Turned

Chapter Five.

I stood in Xavier’s bedroom, the expensive night gown hugging my curves down to mid-thigh. The material was made of silk and was a bright red color that shown in the moonlight that poured in through the open balcony doors. Fiona and I would be sharing the room as Hamish and Julius slept in my old chambers, but Fiona was bathing, a warm bath having been drawn by Alfred’s hands in the next room over. She would wear a lilac night gown of mine that went down to the floor. I touched the bed post, my mind going back to Xavier, always to Xavier when he would stir in his sleep and mutter something about wine and women. I smiled at the thought, resting my head against the bed post when a foreign presence fluttered into the room as light as the beat of a butterflies’ wings “There is something that I must ask of you” Julius’ voice said into the dark room, the door having been closed and never opened which lead me to believe that he had used the balcony to gain access since he stood, rimmed by the moonlight. His voice held an urgency and his was ridden with a mixture of fear and determination. I allowed my hand to slip away from the post, raising my head to meet his glowing, gold eyes in the darkened night “You have my undivided attention” I assured him, the material of my gown thin as it rubbed against my bare breasts and crotch. Small straps held the dress up on my shoulder, black as the world around it as black trim lined the bottom of the gown. Julius stepped forward and bent down, taking a seat on one knee with his arm slung over the other that was propped up “I wish for you to take me on as your apprentice” my face hardened, the muscles in my back tensing at his words, the words I had muttered so many years ago when Xavier had explained the concept of mentor and apprentice to me. It would mean that if I wished to be intimate, Julius would not have a choice in the matter, that if I wished for him to give his life to save mine, he would have no choice. I had no idea why Julius would want such a thing, however I did intend to pass all that Xavier had taught me onto him “Do you understand what it means to be an apprentice?” I questioned, eyes boring into his skull as his eyes were closed and head bowed to show respect towards me. It was rare for a Royal to want to be taken on as an apprentice by a Turned, however it was no unheard of. Julius was no longer a boy, but a man of eighteen, a man who knew little of what he was asking of me. He shook his head, having heard the word come from my lips a few hours prior and having thought that he too wanted to be trained without giving thought to the details “You would become mine” I began, slowly kneeling so that I was sat in front of him with one hand on the foot of the large king size bed. I reached a hand out to grip Julius’ chin between my thumb and forefinger, forcing him to look up at me to meet my eyes that glowed brighter than his in the moonlight. He was a Royal, but I was much stronger than him and he knew it from everything he had seen “If I wished to drink from your vein then you cannot deny me” I continued, leaning my face closer to his so that our cheeks brushed as I buried my face in his neck, my fangs scrapping the skin of his throat when I spoke. He squeezed his eyes shut, expecting me to bite, but instead I pulled away, my hand moving to tenderly cup the side of his face “If I wished to be intimate, you cannot deny me” I muttered, my lips lightly brushing over his when I spoke and causing his eyes to widen slightly at the contact that sent jolts through our bodies. It was a common side effect of apprentice and mentor, however it was weak compared to what it would be once the contract would be sealed “And if I wished to sacrifice you then you cannot deny me” his eyes lit with a gleam of pride and understanding as I let go of him and stood, turning my back to him to allow him time to leave but he did not, instead getting up to wrap his arms around my waist and bury his face in my neck. My body tensed at the unexpected contact since I had taken him for a coward that would run once he knew of what the contract held. I reached to take hold of his arms “I accept these conditions” his voice said into the dark of the room. I turned in his arms to face him, his hands gripping my hips as I stared up at him with a hard gaze. He was serious, his face set in stone as his eyes searched mine, hoping to find a willingness inside of me “It will not be easy” I warned, my voice low as I tilted my head down to look at the wooden floorboards beneath us. They were old and warn from many years of tracking feet back and forth, from many years of Xavier asking me to dance with him on those very floor boards “I do not expect it to me” he muttered, his hand moving to cup my face and tilt it up so that I was looking up at him. My jaw tightened, teeth clenching behind closed lips as I reached my own hand out, flexing my index finger and causing a claw to form over it which I dragged along the length of his bottom lip, down to the top of his chin, drawing blood. I used the same finger to slit the tip of my tongue before I allowed the claw to disappear and tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to smash our lips together in a