Daughters of the Moon

Note: Thanks again to Liter Knight for her careful editing!

Chapter 12

Siobhan gasped and jerked awake, sitting up suddenly. She looked around wildly, not recognizing her surroundings. She was in a bedroll in a large, well appointed military tent. It was the tent a clan chief or foreign lord would use on campaign. A scattering of trophies were displayed throughout the tent. Statues of foreign gods, old banners with heraldry she had never seen, tapestries of strange landscapes. She looked around slowly, trying to get her bearings and taking in threats. She briefly noted the skin on her hands was whole again and the aches where the branches had pummeled her were gone. Whoever had captured her apparently wanted her intact for whatever dark fate they were planning for her.

"Hey."

She jumped and turned toward the voice. When she saw her she jumped again. It was the girl from before, the vampire who almost killed her, who she had shot. She was sitting cross legged, in a simple loose blue cotton shirt and light brown skirt, looking at her with those sparkling green eyes that didn't look dead at all. Siobhan looked around for a weapon, anything to defend herself with. There was a dagger in a jade sheath on the other side of the tent but there was no way to get to it without the vampire knowing. She was still wearing her uniform shirt and pants but they had taken her coat and her boots with the hidden knives. With no other option she went into a crouch and brought her hands up in the fighting stance the daughters taught.

"You stay back."

The vampire shrugged, "Okay, sure, that was my plan. I was just going to stay right here."

"You're not taking my blood."

The vampire sighed, "I don't know why people always assume I'm going to bite them as soon as I see them. It's not like you just grab every bun in the pastry shop as soon as you walk in."

Siobhan paused. This conversation wasn't going how she expected it to. The vampire looked edgy, tense, uncertain. She looked like a scared young woman trying to hide her fear with humor. She didn't seem like a demon, a soulless empty thing. Slowly, Siobhan lowered her hands and sat cross legged, mirroring the vampire.

"What do you want then?"

"I... I don't know. What's your name?"

"Siobhan. Siobhan Arda Tibernack."

"Siobhan..." she said her name faintly. She almost sounded confused. "I'm Gwen. Gwendolyn... Mara Mircalla."

Gwen looked at her intently, searching for a reaction to her name. Siobhan didn't know what reaction the vampire was expecting.

Siobhan hesitated, she didn't want to ask anything of the vampire but she had to know, "Did we win?"

Gwen nodded, "Yeah, you did. You kicked the crap out of us. Everyone's freaking out. And it was mostly because of you and the rest of the snipers. Well, and those cannons. Fucking fireballs."

Siobhan closed her eyes. Relief and pride made her body feel light, like she could float away. She breathed out a calming breath, "That's good, I can die at peace then."

Gwen snorted, "If you say so."

Siobhan actually felt embarrassed. She had made the kind of prideful boast her people were known for. The pride that always lead to ruin. Then Siobhan remembered.

"You killed my sisters," she said. Her voice was tight with rage.

"What?"

"I saw you. You took their blood. You killed them. How many of my sisters are dead because of you?"

Gwen shook her head, "No, I swear I didn't. I took just enough to knock them out. I mean, being unconscious on a battlefield isn't the safest place to be, but I didn't kill anyone, I promise."

"Why?"

"Why didn't I kill your sisters?"

"Yes. You're a vampire and they were your enemies. They were killing you."

"I don't know. I didn't need to. I just needed them to stop killing my friends."

Siobhan drew a sharp breath. She pushed away an upselling of sadness. She allowed herself to hope, to believe maybe she'd see her again, "My love was one of the snipers."

"Oh," Gwen looked awkward for a moment, "I hope she's okay. Maybe we can try to find her."

"You'd help me find her?"

"Sure, I mean I don't have anything against you. We were all just doing our duty, protecting the people we care about."

Siobhan snorted, "What would you know of duty, or love?"

Gwen stared at her for a long moment, considering.

"Well, one of your sisters shot my childe in the chest, and she almost died."

That brought Siobhan up short, "You have a child?" Siobhan knew how Gwen looked didn't mean anything about her age, but she seemed young. If she was human, Siobhan pictured her nursing an infant, or maybe chasing after a toddler.

