Redemption (Dawn of the Damned Book 1)

by Connie Chance

  “I tried to seduce him once,” Raven had surprised her further by saying, causing her to choke on her late afternoon snack. “Just so that I could convince her that he held no high regard for her. I pulled off my ma’s old trick, that she played on dad. Dad thinks I don’t know of it, but mom kept well detailed journals, so I know exactly how she’d seduced him. However Kjeld had runaway instead of giving in to my blood, which he clearly hungered for.”

  Anja let out a heavy sigh of relief right then, unclenching her fists, knowing in her heart that she’d have torn Kjeld’s heart out herself, or died trying, if he’d dared feed off her beloved niece.

  “Maybe I just wasn’t beautiful enough..”

  “Nonsense!” Anja had rushed to say, snaking her hands around her niece, holding her close. “You are the most beautiful sight my eyes ever beheld.”

  “You are saying that only because you’re obligated to, as my aunt..”

  “That’s not true. I’m saying it because it is the absolute truth.”

  “Then how could he resist me?” The darling child sobbed in her arms, staining her favourite dress.

  “Let me tell you something child. Even with your overshadowing beauty, nobody would be stupid enough to cross your father. Kjeld might be a pure-blood too, but he is younger than your father, and Ejner would chew his bones if he ever found out that he’d laid his hands on you.”

  “Oh!” Was all her loving niece had uttered in answer.

  “Yes, oh,” Anja had responded, kissing her brilliantly dark head.

  “Do you harbour great feelings for him?” Anja was to ask her days later.

  “For who?” Her niece had furrowed her forehead as she concentrated on a stitch. She’d bet a servant that she could more expertly repair a hem by hand, and was determined in proving it. So interesting a character was her niece, and was why Anja found it so easy to get along with her, love her.

  “The Governor, Kjeld?”

  She’d wrinkled her nose then.

  “No!” She exclaimed resolutely. “He’s handsome and all, but I find him too old for my liking. I only tried to seduce him because I wished to steal his attentions from Xiu. She’s always acted so entitled, as though she thinks herself better than me. And now I’m to play hostess to her!”

  “Don’t let such matters bother you. Just remember in your heart that no one is better than anyone else. There’s no need to be. And regardless, only our actions, not our stations, can raise us above others.”

  “You sound too philosophical at times, auntie,” Raven had said then, biting her lower lip on concentration. “But you are right, and I thank you for reminding me that.”

  Every spot of the large mansion was cleaned out, drapes changed, new linens, draperies and upholstery replaced old ones, furniture rearranged, old paintings and sculptures dusted, gardens manicured, in preparation for their most distinguished guests, the two most important men from Area One.

  That first Friday, a great banquet was to be held, where Area One and Two’s small council were invited to her brother’s home, and it would be the first time she’d be seeing Jon and Kjeld again.

  Anja kept herself busy all day, not wanting to think of what lay ahead. By the time their guests began arriving, she was too exhausted to weigh herself down with her thoughts. She remained by her brother’s side, between him and his child, who greeted their guests as they came in, but made sure to step in should any of them attempt to stretch their hands her way.

  As much as she dreaded it, Jon and Kjeld did eventually arrive, their plus ones on their arms, servants rushing forward to take their bags into their quarters.

  Drinks and appetizers were served in the living room, as light conversation was made, low laughter dotting it as the guests broke out into groups, everyone making sure they had a chance to talk to everyone. Everyone in this case included her, as much as Anja would have wished not. And eventually, Jon and Kjeld did make it to her.

  “You seem well,” Jon began.

  “I am,” she’d said in answer.

  “That’s great to hear.” She’d nodded to this, then an uncomfortable silence had fallen over them.

  “I saw the piece in the hallway,” his halot, scratch that, his mate, went on to say. “A most beautiful piece of Tolkien’s world as I haven’t seen it represented before. Did you paint it?” And with that, Anja knew she couldn’t hate her even if she tried.

