Notes and Content Warning: The vampires in this story are not the classic dead human kind. I've re-imagined them as another race similar to humans while maintaining their typical powers. So, the story has a lot of dominating, supernatural sexiness without the dead parts. Also, the head vampire is royally arrogant and abusive to everyone around him. If you don't like that kind of thing, you don't have to read it. For those that do, I hope you enjoy it.
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Emma was anxious as she wandered around Gabriel's mansion, looking for something to distract herself. Gabriel and Zaid were meeting with clients in the pasture for a horse viewing and a potential champion breeding contract. Ivan and Luther were running errands in town for other aspects of Gabriel's estate. The ancient vampire kept his brothers busy one way or another. Luther had mumbled something about "boring antiques" as Ivan kissed Emma goodbye that morning.
She was thinking about Ivan's soft lips and delicious smell as she passed Gabriel's study. Her body felt tingly as she glanced into the room at the ottoman in front of Gabriel's chair. Remembering what he did to her made her heart pound and her skin hot. She couldn't stop the arousal after tasting his blood. What she feared the most was falling in love with him against her will. Gabriel had forced her to taste his blood after seducing her, creating a subjugate bond. Ivan said the bond would take a few days to fully emerge. She hoped it never did. Emma loved Ivan. She bonded with him by accident five years earlier and didn't know it until they met and fell in love for real. Ivan wasn't a murderer and never experimented on humans like Gabriel did in the Middle Ages. Ivan was kind and innocent despite being a living vampire. She considered him worthy of her love, but she feared Gabriel would kill everyone if he didn't get his way, and he wanted Emma for himself. She would have to use her inner light to help her stepmother's coven destroy Gabriel if she wanted a future with Ivan, but she feared she would mess up and get everyone killed. Her hands were trembling as she stood in the study doorway, thinking of all the terrible things that could happen if she failed.
"Emma? Are you alright?" came Sarah's soft voice from up the hall.
Emma flinched and looked to the right to see the beautiful maid approaching her. Sarah was Luther's favorite subjugate.
"Uh, I'm okay... I guess," she shrugged.
"I'm not convinced," Sarah sighed as she searched Emma's big blue eyes. "I need to dust the study. Come in with me and talk for a bit. I've lived here for a few years. Maybe I can offer some friendly advice."
Emma smiled and followed Sarah into the study. The olive-skinned maid got to work with her feather duster as Emma admired the ancient collection of books.
"Sarah, are you afraid of Gabriel?"
"Sometimes, but I don't worry about him if that's what you're asking. He is civil. He has never tried to hurt me or anything," she shrugged.
"What if he did hurt you and then compelled you to forget?"
"Why would he do that?"
"I don't know. To keep you complacent."
"It seems like a waste of time on his part. I have no power over him. Vampires are monsters in a lot of ways, but they know how to exist in society and keep themselves safe. They also know how to love humans even if they pretend they don't," she smiled.
"What do you mean?"
"Younger vampires like Luther and Ivan have a lot of humanity. I know Luther cares for me. His actions speak louder than words. The modern age has enlightened him and his brother. Gabriel tries to keep them brainwashed with ancient vampire dogma, but they're too smart for it. Zaid is old, but he is more like Luther and Ivan. They just want to coexist with humans and live their long lives in peace, but Gabriel won't let them. He wants them to kill and be powerful even when there is no point in it. He wants them to father more vampires to bolster their population, but the boys could care less. Being around Gabriel for so long has taught them to hate him, but they dare not cross him. They are protected from other vampires in Gabriel's home, but he could easily kill them or do something worse to ruin their lives if he wanted. Older vampires are incredibly strong and intolerant. The boys have to humor Gabriel to keep him agreeable. It makes me feel sorry for them."
"Me too," Emma sighed.
She walked behind Gabriel's desk to examine the most tattered books in the library. They looked ancient and probably were.
"Sarah, can I look at these, or will they fall apart?"
"They shouldn't fall apart. Gabriel repairs them often, but he may not want you looking at them. Give me a minute."
Emma watched as Sarah pulled a smartphone from her pocket and pulled up a video feed.
"Gabriel, Zaid, and the new clients are still in the stables. You should have plenty of time to snoop before they come in," she grinned and put her phone away.
"Wow, thanks. Is that a security camera app?"
"It is. Luther helped me install it. It helps me do chores without getting in everyone's way since no one tells me when important clients are coming over."
"What areas does it watch?" Emma gulped, remembering her mother had used magic to sneak onto Ivan's balcony the previous evening.
"Outside doors, the driveway, and the stables. Other than that, it's not very comprehensive."
"Oh, I see," she nodded in relief.
Emma relaxed and pulled one of the ancient books off the shelf and carefully opened it. It was written in a language she had never seen before. She turned a few pages until she discovered sketches of naked women. They were all beautiful and wonderfully detailed. She turned a few more pages and discovered closeup sketches of the women's body parts. Faces, breasts, nipples, hands, ears, eyes, and even genitals were drawn in detail and labeled. Emma blushed as she looked through the variety of vaginas shown in the book. They were even drawn in different stages of arousal. At least, that's what she assumed it was showing. There were diagrams of the moon at the corner of each drawing. Sarah noticed a rather surprised look on Emma's face and walked over to look at the book.
"Oh my, Gabriel loves pussy," she chuckled.
"Seriously. What do all these moon markings mean?"
"Hmm... I would think cycle tracking. You know, for fertility."
"Shit. Is this from his human breeding research?" Emma gulped.
"Probably. You might want to put that back."
"Yep."
Emma quickly put the book away and walked to the modern side of the library. Most of those books were about horses and the history of horse racing. She didn't care to read any of them. Suddenly, Sarah's phone chimed, alerting her that someone had entered the backdoor.
"They're back in the house. I'm heading upstairs to avoid them. You should too," she advised before leaving the study.
After supper that evening...
"Fear can encourage a field flower's light. Have you experienced it when you're afraid?" Gabriel asked as he paced around Emma in the pasture.
He had called a family meeting to test Emma's power. Zaid was the only one absent. He was driving north to deliver a racehorse to its new home. The fall day was cloudy and cool enough for a sweater over Emma's blouse and pleated skirt. Gabriel had been questioning her all afternoon about her light, and she couldn't give him a satisfying answer. She barely understood her power. Ivan and Luther were leaning on the fence by the stables, watching and listening.
"I only experience it when I'm aroused. It's really hard to control."
"I know. You may have conjured it when you were afraid but didn't realize it. One doesn't often think straight when they're scared. Your light kept Ivan from killing you on Halloween night. That's nothing to scoff at. That's the one night of the year a young vampire's desire to kill is strongest. Yet you survived."
Emma glanced at Ivan with her heart thumping faster. He looked down in shame, confirming what Gabriel said was true. She had come closer to death than she realized.
"I didn't know that," she gulped.
"I'm sure you sensed the danger. You ran away from him, and he instinctively chased you. Vampires are the worst kind of predator. We are vicious and intelligent. Our emotions run hot most of the time, but we learn to calm ourselves with age, but it doesn't make us less dangerous. Are you aware of our compulsion?"
"I am. Ivan told me about it."
"Did he tell you that older vampires can compel younger vampires?"
Emma looked at Gabriel in surprise. His large blue eyes had turned misty with the cloudy day, making them brooding in his handsome face. The wind stirred and tousled his golden locks, making him even more alluring. She looked down to keep her thoughts clear.
"I didn't know."
"Perhaps it's time for a test. Let's see if we can scare you into revealing your light. Luther, pull that metal stake from the ground and drive it an inch into your brother's neck. Don't kill him yet, but prepare yourself to do it if I wish it."
