It had been an hour or so that the sun was set, allowing the Vampires of Ordoghaz to awaken and to return to their nightly festivities. Perhaps they didn't know that they weren't the only Vampires awakened.
As usual, the Crypt was cold and damp, plunged into the deep darkness, and moonlight was penetrating through the tinted glass of the very few windows. On the floor was the decayed body of what was believed to be a Lycan. Killed by Viktor, exactly one night ago. Dried blood was all over the cold floor of the crypt, now barely visible. Piercing ice blue eyes stared around the big room.
Marcus, the last and only Elder remaining, was standing beside his throne. He was now fully regenerated, and finally his gorgeous features were exposed. Although almost as old as Viktor was, Marcus looked much younger, maybe in the late thirties, early forties.
His long, Venetian silky hair rested slightly on his straight shoulders, revealing the looks of someone who's lived in the years of 1700. The Elder was wearing a long leather coat that really looked like Viktor's, only of a jet black, while Viktor's coat was of a very dark blood red.
Although Marcus was ready to take the throne and to confront the Lycans once again, he thought this war was a complete inaccuracy. Never has he been for the Lycans' extermination. According to him, everything was going very well when the Lycans were slaves to the Vampires.
Marcus has always been known as the only Elder who had a bare minimum of sympathy for them. Contrarily to Viktor, of course, who had always been for their extermination. And this was one of the few arguments why Viktor and Marcus didn't get quite along.
Taking a deep breath, the last of the Elders sat down in his throne. For some reason he couldn't tell why, he wasn't feeling so good. Something in him was… different. Every once in a while, he felt like his ribcage throbbing as if a thousand swords were transplanting it and his head aching in an incredible painful way.
Marcus brought his hand to his forehead. His head ached terribly. Never had he felt this before. "What's happening to me?" he was thinking. "This just can't be because of the time-lag between centuries, it can't be…" And all of a sudden, his pain went away, just like that. "Actually… maybe it is," he thought.
As he stood up, he let out a long sigh. He was ready to confront the war, once again. He glared around Crypt, his eyes barely meeting the body of the dead Lycan on the floor. His eyes came across Viktor and Amelia's tombs. They were empty. Only last night has Mason informed Marcus of their deaths. And now he was left alone to rule on the Underworld.
This thought didn't frighten him in the least. He was used to rule over the Coven, and he had to admit it: despite his hatred of the war, Marcus was looking foreword to be back in the game. He couldn't wait to get things done his, and only his way. Him and Viktor have never had the same ideas or opinion about one thing; it had always been like that, and hard it was to believe it could change. Not that they hated each other or anything, but let's just say that Viktor and Marcus weren't the best of friends.
And then Marcus thought of Amelia. Ha had once loved her, she had once loved him. Once, long, long before Viktor had chosen Amelia to be the third of three Elders. And that was one of the other reasons why Viktor and Marcus couldn't put it up with each other.
It's at this right moment that the same pain invaded Marcus' body, a terrible headache hitting his head. He brought his hand to his chest and winced in pain as he leaned against one of the pillars between which his throne was. "What is that all about, for Hell's sake," he thought. And then again, the pain suddenly went away. "And where in the world is Mason?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Erika was now at the entrance of the Crypt. She stood in front of a tinted plexi glass window behind which the surveillance room was located. A dim light behind the glass went on, revealing the figure of a Vampire guard sitting in the room.
The Vampire behind the glass was Duncan. One of Kahn's comrades. One of the Vampires that was still unaware of Marcus's arouse. "The purpose of your call?" he asked through the glass.
Erika, who has up to now been gazing at the floor, raised her deep violet eyes and stared into the glass window. "Master Kahn sent me," she cringed while pronouncing the word 'master'. "It's… for the Awakening."
She startled at the sound of the plexi glass doors of the Resting Chamber opening behind her. She turned around and took a few steps into the Crypt.
