Sanctuary: Book One of Bloodlines

by C. L. Stevens

  “Come forth young one and let me have a look at you.” He commanded. And despite the pleasant tone, there indeed was an unmistakable air of command, more so than anything she had ever witnessed before. He made the Drill Sergeants at boot camp sound like 3-year-Old kids begging their parents for another cookie. One second she was sitting on the bed, and the next she was standing outside. The slow swish of the red curtains behind her was the only evidence she had that she had not just appeared where she was.

  The man's broad back was to her. He was tall and well built. The pale fabric draped across his torso did nothing to hide the powerful physique underneath. The mane of thick, wavy strands that fell to his shoulders looked more like spun gold than hair as it shimmered in the soft light of the room. She opened her mouth to demand who he was and what she was doing here when he turned slowly to face her. He held two cups of fine China in his hands but she barely noticed. Her mouth went dry. Everything she had thought to say got scrambled into an incoherent mess as she met his eyes. Azure pools as vast and deep as any ocean burrowed into her with such knowing, such ancient understanding that she felt like the most insignificant creature on God's green earth. Those powerful blue eyes seemed to drink up every obstinate thought in her and leave only a shriveled, dry husk.

  He spoke again but she had no idea what he said. She could only stare at what had to be man perfected. His face was so perfectly handsome that it seemed almost alien. She blinked repeatedly as if what she was seeing was not real. She found that she did not want it to be real.

  “Who are you?” She heard her own voice ask and gave a start, coming out of whatever trance had held her.

  The man smiled, showing pristine white teeth that were so straight and perfectly proportioned that an artist could not have done better on their best day. Her eyebrows rose at the sight. There was something familiar about that smile, almost as if she had seen it before. Perhaps in a dream? She shook her head. Even the damned Devil isn't evil enough to make me not remember a dream of this man.

  Whatever his smile reminded her of was right at the tip of her tongue, at the very cusp of consciousness but was suddenly swept aside as thoughts of his light beard filled all immediate thought. In truth it was only a dusting of fair hair on his face, chin and lip but still managed to appear full.

  “As I just said, I am Havardr Olavi-Brant Von Rothe.” He replied softly. “I am the Eldest of all Von Rothe and to my knowledge, the oldest living vampire in the world.”

  She only stared up at him, unable to speak. He handed her one of the cups and she took it clumsily. He raised the cup he still held to his lips and drank. She did the same without thinking. She looked down at the cup in wonder. It was the first time she had taken her eyes off his face since he had turned around.

  “What kind of tea is this?” She asked, awe plain in her voice.

  He took another sip from his cup before answering.

  “Something rare and precious, like you Desiree. Something beautiful and magical and amazing from long ago, thought lost forever and found again to the delight of the world, again, like you.”

  It took her 3 tries but she was finally able to ask in a shaky voice. “Where are we? What am I doing here?”

  “You know where you are Desiree,” He replied calmly. “You are where you belong. You are home.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I was kidnapped.” She retorted, and it irked her that there was no anger in the statement. It was as if she had just told him she had gone shopping or had a bath.

  “You were rescued,” He countered.

  She threw her head back, something other than fascinated wonder entering her head at last.

  “I was kidnapped,” She said again more forcefully. “I belong with Meilin.”

  “You only believe that because you believe the lie.” He said almost sadly. “You have no idea what she is, what she has done… what all those that call themselves Uvarii have done. I will not lie to you. I will never lie to you. I have no need. Nor will I withhold knowledge from you the way they have. To keep you ignorant so they can more easily control you.”

  “Meilin is my sister,” She said firmly. She hated the touch of doubt she heard in her own words. Doubt she had not felt for some time.

  He sighed and set his cup of tea down. He turned back to face her and there was sympathy on his face. He reached out slowly and she stilled herself as he touched her cheek.

  “Finish your tea and we will talk later,” He said. “Once you know everything, you can make your own decision. As I said, I will keep nothing from you.”

