J
Justice
Guest
Original poster
Characters
[spoili]
City of Prudence
Rosewood Manor 1892
T
he Rosewood Manor housed the only vampiric community in the city of Prudence. It sat hidden away in the far outskirts of the city, residing in a clearing of the forest near the center of the wooded flats. It was an ideal location for their housing, being away from the human community, as to not be tempted nor be discovered. It was forbidden by law to feed from the humans in Prudence, ordained by the Coven leader Cornelius. His reasoning was never questioned, for the Coven all knew the reasoning for the rules by which they adhered to.[/SPACER][SPACER]Vivienne Latreal, tall and beautiful with soft black hair that fell in loosely curled tendrils down her back sat quietly in her chambers, foot tapping against the hardwood floor as she gazed idly out the bay window of her second story bedroom. Her focus drifted into the star-specked inky black sky which always gave her a small feeling of insignificance. Her chest felt tight that evening, her brother had not been in contact with her all that day and she was fit to burst with anxiety. While she enjoyed her mental privacy it was quite unlike Lerick not to check in with her at various, and frequently very inconvenient, times of the day. His lengthy absence may have been deemed suspicious if she had not known her brother to be very level-headed and loyal as he had always been since a young child. In the late evening of around eleven she had still heard or seen nothing of him. However, as if her nagging thoughts were being answered by a higher power she felt his presence. Vivienne's foot stopped suddenly, her ears perked and she closed her eyes, concentrating minimally. Lerick had finally come into enough proximity for her to feel his aura. She took this opportunity to lash out mentally.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]You have some explaining to do brother. Usually it is I who is so kindly checked in upon and yet here you are, hours after nightfall might I add, and no one here at the manor knew of your whereabouts or if you were even alive. The simple disregard towards my anxiety is unlike you brother. Vivienne strewn quickly inside Lerick's head, her mental voice stern while her face remained serene.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]She stood from where she was seated, and walked to the large floor to ceiling window, placing her forehead against the cool glass. An unusual pain stirred in the pit of her stomach, her hand fell against it softly before she sat back down in the high-back wooden chair near her window, waiting impatiently for her brother's response. [/SPACER]
[SPACER]Lerick rounded a corner; hands tucked deep in his coat pockets, and then almost frowned. There was a human. A human girl and she walked alone. She was alone and humming to herself as she trotted down the road, her mind filled with ridiculous fantasies of unrequited love and the chivalrous acts that men rarely practiced any longer. Her shadow was strewn long against the ground, cast by the hazy glow of the tavern window, as if reaching toward him, the calm hammering of her heart beneath her chest ringing in his ears, and the scent of her life wafted in his nostrils, reminding him of the one thing he hated about being immortal; the requirement of a lot of self-control.
The pale light of the moon bathed her features, reflected in her gray eyes and carefully touched the pale gold that was her crowning glory. Not that Lerick was attracted to the female human. At the moment, he had been more amused at her foolishness to roam the streets alone with an inviting smile pasted on her lips. Had she not heard of the killings? Lerick looked away. He himself wanted to know more about the incidents that had been stirring the vampires and the werewolves. He did not know why, but somehow he had grown a great distaste for his wolf brethren that he wouldn't be surprised if these abnormalities had been caused by them. Though most of his kind carried at least some dislike of the werewolves, as they did vampires.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]Absently, he reached for the watch in the inside pocket of the coat, checked the time and cursed under his breath. It was a few minutes past eleven and he had yet any contact with Vivienne. Time seemed seamless when it continued on for ages. Somehow he could hear her nagging though he was nowhere near her. Lerick quickened his pace and walked past the young girl who seemed too lost in her own thoughts to even take notice of him.
Once he was sure he was alone on the streets, Lerick gave in to the privilege of his vampiric endowment and hastily got to the manor in a more than timely manner. When he stopped, the dark brown coat flapped once behind him then his sister's voice rang in his head. Of course she would feel his presence at once. Oh I'm alright, dear little sister, no need to worry.He assured Vivienne silently. His lips stretched to a sheepish smile as he pushed the tall double doors open. Just then, he felt his sister's brief distress and in an instant, he was standing beside her.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]"Are you alright, Vi?" He was looking down at her; a deep look of concern had suddenly replaced the smile he had previous. Vivienne felt calmer as his soothing aura enveloped her with a feeling of warmth and safety. Though, it didn't fully quell her unease and she shook her head slowly, looking up into her brother's eyes. He was one of few members of their Coven that knew of her small psychic ability. She wasn't one to see into the future, or tell someone's fortune or any nonsense such as that. No, her ability was more she had accurate inclinations of impending events; good or bad. It was a gift that carried over with her into her new life, and perhaps had allowed the strong mental rapport with her brother when she turned him all those years ago.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]Looking away from Lerick, Vivienne stood and walked over to her large bed and sat, staring down at the floor blankly. Her bed's dressings were made up from lack of use from not sleeping; vampires never do. She scrunched the smooth crimson silk blanket in her hands nervously, biding her time in telling her brother of her intuitions. Her head finally raised, her eyes meeting her brother's from across the room briefly before she looked back down.
