The Dawn of Wynter Ch. 02

PUBLIC BETA

Note: You can change font size, font face, and turn on dark mode by clicking the "A" icon tab in the Story Info Box.

You can temporarily switch back to a Classic Literotica® experience during our ongoing public Beta testing. Please consider leaving feedback on issues you experience or suggest improvements.

Click here
elle137
elle137
147 Followers

"Zara, I just snuck up on you...you're an ancient fucking vampire, that's unheard of. What's got you so occupied this past week? You've not been yourself, mia carissima sorella."

She sighed, turning to face him. His face was worried. She hated seeing a frown on his usual joyful features, he was meant to always be laughing. His hazel eyes bored into hers. His naturally pouty lips were pressed into a firm line. His long, straight nose flared, clearly scenting her discontent. The long light brown hair of his fell slightly into his face. He loomed over her, his massive body clearly blocking her from trying to avoid his gaze and questions. Stéfane was her brother. It didn't matter that they weren't originally related by blood, he had become her brother the day Kai had saved him from death. She trusted him as her own family.

"How long have you known Philippe, Stéfane?" she finally asked.

"I'd say about a little under a century, eighty years? Why?" he replied, unsure where this conversation was going.

"How come I'm only just meeting him now?"

"Zara, you've been gone for more than half those years, barely stopping by for a few days to check up on us. We've met a lot of people and done a lot of things in that time. He happens to be the European member of the Vyrkaryan, a man like that is a man to be respected. What's got you so spooked about him? Your brother trusts him implicitly, as do I."

Her mind began whirling as she thought on what she already knew of Vyrkaryan politics. The vampire world ran similar to the human world; it had a type of government. It had a unique regime set up; each country had a senate, with the exception of Europe, as it ran as one entity. Each senate had six high ranking members from the vampire world, each bringing something to benefit the collective group. One member brought his or her age, which came with protection, meaning they would be the eldest within the group, hence the name The Elder. The second, The Assimilo, would hold the most power and influence in the human world. They integrated themselves, feigning humanity in order to ensure their identity was always kept secret.

The third member, the Dictoris de Veritatis, was essentially a lie detector. To ensure honesty at all times, there had to be one to enforce such a rule. Vampires were unique in that when one sired another, they would transfer part of their genetics through the bite, in effect passing on any abilities they might possess, albeit slightly altered, as each person was unique. The main power was always prevalent. This was how they always ensured a 'lie detector'. Once one was elected into Senate, they would immediately sire a youngling, passing on their ability and mentor them to take their position should the need arise in the future. Zara was the only vampire she knew who did not pass along any of her unique genetics, as her brother did not possess the qualities she did. Suffice it to say, she would never be a part of Senate.

The last three members, she remembered, were two enforcers, called Lex Coercitor, who carried out any penalties and punishments, though they were seldom used as vampires knew the consequences of most infractions was death. The final member was The Auctor, a transcriber, the historian of the group so to speak, keeping records up to date. These six vampires reported to the Vyrkaryan, a higher tier of vampires, who had the final say on all decisions concerning their kind. Each Vyrkaryan was assigned one of twelve sectors, or regions they had outlined, and he or she worked with the corresponding Senates of the countries which fell in that sector. Vyrkaryan meant you had wealth, power and had walked the earth for countless millennia. The word itself was as ancient as them loosely translated as The Dark Ones. It wasn't because they were evil, although they did have a dark history, they were dark in the sense they were very secretive and their society was heavily guarded from outsiders.

"Philippe is a Vyrkaryan?" she asked astonished, "What is Kai doing working with him?"

"I didn't want to be the one to tell you, but Kai was asked to join their council. While he is an ancient, he would still be the youngest amongst them, quite an honour. Philippe is mentoring him."

She looked at him in complete shock. Her brother was joining a group of the most lethal vampires in the world? A group veiled in secrecy? "Is this why he asked me to come back Stéfane?"

"Yes," he sighed, "He has always wanted your approval Zara, this means a lot to him. It's a great honour, even more so that Philippe is counseling him." Zara's mind was reeling, a million and one questions wanted to spill from her lips.

"If Philippe is the head of the European sector, why is he here in North America?"

