Those who feast at night

[Fireland]

Okay, so I've been listening way too much Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation and Therion lately. This ''beauty and the beast'', gothic-vampiric music has really got me thinking about a story evolving around dark creatures. Plus, I've recently watched the Twilight Saga Didn't like it much. Cried laughing, watching Doug Walker's review of the movie over Youtube.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvNPzp5FmEc&feature=related

Anyhow, there's one good thing about this movie, and it's Michael Sheen's character Aro. A shame we didn't get to see more of him. Still, he inspired a character in this fic, as you shall see

There, that's it for the muses. Enough chatting, let's get to the serious stuff

Those who feast at night

********
Chapter I
The Hunter
********

The Nomad had anchored a few hours ago at the port of Sarania, where the crew had planned on taking a few days off. Their latest journey had consisted of 5 weeks on sea, so everybody felt relieved when they could finally stand on ground and hopefully, enjoy themselves with good food, wine and of course, women. Only Bryn protested when she heard of their vacations’ destination. She had had nightmares several times and had a bad feeling about this place. As the crew reached the land, pushing the longboat further away on the beach, Dermott grew agitated, and Bryn felt something she couldn’t identify. Black magic ? It was different from what she usually felt when facing dark energies.

‘’Should we look for supplies first ?’’ asked Firouz.

‘’Can’t we just relax and enjoy our day ?’’ sighed Doubar. ‘’Plus, I’m thirsty’’, he added, and Rongar nodded in approval.

‘’I agree with you, big brother. Some refreshments would be most appreciated’’ Sinbad said as he tapped Doubar’s shoulder. ‘’Bryn ?’’
He noticed her discomfort.
‘’I’m sorry to ruin the mood guys, but I really feel there’s something weird here. And look at Dermott’’.

The hawk seemed panicked.
‘’Keep him with you’’ Firouz told Bryn. ‘’Hopefully, he will feel better once he eats fresh meat’’.

As the crew reached the village of Sarania, they they heard a commotion coming from what looked like the market place. A crowd of about forty villagers had gathered. As the crew ran toward the crowd to see what was happening, they saw five men, sailors apparently, tied to gallows poles, and the crowd furiously injuriated them.
‘’Bastards !’’
‘’Burn in hell !’’
The prisoners were guarded by four soldiers. Before the crew had the time to react, Jaim, the villager’s chief, ran to Sinbad and his crew to welcome them, for the rumors of their arrival had traveled fast in the region. He looked anxious.

‘’Sinbad ! I’m happy to have you here in Sarania. I regret this is not the best time for welcoming you properly. I wished we had time to prepare a feast for you and your crew, but as you can tell, we’re having some … events that are temporarily disturbing our plans.’’
‘’Events. Of what kind, exactly ?’’ asked Sinbad.
‘’Looks like an execution to me’’, suggested Firouz.
‘’You could say so. The villagers don’t trust strangers very much. We are waiting for them to be taken away’’, explained Jaim.
‘’Taken away ? By who ?’’ asked Doubar.
‘’Their hunter. If we hand these men over to them, there will be no harm done to the villagers’’.

The crew stared at him as they waited for more explanations, but Jaim kept looking behind them, screening the horizon and anxiously staring at the forest behind them, as if he was expecting a monster of some sort to crawl out of the bushes at any moment.

‘’ What have these men done to be condamned ?’’ asked Bryn.
‘’I’m not sure, but the villagers seem to think they are well deserving of the fate they soon will be facing,’’ answered Jaim. ‘’Death’’.
‘’You’re about to send five men to their death, not even knowing what crime they committed ?’’ Sinbad exclaimed angrily. ‘’For what you know, they might as well be innocent’’.
‘’Maybe …’’ Jaim answered, not really listening to Sinbad.
‘’Little brother, we can’t let these men get killed arbitrarily !’’ Doubar muttered.
‘’I agree. This is not a civilized way of justice. It’s barbarian !’’ exclaimed Firouz.
‘’I guess whoever planned on coming here to take them away will be surprised when they see they have gone’’ Sinbad announced as he drew his sword.

The crew engaged in a fight with the soldiers guarding the prisoners. Surprisingly, they soldiers easily admitted defeat after a few minutes and ran away.
‘’What kind of soldiers are those ?’’ asked Doubar, almost disappointed at how short the brawl lasted.

But the soldiers were not the only one who fled. Soon, the villagers started screaming and running away, as they went hiding into their homes. All the crew could hear from their screaming was ‘’The hunter !’’ as the panicked villagers fled to find shelter.

‘’Quick, free those men !’’ Sinbad ordered Rongar and Firouz as he, Doubar and Bryn raised their swords, facing the road. They were now hearing distinctly the sound of horses galloping in the forest, toward the village. A few seconds later, they saw four horsemen, all dressed in black, racing toward them. They drew their swords and jumped off their horse when they saw their hostages were gone.

‘’You will come with us’’ the man who seemed to be their chief vociferated at Sinbad.
‘’I don’t think we wish to go with you’’ the young captain answered in the same manner.
‘’You shouldn’t have freed these criminals. You fools. You chose to trade their lives with yours’’ another one roared.

The crew fought the horsemen as he could, but these men were more talented at swordfighting and much stronger that the soldiers they had just defeated. The horsemen quickly caught Bryn and Firouz and tied their hands around the wooden poles. One man knocked Doubar on the head, and the giant withdrew from the fight from his dizziness. The chief horseman ordered to Rongar and Sinbad to drop their weapons, for the three other crewmembers now each had a sharp blade held against their throat. Sinbad and Rongar had no choice and angrily threw their swords to the ground. One of the horsemen tied Rongar’s hands, while the chief reached for Sinbad, threatening him with his sword. He kneed the captain in the stomach, making Sinbad suddenly breathless. The horseman harshly grabbed Sinbad by the hair and threw his head back, exposing his throat. He rose a dagger over his head, ready to stab him.

‘’ENOUGH !’’ a powerful, female voice screamed. It echoed through the now deserted village.

The horsemen’s chief looked mad. He reluctantly let go of Sinbad. The four horsemen turned to salute her as she walked her white horse closer to them. She was wearing a purple hooded cloak. The shadow it sent over her face prevented them from clearly seeing her features. Under her cloak, she was wearing a burgundy, corseted riding dress that hugged her upper body tightly, revealing her thin figure. No cleavage was shown, for the bodice buttoned up to her neck, but the crewmen couldn’t help but notice that her corset did its job wonderfully. Her outfit was made out of the finest fabrics, and she was wearing luxuous jewelry. Even her horse’s handles were encrusted with sapphires. They could see she carried a bow and arrows.

‘’Is she the hunter the villagers were so scared about ?’’ whispered Doubar, in disbelief, as he realized their enemy was a young woman. Rongar shrugged.
‘’These are not the men the villagers promised me’’ the lady snapped at them with a soft, yet authoritative voice.
‘’Five prisoners still, for you to leave with’’, one horseman protested weakly.
‘’We won’t be taken as prisoners,’’ Sinbad adressed her. ‘’And the ones you came here to claim didn’t have a fair trial, so we allowed ourselves set them free’’, he added daringly.

His audacy didn’t seem to bother her. Adressing the horsemen, she simply said :
‘’I don’t want them’’.

She made some hand gesture, and the horsemen walked back to the crew to untie them from the gallows poles. Their chief was outraged, but he surrendered to her orders. Then the men took their horses and galloped back to the forest.

‘’We are really thankful for your help, madam’’ Sinbad bowed, using his most charming smile. ‘’I am Sinbad ...’’
‘’I know who you are’’, she interrupted him.
‘’Oh …’’ he smirked, flattered at the thought she might have been impressed by his reputation, like many other female admirers. ‘’But I’m afraid we haven’t had the honor of yet being introduced to our lovely savior’’.

They heard the woman chuckle softly. She removed her hood. Her hair was tied in a loose bun, but the red curls were what they saw first. The crewmen’s jaw dropped.

‘’MAEVE !!!!’’ they exclaimed, shocked.

Dermott, perched on a roof, chirped and flew back to perch on Bryn’s forearm.

Sinbad felt like he was suddenly paralyzed. He stood before the beautiful sorceress he thought he had lost forever. Her beauty overthrew him.

She got off her horse and the crew welcomed her warmly, cheering and hugging her. Doubar lifted her up in his arms happily repeating ‘’My Lass !’’, making Maeve giggle like a little girl. She then turned to Bryn and petted Dermott. Once Maeve was done reuniting with the crew and after being introduced to Bryn, she walked toward her captain, who was still in shock. It seemed so unreal. So often he had thought and fantasized about how he would react if he ever found her. He would have ran to her and hugged her tightly, never letting go of her warm embrace. Or he would have grabbed her and kissed her passionately. Sometimes he even thought about telling her how much he loved her as soon as they would reunite. But reality had obviously decided otherwise : he froze, unable to speak or to move as she got closer. She stood a few inches from him, grinning and amused as she noticed his confusion. Her smile. He could have melt.

