Blood & Magic Ch. 16

"Hope you don't mind the guests." Deputy Harding said as she pushed the doors open. Bright chandelier lights spilled into the dark room, along with the noise of dozens of people filling the halls outside. Many of them were dressed in suits and elegant gowns. Some people remained close by their partner's side, with collars around their necks, stumbling forward as their master pulled them along. They saw the doors open and heard the shrieking of Mica trying to turn to her side."

"Uh uh" Deputy Harding turned her and pushed her forward, "Show them your cute panties."

Mica tried digging her bare feet to push back but the white tile floor was too smooth to provide any friction. she watched as the party guests looked down at her crotch and laughed, pointing at her embarrassing message. Up close, Mica could see the fangs belonging to some guests.

"Is this your new plaything Katya?" a woman wearing a domino mask asked, taking liberty to squeeze Mica's breast.

"Yes and no." Deputy Harding answered, "Technically she's a prisoner, but prisoner and plaything mean the same for me."

"Well let me know if you'd like help interrogating her."

Mica closed her eyes, trying to banish the image of being objectified by the vampires in Prince Hall's domain. Katya's nails sinking into the soft flesh of her buttocks forced them open, "I don't think I'll need help. I'm going to take my time with her."

***

Sakeena lay Kirstin down on her back before backing up to stand next to Melissa. Prince Hall stared at her lifeless body, examining the dried blood that soaked into the wooden stake. "Who embraced her?"

"We believe it was him." Amos said holding up the skull of Daniel Martin Jones . "Ahm sorry your Majesty."

Prince Hall held his hand up, "The man forced you against your will, I'd have done the same. Sheriff, what repercussions will we have if this one should meet her Final Death?"

Sakeena was about to clench her fist but Melissa took her hand in hers and squeezed.

"Police are still lookin for her." Amos scratched his chin, "Gonna be a while before they stop. Ah think right now they're doing what they can do cover up the other, sinful deeds that went on at the hospital."

"Her partner will be a problem your Majesty." Melissa stepped forward, "Kirstin has worked with him for years. Even if the department drops the issue, I think he might not."

"All the more reason to destroy her." Prince Hall said, his eyes never leaving Kirstin's lifeless body.

"That is if none of the hostages saw us leaving with her." Dominic added. "There is also the hunter."

"Hunter?" the Prince's large eyes looked at the four of them, "The same one that bested Priscus Watkins?"

Melissa's body stiffened, closing her eyes as she nodded. "The same. We caught Kirstin attacking her. She was under the Red Fury and the Hunter was trying to escape."

"Did she?"

"I'm afraid to say so." Amos looked to Sakeena, "Priscus Watkins and her ghoul wanted to take her, but the fires were spreadin. We had to get out."

"So she knows of her whereabouts." A long, clawed finger pointed down at Kirstin.

"That is correct." Dominic stood over Kirstin with his hands clutched behind his back, "So we could destroy her, even make attempts to declare her dead. One loose end could disprove the story. If that happens, who knows what trouble could come from it?"

"Is that something you and your family could manage Lord Yemeni?" Prince Hall asked.

"Perhaps...if we already weren't working to erase the minds of every hostage who survived the spell of Belial's Brood."

Prince Hall covered half of his face with one hand. Melissa took that opportunity to speak, "There are benefits to keeping her alive." when he looked at her she continued, "Kirstin knows how the police department operates. She knows the layout of the building. She knows the whereabouts of her partner so we can keep tabs on him."

"But what she can provide, she lacks understanding of who she is and lacks a sire." he caught Sakeena in the corner of his eyes. Staring at her, he noted the light reflecting off the tears forming, "Your servant, she was this woman's lover?"

Sakeena's mouth dropped, inhaling a deep breath as she tried to calm her heart as it sped up. "Yes," Melissa spoke, "But even if that wasn't the case, Kirstin is a valuable resource. Without her, we lose all ties to what the police know about the hospital and what they might find out if they continue."

"it's still too soon to say how this mess threatens the Masquerade your Majesty." Amos said.

Prince Hall's eyes shifted from his Sheriff, to Melissa, to Dominic, and then back to Kirstin. The longer the silence, the more Sakeena's body tensed up, the only living one in the room. The Prince ascended the steps to his desk and turned back to Melissa, "It was you who nearly violated the Masquerade when she caught your Priscus. I remember at that point, you assured me that something like this wouldn't happen."

Melissa felt her jaw clench, the sneer on the Prince's face conjured the impulse to run, to avoid his wrath. Instead, she nodded, "I accept that this was my failure your Grace. We needed her to track them down, I didn't anticipate in the chaos that we would lose her."

"Indeed." The Prince stared back at Kirstin, "In order to raise a childe, it requires time and patience. It is true, she could prove valuable to us...for now. In the meant time, she will need someone to watch her, teach her how to hunt. Since she has no sire, I think Priscus Watkins you will be a fine substitute until we can identify what family she belongs to."

Amos' eyebrow raised, Melissa remained stoic. Dominic is the one who stepped forward, "And what will this say to the Domain if Priscus Watkins is giving another task in response to this failure?"

