1 comments/ 2642 views/ 8 favorites Dominium - Sin Ch. 01 By: Lara_Moonspell Rose de Saint Clair at the age of 24 had already learned a few valuable lessons most of us would never have the chance to learn. More importantly, she had learned how to survive in a world that was more dangerous than anyone could imagine, unless they decided to believe books and movies and be labeled lunatics by the rest of the mortals. Treachery was everywhere, it was worse than the regal courts of old... or perhaps it was just the same, but with the added spice of immortality. The youngest daughter of Alessandro Ecteanis, the oldest vampire of Dominium and its ruler and most ancient of Guardians, and his official Mistress, her serene majesty Queen Marian of Avalon, she was part of the elite, even though she was mortal. It was amazing to think of this as an elite, as vampires were already the elite within the mortal world, but truth was that by being their daughter she was both untouchable and the biggest target ever. Lilithyia, Alessandro's mate who had long been scorned for her hunger for power and inherent disregard for the rules of Dominium, had many millennia ago changed sides and forfeit her ability to walk under the sun for the throne of the Darkness and its abominable children. And because of this the world was at war, even if in utter secrecy, though what was another war between so many the mortals already waged, most of the time started by the desires of their vampirical masters... Then there were the Others, witches, lycans, ghosts and so many more... All in secret wars and alliances, the map of the world and the borders of countries completely redesigned to show each assigned territory, kingdom, be it neutral or not. In essence it was all complicatedly simple. You were either a lamb or a lion. Rose had decided long ago that being a lion in lamb's clothing suited her best, so kept to herself, maintained as low a profile as a high born socialite could. She had attended the most exclusive school for gifted children, "Our Lady of Light". In fact it was so exclusive because it only allowed the offspring of Dominium, lycans, witches and all the creatures that Gaea in all her wisdom and recklessness had deemed fit to create in a time long ago. Considering that most factions were at war with each other, the school was a safe haven of sorts. She had lived a normal existence... well as normal as it could be when you had a PHD at the age of fourteen. There she learned more than most of us would learn at school. Oh she learned the normal subjects of course, but she also learned of her lineage and her immense power. And then she learned how to hide it from the rest of the world, especially from her family. The teacher in charge of that recognized the danger looming over her and decided it was best that part of her records never made it to day light. The rest of the school board agreed with her decision. But it was not enough. It would never be enough. She left the school and went to Oxford to further expand her knowledge and degree, to learn more away from the sheltered walls of her boarding school. She craved normality after being sent to Our Lady at the tender age of three. So she did what most teenagers did, gifted or not. She had friends, she partied, she had her own flat, courtesy of her family, she dated... She was 15 when she found out she was pregnant and she hid it from all. To her family she claimed she was doing research on her field to publish an article in an important magazine. To her friends she said that she was just a bit too tired from all the parties. And she manipulated all with her power not to see what was really happening. She shut herself in her flat, never even told the father of the child. She called on the only person she thought could help her, her supposed sister, Countess Valerie de Saint Clair. Before Valerie could arrive Rose was attacked in her own home. All her school training served of little against 7 vampires, all over a century old. She was left for dead and woke up alone in a hospital bed. She was told she had been found by a neighbor and had been brought just in time, that she had been injected with poison and that the child was gone. That it was a miracle she was still alive. Rose knew better than to believe in miracles. Valerie and Marlene were there the next day by her side and though both seemed extremely concerned and Valerie insisted on her returning to Paris, she could tell something was... off. She was determined for some reason to stay; every fiber in her told her as much, that going back to Paris would be a huge mistake. It proved to be a difficult task, but since only to the mortal world was she the younger sister of Valerie and Marlene, she played the ultimate card. She was their aunt and she outranked them in the grand vampirical elitist status, even if she was a mortal. It took a while to be left alone. Then a bigger while to secure her flat and make damn sure she was safe in it. Bit by bit it became Dominium and Darkness proof alike. She also contracted a witch's services, a perk of being the niece of Elizabeth, her mother's twin sister and one of the most powerful witches that had roamed this world. She had died centuries ago, but she was still remembered. A spell was cast to make sure that if anyone meaning her harm came close to her home would