L: I dunno. Jorick was kinda right about some things-
M: What the hell?
L: It was a lot… gorier than I thought it was gonna be. Watching it on TV is one thing, you know? But actually being in the middle of it with blood flying and people screaming…
M: You’re killing someone, for cryin’ out loud. Of course it’s gonna be gory!
L: Yeah, I know. I guess… I dunno. I mean, I was there for Ashton when they… when Jessie and them killed him but… It’s kinda different when you’re doing it yourself. I don’t regret fighting with Oren, well, except for what happened there at the end. *looks at Micah* Are we allowed to do spoilers out of the newest book?
M: I dunno. Our “esteemed” author didn’t say nothin’ to me about it. But if you’re worried about it then just leave it at that.
L: I just don’t want to spoil it for anyone. I hate when someone tells you the end of the book ahead of time.
M: Okay, okay. Well, I guess that’s it-
*POOF* the amazing author enters*
Jo: We have one last question.
M: No we don’t. *waves paper* I asked them all.
Jo: Juli was a late entry. Here *hands Micah new paper* now be good or I’ll kill you off.
*POOF* the amazing author disappears*
M: What the fuck? Oh well, I like Juli, so I guess. I was kinda wondering why she hadn’t asked you anything. “Do you ever think about what you want to do with your future? You’ve got unlimited time on your hands, what are some of the things you’d like do?” Hah! Looks like you’re not getting out of this one!
L: I don’t know. It would be kinda cool to learn to play the guitar. We could have made a vampire band.
M: That’s been done. Ever hear of Lestat?
L: Yeah, but he sang vampire music. We could just do regular music. I’m just saying, it’s something. I’d also like to get the top score in every game I own. How cool would that be? They’d all have LorIzTheShiz in the top spot. That’s my user name-
M: And you think Jorick’s nuts. Okay, enough of this. Next week is the last of these interviews, and someone will be interviewing Kateesha.
L: Not me! She scares the crap out of me!
M: Ah, she ain’t that scary, but I don’t feel like doing it, either. I can’t imagine Lunch handling it, all things considered.
L: *snickers* That would be kinda funny.
M: Yeah, it would, wouldn’t it? My money is on Jorick or the redhead. Either way, we’re outta here. Come on pipsqueak, I’m gonna show you who really is the scariest mo’ fo’ around here.
**********
Kateesha
It’s Verchiel! There was quite a debate about who should do this interview today. I think Katelina would have been a fun choice, but no one else agreed. Then there was gloomy boots Jorick but… anyway, I volunteered, so here I am! Yay!
Verchiel: Why was there a discussion? Because, today we are interviewing Kateesha! *bum bum*
Kateesha: Verchiel. Well, it has been awhile. Thank you for that… introduction.
V: Aw, come on, it was pretty good. Would you prefer something about being the dark queen of the night, with eyes that sparkle with menace and power?
K: Yes, well. What have you been doing?
V: Ah, tut, tut. This interview is about you, my dear. So let’s see what our discerning readers want to know, shall we? This comes from Juli, “You obviously are/were a woman of great power. What are some of the challenges you faced on your journey?”
K: My biggest challenge has always been the ignorance of men. And I don’t mean “men” as in humans, or “men” as in mankind, but rather men as in the male of the species. Their superior attitudes towards women have been, and remain to be, the biggest bane of my existence. Over the centuries I have met thousands whom I could crush with the merest effort and yet they believe themselves above me because I am a woman! And a “woman of color”, as they once called it, no less. One of my greatest amusements has always been to make them squirm! To grind them under my heel and then ask “Who is superior now?”
V: You know not ALL men are like that. *Blinks eyes innocently*.
K: *laughs* No, my pet. You always did know your place. *chucks him under the chin* And what is next?
V: Here’s one from Donna. (hello, Donna!) “I think you’ve got a real attitude - want to tell us why?”
K: What a question! It is an attitude of superiority, nothing more. Next.
V: Mmm-hmmm. Ah. Juli says, “I believe that I read that you had worked in a brothel. If that’s correct, how did you end up in a place like that? What happened?”
K: *smile disappears* Someone has been telling stories, have they? Well! *lifts head* Yes, perhaps I was in such a place, long ago. Though brothel isn’t the word they used for it, but the definition is… similar.
V: That’s not much of an answer. Where was it and how did you end up there?
K: The Ottoman Empire is as good a name for it as another, and how does any woman end up in such a place? I was taken of course, or sold by my… biological father. It’s hard to say which, for each man has his own story that absolves him from guilt and blames another. I was not the only one taken from faraway lands in the night to be dressed like a queen and used like a whore as some exotic plaything to those foreigners who could afford the “delights of the East”. Next question.
V: Really? That’s it? After all the hours our amazing author spent researching the history of prostitution in the Ottoman Empire, that’s it?
K: What more do you want? Next question!
V: Fine, fine. Here’s the last one from Juli, “Did you have difficulty, after you were first turned, overcoming your human past?”
K: No. I was quite ready to let it go and move on to something better; a life of power. Take a starved, beaten child and hand them the whip. Do they cringe and cry, or do they turn on their oppressors?
