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It was the stories of the other relics that interested me, despite our primary goal was finding the location of the Priory of the Nine. The Helm had never been discovered, nor had the Boots or the Mace. It wasn’t surprising that the Helm hadn’t been discovered with the submersion of the shrine under a dozen metres of ... |
Four days... Four days of searching, reading moth and mouse eaten scrolls and feeling dust and cobwebs clinging to my flesh had brought Viconia and I no closer to finding the Priory of the Nine. There were records of its existence of course, but they were space on its exact location. Despite people’s opinions the land... |
The Priory of the Nine had once been the Abbey of the Eight in the 2nd Era, until the southern trade route from Skingrad to Elsweyr shifted further to the east and took the caravans with it. This particular region of the West Weald was sparsely populated to begin with, but in two centuries since the founding to the Or... |
Viconia and I visited every bookstore in the city, gained permission to enter the various chapel and cathedral archives and for two full days from dawn to well into the night I rifled through the city archives for clues on the Priory’s location. There was enough evidence to prove that it did exist, but not enough to n... |
Viconia had left a few hours previously to follow up on a potential lead with one of the local bookstores. By now all of the book merchants knew of what we were seeking, along with a considerable number of city officials and a growing number of local citizens. Once or twice a day we would have some messenger or courie... |
Another day of fruitless searching done, I wrapped myself up in my cloak and stepped out into the fresh air. Spring had arrived during our journey to the north, and while the nights were still cool there was no an overwhelming scent of flowers filling Skingrad’s streets. Midnight was approaching, the taverns and inns ... |
With a single breath the vampire in me took in the smell of baking bread filling the streets, overlaying the deep scent of wine from the vineyards outside the city walls. The evening cool had meant that many homes had their fires lit but unlike other cities Skingrad had the calming scent of burning pine wafting throug... |
The nightlife was also lively and strong as everyone from all walks of life would be involved in the dozens of various treats and spectacles. Plays and other such performances could be seen within the city theatre; a rarity outside the Imperial City and it seemed that anything other than the gladiatorial blood sports ... |
It had not just been the sense of failure and the hours trapped within the suffocating confines of shelving, parchments and paper that had driven me into the night. The desire to feed, the thirst for blood had been building and the last time I had fed was the first day we had arrived in the city. I would not have been... |
The thirst was both a need and an addiction. I had seen men and mer alike suffer the effects of their addictions to skooma and other illicit substances and I had also bore witness to the effects of withdrawal. The irritability, the shaking and shivering and the all-consuming need that grew and grew until it was imposs... |
In a terrible way I could relate. The third for blood could be put off and resisted but it would always come to the surface. The longer I ignored it, the greater it would fight and consume my every waking hour until I succumbed. As yet I had not gone for more than five days without drinking blood, but those hours befo... |
The beast within me also grew in strength as the thirst did. My senses would slowly improve without conscious effort until I began sensing the beating of hearts and tasting everyone’s smells on the air. I would also find my face growing tighter, the bones in my body shifting imperceptibly under my skin and my muscles ... |
As I moved through the streets, I was feeling the urge so greatly that I could almost see the blood pumping through the veins of those who I passed. With the merest flicker of will I could make the sense more precise, turning the night time shadows into ghostly greys and seeing the swirling red fibres of life force in... |
With my thoughts focused on the thirst, it was almost a surprise when I walked around the corner and almost collided with a young woman moving in the opposite direction. Dressed in a flowing silk dress with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, she was almost indistinguishable from the dozens of other minor nobility m... |
At my sudden appearance she yelped in surprise, coming to a sudden and abrupt halt as she looked up into my eyes. Slightly shorter than Viconia, she only just came up to my chin but had none of the steel-like hardness that filled my companion. |
"M’lady." Waving my hand across onto my chest I patting my breastplate just loud enough that the metallic thudding was audible, seeing her eyes widen in response. |
"Oh... um... Good evening." |
I knew from experience that I was somewhat intimidating, but her nervousness was not in response to finding herself face to face with a stranger dressed in grey-black clothing, clad in an ebony breastplate and openly carrying a sword. Her attention was elsewhere, eyes darting back over her shoulder and glancing about. |
A dozen metres down the road, a trio of young men stepped out onto the street from one of the taverns almost exclusively catering for nobility and the wealthy. They looked about the city street, quickly seeing the young woman standing in front of me and moving quickly in her direction. |
My eyes met with hers and while there wasn’t fear in them, she was uneasy. Skingrad was one of the safest cities within the Empire, the streets well protected and while this wasn’t the usual tavern scenario I was accustomed to from my days in the Legion, it was still unusual. |
