This material is copyrighted.  It has been posted to Alt.Sex.Stories Text
Repository (www.asstr.org), the alt.sex.stories newsgroup and to
StoriesOnline (www.storiesonline.net) If it is found anywhere else, it has
been used without the author's express permission, and the author should be
notified immediately.



Chapter 14: Blessed be the Children

We spent much of the afternoon and evening trying to
organize the influx of children we found ourselves
inundated with. We finally had to organize raiding
parties of the oldest ones to gather bedding and
supplies from abandoned and empty homes nearby.
Fortunately, the weather was warm, and we were able to
settle all but the youngest outside the main house.

But now it was late, and Nalita and I were relaxing for
a moment, and she was teaching me of one of the most
basic skills a Ventrue possessed. "The skill is called
Presence. What it amounts to is the ability to coerce
kine or weaker Kindred to do your bidding. You had a
fair amount of skill before I Embraced you. You used it
to persuade others fairly easily. You'll need it now to
get the people we need to follow you here. When they
hear about the pestilence, they'll be reluctant to
approach. You'll need to be persuasive, and perhaps
demanding. It will be easier if you can cause them to
sample your blood. You'll want to do that anyway, in
case the pestilence is still to be found."

Then she looked at me. "Why didn't you come to me
before Mia and Zara got sick?"

"I hoped, nay, I prayed the plague would pass by. And I
feared placing them under your dominion. I was a fool,
and now I have lost all." Shudders racked me for a time
as I tried to control my agony.

"Not all, dear Erlic, just far too much." She held me
close. Then she led me to her bedchamber. "I have a
surprise tonight."

She opened the door, and I saw Kiro sitting on the bed.
"She asked to join us. She was afraid if she asked you,
you'd tell her no. But I knew you wouldn't."

I leaned close and whispered in her ear. "And what
about our mutual feasting? What are we to do about
that?"

"Maybe she will not care." I know I looked shocked.

She led me to the bed where a nervous Kiro knelt. I
noticed she wore a simple bed robe, and her knees were
naked where it pulled up. I reached out and gently
caressed her cheek. And when I would have withdrawn my
hand, she captured it and kissed my palm. "Kiro, are
you sure you want this?"

"M'Lord...I mean, Erlic, I need this from you. Hiroko
is gone. I loved him so much! But he's gone! And I know
you loved me at one time. Please, let me find comfort
with you!"

I drew her close, and Nalita wrapped us both in her
arms. And I realized Nalita had undressed while Kiro
made her plea. Then Nalita gently kissed Kiro's cheek,
and then mine before drawing me back, then helping Kiro
to stand. She untied Kiro's robe, and opened it slowly,
displaying the fine form beneath. Kiro's breasts were
fuller than they had been, but her waist was still
slim. I could feel myself stir in remembrance. Then
Kiro shrugged the robe off, and both women approached
me.

Nalita began to unlace my shirt as Kiro knelt and
slipped my boots off. Then she gently stroked the bulge
of my trousers before loosening my belt. Nalita slipped
my shirt off and ran her fingers across my torso. Then
Kiro slid my trousers off my hips.

I nearly swooned as each woman took me between her
lips. Nalita nibbled lightly on my nipple as Kiro
caressed the tip of cock. "Kiro," Nalita softly said,
"let's take him to the bed, and we can both appreciate
his charms." Kiro looked up with a smile, then stood
and lead me to the bed by my protruding organ. They
forced me onto my back, and took turns caressing me
with their tongues. I began to groan with the intense
pleasure.

I was beginning to twitch when Nalita whispered in
Kiro's ear. Kiro's eyes gleamed and she nodded, and
Nalita released me and crawled up the bed. She turned
to face Kiro, and squatted above my face. Kiro moved up
as well, and straddled my hips. Then they both sank
down together, Kiro's pussy engulfing my throbbing
cock, and Nalita's damp slit hovering above my lips.

Kiro set a gentle pace, rising up and down slowly and
grinding her self on my invading shaft. Nalita sank
down and let me ravage her with my mouth. I slid my
tongue between her labia, thrusting it into her and
rubbing my chin against her clit.  When Kiro began to
drive herself faster, Nalita slid off my face and lay
alongside me.  She watched avidly as the lips of Kiro's
pussy dragged up and down my shaft, and I reached up
and began to stroke her soaked slit. As Kiro's groans
grew more ragged, Nalita leaned against me and snarled:
"Bite me. Strike my breast with your fangs, and slash
me deep. I want Kiro to see the truth." When she
screamed, "DO IT!" Kiro looked up, and watched in shock
as I slashed Nalita's breast, my fangs clearly visible
against the pale skin and crimson liquid. And when my
lips closed over the bleeding wounds and she saw me
swallowing, her pussy spasmed violently and she cried
out in an orgasmic frenzy. I followed immediately with
my own pleasure.

Then I drew Kiro down, and kissed her. She was
hesitant, but when she tasted no blood, she relaxed and
kissed me back. I kissed along her chin and to her
throat. Then I extended my fangs and stroked her skin
gently. I felt her shiver, and freed her to move away,
but she snuggled closer instead. "Are you sure, Kiro? I
won't do this if you have any fear, or doubt."

"Yes, please. I trust you."

