Maeve Felmark knew something was off with her mother. The last few days her mother had been increasingly withdrawn and her looks had seemed to become youthful and vigorous. Not that her mother was very old to begin with.

Silently, Maeve had scrutinized Varen's behavior more closely than ever before. His actions had become increasingly inscrutable, and upon querying several servants, she noticed they operated in a perpetual haze, almost as if their actions were bereft of their conscious awareness. One of the personal attendants who cleaned her room had also been showing up with strange marks on her wrist and neck. Even if they were faded they still were not normal birthmarks.

*tap*

*tap*

Two short knocks came from the hall. “Come in!” Maeve saw the same attendant from before she was a short brown haired girl roughly her own age.

“Hello ma’am I’m here to change the covers.”

Maeve saw her opportunity to test if this haze was something she could snap them out of. Even now the attendant whose name was Susan had clouded eyes, but it was so subtle that one wouldn’t notice.

As Susan promptly began her chores, Maeve cautiously closed in from behind. Among the various methods to dispel an enchantment, surprising the affected individual was known to be effective.

After she was no more than arms length away Maeve yelled out “Susan! Wake up!”

Susan, mid-fluff of a pillow, suddenly whirled around and stumbled onto the bed. Maeve leaned closer, scrutinizing Susan’s eyes. A faint glimmer appeared in her pupils, a glimmer that hadn't been present moments earlier.

“Ma’am?” Susan said a hint of worry and fear crossed her face.

“Susan…I think we need a chat.” Maeve said, crossing her arms.

…

After calming down the seemingly shocked girl she poured a cup of tea and handed it to her. “Susan. You are saying that you were employed by my mother and Varen roughly four months ago and since then your memory is scattered and inconsistent?”

Susan nodded “I don’t know what is happening Ma’am. What I remember is every few days…maybe a week. I am called to the master bedroom or the basement. Then it goes black for a day. I begin to have faint memories and remember going about doing what is asked of me. Nothing crazy, but it isn’t like I don’t want to do the task, but I feel an compelled need to perform it…almost a deep desire to do as I am ordered.”

Maeve felt as if she was close to the truth; her finger was nearly on its pulse. “What happens in the basement?”

Susan shook her head. “All I know is I go down there, but I feel…some sort of deep seeded fear when I pass by the entrance. I feel a tiny tinge of that when I pass by Lord Varen and Lady Valeri as well.”

“Alright.” Maeve knew she had to gain access to the basement tonight. “Susan. Take the rest of the day off, come back tomorrow.”

Susan nodded and walked out of the room hurriedly.

Maeve felt that part of her didn’t want to uncover the truth, and that she should remain ignorant if it were to implicate her mother she wasn’t sure what she would do.

…

Valeri reveled in the revitalization that came with her transformation. Managing her insatiable thirst posed challenges, yet the abundant supply of 'snacks' in the manor eased the ordeal considerably. Plus she now felt as if Varen and her were bonded closer than ever.

Living in Myredi wasn’t a long term solution. The Temple of Caphaine and their actions would be uncovered eventually which would lead to their demise. How she would convince her daughter to join them in their newly established territory near the frontier was still beyond her though.

Walking through the manor as night descended made her feel far more comfortable even thinking about the weakness and burning the sun would cause was not the best. The moon had a cool light to it, something different than the sun’s.

Tonight was one of the nights for a snack and Varen had already sourced a few vagarents who had tried harassing one of our shipments and a prostitute who had managed to get a bit too much information from one of our thralls.

Stepping down the spiraling staircase into the manors basement they had managed to expand the extent of it by quite a bit over the last few months discreetly expanding the various rooms and experiments. At the back, a bookcase concealed a tunnel that delved deeper into the underground abyss—a passage Valeri had swiftly become accustomed to traversing.

As she entered the main room at the end of the tunnel Varen had been waiting already.

“Did you make sure you were not followed?” Varen asked as he looked fondly at his wife.

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Valeri smiled. “Don’t worry they would have to figure out how to get past the bookcase even if they did.”

Hanging besides Varen from the ceiling was three people. Two men and a woman blindfolded and gagged. Most were struggling, but couldn’t voice any complaints besides occasional groan or grunt.

“We have cleared out most of the independent criminals in the city by now. How much more essence do you need, Varen?”

Varen sighed. “Honestly turning you seems to take a lot of it therefore I have enough for three transformations at most.”

After much experimentation between the two of them. The blood they drank not only provided them sustenance and a strong influence over those they drank from, but also a power almost like magic. Though rooted in blood and the more they drained the more they received for various powers. Varen had much more than Valeri, but she suspected it was because he was the original.

