The fine layer of dust that blanketed the study stirred as Meryn touched down lightly in front of the fireplace. With a flick of her fingers, a fire blazed brightly, adding immediate warmth to the cold chamber. Crossing to the window, she muttered to herself as she noted that it had been left open, resulting in a small perfectly formed snowdrift on the windowsill. With another flick of her fingers, the snow vanished as she closed the window.
Around her, she felt the air in a nearby suite of rooms shift and sensed the castle sigh. Trine, Jem and Luna had arrived safely.
Smoothing out her long voluminous skirt, Meryn prepared to go and join her family as they introduced Stefan to his granddaughter.
Surrounded by correspondence, Stefan sat at his desk poring over a lengthy document. He heard the study door open and without looking up and assuming that it was one of the staff, said, “Leave the tray by the fireplace, if you please.”
Before anyone could say anything, Luna squealed in her mother’s arms.
Stefan looked up and dropped the document he had been reading.
“Trine!” he gasped as he got to his feet. “And Luna! Oh and Jem of course, Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“Where would the surprise be in that, Stefan?” asked Meryn as she entered the room. Spying the empty wine decanter, she added, “And not even a drop of wine to welcome us!”
Ignoring his old friend, Stefan walked straight to his daughter and granddaughter. He gazed down at the baby for a moment then wrapped them both in an embrace.
“Welcome home, my darling daughter.”
“It’s good to be here,” replied Trine, realising that she genuinely meant it.
“I didn’t expect you until spring or early summer,” said Stefan. “I thought it would be too risky tot ravel in winter with this little princess.”
Passing the baby girl to her father, Trine replied, “Meryn felt this was the best time to come. I’ve been desperate for you to meet Luna.”
“She has your eyes,” commented Stefan, smiling down at the baby who was staring intently at him. “She’s perfect.”
“She really is,” agreed Trone, smiling at the sight of her father cradling her daughter.
“And you’ve fully recovered from the birth?”
Trine nodded, “Thanks to Meryn and Jem.”
The arrival of a housemaid stilled their conversation while she set down a fresh decanter of wine and a light supper for them all.
“Do you need anything for Luna?” asked Stefan before the maid left.
“Some fresh deer blood to mix with her milk would be great,” replied Trine, accepting the baby back from her father.
“Of course,” acknowledged the maid. “I’ll have some brought up shortly.”
“If you could leave it in our rooms that would be great,” said Trine. “She’s not due to be fed for another couple of hours.”
“I’ll arrange that.”
Refilling her wine goblet at the end of their meal, Meryn asked, “And how has our friend Anna been?”
“A model prisoner by all accounts,” replied Stefan. “Michael brings me a weekly report on her and the other prisoners.”
“I’m surprised,” commented Meryn. “Perhaps you should be concerned, Stefan.”
“Or perhaps she has resigned herself to her fate, Meryn.”
“Perhaps,” she conceded. “I’d like to visit her tomorrow. I trust that can be arranged.”
“Why?” asked Stefan.
“I want to talk to her about the magic she used on my son and the blood types. Have Michael accompany me or come yourself if you don’t want me meeting her on my own.”
“I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
“Thank you,” said Meryn before draining her glass. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to retire to my study. I have some correspondence to deal with.”
A soft voice whispered in Jem’s mind, “Meet me in my study in thirty minutes.”
With barely a glance at his mother, he got to his feet, “I’ll walk with you, mother. I’m going up onto the ramparts for some air. Gives Trine and Luna some time alone with Stefan.”
“Thanks, Jem,” said Trine, squeezing his hand. “I’ll see you back in our rooms.”
“Take your time.”
With his hands resting on the cold stone wall, Jem took a deep breath as he gazed out into the cold dark night. The skies were clear, and star filled. The moon, still a week away from being full, shone brightly. Shivering at the chill in the air, Jem decided that this moon was aptly named. The cold from the stonework was seeping into his hands but the pain was helping to distract him from the incredible thirst he was feeling.
Without confessing to his mother, he had continued to satiate his Rabbia Sanguigna with human blood at regular intervals. His last kill had been two days before. He’d taken a risk and killed a truck driver, before ensuring that both the dead driver and his truck crashed off the road into a ravine. The truck had fortuitously burst into flames on impact.
“So you’ve returned, Son of Perran.”
Anna’s voice rang clear in his mind.
Silently he reached out with his thoughts, “How did you know I was here?”
