Council of Blood

Council of Blood
The old book burst into blue flames in Viv's hands. She dropped it with a cry as the fire swallowed the pages, turning Erebus's "proof" to ash.

"Lies," Damien growled, stepping between Viv and Erebus. "You've always been good at those."

Erebus's smile faltered. "The book—"

"Was a fake," Lilith said, appearing suddenly behind Marcel. She pressed a silver knife to his throat. "Just like your control over Marcel isn't as strong as you think."

Marcel's black eyes flickered, blue fighting to return. "Viv," he choked out, "don't... believe..."

Erebus snarled and lunged for Marcel, but Damien moved faster, slamming into the old vampire. They crashed through the wall in a blur of motion.

"Dad!" Viv ran to Marcel as he collapsed, the blackness draining from his eyes.

"I fought him," Marcel whispered. "In my mind. Pretended to give in."

Lilith kept her knife ready. "How do we know you're really free?"

A tremendous crash came from the next room. Viv looked up in time to see Erebus throw Damien through another wall.

"He's too strong," Damien yelled. "Get Vivienne out of here!"

Erebus laughed, his ancient strength filling the room like a dark cloud. "You can't protect her forever, Shadow King. The Council will make their choice tomorrow night." He turned to Viv with a cold smile. "Ask him what happens at the Blood Moon Council. Ask him why he really needs you by his side."

With that, Erebus disappeared in a swirl of shadows, leaving behind only his chilling laugh.

Damien stumbled to his feet, blood flowing from a wound on his chest.

"What did he mean?" Viv asked, helping Damien to a chair. "What council?"

Damien's face was grim. "The vampire high council meets tomorrow at midnight. I've been summoned to defend my right to rule." He looked at her, his eyes troubled. "And I need you to come with me."

"You're still not telling me everything," Viv said as their car raced through the dark streets the next night. "Why do you need me at this council?"

Damien's hands tightened on the driving wheel. "The council has heard rumors about my weakening powers. They want proof I'm still strong enough to lead." He glanced at her. "The blood bond has restored my strength, but they need to see it for themselves."

"So I'm just a battery?" Viv felt hurt despite herself.

"No," Damien said quickly. "You're much more. You're..." He trailed off, looking awkward.

"I'm what?"

"My equal," he finally said. "And that terrifies them more than any weakness."

The car pulled up to a huge stone building hidden behind high walls. Guards in black suits nodded respectfully as Damien helped Viv from the car.

"Remember what I told you," he whispered. "Show no fear. These vampires are ancient and dangerous. They see fear as weakness, and weakness as an invitation."

Viv straightened her back. The blue light under her skin pulsed stronger, responding to her nerves. "I'm not afraid."

Damien almost smiled. "Yes, you are. But you're facing it anyway. That's true bravery."

They walked through towering doors into a huge hall lit by hundreds of candles. At the far end, seven ornate chairs made a half circle on a raised platform. Five were already filled with vampires who looked both old and ageless at the same time.

As Viv walked beside Damien, she felt their hungry eyes follow her. Not just hunger for blood, but for power—her power. She forced herself not to shiver.

"Damien Blackthorn," a female vampire with silver hair declared. "You come before the Council of Blood to answer charges of weakness and fraternization with prey."

"I come to dismiss those charges as the lies they are," Damien answered, his voice cold and powerful. "And I bring my blood bound, Vivienne Thorne, as witness."

Whispers filled the hall. Viv could hear them clearly with her increased senses.

"Hunter blood."
"The prophecy."
"She should be dead, not bound."

The silver haired vampire leaned forward. "This is the hunter bloodline? You bound yourself to our ancient enemy?"

"I bound myself to power," Damien said simply. "As we all have done in our long lives."

A door opened at the side of the hall. Viv's breath caught as Erebus glided in, taking the sixth chair.

"My apologies for the delay," Erebus said easily. "I had some family business to attend to."

"Family?" Viv couldn't stop herself from asking.

Erebus smiled at her, his black eyes sparkling. "We're all family here, little hunter. Some branches just don't know their own tree."

The silver haired vampire cleared her throat. "The seventh seat remains empty. Lord Blackthorn, you know why we've called you."

Damien nodded. "Rumors of weakness. Claims I can no longer protect my territory."

"Not rumors," a muscular vampire with a scarred face growled. "I've seen it myself. Your powers fade while lesser vampires grow bold."

