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The Making of Vampires Ch. 01

By: VRSnow



I have completed this multipart series and will post as soon as I get the chapters edited. Adding final changes right now. So feel free to leave comments and vote. Just know the story is already finished. I think it has to be tough for a writer to submit a chapter and not be able to change things as they go along. Kudos to those who can do that. I can't. I get a new idea and have to go back and adjust previous chapters so my added ideas make sense.

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Chapter 1: The Empire is coming

Miles away, people of the city of Osentia could see the smoke billowing over the hills. Their neighboring cities were burning. People were dying. The armies of the empire were coming to them, to destroy any resistance, and to incorporate their resources in order to make a grander empire. It would take less than two days for the small front armies to arrive and destroy their peaceful existence. 

Armies of iron would rape, pillage, and burn all who opposed them. The empire refused to allow any to defy them. All victory was for the glory of the empire. All expansion was for the glory of the empire. All new citizens were for the glory of the empire. And damned be all who resisted. 

Adontis, ruler of the city of Osentia, viewed the landscape with trepidation. He feared the inability to protect his small municipality. He sent messengers beseeching the other sister cities to unite against the empire. None complied. Unfortunately, each city feared sending their men way aiding any others to leave their own cities defenseless. They rejected his plan to unite their armies in order to prevent the empire from advancing. Now, each city fell, one by one, to the empire.

The men of the army stood with Adontis watching the burning of their sister cities. They would defend the city to the last dying man. They prepared traps and barricades throughout the fields and in the city. His three sons, his commanders, prepared to defend the city with their lives. Each understanding all too well what was at stake. 

Adontis looked around seeing the good men of his city. Many were friends. Many had families. Many would die. He could die as well, but that didn't matter to him. He was prepared. He was ready to pass the torch of leadership to his eldest son. 

He worried about his sons, though. They were young, in their thirties. His youngest, married only two summers ago and was expecting his first child. It would be Adontis' second grandchild. He understood that a family who lost their male provider would most likely suffer. He would ensure the care of his sons' families if his boys died. That is, if he survived. 

He looked over at his eldest son, August, who was most like him in character, displaying the leadership skills needed to unite and manage a city. The young man looked more like his mother, though. His red hair, pale skin, and gray eyes, were all from his mother's side of the family. Thankfully, August was tall from Adontis' lineage and his muscular frame was from years of being a warrior. August was his favorite son and the one he most understood. August had been married ten years and had a four-year-old son, Marcus.

Adontis glanced over to his second son, Gabriel, who was the gentlest of his sons. His wheat colored hair and silvery-gray eyes gave him an almost feminine appearance. This son was the most like his mother. Gabriel had a way of freckling that gave him the appearance of a man not yet come to age. His lean form added to that illusion. He was a scholar and a magic user. He was the son that Adontis least understood. Gabriel was a man filled with passion and love for his wife of six years. That Adontis did understand. 

Adontis' eyes passed to his youngest son, Martinelli, who looked the most like him with black hair, a rugged squared jaw, and stormy gray eyes. The youngest son, built much like his father and eldest brother from years of training as a warrior, was able to devise strategies to win battles as if the young man was an oracle. Books and tutors could never teach a man the abilities that Martinelli possessed. He possessed instincts, highly refined instincts of battle and war. Martinelli devised the strategy of the cities combining their might to defend against the empire. After the other cities refused to join forces, Martinelli created pitfalls and other traps throughout the plains and the city. The soldiers worked without rest to finish them all before the empire arrived. 

Adontis' thoughts wandered to the love of his life, Yezmethia, the mother of his sons, beautiful and clever. Her honey colored hair and clear gray eyes haunted him whenever he departed from her. Her melodic voice chimed in his head even when he wasn't thinking of her. It became the sound of his inner monologue soon after he met her. He fell hard for her the moment that he laid eyes on her and begged his father to arrange for a marriage. It had been the wisest decision of his life to pursue her and he had not regretted a moment since. 

His gut clenched as Adontis thought of losing to the empire. The house guards had their orders. He spoke to each man individually to ensure there was no misunderstandings. If the enemy broke through the defenses and into the city, Yezmethia would fine freedom by a quick and merciful execution. She would not suffer rape and torture from the enemy. He would never allow her to endure such atrocities, even if it meant a dark and lonely existence without her. He would protect her from the cruelty of men at any cost, by any means. 

Finally, Adontis' thoughts drifted to his father, Pleotis. After the sister cities refused to join forces, his father rode to the north for help. He rode in search of the barbarians hoping that they would provide mercenaries to aid in battle. The cost mattered little when survival was at stake. It was vital for all in the city that his father find those reinforcements. 

*** 

Pleotis traveled north searching for many days. He knew where to find the barbarians as they were the ones who usually raided the sister cities to steal food, clothing, and sometimes, women. 

He took a great risk traveling north, but the barbarians had no love for the empire. Together, they could possibly stop the advancement of the empire's armies, if the barbarians agreed to help. 

Pleotis urged his horse farther into the forest. He recognized the marks on the trunks of trees indicating a clan claimed the land. He would ride until he found a settlement or until he was caught and taken to a settlement. Either way, he would find the barbarians. 

The first arrow struck the tree to his left vibrating the shaft and he paused raising his hands calling out, "I come in peace. We need your mighty warriors to help defeat the army of the empire. I ask to speak to your leader." He remained motionless even when the second arrow hit the ground between his horse's front feet with a thud causing the horse to march in place. 

A tall, muscular, sandy-haired man clad in furs strolled out from behind a large green bush. He looked Pleotis up and down judging the worth of the traveler and asked, "What would warrant a meeting with our leader?"

Prepared for such an exchange, Pleotis slowly moved his hand to his saddlebag untying a large leather pouch. He tossed it to the ground at the barbarian's feet. "This warrants the meeting."

The barbarian bent over, picked up the pouch, and looked inside. It contained coins from the city of Osentia. He nodded. "Down from your horse. You'll be blindfolded and taken to the master."

Pleotis thought it strange the man referred to their leader, as 'the master', but often the barbarians' behaviors were strange. He dismounted. "Do I leave my horse here or will she be taken with us?" The intention was to use the horse as additional incentive if need be. 

The barbarian shook his head, "She will stay here. Tie her to a tree and my men will guard her." 

Pleotis saw no one, but that didn't mean that there were no men in the forest. He tied the reins to a low branch. Then he cautiously stepped to the barbarian who was holding a strip of fur. Pleotis took a deep breath and stood still. Nothing now would keep the barbarian from killing him if that was the man's intentions. 

The barbarian stepped behind Pleotis and secured the fur across the older man's eyes. Then the barbarian grasped the visitor's right arm with a vice like grip. Pleotis registered surprise at the man's strength and realized why his arms were unbound. The barbarian had a strength beyond what Pleotis could imagine. His heart sored with hope that the barbarians would help fight against the empire. Men of such strength would be difficult to defeat. 

He didn't walk very long. Well, stumble would be a better word. Pleotis knew they had left the path almost immediately. Now, he could hear his footsteps echo back to him. The hand left his arm and he felt someone loosening the blindfold to remove it. 

Pleotis opened his eyes, needing time for them to adjust in the darkness. He stood in a large cave. In front of him sat who he believed was the leader. A thickly muscled dark-haired man with green eyes sat on a wooden chair with wooden armrests. His loosely woven shirt hung open, but his tan leather pants lay over his boots at his ankles.

Between his legs, knelt a naked dark haired woman bobbing her head up and down, the leader's left hand on her head setting the pace. One of her hands moved furiously between her own legs. To the leader's right stood another naked dark haired woman with her head thrown back deep in pleasure. The leader suckled at her breasts and thrust his free hand back and forth between her legs. Both women moaned loudly. 

Pleotis tried to look away. Such displays were unheard of with his people. His eyes landed on a group of a dozen young women with frightened expressions. Their eyes were on the scene of the three people engaging in sex. He believed the women to be scared because such acts were private, instead of as if performed on a theater stage. 

The loudly moaning women drew his attention back to the man on the wooden chair. Between his legs, he bobbed the woman's head faster. His breath coming quicker as well and he added his moans to the women's. 

Suddenly, the woman standing wrapped her arms around the man and pulled him tighter against her breast and she cried out as her body shook. He grabbed the hair of the woman between his legs. He slammed the her head down and held her still as he bucked up against her face and growled out his pleasure. The woman between his legs muffled a cry as well and her body quivered. 

The man fell back pulling the standing woman onto his lap as he allowed the kneeling woman to collapse onto her back. Still breathing hard, he slowly turned his head to the dozen women watching and in a deadly quiet voice said, "That is what I expect from each and every one of you. No crying. No excuses. Not fits. Only pure pleasure." He paused as if for dramatic effect. "Anyone who disappoints me will die. Just because I picked you and you're beautiful doesn't mean that I can't find others." He kissed the head of the woman on his lap. "Sabina has been my favorite for three summers now. I can't get enough of her, her beauty, or her obedience." He moved his hand to tilt her face kissing her gently. "Her friends have moved on. They were presents for my loyal men to give them children before my special gift is granted to those who are worthy." 

The man looked to Pleotis. "Ah, we have a visitor. Guards, take away my women so they may eat and rest." 

Pleotis almost jumped, as men seemed to form from out of sections of the walls. He had not realized the guards were there. He had not realized anyone was in the cave except the women and the man on the chair. A low chuckle made the hairs on the back of his neck raise and he looked to the man who didn't hide his amusement. 

"I'm Andrecles and I am their master." He nodded to the guards walking the women out. "I have a special way of training those who have proven loyalty beyond doubt. Your escort is one such man. If he finds you worthy of my time, then you must have impressed him." Andrecles looked him up and down. "So, please, tell me of the reason for your visit."

Pleotis steadied his nerves. There was something wrong here, but he had no idea what it was. "Andrecles? That name sounds like someone from the sister cities. Did you once live amongst us?"

Andrecles allowed a smile to ghost his face, making those who saw it question if he had really smiled, "A long time ago, the desert people, during one of their raids, captured me when I was a boy and sold me into slavery. Then my master found me and took me from my owners. He granted me such favors and I shall forever be grateful to him."

Pleotis was confused. They had not had trouble with the desert people in centuries. Maybe, Andrecles was victim of an isolated event. He shook off his question and continued. "I come beseeching your help. The empire comes to our doorsteps. We need reinforcements and we will pay handsomely to any of your men who wish to fight on our side."

Andrecles threw his head back and bellowed out a laugh so fierce that Pleotis backed away. He didn't stop until he felt a hand on his back. Looking over his shoulder, he saw his escort smile as if sharing a secret joke to which Pleotis was not privy. 

Andrecles asked, "Please, Pleotis, tell me why you and your people deserve such a gracious gift as the lives of my men who would surely die in a battle against the empire?"

Pleotis squared his shoulders. "We will pay handsomely...Wait; I never revealed my name to you or any of your people."

Andrecles pulled Sabina even closer never bothering to cover his flaccid member. "Yet, I know it. I know of your fear. You are not here to save your people. You are here to protect your own interests. If your son remains alive and controls the city, you continue to live in comfort. If the empire breaks through the defenses, you most likely die since you are an older man who won't last long as a slave." Andrecles narrowed his eyes and asked again, "So tell me why your people are worthy of the precious gift of the lives of my men?"

Pleotis felt fear. The man knew things that he had never voiced aloud. He was confused. Did the man have the ability to read his mind?

Andrecles tilted his head, "Yes."

That one word caused Pleotis' heart to race. He didn't understand what was going on, but he felt the danger. He felt danger from the man in the chair. Before he could think of anything else, he saw a blur. Andrecles stood before him now with Sabina still in his arms. As if she hadn't noticed that anything had happened, she wrapped her legs around Andrecles' waist and her arms around his neck. 

Andrecles shot his hand out grabbing Pleotis by his neck forcing the older man to his knees. "Why won't you answer my question?"

Pleotis gasped for air. "We are not deserving of such a great gift, but we beg for your mercy and beg for your help." 

Andrecles whispered in a low grating voice, "That is right Pleotis. You do not deserve the service of any of my men and you definitely do not deserve their lives. But, if you swear loyalty to me, I will give you a gift that will allow you to protect your own people. You will have the power to rule and you need not fear the loss of your son's charity for a good life. You will take what you want."

Pleotis driven by fear, gasped, and said, "I swear it. I swear it!"

Andrecles opened his mouth forcing his fangs to grow. The fear he saw in Pleotis' eyes was thanks enough. He plunged his fangs into the man's neck and sucked deeply. Pleotis felt the pierce of pain and then a hum shot through his body. He felt such euphoria as he had never felt before. He could feel the blood pulled from his neck in quick gulps. He understood death was coming, but it did not matter. He felt so good. Even as darkness claimed him, he rejoiced in the pleasure of the feeding. Then he felt his lips pried apart and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and it was surprisingly delicious. 

*** 

Pleotis awakened in darkness. His eyes saw strange colors and he could hear a dull drip of water from the distance. He could hear several dull drips.

In his head, he heard a voice. The fire grows low. Your eyes can see differently in the darkness.

An unearthly chuckle brought him into clear focus. He saw the strange bluish form of a familiar man, Andrecles. "You're not hearing water. That is the heartbeat of the women in the cave with us. My men have the same gift as you and they have no heartbeat to hear." He allowed Pleotis to look around to see the women. "Other than the Sabina, you can do whatever you want with them. Do you feel the hunger, son? Feed."

As if it had been an order, Pleotis felt his teeth elongate. It was a strange, yet, powerful sensation. He glided with strange grace to the whimpering women. He grabbed the first one he came to. She screamed. He wrenched her neck to bite, but heard a crack and she stilled and quieted.

Laughter erupted throughout the cavern. Andrecles cleared his throat and in a voice geared as if talking to a child said, "Pleotis! You killed her. Be gentle. The blood will not nourish you if the human is dead. You need them to be alive for the magic of your body to pull from their life force so you can exist. Try again. This time, gently."

Pleotis, hunger growing painfully in his stomach, reached for another woman. She tried to scramble away, but there was a cave wall behind her and he easily caught her. He lifted her fighting form. She kicked at him, but he felt no pain. It was as if she were a gnat annoying him instead of a human fighting him. 

Pleotis shushed her and said, "If you fight me, I might accidentally kill you. Turn you head so I can bite and I'll let you live." 

She whimpered, but exposed her neck. The feeling of piercing her skin was shockingly sensuous. The first trickles of blood overwhelmed him and caused him to suck deeply. He heard her sigh and that encouraged him to drink more. With each swallow, he felt stronger and more alive. He understood that he would reign over the city and he knew how he would defeat the empire. He would turn every man in the city into a vampire. Yes, he knew what he was. And, yes, he somehow knew, instinctively, just how to transform others. He basked in the glory of the feeding and celebrated his newfound strength. 

Then disappointment. No more blood came into his mouth despite how hard he sucked. With a whine, he removed his bite and looked at the woman. Her eyes stared vacantly at nothing. She was dead. More laughter erupted in the cave. Confused, he turned to look at Andrecles.

Smiling, Andrecles said, "You took too much. You lost control and drained her of her precious life fluid. Notice your bite marks are still visible. If you kill the humans when feeding, the bite marks remain. If you stop biting while they are alive, the marks disappear the moment your fangs leave their flesh due to the combination of magic from us and the life force of the human." He motioned to the last woman, "Try again."

Pleotis looked down at the cowering woman. She wore a large loose shirt, much as the two had worn. He wasn't hungry any longer. His fangs were normal again. 

Trust me. Drink. Andrecles sent the thoughts into Pleotis' mind.

Pleotis reached for the girl, grabbing each shoulder and lifting her. "Turn your head so I can drink." 

The whimpering girl obeyed. Again, Pleotis felt the sensuality of piercing human flesh. The warm blood tickled his tongue dancing on his taste buds. Then something remarkable happened. He felt potency as he had never felt in his life. His cock hardened and he wanted to fuck the shit of this woman young enough to be his granddaughter. 


The Making of Vampires Ch. 01



Without releasing his bite, he pressed her against the wall lifting her large shirt to expose her naked flesh. She whimpered louder. He didn't care. Using one hand, he grabbed her knee and lifted it exposing her vulnerable core. With his other hand, he opened his pants releasing his engorged cock pressing the hard tip against her. She was dry. Still he didn't care. He pushed slowly into her. She stiffened and whimpered. She was tight, too tight. He was impatient. He slammed into her. She cried out and her nails dug into his shoulders. He smelled fresh blood, her blood. He felt blood around his cock. It was her blood. She had been a virgin. 

He rammed into her, her blood lubricating her pussy. She whimpered and sobbed. His hands found her soft globes and he pinched at her nipples. She squirmed. He expected to come quickly, but realized this pleasurable experience wouldn't end so soon. He continued to bite without drinking from her. He felt the need to have his fangs inside her as he pummeled her with his cock. 

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she kissed his cheek moaning. Her legs lifted and wrapped around his waist. He slammed into her hard. She gasped. He pinched at her nipples roughly. She gasped again and released a throaty moan. 

A whispered, "Yes, fuck me," escaped her lips. She ran her fingers though his hair. She moaned with each thrust. He pounded into her harder and harder her moans growing louder and she arched her neck. "Yes, please, fuck me harder," she begged. Her body tightened. Her nipples hardened. She bucked against him and cried out in pleasure as she came climaxed. Then her body thrashed from sensitivity.

Her release was too much for him. He slammed into her with ferocious abandon wanting to cum. He bellowed onto her neck as he shot his cum deep into her. He held onto her as they slid down the wall. He released his bite watching the puncture marks close. He felt gentle warm hands clasp his face. He met her eyes a moment before she kissed him almost purring into his mouth. Then her body grew heavy. He thought he killed another one, but then he recognized the signs of sleep. He laid her on the cave floor without a second though. He was done. He saw the blood on her inner thighs, but didn't care. She had been a virgin, but acted like a whore in brothel. She enjoyed pleasing him. He liked this gift from his new master. He pulled up his pants.

Told you to trust me. See how a proper feeding can please you in more than one aspect? You are superior in every way compared to a human male. Woman will be your willing slaves if you feed properly. To be honest, her reaction wasn't as intense as I had hoped.

Pleotis, unable to figure out how to talk to his master's mind asked, "How often do I need to feed?"

Andrecles, amused his offspring had to use words answered in kind, "You have to feed once every quarter moon to remain strong, but don't let need be the only reason to drink. Imagine having a woman falling prey to you every night...or many women, many times a night. Enjoy." 

Andrecles tossed something to Pleotis, "Go my son. You now have what you need to save your people. I need no coins. I have your sworn loyalty."

Pleotis smiled, bent over to retrieve the bag, and walked from the cave. Even if he hadn't sworn loyalty before, fucking that sweet little thing would have been more than enough to cement it. He heard Andrecles chuckle knowing the vampire read his thoughts. 

*** 

His horse bolted the minute it was untied. Pleotis felt amusement from Andrecles and heard an echoing message. Some animals fear us. You'll need to master some control over other creatures and even some humans to keep them calm...or you'll get used to walking or running. Beware son, if you reveal yourself to the wrong people, they will try to kill you. Humans fear our power.

So Pleotis walked and walked. Then he ran. He discovered that running was faster than riding a horse. It took him less than two days to run home. He would have gone faster, but he kept tripping or running into things. Trees didn't hurt as he expected them to, but it was a shocking experience to bounce off a solid object. Some of the trees cracked. Some just fell over. 

During his travel home, he decided on a very simple a plan to save his city and establish his rule. He would turn his son and grandsons into vampires. They would be loyal to him. They would secure his rule. And they loved him. He would rule with mercy or an iron fist depending on the situation. He would be a grand ruler. 

Pleotis ascended a hill less than a day's ride from the city. Smoke billowed into the air. His city burned. He growled and ran with a burst of speed that he had not yet discovered. Images on his periphery blurred, yet the city remained in focus. He rushed. He needed to hurry and save his home. He needed to save his city. He needed to save his people. He would reap the rewards as its savior. 

As he grew closer to the outer wall, Pleotis saw the enemy. It would be so easy to run through the center of the enemy's forces and slice them down with his knife. Then he realized his fingers had turned into talloned claws. He could rush through and slice them down with claws!

Insecurity and fear gripped at the center of his chest. What if he failed? What if he was caught and tortured? What if he was killed? 

Pleotis decided he wasn't a coward, surely not. A vampire vampire would cower to no one. As any good ruler, he knew when to delegate. He would delegate the fighting to those warriors who enjoyed it, who needed to fight. He should save his energy to rule...and for the women. He ignored the uncomfortable feeling in his chest refusing to acknowledge it as terror. He veered away from the battle and aimed at the part of the wall that was yet untouched by fighting. 

Pleotis jumped the wall landing softly on the other side barely making a sound and disturbing little dust. Looking around to gage his surroundings, he recognized the area and decided on the quickest route home. He slowed down to what he thought would look like a normal speed to humans and ran to his house, his son's home, the mansion that housed the ruler of the city. 

Soon, he entered the interior and passed soldiers awaiting orders. He burst into the war room that contained a map of the city on the table with various carved figures to represent the city forces and the empire's forces. His son, grandsons, and various generals stood around the table. 

Martinelli rubbed the stubble on his face as he gave the report, "We are holding our own, but the main force of the empire has yet to arrive. We won't survive that force. Let me and my men maintain the standoff while the civilians leave the city to hide in the forested hills. It will give them a chance at life."

Pleotis pompously strolled to the table, "Martinelli, my favorite grandson. Are you so eager to die?"

Keeping the annoyance out of his voice, Martinelli answered, "Grandfather, we have no choice. Some of us must die so our families can live...Unless, there are reinforcements coming."

Pleotis smirked and cast a glance at the generals, "Leave us. I must speak privately to my family."

The generals looked to Martinelli with questioning eyes. They would not obey the old man. They would not leave their commander at this time to appease one who had forgotten war and the true cost of it, the destruction of people and their souls. 

Angler flashed across Pleotis' face. He would not tolerate such disrespect for long. He would be merciful and allow this one day for all to understand who their new ruler was to be. 

Martinelli struggled for a brief moment. Good news should be shared with the generals. Bad news should be shared privately. Yet, his grandfather acted as though he had good news. Maybe the old man was covering to protect the morale of the men. He glanced quickly at his brothers, August and Gabriel. Their eyes said they were thinking the same thing. The generals should leave.

Martinelli crossed his arms giving a quick nod, "Go men. Give us a few moments with our grandfather so we may hear his news."

Adontis and his sons waited for the generals to leave the war room. They patiently stood as Pleotis walked to the map and studied it. 

Martinelli frowned. What was going on? His grandfather wanted privacy to talk. Now, he wouldn't talk. "What news, Grandfather? Do we have reinforcements?"

Pleotis looked up, "No." He let his word hang in the air to build tension. "It is better than reinforcements." Again, he paused watching the faces of his family. "I have the ability to give all of you power and immortality."

Adontis thought his father had cracked from the strain of the upcoming war and failure at finding help. "Okay, father, let me take you to your room. You should lie down. You had a long journey." 

He reached out for his father's arm. With preternatural speed, Pleotis caught Adontis' arm and twisted it painfully behind the younger man's back. "No, son, you misunderstand. I offer a special gift." His fangs elongated.

A collective gasp escaped the men. Martinelli and August drew their swords. Gabriel pulled out a pouch with components to cast a spell. Adontis struggled futilely. 

Angered by their reaction, Pleotis growled, "You will accept my gift or I will kill your father."

Adontis looked to his sons, "No, boys, don't. I would rather die than let you become what your grandfather has turned into."

Pleotis laughed darkly, "What is it I have become, Adontis? Let me tell you. I have become the savior of the city. I have become what all men dream of being. Why would you deny yourself and your sons such a thing?" He twisted Adontis' arm tighter causing the man to gasp in pain. 

Martinelli was the first to drop his sword, "Okay, okay. Just relax. I'll go first. Then you let father go."

Pleotis shook his head, "You will all go, and then I turn your father as well. The other option is that I kill him."

Martinelli nodded, "Okay, take me. No problem." He walked forward.

Pleotis didn't plan to release Adontis, but he had to bite Martinelli. "On your knees with your back to me," he told his grandson. 

Martinelli complied hoping to give his brothers an opening. Then he felt a knife at his throat.

Pleotis smiled wickedly at his other two grandsons, "If you try anything, I'll slit his throat AND kill your father. So be good boys and drop your weapon and your pouch."

August and Gabriel immediately did as commanded, not by any compulsion, but in hopes of keeping their brother and father alive. They watched in horror as Pleotis bit into his wrist placing it at Martinelli's mouth and their brother parted his lips to swallow the blood. Then Pleotis drank deeply from his grandson until the man fell over.

He smirked, "Next."

