Wow, Maxical’s recovery from the mating/attack was great! Malan set up Janus too take the blame for it all too. The description of her fading in and out, catching little bits of what the people around her were saying.

Was this the dreamsleeve? No…Eyja’s breasts.


I appreciated her being there to help Maxical though, and to answer Maxical’s questions.

Maxical’s first words to Hannibal were hilarious!

I’m surprised Maxical remembers as much as she does about the whole encounter. Malan forget to wipe her memory again? Janus’ idea of sweet talking! Uriel isn't even mad at the end either. Amazing!

At last! About time! Finally! Goodness gracious! It is done! The moment we've all been waiting for!

178:I loved this chapter. Loved it. Just a thing . . .if Fathis kept crying out for Maxical to get away from him, and she wanted him to mate her, wouldn't that techically be rape? Ahaha. Sorry, I just like to poke at buttons here.

Quite the horrific things Malan did here. Especially making Fathis take a chunk off Max. Maxical shined in this episode, especially here. You gave us a true personal issue and an emotional turmoil our young kitten faced!

For some reason I expected you to be graphic with the loss of her V card, but you weren't. Hehe. I suppose it is for the sake of some of the weak-stomach readers. It is still romantic, nonetheless. I am happy!!! You should have some "deleted scenes," though

179: I love the additional screenies! And my, Eyja and Maxical ARE cute. No, fetching! Poor Maxical, the first time is never usually all that amazing. So I've heard. Haha. Checkout Malan's pimped out crib. He's got style, that he does. The Mythic Dawn problem goes on, and Uriel is pissed off, thankfuly not at Max.



Haha, this hurt my stomach.

Now let us see how the tale takes a drastic change now that her viginity is gone!

“First time and already a critic, huh?”

That line just rang so true.

Everyone else has quoted the other bits .

*

@ Acadian - Thank you so very much - and hurry home, you are missed! Lol. I love Maxical's suite at the Palace too, and you are right, she will NOT be singing to her piano playing (and Eyja requested she stay off the piano, lol). Thank you so much again, Acadian. Can't wait till you get back here, Chorrol is a lonely place when Acadian and Jerric are MIA, lol.

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! The things you brought out in your comment are the things I loved bringing out in the story and hoped they would come across - nothing is secret in that Palace. Maxical gets in a rage when anyone eavedrops on her, but she is the worst for eavesdropping on everyone else. Janus would never be able to hold his head up in public again if he knew all the things revealed about his private moments, lol. I'm so glad you liked the screens! Thank you so very much again, Grits!

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@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! Your first statement answered your question at the end - Malan wanted her to remember it was Janus, that's why he didn't wipe her memory. He messed up, though - using the word "Lass," not realizing she would know it was Malan when he did. Malan's other mistake was mentioning Theryon by name. I was so tickled by the parts you laughed at in this episode, you caught so many things I hoped would bring a laugh! And you are right, Eyja makes a great big sister to Maxical! Thank you so very much again, KC!

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@ Darkness Eternal - You had me rolling with this - Maxical's inability to lose her virginity, can't even get the job done trying to rape her own husband - ROFL !!! You are right about that, the first time is always so full of nerves, inexperience and unknowns - it can't be amazing regardless. Loved your coments on the screens!

I really hoped someone would catch that line about Hannibal - because since he's fallen into this passion for Eyja he has been doing exactly that - dramatic gesturing, clearing his throat before answering, trying to talk scholarly - just like Janus did at the Arena when he was trying to impress Maxical that first day he met her. Eyja just gave him a hint that wasn't a turn-on to her, hopefully he'll get the message, lol.

Drastic changes? Oh yeah. Thank you so very much, Darkness - and so glad to see you back on here posting! I was about to jump all over your internet carrier for you, ROFL !!!

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@ Ghastley - ROFL !!! Doesn't it just? Lol. Thank you so much Ghastley!





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This post has been edited by mALX: Oct 19 2012, 09:28 PM

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Chapter 180: Past Meets Present


Uriel signaled Eyja. “Find out who Theryon is deeded to, the sale was just after the Imperial Simulacrum …”

I interrupted. “Who deeded it to you originally? Sir Damien said he and his wife honeymooned there when he gave me that key. When I repeated his words to Janus, he knew instantly it was Malan talking about his wife. Malan‘s marriage was centuries ago.”

Uriel slammed his fist on the dresser. “My suspicions were right! I never guessed Malan’s connection, but knew something was off. An Ayleid structure with all the furnishings and in the original condition; it could only have been passed down within one family. As young as I was at the time I thought it odd, not even for an Emperor do you bestow your family’s inheritance as a wedding gift!“

Eyja paused her quill. “I’ll bet Malan planned entombing you in the dungeons there, then impersonating you. How did he miss that opportunity?”

