Blood Rider

Her awareness snapped back when someone smacked her. Hard.

When she tried to move someone squeezed her arms, which were secured behind her. “Relax, girly,” Dayton said.

Someone grabbed her chin in a vice grip and jerked her face to meet his. Her eyes focused on wavy brown hair, hazel eye and sensual lips. An angelic face for a man; too soft and too pretty to be handsome. Wilhelm.

“Focus,” he demanded. She focused right on his jugular, felt his pulse throb through him. She licked her lips.

A bleeding wrist was thrust in front of her and her attention was immediately fixed on it. It was held close enough for her to latch onto it, but not close enough to dig in deep. She sucked until she began to pull in some blood and with it touching the flow of life energy. She drew on that thread, letting it fill the gaping emptiness and ravishing hunger than held her from healing too much too quickly. She groaned, her eyes dilating and her posture relaxing.

-Ah, the good stuff.-

The wrist was pulled away and she followed the movement, smiling languidly at Pasha. “Ah, Pasha, my favorite donor.”

Pasha smiled weakly as someone helped her to her feet.

-Pasha means we are in University City.-

People born in bred in University City didn’t tend to stray beyond the shields and wards. Pasha more so than most, since she was a strong telepathic receiver. Being one of the Changed, Lee always thought she would have had more help and training across the river, but that would mean being Out There. She loved the sweetness of her blood, but didn’t choose her as a regular donor. She preferred Richard’s desire for the pain rather than Pasha’s desire for the high. Something about Richard’s little kinky, guilty pleasure was more palpable to Lee than Pasha’s dependency issues.

Reporting to University City was quite different than being in it. Such places had chaffed her in her youth, like a prison. Far easier to get in than out.

Dayton released her, to stand up and move away. He was expressionless and more than likely indifferent to her being reprimanded, except that it wasted his time. Dayton had been evicted from the Clans around the chaos of Creation. Although Lee never asked why she believed it was because he sided with the United Council. There was no other reason for him to have unfaltering loyalty to them otherwise. Loyalty to the cause, the belief system, would be the only thing that could rein in a ruthless and efficient vampire like Dayton. Because he was a vampire he knew that while the Council had yet to achieve their goals of racial unification humans were adaptive and in time any goal could be achieved. He didn’t care how the goal was achieved, only that in the end it would be.

Wilhelm remained crouched in front of her. Giving her that look he always had. Like she was some intriguing beast; one that he was fond of but that he didn’t trust not to bite him. Probably a good idea. She had no fondness for her Handler. Yet she understood his purpose well enough as an intermediary between contract workers and administrators. She had been unfortunate enough to learn just how a Handler handled those in the employ of the Council. She had after all been trained by them. After such vigorous training, she couldn’t help but bear a boat load of resentment. Wilhelm managed all the contract vampires within the city boundaries. Because he could and likely was the only one who could.

“Clear the room,” he said.

Wilhelm was a special sort of wizard. The immortal sort. Quite a bit more immortal than her. Quite a bit more powerful. Currents of energy rippled off him. Nothing seductive or tempting about it. Just blunt power. Packed into a mundane package. His immortality came at the same price a vampire paid; he needed the essence of the living to fuel it and his magic. She knew he was about the same age as her. That he was born one of the Changed during the year of Creation, but that after contracting the last plague he had survived and become something more as a result.

-God damned super witch. Soul-sucking psychic-vampire bastard.-

He was indeed like witches, who were often referred to as psychic vampires, a phenomenon many witches possessed, but in his case stronger and far wider spread.

He did regular ley line magic at times, but he could also tap anything living nearby him. An Essence wizard didn’t mean immortal, but Wilhelm was stronger than most. He could take a leaf and use that to explode like dynamite. He didn’t have to feed off people, his aura naturally tugged energy away from them. He could Handle every vamp because even without the implanted trackers he knew where they were. He tapped the entire city. Lee had seen him once suck a person dry, not to feed, but to kill. There had been nothing left but a mummified corpse.

Yeah well, no one fucks with Wilhelm for a reason. He doesn’t flaunt his power, because he doesn’t need to. You can belittle him all you want, but you know as well as I, where that gets us.

He only worked as a Handler to keep those in line that needed to be kept so. Only worked with the Council, or was on it likely, because he had told Lee it was the lesser of the present day evils.

