Writer Notes: So, it’s been awhile. Don’t worry I haven’t abandoned this story. Just having two ongoing at the same time with my work schedule makes it difficult to balance. Also there’s that inspiration problem. Sims 2 Bustin Out takes little creativity for me since I don’t have to worry about setting up a universe or anything. AU is all totally mine and since Chapter 50 will be the end of this “book,” it makes me have to really think about each scene moving forward.
Warnings: flashbacks! pixelated blood, most dangerous game, torture, bad parenting, vampires, multiple scenes, poor Vaiden, sarcasm, suggestiveness, violence, dream state, and mild language.
The Dark Ages he called them, but they were just mere memories. In the beginning, Latimere was the youngest of five. His time was mostly spent studying history, culture, and politics.
His eldest brother, Keen, was his mentor.
The other three, Latimere was never particularly close to. They were more interested in what positions they could gain within their parents’ empire.
Little did they know of treachery their lord father, Alveer, had planned for them.
So the brothers bickered about the upcoming hunt.
Only Gerald seemed unmoved.
Latimere wanted to be apart of the excitement.
Keen disapproved. He had before been on a hunt. Latimere was just not ready.
“And why isn’t he?” Alveer asked. “He is a son of mine and far past the age to participate.”
“You cannot be serious. He doesn’t have the training.” Keen said. “He doesn’t understand what the hunt is.”
“He’ll learn.” the father said. “The hunt will be in a week. Perhaps you should ready Latimere, Keen. You wouldn’t want your little brother to die out there in the wilds. How could you live with yourself?”
“In the forest you will uncover the truth. What kind of animal are you?” Alveer said. “A vampire or prey?”
What did it mean to be a vampire? And how would they prove their worthiness?
“Tomorrow night, my brothers, the hunt begins.” Wane began, an edge of laughter in his voice. “May the best win.”
“And what exactly will you win?” Keen asked. “Father’s affection? Don’t be silly, my brother, to win is merely surviving.”
“Survival is all that matters in life.” Wane countered.
“Why be so dark?” Quentis, his twin, asked. “If tonight is our last, I would rather talk less of death.”
“Then prepare yourself.” Keen said. “Tomorrow society crumbles and we owe no loyalty to each other or anyone.”
“I wonder if you will hold true to your words, Keen.” Gerald scoffed. “You know well enough that it is all-for-one.”
“This is your first time, Gerald.” Keen replied. “It is my second. I have experience on my side. I won’t be surprised.”
“You’re not facing the same enemy though.”
“What are we hunting?”
“The most dangerous kind.” Gerald’s words raced with Latimere’s heart. He was not ready for this.
“I knew you would protect him, your inevitable downfall. You care about him. It isn’t a trait a vampire should have.”
“He shouldn’t be here.” Keen hissed. “None of us should. None of us should have to die because of our twisted parents. If I hadn’t failed to escape long ago…”
“Enough! When the night is over, only one of us can win.”
“Don’t do this, Gerald, together we could defeat them.”
“What do you think is my plan? To let them rule me as you have? I will destroy and take over. And I don’t need your help to do that. I am a Master.”
“Then you are a fool to think they’ll let you live.”
“So a fool wins.”
“This is fate, Latimere.” Gerald panted. “I didn’t want to kill any of you, but only one of us can return and that has to be me. I’m the strongest. I’m the only one that can stop them.”
“Why? Why couldn’t we do it together?”
“This is the truth of our species, brother,” Gerald answered. “We are selfish and hungry for power. We will never stop. I couldn’t trust our brothers and I can’t trust you.”
“Keen survived, but he knew he wouldn’t this time.” he continued. “It was fate as I said.”
“Now it is your turn.” Gerald said. “I will take no pleasure in this, Latimere. I will make it quick and painless. There’s no need for you to suffer any longer.”
No, Latimere’s suffering was just beginning.
And Alveer recognized such viciousness.
“It’s the only way to keep us safe.” he said to his wife.
“You should have seen him, my love. We breed master quality in all our children, but him, it ignited into something more.”
“He’s so young.” Decatus said. “His powers will only grow as he ages. Should we just not kill him now so he cannot turn on us later?”
“We kept Keen caged within himself. Latimere must be caged on the outside. He cannot escape, my love, I promise. Perhaps after a few years, he will calm down. Or the hunts will be altered and our future sons will face the most dangerous of all creatures.”
After five hundred years a prison becomes truly Hell. And only demons emerge from such a place.
***
“I’m so sorry, Siren.” Dahlila said.
