Allianna (technically a rough draft btw)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three:
Allianna flinched beneath the covers of the bed where she slept. Somehow she knew the sun had set. Were all vampires aware of the change? No she had not been thus aware the prior evening.
“It’s the room, sweetling,” Alex murmured from the doorway. “The room is enchanted so that the occupant knows when it is safe to leave it.”
Allianna wanted to curse at him at first but then only stood and made her way to where he stood. “Do we resume?”
Alex shrugged absently, “It isn’t much further from here so, according to the woman Lennari, we may leave our things here.”
Allianna simply changed into a different tunic, one of rough tan cotton that would not be a great loss if it got torn.
They met Mithel down in the tavern itself. She stood waiting by the door and holding something in her hand. Her hair was neatly combed and Allianna looked away, knowing that by now her own was likely tangled and looking in disorder.
Mithel rolled her eyes and handed Allianna the comb and mirror. “I thought you might appreciate these. You were looking at mine yesterday as if it were made of gold.”
Alex said nothing as he stepped passed Mithel and into the darkness of the new night. Allianna followed, thanking Mithel silently and then setting to work on tearing the knots from her hair. She glanced at the distant horizon where the last remains of what must have been a miraculous sunset filled the sky. Suddenly she felt a stab of something akin to homesickness.
“Can I braid it?” Mithel asked softly.
“Sure I-”
“Leave it down,” Alex snapped. Then, softly, “I like it down.”
Mithel frowned then continued to walk in the direction she knew she’d find the manor where Amnira was slave. And soon it was she leading rather than Alex, he hung back as if to allow her to guide. He did not know where Amnira was, after all. He could not take the knowledge from her because it was not precise, just a sense of where the girl was now. Quite suddenly, she stopped and stared in all directions. “I’ve lost her.”
“No!” Allianna screamed. “You can’t have.”
“Hush,” Alex murmured, not a command but an attempt to calm her down. “Relax and focus on your own connection to her, we must be close enough now that you can sense her.”
Allianna looked up at him with tear filled eyes, his own were masked against whatever emotion he was feeling and yet did not conceal his sincerity. So she willed herself to be calm.
“Now, calm yourself and keep your mind still, let your heart be the only part of you that thinks,” Alex murmured, then stepped aside to let Mithel guide her. She needed to trust her guide and she did not trust him, not yet.
Mithel took Allianna’s hands in hers and closed her own eyes, allowing her conscious to become a part of Allianna’s and yet still hers. She found herself surrounded not by the pain and hurt that she expected so much as a great feeling of betrayal and loneliness, contrasted by a love for the child that they were trying to rescue that rivaled the love Mithel held for her own daughter.
Everyone Allianna had ever loved had somehow betrayed her. Her sisters had betrayed her by forgetting her, by making no attempt to rescue her. Her mother had betrayed her by not mourning her and leaving her for dead. Her father had betrayed her by committing adultery against her mother, lying to her, then dying and leaving her alone. Keleb had betrayed her by leaving her alone. In fact, the one she felt had betrayed her the least was Alex, for he had never made any pretense to care for her or her family so, in fact, he was better to her then most of her family had been.
Mithel willed herself not to think too much on Alex lest she betray to Allianna things that she must not yet learn. She brushed past the betrayal and focused her will on the love for the child that still burned strong and clear. She brought Allianna’s will with her and suddenly Allianna’s heart felt drawn, pulled toward her flesh and blood, her precious child that she needed more then anything in the world to have with her.
Allianna gasped as if she had been holding her breath then opened her eyes, as did Mithel. Mithel glanced at Alex but said nothing of what she had seen in Allianna’s heart. “Now follow where your heart leads you. Follow and that’s where she’ll be.”
Allianna nodded and then started not to walk, but to run as fast as her legs would carry her. Alex and Mithel followed, though at a slower pace. Alex would not loose track of Allianna and, in her still weakened state, she would have to slow soon.
“Why did I loose touch with the child?” Mithel asked softly.
“Whoever her mistress is harnesses enough power to block yours,” Alex answered simply. “You seem very close to the girl.”
“She reminds me of Kyla.”
“Maternal interest?” Alex mused.
“Why not? Her own mother cared so much she left her for dead and ran like a coward,” Mithel spat.
“And died like a coward later, one can only live as what one is and their mother was a coward., Mithel. Nireleth could never grasp that though.”
“Nireleth held on to illusions she created for herself. No one even knew Allianna still lived and so they betrayed her by forgetting her.”
Alex’s eyes lit with interest. “Are these your feelings or echoes of hers?”
Mithel shrugged. “Perhaps I caught some of her emotions while I was with her but I could not have read so deeply into her as that, you know I am not that skilled.”
