GAME OF VAMPIRES
A Reverse Harem Serial
Part Four
ROSETTE BOLTER
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CHAPTER ONE
Although the hour was late, many of townsfolk and tradespeople were still up and about in certain districts – most notably those which housed taverns and similar establishments of the like. While many were drinking and carrying on about the state of the land, games and festivities and music drowned out the angst and frustration coming from the town’s most disgruntled citizens.
Theresa Chantley, otherwise known as Nurse Chantley, entered one such establishment in the late hours of the night, in search of her former carriage driver, Samuel. He was to be found at the back of the room, a half-finished pitcher of ale on the table beside his chair as he lay sleeping, the world gone by him.
Theresa walked across busy hall towards him, her gold dress dragging behind her. At another point this evening she had had her dress torn and dirtied, but since then she had bathed and her clothes were brand new. As she was many a sight for sore eyes, some of the commoners looked up from their mugs and card games to feast their gaze upon her. For even though Theresa was but a humble Nurse in another life – tonight her blood was royal and she had been chosen by vampires.
She was indeed –
A Princess.
“Up,” Theresa said, shaking her driver gently. “Up with you.”
Samuel’s eyes fluttered. “Princess…?”
“That’s right,” Theresa said. “I’m Princess Emberlynn.”
He sat up. “What’s going on?”
“I need you to introduce me to these people. I need you to get their attention for me.”
Samuel leaned forward. “I think you already have it.”
“Come on, stand up. Tell them I have a message for them. Please, Samuel.”
“Alright.” Samuel got to his feet and staggered out into the centre of the room. “Uh, friends. We have a visitor here as I’m sure you’re aware. It’s the Princess Theresa and she wants to talk to you about something –”
“That will do,” Theresa said hushing him. She turned her attention to the rest of the room. “I want to apologize for my treatment and unkind words I’ve made in the past about those in the general populace. I understand without you we would have nothing, no riches at all. But now is not the time for discussing my grievances.”
“Then when will it be?” someone cried out.
Cheers of agreement followed.
“I’m afraid the hour has come when we will soon be at war again,” Theresa said earnestly. “The Southern House has declared war upon the lands and intends to wage an assault on these walls before the week is out. Lord Fane has prepared a banquet of hot cuts and cold beverages at his Keep where he requires your immediate presence. All of you are invited there where we will discuss plans to deal with this crisis. Thank you.”
Stunned chatter erupted throughout the tavern.
“That’s a lot to take in,” Samuel said. “Shall I acquire us a horse?”
“Not necessary,” Theresa said. “We have a carriage.”
CHAPTER TWO
Word spread quickly. Theresa had instructed the new carriage driver to keep to a slow trot as they made their way from the lower district back to the upper and towards the Warlock’s Keep. Behind them a long line of townspeople followed, many more excited at the promise of free food and drink as opposed to the grave situation at hand.
“I don’t suppose you’ve seen Lafayette?” Theresa asked her companion opposite. “Or Maxine?”
“Maxine was around before, looking for Lafayette,” Samuel answered. “I saw her talking with a few other people but I didn’t see where she went.”
“Oh well,” Theresa said. “They’ll turn up I suppose.”
Samuel rubbed his hands together. “How did things go with Moldark?”
“Okay,” Theresa nodded.
“He let you go then? Or did you escape from him?”
“We parted on bad terms,” Theresa said.
“Did he tell you about his plans of war firsthand?”
“More or less.”
“And what of the other vampire lords? Are they siding with Moldark or going against him?”
“I think they’re all doing their own thing,” Theresa said. “I’m sure we can count on Lafayette if he turns up. The others might use the situation to their advantage. Fane is trying to convince the Davorin twins as we speak.”
“I see,” Samuel said. “And what about … Emberlynn?”
Theresa exhaled. “It’s best we don’t bring her up.”
“You mean?”
“Dead or alive. I don’t think we’ll have to worry about her for much longer.”
Samuel looked away. “I just want to say … I appreciate you being upfront about everything. It really means a lot. You’re a really special person, Theresa.”
Theresa blinked. “Thank you.”
“No, I mean it.”
“As long as you stay on your side of the carriage we’ll be just fine.”
“Oh, I know. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I know you didn’t.”
Their ride continued. When pressed for further answers and information, Theresa was as vague as possible. Nothing could be revealed in its entirety until they reached the Keep. Theresa herself tried to think her way around it. Tried to see if there was another way she could position her arms or posture. It was hard enough to have the thoughts on their own. They always seemed to go nowhere. Hit brick walls. Dead ends.
Her head was facing down when they reached the Keep. The driver holding the door open for them to step out to the carpet.
“After you,” Samuel said.
Theresa took the driver’s hand outside and lifted herself down.
As Samuel turned to exit after her, Theresa’s hand went up briefly, as if to stop him.
