Excerpt: Rise of the Unpure

THE RISE OF THE UNPURE
As Told to P.E. Savage

The smell of death hung heavy in the air. Bodies both human and vampire laid strewn across the floor, tables and chairs. The one figure stared in disbelief and shock. How had all of this happened? How could it have happened?
The Queen had gone to great lengths to protect all of them, to keep them safe and hidden from the outside world. So how in the hell did it happen?
Tonight was suppose to be the announcement that he was the Queens' choice, her successor, her chosen. He had been with her over four years and she had chosen him, groomed him for the day she could retire and just relax and work with the young ones brought into the clan. He questioned her choice for he did not feel that he was ready to take the mantle of responsibility that was about to be placed on his shoulders.
"You are ready Flaray, and you will be a greater ruler than I. You will find a Queen to stand by your side. Though the road will not always be smooth. Leadership is never smooth. I have made many wrong choices and many I would do again." Her voice of wisdom came back to him. Now they would be the last words ever spoken to him from her. There was no clan, no queen, he was alone again.
Flaray's raven black cape swirled around his masculine body almost as if it were trying to caress him, comfort him. Soft sobbing caught his attention, someone still lived were they friend or foe. His desire to cover the mutilated body of his Liege, his Queen had to wait for if the sobbing was from the enemy he would extract the information from them. If it were a friend or ally then his responsibility was to them.
"You can never ignore those that serve us. Human or vampire for if we do not show mercy and a willingness to protect them then we will not have their loyalty for long." Strange how her words even now came to him. She had groomed him these past 100 years and now it was all for nothing.
Forcing a breath he tore his eyes away from the body of his Queen and those that had died to save her to search for the sobbing cries. He tore through the furniture and bodies in a rage equal to an animal. It was coming from the stairs, moving faster he paused only to stop to look at the dead Prince Phillipp, his friend and the only other who knew of the Queens' plans. His head had been separated from his body. The bodies of the Penningtons were not far from him what was left of him made him sick.
Opening the hidden door to the stairs he discovered Phate there sobbing quietly, only one with sensitive hearing such as the undead would have heard her. Her dark eyes looked up at him mixed with fear and anger. She backed a way from his touch until she recognized him.
"Phate, tell me what happened?"
"Flaray, they .. killed them and more. Mother…. It was … horrible. Men and others like the clan came, they wanted the Queen." The twelve year old broke into sobs again. Picking her up like a small child he held her as she buried her face in his chest.
Unsure of what to do Flaray sat on the floor ignoring the blood around him and held Phate close to him, consoling her as best as he could. This was not how the evening was to go. 'My Queen, I'm lost without you. You never trained me for this.' Flaray thought to himself as he brushed back Phate's hair listening as her sobs quieted.
"Phate, we can't stay here it's not safe." He tilted her head up until she looked into his red eyes.
"Make me like you." Phate whispered her eyes were void of the child like innocence she had just yesterday. That innocence had been wiped away by the brutality of murder, by the slaughter she had witnessed and heard.
Flaray's own heart raged over that loss as well as his own desire for revenge and justice. Betrayal by humans were one thing, but this, this was betrayal by own of their own. He had so much to learn still and now there was no one to teach him. There was only Phate and himself. "You are hurting Phate, and this life is not one to be made in haste. I cannot take your blood until I am sure you are clear headed. Besides you are not yet of age, you know our rules." He rose to his feet and lifted her to hers. "Come."
"What rules? There is no Clan now. The Queen has been butchered, all that served her have been butchered. There is only you and me, we make our own rules now don’t we?"
"I uphold our dead Queen's rule. The UnPure will not always be just you and me Phate."
"What of the bodies?" Phate questioned as she stood under the folds of his cloak for protection and warmth. "Why are they still here?"
"I don't know Phate, I will will tend to them, once you are safe."
"Where's that Flay?" Phate questioned. "There's no place safe, not anymore."
"I will take you where I use to live when I was human. There's a couple that live there and they will watch over you until my return."
"NO!" she yelled. "No, you can't leave me, not with strangers. You're the only family I have left. You can't do this." She beat at him trying to get away. She couldn't be left with strangers, he wasn't serious. "You can't .. please. Please.."
"I have to Phate. You have to be protected and it will not be safe for you to travel with me. At least not yet." He let his hand caress her cheek. "I will be in constant contact with you Phate, but I have to find those that are responsible for this." He knelt before her. "You know I'm right, and I want you safe while I hunt down the traitors that destroyed our lives."