Standing in the middle of her new fort she was very pleased. She had been granted Fort Spruce as her home and she had spent weeks having the fort worked on.
The bedrooms had all been redone in her style. The fort was now more like a full estate. She had a master bedroom that was done in the cool blue colour with white accents making it look like waves on the ocean.
There was a beautiful painting of a sunset with an eagle over her bed. Natural oak shelves had been made for her and they were along two of the walls floor to ceiling. There were three doors one was hidden in the oak shelves which swung in to reveal a small armoury. The other door was into the huge ensuite bathroom. It had a huge soaker tub that could easily fit two people. There was a sauna as well built in as well.
The style was perfect for her. She had 15 bedrooms now each one had its own bathroom. There were no weapons room for each of the bedrooms.
There was a full armoury on the premises which would hold countless weapons that even now were being ferried from all over the world. She couldn’t wait to see just what was being brought over she knew Alenna was stocking it for her.
There were three special workrooms. One was specifically keyed with wards to only open to her blood scent. This definitely was new as the vampires in North America had so many tricks of the trade and she was now back to learning even though she was a master class vampiric mage.
The other two workrooms were set up as scrying rooms. They had quartz crystals for focus one was jagged just like the one that they used at SummerFawn’s home. This one would be used by Astyn who had agreed to join her in her new home with his daughters.
The last of the rooms was a smoky quartz and was designed as per her best friends instructions and was smooth and rounded. This was an amplification room any psionic power would be doubled at least if not tripled.
There was also an aviary attached at the west of the building. Whoever had created this must have loved hunting with the birds of prey. She didn’t know falconry at all and was hoping she would have time to learn.
It had been six weeks since her battle in Fort Spruce. It wasn’t what she really wanted at first but the best thing imaginable happened. Damon was destroyed but not before he destroyed the only Tracker that could find her Saraya. She would be safe for now.
She had heard through Ashtaya that Obsidian had been banished from the Royal Court for allowing the death of their tracker. Alenna had been ordered to take him out of their domain. He was back in Rwanda and from what she had heard already solidifying his base of operations and getting the vampires linked into his people.
The doors had been replaced with heavy oak panel doors which covered metal. You were going to break in easily. The place had also been fenced in with huge wooden walls and a very dark looking gate that had a gargoyle that was linking them together. There was also wards that were placed on the walls and fort that would create shields in case of attack both physical and magical.
She walked through her double doors for the first time and saw the beautiful work that had been completed since she had recieved the place as a gift. She could see huge area rugs made out of bearskin including polar bear skin.
She thought back to the last time she had been here and saw the spot where she had burned Damon. She still had nightmares of that day and she was sure that they would fade over time she didn’t know how long it would take.
She wouldn’t be alone here Astyn was coming and his triplet daughters. They would each have a room but the room for Astyn had a special trapdoor and tunnel that led to the scrying room. It was keyed to his signature and would be able to allow it to admit anyone he wanted.
The fireplace had been redone so it looked amazing and had crystals around it which would prevent the fire from spreading and it would put it out with a single word. There would be no repeat of what happened all those weeks ago. She shivered at the thought, fire was the weakness of the vampires and was the most painful way to go. She had heard that some of her kind had tried to experiment with fire immune specials but it wasn’t allowed as it would give unfair advantages to those who were fighting to become royalty.
She was just happy to be home or more importantly what would become her home. She loved what they did. She could feel the emotions of Astyn as he approached her. In the time that she had known him the feeling had begun to grow. They weren’t together yet as he had a lot to do including his 16 year old daughters. They were his life, though once they were legally of age he would be turned to a vampire and they would go on to many things.
“Thank you for making this place and for inviting my family to join you. It is amazing the room you created to match that of what I used before is stronger. And I hear you also have another scrying room as well which amplifies ones psionic power. You and I will have to test them out. I want to key my daughters into the rooms as soon as possible.”
She nodded “Of course. You know there powers better than I and know what they are capable of.”. She had met the daughters and they were all going to be strong on magics. Lilya was the one that was most impressive she was an empath master class level both receptive and projective but her true gift is she is am adept class mind healer. Anya was also a healer but she was a physical healer and only master class but she had empathy as well just journeyman level. The last sibling Jade was the most powerful empath she had ever met. Her skillset was easily adept class for projective and her receptive was equally powerful. She had a very minor gift of Farsight like her father. She also was in training for a shaman.
If the girls decided to stay they could make this a place of healing. An eclave for the magical community where they can find peace, solace and healing both physically and mentally. It was a great thought and would take years to complete and also would require further healers as well to join her. Many healers don’t or won’t work with vampires as they fear that they will end up being turned into one of the undead. Most believed that if a healer was turned it would remove the ability to heal ever after.