  She watched his back as he strolled to the only door in the large room. When he opened it and stepped through, she noticed 2 men standing guard. The door closed, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She peered down in her cup as if the tea inside could give her some idea of what to do.

  She waited for hours. She drank all the tea in her cup and drank the tea she found in his as well. It was a full hour before it dawned on her that he had drank tea. She had never seen a vampire consume anything other than blood before.

  She was sitting on the edge of the bed when she felt it. It was Meilin and she was coming closer. The feeling was strong and getting stronger by the second. She jumped up and ran to the door when she heard the commotion outside. As she reached for it, the door opened and Meilin stood before her. There was blood on the side of her face and a rip in her dark leggings revealed more on her leg.

  “Are you hurt?” Meilin asked, looking her over.

  “No,” She replied quickly, stepping up to hug her close. “But you are.”

  “It's nothing.” The vampire said even more quickly as she pulled her out into the hall. She was limping slightly as she looked down at the prone form of the 2 men that had been standing guard. Desiree pulled her back inside the room.

  “We must leave, now!” Meilin said urgently.

  “Feed sister.” She ordered. “You are injured. Feed.”

  “We don't have time…” The vampire began but she cut her off.

  “Feed!” She said again. “We both need to be at our strongest.”

  She hurriedly unbuttoned the top of her high-necked gown, exposing her neck. When the vampire still hesitated, she pulled her head down. As soon as Meilin’s lips made contact with her skin, the tingling began. When the vampire grabbed her bare arms, it was there as well, intensifying the longer the contact was maintained. Even that powerful sensation seemed like nothing when the feeding began. Her eyes popped open and then squeezed tightly closed as the familiar waves of pleasure passed through her. With it came power. She practically buzzed with it. It was as if a furnace had been ignited inside her but instead of just heat, the fire emitted raw power. It was over far too soon but when her sister stepped away, the gash on her cheek was gone and she no longer limped. Desiree felt so much energy, so much life coursing through her, she wanted to run, to jump, to do anything. The power begged her to move.

  They stepped back through the door together. Meilin led her through halls that looked eerily similar to the house at the Sanctuary. They passed several people she recognized as vampires but they moved so fast they never even looked up from what they were doing. At last they reached a window. She peered out and saw a landscape that was anything but familiar. She hesitated. They had to be at least 20 stories up.

  “Jump.” Meilin whispered behind her. “Go! You will be fine. Go!”

  She was just about to do it when she remembered.

  “Stasha and Patricia are here.” She said as she stepped back from the window. Meilin had a look on her face but she spoke before the vampire could say anything. “I won't leave without them.” She stated in a tone that left nothing to debate.

  Meilin stared at her for a long moment but at last nodded, looking resigned.

  “I think I know where they might be.” She said reluctantly. “Stay close.”

  Desiree did just that, sticking to the vampire's heels as if restrained by a short leash. They made so many twists and turns and s
he quickly lost any sense of direction but Meilin moved with a purpose. Desiree frowned. She is moving as if she knows this place.

  They turned a corner and ran right into a tall vampire, a woman that dwarfed even Meilin and it was difficult to say who was more startled. Either way, it was Meilin that moved first. The beautiful woman struck like a cobra. A fist to the taller vampire's middle erased that height in an instant as she doubled over with a whoosh of expelled air. A knee to the head came a split second later and the woman fell away. Desiree stared down at the unconscious woman in amazement. It was over so quickly Desiree had not even had time to move. Meilin peeked into a nearby room and finding it empty, she pulled the woman inside and shut the door.

  “We are close.” She whispered. “But if your friends are not there…”

  Meilin shrugged as if to say that she would not know where to look after that.

  They rounded a corner and there they were.

  Chapter 24

  Anastacia was standing at a window peering out into the night, so it was Patricia that first saw them as she paced back and forth worriedly.

  “Desiree!” The Gifted gasped in surprise.

