The Vampire’s Servant
Chapter 60

[Victor]

Talia sat, curled up, with a book on the couch in my office. She was reading something she brought from Queen Bellamy's personal library. It was the first night she'd had to relax and she insisted that she was going to read the whole thing before going to sleep again. I was working through the list of vampires that Bellamy had brought me. They had sworn themselves to her collective. I was on the tenth one. He was still laughing from when I told him I was the new master of the territory.

"I'm sorry, Master Nightshade. I'll swear loyalty to you if you make it through the year. Until then, I'll stick with a leader who I know will live." He chuckled.

"What do you mean by that? I've lived over eight hundred years. I'm not some child who thinks that he's invincible because of vampirism." I insisted.

"Sure. I know who you are. I was in Europe when you took your place in the council and started enforcing the laws against feeding on the weak. I heard all about your tireless hunt for your childe. Even word of your hunt for the people who stole your servant has made it here. I'm sure you found her, or you would still be hunting until you did and killed whoever took what belonged to you. No master can hold this territory. Not even someone as formidable as you. I will honor my word. If you call me again this time next year, I'll swear my loyalty. You won't find any of us who have been here for as long as I have that will before then. I moved from that city for a reason. You really should do your research." Raven informed me.

"Why can't anyone hold this territory? Why did you move? I can't right this territory without information. The others I spoke to just laughed as well. None of the vampires in the city are older than a few hundred years and Silence told me that none of the original vampires who founded this territory reside in the seat. She said you were all afraid of something, but no one would tell her what." I told him.

"Oh, Silence is still there? She moved into town a decade before I left. None of the younger ones know. Did you know that dozens have tried to take over the territory? There were even some foolish enough to try it after Grigori met the sun. All ended up the same. Dead. Either meeting the sun themselves, staked, burned, or just plain disappearing within months. My advice, revoke your leadership of this territory and get the hell out. It hasn't gotten its hooks into you yet. None of us can leave. The originals from the founding. We're all stuck in the bounds of this territory. Run, Master Nightshade. Take Death and the Traveler with you. Don't let them get stuck here, too." He hissed.

"You're all trapped?" I asked.

"The further we get from the territory, the weaker we are. Some think that our lives are what is powering the curse. I'm not joking. I'm not being untruthful. I am trying to scare you away. I've seen too many good men and women die because of this. I'm already saying too much. I'll feel the brunt of it later. Don't stay. There are other territories. Let this one go." Raven pled softly.

"I'll figure out what's going on. There has to be something else. Stay safe. I'll take care of this and call you when it's all resolved. You can either swear your loyalty or leave." I promised.

He groaned. "I thought you might be smarter than that, Master Nightshade. I'll attend your memorial. Just like I did for the others."

Raven hung up on me. All of the vampires who were in Bellamy's territory were around my age. Some were younger. Raven was seven hundred and twenty. He was a strong vampire. A grandchilde of the Angel. One of Rosalynn's children was here as well. She was five hundred and sixty. They'd all been here since the territory was founded.

I looked up at Talia. She was entirely focused on her book. I cleared my throat and she glanced at me lazily.

"What, Victor? Are you finally ready to tell me why you're so grumpy this evening?" She asked.

"No. Is there a rumor of a curse on this territory?" I questioned.

"Rosalynn brought you the archived letter from the original master. You have his journals. You accepted this post without finding out anything about it?" Talia scoffed. "Really, Victor. I expected more from you."

"I was granted this territory by the council. I asked for a territory, not this one." I told her.

"Well, there's a curse. It's part of the reason Bellamy wanted to come here. She's already broken a few curses, she wanted to see if she could break this one. The thing is, no one knows anything. None of the older vampires are talking, not even to me. None of the other supernaturals seem to know anything about it. Bellamy talked to Trent. He said that something happened a hundred years ago that changed how werewolves in their pack found mates." "What do you mean?" I pressed.

"The wolves in the Hallowed Moon Pack don't find their mate until a year after they get their wolves. It's the same for the other shapeshifters in this region of the territory, if our research is correct. Love potions don't work here, either. Nor do spells of infatuation or visions of soulmates. All wolves who have gone to the national mate conference, have had to move back here with their mates within a few months because they got sick. As long as they stay within the bounds of the territory, they're fine. It doesn't affect anyone born or raised further out. Whatever it is, it's most highly concentrated here in the vampiric seat of the region." She explained.

"And you didn't feel the need to tell me this earlier?" I sighed.

"We were a little busy finding your Echo. That was our biggest concern. Since she was raised here, I think she would be affected. It was the reason I worked hard to convince Marius not to take her from the region. Yes, much of it was for your benefit, but I don't think those children can leave the territory either." Talia admitted.

"Land can't be cursed. People can. The curse is either broken or dies with them."

"Unless the curse is on a family, then the curse lives as long as the line does." She added.

"So we find what family this curse is attached to and either break it or kill them all. Simple. All we need to do is find out the parameters of the curse and the thing that will break it." I said confidently.

"Well, you have a relationship to witches in the region now. Exploit that. If the vampires can't tell you and the wolves never knew why it happened, then the witches would be the ones to ask. They would have to have some knowledge of the curse." Talia suggested. I nodded. That was a good idea. I would contact the light witches and some of the dark witches. One of them had to have some connection to it.

Quickly, I put together a list of what I knew about the curse. This would need to be resolved to make my territory thrive. That was my primary focus as of now.

The door to my office opened. I looked up to see Master Marius enter. He was silent as he crossed the room and sat in the chair directly across from me. "Master Marius. How can I help you tonight?" I asked.

