Fated Fangs

Chapter 15: The Problem

After the night that Cassandra told her the story of how she became a vampire, Eleni began to accept her fate. Slowly, day by day, Eleni felt more comfortable with the routines of vampires and the idea of living forever. She became familiar with some of the maids and serving staff and was granted more permissions that allowed her to stroll outside and enjoy a bit of freedom.

Life at the coven was becoming more bearable. Cassandra stopped by whenever she had a spare moment, which was becoming less and less frequent as the hunt for answers went on. It was all well and good that everyone was on board with Eleni turning into a vampire, but the problem was how they were actually going to do it.

There were a few scientists in the world of vampires, and they weren't exactly easy to get ahold of, but Bram had managed contact with as many nearby as he could. Samples of Eleni's blood had been sent out to several individuals, and they were all working on a way to turn her. So far, there hadn't been much luck.

Cassandra's limited time with Eleni was either spent educating her on vampire laws and the difference between myths and the truth, or watching movies. Cassandra preferred old, classic movies, where Eleni would watch pretty much anything and enjoy some part of it.

Much of what Eleni had learned from pop culture was correct, except the religious parts and the aversion to garlic. Cassandra had found comfort in crosses and churches having no ill effect on her. Mirrors no longer seemed to pose a threat as none of them were silver plated anymore.

"We aren't of the devil, after all." Cassandra had said happily one day while talking to Eleni in her waiting room. "We're just some weird kind of mutation. It comes down to science and not god in this instance. "

Eleni may have accepted her fate, but her anger towards her father hadn't cooled off in the least. Dyrk was working closely with Bram, Cassandra, and Tuer to try and find a safe way to turn Eleni, but he still made time to try and see his daughter. Eleni didn't want anything to do with him. Any time he came by, she locked her doors and refused to answer him. When she happened to walk by him in the manor, she acted as if he didn't exist.

The vampires here may be holding her against her will, but at least they had been honest with her. They didn't even have any need to be kind to her or treat her well, and they had. Her own father had lied to her for her entire life. Eleni wasn't ready to forgive him any time soon. If he had told her about the existence of vampires in the first place or that her blood would someday make her a target, she might have been able to prepare herself.

More and more high officials arrived as the days wore on. Eleni may have been free to roam as she pleased, but it was getting more and more awkward to do so. All of the vampires in the manor were growing used to Eleni's enticing scent, but it was still hard for the younger ones to resist. They had been sent to other covens until the situation could be resolved.

The new vampires, however, were not accustomed to the alluring scent and were not so tactful at hiding their lustful appetites. Eleni was beginging to understand why they didn't want her out in the world walking the streets. If there were as many vampires as they were telling her there was, it would become dangerous to everyone if she was allowed to go free.

One night, around midnight, Eleni was curled up reading a book when one of her serving friends came in to bring her lunch. Her name was Aruna. She had been the first servant allowed to attend to Eleni. She was the same tiny woman who had taken Eleni to see Bram when she had had her first audience with him. She was tiny and timid, with straight blonde hair and pale grey-blue eyes.

It had taken a few days to earn her trust, but Eleni had been able to coax the start to a friendship out of her. Once they established a comfortable coexistence, Aruna had come to life. She was really quite the chatter box once she became comfortable, and Eleni liked hearing about the goings on and drama with the other coven memebers.

Aruna walked in and set a tray of squash soup and sourdough bread down with a glass of warm apple cider for Eleni's lunch. She had become less timid in Eleni's presence, but something about that day seemed to have turned her back into her original meak self. Her fingers trembled slightly as she set the tray down. Eleni rose from the chaise lounge she had been reading on and walked hurridely over to her friend.

"Is everything alright, Aruna? You're shaking." Eleni asked worriedly.

"Oh, well, yes." Aruna answered in a small voice. She didn't look up at Eleni and made to leave. Eleni softly put her hand on her friends shaking arm.

"Aruna, what has you so scared? Was it Bram? Did he say something mean again?" Eleni coaxed. Bram was rather stern with the servants. The pecking order in the vampire was determined by power. Those with it felt superior and often bullied those they deamed below their station.

"Oh no, Eleni. It's not that." Aruna sighed.

"Well then, it must be something else. What don't you want to tell me?" Eleni asked. Aruna's nerves were beginning to rub off on her as well.

"Well, you know they have been having a hard time finding a way to turn you. They have been in contact with The Order. That's where all of the new faces have been sent from. Th-they, uh, they have sent their highest commanders so far, but to no avail." Aruna bit her lip and looked away from Eleni. She didn't seem to want to say any more, but Eleni had to know what was happening.

"And? Who are they sending now?" Eleni pried further.

"Lord Kazimir." Aruna all but whispered.

"Uh, who?" Eleni asked. She had been expecting something frightening, but the name meant nothing to her.

"Lord Kazimir, Eleni. H-he is one of The Order of the Trinity." Aruna squeaked. She covered her eyes with her hands and began to tremble from head to toe.

"That's enough." A voice boomed angrily. Eleni and Aruna nearly jumoed out of their skins. Aruna had left the door to Eleni's suite open, as she had planned on delivering her lunch and swiftly leaving. Dyrk had entered quietly, without alerting either of them until he had spoken.

"I will be informing my daughter on the rest of this matter. You may leave." He growled grumpily.

Aruna bowed low and scampered out of the room as fast as her small legs could take her. Eleni looked longingly after her. She would rather hear about this new terror from Aruna than her father. Aruna quickly closed the door behind her as she left. Eleni turned her eyes, now cold and icy towards her father.

"I didn't want her dismissed." Eleni huffed.

"She isn't even an eldar, yet Eleni. She has no business talking about The Order." Dyrk said. Eleni knew that wasn't the reason. He must have wanted an excuse to talk to her; something to hopefully earn her respect with.

"I'd rather speak with a fledgling about these things than a lying eldar." Eleni hissed. She sat down and began eating her lunch, slurping the soup loudly to drown out her father as much as possible.

"Then you don't care about Lord Kazimir coming?" Dyrk asked, trying to get his daughters interest.

Eleni continued to eat her soup without even looking at her father. It was quite good. The serving staff was taking the task of feeding their resident human very seriously.

"Fine. Just so you know, he is coming to turn you. Tomorrow." Dyrk said before turning angrily and striding out of the room. He slammed the door behind him, much to Eleni's annoyance. He really could be a child at times.

Eleni sighed and set her spoon down. She wasn't exactly acting mature either. She knew she had to forgive him eventually, but the bitter pain of betrayal was still too fresh. This Kazimir fellow sounded important. She wished she had asked her father more about him. The Order of The Trinity sounded a bit intimidating as well. What Trinity? What was an order?

Eleni was still getting used to the vampire jargin. She had never been into vampire movies or books. She hadn't been a monster kid. All of this was still very new to her. All she really knew was that a coven was made up of vampires that had all been turned by one vampire or a collection of like-minded vampires (which was very rare).

Not all vampires belonged to a coven, either. That would have appealed more to Eleni, except she had made some real friends here already. How could she leave them behind? Especially her first friend, here.

A knock on the door startled Eleni out of her thoughts. Speak of the devil.