‘’It’s good to see you again’’, was all he managed to say. Again, she chuckled softly. How he had missed her laughter. Her voice. Her. She was beautiful. No … magnificent.
‘’I’m happy to see you too’’, she smiled.

He finally gathered some composure. He raised his hand to her face, reaching for her cheek and caressing it gently. Her skin was silky smooth.
‘’How you’ve changed’’, he whispered softly, staring in her eyes. She chuckled.
‘’How YOU’VE changed’’, she answered back, raising her eyebrow as she visually detailed his new look and clothings. She stepped back from him and turned around to face the crew.

‘’I’m sorry about those horsemen’’, she apologized. ‘’They are supposed to help me with my task, but most of the time they’re a real a pain in the ass’’, she sighed.
‘’What would that task be ?’’ Doubar asked. ‘’Are you the hunter we’ve heard about ?’’
‘’That’s how they call me…’’, she admitted.
‘’What exactly are you hunting ?’’ Bryn asked, as the bad feelings she had felt wouldn’t fade away.
Maeve glanced at her, then answered : ‘’Criminals. My task is to bring them to … the castle.’’
‘’So they would get killed ?’’ Firouz snarled. ‘’The men we freed were arrested only because they were strangers.’’
‘’Who told you that ?’’ Maeve asked skeptically. ‘’Jaim ?’’
‘’Yes’’, Sinbad answered. ‘’We couldn’t let them getting executed arbitrarily.’’
Maeve shook her head. Staring at him, she explained :
‘’The men you freed were strangers, yes. They are in fact pirates. They’ve been slaughtering children and assaulting women in many villages along the shore before they arrived here, in Sarania. My task consisted on taking them to the castle, so they could be punished for their crimes’’. The sharp tone of her voice in the last sentence meant she was done talking about this subject.

‘’Lass, what if we grabbed something to eat and install our campment ?’’ Doubar suggested gently. She smiled as she playfully punched his belly. ‘’Hungry, as always’’, she teased him.
‘’Aye. Now, let’s rest and enjoy the day’’ Doubar winked at her.

****

[Fireland]

*********
Chapter II
Call of duty
*********

The crew started walking toward the forest, where they planned on installing their tents for the night. Rongar and Firouz took care of the firepit. Maeve sat on a rock as she watched her horse grazing in the clearing. Sinbad sat beside her. He reached gently for one of her golden earrings, which was encrusted with emeralds.

‘’Life seems to have been kind to you this past year,’’ Sinbad commented.
‘’I’ve been lucky, I guess,’’ she answered, evasive. ‘’Do you still own the Nomad ?’’ she asks, willing to change the topic.
‘’Yes,’’ he smirked. ‘’I must say, she’s had some hard times, but she’s a toughey’’.
‘’I do miss her,’’ Maeve admitted.

Sinbad grinned, then grabbed Maeve’s arm and pulled gently on it as they stood up. ‘’Come’’, he told her with a mischievous smile.
‘’Where are we going ?’’

He showed her a trail in the forest, which led to the top of a small hill. ‘’I’m sure we can catch a nice sight of the sea from up there‘’ he explained. Maeve smiled and followed Sinbad in the trail. Halfway through their ascension, she had to stop and rest for a few minutes, because she was litteraly out of breath. She sat on a log as Sinbad grinned at her, amused.

‘’Damn it, this corset. It’s killing me’’, she told Sinbad, panting.
‘’Then why are you wearing one ?’’ he chuckled.
‘’Oh, only because it gives me a nice shape’’, she answered with sarcasm.
‘’Well…’’ he nodded in an appreciative gesture. She punched him lightly in the stomach, laughing.

They finally reached the top of the hill. The landscape sight was breath-taking. They could also see the Nomad anchored at sea.

‘’She’s exactly how I remembered’’, Maeve whispered softly, staring dreamingly at the ship she used to consider her home.

Sinbad smiled as he watched her reaction, her sweet smile as she was lost in her thoughts. He felt a burst of joy and pride for she seemed to truly love and miss the ship, his ship. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. How beautiful she was at this very moment. He observed her features closely : her eyes, so deep he could get lost in them. Her lips, he was dying to taste. The soft skin of her cheek and neck, he felt like fondling lovingly. Her body, so perfect. How her dress accentuated her curves. He was surprised at how her corset affected her breathing : being so tight around her waist, thus confining her diaphragm, she had to breathe from the upper part of her chest only. As a result, her breasts lifted upwards every time she would inhale. It enticed him.

She noticed he was staring at her. She turned her face to him, smiling. Without even thinking, he leaned over and kissed her softly. If she felt stunned because of his initiave, it lasted only a few seconds, for she responded to his kiss almost immediately. He placed his hands on her hips as she moved in closer. She rested one hand on his forearm while the other reached for his shoulder. She tasted as sweet as he remembered. The kiss they had exchanged after he had killed the Vorgon had been haunting him ever since. Maeve had thought about their first kiss several times, too. But she also feared her captain would have forgotten her by now. She felt it, she knew it : there had been many women in his life after her departure. How much did he care for them ? For her ? The way he kissed her, so softly and so lovingly, was very different from the way she always saw him kissing other girls. His tongue entwined with hers slowly, gently. He held her tightly, pressing her body against his, as if he was afraid she would eventually fade away. That’s when she felt his anguish and his pain. That’s when she understood how much he had ached for her while she was gone.

She broke the kiss. ‘’We should go back, now’’ she whispered with sadness in her voice. She stepped away from him and headed back to the trail. Sinbad was puzzled. He ran to her and grabbed her arm, pulling it gently so she would stop walking.

‘’Maeve, are you mad because of the kiss ? If so, then I am really sorry’’ he said, looking concerned. He saw sorrow in her eyes. But she didn’t answer. She rather escaped from his grip and kept walking down the trail, back to the campment.

The rest of the crew had finished setting up the tents and had already started a fire, as they were getting ready to eat. They saw the couple coming back from their short hiking. But their mood didn’t seem as joyful as when they had left, half an hour earlier. They looked as though they were having some sort of fight.

‘’Maeve, please stop. What’s wrong with you ?’’ Sinbad asked.
‘’I have to leave now,’’ she said coldly, walking to her horse.
‘’I told you I was sorry about the kiss,’’ he insisted.

They didn’t even notice the whole crew was staring at them. ‘’Don’t be,’’ Maeve said as she continued walking. A horrible thought suddenly popped in Sinbad’s head. He reached for Maeve’s arm and grabbed it tightly, twirling her around so he could look into her eyes.

‘’Are you married ?’’ he asked her more sharply than he intended to.
‘’What ?! Don’t be silly.’’
‘’Promised to someone, then ?’’ he insisted.
‘’Sinbad, let go of me ! ’’
‘’You dress in exotic fabrics and wear jewelry most kings couldn’t afford…’’ he stated as he relased her.
‘’Is that what it’s all about ?’’ she mocked him.
‘’You tell me.’’
‘’I didn’t choose this. I don’t care about money,’’ she scolded. ‘’The jewelry, the clothes … Crimson’s the one who’s making me wear all this’’.
‘’Crimson ?’’ Sinbad repeated, unable to dissimulate his jealousy.
She sighed. ‘’It’s not what you think. He and I have an arrangement…’’, she explained.
‘’Yes, and I can easily imagine of what kind’’, he said angrily.

Infuriated by his insinuation, Maeve slapped him. He grabbed her roughly by the wrist. The whole crew was startled.

‘’How dare you’’, she snarled, ‘’comparing me to those lewd wenches whose company, as I recall, you’ve often allowed yourself to enjoy.’’

Sinbad looked outraged. But to everybody’s surprise, he said : ‘’I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you.’’ He released her. ‘’However, I’m having trouble figuring out why a man would offer so many somptuous gifts to a woman, unless he expected something from her.’’

She glared at him.

‘’I’m working for them. It pleases Crimson when I dress up, that’s all. I don’t own all of this.’’

‘’Who are you working for ?’’ Firouz interrupted their conversation. Maeve and Sinbad glanced at him, and they realized the crew has been watching and listening to them for a while. Firouz looked embarrassed, but asked again : ‘’You said ‘’them’’. Who are they ?’’

‘’Does it really matter ?’’ she yelped.

‘’Yes.’’ Sinbad snapped.

‘’Lass … I think you should tell us what’s going on’’, Doubar said gently.

‘’This … evil energy I’ve been feeling since we got here…’’, Bryn hesitated, ‘’you know about it, don’t you ? Is it linked to them ?’’
Maeve stared at her. ‘’Yes,’’ she admitted.

‘’What are they ?’’ asked Bryn.

