The Vampire's Mistress (A Beautiful Bite) Book 1

Chapter 5

11:30am

Wind bellowed out from the ferocious, iron doors, as the giants were forced aside. I was instantly engulfed with lavender and sage, making my nerves spark with anxiety. I held my breath. The doors slammed into the stone walls, sending a loud roar ricocheting of the walls within the Tribunal. 

"All rise!"

Announced the orator, and the spectators rose. I made my way into the room, and was overwhelmed by monstrosity of its architectural design. On each side of the room were rows of chairs, fit to hold almost a thousand in one room. The dark wood of its frame seemed to eroded, cracked and no doubt withered in age. There were four marble pillars that stretched up to the ceiling, they were covered in dust and dead vines, and at the base of each pillar were a dozen lit candles. The floor was a flawless Emerald Mahogany, that clicked underneath my feet, sending mouse like echo's throughout the ancient structure. At the center of it all were three large stands facing a small wooden podium, three elderly men sat idly, staring me down with their gawk.

I had kept my gaze low, and for the first time I took a quick unforgiving glance into the crowd. The disapproval was thick on their faces, and they judged me from behind their eyelids, some were even hissing as I walked past.

"Are they threatening me?"

I looked over to Ronin

"Ignore them, most of these people are of noble blood, and haven't killed anybody in decades. Magistrates of the council, or have some royal family within our blood line, its all politics really."

I chuckled sarcastically

"It won't matter once our heads are rolling across the floor now will it."

"Look these people are only here to make an audience, without a doubt they would rather be in their chambers conceding in a plot to overthrow the elders, or attempts of an assassination."

Ronin's voice was filled with anguish

"So there's a snake within the spiders web, why would they want the elders dead?"

Ronin paused, obviously choosing his wording carefully

"Not everyone agrees with their methods, or their rules. Many believe that they aren't throne reserving as everyone says."

"Then why doesn't someone just kill them now? in front of the court? that would sure get their attention."

Ronin shot a glance at me, I could tell I had crossed some line

"Because they were chosen, by Alvah."

there was a silence

"He's the longest living vampire in existence, and many people especially in the court worship him as our god. His abilities are profound and his word is very respected within our history. However he vanished almost 100 years ago, his location is unbeknownst to us."

"Well if Alvah is our so called god, lets pray he gets me out of this."

As we reached the podium, Ronin let go of my hand, in which I hadn't noticed were intertwined. The orator was off speaking to the elders, before turning his gaze upon me,

"You can do this."

Ronin turned, and walked slowly over to an empty seat next to Andrea, who gave me a quick thumbs up for support. The orator was already making his way towards me, and I looked up to the advisers. They were old. Their skin was the usual unhealthy white, and their eyes the same shade of grey as mine. They wore black robes that was trimmed with cold, laced with an assortment of jewels and pendants. They sat curiously waiting for the trail to begin.