The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Interlude: The feast maiden

A/N Here we follow Elizabeth's ( new character ) dreams in her delirium.

It's OK to skip the Interludes and stick with the main actions with Victoria (next chapter).

Extract From the note books of John Rene Volume 86. Winter. 

Eight Months before the arrival of Princess Victoria.

The lifeless body of a young woman floated on the calm surface of the lake, her pale skin illuminated by the moonlight, which cast an eerie glow upon her. She wore a tattered, bloodstained dress that clung to her form, now bloated from being submerged in the water. Strands of wet, dark hair clung to her face, obscuring her once delicate features.

Her eyes, which had once been full of life and vibrancy, were now half-closed, staring blankly into the night sky. The ripples in the water gently rocked her body, giving her an almost ethereal appearance, as if she were a lost soul trapped between the realms of the living and the dead.

Around her, the ruined city of London loomed in the background, its once-majestic buildings now reduced to crumbling remnants of a bygone era. The cityscape, marred by the passage of time and the horrors of vampiric dominance, served as a haunting backdrop to the tragic scene.

She lay in the water, cradled by the cold embrace of the lake's arms. Dazed and near death, Elizabeth felt her life slipping away in reverse, as fragments, memories, and dreams flooded her mind. She had grown up in Kensington, the poorest fishing village on the banks of the great London lake. Her parents had always warned her never to invite a vampire into their house, to hide from them. She recalled the sight of a boy who had promised grand plans, enticing her out to a party near the docks.

She remembered being captured by the vampires. She was presented with a choice: become a familiar, a blood slave, or a dinner. Sadisman himself appeared in person at the cells and selected her as a feast maiden. He personally set her aside; she had been chosen to be what they called the vampire word "sealing grail" – a shared-cup. She could still feel the tension in the air that night, as it marked the Feast of the Obsidian Order, a special occasion signifying the gathering of clans.

Elizabeth knelt at the point of a long chevron formed by the feast maidens. The room was filled with the most beautiful people, their eyes sensuously fixed upon them. She had endured weeks of rigorous training within the household, enduring slaps, whippings, and beatings for every minor failure.

There was an image burned into her mind's eye, clear as day and unforgettable. Like the other feast maidens, she knelt with her face to the floor as the Lord of the Coven of Midnight made his ceremonial entrance, accompanied by his Duke host. The Duke and the Lord exuded pure power, dominating the room. Their courts stood in solemn precision around them, with familiars and long coats from both sides arranged in anciently prescribed order. The feast maidens garnered particular attention, for they were the principal dish of the night.

The room was packed with enchanting creatures, the members of the coven, sensuality made flesh. The familiars may have dressed like shadows, but with experience, you could distinguish the blood bags from the immortals. The immortals appeared younger, nearly flawless, slightly more sensual, and unblemished, yet they carried an indefinable aura of depravity. During the orgies, amidst the whirlwind of drinks, dances, venom, and debauchery, she felt their eyes on her. As the forbidden meal, she was the only one they truly craved.

She recalled that, at a signal, she and the other feast maidens rose in perfect synchronization to an upright position. They ascended like a theater curtain before a sumptuous performance. They had practiced that singular act for a fortnight. They had been warned that any deviation or hesitation from the prescribed movement would result in them being added to the line of condemned prisoners who were to be roasted that night. She rose slowly, executing that tricky roll to her feet with graceful perfection; this time, she would not, could not falter.