Demise of the Vampire Queen

“The Magikal Vampire Kingdom: Let ye who enter here, forever be marked.”

As the riders approached The Queen’s Land, they saw the iron message above the entranceway. Finavon Castle and Mansion stood near Angus, Scotland as a vestige within the beautiful landscape, including the Grampian Mountains and a doocot full of delicate white doves used by the current school.

Built in 1375 by the Earl of Crawford, the castle consisted of a five-story, L-shaped floor plan with a courtyard in the center. The country house, a Baronial-style mansion, was added in 1865. The mansion was a three-story building with a four-story corner tower with a private entrance from the castle, a formal garden, and a servant wing. The castle came unexpectedly crashing down in the 18th century. It was restored by the Queen to house her new vision of a different school in which she would be the head mistress.

The people of the land considered a person condemned if they entered The Queen’s Land. Children who were different were sent here for an upbringing designed to nurture their abilities. The children called it The Magikal Vampire Kingdom and were terrified of going there. They often hid their abilities as long as possible so as not to be disparaged in this place. Students came to her school for guidance and segregation from humans and their homes around the continent. Many traveled several days and nights to get there on horseback, or by car for the more wealthy families—most without the love and support from their parents and family. They felt doomed and alone until they arrived and found others like themselves. They found a common bond that they otherwise would never have.

The vampires stayed to themselves. The rest of the students were too scared to befriend them, so they had their own group…minus the fairies, who also kept to themselves. They were obsessed with flying and had no time for outsiders or distractions. Finally, the witches, warlocks, and elves teamed up for a volatile marriage. Nonetheless, they each learned from the others in many different ways and of course, academically. They knew the rumors of the place being hell for children. Once a person entered, they rarely came out for one reason or another.

The Magikal Vampire Kingdom tried to mimic what they could of the human world, so as to be prepared should the humans finally accept them. The school could not have a ton of students running around like crazy, acting inappropriately, and ultimately scaring their new friends. Upon being taken into the Queen’s Land, each student would be marked with a bite mark tattoo on the inside of the right bicep. It was as if the Queen herself personally put her mark on every one of them. It was a mark that could never be removed or hidden from others. Even as an adult, the mark would still be present and label you as an outsider in any community you entered. It was a mark that told others you were special and to be avoided at all costs. Consequently, most students tended to stay at the school as long as possible, even as adults, and became advisors or teachers.

The Queen herself was an enigma. She harbored the ambition of ruling and purifying the vampire race since reawakening during the last century. She moved to world domination, accomplished with her new coven in Venice. Her success over her sister and the Japanese culture was overshadowed only by the death of the male love of her life. Killed in a fire during one of their tousles, she’d thrown Yutaka off her, and he’d landed on the burning, white-hot cinderblocks in the fireplace. He changed to ashes before she’d had time to call anyone. She tried to put out the fire, but vampires burned for a long time. When her friends arrived, they’d attempted to clean up the ashes and put them in an urn for the Queen to remember him always.

The devastating loss of Kendra, her first lover this century, to the blinding love of another had changed her forever. Oh how she missed her! She’d never get her back, nor could she forget her. Since she’d excelled at all her conquests, she now had to find something worthy to satisfy her. She had become cold and calculated due to her circumstances of the heart. All she had was herself. She could never get close to another since the loss of Kendra and Yutaka.

Two years after Yutaka’s death, when she’d opened the Magikal Kingdom, the urn had somehow found its way into the creek behind the large colonial house they’d once shared. She attempted to live modestly as per his wishes but, when he died, she returned to Scotland to claim a large portion of land and start over. She had a vision of a school where students would worship her.

She ran her academic Kingdom under tight lock and key for fear of rebellion within the school. She knew who did what, where, and when at all times. Not only could she read minds, but she could also see the future of all of her subjects, some of which were very short. She despised not having total control over life and death...yet. Perhaps that would be her next quest but she had to start somewhere.

The school started out primarily for vampires, but once the Queen saw the need for the education of other creatures, she opened her school to others as well. In the beginning, neophyte vampires came from all over the world to attend her school. Some were dropped off by parents, while others found their way after their Masters left them soon after they awoke. She corralled prominent adult vampires from all over the world to come and teach at her school once their fame dwindled.

Many were excited for the opportunity, while others resented the fact that their human life was over this decade. The school taught many classes for the vampires such as:

• Physical Knowledge of the human/vampire

• Mental Knowledge of the human/vampire

• Vampiric Survival

• Bloodletting and Drinking

• All Types of Magic

• Vampire History and current pop culture

However, when other creatures wanted to become students and find a place to fit in, the Queen had to reorganize and customize the courses. She added classes such as:

• History of Elves, Witches/Warlocks, and Fairies

• Rituals and Spells

• Other Paranormal Creatures 101

• Newbie School Policies and Procedures—Including getting along with each other.

The Queen was very proud of her school and worked hard to educate everyone in the Vampiric Blood Purification rituals she led every full moon. This was still her mission, though creature school as she called it, was a very important part of being a Queen.

She felt she had paid her dues and was ready to rule all creatures on this planet. The only ones she exempted from her reign were the humans. She wanted nothing to do with them. They were unpredictable with free will and all, so she made no exception to her rule: no humans in school or the lives of any creature associated with her.

She bought all things necessary from those who were creature vendors. She printed her textbooks in-house. She did use modern technology invented by humans, but these were sold to her by creatures. She only allowed her students to watch movies and listen to music created by vampires. She lived without humans for many centuries and had no desire to get herself mixed up in their world, again. They were simply an awarded snack for any student with excellent grades, behavior, and one who was completely subservient to the Queen.

The book was the be-all, see-all alchemy for all creatures unaccepted by the human race for whatever reason. The book taught all the magic—white and black—to the students in a level of superior academics to the academically challenged. Students could test out of a subject at any time, just like a human school. This book had an entire class dedicated to it, because it had so much power, yet as the Queen passed the classroom door where it was housed, she often thought that there were some things that should remain untouched by young students and even other adult creatures.

Once every three months, the Queen personally checked each student. Classes ran for six months at a time, so halfway through seemed a perfect way to keep the student working hard and motivated. The winner for each grade level—except those too small—went out on a hunting expedition to find the perfect humans for their sacrifices. The rest of the students were jealous yet fascinated with those who got to participate. It was bragging rights for the students and also a treat to consume human blood instead of the Red Cross blood bank bags. Yes, they were good for the once-a-week fix the students needed to survive, but nothing compared to human blood.

A spell was placed on every student by the Queen who entered the school at any given time. This was a powerful spell that kept down the hunger of the students and left their survival dependent upon the Queen. She enjoyed and needed the power she created for herself.

She considered herself the Queen of all and this was just another example of her absolute rule over all creatures. She had an arrangement with the local Red Cross inventory specialist and vampire, Caleesy.

Caleesy miscounted the inventory in lieu of spending one night by the Queen’s side once a month—a small price to pay for what the Queen received. Besides, Caleesy was very pretty, as were all her vampires, but she was exceptionally attractive and powerful—two qualities the Queen adored in her subjects.

Caleesy had a pinkish hue to her pale skin and beautiful, ice blue eyes. Her hair was a raven mess of curls that framed her face and dangled loosely down her back to her waist. The Queen was pleased with Caleesy, and the students in the school adorned the Paramour of the Queen. Only the teachers at the school knew the arrangement between the Queen and her Paramour at the blood bank. The teachers were usually the ones who made the trip to the Red Cross so that they could carry the large amount of blood needed each week and supervise the students’ intake. The students never questioned this relationship between the Queen and her Paramour, for questioning the Queen was forbidden; however, they quietly nicknamed Caleesy the Playmate of the Queen. The Queen could read minds and saw their most intimate thoughts, but she let this Playmate thing go on rather than explain the details to her students. In reading Caleesy’s thoughts, she found that she truly revered the Queen, cherished her time with her, and looked forward to it each month.

* * * *

Caleesy

Caleesy was a Makurikki tribal Queen in the 1300’s. She was given as a gift to the Makurikki Regele or King. She instantly became a Queen when he accepted his gift of her from her father. Her father’s last-ditch effort was with the Makurikki people to forge a bond together in battle to allow him to be King of the West. Her father’s people, the Sumarians, were losing control over the west part of the country. The Sumarian people had never seen winter or been bitter cold. Instead, they suffered searing heat and starvation in a land too dissolute to grow food. They relied on trade, and that was something they did with the Makurikki’s for many years. This time around, they could not pay for the loot they required to keep the kingdom alive, so the King gave his daughter as payment for this particular loot and two future loots. Caleesy was very scared, as the Makurikki people were not as elegant and refined as the Sumarians. The Sumarians had an established town, but the Makurikki people were like nomads and traveled where they could acquire the needs for all their customers.

“Traveling in that heat could wear a woman down,” Mateki, Caleesy’s handmaiden, told her right before they left for the voyage. Caleesy was given one person she could bring to assist her and she chose Mateki—her closest maiden and secret lover. Mateki would brush out Caleesy’s hair every evening, so she looked beautiful for the King when he returned to his tent during the late night hours. He often exchanged goods, so he could buy her beautiful dresses—his subtle way of showing her affection. He was a very rough man, one who led his people with strength and wisdom. She stayed by his side at night but worked with the women in the tribe by day, teaching them her native language, odornation, crafts, and womanly games. The Regele’s warriors disapproved of this but allowed her to do something that consumed her daily routine without interfering with the Regele and his men.

Caleesy often went into town with her King to speak with the town’s merchant women. She learned many things, including how to charm and soothe a man in the bedroom. She was afraid of this part of their marriage, and he left her alone and given her the space she needed until she came to him for guilty pleasures.

One day on the battlefield, the Regele fell to the ground, ill with a blazing fever. His men carried him to his tent where Caleesy stood by his side helplessly.

The woman healer in the tribe came to her but said there was no hope for him. Caleesy broke down, hysterically at first, then pulled herself together to command her people. She arranged for him to be brought to his homeland in a flat, covered carriage where she could attend to him along the journey. Many of the other men left, made a new Regele, and left her and her closest advisors to head toward the homeland.

Caleesy stayed by his side, cleaning his face and attempting to cool it with the only water she could find. With only one day’s journey left, the King fell into a sleep and never woke. Caleesy lay on top of him for the rest of the journey, crying and beating on his muscular chest. She felt she was finally accepted, then he had been taken from her. When they arrived in the homeland, she climbed down and started making the five-day funeral arrangements, customary for a Regele, as she stood by stoically, yet dazed.

Afterward, in her private chamber, the Queen cried hysterically, and no one was able to calm her, including Mataki, who tried desperately. Eventually, Caleesy came around and started to explore the city she would now call home and continue to reign over, along with many other Queens of fallen Regele.

The buildings were made of stone and gold, somewhat of a luxury at that time. They were encased with an abundance of gemstones, something easily found in this land. Each Queen had her own private chamber with a bathing pool and gazebo to go to for spiritual guidance. She loved the care they took of her every day, bringing her new, beautiful dresses with ornate jewelry to accompany each piece. She had more handmaidens than she needed, which Mateki took as a personal attack, until Caleesy came to her in the evenings.

She eventually found her place in this beautiful town. Caleesy’s beauty had not gone unnoticed around the land. Many warriors came to their gate to request her hand, as her beauty was legendary. All were turned away, for they were not worthy of one of the city’s Queens.

One evening, something dark and ominous scaled the tallest wall in the North, where there was little militia, and entered the exquisite town. He kept himself in the shadows so as to go unnoticed but could still be mesmerized by the beauty of the city.

That evening, as Caleesy was undressing, she just asked Mateki to go get her some hot water when a stranger appeared in her doorway leading to the outside balcony.

He was very handsome–almost porcelain looking–and unlike any other man she had ever seen. He had long, black hair tied back behind the base of his neck. His clothes were a little more formal than customary. Caleesy was intrigued. As if in a daze, Caleesy got up and walked over to the shadowy figure. He instantly took her into his arms, and they flew off into the night.

Caleesy was a reluctant vampire, silently fighting her Maker. She was trained to be a human warrior to protect him by day. Her Maker reveled in her shyness and presumed naivety. He took her for himself once he saw her beauty. Once in his lair, the petite girl was no match for her Maker as he easily overpowered her and drank her blood. He left her a sickly human—a playtoy craving food which he denied her so frequently, she ate like a ravished animal when she was given a morsel. Eventually, her Maker grew tired of her, drank her until her heart stopped beating, and hid her in a dissolute mansion in Georgia.

After leaving her, the Maker went to Venice, where he was confronted by the Queen. She informed him that he was killing too frequently, enough to draw suspicion and that he must go to his last kill and turn her, despite his boredom with her. He was to stay with her as a young vampire and teach her all he knew. The Maker was enraged but knew the consequences of not following orders from the Queen, so he returned to Georgia and found his dead Caleesy.

It was difficult to turn an already dead human. The Maker gave her most of his blood each night, yet she lay in the bed as still as a corpse. One day, as he was feeding her, he turned to reading books while pouring his bloody wrist into her mouth.

On that day, as he read, he felt strong hands grab his wrist. Lips pressed roughly to it with the burn vampires experience when another vampire feeds from them. Astonished, the Maker attempted to pull out of Caleesy’s grip. She was too strong for him, and she continued to suck the blood from his veins.

Finally, when the blood started to turn cold, a self-preserving feature from a vampire, Caleesy stopped feeding and sealed his wrist with a deadly kiss from her lips. She lay there, smiling up at him, and pushed his distracting book off the bed.

“Am I a vampire now, Damien?” she asked. He was briefly taken aback at her silky words.

“Yes, my child. You are,” he said, trying to sound composed.

“So, it was you who fed me that tasty syrup for several days while I was in darkness?” she asked.

“Yes, my dear. That darkness was the life I gave you. Now, you will forever be in darkness. You will only be welcomed into the world in the darkest of hours. The daylight will harm if not kill you. You must feed every night, as you fed from me, in order to sustain yourself. There are many things you must learn as a new vampire,” he informed her.

She sighed in defeat. She thought about all the things she was going to miss, which saddened her even more. How could he do this to me? Why did he do this to me?

“I do it because it is what I am—a monster if you will,” he sneered.

“So, I am now this monster? What if I refuse?” she asked.

“Then, you will die,” he smiled.

“I already did,” she choked.

“I was sent back here to train and educate you in the vampire ways. I’m not happy with the arrangement, as you are not happy with me right now. You will come around and eventually come to like me as your Maker,” he crossed his arms across his chest with a satisfactory grin.

Caleesy thought and thought, trying to conceal her ideas, so Damien wouldn’t know her plan. She would have to go along blindly, like a child for now. I hate that he had so much control over me, she thought before she could censor herself, again.

“Control is correct. Hate me if you like. I don’t care either way. This is what I am being forced to do,” he explained.

Again, she sighed in defeat as she got up to look at him. She folded her arms across her chest and tapped her toe on the ground.

“So, now what?” she asked.

* * * *

Over the next six months, the Maker taught Caleesy things she never imagined. She learned about spells, potions, how to fly, and invisibility, but the hardest one was feeding. He already explained that she needed to feed every day. He brought her victims that he started the bites for her, as she hadn’t yet figured out how to elongate her fangs. Finally, he had enough one day and locked her in a room with a beautiful, scared woman.

Caleesy thought how scared she had been in a new place and took pity on the woman. For two nights, Caleesy did not feed. She lay in her bed, sick and sweating. The woman put cold washrags on her forehead to cool her fever, just like a nurse would. She took pity on Caleesy and became her caretaker. On day three, the woman attempted to seduce Caleesy, in hopes of enticing her to feed. The woman slid her tongue up Caleesy’s neck and nibbled on her ear until Caleesy’s blood boiled in a good way.

