The Homunculus Knight

The Velvet Rose (Part 1)

“It hurts! Please, please, it hurts! I need the sting; please just give me the sting. I’ll do anything; just make it stop!”

“Hush, dear pet, I’m here for you; let me help.”

“Ahhhhh, oh, oh, it doesn’t hurt! Thank you, thank you so much!”

“Just take deep breaths and let my kiss do its work. Sleep well and know you are safe and loved.”- An conversation overheard in a Vindabon Bordello.

:: One month after the Louon Raid ::

Natalie had to admit how accurate Cole’s comparison between dancing and fighting was. It was all about tempo and keeping track of both your opponent’s body and your own. Something Natale’s undead existence found surprisingly easy much to the annoyance of the apprentice restbringers.

Acolyte Cedrick struck out with his wooden greatsword, and Natalie leaped over the blow and plowed right into the apprentice. Knocking him down and tapping him on the head with her practice sword before moving to the next challenge. Acolytes Vlada and Corra rushed to their comrade's aid, trying to flank Natalie with their spears. Slipping between the strikes, Natalie jumped again, aiming to pounce on past Vlada’s guard and tag a hit. A sharp crack and pain in Natalie’s side forced her to change plans.

An untipped arrow took Natalie in the torso and changed her momentum. Tumbling to the ground, she rolled out of the impact and got to her feet, a low growl working in her throat. Acolyte Merrick had another arrow nocked and was aiming at Natalie’s head.

Morri’s voice cut through the tension. “Half-point to the restbringers. Forcing her into a jump and striking from a distance was clever. But you lost Cedrick; that counts against you.”

Rolling her shoulders, a motion she picked up from Cole, Natalie went to the center of the dueling yard and prepared for the next round.

Cedrick pulled himself up and said. “If this were a real fight, I’d have blessed myself; she wouldn’t be able to get that close.”

Scoffing, Natalie replied. “If this were a real fight, I’d also use my magic. We are practicing physical combat, not our spell-slinging.”

Nodding at that, Morri backed Natalie. “She’s right; the point of these bouts is to build good fundamentals. Now let's begin again.”

The acolytes took up position, Cedrick in front, Vlada and Corra on the flanks, with Merrick behind them, ready to loose an arrow. While Natalie faced the restbringers, Bruto’s practice sword gripped in her right hand. Morri raised his hand and brought it down in a sharp cut, starting the next round of combat.

Natalie pushed herself backward, dodging under Merrick’s shot and gaining distance. Keeping low to the ground, not wanting to repeat her earlier mistake, Natalie scooped up a handful of pebbles and tossed them toward her opponents. With her strength behind the throw, the small rocks would hurt, even through the padded armor the trainees wore. All of them but Cedrick flinched from the scattershot, and Natalie picked her target.

Pouring blood into her legs, she charged Merrick. Reaching him before he could recover, Natalie struck out with her shortsword. She didn’t aim for his body but instead his weapon. Knocking the drawn bow away, sending both weapon and arrow sprawling away with a snap. Lashing out with her free hand, Natalie smacked Merrick in the head with enough force to shock but not hurt. The meaning of the soft blow was obvious; she could have taken his head if this had been a real fight.

The three ‘surviving’ restbringers regrouped, forming a tighter formation, and preparing for Natalie’s next strike. Reaching to the stunned Merrick’s quiver, Natalie grabbed an arrow and tossed it like a dart. A sloppy maneuver that Cedrick countered with a sweep of his sword. Natalie’s eyebrows raised at that; knocking a dart, even a poorly thrown one, out of the air was impressive.

Cedrick charged then, Vlada and Corra backing him with their spears. The two female acolytes would keep Natalie at a distance with their spears. Not a bad plan considering the advantage in reach would counter Natalie’s short weapon and even compensate for her stronger body. Cedrick pushed in closer, he was the best fighter of the four, and he seemed determined to clash blades with Natalie.

