The Vampire & the Rebel (Completed)

Part 2: Chapter 27

Vienne's home looked very different now when seen through the filter of her wider plans, and it was hard to understand how I had not been able to accept it before. The humans here were reasonably happy, either grateful not to be outside in the cruel world, or satisfied co-conspirators in all her deeper plots.

I had originally intended to hide away to help keep the pretense of my death going, but Leif had said there was no point in maintaining the since Vienne intended to enlighten her household humans about what was happening at last. It would be difficult to hide the fact three vampires would die in the sun the next day.

Thus, I found myself taking shifts to watch the downed leeches through the night as if I had never left and simply joined her when she first offered. Any time they moved, we would simply remove the daggers staking them and shove it in from another angle. At first, it seemed dishonourable, but after restaking one of them for the dozenth time it became methodical, just another repetitive survival task.

Still, I think all the guards were relieved when the sun finally broke the horizon. With Vienne onlooking, we moved the unconscious bloodsuckers outside and chained them to thick vertical poles in the training yard. Once there, guards resumed their watch for signs of movement.

Vienne was standing in the centre of the training yard with her parasol at a sharp angle above her head, dressed in glasses, gloves, boots and a sweeping jacket with long sleeves. Her attention seemed solely fixed on her guards as they stood over her downed enemies.

She looked completely unconcerned about the fact the morning sun was beaming down all around her, just out of reach of her skin as she adjusted her small shade.

The spectacle was not unremarked by the humans beyond her inner circle. I caught more than one shocked or horrified gaze resting on me, but most were more transfixed by the sight of three leeches bound in the daylight. As the sun gradually rose in the sky, more and more humans wandered outside to gape at the unusual sight before them.

I would have imagined that she might be upset with this break in her plans, but she seemed anything but as she silently watched with a little half smile on her face.

Finally, she spoke. "Remove the weapons from their bodies. I wish to speak to them before the sun consumes them," she ordered.

Several of the guards hurried to carry out her orders, removing the daggers and leaving the weapons in a dark bloody pile.

Everyone watched the still forms, transfixed, wondering if it was truly possible for them to come back from such punishment.

All three were unconscious, but I could tell they would be reviving soon by their unearthly twitching. The sun was working on them as their exposed skin began to redden and crisp.

I and the other humans kept silent vigil.

It was Katter who regained consciousness first. He said nothing, but stared at the leech with malevolent eyes as if she were the only being in the yard. Maybe for him, she was.

We watched as the two bloodsuckers stared each other down. Katter's eyes were filled with rage and Vienne wore an indulgent smile across her lips.

Then, the bound female began to stir, with a low drawn out moan. Willow's long hair hung down over her face and she opened her eyes and glared through the curtain. Her eyes grew wide with dawning horror at her situation.

"Vienne, what do you think you're doing? How dare you?"

Vienne turned her attention away from Katter.

"That's a silly question, Willow. You should know by now that I dare whatever I want."

"We're councillors!"