“No, Mithel, I don’t but that I have an eternity to deal with. For now, Allianna is all that is important until she can learn to trust us both.”
Mithel glanced ahead, Allianna had stopped and they were not much further away from where she waited. “She’s a nightwalker isn’t she. You panicked when the angel left us in the tavern as the sunlight streamed in. You shielded her.”
“You are very perceptive. Yes she is vulnerable to the light of the sun. As would be her daughter if she is turned.”
“Who would turn a child so young?” Mithel demanded.
“Those who would see her suffer.”
With that he silenced as they caught up with Allianna. She gasped for still gasped for air, though she’d been waiting long enough to have caught it. It was her emotions that caused her inability to breath. A vast house loomed only feet ahead.
“She’s there, in that manor. She’s in pain, I can feel it. And she’s hungry. She’s starving.” Mithel stepped forward and enfolded the girl in her arms, crooning softly.
“Everything will be all right, young one. You’ll see.”
“Come, we’ll free her from her pain now,” Alex murmured, catching Allianna’s hand from Mithel’s shoulder and pulling her from her embrace. “It will not get done if you stand here and cry about it.”
Allianna wiped her eyes and nodded then straightened her spine and followed him forward. The manor loomed dark and threatening before them as they approached the front doors. Alex suddenly chuckled softly and began to walk faster. “This should be interesting.”
He walked right up to the door and knocked.
A boy of 13 answered the door, looking timid as he met Alex’s gaze. “Is the mistress expecting you sir?”
“Neither my sister nor her play mate are expecting me today boy and I suggest you not directly draw their attention to my presence.”
The boy nodded and cowered away from the door to allow Alex and his companions entry. Allianna stood close to her sister blood as Alex led them down the halls to a large entry room.
“Villaska, Katerina, please come down and greet a humble visitor and his associates,” Alex called. “It is not polite to ignore your kin!”
A woman practically floated down the staircase that they stood at the base of. She was beautiful, her eyes as dark as her brothers and her hair flowing behind her in a dark shadow of silk. She wore a light gown of Cavaydran silk that flowed like water around her. It was a deep violet in color and hung loosely about her shoulders, leaving them pale and bare, the skirts were long and flowing and she wore a light wisp of a scarf that hung loosely from her elbows and flowed behind her. Allianna did not recognize her as the woman of the dream she’d had only nights ago but she felt a faint remembrance of her from less remembered dreams.
“Villaska, how kind of you to come greet us, will your mate not do so as well?”
“Katerina is occupied with a slave at the moment, you know how she is. When one is disobedient it is her priority to deal out their punishment,” the woman purred, her voice a misty caress.
Allianna flinched and inched closer to her sire, though not entirely conscious of the action. Alex stepped to her and rested his arm around her, drawing her closer as if to make open his claim on her. Only Mithel and he knew it was really to calm Allianna lest she blurt something too soon. They were on dangerous ground with his bisexual sister and her bisexual and sadistic mate.
When vampires were turned most of them stayed with their original sexual orientation but, had they any affiliation toward it, since the need to procreate no longer existed they could all just as easily change there orientation to the other or both. Villaska had been born with the like of both genders as she’d been born a vampiress as had Alex, where Alex chose not to offend nature Villaska had fallen in love with Katerina. Katerina had already been turned when she met her mate but had been the way she was in her mortal life and merely become more open about it upon the change.
The point was Villaska and Katerina had an innate sense of share and share alike whether the one who’s possessions they were “sharing” agreed or not so it was dangerous for Alex to have his sirelings here in the first place.
“A shame, I looked forward to seeing your mate,” Alex grieved with simulated sincerity.
“Ahh, in that case I shall go see if she would not mind postponing her fun for the moment.” Villaska vanished in something like a shadow and then returned to ascend the stairs with the other woman.
Katerina was blond, her hair cut so it was just barely lower then her shoulders. Her eyes glittered a sharp viridian. Her outfit contrasted greatly with the one Villaska wore. Rather than the voluptuous gown that her mate wore her own garb was scant at best. Her pants were leather with twisting symbols cut out to the extent that her legs could be seen clearly beneath. Her blouse was loose and cut in a v neckline as well as a v hemline. The sheer emerald fabric clearly showed the black garment beneath.
“Alex!” she called, her voice another contrast to her mates, a raspy and yet still melodious voice that hinted to her brutal nature and yet etched with a deep seduction. “It is good to see my mates brother again. It is long since your last visit.” She was by his side in moments, curiously inspecting Allianna, who looked back with silent recognition of the woman who was mistress to her child.
“Katerina this is my new sireling, Allianna,” Alex said, by way of introduction.
“The one you’ve been pursuing so long?” Villaska asked. “I never thought you’d actually catch her.”
