THE RENFIELD CHRONICLES:
THE OFFICIAL COMPENDIUM OF THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE GLORIUS EMPIRE
CHRONICLES PAST



A SHORT HISTORY  
         OF OUR
REVENANT LINEAGE

The beings Paradoxans refer to as vampires were the progeny of a people called Revenants. Revenants hailed from a what Paradoxans  might call a shadow universe which Renfields and Revenants alike call the Abyssian homeworld generally shortened to "the Abyss".

Throughout their own universe or as they call it, the omnisverse, these Revenants were known for their culture, society, temperance and education. When they first discovered the entrance to this universe - the Paradox, the event was hailed by their scientific community as historic and groundbreaking, but the celebration was short-lived.

The Revenant travelers to the Paradox who hailed from all five familes of  Abyssia: Striga, Lamia, Ekimmou, Impundulu and Kiang'shi all began to experience strange unexplained illnesses and symptoms in the previously unexplored universe. They found that they were extremely sensitive to the primary light source on the planet they initially crossed into, and that certain of the metals and growing things were fatal to them and that they themselves were changed by the place. After several expeditions to the Paradoxan planet to research and resolve the problems experienced there, the Revenants abandoned the initiative to explore the Paradox determining that it was entirely too costly and potentially a threat to their civilization. However, by the time the decision was made to halt travel, there were over two hundred Revenant families residing in the part of the omnisverse they had come to refer to as the Paradox…and because of the strange afflictions and undesirable modifications both physical and mental, those Revenants who made their homes in the Paradox were not welcomed back in the Abyssian homeworld…ever.

Because of their many limitations and sensitivities to the environment in their new Paradoxan home, the Revenants were unable to function without assistance. They were required therefore to create alliances with the native Paradoxans, which was extremely difficult when the Revenants found that they had developed a nearly uncontrollable urge to consume them.

For the Revenants the blood of the locals was not only intoxicating but they discovered that they maintained their youth and vitality far longer than they did consuming cattle and vegetation.  However, it didn’t take long to determine that consuming  locals had consequences.

First, one who was consumed by a Revenant tended to have a terrible habit of appearing dead then returning from said death to create havoc in their communities…consuming other locals and simply creating chaos. The usual result was that the members of the affected community would rally to locate the Revenant responsible for the local’s transformation and kill them dead on the spot. It soon became clear that the wholesale use of the locals for cattle was not a beneficial practice.

After much trial and error the Revenants found that consuming the locals in moderation yielded an entirely different result. Rather than drain them in one sitting if the Revenant had the patience to drain the local over several encounters, the local, instead of becoming a fearsome predator  became tied to the Revenant telepathically. Those telepathically linked locals became their eyes and ears during the daylit hours when it was near impossible for the Revenants to function optimally. At first these relationships served the Revenants well, but Revenants enjoyed unnaturally long life spans in the Paradox and it seemed the locals "dropped like flies" by comparison. Many methods were considered to lengthen the life spans of their helpers but none were viable until the unthinkable occurred.

Despite strict conventions regarding intimate interactions with Paradoxan humans, the Renfield history books reveal that the first child born between a Revenant and a Revenant’s helper was in Paradoxan West Africa. The name of the woman translated into French and then into English was “Raven’s field” and her first child lived nearly half the lifetime of a Revenant. When this was discovered, a concerted breeding program was implemented by the Revenants to insure that there was a significant pool of these “helpers” for their needs.

The first few generations of these helpers were half Revenant/half human. The Revenants simply called them Hybrids.  After a time the Revenants found that a better combination for their purposes occurred when a Revenant bred with a Hybrid. The result was basically a Revenant without "the appetite"  their recurring need to consume and without many of the negative environmental reactions, in other words…the perfect servant.

Of course though related by blood to the Revenants, Renfields (a shortening of “Raven’s field” – an homage to the first Revenant/human hybrid) were never considered Revenants. The purpose of Renfields was to serve the needs of the Revenant class that remained in the Paradox. The properties and material goods that the Revenants were able to amass primarily through their otherworldly surveillance techniques and extortion, were managed by their Renfields.
 
If a Renfield in the process of his or her duties to serve the needs of the Revenants experienced resistance from any of their Paradoxan human colleagues, the Revenants made certain that the offending person would soon change their opinion or disappear altogether. As a result, Renfields seemingly lived lives of wealth and privilege while serving at the will of a Revenant master, but fast forwarding a few thousand years, things changed.

The first change, the edict of Timbuktu declared a moritorium on Revenant breeding with Renfields once Revenants determined that sufficient Renfields on each continent had begun to intermarry and have children of their own. The decision to regulate breeding was meant to be a reminder to Renfields that they were a subclass of Revenant and that the Revenants could withhold their  bloodline, their status at any time. However, despite this intentional slight, what was originally conceived of as a subclass of Revenant quickly became a force to be reckoned with, in its own right.

Having inherited the majority of the Revenants'  environmental advantages and a scant few of their weaknesses, Renfields began to build an empire of their own; and as quietly at it  is kept, the Renfield International corporate hierarchy under the control of the genius and virtually xenophobic Marcello Sebastian Forza, while declaring its allegiance and maintaining its claims of loyalty to its Revenant cousins, has been working tirelessly to cut ties with what he calls the wasteful and indolent Revenants.  Despite a shared lineage, the years of internal bickering, imposition by the Revenants and rebellion by Renfields has made for an uneasy, precarious peace.

     CHRONICLE IN WHICH THE
    PRAEFECT SEEKS ALLIANCE
  WITH KOESCU
         
PART I

It had been several year since Koescu had last seen the Renfield Superior Praefect, and frankly he could have gone another ten without having seen her with no concern or discomfort, but there were rumblings in his community, the Revenant community about rebellious talk within the Renfield ranks. After centuries of unobstructed service, the Paradoxan Purge of 1900 wrecked havoc with both Renfield and Revenant communities alike. Though there were obvious drawbacks, the most beneficial result of the Purge was that Renfields, who for a time seemed to be pulling away from their Revenant obligations, were forced to rely upon Revenants for even the basics of everyday life and thereby created a dependency that spawned a mutual respect.

