Blood Rising

by A M Proctor

  I pushed the hands away that offered to help me up. Instead, I rose on my own two legs. Straighten my back, lifted my chin and wobbled towards the sobbing vampiress.

  She lifted her head, there were no blood tears on her face. I held her gaze and uttered one word. “Bitch.”

  Alexei threw his head back and howled with laughter. The court joined in and soon everyone was laughing at Narella as I stood over her dripping slime on the floor.

  I smirked at my reflection in the mirror. Narella showed me her weakness that night. I’m collecting the wounds of this court like Pokemon cards, mother fuckers.

  Narella will suffer at my hand one day soon. It will be epic, violent, and the bitch will deserve every second of her humiliation. The court will make fun of her for years.

  I just bide my time, plot evil things and please my king. And boy do I please him. I live for Alexei. His smile, those eyes softening as he gazes down at me. Yeah, he just might love me again.

  What about me? Who do I love? A mother never stops loving her children, even if she’s no longer in their lives. My girls are still lost in the Fae Realm. That right there warms the cockles of this cold dark heart.

  Oh, we’re still searching for them. I too have learned to turn on the waterworks to manipulate my males. I’m a much better actress than Narella. My tears stain my face. Take that cunt bag, bitch.

  I don’t love. Love is a weakness. Ryzier tore my heart in half teaching me this lesson. I may be stupid, but I learn from my mistakes. From now on, they have to earn my love, proved their fealty and only then will I consider my own.

  Ryzier’s an idiot, anyway. The fool thinks Alexei will give him his throne for returning me to his side. He should have known when Alexei told him he needed to find my girls to secure his seat that Alexei would betray him.

  Everyone here thinks Ryzier will walk in with my girls in tow one day and Alexei will bequeath him his crown. Next in line to be the court jester, maybe. Alexei isn’t giving up his power to a sex demon.

  Jarell just gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. The real heir to the Blood Court. Poor Jarell is now sequestered in hiding for the next twenty-some years as she raises her son. No one knows where she went or what happened to her baby. But I know exactly where the cunt is.

  So does Gregory. Poor subservient Gregory, always a bridesmaid never a bride. He might be the next strongest vampire, but he’ll never be offered the throne he covets. His bloodlines are tarnished. The court rejected him as successor. I see his face change when Alexei talks about giving his throne to Ryzier. You don’t call someone Sir for months and not get to know them better than they know themselves.

  Emilio had a good shot at rising, but I got that fucker killed. Good riddance. That’s one less body I have to deal with. Bodies? Yeah. Somehow they’re starting to pile up around here. Did I kill them? Hell no. Did I cause their deaths? Probably. A little nudge here and whisper there.

  You’d be surprised what these assholes will do to feel powerful. I just plant evil little seeds in fertile soil. Wait for the rain and watch the bodies hit the floor.

  Alexei just executed four of his most loyal subjects for crimes against the court. Not a single one of them could pinpoint the moment they decided to betray their king.

  Not a single one looked to me for help out of their situation. Why? Because they didn’t blame me. I’m just that good at this game. Oh, I’ve learned my lessons well. I’m overly careful because the punishments will be severe if I’m caught. Not death severe, or I would have ended my existence months ago. I hate my life, but I hate those who live with me just a bit more.

  I have Alexei’s back against the wall. I’m on my knees and going to town on his cock. I love to give him unexpected blowies because he’s so fucking surprised and grateful.

  I mean if the male wants a blowie he can literally order anyone to drop and open up. I wet my panties when he goes all king on me and forces me to suck him, especially if it’s in front of company.

  My panties are dry right now. He has no idea though. He’s late to a meeting he called twenty minutes ago. I’m working his dick in the hall outside the throne room. He’s gasping and searching for something to hold on to as his cock explodes in my mouth.

  Hurried footfalls approach as I swallow him with a moan. Staying with him gently as his cock relaxes. The footfalls stop behind me. I kiss his cock, balls and then the toe of each dress shoe.

  “Sire, it’s Narella.”

