Underworld Fan Fiction ❯ Vendetta ❯ Part 4: ( Chapter 4 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: 117 
Non Anime: Underworld Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sci-fi / Romance / Adventure | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 08.24.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 991 | Status: Completed
Non Anime: Underworld Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sci-fi / Romance / Adventure | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 08.24.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 991 | Status: Completed
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Update: 070407, 250407, 020907
Disclaimer: All Babylon 5, Nightspawn and Sailormoon characters and concepts belong to their creators respectively.
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V E N D E T T A
Part 4:
A man was scrounging in the forest looking for some prey when his keen sense of smell picked up the familiar scent of blood. Quickly, he ran forward in the direction of the smell and came upon the body of a beautiful woman dressed in strange clothing that he had never seen before. Her facial features were radically different from the women he had encountered in the past. And he had seen many in his time over the years. The strange attire she wore coupled with her exotic looks only made her seemed all the more beautiful.
Those weren't the only things about her that caught his eye. In both her hands, lay a strange garnet rod that she cradled protectively to her chest. Whatever the artifact was, it seemed important to her, so much so that she was unwilling to let go of it, even at the point of death. Her fragrant beauty and the deep mystery surrounding her only added to her appeal.
She drew him like a moth to a flame in a way that he rarely knew before. Right there and then, he knew one thing. This woman had to live. And there was only one way to do it. Bending down, he smelt and touched her pulse. It was nearly gone. Quickly, he bit on her, transmitting the strange virus in his body that he carried to the woman.
Within seconds it was over. Now, he only had to wait for the woman to come out of her unconscious state.
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She revived faster than he had expected. Her wounds once fatal, healed rapidly before his eyes which was unusual considering that she was just newly turned compared to him. Judging by the looks on her face, she was hungry ... so he threw a stag, or … was about to - when she bowled him over to the ground, surprising him with her strength and speed. The buck was already dead, its neck twisted to one side as the woman lifted the neck to her mouth to feed.
Getting to his feet, he watched from one side as she fed on her prey, drinking in the blood greedily. He remained silent watching her antics.
Finally, he called to her. She looked at him blankly as though not understanding. A sudden thought hit him. Perhaps she was a foreigner and that was what accounted for her silence. Pointing at himself, he said, "Marcus."
"Marrrr-ccccus," she repeated, the word coming out slowly.
"What is this offal? A new toy?" a female voice asked from the doorway.
Marcus growled beneath his breath. It was that annoying woman, again. Viktor's number one bitch in heat and … lapdog, Amelia.
"What are you doing here, Amelia? Have you found my brother?" he snarled.
"Come to check things out. Just to make sure that our 'father' is safe from harm. Wouldn't want anything unfortunate to happen to the great father of our kind before we begin the hunt. So who is she?" Amelia turned to the woman in the room.
"She's a foreigner. She wouldn't understand your words."
"I see … So are you planning to keep her for long, O Great Father of the Vampires?" the female vampire mocked.
"I don't know," Marcus replied, ignoring her rudeness.
"Ahhh … the blessed bliss of ignorance. Such sweetness. Such wonder. When you get tired of her, turn her over to me, alright?" the female vampire suggested in a non-too-innocent manner.
"Go away, Amelia. I'm not in the mood for one of your games," Marcus warned.
"That's not a very polite way to treat your children, you know. But since you asked …" she licked her lips before turning around in as sultry a manner as she could manage, which only succeeded in annoying Marcus all the more.
Her next words threw Marcus off.
"We have found your brother's tracks."
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Across the snowy white plains … under the cover of darkness …
An army is marching … an army of the undead … on the trail of a very dangerous creature …
"Brother … what have you done?" the first vampire whispered under his breath as he studied the trail of destruction left by his twin sibling at the village.
Beside him, the green-haired woman that he saved the day before, as if sensing his plight moved to hold his palm reassuringly.
"Damora … If only you could understand … " As before, she could only look at him with eyes of love and affection … without saying anything.
Marcus held her hand in his. Taking the horse by the reins, she drew alongside him and leaned onto his armour, silently drawing a few stares. The moment was broken by an announcement from a female voice. It was Amelia.
"They're all dead, my lord. None survived. We must burn the bodies quickly before they are turned."
"This has gone far enough! Your brother has got to be stopped!" Viktor barked.
"He is not to be harmed as per our agreement," Marcus reminded.
"But he has to be kept under control. This petty sentiment you have for that creature is totally unbecoming of you," Viktor replied, disgust evident in his voice.
"You know the consequences if either me or my brother were to be slain," Marcus pointed out.
"Yes … If you die … we all die! But it will be done my way!" the angry lord retorted.
Damora remained silent, watching the heated exchange. She had yet to say anything other than her name.
"Burn the bodies!" he ordered his soldiers.
Marcus was about to join them but …
"Marcus, you stay beside me," Viktor commanded.
"I can defend myself," Marcus countered.
"No … you stay here beside me," Viktor repeated his command as he waited for his soldiers to report back.
Suddenly, there was a howl from one of the huts as one of the soldiers screamed. At once, everyone turned in the direction of the scream. Out of the hut, came a half-transformed lycan rushing aimlessly in all directions. Amelia fitted an arrow to her crossbow before letting it loose at the lycan. It fell to the ground without much struggle …
However … some of the burning bodies began to move and shift … causing the soldiers to step away from them.