Rushing forward, Natalie dodged Cedrick’s first swipe, prepared to enter his guard and score a point. A flicker of motion forced her to veer off as Corra’s spear jabbed toward her. Natalie dodged with near-liquid grace and found Vlada’s spear coming from the opposite side. Then as the finisher, Cedrick brought his greatsword down in a brutal strike. Caught between three dangers, Natalie tried to retreat.

Moving like a frightened cat, Natalie slipped between the strikes and danced back out of range. As she looked for some way to disrupt the combined assault of acolytes, a whistle cut through the air.

Morri entered the dueling space and said. “Half point to Natalie. She took out Merrick and then escaped your attack. But we must cut this short; our Vampire is required elsewhere.”

Sucking in a breath, Natalie sighed. “She actually came? She’s been delayed for two weeks now.”

Shaking his head, Morri grimaced. “She sent a carriage for you. We should have expected this; Vampires like their lairs, after all.”

Shaking hands with the acolytes, Natalie licked her fangs and asked. “Do you think it's a good idea to go?”

Shrugging, Morri guided the young vampire away from the students and out of the dueling ground. “She isn’t stupid enough to try and hurt you if that's what you are worried about. But she will try and ensnare you somehow. Pryia is a Moroi, and it's her nature.”

Running cold hands through her long hair, careful not to touch the silver pin binding the dark locks, Natalie mused. “Well, she has helped others escaped thralls in the past; I think I can work with her. Let me change, and I’ll go.”

Grimacing, Morri offered. “With Cole away, I should warn you that Pryia might be a bit bolder in her attempts to manipulate you than normal. She’s scared of him, and I think this meeting is only happening since he’s not in Vindabon.”

Blowing out a pointless breath, Natalie asked. “Is she afraid of him for a reason? Or just his status as Paladin?”

A snort of bleak laughter escaped Morri. “Pryia tried to seduce him the first time they met. Cole’s something of a regional expert on hunting Vampires, and Pryia thought having him as a lover would be a wonderful bit of protection. He responded to her advances… poorly, and she lost a hand as a warning.”

Letting out a groan, Natalie muttered. “Great, just great. So I’m going to strut into the lair of a fellow refugee Vampire who tried to seduce my boyfriend. Ask for her help with Yara and hope she doesn’t find a way to worsen this situation.”

Morri offered Natalie a commiserating smile. “I wish you luck, Natalie. Just… don’t let her overwhelm you. As far as Moroi goes, Pyria isn’t subtle in how she operates.”

It was Natalie’s turn to let out a bitter laugh. “She’s an undead seductress who runs a brothel; yeah, I don’t think subtle is her style.”

Leaving Morri, Natalie headed to the temple apartment and tried to make a plan of action. Any serious thoughts left her head upon seeing who waited outside the apartment. Sitting on the cold stone floor, knees tucked to her chest, was Yara. The source of all this hassle was staring off into space, her blue eyes unfocused and laden with bags of exhaustion. Seeing Natalie approach, Yara scrambled to her feet and bowed. Forcing a wince from the Vampire.

“My lady, I ask you to please reconsider. I’ll serve you faithfully; please don’t send me away!” pleaded Yara in a trembling voice.

Letting out an annoyed huff, Natalie came up and leaned on the wall across from Yara. “I knew you in Glockmire; your father was a regular at the Goat. I’m not your lady, Yara. I’m just another person whose life has gone in a strange direction.”

Yara flinched at that. “I’m sorry, I just… Master Dietrich said to find you, and I did! Please, you saved me, don’t get rid of me. I can be useful! You can feed on me instead of the Paladin, or I can do chores or-”

Natalie cut her off. “I don’t want a thrall, Yara! You shouldn’t be a thrall! Pyria is a Vampire who has helped thralls undo the mental damage the sting inflicts. With her help, you won’t be a slave anymore!”

