Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

"A secure place. I'll send along my instructions in a few weeks, if his bloodling still intends to be at his side. He is the only person who will be admitted, and I regret even agreeing to that. You lot will just be a distraction."

Vlad met his wife's eyes with carefully sculpted calmness. "We are long-lived races, my love," he said very quietly, because he didn't trust his voice any louder and didn't want to give Maxwell the satisfaction. "A year is only a year."

He lowered his head, then struck out sideways at the demon holding him fast.

Maxwell dodged the blow as if it had been thrown by a human amateur, grabbing Vlad's wrist and twisting. With an easy sidestep and a harsh thrust, the vampire went down face-first into the floor. Dazed, Vlad moved to sit up only to have Maxwell kneel over his throat. "You may not need to breathe to live, but I know full well you're awfully fond of it. Shall I crush your windpipe?" the man warned icily.

Vlad went still, relaxing his hands submissively.

"Good," Maxwell sighed. "You really are almost more trouble than you're worth, you know." The demon glanced at Tenele. "You may do as you please with him when I've had my fill. Until then, Maiden."

Vlad reached up to grasp the man's wrist, as if telling him to wait. Then they both disappeared, and the room was dark.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele clutched Tenara tighter when Maxwell disappeared with Vlad. It was so abrupt that it let a sour taste in her mouth, like she'd forgotten to do something important. She wasn't going to let this happen. She wasn't going to let that bastard win.

"Tenara," she whispered, setting her daughter on her bed. "Let's get your shoes on."

"Mommy," Tenara cried. "I'm scared."

"Its okay," Tenele replied. "You were a good girl. You were very brave. I'm sorry that happened." Tenele cupped her daughter's face in her hands. "I love you." She choked on her words and pressed soft kisses to the child's face. "We're going back to see papa. Then, I'll get your father back. I promise."

Tenara nodded, wiping her hands across her eyes as Tenele slipped her shoes on the child's feet. "Here, slip this on, its cold outside." She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. "Let me check on Stalker."

"Mommy!" Tenara grabbed hold of Tenele's shirt as she drew away. She was still shaking. Still so scared.

"Its okay," Tenele whispered. "I'm right here. I'm just making sure Stalker is okay. Then, we'll go home." Tenele pried Tenara's fingers off and went to the giant bloody lump of fur puddled in the corner.

[Soran Nightblade]

At the sound of his name, Stalker shifted awkwardly against the corner wall, his stiff legs scraping at the slick floor. When that didn't yield results, he paused, intelligent red eyes scanning blearily for his master.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele went cautiously to Stalker, holding out her hands in a sign of peace. "Hey, buddy," she whispered. "You did well. You are okay." She wished the beast could talk. She wanted to leave immediately, but she wasn't going to leave him...

Tenele racked her brain and finally took a deep breath. "Okay," she whispered. "I'm going to take Tenara back to the palace. Its an hour or more away, but the sooner I get back there the sooner I can send Talon to get you. Atul can try feeding you blood to see if it will heal you." Tenele spoke to him because she knew he was intelligent enough to understand... at least somewhat. "I don't want to leave you..." She brushed fingers through his fur around his ears.

[Soran Nightblade]

Stalker was registering her words, just as he was slowly registering the absence of his link to his master. In a startled frenzy, he clattered his huge nails across the wood floor, scrambling to get to his feet. He succeeded somewhat, but he didn't look it. Leaning against the wall, he stared at Tenele tensely, trying not to favor a broken foot. His earnest ruby eyes said he would go with them, but his body told a different verdict.

[Emora Deen]

"You stay," she urged, brushing his fur. "Stay right here, that's an order. Talon will be able to get you before you can miss us much." Tenele made herself walk away. She picked up Tenara, slipped on her shoes, and went out into the night.

They walked along the shore as briskly as Tenele could manage while she carried Tenara. The child clung to her so tightly it made her feel choked, but she knew it made her daughter feel safer.

Tenele just made out the city lights in the distance as she grew closer to the docks. "We're almost there Tenara," she whispered.

A shadow moved out from behind the rocks. Another, and then another. Before Tenele could even think about reacting someone tore Tenara from her arms. Tenele screamed just as frightened as her daughter. The figures holding her crushed her into the rock surface. "Give us your money."

Tenele struggled. "Please. My husband was just kidnapped. My daughter, she's frightened."

"Money," the voice ordered.

