Bound By Fate & A Mate

The Black Death

Asterea emerged from the bathroom, now in her dressing quarters, dressed in a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a cropped sweater. Jupiter, ever the critic, piped up in her mind. “Your grandmother would have a conniption if she saw you in those.”

“She’ll have to deal with it,” Asterea retorted, a playful smile on her lips. “I’m not sacrificing comfort for anyone tonight.”

Jupiter snorted. “About time the vampires joined the correct century. Now that we’re queen, maybe we can make it normal for women to wear jeans and shorts, instead of those ridiculous dresses all the time.”

Asterea chuckled, a flicker of amusement warming her. “That’s… actually a good idea.”

A knock sounded on the door, Renley’s voice, still slightly ragged, asking, “Are you almost ready?”

Asterea’s inner core tightened at the memory of what had transpired in the bath. “Almost,” she called back, tossing her dirty towel and laundry into the hamper.

The knock came again, more insistent. “Asterea, if you don’t open this door, I’m going to rip it off the hinges.”

Baffled by his urgency, Asterea unlocked the door. Immediately Renley pulled it open, almost knocking her off her feet. He quickly caught her, his eyes pitch black, burning with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat.

“Are you alright?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

He crashed his lips onto hers, a kiss that was both hasty and tender. He nipped at her lip, eliciting a gasp, and then his tongue was in her mouth, exploring, claiming.

“You’re my mate,” he murmured between kisses, his voice breathless. “You should know I can feel all your emotions.” He stretched out the word "all," hoping she would understand.

Asterea pulled back, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Yes, I know,” she said. “It’s one of the best things about the mate bond.”

He chuckled, a low, husky sound, and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Next time, I’d be more than happy to help you out.”

Understanding dawned, and Asterea’s cheeks flushed crimson. “Oh!” she gasped. “I… I didn’t think you could… yet. We haven’t marked each other.”

“It depends on the strength of the bond,” he replied, his voice soft. “And while I understand you need to take it slow, I’ve given myself to you completely. I trust you more than anyone. Our bond is strong already and will only get stronger.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I almost killed the guards and ladies maid. They didn’t want to leave.”

Asterea giggled. “Awww, can’t take the heat?” She teased

“Never, when it comes to you,” he said, his eyes darkening. He remembered Lilith’s mind link. “Your grandmother said it’s safe. We can go down.” He looked her over, his gaze lingering on her sweatpants and sweater. “You look ravishing, even in those.”

Asterea giggled, taking his hand. They sent a mind link to her grandparents, letting them know they were on their way. As they walked, Asterea noticed Renley was visibly more relaxed.

In the throne room, her grandparents weren’t seated on their thrones. Two empty thrones sat before them, an oddity that Asterea couldn’t quite place. She hugged Lilith, relieved to see her unharmed. Renley shook Ivar’s hand.

Lilith’s gaze fell on Asterea’s attire, her brow furrowed. “Those are… unusual nightclothes, Asterea.”

“They’re comfortable,” Asterea said, giggling. “And no one’s going to see me in them.”

“Renley has,” Lilith pointed out.

“He’s my mate,” Asterea replied, her cheeks flushing.

Lilith moved on, gesturing towards the empty thrones. “Please, have a seat.”

“Those are your seats,” Asterea protested, her voice filled with confusion.

Ivar interrupted, his voice booming. “They are now yours and Renley’s. You are the king and queen.”

Asterea bit her lip, feeling a pang of… something she couldn’t quite name. It felt disrespectful, but Renley led her to her throne, taking his own seat beside her and taking her hand.

“The vampire who died was an older viscount,” Ivar began. “He had just passed his house down to his son. There was no sign of poison or foul play. At the moment, there’s only one diagnosis we can offer.”

“Which is?” Renley asked.

“Mors atra,” Ivar replied.

“Are you certain?” Renley asked, his voice laced with concern.

“What does that mean?” Asterea interrupted, her voice trembling.

Renley looked at her, his eyes soft. “Black death.”

Asterea gasped, her hand tightening around Renley’s. A wave of dread washed over her, the feeling of fear and panic echoing in her through the bond with her people. The mate bond was a constant, a feeling of him in her mind. His hand holding hers was a comfort. Asterea’s breath hitched, her eyes wide with fear. “Black death? What… what is that exactly?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Ivar’s expression was grim. “It originally manifested as the bubonic plague,” he explained, his voice heavy with concern. “We vampires have always believed ourselves safe, immune to most human diseases and viruses.”

