A kind of short chapter leading up to…wait for it…the finale!
Carly left Sam's house and walked deep in thought. Sam had betrayed her and had sex with that stupid little beast girl. She was loyal to Sam and was going to give her life last night in a challenge to Cassandra she knew she could not win and how does the human girl repay her? She has runs to the arms of another! I…I almost killed her…oh God I almost killed her like I did Octavia! I love her so much and have not felt this way in such a long time and almost forgot the feeling but…but it can not work! Cassandra was right…I can never love a mortal girl…I can never love again. I was foolish to even think I could or she could love me. I…I am nothing but evil and cursed and I do not deserve love. All I ever do is destroy love. Carly's thoughts ran through her mind over and over as she did not know how long she walked but when she stopped Carly found herself standing in front of a familiar abandoned warehouse. She took a deep breath.
"Well…let's get this over with." She muttered and walked into the warehouse. She saw a man…werewolf in human form…standing next to the hidden door. He grinned at Carly and stood straight and puffed out his chest.
"Well…do you come back to challenge Cassandra again? She will kill you, you undead bitch." Mathew the Ulfric of the werewolf clan sneered and he opened the hidden door.
Carly did not say a word as she walked to him and suddenly her right hand shot out too fast for the eye to see and she grabbed the werewolf by the throat and lifted him off the ground. He was gasping for breath and his legs were kicking as he tried to pry Carly's grip from his throat but she was to strong. He was much taller than the vampire girl and she had to actually levitate herself off the ground to lift him of his feet. Carly slammed him against the wall as her fingers dug deeper into his throat and blood started to ooze over her fingers.
"You look upon you death, animal. When I talk to Cassandra I will come back for you and my face will be the last one you see. Do not mistake me for weak after last night. Never mistake me for weak! Do you know who I was for her…what I did for your mistress? I was her doer of evil deeds, animal. I did horrible and terrible things for her of such evil that the council had me exiled from the city of my birth for three thousand years because even they feared the things I did and how I killed. They told me I left too bloody of a mess behind after I made my kills and risked being exposed." Carly dropped the man to the ground and he lay there gasping for breath and for the first time since he saw her he feared her. Carly leaned down close and licked his blood off her hands with relish and leaned in close to his ears. "And I am home, wolf. Julia has come home so beware."
Carly laughed and started walking down the long hallway and when she came to the double door she pushed them open with all her strength and was a little surprised they did not break but they did make a loud booming sound. She walked to the throne and saw Cassandra leaning on its edge with her elbows on her knees and her chin resting on her elbows with a gleam in her eyes. Riona hissed at Carly and took a stance as if she wanted to attack her and Dante bowed his head. Carly could sense others in the large room but they were hidden in the darkness of the room behind the throne, but she could tell there were other vampires and lycanthropes in the room as well. Carly knelt before the throne and bowed her head.
"Cassandra of Troy, I Julia of the house of the Julii, one that you have made but released, beg your forgiveness and plead with you to accept my loyal service once more." Carly said with formality. She knew how Cassandra liked ceremony. She heard Cassandra laugh long and hard while Riona gave a hellish hiss.
"No, Mistress…no do not take her back! It is a trap…she intends to usurp you and your power…her and that human slut. I beg you…do not trust her." The red head vampire begged her mistress.
"Shut up, Riona." Cassandra screamed. Cassandra got off her thrown and walked to Carly and when she stood in front of Carly she placed a finger on the other girl's chin. "Look at me, Julia." She said so sweetly and kind. Carly lifted her head and Cassandra smiled.
"So…you wish to come back? Did you realize your mistake with the human girl?"
"Yes, Mistress." Carly responded.
"I was hoping when you slammed open my doors so rudely that you came to challenge me, Julia. I was so looking forward to that. All others below me are too weak to challenge me. Do you wish to fight me, Julia?"
"Never, Mistress, you are too strong and powerful."
Cassandra giggled, "Oh this is so much better…if it was just a challenge I would have killed you quickly but now if…and I do say if…I take you back I get to punish you over and over. You do realize I must punish you for your disrespect don't you?"