  Anastacia whirled around at the words and when her eyes fell on her and Meilin, her hand came up to her mouth, covering her own gasp and tears filled her eyes.

  “I knew you would rescue us, I knew it!” Anastacia cried as she ran to embrace them. Meilin patted the girl's back awkwardly but Desiree returned the embrace 2-fold.

  Patricia walked slowly towards them as if she were afraid they might fly away like a startled bird. She even reached out to touch the vampire's arm tentatively as if to make sure she was real.

  “You are here.” She said. “It's really you. How? How did you find us?”

  “No time for questions.” Meilin said almost harshly. “We must leave, now.”

  “How do we get out?” Patricia asked. “There were so many of them. How can we get past them all?”

  “She's right.” Anastacia agreed. “There were so many. And this castle is so big. How can we get passed them all without being caught?”

  “The answer is that you cannot.” Replied a woman’s voice.

  Everyone turned to the sound as the vampires Desiree recognized from the book store in London stepped around the corner, Hanna and Otarin if she remembered correctly. Meilin had tensed into a defensive crouch at the first word.

  “I cannot believe that you were fool enough to come here.” Otarin said to Meilin, shaking his head in wonder.

  “She always was an arrogant fool.” Hanna added, her smirk and tone suggesting something personal between the 2.

  Instead of replying, Meilin attacked. She grabbed a small figurine of a woman holding an umbrella off a table and hurled it at Hanna in the blink of an eye. To her credit, Hanna sidestepped the throw but Meilin was on her enemy before the projectile had time to fully pass her body. Off balance, Hanna had no chance. A hard backhand sent her staggering back, the side of her face turning a sickly gray from the blow. Otarin moved in before Meilin could follow-up though, producing a sword out of nowhere. He slashed across in a wide arc forcing her back and away from Hanna. Meilin cursed as she back peddled. She continued to back away, eyeing the sword warily.

  When Meilin was far enough away, Otarin stepped back to Hanna’s side.

  “I'm OK,” She told him. “She got lucky is all.”

  Sure enough, the woman got to her feet staring murder at Meilin.

  “No,” Otarin said, dropping the sword. “Something is wrong. She is too strong, even for what the blood of an Ablanq can account for. We must be careful.”

  They darted forward together, and although they did not move quite as fast as Meilin, it was obvious that they knew how to work together. They crisscrossed back and forth as they approached, feinting and lunging in in a dizzying pattern. But before the fight could progress far, Desiree was at her side. One moment they looked as if they would overwhelm their Meilin in seconds, and the next they were falling back. They had quickly got a hold on Meilin and looked to be subduing her but Desiree was suddenly there, prying Otarin away. That left his partner alone to grapple with Meilin and it quickly became one sided. All Desiree needed to do was keep Otarin away and let Meilin finish his partner. She did not attack, she only kept herself between him and the other 2. As he tried to dart by her, she grabbed him around the neck, even going so far as to climb on his back. He spun around cursing, his words as ineffectual as his movements. He crashed into the wall with enough force to rattle the teeth in her head but she held on. Slowly but surely, he began to slow and then fell to one knee. Out of nowhere she was suddenly and violently pulled away. She looked around in terror, her eyes wide as they could go. She was being pulled down the hall by an unstoppable force yet there was no one near her. She was dragged by Meilin who was now struggling against both other vampires and it did not look to be going well. She wanted to scream at her inability to help. The pressure on her limbs began to become unbearable and she closed her eyes as her arms and legs felt like they were being stretched to their limits. When she opened them again, Patricia stood a few feet away with her hand outstretched toward her. Desiree stared at her, confusion and pain warring for dominance on her features. The Gifted smiled perniciously.

  “You look surprised Desiree.” She said, the smile now turning sympathetic. The change did not last long.

  “What are you doing? Let me go!” She demanded angrily.

