Angel Vicky

~Bonsoir~

Good luck on your final project. I guess not long til the end of your qualification now?

~Bonsoir~

Being forewarned about the ruthlessness of the Wynters was enough to know how they operated, so Lady Crest could counter their power games, even by using her blood as a way to lure them right into a trap just as the Order had done to Vail in order to capture him. Luckily that plan had failed on Gerald and Vail managed to escape. Perhaps physical strength wasn’t the answer after all. Gerald knew his strength was no match for Vail so hatched a plan like a clever wolf taking out a bear. In the battle for apex predator in this planet’s food web, would always be vampire at the top but humans would defy them and fight for their position as previously at the peak. Like homosapiens considered themselves higher than Neanderthals.

She couldn’t rely on Vail’s help anymore if his father was so insistent on keeping his son away from the human he claimed to have fallen for. Although she wondered if he would hold the same interest if her blood wasn’t so addictive? That’s what lured him to her in the first place. He told her that he didn’t want her to make it worth his father’s while with her blood. His possessiveness over her was evident, especially when he reminded her she vowed to only be his and would hold her to that. Even if she didn’t want to be with Vail, he would still expect to feed on her. But their bargain came to an end when she released him of his duty to help kill Spencer. And it was truly over now Peter knew. She understood Vail didn’t want his father to take her away from him in any shape or form. If he did care for her, he wanted to be with her regardless of her blood being special or not.

She wasn’t exactly going to ‘dangle the carrot’ in front of Peter. If she would allow them her blood, it would be by the bottle as her father used to give out to keep the peace between them. It aided their refugees to heal instantaneously. When Alex died, so did his supply of blood to the doorstep. She listened to Vail fidget in his seat to get comfortable. She merely hummed an agreed yes to him in response as her fatigue threatened to render her asleep any moment. He said she would be ‘safe enough’ here. Although she wasn’t sure with the earlier altercation with his relatives. She wondered just how many vampires lived in here. It was like setting a chicken loose in a cage full of foxes.

As he told her to sleep well, he called her his Lady. It brought a small smile to herself to know he called her his. Would she really be his for much longer though? Peter had a good chance of taking Vail away from her and forcing him to marry Sylvia. Especially if he threatened to kill Victoria. She murmoured a ‘thank you’ as he told her to wake him if she needed anything. Just hearing that made her feel reassured that he cared about her welfare. She drifted into slumber before long.

Victoria woke with a startle as she awoken from a nightmare. She had dreamed that Lord Spencer had gotten into this room and sank is fangs into her neck to drain her dry. She gasped and felt a cold sweat dripping from her forehead. She was slightly feverish. Her neck throbbed even worse. She touched it, it was more inflamed, and the wound area had grown. She shut her eyes tightly and knew it was infected. “Oh no...” She started to cough as her immune system didn’t have enough white blood cells to fight off the bacteria, she was already sick. She would need antibiotics. And quickly.

~Bonsoir~

Will try to get a post up tomorrow. Been a crazy week!

~Bonsoir~

Victoria couldn’t see Vail’s reaction in the dark, but she could sense the tension as soon as she asked the question. There was a pause before he answered. This meant it wasn’t a positive answer. She somewhat regretted asking the vampire now, but her curiosity couldn’t help but wonder. She was a seeker of knowledge. Knowledge was power. She held the bed covers over her shoulders as she snuggled down into it for more warmth.

As expected, the Wynters had attacked the Hygrace clan before. She suspected as much. It was an obvious sore spot for him and his father. It was true she hated being the subject of the father and son’s arguments today, it was clear Vail was uncomfortable being at odds with his father. She was the same when she was at odds with her father when he was alive.

Learning of what the Wynters had done to the Hygrace clan, left a sour taste in her mouth. She knew they were capable of despicable things. She positively cringed as he said that another way to kill vampire was by decapitation. They thought themselves higher and mightier than all other clans and when a clan didn’t quite match up to their standards, it was ‘off with their heads!’ just as the Queen of Hearts would yell in her favourite book as a child, Alice in Wonderland.

The incident was only 130 years ago, to a vampire that was only the equivalent to a decade to a human. It would still be fresh in their minds. She felt bad for the family. She knew what they were going through, as her family were now the victims of their wrath. Her father was most likely caught up in it all and when he found out, he refused to let The Order team up with them. He paid the price for not matching up to their standards. She knew all too well the Wynters would put their thirst for power above everything else. She detested them also.

She looked over at Vail solemnly. “Thank you for telling me…I know it wasn’t easy to dredge up painful memories.” She nodded as he assumed the Wynters would try again. “They are almost certainly trying again. They are building their power on MY blood.” She hissed at the thought that her blood was making them stronger. “According to The Order, they are coming to London within the month. I need to get better…and stronger by then.” She had no idea how she could get stronger in a short period but she would try. She wasn’t going to just sit there and let the Wynters take her estate. She owed it to her father.