“I have my ways.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“I need your help, Son of Perran.”
Before he could reply, a second voice filtered into his consciousness, “You’re late, Jeremiah.”
Focusing on closing his mind to further intrusions, Jem walked along the ramparts towards his mother’s tower.
A fire was blazing in the hearth when he entered his mother’s study. There were two decanters and two goblets sitting on a table beside the fireplace.
“Pour yourself a glass from the decanter on the left,” instructed Meryn, who was scouring the bookcase in search of something.
Deciding against arguing that he didn’t want any wine, Jem poured himself a full goblet. One sip told him that it wasn’t wine or even blood infused wine. It was fresh human blood. In one thirsty chug, he drained the goblet then poured a second.
“Don’t think that I don’t know that you have continued your killing spree,” commented Meryn calmly.
“Sorry,” he said quietly. “I should have told you.”
“How many more?”
“Ten…maybe twelve,” he revealed. “I’m not sure I lost count.”
“This has to stop,” stated his mother as she lifted a small green leather-bound book from the shelf. “We just need to fathom out how.”
“Would talking to Anna help?”
“All in good time,” said Meryn, opening the book that she held in her hands. “Do you remember the breakdown of the blood families that I gave in court?”
“Kind of,” he replied. “I’m families one and three and something else. You said your family were one and Anna was one and three.”
“Well remembered.”
“And the Rabbia Sanguigna relates to something in family three,” he concluded.
“Exactly,” stated Meryn. “How does that blood taste to you?”
“Ok. Not the best I’ve drunk.”
“It’s type B positive,” she revealed. “Now, try the other decanter.”
Too tired to argue with her, Jem did as he was asked.
“Hey, that’s pretty good,” he declared after his first mouthful from the second decanter.
“And that’s O negative. I’m prepared to wager all those souls you took were also O negative.”
“So, O negative calms the Rabbia Sanguigna caused by family three blood?” asked Jem pouring himself a second glass of the O negative blood.
“It does,” nodded Meryn. “If we can identify what in the family three blood triggers the blood rage then we can study the O negative to determine the calming ingredient….”
“And wipe out the blood rage?” he asked hopefully.
“Control it at the very least,” conceded Meryn. “I know that I’m searching for something that causes the same effect as the potion Anna made you drink. I’m hoping that there’s something in this book that might give me a clue.”
“What is it?”
“My mother’s grimoire,” Meryn revealed. “This may take me a few days.”
“So what do I do now?” asked Jem. “I can’t exactly hunt here to satiate this fucking thirst!”
“You order a decanted of O negative blood every second day,” instructed his mother. “No one will question the request. And you convince Trine to let me test Luna’s blood. I suspect she holds the key.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Flaming torches lit the narrow spiral staircase, their light barely illuminating the worn stone steps. Taking care not to stumble, Meryn followed Michael down into the depths of Level Zero. She had visited the castle’s underground prison many times over the years but something about this visit was making her blood run cold. Eventually Michael turned left into one of the passageways that intermittently led away from the stairwell.
“Anna’s along here,” explained Michael. “Last cell on the right.”
“Does she know we’re coming?”
“She was told to have her cell ready for inspection so she knows someone is coming,” he explained. “There’s a guard outside her door 24/7 so there’s always someone nearby just in case.”
“And her magic is still bound?”
“It is and she’s shackled to the floor,” he revealed. “The chain is long enough to allow her to move around her room.”
The heavy door creaked loudly in protest as the guard opened it just enough to allow Michael and Meryn to enter the cramped cell. Inside Anna was sitting on the edge of the narrow cot bed.
“Anna,” greeted Meryn politely.
“I wondered when you’d get around to visiting. I’d expected you before now,” commented the dark angel, her tone icy cold.
“I was attending to another matter,” replied Meryn.
“Ah, yes, the arrival of your granddaughter. Congratulations,” said Anna with a smile. “I trust the child is healthy.”
Without bothering to question how she knew about the baby, Meryn replied, “She’s perfect.”
“The start of your new pure blood family line.”
“Indeed,” mused Meryn. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Blood lines… and blood rage.”
“Oh dear, does the little princess have daddy’s blood rage?” mocked Anna with a sneer.
“She does not,” retorted Meryn sharply, praying that she was correct. “I’ll be more specific. I need to talk to you about the cure that you gave to my son for it.”
“Not a cure. It only stalled it for a few years. Stopped him biting his children.”