"I don't have any," Tenele breathed. Tenara started sobbing.

"Its okay little one," a voice whispered. "You're pretty little girl. How old are you?"

"Mommy..."

"If you escort us to the palace the King will give you whatever you want," Tenele told him. "I promise you. Whatever you deserve."

The figure pressing his weight into her back chuckled. "You smell sweet."

"Please," Tenele whispered. "Don't. My daughter." Tenele struggled. She arched her head back, striking the man in the nose. His eight lifted. She pushed off the rock, and kicked the one next to him.

"I don't want to hurt such a pretty little girl!" the one holding Tenara called. "So, don't move."

"I am going to break your hands so you can never use them again," Tenele hissed. "My daughter has been threatened twice tonight, and one man I couldn't kill. But, you won't be so lucky."

The men grabbed her again, one bleeding from the nose. They dragged her back against the rock and punched her stomach.

Tenara screamed. She jerked. "Mommy!"

Tenele sucked air in tightly. Another hit. She couldn't breathe.

"Mommy!"

The man reared back, moving in for her face.

Then, he screamed. The bones in his hand shattered, and he drew away. A rock flew and struck the second man holding her. The one that held Tenara dropped the child and backed away towards the ocean.

Tenele drew herself up, wheezing. Her gaze fell on where Tenara stood, and her glowing red eyes. The men gathered themselves quickly and ran down the beach.

Tenele dropped to her knees in front of her child. "Shh," she whispered soothingly. "Calm down, Tenara. It's okay." She gasped for air. "I'm okay. Mommy is right here. Nothing bad is going to happen. Nothing more. We'll get to papa. Calm down. Breathe. Look at me, breathe."

The red glow in Tenara's eyes faded, and she clamped her arms around her mother tightly again. Tenele hoisted her up and started back towards the palace, less swiftly than before.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad reappeared with Maxwell inside a huge, open-air facility. The walls around the large courtyard seemed to stretch a hundred yards. Moreover, it looked like they were made of ice. The ground, too, now that he noticed it, was hard soil and ice.

Coated with a thin layer of snow, he noted as Maxwell shoved him to the ground. He hated how weak his muscles felt with the manacles closed around them.

At the far end of the courtyard was a mansion. The steps were made of ice, but the rest of the building was constructed in Ighten style and looked, honestly, quite comfortable, if a bit formal.

Vlad hated it instantly.

"This is my residence," Maxwell muttered by way of introduction, indicating the large house. His arm shifted to indicate a familiar table of amalgamated metal, strewn with any number of belts and straps. "This will be yours, until you justify something better."

Vlad didn't need to ask what it would take to earn a room with a roof over it. To Maxwell, only one thing had value: Results. "It's cozy," he said with sour enthusiasm.

"And enough of your terrible wit. You know I find it atrocious," Maxwell sighed. "Now, kneel."

Vlad glowered at him. "You gonna baptize me, doc?" he hissed.

Maxwell didn't make much comment of his feedback as he went to a large, locked case at the edge of the "room", and opened it with a key. Vlad didn't get much of a look inside before the scientist turned back to him with a long metal club. As an afterthought, Maxwell pulled a pair of dark-tinted goggles from the case and pulled them over his eyes. He gripped the leather-covered handle of the weapon securely as he walked toward Vlad, whose eyes told him what it was made of. He squinted at it like he was staring into the sun.

"Experimenting already? I don't know how much you've heard, but I'm not immune to that any more," Vlad warned stiffly as the man approached.

"This is not part of your work with me. Kneel," the man ordered. He reached out a hand, and an unseen force slammed the vampire to his knees. "I had three years to think about how to handle your attempt to break our agreement. I thought of other options, but we both know this will be the most effective. It serves the additional purpose of breaking you of your weak habits. No breathing. No yelling. Do not lose your balance. I will start with ten strikes, and add five more for each slip you make. When you've shown me you have discipline again, I will stop. There's hardly any point in doing serious work until that much is complete."

Vlad smirked at him ruefully. "Isn't there supposed to be a honeymoon period or something before we start bickering?"

Maxwell's glare was pure cold. "You have lost my favor, Vladimir. Do not earn my spite."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele down the length of the palace hallway with soldiers in her wake. One had already run ahead to summon the king. She was exhausted from walking as fast as she could across loose sand for well over an hour, but it had been faster than taking the curving desert trail.

