Alesco:

I step through the door of the stone structure. It's a large house. As large as the one we left behind, but it's better kept. The door is made of dark, solid wood, decorated with brass. Wynn is by my side. Mother is back at our hut on the outskirts of the settlement.

It's two weeks since Fabian and his companions led us to this place. To the deepest darkness I have ever seen. Darkness so thick I can feel it pressing, it's a relief from the sunlight.

It is a village of vampires. Bigger than the one we ran from all those years ago, stretching further than I can see. It has been built in a clearing where the sky is open and the light never shines.

We were brought to the clearing and shown to a hut near the trees. A simple structure made of mud and wood and twine. The roof is coated in leaves. There are many like it around us, on the edge of the dirt path we walked on. Fabian and his companions showed us the inside and told us it was ours. "This is your new home." he'd said simply. Wynn had nodded his head.

"Thank you for your hospitality." he'd said. But I saw his eyes burning. I think if father had not sent us, he would have fought, his anger was clear.

He'd questioned Fabian on the way. The trek from the border of darkness to here was an hour at speed. But Fabian had answered nothing. He told us that all would be revealed in due time, and refused to say anything else. The other's said nothing at all.

"Leave your possessions, I will show you the village." Fabian said. I looked around as mother deposited our few possessions into the hut. There were vampires all around us. Males, females, children. Many were openly staring. I bared my fangs and hissed at a nearby child, she turned and scampered away, moving quickly. A few of the others looked away.

"Let's go." Fabian said when mother came out from the hut. Only one of his companions remained, an older vampire, his hair hung to the bottom of his back. He's the only other one to have spoken to us when we crossed the border.

They led us further into the huts, towards the center of the village. As we moved further, the huts changed to small houses, made of timber and stone. The further in we went, the larger the houses became. Everywhere we stepped red and yellow eyes watched us.

"We don't get many newcomers now." Fabian said. "The village has been here for almost a hundred years, since the hunt began. It grew quickly in the beginning, but there are less and less of us around, as you know. Less and less to come."

"How do you keep it dark?" My mother asked him. He turned his gaze on her. "A wise question, but one I cannot answer. Not yet." Fabian said.

Wynn was silent, he looked at everyone, everything. Every building, every pathway and met every pair of gleaming eyes that stared his way. Many looked away when he stared back. Was it fear they felt? Or something else that caused them to look away?

I'd stayed silent as we were led further into the settlement. The houses were growing grander and grander until Fabian stopped. We'd reached a tall, stone wall. It was made from blocks of rough stone, different shades of black and grey, different sizes and cuts, built up one upon the other and cemented together. To the left was a gate of dense, dark iron, twisted and bent into various shapes. In the center was carved a face. It seemed to change as I looked at it, making it unrecognizable, although it was somehow familiar. We all stopped.

It was not Fabian who spoke, but his companion. "This is the center of the village." he'd said. His deep, powerful voice demanded attention. "This wall surrounds the house of the master. He sent us for you."

"Father told us to come!" Wynn said. His voice was fierce, challenging. His red eyes glowed brighter.

"Peace, Wynn." he said. "Your father told you to come, yes. But why?" He gazed at us each in turn.

"Who are you that knows so much?" my mother asked him. "You speak our names, yet do not name yourself."

I looked my mother, her face, her eyes. She showed no fear. Had I ever seen fear in her? I don't think so. I, although unaccustomed to fear, was scared at this point. This experience, since the human let us go to now was somehow unreal.

"Leila. You are right, and it is presumptuous of me." he looked into her eyes, his voice sounded more powerful. His words were friendly, but I couldn't read his emotions, his thoughts. "I am Aldon."

"Let us see your master who sent for us, if it is as you claim. We need answers." Wynn said. He raised his voice a little. This was a Wynn I didn't know. His humour was erased, his seriousness had grown as though a portion of Clemente had been left behind.

"No. You will know. But it will not be from us and it will not be now. When the master is ready to see you, he will see you." Aldon said. "We are showing you the village and settling you in. Nothing more."

Wynn's eyes blazed. I reached out and grabbed his arm. He growled and shook it off. I didn't let go. "Don't fight Wynn. You cannot possibly win." That was the wrong thing to say. He shook harder, his whole body was shaking. I knew the signs, We had seen it only days ago with Clemente. I didn't want to lose another brother.

My mother stepped forward. "Wynn." She said, staring into his eyes, resting an arm on each of his shoulders. "We need you."

His eyes dimmed, he stopped shaking. "Tell your master that we want answers." He said to Aldon. Aldon bowed his head and said nothing. He had not moved, nor reacted.

"Let's go." Wynn had said and he turned to walk back through the village to the hut we'd been given.

Mother and I followed.

"Wynn!" Fabian called out. Wynn turned his head.

"There is nowhere to run."

Wynn turned his back and continued walking, saying nothing.

Was that a threat? I wondered. A warning? Were we prisoners or guests?

That was the day we arrived, two weeks ago. Since then each day has been almost the same. Wynn hunts, I usually go with him. We are watched wherever we go, that much is clear. We venture far for food, the animals don't stray too near the settlement. A team of hunters is sent daily from the village to feed the majority, but mother says we shouldn't rely on anything.

