The Kingdom of the Nine; The Vampire Legacy IV

by Dawn Gray

  “Caitlyn, I need you to try to come out of this dream.” He begged me.

  “Wait, you're there.” I smiled. “I can see you stepping up beside me, but I don't think you realize that you're standing in one of the rings. It starts raining, coming down in large drops and they hurt a bit as they fall. I'm looking at you, as you stare at this thing, but then I can also see another figure coming closer.”

  “Cait, you need to open your eyes.”

  “I can't.” I whispered, stuck in that state. “Julian, I'm scared, what's happening?”

  “It's just a memory.” He whispered and I could feel his hand holding on to mine. “Try to come out of it.”

  “There's a flash of bright red lightening and it hit down in the center of the circles. A giant fire is ignited and I can't see you anymore. Wait!” In my mind, I looked deeper into the fire, at the figure that stepped out, his face seemed shadowed by the flames, and he raised a hand towards me. I watched myself as I turned my head, yelling for help, then all I saw was the light, bright red and blinding, and slowly, I opened my eyes to see Julian looking at me, and I was laying on the couch in the room that Nick and I had walked into. “Julian, what does it mean? How come it didn't end the right way?”

  “I can't explain it, yet, but, just remember it for now and we'll discuss it later.” He said, softly, then leaned down and kissed me on the forehead.

  9

  The only thoughts running through my mind, as I stepped into the dining room, were those of the hours I had spent with Julian, and the fact that I missed my little boy, who seemed quite thrilled to hear from me when I called him just before I came down stairs. However, when I looked around the room, with the five men standing around it, I couldn't help but feel a sudden familiar feeling sweeping through me.

  “Good evening.” Quinn said, softly, as his hand slipped around my arm gently. I smiled up at him and the two of us walked to the table, where he pulled out a chair for me. “You look distracted.

  “I'm fine.” I replied, whispering back to him. Quinn nodded and took the seat beside me.

  “You son of a bitch, Julian Deveraux!” I heard as I looked around the room, at the smiling faces that surrounded me, and that's when I turned towards the doorway and watched the girl walk in. She was a younger version of me and by the expression on her face, she was angry. Again, I felt separate from my physical being as I turned with her as she walked into the room and stood at the end of the table, looking down its length at Julian. “You lied to me, again.”

  As I looked around this dining room, the one from my memories, I noticed that there wasn't much difference from the one I was physically sitting in, except that the only two men in this room were Nick and Julian, and Nick seemed to be just leaving. Julian looked up at her as she leaned, with both hands flat on the table, towards him. Julian smiled, placed the napkin that he had dabbed at the corner of his mouth with, on the table next to him, and placed his hands, folded together on the table in front of him.

  “Good evening, Caitlyn.” He said, softly. “What can I do for you?”

  “You lied, again.” She said, shaking her head.

  “About?” He questioned.

  “Oh, come on, you can't honestly expect me to believe you don't know what I'm referring to, can you?” She smiled. Julian shrugged and rolled his eyes. “The beach, Julian, you told me that you would meet me on the beach at five o'clock. That was over an hour ago, and this is the second time you've made me wait that long in as many days.”

  “I'm sorry, Cait.” He whispered, but I saw the witty smile that spread across his face. I watched her walk over to him, shaking her head and she grabbed the back of the chair. I smiled when she pushed on it and smiled when it gave way, knowing that Julian pushed it back with his feet.

  “I don't want your apologies, Jules.” She said as she leaned closer to him. He placed his hands on her hips as she moved towards him.

  “So, what can I do to make it up to you?” He questioned, and looked her over as she straddled him on his lap. “Well, this could look a bit compromising.”

  “Julian, shut up.” She smiled as she kissed him, but just at that moment, Creolas walked into the room and stood against the wall next to the doorway.

  He crossed his arms and watched them, just as I did, licking his lips, then he put on that trade mark smirk I was getting use to seeing him wear, before he made a loud knock by pounding his hand against the wall. She looked up and Julian looked over at their viewer before she slid off his lap and stood behind him as he rose.

  “Creolas, I didn't realize you were back.” Julian said, in a monotone voice.

  “Well, don't let that stop you from whatever it was you were doing.” He replied. “Please, continue. Don't stop on my account, in fact, I encourage you.”

  “What do you want?” She asked, but Julian looked at her, quieting her with the sternness of his eyes. Creolas smiled widely, locking his eyes on her, and then he turned and walked out of the room. I watched Julian turn to her, to see the fright in her eyes, and then I heard his soft voice.

  “Caitlyn?” He whispered, and I closed my eyes to just listen to that voice. I smiled, listening to him talk to her so caringly, and then I heard his voice closer to my own ears. “Caitlyn?” I opened my eyes and looked over at Julian, as the five men around the table stared at me. His green eyes twinkled as he looked at me, trying to determine if I needed help or not. “Are you feeling well?”

  “Yes.” I smiled and looked around the table. “I'm fine. I was just remembering something.”

  “It must have been something extremely interesting.” David added, which made me look at him. “You're a bit flush.”

