Chapter 30

“Lussazan! There you are. Where the hell have you been?” asked Petropa.

“…Busy.” Said the lich.

Petropa watched as she squirmed and panted. There was a small trickle of arousal running down her leg.

“Are you drunk?!” asked Petropa.

“My husband made me a wonderful concoction. The interplay between herbs and reagents is… phenomenal. I do not know what went into it…”

Petropa pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Fantastic. Well are you lucid enough to answer questions?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent. Follow me.”

You watched the scene unfold amidst the sea of guards surrounding you. One of the dullahans was kind enough to support most of your weight, even though she had to hold her head at the same time. It wasn’t very clear what had transpired in the last half-hour; you didn’t remember anything after Petropa had tazed you with sex-magic. Apparently, she must have felt that a simple orgasm denial wasn’t enough. Your clothes were seared, and you were coated in bruises.

You hoped whatever was after you brought an icepack.

Whatever Petropa was planning, it was big. Most of the elite guards were accompanying you, along with Emballandae, Lussazan, and other key figures within castle hierarchy. In total, there were probably thirty monsters surrounding you. Your hopes faltered as you realized that the girl coming for you was probably going to be out matched by such a formidable force. Petropa continued to converse with Lussazan as she walked briskly down the hall.

“I need to know how much mana Anon’s body can tolerate.” Said Petropa.

“I have a chart for that.” Said Lussazan pulling out a piece of paper form her bag. “It details his current capacity for mana, and projected future capacity. May I go now?”

“No.” said Petropa grabbing the sheet from her hand. She looked it over and frowned.

“That doesn’t seem like much…” said Petropa.

“It isn’t. He’s hit a sharp plateau after becoming accustomed to the ambient mana from the realm.”

“I see. So how much mana could he survive?” asked the vampire.

“Milady?” asked Lussazan.

“Choerteris is coming, and there’s no doubt that she’s insistent on “freeing” Anon. However, she wouldn’t dare pull him away from the loving embrace of her darling little sister. All Emballandae needs to do is get a little mana into him. Not enough to kill him, just to let everyone know he's claimed.”

Lussazan rubbed her chin.

“That… would be very risky. The amount of mana transferred would have to be minuscule; and carefully monitored. I fail to see how Anon could receive mana from her in such a small dose without fornication or blood sucking.”

“FORNICATION IS OUT OF THE QUESTION!” shouted Petropa, thrusting a slender finger into Lussazan’s face. “And what’s wrong with bloodsucking? She would only need to take a drop or so. How could that possibly harm him?”

“I said it would be risky, not impossible. A very small bite could theoretically “mark” him for Emballandae. He would suffer side effects, but mamono would be able to sense the trace of another woman in his essence.” Said Lussazan.

“Woah, wait a minute. What kind of ‘side effects’ are we talking about?” you said.

Lussazan fidgeted as she floated beside you. “…The symptoms would be the same as the mana poisoning you experienced when you arrived in Admaz. Only a bit worse…” she said in a fading voice.

You gulped. Emballandae made a similar noise and you both shared a look of dismay. It looked like she didn’t want to drink you blood as much as you didn’t want her to drink it.

“Oh no, I am NOT going through that again. It was excruciating! Can’t you just toss a mana marker on me so I don’t have to pass magical kidney stones again?” you said.

“Unfortunately not. I would have marked you the second we knew about you if it were that easy. Makers are made of condensed mana, and putting one on you would be a death sentence. Not to mention a beacon to Choerteris.” Said Petropa.

“That’s who’s after me? Choerteris?” you asked.

Petropa tensed at the name but didn’t turn to face you. “Yes, that’s what she is called.”

“Momma, do I really have to drink his blood? Can’t we just get papa to talk to Choerteris like last time?” said Emballandae.

“She’s been here before?” you asked.

Oh. Wait. Just how stupid were you? You had ignored all the signs. Of fucking course it was a dhampir. What else would it be.

“She’s been here too many times…” muttered Petropa.

You snickered in spite of the situation.

“What is it you find so funny, peon?” asked Petropa as she peeked around a corner.

“She’s a dhampir, isn’t she?”

Petropa grit her teeth and yanked you towards her with her magic. You ricocheted off guards as you were pulled through the crowd.

“And WHAT of it?” hissed the vampire.

Remembering the previous bout of torture you had just went through, you decided that teasing a stressed monster with the ability to throw you across a city wasn’t the best idea.

“If she’s your daughter, can’t you just talk to her?” you said. Playing dumb was the safest way to play off your amusement as ignorance.

“Talking is useless if she won’t listen. I’ve tried to be kind. I did everything in my power to raise her properly. But every suggestion I make is an accusation to her. Everything I do offends her further. She lives to spite me; there is no reasoning with her.” Said Petropa. She put you down and continued on.

“Am I going to have to drink Anon’s blood again?” asked Emballandae.

“Mmm… I don’t know. Lussazan, is there a way to get my dear daughter’s mana into that cretin without biting it?” said Petropa.

“I have not tested the transfer mana between vampires and their mates. Though it is possible that mana is injected at the fangs, I suspect that scraping the skin and licking would also be adequate means of infusing Anon with essence.” Said Lussazan.

Emballandae grimaced but remained silent. A hand appeared on her shoulder, and you noticed Lapan was one of the people accompanying you. He whispered something to Emballandae, who shook her head. He gave her a gentle pat on the back and stared at you. You looked away to avoid his scornful gaze. The man really had it out for you.

“Lady Petropa!”

A werebat swooped down the hall towards your party.

“Where is she?” said Petropa.

“In the east wing, trying to get to a higher floor. We’ve barricaded the stairways, but-“

“Do NOT barricade anything! She can get around obstacles, but you morons can’t you’ll just end up cutting off our escape routes.” Said Petropa.

“Y-yes milady.” Squeaked the bat.

“Where exactly is she? What room?”

“She was in one of the moon rooms, next to the Lasion study.”

Petropa rubbed her chin and scowled. “Which way was she heading?”

“We can’t tell, milady. Her movements are too erratic. So far she’s stayed in the east wing, but she moves up and down floors at random. She’s climbing floors steadily, but back-tracking often.” Said the werebat.

“Hmm… has she reached Anon’s room?”

“No milady.”

“Good. Ensure it stays that way. What are the casualties like?” asked Petropa. You noticed she clenched her jaw as she asked the question.

“Minimal. She is having difficulty fighting us in groups. So far we have only lost eight guards.”

Only eight? Pretty damn good for one mamono. You wondered what fighting style Choerteris preferred. Probably something more agile if she survived a horde of guards. Unless she was using magic. Dhampirs had some special interaction with vampires, but you didn’t think it affected other undead in the same way.

“Do your best to surround her, and cut off access to windows and stairways. Once she’s trapped, call in a squad of mages to take care of her.” Ordered Petropa.

The werebat nodded and flew off to relay her message to the other guards.

“The rest of you, keep moving.” Said Petropa.

The clatter of armor and weapons resumed as you continued your aimless march around the castle.

~~~~~~~

Choerteris ducked under an axe and struck the assailant with the hilt of her sword. The zombie grunted and recoiled, before being impaled by the dhampir. She let out a moan and collapsed to the floor in a puddle of juices.

 “She’s over here!”

Hurrying around the corner, Choerteris ducked inside a nearby room and gently closed the door behind her. Casting a quick spell to hide her scent, she slipped behind a chair and dropped to the floor. The sound of footsteps grew louder until they reached the door. There was a loud sniffing sound at the foot of the door, and Choerteris held her breath as a shadow blocked the light coming through the gap.

“What’s wrong? Is she in there?”

“No, it doesn’t smell like it. I think she came this way, but I think I’m losing the scent…”

“Losing the scent?! Already? She was just here!”

“Shut up! I know she was just here! Give me a minute alright? She’s gotta be close…”

The door opened a bit and Choerteris hid herself behind the chair. A werewolf poked her head in and looked around.

“Is she in there?”

“Do I have a sword sticking out of my face?”

“No…”

“Then she isn’t in here. Come on, let’s check the other rooms.” Said the werewolf. Choerteris could tell by the way her tail bristled that she wasn’t too keen on finding the person who had taken out two dozen guards until she had backup.

The door closed again and Choerteris let out a sigh of relief. Opening her small backpack, she pulled out a small morsel of dried meat and a map of the castle. By her estimates, she was about three quarters of the way to the attic of the east wing. Everything she needed to launch the next phase of her plan should be there. The only thing she had to do now was find Anon’s room on her way. She was close to finding it, there was no doubt about that. She knew her mother only used a few of the bedrooms in the castle; most were just too remote to be used by a permanent resident.

Ripping off a chunk of meat, Choerteris pulled out a small vial of ink and thin wooden stick to mark off all the bedrooms she had visited already. Anon’s bedroom should be easy to find once she got close. No doubt they had tried to mask his scent with some of the other ‘butlers’ of the castle. All she had to do was find the one that smelled like human men and was filled to the brim with elite guards.

Choerteris wondered if there was any other way to help the human men who were ensnared in service to her mother. She was still uncertain about the morality of it. Her mother did treat them like slaves, and groom them to be subservient to monster kind, but all of them eventually found loving homes with mistresses hand-picked by Petropa herself. And though they were routinely demeaned and humiliated by Petropa, the majority of the boys came from rough slave markets or abusive human families.

Choerteris sighed. Whether she could free them or not was a moot point; if she did manage to get them out, they would be instantly raped into submission by the denizens of Tomb Haven. She shuddered at the memory of a man who did escape, only to be ‘eaten’ by a pack of ghoul sisters. No, it was probably best for them to stay in the castle and marry some nice wight or up-and-coming zombie than to be released into the harsh streets of an undead city.

“Oh!”

Choerteris jumped and swung her sword around in panic. The ghost who had come through the floor retreated back under the rug as Choerteris cleaved a long seam into the back of the recliner she was hiding behind. Stuffing her things into her bag, she took a swig of water from the canteen she carried and hurried out the door. The shouting of guards grew louder as she slammed the door shut behind her.

“Hey, you! Stop!”

Ahead in the hallway, the werewolf was pointing her sword at Choerteris. The zombie she was with cowered behind her, holding her spear out under the arm of her friend. The fire in the wolf’s eyes fizzled as she made eye contact with the dhampir.

“…Please?” Said the werewolf with a weak grin.

Choerteris surged forwards and raised her sword. The zombie shrieked and jumped onto the werewolf as she set upon them.