heated kiss. I lapped at his bottom lip and he suckled on the tip of my tongue, consuming the other’s blood and sealing the contract. It was a kiss so passionate that it made my heart leap from my chest and into my throat where I could have sworn he could taste it. We roamed each other’s mouths, our hands ravaging the others body as he picked me up, forcing me to wrap my legs around his waist. I could feel him grow hard beneath me and a low moan slipped out from the back of my throat at the feel of him, but as soon as he was there, he was gone, in a flash of moonlight, leaving me standing in the middle of the room as the bedroom door creaked open to reveal a Bathed Fiona in a lilac night gown. I ran my tongue along my bottom lip, it already healed before wiping the back of my hand along my lips to get rid of the access blood. I stared out the balcony doors then turned to face Fiona with a calm and collected look plastered across my face. I knew that if she was to find out about the contract, that she would not be happy, and Julius knew this as well from his sudden departure. She closed the door behind her and I headed for the balcony, stepping up onto the railing and looking down into the empty street below “Where are you going?” she asked, her eyes roaming over my form. I had to hide the smell of Julius’ blood and to do so I would have to mask it with the blood of a stranger. I glanced back at her from over my shoulder, my hands flexing at my sides to call upon my claws “Hunting” I simply said then stepped off the side of the balcony, tumbling down to the world below. Fiona rushed to the sight, her eyes glancing over at the street below, but I was already gone, leaping from one roof to the next with a fierce hunger inside me. The fact that I had lost so much blood earlier yelled for me to feed and make up for it.

I sat in the dining hall the next morning, my bare feet kicked up onto the table where the body of a young man lay splayed out for the world to see. Fiona, Hamish and Julius appeared, each with different reactions as I reached for a gauntlet, holding it beneath the stream of blood that flowed from the corpse to fill it to the brim. My night gown was covered in blood from a night of hunting and my hair was a mess from having had it pulled a few times by the now dead man, I had seduced with very little effort “Breakfast?” I asked, holding a second gauntlet up for them to take. Fiona was looking away, refusing to marvel at the scene in front of her while Hamish stood stark still in the room filled with an intoxicating scent that would no doubt get the better of him eventually. Julius’ eyes darkened, a look of death filling their orbs as he, guilt still floating in their depths “Drink” I ordered him, holding the second gauntlet up for him to take. Julius stepped forward, his feet carrying him towards the cup as Fiona watched with wide eyes. He took the gauntlet from my hand and downed the content of the cup as I sipped on mine, savoring the taste of a fresh kill. Hamish was struggling to contain himself so standing, I made my way over to him and held the gauntlet out under his nose, allowing the smell to consume him “You know you want to” I said, my French accent shining through as I took a sip of my drink. Hamish swallowed hard and reached up to grip my wrist in his hold. I grinned when he took my gauntlet from me and downed it, blood dripping down the sides of his chin and throat as he swallowed it. Fiona looked on in disgust her hand cupping his mouth and nose to keep the smell from getting to her. Hamish tossed the gauntlet aside and went for the body, sinking his teeth into the corpse as he drank from it while Julius watched, a familiar gleam in his eyes from him having been in Hamish’s position a few days before “Alfred!” I yelled into the house, the man appearing in the doorway as I turned and climbed up onto a chair then stepped onto the elongated dining table. My feet were slicked with blood as I approached the body with the poise of a hungry predator “Yes, my lady?” Alfred questioned from his place beside Fiona. The woman looked at him to see his reaction, but he was unaffected as I crouched beside the body and reached out to lap at my bloody fingertips with the tip of my tongue. He had seen much worse in Xavier’s time “Prepare for a banquet” I announced, standing upright and facing the man with a mischievous gleam in my eyes, one that he knew all too well of. I had an idea and when I thought of something, there was no stopping it no matter what the arguments, something I had gotten from Xavier over the years “Invite any and all” I said to which he bowed, bending his head to show his respect towards me. He tucked one arm across his torso when he bowed while the other was tucked away behind his back like a proper gentleman would bow to his superior “As you wish Lady De La Crona” with that he disappeared through the large dining room doors and out to spread word of the party. Fiona looked furious as Julius merely seemed curious, engaged in whatever I was getting at. Hamish drained the body and fell back into a chair, gasping for air with his eyes swirling with a powerful hunger that started to consume him “How many more people do you plan on killing?” Fiona demanded, her