Chapter 6 - Samael's POV

“The land between the eastern bridge leading out of Shade City and the Famine Forest belongs to the Nightshade Coven! It has been our land for thousands of years. You and your despicable, void worshipping coven of witches have no right to lay any claim to it!”

Adelaide’s lips curve into an arrogant sneer, “Careful leech, push me and I might just take your entire city out from under your miserable clutch. Your father would despise you for what you’ve turned his city into.”

“WATCH YOUR TONGUE WITH ME WITCH OR I’LL RIP IT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH”

“Oh, I would love for you to get close enough to try, you wicked old man. I see how black your soul is and I could easily twist it to do my bidding.”

“Your highness!” Lucien Nightshade, leader of the Nightshade Coven, looks up at me from his seat at the grand meeting table in my council room. His expression is of disbelief and rage towards Adelaide’s attempt to, well, do exactly what she is doing, threatening the power of the coven leaders. That woman probably could take his city from him if she wanted to, but I know she doesn’t give a shit about Shade City. Right now all she wants is to get a rise out of Lucien.

“Do you hear this damned witch's threats? Why do we still allow these vile creatures a place on the royal council? Can we not vote them out?” Lucien asks with obvious distress, looking to the rest of the council members for support. No one offers any. He seems awfully threatened by her. Adelaide may be a pain in the ass but she’s more loyal to the Dema crown than most of the coven leaders. What could have dear old Lucien Nightshade so concerned?

I scowl at Adelaide, who just smirks at the pissed off vampire and gives me a subtle wink. Goddess damn this woman to the underworld. I groan inwardly, usually I make Seth do the talking at these meetings, so I can just glare at them all. Unfortunately, I had to send him on a mission with some of my spies, so it looks like I have to deal with this.

I look directly at Lucien as I speak, putting emphasis on every word, “The Blood of Nyx Coven Mother will always have a place on this council. Is. That. Clear?”

“But my king!” My glare hardens as Lucien’s growing audacity to question me causes a wave of fury to build in my chest. “I know I am new to this council, having only recently become a coven leader, but I still do not understand how a vampire kingdom can allow witches to have a say in their politics!”

I don’t even attempt to answer him. This is only Lucien’s second royal council meeting, as coven leaders are only required to attend one quarterly. Since his last visit to the castle, I have received multiple correspondence from him stating his concerns over having witches holding so much power in our kingdom. He knows why they do and always will, everyone does. I know he’s been meeting with void witches from outside of Dema Mortem, as well as representatives from the Emberi Empire, I don’t know why yet, but I’ll figure it out. Until then, I’ll let him think I know nothing.

Adelaide’s voice rings out, cool and calm, but her aura turns as dark as the void, and can be felt in every corner of the room, “Lucien, my dear, you will never be rid of me, my blood runs in your veins.” Her words leave a deafening silence hanging in the air.

Lucien huffs and slumps back in his chair, admitting defeat. The other coven leaders and council members shift or fidget nervously in their seats. Adelaide’s words remind them that they not only bow to a king, but also a witch if she ever feels inclined to force them to bend to her will. The only one strong enough to take on Adelaide in this room is me, and I will never turn on her.

She has been here longer than I have. My father trusted her and so do I. Besides, it's not like I have a choice in the matter. The goddess Nyx herself made the deal with the original Blood of Nyx coven mother; Guinevere was Adelaide’s direct ancestor, and she offered her blood to Nyx, so the goddess could create her vampire species. Adelaide’s family blood does flow through our veins, and the power granted to them by Nyx in exchange for Guinevere’s blood ensures her coven will always hold a level of control in the kingdom of Dema Mortem. If Lucien Nightshade doesn’t like it, he can fucking leave.

The silence in the room is broken by the large double doors opening with a bang. Seth strides into the room, quickly making his way to my place at the head of the table. When he is at my side, he whispers three words in my ear, “We have him.”

A fire burns in the pit of my stomach, and I stand to address the vampires, and Adelaide, who is already standing and getting ready to leave. “Lucien, you know Adelaide doesn’t give a shit about your land, it's yours so stop complaining.” I send him one last glare before continuing, “This meeting is adjourned. I suggest you all ensure your guests are ready for the first banquet, which will be starting shortly.”

I leave before anyone can say another word, speeding to my throne room where I find Kieran – one of my best spies – forcing a man to his knees at the foot of my throne. The pathetic trembling mess jerks his head in my direction, his blood red eyes indicating he has recently fed.

