The Maing of Vampires

Servants moved Direca's belongings into the room August had chosen for her. It wasn't the grandest room on the second floor, but they did as they were told. They were good at following orders. After, they moved her properly into her room, they would finish with young Marcus' belongings.

Direca pouted as she stood in the center of her room. It was hardly fitting for someone of her status. There was another room on this floor better suited for her. Prior to moving in, she looked at all the rooms to ensure she was getting the finest one. She wasn't.

The insults didn't stop. August and his brothers barred her from the rooms of their deceased parents. They barred others, but she took offense at the rule. Her husband and his brothers decided any inheritance would go directly to the grandchildren.

If she were in charge, Direca would have used any jewelry or other valuable items until she died. Then she would have passed them on to the grandchildren...unless some of the jewelry and other valuables should adorn her corpse.

Her thoughts brought her back to the current situation. She didn't' understand why this was her room. Then a horrible thought struck her. She wanted to see Marienta's room. Direca would not tolerate her husband giving that grand room to any servant, let alone a slave. The humiliation would be too much.

Turning to one of the mansion servants, Direca said, "I want to see my slave's quarters."

Quintes bowed low, "Yes, Mistress. As you wish." He turned and walked from the room expecting Direca to follow.

She almost turned the wrong way when Quintes turned right. Direca expected to go to the left in the direction of the elegant room, because she was so convinced of her husband's admiration of her slave, Marienta. Relief washed over her features as he took her to the tiny room directly off the stairs.

Smiling at the servant she said, "Thank you, Quintes. Now, I need you to move my belongings into the largest room on this floor, the beautifully decorated one."

Quintes gave her a quick bow replying, "I'm sorry, Mistress, we have our orders."

Direca's hand shot out and slapped the servant hard, turning his face, and leaving a perfect red imprint of her hand on his cheek.

Quintes bowed again. "Yes, Mistress, I understand your dismissal of my services and I respect that you no longer want or need my skills." He turned descending the stairs with a grace and dignity of one whose years of service had bred a granite strength of confidence.

Direca was shocked. "I did not dismiss you from our employ." Quintes ignored her and continued down the stairs. "I did NOT dismiss you." He kept walking. "I DID NOT DISMISS YOU FROM OUR EMPLOYE!"

The other servants heard her and stepped into the hallway. They saw Quintes' head vanish out of view. They formally bowed to her, turned, and descended the staircase following Quintes.

Direca was confused. She had not fired any of them, yet, they were leaving. Quickly, she glanced back into her room. No people remained. Only large crates sat in various locations in the room.

Hearing footsteps grow louder from the stairs, she turned to see August's scowling face. He slowly walked to her and stopped in front of her.

"Why did you strike Quintes?" he asked in a low voice.

Direca feigned frustration, "He wouldn't do as I asked. I was glad that he and the other servants left. We don't need any like them."

August leaned against the wall. "Well, I'm glad that you think so. The contract that mother negotiated for the house servants, indicated that if they suffered any violence or mistreatment then they would receive a year's pay for compensation of abuse."

Her mouth fell open. "Well, that is ridiculous. Why would she be foolish enough to do that?"

August was angry before, but the insult to his mother reddened his face. "She was not foolish. Mother was a lady, well-mannered and sophisticated. She believed the clause in the contract gave the servants the message of how important they were to her. She never thought it would have to be used."

Direca tried to placate her husband. "I never knew about the clause. We will just hire more servants."

He shook his head. "We can't. You have no idea how drained the funds are going to be in order to pay each servant for a year's work."

She tried to minimize her actions by saying, "Then just raise taxes."

August shook his head, "No." She tried to speak, but he interjected, "And the festivities to celebrate my rule with the socially elite have to be canceled. We can't afford that, either."

This was too much for Direca to take. She had waited a long time for people to honor her as their better. "Just raise taxes. It can't be that hard."

August reigned his temper. "I will not raise taxes because my wife cannot act like a proper woman of her station and instead behaves like a bar brawling wench. How common do you wish to appear?"

Direca's initial instinct was to slap her husband for saying such a thing, but slapping someone was the reason she was in this predicament. "We can have Marienta fill in for the servants who have left."