Adontis cried out, "You said you wouldn't kill him!" He stared at his fallen son. 

Pleotis sighed, "I didn't. He will awaken soon." Then with a glare and a lowered voice, he said, "Next."

August stepped forward. He stopped at Martinelli's side and rolled his brother into a more comfortable position. Then he turned his back to his grandfather and knelt. His eyes locked sadly with Gabriel. They knew they had no choice now. The brothers were close. So close that they would follow each other into damnation. He felt the bloody wrist at his mouth and opened his lips. He sucked at the wound and felt the pierce of his skin. A warm hum flooded into his body creating a calming sensation. He lost track of time. Then darkness claimed him.

Gabriel walked to August placing him on his back instead of the crumbled heap of which his grandfather allowed the man to fall. He turned his back to his grandfather feeling thankful his brothers were already incapacitated. He didn't want them to see the tears in his eyes that he fought to contain. 

The art of magic required a great deal of study including the study of vampires in order to know what spells would defeat them. He knew what was in store for him and his brothers. Their evil would manifest itself inside them as a beast or demon. The books used the two words interchangeably. Every evil dead would cause that inner demon to grow stronger and more powerful. When the vampire grew weak, the demon would try to break free wreak havoc. A cold darkness would surround them unless they found a love that would keep them grounded in humanity. But what woman would love an evil vampire. He fully expected his wife to leave him. Yes, it was an arranged marriage, but they grew to love each other. He could never give her children now. Vampires didn't have children. They increased their numbers just as his grandfather was doing now, through bites, not blessed babies from a woman's womb. 

Gabriel smelled the bloody wrist more than he saw it. He was lost in thought. Thoughts of how his life would forever change. He opened his mouth and drank mechanically. At least he would be with his brothers for eternity, as long as they could stay alive. He would use his magic to keep his brothers as safe as he could. He felt the bite on his neck. He felt a hum. Then he felt a strange shocking sensation, much like static when he would walk over the wool carpet in winter. He allowed the tears to flow freely from his eyes now. All hope was lost. 

*** 

Martinelli was the first to awaken. His stomach growled and he looked around searching for food. No, not food. He needed something different. The pounding of drums echoed in the house. No, not drums, heartbeats. He wanted to drink the blood that flowed from those heartbeats. He looked at the double wooden doors leading to the outer hall. He stood answering the call of the blood as it drew him to the doors. 

His foot bumped something and he looked down. Gabriel lay crumpled over in a heap. His hunger forgotten, Martinelli knelt, turned the body over, and cradled his older, smaller brother. Tears stained Gabriel's closed eyes and cheeks. Martinelli quickly wiped the tears away fearing someone would think of his brother as less than a man for showing such womanly emotions. 

Then a tear dropped from his eye onto his brother's face. He wiped it away with his thumb. "You know what is to come. I saw the sadness in your eyes. You could have run and saved yourself. I would have understood."

He felt a hand on his shoulder, "Gabriel would never leave us, Martinelli. He isn't a soldier, but he isn't a coward, either. He will brave our sides until there is nothing left of him." August ruffled Martinelli's hair just as he had done so many times.  

The hair rubbing gesture, often done to children, had started as a way to humiliate his youngest brother. Instead, the action comforted both of them, especially during times of adversity, such as war, and even now. Martinelli was the greatest soldier of the city, but he still needed a childish gesture of reassurance to help him stand tall and brave. 

Gabriel stirred and opened his eyes. He sat up. "I'm hungry and not for food." His brothers nodded agreement. They stood and looked around the empty room. 

Martinelli asked, "Where is the old man? We need to kill him."

August and Gabriel voiced at the same time, "Yes."

They stepped into the hall. The generals fidgeted nervously and the newly created vampires mistook the movements as having something to do with them until one of the generals shakily said, "Pleotis dragged Adontis up the stairs to Yezmethia's room."

The brothers didn't have to think twice. They ran. Their grandfather was going to hurt their mother as well. They knew he had changed and no longer had any compassion. 

They burst into their mother's room and froze in horror. Their father lay on the floor dead with his throat ripped out. Their grandfather was thrusting his cock in and out of their mother's dead body as he pressed her against the wall. Her half closed vacant eyes staring at the floor near where her husband laid, two puncture marks visible on her throat. 

Pleotis grunted and dropped her body. Turning to his grandsons and fixing his pants he said, "My, I had no idea that her blood would affect me so. I couldn't help myself." He smiled at his grandsons. "Well, boys. You made me kill them. I feared you would ally with you father to depose my reign. Now, you have no choice but to ally yourself with me. I can keep you safe." He smirked.

The smirk was wiped from his face as a bolt of lightning flew at him. He tried to dodge the attack forgetting another vampire cast the spell and not a human. The lightning exploded as it hit knocking Pleotis' left arm to the floor passing through to the wall and creating a ten-foot hole through the masonry. Pleotis screamed in pain as his severed shoulder smoldered. He jumped through the hole before the brothers could do anything else. The spell should not have been so powerful. It should have been a thin stream of electricity to, possibly, incapacitate the victim. 

Gabriel was the first to recover and run to the hole intending to jump out and follow their grandfather. He felt hands restraining him. It was August. August looked back and Gabriel followed his eyes. Martinelli carried their lifeless mother to her bed. He turned down the blankets and tucked her in. Then he walked to his father's body and carried him to the bed placing him beside their mother. He pulled the blanket up as if the couple were going to sleep. 

Martinelli looked at his brothers. "I can't do this. I'm going to go out there and kill our enemy. Then I'm going to ask the generals to kill me."

Gabriel shook his head, "Martinelli, once you enact any evil, you will birth a beast within that won't allow you to die so easily. I'm sorry brother. If you wish to die, you must do so before taking a life."

Martinelli dropped his head in thought. "I can't leave our people, our families, to die from the invading army." He sighed. 

August put his arm around Gabriel and the two of them walked over to Martinelli. The two older brothers put their arms around their younger brother and August said, "Then if we are to unleash some evil beast within us, let us do so saving those we love." He glanced quickly over at his parents. "Those that we have left."

Martinelli nodded and said, "I want to warn our soldiers of what we are. I won't have them shocked in battle to be run through by the enemy's weapons." The other two nodded. 

***

The brothers stood on the wall. Trumpets sounding the retreat signal. They wanted all the soldiers off the field of battle until the generals could relay the undead change in their commanders and share of their ruler's death. 

The brothers waited until the field of battle emptied. They allowed their enemy a few minutes to refresh as well. They knew the enemy would need drinks, catch their breath, and urinate. Urinating outside one's armor was often a luxury during battles. 

They saw the generals running to the groups of men. They saw the looks of disbelief on the men's faces. They saw the looks of horror. They saw the looks of fear. 

Martinelli was afraid to lose his control to his hunger, "We need to go out now. I need to feed."

August patted his younger brother on the back, "Let's go." He dropped off the wall hearing startled oaths as people expected him to die from a jump of that height. He landed lightly not making a sound. Martinelli and Gabriel followed suit. Then the trio walked onto the field of battle. 

The enemy expected a surrender from the three whose dress and armor showed them to be officers, but no white flag appeared. Instead, two of the men pulled out their large swords and the other pulled out a pouch. Laughter erupted from the enemy soldiers and several accepted the challenge expecting to, easily, slaughter the arrogant men 

Just a moment before the first wave hit the brothers, two of them, put away their weapons. They saw the confidence rise in the soldiers of the empire. The enemy increased their speed expecting to slaughter the brothers and to establish a quick victory after removing the leaders of the city. 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 01



Gabriel reached into his pouch to remove a small amount of masonry dust. He blew it at the enemy. The enemy soldiers slowed. Then they stopped as if frozen in their tracks. Gabriel marveled at the growth of his magical powers. Nearly half the advancing army was immovable, many more than should have been affected. The ones who could move quickly backed away. 

Gabriel shrugged nonchalantly. "Lunch anyone?" He heard the humored chuckles of his brothers. They feasted. 

They didn't take long and they didn't use any finesse. They drained as many as they could as quickly as possible. Once they felt satiated, they ripped the remaining immobile men apart. Again, finesse wasn't a goal. Efficiency was. Carnage was the result. The brothers felt the stirring of their inner beasts. They had awakened the evil within. It didn't take long to eliminate those men. 

*** 

They stood in the war room again looking at the map. The empire's army had retreated. Those soldiers who remained alive were gone. Their city would have a day or two of reprieve before the main force of the army arrived. They would have time to tend to the dead, douse fires created by flaming arrows shot over the walls by the enemy, and to rest before the next onslaught. 

The generals stood with their leaders. August was the new ruler of the city, heir apparent to his father. The soldiers swore allegiance to him even though the brothers expected betrayal after the war with the empire. They did not expect their people to allow vampires to rule. 

One of the generals cleared his throat drawing attention from all in the room. "I and my men wish to join you."

Martinelli replied, "Yes, of course, the next battle all with join in."

The general shook his head. "No, sir, you do not understand. We wish to join you as vampires. Three of you destroyed nearly half the forward army. Think of what a whole army of vampires can do."

Gabriel interrupted before anything else could be said. "Wait. Think of what you ask. Not just anyone can deal with the evil that comes from turning into a vampire. Look at what Pleotis did. He killed his own son and daughter." He refused to mention the rape. "Someone with the wrong constitution will unleash great evil on the world. As much as we need to fight off the empire, we cannot create something worse to torment our people. You need to know there are curses to becoming a vampire."

Martinelli placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, "I understand your caution, but I was thinking the same thing about an army of vampires. Maybe there is way to eliminate someone who may become dark and ruled by the evil. Maybe there is a way to figure out who won't do well with the change. Maybe we can place a limit on number that we turn."

August chimed in, "I'm with Gabriel on this one. I will not create any like Pleotis. How do we prevent that?"

Martinelli closed his eyes with dread for what he was about to say, "We pick those who have something to lose if they mess up. We pick those with loving families. The penalty of falling prey to their beast is elimination of their families as they vampires watch. They maintain an honor code, the same as is for any soldier that we take on in the army, but the penalty if far greater."

The generals nodded in agreement.

Gabriel shook his head, "The army won't be here for a couple of days. Who do the newly created vampires feed on during that time?"

Martinelli replied darkly, "Their families. If they lose control to the blood lust, they kill those they love. That should give them incentive to use caution and remain strong."

Gabriel exchanged looks with August. They nodded agreement. 

Martinelli looked to the generals. "I want a list of volunteers. One hundred for each of us to turn, for a total of three hundred. They will be our elite soldiers. They must have families. They must live by the honor and code of the warrior, including any of our magic users. They also must know they will have to fight their internal evil."

Gabriel nodded. "They need to know it is easier to maintain a connection with humanity if they truly love someone. Evil cannot fully claim someone who can love."

There was a knock at the double doors. Martinelli motioned for one of the generals to open it. A messenger entered. Without locking eyes with Gabriel, he handed the magic user a folded parchment.

Gabriel, filled with dread, opened the missive. He dropped his head. "Eviena, my wife is dead. My house burned and she was trapped inside." Sadly, he looked up. "I hoped to hear that she was pregnant and that I would be a father. Well, that is something I will never experience now." He looked around at the generals. "Only men who have fathered children can be on that list. I don't care what reasons a man gives to volunteer. If he hasn't fathered children, then no, he is ineligible." 

*** 

Out of the three hundred newly created vampires, thirty-two couldn't control their blood lust and killed their loved ones. Their guilt was so great they begged for execution. Martinelli granted it. He ended their suffering himself as humanely as he could quickly separating their heads from their bodies. Out of the remaining vampires, only one-hundred-fifty-seven survived the war. 

Gabriel suffered the least losses within his men. Eighty-two survived. They were magic users and because of such, remained in the rear of the army. Many of his men would teleport to help injured humans in battle. Many of them died while they performed healing spells as the enemy took advantage of their distraction. The magic users aided the soldiers as much as possible in any way they could. 

Gabriel's elite also joined forces and erased the vampires' part in the war. The empire and many of the people of the city believed a plague and starvation contributed to the halt of the expanding empire. It took great magic to change the perception of events, but they worked tirelessly in order to achieve success. 

August maintained forty-nine of his regiment. His men were the middle team backing up Martinelli's front line. They helped keep the humans safe and tried to keep the magic users who teleported into battle safe as well, but often failed. They fought against overwhelming odds. 

Martinelli suffered the greatest losses. He secretly hoped for his own death, but he survived. His twenty-six men would need him and he would be there for them. Many of his men discovered their demons during battle and committed atrocities that they would never have dreamed themselves capable of doing. He expected some to take their own lives, though Martinelli planned to fight to keep them safe. It was because of their willingness to become vampires that their city and loved ones survived. He would not let their guilt take that victory from them. He wanted them to realize that they deserved to enjoy life for all they had sacrificed. 

The brothers discussed plans of rebuilding their forces instead of letting attrition diminish them, but they decided to keep their numbers small. They knew that the soldiers would eventually want to turn their wives and children into vampires to live throughout eternity with them. So they allotted for that possibility as well. 

Therefore, you see, this is how vampires are created. Not all are made through great acts of evil, but through great acts of love during desperate times. That is the making of vampires. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor request

This is a multipart story that I would like someone to proof read for me. I need spelling, grammar, and correct word usage such as you're/your. Amazingly, I will type in words that don't belong such as "if" instead of "is" type of thing. Sometimes, words just mysteriously appear for no reason that make no sense in the sentence. I don't know why.

I don't really want much changed in my story. If something doesn't make sense or is confusing, I would greatly appreciate if you would let me know and offer suggestions. If something is passive voice, let me know. Otherwise, I don't like the editing that changes my story. I had another student change my sentences on a piece when I was at the university. Even the professor didn't understand the changes. Turns out, if my sentence was long, she tried to shorten it. If it was short, she tried to lengthen it. No real reason and her suggestions didn't add to the piece that I was working on. So I don't like that micro-editing type of thing. 

If you would like to edit for me, let me know. Send me a message through the "contact" section.

Thanks so much for your time and have fun reading. Leave comments and vote. Feedback is appreciated.

Veronica



The Making of Vampires Ch. 02



Chapter 2: August's Beast Chooses

August had not seen his wife, Direca, other than in passing, since the war began. Now, things had settled down and families were reuniting. He would do the same. He remembered the words of his brother, Gabriel, that love would keep the vampires grounded in humanity. He would need his wife more than ever now, but he didn't know how to tell her of his transformation. Maybe that secret could wait.

August would need to move his wife into the formal home of the city ruler, the mansion his father had established. Soon after his father had died, a messenger delivered the news to his wife, Direca, that August was the new city ruler. Due to the war, she was unable to move into their new home. 

He looked forward to seeing his son, again as well. Marcus was such a clever and joyful boy. The child would have the finest tutors, as with all children of his station. His tutors though, would do more than teach scholarly lessons. They would help prepare the boy for the mantle of leadership. Marcus was even more precious now that August could not have any more children. 

Opening the door to his old home, August discovered that all was quiet. He wondered of the location of his wife and son. He expected to find his wife sitting in the garden sewing at this time of day. He would go there to see her. Direca would also know the whereabouts of their son. 

He heard her voice, first, then he saw her sitting on the grass. Marcus laid beside her. August sighed with relief because he was with his family now. 

His son looked tired and August had a feeling that Direca was trying to make the little guy take a nap. He stood and just watched the scene unfold.

The boy fidgeted and kicked his feet. Although, he looked tired, Marcus had difficulty keeping his eyes closed. He breathed in great gulps of air, failing miserable at creating a convincing sound of someone snoring. August couldn't help but burst out with a laugh.

Marcus jumped up, "Daddy!" and ran to his father. Direca looked up and smiled at her husband. August held his arms out to his son and caught the child in a big hug. Marcus giggled planting kisses on his father's cheek and hugging his father's neck with a four year old's clingy grip. 

"I missed you, Daddy." Marcus squealed as he buried himself deeper in his father's hug. 

August held his son tight not wanting the moment to end. "I missed you too my little soldier." The war had been relatively short, but too long to remain away from one's family, especially a son such as his. 

Direca walked to her husband and kissed the top of his head. "I'll never get him to sleep now. He will be too excited."

August stood and returned the kiss to his wife's cheek. "That's okay. I could do with the added distraction."

Direca took her husband's hand in hers and led him into the house, "Are you hungry? I can have Marienta cook something for you."

August didn't need to eat food any longer, but he discovered that being a vampire meant that he enjoyed the sensual aspects of life, including the taste of food. "Yes, I would very much like that." 

The happy family walked into the house. August took Marcus into the dining room to wrestle with him on the pillows and Direca walked to the kitchen to tell Marienta to cook something for her husband. 

Direca entered the room to see her husband and son wrestling on the floor. Smiling she said, "So August, do you think that your little soldier can give you a reprieve from battle to allow us to discuss plans for moving?"

August rolled, arms wrapped around his son, onto his back. He stopped so that Marcus was on his chest. "So little man, do you think that your mom and I can talk about big people stuff?"

Marcus rolled off his father. "Sure Dad," and ran out of the room. "I'm going to play outside!" he hollered over his shoulder and then disappeared through the doorway. 

August chuckled. "Are you sure he still needs a nap? He seems to have plenty of energy and appears fine to me."

Direca placed her hands on her hips. "Well, dear husband, I need him to take the naps so that I might have some energy. I can't keep up with him anymore. He wears me out and I'm the one who really needs a nap, but there is no time for such luxuries for me."

Smiling, August reached for her hand, kissed her fingers, and pulled her onto his lap. Chuckling August replied, "I'm truly sorry, dear wife. I had no idea he was such a handful for you."

Direca sighed. "He is much like his father." She raised her eyebrows. "I know you want to talk of the move, but I need to tell you how sorry I am of your parents' deaths. The rumors say it was your grandfather, Pleotis, who killed them. That can't be true."

August didn't look at his wife. The wound of their deaths remained raw having occurred only a few weeks prior. "I'm afraid it is. Pleotis is insane and cannot be trusted. You and Marcus are never to go near him again. I fear he will kill all that he can."

Direca stiffened. "He used to be such a gentle and caring man."

August nodded. "But times of war will change a person, even if that person isn't fighting in the battles." He sighed and shook his head as if trying to shake away the memories. "Now, let's discuss the move."

Direca kissed his cheek. "Of course. I already have the slaves and servants packing crates."

August pulled her closer. "Good. The quicker you and Marcus are packed, the quicker you can be by my side."

She asked, "Are we going to take our servants and slaves or will they be dismissed and sold?" 

August thought a moment. "I think it is best that we bring them. The servants at the mansion already have plenty to do taking care of the daily stuff and tending to the soldiers. Gabriel has moved back since losing his wife and home, adding to their burden. You and Marcus might be more than they can deal with, especially if Marcus is as full of energy as you say."

Direca laughed. "Then please, may I hire additional help." Her face slowly sobered and her smile faded. "Is Gabriel okay?"

August shrugged. "I think he is doing as well as what can be expected. He keeps himself busy, but he doesn't talk about Eviena's death."

August heard the approaching foot falls. He expected someone to walk in with food and someone did. He looked up and felt a jolt of energy deep inside as if something had awakened. His fangs grew. He had to place his hands over his mouth to hide his growing teeth as he looked upon his wife's slave, Marienta.

Marienta was a Nubian captured during a slaver's travels. August bought her because she appeared so docile and meek in her shackles. Although, her beauty was an added bonus. August liked to look at pretty things, as he believed most men did.

Marienta's features were exotic. Her blacker than night hair curled in big loops on her head showing some mixing of race in her family's past. The richness of her skin was so intense that it appeared purple in just the right light. Her most remarkable feature were her eyes. Those eyes were a sparkling shade of jade contrasting to her skin in a dramatic fashion that made one forget to breathe. 

Something about her stirred something deep inside him. Her presence calmed him and made him want to protect her from any sadness or harm. He also wanted to provide for her and make her make her life comfortable. He wanted her to smile. He needed so see her smile. She had lowered her eyes and they remained so. 

August desired to hear her voice. He must have heard it before, but now he couldn't remember the sound. She had been with them prior to Marcus' birth. His wife's pregnancy was the reason for Marienta's purchase. Yet, he could not remember ever hearing her speak. He remained awestruck and couldn't look away. 

Marienta placed the platter of food on the table with lowered eyes. Her master had gazed at her intently. She thought his teeth had grown. She gave a respectful bow and waited for her dismissal. And waited and waited. The master didn't say anything so she remained with her gaze to the marbled floor. 

It was the harsh sound of Direca's angered voice that snapped August from his musings, "Marienta, you may leave us." 

The Nubian slave woman bowed and said, "As you wish, Mistress." Then she quickly left. 

August turned to his wife and saw her angry scowl. "Why were you mean to her?"

"I was mean to her? A lowly slave seeking the attentions my husband. How should I have acted?" Direca asked placing the full blame on her slave.

August's first instincts told him to defend Marienta. He didn't like the way his wife referred to her as a lowly slave, but as a leader, he knew when to proceed with caution. He messed up. His wife caught him gawking at another woman. He wasn't a fool, but he needed to placate her so his actions would be forgotten and dismissed. 

He shrugged, "Sorry. After witnessing the men fighting fiercely against the enemy, I am unused to anyone so timid, but as you said, she is a slave. I should expect little more. I am used to the forthright servants in the mansion and the bold soldiers under my command. Her behavior seems odd to me, now."

Direca relaxed against his arm. "Well, husband, perhaps you shouldn't stare at any women. No matter how odd you think them to be."

*** 

Marienta sat on her bed trying to slow her heart. Her master had a presence like no other time before. Her heart raced when she entered the room. Then she saw his teeth extend beyond his lips. She knew what that meant. Her village had dealt with their kind before. They were vampires. Her master was a vampire. 

She should tell someone, but she wouldn't. She couldn't. Her heart wouldn't let her. She wanted to keep her master safe and protect his secret. That was the duty of a loyal slave. Yet, it was more than that to her. For some reason, she felt an unusual sense of loyalty to him now and she didn't understand why. 

Marienta realized it was daylight. Her master should be burning from the sun. She shook her head. Maybe he wasn't a vampire. Maybe he was something else. Something that wasn't evil or dangerous. She lay back on her bed staring at the ceiling. She grew more confused. 

Marienta wanted to be with her master and please him with her body. She wanted pleasure from him, too, but that wasn't the kind of man he was. That was why she felt safe living there. He wasn't like some of the selfish masters using their slaves and forgetting they were people, too. Despite all that, she couldn't get him out of her thoughts or those improper things she wanted to do with him out of her mind. 

She felt the longing for him grow in her chest. Her heart fluttered and her breath quickened. Marienta felt her nipples harden through her filmy gown that now felt too rough and heavy. She lifted the gown from her body and delighted at the cool air soothing her flesh.

She traced her fingers lightly along her arms watching as bumps rose, a reaction to the tingling sensation on her skin. She massaged her neck trying to relax. Her hands dropped in a slow path tracing lightly over her hardened nipples. She needed more. She pinched the pebbled nubs moaning from the delectable sensation. 

Pushing one of her large breasts up, she sucked the hard nipple through her lips and bit down gently with her teeth. A heat exploded in her core forcing one of her hands to plummet into her depths. Finding the bundle of nerves in the valley between her legs, she slowly caressed as the wetness coated her fingers. She needed more. She rammed them deep, in and out, moaning as the need for release escalated. Still, she wanted more. 

Her eyes searched her room passing over a thick, unlit candle on her table. Her attention refocused onto that candle. She grabbed it pushing the blunt end into her slit feeling a delicious sensation from her core. Her legs parted on their own accord and she worked the golden beeswax candle in and out of her hole with increasing speed. 

She bit tighter onto her nipple and rubbed her clit faster. She felt so good. She didn't want this to end. Touching herself had never caused such a consuming flame to burst within her body. Then she heard a deep intake of breath and looked over to see one of the male servants watching her, an erection already formed between his legs. He stepped in and closed the door.

The man untied his trousers and pulled his hardened shaft free. He stroked his cock and gazed upon her naked body. He groaned as he watched the candle move in and out of her wet slit. He took a step closer, but stopped at the look on her face. 

Marienta shook her head slowly, her nipple still held between her teeth. She didn't want anyone to touch her except August, only August. His face flooded her mind and she closed her eyes to think of him. She imagined him standing there watching her pleasure herself. With that thought, a sensation of electricity shot from her clit piercing her hole and rushed to her nipples. The sensation left her breathless. 

She moaned louder as wetness pooled between her legs. The man groaned as if pained. Her movements grew erratic. She lifted her hips to pummel her pussy with the candle. The man cried out in ecstasy. She imagined he was August cuming for her and she tumbled over the edge of the bed screaming as she felt her release. 

The male servant walked over, pulled the candle from her hole, and left with it, as she lay helpless and panting. 

