Chapter Seven

The Court

Morningstar Palace, ENOCH

April 3rd, 2112

Two days later. It was a dull and drizzly Sunday morning when the Enochian Courtiers called for Warren Howard. Although they had met previously to discuss the vamperic enigma, they hadn’t reached a decision about whether or not he ought to be tried. Just as he had speculated, they couldn’t conjure up any solid evidence against him. So in the absence of any resolution, they had decided it would be best to meet with the man in question. From there, they might come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Thus far, it had been vital that Karou be left out of the proceedings. She knew there would be several court meetings that day but was told not to come until after the first had adjourned.

There was to be the usual crowd in attendance that day. Naturally, Cambria Morningstar headed the meeting in the Queen’s absence as her chief advisor. Head Court Justice Callida Wildsheild sat to her right. Orinia, Earl Lionel Crassus attended on behalf of the treasury. (However, his presence had been requested due to his recreational interest in law). Samir Mehra, son of the Enochian Royal Guard’s Captain, filled in for Viveks absence but was joined by Second Captain Therrin Poole, who would keep an eye on the boy. Kin, Kaashif Al Harbi sat to their left to advise the Court on his findings on the accused as Master of Intelligence.

Cassandra would attend as Crown Princess; even if she would have prefered to be there on a more military basis, she hadn’t officially joined the guard yet. Still, she had arrived on time for this meeting and was left waiting for her sister for a change. When Alessandra finally came, she would play Court Psyche.

Altogether, including assistants and less relevant courtiers, twelve people sat around the outer crescent of the semi-circular table, waiting for Warren’s arrival.

Alessandra arrived just one minute before the meeting was supposed to start. She slipped in, silent as she could, and sat beside her sister with a worried look on her face. “Mother was wondering where I was going,” she whispered to Cassandra. “I told her that we were meeting with the archivist. Regarding some missing files in a case I’ve been working on.”

“Good lie,” replied Cassandra, just as the doors swung open.

Warren Howard pushed his way through the majestic double doors with his right hand, his arm extending in a commanding flourish, his other tucked neatly into his trouser pocket.

He’d transformed himself in the last two days. As one might’ve expected him to, he turned up to a court hearing looking incredibly sophisticated. His hair was slicked and styled neatly into place. Swept to part at the side and tousled into a modern evolution of the pompadour hairstyle. His beard had been buzzed shorter and groomed into sharp lines that accentuated his chiselled jaw and cheekbones.

Overall he looked almost obsessively clean. Perhaps it was the tight and slick tailoring of the suit he appeared in? A fine pinstripe navy wool, three-piece suit and, of course, a pressed, powder blue button-up underneath. He had gone even so far as to invest in plain circular silver cufflinks and diagonal white and navy stripe skinny tie, which he positioned about his collar as he entered.

As he strode toward his designated chair and sat before the courtier’s table, his fine crafted patent leather dress shoes sounded over the tile. Each step was confident in its placement, though casual enough to illicit ease.

Taking a seat, he folded one leg over the other without any apparent discomfort. He scanned the panel before him and cracked a false business smile.

“Good Gods, now, that is a man who looks good in a suit.” Cassandra sputtered as he entered, just loud enough for Alice to hear.

Alice giggled and blushed girlishly and turned her foot so she could nudge her with the heel of her shoe. “Behave,” she commanded. Of all of the people seated at the vast table, Alice was the only one who appeared remotely friendly. She gave him a polite nod and took time to notice that his eyes were now their usual piercing Colombian blue, thanks to all of the blood she’d provided him since the mishaps a few evenings before. She was filled with gladness that he was no longer in pain.

Although she knew nothing she said would count towards the record of the meeting due to her gift, which made her biased, she attended the meeting anyway because Cassandra said he “probably liked her most”.

“Mr Howard, my, it has been such a long time since I’ve seen your face. You’re looking much more yourself today than when you were discovered in that dank ruin,” said Cambria Morningstar, “I never thought you’d turn up to play with us, but here you are, and you haven’t changed a bit.”

Could she be any more annoying? Alice thought to herself, her legs crossing underneath the table.

Warren said nothing but smirked at Cambria. The silent stare-down initiated between the two egos made Alice noticeably uncomfortable. Beneath the table, Samir’s hand reached for her’s, but she pulled away. Having noticed the whole thing, Cassandra scowled at the nephilim boy.

Is he really choosing now as the time to apologise for his behaviour yesterday? I ought to cu-

Alice cut her sister’s thoughts off by thinking back, No, now isn’t the time.

