Chapter 3:

Little reviews, but I'll update just to clear my a little

Amelie's POV:

She snuck up the side of the mass of stones named Stonehenge and lay in wait of the vampire Elders. She had known of this location for many a year then, but this was the first time that she had managed to get here for the full meeting.

Myrnin and Oliver kneeled behind her, not breathing or even speaking for the fear the the Elders would be able to hear them, even half a mile away as they were. They knew that as they would be able to hear everything, anything that happened with them the more sensitive Elders definitely would.

"Hugo, you have arrived," an unidentified woman dressed in a black robe greeted the male coolly. He looked familiar to Amelie... She was positive that he lived near to her. His long brown hair adorned his shoulders and his face was pinched from a long and hard human life, the pain etched into him for eternity - or for as long as Amelie allowed him to live. She knew that she had the power, the strength, to destroy him, that he would succumb to fate that would allow her to be the Eldest.

"Marianne, how are you this fine evening?" he asked in a voice that suggested he didn't particularly like her. "Your journey from France was most acceptable, I presume?"

"It was, my friend; the tides were on our side and we made good time," she replied... Something about her made Amelie believe that she felt something for Hugo, but he never reciprocated it. "I trust Berkshire wasn't too much of a stretch for you to manage?"

"It never is, Marianne, no matter how many times you ask," he responded in a slightly strained tone before placing his hood over his head. "Do continue to greet our fellow Elders as they arrive... John and Elizabeth should be arriving momentarily as I saw them making their descent from Staffordshire mere minutes ago," he ordered her, and Amelie marvelled at just how easy it was for her to be finding this out. Three vampires and their locations she had found out and that was before the meeting had even begun!

Myrnin tapped her on the shoulder but she batted him away before he could speak; did he not understand that if they, with weaker senses, could hear the Elders then any movement or speech they partook in the Elders would be able to hear?

Suddenly, before their very eyes, the Elders began to convulge together... They drew into lines and moved with the rigid fluency that made every other vampire fear them. When a vampire could move with such elegance and yet still be menacing, it made them even scarier - yet Amelie was simply fascinated. She knew she could walk in such a way and when she had managed to destroy them all, she would command the fear and respect of every vampire in the world... Once she had managed to destroy her Father, she would be truly invincible.

"Welcome, Elders," a strong voice proclaimed as a statuesque female stepped in front of the Elders. She wore blood red robes, the robes which instantly identified her as being the Eldest, the robes which could be the last thing she ever wore... If she were to die.

"Eldest," the voices chorused, a harmony of sweet and delicate with gruff and low voices mixed together.

"I am pleased that we are able to meet tonight," she began, settling down in the throne chair in the centre of the circle. The others sat down on the stone circular toadstools which they brought for such occasions. "I believe that the urgent matter of Macorian is a severe threat to our livelihood. We ought to destroy him before he can solidify any more evidence to the existence of vampires," she continued, but a young male vampire stood up... Rather young appearing. Amelie could see in the way he stood, the way people moved out of his way, that he was probably the second Eldest vampire there...

"No," he replied, in a voice which lilted and would have relaxed people if it didn't have the menacing undertone. "Macorian is not to be disturbed. I thought we agreed, Clemence, that Scotland is mine; this Council does not make any decisions regarding Scotland and its inhabitants."

"I am the Eldest, therefore menial decisions made before are not overruling my decision," she responded coolly, staring him right in the eyes. "Unless you wish to try and ascertain your power and overthrow me, Jonathon, I suggest you sit down and listen to me!"

"But, Clemence, that is exactly what I plan to do," the vampire named Jonathon smiled, a smile revealing his fangs and making him appear even more menacing than before. He lunged forwards, faster than Amelie could imagine, and threw Clemence to the floor... But she was standing once again within less than a second and growling at him, crouched in a hunting stance.

"You wish to make this mistake?" she confirmed. "After all, do you remember what happened to Laurent and Maxine...? If you wish to escape their fate, then retreat now. I shall not kill you for this," she continued, but he launched himself at her without responding. He threw her to the floor and ignored her struggles, as he knew he was stronger than her.

She had outlived her reign as the Eldest.

She may have been able to destroy Laurent and Maxine, but she could not destroy Jonathon. He had the upper hand throughout the entire fight, even before he rammed the stake through her heart.

She gasped and her eyes went dreamy before focusing on the location where Amelie lay.

She can see me, Amelie thought, preparing to run. But Clemence simply nodded her head and smiled in her direction, as if giving 'permission' for what she knew Amelie would do. Then she slipped off into death, Jonathon standing over her victoriously…

"My friends, I am your new leader," he proclaimed victoriously, stripping the red robes from the dead Elder as he removed his old black ones. "That means that we need to introduce a new Elder to the crowd… I believe the next in line is Phillipe, of Spain, so I shall expect Maria to bring him to the meeting in three months time. I, on the other hand, shall be disposing of Macorian myself."

"I thought you said that you weren't going to kill Macorian?" some vampire near the back of the circle said in confusion.

"I never said that; I never wanted Clemence to order his death, but I never explicitly said that I would not kill him myself," he said in response.

The meeting continued, but it was not of any interest to Amelie; she knew her targets and where they lived. She would start with those three and choose different ones the meeting after she had killed them.

She had her information.

Bishop's POV:

He knew his targets… he would not be overly ambitious – he would select only three vampires to kill within the three months… he would begin with the ones in France and move further afield to destroy the others that lived around him. He had a strong feeling that Amelie would be destroying the other vampires in her area, wherever she may be…

Why does my daughter always have to get involved in everything?

He pondered this point as he snuck away from the meeting, returning to Dover to lie in wait for the vampire Elders. That's when it hit him:

She's going to come after me.

So, the Bishop bit was short? Well… I know… but, yeah, he's weird to write in… prefiero Amelie!

Please review!

Vicky xx