As the moon was leisurely disappearing and the stars were extinguishing, the sun was slowly elevating in the cloudy sky. The thunder had finally stopped, and the night was over, making place for a very rare sunny and lovely day. The streets were almost free of pedestrians, for the weekend had finally arrived. At the mansion of the Ordoghaz, the metal shades of the few windows were completely shut, not allowing the sunrays to creep into the mansion.
The noble residents of the house have now got back to their quarters for a day of rest. They were now perfectly aware that the funeral reception in honor of their Lady Amelia. Now that Lord Viktor was back, and that he AND Marcus were the two Elders remaining, tension was bound to be felt throughout the Coven. However, the Vampires of the Ordoghaz had faith in their Lords, so there was nothing to fear. But it was also known throughout the mansion that Viktor and Marcus couldn't put up with each other. And now that Amelia was dead and that the Chain was broken, a long and painful night of arguments and negotiation between the two Elders was to take place.
The corridors were, as usual, pitch black and plunged into a complete silence. A very few maids were once in a while passing by, picking up some glasses of blood that were remaining on some tables in the halls, as well as some Death Dealers who had just decided to retire from their late night working. After a few moments, the halls were absolutely cleared of every life form.
Only could be heard the clear sound of light and hurried footsteps knocking against the stone flooring of the Northern Wing of the mansion, on the second floor. A very slim and short figure at the end of the dark hall was beginning to take shape, as the sound of the footsteps was becoming clearer.
Erika strode through the hall in a very rushed pace, as her slender shadow was following her, sliding on the wall. Her vaporous black gown and her silky blond locks gave the impression of floating behind her as the pale blue vampiric eyes of hers were glaring at an invisible spot in front of her.
She was furious. During this previous night, not even two hours ago, she had been surprised, yet very much delighted by the demand offered to her by the very Lord Marcus. He had proposed her to become his own Vampire Queen. His consort, his bride, in other words: the one to rule on the mansion with him! This thought still made Erika smirk. What made her frown, though, was the fact that he hadn't had the time to announce this marvelous decision of his, for the funeral reception had had to be cancelled, due to the rising sun.
Erika sighed languidly. She had waited at least seventy years for being asked that by 'someone'. "And now, I have to wait another day…" she thought with irritation. "Oh, well… at least, he kissed me!" Another wide grin appeared on her beautiful features.
Her fantasies were suddenly interrupted when she arrived at the intersection of another corridor. She could hear voices coming from a room nearby. Erika dryly turned her head in the direction of the voices and noticed, at the far end of that other hall, a dim - very dim light - creeping through a huge wooden door that was not completely closed. Erika hesitated at first, but being the sneaky and curious Vampress that she was, she began to tiptoe towards the slightly opened door. The voices were becoming louder and louder, and not only could Erika identify the orators as being men, but she could now clearly make out what they were saying.
"As much as it hurts me to say it, I'm afraid that we'll have to come to an agreement by the end of the day," the first voice was saying.
"I can assure you, Viktor, that I have absolutely no objection to that," a younger voice responded. Erika recognized Marcus's voice. "What we'll need is just a little collaboration."
"That's all I'm asking coming from you, Marcus," Viktor replied indignantly. "One of us will have to go back to slumber for the next century, and as far as I know, there are still matters that I need to sort out myself."
Erika approached the doors of Viktor's lodgings and took a peek inside the bedroom. Marcus was sitting in a huge couch near the window, as Viktor was standing, towering above him and hands behind his back. Erika could've sworn that at everything Marcus was stating, Viktor was going to rip the younger Elder's head off.
"By curious coincidence, are you insinuating that I'm the one who shall go back to slumber for the next hundred years?" Marcus asked, raising a challenging eyebrow.
"Curious coincidence is that I am, actually," Viktor replied sternly. "Haven't I made it clear enough for you?"
"No need to repeat yourself, I heard you," Marcus glared for the first time.
Erika's violet eyes quitted the scene she was carefully spying on and met the glare of the cold stone floor. So then Viktor had the intention to send Marcus back to slumber? Even if he had just woken up? "And even after he asked me to be his Queen?" Erika thought painfully. She couldn't believe it; she didn't want to believe it! As far as she was concerned, she was seeing her existence as completely doomed. Just as soon as something good was happening to her and she felt ecstatic and delighted about it, her sentiment absolutely had to be broken by some bad event following it.
"Life is so unfair!" Erika thought with despair.
"Spying on others during the early hours of the morning, aren't we?" a female voice hissed from behind her.
Erika startled at the sound of the haunting voice of the woman. She turned around and recognized Anyanka, one of the many Death Dealers, standing a few feet from her. Anya raised a suspicious eyebrow, waiting for Erika's answer. If a Death Dealer, furthermore one of the most loyal ones knew that Erika was spying on Elders, she was sure to be sentenced to death. "Or maybe worse… Marcus could revise his decision and I'll stay a maid forever!"