She could feel the magic of this place and it felt the tingling from all that had been put in here. The wards were all placed around the place. Even those that didn’t have magic might be able to feel something strong here. She hoped that it would help her bruise soul.
She was not young anymore and had went through so much in her life. With the latest episode just happening she was feeling the strain of all her years.
She didn’t know a lot about her family anymore or if any were still alive as who knows of the Royal Court had went after them. She knew that many of them would be protected but some wouldn’t.
She was sitting in the comfortable chair and staring at the necklace it was in the shape of a cameo. It was the only thing that she had left that was from her mother.
She reached up and touched it. She opened her mind and allowed the touch reading to creep into her mind. The blue mist entered her mind and it began to clear.
———–
She was 41 years of age she had raised her siblings after the death of her parents and was raising her own children. Her husband had died of the fever leaving her with the children.
Her eldest child was already 16 and had just had her first child. Astucia was a grandma now and she was thrilled to be able to spoil the little one. It was a son and she knew that they would grow up away from the hate that she had always felt. They no longer believed in the Church. She had been disillusioned by religion and she had refused to let her family have anything to do with them. Her life had been destroyed early on by the accusations levied against her parents. They had both been executed by the Government due to witchcraft and heresy.
She wasn’t getting any younger and had needed money since her husband had died. She had started to open her home up to travellers for a fee. Most that came to Lisbon were coming from France.
Her latest guest was Alexandre a man who acted very gentle. You never saw him out during the day and he was always bringing home women to his room. He had paid up for six months and while she didn’t like the man he was perfectly civil.
He had come home late last night. The kids were with there aunts for the next couple of weeks in Porto. “We are finally alone I see Astucia” he said in heavily accented Portuguese.
She nodded shyly “We are at that. Would you like some dinner Sir” she asked demurely.
He smiled and she could see sharp pointed teeth “I would. You and I have other items we need to discuss. I feel your power, it emanates off of you. I even know the power you have, you see the past with a touch. I need that, you will be joining me.”
He reached out and grabbed her neck and pulled her to him. This was something he longed for. Her heart was racing and the fear gave her scent the most unmistakeable and sweet scent and flavour. He bent down and bit the neck. She screamed and the taste of the blood was sweet as he thought. He began to drain the blood from her. As he did he concentrated his magic on her and slit his wrist and forced her to take in his blood.
Doing this against the will of a human was illegal plain and simple and in human terms what he had done would have been tantamount to rape. He could be punished for it but the Royal Court had needed his skills plenty of times and wouldn’t do anything to end his eternal life.
It was a horrific time for a force changed to vampirism. It was a form of Rape in many ways as it changed you without consent and was a very intimate act when one was turned. Astucia was scared she has heard of the devil’s and knew that the demonic powers they possessed were stronger than any she could wield. Her touch reading ability was not going to help her.
She felt her power start to activate as his teeth were digging into the soft flesh of her neck. She could feel the white hot searing pain that was to be her normal for the next month.
For 75 years she was a slave to this gentleman Alexandre who had kept gathering more unique humans to him so that he could collect highly powerful or very unique powered people. What few realized was that he was planning to overthrow the cadres of France and to take on the Emporer.
For vampires it was hard to break away from your master especially when you were useful to them. Alexandre never did want to give her or anyone up. She now has 4 sisters and 2 brothers. She was starting to break away from her father as he wanted to be known as. Her powers were being used to create many blackmailing events and Alexandre was slowly pushing things harder on France. Even the Queen Selene was shocked and scared that he would be able to challenge her and easily kill her.
They entered the castle with the large tower Astucia was feeling ill at ease here as it didn’t feel like her home in Portugal and was very stuffy as well as very formalised. She was wearing a bright red silk gown that had a train that was at least 5 feet long and dragged on the ground. She hated the gown and mostly because of the train.
Selene was very imperious and she glared at the woman who had olive skin and her hair that was touching the back of her knees. “You have come here with that pathetic excuse for a site Alexandre.”
Astucia nodded her head slowly. She was fearful because a Queen could order much and unless her sire chose to challenge her now it could be worse. She has spoke to Alexandre in great detail about this. His ability to control the element of fire and to generate fire was anathema to the vampires. Noone was allowed to use fire that was a vampire it was against the standard.
She knew that the vampire being able to use fire as a weapon was harsh since it gave them unfair advantage in a duel. It was why any that had fire abilities before had been slaughtered by their own sire.
She walked up to the Queen Selene and did a formal curtsey or as much as she could in the foppish dress gown she was wearing. Years ago she had changed to wearing trousers instead even though it was frowned upon. When you were running with the hardest people around, dresses just didn’t cut it.