"Tenele!" Atul called to he, jogging down the hall in silk pants and a thin robe. "What happened? Is Tenara okay?"

Tenele nodded, pausing to take a breath. Her eyes watered as she opened her mouth to tell him what happened. She couldn't speak. "Take her," Tenele murmured, passing Tenara off to her other father.

Atul drew the child into his arms, cradling her. "Let's get you into my room. Bring us water, and have someone draw a hot bath. Rouse Lord Raider while your at it."

Atul ushered Tenele into his suite. He tucked Tenara into his bed, brushing his fingers through her soft hair. She was sleeping, but he could see the redness around her eyes where she'd been crying.

"Tenele," he whispered, urging her to sit in the chair near the balcony. "Tell me what happened. Where is Vlad?"

Tenele told him, as calmly as she could everything that happened once Maxwell arrived. She repeated the story when Talon made it into the room.

"We don't know where he took him?" Talon muttered. "But, he has to tell us in order to get me there, if he is still extending the invitation."

"That's what I'm counting on," Tenele whispered. "When we know... I'm going to get my husband back and I'm going to kill that man. Burn him with holy fire if I have to."

[Soran Nightblade]

It was three and a half hours later by the time Vlad had met all of Maxwell's requirements and paid off the interest. The vampire held steady on his knees, motionless and silent. A stream of blood had started from his nose; he couldn't remember when he'd first started tasting it in the back of his throat.

Maxwell relaxed his stance and studied the dead king's mauled skin. A human with such wounds would have passed out long ago, but Vlad didn't need that luxury. The vampire was strong, serene, perfect. Beating the foolishness out of him had actually left the scientist in a rather optimistic mood. "Good," he observed flatly, going to return the club to the cabinet and re-lock it. The manacles were removed from the vampire's wrists. They were the only part of the vampire that didn't look charred. "Sleep. We'll continue tomorrow."

And with that, the man left him to rest against the painful relief of the ground, the dirty ice mixing with his frayed skin like a salve.

It wasn't until much later, when the last of the candles had blown out in the mansion, that the vampire let himself breathe. He regretted it immediately, and spent the rest of the night in deathly still silence, making no sound but the pat, pat, pat of his nose bleeding into the ice.

He wondered what Tenele was doing right now. What Tenara would think of his absence. He thought of them until it hurt more than his wounds, and he breathed again in short, tight spasms while the shock soaked through him.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele slept in Atul's bed with Tenara curled between them. At least, she tried to sleep. She just couldn't seem to let herself relax enough to rest, when her mind was so full of the terrible things that were happening to her husband. Atul seemed to have the same problem, so the two of them spent the night looking at one another.

"How are you feeling?" Atul whispered.

"Angry," she muttered. "I couldn't do anything to stop him. He had a knife to her throat, Atul. She was so scared..."

"I meant your stomach," he admitted. "I know how you feel about Maxwell, I feel that same rage. He threatened my daughter and he stole my lover. We'll get him back."

"I feel fine," Tenele sighed.

Atul nodded, brushing his fingers across her cheek. "Is there anything we can do?"

"The only thing I can think of is to sail back to Ighten. Sinead may know where he's been taken. I can leave Tenara with her and venture out in search of him." Tenele pressed a kiss to the top of her daughter's head.

"It would take several weeks to sail back to Ighten," Atul murmured.

"He said it would be weeks before he would send for Talon," Tenele argued. "Either way that is several weeks away from him. Several weeks he's being tortured."

"If you go after Vlad, Maxwell will make no hesitation to kill you," Atul reminded her.

"I don't care," Tenele replied. "I don't die easily. He underestimates me because I'm human. He thinks I'm weak. I want to watch him grovel as someone weaker than him takes his life."

Atul smiled. "You know how to win a man's heart," he admitted. "I'm going with you, if you decide to go on this mad mission to save your husband. I'll leave Espha in charge. She's been a very good court clerk, and can more than handle the responsibility."

"You'll be leaving your kingdom."

"Its worth the risk. Vlad is worth it." Atul leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to hers. "Please... try to rest. This may be the longest few weeks of your life. We can prepare everything and set sail for Ighten. If Maxwell's stronghold is in Ighten and we wait to hear word, it will put us even further behind. Either way we should board a shipping vessel and make our move across the ocean."