“Magic is very new to us Valeri, whatever this power is we cannot overestimate it, commoners like us never had the luxury of studying magic like many. Though I suspect this magic is taboo I don’t see a reason to not use it. Look what it has gotten us in no less than a year.”

Valeri couldn’t disagree the power was…addictive and it was because of it that she was no longer a stewardess under the Blackwoods.

“Maeve is a Paladin…I don’t know how we will convince her.” Valeri said downcast.

Varen grabbed his wife’s chin and lifted it up. “Don’t worry about it for now. What I want from you now is to simply. Drink.” Varen lifted the wrist of one of the men and brought it to her lips.

Sensing the warm blood beating heavily next to her nose she could smell the scent as it quicked from anxiety her fangs extended as she brought her mouth around the man’s wrist who immediately began to whimper futile as she drank deeply.

Varen immediately took the other man’s wrist and drank heavily as well. The smell of blood perforated the room. Sending them both into an intoxicated frenzy.

After no more than a few minutes both men’s whimpers stopped, the blood stopped flowing. As Valeri detached she felt little remorse; they made an effort only to take those who would not be missed or were criminals. The woman who was blindfolded and gagged as well struggled as she smelled the scent of blood fill the room.

Varen cut loose both of the now drained corpses and grabbed them by their necks and tossed them to the side.

“Filth, their blood is nothing like yours Valeri.”

Valeri agreed Varen’s blood, whom she enjoyed a small mouthful during their…frequent sleepless nights was much better as if they were made for each other.

Varen brought his lips into Valeri's, both closing their eyes, enjoying each other’s presence despite the struggling woman hanging up beside them.

“Release my mother!”

Valeri’s heart sank as she heard a familiar voice. Turning to see their daughter who had a small saber ready to strike at the entrance of the room.

Both of them peeled apart and looked at their daughter who stood definitely seeing the two dead men laying as husks on the side. A look of utter disgust on her face.

…

Maeve was horrified by the sight and what she had heard. While the Princess had concerns in her heart she had hoped it was nothing more than Varen being extremely competent. It was shocking to find out he was some sort of blood devouring monster.

It took her a while to prepare her heart and confront them, but she had to save her mother from whatever hold the man known as Varen had on her.

Taking out her saber she called out “Release my mother!”

It took the two of them a moment to separate from their passionate kiss and realize she was there, but Maeve was disgusted by the sight of the men drained completely and the last woman hanging there as if livestock.

“Darling…I can explain.” Valeri was first to speak up, but Maeve knew that it was unlikely to be truly her mother, but some controlled puppet.

“I don’t want to hear it. I heard enough.”

Turning her saber to point at Varen who stood there his arms folded across his broad chest. “I knew you were a fiend and I should have skewered you when I first discovered this affair.”

Varen laughed lightly “I am sure you think that, but your mother is not under my sway as you obviously presume. This can all be explained if you would lower your weapon.”

“Nice try. I am no fool. You can saw what you want after you turn yourself into the authorities and stand trial.” Maeve felt this was the best course of action.

Varen frowned at Maeve as she continued to stand her ground.

“I don’t want to fight you Maeve. For your mother’s sake will you please hear me out?” Varen opened his arms as if to show he meant no harm.

Maeve bit her lip for a moment “Speak then and make it quick.”

Varen sighed “You are under the impression that I am a random monster that showed up into your mother’s life for no rhyme or reason, but nothing could be further from the truth. My original name was not Varen at all.”

Maeve didn’t sense any lies so far and continued to hold her saber up towards him.

“Varen, are you sure about this?” Valeri spoke up, causing Maeve to look at her mother with a tad bit of conflicting feelings.

Varen didn’t respond, merely nodded. “My name before was Valum Felmark. I am your father.”

The weight of those words crashed into Maeve's consciousness, striking her with a force akin to a colossal hammer pounding her chest.

“You lie! My father was killed by beasts in the wildlands long ago near the frontier.” Maeve denied the implication.

“No. I was lost for a long time and awoke years later with these powers and sought you, my daughter and my wife out.” Varen insisted.

“Maeve.” Valeri spoke up. “My heart always belonged to your father. Do you really believe I would be so easily enthralled by some random young man?”

A slight tremor coursed through Maeve's hand. “P-prove it! How can I trust you! I’ve seen the haze and control you exert over people.”

Varen got onto his knees “If I am lying. If you feel in your heart that I am lying. Strike me down.”

Maeve watched her mother’s eyes widen in shock.

Taking her blade she knew how to tell the truth. Charging forward she brought the blade crashing diagonally towards her intended target. Just as her blade was about to strike Valeri stood in the way embracing Varen.

“Please Maeve…do not harm him.” Valeri cried out weeping tears of blood. “I cannot lose him again.”

Maeve closed her eyes and sighed, lowering her saber. “Tell me everything.”