To say that the Zephoniem vampires are a dull and boring Clan is an understatement. When a celebration is called for, they are the only Clan that will outdo all the others no matter what. The large hall of the Cathedral was worked over in festive decorations; flowers and ribbons of bright colours wreathed the pillars and higher levels; candles burned brightly in their gilded stands; in an alcove a group of musicians were playing a lively tune for the dancers. Long tables arranged in a semi-circle were filled with platters of food, thralls moving back and forth with wine or ale in tall pitches for the vampires already feasting.
At the main table Zephon and Zarina sat, along with his officers who were exchanging crude but humorous jokes. Zarina was dressed in a simple blue gown that exposed her pale shoulders, a circlet of gold holding back her long hair, cheeks red from laughing at the jokes Siglar and Oscot was telling her about. Zephon was dressed in his best as well, wearing his usual black leather pants with a white tunic of silk. He drank deeply from his goblet of warm blood and looked at the dancers whirling in front of him. All he needed to do was work up the courage to ask Zarina to dance. Imagine that he, Zephon, the most outspoken of all the Lieutenants besides Dumah, couldn't even work up enough courage to ask such a simple thing. Natarek must have understood what was going through his creator's mind, as he always did and leaned across from his chair and tapped Zephon on the shoulder.
"Would you mind if I asked your consort to a dance?"
"No, not at all, Natarek."
"Do not worry, my lord, I will bring her back in one piece." Finishing off his ale, Natarek stood and walked over to Zarina, offering his claw. She took it and the vampire lead her out onto the dance floor, just as reel began to play. Zarina's face literally lit up as Natarek spun her around quickly, and then raised her into the air to catch her gracefully as she landed back on her feet. A space was cleared for the two dancers as they moved along, the vampires rhythmically clapping, faster and faster to the beat until the dance finally ended.
True to his word, Natarek did bring back Zarina, if slightly flushed. Sitting back in her chair, the sorceress literally gulped down her wine and looked at Zephon. "After I rest for a bit, will you then dance with me, my lord? I am sure you are just as fine, if not better, than Natarek." She pointed to the vampire who was now being assailed by a few vampiresses all claiming a dance with him.
"Of course. How are you enjoying the party?" A fledgling was showing the young vampires a few magic tricks he had picked up; taking an apple into his talons and flipping it over his head, a dove appeared and flew off into the higher reaches of the Cathedral. The children squealed in delight and demanded him to show them again. There were a few acrobats and jugglers as well walking about the hall, showing off their skills; friends talked and laughed while young lovers looked into each others eyes, off in their own secret world.
"I am enjoying these festivities. Back at the Citadel, you would never see anything like this." A new tune began to play from the bards' instruments and Zephon stood.
"My lady," he offered his own talon and Zarina placed her hand in it. The two walked down to the wide floor, flower petals scattered about the tiles. The rhythm began, starting off slowly but quickly rising in pitch. "Are you sure you can handle a fast dance, Zarina?"
"Only if you think you can keep up, Zephon. Don't worry, I will try to not upstage you."
"Is that a threat of some sort, my lady?"
"If you consider is something like that." The two began to spin about quickly on the floor, a grin on Zephon's pale features and Zarina smiling back at him. The music once again to pick up and the other vampires faces, as well as the decorations in the hall, became nothing more than blurs. Only Zephon and Zarina existed in their own world, with the melody playing in the distance. Bringing his hand to the small of Zarina's back, Zephon brought his consort closer to him as he tipped her backwards as the music ended. Her face was glowing with excitement, bosom heaving from the exertion, but she looked so beautiful to Zephon at that moment. Something passed between the two at that moment and the two both felt it, something that transcended all the barriers between a human and a vampire. Before Zephon could do anything, Krellin had tapped his shoulder.
"May I have the next dance with lady Zarina, my lord?" The young vampire smiled hesitantly at the sorceress.
"Yes, but just be careful," Zephon passed Zarina over to his youngest officer and headed back towards his seat. Zarina touched Zephon's claw before he could get very far and leaned over his shoulder to whisper in his ear.
"You dance quite well, my lord Zephon."
A smile graced his ebony lips for a moment. "As do you." Then the music picked up once again and Zarina was whirled away.
* * *
Zarina gave a shrill laugh at the joke Zephon had just told her, leaning heavily on his arm as they made their way back to their bedrooms. She had drunk just a bit too much as the night had worn on, but then so had the Lieutenant and he had no right to judge. The merrymaking had finished as the moon was setting but in some parts of the Cathedral the revelry was still going on. Zephon suspected that it would for the next three days and even a bit longer.
Opening the door to his darkened rooms, Zephon helped Zarina over to his bed. She dropped down unceremoniously, her head hitting the pillows as Zephon followed.
"Oh, I think I drank just a bit too much. The effects of vampire wine are quite deadly," she giggled, her cheeks splotched with red.
"Same here. I haven't had a party like that in quite some time. I should have them far more often." Both started laughing for no apparent reason until they both fell silent. And once again their eyes met and that same feeling passed between them as it had in the hall. Zephon passed a claw through Zarina's long hair and stroked it, an uncertain expression clouding his face. "Do you wish to stay here tonight?"