[Soran Nightblade]

The morning light was piercingly bright reflected of the ice and snow around him. Vlad squinted his eyes open and sat up slowly, taking stock of his body's condition. The internal damage had healed up nicely, but everywhere the metal had touched his skin was lit with fire. He climbed to his feet and went to the wall of ice that surrounded the courtyard. Drawing his claws out to full length, he sliced at the material experimentally. It jarred his arm to a stop. His strike didn't even scratch the material. Apparently it wasn't normal ice. He took a few steps back and peered up at the top of the wall. He was injured, so teleporting would not be fun, but it would be worth it to see where he was. He braced himself and called the power to jump him up to the top of the wall. Almost to the top, an invisible barrier called him out of the void and repelled him back to the ground.

He cried out in pain as the backlash from the teleport scoured him. He fell hard back to the ground.

"I've had three years to prepare for your arrival, Vladimir. Don't insult me by thinking I didn't think ahead," Maxwell called as he descended the front steps of the mansion stiffly. His case bag was looped over his shoulder, ready for work.

Vlad went still and stopped breathing as the demon came to stand over him. Ruby eyes burned into reptilian yellow.

"First, maximize your strength, Maxwell said, throwing a leather satchel of fresh blood to the vampire. Vlad caught the container and took a long draught from it. In other circumstances, he might have been too proud to drink, but he knew Maxwell. This would be the only sustenance he was offered, and it wouldn't be offered if he wasn't going to need it.

When he was done, Maxwell gestured to the table and half dragged the vampire over to it. Vlad grimaced soundlessly as his burning skin contacted the icy metal. Within moments, he was strapped down. The holy beating he'd taken the night before proved a clever way to keep him still, because any resistance to the straps chafed badly at his skin. Not that it was anything the vampire couldn't cope with if he thought it would get him somewhere, but the truth was, Maxwell knew all of his tricks. He'd trained him on the majority of them. There was no way out, and resisting would only result in possible retaliation against his family.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele opened her eyes the next morning and stared at the vast ceiling of Atul's bedroom. She stayed perfectly still as everything washed back to her like a bad dream. It had to be a dream right? She'd roll over and find her husband lying there, with their daughter...

Tenele felt out and didn't feel Tenara. Panic seized every muscle. She shot out of bed with a gasp, frightened eyes looking the room over. Atul was sitting at the table with Tenara in his lap and they were eating their breakfast, making small conversations. Tenara was telling him a story about the salt and pepper shakers, because she liked to tell stories and Atul liked to listen.

And while the two of them seated together like that wasn't unusual it was a pointed reminder that last night had not been a dream.

She exited the bed, ignoring the stiffness in her limbs from the run-in with the thieves. She stretched and went to where they sat, taking her place in a chair opposite them. Tenara smiled at her, but Tenele didn't miss the hint of sadness in her eyes. The girl was good at pretending, that much she must have learned from her mother.

"Daddy coming home?" she murmured, pushing her food around with her finger.

"Not today," Tenele replied through the tightness in her throat.

"Is he mad?"

"Mad?" Tenele blinked. "No, sweetheart, he's not mad. He just had to go away for a little bit. We'll get him back. Don't worry, okay? We're going to go on a trip, and you get to visit with Aunt Queenie. Isn't that exciting?"

Tenara's smile brightened.

Tenele spent the rest of the day gathering their things, while Atul spent it briefing Espha and the others.

"Going after Vlad is suicide," Talon muttered, keeping an eye on where Tenara played with a weak Stalker on he balcony. She was tending to his boo-boos, and giving him extra love to make him feel better. That child absolutely adored the Hell Hound. "You are doing exactly what our mother did to us. You're going to leave Tenara with Sinead and go off in search of your husband and neither of you will come back."

"That's not going to happen," Tenele replied coldly.

"You are repeating history, and you're going to leave your daughter an orphan," Talon scolded.

Tenele stopped packing and looked up at her brother. His once long silver hair was now neck length and choppy, but it had a pleasant way of framing his face that made the servants drool over him. His red eyes looked menacing, even if they were just being judgemental.

"Atul is going with me. I am not being our mother. I am not going alone. You will accept Maxwell's invitation when it arrives, and Atul and I will travel there together. That means I will have the three of you, though Vlad may not be in any condition to help..."

"Do you seriously think that Vlad would be Maxwell's only experiment. You have no idea what you will go up against once you get there. He's ancient, he has had many, many years to test other theories on other creatures, and those creatures probably have far less self-control than your husband. And they won't have the one thing that can keep him from ripping out your throat... his heart."

