Clove : Book 4 of Lord Emperor Vampire Series
folder
Vampire › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
49
Views:
22,844
Reviews:
795
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Vampire › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
49
Views:
22,844
Reviews:
795
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Once and Future
We are at the end of another book. Thanks and mucho gracias for all the support and junk. I have the epilogue to do yet, but you know how those go. Bwah hahahah. I will have a kudos party in a bit...I need to get all the reviews off and printed.
As always....
ENJOY!
________________________________
Kudos and crackerjack to those who are Loyal and true: (Chapter 45)
Laur; lone_child;k; crimson vixen; lavcea; step291; marin_liliz; ayachan; Rosemary; meadows_peak; Blaze; and Spirit.
Chapter 46 Kudos Luv ya. Just Luv ya ta death. heheheheheh
Marin)liliz; laur(x2); Rosemary; lone_child; spirit; crimson vixen; tash; Blaze; AsyneMari; meadows_peak; lavcea; mystic 87; twitch; ayachan; hellborn-phoenix; shiden; berlin; Duelriel and milkxness.
Hey check out hellborn-phoenix’s drawing of our favorite little winged wonder.
http://hellborn-phoenix.deviantart.com/art/Fallen-69806000
Pocky for you. Mauh!
_______________________________________
Chapter 183: Once and Future
Everyone stood still. It was quite obvious that Elizabeth Kench was out of her ever loving mind. I could but it down to the emotions of a grieving mother but grieving or not, she had knowingly sold fledglings into torture and death and now she was threatening the mother of my children. I felt my fangs drop.
Claudia had a welt on his temple and it was sickly yellow green, turning into a bruise. Her normally coiffed appearance was messed and her clothes were in disarray but those arctic blue eyes blazed with barely contained fury.
Claudius changed into Carnage in a heartbeat. He took one step forward. The gun cocked and Kench shifted behind Claudia. The muzzle came up under Claudia’s chin and an arm snaked around her waist dragging her back against Kench. “Uhuh..my boy is dead. I don’t have anything to live for now…I don’t mind taking her with me.”
Claudius stopped his approach.
“I want to know why! Why is my Barry dead? I want to know who did it!” She screamed at the Council Chambers.
“Liz, for your own sake, but down your weapon.” Thomas counseled from the podium. “We have already investigated the incident and we have found Barry Kench to have been executed for attempted regicide.”
“Regicide? Regicide! The Empire is dead. You killed it Thomas when you stabbed Sigmund in the back. How can by boy be dead when you killed the true Lord Emperor! You were never punished. Why is my boy dead!! You’ve said that he…” A shaking hand pointed in my direction, “isn’t the true Lord Emperor.”
Claudius maneuvered himself between me and Elizabeth as well as sidled closer. “You will release the Empress, now.”
“Claudius…you were First for so long. You know how things work. You should have allowed Barry into the House. If he was part of something, he wouldn’t have been out getting into trouble. You could have let Barry in.”
“The House accepts who they accept. As Head, I only named those who were ranked and carried on with business. Barry is not the first to petition and fail admittance. Your son is dead. He acted rashly and has paid the ultimate price.”
Kench’s eyes were wild. She jerked and shifted around, pulling Claudia with her. “I said to get away from Carmilla! We are trying to build a better world!”
“Liar!” The ectoplasm almost solidified as it pulsed red with fury. Marissa’s spectral finger pointed at Kench. “You lined your pockets and swallowed the dogma Davenport gave you because you knew your son wasn’t good enough. You call us castoffs and damaged but your son was the one who was flawed. He is the one who should have been left to die defenseless and alone.”
Kench stared up at the spirit. “How can you be here and my Barry is not?” She pulled the gun from under Claudia’s and began to shoot at Marissa’s shade. Carnage moved and Kench put a bullet in his shoulder. Claudia tensed and the gun came back to her neck.
“You can’t understand the death of a beloved child. I can’t believe I protected yours.”
“LIZ!” Davenport hissed at her partner in crime.
“Orel Wessel wanted a royal baby. They wanted a back up incase the conditioning didn’t work on Xavier. They wanted the little white haired one. If the conditioning worked, they would raise the brat in the same manner. In the end, they would have two white demons of death under their control.”
“You were going to steal my Alexander?” Claudia whispered back to her through gritted teeth.
“I kept them away from him…if I had known…” Kench’s voice broke out into a sob. “If I had known that he would kill my baby, I would have let them take the white haired brat.”
