Chapter 8:

Thanks, once again, to spritesinger. Hazel, this story is now entirely for you since all other readers do not bother to review.

I don't own anything

Amelie's POV – the night of the meeting:

She walked down the grassy hills towards the area called Stonehenge, her body tingling with the excitement that she had done it. She had made it to the Elder's Council; she had made it to being within the eldest fifty vampires in the entire world – that had to count for something. It meant that she was that much closer to being the eldest, to having the powers she could only dream of.

Just by being an Elder, she would learn so much. She would get a chance to be able to read the books of the Elders, to find out their knowledge, to find out what powers she already had but had never harnessed.

She would learn how to make new vampires.

Of course, she already had that knowledge, but she wanted to know if there was a way to do it that was easier and didn't cost her so much energy to do it: Myrnin and Oliver had almost killed her to turn, since she had to lose so much blood for it.

Her feet glided along the ground, her arms shaking back the robes as she managed to look graceful even in black. The contrast with her blonde hair was startling to the point of captivating every single Elder already present and looking her way, male and female. She was so stunning, nobody could look away.

She charmed them all.

As she approached, they managed to look away and divert their attention to their small groups in which they were anxiously discussing the way that so many of their vampires had been slain. They didn't understand how, she heard, since how did the attackers – for there had to be more than one – know who was an Elder and who was not? There had not been reports of normal vampires being slain but nobody had been near this meeting place – they would have known, would they not, if they had been spied on?

"Hello, my daughter," the sudden arrival of her Father caused her to jump slightly, for she had not realised he had even arrived, let alone was next to her. "Now, that isn't behaviour that suggests you would like to survive longer than the unfortunate souls who have died for us to be present here," he continued, his eyes dark and hinting something to her as she looked at him.

"I didn't realise that I would have to watch my back when I was present at this meeting, Father," she said coolly, levelling him off with a glare that would have had Myrnin or Oliver running miles. Yet this was her Father, the one who was stronger and more deceitful than even she was, someone who wouldn't be scared off by a glare even from someone who professed to be sweetness and light.

"You should always be careful," he warned her, a glimmer of something dangerous in his tone.

"Last time I remember taking advice you offered, Father, was halfway through my human life, before you murdered my mother," she spat back at him, trying with all her might to return to the pleasant girl he thought she still was. "In over three hundred years, I have not spoken to you, so what do you think gives you the right to assume that you can tell me what to do?" she continued, barely able to take a step back and stop the seething anger overcoming her.

He raised his eyebrows at her but nodded deeply, stepping back also. "I quite understand," he said slowly, something in his eyes saying differently. "Yet let us not burden the others with out familirial disputes; we have time enough to discuss this in the future, no?" he continued, smiling slightly as she nodded in agreement.

"Why yes, I suppose we do," she agreed verbally, a small smile on her face as she realised he had not realised anything was the matter, that he still thought she was the innocent child he had once had. "Now, I believe the meeting is about to start," she whispered, turning towards the raised area of land where the dear Jonathon was striding towards.

All she could imagine as she saw the body clad in blood red robes was seeing his body lying on the floor in a separate location to his head, the robes matching the blood seeping from the wound. All she could imagine was being able to claim his stance at the top of the mound and being able to disband the entire circle below her… but the only difference in her situation would be that it would be her father who was lying on the floor, with her claiming the power from him.

"My fellow Elders, welcome to our meeting," Jonathon said, his tone causing a certain level of contempt to rise in Amelie. "We must welcome, once again, new Elders to our ranks, in the names of Mr Bishop and Miss Amelie, who prefers to distinguish herself from her kin standing to her side. Do you have any words of wisdom you wish to share with us as you stand with us for the first time?"

She smiled slightly and was about to speak when Bishop stepped forwards in a method to draw attention to himself.

"I have been waiting many a year now to be able to join your ranks," he said, having prepared something which is more than Amelie has done. "I have wanted to be able to find out the secrets of our kind for a great while now and to have the privilege of standing before you now as one of you is more than I can put into words."

The group of vampires clapped politely as then Jonathon motioned to Amelie to speak. She hesitated for a moment before finding a possible route down which to take in regards to speaking. "Much like my father, I have wanted to be able to learn the enchanting knowledge that only the Elders have for quite some time. You can imagine my surprise when I discovered that the Elders had been depleted enough for me to be able to join. I cannot say how humbled I am to be able to learn from you knowledge that otherwise would have been so far from my reach I would never have found it," she bowed her head slightly, using her wilful ways as a woman with her beauty to be able to get the vampires to relate to her, to see that she is not a threat whatsoever.

Whilst they must have had their niggles about the fact that she is there, they thought that she is just a sweet young woman who had been turned unwillingly, frozen forever in a state of perfection.

Jonathon seemed to be quite happy with these answers so clapped his hands together in a method to bring focus back to him. "Now, thank you for your words as you have been welcomed to the circle."

He paused dramatically, a smile on his face.

"Now, you must learn the way of the Elders."

Thoughts?

Review please!

Vicky xx