I look at Kieran, “He was feeding when you tracked him down?” Kieran only nods, not even sparing me a glance, but has his blank stare fixed on the blood-crazed vampire trembling on his knees.

Seth secures the doors to the throne room and joins us. “He was on the west side of Snowcrest, feeding on an eight-year-old girl. She didn’t survive. Her family has been informed and the girl's body is on its way back to them. They’ve been given the contract and the money for staying silent, they just have to sign it and accept. But...” Seth pauses as he glares at the vampire before us, “They might take more convincing than the last family. The mother was… not doing well when I left their home.”

A silent kind of rage consumes me. I sit upon my royal throne and stare down at the man before me. “Aleister,” I say, and watch as he freezes at the sound of his name. “Yes, we know exactly who you are.” His lower lip quivers. Goddess, what a pathetic excuse for a vampire. “We’ve been hunting you since the first little girl in Trinity Harbour, then Pasadena, then Gold Haven, and now Snowcrest. All four of the protected human cities in Dema Mortem. Do you have a death wish?” My voice rises with every word, my anger growing at the thought of those four little girls who will never see another day, whose parents and siblings are grieving for their tragic loss.

“There are no children in the unprotected human towns,” Aleister mutters under his breath.

I knew he was sick and depraved, but I was really hoping he wasn’t as bad as I thought, “What did you do to those little girls before draining them of their blood Aleister?” I grit through my teeth; my body is vibrating from the pure rage flowing from my chest and extending to every extremity. I feel my eyes dilate, and know they have turned from black to blood red in my fury.

Aleister turns his face up towards mine and a sadistic smile spreads across it, “Their screams are the prettiest you know. The little girls. So high-pitched and alluring. And they screamed, my king, they screamed the whole time.” He bursts into a fit of laughter, cackling like a mad man.

I don’t say a word. I simply lean forward, grab ahold of his jaw and force his lips apart, then I rip his tongue from his mouth in one swift motion. He falls to his side, clutching his face in agony. Blood pours from between his hands and pools on the floor around him. I toss his tongue aside and it lands in the blood with a splatter

Rising from my throne, I take a daunting step towards Aleister when Seth speaks up, “My king, the banquet you are hosting is starting. Your mother expects you to give a welcoming toast.”

I turn my rage-filled eyes on him instead. He stays silent, watching me advance towards a writhing Aleister. “Make your fucking point Seth,” I growl.

“You don’t have time for your usual methods. Take care of him quickly.” He replies, turning and striding to unlock the doors.

Fuck. The slow torture is my favourite part. I wrench Aleister up into a standing position. He attempts to fold back in on himself in pain, but I hold him upright. “Run Aleister.” I say, turning him around and giving him a shove towards the large double doors. He stumbles and makes unintelligible noises, spluttering out blood and looking back at me fearfully. “I won’t say it again. Fucking. Run.” He finally composes himself enough to use his speed and does as I say. He leaves a river of blood flowing through the air after him, which hits the floor like drops of rain.

I watch Seth leave the room, probably to collect a worker to clean this bloody mess up and dispose of Aleister’s tongue.

I turn to Kieran, who had watched the scene with his signature unreadable expression. “Will I see you at the banquet?” I ask him. He only gives me a brief nod before leaving the room as well.

I rush out behind him, passing him in a blur and find myself several floors below. I follow the blood trail from Aleister and find him in the very hallway leading to the banquet room where I need to be. It's not the main entrance, but the one that leads behind the head table. It looks like Aleister got lost trying to find his way out of the castle. He is halfway to the double doors at the end of the hall. Two guards stand there, looking ready to kill him if he tries getting past them. Good.

I run to Aleister’s side and turn him to face me. He looks at me with sheer terror in his eyes. I lean into his ear, my voice a deathly whisper, “You know, when humans willingly give us their blood, it is unwise to rape and kill their children, Aleister” I thrust my hand into his chest, my claws tearing easily through his flesh and wrapping around his beating heart. His eyes widen in panic as I squeeze the life-giving organ. “May Nyx have no mercy on your soul” I say as I tear out his heart.

Aleister sways momentarily as the life leaves his eyes. Then he falls to the floor with a thud. I step over his body, dropping his heart, and make my way to the guards standing at the double doors of the banquet hall. They bow their heads when I approach and I address the one on the left, “Azriel, take out the trash then return to your post.” I say to him, gesturing behind me.