He asked, "Who will care for Marcus?"

She gave him an adoring smile, "I will. I am the boy's mother."

August didn't bother to hide the sarcasm from his voice. "You believe Marienta capable of cooking the meals for us and the soldiers, to single handedly clean the mansion, and to assist my brothers whenever we need her to. You think she is capable of all that. Well, we really have been wasting money on servants if only one slave can manage where a full staff had difficulty." He rubbed his chin thinking. "Let's do an experiments. For a week, you will watch and care for Marcus with no help from anyone. Marienta will be the assistant to my brothers and my generals. Then you decide if you need her or not to help with our son."

She didn't like the sound of that, but nodded. She didn't always like spending time with the boy and always insisted on helping him to nap so she could limit their interaction. "And who shall help with the cleaning?"

August turned to walk away, "Our house servants shall do all the cleaning, but don't expect to see them much. This is a bigger place than our house from where we moved. Have fun unpacking."

Direca was quickly running out of time. Her opportunity slipped away the farther August walked from her and she blurted out, "So you understand why I need to have the larger bedroom and why this one won't do." She smiled as his footsteps halted. She had his attention now.

The anger within him was irrational. August understood that. He knew his wife had a right to claim the better chambers, but he didn't want to keep the room from Marienta. To give it to his wife seemed wrong. The room should go to the woman who would keep him connected to his humanity.

Deliberately, he turned and said, "No." Then August spun on his heels and quickened his pace down the hall.

Direca, still smiling, called, "I'm going to take it anyway. It should be mine. Who else would have it?"

August stopped again, took a deep breath, and turned reluctantly to look at his wife. "You will not disobey me. You have no one to help you move your crates. Besides, I'm giving it to Marcus, the next ruler of the city. Unless you believe Marcus should not have a grand room to call his own, a place where he can study and have some peace?" He glared at his wife. He didn't mind giving the room to his son for all the reasons that he stated and he didn't feel as though he were betraying Marienta.

Direca didn't know a lot about strategy, but she understood that he had bested her. She was in no position to deny her son anything. Her son was the reason she would live nicely in the years to come. She had given birth to the next ruler. She had no choice, but to acquiesce.

"Of course, husband. It should go to Marcus." She even curtsied to show her elegance and breeding.

August didn't acknowledge her any longer. He stormed to the stairs. He was sick of her and her games. He was tired of all the problems she caused. There were no mansion servants, because of her. There was no one to move his son's belongings into the large bedroom, because of her. He had to get the soldiers to move his son's belongings into that room before Direca came up with a reason of why she should claim it from her son.

August felt as though he married a pampered whore who used her body and sexuality as a weapon. She was hardly the woman to sit alongside a ruler such as him. She was someone who sought social status. She was someone who used him. She was someone with her own agenda.

At the bottom of the stairs, he steadied himself grabbing the rail. August knew that his unhappiness was because of his inner beast, but Direca wasn't helping. She did her best to manipulate him. He wondered if she had always been that way or if this was a recent development.

Her demand for the bedroom was strange and persistent. She should not have thought twice about it. She should have expected a move to the upper floors after he and his brothers were finished mourning their parents.

August felt a dread settle into his stomach. Direca knew. She suspected. She knew that he wanted to give the room to Marienta. There was no other reason for her to want the room, let alone demand that it be hers.

August must hide Marienta. He had to hide her before Direca punished or harmed her slave in anyway. He felt his demon stir at the thought of Marienta being in danger because of his wife. He had trouble thinking straight.

He would buy a house for Marienta, in the country, with guards to protect her from any harm. He would keep her safe and hidden until they could marry, until he could turn her into a vampire.

August ran back up the stairs to tell Marienta. He would explain his feelings and convince her to leave. He must keep her safe. If she refused, he would take her forcefully from the mansion and hide her against her will. This he would do for her own good.

He stopped at the closed door to Marienta's room. He heard shuffling and a crash. He pushed open the door and stood immobile. Direca fought with Marienta. Direca held a knife and Marienta held her mistress' wrists. The two women shuffled back and forth.