“I deeded it to Caula’s family for her Bride’s Price, never even visited there. During the Imperial Simulacrum, Jagar Tharn forced Caula and the Princes to live there. He magically sealed the exits so they were virtual prisoners in it. Lady Benoch finally discovered their true whereabouts and rescued them. Caula insisted on selling Theryon immediately after their rescue.”

“Lady Benoch! I…” Hannibal drew his flatted hand across his neck and I clamped my mouth shut. He was right, I needed to stifle my mouth when I was in Uriel’s good graces for a change.

Uriel glanced from Hannibal to me with raised brows before turning to Eyja. “I need every deed transaction for Theryon and the builders records. We must begin planning the rescues, and they may reveal Malan’s other impersonations. If Theryon has been his lair for centuries those records will provide a wealth of information on him.”

“His lair! Is it…did I mate in Malan’s lair? Is that what you are saying? Dear gods, doesn’t that make me his chosen? He whispered never to forget that I belonged to him forever now, then he did something inside me. I felt it happen, like a circle closing in me.“

“Traven?” Uriel waited while Hannibal cleared his throat.






***


“I’ve read of this phenomenon, the sensation of a circle closing occurs in both the ancient and their chosen when the Steps of Promise are completed and the mating has taken place. He made her his chosen.”

“Those Steps are a load of crap, if you even glance at ancients in passing they consider it a promise to mate them and hand over your blood! And why make me his chosen and then leave me to die? He’s a physician, he had to know the condition I was in…dear gods, he’d never risk killing me with Amiela inside me. I’ll bet he removed her in case I did. There goes our leverage against him.”

Eyja grimaced. “Janus should be able to tell whether Amiela is there or not, he‘s been following her as his chosen.”

Uriel raised his hand for silence. “Eyja, send your men for Hassildor and then I want those corridor traps set back up. Traven, be ready to measure his fangs.”

Eyja nodded, popping just her head out the door to give the order.

“I’ll bet that’s what that strange spell was, him taking her out. It felt like memories were connecting to him and replicating, like they recognized him or were communicating with him somehow.”

“I need to look this up in my tomes.”

“Hurry, Hannibal. My life depends on knowing whether she’s in me or not, and I can‘t tell unless she makes herself known.”

“The best way to discern and stay ahead of an enemy’s plots is to begin thinking like them. Know your opponent.” Uriel prompted.

“Oh, like at the Arena! Well, he knows we realize the power Amiela is in our hands because I threatened to do horrible things to her. And Malan would definitely remove her in case I died. But Malan is obsessed with his plans, he never discards them. He’s also famous for his diversionary tactics, though…and I could be one. If I’m not, he’d put her back in me. We‘d think she was gone and that we were powerless against him. He‘d have a safe place to store her without me threatening harm to her.”

Uriel nodded. “Now you’re catching on. Nothing with Malan is as it seems.”






***


Hannibal snapped his fingers. “Maxical’s neck wounds healed in the short time I was out of the room. If his healing is comparable to the fount, that is entirely possible. He most certainly would heal her before replanting Amiela.”

“I did have a dream of being healed on the fount at the Bloodworks, then woke feeling fine.”

Uriel had a troubled look. “There is another worry. She‘s been back three days.” He stared hard at me, then at Hannibal. “Is there a way to know if he made her?”

“He did, Sire. Twice. My eyes were shut, but I’m sure it was him. I’m not intact anymore, I‘m positive this time.”

Hannibal rolled his eyes. “I treated for that immediately, but the timing was risky since three days had passed.”

“Huh? Three days? I was sick before we mated, but surely I wasn’t gone a full day!”

Uriel looked concerned. “From the time you left my chambers till Hassildor called Traven was a full three days.”

“You thought I was mating continuously for three days? I’m not a rabbit! But…why don’t I remember the other days? Eyja, can you do that mind control thing again? I may need it done daily with Malan skulking around.”

“You’ve been near dead for days, Maxical.” Eyja eased onto the bed and put her arms around me.

“It’s more than that, I’ve lost time and memories again. And I’ve got an ill feeling something dire happened at Theryon, just like I did after that night at the Bloodworks.”

Hannibal hurried over and held a light spell close to my eyes, going from one eye to the other and peering at me; whatever that would tell him. I held up my hand between my eyes and that light Hannibal was blinding me with. He dispelled it.






***


“Have you had any nightmares?” Hannibal looked like a frightened owl. Then it struck me what he meant.