  “Yes, I did. Blame it on Raven. She introduced me to the fantastical middle earth, and I couldn’t hold back from drawing it my own way.”

  “Were Tolkien alive, he’d have been very touched by your piece. It is most attentively done,” Pendo went on to complement her farther. “Maybe you wish to exhibit it? I know the world would be pleased to..” She drew off here, for Anja was shaking her head resolutely.

  “No thank you. The last thing I want is to draw more attention to myself than I have already,” she said in explanation, to which Pendo seemed most understanding.

  “Of course.”

  Jon and Pendo had then drifted away, Jon’s eyes sad and searching before they lifted away from hers. Kjeld had then stepped in, in his arms the chit her niece was supposedly jealous of.

  “You’re well,” he stated questioningly, his piercing blue-ringed eyes haunting.

  “I am,” she answered. “And you.”

  “As well,” he’d promptly answered, clearly in great discomfort. “Thank you, for receiving us,” he went on to say.

  “It’s my brother’s house, and you’re his guest,” she rushed to remind him, wishing him to keep in mind that it wasn’t exactly by choice.

  “Quite,” was his simple answer, and the young woman in his hands then rushed to greet her then, the haughty expression on her face clear.

  “Miss Anja..” she began, stepping forward, reaching out her hand, but before she could strike out in defence, Kjeld pulled her hand back, the reserved force of his motion nearly ripping her arm off its hinges. Any pain she’d felt she quickly swallowed, the yellow glint flashing in her eyes the only evidence of it.

  “Don’t. Touch. Her!” Kjeld ground at her under his breath, and the very firmness with which he spoke sent chills across the room.

  “Apologies,” the girl went on to say, curtsying instead, and once again the rest of the room resumed their conversations that had momentarily stopped.

  “It’s alright, child,” Anja said. She added the child as an afterthought, letting Kjeld know what she thought of his sleeping partner.

  Kjeld said nothing, but there was no doubt that he understood her insinuation.

  “I’m ninety,” the girl rushed to say defensively.

  “Good for you,” Anja said condescendingly, turning away then, as the butler had arrived right then to let them know that supper was served.

  “You’re a most accomplished painter,” Aedan, Ejner’s second in command, was saying.

  Anja had been enjoying the dinner, seated beside her brother and glad for the lively conversation going on before her until now.

  “Thank you, Aedan,” she said kindly. “But if I knew how much attention it’d draw, I’d never have drawn it. Now Ejner won’t let it hang anywhere but on so prominent a place, and everyone seems intent on commenting on it.”

  Aedan looked a little confused at this, unsure on whether she could be joking, or if she was infact peeved by his having admired her piece of work. An air of unease hang over the rest of the dinner party, so she decided to try make light of it again, to repair her mistake.

  “I’m joking,” she said, with an aggravatingly forced smile. “Thank you.” He looked back at her hesitantly, but soon returned her smile, upon convincing himself that every artist was pleased with a praise of their works, and she had no reason to react differently. However, everyone else made sure to steer clear of all matters to do with that painting thereafter. Blessedly!

  They entertained late into the night, feeding after a most scrumptious dessert, many puzzling over her choice to drink from a gla
ss rather than from a wrist. Xiu went as far as to think it might be because there weren’t enough humans to feed on, and so suggested to let her feed off her own meal, still feeling a little contrite from her earlier mishap.

  “No, thank you,” Anja had answered her. “I prefer my meal in a glass,” she’d surprised the guests by explaining.

  But their surprise had only lasted that single moment, for soon their blood lust had taken over, and they’d stopped all semblance of thought and began to enjoy the best part about Draugr suppers.

  After their meal, they’d all gotten up and headed into the drawing room, where Raven had been more than happy to entertain them with her playing and singing, and Xiu had promptly joined in an attempt to outshine her.

