Lust For Her Master's Blood

The next couple of days were calm but eerily so. Everyone was aware of Morrigan’s silent fury hidden behind a cold smile, treating her as if she was to explode any moment. All the fellow slaves were doing everything she asked with an extreme enthusiasm and her clan kept out of her way, trying to give her no reason to turn on them.

The Master demanded that I keep away from him until this storm passes. He was worried that he might give something away now that Morrigan was watching us like a hawk.

I was annoyed that the murderous watching had returned after being left alone since the party. Both evenings I felt eyes burning into my back while I worked and felt them while I drifted off to sleep during the day. If my body did not automatically shut down when the sun rises, I would have found sleep very difficult, I was certain.

But it was during the third evening that Morrigan exploded.

The Master was away from the house sorting out a dispute between some of our members and the neighbouring Clan while I was cleaning in the main hall, quite happily dusting in complete silence, smiling at the Master’s well deserved annoyance at the young vampire he was scolding.

Two days left at the most before Vince and Viorel appeared. Two days before their plan was going to put into action. This was another reason why I was smiling to myself but that was quickly wiped away when I felt something wrong.

It was like the stilling of a forest, like the birds all going silent at once. There was the growing feeling of danger in the air, thickening until it smothered the nervous atmosphere in a suffocating grip. Instantly I focused my senses in a search for the source and found it on the second floor, strangely enough near the young master’s room.

Dropping the duster I walked warily up the stairs and through the western wing of the house. It was only when screaming broke out and blood seeped into the air that I knew what was happening.

Morrigan had chosen her victim and it was Alphonse.

I began to run towards the young master’s room, ignoring the rushing slaves as they tried to get away from the Mother’s rage. I quickly opened the link and the master instantly became alert when he sensed my strong fear.

'What’s happening?' He demanded.

It was strange that I found his deep voice comforting.

'Morrigan has turned on the young master.' I informed in a growl.

Surprise followed by rage enveloped the master. 'What? What reason does she have to attack him?'

I, too, was puzzled at first before realisation crept over me.

'She must’ve found Ella’s letters. It is the only reason I can think of.'

'And it is a perfect reason. Morrigan would hate it if her descendants were anything less than a pure blood.' He growled. 'I will be heading back now. You are to stay where you are and do not get involved.'

'How long will you be?'

'Half an hour if we are fast.'

'That is far too long Lucius. Al will be dead by then.' I snapped.

'And if you get involved you will be killed.' He snarled back at me.

I ground my teeth together. I did not have time to argue with him about my safety.

'I will try and hold her back with Arnold for half an hour. I doubt we will hold her for any longer. Get here quickly and sort her out.' I demanded finally and shoved a block in the bond, trying my best to ignore the final waves of his anger, fear and hatred that bashed at my mind.

My hand shot out and latched onto the first slave it could find, causing him to cry out from shock until he realised who had grabbed him.

“What is going on back there?” I ordered firmly.

He hesitated at first before he finally got his voice working. “I don’t know. Mistress Morrigan just entered the young master’s room and then the wall, it exploded when the young master hit it. She keeps taunting him then attacking him. He’s hurt, badly, not sure how bad but there is a lot of blood.” He stuttered.

Worry gnawed at my stomach and released my grip of the boy’s wrist. “Go and find Arnold. Tell him to get his arse here quickly. I will need his strength to back me up.” My eyes narrowed when he hesitated. “Now!” I roared and bared my fangs, scaring him into movement.

I did not watch him go, his footsteps told me he was hurrying away, and quickly ran my way to the room. I did my best to ignore the growing fear and rage that was blossoming in the put of my stomach. Things had turned so quickly it shocked my brain and never did I think she would turn on her own grandson. But then again if she enjoyed seeing her own sons lives become filled with nothing but misery I guess I should’ve expected this.

I slowed to a halt when I entered the dark hallway that led to the majority of the older vampire’s rooms and let my eyes dart and observe the scene. My eyes could see the broken wall, just like the slave had said, and the spatters of blood that were sprayed up the wall and across the floor. The owner of the blood was crumpled on the floor on his back, whether or not he was conscious I could not tell, but my anger boiled when I saw Morrigan crouching beside him with her chin cupped in her hands.

Slowly I approached them , allowing my presence to be seen and noticed. I would not launch myself into an attack. If I could let her talk and boast to me for as long as possible, I just might survive which meant the Master would live. That was my top priority. If I died, the Master would too and that thought terrified me.

I could feel those eyes on me, those murderous eyes that had been watching me, and I held the gaze of those cold yellow orbs that stared insanely at me from Morrigan’s delicate face. I stopped not too far from her and bowed as smoothly as I could.

“I have come to clean.” I stated emotionlessly.

Morrigan didn’t reply and looked down at Al when he groaned and forced his voice to work.

“Leave Susan.” He laboured out. “She will kill you.”

“And what sort of guard would I be if I left the young master on the brink of death without trying to help him.” I replied firmly, my narrowed cold eyes still latched onto the Mother.

“But he is right Susan.” Morrigan said in her sing song voice, looking back up at me slowly. “If you try and help him I will kill you.”

“Which makes me wonder why you turned on him.” I stated, although I already knew the answer.

With languid movements Morrigan pushed herself to stand and unhurriedly approached me.

“I found a letter Susan, a letter from a girl called Ella. Such an emotional and passionate letter it was.” She said gently with a murderous undertone. “And do you know why I felt such rage when I found said letter?”

She had stopped so close our noses were nearly touching. I tried my hardest not to blink, to keep the eye contact Morrigan was holding without wavering.

“No.” I replied fatly.

Her hand moved so swiftly I didn’t even have to go flinch. Her hand shoved into my throat with such force pain was ripped into life. With enormous strength she lifted me from the floor, holding me up with a single delicate hand wrapped with an iron grip around my neck.

