I licked the red liquid off my husbands chin as they led Silas away from us. Our plan would come to fruition soon. The Council has been requesting that Silas return to the throne; that they are done with this abomination they call a "Revelation". "Vampyre's are to live in the dark," is what they told us. We are not to be known to the Mortals. It is too dangerous and from reports all over the world, many of our kind are being killed at first sight. I think, good, as they should if they are so careless to get killed by the things who are merely our food. So they give chase, we are the hunter, they are the prey, they should run and be afraid. Soon enough, we might be powerful enough to rule the world. Both the Mortals and Immortals. That is the grand scheme. Once we put away Silas, we can start on the Council members, one by one, pick them off until there is no opposition left.
Now, if I could just keep Julius away from the truth that he could possibly be turned back. I couldn't let that happen for Julius, it was too important to keep him human or kill him all together, however, I enjoyed his company. However, as a human, Julius is no threat to the throne now. If he was to turn, he could take it back. I had to find a way to get possession of the rights before he found a way to turn himself again. I had told Silas there was no going back, but I feel he knows too much. He is an Original like myself. That is the only reason that I have survived the attack so many centuries ago in France. For a typical Vampyre, they would simply die, but for us, we are not dead, nor have we ever been. Our mortality is brought back to us.
I remember that day as if it was yesterday. It was 1602, well after I had met and turned Vlad, made him into my Dark Prince, to which he has rightfully earned the title. We were on the search for my maker, Lilith, the same as Julius and Silas. I scoured the entire earth for her and could not find her until I came upon a lead in a small town outside Paris that fateful year. From what I heard there was a beautiful and feared woman aboard a ship that had just returned from a settlement in the New America's and many warned to stayed away from her. I left my husband during the day and travelled three hours from our court in Paris to the coastal town Rouen where the ships came in. My search was short lived when the ship and the crew were gone, they had left to go back out to sea. I decided to stay and talk to the local folk around to see if they had seen a woman with Lilith's description, but none had. They did rouse of tales of beasts that savaged their farms, which is why many ships came and left so quickly. They quickly became known at the "Wolf Village", which is why most of the folk did not bustle about the town like they do in Paris. Especially at night.
I went to shops and homes, bathing rooms, but no answers could be found. The night was drawing near and most of the people had shut themselves inside next to fire and warmth. The sun went down fast and soon enough, it was twilight out with the moon high in the sky above. I had no such worries of a beast until I was face to face with the animal the town most feared. They called him Claude after the stories of the Wolf-Man that terrorized a small town on the south-central part of the provence. I stood there, showing no fear as the beast growled at me. It's large teeth at the end of a very long snout which dripped with drool. It's hot breath smelled like rancid and it's eyes were large and dark like an endless abyss.
I remember turning quickly and taking off towards the water hoping it could not touch me there. However, where I was fast, he was faster. His teeth snapped at my heels as I reached closer and closer to the edge of the wharf. It was too late. I ran too late, he came up on me too soon and I didn't realize he was there. He jumped and bit down on my shoulder, deep. I cried out in pain as it seared through my whole body. Like fire that was burning through my veins. I felt to my knees just as I heard a blast from behind. The whimper and whine of the wolf as his massive body was thrown on top of mine. His weight was almost too much to bear as I witnessed the procession from his wolf-like form to his human body. He was just a young boy and I stared down in amazement at the transformation.
Startled, I looked up to the man that shot the beast and saved me from a savage death that would have become of me. It was Vlad. He had followed me and stayed to the shadows so he would not burn. His thick coat he wore was torn off the shoulder as he holstered the rifle he used to kill the beast that hurt me. I pushed the beast off me and ran towards him with arms spread open. He was my savour. He held me in a tight embrace and kissed my cheeks. Many have called my husband an beast and monster over the years, but to me, he was a God among men.
"You smell different," he said to me as he sniffed my neck.
I looked at him funny as I saw his eyes blaze white in desire. That is when I knew, I knew I was no longer. I had no feeling for thirst, for blood as I had for centuries before. I took his hand and used his razor sharp nails to slice my skin, to see the blood that poured out without healing on his own. Vlad's eyes turned to my arm where the cut was and he raised it to his mouth where he licked and tasted. I moaned with desire as the endorphins took over. It was too late, I was now human.
A noise outside of the dining hall brought me out of such memories as Julius entered the room.
"My Queen," he bowed.
He was a beautifully sculpted man, even for a human I felt drawn to his presence. His large sculpted chest with broad shoulders and muscular arms. You could tell that he was a hunter or some hard worker in his first life. His legs were long and lean with thick muscles that crossed on his thighs to show that he ran frequently. His long, platinum colored hair fell down his back while accentuating the angles of his face. If I didn't know him previously, I would have mistaken him for a Danu. Though I had heard of them in fairy tales, I knew from the ruckus where Julius lived that there was possibly one making trouble. A Danu would be a very welcome course on our menu for dinner.
