April 19th
When the Executioners finished their interrogation, Brandle followed a servant up the sweeping staircase. He'd been to most of the previous house parties and the security was new. In truth, he'd have skipped this year's because of the forecasted weather, if it hadn't been for a note that promised new blood. He didn't care particularly about meeting someone new, but curiosity had driven him to contact the regulars. Among them, both William and Angelica had made him promise to come.
"I suspect this year's party will be the most interesting yet," William commented.
Brandle had to see that.
He was shown into his suite; a living space, bedroom, and sumptuous bathroom. Showers were still a relatively new novelty to him and he was disappointed to discover they'd left one out in favor of a large claw foot tub. As if he hadn't soaked in enough of those in the last 1600 years.
Had it really been so long? It didn't seem like it, but the math checked out.
What a terrifying thought.
He unpacked his suitcases and hung the clothes in the wardrobe. Two weeks was barely worth the effort, but it seemed a shame to waste what amenities they offered.
His task done, he headed downstairs to find out who'd already arrived. The Executioner in the entryway was kind enough to point him down the corridor. He found several vampires assembled in a blue room, including his host.
"Andrei," he said warmly as he shook the vampire's hand. "How are you?"
"We're fine. You?"
"Good. I think I know everyone here," he paused and eyed a shy vampiress with red gold hair. "Except you." He moved to her and stuck out his hand. "Brandle. And you are?"
She drew back, eyes wide. "Zarra," she murmured.
"Now that's an unusual name."
Before he could get farther, a dark skinned vampire chuckled. "What did you say your name was?"
He gave the interloper a cheerful smile. It was Bassile, one of the regulars. "Brandle. B-R-A-N-D-L-E."
Bassile chortled and patted Zarra's shoulder, ignoring her alarm. "Don't let him fool you, dear. He's been Acwellen for at least a thousand years."
"Yes, but I'm tired of that name."
"That's as may be, but it seems a little late to try on a new one."
"It's never too late," he replied.
"For what?" A female voice asked, and Brandle turned to see Angelica, her hair piled on her head and her green eyes glinting with amusement.
"Nice to see you made it," he said. "This is Zarra."
"Yes, I know. Andrei just told me who everyone was, including you. Brandle? Where ever did you come up with that?"
Zarra made a soft noise and tried to withdraw, but Brandle followed her. "I read it in a book. Sad to say he wasn't the romantic hero, but he was a rather intriguing side character who, interestingly enough, turned out to be the villain in the end. I didn't see that coming. Anyway, I liked the name and thought this seemed the perfect time to try it out."
Angelica stayed where she was and raised her voice so he could hear her on his retreat. "You should have warned me when you called."
"I hadn't thought of it then," he replied. "Now, Zarra, you must excuse the interruption. That is Angelica, an acquaintance I've had for many years. She's quite harmless really, despite her ferocious appearance. As I was saying, yours is a lovely name, Where ever did you find it?"
"My master gave it to me," she murmured.
"He made a good choice then. It is a he, isn't it?"
Zarra cringed. "No."
He sensed her discomfort without surprise. Most vampires had a strange relationship with their masters. They were bound to them by blood, but often hated them at the same time. It created an interesting dynamic that even he wasn't free of. "A she? Well, she must have had some taste, at least. Enough about her. I'm more interested in you. Do you have a mate?"
Angelica gave a huff and pulled him away. "Would you leave her alone? She doesn't want to talk to you."
"And you do, I suppose?"
"Not particularly." She flashed Zarra an apologetic smile. "You'll have to excuse him. He's too old to know better."
Before he could argue, William walked through the door wearing an open jacket and his usual dour expression. He bypassed their host to make a beeline for Brandle and Angelica. "Good. You came."
"Of course we came. We couldn't miss it." Angelica surveyed the room coolly.
Brandle looked for Zarra, but the redhead had slipped away. "I hope you're not going to spend the entire party getting in the way."