"They've turned!" a voice shouted.
"Everyone! Draw your weapons!" Viktor ordered.
An armed soldier was dragged to the ground from his horse as a lycan leaped at him from the roof. Another charged at Marcus who simply drew his battleaxe and loped its head off with it. The shouts and sounds of battle filled the air.
Damora speared a lycan that got too close to her for comfort before finishing it off with her sword. Viktor cut down another lycan with his broadsword. Seeing the increasing number of their fur-covered opponents heading for them, the vampire lord ordered Marcus to flee for safety. Marcus hesitated at first, since he yet to locate his brother but he soon departed the area on the snow-covered trail from the village. Behind him, Damora followed suit, cutting down any lycans that got in their way.
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Damora sighed. Things had been getting more difficult for her ever since Viktor laid down the 'one awake, two asleep' rule regarding the elders for his so-called coven. Marcus might be the Source but Viktor was still the Boss. Being the lord of the land and such, the army still answered to him and therein lay the real power. Marcus held no control over the army whatsoever and was essentially relegated to an elder in name only with no real power over the coven, despite being the first true vampire.
Publicly, all the vampires still had to defer to him since he was one of the elders, of course. Privately, they held nothing but contempt for him and rubbed it into his face whenever the situation presented itself. A situation he despised and hated with all his heart.
This situation was never clearer than the night they went in pursuit of Marcus's twin brother, William in which Marcus complained about the way his brother was being treated when held prisoner but Viktor simply ignored his pleas. Instead, he broke his word to Marcus right in front of everyone in taking Marcus's brother prisoner, contrary to Marcus's wish. Damora still remembered the words of the heated exchange that night clearly despite not understanding a word of it at the time.
"And what is thy will, my Lord?" Marcus spoke, his head bowed, not wanting to endanger his brother anymore than he already was, though his heart seethed at Viktor's broken promise.
"My will is that your brother will be imprisoned away from you for all time!" The lord declared loudly for all to hear.
Damora who had ridden alongside him, despite not understanding the words, sensed her sire's plight and moved to comfort him. He had not responded at first being too deeply mired in his thoughts … but then … later that night … when they got back … he had fallen upon her in a frenzy of lovemaking. She had responded instinctively and … in a short time, had Marcus groaning and moaning aloud in pleasure with skills that she never thought she possessed.
"Damora … you are the only one who cares for me … The others … I will not forgive them for this!" he declared to her with all his heart, his eyes glinting dangerously. Not understanding his words … she pulled back in fright at the emotion in his voice thinking that he was angry with for some wrong she had committed, but Marcus quickly drew her back to him, saying, "Do not fear me, Damora. For I will never harm you. Come drink of my blood and be one with me for all eternity!"
Having said this, he cut his hand and blood flowed from his hand. Damora hesitated upon seeing the blood flowing from his hand at first, but lowered her mouth to it when he indicated that she should do so. Quickly, she drank from it … it tasted deep and delicious. After awhile, she drew back, having drank enough. She hesitated at first on what she was about to do next. But courtesy demanded that she offered nothing less in return. Before she lost heart, she took a knife and slit her wrist with it. Holding her hand up to Marcus in return, she drew him closer with her other hand. He was about to drink from it when there was a knock on the door.
Marcus grumbled beneath his breath. Who was it this time? Along the way, he grabbed his clothes and hurriedly put them on. He opened the door to find Amelia standing before him. Her face lit up, a mischievous twinkle on it upon catching the expression on Marcus's face.
"Hope I wasn't interrupting anything important, was I?" the female vampire smiled.
"What do you want, now, Amelia?" Marcus grumbled.
"Me … nothing. Viktor, on the other hand, wants to see you now," Amelia spoke, her face radiant with joy.
"We will continue where we left off, Damora," he promised as he left the room.
Amelia turned to the female vampire on Marcus's bed.
"You're something, you know … to have caught his eye … and all that … He's usually colder than the freezing nights of winter," the female vampire spoke as she stepped into the room.
Damora eyed the female vampire warily.
"Your skills must be pretty good to have Marcus go off like that. Let me sample them," she replied as she began removing her clothes.
"A pity you don't understand a word. Otherwise, we could be such good friends," the female vampire winked at her suggestively before advancing upon her.
Damora was about to get up when Amelia stepped in front of her.
"Come, now … just relax … Let me do the rest. Don't worry. I won't bite," the female vampire spoke as her fingers traced the curves of Damora's body while her lips moved along the edge of Damora's neck.
"You're gorgeous … do you know that?" the question was superficial since the vampire elder did not expect a reply.
As her lips descended, her tongue went into play. Instinctively, Damora leaned back against the female vampire, her back pressing into the bosom of the other vampire and … before long … they were exploring each other's body vigorously with eager hands and lips …
Their lovemaking session ended an hour later. Amelia had her hands wrapped around Damora, reluctant to let her go.
"I can see why he wants you so much. You're incredible … Damora. It's like you're born to pleasure those around you. Join me. Rule by my side. You're better off with me than with him," Amelia offered, her hands spread outwards before her in a welcoming gesture.
Damora could find nothing to say to that.
