"Tell me about vampire mates."

Gem looked up at glared at Elizabeth for asking the question. All of them were sitting around a campfire at night. Carolo, Jamika and Michael. The three vampires were drinking from a cup and Gem couldn't help but cringe at the disgusting smell of the blood. Not that she was drinking anything better. Glancing down at the foul smelling medicine Jamika had kindly prepared for her, she pursed her lips and drank the soupy mixture, trying to ignore the revolting taste.

"What do you want to know about it?" Carolo asked cheerily.

"Anything, the legends. Everything!" Elizabeth asked enthusiastically until she was silenced by Gem's hard look.

"You should ask Michael over here." Carolo patted his friend's shoulder. "He had a vampiric mate."

Gem glanced at the brooding vampire who was staring into the vampire. Of all people, she hadn't expected the sulky one to have a vampiric mate. 

"Wait," Gem asked carefully. "You said had. She's...not alive is she?"

Carolo clapped his hands. "Wonderful observation."

"I thought Jamika's Michael's wife," Elizabeth pointed out.

The old vampire grinned. "Jamika's my wife. Not Michael's. He's too consumed wallowing in his own mind to care about women."

Gem flicked her eyes over to Michael. Even amongst vampires, he was quite handsome. He was pale but his violet blue eyes contrasted nicely with it. Even from here, she could see the slight bulge in his muscles. He also had nice musician-like hands.

At that moment, he looked up and met her gaze. Blushing, she looked back down at the camp fire. Damn it, it must be the celibacy getting to her. First, it was Luke Garon. Now, it was this sulky Michael guy. She really needed to get a proper personal life- preferably one that involves some sex.

"Michael, will you tell our guests the story?" Jamika asked gently. She was a gorgeous vampire with finely braided hair and bright sparkly eyes. She reminded her of an exotic princess.

Sighing, Michael nodded and said, "I had a vampiric mate called Alison." At her name, his voice tightened. "I met her when I was out hunting for animals. She was on a camping trip with her friends and had fallen down a cliff. I found her when she was barely alive and decided to change her so that she could live."

There was a poignant pause as he surveyed their faces. Gem wasn't sure what expression she had on but she felt curious in spite of herself. Elizabeth and Jamika were listening with rapt attention but Carolo looked bored, having listened to this story for a hundred years.

"The moment she changed to a vampire, I suddenly felt this pull towards her."

"A pull?" Gem raised her eyebrows skeptically. 

"It was like chains pulling me along. I started to feel this possessive need to be around her and we couldn't be separated." Michael's lips crinkled into a forlorn smile. "We loved each other so much. It was meant to be. I couldn't look at any other women after she appeared in my life."

When he paused, Gem sensed that something bad had happened to his mate. Michael's face then hardened. "One day, I received news that she accidentally killed a human in public. More than hundred people saw her drinking blood straight from the human's neck. We had always drunk animal blood, having always respected Carolo but she did complain many times about the revolting taste. I didn't know she would lose control." He shook his head. 

Gem gave him a sympathetic look. The number one rule in the vampiric world was the maintain anonymity and to break that golden rule was to risk immediate execution.

"What happened then?" she gently prodded.

"She....she got dragged away by the guards from the Order." Michael closed his eyes. "I will always remember that day. I didn't know about the incident and she didn't tell me. I only came to know it when the guards appeared without warning and handed me a decree telling me she was due to be executed. I...." At this his voice cracked. "I wasn't allowed to be at her execution but I somehow knew when she died because I felt as if a bullet passed through my heart. That hole has never been filled and from that day onwards, I've always felt a sense of loneliness and incompleteness."

No one spoke and Gem shifted a little uncomfortably. She sympathized him but she wasn't good at talking about emotions and had no idea how to say reassuring words so she kept quiet.

"This is why I hate the Order." Michael's voice turned aggressive. "And why I hate Luke Garon. The law was set by him and he could have been merciful and spared Alison. He knows that one of the worst things that can happen to a vampire would be to lose his or her vampiric mate as it gurantees a life of sadness for the mate remaining behind. I went to plead him but he refused to even see me which is why I hate him."

"Peace child. Don't speak so brashly. You never know who might be listening," Carolo said sternly. "If word got out, you could be arrested."

"Let them arrest me," Michael hissed. "I've tried killing myself so many times and it has failed. I would love the day for Luke Garon to order my death sentence."

Gem looked down into the fiery flames of the fire. On one hand, she sympathized him but she didn't think it was entirely right to blame Luke Garon for it. He had to uphold the laws and if he were to allow for one exception, others might exploit the loopholes.

Stop defending Luke Garon.  Besides, he's none of your business. Gem chided herself.

"Carolo?" Gem stared at the old vampire. "You mentioned something about you owing my father a favor."

"Ah yes." Carolo clapped his hands. "Felix Austen! We go a long way back. Both of us were created around the same time by the same creator. I do not know my creator's name but I know that he was an extremely powerful vampire because the creator's power is always transferred to the ones he created. Felix was an exceptional one."

"Exceptional?" Gem's voice strained. Exceptional at torture and cruelty perhaps.

"He was adept at hunting, especially humans." Carolo's eyes misted over. "I chose to drink animal blood and tried convincing him but to no avail. But he was good at what he did. There was one time I offended one of the warlock vampires. That warlock vampire wanted to send me into the realms of hell and he almost succeeded but Felix...." He laughed. "Felix killed him and then took the warlock vampire's home as a trophy. It was ghastly but he saved my life."

He didn't save your life. He probably did that because he enjoyed killing. She wanted to say that badly but what was the point of ruining Carolo's impression of her father? 

Suddenly, Carolo's face turned grave. "When I heard he had made a vampire army to overthrow Luke Garon, he sought me out and asked me to join him but I refused. Helping an old friend is one thing. Attempting to overthrow the Order which was a suicide mission was another matter. I refused and he got angry. We got into an argument and he left. Ever since then, I didn't hear from him until I received news of his death."

"And you were sad?" Gem frowned. She wasn't cruel but if her father hadn't died, many innocent lives could have been sacrificed. 

"Partly. I was sad because he was after all, a friend for many years but I was relieved because I always knew he was a dangerous one. Brilliant but dangerous. Much like Luke Garon himself. I reckoned Luke Garon killed off your father partly because he was a threat to the throne."

"Carolo!" His wife Jamika chided. "Don't speak of such matters in the open."

"Who's going to hear it?" Carolo waved his hands. "It's not as if Luke Garon's going to pop up and say hi to us."

Suddenly, Michael's face changed into a shocked expression.  "Did you hear that everyone?" he hissed.

"Hear what?" Elizabeth asked.

Gem instinctively grabbed the dagger tied to her waist. There was a buzzing sound and it got louder and louder.

"Oh no....oh no!" Carolo's eyes widened with fright. 

"What's wrong?" Gem demanded and tried to get up but winced. Her body still ached despite the regenerative medicine she had taken but she knew something was wrong. Vampires don't get scared. Not much creatures in existence could threaten them. It could only mean one thing.

"Luke Garon's here," Michael growled. "The king is here himself."

"But...but we didn't send the message yet!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"This means he received news that the girl was here." Carolo's voice trembled. "He's here. He's really here."

Gem watched in surprise as all 3 vampires- Carolo, Michael and Jamika- backed away slowly. She turned around and saw that there was a dark mist spreading through the forest.

"He's really here mistress!" Elizabeth explained.

"Fuck," Gem swore.

She was going to meet the Dark lord. Again.