Hatred hissed from Direca. "I spent many years waiting to be August's wife. I spent many years fawning over him and pretending to adore everything about him. I'll not have you steel anything from me or ruin my future."

Marienta pleaded, "Please, Mistress, I want to take nothing from you. I'm your servant."

Direca continued her tirade. "You're my slave, not my servant. I deserve much more than I have gotten. His mother's jewels should be mine. I was a dutiful wife. I bore him a worthless bastard of a son. I'll not lose my position as wife of the ruler now. Not when I'm so close to having everyone recognize me as their superior." She jerked her hands free and swung the knife wide, but made contact.

A line of blood appeared across Marient's stomach. The beast in August erupted and he transformed. His fangs extended. Ridges appeared on his brow. Wings sprouted from his back. His whole body enlarged shredding the clothes from his body. He moved faster than possible, his form appearing as a blur. He moved to protect his one true love. He grabbed Direca by her upraised arm as she prepared to slash again into Marienta's body. He flung her across the room and never noticed the sickening thud when she landed.

Marienta stood motionless, eyes locked on the creature before. Fear paralyzed her. She expected death. She had never seen anything like the creature before her. She closed her eyes not wanting to see the end coming.

August felt strange, but knew what was happening. He viewed the events as if from down a tunnel, even as he looked through his own eyes. His senses were off, his body too sensitive in every way. He felt her panicked breath against his chest. He felt her fear and he didn't like it.

Gently, he reached for her cheek stroking her soft skin. "Never fear me, Marienta. I cannot hurt you." She whimpered. "Look at me sweetheart. Everything will be fine, just look at me."

Marienta opened her eyes. The monster looked down at her with his sad gray eyes, the same gray eyes that August had. "Master, is that you?" she asked.

The monster that was August nodded, "But don't call me 'Master' anymore, Marienta." He bent slowly cupping her face to give her a tender kiss on her lips." She didn't pull away, but pressed her lips against his in return.

A small voice from the doorway asked, "Am I the worthless bastard?"

August and Marienta look at the doorway to see Marcus. Marienta wanted to comfort the child, moved away from August, and tried to walk to the boy. She felt a burning in her stomach and looked down. Her dress was torn. She bled onto the ripped fabric. She saw spots, then collapsed. August closed the distance and knelt by her side placing his hand in her chest to feel her heartbeat.

Martinelli ran into the room pushing Marcus aside to keep him safe from the danger. Direca laid beside the wall, face down in a heap. Marienta lay unconscious on the floor, a monster beside her. The monster garnered his attention, not the overwhelming smell of blood in the room. The presence of that monster alerted his instincts to danger, even before his eyes spotted the creature.

Gabriel ran into the room dodging the small sitting form of his nephew in the doorway. "What is going on? I felt the danger of someone." His eyes focused on the monster. "August? Is that you?"

The creatuve nodded. He raised a hand noticing that it was bigger, more muscular than his normal hand. A dark graveled voice passed his lips. "I do not know what happened. Direca cut Marienta. Then, deep inside, I felt a rage explode and fight for escape. My only goal was to save Marienta. I really have no clue what happened."

The brothers felt a coldness enter the room. They heard Marcus whimper. Through the door passed three men decked in armor and swords strapped to their sides. Each man exuded power.

The first man was the tallest, with black hair, dark brown eye, and olive colored skin. He looked around the room.

The second man looked much like the first, but an inch or so shorter. He wore a tan cape that billowed as he walked.

The third man, the least imposing of the trio, had the lightest complexion making his black hair and brown eyes appear even darker. He asked, "Do I make the child forget?"

The tallest man looked around the room and said, "Yes. He doesn't need to remember this." He looked at Marienta. August growled low and pulled her unconscious form against him. The man chuckled. "I don't want your woman, August. We are here to help you, the three of you."

Martinelli, unsure of the stranger's definition of 'help', moved in front of August. "I'll not let you kill him. We can leave the city and no one will know of the monster."

The tall man smiled and looked at his two companions. "No one needs to leave. The 'monster' will go away as soon as August drinks her blood. Only that will appease the 'monster' at this stage. If the 'monster' waits too long, he will have to make love to her unconscious body to be appeased."