~~~~~~

“What floor is she on now?” asked Petropa.

“The eighth, milady. Though I suspect she’s a bit higher now.” Said the zombie harpy.

You listened to the report from the chair you were seated in as Lussazan took your vitals. Petropa had needed a break from running for her life and decided that tea in a comfy sitting room was the best place to do it. She and Cesbron were cuddled up under a blanket. The scene would have been adorable if they weren’t plotting to marry you to their daughter against your will.

“Hey Lussazan, are you really just going to let them do this? I mean, there’s a chance I could die from this right?” you said.

Lussazan passed a paper to Datoll to check. “Mmm… I’m afraid I must. I have advised against this course of action. Unless Lady Petropa rescinds this order, or Choerteris is defeated, the only thing I can do is try to cut off the flow of mana between you and the young lady before you are harmed.”

“Well, why don’t we just stop her then? She can’t be that strong. Hell, you and I could probably blow her out of the city of you took these cuffs off me.” You said wiggling your magical inhibitors in her face.

“Lady Petropa’s judgement is clouded by fear. Choerteris is the only thing that had ever presented a threat to her. She fails to see the threat for what it really is; a single mamono. To her, there is no greater danger in the world.” Said Lussazan.

“Then why don’t you say anything to her?”

Lussazan fidgeted. Datoll hugged her from behind and she rested one of her petite hands over his.

“It is not my place to say.” She said softly.

“Don’t worry about a thing Anon, I have a feeling that things will work out in the end.” Said Datoll.

“I’m worried about HOW they’ll work out.” You grumbled. You watched Emballandae pick through the selection of books in the sitting room you were camped in. Picking one out, she sat down in a high-backed leather chair and began to flip through the pages.

“Are you done?” you asked Lussazan.

She nodded and you got up from the chair. The reality of the situation was beginning to weigh on you. Being bound to Emballandae by the strange magics of this world always seemed to be too far into the future to worry about. But now, as the clock wound down, you really did have to imagine what life would be like if you were married to this woman.

Your heart fluttered as she pushed a strand of hair out of her face. Even with the fretful look on her face, she was still stunning. Even by mamono standards. For all the shit you and Petropa gave each other, she and her daughter were inhumanly beautiful by Earth standards.

Vampires were not the first mamono on your list, but they were far from the bottom. Well above average. You had underestimated their temperament, but Emballandae seemed to be a much more accurate representation of the encyclopedia entry than her mother. You had actually come to enjoy talking to her during your stay here. Though conversations quickly turned to arguments, her passion and innocence made her all the more endearing. If it came down to it, there were much worse fates than marrying Emballandae Chiropta.

But it just didn’t feel right.

Every monster and human had someone out there for them, and from what the encyclopedia said it seemed like fate played a hand in making those two meet. Emballandae was someone you would not be upset with marrying, but ‘good enough’ did not seem like the kind of thing that this world would tolerate.

Not to mention your all but confirmed suspicion that Emballandae had already met her perfect partner.

Lapan brought her a cup of tea on a saucer and handed it to her. She smiled and thanked him as he asked what the book was about. Their cheery conversation glowed like a beacon of hope amidst the nervous guards and tense atmosphere surrounding them. It was clear to everyone that he would be a much better choice for Emballandae.

You rubbed the manacles that had suppressed your magic for the weeks you had spent here. Perhaps escape was closer than you thought. The situation seemed more tenuous than you previously thought. The guards were nervous, Lussazan was ambivalent about injecting you with mana, and Emballandae was just as dubious about giving it too you. Choerteris was coming for you and It felt like the gods were tilting the scales in your favor. Surely Eros wouldn’t allow you to live out the rest of eternity in a lukewarm relationship. All you had to do was seize the opportunity.

You walked over to Emballandae and Lapan and seated yourself onto an ottoman. Lapan scowled at you and Emballandae gave you a quizzical look.

“What do you want?” asked Emballandae.

“I was just checking on you. Seeing how you were holding up.” You said.

Emballandae narrowed her eyes. “I’m fine. If you want to worry, worry about yourself.”

“I am. Believe me, I am. I just want to know what you think of this whole affair.” You said quietly.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, your mother is about to try and force us to be bound together for eternity. I just wanted to know if you were really on board with the idea of being married to me.”

Her hands gripped the book she was holding tighter.

“Ha! You’re mistaking servitude for marriage. You are about to become my thrall and mana source, nothing more.” Said Emballandae.

“Your ONLY thrall and mana source. Forever. Me. I’ll ask again: are you really okay with that?” you said.

Emballandae pursed her lips and glanced over at Petropa. She was being helped into some armor by the guards attending to her.

“I really don’t get the point of these questions. If you’re just going to sit there and yammer on about things, then you can go find someone else to entertain you.” Said Emballandae.