Yara’s expression crumpled, and she stepped forward. “Please, I can be useful; let me prove it.”

There was desperation and utter submission in Yara’s words. She was offering herself to Natalie and… and something deep inside the vampire stirred at the idea. A twitch of anger crossed Natalie’s face, and she pushed past Yara and entered the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Ignoring the thrall's final pleas, Natalie gnawed on her lip hard enough to draw black blood.

Forcing herself to quickly change from her dueling leathers, Natalie tried not to think about the predatory hunger Yara evoked in her. To have someone who would so eagerly submit themselves to her was very dangerous. Natalie was just starting to get a grip on her bloodlust, and now another dark temptation had been thrust in front of her.

The desire to dominate, enslave and control others was a constant undercurrent in Natalie’s mind. Annoch’s legacy rearing its bloody head and whispering all manner of insidious ideas. Normally, Natalie could keep it contained fairly easily. Her own experiences and trauma provided an armor of disgust against the temptations. But Yara had found a chink in that plate. Her pleading desire to be a thrall bypassed some of Natalie’s moral reservations. It made ignoring the whispers all that more difficult.

Dressed in a simple dress but making sure her shortsword was strapped to one leg, Natalie prepared to leave. Looking at the bed and the chest containing Isabelle, Natalie let out a tired sigh. Cole would hopefully be back in a few days. He’d been requested at a council in eastern Norica, asked to advise the nobility on countering Vampire tactics. Natalie had obviously not been invited, which Cole had been apologetic about, but Natalie understood perfectly. There were still whispers about her in most circles of high society, and frankly, Natalie had little desire to endure more aristocratic idiocy.

Facing the door to the apartment, Natalie swallowed a gesture that hadn’t felt right since Isabelle’s ‘help’ at the Louon Keep. Natalie needed to get Yara help but couldn’t be around the damaged woman. Yara proved too much of a temptation to Natalie’s worse instincts. Finding someone else who could wean Yara off the sting and help her recover was crucial to both Natalie’s morality and sanity.

Opening the door, Natalie brushed past Yara’s pleading and moved down the hallway with supernatural speed. She was willing to waste some of her limited blood supply on escaping the thrall’s desperation. Quickly, Natalie reached the front of the temple and found the waiting carriage. The driver, a handsome man with a winning smile, opened the door for Natalie and helped her inside. The interior was plush, with seats of deep maroon velvet; it was also partially occupied.

Sitting opposite Natalie was a shockingly beautiful woman with expertly done makeup and a revealing dress. She smiled at Natalie and bowed her head, showing normal teeth and confirming her humanity. With a voice so rich and silken it had to be practiced, the woman said. “My name is Lila; I’m to be your companion for the evening.”

Natalie raised an eyebrow at that. “I see, and what does your companionship entail?”

Lila batted thick eyelashes and breathlessly said. “Anything you wish, Lady Natalie. It will be a long ride to the Mistress's estate, and I am to entertain… or feed you. My Mistress wishes to tell you my blood is lovely, and I personally invite the Night’s Kiss.”

Glad she couldn’t blush, Natalie did her best not to wriggle at that invitation. Morri was right; Pyria was anything but subtle. Deciding to try and change the topic and gather some information, Natalie asked. “How did you enter your…. Profession?”

Red lips parted in a smile, and Lila said. “I wasn’t coerced into it if that’s what you were wondering. No, I’m simply someone’s fifth daughter, so far down the inheritance list I needed to find a true career. Which I have, one that is as interesting as it is… rewarding.”

Looking out the tinted glass window of the carriage, Natalie stared out at the passing city. Glowstone lamps illuminated clean cobblestones, and a few late pedestrians strolled the streets. In this part of town, you could never have guessed the riot or anything similarly uncouth happened just a month ago.

Tapping her fingers on the glass, Natalie let blood flow into her senses, enhancing them to a higher degree. While hearing a person’s heartbeat and smelling their emotions wasn’t as good as true truth magic, it was useful in noticing tells or hesitations. Isabelle had taught Natalie the technique a few days ago, and the younger vampire was eager to test it.