Caleesy gathered all her strength and turned her on her back as Caleesy moved on top of her. Caleesy did the same thing the woman had done, except she came back down the woman’s neck after nibbling on her ear. Caleesy smelled a warm, sweet peach core smell at the curve of her neck and shoulder. Caleesy looked down and saw the pulsing vein in the side of the woman’s neck, and it was calling to her. Caleesy started kissing and gently licking the woman’s neck, when suddenly, her fangs elongated and nicked the side of her own tongue. The taste was sweet, and she could smell the woman’s blood pulsing and moving through her veins.

Finally, and with a quick motion, the Relege Queen pinned the woman down on the bed and roughly dug her teeth into the vein that called her. The sweet peach taste danced around on her tongue and made her feel slightly dizzy. Before she swooned, she let go of the woman, afraid of her reaction.

Instead of being freaked out, as Caleesy predicted, the woman laid Caleesy down on the bed on her back, placed another cold cloth on her head, sat down on the bed, and pulled Caleesy’s head over into her lap.

“Sleep, my child. I will be here again tomorrow evening for you,” the woman whispered into her ear.

Caleesy’s sleeping schedule adjusted quickly to swapping day for night and night for day. When she awoke, she lay with her eyes closed in hopes of hearing the woman before seeing her. The woman squeezed water into the basin and hummed quietly to herself. Caleesy opened her eyes ever so slightly and saw the naked woman washing herself so slowly, it seemed intimate. Caleesy closed her eyes, again. When the woman finished, she came over to the bed and sat down.

“It’s okay to watch me bathe, you know. I am yours, now,” the woman cooed to Caleesy. To her surprise, the woman’s cheeks were rosy and warm, her face full with life. Caleesy was pleased to see that the woman had not changed her attitude after the previous night’s escapade. The woman jumped onto the bed and took Caleesy’s head into her lap, like she had done only the night before.

“I am sorry you were taken from your life to bring me life each night. As I too am a prisoner, I do not know when we both shall be released; however, I can escape out the window to find you the human food you require,” Caleesy ended with almost a questioning look on her face.

The woman reached up and took her face in her hands. “What are you?” the woman asked in amazement.

Caleesy looked away. “I am a monster,” she said ashamed, without looking at the woman.

The woman sat up in bed to look at her. “Make me like you. I have no life to go back to after here. I can be with you forever and treat you like the Queen I know you are. Please?” the woman begged.

“I…I can’t,” Caleesy said, ashamed, and hung her head low.

“Why?” the woman said, disappointed.

“I haven’t been told how to take another’s life and change them into this.”

She ran her hands down the front of her body. The woman looked truly disappointed and almost crushed, Caleesy thought. “I’m very sorry. Please, let’s enjoy each other for however long we have to be in this place,” she asked of the woman.

The woman nodded her head without looking at Caleesy, but she saw the tears in her eyes.

“Please, don’t cry,” Caleesy tried to reassure her, but the woman sat back on the bed, just out of reach. Caleesy got up and found clothes in the dresser drawers across the room. Once she mentally catalogued their contents, she found an outfit for herself and got dressed.

“Where are you going?” the woman asked.

“I told you already. I’m going out to find you food. I cannot feed from you if you are sickly,” Caleesy said without looking at the woman.

“Thank you. Please, be careful. Who knows what eyes are watching,” the woman said with genuine concern. After Caleesy left, the woman wondered if Caleesy could escape through the window, why didn’t she just leave her there and go out on her own. She would have to ask her when she returned.

As Caleesy was out flying around and looking for a place to land and obtain food, she shook her head as she weighed her options. She could experiment with ways to change the woman but that was too dangerous. She only vaguely remembered her own transformation, so that was little help. She knew she wanted to be with this woman for she was a magnificent soul, kind and sexy.

After flying around and grabbing some food, she headed back to the house where the woman was waiting for her. When Caleesy entered the room from the window, she instantly felt the change in the air. She looked around for the woman, but she was nowhere to be found. Out of the shadows came the all too familiar voice.

“Did you think I did not know what was going on with you two? I couldn’t have you enjoying yourself here. This was supposed to be a form of punishment and a lesson. How can I do that when you’ve taken a liking to your food?” the Maker sneered.

“I…I didn’t take a liking to her. I simply went to get her food, so she would be healthy when I fed off her.” Caleesy tried to cover the true emotions that screamed at her Maker from inside her head.

“Well, either way, the woman is mine now, and you will never see her again,” he said as he walked toward Caleesy.

“What do you mean?” she asked, fearing the answer.

“I have made her my vampire queen,” he smiled.

“You have changed her?” Caleesy screamed at him.

“Yes, but you two will never have a chance at what could have been between you, because you are weak. Like a little child. You’ve only just learned to feed. You are shameful, and I’m sorry I ever made you,” the Maker screamed back at her before he left the room and locked the door.

Locking the door is useless, as I can fly out the window. Did he already forget that, or was that his plan all along? Caleesy escaped out the window and down behind the shadow of a tree.

”You will never find her,” the Maker told her.

With the guards the Maker had around him, it was useless to think she could swoop in and take the woman away from him now. She had to develop another plan once she retreated to safety.

* * * *

The Queen

After years of searching, the Queen finally found Caleesy working at the Red Cross, and she realized the first time she saw her, how much she missed her. Would Caleesy remember her? The instant the Queen walked into the blood bank inventory room, Caleesy ran toward her and threw her arms around her.

“Where have you been all this time?” Caleesy asked.

“I tried looking for you after he sent you away, but since we didn’t have the bond he had with you, I couldn’t find you,” the Queen said sympathetically.

Caleesy looked sad and backed away from the Queen. “I tried looking for you too, but I was just a fledgling and had to figure things out on my own. He never taught me how to adapt on my own for fear of losing me,” Caleesy said with hurt in her voice.

“I’m so sorry, my child. Let me make it up to you. What can I do?”

“Well, I would like to be your Paramour, my Queen” Caleesy said and went down to one knee. The Queen giggled and pulled Caleesy up to meet her face to face.

“I would gladly make you my Paramour, but let us make an official deal, as I now own my own school and have more to lose,” the Queen said proudly.

“A school? You?” Caleesy laughed.

“Oh, my child. There’s much to catch up on. Let us go back to my school, and we can do just that,” the Queen suggested. Caleesy immediately left her duties, put her lab coat away, and followed the Queen in the air until they landed on the roof of Finavon Castle.

Caleesy followed the Queen blindly into the castle, where they had a magnificent night of catching up and the blood the Queen called wine. To Caleesy, the rich, red liquid inside the ornate goblets was delicious. Daylight came a little too quickly for the two women, and the Queen offered to share her coffin with Caleesy, who gladly accepted the offer. Any chance to be next to my Queen is wonderful. It’s been too long. In listening to Caleesy’s mind, the Queen smiled and led Caleesy to the basement where it was dark.

As the two women entered the dark cavern, the Queen lit the candelabras on the wall with a wave of her hand. The place was nothing more than extravagant to Caleesy. The two oversized chairs, both seats made from velvet, the ornately carpeted floors, candles everywhere, and the beautiful smell of peaches amazed Caleesy. There was a large coffin in the center of the room large enough for two people, with room to spare. Caleesy wondered how many people the Queen shared her coffin with. The Queen opened the lid, stepped in, and motioned for Caleesy to follow. The two women laid down inside of the purple velvet-lined coffin and lay there silently, looking at each other with a smile.

“I’m glad you found me,” Caleesy smiled.

The Queen smiled back at her. “I’m so sorry it took me so long, but I believe that fate brought us back into each other’s lives again for a reason. Now, sleep my child, and I shall see you at sundown,” the Queen ordered with a giant smile.

The two women fell asleep in one another’s arms.

* * * *

Tuwa

They sat legs crossed Indian-style, around the inside of the wigwam. None felt the bitter chill of the night on their cold, dead skin. Since fire could kill them, and they saw better than bats at night, there was no need for fire to be lit in the center of the council. They sat there speaking in their native tongue, oftentimes getting animated in the conversation. Tuwa sat in the middle, silent and deep in thought. They spoke of their loathing for the Queen and her escapades. The Queen he almost had in her last awakening. They interfered, and he lost her forever. He didn’t dare think she would give him a thought this time around, based on her current actions. They wanted her dead, but he just wanted her to love him, again.

He had to figure out a way to reunite with the Queen without bringing down the wrath of the entire council. Could he maybe get to her new Paramour? She was human, or so he guessed, and humans were so easily persuaded to do the bidding of a vampire. He would devise a plan where he was the lover of the human so as to get close to the Queen in her school. He’d have to start with getting a job at the Red Cross with Caleesy. Unfortunately for him, he knew nothing of Caleesy or her background. He assumed she would only be a human pawn he could move around and play with. He quickly snapped back to reality when he heard the rough voice of Keme.

“What are we going to do about her this decade?” came Luqui’s voice, filled with contempt. She hunted down the Queen over the centuries to keep the Senecas in the loop about what she was doing.

“We are going to do what we always do…watch her,” said eagle-eyed Huslu.

“We have to wait until she makes a move that goes against our rules,” said Qaletaei, Protector of the People and Shamian.

“Tell me again why we have to kill her? She’s been the guardian of the vampires forever,” said the friendly Koda.

“She has created atrocities within our vampire realm and must be punished by a consensus of the vampire council,” the tough Bidziil said.

“She’s just so beautiful–like me–that I’d hate to waste such good genes,” Oheo sniffled—the only woman allowed on the council and who spoke out of turn.

“Stop it, all of you! You all know what has to be done. Stop liking her, and let’s get back to business,” Keme scolded the council.

This is going to be harder than I thought, Tuwa mused.

* * * *

Caleesy

Counting and sorting bags of blood was sometimes too much for Caleesy. The urge to tear them open and start drinking was one she struggled with every day. That evening, her Supervisor brought in a new person to help her in her inventory duties. Caleesy immediately smelled that he was different, despite the tons of cologne he’d bathed in. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she knew he was not human. She would have to keep her eye on him until she figured him out; however, by the end of the day, Tuwa had her laughing and almost forgetting about her previous suspicions. He seemed nice enough, despite his smell. He was very personable and genuinely kind.

That evening, Caleesy went home thinking about Tuwa, trying to figure out what was different about him and his smell. Her attention was immediately diverted to the door just before the knock on it. She ran to the door, looked in the hall mirror, and decided she didn’t look too bad as she opened the door.

“Hello,” came a voice from around the corner.

“Hello?” Caleesy called. As he stepped around the corner, Caleesy was amazed. “Tuwa?”

“Yes. I’m sorry to have bothered you so late,” he apologized. Caleesy looked at the clock. It was 1:00 a.m.

“It’s all right. I don’t sleep well at night. What’s up?” she asked innocently.

“Well…um…I was hoping you’d like to catch a bite to eat with me?” Tuwa said to the stunned Caleesy.

“Oh, I’m not sure if I can,” Caleesy answered, immediately thinking about her Queen.

“Why? Is there someone else?” he asked.

“No! Well…yes, but I don’t talk about it with others,” Caleesy fumbled for words.

“Oh,” Tuwa said, trying to sound disappointed.

“I’m sorry. I have to go. I’ll see you at work tomorrow, okay?” she asked.

“Okay,” he grumbled and left her apartment building. As she closed the door, she leaned back against it, wondering what just happened. Had she just been asked out on a date? With a human? Most humans were never so bold. So, what was with Tuwa? She could never go out with him. Although she only saw the Queen once a month, it would still feel like betrayal. Maybe she could talk to the Queen about it. She would have to see.

The next time they were alone, Caleesy decided it was time to come clean.

“Uh…Queen?” Caleesy started. “Can I talk to you about something?”

“Sure. Talk to me about anything, nothing. I don’t care,” she said, leaning forward and placing a kiss on Caleesy’s lips. After the kiss, Caleesy pulled away and sat up from the piles of pillows they shared on the ground.

“Well, there’s this new human at the blood bank,” Caleesy eased into the tale.

“Is he going to interfere with our blood supply?” the Queen asked, now sitting up herself.

“No, no. It’s nothing like that,” Caleesy stated, still feeling anxious.

“Well…what is it then, my dear?” the Queen asked, softening.

“Well…he asked me out on a date the other night,” Caleesy confessed.

“He did what?” the Queen shrieked. “Tell me more about this boy!”

“Well…um. He showed up at my apartment the same day he met me at the Red Cross. I wasn’t aware that he even knew where I lived. He seemed very intelligent and kind at work that day, but I never thought in a million years that he was working up to asking me out.”

“What is this vile creature’s name?” the Queen asked, grinding her teeth together and her face flushing.

“Tuwa,” Caleesy answered. She watched the Queen as all the color ran out of her face, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Why? Who is he?”

“Tuwa was part of my life in a past time. I didn’t even know he still existed. He disappeared from my side during a fire raid from the villagers in the 1800s,” she said with fond memories.

“What happened?” Caleesy prompted her.

“He and I were…lovers,” the Queen started and looked at Caleesy to see a disapproving look from her. “We were together for centuries before that and survived many nuisances. However, this one particular evening, we were in the den of our lair. We walked alongside the villagers, dined with them, and attended their glamorous and entertaining extravaganzas. We stayed in for about a month so we had no knowledge of what was to befall us.

“I sat there reading a book when the house started to smell like smoke. Tuwa came running down to the den and informed me that there were villagers outside our doors with torches. They had thrown a couple inside the open windows and were guarding all the exits. He said he would take care of the villagers in the front, which would leave me time to get to the top of our establishment and take flight. I…of course denied leaving him, but he insisted.

“As I flew into the air, I saw the villagers converge on him outside our door. I was sure he was dead, so I left and found another place to stay. It was so lonely without him, and I cried for a week. I finally decided I had to suck it up and deal with the pain of losing him. After the grief came the rage. I was so mad at the world, my feedings became cruel, vicious, and unnecessary. Life became meaningless until I met the Count. He was my accountant before he became my Keeper. I tried to love him but Tuwa just couldn’t be replaced.

“Eventually, the lovely Kendra came along, and though we didn’t get along at first, we became lovers, and that void in my heart started to fill, again. There is much more to this story that I don’t care to continue with this evening.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with Tuwa, for I’m sure he’s going to use you to get to me. Please do not allow this to happen. Keep all your thoughts about me out of your head while around him, for he is a very powerful vampire, okay?” the Queen explained and begged.

“I will, my Queen. I would never do anything to hurt you,” Caleesy said reassuringly and put the Queen’s hand in her own. “I owe you everything. You are my savior and my love. I will never betray you.”

“Thank you. I know you won’t,” the Queen smiled and squeezed her hand inside Caleesy’s. The women kissed and parted for the evening as Caleesy had to work in the morning and the Queen was too upset to host her any longer.

Where was Tuwa all this time? Why hadn’t he come to her sooner? Had something happened to him that he was unable to come to her? If so, what was so bad to keep him away? All of these thoughts ran through the Queen’s mind. She couldn’t believe he was alive and didn’t come to her, for they were inseparable during their time together.

* * * *

The Queen

The Queen threw herself back into her school. Things had been lacking around there for almost a week after the Queen heard the news about Tuwa. She needed to erase him from her mind and get on with this century’s doings. She was in a foul mood, so she looked to her simple pleasures in school. She glided around the hallways of the school, tormenting the weak ones as she so often referred them. She would sneak up behind them and bellow their name from behind. Every time, the student would jump, drop their books, and kneel to the ground in front of her. It was a simple trick, but one she had to do at least once a day to make her own day bright. She enjoyed tormenting the weaker ones, for the others were more difficult. They lived through her tormenting in their first couple years but knew now that she had more kids to take their places.