suddenly feel confused and compelled to leave the area. It worked well enough. Money and status opened more and more doors, and she used them willingly and always off the radar. She wanted to know what had really happened for her to be attacked like that; she wanted to avenge the child she never knew. It was amidst all this that she came across them for the first time, a ragtag group of misfit mercenaries called "The Redeemers" that were determined to bring balance and justice to the dark world that Gaea had left behind before going into hibernation. Soon she had joined them and was being trained again, this time not only to defend herself but to attack others and she proved quite good at it. And the power that she had kept mostly hidden was what she trained the most, the one that lurked in her mind. In school they had thought her and her classmates that there were 5 levels of psychological manipulators: The more common ones were the level ones, that could read mortal minds easily, but could do little else; The second level could read some vampirical minds (if they were weak enough) as well as reading and manipulating most mortal minds. The third level as not common, though you could still find many. Mortals were playthings to them, weaker or younger vampires too. They could even read the minds of slightly older vampires. Level fours were even rarer. There were only 12 level fives in the entire planet and they were closely monitored and protected. They were able to access the minds of most vampires and also manipulate most of them at will. It was immense power that could be so easily used for the most devious of causes. And then there was Rose, who according to her teacher, was in a class of her own. She was told only another rivaled her power, the Guardian of earth, but they said no more about him and finding the Guardians, even when you were the daughter of one, was incredibly hard as they had gone deep underground for the most part. Flash forward a few years later and she was not only part of the team, she was their biggest weapon and leader, answering only to Ariadne, the enigmatic founder of "The redeemers" back in the 17th century, though outside of the group none knew of her activities, as her life and the quest for the killers of her unborn child depended on that. But more than that, she was committed to their ideals of justice in a world that lacked it. She often laughed and said that the Suicide Squad had nothing on them when it came to dishing out good, old fashion, hard core justice. And they cared not if it was Dominium, Darkness, Lycans, Witches, Merfolk (and those caused the worse kind of trouble on full moon nights...)... if they posed problems, they were dealt with. The Guardians had long abandoned their duties for the most part and the Redeemers were feared for their thirst for revenge and Rose loved that. She loved that her alter ego, Minussa, the one without a face, could inspire such terror in the heart of her enemies. And yet it was precisely her chosen pseudonym that inspired both dread and ecstasy in her heart, as it had not been chosen by her. No, that was the name he called her after dark, after each time she could no longer stand to stay awake to keep him at bay or his absence in her dreams. She wanted free of him, just as much as she wanted him as well, that dark haired stranger that she had known in her dreams all her life. At first he had called her Didila Erish when she was but small child and in her dreams they had played childish games. He had been like a big brother to her, a really big one due to his size. But as she grew, the games began to change. It was on the very night she turned eighteen that they shared their first kiss, and it was that very night that he began to call her Hili Minussa. She had not recognized the language at first... It took her a while to understand that he was calling young queen when she was a child, but that now he referred to her as beautiful bride, staking a claim to her when they had never really met except in the realm of dreams and she was not entirely sure he was even real! It was when she found that little piece of information that she began to try and hide from him... But he always found her. Yet every time she woke up she could only vaguely remember him. Tanned skin, dark long hair and the most dazzling green eyes she had ever seen. She did not even know his name and refused to tell him hers just in case. The less anyone knew about her, the better, even if it was just a dream. She exercised absolute control over her mind and that of her team, developed implants that helped her make their memories of her impossible to access just in case, covered her track as best as she could. She found her attackers soon enough, as well as the person that had ordered the hit, and when she realized who it was, she simply followed the thread to the real culprit. And she began to hatch her plan, taking her time, picking her targets carefully. She knew she could not attack them one by one, it would have to be a blitz, attacking multiple targets in one single night otherwise they would forfeit their lives for nothing. And she would need allies, powerful ones. Her parents were out of the question because that would mean revealing more than she cared, but there were others that stood to gain and had enough leverage and people to help