The hoard of goblins hissed and spat at me, bearing their pointed jagged teeth as they chattered menacingly. Goblins were small creatures, but together they gave true meaning to the phrase strength in numbers. Their attitude changed drastically when a few of their kind came to back up a single goblin. A smirk crossed my lips at their ridiculous attempt at being threatening. It might
have worked against a small dog, but certainly not me.
The smirk angered them further and they chattered more, dancing and bobbing about with
spears. I bared my teeth back at them and growled, deep and low. Their noise stopped for a split second as they realised what they were dealing with. But I was hungry and not in the least picky. A goblin hoard would suit me just fine, unfortunately for them. I charged at them, unnaturally fast, grabbing one by the neck and snapping it instantly. The goblin went limb in my grasp and greedily, I latched my fangs onto its flesh, breaking skin and gulping down sweet sweet blood. I tossed the body aside when I'd drained it. One goblin was not going to sate the hunger clawing at my belly, the things weren't even big enough to classify as a snack for Nicneven's sake. Though with the taste of fresh blood coating my tongue, my hunting instincts were fully awake.
Some of the goblins had already tried to scatter, but a few resolute ones were still pointing their crude spears at me. I took off after the fleeing ones. They'd be so much more fun to chase. As my feet began to fly across the ground, a rustle in the undergrowth behind me caused me to hesitate. It could be a new threat, but it could also be a more satisfying kill. Suddenly, a larger than average
lynx leapt into the fray, swiping at any goblin it could reach. Ooo this was going to be fun.
The lynx pinned one down, nodding at me. I nodded back and continued after the couple that had fled.
They were easy to find, no attempts to cover their tracks or be quiet. I was on them in seconds, ripping their skin apart with my fangs and sucking them dry. By Nicneven that tasted good. It must've been longer between feeds than I'd realised. Once I had myself a nice little pile of dead goblins, I picked them up by their feet, dragging them back to where I'd originally encountered the blighters.
The lynx was still there, as I knew she would be, munching away on what meat she could get
from her kills. Her bloodied muzzle rose as I approached and I held up the bunch of goblins in my hand. "You have the meat from these and I have the blood from yours?”I offered.
The lynx nodded and I dropped them. She eagerly trotted over and tucked into more goblins as I lapped up the remaining blood from her kills.
Finally feeling the hunger ebbing away, I wiped my hand across my mouth. The lynx also satisfied, wandered over to the tall grass. Moments later, the sounds of bones cracking and limbs twisting, along with the odd pained yowl reached my ears as I waited patiently. A little while later and a panting Lixiss emerged from the grass, perfectly donned in travelling garments that she must have stashed there earlier.
"So do goblins have a slightly rancid aftertaste or is it just me?" She queried, spitting on the ground and coming to sit next to me.
"Maybe their meat does, the blood however was divine.”
"Next time we get sent on an assignment, I'm bringing extra rations.”
"You know you loved the opportunity to hunt.”
"Corisande, how could I not love the hunt?" She grinned, her eyes shifting briefly to a lynx's before changing back.
"You'd think the little monsters would know we have territory here by now, we've only been in Cofraystan, what, two hundred years?”
Lixiss nodded. "Yes, they're not exactly the brightest things are they? What with Cofraystan's nickname being the vampire capital." She pointed out before rolling her eyes.
"Then again, if they weren't dense, we wouldn't have gotten an easy buffet to keep us going.” I countered as we sat there digesting. I really hadn't had the energy to expend on a more voracious hunt. Running into goblins had been some kind of blessing.
"Would have been even easier if you'd just stunned them with magic.”
"But a lot less fun.”
"True.”
I cast a glance at her as we remained sitting there, the memory of what she'd been through, what we'd both been through echoing in my mind. But now no one could take us down. We'd made sure of it. Still…Breaking the silence, I dared ask “Do you miss it?”
Lixiss looked surprise at my question and I couldn't really blame her. We hadn't overly discussed such things in centuries, but she didn't need me to elaborate.
"Sometimes I do. I miss the flow of the arcane through my body and being able to throw out a spell just for fun. At least I can still sense it. I'm still connected to the arcane in some way, some remnant of it is still inside of me. I may not be able to do magic anymore, but I don't regret what happened to me. And being a lynx is certainly better than being back in the Circe Coven." She smiled at me, sharing an inside joke. When we'd become other, the Coven's reaction at the time hadn't exactly been welcoming of our tainted blood.
It was an incredibly sincere answer from her, I felt it was only right to return the favour. "I felt so bad back then, still being able to perform magic after my turning, whereas your change had stripped you of that ability.”
She shrugged. "I know and it wasn't like we expected you to still be able to do magic. We can't help what we are Corisande, but we've had centuries to get used to it.”
"You know, you're the most amazing friend a vampiress could ask for." I said honestly, smiling at her.
"Same to you, though replace vampiress with lynx shifter.”She grinned back.
We stayed there for a few minutes more, before I rose to my feet, patting down my blood
stained clothes. I was such a messy eater when I was hungry. Lixiss stood too.
"Ready to carry on?” I asked.
"Yeah, it's not much further to the Clan now anyway.”Lixiss answered, sniffing the air for good measure. Becoming a shifter may have stripped her of performing magic, but by Nicneven, it had left her with much less complicated methods of divining things.
"Let's get going then, I can't wait to sleep in a decent bed!" The longing entered my voice as I pictured plush pillows and cosy blankets.
