of steel

      She’s certainly giving the air of someone carrying a little suspicion toward him, but that’s to be expected. After all, they’ve only just met and he’s essentially offering her the world– of course it would seem unreal. But Elijah simply keeps walking with her, having already given Freya a heads up that he’ll be coming by for the spell so that she can get some things ready for it. When she speaks, Elijah glances toward her and hums softly.

     “Something no one should be deprived of. Just try not to cause too much trouble– we have something of an agreement with the locals here.” He shoots her a half smile, before gesturing to the compound up ahead. “Just this way.”

“Anything I should know about in regards to this agreement?” she asked curiously as they continued their walk. “I wouldn’t want to unknowingly do something that steps on anyone’s toes.”

Cuddle

Run away

Woohoo

Kick

“I do know that, you know that better than anyone that I would do anything for our daughter. Artemis means the world to me,” This was why he was so concerned about who she went after. All it took was one wrong person being the target and she would get hurt. The vampire would suffer, but not before his daughter did, which was scary to him. 

“I shouldn’t… encourage that but the sooner he gets off the council, the better chance I will have at convincing them to change.” He despised Cassius more than he cared to admit, but he was respectful to an extent. Once he was gone, Zach actually had a chance to better the coven from his seat rather than facing the hell he always did. 

He noticed Semira stiffen and his gaze fell to the ground for a moment, smiling at his daughter. He always immediately melted when he saw his little girl. She really had him wrapped around his finger. 

“Only if you promise to be quiet, princess.” He moved to pick Artemis up and pressed a kiss to her head. 

Semira couldn’t help but smirk when her mate gave in so easily. She wasn’t exactly pleased with this, but she supposed if Artemis didn’t interrupt their work, she didn’t mind. 

“And you claim I’m the one who’s too lenient.” she murmured softly with a chuckle. “Artemis,” Semira raised her voice above the earlier hushed tone. “If you are to stay, you must also allow us to work.” she insisted. The little blonde nodded. “I will.” She walked over to Semira’s desk, sitting in her chair and leaning back into it. 

“Anyway,” Semira spoke, deciding to change the subject from their earlier conversation. She took a sketch from her desk and handed it to Zach. “I believe we need trip wires around the perimeter of the castle. To be turned on during the day. If anything in the radius were to get triggered, an alarm would go off alerting us of someone’s presence on the grounds.”

“Do I dare ask why you thought that would be a wise idea?”

“I... I’m not sure it was wise.” Semira admitted. She knew she could’ve been caught listening in to the council meeting, but she had been willing to risk that. “I miss it.” she told Sonja. “I miss it terribly. Currently my life is without purpose and I can’t stand it.”

      Elijah hums softly, not truly surprised by her admission. After all, he’s been alive over a thousand years– he’s seen how the different species treat each other. 

      He watches her attempt to make a decision on what piece of jewellery to use, and when she selects a ruby ring he inclines his head in a light nod. “Indeed it would.” He confirms, glancing at his watch to check the time. “Come with me. We’ll go and get that spelled.”

Smiling as he approved of the ring, she began to walk with him. Semira being ever cautious, was still fully prepared to take out her sword and slice him to shreds if he began running away with it-- she knew very well how elaborate some scams could be and was still half convinced this might be one. That ring was worth a small fortune and if he did somehow manage to escape her with it, selling it would make anyone very wealthy. Still, Semira was also willing to take that risk in case this wasn’t a scam, in case a witch could actually enchant this ring so that she could walk in the sun. 

“Thank you, again.” she murmured. “If this actually works, I... I’m not even sure of what I’ll do first. It’s been so long since I’ve even seen the sun, let alone be in it.”

“Trust me, I know Cassius is mean to our daughter.” It was something he had been considering bringing to the elders if the attitude towards his daughter persisted. He understood the fact that Cassius held some form of grudge towards his family due to Semira and the fact that Zach was far better received in the coven as a council member than he ever was, and that their daughter was a pureborn vampire. “I know his attitude is something that needs to be worked on.” 

But nothing would change if Cassius could claim that it was because their daughter was the aggressor. 

“I don’t mind if she pranks someone like Emily, because I know there won’t be any serious consequences on her. I worry that if she continues to prank someone like Cassius… or hell even if she pulls the wrong prank on someone like Daisy, she’ll end up getting hurt, no matter her proficiency in weapons.” He wanted Semira to understand his concern. He worked so hard to diffuse situations and at some point soon he was going to be unable to stop anything. 