*** 

August finished eating and wiped his face and hands with the napkin. "I want our house guards to move to the mansion as well. They will be responsible for guarding Marcus, you, and our rooms. No need to have just anyone walk in to our private chambers. We need the additional security and we can afford it now." He stretched. "Besides. The active soldiers will feel insulted if relegated to babysitting services to a four year old. I won't have any feel slighted or insulted in anyway. I wouldn't trust an angered soldier to keep Marcus safe."

Direca nodded and waited. She had expected her husband to include her safety, as well, in his concerns, but he didn't. She tried to ignore the hurt, but quickly it turned into anger as she remembered the look on her husband's face as he gazed at Marienta. She feared a hidden meaning in that look. 

August laid back on the pillows and continued. "We don't want Mom or Dad's rooms used by anyone. We are sealing those rooms to all but a few. We carefully selected servants to clean the rooms and keep the linens fresh. The jewelry and other valuables have been locked away."

Direca tried to keep the frustrated look off her face, but August saw it.

"What is it?" he asked.

Trying to hide that she coveted her mother's jewelry, she said, "I was just thinking of Marcus. He may find something of sentimental value from his grandparents. He shouldn't be denied any access to their rooms, especially since they were taken so suddenly from us. He may need that in order to better remember them by. After all, he is their only living grandchild."

August shook his head. "There is no need for that. My brothers and I discussed it. The wounds are too fresh and we want time to grieve. Besides, he is only four. Marcus is too young to appreciate any items from his grandparents and to understand the sentimental value of those items. He has no concept of materialistic value. He can wait." Then he added. "Marcus isn't the only heir. Martinelli will have a child soon. Depending on if it is a boy or a girl, which will determine inheritance for Marcus as well. Either, he shall share Father's belongings with a boy cousin or he will have it all if he has a girl cousin. We decided that a girl cousin shall get all of Mother's stuff."

Direca didn't like hearing that none of the jewelry would be available to her. "Husband, that seems wrong. What of other babies to come? You should divide the inheritance equally among you three sons. Each of you getting a third of your father's belongings and each getting a third of your mother's belongings. Then you can pass the riches down to your children and not have to worry about future cousins. It seems only fair. With the current plan, Gabriel's children get nothing." She really hoped to sway her husband. Her mother had some of the city's fanciest jewels, incredibly valuable and envied by many. She wanted others to envy her as she wore those gems. 

August turned slowly to his wife and in a deadly calm answered, "No." 

Direca opened her mouth to argue her point, but he silenced her before she could say anything else. "I'm going back to the mansion." August stood exiting quickly from the room. He stepped into the hallway and heard noises coming from the study. Wondering if it was Marienta, he walked to the open door and glanced in to the room.

He saw three servants cleaning the room. Nothing happened to his fangs. He felt nothing stir inside his body. He watched each woman and he didn't find their shapely bodies interesting in any way. He wondered why Marienta had affected him so. 

August craved for her. He wanted to look upon her face again. He wanted to feel the calm that her presence gave him. Instead, he decided to look for his son, Marcus, to say good-bye. He walked down the hall to the garden door opening it. Marcus spun in circles on the grass giggling. August couldn't help but smile. Any child filled with joy would bring a happiness to an adult, but this was his son. Marcus had a special way of warming his heart and giving him hope for the future. He especially needed that reassurance now since he and his brothers had turned into vampires. 

August felt a hand grasp his. It was his wife. He knew her touch. He refused to look at her. He was still angry and he wouldn't forgive her so easily. He didn't like or trust her interest in his parents' belongings as their inheritance didn't concern her. They weren't her parents. 

"Come lie with me, my husband. Let me take the war weariness from your body." Direca pulled gently at his arm. She wouldn't allow him to leave angry with her. She wouldn't allow him to deny her the beautiful jewelry of his mother. 

August acquiesced and followed to her room. She laid down on the bed and patted the goose down mattress. He joined her wrapping his arms around her, but something didn't feel quite right. She kissed his lips and he tried to kiss her back, but his lips wouldn't part. This was wrong. He felt it. Everything felt wrong. She felt wrong. It was as if he was with a stranger instead of his wife.

Direca thought her husband was stubborn and showing his displeasure for her prior behavior. She would allow the insult for not much longer and she continued to curry his favor. She would leave her gown on for now, go slow, and play at his game. 

She gently grasped his hand and placed it on her breast. August flew off the bed. He felt a deep inner revulsion that made him nauseous. He examined her body with horror on his face. This was very wrong, but he didn't understand why. He just knew he couldn't touch her. He couldn't make love her to her at all. 

Direca saw the look of disgust on her husband's face and could no longer contain her anger, "What's wrong? I'm not a slave?"

August didn't take the bait and calmly replied, "No, you're a manipulative wife who wants access to my parents' belongings." Direca's mouth dropped open from shock. August turned and left her room without another word closing the door. He hoped that placing a barrier between them would ease his tension. It didn't. He distrusted his wife's motives and he certainly didn't understand his own or his behavior. 

August walked to the garden. Marcus sat on the ground poking a stick at an ant hill. August called, "Hey, little man, do you want to stay with me a while at the mansion?"

Marcus beamed a smile at his father, "Sure! Is mom coming?"

August shook his head, "No." He purposely did not give any indication if or when she would join them. He had no idea what was going on. He had to ask Gabriel. Maybe his brother knew what was happening. 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 03



Servants moved Direca's belongings into the room August had chosen for her. It wasn't the grandest room on the second floor, but they did as they were told. They were good at following orders. After, they moved her properly into her room, they would finish with young Marcus' belongings. 

Direca pouted as she stood in the center of her room. It was hardly fitting for someone of her status. There was another room on this floor better suited for her. Prior to moving in, she looked at all the rooms to ensure she was getting the finest one. She wasn't.

The insults didn't stop. August and his brothers barred her from the rooms of their deceased parents. They barred others, but she took offense at the rule. Her husband and his brothers decided any inheritance would go directly to the grandchildren. 

If she were in charge, Direca would have used any jewelry or other valuable items until she died. Then she would have passed them on to the grandchildren...unless some of the jewelry and other valuables should adorn her corpse. 

Her thoughts brought her back to the current situation. She didn't' understand why this was her room. Then a horrible thought struck her. She wanted to see Marienta's room. Direca would not tolerate her husband giving that grand room to any servant, let alone a slave. The humiliation would be too much.

Turning to one of the mansion servants, Direca said, "I want to see my slave's quarters."

Quintes bowed low, "Yes, Mistress. As you wish." He turned and walked from the room expecting Direca to follow. 

She almost turned the wrong way when Quintes turned right. Direca expected to go to the left in the direction of the elegant room, because she was so convinced of her husband's admiration of her slave, Marienta. Relief washed over her features as he took her to the tiny room directly off the stairs. 

Smiling at the servant she said, "Thank you, Quintes. Now, I need you to move my belongings into the largest room on this floor, the beautifully decorated one."

Quintes gave her a quick bow replying, "I'm sorry, Mistress, we have our orders."

Direca's hand shot out and slapped the servant hard, turning his face, and leaving a perfect red imprint of her hand on his cheek. 

Quintes bowed again. "Yes, Mistress, I understand your dismissal of my services and I respect that you no longer want or need my skills." He turned descending the stairs with a grace and dignity of one whose years of service had bred a granite strength of confidence. 

Direca was shocked. "I did not dismiss you from our employ." Quintes ignored her and continued down the stairs. "I did NOT dismiss you." He kept walking. "I DID NOT DISMISS YOU FROM OUR EMPLOYE!" 

The other servants heard her and stepped into the hallway. They saw Quintes' head vanish out of view. They formally bowed to her, turned, and descended the staircase following Quintes.

Direca was confused. She had not fired any of them, yet, they were leaving. Quickly, she glanced back into her room. No people remained. Only large crates sat in various locations in the room. 

Hearing footsteps grow louder from the stairs, she turned to see August's scowling face. He slowly walked to her and stopped in front of her.

"Why did you strike Quintes?" he asked in a low voice. 

Direca feigned frustration, "He wouldn't do as I asked. I was glad that he and the other servants left. We don't need any like them."

August leaned against the wall. "Well, I'm glad that you think so. The contract that mother negotiated for the house servants, indicated that if they suffered any violence or mistreatment then they would receive a year's pay for compensation of abuse."

Her mouth fell open. "Well, that is ridiculous. Why would she be foolish enough to do that?"

August was angry before, but the insult to his mother reddened his face. "She was not foolish. Mother was a lady, well-mannered and sophisticated. She believed the clause in the contract gave the servants the message of how important they were to her. She never thought it would have to be used."

Direca tried to placate her husband. "I never knew about the clause. We will just hire more servants."

He shook his head. "We can't. You have no idea how drained the funds are going to be in order to pay each servant for a year's work."

She tried to minimize her actions by saying, "Then just raise taxes."

August shook his head, "No." She tried to speak, but he interjected, "And the festivities to celebrate my rule with the socially elite have to be canceled. We can't afford that, either."

This was too much for Direca to take. She had waited a long time for people to honor her as their better. "Just raise taxes. It can't be that hard."

August reigned his temper. "I will not raise taxes because my wife cannot act like a proper woman of her station and instead behaves like a bar brawling wench. How common do you wish to appear?"

Direca's initial instinct was to slap her husband for saying such a thing, but slapping someone was the reason she was in this predicament. "We can have Marienta fill in for the servants who have left."

He asked, "Who will care for Marcus?"

She gave him an adoring smile, "I will. I am the boy's mother."

August didn't bother to hide the sarcasm from his voice. "You believe Marienta capable of cooking the meals for us and the soldiers, to single handedly clean the mansion, and to assist my brothers whenever we need her to. You think she is capable of all that. Well, we really have been wasting money on servants if only one slave can manage where a full staff had difficulty." He rubbed his chin thinking. "Let's do an experiments. For a week, you will watch and care for Marcus with no help from anyone. Marienta will be the assistant to my brothers and my generals. Then you decide if you need her or not to help with our son."

She didn't like the sound of that, but nodded. She didn't always like spending time with the boy and always insisted on helping him to nap so she could limit their interaction. "And who shall help with the cleaning?"

August turned to walk away, "Our house servants shall do all the cleaning, but don't expect to see them much. This is a bigger place than our house from where we moved. Have fun unpacking." 

Direca was quickly running out of time. Her opportunity slipped away the farther August walked from her and she blurted out, "So you understand why I need to have the larger bedroom and why this one won't do." She smiled as his footsteps halted. She had his attention now.

The anger within him was irrational. August understood that. He knew his wife had a right to claim the better chambers, but he didn't want to keep the room from Marienta. To give it to his wife seemed wrong. The room should go to the woman who would keep him connected to his humanity. 

Deliberately, he turned and said, "No." Then August spun on his heels and quickened his pace down the hall. 

Direca, still smiling, called, "I'm going to take it anyway. It should be mine. Who else would have it?"

August stopped again, took a deep breath, and turned reluctantly to look at his wife. "You will not disobey me. You have no one to help you move your crates. Besides, I'm giving it to Marcus, the next ruler of the city. Unless you believe Marcus should not have a grand room to call his own, a place where he can study and have some peace?" He glared at his wife. He didn't mind giving the room to his son for all the reasons that he stated and he didn't feel as though he were betraying Marienta. 

Direca didn't know a lot about strategy, but she understood that he had bested her. She was in no position to deny her son anything. Her son was the reason she would live nicely in the years to come. She had given birth to the next ruler. She had no choice, but to acquiesce.

"Of course, husband. It should go to Marcus." She even curtsied to show her elegance and breeding. 

August didn't acknowledge her any longer. He stormed to the stairs. He was sick of her and her games. He was tired of all the problems she caused. There were no mansion servants, because of her. There was no one to move his son's belongings into the large bedroom, because of her. He had to get the soldiers to move his son's belongings into that room before Direca came up with a reason of why she should claim it from her son. 

August felt as though he married a pampered whore who used her body and sexuality as a weapon. She was hardly the woman to sit alongside a ruler such as him. She was someone who sought social status. She was someone who used him. She was someone with her own agenda. 

At the bottom of the stairs, he steadied himself grabbing the rail. August knew that his unhappiness was because of his inner beast, but Direca wasn't helping. She did her best to manipulate him. He wondered if she had always been that way or if this was a recent development. 

Her demand for the bedroom was strange and persistent. She should not have thought twice about it. She should have expected a move to the upper floors after he and his brothers were finished mourning their parents.

August felt a dread settle into his stomach. Direca knew. She suspected. She knew that he wanted to give the room to Marienta. There was no other reason for her to want the room, let alone demand that it be hers. 

August must hide Marienta. He had to hide her before Direca punished or harmed her slave in anyway. He felt his demon stir at the thought of Marienta being in danger because of his wife. He had trouble thinking straight. 

He would buy a house for Marienta, in the country, with guards to protect her from any harm. He would keep her safe and hidden until they could marry, until he could turn her into a vampire. 

August ran back up the stairs to tell Marienta. He would explain his feelings and convince her to leave. He must keep her safe. If she refused, he would take her forcefully from the mansion and hide her against her will. This he would do for her own good. 

He stopped at the closed door to Marienta's room. He heard shuffling and a crash. He pushed open the door and stood immobile. Direca fought with Marienta. Direca held a knife and Marienta held her mistress' wrists. The two women shuffled back and forth.

Hatred hissed from Direca. "I spent many years waiting to be August's wife. I spent many years fawning over him and pretending to adore everything about him. I'll not have you steel anything from me or ruin my future."

Marienta pleaded, "Please, Mistress, I want to take nothing from you. I'm your servant."

Direca continued her tirade. "You're my slave, not my servant. I deserve much more than I have gotten. His mother's jewels should be mine. I was a dutiful wife. I bore him a worthless bastard of a son. I'll not lose my position as wife of the ruler now. Not when I'm so close to having everyone recognize me as their superior." She jerked her hands free and swung the knife wide, but made contact. 

A line of blood appeared across Marient's stomach. The beast in August erupted and he transformed. His fangs extended. Ridges appeared on his brow. Wings sprouted from his back. His whole body enlarged shredding the clothes from his body. He moved faster than possible, his form appearing as a blur. He moved to protect his one true love. He grabbed Direca by her upraised arm as she prepared to slash again into Marienta's body. He flung her across the room and never noticed the sickening thud when she landed. 

Marienta stood motionless, eyes locked on the creature before. Fear paralyzed her. She expected death. She had never seen anything like the creature before her. She closed her eyes not wanting to see the end coming. 

August felt strange, but knew what was happening. He viewed the events as if from down a tunnel, even as he looked through his own eyes. His senses were off, his body too sensitive in every way. He felt her panicked breath against his chest. He felt her fear and he didn't like it. 

Gently, he reached for her cheek stroking her soft skin. "Never fear me, Marienta. I cannot hurt you." She whimpered. "Look at me sweetheart. Everything will be fine, just look at me."

Marienta opened her eyes. The monster looked down at her with his sad gray eyes, the same gray eyes that August had. "Master, is that you?" she asked.

The monster that was August nodded, "But don't call me 'Master' anymore, Marienta." He bent slowly cupping her face to give her a tender kiss on her lips." She didn't pull away, but pressed her lips against his in return. 

A small voice from the doorway asked, "Am I the worthless bastard?"

August and Marienta look at the doorway to see Marcus. Marienta wanted to comfort the child, moved away from August, and tried to walk to the boy. She felt a burning in her stomach and looked down. Her dress was torn. She bled onto the ripped fabric. She saw spots, then collapsed. August closed the distance and knelt by her side placing his hand in her chest to feel her heartbeat. 

Martinelli ran into the room pushing Marcus aside to keep him safe from the danger. Direca laid beside the wall, face down in a heap. Marienta lay unconscious on the floor, a monster beside her. The monster garnered his attention, not the overwhelming smell of blood in the room. The presence of that monster alerted his instincts to danger, even before his eyes spotted the creature.

Gabriel ran into the room dodging the small sitting form of his nephew in the doorway. "What is going on? I felt the danger of someone." His eyes focused on the monster. "August? Is that you?"

The creatuve nodded. He raised a hand noticing that it was bigger, more muscular than his normal hand. A dark graveled voice passed his lips. "I do not know what happened. Direca cut Marienta. Then, deep inside, I felt a rage explode and fight for escape. My only goal was to save Marienta. I really have no clue what happened."

The brothers felt a coldness enter the room. They heard Marcus whimper. Through the door passed three men decked in armor and swords strapped to their sides. Each man exuded power. 

The first man was the tallest, with black hair, dark brown eye, and olive colored skin. He looked around the room. 

The second man looked much like the first, but an inch or so shorter. He wore a tan cape that billowed as he walked. 

The third man, the least imposing of the trio, had the lightest complexion making his black hair and brown eyes appear even darker. He asked, "Do I make the child forget?"

The tallest man looked around the room and said, "Yes. He doesn't need to remember this." He looked at Marienta. August growled low and pulled her unconscious form against him. The man chuckled. "I don't want your woman, August. We are here to help you, the three of you."

Martinelli, unsure of the stranger's definition of 'help', moved in front of August. "I'll not let you kill him. We can leave the city and no one will know of the monster."

The tall man smiled and looked at his two companions. "No one needs to leave. The 'monster' will go away as soon as August drinks her blood. Only that will appease the 'monster' at this stage. If the 'monster' waits too long, he will have to make love to her unconscious body to be appeased."

August looked at Marienta's face. It seemed wrong and as though he was violating her in some way, by taking her blood as she lay helpless. She wasn't one of the humans intended strictly for food. He loved her.

The tall man said, "Trust me, August. You need to drink before your beast grows wild and rampages through the city."

August replied, "She is injured and bleeding. Taking more blood will not help her."

The tall man sighed and spoke as if talking to a child. "When you feed from humans, do the marks remain?"

August shook his head. "No, the magic of the fangs seals the wound."

The tall man nodded. "So maybe the magic of your fangs will cause other wounds to heal as well. Drink. I grow bored trying to teach you the basics."

August felt his body shake as he bent to drink from the woman he loved. He was unsure if it was from the anticipation of tasting her blood or from fear of harming her. As though she were a fragile porcelain doll, he held her precious body with utmost care. He placed his fangs on her neck, the spot of the cornucopia of her blood. Slowly, he pierced her flesh lest he move too quickly harming her or causing her pain. 

The instant his fangs pierced her veins; he was inundated with the taste of her blood. The euphoria was beyond compare. He should not have waited so long. He was lost in the haze of joy, wanting it to last forever.

August felt hands on his arms pulling him away from his nirvana. He growled fighting to remain in his state of bliss. The pull was insistent. He fought harder. Then voices invaded into his consciousness.

"She is not strong enough to transition to one of us. You have not prepared her." Said a deep voice, not one of his brothers.

The words made no sense. The words were upsetting. He wanted to feast. He wanted all of Marienta.

Marient!

August unceremoniously dropped the body in his arms and pushed away so quickly he hit the wall hard behind him. His hands were back to normal, but before he could inspect the rest of his body, someone lifted him to his feet. He looked behind him, recognized the tall man, and searched the room for his brothers. 

The two other strangers held his struggling brothers. The strangers were stronger than his brothers, but his brothers were vampires. His brothers should have been stronger. That when he remembered the strange sensation that occurred when the three strangers walked into the room. They exuded power. They were vampires! Again, he turned to look at the man holding him with new understanding.

The tall man smiled, "Well, good. Now that you are back to normal, let us begin. I'm Uruku. These men," he held an open hand toward the strangers holding Martinelli and Gabriel, "are my sons, Anorak and Vankox." 

The sons nodded at August and released his brothers. Uruku tossed him a blanket. He looked at it confused until he remembered the sound of ripping clothes. He was naked and he wrapped the blanket to cover his body. 

He remembered Marienta, dropped to his knees, and placed his fingers on her neck. She was so still, but he felt the rhythm of her heart. He almost sighed with relief. He parted the ripped fabric on the front of her dress to expose her stomach. Instead of seeing an open wound, he saw smooth flesh with some dried blood. Not liking the image, August wiped her as clean as he could with his bare hands. 

Uruku continued, "We knew someone had read the scroll, but by the time we got to the library, it was back on the shelf. We would have kept an eye on you to help prevent this kind of thing, had we known who you were. At least we don't have to kill you."

Gabriel stepped forward. "Why would you have to kill us?"

Uruku gave a sad smile, "Because those who cannot control their demons are a danger to us all. If the demons run free, they search for hedonistic pleasure until they are lost in it. You saw the way your brother struggled after he returned to his normal self. Drinking from your chosen lover is one of the most amazing experiences a vampire can have. Starting that drink as the demon gives the vampire little self-control. Imagine the result if I hadn't pulled him away. A mourning vampire is nearly as dangerous as an uncontrolled inner beast. Havoc. Killing is the only way to keep the other vampires and humans safe. You were willing to fight to protect your brother's beast. You had no idea of the consequences."

Martinelli understood the pull of the hedonistic lifestyle. "Is there nothing we can do to prevent our beasts from escaping?"

Uruku said, "Sure there is. You can give the beast pleasure. You will feel it encouraging you, repeatedly, to enjoy things, but don't lose control. Make sure it knows you are in charge and you can keep it tame. If you give the beast the upper hand, you become the slave." 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 04



I would like to thank RoadWarrior for editing. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into helping me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





 Thirty years have passed.

The vampires stood outside the city walls. They left their homes. They left their city. A new home awaited, somewhere. 

Marcus was one of them, now. He joined his father's army and his father's vampires. He refused the mantle of leadership for which his tutors had prepared him. He refused to lead a city that would not accept Marienta as their leader's wife. 

A few years after Direca's disappearance, August married Marienta. The ruling elite boycotted his wedding festivities. They would not bow to a former slave. They would not accept a former slave as the legal wife of their ruler. 

August accepted their decision and no longer showed favor to them or any of the ruling elite when passing laws or presiding over disagreements. His actions caused hard feelings amongst the high-class citizens of the city. Many challenged him to duels. He accepted with the stipulation that the losing party would forfeit their land and wealth to the winner. Many rescinded their challenges, but too many foolishly accepted not understanding their opponent was a vampire, stronger and faster than any mere humans were. 

August shared his good fortune with the city. He kept the coins, but used the homes and lands of the losers for hospitals, schools, and homes for the orphans and war widows. 

No one except the rich complained when they saw family or friends lose their property and thus their status. Ironically, the elite didn't complain about someone losing their life, just the family wealth. After only a couple of years, the challenges to August's rule stopped. The rich no longer fought what they considered unfair laws or rulings. 

Marcus refused to rule a city that would not accept his stepmother who he considered more caring than his biological mother. He could not remember the cruel comments she said about him on the day of her death, but he remembered the way she made him feel on other occasions. He felt unloved and unwanted by his mother. Marienta, on the other hand, never made him feel that way. She always hugged and kissed him. She played with him and made him laugh. He knew she wanted to be with him.

After his father sent him into hiding, he missed Marienta so badly that he begged to have a message sent to his father asking for her company. August resisted until after he wed her and realized how hostile some of the citizens were of her presence. Then he sent Marienta to care for Marcus for her safety as much as his son's comfort. He visited them nightly, with the aid of a magic ring. 

The ring was a gift from Gabriel. Gabriel ensorcelled the ring to transport August to his family and back to the mansion. Gabriel also ensured that his brother would be the only one able to use the ring lest it fell into enemy hands. It would respond to no one else so Marienta and Marcus would be safe with their guards and the tutors. 

Marcus walked to his father. "Well, shall we leave? Even the sight of the city leaves a bad feeling in my stomach."

August patted his son's shoulder. "Yes, let us go. Though, I find it difficult to leave the city that holds so many memories for me." He called over his shoulder, "Martinelli, lead with your men. My men will take up the rear." 

Gabriel called out, "Yes, and my men will be in the center near the women to keep them safe."

August was satisfied. Everyone knew their roles. He pulled out his map. The group would go north. They heard rumors of vampires to the north. They hoped to join the other vampires for safety and for comradery. They wanted a home and a community that accepted all. 

Barbarians controlled the northern frozen lands. August and his vampires did not know if the vampires were a part of the native barbarians or another group surviving in the cold regions. Optimism wasn't in abundance. Skepticism prevailed; They expected to find no living vampires. They expected to have to continue their search for a new home. 

***

The group traveled for months, carrying little. They brought coin and treasure, but no domestic animals. It was faster to travel without animals to slow them down. If they battled, they would not have to worry of the safety of any horses or livestock. 

After a snowstorm, the group discovered a small village in the valley of two mountains. Snow blanketed the region and frosted the buildings as if they were cakes. Many heartbeats echoed a steady march to the traveling vampires. Gabriel found one louder than the others and, almost helplessly, hunted for the woman whose chest it beat in. 

