Prologue

Epoca medievale (Medieval Era):

I felt the breath on the back of my neck and I knew I wasn’t alone. What had I done to deserve such treatment? I'd followed the rules, paid my dues and but still my days were numbered. I fought valiantly and served my people well, but not without sacrifice. I was deemed the enemy. If it should be my last day I would take my leave with my head held high. No regrets.

“Have you anything to say for your actions?” He asked.

“Nothing that would please you, I'm afraid. What I've done cannot be changed and I will not surrender my free will even as you take my head. You may take my life, but my spirit will live on. Whether it is through those I've loved or those I've hated, I will never truly die” I exclaimed with conviction. Never had I felt so helpless, yet so empowered. I would be heard even in my last breath.

“You've defiled everything you've touched, yet you feel as though you're entitled? I think not. Never have I met such an infuriating woman! Thousands of men have fallen at your command and still you pursue this plot. Anyone you've ever loved has succumbed to this fate because of you. You've saved no one. You've only destroyed. There is nothing good that you have to offer this world and I will not rest until I make sure that if there are any others like you, they pay the same price. One shouldn't mettle with the will of God.”

“You speak of God? What do you know of Him? Did He charge you with killing your brothers and sisters for your own gain? Did He ask you personally to eliminate your own people? Never have I known a man to claim to know God as his brother rather than his father. We shall see who He favors in the end. I will watch as you fall from the Heavens at God's will and laugh as you burn in Hell!” He smacked me so forcefully that I could not control the whimper that escaped my lips. No weakness but at the hand of a man. That would be my downfall. Never more.

“You should have learned to hold your tongue! It could have saved you from this day. But I assure you I will thoroughly enjoy watching your head roll.” He spat at me and I turned my head to avoid the spew.

For months I’d been kept in chains of silver, branding my skin. I never gave into the pain; never showed weakness. My people had to know just how far I was willing to take my oath as their leader and I had no intentions of backing down. For centuries we were at war with the beings of The Underworld and I would not give up. I fought beside my subjects and never once looked down upon them. I knew they would not surrender. I’d trained them well.

We thought we annihilated the evil during the last harvest, we couldn’t have been more wrong. Cities upon cities of demons, orcs, goblins, and the undead layered the ground beneath us. When I finally surfaced, the army I held in my command had been either enslaved or killed. I sank to my knees and realized our defeat. I ordered the remaining warriors to retreat with me into the Holy Land to seek refuge. The king was cruel and unyielding, but I hoped he would listen to what I had uncovered. Much to my dismay he had made a pact with The Underworld leaders and to keep his side of the bargain he promised my death. It did not matter that he sat upon a thrown that should have rightfully been mine, he was the king and I was no more than a means to an end.

I, Celinka Di Luca, Alta Sacerdotessa dei Vampiri; high priestess of the vampires, would never take my place as the leader among my people in the fight to save our world and the humans who sustained us. I was branded a traitor and would die with shame to my family’s name. But I would never surrender my soul. I would never allow any man, be him vampire or other, to take me without a fight. I was the last of the royal bloodlines and I held power greater than any other vampire that still walked the earth. No mortal device could hold me; no dark power could avert my cause. I watched him ready the axe and cited the incantation that would ensure my passage unto another. I watched the king intently and smiled as the hot blade sliced through my neck and severed my head.


Tempo presente (Present time):

I awoke with a start. A few years ago I realized I was gifted and sought the help of my aunt, Rosalinda. She fought alongside my people in the wars against The Underworld and was a priestess in our council. After a few sessions, my powers were heightened and I began to remember things; things that I shouldn’t have known. I traced my lineage and found that I was part of last full blooded vampire heritage and an ancestor of Calinka Di Luca, or better known as Alta Sacerdotessa dei Vampiri.

I had inherited her abilities, becoming the new and only high priestess, and the responsibility of protecting our people. The Underworld has broken their bonds and threatens to overthrow our people once more. I am Celina Deluca and I will take my place as Alta Sacerdotessa to shatter The Underworld once and for all and avenge the undoing of Calinka Di Luca and our family.