Thinking of that fate, Erika failed to say anything that made sense. "Hum… no, I'm not… I wasn't, I was just--" she stammered as she backed away from the door.
"You know, I could have you reported for spying on your superior," Anya threatened her, crossing her arms.
"I apologize, my Lady, I--" Erika began. But then she realized that she wasn't longer a simple maid, but Marcus's Queen. A hidden smirk appeared on her youthful features as she said in a completely different tone, "I have given myself that right, actually."
Anya's cold blue eyes glared into Erika's violet orbs. "Ah really, have you? I must admit that it's the first time I hear an ordinary servant girl speak as cheekily as you."
Erika's courage kept pumping her. "Well, there's a beginning to everything," she smiled evilly.
"Is there?" Anya said is a harsh, despising voice. "And whatsoever, who are you to be so insolent as to speak to your superiors on that tone?" she glared at Erika from head to toes.
An evil smirk appeared on Erika's pretty face and she slightly chuckled. "Haven't you heard the rumors," she asked or more likely stated. "Well, Miss… you'll have the honor to be the very first to learn about the new Queen of the Ordoghaz." Erika thought pleasingly.
Anya put her hands on her hips and said pointedly, "Apparently not, for I have spent the entire last night in my quarters. And as far as I am concerned, I couldn't care less about these rumors of yours," she said, despising the blonde Vampress.
Another evil grin appeared on Erika's features. "Oh, really? Even if those rumors concern the fact that Lord Viktor is the one who's to rule on the Coven for the next century?" she stated, even though the truth hurt.
Anya's eyes widened and her heart made a jump when she heard the name of her Sire. "What?" she said suspiciously. Erika's smile widened. "What do you mean?!"
Erika stared at her, the same evil smile apparent on her face. "Oh, so now you're interested in what I'm saying, aren't you?"
Anya glared deadly at her. "If I were you - which is not most likely - I would speak, because trust me, servant, you don't want to face the consequences," she said through clenched teeth.
Erika gestured towards the huge doors of Viktor's bedroom. "Well, why don't you take a look yourself and then you'll see if I'm telling stories. Watch out not to bother them."
Anya glowered at Erika once more and she quietly stepped to the door that was now a bit more opened, due to Erika's recent peek. The very faint light coming from the inside of the room seemed to brighten Anya's beautiful features and eyes. Suddenly, she felt like her heart had hit the pit of her stomach. The blonde servant was telling the truth… Viktor was there and truly alive. Anya's breath seemed to cease as the aloofness in her cold eyes has gradually changed for warmth and compassion. Her pale, silky skin looked even whiter than usual, as her widened eyes gave absolutely no hint of life. She kept gazing in front of her, as if she was in a daze.
Erika smirked again as she backed away from her. "You shall thank me later, I suppose," she said before turning around. Giggling to herself, Erika walked away from Anya, her light footsteps resonating throughout the hall.
Anya was fixed on the spot, not believing what she was witnessing. Despite the extreme amount of delight and liberation that now inhabited her hardened heart, she couldn't come to believe that Viktor was alive, standing a few feet from her. She had seen him dead, hadn't she? Everyone knew he was dead, didn't they? But yet, it was untrue. Anya suddenly felt a strange emotion invade her whole body. An emotion that she hadn't felt in more than a hundred years. "Is this… joy, that I'm feeling?" she thought oddly. In fact it was, for the last time she had experimented that kind of emotion was back in the time when she was new to the Coven and Viktor was by her side to guide her. And now he was back… only this thought made her heart fill up with warmth.
However, back in Viktor's lodgings, the atmosphere wasn't as cordial as it was outside the door. Viktor and Marcus were still arguing about the same subject, unsurprisingly. Marcus was now pacing throughout the room, while Viktor was standing stiff near him, always glaring at every movement and step he made and every single word he said.
"Beating around the bush won't lead us to any decent decision," Viktor said as he began to get impatient. "I told you that I need to attend to some crucial matters that are left still unsolved."
Marcus was still pacing, eyes fixed on his feet. "Therefore, let me point out that it is my turn to rule on the Coven." He stopped walking. "Isn't it?"
Viktor raised an eyebrow. "In case you haven't realized it yet, the Chain has been broken for the first time in fourteen centuries!"
"Amelia is dead and we're the only Elders left alive! And even if it irritates me badly to say it, we cannot risk that one of us could be killed during the other's slumber." Marcus looked away.
"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Viktor demanded skeptically, narrowing his cold eyes.