Meanwhile, the court meeting had continued as if the telepathic conversation between the sisters wasn’t happening. Callida greeted Warren with a professional nod and a sickly sweet smile. She looked very bird-like and not in the petit, youthful manner in which the Morgan girls did. No, her nose was quite-beakish, and her highly set eyebrows made her look perpetually surprised. “I trust you have been made aware of the circumstances and reason for your being here?”

Warren unbuttoned his suit jacket as he sat, so as it splayed open and was more comfortable, though underneath, he wore a waistcoat. “Oh, I’m just here for the sisters.” He looked at each of them with a pleasant smile before turning his attention back to Callida. “I gather that you think I’m guilty of something or other. Which is true of all of us, isn’t it?” He didn’t expect an answer, but like any good Lawyer, his defence had started at his arrival, and he made no attempt to hide it.

“We’re all devils here.” Said the handsome boy of Indian descent, sitting beside Alice.

The audacity of this bastard! Cassandra’s eyes widened, and a flash of anger bolted across them.

Warren held back a smirk at the corny and upper-class nature of the boys’ comment. Instead, he looked to Alessandra and raised a brow as if to say, ‘I hope he isn’t your partner’ or something along those lines - little did he know how touchy a subject that truly was.

Alice responded with a very subtle shake of her head. Samir was one of her best childhood friends. They had a history, but she had never had romantic feelings for him. He’d made his feelings for her clear - they radiated from him with a great deal of strength. Recently, he began to show less and less respect for her polite rejection of him, which had put Alice’s interest further from him, even as a friend and put Cassandra’s back up – she was ready to rip his throat out.

Cambria visibly rolled her eyes at the boy, which earned her an embarrassed look from Callida on Samir’s behalf. “Ehem” She cleared her throat and continued. “We cannot be sure if you are guilty or innocent of anything. This meeting is not an actual trial; this is merely a chance to discuss the allegation and perhaps present evidence to determine if we have a case against you.”

When presented with an invitation to speak on his so-called offence, Warren officially addressed the entire court and said, “By all means, present your case.” One arm over his torso and set his other elbow onto it as a support to aid him in resting a hand onto his chin, the image of a thinker.

Callida looked to her opening notes and began, “You are charged with the murder and attempted murder of several celestials with the intention to harvest their blood and sell it off via the blood sales company REDford. You are the founder and owner of the blood-dealing company REDford, are you not?”

“Yes, I am the proprietor of The REDford Group. An update of my company’s policies circa the year 2000 stipulates that I no longer supply hosts from which my clients feed.”

“You admit that historically, that has not been the case, then?

“Yes. Though you won’t find any of the hosts left alive to testify. Mortals aren’t known for their impressive lifespans. However, it was always a rather personal affair, and a detailed screening process took place before clients were allowed near my ‘stock’.” Warren gave a brief and accurate description of his company’s past dealings - he got the feeling these celestials knew little about it.

“Currently, how does your company meet the demands of their supply chain?” Callida questioned.

At her side, Cambria was getting bored. She already knew the answer, and her line of questioning was not the real reason he was there. Truthfully, he was there on her whim, and she hadn’t decided what to do with him yet.

“Since around 2010, the entirety of my stock has been grown in laboratories.”

“Grown? Grown blood?”

“Yes, precisely. To answer what I believe your main concern to be, I’ve only ever had dealings with one celestial in my life and time running REDford. Speaking frankly, celestial blood is hard to sell unless you know its heritage, and they aren’t usually the types of questions I ask an employee. Most celestials also aren’t into the idea of being sold and drank from like blood bags for hire, unlike mortals and other races who freely prostitute their bodies and what’s in them.”

One of the men at the table cringed, taking what this Warren Howard person said as an insult. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said something in Enochian, which earned him a threatening look from Alice and Cassandra. That was enough to scare him to the point where he slunk back into his chair like a dog with a tail beneath its legs.

“Have you ever once bought or sold celestial blood or put any celestial being in danger as a direct result of businesses purpose?” Callida asked, looking up at him from over the rims of her glasses.

Rather suddenly, Alessandra straightened up for a reason unknown to anyone else. She felt a change in the air, another presence added, and she suddenly reached out and squeezed onto Cassandra’s arm.

Warren continued to answer Callida, “No, like I said, only one celestial has ever shared blood with me, and it wasn’t related to my... business...” Warren’s answer was stalled and trailed off.

Before Cassandra could ask Alice what was going on, the doors opened when they should not have.