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Marcus returned a week later to tell her about Viktor's new rules. He was selected to go first into hibernation mode that night since Vampire Elder Viktor was to rule first. Not that he could disagree with him in the first place being that Viktor was the lord of the land and all. But did he have to rub it into his face that often? Marcus swore under his breath and cursed the man for what appeared to be the hundredth time that day. As usual, Damora listened without replying to the strange language the man before her spoke.
Suddenly he lost his composure and wrapped his arms around Damora.
"I don't know what they will do to you once I'm gone but take this with you should you decide to leave," he spoke as his hand fished out a strange metallic staff from under the bed.
Damora looked at it uncomprehending until Marcus placed it in her hands.
"Thank you." She spoke.
Marcus looked at her incredulously.
"Say that again?" Not quite believing his ears, he asked again.
"Thank you, Marcus," she replied in his language with a smile that that lit up her eyes.
"You understand me?" He smiled as he held her in his arms.
"I didn't before but I do now. I don't know why but I do. Thank you for taking care of me," Damora spoke without a single mistake in her intonation or pronunciation of words.
"Damora … If only I could share this moment with you forever. But Viktor … Curse his soul … He insists I rest first … " He hugged her tightly.
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Since that night, Damora had not seen Marcus at all. Inwardly, she wondered where he was. Neither had she seen Viktor. The only vampire elder she had seen was Amelia who had been paying more and more visits to her room. Kraven had wanted to sample her skills too, but she had rejected him. Something about the man disturbed her.
He would have forced himself upon her, except that he didn't want to anger Amelia, one of the most powerful vampire elders on the council. Nonetheless, he continued to hound her and did not stop doing so until the day a new vampire joined the coven. Since then, he had turned his attention to this new vampire and for that Damora was grateful.
Oddly enough, the new vampire did not like him as well and preferred to keep him away at arm's length. Damora would have wanted to get to know the new vampire better but the coldness of the new vampire unnerved her … somewhat. Besides, not geting close to the new vampire wasn't that bad of a situation, since such a thing might have drawn Kraven's unwanted attentions again.
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Things had gone steadily downhill since Amelia entered the crypt to rest. For Viktor had moved quickly to cement his control over the coven. Dissidents who did not agree with him were demoted, exiled or removed without a trace. His own daughter Sonja, was executed publicly for having an affair with the lycan leader, Lucian. The last straw came, however, when Damora learned of Viktor's sole massacre of an entire family just because they knew something that they shouldn't. Damora, who had never liked Viktor to begin with, resolved to leave the coven as soon as possible.
The air of arrogance, cruelty and decadence she experienced at the coven only made her decision easier.
Deprived of both Marcus and Amelia's company (both were in hibernation mode and thus, unable to help her), there was no longer any reason to stay. Besides … she had caught Kraven's leering eyes on her back again just the other night when he thought she wasn't looking. To avoid him, she had spent more time in the library with the archivist, Tanis. The situation did not last, however, since Tanis had been banished into exile by Viktor for his heretical ideas and opposition to Viktor's brutality. Picking up her belongings, she decided to leave the coven that night.
There were many guards on the battlement as she exited the entrance. Fortunately, the other vampires had not even bothered to look at her when she left through the main hall.
"Where are you going?" a voice asked. Damora sighed inwardly at the voice. Unfortunately someone had seen fit to inform Kraven about her departure that night.
"I'm leaving," she answered without turning around to look at the speaker. Neither did she stop walking towards the gate.
"The situation is very unsafe outside as we are in a state of war with the lycans. No one's allowed to leave without my explicit permission," Kraven declared.
"I can take care of myself," Damora replied and continued walking.
"Bar the gates!" Kraven ordered the sentries. As one, they locked the gates. Damora turned around to face Kraven as the tension in the air grew. A crowd had gathered to watch the face off between the two vampires.
"Am I a prisoner now? And on whose orders?" she mocked.
"No one's a prisoner. But understand this. We are in a state of war. The situation outside is tenuous. And very insecure I might add. Who knows what might befall you outside this walls?" Kraven sneered.
" I do not need your protection, Kraven. I will deal with it when it happens. Now open the gates!" Damora ordered the sentries. The vampire guards looked at her briefly before turning to look at Kraven.
"I think not, Damora. Your safety is a priority to me. Marcus and Amelia would be very displeased if they found out that something happened to you when they awaken."
"Marcus and Amelia would be even more displeased if they found out how you treated me when they were asleep, Kraven," Damora pointed out, her back to the gates.
Suddenly … without warning, she spun around and leaped to the top of the gate.
"I'm leaving whether you like it or not!" Damora declared .
"Stop her!" Kraven shouted.
The sentries reacted by moving to intercept her at the top of the gate. Before long … a full-fledged melee had broken out with more and more guards running towards the source of the commotion. For a whole minute, it raged until a loud voice, strong and commanding broke through the sounds of the fighting.
"THAT'S ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned in the direction of the voice. It was Viktor, the imposing lord of the land.
"My lord … she's …" Kraven spoke.
"Let her go!" Viktor commanded.
"But the lycans … " Kraven protested.
"You heard me!" Viktor turned to Kraven with a dangerous glint in his eye.
"As you wish, my lord," Kraven replied with deference, his head bowed before Viktor, though anger raged through his heart like a bonfire.
"Open the gates!" The gates lifted and Damora was finally free … to leave.
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'Just you wait … Viktor … You, Marcus and Amelia. Think you're so great, eh? One day, I will rule these lands and you will be the ones at my mercy!' he swore furiously in his heart.