She got up and quickly walked away. You sighed and stretched your legs. Choerteris better get here soon.

~~~~~~

Choerteris smiled. The door she was standing in front of reeked of male essence. There could be no doubt, this was Anon’s room. Slowly opening the door, she peered inside.

The room was empty. Slowly entering the room, Choerteris held her breath in anticipation. There should have been guards here. The lack of guards certainly made things easier, but it also meant her mother was planning something.

Choerteris followed her nose over to the closet and threw open the doors. Inside, rows of strange clothing hung neatly above a series of drawers. Choerteris pulled one of the garments off the rack and examined it. The strange shirt was made of a single piece of fabric. There were no buttons or seams of any kind. Chuckling at the novelty, Choerteris began stuffing as many changes of clothing into her bag as she could. She tried to hurry, but the adventurer in her demanded she examine all of the otherworldly trinkets she found.
As she opened a strange flap of leather, she was shocked to find a tiny portrait of a man, neatly printed onto a strip of paper. Before she could examine the remainder of the contents, a chill ran down her spine. Dropping to the floor, she only just managed to dodge a bolt of magic that exploded against the wall.

“Oh dear! Choerteris dear, could you come out of there? I’d hate to ruin Anon’s artifacts. I’m sure he’d be devastated if he lost all of his mementos.”

Choerteris rolled out of the closet. Staying in a confined space against a mage was a death sentence.

“Goeth!”

The wight gave her a weary smile. “Hello, little lady. Up to no good again, are we?”

“You don’t have to do this, Goeth. Have you read the reports on the human? Do you know what they did to get him here?! What they’re risking just by keeping him here?” said Choerteris.

Goeth tried to grab Choerteris with her spectral hands, but the dhampir broke her concentration by throwing a realm-silver knife.
“I know. But Lussazan is careful! She won’t let any harm befall him!” said Goeth.

Choerteris vaulted over the bed and unsheathed her sword. Throwing a vase from a table, she charged at Goeth.

“Isn’t that what she said last time? When she almost killed him?!”

Goeth pulled out her own sword and parried Choerteris’ first thrust.

“Dragging a human into a different dimension and keeping him healthy are completely different! You’re just looking for revenge on your mother…” Goeth swiped at Choerteris’ feet with her sword while trying to crush her with a magical claw. “…And hurting your sister in the process!”

“Hurting my sister?! I’m sure that brat will find some other poor soul to drain. How can you call liberating a slave revenge?!”
“Who says he’s a slave?” said Goeth.

“If he wasn’t a slave, he wouldn’t be wearing shackles!” roared Choerteris. She nicked Goeth’s wrist with her estoc and the wight recoiled.

Goeth staggered back and rubbed her wrist with the hilt of her sword. “You’ve gotten a lot better since last time. I’m surprised you could see the irons from that distance.” Said Goeth with a grin. She took another slash at the dhampir.

“Goeth, please! You’ve always been the only levelheaded one in this whole place! I’ve always been able to turn to you. You know I have to save him.” Said Choerteris stepping out of the way.

“No care for your sister then? Are you just going to abscond with her fiancé?” asked Goeth.

Choerteris bit her lip. “I care about Emby. I really do. But from what I’ve seen, from what I’ve heard… Anon just isn’t a good fit for her. I want to save him, but I can’t just ruin my sister’s life. Give it to me straight: do YOU think they’re compatible?”

Goeth gave her a strange combination of a grimace and a smile. “Yes.”

Choerteris chuckled. “You always were a terrible liar. The only person you ever fooled was mother.”

Goeth sighed and relaxed her posture. “Yeah, yeah.” She walked over to the window and looked across the courtyard. Somewhere in the west wing, Anon was being prepped for marriage to Emballandae. Goeth remembered the time the three of them had spent in the carriage to Tomb Haven. They had warmed up to each other, but it was far from romance. She remembered seeing all the couples form in the castle over the years. The cute little interactions between the maids and butlers, or the stunned gaze of a noble and a server from across a ballroom. Anon had adapted to life in the castle, but that didn’t mean he was enjoying it.

“Goeth?”

The wight sheathed her sword. “He isn’t the best fit for her, but he’s a good kid. Real tolerant for a human if you aren’t on his bad side. I think that he and Emballandae would be happy together in time, but I don’t think that they’re right for each other. You know?” Goeth looked back at her and chuckled. “I guess you wouldn’t considering your still single.”

Goeth whipped around and glared at Choerteris. “You aren’t planning on taking him yourself are you?”

“Of course not!” said Choerteris.

“Then why are you blushing?”

“I-it doesn’t matter if I’m single, I can find a guy in no time if I felt like it.” Said Choerteris.

Goeth gave the poor tomboy a pitying look. She wasn’t even sure if Choerteris could be called a monster girl at this point.

“A-anyways, I got my answer. So stop looking at me like that. Are you going to try and stop me, or are you going to think for yourself for once and help me?”

“You know I can’t help you. I owe a lot to your mother. She’s a good woman, even if you can’t see that. She just has trouble seeing past her own ego sometimes.” Said Goeth.

“Am I going to have to skewer you, yes or no?” asked Choerteris.

“See, comments like that are why you haven’t married yet. I’m not going to fight you. I want Anon out of here too. Especially given the circumstances.”

“Circumstances?”

“Your mother has come up with the brilliant plan of marking Anon by getting a small amount of Emballandae’s mana into him. She figures if Emby gets her foot in the door, so to speak, that you’ll have to accept them as a couple and leave them alone. Anon will be bound to Emballandae and no other mamono will want him.”

“But Lussazan’s notes said that he would die if he was taken by a mamono!”

“His body can tolerate small amounts of mana. I don’t exactly know how much that means, but I’m guessing it isn’t much. Seems like they’re playing with fire if you ask me, but I don’t know the science of it, so I kept my mouth shut.” Said Goeth.

“When are they going to do this? Are they moving him to the basement?” asked Choerteris.

“No, they’re staying as far away from you as possible. They’re somewhere in the west wing.” Said Goeth.

Choerteris hurried into the closet and stuffed a few more articles of clothing into her pack.

“He keeps some things in the desk too.” Said Goeth.

Choerteris swiped a notebook filled with loose pages and strange scribblings and folded it up amidst the clothes.

“I-I have to go. I have to stop them!” Said Choerteris.

“Yeah, I know. It was good to see you sweetie.” Said Goeth.

“You too.”

Choerteris made for the door.

“Oh, and Choerteris…”

She looked over her shoulder at Goeth.

“Visit more often, okay? It’s always livelier around here when you come.” Said the wight with a smile.

Choerteris grinned and hurried off towards the attic.

~~~~~~

The attic was just as dusty and dim as Choerteris remembered it. Mountains of forgotten furniture, racks of clothing centuries out of style, and chests full of clutter formed a labyrinth of abandoned history.

As Choerteris got further form the hatch leading to the attic, the dust became thicker and more oppressive. It was clear that Petropa rarely used the space for storage anymore.

Walking quickly past the relics of bygone eras, Choerteris followed the trail of marking she had carved into the rafters years ago. When she left the castle for good, she knew that the fight between her and her mother was not finished. Someday it would have to end. And this would tip the scales in her favor.

Pushing aside a pile of boxes, Choerteris sighed with relief and pulled out the supply cache she had created in her youth. Realm silver chain mail, a small crossbow, garlic, poisons made from intoxication fruits, and a coil of good rope were just some of the things she had left in the box. All the trinkets she would need to take down her mother and more. Forgoing the chain mail, she began strapping knives and pouches onto herself with belts. Her mother and Lussazan were the only real threats, and a layer of chain would do nothing to stop a fireball.

Placing one last knife into a band around her thigh, she tested the mobility of her new equipment. Satisfied that she wouldn’t stab herself trying to run, Choerteris hurried over to one of the few windows in the attic.

Beside it sat one of the projects that had kept Choerteris sane during her perpetual groundings. A massive ballista that she had painstakingly restrung over the course of a few months. Whenever Petropa had confined her as punishment, she imagined using the weapon of war against her mother as revenge. The idea was never more than a dream; the ballista was too large to ever be used against such an agile opponent. Choerteris doubted she could even get it out of the attic on her own. But now it would finally serve its purpose.

Choerteris’ boots carved long streaks through the dust as she began to push the base of the weapon closer to the window. With a final grunt, she judged it to be in position and began to work the crank to adjust the direction it was facing. The mechanism’s gears quietly clicked into place as she aimed the massive realm-sliver bolt out the window. Opening the panes, she affixed the rope to the back of the bolt and took aim at the west wing.

“I’m coming, Anon. I just hope you’re as pissed as I am when I get there…” she muttered.

~~~~~

“Still no sign of her?” asked Petropa.

“No milady. We lost her around Anon’s room.” Said a zombie.

“Damn.” Petropa peeked out into the courtyard through the curtains. “Lussazan, how close is he to being ready?”

“Close, milady.” Said the lich.

“Begin as soon as you figure out how much he can take. I don’t care if Emballandae had to bite him while we’re running; this happens NOW.”

You looked around the room again. For the past half hour, all you had done was look for a point of egress. Some gap in the guard’s rotation that you could slip through. You didn’t have to get away, just buy some time.

Emballandae looked even more nervous than you. Her hands were clasped together in her lap as one of her knees jerked up and down. Though she had a book open in her lap, it was clear that she wasn’t comprehending any of the text.

From the courtyard, there was a soft crash.

“What was that?” said Petropa.

“It sounded like it came from the courtyard, milady.” Said a dullahan.

“I know it came from the courtyard, but why would Choerteris be-“

Petropa threw the curtains shut and grabbed her husband.

“SHE’S HERE!” shrieked Petropa. Cesbron hugged his wife who buried her head into his chin.

Some of the guards looked out the window to see what the commotion was, and immediately began giving orders to the rest.

“Get everyone out of the east wing. Post guards at every staircase. Everyone who isn’t protecting a chokepoint is now guarding the human.” Said the dullahan.

That certainly complicated things. No chance of you sneaking away unnoticed now.

“Should we stay here, or should we move milady?” asked a guard.

“Umm… we’ll move! She may know where we are, we can’t stay in one place for too long.” Said Petropa.

“As you wish. Where shall we go?”

Petropa looked out the window again. “It looks like she entered the building to the south. So we should head north. Right?” said Petropa.

The guards exchanged worried glances but nodded. “Very good, Lady Petropa. We should depart at once.”

The horde of guards began to funnel out of the room, keeping you in the middle. Emballandae and Petropa followed close behind you, and the wall of undead pressed forward through the halls.

~~~~~~

“How long is this chase gonna last?”

“It’ll last until the bitch gets the human.”

“You mean Choerteris or Emballandae?”

“Both.”

The ghoul and wisp cackled at the joke as Choerteris followed behind them.

“You’d think the boss would just chuck her out a window and be done with it.”

“Nah. You haven’t seen ‘em fight. Petropa loses her nerve like a glacies in front of a magma-golem. Pretty funny stuff. Just don’t get caught laughin’ about it later.”