"I do not think that I would be able to walk back to my own chambers, Zephon. If you don't mind that is, then I will stay here for the night." Zarina traced a finger over his high cheekbones. Leaning across the bed, the sorceress closed her eyes and kissed the Clan lord tenderly on the lips, arms wrapped around his neck, her body pressed up against his. Zephon was caught off guard for a moment; he never expected Zarina to be so bold and do this to him. But he relented easily enough, resting his talons on her bare shoulders and kissed her back. The Lieutenant gave a silent groan when his consort pulled away, resting her head on his chest.
"Was that the effects of the wine, my dear, or did you truly mean that kiss?" He looked into her eyes, expecting Zarina to start laughing again when he was being totally serious.
"No, I am sober. It was just that before, after we finished dancing, that I wanted to kiss you but Krellin wanted to dance. But here now, alone with you, we are allowed the privacy that we could not have before. You did not want me to kiss you?"
Zephon brushed her cheek with the back of his talon. "I enjoyed it, as I am positive I will every time you kiss me. Have you cast some sort of enchantment upon me, sorceress?" Zarina shook her head. " Well I believe you have. You will not see this soft side of me very often Zarina, so I suggest that you enjoy it while you can."
"And you jest." Zarina was slowly unlacing Zephon's tunic, coyly looking into his eyes. "Truthfully, when I first came here I thought that I would be dead within the hour, my blood pooled on the floor. There have been some things that I have not wished to see here, but you Zephon have well taken care of me when I am sure no one else would of and that is a fact, my lord. I love you with all my heart and soul."
"You love me?" Zephon hadn't expected anything like that to pass his consort's lips. He felt compassion and tenderness for her, secretly harboring a small spark of love for her as well, but he had never felt loved. Kain had been painful and strict with his sons' upbringing and affection for them had never been part of the equation. But now Zephon was being offered love from this young maiden and found it to be pure heaven, where he could equally return it and not have to feel rejected. "I have never been loved before, at least not in what you describe but…I love you as well, Zarina. Imagine, a human and a vampire like us together. What a strange pairing."
"I find nothing strange about that, Zephon." Zarina had finished unlacing his silk tunic and was running a hand over his chest, feeling the hand muscle underneath the flesh. Zephon leaned down to kiss her again, taking the circlet off her head and dropping to the floor as something began to consume him. His kiss became impassioned, Zarina answering in kind. His hands began to caress her entire body, pulling at the fabric of her dress as her nails raked across his back. Zephon wanted her like he had never wanted anything before in his life; Zarina pulled him closer to her as they fell back into the bed.
Two shadows melted together as one, the crescent moon dropping into the west as the sun cast its first rays against the lovers.
* * *
At the main table Zephon and Zarina sat, along with his officers who were exchanging crude but humorous jokes. Zarina was dressed in a simple blue gown that exposed her pale shoulders, a circlet of gold holding back her long hair, cheeks red from laughing at the jokes Siglar and Oscot was telling her about. Zephon was dressed in his best as well, wearing his usual black leather pants with a white tunic of silk. He drank deeply from his goblet of warm blood and looked at the dancers whirling in front of him. All he needed to do was work up the courage to ask Zarina to dance. Imagine that he, Zephon, the most outspoken of all the Lieutenants besides Dumah, couldn't even work up enough courage to ask such a simple thing. Natarek must have understood what was going through his creator's mind, as he always did and leaned across from his chair and tapped Zephon on the shoulder.
"Would you mind if I asked your consort to a dance?"
"No, not at all, Natarek."
"Do not worry, my lord, I will bring her back in one piece." Finishing off his ale, Natarek stood and walked over to Zarina, offering his claw. She took it and the vampire lead her out onto the dance floor, just as reel began to play. Zarina's face literally lit up as Natarek spun her around quickly, and then raised her into the air to catch her gracefully as she landed back on her feet. A space was cleared for the two dancers as they moved along, the vampires rhythmically clapping, faster and faster to the beat until the dance finally ended.
True to his word, Natarek did bring back Zarina, if slightly flushed. Sitting back in her chair, the sorceress literally gulped down her wine and looked at Zephon. "After I rest for a bit, will you then dance with me, my lord? I am sure you are just as fine, if not better, than Natarek." She pointed to the vampire who was now being assailed by a few vampiresses all claiming a dance with him.
"Of course. How are you enjoying the party?" A fledgling was showing the young vampires a few magic tricks he had picked up; taking an apple into his talons and flipping it over his head, a dove appeared and flew off into the higher reaches of the Cathedral. The children squealed in delight and demanded him to show them again. There were a few acrobats and jugglers as well walking about the hall, showing off their skills; friends talked and laughed while young lovers looked into each others eyes, off in their own secret world.
"I am enjoying these festivities. Back at the Citadel, you would never see anything like this." A new tune began to play from the bards' instruments and Zephon stood.