  “It was...very personal.” I answered, and then looked at the men around me. “So, what's for dinner?”

  “Steak and potatoes.” Michael said and watched as they brought in a plateful of steaks and began to set the table for dinner. Michael looked at me as I glanced back at the doorway and sighed. “So, what's got you so distracted?”

  “Something's been bothering me, and I'm not quite sure what it is.”

  “So, how do you know it's bothering you?” Quinn questioned.

  “Well, it's there, in the back of my mind and I can't seem to bring it forward, but I know that it's something important and it has to do with, and this may seem a bit funny, but it's about Julian and Nick.” I glanced up in their direction when I mentioned them and watched their reactions.

  “What about us?” Nick asked.

  “That's just it, I don't know.” I sighed, trying not to get upset at the fact that I didn't remember, but I couldn't help but suddenly feel pressured to come up with something. With all eyes pinned on me, I couldn't take it anymore. I quickly stood, took a glance around the table, and then left the room.

  I could feel someone following me, but it wasn't Julian or his brother, then again, it wasn't Creolas, because I wasn't feeling the danger from him, but as I rounded the corner near the stairway, hands reached and grabbed me, and turned me quickly to face whoever it might have been that stopped me, and that brought on the memory.

  I was pushed back against the wall behind me, just under the handrails of the stairs, in the darkness of this house at night. I saw his eyes before I heard his voice, those red glowing orbs of light, then he smiled.

  “I thought you were warned not to wonder around here alone.” Creolas smiled at me, flashing those sharp fangs. He pressed his body against mine as his hand wrapped around the back of my head and grabbed a handful of hair. I placed my hands against his chest, pushing at him. “Oh, come now, Caitlyn, don't you think you should stop denying the attraction you have for me?”

  “Let me go!” I ordered, still pushing, but I couldn't budge him.

  “Where's your little man, now, Kitty Cat?” He questioned as he began to nuzzle my neck. I could feel the panic start to bubble in my stomach as his other hand began to caress the form of my body. I could feel the tears start as I closed my eyes and tried to suppress
the nausea in my belly. “Why don't you just give in to it? Stop holding back.”

  He began to kiss me, and I could feel every ounce of my being stopping the scream from escaping my throat, but it was as his hand traveled down between my legs that I knew I was in trouble. I reached down and tried to push that hand away as he started to massage me gently.

  “Are you afraid, Kitty Cat?”

  “Please, stop.” I begged him as his kisses became painful on my neck and I could feel his teeth on me. I pushed with all my might at him, but he moved in closer, painfully grabbing me between my legs. “This isn't happening!” I whispered, trying to find some courage. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because, I can.” He replied and kissed me hard on the lips, but the kiss was cut short and I was able to catch my breath as I looked up and saw Creolas snarling at the figure dressed in black behind him.

  “She asked you to stop, and I suggest you do as she says.” Nick's voice boomed through the empty halls of the house. Creolas stepped closer to me again, but I watched, wide-eyed and crying, as Nick's hand fell on his shoulder and he pulled Creolas away from me. “Leave, before I get violent!”

  “Please, Brother, don't make me laugh.” He answered, but as he turned to move away, he looked back at me quickly. “We're not finished, Kitty.”

  “Leave! Now!” Nick ordered. Creolas smiled and walked away, which left me to break down crying and it was at the end of this memory that I looked at the man who had stopped me as I ran from the dinner table. Nick's dark eyes looked down at me as the tears I felt from the memory came forward.

  “You saved me from your brother.” I whispered, backing up against the wall. Nick released my arm and looked away.

  “It wasn't the first time.” He replied, looking back at me.

  “I shouldn't have come here. I'm not ready for this.” I sighed and rubbed my head as I wiped the tears away. “I'm certainly not ready for Creolas.”

  “You shouldn’t be wondering alone.”

  “I know, and you keep telling me this, and slowly, I'm remembering why, but I'm not going to lock myself in my room for the rest of the time I'm here.”

  “Then, I suggest you get an escort before you go roaming alone.” He growled and crossed his arms.

  “Why did you follow me out here anyway?” I questioned.

  For a long, silent moment, he didn't answer, in fact, he just stared at the wall, but, slowly, he turned to face me. “I was worried about you...your safety, and my lazy cousin, wasn't getting off his ass to follow you.”

  “Did you give him a chance, or did you rush out here as fast as you could?” I asked and stepped away from the wall. I stepped passed him a few feet, then I turned and looked at him again, as he moved to face me. “You know, Nick, if the two of you decided to work together to protect me, instead of against each other, things might be accomplished faster, not that I have any idea what's going on between you, but I'm sick of being the monkey, and I'm sick of being in the middle of the two of you in this game of verbal insults that both of you insist on playing.”

  “You're so stubborn, and you always have been.” He replied, and shook his head.

  “Did it ever occur to you that I was this way because I have to deal with you, and Julian, and the constant bickering that goes on between you over my well-being? I'm a grown woman, Nicholas; I can take care of myself.”