  The rest of the guests had continued with polite conversation, being sure to stay away from any talk of politics, which is what the general assembly would be about. First there was to be a census, which was the main reason the general assembly each decade was to be attended by all, and then as any assembly of the High Council members, there were to be trials and resolution courts to be held. This could last anything from three days to weeks on end, depending on the number of disputes to be resolved. Anja hoped that this time it would only last days, because Kjeld and Jon would remain here as long as the general assembly lasted. After the courts, came the legislation part, where contentious laws may be revised, or new laws may be made, and Draugr members were to vote on them before the final celebratory ball was held, and then the general assembly would be over.

  As was typical to whenever Area Two played host to the general assembly, it was located in the main property in Northumbria, a large property owned by the Draugr Area Two public, that was also commonly termed as Central Two. It boasted sprawling classic manors that now acted as exclusive hotels, though this time their doors would be closed, opening only to the Draugr population.

  The council members were to reside in, and hold court from the center most building, an impressive victorian castle. Kjeld and Ejner were the only council members that would not be staying at the property, but their property was not too far from Central Two, and allowed for more privacy from the over watchful Draugr society members.

  The dinner party finally drew to an end, and rows of long dark sedans began to drive their guests back, leaving behind just Anja’s family and their guests.

  A sense of doom fell over her as she turned around, and realised just how few were left, and a sense of panic gripped her as she realised that she’d now be forced to entertain.

  “I was thinking to indulge a little tonight,” her brother began, turning to his guests. “Any of you for the taking?” Of course they all agreed. Who wouldn’t want to indulge, apart from her? She chose that very moment to excuse herself, knowing that what came next was something she wouldn’t want to witness, people gorging themselves in blood until they were heavily intoxicated, at times even ending up in orgies.

  “I’ll follow with you, Aunt,” Raven quickly offered, not wishing to indulge with her father, as expected. It can be quite awkward, were one to reveal their darkest of secrets to their father, due to a loosened tongue from intoxication.

  “Come on,” Anja then said with a smile, hooking her arm into her niece’s. “Let’s go watch that fantasy show you’ve been telling me about. The one with the mother of dragons.”

  “No, you must read the books first,” her niece went to argue as they left the room together.

  “Alright, if you insist. We could watch that other movie you were telling me about.”

  “The Matrix? great!” Her niece had happily announced, before hastening her footsteps, dragging Anja with her, her anticipation to watch the said movie great.

  XV

  Kjeld was oddly at ease as he hungrilly succkled off the human’s tits. The half-blood woman with him looked his way with longing, lifting her head off the same human’s thigh. She was bored and wished to fuck.

  Kjeld pulled her hungrily into his arms, ignoring those around him as he sank his fangs on the willing half-blood’s neck, who coyed with wanton, rubbing her sex against his. She then turned to their host, who was watching over what must now seem as his boring meal of a human.

  “Do you want me, governor?” Ejner moved with speed at her invitation, and soon he was sucking from the other side of her neck, while the half-blood between them writhed with passion.

  Kjeld lifted her higher to drink from her breasts, while his ally moved lower on her, to find a supple thigh to suckle on.

  Beside them, his brother was being fed on by his mate whom he was smitten with, while she rode him with great intensity, urging him to hold on, her past half-dozen climaxes clearly not enough.

  Kjeld grit his teeth when his political ally ripped the woman from his hands, and in his mind there flew an image of her. Her whom he wished himself to forget with all his will, but couldn’t get her out of his mind.

  He forced himself to break away, revert his eyes to the scene before him, as Ejner laid the more than willing Xiu on his black jack table, stomach down, and without warning sank his manhood deep in her, elicing a most excited scream from her, as his fangs followed to embed into her shoulders.

  The humans were now feeling left out, and were crowding around him, rubbing themselves with wanton. He took one by hand, a heavily busted woman with the fleshiest bottom he’d ever seen, and pressed her milky breasts against Xiu. By the amount of blood she’d lost already, she needed to feed.

