The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Chapter 5/Don't drink their blood or their poisons

Image Victoria in her 'tank' outfit. Warning the Vampires in this book aren't nice people and get up to bad things. 

The Lord of Darkness and Gloom returned with two familiars in long dresses. They both had leather collars on ( the familars not the Lord of Gloom). He seemed quite pleased to see me.

"My lady, Duke Sadismann" Mary announced as the young man returned to the room. Perhaps it was the coven clothes but even in the huge dress I felt colder than a wet winter fish. My shoulders were naked, exposed vulnerable. 

He smiled and began to clap "Bravo, Bravo" he began clearly pleased "My princess you look beyond the exquisite, you are opium for my eyes. I swear before the blood god that Mary has the power of a necromancer. Look at you, you will massacre men's souls with those eyes. Bravo Mary, your reputation is not undeserved, I give you a feral and anonymous colleen and you return me a Queen".

"Strange I really don't feel like Paul Rue" I said. "Well if I'm cinderella that makes you the fairy queen waving your magic wand. When do I get a pumpkin carriage?"

"There is no language on this earth which could sweetly and rightly sing your praises, no words to rightly describe how the curve of your hips so sweetly captures the light of the room. There is no word in any tongue which could capture the delight of your form framed in such immaculate perfection. My dear it's like the blood goddess herself has taken human form. Selem my dear, don't you think she looks stunning?"

"Lord" said the first familiar girl called Selam "I would proudly say you could rip out my eyes because I have seen beauty and am content I will never see its like again". 

He turned to his other familiar. 

"It's true my lord, I have never seen such stunning beauty, it's as if her clothes were entirely created for her personal pleasure, she has a countenance that lights the coven." said the second.

"Oh, You're just saying that. " I said modestly swishing, but yes your completely right and thanks for having the courage of speaking the truth :). 

I  looked back at him fully and without reservation. I knew I looked desirable I could see it in his and the guards eyes. I currently felt naughty enough to not deny it.

"Mary, champagne to celebrate. What about you princess? Thirsty? Bring her a glass as well."

Mary ordered the Cub to bring two glasses of champagne.

"Not for me thanks, my father told me 'don't drink their blood or their poisons' " I said correctly.

Mary returned a minute later with a tray with two thin stemmed glasses,full of a bubbling pale yellow liquid.

Sadismann walked around "This is neither.  Come on celebrate, it took a better frame to help me realise how beautiful the picture actually was. Now drink"

Everyone looked at me expectantly. I took the glass and a sip, it was like everything in this place the rotting impression of a sweeter thing.

"Yuck it tastes terrible" I said pulling a face. 

"Your first time I presume?" said the Duke "The barbarians in the bad lands really have no taste for the finer things. Like most things here you won't like the first mouthful but you will come to ..."

"Get used to it? I think not" I said. Yeah we don't have 40 year old champagne in the bad lands it's like living with shakers. Except we are shakers skipping just above the poverty line.  

"I was going to say tolerate then appreciate it." said the Duke sipping. 

The immortal sat on a chair then the first familiar at his command came over and  sat decoratively on his lap. She wore a red dress which hung over him like a roman emperor. On her left shoulder I noticed a coven pentagram. I didn't need Mary to explain the meaning, these girls were part of his personal stock, his walking, breathing, living, willing larder fodder. My stomach tightened as I realised what they meant to him. Sadismann had brought his lunch with him.

Duke Sadismann whispered into the ear of the girl on his lap. She reached into a pocket in his jacket and pulled out a box. In the box was a dropper she took the dropper out and Sadismann tilted his head back. Giggling she dripped one drop in each of his eyes. The Duke shuddered like he had been splashed in the face with cold water. I guess now I knew why vampires always had red bloodshot eyes.  Still giggling the girl leant back and put drops in her own eyes. While she did so Sadismann began kissing her neck. She nuzzled him back smiling.  I couldn't watch what happened next, I could only hear the girl's tittering. Eventually the noises stopped and she was released to see the first girl, torpid and insentient on the Dukes's lap. He ignored the first and was now playing with the second familiar, while the first lay like a rag doll. He was feeding in front of me my stomach churned , which was pretty good going given my stomach was being held ridged by the corset. 

"I'm being rude" Sadismann said suddenly "Mary its' after lunch would you care to indulge?"

Mary needed no further encouragement she walked over, took the dropper from Salem, leant her head back and quickly and expertly put a drop in each eye. She blinked for a second, shuddered  and handed the dropper back. 

"Manners,  we should offer the Princess some venom" the Duke continued the second familiar Selem walking up to me with the drops. I shook my head. 

"Come on, who would trust someone with no vices. I wouldn't would you? This is venom the finest in the country. We get the best raw materials from covens in south America, we process it and then sell it to the rest of the country even the continent "

Before I could argue more we heard a knock at the door. 

"Kirina" he demanded. An exquisite woman appeared, it was hard to tell if she was a vampire or not but she  was carrying a box with as much trepidation as if it had held dynamite.

"I scoured the sunken city as you ordered Lord and by your order I have found these" she announced.

The Duke nodded and the box was opened. If I had seen any expression on his impassive face it was the look of revulsion now. It was the same kind look I had seen on my younger brothers face when I had opened a box of spiders in front of him.

I looked into the box and saw what he had presented me. It was full of exquisite silver jewellery.

"You've been down to the Zales sale I see" I said.

"Pick out what you will" said Sadisman. He seemed to project less darkness around him now.

I chose a few pieces, from earrings to a silver necklace, a few rings and a brooch. When I was finished the Kirina curtsied respectfully and then closed the box.

"Take the remainder of this to the blacksmith to be melted down as I instructed. " said Sadisman to the familiar.

"You think you could  buy me with this?" I said pointing to the ring on my finger.

"No" said Sadisman shrugging "If I wanted to buy you I would offer your father his people's safety in exchange for you. There are to  help remind the rest of the coven you are not to be taken lightly Princess"

"Look you should know I'm not a princess" I said.

Sadisman shrugged "No your probably right your not a princess, but I will make you a queen"

"If I get made anything, it will be a pastrami on rye." I said.

"Quite right" said the vampire stiffly. He looked at Mary "Mary get her fed from the kitchens"

He stood. 

"You walk awkwardly. I guess shoes are new for you.  Mary, make sure she learns to walk properly and practices, I will be back, we will go for a walk, I want her ready. Now I have to leave you my Lady, I will return", Duke Sadismann had left saying. 

He had bowed slightly and with that he and his entourage departed. 

Mary looked on and walked slightly drunkenly to a chair. 

"Nothing makes sense. Why did he do that?  He's always got a plan, a reason he doesn't take a piss with out using it to send a message to someone. Why did he  pop in to do that? I'd say he was trying to get you ready for what goes on in the rest of the coven but why does he care. It was like he was testing you seeing how much you could cope with, which is good but why does he care? I've never seen him act around a human like this before. I don't get it. Vampires normally do everything by tradition. Why are you so special?" said Mary.