“Certainly you understand if any harm comes to our daughter, I’ll end the person who dared to even threaten her.” she spoke in a tone that was meant to be assuring. “We are both immensely strong, and so is she. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Besides... soon we won’t have to worry about Cassius. I have been patient, dedicated, and careful. I’m very close to having everything I need for us, and this coven, to be free of him.”

Semira immediately straightened up and inhaled a quick breath as she felt her spine being poked. Swiftly turning around, first she looked forward, and seeing nothing after a second, she looked down. Artemis. The little girl had incredibly soft footsteps.

“Artemis. You should be in bed, your father and I are working.” she murmured.

As soon as Artemis was born, Zach’s whole world became focused on his daughter. He wanted her to know just how loved she was, but also understand that things wouldn’t be given to her on a silver platter, especially because she was a Corvinus-Strain Pureborn vampire. It was like a target could be placed on her back, and he would do anything to keep her safe. Of course, it grew harder with how Semira kept trying to give her weapons and teach her to fight when she was far too young, and that even now, at age five, she was proficient in knives despite his best efforts. 

That night, he was going over the plans for the coven, looking up ways that they could increase the security in the coven. He had thought that Artemis was down for her nap like she was supposed to be, but upon hearing Semira speak, he let out a groan and rested his head on the desk for a moment. The fact that their daughter was already getting into trouble with Cassius of all vampires was not a good thing. It was unsettling and definitely had him worried for her safety. 

“It’s not funny, Semira. She could get in serious trouble with the rest of the council.” He wanted to make sure that this was the only time she messed with him. Especially because of the dangers it could pose to her. “We already know Cassius does not like her.”

Semira smiled in response to his concern. 

“It’s a little funny. He’s mean to her, and she’s only a child, it makes sense for a child to be mean back. Unlike most children, however, she knows how to defend herself if something were to happen.” she spoke. 

Zach would think she spoke of her defensive skills and her skills with knives, which was partially true, but she was also speaking of something else. She didn’t dare tell Zach, but she had taught Artemis in secret how to use a small handgun. Semira stressed with the utmost importance however, it was only to be used if her life was in danger. It was in Semira and Zach’s bedroom in a secret place she showed Artemis, and next to it was one single UV bullet. If she was in danger, she was instructed to run as fast as she could to this gun, and only then use it. 

It was clear that she, Zach, and a few others in the coven loved and adored Artemis. Their daughter, five going on six, was beautiful, intelligent, kind when she wanted to be, but very rambunctious and mischievous. Semira was unsure of why. She knew it wasn’t from a lack of structure or being spoiled, she made sure neither were a problem. Artemis did chores, she only received nice things if she “earned” them, such as finishing all of her chores early, if she took on extra tasks, or if she succeeded at something really well. 

It might’ve been all the freedom Semira gave her-- boredom probably had something to do with it too, there wasn’t much around the castle for a young child to do. Even though she was only five, vampire maturity was at least somewhat more advanced than humans, and Semira figured she would be fine not having someone hovering over her all the time. By Semira’s standards at least, Artemis was free to roam about the castle and grounds without supervision. She fought Zach on it, and they both still argued about it from time to time, but it wasn’t like Zach could watch her twenty-four-seven anyway. They both had constant work to do, Zach being a council member, Semira being his regent. Currently they were working on updating the coven’s security measures. 

Sonja would have rolled her eyes if she had been the sort. Showing her insolence outright, had never been something of her character. The original of the Death Dealers, the first, had more covert ways of showing her disdain for the rules of their kind, rules her father had put into place. Instead, she stood stoic, her child, the hybrid named Lilith, close to her side.

Lilith’s breath was controlled, heartrate slightly elevated but steady. “What will we do mother…?” Lilith’s question weighed on the Elder Vampyr. She could tell, even as her relative young age.

The in-fighting was what allowed Viktor to keep a hold on the covens, all of them, for as long as he had. “Do you even hear yourselves? With the decorum of school children, it is no wonder why our houses, our covens, fell to the years. Lycans or not, we have not made the most of ourselves. You wonder, why Viktor and his tenuous, dictator’s rule kept us all under thumb for as long as it did…? It is because of this.” Sonja gestured between Semira and Cassius. “Not because of the Lycan’s zeal for freedom from centuries of slavery and mistreatment. Not even because of the lies Viktor sold us all. It is because, with as many strong as our numbers, we could not come together for anything. Not even when the wolves at out door were not even wolves anymore, but humans… We were our most surest downfall. Tearing ourselves apart in here, by person, by coven, by belief, instead of standing unified…”

It was an eloquent speech, but to few others and Lilith, it did not look like many were buying into it. Perhaps the most civil of them all. The young hybrid didn’t know the one they called Semira well at all, but she seemed to understand that not all Viktor said was the truth. And that, was a very good start.

