The Council of Vemos
"It has been more than a week. And it's completely apparent now, that Laurena daughter of Nathaniel has run away." Lucien's voice boomed in the echoing Atrium. Terry looked up darkly at the raised dais. Dorian stood beside him a silent unmovable statue. Raphael stood closer to King Victor his eyes dark as they had ever been. He wasn't quite glaring at the council but it was a close thing. "Terrence Darkling, you will go retrieve her, wherever she is, for punishment." Lucien said, as if the matter was closed. It was not.
"I will not." Terry said his voice quiet seemed to ring through the Atrium as if he had yelled. Terry stared at Lucien's dumbfounded face with hate in his eyes. He stared at Lucien only refusing to meet the eyes of Raphael or that of his father. "Laurena is my sister, and I couldn't protect her, before when you sold her off to Raphael like cattle. But I will not bring her back to a place where she has known nothing but danger and hate." Terry said his voice betraying none of the turmoil he felt. In his mind he could still see the curly writing of his sister's telling him she had made a mistake. A mistake she was running from. Terry had no doubt in his mind that his sister was now on earth. "And you will not order Dorian or Simeon to do so, either or you will find yourself a Prince short as well." Terry said his eyes glittering with anger. Lucien rose off his council cheer shuddering with anger. "You are speaking as if you have a choice in the matter. You are still bound to the orders of the council!" Lucian hissed his eyes glittering dangerously.
"No, he is not." Everyone in the Atrium turned to Raphael in surprise. Raphael who had always bowed to the councils wishes. Raphael who had always looked at his brother with hate. "Terry is no longer in training. His graduating assignment was completed by bringing his sister here. By destroying her entire village." Raphael said looking at his brother now. "He saved me from a band of psychotic witches. Went all the way to the realm of Hades and fought against Zander's army. He has more than proved himself a prince of Vemos. Laurena," Raphael said turning back to look at Lucien. "Laurena you knew not what to do with, when she first arrived. You thrust her to me, to be my wife. My powerful wife. But I never wanted her. I have no need for a powerful wife. It is my choice to let Laurena live her life the way she chooses. Even if that means away from the kingdom of Vemos." Raphael said stunning everyone in silence. "She has the Amulet of the Strigoi!" Lucien said. "It is a powerful Talisman—"
"That only she can use." Victor interrupted rising from his chair. Lucien immediately sat back down. He might be one of the top leaders of the council but the King was still the King. "The matter of Laurena daughter of Nathaniel has been settled." Victor said looking once more at Raphael. Raphael nodded back at his father. "My sons' have made their decision. Their sister is no longer bound to the will of Vemos. As for the consequences of this decision, my sons will deal with it when that day comes."
NightCrawlers Bar, New Orleans
Nightcrawlers was packed with people. Surprising as it was still too early for an evening crowd. Helena looked around, taking in the round tables that lined the edges of the Dance floor, where girls in too short dresses, danced around boys in button up shirts and lounge pants. Different colored lights sparked the dance floor lighting up the dancers legs as they danced. Helena stifled a grin as she walked past, glancing behind her where Rina stood entranced watching everything with wide eyes. Helena had been surprised to see the lost princess on earth when she had first gotten to the ancestral Witches' home, and it had been apparent that she was with child. Definitely not Raphael's child, seeing as he had been more interested in Helena herself than the one he had been given. It had only been a month since Helena had originally been banished from Vemos, so Rina wasn't showing but the way she carried herself, spoke volumes. She was already being maternal in the way she reacted to things, the way she walked and talked to people was different than how she had been on Vemos. She was more confident, outspoken and kinder than Helena had ever remembered her being.
Helena had already accepted that she would never be friends with the princess by any means, but she would help her with living on earth. She wouldn't fail Dorian's love the way she had failed his sister. She knew that the baby had to be Dorian's. And Helena was more than aware that he could never know, that he had a child. Just like she knew in her heart that Raphael had never touched Rina. Not by the way he kissed Helena. She knew Raphael wasn't the type to keep a lover and a wife. Humans believed Demons were soulless creatures who could not love. But that was not true in the slightest. Demons do love. Some of us love so desperately that it consumes us. Helena mused. We were also governed by rules. We weren't lawless. Although some demons had been known to break the rules in order to be sent to earth. Helena snapped out of her melancholy thoughts and stepped towards the bar. Where a thick muscled man stood wiping glasses with overlarge hands. He regarded Helena carefully over his oval spectacles. "Can I help you, Helena of Thrace?" He said in an aggravated accent. Helena narrowed her eyes at the name bristling with anger. "How dare you?" She said darkly, wagging her index finger at him. "Could've surprised me. You and your brother Darius are quite famous for starting wars."
"To keep the record straight, that was all Nathaniel. As you well know, Antonio." She said.
Antonio grinned back at her. "I go by Anton, now." He said, putting down the glass and putting his hands on the countertop. "What can I get for you, Doll?" He said in a southern drawl.