"Constadonia? Where are you going?" |
The way she shied away a little from the trio, eyes locked on the one walking ahead of the others. They, also appeared to be minor nobility, out for the evening where they had been obviously sampling the local wine. |
"Home." She said simply, trying to meet their gaze and failing. While nowhere near as inebriated as the other three I could still practically smell the alcohol that she had been drinking. |
"No you’re not. You’re staying with me as your father wanted." |
The tone was insolent and with a considerable amount of scorn injected into it to cover the annoyance at having his authority tested in front of others. there was also no mistaking the slight quiver in the young woman as she stood there, trying desperately not to step away from the trio. |
"Are you in need of assistance m’lady?" I asked softly, seeing the answer in her eyes as she looked at me. |
"She has no need of help from you, peasant." The ringleader answered, and my decision was made so much easier. Normally I would have continued on without a moment’s hesitation and not involved myself in the affairs of others, but the drive to feed was affecting my judgement and such a challenge was like a red rag to a... |
Stepping slightly in-between her and the trio, I fixed their leader with a gaze that would have normally provided anyone with second thoughts, but the liquid courage her had been drinking all night had afforded him with more than just a rosy complexion. |
"Obviously manners are a rare commodity these days so I will introduce myself. I am Kaius, and who may you three be?" |
One of the trio stopped like an electric current ran through him at my name and the way I shrugged my cloak away. The mithril-ebony breastplate was not commoner’s attire by any stretch of the imagination. |
"So the peasant has armour, am I meant to be impressed?" |
"Ah... Nigenix..." |
"Shut up Melomo." Nigenix; the leader of their little group leaned sideways and gave Constadonia a "come-hither’ gesture. "You. With me. Now." |
She shook her head. "No." |
"No? Who do you think you are to say no to me?" |
"She has every right to say no." I interjected, suddenly becoming their centre of attention again. |
"You need to stay out of this if you know what’s good for you." |
"I said shut up Melomo! Or I’ll make you shut up after I deal with this fellow." |
Like many cities within the Empire, Skingrad had laws about the carriage of weaponry and while it wasn’t illegal to bear arms, it was still frowned upon to use them aggressively. Normally, the rattling of a sword in a scabbard could be more than enough to be awarded a fine, but this young noble decided to take it one ... |
Sixty centimetres of straight steel kissed the air and he held it in a confident, if inexperienced and considerably intoxicated manner. In his world of nobility, balls, and politics he would have been considered to be an able swordsman and of great martial prowess. In my world he was a young man, barely out of his tee... |
"I am Nigenix Gratar Agrissaeia Curiosus, heir-apparent to the Barony of Gottlesfont." His sword weaved a slight pattern in the air that I was uncertain whether was because of his drunken state or was some attempt of intimidating sword play. "And you will stand aside." |
My chuckle was enough to leave them all on edge, as I brushed my cloak away, revealing Sunchild’s sheathed length at my hip and drawing it in one smooth motion. "I will not stand aside. I am Kaius Treblanus Desin, Knight-Errant of the Order of the White Stallion." |
After a moment of confusion at my actions and the fact that his attention had been solely focussed on the curved Ayleid blade that had appeared in my hand, the coin finally dropped. Whether it was the unique appearance of Sunchild, my knighthood proved by the signet ring or my name itself, all the blood drained from h... |
Silence fell between us as I held Sunchild in an unwavering grip, the tip of my sword pointing at the ground casually. Neither the baron’s son or his two friends seemed to have any idea how to react, and judging by the reaction of Constadonia, neither did she. |
"That’s the Hero of Kvatch you idiot." Hissed his other friend just a little too loudly, and somehow even more blood drained from Nigenix’s face. |
"Oh... I... Ah..." he stammered, his sword now obviously quivering from nerves more than anything else. |
"Well? If we are to duel I would prefer it to be sooner than later. The night isn’t going to last forever." |
Melomo stepped forward, grabbing his rash friend by the sword arm and pushing the blade down from where it had begun to shake even more. "I’m sorry for the disturbance Sir, please don’t concern yourself unduly with my friend here. It was an honest mistake." |
"Very well." I twirled Sunchild in my hand, reversing the blade and sliding it back into its scabbard with a click in the same way that Belisarius sheathed his katana. While nowhere near as effortless and flawless as the sword champion of the Blades made it look, the six months of practice were well worth their looks ... |
"Come brother, a bottle of Surilie’s and other maidens await." |
Dragging off the mildly protesting Nigenix the trio beat a hasty retreat, only pausing momentarily to bow in the direction of myself and Constadonia before disappearing through the door of the tavern. Adjusting my cloak, I turned and gave a bow to the young lady, smiling slightly as I did so. |
"You you all right m’lady?" |
She nodded. "Yes. Thank you." Pausing, and glancing between myself and the swiftly closing door to the tavern a dozen metres away she didn’t seem to know how to react. "Are you really the hero of Kvatch?" |
"One of them, yes." I replied simply. "I hope my presence hasn’t caused any problems for you." |
"No. No of course not. Nigenix will get over it and I have nothing to fear from him or his father." She glanced at me a smiled a true smile. "Although, I hope you realise that by noon tomorrow, half the city will believe he crossed swords with the Hero of Kvatch?" |
