Vampire's Best Dress {#4}

Prologue

[Prologue]

It just didn't feel the same without Vanda. At the meeting table, the sight of an empty chair filled an emptiness in his heart as well, but he figured that it must be for the best. Even if the Council and the Coven would miss her, this was for her sake. It was for her happiness, and now that the war was over, there was nothing holding her back, nothing putting her in place with the Council.

Still, Louis could not help but feel a sense of loss whenever his eyes swept past the empty seat.

"Take joy in knowing that she is happy with Kieran, my sons and daughter." Cian's old voice said, and Louis turned to the head of the table, the surprise now toned down. Ever since the Master Council Elder's death, Cian had gotten younger and younger by the day, ridding himself of the old-man white hair and features. Over the days, the man that had made Louis into a vampire had reverse-aged in the most remarkable speed and manner –and at the end of the process that no one had been able to explain, Cian was back to his prime self. Cian was young again –even much younger than the first time Louis met the man.

"We understand," Louis was the only one to offer a reply, because the others at the table were always too prideful to show their weaknesses despite it being obvious. "But the sense of loss is still upon us, Cian."

"She will still be coming back some day, happy and joyful, with her lover." Cian's answer was an attempt at consoling everyone, but family was still family. If any one of them chose to leave the nest to spread their wings, the remaining ones would always feel the loss of their crazy little bird. "What matters is that both she and Kieran are both well, and living their own way of life. They are the first ones to have shaken off the shock of this abrupt ending to the war, and we should follow their lead."

"Unfortunately, mio Signore, I've been so invested in the war that it's going to take some time settling instincts back." Dante put in, grateful to catch on another topic rather than mulling over Vanda's departure. Louis was semi-grateful for the conversation switch as well, as he –along with his fellow Council Mates –was currently suffering from the consequences of spending too much time, effort and brain cells on the war that had kept them busy for the recent years.

The idea of them winning the war had been completely elusive to them, particularly in the wake of dealing with the new weakness that had debilitated all vampires. It had been a rush to clear things up with the other worried and angry Coven Masters all around the world demanding an explanation, then Jack had been swamped coming up with a way to either alleviate the problem. Shortly afterwards, it had been a mess trying to help Jack increase production for his Blood Pills everywhere in the world, for all weaker vampires relied on a larger amount of pills every day.

Louis could hardly remember a day where a pair of blood pills at the start of every night could sustain him for his whole waking hours.

"You were invested in the war?" Jack's faint voice came in a scoff, which was loud in the solemn agreeing silence that had mellowed in the meeting room. "I'm terribly surprised at your admittance. I had always assumed all you did in this war was trigger its start."

"What do you mean by that, bastardo?" Dante growled in displeasure.

"Oh, I'm sorry that your wits were lost in the war as well. I could try to put some in you, but I'm afraid you'll lose them again soon. I'd rather not waste precious resources." Jack's nonchalant tone was slightly strange, for the scientist had not picked on the Italian man so blatantly in a long time. The last time Jack had openly incited Dante's irritancy had been right before the start of the war, and then Jack had been so caught up with producing biological weapons that the man no longer had any time for anyone.