V: Lovely visuals there, sweet one.
K: Well, I haven’t heard that name in a long time. You’re getting nostalgic.
V: Oh, just buttering you up before the next question. *smiles innocently* From Donna, “I also think you really want Jorick, so you must feel totally upset that he isn’t interested, right?”
K: Hmph. And who says he isn’t interested. I can read his thoughts, you know.
V: *coughs* So can I…
K: And?
V: Oh, nothing. I was just saying.
K: Are you trying to imply something?
V: Only that ol’ Jorick seems pretty happy with Kately-
K: Does he indeed? Let me tell you of a time long before your dear little friend was born, shall I? Jorick was not always so prim and proper! His high ideals of morality are a recent addition to his personality. I have been with our dear Jorick, more times than you can count. I have tasted his skin and his blood and I have feasted on his deepest, most inner thoughts, something which that petty, pathetic creature he now calls his consort will never know! So which of us is more qualified to say what our Jorick does or does not like?
V: You know, that’s something I admire about you. You just won’t admit defeat. And for our last question from Sue, “do you have any regrets?”
K: Oh yes, there are things I regret. Allowing that ridiculous human to live is one. Malick is another.
V: Malick?
K: Yes. I gave him too much loyalty. I should have known that in the end he was a man like any other. I should have gouged out his heart early on and then Jorick and I would have been freed of him. Had we never come to this accursed ‘New World’ things would have been very different.
V: Speaking of Malick, there is an unofficial question from Bonnie. You know, she thinks that you and Malick… well, you know….
K: *Laughs* She wants to know if I and Malick were lovers? Mmm. Perhaps. And then again, perhaps not.
V: That’s not very specific.
K: And it is not an official question, is it? Do you have any more?
V: Nope, that’s it. I w
as really surprised, I thought for sure they’d bombard you with questions about me!
K: Why would they?
V: Well, since you turned me and all that. But I guess no one thought about it, or else they like me being mysterious.
K: You’re hardly mysterious. Strange, perhaps, but mysterious? No.
V: You wound me! *clutches heart* But alas we are out of questions, and so ends our interview series! I hope our dear readers enjoyed it! And now, how about we take five, for old time’s sake?
**********
EXECUTIONER ART GALLERY
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Like a concept art gallery on a DVD, here are my “concepts” for the Executioners.
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Ark :
Height: 5’11”
Hair: chestnut
Eyes: green
A Dream Stealer - aka mind reader. A former associate of Jorick’s, he and Jorick nearly fought to the death when Jorick left the Executioners. Now the leader of the group, Ark’s haughty attitude and no nonsense outlook demonstrates his own sense of importance. But, could it be a false bravado to conceal a tragic past?
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Jamie
Height: 5’10”
Hair: black
Eyes: chocolate brown
A former associate of Jorick’s, he not only seems nicer than the others, but is also the closest thing to a friend that Jorick had among the Executioners’ ranks. A fellow whisperer, he can read minds and also influence other’s thoughts. Left with what remains of a Scottish accent and nearly as old as Jorick, Jamie was already a vampire when he came to America in the late 1600s.
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Bren
Height: 5’ 10”
Hair: brownish-auburn
Eyes: green
Though Bren worked with Jorick in the old days, there is no love lost between them. Jealous of Jorick, Bren always wanted to be Malick’s pet. A hunter, he is able to track humans and vampires, even when others think the trail has gone cold. There are many who believe that he and Senya have a relationship that is far more personal than professional.
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Senya
Height 5’ 11”
Hair black
Eyes blue
Malick’s favorite Executioner - or at least she should be. Cold and cruel, she enjoys causing pain and terrorizing her victims. A former associate of Jorick’s, she was only a minor player when he left but has since risen to a high rank and is assigned many of what Malick deems the “most important” tasks.
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Beldren
Height: 6’
Hair: blonde
Eyes: green
A self-styled ladies’ man, Beldren likes to maintain his aloof composure - until there’s gossip to share. A former associate of Jorick’s, Beldren is vain and one gets the impression that all of his clothing has been staunchly ironed. Though, since he is an illusionist, perhaps one only sees what he wants them to.
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Zuri
Height 5’7”
Hair black
Eyes: Indian brown
Though short, as a titan, Zuri is stronger than many of the vampires who are older than him. Usually quiet, he is often seen in the company of Beldren, who is his polar opposite. Though quick to follow orders, he is not as enamored with Senya as some of the other Executioners.
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Griselda
Height: 5’10”
Hair: blonde
Eyes: cornflower blue
A vampire who emigrated from Germany in the 1800’s. Griselda, or Zelda for short, was recruited to replace Jorick when he left. Though she is a strong woman, she cow tows to Senya and allows the even stronger woman to dominate her, earning her the unofficial nickname of “Senya’s Lackey”. As an agonizer, she can cause pain to her victims using only her mind, a rare gift among vampires. However, she was not blessed with the mind reading/controlling abilities that often come with such a gift.
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Migina
Height 5’9”
Hair: black
Eyes: chestnut
An Omaha Indian, Migina is one of three who replaced Kateesha. Of the three she is the only one still alive. Whether from watching her teammates die, or from some other cause, Migina often comes off as cold and bitter.