“GAAAAH! You mean he might have made me a vampire? GAAAAH! I did have a nightmare at Theryon! But wait, didn’t Malan want Janus to make me immortal?”

Hannibal glanced at Uriel. “Malan held Hassildor for days, he could have pulled some blood and injected it into her. Twice she’s shown aversion to light in her eyes, we need to send for Jeelius.”

“Dear gods, Hannibal! That light spell of yours would blind a blind monk! Would Janus show bloodletting marks?”

A man popped his head in the door “Hassildor is here.”

“Can’t Janus tell if I’m a vampire?”

Uriel raised his hand to shush me. “Traven, examine him in one of these other rooms first. I want the report on the fangspread immediately, then check him for signs of bloodletting. When you‘re done bring him to my chambers.”

“Malan is a master healer, he would leave no traces unless he wanted us to find them.” Hannibal said on his way out.

“Then can he check me for being a vampire? Sire, is he staying till this crisis is over? I may need his help. I’d like to talk to him privately when you’re through please.”

Eyja left with Uriel and Hannibal. I climbed out of bed and yanked every bit of bedding off the bed and opened the boarded window to air the room. I hoped Eyja knew how to make the bed back up, I didn‘t.

I needed a bath if Janus was coming. I barely heated the water before jumping in, and hurriedly scrubbed myself with scented soap to take the smell of sickness from me.






***


Azura’s seal wasn’t burning, Malan was close by. I debated letting loose a barrage of fireballs, but settled for giving him an earful of my temper instead.

“I thought Dagoth-Malan didn’t kill virgins, or doesn‘t it count if you’re deliberately murdering one to set someone up for arrest? What did you do those three days, perform more necromancy on me? Why’d you make me your chosen, Malan? You got my virgin blood, there’s nothing more you’ll get from me. I warned you to find someone else for your game. And if you’ve made me a vampire, I’ll use the powers to hunt you down like a dog…”

Eyja burst back into the room, then ground to a halt. “Who are you talking to?”

“Malan. I figure since he’s eavesdropping I should give him something to hear.”

“What happened to the bed?”

“I stripped it, but didn’t know how to make it back up. I can call Evangeline up to do it.”

“No, I’ll do it. Evangeline gives me a look every time she sees me.“

“She thinks you’ll wear down the Legion and we’ll lose the war.”

“BWAAHAA!”

“There’s clean linens in the dresser.”

Eyja talked while she made up the bed. “Janus was cleared of the attack on you. His fangspread was a fourth under the size of the bite pattern. Hannibal is examining him for bloodletting marks now, then they‘ll go talk to Uriel. Now I want to hear everything about your first time.”

I was debating whether I should say it was terrible just to rile Malan, but just then I heard Janus and Hannibal going into Uriel’s chambers.

“Shhh! I want to hear what is said.” I grabbed a towel and clamored out of the tub, hurrying to the wall. Before I could even press my ear against it the voices began to raise, then quickly escalated to angry shouting.

“I can’t understand a word to eavesdrop when they shout like that. Janus’s temper matches mine and Uriel’s. Hannibal isn’t mad, he’s just trying to inject reason but has to yell so they’ll hear him over themselves.“ I called loudly to Eyja.

She nodded and yelled back, “I know.”






***


My seal suddenly burned an agonizing fire on my tongue, Malan had left. I shut the window and locked the makeshift bolt on it, just in case he‘d left by it. The raised voices were making me feel tense, and a little ill. Eyja barely finished making the bed before I crawled into it, pulling the sheet up.

“Are you feeling bad again? Should I get Hannibal?”

“No. It’s just…the shouting makes me tense. That and…can you make me look pretty, Eyja? Janus will probably never forgive being jailed over me, but I’m hoping he does. He promised he would rescue Fathis that day at the Arena, and he said vampires are obsessed with promises being kept.”

“Obsessed with promises made to them being kept, you mean. They aren’t big on keeping promises they’ve made, you’ll find that out soon enough. Maybe we should get in the tub together.”

“He’d probably forget he was ever imprisoned.”

Eyja dug through a stack of dresses laying over the back of a chair and yanked a soft looking emerald green dress out. “Put this on, it’ll go well with your eyes.”

She paused before handing me the dress. “Maxical, don’t forget that Janus brought all this on himself. You’re thinking of trouble you caused him, well think about what he cost you. Fathis, Gils…this war, everything that’s happened started because Janus put Fathis under spells.”

It suddenly hit me, she was right. “I’d forgotten that, thanks Eyja.”

Eyja bade Janus come in when she answered Hannibal’s tap on the door.