What is that saying? There is nothing more deadly than a mother scorned? Or was it something about a woman protecting her young? It was something along that line. Everyone had underestimated Empress Claudia. Me included. I had forgotten who her Father was. I could only marvel at the act after it was done. Claudia caught Kench’s gun wrist and twisted it up and away from her neck. With her free arm, she rammed her elbow hard into Kench’s stomach and twisted sending the blonde haired woman flopping over her shoulder. Kench hit the ground hard. With that same motion, Claudia ripped the gun from her hand and set a foot on the woman’s throat. It was all over in a blink of an eye.
She glared down at Kench with the crimson flame burning hot in her eyes. “You take advantage of my husband and send him into a living hell for seven years. You leave my family in agony and sorrow knowing full well we actively searched for him. You had the gall to cultivate a friendship with me, all the while spying on my family.” With each sentence Claudia pressed down harder on Kench’s throat. “You came into my house with deception in your heart. Now you threaten my children.”
The gavel hammered down. “Elizabeth Kench, you are sentenced to death for admitted crimes against the Vampire Nation. You are also charged with conspiracy with the intend to kidnapping and confinement of the Imperial family.”
Kench thrashed on the floor. “You have no authority over me, Thomas. You have no right to be there. Armanita should have been High Councilor. Carmilla should have been High Councilor. You have no right to pass judgment me. You cannot judge me!”
“Then I will.” The sound of the single shot rang throughout the Council Chamber. Kench twitched twice then laid still. The smell of gunfire was strong and my ears rang a bit. Claudia lowered her gun and stared down at the woman who had been the mortal enemy from day one.
“Murderer!” Carmilla screamed at Claudia. Armor slammed the butt of the gun against Davenport’s skull, driving her to her knees.
I couldn’t let go of Endellion. I was afraid to let go. I didn’t know what she might do. What she could do. Father stepped forward and gathered his daughter into his arms.
“Carmilla Davenport is found guilty of treason. Her involvement in the selling and promotion of broken covenant fledglings for personal gain is a crime against the Vampire Nation. Her guilt is absolute. Spirit Testament has proven that. Her sentence is death. Cipher, you may carry that out now.”
“HOLD IT!” I called out. I looked up into the misty soul of what was once a young broken Vampire. “Thank you Marissa. I don’t know if you are still in pain…”
“I am free, Lord Emperor.” The haze shifted and she bent over. A cool breeze caressed my face as she kissed my forehead. “I can cross over, my heart is lifted. Thank you my Lord.” Marissa just faded.
The vibrations that Endellion had been giving off ceased. I wrenched her from the ground. She now just felt like a sword. The black blade gleamed and I could still sense the power trapped within her, but her purpose for coming to me was completed. I lifted her up and imaged placing her back into her sheath. The weight of the blade disappeared from my hand. She had returned back to Skell.
All eyes were me. Whispers echoed within the chamber. All the heads of the Houses had been at my introduction. They had seen me as a snot nosed child fought over like a tasty treat between two dogs of war. They knew who won there. They had crashed my wedding and had been present when Father was outed to the Nation. They knew I was gone. They had heard the rumors of things I had done. Now, I was back and back with a vengeance taking over the reins of the most powerful of all Vampire organizations in the span of three days. They didn’t know how to take me. They didn’t know if they should celebrate or tremble in fear.
Claudius killed for me. Marcus killed for me. Now, Claudia, my wife and Empress had killed for me. What was I to them? Just a pale wonder or something to be feared? Claudia moved from her Father to me, wrapping her arms around my chest and burying her face against me.
“All this time, she used our friendship. She knew where you were all this time. I was so close to you while they did those horrible things. I was a fool. Such a stupid trusting fool.” Claudia began to cry. I stroked the back of her head and caught Father’s eye. He made some minute gesture and the corpse of the former Elizabeth Kench was hauled out of the Council Chamber.
“Don’t you dare let them taint your heart, Chippie.”
“I forgot you called me that.” She whispered into my suit.
“Don’t you dare let them change you. What you do you do for the good of the Nation and your family. That is what you have always done. That is what you should continue to do. Let’s wrap this session up, then I have some work for you if you are willing.” Blue eyes looked up at me all aglitter with tears. “Sssssh, later.”
I looked over at Armor and nodded once. “Marcus, I need information. I need to know all there is to know. Fuck her hard. Make her regret every fledgling she ever screwed over.”
