Tilly stood beside the wagon, looking at the wreckage around her.
And the bodies.
Ilica was sobbing under the wagon. She'd refused to come out. She was a fragile little thing, but it only made Tilla feel protective towards her.
Putting her hands on her hips, she sighed. "What a mess."
"I wonder if we did the right thing," Ruxandra said smoothly. Her voice was smoky and her throat seemed to purr each syllable in a way Tilla envied. Still, they were friends. "If we can be attacked like this, is it too early to join the Court?"
"No," Tilla said firmly. "It's the best time. You saw that man. He was powerful, Rux. If he is what the Court is producing now, then times will definitely change."
"It could get messy." Ruxandra sighed, wincing at the bodies. "Messier than this."
"If we can't stand a little blood, we shouldn't have come in the first place."
"Maybe we shouldn't have brought Ilica?"
Tilla glanced over her shoulder. "She'll be fine when we get to the castle."
"You're such a softie," Rux chuckled. "But maybe she will. She's cute. I think the fledglings will fall over themselves trying to protect her."
Tilla looked up the mountain. They could just make out the castle in the distance. It was an ominous looking thing. Even if it looked like an old ruin, it gave off the feeling of a sleeping dark god.
She was betting everything that dark god was stirring.
If she was right, her life would be very different. If not…
It would be short.
"Do you think he's coming back? Or should we try to move the wagon ourselves?"
"He'll come back," Tila said. She didn't know why she was confident in this, but she was.
"…my head hurts! Who throws stones at people and runs way?"
"Someone's coming," Ruxandra rasped, moving back towards the wagon.
Tilla joined her. She looked around for some weapon, but nothing was there.
"Stop being a baby, Bally," a deep voice rumbled. "It was probably one of the others."
"Bastards. I'll find out when we get back! Hey! What's this?"
Two fledglings stepped into the clearing, looking surprised.
Their eyes took in the bodies.
The wreckage.
The wagon.
Then the women.
"Well," Bally said, a smile widening on his face. "Hello, ladies!"
Tilly swallowed hard, but thrust her chest out bravely. "Are you with the Court? We were being escorted there, but we were attacked."
"So I see," Bally said, not looking away from her breasts. "Amazing. Real women, Hans!"
The big man rolled his eyes. "Don't be a fool," he said. Then to Tilly. "We're from the Court. We were sent to help you get back."
Bally's fingers twitched and his crimson eyes glowed hungrily. He took a step towards her. "We can take our time, though, can't we?"
"We're Dolls," Tilly said, feeling a cold chill up her spine. "For the Court!"
"Dolls?" Bally glanced at Hans, who shrugged.
Tilly swallowed hard. It looked like they didn't know the term.
What had the elder led her to?
She inched back, pressing hard against the wagon. "Please, we were invited…"
"Maybe just a sip…" Bally said.
Taking another step. His fangs glinting.
As he reached out…
Tilly sucked a deep breath, feeling an urge to scream. A scream of frustration as much as terror. How could this be happening?
She had friends who had been Dolls with the True Dragon Court. They'd always spoken about how well treated they were. That vampires weren't lustful little creeps.
But here…
He took another step.
The wind through the trees.
That what she thought it sounded like behind her.
Just wind.
Then a sickening thud and Bally was on the ground screaming in agony. Blood gushing from his face.
And standing over him was the vampire from before. Sword across his back.
His fist glowing with strange red flames.
Bally rolled onto his side, trying to look up at who'd hit him. "Vlad!"
The vampire grunted. "Useless bastard."
Then kicked Bally in the guts hard enough to send him flying.
The other fledgling, who towered over Vlad simply shook his head and sighed. "I did tell you to quit being a fool," he told the little fledgling writhing on the ground. He glanced at Vlad. "I would've stopped him."
"You were too slow," Vlad unclenched his fist. Then pointed at the women. "They're Dolls. Not wenches for your amusement. What bullshit was this? Bally? Drag yourself here. Bow down and beg their forgiveness."
"I can't move…" Bally whined, struggling to get air.
"Then I will kick you again and cut off your arm for trying to touch her."
Bally scrambled, crawling on his hands and knees. He pressed his head firmly against the ground in front of Tilly. "Please! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"
Vlad squinted down at him, clearly not pleased.
Which made Tilly let her breath out slowly. At least someone in power knew how a Doll should be treated. She would need to get close to him.
She smiled a little, trying to put a little charm into her smile. "No harm was done."
"Hmph," Vlad grunted. Then aimed another kick at Bally's ass, sending him flying again. This time the fledgling crashed into the front of the wagon and dropped unconscious.
Tilly tensed in shock. He was dangerous!