“Uriel wants you both in his chambers, but said to take a moment and talk privately first.” Hannibal said as he escorted Eyja out. I waited till the door closed behind them before talking.

“I can’t tell how upset you are with the cowl on, will you take it off? Janus, I’m so sorry for what happened. Are you okay?” He came and sat beside me on the bed. I pushed the cowl back and looked into his eyes, somewhat relieved they were pink and not glowing red.

“Janus, you stood by me when I had no one. Thank you. I don’t blame you at all for being mad, you were incarcerated over me. Will you forgive me?“


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This post has been edited by mALX: Oct 19 2012, 09:50 PM

LOL! I love Maxical’s fiery reply to Traven’s explanation of ‘the circle closing.’ I have to agree with her.

Whoa. Maxical was turning into a vampire? Yikes. And now her seal is acting as a Malan detector. Why isn’t Janus’ presence in the other room soothing it?

Maybe we should get in the tub together.”

“He’d probably forget he was ever imprisoned.”
Do it!

Janus is acting weird. Does this have anything to do with Malan mating with Maxical, or (possibly) extracting his wife’s soul from Maxical?

179-
The waking-up sequence was a treat! Lovely use of word description that made me spin in dizzy circles. I really enjoyed watching Maxical work out the whole Mythic Dawn- Vampire- Chimer thing. Who would have thought that Eyja would be there at that pivotal moment in history? It leaves me speechless....

“BWAAHAA” Eyja grinned. “First time and already a critic, huh?”
Priceless!!

180-
"Nothing with Malan is as it seems.”
Now that is an understatement....

"Malan. I figure since he’s eavesdropping I should give him something to hear.”
I love the irony of this comment, considering the wall of people lined up outside the bed chamber in the last chapter. Maxical has unknowingly caught Eyja out again!

Great finish to the chapter. I sense a brooding vampire, weighed down by the despair of the moment. I cannot wait for the reply.....providing it is who we think it is.....

“Traven, be ready to measure his fangs.”
Oooh! CSI, Imperial City! I was glad to see Janus cleared of kitty biting.

‘I climbed out of bed and yanked every bit of bedding off the bed and opened the boarded window to air the room. I hoped Eyja knew how to make the bed back up, I didn‘t.’
Wow! Maxical must be quite domestically untrainable if S’jirra was unable to teach her how to make up a bed as a young kit. And no barracks bed inspections at the University? This was a surprise but we know how stubborn Maxical can be.

I see Maxical being sweet to Janus at the end. I guess she’s gonna save the ammo on him putting spells on Fathis till she needs some leverage with him.

Another wonderful episode, mALX!

Oops, now I get the circle closing.


I love this! Is Maxical infected or isn’t she, I can't wait to find out! We’ve gone from one V blood drama to another! Also is Amiela stashed in her again, or somewhere else? Each answer leads to more questions! I’m fascinated, and I just love having all of these characters walking back and forth between the rooms and yelling at each other.

Maxical getting prettied up for Janus and getting jabs in at the eavesdropping Malan made me smile.

Eyja and Maxical playing hide the soap might cheer up Janus (and the readers ), but Hannibal would lose it completely just when he needs to focus!!

I can’t wait to see what happens with Janus. His chosen radar for Amiela and Maxical’s moonsugar tongue sensor could be important tools for Team Uriel, if they don’t somehow interfere with each other.

Awesome chapter! This story just keeps getting better!

Malan is getting reckless. Something's up! He needs some of that red nectar to clear his mind, otherwise Maxical will always be ready for his schemes. Always. For this chapter, I loved the lore you weaved into the story:

“I deeded it to Caula’s family for her Bride’s Price, never even visited there. During the Imperial Simulacrum, Jagar Tharn forced Caula and the Princes to live there. He magically sealed the exits so they were virtual prisoners in it".

Love that mention of Jarag Tharn, the old antagonist of Arena. And wow, Maxical having restorative dreams in fountains of blood? YES! She has the Gift! Or maybe she doesn't. If she doesn't, then nooo!

I love the fact that they went through the checklist of her being a vampire or not. The Arcane University would know wouldn't they? I reckon no one there bothered to cast a "detect dead" spell. Hehe, not until vampires became a nuisance.

This was a wonderful, comical chapter!

I began reading this one about two weeks ago. Still far from the end, (I'm at page 15 or so?) but I do like it. There is a certain lack of anything worldshattering happening that's rather refreshing. This is about 'little'people doing 'little' things. Ok, so some of the guys are kind of famous but still.