Warren heard the doors open and the ripple of displacement it caused in the air. His blue eyes opened wide in alarm, especially when he noticed the exchange between the sisters. He wondered if they’d set things up this way, but their shocked expressions convinced him that wasn’t the case. Alice’s expression told him not to turn around, to keep looking at her, no matter what, or at least down her end of the table. If she didn’t see him, they would be fine, but if she smelled him, then little could be done to divert the crisis.

One guard entered first and held the door open for the one person who should not have been there. There was the sound of high heels against the marble floors as she entered, and a sudden silence fell over the entire room.

Cassandra took a sharp breath and held it, reaching to clutch at her sister’s hand. “Oh no,” she whispered.

Without looking backwards, Warren kept his eyes on Cassandra and Alessandra, his expression marginally unimpressed by the cockup. His nose twitched; a quick sniff told him all he needed to know.

The footsteps stopped suddenly, and there was the sound of a fluttering of wings. She spoke softly. “Am I late? I thought the meeting was in an hour...” She saw the look on the faces of the others. “What’s happening?”

Warren moved his fist from its support position under his chin to his mouth, where he set his teeth around the fleshy part of his index finger between his first and second knuckle as if he were trying to stop himself from breathing her in.

The allure proved too much.

He lifted his eyes from the gap between the two sisters and looked at Alessandra apologetically. Turning his torso in his seat slowly, Warren faced Karou.

His Fledgeling stood there, positioned so that the arch of the door behind her framed her. She looked tiny compared to the grand architecture, despite the steeples of her magnificent wings.

At first, her expression was plain, as if she had simply come to the meeting a few minutes late. Her eyes weren’t remotely a healthy colour for anyone vamperic - they were the blackest they had ever been. So much so that it was difficult to distinguish between her pupil and her iris, and the makeup she wore did little to disguise how they sunk into their sockets which looked bruised and fatigued.

Slowly, her gaze panned over every person at the table until she came to him. Suddenly, her left wing twitched violently, and her chest tightened, her shoulders stiffened, startled where she stood. Her eyelids fluttered several times as if what she thought she was seeing was all in her head - but he came into focus every single time. What was more, she could smell him - the tease of such familiar blood throbbing through his body and so close at hand caused her throat to burn.

Though she was always the picture of serenity, Karou looked panicked for the first time in a long time. Confused and unaware of what was going on. Her lips parted like she wanted to speak, but nothing came out.

Callida was the first to speak, “Your grace if I-...”

Though she was speaking, seeking to explain, Karou didn’t hear what she said. There was noise, but it was not at all distinguishable - as if she were submerged underwater. The only audible thing was primal screeches that echoed about her mind. They almost convinced her to lunge for him, but shock kept her feet planted on the floor.

Across the room, Warren sat eying over his creation. Noting what trouble her dire thirst was causing her, he stood from his chair without hesitation and confidently made his way over the tiles toward her - all while she remained bewildered and stagnant in the doorway.

Warren’s steps were casual and laboured so as not to rush the moment. They sounded throughout the large room, twanging off the walls, taking advantage of the excellent acoustics, and tapped a rhythmic beat by which time ticked slower.

Still, it wasn’t enough to slow the pounding of her heart; the closer he got. The sense of relief she felt at the sight of him was overwhelming.

Anticipating her mother’s mood, Alice slid her chair back slowly. She was ready to act if Karou did something that might put her or her reputation in any danger. However, Karou knew she couldn’t show weakness, at least not in front of the Court.

Regardless she felt as if she might faint - there was a sudden weakness in her knees, and black spots filled her vision. Her emotional response to him being there had startled her as much as the sudden onset of her thirst. She took a jagged breath; she wanted to breathe and speak, but her body told her her appetite would come first and discuss later.

Everyone fell silent as he walked toward her, anticipating the moment when they’d come face to face.

“Hello.” He greeted calmly and almost silently.

Karou forced a tiny “hello” past her lips to reply. There was so much more that she wanted to say, but now wasn’t the time nor the place. When she anxiously bit her lip, she forgot that her fangs were present, and they pierced her lower lip ever so slightly. It was a slight prick, but that wasn’t what ailed her most. Even that faint taste of blood was enough to aggravate her thirst. It caused her hand to reach and clench before her stomach; the desire was crippling.

One drop of sweet golden blood was all it took for Warren too. The crystalline blue of his iris gave way to his dilating pupil when the idea of biting her came instantaneously.

Kiss her, lap up the blood on her lip. She’d like that. A voice inside his head demanded. Bite her neck. She’ll let you. And so, the frantic battle of his inner demons began. A squabbling cacophony of depraved demands echoed about his mind and threatened to destroy his composure. So far, he’d managed to remain calm.