hands balling at her sides as the lilac material of my night gown clung to her curves. I had killed many people over the years, hundreds the very night I had been turned and thousands more over the centuries, none tasting quite as good as the blood that my mentor would feed me on night of stormy winds and howling trees. He’d cut his wrist and hold it out for me to taste, the smell so sweet, so enchanting that it would consume my very being and drag me down into a lustful trance “No more than necessary to attract a member of the Order” I assured her, my eyes watching her as she began to calm down, finally aware of my plan. Julius’ shoulders sagged a bit when my words were out, his hidden worry something I wanted to be rid of. Hamish ran the back of his hand across his lips and looked up at me with desire in his ruby eyes. He was hungry, hungrier than he had ever been and wanted to feed “Torture is the way to go, is it?” Hamish questioned, referring to the member of the Order which I was intending to capture. I hopped down from the edge of the table, my feet leaving red footprints along the wooden floor as I moved over to where Julius was stood. He tensed when I neared him, like a puppet on a string ready to be strung along to whichever tune I would play “Hamish seems a bit starved, why not fetch him something suitable to eat?” I asked, trailing my hand over his shoulder and whispering the last part in his ear. He looked at me, eyes blazing with lust as he took in my form, covered in blood and half naked. He nodded and headed for the door, leaving me alone with Hamish and Fiona, one of which insisted on being rather difficult “What did you do to him?” she demanded as I hopped up onto the edge of the table, my feet dangling beneath me, blood dripping from the tips of my toes as more of it stained the sides of my face and arms. Hamish was entranced as he watched me, eyes filled with amazement “I did nothing, he on the other hand did plenty” I replied to her question. It was not long before she realized what I had meant, her eyes widening as she made her way closer to me and to the corpse that had frightened her so, her motherly instincts guiding her, stronger than her fear “He pledged himself to you?” she asked, her bare feet slipping in the blood when she walked. I nodded, throwing my head back to look up at the ceiling above, painted with images of fat cherubs and large bundles of grapes. She shook with rage, wanting to control what goes on around her but unable to keep it all from falling apart “He is mine” I said, my voice ringing out in the dining hall. It sounded odd to say but, yet it sounded so sweet to my ears like a symphony sung by angels. He was mine, the contract had been sealed and he could never escape it, not for as long as either of us remained of the living.

Hamish had feasted most of the day; his thrust being quenched three bodies later that were left littering the dining hall for Alfred to get rid of. He was getting the house ready for the banquet as I got dressed in a formal, cream-colored gown. It was figure hugging and covered in various crystals with a slit that ran up the side, making it easier to move in than the usual, ball gown types of dresses. I put my hair half up in a fancy up do and did my makeup before clipping some diamond earrings into my ears and slipping some silver heels onto my feet. By the time I was finished, Fiona had gotten dressed against her will, having been forced to by a very determined Alfred. She wore a blue A line dress that was tied with a corset and a pair of black heels that clicked behind her whenever she would walk. It was similar to what she would usually wear accept not as figure hugging. Her silver hair was left down for all to see since it suited her, and her ruby eyes stood out by a crimson stone that dangled from her neck “This is unnecessary” she argued as I exited what used to be Xavier’s room, making my way down the hall. She hurried after me, gripping the skirt of her dress and huffing when she nearly fell in her heels. Her eyes were narrowed onto me as I moved, balling and flexing my fists to see if my weapons still worked according to my liking “Have some fun, Fiona” I said, eyes staring straight ahead to where Julius and Hamish were waiting, Julius wearing a grey suit and white undershirt while Hamish adorned a darker shade of suit, black with a grey undershirt. Both of them looked at me as I appeared at the top of the staircase beside them, glancing down at the house filled to the brim with people “Enjoy the festivities” I said, glancing at the two men before making my way down the stairs. Alfred awaited me at the bottom, offering me a glass of red wine which I took with a nod of gratitude as I moved through the crowd, men and woman dancing, twirling in the dining hall while some men stood outside, smoking a cigar or cigarette. A young man found me standing by the dining hall doors, he was human, his voice slightly slurred as he approached me, offering me a second glass of wine when he noticed that mine was empty. He took my empty glass, replacing it with the full one “Such a beauty should never be left alone” he felt the need to say, his lips trailing dangerously close to my ear and neck. I laughed, shoving back his