"They rotate positions every few hundred years, it allows them to see how things work in each area. Philippe chose San Francisco because-"

"Because I grew tired of my French companions. Really, they do become pompous pigs after a few centuries," Philippe said as he strode into the kitchen, an air of nonchalance.

His scent filled the kitchen, and Zara tried her best not to inhale the intoxicating smell. She turned away from him, choosing not to acknowledge his presence. Stéfane laughed at Philippe's dig about his own people.

She sighed and projected to Stéfane, We are not done discussing Kailan, he should have told me sooner... but I suppose you're right, I'm being silly. Kai would never ask him to stay here if he didn't trust him. I was a little overwhelmed the other night that's all; I guess it has clouded my thoughts since. She smiled reassuringly at him. She was glad for that one ability, to communicate mentally with anyone, regardless if they shared blood or not.

He smiled warmly at her, his face all the more beautiful for it. He pulled her into a tight bear hug, that she was sure would have broken every bone in her body had she still been human.

"You need to learn to lighten up Wynters, or you'll die of stress," he joked, planting a kiss on top of her head, "I see you've decided to end you're silly experiment," he continued tugging on a lock of her now deep burgundy hair.

She pushed him playfully, rolling her eyes, laughing at how he instantly made her feel better.

"So, uh, how're things down there," she countered, gesturing to his crotch, laughing when his face darkened in a scowl and drawing a chuckle from Philippe as he prepared a coffee, before he quietly said, "Ah...yes, that is a memory I will never forget...unfortunately," he sighed rather theatrically, shaking his head lightly.

"You and Toni are so going to pay for that one. I'm a patient one Zizi, fifty years down the line, you won't know what hit you," he grinned, cocking his eyebrows mischievously.

Zara had to hold onto the countertop she was laughing so hard, the image of them looking so shocked still playing in her head. "You have to admit, it was the best comeback yet!" she gasped in between breaths. The look on Stéfane's face said he didn't agree one bit.

"Will you let it go already?" Kai growled as he strode in the kitchen.

His sour mood only caused Zara and Stéfane to laugh even harder. He snarled at them both, "The fact that you are the last living member of my family is what is keeping your pretty little head on your shoulders, dear sister." She rolled her eyes at his dramatic statement, knowing it was an empty threat. He apparently hadn't forgiven her yet.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Zara mumbled under her breath, although she knew he could hear her. What had him in such a sour mood? She suddenly found the rather large kitchen a bit too crowded with the three men in it. She excused herself and made her way to the gym they kept fully equipped on the far side of the mansion, overlooking a cliff which dropped down to the ocean. She felt eyes on the back of her head until she turned the corner and out of sight from the kitchen.

She needed to digest the information Stéfane had just told her. She and Kai had a lot to discuss. They never kept anything from each other, most of the time. Joining this group of vampires would mean he would be hiding things from her the moment he was a member. Although it comforted her somewhat to know Philippe was his mentor. If Philippe was a Vyrkaryan, then he was an extremely powerful man, people would think twice about crossing him, as well as his friends. Maybe that explained his energy, she thought absentmindedly.

She needed to work off all the tension in her body, and she figured it was wise to not release that tension near anything breakable or in the form of her brother. She was still pissed at him for last week, and disappointed he hadn't confided in her sooner. She should have sensed it, even if she had only been back for two weeks. Just as she could project thoughts, she could read them, although she blocked as much as possible. Too many thoughts made her head feel as though it would split in two.

She made her way to the lockers they kept in the gym stored with clothes more suitable for working out. She changed into a pair of biker shorts and a tank top before walking across the room, scrutinizing the weapons that hung from the walls. There was a collection of hundreds of blades from all over the world, Sai, curved swords, and samurai swords to machetes hanging on the wall. Next to that collection were axes, clubs, picks, spears and bows. Underneath that wall, a collection of knives, daggers, throwing stars, chains and brass knuckles were set in a glass case. She knew there were guns in one of the cases, but she never cared for them. Across from her was an open training area, defined by thick mats laid on the floor. The rest of the room looked like a state of the art gym, with all the equipment you would need to fight in any style.