Maeve sighed. She sat down on a log, by the fire, where the crew was already settled. Sinbad sat further away.

‘’They are powerful, dark creatures. In Sarania, the villagers call them … Those who feast at night. They prey upon the living’’. Each of the crewmembers felt chills down their spine. ‘’I am their hunter, the one who brings their preys to them. Murderers, rapists … any bloodlusted criminal I find, I shall bring to them so they can feast upon him’’. The crew stared at her in shock. ‘’I’m not hurting innocent people’’, she protested, ‘’I’m helping the villagers the best that I can’’.

‘’If you are helping them, then why are the villagers so afraid of you ?’’ asked Sinbad.

‘’Because, they don’t understand what I am doing’’, she replied. ‘’All I want is for those brigands to face their fate, and for innocent people to be safe. There were so many innocent people dying before I came here. Young people, too. But the villagers, they won’t trust me. They think I am evil because I work for them.’’

‘’I sense no darkness in her,’’ said Bryn. ‘’She’s telling the truth.’’

‘’Is there no way we could get rid of these creatures ?’’ Doubar asked. ‘’What are they, some kind of ogres ?’’

‘’I wish they were. Then I could use my magic on them’’, Maeve sighed.

‘’Why can’t you ?’’ Sinbad asked. ‘’Together, you and Bryn are certainly powerful enough to fight black magic and defeat those creatures.’’

‘’Sinbad …’’, she hesitated. ‘’It’s impossible.’’

‘’Why not ? Have more faith in yourself’’, he admonished gently.

‘’Because … we can’t kill what’s already dead’’, Maeve finally answered. ‘’Besides, these creatures are not governed by our laws, the laws of the living. They don’t surrender to either white or black magic. They’re more powerful than both, altogether. If you wouldn’t think about killing a god, then don’t even think about killing his soulless counterpart.’’

‘’Demons’’, Bryn shivered.

The crew remained silent. Maeve stood up, saying she now had to go and explain to them why she wasn’t bringing them any prisoners. She walked toward her horse.

‘’Wait !’’ Sinbad yelled. ‘’We can’t let you go alone.’’

‘’Sinbad is right’’, Doubar added, ‘’there’s no way you’re going to that castle by yourself.’’

They all got up, ready to follow her.

‘’Don’t worry about me,’’ she tried to reassure them, ‘’they won’t hurt me. But if you come with me, I can’t garantee you’ll be given the same treatment. So please, stay here.’’ She stressed her last sentence with an authoritative voice.

‘’No.’’ Sinbad said in the same manner. ‘’We’re all going’’.

Maeve frowned, then got on her horse. ‘’I will go first to make sure they don’t attack you. They never allow strangers around them’’ she stated. ‘’Find some horses and follow this road, in the forest. It will lead you to their castle, it’s almost an hour away’’, she instructed them. ‘’Your swords … they won’t be of any use. Allah forbid … Bryn, you shouldn’t come if you bleed’’, Maeve warned her as she flushed out of embarrassement. ‘’Dermott stays here or onboard, but he isn’t coming. My word is final’’.


****

[Rongar]

Please tell me Maeve isn't a Vampire, Werewolf, Vampyre...Lamia...or any other mythical creature of the night! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

That would totally disrupt my viewing of the Light oriented Maeve!

[Fireland]

*********
Chapter III
Ballroom and dead meat
*********

The crew was standing in front of a dark castle that looked abandoned, Bryn felt chills running down her spine. The weird feeling was now very intense, it overwhelmed her so much that she had trouble breathing.

‘’I don’t have magical abilities, but I feel that, too’’ Doubar said, looking at her.

‘’Let’s not panik here. Some travelers are known to abduct people for ransom and some cultures even practice cannibalism, it’s part of their warfare …’’ Firouz stopped when the crew all turned to glare at him. ‘’What I meant was that they’re probably not demons’’.

‘’I beg to differ’’, Bryn stated, ‘’I clearly feel it now. More evil than black magic, and truly more powerful. Maeve … she was telling the truth about them. They’re dead … and they’re not human’’.

‘’You’re creeping me out’’, Doubar groaned.

‘’What are they ?’’ asked Sinbad. ‘’Some kind of ghosts ?’’

Bryn looked at him, frightened. ‘’I’d say they’re more of the blood-sucking kind‘’.

‘’Vampires ?‘’ Firouz laughed nervously. ‘’They’re part of many cultures’ literature, but I don’t think they could ever exist. How would they move and eat if they were dead ? It’s nonsense’’.

‘’Yet, I saw many things I wish didn’t exist in the past years’’ Doubar scolded.

‘’They know we’re here’’ interrupted Bryn, as the heavy, wooden doors opened slowly for them to enter the castle. Candles were lit all along the hallway, guiding them to another set of huge carved wooden doors. From the castle’s architecture, they guessed they were standing before the the entrance of what must have been the ballroom. The doors slowly opened, with a loud cracking sound that gave them chills. But not as much as when they heard a very deep masculine voice that echoed through the room, saying ‘’Welcome’’, as the doors opened.

They walked across the room, where they saw three men standing up and staring at them. Maeve was sitting on a bench, at their right. She wasn’t wearing her horseriding outfit anymore. She had pulled on a black silk ballgown with silver flower embroidery. Her bodice was fitted and had short lace sleeves, leaving most of her shoulders bare. She had a dizzying cleavage : her breasts were pushed upwards, thanks to the square corset she was wearing. Her dress floated away from her body from the hips down. She wore short gloves, up to her wrists, made of black lace. Her hair was pulled in a loose, middle-height bun. Though the crewmen were all dazzled by how beautiful she looked, their focus was mainly on the three men who were now surrounding her, and especially on their glowing red eyes, as they gazed at the sailors.

Sinbad was shocked to see the contrast between Maeve’s white skin and the creatures’, as they were so pale their skin, because of the candles’ light, appeared almost blueish, just like one would expect from a dead people’s skin.

The first man at their left looked like he was in his early thirties. He had short chestnut hair, was about Sinbad’s height and size, and was dressed rather simply : a peasant-like white shirt, though made of the finest fabric, and brown leather pants. They noticed he was holding a wine glass in his hand, with red liquid in it. Sinbad felt nauseous imagining what his beverage really consisted of.

In the middle stood a creepy-looking, blond male. In his early forties, maybe. His glare was particularly evil. He was muscular and tall. He wore a black tapered suit and black leather boots. He looked like one of those arrogant, tyrannical princes, if ever Hell had its royalty.

The third man quickly caught Sinbad’s attention, because he was now standing behind Maeve’s bench. With his hands resting on her bare shoulders. Sinbad felt sick to his stomach. Unlike his two companions, this one was short, about Bryn’s height, and had a slender, almost frail shape. His fingers, which must have been delicate when he was still a living man, looked like raven claws perched over Maeve’s shoulders. He wore his dark brown hair a bit longer than shoulder length. His clothing style was different, too. While the others wore masculine and rather simple outfits, his was fancy. His long-sleeved silk shirt was deep purple, it had ruffles at both wrists and a jabot over the chest area. He even had bows on his leather shoes. He was wearing many rings on his fingers and his belt was encrusted with precious stones. *Crimson, I would guess* Sinbad thought to himself. What made this one look particularly creepy was that he actually smiled to them, a smile they presumed was meant to be warm and welcoming, but that actually gave the whole crew chills down their spine because it revealed his pointy teeth.

‘’Sinbad !’’ the short one exclaimed with an excited, almost childish voice. ‘’What a great honor for us to welcome you in our castle’’. He stepped forward, offering his hand to Maeve. ‘’My darling, why don’t you introduce us to our guests ?’’

The crew understood, by his elegant, almost haughty posture and gestures, that he must have been part of nobility when he was alive. Maeve placed her hand in his and got up. She was startled, as always, at how icy his hand felt. They walked to the crew who stood still before them, apprehensive about what would happen next.

‘’As you know, this is Sinbad, captain of the Nomad’’, Maeve said as she and the eccentric vampire stood in front of him.

‘’Yes….’’ he said, gazing at him with admiration and excitement. He stepped closer to Sinbad, and without touching him, he leaned forward so he could deeply inhale, smelling the captain’s skin. It gave Sinbad the creeps. Rongar shrugged and Doubar frowned as they watched the vampire’s weird behavior.

‘’Yes …’’ he repeated as he stepped back, only this time the gaze he granted Sinbad was almost defiant. He turned to Maeve and grabbed her by the waist. She didn’t resist as he pulled her closer to him. His lips traveled from her shoulder up to her cheek, barely brushing against her skin. ‘’She had your smell all over herself’’ he addressed the captain, though without looking at him. ‘’That’s why I asked her to bathe and put on another dress. I thought, since you men have been sailing for so long, that you might as well enjoy some nice cleavage.’’ He looked at them with that creepy smile again.