Marcus paused and slightly sighed, showing that what he was about to say really bothered him. He began to pace again, this time looking more anxious than before. "I'm afraid that we'll both have to give up on the one hundred year slumber, Viktor."
Viktor's eyes widened with abhorrence. This fact displeased him even more than it displeased Marcus. "Are you saying that we'll both have to rule on the Covens at the same time? This is absolutely ridiculous!" he accused.
Marcus sighed and said, rising his voice, "Amelia is dead and as you said, the Chain has been broken! We cannot gratify to the old ways anymore---"
"Is it not our obligation to do so?" Viktor interrupted him crossly. "And haven't we always done so since the time the Covenant was put into place?"
Marcus rolled his eyes and stopped in front of the door. "The Covenant doesn't mean anything to our kind anymore. For the survival of the specie---"
"As far as I know, these rules are the only reason why us Vampires have survived this long," Viktor interrupted him again. "We cannot abandon the Covenant like this! This is completely absurd!"
"What I am saying is that---" Marcus couldn't finish his sentence, as another of these incredible headaches plagues his skull. He brought a hand to his temples and closed his eyes. It's at this moment that visions plagued his mind.
He was knelt down on the cold floor of the Crypt, his wrists and ankles gripped with silver chains. Strangely, this caused him an awful pain. Blood was leaking from the side of his face, as a strange and painful pressure could be felt on his left shoulder. He could also feel another pressure, this one cold and metallic, but on the side of his head. A gun. In front of him, he could see Viktor sitting in his stone chair, glaring deadly into his eyes.
Marcus suddenly opened his eyes and found himself back in Viktor's bedroom, the latter staring at him in disbelief. Marcus couldn't believe, yet couldn't understand what was happening to him. First, incredible migraines plaguing him once in a while, and now, what? Hallucinations when he was in an awakened state?
Viktor raised a scornful eyebrow as he looked down on the younger Elder who was now holding his head with both hands. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, rather neutrally.
Despite his pain, Marcus managed to say a few reassuring words. "No, it's alright… I'm alright…" He said through his pain. He closed his eyes once more, and found himself in another place, once again. "Argh… no…"
Viktor's cold blue eyes widened as Marcus almost screamed in pain. "I have always knows that the responsibility of an Elder demanded too much effort coming from someone like you," Viktor accused scornfully.
But Marcus couldn't hear him… the pain was literally taking over his skull. With another painful yell, he practically bent down and managed to move out of the doorway.
Viktor glared at him with disbelief. "Very well… as I see we have no choice other than to put off this discussion until you feel… better…" he finished dimly. His voice softened as his cold eyes locked with Anya's, for the young Vampress was still standing in the doorway. Although he was very glad to see her again, he was unwilling to let show how he truly felt, question of honor. He could've greeted her at this right moment, if only he wasn't as proud as he was. Furthermore, Marcus's presence really did disturb him.
On her side, Anya let out a stifled gasp. If she was still a mortal, she knew she would've fainted since long ago. Only Viktor's hard stare was enough to chill the precious blood flowing in her immortal veins. She could've walked to him, if only the shock hadn't been that strong.
Another of Marcus's painful yells suddenly interrupted both their stares. Anya looked away, not willing to cause any kind of disturbance, while Viktor shot another glare at Marcus. The latter suddenly opened his eyes back and started to pant heavily. He glanced around the room and finally sighed with relief.
"Need any… assistance?" Viktor's voice echoed in his skull. Viktor was for himself very stunned by Marcus's attitude. As far as he knew, all Vampires, being undying, were deprived of all kind of sufferance - put apart their only weakness which was sunlight - and never had he seen, in fourteen hundred years, a Vampire - moreover an Elder - being the victim of such pain. "Maybe we should… retreat for today and ---"
"It's alright…" Marcus panted again. "I'm well, everything's alright."
Viktor raised his eyebrow suspiciously, but then came back to the topic, acknowledging Marcus's words. "Good," he nodded. "Now if you could focus and pay a little attention to what's being discussed, for once, there could be one possibility to get to a conclusion regarding the Covenant."
Marcus seemed confused at first, but quickly remembered where they were at. "The Covenant… yes, of course… there has to be a solution to this problem…"
Outside the door, Anya was still analyzing the scene. "I'd better get back, now…" she thought, getting out of her daze. For the first time in more than a century, a slight and joyful grin was about to appear on her lips, but her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming from the nearby corridor.
Anya violently turned her head as her crystal eyes search through the darkness for an identifiable silhouette. It's at this moment that she perceived, on the wall of the neighboring hall, the shadow of an unknown being.
The sound was becoming dimmer by the seconds, and Anya knew that these weren't as light and featherlike as any of the servants' footsteps.
Furthermore, the haunting shadow designed on the wall was more of a very manly figure.