“Is Pryia a good person Lila?” Natalie asked, watching the escort’s body language and trying not to notice how damn pretty the woman was.

Lila frowned, opened her mouth slightly, and picked careful words. “The mistress is like any good lord. She is protective and generous to her own but cruel and dangerous to her enemies.’

Continuing to drum on the glass, Natalie took deep breaths. Lila’s words were accompanied by a slightly elevated heart rate and a hint of… arousal. Sighing, Natalie got an idea of what Lila considered ‘generous.’

Exhaling with annoyance, Natalie thanked Lila with a nod and bit her lip. Moroi were masters of seduction and manipulation. While unable to match their cousins physically or magically, the Moroi were unparalleled players in political games and shockingly adept at surviving even the messiest situation. At least, that was what the Temple records and Cole’s stories said. Natalie’s own encounter with a Moroi back in Glockmire hadn’t painted the image of a scheming mastermind, just a spoiled, sadistic monster.

Which considering the more she learned about, the wider world made sense. The Glockmire court hadn’t exactly been the pinnacle of nobility, be it living or undead. A shocking amount of wealth combined with few responsibilities and practically no leadership led to a festering swamp filled with vampires as vapid as they were petulant. It was honestly shocking the coup against Lord Glockmire had been as successful as it was. Now that she thought about it, Natalie wondered how much of it had been Scapin’s manipulation. The ashborn bastard was still out there, and thinking about him made Natalie feel nervous.

Lila caught Natalie’s attention by leaning forward, making her dress and cleavage do all sorts of interesting things. “Lady Natalie, we are getting close to arriving. Would you like to taste me before we do? Privacy will be scarce once we arrive.”

Sucking in another breath, sifting through Lila’s scent, Natalie found what she was looking for. The faintest hint of the sting. It was little more than an impression of a smell, but she found it still. Cole and her library readings both insisted that in low doses and in moderate use, the sting wasn’t addictive. Comparable to an occasional glass of wine in terms of danger. Personally, Natalie had doubts; nothing with Vampires was that benign.”

“Why do you want me to feed on your Lila?” Natalie asked, wondering if the escort was even vaguely aware of the venom still lingering in her.

Lila smiled, a sultry expression promising all sorts of delights. “Because it feels wonderful.” a slight shudder of remembered pleasure worked through the courtesan, and she elaborated. “Not just the lovely venom but… oh, to be used and enjoyed like that. Mmmm, even the idea is enough to leave me breathless.”

The carriage suddenly felt very small and very warm. Natalie stopped breathing, unwilling to take in more of the scented air of the enclosed space. Biting her lower lip, not in attraction but stress, Natalie mused on the bitter irony of events. She’d embarked on this trip to remove the temptation Yara provided. Instead, Natalie was stuck with someone infinitely more vexing.

Pushing down her own passion, something helped by her not projecting life, Natalie said. “I… I appreciate the offer, but I must forgo it. Not because it isn’t tempting but for my own reasons.”

Rubbing her eyes, Natalie felt like she was a stupid teenager again. Trying to gently let someone down while also wrestling with violently intense desires. Lila reacted gracefully, nodding, smiling, and returning to her seat. Natalie detected what might have been a flicker of disappointment in Lila’s lovely face but no reaction other than that. The two women then sat in silence as the carriage trundled along.

Soon their vehicle stopped in front of a stately building with a sign declaring it an inn. The hanging placard depicted a rich bed covered in flowers with the establishment’s name declared along the bottom. They had arrived at the Velvet Rose, a name Natalie found more than a little on the nose. The handsome driver opened the door and helped both women from the carriage and to the establishment's front door. Lila kissed the man’s cheek and slipped him a coin, earning her a blush and a bow.