“No kidding? Huh. Hey, you think Choerteris is back for this guys dick, or just to let him out?”

“Hmm… Well, Choerteris is usually to snooty to pick a man, so my guess is that she’s just pissed off mommy’s keeping another slave.”
“Does that mean Anon’s up for grabs once Choerteris deals with Petropa?”

“Ufufu… Guess so. I hear Anon is poisoned by mamono mana, but that sounds like an excuse they came up with to keep us from touching him. ‘Sides, if he does bite it, I’ll just keep him in my cage~” said the wisp.

“Not if I get him first. I’ve been dying to sink my teeth into that white meat ever since I saw him. I bet he’s delicious.” Said the ghoul licking her chops.

“What do you mean “get him first”? I’m older, so I should get him.”

“In your dreams, you glorified chandelier. He needs a woman who can keep him warm, not contained.” Said the ghoul.

“Hah! Maybe I’ll just float around in the air. All I have to do is hover a few feet over you and you’ll just have to watch.”

“Not if another ghost stops you!”

“…Shit, you’re right. You think other mamono are planning on grabbing him if things fall apart?”

“Yeah probably. I mean, wouldn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“…Let’s split ‘im.”

“Works for me. I only need his soul.”

“Where is he anyways? I feel like we’re in the wrong place.”

“Umm…” The wisp vanished through the ceiling for a moment and returned. “Nope, we’re good. Everyone’s a few floors up from here.”

“Great. Let’s see if we can get spots close to Anon.”

“Good idea. Hey, if this doesn’t work, you wanna go raid the butler’s quarters?”

“You know it! One of ‘em grimaced when I wiggled my tongue at him the other day and I wanna make sure he knows how good if feels~”
The pair of monsters laughed as they continued down the hall. Choerteris hurried to the windows and gently opened them just enough to squeeze out. Grabbing hold of the brick work, she quickly began to climb. The threat of other monsters hadn’t occurred to her until now. Of course they would try and take advantage of the situation and grab a human man. They were monsters. Anon had better keep up once they were out.

Swinging from a small outcropping, she grabbed a windowsill and hoisted herself through.

~~~~~~~~

Petropa shuddered.

“Are you alright?” asked Cesbron.

“Did it just get colder in here?” asked Petropa.

“It felt like it.” Said Emballandae, pulling her cape around her.

“She’s close.” Muttered Lussazan.

Petropa reached the same conclusion. “Everyone, into the next room we find. Lussazan, prepare the transfer.”

Lussazan grabbed your arm, but you tugged it away. Using her magic, she seized both your wrists and hauled you into the room as you dug your heels into the carpet.

“Anon, please. Do not make this difficult…” she said.

Seating you in a chair, she held you in place and bent your head to one side.

“Emballandae, you may begin drinking. Be prepared to stop when I say.” Said Lussazan.

Emballandae gulped and straddled you. Folding her legs so that she was on her knees over your lap, she placed her hands on your chin and shoulder. Her skin was cool and silky. Feeling how small her fingers were as they traced your bones made you appreciate how much of a size difference there was between you two. All the guards were watching you now. Some looked on in envy, some in excitement, and some in pity.

“You don’t have to do this.” You whispered.

“I want to do this.” Growled Emballandae. Her fingers squeezed your skin. Your muscles began to ache in protest under her inhuman strength.

“No, you don’t. It’s not too late. Just-“

Your mouth was slammed shut against your tongue and you flinched in pain.

“Silence worm. Emballandae, do it.” Said Petropa. She held your jaw shut with her magic and gestured for her daughter to continue.
Emballandae licked her lips and leaned in towards you neck. Her breath was warm; a pleasant juxtaposition to the cold touch of her skin. Lussazan began to cast a spell as the vampire got closer to your neck.

If Emballandae had a heart, you were sure that you would be able to hear it pounding inside her chest. Her dainty face was a textbook example of duress. A small sheen of sweat was visible on her brow.

The tension was broken by a distant piercing shriek.

“Do it now!” shouted Petropa.

Emballandae’s fangs broke through your skin and she pulled away from you with a loud retch.

“What’s wrong?” said Petropa in exasperation. “Just bite him!”

You felt a warm trickle of liquid run down your neck. It sounded like that wasn’t enough. Thankfully, the bite didn’t hurt as much as you feared. Less painful than a shot. What concerned you the most was how you were going to seal the wound.

“I’m going!” said Emballandae. She didn’t even get close to your neck before she gagged and covered her nose.

The commotion in the hallway was getting louder.

“Fuck!” shouted Petropa.

She used her magic to shove some of the guards out of the way and throw open the door.

“I’ll deal with her myself since you’re all too incompetent!”

There was a small explosion from the doorway and Petropa screamed. Chaos ensued as a cloud of gas billowed in. Guards were shouting and shoving, trying to figure out what was happening and where the assailant was. Lussazan released the magic binding you and you quickly scrambled out of the chair and away from Emballandae.

“Hey!” she shouted.

More and more smoke poured in. The sound of combat grew louder, until it was clear that Choerteris was in the room. You retreated into a corner, as far away as you could get from the mist. It tickled your lungs and clouded your vision as you tried to cover your nose and mouth. What the hell was happening? Where was Choerteris? You still didn’t know what she looked like after all.

A blast of magic made the situation worse for everyone as the shockwave blew the apparently drugged smoke into every corner of the room. You could hear the sounds of mamono groaning and moaning in pain, pleasure, or both. Should you call out? Probably not. Better to be found by Choerteris than risk attracting the attention of everyone in the room.

The room continued to grow more distorted the longer you remained in the gas. Pleasure soon turned to discomfort as you began to feel the signs of mana poisoning. Whatever was making the guards docile was also making you sick. A firm hand grabbed you by the shoulder and you grabbed onto the wrist. They began to drag you away, through the crowd towards the door. Hands and monstrous appendages made weak grabs at your arms and legs as you were carried through the pinkish haze. The fighting continued around you. Strangely, it sounded like the melee had spread to more than one area of the room.

You closed your eyes and tried to push yourself forwards with your savior. Spilling out into the hallway, the woman who was carrying you let you slide to the floor.

The hall was just as much of a mess as the room you had just escaped. Unconscious or lust addled guards littered the corridor. You rolled over onto your back and coughed. Covering you face with one of your arms, you wait for the room to stop spinning and your erection to die down.

“Thanks…” you panted.

“Of course, my love.”

You lowered your arm and looked at the woman standing over you. Instantly, you could tell that she was not a dhampir. The monster before you looked nothing like Petropa or Emballandae. She was much heavier set, completely filling out the armor she was wearing. Her sharp teeth contrasted her caramel skin as she sneered at you. She took a step towards you while undoing the first set of clasps on her armor. You rolled over and tried to scramble away from her.

“Ah ah ah! Come on now, don’t be shy~” she cooed, planting a foot on your back. You grunted as she forced more of her weight onto you.
“You’re lucky I was strong enough to pull you through that mist. The least you could do is show some appreciation~”

Her chest plate clattered to the floor, revealing her heavy breasts. Her body was well defined from years of training. Picking you up off the floor by your throat, she held you at arm’s length as you flailed in her grip.

“Mmm, keep wiggling, snack. I don’t mind if you fight~” she said. Wrapping you into a bear hug, she let her tongue drape down in front of your face. The slimy appendage wriggled in front of you, before leaving a glistening trail of saliva from your chin to your ear. You tried kicking her in the stomach, but the ghoul just chuckled and began to carry you off. “Phew. I may be more composed than the rest of them, but that mist really put me in a good mood. I hope you weren’t hoping for a gentle consummation~”

Before she could get far, a figure tumbled out of the room and charged towards you. The ghoul didn’t have time to turn around before a push sword pierced through her chest, stopping just shy of yours. Should have worn that armor, bitch.

With a groan, she collapsed on top of you.

You began to wriggle free before the other mamono effortlessly rolled the sleeping ghoul off of you.

The woman standing over you was much smaller than your previous savior. You relaxed the second you saw her short blonde hair in the moonlight.

“Anon, my name i-“

“Choerteris, yeah. Let’s get the fuck outta here and talk later, okay?” you said.

The dhampir looked almost hurt by your curt introduction but nodded and hurried past you down the hall.

“This way, we’ll have to get you out of the city.” Said Choerteris.

“How are we going to do that? Every mamono in the city wants to molest me or turn me over to your mother!” you said.

“I know some people who can help us. First we need to get you somewhere safe.”

A piercing shriek echoed through the halls behind you. Portraits on the wall began to shake as a loud rumbling started towards you.

“What the hell is that?” you asked.

“Momma.”

“Can’t we fight her? I thought she would get weaker in the presence of a dhampir!”

“She IS weaker.”

“Then what do we do about her?!”

 “Run.”

Choerteris reached a staircase and leapt down do the first landing. You took the stairs three at a time, almost breaking your face on the last step. Choerteris caught you and pushed you along down the stairs.

“Run?! That’s your plan?!”

“Yep.”

Petropa let out another inhuman cry of rage, this time much closer. From the sound of it, she was gaining fast.

“IT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE A VERY VIABLE PLAN!” you said.

“Would you shut up and run?!”

You and Choerteris made it down two flights of stairs before she pulled you into another hallway.

“Can you fight?” asked Choerteris.

“Me? Are you serious?” you panted.

“I mean with magic!”

“No. They never taught me anything like that at Admaz!”

With a loud crack, a marble banister fell onto the landing you and Choerteris had exited the stairwell at.

“CHOERTERISSS!!”

You and Choerteris rounded a corner as Petropa dropped onto the landing, pulverizing the remains of the banister.

“HOW THE HELL DID YOU TAKE ON AN ARMY IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO FIGHT?!” shouted Choerteris.

“IT WAS A LOT EASIER WHEN NONE OF THEM WERE FIGHTING BACK!”

“Fuck! I was kind of counting on some fire power to get us out of here!” said Choerteris. “You really can’t do anything useful? Anything?”

“I can blow stuff up, but if I do that you’ll have to carry me out of here.”

“I have your rings! Can you still make explosions if you wear them?”

“Fuck, you got them? Give ‘em here.” You said. Choerteris slowed down and quickly slipped the rings into your hands.
Petropa was hot on your heels. You could hear the crack of plaster and the din of breaking furniture as she carved her way towards you.
“What do you have in those pouches?” you asked.

“Now’s not the time for that!”

“Do you have any garlic? I have a plan. Just get these shackles off of me!”

Petropa rounded the corner just as you got the last clove of garlic into your hand. Holding one hand in an “o” shape with the garlic in the center, you used the other to blast magic through the space between your index finger and thumb. Petropa caught the bolt of garlic-infused magic in the head and collapsed to the floor. She kicked an swore, trying to get the herb out of her eyes. Her hips pumped up and down as she started to softly moan.

“Woah. Good shot…” said Choerteris.

“I thought garlic made her docile!” you said.

“It makes her horny. I’m sure if daddy was here, she would take it out on him. Come on, we have to get you out of here!” said Choerteris tugging your sleeve.

You flexed your fingers, savoring the feeling of magic flowing through your digits once again.

“Still got it...” You murmured to yourself.