All this and more ran through her mind as she came down from the feeding high and still hungry. Being close to Wilhelm always made her hungry, because the man simply absorbed energy. He stood up but she remained. She had learned obedience in her training, not something she was inclined to, but not foolish enough to mock the respect due him. Instead, she knelt properly, resting on her heels, feet straight. Then with a sigh let her shoulders relax, rollback, and clasped her hands behind her back, so that she was a little bowed back. A submissive posture she had always thought. Like she was bound foot to wrist without the ropes.

-We are, just not the ones you see.-

Yes, tied up tight as hell.

He paced for a moment and then turned to look down at her. “You have been a naughty girl.”

She wanted to blurt a self-defence but knew not to speak until he asked her to explain.

“It took Dayton quite some time to clean that little mess up. Blanket the memories.”

“What about Darwin?” she asked and then winced when he gave her a withering glare.

“His most of all.”

-There goes that trail of unknown information. Rat bastard. Makes me think they want to cover something up.-

I can break it. Maybe.

-Like they will let us close enough to try.-

“What would be your explanation for this event?”

“My explanation? They attacked me, not the other way around. I cannot be blamed for being ambushed, can I? I went to chat with Darwin, as I stated.”

“So let’s review the facts. You take a contract with the Master of the city to help with his rogue problem. Not something that we expect from City contract workers. However, we let that slide, Lee, because cleaning out nests is a good thing and we needed to appraise the situation. We discover you have met with both Lucien, who we suspect is the regional Master of the line and the local Master. So deep into their Quarter even I could not mark your presence, although I knew very well where you had gone. It is clear they are trying to claim you. I believe I told you, this is not our investigation and you are a liability if you are working for them, rather than us. You are to cease pursuing this.”

What stood out was the Richard hadn’t kept her Handler apprised of her activities. Whether that was because Richard was doing her a favour or believed that these feeders needed to be taken care of was a moot point. It worked in her favour. Wilhelm only knew what he could surmise based on his own abilities and Richard‘s report of the situation. Not that she had vampires in her home. Not that one had Marked her.

“These are not normal vampires.”

“Try not to point out the obvious to me. You gave us a brief note about the last nest cleaning. And Richard report, which was far more informative. Something along the line of these vampires being possessed by the vampire demon, but not fully so and controlled by a wizard. Which would mean this is vampire business. As for a rogue wizard, I do believe the White Council takes care of those that deviate from their principles. We understand what is going on and we are backing off on it.”

-Told you. Covering it up and blanketing minds. Either because they are the cause or because they want Towners to think they are doing their job protecting them. I doubt Richard will track that spell now.-

Oh, they’ll get someone to track the spell all right. Just all off the record. That way when they get the wizard, and all his research, they can tuck him away in their lab and perfect a way to create nice obedient vampire soldiers. If they had this on the books, had me or the Hunt Guard, seek this black wizard out they know he would likely get killing during capture and his research might be compromised or protected.

-Or… they are behind it.-

Or, they’re behind it.

“Forget about the case. Forget about the Clans. They are sucking you in, full well knowing, they can clear these vamps out, without your assistance.”

“Why? These rogues are feasting in the sub-quarters, Wilhelm. It is our job to help out. For the humans and not the vampires. Is that not so? This Council designed to have humans safe from us and the races to bow to Council rule. So we all live under the same rules.”

“In case you have not noticed, you were dragged here in a full blood hunger, after healing bones and more wounds to count, from three of these vamps. I hardly think they will miss your assistance,” he said sarcastically, a smirk marring his soft features. “The wizard isn’t your concern and is hardly your area of expertise. Even a warring vampire is not your concern. You hunt and attack those we know have gone against the laws, not clear nests and track rogue wizards. Watch the clan, not be of the Clan.”

She bowed her head slightly. There was no need to point out it was an ambush. That she was drugged and unable to fight at her best. Such a point only illustrated her lack of due care and attention. “Yet, I’m a contract worker. I made a contract. And might I add, the Master of the city, pays me well for my assistance.”

His anger crackled through the air and she felt the sharp pressure of it on her skin. “Your business with him is through. And for now on, you will not associate with the Clans.”

“You can’t make me not investigate,” she said. “Humans were killed.”