Entering the Rose, Natalie was guided down an unadorned hallway into a room lined with masks. Lila gestured at them and said, “For discretion and privacy.”

Frowning, Natalie looked over the collection of disguises. They ranged from slitted kerchiefs and lace veils to ornate helms carved in the likeness of beasts. The whole thing danced on the line between ridiculous and intimidating. Picking out a felt half-mask shaped like a feline’s face, Natalie put it on and let out an annoyed sigh. This whole thing felt like a chapter from one of those bawdy romance novellas she and Mina read together for laughs.

Adorned in her ‘disguise,’ Natalie was led into a plush lounge that smelled of wine, incense, and sex. Thick carpet covered the floor while countless couches, chairs, and tables filled the space. Beautiful women and men clad in revealing clothes sat on many of the chairs, often accompanied by masked clientele. Poorly lit and hazy with clouds of incense, the place looked and felt every bit the bordello Natalie knew it was.

Uncertain if she should feel nervous or incredulous, Natalie let herself be led past fast-flowing drinks and frivolous flirtations. Reaching a staircase with a most peculiar banister. The carved wood depicted an unbroken chain of sensuous bodies writhing in intimacy. Natalie had already started to run her hand along the wood before she realized she was groping a pair of walnut breasts. Pulling her hand away with a flicker of embarrassment, Natalie took a moment to admire the erotic art. Looking at the excellent craftmanship and admiring it as a fellow woodworker, or at least that's what she told herself.

Recovering herself, Natalie continued up the staircase, heading past the second and third floors until they reached the fourth level. Passing through a surprisingly sturdy oak door, Lila led Natalie into what was clearly some kind of suite. Dimly lit and richly ordained, the rooms matched the rest of the Velvet Rose in decor. A space of plush softness, with every element whispering promises of relaxation and carnal delights.

It was overwhelming in a strangely subtle way. Natalie wasn’t drowned in the implications of sex and passion. Instead, she found herself treading rough waters. For example, she walked past a shut door and heard gasps and moans from the other side. Or anytime her eyes rested on a decoration, she’d realize after a second the subtle erotic element to the work. It wasn’t a brutal assault on her senses like she expected but a constant low-level push that never let Natalie find her footing.

Lila stopped in front of a large set of double doors and said. “We’ve arrived; the Mistress will greet you now.”

The escort gripped both doors and pushed forward with a probably unnecessary lean that thrust her hindquarters out in a very aesthetically pleasing way. Looking upwards to avoid staring, although Natalie was reasonably certain Lila was inviting it, the Vampire found herself staring at a lintel carved like a naked woman in repose. With a sigh, Natalie thanked Lila for her ‘help’ and entered the monster’s lair.

Natalie didn’t realize how big a bed could be until now. The bedchambers, for that, was clearly what this was, of Madam Pryia was dominated by a bed large enough to make a hippogryph comfortable. Cushions and seats dotted the room, but the chamber was centered on the jotunnian mattress. It’s contents obscured by great silken curtains hanging from the ceiling.

As the chamber doors shut behind Natalie, the curtains were pushed aside by some unseen force, fully revealing the scene only hinted at before. Seated like some conquering succubi queen was an unsettlingly beautiful woman atop a throne of pillows and cushions. At her feet and occupying much of the bed was a veritable harem of beautiful men and women. All of who were teetering between unconsciousness and stupor. The air stunk of sex, perfume, and blood, each scent illustrating recent events in the room. Pryia must have indulged in all of her hungers at once.

Pryia, for no one else, could be the woman on the throne, stood up and slinked between her barely stirring ‘victims.’ Somehow finding solid footing among the tangle of bodies, further confirming her identity as a Moroi. Physically, Pryia was tall, maybe a hundred and eighty centimeters, with long curly brown hair and rich dark skin, hinting at a southern heritage. Then, of course, there was no escaping the vampire’s incredible physique. While Natalie was well endowed with good hips and breasts, Pryia looked like some primordial god-queen, with rich, full curves and hints of sculpted muscle underneath.

