The second full story in the revised Pale Web series. Whilst Lucinia is settling into her new accommodation, she and Annabella receive an invitation to a noble ball. However, the hosts are not all they seem...
One
Lucinia Hadris thought she had woken. The young vampire gazed about the room with sea-blue eyes. It was the basement of the house, with a number of coffins, included one inhabited by her friend and host, Annabella Castellan, and a painting of a beautiful young girl with blonde hair and a bright yellow dress. The floor was hard wood.
Then she noticed Shadow-of-Doubt. The mind-warden, an exact copy of herself - crimson hair, pale skin, strong arms - wearing black clothes. Her mental companion smiled. "Good day, Hadris. You thought you were awake?" Shadow shook her head. "I can send you back if you like."
Lucinia smiled. She wasn't sure what Shadow was, but loved her dearly. "I am fine. What did you want to discuss?"
Shadow frowned. "Are you sure it was necessary to reveal me? I am sure I could have hidden."
"I doubt it. Annabella is very powerful."
Shadow looked offended. "You doubt my ability to hide?" she demanded angrily."Even you cannot hide forever," Lucinia pointed out. "We discussed this," she added, frustrated. "Why question me again?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were certain."
"Well, I am," Lucinia said firmly.
Shadow nodded. "I suppose you are. And we could be in a worse position. You are certainly not ready to wander alone. But are you sure you can live with a Lahmian? You will hate everything she does."
"I am not going on missions!" Lucinia protested.
Shadow bared her fangs. It was her job to make Lucinia uncomfortable. "She is Lahmian. She will use you however she can. And do you not hate being deceived?"
An image of a monastery suddenly flashed into Lucinia's mind. She growled. "I will not be deceived again." That deception had almost killed her forever, ruined her life, and driven her here. It would never
happen again.
Shadow cocked a brow. "As long as you are certain."
Lucinia stretched to the breaking dusk as Annabella climbed out of the coffin beside her. The Lahmian was tall and slim, with long blonde hair and midnight eyes and dress. Her uncovered arms were long and delicate.
"Hello, child," she purred affectionately. "How was your first night here? I suppose you are not used to coffins." The tone suggested 'You poor girl.'
Lucinia smiled. "I have never slept better in life or death." That was the complete, honest truth. The coffin was far better than any bed, and certainly better than the ground.
Annabella nodded. "I'm not surprised. And Shadow?"
Lucinia passed on greetings.
"That is good to hear. Now, how do you normally start the day?" Annabella coughed gently. "I mean, night?"
"Weapons training," Lucinia replied instantly, all traces of sleep banished.
Annabella looked her up and down, amused. "Surely after changing."
Lucinia stammered. "Well, naturally."
"Do that, and I shall be outside in a moment."
Annabella's home was a modest two storey house in the city, made of red brick and with large windows.A back garden extended a good distance away from it. The grass felt good under Lucinia's bare feet.
"I do prefer to work at home without shoes. They can be...restrictive," Annabella commented.
"I completely agree."
As do I, Hadris. Please refrain from shoes in the future.
Lucinia laughed. "Shadow wants me to never wear shoes again."
Annabella's black eyes twinkled. "I can see your thoughts are near identical."
"Before we start, may I ask one question."
Annabella held a finger up. "One, child."
"Who is the girl in the basement? She is so beautiful."
A shadow flickered across Annabella's face "Someone very dear to me," she answered bluntly. "Start."
This will be interesting to find out, Shadow mused. Secrets already! Hadris you - oh, I apologise.
"Stay quiet!" Lucinia snapped mentally.
She suspected the lapse in concentration would have made no difference, no matter how annoyed about it she was, however. Annabella was blindingly fast. That was to be expected from such a pure-blooded Lahmain but the Blood Dragon was still caught off balance and quickly found her red clothing dirty from repeated groundings.
This was a surprise, Shadow said in a tone suggesting the opposite. You're not going to defeat a strong high-blooded Lahmian.