"In the way of what?" William asked.
Angelica answered impatiently, "He was trying to lure a poor helpless female into his bed."
"I never said that was the destination," Brandle replied testily. "I was just trying to talk to her. She looked rather fetching."
"Fetching is a little old fashioned considering you have a new name, don't you think?"
William looked from one to the other. "What new name?"
As Angelica filled him in, Brandle gave the room a last once over in search of the woman, but she was gone.
"That's bloody ridiculous," William said. "Almost as ridiculous as this security thing." He looked to Andrei and called, "Why was my luggage searched?"
"The Guild is very thorough," their host answered evasively.
"Why are they here in the first place?" William pressed.
Andrei cleared his throat. "There is an unfortunate climate at the moment. You heard about the attacks by the Children of Shadows?"
A blonde in a low cut dress joined them. "Andrei was worried they might attack us."
Angelica gave the vampiress a once over, as if checking to see which of them was more attractive. "Why on earth would they do that? They're only attacking government buildings. Unless Andrei's joined a Council?"
"No," their host drawled.
A bell tinkled and they looked towards the doorway. A servant bobbed her head and Andrei called loudly, "Dinner is being served in the formal dining room. If you would follow me?"
They filed out of the room and down the corridor. The formal dining room, as Andrei called it, was massive. Polished pillars held up the long chandelier studded ceiling. The walls were papered in a delicate print, and carved sideboards looked elegant and expensive. The room's centerpiece was a long table – no doubt made of several individual ones placed together – encircled by at least fifty matching chairs. Each place was set with a napkin, spoons, and three crystal glasses.
They took their seats and servants bustled in with heavy trays. One laid cut glass bowls of spices and the others carried glass decanters of crimson. They made the rounds, filling the smallest glass of each guest – the first course. Polite chatter followed, intermingled with sipping. A second course was brought with a new array of flavorings, and then dessert; the blood of baby calves sprinkled with cinnamon.
"I always like the fresh taste of the young ones," Angelica commented as she finished her glass. She nodded to the doorway. "Don't look now, but it's one of the Executioners."
They followed her eyes to see Jamie taking stock of them. He gave a small nod, then turned and disappeared.
"They're not going to be hovering the entire time, are they?" Angelica pushed her glass away.
"That seems to be the point of security," Brandle replied.
William smirked into his drink. "They may be earning their pay for a change."
Brandle and Angelica exchanged curious looks. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.
"You'll see."
Brandle leaned back with a frown. He was familiar with William and his plans. They'd fought a war together long ago when they were in Henry's coven. The old man wasn't Brandle's master, but in those days vampires didn't go off alone – it was simply too dangerous. Covens controlled land like feudal lords, and straying into another's territory meant death unless you had an army of your own to back you up. Of course, the Sodalitas had worked to eliminate that.
He thought of the war, and Henry, killed by an Executioner. It was a pity, but he'd let it go long ago. William, on the other hand, hadn't. After Henry died and they were forced to leave their territory, William headed a group to fight the Sodalitas. In the end they disintegrated to little more than a band of outlaws who robbed and murdered.
Brandle had taken his leave, and the next time he and William joined forces was in 1712 for another battle. In the 1800s William joined a dissident group and tried to recruit his friends. But Brandle stayed away. He'd had enough of war and now that the Sodalitas had regulated everything he wanted some peace and solitude while it lasted.
"You're not up to your old tricks are you?" Brandle asked suspiciously. "Trying to overthrow-"
William glared. "Would you keep your voice down? As for what I'm up to, I told you, you'll see. I need to hash out a few details before I let the two of you in on it."
"Sounds fun." Angelica elbowed Brandle. "You look like you're at a funeral. Cheer up. Don't take everything so seriously."
He was silent a moment, then said, "Do you realize I am more than 1500 years old?" They looked at him blankly and he explained, "I've survived for 1500 years by letting things go and moving on. You should try it, William. Whatever it is you're planning, I'm not interested. I'm retired."