~~~~~~

Choerteris lit a lantern and placed it on the floor of the pantry you were hiding in. Collecting several pieces of produce she handed you one and put the rest in her bag.

“Looks like we’ll have to make this escape quick. I don’t think you’ll find much food that hasn’t been corrupted here in the city.” Said Choerteris.

“No complaints from me. The sooner I get back to Admaz the better.” You said.

Choerteris stared at you in the flickering light. It was clear that she had never cared for the luxuries her birth entitled her to. Areas where her pale skin shown under her clothing were covered in nicks and small scars. Her stomach and arms were thin, but well defined. No doubt that even without her monstrous heritage she would still be a formidable opponent.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” you asked.

Choerteris blushed and looked away. “Sorry. I guess it’s just a bit of a culture shock.”

“What do you mean? ‘Cause I’m from {Earth}?”

“No. That’s part of it, but you just don’t handle yourself like I’d expect you too.”

“Is that a compliment or an insult?” you said taking a bite of whatever tuber Choerteris had given you.

“Compliment.” Smiled Choerteris. “I thought you would scream and run when momma rounded that corner.”

“What makes you say that? Just because I’m not that big doesn’t mean I’m not going to defend myself.”

She giggled. “You sound like a paladin. I was just guessing based on your hip size.”

You stopped chewing. “My what?”

“Your hip size. You don’t know?” Choerteris cocked her head.

“What about my hip size?” you asked.

“Oh wow. I guess they really did keep you sheltered. Guys with narrow hips are more submissive.”

You blinked. “What?”

“Uhh… Just forget it. Are you ready to move?” she asked.

“Yeah. What’s the plan? Are we just fighting our way out?” you asked.

“No. This castle is full of old tunnels and escape routes. Most of them have been sealed, but there are a few they missed.”

“Depends what you mean by “sealed” too. If it’s just a layer of plaster I can just blast it open again.” You said.

“I’m afraid the renovations were a bit more extensive than that. We need to reach the cellar. From there, we use a small
 crawl space to exit the city.”

“Wow. That sounds… surprisingly simple? What’s the catch?” you asked.

“I hope you’re not claustrophobic.” Said Choerteris. “It’s a long tunnel and a fair bit of it has to be traversed on your hands and knees.”

You sighed. “Oh well. As long as I’m not someone’s meal I can’t complain.”

Choerteris grinned. “It’s nice to save a man who isn’t swooning or screaming.”

“I’ll swoon you silly once I’m back home. We should get moving before Petropa finds us.”

“You’re right. Oh, I grabbed most of your things before I came to get you.” Said Choerteris showing you the contents of her bag.
“Thanks. Hey! I was about to be drained by your sister and you were pilfering my underwear?”

Choerteris blushed and closed the bag. “I didn’t know they were planning on speeding things along! The file I found in Lussazan’s drawer said that they weren’t planning on putting any mamono mana into you anytime soon!”

“I guess you have a point…” you glowered. She did show up in time after all. “Do you need me to carry any of my stuff?”

“No, I got it.”

“Alright. Lead the way.”

Choerteris peaked out of the cupboard, and gestured you to follow. Dashing through the halls, you began your silent descent through the castle.

~~~~~~~

Petropa groaned and stretched her wings. Cesbron was sleeping soundly next to her. Rubbing her eyes, she inspected the room she was in.
The décor, or what was left of it, suggested that it was the quaint little bedroom that Lady Craseon had enjoyed all those centuries ago. Shuffling through the debris, Petropa pulled off the tattered remains of the bed-sheets that were tangled around her.

After Anon had blasted her with the garlic, her libido got the better of her and she had retreated to find Cesbron. It was difficult to remember what exactly transpired, but the room told her that she owed him and his pelvis an apology when he woke up. Judging by how good she felt, she must have drained every drop of mana in his body.

Lifting the remains of a bookshelf, Petropa recovered her breastplate and dusted it off. Strapping it on, she quietly opened the door and slipped out. Although the door no longer sat in its hinges, she did her best to cover the entrance to the room.

“You’ve done it now, Choerteris…” she growled. Spreading her wings, she lifted herself off the ground in search of her prey.

~~~~~~

“How much further?” you asked.

“We still have a ways to go.” Said Choerteris.

The constant patrols of frantic guards had slowed your trip to the cellar to an agonizing crawl. Choerteris had done her best to hide your scent, but you had already clashed with guards four times. Of course, the commotion attracted MORE mamono to the scene. At Choerteris’ behest, you had used your magic to carefully blast away the larger groups, but fatigue was beginning to set in.
Choerteris slammed you into an alcove as a patrol passed through a hallway perpendicular to your own. Once they had passed, she pulled you out by your shirt and waved you along.

“How are you feeling?” asked Choerteris.

“I’m fine.” You said.

“Do you think you could handle a few more guards?” asked Choerteris.

“How many? I’m not exactly in peak fighting condition here…” you said.

“If we can pass through the grand ballroom, we can use a passage in the kitchen to go straight to the cellar.”

“Are there going to be a lot of guards there?” you asked.

“I don’t know, probably not, if I had to guess. But the ballroom is in the center of the north wing. Right in the middle of the castle. It will be easy for guards in either wing to collapse on us, especially since there aren’t many rooms or staircases nearby. And since it’s an open room, there won’t be any cover to hide us.” Said Choerteris.

“That doesn’t sound too bad, I doubt many guards will post up there to try and catch us.”

“Like I said, there aren’t many guards there NOW. The giant windows and glass doors that open to the courtyard mean that anyone can watch the ballroom from almost anywhere in the castle. We would only have a few minutes tops once we’re in to cross and reach the kitchen.”

“And the other ways?” you asked.

“Too slow. Momma will be back soon; we can’t keep moving at this pace.” Said Choerteris rolling up the map.

You swallowed the lump in your throat and adjusted the focus rings on your fingers. You had hoped that Petropa would just stay gone after you had blasted her. If she had already tortured you for being a smartass, you didn’t even want to think about what she would do to you if she got her hands on you after this.