Martinelli grabbed Gabriel's arm, "What are you doing?" The glazed look on his brother's face concerned him.

Gabriel shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I have to go to her. I have to find her."

August smirked. "Our brother has found his future wife." Then he swept his arm out as if clearing a path for his younger brother to march into the village to find the woman whose heart called to him. 

Gabriel followed the sound. It drove him faster. It led him to the long low building of logs mortared with mud. Sounds came from inside. The voices of many people combined to form a chaotic chorus of conversations. 

Gabriel reached for the door, his nerves twisted and tight. Opening the heavy wooden door, he saw long tables filled with food. People gathered around long tables smiling and talking. The calling heartbeat made him turn right. He spotted his heart's desire immediately and walked to her. His brothers and their men followed. 

She sat with her legs curled under her leaning against the legs a large wooden chair. She, unlike many of the women in the room, had clothes on her body. In the chair sat a large man. He had no heartbeat and he looked steely-eyed at the new combers. The room grew quiet with only the click of mugs and utensils announcing their return to the tables.

August stepped forward. He knew they faced a vampire. He also knew that other vampires mingled among the humans at the tables. He was surprised that he could recognize the presence of other vampires and he understood the other vampires could detect him and his company. 

August cleared his throat. "We have traveled far for food and shelter. Would you offer hospitality?"

The large man in the chair sighed. "Who do I have the honor of meeting?" The tone of his voice contradicted his words. He wasn't honored to meet any of them.

August continued anyway. "I am August of Osentia, and these two are my brothers, Gabriel and Martinelli."

The sitting man rolled his eyes. "Nice to meet you. I'm Andrecles of anywhere I wish. August is an unusual name. Isn't it really Augustus?"

August nodded. "Yes, that is my full name, but nobody uses it, not even in formal settings. Everyone has called me August since I was a child, even my father who chose my name." He kept Andrecles' attention on him and not on his brother, Gabriel.

Andrecles kicked his leg over the wooden arm of his chair slouching to the side. "What of your grandfather. What did he call you?"

August paused a moment before answering wondering why his grandfather would matter in this conversation. "He also called me August."

Andrecles rubbed his chin as in thought. "He was such a disappointment to me. I expected so much more from him."

August realized he looked upon the vampire who turned his grandfather, but tried to keep his face neutral. "You knew my grandfather?"

Andrecles smirked. "Yes, I knew Pleotis. He showed promise, but then crawled back to me without an arm begging for help to conquer his city and tame his grandsons. I knew better. A vampire who has failed so miserably in his first days of life has no use to me. So, I banished him from my sight with a threat of death if he should ever return. From time to time, my men report seeing him wandering the forest in the company of a human woman." He chuckled. "Even vampires grow lonely."

August nodded. "Then you know what we are."

Andrecles winked. "Of course. Just as you know what I and some of my favorite men are."

August scanned the room noting the various vampires though out the room. "I notice that no women are among your ranks." He was glad that he left his wife outside the village guarded by his son. 

Andrecles shrugged. "The only ones I would allow to be turned are the ones who stirred our beasts, but that hasn't happened yet. I want the women to know their place and behave in a suitable manner. They need to be pleasing and serve us as we desire."

Gabriel's eyes drifted back to the woman sitting at Andrecles' feet. He needed to have her. He needed to take and protect her. He needed her beside him. 

The woman sat with her eyes lowered to the floor. Only crescent moon slivers of blue showed of her irises. Her blond hair fell forward helping to hide her face showing the tip of her pixie nose. Fear blanketed her. 

Gabriel could not determine if her fear was a constant or because they were there. He assumed her meek and cowering form developed from her interaction with the man in the chair. He had to take her away from him. 

Andrecles' lowered voice crept through the air to Gabriel's ears, "So, my Sophia draws you attention...or should I say that she draws you beast." He smirked as he saw the expression on Gabriel's face change to surprise. "Yes, I can feel your beast stirring. It is because I am so old that I know much."

Gabriel spoke with trepidation, "Then you understand my need to have her."

Andrecles shrugged. "I know, but do not care. Even if you hadn't chosen one so valuable to my company, I would have denied you. I share nothing and I give nothing. That is how I stay strong. That is how I maintain control, how I survive."

Gabriel almost choked. His anger flared and he stepped forward to confront and attack the vampire that prevented him from being with his heart's desire. He would take her and destroy Andrecles.

A hand grabbed his arm. Martinelli pulled him back and stepped forward instead. He released his brother's arm and purposely looked Andrecles up and down, showing judgment on his face. He was antagonizing the leader.

Martinelli shrugged. "I'm my brother's general. I lead our forces and I see nothing impressive in front of me. I challenge your rule, a battle to the death."

People gasped at the sudden nonchalant challenge. Gabriel startled and reached for his younger brother, but August intervened. They knew Martinelli would die for either of them, but it wasn't necessary. Negotiations could still prevail. 

August cleared his throat, "So brother, am I to assume that you wish a rule of your own. Should you not give leadership to me?"

Martinelli shook his head. "No, dear brother. I wish for no rule over anyone. He rules over slaves. When I defeat him, I shall set them all free. They can decide to join your ranks or to set off by themselves."

Gabriel quickly added, "But Martinelli, a fight to the death isn't necessary. What if you lose?"

Martinelli never looked at his brother, just straight ahead at the vampire he challenged, "Then the pain deep inside me will end."

***  

The challenge took place the next morning at sun up. They stood in a clearing at the foot of one of the rocky mountains. Trees lined the clearing and snow blanketed the ground. 

Martinelli whispered as only a vampire could understanding that Andrecles, and those loyal to Andrecles, could hear as well or better than their young vampire ears could hear. "Gabriel, August, you two must protect yourselves anyway possible. The trees could hide any number of his men. They will attack you two in order to gain our own men once we three are dead." He glanced around quickly. "Marcus, along with the new ones and the wives, are hidden. They will not be in danger or at risk, but you two are. Expect treachery. Expect deceit. Expect anything. Andrecles will not fight fair."

Gabriel smiled and pulled out a ring from a pouch. "Yes, little brother. Put this on. It will reflect any harmful magic back to the caster or magical item. August and I already have ours on. My spell casters also have various magical objects that will keep them safe. We will not cheat, but we will not allow them to do so, either." He gave his brother a worried smile unsure of the tricks or cheats Andrecles may have planned. 

Martinelli nodded a thanks to his brother and asked, "How are you doing, Gabriel? You are so close to your beloved, yet, unable to approach."

Gabriel sighed, "I probably would be worse, but I am worried about losing one or both of my brothers right now. After you kill him, I'll approach her. I'll court her then."

August chuckled. "You are such an old fashioned soul. Court her. Just take her make her yours."

Gabriel shook his head. "No, she behaves in a manner that shows mistreatment. I'll not do the same to her." He looked at Martinelli. "Good luck and may you always be the victor." 

August and Gabriel stepped away from Martinelli. He would need space to move and think. They had a great deal of faith in his fighting prowess. They had seen him in battle. They knew his capabilities. Unfortunately, they knew nothing of the fighting abilities of Andrecles. Neither, did they know of his honor in battle. They feared the worst. 

Martinelli stretched his arms and flexed his legs. It was more for show than need, but it was part of the intimidation method of showing his opponent flexed muscles. It worked great with humans. He had no idea how it would work with vampires. 

Smiling sardonically, Andrecles approached the center of the clearing to meet Martinelli. "Once we start the battle, it doesn't end until one of us is dead." He lifted his large sword placing the flat of the blade against his forehead.

That one little gesture told Martinelli a great deal of information. The man could not be much older than Martinelli and his brothers. The gesture of placing the flat of the blade against one's forehead was a tradition started only decades before as a sign of bestowing respect onto your opponent. That meant the vampire was not much stronger than Martinelli. He had a very good chance of winning this fight. It also told Martinelli his opponent was a soldier and would have skills to match or surpass his own. 

Martinelli matched the gesture, but with a slight flaw. Only a well-trained soldier would notice that he touched his head with the hilt and not the flat of the blade. Andrecles noticed. His face faltered for just a moment before he removed any hint of confusion from his features. Martinelli did not react. He now knew his opponent was experienced and well trained. He now knew that the battle would be a tough one. And hopefully, his opponent mistakenly would lower his own expectations of Martinelli to offer that one opening that would afford victory. 

They separated and circled, sizing each other up. Neither unlocked their eyes from the other's stare. Each used their peripheral vision to judge their opponent and calculate any possible weakness. 

Andrecles made the first strike, accompanied with an unearthly speed. Martinelli easily blocked it with his own preternatural speed. Andrecles left a purposeful opening, which he watched Martinelli take. Only a fool would take the opening, a huge mistake. Andrecles struck out slashing a huge gash across his opponent's back. Martinelli screamed in pain and staggered.

Martinelli's scream of pain was real. He intentionally took the opening knowing his opponent would have a clear attack of his back. This was part of his plan, to lull his opponent into a false sense of security. He pretended to stagger. He heard the shuffle of feet indicating Andrecles moved to a better position; He moved closer.

August watched his younger brother battle Andrecles. He understood Martinelli's tactics even if he didn't like the results. He knew what his youngest brother planned and he watched in anticipation of his brother's win as he kept his face emotionless.

Gabriel grimaced as Andrecles sliced open his younger brother's back. He hated watching duels with his brothers, but did so out of loyalty. If either of his brothers were to die in a duel, then he would be there to see their last moments, to be a witness to their bravery.

He glanced away, the intensity of the situation before him being too great. His eyes fell upon Sophia standing at the edge of the tree line. Vampire guards surrounded her. She mumbled, but Gabriel focused and could hear her words. She was casting a spell. Gabriel remembered the ring he gave his brother. She was casting a spell that would cause a vampire some damage, but kill a human. 

Gabriel had little time. He picked up a handful of snow throwing it at her with a spell of his own. He said the words that caused the snow to expand covering Sophia and the group. The vampires weren't bothered, but Sophia fell disrupting her spell. 

Gabriel hollered, "They are dishonorable and using magic outside the circle!" He heard their soldiers drawing their weapons to engage the enemy. 

The vampires around Sophia left her to engage in battle with Gabriel who reached into a pocket for more spell components. August pulled his sword intending to protect Gabriel, but also watching for other attackers. 

Martinelli spun, his sword held at the height of Andrecles' neck. It was a blind move, but he felt his sword strike and imbed into flesh. Unfortunately, he didn't feel it strike into bone. As his eyes caught up with his sword, he saw the gaping neck wound of his enemy. It was not fatal and he realized that he lost his one advantage. He unveiled his true fighting skills in that move. His enemy would not be fooled again.

Sophia tried to stand to cast another spell. Andrecles' orders had been very clear. Failure meant punishment and possibly death to her family. She would fight this new vampire, even if it killed her. 

Gabriel knew that Sophia could not possibly best him with magic. He was concerned about the vampires coming his way. He had no idea of their skills and he feared they could best him or his brothers. He scooped up a bit of snow tossing it into the air and calling out the ethereal words of magic that would unleash his power. 

The loose snow floated in the air a moment before growing into three-foot wide balls of ice. They flew straight at the vampires striking each in the chest. The vampires, unable to dodge, fell onto their backs sliding through the snow nearly a dozen feet. 

August positioned his body in front of his younger brother. Martinelli could protect himself against skilled fighters, but not his magic using brother, Gabriel. He lifted his sword tapping the flat of the blade to his forehead. That little bit of honor was all that he intended to show to his enemy. From this point on, he would fight as dirty as possible. 

He saw the first of the vampires starting to stand. He ran, with only the speed a vampire could muster, to engage the enemy. His sword whistled through the air before he got to his opponent. The strike, aimed at the vampires neck, struck true and he felt the resistance a moment before the head fell free. He didn't stop or even look at the decapitated corpse. He moved to the next vampire recovering from his brother's magic. Gabriel's voice softly chanted more of the language of magic and August knew his brother was preparing another attack on the enemy.

Martinelli pivoted, lifted his sword parallel to the ground, and braced against the downward strike of Andrecles. The red, angry scowl of Andrecles told Martinelli that his feint of poor swordsmanship had fooled the other vampire. He felt the wounds on his back knitting together. He was surprised as he had not been injured in a great while and hadn't expected such a quick healing response. 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 05



 Approximately, one hundred years have passed. 

Aruku had joined August and his brothers on their travels. Aruku's sons had established a fort in the mountains a couple of miles near the village where Gabriel found Sophia. It wasn't long before the surviving villagers asked to live around the fort for protection offering the vampires their blood in exchange. Therefore, a mutual accommodation ensued. The vampires protected the humans from all manner of attacks and the humans offered the vampires their blood. 

Aruku lived among the younger vampires allowing his sons to establish their own clan. Strangely, he felt more akin to August's group than he did his own sons. He enjoyed watching the young vampires establish laws aimed at helping them thrive safely among the humans. He enjoyed watching the way the younger vampires tried to blend with instead of dominate the humans they met. And most of all, he greatly enjoyed watching the younger vampires find love. As vampires, it was a rarity to find love and eternal companionship, yet, more and more of this young band found their true loves and this amazed him. 

Currently, part of the group traveled east as mercenaries. They answered the call of a wealthy Asian Master who worked hard at establishing his own territory and protecting the lands he believed to be rightfully his. 

Martinelli lead the group. They traveled skirting established lands and avoiding hostilities as best as they could. Their group consisted of their male vampire warriors and the wives that they had met along the way. Even some humans traveled with the group to decrease the need for the vampires to hunt strange humans. They didn't have time to discover which humans could be made to forget and they didn't want to create panic. 

After nearly two months of travel, they neared the lands of the Asian Master who had hired them. They approached the Evergreen forest cautiously, hearing the heartbeats of many men, concealed in the dense, gently curved branches. The vampires, as always, gave the impression they couldn't hear the drumming sounds calling to them to feed.

Martinelli raised a hand and said, "Halt men! I shall check the forest for footprints before any of you are placed in peril." They played dumb, but they weren't. Martinelli was an excellent strategist. His plans had kept their small band of vampires alive much longer than most would have expected. Their warrior numbers had decreased through the years, but were replaced by lovers making their clan larger than it had started out. 

Martinelli, as well as the rest of his men, heard nearly a dozen heartbeats among the trees. Two of the hidden appeared to be women or adolescent boys. It was difficult to determine as women and adolescent boys tended to be similar in a great many ways. He assumed boys since he could smell the metal of swords wafting through the wind.

He bent over pretending to check for footprints. He listened carefully. One of the heartbeats moved and slowly lowered from the tree. If it wasn't for the rhythmic sound, he would not have known anyone was moving; there were no foot falls or breaking of bark or twigs. 

Martinelli knew the boy was mere feet from his position, but he had not gotten the warning sound from his men who listened for the obvious sound of someone moving through the pine needle littered ground. A few of the men gave off some nervous coughs, but they would do little else to reveal that they detected the boy's movements. 

First Martinelli felt the cold metal against his neck. Then he heard the softest voice speak and knew it was no boy. His captor was a woman. 

"Yobosayo," said a warm soft alto voice. 

Martinelli could not help, but to look up. He saw the darkest brown eyes he had ever seen. Those dark eyes rimmed with long black lashes blinked lazily at him. Her porcelain face was framed with straight black curtains of hair, very thick. Her petite nose centered her heart shaped face and rich purple hued, full, pouty lips invitingly taunted him to kiss her. He almost did. 

He almost did until Martinelli felt the beast of someone behind him trying to break free at her presence. He kept his smile from showing as he heard Marcus slap his hands over his mouth to hide the growing fangs. Chuckles erupted from some of the men who had already found their wives. They knew what Marcus was feeling. 

Martinelli respected their established laws. The most important law was never interfere with a vampire's beast claiming a mate, a wife. Martinelli would not kiss those inviting lips for the sake of his nephew. He would behave himself. 

The woman's mysterious eyes had moved to the commotion caused by the one soldier who foolishly slapped himself. She wondered if he had the curse of madness. If this was the group to help her father, she would ensure to keep the mad ones far from her people. 

She dropped the tip of her sword, turned, and spoke over her shoulder too rapidly for Martinelli to follow even had he known the language. The fact that he still didn't understand her meant that Gabriel was unable to cast discreetly the spell that would allow all the vampires to comprehend the foreign language. 

A man approached from the forest, heavy footed and not with any form of stealth at all. He wore fine robes and carried no weapons. The man in the robes bowed slightly to the woman and then walked to stand in front of Martinelli. 

The man coughed to clear his throat and then with a heavy accent spoke slowly. "This is Suwon, third daughter of Master Cho. Are you August, Gabriel, and Martinelli?"

Gabriel stood. He had to think a moment for the stranger's words to sink in. Then he realized that the man spoke his name and those of his brothers. The man couldn't seem to make the "L" sound, but Martinelli was sure he couldn't make half of the sounds of the foreign language and wished that Gabriel would cast that stupid spell. 

Gabriel answered, "Yes, I am Gabriel. I am my brother's general and third in birth. My eldest brother is August." He pointed to August who gave a quick nod. "The one beside him is my brother, Gabriel." Gabriel smiled and lifted a hand for a quick wave. 

The man bowed to both men before continuing. He motioned to Suwon. "She is to be your gift. Each of your men will be able to pick unclaimed women from the land to keep instead of payment for their fighting. Then Master Cho will honor you all with riches when his enemy is defeated."

Martinelli froze. He felt more than heard the growl emanate from Marcus. The beast within his nephew would fight to the death to gain his mate. Martinelli shook his head, but before he could speak, chaos broke out. 

Men dropped from the trees brandishing weapons and shouting. The man in robes gasped and stumbled back. It appeared that fighting would ensure at the tree line until Suwon intervened. 

During the middle of her shouting, her words were understandable indicating Gabriel had finally unleashed his magic.

"...before we kill the only men to come to my father's aid, let us see why he finds me repulsive. Perhaps, my hair is too dark. Perhaps, he prefers properly cowed women. Perhaps, I am too tall."

Martinelli almost laughed at all her examples. Her exotic looks nearly made him kiss her forgetting her blade at his throat. He admired women with courage. And her comment about being too tall puzzled him greatly. She was nearly a head shorter than Sophia who stood a few yards behind Gabriel. 

The robed man approached and asked, "Why do you not wish to have Suwon?"

Martinelli cleared his throat buying for time, but he was interrupted by August, the ultimate negotiator. "My brother, Martinelli, is a widower. He cannot claim another wife until he has lived through the mourning rituals of our custom. It would be a great insult for him to take Suwon as he is now."

Martinelli almost gasped and gave his brother a look of thanks as the robed man turned to interpret for Suwon and her men. The group discussed the situation. 

Suwon asked, "Then how can we cement the agreement if we cannot create a union? They can always betray us without a stake in the outcome. Give me to another brother."

The robed man turned and translated. Thankfully due to Gabriel's spell, August already knew the message to come, he knew how to answer, and he said, "I am married, as is Gabriel. However, my son, my eldest and only son, is unmarried and he can take her as his bride."

The robed man nervously turned to Suwon and explained the message. She threw up her hands and let them fall noisily to her thighs. Her men placed their hands on their weapons and waited. She marched over to Marcus and looked him up and down. Then she walked around him, lifting an arm as if judging livestock. 

Some of the vampires chuckled until Suwon's glare caught their eyes. Then they silenced and shuffled their feet pretending to be embarrassed. Marcus stood nervously. His desired woman was judging his worth. She could reject him. 

Suwon returned to stand in front of him and made a scoffing sound as if disgusted and mumbled, "He is but a baby, no older than me. He had no idea of sacrifice or what this union represents." She moved closer and unbuttoned his shirt stunning almost everyone. She pulled open his shirt and looked at his smooth, muscular, chest.

She turned away in fury and said to the man in robes, "He is too pretty. He has not scars on his body and knows nothing of conflict. He will not be able to appreciate me. This is a disaster." Again, she threw up her hands allowing them to fall loudly against her thighs and marched into the forest nearly disappearing in the tree line.

The robed man bowed to her as she passed. Then he bowed to Martinelli and their group as he said, "Please, follow us. You need food and rest after your travels."

Martinelli followed stealing a glance behind him. Marcus looked crestfallen as Sophia, his aunt, buttoned up his shirt whispering words of encouragement to him. Yes, he was young, but older than Suwon. Yes, he had no scars, but vampires healed in ways that didn't leave any. She was sure that Marcus would have plenty of opportunity to prove himself to his future bride. 

*** 

Marcus sat uncomfortably on the floor in front of a low table. He sat on a flat pillow, but it didn't really offer him any comfort. He tried not to stare at the woman, Suwon who sat across from him purposely ignoring his presence. She had made it abundantly clear that an insult had been served upon her. 

Marcus felt a nudge and looked to his left to see his father picking up a bowl and encouraging him to eat. He sighed. He should do his best to eat the offered food and reduce the risk of any further insult to their host. 

That is when he noticed the utensils were strange. He recognized the spoon, though it was rounder than what he was used to. Unfortunately, there were no forks. Instead, there were a couple of tapering sticks a little longer than his hands. Looking around, he saw the host and his family using the sticks to pick up bits of food to move to their mouths. 

Looking back to his father, he saw that August struggled with the sticks dropping the bits of meat before they got to his own mouth. When he tried to use the sticks to pick up bits of rice, the result was even worse. 

The robed man approached with two young and very beautiful women. They hair was long and loose down their backs. They kept their eyes lowered and their hands in their sleeves. 

The robed man spoke. "Excuse me, Master August. Master Cho offers his unwed daughters to teach your party how to eat at our tables. They will offer to teach your women first who can teach their husbands. Then the daughter will teach your unwed men."

August smiled, "You do not have to call me 'Master'. I still do not know how to address you."

The robed man bowed and answered, "I'm known as the precept, Precept Park." 

August nodded. "Nice to finally know how to address you, Precept Park. How many children does Master Cho have?" He was curious as to Suwon's place among her siblings.

Precept Park answered, "Master Cho has three sons. The first son sits by his father's side and will protect his father with his life if need be. The second and third sons are standing at the doors. The second son, Son of the North, guards the door at the north of the hall. The third son, Son of the West, guards the west door." He nodded as if finished.

August was stunned that the daughters were forgotten and purposely asked, "He also has daughters. We met one of them."

As if the matter were hardly worth mentioning, Precept Park continued, "Ah, yes. The Master has five daughters. The first two are married off to his top generals and dining in their husbands' houses. The third daughter, Suwon of the South, is one of his generals. His other two daughters are here, willing to teach your people how we eat." He stopped as if he were inconvenienced by the mention of the women. 

Marcus, annoyed at the disrespect he felt that Suwon had been given asked, "Why do you dismiss the women so quickly? Are they not worthy of more than a passing thought?"

Precept Park sighed loudly. "Suwon is already considered dead by her family. She dedicated herself to the art of war to help protect her father and his lands because he did not have many sons. She is a fine warrior, but her goal is nothing more than death. We hoped she would be spared such an end by your arrival, but she finds her rejection a grievous insult. She spoke with her father to spare her and permit her to regain her position in his army. So he has relented."

Marcus was stunned. The love of his heart preferred death to his company. He sat motionless and felt a strange coldness settle in his stomach. 

August read his son's face and continued the conversation to draw the precept's attention away from his mortified son. "What of these two daughters?"

The precept looked at the girls and shook his head. "These are daughters four and five. They are worthless fighters and would die quickly if forced to battle. They may find some solace as wives of a couple of your men, but they will not be considered human until they birth sons."

Sophia choked on her cup tea as she heard the man's words.

August asked, "Can you explain that to me? I don't understand. Obviously, they are human. There are here." 

The precept shook his head. "They have not proven their worth which they can do by giving their husbands sons." He bowed, turned, and left.

August sighed and spoke quietly to those sitting near him. "I can't really criticize. We may not be as verbal as declaring the rank of women within our culture, but look how we treat our own. If a girl is raped, we make her marry her rapist to protect the reputation of the father and his family in case she becomes pregnant from the encounter. My Marienta cannot travel with us, but has to be hidden and guarded because she is a woman with a darker skin than what we have."

Marcus spoke, "But father, you do not treat Marienta badly. Nor would I treat Suwon badly. I would treasure her, but she finds death preferable to me."

Martinelli, who sat on the right side of Marcus cleared his throat and spoke in a lowered voice, "She does not prefer death to your company. Her heart speeds when she looks at the group of men near the west door. I think she has a lover. I think she used the fact that I would not take her to be mine as a way to break any type of unity with us. I am unsure of which man she is attracted to, but I am sure that is the real reason she didn't want you. She loves another."

Marcus' mouth dropped open. Then he smiled. He could not compete with death. He could compete with a human male. He could prove himself to Suwon if she believed that another man was truly her love. 

He quickly glanced down toward the end of the room. He was trying to figure out which man had captured her heart. He tried to gage his competition. He tried to determine his next step. 