“True,” agreed Meryn. “I know the ingredients that you used. Jem showed me the crystals you gave him for protection.”
“He still has them?” Anna asked, her eyes wide. “How sweet.”
“For some insane reason, that boy still cares for you,” muttered Meryn. “So, yes, he still carries them in his pocket.”
Anna smiled.
“Jem said that you recited an incantation and made him drink the initial potion at the full moon in the moonlight. What was the incantation?”
The dark angel laughed, “That, my dear Meryn, is a family secret.”
“From your mother or from Tristan?”
“That bastard told me nothing,” spat the dark angel angrily.
“Thank you,” said Meryn turning to leave. “That’s been most helpful.”
Without another word, she left the cell and set off back along the hallway.
Once back in her study, Meryn fetched the box of blood samples from the trial. Her notes were inside the box and although the samples were long since spoiled, she was keen to check if she had missed something in Anna’s blood. Her gut instinct was telling her the answer she needed was in the blood … hers and Anna’s.
After an hour of scouring her notes, she set them aside and went across to ger desk. Hastily, she wrote a note then rang the bell to summon one of the castle pages.
“Take this to Master Michael immediately,” she instructed the young boy who had answered her summons. “Wait and bring back his reply.”
While she was waiting, Meryn drew a fresh sample from her own arm, drawing three vials, sealing each of them carefully. The analysis she needed was going to require the use of the equipment in the infirmary. Carefully, she labelled each of the vials using a numerical code in lieu of a name.
Another hour passed before there was a knock at the door.
“Enter,” she called out sharply, praying silently that it was the page returning.
“Your reply from Master Michael,” he said, handing her three vials of blood.
“Thank you,” replied Meryn, smiling with a mix of gratitude and relief. “Please wait while I prepare another message that I need you to deliver for me.”
“Of course, Mistress Meryn.”
While the page waited quietly by the door, Meryn labelled the three vials from Michael with a different numerical code then wrote a note to one of her trusted apprentices, Alicia, who was on duty in the infirmary. She requested a full profile of each sample, including the DNA analysis. Wrapping the six vials of blood and her note in a piece of cloth, Meryn instructed the boy to take it to the infirmary and to hand it to no one other than “Miss Alicia”. To reward him for his help, she slipped him two silver coins.
“Will I wait for a reply this time?” he asked, slipping the coins into his waistcoat pocket.
“Not this time.”
“Thank you, Mistress Meryn.”
Once alone again in her study, Meryn lifted the green leather-bound book, her mother’s grimoire, and settled down beside the fireplace to read.
A few hours later, the same page returned to Meryn’s chamber. This time he was bearing an invitation from Stefan requesting that she join him in his study for supper.
When she arrived, Meryn discovered that Trine and Jem had also been invited and were already seated round the table. Over on the rug, in front of the hearth, Luna lay playing with her toys.
“I didn’t realise it was a family gathering,” commented Meryn as she took her seat at the table. “This is a pleasant surprise.”
“Wine?” offered Stefan politely.
“Please,” she replied. “I hope there’s blood in it. I need to hunt later.”
“Always,” he replied, filling her crystal glass.
“Thank you.”
Before they could continue their conversation, two maids brought out several platters of cold meats, cheese and fruit and laid them on the table.
“I kept supper light as I suspected that you might all want to hunt after your journey yesterday,” explained Stefan.
“Very considerate,” commented Meryn reaching for a strawberry. “Now, why have you really invited us all here?”
“Straight to the point as usual,” laughed Stefan. “I thought we should discuss arrangements for Luna’s naming ceremony. The full moon is next week and it would be an ideal date to host it.”
“Father,” began Trine, glancing at Jem. “We haven’t agreed to have a formal naming day for her yet.”
“Nonsense,” snapped Stefan. “Of course, my granddaughter is having a traditional naming day ceremony.”
“Now, Stefan,” intervened Meryn calmly. “What if the children want to take a more modern approach to naming their daughter?”
“Modeen?”
“Father, we’d be happy to have a short ceremony then a feast afterwards,” suggested Trine by way of a compromise. “That would be easier to organise. There’s only a week until the full moon so its not a lot of time to organise the traditional event.”
“Who names her?” asked Jem. “I wasn’t aware she needed a naming ceremony.”
“It’s traditional,” explained Trine. “As a member of the senior vampire family it is also socially expected of us.”
“It’s a bit like a human christening,” added Meryn. “Only the traditional vampire celebrations last a week. Let’s see if we can complete this one in a day.”
