95 Black District V : Blackmail

THE PIT

RED DISTRICT

TOWER OF THE VAMPIRE COUNCIL

ASHA YSMIR LEONA COR

My breath hitched in my throat as my jolt went through my body. I was shaken, and I couldn't help turning my gaze towards the black district as Kael has taken to calling it. Something was terribly wrong,but I didn't know what. It was almost as if I was struck by lightening. I turned to see Xaseah clutching her chest with discomfort etched all over her face, that meant she felt it too. Something really has happened to Kael,but I can still feel him from our bond, so which means he was still alive. Whatever has happened, as long as he's not missing limb, or went into a coma again, we can deal with it.

"Is there anything wrong Mistress?" Asare asked from behind me, as his eyes shifted from Xaseah to me.

"Is there something wrong with the master?" he asked again, this time the worry in his tone was quite clear. I turned to him an said.

"something has happened to your master, but he's alive, and at the moment he's unconscious. But don't worry, he's alive." I explained, but with the way my voice trembled, even I myself was unable to get rid of the worry in my heart.

But I had a job to do, and all of my focus and self controlled would be required for it. The red district was predominantly filled with vampires,but all of the vampire's here were from the six vampire bloodlines, the elite and noblest of the vampire race. A bunch of hypocrites and fools who were busy playing kings and queens in a prison.

The tower in front of us has being built by the collective sweat and blood of the impure, those vampires who's ancestors were turned, and were not a part of the bloodline covens. But in the end, none of them were allowed into it, it was subbed a scared and holy ground that only the six bloodline elders and their ilk were allowed walk in and out.

I made my way inside with Xaseah and Asare in tow. We had left Varsessabehind, so that she could look after the tower in our absence. Her devil blood had left her with a enough cunning and a head for politics that's bound to last a thousand years. She would be able to keep our home safe, and she did not even need to raise her hand up to do it.

After we went into the tower, we had to make our way up a night of stairs that spanned the entire diameter of the tower, as if were climbing up the steps of a coliseum. After fifteen grueling minutes, I found myself standing in front of the six bloodline elders, standing right in the middle of an arena 300 meters in diameter, and a hundred and fifty feet below us. The stairs were like a pyramid, but it gets to a point where the top of the pyramid was cut off, and you become capable of looking into it's exposed hole.

"Elder Asha of the Zekeri coven...…" a voice tried to announce my entrance, but the announcer was stopped by Asare who conjured a ball of flame and pointed it her direction. The he took a few steps forward and cleared his throat.

"Lady Asha of the house Of Cor, first mistress to the house and wife to his nobleness Lord Kael of house Cor!"

His voice was clear and powerful, and I could not help that his words made me fell like a teenager who just got kissed for the first time. This was a public declaration of not just my marriage to Kael, but an acquiescence to the fact that I'm now the matriarch of a noble family whose wealth, influence and power spans planets and numerous civilizations. To be honest it was like getting married all over again.

"We welcome you to the council lady Asha. What can we do for you" an aged voice said to me.

Six elders, six bloodlines, and six unique abilities or traitsthat the vampire race was once known and feared for.

• The Zekeri bloodline had the power over curses, they're the most natural of witches, warlocks, cursemancers, dark priests, and hex masters.

• The Warren bloodline are masters of the Allure, theirs is a mutation that let's them use the power of the voice to control and coax the freewill of more than one person at a single time. They're the best politicians, merchants, and backstabbers. But also the very best at gathering information, they can use their mouths to gather great information, it's a pity that none of them know how to keep it shut.

• The Inferno bloodline are believed to be descended from the very first demonic dragon to be turned into a vampire. They're good with fire, earth, battles and love treasure. They make really good berserkers, fire and earth mages, and trackers. They have a nose that can smell gold a mile away. They also one of the few bloodlines with wings, though theirs is draconic and catches fire a lot.

• The Ausolon bloodline are considered the wisest and most intelligent of the vampire race, they're sages, priests, bards, philosophers, scientists and inventors. Before the war they were responsible for the creation and innovation of vampire technology. Our entire civilization was once built by the instructions of their designs.

• The Hom'rugr bloodline are the assassins of the vampire race, masters over the magic of darkness, space, poisons, stealth, infiltration, with a unique. Magic that let's them shift and turn their bodies into that of someone who they have seen and come in contact with before. They were really great spies.