'And as for Marcus's bitch … she's just about to have an unfortunate accident,' he thought darkly.
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The next day … while fighting in an isolated place …
"Easy Lucian. I come in peace. Call your wolves off … I have come to talk," the long-haired figure announced as he fended off Lucian's attacks with his sword.
"Burn in hell, Kraven! There's nothing that I want from you bloodsuckers except maybe YOUR LIVES!" the lycan leader shouted as he lashed out with another blow from his sword that came dangerously close to skewering the vampire commander's head off.
Kraven leaped to the side to escape the lycan leader's furious attacks.
"I believe we have certain issues of mutual interest to both our sides," the vampire commander replied as he parried another blow from the lycan leader.
"Mutual interests?? I have nothing in common with you, bloodsucker!!" Lucian spat on the ground as he drove his blade forward, pressing hard against Kraven's blade.
"Not even in getting rid of Viktor?" the vampire commander replied as he twisted out of the path of the blade that the lycan leader threw.
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The lycan leader did not bother to reply but his blade did come to a stop before touching Kraven's neck.
"Speak! For my patience grows thin!" Lucian growled.
"To save time, I will be as forthright with you as I can. Your forces need a period of peace to replenish your fallen bethren. Unfortunately, there can never be peace while Viktor lives. Facing Viktor in a direct fight is suicide as neither of us is a match for Viktor in hand to hand combat. Our best chance of taking Viktor out lies in the time he enters the crypt to rest. The thing is, Viktor will never rest until you are dead. Should Viktor think that you are dead, however, he might be persuaded to rest earlier than expected. The first person to kill you will be richly rewarded by him. If I were to bring back evidence of having killed you with my own hands, he would place me in charge of all the coven's affairs while he hibernates. With me in charge of the coven, I will keep the Death Dealers of your back while you build up your forces," the vampire commander explained while ignoring the blade at his neck.
"Why should I trust the words of a vampire?" Lucian snarled.
"Because you don't have a choice. The lycans are not ready for war. The Death Dealers are experienced soldiers while you are not. Many of us have spent entire decades fighting your kind. Even as we speak, the lycans are being slowly hunted into extinction. In about a century or two, your kind will cease to exist. As a gesture of good will, I offer to you a vampire who will be travelling alone by herself."
"A woman? Are you telling me that you, Viktor's mighty second-in-command can't even take care of one woman? How the high and mighty hath fallen. Besides, I fail to see how the death of one vampire will make a difference in this war," the lycan leader sneered.
Kraven bristled slightly at Lucian's mocking words before answering.
"Do not underestimate her, Lucian. Though she is not an elder, even Viktor is wary of her. Furthermore, she is close to both Marcus and Amelia. And thus, the only other vampire capable of challenging my command."
'For that remark, your death will not be a quick one, Lucian. The time will come when I will have no further use for you … and then … '
"And you think of using my kind to get rid of someone you that you can't deal with, yourself? What do you take me for, Kraven? A fool?" the lycan leader mocked.
"No, a smart man who recognizes a good deal when he sees one. So, do we have an agreement or not?" the vampire commander asked.
There was silence.
"Help me dispose of her and I will help keep Viktor and the other vampires off your back," Kraven offered.
Lucian simply narrowed his eyes before nodding his head slowly.
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They had come out so quickly … she couldn't believe it. The lycans … from behind the trees they fell upon her, thickly like falling apples.
She had taken many of them down. But she was only one and they were many while she had suffered grievous injuries. They continued to stalk and strike at her giving her no rest whatsoever. Or time to recover for that matter …
It was like they had known where she was going … How had they known anyway? Did anyone reveal her whereabouts …
Damora winced in pain as another crossbow bolt slammed into her back. The crossbow bolts would not kill her but they hurt like hell and would slow her down, giving more time to the lycan tracking parties to hunt her down.
D#N! Damora cursed. It was nearly dawn already! And the first beams of sunlight were about to break over the horizon.
Then a sight caught her eyes. A large manor up ahead. Two miles … she thought. Dawn was breaking … could she make it before the sun rose?
Damora gritted her teeth. She would make it. If she was going to die, she would die in a place where she would take as many of her assailants with her to the grave as she could. With a final burst of energy … she threw all her remaining strength into her legs in a mad dash towards the manor.
At the manor …
"Drink … ," the man told her as he offered her his wrist.
Damora did not argue. She drank the man's blood greedily until the man told her to stop. Reluctantly, she ceased her actions and withdrew back into her chair.
"Thank you. You saved my life," she said when she was finally able to speak.
"Now … tell me about yourself," the man replied.
Calmly, Damora sat down and began to relate her life story and quest to the man in front of her.
The man listened … in his chair impassively until she finally reached the end of her story with these words, "The only clue that I have regarding my past is this strange metal staff. My husband told me that he found it in the forest the same night he found me," she took it out of her wrapped bundle and showed the metallic staff to the man who studied it carefully before returning it back to her.
"There is an old temple five hundred miles east from this place. I have heard many tales regarding the caretakers of the temple who are rumoured to possess strange abilities such as moving objects with the power of their minds alone and turning themselves invisible to all forms of sight. Go to them. They might be able to assist you in regaining your lost memories," the man suggested.
