Chronicles of Contessa: The Tale of Ventroth

SECTION I: LAMIA SINUS (Vampire Heart)

I was a lord upon a council when I did read an invitation. I may very well own this city, however this Contessa does intrigue me so, the awesome power of her rule stretches nearly to my own country. Such power over the people, that I could not leave this offer alone. I have done many duties in my time on this planet, slowly inching my way up to become a ruler of many.
The decision was made, and I set out to the castle of the Contessa. I knew in my heart that this lady was a rare beauty, if she was human all it would take is my gaze to put her under my spell. To rule most of the known world has long been my ambition, and if I could do so by usurping this woman I could turn us all into vampires. We would be the rulers of the night, feared from that shadows and no mortal could stand in our way. But time and patience are two things I have learned to accept and bide by.

I arrived at the gate, my dark red and blue and black robe flutters in the wind of the castle before me. A new tale begins.


The great hall earned its name in the highest respect, draping red clothes hung from the walls with the emblem of Contessa Alexandria. They wavered ever so slightly at a breeze from some open door in the immense castle. The floor was stone and carpet, more red carpet. I knew already that this lady was in my taste as the red colors made me thirst slightly, all the human smells that made me want to drink. I walked, the loud sound of my black boots did echo throughout the hall which was not empty.
There were hundreds of men and women standing on either side of the red carpet that dared not touch the sacred ground that it represented. Yet I walked on it freely. I was in the middle of them my boots were muffled by the carpet I walked upon. They were all watching me, and I was watching all of them. Their eyes were afraid, but some were angry that I trot upon the carpet of their majesty with such blithe.
I locked eyes with some of them, they tried to look away but could not. One woman tried to shake my gaze so violently she nearly collided with one of the men next to her. I smiled, and the crowd recoiled. This was my gift, the one given to me by my master. They were all entranced, and I was jovial in the wake of their souls splashing on my canvass. They would all be mine.
Then I stopped near the steep stairs that lead to the one throne… one throne? Just for the Contessa, no lord of this house. I smiled, soon to change Ventroth, soon to change. From the shadow beyond the throne came a young lady whom I took for an announcer. And that she was, she held out parchment in that classic manner looking at me.
“The honourable lord Ventroth Mephistos is hereby welcomed to the castle by her highness Contessa Alexandria” she said and looked at me again, unable to look elsewhere. I smile, she shivers. I kneel and her eyes are trained, another lapdog I thought. On my one knee I bow to the court before me and the throne. A voice speaks from out the darkness.
“A reputation that precedes all my wildest thoughts” the voice was smooth, trained in royal manner. It was her this time, Alexandria.

She entered, the crowd bows. A dress of sparkling green, with jewels of splendour wrapped about her neck shining like that sun I had not seen for nearly four centuries. This time my eyes were under her spell, and I am not offended to say so. Such beauty is not without power, even a vampire as myself am weak to the warmth of a mortal woman’s flesh. And those diamonds, seemed as though to hug her not willing to let go even if the lock that held them were to come loose. All things glorious would follow her, and even I would. Golden hair, a blondes dream to have such golden hair that hung loose wild and uncouth; it gave a wild side to that perfect walk, the walk of maidens.
I remained kneeled with my eyes on hers she was not shaken by my gaze, more I to hers. This was one who knew power over others, and was not stirred by one who knew the same. We were very much alike this lady, and myself.
“No wildest thoughts of mine do make me realize the true beauty of the Contessa Alexandria, all accounts are above and beyond your true form” I say head bowed to the floor.
“You may rise my knight, and your flattery will get you places not even I could save you from” she says smiling slightly, yet serious in her disposition.
“If it is under your eyes, I would take it on willingly” I reply standing at her words. We both smile at one another, yet she still is not under the spell of my eyes. This would be more of an adventure then I had previously thought.
“Your quarters are prepared I thank you for coming all this way to join my court and my house”
“I thank you good lady for accommodating a lowly man such as myself” I say
“Do not speak so good Ventroth, you are… as I envisioned” her eyes trail from my foot to my head. I could feel her eyes look over my body as though they were fingers trailing over my skin. I am shaken, but I summon my vampiric power and my eyes grow darker. Now she is shaken at my gaze.
“Where shall I be staying?” I say stepping to ward her.
“Do be careful!” she says suddenly, I stop in my tracks and the crowd could not look away if the walls were falling upon them.
“Good Brunelle, come from there it is not wise to threaten guests”
“Yes my lady” a man’s voice, I had smelled him. The man called Brunelle walks from the corner of the throne area, much like one would on the actor’s stage. This man assumes much, he holds a crossbow with one very deadly looking spiral arrowhead. Had he shot I would have caught it.
“This is Brunelle, he is rather wary of strangers… he kills those who would do me harm. But I assure you Brunelle, he is not one of those” she says sternly, “come to my quarters Ventroth, and we shall speak more” she says leaving her throne and walking past Brunelle.
“Forgive me highness” Brunelle says bowing she places her hand on his shoulder.
“It is not needed” she says and walks past him to her room.