When the Superior Praefect signed the Hundred Years’ Compact in Paradoxan 1915, the vast majority of the Revenants accorded it as positive and extremely beneficial to the Revenant cause. Those were the Revenants who understood the necessity and respected the relationship between Revenants and their Renfield cousins. However there were those within the ranks of the five Revenant families who for reasons unknown to Koescu looked upon Renfields with derision and were even physically and emotionally abusive to those who were charged with their care. Though these abusers were relatively few in the grand scheme of things, their actions drew the ire of many in the Renfield family. Koescu had heard that the Renfields were seeking concessions from the Revenants and requesting monitoring of certain members of certain Revenant families which was not setting well with the Revenants as a whole. It had been communicated to him that the Renfield Praefect desired an audience with him, and even though Koescu was not the head of the Strigan clan he was well-respected, and diplomatic, and this particular engagement called for diplomacy.

Koescu no longer lived in the city and spent the majority of his time on a country estate outside of Paradoxan Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He had long ago decided that he preferred life away from Paradoxans and the focus it often brought with it. When he was younger he was the de-facto negotiator and intervener on behalf of all causes Revenant in his region. He was the person the Revenants looked to in times of crises to offer level-headed solutions. He was the first Revenant in the Paradox to openly agree with the Revenants of Abyssia that it was just and proper for there to be a seat for a Renfield Representative on the Abyssian Revenant council. His thoughtful approach to problems and calls for decisive actions rendered him more than capable of dealing with the more-often-than-not corrupt Paradoxan authority and the sometimes superstitious and suspicious Paradoxan rabble. But those days were long gone. Now his hair was white and his body bent with age and just the thought of spending his nights refereeing issues between Renfields and Revenants and battling against the bias of Paradoxans was exhausting. He was fine where he was, isolated and content, spending his days reading and painting and his nights tending his garden. Nearly one hundred years had passed since he had entered the city and the years had not been kind.

He heard the sound of the automobile approaching blocks away and could feel the tension long before the Praefect arrived.

“More tension, more intrigue. This is the reason I left the city,” he sighed to himself.

When she was escorted through the door he was surprised on several accounts. First, she had come dressed in traditional Abyssian garb, a sign of respect to the traditional Revenants who adhered to the old ways. The costuming of the Paradoxan 1920’s was, to his tastes garish. She was obviously aware of his predilection and dressed in observance of it. Second, she was not alone.

A Revenant over a mile away could note with exacting detail the number of persons sitting in any given room in any given vehicle or edifice, even if the Revenant were unable to enter. Koescu sensed the approach and arrival of the vehicle but had not detected that the Praefect had brought her consort to the engagement. “Sextus, the Italian” is how the Revenants referred to Marcello Sebastian Forza, VI the head of Renfield operations in the Paradox. This in itself raised the third surprise…the fact that the Praefect was much more talented than he originally believed. To mask another person’s mental and physical signature was a feat that even most Revenants had not mastered. Yet even as the two of them stood before him, it was as if the male was not there. But Koescu’s eyes did not lie. Sebastian was indeed present and arguably one of the more beautiful Renfield men he had ever seen. With his graceful manner, blue green eyes and chestnut hair that complemented his olive complexion, to Koescu he appeared more Revenant than Renfield and for that reason alone his presence was unsettling.

Yannara the exotic African beauty with her dark skin and dark shining eyes, could easily be underestimated with her relatively small stature and wide-eyed charm. But Koescu was not misled by her appearance and noted that upon entering she was quickly assessing the household, scrutinizing its servants and Koescu himself as she stepped into the foyer.

“Welcome Yannara and Sebastian,” Koescu said as he approached and greeted the two Renfield dignitaries.

“Thank you for opening your beautiful home to us,” Yannara replied and curtsied in the traditional Abyssian manner.

Her escort nodded and bowed as was the protocol then stepped back and followed two steps behind them as Koescu took Yannara’s arm and strolled with her out into the courtyard.

“So, my dear Praefect,” Koescu began, “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“I apologize in advance for not having the time nor patience for pleasantries but I believe that you are in the possession of certain information which may have negative and unfortunate consequences for Renfield/Revenant relations and it is incumbent upon me to discover your position on the matter.”

“I understand,” he smiled knowingly, “What then can I do to help you?”

“In the coming months I will be meeting with Revenants in the Paradox to discuss the issues of unrest which have been plaguing many of our relations to date. We have nothing but the deepest respect for our Revenant cousins and we desire to quell any unnecessary strife between us.” Yannara spoke as they strolled the courtyard garden under a blanket of stars.

“You’ve come to discuss Leviathan,” Koescu said flatly.

Yannara stopped in her tracks then smiled at the Revenant elder saying, “So I gather we are taking the direct approach.”

“Leviathan is a complex concept for Revenants…part fact, part fiction…religion and genealogy combined with mythology.”

“I realize this--”

“--Do you Yannara? I’m not quite certain you do.”

“In the Paradox the children, the seeds of the Leviathan are most closely analogized with the Greek Titans or the Judeo-Christian Seraphim. These are the children forged in the molten crucible of the Lathe and who in love are pure but equally burn hot with ardor. They rain down fire upon the wicked and reckless and can extinguish life with a simple touch.”

“These are morality fables told to Renfield and Revenant children alike,” Yannara said, “Truthfully no one actually believes these myths,” she smiled.

Now was Koescu’s turn to stop in his tracks. “Yannara, if you desire my assistance, now would be an appropriate time to terminate this charade and to speak plainly. I am well-aware that Renfield has for centuries been employing…what do you call them? Oh yes…Shroud agents as the Praefect’s personal guard. There has been rumor for centuries that members of your elite guard possess many aspects of the Leviathan children and we have looked the other way because the incursion has been minimal. The ban on children of the Leviathan entering the Paradox or Abyssia was not a thoughtless act. The Leviathan, when unfettered is potentially the most deadly creature wrought by the creator. What you are proposing…to provide these Shroud agents with Renfield status in the Paradox would be met with extreme resistance by most all Revenants.”

