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Valen, part two


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#1 Arcalian

Posted 29 December 2006 - 01:24 AM

Meredath led Valen to the Graveyard District. Valen was unwilling, but her body would not obey her. She knew she was under some form of mental control and it terrified her.

She had been to the graveyards twice before in her life; once on the run from the guards and once on a tryst with a brutish young half-orc she had briefly taken as lover. (For Valen, looks literally meant nothing in relationships, it was all about enthusiasm. Which the half-orc had in spades.)

As Meredath led her into what seemed a mausoleum, Valen let out the first whimper of fear of her adult life, and hated herself for doing it.

As they walked down a long, sloping candle-lit tunnel, Meredath turned and favored her with a fanged grin. "Do not fear, mortal. If my Mistress wanted you dead, it would have already happened. This is truly an opportunity for you."

Meredath led Valen into a well lit chamber with golden floor tiles and blue painted walls. Several sarcophagi lined the walls. The place seemed ancient beyond ancient; age after age hung in the air here. Valen had never had any interest in history, but she could feel the weight of it in these musty chambers.

A woman sat on the table itself, swinging her feet nonchalantly. She wore a black outfit so flimsy and revealing that even a courtesan would only wear it in private. Yet even before the woman spoke, Valen knew that she was no servant, but the true power here. The woman's hair was as black as Valen's own and her eyes glowed violet, presumably marking her as a powerful creature of whatever kind of monster she was. Her face was as pale as Meredath's, if not more so.

Looking into that face, Valen felt a sort of dim and distant kinship. Not that there was any blood tie with this foul monster, but the wry, smug countenance of the woman struck a chord in Valen. Though she would not have dared say so aloud, some things about this woman reminded Valen of herself. Perhaps that was why she was being given the "opportunity" that Meredath had implied, whatever that was.

"That will be all, Meredath," the woman said dismissively.

Meredath hissed, but bowed and departed. Valen suddenly found herself in control of her own body again. For a brief moment she considered running, but knew she had no chance. These powerful creatures could run her down in seconds, or their gaze alone could root her to the spot.

"Do you know what we are, human?" The woman asked. Her voice was softer than the curt tone she had used with Meredath. Not kind, but silken and inviting. Almost seductive.

"N-no," Valen said. She found it difficult to speak, as both her mouth and throat had gone dry. "I know you are powerful undead, but I never....uh....studied." She let forth a hoarse bark of nervous laughter, then cupped her mouth in horror, sure she would be killed for it. Part of her mind was damning her fear and childishness.

The woman seemed to read all of this in Valen's expression, or perhaps she could read Valen's thoughts. She smiled widely, showing the same fangs as Meredath had. "We are the noble rulers of undead, mortal. The ancient texts called us Wamphiris; that translates to modern tounge as vampire. There are other powerful undead, to be sure; the liches, the death knights. But only we have unlimited potential for growth in power, and only we retain our beauty."

"Beauty isn't important to me," Valen said, then shut her mouth before she said something else that might get her killed.

The woman raised both eyebrows in surprise; but seemed amused rather than angry. "Perhaps that is because you have never given thought to appreciating it," she said. She slipped off the table and stood. "I am Bhodi, the Mistress of this Family of Vampires. I have watched you for a time through my servants, such as Meredath; and I beleive you may be useful to me. I have chosen you to serve me."

"You....wish me to become one of your kind?" Part of Valen was horrified of becoming like this digusting undead wench; and part of her was excited and thrilled. She had no love for humanity, and to become a being of great power that humans would fear suited her just fine; it just seemed that these vampries were so foul, living in graves and all that.

"Perhaps, eventually," said Bhodi. "But you would have to prove yourself worthy to me first, and is it happens I have some tasks I need a mortal servant to perform. You have worked for the Shadow Thieves before, on occasion, have you not?"

The change of subject puzzled Valen, but she nodded. "Yes, it is so. Uh, I mean yes....Mistress."

