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CHAPTER 2 - BECAUSE OF THEIR HISTORY IT’S THEIR DESTINY AND THEY CAN’T BE GIVEN A CLUE


CAROLINE


“So shall we start?” I look at my two dear friends; they start to smile. “What? I...ooh, you’ve started without me?! How far?!”


“Their masters at arms will be here on Tuesday…” Earl grins.


“Tuesday, why so late? And I get why she wants to be known as that, but not if you get me?” I watch, incredulous, as the Master Lieutenants are in perfect sync.


“Who...oh, you mean Melanie?” Bernardus chuckles. “She fought hard to get where she is, and that's what she wants to be known as. Now as to why…uh, Caroline...” I force myself to stop watching. “...we want to see how they take the rejection.” 


“And then on Thursday when they go back and tell them that the Aldermen have reversed their decision, contingent on them being trained, by the Master Lieutenants. The ascenscion is contingent on them passing and...”


“And Kinney and Taylor won’t make it a competition at all.” Earl snickers. “Have they met?”


“No. I don’t think they have even been in the same country before…” Earl looks thoughtful. “I think we should have a small wager…”


“Oh no, absolutely not! Lorelle and Virginia need to be here before anything wager like is discussed!” Bernardus interrupts, trying to look serious and failing. “So, the first thing we do is get them here and keep them apart…” Bernardus starts to smile. “...that will light a metaphorical fire under them.”


“Indeed.” I murmur. “I can’t wait!”


MASTER LIEUTENANT BRIAN KINNEY’S COMPOUND, AUSTRALIA - NEXT DAY


RECEPTION HALL


MEL


I try not to roll my eyes as he unpacks my bag and surveys what was inside. I am 220 years old and have been packing for myself since I was 120! But oh no, this is not good enough, not for Brian Aiden Kinney, aged 232 and three quarters!


“Brian, I have to go. Can this be enough and then…”


“You need your sidearm.” He declares.


“I am going to the Aldermen Elders, who are the most powerful of all vampires, I will not need…” I pause in my justification knowing he won’t let me leave until I take it. “...if I take it with me can I please go?”


“And your medallion.” He adds. “You should always have that when you travel to another coven. You’ve earned that and people should treat you with the respect you are due.” I shake my head and smile. “So why are you summoned again?”


“They didn’t say, just that I had to be there.” 


“Something is up, I can feel it.” He sighs and I snicker, which at least raises a smile. “You know what I mean. But you are right, you must leave now. Come straight back though.”


“I will, my friend. I will. Now don’t over train.” I tell him firmly, knowing he is going to do exactly that! “I will see you on Thursday.”


“Hmm. Be safe.” He murmurs, and heads off to perfect his already perfect skills.


TRAINING ROOM - TEN MINUTES LATER


BRIAN


I sigh as I watch her leave. The summoning can only be bad news. I hope that the rumours and mutterings of the treaty being broken in some areas, which have abounded for years are false. 


I am taken straight back to the memory of my Dad, Jack explaining what he and Mom were willing to do for peace. I remember them going into the room where the other two were waiting for them. Dad, ever the gentleman, asked their names, Lois and Joshua, they looked so young. He asked why they were doing it. If it takes our lives to stop then so be it, Joshua answered. They were so calm and quiet  as the High Alderman approached with the blade and cut their wrists. The moment of their deaths, Dad and Mom drank their blood and they died within seconds of each other. I remember there being a great fuss being made about something, but I was taken away so never found out. All I know is that because of their sacrifice, peace has reigned for almost half a century. I miss them every day, and still think of them as my parents despite them adopting me when my human parents abandoned me after they found out I was a half blood. You’d think the fangs would be a clue that the guy you are having a threesome with is a Vamp!


“Come on, Kinney, practice!” I snarl at myself and pick up my bullwhip. I flick it and smile at the thwapping crack it makes against the air. 


Although I do suppress the urge to do it easy, like a pure Vamp. I wasn't born this way, I was gifted my pureness as a result of my parents sacrifice, but I still have some human elements in me. I can allegedly love like they do, which is bullshit, the first love of your life are your parents, and they taught me nothing about love, so I don’t believe you can. 


“Focus!” I exclaim, and leap up to the 3rd highest beam. Like I said, I accept some aspects of being a Vamp. For one thing, I have a fantastic cock and I know how to use it!


MASTER LIEUTENANT JUSTIN TAYLOR’S COMPOUND, GERMANY - SAME TIME


LOBBY


JUSTIN


I scowl at a chuckling Ben as he prepares to meet the Aldermen. “How come I can’t do this? I don’t understand.” 


“You have to want to do it.” Ben calls over his shoulder.


“That is the whole point of me trying to do it. I look a mess!” I sigh, as for a brief second I catch sight of my reflection. “This is where you contradict me.” I point out tartly.


“You don’t look a mess, and well you know it. As for the teeth thing, you don't want to because you’ve not found anyone you want to do it for.”


“Bullshit.” I snort at his endless romanticism, he has been with Jared since the moment they met in the hospital. Ben had no idea how he got there, and was really banged up. It was touch and go for a while, but he pulled through. “So, do you have a clue?”