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Greneth
Height: 5’10”
Hair: blonde
Eyes: brown
An executioner since 1900, Greneth is a demon eye who can see small glimpses of the future. This serves him well as one of Senya’s lackeys. Armed with a permanent sneer, he’s impatiently waiting to climb the ladder towards command.
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Verchiel
Height: 5’7”
Hair: red
Eyes: violet
A fledgling of Kateesha’s, Malick recruited him in the 1920s. A whisperer whose ability “comes and goes”, he is known for being a wind walker, a vampire who can move unusually fast. Armed with a sense of humor, garish taste and an ego the size of a small country. Verchiel has adopted Katelina as his buddy despite Jorick’s objections. But is he really fond of her, or does he have an ulterior motive?
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Dismas
Height: 5’11”
Hair: black
Eyes: deep brown
Recruited to replace the Executioner killed at Oren’s manor house, Dismas has only been with the group for two months. By vampire terms, he’s barley settled in. A Ghost Hand, he can move objects with his mind, just like telekinesis.
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Kioko
Height: 5’2”
Hair: black
Eyes brown
Nearly the newest Executioner, Kioko is too serious for her own good. A Hunter, she has a natural tracking ability and can find anyone she sets her mind to. Born of Japanese immigrant parents, rules, tradition and propriety are very important to her.
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Aine
Height: 5’9”
Hair: red
Eyes: brown
The newest of the Executioners, Aine’s freckled face makes him look young, but don’t be fooled by appearances. He is nearly as old as Oren. A Puppet Master, he can manipulate a person’s actions and make them do things against their will.
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SHORT: THE MOTHER OF THE VAMPIRES
An Amaranthine Legend
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Long ago, the Father of all breathed life into the first humans and they were mortals. As Adam had Eve, so did Samael have Lilith. The men were as brothers, though one was fair and the other dark, while the women were rivals. From the very first, Lilith coveted Adam, both for his beauty and his gentle nature. She wished to make him her own, though in her innocence she knew not how.
Samael knew that he was not the object of his wife’s love, and his days grew dark. One afternoon, he wandered alone and came upon a talking serpent. (Many animals had voices in this time, and so it was not unusual.) The serpent asked Samael what made him so unhappy and Samael told him.
The snake found Samael interesting, so, he offered his help. He found Lilith bathing alone, and worked to convince her that she should love her husband. With no enthusiasm, she tried to do as he suggested.
Things went thus for some time. But the serpent, who was really Lucifer in disguise, grew bored with Samael and Lilith, so turned to Adam and Eve. The pair loved one another already, and so spurned the snake’s advice. With his pride injured, Lucifer raged to the Father, but He said only that Lucifer should mind his own business. Suddenly worried that he was no longer favored, Lucifer concocted a plan in secret.
Disguised again as a serpent, he whispered foul things in Samael’s ear. He told him that Eve was more pure and beautiful than Lilith, until Samael lusted for her. Then, one night when Eve was alone, the snake came to her with poisonous words about Adam, and so sewed the seed of doubt in her mind. In this way, Sam
ael was able to seduce Eve.
Lilith found them together and was consumed by fury for, though she loved Adam, she had kept herself only for her husband. In her anger, she went to where Adam slept and lay with him, even as he was asleep. He woke to find her, but before he could punish her, the Father appeared in a thundercloud and cast the four of them from the Garden of Eden, cursing them to die in the waste lands.
Once in the waste, Adam and Eve realized that it was all the work of the serpent, and went their own way. Meanwhile, pleased with the Father’s anger, Lucifer visited Samael and bestowed upon him the gift of immortality, which Lilith demanded he share. When the Father saw what was done, he struck them both barren, lest they create a race of immortals, however, the gift of eternal life could still be passed from one to another by blood. For just as Lucifer himself could not create life, only twist it, so too could his gift only twist what was already created.
In her heart, Lilith still had love for Adam. She approached him but, even with the gift of eternal life, he refused her. Heartbroken, she returned to Samael for some time. As the years passed, Samael chose three wives from among the descendants of Adam: Naamah, Igrath, and Mahalath, and gave them also the gift of immortality, though he favored Lilith above them. Not only was she the first, and so more precious to him, but unlike the new wives she and he could transform themselves into dark creatures; he a bat and she a raven. This was not enough for Lilith, who after hundreds of years still pined for the long dead Adam, and so she left Samael and made her own way.
Lilith roamed the wide world. Adam’s decedents were multitudes, and she fed from them, preferring children, as she was barren and so felt that all mothers should know her pain, and striking down any woman who resembled Eve, for so bitter was her undying jealousy. As she moved from place to place, she shared the gift of immortality at random, while Samael refused to give blood to any but his three wives, and so it was through her that the vampire race was created and spread.
When Samael learned of this, he flew into a rage and hunted Lilith down. They fought a battle so fierce that it leveled mountains. But Samael was stronger and so he cut out Lilith’s heart. When he saw what he had done, he was overtaken by his love for her and so filled with remorse that he could not bring himself to destroy it, and instead kept it.
Amaranthine Special Edition Vol II Page 69