“So, how does this work?” asked Jem.
“The oldest vampire names Luna in a ceremony then members of the noble families celebrate with a feast and a hunt,” explained Stefan. “I’ve already written to Lorenzo to invite him to attend.”
“But what’s involved in the actual ceremony?” persisted Jem, the thought of some ancient vampire ritual involving their baby daughter unsettling him.
“Jem,” began his mother softly. “It is a short ceremony. The senior vampire families from each country present traditional gifts and the eldest living vampire, Lorenzo, anoints her forehead with blood as he formally names her. Very similar to a human christening but without the holy water from a baptismal font.”
“Does she have to have the equivalent of godparents?”
Trine shook her head, “No.”
“And this will only take one day?”
“The guests will be present in the castle for a few days most likely but we can arrange things so that the naming celebrations only take one day,” replied Stefan. “To be honest, the weeklong affair is a little outdated.”
“A little!” laughed Meryn, “That format hasn’t changes since 1500’s, Stefan!”
“True,” he conceded. “Luna can have the honour of being the first 21st Century vampire baby named in a 21st Century ceremony.”
“We’d be honoured,” agreed Trine, smiling at her father. “Do you still have my naming day gown?”
Stefan nodded, “I’ll have it looked out, cleaned and delivered to your chambers. It might need altering.”
“Leave that to Trine and I,” said Meryn.
Three days before the full moon and the naming ceremony, the two vampiresses were sitting in Meryn’s study altering the naming day gown. Baby Luna was slightly older than Trine had been at her naming ceremony, so the heirloom gown was too tight in the bodice. Drawing on Meryn’s seamstress skills, two lace panels were being sewn into the sides using one of the layers of lace from the many layers of the skirts of the gown.
A knock at the door disturbed them.
“Enter,” called Meryn, setting her sewing aside.
She was surprised to see Alicia enter.
“Good afternoon,” said Alicia warmly. “Apologies for disturbing you both. Meryn. I have those results you were looking for.”
“Excellent. Thank you,” replied Meryn accepting the folder from her. “You didn’t need to trail all the way up here with them. One of the pages could have delivered them.”
“I know,” acknowledged Alicia. “I wanted to ask you about the findings. I think we need to do one more sample to validate something.”
“Will further analysis validate anything of importance?” asked Meryn. She knew instinctively what Alicia was about to ask so the question was more for Trine’s benefit than her own.
“I believe so,” replied Alicia. “Trine, we need your help with this too.”
“Mine?”
Alicia nodded, “We are on the brink of confirming a new vampire pure blood type and the start of a new family. The only way to fully validate it is to analyse a tiny sample of Luna’s blood.”
“Is that really necessary?” asked Trine, looking across the room to where her baby daughter lay asleep on the settee.
“Your father has ordered it,” revealed Alicia quietly. “I brought the necessary equipment with me. We could do it just now if you agree. It will only take a moment to draw the sample.”
“How did my father get involved in your science experiments?” demanded Trine bluntly.
“I discussed it with him over supper last night,” said Meryn. “He asked about my visit to Anna and why I had drawn more blood from her. I had no choice but to explain. He is keen to announce the findings at the naming ceremony.”
Recognising that she was backed into a corner, Trine let out a sigh. “Fine,” she said. “But, Meryn, I want you to draw Luna’s blood. Can you cast a spell to stop the needle from hurting her?”
“Of course. I’ll numb a tiny patch of her skin temporarily. She won’t feel a thing,” promised Meryn sincerely.
True to her word, Meryn drew the small sample with barely a whimper from Luna. She sealed the vial and passed it to Alicia with instructions not to let anyone see the results before bringing them to her.
“What have we done?” whispered Trine, cradling her daughter.
“Most likely created vampire history,” replied Meryn honestly. “The challenge will be in restraining your father’s delight that it has happened. We cannot allow this to turn into a circus.”
“At the first sign of that, we’ll leave and hide forever if we have to,” declared Trine firmly.
“And I’ll help you escape if I have to,” promised Meryn, reaching out to touch the younger woman’s hand. “Leave your father to me, my dear.”
