《Sanguis》 Sanguis 1 Dominus Titus Aurelius purveyed his province from the window of a bouncing carriage. He had grown to resent the assignment; ten years was too long for a Roman to spend so far from home. These mountains, with their splendid waterfalls and frozen peaks, only added to his irritation. He missed the concrete, the sounds and smells of the city, and the bustling activity of progress. Here in Helvetia, Titus had found more scenery than success. But his lord had demanded loyalty, insisting this assignment held great importance for their kind. Goro desired to bring an end to the war, to finally settle the dispute over who ruled the civilized world¡ªdragons or vampure. So far the Lord of Blood enjoyed an upper hand. Hunted to near extinction, dragons rarely ventured from hiding while vampure ruled the civilized world. What kind of victory forced the victor to rule from shadows? Someday, Titus and his kind would wear their forms among society. The eyes of the dominus scanned those frozen peaks. High and forbidding, they seemed to laugh at his incompetency. In ten years he had not found a single trace of the dragon thunder, the home of Argant, the Lord of Fire, and his descendants. Goro insisted it was there¡ªa mythical roost known only to the locals as Mount Sapientia. It could only be reached, according to legend, by a hero fated to bond with an aerouant through noble deeds. If I can¡¯t find them, Titus realized, I must draw them out. But luring a random dragon from hiding would not do. He must find Argant and crush the thunder by severing the head of their bloodline. The carriage slowed and Titus turned his gaze toward the village ahead. Nestled in a dense forest, Cardac could fuel the empire¡¯s war machine, but Goro had forbidden such an industry here, so close to the hidden thunder, and so the land lay useless. The only clearing the villagers farmed paid tribute to the empire, their measly payment to keep the Romans from interfering with their quaint and meaningless lives. A forced cheer erupted from the village center as a dozen or so families celebrated the arrival of their overseer. They anticipated his arrival with as much eagerness as he felt in coming, a necessary business in which both sides must fake their part. Titus scoffed at the dirt which coated their bodies, clothing, and lives. Let¡¯s get this over with, he thought as the carriage rolled to a stop. Several children pressed forward for a closer look at their lord, but Marius, the captain of Titus¡¯ honor guard gently pushed them back. Only the mayor was allowed to approach the dominus and did so with a prepared speech that butchered the noble Latin. ¡°Dominus Titus, esteemed representative of Caesar, the people of Cardac welcome you with grace, dignity, and humble loyalty. May your visit strengthen our hearts as well as the empire!¡± Weak cheers erupted from the crowd, prompted by applause from those few villagers who understood the words. Mumblings of translation whispered in Gaulish drew some late claps and a few lingering hurrahs. Titus groaned as the door opened and Marius offered a hand. He ignored it, emerging with a smile and waving enthusiastically at the crowd. He would play his role as a curiosity, spend one night in the village, and then be on his way to the Roman capital of Aventicum come sunup. The mayor bowed deeply, his foot sliding in the dirt and causing him to stagger awkwardly. ¡°We have prepared a feast, Dominus, in your honor!¡± Titus kept his outward smile, still scowling only on the inside. The meal would no doubt revolve around venison or pork, the fare of paupers and farmers. Whatever it turned out to be, it would be more than most of these families had eaten all year. He glanced once more at those laughing peaks high overhead, hoping Goro appreciated the sacrifices made by his most loyal subject. ¡°Lead me to this feast!¡± Titus bade the politician, then followed him beneath a covered awning and inside the meeting lodge. It reeked of poverty. Torches flickered above rows of benches alongside tabletops. None of the wood had been polished, soaked and swollen by decades of spilled beverages. Even the grungy walls gave off a musty air that threatened nights of lingering coughs. Titus took his seat of honor at the head, the mayor choosing a simple chair that sat him beneath the shoulder of the overseer. One by one the villagers entered and took their seats, leading salivating children who eyed the boar resting on a platter before the Roman. Beside that beast also lay the haunches of a hart. At least the backstrap would be saved for their visitor, and a beautiful woman bowed shyly as she placed that platter before the dominus. He nodded his thanks but remained careful not to eye her as hungrily as he should the meat. The same ritual occurred in every village, them choosing the loveliest of their maidens to wait on his every need. The audacity of their assumptions, that he, a Roman, would find pleasure in such an unwashed and uncultured specimen. Titus would never lay beside a Gaul, not when a true Roman woman, Diana, his official courtesan, waited with dignified upbringing in Aventicum. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Captain Marius, it seemed, took no such distinction or pride in his own selection, and showed great interest in the serving girl. Once she realized the dominus had no interest, she seemed content to accept the advances of his guardsman. Titus shrugged. To each his own taste, he supposed. Thus the meal droned on, stretching the evening into a night filled with local songs and stories. He tried so hard not to appear disinterested, only yawning once or twice during a biased and largely unfactual account of the Battle of Alesia. Instead of the arduous siege fashioned by Julius Caesar, these boasts hinted at acts of valor and heroism on the part of Vercingetorix and his Arverni. Sensing his disinterest, the mayor called upon a young woman to stand. ¡°Adelia!¡± the mayor begged. ¡°Excite us with a tale about dragons! Come now! Take the floor!¡± The next storyteller greatly surprised the dominus. She was a young mother of two children, wife to a farmer by the look of her shabby clothing, but had a different look to her than these other Gauls. While most were tall, fair skinned, and with reddish hair. This woman more resembled a natural citizen of the empire. With smiling brown eyes that matched her bronze skin, a cascade of raven hair framed what could only be a Roman face. Her perfectly slanted nose sloped between high cheekbones and rested above full lips. Titus watched her with keen interest but carefully guarded the lust which leapt inside with quickened pulse. Adelia stood, blushing deeply and looking to her husband for his approval. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Erwan!¡± the mayor added, realizing his unintended slight upon her husband¡¯s honor. ¡°Would it please you if your wife entertains the dominus? The decision is yours, of course!¡± The farmer, the usual type with a strong back but seemingly lacking the intelligence of his wife, frowned at being put on the spot. Thankfully, her children interceded for the audience. ¡°Please, Father!¡± they begged. ¡°Let her tell a story about the dragons!¡± ¡°Hush now Rupert and Racinda,¡± the young mother cautioned her children. ¡°The decision is entirely up to your father and you shouldn¡¯t interfere.¡± She locked eyes with Erwan and gave the slightest of nods, letting him know she would not be bothered by the public attention. The farmer turned to face the guest of honor and bowed deeply before Titus. ¡°Very well, my lord! I pray my wife¡¯s story brings you as much pleasure as it does our humble village.¡± The entire assemblage relaxed but watched with bated excitement. The hush fell upon everyone, even Titus, as the woman¡¯s soft and supple lips curled and spoke her tale of dragons. ¡°Mount Sapientia,¡± she described, masterfully blending her Gaulish with the correct pronunciation of the Latin name, ¡°blew cold with the air of defeat. The Elderkin, exhausted from warfare, led their children into hiding. Their foe, the evil vampure, had bitten at their heels for eons and sucked their resolve if not their sanguis.¡± Titus sat taller in his chair, entranced by her telling but also by the details no human should know. She was special, this storyteller, and he would hear her story in entirety. ¡°Weary from running, they faced the army bearing down upon them. The mountains provided protection, causing swirling winds that prevented the vampure from following them by air. And so their enemy scaled the sheer rocks leading upward, a mass of vampure and voltur intent on feeding upon every drop of dragon blood. The Ancient One, the original of his kind, led the counter attack, a desperate stand by dragons against their evil foe.