Marcus was distracted from his plans as a gentle hand touched his. He almost jumped, as he had been so deep in thought. He looked into large dark brown eyes, so much like Suwon, but yet so different. She held the sticks in her right hand. There was food on the end of the stick and she offered the food to Marcus. He smiled and opened his mouth imagining Suwon feeding him instead. She dropped her eyes quickly, her cheeks flushing red and picked up more food. 

Before he could take another bite, Marcus noticed Suwon stand and leave the table. He moved to stand, but Martinelli placed a hand on his thigh and shook his head. Marcus relaxed. He trusted Martinelli. He knew his uncle had a plan and would wait.

Martinelli spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, but addressed his comment to his brother. "Master August, I would like to leave the table and take a few men to prepare for what is to come."

August nodded, "Of course, Dear Brother. Please, do whatever you need to ensure our success in helping Master Cho."

Martinelli nodded and patted Marcus on the back, "Come, my brother's son. I will have you help me." Then together, the two men stood and left the table. 

As Marcus stood, he smiled at the woman helping him eat. Then he quickly turned and followed Martinelli out of the building.

The courtyard was a square garden, surrounded by the house which was a connection of buildings or rooms that all exited to the courtyard. They grew beautiful flowers, colorful vegetables, and delicately aromatic fruit. There were no hallways. Each room had a door that opened to this colorful and bountiful square centered courtyard. Some of the buildings had a second door that exited to the other side. 

Entering the darkened yard, Martinelli and Marcus strode casually to the other side of the building. They saw a larger part of the yard growing more food. The outer part of the yard contained fruit trees and fruit bushes. Thorny roses climbed up the rock wall that surrounded the outer yard. They knew there was a gate at the front that opened into the square courtyard and they expected to find at least one door in this part of the yard as well.

Marcus asked, "What will we say if anyone finds us?"

Martinelli, unconcerned, answered, "That we are taking in the lay of the land to help prepare for the upcoming battle." He paused and glanced around the darkened land. As he aged as a vampire, he had learned that tracking humans or vampires was a strong skill of his. He detected the path she walked very quickly and headed in that direction. Marcus followed. 

Suwon had left the yard through the back gate. Marcus reached out to open the gate, but Martinelli caught his hand. 

Looking around to ensure there were no humans present, Martinelli said, "We jump over so that no squeak of the gate gives our position away." He took a step back and made a run at the gate jumping at just the right time to clear the gate easily. He waited a moment as Marcus did the same.

He looked around. He saw no signs of humans out here, either, but found her path again. Marcus asked, "What if she is just out for a walk?"

Martinelli almost laughed. "No woman leaves the safety of her yard for a walk at the brink of war. She is not going into the darkened woods for anything chaste. She hides from her fathers and brothers to meet with a lover."

Marcus sighed, nearly growling. 

Martinelli paused and asked, "Can you do this with me or do you need to go back?"

Marcus furrowed his brow. "Why would you ask such a thing? I need to go with you."

Martinelli nodded. "Okay, but let me remind you of our laws, laws that you helped create. You cannot harm a human for seducing your future bride if you haven't claimed her in any way. You have not. Remember that."

Marcus opened his mouth to challenge, but then realized the truth of his uncle's statement. "Crap. I can't do anything. Why didn't I make my claim?"




The Making of Vampires Ch. 06



Dear Readers, please note that there is a death in this chapter. It is necessary to set up a future chapter. 

Thank you Two4friends for editing this chapter.

The Hoarding

Uruku stood on the edge of the clearing. He could not yet see the three dots in the night sky that indicated trouble, but he felt their presence. They announced the coming of the Hoarding, a time of werewolf chaos and insanity. Only supernatural creatures could see those three stars, because those stars were born of magic. The timing of their arrival was unpredictable, magic influencing their speed at random intervals. 

Uruku lived through seven different Hoardings, all of them terrible and nightmarish. During the Hoarding, those humans that lived through an attack turned into deranged werewolves. 

Often history reported the Hoarding as famine, pestilence, or war. Those were simple ways to explain the depopulation of humans in various regions. Sometimes, the Hoarding actually coincided with real events. Other times, magic influenced human minds helping them to forget the trauma and remembering events in ways that didn't include the supernatural beings. 

The Hoarding would be far away, centuries away. They had plenty of time to decide if they wished to battle the werewolves driven mad by the stars or if they wished to hide deep underground in a meditative sleep until the Hoarding had passed. 

*** 

Three hundred years passed. The vampires had decided to fight the werewolves fearing an extended hibernation would allow the were creatures to conquer the world or kill the vampires in their deep slumber. 

The vampires had repopulated their numbers. Martinelli, now known as Martin, recruited the bravest and noblest of men to forfeit their souls accepting damnation in order to protect humanity. For it was only one of the noble brave who would accept damnation for the sake of others', a thankless and condemning task. Most other men, driven by greed or self-importance, would easily fall prey to the dark desires of their inner demons and Martin did not want them among his ranks.

Gabriel searched out those gifted in the magical arts recruiting those for the greater good. He was not as successful as Martin, but his numbers grew, as well. People gifted in the magical arts had tasted power. That power often spurned the growth of altruistic behavior. Many touched by the power of magic sought ways to fulfill their inner desires. They cared little for others or humanity in general. 

August discovering the focus of the next Hoarding with maps, charts, and magic, established a small kingdom at the epicenter. In the rugged lands, there were no real leaders. Most being thugs and bullies using intimidation and violence to establish their claims. The vampires were not easily intimidated and had no fear of violence. 

As time passed a tradition developed among the people where they showed great pride in associating with places, origins, or family lineage. Many people chose surnames to help identify them with specific lands, cultures, or relatives. They took great pride when sharing their surnames. 

Martin was not such a person. He found the surnames pretentious as if having an ancestor of great importance passed that importance down to his descendants. He wondered how some man could claim glory from his great grandfather's heroics in a battle. He found one's claim to a land as giving that person any importance as laughable, as well. He would never believe that anyone descended from the thugs could claim importance through stolen land. 

He respected one's claim to a culture only if that person practiced the revered traditions of such culture. Otherwise, Martin believed those people hypocrites claiming honor from traditions they no longer practiced, believed in, or even knew. Because of all those reasons, Martin wanted their surname to be the Morsus. Morsus was Latin for bite or bitten. He found it humorous and honest not fearing that anyone would discover that they were vampires. They were among uneducated people who didn't study Latin. 

In actuality, most of the vampires didn't study Latin or any language. A long time ago, Gabriel created a spell to make them understand and speak the language of the lands they traveled through so they could communicate easily. To the vampires, there was no need to study languages when magic made communication so convenient.

Suwon, their newest member and Marcus' wife, found a niche in the serious group of vampires. She was playful, joking around and pulling pranks on the other vampires to alleviate their trouble minds. Her antics were often welcomed, especially now, as the time of the Hoarding grew near. 

Uruku and Martin spent a great deal of time with maps discussing tactics in the war room. Often, other vampires sat quietly listening to the battle plans and developing an understanding of the war to come. Death was coming to many. 

Uruku feared for those in this clan of vampires who he loved as much as his own sons, who had both perished. His eldest son died at the hands of those Uruku believed to be other vampires, for his death was quick and he had been unable to send a message to his father or anyone else. Uruku felt his son's light dim in his mind and with great sorrow understood that his eldest had died. Uruku's second son had lost his wife. Due to his grief, he chose to end his time on this earth rather than live without her. He had touched his father's mind to say his good-byes. Then his light faded out of his father's mind, as well.

Uruku mourned each son's passing making this band of optimistic vampires more important to him. They had a goal to help humanity. They asked for his guidance and they asked him to preside over the crimes of their fellow vampires. He became their advisor and their judge. This group of vampires had truly become his community and his family. 

*** 

Martin ate in the Great Hall with the other vampires. Humans from the local village worked for the King and his men. Therefore, the vampires pretended to be human, eating food, but secretly hunted for human blood when they needed to do so. 

A manservant strolled in to whisper to the king, "My Lord, villagers from Greenshire wish to speak to you. They fear monsters in the woods hunting their livestock."

Many months ago, Martin spread rumors of monsters in the kingdom. He had his men go to each village and share tales of monsters that matched the description of werewolves. Then he even had some of his men wander the woods and leave signs that a werewolf would leave to prepare the people for the dangers to come. 

Therefore, they never ignored claims of monsters. They would rather encourage people's imaginations than make the mad werewolves' hoarding attempts easier. Martin and his men pretended not to have heard the servant and waited for August to announce the arrival of the villagers. 

August stood. "Men, monsters have been sighted. There are people from one of the villages outside ready to give us a report. Come. Let us here them."

The vampires filed out of the castle stepping into the center of a small group of villagers. There were almost a dozen adults, some clutching at children while others paced. All turned their attention to the king and his men as they passed through the castle's open wooden doors. There rose a cacophony of voices. August raised one hand silencing the humans. 

He spotted Aaron, the levelheaded leader of the village and asked, "Please, Aaron, tell us what troubles your people."

Aaron rubbed his chin. "In the dim light of this morning, I saw something running from my yard toward the trees. Nothing was amiss, but when I traveled to the village storehouse, others shared tales of a monster that has been stealing food from their farms. A few days ago, one of the outlying houses caught fire when no one was around. They believed a monster set it."

August, a grim look on his face, turned to Martin. "Brother, please take some men to the village of Greenshire and search for the monster." 

Martin nodded. Nothing of the events sounded like werewolves. It did sound like the villagers had thieves and he would not allow hard working people to lose their food to bandits. 

Martin noticed one small girl standing away from the others looking concerned. She shook her head slightly as if disagreeing with Aaron. Martin wanted to speak with her alone. 

Martin sent a mental message, a gift the band had developed, to his brother. August, take the villagers inside for some food. I want to get the little girl alone to ask her some questions.

August said loudly, "Please, come in and sup. You need food for I will not allow you to leave hungry after bravely traveling to find aid for your village."

With the mention of food, the villagers quickly forgot their worries and followed the king inside. They, also, quickly forgot about the little girl with curly blond locks and bright blue eyes standing in a dirty, road-traveled dress. 

Martin approached her slowly fearing to intimidate the child. Her cheeks reddened. She looked fearfully to the door where her family had passed, but there stood two big guards looking as scary as the man in front of her did.

Martin knelt down on one knee and pulled some dried venison from a pouch on his belt. "Here, eat some of this and then I can take you to your family." The hungry girl reached out with a shaky hand taking the meat and quickly bit into it and Martin said, "Sweetheart, I think you know a little more than Aaron does. I would like you to tell me so I could better protect you and your village."

The girl stopped chewing and wouldn't look at him. She used her bare toes to draw a circle in the dirt. 

Martin continued, "I sure would hate to end up killing the wrong person fearing him to be a monster or letting a monster go that would kill your family." 

It was when her tears fell that he regretted his words and he froze. She didn't talk, sob, or sniffle. She just stood there as big tears painted muddy tracks down her face. He didn't know what to do with the crying girl. 

Suwon approached, keeping the smile from her lips. The look on Martin's face couldn't have shown more dread had he just killed the imaginary fairies that brought gifts to the village children during the winter solstice. 

She bent at her waist, her hair falling like a curtain past her shoulders, and said with a soft voice, "I bet you know lots of secrets. If I tell you a secret, will you tell me one?"

The girl looked as Suwon not saying a word as more tears flooded her cheeks. 

Suwon pointed to Marcus standing by the water well. "He is my husband and when he kisses me, it tickles my stomach so much that I fear fairies are fighting a battle in my tummy." Then she winked at the girl. 

The little girl looked at Marcus who suddenly didn't want to look anywhere except at his feet. He was a little embarrassed his wife would share such a thing within earshot of other vampires, let alone directly to a child. She had never revealed that bit of information to him. Yet, a part of him enjoyed knowing that he affected his wife in such a manner. 

The little girl started laughing to Marcus' chagrin. "He acts shy, like my brother."

Marcus heard the chuckles of the other vampires and kept looking down at his feet as a little girl, with too much clarity for her age, judged him. 

Suwon smiled and asked, "Does your brother kiss girls, too?"

The girl shook her head. "He is too scared. He only..." She quieted and looked away. 

Suwon gasped as if excited. "Oh, that can be the secret that you tell me. I won't tell anyone. It is only fair. I told you my secret."

The little girl stared at Suwon a little and when her mouth opened, it was as if a dam had broken and the child couldn't stop the words from flowing out. "My brother watches girls at night through their windows or cracks in the walls. He watches them bathe in the streams and sometimes he takes jugs of cider or food from their family's larder to eat later. He didn't mean to, but he tipped a log out of the fire at the Darning's home setting it on fire." Then the little cried loudly with huge racking sobs as the weight of her secret left her shoulders. 

Suwon picked the girl up and hugged her. "Shh. I'll keep your secret. Is your brother with you now?"

The girl shook her head. "Dad and Ma left him at the farm to do the chores."

Suwon nodded, "You don't have to worry any longer. Come. Let's find your family." She walked into the castle carrying the girl. 

Martin pondered the possible danger that lurked around Greenshire. He hoped the monster of Greenshire was a hormonally charged, but harmless boy. The steeling of food concerned him though. Villagers would never tolerate someone stealing it from their families. Martin wished that one of his gifts could help him tame an adolescent boy.

Through the years, each vampire gained abilities. Martin had gained many. Martin appreciated his gifts and used them most during battles. He learned how to speak to each of their vampires through a mind link to better organize and implement attacks. He learned to move objects with his mind and he even learned to take over another's body, human or vampire. 

Strangely, even though he could control a person's body, he was unable to influence a person's mind. He could not make them forget feeding encounters and he could not compel a human to come to him in the darkened forest. He could not influence their minds in any way. Therefore, when he went hunting for blood, Martin had to go with someone who could make the human forget the feeding, which was any other vampire.

Suwon walked up to Marcus kissing his cheek. Before he said anything, she took his hand in hers guiding him to Martin. "Well, do we go out and catch a shy boy?"

Martin nodded. "We have to, but I don't want to assume that he is only a boy. That could get some of us killed if that boy turns out to be a werewolf. Uruku expects the Hoarding to start any day now and peak in a few months during the winter solstice. Gather your weapons and supplies. We need to go."

*** 

Martin rode at the head of the group of twenty. Ten in the group were fighters, including Marcus and Suwon. Ten in the group were mages, including Gabriel and Sophia. They expected to arrive at Greenshire very soon and night had fallen. 

He scanned the area as they rode knowing others behind him also checked for danger. It was prudent that many searched for hidden danger. So far, the only things hidden in the forests were animals, nothing preternatural shadowed their travels. 

The sooty smoke of fires cooking food and warming homes drifted on the wind, as did the smell of domesticated animals. Then the strong odor of fear reached the vampires. They turned to the woods to their right, the direction of that fear.

They stopped their horses and dismounted. Martin drew his sword, the ring of metal swallowed by the trees. Others followed suit. Gabriel cast a spell adding protection to the soldiers' armor. Sophia cast a spell giving Martin and his fighters a renewed feeling of vigor and health, a rejuvenator to their mind and body. 

Martin reached out with his mind sending the natural fauna of the forest fleeing in fear. Less life forms to get in his way. Less life forms to injure. He felt a woman, the origin of the fear, and an older boy. He moved in the direction of that woman as he continued to search the woods with his mind when his steps faltered. He almost fell as his mind slammed into something unnatural. 

He quickly glanced over his shoulder at his group. Marcus had a surprised look on his face. Suwon had a look of fear. Sophia had fallen and Gabriel helped her to stand as he failed to hide his look of concern. 

The werewolves were here. The Hoarding had begun. 

Marcus returned his attention to the forest and the new targets, the werewolves. The other vampires behind him kept pace as the changed direction away from the woman. The vampires embraced the dark of the forest not needing light. They reached out with their minds envisioning the surrounding areas to avoid falling trees and gaping holes. 

The werewolves stood in a clearing, a few hundred yards away. Martin grew confused not understand why the werewolves picked a clearing of such small trees. He almost staggered when he realized the truth. The trees appeared small in his mind because the werewolves were big, bigger than the vampires were. He detected seven of them and hoped his vampires could defeat seven werewolves.

The werewolves stood over seven feet tall, even the smallest. They stood on two legs and were very much like humans, except they had wolf-like snouts and were covered in fur. Their eyes glowed, much like wolves, in the dark reflecting the smallest bit of starlight able to find a path through the trees. 

The werewolves held their thick, sinewy arms bowed at their sides preparing to grab the fanged ones. Their maws opened wide frothing with anticipation at ripping out the undeads' throats. The Hoarding gave them extra strength and courage. The three magical stars blessed them in the sky encouraging them to feast on mortals and spread their bite to a special few. Out of those special few, fate would determine who lived through the transformation to join their ranks. 

The largest of the werewolves bounded forward to meet the first of the vampires to break the tree line. He almost laughed as he realized these were the puniest vampires that he had ever seen. 

Martin engaged the largest of the werewolves. He charged with his sword at the ready. Before Martin could react, the werewolf stepped to the side, grabbed Martin's sword arm, pulled the vampire past, and raked his claws across Martin's back. Then he flung the vampire against one of the trees turning away before Martin crashed into the tree. The werewolf was on to his next victim. 

Martin had felt the burn on his back as the claws raked into his flesh, shredding his metal armor into strips. A horrible sensation of coldness entered his body as a broken branch pierced through his back. The force of the werewolf's throw impaled him onto the tree. 

The coldness grew, but he was lucky because the broken branch missed his heart and he still lived. Pain and weakness flooded his body and mind. He could not free himself from the wood and he lost his connection to his people. He was helpless, the wood immobilizing him. Martin knew fear for the first time since his immortal transformation. 

He saw a burst of embers indicating that one of his kind had not been as lucky as he was. For the first time, Martin prayed to the Magic that Uruku believed to be alive. He prayed for her to send help, protect his people, and stop the pain. 

Martin did not have the strength to free himself and dread filled him as he saw more of his friends cut down by the werewolves. He had underestimated the danger. He had failed to understand his enemy and now his people paid the price.

Sophia and Gabriel stood behind Marcus and Suwon. Each spell caster worked in tandem with the fighters keeping the werewolves at bay and maneuvering their quad to battle against their enemy. They had good tactics. They were causing damage to the werewolves, but other vampires were dying. Two werewolves had converged on the single vampire each grabbing a limb and, together, ripping the fighter apart. Then a burst of embers indicated that vampire was no more. 

Martin saw one of the werewolves pick up a broken branch and throw it unerringly at Marcus who stood in front of Gabriel. The branch would embed both of them. Martin felt a strange touch of incredible magic. Magic had answered his prayers. He felt his mind grow strong and realized he could enter one of their bodies, but only one. He entered Marcus taking control of his nephew's body. He threw Marcus back bending into an arch that slammed Gabriel painfully to the ground as the branch wedged between Marcus' armor, denting it, and ripping the flesh of his abdomen. A burning pain from the wood flushed the wound. 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 06



Martin forced his nephew's hand to yank the branch free and use it as a club slamming it against the approaching werewolf. It did little than to push the werewolf back a few feet. The werewolf grabbed hold of Marcus' arm, the one holding the broken branch, wrenching it with a twisting motion splintering bone and the branch dropped. Excruciating pain invaded the injured arm. Martin slammed his nephew's free hand through the werewolf's ribs searching for the creatures beating heart. He felt a strange burning sensation as the blood oozed over his nephew's skin, but he ignored it. He found the pulsating mass, grabbed tightly, and pulled the beating muscle free.

The werewolf looked confused, glanced down at the still beating heart, and shook his head as if denying his death. He dropped. The body twitched, the fur receded, the limbs cracked and popped until a naked, average-sized human man lay dead upon the ground. 

Martin ignored the pain radiating from both of Marcus' arms and he moved to engage another werewolf. Suwon screamed and Marcus' beast rose up to protect her pushing Martin out of Marcus' body taking control. The beast announced his presence with a chilling howl as wings sprouted from his back, muscles thickened, and bones enlarged. 

He flapped his wings launching into the air to land on the back of the werewolf that had pinned Suwon to the ground. That filthy creature had ripped her shirt and licked at her breasts. The beast bit deeply into the werewolf's neck and jerked the head free from the body. 

Blood sprayed into his mouth and onto Suwon. He felt his mouth and face burn where the werewolf blood touched him. He heard the sizzle of fire and smelled charred flesh. Suwon screamed. Her face blistering where the werewolf blood splashed. 

The beast's only concern was to free Suwon from the pain. He tried to wipe away the blood, but only created a path of new blisters and left thick chunks of his flesh mixing with the chunks of her flesh. 

He never noticed the werewolf coming up behind him ready to slice through his neck to decapitate the vampire. Martin saw it. He tried to call out a warning, but his body remained weak. He tried to reenter Marcus' body, but failed. 

Then a shiny silver string flew through the air piercing the werewolf's body. In his injured state, it took Martin a moment to realize that it wasn't a string, but an arrow that sliced through the night leaving a shiny streak in its wake. The werewolf died before its body hit the ground. 

Two more of the werewolves succumbed to death as silver arrows pierced their heads or their hearts. The two remaining creatures ran from the clearing. Martin felt other werewolves coming, but darkness entered his mind and his head finally dropped. 

Sophia was the only uninjured vampire and stood protectively over Gabriel as she watched the new group of werewolves enter the clearing. She tried to touch the weave of magic to cast a spell, but fear severed her link and she failed. She had no magic. She was helpless. 

Sophia picked up a sword realizing it was Martin's. Her eyes found him impaled on the tree. Impaled, but not dead. Had he died, the magic would have let go of him and he would have burst into embers. He didn't move. 

The five new werewolves entered the clearing with great confidence glancing around at the injured vampires. A dappled-furred werewolf approached Sophia who lifted the sword with shaking hands. He closed his eyes for the briefest of moments and then stood before her in the guise of a man, a naked man.

He smiled sadly at her. "Miss Vampire, we can help your injured, but not if you attack us."

Sophia asked, "How can I trust your words?"

He moved his hand in a slow arc to indicate the clearing. "Because we could have killed your injured. Even the escaped beast is too concerned with his beloved that he ignores any danger to himself." The man looked at the desperate beast trying to remove the acidic blood from the prone woman, but addressed Sophia. "He needs water to wash the blood or it will continue to burn their flesh. There is a river not far from here. Tell him to wash them both before they lose too much skin. I'm unsure of your healing capabilities and think a skinless vampire might be too gruesome to look upon." 

Sophia glanced at Marcus and Suwon. Before she could say anything to the couple, the naked man had moved behind her, grabbed the sword, and twisted it from her hand. She almost screamed, but he had already moved away and dropped the sword onto the ground. 

He smiled. "You should thank me. You were cutting your hands." 

Sophia had deep gouges in her palms and looked back at the man confused. 

He shook his head. "I believe you must not be a soldier. Any soldier knows to grab the hilt and not the blade of a sword. Now, tell your friend to bathe with his woman. We will help the rest of you if we can. The one impaled on the tree has little time left before he dies." He shrugged as if none of that really mattered. 

Sophia knew the man spoke the truth. She ran to Marcus' beast whispering in his ear. The beast picked Suwon from the ground and ran in the direction of the river. 

The man motioned at an injured and moaning Gabriel with his chin. "May I see if I can help your lover and my friends will do the same with the others?"

Sophia dropped her gaze and felt her cheeks flush. "Um, I prefer you refer to him as my husband." The man smiled broadly. He had never witnessed a vampire blush before. 

He heard a low growl emanating from the prone Gabriel and let loose a hearty laugh. "Fear not Mr. Vampire for my lover would not tolerate my interest in Miss Vampire, no matter how enchanting she was." 

Gabriel said in a harsh whisper, "Mrs. Vampire to you."

The werewolf chuckled and approached looking at the vampires wounds. "You need blood. You all do. Shall I bring you someone?"

Gabriel shook his head. "We have to be careful. Not all humans are susceptible to our compulsions."

The man raised his furrowed brow as if surprised. "I heard your clan was careful with your humans and didn't kill. I just thought it was as a farmer with his milking goats. You know, caring for his livestock."

Sophia scoffed. "We do not treat anyone like livestock. We remember being human and we don't mistreat others."

He raised his hands as if in surrender and winked at her. "Sorry sweetheart. Your clan doesn't act like the other vampires that I have encountered." 

Sophia broke eye contact with the naked man and knelt beside Gabriel who spoke to distract the man from his wife as she was growing uneasy and he felt her fear. "So tell me, why do you know of us and we do not know of you?" Gabriel asked.

The man replied, "Simply because we were around first. You didn't settle in our lands, so we had no need to fight you, but we did keep watch. Your clan killed the brutes that raided the border villages under our protection eliminating the need for us to engage them. You brought order to this land, so we left you in peace and stayed away."