Thomas blinked. Then the screaming started.
I think I just moved into the something to be feared category. Which really was rather odd because Marcus was the one ripping apart Davenport from the inside. No one left the Chambers no matter how eerie the cries had gotten.
Father came over and laid a hand on my shoulder and rested his arm against his daughter’s back. I am never going to forget the sight of my wife, the mother of our children protecting them from harm. I have been to hell and back and I consider myself damned fortunate to have a home such as this to come back to. My pod. My mixed up House of Vampire, Hellcat, Lycan, Seer, Human and Werewolf…werewolves.
It didn’t take long for the death gurgle to end Marcus’ questioning. Many of the Council were green in the face but they stayed. Marcus’ face was cold and his eyes glittered with impotent rage.
“Can you tell me why, Marcus?”
“She believed that Armanita Rotheschild should have been High Councilor. After her death, she believed that she could have inherited the title. She believed that a traitor to the Imperial Family should not be sitting in a station of power.” Marcus crossed from behind the podium and came down to stand beside the rest of Von Drachenfeld. “She knew that Thomas the Elder had assassinated Lord Emperor Sigmund the First.”
Thomas sat down hard on his high seat.
“Why did she partner with Orel Wessel?”
“To prove that Thomas was not fit to rule the High Council, much less the Nation. The fact that this has gone on for years was her proof. Coven fledglings were easy pickings but they should have been noticed going missing. Her only mistake was that she thought the Nation would miss them.”
“Traitor!”
Traitor!”
“Murderer. Assassin!”
I stared up at Thomas the Elder. He suddenly aged before my eyes. Four hundred years he had sat the head of the Vampire Nation. If he thought no one knew how he came to power, he had just been proven wrong. Councilor Edmund stood up and laid a hand on the High Councilor’s shoulder. “Serious accusations have been made against you. You must step down.”
Thomas looked down at us. Marcus had made his way to out little clique. “He begged me. Sigmund begged me to kill him. I knew the chaos that would reign after his death but…he couldn’t take any more of this world. I loved my Emperor! I worshiped the ground he walked on but you had to have seen what he had become. He came to me during a period between hellcat culls and asked me as his loyal advisor to end his suffering. To make sure that he could not recover from it. He hated what he had become. He hated what he was doing to his Nation, to his Empire. Blood rose up against Blood and it tore him apart.”
“He barely ate. His face…when he was young and healthy he looked like you Lord Claudius expect for the coloring. His hair was red as red as the young Xavier when he was first birthed. He had been so dynamic, so full of life and purpose then…he changed. He only lived for the Hellcat cull and that bitch Armanita. How could I refuse my Emperor’s final request?”
The doors to the Council Chambers had swung open as Thomas spoke and Hades and Liam joined us on the lowest level of the Council floor. Liam stepped forward but Hades dropped a hand on his arm.
“Call me traitor. Call me assassin. I know in my heart I served my Lord Emperor. I serve him still until Imperial rule is re-established.” Thomas rose to his feet. He looked at the gallery. “We have before us, two Royal Blue Line Vampires and a full Royal Blue gene carrier. Their genealogy has been traced and each of them have been shown to be direct descendents of Lord Emperor Sigmund the First.”
“The seat of the High Council has been shown to be easily mislead and rife with hidden agendas. Personal motivation that has nothing to do with the betterment of the Vampire Nation. We have Prince Claudius – bastard son of Sigmund. Princess Claudia –bastard daughter of Claudius.” Claudia’s head popped up and her back stiffened with righteous indignation. Both Father and I held her back from rushing the podium. Then finally, we have Prince Xavier – great, great, great, great grandson, from Lenore’s lineage. From the marriage of Claudia and Xavier, we have Princess Callia and Raissa and Prince Alexander. The Royal House of Von Drachenfeld is before us. The strength of the Blue Line is back in the Nation. The High Council need only pick a named candidate to return the Vampire Nation back to the pinnacle of all the Blood.”
Holy crap. I just wanted to create a House for the fledglings.
“My voice may be disregarded now. My will may be ignored, but what I have done, I have always placed the good of the Nation before my own needs.” Thomas looked down at us. “Lord Xavier. You were the first and therefore you should be Lord Emperor. You released the Blue line in your Vampiric Father. You are still a young fledgling no matter your talents and accomplishments. Your mettle as been tested and you have emerged as a force to be reckoned with but…you are so young and it is unfair to lay this heavy mantle upon your shoulders. This burden may have spent your great grandfather spiraling into decay. He was young too when he had to lead. Therefore, a Regent must be named until you are at least 100 years old. Even then, that is far too young.”
