Chapter Ten: Preparations and Planning…
The bliss that Ana experienced on the flight home disappeared the moment they stepped back into the castle. All she wanted was more time alone with Michelle, however, Petru had been home when they returned and immediately demanded Ana's full attention. With no prior discussion on how they were going to handle things, Ana was left to navigate the situation alone and fell back upon their original arrangement. Ana quickly regretted her choice when she saw the confusion and hurt in Michelle's eyes.
Stuck, Ana spent time with Petru. He was attentive, amorous, and in high spirits. It was all she could do to convince him to let her shower alone before their date. After promises of sex after dinner, Petru went off to arrange everything while Ana took a long hot shower. Her conflicting emotions over her situation added her to anxiety. There was no going back to how things were, things were changing, and they were changing fast. She used the shower and the time it took to get ready to contemplate her situation and what options she had in front of her. It wasn't enough. She needed more time, but Petru was at the door. For a moment Ana put it all away and put on a big smile. She pretended everything was the same and it made Petru happy. They had dinner, took a walk in the growing darkness while holding hands then back to their room for sex. Petru passed out after leaving Ana awake. There was a time, it would have been the perfect evening for Ana, but that time seemed so far away. Now, all she felt was confusion and emptiness. For the first time in her marriage Ana felt compelled to tell her husband. There was a lot Petru didn't know about what was really going on at the castle, but this new secret seemed to weigh more on Ana than all the other secrets combined.
Late in the night Ana still couldn't sleep, she wanted to seek out Michelle. However, the second she left the bed Petru woke looking for her. The third time he woke, Petru pulled Ana back to bed initiating sex. After, Ana drifted off and the next thing she knew, it was mid-morning. Petru greeted her with a lingering kiss and more sex. He was happier than he had been in a long time. Ana was torn and privately miserable. By the time she showered and went looking for Michelle the vampire was asleep in the bowels of the castle.
"Do you have to watch her sleep every time Radu? It's fucking creepy. She deserves some privacy," Ana said. She was angry and Radu was one of the only people Ana could be venomous to without penalty, sometimes he encouraged her enjoying her vitriol.
Radu grinned rolling his eyes at Ana as he replied, "Yes. Every time. Michelle is my fledgling; it is my right as her master."
"If you really believed that Radu, you would have told her about Helena. It wasn't okay that we weren't warned. You almost got her killed."
"Michelle can handle herself, she's strong," Radu said narrowing his eyes at Ana.
"I didn't say she was weak. I said you left her at a disadvantage letting her walk into that room unaware. Helena looks exactly like Michelle; you didn't think that would throw Michelle off? You all have such a fucked-up history and none of you ever think of Michelle."
Radu smirked chuckling as he said, "Oh, and you are Ana? I sensed a change in my fledgling upon your return. A new pain I long to relish and explore. I must thank you for that gift, Ana. Only you could harm her so deeply."
"You don't know what you're talking about Radu."
Radu laughed.
Ana went back upstairs then threw herself into work. At sunset, she went in search of Michelle only to get intercepted by one of the castles staff, a groundskeeper delivering a note. Ana thanked him as she accepted the note. It read:
A-
RUNNING ERRANDS TO PREPARE FOR VC. WILL BE HOME LATER.
M-
"What errands? Why couldn't I come with you?" Ana fumed. She folded the note slipping it into her pocket. Petru soon found her informing her they had dinner plans with Anders and his wife. Ana didn't comment, instead she got ready and went out with her husband and friends. Over dinner, Ana participated halfway in the conversation. Her excuse was she was still tired from the trip and long workday. Then Anders made a comment that caught Ana's full attention.
"I believe that's why you work so well with Michelle. Both of you have such strong work ethics. You work all day right after coming back, while Michelle goes right back out on another work trip. I don't know how you two do it. Maybe I could do it if it was a day trip, but Michelle said this trip could take over a week. I commend her."
"I'm sorry Michelle's going to be gone for a week?" Ana asked.
"That's what she said on her way out. She didn't tell you?" Anders asked.
"No."
"Ah, well I'm sure she'll fill you in soon," Anders replied with an encouraging smile.
Ana knew Anders didn't intentionally bring up information she didn't have, it wasn't his nature. However, now that she knew a dark cloud came over her as she dwelled upon the fact Michelle took off without telling her. In all their years together, Michelle never took off without telling her. After dinner Ana made a couple of calls and got hold of the team escorting Michelle. They wouldn't tell her what their orders were, where they were or when they would return. Ana hung up the phone and burst into heavy sobs.