Flurries of snow were in the air the night before the full moon as Jem walked along the ramparts. He was restless and his blood rage was simmering just below the surface despite having drained an entire carafe of human blood earlier. Preparations for Luna’s naming ceremony were almost complete. Throughout the day, various vampire dignitaries had been arriving, creating a buzz about the castle. The baby seemed to sense that something was going on and had been fractious all day. After a lot of persuasion, largely on Meryn’s part, Stefan had agreed to a more modern format for the ceremony, but he had insisted that it remain a formal occasion. Despite his protests, Stefan’s tailors had been summoned and Jem had been measured up for a new dark suit that now hung on the back of the bedroom door. Gazing out into the darkness, Jem wished that he was back home and able to go for a run and enjoy the freedom to hunt to feed his urges.
A voice in his head interrupted his thoughts.
“My study. Five minutes. No debate.”
Wearily, he turned and headed towards Meryn’s tower.
Less than five minutes later, he entered his mother’s study without bothering to knock. She was standing at the window, gazing out at the snow flurries.
“Mother,” he greeted plainly.
“Jeremiah,” she said, turning to face him. “Help yourself to some wine.”
“Am I going to need it?”
“Probably,” said his mother, indicating that they should sit by the fire. “I have all the blood results.”
“And?”
“Luna shares your unique pure blood type. You are now unofficially at least, the head of a new vampire bloodline. Congratulations,” she revealed. “Stefan will formalise that tomorrow at dinner.”
“And the Rabbia Sanguigna? Did you find a way to calm it?”
“I think so,” replied Meryn. “We’ll find out tomorrow night. I need the energy of the full moon to help deliver it.”
“What else did all that blood reveal?” asked Jem, sensing that his mother was holding
something back.
“That Anna is my cousin.”
“Your cousin?”
Meryn nodded, “With the help of my mother’s grimoire, I confirmed that my mother and Anna’s mother were twins. My mother’s book makes reference to a twin grimoire. We need to locate it. I have a feeling that it is important.”
“What would it look like?”
“Like this,” said his mother, holding up the small green leather-bound book. “Only it is likely to be blue or perhaps purple, but I suspect its blue.”
“I don’t remember seeing anything like that among Anna’s things.”
“I spoke to her this morning. She claims never to have seen it.”
“And you think she’s lying?”
“I know she’s lying,” stated Meryn. “We don’t need to find it but I’d rather we had it than she did.”
“Can’t you do some sort of summoning spell?”
“The grimoire’s wards wouldn’t let it respond,” she replied. “Both grimoires will eventually belong to Luna along with Trine’s.”
“Trine has a grimoire?”
“Yes, son,” laughed his mother. “Now, back to your pressing issue. I want you to drink something for me tonight in preparation for tomorrow night.”
“What?”
“Just some human blood that I’ve infused with a few things. It’s similar to the potion Anna gave you all those years ago. It’ll calm things for now.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No,” said Meryn, getting to her feet to fetch a small chine cup from her desk. “Drink this.”
The warm blood tasted sweet and gritty to Jem as he drank it down.
“I’ve tasted worse,” he said, passing the empty cup back to his mother.
“I’m sure you have,” she said accepting the cup from him. “Stefan has assured me that the formalities will be over by eleven o’clock tomorrow night. At some point, after the naming ceremony, I need you to ensure that Trine passes Luna to me for a few minutes. I need to draw another blood sample. It’s the key to your cure.”
“We’ll figure something out,” he assured her. “I feel kind of guilty keeping all of this from Trine.”
“And how do you think she’d reach to the new of your killing spree?” challenged Meryn.
Jem sat in silence.
“Exactly, It’s better that she knows nothing of this.”
“I guess.”
Straightening his pale blue tie in the mirror, Jem was filled with dread at the thought of the day of pomp and ceremony that lay ahead. Behind him, Trine was dressing Luna in the lacey gown. The baby was fussing, clearly unhappy at being forced into the bulky dress with its long layers of lace skirts.
“Guess I’m not the only one who hates getting all fancied up,” commented Jem with a grin. “She looks ridiculous in that.”
“It is a bit much,” conceded Trine. “But we need to retain some of the traditions, or my father will be furious.”
“I get it,” said Jem, then seizing the opportunity, added, “We can always ask my mother to take Luna to get changed. Stefan wouldn’t dare challenge her over it.”
“I like that plan,” laughed Trine, “I’ll leave a more suitable outfit out just in case we can make that plan happen.”
A few moments later there was a knock at their door. One of the uniformed court officials entered. It was the first time that Jem had seen them in their dress uniforms since Anna’s trial.
“Master Stefan sent me,” said the official formally. “He’s waiting for you in the great hall.”
