Lore: Upon The Heels of War

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:06 pm

As if the gods were playing some practical joke of there own at the very moment he said that lightening flashed in the sky and rain began to fall heavily outside. The flash of the lightening reflected off of her silver hair, her eyes sparkling in the night. She reached down and grabbed his hand. She tugged on it to try and get him to stand, smiling all the while.

She pulled Vlad with her out of the room and down the hall. She dragged him playfully down the steps to the first floor, and towards the back of the house. There she opened up the french doors to the patio and garden that was surrounded by a ten foot stone wall. She faced him as she pulled him outside into the rain. The clouds were slowly covering the moon up and it grew slightly darker, covered lanterns littered the garden adding a warm fire glow. An oak tree was growing in the middle of the garden.

"Here's your shower," she said, leaning in closer towards him, pressing her warm skin towards him as the water soaked into her silk nightgown. It went completely transparent.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:26 pm

Vlad grinned as Tenele dragged him out into the thunderstorm. Even through his clothes, he still felt every inch of her as she pressed against him. He drew an imperceptable breath as his body responded automatically. The sudden downpour washed through his hair, along his neck and down his back. His clothing hung slick against him, the cold shocking against the warmth of her skin. "My dear maiden girl," he breathed, "you seem to have soaked your gown."

Vlad looked down at her face and smirked, his strong hands carressing away from her shoulders, sliding down to her slick waist. His crimson eyes looked down at her, foggy with excitement, but his hands strayed no further.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:32 pm

Tenele smiled at him, playfully as she began to unbutton his clothing. "The rain seemed to have soaked through yours as well," she breathed, glancing back up at him as she opened his shirt. Her finger tips skimmed over his chest ever so lightly as the rain drops trickled down as well. She glanced up at him once again. This time leaning in and pressing herself completely against him as she rose up to stand on her tip-toes. Her lips centimeters away from him. She lightly brushed her lips against his before kissing him softly.

Lightening flashed, followed by thunder that shook the earth. Tenele jumped slightly, pulling away. She was startled for a moment but the closeness of the strike. She shrugged her shoulders together, lowering her head and making sure she wasn't about to be struck. This caused the straps of her gown to losen and fall from her shoulders. Though the wet fabric clung to her skin and went no further.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:41 pm

Vlad's instincts were flying by this point. Even when she flinched away to watch the lightning, he took hold of her shoulders and drew her in to him again. His mouth fell back on hers, pressing against her lips in exactly the right way. Taking slow breaths between kisses, his hands rose to her neck, stroking her collarbone and then sliding downward onto her chest. Her gown pushed down under his fingers, falling wetly to hang around her waist. Then his hands found what they were seeking, and his whole body throbbed with the sensation as he kissed her deeply.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:48 pm

Tenele kissed him back, her kisses growing more passionate. Her hands ran up his chest and over his shoulders. Her fingers grabbed the wet fabric and pulled the shirt down his back and off his arms until it fell to the ground, exposing his flesh.

The lightening flashed again, and the thunder shook the earth. This time she did not shy away. She moved slightly, startled still but not enough to tear her from Vlad's touch. She didn't mind the lightening, or the wind that suddenly began to blow. It added to the excitement of it all. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she slid her hands down his chest to unbuckle his belt.

The flash of lightening was bright, illuminating the sky as if it were magically daylight. She unbuckled and unfastened his pants, leaving it at that for the moment as she ran her fingers agonizingly soft up his chest and down his sides.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 11:03 pm

Queen Sinead tossed on her bed, unable to sleep. She kept thinking about her unwieldy vampiric servant and the incident that had happened earlier. Why would he react that way? It seemed so unlike him. Had something happened she didn't know about? It was odd; she almost felt like apologizing to him, but then that was what had gotten him so upset in the first place. Deciding to take a breath before battling against sleep again, she swung her legs over and slid out of bed, drawing a robe over her and walking out onto her verandah. From here, she could see her whole city. It reassured her to see how calm everything was. Tonight, though, she came out to see a storm raging over the town. It was difficult to see far; she could only make out the buildings closest to the castle. It occurred to her that Tenele was finally back again, and would be sleeping soundly in her own home for the first time in ages. Her eyes sought and spotted the small cottage where her maiden resided.

And noticed figures moving in the back yard. Squinting in the rain, she tried to make out what was going on, growing confused. After watcing a few moments, there was no mistaking what she saw happening. It made her stomach tighten protectively, but she forced herself to stay calm, wondering who in the world the young girl could be involved with so soon after arriving. Gods, surely she wasn't going to...taint herself. That would against her entire upbringing.