“As for your father…I doubt he’ll come around any time soon. If I can make it worth his while though, I might be able to get him to at least tolerate me. Which is better than pure contempt for me…” She sighed as she felt her eyes drawing heavier. It was evident Peter tried his hardest to keep Vail away from her by arranging the marriage to another lady vampire. To get on Peter’s good side, she could find out more from The Order when she leaves for home and tell him everything she knows to at least pre-warn them into any impending attack from the Wynters. She knew Vail was already on her side but getting his entire family on board was no easy feat, but she was wiling to at least put in the effort. All for Vail Hygrace, the man who had stolen her heart.

Kerillian

Welcome to the paaaaaaartaaaaay.

~Bonsoir~

Victoria could see she was chipping away at Peter’s cool exterior. Now she knew where Vail got his initial cold and quite serious personality from. She was reminded that this amazing and powerful vampire had fallen for a human like her. She was still in disbelief. As lucky as she felt to have his affections, she knew it could be short lived if Peter forced the marriage to this Sylvia woman. Not that Victoria wouldn’t fight for Vail, now she had a taste of his love, she wanted nothing and nobody else. But what could she do to a vampire? She didn’t have any formal training from The Saints in how to handle such a creature.

The moment Vail jumped to her defence against his own father, her heart swelled with affection for him. She was sure Peter would have noticed the rise in her pheromones at the same time. But wasn’t he happy that his son had found someone he cared about and whom cared about him, rather than his status or wealth? She may not have been a vampire or ‘worthy’ of his son but she seemed to make him at peace with himself when he was around her. They had only spent the one night together and it wasn’t a full night but of that time she spent in his arms, she felt at ease with him, safe and warm like no-one had made her feel since her father died.

She wasn’t looking for a replacement for Alexander Crest but she did sorely want a husband that had similar qualities. Someone full of honour and a sense of duty to her as their wife. Vail was beginning to resemble those qualities now by defending her honour and having a sense of duty in protecting her from the Wynters. He spoke sense to his father, he was able to reason with him somewhat. Yet as powerful as Vail was, he was still under his thumb. Peter must have had some influence over him despite how rebellious a son he was. But one day, Vail would be the clan leader and would need to command the other members of his family just as Peter did.

As Peter started to think over Vail’s words, Victoria felt a slight twinge of hope. Although he didn’t like what Vail had said, the threat of the Wynters appeared very real to him. She didn’t know what the score was between the two families, but it had seemed they had dealt with each other before. They had already done one over on the Hygraces in the past. At least he said he would think about it, it was a glimmer of a chance for her. However, he still wasn’t happy with Vail as his scorn was still present in his voice. Peter had warned him to stay away from Lady Crest. Vail didn’t seem too content with this instruction as he reluctantly agreed.

She sighed as Peter left the room. He still wanted her to be ready to leave once she was able. She stared down into her tea cup. The warm liquid had been reduced to a mere drop left in the bottom of the cup. She wasn’t shivering as much now and the warm tea had hydrated her blood to re-energise her for the time being. She felt hungry and tired as usual. Her body craved nutrients. She looked slowly up at Vail to where he sat. “The Wynters…they attacked your family before?” She enquired sympathetically. “You said they might run you into the ground ‘this time’. What did they do last time?” She was curious. If she wanted any chance to succeed in fighting them, she needed to know everything they were capable of and what they had done.

~Bonsoir~

Lady Crest winced and inhaled sharply at the stinging pain in her neck wound. It had to be done though. She needed to recover, though not too quickly otherwise she would be turfed out as soon as she was able to stand on her own two legs fully. She didn’t want to go back home any time soon. She would have to confront Gerald about her father’s death. And that was not going to be a moment she looked forward to in the slightest. It was going to test her patience and ability to cope with stress.

Victoria frowned at Peter as soon as he mentioned sending her home. He was quick to get rid of her and reminded them both she wasn’t to stay longer than necessary. “If there is any family to go back to...” She murmured sadly. They knew her father died, she only had her mother and she wasn’t sure what The Order would do with her. Was he so heartless to send a young woman back into danger? His son would not approve of such an action. Yet it would be inevitable if she were not welcome here.

“So…you are content to send me straight back into the Wynter’s clutches, are you? You realise they are working with The Order and know about Vail and I…they will turn their sights to your family next.” She warned Peter to the possibility they would be dragged into the turmoil. She was obviously feeling better because her feisty personality came bubbling back to the surface and he would see why Vail was quite taken with her. She wasn’t a timid, overly polite and lightly spoken girl as most were in these times of human society where females were better off seen and not heard.