Angelica laughed. "How boring. Well count me in, no matter what it is. Anything would be better than going home and listening to Constance and Bernadette fight."
"You have both your sisters living with you now?" Brandle asked.
"Yes. Constance had another young 'nephew' leave her last year, and I've had Bernadette since her lover committed suicide. Not that I blame him. I'm considering it to get rid of them."
"That's why intelligent masters refused to turn whole families," Brandle said cheerfully.
Angelica laughed. "There's a law the Sodalitas should make. No...what's the word? Biological relatives as coven mates."
"There are enough damn laws," William snapped.
She flinched away from his anger. "I was only joking."
"The trouble is they take it seriously. There's a law for everything! Who you can turn, what you can do, where you can hunt."
Brandle frowned. "The only laws I've noticed are the ones that stop everyone from killing everyone else for no reason." The same laws that allowed him to live on his own, free of a coven, without the worry of attack.
William scoffed. "No, they stop everyone from defending themselves. You remember Henry-"
Brandle held up his hands. "William, we've known one another a long time. I consider you a friend, but I'm not interested in rehashing this." He pushed his chair out and stood. "If you'll excuse me?"
"You're happy to live under tyranny?"
Brandle hesitated. "In order for any society to function there has to be rules. Even here, at this party, there are rules. We can't destroy Andrei's property or kill his human servants. We can't attack someone just because we don't like their clothes. We can't steal. We can't wage a war and murder half the guests.
"Those rules allow all of us to enjoy the party. Yes, they're common sense, and no, Andrei hasn't posted them with a list of disciplines, but that's because we all know better. Out there-" he motioned to the world beyond. "- there are idiots who don't know any better, megalomaniacs, lunatics, power hungry nuts who would kill, bleed, torture, steal, and murder just because it pleases them. Now that there are consequences for their actions, they at least pause for a moment before destroying another coven. I'm sorry, but that isn't a bad thing."
"There were always consequences." William sneered. "Before, when a coven attacked another, the consequence was their own casualties; the coven defended themselves from thieves and murderers and administered punishment. Now we're all supposed to sit back and let the Sodalitas handle it. You've traded freedom for not having to defend yourself."
Brandle's laugh was cold. "Do you remember the time before them? Because I do. I was there for nine hundred years of it; nine hundred years of coven law. Of murdered masters, of backstabbing, of constant war and fighting and arguing over territory. Vampires are petty, sick bastards, William. They're selfish, and most have no respect for life – immortal or mortal. I watched covens destroy whole villages of humans, watched them wipe out entire vampire settlements just because they were bored. I lived those days, before either of you children were born, and I'm not interested in going back to them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd rather have a conversation with a rock than rehash this."
He strode out of the dining room and ended up in a library. With a huff he threw himself in a chair before the dark fireplace. Memories tickled the back of his mind; blood, screams, terror. His master was a lord who lived in castle and bred his undead army. When his numbers dwindled, he traveled to a knot of human villages, dressed in finery and surrounded by his men. At each village he presented himself as royalty and demanded the young men be brought forth. From their ranks he would choose those who suited him, promising glory and honor. But, just as the local legends said, when you were chosen it meant that your family never saw you again.
He'd been chosen, leaving behind a wife, three sons, and a babe on the way. He'd never found out what the child was, its name, or if it even lived. Instead he'd marched to the far away castle and there been turned and trained. His old life was washed away with his master's blood and a new one given. One of chaos.
William, and so many others, thought they understood the world, but they didn't. He'd seen it in all its raw glory, seen into the black hearts of men, seen the atrocities committed in the name of conquest, defense, or entertainment. He doubted the leaders of the Sodalitas were any better than his master had been, but at least there was only one council of ancient lunatics instead of hundreds.
He heard the door creak and instantly utilized his phantom powers. Though he didn't move, whoever his guest was wouldn't see him or sense him; he'd be invisible.