‘’Don’t get me wrong, Captain. I would taste any of your bloods with great pleasure. But hers is the most appealing to me,’’ he almost whispered, grinning devilishly.

‘’You must be Crimson,’’ interrupted Sinbad. ‘’Maeve has told us about you.’’

‘’Yes !’’ the creature smiled, flattered that they had been talking about him.

‘’This is Doubar..,’’ Maeve continued.

‘’What a powerful man !’’ Crimson exclaimed. ‘’Strong and tall’’.

‘’Rongar…’’

‘’How exotic is this black man !’’

‘’Firouz…’’

‘’A very intelligent man !’’

‘’And Bryn.’’

Crimson stopped in front of her. As he did to Sinbad, he leaned forward, closer to her. ‘’White magic’’, he whispered. ‘’Don’t worry, my dearest, you will get used to us’’ he grinned as he stepped back. Bryn looked at Maeve, puzzled.

‘’After a while’’, she explained to her, ‘’you won’t be as sensitive to the dark forces and energies as you are now. You somehow grow accustomed to them. It’s a good thing, since death’s energy could be powerful enough to drain out all of our vital forces’’.

Maeve then adressed to the crew : ‘’The man at your left is Kane. You ought not to feel threatened by him, for he hasn’t drunk human blood in over two centuries. Kane is the intellectual one out of the bunch’’. Kane nodded to greet them. He smiled, though without showing his teeth. He almost looked sympathetic.

‘’The very friendly man behind me’’, she said with sarcasm, ‘’is Xander. Beware, for he has the ability to control people and objects with his mind. He has strong powers, but I must say, no sense of humor whatsoever’’ she said as he granted her his most evil glare. ‘’I strongly suggest you do not play smartass with him’’ Maeve told the crew, then stared at Sinbad. ‘’The last time I saw someone trying to mock him, Xander crunched all of his bones with his telekinesis. This sound will haunt me forever’’.

‘’Now that we’re all happily introduced’’ exclaimed Crimson, ‘’Let’s eat ! ‘’

The crew looked a bit panicked as they thought they were on the menu. But they calmed down when they heard Maeve chuckle softly. She pointed at the banquet table on one side of the room, which had been filled with refined food. ‘’Please take a seat, humans are the only ones to eat tonight’’.

The crew sat on one side of the table, while Maeve and the three vampires sat in front of them. Sinbad was annoyed at how Crimson always kept her so close to him. He thought she was like a pet toy to him, and he despised him even more.

The three vampires sat still, watching the sailors eat their first meal since they left the Nomad in the morning. Kane soon began discussing with Firouz, and the scientist was happy to discover the vampire had wide knowledge in many domains he was also interested in. Maeve chatted with the crew, and Crimson sometimes joined the conversation to cheer or express his admiration over what they were saying. But overall, he mostly spent his time contemplating Maeve, glancing at Sinbad and smiling haughtily at him whenever he felt the captain’s gaze over his precious prize. As for Xander, he remained silent and seemed to have only two facial expressions, a mad glare and an evil glare.

Suddenly, Xander lifted his head, looking at the ceiling, and raised his arm. The crew was blinded by what looked like a red lightnight bolt and jumped as a pigeon fell, dizzy, on their table.

‘’Thanks’’, Kane said as he grasped the bird.

The sailors felt nauseous as they watched Kane plunge his fangs in the pigeon’s nape. The bird let out a painful chirp, but soon became numb as Kane finished drinking its blood. He threw the dead bird away.

‘’Delightful, isn’t it ?’’ Crimson giggled.

‘’At least someone gets to eat’’, Xander scolded with his low and monotone voice. It was so deep that it sounded more like a growl than a male’s voice. ‘’Thanks to your poor hunting’’, he adressed Maeve.

‘’We have an arrangement, don’t we ?’’ she replied.

‘’Tonight’’, he threatened her.

The sailors frowned. Sinbad glared at Xander. They all turned to look at Kane, puzzled, when they heard him chuckle.

‘’What is so funny ?’’ asked Doubar, still frowning.

‘’You, you are all really funny’’, Kane answered, laughing even more.

‘’Dare to explain ?’’ asked Sinbad, irritated.

‘’Please entertain us’’, encouraged Crimson, smiling widely.

Kane turned to Xander. ‘’Our guests believe you want to bed Maeve’’, he told him. Crimson let out a high-pitched laughter, clapping his hands: it really amused him. Kane and Maeve chuckled, and Xander even smirked lightly. The crew was clueless.

‘’I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you by laughing’’ Kane told them. ''But the thought of it, it was hilarious''.

‘’We are dead, sailors,’’ Crimson declared with a soft voice. ‘’Thus, we cannot feel.’’

‘’There is no air in our lungs anymore. And our hearts have stopped beating centuries ago’’, Kane continued.

As the crew still looked puzzled, Maeve rolled her eyes and said :
‘’Guys, what they mean is that nothing even works down there !’’

The crew flushed at what they thought was a rather intimate declaration.

‘’We have no soul, no feelings … we can’t even recall what lust feels like’’, Kane explained.

‘’We’re doomed’’, Crimson nodded. ‘’The only lust we still know about is bloodthirst when we get into frenzy’’ he smirked.

‘’Which Maeve is supposed to help prevent by bringing us food’’, Xander growled. ‘’We have been generous by allowing you to chose which humans you judged best deserving of being preyed upon’’, he barked at her.

‘’I already told you I would stick to my promise’’ she protested sharply.

‘’Friends, friends !’’ exclaimed Crimson. ‘’Let’s not ruin this delightful evening’’.

‘’I want her to fulfill her duty,’’ Xander replied aggressively.

Kane stood up and stepped back from the table. Crimson grinned devilishly and walked away too. ‘’Do not move, or else it could be dangerous both for you and for her’’, Kane warned the crewmates, who got really anxious. It didn’t feel right at all.

Maeve removed one of her lace gloves, revealing her wrist. Sinbad’s heart squeezed as he noticed it was marked with many bruises and scratches. The crewmates were startled when Xander grabbed her wrist, his red eyes glowing with anticipation, and plunged his sharp fangs into her small wrist. She writhed and let out a soft, almost delighted sigh as he sipped the blood from her veins. After a few gulps, he brutally let go of her and pushed her back onto her chair, where she landed, dizzy and slightly weakened.

‘’Maeve, are you okay ?!’’ Firouz asked her, worried and shocked.

She nodded.

‘’So that’s what your arrangement is about ? Becoming their meal when you don’t bring them any ?’’ Sinbad bursted out, outraged.

His anger turned into apprehension and anxiety as he caught sight of what Xander was doing. The creepy vampire glared fiercely at Crimson, then with one hand gesture, he sent the aristocrat flying over the table and violently crashing against the wall. Kane shook his head.

‘’Let him’’, he told Xander.

Crimson got up, smiling devilishly. He walked to Maeve, defying Xander with a scornful glance. He grabbed her wrist with his usual elegance. She was bleeding from her wounds. The crew felt repulsed as they saw the aristocrat running his tongue lasciviously along her inner forearm, following the blood dripping from her wounds, delighting himself at the taste of it. When he reached her wounds, he smirked at Sinbad and bit her. Maeve moaned as Crimson was sucking too much of her blood.

‘’Careful, Crimson’’ Kane warned him. ‘’You do not want to kill her’’.

The crew grew agitated. Sinbad stood up, followed by Rongar and Doubar. Kane reminded them not to interfere, for Maeve’s sake.

‘’Then make him stop !’’ screamed a panicked Firouz as Maeve was fainting from her blood loss.

‘’Xander’’ Kane ordered.

Xander raised one hand, and with a swift hand gesture, he sent Crimson crashing on the floor. Crimson straightened up, smirked at the crewmates and licked off the blood remaining at the corner of his mouth. Kane ran to Maeve with a towel to stop the bleeding. Firouz too ran to check her. She was unconscious and her heart was weak.

‘’You can’t control yourself’’, Xander reprimanded Crimson with his usual low and monotone voice. ‘’Now look what you’ve done’’.

****

[Fireland]

That's it for now, guys ! Hope you enjoy

[Rongar]

I hope Maeve can work up the nerve to fight back now that the crew is there!
She seems resigned to her place now, and that's not Maeve at all...
It's good, don't get me wrong, but I hope things change!
POST MORE ASAP!

[Fireland]

Feb 19, 2012 13:10:17 GMT -5 Rongar said:

IShe seems resigned to her place now, and that's not Maeve at all...

;D

Great, this is exactly what I was hoping people would say after reading it.

I'm working on the next chapters, there will be more, don't lose faith in her

[Fireland]

*********
Chapter IV
Unexpected ally
*********

The crew followed Kane out of the ballroom. He was carrying Maeve his in arms. He had convinced Crimson that Maeve needed to rest, thus the ‘’reception’’ had to come to an end. Disappointed, the eccentric vampire had however allowed Kane to put Maeve to bed.

