The Fury of the Night
Chapter 16: A Time of Learning-War
Raven's voice was clear and strong as she began to speak, but inside she sighed. The matter that had brought her here was one that she shouldn't have to deal with; it should have been easy to take care of on her own, but it wasn't. It was almost comical to her how something so petty could be made into such a huge ordeal that potentially affected so many. She enjoyed the pleasures of this world, the wonders of its natural resources, the beauty in its night, the creature comforts to be indulged in, but she did not enjoy the squabbles that came over it's territory and now there looked to be a full-on war for that very reason. There was a little more to it than that, and she began her story there.
"I took the kingdom I have by force over a century ago. It was being mismanaged and was on the verge of complete collapse; there was indiscriminate feeding, laziness, shirking of duty, and lack of vision. The vampire who held reign previously had never been much of a warrior and he had grown weak, choosing to remain behind shuttered windows surrounded by his harem with stronger, younger males to guard him. He had his meals delivered to him instead of hunting and never dealt with discipline issues personally. He never went out into his kingdom to survey it, so he was clueless as to its decline. The only way he remained in power was by forming an outside alliance. Armand had no idea that Kraven secretly coveted his lands and was waiting patiently, building an army to overthrow him."
The boys, Star, and David were all listening intently, and Raven shifted slightly in her chair before she continued.
"I had long been watching Armand and his decline, and with the assistance of my other coven's leaders I had also learned of Kraven's intent. Kraven holds houses in Georgia and the Carolinas and he always wants more. More land, more power, more everything…"
Here Raven's voice trailed off and a faraway look came over her as her mind began to drift toward the rival coven leader who sought to cause her so much grief. Quickly she caught herself though and returned to the present. David had caught her momentary absence and the disturbance in her emotions and his jaw tightened slightly. Anything that disturbed her disturbed him as well now. He wanted his Bird of Fire to be at peace, and though she hid it well, he knew she was not. His eyes reflected the firelight in the cavern as he held himself back from mentally soothing her. She needed to tell this story and in her own way, and he would not interrupt.
"Anyway, I waited until everything was just right. My commanders and I had secretly watched, surveyed, studied, listened, and planned down to the smallest detail. Armand's coven was large but his army was lax and untrained. We were a small force, but much more lethal, and when we attacked, the battle was over almost before it began.
"We encircled his broken city one night just as the darkness fell, moving silently and quickly in small groups, taking out one nest after another, and before the midnight hour Armand was kneeling at my feet begging for his life."
Raven looked around the table, her red eyes coming to rest on David. He would not judge her for her actions, she knew. He had brought destruction to the door of many a house. David gave her a small nod of understanding when her eyes met his; they both knew well such was the way of war.
"I took off his head without thinking twice and claimed my throne, and before the clock struck out another hour, what little remained of his army was brought before me. Those who I found to be suitable were given the chance to bend the knee and come into my service. Those who were unusable or who would not follow were disposed of. There was a surprisingly small pile of bodies at the end of it all. I had expected more of them to rebel against being conquered, but perhaps they saw the chance for a more meaningful organized existence."
David had grinned at her telling of her conquering, and the boys had smiled and growled lightly at each other. Star's eyes had grown a little wider, but she was leaning in towards Raven, so as not to miss any detail.
"Everything fell into place quickly. As I said, it was well-planned far in advance. Members of my other covens remained in the city for some time, taking charge of those who had belonged to Armand and training them properly. The city was divided into quadrants and sergeants were named. Hunting rules and hours were established. Guard towers were set. Law was enforced, and my losses were few as I settled in. There were some that could not be taught or that chafed under my rule, but their numbers were of no consequence, and once others saw how swiftly the Final Death could come for them, they immediately gave learning another go and fell into line. A couple of them are among my most loyal and trusted now."
Pausing, Raven took a deep drink of the sweet red wine that sat before her and then resumed her tale.
"It was not long before word of my coup reached Kraven's ears and he came himself to investigate. I believe he was angry that I had taken what he already considered to be his and the fact that I am a mere female made him even angrier, but he hid it well."
The others at the table heard the sarcasm dripping from Raven's voice as she said the words "mere female". Sexism rarely showed itself in the vampire world. There were simply those who were designed to rule and those who were not.
"I knew of Kraven, having gathered information about him during my assessment of Armand, but he knew nothing of me, and I preferred it that way. He knew nothing of my origins or of my powers, as only a select few do, and I did not want him to know. To him, I am simply vampire, no less nor any more.
