Blood and Chains

The Styx

Inside the tavern –the Styx— was a clean, warm type of inn. If this was a different time, it might have been a cozy place to visit. A green orc woman was behind the counter cleaning a goblet. Her hair was in a high ponytail, and she looked rather happy to be there than what I imagined most taverns to be like.

She looked up and smiled. “Hello Flynn. What will you have?” She had a slight lisp that was due to her oversized tusk from her lower jaw sticking out. Vampires also have a lisp when they have their teeth out.

“Nothing Magna.” He waved her off.

“What are we doing here then?” I asked in a hush tone. I knew orcs had incredible hearing, which is why they were usually slaves.

“So you can eat.” He said it as if it was a stupid question.

“You know we call it feed right?” I narrowed my eyes. “You can eat food.”

He chuckled. “Are you buying me food princess?”

“Don’t call me that, and no.”

“A man's got to eat,” Flynn responded, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

“Are you serious?” I asked annoyed.

He shrugged. “You’re not the only one hungry.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off.

“I know it's not the most comfortable idea, but you need to feed, and we can't exactly go around biting humans in the neck without getting into trouble,” he explained.

My mouth remained open, as I couldn't find the right words to express my shock. Flynn, seeing my reaction, chuckled.

“Don't worry, I have a plan,” he said, his eyes scanning the room.

He walked up to an elf in a corner, who was eating a plate of raw salad.

"Hey, how much for a pint of your blood?" Flynn asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

The elf looked up shocked at Flynn, then their face relaxed when they saw me. “Flynn go away.” The elf went back to his salad.

“Come on Polaris.” Flynn was laughing as if it was a big joke.

I had never fed on an elf, much less seen many of them. Vampires were only allowed to meet so many kinds of creatures, and usually the ones that hunted the same way we did. As I looked at Polaris, I noticed how he was dressed in more traveler kind of clothes, less regal like the ones I had seen before. His long blonde hair was braided behind him.

“Go away.” He said munching on his leaves.

“How much?” Flynn smirked like a cat who got into the cream.

“Not for sale.”

“Everyone has a price.” He said in a low tone.

“Uh, Flynn…” I said softly.

He held up his finger to me. Which shocked me a bit.

“Polaris.” He whispered now in a soft tone, which reminded me of Eli.

“You’re using—”

“Flynn!” The She-Orc slammed down her hand on the counter. “Stop trying to buy people’s blood.”

Flynn chuckled, standing up straight, giving a shrug. “Can’t blame me for trying.”

“You continue to try that, and you won’t be able to come back for a while.” She pointed a finger at him.

He nodded. “Yes, yes Magna.”

Defeated, Flynn turned back to me with a sheepish grin. “Well, it seems our plan A didn’t work out so well. We’ll have to resort to plan B.”

I raised an eyebrow, wary of his next suggestion. “And what exactly is plan B?”

Flynn leaned in closer, his voice barely more than a whisper. “Order from Magna.”

“Um,” I swallowed hard. “excuse me?”

Magna looked at me and smiled. “What will you have dove?”

No one else called me dove before. “Do you have something for me to drink?”

She raised an eyebrow to me. “You mean feed?”

I nodded. I had never been in a situation like this before. I was always given someone live when I lived with my mother, or hunted in some adult dungeons.

“You need live or can you handle the sour stuff?”

“Sour stuff?” I scrunched my face. “What is that?”

Magna grinned a sheepish grin. “Let me have you try it. Trust me, it will be sour.”

I glanced at Flynn who was chuckling.

“You’re going to poison me.”

He shook his head. “Trust me princess, if I wanted to kill you, it wouldn’t be this way.”

“What way then?” I asked, crossing my arms.

He leaned in, his mouth a breath away from mine. “Probably something a little more pleasurable.”

“For you?” I raised my eyebrow to him, not moving, or trying to show that I was slightly turned on by that move.

“I’m always in a pleasurable mood.” He shrugged as he stepped back.

“Somehow I doubt that.” I straightened my shirt, something to fidget with to conceal my nervousness.

“Here it is!” Magna exclaimed loudly, placing down the drink. “Veil of Roses!”

The drink “Veil of Roses” would be an exquisite and visually captivating beverage. It is served in a delicately curved glass, resembling a blooming rose. The liquid itself possess a deep, mesmerizing red hue, reminiscent of a vibrant bouquet of roses.

