The Bride and Her Bloodlust

I sat on the sofa by the fire, staring at the flames with a blank expression. Once both the Master and myself had fed and pushed back the closing line of madness, I had pressed him about what was worrying him. It didn’t take much for him to break as he intended to tell me anyway. So now we were in the study, waiting for Ella and Alphonse to appear.

Apparently James was causing problems again and was refusing to sit down and study. Sometimes that boy made me glad I couldn’t have children.

I glanced up when the door opened and the familiar scent of family wafted into the room. Alphonse went to stand in front of his Uncle’s desk while Ella collapsed next to me. I only let a smile briefly touch my mouth and patted her knee in encouragement before turning to the Master.

“Are you going to explain now?” I asked.

The Master raised his eyebrow at my impatience. “If you give me a chance, yes.”

“What’s going on?” Al hazarded. He never liked asking about potential problems anymore.

The Master leaned back in his chair and sighed lightly. “Eva told me something interesting, and only me. No other Clan Head knows.”

My eyes shifted from the dancing flames and latched onto his face, noting the serious note in his voice. “Knows what?”

“That about two weeks ago, the youngest son of the of the Skala Clan has gone missing.”

I felt my body tense a little and Al’s face darkened. The small Polish Clan was the one of the three remaining Blue Bloods cores in Scandinavia. No one would dare try and take a child of the Skala family. No one but an old human threat.

Years before this had happened, Blue blood children had been taken from their homes, right under their parents’ noses. The children had been abused and used to create Parasite, insane Black Bloods who had been starved of their creator’s blood. They wanted to create a poison, a madness in liquid form, and they had succeed. Vincent Blackburn was living proof but, as he went on a mad and bloody rampage, they vanished. All labs were abandoned and any trace of their whereabouts destroyed. While I had no direct involvement, I had seen the result of their tests. Years ago, when I was sixteen, a lab had been cracked open in the city. Scores of parasites were let loose, mad and starving. It had taken several days to clear them all out and what I saw within the lab turned my blood cold.

“The core of the Clan?” I asked stiffly as I remembered the white dry bloodied walls and slaughtered child I had found within.

“Yes. He was eight and went missing when he was playing with his cousins. They saw nothing.”

“What does Eva think?” Al asked stiffly.

“Officially? Nothing. But she fears that old threat is stirring. She’s looking into it.”

“Do you think it is them?”

Lucius shrugged. “I don’t know. Only one child is reported missing. It will take a couple more before I believe it is them.”

“And the Allaway Family? Have they been spotted?”

“No signs of them at all. They still remain hidden.”

I growled softly. This threat had been created under the Allaway Family. The Families were there to protect both the Old World and the human one. They guarded the balance. And this Family had abandoned that creed. They sought to destroy and slay every immortal. They gave all the information this human threat needed and helped them hide from Old World eyes. That was what Eva had discovered years ago and all ties to the Allaway’s had been severed. Any member found was to be slain.

But no member had been found. No Allaway had been seen since they vanished so long ago.

“Does anyone else know?” Alphonse asked as he leaned on the desk.

“Only I was informed and those who are Blue Blood Cores. She wants to make sure that this is the human threat before she announces it.” He said firmly then glanced at Ella. “Ella, keep James close for now. I don’t want him to vanish.”

Ella’s brow furrowed. “But he’s a Red Blood. He can’t create Black Bloods.”

“I know but I want to be doubly sure. He is so close to being Pure blooded that I am not sure if a witch will pick up on it.”

I hummed in agreement. “I only sense it because I know it is there. Other witches won’t. They will miss the humanity in him because it is so thin.”

Ella’s expression very rapidly became worried. She stared up at Alphonse with wide eyes and he moved to her side, taking her hands in his.

“This is just a precaution, Ella.” He said soothingly. “The threat may not have returned and may not even be working nearby.”

“They did have a lab in the city before.” I pointed out, earning a scowl from Alphonse. “But he is right. If they are back, they most likely won’t go back to places they once worked in.”

“All I am saying is keep James close.” The Master said kindly. “At the moment, there is no risk. When the Lady confirms that the threat has returned, I’ll keep stronger tabs on the boy.” His smile thinned. “Losing a family member now is not my aim. That’s all.”

