Chapter Thirteen: Players, Pieces, and Turns…

Ana was standing at the door when Michelle gave Helena the warning. Though her gaze was turned, she was close enough to hear what Michelle said and it thrilled her. She never spoke to Michelle about what Helena did that night when they were alone, or how she reacted to it. Yet Michelle knew and was staking her claim to Ana in a very real way.

Lust, obsession, and bone deep love was new to Ana. Her previous relationships didn't prepare her for being fully with Michelle, not even marriage. She had loved Petru more than any man before, but it was soft, gentle, and comforting. While the love she felt for Michelle was a raging bonfire, dangerous, intense, and overwhelming. Her feelings for Michelle made Ana feel out of control. She didn't question it, not where it came from, not what it meant for her life. Instead, Ana embraced it, nurtured it, and protected it. Michelle was the first woman she looked at in a sexual way and it wasn't instant, it crept up on Ana over the years. There was always something about Michelle that drew Ana in, made her want to get closer. She admired Michelle's body and beauty from the beginning, yet she wasn't prepared for the lust and sexual hunger between them or the intense desire to drown herself in Michelle.

Helena walked out of the room without looking in Ana's direction. Michelle came up behind Ana wrapping her arms around the blonde doctor pulling her close to kiss and nibble on her neck. Ana grinned, putting her hands over Michelles. She felt Michelle's lips on her ear, then a breathy question. "Are you ready for this?"

Ana couldn't suppress the giggle that sprang up from the tickling of her sensitive ear. She nodded her head then replied, "Yes, I'm ready."

Michelle kissed Ana's ear, then her neck before stepping back and turning Ana around to kiss her long and deep. When they pulled back, they fixed each other's make up then separated, joining the party going in different directions. Ana's job that evening wasn't just to back up Michelle but to keep an eye on Helena and Diana Marcous.

The main hall was dark, the music was pumping, and the flashing multicolored lights made the whole place feel like a nightclub. The vampire armies each royal brought with them mingled with each other, they all dressed in similar solid black uniforms. The spot of color on their collars and on their right arms were the only indication which royal each vampire belonged to. Michelle's staff, those serving and those acting as security all wore dark red. Ana walked through the crowd of dancing vampires and past clusters of vampires drinking from the people hung upside down naked on portable meat hooks. Along the walls in small clusters of their own were the royals, each one surrounded by three or more servants and fledglings. Ana took note of each one but moved on until she spied her targets talking to each other.

"So chummy," said Ana shaking her head.

Helena and Diana were speaking to each other behind a wall of servants. Ana could only make out that they were talking but not what was being discussed. They looked concerned and angry. After a couple of minutes, the pair separated and went in different directions. Ana followed Diana Marcous who took off through a door. Following discreetly Ana followed the vampire queen up to the battlements.

"Did your queen send you to spy on me? You can tell her I'm only getting air. The scent of so many of us together in a tight space brings bad memories for me," said Diana Marcous over her shoulder. The vampire queen kept her eyes on the horizon. Ana stepped off the stairs and walked forward toward the vampire queen.

Ana said, "It's hospitality Queen Marcous, not spying. I'm here to see if you need anything. My queen would never forgive me if I failed in my duties."

Diana Marcous smiled then turned, giving Ana her full attention as she asked, "What are your duties? How close do you serve your queen? A beautiful woman like yourself, still human, oh the possibilities."

Ana wasn't prepared to have one of the royals openly question her relationship with Michelle. Her first instinct was to give context to defend her relationship but at the last second Ana caught herself and took a second to calm down before answering. "My duties are whatever my queen orders them to be."

Diana Marcous smiled seductively as she closed the distance getting close to Ana to stare intensely into Ana's eyes. The blonde didn't back up an inch. Diana Marcous leaned in sniffing Ana and moaned. "You smell amazing. I bet you taste amazing too," said the vampire queen.

"I'm off limits, Queen Marcous but I can bring you someone," Ana replied.

"I don't have to drink from you Ana. I can taste you in other ways. I've been so curious since you gave Helena a taste. I want to see what all the fuss is about. Do you really taste like sunshine in a meadow?"

Ana opened her mouth about to respond when the vampire queen leaned in kissing Ana hard forcing her tongue into Ana's mouth. The blond immediately fought back, after some struggle Ana managed to pull away then shove the vampire off. Diana Marcous laughed.

"Don't be mad at me pretty one. You're too good not to share."