“My father was a sick man.” Siren replied. “He had gone rabid and betrayed our family and our cause by taking arms with Fairchild.”
“My poor mother.” Siren sniffled. “I have to tell Elan.”
“DAHLILA! What’s wrong?”
***
“Please help!”
“What happened?” Coastal asked.
“Is…is it because of what I did to Juliana?” Tatiana asked. “I reached into her and took my own power. Coastal, did I reach too far and touched my children too?”
“No…I don’t know.” the High Elf replied. “I…can’t see…why can’t I see?”
“Vaiden…” Zarah urged gently. “You’re a Shade. Coastal can’t use her powers near you.”
“Leave now!” Coastal exclaimed impatiently.
“She’s my child!”
“I can’t argue with you right now, Vaiden, get out!”
“Stop being foolish.” Zarah said. “I know it’s hard, but you have to do what’s best for Dahlila. She needs you outside of this room.”
“If I have to get up and drag you out…” Tatiana began.
Vaiden sighed. “I’m going.”
***
“And what happened?” Gabriel asked.
“I’m guessing he said something sarcastic and Coastal kicked him out.” Gregoral said. “He was such an unruly child.”
Gabriel almost replied, “like you would know,” but stopped himself. He didn’t want to get in-between Gregory and Vaiden. It wasn’t his place.
“No, I got kicked out because Coastal can’t use her powers with me in the room.” Vaiden scowled. “For your information, your granddaughter Dahlila is unconscious and I have no idea why!”
“How did a Shade produce a family?” Gregoral asked.
“Well, you see, it’s starts with the birds and the bees.”
“Vaiden,” Gabriel interrupted. “Are you OK?”
“No,” Vaiden exhaled sharply. “Would you? Where’s your youngest?”
“Penelope is locked up for now until I can determine if she’s telling the truth. But our mission went smoothly. Julianna didn’t set very many traps. Gregory says these are the spell books she used.”
“Pretty old, a lot older than that witch.” Vaiden said.
“Julianna claimed they belonged to the old queen.” Gregoral replied.
“They look familiar.” Vaiden added. “I’ve seen something like this recently. Somewhere here in High Tower.”
“Do you know where?”
“Latimere has a similar book?” Gregoral wasn’t surprised as Latimere owned thousands, if not millions of spell books and scrolls. But he wondered what dark arts the master vampire would keep so close and for what purpose.
***
“It’s not you or anything you did, Tatiana.” Coastal said reassuringly. “An outside force is holding her.”
“Like my bind with Vaiden?”
“No, more like a power transfer, and the original body wants it back.”
“But Dahlila isn’t magical, neither of the girls are.” Tatiana said. “How could someone put power into her? Wouldn’t that blow her up?”
“We will have to wait and see, I’m afraid.” Coastal answered. “When she wakes up, I’ll guide her to give this power back to the host or destroy it.”
***
The cold dampness reminded him of a nightmare so long ago. Memories, not forgotten, but blocked for so long, raced to the surface and opened fresh wounds. He could never truly understand why things had to be that way. Why had his parents hated their children so? Why they enjoyed torment and death? If that was the clear definition of a vampire, then he openly disagreed.
“What are you doing here? And how?”
“I would like to know what the fuck this is and how we get out!” Dahlila snapped.
“I know where this place is, but not how or why or what.” Latimere replied. “I haven’t been here in millenniums…”
“What do you mean?” she asked. “What is going on!”
“Julianna killed you…at least we thought she did, but even with your heart split in two, you are still alive. And then something happened when you collapsed on me, like something shot into me. I thought I was being electrocuted.”
“Protection spells.” he said nonchalant. “Let’s get rid of these bars so I can deal with that pesky magic.”
By just the thought, the cell opened. “Oh, I see so this is a plane in my mind.” he said mostly to himself.
“What are you talking about?”
“I believe you have fallen into my subconscious. Why I don’t know, but I hypothesis it has something to do with my magic transferring to you.”
“Why don’t I fix that right now?”
“Hmm, interesting…” Latimere stepped back. “There seems to be a block. I can’t repossess it all from here. We’ll have to be conscious for the rest.”
“At least the sparkling has stopped.”
“Yes, because that was definitely the most important reason to take back my power.” Latimere rolled his eyes.
“Well, we wouldn’t our vampire not to sparkle.” Dahlila teased.
“Don’t insult me.”
“So what now?” Dahlila asked.
“I haven’t the faintest idea.”
“Perhaps those on the outside are having better luck in reviving one or both of us.”
“So we wait?”
Alternate Universe 