  I freeze and fix my face before looking up. “She’s been attacked by one of her monsters. She’s lost a lot of blood. Injured horrifically. I’m afraid she might not pull through.”

  I take Alexei’s offered hand and rise. He didn’t rush off immediately to Narella’s rescue like I thought he would.

  I breathe dramatically. “Oh, no! How horrible.”

  How epic. This might be some ploy to endear herself to Alexei, but I know better. I know exactly what happened.

  Alexei kisses my hand and says, “Go on my love, tell the court what happened and let them know I’ll be along shortly.”

  I bow to my king, “Of course, my king.”

  I want to skip down the hall towards the throne room. I want to laugh as I deliver the horrible news. I watch Gregory sprint out of the hall as I sit down on the throne. Let them see me sitting here. Seed planted.

  They ask me questions, but I’m not sharing the answers. Instead, I ask them how they’re doing. I mean, really… “How are you all fairing?”

  “Are you happy here? I mean truly happy?”

  “What can I do to help?”

  These narcissistic assholes eat that shit up. Of course they’re going to tell me, I suck the king's cock every night. Napkin dabbed on the corner of my mouth like the lady I am. When Alexei returns I stand up and rush to him.

  “How is she?”

  He presses a kiss to the side of my head. I used to love that. Now it gives me the heebie jeebies.

  “She’ll be fine. I had to give her a lot of blood though.”

  I take his hand, “Come sit down. I’ll feed you.”

  I knew Narella would be fine. Fucked up, but fine. There’s an elaborate library here on Dark Fae. I just love the Dark Fae. Misunderstood, underestimated and quite the vicious little beasties. Especially Narella’s beloved dark tentacle creature.

  The reason they have so many tentacles and dicks is because they spawn every five years. The males become very aggressive and overly horny. They emit an odor that attracts the females to the swamp where all the males await. Only the biggest and most aggressive get breeding rights. Sometimes one big old ball of tentacles gets to impregnate all the females at once. If Narella would have read enough about her beloved pet, she’d have known her monster was about to go into breeding rage.

  She’d also know, like I did, that her monster is the biggest and baddest monster he can be. Most male tentacle monsters are less than half the size of Narella’s love beast. The book even describes the odor the females emit. It’s much like the scent of honeysuckle. It just so happens that honeysuckle grows wild around the castle and the humans that work here just love to bring bouquets inside.

  Of course I had to mix the essence of honeysuckle with a few other enticing spices. Sneak down in the middle of the day to tease the beast with a bit of scent on the bars of his cell. Confirmation that the scent drove the creature batty.

  Delivery of the concoction on Narella was simple enough. A touch of a red curl and an honest compliment about how beautiful her hair is. She washes those curls once a week. A wipe on the under skirts of her shift, already laid out for tomorrow evening. Once she dons a shift, she rarely changes it even if she changes her dresses. She changes her dress like she changes her mind, but the shift?

  Nothing left to do but wait. It didn’t take long. I think Narella secretly fucks her beasties. So when she goes to “train” her favorite monster, he fucks her up. Now, this isn’t my ‘end her’ plan. No, I’ve got a long humiliation planned out for Narella.


  Alexei on the other hand has been weakened dramatically by sharing his life saving blood with Narella. See, he’s merely four years out of his ultimate sacrifice. You know, where we drain him of all his blood to the point of death? He takes nine years to regenerate. No one drinks his blood during this time. Instead, we nourish him with ours.

  He takes my wrist eagerly as we sit together on his throne. His subjects watch on as I care for our poor king. Saving Narella’s life was noble but taxing on the weakened vampire. I say to the attendant standing nearest to me. “Go get the other females. He needs our blood.”

  They know that I’m talking about only the two other unbred females living here, Sarah and Trice. They’re young still, but they’re my sisters of blood. Juliss’s blood, our father. This will remind the court that Juliss is still strong within us.