His gaze switched over to Father. “Lord Claudius, you have served the Council loyally for centuries. You understand the mechanics of politics and you command with an iron will. You have worn the mantle of responsibility for your House and your Nation for more than two hundred years. You have served enough.”
Claudia backed up into me. I wrapped my arms around her as Thomas moved from the podium down the back steps, where he disappeared only to rematerialize in front of us. “Lady Claudia. Your heart has always been known to be caring and giving. As a duty to the Nation, you married a man who could not give you happiness yet you bore his children and secured the Royal lineage. That should be enough - but, your Father needs to rest. Your husband needs to grow. Accept the name of Empress until Xavier can truly stand alone. I may not live longer than this day, but I fear that he would meet the same fate as Sigmund if he were to take up safe keeping of the Empire now.”
Thomas the Elder lowered himself into reverence pose. Claudia gasped and tensed under my hands. High Councilor Edmund lowered himself to one knee. En masse the galleries dropped. Claudia turned in my arms and looked past my shoulder. I shifted and saw Hades and Liam look at each other with a gleam of satisfaction in those old and Ancient eyes then they to elegantly lowered themselves to the ground.
“Empress Claudia.” Marcus caught her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles then lowered himself as well.
“Daddy if you so much as bend a knee, I will kick you in the face.” I got an elbow to my midsection. “That goes for you too, Xavier.”
Edmund rose and stepped into the middle of the podium taking over the role of the High Councilor. The action was not gone unnoticed. Thomas lowered his head until his chin touched his chest. “A motion is on the floor. That the High Council be dissolved in favor of the House of Von Drachenfeld, with Claudia Von Drachenfeld acting as Empress Regent until Lord Xavier reaches his centennial year. All in favor.”
“AYE!” I was taken back. More than eighty percent of the assembly agreed favorably.
“Those opposed.”
“Nay!” There were only about eight houses that voted against us.
“Those abstaining.” Twelve remaining hands rose.
“This motion is passed by majority. All hail Empress Claudia.” The Council Chamber broke out into a roar of sound. The slamming of the gavel broke over the noise. “This ends the High Council. Empress.” Edmund gestured to the seat he vacated.
Claudia slowly began to move. I let her go and tried to pull back my hand. Her nails dug in hard around my wrist. Holy…..talons. I saw Father wince as he got the same treatment. We were dragged up the podium behind her but we made sure not to look like we were being dragged. We both had reputations as bad ass assassins to maintain. As soon as we disappeared to the small staircase. Claudia turned and stared at both of us. “I….don’t want this. I don’t know what to do. I never thought I would be called Empress…other than as your wife.”
I cocked an eyebrow and looked at Claudius. “Does this work for you? I’ll stay as Head of the House and CEO. I’ll grow with my family. You can be the stay at home grandpa.”
“I was going to offer to stay as Emperor. To have my daughter, publicly acknowledged as MY daughter as Empress is even better.” Father turned to Claudia and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Thomas is right. You have the best heart among us. You have always strived to make the world, Vampire and Human a better place. You will make a perfect Empress.”
“I’m going to throw up.” Claudia was pale.
“Say a few words first. Set the tone. Many love the Empire and have missed it. But you have heard that there is already dissension. Sigmund was your grandfather too, my Daughter.”
“I’m still going to throw up.” She gave a weak smile and flashed her eyes toward me. “Is this what it felt like at that bachelor auction?”
“Only if you’re going to tap dance while you’re up there.”
She gave a laugh and started up the stairs. Claudius caught my shoulder as I started forward. “Are you truly all right with this?”
“What can I say? I’m mad that I don’t get be Head of the Vampire Nation? You’re right. I’m not ready for this. I’m probably not ready for Head of the House either, but here I am. I think Claudia would make a better leader. She has always worked at charities and causes to make life easier for humans and bloods. It’s in her genes so to speak.”
“It is in yours as well, my son.”
“What about you? You’ve basically been kicked to the curb and told to retire.”
“I think Sex and the children will keep me busy.”
“Xavier!” Whoa that was a rendition of “Haley!” I climbed my skinny but up to the podium and joined my wife. Shades of vertigo here. “Don’t leave me.”
