Candy: Book 5 of the Lord Emperor Vampire Saga

Chapter 214: An Open Door Policy

The big wooden ornate doors that were once a part of Sigmund’s Grand council chamber were propped open to reveal the revived Advisory Council. I had gotten all pissy about the doors. I knew that to those Ancients it was an unreasonable demand from a fledgling who might have the blue line and emperor’s wings but was still wet behind the ears. Well unreasonable to everyone but Thomas. He knew why I wanted it the way I wanted it. Lord Emperor Sigmund’s doors were always open to his blood. Any Vampire, fledgling, Ancient, red or blue, House or coven were welcome to come and speak with the Emperor. Their voice was heard. Their concerns were addressed. Those doors were emblazoned with the original glyph and dragon crest of Von Drachenfeld and for that reason, I took ownership of them.

They were blackened with age and care. They were a gleaming solid oak from a time when you could get two and a half foot thick planks. A human wouldn’t be able to move these doors, well maybe if they rammed a car into them. How could they get a car up to the fourth floor, I wouldn’t even hazard a guess. I requested ‘vigorously’ that the doors be left open, as a sign of return of the Empire. Apparently, when I get vigorous everyone just falls in line. That left me with a ponder. I thought Sex was the one with the enthusiasm. Birds of a feather, yadda, yadda, yadda. So, these Von Drachenfeld doors were never be closed when the Advisory Council was in session. The old was new again.

The Imperials were in the limo when Claudius, Ripley and myself climbed in. There was a whole lot of sniffing going on. The expression on the Fey’s face was priceless. Claudius pinched me and frowned when I grinned. Damn, that was going to bruise. I guess Ripley could count himself lucky that the Imperials didn’t pull a pup stunt and stick snouts were snouts shouldn’t be. Haley. A sharp pain shafted through me. Little moments like this that just crept on you were going to be a killer.

The Imperials let the Loyal take point and the other perimeters but they stayed close. Claudius was herded in close to me and Ripley was let set, not exactly outside of the flock but it was plain to me that the silver eyed Fey was not taken into the Lycan bosom . The Black Death was with me because he had been asked personally by the Empress to be the Liaison between the Council and the House/Shadoe. Imperial decree held sway besides, Marcus was pretty damned busy these days. He really couldn’t take on this extra duty as First and do all the information recovery that was coming into the House. And honestly, Claudius bored is not a good thing. Sex and Claudius bored is like asking a tornado to miss a trailer park. It’s easier to keep Father occupied with shopping and Council protocol.

The black doors were gapping as we ascended the fourth floor. The only problem with having the doors open was that all discussion was heard. Which was the point, but when I’m the point being discussed... Big sigh. You gotta take the good with the bad. Oh my god, I’m quoting the ‘Facts of Life.’

Ripley’s arm dropped on my shoulder and he pulled me to a halt. His eyes were focused forward and he frowned but didn’t drop his hand from my shoulder. My whole entourage stopped. Ripley stepped up behind me and whispered, “Can you see it?”

I looked down the hallway. I blinked through heat vision – which just showed me where all the council members were. I blinked again. Nothing. “What do you see?”

“You can’t feel it?”

“No.”

“Can any of you feel something...wrong?” No one could answer. The Imperials were quivering. I reached out and pet Pytor’s shoulder. He gave me a slight smile then swung his gaze back to the hall.

Claudius came up beside me, his cool gaze sweeping the corridor. “Silverstyx?”

Ripley stepped up beside me and pushed the sleeve of his left arm up exposing the tanned skin of his forearm. It looked like liquid silver was running through his skin, almost glowing as signs of protection took shape, forming clearer the longer we stood in the hall. “She has been here. Don’t move from this spot, Lover. Let me check for traps. Everyone back. You are all marked as the Lord Emperor’s own...she might have just left something that would take anyone.”

Time delayed magic? How could....Claudia! Oh my...Claudius wrapped a forearm around my shoulders and hauled me back to his chest. “Claudia does not take this hall. I did not either. We use the hidden passages that were only accessible by the High Council. They are secret.”

The Loyal and Imperials parted to allow Ripley to walk forward. I couldn’t feel any magical traps but my skin tingled as I felt the Fey pull on that other plain. I didn’t see anything but I KNEW he was forming a ball of light. Strange. I couldn’t see it; feel it but somehow I knew.

The voices in the council chamber died as someone looked out into the corridor and saw all of us standing there – mimicking statues. Ripley stopped in the middle of the floor and opened his arms wide. Wind blasted out around him. The Loyal staggered backwards, the Imperials reacted a little quicker and I found myself bolstered by warm Lycan bodies and braced by Fathers stance. The Councillors weren’t so lucky. They were tossed backwards into benches like so much paper wrappers on the side of the highway. There was a chunking clunk sound of something hitting the floor and then I saw it. Another dark talisman. I opened my mouth to warn Ripley against touching it but he beat me to it. He pulled on the little sliver clips I had noticed in his hair then watched as it just seemed to grow. They transformed from about one inch hair clips into about 10 inch silver chopsticks. Well I guess that is were the name Silverstyx came from....maybe. He picked the talisman up off the floor and lifted it to eye level. He examined it with the intensity of a forensic scientist.