“We’re ready,” replied Trine, settling Luna in her arms.
The castle’s great hall was buzzing with conversation when Jem and Trine entered, carrying the guest of honour. As soon as he saw them, Stefan, looking every inch the perfect vampire in his tailored dark suit, stepped forward to welcome them. At one end of the room, on a small, raised dais sat three thrones. The seat to the left was vacant but in the one on the right, Meryn sat serenely in a midnight blue dress, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She smiled we she saw
them but remained seated. A small thin vampire sat in the centre throne, his eyes following them as Stefan ushered them forwards.
“Allow me to introduce you to Lorenzo,” said Stefan as they reached the dais. “Lorenzo, this is my daughter, Trine, her partner, Jeremiah, who is Meryn’s son, and their daughter.”
“Delighted to meet you,” replied Lorenzo, smiling at Luna who was frowning at him.
“The honour is ours,” said Jem formally, earning himself a small nod of approval from his mother.
Before they could continue their conversation, one of the castle officials struck his staff on the floor three times to call the room to order. As everyone’s attention was brought to the front of the room, Stefan took his seat on the vacant throne. Once he was seated, a robed official stepped forward holding a crystal bowl filled with blood. He stopped in front of Lorenzo and bowed deeply.
Slowly Lorenzo got to his feet and cleared his throat, “It’s been too long since we were all gathered here for a naming ceremony. I have had the honour of naming every newborn vampire for five hundred years, give or take a decade or two. This is I believe the first time I had been afforded the privilege of naming a second generation newborn,”
He smiled at Trine, “I remember your naming ceremony vividly, Trine. Your father was so proud of you. I see that same pride in his eyes today as he invites me to name his granddaughter.” Lorenzo paused then turned to Meryn. “I remember the debate over Jeremiah’s naming ceremony, Meryn. Always so determined to protect him from our ways yet here we are.”
“Here we are indeed,” said Meryn quietly, shrugging off Lorenzo’s subtle rebuke.
“Jeremiah,” continued Lorenzo, still gazing at Meryn. “Your mother is a strong-willed woman. She did afford me the honour of naming you in a private ceremony which is just as well because if she hadn’t I would not have been free to name your daughter. Some traditions must be observed.”
Jem flashed his mother a look. She had failed to mention any naming ceremony to him.
“Who brings this newborn vampire before me to be blessed with their vampire name?” asked Lorenzo, his voice booming round the hall.
“Jermiah and I do,” responded Trine stepping forwards as they had rehearsed the day before with Stefan and Michael. Carefully she passed the baby to Lorenzo.
Cradling her in his arms, Lorenzo dipped his middle finger of his right hand into the blood.
“While any vampire hearts beat, you will be protected from all evil and danger. While any vampire hearts beat, you will be surrounded by family love and blood bonds.”
The baby gazed up at hm, her blue eyes focused on his bright red fingertip.
“In the presence of the senior vampires from each of the family lines, and in the presence of your grandparents, it is my honour to name you Luna Isabella Meryn, Bringer of a New Dawn.”
Gently he touched the bloodied ginger to Luna’s tiny rosebud lips. She opened her mouth and sucked his finger clean.
“Assembled vampires, do you swear to protect Luna Isabella Meryn for as long as there is a breath in your bodies?” asked Lorenzo, holding Luna up so that everyone could see her.
There was a loud chorus of “We promise to protect Luna Isabella Meryn for as long as there is breath in our bodies.”
“Any vampire present who fails to honour their promise will be subject to instant death,” stated Lorenzo as he lowered Luna and cradled her in his arms once more. “This child is the Bringer of a New Dawn for our kind.”
Passing Luna to Jem, he continued, “Do you, Jeremiah, promise to lay down your life to protect your daughter, Luna Isabella Meryn?”
“I do,” replied Jem, settling his daughter on his shoulder.
“The child has been named,” declared Lorenzo. “Let the gift giving ceremony commence.”
Another robed official stepped forwards to usher them to the far side of the hall where there two smaller less ornate thrones set out on another low dais with a long table beside it. As Jem and Trine took their seats, the assembled vampires lined up to present their gifts. Each beautifully wrapped gift was passed to a page and set aside on the table.
Once the last gift had been presented, the table was piled high. Still with Luna in his arms, Jem stood as he had been coached the before and said, “We thank you for your generosity and for welcoming Luna Isabella Meryn into your hearts, To show our gratitude, we would be honoured if you will now feast with us.”