  “Oh, I think not.” Patricia said. She suddenly pointed a threatening finger towards Anastacia, who had been walking slowly up to her from the side. “Take another step and I will break you like a twig.” She said in such a dangerous voice that Anastacia froze mid step.

  “Why?” Was all Desiree could think to ask. Why Patty?

  “You know, they thought you dead.” She said conversationally. “I did too.” She admitted. “After all, I saw you when they took you into the house that day after you went missing.” Her face scrunched up in disgust. “You can imagine how surprised I was to see you alive after that. I couldn't wait to tell the Elder you still lived.”

  “You two faced whore!” Anastacia cursed and the Gifted responded by gesturing casually in her direction. A small table suddenly hurled itself towards the girl and she barely managed to duck under it, screaming shrilly. If it had struck her, there was little doubt the blow would have been fatal.

  “Watch your mouth human or I will rip that tongue out of your pretty little head.” She said calmly. She had never taken her eyes from Desiree.

  Meanwhile the struggle between the vampires was over and Meilin lay unmoving at the feet of the other 2. Desiree was held so tightly that she could not even move her head to see if Meilin still lived. A tear ran down her face but she steeled herself to stop any more.

  “Is she dead?” Patricia asked, obviously not concerned one way or the other. She may as well have been asking what was for lunch tomorrow.

  “No.” Otarin said, breathing hard. “We will leave that honor to the Elder. Besides which, I want to know how she is so powerful.”

  “I can tell you that!” The Gifted said almost cheerily. “They are bonded.”

  “I knew it!” Otarin muttered. “I told you that they were bonded,” He stated to Hanna, looking completely vindicated.

  “Impossible!” Hanna replied. “A vampire cannot be bonded with an Ablanq.”

  “We will find out soon enough.” Patricia said, dismissing the debate. “I will bring our pretty little captive and their pet human. You two deal with her. And be careful, she is dangerous.”

  “How are you so powerful?” Desiree asked as she was pulled along in front of the Gifted like a bagged chicken.

  Anastacia was nodding. “I have never seen power welded like that before.”

  Patricia practically glowed with pride.

  “Because of you!” She replied with a nod to Desiree.

  “What are you talking about?” Desiree said defensively.

  Patricia
laughed mockingly. “You really don't know anything do you?” She laughed again, harder this time. “They really told you nothing, absolutely nothing.” She shook her head sadly, mockingly. “We made you. The witches made you. You are nothing, an instrument of our creation. You are but a tool to magnify our power. And you are completely defenseless to it. I could rip you apart with a mere thought.” She boasted and suddenly the pressure on her limbs returned 3-fold.

  Desiree clamped her mouth shut to stop from screaming but she could not help the grunts that escaped her lips. It was as if every joint in her body was being pulled apart. There was a popping sound and then her vision began to turn white as if a myriad light shone on her face. She was dimly aware of Anastacia screaming for the Gifted to stop. Slowly the pain began to ebb and her vision slowly turned normal. Patricia was laughing as she held her hands up defensively.

  “I only wanted to prove what I said was true.” She stated, her eyes full of mirth.

  Anastacia was crying softly.

  “Oh, you two are no fun.” She said in disgust.

  They passed several people who all stared at them as if a menagerie was being paraded through their house. Not a single person they saw did not stop what they were doing to stare openly, though no one asked a single question and none followed. Desiree just watched it all in sullen silence.

  Desiree felt the cool wind, the fresh air on her face before they rounded the corner. The room was massive. Fanciful statues lined the walls and a 2-foot stream of all things ran the middle of the floor. The breeze came from the far wall, or the lack of one that is. The water reached this opening and fell away into open sky. Standing near the opening was Havardr Olavi-Brant Von Rothe. The Elder vampire turned around slowly and looked on her as a disappointed father with a disobedient child.

  “You may release her Gifted,” He commanded and Desiree felt the pressure on her body vanish like a burst bubble.

  Hanna and Otarin entered then, Meilin carried between them. They dropped her unceremoniously on the ground and fell to one knee before him.