As soon as the doors shut behind them, Kane urged the crew to leave the castle : ‘’Maeve’s not safe here, not with Crimson around. He’s already pushed her limits before. But this, this is the first time he almost kills her. Let’s go’’ he told the crewmates, leading them toward the castle’s front doors.

‘’What, you are coming with us ?’’ Sinbad asked skeptically.

‘’If Crimson thinks you’ve abducted her, he and Xander will slaughter you. If I stay with her, he will trust me and think I will bring her back.’’

‘’Why should we trust you ?’’ Sinbad asked him defiantly.

‘’Because you have no other choice’’, Kane replied.

‘’Our ship is anchored at Sarania’s port,’’ Firouz protested, worry painted on his face. ‘’It’s more than an hour away from the castle. I’m not sure she can make it that far’’. The beautiful sorceress, still unconscious, was pale as death.

‘’Our camp is closer from the castle. Would that be okay ?’’ Doubar asked, worried for his redhead lass. Kane nodded.

‘’Let’s not waste any more time. Take your horses’’, Kane instructed them. He took Maeve’s horse and got on it. Rongar helped the vampire install Maeve so she could lean comfortably against Kane’s chest. The group rode about forty minutes before they reached their tents.

‘’It’s about time we arrived’’, Kane told the sailors as he jumped off Maeve’s horse, carrying the sorceress in his arms. ‘’She has trouble breathing’’. Even though he couldn’t feel worry or fear, the crew could tell it was pretty close to what the vampire was trying to express. Kane, Firouz, Sinbad and Bryn ran to the first tent, which was Sinbad’s. They installed Maeve on the improvised bedding. Her breathing was erratic.

‘’You’’, Kane pointed at Bryn. ‘’You stay here with me. And you’’, he turned to Firouz and Sinbad, ‘’please step out of the tent’’.

‘’What are you planning, exactly ?’’ Sinbad scolded.

‘’Undressing her and removing her corset’’, Kane answered, expressionless.

‘’Of course. It will allow her to inhale more deeply,’’ Firouz nodded in approval. He walked out of the tent. Sinbad glared at Kane. He didn’t trust him at all. It made the vampire chuckle. ‘’Don’t worry, captain. I’m not attracted to living females anymore’’. Sinbad walked out, exasperated. A few minutes later, Bryn and Kane walked out of the tent too.

‘’She is doing fine, her breathing has steadied’’, Kane informed Firouz. The whole crew sighed of relief.

‘’I suggest you start a fire and settle yourselves for the night’’. Kane walked to Maeve’s horse and reached for her bow and arrows.

‘’What are you doing ?’’ asked Doubar.

‘’Getting myself a snack. The pigeon was nice, but I’m still hungry’’, he explained, before walking off to to forest so he could hunt. He was back half an hour later, carrying a dead boar over his shoulders.

‘’Lovely snack’’, Doubar said as he, too, still felt hungry.

‘’Well, I thought I could bring you sailors something to eat’’, Kane smiled.

‘’Why, aren’t you going to eat it ?’’

‘’I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t seem to enjoy watching me drinking the pigeon’s blood’’, Kane smirked. ‘’So I feasted upon a deer, in the forest. Besides, I only drink from the living’’, he added, glancing at the dead boar.

‘’Well, let’s charbroil it’’ Doubar laughed as Rongar helped him carry the dead animal to the firepit.

‘’How is Maeve doing ?’’ Kane asked Bryn, who was sitting by the fire.

‘’Firouz and Sinbad are watching over her’’, she answered, glancing at the captain’s tent.

Kane walked to the tent. To his surprise, Maeve was awake and chatting with Sinbad, who sat beside her. Firouz was checking her wounds to make sure they were healing without any infection. Kane and Bryn had previously undressed her completely, so she was now lying on the captain’s bedding, with a sheet covering her from her feet up to her armpits.

‘’Kane !’’ she exclaimed, smiling, when she saw the vampire walk in.

‘’I’m glad to see you are feeling better’’, he said to her.

‘’Yes. Thank you’’.

‘’I should have known Crimson would be a problem’’, Kane added in a way that could be interpreted as remorseful, though again, he was unable to humanly express it.

‘’Kane is the one who rescued me’’, Maeve explained after she saw the puzzled look on Sinbad’s face. ‘’He found me on the shore months ago, passed out and about to be assaulted by pirates. I was too weak to fight, either by sword or magic. He was out hunting that evening.’’ She chuckled. ‘’He really scared those men away ! And he has cared for me ever since’’. She turned to look at Kane. ‘’You’ve been a true friend to me’’.

Kane shook his head. ‘’Friendship is not a feeling I know, not anymore’’, he told her.

‘’You could have let me being assaulted or killed, but you didn’t. You chose to help me. You’ve always protected me from Xander and Crimson. That’s what friends do, Kane’’, she protested. ‘’They make sure those they care for are ok. Just like you did tonight. You have a good soul…’’

‘’I don’t have a soul’’, he interrupted her. ‘’And you’ll endanger yourself if you start thinking vampires do’’.

‘’Then how would you call what you’ve done tonight, if it’s not friendship, goodness or care ?’’ Sinbad asked, overall grateful for Kane’s help. The vampire shrugged. ‘’Duty, I guess’’, he replied before walking out of the tent, soon followed by Firouz.

The two sat by the fire with the rest of the crew. They now all thought of Kane as being rather sympathetical, even though he was a vampire. At least, they didn’t fear him anymore.

‘’Kane, how come you’ve stopped drinking human blood ?’’ Bryn asked him.

‘’Oh, it’s a little experiment. As a man, I was to become a clerk. I was schooled early, and was mostly interested in sciences and medicine. When I became a vampire, I struggled a lot. I tried to fight against my nature, against what I had become. I had always seen myself as a virtuous man, who had faith. And I had become a soulless beast. I started reading about foreign cultures. Humans are not conditioned to eat other humans, yet many cultures are known to have practiced cannibalism, either for religious or warfare purposes. So I thought, maybe vampires could feed from what they were not initially conditioned to eat, too. It took me almost a century to give up human blood completely’’. He smirked. ‘’Imagine being fed with the gods’ nectar all your life, and then suddenly having to drink flat water only. It would most certainly do the job … but it wouldn’t be half as satisfying’’.

‘’It’s interesting. Your background,’’ Bryn told him, smiling. ‘’Though, you sure don’t look like a clerk’’.

‘’What about Xander and Crimson ? Who were they ? ’’ Doubar asked. The crewmates turned to Kane, also curious to learn more about the two other vampires. Kane chuckled.

‘’Well … Xander was a decorated officer. But no surprise there, for he also was a powerful sorcerer.’’

‘’Black magic ?’’ Bryn asked.

‘’Yes. It is also the reason why he still has what you could call magical abilities, like his telekinesis. Crimson and I, however, do not possess any, except we are physically stronger than most humans.’’

‘’Which is logic, since you have now become our predators’’, Firouz thought out loud.

‘’Exactly. As for Crimson, the castle we live in is actually his. He was the duke of Sarania, about two centuries ago.’’ The crew looked surprised.

‘’But now … who’s governing over his duchy ?’’ Doubar asked. Rongar shrugged.

‘’No one, really. The castle sits right in the middle of the forest. From there, we can access at least a dozen villages which are all self-governed. It is litteraly Xander and Crimson’s hunting territory. The villagers know that the castle exists, they also know frightening creatures live there. Of course, they noticed some villagers tended to disappear, from time to time’’, he smirked.

‘’A clerk, a warrior and a duke …’’, Firouz stated. ‘’I would have thought Crimson would be your chief, but Xander seems to be the most powerful. Any hierarchy between the three of you ?’’

‘’Again, no. It’s useless now. We met because we were turned into vampires by the same Elder, Crimson being the youngest vampire, so to speak, among the three of us. But our social statuses were totally irrelevant’’.

‘’Why did you need a hunter, if Xander and Crimson used to go hunting by themselves?’’ Bryn asked.

‘’As most men from the nobility, Crimson has always lived in luxury. He always had people doing whatever he didn’t feel to like doing himself, for him. Why would he go hunting if someone agreed to do it for him ?’’ Kane replied. ‘’When he met Maeve, he aknowledged her skills. But moreover, it was a way for him to keep her all for himself.’’

‘’I thought you said vampires couldn’t feel … lust or that kind of feeling,’’ Doubar shrugged.

‘’It’s true, we don’t. But I’m sure you’ve all noticed how eccentric Crimson’s personality is. As a living man, he was one to always have fun, enjoying beautiful women’s company, eating and drinking from the finest foods and beverages, dressing in the finest fabrics and wearing the most expensive jewelry. He was bored, then Maeve came in. Even though he can’t feel lust, he still enjoys beauty. She’s his personal porcelain doll. He’s playing dress up with her.’’