Both of them felt the power in Sonja’s voice, and both remained silent to listen. She was right, Semira knew. The in-fighting was constant and relentless, growing more aggressive with each passing century. They were always fighting each other for power. Once Sonja finished speaking, it was Cassius to speak up first. 

“Standing unified is easier said than done when you have subordinates who refuse to listen to authority.” he told her. 

“Good authority is rarely questioned,” Semira countered. “If no one ever questioned you, my coven would’ve been annihilated decades ago. The measures that have kept us safe, the ones I put into place, the ones you told me not to, if we didn’t have them, these walls wouldn’t be standing today. There’s a reason that my coven is one of the last standing.” 

for @inacciaio​ from ilona verse: main [ 21st century ]

The past two centuries had been nothing but wars among the humans. Things had gotten so repetitive that she had retreated into a deep slumber, but between the 19th and 21st centuries, the coffin she had been placed in had gotten lost. It was only recently that it had been discovered in the ruins of an old vampire safe room, hidden in a sunken chamber next to the armory.

With all three Vampire Elders dead, speculation was rife over who was inside. Varga, the vampire who had found her, was in the middle of draining blood into the small hole that ran along the top of the coffin, where a small feeder dripped the blood straight into the desiccated corpse’s mouth. Semira had been sent for to help identify who it was, and as wrinkled skin gave way to pale, smooth flesh, lank hair shifting to thick, dark locks, and milky eyes turning blue, the ‘corpse’ began to stir.

Certainly fascinated at discovering a desiccated vampire, Semira practically leapt at the chance. She made her way to the safe room as quick as she could, not leaving a moment to waste. As soon as she arrived, however, her speed jarringly halted upon seeing the body. Semira recognized who it was immediately. 

“Ilona?” she whispered, looking in shock. Viktor had said that she had died long ago, and there was a small part of her that had questioned it. Frankly, she had attached herself to Ilona, looking to her like a mother figure, especially since she was treated so much kinder by her than by Viktor. Semira had wanted to leave with her, and was planning to, but then suddenly Ilona was gone. Viktor told her that Ilona had left without her. Months later, word of her “death” had arrived. 

She wasn’t finding the words. Semira was silently watching as Varga fed blood to her. She remained silent until Ilona finally stirred and she raced to her side. 

      Elijah studies her for a moment as she seems to mull his response over, and he wonders just how little of the world this woman truly knows. It seems she’s allowed to travel, at least, but without interacting at all with members of the other species, there’s very little you can learn.

     “It is, whilst it lasts. Unfortunately, it rarely lasts more than a few months before someone on whatever side decides to break it.” He hums, before her question draws his attention to the ring on his finger. He twirls it idly around his finger, before he raises his hand to glance at it. “A witch must spell it for you. I’m certain I could have one made for you, if you’d like? Do you have any jewellery with you at all?” 

“Still, it is something. We have never been able to make peace on our side of things, not once.” Semira admitted with a sigh. 

caveats? terms and conditions? semira’s description of immortality was painted like some sad story some sap would frame in a tale of dracula. as if it wasn’t womanhood and everything that came with it. the terms and conditions that came with being wanted or acceptable if she could ever fully attain those things. pageants are simply an extension of her womanhood.

patty recalls distantly a film she had watched along side edmund of a man in a dramatic cape saying, to die, to be really dead must be glorious. really vampires were a euphemism, something to scare people of their own sexuality or like witches — burning women with power because they lived beyond what society deemed acceptable. 

if she ever got to taste what semira was, she’d make damn sure to make the world her buffet.

sucking in air between her teeth, she crosses her arms to size the other up, “fine. we’ll do this first. i have plenty of time to get what i want and show to you that i’d be a good whatever you are.” roughly, she wipes at her soft cheeks, smearing the black mascara garishly as she does. like a fine actress, patty bubbles up with no trace of the haunted expression she wore before, “you said you’d teach me how to use a knife and we’d go from there.“

“I can teach you the basics, but more importantly I need to show you how to use a long range sniper rifle. That is what you’ll be using in our assassination.” Semira informed. “Ideally, you will be on a rooftop, and once the first shot is made, I’ll come in on the ground.”

Patty was definitely over excitable, so she had to help keep her reigned in and focused. Semira knew this would be a challenge, especially since she herself wasn’t too experienced with guns. Swords and other blades were more her specialty, but Patty being a fragile human, she couldn’t afford to attack vampires at close range. She would be ripped apart in an instant like paper.