Tenele pursed her lips together. "I am going," she told him firmly. "Do not argue with me. If it was reversed, and I was trapped, Vlad would do the same for me. Don't treat me like I'm being rash, I know what I'm doing. Why do you immortal men seem to forget what I was trained to do, or that I can actually manage to protect myself. You shelter me, and I allow it. But, I do not need your protectiveness. I need your cooperation."

Talon sighed, unfolding his arms. "Fine... I will do as you ask."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad writhed soundlessly against the straps, rubbing huge raw patches against his half-healed skin. He didn't cry out. He didn't gasp for air. He just distracted himself with the pressure of the straps to alleviate some of the acid coursing through his veins. His body was slowly simmering.

"Two parts holy water to a thousand. Stabilized after two hours. Unimpressive, but it is a start. Better than when we left off, when Sinead interrupted our previous research," Maxwell observed, making some notes. He packed up the used syringe and his binders, then released the straps. "At ease," he directed the vampire before returning to the house for the night.

Vlad sat up slowly and fell more than lowered himself to the ground, eager to be off the wretched table. He collapsed to his side and concentrated his hallucinating mind on thoughts of Tenele laughing next to him, touching his face with her delicate hands. It only worked for a moment. The pain was too great. As soon as Maxwell was out of earshot, he drew breath in thick, rasping groans, clutching handfuls of snow like that could cool the fire inside of him. Every second was pure agony.

Two weeks. He wasn't dead yet. Perhaps he could last the year.

* * * * *

"My Queen," the servant burst into the Queen's quarters, out of breath.

"Sylva, I've asked you to knock," Sinead said with a chuckle as she caught sight of the girl's excited face.

"I'm sorry, my Queen!" she stammered humbly, bowing. "There's a ship pulling into harbor... it's one of King Atul's vessels. The Port Magistrate asked me to inform you immediately. They're docking now."

Sinead's expression lit up happily. "I see," she smiled. "Go to the kitchens, Sylva. Let them know we're having good friends for lunch, and to prepare their best."

Sylva bowed excitedly and blew back down the hall. Sinead shook her head with a gentle sigh and closed the door behind the girl. Then she stripped the court attire she'd nearly finished getting read and instead donned one of her favorite blue dresses, with topaz jewelry to match.

Smiling to herself, she left without fussing with her long gold hair and made her way to the front gates, calling for her horse to be prepared to travel to the harbor. She had visited Hajara plenty of times to check in on the family there, but it had been some time indeed since they'd graced her with a visit.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele hoisted Tenara up so she could see over the railing as they docked in Ighten. It had been a really, really long time since she'd seen the city. Since the threat of Shea was nothing more than minimal now that Verin was gone, and she lost control of his minions, it seemed the city had flourished.

"Wow!" Tenara exclaimed. She giggled with excitement, turning her blue eyes on Atul's matching stare. "Papa!"

She stretched her arms towards him, signalling how she wanted him to hold her. Atul took her happily, drawing her into his strong arms. "Let's get off the ship," he told Tenele. "They'll cart our things up to the palace."

Tenele nodded and followed the King. The soldiers on the ship saluted him as he reached the gangplank and descended down onto the dock. Stalker followed behind Tenele.

The busy bustle of people was a bit overwhelming for Tenele when they reached the bottom. She'd spent the better part of two weeks on a vessel with a small crew. Now, there were hundreds of people meandering around her, and hundreds more crowded to catch a glimpse of the unmarried King of Hajara.

"My King, are you sure you won't take several of my men with you. I don't think it is a good idea to set out in this country without guards," a very armed man whispered to the King.

Atul smiled. "I will be fine. Lady Dracul and I need to blend in with the people. We don't want our presence detected. The best way to do that is to seem like simple travellers... and I can't do that with guards. Do not fret, Obad, I am more than capable of taking care of myself. You forget who my father is. Besides, Lady Dracul will protect me just fine. Won't she, Tenara?"

Tenara nodded vigorously, even if she had no idea what her father was talking about.

[Soran Nightblade]

Sinead halted her carriage at the foot of the dock and climbed out with her usual regal grace, brushing her guards to the side gently as she made her way down the dock on foot unaccompanied. She spotted Atul first, descending the gangway. Then Tenele just behind him, and the child in her arms that looked bigger every time Sinead saw her.

"Welcome. What a lovely surprise," Sinead greeted them as they neared the bottom of the ramp.