‘’That’s creepy,’’ Doubar muttered, ‘’Poor lass’’. Rongar nodded in approval.

Kane stared at them before starting to chuckle again. ‘’You all think Crimson is controlling her, don’t you ?’’ he asked the puzzled crew.

‘’Controlling or toying with her. Anyhow, he’s taking advantage of her’’, Firouz replied.

‘’Well, you got it all wrong,’’ Kane smiled. ‘’She’s the one who’s controlling him. She’s got him wrapped around her finger’’.

‘’That’s not what I saw’’, Doubar protested.

‘’That’s not what you THOUGHT you saw’’, Kane corrected him. ‘’Maeve’s the one who suggested she could hunt for them, so she could stop Crimson and Xander’s merciless slaughter. She’s the one who brought the idea of bringing only criminals to them. Sarania is a small port, but many sailors, merchants and pirates stop by. Criminality is routine, here’’.

‘’She’s willingly sacrificed herself’’, Bryn said softly.

‘’She was alone and had nowhere to go. She had nothing to lose trying to be helpful’’, Kane nodded. ‘’But Crimson is becoming more of a threat to her. I’m not sure she will make it if he ever drinks from her blood again. He has no self-control’’.

The crew remained silent for a few minutes.

‘’Are there any female vampires ?’’ Firouz blurted. He blushed as the crewmates glared at him. ‘’Scientific curiosity’’, he protested.

‘’Yes, though I haven’t seen many in the past centuries’’, Kane smirked. ‘’Their hunting strategies are … quite different, to say the least’’, he added mischievously.

‘’Is Sinbad still with Maeve ?’’ Doubar asked Bryn. ‘’The boar is almost done cooking.’’

‘’I guess’’, she answered.

‘’Little brother !’’ Doubar called. ‘’Dinner’s ready !’’.

‘’Alright Doubar’’, they heard their captain yell back. He walked out of the tent a minute later. As he sat to eat by the fire with his friends, Kane observed the crewmates. He suppressed a smile as he realized they were all clueless. But vampires have good instincts and accute senses. *Oh well, captain. I’m the only one who knows your secret* Kane thought, smiling.

*****

[Fireland]

********
Chapter V
Listen to your heart
********

Kane and Firouz had walked out of the tent, leaving Sinbad and Maeve alone. The captain was relieved as his beautiful sorceress looked more lively than when Kane carried her out of the castle. Her skin, so pale after Crimson had drunk her blood, was slowly recovering its natural color. She still felt weak, but at least she was out of danger.

Sinbad reached to her and started caressing her cheek gently. ‘’I was worried about you’’, he told her.

‘’I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to be worried’’, she answered, smiling.

‘’Why didn’t you tell me about it ? Offering your blood …’’ he shuddered at the thought of how the vampires had treated his beloved sorceress. Like wild beasts fighting over a piece of meat.

‘’I thought you would dispise me, I guess’’, she thought out loud. ‘’You looked so shocked when I told you about my task. Telling you about the nature of the trade … I thought I would have disgusted you,’’ she admitted.

‘’Never’’, Sinbad protested. ‘’They’re the ones disgusting me, not you’’.

‘'Well, I’m glad to hear it’’.

‘’The port is about half an hour from here. We will catch the tide, in a few hours’’, he informed her.

‘’What ? No way !’’ she protested vehemently. ‘’I’m not running away like a coward. And I sure won’t leave the villagers at their mercy’’.

‘’The villagers fear you, and your blood-sucking friends were ready to kill you. Obviously, none of them actually want you here’’, he replied a bit too harshly.

‘’Is that really you talking ?’’ she scolded. ‘’I recall you didn’t mind we all risked our lives for causes we felt were noble and good. And now, you’re expecting me to run away ? Well forget it, captain. I don’t need you to rescue me !’’

‘’Are you out of your mind ? Do you really think you have any power over them ? If Kane hadn’t asked Xander to get Crimson off you, he would have killed you. So yeah, maybe you should allow yourself to be rescued, since you’re acting suicidal !’’

She glared at him, infuriated. ‘’I do have power over them. I’ve played Crimson’s game from day one. I flattered him, convinced him I should hunt for him. And he convinced Xander. I made my own terms, so the villagers would be safe. None of them have been slaughtered since I came here. None.’’

She paused. ''I'm not going with you, not until I find a solution that will keep the villagers safe''. Her voice had softened.

Sinbad immediately felt guilty about his attitude. ‘’What you’ve done … it’s very courageous. I should have known better’’, Sinbad admitted as an apology. ‘‘And I’m sorry I misjudged you’’, he added, thinking about how he had insulted her with his insinuation, the morning before.

‘’Apologies accepted’’, she smiled. She sighed and said : ‘’I’ll find a way, trust me. I just haven’t figured it out yet’’.

After a few minutes, Sinbad broke the silence.

‘’I really feel stupid for asking this, but…’’ he hesitated. Maeve raised her eyebrow. He gathered some courage and asked : ‘’Did you… Hmm… Do humans actually enjoy being bitten by a vampire ?’’

Maeve frowned. ‘’Why are you asking me this?’’

He chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed. ‘’Whenever they would bite you… the moans and sighs you made were ehhhmmm… well, in other circumstances, one could think it was actually pleasurable’’, he grinned.

Maeve blushed. ‘’You want the truth ? You’re right, the biting in itself doesn’t really hurt, although it does feel painful after. Anyhow, I guess the feeling while you're bitten could be described as ‘’pleasurable’’, but not in an… intimate way. See, your whole body feels the vital energy being taken away from you. It’s a very scary, yet powerful feeling’’.

‘’I see’’.

He frowned as he noticed she had been shivering for a few minutes already. The bedding she was lying on wasn’t that thick. It was well passed midnight by now, and the soil under her bedding was probably slightly damp and cold. He was also well aware of her nakedness under the cotton sheet she was covering herself with. He wished he had brought his woolen cloak so it would have warmed her up, but he had left it onboard. He would have to improvise.

He laid down beside her. Her eyes questioned him, but she didn’t resist nor protest when he curled up against her, resting his left arm over her waist in a gentle and protective gesture. They stayed like this, without moving and without talking, for a few minutes. Maeve was unable to decide whether the wellbeing feeling that overwhelmed her was because her body had stopped shivering or because his arm embraced her. Sinbad smiled when he felt Maeve’s hand over his, her fingers pleading shyly to entwine with his. They gazed at each other. His right hand reached for her hair, caressing it gently. Their faces were only a few inches apart.

Maeve struggled with her feelings. On the Nomad, she used to play hard to get with Sinbad, both because it amused her and because she wasn’t ready to fully open her heart to him yet. Part of her felt guilty for giving herself so easily, so soon after they had reunited. But she had mourned for him while they were apart. Was it a sign ? Was her heart finally ready to love him?

Sinbad hesitated. Was this too fast ? Not so long ago, when she was still on the Nomad, he wouldn’t have dared to initiate such intimacy with her. On the other hand, he couldn’t get off his head what Mala had said to him, three months earlier. *Sometimes, when we lose someone we love, we pretend not to hurt. We pretend we’re too tough to care.* Someone we love … the thought of it had been torturing him.

‘’The hell with it. I’ve wasted so much time already’’, he whispered, his lips almost brushing against hers. She smiled and he kissed her.

Making sure her sheet wouldn’t slide off her chest, Maeve lifted her arms and wrapped them around Sinbad’s shoulders, pulling his face down against hers, thus allowing them to exchange a deep kiss.

He positioned himself on top of her, but rested his weight on his forearm, steadying his balance by placing his leg over her. His free hand rested on her hip for a moment, but soon started to wander over her body, fondling her gently : first across her belly, then along one side of her body, slowly moving up until he reached her lower ribs. His hand stopped there, undaring to venture over her breast. Maeve couldn’t help but feel appreciative at how respectful and considerate his gesture was. Not lustful nor hasty, but loving and sweet.

He reluctantly broke the kiss. She looked at him, silently questioning him. His blue eyes were telling her he was unsure. ‘’You’re still weak…’’ he whispered, and she understood his concern. She kissed him softly, first on the lips, then down to his chin. Her lips left a trail of soft kisses along his jawline until they were close enough to his ear. ‘’Then be gentle..’’, she whispered back. He grinned and started kissing her neck, moving down slowly to the sheet’s edge. His hand reached for the fabric. He looked at her as he was about to uncover her breasts. That’s when he heard a loud voice yelling : ‘’Little brother! Dinner’s ready !’’

Sinbad glanced at Maeve. He shook his head, sighing with frustration. ‘’Alright Doubar !’’ he yelled back, trying to make his voice sound as normal as possible. Maeve chuckled. ‘’Saved by the bell,’’ she teased her disappointed captain. ‘’Now go, I’ll catch some sleep’’.