her cause. It became just a matter of time and she was patient... She polished her plan as the days grew by, all the while her alter ego Minussa became more and more notorious as a cold blooded killer that no one could catch or even describe. Thus the legend of the bride of death was born. ***** - Mademoiselle de Saint Clair? – the flight attendant gently nudged her, making sure she woke up, trying to avoid the blush in her face as she had spent the last 30 minutes watching Rose squirm and moan in her sleep. She wondered what exactly could she have been dreaming and prayed for a dream like that to come to her for it sounded too good to miss. Sitting in the family's private jet, Rose opened her eyes and gasped. Gods the things that man could do to her in her dreams... And the things he could make her do. One glance at the flight attendant and she realized she had not been the least quiet as the girl was scarlet. - I am sorry to disturb you mademoiselle de Saint Clair, but we will be landing in Paris shortly. – The woman mumbled timidly even if in the most polite manner she could. Dominium - Sin Ch. 02 Marie Hellene de Saint Clair, youngest daughter of the Count and Countess of Saint Claire, was always a fragile girl, yet her heart was bigger than all of France and its provinces combined. Spending most of her years in a nunnery, as was normal for the daughters of the nobles in 17th century France, she grew up from a shy little girl to a beautiful 15 year old, the age she left the sisters to return home. Her parents had arranged a marriage for her eldest sister Valentine with a Scottish duke, and now wished to find her a proper suitor. At her age she was already more than old enough to marry, but her oldest sister took precedence and due to their wealth, influence and power being rivaled only by that of King Louis XIV, it had been hard to find someone that was not beneath her in any way possible. She had never seen the man, but her sister had written to her praising his beauty, fine manners and gentle touch. And yet she also spoke of strength of his arms, and the way she sometimes appeared more like a knight of the tales their nurses spoke of when they were but little children, strong and misterious and hardened by battle. She told Marie that he was an old friend of her mother's family and that his was rather wealthy and not at all like a savage like they often imagined Scots to be. Her return to Saint Genevieve, the family home, had been bittersweet has she had hoped her parents would allow her to take the vows. She had never been as happy as when she lived with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. A devout catholic girl, she strived to be humble and good. She hoped nothing more than to spend the rest of her days praying and performing her duties and strict routine, but since that was not to be, she took solace in the knowledge that she would be reunited with her family, most of all with her beloved sister Valentine. Fate had other plans though. Her sister was away upon the time of her arrival and her frail health began to take a toll a few days after her arrival. It was the small signs at first... feeling so tired... the paleness of her skin... the fever... the coughing... the difficulty breathing... When she began coughing blood her family realized that consumption had taken hold of poor Marie and steps were taken to make sure she would survive. It was around that time that she began to have strange dreams... In her dreams her mother would come to her at night and sing a sweet lullaby to her in a foreign language that she did not know, her voice so hypnotic that she felt she almost levitated and the pain in her body left her. Then her mother would place her wrist over Marie's lips and she would feel something warm and metallic go down her throat. But every time she woke up from such strange dreams there was no one in her room. Still... the taste somehow lingered upon her soft lips as did her mother's scent upon her chambers. And in her sickness she became even more beautiful somehow. Her long auburn hair seemed brighter and softer, her skin, though still so pale, seemed to have a strange radiance, as if she were an angel come to earth. Her green eyes, legacy of her mother, Countess Rebecca de Saint Clair, seem lit up from within and her lips, her soft, sweet lips, those had a tinge of red to them that made them so desirable that they could bring even Christ himself to his knees. The servants whispered in secret that the girl had been kissed by death and death itself had lent her such grace just to make her its beautiful bride. Someone else shared that same opinion as he gazed her sitting there in her pale blue silk dress that was embroided with flowers in silver, reading, blissfully unaware of his presence, her slender neck adorned with pearls and diamonds, her hair caught up yet with little adornment, unlike the women at court. When she became aware of his presence she was startled. In front of her was this red haired male, tall, statuesque, dressed almost like a king and yet with an aura more dominant than one, his eyes two emeralds, though she felt somehow that they were endless pools in which she would happily drown forever. For more than a few moments she was unable to speak, to breath, she just sat there, gazing at what had to be, in her mind, a creature of the