Council Guards came rushing out fully intent on kicking some ass. They slowed into a herd mentality when they saw who was knocking on the chamber door.

“Serephina?” Claudius didn’t loosen his hold on me.

“Yes. I would need to look at it further but this was set to immobilize anyone or anything that came down this hall. Unless you got yourself really good hidden cameras, a human, forget that she is a sorceress, a human walked up these halls, outside of the seat of power of the Vampire Nation and laid a trap. Either security is rather lacking or else this Serephina is damned good.”

Ripley pulled a bag out of the inner pocket of his suit and dropped the talisman into it. He pulled the drawstring tight then turned gesturing with his chopsticks for me to proceed into the Council Chamber.

“That’s it?”

Ripley frowned at me. “I do know what I’m doing.”

“Define immobilize.” Claudius voice was in my ear.

Ripley did something with his fingers and the chopsticks shrunk back down into the small hair clips. He shoved them into his suit pocket. “As in never move again.”

“Killing magic?” Claudius was still behind me.

“Oh, yeah. She’s a special one, this girl. It’s as her Majesty said, when you make enemies, Lover, you really make enemies.”

“Xavier?” Claudia’s voice was full of concern as she called from the chamber.

I slapped the back of Claudius’ hand lightly and he dropped his hold. I paused at Ripley’s side as I headed down the hall. “Is she that good?”

“Oh, yeah. Her balls are probably bigger than mine.”

Great... My sorrow was giving way to righteous anger. Who the hell was this bitch? This was personal. Nothing, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t come up with anything. Maybe it was a slight that festered into this. I wasn’t actually all Mr. Polite Manners when I was blind and portly. I was a right bastard...then again, could whatever I have done been after I was a Vampire? Damn it! My thoughts were just swimming around in my head.

I had serious problems in my face and the Council was calling me to the principal’s office on something that didn’t involve the Vampire Nation. I motored forward. Councillors were slowly getting back to their feet. I turned my face toward the higher pulpit to find it empty. It had been a while since I’ve been asked to Council and the biggest change beside the wooden doors being open was a tapestry in the House colors of red and black of the original Von Drachenfeld glyph. No doubt, it was a beautiful backdrop for the Empress.

She came out from behind the pulpit and rushed at me. Her arms caught me around the neck and she squeezed me hard. “Are you all right?”

I hugged her back. We’ve been married for twenty years and we have never consummated our vows. I held her in too high regard to even attempt that mess again. Heterosexuality was just not my cup of tea. Claudia was the mother of my headaches but she was like a beloved little sister. “I’m fine, Chippie.”

“Why is this sorceress doing this?”

“I don’t know. I wish I could tell you but I don’t have a clue.” I brought my hand up and cradled the back of her head. “What is going on here?”

Her shoulders sighed heavily. “The shit has hit the fan. They are in a panic. Most of the Councillors have lived through Sigmund’s madness. You’re scaring them.”

“Well, get back up in the clouds, Chippie. Let’s get this over with.”

“What are you going to do?”

I opened my eyes wide and blinked at her innocently.

“Xavier.” There was a tone of warning in her voice. So much like her father. She could be such a scary little package for five foot, two.

“Shoo.”

“That’s were Lex gets it from.” She lifted her cheek and I bent down and kissed her. “Let’s get this done. I want to go home and see for myself that my babies are safe.” She stilled and looked over my shoulder. Just because she was a married woman, didn’t mean she was dead. Discount the over abundance of self confident personality, Ripley was a little bit of hubba hubba. Okay, a whole lot of hubba hubba. But I got enough hubbas of my own right now.

“Claudia, may I introduce Hrypanleah.”

“Ripley, dear Empress.” Considering the tanned Fey wouldn’t bow to me, he did a damned good approximation of a courtly flourish then took her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles. “I am honoured to be in the presence of someone of impeccable character.”

Claudia looked over his bowed head to me. “I notice you weren’t included, X.”

Ripley stood up. “X. I like that.”

“Use it then.”

His voice dropped to a low silky tone, “I like Lover better.”

I rolled my eyes.

Claudia heard that and her tone dripped pure ice. “What are you to my husband and Lord Emperor, Ripley?”

The toying manner fell away from the Fey. “I am his bonded surrogate. Much as the Black Death and his Lycan are there to protect our once and future Blood Emperor, I am his protection against Magic and Sorcery.”

“Saving Xavier’s life is a good thing, but why bother if you destroy his reputation in the process.”