Gabriel stated the obvious. "You are on our lands now." 

The man nodded. "Yes, we were chasing the outlaws that you battled. Some of the criminal types will use the Euphoric Times as an excuse for their bad behavior. They murder and convert as many humans as they can."

Gabriel gasped. "We call it the Hoarding because the werewolves hoard as many people as they can for their own. Why?"

The man sighed. "The werewolves created during the Euphoric Times are unstable. They have difficulty fighting madness. Eons ago, my kind discovered that killing any created during the Euphoric Times would transfer power and strength to the killing werewolf if that kill was done through a bite. Power hungry werewolves created as many as they could during the Euphoric Times and then killed them."

Gabriel asked more than stated, "Then you and your clan are above that type of behavior."

The man nodded. "Most of us are. We believe true power comes with age and wisdom." He smiled at Gabriel. "By the way, my name is Bjorn Jorganson."

Gabriel grimaced as he tried to sit up. "My name is Gabriel Morsus."

Bjorn smiled broadly. "You flaunt your vampire heritage in your Latin name. Very funny."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. "You know Latin?"

Bjorn nodded. "Yes, study kills the boredom of the centuries. Now, can you write a note or give me an item so I can travel safely to the castle to bring back help?"

Gabriel shook his head. "I have nothing to write on and if you take anything back, they will think you our attackers and will fight you."

Sophia cleared her throat. "I can go and I'll bring back help."

Gabriel quickly said, "No. You are out of spells and would have to travel by foot. You may run into more werewolves, the dangerous kind."

Bjorn cautiously said, "I can guard her, if you trust me."

Gabriel answered. "I don't trust you."

Sophia brushed Gabriel's hair from his head. "If he wanted to harm me, he would already have done so. Are we not in more danger with you weakened than if Bjorn helps me to find help? Look at your brother. He doesn't have much time left."

Gabriel wanted to argue, but he realized that his beast had not tried to break free and that convinced him that Bjorn wasn't a danger to Sophia. He nodded his consent. 

*** 

Martin awoke to excruciating pain. Suwon stroked his hair and Marcus sat behind her. Mottled patches of raw bright red flesh covered their faces. 

Martin sat up slowly and asked, "What the hell happened to you two?"

Marcus answered, "Who knew werewolf blood burns us like fire. I was worried that poor Suwon wouldn't heal and would feel pain the rest of her life. She almost lost her eyes." Martin looked closer at Suwon's face and saw the uneven flesh around her eyes that he knew would eventually heal. 

Just then, August ran over. "Martin is awake. Bring someone."

Gabriel rushed over dragging two healthy and entranced farmers from the village. "Here Martin, drink."

Martin accepted the human's wrist and bit deeply. The gush of blood over his tongue calmed him. His first swallows eased his pain. He drank craving the nourishment and healing power of the human's blood, but stopped before taking too much. He did not want to make the man ill or kill him. He felt the energy surge into his body, felt his body grow stronger, and reached for the second man. He drank more blood. He would need a little rest, but he would be fine. Then he detected werewolves, released his bite on the man, and hissed. 

Suwon said, "They helped us. They are not the same ones who fought us." 

Martin looked past her to the five naked men standing in the morning light. "They have no clothes."

Bjorn whispered loudly over his shoulder to his friends, "Who knew vampires were so prudish. I always had the impression that vampires were sensual creatures that enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh."

Martin called out loudly, "You're not my idea of sensual pleasure." That brought a giggle from Suwon and a chuckle from the naked man who had been talking. 

The scent of blood distracted Martin, calling to him. He stood, looked deep into the woods, and motioned for the others to follow him. August, Gabriel, and Marcus did so, fearing that more werewolves hid in the forest. Martin followed the call of the blood to a shallow depression between two trees, the blood freshly spilled. He heard the weakening heartbeat. He swept aside the leaves and his fangs grew when he saw her face. His beast wanted this woman. 

He extended a nail to gash into his wrist to feed her his healing blood, but Gabriel stopped him. "You can't. You are too weak. Take her back to the clearing. Some of my men came from the castle and they have spells that can heal an injured human. They feared that we would overfeed in our injured state and that the humans would need magical intervention."

Martin asked, "Why didn't they use spells to fully heal me?"

Gabriel answered, "Three of my sorcerers used magic until they each passed out, preventing you from dying. Your body wouldn't take anymore. It needed blood."

Martin hadn't realized the severity of his injuries. He had nearly died, but "nearly died" meant that one was still alive. He picked up the injured woman carrying her to the clearing. 

*** 

Weeks passed after the werewolf encounter. Bjorn remained at the castle explaining werewolf tactics to the vampires helping them to create strategies to fight rogue werewolves. 

During this time, Martin tried to befriend the injured woman that he found in the woods. She was a druid named Katarina. Her druidic nature prevented her from feeling comfortable within the castle walls and she desperately wanted her freedom to return to nature. 

Katarina would not reveal what happened to her in the woods claiming not to remember, but Martin and every other supernatural creature around could sense deception from her. She remembered, but didn't want to share. He believed it had something to do with the boy that he had sensed in the woods and pointedly asked her, but she claimed not to remember anything. Again, he sensed deception, but could not determine if it was about the boy or the whole scene in general. 

Katarina asked repeatedly to leave, but Martin could not allow that to happen. Everyone in the castle had instructions to say that she could not leave because the king feared her injuries unhealed. Strangely, no one came to inquire about her. Martin had hoped to discover information from those who knew her, but the mystery of Katarina deepened. 

Martin grew morose because Katarina kept rejecting him. He tried to talk to her, but she barely answered him. He hoped to win her over with gifts of clothes and jewelry. She wore only a few items of clothes, washing them as needed, and then left the rest untouched on the table. She left the jewelry untouched as well, those items seemingly not to interest her in the least. 

Martin invited her to dine with him in the Great Hall, but she declined claiming that she didn't feel well enough to leave her room. Katarina did little except looked out her windows. Unless she was sleeping, she kept vigil at her windows. 

Finally, Martin stopped visiting because it ripped his heart out to have Katarina continuously reject him. He decided to leave her in peace and he picked a spot hidden among the trees. He gazed upon her as she looked out her windows, his heart breaking more with each passing day. 

He stopped dining with the rest of the vampires. He stopped discussing battle tactics with Uruku and Bjorn. He stopped seeking the company of his brothers. He only stood among the trees watching Katarina. 

Sometime after the first snow, Suwon approached him. Since Katarina's rejection, she was the only one who could visit him without inciting his temper. Therefore, whenever there was a question or a message for Martin, she delivered it. 

Suwon cleared her throat as she brushed away the inch of snow that had accumulated on his shoulders. "Katarina wants permission to walk in the woods."

Martin flew to his feet. "Does she want me to walk with her?"

Suwon shrugged. "I wasn't there when she said it, but I doubt it. She never wants anyone around."

Martin looked worried. "Why weren't you there? I asked you to make sure Katarina had whatever she wanted."

Suwon nodded. "Yes, I told the servants that your orders were to grant her whatever she requested. No need for me to be there, also."

Martin scratched the beard and mustache that had grown on his face. He had given up on shaving and other grooming habits. He could not remember the last time he even bathed. "Why do you ignore her? I trusted her to your care."

Suwon gave up on any pretense of calm allowing her voice to rise. "I don't want to be around her because of how she hurts you. I'll be more than lovely when she accepts you, but until then, I don't want to be near the woman."

Martin shook his head. "Please, Suwon. She may be lonely and I need you to make sure everything is okay. She is just confused and upset. Katarina doesn't know what to do."

Suwon sighed loudly. "Fine! I'll go and take care of her even though she tortures you!"

Martin smiled. "Good. Would you ask if she wants me to escort her? If not, then that is fine. Let her believe that she has permission to walk in the woods alone. I'll hide in the treetops to watch over her and we can post other guards hidden in the trees to make sure she is safe. Just let me know what she says."

Suwon replied, "Martin, I keep my drapes drawn on this side of our room so I can't see the woods knowing that you are sad and alone here. After I ask her, I'll go to our room. I'll move the drapes on a window so you can see the firelight so you know I asked. If she wants you to walk with her, I'll open the drapes on a second window. If she doesn't want to walk with you, I'll close the first drapes. I can't bring myself to look you in the face and give you bad news." She turned and walked not waiting for his response. 

Martin sat back down on the ground and watched Katarina looking out her window. Eventually, he saw Suwon enter, approach, and speak with Katarina. Then Suwon left. Martin stood to see better the windows of Suwon and Marcus' room. The curtain of the first window opened showing the glow of the fire. He felt a lump swell in this throat hoping beyond anything that the second curtain would open. Then the lump seemed to drop from this throat and settle into his stomach as the curtain closed. Katarina had declined his company. 

His beast stirred and then quieted. Martin felt as though he were dying. He hurt inside and begged his beast to end their misery, to do something that would change how his heart ached. There was no response from his beast, just a sense of pain. 

A cloaked figure left the double wooden doors that opened into the garden. Katarina walked slowly glancing back to see if anyone followed her. Martin took to the treetops and several others joined him, including Suwon and Marcus. He acknowledged their presence with a quick nod and then focused all his attention on Katarina. 

Suwon exchanged a frustrated glance with Marcus. She preferred ripping the druid's throat out, but feared it wouldn't end Martin's pain. Instead, she flittered along the treetops with the other vampires to protect the ungrateful woman. 

Katarina meandered through the woods. She brushed away a clump of wet snow on her fur lined leather boots, a gift from Martin. He wanted to court her, but she couldn't allow that. She didn't want to love a city dweller. She wanted to love another druid and live in the wilds that called to her heart. 

Through the snow peeked the dried remains of a wildflower. She touched it gently with her finger releasing energy. The plant turned green, grew slightly, and blossomed. She smiled sadly. Her imprisonment had prevented her from seeing the fall blossoms. Katarina had to end her misery, her seclusion from nature. She had to find the poisonous roots that would put her into her final sleep and she searched the snowy ground for some remnant of the poisonous plants. 

Long past the darkest hour of night, she leaned heavily against a sleeping willow exhausted. She called to the spirit of the tree to show her the lay of the land hoping it would have sensed the poisonous roots slumbering deep in the frozen ground. All she could see in its memory was a rocky precipice that brought the gentle rains and the water of the melting snow to end its thirst. She almost wanted to cry from frustration, but then a thought struck her. She touched the tree again. Yes, the rocky precipice stood beside a deep cliff. One that she could jump off, smash against the rocks, and die. 

High in a nearby tree, Martin saw the most beautiful smile touch her lips. His chest hurt wishing that she would share that smile with him. She walked faster, a little bounce added to each step. He flitted from tree to tree following her in the dark. The other vampires, close behind, scanned the area to ensure no dangers lurked hidden. 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 06



Martin's breath caught as he watched Katarina hold onto a sapling, lean over the edge, and look down. He didn't relax until she took several steps away from the edge because he feared she would slip and fall to her death. 

Katarina almost jumped for joy. She found her solution. She walked a few paces from the edge of the cliff. She ran, closed her eyes, and jumped into the air seeking her exit from this cruel world. Finally, the pain would end. 

Katarina felt arms wrap around her, cradling her. She opened her eyes to see the Demon of Death taking her to live eternity in the burning pits of punishment. She understood and accepted that fate. She never noticed the thick fog that had suddenly erupted out of nowhere. 

She reached out to stroke the demon's face. "Thank you, Demon of Death, for taking me to the netherworld. I understand that I will suffer in the burning pits." Then a thought struck her. "Why didn't I feel the pain of falling on the rocks?" She tried to look down.

Martin's beast tightened his hold on Katarina fearing to drop her. It was confused and searched for answers from Martin who was now deep inside their body looking out. Martin tried to explain. He conveyed the stories of the burning fires of damnation that made the souls of bad humans suffer for eternity. He tried to convey that Katarina believed him to be a spirit that met the newly departed souls taking them to their final resting spot of retribution. 

The beast spoke to Katarina as he flapped his wings to fly them higher. "I'm not any death spirit carrying you away. I caught you before you hit the bottom. You are still alive."

Tears welled in Katarina's eyes. "Why did you save me? I just wanted to quit hurting."

He simply said, "Because I did not want you to die."

Katarina sniffled and said, "But I'm so lonely and no one understands me. They keep me a prisoner inside a building and away from the beauty of nature. It is too stifling for me."

The beast searched for a spot to land and glided in circles lowering closer and closer to the ground. "You are not a prisoner. They want to keep you safe." He landed and set her on her feet. 

She surprised him by wrapping her arms around his middle. The beast returned the embrace and together they found a strange sense of comfort, as they stood together neither wanting to let go. 

The beast felt her go limp and tried to tighten his grip, but realized he was unable to move. He was caught in a spell. He felt, too late, the presence of other vampires and feared for Katarina's safety. Uruku moved to stand in the beast's line of sight. Gabriel, August, and Marcus moved to stand behind Uruku while the others fanned out ensuring no strangers would wander too close and see the beast. 

Uruku said, "You need to let Martin have control. You have been out too long." The narrowing of the beast's eyes indicated his answer, his refusal. Uruku drew his sword and the paralyzed beast watched, helpless as Uruku grabbed Katarina's arm, pulled her to him, and dangle her like a puppet. She, too, was enthralled. Uruku placed the sharp of the blade against Katarina's tender throat. "You can leave allowing Martin to have control or I can kill her." 

There was a moment of shear panic and everyone saw the desperate look on the beast's face. Then it changed to defiance. 

Uruku's said, "You believe that if we kill her that Martin will be lost to us. If you remain, Martin is already lost to us so what does it matter?" Then Uruku pulled Katarina's back to his chest, moved her head to the side, bit deep, and drank from her. Confusion marred the beast's face, slowly replaced by anger. 

Uruku exhaled as if having drank a fine wine. "You know that I have tasted her blood. Even if you decide to give Martin momentary control and then return later to steal her, I'll always be able to find her. Gabriel has magic. He can teleport me to her in mere moments. She will never be safe from us unless you agree to give Martin back to us. Every one of the vampires will have orders to hunt her down and kill her if you do not."

The beast closed his eyes and sank into the depths of Martin's being. The wings receded. The bones narrowed. The muscles decreased. Then Martin stood motionless before them. Gabriel waved his hand freeing his younger brother from the spell. 

Martin looked sadly at Katarina's unconscious form. "Why did you make him leave? It was wonderful to feel her in his arms. She talked to him, looked into his eyes, and accepted him."

Uruku answered, "Because the beast would eventually grow too strong and cause chaos. Then humans would hunt the beast and Katarina. They would kill her brutally if they thought it would help defeat your beast. Are you willing to risk her to that fate?"

Martin shook his head, "No, but I want the beast to visit her. Kataraina is so lonely and she felt safe with him."

Uruku sighed. "He has to transition her to accept you. It has to be that way for her safety, yours, and your beast."

Martin nodded and for the first time in months smiled. He reached for her. "Please, Uruku, give her to me. I'll carry her." 

Martin should have demanded to hold her, not ask for permission. Uruku wasn't sure what to do other than hand the unconscious woman over to Martin. Uruku feared for Martin's future. A weak vampire was easily killed...by humans and other vampires. 

*** 

Martin left the castle to investigate the report of werewolves near one of the outlying villages. This time, the group contained three times as many vampires as it had on their first excursion. It also included Bjorn Jorganson. The group had new strategies, new weapons, and new spells. 

The odor of werewolves hung thickly in the air. Martin dismounted, as did the others with him. 

Bjorn, remaining in human form, approached Martin slowly as he kept wary eyes on the trees. "Hey, Morsus, they attack the ones they believe to be the easiest to kill first."

Martin answered quietly, "So Jorganson, are you saying the women need guards."

Bjorn answered, "That is what I would suggest."

Before Martin could order guards on the women, the trees erupted spilling out insane werewolves. Some stood biting their own hands or snarled at shadows and branches moving in the wind. Others focused their aggression on anything that was alive.

A cry of pain and the smell of burnt embers announced the werewolves' first kill. Martin placed his silver painted sword between him and an approaching werewolf. He hoped his sword would be as destructive as Jorganson had promised. 

During their meetings, Bjorn had explained that silver was too soft a metal to use as the only ore in any weapon, including arrow tips. Instead, any strong weapon painted with silver would do considerable harm. Therefore, they painted all their weapons with silver. 

Gabriel pulled out a handful of silver dust, tossed it high into the air, and spoke a few words of the ancient language of magic. The dust floated and the buzzing of insects played through the air. The bits of silver swarmed at the werewolves stinging and biting them causing a great deal of pain and damage. 

Bjorn would not change into his werewolf form while the spell casters had magic to spare. They created many spells that targeted the werewolf form, so he would remain human as long as possible. 

Sophia screamed as claws ripped through the flesh of her right shoulder. Gabriel and Bjorn turned to her. Gabriel cast a simple spell that pushed the offending werewolf away from his beloved so he could cast a more lethal one to kill it. Bjorn miscalculated the skill of his werewolf opponent when he looked away. During that momentary lapse of judgment, the werewolf thrust his hand into the unsuspecting man ripping his entrails from his body. Bjorn dropped, clutched his abdomen, and tried to hold his eviscerated body together. 

Gabriel changed his spell from a killing one into a healing one targeting his fallen ally. Martin saw the werewolf raise his hand to strike the killing blow to Bjorn. Martin tossed his sword a couple of inches into the air, flipped his wrist to reverse his grip on the hilt, and threw his sword as if it were a spear. The sword impaled through the left side of the werewolf's neck passing to stick out the right side. There werewolf died and fell to the ground reverting to his human form. 

Before Martin could retrieve his sword, one of the mad werewolves jumped on his back, biting deep into his neck. Martin felt the painful pressure crushing his vertebrae. White-hot pain seared into his being and he fell to his knees unable to grasp his attacker. Then fire seemed to erupt on his skin as werewolf blood sprayed all over his body and the weight fell from his back.

Suwon glared down at Martin as she poured water from her leather skin to wash away the werewolf blood from his body. "Seriously? You tossed away your weapon AND turned your back to the enemy. I can't believe you." She inspected his skin for more werewolf blood and seeing him free of that burning liquid, she turned and marched to an opponent with her bloody sword raised for battle. 

As Martin stood, Marcus handed him back his sword. "You know, Suwon really worries about you. It would devastate her to have something happen to you." He patted his uncle's shoulder and then rushed to fight at his wife's side.

Martin breathed deeply and cleared his head. He made note of the battle in his mind's eye seeing each of his friends and every werewolf fighting as if on a game board. None targeted him so he moved to guard Gabriel as the man tried to heal Bjorn. 

Bjorn, severely injured, was no longer conscious. Yet, moans of pain escaped his lips. Gabriel touched the fallen man's stomach with both hands as he recited the words of a healing spell. Sophia pushed the spilled entrails back into Bjorn's body as best as she could. 

Gabriel finished the words of his spell and waited. There was a glow and the skin slowly knitted closed. Bjorn coughed and then grimaced. His abdomen bulged and leveled, but he did not awaken. 

Gabriel said, "I feared that I would not be able to heal him completely because he is a werebeast. I understand a vampire's body, but not a werewolf's. Keep him safe, Sophia while I return to the fight."

Sophia stood vigil over the unconscious form of Bjorn casting spells to harm any werewolf that drew too close. Gabriel joined the fray to stand behind Martin casting spells to aid and protect his brother. 

The vampires lost three of their fighters during the battle. None of the insane werewolves survived and Bjorn remained unconscious. The vampires destroyed the remains of the dead werewolves, now in human form. Then they gathered their injured and returned to the castle. 

*** 

Katarina stood by her window, darkness having descended giving the snow a gray hue. She sighed heavily and turned to put another log on the fire. A tapping at her third floor window startled her. She slowly turned to look at the glass. She gasped and stepped back as eyes glowed outside her window. Then she recognized those eyes. The glowing silver hue was the same as her demon friend. She smiled and quickly opened the window. 

Her demon hopped to her carpet. The left half of his mouth turned up creating a roguish smirk as he said, "I must be careful. I can't stay long, but I had to see you."

Katarina ran to the demon embracing him. Martin, deep inside the darkness of the beast, sighed in contentment as the beast wrapped his huge arms around the woman. They didn't talk, only held each other. 

The beast held her for hours. He was unsure how long, but dawn brushed the horizon signaling the end of their time together. The beast kissed the top of her head and released her reluctantly from his hold. 

Katarina asked, "Will I see you again?"

The beast nodded. "I'll visit as often as I can." And he did. 

*** 

The next night Katarina left the window open so he didn't have to tap. She was bundled up under the blankets and he assumed her cold from the open window. Usually, he didn't notice the weather since his kind wasn't bothered by the cold, but he bravely approached the hearth placing three logs on the fire to warm the room faster. Katarina never left the bed and he feared her ill. He quickly went to her side placing his hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. She felt fine. 

Katarina said, "I missed you." 

Then she pulled back the blanket to reveal her naked body and moved his hand from her forehead to her breast. Martin begged the beast not to take her, but the beast had little discipline and it bent to kiss her lips. Katarina wrapped her arms around the beast's neck and the beast wrapped his wings around the two of them cocooning their bodies protectively. He touched her everywhere and felt Martin's frustration, but easily ignored it. The beast was the epitome of the vampire's selfish qualities. He could not stop himself, had he wanted to and he had not wanted to. 

Katarina stirred his desires and when her knees parted, he did not resist. He released his hardened member from his pants, dropping it heavily between her thighs, and found her warm moist valley. He pushed against her and saw her grimace in pain. He jerked his hips back as he realized she had never been touched. 

Katarina had wondered how her maidenly status would affect the demon. She didn't know if he would ravage a pure woman or refuse to touch one with no experience. She felt him pull away after finding her resistance. She threw her legs around his hips. She would not let him stop. 

Katarina cupped his face and said, "Please." Then she kissed him deep and slow. 

That one word was like a command to the beast. Her kiss was a delectable invitation. He could no longer refuse. He slowly pushed forward and when he felt her virginal resistance, he bit into her neck releasing all the venom he could to flood her with euphoria and ease her pain. 

Katarina moaned and her hips shot up pressing her pelvis into his. The beast growled meeting her thrusts with his own eager ones. Katarina raked his back with her nails as he touched her breasts, stroked her thighs, and pumped into her repeatedly. 

Katarina arched her sweat soaked body crying out as pleasure washed over her making her feel as though the sensitive bud between her legs had exploded. The beast released his bite and threw back his head roaring with satisfaction and at the successful conquest of his lover. 

They both lay panting. The beast stayed until she fell asleep, slowly rose, and departed through her window. After he landed in the darkened courtyard, he allowed Martin to come out. Martin felt exultation of having tasted Katarina's blood during her seduction, but was upset that he was not actually the seducer. He pondered the night's events as he opened the side door. Martin stopped as he spotted Uruku and his brothers standing in the darkened room, their weapons out, and looking at him with confusion. 

Martin asked, "What is going on?"

Uruku asked, "How are you feeling?"

Martin shrugged. "I'm okay. Why?"

Uruku stepped closer touching Martin's face turning it back and forth as if searching for something. "Never has a beast stayed after tasting the blood of his chosen as her blood is calming to the beast. It retreats to bask in the glory of the bite and her taste. Never has a beast maintained control through a seduction. The pleasure overwhelms the beast and it retreats to bask in the ecstasy. Martin, your beast is too strong. How did you regain control?"

Martin shrugged. "He gave it to me."

Uruku looked doubtful, "Willingly?"

Martin nodded. "Yes. I didn't want him to be the first of us to touch her, but he ignored me. After he left her, he willingly gave me control."

Uruku shook his head. "I have never heard of this ever happening."

*** 

Katarina and the beast made love each night that they were together and he always waited for her to fall asleep before leaving. Only werewolf battles kept him from her. The beast planned to introduce Katarina to Martin very soon. He needed her to accept his vampire half, to embrace his whole being. 

The beast encouraged her to leave her room and explore the castle, which she had done a couple times just to please him. She even left the castle with Suwon and Marcus to visit the shops of the village. It was during one of the walks that she met a jeweler and commissioned a necklace. Katarina explained the design that she wanted. It was to be made of silver because werewolves were vulnerable to silver, but not her beast. She hoped it would protect or aid him in some way. 

The jeweler quoted a price and she pulled a small diamond hidden in her boot. She had found it in a cave long ago as a child and had kept it. Her druidic parents explained that it had little value to them, but that other humans coveted such items. Therefore, Katarina held onto the gem just in case she would ever need something of value to trade. 

The jeweler examined the small-uncut diamond and explained that it was worth far more than what she had commissioned. Katarina had nothing else to barter, so the jeweler offered to make a woman's necklace with the same design so the two would match. She agreed. 

