Palace Of Flames (Book One of the Damnata Series)

Chapter Seven: In Damnatalia...

The Damnatan Chamber, Outer Damnatalia

[Ennaleazer]

Clemente and Silvano's bright-red eyes are glaring as they glare at each other, their pale faces splayed with twin scowls. I suppress a shudder, and Venus rests a hand on my slight, thin shoulder, sighing to herself.

"Leave them to it, they always act like this. There is no stopping them once they have started." Venus, my older sister and role model for many purposes, is more or less my hero. Her bright green eyes are glaring like emeralds as she reassures me, half-listening to the argument happening behind her, and half-listening to Mitsuru's quick footsteps clacking across the marble.

"...It was you that decided to let them loose! Stupid bugger, look what you've gotten us into this time! You can never stop being such an ass-"

"And you dare to call me an ass, brother! I raised you like a father would, moulded you into the very man you are today, and you dare to call me an ass! Clemente scoffs, and then I hear a deep snarl, a clanging of metal, and Mitsuru has stood between them, face red with rage, black eyes glaring from Silvano to Clemente and back again to Silvano.

"Enough! We are family, we must not war in such a fashion! We were taught better than that! And in the presence of one as young as Ennaleazer, we must not give in to our demons and wreak anger and rage upon our kin! Have a little dignity!"

Clemente and Silvano snort, and then Silvano shrugs.

"Yeah, whatever. Why are you in our chamber anyway? Were you not training?" He asks our Werrwulfen sister, and she sighs deeply to herself.

"I obtained yet another vision. One of such great importance to those such as my older brothers. I understand that for months we have been searching for a new Oracle to replace the last young girl that killed herself due to such cruel and twisted visions, and so I believe that this vision will be of great importance to you, brothers."

Silvano and Clemente are suddenly more interested than before, and they all-but-corner our sister as she describes her vision. I, personally, couldn't care less, but of course I must feign an interest.

"The Oracle will be another young girl, at the ripe young age of nineteen years. She lives in London, and so is not very far away from us, had we still been situated on the Mortal plane."

"And what does she look like?" Clemente asks; it's regulation for young Oracle to become the suitor of one of the male members of the Damnatan family, and Oracles are usually only accepted if they are beautiful, young and willing to give herself to the demands of the Damnata, and her male suitor.

"She is a fair being, with long auburn hair and dark-brown eyes. Her skin is pale, not as pale as that of a Vampiires, but with the complexion of a fair young girl. She is a beautiful being, a rare discovery in her city. She is exceptionally tall, with thin limbs and a flat stomach to add to her beauty."

Clemente is suddenly disinterested; he only really takes interest if they are six-feet tall, thin, blond-haired, blue-eyed, and have a large surface-area settling on her chest.

Typical man.

Silvano, on the other hand, is suddenly intrigued.

"What is she like? What are her interests?" He asks, and Mitsuru smiles.

"You are interested in the girl, yes?" Silvano's expression says it all. "She is an extremely intellectual and insightful young woman, with many views on most subjects. A moral and independent young woman, with the voice of a leader and ruler."

"And her talents?" Silvano asks, strolling across the hall to take his place in his large throne-like chair. Mitsuru sits on the seat next to him, the smaller one that tells anyone who enters that she is lower than Clemente and Silvano, who both possess the largest of the chairs - like anyone gives a hoot which size of chair you are seated in.

"Of which nature?"

"Her interests...her hobbies...and her supernatural talents." He smiles slyly to himself, and Mitsuru looks like she's trying not to burst out laughing at our brother's outrageous interest in the young woman.

"She enjoys music, and frequently plays at various venues as a light source of entertainment for her band's audience."

"She plays an instrument?"

"No, but she does sing."

Silvano smiles in content. "Then she will have but a fair voice so as to entertain me in my times of boredom or despair, as the case may be. The girl...what else do you know of?"

"Her supernatural talents consist of an uncovered ability to read minds, and she has frequent premonitions, of which she has had since she was an infant. She can also conjure Glamoures, but this is yet another ability of which she is currently unaware of. She can also block her thoughts easily, although without assistance in learning to do so, she will never be able to use this ability, much to your advantage, brother."

"Ah, indeed... Has she a Mate?"

"Not yet, no. There is a young man whom she has been drawn to considerably, though, and so I am led to believe that this young man will, in time, become her Mate."

"Which creature?"

"Fallen Angel." Silvano's face contorts in disgust, and then he quickly stands up, smiling to himself.

"His name. You have not told me the name of her suitor."

I gulp, somehow knowing this will all end in disaster, in the end. Mitsuru is suppressing a grimace, it seems, but still tells our brother, nonetheless.

"She is the object of a Fallen Angel's deepest desires, the Fallen Angel named Laurence Helyer."

"Then bring me the Fallen Angel named Laurence Helyer, and I shall wipe him out. I plan to have this nameless beauty for my own." Silvano snarls.

"Ah, but she is not nameless."

"Then what is her name, I pray?" Silvano looks around the hall, and then looks back to Mitsuru. Venus looks just about as worried as I feel, and Mitsuru looks terrified, but she tells him anyway.

"Her name is Kristy Motionless. And she is but the last-existing Oracle."

* * *

[Video: Fetish For The Finite by Fearless Vampire Killers.]

[Picture: Craig Mabbitt; does he seem like a Silvano to you? I'm not so sure myself.]