This is il mio sangue antico, my ancient blood.

Chapter 1

The visions are happening more often. They used to only show themselves in my dreams, but now I never know. I don’t even know if they are truly visions or if they’re actually memories. Something about the realness strikes me every time. It’s almost like I was there, so many years ago. Being the last remaining full blooded vampire family also means that we’ve lived a very long time. People have argued that I’m seeing things that happened when I was very young, but I don’t think so. Rosalinda, my aunt and mentor, tells me I am blessed with visions of the past as a means of protecting our future. She also says that the ancestor who gifted me was the most powerful priestess our coven ever had which explains why everything seems so real; or so she thinks.

“Celina, are you listening?” Rosalinda asked annoyed.

“Yes, I’m sorry. I still can’t help but feel like there’s something I’m missing about these visions. I can’t see what I’ve seen and think it means nothing. Everything is always so vivid. Do you ever have dreams?” I asked turning my attention to her.

“I do. But mostly the dreams I have are more like nightmares. I’ve lived through many things, but the Wars plague me still. I am here to try to teach you about those atrocities and hope you can be more successful than we were. I know you have much to think about, but please concentrate. No one else will help you, darling. Your family is lucky to still be recognized after,” she paused and shook her head, “well you know. Please let us get back to these parchments,” she shifted uncomfortably and proceeded to drill my knowledge of the treaty.

The treaty was proposed by the king to The Underworld leaders. It had simple conditions that allowed The Underworld to rule their kingdoms below so long as we were not threatened, to frequent the common markets for trading and to employ a liaison that would represent their wishes when the senators gathered for deliberations. The liaison had a type of diplomatic immunity in our lands and we were given the same respects should one of our senators seek an audience with one of The Underworld kings.

There were many rulers in the time the treaty was established within our world and the latter. My cousin, King Bastian, was our ruler who instructed the meetings with King Futu, King Lucian, and the King and Queen on high of The Underworld. King Bastian wasn’t the true heir, Calinka was, but in those days women were not able to fill the seat thus it passed to the next eldest male. It was unfortunate that Bastian was presented the crown. He was cruel and punished many of his own family to the true death for crimes of insignificance. Our numbers were greatly depleted by the time The Underworld rose against us. Bastian claimed the treaty was implemented to save our people, but we know that it was imposed by him out of fear. He had damned us all to the mercy of those creatures and there was nothing we could do.

The King and Queen on high, Octavian and Cecilia, were diplomatic in their approach. They agreed to the peace so long as Bastian would acknowledge defeat in their kingdom and kill his cousin and our high priestess. They knew of her power and would not sign the treaty without proof of her head which they chose to mount in their castle. Upon her death, Octavian and Cecilia ordered their men to retreat and the treaty was proposed for peace that would last for 600 years. Once that time was concluded, it would be up to our rulers to appeal to The Underworld or to once again partake in a war that would endanger vampires and humans alike.

“So the treaty expires when?” Rosalinda asks offhandedly.

“With the onset of spring; if Marianna and Brutus cannot form an agreement with Octavian and Cecilia, the wars will begin again,” I responded automatically. The answers were burned into my brain.

“And what would this mean?”

“It would mean that they would rise and wipe out our covens and destroy the humans during the process. The less food for us the better.”

“Good. Now I want you to meet with me this afternoon. There are some people I would like for you to meet and maybe they can shed some light on the questions you pose about your visions. I will leave the parchments here; although I know you will not read them,” she sighs. “I do wish you would see the gravity of this situation, Celina. Where she failed you must thrive,” she grasped my hands tightly in hers, squeezed, and turned to leave.

I knew that she was right, but I could not fathom how one person could stop a war. I was barely of age, yet I was supposed to have all of the answers. I often found myself doubting that I was even a high priestess. Surely it would take more than visions of the past to convince anyone and I didn’t have much to show. It was next to impossible.

A knock at the door shook me from my thoughts and I opened it to find a truly breathtaking young man. He was maybe a few human years older than I, with short dark hair, muscular jaw, piercing green eyes, and olive skin that caused him to glow. I forgot to breathe.