  As he rose away, another male human dropped to his knees before him, sticking his cock in his mouth, and suckling away expertly, like only a truly well sucked man would know to, choking on it deeply, and even then not drawing away, wanting nothing than for him to spend himself inside him.

  However Kjeld put the excellent sucker out of his misery and drew away, for he knew himself well. He’d never spend himself. He can never spend himself, unless when thinking of her.

  Kjeld instead lifted up the disappointed boy, and lead him towards his half-brother, who was in desperate need of feeding, thanks to his mate.

  Pendo was the kind of woman most Draugr men fantasise about, the kind that left you so satiated, that you remained limp and tired for days. The kind that gave all, and took all in return, and still left you wishing you could go on longer. Very few men had not fantasised about Mazu Mazoki’s daughter, Jon being the only one brave enough to go for her, despite her very much feared father who tortured beings as easily as he pissed.

  Leaving his brother feeding on the more than willing human that was now having his cocked suck by a very blond skinny woman, Kjeld lay back and let the three other human’s left to work on him, as they competed on whom would finally make him come.

  Kjeld shut his eyes then, and let himself find her by her scent, picturing her face before him. He pictured her riding him furiously now, as the human woman on him was, the other one sticking her full breast in his mouth.

  He pictured how Anja’s eyes would open wider as her climax approached, as the woman on him let out telling pants that let him know that she was yet again close to coming on him.

  “Oh Jesus!” The woman was calling, before she slipped off him, shoved away by another very horny woman, who could hardly wait to feel him inside her, that she let him slip into the wrong hole.

  She seemed not to mind even then, calling onto the now pale human to come suck on her pussy as her tight ass rode Kjeld.

  Kjeld kept his eyes closed, still thinking of no one else but Anja. He returned back to that image of her right before her satisfaction. That furrow on her forehead deepening, the aggressive tint in her eyes arising from her insecurities now glowed, and her dark-ringed eyes burned into his cold blue ones as her soft whimpers increased, and her muscles began spasming, And before he could think to stop himself, he finally came, those first few seconds so confused that he actually thought he was inside her, and he cradled the woman to himself lovingly, whispering her name in her ear, before moving to kiss her as the waves of pleasure rocked h
im.

  When he finally recovered, he realised that it was never her, yet again. Luckily all had been busy, most especially her brother. His brother knew of his feelings for Anja, and his mate had long come to understand that each time he got a release, he muttered her name, for the three of them had indulged together for decades now.

  Ejner however would be most angry, and rightly so, if he ever found out just how much he cared for her. Obsessed about her, Jon would argue. Love her, Pendo would argue with her mate. Pendo understood, for she too was a pure-blood. She understood that for pure-bloods, to love is to consume wholly, and keep pining for it when not consuming. Pure-bloods know nothing of restrain. And were Ejner not blinded by the fact that she’s his sister, and his wish to protect her, Kjeld mightn’t have been so scared to reveal his true feelings for Anja.

  However Ejner was not only a pure-blood that could match his physical strength, but was also considerably older than him. To cross him would be fatal, so unless he wished to die, his true feelings for Anja would never see the light of day.

  XVI

  If you asked her then, she’d gladly admit that her brother only let the two gentlemen stay with him because he enjoyed their company, and their indulging on most nights, and not for political ties whatsoever.

  However Anja was not about to play the role of a moral compass for her brother. Ejner had gone through too much to not be allowed this kind of relief. So she’d turned away, forced all thoughts of judgment from her mind, and instead concentrating on being a great hostess.

  If she thought her darling niece would help her in the hostess duties after that first dinner, she was greatly mistaken. With all of the Draugr population assembled in the district, Raven was always spending the night at a party somewhere, most of them indulgent nights.

  Anja had been most worried at first, knowing that half-bloods were often at great risk of malnourishment after just a night of indulging, because pure-bloods would gorge themselves with them, but she again reminded herself that Ejner was Governor. No one would harm his daughter unless they wished to die. Just as well, each time the driver brought Raven back home early the next morning, she didn’t look too badly for the wear.