He gave her a bland, tired look. “We can, by forcing you to remain here. We can do just that if we thought you were being tempted to initiate. Until this is all dead and gone. You and I have time to waste.”

She kept her gaze fixated on his shoes. She didn’t know what she would do if he carried out with that threat. In the past, she had been confined to her apartment in University City. A monk-like existence of obedience, routine and regret. Eric was right. They did own her in a way. At first, she worked for them for gratitude. Gratitude from being taken in after the asylum, for taking care of her needs, keeping her safe and training her. For providing some stability to fill the gap of her empty memories or horrors of the asylum. They should get something back for that loyalty. She owed all that to her first Handler, Drake, for that. She had been so frightened and fragile then. She owed them gratitude, those back then, for what they had done for her. Assuming they had not been the cause of her confinement as Lucien put into her head. Even so, that gratitude was eaten up long ago and those owed to long dead.

Now they demanded obedience and tried to control her every action. She didn’t much like that. How they tried to tame her didn’t sit so well either, or at least, not with Charlie. Charlie got restless with feeding on donors all the time. Never hunting and always being forced to repress any instinct and behaviour that expressed her vampire nature. As though it were wrong. There were few options for a vampire without a Clan, unfortunately. She could leave, but then she would have to find a small settlement to live in and blend. She knew because she had no memories of being human, that no matter how much she was able to mimic their behaviours, she couldn’t blend. No amount of acting could hone the innate movements, expressions and behaviours needed to blend in with human society, especially a small community. She’d be staked within days. The outer human settlements were very tight-knit, rigid societies with extreme restrictions on women. She’d be shunned just for opening her mouth and dressing in pants, let alone for being the ‘spawn of the devil’.

She wouldn’t have survived on her own back in the day. Perhaps wouldn’t now. The price being marked and tracked and following the rules. But there was a harsh price to pay for breaking the rules. They could haul her back in, tracking her from anywhere, with a retrieval team. Then lock her up until she accepted the error in her ways. Or they could mark her for elimination if they decided she had turned against them. Just by seeking out the company of her own she had transgressed.

-Now that we have, would you be content to be taken in, locked up and find acceptance in that?-

She sighed. Not sure we have a choice, Charlie. We do so like our illusions, don’t we? The illusion of freedom. Of taking jobs, being paid for it, and living out of the City. But don’t play by their rules and there is always a price to pay.

-Then give them the illusion they are managing you.-

“I can understand my methods might be construed as inappropriate,” she said finally. “However, I find it hard to believe you can argue with the job itself. The spawn are a deadly, hungering, combination of human and vampire. Finding the wizard is our duty. If you want us all to live by universal law, then is it not my job to enforce those laws?”

She thought she could appeal to his reason. It was what he lived by. He had seen so much in his long, lonely lifetime that nothing surprised him or interested him. Yet following defined principles and a universally moral path was worthwhile to him. Being part of guiding humanity along a path they should take rather than did take a cause that had drawn him in. If anything, it was the only thing he felt the least bit of passion about.

“No, it is the Councils job to enforce them and to decide who investigates and who grants justice. I don’t recall you being assigned the task at all. Killing a few bleeders and some preliminary investigations, as I recall. Perhaps because you have a curiosity of your own and that is your weakness. What you must understand is that since the Clans don’t accept our laws, they believe they can live outside of them. It is one of the Council’s long-term agendas to break the Clans down and have vampires under the law.”

-I hear a self-righteous rant in the making.-

“It is why we take in the accidentally turned and the clanless. It is why we would kill any Master we find because they are too old to accept a law other than their own. As it is, they are a powerful structure that cannot be destroyed overnight. We accept that goal will not be attained for decades. But that acceptance doesn’t mean you work for them or alongside of them. You may associate with your kind, but only with the understanding you’re not Clan, won’t be initiated, and will accept a contract for anyone who deviates from our law, not Clan law. You have passed that line. You accepted a contract from a Master. Gathered information for their leaders, not us. Took a captive to that Master, not us.”

“I understand how that looks,” she said. It was in fact worse. “However, getting information from the source seemed good at the time. I’ve never seen rogue bleeders like this. I did get Richard to research the Archives. I did get Tia and Richard to work the contract with me. I kept you informed on my activities and the investigation. I did organize the cleaning out of one nest. And you know exactly why I chose to have the captives interrogated by the Clan rather than taken here. I have used the resources at hand. And now, the Clan is cleaning out nests, as they ought to. As we ought to. And my team has been tracking this wizard, as we ought to since possessing humans forcibly is against many of our laws.”