"I've heard some disturbing news, Victor." He replied.

I looked into his eyes. It wasn't the challenge to vampires that it was to werewolves. It was a sign of trust, especially with the high council.

Suddenly, I was in a dank room strapped to a table. A dark figure came in and picked up a knife. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything but watch as the knife sliced into my body and started flaying my skin.

The pain of it ripped through my body. The shadowy figure was working quickly and diligently. Vampires don't faint. We don't lose consciousness until the sun takes us to rest. Aside from a very powerful potion, there was nothing to give me the release of unconsciousness.

Once my abdomen was open, the butcher started removing pieces. There was a giggle of sadistic glee. Master Marius stood behind the butcher and watched as she removed every piece of me that she could, leaving only my heart so I wouldn't die. I felt every slice, every tug, everything. I couldn't scream from the pain, I could only watch and feel. It was excruciating.

The woman set aside the knife and picked up a plastic bucket. I suddenly recognized her. It was the witch, Lila. She smiled wickedly as she began pouring ash chips into my hollowed out abdomen.

No one knows exactly why ash trees are so effective against vampires. Our abilities seem to fade when we come into contact with it. Our fangs recede, our strength is diminished, and we are unable to hold someone with our gaze or control their minds. With the addition of the ash chips the pain became several times more intense. I started screaming as she began sewing me back together. When the stich work was done, she stroked my abdomen and listened to me plead and beg for death. After what felt like hours, she pulled out an ash stake and a mallet. I thanked her as she started pounding it into my chest. The sweet, soothing, darkness of death over took me and I cried with happiness.

When my vision cleared, I was in my office. Talia was watching me from the couch. Master Marius sat across from me with a sadistic smirk. I'd heard about his ability, but never felt it before.

It was terrifying. Everything felt so real, I had to pull up my shirt to be certain I was really in one piece. My entire body was shaking.

"This is how you will die if you harm my child again, Victor. You learn to share with that wolf, or win her entirely for yourself. Giving up is disgraceful." He sneered.

"I don't understand. How did you know about that?" I whispered.

"You gave up your Solus Amor?! Victor! How could you?" Talia scolded. "They are rare and precious. Have you learned nothing in all your years!?"

"It was for her. I didn't want her to think she had to choose, so I said I would wait. I want her to be sure of me as her only love. I don't know how that can happen when she loves someone else at the same time." I replied.

"You were cold to someone who lived a frigid life without love. You've broken my daughter's already injured heart." Marius said.

The door flew open and Echo raced in, trailed by Grayson. He looked apologetic.

"I couldn't keep her out. I tried." He panted.

"Victor." Echo murmured and rushed to me, pulling my head against her chest and holding me.

As she started to stroke my hair and cuddle me, I felt the dread and pain that was leftover from the vision begin to fade. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into my lap. I needed her so much after seeing my death.

"Let this serve as your warning, Victor. I am not a kind, soft, or patient man to anyone but those children. If I see that sad look in her eyes again, you will regret putting it there." Marius growled.

I met his eyes again. Every part of me screamed not to, but I had to show I believed him. I gripped Echo tighter against me as I met his eyes.

"I understand, Master Marius. I won't mess up again." I promised.

"See that you don't." His cellphone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. After a few moments looking at the screen heatedly, he focused on us again. "I have another matter to attend to. When I return tomorrow, that child better be smiling like she used to." Marius stood and disappeared. My entire body relaxed now that he was gone. Echo started kissing my cheek and wiping around my eyes.

Grayson stood, looking nervous, against the wall. Talia stood and walked over to the desk. She rested both of her hands on it and leaned toward me.

"You have made a deal with Death, Victor. I can't save you from the repercussions of this. Don't disappoint him. I've never seen him like this before." She warned. "Come on, Gray. Let's get you fed. Victor and Echo need time together."

He didn't resist as she pulled him from the room. The door closed and I was left in a silent room with Echo in my lap. Her kisses neared my mouth as she worked to soothe me.

"Echo. I'm sorry. I was trying to let you be happy." I murmured and turned my face, meeting her lips with my own.

She sighed softly as I deepened the kiss. I hadn't fully realized how my decision was affecting people other than me. Echo was worried and had come to save me. It was dangerous for her to go against her sire, but, it seemed, Master Marius was turning into a doting father. A frightening, doting father.

Her mouth was sweet and I hadn't fully accepted how much I missed having her near me. I was already working on shutting that part of myself down. I didn't want to miss her as much as I knew I would.

Echo's arms wrapped around my neck and she began kissing me more vigorously. She shifted herself so that she was straddling my lap and pressing her breasts against me. I groaned into her mouth as she began moving her hips.

As I had told her, the shared arousal was a big part of being joined. Once she started to feel me rising against her, her body responded. She started grinding harder against me. I wanted to give her the release she craved, but it was too soon since she'd woken up. I stilled her hips and she made the most adorable pleading whimper. I wanted to hear more of that. I could just imagine her, in my bed, begging for me to pleasure her.

Pulling back, I looked into her heavy lidded eyes.

"Please, Victor." She whispered.

"What are you asking for, princess?" I asked.

"I don't know. I just need something." Echo replied.

"I know what you need, Echo. I just can't give it to you yet. As soon as it's time, I'll give you exactly what you desire. Until then, you should go eat with everyone else."

"Food makes me feel a little queasy right now." She murmured as she leaned in and started licking my neck.

I groaned softly as her fangs slid into my neck. It was a good thing I fed as soon as I came downstairs. It would be a longer recovery for her than I originally thought. I wouldn't leave her alone again.