Look! I lived up to a promise! Hell must have frozen over...
For the next few chapters a knowledge of Awakening would be most beneficial though not strictly necessary if you don't mind being a bit confused.
Also, I have already asked some people for these but I figure I could make a general call out to all those who have stuck with this story so far. I am searching (for this series) for moments of Helen's life that you'd like to see. They can be long, short, happy, sad and involve anyone you want, including Rose. Any ideas would be welcomed completely and as I've already told those who've given suggestions, I shall try and use as many as I can :)
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to review, honestly I can't thank you guys enough!
xx
"Alright, I concede," Nikola spat, glaring down at the rather amused looking vampires. "They really do have the worst taste in clothing."
"Bondage gear really only belongs in one place," Kate agreed with a hiss, struggling.
"Let us go and I'd be more than willing to give you some fashion advice," Nikola offered with a grimace. "Though I can't help but think my talents would be lost on you."
"Remember what I've said about not antagonizing Tesla?" Will said. "Well the same thing applies to all vampires, yeah?"
"The young one is right," one of the vampires said, stepping forward to peer up at his captives. His dark hair was slicked back from his pointed face, the head to toe hand-stitched leather ensemble only adding to the clichéd vampire look. "Now tell us, how did you find us?" His voice was cultured, distorted slightly but the cadence was clipped and polished.
"Why don't you tell us why you snuck up on us, drugged us and then strung us up like the Praxian snobs?" Kate said, rolling her eyes.
"Interesting," the male mused. "Humans have become very insolent in the time since we last walked the earth. This should make things far more fun."
"We've also decided we don't take kindly to slavery," Helen said, narrowing her eyes. "So things aren't going to be nearly as easy this time around."
"Never the less, we shall prevail," the male said, turning away to look to the other vampires standing around the cavern. Many were looking on with only mild interest while others were flat out ignoring their visitors. "You all do possess rather keen intellect though," he continued, strolling towards a buxom young woman carrying a tray of roughly hewn goblets filled to the brim with a red, viscous liquid that looked an awful lot like blood. "Perhaps you shall be able to help us."
"I'm part vampire and I wouldn't help you if my life depended on it," Nikola hissed, narrowing his eyes.
"Coming from the man whose single goal in life has been global domination, that should hurt," John growled, still fighting his restraints.
"And would it kill you to be a little more original?" Kate groused. "I mean, aside from the whole 'dressing like a vampire' thing you've got going, the underground cavern thing is over done. Plus you're not even using your own technology. These," she said, indicating the cuffs that kept them suspended above the ground, "are so the same thing as the Praxians death shocky thin-." She trailed off suddenly, craning her head to look to Helen.
"You've got to be kidding me," Will muttered under his breath.
"I doubt they'll be as kind as Ranna was," Helen supplied grimly.
"And that's saying something," Kate muttered, swaying slightly as she tried to shake off the bonds.
"Silence," the male commanded, turning to sneer at them, pausing to give John a twisted grin. "Don't try and teleport out of here," he advised. "Unless of course you enjoy the idea of being torn to shreds by our shields."
"Helen?" John asked tightly, not looking away from the cruel smirk on the vampire's face.
"It's possible," she said softly, glancing warily around the cavern.
"And you thought provoking the vampires was a bad idea," Nikola said scornfully to Kate.
"I like this one," the male said, walking towards Nikola with a smirk. "He has spirit. Perhaps I shall take him to be part of my court as thanks for defeating Afina." A soft, smug chuckle flowed around the room, all the vampires turning to stare at Nikola appreciatively.
"Though she was right about something," the male said softly. "You are a half breed, unfit for the title of vampire." Nikola growled at them, eyes changing colour as his teeth grew but before the transformation could complete, he let loose a scream of pain.
"Nikola!" Helen cried in alarm, watching as her friend sagged, head bowed as he sucked in large gulps of cool air.
"Perhaps you ought to rethink the side you've chosen Nikola," the male said softly, stretching out his name menacingly. "You may be a half breed but even I can see the potential you possess. You'd fit right in with our serf army here," he continued, gesturing to the group milling about absently. While they were all dressed in leather, the care taken with each outfit varied from individual to individual, making it obvious that this male was in charge, his outfit far more decedent than many of those behind him.
Nikola merely growled through heavy pants, glaring at the man who had the audacity to chuckle.
"And you, Helen Magnus," the male continued, wandering along the line. "You have contacts that will be most helpful."
"Never in a million years," she swore, glaring down at him with contempt. He merely chuckled, clasping his hands behind his back as he strolled towards were Will and Kate hung. His shoulders were broad, stretching the leather to the very edge of its limits but as his coat reached rather narrow hips, it flared dramatically, giving them all a good look at the large knife strapped to one leather clad thigh.
