Scarlet Song

Chapter 14

 He nods, agreeing with her story and smiling wide. He still had his toothy grin and his pointy ears as well as his tattoos but, you could be easily fooled that he was human. " It's no permanent thing, obviously. This is all just glamours over his original image, just like when we shapeshift ourselves. Has he ever seen your true form, Captain LaRue?" I look to her and shrug, knowing she was just a curious little selkie. "Not quite, Moira. He's seen glimpses of what I really look like but, that form has only really been reserved for the worst of the worst." I giggle softly and shake my head. "That form was the one that could sink entire ships, fleets if used right. Despite spending nearly two centuries around each other off and on, I hold that as something I hope he never has to witness." She nods and gently takes my hand, squeezing it gently. "I have no doubt that he loves you even though you have your secrets." Before I could clarify to her, Voltair's arm slid around me as he kissed my forehead. Moira went to talk to other members of the crew, and eventually Arlemis. It seemed to make his day to hear from her and they seemed to be hitting it off. I looked up at Voltair and sighed,shaking my head and smiling. "So, how does it feel?" He chuckles and shakes his head. "I'm really not sure. I keep seeing glimpses of myself and it just doesnt feel right but, it doesn't feel wrong, either. I thought it would be a nice surprise after so many years of my drow face." I tilt my head and wave my hand over his face, removing the glamour from him and I pull him close and kiss his nose. "Voltair, I married that rude, cocky drow. I don't have a preferance, as long as it's you." He kisses my lips tenderly and nods. "Of course, my love. At least most of the hard part is over. I suppose it's my turn to tighten loose strands with our marriage with my own council. You would be a future queen and that brings up more politics to dealt with for both of our people." I nod and press my finger to his lips, eager to get him to just enjoy this moment here with me. "We have to do something and it's gonna be dangerous beyond words. Can you get Moira for me?" He nods and runs to retrieve her as I wave my sisters over. We all meet in the center of the deck to discuss what had to happen. "Moira, your question brought something up in my mind as an idea. If there's one side of me that can take Vera at all, it's that side. The problem is that I haven't let them out in nearly three centuries." Voltair seems puzzled until Amsephone speaks. "She means our full forms. Anything humanoid is some sort of glamour for us. The easiest of them all, obviously but, still not what we really are. Our true forms are what's considered genderless. We're neither male or female because it's no longer about being the ideal image. It's us in our purest predatory state and bringing it out after all this time can mean her forgetting that it's her loved ones around her. Her body has to revert to it's most primal and act out like a spoiled child. These hungers took us all years to learn the civilized form of. Vera would have thought to use it herself when she fights LaRue but, LaRue may be able to trump her by honing in on hers." I nod and lock eyes with Voltair. "Moira, I need you to remake something from my past. When it's done, you must give it to Voltair. I ask that my sisters act as my next line of defense if this device doesn't work." He grabs onto my hand and shakes his head, frowning. "The collar the Captain made you wear? What are you planning on doing?" I look over everyone and sigh. "We have to teach my body to hunger and hunt like that again. It will be a long process and a dangerous one that will require everyone to help. I have to starve myself from this point on, even when we meet before the Vampire Council. Soon after that point, it will get harder and harder for me to function. My body will hit a breaking point where I will urgently hunger and I will resort to that side to get food. When I can capture myself doing that, I have work myself down from there and regain some control. If I can't gain a grip on my senses, the only one aside from my sisters that has any hope getting that close to me and surviving is Voltair. I have to be honest, the idea petrifies me but, I have to do this." Moira and my sisters nod in agreement to my plan but, Voltair stands against everyone. "No, there has to be some other way. You have so much more rallying behind you than before and shouldn't have to make yourself starve to bring this out. I remember the agony in your eyes when that collar locked, Moone. What if we can't get it back off? I love you no matter what but, if I can keep you from possibly killing who you are, I'll do it." I shake my head and bite back tears. "Voltair, do you think I'm not afraid of the fact that I could possibly kill you when this happens? Do you think I haven't been brewing over every possibility to how any of this is going to go? No, I have no other option. If I'm gonna have any hope of pulling any of this off, I have to risk it all. I had to murder my own sisters, Volt. You had to hold me as I swallowed pieces of Lila. I know you remember losing your family in front of your eyes. I know you understand that feeling and where I am on this. Any agony I can put her through will never match what she's put me through. So, no, there is no other way." I only then realized that I was shaking as I sobbed and clenched my fists. "This has to happen whether you want it or not." Before he could speak, I dove off the ship and changed, remaining below the surface for a while. Soon, my sisters helped everyone set up before lifting anchor and leaving for the vampire council. I kept close to the ships without ever surfacing for the six days it took us to get there. Our arrival to the port was announced when Moira dove in a while before to tell me. It was honestly a beautiful sight to see her hit the water and change and it was always a unique experience when they communicated. She pressed her