Following Choerteris out the door, you set off towards the ballroom.

~~~~~~

“In here.” Said Choerteris, dragging you into a closet.

“What the hell is this?” you asked.

Choerteris dragged a shelf of cleaning supplies out of the way to reveal a dusty trap door.

“Oh. Of course.” You said.

“What?”

“Nothing. Never mind. Where does this lead?”

“It’s a maintenance hatch that leads to the catwalks behind the stage. Be careful when we’re on the walks; they were installed by accident when Lady Hesper forgot ghosts could just float up and adjust the rigging and lights. Since no one ever actually used them, they may be a bit… shaky.” Said Choerteris opening the hatch.

Great.

She slipped through the hatch and you slowly eased yourself through. Choerteris grabbed your waist and eased your feet onto the catwalk.

“Alright, it doesn’t look like there are any guards down there. We should get d-“

Choerteris shivered. She looked around the mess of ropes and pulleys with a panicked expression.

“What’s wrong?” you asked. “Is this thing collapsing?!”

“She’s coming! We have to hurry!”

Tracing a rope back to its pulley, Choerteris gave it a tug. Down below, a sandbag flopped over and let out a small cloud of dust.

Pulling a knife from her waist, Choerteris cut the rope and lifted your arms.

“What are you doing?” you protested.

In a flurry of twists and loops, she tied the rope around your waist and shoved you over the railing. You let out a short yelp as you cartwheeled over, before the sandbag on the other end of the rope slowed your fall. The counterweight was not enough to make the impact painless, but it was better than nothing.

You clutched the arm that had taken the brunt of the fall as Choerteris slid down the rope after you.

“What the hell!” you said as she undid the rope around your waist.

“Shut up! We have to go!”

As she hurried out onto the stage and onto the ballroom floor, you heard a faint noise between her footfalls. A deep, bass tone that began as white loudened until it shook the floor.

“CHOERTERIS!”

Petropa smashed through the trapdoor you had come through in a hail of wood and stone. You flopped off of the stage and sprinted towards the other side of the ballroom.

Before you were even halfway to the other side, Petropa pulled you back into her arms with her magic.

“You… Mark my words, you’ll never see the light of day again. I’ll see that your bled like an animal everyday for the rest of your LIFE.” She hissed.

“Let him go!” shouted Choerteris.

Petropa looked at her daughter apathetically. “Ah, my dear daughter. Words cannot describe my disappointment. I gave you everything, and you WASTED your potential chasing trinkets in dusty graves. I was kind enough to let you into my home after all these years, after all your trespasses, and you still see fit to betray me.”

“Terrorizing humans is one thing, but calling them forth from other worlds? Unforgivable.”

“I’m doing what Lilith is incapable of! I’m walk the path that all others are too cowardly to tread!” said Petropa. “This is for the good of all mamono!”

“The good of all mamono?! You seek to steal men from their homes and make them your slaves.”

“That could be said of any monster. What is a man but sustenance for us higher beings?”

Choerteris’ eyes flared and she drew her sword.

“He doesn’t belong in this world!”

Choerteris charged at the stage with inhuman speed. Petropa tossed you aside to use both hands for combat.

You skidded to a stop in time to see the dhampir lunge at her mother. A faint shimmer appeared around her, and Petropa’s hands glowed with power. Whatever Petropa attempted failed, and Choerteris took a swing at her.

“Damn you!” hissed Petropa. She drew her own sword and stepped towards Choerteris.

You picked yourself up and tried to blast Petropa. She blocked a sword swing and pushed you off the stage.

“He isn’t worth it! Leave now, and I won’t have to destroy you!” said Petropa.

“Impossible for you!” said Choerteris. Petropa took a swing at her and she stepped back. Pulling a knife from her belt, she threw it at Petropa before returning to the duel.

You watched in awe from the ballroom floor as the fight continued. Though you desperately wanted to help Choerteris, the speed of the melee had steadily increased to the point of incoherence. Their sword work was so fast that it was almost cartoonish. The fight moved around the stage as they switched from offence to defence and back again. If you tried to shoot Petropa, there was a fifty percent chance that you would hit Choerteris on accident.

Should you just leave? Petropa was distracted and Choerteris had told you the way out. You didn’t know exactly where in the cellar you were going, but it seemed like you would have plenty of time to figure it out.

No, there were too many guards. There was ZERO chance that they hadn’t heard this din. Hell, you were surprised that none of them had entered the room.

Petropa yelped and you turned your attention back to the stage. Choerteris had forced her off and she had to flap her massive wings to prevent herself from falling. The vampire looked uncharacteristically dismayed at the skill of her daughter. She looked at you. Panting, she narrowed her eyes and grinned.

“Ah, now I see why you’re so keen on “saving” him. You just want him for yourself!” said Petropa.

Choerteris blushed and lowered her sword a bit. “WHAT?!”

“Why else would you break into this castle? You’re always after rare baubles, so it would stand to reason that you’d be interested in acquiring a rare human as well. Did you tell him, or were you planning on taking him as soon as you were alone?” said Petropa. Her voice oozed condescension.

“That’s not why I’m doing this!”

“Did YOU know I wonder?” said Petropa looking down at you. “I hope that you didn’t think she was doing this out of the kindness of her heart. You may be trusting, but you aren’t THAT naïve, are you?”

“Don’t listen to her Anon!” said Choerteris. She pulled a knife from her belt and hurled it at her mother.

Petropa swatted it aside with her magic. “I’ll make a deal with you, Anon. If you capitulate, I’ll forgive you for everything. I’d even be willing to wait for Lussazan’s approval before Emballandae takes you. Choerteris can be very crafty, so I don’t blame you for believing her.” Petropa’s smile faded. “But you’re coming with me one way or another. It would make me VERY happy if you came voluntarily.”

She smiled and floated towards you. You raised your hands to blow her away, but she used her own magic to clamp your hands together. Choerteris leapt off the stage and ran towards you and Petropa. Petropa blasted the floor out from underneath her sending chunks of marble tile flying in all directions.

“My magic may not work on you dear, but it works on everything else!” laughed Petropa. She turned her attention to you. “Come now Anon, cease this futile contumacy and come with me. She only wants you for herself after all.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.” You said.

Petropa’s façade of cordiality instantly crumbled. “No matter, she can’t protect you anyways.”

“Like hell I can’t!”

Choerteris hurled another dagger at Petropa which clipped her arm. The vampire yelped and hissed as Choerteris closed in on her again.
“Why! WHY could you not do as I say?!” shrieked Petropa.

Choerteris didn’t oblige her a reply as she jumped into the air. Petropa could not flap her wings fast enough, and was forced to land to avoid her. You took a shot at her as she launched backwards past you. Once she was safely out of reach of Choerteris’ estoc, she gained altitude again.

“I wanted you to be successful! I wanted you to be able to rule this city! You were my legacy!” said Petropa.

“But I wasn’t ever GOOD enough for you, was I?” said Choerteris throwing a chunk of tile at her.

“You’re a dhampir! All I wanted was for you to leave your humanity behind and embrace your better half!” said Petropa. She warded another one of your blasts and swatted aside the chunk of tile. “I love you, Choerteris, but you won’t let me help you!”

“I won’t ever treat humans like you do.”

“Come to your senses! Look at this thing!” said Petropa. She started to pull at you with her magic but Choerteris grabbed your arms. You gripped her wrists tightly as the two of you were slowly drawn in.

“He’s useless! He can’t fight, think, cook, read… Useless without a strong monster to guide him.” Said Petropa. She abruptly swung you to the side and Choerteris tumbled away. You tried to fire a bolt of magic, but it shot off into the ceiling.

“Perhaps you just need to see humans for what they truly are…”

Taking one of her pristine nails, Petropa made a small cut on one of your wrists.

“Let him go!” shouted Choerteris.

She pulled a knife out of her boot, but froze when she saw the trickle of blood running down your arm.

“Mmm… I thought so.” Said Petropa. “All these years and you still haven’t found a man. Even though you pretend to be a human, you still feel that thirst for mana don’t you? I can only imagine the how starved you must be.”

Choerteris was transfixed on the crimson dribble slowly dripping onto the floor.

“You can smell it, can’t you? I know it must be potent. Emballandae may not have been a good match for him, but you look like you could sink your fangs into him.”

Petropa pressed into the skin around your cut to make more blood well up. You grunted in pain as she wet her fingers. Flicking them towards Choerteris, she sent a small spray towards her daughter.

“I’d be fine with letting you have him. Better my own daughter than one of the plebeians. Wouldn’t you like that? It would be best for everyone after all. You could be just like a vampire, and we could finally stop fighting. With you as his mistress, Anon would be safe. We could be a family again.”

“Choerteris!” you shouted. Petropa clamped your mouth shut and levitated you closer to Choerteris.

“Here, just a taste…”

Choerteris’ eyes grew wide as you got closer. She took a few uneasy steps towards you. Her mouth was agape, and you could see a glistening drop of saliva under her fangs.

“Choerteris…” you grunted.

Petropa raised your arm out to her. The cut had stopped bleeding, but your wrist was smeared with blood. Choerteris reached out with trembling hands to gingerly hold your arm. In desperation you tried to cast a spell. A crackle of energy flowed through your arm, zapping the dhampir with the equivalent of a strong static shock.

Choerteris recoiled a bit. Taking out a clove of garlic from one of her pouches, she popped it into her mouth and began to chew. Closing her eyes, she grimaced and turned away.

You felt Petropa’s grasp tighten on you. “So much for family...”

There was a loud crack and the floor under Choerteris erupted. You lost sight of her as she cartwheeled through the air amidst the debris.

“Ah, so much for that. I thought I might actually be able to hug my baby girl again…” said Petropa wistfully. Her melancholy tone juxtaposed by her pitiless violence against her own daughter incensed you. You didn’t like Petropa before, but you had always seen her as something to avoid rather than hate. But seeing her treat her own daughter like an obstacle tipped the balance between fear and hate. Still held aloft by her magic, you tried to use your magic to do anything you could to Petropa.

“Oh? Did that upset you? It’s good to know you’re loyal enough to fight for your owners. That trait will help you serve Emballandae well.” She brought you closer as you continued your impotent efforts to harm her. Magic sparked out of your hands harmlessly into the air or her wards.

“That’s it. Just let out all that mana~” She cooed. “How about this? I’m in a good mood since you did help me defeat Choerteris, even if you didn’t mean to. So, I’ll let you take a nice long nap before I have Emballandae bleed you like a stock beast. Generous, no?”
Your arms fell to your side as the flow of magic from your hands abated. It was too tiring to even raise your arms at this point. You needed rest, food, and water that the past sixteen hours had kept from you.

“Uhuhu! It seems like Lilith’s luck smiles upon me today~ My insolent daughter put in her place, and the equally contemptible human remains at my mercy.” Said Petropa. She slipped one of her arms under your knees to cradle you as she began to walk away. “Just sleep now, little meal. We’ll find your mistress soon.”

All you could do was watch the ornate relief on the ceiling pass by. Sleep would take you soon no matter how strongly you resisted it. You closed your eyes and groaned in pain and frustration.

Petropa lurched forwards with a screech, shaking you from your stupor. She dumped you to the floor and flailed her arms trying to claw at her back. As she turned, you saw a realm silver dagger sprouting out of the back of her neck. Already you could see spirit energy leaking out. That familiar heat-haze shimmer like gas from a stove.

“YOU! HOW?!” shrieked Petropa. She pulled the dagger out and fired off a volley of spells through the dusty room.

You propped yourself up in time to see Choerteris speed towards her mother. Petropa drew her sword in time to deflect the first thrust of Choerteris’ sword.

As they began to clash again, it was clear to see that their movements were labored and sluggish. Both of them looked badly injured.

“Choerteris, please! Listen to your mother!” pleaded Choerteris.

Choerteris stepped forwards and took a swing at her. Petropa blocked the swipe, but Choerteris sent her flying with a follow-up kick.
Petropa yelped and tried to blast the ground out from under the dhampir’s feet. Choerteris belly-flopped out of the way and clamored to her feet.

“For the love of Eros, please!” said Petropa.

“If you want it to end, just let us go.” Said Choerteris.

“I won’t let him slip through my fingers again.”

Choerteris drew and fired the small crossbow she had strapped to the small of her back in one adroit movement.

The bolt sunk into Petropa’s stomach and she howled in discomfort and rage.

Choerteris hobbled over to her and raised her sword.

“If only you did as much for your OWN FAMILY as you did for that HUMAN.” Hissed Petropa.

Choerteris stabbed her through the chest and the vampire let out a loud moan and went limp.

Turning to you, Choerteris helped you to your feet. Petropa had been right about your mana expenditure; you were too weak to support yourself without Choerteris.

“We have to go. Others will come.” She said.

You grunted and began to limp towards the kitchen.

“Choerteris!”

You were surprised to hear another voice. Cesbron stumbled through the settling dust and rubble in a fit of coughs. It looked like he was limping.

“Daddy!”

You were surprised to hear such a hardboiled monster use the word. Cesbron hurried towards you and you raised a hand to blast him away.

“Anon, stop! He isn’t here to hurt us.” Said Choerteris pulling your hand aside. She ran over to Cesbron and hugged him. He picked her up and twirled her a little before setting her down.

“I was too late again I see…” said Cesbron as he surveyed the carnage.

“I’m sorry…” said Choerteris.

“It’s alright. I knew it would come to this. I’m just glad that neither of you were seriously hurt.” Said Cesbron.

“Awfully caring of you for a man who was about to see me tainted with mana.” You said.

“Actually, I was referring to my wife and daughter.” Said Cesbron.

Oh.

“I really wanted to get along with her this time. I swear! It’s just… she shouldn’t have summoned a human like that. And keeping him here against his wishes was wrong!” said Choerteris.

“You weren’t the only one with reservations about the plan. I do not oppose the summoning of humans, and I did hope that Anon would find a place within our family, but it has been clear for some time now that he is ill suited to Emballandae.”

Cesbron walked over to Petropa and pulled the bolt out of her stomach. Gently, he picked her up and cradled her in his arms. Her body seemed to instinctively latch onto him. A content smile spread over her face as she softly snored.

“What am I going to do with you…” said Cesbron.

“So, are you just going to let us go?” you asked.

“I don’t have much of a choice. I’m no fighter, and in all the chaos the guards raided the butler quarters. I’m surprised you can’t hear the commotion from here. Even the disciplined guards abandoned their posts to get a husband.”

So much for all their training. You imagined a room full of well-dressed courteous men being overrun with undead guards. Poor souls were probably going to have five wives a piece when it was over.

“Oh. Well, by then…” you said.

“Given the circumstances I don’t think you can hold it against me when I say it wasn’t all good meeting you, Anon…” said Cesbron hefting his sleeping wife. “…But it was interesting. Do come and visit some time, won’t you?”

You nodded. “Hey, could you say goodbye to Emballandae for me?”

“I’ll pass it along.” He said.

He turned and you both limped your separate ways.