¡± Titus sat bewildered by her accurate telling of what could only be of the Forgotten Legion. Goro had sent them in pursuit of Argant the Ancient, the Keryx Lord of Fire. They had chased the dragonkind for days but never returned as either victors or losers. The entire army had been lost, assumed dead and devoured by the last bastion upon the lost Mount Sapientia. Adelia continued, ¡°The Ancient One attacked not only the vampure, but the mountain itself, melting and crushing rocks with his dragon fire and thunderous tail. As the cliffside fell, so too did his enemy. One by one the vampurekind struck the ground. The dragons decreed that no vampure must ever find their new home and cleansed the base of Mount Sapientia with their flame. Now only the noblest of heroes will ever recognize the trail, and only the boldest will attempt to seek discourse with the dragons. ¡°The Ancient One prophesied one such hero would someday venture forth to bond an aerouant, the boldest of all humans seeking to give his life over as a vinculum to the Ancient One himself. Through their connection they would strengthen the sanguis and bring forth on this land the strongest dragon ever born. In that form, aerouants would blend with humans, just as vampure and voltur lurk among us today.¡± The villagers applauded wildly upon the conclusion of her story, and Adelia humbly returned to her seat, nestling into the loving arms of her husband. Erwan grinned at his wife while little Rupert and Racinda, emboldened by their mother¡¯s tale, stared into the torches and imagined dragons dancing in the flames. Titus never took his eyes off the woman, staring deep into her soul and wondering how this story had come to her. She turned once, meeting his gaze, and nervously lost her smile. Her eyes, illuminated by the firelight, had turned golden with fiery sparks dancing within. She turned and whispered to her husband who nodded. Together they stood, gathering the children, and made swift well wishes before departing. The dominus watched them leave, the cackling laughter of Goro echoing through the Roman¡¯s mind. He would no longer depart this village at first light but would wait until the men labored in the fields. Then he would visit this woman, whom he now recognized as a daughter of the Ancient One. Sanquis 2 It wasn¡¯t until noon when Dominus Titus and his guard approached the cottage hidden deep in the wood. The mayor, emboldened by his delayed departure, had insisted on showing the overseer his ledgers. Duty-bound to act the part of a true dominus, he served his emperor by placating the demand. Shining splendidly in the sunlight, his gilded carriage arrived outside the shabbiest shelter this Roman had ever seen. It was a wonder the cottage kept out any elements at all, a mere log cabin much too small for the family to which it belonged. He called over his captain still astride his mount. ¡°Marius, ensure I¡¯m not interrupted, no matter what happens.¡± ¡°Yes, Dominus,¡± the captain promised. Just to be sure, Titus whispered, ¡°All your men present, they are of like blood, are they not?¡± ¡°They would not have travelled with us, were they not, Dominus.¡± The captain saluted and ordered the guard to fan out, forming a perimeter. Titus approached the only door of the hovel. Adelia had recognized her visitor through a single window, its shutters open to air the inside, and met him before he knocked. Hiding within, her voice quaked with fear. ¡°Lord Dominus?¡± she asked in perfect Latin. ¡°You honor us with your presence, but my husband Erwan is not home.¡± ¡°I did not come for your husband, Adelia. I came to speak to you.¡± ¡°My lord, I can¡¯t imagine why. I am the wife to a farmer and have no conversation to offer. If you came for more, I must warn you that my children are playing nearby and will return. I do not wish them to see their mother defiled.¡± Titus laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve no interest in your body, only in your stories. I have many questions only you can answer.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t welcome you in?¡± ¡°I think we both know that wouldn¡¯t matter.¡± Adelia nodded, opening the door the rest of the way. After he entered, she left it open and hanging on its hinges. She¡¯s certainly no fool, Titus recognized, and also a woman of honor. He sat in the only chair in the room, a creaking rocker crafted by a farmer¡¯s hand. Adelia sat across the room upon the hearth, smoothing her skirt nervously and waited for him to speak. ¡°Where did you hear that tale, the one you regaled us with last night?¡± the dominus kindly demanded. ¡°It was told to me when I was young. By my father.¡± ¡°Why did you tell it in my presence?¡± His eyes flashed red, two bloody pools swimming in reflected daylight. Adelia would have recoiled had she not already suspected his bloodline and recognized him already a vampure. In a calm voice she replied, ¡°Because I did not realize at first you are infectus.¡± ¡°Infectus?¡± Titus shook his head at her ignorance. ¡°I assure you I am not the tainted one among us. I believe the term you meant is donatus, for I was gifted with my bloodline from Goro himself.¡± The dominus eyed this creature closely, never having imagined he would come across a dragon in its first form. Her skin, her teeth, her hair, all of it appeared so human. But that was the way of all descendants of the Keryx, those spiritual beings after whom humans were fashioned to imitate. ¡°Hold out your hand,¡± he commanded Adelia. At first she refused but, knowing she was trapped, finally reached out. Titus took it in his, rubbing and feeling, then held her skin to the light. It only appeared human to the eye. Now that he knew what to look for, the Roman recognized the tiniest of dragon scales linked together with fine blonde hairs sticking up between each ridge. ¡°Remarkable!¡± he whispered. ¡°You are one of their infants, a first form Firekin!¡± ¡°What will you do with me?¡± Adelia asked defiantly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve not come across one like you before.¡± ¡°How?¡± she asked. ¡°How did you recognize my form?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, not at first. You are so rare¡­ I believe your kind are only birthed once or twice in a century. You have lingered long in this form,¡± Titus pointed out, ¡°and should have chosen your adolescent state long ago. Why did you keep this one? Were you sent among humankind to spread your stories? Those lies you told last night were certainly concocted of dragons by dragons.¡± Adelia looked away, her eyes darting to the door. Sounds of laughing children approached the cottage but abruptly stopped upon seeing the soldiers. She opened her mouth to scream, to warn them to run away, but Titus had left his chair. In a blur of speed, he had crossed the room and placed his hand firmly against her mouth. ¡°Of course!¡± he whispered. ¡°Your husband must be of the same bloodline. Argant sent you here, to hide your species among humans, bearing future generations more quickly.¡± Adelia did not answer. ¡°Yes, it makes perfect sense. Dragons procreate too slowly, but your younger form so closely resembles humans. That means your children are like both of you and will someday soon make more and more, blending with humans until your filth litters the human race.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes pleaded mercy for the children, silently affirming his theory, and asked nothing for herself. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Titus looked out the door, holding her firmly in his grasp as he called out in a perfect mimicry of their mother¡¯s voice. ¡°Come inside, children!¡± he lured them. ¡°Come and meet our visitor!¡± Adelia tried to get away but Titus had the strength of seven men. Though she could have been stronger, she had remained in this form far too long. She had not trained her muscles the way she should have. ¡°It is about the children, isn¡¯t it?¡± Titus reasoned his thoughts out loud. ¡°Argant¡¯s prophecy, about a worthy human, it can¡¯t come true unless your children mix their blood. He meant their descendants to provide this vinculum, and so he sent you here to birth them.¡± He grinned at the Ancient One¡¯s audacity and quickly formed a plan of his own. ¡°Their blood will be useful to my kind as well, and I intend to make it so.¡± Adelia struggled against his hold, fearing for her children, but once more failed to budge beneath his strength. ¡°But that won¡¯t do, will it? Not fully, no!¡± Titus mused, his questioning mind racing like a lunatic. ¡°I must also destroy Argant. I must draw him out so that I can end this war once and for all!