Seeing Natalie’s stunned reaction, Pryia smiled a coy expression that showed cruel white fangs. Slipping forward on long toned legs, the elder Vampire reached Natalie and gently reached out for her mask. Natalie stopped Pryia and slipped off the felt mask, revealing her face to the madam.

Pyria let out a melodic laugh. “Oh, you are lovely; now I don’t feel so bad about losing to you.”

Putting a hand beneath her chin, Pyria asked. “Now you’ve been trying to meet me for a while, little fledgling? What can big sister Pyria do for you?”

Raising an eyebrow, trying to keep her eyes above Pyria’s neck, Natalie asked. “Would you like to put on some clothes before we start?”

The older vampire shook her head. “Clothes are for beings who must fear the weather or another's judgment. I refuse to be constrained by them unless I’m in the mood to accent my beauty.”

Licking her fangs, Natalie said. “Well, I’m here because I have a former thrall I wish to help, and the Temple says you’ve aided them with escaped thralls in the past.”

Pryia sighed dramatically, slinked over to a nearby cushion, and settled on it. “I’ve helped some poor lost ones before. Such tragic creatures, giving a little love and safety can do so much for them.”

Sitting on a nearby chair, Natalie raised an eyebrow at Pryia’s words; something about them felt… off. “Well, I’m not equipped to help break the conditioning and poisoning of the Duchies, so I hoped you would.”

Nodding, leaning forward on her cushion in a way that more than caught Natalie’s attention, Pryia said. “ From what your message said, this thrall wants to be yours. Don’t you think that it's cruel to reject her like that?”

Bristling slightly, Natalie snapped. “She’s been enslaved by the sting and who knows what else for years. I’m not going to inflict more of that on her.”

Pursing her rich lips, Pryia said. “Not enslaved, enthralled, there is a big difference.”

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Natalie asked. “That being?”

Pryia answered. “A thrall is someone bound by magical compulsion or similar; they are enthralled, not enslaved, which is a very big difference. A slave yearns to be free; they want to break their chains and will do their best to escape unless they’ve been totally broken. Thralls, on the other hand, have their own minds turned against them. It's a much, much more tricky situation.”

Resting the urge to roll her eyes, Natalie said. “So aside from semantics, are you willing to help this ‘thrall?”

Pryia shrugged, sending her dark curls bouncing. “Willing? Of course, but not completely able. Compensation of some kind is in order; that’s just the way of things. I can’t go around helping every pretty little sister with a sob story for free, can I?”

Natalie had been expecting this. “The Temple is willing to pay for your assistance as they have previously with weaning thralls off the sting.”

Shaking her head, Pryia said. “I’ve had a few little friends whisper in my ear about this thrall and her circumstances. This isn’t some runaway thrall who has found enough will to push through the compulsion. This is a willing thrall, someone bound to a powerful vampire who wishes to continue being bound to one of us.”

Grimacing, Natalie asked. “So let me guess, those complications raise the price of your help.”

Pryia smiled. “Unfortunately, yes. Normally I’d just shift the poor thralls adoration from you to me. But I’m not looking for any more pets at the moment. So I’d need to rummage around in the poor thing’s head for months, which is sooooo tiring!”

Eyes wide, Natalie asked. “I’m sorry; did you just say pets?”

Nodding, the elder Vampire said. “Of course, what else are mortals but pets? Surely you’ve had a cat or dog in your mortal span? Mortals are just like that, lovely simple creatures we enjoy and protect for their short span.”

Shaking her head, Natalie spluttered, “That… that is wrong. People aren’t pets; they… they are people.”

Pryia pursed her lips in a distinctly condescending way. “Little sister, you are young and still bound up in what you used to be. I understand this, but I urge you to grow past it. We cannot love mortals as equals; it's simply a fact of our existence. They have finite time, and we are magically, physically, and mentally superior to them. Mortals are less than us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t love and care for them. We just have to take a different approach.”

