘bodypillow’? Father left but I didn’t care. I think that at least Clay was relieved with Emilio staying, he’d been in the wrong end of the stick when I’ve been bedridden before. He hadn’t appreciated it. At first Emilio was rather tense and when he thought I’d gone to sleep he tried to pry himself loose but that didn’t work. I only held on tighter, he finally settled and relaxed. I think he liked it too because he kissed my forehead when he thought I wouldn’t notice. I slept quietly after that.
The following week was quiet though I did visit Angelica more than usual, she was leaving and she’d been a friend. A downside of vampirism is that any human friends you make you’re likely to outlive with centuries. I wasn’t going to allow that to discourage me from making friends with the humans in the coven. Although they’re considered food they’re up to date and makes interesting conversation… most of the time. All humans are different. I was heading down to the pens again, three new people had arrived and I’d volunteered to introduce them and show them around. I’m not entirely sure what father though about that, I think that he thought it was good that I’m involved with the running of the coven but he did want to do something a little more dignifying. He didn’t stop me though and I liked it, it’s nice to meet new people and especially meeting people who didn’t know my rank.
When I reached the impressive doors that marked the entrance of the pens there were three humans and their two vampiric guides waiting for them. Two females and one male, one female so large and blond she could rival father’s guards, one of them following me now actually, father had gotten a bit paranoid on my behalf. The other two were shorter and about the same height, they had brown hair and brown eyes, they looked alike enough to be related. The guides and the ordinary guards at the doors did a short bow when I arrived but the humans didn’t seem to notice, or at least not enough to understand the meaning of it. I smiled as I introduced myself.
“Hello, my name is Alexis and I’ll show you around and tell you what’s expected of you. If you have any questions please ask.”
“Lindt van der Broek.” The blond introduced herself. The other two were Esther and Patric Jacobs. I nodded at the guards and they opened the doors.
“Welcome to the pens.” I said. “This is the main area, you’ll find our rooms over there and the classrooms are through the private rooms and to the left. If you get lost ask anyone, they all know what it’s like to be lost down here.”
“Classrooms?” It was Lindt who asked.
“Yes, some people come here to get an education, you can get most degrees here. Even if you didn’t come here for the education we’ll still offer you one. It’s something do if nothing more.
“Can… even someone like me?” Lindt was surprisingly unsure of herself, if one looked to her looks. Something which she certainly had lots of, but confidence didn’t always come with looks. Maybe I should just give up judging people on their appearance.
“Yes.” I didn’t elaborate I knew why she was here. She had been, or was, a hooker who’d heard about vampires from some source or others. Selling one’s body works in many ways and though I didn’t have any intimate knowledge of prostitution I think that living in the pens was far more agreeable than walking the streets. But I could be wrong.
“How often are we…” Patric didn’t get any further he was blushing very hard and was inspecting the floor with great interest.
“When needed, we will not take more than we need and you will always be asked permission before anyone bleeds you. Our intention is not to harm you and we won’t take so much or so often so that you will be.” All three humans stopped and looked at me with a ‘deer in the headlights’ expression. “What?” I was confused, something I really hate being.
“You… you’re a vampire!” I blinked when Patric said that.
“Yes, I thought you knew. Your guides and the guards at the gates are also vampires. Didn’t you notice?”
“But you look human.” I smiled enough to show my fangs. The siblings blanched, I was having far too much fun to say anything about it though.
“All great hunters have camouflage.” I was teasing a little too much but I didn’t really care. I’d been stuck with at least one bodyguard at all times for a week and it was beginning to get to me. Emilio helped a bit but he was agreeing a little too much with my father. Yes, I had been attacked but ‘I’ had also stopped it. Shouldn’t I get at least some acknowledgement for that? No, they crowd me with themselves and lots of guards instead. It’d been nice with Emilio though, I have been ranting and complaining at him a bit and he actually listens. I doubt he’ll take the guards away but he understands that I don’t like them. But he had talked father into using only those guards who I was comfortable with and now I was addressed as little lady all the time. The other guards had quickly picked up on the habit when we returned from prison. It was now sort of an honour to be allowed to call me that. Father approved as long as they didn’t call me that in front of dignitaries from other covens. Speaking of Emilio here he was now.