"Thank you, my lord. You have my utmost gratitude. Perhaps one day, I may be able to repay this kindness that you have shown me," Damora spoke before leaving his presence.
“And that was how I came to meet Marcus’s father for the first time. At his safe house.”
TBC
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Update: 070407, 250407, 020907
Disclaimer: All Babylon 5, Nightspawn and Sailormoon characters and concepts belong to their creators respectively.
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V E N D E T T A
Part 4:
A man was scrounging in the forest looking for some prey when his keen sense of smell picked up the familiar scent of blood. Quickly, he ran forward in the direction of the smell and came upon the body of a beautiful woman dressed in strange clothing that he had never seen before. Her facial features were radically different from the women he had encountered in the past. And he had seen many in his time over the years. The strange attire she wore coupled with her exotic looks only made her seemed all the more beautiful.
Those weren't the only things about her that caught his eye. In both her hands, lay a strange garnet rod that she cradled protectively to her chest. Whatever the artifact was, it seemed important to her, so much so that she was unwilling to let go of it, even at the point of death. Her fragrant beauty and the deep mystery surrounding her only added to her appeal.
She drew him like a moth to a flame in a way that he rarely knew before. Right there and then, he knew one thing. This woman had to live. And there was only one way to do it. Bending down, he smelt and touched her pulse. It was nearly gone. Quickly, he bit on her, transmitting the strange virus in his body that he carried to the woman.
Within seconds it was over. Now, he only had to wait for the woman to come out of her unconscious state.
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She revived faster than he had expected. Her wounds once fatal, healed rapidly before his eyes which was unusual considering that she was just newly turned compared to him. Judging by the looks on her face, she was hungry ... so he threw a stag, or … was about to - when she bowled him over to the ground, surprising him with her strength and speed. The buck was already dead, its neck twisted to one side as the woman lifted the neck to her mouth to feed.
Getting to his feet, he watched from one side as she fed on her prey, drinking in the blood greedily. He remained silent watching her antics.
Finally, he called to her. She looked at him blankly as though not understanding. A sudden thought hit him. Perhaps she was a foreigner and that was what accounted for her silence. Pointing at himself, he said, "Marcus."
"Marrrr-ccccus," she repeated, the word coming out slowly.
"What is this offal? A new toy?" a female voice asked from the doorway.
Marcus growled beneath his breath. It was that annoying woman, again. Viktor's number one bitch in heat and … lapdog, Amelia.
"What are you doing here, Amelia? Have you found my brother?" he snarled.
"Come to check things out. Just to make sure that our 'father' is safe from harm. Wouldn't want anything unfortunate to happen to the great father of our kind before we begin the hunt. So who is she?" Amelia turned to the woman in the room.
"She's a foreigner. She wouldn't understand your words."
"I see … So are you planning to keep her for long, O Great Father of the Vampires?" the female vampire mocked.
"I don't know," Marcus replied, ignoring her rudeness.
"Ahhh … the blessed bliss of ignorance. Such sweetness. Such wonder. When you get tired of her, turn her over to me, alright?" the female vampire suggested in a non-too-innocent manner.
"Go away, Amelia. I'm not in the mood for one of your games," Marcus warned.
"That's not a very polite way to treat your children, you know. But since you asked …" she licked her lips before turning around in as sultry a manner as she could manage, which only succeeded in annoying Marcus all the more.
Her next words threw Marcus off.
"We have found your brother's tracks."
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Across the snowy white plains … under the cover of darkness …
An army is marching … an army of the undead … on the trail of a very dangerous creature …
"Brother … what have you done?" the first vampire whispered under his breath as he studied the trail of destruction left by his twin sibling at the village.
Beside him, the green-haired woman that he saved the day before, as if sensing his plight moved to hold his palm reassuringly.
"Damora … If only you could understand … " As before, she could only look at him with eyes of love and affection … without saying anything.
Marcus held her hand in his. Taking the horse by the reins, she drew alongside him and leaned onto his armour, silently drawing a few stares. The moment was broken by an announcement from a female voice. It was Amelia.
"They're all dead, my lord. None survived. We must burn the bodies quickly before they are turned."
"This has gone far enough! Your brother has got to be stopped!" Viktor barked.
"He is not to be harmed as per our agreement," Marcus reminded.
"But he has to be kept under control. This petty sentiment you have for that creature is totally unbecoming of you," Viktor replied, disgust evident in his voice.
"You know the consequences if either me or my brother were to be slain," Marcus pointed out.
"Yes … If you die … we all die! But it will be done my way!" the angry lord retorted.
Damora remained silent, watching the heated exchange. She had yet to say anything other than her name.
"Burn the bodies!" he ordered his soldiers.
Marcus was about to join them but …
"Marcus, you stay beside me," Viktor commanded.
"I can defend myself," Marcus countered.
"No … you stay here beside me," Viktor repeated his command as he waited for his soldiers to report back.
Suddenly, there was a howl from one of the huts as one of the soldiers screamed. At once, everyone turned in the direction of the scream. Out of the hut, came a half-transformed lycan rushing aimlessly in all directions. Amelia fitted an arrow to her crossbow before letting it loose at the lycan. It fell to the ground without much struggle …
However … some of the burning bodies began to move and shift … causing the soldiers to step away from them.
"They've turned!" a voice shouted.
"Everyone! Draw your weapons!" Viktor ordered.