“That is not my intention, Empress.”

“They speak ill of him behind his back. There is no need for more fuel to be added to the embers of dissension.”

“I will curb my tongue for you, my Lady.”
“Claudia. Since you are willing, and already have put yourself in harms way for my family you can call me by my name.”

Claudius came up beside us. “No one is permanently injured. Shall I call the Councillors back to session?”

“Please.”

Claudia turned and walked away. Claudius took up position beside the Speaker of the House and whispered something to the woman then moved off to the right.

Ripley turned to me. His mouth made an ‘o’ and opened his eyes a little wider flashing those silver orbs at me. “Is everyone around you scary?”

“Gotta love me.”

He opened his mouth for a retort but then closed it and gave me a sly glance. “I’m going to have to watch myself around you, X.”

“Please do...my Harem is large enough.”

Ripley leaned in closer and pressed his lips to my ears, “Our little blonde friend has touched someone here. Her perfume in the air within these hallowed chambers. They may have been the one to leave the gift in the hall.”

“Thank you, Ripley.”

“I live to serve.” His eyes were swirling molten silver. I reached into my suit breast pocket and handed him my Oakleys. He slipped them on then moved back toward the Loyal and the Council Guard. All eyes were on him and he knew it but he paid them no mind. That seems to be a trait Royalty has mastered, or else they were born with it. It bugged the hell out of me to be under such constant surveillance. He lounged against a wall. Deception was another talent this Fey had mastered.

“Council is called back to session. Lord Xavier, is called before the Advisory Council of Empress Claudia the Radiant...” The Radiant. I liked that. I smiled up at her. “to answer charges of warmongering.”

Warmongering? What the fuck was that? “Charges?”

“Councilman Renfury has charged Xavier Von Drachenfeld with promoting an open war between the Lycan Nation of the North and the Vampire Nation.”

“There is no war between the Lycan and us.”

“There has been rumblings in the past, Lord Xavier.” A voice called out behind me.

“News has travelled quickly that Britta the Elder was assassinated.” Renfury stood up as he spoke. To actually have him question me took me back a little. Out of all of the Council, Renfury had been the one to back me up almost without question. His House has always been supportive of Von Drachenfeld even when the Blue Cull was going on. His House had been ransacked and left to ruin because they had hidden blues from the hand of grandbitchma and the Church. “News has travelled faster that the Lycan have fallen into a war of succession that is ongoing as we speak.”

What? “You must be getting the tabloids, because you have the facts wrong. The Prince, the chosen High Alpha, heir to the throne was assassinated. Britta has passed on her own. There is no war of succession. The Lycan Den already has a new king.”

Whisper, whisper, murmur, murmur. Oh for.... I took off my jacket and turned to lay it down but the Imperials were quickly at my side and were willing to act as my clothes horse.

The Speaker of the House looked at me. “Explain yourself, Lord Xavier.”

“There are other matters of greater importance that need to be dealt with.”

“For instance?”

“How about the killing talisman out in the hall? We can’t get to that until this lunacy of war is taken care of.”

“Lunacy is correct.”

“Here, here.”

“Why are you disrobing?”

“Not everyone wants to be in your Harem!”

I shrugged off the vest and started to undo the shirt. “Xavier.” Claudia’s voice silenced every one elses. I turned and looked up at her as she regarded me from the pulpit. “What are you doing?”

“Coles Notes.”

“With streaming video?” I got an eyebrow arch.

“Trying to simply matters.”

“Continue.”

“Yes, it’s true that I, not the Vampire Nation, not the House of Du Bussey nor Von Drachenfeld have not been on good terms with Britta the Elder. I thought it all centered around a certain Lycan Prince I rescued when I was oh so young. “ I stripped of my white shirt and stood there in almost bare from my waist up except for my silky wifebeater tank. “it turns out to be something that happened when I was still a hidden blue.”

I lifted my left arm and did a muscleman pose. It didn’t help that I was unbleamished. I knew that the bite mark I carried for twenty years had faded in the bloodbath that followed my wings breaking out of my back. Azrael’s bite was gone too but I could feel a slight tightness there, almost like the brand on my shoulder. I didn’t know if it would work or not, but if it didn’t, I just might end up being even more naked...and furry. I tried to reverse blue line healing...or to at least show the bite mark of Lycan teeth. “When I was nine, I was attacked by a Lycan – an Alpha Female of the Royal bloodline. As I have recently found out, I turned into a pup for three days until I could be magically bound into human form. Based on that, I have been on the Lycan Roll as a first generation werewolf, but I was still considered a pup of her lineage. I have been in line for the throne of the Northern Den since I was a human child.”

Heat burned in my arm and I had to clench my teeth to keep from grunting. I looked down at my flesh and saw the dual bite marks glowing Von Drachenfeld blue. You could have heard a pin drop.