Mother has become acquainted with our neighbours, the ones nearby anyway. All of them have been here a long time. I talked to some of the children and listened to some of the conversations. No one seems to know much of anything, or if they do they don't say it. They are content to live out their eternal lives. Unquestioning and obedient to their hosts. Many of their stories are similar. They came to shelter as they ran, they were found amidst the forest and taken in or they heard rumours of this place and came. But none that we have met are recent arrivals.

Who set this place up? Who's in charge? I'd heard my mother ask. The Master is in charge. Who was he? He was rarely seen. None had met him here, none knew his name, but they knew he was the father and king of this place.

I should feel comfortable. Constant dark, no need to run, safety and sanctuary. But I don't. There's something about it. The darkness itself presses in. It seems to feed on me. Even the moon's light is filtered, the stars subdued.

We ventured back towards the master's house, seeking Fabian or Aldon to question them, to try for an audience with the master. Wynn and I went together. We never found them. Instead we were headed off, each and every time by different vampires. They slipped from nowhere whenever we drew near.

"We want to see the leader of this place." Wynn said, the last time we had gone. It was two days ago.

"Impossible." Said the vampire in front of us. He was flanked by four others, two on each side.

"Why?" I spoke up then. "Is there actually anyone in that house?"

A smile played on the face of the vampire blocking our way. His fangs gleamed.

"Oh, yes." His red eyes glowed brighter as he spoke. "As you may discover."

He looked at Wynn. "Now, as I know you have been told already. Go back to your hut, don't come back this way unless you are summoned." He put a hand on Wynn's chest and pushed slightly.

Wynn reacted, faster than I'd ever seen and before I could do anything to stop him. The pent up rage he'd been holding back rose to the surface like an exploding volcano. He lunged forward, fangs out and collided with the vampire. They fell to the ground, hard.

His four companions sprung to action. As Wynn swiped with his hand, claw-like nails ready to slash, he was pulled up and off. It was over before it had begun. There was an arm around his neck and two other's holding his arms. He wriggled and struggled, eyes blazing, but he couldn't break free.

I narrowed my eyes, ready to pounce on his captors. We'd go down together if we were were going down now. But I stopped. The fallen vampire was laughing.

"Don't be hasty girl. You stand no chance." He said to me as he rose smoothly to his feet.

"And you." He said, pointing at Wynn again, "I like you. But stay where you should be."

They let him go as he turned and walked away.

"Let's go." I said, placing a hand on Wynn's shoulder and we walked back to mother.

That intensified Wynn's anger. I've been worried. Since father was taken, since Clemente attacked him, Wynn has grown darker and darker. His eyes blaze brighter. Maybe the darkness is taking it's toll on him too. I tried to ask him about it, but he shakes me off. He even smiles or tries to joke, but it's not him, it's not real. His face falls back into it's newfound seriousness.

I was worried he would do something if it continued much longer. I worried he would react again. I worried what would happen if he did. Until today.

The days blur together in this place. No light means no real need to rest. We rest only out of habit now. In the darkness we thrive. In the darkness we can go forever. With blood and night we are invincible.

Today they came. I was sitting outside the hut, aimlessly playing with rocks. Mother was doing something with the fur of deer, she like to make cloaks and clothes. Wynn was pacing in the nearby trees.

"Wynn!" I called to him, dropping my rocks and getting to my feet. He looked around. Fabian stopped a short distance from the hut. Aldon was there too and other unfamiliar, unnamed companions.

"Greetings Wynn, Alesco, Leila." Fabian said. Aldon gazed at us each in turn, saying nothing.

"Alesco. You have been summoned." Fabian continued.

Wynn moved forward. "Me?" I said. "Summoned to where?"

"The Master has summoned you." Aldon said, stepping forward. "Come with us."

Wynn stepped in front of me. "No." He said. His voice was quiet but threatening. The anger seemed ready to break to the surface again. "If she goes anywhere, I go with her."

His eyes were locked on Fabian's. I could feel the tension.

"If you fight we will take her anyway." Fabian said after what felt like eternity. "You cannot win."

Wynn was silent, glaring. His hands were clenching into fists and unclenching, over and over. Eventually he spoke.

"Then we shall die. Each and every one of us here." He was serious. I could hear that.

I didn't want to die. Not then, not now. We don't die easily (being mostly dead already) but we can be killed, knocked into unexistence, into oblivion. Remove the heart or remove the head. Those are the only ways.

"No, Wynn. I'll go." I said to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. I felt his tense body shaking. The silence was thicker, deeper, the pressure was building and was sure to burst at any time.

I looked to mother for support. She was gazing at the scene but said nothing. I couldn't read her expression.

Aldon broke the tension. I was glad he did. He stepped forward. He laid a hand on Fabian's shoulder. "Very well Wynn. You may come. Leila has to remain behind." Mother nodded her head.

"Be warned. The Master did not summon you." Wynn nods. "Let's go"

And here we are. The air seems to crackle with energy, there's a power, a pulsing, a soundless noise as we step through the door, into the house of the master.

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