As she spoke to the Queen is heavily accented french. Even after all these years she still had the Portuguese accent and one that marked her from the poorer caste from there. “My Queen. I am sorry to disrupt the merry making that you have planned for your 125 year anniversary as Queen of France. However I come to you on behest of my Sire who has urgent issues”
The Queen glared she hated the sire and with a passion that she used to have for Alexandre. They had once been lovers but she had such hate for him now and she has kept his secret against the Cadre Councils and the Emporer. It wouldn’t take much to have him put to death however it might mean her own. “What is it that Alexandre wants now?”
She let a slight smile crease her lips. “He is being hunted by a group of people who seem to use fire weapons and have powers that none of us have seen before. They are relentless and have destroyed two of his homes already and killed 12 of his guests. They are able to use fire with impunity and I saw them use a fire garotte. It isn’t normal and some can even turn into creatures of fire”
Selene knew of these people they were Vampire Hunters of a breed that were not like the normal hunters. They weren’t just strong and use stakes these ones could use fire and had spells they were more like witches than hunters. They had such combinations that had seldom been seen.
“I have heard of these stalkers a few times we have yet to capture or kill one. They are very good and structured more so than most. They can fry a vampire from within. I didn’t hear that they were after Alexandre. He is cowardly and has ran from them without doing much about them.”
Astucia interrupted “i have brought a body of one of these stalkers”
The Queen jumped up “wait you have killed on of these stalkers?”
Astucia nodded “I was able to take an enchanted shield when they through a fireball at me. I then used the shield to decapitate the creature. It was very difficult and the fight should have been over for me quickly. I think he saw this diminutive woman and assumed I would be an easy vampiric kill. They don’t realize I have spent decades learning how to fight in multiple styles. I have studied Tae Kwon Do as well as Hapkido and Jiu Jitsu. I am not a shrinking violet”,
Selene looked impressed this was a woman who could handle herself. A fighter to the very bone and one who would give it her all and of course she was an unorthodox fighter. This would be a woman who she would love to have on her staff. “What would you say about joining me as a permanent member of my staff? I definitely could use a person who is able to do what no other vampire has been able to do. You are the best fighter I have seen and I could even put you in to be trained on Savate”
She looked terrified “you know his strengths he will never let me go, ever. He needs me I help keep him stable if I were to leave him now he might explode and you know what that would mean. He has power no vampire can touch.”
She nodded “I understand but he sent you here and if you hadn’t impressed me he knows you would have been imprisoned by me or killed. All he leaves you are his burnt offerings. You will never reach your true potential”
Astucia was shocked by this revelation did her sire really not want her to grow her power and to become whatever she could. It would be hard for her to argue that Alexandre was willing to help her get to the next level in power as she would then be strong enough to break free from him. Her power was currently considered as class d and she would need to get to class c to be able to break away from the class b Alexandre.
Selene was right she needed to move and if that meant that she move with Selene in Provence France. Alexandre was home in Cannes and it had his most protected bases of operations. It had nothing even close to the security of Provence which was the capital of the French Cadres.
She knew with all her heart that she had to go home and then she would return to Provence and take up the role of an enforcer with the Queen. “I must return first to Alexandre even though I don’t want to. I will return within 3 months and take up a position with you but you must realize I will need you to block his control on me so that I can stay here in hiding with you”
The Queen nodded her head “I look forward to you as part of my retinue.”
Astucia left breathing a sigh of relief as she would be able to get out of there without going to final death. She had a feeling that what would happen had she refused would have meant her death and probably the death of many of her family or so they called them. She knew with certainty that it would be over had she not agreed since she knew as a class a vampire and she had seen the potential of what she could become.
She has overheard one of the sycophants talking about her and how powerful they believed her potential was. She could easily surpass Class A vampire and become one of the first of the French people to go into the extremely high levels of supreme adept or a class Omega vampire. Class Omega was a higher level than anyone from France had ever received. In fact there were so few who would be classified as omega level vampires and one was Valdiche and the other was Ashlana both had disappeared centuries ago.
As she made her way back to Cannes were she would speak to Alexandre and tell her what the Queen knew or suspected. Before she had left Selene had given her a special medallion that when worn it would make her invisible to Alexandre however it would only last for 2 weeks so she would have to be fast and get back to Provence.
———
The castle was gloomy as ever Alexandre never put enough lights magical or candles to keep the place looking less like a menacing home. The fires were never enough not just for light but the heat was not there and the castle was damp as anything. The humans who were working for them were all older so they constantly complained about the pain they suffered because of the damp atmosphere. She didn’t really like any of them but had been forced many times to done off of them. She hated this part especially as she was a Catholic girl who knew that it was wrong to hurt others.
