Blood Moon: Lucian's Story Ch. 01

Lucian LeSabor stood with his back straight, his eyes flicking over the faces of prisoners as they were brought into the dungeons. He felt no mercy toward any of them; he could not even bring himself to feel bad for the young teenagers that were shoved behind iron bars. It was their fault for attacking the castle, their fault that the women and children would now be forced to be slaves for this court of vampires and demons.

Though he hated having to see the faces of these people it was his job. He was the captain of the army for the Royal Court, though he was a prince himself, and he took his job very seriously. Never in all of his one thousand, five hundred and forty-seven years had humans ever attacked the castle of their own free will. Yet this bunch of simple village people had come together to try and bring down the Court.

To him this was a hilarious situation, the thought that these simple creatures even believed that they could kill one of them. Now, with all the men and boys locked away into the iron cages of the dungeon, he had to go and collect the women and girls from their homes where they waited foolishly hoping for their men and sons to come home. Lucian was actually looking forward to squashing their hopes as he would a bug; he truly had no patience for humans and their self-centered, pathetic ideals.

As he left the dungeons, he wrapped his black silk cloak around him, remembering the chill in the air. Once he was back in the main yard he looked over the men that were gathered there, not a single one looking as if they had been in a fight. He nodded his head to them before mounting his horse and riding out the gates into the night. Normally he would have preferred his car for any travel, but since gas was so scarce now he figured his horse would be a better bet.

The night air in his face brought him more fully awake then the tiny skirmish had. He could smell the freshness of the forest and smoke from the village they were heading to. Even if the buildings were three level houses, it was still a village to him, especially with the fact that the castle he and his siblings shared equaled six of these twenty house towns.

Lucian's shoulder length black hair flew out behind him as he rode fast to the town, not stopping until he reached it center. Once there he yelled in a loud booming voice for every person to exit their homes. Only two doors opened, one allowing five women and nine children out, the other revealing only one woman, who was obviously much different then the others. Where the five women wore jeans and shirts, or dresses, this one wore a cloak of green velvet. Her hair was the color of a moonless night and her eyes reminded him of deeply colored sapphires. He looked at her for a moment longer then back over at the cluster or women and children.

"Where are the rest you?" He asked

"This is all of us."

Lucian looked over at the young woman who was still standing in front of her door instead of joining the other women. When he looked more closely at her, he could see the nose ring she wore, as well as the earrings in her ears. He could also tell she was much younger then any of the other women here.

"Where are the rest of the women?" He snapped

"They left soon after the men did. They said they did not wish to wait around for you to come like the hounds of hell." She said

Kiryn stared up at the vampire on the horse and looked over him. He was not a bad looking vampire that was for sure. His deep green eyes were slightly narrowed, in annoyance she was sure, his sensual looking lips were pulled into a tight line. The silver hoop in his lip glinted in the small sliver of the moon, though everything else was shrouded by the sable cloak that he wore.

Lucian felt the girl's appraisal and looked at her again wondering why she did not run to the other women for comfort.

"Why do you not stand with the rest of the women?"

As soon as the words left his mouth on of the woman shrieked and fell to the ground unconscious and even the children began to cry. He watched the girl look at the group in disgust before she spoke again, her voice dripping disdain.

"Oh for the love of the Goddess, shut the hell up you fools. You act as if I am the worst sort of creature, stop your idiotic wailing." Kiryn said

Lucian arched a brow as the children and women fell into barely audible whimpers. Again he looked at the girl, intrigued by her.

"What is your name girl and how old are you?" He asked

"My name is Kiryn Salvent, and I am one hundred and seventy-four years old, though as you can see I look no more then twenty I am sure." She answered

Both of Lucian's brows rose almost high enough to hide in his hair. The girl was claiming such an old age and pride had filled her voice. When she had said this information on of the woman had whisper the word demon spawn and he watched as Kiryn's head swung in her direction.

"I would watch what you say Mary, unless you wish to die this night." Kiryn growled low in her throat

Lucian looked over at his men who had been watching this whole seen and they all had expressions of surprise and entertainment on their features. Lucian could understand their feelings, he felt much the same himself, though he hid it much better then they did. Focusing his attention back on Kiryn who he found was looking at him he decided she must simply just be a violent woman not some old creature.

"Come over here." He ordered

Kiryn looked at him and Lucian was somewhat surprised to see anger come to her eyes. He was even more surprised when she gave him her middle finger.

"Do not order me around." She stated clearly

"I said come here now human." Lucian ordered

Kiryn felt her temper snap and she walked over to him uncaring of the consequences and dragged him from his horse.