But then quickly. It fell away.
“He’s inside then?” Samuel asked.
Theresa nodded.
“Shall we?”
Theresa made sure first that the townsfolk had followed them properly. She stared out across the road where they all were, lumbering along together. Dozens and dozens and dozens of people.
Theresa turned back and then nodded to Samuel and they made their way across the carpet and towards the Keep. Inside, torches were burning and the tables had been filled with fresh food. Theresa walked out into the centre with Samuel dragging along behind. There was no sign of Lord Fane.
“Fane’s probably downstairs,” Theresa said. “I’ll go let him know we’re all here.”
“Should I come with you?”
Theresa hesitated. “Alright.”
They walked around the back of the room and found the steps leading down to the kitchen. A few cooks were about still preparing food for upstairs.
The trapdoor was uncovered and open.
“You mean he’s down there?” Samuel asked.
Theresa nodded.
“I don’t know. It’s kind of giving me the creeps.”
“It’s alright,” Theresa said. “I can go by myself.”
Samuel smiled. “Well. I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve got to watch your back, don’t I? That’s what friends are for.”
Theresa turned away from him. She started down the ladder rung by rung.
At the bottom she held the curtain back for Samuel to enter thro
ugh.
“Where to now?” Samuel asked motioning to the fork the path.
“You pick.”
“You don’t know where he is?”
Theresa shook her head.
“Well, how do we even know he’s down here? Maybe he’s hiding somewhere else.”
“There’s a lot of places to hide down here.”
Samuel chuckled. “You got me there.”
CHAPTER THREE
The water in the Keep’s washroom was running. A brand-new orange dress hanging over the side of a chair. Golden dress discarded to the bathtub. Pale red liquid circling down the gurgler.
Theresa lathered her fingers. Rinsed her arms. Splashed her face. Scrubbed.
She turned away from the basin and dried herself off. She picked up the red dress and pulled it over herself. She refitted her stockings and slipped back into the sparkling heels. She opened the door and walked back out into the corridor. She followed it to the end where the Keep was finally full. The townsfolk were all over the buffet.
Like flies.
“Attention!” she said raising her voice. “Listen up. Lord Fane only wishes to meet with those who will truly hear him. He is requesting groups of six at a time to come visit him in his private quarters. To assist with the difficulties that lie ahead he will be awarding a pouch of fifty gold pieces to everyone he meets face to –”
The towns people suddenly got excited at the mention of the gold and began pushing past one another towards Theresa. She allowed six people to go by down the stairs, then blocked the path.
“Six at a time, please!” she shouted. “You will all get your turn! There is no need to storm by me!”
With some reluctance, they backed away.
Theresa turned back to the first group and hurried down with them into kitchen. She gestured to the trapdoor and ushered them through. “Lord Fane is in the centre of the room,” she advised them from above the ladder. “He said he will award an extra pouch of gold to whoever finds him first…”
The people scattered away out through the curtain and then broke apart in separate directions.
Theresa closed the trapdoor and stood back up.
She turned to be faced with someone standing over her.
It was Maxine.
“Theresa,” she said. “What are you doing?”
Theresa blinked. Pressed her lips together. “Would you like to see Lord Fane now?”
“Oh, he’s down there, is he?”
“That’s right.”
“Then can you please explain why there’s still all this green and yellow electricity happening on the west side of town?”
Theresa nodded. “If you want to go down there, you can ask him.”
“But he’s not down there, is he?”
“Yes he is.”
“Theresa.”
“What?”
Maxine grabbed Theresa’s arms. “What’s going on?”
Theresa blinked again. “Nothing.”
“So if we go down there, we’ll see Lord Fane?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Let’s go down then.”
Theresa pulled the trapdoor open.
“After you,” Maxine said.
Theresa bent down and began descending the ladder. Maxine quickly followed and they ventured out into the corridor.
Screams echoed in every direction.
Still, Theresa stared straight ahead. Blank-faced.
“You’re under a spell, aren’t you?” Maxine challenged.
Theresa shook her head.
“What’s that you’re wearing?”
“A dress.”
“No. That.”
Maxine went for Theresa’s collar and Theresa fought her hands away.
“Just give me a look at it,” Maxine said.
“No!” Theresa shouted. She hurried down the corridor. “Stay away from me!”
Maxine chased after her. “Not till it comes off.”
“Go away!”
Theresa was now running as hard as she could. She followed the wall around till it opened and then entered the maze. She followed it around to the right, edged through another opening and around another corner. Theresa slowed down and leaned up against the wall, catching her breath. She glanced around, wondering if she’d lost her.
Maxine pounced on her from the side.
“Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!”
But it wasn’t coming off. Theresa wouldn’t let it.
They hit the ground, Maxine’s fingers at the collar, but unable to budge it.