  Needing us so badly will remind Alexei that maybe Narella is a bit of a burden on him. Maybe she shouldn’t be called queen. I’m a fucking gardener today. Seed, seed, sprout, motherfuckers. It’s time to pull a few more weeds.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Winning A War

  Six more months pass and the Blood Court is down from its original fifty to a dreary twenty-nine. Mother fuckers are dropping like flies at fresh fly bait. Oh now, not all are my murders. No, some very disenfranchised court members have packed up their shit and gone home.

  Gregory has a gleam in his eyes these days. He’s got plans to move on the throne. Too bad I have my own plans.

  Narella tried to pin her brutal rape on me, naturally. And naturally she’s lost favor because of it. Poor bitch.

  The remaining members of the court whisper that maybe it’s time to return to the old ways. Let the strongest of the women control the throne. Smirk.

  Alexei has been gloomy. He’s watching his tightly controlled court unravel, and he turns to me for comfort more nights than not. He unloads the weight of his crown on me and I gobble that shit up.

  I almost feel sorry for him. I loved him once. It’s hard to keep from loving him again when he tells me all his worries, troubles and even dreams.

  The dreams threaten to break through my carefully constructed walls. He talks now of taking his children away from here. Starting a new life and letting this court of horrors and heartbreak go to hell.

  He calls me his queen. Everyone calls me their queen now. Even Narella bows to me. I’m in like Flynn and I need to stay focused on my goal.

  Lately he’s been a bit happier. Entertainment is lighter now that my gal Trice has taken over for Narella. It’s more dancing and plays and less raping and killing.

  Gods, I like Trice. She’s an exotic beauty with deep rich skin, naturally loose brown curls and a sprinkling of freckles across her nose. Her innocence is fresh air even though I know it will get her crushed one day.

  I both smile at the sight of her and cringe for her future. I want to give her some motherly advice, but I can’t. I can only wait and watch. Alexei sees the same things I do. He lavishes affection on her. I do too. We are enjoying her innocence even as we both mourn the death of our own. She thinks we love her. Poor girl. My own fall is still too fresh for me to love her. Alexei might indeed love her, though.

  Tonight Alexei is almost cheerful. I’m awakened with earnest kisses and a gaze that causes me to do a double take. “What?”

  Alexei cups my cheeks and leans in. “I love you, Nevaeh.” His pale green eyes narrow with emphasis and emotion.

  I cock my head slightly. Alarm bells sound. “What’s going on Alexei?”

  He pulls back and shakes his head slowly. “I doubted you, Nevaeh. I doubted your love and your loyalty. I’m sorry.”

  When you’re guilty as sin, you expect sin to catch up to you at any moment. It’s why I’ve always lived an honest life until now. “What do you mean?”

  His smile is broad and proud. “I’ll never doubt you again, my little feral kitten.”

  He turned to the door. “Let them in.”

  “Mommy!”

  The breath leaves my lungs in a rush. It’s accompanied with a ragged cry as my two beautiful girls come rushing in the room and throw themselves onto my bed. Instantly my heart both breaks and expands. Shatters and grows full with love.

  Tears water my vision as I greet Inara and Leila. Why are they here? Where were they? How did Alexei find them? My gaze meets his over the tops of our darling children, and his gaze softens with love.

  “How?” My voice was barely a strangled whisper.

  His smile softens. “Later. Just enjoy these two for now.”

  My girls fill me in with a child’s version of the adventures they had in the Fae Realm. Turns out, Uncle Ryzier moved them from the Seaside Palace I’d stashed them in.

  His motives for this remain unclear but he visited them often, bringing the girls gifts and the nymphs food, supplies and money. My gaze meets Alexei’s cold pale green eyes as my girls rush on about what “Uncle Ryzier” gave them.

  My wounds regarding Ryzier’s betrayal are still way too fresh to hear these things. I hate him and the sweet way he took care of my girls in my absence hurts way too much. I need to tread carefully. Show no emotion while Alexei watches me.

  Inside, I’m freaking out about Rah and Jah. Where were they? What happened to them?

  Alexei joins us in the bed. My girls embrace their long lost dad. He apparently had some time with them before bringing them to see their mom. He smiles lovingly at me. “I have another delightful surprise for you, my love.”