"My lady," he offered his own talon and Zarina placed her hand in it. The two walked down to the wide floor, flower petals scattered about the tiles. The rhythm began, starting off slowly but quickly rising in pitch. "Are you sure you can handle a fast dance, Zarina?"
"Only if you think you can keep up, Zephon. Don't worry, I will try to not upstage you."
"Is that a threat of some sort, my lady?"
"If you consider is something like that." The two began to spin about quickly on the floor, a grin on Zephon's pale features and Zarina smiling back at him. The music once again to pick up and the other vampires faces, as well as the decorations in the hall, became nothing more than blurs. Only Zephon and Zarina existed in their own world, with the melody playing in the distance. Bringing his hand to the small of Zarina's back, Zephon brought his consort closer to him as he tipped her backwards as the music ended. Her face was glowing with excitement, bosom heaving from the exertion, but she looked so beautiful to Zephon at that moment. Something passed between the two at that moment and the two both felt it, something that transcended all the barriers between a human and a vampire. Before Zephon could do anything, Krellin had tapped his shoulder.
"May I have the next dance with lady Zarina, my lord?" The young vampire smiled hesitantly at the sorceress.
"Yes, but just be careful," Zephon passed Zarina over to his youngest officer and headed back towards his seat. Zarina touched Zephon's claw before he could get very far and leaned over his shoulder to whisper in his ear.
"You dance quite well, my lord Zephon."
A smile graced his ebony lips for a moment. "As do you." Then the music picked up once again and Zarina was whirled away.
* * *
Zarina gave a shrill laugh at the joke Zephon had just told her, leaning heavily on his arm as they made their way back to their bedrooms. She had drunk just a bit too much as the night had worn on, but then so had the Lieutenant and he had no right to judge. The merrymaking had finished as the moon was setting but in some parts of the Cathedral the revelry was still going on. Zephon suspected that it would for the next three days and even a bit longer.
Opening the door to his darkened rooms, Zephon helped Zarina over to his bed. She dropped down unceremoniously, her head hitting the pillows as Zephon followed.
"Oh, I think I drank just a bit too much. The effects of vampire wine are quite deadly," she giggled, her cheeks splotched with red.
"Same here. I haven't had a party like that in quite some time. I should have them far more often." Both started laughing for no apparent reason until they both fell silent. And once again their eyes met and that same feeling passed between them as it had in the hall. Zephon passed a claw through Zarina's long hair and stroked it, an uncertain expression clouding his face. "Do you wish to stay here tonight?"
"I do not think that I would be able to walk back to my own chambers, Zephon. If you don't mind that is, then I will stay here for the night." Zarina traced a finger over his high cheekbones. Leaning across the bed, the sorceress closed her eyes and kissed the Clan lord tenderly on the lips, arms wrapped around his neck, her body pressed up against his. Zephon was caught off guard for a moment; he never expected Zarina to be so bold and do this to him. But he relented easily enough, resting his talons on her bare shoulders and kissed her back. The Lieutenant gave a silent groan when his consort pulled away, resting her head on his chest.
"Was that the effects of the wine, my dear, or did you truly mean that kiss?" He looked into her eyes, expecting Zarina to start laughing again when he was being totally serious.
"No, I am sober. It was just that before, after we finished dancing, that I wanted to kiss you but Krellin wanted to dance. But here now, alone with you, we are allowed the privacy that we could not have before. You did not want me to kiss you?"
Zephon brushed her cheek with the back of his talon. "I enjoyed it, as I am positive I will every time you kiss me. Have you cast some sort of enchantment upon me, sorceress?" Zarina shook her head. " Well I believe you have. You will not see this soft side of me very often Zarina, so I suggest that you enjoy it while you can."
"And you jest." Zarina was slowly unlacing Zephon's tunic, coyly looking into his eyes. "Truthfully, when I first came here I thought that I would be dead within the hour, my blood pooled on the floor. There have been some things that I have not wished to see here, but you Zephon have well taken care of me when I am sure no one else would of and that is a fact, my lord. I love you with all my heart and soul."
"You love me?" Zephon hadn't expected anything like that to pass his consort's lips. He felt compassion and tenderness for her, secretly harboring a small spark of love for her as well, but he had never felt loved. Kain had been painful and strict with his sons' upbringing and affection for them had never been part of the equation. But now Zephon was being offered love from this young maiden and found it to be pure heaven, where he could equally return it and not have to feel rejected. "I have never been loved before, at least not in what you describe but…I love you as well, Zarina. Imagine, a human and a vampire like us together. What a strange pairing."
"I find nothing strange about that, Zephon." Zarina had finished unlacing his silk tunic and was running a hand over his chest, feeling the hand muscle underneath the flesh. Zephon leaned down to kiss her again, taking the circlet off her head and dropping to the floor as something began to consume him. His kiss became impassioned, Zarina answering in kind. His hands began to caress her entire body, pulling at the fabric of her dress as her nails raked across his back. Zephon wanted her like he had never wanted anything before in his life; Zarina pulled him closer to her as they fell back into the bed.
Two shadows melted together as one, the crescent moon dropping into the west as the sun cast its first rays against the lovers.
* * *