¡± He pushed her hard into the bedroom, where she landed against the far wall. Her neck hit awkwardly but did not break. The blow with which it struck rendered her dazed, her senses failing as she collapsed in a heap upon the simple farmer¡¯s bed. In a blur of movement Titus fled the room, hiding in the shadow next to the open door. As soon as the children entered he slammed it shut and fell upon them both, alternating his bites upon their tiny necks. He was careful not to drain too much, slathering their wounds with his saliva and ensuring they too would join his bloodline¡­ but first they had to die, to rise again as revenants and be fully within his power. After he finished, the Roman stood, looking down at the future of his race. These will rise again as hybrids, drawn by insatiable desire to find him in Aventicum, to offer themselves freely to serve his master. He made his way to the bedroom, lustfully eyeing a trail of infantile dragon blood leaking from Adelia¡¯s nose. She still lived but barely, and so he would do her a mercy by finishing the job. He feasted then in what the old vampure describe as bloodlust. It occurs when one of his kind loses themselves among the sanguis. Titus had never experienced it, his stoic mind trained by Roman scholars, but he lost it here on Adelia. Without control he ravaged her body while consuming her lifeforce, completely draining and leaving her to rise again with her children. I do this only as insult to the Argant, he justified his actions. I¡¯ll turn his grandchildren against him! ¡°You there, peasant!¡± Marius commanded someone outside. ¡°Drop your weapons and stay where you are!¡± The sound of hoof beats stamped dirt, letting the dominus know his soldiers had the situation under control. ¡°Who are you?¡± a terrified voice demanded. It sounded like Adelia¡¯s husband. ¡°Never mind who we are,¡± one of the honor guard said dismissively. ¡°Lay down your weapons and return the way you¡¯ve come. Be gone from here!¡± ¡°But I¡­¡± the newcomer stammered, perplexed by their commands. ¡°I live here!¡± he protested. Titus pulled himself off Adelia, his mind less crazed and his belly satiated. It rumbled angrily at the sanguis. He would need days of darkness to fully digest all he had consumed. Rising, he left the room, stepping over the bodies of the sleeping children. ¡°I will see you soon,¡± he told them. ¡°Come to me when you are ready.¡± Through the open door he saw that Erwan had arrived home. Surrounded by the honor guard the farmer had decided to fight. Titus¡¯ men had obliged. ¡°Oh, to hell with him!¡± Marius declared, kicking Erwan hard and striking him to the ground. Titus walked out of the hovel into daylight, its brightness searing his eyes so soon after consuming the sanguis. The effect would only intensify. He pulled a silken handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his mouth, pulling it away and frowning at how much blood had dripped down his chin and neck. He hated being so sloppy, it was undignified for a Roman. He tossed the bloody cloth aside. The dominus held one hand over his eyes to hide the light. His bloodstained teeth showed clear behind his scowl. Though he hated to waste the sanguis, Titus also could not leave this one alive, nor could he gift this dragon¡¯s blood to the lesser forms he led. Goro had not granted him permission to elevate them higher. He had taken a chance by consuming Adelia and the children. ¡°Deal with him,¡± Titus commanded his knights. ¡°I no longer desire a taste for blood.¡± Without another word the nobleman stepped aboard the carriage, shutting himself away while the driver readied the horses. He faced a two-day ride to Aventicum. The dominus panicked, realizing he was trapped in a carriage with open windows. The light streaming in from these no longer bothered only his eyes. As it poured in across his hands, it burned his skin. His body had begun the absorption, taking in the sanguis and twisting and churning his gut as it sorted out the parts of the blood it needed. The cramping would only last a few hours, but he needed slumber to complete the digestion. This process was always painful for a vampure, but worse when consuming dragon blood. Adelia and the children were infants who had never changed nor taken another form, he mused, realizing his bounty. Only very few vampure had ever been so lucky to stumble upon such pure sanguis. First and final dragon forms were always purest. A common misconception regarding dragons was the belief they hatched from eggs like reptiles. Through his link with Goro, Titus knew these creatures could also change forms. Like a caterpillar or a moth, they form a chrysalis when ready, sealing their bodies inside while every aspect of their composition changes. Some emerge as wyvern while others may choose a longer, snakelike aerouant. Eventually, they may take on other forms as well, eventually assuming their final form of Elderkin. Had the pain not come on so strongly, Titus would have told the driver to turn around, to spare the farmer from death and bring him along instead, to be fed on later or given to Goro. He reasoned it was too late, that Marius had already killed him. Hopefully, they had not fed. He tapped the divider between him and the driver. ¡°Aventicum! Hurry without delay!¡± he commanded, and the whip cracked as they began moving. This pain and discomfort was no mere issue with digestion. Titus suddenly realized he needed full privacy. Given its purity, this sanguis would force him into transformation. By the feel of it, the process had begun already. The light now sizzled on his hands, hot and sharp as his skin began to bubble and split. There was some truth to the legends that vampure are vulnerable to sunlight, but that only affected the change that occurs after drinking pure dragon sanguis. No light can be allowed to interfere with the process. The slightest of radiation, even filtered, could alter, affect, or stop the transformation entirely. Usually, a vampure would seek out a crypt or sarcophagus to achieve the total darkness they would need. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him and the Roman stood, ripping apart the seat cushions to reach the storage space beneath. Hurriedly, he opened the lid and peered down into the compartment. It was cramped, more so than he preferred, but would provide protection during the two-day ride. He banged hard against the panel to once more alert his driver. ¡°Do not disturb me at all!¡± he screamed. ¡°No matter what!¡± Three knocks answered with the driver¡¯s understanding. Stepping into the compartment he lowered himself inside, pulling the lid shut above him. The darkness soothed his skin, cooling it like a soft breeze. The process had indeed begun. A thin layer of mucus secreted slowly from every pore, forming a second skin which would eventually be his chrysalis. A two-day ride, he calculated in his mind. Hopefully, that would be enough time. Sanguis 3 Heavy knocking woke Titus from his slumber. Though cramped, the tiny space had served him well. He only hoped the transformation had completed. Barely able to move within his sinewy web, he raised one hand and weakly rapped two times, the signal urging caution. Three more answered from outside¡ªthe driver understood. Several minutes passed followed by the soft bounce of movement. The carriage creaked as it slowly rolled forward. Thankfully, Titus had planned for such an abrupt transformation, but worried his legion would be poorly practiced in their response. If they exposed him to light it could all be ruined in an instant. After a bit more swaying and a few lurching stops, all movement ceased. ¡°Salvator!¡± a muffled voice called, a woman¡¯s, and Titus felt his anxiety fade. She called him by his title known only to his legion, meaning his vampure had received his carriage. A few heartbeats later the compartment opened. He flinched against any light which may enter. Thankfully, Diana knew what to do and had received it in the catacombs. She raised the lid slowly and gasped. Titus again worried something had gone wrong. ¡°How bad?¡± he asked his courtesan. ¡°Not bad at all,¡± she whispered. Her hands reached into the compartment, gently ripping the webbing from between his skin and the wooden walls of his prison. She took special care when freeing his shoulders, careful not to harm his wings. ¡°Is the process complete?¡± he asked. She slowly turned his face toward hers. Only the faintest of light revealed her smiling eyes. Tears of joy misted their edges. She ran a finger along the crown of bony protrusions along his hairline and traced steep cheeks down to his long fangs, then replied, ¡°The result is glorious, Salvator! Where did you find pure sanguis?¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°In the least likely of places¡ªunder our noses in plain sight! They were infants, Diana! Firekin! Their mother, a child of the Ancient One, walking among humans and spreading his prophetic lies.