Raziel had been alive again for slightly over a week and he was already on top of the world. He had neutralized any threat from the Den, he had been inducted to the Great Coven governed by the Volturum. He had found a cover and completely convinced no one not even Hades himself could find him. He charmed local shop owners into convincing them to give him half of their earnings and then charmed people like mindless drones to go into those shops to spend their money. Maybe some could argue it was dishonest but it made him money and he needed to be rich. He would have enough money to collect the magic items needed to make him undefeatable and a power to shake the world. He was afterall Raziel Kane. Though now he went by a new name Edward Cullen.
Edward had decided since everything was in place and proceeding forward well he would pay the lady they called Black Velvet. Lord Hans told Edward about her. She was the leader of the Volturum, and as a rule was never spoken of. If the Coven was a secret then she was the coven's secret. Yet she had said that she would see Edward if he came to her and even had Lord Hans mention the fact. No doubt his importance and power, and unmatched skills had already gained her attention. Before long we would own and run the entire operation. TradeCity would be his, he simply had earn her trust and twist her to his will. It came very easy for him, even before being a vampire he prided himself in being able to play people like wet clay.
In the shadow of the Great TradeCity Cathederal was her estate. Walled and large even if it was not in tradecity. Most Lords that would sprawl their estates over miles anywhere else settled for a small walled plot in the crowded city, but this covered nearly an entire block of the city though obviously built before any urban planning was instituted the way it intersected and bent around streets and paths. Every detail mattered.
Armed guards openned the gate as he arrived. "Who is calling?" Edward looked beyond the man with a grandmaster mark on his sword and examined the layout. A large stone plaze with a fountain. Different colorred stone marked walking paths. Dried ivy hung from the outer wall and the wall of her home. On either side of the plaze were patches of grass and trees which curved around to behind her mansion. "Lord Raziel Kane."
"Oh yes, we have a carriage for you." A carriage? It was large for Tradecity but it was not so large one needed a carriage to walk from the front gate to the door. Maybe 100 yards, a little less. She must want to flatter me, very well I'll take it as a sign that I am worth extremity of service she offers. He simply nodded as a black carriage with lit torches on each side and curtainned windows pulled up. Drawn by 6 black strong horses and a man with a strange brown birth mark on his jaw. The guard openned the door for him and the driver offered a hand to help him up. Edward did not take his hand but easily stepped into the carriage, a step high enough a mortal would have stumbled but he glided.
Sitting on the cushioned velvet seat he observed he was alone but smelt blood fresh blood next to him under the seat. Lost in the aroma for just a minute, he was taken off guared with the woman appeared seemingly birthed out of the shadow. Half her face was veiled by a sheer black lace with purple threads that served to bring out the blackness of the veil and the purple in her eyes. Those were intoxicating eyes. Eyes meant to claim a man, eyes that had a power and a purpose a goal and a cause. They were eyes that locked you more secure than any fortress. He wanted nothing but to be lost in her gaze, then he saw the rest of her.
What little moonlight came in the cracks of the curtains reflected off her rich creamy skin. It was like a perfectly crafted statue of marble yet somehow soft. He found himself yearning to touch it, even to his surprise felt his hand move. He covered, as to not show any vulnerabilty and brought his hand to his forhead attempting to a make a gesture of respect. Though even as he inclines his head he did not have the power to draw his eyes away from her bosom. It wasn't just a veil it was a whole cloak made of that lace see through material that pretended to hide her body from his eyes. A purple and white dress held her as tight as he wished he could. She was leaning into the seat more than sitting as if inviting him near her. Finding himself trembling but only slightly he steeled his nerves before she could notice. Captivating beauty such as this must be a powerful weapon. He thought as he decided he would not be victim to such a weapon and instead examined the perfect strands of her black hair that partially covered one eye. Symetrical and perfectly beautiful.