I'm still at the soft-toothed and virginal dilemma. It's funny how my perception of Aggie made a thorough 180 flip over time. And even though I've been expecting the climax for the last few pages, somehow everyone keeps backing up, only to raise the tensions even further into the impossible. It's just plain awesome.

Oh, and I had a good laugh on how Aggie's fall made a couple of new heroes. Man, he really must want a dentist right now.

Ahem, I'll get back to reading tomorrow. Till then, keep up the good work.

I like the way you've replaced the "is she still a virgin?" confusion with "is she a vampire" AND "is Amiela in there?" at the same time. Especially as the former only needs to be answered "No" once, and the new questions need answers all the time.

Which all leads me to wonder if she'd show vampirical symptoms if she was "hosting"? Wasn't Amiela a vampire herself?

You might want to remind us exactly what's being detected by her tongue now, as I think its target may have been changed by recent events. But then I could just be confused, as usual.

Yeah, good job mALX!

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@ King Coin - Thank you so much KC! I'm glad you pulled out Maxical's snappy answer to Traven - it was like if a mortal does anything but kill them, they must be promising to do them, lol. Maxical's seal could always detect ancient vampires (because they ease the seal pain), but Janus would have to be in the same room with her to ease her seal. Uriel had Traven bring him to a different room.

You are exactly right, Janus is ticked off because Maxical promised it to him (and ancients expect promises to be kept), but then Malan got in there before him. You had me tickled with your comment, thanks again KC!

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@ Winter Wolf - Thank you so much Wolfie! Your senses are 100% correct, Janus is brooding all right, lol. Loved the things you pointed out, the eavesdropping in that Palace is a point of contention on both sides. Maxical is the worst for eavesdropping on everyone and repeating what she hears, but gets the maddest when it is done to her, lol. Thank you so much Wolf, I can never say it enough how glad I am to see you back on here!

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@ Acadian - ROFL!!! I love it! CSI Cyrodiil, lol. Measuring fangs by pressing a parchment up and marking on it the bitemarks with a quill and inkpot, ROFL !!!

S'Jirra spoiled Maxical rotten, she never had to make a bed, lol. At the Arcane she probably talked Delphine into it. Maxical is a cat, they are master manipulators when they want something done - at the Arena Andronicus was repairing her armor, she was going to ring for Evangeline to make the bed (someone she knew would do it for her because Evangeline dotes on her like her parents did) - just wait till Maxical gets out on her own when the Oblivion Crisis happens, she may need to learn to do a few things herself, lol.

You are exactly right, she is holding onto that leverage for a more appropriate time when it will do the most good (or the first time her temper flares, whichever comes first).

Thank you so very much Acadian!

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@ Grits - I lost everything in my mouth when I read "playing hide the soap in the bathtub" - my keyboard no longer works, I have to hit the keys 3 times every letter now and it is your fault! ROFL !!! Now THERE is a line Foxy shouldn't miss, ROFL !!!

You are exactly right about them being tools that the team will need to use. Malan may have Uriel at a disadvantage, but he is surrounding himself with the right team of assistants (mostly).

Thank you so very much Grits!

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@ Darkness Eternal - Well, Malan just sated himself on Maxical, drained her dry till she almost died - so he should be on his toes now, lol. Janus Hassildor should be able to tell her if she's been made or not. That's the quickest way.

But Malan wanted her immortal, so he'd need to use Janus's or Dagoth-Ur's blood to do that - he wouldn't want to drink Maxical's blood and taste theirs. He wanted Maxical's blood pure, and has at least nine months to make her immortal - so she's not been turned. (so...NOOOOOO!)

Thank you so much Darkness!

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@ Jack Cloudy - This was such a nice surprise, thank you so much for reading, Jack! This story is the last year before Uriel dies and the Oblivion Crisis starts, the events that happened in Cyrodiil that last year. When Maxical graduated from the Arcane the year began. I've kind of done it as a continuous diary of events, so there are days when it is slow at first and as the crisis nears the momentum builds. (Maxical needs that year to grow up and become worthy and able to be the champion Uriel needs - she starts of hugely flawed and not capable at all, life and Uriel need to shape her up). Thank you so very much again for reading, Jack!

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@ Ghastley - The Amiela thing is def an issue unless she pops up like she did before, because before that Maxical never felt her. Malan wants her immortal, and wouldn't have tainted the pure blood before drinking it - she's vampy safe now, but probably won't stay that way now that Malan has gotten rid of the temptation of that pure blood.

You raised an interesting question on the soul being that of a vampire - I am leaving that vampire with the body instead of the soul - so Amiela's soul may be of a not nice person, but it won't be vampiric. Thanks for asking that, I did fret over how to handle that situation before sticking Amiela in there and finally decided I didn't want the vampy attached to the soul.

