Empress Makeda of Kush

"I will make you pay for abandoning me, my former love," Bilain said, and with that, she retreated to the shadows. Bilain thought of all the twists and turns that her life, well, her existence, had taken since she became one of the Undead. Bilain, while new to the game, and unaware of the facts of Vampire existence, she created quite a few fledgling Vampires. Bilain's growing horde of Vampires looked to her for leadership, and she wanted to give them the world. A world of Vampires, with herself as their Empress. Soon, very soon, Bilain would destroy Empress Makeda's world...

"I love your kingdom, my Empress, Napata is so beautiful," Feven said, walking by Empress Makeda's side through the streets of Napata. The people hadn't seen their fearless leader step outside the Kher in quite some time, and although the Vampire attacks on ordinary citizens had decreased, many still quivered in fear at nightfall. For the Empress to walk the streets, with her Imperial Guard, and a few chosen members of the Kushite military, at night, well, that would go a long way toward reassuring the people...

"Glad you like it, I was born in Napata, and I cherish this place like no other," Empress Makeda replied, and she clasped Feven's hand in hers, and the young woman smiled adoringly at her. In the few months since Feven first came to Napata, Empress Makeda's life had changed. The beautiful young woman from Meroe amazed her, and not just because of her beauty, intelligence and candor...

Empress Makeda was amazed by Feven's fighting prowess, the young woman from Meroe was a natural when it came to hunting down and eliminating the Undead. The blood drinkers were spreading across Kush and the rest of Africa, but thanks to Feven, the people were finally making some headway against them.

Feven taught the Kushite Imperial Guard how to use silver, and garlic, against the Vampires. They were finally turning the tide, it would seem. Working with the Kushite military, and trained by Feven and the Imperial Guard, an elite cadre of warriors called the Hunters had been commissioned by Empress Makeda to hunt down and slaughter Vampires...

"Let's show the people of Napata, and all of Kush, that there is nothing to fear, and that the Vampires are just another threat to eliminate," Feven said cheerfully, and Empress Makeda smiled, marveling at her lover's beauty and boldness. As the royal procession walked the streets, thousands of Napata's citizens cheered them on. Unfortunately, these ordinary men and women weren't the only ones paying close attention to the procession...

"So good of the rats to leave their nest and venture into the cat's territory," Bilain the Vampire said to herself, as she stood on a rooftop, gazing at the royal procession on the street below. Beside her stood a tall, burly Kushite named Salbek, and a tall, lovely Kemet woman named Nadia. They were her lieutenants, the leaders of her growing army of Vampires, now several hundred strong. Many of her Undead foot soldiers had been eliminated by the Kushite hunters, but many more remained...

"Let's get them," Nadia the Kemet Vampire said, and Bilain looked at the curvy, bronze-skinned and dark-haired young woman whom she abducted from Louxor, one of Kemet's most beautiful cities, and forcibly turned into one of the Undead. Bilain smiled and kissed Nadia, embracing her lover and lieutenant before what was to be their final battle. Nadia smiled at her lover/maker, and then nodded at Salbek, who brandished his massive battle-axe, grim-faced and ready.

"As you wish, my lady," Salbek said, and with that, the burly Kushite Vampire bellowed, a cry echoed by the hundreds of Vampires gathered on nearby rooftops. As one, they leapt from the rooftops and landed on the streets below. They struck hard and fast at the crowd of on-lookers, ordinary men and women who came out of their houses to celebrate the Empress of Kush's return to glory. The Vampires fell upon them, fangs bared and claws at the ready, their crimson eyes reflecting only hunger and hatred, zero mercy...

Bilain watched as Salbek and Nadia led the Vampires against the humans. Only after the melee began did she carefully leap from the roof. Bilain saw a trio of Vampires clashing with a couple of burly, well-armed hunters, members of Empress Kameda's special cadre of hunters. One of the hunters struck out with his sword, decapitating a young Kushite woman whom Bilain herself turned into one of the Undead. Enraged, Bilain leapt at the hunter and easily broke his neck, and then she ripped the other man's lungs...

"This is how you slay the human vermin," Bilain said to the approaching Vampires, tossing them the decapitated head of a hunter, and they nodded in agreement. Bilain noticed the Kushite Imperial Guard forming a protective circle around Empress Makeda and her lover, Feven somebody, and smiled wickedly. Bilain raced toward them, and a group of prowlers, some twenty Vampires strong, dutifully followed her.

"You should leave, my love, this place isn't safe," Feven said, and she stepped protectively before Empress Makeda, sword at the ready. The Kushite Imperial Guard surrounded them, and beyond them, a large band of Vampires was amassing. All around them, everyone was fleeing in sheer panic. True to their training, the men and women of the Kushite Imperial Guard protected their Empress, using their silver-enhanced swords and spears to keep the hungry Vampires at bay...