“There is no one in our employ who claims a pure Leviathan lineage. Even those who purportedly have any blood of the ancient culture running through their veins have always considered themselves Renfield. Having the talents of those who have any a modicum of the abilities touted in the old Leviathan fables would be a great boon to Renfields and Revenants, alike.

“Yannara, the Leviathan though forged in fire are still children of Abyssia. The stark contrasts of the Paradox are much too unsettling for their understanding and it is said that they are much too passionate and unpredictable for life in Abyssia.”

“Koescu, those statements are no more true than the Paradoxan statements that Revenants are oversexed, bloodthirsty animals!” Yannara snapped.

Koescu smiled and lightly patted the hand of the agitated Praefect saying, “There, there now Yannara, no need to make this personal. I am merely expressing to you the type of resistance you will encounter. And frankly the larger problem is that the Paradoxan Revenants will probably be loathe to permit beings of such potential to be added to the ranks of the Renfield population.”

“But having the Leviathan progeny here in the Paradox would greatly improve security for both Renfields and Revenants. Their presence would be a boon to both our societies.”

Yannara then excused herself, turned and approached her escort. They exchanged a few words then she turned and gestured to Koescu, “Sebastian desires to bathe before dinner and would like your permission to leave the discussion.”

Koescu nodded toward Sebastian who nodded in reply, turned and took two steps toward the main house before disappearing in a mist. Yannara waited for Koescu to extend his arm once more prior to joining him again on the trek though the garden.

Koescu was aware that Yannara had lived a significant amount of time in the home world and had mastered the intricacies of Abyssian etiquette. In fact she knew the protocols so well that when she so desired, she was in her manner and poise indistinguishable from a Paradoxan Revenant. However Koescu was not a Paradoxan Revenant by birth. He was one of the few remaining Revenants that came with the last migration from Abyssia, so his sensibilities were even keener than those of a Renfield or Revenant. It was that fact alone which made him aware that Yannara’s lineage was more rare than she would openly admit. He was not certain that she had not shared her little secret with her husband or her Italian lover, but Koescu was well-aware that the knowledge he held would either place him squarely within Yannara’s protection or immediately in peril.

“So Yannara,” the elder said after pausing for what seemed to be an extended moment of reflection, “When was it that you found out about your Leviathan heritage?”

Part II

~continuing  

Yannara’s face uncharacteristically beheld tension, but the revenant elder squeezed her arm reassuringly and noted a moment of hesitancy before she replied, “I don’t recall when I actually knew, but I had suspected since I was a very young woman.”

“I see,” Koescu replied thoughtfully.

“So of course you understand why it is imperative that this information remain closely held? If I spearhead the cause of the Shroud many will allege that it is only self-interest that moves me or that I harbor some ill intent toward the Revenants or even Renfields for that matter. You are an excellent judge of character Koescu. If you stand by me in this matter, it is certain to pass with little resistance.”

“Yannara, I am near certain that you have no ill-intent, but even if I were to support you, you would need more than my acquiescence. Clearly you can see that I haven’t aged well and the support of a frail old revenant may not be in your best interests.”

“Your support is more than I could ever have hoped for so quickly, Koescu,” she smiled, “With your unflagging support, half the battle is won.”

Koescu returned her confident smile as the two of them turned and made their way back toward the house but not before he noted the slight nod of her head. He wasn't certain but he almost swore that from the corner of his eye he saw the Italian descend from the roof of the manse where for a second it looked as if he was crouched at the ready with an Abbysian high powered projectile launcher aimed at Koescu’s head.

                                                 -o)0(o-

Morning. Koescu woke and dragged himself to the bath that was religiously drawn for him every seven o’clock a.m. Though Revenant activities took place primarily in the evening he remained in the habit of rising in the morning, bathing, acquainting himself with the current news then going about whatever business he had for the day.

When he finally was ready to slowly and methodically pick his way downstairs, he was surprised to find that his guests were already awake seated at the table enjoying a hearty breakfast. 

“Koescu, we didn’t expect you for another half hour,” Yannara spoke over her orange juice.

“Good morning, Koescu,” Sebastian smiled over the top of the newspaper then returned to his reading.

“I had no idea that you two were such early risers,” he said as he took his place at the table.

“We only have a week to spend in the country and want to make the most of it.”

“Well, as you know I can’t be of much service to you as a host until sundown, but I’m certain that Gertrudes and Isaac will be available to keep you entertained.”

“How about tennis in the garden?” Sebastian suggested.

“Yes, tennis,” Yannara replied, “Koescu I’ve heard that you were quite the player in your day!”

“Yes I was,” Koescu laughed, “but that was a very long time ago.”

“Oh, not so long. Even though you can’t play at the moment you might want to watch the match.”

“From your upper balcony would be perfect,” Sebastian added, “It’s got a perfect view, heavily shaded, no direct sunlight.”

Koescu did not want to watch a tennis match. The thought of watching these young Renfields run playing on the court while he could barely walk the grounds did not sound appealing in the least. However he was a good host and didn’t dare make a scene by negating their request.

“Of course I would love to join you,” he said then took the teacup of warmed lamb’s blood from Gertrudes and politely sipped his breakfast.

-o)0(o- 

When the time they had predetermined for the tennis match arrived, Koescu secured himself in the location that Sebastian had identified. From his position under the overhang of the upper balcony he could see the entire grass court that the gardeners had painstakingly delineated that morning. Yannara indicated that she and her consort had asked his housekeeper Gertrudes and his valet Isaac to join them in order to make the game interesting.

The Praefect waved in his direction as they all walked out on the grass.

“It’s doubles!” Yannara shouted, “Girls against the boys!”

“Are you sure Yannara?” Sebastian teased, “You know how you hate to lose.”

“Exactly. That’s why Isaac is stuck with you!” She winked.