She approached her room and opened the door with her magical signature. She entered and saw the silk trousers and top in the brightest possible red. She loved it as it was what she wore when she was working. She has one in red and one in a violet colouring as well as one in black for night and then one in blue as well. She kept them easily accessible and they fit over her light armour that she always wore when working. The armour was magical and was basically an under shirt that men would wear and then a pair of trousers that were very light and were imbued with the magic that would make them like platemail armour.
She removed hee travel dress which she was forced to wear as it was still the sign of the times and woman had to be dressed in more eloquent outfits. She also has a man that had driven her in the horse and buggy as she still wasn’t legally allowed to be in control of them. The horses also hated her and wouldn’t obey her commands. Something about the way her power scent happened with them that couldn’t be masked. Alexandre didn’t have that issue he had a power scent that didn’t annoy the livestock but he was always able to mask the scent as well so that other vampires couldn’t figure out how strong he was. She wished that she could do that since she felt on the cusp of getting to class c and being able to hide her power would have worked better.
She put the bespelled silk underarmour on and then the red silk trousers and flowing long sleeve top. She brushed her long hair so that it would be silky and without tangles or knots. She then grabbed the chords that she kept on her at all times. She began to tie the hair back first in a ponytail and then she braided it and wrapped the long braid around the top giving her the braided bun. It was her standard workout style for her hair and as she pinned the hair in place it felt right. The dark long hair while it was a thing of her human life and she wanted to cut it shorter but it was just not done for Alexandre and it was not done in the eyes of most men. Woman had to look womanly which was long hair and beautiful dresses. God how she hated men and what they forced her to wear and what to look like.
She never did the extravagant looks unless she was playing lady of the house which was rare or had to go to a formal notification like to the Queen. She walked out of her door and headed to the throne room or Alexandre as he would be holding his own version of court. As a count he would always hold sway however Selene seemed to have no love for him.
Alexandre bellowed “Astucia what did you find out with Selene. She probably didn’t give you much but since you survived either she isn’t after my head now or you impressed her. What did you do?”
Of course that was shocking as who would come out with that type of stupidity and make it about him instead of her getting out with information. “Well she doesn’t really have much love for you. In fact I can think of one thing she did say was that you were not her favourite person and that she wanted you in final death. What that was about one can only guess. As for surviving before reaching there I was ambushed by what Queen Selene is calling the stalkers. I killed him and brought his corpse with me to the Queen’s court.”
He glared at her and even though he was upset he was also shocked that she a class d vampire had been able to take down one of those beasts. Even he hadn’t been able to take one down. He took in her scent and yes she was still class d but barely. It wouldn’t be long and she would be class c and could break the bonds easily enough that he had on her. “You foolish girl. What you have done is just made it so the Queen the evil she beast will now want you with her. You should have hid the body and brought him back to me so we could have examined. You are so stupid. Now what else did the bitch say?”
Hearing him speak this way was nothing knew. All he did was take and leave them with the burnt offerings that was all that was left after he burned his way through them. She could see the change and the angriness of his body more so then his words and knew for a certainty that she would never make it out from under him. When the time was right he would put her to final death. “She said that the stalkers were much stronger than the normal hunters and had the use of magic which is unheard of. They were more witches than hunters which is why she counted them as stalkers. They don’t always attack but when they do it doesn’t help as few have survived the fiery attacks. She was impressed and she wants us to help defend the courts whether it be here in Cannes or back with her in Provence. Let me say that I believe we need to be here”
He nodded “I agree we can’t leave Cannes for Provence. This is our seat of power and if the Queen should fall I am stronger than her other Barons so I would take over and Cannes is much better to be defended. Now go and rest I will be of need of you soon.”
She walked away from the chamber and towards her own private rooms and to were her private training facility had been built. Her plans would have to be enacted quickly so she could escape. Her first thing would be the test of her strength and increasing her to class c. She went to her meditation ring and quickly began working off her energy calling forth the vampiric abilities that would be what she needed. This next class was the harder of the items as she would be able to turn herself into mist and travel that way.
She put on the necklace and began to work through her patterns upto and including class d abilities and then put all her thoughts into the spells that she needed and was successful on the first attempt to turn herself into mist. The power surge that came with her passing to Class C was euphoric, she was now going to be able to flee differently. She still couldn’t mask her powers as that was a higher class skill generally only top level class b vampires and above could do it.
She began to make her plans for escape. It would soon be time maybe she could get to where she needed to go but she really wanted out of the pain of the vampiric cadres as they seldom assisted any but the barony or above. She would live or die on her own one of these days and they would either let her go or she would die fighting a futile battle.
She close the circle tossing in the spell that she had used watching as the paper crisped at the edges and started to burn. She saw the ashes and thought this was her burnt offering and she would love or die as she pleased
Crazy Canadian Writing 