Vampire Realm

There are many stories to our creation yet they all have the same ending. Destruction by a desolated soul.

Cerin and Selene stick their heads out the window as we pass snow-covered pines. The journey has taken us longer than needed but at least Cerin's finally adjusted to an omnivorous diet. The Vampire Lands are similar to the Winter and Dark Realm maintaining a coolness to them year-round. The lands alternate between rain and snow.

"What's that?" Cerin asks.

I look over her shoulder, "what exactly has caught your eye?"

"The shiny," she says.

The shiny is a sculpture of Valeria one of the twelve vampire lords.

"It's just a sculpture," I say, "stop looking out and sit still both of you."

"What was it?" Ryan sends.

"Your whore was immortalized," I send as the statue com-bust.

"Was that necessary?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

"Crimson it was a mistake, when will you let it go?"

"When your soul rots."

"She made me believe she was you."

"Dammit Ryan our souls are bound, you should have known the difference."

"I was desperate."

"Aren't you always."

"Mama," Selene calls.

We sit engulfed in shadows and darkness. The twins seem scared.

"What is it?" I ask.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ryan says as we come to a halt.

"We're here," I send Da-Xia.

After a moment the gates open and the carriage picks up pace. Alexander's manor is nestled between the River of Sorrows and the city. As we step out the carriage disintegrates.

"What took you so long?" Da-Xia asks looking at the two bundles on either side of me.

"Someone wanted to take a scenic route," I say leading Cerin and Selene past her.

"There's no pleasing her," I hear Ryan say as we enter the manor. Servants busy themselves in the parlor where Alexander pours himself a finger of amber liquid.

"I see you've added to your collection of misfits."

"Where not misfits," Cerin says dropping her hood.

Selene nods in agreement, "who is he?"

"That my dear is your Uncle Alexander."

"Uncle?" Alex starts counting his fingers shaking his head and restarting, "Enrique are pregnancies not nine months to ten years?"

"It varies by species," Enrique says seating his book down, "why do you ask?"

"Look at them they're too big yet not small enough."

"Seem just right to me," Enrique says as Alex continues to ponder the possibilities.

"What happened back there?"

"Cyrus lost his mind," Ryan says as I toss my cloak over an ornate chair.

"So you had to burn it all down?"

"Who says I did it?"

"Who else can use dark flame?"

"What does it matter, what's done is done."

"We needed him," Alexander says, "did we not?'

"We needed his blood," I say.

"Do we have it?"

"We do."

"Then all's well," Enrique says.

"Could someone explain?" Da-Xia asks.

"First, Alexander could one of your maids tend to the children," I say.

"Yes they need a good bath," he says, "did you have them sleeping on dirt, look at them."

"He says too much," Cerin says her fangs flashing.

"Slightly impressive but mine are bigger," Alexander says before ringing a porcelain bell.

A girl with cat ears and a fluffy white tail scurries into the room, "Yes, my Lord."

"Take this two away, clean them off and find them, proper attire fit for a child."

"As you wish my Lord," the girl curtsy her tail brushing the floor.

"I want," Cerin says pointing to the bell still in Alexander's hand.

"Why?"

"Pretty."

"That's not how you ask for something."

"They can learn formalities later," I say draping my leg over the armrest, "just give her the dam bell."

"If you let her, she'll raise them with no manners."

"Our definition of manners is different from yours," Ryan says, " If you want something take it," he yanks the bell out of Alexander's hand and hands it to Cerin.

"Thank you, papa," Cerin smiles at the bell as if it were a grand treasure.

I suppose for someone who's spent millennia as a rabbit such things would seem lovely. The maidservant takes the girls away just as Camellia walks in.

"Good now we won't have to repeat ourselves," I say sitting upright.

"Repeat what?" Camellia asks.

"Our reason for remaining in the Dragon Realm for over a hundred years," I say.