“Miss Amayia, where is your school pin? You know every member of my school is required to wear the pin I designed specifically for this school to signify you are a member here?”

“I…uh…I,” the girl stammered as she dug down to the bottom of the bag her books were in. “I have it here somewhere,” she stuttered.

“Somewhere? Somewhere? Do we all go around having our school pin somewhere?” she asked and spun around the corridor. Every student stopped and checked to make sure they had their pins on their shirts, so she would not bring her wrath down on them. The corridor was still and silent, with only the girl’s frantic fingernails scraping the bottom of her tote bag for the pin. She finally dropped her bag on the floor as the Queen glared down at her.

“I…I must have…l…l…left it on yesterday’s shirt,” she stammered, again.

“Yesterday? Do we not all have two pins for school?” she asked spinning around to look at the corridor. She was met with quiet agreement or silent nods before she turned her attention back to the young girl. “Well, since you have one pin missing and the other on yesterday’s shirt, you will come to the Devil’s Lambaste Chair for ten lashings, the cleaning of my linens, and any other things I can think of before you are done tonight!” The Queen snapped her fingers.

The girl picked up her bag and silently followed the Queen out of the corridor with tears streaming down her face. It wasn’t until they were out of sight that the corridor went back to the usual hustle and bustle of changing classes. The Queen usually taught two class every day, so she had to hurry up to instruct the girl, give her the ten lashings, and make it to class on time.

So what if I’m not on time to class. They’ll wait for me. She dragged the sobbing student behind her into the dungeon where the Devil’s Lambaste Chair waited. The minute the girl saw the chair, she started to wail and back away.

“Do not be a coward, young vampire. You are going to experience much worse when you get out into the world on your own!” The Queen grabbed the girl, dragged her to the chair, bent her over the back, and strapped her in. She grabbed her favorite purple rattlesnake skin whip and cracked it behind the girl a few times for effect. The girl continued to wail, only much louder now. As the Queen whipped the girl’s back, blood started to stain her crisp, white shirt. The Queen smiled, for she loved the sight of new vampire blood. Though they would heal quickly, it would be a constant reminder to never displease her, again. When the girl stopped wailing, the Queen unstrapped her, and she collapsed to the floor.

The Queen nudged her with the toe of her shoe. “Get up! We still have more for you to do, tonight,” she said and walked away.

Once she was a few feet away, the girl got up and followed her. The Queen instructed the girl to wash her towels, pillowcases, and the bedding that made up the luxuriousness of the Queen’s bed. Having made sure the girl understood her, the Queen strode away to teach her Bloodletting and Drinking class. This was her favorite class to intimidate and belittle the students. She loved it, because it gave her a chance to feed on a fresh human or two and allowed her to embarrass at least one of her students. As she strode in the door, the students were sitting quietly in their desks, afraid of angering her. She got right down to business.

“Now, as you will see, there are two different ways of drinking from humans. The first is the most savage and, had you not been brought here, you would never have known that you are capable of this. There is also a different way. First, let’s talk about the way untrained, new vampires think they need to drink. They hold back from drinking, initially appalled at the thought, until they are so ravenous, they cannot control their urges. They take the first victim that comes by them in the shadows and tear out their necks. The Queen showed them gory, detailed pictures of the wound left on the human by the vampire. The class gasped as the Queen projected picture after picture on the board, each more gory than the first. The class squirmed in their chairs, yet the Queen continued until they were uncomfortable. Finally, she turned the light on and the projector off.

“Do you see what your life could have been like had you not come to my school? Do you see how much you need me? You would have been ravaging beasts,” the Queen said, before she was interrupted.

“Aren’t we already monsters?” A petite girl chimed in from the back of the room.

The Queen focused in on the young new girl. She only came to the school a week ago. This was the Queen’s opportunity to enforce her power.

“You are only beasts to the rest of the world, as they have not yet accepted vampires into their races. Oh, and the next time you interrupt me in class, you will receive ten lashings on the Devil’s Lambaste Chair,” the Queen said with an evil grin. The Queen glided out of the room, leaving it as confused and in turmoil as it before she entered it.

“See to it that the girl has a horrible daytime’s rest,” the Queen nonchalantly instructed one of her bodyguards as she headed toward her office.

As she entered, her secretary handed her five messages—all from the same person.

“Caleesy,” the Queen said softly.

She went into her office and closed the door, leaving the security detail to stand outside her door, ready for anything. She hired security when she found out Tuwa was in town. She knew what he was capable of, and who knew if he wanted to hurt her, or what his plans were. She hired four specialty vampires for the night, four trained Navy Seals during the day, four more to follow her constantly with four for backup, and four more mentally and physically strong vampires to guard the doors and grounds of the school. She prayed she’d done enough. The last thing the Queen wanted was a showdown with Tuwa, especially inside the walls of her school and in front of her students. She’d have to get Caleesy to find out what was going on outside the walls of her precious safe-haven.

* * * *

Caleesy

He begged Caleesy for days to go out with him. He started taking extra shifts in the evening just to be close to her. Yet, what he didn’t know was he was spoiling the plan Caleesy and the Queen had for getting blood bags. They would be there in two days to pick up the blood, and Caleesy couldn’t get the hound off her tail. That evening, when Caleesy arrived home, all appeared to be normal. After she closed the door and put her keys in the bowl on the table next to the door, Caleesy turned to find the Queen sitting on her couch, watching her. The Queen didn’t need to ask what the problem was as she read Caleesy’s mind the minute she opened the door.

“So, we have a little problem, do we not?” the Queen asked with a smile. Caleesy flung herself into the Queen’s arms and s0bbed. “It’s okay, dear. Please, tell me what’s going on at work,” the Queen encouraged her.

Finally, Caleesy stopped sobbing and looked up at the Queen. “He’s been asking me out several times a day. He’s picked up overtime to allow himself to get closer to me. In the evenings, after everyone has left for the day, he keeps trying to seduce me, though I tell him over and over I’m not interested. If he stays on this shift, it will complicate things for your pick up in two days. I just don’t know what to do,” Caleesy said, starting to cry, again.

“Hush, my little Paramour. You are still my Paramour, are you not?” the Queen asked, already knowing the answer. Caleesy nodded her head. “Good. Then, we will take care of him tomorrow. You will leave early while he’s working, so he can’t follow you. I’m sure that’s how he found you here,” the Queen said. Caleesy shrugged her shoulders before nodding, again. “You will come directly to my school. I will leave your name with my guards, who will let you in. You will come directly to my bedchamber and stay the night with me. He will not be able to find you and will take the next night off work to look for you. You will come in late, in just enough time to shoo away the other employees before it’s time for delivery. Tuwa will be none the wiser, we will have our delivery, and you will be safe and sound. Got it all?” the Queen asked those big, beautiful eyes that she came to love so much.

“I got it. I’m so sorry I brought this all down on you,” Caleesy apologized.

“Do not apologize. It’s Tuwa. He could have found me at any time, during any life he wanted. He wants to play a game with me now, so I say game on, my old companion, game on,” the Queen said proudly as she grabbed Caleesy’s hand and placed it in her own. “We are going to be okay. Remember that. Nothing has changed except for the sniveling little weasel named Tuwa. I’ll deal with him another way later. Now, I just want to enjoy the extra time I get with you this month,” the Queen said soothingly into Caleesy’s ear. The two women melted into each other’s arms as they lay back, kissing on the couch.

The Queen could tell she’d put all of Caleesy’s fears to rest, but what about her own? Did she have enough men guarding her? She’d have to add five more to inconspicuously guard Caleesy in case she got into something with Tuwa and was in over her head. Now, for the first time in her life, the Queen started to worry. This time, she had more to lose.

The next day, a memo was sent out to all the teachers that there was going to be a purification ceremony that evening just before sunrise at 4:00 a.m. and the entire school was required to attend. The Queen thought it was perfect timing for Tuwa to come clean if he used a student to get inside her walls, and since it was the day before the delivery, those involved would be purified. The Queen’s only concern was the twenty-five guards she hired for her protection. She couldn’t even afford to lose one or more, as each one was counted on for various duties. The Queen was nervous about this evening’s outcome and the cleansing of the impure vampires.

At 4:00 a.m., the Queen was inside the Purification Ceremonial Temple. The students were assembled on the floor, and the teachers stood around the edges of the room. The Queen glided smoothly up to the altar in the front of the room. She lit the five candles of Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Spirit, and moved around the objects on the table to put them in order. The Queen stood up two stairs on the middle of the altar with both palms upraised and started humming loudly. The rest of the crowd sat still and quiet for they knew the consequences of interrupting the ceremony. When she lowered her arms, she looked blindly forward and stepped down to walk over to the altar without looking at it. She grabbed the small rock on the table, stretched out her arm with her palm upward, and waited. She watched the stone raise up off her palm and spin in all directions in the center of her hand, creating heat. To the crowd, she said with strength and emphasis:

“Let all ye who haunt me

And my vampire reign,

Explode into fire,

Turn into powder dust,

And fly away for good.”

Her words haunted the students, as each one was afraid of being the first to move. Finally, some of the teachers started whispering, so the students shifted on the floor. The teachers started to move the students out of the Temple, leaving behind a clearly exhausted Queen. The Queen heard a set of high heels on the floor walking up to her.

“I’m sorry. The ceremony is over. You have missed it,” the Queen said without even looking up. A pair of long, skinny legs bent down to look into the Queen’s eyes. “Caleesy! What a wonderful surprise!” the Queen said excitedly, jumped up and grabbed her, kissed her, and held her tight. “Oh, you don’t know how much of a relief you are to me, today. I really needed to see you!” The Queen smiled, and Caleesy returned it until slowly it started to fade. “What’s wrong?”

Caleesy looked toward the ground and turned away from the Queen.

“We might have another problem at the blood bank tomorrow night,” Caleesy said.

“Okay, my dear. What else is going on?” The Queen moved back toward Caleesy to comfort her.

“Tuwa has started working nights with me, so I haven’t been able to miscount the bags, and I won’t be able to get them to you,” Caleesy said sadly.

“Don’t you worry about that,” the Queen ordered. “Keep to the plan but you’re going to have to scramble for blood packs, okay?”

“Yes, I can do it with your help,” Caleesy said, starting to feel a little better. She couldn’t help but think about the upcoming night she would spend with the Queen in her chamber. Caleesy sighed.

* * * *

The following evening, the teachers went to the blood bank and sneaked in the back door left open for them. When Professora Fernandinha came around the corner, she stopped in amazement that there was only their usual person instead of the two that the Queen mentioned. The amount of bags of blood were not lacking in quantity. The vampires moved quickly to load their trucks. Caleesy stood next to the counter and stayed out of the way as they loaded up. When they were done, one of the vampires came up to shake her hand and say goodbye. It was a small gesture, but one Caleesy came to look forward to each month.

The next day, Caleesy spent her time listening to Tuwa pine away for his lost love instead of asking her out relentlessly. It was obvious he was referring to her Queen, but she kept quiet. She had to take him out the night before when the school came to get their supplies. She was afraid he would find out what they were doing. She was much stronger than him, so she overpowered him, knocked him on the head, and threw him in the cleaning closet. He awoke with no one around to question. She needed to learn more about Tuwa. The next night at work was one of the longest she’d experienced. She was anxious to get home to her plans and only had until dawn to complete them. As the night went on, Tuwa continued to express his undying love for the Queen and even shared hints of his past with her. Nothing Caleesy could use for her plan, but it started to complete the scenario she formed in her mind. Eventually, it was time to go but Tuwa asked her to go out for a drink afterward.

She politely declined and hurried home where she got out all the materials she needed, including her Book of Alchemy, but not the one the Queen had and believed to be the oldest book of her people. Caleesy smiled. After perusing the pages and finding exactly what she needed, she started gathering the herbs:

A pinch of rosemary

A pinch of thyme

A ½ cup of black tea

Two pinches of nutmeg

6 rose petals

4 lemon leaves (whole)

4 mint leaves (crushed)

1 cup of sugar

4 Tbsp. of local honey

6 cups of boiling hot water for the end product

She kept these ingredients in her meager apartment’s hide-away room, which she used for this very thing. She would offer this potion to the Queen and place thoughts of Tuwa in her head while she slept. She would not need to give the rest to Tuwa, as would be customary, as he was already pining for her. Caleesy stirred the pot and started her incantation:

“Lend me your hearts and ears

You’ve been in love for many years

Allow this potion to revive your love

As you allow the heavens above

To comfort you in each other’s arms

Should let no other’s fall harm

I pray this in the name of Kleos, our Goddess.”

Caleesy ended the words with her arms raised to the sky, her head tilted back, and the moonlight from her skylight shining down on her face. It was the perfect night as the moon was full and more likely to grant wishes, desires, and transform potions.

She had two days until her meeting with the Queen, and she would try to extract information from Tuwa about his relationship with the Queen. She wanted to have ammunition when she returned to the Queen. Though she would be jealous and concerned for her position in the Queen’s life, Tuwa truly lovex her and never stopped doing so over the centuries.

* * * *

Tuwa

Tuwa spoke about how his people never accepted the Queen inside their hearts. They mistrusted her from the beginning and were right to do so. All she wanted was to bed their most powerful man to have a vampire baby that would rule the vampire world. She would also take with her handmaidens to use as she saw fit. Some were spies, others slaves, and still others her lovers. She covered her bases and owned the land the Seneca people occupied.

When the baby died at birth, the Queen killed all within the Kingdom, except her lovers, whom she treated like slaves for they knew her the most. She eventually killed them as well. By the time the Seneca Warriors arrived, the Kingdom was a slaughter house. Many lay dead in the open with flies consuming their decaying bodies. She was nowhere to be found and was only a mystical being to their people.

What the Queen didn’t know, was that her child was revived and sedated before she went on her rampage. The baby boy was found by the warriors and taken back to their mother tribe—two day’s ride away. The child had been raised with all the other children but with watchful eyes, as he had her blood running through his veins.

They named him Tuwa, or ‘earth-loving’ as his fondness for dirt and flowers became apparent in his second year of life. He was trained by the warriors, learned from the Seneca women, yet he was different. He was loved and feared by all.

Growing up, he felt like an outcast, yet he was already an Elder of the tribe at eleven years old. He went on hunting trips with the men and learned to carve and cook meat from the women. The goal of the tribe was to make him self-sufficient in the unknown.

At twelve years of age, he fell ill, and it wasn’t until one of the tribe’s Elders suggested that he needed blood that they were reminded he was a vampire, and of all the hell his mother had rained down on their tribe.

At fourteen, he became a man. He was given the essentials a warrior would carry and they sent him out into the world. He was taught to communicate with the spirits through meditation and had their blessing for his future travels. According to the Seneca, his mission was to find the Queen Mother who had murdered his people and exact revenge for all; however, after finding her, it was his lust that took over and kept her alive. She had fallen instantly in love with him, keeping him alive as long as he could keep his secret mission from her. One he no longer desired to fulfill.

He spoke about her love, lust, and desire for him. They were a match made in Heaven, despite each of their histories. They knew each other, finishing each other’s sentences as if they had been together for centuries. They enjoyed many of the same things, and their secrets and futures intertwined. It wasn’t until their third century together that Tuwa became suspicious of the Queen’s actions.

In fear for his life, he fled her side and went into hiding for the next three centuries. He got down her sleep and rising pattern and started venturing out while she lay dormant. With her early and long rising this century, it threw off his timing and plans.

He walked down the street one night, looking for a victim, when he spotted her walking into the blood bank with a few other vampires. She wasn’t in there for long, and he followed her when she left. She had gone to what they now called a school, and she was a teaching Head Mistress according to the articles he’d found.