"He stayed in my city for a short time and I tried to play the gracious hostess, but constantly in his mind already were thoughts of how best to overthrow me. How to overthrow me and how to get me into his bed…"
At these words, David snarled loudly and sucked in a hissing breath making the boys and Star turn sharply toward him. He was a master of self-control and it startled them when emotion escaped him. He had known of the trouble Raven experienced, but she had blocked parts of it from him and now she began to lay it all out.
Visions of the one Raven spoke of flashed from her mind to his. A tall, dark vampire leering at her as she held court, envisioning her naked beneath him, now lowering his head towards hers trying to capture her lips after they had fed, and now brushing his body against her as they strolled along a crowded sidewalk at night.
Raven looked at David quietly. She felt him battling with himself to hold onto his human form and marveled at her dark prince when he was able to do so. She had never known another with such control.
"Kraven holds no appeal for me. He never has and never will." she said softly. "Even if I had not met you, My Night King, my thoughts would never be of him."
David looked deeply into her eyes, knowing she spoke the truth. He had never known jealousy before, but the thought of his Midnight Raven being taken by another made an icy pain seize his chest. He knew that she had been designed for him and him alone and he would tolerate no one thinking they had a claim to her. He was certain already that this "Kraven" would die, and die under his hand. No matter how far he had to travel, or how hard he had to fight.
Raven caught David's fierce emotion and was moved. She was so accustomed to taking care of herself, of fighting her own battles. This feeling of having one so fierce on her side, having such a complete trust in him, it was all new and terrifying and right. How one's trajectory could change in a matter of mortal days, she thought. She began to speak once again.
"I am sure you are wondering why I do not simply annihilate Kraven and be done with him. If only it were that simple…" Raven let out a rueful chuckle.
"If I were to strike against him with no proof of what treachery he has in the works, it would be looked upon poorly by the eldest amongst us. I could be removed from power, and while that in itself would be no large blow to me, it would affect my covens and could be devastating to them, as there is no one ready nor able to lead in my place. I have to sit by and wait while he continues to grow his army and plot his invasion."
Dwayne spoke up then, his voice questioning.
"Isn't there anything else that can be done? Anything? We can't just sit here and wait for him to attack your home."
At his words, Raven smiled softly. This vampire who appeared so dark and brooding at times but had an appreciation for art and a crush on her long-gone friend Camille had spoken as if he were already in the fight with her, and it was appreciated.
"There is another option, though I am not wont to explore it." She replied, looking down at the table.
"What is it?" Marko asked, leaning forward.
Raven lifted her eyes and responded quietly.
"I could take my case before LeStat."
David's body tensed and the temperature in the cavern seemed to drop.
"Who is that?" Paul questioned, cocking his head.
Raven looked to David and lowered her head slightly in deference to him.
His voice was low and icy when he spoke.
"LeStat is the eldest of elders here in this part of the world. He is the judge and jury over matters that may potentially impact a large portion of the human population, as a war between our Raven and this "Kraven" creature would indeed be. He is also a collector of beautiful things…be they statues, paintings….or beings of uncommon allure." He meaningfully looked into Raven's crimson eyes at the last. "I would not want you to meet with him if it could be avoided. He would sacrifice your kingdom to the other just to add you to his collection of beautiful things. You know this to be true, Midnight Bird."
Raven simply nodded; she knew of LeStat's reputation.
"I don't understand." Star spoke up. "You said you took your kingdom by force from another vampire. How is that different? Why didn't anyone attack you then?"
David chose to answer Star's question himself.
"Raven's coup did not lead to war. It was quick and clean. Well thought out and executed. No humans were even aware that death danced all around them that night." He let a small smile show for a moment. He was very proud of her and her accomplishments. She was magnificent as a warrior, as a leader, as a woman…He could not believe his good fortune that she sat at the opposite end of the table from him and would soon be in his arms again. He continued, "This…this…mongrel…that would wage war upon our Dark Bird has no thought for the human lives that would be impacted by a war. It is very likely that he is producing newborns quickly, and without adequate training they would run amuck in a city so large. Human fatalities would be huge, and would be noticed. Our Raven's army is very large, but not large enough to contain battalions of freshly turned dead while hiding the battle from the mortal world." Here he paused and looked around the table.