shoulder slightly as an attempt to put some distance between us. He was handsome and intriguing as he set the empty glass on a nearby trey, taking care not to break it. His movements despite being slightly off balanced were of noble heritage which most likely meant that he was the next in line Duke of Birmingham that had gotten lost and wound up at my banquet with a few too many to drink. It peaked my curiosity as I set my full glass aside and turned into him placing my hands on his shoulders as I pretended to stumble into him “Oh forgive me, it would seem I have had a few too many to drink” he was too drunk to realize that I was all but sober, one glass having no impact on a Vampire. He laughed, grinning as he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close, swaying on his feet as he blinked at me past drunken, blurred eyes “You are most certainly forgiven, love” he said into my ear above the violin and piano that played in the distance. I buried my face in his neck, my tongue flicking past my lips to lap at his skin that smelt of soap and oil. He shivered beneath me, his hands moving to grip my hips in a strong hold that left bruises for a few seconds on my tender skin. It had been so long since I could seduce men, because of Xavier’s jealousy I was not permitted to fool around like he would do with various other women “I am so tired” I whined, my voice taking on a higher pitch as I rolled my hips, pressing my front up against him to give him a clear view of my breasts hidden behind the corset. He licked his lips, eyes roaming hungrily over my body that he wanted to devour like a three-course meal “Allow me to take you upstairs, I’m sure the Lady of the house will not mind” he offered, letting go of me to hold his arm out for me to take like a gentleman. I hummed and took his arm, letting him lead me back to the foyer and up the stairs. I met the eyes of Julius as I moved, his gaze hardening at the sight of the man touching me, a common problem that would arise between mentor and apprentice. I, myself had been jealous of any woman who would lay a finger on Xavier, so it was only natural for him to glare and grit his teeth in annoyance. The man led me into the room closest to the stairs which happened to be the room Julius and Hamish were staying in, my old chambers. There was a living room area off to the side and a much smaller bed than that of Xavier’s, but it was still big enough for two “Now what do you say I help you out of that tight dress?” the man offered, coming up behind me to fiddle with the strings of my corset. I could not conceal the laugh that escaped me as I turned, pushing him down onto the surface of the bed. His eyes lit up with a flash of excitement as I slowly crawled my way on top of him, straddling his waist and reaching up to cup the sides of his face “I am hungry” I whispered to which he grinned, having a different notion of hungry from the one I was referring to. I trailed kisses along his chin and jaw, refusing to touch his lips with mine as they were only reserved for Xavier or Julius, and seeing as one of them were dead they only belonged to Julius. The man groaned when I began rocking my hips against him, feeling him stir beneath me as I reached his throat, fangs scrapping against the soft flesh of his neck “So very hungry” I repeated when his hands moved to grip my waist, nails digging into my skin when I pierced his. Blood flowed into my mouth, pooling in through small holes I had made that tapped directly into the main vein that ran through the neck. The man gasped, his eyes wide in horror as I feasted in his blood, dwelling on the blood of a highborn nobleman of England, it was the best type of blood apart from another Vampire’s. It was in that moment that the bedroom door flew open to reveal an angered Julius. I pulled away, allowing the man to fall back onto the white sheets, stained in red as I looked up at my apprentice, lapping my fingers clean of the blood “Jealous, are we?” I questioned, my tongue trailing along my bottom lip. Julius closed the door behind him and stepped towards the edge of the bed, hands reaching out to grip the sides of my face. He moved to kiss me, but I moved away from him, placing a hand on his chest as I searched his gaze. He was hungry for both blood and me, but he was too young for my liking “Give me your wrist” I insisted, and he did as he was told, rolling up the sleeve of his suit to reveal his wrist to me, holding it out for me to do with as I pleased. I flexed my index finger and cut a long line along it, drawing blood. I then slid it across my neck, tilting my head to the side to expose the fresh cut to his view before I bit down on his wrist and began sucking. He copied my movements, digging his fangs into my neck and drawing blood from the wound, into his mouth. He groaned, the sound echoing out through his throat and vibrating through me as I savored the taste that was his. He moved his free hand to pick me up, wrapping my legs around him as he pressed me back against the bed post, his heat pressed up against mine. I moaned when I let go of his wrist and threw my head back to gasp for air. His hand moved to grip my throat, forcing my head to the side to allow more blood to flow in between the cracks of