Blood Moon: Lucian's Story

Lucian stared at Kiryn a moment longer before he pulled away from her and straightened first her clothing then his own. He could tell by the look on her face that she was shocked by her newly accorded fangs, but to him they stated that she had been lying to him all this time. He knew that she hadn't shared enough blood with anyone to undergo the Change, and to be honest he felt as if he was in a plot thicker then the best novel he had ever read. To him it simply meant that she had been part of the plot to take down the castle. There was no way someone suddenly sprouted fangs; in his mind this woman had betrayed him and his family. Everything had been nothing but an act and he had fallen for it, but now he planned to do the right thing. Turning from her he looked out over the dance floor and waved at Malachi who quickly hurried over.

"What is it Lucian?" he asked

Lucian didn't speak but simply pointed over to Kiryn who was holding a hand over her mouth as if she had uttered a foul word. Malachi stepped closer to her but Lucian quickly blocked him off.

"What is wrong with you Lucian? I doubt that she is going to attack me." Malachi said as he stared at his brother in confusion

"I wouldn't be so sure about that if I was you Malachi. This woman is nothing but a liar and a betrayer to her kind." Lucian said his face like a statue

Malachi had never seen Lucian look so cold and distant before in all his life and it worried him in a way that he had not felt in centuries. He noticed that Kiryn shook her head violently but had yet to move her hand away from her mouth, a wild look in her eyes that had not been there when Lucian and her had departed a few moments ago. Lucian walked over to Kiryn and grabbed her hand jerking it away from her mouth showing Malachi what he had been talking about.

Kiryn simply stood there when her hand was pulled away her thoughts in turmoil. She was shocked and scared that she suddenly had fangs that she had never seen before, and more than terrified by the look on Lucian and now Malachi's face.

"You were part of the plot against us weren't you?" Malachi asked his voice cold

"No..I...I have no clue what is happening." Kiryn answered quickly

"I do not believe you. You didn't have fangs before and now you do, these things don't happen out of nowhere."

Kiryn stared at Lucian as he spoke and felt as if she was tumbling into a large hole. Why was he looking at her as if she were nothing but dirt?

Malachi looked over at Lucian his rage almost tangible.

"Take her to a single cell and leave her there. We can deal with her after this week's festivities are over. Until then she can decide wither she wants to tell us the truth or not."

Malachi turned and walked away leaving Kiryn alone with Lucian. She turned to him and tried t place her hand on his arm but he jerked away. Instead he grabbed her and pulled her through a paneled door and led her down the hallway her heels the only noise.

"Lucian...I swear to you I know nothing about any plots. I don't know why I have fangs; please don't do this to me." Kiryn said tears scolding her eyes.

She received no answer as they went further and further into the lower part of the castle. Lucian couldn't believe that he was such a fool to fall for such a trick, but he planned to pay her back for it tenfold. Once they reached the dungeon block he drug her to the furthest room in the small hallway and open the door shoving her inside. Closing the door behind her he turned to the guards who were looking at him waiting for orders.

"Do what you wish to her, she is to be given no quarter."

Lucian started to leave the dungeon even as he heard the cell door open and Kiryn call out for him. He ignored her screams for help and the laughs of the guards, the last thing he heard as he let the steel door slam shut behind him was Kiryn's cry of anguish.

Kiryn struggled against her attackers screaming for Lucian to come back, to help her, but deep inside she knew that he would not. He felt that she had betrayed him, and honestly she was no longer sure she hadn't. She didn't remember ever having fangs or that she ever knew anything about some sort of plot, yet now she seemed to be caught in the middle of something she didn't understand. She lashed out with her foot at the guards circling around her only to have it caught in the meaty grasp of the large one.

"The Prince said we could do whatever we wanted with you, you must have done something very bad to have all your rights taken away at one shot." The skinny one said as he leered at her, undoing his pants buttons.

Kiryn began screaming again as she fought harder but ended up pinned on her stomach on the vomit smelling stone floor. She felt her dress being pulled away from her body and drew in a breath to scream again for Lucian which ended in a cry of pain as the guard shoved himself into her. The last thing she remembered before blackness washed over her was two more guards entering the room loosening their clothing.

Lucian entered the ballroom trying to keep his black mood from being felt by everyone he walked by. Moving along the edges of the room he seated himself next to his brother at the large table.

"It is done, she is in her cell." Lucian stated

Malachi nodded his head as he searched his brother's face. There was something just below the surface that bothered him, but now was not the time to ask about such things. Dominic and Syra were approaching the table and Syra was already looking at Lucian puzzle covering her features.

"Where is Kiryn?" she asked as soon as she was seated

"Do not mention that betrayer's name in front of me again!" Lucian growled before standing quickly and heading for the exit.