He searched the vampire journals to catch up on her latest activities and was thankful for the level of commitment in vampiric journalism. He secretly followed the Queen through his power of invisibility to the school and her bed chamber. There were days he’d lay down beside her while she slept, and he was still invisible. He longed to hold her in his arms and get back what they once shared.

He witnessed her time with her Paramour, Caleesy, yet thought very little of the young vampire. She seemed inconsequential, yet provided a way back into the life of the Queen…if he played his cards correctly. He would attempt to be close to this Caleesy in order to get close to his Queen. He could no longer be without her.

* * * *

Caleesy

Caleesy was pouring her concocted tea for the Queen after their intimate evening of romping. The Queen always liked something hot to drink afterward. This was the opportunity Caleesy counted on to slip in her tea.

The Queen greedily drank down her cup and asked for more while Caleesy held the cup to her own lips, feigning drinking.

“It’s hot tonight and very good. I’ll have to ask my handmaiden if she’s switched teas and found something much more delicious than I’d already found.” The Queen lay back down on the bed. Caleesy quickly came to lie beside her for the second part of her mission.

“Tell me more about this young man from the blood bank,” the Queen said.

“Well, he’s got tanned, brown skin, dark eyes, and long dark hair. His eyes smile when he does, which makes his face more beautiful than it already is,” Caleesy complimented Tuwa.

“Tell me more,” the Queen cooed and rubbed her hands together.

Caleesy knew the Queen hadn’t bedded a man in many years, for she found them boring. Should Caleesy tell a good enough story, the Queen would be enticed to meet him, causing the spark she predicted.

“Well…he’s very strong and muscular. He’s polite and gentlemanly. He’s highly intelligent and sucks up new information like a sponge. He’s very well rounded,” Caleesy finished.

“And…he’s into you?” the Queen asked, disgruntled.

“Yes, but I don’t know what to do,” Caleesy said taking her gaze away from the Queen and looking at the bed.

“What do you mean?” the Queen asked with excitement.

“Well…my heart is with you, my Queen. It would feel like a betrayal to all we have if I were to be with him.”

“Okay. What about getting close to him, then sharing him during my time with you?” the Queen suggested.

Jackpot! Caleesy thought as she tried to look sad then as if she was warming up to the idea.

“Well…I suppose we can do that. I’d never even given it a thought. I would never want to disappoint you, my Queen,” Caleesy said slyly.

“Oh, my dear Caleesy. You are truly a wonderment! Of course you would not be cheating if we were all together,” the Queen encouraged her.

“Okay. I’ll work on him, and maybe he’ll be ready by our next visit,” Caleesy said, trying to sound calm when everything had gone exactly as planned with the Queen.

“Sounds excellent! Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but I would like to sleep alone tonight,” the Queen said, slipping between the covers.

“As you wish, my Queen,” Caleesy said as bowed and gathered her stuff to leave the Queen’s bed chamber. She slinked down the stairs in hopes of not seeing any of the students. She slid out the doors and across the yard to her waiting green Kia Soul. She had loved the color when she went shopping for a car, and the fact that it was the only vehicle on the lot with a convertible top sold it to her. She loved to look at the evening stars and enjoy the raw smells of dusk and dawn. She was off to her own apartment to devise the second part of her plan…Tuwa.

* * * *

Over the next month, Caleesy worked on Tuwa. She played to the usual, primal aspect that appeals to all men—she was bisexual and had a lover. All men find that exciting and want to see two women together in sexual ways. She described her partner with the details that he could definitely recollect and picture the Queen. She used words such as majestic, queenly, and royalty. She even went so far as to trust him with the details of her arrangements with the Queen and the school. Tuwa snuck two bags of blood each day home for himself—a small detail he divulged as well, yet he failed to go into his history with his Queen. He did share his longing for her, and the void she left in his heart and soul.

Caleesy felt closer to her goal of the Queen and Tuwa together. Caleesy would think every day on what a great reunion it would be.

Eventually, it was the day before the Queen’s teachers would be coming to collect their blood. Caleesy called the Queen and pleaded to her to come with the teachers that night, as she missed her horribly. The Queen agreed, and Caleesy’s plan was in motion. She had started spending time with Tuwa outside of work. She guessed he maneuvered for a position between the two women. She included him in the coming night’s activities, and he was thrilled.

When the next evening came, the teachers and students came in as usual and started transporting the blood. The moment the Queen entered the building, Tuwa’s eyes were on her. She walked over to Caleesy’s side and slipped her arm around her waist, not taking any notice of Tuwa. Caleesy turned and kissed the Queen, then called over a stunned Tuwa.

The moment he stepped around the last teacher, the Queen turned a few shades of red, and her eyes felt moist. Could this be? Could this really be her Tuwa? She searched and searched for him but never found any trace of him for centuries. Caleesy broke her concentration with an introduction.

“Tuwa, this is the wonderful woman I have been telling you about for the last month…my Queen,” Caleesy said as she watched them carefully. Their eyes never left one another.

“Yes. I am Tuwa, a co-worker of Caleesy’s. It is my pleasure to meet you,” he said, bowing without looking down. The Queen held out her hand for him to kiss the back of it.

“Thank you. Caleesy has only mentioned you in passing, and I wasn’t sure if she’d met the same man I’d had a history with or if it was coincidence. I was not aware that you would be here tonight, though,” the Queen said, shooting an angry look at Caleesy.

“Oh, I’m sorry, my Queen. I practically forced Caleesy to let me stay and help. I’m a big advocate of education in our schools,” Tuwa said.

“Education, huh? Well…that’s very nice of you. Now, if you don’t mind, we have work to do and have to get back to the school quickly. Could you please help the two male teachers loading over there?” the Queen asked Tuwa. He nodded and strode over to the two men reluctantly. They put him to work right away as the Queen rounded on Caleesy.

“What is he doing here?” the Queen snorted.

“He? You said you wanted the three of us to be together. This is the Tuwa I have been talking about. I don’t understand,” Caleesy said innocently. The Queen looked aghast as she realized she had given too much away. “My Queen, what’s wrong? Did I do something to make you angry with me? He is your Tuwa, isn’t he?” Caleesy asked delicately.

“Yes, Caleesy. How could you have known? It’s my problem to deal with, now,” the Queen said before placing a kiss on Caleesy’s forehead, walked back outside, and climbed into the waiting van. It was just then that Caleesy noticed Tuwa standing next to her, watching the van drive away like a forlorn puppy.

“Didn’t I tell you she was amazing?” Caleesy said strategically.

“Yes. Amazing,” Tuwa pouted, looking down at the floor, now. Caleesy knew the beginning of her plan had started to come together.

* * * *

The Queen

The following evening, the Queen awoke to a movement on her balcony. There was a gentle breeze, but there was definitely something out there. The Queen rose and clothed herself in her purple satin half-robe. She headed toward the balcony when his head peered cautiously around the corner.

“Tuwa? What are you doing here? How did you get in?” the Queen asked, disbelievingly.

“Your aerial security really leaves something to be desired. I had to see you, again,” he said, moving toward her. She took a step back, and he stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. It’s been so long, I’m not sure this is real,” the Queen said, hesitantly.

“It’s real, my Queen. I am here in your bed chamber after all these centuries,” he said seductively. The Queen hated to show weakness, but when it came to Tuwa, he always made her melt. She ran to him at that moment, and he threw out his arms to catch her. They stood there quietly hugging for several minutes. “Now what, my Queen?”

“I don’t know. There’s so much I want to catch up on. And you, you! I need to find out why I could never find you all this time,” the Queen said, almost scolding him. “However, that’s going to take longer than just one night, and you have to go to work sometime.”

“Shhh. Everything is going to be okay. We will work it out,” he assured her.

“Do you promise?”

“I promise. I do have to go to work, but I just had to see you for a few brief moments, even if you were still sleeping,” he said looking guilty. She knew from the past that he slept very little and would spend many nights just watching her sleep. That made her nervous at times but also gave her a sense of peace and comfort with him watching over her.

“Okay,” she said, reluctantly letting go of his embrace but still had her fingers woven into his. They stood there looking at each other before they shared a passionate kiss.

“I really must go, now. I’m going to be late,” he laughed.

“Okay. Will I see you tomorrow?” she asked. She held her breath for his answer.

“Of course, my Queen, I will come to you after dusk. I couldn’t stay away this time.” He walked to the balcony and took flight. The Queen watched until she could no longer see him at all. She still stood there watching when Evania, Professor of the History of Elves, Witches, Warlocks, and Fairies burst through her door.

“My Queen,” she said kneeling.

“What is it?” she asked, perturbed.

“We have a situation in the courtyard just after the welcome fence. They banded together and overtook the two gate guards on duty,” he informed her.

“Who are they?” she asked angrily.

“The new witches.”

The Queen threw on her closest purple gown and rushed down the halls toward the courtyard. When she arrived, she was amazed at the amount of new Witch and Warlock students standing in the courtyard. She stood on one of the large rocks, cleared her voice, and commanded the group’s attention.

“What, may I ask, are you all doing in my courtyard?” she demanded.

The group quieted down and parted for a young girl in the back to come forward. She was dressed in a royal green, velvet gown with a gold and diamond tiara buried in her long, curly orange mass of hair. She walked right up to the rock as the crowd behind her closed in.

“I am Dayana. I am the Brazilian Princess of Dictator Guilherme Pedro. These are my fellow witches and warlocks from all parts of Brazil, banished or driven out of their cities for their callings. They came to me for answers, and my father excommunicated all of us from his country. I had heard of your school, so I did a little quick research in Paraguay, raided Daddy’s bank account, and here we all are, waiting acceptance into your school,” she finished.

The Queen thought for a moment. How unusual for so many to come to her school at one time. She had never had that happen and would have a lot of work ahead of her just to find a place for them to settle into. This was the school for the unusual, so she agreed to open her gates.

“This is rather unusual for my school, and it will be a little while to get you adjusted. I agree to open it to you, as long as you abide by and understand my rules and policies,” she informed them.

There was a little grumbling within the crowd, but Dayana turned to them and raised her hand. The crowd immediately quietened down. It was clear to the Queen that this group respected Dayana. She would be the perfect ally to control this crowd of students.

“We shall humbly accept your gracious invitation and agree to abide by any and all your rules within the school,” she said facing the crowd. She turned around and flashed a smile at the Queen. “I know you are predominately a Vampire School, but I can be of much assistance in educating my people.”

The Queen realized this was her opportunity to bring Dayana under her wing and gain the respect of them all.

“Well, I thank you and look forward to working with you. I will show you to your suites. There are two girls to a room but all four share a bathroom. As vampires, we have little need for those kinds of things so I’m sure your people will be more than comfortable. We have an entire floor above the main one that has not yet been renovated to the same extent. We have always wanted to add suites to this floor but just haven’t found the time,” the Queen explained.

“Oh, that will be no problem for us. We can just whip up a few spells and change the floor to match the one below it, if that’s all right with you?” she asked.

“That would be fabulous! I never even thought of that. Great job! Now, the cafeteria is on the first floor, and I would like all students to use the same one, for integration purposes,” the Queen said, waiting for some resistance.

“I completely agree,” Dayana said.

“Great. Well, I’m sure you will be able to find it when your students are hungry. I will come up to your floor tomorrow evening at dusk to check on your progress and officially welcome you with our Honor Committee. Please let one of my students know if you need me sooner, and they can come find me. It’s a big school, but I’m sure you will learn our ways rather quickly,” the Queen encouraged her.

“Thank you. I’m sure we will, too. Have a good day, and we’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll work on getting everyone’s sleeping schedule turned around, tonight. Thank you, again,” Dayana said.

“You are welcome, and welcome to The Magikal Kingdom.”

* * * *

Dayana

As the group of new witches and warlocks plunked themselves down onto the conference room floor, Dayana addressed them.

“I know you have traveled far and long; however, we have some work to do before we sleep to arrange some nice suites like the ones below us. Please do not be extravagant when you are creating your suites. Work in teams of four and remember that four of you will be sharing a bathroom.” There were groans from the female crowd members.

“We have been accepted inside their walls, so we need to play this low key for a while. Please do not cause an unpleasant situation, as you will not only be punished by the school, but by me as well. You will always be loyal to me, but show the Queen the respect she deserves as well. Remember to stay true to yourself without disrespecting others, and don’t start fights with anyone. Got it?”

“Yes!” the crowd said unanimously. The people started separating themselves into groups of four and went off to find their section of the floor where they would concentrate on making their own suites. The work went really quickly, and it wasn’t long before the entire group descended upon the cafeteria.

The cafeteria workers were swamped and couldn’t get the food out quickly enough. They weren’t used to so many students actually eating there, as vampires usually only picked at food, not eating a full meal. These students appeared to be endless pits, eating everything in sight. The staff agreed to be better prepared for the next day, but tonight, they would have to make due without upsetting the students—an order from the Queen.

As the student’s ate, they noticed some stares from the current students. They were wrapped up in conversation for the first part of dinner but once things slowed down, they were able to take a look around their surroundings and found all eyes on them, which made them all uncomfortable. Dayana was not with them to direct them, so they were not sure what to do. Thais, second–in-command, passed the word down the table to be quiet and try to ignore the stares. The witches and warlocks were doing a good job until Amayia, the President of the Honor Committee, came bouncing up to the table.

“Welcome all,” she said with a smile and a cheery tone in her voice.

The group mumbled their greeting but each one looked down at their empty plates.

“I’m Amayia, the President of the Honor Committee, and I welcome all new students. I have maps printed up for each of you to help you navigate your way around our school, including the contact information for the professors’ offices.” she said, never losing her smile as she passed out the maps. “Anyways, my cell number is on the back of the map, so feel free to call me any time you need assistance.” With that, she bounced away.

“Well, that was pleasant,” Thais said sarcastically to the group, full of laughter.

“Do you have a problem?” Drachen said, standing up to face the witches and warlocks.

“No. What’s yours, Bloodsucker?” Teutorix retorted.

Both groups of students stood up and moved around their friend.

“You don’t belong here, freak!” Drachen shouted.

“I’m not the freak. I don’t kill people for blood. Yuck!” Teutorix said.

Both groups slowly started merging toward each other. Just as the two boys were nose to nose, Professor Evania came in and stepped between the glaring boys. She motioned for each of the groups to move back.

“What’s going on here?” she asked.

“Bloodsucker there was staring at me,” Teutorix said.

“Last time I checked, it was a free country,” Drachen retorted, moving closer, again.

“Children!” came the voice from the doorway. “I address you as such, since you are acting as such. I know there is going to be some admonishment between each of your groups, but it is my job to make sure you get along and learn the things you need to learn here in my school!” the Queen addressed them. Each group relaxed and spread out back to their tables.

“I will not have you fighting each other under my roof. Got it?” she asked.

“Yes, my Queen,” both groups echoed reluctantly. The Queen glided from the room and silence fell. Finally, the vampires got up to put their trays away and headed off to class. The witches and warlocks had not been set up with schedules yet, so some stayed in the cafeteria, which also had an activity and entertainment room, while others ventured through the school corridors.

* * * *

The Queen

“Pleasant group of kids,” came the male voice from the balcony. The Queen ran to the window and flung herself in Tuwa’s arms, where they kissed passionately.

“I’ve so missed you, today. Things have been crazy here,” the Queen confessed, as she fell back on the peace he always created for her.

“I’m sorry, my Queen, for your present situation. Do you remember how we used to get through anything together?” he asked.

“Of course, my love” she said, softening. She seductively walked to her bed and patted the space next to her for him to join her. He eagerly went by her side. As the two of them were kissing, there was a knock on the door.

“Excuse me, my Queen?” came the small cry from outside the door.

“What is it?” she snapped.