Carly swallowed, "Y…yes, Mistress…I…I understand." She knew this was coming but it still made her afraid.
Cassandra clapped her hands together like a school girl, "Oh how wonderful. Are you willing to take the blood oath once more, Julia?"
"Yes, Mistress."
"And you will not interfere with my plans for the girl…you precious Samantha?" Cassandra asked in a giddy voice.
Carly took a deep breath and felt a single tear run down her cheek, "No…No, Mistress…I will not interfere." She said softly.
Cassandra laughed again. "Well since you have come back on you own free will and have agreed to my terms and you have no demands….you don't have any do you, Julia?"
Carly nodded, "Just one, Mistress. The wolves Ulfric, I promised to kill him. Allow me that pleasure, Mistress."
Cassandra giggled again, "I have need of him right now but I promise you when I am through with him he is yours…and it will be soon."
Carly smiled, "Thank you, Mistress."
"So where were we…in all my excitement of welcoming such a lovely…and I must confess my favorite…daughter home I forgot…oh yes….your punishment. As I said since you came on you own will, rather rudely through it was, I will give you the choice of your punishment. Either three years in the coffin or five years of every evening when you awake you submit to the whip. Which shall it be?"
Carly bowed her head again and took another deep breath. "The whip, Mistress…I…I choose the whip." Carly had spent time in that crossed wrapped coffin unable to get out or feed and every day she felt the agony of starving to death all day and night and she never wanted that again.
"Oh such a good choice, Julia, if I put you in that nasty old coffin I would not be able to enjoy the agony on your lovely face as I can with the whip." Cassandra smiled and bit her wrist and blood started to flow and she held her arm out to Carly. Carly took the other vampires arm with both of hers and brought it to her lips and drank. "By my blood I bind you. I am your Mistress for all eternity and you will obey my every wish and command." Cassandra said as her voice held pleasure and ecstasy as Carly drank from her. She pulled back after a moment and looked at Carly.
"By your blood I am bound to you as your servant…as your slave for all eternity and I will obey my Mistress's every wish and command." Carly said as blood ran down her chin. Cassandra bent down and licked her own blood from Carly's chin and mouth and then kissed her deep and passionate and Carly moaned in pleasure at the kiss. Cassandra broke apart and skipped back to her throne.
"Welcome home my lovely daughter…oh I have missed you so. Later tonight you shall join me in my bed and we will both remember the pleasures we used to give one another of old." Riona again hissed at Carly in her jealousy.
"As you wish, Mistress." Carly answered and smiled evilly at the red headed vampire.
Cassandra then smiled at Carly. "But first…you must start your punishment. A pity tonight I can not give it since I have plans to make…but I have someone special who will." Carly looked at Riona and vampire smiled at Carly in anticipation but her face fell when Cassandra called a different name.
"Wicked…come forth please." She called and from the shadows walked a very tall, handsome, muscular male vampire. He had long blonde hair to his shoulders and moved with the grace of a tiger. He bowed in front of Cassandra.
"Yes, Mistress…how may I serve you?" He said in a deep masculine voice.
"You are to punish our sweet Julia tonight." Cassandra commanded.
"As you wish, Mistress." The vampire known as Wicked stood and walked to Carly.
"Oh and Wicked?" Cassandra said and the male turned, "Make sure it is painful…very painful. She had been a very naughty girl."