A low hiss escaped Natalie, “How are you in this city? You talk about the living like the scum in the Duchies! I can’t believe the Temple allows you to be here!”

Just then did, Natalie realize Pryia was a master of mimicking all the minor motions of life because, at Natalie’s words, Pryia stopped all of them. Going completely and unnaturally still. In a soft dangerous whisper, Pryia asked. “Did the Temple tell you why I’m here, little sister?”

Shaking her head, Natalie said. “No, just that you are another refugee fleeing the duchies.”

Pryia’s lip peeled back in a mirthless smile. “You were raised in the Duchies; you know what our kindred are like. Mortals are just livestock to them, to be used and disposed of when no longer useful. I never agreed with that; it's cruel, wasteful, and feeds into our worst instincts. When I ruled a little town in Southern Atredia, I tried to care for my pets and use my power to ensure the little time they had was happy.”

Natalie opened her mouth to interject, but Pryia didn’t let her. “Then, one night, my idiot liege sent a messenger calling for me to enact a bone tithe. He’s gotten much of his Legion destroyed and wanted me to help provide replacement material.”

A wave of revulsion crossed over Natalie; in a suddenly dry throat, she asked. “Those… those are real? I thought they were just something made up to keep people in line.”

What might have been pity showed on Pryia’s face. “Oh little sister…. Bone tithes are very real. These centuries they aren’t as common as they once were, but they still happen. My liege needed more corpses for his army and wanted my village to supply them. The cemetery was emptied years ago, and now he wanted each family under me to contribute a member.”

Voice shaking with disgust and horror, Natalie asked. “What happened?”

Pryia smiled. “I stalled for time and made friends, particularly with a few Concordian merchants who were so eager to help.”

Pryia batted her eyes, indicating exactly how she gained these friends. “Then, over the most terrifying three weeks of my existence, I smuggled my entire village out of the Duchies and into the League.”

The older vampire was practically preening as she said this. “It took effort, most of my fortune, and more than a few broken hearts, but I organized one of the greatest escapes ever to occur.”

Rolling onto her back, giving Natalie an unfortunately good view of her incredible body, Pryia continued. “I stayed in Concordia for a while as the mistress of one of the city’s merchant lords. He was a lovely man who just needed someone to help him feel safe in his world of vipers. Once he died and my pets were settled, I looked for a new life. Eventually, events and my own talent conspired to settle me here in Vindabon.”

Natalie was starting to understand what kind of creature Pryia was, and with that understanding came a headache. Rubbing her temples, Natalie spelled it out. “You view mortals as lesser beings requiring care and protection, not as prey to be hunted or livestock to be tended, but as pets to enjoy.”

Pryia nodded. “That's about right. I know it might be a distressing perspective for a fledgling like you, but I hope you can understand it’s for the best. We are superior to mortals, and trying to love them as equals is denying the truth and setting both parties up for suffering. It’s better to have a pet, or a dozen, to enjoy and pamper until time collects its due.”

Getting up from her cushions, Pryia wandered over to a nearby counter and picked up a glass decanter. Bringing it and a pair of glasses back, she set them on the carpet. Holding up the bottle, Pryia shook it, revealing the telltale slosh of blood. Uncorking the decanter, she poured herself a glass of blood and offered some to Natalie.

Frowning, Natalie asked. “Whose blood is that?”

Sniffing her glass, Pryia answered. “Beatrix, one of my pets, donated for this vintage. This is sanguina, a lovely concoction one of our kind’s alchemists invented. Its blood magically altered to taste and feel like wine. Have some, my treat.”

Suspicion of Pryia and Natalie’s well-trained beliefs about guest rights warred within her. Eventually, the daughter of an innkeeper won over the paranoid vampire, and she let a glass be filled. Natalie tentatively sipped the beverage and was surprised by its taste. Pryia hadn’t lied; it really was like good wine, just in a form her body could ingest.