“Hey, Chippie. I’m not going anywhere. I’m home and this where I’m going to stay.” I stood behind my Empress, my hand in hers and she pressed against me. Claudius joined us and took up his spot on her left. Damn, the House of Von Drachenfeld was back in business. Big Time.
-30-
As always....
ENJOY!
________________________________
Kudos and crackerjack to those who are Loyal and true: (Chapter 45)
Laur; lone_child;k; crimson vixen; lavcea; step291; marin_liliz; ayachan; Rosemary; meadows_peak; Blaze; and Spirit.
Chapter 46 Kudos Luv ya. Just Luv ya ta death. heheheheheh
Marin)liliz; laur(x2); Rosemary; lone_child; spirit; crimson vixen; tash; Blaze; AsyneMari; meadows_peak; lavcea; mystic 87; twitch; ayachan; hellborn-phoenix; shiden; berlin; Duelriel and milkxness.
Hey check out hellborn-phoenix’s drawing of our favorite little winged wonder.
http://hellborn-phoenix.deviantart.com/art/Fallen-69806000
Pocky for you. Mauh!
_______________________________________
Chapter 183: Once and Future
Everyone stood still. It was quite obvious that Elizabeth Kench was out of her ever loving mind. I could but it down to the emotions of a grieving mother but grieving or not, she had knowingly sold fledglings into torture and death and now she was threatening the mother of my children. I felt my fangs drop.
Claudia had a welt on his temple and it was sickly yellow green, turning into a bruise. Her normally coiffed appearance was messed and her clothes were in disarray but those arctic blue eyes blazed with barely contained fury.
Claudius changed into Carnage in a heartbeat. He took one step forward. The gun cocked and Kench shifted behind Claudia. The muzzle came up under Claudia’s chin and an arm snaked around her waist dragging her back against Kench. “Uhuh..my boy is dead. I don’t have anything to live for now…I don’t mind taking her with me.”
Claudius stopped his approach.
“I want to know why! Why is my Barry dead? I want to know who did it!” She screamed at the Council Chambers.
“Liz, for your own sake, but down your weapon.” Thomas counseled from the podium. “We have already investigated the incident and we have found Barry Kench to have been executed for attempted regicide.”
“Regicide? Regicide! The Empire is dead. You killed it Thomas when you stabbed Sigmund in the back. How can by boy be dead when you killed the true Lord Emperor! You were never punished. Why is my boy dead!! You’ve said that he…” A shaking hand pointed in my direction, “isn’t the true Lord Emperor.”
Claudius maneuvered himself between me and Elizabeth as well as sidled closer. “You will release the Empress, now.”
“Claudius…you were First for so long. You know how things work. You should have allowed Barry into the House. If he was part of something, he wouldn’t have been out getting into trouble. You could have let Barry in.”
“The House accepts who they accept. As Head, I only named those who were ranked and carried on with business. Barry is not the first to petition and fail admittance. Your son is dead. He acted rashly and has paid the ultimate price.”
Kench’s eyes were wild. She jerked and shifted around, pulling Claudia with her. “I said to get away from Carmilla! We are trying to build a better world!”
“Liar!” The ectoplasm almost solidified as it pulsed red with fury. Marissa’s spectral finger pointed at Kench. “You lined your pockets and swallowed the dogma Davenport gave you because you knew your son wasn’t good enough. You call us castoffs and damaged but your son was the one who was flawed. He is the one who should have been left to die defenseless and alone.”
Kench stared up at the spirit. “How can you be here and my Barry is not?” She pulled the gun from under Claudia’s and began to shoot at Marissa’s shade. Carnage moved and Kench put a bullet in his shoulder. Claudia tensed and the gun came back to her neck.
“You can’t understand the death of a beloved child. I can’t believe I protected yours.”
“LIZ!” Davenport hissed at her partner in crime.
“Orel Wessel wanted a royal baby. They wanted a back up incase the conditioning didn’t work on Xavier. They wanted the little white haired one. If the conditioning worked, they would raise the brat in the same manner. In the end, they would have two white demons of death under their control.”
“You were going to steal my Alexander?” Claudia whispered back to her through gritted teeth.
“I kept them away from him…if I had known…” Kench’s voice broke out into a sob. “If I had known that he would kill my baby, I would have let them take the white haired brat.”