"And by tomorrow evening he will be known for successfully besting him in a duel that lasted for hours. Maybe I should have cut him a little and gave him a scar to help sell the story." |
She giggled, covering her mouth with a gloved hand and trying to get a better look at me while not looking directly at me. "I’m glad you didn’t, he is barely tolerable as it is. You have my thanks though Sir Desin." |
"Your welcome. It’s a nice change of pace to put young noblemen in their place." Thudding my fist into my chest, I bowed slightly again, meeting her gaze with my own that was less human than before. "If you desire I would be honoured to escort you home or to a location of your choosing." |
As had dozens before her over the months, she didn’t seem to notice the way my eyes darkened with shadows as we looked into each other’s eyes. While I was still in control, the beast was growing stronger with a potential meal standing before it and any resistance she had faded in a heartbeat. "I would be honoured Sir ... |
With a gesture I fell into step alongside her, moving and keeping in step with her as we moved along the city streets. While we walked side by side, she was leading the way but would glance at me every dozen paces or so. It would have been impossible for her to realise but with every sideways glance, every time that h... |
"Is this your home?" I asked quietly as we approached a three story manor set off on a cul-de-sac alongside several other home for the wealthy. |
"Only in winter." Constadonia replied, smiling up at me. Her fingers were by now interlaced with my own and I had spent the last few minutes marvelling at how soft and delicate she was. If I was honest, Viconia was several times more beautiful but she was entirely hard and unyielding. Constadonia in comparison felt as... |
"A winter residence?" she saw the way that I couldn’t help but shake my head at the thought. |
"As I said Sir Desin, my father is a very wealthy man." |
"Placer mines and gemstone trading." |
Her smile continued and while to any onlookers if there were any about she would have appeared slightly inebriated, she was in fact entirely under my control. My willpower had overwhelmed her, and while I knew that it could be strong enough to melt someone’s mind and leave them a vegetable, she instead was left utterl... |
"Well, it appears that this is where we must part ways." |
I nodded. "Indeed. I am glad that you were able to make it home safely." |
"The entire county’s militia couldn’t have provided better protection than yourself. A commendable success." |
Bowing at the waist with my fist on my breastplate, I nodded once and then turned on my heel as she returned the gesture. My task complete, I made my way across the cul-de-sac, feeling her eyes on me every step of the way as she stood at the door to her home. |
At the end of the street, in the shadows between lanterns I stepped once onto the solid cobblestones before stepping through the folding shadows and fading from sight. My face was now taut and fangs pushing against my lips despite no one in the street to see it, but within the instant of fading into the night it was i... |
To Constadonia, I would have simply slipped from sight, disappearing down the street and out of her life. Instead I shifted through the darkness, moving and hugging my way along the walls and flitting across thirty metres of street in just a few seconds. In the space of time it took for her to turn to the door and rea... |
I could hear and even feel the way that her heart was beating, feeling the way that her pulse finally began to slow its thunderous pace from my proximity. The control I had over her was almost complete and impossible to break, and for those handful of seconds she stood facign the door, reaching for the handles but not... |
Hidden in the shadows and invisable from all sight, it should have been impossible for me to be seen but she turned and looked right into my eyes once more. The smile on her face, while remaining somewhat that of a dullard was pure and filled with joy. My control over her was absolute, drawing her away from the door a... |
In the weeks previously I had fed in a similar manner, choosing and going to great lengths not to be caught but also not to kill or harm those I fed upon unless I couldn’t help it. Feeding every three of four days allowed me to control the urge to drain my victims of every drop, and my basic skill at restoration allow... |
I had realised very quickly after becoming a vampire that my tastes in victims lay very specifically in young women than anyone else. Women in the early years of womanhood, no less than ten years younger than me seemed to suit my palate and while I had fed on nearly every race and age that I could imagine, outside of ... |
At least, not while feeding in this particular way. in battle, or during times where my blood was up it was a differnet story as I had discovered with the bandit so many months ago on the road near Anvil. I may have had a thirst for blood and a desire for sex, the two emotions were kept quite separated unless brought ... |
And so Constadonia unconsciously discovered my tastes for her did not include that of her body as she stepped into the darkness of the alley, and found a pair of shadowy arms wrap tight around her. Her mind, while not entirely her own was running purely on instinct, and while I would have found it easy to shred or oth... |
There was no fear in her eyes as she gazed into the dark whirlpools of ink that had consumed my own, instead there was a sultry smile that I had seen the like of several times on Viconia’s face. The lust and dark attraction that the vampire provided was enough to ensnare almost anyone I chose, but she seemed to be giv... |