Theresa stared up at her and shifted her hands away from Maxine’s to her throat. She began to strangle her and Maxine’s fingers fell away.
She rolled over to the side as Theresa climbed on top of her driving her hands into her neck harder and harder still.
“No,” Maxine wheezed. “Stop.”
Theresa didn’t stop.
Maxine’s eyes fluttered. A look of terror passed over her face.
Just as she was about to lose consciousness, a dark force materialized on the wall looking over them and jumped on top of Theresa, pulling her off Maxine.
Theresa rolled way, struggling against the vampire’s powerful grip.
With two hands and some concentration, he broke the Collar of Obedience in two and let Theresa’s head smash back to the ground, coughing, but finally lucid.
“Ooh shit,” Theresa squealed, coming to terms with what had just been happening.
“No need to thank me,” Harland said.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tears rolled down Theresa’s cheeks. Her hands began to shake. Her pulse began to throb.
Maxine sat up spluttering, as Harland leaned in, covering her mouth. He motioned for Theresa to be quiet also.
Heavy panting, and quickened footsteps gradually became within earshot. A man was heard to grunt and groan and curse. A few more paces. The footsteps slowing. And then –
“Got you,” Seraphine’s voice echoed.
The man cried out in agony – bones breaking, skin tearing, blood spurting –
The wall next to Maxine shook as Seraphine and her prey slammed into them from the other side.
They waited a moment, through the crunching and slurping and softened cries, and then Harland motioned for them to follow.
There were few people Theresa trusted less than Harland, but for whatever reason he had stopped her from killing Maxine, and removed spell the Davorin twins had cast over her. It seemed for the time being he was trying to help them.
Keeping their bodies low, the three of them tiptoed through the dark, zig-zagging pathways. They stopped at intervals as more people ran by, presumably being chased, only pressing on when Harland felt it was safe.
Eventually they made it to the centre of the maze, where of course, Lord Fane was not present. Under a veil of purple light they passed through the grass clearing to another trapdoor leading down into a darker passageway. Harland snapped his fingers and green flames ignited at the fingers’ tips, and with them Harland gave light to the path forward. They followed the narrow corridor on for a few minutes before coming to a junction, with a large iron door nearby. The room opened up wide and full with torches burning along the walls.
Theresa realized where they were now. This was the Warlock’s dungeon.
They passed on along the blocks of cells, many of them open, containing bodies of the slain. Maxine shuddered as they ventured further into the room.
“He kept you here, didn’t he?” Theresa asked. “Along with all the others.”
“He’s a monster,” Maxine whispered.
Harland glanced back at them. “Who are we talking about?”
“Fane,” Theresa answered.
“I’m in the good books then?”
“Shut up and get us out of here,” Maxine snapped.
Theresa looked over, smiled at her.
Maxine looked away.
Harland guided them through the dungeon towards the exit, which was
open. They turned to the left where a large set of stairs awaited, leading back up to the surface. They made their way up.
Once they reached the top Theresa saw they were at the side of the Warlock’s Keep, still on his grounds. She paced across the grass, a freezing wind washing through her hair and the end of her dress. Shame bit into her with razor sharp teeth. She whirled around.
“I’m sorry,” she said to Maxine. “That collar was forcing me to do whatever they wanted.”
Maxine swallowed. “What were you doing with it in the first place?”
“They – they said if I obeyed them they’d release the Necromancer –”
“And how did that work out?”
Theresa shook her head. “They tricked me.”
“Don’t go too hard on her,” Harland said moving in between them. “She’s only human.”
“And where are you in all this?” Maxine demanded. “I thought killing people for sport was right up your alley.”
Harland moved away from them. “It is, I suppose. I don’t know.” He faced them again. “I guess I have a soft spot for you.”
“Where’s Lafayette?” Theresa demanded. “You didn’t kill him, did you?”
Harland pouted. “Poor little Lafayette? No, I didn’t kill him. No, of course I didn’t.”
Theresa punched his shoulder and pushed him. “Then where is he?”
“Around,” Harland laughed. “I’m not here because of him, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“So you didn’t kill him?” Maxine asked.
“We settled our differences,” Harland said. “You know I’m not the ‘monster’ you think I am. I mean, sure. I love a good screw and a good kill as much as the next vampire. But I really don’t see myself as malevolent.”
“That’s comforting, really,” Maxine replied.
“So why’d you help us?” Theresa wanted to know.
“Well. I did promise to help you with the Necromancer situation, didn’t I? It wasn’t like we had sexual intercourse out of mutual affection for one another, was it?”
Maxine exhaled.
Theresa glared at him. “What good is bringing Princess Emberlynn back going to do anyway? Then we just have to deal with her and Lord Fane.”
Game of Vampires: A Reverse Harem Serial (Part Four) Page 1