Part 2
When Julia opened her eyes the world had changed. At least, that's what it looked like. She was in a grassy area, with tall trees and flowers. The sun was shining in the sky, which wasn't black or midnight blue...but a pale, light blue with wispy white things in it that looked like balls of cotton wool.
Julia looked down at herself to see she was wearing not her usual dark and depressing slave clothes, but a lacy white sun dress that blew in the breeze. Her gold hair felt different. Instead of hanging limply down her back, straight and lifeless, it blew about in the wind, light and curly and free.
Free? She was free? Julia laughed in pleasure at the new world around her, wondering how she had gotten there, and not caring, only revelling in this new joy of freedom.
And that was when she realised she wasn't alone.
There was someone beside her. A girl, Mariana's age, nineteen or twenty. She was tall with long pale silvery blonde hair and deep, wise brown eyes. She wore a white leather shift and a belt tied with a strange looking knot. She looked like a figure from a legend, which was exactly what she was.
"Who are you?" Julia asked the girl.
The girl smiled a gentle smile. "I am Hellewise Hearth-Woman."
Julia stared. "Hearth-Woman? A Harman?"
"I've come to give you a message." Hellewise was looking around the bright and peaceful landscape. "The world wasn't always endless dark. It used to be like this once. There was even once a time when there were no slaves, and everyone lived in peace. Of course, those were the days when I was alive. But still, it was better than the one you live in now."
"I want to say in this world. I don't want to be a slave anymore."
"And you shouldn't be. Your race should be free and the darkness should be banished once and for all."
"Good luck," Julia muttered. No one could banish the eternal darkness and evil in the world now.
"You're wrong there," Hellewise said, as if reading Julia's thoughts. "That's where you come in. You're going to be the one to lead the slaves to victory this time."
"Me? But how can I do it? I'm nobody special."
"That's what Maggie Neely said. And she freed the slaves. And you're going to follow in her footsteps."
"Who?"
"She was an ordinary girl, just like you. She was brought as a slave to an enclave called Black Dawn. The prince of the castle was her soulmate, and she convinced him that what the Night People were doing to the slaves was wrong. And with his help they freed the slaves and banished the nobles. You can do the same here."
"That's just a story. And anyway, I don't have a prince to help me. No matter how much I'd like one I'm not going to get one. And the soulmate principal - it's not true. It doesn't exist anymore."
Hellewise studied her with sad brown eyes. "It's you're choice Julia. You're the one with the strength and the power to lead the slaves to victory. It's up to you. You can change the world back to the way it was. There are still Harmans in the castle of course. If you find them, they'll help you. I'll tell you something the Witch Maiden said that may help you. 'Appeal to their true hearts'."
"I don't think the nobles *have* hearts," Julia said sourly. "You're a witch, someone from the past and *that's* all the advice you can give? Soppy nonsense?"
"Believe what you want to. I've given you the message I came to give. The rest is up to you. If you want to live in a word of chaos and darkness and evil, as a slave where you will never know true happiness or joy, then fine. Live your life that way. But if you want this world, a world of sunshine and hope, then you can find people who share that vision to help you. As I said, it's all up to you."
And with those words she turned and walked back into the forest. Julia lost sight of her among the trees. She stayed where she was, alone and helpless, her previous joy and wonder forgotten. She was nobody special. She couldn't lead anybody to victory...and as for finding Harmans...it was going to be damn close to impossible. The ones on record had been hunted down and killed. Harmans were too dangerous to be allowed to live...unless they were Circle Midnight.
There was no way to change the world back to the way it used to be. Or was there...?
* * *
In the master bedroom of the castle of Black Lightning candles burned low, incense of a spicy, enticing smell filled the air. The bulbs in the room were a strange blue, which cast a mysterious, dark light over the huge furniture. A fire burned in a large fire place, and a cold wind blew in through the open windows.
Hot blood gushed into Susan's mouth, filling her with warmth and power. She could feel the pounding of her victim's heart as it shot the blood into her, the warm, living giving liquid that was dark and secret and wonderful.
When she could no longer feel the pounding of the heart, she pulled back, and promptly threw the dead body into the huge fire place, and stood there for a minute watching it burn.
"God, what's that wretched stink?" Blake snorted, coming in the room behind her.
"I got hungry," Susan said vaguely, wrinkling her nose delicately. "It does smell a bit, doesn't it?" She walked over to the desk and lit two more sticks of incense with a stronger, more pleasant smell that covered the reek of burning flesh.
"At the rate you're going," Blake muttered, "we're not going to have any slaves left."
"Oh like you never feed on them," Susan retorted, turning to face him.
Almost instantly, Blake felt his anger and annoyance drain away. She was without a doubt one of the most beautiful women in the world, with her raven hair, so black it reflected like a crow's wing when light shone on it, her twilight coloured eyes, right now shining with silver, her beautifully curved, pearly white canine teeth, her soft, sensual mouth with it's dark, inviting lips. She was lit with an inner glow right now, having just fed, and even with the blood still on her fangs she was gorgeous.