What is that saying? There is nothing more deadly than a mother scorned? Or was it something about a woman protecting her young? It was something along that line. Everyone had underestimated Empress Claudia. Me included. I had forgotten who her Father was. I could only marvel at the act after it was done. Claudia caught Kench’s gun wrist and twisted it up and away from her neck. With her free arm, she rammed her elbow hard into Kench’s stomach and twisted sending the blonde haired woman flopping over her shoulder. Kench hit the ground hard. With that same motion, Claudia ripped the gun from her hand and set a foot on the woman’s throat. It was all over in a blink of an eye.
She glared down at Kench with the crimson flame burning hot in her eyes. “You take advantage of my husband and send him into a living hell for seven years. You leave my family in agony and sorrow knowing full well we actively searched for him. You had the gall to cultivate a friendship with me, all the while spying on my family.” With each sentence Claudia pressed down harder on Kench’s throat. “You came into my house with deception in your heart. Now you threaten my children.”
The gavel hammered down. “Elizabeth Kench, you are sentenced to death for admitted crimes against the Vampire Nation. You are also charged with conspiracy with the intend to kidnapping and confinement of the Imperial family.”
Kench thrashed on the floor. “You have no authority over me, Thomas. You have no right to be there. Armanita should have been High Councilor. Carmilla should have been High Councilor. You have no right to pass judgment me. You cannot judge me!”
“Then I will.” The sound of the single shot rang throughout the Council Chamber. Kench twitched twice then laid still. The smell of gunfire was strong and my ears rang a bit. Claudia lowered her gun and stared down at the woman who had been the mortal enemy from day one.
“Murderer!” Carmilla screamed at Claudia. Armor slammed the butt of the gun against Davenport’s skull, driving her to her knees.
I couldn’t let go of Endellion. I was afraid to let go. I didn’t know what she might do. What she could do. Father stepped forward and gathered his daughter into his arms.
“Carmilla Davenport is found guilty of treason. Her involvement in the selling and promotion of broken covenant fledglings for personal gain is a crime against the Vampire Nation. Her guilt is absolute. Spirit Testament has proven that. Her sentence is death. Cipher, you may carry that out now.”
“HOLD IT!” I called out. I looked up into the misty soul of what was once a young broken Vampire. “Thank you Marissa. I don’t know if you are still in pain…”
“I am free, Lord Emperor.” The haze shifted and she bent over. A cool breeze caressed my face as she kissed my forehead. “I can cross over, my heart is lifted. Thank you my Lord.” Marissa just faded.
The vibrations that Endellion had been giving off ceased. I wrenched her from the ground. She now just felt like a sword. The black blade gleamed and I could still sense the power trapped within her, but her purpose for coming to me was completed. I lifted her up and imaged placing her back into her sheath. The weight of the blade disappeared from my hand. She had returned back to Skell.
All eyes were me. Whispers echoed within the chamber. All the heads of the Houses had been at my introduction. They had seen me as a snot nosed child fought over like a tasty treat between two dogs of war. They knew who won there. They had crashed my wedding and had been present when Father was outed to the Nation. They knew I was gone. They had heard the rumors of things I had done. Now, I was back and back with a vengeance taking over the reins of the most powerful of all Vampire organizations in the span of three days. They didn’t know how to take me. They didn’t know if they should celebrate or tremble in fear.
Claudius killed for me. Marcus killed for me. Now, Claudia, my wife and Empress had killed for me. What was I to them? Just a pale wonder or something to be feared? Claudia moved from her Father to me, wrapping her arms around my chest and burying her face against me.
“All this time, she used our friendship. She knew where you were all this time. I was so close to you while they did those horrible things. I was a fool. Such a stupid trusting fool.” Claudia began to cry. I stroked the back of her head and caught Father’s eye. He made some minute gesture and the corpse of the former Elizabeth Kench was hauled out of the Council Chamber.
“Don’t you dare let them taint your heart, Chippie.”
“I forgot you called me that.” She whispered into my suit.
“Don’t you dare let them change you. What you do you do for the good of the Nation and your family. That is what you have always done. That is what you should continue to do. Let’s wrap this session up, then I have some work for you if you are willing.” Blue eyes looked up at me all aglitter with tears. “Sssssh, later.”
I looked over at Armor and nodded once. “Marcus, I need information. I need to know all there is to know. Fuck her hard. Make her regret every fledgling she ever screwed over.”
Thomas blinked. Then the screaming started.
I think I just moved into the something to be feared category. Which really was rather odd because Marcus was the one ripping apart Davenport from the inside. No one left the Chambers no matter how eerie the cries had gotten.