Not once in their years together had Ana been left out of anything or kept out of the loop. Now? It felt as if Ana had been left out in the cold in the middle of winter. Michelle cut her out.
The question was for how long?
⁕ ⁕ ⁕ ⁕ ⁕ ⁕
Three weeks. Michelle spent two weeks touring her territories while preparing for the meeting. By keeping her entourage small she was able to move quickly. The large number of supplies and vampires needed was a lot to ask for in such a short time. It forced her to push hard, be harder and reinforced her reputation as Radu's legitimate heir. Michelle preferred being busy, being on the move and distracted. It was better than dwelling on what waited for her at home. A few times she managed to telephone her parents to check in on them.
Michelle did not reach out to Ana. Nor did she receive word from Ana.
The last recruitment meeting took place an hour ago, Michelle was finally finished. She stood at the rail overlooking her property outside Sofia City in Bulgaria. The massive house sat in the center of a large estate. Michelle found the place peaceful, too peaceful as nothing was in the way to distract her from thoughts of home. Thoughts of what happened right before she left.
After the previous close call, Michelle made it a point to watch Ana while she was with her lovers and even with her husband. Michelle watched them go on dates, have sex and sometimes even as they slept. Ana was too important to not stay vigilant. However, after their return from the UK, something was different. Michelle tried to keep watch like she always had only intense feelings of jealousy and anger washed over her. For the first time Michelle wanted to kill Petru. She wanted Ana to herself. These new feelings came with a little disgust. Michelle felt ashamed for breaking her friends trust. Unsure of how to handle these new feelings or how to explain it to Ana, Michelle stayed away.
With work completed, Michelle didn't have an excuse to stay away. Then new intel came in and she realized she was out of time. Her people in the UK sent word that the vampire council were gathering their armies and heading her way. To make matters worse Michelle failed in her vow to Ana. She had been unable to locate a suitable vampire to sire Ana. Every vampire Michelle came across and sought out in neighboring countries was more like Radu than Stephan. No one had any leads on any candidates.
"My Queen, your usual request for dinner has arrived," said Mihai her vampire servant.
"Bring them in, I'm hungry." Michelle gestured then walked into her bedroom. Mihai, a seventy-year-old vampire that still looked like he was fifteen ushered in six naked people. Three men and three women. Over the course of the last few weeks Michelle developed a new routine to scratch an itch that seemed to get worse with every passing day. It started with drinking heavily from a group of people, then fucking them one by one while feeding on them until the brink of death. A few she pushed too far, those who died too quickly she cut and drained then bathed in their blood before fucking more. Soon every evening in her down time Michelle used her food to lose herself. It never worked for more than a couple of minutes. Once the orgasm passed or the feeding was done all her thoughts went back to the same things. The vampire council and Ana.
As the sun came up that morning Michelle sat in a chair near the window and injected the serum into her arm. It burned but so did the light from the rising sun. Michelle slipped on her sunglasses to watch the sunrise while covered in blood from head to toe. After, she showered then got on a plane to head home. It was a short flight; Michelle used the time to go over her plan as she couldn't leave anything to chance. Once on the ground, Michelle took a car home to the castle going in through a rarely used entrance. Instead of letting anyone know she was back, Michelle sought out Radu first. She didn't have to go far; he was waiting for her. They spoke in an empty room.
"You seem transformed fledgling," Rade said making a show of looking Michelle up and down. Michelle laughed.
"Nightly bloodbaths would do that for a vampire," Michelle boasted.
"You jest to hurt poor Radu."
"There is nothing poor about you Radu and I do not jest. Nightly bloodbaths. You should be proud of me Master, the blood our enemies flowed as much the blood I drank from humans every night."
"Finally, you sound like the vampire I know you are. Time to end playing pretend with these humans," Radu said giving her a pointed look.
"Not that again," Michelle said rolling her eyes.
"You can't run from all your problems. You'll have to own your position in this world sooner over later. The battle is coming to you," said Radu.
"I know that's why I was gone for so long. It took me a while to get everything we needed," said Michelle.
"Were you successful?" Radu asked.
"Mostly. I need your advice," said Michelle. Her eyes on the doors, on a lookout for a particular familiar face.