There were other vampires who lived on the grounds with Kai and herself. A few had been the ones to teach her various fighting styles when she was first turned. There were also Weres on the grounds, close friends of hers that she had come to consider family, although they came and went regularly. She always laughed at how humans portrayed them as eternal enemies. It could not be further from the truth. They had all learned from each other over the years. Even Antoinette had taught Zara how to hone some of her powers to use in combat. The gym had been used rigorously since they had acquired the home, not just by Zara and the mansion's occupants but also by younglings who had been sired and were required to learn strategic combat by their mates, usually close acquaintances of hers or Kai's. This was yet another place she came to lose herself. Fighting always took concentration; you could not be distracted by anything else other than your opponent, leaving little room to think about other things.

She had trained with many of the weapons in the room, but she found herself drawn to the Sai, her favourite next to the samurai sword. She unhooked them from the wall and twisted them experimentally in her hands, smiling at memories she thought long forgotten. She turned staring across the room where the iPod sat in its dock. She mentally nudged the play button and the sound of Muse instantly filled the room. She began twirling the thin needle shaped weapons in her hands, moving her body around the training area, catching her reflection in the wall-to-wall mirrors, her eyes looked wild, and her hair flowing behind her like a sail.

It was a dance for her, a dance filled with technical skill and precision. Her sensei had taught her the five kata, choreographed movements, typical in Sai training. In her search for answers, she had traveled to Japan, and remained there for a part of her life, marveling at the culture and people. Sensei Kaede had taken her under his wing, trained her for years as she mastered martial arts. In all her training she always came back to the Sai, watching her Sensei move with such elegance, knowing that elegance could quickly turn lethal.

She quickly fell back into the familiar movements, the knives spinning in her hands as she twirled and glided around the room, moving with the music. She didn't know how long she was there, it must have been hours, but she couldn't stop. Her body was soaked in sweat, the tension long gone, but she didn't want to stop. She had reached a peace within herself that she hadn't felt in a long time. It wasn't until the scent of cinnamon and spice hit her that she stopped mid turn and let the knives fly out of her hands, racing straight towards Philippe.

He moved quickly, catching them both, mid blade in each hand before they made contact with his broad chest, but they sliced his skin none the less. The moment the blood was drawn, his scent overwhelmed her, sending her blood lust into turmoil. She was breathing hard from the workout she just instilled on her body. She hadn't fed in months, not needing to. The scent of Philippe however had her heart racing faster than it already was; she felt it would beat out of her chest.

"Sorry," she whispered, trying hard not to breathe in anymore of his succulent smell or she would pounce on him.

"I suppose I should have known better, than to sneak up on a woman as lethal as you," he said smiling as he walked towards her. God, his accent was sexy. He handed her the knives back, and held up his hands, "There is no need to apologize." His hands had healed already, but the blood remained wet on his palms.

Sighing loudly, she turned from him, trying to clear her mind of the blood she craved so badly, steadying her breathing. He just stood there, teasing her with his life's essence, not even bothering to wipe it off. She strode over to the water fountain in the room, grabbing a towel on the way and wetting it. She was back in front of him in seconds. She took his hand in hers, studiously ignoring the feeling that ran down her body and warmed her to the core. Bending her head over his hands, she began wiping the blood from his palms, and he merely gazed at her curiously, his eyes burning into her skin, but she never looked up. She wiped his other hand before she threw the towel in the hamper by the door.

Finally, she looked up into his face. The usual arrogant mask he wore all week was gone, in its place a tenderness she never thought she would see from this man. His eyes expressed so much in once glance at her. She saw questions, wonder, and mostly desire. It was written all over his face. The intensity of which he stared at her had her heart skipping a beat. She took a step back, releasing the hand she was still holding.

"What are you doing in here, Philippe? Shouldn't you be busy teaching Kai how to become another power hungry asshole like yourself?"

He masked his emotions once more, although desire still burned in his eyes, "Your brother made his own choices, Zara, I am merely making the transition smoother for him. I'm not ashamed, and neither should he be, of wanting to climb higher in the ranks of our world. And to answer your question, I sought your company as your brother and Stéfane had some urgent business to attend to that did not involve me."