Helena crossed her arms. "You can get me a warlock by the name of Marcus." Anton raised his eyebrows at her words. "Marcus? Why are you looking for him?" Anton asked quirking an eyebrow. Helena gave him a look that made him chuckle under his breath. "I know. I know." Anton said. "You always have some business to take care of." Anton said before he pressed a button underneath the bar and pulled out a phone from underneath the bar. "Hey Marcus, there's someone here to see you. Mmmhmm." Anton said listening to the phone. He hung up and turned to Helena. "He said to go upstairs," Anton said pointing to the hallway beside the bar. "Door number 203 on the left." Anton said. Helena smiled at him, before gesturing behind her. "The girl I came with, make sure she doesn't set anything on fire before I come back." Helena said. Anton blinked once. "You're joking right?" Anton said as Helena walked past the bar a cheeky grin on her face. She ran up the stairs and walked into a dimly lit corridor. On the right was a bright red door, and on the left a purple door with a curvy silver numbers that seemed to shine. Helena knocked on the door where it said 203, and the door swung open. Helena cautiously entered and was surprised to see a circular room, that was covered in bookshelves from wall to wall. In the center of the room was an ornate oak desk that was littered in scrolls yellow with age and books open wide that looked like they may have been brand new decades ago. Sitting at the desk was a tall spindly looking man with dark blue hair, with pink streaks threaded through the locks. He looked up from his half-moon spectacles, his eyes dark. He looked up from what he was currently writing to look up at Helena. "And who might you be?" He asked removing his glasses surveying her from head to toe, folding his hands under his chin. Helena stepped forward nearly stepping on a fur covered tail that whipped away at her approach.
"My name is Helena. I'm—"
"A banished demon from Vemos." Marcus finished narrowing his eyes at her. "And how would you know that, Marcus." Helena questioned. Marcus rolled his eyes. "You are not the first demon I have come across. Although I am surprised to see you out of the Dead City. I wasn't aware demons could step over the boundary that surrounds the dead city." Marcus said. Helena smiled. "There was a time. Long ago, that demons of Vemos fought in the many wars that plagued earth. We may have even caused some of them." Helena said smiling. "And I had friends, one of my friends was Rebekah."
"The white?" Marcus asked surprised. Every warlock and witch with elemental powers knew of Rebekah a white witch of immense power. She had been the one to take down the darkest coven of witches that lived and had afterward created a coven of elemental witches to protect the balance of magic in the world. It wasn't a big surprise that she would've made friends with one of the demons as well. People often thought that dark and light magic were separate entities. That they couldn't co-exist without trying to destroy the other, but Marcus had seen proof in serving this bar that co-existence was possible even for people who seemed so vastly different. "Rebekah allowed me to make a single wish, for something I helped her do. I chose to ask her to take down the boundary. The magic users know that the boundary has been broken but no other demons know about it. Especially not the demons that are responsible for the punitive system of Vemos." Helena said.
"Smart." Marcus said closing the book he had been writing in. "What do you want?" He asked. Helena pulled out a yellow envelope. "I have a message from Simeon." She said laying the envelope down on the table. Marcus raised a single eyebrow and gazed at the envelope like it was about to attack him.
"From Simeon."
AT THE BAR
Rina turned away from the sharp lights of the dancefloor and realized that Helena was nowhere in sight. Rina walked up to the bar, her gaze still looking around for Helena. She was surprised when the bartender, a broad shouldered dark-haired man gestured her over, placing a martini glass with icy blue liquid on the bar top. "Here." The bartender said, "Helena went to go talk to Marcus. I'm Anton."
"Rina."
"nice to meet you, Rina. Please don't blow up the bar." Anton said, giving her a smile that was all teeth. Rina scowled. "That was one time." She said sighing. "Once is one time too many." Rina turned in surprise at the new voice. She looked at the long haired bearded man wearing aviator sunglasses looking at her. He clasped his hands together and bowed.
"HOI! I AM SENSEI OF THE TIBETAN MOUNTAINS." He said greeting her warmly. "Hi." Rina said uncertainly. "Sensei, are you ever actually in Tibet?" Anton said dryly. "When the occasion calls for it." Sensei said sagely. "Don't you owe me a drink in any case, for that nasty business in China?" Sensei said winking at Rina. She smiled softly. "I'm not drinking that." Rina said pointing to the glass. Sensei snatched the drink and drank it in one go. "Waste not. Want not." Sensei said smacking his lips together. "I wasn't trying to be ungrateful." Rina said carefully. "But I can't consume alcohol." Rina said. "I'm pregnant." She said putting a hand over her belly.
"A child is a wondrous thing." Sensei said. Rina glanced at him before she looked back at Anton. Anton poured half a glass of red liquid. "Here. Cranberry juice." Anton said. "You're not from around here. Are you?" Anton said narrowing his eyes at Rina. "Is it that obvious?" Rina said narrowing her eyes.
"The way you look around in wonder." Anton said.
"The way you talk and walk, is not the way of the people of the eighties." Sensei added. Anton grinned. "What was it like, in the time you hail from?" Anton asked curiously, taking a sip from a beer he pulled out from under the counter. Rina smiled brilliantly, at the question. "We didn't have cities like this. We had villages where everyone worked to keep it running. A place where everyone cared for each other and helped everyone in need. It was wonderful." Sensei smiled. "It sounds lovely."
"WHERE IN GOD'S NAME IS MARCUS?" Rina whirled around at the husky voice. "Elvira. What need do you have with a warlock?" Anton said, his voice turning dark with distaste. Elvira scowled at Anton. "Damien has been kidnapped by the Leprechauns!" Sensei blinked, as Anton raised his eyebrow in surprise.
"Leprechauns?" Anton said dryly.
"Leprechauns kidnapped the great Damien Drake?" Sensei said grinning wildly. "Who is Damien Drake?"