~~~~~~

“Not far now.” Said Choerteris.

You had finally made it to the cellar. Rows of wine casks and crates formed a labyrinth of wood and nails. Choerteris led you as you groggily teaterd along behind her.

“Wait.” She said pressing you up against a barrel. You slumped to the ground and she extinguished the lantern she was holding.

“What is it?” you asked.

“I heard something.”

You closed your eyes and rested your head against the cool wood as Choerteris listened for whatever beast lurked amidst the ancient booze.

“… Come on. I don’t hear it anymore. We’re almost there anyways.”

Just before Choerteris rounded the corner, she abruptly stopped and shoved you away. There was a shrill yell and Emballandae emerged from the shadows with a rapier. She swung wildly at Choerteris, who sidestepped the blow.

“Where do you think YOU’RE going?” she asked.

“Emby! There you are. I wondered where you wound up in all this.” Said Choerteris.

Emballandae grit her teeth and thrust her sword at her sister. Choerteris dodged the strike again, which punctured a cask.

“Did you think I’d let you take him from me? Lapan told me about this place. You’re so predictable.”

“Emby, stop. It’s over.” Said Choerteris.

“You don’t even like me. Just think of this as getting rid of me.” You said.

“No! It isn’t over! I won’t let you win! You won’t just walk away this time!” shouted Emballandae. She charged at Choerteris again who effortlessly grabbed her wrist and disarmed her.

Up ahead, you saw movement in the dim light. Lapan whipped out from behind a box and leveled a crossbow at Choerteris’ chest. You had just enough time to put up a barrier with what little energy you had left before he fired. Though you failed to completely stop it, the bolt clattered to the ground at Choerteris’ feet. Emballandae looked terrified, obviously not anticipating her backup would be so ineffective.

“You, get out here now.” Said Choerteris.

Lapan tried to load another bolt, but Choerteris held Emballandae in front of her with a bear hug. He set the crossbow down and slowly walked towards the three of you.

“Let the lady go.” He said.

“Fine by me.” Said Choerteris. She let go of Emballandae and pushed her forwards into Lapan’s arms.

Emballandae growled and reached for her rapier, but Lapan held her back.

“Milady, no! It isn’t worth it. Just let that disgrace leave with the leech and be done with them.” Said Lapan.

“No! They can’t leave! He’s mine!” said Emballandae. She started to cry. “Why did you have to come back now? To take my stuff? Now mamma’s gonna be upset and it’s all your fault!”

“Mom’s temper isn’t my problem.” Said Choerteris.

“It’s always your fault! Because you couldn’t be a good vampire, mamma expects ME to make up for your mistakes! And now that you blew up the castle, she’s gonna be even angrier!” wailed Emballandae. Lapan hugged her and she buried her head into his chest.