Ella calmed a little, knowing what he meant. He had lost so many family members throughout his life unnecessarily. He was just being extra cautious to keep those remaining from Morrigan’s rein alive.

“I’ll stick by him.” Ella promised. “Or have one of the young ones looking after him. James enjoys playing with them anyway.”

I groaned and rolled my eyes in despair when I thought of those foolish young vampires. As with any Core, older offspring of the branches congregated here. They seek independence from their parents but can’t do that without someone strong watching over them. Death was a swift shadow that would grasp anyone weak or stupid. In the main house, they were safe as they figure out whether or not they will return to the Branch. But they were laid back, noisy and troublesome with no responsibilities to keep them behaving. Back when I was younger and human, they often played pranks on me, seeing how they could scare me just to entertain themselves. It was annoying.

“The young ones are just making him more rowdy, Ella. They just mess about and cause havoc. They don’t do anything.” I growled.

“But they will guard James with their lives. He is a member of the Core and they will sooner die than let anything happen to him.” Al said with a smile.

“Doesn’t make them any less of a bad influence.” I snapped then turned sharply to face Lucius. “Master, you must give them something to do.”

“Like what?” He asked, raising his eyebrows again. “They come here to relax and find out what they want to do with themselves. It’s not my job to give them something to do, just to keep the safe and out of trouble.” He smiled a little at my increasingly disapproving scowl. “At least they don’t trouble the nearby Pack anymore.”

“Only because the Alpha is a Silverback. They’re too scared Elgar will tear their throats out if they so much as look at him.”

“They still keep out of trouble with them though.” The Master repeated with his smile growing.

I growled, knowing I wasn’t going to win with this argument. Again. The Master was much too laid back about the young ones and I had thought that for years.

“Either way, James will be safe with the young ones. If the threat is back, I’ll get them all on watch.” Lucius said. “James won’t be in danger with his kin watching over him.”

Ella smiled in relief. “That’s good.”

“Do you think it might be an idea to warn the Whelan Pack about this?” Alphonse asked. “Having the Pack helping us, especially a Silverback, would be useful.”

“It would. I’ll talk to Elgar if and when the time comes.”

“Would they help though?” Ella wondered.

“Maybe.” Alphonse said a little doubtfully. “Packs and Clans don’t often back each other up.”

“That reason behind our request would hopefully be enough to garner their trust, but let’s deal with that problem if it becomes one.” Lucius said and stood. “But that’s all I wanted to tell you. I’ll let you know when I hear from Eva.”

Ella smiled brightly and stood. “I’ll see if I can find James. He’ll be happy he can play with the young ones as much as he likes.”

Ella left and Alphonse followed but not before shooting a guarded glance back at his Uncle. He left without a word and close the door behind him lightly.

My eyes instantly snapped to Lucius’ face and scowled. “Honestly, tell me if you believe the threat is back.”

The Master didn’t take his gaze from me but he said nothing. He looked grim.

“You do.” I mumbled and pinched the bridge of my nose. “This isn’t good.”

“It’s fine.” Lucius said firmly. “They havn’t made that many moves yet.”

“But they know how to work quietly and know Eva’s blind spots.” I said stiffly. “To underestimate them is stupid.”

“Susan’s, it’s just my opinion. Until Eva finds out for certain, I can’t say whether they are back or not.”

I grunted. “I know but I can’t forget the damage they did. The clean out years back was horrific and that little girl…” I trailed off for a moment as my throat burned and thickened as I remembered that battered and bloodless body I had found. “Those people are dangerous. They’re a destructive and hateful. And they’re going to do it again. They’re going to steal children, starve them and torture them, then spread madness of parasites again. Vincent is proof that what they’re trying to do works and have now had years to try and prefect it. For them to stir means they’re ready for us.”

The Master sighed and stood, moving about the desk so he could touch my face and rub his nose against mine. It was comforting. “I know this and Eva has told me everything she knows, everything those people have done. She is going to do everything in her power to make sure they don’t succeed in wiping our kind out.” He smiled lightly. “Besides, if we can survive against Morrigan, I am sure we can survive this.”

I grunted in acceptance but I still wasn’t happy about it.

Fighting off one Ancient vampire was one thing. Fighting a horde of humans hell-bent on going on a holy crusade and was backed by a power Family was another.

But, if they had returned, at least I wasn’t going to be bored for a while.