Chapter 21 – Council
Mioko sat with Rahab and Dumah in one of the feeding chambers. The two vampires, thoroughly exhausted from their day of play, found the intense desire to feed but no desire to leave the child on her own. So Mioko had followed them to the chamber and now she was watching them, intently as they approached their chained victims. Dumah opened his mouth and revealed his gleaming white fangs, about to bite down on the exposed part of his meal's neck. He closed his eyes and leant forward, but his teeth bit down on mid air as Rahab held him back. Dumah opened his eyes and looked up, questioningly at his brother. Rahab used his eyes to glance at the child in the corner.
Mioko was looking up at them, innocently wide-eyed and smiling. Dumah sighed and moved to stand beside the child,
"Are you sure you want to see this, darling?" he asked. Mioko smiled and nodded,
"Daddy kills people in front of me all the time," she told them. Dumah smiled, put at ease from the girl's words and he moved back to drain the victim. Rahab, however was not assured and waited for Dumah to remove the girl from the room before he drained his own meal.
"What are we going to do now?" Mioko asked, excitedly. Dumah glanced out of the window,
"Isn't it way past your bedtime?" he asked. Mioko glared at him, indignant,
"No!" she snapped.
"Dumah?" Dumah jumped and looked around wildly, frantically searching for the source of his master's voice.
"My lord?" Dumah thought back, realizing that Kain was using the whisper, "Uh..."
"Would you mind telling me why you are so late?" Kain asked calmly.
"Oh sh...the council," Dumah thought, his face falling.
"That's right, the council," Dumah flinched, he hadn't meant to send his thoughts as part of the whisper.
"My lord, we'll be right there!" he said, looking up at Rahab who had just joined them, curious to his brother's desperate look. Rahab waited patiently for Dumah to calm down,
"We're late," Dumah said, simply. He watched as the aqua tone of Rahab's skin run out into a kind of grey colour,
"The council!" Rahab gasped. Dumah and Rahab both set off, not realizing that Mioko was following them closely behind.
Dumah and Rahab swept hastily into the council room. All the brothers had taken their seats around the square table reflecting their status. Dumah sank into his seat beside Azrael who was taking Raziel's place as Rahab sat in the chair directly opposite his brother.
Kain said nothing but chose instead, to lean back in his chair, surveying his sons as they stumbled in, hanging their heads in shame.
"Now to business," Kain said, "Azrael..."
"My lord, I must protest," Zephon said, suddenly. Kain looked down, irritated he'd been interrupted. "There is a child under the table," Zephon explained calmly.
Kain pushed his chair back and glanced under the table. Mioko smiled up at him and when he opened his mouth to protest, she climbed up onto his lap and sat, patiently and quietly observing the brethren. Kain sat back with Mioko on his lap and looked over at Azrael,
"As I was saying," he continued. Turel, Zephon and Azrael were obviously outraged that the child had been allowed to sit in the council. "Azrael, how fares Razielim?"
"Fine, my lord," Azrael said, trying to think of something to say, "We are awaiting the return of Raziel." Kain nodded in approval and turned to his second born. Turel shook his head and passed the gaze onto Dumah.
They had been discussing Dumah's problem with Zephon when Mioko shouted at the fifth born, "Leave Dumah alone!" The vampires all snapped their gaze to look at the child. She was glaring at Zephon,
"Uncie Kain!" she beseeched, "Tell him to leave Dumah alone!" Dumah, Rahab and Melchiah were trying to contain their laughs, Turel and Zephon were disbelieving whereas Azrael was just staring at her, strangely. Kain, to everyone's surprise was wearing a similar expression to Rahab and Dumah's. "Uncie Kain!" Mioko said loudly, "Tell..."
"Leave Dumah alone, Zephon," Kain said calmly. There was a snort of laughter from all the vampires (except Zephon) and Zephon, totally humiliated rose and left the chamber. Nobody seemed to notice, they were too busy trying to hide their laughter from Kain. There was no need; even the master vampire was chuckling to himself. There was no further business with the exception of Melchiah's problems with the human rebels, and so it was recorded as the shortest council ever.
"Mioko, bed," Kain commanded as the brethren made to leave. Mioko sighed and clutching Chibi Kain to her chest, snuggled against Kain,
"Want Azzy to take me," she said. Kain shrugged and gestured for a torn Azrael to take her. As Azrael stepped forward, Rahab and Dumah said their good nights to the child, planting a small kiss on her cheek. Melchiah also lingered to bid his good night to the girl, but Mioko drew back and jumped into Azrael's arms.
Azrael groaned and gave a sympathetic look to the youngest of his lords.
"Why don't you like Melchiah?" Azrael asked, curiously after they had left the chamber. Mioko looked up at him though he was stupid.
"Because he looks like a monster," she said, obviously. Azrael shrugged and knew better than to debate the issue with the child. They were just rounding a corner into one of the larger connecting halls when they were instantly surrounded by a small band of armed Turelim vampires.
"Let us pass," Azrael said, calmly. The Turelim didn't answer, Mioko clung to Azrael's leg, recognising some of them as those who beat her when she was a mere blood slave. Azrael drew his sword, part of his official uniform he'd donned for the council. He knelt down and prized Mioko from his leg as the Turelim closed in on them.
TBC