  “And, if Creolas has you trapped, again, like he did that night?” He asked. I nodded, reached in my pocket, the one I had unconsciously reached for when he turned me, and pulled out the thick, three-inch piece of wood that I had carved into a stake after leaving Nick at the door the other night. He looked at me as I held it up for him to see.

  “I think I have that covered.” I answered, then turned and walked back to the dining room, but my appetite was gone and I stood in the doorway looking over the four remaining men in the room before Michael noticed me standing there. He stood up, which captured the attention of the others, who turned and stood also. “Please,” I smiled at them, “there's no need to get up.”

  “Come and eat.” Quinn whispered. I smiled, half-heartedly at him, and then shook my head.

  “No, thank you. I seem to have lost my appetite.” I replied. Julian walked over to me and looked me deep into the eyes. “Really, Julian. I just want to be alone for a while.”

  “Let me walk you to your room.” He whispered and looked up at Nick, who nodded at him, and went to sit back down at the table. I closed my eyes, briefly, then looked up at him and nodded. When we reached the door to my bedroom, I stopped and turned towards him, and then I put a hand upon his chest and looked up into his eyes. “What is it?”

  “I think this is where we should part ways.” I answered. This took him back a bit. “I'm sorry, Julian, but every time we step into a room together; it gets harder and harder to think about anything else but your lips, and right now I need to think about other things.”

  “Can I check on you later?” He whispered. I nodded and watched as his lips came closer. I kissed him, quickly, and backed away before he could do it again, but, just that little kiss seemed to make a spark. I opened the door and started to back into it. Julian watched me, with sad eyes; and it took all my strength to close the door on him.

  I decided that maybe what I needed was a little more sleep, so I changed into a nightgown and climbed under the covers. My eyes were heavy and it didn't take long for me to fall into a deep sleep. The dreams were more memories, and most of them were good, showing me the days that Julian and I had spent together those summers that seemed so long ago, but slowly, the dreams became confusing, like riddles that I couldn't figure out, which woke me from my sleep.

  My only thoughts, upon awaking, was to find the library, and from my memories of the time I had spent here, I knew that, somewhere, in this maze of a house, was the largest library I had ever seen, and surprisingly, it wasn't hard to find.

  There was a large table in the middle of this library, floor to ceiling shelves of books covered all three walls and over the double doors that were used to enter the room. There was a movable ladder on each wall and four large, comfortable-looking chairs surrounded the large, rectangular table. I spotted the small door that sat in the furthest right hand corner of the room and made my way towards it. Strange feelings of knowledge filled my senses as I moved closer to it and when I reached out to touch the door; I could feel the power emanating from the wooden door, and I could almost feel the magic that protected it from unwanted intruders, but I didn't believe that entering this small room would be a problem, because I had been called to it.

  Gently, I pushed at the door, after not finding any handle, and was surprised at how easily the heavy, wooden door opened. Inside the room, which seemed to be almost as big as my bedroom, were glass cases filled with priceless books. To my left, along that wall were several books that seemed older than the others, bound by rope and leather, the covers were old and tattered. My eyes focused on these and it was my legs that decided that I should go over. I reached out, almost afraid to find out they were real, or maybe it was the fear that they would turn to dust when touched that made me want to withdraw, but when my fingers did finally touch the soft covers of the books, I realized that they were what I was looking for.

  The one that caught my eye was, of course, the open one that lay on a shelf by its self and my eyes scanned over the pages that faced me. It was a prophecy, written in sprawling script that seemed to pop out at you from off the page.

  It was about a young woman who was born the daughter of two vampires, who was said to become the Queen of the vampires, and she was to bare a son, that would become the prince. That prince, though many years into the future, is said to be the one that will bring peace to the vampires, and unite mortal and immortal, but it didn't say how. What it did tell me was one thing, his mother would have to defeat a powerful man to save her son's life or all would be lost.

  This prophecy was familiar to me, and I decided to look for oth
ers that might spark my inner voice. As I went through the book, looking through the yellowed pages, other prophecies came to me. There was one about a girl, who was the last of her bloodline, which held a power within her to make someone eternal, but if she and two others stood together, strong and true, then the love that they had would bind them and they would defeat this evil.

  The one that seemed to make the most sense to me was that of the original vampires, the Kingdom of the Nine. It told about the first vampire, and the next eight, before it told about the children born to the kingdom, each of them would be an heir and each new set had a specific date, the first of this new, current generation was my son's birthday. This made sense to me only because of the last thing I had heard in my dreams before I woke up. The rest of them, the other eight, weren't specific dates, only places where they would be born and New London was the last location on this list.

  As I sat there, on the floor, with this book open on my lap, another prophecy came to me, but this one wasn't in a book, it was in my head, but its words were unclear to me at that point in time, the only thing that made me think that it was important, was the fact that my inner voice, which was telling this to me, wasn't my own, but a man's, one that I had heard before, but had never known the physical person it belonged too.

  “I thought I might find you here.” A voice interrupted my thoughts and I looked up, quickly, at the shadow that stood in the light from the door. I watched him lean his left side against the doorsill, cross his legs at the ankles and his arms across his chest, and I smiled when I heard his voice say to me: “I hope you found what you were looking for.”