"Feven, my dear, I've never run from a battle, and tonight I'm fighting for you, and for our City of Napata, the Kush Empire, and all of humanity, now, let's show these Vampires what the people of Africa can do," Empress Makeda replied haughtily. The Empress of Kush held a shield in one hand and a silver-tipped spear in the other. Feven looked at the beautiful warrior-woman who stood beside her, and smiled. Feven resisted the urge to kiss her darling Makeda. There'd be time for that later, hopefully...

"Oh, isn't that sweet? Empress Makeda, the Whore of Kush, is ready to die with her new pet," came a voice, and upon hearing it, Empress Makeda tensed. Bilain stepped forward, flanked by a massive horde of Vampires. Feven and Empress Makeda exchanged a worried look, and then, along with every member of the Kushite Imperial Guard, they readied their weapons, to face the ultimate evil...

"Bitch, you insult my woman, I will make you regret it," Feven said challengingly, and Bilain the Vampire looked at her and smiled, licking her fangs with her wickedly long tongue. As Feven stepped forward to face Bilain, Empress Makeda laid a restraining hand on her shoulder. The Empress of Kush looked at her darling lover, and intense worry shone on her beautiful face...

"Don't do this, Feven, Bilain is the worst of these monsters, I don't want her to kill you," Empress Makeda said, and Feven shook her head. Sword at the ready, Feven glared at Bilain, and saw malice and hunger in the monster's eyes. The beautiful woman that Bilain had been and still appeared to be was nothing more than a monster, and Feven wondered how her darling Makeda could have loved something like that...

"I'm not afraid of this monster, my love," Feven said, and she tenderly touched Empress Makeda's face, and then kissed her on the lips. Upon seeing this, Bilain hissed, but said nothing. As Feven continued to advance, several Vampires made their way toward her. They seemed ready to attack, but Bilain raised her hand in the air, stopping them cold. Like the Vampires, the Kushite Imperial Guardswomen and men watched as the Huntress and the Vampire Queen advanced toward each other...

"Feven, I'm going to kill you and make this bitch Makeda watch," Bilain said, and with that, the Queen of the Vampires launched herself at the champion of the Kushite Empire. Howling with fury, fangs bared, claws exchanged, eyes blazing with hatred, Bilain came for Feven. The young woman held her sword in one hand, and taunted the Undead monster with the other...

"Come and die, monster," Feven said challengingly, and Bilain leapt at her, eager to tear her to pieces and feast on her blood. The Vampires cheered as Bilain grabbed Feven and threw her in the air. Although surprised, the Huntress was nevertheless saved by her cat-like agility, flipping through the air and landing harmlessly on her feet. Bilain blinked in surprise, and then came at Feven again...

"Feven, you're only human, your flesh will tire, and I will take you down and feast on your blood, I'll make Makeda watch you die, and then I will slay her and convert all the people of Kush into Vampires," Bilain taunted, licking her lips. Claws extended, she came at Feven again, and this time, the Huntress was ready. She lashed out with her sword, and only Bilain's superhuman reflexes prevented her from actually getting decapitated...

"I've fought men and women, people of all hues, and monsters like you, they always underestimate me, to their great misfortune," Feven said, and an enraged Bilain came at her, full throttle, a maelstrom of inhuman rage and power. The Vampire queen struck the warrior woman in the ribs, sending her flying. Feven dropped her sword, and a collective gasp arose from the Kushite Imperial Guard. Bilain allowed herself a smile as she came for Feven, and caught the young woman by the throat...

"Die, filthy human," Bilain said, as she stood over the fallen Feven, and pressed her bare foot against her throat. Feven gasped, unable to breathe. The Vampire queen's foot felt heavier than ten bricks. Try as she might, she could barely move. Bilain laughed, and turned to look at Empress Makeda. The ruler of the Kushite Empire shook her head pleadingly, distraught over her lover's fate, causing the victorious Bilain to laugh some more...

"You first," Feven replied, and with that, the young woman pulled a silver blade out of her hip holster, and threw it straight at Bilain. The Vampire queen was still laughing when the silver blade thudded into her forehead with a meaty smack. The Vampire queen howled in pain and rage, and then exploded into a cloud of dust. Moments later, the same fate befell every vampire that she had created, including her trusty Undead lieutenants, Salbek and Nadia.

"My love," Empress Makeda cried, and she ran to her fallen lover, heedless of the warnings of the Kushite Imperial Guards. Feven smiled as Makeda cradled her in her arms and gently kissed her. Feven tenderly stroked Makeda's lovely face, and then kissed her passionately. The Empress helped the Huntress to her feet, and the two women stood together, facing the very relieved Kushite Imperial Guards. At last, the Empress was safe, and the monsters were gone...