Luicnia was too exhausted to retort.
"Oh, child, there is no use lunging after where I am going. Try to predict where I will go," Annabella advised, pulling Lucinia up.
It was good advice, but helped little. Eventually, Annabella gave Lucinia mercy. "Now, I know you Blood Dragons prefer to drink from vanquished foes, but I like to collect blood so I can drink it when I need to. Would you like some?"
Stored blood sounded disgusting and dishonourable. "No, thank you."
Annabella smiled. "Are you sure? I shall have some." She went inside, and returned with two glasses, both filled to overflowing with crimson life force. Lucinia's internal beast stirred, and she felt her fangs extending. It did not help when Annabella put one glass next to her lips, and drank from the other.
Free blood. Why refuse?
"It is not my way." Lucinia controlled herself and retracted her fangs. "I can't," she protested weakly.
Annabella sighed happily. "Ah, now that is blood. It is a shame you shall miss a pleasure in life." She drained the glass Lucinia had pushed away. "Never mind."
Several weeks later, Lucinia and Annabella were reading inside when there was a knock at the door. Annabella answered, and returned with a letter. She smiled as a cat before a mouse. "Child, have you ever been to a ball."
Lucinia gagged. "Never."
"Well, that is unfortunate. I have been invited to one, and I should like to introduce you."
What did I tell you, hadris?
"What do you mean, introduce me?" Lucinia demanded. "I thought I was just a guest here until circumstances changed."
Annabella's face turned quite serious. "Lucinia, you are most welcome here, and I love your company. But if you are to remain here, I expect a societal return." She stroked Lucinia's hair. "I don't expect you to intrigue with me. Just...join me at functions, please." Her smile was irresistible as much as pleading, and, unsure if she were enchanted, Lucinia felt compelled to accept.
You've neevr been to a ball in your life! Shadow couldn't help laughing
"Shush!" Lucinia said forcefullly, face colouring.
Annabella raised an eyebrow.
"It's Shadow being her usual self."
Annabella smiled. "I love her more every day."
"Very well, Annabella. Who is it?"
One
Lucinia Hadris thought she had woken. The young vampire gazed about the room with sea-blue eyes. It was the basement of the house, with a number of coffins, included one inhabited by her friend and host, Annabella Castellan, and a painting of a beautiful young girl with blonde hair and a bright yellow dress. The floor was hard wood.
Then she noticed Shadow-of-Doubt. The mind-warden, an exact copy of herself - crimson hair, pale skin, strong arms - wearing black clothes. Her mental companion smiled. "Good day, Hadris. You thought you were awake?" Shadow shook her head. "I can send you back if you like."
Lucinia smiled. She wasn't sure what Shadow was, but loved her dearly. "I am fine. What did you want to discuss?"
Shadow frowned. "Are you sure it was necessary to reveal me? I am sure I could have hidden."
"I doubt it. Annabella is very powerful."
Shadow looked offended. "You doubt my ability to hide?" she demanded angrily."Even you cannot hide forever," Lucinia pointed out. "We discussed this," she added, frustrated. "Why question me again?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were certain."
"Well, I am," Lucinia said firmly.
Shadow nodded. "I suppose you are. And we could be in a worse position. You are certainly not ready to wander alone. But are you sure you can live with a Lahmian? You will hate everything she does."
"I am not going on missions!" Lucinia protested.
Shadow bared her fangs. It was her job to make Lucinia uncomfortable. "She is Lahmian. She will use you however she can. And do you not hate being deceived?"
An image of a monastery suddenly flashed into Lucinia's mind. She growled. "I will not be deceived again." That deception had almost killed her forever, ruined her life, and driven her here. It would never
happen again.
Shadow cocked a brow. "As long as you are certain."
Lucinia stretched to the breaking dusk as Annabella climbed out of the coffin beside her. The Lahmian was tall and slim, with long blonde hair and midnight eyes and dress. Her uncovered arms were long and delicate.