“The students are fighting in their History of Elves, Witches, and Warlock class. Vampires versus Warlocks,” Amayia, the Honor Committee President whispered. The Queen slammed her hand down on the bed.

“Can you not excuse me?” the Queen demanded, and the girl slipped out the door. “I’m so sorry, my love” she said, turning her attention to Tuwa and looking into his eyes for forgiveness.

“Do not worry, my love. Now that we have found each other, we have centuries to be together. Go, take care of your school. Obviously it is important to you, and you need to be the Queen for those students,” he said, kissing her hand and walking toward the balcony.

“I hate to see you go” she said, tugging on his hand. He stopped, pulled her into a passionate embrace, and flew off from the balcony.

“This better be good,” the Queen muttered aloud.

Caleesy hid behind the balcony’s curtains, smiling at how her plan was unfolding.

* * * *

“What is going on here?” the Queen demanded immediately when she entered the classroom.

“There is some sort of disagreement between the witches, warlocks, and the vampires about who was created first,” Evania informed her.

“I had a feeling this would be a problem. Dayana? You assured me there would be no problems,” the Queen said, looking around the room for the Witch Queen.

“I have calmed the situation, my Queen. I’m so sorry you were bothered,” Dayana said as she curtseyed.

“So, I was disturbed for nothing?” the Queen demanded. “Amayia!”

“Yes, my Queen,” the young girl said, quietly stepping out of the crowd.

“You have unnecessarily bothered me while in my chamber. You will be sentenced to the Devil’s Lambaste Chair for ten lashings, and maybe you will think twice before bothering me, again!” Frustration colored her voice. The girl fell to her knees, sobbing hysterically.

“I’m so sorry, my Queen. Please, don’t lash me!” the girl begged. The Queen continued out of the room and down to her office, slamming the door behind her.

* * * *

Caleesy

Caleesy lay in bed with the sleeping Queen beside her. It was her night to spend with the Queen, but she was rather distracted. Caleesy knew she was thinking about Tuwa, which was the plan, but still it made Caleesy sad. As she was laying there thinking, there was a knock on the balcony window.

“Hello?” came the familiar voice.

“Tuwa? What are you doing here?” Caleesy said part selfishly, part feigning innocence.

“Oh, I’m sorry to just show up here,” he said, turning to go.

“No! Don’t go,” the Queen said, sitting up in the bed. “You both are here?” she said, dazed.

“Yes, my Queen. We are,” said Caleesy.

“Yes, my love,” said Tuwa at the same time. The Queen shook her head, unbelieving she had them both in her bed chamber.

“My Queen? Tonight is my one time a month I have with you as your Paramour.” Caleesy sounded as if she were begging.

Tuwa looked sad and rose to go.

“Don’t leave, my love. Caleesy was just leaving,” the Queen said, stepping into her purple satin robe and moving toward him. “Weren’t you, dear?”

“Actually, I was hoping to have more time with you,” Caleesy said. The Queen just stared at her with a hateful look.

“I’m sorry. Your time is up,” the Queen spat at her.

Caleesy, embarrassed, collected her stuff slowly and attempted to kiss the Queen’s hand. The Queen pulled her hand away and turned. Caleesy flew into the night in a rage. Even though she’d planned the night, she was astonished at the coldness the Queen showed her. Tomorrow, she would put her full plan into motion…and fast.

* * * *

As she looked into the shadows at the end of the campus, Caleesy found Dayana sitting under the largest honeysuckle tree, looking up at the sky.

“So!” said Caleesy as she walked up on Dayana, startling her to her feet.

“You scared me!” Dayana accused.

“I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to scare you, sweetie,” Caleesy apologized.

Dayana softened and looked at Caleesy with reverence.

“I have been serving you well, my Empress. I have hate planted firmly in Teutorix’s mind, and he’s sure to cause torment and destruction with it. I am also working on the Honor Committee President, Amayia, as she’s been severely mistreated by the Queen recently.”

“Amayia?” Caleesy asked.

“Yes. She is a true empath, psychic, and a believer. She had a vision that we would come to save her and the rest of the school. She has no ambition to rule and is a loyal follower,” Dayana informed.

“Good. Good. Now, we need to work on the rest of the groups and unite them both in the end to fight as one,” Caleesy instructed. “I will work on Tuwa on this side, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Shall I keep doing what I’m doing, or do you have new instructions for me?” Dayana asked.

“No. The goal is the same. Just keep turning as many people away from her as possible,” Caleesy instructed.

The younger girl nodded as she looked around her cautiously and took off toward the school. Caleesy went home to formulate her plan further. She called in sick to work in order for Tuwa to miss her or have concern for her after the way the Queen treated her. Any decent person would feel bad for her and want to console her. She just hoped Tuwa was a decent person.

Two days later, Caleesy showed up to work late, sniffling with red eyes. She dragged her feet somberly into the back inventory room where Tuwa stopped to look at the mess she was.

“I’m so sorry, Caleesy,” Tuwa moved toward her. She jumped as if scared of him.

“It’s okay. She’s made her choice. All my time with her didn’t matter the moment I introduced her to you. I never thought she could betray me this way for another. It was my fault I had such trust in her that she wouldn’t run off with the first person who came along. I was just another pawn in her game of chess, and she just won the game,” Caleesy sobbed. Tuwa moved toward her to comfort her. She pushed away from him.

“I’m so sorry. You have to understand that we’ve been lovers for many, many centuries. Our love was never broken or lost, only put on hold for a while,” he tried to reassure her.

“It’s fine,” she said resolutely. “I just hope you aren’t a pawn in her new game of chess. You are too nice to see hurt. History or not, she is a woman of opportunity. Surely you’ve seen that in her over the years?” Caleesy looked to him for support.

“Well, to be completely honest, I have, but she would never do that to me,” he said.

“How are you so sure? I thought the same thing,” Caleesy stuck the proverbial knife in and turned it.

“I’m…I’m…I’m sure,” he stammered, clearly thinking it over and over in his head.

“Guess I just have to find a way to move on with my life. The one I had given to her is now over.” She turned red in the cheeks.

“Again, I’m sorry,” he said and walked away.

Caleesy could tell he was running things through his mind and thinking hard. Hopefully, she had planted the seed of doubt. All she could do now was hope. Oh, and cast a hope spell for which she left work early to go home to do. She’d have to hurry before the witching hour at 3:00 a.m.

* * * *

It was almost 2:00 a.m. and Caleesy had all the items she needed to cast her hope spell. She sat on the wooden floor, in the middle of a pentagram carved into the wood underneath the carpet. She sat and lined up each ingredient carefully in the order that she would need them. The clock struck two. She raised her hands up into the air and began the chant.

“Oh Mother of our Earth

Queen of the Goddesses

Come to me in my time of need

Wrong those who have wronged me

Allow me to have my heart’s desire

Or may she fall from her throne.”

She sprinkled each ingredient into a jar in the middle, the one closest to her Indian-style crossed legs. The jar filled up quickly, and Caleesy shook it like a milkshake. She stood in the middle of the pentagram and held the jar up to the ceiling.

“Hear my words, Mother Earth

And thy will be done

From my powers

Of good and evil.”

Caleesy dropped to the floor, drained, with the jar tightly in her grasp. She curled into a fetal position and slept until the sun had almost set. Remembering her spell, she got ready for work to see what Tuwa had to say, today. Again, she rubbed her eyes to make them red and swollen, and she was more pale than usual, since she did not feed last night.

“You look awful, Caleesy” Tuwa said to her with a frown.

“Thanks,” she said curtly.

“No, no. I didn’t mean it like that,” he said to her glaring stare. “I meant you look like you’ve been up all night crying.”

“I’m not going to lie. I have been. I just can’t imagine my life without her,” she said sadly.

“I’m sorry all this happened. I hate that this has hurt you so much. You seem like a really nice girl, but the Queen can use her followers in the wrong way some times.”

“So I see.”

“Please, do not hate me. I know you are going to move on and find someone new.”

“Thank you, Tuwa. You have been so kind,” she said slyly. “How is the Queen, today?”

“Well, she’s taken ill today, but I’m sure she’ll be just fine once she’s fed.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. Even with all that’s happened, I would hate the fact that she’s ill.”

“Thank you,” he said.

Caleesy walked away from him to do her work, but she was smiling, even celebrating, on the inside. Her spell had started to work, and it was only a matter of time before the Queen’s followers found someone else to revere. Her students were working on that front. She communicated with other followers all over the world on a secure internet signal, so she couldn’t be traced. They all agreed that the Queen became too big for her britches. Even Venice started questioning her.

After finishing her work, she slowly made her way home, thinking about all that was about to befall the Queen. She was startled by the dark mound sitting on her doorsteps. When it looked up, Caleesy recognized her immediately.

“Kendra?”

* * * *

Kendra

“Yes. I am Kendra. I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said, looking Caleesy up and down.

“I’ve heard of you, too. The Queen still speaks highly of you,” Caleesy replied coyly.

“So, it looks like we have a common interest,” Kendra said seriously.

“Yes, we do.”

“Well, do you want to do something about it or just lay down as she walks across your coffin?” Kendra asked with a smile.

“I most definitely want to do something. Do you have a plan?”

“Of course I do,” she said with a bigger smile.

The women locked arms as they disappeared into Caleesy’s apartment.

“So, what would you have us do?” Caleesy asked Kendra.

“Well, we share a common bond with the Queen,” Kendra stated more than questioned.

“Of course we do,” Caleesy exclaimed, not recognizing what Kendra was referring to. “We both share her blood.”

“That’s right. If we combine our blood, we will be unstoppable,” Kendra said proudly.

“Hmmm, that could just work,” Caleesy said excitedly.

“Okay. So, who’s most important to her right now?” Kendra asked.

“Tuwa!” Caleesy answered as the idea sparked in her head. “So, get rid of Tuwa, and she will crumble beneath us, right?”

“Right. She’s lost too many lovers in her life, but none more important than him. I know with the support you’ve found, and our combined forces, we can destroy her!” Kendra beamed.

“That is the best idea I’ve heard all week. How did you know I’ve been circulating the internet?”

“Oh please, child. Who do you think invented the internet?” she laughed.

“Really?” Caleesy exclaimed.

“No, but you’ve made it so easy.” Kendra stifled a larger laugh.

“Okay, so now what do we do?” Caleesy asked.

“Well, I want you to be in charge of Tuwa, actually. Keep placing doubt in his mind. He is a reasonable vampire, a Yang to her Yin. He kept her temper down and sights set on the bigger picture. Crack him, and I’ll handle the internet and the other details and escapades.”

“Cool. Sounds good to me. I can handle that,” Caleesy said excitedly. “Plus, I have contacts within the school walls to monitor the Queen’s every move.”

“Great!”

The two women decided to call it a night. Caleesy made a bed on the couch for Kendra then took to her coffin for her slumber. She locked the locks on her coffin from the inside as Kendra was a force to be reckoned with, and she was still unsure of her true intentions.

* * * *

The following evening, when Caleesy rose, Kendra was sitting in an oversized chair, sipping her wine, and smiling at her as if she had been up to something.

“You look like the Cheshire Cat who ate the canary,” Caleesy observed.

“I have,” Kendra said.

“What’s up?”

“Well, I made an around the world call of all vampires and planned a giant gala for all to attend. Of course, the Queen RSVP’d first for two places at the VIP table. Now, all we have to do is take Tuwa from her at the gala with the help of other vampires. It’s genius!” she boasted.

“It is a great idea!” Caleesy agreed. She knew the local seamstress who could mess up the Queen’s gown that would be delivered right before the gala. She knew the flower shop that would mess up the order, and the Queen was very specific on the color of her flowers. She could at least mess up a couple things for the event—enough to irritate the Queen. She couldn’t help but smile to herself. Kendra had become a great asset.

“Now, I’ll have to spend most of my time here in your apartment, as the Queen and I are bonded, and only your apartment is concealed enough to keep me hidden. Is that okay?” Kendra asked.

“Oh, that’s fine. Well, I have to go to work, and I will work on Tuwa again, today,” Caleesy said and turned to go.

“Don’t forget the plan,” Kendra ordered.

Caleesy smiled. “I won’t.”

“When you return, we should create our own blood bond,” Kendra said, licking her lips.

“As you wish,” Caleesy replied with a hint of joy in her heart.

* * * *

“Is the Queen feeling better?” Caleesy asked Tuwa.

“Unfortunately, no. I’m not sure what’s wrong with her. We have a gala coming up, and I hope she’s well enough to attend. I know it would mean the world to her, and she would hate to miss it,” he explained.

“Oh. I’m so sorry. Please give her my well wishes,” she offered. “Has she asked about me?”

“I’m sorry. No, but I can sense you two had something special once.”

“I can only hope your love will return to its original state, and she’s loosening her reigns on others’ lives,” Caleesy said.

“Well…I’m sure she’ll be fine. I know her, and I know she doesn’t give up control easily, but when it comes to me, she’s all in.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I’d hate for anything to happen to you.”

“Why? Do you know something?” he asked nervously.

“Oh no. I was just hoping for the best.”

“Thank you. I better get back to work, so I can get out of here early and make it to see her before she slumbers.”

Caleesy nodded and walked away. She knew Tuwa was thinking about his future with the Queen. She knew he had to be unsure of what was to come.

Caleesy finished her work and sat in the back of the blood bank—drinking her dinner—when she came up with the perfect plan to compliment Kendra’s. She was so excited, she had to rush home to tell Kendra.

* * * *

Kendra

Kendra sat on Caleesy’s couch, meditating about the future and her role in it. She had a vision and had seen the Queen fall in flames to her death. She had to find the exact spot this would happen, but the Grampian Mountains were looking very positive.

When Caleesy came home, she was very excited. She told Kendra about her plan to extinguish Tuwa, without breaking the vampiric code of rules. Kendra approved and left to find her dinner at the Forfar Market.

As she walked the side streets woven into the market, she couldn’t help but feel some shame. She once loved the Queen and had even been rescued and been forgiven by her before Venice; however, when the Queen found Yutaka, Kendra knew she was only out for herself…and that’s why she left. She hated to, and it broke her heart, but she knew she would end up worse if she stayed. After the initial pain, she found it in herself to temporarily forget but never forgive the Queen. She bid her time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to make her comeback—the opportunity that would shock and destroy the Queen.

She savagely took a large male for her dinner and had never been so rough with her food. She was feeling angst toward the Queen and all that was about to befall her. She took it out on her victim and felt slightly better. When she returned to Caleesy, she wanted to have a clear head, so she could manipulate the young girl. She already had her doing the groundwork and was pleased with her efforts. She would have to find a way to reward her in the end. She was cute, but could she ever find another woman as attractive, the way she found the Queen all those years ago? She didn’t know the answer to that.

When Kendra arrived home, she found Caleesy sitting on the floor in front of the couch with books open all around her.

“What are you doing?” Kendra asked.

“I’m looking at all the yearbooks for The Magikal Kingdom, to see who else might be willing to work with us.”

“You are truly a genius!” Kendra complimented her. Caleesy stood up and walked over to Kendra.

“You look awfully rosy, tonight. Did you just feed?”

“Yes, and I fed extra, so you could have some, too,” Kendra replied coyly.

“Oh,” Caleesy said, slightly embarrassed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, I’ve never done this. I’ve never turned anybody or fed off anyone other than the Queen,” she admitted.

“It is truly an orgasmic experience between two vampires, something I’m sure you shared with the Queen?”

“Yes…kind of. My turning was so long ago, and I was drugged, so I don’t remember much. My Maker locked me in a room with only the Queen to feed on. She begged me to make her like me, but I was unable. My Maker made sure that I was not strong enough to do that. We were separated, and that’s when my yearning for her started. I remember it being something special when I fed from her, but she was unable to feed from me at that point,” Caleesy explained.