Malachi, Dominic and Syra watched him until he was out of the room before turning back to Malachi, the look on her face one that made him want to squirm in his seat.

"What does he mean by betrayer? Really, Dom and I leave you all alone for ten minutes to find out what she is and suddenly she has betrayed him."Syra shook her head as she looked over the dance floor

"She has betrayed us Syra. She was part of the plot the whole time, though she was found out by accident. Please do not speak of this anymore until the week is out, I promise you she is safe until then."

Syra felt an odd feeling stirring in her gut but the tone of Malachi's voice made what he said a command, and even as his sister-in-law she could not go against an order. Still, something did not sit right in her mind.

Lucian leaned against the marble column outside the ballroom and clenched his teeth together. In all his life he had never made a mistake anywhere close to how bad this one could have been. He had endangered his whole family because he had been drawn in by a pretty face and some bruises. He moved slowly making his way to his room when Lita appeared from around the corner. When she saw he was alone she sauntered over to him and ran her hand up his chest.

"You look like you could use some stress release. You know you can use me."

Lucian didn't think twice about Lita's offer, pulling her into the closest room, willing to do anything to stop the emotions running through him.

.......*.......*.......*.......*

Kiryn lay in the far corner of the room, her body curled into itself. She wasn't sure how long she had been in this cell, though she guessed for two days or more. He body hurt so much she didn't dare move. Since the first night she had arrived here Lucian had not come for her. Instead she dealt with the guards, sometimes the same ones sometimes different ones all together. She had lost count how many times they had violated her, how many times they had beat her, and she couldn't remember the last time she ate. At some point her hair had been sawed off with a dull blade and freezing water had been dumped over her. They hadn't given her any clothing, so she lay naked with nothing, not even her hair to cover herself. She knew she had lost a large amount of blood if the stains on the floor were any indication and she barely had the energy to keep her eyes open. The fangs which had gotten her into this mess were also damaged, part of one chipped from the fist that had landed in her face. At first she prayed Lucian or someone would come for her, now she only prayed for death. The sound of the door opening made her begin her prayers immediately.

Malachi stared at his brothers around the circle table in the meeting room, Lucian holding his attention more than any other. Despite the fact that he looked a bit pale, Lita was clinging to him as she had since the night Kiryn had been sent to the dungeons. He thought that Lucian would have shoed her away by now but instead, his playboy brother let it continue. Every night Lucian was with Lita, and several other women to be honest, no matter the time or occasion. It almost felt like it had before Kiryn had ever showed up, Malachi had even put this off from two extra weeks, but now it was timeto deal with it.

"Everyone here knows what this meeting is about, so we might as well start it. Does anyone have any idea what we should do?" Malachi asked

"Why do you think she has betrayed you? What did she do to give you that idea?" Syra asked quickly

Lucian shot her a glared that most men would have backed away from, but Syra was not one to back down so easily.

"It is obvious that she was involved with the plot to over throw us. That is all you need to know." Lucian said

"What proof do you have to support that?" Syra asked her body starting to tremble with outrage

"Well having fangs when she isn't supposed to prove that she lied about who she was. Plus she..."

"Of course she would have fangs! She is a Valtrysen; they do not grow their fags until they are one hundred and seventy-five years old." Syra said throwing up her hands

"How can you be sure she is a Valtrysen? Did she tell you that?" Malachi asked suddenly feeling as if a block of ice had landed in his stomach.

"No I found out on my own with Dominic's help. Her ability to tell age, race and even memories from blood is one of the abilities common to the Valtrysen. Coupled with the fact that most of the remaining members of that race live far from her after they almost went extinct that would explain why she doesn't know who she is. There is also a book with her name in it in the library. She is the only child of Roan and Marcel Salvent and also the last child to be born a pure Valtrysen before they left this area."

Syra stared into Lucian and Malachi's eyes as realization dawned on them. Malachi looked shock by the news, but the look on Lucian's face was more disturbing. He looked as if he had just found out that he had executed an innocent person, the look was not lost on Malachi.

"Guard bring Kiryn to us so that we may speak to her."Malachi said watching as the guard's face drained of blood quickly

"I...I don't think that is possible Your Highness."

"Why would that be?" Malachi asked

"She...she...there is a good possibility that she might be dead." The guard finally said

Malachi's head whipped to Lucian who was already out of his chair and heading towards the door. Syra was following him as was Dominic, Malachi at their heels. Lucian's head was spinning as he hurried to the dungeon. If what Syra had said was true, then that meant that Kiryn had done nothing wrong. And that Lucian had given an innocent woman over to the most brutal form of justice known among throughout the kingdom. In a way he hoped Syra was wrong, but deep inside him Lucian knew she wasn't. He just hoped Kiryn was still alive when they reached the cell.