He ought to consider that if that were to happen, Victoria was his only link to insider information and any pre-warning of attacks on the Hygrace clan. He would do well to make an ally with the Lady Crest rather than dismiss her so easily. She may only be human, but she had her uses in other ways. Such as making his son happy in all his long life, he expressed that this human was worth risking everything for and people didn’t make such claims with ease. Alexander Crest was merely human, yet he managed to strike a bargain with this powerful clan leader into a truce. Humans weren’t as weak and inferior as he thought. At least not the Crest family. They had all been through a lot already in their mortal lives and survived much hardship surrounding vampires. Alex met his demise at the betrayal of The Order and the Wynter’s involvement, possibly just to get at his daughter’s blood to empower their entire clan.

She sipped her tea as she let Peter mull over what she had said. “Not to mention they are using my blood to empower their entire clan. Whose to say their lust for power will not grow. They are already set to descend upon London any day now…” She may have been weakened and bed ridden but she could still overhear conversations and plans being made by Spencer and The Order in her own house. They planned on making Crest Manor their new base of operations. Her human mother would serve as food, along with their servants. She worried for all their lives.

~Bonsoir~

Victoria winced as Vail laid the blame on himself as well. It was his decision to bring her here, he had no choice otherwise she would have died. She was reminded just how fragile humans were compared to vampires. No wonder they looked down upon humans as inferior. No matter how hard she worked or trained, she would never outrun death.

She could see how Vail remained quiet in contemplation of her cruel reminder of the fate of a human, vampire relationship. He seemed deep in thought, maybe the fact saddened him more than he cared to admit? She left him to his thoughts and merely squeezed his hand gently as he told her to rest.

As Peter returned to the room, she could feel his eyes pierce her soul. Although it was dark, his eyes ere slightly aglow to show his age and power as a vampire. She could tell he was annoyed with Vail, or like having him near her. Vail hesitantly let go of her hand, she almost grabbed him so he wouldn’t leave her side, but she didn’t have the strength to stop him pulling away. She felt slightly uneasy as Vail’s father touched her back to lean her up. She was afraid at any moment he would lash out and bite her.

She wasn’t sure on how bad her grip was, but she was a lot warmer now. She was getting feeling back in her fingers and toes. She gingerly took the teacup from his hands, she was determined to show she was strong even when this weak. She didn’t want him thinking she was utterly useless. She didn’t thank him because his attitude would prevent him from accepting her gratitude. He was only forced to help her out of obligation to his own oath, not because he wanted to.

She held the tea shakily between both hands and rested it in her lap. “I think I can do it myself…” She breathed nervously in the vampire clan leader’s presence. He had this oppressive aura about him, far superior to what Vail could project when he was at his angriest. She gently sipped on the tea continuously and it was doing wonders for her blood flow, it was hydrating it and warmer her body from the inside. She still couldn’t believe that Spencer allowed so much to be drained of her so dangerously close to death. Next time he could end up killing her. The priority was getting away from Spencer and the Wynters. They would be back. And as soon as Peter threw her out of the mansion, there was nowhere she could go without being followed or hunted. The choice was to immediately make a run for anywhere outside the city she could get to or barricade herself inside her mansion somehow. As long as she was inside the Hygrace estate, she was untouchable. She had to win Peter over somehow…

~Bonsoir~

Well I can certainly arrange it so that Vail turns her. I will have the Wynter clan descend upon the Crest manor for a showdown. I will have Diana reach out to the Moncourier clan in a plea for help as she has no-one else to turn to. Then the Moncouriers will fight the Wynters and Victoria will be fatally wounded. The clash will be so big it will no doubt have to involve the entirety of the Order and their own civil war and the Hygrace clan. Because once the Wynters gain victory, they'll turn to the Hygrace for vengeance for them taking Victoria from Spencer. It will be unavoidable.

~Bonsoir~

I really like that idea and the thought process behind it, as well as the stigma that goes with it as an ancient ritual. But this then begs the question - when/where did they start to evolve from humans? And what could have triggered the evolution, as it takes millennia to evolve. Or perhaps we don't need to get so philosophical about it! XD

If Vail isn't willing to take the risk, maybe he will have no choice but to use his blood if she's dying? If she's going to die anyway, then it's worth trying.

Or we can go another route and completely split them up for a small stint due to his family's threats etc and that she isn't good enough as a human. Then enter Clan Moncourier! Her mother's former lover was a possessive vampire (she found out too late who he really was) and she had a son by him. She was then rescued by Alex as the other vampire was left with the baby. So Victoria has an older half brother and an attachment to a powerful French vampire clan, who will protect her and they could even still practice the ancient ritual and turn her. So she could return to the Hygraces as a fully fledged vampire one day and prove them she is worthy (if Vail hasn't severed his attachment and married Sylvia yet).