Ana clutched the gun at her hip gritting her teeth in rage, she closed herself silently reminding herself of the plan. It helped. Ana opened her eyes glaring at the vampire queen. "Try that again and you won't live to see tomorrow."

Diana Marcous burst out laughing. "Such fire. I see why Michelle keeps you around. I bet you're dynamite in bed."

Ana clenched her hands tight, she turned on her heel and went back downstairs. That was enough, she needed a moment alone before moving to the next part.

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"Are you enjoying the party?" asked Michelle.

Alfie Jones grinned nodding his head as he dropped the woman in his arms, blood covered his mouth and nose. "I'm having a great time," he said. "I never thought you could have pulled this off, but I guess I should expect more after all you've shown us. You're going to fit right in with all of us."

"So, you'll stop trying to kill me?" Michelle asked with a big flirty smile.

"I can't guarantee that. Curtis has a chip on his shoulder, and Manuel is opportunistic. Bo Liu is the only one of us you can count on keeping their word," said Alfie Jones.

"Opportunistic I understand but why does Curtis have a chip on his shoulder. He has the largest territory of all of us. And what does that make you? Or Diana for that matter?"

Alfie Jones burst out laughing, he shook his head then said, "I never expected to actually like you. That makes this harder."

"You don't have to go along with them. Doesn't more money, more power trump loyalty?" Michelle asked shrugging. Alfie Jones laughed. Michelle smiled a little as she said, "Favors between friends are a lot easier to manage than blood debts. And it's less messy."

Alfie Jones narrowed his eyes at her pressing his lips together thinking deeply. Then he leaned in whispering, "You shared the bloodstone. Why? Tell me the truth."

"When I flourish, those with me flourish as well," Michelle replied.

Alfie Jones leaned back thinking deeply again. Michelle was about to walk away when Alfie Jones reached out gently grabbing her arm to stop her. He leaned in again whispering, "I'm old but I'm not like the others. I never got to taste the bloodstone until tonight. If you keep sharing that with me, I'll come over to your side of things."

Michelle grinned and nodded. Alfie Jones' face brightened. Michelle moved on sliding through the crowd, she kept an eye on everything to make sure things were staying happy and light until she spotted Curtis Shaw in the corner looking distraught, he was having a heavy conversation with the other vampire king, Manuel Gonzales. Curious Michelle slinked up, she knew with all the other vampires in the room, feeding and dancing and having a good time their energies would mask hers making her almost invisible. She cloaked herself in shadow darkening her clothes even more then snuck up to the pair until she was standing behind a servant who stood to Curtis Shaw's left.

"I'm telling you Manny I can't take her shit anymore. I've been dealing with it for centuries. She's driving me crazy," said Curtis Shaw.

"Then divorce, leave her. Separation when the relationship is over is nothing new," Manuel Gonzales said.

"Not for Helena, she doesn't take rejection lightly or well or at all. I tried to leave her after the first century together and she took an ax to my head while I was sleeping. That was the last time I brought this up."

Manuel Gonzales laughed, then smacked the other vampire on the back as he said, "And here I thought you just had a thing for beautiful brunettes. I was going to suggest you get rid of the crazy one and have an affair with the new smart one."

"If I cheated on Helena with Michelle, she'd spend eternity cutting pieces off me. Not that it has crossed my mind a few dozen times. Queen Vladislas is quite intriguing and very charming. It's hard to resist her. Rather like Helena was in the beginning."

"They're always charming and beguiling in the beginning. It's later after you get to know them that they show their true faces."

Curtis Shaw laughed uncontrollably. "Please Manny don't say that in front of Helena."

They laughed together. After a moment the mirth died down and Manuel Gonzales asked, "I don't understand Curtis why you put up with her affairs. She doesn't allow you to fuck who you want, why does she get to? How many times now has she rubbed her lovers in your face? Too many for my liking friend."

"She stopped fucking around decades ago," insisted Curtis Shaw.

"Has she? My people tell me Helena pounced on Queen Vladislas's pet the first chance she got," said Manuel Gonzales.

"To feed?"

"No, to fuck."

Curtis Shaw's face fell, then slowly twisted into anger. "Excuse me, I need to find my wife."

Michelle carefully followed the vampire king staying in the shadows behind him as he searched for Helena. The longer it took the more frustrated he became, fuming and stomping around the castle. Then in a small room Michelle used as a reading nook, a small library with large fireplace, Curtis Shaw found his wife. Helena had Ana pinned against the wall with both arms and was leaning in talking softly to the blonde. The sounds of their voices carried in the small space.