Father came over and laid a hand on my shoulder and rested his arm against his daughter’s back. I am never going to forget the sight of my wife, the mother of our children protecting them from harm. I have been to hell and back and I consider myself damned fortunate to have a home such as this to come back to. My pod. My mixed up House of Vampire, Hellcat, Lycan, Seer, Human and Werewolf…werewolves.
It didn’t take long for the death gurgle to end Marcus’ questioning. Many of the Council were green in the face but they stayed. Marcus’ face was cold and his eyes glittered with impotent rage.
“Can you tell me why, Marcus?”
“She believed that Armanita Rotheschild should have been High Councilor. After her death, she believed that she could have inherited the title. She believed that a traitor to the Imperial Family should not be sitting in a station of power.” Marcus crossed from behind the podium and came down to stand beside the rest of Von Drachenfeld. “She knew that Thomas the Elder had assassinated Lord Emperor Sigmund the First.”
Thomas sat down hard on his high seat.
“Why did she partner with Orel Wessel?”
“To prove that Thomas was not fit to rule the High Council, much less the Nation. The fact that this has gone on for years was her proof. Coven fledglings were easy pickings but they should have been noticed going missing. Her only mistake was that she thought the Nation would miss them.”
“Traitor!”
Traitor!”
“Murderer. Assassin!”
I stared up at Thomas the Elder. He suddenly aged before my eyes. Four hundred years he had sat the head of the Vampire Nation. If he thought no one knew how he came to power, he had just been proven wrong. Councilor Edmund stood up and laid a hand on the High Councilor’s shoulder. “Serious accusations have been made against you. You must step down.”
Thomas looked down at us. Marcus had made his way to out little clique. “He begged me. Sigmund begged me to kill him. I knew the chaos that would reign after his death but…he couldn’t take any more of this world. I loved my Emperor! I worshiped the ground he walked on but you had to have seen what he had become. He came to me during a period between hellcat culls and asked me as his loyal advisor to end his suffering. To make sure that he could not recover from it. He hated what he had become. He hated what he was doing to his Nation, to his Empire. Blood rose up against Blood and it tore him apart.”
“He barely ate. His face…when he was young and healthy he looked like you Lord Claudius expect for the coloring. His hair was red as red as the young Xavier when he was first birthed. He had been so dynamic, so full of life and purpose then…he changed. He only lived for the Hellcat cull and that bitch Armanita. How could I refuse my Emperor’s final request?”
The doors to the Council Chambers had swung open as Thomas spoke and Hades and Liam joined us on the lowest level of the Council floor. Liam stepped forward but Hades dropped a hand on his arm.
“Call me traitor. Call me assassin. I know in my heart I served my Lord Emperor. I serve him still until Imperial rule is re-established.” Thomas rose to his feet. He looked at the gallery. “We have before us, two Royal Blue Line Vampires and a full Royal Blue gene carrier. Their genealogy has been traced and each of them have been shown to be direct descendents of Lord Emperor Sigmund the First.”
“The seat of the High Council has been shown to be easily mislead and rife with hidden agendas. Personal motivation that has nothing to do with the betterment of the Vampire Nation. We have Prince Claudius – bastard son of Sigmund. Princess Claudia –bastard daughter of Claudius.” Claudia’s head popped up and her back stiffened with righteous indignation. Both Father and I held her back from rushing the podium. Then finally, we have Prince Xavier – great, great, great, great grandson, from Lenore’s lineage. From the marriage of Claudia and Xavier, we have Princess Callia and Raissa and Prince Alexander. The Royal House of Von Drachenfeld is before us. The strength of the Blue Line is back in the Nation. The High Council need only pick a named candidate to return the Vampire Nation back to the pinnacle of all the Blood.”
Holy crap. I just wanted to create a House for the fledglings.
“My voice may be disregarded now. My will may be ignored, but what I have done, I have always placed the good of the Nation before my own needs.” Thomas looked down at us. “Lord Xavier. You were the first and therefore you should be Lord Emperor. You released the Blue line in your Vampiric Father. You are still a young fledgling no matter your talents and accomplishments. Your mettle as been tested and you have emerged as a force to be reckoned with but…you are so young and it is unfair to lay this heavy mantle upon your shoulders. This burden may have spent your great grandfather spiraling into decay. He was young too when he had to lead. Therefore, a Regent must be named until you are at least 100 years old. Even then, that is far too young.”