Wicked nodded and walked to Carly. Carly stood and swallowed hard as fear gripped her. She did not fear the male per say if they were to fight one on one but she feared his punishment. Wicked was only about six hundred years old and while powerful he would never be a master vampire. But he was to be feared. He was not of Cassandra's bloodline since she did not make him. Wicked had no bloodline any longer. He and his twin brother Truth…known as the Wicked Truth…destroyed their entire bloodline and master over four hundred years ago…all expect one. A female vampire by the name of Carina. Wicked and Truth were warriors and two of the greatest warriors that walked the earth of their time before they were made and after their "death" they remained true warriors and even the council recognized their skill and offered them to join the Deathstalkers but they refused. They refused because both brothers held honor even after their death they remained loyal to their code and the Deathstalkers did not have honor. To the brothers they were no better than thugs. It was their honor that caused them to turn on their maker and destroy him. Their maker was a pedophile and he had a nasty habit of turning children he desired…mostly boys but some girls as well…into vampires so he could use them for his lusts and they never grew old. That was until he grew tired of them and he would kill them. That did not sit well with the council since they had decreed long ago children under the age of thirteen were never to be made into vampires. It also did not sit well with Wicked and Truth and their code of honor so they killed their master and then everyone in their bloodline, even the children but they killed the small ones out of pity and mercy. All except Carina because both brothers came to love her and they protected her. Even through the two brothers did what the council was going to do they found themselves as outlaws because they two were supposed to die with all the bloodline. The council wanted to eliminate that entire line from the world. Both brothers took Carina and hid and destroyed any Deathstalker that came to find them. They finally caught Truth a little over a hundred years ago but Wicked and Carina still hid…until now.
Carly's fear was because Wicked knew how to torture and he did it very well. He took no pleasure from it and that was what made him so good. He worked like a tireless machine as he tortured.
Carly gave him a smile as he took her arm gently. "Nice to see you again, Wicked, how is Carina? Is she still with you?" Carly was going to try and use charm but knew it would not work.
Wicked was to professional and her mind tricks would not work on him either. For some reason…what ever devil gave vampires their unique powers…Wicked was completely immune to vampire mind tricks regardless of how old and powerful the vampire was…it was the same with his brother. The draw back was they could not bespell anyone with their mind…not even humans. That was one of the reasons they survived so long being hunted by the council…that and they were perfect warriors. Carly thought even Wicked would give Henry a great challenge if the two ever met and her bet would be on Wicked. He was a vampire after all.
Wicked nodded, "She is fine and she is here as well, Julia, and it is a pleasure to see you."
Carly was led by wicked through the secret door she remembered the previous night as the one all the vampires came from. "What are you doing here, Wicked? Why her?"
Wicked shrugged, "The council hunts us again and Carina has missed being around her kind and Cassandra offers us protection."
Carly nodded, "Well…at least I know I won't be raped tonight…I am assuming."
Wicked stopped and turned to Carly and his eyes glared with anger, "You know me better than that, Julia, you know I have honor and would never take a woman against her will and I will not allow anyone to do that to you while I am in control of your punishment."
Carly nodded and gave a slight bow, "My apologies, Wicked, I did not mean to offend you. So shall we get on with it?"
Wicked nodded, "You know I do not enjoy this, Julia. Not with you or anyone."
Carly nodded, "Yes…but you do it so well and that is what frightens me."
Wicked did not reply but led Carly into a room lit by torches inside the room were various devices of torture and on one of the walls hung different whips and floggers and other cruel instruments of pain. Carly sighed. She was trying to act brave but she was afraid…she was afraid of the terrible pain that was to come. As a vampire her body could endure so much more torture than a human and she heard Cassandra's orders…make it painful.
"Julia!" a small female child voice called with joy to her and she saw a beautiful girl with long dark hair and brown eyes run to her. She was dressed like a Victorian doll in her long dress and her heels clicked on the stone floors. The girl threw herself into Carly's arms and hugged her tight.
"Oh it is so good to see you again…I have missed you. Did you come to play with me?" They girl looked up and smiled.
"Hello, Carina, it is nice to see you again as well." Carly said but did not hug the girl back.
Carina was turned when she was nine years old when Wicked's master made her to use her for his disgusting pleasure. He never got the chance since the brothers killed him before he could. They left Carina alive since unlike the other child vampires she was untouched and still pure. They took her and adopted her as a daughter and loved her as one. The council also wanted her death since she was so young and against their laws but the brothers protected her. The problem for Carina became when she realized she would never grow up and it corrupted her mind and while she could be and act as a sweet child she was not. She was three hundred years old and trapped in the body of a child…a very spoiled child.