"Julius," I replied with my arms outstretched to him, "You fair better than expected."
"Thank you, My Queen. I feel...odd. I came to you in hopes that you could enlighten me about my...condition," Julius said as he looked on at the room we secured as our feeding area. The dining table that sat off to the right side of the room filled with goblets and platters of flesh and blood. The black leather sofa that Vlad laid upon was dripping with his third or fourth course meal while dessert was hanging by the stake at the front of the room. Julius took in all the rights with a horrific look.
"Would you like something to eat, or drink?" I asked, trying to be accompanying.
"No, thank you, I would just like to speak with you about what happened in France," he pressed.
I waved my hand in his face, "I will not talk of such things first. We should celebrate that you have decided to join us, here with your presence. It is not often that another Original comes to see us so soon," I sneered.
"Another?" Julius asked, his brow raised.
"Why yes, only just a few moments ago, your Cousin, Silas, was here."
"Silas? What reasons does he have for his visit?" Julius asked.
"Why, he wanted to make arrangements for you here. Said he could not be bothered with a lowly human as yourself. You were too tempting for his tastes. He had hoped that you would find your way to me," I lied.
"Silas means to get rid of me?" Julius's voice was sharp and angry. Just how I wanted him.
"I assume so yes. I told him that I felt you near, but he flew off before he could address you personally. Said he did not wish to even speak to you," I continued. Hoping that with this little white lie, I could tear the two strong holds apart that had dominion over my throne.
Looking upon Julius's face as he stared off, not looking me in the eye, I could almost sense he was about to swell with emotion. His face was hot and flush as the blood rushed to his cheeks, his eyes blazed with anger as he tried to swallow down the bits of tragedy that coursed through his ears.
"Well then, I am better off without him. Which now means I will need even more of your help," Julius said with tight lips.
"Come, let us talk of such things in the Tea House out by the Garden's. They are splendidly beautiful at night," I walked over and took his arm, leading him out of the room. I turned back to Vlad who sat on the leather sofa, grinning, as I winked back at him. Soon enough my prince, this will all be ours with no one to take back from us.
I ushered Julius through the Parlour to the Saloon where we walked out of the tundra to the gardens. We walked silently as I took in his scent, his sight, and how marvelous if he was mine. If I made him my child, he would have to bend to my will and then he would be mine. Too bad that it wasn't possible for me to change him back, though if I knew him before Lilith, I would have taken him, human or immortal. Julius was a grand man, and as statuesque as Michelangelo's David in Florence.
I lead him through the lighted paths to the Tea House that sat on the far right side of the property. It's rose trellises were strongly fragrant and in the dim light were beautiful. We entered the little pagoda and sat on the bench next to one another as I plucked a rose from it's stem and inhaled it's scent. "I'll never stop loving the smell of flowers. They are so much sweeter with my scenses now than they were as a human."
"I yearn for it back," Julius blurted, "Please, Ilona, my Queen, tell me how."
"For knowledge, there is a price. Are you willing to pay it?" I asked.
"Anything, please, I must know," Julius pleaded. He had left the bench beside me and was kneeling in front of me, his hands clasped mine as he kissed my fingers. "Please, please help me. I can not be this way."
Such a shame that a beautiful immortal such as Julius was brought so low as to bow to someone beneath him. Not that I really felt I was beneath him, but he was my elder. "Sit, I shall tell you what you seek; in exchange, I would like something as well."
"Name it and it is yours." Julius foolishly answered.
"Anything?" my brow raised, how stupid of him to commit to it, it was almost too easy to get what I wanted, "I want all that you own of course."
Julius's brows furrowed in confusion, "All that I own? You want to manage a nightclub?"
"And other things,"I added, "Do you want the information or not? What do a few possessions have that my knowledge could not give you? You can get another nightclub, but you have only one shot at being an immortal again."
Julius looked at me with understand as he bowed, "As you wish. Upon my changing, you shall own all that I own."
"Not good enough. I am giving you knowledge now, and knowledge is power. If I should tell you how to become immortal again, I shall take what I want then. Not when you have used that knowledge when you feel like it." I said.
"Can I not get my affairs in order?" Julius asked.
"No, it is now or never Julius. What do you prize the most? Being immortal or having a few possessions that could be replaced?"
"Fine, you may take what you wish, but please, tell me the truth, how do I become what I once was?" he asked desperately.
This was my chance. I could get what I wanted. What Julius didn't know is what all he had in his possession, not just a nightclub, but also a bond with a human who was of great interest. She was also his possession. Now that we had Silas silenced, the girl would be ours for the taking. Such a Halfling would been such a delight and equally interesting should she be turned.
I smiled thinking of what I was so close to getting, it was almost too easy that I could lie to him and he would never know. However, it wouldn't make a difference. He had signed it over to me. All his possessions, the club, his bonded as well as his rights to the crown. "It is a dangerous quest to get what you seek, but it can be done in one of two ways."