"...and that is why I said you could visit me." how long had she been talking? If her voice were not so rich full and entrancing he would have missed that too. It was musical, like the sweet honey he remembered eating as a child for his ears. She sounded like a Dark angel that may save him or destroy him on her whim and he would be happy to do either. He had heard sonnets, orchestra's and even the singing Blade liked to pride himself on but his mind raced to find anything so rich full and beautiful as this. He had missed what she said.
"Well my lady, you know me as Raziel Kane, but for the sake of secrecy I have changed my looks as you see and go by a new name -- Edward Cullen." He hoped that somehow fit into the conversation smooth enough. The first round went to her but he did not need victory quickly. Yet he found himself redefining victory because right now all he desired was to touch and look upon her. He changed tactics to throw her off, "I was not sure I would come and see you when Lord Hans mentioned your name but I felt in building my new life there maybe place for you in it."
"I'm charmed," The words left her mouth with almost a giggle that caused his insides to nearly melt. Please do that again. "Let us celebrate finding eachother." She leaned over and for a moment Edward's heart seemed to beat again as he thought she would touch him. She was leaning forward and approaching him like a panther does her prey and he wanted to be caught. Just a moment to carress or smell her hair close. The coldness of her skin would warm my soul. If his heart worked it would have broken as she was not going to touch him but lifted a compartment in the seat next to him. Though the view he caught as she exposed the bosom that only a few threads dared to keep any illusion of modesty. When she stood up handing him the large goblet of blood he was devestated that the view left and she sat back down.
He heard the glass in his hand strain in his grib as it was about to break. He was loosing control. He slammed the blood in two solid gulping motions. The sensation of feeding helped to compete with the desires and allure he felt if only for a moment. She giggled behind her eyes and said, "You must have a serious hunger, my sweet Edward." She called me her sweet Edward. That sounded right he would be hers. NO he would not surrender his will so easily.
It was her turn to drink and see lifted the goblet with a delicate graceand slowly sipped the blood from the glass in one long powerful sensous drink. A drop ran from the edge of her full lips down her porcelian skin and was caught by her thumb. She slowly retraced the drop back to her mouth and locking Edward in full eye contact sucked the blood off her thumb and removed it slowly.
Edward nearly passed out he could not believe how good she was. He had hidden his left hand and was burrowing his fingers in it hoping that pain would compete with the urges for his attention. It did not. To his relief, the carriage stopped and the driver openned the door. He caught out first ripping himself away from her image and removing himself from the position that would comprimise his resolve. Though once he was out of the carriage he could not help but look back and watch her descend from the carriage as a queen from her throne. No a goddess from her heaven. "Welcome to my home sweet child." She strided in as servants openned the door on either side. The way she moved and walked only slightly hidden by her transparent cloak bade him to follow and he did.
The home was nice but cold. Old stones made up the walls and floors. Fine tapestries covered the large black walls but still left a feeling of cold distance. This place must have been built long ago the surface stones are actually starting to give under the wieght of the others. Several dozen torches lit the main hall yet the light could not seem to rich the entire room and even the parts it did reach were not as bright as they should be. She must be some kind of mage, or at least have one in her employ. This place does not behave naturally.
They were halfway up the stairs befor Edward knew where they were he had just followed her like a puppy following its mother. It was like he had will in the matter. Though he wanted this not just for the obvious reasons to be near her and her beauty but if he was going to run this Coven he would have to learn all the pieces.
She stood sillouetted by the torch light in a perfect feminine form. "So you were fortunate to survive the cleansing of Lord Darkness's kingdom. His death is something our race will forever mourn." Edward realized something. The fringe of her cloak held a sigil a female hand holding a down turned purple rose. Darkness's symbol was a male hand choking a purple rose. There had to be a connection with that and several other things he had noticed she must be very old. Perhaps one of the first Lord Darkness turned.