Sought my company? I don't want to be anywhere near you she screamed in her head. "Well, I'm a little busy..." she replied, waving her hands around the room.

"You're very skilled with those Zara," he remarked conversationally, as she picked the Sai back up and resumed her stance. Her back was turned to him, but she rolled her eyes anyways, he clearly did not get the hint. She heard him chuckle, and she realized he saw her reflection in the mirror. She should feel bad that he saw her rude gesture, but she didn't. The man was arrogant and forcing his company on her when she did not want it. He didn't leave though, which sparked her temper a bit, it was the second time he had interrupted her while trying to unwind. She chose to ignore him and continue where she had left off.

He merely watched her for a few minutes, before turning to the wall lined with weapons and lifting one of the samurai swords and weighing it in his hands, testing the grip on the handle before bringing it down in a wide arc. He attacked her without warning, but she saw him blur from the corner of her eye and ducked as he swung the sharp blade towards her. She flipped back onto her feet facing him, fury etched in her face.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she hissed, as he simply smiled back innocently, and she glared back in response, before a playful smile split across her face. A chance to kick his ass had finally presented itself, who was she to deny him that.

"You sure you know how to use that, Philippe? You may cut yourself."

She moved towards him with deadly speed and began attacking him, blow after blow, her arms flying in the air, as they danced around each other. The sound of metal on metal rang across the room, over and over again. He blocked each time, infuriating her even more. She did not like being denied. She lunged at him, but he blocked her once again, and he counterattacked his sword landing in between her crisscrossed sai. They stood there for a minute each pushing hard against the other, straining to gain ground. He pulled back a bit, lifting his leg and pushing his foot into her abdomen and shoving her so hard she fell on her back, and he came down on top of her, the sword gripped tight in his hand, resting horizontally across her neck.

"Why have you been hiding away all week, Zara?" he breathed, his face so close to hers, she could see the specks of gold in his eyes. It really was magnificent, his eyes were such a deep cerulean blue, but they held small flecks of gold. She had never seen eyes so beautiful. They were even more glorious when the gold flashed, she remembered.

She shook herself mentally, Jeez Zara get a grip! She told herself. They were breathing hard, her chest pressing against his, his lower body pressing her down into the mats. She did not like the intimacy of the position he had them in. She brought her knee up and managed to roll them over so she was now on top. In the process she knocked his sword arm to the side, bringing her knives to his neck.

"I have nothing to hide from, least of all you," she snarled back at him, and he merely laughed. He rolled her over his head as he sprang up, turning quickly to face her, already in an attacking stance.

"I don't know, ma belle, we haven't seen you all week. I know you were hiding. Did you think I didn't feel it too, the night we met? It was magnificent..."

She managed to hide her shock, but she just stood in front of him, trying to work out what to do or say to him. He made the decision for her with his next words.

"So, are you going to admit to hiding from me or not, ma belle Zara?" he asked his tone teasing.

"You really are asking for it aren't you?"

She moved so fast, he almost didn't have time to react. She was twisting in the air and her hand came down, slicing his upper arm. He hissed in pain. Silver tipped sai! The little witch he thought. He had moved a second too late, but he was sure she would have done more damage if he hadn't reacted at all.

"What's wrong Philippe? Getting tired already?"

He threw his head back as a booming laugh escaped him. She has fire within her, he thought. He had a feeling that fire didn't just stop in the fighting department. Without replying, he began their dance again, each one trying to best the other. She was extremely skilled and he found himself panting, and barely keeping up with her. The thought derailed him a bit, he was almost three times her age, yet she was keeping up with him as though they were equals.

He decided to take a risk and lower his sword just a bit leaving his chest unprotected, smiling when she fell for his trap. As she closed in to take advantage of his 'weakness', he quickly raised his sword and knocked both Sai from her hands with a swift flick while kicking his leg under her feet, sending her sprawling on her back. She let out a huff as she landed hard on the mats, slightly amazed he had tricked her. He was above her before she knew what was happening. His arms pinned hers above her head, she tried to wriggle free but his grip was like an iron clasp. She carried on however, their bodies rubbing against each other. She thought she felt a slight hardness pressed against her, the idea he was getting off on this angered her.

elle137
elle137
147 Followers