Daughters of the Moon Pt. 12

"Thanks. But it feels like it was. And I don't want you to feel like that."

"I will not hurt any of my people to feed myself."

"You won't. I'll make sure the blood is from the stock we brought with us. It's collected once a month back in Cambria and people give just a little, grumble and get back to work. We don't take enough to even inconvenience them."

Siobhan looked at Sara, who was giving her an encouraging look and realized she was pretty. She looked a little like Gwen, with a wide generous mouth and a full figure. Her dress was low cut and the tops of her breasts were warm and inviting. As Siobhan looked at her she felt a surge of desire. She had spent her entire life suppressing her desires, her admiration for the beautiful women of her clan, but her wants were different now. Hunger was laced through them. Looking at the beautiful servant sent sharp pain shooting through her stomach even as heat blossomed between her legs. She had the sudden urge to bite those breasts. Sink her fangs into them and suck the warmth out. It was easy to ignore for now, she was used to ignoring her needs and had traveled miles on no rations while training with the daughters, but she knew it was only going to get worse.

"Alright... alright. Gods forgive me."

Gwen handed her the goblet. Siobhan stared down at the warm blood within it, she let herself breathe in and the smell hit her again, then she brought it to her lips and drank. The taste hit her and it was incredible. It warmed her as it went down her throat and filled her with a mellow sense of satisfaction. It was her uncle's hard cider and a perfect, fresh meat pie all in a bottle. And she knew it would be that good every time. It would never get old or repetitive. Siobhan had been trained as a soldier and had been at war, she was used to surviving on hardtack, jerky, and dried fruit. But for the rest of her life, which could last until the Leveler blotted out the sun, every meal would be a feast. Her hand tightened on the goblet, she felt the strength the blood had given her flow and she knew if this was a regular goblet she would have crushed it in her grip. In the back of her mind a thought rose, dark and silky; if this was what blood from a bottle was like, what was it like fresh from a neck?

Siobhan stared down at the empty goblet in her hand, asking herself once again why she had allowed this to happen.

"You okay?"

Siobhan looked up, Gwen was staring at her expectantly.

"I'm fine," said Siobhan.

"Oh good... it's just... usually fledgelings are a little more... expressive when they take their first drink."

Siobhn thought about it.

"It was very good."

"And that scares you?"

Siobhan sucked in her lips and looked down.

"It'll be okay."

Siobhan looked back up at Gwen "You keep saying that. Will it really?

"Yes! Yes! I swear we'll figure this out."

Gwen looked so earnest that Siobhan actually believed it, at least a little, and she allowed herself to smile and nod.

"Alright. I do feel better. Thank you. What happens now?"

"I thought we could start looking for your girl."

Siobhan but her lip, trying not to hope too much, "We can just start doing that?"

Gwen shrugged, "Sure, we're going to start retreating in a few days but we have some time right now. We're at the point in the campaign where we all just sit around and wait. I'm sure grandma... Sophia has work for me but nothing I can't blow off."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

"You really think we'll find her?"

"With how insane the last two days have been. I'm sure of it."

Siobhan had to agree. She was sure the hand of the gods was on them now, and the gods loved nothing more than drama

"You said she was with the daughters?" asked Gwen.

Siobhan nodded

"Okay... okay. I know you're not the only daughter of Morgen we captured. We can start asking around the camp to see if anyone else has her. What's she like?"

"Her name is Lucy," said Siobhan, "She's short. Just a tiny little thing. With dark curly hair."

Siobhan smiled, "She's very fierce. I'm sure whoever is trying to hold her has their hands full."

Then Siobhan noticed Gwen had gone completely, utterly still, like Sophia had when she had realized she had been manipulated by Adrian. Siobhan guessed this was a sign of deep shock for a vampire.

"Your love's name is Lucy?" asked Gwen. Her voice was flat but there was deep tension just beneath the surface.

"Yes?"

"Did she... was she from Tamlin?"

"Yes. Yes, she fled here after the city fell to you."

"Did she have a sister named Carla?"

"Yes. How did you..."

"Carla is my childe."

It was Siobhan's turn to freeze, shock running through her. It had to be a coincidence but she already knew it wasn't. The gods had one more trick to play on them.

"You... you were the beautiful vampire. The one that tried to take Lucy, that Carla fought."

Gwen's eyes were huge. She nodded slowly.

They spoke as one.

"We need to find Lucy."