“Britta didn’t want a half-blood pup on the throne of her Den. She named Haley to be High Alpha and was less than impressed that our paths intertwined.” I had to clench my hand a couple of times as my own arm tingled with power.

“As for assassination, Prince Haley was shot in the head yesterday morning, at sunrise.” My throat tightened and I paused to fight it down. “I tracked down the assassin and under questioning it was discovered that a sorceress is moving behind the scenes. She gave him a black talisman for protection. She also approached a contender to the Lycan throne and gave him magics to secure it.”

“What does this have to do with you challenging for the Lycan throne?”

Apparently someone wasn’t paying attention. “Prince Haley has declared me Benedek to his litters. To be a Benedek is a great honor, and it can only be held by another Lycan....”

“You are on the rolls.”

“Haley was High Alpha. Ping, his wife is Den Mother only until his First Born; Arashi is of age then she automatically takes over the running of the Lycan Nation.”

“What does this have to do...”

“If Hennessey were allowed to take the throne, Arashi would have fallen like her Father.”

“You are dabbling in politics outside your Nation.”

I furrowed my brow. “I was helping family keep what is theirs.”

“You are setting your conquering machine into motion.”

“What will the Lycan King say when he learns of your interference?”

There was a big booming voice at the chamber door. “King Azrael has no quarrel with the Vampire Nation.”

Bruce. He was so used to bellowing over the noise of the Lycan Den that it was actually too loud and most of us had to cover our ears. He strode into the chamber proper and then dropped into the Lycan bow of hunched shoulders and nose to the polished wood floor. His voice and his actions just stilled every councillor in the chamber. He lifted his head and his dark brown eyes snapped to mine. “I apologize, my Liege for being late to the High Council. I was supervising repairs to the arena. The bills will be sent to your household.”

Bruce climbed back to his feet and bowed at the waist to the Empress. “I am Seneschal to Azrael the First, King of the Northern Lycan. I bring greetings to this Council and sorrow as well. Our beloved mother, Britta the Elder has passed in her bed. As with the importance of her within the whole Lycan Nations throughout the world, she will lay in state for seven days. At the 23rd hour of the seventh day, Britta will be sent to the stars. I offer an invitation to the Empress to attend our beloved Mother’s funeral.”

“King Azrael?”

Bruce turned and looked toward the rest of the Council. “As per our customs and laws, Challenge was offered. Azrael Dennings, 11th Litter, First born, First rank was unchallenged for the Lycan throne. He sits as King until his heir, Arashi Saitou comes of age.”

“You cannot be King of the Lycans and Emperor of the Vampires at the same time.”

I lowered my arms and let the healing light fade. I pulled myself up to my tallest height and looked over at the Councillors who were in varying shades of shock, dismay and other emotional trauma. These were the Ancients of the Vampire Blood. They had seen the fall of the Vampire Nation through treachery and humanity. Before that, most of them had lived through the madness of Emperor Sigmund the First. I’m twenty-four years old as a Vampire and I have them shaking in their socks and I really don’t know why. Cycle the brotherhood through, the scariest one of us is Skell because he completes his task regardless of who or what he has to go through to get it done. Obstacles are crushed underfoot. The rest of us use diplomacy and patience to varying degrees. Mine had run out.

A sorceress wanted me dead but not before killing everyone around me.

The Advisory Council was worried about appearance...and there might be a traitor amongst them.

“Xavier.” Claudia’s voice touched me and I pulled on the little strand of patience that still clung to me.

“I am not King and Emperor at the same time. Yes, I am on the Lycan Roll. I am considered the last litter of Britta the Elder and I have claimed the throne of the Northern Lycan for my Lycan daughter. “ I unfurled my white wings and let the blue flame spark in my eyes. “I am of the Royal House of Von Drachenfeld and my wife is Empress of the Vampire Nation, as per your decree. Arashi will take the throne of the Lycan Den long before my banishment from the Imperial seat is over.”

“Lord Xavier, you are not banished...”

Ripley’s magic began building and I could feel the slight air movement as it wound it’s way through the bodies within the chamber. It grew in strength until it made my wings move. They rippled and the sound of rain filled the council chambers. He searched for a traitor. So did I.

“As King of the Northern Lycan, I am giving the Advisory Council of Vampires notice that I have sworn a blood oath of vengeance on the killers of Prince Haley, High Alpha. It is my duty as a brother and as the King to search out the traitors and their allies. The sorceress calls herself Serephina...” My eyes scanned the councillors but they had poker face control. “She has engaged humans, Lycans and Vampires in her quest.”

“Vampires?”

A silvery glow enveloped Serephina’s fingerprint. It was Councillor Renfury. A growl sounded in my throat low and deadly. “Renfury. Let’s dance.”


* * *

I'm already half done chappie 215....hold your fire! eeepp!