  I meet his gaze, trying to keep my wary feelings from showing in my face. My thundering heart isn’t something I can hide though. “I can’t imagine a better surprise than this.”

  “Emilio is alive and well. We found him in the Fae Realm and brought him home.”

  I lose my pleasant smile. “What? He’s alive?”

  Alexei leans across the girls' heads and kisses my forehead. “And here. He’ll join us later at court. Don’t worry, he doesn’t blame you for what happened. In fact, he had a good vacation in the Fae Realm and is much improved by the pure blood he consumed there.”

  Wren and my other fae gifts. Lord knows what horrors I’d unleashed upon the Fae Realm. I force a smile. “Thank the gods he’s all right.”

  “Yes. Court will entertain tonight for sure. Let’s get the girls settled in the nursery.”

  That’s not ominous at all, Alexei. What are you planning and where are my…

  “Daddy? Where’s Rah, Rah and Jah, Jah?” Inara innocently asked the question I’d been thinking.

  Leila whined her agreement as Alexei gathered his daughters off the bed to allow me a moment to dress. I feigned disinterest as I moved to the dressing room. My ears yearning for an answer. One that wouldn’t shatter my heart.

  “They’ll be back soon, darlings. They’ll come to the nursery later.”

  Oh, thank the gods. They weren’t dead. Consumed for protecting and caring for my daughters. I slipped a simple blue dress over my naked body and ran a brush through my hair.

  My gaze met Alexei’s as I came out of the dressing room. His gaze took in my appearance and a smile of approval formed over his features. He enjoys me naturally as much as he enjoys me dressed up for court.

  ~~~

  The nursery was above ground. Natural born vampire children are human until they reach maturity and transition. They need sunlight and fresh air. A sense of normalcy and security. Human servants care for the children during the day and mothers who could day walk lived on the upper levels close to their children.

  As we ascended the wide grand staircase to the upper levels, the subterranean dreariness of the castle slowly turned bright, airy and cheerful. Like emerging out of a dark Florida swamp and onto a sunny beach with a blue ocean framing the horizon. Fresh air. Something I hadn’t smelled since arriving here.

  Arriving like I’d been visiting. More like betrayed, left, captured and tortured. Imprisoned and broken. Raped, abused and discarded before I got out of the dir
t and stood on my own two feet. Before I rose out of my misery like a Phoenix. Revenge had been my only thought, my only desire until the moment my girls greeted me with overwhelming enthusiasm.

  I’d channeled my feral monster like a bullet train speeding towards its destination. The destruction of this Blood Court and the rise of its queen. Now I’m sorting through the wreckage of my derailed plans. What now? What’s next? How do I protect my girls in a place where such sinister evil lurks below?

  There are more young here than I originally thought. Most are babies, but there are two toddlers around my twins' age. As if Alexei was a mind reader he said, “The Blood Court took over where the Measure left off. The females who were pregnant when the Measure fell gave birth here. They have been bred often and have produced many young over the years for them. Mostly males, but we’ve been blessed with a few females too. They all live up here until they show signs of transition.”

  He moved towards a window, and I followed his gaze. The mountainside castle overlooks the Adriatic Sea. There are a few boats in the cove below. Probably bringing supplies to the vampire lair.

  Humans and children still needed food and supplies, even if the vampires below did not. It seemed so beautiful and normal up here. Simple.

  “We have five who are ready to begin their training below. One is a female named Jordan. The rest are males who will replenish the Blood Court. None of them are of royal bloodlines, though.”

  He was tired of this place already. Tired of being chained to this mountain and castle by sacrificial duty. He too was a captive here. A prisoner of duty for four more cycles of death and renewal. He had an heir, though. A son who he spirited away to hide with his mother. Hidden for the next twenty years in hopes he’d live through his transition and be strong enough to claim the throne.

  His girls would be breeders while his son would become the next in line for sacrifice. I watched my girls play with the two male young like normal children. They wouldn’t have normal lives. Once vampire, all four children would take on vastly different roles. The males would be free to roam the world if they so choose.