¡± ¡°Why would he expose one of his own children in such a way?¡± she asked, shocked by the revelation. ¡°He truly is as heartless as he is arrogant!¡± ¡°To breed with humans, to water down his bloodline in a desperate move to bond more vinculum!¡± ¡°Then Goro is indeed winning this war,¡± Diana realized. ¡°Yes,¡± Titus agreed. ¡°The Ancient One grasps at straws while we continue to guide civilization toward prosperity. Someday Goro will reward us handsomely for our deeds.¡± A thought came on suddenly, causing him to try and lift his body to look around. He proved too weak and slackened in the arms of his courtesan. ¡°Have they arrived?¡± he asked her. ¡°Have my voltur brought them as I commanded?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, Salvator, no one had come. Who should I expect?¡± ¡°My gift to you, Diana. The children you could not carry in your own womb. They will be yours to raise as long as Goro allows us both to live.¡± ¡°Thank you, my love,¡± she leaned in close and, unbothered by his fangs, kissed him deeply. As she pulled away Titus asked drowsily, ¡°What time of day is it?¡± ¡°A little past noon.¡± ¡°I need more rest, but there is little time to waste. We must perform the ceremony tonight.¡± Diana agreed. ¡°Legionaries!¡± she called. ¡°Lift Salvator and convey him to our rooms.¡± Two soldiers rushed forward, stepping onto the carriage and reaching into the compartment. Carefully, they braced his arms and pulled him to a standing position. The membrane around his body tore away as they did, slowly revealing two broad and leathery wings. The rest of his body had changed as well, taller and broader, more muscled atop his thicker skeletal frame. As they eased him down from the steps onto the stone walkway, Titus stretched his wings, giving them a shake. ¡°Glorious,¡± Diana said again. ¡°You¡¯re nearly a visage of Goro himself.¡± Sanguis 4 Gentle hands shook Titus awake. With his transformation completed during the carriage ride, he had rested away the afternoon in luxury. ¡°Titus, awaken, my Salvator!¡± His eyes opened to find Diana standing over his bed, radiantly youthful as the day the two had met. Titus smiled. He could not imagine his life without his concubine. She epitomized Roman beauty, stern and strong with a mind to match. ¡°Come meet our children,¡± she bade him. Ah! So they have arrived! He let out a soft groan as he stretched, reaching out every limb as he prepared to rise. ¡°Have they settle in?¡± he asked with a yawn. ¡°Not yet, but soon.¡± Another thought struck Titus and his eyes again opened, this time with alarm. ¡°You haven¡¯t feasted upon them, have you?¡± He wouldn¡¯t blame her if she had, and she still could in these tender moments of their transformation, but Goro would have strictly forbidden her their perfect blood. ¡°I await what you give me in the ceremony.¡± Titus nodded. Good. As much love as he felt for this woman, he needed her loyalty more than her body. He threw back the sheets, silk from far away Serica, and rose ready to be dressed. The bones in his head and face had returned to their human form. His wings had also contracted inside his body. ¡°The boy will feed on you tonight,¡± he said with a smile, revealing the true reward he had brought his mistress. ¡°He will serve me through you.¡± ¡°Oh, Salvator,¡± she said, eyes brimming with tears of joy as she wrapped the under toga around his waist and hips. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s finally happened. I¡¯m now a mother.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he agreed absently. After their transformations completed, these would have status in his home but could never be his heirs. These would be heir to something greater than his life as a Roman patrician. These would trace a line for him under Goro. Diana wrapped his toga, also silken to befit his station and trimmed with the same golden edging as his carriage. The garment was long, and she began the wrap by tucking the first fold beneath the crook of his arm. A slave entered, a young woman from the Thracian region, bearing fresh water. As she stooped to retrieve the pan from his bedside, Titus gave her an order. ¡°Bring the children and their mother before me,¡± he said without looking at the girl. As soon as she departed, he realized Diana had stopped dressing him, holding the long cloth against her mouth and hiding her expression. ¡°What is it?¡± he demanded. ¡°I thought I was to be their mother?¡± ¡°You are. I simply meant she who birthed them. I have use of her yet.¡± He straightened his back and stared at the far wall, waiting for Diana to resume the dressing. ¡°Why do you want her?¡± the woman demanded, a hint of jealousy in her tone. The blow came as soon as the question left her mouth, striking a backhand across her lips. ¡°That¡¯s not for you to question, concubine!¡± He ripped the cloth from her hands, hurriedly finishing the final wraps himself. Diana recovered just before the slave returned, ushering the children into the room. As soon as they entered, the woman curtsied then backed out again, closing the doors for privacy. ¡°Did you get their names?¡± Titus asked. ¡°I have already forgotten.¡± ¡°The boy is Rupert and the girl Racinda,¡± Diana said while rinsing a bit of blood from her mouth. ¡°Where is their mother?¡± ¡°Had you allowed me to finish, I would have told you, no mother arrived with the children.¡± Titus knew at once something had gone wrong after his departure from the farm. ¡°Where is Marius?¡± he demanded. ¡°Where is the chief of my guard?¡± ¡°I did not wish to bother you with this before, Dominus, not while you needed your rest, but Marius did not return. Only one member of your guard escorted the children, and he returned with grave news.¡± ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Titus trailed the word into his thoughts. What had gone wrong? Something surely must have, to have delayed Marius. ¡°That¡¯s not like him. Has this other soldier given his report?¡± ¡°He awaits in the peristylium, Dominus.¡± ¡°He awaits? How long has he been waiting?¡± ¡°He arrived an hour or two after you did, accompanying the children. I would have had him wait in the atrium, but he seemed low of class. This one is not an equestrian like Marius. Worse, he is merely an Omicron.¡± Titus raised his hand, meaning to strike her insolence, but paused when he saw two pairs of bloodshot eyes staring up at him. The effects of his blessing were wearing off, and they would need to consume sanguis very soon. Other than that, they seemed unaffected by their sudden change of surroundings. No doubt they stood listening to Goro speaking in their minds, teaching them the history of their new bloodline. ¡°Keep them here,¡± he commanded his concubine, then stormed from the bedroom. The peristylium was an open courtyard in Roman homes, meant to be a relaxing aesthetic to complete the domus, combining the surrounding rows of porches and their columns. But that was in Rome. In Aventicum, where temperatures were much cooler than along the Mediterranean, the area received little use. Other than to view colorfully potted flowers and carefully cut grasses, this courtyard was best experienced behind glass windows or closed shutters. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Titus stepped outside, immediately recognizing the soldier, but struggled to remember the man¡¯s name. ¡°You¡¯re freshly turned, are you not?¡± he demanded. This could still be called a man, even if barely achieving his Omicron form. The only thing lowlier would be a voltur. The soldier leapt from his chair and dropped to one knee, crossing right arm across his heart in salute ¡°Correct, Salvator. I pledged under the last moon.¡± Titus eyed the evening sky, thankful the sun had dipped low enough to make this conversation more bearable on his skin. He would still be vulnerable to its light for several more days. ¡°Well, spit it out, then. What went wrong? Where is Marius and the others?¡± ¡°We did as you commanded, we beat the farmer until Captain deemed him dead.¡± Titus listened carefully. Beat him until deemed dead. ¡°What went wrong?¡± So much of the story seemed unlike his captain. The man shrugged. ¡°We dragged him into the forest and left the body where no passerby would stumble upon or suspect trouble within the home.¡± ¡°You beat him, but no one thought to drain an artery or sever his head?¡± This confused the soldier. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Salvator.¡± ¡°I¡¯m shocked Marius failed to recognize the farmer as dragonkind. Why would Marius have believed a simple beating would have been sufficient?¡± The soldier frowned and shrugged. ¡°He was anxious, Dominus, to return to the village one more time.¡± Titus froze. ¡°He returned to the village?¡± ¡°No, Salvator, I did.¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t wait out the afternoon at the hovel?¡± ¡°No sir. The captain had met a girl the night before, a local gal, and wanted another run at her. He arrived just before nightfall, but had forgotten his sword. He sent me to fetch it, gave me his horse to do so, since I¡¯m only of the first centuriate class.¡± ¡°After you returned what did you find? Where were Marius and the others?¡± ¡°He had left the woman a mess, bled her completely drained of sanguis, and didn¡¯t bother to hide the body. It was broad daylight and I had to wait around till dark to remove it.¡± ¡°Impossible! Marius would not give in to bloodlust!¡± My captain controls his urges, Titus thought, ignoring his own primordial release. ¡°I got back late. By the time I returned to the hovel, Marius and the entire honor guard had been killed, cut into pieces.¡± ¡°Who did such a thing?¡± ¡°The farmer, Salvator, he didn¡¯t die. He was tougher, somehow, then we expected. He awakened later, wielding iron and attacked our squad from behind.¡± ¡°Dragonkind don¡¯t use weapons to kill. They don¡¯t need to! The practice is beneath them, preferring their teeth and claws.¡± Titus paused. Something in this man¡¯s story lacked truthfulness. ¡°How is it,¡± he asked, ¡°that you survived when the others did not?¡± ¡°By the time I returned, the farmer had buried both children and his wife. He had already gone off somewhere. I had no trail to follow.¡± ¡°Yet you claim to know it was the farmer who killed Marius and the others?¡± ¡°Yes, Salvator.¡± The vampure moved quickly, faster than his guardsman could anticipate, grabbing the centurion¡¯s throat with one hand while gripping his stomach with the other. The noble vampure could feel sanguis still bloating this Omicron¡¯s digestive organs. ¡°You¡¯ve feasted,¡± Titus accused. ¡°When?¡± ¡°No, Salvator!¡± the man lied. ¡°When you went back for Marius¡¯ sword, you did not find the woman drained. Marius would never be so sloppy! I think you found her perfectly whole and wasted the afternoon violating my orders, feasting, while your comrades died!¡± The guilty eyes of the soldier confirmed the accusation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Salvator. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°And when you returned, you were too bloated and sore to fight the farmer, so you watched as he buried the bodies, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s how you knew where to find them. Then you waited, watching him to leave instead of finishing the only job I left you behind to do.¡± ¡°You are right, Salvator. I couldn¡¯t fight him, not in my condition. I could barely uncover the children, but I did! Then I returned directly here and brought them to you.¡± ¡°What of their mother? Why didn¡¯t you uncover her, as well?¡± ¡°More iron, Salvator. The farmer buried her with it, and it halted her transformation.¡± ¡°I see. Despite your weakened state, you managed to bury the girl from the village, dug up both children and the mother in the woods? You honored me by hiding all evidence of our existence?¡± ¡°Yes, Salvator!¡± ¡°What of Marius and my honor guard? Did you have the energy to bury them, or are they exposed, burned all day in the sun and revealing our secrets to the entire village?¡± The man¡¯s expression, his intense guilt and sudden remorse, confirmed Titus¡¯ assumptions. At least he had the truth of it, but now a dragonkind was making his way here and was probably close if not inside the city by now. ¡°As your Salvator, what is my chief responsibility over my legion?¡± ¡°You serve as magistrate, my lord, to reward or judge your legion according to our worthiness, ensuring each form behaves accordingly as noble vampure.¡± ¡°And you have not acted nobly,¡± the Salvator judged. He twisted his hand just slightly, snapping the neck of his soldier. The sinner slumped to the ground, a victim to primordial bloodlust. Fate sealed, this guardsman would not die, not from a broken neck. He would be demoted, denied sanguis as his body healed. The Omicron form would stagnate and revert to that of voltur. Goro¡¯s bloodline could not act like savages, killing indiscriminately, feasting without permission, or satiating the lusts of flesh¡ªthe most common ways by which lesser forms were demoted. Rarely did a higher form behave so badly, especially among the nobles. All those from Beta to Lambda had achieved their rank by deeds, their worthiness determined by their Salvator. Of course, it was no crime to kill humans, to drain them once in a while as long as certain rules are followed. But vampure should only do so with careful measure, minimizing the impact on human society. Even worse was to draw notice to the existence of the legion and its leadership. That had only occurred a handful of times in history, and each had been dealt with swiftly. Titus had not realized Diana had followed him into the courtyard. She ignored the heap at his feet. ¡°Everyone is assembled, Salvator.¡± ¡°Alert my legion. A dragonkind makes his way here. A young one. I want him captured but not drained. Preserve his blood intact. I intend to gift him to Goro.¡± ¡°Is he the father of our children?¡± Diana asked. ¡°He was, until tonight.¡± ¡°And their mother?¡± ¡°Dead. You are their mother.¡± The concubine smiled broadly. ¡°Your legion awaits their Salvator.¡± Sanguis 5 The lunar ceremony would begin the moment the full moon reached apex, marking the night when all of Goro¡¯s legions replenished their sanguis. This ritual not only kept them civilized but also loyal to their master through each Salvator. The fact the ceremony revolved around the moon was irrelevant. The bright orb merely signaled that supplies of sanguis would soon go bad if not blessed. It also called the noble vampure to receive their allotted dosage. The miracle of this ritual focused on the nature of blood itself and how long it could be stored. That of humans turned necrotic after only thirty minutes and coagulation worsened an already difficult digestion. Though dragon lifeforce could be stored longer, it too needed special care. The longest Titus knew of any sanguis lasting, no matter its source, was forty days, but that was during winter months or when ice was available to keep it chilled. It could be bottled and kept longer by adding a mere drop of Goro¡¯s sacrifice. Normally, to drink the blood of another vampure or voltur brought sickness and death, the highest form of blasphemy. But Goro¡¯s sanguis wrote all the rules, the source by which all vampure were turned, and a mere drop of his sanguis preserved the youthfulness and form obtained from dragons. He was the Alpha, the father of his kind, and his blessing purified instead of destroyed. Goro, he thought. I must speak to him as soon as I can, to beg his forgiveness. By consuming pure dragon sanguis, Titus obtained this new form, bringing him closer to his lord but without expressed permission. He was now a Gamma, considered among the noblest of forms second only to the Deltas and the Alpha himself. To obtain a higher form, while doing the master¡¯s work, would generally receive no penalty. But failure to reveal the change, to hide it away, would be discovered, earning the same fate as the soldier Titus had condemned in the courtyard. But first the Salvator must perform the ritual, to tend his legion. The temple of Goro lay beneath another, a proxy paying homage to the impotent Roman gods. He would reach it through winding passages beneath the city. Titus descended a staircase to his wine cellar, pushing aside a panel and sliding a two-high stack of casks to the side. The casters were heavy, too much so for a human to have opened the secret door. It proved an easy feat for a vampure. On the other side three Omicron legionaries awaited their Salvator, ready to escort him through catacombs. As Titus and his escorts approached the temple, a bobbing torch rushed to meet them. Its bearer, another legionary, panted breathlessly as he delivered his dire warning. ¡°A bad omen, Dominus! Sentries reported hundreds of stars falling from the sky!¡± Titus waved the phenomenon away with his hand, dismissing it as superstition. ¡°Bah,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± ¡°There were also dragons, my lord! The western horizon, the entire sky, was full of them just a few minutes ago!¡± This gave Titus pause. Dragons were on their way. ¡°Mere trickery and illusion, but remain on your guard tonight. There may be a lower form, an infant dragon, approaching the city. He may have already arrived. I don¡¯t know if his magic is strong enough to affect the mind as a higher form can, but remain vigilant. I have the rest of the legion scouring the city. You four must patrol these tunnels. Don¡¯t allow anyone who doesn¡¯t share our bloodline to enter, not even if they appear human. But especially don¡¯t allow a dragon, he thought.
