The Concordia, Twelve Hundred Years Before (Give or Take a Century) The Temple of the Gods was perched high in the mountains, and it took most of the day to guide the wagons up the steep and narrow roads to where, around a jutting point of rock, the way suddenly widened into a generous courtyard and the temple appeared, cunningly carved into the mountain. The temple was as large as a stronghold, the chambers uncounted, with many layers of openings and balconies looking down into the courtyard it framed on three sides. The stone-smiths who had carved it were artist vampires, and their efforts were still ongoing, with scaffolding built against one side showing the newest renovations. The arrival of the pilgrimage was anticipated, and the courtyard was filled with acolytes, priests and priestesses of the various gods, and their blood slaves. Thaelen and Thorarin were guided through into the great hall, lined with the altars of the gods, and began the slow progression from altar to al
Kabramatta, One Year Before Aislen dreamed of Rhett, dressed formally in a black suit and shirt, standing on the balcony of the river house with the wind trying to suck his hair free of its tie as he gazed out over the river. His hands were in his pockets, the suit jacket riding up around his wrists, and he was clean shaven. His cheekbones were sharper, his jaw more defined, youth faded into manhood. Heath walked up behind him, wearing charcoal grey to match his eyes. His hair was closely and severely cut. He placed his hand on Rhett’s shoulder and they both stood, grimly looking out at the flowing water, before turning together as Cameron stepped out of the river house. Like Rhett, Cameron wore a black suit, his shirt crisply white. He was weeping and shook his head as both Rhett and Heath started forwards. “Don’t,” his lips shaped the word though there was no sound. He turned and walked around the corner of the house. Aislen woke and lay awake gazing at the ceiling, her heart rac
The Concordia, Twelve Hundred Years Before (Give or Take a Century)Thaelen admired the way that the moonlight played over Akaus’ skin, his muscles flexing as he thrusted into Besafora, his fingers gripping her hips so tightly that the skin dimpled beneath his fingertips, but it did not seem to hurt her at all.“You can be rough,” Akaus grunted. “Rougher than you think, faster than you think. You have been raised to be careful with your vampire strength but have trust that Besafora will let you know if it is too much. With some practice, you will learn to read your partner’s response.” He withdrew and moved to the side. “Try it.”Thaelen’s heart pounded as he moved between the human woman’s legs and Akaus curved over his back, confident that his weight would not affect Thaelen, his hand stroking over Thaelen’s stomach, guiding Thaelen’s c-ck into the human woman.Thaelen groaned dark and gritty. “Ah, by the goddess,” he sobbed out.“Yes,” Akaus enjoyed Thaelen’s pleasure. “She feels w
Havermouth, Present TimeAislen pried Rhett’s hand away from the wound and cried out. Nathan Lowe had more than bitten Rhett, he had almost torn a chunk of his forearm away, only a section of skin holding it into place. Rhett made a wet sound in the back of his throat, looking away. “F-k.”“Talen!” Aislen’s call was a panicked wail.“Let me in, little demon,” the vampire picked her up by the waist, lifting her off her feet, and setting her to the floor outside the small powder room so that he could see. “Hmm, that is… unfortunate. I can try to lick it, but I suspect that saliva alone will be insufficient. Better, I think, Rhett, for you to take some blood. Let’s bandage this and sit upon the couch, as a powder room is no place for such things.”Heath put his arm around Aislen as they both watched Talen bandage the wound on Rhett’s arm. Through the touch, Heath’s thoughts spilled into Aislen’s mind in a rapid fire of worry. (Talen hadn’t wanted to lick the wound) Heath thought, (becaus
The Concordia, Twelve Hundred Years Before (Give or Take a Century)The room grew hot as the moonlight was replaced by sunshine, and their bodies were slick with sweat and caked in come, the periods of time between their sex longer as all three tired, and the men struggled to grow hard again swiftly. For a time, all three slept, entangled, and Thaelen woke to the sun setting when Akaus and Besafora rose from the bed.“It is time to bathe, my prince. Our time is up,” Akaus told him gently.“Thank you,” Thaelen said as he waded into the water and washed the slime of oil, sweat, and come off his skin and hair. “I had not known what to expect of the full sacrifice, but it… I will remember this time for the remainder of my life.”“You honor us, my prince,” Besafora smiled happily. “We hope that we will see you again on other pilgrimages.”“Will it be allowed?” Thaelen wondered. “This is my first, I do not know of the rules for priests and priestesses.”“Of course, it will be allowed,” Akau
Havermouth, Present TimeTalen took the back streets under Cameron’s instruction, weaving his way to the edges of the town, before circling towards the warehouse district. At first, they would catch glimpses of black-clad soldiers and vehicles at the intersection of streets, but too far away for the soldiers to react. There were many houses marked by paint, the majority of which was green, with the occasional blue slash.“People who refused entry?” Aislen wondered.Rhett frowned. “It’s… weird,” he said slowly.“What’s weird?”“Well… Maybe it’s because we have more to hide,” he said uncertainly. “But… Cameron?” He pointed to a blue door with his bandaged arm, grasping the back of the driver’s seat and leaning forward between the front seats.“Yeah, I see it,” Cameron said darkly.Aislen reached forward and touched Cameron’s shoulder, seeking to find in his mind what they were talking about.“The blue marks werewolf homes,” Talen said quietly. “Or suspected werewolf homes. They have a m
Havermouth, Present Time“Do not fear,” Verina, Leighton’s mate, said from the doorway. “You will know if you begin to turn. First there will be a hunger and thirst that food and water cannot sate, and food and water will become nauseating. Then you will find your sense of smell heightened until you can smell the meat and blood of the people around you. When that smell becomes irresistible, only then do you become a danger to others.”“Yay,” Rhett said with a grimace. “Good to know.”“I’m sorry,” Verina’s expression was saddened. “I truly am.” She closed the door behind her leaving Rhett and Aislen in the room alone.There was a desk pressed against the wall with an old-fashioned typewriter and a black and white photograph in a frame. The wall behind the desk had old articles about Havermouth and the surrounding areas pinned to it, and Rhett walked over and pretended to read them, his palms on the table surface, and his shirt straining over the tension in his shoulders. The white of t
The Concordia, Twelve Hundred Years BeforeThe bow of the ship was carved into the shape of a ferocious bare-breasted woman, her sharply pointed vampire teeth displayed by a savage snarl and her twisting hair blowing out around her in exquisite detail.“She is beautiful,” Sigrid exclaimed in awe looking up as their rowboat skirted the boat. “I did not see her… Or was it another ship?” She looked at the other ships anchored in the bay around them. Like ant-trails across the water, the rowboats transporting passengers and supplies wove through the waves to the other vessels.“It was this ship,” Thorarin told her.“I do not remember,” she confessed softly.“It has been ten years,” Thaelen shrugged. “Childhood memories lose clarity.”“Childhood memories,” Thorarin chortled with amusement. “You are still a child, Thaelen.”“Old enough to make annual sacrifice to the temple, and old enough to take a mate should I find her,” Thaelen replied with a smirk. “Old enough to accompany my father on