Damage Control

by Eric Alan Williams

  Trevor nodded. Most were still snarling.

  The Minotaur, Asmodeus stood up. He adjusted his tie before speaking. He cleared his throat, gaining attention to the blond-haired man. His voice was deep, carrying. "The Conclave, and concerning Miss Heart, the Tribunal, fought back and forth when the comet unleashed its biological power upon the world. Ninlil took advantage of their infighting and brought together this order. For centuries we have hidden our many races from human knowledge. Now due to this comet, each of the immortal races had no choice but to come forward. She started a course of action, one that must be followed through, otherwise, the damage that the Conclave will perform, will be all of our undoing." He looked around at the others. "Let us not forget, humans have silver that they can pump into the water supply or bomb us from above with that aerated gas they have created. They have the upper hand in wiping us out on a massive scale due in course to our Achilles heel. Coexistence is everything now. We find our Queen, we appoint an Adjudicator… We owe her this."

  Trevor voiced it. His own deepness carried down the line. "Those for putting efforts into finding Lilith and Lord Dracul, and appoint an Adjudicator, show of hands in support?"

  Many of them took a few moments to consider it. Trevor didn't need to call for a second vote. He had the approval he needed. Nearly all of them raised their right hands to be proudly seen. Erissa and nine others scoffed and declined.

  Trevor nodded. "Then, with the majority in favor, we can continue."

  Vepar, the merman, leaned forward as the others sat down. While he agreed with Trevor's side of the issue, he was curious as to who would take up the mantle of Adjudicator. "Who, will we appoint to be the Adjudicator?"

  Trevor looked at the redheaded man smirking at him. "We should vote."

  "Or nominate those whom we feel are just?" Those words were spoken by Orobas, the Centaur.

  Trevor looked at Orobas. He was always known for being insightful, and just, though he did have a dark side. Like Minotaurs, Centaurs did not fall on four legs but ran on two, bipedal like their Minotaur counterparts. Of all of the known Centaurs, Orobas was the most powerful. Trevor had to take into account, that the silver-haired Grand Alpha of the Centaurs was on to something, and that a regular vote wouldn't do, there would need to be nominations.

  "I am open to suggestions, as to whom would like to be nominated?"

  One of the recently added Hindu Aeonians looked down both sides of the long, lavish table. His skin had a blue glow to it. It wasn't the pigment, but an aura he produced. Vishnu looked like a young man pushing eighteen or nineteen years of age. He kept his hair short, had no hints of facial hair. He sat there in his white robes and addressed the council. "It should not be a council member, but someone from one of the most respected houses. Someone that is known for being just and clear-headed."

  Isabel Nile agreed. Once known as the Egyptian Goddess Isis, now Isabel Nile, and a recent addition stood up. She was wearing a black silk dress. Her lean features were beautiful, stunning. One look at her, and it was no wonder people thought her to be a goddess once. The Aeonian agreed with Indian Aeonian. "Having a clear mind and having previous experience in being a judge and jury should be considered. I think we should look at House Dracul. Lulia Dolenigan has always been known for having a level head for being a vampire. Not to mention she would have a good reason for wanting Lord Dracul reclaimed in good health."

  The council began deliberating.

  _____

  They had arrived back at the Mansion. Xairin had been requested to enter Ethan's chambers for a heart to heart. He was glad to be back at the Mansion but hoped Peggy and Justin wouldn't be joining them. His hopes were crushed in that aspect. As soon as he entered Ethan's bedroom, Peggy and Justin were already making themselves at home. Peggy was wearing a white silk dress, that made her blond hair seem to glow, while Justin was more of the bad-boy type, he was dressed in leathers.

  "So, you two were really made by my grandmother?"

  Peggy nodded as she sipped on a wine glass filled with their favorite drink, something red, and warm. "Yes, we were converted by her, along with half the town we lived in. Gosh, that was a little over a hundred years ago."

  Ethan walked over and leaned against Peggy, he smiled. "The three of us, we three are, the last of Sara's bite children, that we know of, of course."

  Ethan left Peggy and walked around Xairin. "I have to leave Xairin, my station in the Global Alliance requires it. I woke Peggy and Justin because I need them to keep an eye on you while I am away. Given they are my bite siblings, they can sense you through the pact."

  Xairin was curious. He looked at Peggy. "You're immune to silver too, right?"

  The blond beauty smiled. "Sure, am sugar."

  Peggy gently tapped Xairin on his shoulder while walking around the front of him. She used her left hand, her fingertips to bring his chin up to meet her gaze. "You look like her. Your grandmother, Sara." She walked over to Ethan. "I still can't believe we're going to allow him to go to this, boot camp?"

  Xairin stepped forward. He wanted to go. He was tired of being hunted and honestly thought this was the answer, that and learning more on how to hone his combat skills would help in future encounters. After what happened with his date tonight, the need to become a badass killing machine was wire wrapping that ideology firmly to his inner being. He knew deep down that had help not arrived, that Gargoyle Alpha would have killed him and Ezra. Now he was more resolved than ever in learning how to fight. "I want to go. I need this, and if I don't have your blessings, I will just run away and figure it out on my own..."

