Motionless other than breathing and blinking, Deirdre’s precious pets are once more in a drugged stupor. Haunted husks barely resembling living beings.
Naturally, she can’t have them running amok. Feeding on each other all over the place. Especially considering how orgasmic Vampire bites are rumored to be.
Before the lottery, it’s the Signet Silver collars that keep “the problems” among them toeing the line. And gods forbid the Five find out she’s given them anything stronger than Altered jewelry before they can arrive to take stock of theirproperty.
Afterward? Well. Here they are kept and carefully controlled.
Each and every one of them is a demun.
Absolutely none were given their usual dose of sedatives yesterday. Instead, they were plied with as much wine as they could drink. Kept just incapacitated enough to manage while not being blocked off from their need to feed.
They feed on life-force. Naturally, themethodof feeding varies by type.
Most of the room’s occupants are Vampires. Succubuses are rarer, but I’m sure there are one or two here somewhere. Well. Besides Tiss.
There might be other demun types. I’m not aware of them, if so.
They must feed on life-force from time to time. A lack of it will starve them, even with sedatives and Altered objects keeping the craving at bay. And seeing as demuns possess far more life-force than mages or natural humans, the various holidays are convenient opportunities to let them go to town on each other.So long as the guardsmen stay on top of watching them, the whole thing usually goes off with relative subtlety.
I’ve got to hand it to Deirdre. Objectively, she’s a deranged bitch. Objectively, she’s also clever as hell. Unfortunately.
Viv makes a turn. Leads us down a shadowy hallway. We pass several rooms, but only one bed is occupied at this hour.
The girl cries out fitfully in her sleep as we pass, hands clutching the sheets.
I can’t stifle a shudder. I know these poor creatures wound up here because they killed. But they can’t help what they are. They didn’t ask to be born. And this…
This is extreme beyond extreme.
“Are youcoming, priestess? I’m not waiting all day.” Viv stands in the doorway of the prioress’s chambers.
I cast one last glance at the eerie menagerie before stepping inside.
“It’s about time!” Deirdre’s voice slices the air. “Come in, Elodie, and shut the door. Thank you, Vivienne. You are dismissed.”
Viv turns to leave, smoothing her veil over tidy, golden-blonde hair with jerky motions.
“Sit.” Deirdre gestures to a pair of chairs in front of her fireplace. Turns back to her work.
I settle in.
Bunches of dried herbs and flowers hang from the low ceiling over the sitting area. Between the chairs, a narrow table holds a cigarette case, matches, and a crystal ashtray. A fire crackles in the stone hearth.
The alcove behind me is twice as tall as every other area on this floor. Glass-fronted cabinets take up an entire corner of the room. They stretch to the ceiling, easily spanning the height of this floor and the one above it. Rolling ladders are affixed to the cabinets’ upper reaches.
Pots, bottles, and vials crowd the shelves. Crates and boxes are stacked close to toppling behind bubbled glass. I can’t imagine what they all hold.
A wooden prep table divides the alcove and sitting area. Piles of books, multiple mortar and pestle sets, and an intricate alembic occupy its surface.
Deirdre is barely visible beyond the clutter, doing goddess knows what. The click of cabinet doors sounds. Gazing into the fire, I try not to think of the medicines I could mix if I had such a collection at my disposal.
“It’s been a long while since you last ventured into my domain,” she observes mildly. As if I can waltz in here any time I please.
I say nothing. She takes the empty chair.
“Maida came to see me before class this morning. She mentioned you’ve been receiving an omen.Recurrently. For quite some time now.” Deirdre plucks a cigarette from the silver case. Offers the case to me.
They reek of clove in a way that makes me nauseous. “No, thank you.”