"Yup. And I do love her. I know you think I can't but I love her so, so much. But I've never told her. And I just keep thinking if the bullet had been two inches higher it would have burned her heart right out of her chest and she'd be dead and I never would have told her. And I know I should be at her side right now, holding her hand. But she's in a coma and when a vampire's in a coma they look dead. Really, really dead. And even though I know she's not dead, that I got so lucky and I'll be with her again soon, looking at her makes me want to scream and never stop, so I'm here talking to you instead. But I'm not mad at whichever of your sisters shot her, because she was just doing her duty and fighting for her people, same as I was."

Siobhan stared at Gwen, and now that she was looking she could see the sorrow on her face, barely concealed beneath the surface.

Siobhan shifted uncomfortably, "You're not what I expected a vampire to be."

"I get that a lot. I've never been very good at meeting people's expectations," said Gwen.

"It's almost like you really do have a soul."

"Oh thanks. Pretty sure I do, actually. I think it gets pretty beat up when you get turned but it doesn't go away."

"That's not what they teach us."

"Yeah it turns out nobles and priests lie a lot. I mean, there are a lot of asshole vampires. A lot of them. But still, they teach you a lot of bullshit."

There was a pause as they both looked for something to say. Siobhan wanted to ask what they were going to do to her if she wasn't going to be killed on the spot but she was afraid she wouldn't like the answer. Gwen looked like she knew what she wanted to say too but was afraid to ask. Siobhan had a guess what it was.

"What you said on the battlefield. You thought I was your mother?"

Gwen hunched her shoulders, sinking into herself, "Yeah, you... god I can't explain it. You don't just look like her. I mean it's not just a resemblance. You look exactly like her. In every way. You sound like her and you move like her. I guess that's why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to see if you were actually her. Which sounds crazy but I guess it's not any less crazy than whatever this is..." she waved at her vaguely, "...But you're not her."

"No I'm not. And this is the one that turned you. Not your birth mother?"

"Oh, right, right. yeah... God, I haven't thought about my birth mother in... god, a century. I can't remember her face. I remember she was kind."

"That's very sad. I'm sorry."

Gwen looked down into her lap.

"You seemed scared when you thought I was her," said Siobhan.

"Yeah, well... I didn't really live up to her expectations either," said Gwen. She wouldn't meet Siobhan's eyes.

"She hurt you?"

Gwen straightened, ran a hand through her hair, leaving it messy, "Yeah, I guess she did. It took me a long time to get over what she did. Decades... I'm sorry, this isn't important to you. I'm getting caught up in my own issues. You want to know what's going to happen to you."

"Yes, I was rather curious," said Siobhan, the old dryness seeping into her voice

Gwen stared at her, "God, she used to do that too. Those fucking dry little quips. They're a lot nicer when you do them, though," she shook her head, "Well, if it was up to me... actually I don't know what I would do. I really don't. This is so fucking crazy..." Gwen blew out a breath and gathered herself. "But regardless, it isn't up to me. Adrian was the one who actually captured you, since you shot me. That really hurt by the way."

Gwen looked at her but Siobhan didn't respond. She refused to apologize for what happened on the battlefield

Gwen waited another second then continued, "So since Adrian was the one who captured you he gets to do what he wants with you. My guess is he'll keep you as a beldam."

"A what?"

"Someone cute who he feeds on regularly. He had a relationship with my sire. I'm sure he'll get a kick out of you."

Siobhan pushed her fear down. It was a black pit just out of sight. She refused to look at it. She needed her wits, "I think I'd rather die than be that."

"It won't be that bad. Adrian is a son of a bitch but he has standards. He'll treat you well."

"It doesn't matter how he'll treat me. He'll be forcing me, stealing my blood. It's the worst thing I can imagine."

"God, I'm sorry. If it was anyone else I'd fight them and take you for my own. I have no idea what I'd do with you but I'd treat you right. But it's Adrian. He's one of the only vampires I know I can't beat in a duel. There's nothing I can do."

There was a pause, Siobhan felt despair flood her, she glanced at the dagger in the corner.

Gwen followed her gaze, "Don't."

"I won't let him have me."

"Please, we'll figure something out. I'll talk to Adrian, maybe I can convince him..."

"Convince me of what?" asked Adrian.