Bhodi nodded approvingly, smiling. "You will work for them again, or at least it will seem so. You shall infiltrate them for me, and operate as a spy for me amongst their ranks. You have, no doubt, heard that the Shadow Thieves are at war with a rival guild? That guild is mine, and I pull it's strings. Eventually, the Shadow Thieves will fall before me, and come to understand what truly dwells in the shadows. Your work for me will be part of this effort."

"So you're the one they're fighting," Valen marveled. "It explains much. They fear you....Mistress." This time she said it with more confidence, and certainty. Meredath had not lied. Opportunity, indeed!

"As well they should," Bhodi agreed. "They need all the rogues they can get. One of mine shall reccomend you to them. He is a useful rogue, but a coward. Tizzak is his name. They do not yet know of his treachery, and he shall embed you amonst their ranks."

"As a thief? Not to oppose your will, Mistress, but I am an enforcer. I have no skill at lock-picking and so forth."

Bhodi nodded. "Tizzak will see to your retraining in those areas. As I said, he is a coward. You are not; and therefore you shall do for me what he cannot. You shall meet him tomorrow."

"It shall be as you say, Mistress," Valen said, and bowed to Bhodi as Meredath had done. "I er...presume I should return to the Copper Coronet, now?"

Bhodi laughed. "Oh no, human. You shall stay here, tonight. And I shall mark you as mine."

Now Valen felt a thrill of fear, but she was, as Bhodi had pointed out herself, no coward. "How do I prove my allegiance?"

"You do not 'prove' it, my sensible young mortal," Bhodi purred. "I take it from you." Bhodi's violet eyes locked on her own, and Valen felt her body succumb to vampiric control once more. "Do not fear. This shall be pleasant, not painful. Remove your armor."

Valen did so, hands trembling with fear....but also with excitement.

"That is good. Now come to me...."

Valen walked to her Mistress, and tried to bow again, but the will of Bhodi, blazing into her mind from the vampire's eyes, would not permit it.

"Oh no, young one. Merely stand, and do not be afraid."

Bhodi sunk her fangs into Valen's shoulder. She shuddered and moaned, but did not even attempt to resist as the vampire fed.

Valen realized with a sort of dim horror that Bhodi was drinking her blood. "Mistress....I am no good to you dead...."

Bhodi raised her head and smiled a bloody grin. "I told you to have no fear. I shall not take it all. Not even half. Relax and enjoy the experience." She lowered her head and sunk her fangs into Valen's shoulder again.

The vampire's control left Valen's mind, and she found it was true; the exprience was pleasurable, after all.

"Mistress..." she couldn't finish. Bhodi chuckled into her shoulder even as she drank.

Valen's hands came up and tentatively embraced the vampire. Bhodi's own cold arms wrapped around her in turn.

After a few minutes--though to Valen it seemed like hours--Bhodi lifted her head, and licked the wounds her fangs had made. They closed, like magic. Perhaps it was a form of magic.

"Go now," Bhodi said. "Fetch will see you to your quarters. Eat the food prepared for you before you sleep, so that you may recover faster."

"Yes....Mistress..." Valen said groggily. Warm hands, human hands, led her away.

She was dazed, and she was woozy, and her vision was a gray blur. But she felt no fear now.

She had found purpose, power, and a future.

She had become a true servant of Darkness; and Valen found she was just fine with that.
The road to the abyss may be paved with good intentions, but it is those with bad intentions that race down that road as fast as they can.

#2 Guest_Ananke_*

Posted 29 December 2006 - 08:44 PM

Ah. So the uber-vampiress is introduced, and the tough woman finds herself a reason to be afraid and a purpose to exist. Cool. Although I'm not sure how wise it was for Bodhi (or Bhodi?) to drink of her... The Thieves might be checking for the scars, mightn't they?

I liked this chapter, and the no-nonsense Lady B most of all. :wink:

#3 Guest_Futurist_*

Posted 31 December 2006 - 11:21 PM

I think she will take to her new calling. It will be interesting to see how things go for our Valen.




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