Gils is dead, so Azura's seal will only bring excrutiating pain unless an ancient is near or Maxical drinks vampire juices. If her pain stops, she knows an ancient vampire is near - unless she has been chugging the juices, and then she has no way of knowing if they are near (which is why she never knew Sir Damien was a vampire, because she was chugging juices).

Thank you so much Ghastley!

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@ FOXY!!!!! You are so missed, can't wait till November! Thanks for the kind words, and get back here before we all go into a cat-a-tonic states without you!


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This post has been edited by mALX: Oct 28 2012, 10:06 AM

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Chapter 181: Broken Promises


Janus jumped right into what he was enraged about. “Is what Uriel said true? Malan mated you within the walls of his lair?”

“Er…I don’t know, my eyes were shut throughout…“

“Maxical!“

“I thought it was you, Janus! He made himself look exactly like you, and even talked with your Colovian accent right up till the very end. I didn’t even know I went to his lair, he knocked me out with some spell and carried me there. Then at the end he said to never forget I belonged to him forever now and called me Lass like Malan does. He still looked like you, but suddenly I wondered if it was Malan.”

“You didn’t walk inside of your own free will?”

“No, I woke up in a bed inside there.”

“Then he can’t claim you as his chosen! He has to have his full vampire out, you have to walk willingly by his side into the lair. This is trickery!”

“Huh? That's a good thing, right? I don't want to be his chosen. Geez, Janus…this is like school, all these intricate rules. I don’t know how you keep up with them all.”

“It’s so ancients don’t kidnap women and hold them prisoner in the guise of being a chosen. They’re not even supposed to be under spells but sometimes that’s hard to prove because our aura makes women lightheaded.”

“Look Janus, before I met you I never even spoke to a vampire except with my sword. I don’t know all these rules or what they mean. All I know is we made him mad and he got even, gave us a demonstration of what he could do to us at will. Malan is a strategic genius, he loves doing stuff like that. But I‘m worried he…”

Janus cut in mid sentence. “You can still break this, Maxical. He impersonated me, you can challenge it by mating with me. Prove you intended it to be me.”

“It doesn’t matter who was intended, I can‘t get into a war between ancients! I was ordered to lose my virginity, and I did. I’m safe now, and he can’t use my blood to make a minion of Fathis anymore. I hate that it was him, but it‘s over and done with. My focus has to be protecting Uriel, that is prime above any other consideration. I’m just going to let it drop, end this.”






***


“You can’t let it drop! He‘s told our realm you belong to him now, it won’t end there! And what about your promise to me?”

“Why wouldn’t it end? You said yourself no one dares challenge him. And I kept my promise to you, I can’t help it if you let him impersonate you! You said it was trickery, then he knows it‘s not legit. He urinated on my leg like a dog, that’s all.”

“Ancients don’t urinate on legs. After what he did at the Temple, he can’t step back. Without you being sworn to him he’ll have to keep displaying, sending overt signals and warnings.”

“Like what?”

Janus all but leaped up from the bed. “Like coming to you for all his mating!”

“Not if he wants relief he won’t. The only thing he’ll get here is a quick lesson in why Molag Bal gave you vampires hands. I have no intentions of mating anyone. My service to Uriel takes precedence over my love life, that’s why he ordered me to get rid of the distraction.”

“You can‘t toy with ancients, Maxical.”

“He toyed with me first, Janus. It’s a game to him, a battle. I did what I had to do, and now it’s over. I don’t know if you can understand what a relief it is to me, having that burden of virgin blood off me. I’m safe now.”

“That isn’t all, he’ll stay near you and his army will stand guard where you sleep. He’ll protect the union aggressively, drive other ancients away from you.”

“Janus, there’s no guard on me and you’re in my bedroom right now, that proves you‘re wrong. What’s crucial for me to know is if he made me a vampire, he had access to your blood, Janus! I’m really scared because light hurt my eyes. Can you tell?”

“You’re not a vampire, Maxical.”

“Are you sure?” When Janus nodded I breathed for the first time since Uriel brought it up. I almost felt faint the relief was so tremendous.

“The other thing I was worried about, is his wife still inside me?”

“You’re in too close proximity to me, I can’t tell. The hunt instinct will return when you get a distance from me.”

Instinctively I knew he was lying. She had to be in me, then. He sat back down next to me.






***


“You may be right, if he was seriously poaching you the biggest signal he could send to our kind would be keeping you in his lair where other vampires can’t enter.” .