"Never, and I mean never, put me on the same level as these fear filled, self-pitying people." She said

Lucian fell into a disgraceful heap at the side of his horse and heard several of his men snicker. With that his control snapped and he rose quickly grabbing the girl by his throat and slammed her to the ground. As he did, her cloak fluttered open showing she was naked under the soft material, and that she was badly injured. Bruises old and new covered her body as did dried and fresh blood. Knife marks, cigarette burns, and whip marks covered every inch of her body in the front and he was sure her back as well.

Kiryn was scared when he first slammed her; now instead she felt shame rush throw her. Now she hoped he would kill her, she knew vampire kept most women as slaves for their sexual desires, or so she had heard. She had hoped to hide her injuries and scars until she could get to wherever they were taking her and hoped that once she was given to someone they would over look the marks on her. She was still a virgin and was sure that if she told whoever received her that they would forgive her marked skin. Now she simply wished for this to end.

Lucian watched the girl close her eyes and thanks to the contact between them he could see into her mind. Every thought she had was running through his head and he felt himself grow slightly ill at her thoughts. She wanted to get away from this place and their cruel ways, so much she was willing to sell her soul for it, now she wanted to give her life. He vaguely caught the thought that she would die a virgin and he looked down at her body again. Being in her mind as he was he knew this was true, as well as her age, but looking at her nude form despite the damaged done to it she was still a beautiful woman. He might be a vampire but even among his kind; doing something like this to such a lovely creature was something that he knew someone would never dream of doing.

He took his hand from her throat and covered her with her cloak again before picking her up in his arms slightly surprised by how small and light she was. Walking over to his horse, he mounted easily with no hands, years of living making this easy for him.

Kiryn looked at the vampire holding her, confused as to why he was holding her as if she was a precious treasure. When his emerald eyes looked with hers she felt a strange shiver run through her. Despite the fact that he was a creature of the night, his eyes held a mix of kindness, mischief and caring. So much different from what she had been told vampires' eyes were supposed to be like. This man's eyes were not cold and devoid of a soul, they did not make her freeze up or make her feel as if he was sucking her soul away. Instead his eyes made her feel safe and warm, something she had never known she could feel before.

Lucian smiled slightly down at Kiryn, allowing a hint of his fangs to show through his lips and he watched her blush and hid her face in his cloak. Chuckling slightly he looked over at the cowering group and his face became hard and cold as a statues. Looking back over to his men he nodded his head to them.

"Place them in the cage and bring them to the castle. We will have them shown at the meeting tonight and shall see what is to be done with them." He said

The group of women and children seemed to shrink, all except for the woman called Mary. She stood glaring at Lucian, her body fairly vibrating with outrage.

"You will choose a monster to carry so gently, but place us in a cage." She spoke

Lucian simply looked over at her and smiled widely showing his full fangs this time.

"Mary is it? I think it is best you heed Kiryn's advice else you shall die as she said you will, only it will you will be killed by true monsters."

Lucian watched as the human shrank in fear and chuckled again before watching the humans be shepherded into the iron cage. Once it was sealed tightly he wheeled his horse around and started off in the direction of the castle. He held Kiryn tightly against him with one powerful arm, the other being used to hold her cloak closed, guiding his horse with his knees.

Kiryn glanced up from the vampire's cloak and watched as he seemed to feel her gaze and look down at her. His smile was gentle and made her feel completely relaxed with the way he was holding her. She found it kind that he was keeping her cloak from blowing open, something she was sure no one else would have done. She wondered what he was called and decided to ask him.

"My name is Lucian LeSabor." He answered

The way he spoke to her was so much different from how he had spoken to Mary. With her his voice had been like the winter, harsh and unforgiving, but with Kiryn his voice was warm and gentle, making her think of the autumn months. It intrigued her so much it took a moment before his name sank into her brain.

"LeSabor, the ruling family of vampire and demon alike?"

Lucian chuckled again at the awe and shock in her voice. He had never had that reaction before; usually it was fear and respect in a person's voice. He had to admit that he found this reaction refreshing and rather pleasing.

"Yes, though it is my brother Malachi that sits on the thrown, I am one of the many siblings that help him." Lucian said

Kiryn actually giggled a bit before covering it quickly with a cough. When Lucian looked down at her she coughed again hoping he wouldn't notice that the first one had sounded different from this one.

"Don't do that." Lucian said

"Do what?" Kiryn asked thinking he was talking about her small laugh

"Don't cover your laugh, it sounds lovely and to cover such a sound it would be a crime."

Kiryn couldn't help it. She burst into a full laugh, causing Lucian to join in, the night filled with the sound of their mirth. It took her several moments to get her breath back and when she did, she smiled up at Lucian a blush on her cheeks. Lucian noticed this and grinned back the tips of his fangs showing and he watched as her blushed deepened and she hid her face again in his cloak.