An armed soldier was dragged to the ground from his horse as a lycan leaped at him from the roof. Another charged at Marcus who simply drew his battleaxe and loped its head off with it. The shouts and sounds of battle filled the air.
Damora speared a lycan that got too close to her for comfort before finishing it off with her sword. Viktor cut down another lycan with his broadsword. Seeing the increasing number of their fur-covered opponents heading for them, the vampire lord ordered Marcus to flee for safety. Marcus hesitated at first, since he yet to locate his brother but he soon departed the area on the snow-covered trail from the village. Behind him, Damora followed suit, cutting down any lycans that got in their way.
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Damora sighed. Things had been getting more difficult for her ever since Viktor laid down the 'one awake, two asleep' rule regarding the elders for his so-called coven. Marcus might be the Source but Viktor was still the Boss. Being the lord of the land and such, the army still answered to him and therein lay the real power. Marcus held no control over the army whatsoever and was essentially relegated to an elder in name only with no real power over the coven, despite being the first true vampire.
Publicly, all the vampires still had to defer to him since he was one of the elders, of course. Privately, they held nothing but contempt for him and rubbed it into his face whenever the situation presented itself. A situation he despised and hated with all his heart.
This situation was never clearer than the night they went in pursuit of Marcus's twin brother, William in which Marcus complained about the way his brother was being treated when held prisoner but Viktor simply ignored his pleas. Instead, he broke his word to Marcus right in front of everyone in taking Marcus's brother prisoner, contrary to Marcus's wish. Damora still remembered the words of the heated exchange that night clearly despite not understanding a word of it at the time.
"And what is thy will, my Lord?" Marcus spoke, his head bowed, not wanting to endanger his brother anymore than he already was, though his heart seethed at Viktor's broken promise.
"My will is that your brother will be imprisoned away from you for all time!" The lord declared loudly for all to hear.
Damora who had ridden alongside him, despite not understanding the words, sensed her sire's plight and moved to comfort him. He had not responded at first being too deeply mired in his thoughts … but then … later that night … when they got back … he had fallen upon her in a frenzy of lovemaking. She had responded instinctively and … in a short time, had Marcus groaning and moaning aloud in pleasure with skills that she never thought she possessed.
"Damora … you are the only one who cares for me … The others … I will not forgive them for this!" he declared to her with all his heart, his eyes glinting dangerously. Not understanding his words … she pulled back in fright at the emotion in his voice thinking that he was angry with for some wrong she had committed, but Marcus quickly drew her back to him, saying, "Do not fear me, Damora. For I will never harm you. Come drink of my blood and be one with me for all eternity!"
Having said this, he cut his hand and blood flowed from his hand. Damora hesitated upon seeing the blood flowing from his hand at first, but lowered her mouth to it when he indicated that she should do so. Quickly, she drank from it … it tasted deep and delicious. After awhile, she drew back, having drank enough. She hesitated at first on what she was about to do next. But courtesy demanded that she offered nothing less in return. Before she lost heart, she took a knife and slit her wrist with it. Holding her hand up to Marcus in return, she drew him closer with her other hand. He was about to drink from it when there was a knock on the door.
Marcus grumbled beneath his breath. Who was it this time? Along the way, he grabbed his clothes and hurriedly put them on. He opened the door to find Amelia standing before him. Her face lit up, a mischievous twinkle on it upon catching the expression on Marcus's face.
"Hope I wasn't interrupting anything important, was I?" the female vampire smiled.
"What do you want, now, Amelia?" Marcus grumbled.
"Me … nothing. Viktor, on the other hand, wants to see you now," Amelia spoke, her face radiant with joy.
"We will continue where we left off, Damora," he promised as he left the room.
Amelia turned to the female vampire on Marcus's bed.
"You're something, you know … to have caught his eye … and all that … He's usually colder than the freezing nights of winter," the female vampire spoke as she stepped into the room.
Damora eyed the female vampire warily.
"Your skills must be pretty good to have Marcus go off like that. Let me sample them," she replied as she began removing her clothes.
"A pity you don't understand a word. Otherwise, we could be such good friends," the female vampire winked at her suggestively before advancing upon her.
Damora was about to get up when Amelia stepped in front of her.
"Come, now … just relax … Let me do the rest. Don't worry. I won't bite," the female vampire spoke as her fingers traced the curves of Damora's body while her lips moved along the edge of Damora's neck.
"You're gorgeous … do you know that?" the question was superficial since the vampire elder did not expect a reply.
As her lips descended, her tongue went into play. Instinctively, Damora leaned back against the female vampire, her back pressing into the bosom of the other vampire and … before long … they were exploring each other's body vigorously with eager hands and lips …
Their lovemaking session ended an hour later. Amelia had her hands wrapped around Damora, reluctant to let her go.
"I can see why he wants you so much. You're incredible … Damora. It's like you're born to pleasure those around you. Join me. Rule by my side. You're better off with me than with him," Amelia offered, her hands spread outwards before her in a welcoming gesture.
Damora could find nothing to say to that.
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Marcus returned a week later to tell her about Viktor's new rules. He was selected to go first into hibernation mode that night since Vampire Elder Viktor was to rule first. Not that he could disagree with him in the first place being that Viktor was the lord of the land and all. But did he have to rub it into his face that often? Marcus swore under his breath and cursed the man for what appeared to be the hundredth time that day. As usual, Damora listened without replying to the strange language the man before her spoke.