The assemblage had already gathered by the time Titus arrived, draped in the same red and gold robes as he. From the next room emerged Diana, holding the hands of little Rupert and Racinda. All three wore flowing white gowns of purity. His concubine nodded and Titus stepped up to the altar, carefully removing the clasp of his hooded robe. Letting it drop to the floor, he looked out at their faces, a mixture of Gaulish and Roman, each staring back patiently. ¡°Today is a special day,¡± he told them. ¡°His life to us, our lives for him,¡± they replied in unison. ¡°We also bring two more into the legion,¡± he added. ¡°Their lives to us, our lives for you.¡± Titus reached beneath the altar, drawing out three bottles. These contained dragon sanguis, brought to him a year earlier by the Betas. His supply ran low and hoped more would be delivered before his legion began showing signs of aging. Worse, sickness may set in, making them nearly as vulnerable as humans. He poured these out over the middle of the altar, letting the mixture swirl down thin grooves carved into the top. Soon, it pooled near Titus, awaiting the final blessing. Diana handed him a fourth bottle, this one containing Goro¡¯s sanguis. He poured this slowly. ¡°Just as you have shed for me and I have shed for you, Goro has shed for all of us. May his sanguis enrich the blood of our enemies, purifying the gift it contains within.¡± ¡°His life to us, our lives for him,¡± they replied in unison. Titus chose this moment to transform, to reveal to his legion the new Gamma form he wore. His wings, once strong and wide, opened more broadly, spanning farther than they had ever reached. The bones in his face twisted, forming a circular crown worn only by the Alpha, his Betas, and Gammas. He did not allow his fangs to drop, this ritual was one of humility, and not of wanton thirst. The assemblage pushed back their hoods one by one until all twelve had exposed their own faces. Each of these changed according to their form. The Epsilons and Zetas grew ridges on their cheeks and brows, but no horns emerged. Those were reserved for the two spiked Delta or higher. The Thetas grew ridges only on their cheeks. Some, the Lambdas and Kappas, still resembled humans. Those with wings, the Thetas and higher, fanned briefly, then humbly lay them flat below their robes. Everyone but the Kappas and Lambdas grew taller and their limbs stretched longer. After he finished pouring, Diana handed Titus an empty chalice, golden with the Lord of Blood carved onto the side. He held it low against the altar, beneath where the liquid pooled, and pressed a button with his palm. A tiny slot depressed and much of the mixture poured like a tap into the goblet. As soon as it was filled, he released the pressure on the button and the flow stopped. He held the filled chalice up so all could see. ¡°Through his blessing and the blood of our enemies, I receive the Lord of Blood.¡± ¡°His life to us, our lives for him,¡± the congregation replied in unison. Titus drank deeply, filling his belly with his Salvator¡¯s share. Then he leaned his palm once more against the altar and refilled it, stepping around to face the onlookers. He scanned their faces, judging their patience. No fangs had been bared. Stealing a glance at Diana and the children, he could tell that they, too, had not yet given in to the blood lust. ¡°Come Epsilon and Zeta, fill your belly with your lord,¡± he said. Two of the communicants, Legate Vulcan Sylla and a visitor, Senator Crius Glaber, stepped out of the first row and drank their ration before returning to their seats. Only then did Diana approach, a Zeta in her own right, but subservient to these two chosen by Goro. She drank what remained and stood once more beside the children. Titus refilled the chalice and called for the next to be blessed. ¡°Come Theta, fill your belly with your lord,¡± he repeated. Four members of the congregation stepped forward, lining up for their turns. Among these the Salvator recognized the Gaulish emissary, Urien Yannick, the representative among the non-Romans in the city. Why Goro wished this man elevated to Theta was not for Titus to question, but watching him closely for deviance was a duty he performed with diligence. He did not like this Gaul. After all Theta had seated, he filled the cup once more. ¡°Come Kappa and Lambda,¡± he said, loudly for those standing in the back, ¡°fill your belly with your lord.¡± The remaining six robed figures stepped forward, taking their measured allowance according to their ordered rank. Only enough sanguis remained to fill one more goblet, but he set the chalice aside. Holding an empty bottle against the altar, he pressed the button, filling it and sealing the top. This would be served later to his most loyal legionaries¡ªadded to a human sacrifice on the new moon. He handed the bottle and chalice to Diana, then motioned for her and Rupert to depart. She would feed the boy a portion of her sanguis, sealing their bond as mother and son. Titus would do the same with Racinda. That would awaken their bloodlust, completing their transformation as a privileged, but not yet noble, Omicron. He grabbed Racinda and lifted her by the armpits, gently laying her body across the altar. ¡°It is time for a sacrifice,¡± Titus explained to his legion, pulling a silken cord, dyed crimson, from his robes. He used this to symbolically bind the girl to the altar. He looked into her face as he tied the knots. She still did not realize where she was. Goro still spoke in her mind, his blessing hidden in the saliva Titus had injected when first he fed. ¡°Blessed is the Life Bringer!¡± Titus said to the congregation, and everyone in attendance knelt before the sacrifice. ¡°Life Bringer,¡± the legion sang in return, ¡°bless us with longevity.¡± Dominus Titus placed his left wrist beside Racinda¡¯s mouth, gripping the altar with his right. He spread his wings as wide as they would go, his shadow flickering against the farthest wall. ¡°May this sacrifice be pleasing,¡± the worshippers sang in unison, ¡°a gift from your chosen few." Titus scanned the room, marveling for a moment at how much his shadow resembled that belonging to the Lord of Blood. He was a Gamma, a true visage of Goro. ¡°Our lord finds it pleasing,¡± he intoned, ¡°and blesses all his children with eternal youth.¡± He leaned over and opened his mouth wide. ¡°Her life to us, our lives for you,¡± his legion chanted the words of subservience. Racinda herself would recite them soon, after drinking of his sanguis. Her fangs finally emerged, as small as they were, and she turned toward his wrist instinctively. She still hesitated, he realized, to bite. Titus felt the surging anticipation of Goro¡¯s power pulse his veins, eager to enter the girl. Unable to control his own fangs any longer, they descended as those of a true Gamma, as sharp as his master¡¯s. Titus leaned close and gently kissed the girl¡¯s cheek, then whispered, ¡°Take nourishment from my veins,¡± he encouraged, ¡°and rise up as my daughter.¡± The girl¡¯s head turned and she bit, gently at first, but then her eyes closed as the need for satiation took over her mind. This first taste would burn her belly and she flinched with pain as the sanguis entered. Her eyes again opened, unseeing the crowd looking on. It was then, during that brief moment, she found pleasure in her blessing and became Titus¡¯ daughter. ¡°Racinda!¡± a man¡¯s voice screamed from the far entrance. Standing beneath his shadow was the farmer, the husband of Adelia. Every head in the cavern turned to watch the intruder, pushing back their hoods and baring fangs upon finding a human. No, Titus thought, this is no human. He is dragonkind like his wife and children! Goro will be pleased by how I lured him into the open. Titus pulled his wrist away from Racinda. She had drunk enough, and quickly untied her bonds. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Hate filled the farmer, driving him forward with a flashing blade in his hand. It was a scythe, the tool of a farmer, most likely the only weapon this man owned. Lost in blind rage, the intruder reaped the nearest worshipers, killing several Kappas and Lambdas and one Theta. Blindly the farmer sliced, his eyes locked on Dominus Titus. He struck down any vampure who dared step into his way. In all he killed six with his iron tool, cutting the noble portion of Titus¡¯ legion in half. The rest leaped on him together, clawing at a dragon scale collar around his neck and biting at his skin. No! Titus realized this was wrong, watching them attack the gift he hoped to give Goro. As Salvator, he could not allow them to drink from this pure dragonkind, especially not so soon after receiving their blessing. ¡°Do not consume his sanguis!¡± he bellowed from the altar. ¡°Hold him there!