The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Chapter 14: Conclave

"The close confines of a castle do present housing challenges for garrisoned troops," Lash observed as he stepped by her to take up a position in front of the still messed bed. "Forgive me, Night Mistress, I would offer you a seat but I have none available."

"No need to trouble yourself, my lord," Druzha replied with a dismissive gesture. "I didn't come here to sit. And please, call me Dru. Having you call me Night Mistress every second word will undermine my reason for coming here."

"Right, " Lash nodded. "The Conclave."

"Partially," Dru conceded. "My sisters feel their questions about the Hand and their aggression, as well as questions about this new human faction, haven't yet been answered to their satisfaction. So we will indeed summon you back before us to ask more. Also, I hope to readdress my desire to take control of the Qos Viran from the Council and leverage them against our newest enemies." Her eyes, which hadn't dropped from him since she stepped into the room, narrowed.

"Can I count on your support for that?"

Lash returned her gaze with a steady one of his own.

"Do you ask, Dru, because you are Nosferatu and a traditional rival to Ventru, thus uncertain as to whether I would support any initiative you were to bring forward? Or because as likely the only senior Qos Viran officer left on the continent, I would be called to the position of Lord Commander with Magnar's passing, making it look like this was a power play to put me into that position?"

Dru's smile surprisingly deepened at that.

"So. Not just a pretty face, then," she said, brow raised. "You've put some thought into this, Lash."

"Some," he admitted. "As a Queen of the Night, you have my support regardless of whether you are Nosferatu or not. Sadly, I would've given that support to Anka as well, even though she was Nordstrom."

"A fact we are painfully aware of," Dru hastened to assure him. "If we had even an inkling of her plan ..."

"I know, mistress. You would've stopped her. I do not question the Conclave." His expression tightened. "Unfortunately, her attack on me on the floor of the Conclave chamber was the tip of the iceberg, pun unintentional."

"What is this, now?" Dru asked, stepping closer with her brow raised in curiosity. "Do you learn something while in her thrall?"

"Other than new pain thresholds? Yes." And, with quick, succinct words, he outlined what Anka had said to him before he had passed out under the weight of her compulsion. As Dru stared at him in shocked silence, he then related what his disengaged memory revealed of her torture and mutilation of him afterwards with the intent to have him bleed out and be found with the obvious message his mutilation symbolized.

"I'll have her head for this!" the enraged lilith snarled before reaching out to almost tenderly lay her hand against his face. "You have my blood vow on that, Lash!"

The big vampire let his eyes flicker over to the hand, then back to Dru's face.

"I beg your forgiveness for my forward nature, Dru, but may I ask you a question of a personal nature?"

"Of course, Lash." Dru's smile returned and the touch became a true caress. "Ask."

"Are you in season, my queen?"

And he almost sighed in resignation as she laughed softly in reply, finally dropping her hand

"We can only hide so long, Lash," she said, looking up at him with wide eyes. "And I truly hate the chems my medical staff make me take if I cannot find a partner."