After Pandora and Marius made up and came back from their “vacation”, immediately Armand and I went on our own vacation back to Venice. I have to say, I was getting used to being waited upon and called Lady Romanus. Being a Baroness had its perks. I went to different functions with Armand, and even on Earth my higher calling was to children. Armand was more then happy to pour large sums of money into rebuilding and fixing orphanages in our city. Our city? Well I guess it’s rubbing off on me well.
Armand and I were in the middle of our adoption of Antonio. Our baby boy I had fallen in love with when I first visited the orphanage before we married. My papers read that I was from Scotland. Marius had acquired everything I needed to be a part of that world. So the adoption agency could dig into me all they want. I had my story down and even the accent I have grown fond of using around others. I sat in the orphanage with all the children, Antonio in my lap, reading to them. These poor children wanted the attention, wanted to be loved, and I was more then willing to give them a part of my day to give them that.
Antonio would snuggle against my chest, and play in my curled and well kept hair. I was thankful that I could heat my body enough for him to stay warm and comfortable with me. He was my baby boy, and in an instant I now understood Armand’s fear, when he would be close to death, could I hold myself back from wanting to turn him? I forced those thoughts back because of the promise I made my sire before I married Armand. I would never sire anyone for all my eternity.
It was the middle of the night, after a long day of playing with the children at the orphanage, and I sat on our balcony watching the sun set from my protective shading. A sudden pain in my heart took hold of me and I cried out. Armand ran from the bedroom to my side, inquiring what was wrong with me, but it wasn’t me, it was my beloved sire, Va’lis. His heart ached, his pain was known to all of us who shared his blood. I felt the rage in my mind and in my heart and it angered me. What happened to make him like this? I looked at Armand and explained, Va’lis was hurt, he was in trouble. I had to go to him! I love my dear husband, he helped me quickly dress in my armor and flew me to the gates of Sosaria.
As I stepped back into my homelands I felt the anger grow more. I felt what scared me the most, sadness. My heart reached out for my sire, and I immediately used my magic to get to his hidden home where I knew he would be. I was met by Astra, in the living room.
Astra was one of the elders in our line, over two thousand years old. She held an evil about her that my husband picked up on immediately. With her age, with the ability of all magic’s but holy magic, yes she holds evil. But she is not evil. She is our second, the second made of our line, and she guides us all but mostly Va’lis. She looks like me, and I love her dearly. She guided me to where Va’lis was. His rooftop, and told me to be gentle, he needed the comfort of his favorite childe right now.
When I stepped onto the roof, I saw Va’lis throwing things into a fire. His pain and angst very bold around him. I walked up to him, and wrapped him in my arms. I saw what he was throwing into the fire; it was items belonging to one of our students, his favorite student, Catherine Heart. I asked what was going on, and he allowed me to look for myself. He moved his hair from his neck and let me take his blood. When his blood hit my tongue, what I saw sickened me. Catherine’s body was a mess, parts missing, mutilated, he found her on the coast of Haven. That poor girl, who could have done such a disgusting thing!? I pressed my forehead to Va’lis’ back in despair, sharing his pain, taking it into myself. Trying to ease his pain as much as I could. But without the bond between us, I could only do so much for him now. I would do anything for my sire; I would die for him if it was asked of me.
Va’lis saw Catherine as a daughter, he loved her dearly. Now she was taken away from him. I swear if I find the monster I would sit back laughing at the eternal torment Va’lis would put them through. I stood at his side and picked up a book, it was her spell book. I told him he shouldn’t burn everything of hers. He told me he wasn’t; her favorite things would be buried with her. I stood strong for him, I wanted so badly to cry for him but I knew I could not. He needed support, not a weeping childe. I opened the spell book, and found something that made me damn near lose my shit. A single Pink rose, carefully preserved and pressed in her book. Pink Roses were her favorite. I handed it to Va’lis silently, he took it, and placed the flower in his own spell book. I remember he had done that once with me when I was a little girl, I wondered if he still had the little purple flower I have him when I was ten. I didn’t ask.
After hours of silence, taking in the comfort of one another we parted. He gave me one simple instruction. “Fine that bastard brother of yours and bring him to me.” I knew who he meant, it wasn’t Isonu, it was Xanthus. Did Xanthus have something to do with Catherine’s death? Well, when my sire gives me instructions I take them seriously and I do not fail. When I find Xanthus, I’m bringing him right to Va’lis. Fuck putting him in jail, he’d only find a way to escape. Va’lis wouldn’t let him go easily. I left to do my sires bidding; I won’t rest until I find that sneaky little fuck that is Xanthus Razele.