forehead to mine and swam around me. She couldn't speak when she was in her natural form but, she could communicate through her mind as long as she could touch you. She'd told me that would be arriving soon and that the collar was done. I still waited until dark to surface on the beach, thinking I could wander up the docks back to the ship to get ready to leave. I was struggling with my feelings in knowing that Voltair wasn't agreeing with this as much I need his help or for him to just be by my side. I stretched my legs a little when I walked onto the beach, startled by the sigh that was laid out in front of me. Voltair sat there on the beach, pants rolled up his legs and his shirt open as his bare toes sunk into the sand. He was holding the collar in his hands, trying not to crumple it like he knew he could. "I know you need this and I know it hurts, Moone. I can't say I fully understand how it feels but I know I at least have a start. I need you know that you will never go through this alone. You just can't leave, LaRue. You are everything that I have and I refuse to lose that." I offer him my hand and sigh, exhausted. "I'd sit next to you and dip my feet too, but I may not get back up. Let's cause some chaos before I crumple." He took my hand and rushed to get up when he seen my face. "My love, you look sickly, are you sure you want to do go through with this?" I nuzzled into his hands on my cheeks and nodded. "I'll live, love. A little glamour and I can hide the bags under my eyes." He reluctantly nods and sighs, leading me back to the ship. We both dressed more appropriately for the formal setting we would be arriving to. I got into one of my nicest gowns and corset, slipped into my cloak as Voltair did the same. He was dressed even better than before with his family crest hanging from his neck. When we arrived, it was definitely tense when Voltair arrived. We were greeted at the door and he was asked his family name. He lowered his hood and the guards immediately nodded and waved us inside. In the main room, the guests who I assumed were other vampires, chattered and pointed as they laughed and snarled. I could hear whispers of "LaCrue and his fish wife, his blood bag" and other countless rumors. It was giving me a shrieking headache by the time we made it upstairs to the chamber doors. He nudged close to me and whispered in my ear. "Don't hold back. Show them what you are. You come here standing as the next head to your race." I nod and take a deep breath as we walk inside, arms locked with each other. A deep, older voice bellows across the room. "LaCrue, it's been an eternity since you came before us. I pray your immortality is finding you well?" Voltair boys and chuckles. "You can certainly say that, Sorin. I wish to bring you my wife as a statement of alliance." A younger man speaks. "Though your family name carries much weight within these halls but, who important could have possibly married you? What could she be that would be important to us?" I lower my hood and clear my throat before looking at Sorin. "Soon to be Crone and Queen of my people, of all water creatures. I am Princess LaRue Moone." The younger one chuckles and shakes his head. "That doesn't answer what you are, little girl. What did he have to do to wrangle a little guppy like you?" Before he can say more, I materialize in front of him and smirk. "I, sir, am a siren, sinker of ships, plague of the seas, killer of men." Sorin cuts the silence with a booming chuckle. "Well done, Voltair. Your wife really is of royal blood. What do you offer?" I materialize by Voltair's side and look to Sorin. I wish to offer an alliance with all of my people, in exchange for your aid in one battle." Sorin thinks it over as Voltair explains the specifics and refers to the younger one of them as Thiago. Thiago looks bored by the idea of the battle but, our eyes lock before he chuckles and walks over to me. He grips my chin and turns my face side to side. "And, why should we accept an alliance from you and save our own forces and just eat you? I've heard siren blood is like a fine wine for vampires." As his teeth prepare to graze my neck as I chnaged that part of me so he would paralyze himself, a petite woman appears and smirks. "I wouldn't bite into that, Thiago. For one, it'll be hours before you can move again. Secondly, if they are truly wed, she belongs to him. Making it even impossible for you to touch her. Voltair is well within his rights to make you bloody pile in the middle of this room. Don't make me let him. Show our new ally some respect. We don't need your bratty behind souring our species reputation. My apologies, Mrs. LaCrue. Thiago can be a bit dim at times and can't contain himself and all his aggressive maculinity. My name is Nyla." I giggle and smirk, curtsying. "It's completely fine. On a serious note, I don't take an alliance like this lightly. Provided I win and I have to but, I will hold you all in high regards for your help. I'm trying to make a change for my people and especially my family." Nyla waves to Sorin before looking at Voltair, circling him. "I know sirens are long lived creatures but, not infinitely like us. She will die like everything else when her time comes, why put yourself through that heartbreak?" He locks eyes with her and isn't swayed. "Because I would trade an eternity of tomorrows to have what time I can with her but, she's agreed to take on being changed. I know her body can handle it and that would make this alliance not just a political alliance but, a blood one too." Nyla looks me over and tilts her head and nods. "You truly love her. That's why I have to warn you despite you already acknowledging it. you need to remember that not everyone makes it through the change. Are you sure you want to risk that?" He sighs and chuckles. "Normally, I would say no to that, Nyla. Though, if there's one thing I know more than my love for her, it's why I love her. She stubborn and would face of with the Devil if she had to. I know her and know with all certainty she will survive."