Claimed

Authors Note:*** To anyone who hasn't already seen, I've posted a new Oneshot called Only Fools Rush In. It's quite long, so be warned. Out of all my stories, this one has been the biggest thorn. There isn't much about Vampires that hasn't already been written, so I hope that some of the things I'm doing with this tale feel original and not stale. Many thanks to my new Beta Robert (Ragnarok45) who is currently working on this story and one other (Expensive Disaster) for me at the moment. Also, I've started a yahoo group for anyone who wishes to join which I will be using for various things related to my fiction including update alerts, story/chapter discussion and other things. If you're interested you can join at groups dot yahoo dot com/group/Digitallace/

Chapter 15 The Council of Ten

Draco was getting more and more disoriented as he was led quickly through the labyrinth of caverns inside the mountain. The twists and turns in their route had him unsure how deep into the giant rock they had traveled or even how long they had been walking; it felt like miles.

The longer they walked the more certain Draco became that he was going to die. There was no way for him to sneak out, no way for him to talk his way out of it, and certainly no way for him to fight.

Severus trailed behind him grumbling about the lacking hospitality and moaning that he should never have come, which Draco couldn’t help but agree with. He even found himself wishing that he hadn’t stormed the mountain and instead listened when Harry told him not to come.

But he knew better, Draco never could have lived with himself if he hadn’t at least tried to see Harry, even now, even if it was only one last time he got to to see his beautiful Harry again. “He’ll never let you just kill me you know,” Draco shouted. “He’ll come for me.”

“That’s what we’re counting on young one,” the vampire beside him replied. In spite of the pure evil that dripped from her, she was actually quite stunning. She had long red hair, but not the garish ginger color of some of his old Weasley classmates, but rather a strawberry blonde, almost pink in hue. Her have was long and sharp and her face was painted up with dramatic black makeup that made her blue eyes shine despite the gloom of the cave they were walking through.

Aside from her – Draco did not yet know her name – there were nine others in their party. A tall, dark-skinned gentleman in black leather who went by the name Uthos, two fair-haired women that looked like twins, one name Sabel and the other was Krist. Surrounding Severus were two very bulky men, both with black hair and silver studs in their skin, neither of which spoke at all. Then there were two in the front, Jacob and Pix, and two in the rear, Tobin and Mint.

None of them spoke much as they pulled Draco and Severus along, and he was lucky to just glean their names. “Why do you all want Harry so badly?” Draco asked.

“He’s the king’s weapon. We either need to make him join us, or destroy him,” the woman beside him answered.

“Then let me go to him, and I’ll convince him for you. If he would listen to anyone, it would be me,” Draco pleaded.

“Hush Callie, the prisoners are not to be spoken to,” Jacob called from the front.

“They’re only humans,” Callie scoffed.

“That human is the mate to the one we seek. He’s dangerous,” Jacob replied.

Callie lifted Draco’s pale arm and let it drop limply. “He’s scrawny,” she called back as if Draco couldn’t hear her.

“He’s dangerous to our cause, Callie, not our bodies,” Jacob replied with annoyance.

“Fine,” Callie huffed and scrutinized Draco closely, most likely still looking for potential danger from the seemingly frail boy.

They continued on in silence, the one called Callie looking over at Draco occasionally and Severus padding quietly behind them under his own careful surveillance.

When they finally arrived at their destination, Draco was caught off guard by the grandeur and opulence of it. Carved into the rock face of the mountain was a palace, its detailing inset with black granite walls and amethyst stone pillars. It seemed to sparkle in spite of the lack of natural light underground, as it was lit with strings of fairy lights.

The structure was magnificent, almost ten stories tall with giant half turrets carved into the face of the mountain and various windows and alcoves recessed into it. It was as if someone only built an entire palace, but over time the majority of it was covered by mountain, leaving only three meters of the face exposed. Large white marble stairs led up to wrought iron gates, which had already been opened to allow them access to the manor.

Severus stepped up beside Draco to get a better look of their new surroundings and Draco took that moment to elbow the man sharply in the ribs for his previous antics in the entrance chamber. “I hope they really do sell you off like cattle. It would serve you right, traitor,” Draco hissed.

“I couldn’t possibly be a traitor if my only loyalty is to myself,” Severus replied with narrowed eyes.

Callie took Draco’s arm and led him up the stairs and into the glistening stone palace. Despite his trepidation, he couldn’t help but feel slightly awestruck by the brilliant craftsmanship as he entered through the gates and another set of towering walnut doors. The interior was mostly white, aside from the amethyst pillars, which continued down the walls inside, sparkling in the light from the massive silver chandelier hanging above their heads.