“Neither did I,” Allianna muttered.
“That’s no way to speak to your sire girl,” Katerina hissed. “Perhaps you need punishing for being so impudent and for trying to run for so long.”
“Leave her be, Katerina, she’d not used to the way she is, she’ll learn to control herself in time,” Mithel responded in Allianna’s defense.
“Enough, my love, my brother can do with his sirelings as he will. He came to visit us as a guest and we should treat him as such as we should treat those under his protection,” Villaska soothed. She kissed her mate lightly then led her brother into their parlor.
Alex silently took a seat and Mithel followed suit. Allianna merely hovered by her sire, waiting impatiently to see what would happen next. Katerina seated herself in a velvet covered chair and drew Villaska into her lap, her arms loosely around her waist and one hand stroking her hip slowly.
Alex started an idle conversation, waiting for the child to find her own way to the room. She would be drawn inexplicably to her mother’s presence and then he would use that as his reason for bringing her up.
As if on cue there was a muted crash outside the door.
“Stupid chit,” Katerina muttered. “Her own fault for trying to walk before she’s full healed. Get in here slave!”
Amnira whimpered and slipped into the room, clinging weakly to the door for support. Her pale legs were cut deeply, blood oozing from many wounds that had not yet closed. On her arms many bruises and even smaller and more numerous cuts darkened her pale skin. Her hazel eyes were dim with the dizziness caused by her pain as well as her broken spirit. Cinnamon curls hung limply across her eyes. Her cloths were mere rags hanging loosely from her frame. Everything about he image was desolate and broken. She looked at this moment like a small shade that had somehow gotten lost from the other
spirit world.
It took every ounce of will Allianna had not to burst into tears, to even hold herself up.
“Come here, girl,” Alex called. Amnira stumbled forward and he caught her thin form with one hand when she nearly tumbled to his feet. “Have a care young one. Don’t hurt yourself further.”
“Why the interest in my slave, Alex?” Katerina asked.
“I think that my dearest brother had more then a mere visit in mind when he came to our home, my love,” Villaska observed, curling closer to Katerina and allowing the other to draw her head to rest against her breast. “That perhaps he knew of this slip of a girl before he came here.” Her inquisitive gaze met that of her brother then moved to Allianna. Katerina followed the direction then smirked.
“Ever trying to keep your sirelings content, Alex,” the mistress hissed. “You are too soft. I can hardly believe you are of the same birth as your sister.”
“Enough,” Alex hissed. “Obviously you know my purpose now, what do you intend to do about it?”
“What need do I have to do anything about it. She’s my property, however unresponsive she is becoming to my administrations. I need not react in any way to your idiotic implication that I have any need to fight for what is mine. You never share so why should I?”
The two only stared at each other for a moment then Villaska stood and stepped between them. Alex looked up at her and she turned away, her gaze pleadingly on Katerina. He smirked and lifted the weak child into his arms then immediately stood and made his way back out of his sister’s home. Only Villaska knew exactly how much of a threat he posed and she would not allow her lover to attempt to fight him over a child she would no doubt loose interest in just a few days. When he’d realized whose home Allianna was leading them to he had been counting on his sister’s fear of him to keep any actual battle from occurring, lest Allianna or even Mithel be harmed by the ravenous slave mistress.
Allianna and Mithel followed closely behind Alex and neither said a word as they made their way back in the direction of the tavern.
“Did they turn you?” Alex asked. Amnira only stared up at him with fright in her eyes, eyes so very like her mother’s. He adjusted her in his arms so that one hand was free and used his thumb to gently lowered her lip enough to see the sharp fangs that told him the answer to his question.
“It’s good that I foresaw this,” he muttered.
Finally they made it back to the Tavern of The Wanderer where Lennari waited with a glass of blood for the child. Alex took it from her while Mithel murmured a “thank you” from behind. Still he did not put the child down but carried her up the stairs to his room and placed her on his own bed, leaving his door ajar so that Mithel and Allianna could follow. Mithel silently seated herself by the window and watched. Allianna went immediately to the bedside and sat on the beds edge, unaware anymore that her sire was even there.
The mother took her child in her arms and held her close, tears streaking silently down her face. All that mattered in the world to her was with her now and she prayed she’d never lose her again.
“Mommy?” Amnira questioned softly, her memory of Allianna only a shadow in her young mind.
“God, I’m sorry Amnira, I’m so sorry I lost you to that. I’m sorry I-”
“Sweetling, I think she needs to feed. She can’t even heal herself,” Alex interrupted. Much as there reunion was important the girl would become very sick if she continued to lose so much blood. He slipped in between the child and mother as Allianna reluctantly let go and held the glass for Amnira while she drank. When she’d finished he
took the glass and set it on the table.