August looked at Marienta's face. It seemed wrong and as though he was violating her in some way, by taking her blood as she lay helpless. She wasn't one of the humans intended strictly for food. He loved her.

The tall man said, "Trust me, August. You need to drink before your beast grows wild and rampages through the city."

August replied, "She is injured and bleeding. Taking more blood will not help her."

The tall man sighed and spoke as if talking to a child. "When you feed from humans, do the marks remain?"

August shook his head. "No, the magic of the fangs seals the wound."

The tall man nodded. "So maybe the magic of your fangs will cause other wounds to heal as well. Drink. I grow bored trying to teach you the basics."

August felt his body shake as he bent to drink from the woman he loved. He was unsure if it was from the anticipation of tasting her blood or from fear of harming her. As though she were a fragile porcelain doll, he held her precious body with utmost care. He placed his fangs on her neck, the spot of the cornucopia of her blood. Slowly, he pierced her flesh lest he move too quickly harming her or causing her pain.

The instant his fangs pierced her veins; he was inundated with the taste of her blood. The euphoria was beyond compare. He should not have waited so long. He was lost in the haze of joy, wanting it to last forever.

August felt hands on his arms pulling him away from his nirvana. He growled fighting to remain in his state of bliss. The pull was insistent. He fought harder. Then voices invaded into his consciousness.

"She is not strong enough to transition to one of us. You have not prepared her." Said a deep voice, not one of his brothers.

The words made no sense. The words were upsetting. He wanted to feast. He wanted all of Marienta.

Marient!

August unceremoniously dropped the body in his arms and pushed away so quickly he hit the wall hard behind him. His hands were back to normal, but before he could inspect the rest of his body, someone lifted him to his feet. He looked behind him, recognized the tall man, and searched the room for his brothers.

The two other strangers held his struggling brothers. The strangers were stronger than his brothers, but his brothers were vampires. His brothers should have been stronger. That when he remembered the strange sensation that occurred when the three strangers walked into the room. They exuded power. They were vampires! Again, he turned to look at the man holding him with new understanding.

The tall man smiled, "Well, good. Now that you are back to normal, let us begin. I'm Uruku. These men," he held an open hand toward the strangers holding Martinelli and Gabriel, "are my sons, Anorak and Vankox."

The sons nodded at August and released his brothers. Uruku tossed him a blanket. He looked at it confused until he remembered the sound of ripping clothes. He was naked and he wrapped the blanket to cover his body.

He remembered Marienta, dropped to his knees, and placed his fingers on her neck. She was so still, but he felt the rhythm of her heart. He almost sighed with relief. He parted the ripped fabric on the front of her dress to expose her stomach. Instead of seeing an open wound, he saw smooth flesh with some dried blood. Not liking the image, August wiped her as clean as he could with his bare hands.

Uruku continued, "We knew someone had read the scroll, but by the time we got to the library, it was back on the shelf. We would have kept an eye on you to help prevent this kind of thing, had we known who you were. At least we don't have to kill you."

Gabriel stepped forward. "Why would you have to kill us?"

Uruku gave a sad smile, "Because those who cannot control their demons are a danger to us all. If the demons run free, they search for hedonistic pleasure until they are lost in it. You saw the way your brother struggled after he returned to his normal self. Drinking from your chosen lover is one of the most amazing experiences a vampire can have. Starting that drink as the demon gives the vampire little self-control. Imagine the result if I hadn't pulled him away. A mourning vampire is nearly as dangerous as an uncontrolled inner beast. Havoc. Killing is the only way to keep the other vampires and humans safe. You were willing to fight to protect your brother's beast. You had no idea of the consequences."

Martinelli understood the pull of the hedonistic lifestyle. "Is there nothing we can do to prevent our beasts from escaping?"

Uruku said, "Sure there is. You can give the beast pleasure. You will feel it encouraging you, repeatedly, to enjoy things, but don't lose control. Make sure it knows you are in charge and you can keep it tame. If you give the beast the upper hand, you become the slave."