divine. It was he that broke that awkward silence and quasi spell that had set in between them, one of utter adoration. He had never been one to believe in love, much less one at first sight but there he was, completely spellbound by the mortal before him, one so close to death that he could almost taste it, smell it surrounding her. Kissed by death indeed, closer to the fall and yet with immortal blood keeping her there, alive, suspended in time somehow. -I am sorry to disturb you, I am Lord Gabriel, your humble servant. You must be Mademoiselle Marie Hellene de Saint Clair, no? She blinked a couple of times, trying to find the words. His French was perfect, as if he were not a foreign. He kept on introducing himself, a friend of the family spending a few days at their home. His voice... His voice made her heart race within her chest, made her feel her blood boil within her. Her lips parted as if she were to speak at long last, but all she could do was dig her nails into her bible and struggle to control her breath. In front of her, the most beautiful man in all of creation, looking at her as if he could see into her very soul, stirring desires she knew not she had. -I-I... I... Yes... - she rose to her feet and then made a graceful courtesy, though she shook almost uncontrollably - I am sorry... I was unaware we had any visitors; I thought I was by myself in the garden. -By all means, I was the one that interrupted your reading. - he looked at the book and found it amusing and yet so appropriate that she chose such... light reading. And the original sin no less, was what she read about. In his mind he could see all sorts of sins they could commit and it took great will not to let his body show them. He could read her mind easily and confirmed what her body language already told him. Though that she would consider him an angel was quite amusing. And yet... such innocence as she gazed at him, her mind at conflict with her body, such purity the likes he had rarely seen. He gazed at her luscious lips and suddenly felt the urge to kiss them, a desire only fueled by knowledge of how much she wished to be kissed by him. A couple of steps took him closer to her, until they could feel each other's warmth coming from their bodies, the scent of her perfume capturing him. As their lips met he felt her shake and gently held her. Her first kiss and oh heaven above her heart was about to burst, her body to combust! What was wrong with her, she had never done such a thing before but it felt so right, so perfect... An angel... he had to be an angel. Only an angel could kiss this way, making her feel touched by the divine. So frail, so delicious, so... his. She had to be his, no matter what agreement had been made with Rebecca, this was the one she wanted, the one he craved for. The vampire lore spoke of mates, those predestined to be together forever but he had never believed it until he had met such lovely a creature as the mortal before him. -Gabriel! - the voice that shrieked in his mind was one too familiar. She had been careful not to be seen nor heard and he was far too distracted to realize they were being watched the entire time. - Leave my daughter this instance! - Marie could not hear the voice of her mother as she spoke to him alone. He pulled back all of the sudden and she felt as if someone had taken the sun away all of the sudden. She wanted more of that warmth, more of his taste. As she gazed him confusedly she realized she had that same metallic taste upon her lips and tongue. -My apologies Mademoiselle de Saint Clair, I do not know what came over me. She could not even reply to him, all she managed to do was run back inside and up the stairs into her room, where she locked herself, panting. ************** She gazed at the jet that had just landed as she leaned against the door of her vintage car in a cherry red shade. In fact, everything around her whispered vintage, from the way that pencil skirt clinged to her curves and the white blouse emphasized her breasts, her high heeled stiletto shoes, accessories, the way her hair was done... even her very stance. Marlene was the epitome of French class and elegance, while at the same time she seemed displaced, she seemed to fit in, an odd yet dazzling contradiction. She took off one of her driving gloves and gazed at her nails idly, while she waited for Rose to exit and her luggage to be brought over. Rose could not be more different from her as she walked down the stairs in her jeans, t-shirt, leather jacket and boots, her shoulder length blond curly hair wild in the wind, her cheeks slightly red, minimal make up and an independent air about her. -You know, you could have just sent a car, Lene, despite what you might think I do know how to drive. - Rose told her as she approached, a smile playing upon her lips as she took off her sun glasses and hugged the immortal. -Yes and you would likely stop in all your friends' houses and we might not see you for a couple of weeks... again. - retorted Marlene, raising a brow - Besides, that way you get to tell me all the juicy gossip on our way home without us having to care about being overheard by anyone! -You... and gossip?! What have you done to Marlene, or are you finally so bored with your immortality that you crave anything to distract you? Because, honestly, you are asking the wrong