For the match the Renfields dressed in all white and both women wore their hair pulled back into ponytails. This was quite a feat for the Praefect as the miniscule braids she wore all over her head were easily nearly three feet long from root to tip. The ladies’ skirts nearly flowed to their calves but their arms remained bare. The gentlemen wore white slacks and short-sleeved shirts appropriate for the occasion.

Yannara and Gertrudes then squared off against Sebastian and Isaac. Watching the pert figure of the Praefect playing against her panther like consort was terrible enough then added to the equation was the handsome and muscular Isaac and the bouncing breasts of Gertrudes whose curvaceous figure would have had his tongue lolling out of his mouth if he were a younger man. For over an hour he was constrained to watch the Renfields cavorting and laughing while he sat stowed away like an old maid in the shadows.

He was a bit surprised at the game. Although Sebastian was graceful and accurate, Isaac was obviously not quite cut out for tennis. When he made contact with the ball it shot over the net as if it had been fired from a cannon and for a while the males were able to score several points. But after a few of these shots, the females realized that Isaac had no control and volley after volley they refused to chase Isaac’s powerful forehand. So, the balls invariably bounced off the far wall or landed on the second floor balcony. Unable to change Isaac’s forehand on such short notice, Sebastian was constrained to modifying his game defending his position and also running up and down the court to field the lightly tapped balls that Isaac was doomed to launch into the clouds.

“Sebastian you were out of bounds!” Gertrudes shouted as he tripped over Isaac after they both lunged for a ball that Yannara had lobbed past Isaac’s ear.

“You’re already ahead 40-love, Gertrudes. Is there no charity in your soul?” Isaac asked breathing heavily.

“You may receive charity in the kitchen, not on the tennis court,” Gertrudes replied flippantly.

Koescu sighed. Back in the home world when he was a young man he was much like the Renfields who played in the courtyard. He was quite the athlete. In fact, he played a game much like tennis there and when he emigrated to the Paradox he and many other Revenants played regularly. A wave of nostalgia took him as he remembered his childhood in Abyssia and his centuries of manhood in the Paradox then his swift decline into old age, a deterioration of body and mind. He never spoke openly of how he envied the Paradoxan-born Revenants who being native to the Paradox somehow managed to side-step the debilitating effects of aging. Looking at his gnarled hands it was hard to believe that these were the same hands that managed the navigation systems on the last transport from Abyssia….the last transport before the legislation that banned immigration and stranded them all in the Paradox. He felt a clench of longing deep in the pit of his stomach.

Never all those years ago would he have thought his life would trail off in the manner it had. He considered his arrogance of nearly three hundred years earlier rejecting the marriage circle proposal with Ina and Raele. It was clear that they had been wooing him for some time and both Ina and Raele swore that he would be a complete third in the marriage, not just a second male mate for Ina. Knowing that it was his desire to be the only male in the circle when he decided to wed, after careful consideration Koescu politely declined their proposal. Ina and Raele were clearly hurt and the relationship between them and him was strained for many decades after his rejection. Ina and Raele eventually chose another to close the circle and though Koescu was loosely attached on several occasions to others, ultimately those relationships broke down and he remained alone. After so many years he had to admit that one of the reasons he felt such an affinity for Gertrudes and Isaac was because they reminded him so much of Ina and Raele.

Both Ina and Gertrudes were tall but where the Revenant Ina was slender with long sensuous legs, the Renfield Gertrudes was fleshy and curvaceous with rounded breasts and buttocks. They both wore their shoulder length hair upswept. Ina was brunette as was Gertrudes but in the direct light of the sun Gertrudes’ hair shined a coppery hue. For a brief moment he wondered what Ina’s hair would look like in full sun. Both women were very commanding and were quite at home running all facets of the households under their care. He knew Ina’s touch in intercourse - playful and intense. Of course there was no such interaction with the Renfield house manager.

Then there was his dear friend Raele who though quiet and unassuming was perpetually steady and affable. he saw these same qualities in Isaac.  Neither of the two males was as tall as their female counterparts, but they were heavily musculed - at least Raele was many many years ago. Koescu was well aware that age had caught up with all of them and their bodies were descending into chaos no longer mindful of their wills. But at least Ina and Raele had each other. His loneliness more than anything else was what made the afternoon of watching the two Renfield lovers making eyes at each other while playing at tennis excruciating.

Suddenly a commotion from the court tore him from his introspection. Yannara and Gertrudes’ cries of victory reverberated throughout the courtyard. He smiled as the Praefect laughed and twirled on the grass, her calf-length white skirt billowing around her in the late Spring breeze. Sebastian still declaring that it was luck, not skill that won the day strode over to the picnic table where Gertrudes had begun to pour them all glasses of lemonade. Gertrudes watched as Sebastian drank down the lemonade and alternately glanced at Yannara who smiled and said, “Enough stalling, Sebastian. You and Isaac were the losers. Time to settle the bet.”

“Already?” Isaac asked still out of breath, “You won’t consider a rematch? Give us the opportunity to even the score!”

“You had your opportunity and you lost,” Yannara scoffed then flitted over to where he stood at the net and gave Isaac a sharp peck on the cheek.

“What say you, Koescu?!” Sebastian shouted toward the elder Revenant in the upper balcony.

“I say to you, young Renfield that defeat should be accepted as honorably as victory.”

Koescu’s words struck the courtyard like the deep intonation of a bell and Yannara with a stricken expression immediately ceased her victory dance around the court and dropped to her knees prostrate facing away from the elder. Isaac and Gertrudes quickly dropped to their knees prostrate, facing the elder as was the tradition. After a moment of silence Sebastian, the highest ranking non-offending Renfield strolled to where the Praefect lay on the ground then knelt before her forehead to forehead listening intently as she spoke. When she was done he rose to his knees and spoke to Koescu saying, “Elder, the Praefect begs your pardon for her dishonorable show of excess enthusiasm.”

“Yannara dear,” Koescu laughed, “My comment was not meant to be an indictment on your enthusiasm. I am sure that I too would be as enthusiastic winning so handily against these able opponents. What I meant was that the courteous act would be to quickly settle the bet.”