"Hello, child," she purred affectionately. "How was your first night here? I suppose you are not used to coffins." The tone suggested 'You poor girl.'
Lucinia smiled. "I have never slept better in life or death." That was the complete, honest truth. The coffin was far better than any bed, and certainly better than the ground.
Annabella nodded. "I'm not surprised. And Shadow?"
Lucinia passed on greetings.
"That is good to hear. Now, how do you normally start the day?" Annabella coughed gently. "I mean, night?"
"Weapons training," Lucinia replied instantly, all traces of sleep banished.
Annabella looked her up and down, amused. "Surely after changing."
Lucinia stammered. "Well, naturally."
"Do that, and I shall be outside in a moment."
Annabella's home was a modest two storey house in the city, made of red brick and with large windows.A back garden extended a good distance away from it. The grass felt good under Lucinia's bare feet.
"I do prefer to work at home without shoes. They can be...restrictive," Annabella commented.
"I completely agree."
As do I, Hadris. Please refrain from shoes in the future.
Lucinia laughed. "Shadow wants me to never wear shoes again."
Annabella's black eyes twinkled. "I can see your thoughts are near identical."
"Before we start, may I ask one question."
Annabella held a finger up. "One, child."
"Who is the girl in the basement? She is so beautiful."
A shadow flickered across Annabella's face "Someone very dear to me," she answered bluntly. "Start."
This will be interesting to find out, Shadow mused. Secrets already! Hadris you - oh, I apologise.
"Stay quiet!" Lucinia snapped mentally.
She suspected the lapse in concentration would have made no difference, no matter how annoyed about it she was, however. Annabella was blindingly fast. That was to be expected from such a pure-blooded Lahmain but the Blood Dragon was still caught off balance and quickly found her red clothing dirty from repeated groundings.
This was a surprise, Shadow said in a tone suggesting the opposite. You're not going to defeat a strong high-blooded Lahmian.
Luicnia was too exhausted to retort.
"Oh, child, there is no use lunging after where I am going. Try to predict where I will go," Annabella advised, pulling Lucinia up.
It was good advice, but helped little. Eventually, Annabella gave Lucinia mercy. "Now, I know you Blood Dragons prefer to drink from vanquished foes, but I like to collect blood so I can drink it when I need to. Would you like some?"
Stored blood sounded disgusting and dishonourable. "No, thank you."
Annabella smiled. "Are you sure? I shall have some." She went inside, and returned with two glasses, both filled to overflowing with crimson life force. Lucinia's internal beast stirred, and she felt her fangs extending. It did not help when Annabella put one glass next to her lips, and drank from the other.
Free blood. Why refuse?
"It is not my way." Lucinia controlled herself and retracted her fangs. "I can't," she protested weakly.
Annabella sighed happily. "Ah, now that is blood. It is a shame you shall miss a pleasure in life." She drained the glass Lucinia had pushed away. "Never mind."
Several weeks later, Lucinia and Annabella were reading inside when there was a knock at the door. Annabella answered, and returned with a letter. She smiled as a cat before a mouse. "Child, have you ever been to a ball."
Lucinia gagged. "Never."
"Well, that is unfortunate. I have been invited to one, and I should like to introduce you."
What did I tell you, hadris?
"What do you mean, introduce me?" Lucinia demanded. "I thought I was just a guest here until circumstances changed."
Annabella's face turned quite serious. "Lucinia, you are most welcome here, and I love your company. But if you are to remain here, I expect a societal return." She stroked Lucinia's hair. "I don't expect you to intrigue with me. Just...join me at functions, please." Her smile was irresistible as much as pleading, and, unsure if she were enchanted, Lucinia felt compelled to accept.
You've neevr been to a ball in your life! Shadow couldn't help laughing
"Shush!" Lucinia said forcefullly, face colouring.
Annabella raised an eyebrow.
"It's Shadow being her usual self."
Annabella smiled. "I love her more every day."
"Very well, Annabella. Who is it?"
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