“He couldn’t be guarding me at Theryon while taking over here at the Palace. I wondered if he was treating the Palace as his second lair or something.”

The split second the words were spoken, Janus leaped back up and became gigantic. His fangs looked like two daggers jutting straight down from his mouth ready for battle and his eyes pierced like a hawk that just caught sight of a rabbit.

I had a flickering of instinctive reaching for my sword but wasn’t wearing one, and didn’t feel comfortable laying down with him looking like that. I struggled both to rise from the bed and to overcome the feeling of needing to raise a defensive attack, then tried to cover my gaffe by taking his hand as if to help me rise. The amount of power emanating from it shocked me, it felt like a volcano of spells about to erupt. I let go quickly and scrambled up on my own.

“Don’t blow up on me, I’m probably wrong.”

“You’re not wrong, ARGH! That’s it!”

“Listen Janus, you can’t let your nature out and grow giant in the Royal Family Quarters. If Uriel sees it he’ll put you back into that cell.”

“You‘re right…I‘m sorry if I frightened you.”

“You did, to be honest. Don’t make me test your immortality.”

“You’ll always be safe with me, Maxical. I would never hurt you.”

“That’s only believable when you don’t look like a giant hawk seeking its prey. Janus, we’re both in this together, I need your help because you understand this stuff and I don’t. Can we talk about this now without you growing giant again?“

Janus nodded.






***


“Malan’s been staying near me steadily till right before you came in.”

“That proves he’s claiming you, Maxical. He’s watching you, making sure no one else touches you. If they try, he’ll kill them.”

“More likely watching over his wife inside me so no one inadvertently mounts her. I have no intention of being with anyone, Janus. I did what I had to for my safety and Uriel‘s, that‘s all. No matter what Malan pulls my only plan for him is to see him dead. I really need your help, Janus. Remember at the Arena you promised to return my husbands to me? Please do it now, please? I mean, you know where Fathis is now and can access Malan's lair.”

Janus’s expression flittered through several different emotions, none of them looked like one determined to keep his vow to me. Dear gods, was Eyja right?

“Listen to me Janus, I can’t make you serve Uriel, but I’m asking you to. With Malan in this Palace, Uriel is in danger. I have to keep him safe at all costs, and could use your help.”

“He hates vampires, Maxical.”

“He knows your nature and is asking your help. He is 87 now, you’ll not get many more chances like this. You can learn a lot from him, I have. He’s wrought changes in me, things I didn’t even know I had inside. He taught me to pull strengths from every resource available, even from the pain of losing Fathis and Gils. I’d not have survived the past weeks without that. With you running a County seat you could really benefit from spending time with him, I hope you will offer it.”

“You’re asking me to put my eternity on the line, Maxical! Anything happens, anything! You saw how quick Uriel was to assume I was guilty! Incarcerated for eternity in a dungeon, there’s no worse fate I can imagine! It would have happened had you not realized it wasn’t me that did this. It‘s too risky.”

“I won’t let that happen to you, Janus. You have my vow.”

“You can’t make vows to me as Malan’s chosen! One misunderstanding could mean Uriel’s Law being called on me!”

“Listen Janus, it happened and no one can take that back. Uriel says you can be strengthened or weakened by adversity, but you’re the helmsman that chooses which. He needs your help. He’ll command it if you don‘t volunteer, it would just look much better on you to make an offer of assistance. You‘ll be staying right here in the family quarters with me and Eyja, we‘ll see no more misunderstandings arise.” If nothing else, I thought that might sway him.

Janus gaped at the one bed in the room, then the bathtub. “Holy Psijic [censored]!”







***


“Malan’s plot involves both of us, Janus. Malan’s wife has been dead a century. Whether he put her in me as a child or that night at the Bloodworks, how did he just happen to have her soul with him to stick her in me?”

“You said Malan is a strategic genius and does nothing without reason. I think using you to house her is something he planned long before he implanted her, and he won‘t give up on it. He never gives up on plans once he’s made them.”

“Why me, Janus? I can tell you know something.”

“I have an idea why, but he’s pulling something. He used tricks to poach you so his heart will stay with his wife, it will never turn toward you. He didn’t really make you his chosen, so why did he say you‘d belong to him forever now?”

“I don’t know, but after he said that I felt something inside me moving, like a circle closing or something.”

“What? Maxical, he’s placed his nature inside you! Your heart will be turned toward him! That’s the trick!”

“Huh?”

“He’s kept his own heart with his wife, but placed his nature inside you so your heart will be turned toward him! He has no intentions of removing his wife from you! He wants you to love him enough that you’ll let him keep her inside you, and she‘ll still be his only chosen!”