“Your insistence to defend your actions doesn’t warm me to you, Lee. I’m tempted to confine you here. However, I feel this transgression can be overlooked. If you track any of these bleeders, you can report their movements to us. This situation will be handled, just not by you. Not rashly and not by a confused little vampire. You can associate with your contacts within the Clan, but will not go deep into the Vampire Quarter and you will sever all contact with their leadership and any vampire at a Master class or higher. I’ll be keeping a close eye on your movements to ensure obedience. And I will send a retrieval team if I feel you’re slipping. I’ll be sure to find you a suitable contract away from the city to distract you. Understand we will not allow you to be initiated. Clear?”

“Yes,” she said. What she understood is that both Jak and Wilhelm were making demands of her. Ultimatums. And she didn’t like either. At this time, she wanted out of the City proper and achieving that meant being obedient.

“You’re very valuable to us, Lee. An asset to the team. Don’t let this curiosity of the Clan doom you. You have a few hours of night left to reflect on this. I suggest you clean up and remain in your apartment. Wait here and I will send an escort to a private bathing room. Tomorrow night you have leave to return to your home. I will have Pasha attend to your needs before you leave.”

She breathed out slowly. “It will be as you wish.”

He nodded. “Don’t think I’ve missed the fact you have fed on non-donors.”

He left her alone and she sat back against the wall. Faced with white walls on all sides, a cot, toilet and impressively secured door. The door wouldn’t be locked, of course. For her to leave before Wilhelm requested would be a sign of disobedience. Patience wasn’t her best trait, not the patience of a vampire anyway.

She felt sluggish, tired and dirty. And pissed at Darwin. She understood it was part of human nature to have ingrained instincts to protect their children. At least she had seen this behaviour enough to expect it. Yet letting a black wizard essentially blackmail him into letting spawn into his territory seemed so contrary to Darwin’s principles. Not everyone rigidly followed their own principles though. Not everyone had principles. It was more like habits of behaviour. Darwin was born and raised in Town. Likely he had never left the confining walls. With that came a heavy bias against all other races and some distorted beliefs about vampires. She would have thought he would protect his people from the vile undead hordes rather than one son.

-I want to leave.-

Of course, you do. Isn’t that the same thing you say every time we’re here? Until I’m insane with your incessant whining I leave as soon as possible?

-You don’t like it any more than I. It grates on our essence, these dampening shields. Living in a bubble.-

I think most like the bubble. Less rape and murder and all that.

-I expect so. The punishment for anything is death or banishment.-

The threat of which has worked on us.

-You push the line all the time. It is innate in your self-destructive nature.-

Now I’m over the line. Wilhelm will have no use for me if I get too close to the Clans.

-I hate the Council. I hate this place.-

Charlie, you hate everyone. Your desire to maim and kill everything makes me decidedly less patient and cooperative. You never give reasons and without reasons, I have a tendency to ignore such volatile emotions. Well, not ignore, but restrain the more violent tendencies. I would have killed Lucien had not Eric interfered. And for what? Because the man dared have a role in my birth? You could have told me I was a born vampire. That he was my father.

-I cannot tell you what you don’t want to hear. And after the asylum, it would have done us no good to track down Lucien just so you could get some answers.-

So you admit you knew.

-I only know what you let me know, which oddly, is more than you. I couldn’t change what happened; only help us to survive it. You should remember it all, now that we are being forced to choose sides. We need all the information in order to make such a choice. It is all or nothing and we will have to live or die by our choices.-

The door opened and a young man, dressed in a servant’s tunic, stepped in and gave her a half bow. She stood up and sighed. I suppose being neutral isn’t going to cut it.

-I suppose not, since you let a vampire prince Mark you when we are marked by the Council as is. It is choose, or let them choose for us.-

She followed the young man, trying not to focus on the beat of his pulse and the gnawing ache of hunger in her. In the bathing room, the spacious tub was already drawn. On a table to the side was a bottle of wine and a tray of chocolate. She languished in the tub, eventually draining it and filling it again with cold water. Humans always drew a bath hot, which was fine to scrub of blood and dirt, but a vampire preferred coolness. She drank all the wine and ate every caramel filled chocolate before she began to feel the pull of the sun. As long as she was indoors, it could be ignored, but the deep restorative sleep was needed. Even vampires could be sleep deprived.