As I peered closer, I notice tiny specks of shimmering rose gold, resembling the gentle twinkle of stars. These specks would gracefully swirl and dance within the drink, adding an ethereal touch. The aroma of “Veil of Roses” was enchanting to smell. Hints of rose petals, jasmine, and a subtle hint of vanilla waft gently towards me. It would evoke a sense of elegance and romance.

I gulped hard. “You said bitter.”

“Only to vampires. Eat up.” She smiled softly.

I nibbly took the glass and downed the drink. The moment it hit my tongue, I was not expecting the amount of bitterness that was there. It was like someone poured the most pungent, awful, vile drink down my throat. It burned my throat and hurt when it hit my stomach.

“Oh my…” I gasped.

Flynn had a smirk that was more wicked than normal. I looked at Magna, trying to breathe. She gave a kind smile but I felt like I fell into a trap. I continued to gasp for air.

“Breathe.” She soothed. “Just breathe.”

I shook my head. “N..no…”

“Let it feed you.” She said softly. “It is bitter but let it feed you.”

“N…” I gasped.

“Damnit.” Flynn now wasn’t smiling.

“Flynn.” Magna warned. “Leave her alone.”

“I’m not about to kill her.”

I now fell onto the floor. My vision was going. Voices were now mixing together. Why did I trust him? Why is this how I am going? I didn’t even find Jesper. I closed my eyes, waiting for death.

Suddenly, I felt a surge of power flow into me. It was warm, and started to heat me from my head to my toes. It was pouring into me. I wonder if they were feeding me a potion. Slowly my breath was returning. I took a breath, my eyes weren’t opening yet.

“Breathe princess.” I hear Flynn’s whispering in my ear.

I coughed, slowly now opening my eyes. I saw Flynn looking down at me, Magna’s eyes were peering over the side of the counter, and even the elf, Polaris was hovering over.

“You…” I croaked. “tried…to kill me…” I labored to say.

He chuckled, “No, but I’m glad you’re okay now princess.”

“Don’t…” I coughed some more as I sat up. “Call…me…that.” I swallowed hard.

He chuckled, helping me on my feet and into the stool.

Magna slid a glass of water to me. “Here you go.”

I glared at her as I cautiously took the glass.

“It’s water, I promise.” She held her hands up in defense.

I drank the glass, praying this didn’t end me.

“You are pure-blood aren’t you?”

“Yes.” I nodded, setting the glass down.

“I wish you told me you only had humans. It might have been a better result.”

“What was it you gave me?”

“It’s called Veil of Roses.” Polaris sat down next to me. “It’s a substitute made for vampires to go on long journeys without feeding.”

“Why?”

“If you go on quests as a rogue, or you go on a trip, you can die without eating.”

“I know that.” I was sounding more annoyed than I meant.

Magna held her hand up to Polaris and smiled to me. “This substitute has been designed to serve as a serious alternative for vampires, allowing them to feed less frequently. In fact, some hybrids have gone years without consuming any blood at all. While incredibly useful, if someone who has never had access to such a substitute is suddenly given it, things can quickly go awry.”

“Like with me?”

Magna nodded. “I didn’t realize you were pure-blooded.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s harder on your system to accept, especially one who isn’t a youngling.”

I looked at the empty glass of the Veil of Roses. Little flakes of gold and red liquid had pooled at the bottom.

“What did you guys give me to pull me back? A potion?”

No one said anything. No one make any eye movements or any kind of movement for that matter. They just stared at me. I looked at each one individually, and got nothing. Clearly whatever they used wasn’t meant to be used.

“Okay, since no one is going to tell me, how long is it that I can go without eating?”

Magna scratched her chin. “I’ve only given a Veil of Roses to one other vampire that was a pure-blood, and they took it better. Of course they kind of knew what to except. Last I heard it lasted them a week.”

“Who was it?” Knowing my circle, or rather, my mother’s circle. I had to know the person.

Magna waved me off. “Some guy. He came in here not but a day ago to buy a few mixes of the drink. Said he was going away for a while.”

Alarm bells went off in my head. “What was his name?” I demanded.

Magna shrugged. “He didn’t say and I didn’t ask. We here at the Giggling Gnome's Alehouse, don’t ask questions people clearly don’t want to give.”

“Giggling Gnome’s…alehouse?” I asked, then looked at Flynn who was snickering. “You said it was the Styx!”