"This is not a reward Lord Yemeni." Prince Hal's eyes widened as he stepped toward Dominic, "I imagine this will be more trouble for the Priscus than she wants. And it will also be known, that if the detective fails to learn on her own, " he turned to Amos, "I'll see to it that both she and Priscus Watkins meet their Final Deaths."

Sakeena watched Dominic's face remain stone, his dark eyes looking back at the Prince's. a slight dip in his chin was the only sign of his acknowledgement. As the only living being in the room, the psychologist silently said a prayer asking for strength to contain the emotions that the undead no longer felt.

"Sheriff, if you'll be so kind. I have more pressing matters to attend to." he returned towards his desk.

"Ahm gonna need y'all to help me keep her down if'n she tries to run." Amos said as he knelt down. Melissa and Dominic joined him, both of them pinning her arms down. Amos gripped the base of the stake and pulled it free.

Blood and rage erupted as Kirstin arched her back, twisting and pulling against the three vampires keeping her down. Sakeena kept her hands to her chest, repeating her prayer as she watched Kirstin bare her fangs. Amos pressed his hand down on her forehead and forced eye contact. His eyes flickered and and his nostrils flared. Sakeena swore that she heard a growl. Kirstin remained fixated on Amos, letting out one more roar before relaxing her body, shoulders resting flat on the ground. Her eyes blinked and she looked around the room.

"Wh-where am I?"

Melissa an Dominic scooped their arms under Kirstin's and pulled her to her feet. She looked down and noted the large bleeding hole in her chest. 'Oh my god!"

"Shhh Kirstin it's okay." Melissa said, "You're with us now."

"What happened to me?"

"Need ya to calm down youngin." Amos said, "Look forward."

Kirstin looked up and gasped at the sight of Prince Hall standing in front of her. His face contorted in a way that expressed disgust, yet there was a stillness in his body. His eyes were large, like the sunken holes of a skull.

"You stand before Prince Michael Hall, of the Nosferatu clan and Myrmidon of the Carthian Movement. " Dominic announced. "Bow in respect to the Prince of this domain."

Kirstin did as she was told, still trying to process words she did not understand. Prince, Nosferatu, Carthian. "Kirstin Delaney." the Prince spoke, his voice louder than it had been speaking to his subjects. "You have been brought to the Court today, embraced without my permission by Belial's Brood. This violates the laws of the domain, the only punishment is destruction."

Kirstin's eyes widened as the last word resonated. Destruction meant death. She knew she was scared, she should be scared but she did not feel scared. She did not sweat, she was not trembling, she didn't even feel her heartbeat rise, in fact, she didn't feel it at all. She looked down at her wound, noting the hole in her chest and the fact that despite feeling the pain, she wasn't in shock. "I'm...dead?" she looked to Sakeena, watching her wipe her eyes.

"You are undead, childe." Prince Hall said, "Damned. A monster. A monster without a sire."

"Sire?" Kirstin.

"Speak only when asked." Dominic said.

"Yes, a sire, the one who embraced you."

Amos held up the ash covered skull of Kirstin's creator. "White fella, tall, handsome, ring a bell?"

Kirstin nodded, "H-he forced me to strip and th-then he told me to swallow it."

"He served his crime." Prince Hall said, "The question is why I should let you walk in my domain?"

"I-I don't know..." Kirstin couldn't concentrate, she couldn't feel but her thoughts spiraled. She fell to her knees and wept, "I'm dead."

"She ain't gonna be able to answer fer a while yer Grace." Amos said, "What would you like to do?" he had a hand in his pocket, inside, Kirstin's fate.

Prince Hall watched Kirstin weep, every second hearing her wail only further angering him. He looked from Melissa to Dominic and then back to Amos. "Priscus Watkins. It is clear Ms. Delaney is in shock. Therefore, she is incapable of understanding any decree I make in this moment. Court will be held in one week. She will have this time to learn of who she is and to prove to me why she is worthy to stay within this domain."

Melissa closed her eyes, taking a few moments to silently recite her own prayer before nodding, "Yes your Grace. I will be sure she understands your laws before Court. Thank you for your mercy."

"Don't thank me yet." he turned away from Kirstin, "Assuming she does prove herself worthy, she is childe until her Family can be identified. That means she is expected to learn how to survive on her own and understand the laws" he then eyed Amos, "Is that understood?"

"Yes your Majesty." Amos lifted his hand out of his pocket. "Ah'll inform the Prisci an the covenant leaders."

"That's enough excitement for tonight. Lord Yemeni, be sure to keep me updated with the hospital. I will see what else our prisoner knows. I know there are more Brood members and the sooner we find them, the sooner we set an example." Prince Hall sat back in his chair and turned away from them, "You are all dismissed."

Sakeena ran to Kirstin and helped her to her feet. "I'm so sorry baby." she whispered.

"Easy there." Amos said as he removed his coat to cover Kirstin, "Ah'd save the sorries until after Court." Kirstin couldn't speak, the words of the man who gave her seven days repeated in her head. Was she dead? Was she alive? If she wasn't, why was she walking and why didn't it seem like it mattered if she could be dead again in a week? What disturbed her most, was what death for vampires felt like?