III
Anri waits for me right outside the door.
"How do you feel?" She asks.
"As good as I've ever been." I said with a smile.
"Good..." She slaps me so hard that my head hit the wall.
"Ow, what the hell..?"
L"Im not going to ask you why again, but if you do anything like that again I'll end you myself." She said. Silence or a moment.
"Understood." I said. We proceed down the hall. I can hear a crowd shouting from the dome entrance.
"What's going on?"
"Oh, right. White you were in recovery, there was an incident." We reach the entrance room where most if our family were gathered surrounding the room on the ground floor to the balcony and both stairs. In the center there were two Vampires, Glados and Victoria, restraining another on his knees facing the balcony, where our mother was standing.
"What happened?" I ask looking on from the stairs.
"Please, settle down my children!" Mother Gwendis said. The crowd settles. "Trevor, is it? You are charged with espionage of the Abbandonato family and the murder of 5 of my children. How do you plea?"
"Plea?.. I don't plea, i caution you... All of you! The Impero, will rule again and you will all be slaves or dead!" He laughs maniacally.
"What say you my children!?" the crowd roars saying end him, end him. "So be it." Gwendis nods to the restrainers, Glados and Victoria. In one quick mirrored motion, they rip off his head and arms. Damn near tearing his torso in half as well. Blood explosion resembled a geyser. The crowd damn near tore the house down with their voice.
"As he may deserve it, i don't think i can get used to executions." Anri said.
"Agreed." I said.
"Corvo!" Jackson called me from atop the stairs. Anri I make our way to him. "It's good to see you up and around." He said before he smakes me upside my head.
"Fuck! Why is everyone doing that?"
"Because your an idiot, Mother wants to see you in her office." He leads up to her door, a short walk down the center hall from the balcony.
"Who was that trespasser from the ally?" I ask Jackson.
"I'm not sure, i don't recognize his face or scent. He is quite strong through."
"Did you kill him?"
"No, i let him off with a warning."
"Good, i wasn't done with him."
"I hope you won't embarrass yourself again." Jackson laughs as we reach Mother Gwendis' door.
"Dont embarrass the family either." Anri said. Jackson knocks on the door.
"Please, come in!" Gwendis said, we proceed in. She sits at her desk looking out the stained glass window behind it. She turns and stands to greet us.
"Hello, my children." Mother Gwendis is a kind soul, she cares for all forms of life whether be undead, human or animal. She looks as though she became a vampire in her late 20's. She's fairly tall with long crimson hair, she has a light English accent. As kind hearted as she is, she is no one to cross.
"Hello mother." We say in unison and bow. She giggles.
"No need to be so formal." We rise.
"You deserve formality." I say.
"You've always been such a charmer, Corvo." Gwendis said walking up to us. "If you don't mind, Anri and Jackson, i would like to speak to Corvo in private. Thank you for delivering him to me."
"You are welcome, mother. " They both say as they leave.
I walk with her back to her desk.
"How are you feeling, Corvo?"
"Im good, i feel back to normal." I say stopping in front of her desk.
"Good, I'm relieved to hear it. I looked in on you that night, you looked terrible. I feared that you had gone feral. If Dr. Crane didn't tell me you were still in control, i would have ended you then and there. It broke my heart to see you like that." She stands looking out the window.
"I'm sorry mother... "
"I know you are. I'm not mad my darling, I'm only concerned. Everyone has their reasons and you may keep them to yourself if you wish, but i need you do not do that again." She turns and looks at me. "You are precious to me Corvo. I love all of my children, but you are one of the special ones. I can always count on you do so what is needed, to protect your siblings, this house and even the humans that reside in our territory. If i were to end i would do so peacefully knowing my family is going to be alright because you're around." She looks back out the window. I walk up next to her.
"What are you taking about? Your not time won't end anytime soon." i say concerned.
"Probably not, but anything can happen and i need you to stay at your peak If that time may come. Do you understand?"