***

Vlad released a groan as Tenele played with his fly. His body curled over hers and he broke his kiss, running his mouth over her neck in a long, wet line. "Gods, woman, even my control has limits," he warned longingly, speaking against her skin.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 11:10 pm

She laughed softly and a single hand trailed from the middle of his chest down, lower, lower, and lower until it found exactly what she hoped would break his limits for good. She kissed his chest as she leaned into him. She had never wanted anyone more in her life. She had never loved anyone as she loved him. She didn't think it was possible, and she felt he would never understand. Maybe he would, one day...

"You never stike me as one with control," she said playfully as she kissed his chest for a long moment. "I thought you to be rebelious..."

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 11:26 pm

Vlad's body jerked slightly as her touch made his head swim. It was odd; sex didn't usually do this to him, not even at its best moments. He didn't just want her body, he wanted HER, he wanted to take her here in this garden and take in every part of her until someone dragged him out.

"VLAD!" Sinead's voice rung in his head like a bad hangover, jerking him out of his head and into reality. He fell back a step from Tenele, raising a hand to his head tightly.

"My Queen," he forced out, his voice still heavy and thick.

"Oh, Gods. It's not really you," Sinead said darkly into the mental link.

Vlad looked up toward the castle instinctively, spotting her with perfect accuracy up on her perch.

"Ever heard of privacy?" he demanded.

"Privacy? ENOUGH! HERE! NOW!" Sinead's rage burned into his brain. He looked back at Tenele with uncharacteristic indecision in his eyes. They held regret, and concern, and longing. He really didn't want to go...oh, hell. He bent down and grabbed his soaked shirt, wrapping it suddenly around her shoulders to cover her bareness.

"NOW!!!!"

Vlad winced, brushed his fingers against Tenele's face, and suddenly she was left standing alone in her yard, the rain pouring around her.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 11:36 pm

Tenele looked up at the palace and saw a figure up there. Her eyes were not as good as Vlad's and she could not tell who it was. However, he had responded with 'My Queen' and that could only mean one person. She hugged his shirt too her, rather emberassed to have been watched making out with a man she was told to stay away from.

She quickly ran back inside the shelter of her home. She closed the doors behind her. The room was pitch black, dark compared to the night outside. At first it didn't bother her. She pulled her soaked gown off since she found it uncomfortable to move with in wet. She then wrapped Vlad's shirt around and carried the soaked gown through the house, dripping water everywhere.

It was too quiet in her home. The wood floors creaked as she moved across them. The lightening flashed and illuminated the house. Now that Vlad wasn't here it felt as if there was someone else. Someone malicious in her house, though she knew she was the only one.

It was her first night alone in a house where so many bad things had happened. Where her maids had been slaughtered in there sleep. Where Adrian had tried to kill her. Where the werewolf and then the naked man that he really was charged her and tried to assault her. She stopped there in the forier leading to the stairs that led to the upper level of the house.

She stood there for a moment as the lightening flashed in three quick rounds. She spun around looking at the house, remmebering the things that had happened here and wondering why she even stayed now. The house was far to big for her now that she was alone, and only the Maids with families lived outside the palace walls. Maybe she should sell her home and live in the palace?

She decided that being cold and wet was beginning to aggrivate her, however she just knew that it was really because she and Vlad had come close again. She hated all these close calls, it only made her want him all the more. She wanted him more now than she had when she had drug him out into the rain. It aggrivated her that they seemed unable to complete anything they started. It aggrivated her even more that she was ordered not to get involved with him.

She quickly dried off and changed into warm dry clothes. For a while she just stared at the ceiling as she lied in bed wondering how horrible the interogation tomorrow would be. How much she would be punished for disobeying the orders of her Queen? It wasn't her fault she fell in love. Was she supposed to be punished for that?

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:51 pm

Vlad materialized in the center of Sinead's huge marble foyeur, shirtless and drenched, pants unfastened. Sinead was standing by the balcony, staring him down scornfully from across the candle-lit room. If he hadn't been undead, there would have been a fierce red tint beneath his complexion, but as things stood he just cast the queen a pale glare. The water on his body was making a slow puddle on the cold marble floor.

"Well, say something," Sinead snapped.

"What would you have me say?"

"You will address me with proper respect!" she commanded.

"What would you have me say about this issue, My Master." This time, Vlad held his gaze down as he spoke, head bowed before her.

"Start by explaining why you attempted to seduce one of my maidens, when I've specifically ordered you not to involve yourself with them."

Once again, Vlad was silent.