Several hours later, as the wine servers hurried to refill everyone’s glass with Stefan’s best blood infused wine, he stood up from his seat at the head of the table and chinked his glass with a knife to attract everyone’s attention.
“A toast,” began Stefan, raising his glass. “To Luna, the Bringer of a New Dawn and to a new fifth pure blood vampire family beginning.”
“Cinque famiglia,” toasted the collected vampires.
“Cinque famiglia,” echoed Stefan with a nod to Jem and Trine.
Once the meal was over, Stefan had arranged some musical entertainment for the evening, creating a less formal atmosphere. Seizing the opportunity, Meryn offered to take Luna back to their chambers to change her into something more comfortable. As soon as she left the hall, Meryn sent a message telepathically to Jem, “Be in my study at midnight.”
By midnight the celebrations were still in full swing. Scanning the room, Jem noted that his mother was absent, Over at a table near where the gifts were still piled high waiting to be opened, Trine was deep in conversation with Amelie and Manuela, who had formed part of The Thirteen during Anna’s trial. Setting his empty glass down on a nearby table, Jem slipped out of the hall, heading straight through the first door that led him up to the castle’s ramparts. He let out a long weary sigh as he stepped out into the cold night. Fresh snow blanketed the castle, but the skies had cleared and were now sparkling with a myriad of stars, Allowing himself a moment or two before meeting his mother, Jem gazed out at the bright full Snow Moon.
For a second, he thought he heard a voice in his mind whisper, “I’m sorry.” H
“Anna?” he thought instantly.
“Till we meet again, Son of Perran.”
“Anna?” he repeated but his thought was met with silence.
Shaking his head and brushing it off as his imagination, Jem continued along the ramparts towards his mother’s study.
“You’re late,” scolded Meryn as he entered her study.
“Sorry,” he apologised, “It wasn’t easy to slip away. The party’s still in full swing.”
“Never mind. You’re here now,” said Meryn. “I managed to get that blood sample from Luna after dinner.”
“How?”
“Babies need clean nappies,” she revealed with a smile. “I offered to take her to change out of her robe and to change her nappy. Trine will never know.”
Shaking his head, Jem said, “So, what do I need to do here?”
“Take off your jacket and your shirt,” instructed Meryn. “From what I can determine, the tattoo on your shoulders is part of this. I found the same design in my mother’s grimoire. I don’t have time to fully explain. I just hope I have this right. If I had her twin’s spell book I would have had the full answer.”
“You mean this could fail?” Jem asked as he slid his shirt off, taking care not to get dangled in his wings.
“It’s a slim possibility,” admitted his mother as she unrolled a length of midnight blue velvet. “Step over to the window and into the moonlight.”
Jem did as she asked.
“Keep your back in that beam of light,” instructed Meryn, lifting the first of six syringes from the velvet cloth. “You’ll feel six injections. They might sting a bit.”
“Just do what needs to be done, mother.”
“Put your hands on the back of the chair,” she suggested. “And try not to tense up your shoulders.”
“Just do it!”
White hot fire surged through his veins as Meryn injected the first vial. Gripping the wooden chair back, Jem sucked in a deep breath and tried not to flinch as she injected the second one. Again, he was almost brought to his knees by the searing white heat of the liquid. Working swiftly, Meryn injected the next three vials.
“I can’t take anymore,” he gasped.
“One more,” said Meryn. “Just one more.”
Before he could protest, she injected the last vial into the tattoo on his back. The previously black tattoo now had a new Celtic pattern through it… a thin green line through the swirls.
“Fuck!” roared Jem as the last of the liquid course through him. “Jesus Christ that fucking hurts!”
“I’m sorry, son,” apologised Meryn softly. “If it’s worked, which I think it has, then it will be worth it.”
Jem nodded as he draped himself over the back of the chair, his veins still pulsing.
As he reached for his shirt, the air was filled with shouting out in the stairwell.
“What on earth!” exclaimed Meryn sharply. “Get dressed. I don’t like the sound of this.”
Without bothering to lift his jacket or to tuck his shirt into his trousers, Jem followed his mother out into the stairwell. As they descended the narrow spiral staircase, they met Michael running up.
“What on earth is going on?” demanded Meryn bluntly.
“The Level Zero guards are all dead. The prisoners have escaped,” gasped Michael. “Anna’s gone.”
Coral McCallum 