“I’m going to stay close by, Maxical. I meant what I said, if you need me I’m but a thought away.”

“Thank you, Janus…” I remembered what Eyja had said about all ancients saying that and it meaning nothing.






***


“Er…I hope you really mean that. Better raise your cowl back, I’m not sure Uriel is used to seeing fangs in his chambers.” I kissed him on the cheek and then pulled the door open.

Uriel, Hannibal, and Eyja all but fell into the room like they‘d been glued to the door.

“This is what you call a private moment, ears pressed on doors? The Bloodworks has more privacy than this Palace!” I fumed, but Uriel patted my shoulder approvingly.

“You made the correct choices without anyone’s council, Maxical. The mission must take precedence and priority over and above anything else.”

“There has to be some way to turn this to our advantage, Sire.”

Uriel gripped my shoulder in answer, nodding his head slowly.

Uriel tempers his praise a lot more than his rage. Maybe because it’s so rarely given it means much more to me when I do receive it. The approving glance or hand on the shoulder, they touch strongly within me. I know now why Fathis said his troops would follow Uriel into Oblivion. He sets tough tasks, but makes you reach deep inside yourself and find things you’d never known you had.

I said it to Janus, but maybe for the first time realized how much I actually had learned from Uriel. He taught me to do whatever is needed to get a task done, to push every bit of rage and pain deep inside and ‘suck it up’…tap it, use it to fuel me beyond my own capability. He brought me from child to warrior in just weeks.

I hoped he could do the same for Janus. I tugged Uriel’s arm to wait, giving a nod at Janus‘s retreating back.

“My first recruit, if you can train him like you are doing me. I give you the boy, send back the man.”

Uriel shot me a surprised look, but only slightly disapproving. “Only until we get Fathis and Foxy back.”

“Agreed.”


*

This post has been edited by mALX: Oct 28 2012, 09:47 AM

So Maxical is not a vampire. Gosh, that’s wonderful news! Malan’s wife is still inside her though – that can’t be good.

And Janus may be a nice guy, but the strength of his mettle is still an open question of conflicting evidence. I mean, he stood by her that whole night in the chapel, but now his solution to her problems with Malan is to get her in the sack?

I chuckled when Maxical finally opened the door and the eavesdropping gang outside almost fell into the room. Her words to Uriel at the end about taking Janus the boy and sending her back a man sounded like a mother admonishing her son’s drill instructor. She’s come a long way indeed!

Well Janus if you wanted Maxical so bad, how the hell did Malan haul her off on your watch? (Sorry, talking to Janus here )These vampires are insane!

Look Janus, before I met you I never even spoke to a vampire except with my sword.
Better go back to that I think. Janus wants his turn now! Sorry, you missed it!

I can’t help it if you let him impersonate you!
The only thing he’ll get here is a quick lesson in why Molag Bal gave you vampires hands. I have no intentions of mating anyone.
Go Maxical!

Wooh, two things down. Not a vamp and the dead wife is still there.

Malan’s made quite a claim, considering the Palace his already. Makes me wonder if there is something we’re missing…

I think the bathtub just sealed the deal! Maxical and Eyja can get anyone to volunteer with that bathtub sitting there!

Now, time to get Foxy and Fathis back… Great chapter mALX!

just dropping in to say that i am still reading, just going slowly I'll give you a full report of your story as soon as i'm able

Well, it’s a slight improvement over rat libido as a pickup line.


LOL, now I’m imagining Maxical tripping and falling onto a vampire sword. I love this whole scene with Janus. These two just sparkle throughout.


Hilarious! You got me back for that keyboard!!


I love this line. Maxical acknowledges what Uriel has done for her in such a quiet way. It’s a demonstration of what she was just thinking a minute ago. Awesome!

Nooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Double Nooooooooooooooooo!

Well, she's not a vampire, then. We can't have vampire protagonists, right? They're "baddies," after all, . It would change everything to see Maxical turn into a blood-drinking monster!

I can see why Maxical feels relieved after all this time. Since she's no longer a virgin, I suppose she believes her problems somewhat lessened. But hell, if she has Amiela within her and Malan after her, she still has a big problem to deal with!


Geez, Max sure did get some courage. To threaten Janus after he grew bigger? Hmm! She's tougher now that she's "experienced"

I freaking love how the group fell into the room all at once, caught red handed too! It reminds me of those cartoons/movies where they hide behind the door and just fall into the room after a lenghy eavesdrop

Great write!

So, off to recover Fox and Fathis, eh? Maxical better be prepared now. Especially now!