The Dragon & The Phoenix Chapter 5

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The dinner had gone well enough. The music was very entertaining, and our guests were quite content to listen to Christian’s stories. My thoughts continued to flash back to hours before when Morgan helped me dress, “Please Mistress. Leave this place, the Lord is not what he says he is anymore. You are in great danger here.” Her words tugged at my ears, it made me question everything in this world.

Guests were starting to depart for the evening as the hour was getting late, my Father on the other hand was hanging around to speak with Christian in private in his study. I was expected to entertain his new bride, so she and I retired to my private library for evening tea.

We sat waiting in the only two high backed chairs in front of the fire that was just freshly lit, a serving girl entered with a tray of sweets and strong evening tea meant to help us sleep. Normally Father and his bride would be welcome guests to spend the night, and travel back home in the morning, but I didn’t think they should be around the castle in Christian’s condition. The serving girl handed me my cup after pouring tea into it, then handed the bride her cup next.

After taking a sip, I looked at her over the rim of my cup, “You know, Father Never did tell me your name.” She gently placed her cup on the small round side table next to her where her saucer sat, folded her slender hands in her lap and looked at me, her amber eye’s cool and judging. “My name was on our wedding summons that you would have received. So, you clearly didn’t read it if you don’t know who I am.” I smiled at her, if nothing else the girl had a tongue, and would not fear me. I liked that, finally someone with a spine. I smiled at the girl, my emerald eyes glowing softly in the fire light, “Well if we are being honest, my Father goes threw so many wives, I really can’t be bothered anymore to know them.” She tilted her nose in the air slightly, a hard look in her eyes, “Well I have no intentions of being just ‘The Next wife’, your Father is good to me. He provides me with things that I other wise wouldn’t be able to obtain for myself and in return I am a loyal and doting wife.” I smirked at that last part. “I am sure you are.” The glow of the fire light danced around the room, casting dark shadows into all four corners. The book shelves looked to be dark sentinels standing guard as we stared at each other. I could see every carving in the mantel above the fire place, everything in the room stood out as if it was mid day.

The vain on her neck pulsed and sang a sweet song that only I could hear. She turned her head to view something behind her, “Your servants are lacking in their duties. I would have them flogged for not preparing this room properly for you and your guest.” She took another sip of her tea, “I had asked them not to light the candles as I have a head pain and the light makes it unbearable to see.” She placed the cup down a little more gently this time as if she were afraid she might break it. The hunger was growing, every fiber of my being was screaming to feed. To feel her soft flesh in my hands, to feel what it would be like to have her life force ebb down my throat. I griped the arms of my chair a little harder trying to keep myself from knocking her over to the ground. She chattered on about respect and my father being the best man she had ever known, how he loved her and the things that she did for him. The beating of her heart became so loud in my ears, taunting me, calling me with it’s sweet song.

“Well what do you think about that?” Her words snapped me back from my day dream, “I’m sorry, what do I think about what?” She became very short and snappy with me, as if I had offended her somehow. Being ten years older then she was I really could have cared less about her question, I just wanted her to stop talking and leave my home.

“Really Carolyn! I am your Mother now, I requi……” Her eyes grew wide with terror as I looked at her, my own eyes glowing like two of the most highly polished emeralds. That was the first time my fangs appeared.

She gasped as I grabbed her by her slender neck. Her flesh was soft, like velvet in my hand, I pulled her out of her chair and close to my face. “You are not my Mother. You will never be my equal.” I let my fangs sink into her soft artery, that first burst of her life’s essence hitting my tongue, pouring down my throat was like nothing I had ever experienced. She didn’t struggle, only a soft moan left her lips as her arms went limp, a trickle of blood fell between her perfect bodice leaving a small stain to form. Her perfect dress was ruined, my Father would be furious! I finished in just a few gulps, releasing her and watching her fall to the floor. It took a few moments to come back to my senses and realize what I had done. Seeing her lifeless eyes staring back at me…I will forever remember those eyes. I opened the heavy wooden door to the library and peered into the hallway. I could hear the shuffle of a few stragglers up in the great hall. I ducked into the hall and started to make my way to Christian’s study. I was so scared about what I had just done, I didn’t mean it, but I did. How was I going to explain this to my Father? I would be burned at the stake for my crime!

I could hear someone coming, I moved behind a wall tapestry and hid in its shadows. I held my breath, not wanting to make a sound for fear of being caught. How was I going to explain this? I waited, the seconds felt like hours in the dark, it was cold and alone, it was frightening. Christian walked pasted my hiding space stopping midstride. He turned to face me, his eyes were glowing blue finding me in the back-dark space deep in shadow. I saw blood on his lips and shirt, my hand covering my mouth, so I wouldn’t scream out in shock. He held out his hand to me, covered in blood, it had the same smell as my father. “Come out here Carolyn, there is no need to hide from me.” I stepped out of the shadows, my five foot six frame dwarfed compared to Christian’s solid build. I looked at his hand that he still held out to me. I looked up at him in horror, “What have we become? What have you done to me?!!” Christian smiled down at me wrapping his muscled arms around my shoulders pulling me into his broad chest. He ran his hand threw my long dark hair, “We are above all of them now. We shall control every last corner of the Highlands my love, you shall be the greatest Queen to the Greatest Warlord. We shall have it all and there will be no one to stop us.” He growled deep in his chest, I pulled away with terror in my eyes. “You are not my husband! You are an abomination on Mankind!” Christian smiled at me while he licked the blood from his hand. “You and I are one, now and forever.” His voice was deep and gruff, like a wild animal. I pulled further away from him, his words were disturbing, this was not my husband. I could see him perfectly, as if it was midday. His linen shirt was torn at the sleeve as if he had been in a tavern fight, his kilt was all pulled and not properly placed as if he had relations, “Ye’ve broken ye vows to me?! Ye’ve bed another?!” Christian just smiled at me flashing his fangs, “Not exactly. But Morgan was a good sport for letting me try. Yer Father was much more difficult to handle.” I remember running. I remember finding myself outside the castle walls faster then I should have been. I remember seeing a tree line and I remember shouting inside behind me. But most of all, I remember his tyrannical laughter that will forever stay with me. I ran for the tree line, there was a stream not far, I would be able to lose the hounds if I made it.

Morgan was gone, Father was gone, worst of all my husband was gone. I would never be the same after that night.