“Hello Emilio, what’s brought you down here?” He smirked at me but I noticed that he checked the three humans extra carefully.
“You.” He said and kissed me, on the cheek disappointingly enough. The humans stared at us but I didn’t care. “Your father has gotten word on the attack. He’s waiting in your rooms.” I turned to the humans.
“I’m sorry I have to go but I’ll return later. Go to your rooms, get settled in, talk to the other residents.” I turned to Emilio. “Lets go.”
I entered my rooms without knocking, they were after all ‘my’ rooms, though I did bow, as did Emilio. This was the High Prince and the Rector Lamia, not my father.
“My lord, you wished to see me.”
“Yes, I know who ordered the attack on you.” He stopped, probably waiting for me to look properly curious, which he didn’t need to wait for, for long. “It was Victor Savage.” That earned both my eyebrows going up. Hadn’t the High Prince of Gradeft made enough trouble as it was? He was digging himself in deeper.
“If you don’t mind me asking, my lord, what will happen now?” I was being careful, very careful. Father displayed some obvious signs of being displeased and being just recovered from one punishment I wasn’t in a hurry to earn other one.
“You don’t have to walk on eggshells like that, Alexis. When I allowed you to greet the Gradeft emissaries with me you, officially, took your place as me heir. You’ve got the right to ask. But mind, I will not always answer.” Father was serious and I was kind of shocked, truth to tell. I knew that father had hidden me a bit because he hadn’t wanted to put me in danger before I was ready to face it. And he’d judged this correctly, true I had been injured but I hadn’t been killed. I still hadn’t gotten my answer though.
“Thank you, my lord. I loath to repeat myself but what will happen now?”
“Now? Now we plan the downfall of the Gradeft Sect. Victor Savage has to pay for what he’s done, the assassination amongst other things, and he’ll pay for it with his life as well as the lives of his subjects.” It was kind of fitting I presume, father had gotten reports that stated that the things Armand had told me was true. The Gradefts had turned lots of humans, without restraints such as age, abilities or knowing that they had enough food to go around. The sects don’t have to report every turning to the Rector Lamia but they sent reports about their population and the state of their hunting grounds on a regular basis. There had to be some kind of plan to the whole thing. Power isn’t always in numbers and all vampires benefited from not having humans knowing about them. The Gradefts had turned so many, so fast that they hadn’t enough rings to go around. An absolute no-no.
The next few days were filled with planning, lots and lots of it. The annihilation of the Gradeft sect had to go without hitch and every Gradeft vampire had to die. Paying for the sins of their ruler. It can sound barbaric but that was the law and the law has to be obeyed, if it wasn’t, you had to reinforce it.
Every vampire was bound to several others, most common was the bloodbond, it is what it sounds like, an exchange of blood. Thus any vampire was bound to his or hers sire, even the born ones was, part of the awakening was drinking at least one parent’s blood. Also every High Prince demanded a blood oath, where the vampire in questions let himself be bled and swore allegiance to the High Prince on that blood. Both of those bonds created an urge to obey although you technically could distance yourself from the urge, this only resulted in punishment. It wasn’t blind obedience because that more often than not ends in injury or death and that wasn’t really what they wanted, neither master nor subject. A High Prince that was considered a good ruler got more subjects and his coven grew stronger. His subjects would also work harder to fulfil his orders. It was a win-win situation. Until you stumbled on something like this, where the ruler was using his subjects, but none of them had reported it. If they had, only Savage and his heir would have been replaced.
The plans were finalised and the only thing I regretted was having to kill Armand, he was innocent, or at least as innocent as one of us could be, but father had said that all Gradefts had to die, so all of them would. I also wondered what’d happen with the humans who were in the gentle care of the other sect. Father would have to decide that later.