Whether he had pure intentions, no matter what was going to happen, couldn’t happen in front of Karou’s courtiers. Through the chaos, a voice of reason bellowed; I have to get her out of this room. Warren glanced intently at the door behind Karou. The slight movement of his head motioned for her to about turn and walk out of the room. He further demonstrated his intention by closing in another two feet; he hoped that would spur her out of the door along with him.

Karou understood his silent request and took it as a command - she acted on instinct, spun on her heels and exited the room as if placed under a trance.

“Ladies first...” The left corner of Warren’s lip tugged into his signature smirk.

The guard Karou had entered with moved to stop Warren in his tracks. No one in the court understood Warren’s intentions and watched on, wary of what would happen next. Even Alice looked onward with utter confusion. The things she felt from both of them didn’t relieve anything.

Warren eyed the guard cautiously. Alice noticed his fingers twitched at his side; he contemplated deterring the guard from interfering. Luckily, he’d realised that now wasn’t the place to unleash his aero-kinesis on a celestial, given his audience. It had also crossed his mind that it wouldn’t be in his best interests to prove to them that he was potentially dangerous.

“Nobody touch him,” Cassandra commanded. “Let them go.”

Uninterrupted, Warren followed Karou out of the room, only turning to look back at the table of twelve through the gap the oak door left as he drew it closed. He flashed Cassandra a thankful smile and a look at Alice that calmed her back into her seat.

“How…” Karou managed to ask the moment they were alone. “How are you here?”

“It’s quite a long story,” Warren replied vaguely and asked a question for a question. “Why is it that you're starving with thirst every time I see you?”

Step by step, he began his solution.

Step one, he discarded his suit jacket onto the nearest surface he could find.

“Other things seemed to get in the way.” Karou’s answer was also vague but not on purpose; she was distracted by what he was doing now - which was unfixing the cufflink from his left wrist.

Warren continued and kept his eyes from Karou for now. He said nothing but sighed to vent his frustration - he knew that he couldn’t say anything appropriate given the situation. So instead, he continued with step three and began to roll up his left shirtsleeve up his forearm. Calmly, he moved to stand behind her and coiled his arm before her face.

Being closer than he’d been in over fifty years was surreal. Secretly, he breathed her in - a long deep inhalation through his nose - her sweet, heady scent caused him to feel light-headed and dizzy. He shook it off quickly and muttered his excuses. “Feel free to hate me later...” Displaying the inner veiny region of his wrist right before her eyes, he clenched his fist once, then twice, to raise blood to the surface and fill his veins. Now, he waited patiently to see if she’d react.

The instant Warren presented his wrist to her, she knew his intentions and couldn’t help but smile at the thought - he’s going to feed me. Whether it was a ‘good’ idea or not was inconsequential. The sense of relief she’d felt to simply see him transcended into her feeling comforted by his display of Sirely care. Unsure as ever, her gaze flickered up to his face. Her brows arranged as if to ask if he was sure about this.

He nodded, and to further insist that it was fine, he pulled his arm in closer to Karou’s lips.

Relaxed and reassured, she managed to whisper a very quiet thank you before she sunk her fangs into the flesh of his wrist. A small part of her wished it was his neck instead. It wasn’t as intimate this way, and it would hurt him more, but the moment his blood touched her tongue, nothing else mattered. She whimpered.

Warren remained still throughout the interaction though it took a tremendous amount of effort. He stood knawing at his lower lip to stave off the desire to bite her back.

Her neck is so close. It would be so easy.

In his pocket, his other hand clenched a fist repeatedly; it yearned to touch her! Years ago, he would have been touching her any way that he could by now, back when their intimacy wasn’t stinted by estrangement. Now, he held back, feeling sure that his presence there would already be a huge inconvenience to her.

If only she’d known what he was thinking, she would have told him how wrong he was. Now wasn’t a time that Karou could be distracted from - it was so much for one moment that it overwhelmed her! Her throat had felt scorched for weeks, and now, his blood was a salve. The more blood filled her mouth, the more her thirst was quenched, the more clarity arrived, and more questions.

Feeling that she’d sufficiently drained him, he removed his hand from his pocket, prized her hand gently from his arm, and withdrew his wrist from her lips.

Reluctantly she let go of his arm. It had felt so nice to touch him there; he felt strong as ever. With him at her back and his arm around her, it made her feel safe.

Without realising, he’d lent in so that his chest was touching her shoulders. He dropped his head to utter into her ear. “You’re welcome. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should probably get back to my trial.”