Suddenly he lost his composure and wrapped his arms around Damora.
"I don't know what they will do to you once I'm gone but take this with you should you decide to leave," he spoke as his hand fished out a strange metallic staff from under the bed.
Damora looked at it uncomprehending until Marcus placed it in her hands.
"Thank you." She spoke.
Marcus looked at her incredulously.
"Say that again?" Not quite believing his ears, he asked again.
"Thank you, Marcus," she replied in his language with a smile that that lit up her eyes.
"You understand me?" He smiled as he held her in his arms.
"I didn't before but I do now. I don't know why but I do. Thank you for taking care of me," Damora spoke without a single mistake in her intonation or pronunciation of words.
"Damora … If only I could share this moment with you forever. But Viktor … Curse his soul … He insists I rest first … " He hugged her tightly.
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Since that night, Damora had not seen Marcus at all. Inwardly, she wondered where he was. Neither had she seen Viktor. The only vampire elder she had seen was Amelia who had been paying more and more visits to her room. Kraven had wanted to sample her skills too, but she had rejected him. Something about the man disturbed her.
He would have forced himself upon her, except that he didn't want to anger Amelia, one of the most powerful vampire elders on the council. Nonetheless, he continued to hound her and did not stop doing so until the day a new vampire joined the coven. Since then, he had turned his attention to this new vampire and for that Damora was grateful.
Oddly enough, the new vampire did not like him as well and preferred to keep him away at arm's length. Damora would have wanted to get to know the new vampire better but the coldness of the new vampire unnerved her … somewhat. Besides, not geting close to the new vampire wasn't that bad of a situation, since such a thing might have drawn Kraven's unwanted attentions again.
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Things had gone steadily downhill since Amelia entered the crypt to rest. For Viktor had moved quickly to cement his control over the coven. Dissidents who did not agree with him were demoted, exiled or removed without a trace. His own daughter Sonja, was executed publicly for having an affair with the lycan leader, Lucian. The last straw came, however, when Damora learned of Viktor's sole massacre of an entire family just because they knew something that they shouldn't. Damora, who had never liked Viktor to begin with, resolved to leave the coven as soon as possible.
The air of arrogance, cruelty and decadence she experienced at the coven only made her decision easier.
Deprived of both Marcus and Amelia's company (both were in hibernation mode and thus, unable to help her), there was no longer any reason to stay. Besides … she had caught Kraven's leering eyes on her back again just the other night when he thought she wasn't looking. To avoid him, she had spent more time in the library with the archivist, Tanis. The situation did not last, however, since Tanis had been banished into exile by Viktor for his heretical ideas and opposition to Viktor's brutality. Picking up her belongings, she decided to leave the coven that night.
There were many guards on the battlement as she exited the entrance. Fortunately, the other vampires had not even bothered to look at her when she left through the main hall.
"Where are you going?" a voice asked. Damora sighed inwardly at the voice. Unfortunately someone had seen fit to inform Kraven about her departure that night.
"I'm leaving," she answered without turning around to look at the speaker. Neither did she stop walking towards the gate.
"The situation is very unsafe outside as we are in a state of war with the lycans. No one's allowed to leave without my explicit permission," Kraven declared.
"I can take care of myself," Damora replied and continued walking.
"Bar the gates!" Kraven ordered the sentries. As one, they locked the gates. Damora turned around to face Kraven as the tension in the air grew. A crowd had gathered to watch the face off between the two vampires.
"Am I a prisoner now? And on whose orders?" she mocked.
"No one's a prisoner. But understand this. We are in a state of war. The situation outside is tenuous. And very insecure I might add. Who knows what might befall you outside this walls?" Kraven sneered.
" I do not need your protection, Kraven. I will deal with it when it happens. Now open the gates!" Damora ordered the sentries. The vampire guards looked at her briefly before turning to look at Kraven.
"I think not, Damora. Your safety is a priority to me. Marcus and Amelia would be very displeased if they found out that something happened to you when they awaken."
"Marcus and Amelia would be even more displeased if they found out how you treated me when they were asleep, Kraven," Damora pointed out, her back to the gates.
Suddenly … without warning, she spun around and leaped to the top of the gate.
"I'm leaving whether you like it or not!" Damora declared .
"Stop her!" Kraven shouted.
The sentries reacted by moving to intercept her at the top of the gate. Before long … a full-fledged melee had broken out with more and more guards running towards the source of the commotion. For a whole minute, it raged until a loud voice, strong and commanding broke through the sounds of the fighting.
"THAT'S ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned in the direction of the voice. It was Viktor, the imposing lord of the land.
"My lord … she's …" Kraven spoke.
"Let her go!" Viktor commanded.
"But the lycans … " Kraven protested.
"You heard me!" Viktor turned to Kraven with a dangerous glint in his eye.
"As you wish, my lord," Kraven replied with deference, his head bowed before Viktor, though anger raged through his heart like a bonfire.
"Open the gates!" The gates lifted and Damora was finally free … to leave.
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'Just you wait … Viktor … You, Marcus and Amelia. Think you're so great, eh? One day, I will rule these lands and you will be the ones at my mercy!' he swore furiously in his heart.
'And as for Marcus's bitch … she's just about to have an unfortunate accident,' he thought darkly.