“It was because it was from a human.” She hissed.

I chocked and tried to rip her hands away, lengthening my claws to rip at her hands not that she seemed to notice. I could smell her blood and feel my claws dig into her flesh but she carried on holding me, not aware of the wounds I was causing.

“My own grandson, my heir, is in love with a human!” Morrigan roared.

I was aware of the sensation of her grip tightening then she turned her body, warning me of what she was going to do next. Even after bracing my body the cracking sensation still numbed me and stunned my head when she shoved me into the floor hard. Still holding me by the throat but with a gentler grip, she kneeled over me, her eyes glowing from rage.

“And he won’t tell me where she is so I can rip out the bitch’s throat.”

I smiled grimly. “Well then of course he won’t tell you.” I muttered.

Her eyes glowered at me and roughly lifted my head by my neck then shoved it back, cracking my head against the stone. My mind took a few moments to recover from the shock but even after I was focused the stars dancing about my vision where still visible.

“But I will tell you.” I croaked out from her grip, thankful when it slackened.

Morrigan looked taken aback at my statement. “You will betray Alphonse?” She asked.

“In a manner of speaking, yes.” I replied.

“Then speak.”

“Ella is in Romania, under the protection of Eva Sinclair.” I answered, smiling with both my eyes and mouth while Morrigan’s face drew back in anger. “And doubt even you could kill Eva.”

I grinned at her, knowing the rage that was multiplying at the knowledge that we had taken steps to protect Ella before she could even plan to harm Al’s weakness. She was frozen but mentally and physically I was bracing myself for her rage but by the time Morrigan seemed to be released from her immobility, loud echoing thuds could be heard coming very close.

Swiftly Morrigan stood and turned, planting her legs firmly so she could brace herself against the great jaguar hurling himself at her. By grabbing his throat, she pulled him over her head then threw him further down the corridor.

Smoothly Arnold shifted and landed firmly on his feet. Glowering, he smoothed down his suit and stared across the corridor at the enraged Morrigan.

“Are you okay Susan?” He asked.

“I could be better.”I muttered darkly as I carefully moved myself away from the Ancient and towards Alphonse.

“Take care of the young master, I will deal with Morrigan.” He stated, causing me to look at him with doubt and concern.

Morrigan laughed loudly. “You? You believe you can be a match for me?”

“I am in my second to last life Morrigan. Like vampires, jaguars get stronger the older they get.”

Morrigan smiled wildly. “Then let us see if your theory is correct.”

Swiftly she darted forward, instantly trying to grab his jugular, but Arnold was fast, dodging her blurred hands. Smoothly he arrested one of her small hands then grabbed her upper arm so he could fling her into the wall which gave way with an almighty crash. Not even so much as glancing at me, Arnold calmly walked through the wall to continue the fight.

Ignoring the hissing and crashing from the other room as Arnold and Morrigan went at each other’s throats again, I turned my attention to the wounded Al.

Kneeling beside him I instantly checked his wounds. His face was a bloodied mess, with a broken nose and even had a destroyed eye. His stomach seemed to have taken a few scratches and I have no idea how bad his back was but his right arm was what worried me the most. It was shredded beyond belief and was even showing some of the bone with blood spilling out in a worrying amount.

Trying to do what I can for him by ripping up my apron and stopping the blood flow, I was forced to stop when another thunderous crash ripped at the air.

My head snapped up to see Arnold stumbling onto his feet then, in slow motion, I watched as Morrigan darted out, her claws unsheathed and her fangs bared in rage, and pulled her hand back. Arnold was in the process of defending himself in the heat of her attack but he was much too late. Morrigan’s hand smashed into his chest, ripping through to burst out from his back in an explosion of blood.

I watched numbly as I felt Arnold’s heart slow, fluttering beats as it struggled to stay alive. Forcefully Morrigan removed her hand, standing before Arnold as he slumped onto his knees, staring blindly up at her. Almost smiling, Morrigan lengthened her iron like claws, raised her hand then swept it over his neck. In a fountain of blood, his head fell to the floor followed by a heavy thud as his body collapsed.

I could not take my eyes off the mess, even when I felt Morrigan’s victorious gaze turn to me. He was gone. The man who had scolded me, taught me and helped me, a man who was practically my father since I came here. And he was now dead.

A chasm in my heart opened and inside I wailed while my face remained pale and emotionless.

“It seems he was not quite as strong as he thought.” Morrigan said.

I looked up slowly and numbly at her cruel cold smile. She killed him, was all I could think. She took his head before he was dead, the only way to stop a jaguar from being reborn.

But my attention was taken by Lucius when I felt his presence behind me, mournful and filled with rage.

“What have you done Morrigan?” He hissed.

Levelly, Morrigan turned to her son with an even calm stare. “I have done what is right.” She said.

“How is this right?” He roared at her. “Attempting to kill one of your own and taking the life of Arnold?”

“Both of them betrayed me!” She snarled.

When he started forward, instead of ordering him to stop she grabbed my hair and pulled me to my feet, taking her claws to press them against my neck. Lucius stopped abruptly, letting out an infuriated growl and his rage grew thicker in the air.

Laughing emptily, Morrigan tightened her hold on my hair, making me wince. “I thought so. It seems you have betrayed me as well Lucius.”

Silently Lucius watched carefully, his body wound tight as he waited for a moment to strike.

“But unlike Alphonse, it seems you did not take the precautionary measures to keep your loved one safe.”

I held in my cry as she threw me to the floor and ripped out some strands of hair in the process. Looking victorious, she stood over me with her small arms crossed over her flat chest.

“Now Lucius I have a new game I want to play.” She announced. “I want you to kill Susan and that is an order.”

My heart stopped.

No.