Yannara rose with Sebastian, then she turned and curtsied and Gertrudes and Isaac rose and bowed toward the elder as well.

Despite Koescu’s belief that the formality was unnecessary under the circumstances, he was nonetheless impressed that these Renfields still adhered to the traditional rules of decorum...something that the Paradoxan-born Revenants seemed to be ignoring more and more each generation.

“Koescu, I will heed your wise words!” Sebastian declared then in one motion turned and swept his shirt off over his head and tossed it on the ground next to the picnic table. Even from the distance of the upper balcony, Koescu could see the fine sheen of perspiration across the muscles of his back and the play of the wind through his chestnut hair.

“To the victors go the spoils…” Sebastian offered and Gertrudes again looked to Yannara for guidance.

“Please Gertrudes, you do the honors.”

With blinding speed Gertrudes moved behind Sebastian and forcefully tipped his head to the side giving her unfettered access to his carotid artery. Koescu nearly jumped from his seat. For nearly one hundred years he had never seen the appetite rise in his house manager and the sight was intoxicating. Gertrudes’ fangs engaged and the appearance of those ferocious, white spikes sent a flush over his body so strong that he momentarily lost his breath. He watched open-mouthed as Gertrudes ran her tongue along the entire exposed length of Sebastian’s neck. She is gracious, Koescu smiled to himself. The swipe of her tongue served to anesthetize the site of the strike. This was not an act of vengeance. It was obvious that Gertrudes intended to take her victory in a more pleasurable fashion. Then less than a second after the thought entered his mind, Gertrudes struck. Koescu wasn’t certain whether he or Sebastian groaned louder. It was like watching a dance, poetry the way her hands slid down his body after first contact, how she followed his body to the ground still latched on and moaning in time with him as she fed. It was then that out of the corner of his eye he saw Yannara sidling up to Isaac as he watched the Praefect’s consort settled his portion of the bet. As Isaac’s fangs slowly engaged Yannara stepped in front of him. Isaac immediately reached to pull his shirt off over his head as Sebastian had done, but she stilled his hand then whispered something to him that caused his cheeks to blush, but without a word he walked over to the nearest bench, stripped off his trousers and sat nervously anticipating her next order.


~continuing

PART III

Koescu watched Isaac’s face as Yannara nudged his knees apart with her own and then saw Isaac’s apprehension evaporate as the Praefect slowly

lowered herself between his legs. When the Praefect gripped his knees to spread Isaac’s massive thighs her hands appeared tiny in comparison. But she controlled the situation and Isaac submitted without protest. When she leaned forward playfully displaying her tongue between her half-engaged fleams, Isaac pulled back slightly. She smiled. He wanted no anesthetic.

 He prefers the sting, Koescu mused. 

Though he himself preferred the lap of the tongue to the sting of the fang and fleam, he knew many who were inclined as Isaac was, those who swore that the initial pain of the sting rendered the ensuing pleasure even more intense. Yannara’s wide set fleams disappeared as her erectile fangs - nearly two inch long daggers emerged dead center beneath her upper lip. These were more appropriate to the task of piercing through solid muscle into the femoral artery. It was precise and delicate work, even more delicate than piercing the carotid. The strike had to be hard and fast and the withdrawal smooth and protracted.

“ACH!” Isaac yelped as Yannara sank into him and his cries of pain quickly evolved into moans of pleasure.

Koescu’s thoughts once again turned to Ina. He recalled the evening that Ina and Raele had come to visit him in his city house. In Abyssia centuries before, Ina had been a renown Shibolqueron player and that evening before dinner they were treated to a performance of some of the most well-known ballads and a new piece that she had been working on. After the performance, his two guests confided that an associate had smuggled into the Paradox a case of wine from a respected Abyssian vineyard. They were fortunate enough to have acquired a few bottles and thought that Koescu might also want to enjoy a taste of their home world spirits for a change. Not having tasted the fruit of the home world in decades he graciously and gratefully assented. Ina poured him several glasses before he noticed that neither Ina nor Raele were drinking. He apologized for being so boorish and offered them the remainder of the bottle but they insisted they had more than enough at home and sat for hours chatting…waiting for him to relax…waiting for him to lower his usually very high defenses.

As the wine cradled and relaxed him he remembered commenting on Ina’s eyes, “the beautiful deep gray of an Abyssian sky” he said to her and she smiled. Raele then looked at his watch and commented on the time and indicated that they were ready to turn in. Koescu was a bit off-put by the abrupt end to the evening but as a good host stood and called for his valet so that the two could be escorted to their bedchamber.

After the two excused themselves he sat alone for a while finishing the bottle as the liquor began to have its way with him. He had a fleeting thought of how rude the two had been, not just to leave dinner so abruptly and before sun-up, but to have come for dinner without bringing a partner for him to pair with. He thought grudgingly of how the two would be off to bed to enjoy one another under his roof while he, as usual, would be constrained to bed down alone. How fortunate is Raele, he thought, to have the beautiful Ina to lay with him, to love him.

He eventually completed the bottle of wine and with a little assistance from his valet was led into his bedchamber. Once inside he was helped off with his clothes and into his sleeping gown. Both Koescu and his valet were aware that he was more depressed than he was inebriated and they both also realized that he was in no hurry to be left alone. So his valet stayed longer than normal and assisted him with organizing papers and completing his rituals. When he could figure out no more reasons to keep him there, Koescu dismissed his valet then crawled into bed. He tried not to think about what Raele and Ina might be doing one floor above him and distracted his keen sense of hearing refusing to listen to anything that he might hear. After several minutes of laying there unable to sleep there was a polite knock at the door and before he bade anyone enter both Ina and Raele slipped into through the heavy door on a velvet mist, dressed for bed. Raele with his characteristic smooth and even voice spoke as he and Ina drifted toward Koescu’s bedside.

“Dear friend Koescu, you are the head of this household and by tradition you are entitled to complete the circle.”