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The next day … while fighting in an isolated place …
"Easy Lucian. I come in peace. Call your wolves off … I have come to talk," the long-haired figure announced as he fended off Lucian's attacks with his sword.
"Burn in hell, Kraven! There's nothing that I want from you bloodsuckers except maybe YOUR LIVES!" the lycan leader shouted as he lashed out with another blow from his sword that came dangerously close to skewering the vampire commander's head off.
Kraven leaped to the side to escape the lycan leader's furious attacks.
"I believe we have certain issues of mutual interest to both our sides," the vampire commander replied as he parried another blow from the lycan leader.
"Mutual interests?? I have nothing in common with you, bloodsucker!!" Lucian spat on the ground as he drove his blade forward, pressing hard against Kraven's blade.
"Not even in getting rid of Viktor?" the vampire commander replied as he twisted out of the path of the blade that the lycan leader threw.
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The lycan leader did not bother to reply but his blade did come to a stop before touching Kraven's neck.
"Speak! For my patience grows thin!" Lucian growled.
"To save time, I will be as forthright with you as I can. Your forces need a period of peace to replenish your fallen bethren. Unfortunately, there can never be peace while Viktor lives. Facing Viktor in a direct fight is suicide as neither of us is a match for Viktor in hand to hand combat. Our best chance of taking Viktor out lies in the time he enters the crypt to rest. The thing is, Viktor will never rest until you are dead. Should Viktor think that you are dead, however, he might be persuaded to rest earlier than expected. The first person to kill you will be richly rewarded by him. If I were to bring back evidence of having killed you with my own hands, he would place me in charge of all the coven's affairs while he hibernates. With me in charge of the coven, I will keep the Death Dealers of your back while you build up your forces," the vampire commander explained while ignoring the blade at his neck.
"Why should I trust the words of a vampire?" Lucian snarled.
"Because you don't have a choice. The lycans are not ready for war. The Death Dealers are experienced soldiers while you are not. Many of us have spent entire decades fighting your kind. Even as we speak, the lycans are being slowly hunted into extinction. In about a century or two, your kind will cease to exist. As a gesture of good will, I offer to you a vampire who will be travelling alone by herself."
"A woman? Are you telling me that you, Viktor's mighty second-in-command can't even take care of one woman? How the high and mighty hath fallen. Besides, I fail to see how the death of one vampire will make a difference in this war," the lycan leader sneered.
Kraven bristled slightly at Lucian's mocking words before answering.
"Do not underestimate her, Lucian. Though she is not an elder, even Viktor is wary of her. Furthermore, she is close to both Marcus and Amelia. And thus, the only other vampire capable of challenging my command."
'For that remark, your death will not be a quick one, Lucian. The time will come when I will have no further use for you … and then … '
"And you think of using my kind to get rid of someone you that you can't deal with, yourself? What do you take me for, Kraven? A fool?" the lycan leader mocked.
"No, a smart man who recognizes a good deal when he sees one. So, do we have an agreement or not?" the vampire commander asked.
There was silence.
"Help me dispose of her and I will help keep Viktor and the other vampires off your back," Kraven offered.
Lucian simply narrowed his eyes before nodding his head slowly.
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They had come out so quickly … she couldn't believe it. The lycans … from behind the trees they fell upon her, thickly like falling apples.
She had taken many of them down. But she was only one and they were many while she had suffered grievous injuries. They continued to stalk and strike at her giving her no rest whatsoever. Or time to recover for that matter …
It was like they had known where she was going … How had they known anyway? Did anyone reveal her whereabouts …
Damora winced in pain as another crossbow bolt slammed into her back. The crossbow bolts would not kill her but they hurt like hell and would slow her down, giving more time to the lycan tracking parties to hunt her down.
D#N! Damora cursed. It was nearly dawn already! And the first beams of sunlight were about to break over the horizon.
Then a sight caught her eyes. A large manor up ahead. Two miles … she thought. Dawn was breaking … could she make it before the sun rose?
Damora gritted her teeth. She would make it. If she was going to die, she would die in a place where she would take as many of her assailants with her to the grave as she could. With a final burst of energy … she threw all her remaining strength into her legs in a mad dash towards the manor.
At the manor …
"Drink … ," the man told her as he offered her his wrist.
Damora did not argue. She drank the man's blood greedily until the man told her to stop. Reluctantly, she ceased her actions and withdrew back into her chair.
"Thank you. You saved my life," she said when she was finally able to speak.
"Now … tell me about yourself," the man replied.
Calmly, Damora sat down and began to relate her life story and quest to the man in front of her.
The man listened … in his chair impassively until she finally reached the end of her story with these words, "The only clue that I have regarding my past is this strange metal staff. My husband told me that he found it in the forest the same night he found me," she took it out of her wrapped bundle and showed the metallic staff to the man who studied it carefully before returning it back to her.
"There is an old temple five hundred miles east from this place. I have heard many tales regarding the caretakers of the temple who are rumoured to possess strange abilities such as moving objects with the power of their minds alone and turning themselves invisible to all forms of sight. Go to them. They might be able to assist you in regaining your lost memories," the man suggested.
"Thank you, my lord. You have my utmost gratitude. Perhaps one day, I may be able to repay this kindness that you have shown me," Damora spoke before leaving his presence.
“And that was how I came to meet Marcus’s father for the first time. At his safe house.”
TBC
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