• The Bediako bloodline are a reclusive bunch. There are well known for their horns, wings and tails. It is believed they're the original vampire bloodline , but every other bloodline coven except the Inferno also claim the same. They're warmongers, killers, the very concept of destruction given flesh. They have unique elemental control over iron, or any metal, so much control that they could extract it from the blood of a person. They were and still is the prime reason why the vampire race went to war, and lost terribly. Because even with all of their battle prowess, they're arrogant and incapable of taking orders.

"Fellow elders, I have come today to ask for permission to allow my coven participate in the upcoming tri annual coven conference. I believe completing any given tasks or at least winning the entire competition would earn us your approval to establish our coven."

I said to them, as I moved my eyes from the sickly looking leader of the Ausolon, the towering monster of a vampire that leads theBediako coven, the sexy and sultry leaders of both the Hom'rugr and Zekeri bloodline, the mature looking beauty of the Warren coven, and the young fire prince of the Inferno bloodline. Each and every single one of them were powerful elders in their own right that would probably be a challenge for me, should we get into a fight. But not now, right now, I'm the one with the power.

"You left the Zekeri bloodline coven that you were the head off!, turning your back on your family without prior notice, or even giving us any sort of warning much less asking for permission. And you have the gall and audacity to come and ask us to let you compete in the tournament...…humph!You must be joking." The elder of the Zekeri coven spoke up as her snow white hair fell over her face in her anger.

"Did you not hear what the retainer of my house said when he introduced me. I am the mistress of the house of Cor, you're not even qualified to be mentioned on the same sentence as me. I can leave this place any time I want, the moment I married my husband guaranteed my freedom from this place. And the only reason I'm here, is because he still is.

Now let me ask you, how can a woman with as much wealth and power as mine serve a common coven, you must be out of your mind Sousa!"

I was not here asking for permission. Kael had sent me here to try and come to a compromise with the elders, to do things low key so that they would let us into the conference. I'm tired of doing that, besides being low key won't help the situation, I just tried that, and Sousa went on a verbal attack. Only a show of power, and maybe a little bait or was it carrot on a stick, would get me the result I'm aiming for.

"If it's permission you're looking for Elder Asha, you're not off to a good start in convincing us you deserve it." Malek the sickly looking leader of the Ausolon coven said to me.

"I'm Not here to ask for permission Malek, I'm here to demand that you let me into the competition. And if you do, I assure you I can get rid of not just the sickness that has been ailing you for the past 2000 years, I can completely get rid of your seals. And that offer goes to all of you."

I watched in satisfaction as they all went silent. My satisfaction increased a lot more as their eyes also widened in realization, my extreme confidence as I stood before them can only come from one thing and one thing alone, and that's t fact that I was no longer sealed. Sousa looked at me straight in the eye as she asked.

"There's a weaver in the pit?" I nodded my head.

"And he's willing to set us all free in exchange for you getting into the conference?" she asked again. But I had to stop her there.

"Don't get me confused, if you want to be released from your seals, you're going to have to pay a price. A very big price none the less, letting me into the conference is just a show of goodwill on your part. If you can do that, and are willing to lay the price to become unsealed, then I guarantee you in two weeks, you're all have the access to the way, the freedom and power you all so desire would be at your finger tips." I said to them.

"But it doesn't make sense, why would a weaver be willing to help you, or any vampire for that matter. It doesn't make sense." The person who spoke up this time Dunifae, the young fire prince of the Inferno bloodline.

I don't know why they call him young, the dude is three thousand years old, way, way older than me.

"what his reasons are, I cannot tell you. But you would be privy to all of them if your willing to pay the price he's offering, but that price is open to negotiation....if he's in the mood to negotiate that is."

"And what is this price?" Malek asked as an intense cough shook his thin frame.

I looked all of them in the eye and turned around heading out of the tower with Xaseah and Asare in tow. But before I completely disappeared from their eyes I gave them the answer.

"You have to perform the Ébó, swearing total loyalty to my lord and husband, Kael Cor. Think about it, and when you're ready come give me your answer."

I left the tower behind with the shouts of protests and anger resounding behind me, but I didn't care. Because at that moment I couldn't help the smile on my face, there was no reason to do things low key. This time, I'm going for the big game. I had no choice left, this time we're going all in.