"If you've seen weakness," Damien said slowly, "perhaps it was what I wanted you to see."

The scarred vampire stood suddenly. "Words! Empty words from a fading king!" He pointed at Viv. "You bring a human here, pretending her blood makes you strong. Prove it!"

Damien's face showed no expression. "What proof would satisfy you, Darius?"

The vampire named Darius jumped down from the platform, moving with scary speed until he stood directly before Damien.

"Fight me," he hissed. "Right here. The winner takes the Blackthorn territory." His eyes slid to Viv. "And everything that comes with it."

The room went quiet. Viv looked at Damien, but his face remained unreadable.

"Damien," she said softly. "You don't have to—"

"I accept," Damien cut her off. "But understand what you're risking, Darius. This isn't a challenge I'll show mercy for."

Darius laughed and backed up, crouching into a fighting stance. "The Shadow King, showing mercy? Not in the stories I've heard."

The other council members watched with cold interest as Darius circled Damien. Viv was pushed back by two guards, forced to watch from the edge of the room.

"No weapons," the silver haired vampire stated. "No outside help. Fight until surrender or death."

Darius struck first, moving so fast he seemed to blur. His hand connected with Damien's jaw, sending him staggering back.

"First blood to Darius," Erebus observed, sounding amused.

Damien touched his split lip, looking at the blood on his fingers. Then he looked at Viv. Their eyes met across the room, and the mark on her wrist pulsed with blue fire.

Something changed in Damien's stance. He straightened, power seeming to flow into him. When Darius charged again, Damien sidestepped easily.

"Too slow," Damien said softly.

Darius roared and struck again and again, each time missing as Damien moved like smoke between his strikes.

"Fight back!" Darius screamed in anger.

Damien smiled then, a cold smile that made Viv shiver. "As you wish."

His hand shot out, grabbing Darius by the throat. With his other hand, he reached into Darius's chest. There was a wet, tearing sound that made Viv's stomach turn.

Damien pulled back his hand, holding a still beating heart.

Darius looked down in shock at the hole in his chest, then up at Damien. "How...?" he gasped before falling to dust.

The room was completely silent. Damien turned to the council, the heart still beating in his hand. "Does anyone else question my strength?"

No one spoke. Even Erebus looked surprised.

Damien dropped the heart, which melted into ash before it hit the floor. "Then let's discuss the real reason you called this meeting. The prophecy."

The silver haired vampire regained her composure. "Very well. The twinned souls bond has not been seen in over five centuries. The last time nearly destroyed us all."

"That was different," Damien said.

"Was it?" Erebus asked softly. "A vampire lord and a hunter, bound by blood and something more? History repeats, Damien."

"What are they talking about?" Viv asked, stepping forward despite the guards.

The silver haired vampire studied her. "You don't know? Your blood husband hasn't told you the prophecy you're fulfilling?"

"Enough, Selene," Damien growled.

"She has a right to know," Selene said. "The prophecy states that when royal vampire blood bonds with pure hunter blood, a choice will come: salvation or destruction." She looked between Damien and Viv. "One path leads to a new age for vampires. The other leads to our extinction."

Viv felt cold. "And which path are we on?"

"That," Erebus said with a smile, "depends on which one of you survives."

"Survives what?" Viv asked, looking at Damien.

Before he could answer, the great doors burst open. Marcel stumbled in, blood pouring from a wound in his side.

"It's happening," he gasped. "The ritual. They've taken the children."

"What children?" Damien asked.

Marcel's eyes found Viv's. "The missing people weren't the target. They were just the test." He collapsed to his knees. "Erebus has been taking children with hunter bloodlines. Dozens of them."

All eyes turned to Erebus's chair. It was empty.

A slow clap echoed from the dark. Erebus stepped forward, no longer pretending to be just another council member.

"Well done, Marcel," he said. "You've delivered the final pieces right to me." He gestured, and suddenly the walls were filled with vampires—hundreds of them, with glowing red eyes and bared fangs.

"The council is disbanded," Erebus stated. "The age of shadow rule is over."

He looked at Viv with hungry black eyes. "And now, little hunter, you will help me complete what your mother tried to stop twenty years ago."

"My mother?" Viv whispered.

"Yes," Erebus smiled. "Ask Damien. He was there when I killed her."