With a strange hunger that almost matched my own she ran her fingers through my hair, pulling me into the kiss even as my arms drew her further into my dark embrace. Her heart fluttered with lust as she felt my clawed fingers run down the length of her spine not covered by her long dress and tight corset, shivering in... |
The merest drop of blood ran through my mouth like fire, electrifying me even as I pulled her close and my tongue snaked in and caressed her own. The tiniest drop of blood from her lip had sent me wild, and we passionately kissed like long lost lovers for several moments, until the thirst grew stronger still and I fou... |
Like tender kisses of a lover I moved down her cheek and down along her smooth neck, feeling the strange fluttering pulse under my lips even as I was forced to keep her upright as her knees buckled. A growl echoed from my throat as my fangs peeled my lips apart, my tongue lavishing kisses on her smooth neck that was a... |
She startled at the strange intrusion of my fangs in her flesh and surprisingly there was no resistance from her at all. Even with my will controlling their every action many of my victims instinctively fought against me. Some would struggle and writhe at the feeling of my fangs into their flesh, others would simply f... |
I drank from her as easily as I would decant a wineglass, feeling the vein in her throat pulsing into my mouth and throat and allowing me to simply gulp and swallow the warm mouthfuls. A part of me enjoyed the taste, and texture and every tiny sensation, and a smaller portion of my mind railed against it, wishing noth... |
As the beating of her heart grew weaker and began to flutter unexpectedly I pulled away, felling the last mouthful slide down my throat and leaving me with the taste of her youth and strangely enough the flavour of the wine she had been drinking all evening. Unlike some of my previous feedings there was little trace o... |
Unlike my other feedings this one left me feeling uneasy and I found the hairs on my neck prickling with a wave of gooseflesh that ran from my temples to my feet in a wave. I was fed, sated and even with the insensible woman in my arms acting as though she had just experienced her most intense lovemaking I couldn’t he... |
Within the darkest portions of the alley, furthest from the front of the mansion there was a presence, a shadow within the night that had no right in being there. It was perfectly still and hidden, motionless and blending into the darkness. If not for my somewhat recent experience, I would have thought that one of the... |
Still holding Constadonia in my grasp as she moaned insensibly, I turned and faced the presence, looking through the darkness with my vampiric sight at the humanoid figure hiding there. We shared more than just our love of the shadows, and for a second its stealth slipped and revealed the hard-boned visage of another ... |
Before I could move, growl or even attempt to place the woozy girl down on the ground the other vampire was gone, wrapping the shadows around itself like a cloak and vanishing without a trace. Even with a stomach full of blood and the warmth of the night a chill crawled down my spine. Of all the vampires I had faced, ... |
Wasting no time, I pressed my fingertips into the pair of puncture wounds in the girl’s throat, feeling the restoration magicka flow through my hand and into her flesh. Come morning there wouldn’t be the slightest blemish day and other than strange dreams that were bound to visit her in her sleep in the nights to come... |
Avoiding streetlamps and the few armed patrols that were making their way through the city, I sped towards my destination. Rosethorn hall was easy to find within the chapel district, and while we had not stayed there often over the previous months both Viconia and I were familiar enough with the city to find it no mat... |
The door opened a fraction before closing shortly after I entered. Somehow blending into the shadows allowed me to fit through gaps that should have been impossible but as I entered the bedroom I shifted into physicality once more. the room was darker than a moonless night, the candles long since burnt out and leaving... |
Unlike the vampire in the alley, the presence at my spine this time was a welcome one. Even despite the sharpened edge of a dagger coming to rest in my armpit. The point was as sharp as my fangs but it barely even caressed the tunic I wore under my breastplate. |
"I somehow keep forgetting just how stealthly you can be." I said simply, feeling the dagger’s point shift as Viconia stepped in closer. |
"I should be for one who was raised away from all this worthless light." A different set of burning eyes gleamed in the darkness, a pair of priceless rubies rather than the burning embers of the vampire I had encountered. "I trust you had a productive evening?" |
"You could say so." |
The dagger traced a pattern across and down my breastplate as I faced her and I didn’t need my vampiric sight to known that she was wearing far less than myself. By the sounds alone there was little more than a silken nightgown wrapped around her shoulders, if that. |
As it always did, her caress left me tingling and shivering but I pulled away slightly as her fingertip brushed across my lips. |
"You missed some." She said simply, feeling the stickiness of drying blood that I had forgotten to wipe away in my effort to distance myself from the other creature of the night. I went to knuckle it away on the back of my hand but she moved quicker, stepping in closer, grasping me by the back of the head and drawing ... |
There was no softness in Viconia like young noblewoman Constadonia as she gripped me tight and ran her tongue up the side of my jaw. There was also no denying the similar hunger that we shared as she licked the last of the blood away, shuddering with pleasure at the taste even as my hands gripped her tight. The dagger... |
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