He walked in the tent. Siobhan recognized him from before but now she could get a good look at him. If Gwen was nothing like what she had expected Adrian was everything she had feared. He was tall and pale and cold. Every inch the bored decadent aristocrat. She acknowledged he was handsome, even to her moon touched eyes there was beauty in his form, his long blond hair, but his sky blue eyes were just as dead as Lucy had said, balls of empty glass. He looked at her like she was a toy or a puzzle; something whose only value was the enjoyment it brought; the challenge of taking it apart

"Come to see the ghost of your sire, eh Gwen?" asked Adrian as he walked further into the tent, "Better than a ghost. I've seen ghosts and the resemblance is far closer here. She looks the same to you as well? You'd know better than me. You never forget your sire's face."

"Yes," said Gwen, her voice had gone small and terse. She had stood when he had come in, her body vibrating with tension.

Adrian walked up to her, staring at her like she was a piece of art, "Extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary."

"She isn't her, though. Her name is Siobhan. She's very nice."

"Yes, I'm sure she is. She looks very nice. Siobhan, remove your clothes."

Siobhan was about to spit in his face when she realized she was already following his command. She unbuttoned her shirt, her body moving without any input from her. She tried to stop her arms but it was like wrestling someone far stronger than her. Her shirt drifted to the ground and her pants quickly followed. She struggled again as she went to untie her bra but it was still futile. In a moment her bra and panties joined the pile on the floor.

When her clothes were gone she found she could control herself again. She glared at him, resisting the urge to cover herself, "I'll kill you for this. I will slit your throat while you sleep."

"She sounds just like Mara too. Delightful. Don't move. Don't speak."

Siobhan stiffened and her jaw snapped shut. She trembled as she tried to move but his will locked her in place tighter than any chain.

"Stop it Adrian. Leave her alone."

Adrian raised an eyebrow, "Interesting, I don't remember you being very forthcoming with Elaine when I displayed interest. I respected your boundaries then."

"That was different."

"I'm sure it feels that way to you. But I will leave her alone for now if you'll help me. Look between her breasts."

"What?"

"Between her breasts. See if there's a mole, slightly off center to the right."

Adriana heard Gwen approach from behind her, then she circled to the front. She looked as miserable as Siobhan felt, but she did what she was told. Slowly she looked down and licked her lips

"It's there."

"Now on the right side of her stomach. a set of four moles in an almost square pattern."

Gwen looked, and stared, surprise momentarily banishing her anger.

"Yes. How...?"

"I spent a great deal of time exploring Mara's body. Siobhan, raise your left foot."

Her left foot raised, leaving her standing awkwardly on her right.

"On the bottom of her foot, on the instep."

Gwen hesitated.

"I can look if you wish."

"No, I got it," said Gwen. She knelt before Siobhan and looked under her foot.

"Yes."

"Incredible. An exact duplicate. A doppelganger. A recurrence. even the mannerisms are the same so they probably share a soul as well as a body. Absolutely incredible. Oh, you can put your foot down."

Siobhan's leg went down. But she was still a prisoner in her own body. She stared at Gwen, begging her for release, for any kind of help.

Gwen stared back at her and bit her lip, then she turned to Adrian "How can that be?"

"I have some theories. It seems that these recurrences crop up around vampires. My sire is actually a recurrence."

"Really?"

"Yes, of the Dragon's wife from when he was a man. He went through a great deal of trouble to claim her. It sparked his second invasion of the south. One possibility is vampires disrupt the mechanisms of fate itself. We live long past the lifespans our human selves were allotted and that violation of fate's design may create these recurrences as a side effect. Although the most likely explanation is that it's an obscure game of the gods, to punish us for our blasphemy. Sending copies of those we loved to torment us screams of divine intervention. The gods will turn anything into an opportunity for drama."

"What are you going to do with her?" asked Gwen.

"You're right of course. These are interesting questions but largely academic. Best left for discussions with Anika when she recovers."

Adrian walked toward Siobhan slowly and put a finger under her chin. He raised her head and barred her neck. His eyes traveled over her body and she felt his gaze like insects crawling on her skin. She couldn't stop the fear from welling up, imaging the terrible pain of his fangs piercing her.

"It is very tempting to keep her for myself. Very, very tempting. Having Mara as a beldam was a longtime fantasy, but I never dreamed I'd be able to indulge it. Having her as my own childe, to have that bond as my own, was another dream I dared not dwell on."

He dropped his hand, "But no. Unfortunately, she is too useful for that. I'm giving her to Sophia."

"You're what?"

