The Vampire & the Rebel (Completed)

Part 2: Chapter 10

It was because of such vampires as he that my plans yet had to remain secret. I was not at all certain that I was prepared enough to beat them all, at least not yet, and when I finally made my move I intended to win.

I had amassed an impressive number of pawns and resources, but there was still so much more that could be done. Keeping them unawares was half the game, and I did love my games.

The thought perked me up a bit, and watching the stupid collar bill go down in flaming ashes made me feel better still.

By the time we took a break, my spirits were much lighter. I left the chambers quickly and made my way to the hall where I discovered I had Enrique on my tail.

"Fancy another trip down to see the humans, Councillor Vienne?"

I considered my options. I did not have a real drive to go down there because there would not be a human as intriguing as one particular one, but at the same time, I could maybe find a couple who would fit my collection nicely. I still had to deal with the little insurgents in my dungeons, but if I found a couple more good ones, why not take the chance?

And though I had no doubt if Jamie made his play against Jack and was caught he would not end up back in the council slave cages, there was still a small chance he might get caught and sent down there again. If he did end up in the cages I would certainly not want some other vampire to get a hold of him.

"You know, excellent idea. I do think I need another delicious human or two."

Enrique chuckled as if I had said something terribly clever. We departed down to check the slave pens without further ado, chatting mildly about how neither of us was putting forward a bill during this quarterly.

Then, the scent of humans hit me, mildly unpleasant in their misuse and decay, but also intriguingly delicious with the scent of life I did not properly possess by my own merit. The guards nodded towards us as we passed.

In spite of the fact one would imagine there would be less humans considering we were well out of the appointed hunting season, the pens were filled with different individual faces, but at the same time, there was nothing that made them particularly stand out from the thousands upon thousands I had seen before. I searched for signs of rebellion in each, humans who had not simply accepted that their fate was to die under the hands of their oppressors, in spite of the fact that they were in the worst of all possible places. I was pleased to see a couple of males who might fit the bill and I resolved to buy them at once.

Enrique, for his part, found many that he liked and I waited patiently and was surprised when he only bought three.

I instructed the guards of my selections and glanced at Enrique. "Don't you usually get more?" I asked him.

He grinned at me. "I decided to take a leaf out of your book and try this whole attention to human maintenance thing, even though your bill did get overturned. Humans are finicky things though, aren't they?"

He had no idea.

"But still, I haven't been going through them so quickly for all that, so it seems you might be onto something, Councillor."

I generously decided not to focus on the fact he was still an imbecile, because even an idiot that would listen to me from time to time was better than the ones who did not. "Indeed. They learn, too, so you might find you get better service if you keep them around longer."

I was quite convinced that the majority of the other vampires' slaves would turn to my side, or at least wish to, when the conflicts finally began. Every human still alive was a potential rebel against their own masters. I smiled widely at him so that he could bask in the warmth of my oft withheld approval. I wished for more of this behaviour, so I would reward it.