"Something isn't right brother. This unease has not ceased for a fortnight now. There is clearly something very wrong if the event has not yet to occur for fourteen days. Wouldn't you assume the same?" Vivienne asked softly, looking to her brother once more. "It is starting to affect my health, I have felt sluggish and fatigued even though I have fed many times. If I continue on this way our blood supply will soon diminish." [/SPACER]
[SPACER]At first glance, it was hard to tell that something was wrong with his sister; Lerick noticed her as he watched her grace the marbled flooring with her dainty steps. Her shadow, like the young girl's, stretched long across the floor while the flames of the candles in the room seemed to shiver at the caress of the cool night breeze from one open window. He was resting his hand, still, on top of the back rest of the chair where her sister sat earlier.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]Quietly, he watched her blank stare at the floor, opened his mouth to reassure her, but closed it again. Lerick decided to walk up to his sister's bed. He then placed an arm around her and pulled her against him as a lover would. Her telepathy was one thing that connected her, but he believed that there is a string greater than her gift that connected him to her. She was his sibling. She will always be his sibling, no matter what. And for that very reason, he would always stand by her.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]His voice was soothing when he said, "Everything will come to pass." Still, somehow, it was hard even for him to believe that. There was something amiss, and it was greatly affecting Vivienne. "Don't worry much about our supplies, Vivienne. I can..." His voice tapered off as he looked down at her troubled eyes. If she had not been a vampire, he was sure to see ugly lines beneath her eyes, but being an undead did have its benefits. "Take what you need, we won't run out of supplies, I promise." He finished.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]Vivienne felt comforted when Lerick had sat beside her and held her close. He was the only person who could ever make her feel safe in her times of need. She couldn't recall any other Coven member giving her that security though they had all tried. As far as any lovers were concerned, she didn't have any, nor did she ever look for them. There had been men who attempted to court her, but their attempts were feeble at best. Perhaps it was because she still pined for the man who betrayed her, her old-no…if he were alive, which she knew he- with all his power and cleverness, had no doubt he was very much alive- then they were still legally married. Separated perhaps, but still married. Though she doubted that by this time he hadn't found another woman after leaving her for dead on their kitchen floor. Vivienne hadn't accepted the truth of what he was very well, and now she lived as the same horror who had taken her humanity. She could only imagine the hatred he would have for her if he were to see her living as what she was.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]If in that moment they were human, Lerick's embrace would have been warm and soothing. However it had been a very long, long time since Vivienne had felt the warmth of a body. That was perhaps the only thing she missed about her human life. Her life as one of the creatures of night could only be a cold reminder of what she used to have. She was, however, grateful that her brother had given up his life shortly after she was reborn to be with her. She doubted greatly she would have carried on her undead life the same if her brother had not been there to support her and keep her out of trouble.
There was a close howl that caused Vivienne to stand out of her brother's embrace and walk quickly to the open window. The breeze that drifted through the close knit screen carried the distinct smell of dog...of werewolves.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]"Why are the wolves so close to our Manor?" Vivienne asked under her breath, more to herself than to Lerick. It wasn't until she saw the beasts tread forth through the wood, basked in the streams of moonlight, did her chest tighten with more anxiety. The large pack had encroached upon the Manor slowly. She could barely at first make out what the leader was carrying on its back. As the pack stayed back and hid amidst the trees, the leader carried forward and dropped the large item before the walls of the Manor. The pale figured fell like a rag doll to the ground, stained dark in the dim light.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]"Cordelia..." Vivienne hissed in anger and shock, spinning around to face her brother, eyes wide. "Why did Cordelia leave the walls tonight?" She inquired in a frantic voice. Surely her Coven sister had not ignored that she wasn't to leave the walls without an escort. Cordelia, Vivienne, Lerick and a few select others were considered Nobles amongst the Coven, next only to the Elders, and were supposed to be protected at all times outside the walls. It looked like Cordelia didn't want an escort tonight, and it had cost her dearly. Vivienne placed an open hand upon the glass.[/SPACER]
[SPACER]"Lerick!" Vivienne screamed aloud, feeling the presence of her brother fade to a further distance outside.[/SPACER]