  Peggy looked at him, curiously. He couldn't tell if she was checking him out, or just studying him. Either way, the way she looked at him made him a bit uncomfortable. "Is there a problem?"

  Peggy scoffed. "Pfft. Problem? Of course, there is darling. Sara had a child that I never got the pleasure of knowing, and now I am looking at the descendant of the woman who gave me a second chance at living." She pointed at Ethan. "Like Ethan, I owe Sara a debt. As does Justin. While Ethan may have been dying of kidney disease, Justin and I died in a car accident. Had Sara not found me when she did, I would have been dead too long to be converted. Same with Justin. So yes, you heading off to some silly boot camp to become Rambo irks me a bit, So yes, I have a problem."

  "Rambo?"

  Peggy smirked, "Seriously? You don't know who Rambo is?"

  Ethan snickered. "Peggy, it's 2118, Sylvester Stallone movies are non-existent now."

  Justin quickly blurted out. The look on his face was one of shock, depression, and frustration all intertwined at that remark. He loved Sylvester Stallone flicks. "Are you telling me I can't watch Rocky again? Like? Ever?"

  Ethan shrugged. "Sorry I don't think so."

  "FUCK!" Justin yelled.

  Xairin rolled his eyes. He wanted back on topic. "Thanks to my grandmother leaving me high and dry, I had to grow up completely ignorant of what I was, and now that I'm a full vampire, and heir to this Lilith chick's throne, and oh yeah, all these creepy crawlies wanting me dead, I have just about had it!"

  The young vamp growled. "Gorgons and gargoyles and other beasties, OH MY!" Peggy, Ethan, and Justin instantly caught the Wizard of Oz reference.

  Justin shrugged, "So they have The Wizard of Oz, but not Rocky?"

  Ethan didn't know what to say. His face was evident to that fact.

  Xairin continued his soapbox as he looked at Peggy. "All of these creatures want me dead... I need to learn how to defend myself. Look, guys, the worm has fucking turned and is packing a blaster rifle. I need to turn into some ass-kicking, bloodsucking super bitch, pronto!"

  Peggy looked over at Ethan, "Well, he does have Sara's spunk."

  Ethan sighed, "You should have met Sara's halfbreed daughter Cecilia, she had it too."

  The young vampire pointed his finger at Ethan. "Don't talk about my mother, either. Calling her a halfbreed just sounds demeaning. Call her a dhampir, will you?"

&n
bsp; Ethan was growing tired of the rebellious pup. He looked at Xairin and rolled his eyes.

  Xairin snarled while returning his attention to Ethan's bite sister and brother. "So, let me get this straight, you two are babysitting while Ethan is away, right?"

  Justin nodded, while Peggy grinned. "That's the plan."

  "I don't need a babysitter. I'll be at boot camp!"

  Ethan growled, "I am allowing you to go off and join the sentinel program because I have no choice since you signed up. Once we are able, don't think for one minute that I won't try and find a way to get you relieved of it." He watched the redheaded vamp smirk at him. "This subject is not up for debate Xairin. Griffin will be watching over you while you're there, and Peggy and Justin will be keeping tabs from afar. End of discussion!"

  Xairin smirked. He knew it was best, but he wasn't about to change his course on his decision to become a sentinel. "Okay, so I go off to boot, do a mission once a month, and you two keep me safe while I'm home, right?"

  Ethan stepped forward. He could see Xairin's body language and had to assert himself. "You may be the heir, but you will learn your place. Until I can speak with Lilith, and figure out what we should do with you, I have no choice but to let you prance off to boot, until then, you will learn to fight, but once Lilith knows she has an heir Xairin, expect your life to change abruptly yet again."

  Xairin shrugged. "Counting on it!"

  Ethan's beeper went off. A specific pager blinking from his hand in the form of a ring. It was an exclusive tech given to all Alphas that were charged with running a house under Society rule. They all heard it beeping. Ethan looked down at his hand while his heart sank into his stomach, this had never gone off before.

  Chapter 3

  Ethan's plan to attend his mission on the lunar space station of Ganymede was delayed. The emergency beeper he had replied to three days ago, dictated all Governing Alphas were to respond. Xairin left for boot camp against Ethan, Peggy and Justin's wishes but given the rules and regulations, there was little they could do about it for now.

  As for the mandatory meeting, all Alphas governing a Society House had been summoned to an emergency meeting on an island deep in the Mediterranean Sea. Ethan was pardoned from Galactic-corp so that he could attend. He figured this was his chance to speak with Lilith.

  The meeting was taking place in a subterranean chamber, more than two miles underground. Not even the Conclave knew of its location, it had been kept secret for decades. The room had been previously used by the House of Ninlil and donated to the Society for specific meetings.

  The chamber itself was shaped like a cone, with the center being the smallest point. Thousands of stone seats had been carved by hand by Immortium slaves, serving an eternity in servitude. Their crimes were simple, the laborers made up a select group of Immortium that had been turned against their will, each one that had helped build this magnificent structure was once monster hunters, forced into immortal submission as penance for their actions. Lilith always felt that death was a release, not a punishment.