"Don't tell me that you love her? One of the lowly humans you look down upon so?" Sinead's voice was critical, but there was the faintest shred of doubt to it.

"I merely enjoy her."

"Of course not," Sinead snarled. "Lord Dracul, I am well and truly disgusted with you. I hereby withdraw all unlimitations on your powers. You will not meet or communicate with my maidens. You will remain in your quarters until I order you to leave."

Vlad fought a shudder as he felt the power in him seep away to wherever it went when it was locked from him. He loathed the queen's ability to limit his powers; it had been literally built into him when he was created as a no life king, and nothing he could do would change the fact of her control over him. His expression twisted with loathing, though he kept his eyes down.

"You seem unsatisfied with this. Do not forget that I am the one who has a right to be angry in this situation. Now go."

Vlad looked up at her squarely with a crazed grin. "Despite all my years of service, am I to be grounded for my personal affairs, my queen?" he snorted in amusement.

"Go, Vladimir. I am quite serious."

"As you command, Master." He bit into the last word. He dug into his power that should have teleported him away, and found nothing. Meeting her eyes for a long defiant moment, he turned and left through the door to make his way there on foot.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:10 am

OOC: Haha, if Vlad does the rescueing he has to do it the human way. Ahh... to live as a human, that should open his eyes to Tenele's world

IC:

In the dead of night a loan figure crossed the street towards a begger who was seated under an over hang. Soon after, three large figures crossed the street. The first one was smaller. Slowly a group of six filed around the small hunched begar.

"We are looking for a vampire by the name of Vladimir Dracul," the feminine voice said.

The begger took on a terrorfied expression. "He lives in the palace..."

"And a Queen's Maiden, Tenele Raider?" the woman asked.

"In a house along side the main street, close to the gate to the palace. It has the markings of a Queen's Maiden on the door..."

"Thank you," the woman said handing the begger two gold coins.

The group of people filed off trying not to look as if they were all together, however since there was no one on the streets it would be very hard to do that.

Soon the group of people filed at the front door to the two story house that was Tenele's.

"If the vampire thinks that he can take something that meaningful away from me, then we shall do the same... Look for a back entrance." the woman spoke coldly, then faded off into a series of coughs. "We're just sending a message tonight. Tomorrow night will be much harsher."

* * *

Tenele rolled over in her sleep, blinking her eyes open. It was still night. Would the night ever end? The rain was still falling hard and she rolled over on her side to watch it streak down the windows in the french doors.

She jumped with a start at the sound of something crashing. She smiled, wondering if Vlad had come back. She quickly through her silk robe on and ran out of the room and down the steps.

She entered her training room, the large empty marble floored room. The back door was open, a smirk came to her face and she walked towards it. She closed it gently, turning to walk further into the room to see where he was hiding. As she turned something hard and heavy struck her in the face. It sent her flying through her french doors and out onto the stone patio.

She gasped as the air was knocked from her lungs. The figure was large, towering over her. He wrapped his fingers in her wet hair and drug her back into the seclusion of her home.

There was a woman standing in the center of the room. She looked familiar and it didn't take long for Tenele to realize who it was. The sister to Cracker's.

"We're delivering a message to Vladimir... That he cannot do as he pleases and kill anyone he chooses. Tomorrow night he will lose something or someone dear to him. You might find it to be you... If you live through this night." the woman said, fading into coughs again.

Then a sharp pain hit her in the back of the head, everything went black.

She felt great heat when she came too again. It surrounded her on all sides. Her wrists were hurting from pressure, and she felt no floor under her feet. She opened her eyes to glance around, gasping through her nose as she saw fire all around. She looked up and saw that her hands were bound around a chandelier. She was hanging from the ceiling and her house was on fire. She was going to burn to death or die from suffication first.

The smoke was moving upwards towards the ceiling and she found it hard to breath. She screamed, but knew that no one would hear her since her mouth was gagged.

The rain did little to stop the fire as it broke through the windows and licked out the outside walls. The street glowed and lit up with a brilliance as the fire tore through her home.

Tenele choked as she sucked smoke in through her nose. She coughed, but couldn't breath. Her eyes widened in panic as the fire on the ceiling grew closer and closer. "No... I don't want to die like this," she thought as the blackness wanted to take her. She fought it, trying to keep her eyes open as it faded in the corners of her eyes.