"I'm with you on that front." She agreed as we continued onwards, leaving the carnage of goblins behind.
Maybe the stupid beasts would finally get the message there were more dangerous things lurking in Cofraystan than them.
A building somewhere between a colossal fortress and opulent castle greeted us after we'd emerged from the Lipchen woodland. The structure was in the middle of nowhere, secluded from most passer-bys. Just the way we liked it. "Not like I expected a parade or anything, but someone needs to let us in." Lixiss said, after we'd been standing by the front gate for several minutes. "Give me a second, let me see if I can find a solution to our problem.” "How are you going to do that?” I grinned, flashing my fangs. "We all have impeccable hearing right? So what would happen if I do this?" Sucking in a deep breath, I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Jameson! Come open the door!” Lixiss winced, clapping her hands quickly over her ears. "Subtle." She murmured sarcastically. "Effective though.” She continued, looking towards the tower gate. A deceptively decrepit man shuffled onto the lookout built into the tower. He was bald, pale and
I cracked my eyes open, the darkness of the room still present due to the closed curtains. I stretched my arms, fingertips brushing along the sheets beneath me as I did. By Nicneven, I needed that rest. A vampiress could only go so long without sleep. Though the smell of stagnant blood, earth and gore reached my senses. I peered down at my rather crusty and pungent clothes. Shit. In my eagerness to get into bed, I'd forgotten to change. Well, there was no way I could see Rhuesia looking like this. I'd rather go through the turning again than imagine what she'd say if I went before her as I was. A bath it would have to be, not like I'd been privy to one of those in a while either, unless you counted the river. Releasing my grip on the comfortable bed bar, I floated back around to a standing position, leaping off the bed and yawning my way into the bath chamber. At least I'd removed my socks and boots last night, they were probably smelling a bit fresh th
I walked purposefully down the corridor after exiting my chambers. With a little magic, my hair was perfectly dry. Yira had said to look presentable. Usually, I wouldn't listen to anything Yira said, but it had been an odd tidbit to throw in. Sure, we didn't get along and I'm sure she hated everything about me from my magic right down to my fashion sense, but she had never openly said anything about it, even when I'd been meeting Rhuesia before. Her words caused curiosity and apprehension to wage war within me in equal measure. What exactly was this summons all about? Either Yira knew and wouldn't give me a heads up out of spite, or she only knew what Rhuesia had said. The sooner I arrived at the observatory the better. I passed a few other vampires, vampiress and the odd Other, shifters and such willing to help or work for the Clan. Everyone was going about their day as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Well, I supposed for them it wasn't. What
"You are joking!" I spat at Rhuesia, though despite my tone, she simply gazed at me with eyebrow raised. "I am as serious as the grave Corisande. It will be a glorious union." She stated, as though this was a fact rather than an opinion. "You do not know that." I hissed back. "And why was I not consulted about my own marriage? Surely that is something the bride of all people needs to be aware of!" I flashed my fangs as the anger poured over me like water. Who in Nicneven's name did Rhuesia think she was? I ignored the little rational voice in my head that pointed out the Clan Leader and Elder Vampiress. "You were away. A decision needed to be made and negotiations were swift." She said again in the tone of voice I hated. Again as if it was fact. A sealed bargain that no one could dispute. The one she used when her word was law. "There was no contact about this before I left." I pointed out. "Meaning the message came in and was subsequently deci
"I cannot sign this." The words hoarsely escaped my throat as the quill began to shake in my grip. A long suffering sigh reached my ears. "We have discussed this Corisande. The matter is decided.” "You do not understand. I have seen this document before, during my Ascension.” Rhuesia's interest seemed to pique for the first time since I'd arrived on the balcony. "If memory serves, that is the ceremony where witches are gifted a glimpse of their future.” I nodded. "What did you see?” Swallowing hard, I uttered "My death. At the hands of my fiancé.” There was silence for far too long, before a soft murmuring interrupted the quiet. "It must have been wrong.” The quill broke in my grasp as I whirled to face her, eyes blazing at the mere thought. "They are not wrong. No witch ever had a vision that did not come to pass.” Rhuesia as ever, was unreadable. "It is wrong. It must be. I cannot understand why the Prince wou
“What!?” Lixiss screeched, her eyes shifting to cat like slits before returning to normal. A sigh blew through my fangs. “You said to tell you what Rhuesia wanted. This was it. I’m not overly thrilled either you know.” “So now you’re bound to marry the man who kills you. Fantastic. Shall I make the funeral preparations now or wait till after I have to gather up your body?” I raised an eyebrow at her. “Thanks for the confidence.”
“Are we there yet?” Lixiss groaned. “Almost.” I countered. We’d been on the road for several days and I could finally make out the spiralled marbled towers of the Royal Clan’s Palace rising in tandem with the mountain it was situated near. “Thank Nicneven. At least I didn’t have to carry your luggage as well this time.” “Hey you were in lynx form, it made sense to strap the bag to your back.”
I had to say, if there was one thing I approved of in this place, it was that the Royal Clan knew their bathing tubs. The one that greeted my vision was more opulent and spacious than any I had come across. It was made of solid porcelain, with golden clawed feet so that it stood off the ground. It had metal things on one end. Reaching out my fingertips, I twisted one, interested to see what would happen. Warm water immediately gushed out of the thin pipe into the tub. Was it undignified for a vampiress to squeal with delight? By Nicneven, it was as if all my bathing prayers over the centuries had been answered.