Chuckling slightly he rode into the gates of the castle where Malachi, Dante, Lauren, Ashley, Dominic and his mate Syra stood waiting. They all looked at him as if he had lost his mind, then down at the woman in his arms when he stopped his horse. When he climbed off of it, he set Kiryn on her feet making sure her cloak was closed around her.

"Did the hunting go well Lucian?" Malachi asked looking over the girl next to his brother

"The prisoners are in the cage, there were not many. Apparently most of them left as soon as their men came here." Lucian reported

Malachi nodded, his white hair moving in the gentle breeze, his icy blue eyes still on the woman before turning to his brother in a silent question. Lucian noticed this and decided to answer before his family thought he had gone soft in the head.

"This is Kiryn Salvent. She was at the village where the rest of the prisoners were. And before you say anything she is not human, though I cannot tell what she is. She has been badly mistreated and I decided that to lock her in with the rest to be given away tonight would be a torture she does not deserve."

Syra smiled up at Dominic who was looking dumbfounded. Moving from her husband's side she moved in front of the girl waiting until she looked up at her before she spoke.

"Welcome to LeSabor Castle, Kiryn. I am Syra and the tall brooding man is my mate Dominic. The one who looks like he is dazed is Dante, the blond guy is Lauren, the muscle bound guy is Ashley, and the one who looks like winter come to life is Malachi."

Kiryn smiled at the short red head in front of her and offered her hand out.

"I am pleased to meet you Syra, I am sorry if my presence is a bit different and slightly disheveled."

Syra took Kiryn's hand and shook it, her eyes suddenly widening then filling with tears. Before anyone could react, Syra wrapped her arms around Kiryn holding her gently yet tight.

"You poor thing, I am so sorry. How could they do such things to you?"

Kiryn stood still as if she had been turned to stone. She was unused to someone hugging her, especially a stranger and had to fight the urge to try and break away. She saw the man called Dominic step forward and Kiryn held her hands up to show she meant no harm. Syra turned quickly and looked over the men and then to Malachi.

"I am going to take Kiryn inside and give her a bath and some clothes. I demand she join us at the meeting and gala afterwards as my guest."

Malachi knew just as well as the rest of his brothers that Syra would not take no as an answer, so he simply nodded his head. Syra jumped up and down in little skips then looked over at Kiryn.

"Come on Kiryn, we will use my room. I think my clothes will fit you well."

Kiryn looked over her shoulder as the Syra pulled her off and locked eyes with Lucian. He simply smiled at her and she felt heat rush through her. Turning back as Syra started to ask her questions she wondered if these people were really the monsters they had been named.

The men watched until Syra had dragged the new woman inside before they all looked back at Lucian. There was a few moments of silence before Malachi broke it.

"Would you like to explain what this is all about?" He asked of Lucian.

"When we went there a cluster of women and children came from one home, Kiryn came from another. A woman called Mary, who is in the cage, called her a demon spawn and Kiryn threatened to kill her. I umm, I tried to order her to come to me, but Kiryn pulled me from my horse."

"You mean to tell me you didn't beat her for that?" Malachi asked his eyes widening just a bit

"I did pin her down, but her cloak came open and I noted that she has been severely injured." Lucian said

"When you say severely injured, what do you mean by that?" this question came from Dominic

"Injured in a way that even we would not do to a woman for fun. From what I read from her, everything was just short of sexual, but Kiryn's body has many scars and damage done to hit." Lucian said feeling sick again

"Are they all old?" Dominic asked

"No, many of them were. They looked as if they were done just before the humans attacked here." Lucian answered honestly

A silence fell over the group of men, at the implication of the words sank in. Everyone of them would admit she was beautiful, even Dominic, and she seemed to be very respectful, yet from what they had heard, or for Lucian seen, made them all a bit sick at heart. Finally Malachi again broke the silence.

"You said she was not human. What made you scan her in the first place?"

"I asked her name and age and she told me she was one hundred seventy-four years of age. This is true, although from what I could pick up, she doesn't even know what she is." Lucian said

Malachi nodded and looked around. He knew that Lucian wanted to know what was to be done with the girl. He also knew that now that Syra had befriended her there was nothing to truly be done.

"We will keep her with us and treat her as a guest for the time being. Lucian you will be her guide and guardian. Nothing will be done against her unless she does something against this court. That is my final decision." Malachi said

Lucian let out the breath that he had been holding and smiled at his brother in a silent thank you. Malachi nodded and looked over towards the castle.

"Let us go and get ready for the meeting and gala."

All the brothers nodded and headed inside, Lucian having a feeling that it would be a fun evening indeed.