“Yes, my king,” he pauses before asking, “is this the one who was killing the young girls?”

“It is” I answer him through my teeth, still gripped by fury at Aleister’s actions.

“Well then, shall I burn the trash to ensure a proper disposal of it?” Azriel asks eagerly.

“Fucking disintegrate it for all I care, just get rid of it,” I hiss, growing annoyed at the idea of giving a toast to welcome a bunch of snakes into my home.

“Thank-you my king,” Azriel says as he walks down the hall towards Aleister’s body.

I throw open the double doors with a bang – might as well make an entrance – and stride into the banquet room. I’m directly behind the head table, my grand chair is straight in front of me, and I walk towards it, eyeing the now silent room. The seats at the head table are occupied by my most trusted council members, my mother and her seven fucking sisters, Seth’s wife Emmeline, and – beaming up at me from the chair next to mine – my little sister, Lilith.

The guests around the room and sitting at the other tables slowly begin to resume their conversations as I take my seat. Lilith’s eyes narrow as she takes in my appearance, “Really brother, you couldn’t even wipe the blood off before arriving?” I look down and see blood still dripping from the hand that ripped out Aleister’s heart, as well as splatters on my arms and clothes in various places from the mess his mouth made when his tongue was no longer intact.

I shrug, wiping the blood off my hands with a cloth napkin. Mother wanted the king to attend her precious banquets and that’s exactly what she will get. She catches my eye from her place at the table and motions for me to stand to give a welcome toast. I sigh inwardly, I would have preferred drawing out Aleister’s punishment all night rather than attending mother’s party.

Unfortunately, my obligations as king include more than just killing criminals, I have to find a wife as well apparently. Fuck. I down the glass of red wine in front of me, snatch up Lilith’s full glass, and stand. Holding up Lilith’s glass to the room, I ignore her scowl and open my mouth to address my guests. I give my toast to the crowd and I’m swept into the first night of heavy food, firm handshakes, desperate introductions, flirty eyes, and alcohol. Lots of alcohol.

***

The next morning, I have breakfast in the east lounge with my family. It is the first time in decades all of my mothers sisters have been in the castle together. My mother, Lydia, sits with Cordelia, Josephine, and Delphine. Their heads are together as they pour over a meal list for the next banquet.

My little sister Lilith sits in the plush armchairs in front of the fireplace with Rhiannon and Briannon - mother’s youngest sisters. The roaring fire casts a warm glow over their faces as they chat happily.

Maribel and Jesibel sit together at a little table by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the lounge, heads together and talking quietly.

I’m sitting at the main table with Seth and Emmeline, chatting about the schedule for the stable hands resuming when our horses get back from the Emberi Empire tonight. Mother will be pleased to see Reign again.

We received a letter from one of my head prison guards, Ambrose, which he sent while they were in the Eternal Flame coven territory just outside of the empire. One of the prisoners apparently snapped the neck of another prisoner. The journey between countries is always a little rocky but it is a rare occurrence for the prisoners to kill one another.

I trust my guards at the prison to take care of it. Ambrose particularly, it's why he’s my top guard, and in charge of one of the groups that collect our humans once a year. We have seven hundred and ninety-two human prisoners arriving this year to the various prison locations around Dema Mortem. Ambrose and his group will be arriving in the kingdom's inner city late this afternoon and taking seventy-two of the prisoners – or seventy-one now – to the prison facility just west of my castle.

It shouldn’t be much longer after that, and Everett will return the horses to the stables. He is the only one in the group who is not a prison guard. He runs the stables in my castle grounds. I’ve never met a more volatile vampire than Everett, but he has a way with those beasts. Even Reign sometimes obeys him, and Reign only listens to my mother.

Speaking of, I’m actively avoiding my mothers glare as I discuss the debacle between the human prisoners with Seth and Emmeline. According to her, I did not socialize enough last night, and she has been cold towards me all morning.

It doesn’t matter. I met every single woman she invited, and none held my attention for longer than an introduction. I didn’t even fuck any of them.

I’ll have to make an effort to have a bit of fun at the next banquet, I suppose. It’s in two days on the sixty-sixth day of summer, the hottest day of the year, although up here in the northern mountains, we’ll be lucky to get some snow melt.

Maybe someone will hold my attention long enough to actually make the night worth it.