“For the what, or, the why not you?” Ben folds his arms and frowns, I smirk as he floats back down to earth. “Shut up.” He orders, looking embarrassed. “I don’t know why I float when I am thinking, it is silly.”


“I think it’s cute.” Jared calls out as he comes down the stairs with his medallion. “And you are not leaving this behind. You’ve earned it, so take it with you!” He grimaces but does pin it on. “Now come on, let’s go.”


I watch with more than a bit of jealousy as they fall into easy step and depart. Feeling a bit unsettled, well as much as I can feel, I head to the training room to shake it off.


INSIDE THE CHAMBER OF ALDERMEN ELDERS, ICELAND - LATE EVENING


ALDERMAN EARL


I smile as Mel and Ben greet each other warmly. They haven’t seen each other in almost 50 years when they both attained the Master at Arms status. They take their seats in front of us and look expectantly. 


“Okay, the Taylors and the Grassis asked for ascension and were denied. Lorrelle and Virginia are going to tell them, by them I mean Michael and Lindsay, formally today. Lady Deborah tried to argue the merits of her ruling with him. I was so repulsed I returned them both!”


“Returned?!” I gasp, trying to stifle the laughter at the image that brought to mind.


“Didn’t even let them put their crowns back on!” I chortle.


MEL


“However, we have changed our minds. They will be allowed to ascend…”


“I am sorry, Alderman Bernardus, can you repeat that?” I knew it was something when Ben was here, but this? They can’t be serious about this?! 


“We are very serious.” I acknowledge the read with a wry smile. “We feel that we were hasty in our decision, but recognise it will be an unpopular one…”


“But have you seen them?!” Ben explodes, five pairs of eyebrows shoot to the tops of their skulls. “I apologise, but...but...that...I mean...just why?!”


“Calm yourself.” I tell Ben, he lets out a whoosh of air. “When will they be told of the reversal, and why were we needed for this?”


“They will be told on Thursday. As for why, because we need you to tell the Master Lieutenants that we wish them to train them in the arts and etiquette of being King and Queen of their respective covens.”


“You are fucking kidding me?!” I blurt out. “Brian will never agree to that!”


“Neither will Justin!” Ben starts to pace. 


And then I feel it, laughter...I frown and look at Alderman Caroline. “What is so funny, Alderman Caroline.”


“Stop toying with them, Bernardus, and let us tell them the real reason for their presence.” She orders.


“Okay, okay…” Bernardus smiles. “...the floor is yours, Caroline.”


CAROLINE


“Show me them!” I order, and the room is bathed in light and Brian Kinney is resting, but it is Justin that is causing amusement. I try not to laugh too much as he continues to try and will his teeth in! 


“You’re right, Ben, he can’t force it. They will go in naturally.” We sit in silence. “For one so pure, he has remarkably little knowledge of being a Vamp!” 


“But what I don’t understand is why?” Earl gripes. “Why he doesn’t read up on it. He is a Vamp and he’s accepted that, but apart from the speed, the skills etc, etc and so forth he doesn’t seem to know anything! I mean, he knows the laws, the honours and edicts but to be one...not so much.” 


“That’s not his fault!” Ben protests. “He didn’t ask to be born like that...” He trails off and I feel sorry for Justin. “...so what...”


“Please, Ben, let me explain.” I interrupt him gently. “Whilst you know Justin, you don’t know him entirely. You know about the war between Vampires and Humans, which raged for centuries. I am, well we all are, to this day, unsure as to how this came about, but it was decided to end the war by the sacrificing of two pure of heart members of the most powerful coven, and that was Pittsburgh. Naturally, there weren’t any takers and we thought the war would rage forever, but then two stepped up, Jack and Joan Kinney, and to everyone’s surprise two stepped in from the human side, Joshua and Lois Thorn. They said it was only fair and  that Vampires can’t be the only ones to perish. It was discovered after Lois’s death that she was pregnant, so the baby was saved by turning him pure, and that baby was Justin. They were immortalised in the Great Book and placed in consecrated ground, a huge honour, along with Joan and Jack.”


“For crying out...” Ben gasps. “...does Justin know any of that?!”


“No. But Brian does know of the sacrifice but not of the child. May I continue?” He nods slowly. “Once he was saved and made pure, he was adopted by the Taylor family. Whilst they share the same name, the line does not follow. They are not related.” 


Both Ben and I are just staring at each other. Still uncomprehending of why they would want them to train them. 


“Can you just spit this out?” Ben demands. “I am getting pissed off with the…”


“Benjamin Brucker, will you calm down?!” Bernardus orders. They eyeball each other until Ben, once more, takes a couple of breaths. “They will obey the edict of the Aldermen and train them to rule perfectly which is the last thing we want!”


“Then why are you asking them to do it?” Ben sighs.


“Because Brian and Justin are the true Kings, but we can’t tell them that. They have to find out themselves. We can’t meddle, but we can guide slightly…”


“So what happens to Michael and Lindsay in all of this?” Mel asks.

 

“They get exactly what they deserve.” Bernardus returns. “We have heard the rumours, and although thus far they could not be proven, the stench of truth lingers.”

Chapter End Notes:

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