But it wasn't William as he expected, rather the slender Zarra. Her red gold hair fell around her shoulders and her dark dress made her skin look like milk. Seemingly alone, she was relaxed, and moved to light a fire in the grate.
He thought about slinking to his feet and out the door before she knew he was there - unless she had mental powers he was unaware of and could already sense him.
She arranged the logs and he decided that she didn't. Softly, she hummed an unfamiliar song. Though he knew it wasn't polite, he flexed his own mind reading abilities just a little; not enough that she'd feel it, but enough to catch her surface thoughts.
Funnily enough they were concerned with her task. If he wanted more he'd have to dig. Or he could just ask her.
He relaxed and the phantom effect disappeared. He thought about speaking, but decided it would be better if she discovered him herself.
Flames crackled to life and she straightened, wiping her hands on her dress. As she turned, her eyes caught his and she jumped. "Oh! I didn't-"
"It's all right." He smiled pleasantly.
"No, I'll, go and leave you alone."
"If I wanted to be alone I'd have left before you saw me," he said. "I think it's you who wants to be alone. Am I right?" She hesitated and he asked, "How do you know Andrei?"
"I don't. I know Lykke."
The name was familiar, but he couldn't immediately place her. "She's your master?"
"No. Jamine is. Was. Lykke bought me from her and set me free."
Hmmm. Selling fledglings was rare anymore, or so he thought. "I didn't know that was still done."
"I don't think it is. Jamine seemed surprised by the suggestion."
Jamine was a wholly unfamiliar name, but he could see the echo of her in Zarra's eyes, and it wasn't pretty. "I can only assume you had a long blood debt."
"Very long." Zarra clasped her hands before her. "I was Jamine's human slave until she decided I was old enough to be turned, and then I was an immortal slave."
He stood and made a show of stretching. "How long have you been immortal for?"
"Three hundred years."
It was a long time to be a slave, though not as long as his own servitude had been. Still, he doubted his had been as rough. "Then a belated welcome. I can only assume you and Lykke are friends?"
"No. I was friends with Heshika, a member of Jamine's coven. Heshika and Lykke were friends who met in a war coven. When the war ended, Lykke purchased me. She said it was a promise she'd made to Heshika."
"That was kind of her to keep it."
She nodded a reply and they fell silent. The fire cracked and he caught threads of Zarra's thoughts; she hadn't been free long – a year maybe? It was Lykke's suggestion to invite her, or that was what the note in her invitation said. The last time she'd seen her benefactor had been when Lykke set her up in an apartment and left for her own coven. She'd invited Zarra to come, of course, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to be around anyone. She just wanted to hide in the dark away from the horror.
Why did I come?
He disconnected from her thoughts and stepped towards her. "I should also welcome you to the party. It's refreshing to see someone new, though I understand your thirst for solitude. Religions speak of a hell after death but the real hell is here, in the dark hearts and bloody deeds of men. Sometimes one must hide away or risk losing what little is left of their soul."
She caught her breath and nodded emphatically. "Yes. That's it exactly."
He smiled. "Enough of these black topics. Have you had a tour of the grounds? I'd be happy to escort you."
She hung back a moment, like an indecisive butterfly, and finally consented. "Yes. I think that would be nice."
He offered his arm and she took it. As he led her out the door he thought of William. They all knew that the Sodalitas couldn't last forever; no government could, but he didn't see the point in hastening its death.
Zarra's story was terrible, but it could have been worse, like many he'd witnessed in his youth. If William was smart he'd shelter in the peace while it lasted instead of running towards war. But then, by its very nature, peace bred rebellion, because in peacetime, in prosperity, people had nothing to worry about. Boredom was one of the greatest incitements for violence.
Truth be told, he was just as bored as everyone else, but unlike William he'd have to have a real cause to fight. Blood for the sake of blood never served any purpose, not even if it was entertaining.