***

Katarina sat in her room waiting for her demon to arrive, the gift in a small wooden box wrapped with a blue silk cloth. Her window opened announcing her demon's arrival. She jumped up and ran into his arms. The beast kissed the top of her head. She broke the embrace, pulled him to the settee in front of the fire, and then offered him the gift. 

Katarina smiled. "Winter Solstice is coming. I didn't know if you would be here or battling the werewolves so I wanted to give your gift to you now."

The beast was stunned. "I...I'm sorry. I never got your anything."

She looked at him sweetly. "That is okay. You have been so busy. I don't need a gift. Please, open it." She kissed his cheek and scooted onto his lap. 

No one had ever given the beast a gift. He felt awkward and had to drop his eyes fearing she would misread his emotions as something negative. He gently cradled the box, untying the twine that held the blue silk secure. He placed the cloth gently over the arm of the settee and lifted the cover of the box. On a silver chain hung a larger hand reaching out to a smaller hand centered over a pair of wings. 

He smiled. "My hand reaches to yours and those are my wings." She snuggled against him. 

Katarina lifted the chain from her neck. "We have a matching set, but mine is slightly smaller."

The beast held her tight. He would not lie with her tonight. He wanted her to know that she was much more than a bed partner to him. "Katarina, if the army does not have to battle during the Winter Solstice, would you attend the annual party the King throws? I promise you will not be disappointed. I have arranged a surprise for you. You will have fun."

Katarina answered, "Only if you promise never to take it off." She pointed to his necklace.

The beast chuckled. "I promise." He placed the chain around his neck. He wanted to hold her until she fell asleep. He would not take her body again until he revealed that he and Martin were two halves of the same being. She deserved to know everything. 

*** 

She dressed in a light blue gown reminiscent of ice to honor the Winter Solstice. Katarina left her room with great unease, but the demon had promised that she would have fun and she trusted him. She placed her right hand on the rail of the stairs lifting her skirt a few inches with her left to prevent any trips or tumbles. No one noticed her quiet descent. 

Half way down the stairs, the double doors to the entryway opened. The king and his brothers entered. Katarina froze. She wasn't ready to see them, yet. The men removed their cloaks and scarves. Servants immediately besieged them asking for instructions pertaining to the night's festivities. 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 07



I would like to thank my wonderful editors: Griz375, Aisielynn, & two4friends. I'm thrilled at all the mistakes you catch for me. I'd love to vow to make your job easier in the future, but I'm probably going to fail on that vow. Thanks again. You really help the story flow better.

~~~ 

Life as the Supernatural

~Present day~

The vampire clan and the werewolf clan settled in the poorer side of the city with the higher crime rate. The majority of the vampires became police officers, as their bodies were able to survive bullet wounds as long as their heads remained attached and their hearts remained in their bodies. The majority of the werewolves became firefighters as they had an innate resistance to fire. 

Together, the two groups protected their part of the city from crime, human or supernatural. The vampires, under the camouflage of Law Enforcement, dealt with any supernatural foes or threats that endangered their kind from possible discovery. It was efficient and necessary.

Martin Morsus, a member of S.W.A.T., sat at the table in his team's room, quiet as usual. His strange silver eyes piercing any who entered. He kept his hair very short so he didn't have to bother much with styling. He wore a black t-shirt and charcoal tactical pants with the standard S.W.A.T. military boots. 

The leader of their unit was Martin's older brother, August. Their other brother, Gabriel, was a detective in the homicide division, partnered with Sophia, his wife. The three brothers didn't look much like brothers. Even their eyes were slightly different shades of gray, with Martin's being that strange silver. Despite their differences, the Morsus brothers were loyal and dedicated to each other, making them a formidable family and strong leaders of their vampires. 

Since the merging with his beast, Martin had grown stony and silent. He cared little for personal interactions. Cruelty wasn't a stranger to him. It was a friend to him on more than one interrogation or killing. He was goal oriented and did whatever was needed to complete a task or assignment. Martin had turned into the personification of cold and deadly. He dispatched rogue vampires and rogue werewolves efficiently and without preamble. He did the same to humans under the guise of the law. He had no difficulty forgetting his targets were living beings and had no difficulty dispatching his victims when they were no longer an asset to him. 

His brothers always talked to him even if he didn't answer. His nephew, Marcus, shared his day's events with his icy uncle and Suwan, Marcus' wife, always gave Martin a kiss on the cheek whenever she saw him. Few others tried to interact with him. His reputation discouraged casual conversations. 

Suwon, dressed in her blues, walked with her husband, also her partner, through the lobby of the police station to the stairs. Marcus looked out the bulletproof glass door of the precinct. Night was falling and he needed to have a clear head to protect his wife on the streets. He hated having Suwon work nights because so many weirdoes came out after it was dark, but most officers at the precinct were on rotational shifts and would have to work nights at various intervals. 

A couple years ago, the new captain, Vincent Tinkerton, instituted rotating shifts so no one was stuck on what they would consider an undesirable shift. There were a few permanent positions on each shift, but they came without incentive pay, which the precinct reserved for those who worked the different shifts. Therefore, there was little complaining. 

Tinkerton, a third generation officer, fought hard with the police commissioner and the city to have his men paid well since they were in the area with the highest crime rate. He felt the danger alone should warrant hazard pay or special compensation. When he pushed for the incentive pay on rotating shifts, he earned quite a bit of respect from the men under his command. 

Marcus placed his arm around Suwon's shoulder and walked with her to the stairs leading up to the S.W.A.T. and detectives' section of the precinct. They would have coffee on the third floor, S.W.A.T. section, before their shift started, and chat with some of the other vampires. 

They passed the second floor, the detectives' area, and saw Sophia and Gabriel who would soon go to the third floor as well. On the third floor, they passed the captain's office and, through the glass on his door, saw him talking on the phone as his eyes skimmed printed reports. The captain marked items of interest with a yellow highlighter as he talked. 

They walked by the reception desk where Marienta, married to August, sat attending the phones. She would not join them for coffee. She liked her job and could never wait to get started. Marienta relieved her counterpart the moment she entered the building.

She took great care in her appearance, always beautiful. Today, she wore a silver comb in her dark ringlets and her rich mauve lipstick enhanced her flawless, caramel-mocha skin. No one would question why any man would fall in love with her, but August had noticed her loving heart and her stepson, Marcus, loved her more than he had ever loved his biological mother. 

Marcus and Suwon entered the room sending greetings to Martin, August, and one of the newer vampires, Bobby, sitting with their coffees. Bobby Grant, a man with blond hair and sparkly green eyes, joined their ranks during World War II. His bravery and noble heart caught Martin's attention and Martin spent considerable effort figuring out how to recruit Bobby, thinking he would be a valuable addition to the vampires. 

Unfortunately, before he had time to do so, Bobby took a burst from a German gunner and lay unconscious and dying. Martin did his best, saved the young man's life, and turned Bobby. Martin promised himself that if Bobby regretted it that he, personally, would set the man free in death with his own hands. 

After Bobby awoke as a vampire, he readily accepted his new life. Then he tore apart a German battalion on his own in one of the most gruesome and fierce single handled fights that Martin had ever witnessed. No bodies missed the vivisection and he left none intact. Blood and gore covered the enemy camp. Martin understood the need for retaliation; revenge and justice were close brothers, depending on one's perception of the situation. The vampires allowed Bobby to work out his anger and then they all rejoined their battalion as if nothing had occurred. 

The German papers reported the incident as a bomb explosion, but there was no evidence of a bomb. The Germans feared that news of the new ally weapon would cause moral to fall and panic their troops so they printed the lie, hoping people would believe it as truth. 

The S.W.A.T. unit also contained two humans. Michael Scarpula, who had black hair and dark brown eyes, was the stereotypical tall, dark, and handsome kind of man. He often used his looks to gain what he wanted from women who didn't seem to mind being used in such a fashion. He and Bobby liked electronics and did quite a bit of work together on gadgets they believed would aid their team. 

Tony Tinkerton, the second non-vampire, was the spitting image of his father. They were both tall, blond, blue eyed, and both men were muscular. There were minor differences. Vincent had a mustache whereas his son was clean-shaven. Vincent was more serious than his son. Tony was highly motivated and had a strict enforcement policy of the law thinking in terms of black and white. To Tony, there were no gray areas, whereas his father understood that the law couldn't always be enforced in those terms. 

Michael and Tony were currently absent from the group. They often arrived minutes before their shifts after talking to others in the precinct. The humans of the team was more social their vampire counterparts. 

This S.W.A.T. team was one of the few mixed human-vampire teams. The vampires, through magic or compelling decision-making officers, tried to keep the humans and vampires separated in the precinct to reduce the likelihood of having the vampires discovered. It was hard to explain to a human why a vampire recovered almost immediately from a mortal wound. Those situations required magical intervention to remove the memory from the humans, so it was just easier to have the two groups as separate as possible. 

Even though Tony was the captain's son, he had earned his position before his father's promotion, so none of the human officers griped about nepotism. The vampires just didn't care about such things. Nearly every vampire in the city was an underling of the Morsus brothers. The exception was the one who used to be called Uruku, who now adopted the name of Uric Schuler. Uruku, or Uric, was a loyal friend who the Morsus clan had chosen to be their advisor and judge on vampire matters within their clan. 

Martin planned to recruit Tony to their ranks when the time was right to reveal their true nature to the younger Tinkerton. Martin and his brothers had invited Tony and a few others to play poker each week. Slowly, they were gaining the younger man's trust. They would reveal their true nature if and when they believed that Tony could accept such a revelation. 

Through the years, Martin had become single minded in stopping evil... or his targets. His brothers' feared the reclusiveness of their youngest brother would cause him to fall into the darkness of his inner beasts. So far, Martin traveled a fine line between humanity and malevolence. 

It had been Marcus and Suwon who finally convinced Martin to rejoin the world again. Recently, they came up with a game for Martin. They encouraged him to develop seduction skills with women, creating a reason to interact with someone. They explained that it was just another battle skill, so why not practice that as any other. 

They encouraged Martin to join them at the local cop bar where the groupies waited for the officers. They suggested starting on a groupie, an easy mark, then working his way up to someone that he could feign interest in and date for social functions. 

Martin had been having fun with a pretty groupie, named Emma. She liked cops and she really liked Martin, allowing him to do anything that he wanted with her. He even fed from her, but had to have Marcus or Suwon make the woman forget the feeding. Martin still could not compel humans, no matter how strong he had become, that ability was not at his disposal. 

Martin planned to report his prior evening's activities with Emma to the group as he always did. The reports helped him to develop strategies, get feedback, and make sure he was keeping up with the latest trends in the sexual arenas. 

Martin lifted his coffee as in salute to Marcus and Suwon as the couple entered. He placed the cup to his lips to drink, but gasped. The paper cup slipped from his hand and he grabbed his gut. He felt the warm blood wash over his hands and the other vampires in the room could see the red oozing liquid spread over his pants and shirt. 

Gabriel and Sophia walked in just as Martin lower abdomen blossomed into a bloody flow and Gabriel waved his hand at the door causing it to lock shut. They ran over to the bleeding vampire and tried to examine his wound not understanding its source or cause.

Martin shook his head and his fangs extended. "Don't break my concentration. My bride needs me."

None in the group moved. Martin had lost the woman his beast had chosen for his bride centuries ago. They didn't understand how he could help her now, but they didn't interfere. They did fear that this was the final stage, his mind and body betraying the man, before Martin became a rogue and they had to kill him. 

Martin wasn't seeing through his own eyes any longer. He had the ability to force himself into another being's mind and body, but he had not actively pursued this current union. Something pulled him to her, a stranger, but he could tell she was to be his wife. He definitely felt that call, as did his beast. 

He felt horrible pain in her stomach and she was lying on her back, on sand. It was nighttime and stars were in the darkened sky. He felt the woman's confusion and her pain. For good or bad, she didn't feel the numbness that can occur when the body is first injured. 

She looked around and saw the broken pieces of some type of vehicle, some of it burning. It didn't make sense to her. Martin was certain that she also had a head injury because he felt a throbbing in his own and a trickle of liquid dripped from his ear. He knew it was blood because vampires were much attuned to blood. 

He used her ears to listen and he heard three voices talking in a foreign language so he said to her, "Get up, Sweetheart. They are coming." He spoke it aloud and the vampires in the break room looked to one another wondering what Martin saw. He knew she could not hear the foreign language. The men were too far away for her human ears, which meant they couldn't hear her, either. Also, they couldn't see her. She still had time to escape. 

The woman tried to stand, but the wound in her stomach hurt too much. She looked down and saw a large, jagged chunk of metal in her stomach. She reached for them, wanted to pull them out. 

Martin said loudly, "No! You may bleed out if they are blocking any arteries. Leave them!" 

The woman's soft voice asked, "Who are you?"

Martin couldn't tell her the truth that he was a vampire miles away who wanted to be her husband someday. Instead, he said, "I'm a friend who can help, but you have to listen to me." He saw the ground move up and down indicating her nod. He smiled. "Good. Now, you need to find some weapons. Okay?"

The woman asked, "Where?"

Martin believed her to be in a war zone from the vehicle wreckage around her. He understood war and said, "Look on the ground. Walk around and search through the rubble. Maybe something fell out of the truck or jeep you were in."

A strange tune popped into the woman's head. He also saw some images of charts and math equations. He feared her wounds were worse than he had expected, that her mind was too chaotic, and that she would not be able to concentrate enough to get out of danger. 

She was confused. "I was in a truck?"

Martin heard the voices growing closer, a danger to her safety. "Hurry. Find some weapons." The images in her mind changed, but the tune remained the same so he asked, "What is that song in your head?"

She said, "It is the theme song to a cartoon, The Flintstones. You made me think of it when you said, 'rubble'. One of the characters in the cartoon was named Barney Rubble."

Martin shook his head. She was very injured. Whose mind jumps around like that?

The woman forced herself to stand. A wave of nausea from the pain caused her to vomit and sweat gathered in droplets on her face. She took a deep breath and walked around searching for weapons. She kicked something in the sand and looked down. Martin recognized it. It was a submachine gun. 

Martin called to her. "Sweetheart, pick up the submachine gun. It is at your feet." She bent and felt a stab of pain in her stomach. She pulled at the weapon feeling resistance. He said, "Don't give up. Keep trying." She whimpered, but pulled harder. It popped free, and she staggered barely maintaining her balance. There was an arm attached to it. No body, just the arm. 

She was confused and didn't recognize the arm for what it was, and Martin was thankful, as he feared this might prove too traumatic for her. She watched the severed arm drop. 

Martin asked, "Are they any clips or any more weapons? You'll need them." He heard the voices growing louder. "Hurry." 

The woman stumbled, fighting the pain, looking for another weapon. She approached a larger chunk of metal that Martin assumed was the cab of the vehicle. She looked into it. 

Martin clenched his fists as he saw the driver and a passenger, the upper half of each with their lower extremities missing. She didn't understand they were the remains of humans in her dazed state and Martin was now thankful that she had injured her head. He hoped she wouldn't remember any of this. 

Martin said to her, "Honey, grab another submachine gun and the pistol lying on the seat." She did as he asked. "Great, now you need to get as far away from this spot as fast as you can." 

The submachine guns would harm the enemy. If needed, the pistol would end her life before the enemy caught her. Martin and his beast had already agreed to her possible death. They had been alone a very long time and had survived. They would give up love to keep her from capture and torture by her enemies. They knew the inhumanity that can occur during a war and didn't want her to experience it. 

Martin wanted her to prepare one of the submachine guns to fire. "Honey, put one of straps of the weapon over your shoulder so it is ready for use." She appeared confused. "You know, like you learned in basic training."

She shook her head. "I wasn't in basic training."

Martin was frustrated at her confusion. "Yes, Honey. You went to basic training to fight in a war."

She shook her head. "No, I'm a chemist. My company was contracted to search for chemical and biological warfare to create antidotes for our soldiers. I had a three-day seminar before coming out here." Even in her dazed state, she knew enough not to say anything about a classified mission and searching for agents to create a biological or chemical weapon that would pass as a local outbreak or local toxin. She didn't have to. Martin heard the thoughts in her mind. 

Martin felt dread wash over him. She wasn't a soldier and didn't understand the ways of war. She had a skill the military needed and those men, those dead men, were probably supposed to keep her safe. "Honey, listen careful. Look at all the weapons. Make sure the safety is on for all of them so you don't accidentally shoot yourself." She grew confused. She didn't know what to do. 

Martin lost all his patience and forced her arms to lift the weapons to catch the firelight so he could see. He looked at the spot that indicated the safety was on. "See, that is good. The chances of it firing accidentally are less because the safety is on." He didn't bother trying to explain that it wouldn't work if the weapon had been damaged in the explosion, but he checked the other weapons as well. 

Her soft voice said, "I'll turn it off."

Martin exclaimed "No! Leave it on. We don't want it to go off until you're ready."

She nodded. "So I need to turn the gun off."

Crap. She thought the safety turned the weapon on and off. "Honey, relax. Let me take over and get you out of here. I'll keep talking so you know what I am doing, but I have to take over. Okay?"

He saw the ground move up and down again. "Okay, but I hurt. I hurt so much. Please, don't make the pain worse."

Martin gave a sad smile. "I know, Honey, I'll do my best not to add to your pain, but I need to get you out of here so others do not hurt you, either." 

She nodded and he took control of her whole body. He moved her away from the voices, away from danger. She would leave tracks in the sand, but he didn't have time to sweep them away. Martin moved her as gently as he could and as fast as her pain would allow. 

The voices grew louder. They had found her tracks and they were close. He looked around to find a place of cover. There was only flat sand and not any real dunes. He saw shadowed depressions and moved to the nearest one. He would hide in the darkness and prepare to defend her. 

He moved the pistol to her boot because she had no holster. He could not believe that she had no weapons, but then again, he didn't understand the use of an untrained civilian in a war zone. 

He lowered her body carefully onto her side and bent her knees slightly to prevent any rolling to keep the metal chunks from pushing deeper into her. He placed her elbows onto the sand, lifted the weapon into position, flicked the safety off, and aimed. 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 08



Thank you Griz375 & AisieLynn for editing. Your work is greatly appreciated. 

~~~ 

Tony Tinkerton sat on the wooden bench lifting dumbbells. Sweat matted his blond hair and his blue eyes stared out into nothing. He was lost in his thoughts. Tony was upset having eavesdropped on Stephany and learning that she didn't feel that she could trust him. He simmered about having lost his sister's trust.

Stephany Tinkerton had been a very smart child. She left for college at the age of thirteen and completed her undergraduate studies in two years. Then after she turned sixteen, Stephany didn't return home for visits. She said it was due to her academic pursuits, research opportunities, and career objectives. Tony and his father had only been able to make a few visits to Stephany due to their own schedules. He feared he had lost too much time with his youngest sister and be unable to recover his relationship with her.

Tony's commander, August Morsus, had made him promise not to reveal to Stephany that the men had used her mobile phone as a listening device. They had heard a lot of information. August had used his vampire skill of compelling to make Tony forget hearing about World War II or anything having to do with the supernatural creatures, though. 

Martin Morsus sat curling weights as he watched the room with his cold silver eyes focusing his thoughts on the new vampire in their territory. In general, vampires were a solitary lot. He and his brothers were unique in the fact that they had a community of vampires living in the city and protecting it. They ensured that other vampires didn't invade the area and cause trouble. Now, he had to determine if the new vampire, Henry, was a problem or not. If Henry was a problem, Martin would have to determine how to deal with the problem. 

On top of that new worry, he was still trying to find his bride. After she had pulled him into her being, he had asked Gabriel to use magic to locate her. Gabriel had explained the only magic he knew to locate someone would require something belonging to the person of interest. A spell cast on an object could locate the owner, but without an object, he could do nothing. 

Martin had nothing of his bride, not even her name. He knew very little of her and could not send his men out to find her on what he did know. His frustration grew daily as his feeling of impotence grew. He thought nearly every moment of trying to find her, but had no viable plans. 

The door to the precinct weight room creaked open slowly. The humans in the room didn't notice, but the vampires in the room glanced over to see who was coming in. A petite pixie of a woman peeked into the room, looking around until her eyes found Tony sitting with his back to her and the door. She wore black jeans, a gray t-shirt, and black boots. She tiptoed silently into the room unable to hide the warm, enchanting smile on her face as each step brought her closer and closer to the man lifting the dumbbells.

Tony Tinkerton almost laughed aloud at his sister's attempts at stealth. She would make a horrible criminal as the mirrored wall, giving the officers the opportunity to watch their form, went completely unnoticed by her. Yet, it gave him a perfect view of his sister trying to sneak up on him. He pretended not to notice her, allowing her to get closer. 

Martin almost shook as the scent of her blood reached him. Her presence overwhelmed him and he tried to hide his growing fangs from the humans in the room by lifting his fist as if he had to cough. Her blood called to his beast. She was the woman who had called him to help her in the desert. She was the woman that would help him maintain his humanity. She was the woman that was to be his wife, his partner for eternity. Martin couldn't take his eyes from her. She finally stood before him. He felt a lump develop in his throat. He feared for her safety. 

She was nothing as he had expected. She was too small. She was too playful. She was too much the profile of a victim, appearing harmless to the predators of the world. She appeared weak and fragile. He wondered how she could have lasted in a war zone. She was the type of woman that even when she lost her temper, others would view the episode as cute. She couldn't intimidate anyone, but she would draw a lot of attention to herself by just being her. 

August Morsus, Martin's older brother, and Bobby Grant, one of Martin's underlings, looked closer at the woman trying to sneak up on Tony. She was more of a cute kitten, not a sexy femme fatale. She wasn't Martin's type. He preferred the women who obviously oozed with sexuality, not someone who appeared sweet and innocent. 

They expected voluptuous, sophisticated, and seductive. They had not expected a sprig of woman, mischievous and impish, as this one appeared to be. She had long dark brown hair, almost black, worn loose and flowing. Martin had a taste for curvy blondes who were low maintenance, who desired sex with him.

She lacked the long legs of the Tinkerton family. The only thing about her that marked her as Tony's sister, besides the scent of her blood, was the bright blue eyes that they shared with their father. Had the men not have known that Tony's sister was coming to have lunch with him, no one would have realized they were related as she was nothing like him, nothing like her sisters. 

The way her blood smelled to a vampire did mark her as Tony and Vincent's relation. Family members tended to have blood that harmonized with the others in taste and smell. Vampires recognized members of a family by their blood as humans recognized members of a family by their looks. 

Tony waited for his sister to creep within a pace of him. He saw her lift her hands as if about to pounce, so he did instead. In one flowing motion, he turned in his seat, growled loudly, and jumped at her.

Stephany Tinkerton jumped and screamed in surprise. Then she threw both of her hands over her mouth and giggled. 

Tony embraced her and said, "You are horrible at sneaking up on people."

Stephany squirmed as she replied, "Gross, Tony. Now, I have man sweat all over me. Yuck." She pushed him away and held her arms out as if they were covered in something toxic. "How did you know I was there?"

Tony laughed as he pointed to the wall of mirrors. 

Stephany looked at the wall as if not understanding what she saw. Then she broke out into a fit of laughter as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She hadn't noticed the big obvious mirrored wall in the room. 

She backed away from Tony as he tried to give her a kiss on her cheek and said, "Yuck. Shower first and get rid of your work-out cooties."

Tony looked passed her to the other officers in the room and said in a teasing voice, "Now everyone knows you believe in cooties."

Stephany turned around, saw the men, and seemed surprised that there were other people in the room. "Um, hi. Sorry." She glanced quickly around the room noticing how each man reacted to the siblings' behaviors. None seemed bothered. 

Tony said, "Come sit by the door as I take a shower. That way, I can talk to you."

Stephany looked at her brother and frowned. "Tony, we're not at home. The other men taking a shower or using the restrooms might not like a woman sitting by an open door. You know, privacy and all."

Tony eyed the men and shook his head. "You really don't know the guys that I work with. If they had their way, they would ask you to join them in the shower to wash their backs." He glared around the room at the men. "You pervs stay away from my sister."

Stephany shook her head. "I wouldn't date a cop, too rigid. You know that."

Tony laughed sarcastically. "I find it funny that you think they date. Notice that I called them pervs. They wouldn't date you. They would...you know."

Stephany tried to hide her grin, but failed as she said, "You can't even say it. That is why I wouldn't date a cop, all uptight and stuff."

Bobby Grant said, "Hey, we're not all uptight." He caught the glare that Martin threw his way and realized that his sire was going to go through a rough time until Stephany was officially one of them.

Tony said quickly, "You were included when I said for everyone to stay away from her."