He got up, wished her a good night and stepped out of the tent, working hard to keep his composure. He joined his crewmates by the fire. To his relief, nobody seemed to notice how troubled he felt. As he was beginning to feel reassured at the thought that no one suspected he was about to make love to his beloved sorceress, he caught a quick glimpse of Kane’s red eyes mocking him. Sinbad flushed as he understood the vampire knew, and he glanced away, thinking *damn it*.


******

[Rongar]

YEA!
Sinbad and Maeve are together again and falling in love!

[Fireland]

*********
Chapter VI
The rescue
*********

Maeve awoke suddenly, feeling his presence near her. She opened her eyes and saw Kane’s red eyes staring back at her. ‘’What’s wrong ?’’ she asked sleepily.

‘’They’re gone hunting’’, he informed her. ‘’I heard them walking through the forest’’.

Maeve was now well awake. ‘’We have to tell the others’’. She got up, shameless as she flaunted her naked body in front of the vampire. She reached for her garments. ‘’You should go back to the castle’’ he told her as she started dressing herself. ‘’You are not safe here. If Crimson finds you …’’ he interrupted himself. He was about to say *and smells Sinbad’s odor all over you*, but he withdrew, thinking it would be too embarrassing for her. Instead, he stepped forward to help her fasten her corset. As she finished putting on her dress, they heard a horrible scream coming from the village. They ran outside the tent and were soon rejoined by the whole crew.

‘’What was it ?’’ Doubar asked Maeve.

‘’Crimson and Xander. They’re here. They’ve gone hunting. And it’s all my fault’’.

They heard the woman screaming again, but this time, from a location that was much closer to them.

‘’I have to stop them’’ Maeve told Kane.

‘’There’s nothing you can do’’, Kane replied. ‘’They captured her. She’ll be dead soon’’.

‘’No !’’ Maeve yelled. ‘’She’s not going to die because of me. I won’t let them !’’

She started running toward the village. Sinbad ran after her and stopped her by grasping her arm. ‘’What are you doing, you want to get killed ?! Wasn’t it enough you almost died tonight ?’’ he yelled at her.

She tried to push him away. ‘’I can still save her !’’ When he let go of her arm, she ordered him : ‘’Hand your dagger over to me’’.

‘’Our swords and weapons can nothing against them. You said it yourself, you can’t kill what’s already dead, remember ?’’ he protested, yet surrendering to her order.

‘’You’re right, that’s why I am not planning on stabbing them’’, she replied with sarcasm.

Doubar and Kane had rejoined them. When he saw Maeve taking Sinbad’s dagger, Doubar admonished him : ‘’Little brother, you’re not letting her fight against them, are you ?’’

‘’What exactly are you planning to do ?’’ Sinbad asked her with an authoritative voice.

‘’Using the only weapon I still own’’. She started walking. ‘’I’m going to seduce them’’.

‘’You’re going to … what ? This is ridiculous.’’ Doubar replied, ‘’I thought they didn’t care about women anymore’’.

‘’They don’t. Yet, I can still appeal to what’s most seductive to them.’’

Doubar and Sinbad looked puzzled. She rolled her eyes. ’’Trust me captain, the sole thought of me ‘’accidentally’’ cutting myself with the dagger is as seductive to them as a beautiful woman stripping would be, to you’’. Doubar and Sinbad were startled, but they followed her through the forest. Kane was leading the way, as his accute sense of hearing helped them getting closer to the vampires and their victim. A few minutes later, they all heard a female voice sobbing and begging for her life. It came from the clearing on their left. They hid behind a big oak. It was probably useless, since the vampires must have already aknowledged their presence, but they didn’t want to infuriate them.

The moon was so bright it sent enough light through the clearing for them to see rather clearly. Xander was sitting on a stone, staring at Crimson, who was toying with their prey : he was smelling her hair, or kissing her neck, wrist or hand, or nibbling at her skin, though without really biting her. Sometimes he would step back to screen her from head to toe, smiling widely to her, so she could see his red eyes and catch sight of his sharp fangs. The game was really entertaining for Crimson, as he couldn’t stop giggling and clapping his hands, like a child in front of a nice birthday present, everytime the poor woman would scream, cry or beg. A cat toying with a mouse, litteraly. The vampires’ eyes were glowing of excitement as they were getting ready to feast upon the young woman’s blood.

‘’Come with me’’ Maeve told Kane. ‘’Get her out of here as soon as he releases her’’, she ordered Sinbad and Doubar. Before they could say or do anything, she and Kane came out of hiding, walking straight to Xander and Crimson. Hearing their footsteps, both vampires turned their faces to them, their red eyes gazing fiercely at Maeve. Sinbad and Doubar had chills as they watched the scene, worried and hoping Maeve knew what she was doing. Kane stepped away from her.

‘’Crimson…’’ She called his name softly, almost lovingly. ‘’What are you doing?’’ She stopped walking and glanced at the girl he held captive. ‘’Why don’t you free this poor girl ?’’ she admonished gently. She smiled provocatively and she said : ‘’Don’t make me jealous, my darling’’. Her voice was so bewitching that Sinbad couldn’t help but think he would have crawled at her feet within seconds if she had toyed with him like that.

Maeve sat on a big stone, a few meters away from the one Xander was sitting on. Crimson was standing behind his prey, grasping one of her wrists, not ready to free her yet. Maeve didn’t say anything. She would have to make this game tantalizing enough so Crimson would release his prey. When he saw the dagger she was holding in her hand, his interest grew and his eyes started glowing even more. *Well, that’s a start*, she thought. She began playing with the dagger, making sure the moonlight reflected on its sharp blade. By then, she had both vampires’ full attention. She pushed her hair over one of her shoulders, revealing her neck. She brushed the tip of the dagger against her skin, moving it playfully from her cheek down to her lips and jawbone. She lifted her head slightly and seductively moved the the dagger’s blade along her throat. The vampires were very interested. Their eyes, brightened with anticipation, never went off her.

‘’I hope she knows what she’s doing’’, Doubar whispered. ‘’I hate the filthy way they look at her.’’

‘’Have some faith in her. Plus, she knows them better than we do’’. Sinbad tried to sound confident to reassure his brother.

Maeve was surprised that Crimson hadn’t let go of his prey yet. *You smartasses, you know I’m only toying with you, aren’t you ?* she mentally cursed the vampires. *Oh well, I guess I should crank it up a notch*. She leaned back against the stone, positioning her body in the perfect ‘’vulnerable damsel in distress’’ pose, knowing the vampires would find it appealing if they thought she was abandoning herself to their mercy. She held the dagger up against her chest, resting the tip of its blade at the junction between her breastbone and collarbones. She started moving it slowly downward, almost erotically, tracing imaginary ‘’s’’ over her chest. Catlike, the vampires’ eyes carefully followed her every moves.

‘’Well, this sure is enticing, even for the living,’’ Sinbad muttered.

Maeve glanced at Crimson. ‘’You’re starting to hurt my feelings’’ she reprimanded him. ‘’Let this poor girl go, and come play with me instead’’, she invited him. She completely laid down on the stone, lifting her arms above her head. She closed her eyes. *Alright, seems like I have no other choice left*. She pressed the dagger's blade against her wrist and breathed out a seductive ‘’Oops !’’.

Crimson brutally pushed his prey aside. Doubar and Sinbad were horrified as they realized Maeve had just slitted her wrist. The girl fell harshly on the ground, screaming. Kane grabbed her hand and lifted her up. The sailors ran to check on the girl and tell her to run away, back to the village. They stood next to Kane, helpless, as they witnessed the vampires’ aggressive behavior.

Xander and Crimson had run over to Maeve, excited by the smell of her blood. Xander violently pushed Crimson to the ground so he could drink from her first. The aristocrat stood up, defying Xander. They growled ferociously at each other, snarling loudly and showing their fangs. Wild beasts fighting over fresh meat, the sailors thought with horror. Xander brutally grabbed Maeve’s wrist and plunged his fangs inside her bleeding wound, which caused Maeve to cry weakly. She writhed when he started drinking her blood. But this time, he wouldn’t restrain himself.

Crimson confronted him with a threatening growl. Xander replied by brutally smashing his rival’s head against the rock. Infuriated, Crimson clasped his hand over Xander’s throat. Doubar and Sinbad were taken aback when they saw the small aristocrat lifting Xander above his head with one hand and thrusting him away. He then reached for Maeve’s arm and pulled it harshly toward him, causing a few bloodrops to splatter on her neck.

Crimson litteraly went mad. Kane held Sinbad and Doubar back as the two sailors had started running toward her. ‘’You’ll endanger your friend and yourself’’ Kane said as he struggled to restrain both men. Helpless, the brothers watched as Crimson climbed on top of the sorceress. He grasped her hair and yanked her head back, plunging his teeth directly into her throat. The moan she cried out was closer from climax than from pain.