"My advice? You honor me fledgling."
"You are my master. I respect your opinion on this."
"What would that be pretty one?" Radu asked smirking.
"Bloodbath."
Radu laughed heartily, his voice carrying. Michelle didn't think anything of it until the door to the room opened and Ana's head popped in.
"What's going on in here? Oh! You're back! You're back!" Ana shouted rushing Michelle.
Shocked and not fully prepared to see Ana yet, all Michelle could do was tightly smile and open her arms as the beautiful blonde ran to her. Silently Michelle gestured for Radu to disappear as Ana sobbed onto Michelle's shoulder. Radu nodded then disappeared.
"You were gone for so long and you wouldn't talk to me. Why Michelle? I've been going crazy thinking about how I angered you enough to leave me. How could you leave me?" Ana was hysterical, she grabbed Michelle's clothes shaking the vampire then pulling Michelle close to cry. Michelle didn't argue or stop Ana, she let her best friend vent. Once Ana calmed a little Michelle gently held her with one arm while using her free hand to gently guide Ana's gaze to her own.
"I'm sorry I left without speaking to you. I'm also sorry I didn't call or write while I was gone. There's no excuse," Michelle said in a soft tone that went a long way to calm Ana.
"Why?" Ana begged.
"I didn't know what to say to you. Things have changed between us, and I wasn't able to face your disappointment in me."
"Disappointment?"
"Yes. I can't protect you like I used to. Watching you with your husband brought up feelings I wasn't prepared for. I've never wanted to kill him until…I haven't been able to get rid of those feelings. I thought time away to clear my head would work but being away from you made me more like Radu than I'll ever admit to him."
"You left because you wanted to hurt Petru?" Ana asked.
"No, not hurt. Kill." Michelle corrected and Ana nodded, taking all the information in.
"You didn't leave me? You still want me?" Ana asked in a tiny voice.
"I would never leave you Ana. I love you. I have always wanted you, it's just now I want all of you and I apparently don't share."
"We didn't talk about anything before we came back to the castle. We should have. We could have prevented all of this," said Ana.
"How? It doesn't change Petru is not safe around me any longer."
"Michelle, I don't think I can be with my husband any longer. When we returned, it took all my abilities to pretend things were as they were before. I didn't have the courage to tell Petru the truth," Ana said with a troubled expression.
"Tell me Ana."
"Petru wasn't happy. He wanted to leave the castle; he wanted us to get a house away from all of this. I didn't want to leave. I stalled until I could talk to you but then the UK trip happened. I've been pretending with him because I didn't talk to you, he thinks things between us are better than ever. I will do anything for you Michelle. Even stay with someone I don't love anymore if it made you happy."
Michelle nodded, "Tell him tonight. Send him away if you want him to live. I won't be held responsible if he confronts me. My gift to you, is he will live."
Ana pulled Michelle's face toward her and kissed her hard. The sexual need laid bare in the kiss stunned Michelle. Suddenly nothing else mattered but showing Ana how much she was missed. Michelle reached out with her senses and pinpointed every person in the castle and around the castle. They were alone, no one would interrupt them. Michelle stripped her clothes off then pulled Ana back in for another kiss. The blonde doctor swooned under Michelle's embrace; she allowed the vampire to tear her clothes from her body leaving the remnants in a pile of rags.
The kissing and groping took on a frenzied pace as both women desperately sated their need for the other. Michelle opened her neck for Ana, letting the blonde drink freely from her while touching the blonde between the legs. Ana orgasmed twice while feeding on Michelle. The vampire was in ecstasy as she licked her way down Ana's body to her most sensitive area between the legs. Ana was demanding and needly, she filled up on Michelle's blood while Michelle broke her down orgasm by orgasm. By the sixth Ana had regained her mind. She straddled Michelle, laying claim to her and bit Michelle on the wound on her neck tearing it open even more. Ana drained her then fucked her hard until Michelle was unsure if the weakness in her legs were from the orgasms or the blood loss. As her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she was about to black out Ana tore into a vein on her neck and made Michelle drink. Revived the intense fucking continued until they were a sweaty bloody mess on the floor.
Hours later, both women lay entangled with each other on the stone floor. Michelle rested while Ana slept. Michelle cradled Ana close then used her senses to reach out throughout the castle, the surrounding lands then the countryside. She could feel the vampire council with their armies approaching.
"Soon…soon."
