The Blood Painted Cage

Over a week had passed since then and the snow was really starting to clear. The sun was also starting to grow in strength and quite noticeably affecting my guards so I had put my new regime into effect immediately, going to bed near to dawn and rising near dusk so getting up to this summoning from the Domain I found quite easy.

After Dana had taken the slightly mangled bodies to the Elder’s and sat through a lecture of needing them alive, she had come back to report that the Gathering was near. This surprised me at how much time had gone by but I agreed to go. The Gathering was the only meeting I attended before the discovery of the human threat. Every ten years, the Heads of each Clan travel to the Domain to tell the Elders of the number of deaths and births and threats they had in an attempt to understand how many of our kind where left. I never really paid much attention to this meeting however this time, now my brain was in gear and thinking as it should be, I was going to pay very close attention to what is happening to the Clans. I was fearful for the number of deaths and births that will be said. I knew the former would be high and the latter low. That was another thing I had to investigate in my lifetime.

I sat in the car beside Viorel and Livia with Vincent and Sonia in front of me as the gradually green world whirled past the window in a blur. For a brief moment, I allowed my gaze to leave the window and glanced at Vincent who was sitting quite happily in a half doze.

I had been a little uncomfortable around the man after his sudden and unexpected show of affection however I then realised I was being stupid. I had no reason to feel uncomfortable around him. Hugging someone in thanks was perfectly normal. My reaction on the other hand was not and I knew it was because it was not just any man hugging me, it was Vincent. That forced me to address this new and quite distressing idea that I was attracted to Vincent Blackburn. While in itself this notion was nothing surprising or upsetting, he being a vampire thus designed to attract, I found it distressing because I had absolutely no experience in the matter of love. I didn’t quite know how to address the situation or how to read him to understand what he felt towards me so I decided to sweep it under the rug and ignore it until further notice. Further notice being either I fall so madly in love with him that I can’t put it off any longer or he announces his undying love to me. As the latter is far less likely to happen, I decided the time to address my new and budding feelings would be when the former occurs. Until then, act like nothing happened. And so I continued to treat him as I always had done, which was exactly the same as the others.

I was dragged out of my thoughts and window watching when the car travelled along the lengthily drive way and came to a stop before the large front doors. From there I was ushered by Dana into the large building and taken straight to my rooms before any of the many Heads could grab me, either wishing to simply speak with me or beg for help.

It saddened me that I couldn’t help them, at least not easily or instantly. The problems would be the same. Our women are not baring their single child; our children are stillborn or die soon after birth; our clan is becoming too close to becoming human. It was all the same and it was weighing heavily on me. These immortal people, my people, were fading away and no one knew why or how to stop it.

I sat heavily in the chair by the fire which I always used and didn’t speak as my maids flittered about to gather their bearings. Quickly Livia, Dana and Sonia left to help with preparing the house as they always did, leaving myself alone with Vince and Viorel.

I wasn’t looking forward to being in front of the Heads again. From what I could remember, things got a little heated and sometimes an Elder’s position was challenged which only resulted in more deaths. The current Elders had been in power for more than nine-hundred years. They were old and powerful, and there were very few Heads who stood a chance against one of them. Why they decided it would be a good idea to challenge any one of the Elders for their position when it was obvious they were going to perish was beyond me. But then again, desperation and fear makes you do stupid things.

My thoughts were disturbed when the door opened suddenly and Christof stepped into the room, looking a little upset. He glanced at both Vincent and Viorel before turning to me.

“You brought me more bodies of your assassins, Lady.” He stated testily. “I can’t find out much from the dead. All it tells me is they are loners and without family.”

“I could not bring you live ones.” I said gently. “Vincent’s parasite was riled and he dispatched them very quickly.”

Christof’s glower landed on Vincent who returned it quite happily with his own. For a moment, both men stared at one another with hostility but eventually Christof backed down. He knew Vincent, now technically a parasite, could not control himself when he becomes lost.

“In future keep Blackburn under control. We are getting nowhere with this hunt. Every assassin is alone and has no reason to harm you.” Christof said grudgingly.

I bit my lip and nodded in agreement.