The only thing she could think of was Vlad. But, her last thought was of her brother Talon. Then the blackness took her and she lost conciousness.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 7:34 am

CRASH The small wooden table that sat just inside Vlad's quarters flew across the room and splintered against the wall as the vampire kicked it. His powers may be gone, but his vampiric strength was not. He paced to the end of the room and back, and slammed his fist into the stone wall. His knuckles came away bleeding, but he didn't seem to notice. That damned queen...how dare she interfere. Why did it bother him so much? His powers would be returned to him as soon as Sinead had need of them. But it seemed like he'd just lost something of enormous importance. The emptiness of power in his blood made him feel a way he hadn't in a long, long time. He was vulnerable and trapped. Of course, he was still extremely strong...but that wouldn't do much good from here in the tower.

He glanced at the window as he heard the fire bells being rung down in the city. Stupid humans...he strayed to the window and glanced down, and saw the fire and smoke coming from where Tenele lived. What the hell...had she done something crazy? Alams sounded in his head...he should get down there. He leaned out the window to get a better view.

"Lord Dracul," Queen Sinead's voice shouted to him. He glanced to the left and saw her standing out on her own balcony, staring at the fire anxiously. "You will remain in your quarters, as ordered. My men are investigating this," she said firmly, worry creasing her features.

Vlad stared at her for a long moment, fury and disbelief growing on his pale expression.

"Command me to go, My Queen!" he shouted to her.

Sinead shook her head and turned back inside, leaving Vlad to stare at the flames uselessly.

Down on the ground, a dispatch of soldiers arrived at Tenele's house and began seeking a way in. "Is anyone inside?!" they shouted over the roar of flames. They invesigated all sides of the house, and couldn't find a safe entrance.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:14 am

Tenele faded in and out, jerking back into conciousness as she heard the sounds of bells and voices. She screamed, using most of her oxogen for that. She hoped someone would hear her muffled screams, but she felt that no one would. The fire was creeping steadily closer and the smoke was getting thicker. She looked around the room to see all of her possessions burning, all of her mothers old things.

She had come to the realization that she would probably burn to death, however exfixiating sounded much nicer. So she breathed in the smoke, since there really wasn't much of a choice.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:16 pm

Vlad's pulse raced faster and faster as he stared down at the burning house. She was in there....she wouldn't have left at this hour, even after he disappeared on her. She was in there, suffocating, or burning or worse.

Screaming...

And then he heard it. Buried in the noise of smoke and fire, his fine-tuned senses could make out a desperate scream from down below him. It had to be Tenele... The queen's brave stooges would never get into that building. She would burn to death inside.

He took a few steps back, grimaced, and ran forward, jumping off the small balcony outside his window. He was stuck in freefall for a few seconds, and then landed in a crouch on another balcony several levels down. From there, he was able to make a few more jumps down into some soft bushes at the base of the castle. Thanks to his vampiric strength, he made it through the ordeal without breaking any bones, and broke immediately into a full-out sprint toward Tenele's section of town. In the night air, it wasn't hard to tell where the building was, though he knew these streets by heart. Still, it was nearly 5 minutes before he came up next to it, pushing in between some humans who were getting in the way of his view.

The place was completely engulfed in flames.

"Lord Dracul," one of the men said nervously when he noticed him, "It's too late, we can't get in now..."

"How useful of you," Vlad scoffed, a demonic grin coming to his face as he stepped forward, ignoring the man. He walked forward until the heat of the fire scorched over his skin - he still wasn't wearing much. The men stared at him, wondering what he would do. In a sudden burst of motion, Vlad shot forward, running straight into the smoldering door and taking it with him as he rushed into the building. Inside was just a mess of flames and collapsing debris; he scanned it quickly as his skin began to scald with the consequences of what he'd just done. "Tenele!" he shouted, making his way into the hall and trying to see through the smoke into the other rooms.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:24 pm

Tenele blinked her watery eyes open. She could barely see through the smoke. She couldn't breath, only in small desperate gasps for fresh air. She screamed through the gag as she heard someone's voice call her name. Her arms had gone numb, but didn't stop the sting of the skin as the fire grew closer. Her bare feet felt scortched as the flames grew steadily closer.

She hoped that someone would find her. She coughed, gagged... gasped for air. Hopeing beyond home to get some clean air.

The house groaned and the ceiling cracked. She woozily razed her head to look above her and see the ceiling cracking in half. The chandelier dropped a foot. Tenele screammed louder, this almost able to be heard through the gag. The fire was too hot... the smoke too thick. Tenele saw a figure emerge through the flames and smoke, but couldn't react to draw attention to herself.

She tried her best to breath air, but in turn breathed smoke. She couldn't breath. So this is what it was like to sufficate? Her lungs burned, her eyes burned... her skin burned. And then nothing... the black corners seeped in and the blackness of what she thought had to be death took her. Maybe it was death, for she stopped breathing and went limp.