"Being a coven leader makes one responsible not only for the vampires in servitude to you, but for the human lives in your realm as well. There must be balance of life and death. Too much life and we run the risk of destruction of the beauty we seek out. We lose our hiding places, our homes, our backyards. Too much death and scrutiny is turned our way. And we lose all anyway. Balance must be kept in all things. This is why there are some nights when you are not allowed to hunt. Thankfully they are very few. But now you know the reason. If vampire war were to be taken to Raven's home and newborns were indeed the bulk of the army, her forces would eventually kill them, but not without notice. And her empire would suffer for it."
Star spoke up again, and Raven was pleased. The girl was thinking things through and seeking to learn about the world she danced half in and half out of.
"Why don't you just use your strength…your powers…from the underworld and conquer him, this Kraven? Just show him what you really are and make him give up?"
Raven looked to David uptable and grinned. He showed a dimple in return. Their existence was indeed complicated to those who didn't share it.
"Because, Starlight, even vampires and demons and angels and fire-born live by rules. Fire-born can take over the earth if we wish. We do not, for that is not our task. Even though we are the fiercest warriors, the most lethal killers, we all have jobs given to us by our masters below. Through servitude, we gain life eternal, everlasting protection, and even the kindest of rewards on occasion. To use our powers against lesser beings in combat would be akin to cheating. It would be wrong. And we would be judged accordingly. Punished. That is the way of it. The way it has always been and always will be. So, if I were to fight Kraven, it would be as one vampire to another."
Raven took another sip of her wine and shifted position in her chair. It was tiring, all these explanations, but the reward was worth it. Knowledge was meant to be passed on.
"Our powers may be used without repercussion in defense of our master's house, however. It feels good to put fear into other beings when they grow arrogant. To let them know where they really are on the food chain, so to speak. And I admit to taking great pleasure in standing immersed in flame with my foot on the throat of an enemy of the House of Abaddon. As I would imagine your creator takes pleasure in doing the same when one insults the House of Destroyers."
With this, David nodded and smiled at the fire creature at the other end of the table.
"I do indeed, My Dark Bird. I do, indeed."
Raven finished her wine and reached for the bottle, emptying it into her glass.
"So here we are. Or rather, here I am." she said quietly. "I come before you, David, of the House of Destroyers, and your coven, seeking counsel firstly, and if advice is given that leans towards war, I ask for your backing second, as your numbers will be needed."
Before anyone at the table could speak, Raven raised a hand in the air.
"I ask that you do not offer counsel nor commit to collaboration in battle until much thought has been given to the matter. You must decide if this matter is worthy of your involvement in any fashion, and then move on from there. No offense will be taken if you should decide to not become involved in this drama. Even in light of our newly discovered…affection….for each other." Raven's lips curved up at the edges as she finished. "Take as much time as you need. No answer is required this night. If you will excuse me now, I am going to take the night air. I need a few moments to myself, please."
The boys all stood as Raven excused herself from the table and then sat back down, listening to the sounds of her slight form departing the cave in a loud whisper of displaced ocean air.
David lit a cigarette and drew on it deeply before looking around the table. His boys were under the pull of his fire goddess, but he expected them nonetheless to make sound choices.
"What say you to the matter of giving counsel to Raven Nightwalker of the House of Abaddon?" he asked.
"Aye." Dwayne said firmly.
"Aye." Marko spoke up.
"Aye." Paul voiced in a sure tone.
"Aye." David rumbled, knocking on the table with his knuckles."We will offer counsel then. We have been given time to weigh the matter. How long do you need to think it through and talk it out?"
"None. The choices are clear. It's either war or pleading the case before the elder, LeStat. I vote LeStat. It will be easier to protect Raven from one vampire than from an army." Dwayne again spoke firstly and with firm tone.
"I agree." Paul spoke up without hesitation. "We would need to know about LeStat, though. His powers, his territories, everything. It would need careful planning. Nothing left to chance."
"Not one single thing." Marko said in the most serious tone David had ever heard his youngest Lost Boy use. "We can't lose her. I know I belong to you, but we should follow her, now, in this. It feels right." he continued, his gaze meeting David's steadily.
David's blue eyes danced in the firelight. He was much pleased with all of his boy's responses, but he needed them to be aware of what they were choosing.
"She is a killer. Not only of humans. If Abaddon called on her this very minute to execute you, she would do so without a second thought. And LeStat is not some feeble old vampire who toddles about with a cane, though he is even older than I am. And perhaps stronger. I have never witnessed him in battle but have heard tales. He is fierce. And as I said earlier, he covets beauty relentlessly. Once he lays eyes on her, he will want her. Have you thought of these things?" David asked, his eyes not leaving Marko's.