She made her way to her sparse apartment and just about fell into a deep sleep only to be jolted awake by a knocking at the door. Wilhelm wouldn’t knock. When she opened the door she wished she had ignored the noise. Roy was without his escort and little a little nervous.

“Yeah?” she asked.

“Can we talk?” he asked. Definitely nervous. He gripped his cane like he was afraid he was going to topple over. His heart rate was all riled up and he sweated out fear.

“Dawn comes.”

“It won’t take long.”

Lee sighed. Wilhelm would frown on her attacking their guest. “It would also not take long to swamp your mind so you forget this desire to talk.”

She watched him swallow a few times which only drew her attention to his neck. “Just a moment.”

She opened the door wider. “Come in then.”

She didn’t move but waited for him to slide past her. He looked around the stark room and carefully sat down on a stool in the corner. She sat down on the bed and just stared at him. He was one reason she liked living out of the City. Within it, she always had to pretend she wasn’t a threat.

“They won’t let me out of the city,” he finally said.

She shrugged. “Things are a bit tense right now.”

“When are they not tense in a city so fragmented?”

“True. I can’t do anything for you, Roy.”

“I could help. If I knew where all the bodies were found I could map out the territory these vampires are trying to claim.”

“They’re not trying to claim any territory.”

“Well, then marking their feeding grounds.”

“So far they are feeding wherever they find something they can catch.”

He leaned forward with a gleam in his eyes. “I have been told these vampires behave abnormally. There must be a motive for their behaviour. If not for territory then some other reason. To taunt the Clan Master perhaps.”

She could just hear his little brain a running.

“They’re abnormal. I’m sure it would be a great case study for you. They were created by a wizard and so they are not fully turned vampires. What they desire is whatever their wizard master desires, but he doesn‘t have full control over them so they are rabid feeders.”

“Truly? A wizard? Are you sure?” he said, not able to hide his excitement.

“Pretty damn sure.”

“I have read myths about that. What motive would a wizard have to have his vampires feed without control?”

“I’m not sure, Roy,” she said dryly. “Maybe he has not quite gotten the hang of it yet. I gather there is an energy conversion problem with the spell. They feed and feed and are still hungry.”

“But I heard there was a group of rogues and grouping is normal vampire behaviour. Even in the south where Clans can be as small as three vampires, you never find lone vampires. It just doesn’t happen. And the accidentally turned don’t last long.”

Lee frowned and tried not to ponder that too long since all the clanless were loners, herself included. When she thought on all the other clanless they were an odd assortment of ruthless, cold-blooded killers to reclusive nutters. Then there was her, somewhere in-between and she talked to herself.

“Yeah, whatever. They are bound by the spell. Who knows what they would do if not.”

“That is why you fascinate me. I could do a case study on you alone.”

Lee was getting drowsy; otherwise, she might have taken offence to the remark.

“You were raised by the Council. You don’t present any of the normal drives and instincts of a vampire. It makes me inclined to think, to some extent, these are a product of nurture rather than nature.”

“Nah. It’s all nature. I’m just a little broken. You should have seen me back in the day. All vampire, no human. They trained me as well as they could.”

“What?”

She lurched to her feet. “Come here, Roy.” She let her aura wrap around him and through her words.

His eyes widened slightly but he stood up and took a few hesitant steps towards her.

She brushed a hand through his hair. “I’m tempted to have a nibble. I’m a bit cranky and it would be so very soothing. But they would know. They always know.”

She increased her presence within his mind, shrouding it into her will. “You are a very curious man. Normally, I might find this amusing. But I don’t want you studying the northern Clans. I don’t want you exploring how a wizard can tame vampires. I certainly don’t want you interested in me. So you’re going to go home. You’re going to get restless from being confined in the City and decide your luck will be better with a smaller Clan in the south. I hold no interest for you.”

She pulled him to the door and opened it. “This conversation never happened.” She gently pushed him out while releasing her control. He stood still for a moment, shook his head and then wandered off.