Two weeks later found me and most other able-bodied vampire in our sect slowly creeping up on the Gradeft’s coven. We were stronger, without doubt, but father wanted as many of his own to survive as possible and for that I was glad. It showed that the respect he held was earned rather than forced. I’d had one hell of an argument with father before he allowed me to come but I suspect that he planned it that way all along, he just wanted to be sure that I really wanted to come along. And to make me know that I asked for it, I was still considered to be a bit of a bleeding heart amongst some of the sect.
The forest was quiet and I could only discern the presence of Emilio and my ‘four’ guards because I knew they were there. I also knew that 250 other vampires was at this very moment closing in on the same building. It was wet, it had been raining for almost a week and the grass wrapped its wet tendrils around our legs as we moved. It was like wading knee deep in tentacles. The grass swayed with the wind seemingly alive and aware of our passage. I wouldn’t have complained if father had put this of for a couple of days, I really hate being wet although it wasn’t like I could catch a cold anymore.
I and mine were going to stand here in the middle of a depressingly wet field and guard the exit to a seldom used escape route. As far away from the planned action as possible. The darkness was oppressing it was cloudy so no light from stars or moon lightened the dark and even vampires need some light to see with. I could see enough not to stumble but I had to mind where I put my feet. A sudden sound disturbed the relative silence, it was as if someone was using something heavy to pound on a wooden door. As if synchronised we turned as one towards the source of the pounding. The trapdoor we were supposed to guard, someone had produced faulty information. The Gradefts weren’t supposed to know of the escape route, which is why I was posted here, but obviously someone did. I quickly motioned for everyone to get in position and to prepare themselves. There would be fighting soon.
When the trapdoor banged open we surged forward and picked out a target each, heading for that particular vampire. And by some lucky chance, I prefer thinking of it as luck since I doubt we were that well trained, we managed to reach our intended targets without getting in the way of each other and without two of us picking the same victim. They were two more than us but Clay, Emilio and me soon had our first one down, and I feeling benevolent, backed and let the other two have the last ones. Nice of me, wasn’t it?
My choice of weapon was knives and/or daggers, they were the best choice for a number of reasons. Due to the problems with killing vampires, needing to behead or taking the heart out a bladed weapon was better than a projectile one. Also most older vampires were technophobes in greater or lesser degree and when I’d asked father to learn to shoot he’d almost cringed. And there was the added benefit of the fighting being up close and personal. That could also be a negative thing, like now, when blood was dripping from the blade unto my arm. It’s in this kind of situation you feel that blood really is thicker than water.
All enemy vampires had now been disposed of and I didn’t want any more surprises… erm… now I’m lying to myself again, I wanted more action so I gave the order to enter the tunnel. I wanted to know what was in there too, lucky for me that the curiosity killed the cat and not the vampire.
The tunnel was dirty and of low roof so we had to duck our heads lest we wished to be conscious when we arrived into the main part of the coven. The Gradeft coven was rather small compared to ours, only four floors to our ten but they hadn’t taken their time cleaning it. The place was riddled with bones of rodents and snakes. I couldn’t see any carcasses but I could smell them. Yuck. We passed halls that showed marks of fighting and as we rounded a corner we stumbled upon several groups of fighting vampires. And it looked suspiciously as if our vampires had walked straight into a trap. I wasted no time ordering my group to attack they knew what to do without my involvement.
My first, or really my second if you want to split hairs, enemy went down with his throat neatly cut of. The second and third followed soon, the enemy vampires hadn’t realised we’d snuck in from behind so it took some time for them to reassess the situation and when they had it was too late because we’d all taken down several of them and they were now fighting on two fronts. This way we moved from group to group in the big room but all the time my group grew as we were joined by the now ‘freed’ vampires. The hall was eventually clear and I could see that not too many of ours had died, but they probably would have if the fighting had goon on for much longer. You can only stay in a defensive position for so long before it starts taking too high a price. I was just about to pat my back for a job well done when one of the ‘rescued’ vampires yelled.
“They’ve got the High Prince in a room down this hall, the guards are still fighting but…” I didn’t wait to hear the rest, I was already moving.