"One who was welcome in his court is of course welcome in mine." She pushed two large heavy oak doors that were over 12 feet tall as if they were silk curains and revealed behind them a bed chamber. A large bed chamber. Over a thousand square feet. Most citizens in TradeCity lived in under half this space. A fire place burned in the corner though its flame did not touch the chill of the room nor its light chase away the darkness as it should. A black cat rolled and lept off the bed racing towards Tatyana. Even the cat wants to be close to her, at least I'm not alone. She undid the knot which held the transparent cloak and it fell to the ground behind her like a waterful over the Sichuan mountains near Ping Dong. If Edward could breath the sight would have taken his breath away. She bent down and scooped up the cat and then spoke to a servant Raziel had not realized was even present. "Bring us something to share." To which the servant inclined his eyes, how he took his eyes from her Edward did not know, and left.
"I hope you will accept my invitation to stay and eat. You seemed much hungered on the ride over." Edward was torn. He felt it wrong to prey on mortals, a feeling that seperated him deeply form his brethren and sisters of this coven. He did however realize that it happenned and if he was going to live in this world with them there was a degree of tolerance and participation that would be required of him, and then of course the chance to spend more time with Tatyana. "I accept." He stepped into the bed chamber excited and nervous.
Moments later a young man was brought in by servants bound and laid on the floor. His spirit was broken and his resolve removed. He just lay prone. She stood and strided toward him. He must have just sensed the beauty for he looked up and could not look away. Like a moth the the flame he fell entranced to her spell. She stroked his face and neck to which the boy complied like a faithful pet. Placing a hand on his chest she kissed his neck softly. The young man was nothing now even if he knew what was coming he could not have resisted. She looked up at Edward and again with that intoxicating stare she pierced the boys neck. It was over for him. He could have grown to be anything, have a family of his own, run a business, become a paladin of the isle ruled the world who knew but not now. That was over. He was now nothing more than food. He was dead long before she pierced his neck, he did when he looked into her eyes.
Tatyana passionately and gentle sucked the life from his neck as she wrapped her legs around her prey. She threw her hair back with a turn of her neck and looked back to Edward. "Please join me." It was not a pleading as it may have sounded it was an order, that seemed to come with a compulsion. Whatever reservations and hesitations Edward had about feeding on humans was now gone. He joined on the other side of the neck and the boy made not a sound. They worked quickly to drain the life from him. His heart still beat in a soft rythm. The rythm of someone trying to live. The body trying to compensate for the lack of blood by pumping what was left faster and faster. The rich sweet taster filled his mouth and the aroma filled his nostrils. He consummed more and more. It was primal and powerful and passionate, and he shared it her.
Both covered in blood they kept feeding striving to suck more and deeper then they found eachother. Their life draining rythmic motions found eachothers lips and passion took them both.
-----
The sun filled the room in the morning. Edward had stayed hours later than he had hoped yet he wanted to stay for every second she would allow, especially now there were not even transparent cloaks between them. He could survive the sun so he was not concerned and she seemed to be uneffected by it as well. Very Old. She stood sliding from his arms and brining the cat to nestle her neck. "You are always welcome my dear Edward. Now go fulfill your dreams and aspirations. I will call for you again. You will be a great asset in the saving and forwarding of our race. So long as you are committed to me. You are loyal aren't you my dear fledgling."
He was not often called loyal, infact he was given the name betrayer of hope for his disloyalty in the past. But this was different. The Volturum was exactly was he needed and hoped for, there was nothing he disagreed with and he truly yearned for her. "Of course by lady, my heart is yours." Do I mean that? of course I mean that. I'll serve her.
-----
Edward stepped out of the carriage and left the gate. He would not be returning anytime soon despite her invitation. He enjoyed that visit too much. No one should have as much control over his senses and his will. It scared him, terrified him and intrigued adn enticed him and terrified him because it enticed him. She was too dangerous to spend time with, but given time, he would find a way to make the Coven his. Though even as he walked away he desperately sought to see her again.
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