At the sound of the opening doors, Marcus turned around swiftly, hoping to find Mason standing at the other end of the room. "It's about time you come back---" he cut himself off, realizing that it wasn't Mason who was standing there, but the thin silhouette of a beautiful Vampiress.
Erika's eyes opened in astonishment as she paled even more than usual. In front of her was a tall, stunning figure of a gorgeous Vampire. "This isn't… Viktor…" she thought, unable to make any movement.
A slight smirk appeared on Marcus's gorgeous features. "Oh. Hello, there," he said softly.
Erika was psyched by what she was living at this right moment. She opened her mouth to say something, but failed to say anything smart. "Uh… I think I've come at the wrong moment…" were the only words able to get out of her mouth. "I'd better leave, now---"
"No, wait…" Marcus cut her off. "I have absolutely no objection for you to stay," he said as another smile illuminated his beautiful face.
Erika felt butterflies in her stomach and as far as she could tell, she could feel herself blushing. "I---I was sent to… clean the Crypt for tomorrow night's Awakening…" she clumsily managed to say.
Marcus's smile partially vanished as a solemn expression appeared instead, his striking grey eyes staring at the young vampire maid from head to toes. "Come closer," he said mildly.
Erika's eyes were still fixed on his handsome face as she slowly began to step foreword. What she was living at that exact moment was indescribable. How gorgeous this stranger was. Never has Erika seen a Vampire as good looking as he was. Even Kraven, of whom she permitted herself to think about.
Erika and Marcus were now a few inches away from each other. The same, seductive smile reappeared on the Elder's features as he said, "I am Marcus."
To these words, Erika's eyes widen and she dropped to her knees. "My Lord, forgive my insolence." And for the first time in her ninety-six years of immortality, Erika didn't feel this hatred as she pronounced the words 'my Lord'.
"Stand up, Milady," Marcus said as he took her hand and lift her back on her feet. Never had someone called Erika 'Milady'. "You bet I'm going to remember that," Erika thought. "Therefore, you are one of the maids of Ordoghaz?" Marcus asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
Erika sighed to this cruel confession, "As a matter of fact I am, my Lord---"
"You may perhaps call me Marcus, I can assure you that I have absolutely no objection to that," Marcus cut her off. His eyes were staring deep into hers.
"Will do, my Lo--- Marcus," Erika corrected herself as a slight smile appeared on both their faces.
"I will have to admit that all this is rather queer," Marcus started warily.
"What is? That you're allowed to call me 'Milady' while I don't have the obligation of calling you 'My Lord'?" Erika finally stated something that made sense.
"No. That you actually aren't part of the high aristocracy of the Mansion, a beautiful Vampiress like you," Marcus stared in her beautiful violet eyes. Erika again opened her mouth to protest, but not only that nothing came out, but Marcus didn't let her time to state a word. "I have never seen you around here before."
"To tell the truth, I've only been turned ninety years or so ago," Erika stuttered.
Marcus couldn't stop staring into her eyes, and so couldn't Erika. "So young, so beautiful," he said in a very low voice. "Will it be too much of me to ask your name?"
"Erika," she stumbled. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She wasn't.
"Well, Erika, it is my entire pleasure to meet you," Marcus smiled as he kissed her hand.
"The pleasure is mine," said Erika, who hasn't stopped staring into his grey eyes from the very start. "Well… I really must be going, now. Work is calling my name."
Erika turned around, but she hasn't had time to make a single step that Marcus held her back, grabbing her forearm. "You know, being the last Elder standing, I could easily allow you to rest," he said, still staring into her eyes.
"Really?" Erika seemed excited. "I mean, it'll be greatly appreciated," she corrected herself. "Thank you, my Lo--- Marcus," she smiled.
He also smiled, "That way, we could get to know each other a little bit better." A sudden thought came across the young Vampiress's mind.
She turned her head towards Marcus, who smiled at her. "Do you like blondes?" she asked as a mischievous smirk appeared on her face.