She was the one who had led the dark side to victory at the dawn of the millennium a century ago. After that the sun had never raised its head again. Darkness was all there was now. And it was their element, they gloried in the victory and destruction they caused. Nothing else mattered to them but each other.
He loved her more than anything. He would die for her in a second. And he knew she would do the same for him.
"I'm bored," Susan said with a pout. "Nothing's happening around here. Nothing's happened for ages. I'm so sick of just sitting around doing nothing."
"You want a hunt organised?"
"I want something *different*."
"What do you mean, different? You have everything you could ever want. How could you be bored?"
She turned away from him, staring out the window. "Maybe that's why I'm bored. If you have everything you want, then there's nothing more to do. And you get bored. There's nobody interesting and new here, there aren't even any human revolutionaries to fight with."
Blake was confused. "You *want* a human revolutionary to start a war?"
Susan shrugged. "It'd be something to do."
Blake grinned wickedly. "I can think of plenty of interesting things to do."
Susan smiled faintly. "Okay. Instead of talking about them, why don't you get round to doing them."
* * *
An hour or so later, after a variety of "interesting things to do", Blake said, "I wonder what my ancestors would have thought of all of this?"
Susan lifted her head from where it lay on his shoulder. "You mean what we just did? They'd be surprised, for one thing. But I don't really think they'd want to see it."
"Not that. I mean *this*. The world as it is now, under vampire rule like they always wanted."
An idea was beginning to form in Susan's mind. "Let's bring them back and ask them."
"*What*?"
"I'm sure I can find a spell for that. And not just the one about calling the spirit from beyond the veil, cause I don't have all the stuff you need. I'm sure that little witch floosey you've been seeing behind my back must know other witches with shit like that available to them."
He stared at her in surprise. "How do you..."
"Nothing much gets past me. I don't really mind, though."
"You're incredible. Why not? If that were you instead of me I'd be throwing a fit."
Susan smiled, brushing his dark hair off his forehead, admiring his ever changing Redfern eyes which now were a warm burnt-umber colour. "As long as I know you love me and that I'm the most important thing in your life I don't mind if you sleep with someone else every now and then." Then her lips curved and her eyes grew sly.
"What are you thinking about?" Blake asked suspiciously.
"You've just given me something new to do. Since you're having an affair, I don't see why I can't."
He shook his head and sighed. "I asked for this," he muttered.
"Yes. You did. Now shut up and kiss me."
And they started all over again from the top.
* * *
When Julia opened her eyes the world had changed. At least, that's what it looked like. She was in a grassy area, with tall trees and flowers. The sun was shining in the sky, which wasn't black or midnight blue...but a pale, light blue with wispy white things in it that looked like balls of cotton wool.
Julia looked down at herself to see she was wearing not her usual dark and depressing slave clothes, but a lacy white sun dress that blew in the breeze. Her gold hair felt different. Instead of hanging limply down her back, straight and lifeless, it blew about in the wind, light and curly and free.
Free? She was free? Julia laughed in pleasure at the new world around her, wondering how she had gotten there, and not caring, only revelling in this new joy of freedom.
And that was when she realised she wasn't alone.
There was someone beside her. A girl, Mariana's age, nineteen or twenty. She was tall with long pale silvery blonde hair and deep, wise brown eyes. She wore a white leather shift and a belt tied with a strange looking knot. She looked like a figure from a legend, which was exactly what she was.
"Who are you?" Julia asked the girl.
The girl smiled a gentle smile. "I am Hellewise Hearth-Woman."
Julia stared. "Hearth-Woman? A Harman?"
"I've come to give you a message." Hellewise was looking around the bright and peaceful landscape. "The world wasn't always endless dark. It used to be like this once. There was even once a time when there were no slaves, and everyone lived in peace. Of course, those were the days when I was alive. But still, it was better than the one you live in now."
"I want to say in this world. I don't want to be a slave anymore."
"And you shouldn't be. Your race should be free and the darkness should be banished once and for all."
"Good luck," Julia muttered. No one could banish the eternal darkness and evil in the world now.
"You're wrong there," Hellewise said, as if reading Julia's thoughts. "That's where you come in. You're going to be the one to lead the slaves to victory this time."
"Me? But how can I do it? I'm nobody special."
"That's what Maggie Neely said. And she freed the slaves. And you're going to follow in her footsteps."
"Who?"
"She was an ordinary girl, just like you. She was brought as a slave to an enclave called Black Dawn. The prince of the castle was her soulmate, and she convinced him that what the Night People were doing to the slaves was wrong. And with his help they freed the slaves and banished the nobles. You can do the same here."
"That's just a story. And anyway, I don't have a prince to help me. No matter how much I'd like one I'm not going to get one. And the soulmate principal - it's not true. It doesn't exist anymore."