"I'm giving her to your grandsire as a gift. Sophia loved Mara with a passion that was blinding. Her death wounded your grandmother's heart beyond repair. When I give Sophia her lost childe back she'll owe me more than she will ever be able to repay. She's already a useful ally but for this she'll be bound to me forever."

"That won't work, Sophia would never fall for that. She's not Mara."

"She's not, but Sophia will be so lovestruck she won't care. And Sophia is one of the most skilled users of the Scepter outside of house Dracul. She'll make Siobhan call herself Mara, and any time she acts differently than Mara would, Sophia will correct her with the Scepter. We like to think our minds determine our actions, but in my experience it's often the other way around. Sophia will make her act like Mara and call herself Mara and eventually even Siobhan will believe it."

Siobhan listened to her fate with dawning horror. The loss of self, the slow carving away of her very being. She knew that some part of her would always know what she had lost. She thought being Adrian's plaything was the worst thing she could imagine, but she had been wrong.

Gwen shared her horror, she stared at Adrian in disbelief, "That's obscene. Grandmother would never do that."

"Not normally, no. It's actually kind of pathetic when you think about it, forcing someone to act like your dead love, and Sophia has her pride. But the curse of obsession your blood lays on you is stronger than you like to admit. You'll do anything to keep the ones you love for yourselves. You should understand that all too well. Helena told me all about your little fling with that thrall you picked up a few months back. We had a good laugh about the whole sordid affair. If you could behave so foolishly for the sake of a peasant girl you met a few days earlier, imagine what Sophia is capable of doing to return her great love back to life."

Adrian reached out and cupped Siobhan's face. Siobhan tried to scream, to shout, to strike out at the monster in front of her that was everything she feared and hated about vampires but even worse. But all she did was tremble slightly. She was held fast in the grip of his power.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, I think I am going to indulge myself a bit. I may not get to keep her but Sophia can not begrudge me a sample or two."

Adrian smiled at her, his mouth opened, and his fangs extended. Then his eyes widened in shock. Siobhan suddenly could move again. She looked down just in time to see a piece of wood sticking out of Adrian's chest. Then he collapsed to the ground to reveal Gwen, standing directly behind where he had been standing.

"Oh fuck, oh shit. I'm in so much trouble."

Siobhan stared down at the body. Her fear and rage were gone, leaving only a cold fury bubbling in her head. It felt like it was expanding to occupy every corner of her skull.

"Is he dead?"

"No, he's just paralyzed."

WIthout another word Siobhan went and grabbed the jade-sheathed dagger. She turned to the monster at her feet.

Gwen grabbed her arm, "No, no please. I'm dead if you kill him. Worse than dead. Please, let's just go. Please."

Siobhan hesitated, reigning in her anger. She looked around and quickly grabbed her clothes and dressed, tucking the dagger in her belt. She found her boots in the corner.

They left the tent. Gwen walking quickly but trying to look casual, Siobhan easily matched the pace of the much shorter woman

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know. You think I planned this?"

"We have to have some kind of plan."

"Right yeah. I'm great at those. I guess we get you a horse and you go."

Gwen changed direction. They passed by soldiers, porters, laundresses and whores. All the bustle of a regular military encampment. It was so similar to her own people's camp it felt surreal. Like she was already home.

She noticed everyone was giving them a wide berth. No one was looking at them.

"Are you making us invisible?"

"God, I wish. I'm just putting out 'don't fuck with me' vibes. Just pray we don't run into anyone that knows me. You're lucky you put most of my friends in comas."

Siobhan prayed fervently to the Morgen, to keep their path clear and free of trouble, so that she could rejoin her sisters and fight once again.

In a few minutes they were at a horse line. Gwen glared at a hosteler and he leapt to get them a horse. Gwen led it out until they hit the sentry line on the outside of the camp. They approached two Dracul soldiers, muskets in hand.

"Halt, state your business," said one of them, a bulky, hairy man with an absurd mustache.

Gwen looked him dead in the eye, "There's a nice hill a couple miles east. Me and my thrall were going to sit under the stars and I was going to have a nibble."

The sentry stared at them awkwardly, "Very good ma'am."

"It's Ser, actually."

"Sorry, Ser."

Gwen looked the soldier up and down, "Did you want to come along? You look like you might be good for a nibble as well."

The two sentries looked at each other, "Uhhh... I appreciate the offer ma... ser, but I'm on duty."