Of Silenced Fangs and Family ch. 4

Cheydinhal Sanctuary 3 weeks previous:

Some may think I'm mad for doing this, but I couldn't part with my family… I sealed away some of their blood into tiny vials and enchanted them to stay sealed and protected from the harsh elements. I had saved the last family member I killed for last, the one who gave me the dark gift. As his cold blood dripped into the vial, I began to hear the whispers of my family member within my head. I pushed them away thinking it was the Daedric Lord of madness trying to make me break and become part of his kingdom of madness.

When I rose to my feet, my eyes rested on his frame, his eyes were still open and fixed in the horrified expression he held when I sent the spell at him. I reached out and closed his thin eyelids before sealing the vial of his blood. I placed it with my other family members, but I felt I couldn't yet leave. I still felt connected to this place, but surely the Black Hand would hunt mer for leaving the Brotherhood, making the purified sanctuaries unsafe to take refuge in.

I stayed and moved my gift giver to lay on his stone bed, better to have him rest there than slowly rot in a chair. Once I had crossed his arms across his chest like he did whenever he would sleep, I examined the room, feeling the memories I created here starting to stir within my mind. The first one that came to mind was when I first joined and met my creator. He was the first one I grew to trust.

******

"So what is your story dear sister? Who did you kill?" Antoinette asked in a very bubbly voice, wide-eyed and leaning uncomfortably close for my comfort.

I had just earned my shrouded armor and was sitting in the dining hall of the sanctuary, holding a warm cup of mead in my hands. My face was ghostly pale and I felt myself trembling at every move or breath I made. I still had to introduce myself to the other family members… But I felt that I wasn't ready.

"I-I-It…." I sighed to calm my nerves "It was an accident," I replied as calmly as I could.

"Oh really? Care to share the juicy details" Antoinetta said as she moved in closer, intrigued over my tale.

I starred at the strange "sister" in front of me, why did she love death so much? It destroyed the soul and yet, she enjoyed it… I'm guessing that the more you kill, the less it bothers you… But it was all an accident, I only killed two people in my ENTIRE life and it made my heart ache.

"Sister?" Antoinetta asked.

"Antoinetta, leave our dear sister be, she needs some time to adjust, you should know the first kill is always the hardest to our new family members…" said a silken voice.

I gazed up and saw a tall man with a gaunt ghostly pale face, bright red eyes, and brown hair pulled loosely into a tail. He looked ancient, meaning he had been here for a while… I didn't know who he was, but I knew he was one of the other family members I had to meet still. I was smart enough to know he was a vampire, even without the red eyes you could tell.

"Awe, but dear brother, she was just about to explain to me what happened," Antoinetta whined.

"Maybe when she has a chance to ease her nerves and collect her thoughts she will tell you, for now, just leave her be…" said the man.

Antoinetta sighed in defeat before standing and leaving the room, me alone with a vampiric dark brother who was now walking towards me. He pulled a chair from the table and flipped it around, resting his arms on the back of it.

"What is your name dear sister?" He asked.

"You just told Antoinetta to stop bothering me…" I murmured.

The dark brother chuckled slightly, chuckled at my response… I felt both embarrassed and annoyed at him.

"All I asked was your name… here I will give you mine, I am Vincente Valtieri, and I handle the contracts for all new members…" Vincente replied through his chuckle.

"Vaesha Draecon…" I replied "And, no need to tell me what you are, I already know you are a vampire… and ancient one at that," I added.

Vincente chuckled once more before resting his crimson eyes on me,

"My you are a bright one, I usually have to tell our new family members what I am, and yes indeed I am "ancient" I was stricken three hundred years ago in Vvardenfell…" Vincente commented.

I nervously smiled before taking a sip from my now warm mead, feeling slightly better than I did just a few moments ago.

"While I'm here, I think it is time I tell you more about our business, what is expected, the tenets, and pretty much all the basic knowledge you need…" Vincente added.

I nodded before taking another sip of my mead, waiting for the vampire to explain the ways of this strange family.

******

Present day:

The moons shined brightly as I guided Sabine through the darkened village, we were in the Dunmer section of the village, many of them stumbling around from the taverns to their homes after a long night of drinking tankard after tankard of Sujamma.

"See that Dunmer right there, curled up by the torch to keep a warm?" I asked in a low whisper.

Sabine nodded, his face looking grim and pale at what I was about to do. When he walked down the stairs in our home before we left, my heart sank at his choice of clothing. It was similar to my dark brother's everyday attire. Luckily he wore a black cloak so I wouldn't break down. I stalked towards the shivering homeless Dunmer, slowly lowering myself to my knees to feed from the mer. My first vampiric meal was from a Dunmer, and the taste of their blood made me crave it over any other race.

I sunk my teeth into the blue-grey skin, puncturing one of the main veins running through his neck. I felt euphoric as the blood drained from the mer to feed my hungry vampiric self. My usual meal was back in Cheydinhal and I was glad to be where I can find Dark elven blood.