“Hush, its fine. Maybe that’s what she wanted you to think. Anyway, I’ll guide you through this, and you’ll enjoy every minute of it.”

Kendra took Caleesy into the bedroom, and the two women slowly got undressed, staring at each other as they did so. They lay on the bed together on their sides, Kendra stroking Caleesy’s hair that fell on the pillow and down around her neck and breasts. Kendra gently pushed the hair away and turned Caleesy on her back. Kendra traced her finger from Caleesy’s left eye, across her cheek, over to her earlobe, down the jugular vein in her neck, and toward her left nipple. Kendra stopped at her nipple and leaned in to slowly lick it. When Kendra’s tongue touched Caleesy, she jumped a little at the electricity between them from just a touch. Kendra traced her tongue from her nipple back up to her neck.

As Kendra slowly sunk her teeth into Caleesy’s neck, she looked into her eyes. There was the expression of euphoria as she drank. Caleesy rolled her eyes and embraced Kendra’s head.

When Kendra had finished, she had seen all she needed to see from Caleesy’s past in her blood. That was something that happened when one vampire sucked the blood from another vampire; however, she was not ready for Caleesy to see all her thoughts, so she slit her wrist and let the blood drop down into Caleesy’s mouth. By the time her wrist healed, Caleesy had enough and her cheeks were as rosy as Kendra’s were when she came home that night.

The two women now had their blood bond and were ready to take on the Queen.

* * * *

The Senecas

The powwow was over, and each member spread out within the tribe, playing each of their roles. Luqui was still mad and wanted to just walk up and take out the Queen. It was against the vampiric code, but he was tired of her escapades. He had made a name for himself with his latest purification ritual in Venice, which did not go unnoticed by the Seneca Tribe.

They did not have internet out in the wild, but doves carried the messages from other places worldwide. The tribe had responded to the VIP Gala invitation, at least the elders did, but later decided they didn’t want to give away their position just yet. They wanted to surprise her with an attack when she least expected it. They had been paying for her actions for centuries, generation after generation. The story was told and each generation vowed to do something about her—yet she had been sneaky and hadn’t overtly broken the rules. They played the waiting game and aligned themselves with Kendra—a partnership they were sure would lead them down the path of redemption.

* * * *

The Queen

The Queen lay in her bed with Tuwa by her side. He was applying cold compresses to her forehead in an attempt to cool her fever. She looked awful, with visible veins running through her face, sunken and black eyes, and a red nose. She had never been this sick and wasn’t sure what was going on. She felt funny but she wasn’t sure how or if it was part of her being sick. She had never been sick since the beginning of her existence, so she didn’t know what to expect. Just as she closed her eyes to the pain, he spoke.

“My Queen. I am here for you. Shall I cancel our RSVP to the Gala?” Tuwa asked. The Queen shot up in bed and glared at him.

“No way! I will make it there if it’s the last thing I do,” she spat at him. She couldn’t believe that he didn’t have faith in her that she would get better, and she’d never missed such an event.

“I’m sorry, my Queen. I was just trying to do well by you.” he explained.

She knew he was just being concerned, but she wouldn’t think of missing the Gala. All the important creatures in the vampire world would be there. She wouldn’t miss the opportunity to shove the success of her school in everyone’s face. She had never followed the rules of the vampire high society, as she felt she was above them all. She would just have to show up at her best, and now that she had Tuwa back by her side, she felt invincible. As she lay there in her bed, there was an urgent pounding on her door. A full head of curly, red hair peered around the door.

“My Queen?” Dayana said.

“What is it, child?” the Queen managed while trying to not sound sick, for she had hidden it from her students, so she did not seem weak.

“There is a problem in the classroom that I need your assistance with,” she admitted.

“What is going on?”

“Well…your vampires turned one of our young witches into a vampire, and the warlocks are furious,” she explained.

“What? I can’t believe it!” she said, jumping up. She immediately fell back on the bed, dizzy. Tuwa caught her and helped her sit back down.

“I’m sorry, but I need your assistance. I cannot get through to your students. They do not respect me.”

“I ordered them to give you your due respect and leave the witches and warlocks alone. I cannot believe this is happening! Leave me. I’ll be right down,” the Queen instructed.

She sat on her bed, steaming and thinking about what to do next. Her mind was spinning and coming up with horrible, endless punishments for the young vampire. First, she wasn’t aware that she even had a vampire that was capable of turning another. Secondly, they’d directly disobeyed her specific orders…thus, insubordination. Thirdly, she was being forced to make an example out of the perpetrator. Lastly, she had to calm the witches and warlocks and lull them into believing this would never happen, again. How was she going to do all this? It wasn’t until Tuwa spoke that she remembered he was in the room.

“What are you going to do now, my Queen?” She spun her head around to face him.

“That is no concern of yours. I have work to do, so you should leave, now. Please see yourself out,” she ordered and moved to her dressing closet to make herself presentable.

* * * *

As she walked into the lunch room, the crowds quieted and parted to display the young girl sitting on the floor in a heap, sobbing. The Queen walked over to the girl, picked her up off the floor, and faced her toward the vampires who were segregated from the witches and warlocks. The girl’s eyes remained on the floor as the Queen addressed the crowd.

“Who is responsible for this?” she bellowed. “Step forward, and you will not be punished as harshly,” she said to boo’s from the sorcery crowd.

No one spoke up immediately. Eventually, the vampires all stepped away from an older vampire, leaving him alone at the front of the pack.

The Queen looked at him intently. “Are you responsible for this, Leon?”

“Yes, my Queen,” he said, bowing his head.

“How long have you been able to turn others? How long have you known?”

“I was not aware of it until today, when it happened,” he pleaded.

“Really? How is that possible?”

“Well, young Lily here and I were kissing in the underground tunnel. It got rather heated, and I could just smell her luscious blood and couldn’t resist. I bit her, only intending to take a small drink but the blood was so euphoric to me, I swooned and fell to the floor. She rushed to me, and the animal instincts inside me took over to get more of her luscious elixir. I drank until she was lifeless and I panicked.

“I knew killing another, let alone a witch or warlock, would be punishable by death. So, I grabbed her and forced my blood down her throat until she was rejuvenated and drinking on her own. We rejoiced together after the incident, for it brought us closer together; however, when she went to Dayana, she said I attacked her and turned her with malice, when it was done in order to avoid the loss of her life.”

“So, you did it to save your own neck, then?” Dayana asked. Leon held his head low and nodded. The Queen continued to stare at him, attempting to control her anger.

“Leon, you have acted inappropriately. I cannot allow your hormones running around here and let you all get out of control. You will join me in my office later for the removal of your vampiric powers, the loss your status as a student, and the possibility of attaining a teaching position. You will be reduced to the cleaning and grounds crew, indefinitely.”

Leon fell to his knees as Dayana smiled down upon him with satisfaction for the Queen’s ruling.

“Please, my Queen. Do not strip me of my vampiric ways. They have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Stripping them would be stripping me of my soul,” he begged.

“You should have thought of that before,” Dayana spat at him.

The Queen looked down upon him without a hint of sympathy in her face. “Dayana, Lily. I am so sorry and promise this will never happen, again. Will it?” she asked her group.

“No, my Queen,” they shouted in unison.

The Queen looked down on Leon and addressed him. “You will also receive fifty lashings in the Devil’s Lambaste Chair. Now, meet me in my office immediately,” she ordered and walked over to Dayana.

She took the witch’s hand in hers, apologized again, and reassured her that Leon would be made an example of for the others to see. She glided from the room with her purple velvet cloak trailing behind her. It wasn’t until the tip of the cloak crossed the doorway that the crowds burst into conversation. The vampires surrounded Leon and gave their apologies before he walked out the door to face his doom. The witches and warlocks fell silent as he walked out of the room while the vampires looked on aghast as their comrade fell from grace.

“Now, all of you, get back to your classes,” Dayana ordered. The students scattered immediately and as quickly as possible. They gossiped in the halls, but as the Queen passed each group, they walked by silently. They knew the Queen was headed to her office to fulfill the sentence she passed down.

“It’s such a shame,” one of them said. Everyone agreed.

The Queen walked to her office, still in disbelief that one of her students would commit such a crime. As much as she enjoyed exacting punishment, she was not looking forward to tonight’s duty. Vampires were so special to her, she hated to take one’s powers away from them, but the witches and warlocks were demanding a suitable punishment for the victim who suffered under the powers of another.

It was a short spell to extract one’s powers, which she often thought minimized the magnitude of the action. Leon had been a brilliant student, with great promise for a long career within the teaching profession, cut short due to a lack of control. She entered her office with Leon sitting across from her desk, and she slowly closed the door behind her. She walked over to her desk, sat down, and looked at the boy who was about to be changed forever.

“Leon, how could you do such a thing? You were so promising, and I had high hopes for you,” the Queen started.

“I’m so sorry, my Queen. I panicked. I was alone and didn’t know what to do. Either way, I was screwed,” he said hanging his head low. He slouched down further into the chair.

“You know what I have to do, don’t you?” the Queen asked.

“Yes, my Queen. I will no longer have the powers of a vampire.”

“Yes, but that’s not all. You will lose your thirst for blood. You will have a difficult time keeping your schedule, as it is now for classes. You will be shunned by other vampires and possibly your friends. You will lose all of your instincts, abilities, and senses. You will be depressed for a long time as you struggle to live in this world.”

“I know.”

“Also, I could banish you from this school as you are no longer a vampire. I could force you to go back out into the human world and expect you to find your own way to fit in with them.”

“Oh, my Queen! Please don’t condemn me to the human world! I would never fit in. I don’t know basic things all humans know. I just couldn’t do it!”

“Well, that puts me in an awkward position now, doesn’t it?”

“I’m sorry, my Queen.”

“Here’s what we will do. I will go ahead and take your powers. After that, you will be on probation but be allowed to continue to live here in the vampire world with your limitations. If you do anything wrong—and I will be watching you—then you will be banished from the school and thrown into the human world. Understood?”

“Thank you, my Queen,” he said with a sincere sigh of relief.

“Don’t be too grateful. I am still stripping you of your very being. That is nothing to be thankful for.”

“I’m sorry, my Queen, but I am thankful for you allowing me to stay here.”

“You think it will be a blessing, but you may think differently when you attempt to resubmerge yourself with the students.”

Leon just sat there sinking lower in the chair, all joy gone from his face. He couldn’t look at the Queen.

“Then, let’s get on with it,” she sighed. She took Leon into the back room attached to her office. There, she had a circle carved into the wooden floor with a pentagram inside the circle. She instructed him to sit in the center of it. She flew around the room, opening and closing jars, getting out herbs and items needed, along with some candles. She placed the items on the floor around Leon and handed him a red candle. She lit her black candle then lit Leon’s with hers. She asked him to close his eyes and not open them until she told him to. She stood in the center circle with him, candle in one hand and the other hand up into the air.

“Goddess, let you hear my words.

Take what was bestowed upon him.

Cleanse him from his very being.

Remove the blessed gifts he’s attained.

Be a constant reminder of his transgressions.

Expunge him from the vampire ways.

Grant him the strength to carry on.

Hear me, oh Goddess Kleos!”

When she finished speaking, she lowered her arm and placed her black candle in Leon’s hand. Her trusty bloodstone had been placed on her altar of candles. As she chanted, the stone rose into the air and spun feverishly. When she was done, it fell back into its place on the altar.

My work is almost finished. The bloodstone never lies. She used the bloodstone many times before while casting spells, and it had proven its worth in gold. She then took a cup and placed each item around the pentagram into it and poured hot water into the cup. She stirred the water with a cinnamon stick to add flavor and walked back over to Leon. She instructed him to open his eyes, hand her the candles—which she placed on the bottom tips of the pentagram—and ordered him to drink from the cup. After he drank, the Queen blew out the two candles, and Leon fell to the floor. She moved quickly to stop his head from smacking the floor. His eyes were rolled back, and his body convulsed. He was warm, burning up in fact—the opposite of a vampire’s skin. The Queen placed a cold washcloth on his forehead. Finally, he stopped and was deathly still. His eyes were open and unblinking as he lay there. A little while later, he sat up and looked around him as he sobbed uncontrollably. The Queen moved to him and held him in her arms until he quieted.

“Are we done, then?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” the Queen answered.

* * * *

Leon

He had prepared and expected the worst for having his powers removed. The spell had left him with a feeling of solitude and helplessness. He felt he even looked different. He made his way to his bedroom and lay exhausted on his bed. The Queen had temporarily assigned his roommate to a different room, so he would have his space, which he took to mean be alone with another vampire in close proximity. He lay there with his eyes closed and recanted the feelings and emotions of the spell and aftermath. Things had flown by so quickly, he never had time to process them.

His Queen stripped him of everything he knew, but he was lucky that she showed mercy on him and didn’t banish him to the human world. That would never have gone well. When his parents found out he was different, they started looking for schools for different students. It seemed like years before they found The Magikal Kingdom.

Though he was scared, he was glad to leave his parents behind. They always treated him differently from his siblings. He was never allowed to go outside the home, except for school. They even considered home-schooling him. He became a loner at school, picked on and bullied constantly. He’d never fit in or felt true companionship until he was sent to Scotland.

His parents bought him a one-way ticket. He guessed they would never have to deal with him, again. He didn’t care, though. He got used to his mother’s sobbing fits, his father’s stern tone, and his siblings acting like he had the plague. No, it was a place he never wanted to return to.

He wondered how his fellow vampires would react to him after the spell. He knew he was human now, but how would that change his personality and the friends he already established here at the school? He sat up, and though he had been excused from classes for the evening, went down to the cafeteria.

The food never looked and smelled so good to him. He always picked, nibbling here and there, but now he was ravished and piled the food onto his plate like it was the last thing he would ever get to eat. The cafeteria was empty when he arrived so he sat at his usual table, alone, eating and waiting for his friends.

After classes ended, he was still eating when his friends arrived. They were in a pack in the food line, and he waved to some of them when they looked his way. As he waved, they turned away from him like he didn’t exist. He felt his stomach surge and hoped what he had feared wasn’t happening.

The pack, after finishing at the food line, took a table in the back of the room, one they’d never eaten at before. As they picked through their food and held a conversation, Leon walked up to their table.

“Hi, guys!” he said exuberantly. The pack never turned around to look at him and continued with their conversation like no one heard him. He tried, again. “What ya all taking about?”

This time, a large, burly boy stood up to face Leon. “You are not welcome here anymore, Human,” he said, and the pack smiled as they clapped.

“But I’m still me. The same person I was yesterday,” he tried, sounding defeated.

“No, you’re not. We don’t surround ourselves with humans, and you of all people should know that. I think it’s best you go now,” a tiny girl said, hiding a smile.

Leon felt as if his friends kicked him in the stomach. He walked away from their table dejectedly, only to hear a bunch of cheers and high-fives. He didn’t know what he was going to do.

* * * *

Kendra

Kendra searched the web feverishly for two weeks. She found almost every creation the Queen had made over the centuries, most of which despised her. That was good news to Kendra. She informed them of the upcoming Gala and asked if they could be there. All but one of them said yes. The one who kept out of it was Josh—the founding member of the Venice Coven who felt like he owed the Queen his life. He was out, and Kendra thought that was a good idea as well. She tested each one by asking a series of questions to find out who they were loyal to, none of whom said the Queen. Her plan was moving along nicely. Now, she and Caleesy had to figure out how to get rid of Tuwa without bringing down the wrath of the Seneca.

Caleesy came running into the room, speaking ten miles a minute.

“Take a deep breath and calm down,” Kendra said.

“The Queen has taken a young vampire’s powers, abilities, and very being away from him tonight!” Caleesy said excitedly.