He paused, his gaze distant, as if recalling a long-forgotten nightmare. “In the mid-1300s, it began to decimate the human population, spreading from person to person over a seven-year period. We weren’t concerned. We had never experienced such a thing before.”

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, ominous tone. “There was a Baron, at that time, who employed human maids. He… fed from them, as was the custom then. Blood bags and other modern conveniences didn’t exist. Vampires needed to drink every other day, at least, to survive.” He continued, his words painting a grim picture. “One of the Baron’s maids contracted the plague. She became terribly ill and eventually died. The Baron, fearing a shortage of blood due to the millions of human deaths, decided to drain her blood and store it. He intended to ensure his own survival,” Ivar sighed. “He fed that blood to his vampire son and daughter,” Ivar said, his voice laced with disgust. “At first, everything seemed normal. A few hours later, the Baron, who was conversing with his wife, suddenly collapsed. He couldn’t breathe. His veins turned black, and grotesque blisters and boils erupted on his skin, which began to crack and dry out. We called it decimation.” He paused, his gaze meeting Asterea’s. “The Baron’s wife, who hadn’t drunk the blood, panicked and rushed to check on her children. Sadly, they were both dead in their beds, with the same symptoms and the black veins running all over their bodies.”

A shudder ran through Asterea’s body. “It spread?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“Like wildfire... for years,” Ivar confirmed. “It spread among the vampires, a silent, deadly plague. Eventually, the royal family had to pay healthy humans to donate their blood. We wouldn’t risk feeding from anyone else, not with the fear of infection. We sealed the borders of the vampire kingdom, barring humans from entering, to prevent the spread.” He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “After a few years, the disease vanished. We hadn’t seen anything like it,… until today.”

Asterea pondered the information her grandfather had shared, the weight of it settling heavily on her shoulders. Images of the man's cracked skin and blackened veins flashed through her mind, and she could still feel the echoes of his pain.

"And you're sure this is what it is?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "You're sure the plague is back? That's what happened to that man?"

Ivar shook his head. "No, Asterea. We can't be sure. It's only one case. Until we see another, there's not much we can go on. But the symptoms… they're pointing towards the black death. That's why we're making the comparison."

Asterea nodded, absorbing the information, her mind racing. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes, and offered a silent prayer to the moon goddess. Although she knew the moon goddess was a wolf deity, she was also part wold and she felt a connection to her, a source of strength and guidance.

“Moon goddess,” she prayed, her thoughts echoing in the stillness, “please watch over the vampire kingdom. Keep my family and my people safe. If this is the black death, please don't let it kill off the vampires or spread any further.” She paused, a wave of gratitude washing over her. “Thank you for everything you've provided, and for sending Renley as my mate.”

She opened her eyes, meeting the concerned gazes of her grandparents and Renley. "Here's what we're going to do," she said, her voice firm, her newfound role as queen settling upon her. "For now, if it comes up, we'll tell the kingdom that we're looking into what happened. Once we know more, we'll make an announcement." She looked at her grandparents. "I want all the best doctors and security detail on this situation. I want to know exactly what it is. And if it is the black death, like we suspect, I want to know how that nobleman contracted the disease." Her voice gained strength, her commands clear and decisive. "I want everyone in the kingdom tested, and I want quarantine spots set up. We'll treat them with the best treatment we can, but while protecting the lives of the medical teams. "She paused, her gaze sweeping over them. "If someone tests positive for it, I want the entire family quarantined for a short period of time – three to five days – to make sure they didn't contract it as well, even if they test negative initially." Her brow furrowed with concern. "I want the humans to stay out of court for now, so they don't contract it and it spreads between them."

She took a deep breath. "I suggest that vampires stop feeding on humans for the time being, for their safety and ours. For now, they can use blood bags, raw meat, or live animals."

Asterea looked at them, her eyes pleading. "For now, this is what we do. Hopefully, it works. And within a few weeks to a month, if we don't see any more cases, then we can go back to our regular daily lives."

Ivar nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes. "It's a good plan, for now. Waiting it out to see is the best option we have."

Renley stood, offering his hand to Asterea. "I'll escort you back to your room. It's been a long night, and you need rest."

Asterea nodded, taking his hand, prepared to leave with him.

"Asterea," Lilith called, her voice soft. Asterea turned back to her grandmother. "I'm proud of you," Lilith said, a genuine smile gracing her lips. Lilith then looked at Renley, her expression stern. "While you may be mates, until your wedding in a few weeks, there should be no mating."

Renley met her gaze the corner of his lip twitching, his voice respectful. "I would never do anything to tarnish Asterea's name." He looked down at Asterea and smiled softly. This wedding couldnt come fast enough.