“Excuse me?” Koescu replied slowly sitting up in his bed.

Without fanfare Raele began to disrobe Ina right before his eyes. Koescu was breathless as Raele exposed her perfectly smooth skin that was the color of Paradoxan bronze. Her breasts were not large but were beautifully shaped with large engorged nipples which appeared nearly black atop her smallish areolas.

“Ina my love,” Raele spoke in the old language, “Let us mark the traditions of Abyssia as we express our deepest gratitude to our host Koescu for opening his home to us.”

With that said, Ina slid down onto the bed beside Koescu. She ran her long elegant fingers through his hair which was a deep strawberry blonde at the time and pulled toward him kissing his forehead and both his cheeks. Koescu was more aroused than he could ever remember. He was already fully engaged above and below yet he remained perfectly still, not moving a muscle. Again he heard Raele’s voice from somewhere near the foot of the bed.

“Ina does not please you?” He asked.

“Ina is most beautiful. She is exquisite,” he replied almost in a whisper.

He saw the flicker of Ina’s smile and the glint of moonlight off of her partially engaged spikes as she began unfastening his gown.

“Are you no longer a proponent of the old ways?” Ina asked as she pressed her body against him.

“Yes, yes I am Ina,” he said, “But Raele--”

“--Koescu this decision was made by us both.” Raele interrupted, “Certainly it is your right to deny, but it is our hope that you will not.”

Koescu smiled and replied with kisses to Ina’s forehead and cheeks, “Then I accept your gracious offer of cordiality.”

“Relax, dear Koescu,” Ina smiled broadly as she peeled his gown off of him, “and I will take you on a journey.”

Before the gown was over his head and at the foot of the bed, Ina was astride his thighs grinding her blossoming opening against the stem of his engorged phallus encouraging him to force himself inside her; and he was no less enthusiastic. While his lips and tongue pulled at her nipples and his hands squeezed and massaged every square inch of her flesh that he came in contact with, Ina whispered an erotic tale from the home world performed as only a renown shibolqueron player could impart it. Even aware that Raele was observing their every move, he forgot all concepts of Paradoxan decorum or self-consciousness and yielded to Ina shifting his hips and plunging upward impaling her on his willing erection. Their groan of mutual ecstatic pleasure was executed in unison and Ina used her body in ways he had never imagined to propel him to a level of satisfaction never before experienced.

“Raele, my love,” she gasped in the old language panting in time with she and Koescu’s rhythmic interchange, “Join us. Please join us.”

Raele still in his robe, climbed onto the bed beside the inflamed couple. While still rotating her hips atop Koescu Ina reached out gripped the shawl collar of Raeles’s robe and drew him to her kissing his lips as she continued to moan from the pleasure generated from her energetic roll atop her chosen third to their trio.

As erotic as the engagement with Ina was to Koescu, the sight of her engaged in a passionate kiss with Raele as he joined Koescu in alternately kneading her petite breasts was all he needed to send him careening headlong into an uncontrollable orgasm. He saw Raele’s fleams engage and the precise strike he made taking advantage of Ina’s fully exposed artery. It wasn’t a complete feeding the strike was only done to make her light-headed to add to the intensity of her orgasm. Isaac gripped Ina at the waist helping her to bear down on Koescu’s bucking hips. Koescu could see in Raele’s eyes how much he loved her, how much he enjoyed seeing her pleasured.

When Koescu was finally spent and laying on his back catching his breath, Isaac flopped down beside him and asked, “It has been a long time for you Koescu, has it not?”

“Yes…very long,” Koescu said still trying to catch his breath.

“You please Ina very much. I am happy to see her so entertained, Raele smiled as Ina snuggled under his arm.

“You sound as if you had your doubts,” Koescu said warily.

“My Ina is demanding…some might say insatiable,” he replied as he kissed her forehead, “So of course I was a bit concerned, but I see my concerns were unfounded.”

Koescu nodded and at the same time observed Ina rhythmically stroking the very impressive erection she urged from Raele. She half slid, half misted her way down his body until her lips were poised above him and without fanfare she engulfed him. Koescu was not in the habit of watching others engaged in sexual activity. But watching Ina as she performed was an erotic experience in and of itself. If he had ever envied Isaac before he was doubly jealous, now. He found himself absentmindedly stroking his engorged phallus in time with Ina’s deft movements wondering what it must be like to be with Ina to have her by one’s side day and night.

“Koescu, friend,” Raele said as he watched Ina gorge herself on his distended member, “I am certain that you can make better use of your talent than by buffing it smooth.”

Koescu grinned and without further invitation quickly took his place behind Ina grasped her hips and raised her to her knees. As he lined up his hardness with Ina’s swollen moist aperture she left off pleasuring Raele for only a moment to moan, “Oh yes, please fill me dear Koescu.”

When he plowed forward Ina’s muffled groan of pleasure registered with Raele as he groaned from the vibrations she sent up and down his stem. Though he could not gaze at Ina as he did when she rode him, Koescu found the view of her generous rear assets to be nearly as pleasurable.

“Ahhhhhh,” Raele bellowed as his body stiffened and he grasped Ina behind her head forcing the remaining two inches of his substantial cock down her ravenous throat.

Koescu felt his hips continue to thrust forward as if of their own accord propelling his once again delivering his seed deep into Ina.

“Ja, es ist gut,” Koescu heard Isaac groan loudly and realized that he had been gone for quite a while down the path of his memories.

He looked over the balcony and viewed the Renfield children on the grass court. Gertrudes sat against the base of a willow tree gently stroking the Italian’s bare back as he lay across her lap fast asleep. But Yannara and Isaac were far from finished as she continued to enjoy her leisurely feeding while massaging Isaac’s inner thighs. But the feeding was obviously even more pleasurable to Isaac who was unabashedly squeezing and fondling his exposed erect penis as she fed.

Koescu felt a stirring deep below in his loins but in truth it felt more like an echo from the past. He sighed. He had had enough excitement for one day. He dragged his weary body from the shade of the balcony back into the dark envelope of the house to rest before dinner.