I hadn’t noticed how dependent I’d become of my hearing until that very moment. I tried to find my way there by listening there were fighting and echoes of fighting everywhere. The occasional clash of steel against steel and the meaty, wet sounds of ripping flesh. Glints of firelight and firelight reflected in silver weapons. Silver makes vampires heal slowly so when we go against other vampires we use weapons made from silver or steel mixed with silver. It made for some really good lightshows. I couldn’t stand it at the moment though. Everything kept me from finding my father. Help arrived though, in the form of the vampire who’d first brought it to our attention. He sped past me and I followed, so did everyone else who wasn’t too badly injured. Vladimir Dracula was a respected and even loved High Prince and Rector Lamia, we didn’t want to loose him at any cost. It wasn’t only the bond speaking. The room we entered was smaller than the hall we’d just cleaned up, despite that it contained more people, both living and dead. Blood was splattered everywhere and so was spare body-parts. The carpet was so soaked in blood that it made squishy noises as I walked over it. The fight was chaos, pure and utter chaos. It wasn’t a battle anymore it was a riot. It was hard to see which vampire belonged to which coven. I decided to kill anyone wearing a colour I didn’t recognise.
The first vampire turned as I attacked him, we wouldn’t be as lucky as last time when they ignored us until it was too late. My right-hand dagger caught him in the chest and it got halfway trough before it got stuck in a rib. I could probably have pulled it out but not while fighting the person who had it embedded in him. I let go of the dagger and threw the arm up to deflect the blow he’d aimed at my head. I stopped the blow but the force of it rocked me into another vampire, luckily one of mine. I managed to stay on my feet though, which was very lucky. If you end up on the floor in a fight like this you were as good as dead. I got a bit pissed at my opponent and executed an open-handed punch straight towards his chest. It was textbook perfect, it also hit the dagger I’d left in him earlier and pushed it, and my hand, straight trough his chest and out through his back. I’d gotten his heart, which had been my target, on the way so he died, with my hand still stuck trough his upper body. Yuck. I didn’t have time to wonder about it though since the next vampire almost took my head of. Better get back to concentrating here.
It was a dirty fight, every trick and ploy known to vampire-kind, and then some, were applied. With various rates of success. The term ‘bathing in blood’ was suddenly reality for those of us still standing. Friends became harder and harder to distinguish from enemies and more than once I had to stop myself from attacking someone I knew. Emilio stayed at the fringes of the fight, at the beginning I’d been annoyed but I soon realised that he was looking out for me, not as a girlfriend, but as the heir with father missing. Soon after that I was too occupied to care or even spare the energy to care. Despite making me into a vampire I did love my new father, though I also feared him, and I certainly wasn’t going to allow him to die. Gradually the vampires thinned out, on both sides and soon individuals could be picked out from the fray. The Gradefts were loosing but they’d decided not to leave empty handed.
I’d lost all five of my daggers somewhere- somewhen in the fight, in a small part of my brain not focused on the fighting, a small voice wondered if I’d ever get them back. Those were my favourite ones damn it! I tore a head straight of its shoulders. Should teach him not to take my daggers again, the bastard. A hand stretched to grab me and I ripped it out of its socket before I pulled his head down to meet with my knee. It made a rather satisfying ‘thunk’ and while he was stunned I picked his knife out of his still attached hand and used it to cut his head of. I looked up when no one attacked me and saw that there were only two Gradefts still standing and neither of them would do that for long. I slowly turned my head to where most of the intense fighting had taken place.
Father was standing up, looking at me. He wasn’t unhurt but he wasn’t going to die either.
“You, young lady, were supposed to wait outside!” I hadn’t expected a thank you but that was ridiculous.
“This young lady was waiting outside until we were attacked. Then I got a bit carried away.”
“It was nice of you to stop by however.” Father pulled himself together and became once more the Rector Lamia.
“Don’t mention it.” I almost grumbled but not quite.
“What’s the situation?”
“16 dead in the first rush outside, all of those who were in the main hall and as you can see all of them in here. I’ve lost seven vampires and I don’t’ know how many injured. In here, I’m not sure.” I had assessed things and not just rushed headlong into them… yeah. Father did a quick survey of the room.