His gaze switched over to Father. “Lord Claudius, you have served the Council loyally for centuries. You understand the mechanics of politics and you command with an iron will. You have worn the mantle of responsibility for your House and your Nation for more than two hundred years. You have served enough.”
Claudia backed up into me. I wrapped my arms around her as Thomas moved from the podium down the back steps, where he disappeared only to rematerialize in front of us. “Lady Claudia. Your heart has always been known to be caring and giving. As a duty to the Nation, you married a man who could not give you happiness yet you bore his children and secured the Royal lineage. That should be enough - but, your Father needs to rest. Your husband needs to grow. Accept the name of Empress until Xavier can truly stand alone. I may not live longer than this day, but I fear that he would meet the same fate as Sigmund if he were to take up safe keeping of the Empire now.”
Thomas the Elder lowered himself into reverence pose. Claudia gasped and tensed under my hands. High Councilor Edmund lowered himself to one knee. En masse the galleries dropped. Claudia turned in my arms and looked past my shoulder. I shifted and saw Hades and Liam look at each other with a gleam of satisfaction in those old and Ancient eyes then they to elegantly lowered themselves to the ground.
“Empress Claudia.” Marcus caught her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles then lowered himself as well.
“Daddy if you so much as bend a knee, I will kick you in the face.” I got an elbow to my midsection. “That goes for you too, Xavier.”
Edmund rose and stepped into the middle of the podium taking over the role of the High Councilor. The action was not gone unnoticed. Thomas lowered his head until his chin touched his chest. “A motion is on the floor. That the High Council be dissolved in favor of the House of Von Drachenfeld, with Claudia Von Drachenfeld acting as Empress Regent until Lord Xavier reaches his centennial year. All in favor.”
“AYE!” I was taken back. More than eighty percent of the assembly agreed favorably.
“Those opposed.”
“Nay!” There were only about eight houses that voted against us.
“Those abstaining.” Twelve remaining hands rose.
“This motion is passed by majority. All hail Empress Claudia.” The Council Chamber broke out into a roar of sound. The slamming of the gavel broke over the noise. “This ends the High Council. Empress.” Edmund gestured to the seat he vacated.
Claudia slowly began to move. I let her go and tried to pull back my hand. Her nails dug in hard around my wrist. Holy…..talons. I saw Father wince as he got the same treatment. We were dragged up the podium behind her but we made sure not to look like we were being dragged. We both had reputations as bad ass assassins to maintain. As soon as we disappeared to the small staircase. Claudia turned and stared at both of us. “I….don’t want this. I don’t know what to do. I never thought I would be called Empress…other than as your wife.”
I cocked an eyebrow and looked at Claudius. “Does this work for you? I’ll stay as Head of the House and CEO. I’ll grow with my family. You can be the stay at home grandpa.”
“I was going to offer to stay as Emperor. To have my daughter, publicly acknowledged as MY daughter as Empress is even better.” Father turned to Claudia and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Thomas is right. You have the best heart among us. You have always strived to make the world, Vampire and Human a better place. You will make a perfect Empress.”
“I’m going to throw up.” Claudia was pale.
“Say a few words first. Set the tone. Many love the Empire and have missed it. But you have heard that there is already dissension. Sigmund was your grandfather too, my Daughter.”
“I’m still going to throw up.” She gave a weak smile and flashed her eyes toward me. “Is this what it felt like at that bachelor auction?”
“Only if you’re going to tap dance while you’re up there.”
She gave a laugh and started up the stairs. Claudius caught my shoulder as I started forward. “Are you truly all right with this?”
“What can I say? I’m mad that I don’t get be Head of the Vampire Nation? You’re right. I’m not ready for this. I’m probably not ready for Head of the House either, but here I am. I think Claudia would make a better leader. She has always worked at charities and causes to make life easier for humans and bloods. It’s in her genes so to speak.”
“It is in yours as well, my son.”
“What about you? You’ve basically been kicked to the curb and told to retire.”
“I think Sex and the children will keep me busy.”
“Xavier!” Whoa that was a rendition of “Haley!” I climbed my skinny but up to the podium and joined my wife. Shades of vertigo here. “Don’t leave me.”
“Hey, Chippie. I’m not going anywhere. I’m home and this where I’m going to stay.” I stood behind my Empress, my hand in hers and she pressed against me. Claudius joined us and took up his spot on her left. Damn, the House of Von Drachenfeld was back in business. Big Time.
-30-