"Come on Ana, one kiss. One good kiss like before and I'll go. How can I make it up to you for what Diana did if I can't show you how much I've longed to be alone with you again."

"My queen told you I'm off limits. It can't happen again," Ana said softly yet firmly.

"No one tells me no pretty one. I have whatever I want when I want, even your queens master knew that." Helena tried nuzzling Ana's neck, the blond looked over Helena's shoulder and past Curtis Shaw into the darkness finding Michelle's gaze. Michelle could never hide herself from Ana, not after she drank from the bloodstone all those years ago. Suddenly, she felt a familiar sensation in the back of her mind. It announced Radu's presence. Michell turned in the darkness to see Radu standing there watching with rage in his eyes.

"I heard Radu was the only one who you couldn't take advantage of. Did he not best you? Wasn't it Vladislas who put you in a box?" Ana asked.

"Big, strong, scarry Radu was puddy in my hand, all the men I've targeted have been pliable, needy, boys who long to stay on their mothers tit. Radu may have killed me, but that was only after I made him my pet breaking him down into nothing."

"Did you ever love him? Love Vladislas?" Ana asked.

Helena laughed. "Love is a human emotion, and I haven't been human in millennia."

"What about your husband? Do you love him?"

"He loves me, and he serves his purpose. Now, come here. We don't have much time," said Helena going in for a kiss. Ana tensed and began to move out of the way when Curtis Shaw stepped from the shadows.

"Helena! Dear wife! What have we here?" Curtis Shaw bellowed startling his wife who quickly turned around only her eyes slid past her raged filled husband to the person standing in the doorway behind him.

"Radu? Radu?" Helena called out confused and shocked.

Curtis Shaw growled through gritted teeth, he shouted. "Don't ignore me woman! What do you think you're doing in here with her!"

Helena walked past Curtis toward Radu who sneered at her then disappeared. Michelle moved out to the hall as shadow then materialized and walked in.

"What's going on in here?" Michelle asked.

"That's what I'm trying to find out!" Curtis Shaw shouted.

"Radu was right there? What sort of sorcery is this?" Helena said. She turned to Michelle still ignoring her husband. "You said Radu was dead, but he was right here," she said shaken.

"Don't try to distract me wife with talk of your dead boyfriend. Tell me what you were doing here with Queen Vladislas's pet. Are you fucking around again?" Curtis Shaw demanded.

"Did you see him too Curtis? Did you see Radu standing there in the door?" Helena asked.

"No. There was no one there. Stop lying and tell me the truth. You're fucking around on me again. I told you last time what would happen if you did it again," said Curtis Shaw.

Helena pressed her hand to her chest in mock offense. "Don't threaten me, Curtis. Fucking around with some human is not the same thing as cheating on you with another vampire. I like playing with my food, so do you."

"You betray me purposefully woman, you try my patience and my sanity. We're done. The whole council is present, I can petition for divorce," Curtis Shaw said frowning.

"You wouldn't dare leave me. You know what I can do to you Curtis. You're no whereas old or as powerful as I. Do you really want to risk everything over…nothing."

Michelle slipped past the arguing couple to check on Ana. The blonde was simmering in anger, this was expected after being put into the line of fire twice in the same evening. However, once Michelle had Ana in her arms, she felt the blonde calm down. Michelle whispered into Ana's ear, "You were perfect. Thank you, Ana."

Ana smiled weakly and nodded, remaining silent. Michelle turned her attention back to the arguing couple. "King Shaw, we have a problem. One that unfortunately cannot be fixed with a fun night out. Your wife broke one of my sacred rules. I even took her aside earlier to point this rule out in hopes that we could have an amicable evening. However, Helena it seems has gone out of her way to purposely break the only rule I have set. This disappoints me greatly."

Curtis Shaw shook his head at his wife. "You have insulted and shamed me for the last time wife." He turned to Michelle and lowered his head as he said, "Queen Vladislas, I petition you as the host to accept my apologies for this infraction. I rescind my protection of this woman, Helena. I will be seeking divorce with the councils approval. Do with her as you wish."

Michelle snapped her fingers and six guards dressed in red poured in from the hall. They carried manacles that they put on Helena's wrists. She frowned and struggled. "What is this? What sorcery are you using on me?" Helena demanded.

"The cuffs were Circe's. I found them in a box. Quite useful don't you think?" Michelle replied. Michelle smugly smiled then gestured to her guards, "Take her to the dungeon."

"No! No! No!" Helena screamed as she was carried away.