  Ethan had only heard rumors of the Chamber of Eternal Night, and now, he was there, sitting among thousands of other Alphas loyal to the Society. He eagerly awaited whatever it was that was deemed so dire, that required all Alphas to attend, except those who were yet to govern a house.

  His eyes studied the ancient runic symbols that had been carved into the stone walls around him. Many of the symbols depicted stories that Ethan wasn't privileged too, the tales of Lilith, her side of many stories that contradicted what other religions had mentioned about her.

  The moment he was waiting for arrived. A trumpet horn sounded; a deep sound sang a lonely tune in the chamber. Everyone looked at one another, that specific baritone tune, indicated trouble. Ethan prepared himself.

  To his surprise, Lilith herself didn't show. The stage of thrones at the bottom of the chamber, that was circular in nature, left two thrones empty, the center throne, and Lord Dracul's throne, both were vacant.

  Old fashioned torches ignited throughout the chamber.

  Trevor Graves came out onto the platform. Ethan's heart began to pound. "Where is Lilith?"

  Trevor's voice carried. "First, I would like to thank everyone for coming on such short notice." He waited until the mumbling stopped.

  With a press of a button on what looked like a TV remote, a large hologram display lit up large enough for all to see. It was a recording, a feed that had been sent to The Society.

  A smug Lucifer sat on a doctor's stool, rolling around in his white tux. Smiling, as he scooted from Lilith, and Damien, both confined by metal bindings, both unconscious. Ethan had never seen Lucifer before; he had only heard rumors about the ancient Gargoyle. Had the Gargoyle not been a bad guy, he might have been Ethan's type. He did have a weakness for men with jet black hair and neatly kept facial hair.

  They could all see the IV in the background, pumping what could only be liquid Nightshade into their veins, keeping them sedated.

  "Greetings Society of Night. First, I would like to congratulate you in forging a… Temporary peace, with mortals." He stood up, grinning as his red reptilian eyes seemed to glow. "I have your Queen, and her mate that spawned helped spawn her last possible heir. As the leader of The Conclave, I at this moment decree, that they will die, if our demands are, not to sound cliché, but if they are not met…"

  He laughed a sinister giggle. "Let us go old school, shall we? Your fledgling order has until the rising of the next full moon, which is three weeks away, to… Submit to Conclave occupation. These humans should be ruled and managed, not made equal. Doing so is against Immortium dogmatic laws. I expect a reply soon, given of course to the email provided, and don't bother tracing it, the login is, temporary."

  He tugged at his chin hairs, "I trust, your order will do, the right thing. After all, Queen Lilith has no heirs to ascend her throne. "

  The feed stopped.

  Ethan was left speechless. The Queen of the Night had been abducted, along with Lord Dracul. The mentioning of him being her mate caused Ethan further turmoil. "Holy shit…"

  Trevor returned to air his voice. "As you can see, The Society is in peril. We felt it best to hold a gathering of every Alpha, to address this issue firsthand so that no misinformation is spread. We would appreciate this information remaining secret, and each of you, using your dominions over your underlings to assure this secret remains intact from the human world, and of course, our enemies."

  He gave a moment for the assembly to quiet down. "We will not be bowing down to this heinous act. In the absence of Queen Lilith, the council has agreed to appoint, its first Grand Adjudicator in her stead. I would like to announce, Lady Lulia Dolenigan, of House Dracul, as our Grand Adjudicator."

  There was no applause, such an act, negated the need for it. Instead, the intent focus was fixed upon the woman with snow white hair. She approached the throne, wearing a white dress. With her white hair, pale skin, and youthful appearance, she appeared like a radiant ghost, walking in blurry speeds, until stopping in front of the grand throne, The Throne of Night.

  The assembly went silent. The white-haired beauty sat down upon Lilith's throne, her voice was stern, carrying authority in it. It echoed throughout the chamber. "I am Lulia Dolenigan, of House Dracul. In my maker's stead, I have been nominated and accepted to serve this position. We will effective immediately, be searching for our Queen, until the seventh week has come, at that time, given The Queen of the Night has no heir, we will have no choice but to appoint a new Monarch to carry us forward, should Queen Ninlil, be slain or unable to be rescued."

  "FUCK ME SIDEWAYS!" Ethan thundered. The center stage didn't hear him, but the row he sat in did, he received crossed glares.

  He was at a crossroads. He had proof that Xairin was an heir, but Xairin wasn't anywhere near ready for such endeavors. Not to mention, powerful enough to fight with contenders that would surely challenge him for the throne. He had but one choice, Sara had to be found.
She was her mother's daughter, and now, knowing that she was the Daughter to Lord Dracula himself, her powers could have no limits. Which also made him wonder what Xairin might be capable of in the future.

  Ethan didn't trust Trevor, but he had heard rumors of Lulia Dolenigan's reputation. He knew that she was one of three sisters that Dracula had fallen in love with, taking all three sisters as his brides. Tales of their prowess in battle were renowned, but of the three, Lulia was the strongest, and the most just, or at least that's what the stories said about her. Knowing that Dracula was Sara's father, Lulia would have loyalty to her maker, he had a new option to follow with informing the council that an heir existed, possibly three of them. He had to say something soon.