~to be continued

-o)0(o-

 

When the Renfields appeared at dinner they were dressed formally, a distinct change from the casual dress they wore during the tennis match during the day. Despite how familiar the Renfields were with each other earlier at dinner Gertrudes interacted with the staff but never even glanced at Yannara and Sebastian, and Isaac as was the custom was monitoring the cleaning of the bedchambers and supervising the preparations for sleeping arrangements and made no appearance in the dining room at all.

The dinner conversation was light and as expected the Renfields guests provided a gift of wine. As glasses of the deep red liquid were poured into the fluted glasses, he again congratulated them on a well-played game.

“Thank you, Koescu,” Sebastian smiled, “Such great praise coming from a player of your caliber.”

“Especially one,” Yannara added, “Who did not care to watch us play at all.”

Koescu was nonplussed. Ordinarily he would have denied the contention as a proper host should, but then what would be the point? His reticence to watch the match was obviously clear to Yannara. His denial would have been meaningless.

“Well I am certainly glad that I didn’t follow my original apprehension. I would have missed a stimulating display, indeed.” Koescu smiled then drank from the glass. His forehead creased with consternation. “What, what vineyard did you say this was from?”

Yannara winked, “We didn’t.”

“Do you know this tastes exactly like R’Oiddin…from the Abyssian vineyard of the same name?”

“Is that a fact?” Sebastian smiled.

“R’Oiddin was always one of my favorites.” Koescu sighed as he finished the glass.

“Please, enjoy another,” Sebastian said as he refreshed Koescu’s drink.

“I really shouldn’t,” Koescu whispered conspiratorially.

“We’ll never tell,” Sebastian smiled then watched as Koescu slowly drained the second glass.

“Remarkable,” he sighed. “It is exactly like R’Oiddin. Delicious.”

Suddenly all the pain and burden of age felt lifted and he laughed and regaled his Renfield guests with stories of the home world and his passage to the Paradox. He had finished an entire bottle of wine on his own when Yannara leaned toward him and spoke.

“Koescu, we apologize for how out of hand the post game activities became. Sometimes the urges become uncontrollable.”

“Of course I understand,” he smiled patting her hand, “If I were a younger man, I have no doubts that I would have joined you.”

As soon as he made the comment he was sorry. The wine had loosed his tongue a bit too much and had forgotten himself. But before he could apologize Sebastian looked at his watch and said, “It is much later than I realized. Yannara, we should be getting to bed.”

The two rose almost simultaneously and Sebastian bowed to Koescu while Yannara curtsied. And not a second afterward Isaac had already reached the bottom of the stairway to direct them to their bedchamber.

A momentary despondency fell over him. Granted it had been many decades since he had been with a woman or joined as a third in any circle but still the idea that he had been left alone at the table while the Renfields had retired to their bedchamber to enjoy each others’ company. Curious, Koescu thought. It all seemed strange but somehow familiar. When he reached across the table and poured himself another glass of wine he thought about the last time he had tasted a wine so full-bodied and rich. Then he froze and the glass slipped from his hand and crashed onto the hard wood floor. His body trembled as Margarethe the house maid and Isaac his valet rushed into the room inquiring as to his condition. He could barely speak as Isaac helped him to his feet and he knew that he must have sounded like a madman speaking in circles in the old language of Ina and Raele, perfect breasts, coincidences, Renfields and Abyssian wine.

 

Isaac smiled with an understanding expression as he led the incoherent Koescu up to his bedchamber.

What is this? A seduction? It couldn’t possibly be…not at my age. But, “How did she know?”

“Excuse me?” Isaac asked as he pushed open the door to the master bedchamber and led Koescu in.

“Did you say something?” Koescu asked.

“You asked me, ‘How did she know?’ ” Isaac said.

“Did I?” Koescu balked, “Forgive me Isaac,” he said as he patted Isaac’s arm, “I was talking to myself.”

“Certainly,” Isaac smiled as he led Koescu to the bedside and removed his shoes.

“It is rather early for the Praefect and her escort to be retiring. Isn‘t it?”

“They have had a full day,” Isaac smiled as he offered Koescu his nightshirt.

“But bed before sun-up? Isn’t that quite rare for a Renfield Praefect?”

“It could be,” Isaac smiled while helping Koescu to don his bedclothes, “But I believe they have been traveling quite a bit, so maybe they are attempting to recover.”

“Yes. Maybe,” Koescu nodded as he finished pulling on his nightshirt then worked his way under the covers.

“Goodnight Master Koescu,” Isaac said as he dimmed the lights and slipped out of the room.

Koescu lay in bed for several minutes clocking the beat of his own heart thumping rapidly in his chest as if he were a youngling not quite entered into manhood. Everything about the evening suggested that it was following the pattern of the night in his city house with Ina and Raele, but it must just be coincidence, he thought. A seduction…at my age …preposterous!

But still his heart thumped rapidly in his chest as his mind attempted to enforce calm over his body. Of course it’s coincidence, he assured himself, After all how would Yannara and Sebastian even know what had happened all those long years ago?”

“Regret is a very powerful emotion Koescu and you express it deeply,” he heard Yannara respond even before she and Sebastian literally walked through the door into his bedchamber, “It permeates your psyche even when your conscious thoughts are turned to other things.”

“I know well your capabilities Yannara and certainly under this circumstance one would presume that in his own home, his refuge, that the polite thing to do would be to focus your attention elsewhere.”

“Humbly I agree Koescu, but your regrets dear are less like whispers and more like screams…and to someone of my capabilities…unavoidable.”

“I apologize for the intrusion into your psyche, Yannara,” Koescu sighed wistfully, “It seems that lately my mind has begun to wander of its own accord to things in the past, things that cannot be changed.”

“Dear Koescu,” the Praefect smiled as she and Sebastian approached his bedside, “Each day we are imbued with new knowledge, new possibilities, so who is to say what it is that can or cannot be changed?”