Hellewise studied her with sad brown eyes. "It's you're choice Julia. You're the one with the strength and the power to lead the slaves to victory. It's up to you. You can change the world back to the way it was. There are still Harmans in the castle of course. If you find them, they'll help you. I'll tell you something the Witch Maiden said that may help you. 'Appeal to their true hearts'."
"I don't think the nobles *have* hearts," Julia said sourly. "You're a witch, someone from the past and *that's* all the advice you can give? Soppy nonsense?"
"Believe what you want to. I've given you the message I came to give. The rest is up to you. If you want to live in a word of chaos and darkness and evil, as a slave where you will never know true happiness or joy, then fine. Live your life that way. But if you want this world, a world of sunshine and hope, then you can find people who share that vision to help you. As I said, it's all up to you."
And with those words she turned and walked back into the forest. Julia lost sight of her among the trees. She stayed where she was, alone and helpless, her previous joy and wonder forgotten. She was nobody special. She couldn't lead anybody to victory...and as for finding Harmans...it was going to be damn close to impossible. The ones on record had been hunted down and killed. Harmans were too dangerous to be allowed to live...unless they were Circle Midnight.
There was no way to change the world back to the way it used to be. Or was there...?
* * *
In the master bedroom of the castle of Black Lightning candles burned low, incense of a spicy, enticing smell filled the air. The bulbs in the room were a strange blue, which cast a mysterious, dark light over the huge furniture. A fire burned in a large fire place, and a cold wind blew in through the open windows.
Hot blood gushed into Susan's mouth, filling her with warmth and power. She could feel the pounding of her victim's heart as it shot the blood into her, the warm, living giving liquid that was dark and secret and wonderful.
When she could no longer feel the pounding of the heart, she pulled back, and promptly threw the dead body into the huge fire place, and stood there for a minute watching it burn.
"God, what's that wretched stink?" Blake snorted, coming in the room behind her.
"I got hungry," Susan said vaguely, wrinkling her nose delicately. "It does smell a bit, doesn't it?" She walked over to the desk and lit two more sticks of incense with a stronger, more pleasant smell that covered the reek of burning flesh.
"At the rate you're going," Blake muttered, "we're not going to have any slaves left."
"Oh like you never feed on them," Susan retorted, turning to face him.
Almost instantly, Blake felt his anger and annoyance drain away. She was without a doubt one of the most beautiful women in the world, with her raven hair, so black it reflected like a crow's wing when light shone on it, her twilight coloured eyes, right now shining with silver, her beautifully curved, pearly white canine teeth, her soft, sensual mouth with it's dark, inviting lips. She was lit with an inner glow right now, having just fed, and even with the blood still on her fangs she was gorgeous.
She was the one who had led the dark side to victory at the dawn of the millennium a century ago. After that the sun had never raised its head again. Darkness was all there was now. And it was their element, they gloried in the victory and destruction they caused. Nothing else mattered to them but each other.
He loved her more than anything. He would die for her in a second. And he knew she would do the same for him.
"I'm bored," Susan said with a pout. "Nothing's happening around here. Nothing's happened for ages. I'm so sick of just sitting around doing nothing."
"You want a hunt organised?"
"I want something *different*."
"What do you mean, different? You have everything you could ever want. How could you be bored?"
She turned away from him, staring out the window. "Maybe that's why I'm bored. If you have everything you want, then there's nothing more to do. And you get bored. There's nobody interesting and new here, there aren't even any human revolutionaries to fight with."
Blake was confused. "You *want* a human revolutionary to start a war?"
Susan shrugged. "It'd be something to do."
Blake grinned wickedly. "I can think of plenty of interesting things to do."
Susan smiled faintly. "Okay. Instead of talking about them, why don't you get round to doing them."
* * *
An hour or so later, after a variety of "interesting things to do", Blake said, "I wonder what my ancestors would have thought of all of this?"
Susan lifted her head from where it lay on his shoulder. "You mean what we just did? They'd be surprised, for one thing. But I don't really think they'd want to see it."
"Not that. I mean *this*. The world as it is now, under vampire rule like they always wanted."
An idea was beginning to form in Susan's mind. "Let's bring them back and ask them."
"*What*?"
"I'm sure I can find a spell for that. And not just the one about calling the spirit from beyond the veil, cause I don't have all the stuff you need. I'm sure that little witch floosey you've been seeing behind my back must know other witches with shit like that available to them."
He stared at her in surprise. "How do you..."
"Nothing much gets past me. I don't really mind, though."
"You're incredible. Why not? If that were you instead of me I'd be throwing a fit."
Susan smiled, brushing his dark hair off his forehead, admiring his ever changing Redfern eyes which now were a warm burnt-umber colour. "As long as I know you love me and that I'm the most important thing in your life I don't mind if you sleep with someone else every now and then." Then her lips curved and her eyes grew sly.
"What are you thinking about?" Blake asked suspiciously.
"You've just given me something new to do. Since you're having an affair, I don't see why I can't."
He shook his head and sighed. "I asked for this," he muttered.
"Yes. You did. Now shut up and kiss me."
And they started all over again from the top.
* * *