[sakari09]

“So the princess is here, is she?” Lilith, president of the Vicari Order, asked Vincent, her underling, softly, “I heard that she was transported in a moving van of all things.” She brushed her long, black hair with a golden comb as she paced back and forth in front of two large windows.
Vincent coughed, “I’m sorry My Lady, but it was the only available means at the time…Will tried to intervene at the time of retrieve—”
“DON’T EVEN START WITH THE APOLOGIES VINCENT!” She screamed back at him beginning to snarl, “Pardon me for that but still, how could you treat my daughter like that? Do you not know how important she is in our plans?”
He bowed his head; “I do recall you saying something about including her in your plans earlier. I’m very sorry she had to go through that.” Vincent bowed and continued, “The pureblood, Will, tried to feed upon her when she was being transported. I believe she had been bitten before we came for her.”
Lilith turned quickly to face Vincent, “Why did you not speak of this despicable act upon my daughter earlier?”
“I knew it would upset you My Lady.” Vincent’s voice grew quiet.
Lilith sighed, “Yes…it does indeed upset me Vincent. The poor thing; it must’ve hurt her badly, seeing that Will has only fed upon human only once before. Did you hear about that Vincent?”
He shook his head, “I was only told that something had happened to him once before…I was never illuminated on as to why he changed to venison.”
“Then I will illuminate for you,” Lilith began, taking a seat behind her desk, “This happened before you were born into this house. At the time, Will was being treated carefully at his home to hide what they truly were.” She looked up at him, “Vampires were still being hunted on a larger scale because of the population of humans that were hunters. So the Roian family went into hiding with their only son, the heir to their pureblood line of vampires for almost 300 years. The next time anyone would hear from them would be the day Will was caught in public, drinking the blood of a catholic girl.”
Vincent shivered, “Of all people to mess around with, the Catholics are the ones you leave the hell alone.”
She nodded, “Of course, Will had been warned about the potential dangers of feeding on humans but he was young and ignorant, finally given the freedom to walk around freely after 300 years of imprisonment. One vampire would be tempted to do many things to the human race after that bit of time.” Lilith glanced down at a picture of Kari, “That’s why I took the liberty of sealing away that side of my daughter for 200 years…I thought I could keep this curse at bay from her life for much longer…give her time to enjoy what a normal human would enjoy. But now, because of that idiotic boy, she could possibly awaken from my seal!” She stood up quickly, knocking over her chair.
“Please don’t get upset My Lady, we’re not sure if he even bit her—” Vincent tried to comfort her.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep underling!” She screamed back, “Bring them both in here at once!”
He bowed backing toward the door, “As you wish…” He shut the door quietly behind him, “I hope she’s calmed herself down before they get there…”
…

I awoke groggily in a room that smelled of money. Well maybe not really smell like money, but that’s the kind of aura I was sensing. I sat up slowly and to my surprise Will was on the other end of the long loveseat we were sprawled out on. He looked pretty beaten up from what I could tell. It was hard to see in the dimly lit room.
I began crawling over to Will to try and wake him up but something, or someone, caught my arm and growled, “I don’t think so.”
I looked up to see Vincent glaring down at me, his irises glowing red. He held on to me as two more vamps in black and red suits took Will over to a nearby wall and chained him to it; and from the thickness of the chains, I didn’t think he’d be able to get free on his own. Which meant that I was now on my own to defend myself from monsters that wanted to have me as an evening snack…great.
“So what’s the special occasion?” I asked snidely, trying not to let my voice shake.
Vincent raised his eyebrow, “You’re nothing like her…yet she continues to call you her daughter.” He shook his head and led me across the room to an old, timeworn desk saying, “The President will be with you momentarily. Until then have a seat.”
I didn’t object. I was as slow as a slug compared to these guys. My day was definitely becoming a downer. Before I could count the things that had me down, one more was added to my list as the head Pres. of the Vicari Order walked into the room.
She was beyond the definition of beautiful. With long, spiraling black hair and violet eyes, she could easily have been just another fairy like Gran; but for some reason, I felt drawn to her, like we were two freakishly strong magnets being set loose in the same room.
She introduced herself to me quietly, “Hello Kari, I’m Lilith, the president of the Vicari Order.” Lilith held out her hand for me to shake.
I took it without thinking and discovered it was weirdly warm, warmer than any human without a fever.
“I suppose you are curious to why you are here with us, are you not?” She asked, picking up a gold comb from her desk and began brushing her hair.
I nodded my head like a trained puppy. Vincent chuckled from somewhere behind me.
Before I had time to blink, Lilith had merely flicked her comb in Vincent direction and caught him in the throat.
“I’m sorry, My Lady, that was very rude of me.” He apologized walking over to her and pulling the comb out of his neck.
She took it and pointed it at me, “I believe you owe her the apology. After all, it was her explanation you just interrupted.”
Surprisingly, Vincent came over and took one of my hands. He got down on one knee and bowed his head, “Please forgive me.”
“Uh…um…ok?” I couldn’t even form a complete sentence.
Vincent got up and backed away to a shadowy corner of the room after he saw that I had nothing else to say. I turned my attention back to Lilith.
“Why does it seem like everyone is treating me like royalty around here?” I asked her, giving Vincent one last look.
Lilith began laughing, full out laughing, when I asked her this, “You are just like your father! Soo oblivious to everything going on around you.”
“You knew my dad?” I asked in awe.
She looked back at me and took a deep breath to stifle her laughter, “Yes, quite well actually. He was such a charmer! Of course he had to have known a lot about women, he had many years to read up on them.” She continued explaining, “One look from your father on the street would sent any human woman into shock! Oh, of all men, he was definitely the finest of them all!”
I looked at her in shock, “Just who the hell are you!”
She smiled, showing me the tips of her fangs, “Why…I’m your dear mother Caterina Vicari, and heir to the Vicari line of vampires!”
I was speechless, just flat out speechless. I couldn’t believe this woman! She was nothing like me, there was no way she was my mother. I remembered my Mom and Dad and they sure as hell weren’t vampires!
Will finally spoke from where he was chained to the wall, “I should’ve kept my distance Kari…I’m sorry. I think I may have caused this to happen to you.”
I turned, “You knew?” I could hear the hurt in my own voice.
Lilith, “Of course he knew. He was your intended fiancé. We vampires are always trying to strengthen our blood line with pure-bloods.”
Taking in this entire vampire lineage thing was making my head feel like it was about to explode, “Stop it all of you! I can’t take this anymore!” And just like that, I got the hell out of that room.