That was when Sebastian moved behind Yannara and began to slowly untie her gown and when he spoke, he spoke in the old language and said, “Koescu, you are the head of this household and by tradition you are entitled to complete the circle. Yannara, let us mark the traditions of Abyssia as we express our deepest gratitude to our host Koescu for opening his home to us.”

Koescu sat up in bed wanting to tell the Renfield couple that they were not required to make this offering, at least not to an aged Revenant such as himself, but as Sebastian stripped away Yannara’s nightgown revealing perfectly rounded pouty breasts adorned with large areolas and crested with plump dark nipples he couldn’t utter a word. Then when the gown dropped to the floor and she came to him wearing only her golden silk stockings and a matched silk ribbon collar around her neck with her hair in its myriad tiny braids falling in a cascade around her body below her rounded bottom, Koescu was breathless.

 “You are most beautiful, Yannara,” Koescu uttered as she slid onto the bed beside him, “But you must know that I am far beyond the years of being able to satisfy such an exquisite creature as yourself.”

 “Have no fears my dear Koescu,” he smiled as she gently straddled his hips, kissed his forehead and cheeks and began to disrobe him, “We will begin and then see where it all ends.”

Koescu hesitated then in accord with custom kissed Yannara on her forehead and both cheeks accepting the offering. He noted from the corner of his eye the smile that spread across Sebastian’s face before he blended back into the shadows.

He was somewhat surprised that Yannara didn’t hesitate to disrobe him. As she sat astride him Koescu marveled at the Renfield Praefect. Her skin was completely smooth and with very few blemishes. He on the other had was not quite as unscathed. Age had pressed wrinkles and bulges, spots and discolorations into places where there was once only smooth skin covering sinewy muscle. Yet she was undaunted in her task smiling as she laid him bare then winked mischievously at him as she leaned forward and pressed her bare breasts against his chest. She then spent what seemed like blissful hours kissing and caressing his face and body while whispering in the old language lovely, erotic tales. He wanted to touch her, to explore her body in the same way the she was exploring his, but he didn’t dare move. It had been so long, too long since he had felt a woman’s flesh upon him and he didn’t want to miss even one moment of the sensations which we planned to take into his dreams every night thence.

She slid off his body and moved to where he could cradle her in his right arm, as she ran her hand down his body. He flinched as he felt her hands slide down his stomach to rest in the nest of white, wiry curls that surrounded his long unattended phallus.

“My goodness, Koescu,” she cooed in his ear as she began to caress and stroke his thickening shaft, “With this apparatus I would certainly have taken you for a much younger male.”

“Ahhh dear Yannara,” he moaned, “I do not know which you stroke best, my flagging erection or my ancient and bruised ego.”

“Flagging phallus? Nonsense!” Yannara huffed as she rose and again straddled his hips then inserted his swollen, though not quite erect, penis inside her.

He sighed and moaned as she worked her snug moistness over him rocking in a slow grinding rhythm. His hands could no longer keep still and they roamed over her body, caressing her breasts, teasing her nipples then gripping the mounds of her derriere urging her along in her quest to bring him to satisfaction. He felt her movements become more erratic and sharp, and he watched in amazement as the praefect brought herself to orgasm riding what he managed to provide as an erection.

“Beautiful, beautiful,” he whispered as he watched her shudder and quake atop him. His fleams though blunted past the point of doing any damage had sprung into place for the first time in decades. Before he could form another thought, Sebastian, who had been quietly and unobtrusively observing was suddenly positioned behind the convulsing praefect. Still clad in his dressing gown, the moonlight that streamed into the room played off his hair and his sharp and pearly engaged fleams. Sebastian wasted no time roughly grabbing the praefect around her waist then tipping the praefect’s head and latching onto her neck, piercing her carotid artery. Koescu was slightly envious that Sebastian was able to take advantage of the ecstatic sangreal flow. Koescu could almost feel the desire rise in the praefect’s consort as he drew on her swallowing and breathing in deeply two long lusty drafts.

“Gems of Abyssia, Yannara. You are intoxicating,” Sebastian sighed as he withdrew from her, the pearly tips of his fleams tinged crimson. Two thin trails of blood flowed from the site of the wounds beckoning to Koescu. He felt instinct take over as his body snapped forward and his dulled fleams sank into the open wounds. He moaned again in ecstasy as he drank. He had almost forgotten how delicious, rich and flavorful the flow could be. The combination of the two means of penetration finally overwhelmed him and his body convulsed in orgasm even though more than several decades had passed since he had produced any seed.

“Yes, drink my darling. Drink my sweet,” Yannara cooed as she lightly stroked his back urging him to feed, her hair cascading around them.

He drew back swallowing her essence a dozen times before he came to himself. He withdrew from her slowly retracting his fleams. The exhaustion set in immediately and he collapsed back onto the bed breathing heavily.

From his position on the bed he discovered that Sebastian had never released Yannara and was still with her, his arm wrapped around the waist. He tenderly brushed her long locks aside as he lifted Yannara from her perch atop Koescu and deposited her softly onto the bed.

Koescu had to smile as he watched the praefect’s consort begin applying gentle kisses to her back and shoulders. When he reached her neck, the site of the wounds his tongue gently wiped over the two raw punctures. Even as her lover treated her gently, Koescu marked that Yannara winced when his tongue touched the small apertures.

 “Oww, it hurts!” She hissed sharply obviously used to being the one who inflicted the wound instead of the one who received it.

“Shhhh, I’m here, Rose, ” he whispered as he continued to lightly bathe the wounds.

“You should…you should let me,” Koescu croaked out trying to raise himself up onto his elbows offering to close the wounds that he had taken advantage of.

“No, no. It’s fine,” Yannara sighed breathlessly as she sank into Sebastian’s arms, “You should rest now,” she smiled at the Revenant elder.

Koescu wanted to protest but he was much too tired. As Yannara slid down onto the bed with her consort kissing and whispering declarations of eternal love in the old language, Koescu for the first time in decades, drifted off into a deep and tranquil sleep.

~to be continued

Copyright . Penelope Flynn. All rights reserved.
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