"Yes.. Mother.. So does this make me your successor?"
"No. Not exactly, love. There are a few of your siblings that would be worthy of succeeding me as well. All of you uniquely equipt. So I'm putting together a council of these children, maybe 6 or so. I feel like rule with more than one is best, less likely to cause jealousy and inner conflict." She turns to her desk, opens a drawer and pulls out a ring box. "I want you on the council, as the first seat next to me." she opens the box and there is a black ring with silver writing on it, it appears to be the witch language. I pick it up and i see my name in silver on the inside.
"Thank you.. Mother.. I will serve the best i can." Is the only thing i can say. I put the ring on my right ring finger and it can spin.
"I know you will my son." She smiles and i put the box in my coat pocket.
"Who else have you considered for seats?" i ask.
"Well, Anri and Jackson, Glados and Victoria. I have to think a bit more on an odd or even number. But don't worry about that now, go get something to drink. Don't need you falling apart on me now." she chuckles. "You'll meet the final members soon."
"Alright, thank you again. This is a real honor." I say walking twords the door.
"You've deserved it, il mio piccolo Corvo." i leave the room and she closes the door behind me.
I make my way down the hall. I have my doubts about me being taking in such a heavy responsibility with the family, even if i am in a group. I never thought myself as much of a leader, but i don't want mother to know that, i never like letting her down.
I reach the stairs, there were a few vampires hanging around as the blood gets cleaned up.
"Hey, its Corvo!" one of our new borns said to another. They stop me at the top of the stairs. "Did you see the execution? Wasn't it awesome!?" They look so excited.
"I wouldn't say awesome." I say and they deflate. "We as vampires aren't as... Common as we once we're. It doesn't entertain me to see one die, weather or not they are Abbandonato." I proceed down the stairs. "It's not normal for our family to act the way they did!" I say to them. I hope they learn how precious life is, even when your dead.
They seemed young, maybe 18 or 19. I hope there was a good reason for changing them so early, under 21 tends to stay immature. I reach the end of the stirs and make a left towards the kitchen for some blood when one of my sisters came out.
"Heading to the kitchen, Corvo?" She asked. Her name is wearing yoga pants, running shoes and a pink tank top.
"Yeah, mother wants me to say hydrated." I replied. she giggles.
"Oh yea i heard about your reckless night, how are you feeling?"
"Better now, still a little stiff from hibernation."
"Good.." She sharply raises her right knee, i block with my right hand at about my stomach. She, almost instinctively adjusts her hip and tries to kick the side of my head. I block with the back of my left hand. It all took about a second.
"Looks like you're not completely defenseless" She laughs putting her leg down.
"People have been hitting me since I've woken up." i laugh.
"Lucky you I only used like 30 percent of my strength, otherwise you'd be back in Crane's office." She shoved me. "Anyway uh, Your not going to find much blood in there, we're running low."
"Really? We never run low, what happened."
"While you were recovering, we received a lot of new borns who are apparently leeches."
"Yea, I've noticed a few already."
"Yea, very. The kitchen has most of them and i think Chef Giovanni is loosing it." She laughs. "Unfortunately, or fortunately, they have a long time to go before they are able to be day walkers or even hunt for that matter."
"Who's training them?" I ask as we walk to the front door.
"Your looking at her." She said pointing her thumb at herself with a very big grin.
"Only you?"
"What you don't think i can do it?"
"No, no, it just seems like a handful even for mother." She laughs.
"She's the one who assigned them to me. It'll be fine tho. I actually have to go get the gym prepped now." She gives me a hug. "You be careful out there ok?" She begins to walk backwards.
"You be careful to, Your kinda out numbered!"
"I can take them all no problem!" she laughed.
Violet is one of those peppy, fun loving girl with violet hair. She's about 5'10 and light skinned African American. We came here at the same time, she's my best friend and she's very strong even for vampires. She could give Glados a good beat down if she wanted.