Marko was silent a few moments as he sat watching the flame of one of the candles on the table. Then he lifted his head and replied, "I know what she is. She is terrifying and beautiful in her deadliness. If I were to fall victim to her, all I would think would be how blessed I was to be ended by such a glorious creature. As for LeStat, I trust in you to teach us what we need to know about him. I know as well that you will not let him have her. Ever. So what else is there to be discussed?"
There was silence around the table as David sat back in his chair.
"Any other input?" he asked, taking a drag from his cigarette.
To his surprise, Star, who had been listening raptly throughout the night, spoke.
"Yes. Help her." She looked imploringly at David, and he was surprised.
Again, he felt the need to play devil's advocate and replied in a sarcastic tone.
"She is not your friend, Star. Do not be mislead simply because you have engaged in brief pleasantries with her."
He was surprised yet again when the young girl came back with a retort.
"She has tried to guide me. To help me. She might not know that she has, but she has taken time with me when she didn't have to. And…she is honest in what she is." Star held David's gaze and he finally smiled when she didn't look away as he expected her to.
"Indeed. She is that." he said, folding his hands on the table before him.
"Well, then. Are we in agreement that our counsel is for Raven to take the matter before LeStat, with ourselves serving as guard? We will of course take members of my outlying covens with us and will meet with them shortly for planning."
"Aye." Paul beat the other boys this time with his answer.
"Aye." Marko said, smiling.
"Aye." Dwayne nodded.
"Aye. The matter is decided." David rapped his knuckles again on the table and the boys sat back, raising their glasses to him.
Star was smiling brightly, and she teasingly asked, "Good. Now who's going to take me into town to get something to eat? I'm starving!"
There were laughs all around as the boys stood and began to jostle each other.
"I've got ya." Dwayne said in answer, throwing his arm around Star's shoulders. "Go get a jacket."
Star skipped off to her area as Marko and Paul broke into a wrestling match.
"You two, go with them. Feed while you're gone. Mind the time." David commanded, separating Marko and Paul and sending them toward the cave entrance with a good-natured shove.
"What about you and our Goddess?" Paul asked, throwing on his coat.
"I'll see to her needs." David replied.
"Bet ya will…" Marko smirked and then ducked as David chucked a piece of stone at him.
Star ran past, quickly swept up by Dwayne, and in a blink they were gone, leaving David by himself in the cavern. He looked about, taking in the fact that he was alone, and moved to open another bottle of wine. As he sat back on his throne, he took a deep swig of the dark red and let it flow down his throat, taking delight in the slight burn. He reached out with his mind and found Raven perched on the edge of a cliff nearby, the near-full moon holding her rapt. He could feel her contentment, well-deserved after the heavy conversations of the evening, and didn't want to break her peace. She sensed him though, and reached out to him in turn.
"My Dark Lord." she spoke in the recesses of his mind. "I would share time with you if it is what you wish."
"Come to me then, My Midnight Raven, My Dark Goddess. Come to me." David's voice echoed through her head.
Raven shot up into the darkness, taking deep breaths of the salty black air into herself and then diving deep towards the entrance of the sheltered cave. The rocky walls flew by in a blink and her bare feet landed softly on the stone before David's throne. Her hair swirled around her face and she peeked out from beneath it's strands before it settled, taking in the sight of David's body lounging on his seat of authority.
"I have a thirst. Would you share?" she asked softly, her voice carrying gently on a random breeze that traveled in her wake.
"What is it you thirst for, Little One?" David teased, his gravelly voice making her fangs descend at once.
"Until you spoke, it was only the wine I wanted." she coyly answered, her tongue traveling over her flashing fangs slowly.
"And now?" David questioned, leaning forward, setting the wine bottle down and smiling dangerously.
"And now…Now I want something else." Raven breathed and blue fire snapped into life in the air around her.
"Hmmm…Then you should come. Come and take it…take what it is you want." he growled softly.
Raven stepped slowly forward, her eyes travelling over him from head to foot. He was glorious in his maleness. Deadly in his core. She wanted to feel his fangs locked with hers. Feel his body in her embrace.
"How long will they be gone?" she asked, moving to straddle his lap.
"Long enough, but does it matter?" David smiled against her throat, nipping lightly, then harder.
"No. No, it doesn't matter at all." his sweet treat whispered, and his laugh echoed through the cave as he claimed her mouth with evil intent, blue flames dancing over them both.