“15 of ours dead, 32 of theirs. Before we got stuck here we’d lost two and off’ed 17.” His voice was cool, the same tone he used in his office. The adrenaline was starting to wear off, I noticed hurts I hadn’t even known I’d gotten. My shirt only came to my elbows and I had sheaths strapped to my forearms, notice had. The one on my right arm had fallen off after I’d been forced to block a knife with it. Either that or my face, I’d take the sheath any day. My arms were covered in blood, as was my boots. I could also feel that the major part of my shirt was wet. From blood and other things. I didn’t look down because I didn’t really want to know. Not that any of the others looked any better.
“There’s no use standing here, we have more work to do.” Father said and we left, leaving those too injured to fight behind with just two vampires as guards. We didn’t really expect much more resistance. We rinsed the place out, going from room to room one floor at the time killing anyone not from Camrille.
It was dirty work, most of the vampires were fledglings, young fledglings and I did feel sorry for some of them. It wasn’t really their fault that they’d been caught up in this. I also doubted that they’d agreed to be turned. But there was nothing I could do about it, the Rector Lamia had declared that Gradeft was going to be annihilated and so it would be. I never did see Armand and I was glad for it, I wouldn’t have saved him but I’m not sure what’d do if I had been pitted against him. And I’m not sure I wanted to know either. I decided not to think too much about it, it wouldn’t change anything.
It took many deaths to reach the bottom most floor, where they had their pens. Now came the question, what’d be done about the Gradeft humans? They hadn’t been treated well but they were Gradeft ‘property’. I looked inquiringly at father.
“What?” He asked, perplexed.
“What do we do about the humans?” Answering a question with a question is rude but he’d asked what I’d asked… or something. He’d forgive me, eventually.
“If any of them attacks we’ll kill them all, if they don’t they’re free to go. But we’ll have to look through the pens to be sure there aren’t any vampires hiding there.” I nodded, it was reasonable and thought trough. I really wished that humans wouldn’t attack. I’d killed my share this night.
As we opened the doors I was attacked, but by a vampire, not a human. He was quickly disposed of. Before I’d had time to do more than block his initial rush one of the guards had chopped his head of as neat as you please. I get showered in blood anyways. As no other threat appeared I spared the time to glower at the guard who’d done it. It was someone I hadn’t seen much of before, either he was new or father hadn’t judged him to be good enough to guard me, or both. He wouldn’t get the chance either if I was asked. We broke up in smaller groups as the Gradeft pens were a prison, more or less. An old-fashioned one at that. Damp walls encircled small cells which was bare though some lucky humans had gotten a tuft of straw to sleep on. Not many of them though. It was horrible. Yes humans were considered food, they really are food, but they’re still living, thinking beings. I looked at the others and I wasn’t the only one who was badly moved by this.
A yell tore through the restless, almost-quiet. Father had found Victor Savage. This noble and brave leader had hidden himself amongst the humans. I didn’t pity him as a guard knocked him unconscious. He was going with us to be executed in public.
After that I kind of sagged, I felt tired and sore, all the fighting had left its traces. Luckily I wasn’t going to scar and only very good reflexes had saved my eye from getting slashed. I stayed in the pens until all humans had left. I was standing in an odd corner, hunger had started to set in and the smell of blood was exiting, I must add that the fight hadn’t done anything to calm me down either. My arms were feeling funny where the blood was beginning to cool and coagulate. I raised my hand and lapped it carefully, slowly. The blood was still good. The arm was suddenly sized by another’s hand though and I lost myself staring at it. I slowly looked up. My body froze, it was Emilio and he was wearing the oddest of expressions. Had I broken some untold vampire thing by licking my hand? I didn’t care, I was hungry. I was whining in my head, pathetic really.
His hand slowly extended my arm towards him and he held it in front of his face. He was still wearing that odd look, lightening quick, before I had time to react, he’d pulled my hand to his face and licked it. Nothing sensual, it was more a short taste, almost like when cats groom each other. Nothing sexual but also not without meaning. It was odd, standing there getting my hand licked clean but it wasn’t bad. Maybe it was something vampires did. I’d had to remember asking Emilio when he’d finished.
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