"And yes…I am afraid I came to play with you." Carly said sadly and Carina clapped her hands in happiness.
Playing for Carina meant torture. Over the long years pain and torture became her substitute for sex. Her nick name is Petite Morte – Little Death. Carly feared her as well. She was powerful and even a master vampire but that was not why she feared her. She could easily destroy her if she had to, but it was her torture she feared. Where as Wicked was methodical in his technique Carina got such pleasure from it she would go on and on and was known to even beat a vampire to death (hence her name) and that was not an easy or quick thing to do…beat a vampire until they died. The could be revived of course with drinking blood as long as their heart was not destroyed but after Carina got finished with them their minds were too broken that when revived they would be nothing but animals and attack anything they saw.
"Not today, Carina, I have orders from the Mistress." Wicked said.
"Not fair…that is so not fair! I want to play, Wicked, you have not let me play in such a long time and even Cassandra will not give me any of the wolves to play with." Carina stomped her foot in anger, "I want to go home! I hate it here and I want to go home!" She crossed her arms and pouted and if Carly had not have known her she would have said it was cute.
"Enough, Carina, Julia is not your toy tonight or any other night. I will ask Cassandra about letting you play with one of the wolves later. Now go to your room." Wicked said in a gentle voice like a father tying to scold and appease his daughter at the same time.
"No! I want to watch! If I cannot do it please let me watch, Wicked, please…I want to here her scream." Carina begged and it gave Carly a chill up her spine.
"Ok you can watch…but just watch. If you try to help I will punish you." Wicked warned and Carina nodded and jumped up and down as she clapped her hands.
Carly smiled sadly and the girl and thought the brothers did her less mercy by allowing her to live. They should have killed her a long time ago.
"Julia, would you please take off your clothes?" Wicked said.
Carly nodded, "All of them?"
Wicked nodded also, "Yes if you please."
Carly took off her clothes and felt no embarrassment from being naked in front of Wicked. He did not even look at her with lust or desire he just nodded his thanks and directed her to the wall. Carina on the other hand started at Carly's naked body with envy and hate knowing she would never develop as an adult female. That was a large reason Petite Morte licked to torture adult females…out of spite for a body she would never have.
"You are so lovely, Julia…of course you always were." Carina sneered. "I am going to enjoy hearing you scream." She finished angrily.
Carly gave her a tight smile, 'I am glad I can please you, little girl." She said with hate.
Carly had enough of being polite to the little girl and her false bravery was leaving her as Wicked placed her back to the stone wall. She was afraid now. Afraid of the pain to come. She may have been a two thousand year old vampire but she could still feel pain. Wicked put on a pair of leather gloves and attached Carly's wrist to the wall with silver shackles. If they had been any other metal she could have snapped them easily but even the thinnest silver chain would resist a vampire's strength. Carly winced as the silver started burning her skin and she could smell her flesh start to burn. She wanted to scream but it was to early for that…that would come later.
Wicked walked away from Carly and she glanced at Carina who was smiling like a child on Christmas morning and then back at Wicked. He grabbed a long flogger that reminded Carly of the Cat of Nine Tail her father's legions used to punish soldiers who broke the rules. Those whips would have glass or jagged pieces of iron weaved into the whip tips to rip and tear the skin. The one Wicked chose had jagged pieces of silver. He walked to Carly and nodded his head and drew back the whip and lashed it forward. Carly did not start screaming until the forth lash and once she started she never stopped.
Sam, who had calmed down and actually felt better once she had the cross around her neck, ate a big dinner; Henry told her Cassandra was feeding off of her energy after she was given the first mark and that was why Sam was eating so much. After dinner she agreed to go with Henry in the morning. She left the kitchen and sat on the couch watching television and ignored Mei's attempts at conversation and the Asian girl finally gave up and went to bed. Sam waited on the couch for Carly to come back and she finally fell asleep and did not dream of Cassandra. Instead she dreamed of Carly and it was a good dream of them laughing, kissing, and making love. Miriam came by and put a blanket over Sam and went to bed while Henry and the new man Victor kept watch on the house.