“She what? Are you sure?” Kendra asked a little astonished.

“Yes. The school Class President just told me about it.”

“Well…well…well. Looks like we could have a new follower. That is truly a horrible thing to do to a young vampire,” Kendra said.

“Yes, and now he’s human, and the other vampires want nothing to do with him!” Caleesy gushed, overjoyed.

“Okay. Let’s have this Class President put her feelers out on this boy and see who has his loyalty,” Kendra explained.

“Great. I’ll talk to her tomorrow evening.”

* * * *

Leon

Time passed slowly for Leon after his becoming human. He hated what his life had become—all alone and dissolute. No friends, no family...only horrible vampire classes to go to that meant nothing to him, now. He was so bored and uninterested in everything, nowadays. He wondered if it might be better if he did go to the human world. At least he could attend online classes for college, get a degree, and live in a human apartment building where the neighbors and he would throw wonderful parties. Maybe he’d even meet a human girl, they’d fall in love, and get married. At least then, he knew they’d have human babies instead of the freaks vampires have when they mated.

He shook the thoughts from his head. Nonsense! He’d never fit into the human world, no matter how hard he’d tried. As he sat on his bed, back against the wall, piles of tissues around him, there was a knock at the door. He didn’t answer and hoped they’d go away. He saw the door creak open, and a little blonde head peeked into the room.

“Leon, there you are. I have been looking all over for you,” Amayia said, entering the room and closing the door quietly behind her.

“What could you want with me?”

“Well, we are all aware of your current misfortunes and are truly sorry for all you are going through,” she grinned softly.

“So?”

“Well, I just wondered how you are handling things.”

“Well…I hate my current life, I hate my past life, and I hate what my future life is going to be like.” he said sarcastically.

“Oh, Leon.” Amayia said, moving the tissues and sitting down on the bed. “I’m so sorry. This should never have been a punishment for anything menial.”

“It’s awful!” he said, crumbling in her arms. She sat there, hugging him, letting him cry on her shoulder, and formulating her plan.

“Now, Leon. I know what you’ve been through is awful, and I know the Queen has no care in the world for you right now. I have faced such punishments on the Devil’s Lambaste Chair from her, and she’s awful, hateful, and only thinks about herself.

Leon looked around to see if anyone was watching and leaned into Amayia. “I’d kill her myself if I could,” he said through his teeth.

“Believe me, I know the feeling. Why don’t we do something about her?” Amayia asked Leon.

A look of surprise, then satisfaction, crossed his face. “What do you need? I’m in,” he said, rejoicing.

Amayia knew she was one step closer.

* * * *

Dayana

Dayana was in her room with Liliana, her new personal assistant, who combed out her long, curly red hair. She enjoyed this part of the evening, just before going to bed. She liked to reflect on the hard life she had before she came to the school with her followers. She had a father who gave her ten lashings a day for being what she was. She was not allowed to go out in public, for the King didn’t want anyone to know she existed. He faked her death when he’d found out what she was so people knew never to look for her.

Her mother was her only solace. She was the one who encouraged Dayana to visit other places and find others like herself. She told her of the Queen who had been so horrible to others but now ran a school in Scotland. She encouraged Dayana to visit and take over the school for herself, with her people. She even gave Dayana enough money to travel, eat, and fly the others to Scotland, unbeknownst to her father. She told her it would be a long, hard road, and she was right.

So many places wouldn’t put up the few witches and warlocks she had in their Inn’s at night, for they knew their true beings. She traveled all over south and Central America and found approximately thirty-five people like herself—a witch or warlock. They were hard to find at first, as they concealed themselves even from the towns they lived in; however, there was an underground movement that shipped herbs and such to different parts of the country for the witches and warlocks. Once Dayana found this underground Mecca, she found the others very easily.

She waited in the herb shop—with the owners’ permission, of course—and when the witch or warlock came in to get their supplies, she would approach them. She’d first ask if there were others like her in their town or nearby areas. She asked who they served, and when they spat on the ground at the mention of the Queen, she knew she had a new follower.

Tonight was going to be a nice, relaxing evening as she walked through the garden. She had plans to meet with Caleesy, but that wasn’t for several hours yet, as she always came near dawn. She was going over the update on the status of her group and the information Amayia gave her about Leon. Dayana was sure he would play a key role in this coup. She was still unsure how, but she had the Goddess come to her last night. She foretold of his involvement but left the details as vague as usual.

The Goddess was always right. Why then did she feel so uneasy? She tried to calm her mind by stopping and smelling the flowers in the garden. It wasn’t until Dayana bumped into the Queen’s back that she knew her evening would be ruined.

* * * *

The Queen

What was going on in her school? The Queen felt the change in the walls and the students. They appeared to be zombies, unthinking and unfeeling. She could no longer read their minds, and that troubled her greatly. What changed? What kind of sorcery was working within her school? Was she losing control? Something was wrong.

Ever since the group of witches and warlocks showed up on her doorstep, things turned for the worse. Then, there was Caleesy and Tuwa. One she betrayed when the other reappeared after all these years. How could she not want to be with him? But she couldn’t have both in her mind. She had to be committed to just one this decade. Two was too many and too much work for her, though she actually felt bad for Caleesy, whom she searched for ever since that night she was taken from her. What a dilemma! If she could just figure out the exact problem with the school, she could fix it, but how? Dayana was responsible for her group. Maybe she could give some insight to them. She hoped, anyway.

* * * *

As she was walking outside in the formal garden, Dayana backed into her. What luck! Dayana was just the person she was looking for.

“Good evening, Dayana,” the Queen started.

“Good evening, Queen.”

“Where are you headed, and I may walk with you,” the Queen stated rather than asked.

“I was going to take a walk in the formal garden. It smells so nice at this time of early morning.”

“Ah yes. I used to do that all the time; however, free time has gotten away from me lately,” the Queen said, walking alongside Dayana. “So, how are you finding it here in my home?”

“Oh, well. Things are great, but there is always an adjustment period, and that is taking a little longer than I’d like.”

“Ah, well. You know how kids are. Especially vampire kids,” the Queen laughed.

“Yes. Well, my students have embraced them wholeheartedly, yet meet with resistance.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s just the way it seems to you. I assure you that the vampires and such have accepted you fully into our school,” the Queen assured her.

“Maybe you’re right. I’m just being sensitive,” Dayana placated the Queen.

“Anyway, have you noticed anything unusual, Dayana?” the Queen asked, hoping for some real insight.

“Unusual? Why, no. What’s going on?” she whispered.

“Nothing really. It’s just…I feel a change about to happen.”

“A change? Really? I hadn’t heard anything, and I’m usually good at hearing things from my students before they happen,” Dayana lied to the Queen.

“Ah, well. I’ll just have some praying to the Goddess to do. Well, I’m off to the temple right now. No time to waste,” the Queen said and hurried off to the temple across campus. It was only moments later that there was a whisper in the darkness that startled Dayana.

* * * *

Dayana

“Psst! Over here. Is the coast clear?” came Caleesy’s voice. Dayana looked around like a guilty child who gotten caught sticking their hand in the cookie jar.

“Yes, it’s clear, but you just missed the Queen,” she hissed.

“I know. I heard the conversation. So, she’s getting a little paranoid, huh?”

“It seems that way. She said she’s off to pray to the Goddess herself. Surely the Goddess does not lie?” Dayana asked.

“Of course not, but she only gives specific yes and no answers, so if the incorrect question is asked, she could give an incorrect answer,” Caleesy explained.

“Okay, enough of her. I have more to report. Amayia has spoken with Leon, and he is full force ahead. He is willing to participate in any way needed. I now have one-half of the students turned against her and willing to work on the decorations for the gala. We can drug the Queen and sneak them out for one evening only—the night before the gala. Anything else you need?” Dayana asked.

“No, my dear. You have done extremely well. I need you to be in charge of drugging the Queen personally. I don’t want anyone else doing it, got it?”

“Of course. I’ll make sure she’s out for an entire school night,” Dayana boasted.

“Good. We shall speak again, soon. The gala is only two weeks away. Keep up the excellent work,” Caleesy said and faded back into the shadows.

Dayana sat down at the base of the tree to think. She would have to put together a concoction of Kava Kava, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, and Valerian Root into a tea for the Queen to drink that evening. Most of the herbs work either as a tranquilizer or reducer of anxiety, and when in combination should knock out a horse. Luckily for Dayana, the Queen drank a cup of tea each night upon rising for mental clarity and alertness. She would have to get to the cook to exchange the tea that evening for hers—something easily done.

Now she had to coordinate the decorations with Amayia, who would fill in the committee as well. There was so much to do and only two weeks to do it in.

* * * *

Tuwa

Tuwa worked alongside Caleesy since the altercation. She didn’t look well at first but was coming around slowly. Lately, he noticed a quickness in her pace—like she couldn’t wait to get out of work each morning. What was so exciting that it had her wanting to go? She never took breaks or lunch anymore and left an hour before anybody else because of it. He wanted to make sure she was okay and happy since the rejection from the Queen.

“Caleesy, can you come here please?” Tuwa asked from his station.

“Sure. What is it?”

“I’m just concerned for you. Why the sudden rush to leave work?”

“Oh, well,” she said blushing, “I’ve met someone.”

“That’s great! Who is he?”

“Well, it’s a she, and we get along together awesome. We have so much in common and totally respect each other—something I’ve never had,” Caleesy said, digging the knife deeper into Tuwa’s wounds.

“Sounds great! When do I get to meet her?”

“Well…I’m not sure I want to bring her around, you know, with you still being with the Queen and all. It might make her a little uncomfortable,” she said strategically.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I hadn’t thought about that. I’m sorry, again,” he started, but Caleesy cut him off.

“Don’t worry about it. Had it not been for you, I would have never left the Queen and met her,” Caleesy gushed.

“Well, I’m glad to see that you’re so happy. I’ll be sure to tell the Queen. She’s felt horrible about it since it happened,” he said.

“Be sure you do, then. I better get back to work,” she announced and bounded back over to her station. She smiled to herself for she knew the Queen would drive herself mad trying to figure out who this mystery person is. She’d never guess in a million years.

Tuwa went back to his work a little disturbed. He couldn’t believe how happy Caleesy was after going through what she had with the Queen. He couldn’t imagine such happiness without her. She was his inspiration for all those years apart and filled his heart now that they were back together. She was either still miserable and faking it or something else, he conceded. No one meets someone that quickly and knows it’s true happiness. No one! Though he hated it, he would have to discuss it with the Queen, tonight.

* * * *

The Queen

“She what?” the Queen bellowed.

“It’s true. She’s found blissful happiness elsewhere, my Queen,” he said bowing, knowing she would start throwing things shortly.

“I can’t believe it! Who could replace me? How did she find this person? Who are they?” she asked.

“I’m…I’m sorry, my Queen. She didn’t go into details except for her happiness,” he said taking a step backward, out of her reach.

“Happiness? My ass! I smell something rotten, and it’s your job to find out what exactly that is,” she said pointing a long forefinger at him. He bowed again and moved toward her for comfort.

“Don’t come near me! You bring me bad news and then expect to share my bed with me? You ludicrous halfwit! Get out of my sight!” she yelled and turned her back on him. He moved quickly to her balcony and flew out into the night’s air.

He expected nothing less from her, but he was tired of having his feelings being hurt all the time.

The Queen paced her room, thinking about Caleesy in the arms of another woman. The thought infuriated her and made her grind her teeth. How could she love another? She thought when she bonded with Caleesy all those years ago and again when they met, that she made Caleesy incapable of bonding with another. That was her plan!

The Queen thought what to do when Tuwa interrupted her thought by returning inside the window.

“My Queen, do not worry about such a minute problem. She is nothing. I thought what we share is far more important,” he said sadly.

The Queen thought for a calculated moment then turned to him with a softened face.

“You are right, my love. What we have transcends time. How could I let her interfere with us? Please lay on my bed and let me drink from you. I need the energy boost, tonight,” she cooed into his ear. He hadn’t fed tonight as his eagerness to see her made him forget. He thought they could hunt together tonight, but now he saw that was not the case.

He lay on the bed, his clothes on the floor at the foot of the bed. The Queen, in her black lace teddy, climbed on top of him and pinned his wrists above his head with her one hand. She roughly tore into his neck and fed from him. She climbed off him when she was done, unwilling to allow him to feed from her this time.

“My Queen, I am weak from your feast. Shall I not be allowed to feed from you as well?” he begged.

“No you may not. Leave. Feed for yourself on some street person or whatnot. I don’t care, tonight. I have more important issues to deal with,” she said uncaringly. Tuwa gathered his clothes and left through his usual balcony, feeling dejected and used.

* * * *

Caleesy counted blood bags as the employee door opened. She dropped the bags in her hand, splashing blood all over the floor.

“What a mess you’ve created!” the Queen proclaimed.

“Mess? It’s not my fault. You are the one who surprised me,” Caleesy said defiantly.

“That’s not what I’m referring to,” the Queen spat back.

“Then, what are you talking about?” Caleesy asked innocently.

“Your new lover? Ring a bell?” she said sarcastically.

“How did you know?” Caleesy feigned shock.

“Tuwa. He is not your friend. He is mine, and he tells me everything. Now, who is this person?” the Queen demanded.

“No one you’d know!” she spat back.

“I know everyone in my Kingdom.”

“She’s not from your Kingdom.”

“She?”

“Yes, she!”

“You would have another woman after me? After all I’ve done for you? How on Earth could you replace me?” the Queen regaled her.

“Well, she’s much more refined, loving, and trusting than you. She my other half, as you so once called me until Tuwa came along and destroyed what we had. You made your choice when you chose him. Now, accept it like a big girl and leave me alone!” Caleesy yelled back at her.

The Queen just stared after her when Caleesy turned and walked away. She couldn’t believe this was the dainty flower she had once known.

* * * *

Kendra and Caleesy

It was the night before the gala, and the girls were excited. They had everything planned and arranged to the tee. The girls from the school decorated the gala hall in orange and silver streamers with balloons that matched and covered the ceiling. During the big moment, the balloons would fall from the sky to help celebrate the falling of the Queen.

Each person had a different role to play. Kendra would be in charge of the out-of-town and internet vampires, their accommodations, and travel arrangements. She would make sure they were at the gala early to get a good seat. She worked so hard to convince some, while calming vicious tendencies of others, that she was sure she had a great mix. They had the others on standby to be ready to take her in when she fell from grace. They wanted her for their side for so long, but she refused. Now was their one and only chance to get her.

Caleesy worked closely with the students at the school. Dayana was in charge at the school to get everything in place and the correct students invited. That meant Leon. Caleesy prayed to the Goddess that he would know his role when it was upon him, for she wasn’t even sure what that would be. He was the only unknown in their equation, but according to Dayana, he was on their side. Caleesy spoke with the dressmaker and florist, and both were set with their plans.

The girls themselves had gone shopping and picked out fabulous outfits. Kendra picked a cute little green dress—knee length with lettuce edges and gold spaghetti straps. She picked out gold sandals which accented the dress but were functional during the event and gold, sparkly jewelry to match the outfit. Caleesy picked out a beautiful, A-line strapless, floor length, deep purple gown with a cascading bottom and a short train. The lavender heels with deep purple bows on the front toes matched perfectly. She also chose complimentary gold jewelry to offset her gold and diamond tiara and a necklace choker with strings of diamonds and an Amethyst on each end. Matching teardrop earrings adorned her ears as the final touch.

