The Blood Painted Cage

I hovered restlessly around the Elder’s domain, flitting about in the library in search of a book that would distract me from the wait. However this attempt was to no avail. Nothing seemed to take my mind of the idea of Vincent being awake once more, moving and functioning but those joyous thoughts in itself brought pangs of sorrow.

Vincent now had the echoes of a parasite in the back of his mind, something that would flare into life in extreme anger. I didn’t like the fact I couldn’t protect him from that. To me I felt like I failed him terribly but Vincent seemed to grow irritated when he felt the reason behind my sadness. The only reason I tried to ignore the sorrow was to stop me from riling his violent nature.

I stayed with him in his mind while he recuperated, not fully merged but a presence in the back of his consciousness, letting me keep tabs on his parasite so I knew if I needed to jump in to protect his carer. He seemed calm and only now and then did I have to enforce my will to settle his anger or fear that would result in a blood thirsty rage but his sanity was there. He was not lost.

My maids seemed surprised when I ensured them he was still sane after four years at the mercy of the First. Even an ancient would go mad after a few months. When I explained to them what I had been doing they were none the happier about the knowledge. Being in the mind of a killer and surrounded by dark memories and blood thirsting thoughts was not something they wanted me to be exposed to but what’s done is done and thankfully they backed off and dropped the subject.

I was growing restless as I counted the days away. Four days had passed since Christof’s order of releasing Vincent from his nightmares with no news of his reappearance and a further three days since the first attack. Deciding that the libraries were going to do me no good after skimming the sixteenth giant volume I had chosen hopefully from the musty shelves, I wondered out into the snow blanketed courtyard. With no new attempts on my life since the first attack, Viorel and the maids allowed me to wonder out into the grounds without someone sticking to my side like a thorn but only under the sworn promise that I did not go out of sight of the Elder’s domain. I obeyed un-commenting to their demands. It was best not to argue.

I wrapped myself up tightly and rather needlessly. Vampires were made for the cold and the snow, making the blood freezing temperature only feel like a slight chill. At least in that area I shared with the lesser vampires even if there were not many other similarities between us.

Burying my nose into soft scarf that smelt so much like Viorel, I trundled thoughtfully through the maze of stones and evergreen shrubs. The sky was dark with clouds which only made the snow that drifted down from above and the small clouds of breath that slipped out from my mouth that more noticeable.

The world out here was so beautiful in its white cloak yet cold, bare and dead. I could not help but relate it to my dying kind.

All the Old Ones were parasites in a way, capable of infecting the human base and turn it into one of their own, albeit with faults. The only reason the cats and wolves continued to live on without trouble was the fact they could breed with humans without qualms. The child would turn out to be either a regular human or a human possessed with an animalistic instinct. This is what kept them alive.

The vampires however were a different matter.

When human blood is introduced to a clan through breeding, each generation that descends from that human is nibbled at by mortality. Eventually the vampire would become human. It was unnerving at how many clans were now able to walk in the sun and live without blood and terrifying that there were now two clans that age, practically mortal now. It did not help matters that turned humans are reliant on their creator’s blood, going insane when without it for a long period of time, rendering them dangerous when their Blue blood creator dies, and to make matters worse the Black bloods were infertile.

We vampires were dying out there was no denying that. Being eaten by the human blood the ancient ones introduced into the younger ones genes and killed by the Old Ones and the witches. The only chance we have at surviving was by keeping the remaining Blue blood clans pure. And now with this new human threat, killing our few pure children, it scared me. I was scared my kind was now on the brink of extinction.

A shaky sigh escaped my mouth mixed in with a shudder. So many things were burdening my mind right now it was quite frankly making me depressed. I needed the river and Viorel’s presence to relieve some of the weight.

Suddenly I became alert when I heard muffled footsteps coming towards me. Sharply I watched the darkness, waiting for the intruder to appear before I decided whether it was best for me to flee in doors. Gently I rest my mind and found it working normally. It hadn’t slipped up since that one attack thankfully.

However when the stranger appeared, I smiled in both weariness and relief. The striking red hair and tight black suit was instantly recognisable.

Augusta approached me slowly, her sharp green eyes darting towards the domain and the shadows. She was obviously nervous.

“Is all well Augusta?” I asked kindly as I moved forward to greet her.

Her bright sharp eyes snapped onto my face and a tentative smile twitched at her mouth. “I am well, Eva, just unnerved. I do not like being so close to the Elder’s or so many dangerous vampires. The old ones are wise but they are quick to anger.” She replied quietly.

I nodded in agreement and made sure her presence was smothered. As an un-claimed witch, all the old vampires would very much like to see her die. To the Ancients and some young ones, Witches were terrible humans who only lived to hunt and kill their kind. They only managed to put up with the Clan-pact witches because of the Sinclair’s, but the other witches they loathed and bayed for their blood, both claimed and un-claimed. It was a sticky situation for those witches who wished to help the fading immortals. More often than none there were incidents of witches being slaughtered by clans for so much as looking at them.