“Miss Celina Deluca?” he asked in an Italian accent; it took all of me not to swoon.

“Yes, and you are?” I asked steeling myself against the door.

“Josepi Gallo. I am a friend to your aunt Rosalinda. She asked if I would accompany you to lunch this afternoon. I feel it is rude to not introduce myself. If it is a bad time, I can come back. I do not mean to disturb,” he bowed his head and smiled crookedly through his full lips.

“No, no please come in. I’m sorry I was under the impression that Rosalinda was having me meet with others who had participated or witnessed the wars,” I waved him in and shut the door tightly behind me.

“Ah, yes. Those were a terrible time, no? I was young, as a vampire anyway. It is not something any of us like to discuss. However, I do have information about our high priestess. She was my mentor. I’ve studied her teachings for centuries; one of the few I imagine.”

“You knew Calinka?! How exciting! No one ever speaks of her. I had no idea that she taught either. I assumed she was employed by the senators to keep the peace, but I never imagined, “I was stunned and sat hard onto my chair. My heart was racing as I looked at the man with excitement pouring from my face.

“Her teachings were held in secret. She would frequent the Church and held small circles there. She would explain to us that her powers were only used to protect and that she could show us all how to channel also. Her first piece of advice was to embrace The Spirit and from there our possibilities were endless,” he chuckled.

“How is that possible? Vampires have been removed from the Church for a very long time,” I furrowed my brow trying to remember when I’d last set foot in Church.

“Ah, most do not practice anymore due to our blending with the impure of The Underworld. There are churches for us. Mostly they are in the last places you would think to look,” he smiled again and his eyes dazzled me. I smiled in response.

“Would you take me? I haven’t been in so long.”

“When would you like to go?” he asked in a whisper.

“As soon as I can. I have questions about so many things. I’ve began to see visions. Some feel more like memories, or what some might call déjà vu. I feel as though I’m seeing things that I’ve seen before only I can’t pinpoint where. It’s very unnerving. I know that I have affinities for certain things, but I can never really grasp it. It’s almost like I’m both in this world and the next; one foot in and one out.”

“We shall go after sundown. Be sure to dress in something that makes travelling easy and do not bring weapons. If we seem hostile to the congregation we could be killed on site. I will warn you that this will be quite dangerous. If any of the patrol happen to find us it is considered treasonous,” he raises his brow and I nod.

“I am no stranger to punishment Josepi. If I am who they think I am I may not live long enough to see this through,” I say with a tight smile. He nods at my words and sees himself out.

With the possibility of an uprising, the senators have ordered patrols after dark and proposed a curfew among the coven. We are allowed to leave, but only if we are accompanied by another and within the boundaries of our territory. Should we breach the lines of another coven, it could be considered treason or at the least trespassing. Since many have shown unrest at the senators for not reaching an agreement, congregating for anything other than sanctioned events or family meals can be considered high treason and all parties as sentenced to the true death as conspirators. It is barbaric, but I suppose if I had lived through the Wars it wouldn’t seem so.

Readying for the luncheon was difficult after seeing Josepi. Not only did he know Calinka, he could teach me! No more dusty scrolls and reciting histories everyone already knew. Could I embrace it? Am I meant to lead us?
Slithering blackness caught my eye, snaking its way from the ceiling. Disgusting demon. Snapping my fingers, the demon hissed and froze. I approached it slowly, reciting the incantation over and over until its inky black blood began to ooze.

“Picked the wrong place to go this time,” I blinked my eyes and a gust of wind carried the ashes of the demon away. Satisfied, I went back to washing and changing for the luncheon.

The simplest task of removing the demon made me feel like I held control. Periodically, I’d catch myself toying with the idea of being able to actually defeat The Underworld and become her. I knew better most of the time. Still, I am not one to believe in coincidences. There is a reason why I see the things I see, know the spells I know, remember things I shouldn’t and feel the incredibly overwhelming force churning within. I needed answers.

Imprint

Publication Date: 08-02-2011

All Rights Reserved