his lips. I closed my eyes, hands moving to tangle in his dark brown hair as I listened to the party taking place below. That was when a jingle of daggers reached my ears, a sound that was out of place in the house. I shoved Julius back and fell back onto my feet, kicking my heels off as I rushed out the room and to the railing of the staircase looking over the side to find a man that was out of place among the rest of the party goers. He froze when he noticed me, his eyes turning to look up at me from below, his hand moving to reach for a dagger that dangled from his belt, his white suit embroidered with three red roses, there were always three roses. I dodged the dagger that was thrown my way, shoving Julius out of the way when he came hurrying after me, afraid that he had done something wrong. Julius fell onto his rear as I took off down the hall and to the balcony that sat at the end of it. The man followed, rushing up the stairs and after me until we were both stood outside on the balcony, facing each other. I was up on the railing of the balcony, the night breeze blowing through my hair as I looked down at the armed man, both daggers back in hand “This can go either way” I said, my legs bending slightly as I thought of my next movement. The man twirled his blades in hand almost expertly, twisting them in between his fingers as if he had done it a million times before. I leaped up onto the roof and started running in the opposite direction, moving from rooftop to rooftop as I ran. The man gaining on me. He threw one of his daggers, which I turned and quickly caught, flexing my hand to dig my claws into the roof tiles to stop myself from skidding over the side of it. I tossed the dagger aside, making sure that it was far out of his reach and darted forward, moving to the left to dodge his s***h as I hooked my foot with his and flipped him over, onto his back on the tiles. It was then that Julius appeared, worry in his eyes as he watched me loom over the man. I looked at him, fear clouding my gaze which the enemy took note of and threw his last, remaining dagger at Julius. The blade imbedded itself into his shoulder and I bit out a cry as I gripped my shoulder. Julius stood unaffected as I took the impact of his wound which seemed to confuse both him and the random man as I reached down to strangle him with my free hand. He struggled against me, but soon passed out from lack of oxygen which was all I wanted, to have him taken prisoner. Julius pulled the dagger from his shoulder, causing me to cry out in agony as if it was being pulled from my own shoulder. His wound healed instantly whereas mine bled uncontrollably “i***t” I snapped at Julius, my vision starting to blur as the poison mad its way into my system. I gritted my teeth, it was how Xavier had died, not from the blade but from the poison that went paired with it. I staggered towards Julius, my hand moving to point in the direction of the man “Get him” I ordered, stumbling my way past and onto the next rooftop over with a desperate need to reach my room. I tumbled down to the balcony below and rushed my way inside, hands gripping the walls and nearly tearing the door off its hinges when I reached what used to be Xavier’s room, rummaging through my clothes in search of the pocket that had a small vile in it. I reached for the vile and opened it, downing the clear liquid as I fell into a chair beside the table my things were placed upon. I breathed hard, head thrown back as Julius appeared in the room, the prisoner having long since been locked away in the cells below the house “What happened?” he questioned, referring to him being alright and to me being injured and having nearly died. I shook my head as a way to tell him not to worry, that I was going to be alright. They had laced it with the ashes of a red wood tree which was strong enough to poison even a Royal Vampire. After Xavier’s death, I had searched Europe for a cure and found it in the hands of a Witchdoctor that not in Europe but in New Orleans in the United States of America. I had acquired a few viles, however I only had three left, after the incident “It is part of the contract, if you are wounded in battle, I sustain your injuries” I explained, sitting upright and glancing at my already healing shoulder where the blood had trailed down to soak the material of my dress. I rolled my shoulder back and huffed, Xavier’s face laughing at me filling my line of vision. I wanted to snap at him, but instead I looked back down at Julius “It would be wise of you to stay clear until you have learned a great deal” I warned to which he went silent, most likely feeling guilty from only having wanted to help. I turned my head to look out of the balcony, my eyes searching the buildings on the opposite side of the street as I opened my mouth to speak, not to Julius or myself but to the man who hovered in the silent, night air between us “You never warned me of this perk” Julius remained silent, knowing that my words were not directed towards him, but were in fact of him, the perk being his eagerness to help others in need. A reply did not come, as I had expected, but I could see Xavier grinning down at me, eyes bright with entertainment as he watched me struggle with his nephew.