Humming in surprise, Natalie said. “Thank you… I hadn’t realized how much I missed little things like being able to drink from a glass.”

Staring at the preserved ichor, Natalie felt a flicker of a smile. “Or at least drink something other than pigs blood from a glass.”

Pryia made a disgusted noise. “Are those zealots at the temple feeding you swine? Little sister, that won’t do at all. Please, come visit the Rose and taste some of my favorites.”

The sipped sanguina wasn’t enough to make Natalie project life, and she was glad for it. “That’s… a generous offer.”

A laugh escaped Pryia, and some of her harem stirred on the bed. “Oh, not as much as you’d think. My pets crave my kiss, and a girl can only enjoy herself so much in a night. Helping you would help me keep my favorites content.”

Finishing her glass, Natalie frowned. “You said you could fix a thrall’s mind; how does that work?”

Refilling her crystal, Pryia shrugged. “From how you speak of her, your thrall seems rather willing to be owned. That sort of eager devotion can be cut into a mind with enough time and effort, but I doubt a Scarlet Knight would do such a thing.”

Raising an eyebrow, Natalie said. “Well, you are well informed.”

Pryia laughed again. “More than you know. Some of my regular clients were at the ball, so I got the whole saga from multiple angles.”

Rolling the empty glass between her hands, Pryia continued. “Willing thralls are infinitely more complicated than the poor souls who’ve had their minds stolen from them. If a person's core wants to be free, then I can build on that. If they don’t… well, usually I give them what they really want, but I sense that isn’t an option.”

Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Natalie said. “You aren’t making much sense; no one would willingly want to be a thrall.”

An undignified snort escaped the older vampire. “You really are young and innocent. You’d be surprised how many people want nothing but to be loved and useful. They hurt so much they can’t love themselves or feel valuable without serving others. We can help these poor things by giving them purpose and affection.”

Jaw tightening, Natalie asked. “Is that who your ‘pets’ are? People who want to be owned by you?”

Pryia nodded. “Of course, I wouldn’t keep anyone who didn’t want to be mine. That would just be cruel and unpleasant for everyone involved.”

Trying to wrap her head around Pryia’s strange and honestly unnerving ‘morality,’ Natalie tried to return to her goal. “So how can Yara be healed if she doesn’t want to be?”

Shrugging, Pryia answered. “You could always just give this Yara what she desires. Be her master, and have a good pet. She must have some talents if she once belonged to a Scarlet Knight. Take advantage of them and give Yara the safety and purpose she wants.”

Seeing Natalie’s frown, Pryia sighed. “Or you can let me change the very structure of her mind. Cut out that need and cultivate a more independent person as I have with others before her.”

Glancing at the pile of naked bodies on the giant bed, Natalie asked, “So you don’t just take every willing thrall into your… menagerie.”

Pryia scoffed. “My bed has only so much space, and I have only so much interest and energy. No, I’ve helped both escaped thralls and recaptured ones like your Yara. Since you are so set on having me ‘fix’ this woman, I think we should start discussing price.”

Leaning back in her seat, Natalie said, “I take it mere coin won’t settle this?”

Shaking her head, the vampire madam smiled. “Information is what I want. Rumors are circulating you hold some of the power of a primogenitor within you. What's the truth of the matter?”

Pausing to consider her words, Natalie said. “I don’t hold part of an Alukah’s power within me if that’s what you are asking.”

Frowning, Pryia seemed nonplussed. “Lying to your host, especially one you are trying to negotiate with is very bad manners.”

Meeting the madam’s red eyes, Natalie repeated herself. “I don’t hold part of an Alukah’s power within me.”

A hint of annoyance crossed Pryia’s face, and she opened her mouth to rebuke Natalie. Then the meaning of Natalie’s words sunk in. Natalie didn’t have part of an Alukah’s power; she had all of it…