The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Chapter 32/Caught in an iron cage

I sat in the iron cage again. The slow sounds of our river passage continued, soothing compared to the bustle of the coven. I could here a pole being used to both guide and measure the depth of the lake and then the river. Safe in the cage it was quite relaxing.  I sat back and in the dim light looked around. 

Cub had brought her only possessions a tool box of tattoo inks, a box of coven make up. I had a few of books and a dress to change into. It was a high familars dress like the one Mary wore. The journey was slow and tedious. After sleeping I was woken by the sunlight and couldn't sleep. I sat there bored. In the dimness Cub was bored  too so she opened the tattoo box, pulled back her skirt and started to etch a pattern near the ones which were already there into her own skin. She liked to etch patterns on herself. 

While she worked I read, the only new book was a familiar's guide to the blood god. This one was designed to be read out to the illiterate masses. It was mostly done in stories and the message was simple. If the blood god didn't exist why are vampires the ones in charge? Plus you want to live don't you? Why not live for ever ? Sort of carrot and stick mostly stick, a whip shaped stick. Emphasis on suffering making you a better person. Doing your dues.  I wasn't convinced but I could see why people believed this. I knew I had the same choice. If I was prepared to pray to a daemon I could have what I wanted - him. With him came with riches, power, and immortality and I wondered if that was that clouding my judgement. The prospect of spending a few thousand years together in his arms seemed pretty tempting.

I woke up outside I heard some commotion on deck. I crawled to the spy hole.

"I think a boat has come along side," I told the confused Cub putting her tattoo stuff down.

People walked on loudly deck. There was shouting. Then suddenly there was fighting. I could hear the bite and clash of steel on steel. Finally a shot rang out an everything went silent. It looked like our invaders had a gun. I didn't think I had much of a guard. The river had regular patrols it was supposed to be safe.  The sheet was being pulled off the outside of the iron cage. While it was, Cub  pulled off her hood to reveal a girl not that much older than me. Her black hair fell down. She had a long nose, freckles but soft eyes. She rushed up to me spitting out the gag she wore under the hood. She still put her finger to her mouth to indicate I should be silent.

An unwashed ugly face looked in. I could see the mark of the coven of midnight on his bear arm but the unkept beard and wild man appearance.

"It's just two high familiars," said the river pirate disappointed.

"Lets take them anyway" said another void.

They tried breaking the metal lock but it was too strong for what little metal they had with them. They had a cart so they decided to take the whole cage to the Vampires who owned them. As we were lifted up Cub  came over to me and began undoing the bodice.

"What are you doing?" I demanded at a whisper.

"They didn't recognize you." Cub croaked "If they discover you with out a coven's glyph then they will either know you are the princess or they will take you for their own. If you wear another coven's glyph then you belong to them and the Lord will have no call on you. Vampire lore will stand and he will not be able to rescue you or trade for you. A vampires stock cannot be taken by another."

Cub grabbed her tattoo box.

"OK do it" I said putting my head forward and clenching my teeth.

Cub managed to painfully put the mark of the coven on the back of my neck. Just when she had finished the cage was picked up by a jib and put onto the bank next to the river. We were fortunate the cloth still hid us. Cub did the second mark on my arm. Under Vampire law I was now legally owned by the coven of the meridian. I was the coven's property. I belonged body and soul to him. I felt butterflies in my stomach. Cub covered the tattoo with a bandage and told me I would have to look after it for a few days. If asked my old glyph was fading and she had reblackened it. She added another glyph on my upper arm after the mark of the Meridian.

"What's that?" I Asked.

"Its the mark of the Lords personal stock," said Cub still unfamiliar. "They recognize it they will ransom you to him."

The cage was lifted up again and put on a card. 

"OK boys lets get this to a blacksmith," said one voice.

The cart took off and we were thrown about.

"Just like old times," I said. I looked at Cub.

"Why did you take the hood off?" I said.

"We are going to the sisters of the dark wheel misstress." she croaked obviously unfamiliar with talking "It's no a place for coven girls. Mary told me to take care of you, protect you if I had to. After that, I would either be free or after the sisterhood, I could take the vow and return a full familar. Either way, I don't need the hood."

I smiled. She had kept the hood on even though she didn't need to. 

The cage bounced along. I looked out and saw greenery and ruins. It was odd getting back to normality again.

"Which would you take?" I said.

As a coven girl she could leave when she had done her time, leave a normal life, claim she was just kept in a cage and fed upon.

"I'm not sure. It depends upon you. If you become sired I would not mind being fed upon by you" she said.

The comment tasted like raw vinegar in my mouth. That would be the price of immortality with him. Feeding from her and Mary. Sucking her dry until her face was pale like fresh snow and she was weak. Would I be able to do that?

The cage stuck a rock and kicked us both. Cub or what ever her real name was landed in my arms shoulder bare ready to be bitten. I kind of felt like biting it to see what the experience of having skin touch my was like. 

I pushed her way and shouted. I wasn't a vampire yet. "hey, you. Keep your eyes on the road!"I shouted up to the driver. 

"GArre" came the dismissive noise from outside.

Another rut in the road left us thrown in the air.

"You're really determined to loose your no claims bonus aren't you" I shouted again.

"When we get to a blacksmith I want that one first" came a voice outside.

"Hurry our masters are waiting," said another man's voice. 

I looked at Cub. "So what do I call you?" I said. As a coven girl she would be refered to as 'hey you' or some random insult like runt or something very unpleasant in the dark tongue like Gurot.

"C" Cub began and thought for a second was she really trying to remember her own name? "Call me Isha." 

"Ok Mistress Isha." I said "I'm Mistress Selem." 

"OK stop" said a voice loudly outside. 

The cart suddenly stopped - we had got somewhere.