¡± To his relief they obeyed, gripping the farmer tightly and holding him to the ground. Urien Yannick, the Gaulish representative, reached down and ripped the scythe from his hand, flinging it aside with a sizzling cry. ¡°Iron!¡± Urien screamed. Titus understood his pain, it would scar his palm, especially while steaming with vampure blood. The farmer grinned, eager to deal more of the same. ¡°Move aside,¡± Titus growled. He had scooped up Racinda, setting her feet on the ground, and now led her by the hand. ¡°Who is this man to you?¡± he asked her. ¡°He was my father,¡± she replied dryly, without any bit of emotion in her voice. ¡°Was your father,¡± Titus agreed. ¡°Farmer, what is your name?¡± ¡°I am Erwan and she is Racinda, but¡­ I don¡¯t understand. How are you alive, my dear? I found you and Rupert bled out by this beast!¡± ¡°Rupert¡­¡± Titus considered, ¡°Ah yes. The boy. That was his name.¡± It will be changed to Titus soon. Turning to Urien, he commanded, ¡°fetch the boy.¡± ¡°Yes, fetch him and hand my children over to me,¡± Erwan demanded, ¡°and we¡¯ll be leaving.¡± Titus laughed. Never before had he heard such daring from someone about to die. ¡°My,¡± he said, ¡°aren¡¯t you a bold one. Erwan the Bold it will be. But no, I¡¯m very sorry, you¡¯ve discovered our secret and killed quite a few of my noble families. They will need replacing.¡± The Roman leaned forward, removing the collar, sniffing and breathing close to the farmer¡¯s neck. This man reeked of dragon. ¡°My daughter,¡± Erwan begged, ¡°don¡¯t you want to leave with me?¡± Of course Racinda said nothing, she had tasted sanguis and now understood the truth of the world as Goro had taught her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop him?¡± the farmer asked his former daughter. ¡°Draw the dagger from his side and use it. Help me, daughter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to help you,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯m too hungry!¡± She abruptly lunged, pushing past her new father with bared fangs, biting wildly for Erwan¡¯s neck. Titus reached out a hand, grabbing his daughter¡¯s neck and stopping her mid-bite just before making contact. ¡°No. Do not taint your palate with his blood.¡± If she consumed dragon sanguis now, it might confuse the transformation. It might even undo the process entirely. But it also may enhance it! Urien returned with Rupert and Diana, and Titus watched as they entered the cavern. The boy licked his lips wildly, snapping and biting the air between him and his father on the ground. His meal had been interrupted. Erwan turned an angry head, staring directly into Titus¡¯ eyes. ¡°Where is Adelia?¡± he demanded. ¡°Where is my wife?¡± ¡°Something isn¡¯t right,¡± Titus realized. This man smelled entirely wrong. The blood within him was not like Adelia¡¯s, nor was it like the children¡¯s before they turned. Titus told him so. ¡°Your blood is different than your children!¡± He breathed deep against Erwan¡¯s neck and added, ¡°They only took after their mother.¡± He sniffed once more then recoiled. Behind his fangs Titus frowned. This man only smelled like dragonkind because he had recently been near one. A large one. ¡°You are fully human and only reek of dragon! You¡¯ve been around their forms!¡± He sniffed again, ¡°Elderkin most recently!¡± ¡°My wife is also human,¡± Erwan said, his ignorance now laughable. The man had not known! ¡°She is of dragonkind, and that¡¯s why I called your children to me, to drink of my blood and transform. They have chosen a new form, a mix between two Keryx, and far nobler than any single vampure or dragon! They have chosen to serve Goro! Now, I will raise them as nobility, granting them a better life than you ever could.¡± ¡°You are full of lies and deceit! My wife is as human as them and me! Where is she? I will ask her myself.¡± ¡°Adelia is dead where you buried her. She could not be raised because of the trinkets of iron you left in her grave!¡± the vampure snapped. ¡°Now answer me, Erwan the Bold, how is it I smell dragon on your body? What is this form you have taken?¡± ¡°I am not of their blood and this is no form. I am merely a vinculum.¡± Titus looked up, suddenly very worried for the legion he tended. He eyed the entrance to the sanctuary warily. ¡°You are bonded? If so, you are the first to do so in a thousand years!¡± ¡°My lord!¡± Urien remarked with excitement. ¡°If he has brought his dragon here, we should feast on its sanguis and our youthful blessings will last decades!¡± No, Titus knew that was the last thing his people should do. He wavered, very concerned about what was about to happen. ¡°I smelled Elderkin,¡± he said. ¡°What is the name of the aerouant you have bonded?¡± The farmer smiled. ¡°His name is Argant!¡± Everyone in the room gasped. Whispers of pure blood and greatness rippled through the assemblage. Urien cried out, ¡°Argant is the oldest, the first! He is the Lord of Fire! If we drink from a Keryx our blessings will endure immortality rivaling only Goro¡¯s!¡± ¡°You fools,¡± Titus warned without taking his eyes from the tunnel. ¡°None of you can match Argant in your present forms! Nor do you have permission from Goro to do so!¡± As if in agreement, a mighty roar echoed down the tunnel and into the sanctuary. The walls shook and torches flickered. Greedy for the sanguis, the six vampure holding Erwan released him, sprinting from the sanctuary with all the others. Still atop the farmer, Titus watched them leave, shaking his head at their foolishness. ¡°You all rush to your deaths!¡± he called out, then returned his eyes to Erwan. ¡°How are you not bonded to an aerouant instead? Why did Argant leave the safety of Mount Sapientia?¡± He paused, not waiting for an answer and worriedly added, ¡°And why did he send you to face me alone?¡± ¡°He¡¯s helping me to slay you,¡± Erwan spat, ¡°and then I¡¯ll give him the means to defeat Goro!¡± Titus again eyed the tunnel through which his followers had foolishly rushed. Shouts and screams now echoed through the catacombs, mixing with an angry dragon¡¯s roar. He pulled his eyes away, unable to stomach the carnage their foolishness had rushed into. He looked instead on his concubine, made more beautiful while holding the hands of their children. She seemed eager to flee and so now did the Salvator. It would be understandable if they did. Goro would understand that not even a Delta could fell an Elderkin by himself. But I¡¯m no longer a Delta, Titus realized. I¡¯m a Gamma! He shifted his weight just slightly as he considered how best to end this human and face the dragon. But Erwan abruptly pushed, sending the vampure rolling to the side. As the Salvator toppled, Racinda let go of Diana¡¯s hand and lunged forward. Her fangs barely missed Erwan¡¯s neck, just as his hand drew the dagger from Titus¡¯ belt. While her momentum carried her past, he plunged the blade forward, aiming between the Roman¡¯s ribs. He let out a gasp, a silent scream as the blade struck his side, but that gasp quickly turned to laughter as the blade shattered into pieces. Erwan stared at the useless hilt in his hand. Titus found his balance and rose to his knees, shoving Erwan away like the nuisance he was, sending him skidding across the sanctuary. The Gamma stood over the fallen man, flanked on both sides by Rupert and Racinda. They had not yet mastered the discipline to control their blood lust, and hunger was all that drove them. Both lunged. Erwan eyed the discarded scythe laying outside of his reach. He would never be able to reach and use it against Titus. His human reflexes were too slow. The children reached him, clawing at his neck. It took all his strength to hold them at arm¡¯s length, snapping and biting and driven only by their need for satiation. Tears clouded the father¡¯s eyes as he stared at the discarded scythe. He would have to release one of his children to grab it and looked between them as if deciding who. The other would be upon him the moment he did. Erwan made his decision, letting go of both and rolling out of the way toward the scythe. The children clamored and fell, each pulling the other away like drowning swimmers desperate for air. While they fought, Erwan moved out of their reach, away from instead of toward Titus. This confused the Roman. What was this man waiting for? His dragon? The children would kill him soon. What Erwan did shocked Dominus Titus. It was something no father should have ever been able to do. He swung the iron two times, once for each of his children, severing their heads and leaving them to roll on the floor. Even Diana was too shocked to either move or scream. She merely trembled, tears welling up in her throat but refusing to come out. ¡°You idiot!