‘’He’s going to kill her’’ Doubar yelled. Kane let go of them.

Doubar and Sinbad ran to her. Xander, who was now standing a few meters away from them, stepped forward. His eyes flickered as a red bolt violently crushed the captain to the ground. ‘’Little brother !’’ Doubar yelled. He landed further away. Xander smirked as he started choking them both.

‘’Xander, stop it !’’ Kane yelled. The warrior choked them a bit more, then let go of his mental grip. The two sailors laid on the ground, coughing.

Crimson was still drinking Maeve’s blood, sucking her vital energy out of her. His right hand frantically reached for her left breast and he grasped it coarsely. He loved feeling the disstressful beating of his victims’ heart as he drank their life from their veins. It was so satisfying to feel their heart stop beating, right there, under his fingers. But Kane decided Crimson would leave unfinished business as he jumped on him, throwing him off Maeve. The two vampires fought violently for a while, growling at each other like raging dogs.

‘’Xander, you have to stop him’’, Sinbad asked the warrior between two sets of coughs.

Xander glared at him, but still, he sent Crimson flying over a tree and crashing heavily to the ground. Crimson stuggled, he raged, he cursed, but Xander’s invisible hand held him firmly to the ground until the aristocrat had calmed down. Crimson got up, panting, still frustrated. He snarled at Kane and Xander before walking away. Xander looked at Doubar and Sinbad with his icy, empty evil glare. Then he turned around and walked away too.

The two brothers ran to Maeve, who was lying on the stone, numb and barely breathing. She litteraly looked like a chiffon doll. Kane was already by her side.

‘’What have you done’’ he reprimanded her, even though she couldn’t answer.

‘’Is she okay ?’’ Sinbad’s voice sounded panicked.

Kane looked at him.

‘’She’s dying, captain’’.

*****

[Fireland]

*********
Chapter VII
The kiss
*********

Kane sat on the ground, holding Maeve in his arms. Sinbad and Doubar knelt beside them. The beautiful sorceress was pale as death. She weakly struggled to breathe. Her wounds had stopped bleeding, and her lips were turning blue.

‘’Isn’t there anything you can do ? Anything you’ve read in your science books ?’’ Sinbad asked Kane. He sounded desperate.

They heard Maeve sigh, but realized she was in fact exhaling her last breath.

‘’No !’’ Sinbad protested. ‘’Do something !’’ he yelled at Kane, grasping the vampire’s arm harshly.

‘’Sinbad…’’ Doubar said softly, putting his hand over the captain’s shoulder. It broke his heart to see how devastated his little brother was.

‘’You can’t let her die, do you hear me ? You CAN’T !’’ Sinbad scolded angrily.

‘’She has willingly sacrificed herself’’, Kane replied.

‘’Damn it Kane ! She’s your friend too.’’ Sinbad’s voice was broken. His blue eyes started watering.

Kane gazed at the sailors. Their emotions fascinated him. Pain, anger, worry, sadness, grief. He couldn’t remember what it felt like. He glanced at Maeve.

‘’She was a white magic sorceress, wasn’t she ?’’ he asked them.

Doubar nodded.

‘’Maybe there’s something I can do after all’’, Kane said.

He laid her down on the ground. He leaned over and kissed her mouth.

‘’What the hell are you doing ?’’ Sinbad bursted out as Doubar grabbed his shirt to hold his brother still.

They were both startled when Maeve’s eyes opened, and even more taken aback when they saw yellow flames flickering in her eyes.

Kane broke the kiss. Maeve sighed and closed her eyes. They saw her chest moving as she started breathing again, and her fingers moved weakly, brushing against the grass. Slowly, she slipped back into consciousness. She opened her eyes, still feeling weak and somewhat sleepy. Her eyes met Kane’s first. She glanced at Doubar and Sinbad, wondering why they looked both so demolished and so relieved.

‘’What happened ?’’ Maeve frowned.

‘’Maeve, you were … dead’’, Sinbad told her, as if it didn’t make any sense.

‘’Dead ? Really, that’s … Oww !’’ she cried as she felt her injured neck throbbing. She cursed. ‘’That bastard, he bit my throat !’’

‘’How ? How did you reanimate her ?’’ Doubar asked Kane.

‘’Let’s say I gave her a sample of what evil tasted like’’, Kane answered.

‘’Of course … Kane, you’re brilliant !’’ she exclaimed, her eyes bright with gratefulness.

‘’Am I the only one who doesn’t understand ?’’ Sinbad asked, glancing at his brother.

‘’Remember the Griffon’s Egg ?’’ Maeve asked them.

‘’Of course. Pure goodness meeting pure evil, thus producing some kind of violent … reaction…’’ Sinbad was dazed as he started to understand what had just happened.

‘’Exactly. Well, this is it, at human scale,’’ Maeve smiled.

‘’Vital energy, the one that runs through your blood, leaves the body first when you die. But magic stays as long as your soul hasn’t fully disincarnated,’’ Kane explained.

‘’But the Griffon’s Egg … goodness won over dark forces, but the stone was destroyed. Why didn’t he kill you when he kissed you?’’ Doubar asked.

Maeve smirked mischievously. ‘’I guess I’m not as pure as the stone was’’. They all laughed when Doubar proudly exclaimed ‘’That’s my lass !’’

‘’Can you stand up ?’’ Kane asked Maeve.

‘’I think so,’’ she answered as the vampire helped her to get up. ‘’Was the girl able to escape ?’’

‘’Yes. But Xander and Crimson walked away’’, Sinbad answered. He reached for her arm when she lost her balance, she was still feeling dizzy. They started walking toward their camp.

‘’They went back to the castle. And I should too,’’ Kane declared, staring at the horizon. The skyline was pale yellow. He nodded as a way of saying goodbye, and he ran away.

‘’That’s it… Maeve, that’s our solution,’’ Sinbad declared.

''What are you talking about ?'' Doubar asked.

‘’The sunlight destroys them, doesn’t it ?’’ Sinbad asked Maeve, ignoring his brother.

‘’Of course it does’’, Maeve replied. ‘’But they will never leave the castle under daylight, so forget about it.’’

‘’What do you have in mind ?’’ Doubar asked Sinbad when he noticed his brother was grinning.

‘’That’s quite easy, Doubar. If they don’t come to us, we’ll go to them’’, he answered confidently.

‘’Now, you’re the one acting suicidal’’, Maeve mocked him.

‘’And you, obviously you don’t care for nice architecture’’, he smirked.

‘’Oh, and I suppose you do ?’’ she asked sharply. ‘’And what does this even have to do with what we’re talking about ?’’

‘’Everything, Maeve. Think about it. Have you ever been in a ballroom that had no windows, no stained glass whatsoever ?’’ Sinbad asked. ‘’I haven’t. But when we visited the castle, there wasn’t any to be seen. The ballroom is where guests are entertained, where they are expected to spend their evening. Any rich man, say Crimson, would have certainly made sure his ballroom looked luxurious enough to impress his guests, and that usually goes hand in hand with huge windows and decorative stained glass’’.

‘’Yes, the for living rich men’’, Maeve conceded. ‘’But we’re talking about vampires. Of course they’re not going to have windows where they live’’.

‘’Crimson lived in that castle before he turned into a vampire, didn’t he ? And how did that pigeon get there in the first place ? If it had entered the castle with us, we would have seen it, or at least heard it flying above our heads.’’

‘’What are you suggesting ?’’ Doubar asked.

‘’That there are in fact several windows in that room, and that our blood-sucking friends have somehow barricaded them’’.

‘’Makes sense to me’’, Maeve nodded.

‘’If we can get the vampires in that room and find a way to uncover one or many windows, then we could destroy them by pushing them into the light’’ Doubar said.

‘’Exactly’’.

Doubar tapped on his brother’s shoulder. ‘’I’m in’’.

‘’Me too,’’ Maeve said, ‘’as long as we’re not hurting Kane in the process’’.

‘’Agreed’’, Sinbad nodded. ‘’Now let’s get back to the camp and tell the others’’.


*****

[Fireland]

To be continued I still have one or two chapters left. Night night zzZZZzzz

[Doubar]

Ooooh. I have not yet managed to read it properly - only scanned it briefly - but it does sound very interesting. Gonna give you a proper review when I found time to read it.

[Fireland]

Of course Or you can comment a chapter at a time, if you wish. I just want to post each chapter as soon as I'm done, I don't feel like waiting a week between each post, just so it wouldn't kill the suspense. It's quite long, about 30 pages in my Word file already. So take your time, and comment whenever you feel like it

It's a self exorcism. This story was always on my mind, it was distracting me, I was telling myself I should write it down before I forgot about it. So there it goes. Once I'm done, I will spend a while without writing a AoS fic *lol* That makes three in less than a week ...