* * * *

The Queen

Everything was falling apart for the Queen. First, when her dress arrived, it was dreadful. She asked the designer to match the colors of the decorations and she was left with an orange dress. She asked for baby lace that went from the collar, down between her breasts and to her waist in the front, but instead she got old-lady lace that looked like it belonged on a tablecloth. Next, her flowers were red and silver roses with beautiful baby’s breath but were crushed by the green foliage around them. Tuwa’s buttonhole had one single rose and nothing more. There was no jewelry or shoes for the dress, so she had to make due with something she’d worn previously. She was mortified!

Tuwa sat in the bedside chair in his perfect tuxedo and watched the Queen pace back and forth angrily. He watched her dig through her closet for shoes, throwing ones she didn’t want out onto the bedroom floor, which created quite a pile. Exacerbated, she found shoes high enough to barely lift the dress off the ground and jewelry to match. The shoes were black platform heels, but they were all she could manage under the circumstances.

“I’m going to trip over this stupid, ugly dress!” the Queen whined.

“No, you won’t. You look beautiful.”

“Really? Even in this awful orange?” She smiled for the first time since the dress arrived.

“Well, you look like a giant orange, but you’re my orange,” he complimented her and hugged her close.

“Giant orange? Are you saying I look fat?” she demanded, pushing him away.

“Oh, no. I didn’t mean anything by it, my Queen. I am sorry,” he apologized profusely.

“I can’t believe everything that’s already gone wrong, tonight.”

“Well, let’s just put that behind us and think about the true reason for the gala,” he suggested.

“Of course. To honor me for everything I’ve done,” she smiled and practiced her Presidential wave.

“Now, let’s get going. We don’t want the guest of honor to be late.”

* * * *

The Gala hall was beautiful from the moment you walked in the door. Two males removed guests’ outerwear while two others had glasses of wine waiting on hand. Everything sparkled silver and purple, just the way the Queen would have decorated it herself. There were fountains, pornographic ice sculptures, and flowers everywhere. The internet vampires stood silently against the walls, hoping to avoid confrontation while the students made up the other half of the population of vampires, mingling about. The air conditioning and ice sculptures kept the temperature comfortable for all. All came out dressed in their very best new clothes for, as with the Queen, you couldn’t be seen in the same outfit twice. A horse and carriage were arranged for the Queen and Tuwa. When it pulled up outside, it quieted down inside, waiting for her appearance.

Upon walking in the doors, the Queen was aghast that her dress and flowers did not match any of the night’s decorations. She was met with laughs, jeers, and nudges as she made her way to the table for the guest of honor.

She sat there steaming—demanding in her head to find out who played this horrendous trick on her if it was the last thing she would do. She tried not to sulk in her chair, for she had loyal subjects coming up to her and wishing her well—even though they were all already in on the secret of the night, yet didn’t know the details. Caleesy was in the back hall with a very scared Leon, trying to remember his words and getting frustrated with himself.

“Leon, it’s okay,” Caleesy said, putting her arm around the young boy.

“This is what you stage your rebellion on? A young boy? I should have known better. Damn it!” Kendra said, looking angrily at Caleesy.

“We already made the arrangements and everything is going to work out as planned,” Caleesy said through gritted teeth at Kendra who saw her intensity and softened. “Now, Leon. Go out there, cast a swirl circle around yourself so you cannot be touched, and deliver what we practiced, okay? Got it?” Caleesy asked to a very scared boy. He nodded in agreement.

* * * *

Leon

Leon entered the circle of the room and started to hush people around him. When they refused, he raised his voice and started his incantation:

“Let the powers of the Goddess Kleos hear my prayer,

Let all that which has been stripped away be restored,

Let thy will be yours and yours alone,

Let the soul of Tuwa be forever bound to the purgatory of flames,

Let his burnt body be returned to the Seneca ways once his spirit is gone,

Let the soul of his former lover forever be tortured without him,

And her body committed to the Others,

Let the rightful Queen Dayana stand in her place on her throne only to serve you,

Let the vampires, fairies, witches, warlocks, and humans all come together in your spirit.”

After his incantation, the once scared—yet sure-tongued young boy fell to the ground. He felt the eyes of the party on him, but he didn’t care. He came and did what he’d set out to do…make everyone get along, get the Queen—Countess Lourdes de Paulina—off of her throne, and cast a new Queen—Dayana—to serve Kleos, his Goddess.

Next thing he knew, he woke up in a little hut outside the castle walls. He had a rather large bump on his head and his body had been clawed at by the partygoers until Qaletagei, the guardian of people, stepped in and carried him out.

Some of the Queen’s people rebelled but thankfully, there were few found at the Gala. Her unfavorable guests and Kleos saw to it that his incantation was carried out, denouncing one Queen and raising another. As he sat up, a bump from a wooden stick came down on his forehead.

“Do not sit up just yet, Grand Master Leon,” the extremely tall Native American said.

“Then, tell me where I am,” Leon said timidly.

“You are just outside the Magikal Kingdom, where I have taken you to recover after your…well…fall at the Gala,” he said cryptically.

Leon vaguely remembered asking for his powers as a vampire back, so he attempted a quick mind read of the old man.

“You will not be allowed in my thoughts, though I am in yours. Yes, your vampire powers have been restored, and there is a search party out looking for you. The new Queen has named you her Grand Master, and you are to be in charge of all who choose to speak with her and harm her. It is a great honor, really,” the man said, inspecting his fingernails.

Leon shifted slightly in his bed as he blocked the wooden staff that came down and meant to bop him in the head, again.

“I told you, you are here to heal and be at your full potential when you return to the Queen!”

“I was sitting up!” Leon winced. His ribs were broken and bandaged.

“You cannot overpower me. I am the Guardian of People, as I’m called in my Seneca tribe, and it is my duty to help you right now.”

“What about Tuwa?”

“Tuwa is being taken care of. His body is still in the purification and embalming status, so I am not needed there for a while.”

“Why me? You are human. Why do you want to help a vampire?”

“Well, it’s my way of beginning the communication between the Underworld or your people and my people.” He smiled at Leon.

“I would love for us all to get along. I will convey your gratitude to the Queen. I’m sure she’ll want to meet you,” Leon said excitedly.

“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”

“Why? You will be known all over the Kingdom.”

“I am a humble man, a servant if you will, and I do not wish such accolades. I move around a bit, so I would not like my enemies to know where I am just yet.”

“Enemies?”

“Yes, those who wish to stop my form of magik. They don’t agree with all I’ve done over the years and would like to end my life as a show to others why they should stay away from me; however, without me, many more would die, so I am kept a secret. Got it?”

Leon looked around the room. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling and an array of jars of dried herbs, animal, and human parts stood on dusty shelves against the walls. He wasn’t sure which kind of magik the old man practiced, but he felt much better, refreshed even.

“Yes, you must go, now. It is your time to ride to the Castle and take over the position she holds for you. Do not forget my people.”

“I will never forget you or your people,” Leon promised. With that, Qaletaqei helped Leon up and stepped out of the room, so he could finish dressing. His wounds completely healed and only his head and ribs hurt a little.

“That will go away in a few days.”

“What?” Leon asked innocently.

“The pain in your head and ribs. It is just dusk. Take the horse outside, and ride proudly into the Kingdom,” he encouraged.

Leon grasped the man’s forearm as Qaletaqei grabbed his in the customary clan shake and slid out into the night. He couldn’t wait to tell his Queen all that he’d experienced and done.

* * * *

Dayana

Dayana entered her chambers for the first time as the new Queen. She walked around smelling the fresh flowers, touching the fabrics, and thinking about how she would redecorate. She could not have the old Queen’s tastes overpower her dreams. Yes, dreams. She dreamed about this moment for many, many years. It came to her, the first night, as a vision. One in which she had the chamber redone and was sitting in the oversized chair by the fire. As the dreams kept coming, she saw more and more of the chamber and the events leading up to it. She kept her visions from everyone, as they would think her a silly girl and ignore her, but now, she could no longer be ignored. She called a student body meeting that night between classes to address the students as the new Queen. So many thoughts raced through her head that she missed the quiet cough at her door.

“Leon! You are back, finally!” she gushed.

“Yes, I am back and good as new.”

“Good. You took an awful beating, and I feared for your life. Tell me, how did you get away, and where have you been?”

“Well, the Guardian of the People scooped me up and took me to his hut to heal me,” Leon condensed the version.

“That’s wonderful! I shall call for him to come to the castle for his proper reward,” the Queen said resolutely.

“He will not come.”

“What? And disobey an order from his new Queen?” she asked flabbergasted.

“He’s not like that. He’s Seneca. They are in the middle of processing Tuwa’s body. Plus, he’s not too big on being singled out.”

“So, he’s shy. How humble.”

“He’s very humble,” Leon said, thinking back to the aromas in the hut and the herbs hanging from the wall drying.

“No matter. I have you back, and I’m going to announce you to the new student body as my Grand Master and all that comes with that responsibility,” she said excitedly. Leon blushed. “There’s no time for humility from you. You are now my protector, my warrior, my confidant, and with that comes certain privileges. Ones I’m sure you will come to find to be worth your while,” she smiled at him. “Now, I have a lot of things to get done my first day, so if you’d leave me, I can get going. No disrespect, of course.”

“None taken,” he said, bowed to her, and backed out of the room.

He was such a nice young boy. She made the right decision about making him her Grand Master. Sure, there would be rumblings within the witches and warlocks, but they would have to adapt, just like she did. People started parading through her room, so she had less time to think about it. She was getting measured for dresses, picking out tapestries, chair material, new furniture, colors for the bed chamber, new bedding, and then came the spectacle of people flowing in and out wishing her well, like staff members of the school. She had their support as well. By the end of the procession, she sunk down into one of the oversized chairs near the fire. She sat there and thought about the whirlwind of events over the last few days.

I am the Queen. She liked the way that sounded. Oh, if only her father saw her now. He finally acknowledge her as his daughter. Maybe not! came her mother’s voice in her head. She missed her mother and would have to send away for her immediately with one of the doves. She’d love nothing more than her mother to abandon her father and come live with her. She was the one who encouraged Dayana to pursue her dream and it finally came true. She sat there thinking more until there was a soft knock on the door.

“Come in,” she sang. Caleesy and Kendra entered, and Dayana ran right up to Caleesy and gave her a big hug. “Thank you so much! This has been great!” she gushed. She then looked to Kendra.

“Dayana, this is Kendra,” Caleesy introduced her.

“The Kendra? Like the old Queen’s lover Kendra?” she said mystified.

“That’s right, but that was so long ago,” Kendra tried to remain calm. Dayana threw her arms around Kendra as well.

“Well, thank you too, Kendra. Things have just been so crazy the last couple days…” she explained.

“I’m sure it has,” Caleesy smiled, “but we have further business to discuss with you.”

“Okay,” she said cautiously.

“It’s nothing huge so don’t be concerned,” Kendra said with a smile. Dayana started to soften.

“We just want to make sure your school and Kingdom are run correctly and help in any manner possible,” Caleesy explained.

Dayana sighed a huge sigh of relief. “That’s so exciting, as I’ve been thinking about you two and all I could do to repay you. I would like Caleesy to be my Eminence or Princess in the Kingdom,” Dayana said proudly.

“Oh, my Queen. What an honor that would be,” Caleesy exclaimed.

“Kendra, I would like you to be the Protector of her Eminence and serve her in any way she sees fit. If that’s all right with you, of course?”

Kendra breathed a sigh of relief. She never was one for spotlights and would love to stay closer to Caleesy if possible.

“Sounds excellent to me, my Queen,” Kendra said and bowed her head. “Lover by day and protector by night. I like that,” Kendra said before she censored herself.

“Lover?” Caleesy asked with a smile on her face.

“Well, it’s true. It’s part of the reason I sought you out was I heard of your beauty and had to see it for myself. Once here, I was mesmerized by you and wanted nothing more than to be in your presence. I just couldn’t stay away and knew the Queen needed to be derailed and a new successor found. All of my dreams have come true, and I give my thanks to the two special people in this room,” Kendra said with moist eyes. Caleesy ran into her arms, where Kendra lifted her into the air, and their lips met. They continued to kiss as Kendra placed her back down onto the ground.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Dayana said mildly, “But I need my bed chamber so I may get dressed for the student presentation.”

* * * *

As Dayana stood at the top of the giant stone staircase, looking down upon all her new students, she tried to calm her nerves and remember all she wanted to say.

“As you all know, our late Queen was removed from her position by our Goddess Kleos. I am honored to fulfill the new position with pride and guidance from her. I have some people to introduce you to before I start discussing the new rules of the school.

“This is Her Eminence, Princess Caleesy. She is to be contacted when I am not available. You will show her the same respect you would show me. She has a kind heart and will be perfect for the position. To her left is Kendra, Her Eminence’s Protector who will be by her side, day and night, to keep those unwanted away from her. To her left is Leon, our hero. I have given him the title of Grand Master, and he will be my protector. You will see him before you see me privately.

“That’s enough introductions for now. I will call you all together as other positions arise. Next, there will be more integration for each of our differences as far as classes go. All students will be required to take their core classes, but they can also elect to take other classes for each of the different groups without ridicule. I will continue to teach only one class an evening so I may be available for office hours. I will also bring on a Difference Counselor, to whom all of you may speak freely with at any time.

“Lastly, violence will not be tolerated under any circumstances. You will be severely punished for your offenses based on your crime, so keep that in mind when you even think about doing anything unsavory. I hope to serve you well and pray we will all do our best to make the school run smoothly. Good luck, students, and happy reading!”

About the Author:

Jodie Pierce is married to the man of her dreams and lives in Cleveland, Ohio. This will be her sixth published book in the past three years. Before Demise of the Vampire Queen was the original, The Vampire Queen and then The Vampire Chronicles. The publication of this book completes her trilogy of ‘Vampire Queen’ books. Jodie was asked to be part of an anthology as well which was released June of 2012.

She’s guest blogged for others over the past couple years. Jodie is the webmaster of http://www.thevampirequeen1.weebly.com and also the owner of the yahoo group “Sink you fangs into a good book” at http://www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/Sink_Your_Fangs_In.

Visit her blog at: http://www.thevampirequeen1.blogspot.com

Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/vampiregds. You can also reach her at thevampirequeen1@gmail.com.

Also by Jodie Pierce:

Condemned by a Vampire

by Jodie Pierce

eBook ISBN: 9781615726486

Print ISBN: 9781615726493

Erotica, Dark Fantasy

Story of 19,738 words

Can a young poet find happiness with a vampire?

A normally introverted girl, poet by day and gothic bartender by night meets her ‘destiny’ man.

At first she refuses him but he keeps coming back attempting to get her to go out with him. Finally they do and she feels things she’s never felt before. However, each time they have wonderful erotic sex a huge disaster hits and they move to get away from it. Eventually he admits that he’s cursed and each of the disasters are his fault. She is furious and has him take her to his homeland in Romania. She runs down his family history and the details of the curse. She ties him up, makes love to him one final time and ends the curse. But how? Will they still be together after he has condemned her to this life?

Also from Eternal Press:

Born to be His

by Wendy Stone

eBook ISBN: 9781615727025

Print ISBN: 9781615727032

Paranormal Romance

Novel of 64,989 words

A handsome stranger, a mysterious land and incredible romance, what more could a girl ask for?

Glenna Pierce has just turned eighteen. This birthday has been one that she has looked forward to since the day her parents told her of the magic that would be hers when she reached her majority and was brought in to the Pierce Coven.

Nicholas Stormbringer is King of his people and ruler of the Fifth Plane. Glenna was his, given to him by her parents to marry when she reached eighteen. He would do anything to make sure of her safety and happiness, even giving her up if that was what she wanted.

When Glenna is kidnapped by a rival clan and spirited away, could Nicholas find her and bring her home? Would she be willing to give up everything she knew here, in this plane, to live in a world of fairies and ogres, to be his wife, his lover to the end of his days? Was she, in truth, Born to be His?