“The house is now under the control of the Elder’s. I watched them for a while as they investigated and only left when I felt they believed what they had found.” She whispered hurriedly.

“Thank you, Augusta.”

She smiled. “I would accept that if it wasn’t for the fact I did this job also for myself.”

“I know.”

She nodded lightly in acceptance. “I leave now to return to Italy, Eva. I shall see what I can dig up on the Family that betrayed you there.” She said and began to edge away.

“You do not need to.” I started but was cut off sharply by a bright eyed glare.

“I do need to. This Family has betrayed both you and my people. They will be brought forth against the Crone to find out why they did this.” She said firmly yet gently.

Hesitantly I agreed. “I wish you good luck in your hunting then.”

“And I, you.” She replied lightly then fled, melting away into the darkness.

I watched the unmoving trees for a long time after she faded from my sharp sight, vaguely noting the soft blots of white floating down in front of my vision. Absentmindedly I noted the snow fall was getting thicker. I glanced up at the sky. The moon was strong and full, sending sheets of light through the thick blanket of clouds when they dispersed now and then. I turned back to the domain when I felt a slight tug at my mind. Vasco was calling me back in.

Sighing gently and smoothing over the disturbed snow that gave away Augusta’s fleeting presence, I turned to go back into the old, cold and damp house only to be disturbed yet again by the sound of crunching footsteps.

Instantly I felt threatened. Unlike the soft crunching of snow that was emitted when Augusta approached, these footsteps were thunking, heavy movements, as if the assailant was running. I flung my mind out in warning, forcing the snow to fall from its perches on the trees and walls nearby; letting them know I had my defence and was willing to use it. It seemed to have no effect however. The footsteps kept coming.

I watched carefully, my eyes flitting about. Turning my back on an enemy without knowing what it was was stupid. Dana had told me this. Always wait to see what you are against, she said, and call for us if you feel threatened.

I did, sending an urgent call to my maids and Viorel. I felt them move to come to my aid instantly but apparently not quickly enough when a dark shape flew out from the gloom.

This time my eyes widened in horror as the hissing vampire lunged at me, fangs bared and claws arched. My brain became numb for a few dangerous moments. A vampire was attacking me?

It was only then that I realised I was meant to be defending myself and managed to fling myself to the side all the while shoving the vampire away roughly with a thought.

He hissed loudly as he tumbled away in the snow while I lay paralysed. All I could think about was the fact a vampire was attacking me. Not a parasite, a vampire. A sane Red blood. He wanted me dead. I could see it in his hard eyes and I could feel it in his dark aura. Why? Why did he want me dead? Why, why, why?

I scrambled onto my feet when he came at me again, hissing and spitting while I screamed my question.

“Why are you betraying me?” I shouted not really expecting an answer, all the while curling a mass of energy about in the form of a shield.

My eyes were closed tightly, waiting for the impact but it never came. Instead I shivered horribly. A hot angry presence suddenly flashed into existence, black with fury and humming with rage. I peeked behind my arms that I had flung up in front of my face as if to protect myself and stiffened when the back of a white shirt clad man was standing before me.

He wore tatty jeans with no shoes to protect him from the cold and the gentle breeze that tugged at his loose shirt told me he hadn’t bothered to button it. His dark curled hair was loose and wet while his strong olive arms were beside him, his claws lengthened and deadly.

The attacker was whimpering before him, begging for his life, but it was useless, I knew. The merciless nature of the man was apparent by the rage that was boiling around his solid stature. I wanted to save the offender, if only to get information from him, but the man spoke in a honey thick voice that instantly warmed me and made me freeze from realisation, numbing my brain from shock.

“Those who attempt to harm this woman, dies. No one may touch her in any manner, in passion or in violence, you hear me.” He snarled darkly.

Fervently the vampire nodded, hoping that he would be spared. It was not so. The man’s hand blurred and there was a wet splash of blood as it exploded from the vampire’s newly sliced throat.

“Then you understand why you are dead.” The man murmured darkly, wiping his bloodied hand on his thigh.

Slowly he turned to me but I couldn’t really see his face very well from the tears that were filling my eyes. I stumbled forward and reached out to him, not caring that he made no move to me.

Gently I touched his jaw. It was firm and bristled with stubble and twitched when I moved myself closer. I didn’t care for the reaction he was giving me, as if I was burning him and flinching at the touch of my hands. Right now I was deliriously happy as I felt his face for the first time, letting my thumbs flutter over his slow blinking eyes.

I smiled weakly up at him, ignoring the tears that flowed freely over my cheeks and not bothering to turn to the hurried footsteps and worried shouts. The only thing that filled my attention was the stiff, glaring man before me.

Shakily I inhaled the ice cold air and laughed gently in joy.

“Welcome back Vincent.” I breathed.