She closed the door gently and smiled. Wilhelm had no idea how many times she had nudged a mind away from her or in the direction she wanted. The City was no place for the weak and she had to be on her toes.

Exhausted she fell asleep as soon as she lay down. Not as deeply as normal, since the apartment was not secure and if needed she had to be alert. The incident with Darwin made her wary.

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, and I deserve what I get.

She was pulled from her slumber an hour before sunset with a piercing pain in her skull. She lay for a moment feeling her head ache with her pulse. Some born vampire she made; laid out by a migraine. Charlie was notably absent, as the buffering shield of the City made her retreat. It also caused more headaches, which made her on edge. It was a long hour before Pasha arrived and knelt, head bowed, beside the bed.

Lee sat up slowly. There was no ignoring the gnawing ache in her abdomen, not with the throb of the migraine. The room seemed to warp around her and she knew she would be useless unless she fed. She tilted Pasha’s face upward, with one fingertip on her chin. Her eyes looked strained; a shadow beneath them, slightly narrowed, with a sort of held back look in her eyes. Likely Lee mirrored the same look. She supposed they understood each other. She was the cure to Lee’s pain, and Lee, hers. Yet Lee was enabling her addiction.

“What is it like?” Lee asked her, an obscure curiosity of the young Changed human rising. “To hear the thoughts of others?”

There was an awkward silence for a moment and Lee knew she had crossed a line with her. She permitted vampires to feed, submitted to their desires, but they were never allowed to be personal with her. Her chin tilted up defiantly. “It is like a thousand bees in your head, stinging and buzzing constantly.”

“Hmm,” Lee murmured her words less meaningful than the repressed pain behind them. She suspected if she delved more the emotions would break free. “It’s not like that for a vampire. We slide into a mind and take what we want.”

“I can’t read your kind well. You even less. Static in your brain.”

Pasha was always a little off. A little stoned or not paying attention to her surroundings. “Static?”

“Like background noise. Not always, but sometimes. I don’t mind. You’re not a projector. And a vampire mind spreads out, making things quieter.”

“Ah.” Lee ran a finger down Pasha’s neck. “You’re of Changed blood. If you were turned, your mind would be your own.” After all, if the assault of other’s thoughts was a constant pain for her, being turned could be a welcome cure.

“Vampire bait.”

Lee smiled wryly. “Good template. Nonetheless, it would end your torment.”

“I don’t share my essence. My desires are my own,” she said, her body trembling slightly. She feared the possibility of being turned, perhaps so much that she never dared leave the City. No doubt the fear had been encouraged by others.

“There are always choices. The settlement across the river would be a haven for you as well. The Changed, although I suppose they prefer the new term, the Chosen, all have experience and training in developing abilities. And also training those with adverse abilities to dampen them.”

“None of your kind is permitted over there.”

“Of course not,” Lee said. “They are not fond of us. Or the fact we are a little too fond of their very sweet blood.”

Pasha was an addict and perhaps she feared her own ability. Dampening it with vampire narcotic drugs better than opening it up and learning to control it. Lee tried to do the same with Charlie, so she could not judge that choice. Why take the road less travelled by when the other was so much... easier. She held out her wrist, offering, and then before Lee could pretend to deny her, she swiped it quickly with a thin sharp blade. She had not even winced as the blade cut deep, her flesh splitting open and blood pooling. Lee took the wrist quickly and sucked the sweet tang and bitter copper of her offering. Lee took more than her share until the pain in her head receded. As Pasha slackened Lee pulled her forward and up onto the bed. She licked the wound closed and laved her skin, filling her with the numbness she desired.

Lee left her on the bed slack and vacant, dressed and left. She needed out of the City before it smothered her. There was a curfew in place, so the streets were empty of all but a few vampires and werewolves; the City night shift as it were. Her aura was expansive enough to touch on the few she sensed. The streets were maintained here and there were light posts fuelled by electricity or magic lighting the roads clearly.

When she got to the gates she halted for a moment. Over the last century they had created an impressive City wall, with a walkway on top constantly patrolled by the Guard. She hesitated because of the shields and buffers. She always did. It was like crossing a river, where her aura was pulled every way, nauseating, and uncomfortable. She steadied and walked through the gates into the City Quarter, where she lived. But she was in no mood to head home and went straight to the nearest pub. Choices to make and she decided the first was to get plastered and think about it later.