Chapter 5: A Comfortable Prison Stay

Rosaline led Diana to a chamber at the end of a corridor lined with armor that Diana could swear observed her every move. The door ahead was emblazoned with a sword set before a crescent moon.

“I’ve seen that crest before,” Diana mentioned.

“It’s the crest of the Shadow Inquisition, the Vampire King’s sacred order,” Rosaline explained. The crest glowed in response to her presence, causing the door to open at her command.

Diana was surprised. “The Shadow Inquisition? The vampires who hunt other dangerous vampires? The Newcastle Clan worked with them before.”

“Indeed, and I count myself among their number as a High Inquisitor.” Rosaline proudly walked into her chambers. “Our king knows just how awful vampires can be to humans, and how awful humans can be to vampires,” she continued. “That’s why he had the wisdom and foresight to found an order dedicated to upholding his laws.”

The chamber’s three floors were lined with countless artifacts and documents. Weapons and armor were mounted across the room, ready for her next mission. While Diana looked around the chamber in awe, Rosaline summoned a bound stack of pages to her hand. “Here, my report about the Talid village attack.”

Diana held the stack in her hands and looked at Rosaline. “We…attacked an ally?”

“Yes,” Rosaline confirmed, gently stroking her would-be assassin’s cheek. “However, I met a very lovely hunter, so I’m willing to discuss this unprovoked attack before retaliating with my blade.”

Diana blushed and quickly walked to Rosaline’s large and ornate desk. She sat in the vampire’s comfortable seat and looked through the documents, desperately trying to ignore Rosaline, who sat on the edge of the desk with her thigh in clear view. “You concluded that the assailant didn’t resemble a typical vampire? …wait, there was too much blood “for such an unusually savage attack”?”

“Yes. Even vampires who engage in brutal attacks for mere sport would feed on their prey. Many of the victims I found in Talid village weren’t drained.”

The hunter continued to pore over the documents. “I read the Newcastle investigation results multiple times. Most of your findings match theirs. However, when similar concerns were raised, the leadership and their advisor waved them away as simple vampire trickery. Some hunters questioned the few instances where the victims weren’t drained, but the advisor dismissed them.”

“Who is this advisor?” Rosaline’s suspicions were raised.

“I don’t know. He only spoke to the clan leadership, like Gerald and Archer.”

Diana’s eyes suddenly widened in alarm. She quickly stood up and loomed over Rosaline. “Wait, my friends! What happened to my team?!”

Rosaline lightly giggled. “My knights defeated them and took them back to Colchester. They’re all alive and healthy; they’re simply being held captive at the mayor’s command in a tavern until I give him the order to release them,” she assured her worried guest. “I would have kept them here, but I felt it best to send them to a more comfortable place.”

Clair returned to the balcony with a clawed gauntlet in her hands. “Actually, Lady Rosaline, three of them are being held in the underground cells.”

Rosaline looked at her in confusion. “Really? Why?”

“Yeah, why?!” Diana flared.

Rosaline’s eyes narrowed when she saw the gauntlet. “I’ll inspect them myself, shall I?” She stood up and slipped the gauntlet onto her right hand and arm.

Diana warily looked at her. “What is that?”

It was clear that Rosaline’s bright and happy demeanor had faded. “Something I truly hope we will not need,” she answered. “Follow me.”

Rosaline led them outside the castle and across the courtyard. Diana took the chance to marvel at the sights. She resisted the urge to kick off her boots to play in the fountain with the birds who lazily coasted across the surface. She caught the sly smirk that formed on Rosaline’s lips and grumbled, suspecting the vampire of reading her thoughts again.

They approached the guards’ barracks, an imposing structure surrounded by trees near the castle. Two lightly-armored women guarding the front gates saluted their master. “My Lady, those hunters are being cared for, per Clair’s instructions,” one of the knights reported.

Diana quickly noticed their fangs and claws. “Werewolves? I thought werewolves and vampires were at war.”

Rosaline lightly chuckled. “I believe some of the ancient ones and their kin still harbor old grudges, but those are isolated battles,” she explained. “I employ many types of beings in my castle. You’ll find elves, werewolves, vampires, mermaids, and even some oni from Japan.” She was proud to have gathered some of the best warriors from around the world and offered them a home and honest work. It was only a coincidence that all of these warriors happened to be women whom she personally found attractive.

“My Lady has a very diverse and insatiable appetite,” the other knight quipped.

Rosaline gave her a sharp look. “Grayback.” The knight gave her a coy wink in reply.

Diana gave Rosaline a tired look. “You shameless cat in heat.”

“The hunter already understands our mistress and the reasons why she only employs women in the castle,” the knight joked.

“Silverfang, Grayback, your report, please,” Clair interjected.

“We placed them in the magic breaker cell and provided them plenty of food and drink,” Silverfang reported.

Rosaline’s eyes narrowed when her knights opened the barracks’ large doors. She sensed something very familiar, something that made her tremble in fury. “Well done. Give everyone a shift gem and tell them to leave the very moment they see a bright light.”

“Yes, Lady Rosaline.” The two knights quickly departed to carry out their orders.

Diana was surprised by her change in demeanor, but the vampire proceeded in before she could ask her about it. They walked through the barracks, past rows of rooms and weapon stands, toward a door locked with heavy chains. The elven knight standing guard chanted a single word to unlock the door.

“Thank you, Elwin. Please evacuate with the others,” Rosaline ordered her.

“I’m afraid I must refuse, My Lady. I shall stand or fall with you,” Elwin replied curtly.

Rosaline smiled and gently patted her shoulder in passing. She stepped into a small room with a staircase leading to the underground dungeons.

Diana was stunned to see such loyalty from an elf to a vampire, but she was still confused by the sense of urgency. “What’s going on? Why have you called for an evacuation?”

“Because you hunters have brought the promise of death and destruction to my home.”