I wasn't sure how to do this. I finally just let the
tips slice her skin. She shivered at the touch, then
moaned slightly as my lips closed around the wound. As
I suckled on her throat, her legs gripped my waist, and
she began to rock herself against me.

Seeing this, Nalita moved down, and reached between
Kiro's open legs. As I drank, I knew by the changing
tones of her moans that Nalita's touches were taking
her nearer to climax, and I wanted to finish at the
precise moment it struck.

At last Kiro stiffened against me, and I stroked the
wounds with my tongue, then caught her as she collapsed
against me. When she'd recovered slightly, she leaned
up to kiss me. As our lips touched, I cut mine and
allowed a drop of blood to fall upon her lips.  Then I
held her as the pain wracked her body.

During the week we used to prepare for my recruitment
trip, Nalita and Kiro shared my bed every night. We
taught Kiro of the covenant, and she readily accepted
it. I continued to feed from her as we made love, and
Nalita took her pleasure from both of us.

My search for assistance was long, and difficult. It
took a great deal of effort to convince the craftsmen
and others we needed to come to Nasai. I thanked the
goddess every morning for Nalita's help in
strengthening my skills, and wished that Kiro had
joined me when I went to bed weakened from the sharing
of my blood. The mercenaries were easier. All it took
for them was a fat purse.

But at last, I was home, and the remodeling of Nasai
was begun. But so had the expected looting.

The looters we weren't too concerned with, we simply
assigned the mercenaries to patrol, and salvage what
they found. Anything that was small and valuable within
miles the children had already collected, and turned
over to us for safekeeping, or to support the rest. The
looters quickly found themselves out of luck.

Slavers were another matter. Almost daily a group of
children would come to us with stories of how one of
their friends had been taken by a strange man. We would
question the children, gather what information they
possessed, and I would search that night for the
kidnappers.

Something I learned during this time was that I'd never
forgotten the skills with the blade that I'd picked up
so many years ago in the caravans. In truth, with my
preternatural speed, I was unbeatable by all but a
master swordsman. And I learned that Nalita was right
about a full set of fangs.

When I would find a camp of slavers, I used my mental
skills to force their victims into deepest sleeps. Then
I would enter the camp and demand the children's
return. And after the guards had attacked and died, I
took great pleasure in slaughtering the slave masters
with fang and claw. Then I would leave the carnage to
be found, with a placard stating that this was what
happened to slavers. I admit I was almost disappointed
when children stopped being taken.

But that had been nearly five years ago. The pestilence
hasn't taken anyone since the last parent died so long
ago. Some of the oldest children that had arrived at
Nalita's gate that day had a child of their own. Nasai
was again a thriving community and center of trade.

I'd learned a great deal more about being Kindred, and
Ventrue. With the third skill of the Ventrue,
Fortitude, I'd learned I could beat the torpor sunlight
brought. I'd learned that with preparation, I could
even walk freely in the sunlight. Unfortunately,
preparation required the heart blood of two lovers, or
the near draining of five. Or I could stride the day in
a suit of full armor and a black velvet hood. I didn't
miss the sun that much yet.

And I was bored.

Nalita, Kiro and I sat in her sitting room one night.
Nalita brought the matter up. "Erlic, I know the last
five years have been difficult. Running an orphanage
wasn't what you wanted to do." She chuckled softly. "It
wasn't my plan, either. But in ten years, the last of
the children will be on their own, and I can wait that
long. But I can sense your impatience. You long to
travel again. And I agree. But travel requires a food
source. And as much a Kiro loves you, I don't think
she's ready to leave Seria and Torako behind for a long
period."  I looked at Kiro and she looked chagrinned as
she acknowledged this.

"So, the first thing we need to do is find you a new
lover. No, let me correct that. You need to find
additional lovers. And I'm going to recommend you also
find some protection. There are times when you will be
extremely vulnerable. You will need trustworthy
servants around you. And that is why I recommend you
look for lovers among the mercenary camps."

I was startled by this idea. But when I looked at Kiro,
she was looking almost smug. Apparently, my Ladies had
been plotting around me. So the next night, at dusk, we
made our way to one of the camps. I'd pretty much
ignored the mercenaries since I'd hired them, so was
surprised to see how many we supported. But what
shocked me was how many were women. And these weren't
camp followers. These were warriors. And I knew the
choices weren't going to be simple.

The camp leader we approached, who was a stranger to
me, asked our business. After introducing our selves as
Nalita and Alexander, we explained that we wished to
organize a force of arms that could be easily concealed
within a larger, more traditional force. A force that
would be ignored, mistaken as camp followers. The
leader, who recognized Nalita as the one who made him
wealthy and lazy, nodded his understanding, and agreed
to send the women in his force to Nalita's home the
next day for interviews and to display their skills.

We visited the other three camps and made our spiel.
When we finished, we expected we'd have nearly seventy-
five applicants. We were shockingly underestimating.
The next morning, Nalita's seneschal collected the
names of two hundred applicants.

It turned into a tournament. The women were strong.
Fast. And meaner then angry snakes. And many of them
were absolutely beautiful. And almost a third of them
displayed a wantonness that amused and delighted me.
And when it was done, we had our silent army, and I had
my first Garden.