Hans scratched his head but didn't look surprised.
Vlad scowled at the big man, then turned to her. "You are in charge?"
"I don't know about that…"
"You're not a coward," he said, and she thought she felt a note of approval from him. "You speak well. You're the Doll's Mistress now. Make sure to tell the elders I said so."
Her heart beat quicker. Already she'd earned a promotion!
She glanced at Ruxandra, who just smiled in response.
There would be no shortage of opportunity.
They both knew it.
"Thank you, Master," she said awkwardly.
He studied her briefly, then squatted beside one of the bodies. "The Court has degraded," he said lightly. "It is shameful, but it is the truth. It is not what it was."
"The elder mentioned this."
"The young ones don't know anything," he said, fixing her with a tight gaze. She'd heard a vampire's gaze could mesmerize and had thought that was a story. But she could now feel how it could be true. "They're bastards, mostly. But not terrible. They need to learn how to do things."
"I'll try to make allowances," she said, not sure what he was saying.
Vlad nodded to Bally's still form. "If any try this bullshit, don't take it to an elder. Don't take it to anyone."
Ah.
So, it was like that.
Then he smiled. A smile which made her shudder. "Bring it to me. I will make sure it doesn't happen again."
She gulped.
His intention, then, wasn't to protect the fledglings.
She glanced at Ruxandra, who looked almost as shocked as she felt.
Then back to Vlad, who was waiting for her response.
"I will, Master," she said, bowing her head.
"It should not happen," he said. "I will tell them the way of things. But some are slow to learn. Or think they are sneaky enough to get away with it. If I discover one has succeeded in getting things he should not by fear or demand, I will be displeased. This is not the way of the Black Dragon Court. Dolls. Renfields. The Dragonbound. These are arms of the Court."
She felt warm at his words.
It was a promise of safety and respect. A little more than she'd expected.
"I understand."
A muffled sound came from under the wagon. He frowned and looked past her legs to where Ilinca was sobbing quietly. "Is she okay?"
"One of the guards was a childhood friend," Tilly told him. "It was difficult to see what happened to him. And everything after was… frightening. She's not used to such things. Well. None of us are. But perhaps Rux and I have seen more of the world."
"A little too much of it," Rux murmured softly.
"Bastard dogs," Vlad grunted, scowling at the corpse of the werewolf. "They didn't suffer enough. The Renfields should have rooms for you when you arrive. What is her name?"
"Ilinca." The woman under the wagon flinched at her name being mentioned.
"She is Exempted until she recovers." He turned to the woman, who had twisted around to look at him. Her eyes were wide and red. Face stained with tears. He nodded at her. "These bastards have done without Dolls for a long time. They can live longer without another. Take your time. Your health is more important."
He spoke this for two reasons.
One, the blood of the Dolls should always be of the best quality. Which meant they should be in a good mental and physical state. This was his prime reason.
Secondly, it was the duty of the Court to look after all members.
Whether they were fledglings or servants. All contributed to the future of the Court.
He grunted as she turned away.
He'd said what he needed to.
"Hans? Put Bally on the wagon. Lead them to the castle."
"Yes, Brother."
Vlad's gaze swept the nearby forest but he didn't sense anyone watching him this time.
Typical of the elders, he thought. They run away when there's work to do.
"Your name is Vlad?" Tilly asked.
"Yes."
"I am Tilly. This is Ruxandra."
"You can call me Rux if you like," Ruxandra purred. The tone of her voice made Hans blush, and Tilly suddenly understood Bally's juvenile actions. They were all unused to women.
Well.
That would change.
Dolls weren't normally exactly shy.
Rux moved alongside Hans as he scooped up Bally. Rux was clearly interested in his large size. The attention only made his cheeks flush more.
Surprising. She hadn't expected vampires could blush.
If Hans and Bally were typical of the fledglings, she had a feeling they'd all be wrapped around their fingers by the end of the night…
Vlad's eyes glittered as he watched the tricky thoughts tick through her brain. It was like he understood completely what she was thinking.
She froze her train of thought and swallowed hard.
Maybe she should rethink-
He stood slowly and approached with deliberate steps.
Is he going to kill me?
She thought of a dozen excuses for her plans, but none wanted to leave her lips.
Leaning close, he whispered; "Relax, Tilly. They need to learn how things are done."
"I… I will try…"
"The politics of the Court was always ruthless. I would expect nothing less from the Mistress of Dolls. But always remember the Court is your first loyalty. I will not forgive any harm to the Court. You might rise, but it is easy to fall."
She gulped again, feeling like a child in front of a parent. She nodded quickly. "I understand."
Chuckling, he patted her on the head. "I know you do."