person. I do not kiss and tell. -Well I meant more about your mother, Queen Marian. Yes, yes, it is well known throughout our little community that the illustrious princess went home for a visit. How fares Avalon? And by the way, kiss and tell?! Do tell!! - She put her glove back on as they got into the car, the top down of course. With a scarf around hair and neck, she truly looked out of place as they left the airfield. -Boring, I must admit. - The blond replied, rolling her eyes before putting her sunglasses back on. - Though it was good to finally meet my mother, it is a bit... strange to call mother to someone that is younger than you! Come to think of it, you are, technically younger than me and should not be allowed to drive such a beauty, when did you get this baby? - She pet the car and whistled. -An auction, 2 weeks ago. A small fortune, used to belong to a movie star. I love it. Matches my lipstick. - She said calmly, though Rose knew she jested. - And stop skimping out on the details. I have never been to Avalon, tell me about it. -Well, I can tell you it is stuck in time in what comes to decor... My mother's time. And there is a strict no feeding of humans for all of those that chose to live there. Willing donors excluded of course. I like that part, since... well... human right here you know. Oh and met Socrates there and ton of other people that are supposed to be dead, but that was not that odd. The gardens are a work of art. Oh and learned never to talk about my father because she will go into a massive rage. Other than that it was pretty normal. Also, the car matches your lips each time you drink blood too. - she added with a grin *********** -Are you insane Gabrielius?! - Rebecca was absolutely livid - You can't just break a vow like that and you owe me that much after you and the others were the cause of Rowan's capture and death at the hands of the enemy! -Rebecca I am not breaking my vow! I wish simply to change the arrangement. I wish to marry Hellene and not Valentine; your daughters will still be protected by me and my name. -You truly must be insane to propose such a thing! The marriage will proceed with Valentine as your bride. She can handle the likes of you, she takes after me, and she is resourceful, beautiful and rather witty. Marie Hellene is too sweet and delicate and her health is far too frail. -Then I can turn her! You have been feeding her your blood anyway. -To keep her alive, not to condemn her to this! -Oh stop being so melodramatic, Rebecca! You are an immortal, you have power and time and everything you could ever desire and right now the biggest power you have is to save your daughter's life and still you act as if you are sending her to the scaffold! Let me make her happy, let me give her life and joy and love. -What was agreed between you, me, and my mother and father was that you were to marry Valentine. You will leave Marie Hellene alone and that is the end of it! - Rebecca was so furious that the wind began to pick up. - And you know that Alessandro will not let you out of that vow. Besides it will but for a few years and then you can just fake your death like the rest of us, leaving my daughter a very wealthy and well connected widow and you a happy womanizer again that can go on with his life! -Why do you have no quarrels with sacrificing your eldest daughter to that kind of life?! What is so wrong about being an immortal to you, being a vampire? Being like you are? -I had no choice, I was sacrificed like a lamb and trust me I wish it was not so, so I will not condemn my offspring to this... this half life that turns us into monsters! -We are not monsters! We kill to feed, not for sport! How many mortals can say the same?! -Enough!! Stay away from Marie Hellene or I swear I will bring down my father's rage upon you quicker than the plagues of Egypt. - And with that she left, moving fast like the wind. But he never did. Even though all his appeals, both to Marian and Alessandro, were denied, he kept seeing Marie in secret, hiding her memories so Rebecca did not know what was going on. And she loved their secret encounters, even if she did not know much about him, loved his kisses and how happy and healthy she felt after being with her angel. They made promises, vows of eternal love, without her knowing how much he meant the eternal part... That was, until the day Valentine returned home. On that very night there was an engagement party... They were to be married in a month, her beloved sister... And the man she loved. When they saw her faint as she found out who he really was, they assumed it had been her medical condition. But she took to bed, refused to come out of her chambers, see anyone or speak. She barely ate as it was. All she did was pray and cry in secret. She was unable to attend her sister's wedding, but that was a good thing. She could not face him, could not look him in the eyes. The pain cut too deep and soon she was begging to be sent back to the nunnery, a plea that was never heard. Marie Hellene never told her mother about her secret meetings, though eventually Rebecca was able to find that particular memory. She could have killed Gabriel on the spot, had him not been far away with her daughter, living in his Manor in Scotland. And in the back of her mind she began to regret her decision of marrying Valentine to him.