I walk up the stairs, behind me the conversations of the court re-ignite and noise rises in the great hall. I pass Brunelle who grabs my shoulder rather firmly. He assumes a great deal I realize.
“My eyes are on you vampire” he says. I simply grab his hand faster then mortals can see, I hear the shock in his breath. I pull his hand off my robe, with my other hand I grab his shirt and lift him into the air. Fear secretes from every orifice in his body and I smell it hungrily. I lift him into the air with ease, he looks at me rather frightfully and I take it all in.
“Very well, but you do not want my eyes on you… human” I say smiling widely, my teeth exposed. He grabs my arm with both hands, his legs loose in the air. I drop him and he steps away. I walk into Alexandria’s bedroom closing the door on Brunelle’s eyes.

Candles, the more I was in this lady’s presence the more I began to like her. But her beauty was more then enough to sway into the favour, the smallest of imperfections. She walked to her window and looked out upon the surf, the waves breaking into white fire and tumbling on the shore from the black sea that carried them. She seemed troubled, but the feeling was deep within her, she carried herself like any ruler would but something was wrong here, I could sense it.
By the bed there was a young boy, not a day older then eighteen. He was shirtless lean and muscular, but mortal and I could smell his blood from the doorway. He wore a rather weak looking polished silver chain that fell from his neck and trailed to the wall. A slave boy, and I wonder what he was used for I think smiling.
“I did not know you kept such, favourable company” I say walking closer behind the lady Contessa. The young boy looks at me then away quickly realizing who I’m speaking of. How cute, I thought, he was embarrassed. She smiles, as I see from the reflection in the window.
“Pardon me for giving into life’s pleasurable temptations, one can grow restless while being alone as often as myself” she says walking over to the boy, and strokes his fair hair. It is not the hair of a slave, not matter his title, he is kept well here in the castle. She looks back at me, her gold hair sways around her when she turns and my eyes cannot be taken from her.
“The slaves do help me, on the rather… lonely nights” she admits rather freely
“They wouldn’t think of themselves as slaves if they were given but one night with a lady so fair as yourself… some would kill for the privilege” I say bowing once more.
“Like… you?” she says walking closer to me. My vampire heart only beats faster when I drink mortal blood, but now it beats as though I was consuming all the blood on earth.
Her dress covers so my imagination can run wild, like the sea of black stallions that gallop silently on the white sand of the beaches beneath the window. Yet only I could hear them. It covers her wholly, and I can see her perfect figure standing there. I undress her with my eyes so swiftly she nearly motions to cover herself up. She knows what I think and does not cast me out like many a good-natured woman would. I want her, this plan of mine seems to be in a great deal of trouble.
She is so close now, within an arms reach. I know her thoughts as well. Her fair skin cries to be touched, I reach out slowly. Now she breathes heavier, the boy in the corner watches relentlessly. I want to seize her with all my power and take her in every way she could ever imagine. But restraint calms my searing blood. With my one finger I slide along her temple pushing a lock of her golden hair from over her forehead to behind her ear. She seems disappointed but her eyes are closed in the inexplicable ecstasy of my touch.


Her skin is so warm it feels as though my finger is burning like the flames that illuminate the room we stand in. I pull away slowly, wanting to return to that hot landscape no matter the consequence. She opens her eyes swallowing hard, a bead of sweat appears on her brow. She turns, embarrassed. I smile, and she can feel it through the hairs on her neck.
“To work and live with you is a great honour” I say at last, the boy in the corner sighs at the break in silence.
“Why did you come?” she says unexpectedly.
“Because you asked it of me”
“No…” she turns back to me with a quavering look in her once powerful eyes, “the truth to why you’re here, I must know… it seems this is more then just an invitation” she says. I was caught, I realize, no words I could muster could make her eyes appear with the power she once held. Her power and beauty were nearly on par with mine, I smile again and her eyes fixate. But she is a mortal, and I… a vampire.
“My lady, the intentions are honourable in all ways… I only wish to serve the grandest of rulers, and if you let me protect you as those in your court do” I say leaving my eyes on her.
She looks to the wall, averting her gaze. I may be strong in muscle, but my temptation is sometimes too great. My eyes look to her form once more, the “V” of her dress, near her warm neck. The beginning of the wondrous shape of her bosom calls to me. Her eyes return to me, I meet them.
“It is not easy my friend, to be here alone… rule a nation alone” she says walking back to her window.
“But you are not alone my lady, at least not anymore… now that I am here” I say. Her reflected face is one of surprise and flattery that I can see in the glass overlooking the dark ocean. She smiles brightly, the power returning to her face and she looks at me again.
“I thank you, kind Ventroth”
“No thanks is needed, the truth is not to be followed by recognition… like many things in this world it simply… is” I say, “I bid you good night my lady, the night has just begun for me”
“Good night then until tomorrow”
“Nothing could take me from your presence” I add on my way to her door. The slave watches, Alexandria watches, the candles lean toward me in all their light and brilliance. The door is closed, and the room relaxes. And near the window overlooking the ocean, I know Alexandria sighs for me.