Stephany looked at Bobby. Then she walked over and around him as she looked carefully at his body. "Nice looking and all, but still a cop. Sorry, can't do it." She returned to her brother as she said over her shoulder, "I live with two of them. Both are all caught up on rules and regulations. I'm certainly not going to date one. Cops can't turn it off and my head would explode from all the illogical thoughts that they can think of."

Bobby had nearly panicked, as Stephany studied his body. He felt the anger come at him in waves from Martin. Stephany was joking, but Martin wouldn't be in a humorous mood for quite a while. He almost slumped forward with relief when she moved away from him. He regretted asking her his question and planned to remain quiet when Stephany was around.

Tony picked up a hard plastic chair and moved it outside the men's locker room. He propped open the door and said, "Sit and I'll take a quick shower."

Stephany sighed, "Fine. I'll talk, but when your buddies complain later, remember that this was all your idea."

Tony smiled and moved into the locker room and called out, "Where do you want to eat lunch?" 

Stephany sat down, heard one of the showers turn on, and said, "I have no idea. You know the area much better than I do. I haven't been here in forever. You pick." 

Stephany happened to glance up and noticed that one of the officers was glaring at her. He was a tall, muscular man with short dark hair and strange silver eyes. She dropped her gaze quickly to the floor as that familiar feeling of unease crept upon her. She was used to people being uncomfortable in her presence, or just not liking her, but his eyes were intense. They were too intense. Stephany wondered what she could have done to gain his annoyance so quickly. 

When Stephany was six years old, her mother said that the girl was special and that people didn't always know how to act around special people. Stephany knew better. She was different, not special, and people didn't like different. People liked sameness.  

As a child, Stephany kept herself busy in her room to avoid other children playing outside and becoming the target of a bully because the kids didn't like different. At college, Stephany charged a hefty fee for tutoring, discovering that people appreciated someone who was different when it came to passing classes. Then when she toured with Henry's platoon, the men needed someone who could figure out the signs of biological or chemical warfare. So being different there was a desirable asset. 

Tony said, "We can eat at the Corner Diner. They have decent food and the prices aren't bad. A lot of cops eat there."

Stephany kept herself from looking at anyone in the room and replied, "Sounds great. I'm getting hungry." Then she thought for a moment and asked, "If a lot of cops eat there, what is to prevent some psycho from bombing the place or shooting to take out a bunch of you?"

Tony called, "I can't believe you would think like that. Same reason that the psychos don't bomb or open fire on the precinct. Too many of us for them to risk it."

Tony grew quiet as he showered. Stephany felt tension in the room and wished she hadn't agreed to meet her brother at the precinct. She should have suggested meeting anywhere else, such as where they were going to eat. She kept her eyes focused on the floor near her feet to avoid any hostile glares.

Martin was angry at Bobby for flirting with Stephany. He was even angrier with Stephany for obviously looking over Bobby's body. Then he had made eye contact with her. Martin felt as though he needed to breathe for just a moment, unnecessary for a vampire. He was so close to her. Finally, after months of fearing she would die before he met her, she was there.

His elation died quickly when she looked away from him. Her cheeks flushed and shame wafted off her. He couldn't figure out what had upset her. Her heartbeat quickened as did her breathing and her blood pressure increased. She showed signs of distress. 

Martin looked at August and Bobby to see if they noticed her sudden discomfort. Bobby wasn't looking at her and was busy with different weights. However, August had noticed the change and was studying Stephany with intense interest. 

August had never seen Tony's other sisters uncomfortable, although they tended to make others around them uncomfortable. Yet, Stephany, within a matter of minutes, had grown so uncomfortable that her body had gone into a hypervigilant state. 

August met his brother's eyes and shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea what had happened to upset her. This one was certainly nothing like Martin's previous women. This one would drive Martin to distraction. He suspected that Martin would soon grow distraught wanting to fix whatever was wrong with her. He looked at Bobby, fearing the younger man would get the brunt of Martin's anger. 

Tony walked out of the locker room; hair still wet, and patted his pants' pocket to ensure that he had his wallet. "I'll pay for lunch. Feel privileged because I won't do that for the other two." 

The phrase, "the other two" referred to Carol and Jennifer Tinkerton. Their mother was Elizabeth Tinkerton, the captain's first wife. She was also Tony's biological mother, but he had felt closer to Stephany's mother, Amelia, the captain's second wife. Stephany found "the other two" to be painfully problematic. They had a mean side to them that bordered on psychotic. Where Stephany was an overachiever, the other two were incredible underachievers. Carol and Jennifer had dropped out of high school and now hemorrhaged money off Vincent instead of working. 

When Amelia had died, she left each of the four children a sizable life insurance policy, even though the eldest three children were not hers, biologically. The terms of the policy allowed the children to have full access and control of their money when they turned twenty-five years old. 

Their father, Vincent, had access to their money to pay for college education, of which only Tony had used. Carol and Jennifer didn't pursue higher education and Stephany had received scholarships, thus not needing any of her money. 

When Tony gained access to his money, he bought an SUV with all the amenities available for that model and kept the rest of his money at the investment firms researched by Stephany when she was thirteen, which had allowed his money to grow considerably. He also added a sizable amount from each paycheck since he lived at home. 

In three years of having access to her money, Carol had used it for shopping sprees, barely having enough to pay for her upcoming wedding. She had decided not to use the investment companies and her money had barely grown. 

Jennifer had used her money for shopping sprees, but only having had access to her money less than a year, she had the majority of it in her bank account. She did not use the investment firms, either, as she usually did whatever her older sister did. 

Stephany, as all the Tinkerton children, knew about the money soon after her mother had died when the lawyer spoke with her about her mother's will. She had been eight years old. The lawyer explained that she inherited the house to prevent Vincent's first wife, Elizabeth, from taking him to court to gain access to it. 

Elizabeth had gotten his first house in the divorce and then promptly dumped the three children onto Vincent who had to scramble to find another home for his children, a small three-bedroom apartment. Elizabeth used every opportunity to take Vincent to court and sue for more alimony, even wanting to include Amelia's income as a teacher. After that, Vincent placed everything of any value in Amelia's name to prevent Elizabeth from gaining access to any of it. Then, Stephany inherited all that had been in her mother's name, also preventing Elizabeth from gaining any of it. 

Stephany smiled at her brother. "Yeah, I won't buy their lunch or anything for them, either."

Martin tried to figure out a way to get himself invited to lunch with the Tinkertons, but couldn't think of a way that didn't sound clumsy or desperate. 

August knew his youngest brother well and said, "Hey, why don't we all go out for lunch and I'll treat. Tony has been talking about his youngest sister coming home, so this will be like a celebration...cheap celebration, though, since we are going to the Corner Diner."

Tony pulled his sister to his side, kissed the top of her head, and said, "That sounds great. Don't worry. Stephy can feel just as comfortable in the inexpensive diners as she can in the expensive restaurants."

Stephany cocked her head to the side and replied, "Thanks Tony. You just made me sound like a snob."

He laughed. "You are the only one of us who knows what utensil to use and when."

Stephany sighed. "The outside one. It is always the outside one."

Tony shrugged. "You forget there are two sides of the plate where the utensils sit."

Stephany pinched her brother's ribs and he jerked as he said, "Ow!"

Then Stephany said, "Tony, you haven't introduced me to anyone."

Tony looked stunned. "Right. Stephy, this is the commander of the unit, Lieutenant August Morsus. Lieutenant, this is my favorite sister, Stephy."

August was careful not to touch her as he said, "Nice to meet you Stephany...or Stephy?"

He was bonded, married, and his contact with Martin's future wife wouldn't set Martin off, but there were two others in the group that were single, Bobby and Michael, and Martin's temper would flair if either of them touched her. He hoped his behavior would set the precedence for the others to follow.

Martin would go through the normal vampire phases of jealousy, but his previous loss of a potential wife would haunt Martin until he turned Stephany into one of their kind. Even then, Martin might still be a bit overprotective of her. 

Stephany tried to keep from giggling as she said, "Stephy is fine."

August smiled and asked, "What's so funny?"

Stephany answered, "Morsus is an unusual surname. In Latin, it means 'to bite' or 'bitten', but I doubt that was the original surname of your ancestors. Elis Island butchered many names on immigration papers. Sorry, it just seemed funny." She tilted her head and shrugged. 

He laughed and said, "It wouldn't surprise me if it had always been Morsus and it was because of some biting problem one of our ancestors had." He looked at Martin for a brief second. 

Martin's initial surprise of Stephany's knowledge of Latin ebbed and his brother's joke helped alleviate any concerns. Martin had chosen their last name because he knew the Latin definition and thought it was funny. Now, he almost regretted it. He didn't want Stephany to get a hint of what they were before she was ready. He didn't want her to become frightened to discover that vampires were real. That disclosure would come in time. 

Tony pointed to Martin and said, "This is Sargent Martin Morsus. He is August's youngest brother."

Martin offered his hand wanting to touch her more than be polite. Stephany took his hand and gave a gentle shake. He saw her cheeks flush and heard the rhythm of her heart pound harder. Sadly, Martin realized that he was the reason she had been uncomfortable, before. 

Stephany smiled politely and said, "It is nice to meet you, Sargent Morsus." Then she looked down at her feet. 

Martin noticed she didn't make any small talk with him, which bothered him. How had he already made her dislike him? It was his curse; the women that he wanted to be with didn't like him. He would probably have to watch this one from afar as well. 




The Making of Vampires Ch. 09



Thank you to my editors Griz375 and Aisielynn. I appreciate all that you have done for my stories.

This is the final chapter for this story line and it is long. I had fun, but honestly, I wrote myself into a corner. Because of advice from others, I kept editing out the main antagonist from previous chapters. Therefore, introduction of this antagonist is weak. I do apologize for that.

*** 

Amy pulled up to the house, the swelling in her eye countered by a previous cold pack, and cosmetics applied to hide the purple bruise. Near the curb, a few yards further, stood Tony and some of his friends. They could see Martin, Gabriel, August, and Marcus. The men were talking. 

Rachel said, "I don't think they'll smell the booze on you, but let us go to the house with you. Amy didn't have enough to inhibit her driving and I'm sober, but they don't need to know that." 

Rachel pulled a brown bag from under her seat, removed and opened a bottle of whiskey below the dashboard so the men couldn't see it. Then, as if applying perfume, she placed her finger over the bottle opening, tipped it, and dabbed whisky on her neck, lips, and down her cleavage.

She nodded. "There, now I smell like a brewery and Tony won't notice anything lingering on Stephy's breath. Let's go."

The three women exited the car and waved to the men as they walked toward the house. The men looked up and smiled, greeting the women. Gabriel froze, as he could smell something, something that lingered below the scent of booze. 

The other vampires focused their eyes on Rachel. They could detect alcohol on the willowy woman. They could even detect exactly where she had dabbed it on her body. 

Gabriel focused on the lingering scent and also detected a weak, but unusual taint of magic on all three of them, a rare benign, inner magic. The magic was undetectable when the women were alone, but was noticeable when the three were together. From what he could tell, all of them were descended from nymphs, the magical uninhibited nature deities. The small brunette, Martin's bride, had the strongest source. Even though she had the strongest, it was still weak and barely detectable. The curvy blond had the least amount of the magic touching her. Unfortunately, humans would find it difficult to resist the women no matter how little of the nymph blood they possessed. Yet, he believed vampires should have no problems. 

He looked at Martin and hoped his brother would not have any problems. The fact that Stephany's blood called to Martin's inner beast complicated matters, but he shouldn't lose his willpower from her diluted nymph magic, unlike human males who would have difficulty when touched by the women. 

Almost in unison, the vampires smelled the distinct scent of sex and the lingering taint on all three women, which they could determine as demon. The demon odor was weak indicating a long lineage from the original demon, yet, it was still a spawn of evil. Gabriel reached for Martin's shoulder giving his younger brother a reassuring squeeze. He hoped to remind Martin not to lose his temper in front of humans, especially since his brother had not made his intentions known to the younger woman.

Martin felt his brother's touch giving him a bit of reassurance. Yet, he feared the demon spawn's near presence to his future bride. Demons and their descendants had a magnetism that attracted humans. Humans desired what they should not. They desired the forbidden fruit, especially sugared with evil. 

Martin had to protect her, even from herself. He concentrated and sent a message to one of his generals from his original human army. Maximilius, I need you to assign sentries to protect Stephany.

Maximilius, known now as Max Uberman, knew about his sire's bride, as did everyone in the clan. The realization Martin had another chance at love, another shot at maintaining his humanity with an anchor against the darkness, caused a great deal of joy and relief. No one wanted to hunt down their greatest warrior and battle the master of strategy if Martin fell into the pit of evil. 

Max replied, No problem, boss. Martin's men had called him boss for many centuries. Remembering the different titles for a leader of the army in various cultures grew a bit tedious at times, especially when the titles meant different rankings in each place. Therefore, to prevent any insults, some of which could encourage a political figure to demand the removal of the insulter's head, they started calling Martin "boss". I assume you would like bonded males to protect her? A bonded vampire would never desire or lust after anyone other than the one he was bonded to. Stephany's virtues would never be in danger with a bonded vampire. 

Martin answered, Yes and I want the men to shadow her around the clock, even when she is sleeping. Humans believed themselves safe in their homes. They didn't realize that many supernatural creatures roamed the land at night and many had no problems finding their way into a sleeping human's domain. One diminutive group of creatures wandered through homes moving around keys and other items as they curiously explored the terrain. They were harmless entities, but bothersome as people had trouble finding their possessions, later. 

Max said, Sure thing. Your other two generals and I will take shifts around the clock.

Martin replied, Thank you, Maximilius. Then he ended their conversation and closed the connection between their minds. 

*** 

Quintin Everheart stood hidden in the shadows of a tree outside the Tinkerton home. He could feel the soft hum of magical protection placed on the house by Gabriel to specifically protect Stephany from demons. He would have preferred Gabriel to add more protections on the house, but often the complicated magical weave reacted in unsuspecting ways when immediately layered upon an object. It would take time for Gabriel to add more protections to keep her safe. However, moving in with Martin would be the safest alternative of all. 

Quintin wore only one magical ring on each hand. He was not magically gifted and the rings provided convenient spells. Therefore, one ring had magic that would transport him back to a cavern outside the magically protected chambers where the vampires gathered. The other ring hid his vampire status making him undetectable to those who could detect vampires. 

Quintin sat motionless as he allowed his senses to reach out ensuring no dangers neared the Tinkerton home. The clan considered her a special person. None had heard of any vampire granted a second mate and considered this a gracious gift from Magic, their deity. 

Many vampires believed Magic to be an immortal creature, living and conscious. They did not believe that Magic was an inanimate object, to be used and manipulated. Martin had won her favor, as shown by his many vampiric gifts. He was so favored that Magic had granted him a second chance at love. 

Quintin would do all that he could to protect her for the sake of his commander who was more than just a commander. Martin was his friend and Quintin's sire. 

All was calm and peaceful as it had been every night since starting his vigil nearly two weeks ago, yet, he would not allow himself to relax or take comfort in the calm. Danger could arise at any moment. He knew this was a permanent assignment. Even after Stephany joined their clan, they would still guard her. He could not imagine anything that would allow Martin to call of the guards. 

Martin often joined his men in watching over Stephany's house. Whenever he wasn't working at his human job or taking care of clan business, Martin was watching over her as well. His guards didn't take it as questioning their abilities to guard the woman. They understood the obsession that came over a vampire after finding his eternal partner. 

As dawn began to paint the eastern horizon, Quintin felt a familiar presence. His friend, Tavian Truman, approached. Quintin wouldn't leave until Tavian settled into a secure location preparing to shadow Stephany to and from work. 

Unfortunately, Stephany worked in a security heavy building preventing Tavian from entering to keep her safe, but the clan was working on a way for him to infiltrate the employee ranks. Until then, Tavian kept watch from outside ensuring the building would not be in danger from external forces. 

Quintin waited until Tavian found a comfortable spot on a nearby rooftop. Then Quintin twisted his ring. He appeared in the underground hollow outside the chambers. Then he walked over to the two-ton door and planned to give his report of an uneventful evening. 

Quintin entered the chambers, magically crafted into a modern office building. Some parts were left rough and cavern-like, such as the feeding pits that held the feeders, but the rest had polished floors and doors. 

All the doors were around two tons each made from various ores or crystals. The reason for such heavy doors was to prevent accidental entry by a human. Even though the chambers were hidden underground in a depth unlikely for anyone other than them to infiltrate, they preferred to err on the side of caution. Vampires could easily open the heavy doors, a feat impossible to duplicate by humans. 

Quintin walked into a large room with a wall of computers and phones, all connected through deep underground landlines. No wireless items existed in this room to heighten security and because the chamber's distance below ground level prevented reception.  

Quintin saw Martin in conversation with August and one of August's new men, Able Creed. Quintin almost grimaced. Able joined their ranks nearly the same time Bobby Grant had joined. August never let the number of his men dropped below that of Martin's. 

Able, unlike Bobby, tended to annoy the older members of the clan and the young vampire had not earned the trust of others. He seemed self-aggrandizing and not a team player. Able was not someone aware of the needs of others, nor did he care to be. Able was a talented kiss-ass and constantly followed August around as a yes-man and stroked the older vampire's ego. 

Quintin caught Martin's eyes giving a quick nod to let his commander know the night was uneventful. Then he leaned against the wall behind many other vampires to listen to the brothers' conversation.

August said, "Martin, be open minded. Able Creed is one of my best men and he needs something to prove his worth to the clan and especially to you. Let him take a shift watching over Stephany. I swear on my reputation you will not be disappointed."

Quintin stiffened. The logic of allowing such a young vampire to watch over someone so important was ludicrous. There was more at stake than Stephany's safety. There was Martin's humanity at risk as well, which also meant the continuation of the clan.

Everyone one knew the clan existed because of Martin's leadership over the warriors. Everyone also knew that August was the leader because Martin wanted it so. If Martin ever decided to usurp his brother, none would prevent him. Even if August's men tried to prevent the change of leadership, Martin's men would eliminate any who tried to stand in the way because they were better trained and because they understood who was best for the clan. 

Martin's men were taught by the best, Martin himself. Martin didn't allow anyone to pass along his training to his newly turned vampires. His philosophy was only he should train those he sired. His men could train any that they sired. Currently, no one sired any underlings except the Morsus brothers as per Martin's orders. That way, if any proved unworthy of their clan, the Morsus brother that brought the unworthy into the fold would destroy the problem vampire. Careful recruiting prevented unworthy vampires who would draw unwanted attention. 

Martin looked around at the gathered vampires. Nearly all his men were in the room as were nearly all of August's. Many of August's men didn't like the proposal their sire offered. Many of August's men didn't like or trust Able Creed. 

Martin spoke softly while he looked at the gathered men wanting all to understand the weight of his words. "Dear brother, if I allow your man to guard my bride and if even one hair was messed upon her head, I would kill Able and take command of our clan." He turned to look at his brother to ensure his brother understood. "Are you willing to forfeit your rank and risk civil war just so your youngest can have a boost to his already inflated ego?"

August never paused feeling he had nothing to worry about in this situation. "Of course, I would have it no other way. There is no reason to worry because Able will not allow anything to happen to her."

Quintin stepped forward understanding a bad decision had been made. He waited for permission to speak and received a nod from Martin. "Boss, let us switch our watches into four shifts with Able having the one in the middle of the night, the one where Dr. Tinkerton sleeps. Gabriel has placed magic on the house and Able should be able to send word of needing help if anything should go wrong. Of course, we can always drop in on him to make sure things are running smoothly as well."

Martin nodded and turned to his older brother. "August, you need to understand that I will kill Able and take the leadership from you if anything goes wrong."

Before August could reply, Suwon broke from the gathering and without waiting for permission spoke. "Martin, don't let him. Stephany's safety is far too important to let anyone other than the older vampires watch over her. Able isn't even bonded. What if she stirs his blood and he isn't able to stay away from her?"

Annoyed, Able said, "Just because you are the sire's son's chosen, doesn't make you wise enough to decide such matters. Just remain with your mate and leave the decision making to the men."

Suwon slowly turned a glare at Able. Reaching for her sword, the weapon she always wore when not blending as a human, she felt Marcus' hand over hers. He stood beside her waiting for his father to reprimand the rudeness of an underling. August looked to the floor not wanting to dampen Able's enthusiasm and not wanting to see his son's glare. He knew Able was wrong, but didn't want to acknowledge the younger vampire's mistake at this crucial time. 

Martin shot from his chair and his hand snapped around Able's neck. "Apologize. Suwon has proven herself a strong and capable warrior through the centuries. Your one war is nothing compared to how many she fought as a human before joining our ranks. She has saved me many times. I'll rip your head off now if you do not and that will end all of her concerns."

Able felt the vertebrae of his neck begin to crush and he quickly stammered, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Suwon. I should not have been disrespectful." Then his body flew across the room as Martin flung him away. 

Marcus continued to wait for his father to chastise the younger vampire, but it didn't happen. Marcus purposely guided his wife until they stood behind Martin. 

A few in the chamber gasped. Others stood motionless feeling the tension in the chamber rise. Yet, others such as Quintin, reached for their weapons preparing for a war between the brothers. Marcus had just realigned himself with his uncle declaring publicly the change of his loyalties. 

Martin said, "No, I will not allow Able to watch over my bride. He cannot muster the respect for others under his own sire. He surely will not be able to comprehend the importance of Stephany to another vampire such me."

Able quickly rose and said, "Forgive me, Martin. My enthusiasm gets the better of me at times." His chance for advancement slowly slipped from his grasp and he feared an eternity of obscurity. 

Having seen many of his men knowingly or unknowingly take a step closer to Martin, August finally spoke. "Martin, Able is one of the most enthusiastic of my followers. His excitement often gets the better of him. Give him a shift and allow him to prove himself to you and all in our clan."

Martin rubbed his chin. "You are a fool. Your most enthusiastic and loyal followers were your son and his wife. You have pushed them away. How many others in your line will you push away?" He turned without giving his brother time for comment and said to Quintin, "Explain the duties to Able...and the consequences. Then prepare the stake that I will use to end him if he fails." Then he stopped and said to his nephew, Marcus, "I need you to prepare the stake to end me when I give in to the darkness if something happens to Stephany. You, Suwon, and my generals will lead my line after my death." Then he left the room. 

Martin made a mental connection to Gabriel. I need you to add more protection spells for Stephany, on her, and include her car.

Gabriel answered, Just get me close enough and I'll cast whatever you want. Depending on the power of the spell, I may need to touch her. Powerful spells need contact to prevent misdirection.

Martin said, I'll arrange something.

*** 

Stephany stopped at her favorite coffee house after work.

When she got to the counter, the barista said, "Hello Dr. Tinkerton. Your usual?"

Stephany smiled, "Yes, please. Nothing tops off my day better than a venti double-mocha double-caramel latte."

She opened her purse to pull out her money, but an arm reached over her head handing a ten spot to the barista and a deep familiar voice said, "Let me take care of that and you keep the change."

Stephany turned. "Hi, Marty. I didn't know you stopped here."

Martin shrugged and motioned with his chin to a table in the corner where Gabriel and August sat. "This is our first time. We've driven past it at times, but never stopped. It's a nice place. Why don't you join us?"

Stephany picked up her cup, tested the heat with a small sip, and after finding the temperature just right, took a larger drink. "Thank you, Marty. I will. I usually sit in here a few moments before heading to my after work life, anyway." As she walked to the table, she asked, "What brings the three of you to this part of town?"

Martin said, "We rarely get outside our precinct. It is nice to go where no one knows us as cops. I'm surprised you let them know you are a doctor. You don't usually use your title, not even at the precinct." 

Stephany answered, "At the precinct, I have my last name to deter unwanted attention. Unfortunately, I have had to avoid many of the places I found for coffee because of men trying to play me. So here, I decided to deter men by playing up my brain. The baristas all call me doctor because that is how I introduced myself. Any potential players know up front and they leave me alone."

Martin nodded as if in agreement and when they arrived at the table, August and Gabriel stood from their chairs. Martin pulled out the chair and grasped Stephany's hand gently to assist her in sitting down.

Her cheeks flushed a gentle pink as she sat down. "Wow. Aren't you three the gentlemen?" All three men sat after she did.

Gabriel said, "We are a bit old fashioned that way and unfortunately, it also makes us sexist at times." He remembered the times when women were not allowed out of their homes and were well protected. Women died in childbirth. Women died in war. Women died. 

Stephany face registered shock as she asked, "Don't you believe women are equal to men?"

Gabriel said, "If you are asking if we believe women should have the same rights and protection under the law as men, then yes, we do. If you are asking if we believe women should do everything that man can do, no." All three heard Stephany's heart begin to speed, but her expression remained controlled. 

Martin smiled and continued the conversation. "I know you can't lift as much as I can so that would prove you can't do everything a man can do."