"Vaesha… a guard is approaching…" Sabine whispered loudly.

I removed my fangs from the Dunmer, healing the puncture wounds and making it seem like I was trying to help the defenseless mer.

"Everything alright citizen?" asked the guard as he came upon Sabine and I.

I looked to him, glad that my hood was hiding my crimson eyes,

"I'm just trying to help him; he was shivering so I was using my magic to warm his bones…" I lied through a charm spell I had casted.

"Very well… carry on, I will take him to the temple for proper care… you best head indoors, there have been strange happenings in town lately…" the guard said, kneeling down to pick up my victim.

"Oh?" I asked "what kind of things?" I asked once more.

The guard grunted as he picked up the Dunmer to rest in his arms before looking to me,

"Just some strange figures stalking the streets, wearing black robes and obscuring black hoods…" the guard replied before walking towards the temple.

I froze; the Black Hand was here… I had to leave before Sabine and the children get killed… or worse! I turned to my husband and lunged for his wrist before yanking him back the way we came.

"Vae, what has gotten into you?" Sabine asked as we ran through the muddy streets.

"Didn't you hear the guard? The Black Hand is here, they are the ruling body of the Dark Brotherhood… They must be after me; I have to get you to safety!" I answered as we rounded a corner that lead straight to our home.

As we entered the house, I locked the door and ran up the stairs, leaving Sabine heaving for breath in the entryway. I slammed shut the door of the room I was staying in and hid in the shadows of the room as I watched through the window, keeping an eye on the city below.

My vampiric senses picked up a presence in the room, I was reluctant to pull my eyes away from the window, but I couldn't ignore the fact that there could be a Speaker or a silencer in my room. As I turned, my eyes rested on an ethereal form standing near the satchel where I kept the vials of my family member's blood… The ethereal figure looked at me with hollow eyes, the long hair the figure had seemed to billow on its own not from a draft.

"I must be seeing things… reacting to the drunken Dunmer…" I murmured to myself.

The ethereal figure drew closer, leaving behind a dim blue path behind it before vanishing. When the figure got close enough, I realized who I was seeing… Vincente Valtieri.

"I defiantly belong in the Shivering Isles… This can't be happening!" I said again.

"You are not going mad dear sister… You just never seen us before due to your lack of blood, we have been with you since you left our sanctuary…" Vincente said in his silken voice, now hollow from his ethereal form.

"Us? Then how can I only see you?" I asked.

Vincente chuckled like he usually did when I was confused.

"Because dear child, you kept your senses down to where you can only see me…" Vincente replied before reaching out and grabbing my shoulder. As a knock sounded on my door, Vincente vanished in a blue cloud.

"Vaesha? Are you alright? Who were you talking too?" Sabine asked from the other side of the door.

"Yes I'm fine Sabine, I was just reacting to the new blood in my system… nothing to worry about…" I called out.

After a few quiet seconds, I finally heard the soft patter of Sabine's feet move away from the door. I moved to sit in the windowsill, covered by shadow, thankfully as I continued my scan of the city. My throat began to tighten, like a large lump rose to block it. I was thankful that I didn't need to breath, but then I felt two sharp pains in my neck, instantly I was whisked back into the past,

******

I felt that I couldn't breathe… though I could; my throat was just very tight as Vincente drained away my blood to pass on the dark gift. My vision started to dance as stars began to show up due to my mass loss of blood. The pressure in my throat lifted as Vincente withdrew his bloodied fangs, sticking out against his ashen skin.

"Now dear sister, we must wait for the gift to take root, you must rest for three days in your bed for when the sun sets on the third day, you must sleep for your transformation to a vampire to complete…" Vincente explained as he wiped away my blood from his lips, then moving to sit at his usual reading table.

I nodded weakly before pushing myself away from the wall, steadying myself before moving to the door. I stumbled as if drunk and had to lean on the door to open it. I didn't even realize Vincente had got up and help me.

"Just watching you struggle is painful, allow me to help you to the living quarters…" Vincente murmured as he helped me down the hall leading to the main hall of the Sanctuary.

We passed the dark guardian making his rounds and Teinaava who eyed us curiously before putting the pieces together in his mind. He moved to push open the door to the living quarters. Vincente handed me over to Teinaava before patting my shoulder and leaning against a pillar as Teinaava guided me the rest of the way.

"Rest well, dear sister" Vincente murmured before we rounded the corner.

******

The pain in my neck vanished when I came to, I was resting on my bed, Either Sabine had came in while I was in my trance and placed me in bed, or I had moved their myself. My answer soon came to me when I sat up and felt a cold presence on my neck. I brushed my fingers over my neck and rested them on the tiny puncture scars that were feeling damp, though no blood was visible when I gazed at my fingers.

"Great, now I move when I am in a trance…" I grumbled to myself.

I heard a chorus of chuckles coming from the corner that held the vials of blood, only an ethereal blue form showed when I looked over…

"Very funny…" I grumbled again.