"Perhaps if I was to take one of you comrades here as a play thing you might be a little more agreeable," he suggested softly, looking up at Will with a serene smile. Carefully he raised one hand, beckoning absently to the group behind him. In a matter of moments a beautiful young woman came striding forward. Her outfit was as striking as his, her leather corset emphasising her hour glass figure in a way most reminiscent of Afina, not to mention the slit in her skirt that reached her alabaster hip. Shaking her long blonde curls over her shoulder she stood by his side, resting her head on his shoulder and smiling up at their prisoners softly.
"We still haven't caught the others, love. But we will," she said, her breathy voice tinged by the throaty distortion.
"Never mind," the male cooed, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her closer until she was all but wrapped around him. "The female outside may think she can defeat us but I shall take pleasure in spilling her blood."
"But you promised me that privilege," the woman whined, pressing a kiss to his throat.
"Perhaps we can share," he soothed, softly caressing her back as he continued to watch Will.
The woman mewled softly in protest, glancing away from Will to pout up at the man, green eyes large.
"You can choose one of these for your toy," he allowed, placating her as if she were a child. The woman sighed but straightened up, moving to look more closely at Will. She cocked her head to the side, making a face.
"This one is unacceptable," she said, her voice growing cold as she moved away from him. "The girl is better but I feel she'd put up too much of a fight."
"Damn straight," Kate growled, fighting her restraints yet again. The woman chuckled indulgently but continued to meander as if strolling through a shopping centre.
"This one I like," she said quietly, smiling up at a seething Druitt. "He is more refined than the other two. And his blood will taste sweeter than the others. It's only a pity he won't last as long as that woman would."
"If you so much as lay a hand on her..." John ground out and the woman chuckled.
"You know, for once Johnny, I think we're on the same side," Nikola added scathingly. "He may have a thing for blondes but I think even you are too classless for his tastes."
"While I disagree with the way in which that was delivered," John muttered, sending a glare towards Nikola, "he is right."
"I will break you," the woman said with a nonchalant shrug before grinning up at him. "It will be my pleasure to take both of you as my own."
"Take me and let the other's go," Helen said suddenly, staring down at the woman with nothing but contempt in her gaze. "I can tell you everything you need to know and I won't die in the process."
The woman laughed freely at that, most of the other vampires chuckling quietly at her words.
"You have an attachment to them, don't you?" the woman said cynically. "Perhaps I'll take them in front of you then, as punishment for attempting to destroy us."
"Now, now," the male said, unable to keep a smile from his face. "There is no need to be so vengeful just yet. We shall wait for the others to be found and brought before us before we take our pleasure."
The woman pouted at him, clearly displeased at his plan but he simply shook his head.
"Are you not eager to meet the one who believes she can destroy us?" he asked softly and the woman sighed before gliding back into the group of vampires with a haughty shake of her hair. "You must excuse my queen," the male said politely. "She is unused to going to long without a play thing. I must thank you for rectifying that."
"I'd say it was our pleasure but I'd be lying," Nikola hissed angrily, eyes flashing. The male sighed, shaking his head sadly.
"This would all be easier if you'd simply stop fighting. Our reign will be long and glorious and if you'd behave we might be inclined to allow you to see it."
Kate snorted. "Over my dead body."
"If that's what it takes, so be it," the male answered calmly. "Now, if you'd be so kind, I'd-," he stopped suddenly, eyes widening in alarm.
"Can you all hear that?" Helen asked loudly to her team as music filled her ears.
"It's Queen," Will replied, scrunching up his nose.
"What have you done?" the male roared, bring his hands to his ears as he tried to drown out the music in his ears. "What are you doing to us?" Almost simultaneously the vampires stopped what little they were doing, some grabbing at their ears as music filled their heads while others simply glanced around the cavern nervously as if looking for the source of the music.
"Seven Seas of Rhye?" Kate said, scrunching up her nose. "Couldn't they have picked something a little... you know... more fun? I'd have thought they'd have gone for Killer Queen for blondie over there."
"It's not them," Nikola said gleefully, his eyes lighting up as he spoke.
"Bloody drama queen," Helen muttered under her breath.
"You have to admit though, she knows how to make an entrance," Nikola said appreciatively, grinning broadly as the vampires looked around in confusion.
"Surely the element of surprise would have been preferable to this," John said, shaking his head.
"What are you on about?" Kate asked, starting to get frustrated.
"Only she would think of making such a show of our rescue," Helen groused and Nikola chuckled.
"Not the white knight come to save us, but the horse," he explained with a malicious grin down at the fuming vampires.