¡± An Elderkin bellowed as he lumbered into the room. This was surely Argant the Ancient, the Lord of Fire and nemesis of Goro. ¡°They had not fully changed and could have been cured by my blood! That¡¯s the reason I let you go ahead, for you to sacrifice yourself so that they could be our future! You just squandered your last opportunity to live out your days as their father!¡± Erwan, upon hearing the dragon¡¯s words fell to his knees beside the bodies of his children. Titus stared up at the massive Elderkin, slowly reasoning out the dragon¡¯s plan. ¡°You sent your child into the human world, hoping she would give birth in that form, producing mixed-breed dragon-humans you could someday use against us? You wanted them to be turned vampure, so that you could intervene at the last moment when their minds had not yet accepted their new form. You hoped they would become hybrids, just as Goro had sought to create for so long?¡± Erwan heard these words and looked up at the Elderkin. ¡°Is this true?¡± he demanded. The dragon moved clumsily, his belly swollen from so many devoured vampure. He let out a long and rumbling burp, his fire surging brightly and lighting the sanctuary, then made his way toward Titus, growling and hissing fire as the vampure backed away. ¡°You astound me, Erwan the Brash!¡± Argant said without taking his eyes from his prey. ¡°What kind of father are you? You left alive the very man you sought to kill and instead hacked your own children into pieces!¡± ¡°Do not evade my question? Is what he said true!¡± the farmer screamed. ¡°Did you let me come in here alone, hoping I would be bitten? That my own children would feed off me? Is that the evolution your kind hope to create? To become hybrids like Titus says?¡± Argant roared again, swinging his broad tail at the ducking Roman. ¡°You pledged me your life when we bonded, so it matters not what I do with your body or those of my grandchildren. You had already given up on living!¡± the dragon accused. ¡°Knowledge they lived would have dampened your vengeance.¡± Erwan paused, a mixture of remorse and confusion. ¡°I deserved the truth,¡± he argued, eyeing his scythe. Dark blood dripped from the blade to the floor. Argant snapped at Titus, turning his attention away from the farmer. Long, foul teeth ripped a gash in the vampure¡¯s wing, but the Gamma was faster, stepping aside and plunging sharp claws between hard scales. With a heave, two ripped away. The dragon roared angrily, swatting with a massive arm that knocked Titus briefly to the ground. The dragon loomed over him, breathing foul air that stenched the room. Then he bit down, meaning to chomp Titus in two halves. As the Gamma turned away, he briefly glimpsed another, bolder, act from the human called Erwan. The man pressed the tip of his scythe beneath his breastbone, gripping the handle with both hands. ¡°You may have my form as promised,¡± Erwan yelled, ¡°but Titus will also kill you if you take it from me now!¡± These words confused Titus, but it worked to turn the dragon¡¯s head before his teeth could make contact. ¡°Not yet!¡± Argant roared. Erwan plunged the iron deep, arching it upward into his heart, then slumped immediately to the ground. The bold farmer died with a smile on his face, his thirst for vengeance quenched. Titus watched the human die, a bold act, his taking of his own life. He had broken the vinculum. Full of rage, the dragon roared, forgetting about the Gamma at his feet. His fangs bit deep into Argant¡¯s exposed neck, drinking deeply, taking as much sanguis as he could draw. Argant should have been able to fight off Dominus Titus. He had expected to finish him off with a single bite. But consuming so many vampure had slowed him, and the vampure sanguis acted like poison within his body. What once was Erwan blinked two blue eyes, those orbs changing briefly to fire then back to blue. The Elderkin collapsed atop the vampure as Erwan rose upon two feet. Two hands grabbed the wooden handle protruding from his chest, drawing it out with a grunt. The poison worked quickly to ruin both mind and body of Titus. As his senses dulled he watched in awe as the human rose from the dead. No, that¡¯s not the human any longer! The dying Salvator had not expected such an exchange, had not realized the vinculum provided for a swapping of souls. The Lord of Fire had finally taken human form, exchanged his own for this human. Argant walked toward his former body. He raised Erwan¡¯s scythe above his head, meaning to bring it down on Titus¡¯ neck. Then he paused and cocked his head to watch him feed. Only then did the Gamma, Dominus Titus of Rome, realize his deadly mistake. He had grown too intoxicated by the sanguis, and only just then realized what he drank. Having so recently consumed pure dragon sanguis, his body would not be able to absorb what was now offered by the dragon. So young and na?ve in his new form, he had expected to find only that same meal from the Elderkin¡¯s flesh, but Argant had intentionally consumed too many vampure. Titus now consumed the poison of his own kind, and it alone would kill him. Normally passed quickly by a dragon after eating, Argant had held the vile sanguis in, allowing it to fester and collect in the case of this very scenario. He knew that humans were unpredictable and doubted Erwan would remain true to their agreement. I¡¯ve failed you, my lord! Titus felt his conscious fade. Without swinging the scythe, Argant fulfilled Erwan¡¯s final task of vengeance. He had killed Dominus Titus the Gamma. ¡°Run,¡± Argant told Diana as Titus died, ¡°back to Goro and tell him what has happened here today. Tell him the war is resumed, and that I will find him.¡± Sanguis 6 (Conclusion) Goro¡¯s eyes opened, the lid of his sarcophagus pushed aside with a single heave. The air that rushed in reeked of dragon, but it also hung heavy with the stench of dead vampure. He expected to find Dominus Titus had opened the lid, here to grovel and ask forgiveness over his recent transformation to Gamma, but it was his whore who stood over the Lord of Blood. She was a disheveled mess, no longer proud. ¡°What do you want?¡± Goro demanded of the woman, closing his eyes and waiting for her to explain the urgency of awakening her god. ¡°Argant was here, my lord.¡± Goro¡¯s eyes snapped open angrily. His adversary had been so close, so near, yet no one had awakened him sooner to finish what they had begun so man eons before. ¡°What did my cousin say?¡± he asked calmly. ¡°I¡¯m assuming he left a message, or he would not have left you alive.¡± ¡°He said to tell you that the war is resumed, and that he will find you.¡± Goro sat upright in the hollowed out space beneath the altar, looking at the carnage all around. The only death he didn¡¯t find was of dragonkind. ¡°And yet,¡± he said with a hint of humor clinging to his voice, ¡°he was twenty feet away and could not find me.¡± He stuck out his arm, not because he needed her help to rise, but to force more subservience from this Roman. He hated Romans even more than he hated the Hellenes and, before both of them, the Babylonians. Every great empire viewed itself better than all other societies put together. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Where is Titus?¡± he demanded. ¡°Over here, my lord.¡± Diana led him to the body, filled full of sanguis but the wrong kind. Goro laughed at the cause by which he died. ¡°Argant is tricky, I¡¯ll grant him that. Leaning over the body the Lord of Blood fanned his massive wings, pushing Diana aside as he did. Wrapping them around him and Titus for privacy, he used a sharp fingernail to slice a line in his own wrist. He dripped several drops of his sanguis into Titus¡¯ open mouth, then healed the cut with a wave of his hand. ¡°Open your eyes, foolish one!¡± he commanded the Roman. Two eyes blinked and then settled on their lord. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, I¡­¡± ¡°Save it,¡± the master snapped. ¡°Tell me where to find him. Has he returned to Mount Sapientia?¡± ¡°No, my lord. He now walks the earth as a human. He traded places with his vinculum, and his dragon form is a revenant.¡± Goro clicked his tongue, considering. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your legion, Titus. Take your whore and go ahead of me to Pannonia. Wait for me there.¡± The wretched lackey nodded vigorously, then scrambled to his feet and took his lover¡¯s hand. Together they fled the opposite way the dragon had gone. Cowards, the Lord of Blood thought with disdain. Thankfully, he had hundreds more servants like Titus, thousands even, with whom he had entrusted his legions. Whenever one failed a dozen more would step up. He sniffed the air deeply, taking in the odor of his nemesis and archrival. He could never forget that scent. ¡°I accept the terms of our new war,¡± he told the lingering smell of Argant, ¡°and will beat you by your own rules!¡± But first he had to find him.