“What I want to know is how they can get close to you.” Vincent said from his place opposite me.

All eyes snapped up and latched onto him before realisation settled in.

“You don’t sense them?” Christof asked me, his tone now taking on concern.

I shook my head. “I have never sensed anyone approach me and on a couple of occasion, can’t even hear them approach.”

His face paled and the sense of concern turned into alarm. “That shouldn’t happen.” He stammered. “All Silver’s are capable of sensing danger from a mile away, even more. It is their defence.”

“That’s what I thought.” Vincent said darkly. “These assassins are being sent by someone very strong. Strong enough to keep them hidden before they strike.”

“No one is capable of doing that though.”

“There are. The Silver’s themselves are capable of hiding and control others through minds. One may have become lost.”

My chest tightened and my heart skipped a beat at those words. I stood sharply with my arms hugging my chest in an attempt to stop the shaking of rage that was taking hold of my. The suggestion that the only other two of my kind had become like parasites angered me beyond what I thought I was capable of feeling.

“No.” I said firmly with a slight glare on my face. “Vasco and Jonathan are still here and whole. They are not lost.”

Christof considered me for a moment before he sighed. “There are also other possibilities. Some witches, only ones with a mass amount of Matter, can manipulate those with weak minds and smother their presence. They are very rare though and I have not heard of one who had that capability for over a century.”

I calmed slightly at this new suggestion and sat back down. “There is a traitor Family and if one of these witches have not been born for many years then maybe that is our best bet.”

“Agreed,” Christof said heavily, obviously not fully inclined to rule out the possibility of one of our few remaining Silver’s losing it. “I will have a rummage around and see what witches have been moving quickly through their ranks due to their strength of Matter.” He said and turned to leave but paused. “I will keep an eye out for any rouge warlocks as well all though they are probably less likely to occur than these... ‘special’ witches. In the mean time, rest. The Gathering will be starting in no less than an hour.”

He bowed once then , with nothing else to say, left, leaving me feeling quite tired and shaken although I did take comfort from Viorel patting my head gently.

I didn’t want either of my Silver’s to be lost. I knew they would’ve done their fair share of killing but if they were near the brink of insanity they would avoid making anymore kills. They were not stupid and their chosen partners, vampires chosen to act their bodyguards and tied to their Silver’s life, would ensure they were not straying from the path. And a Silver becoming lost was bad news and very, very dangerous. So I clung to the idea of a witch of supreme skill being the one trying to take me down. It was plausible if she, or he if it was a warlock, were working for this human threat. But then why go for me only? It might be just to give a heavy blow to the vampire community but I doubted it.

“Stop thinking. It makes you depressed. I thought you would’ve worked that out by now.” Vincent demanded sharply, tugging me out of my thoughts and forcing me to look at him.

His face was his normal scowl but I did as I was told. Thinking of losing my friends to insanity was not the best thing to mull over. I agreed with a soft grunt and leaned back in my chair.

“I wonder what damages the people have been taking this time.” I mumbled.

Vincent shrugged. “I am not sure but I will not be going. I will stay in this room and not leave until the Head’s have gone.”

I looked up sharply, surprised. “But you’re the eldest of your Clan. I thought you would be representing them.”

“For all my sister knows, I am dead or worse. News may have reached her about me being released but I doubt she would’ve thought me sane and I am not going to go out of my way to inform her otherwise.” He said plainly and with a slight glare.

I blinked in confusion. “What? Why not? She’s your sister, the only other member of your Clan.”

“She will force me away from you if she found out I was alive and sane.” He stated and in a tone that said I was not question him anymore on the matter.

But the order from earlier was now ignored, my brain having been given something else to fret over. Eventually, after much arguing with myself at the insistent depressing and confusing thoughts, I grabbed Viorel and demanded he play a game of chess with me, knowing that I would have to concentrate on that and would not give those thoughts any room in my mind. He readily agreed and together we worked at focusing my mind on something else other than who was pulling the strings of these puppet assassins and why on earth Vincent did not wish to see his sister.

An hour later and after beating Viorel in a couple of games much to his annoyance, the Gathering began.