“Emby, just tell her that you have to live your own life. You know how this works; if you want autonomy you have to be a little forceful.” Said Choerteris.

“I won’t tear our family apart! Not like you! I just want to do the stuff I like without momma bearing down on me. But you ruined everything AGAIN!”

“Emby…”

“I hate you!”

Choerteris turned and picked you up off the ground. “Let’s get out of here.” She mumbled.

Dragging you along, she approached a nearby barrel and opened the lid.

“Passage is through here. Get in.” she said.

You looked back at the sobbing vampire and scowling butler.

“Give me a second…” you said.

“For fuck’s sake Anon, can you just ignore the histrionics and get in the damn barrel?” said Choerteris.

Her words may have been tough, but you could tell she was on the verge of tears. Ignoring her, you rested against a barrel nearby.
“I’m sorry Emballandae. I really am. I know this isn’t how you wanted things to end, but I think you’ll be happier this way. I know I wasn’t always the best guest, but I really did come to enjoy the time I spent here. It’s just not the place I want to stay forever.”
Emballandae didn’t respond.

“I hope that you and Choerteris can mend fences after this is all over. From what I’ve seen, this family has a lot of work to do before it’s whole again. It doesn’t have to be fast, but I think that if you reach out with an open hand instead of a fist, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. And Lapan…”

He looked at you with a curious expression.

“Take good care of her okay? I’ll come visit someday. Maybe by then this whole fiasco will be far enough in the past that we can all laugh about it as friends.” You said.

Limping back to the cask, Choerteris helped you in and you descended the ladder into the darkness. At the bottom, a small tunnel extended into the inky blackness.

“Start crawling. Hope you brought some kneepads.” Said Choerteris.

With a sigh, you began the long crawl to freedom.

~~~~~~~

Ahh, daylight.

Well, moonlight. You were still in a demon realm after all.

The passage had spit you out at the foot of the hill Tomb Haven was built on. This side, the one opposite most of the town, was a jagged maze of rock and crags. Choerteris hopped down next to you and moved the rock blocking the passage back into place.
“Where do we go now?” you asked. You really hoped that she was planning on sticking with you until you were safe. No way in hell were you getting back to Admaz without an escort.

“I don’t know. I have to think about where to move you. In the meantime, you can live in my cabin. It’s isolated, and in an area with a low demon presence. Should be safe.”

“Can we rest first?” You asked.

“Oh yeah. We can rest.” Said Choerteris.

Pulling out some of your clothes to use as a blanket. You propped yourself up against a rock face behind some cover and got some sleep before the journey to Choerteris’ cabin.

~~~~~~~

Petropa sat at her desk with her face buried in her hands. The room was filled with silent monsters, all nervously waiting to give their boss their reports. Petropa let out a long sigh and stared through the mass of mamono into the distance.

“Okay… Let’s start with you, Goeth.” Said Petropa. She poured herself an entire water glass of whiskey and rubbed her eyes with one hand.

“Yes milady. Well, during the chaos, Choerteris-“

Petropa slammed her desk hard enough to cause a small crack in the wood.

“…Subject “C” deployed smokescreens that contained aphrodisiacs. Many of the guards were caught in said smoke, and lost inhibition. The quarters serving as residence for the human butlers were raided, and… all viable males were claimed by one or more guards. A total of thirty-seven males are now no longer viable for the butler program.”

Petropa had already finished half the glass of whiskey at this point.

“Great. Next how abou-“

“I’m afraid there’s more, milady…” said Goeth.

“Oh, perfect. Lay it on me!” said Petropa sarcastically. She sneered at the wight before allowing her face to return to a frustrated pout.

“A total of sixty-three guards “married” said butlers, and have decided to quit. That’s about a fifth of our forces, so we’ll have to hire quite a few mamono.”

Petropa finished her glass and refilled it. After it was full she pointed at Lussazan.

“… Is that gesture to signify that I am to go next?” asked Lussazan.

Petropa grabbed the bottle of whiskey and chugged what little remained in the bottom. After the last drop was out, she whipped the bottle at the lich who ducked out of the way.

“YES! OF FUCKING COURSE THAT MEANS YOU, YOU MORONIC FLOATING NUDIST! AND WHILE YOU’RE AT IT, WHY DON’T YOU TELL ME WHERE THE FUCK YOU WERE DURING THIS DISASTER! LILITH KNOWS THAT IF YOU HAD DRAGGED YOUR FAT PURPLE ASS OUT OF BED FOR TEN SECONDS YOU COULD HAVE JUST BLASTED CHOERTERIS TO THE MIST CONTINENT!”

“…Do you really think I’m fat?” said Lussazan covering her tummy.

“Hey! You made her cry.” Scolded Goeth.

“I don’t care! Just give me the damn report!”

“Apologize to her first!”

Petropa gawked at the room full of angry guards and castle staff. A maid gave Lussazan a hug and whispered something in her ear. Lussazan nodded and wiped her eyes. The maid looked over her shoulder at Petropa in disgust.

“Are you SERIOUS?!”

The room silently stared back at Petropa in contempt. Petropa downed a large gulp of whiskey and put her hands in the air.
“Fine! Fine. You know what. I’m sorry Lussazan. You aren’t fat. Now could you please give me my Eros damn report?” she said resting her chin in her hands and batting her eyelashes at the lich.

“She’s just jealous ‘cause she’s got no ass…” someone murmured from the back of the room.

“WHO SAID THAT?! YOU’RE FIRED! Get out of here!” shouted Petropa. No one moved.

“You fucking… I’ll figure it out later. Lussazan. Baby. Just tell me what the FUCK is going on.”

“Though Anon escaped, I have collected enough samples to continue my work for some time. Given Anon’s amicable nature, I suspect that further sample collection will be possible in the future if I reach out to him. As for my location during the conflict with… “subject C”, hostilities make me anxious, so I was being snuggled by my husband.” Said Lussazan with a blush.

“What, seriously? You really think he’ll just GIVE you samples of blood and cum? I got some NEWS for ya, he HATES this place and EVERYONE in it.” Said Petropa thrusting her mostly empty glass at the crowd. Some whisky sloshed onto he papers resting on her desk.

“Really? I thought he kind of liked it here.”

“Yeah. He was always happy when I saw him.”

“He knew me by name.”

“Never had a bad experience with the guy. Always polite, always said hello.”

"Only time I ever heard him raise his voice was when he was around you, boss."

Petropa let her mouth hang open as she reclined in her chair. Leaning her head back, she stared at the ceiling as the room began to spin.

“You appear inebriated, Lady Petropa. Should we continue this meeting another time? I could fetch you some nausea medica-“

“No. Fuck it.” Said Petropa, cutting off Lussazan. “I’m feeling masochistic so just lay it on me. I don’t care who goes next, just start talking when another person finishes.”

“Err… I guess I’ll go. The damage to the castle was extensive, especially the ballroom. Estimates to repair the damage range from 90 to 130 thousand gold. In addition…”

Petropa listened to the drone of her underlings as nausea and vertigo took their toll on her. Some day she would find Choerteris. The human was a tragic loss of an investment, but ultimately replaceable. Worth no more than the novelty. Choerteris was what she was most focused on. Some day she would find her daughter again. This family was going to be dragged together by her hand one way or another. It was just a matter of time. For now, Petropa knew she needed to grow even stronger.

Leaning over a wastebasket, Petropa realized too late that it was made of wire mesh instead of a solid metal. The meeting was quickly adjourned, and Lussazan and Goeth helped their sobbing boss to her bed.

~~~~~

“I brought you some tea, milady.” Said Lapan.

“Thank you.” Said Emballandae. She didn’t get up from her seat by the window.

Lapan poured her a cup and walked it over to her. She watched him approach in the reflection of the glass. The valley around Tomb Haven sprawled out into the distance under the stars.

“You’re better off without him.” Said Lapan.

Emballandae looked at him.

“Wh- Oh. Anon. Yes, I think so too. I don’t know what I felt when I was with him, but it didn’t sound like what the priests of Eros describe love as. Still, he was fun to have around. Perhaps that's what having a friend is like." She blew into her teacup and savored the scent of spice. "I’m more worried about Choerteris than Anon.”

“She can handle herself.” Said Lapan.

“I know. I just wish she would let the rest of us into her life. I really miss her…”

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that she’ll be back if you’re here waiting for her.”

Emballandae took a sip of tea and watched the steam frost the window with mist. Using her finger, she doodled the first symbol in Choerteris’ name before wiping the condensation away.

“Well, it’s getting late. I shall see you again in the morning milady.” Said Lapan with a bow.

“Wait.”

The young butler paused with the tea tray in hand.

“Um… I might need you again. I’m not going to bed right now, so just stay handy in case I need something.” Said Emballandae.

Lapan smiled. “With pleasure, Lady Emballandae.”