The floors were the same black granite used on the outside of the palace, which Draco now saw had thick flecks of metallic gold floating within it’s obsidian depths. Lavish furnishings were littered throughout, as well as ornately carved doors leading off the main hall.

They made a sharp left at the end of the first hall, which led them down a long corridor covered in paintings, most of which bore some stunningly beautiful lord or lady; Draco could only assume they were paintings of vampires.

At the end of the corridor were a set of doors, each one at least two stories high and carved with detailed pictures that Draco didn’t have time to process before being forced through them.

“Take the sallow one to the auction chamber and leave him with Callus,” Jacob ordered, and the two bulky vampires dragged Severus away despite his cranky protests.

“Just keep quiet, boy,” Callie whispered into Draco’s ear. “You don’t want to say anything that would anger the council,” she advised.

Draco nodded curtly as she led him to the far side of the room. There were chains and shackles bunched up by the wall, but Callie didn’t bother with them, instead choosing to keep a firm grip on his upper arm. Draco already knew there was nothing he could do to free himself from her grasp, and she could easily tear his arm clean off should she feel the need to do so.

The room was long and narrow with a large oval table was set in the center of it, surrounded by ten tall black wooden chairs. The walls were a deep gray stone, but sectioned off into six murals, each of which depicted an elaborate piece of artwork that looked like enormous stained glass windows looking over an Italian vineyard.

The doors opened once more and several people filed into the room, each one sending a shiver down Draco’s spine. These were not the fair, young-looking vampires that had greeted Draco at the mountain entrance, at least not all of them. No, the vampires that entered the room and took their seats at the mighty desk were quite ancient looking.

They all had long silver hair that they would have to sweep aside in order to sit down. They wore matching black silk garments that hung loosely, yet well tailored over their pale bodies. There were five women and five men, but all looked nearly identical.

Draco could tell they were a fair bit older then the rest he had seen so far, but how much older he couldn’t tell. Physically they still appeared young in that they had smooth unmarred skin and agile movements, but there was a presence about them that made Draco wonder how long these particular vampires had actually been alive: how much they had witnessed.

In unison they turned to look at Draco, and he suddenly understood why they seemed so different from the others. Though they appeared to be as young as Callie who was tensed beside him, they had eyes as black as pitch and the color didn’t stop at the iris, but bled into the rest, making them solid obsidian between pale lids and lashes. The effect was unnerving at best.

What was most surprising though were the ten who entered in with the ancient vampires. They each took a place behind a chair and Draco though they were assistants at first, then he noticed that most were of opposing gender to the seated vampire, and he speculated that they must be their mates. That was of course until one of them moved to assist their ancient… with magic.

Behind each vampire, clothed in a deep purple so dark it would have looked black if it hadn’t been right next to true black cloth, stood ten witches and wizards, the first Draco had seen since his arrival. It wasn’t until he realized this that he noticed that they were not vampires at all, and still entirely human, living amongst the vampires and seemingly content.

Draco felt a stirring of hope that he wouldn’t be killed; after all, he was also a wizard and could certainly be just as useful as any of these.

“Calliope, who do you bring before us,” the one furthest from them spoke, her voice like a wind chime.

“This is Draco Malfoy, mate to the chosen one,” she replied and the group all silently looked to one another in question.

“He’s human,” one of them stated plainly, but as if that meant what Callie said was impossible.

“I’m aware of that,” she replied, looking as if it took force of will not to roll her eyes at the obvious statement.

“So he has yet to bond with his mate,” said another, a man, who had a deep booming cadence that nearly shook the walls.

“We believe that is true, yes,” she replied, her eyes flickering to Draco before settling back on the table of ancients.

“Well this is simple, kill him and soon the chosen one will die. Surely he cannot live long enough to destroy us if we squash his mate,” another one piped in, but was thankfully met by discord.

“No, we cannot simply murder the mate of the chosen one, no mater how… human he is,” another spoke up.

“Abigail is right, that’s against our law, and we cannot start breaking vampire law or else we’re no better then the king,” another woman said with a lilting, breathy voice.

There was a mass of grumbling at the table and Draco plunged his hands deep into his robe pockets, reaching for his wand. He wanted to be prepared if the council turned on him. There might not be much he could do to destroy any of them, but he could try and slow them down at the very least. Draco Malfoy would not die at the hand of a bloodsucker, at least not any of these, and not without a fight.

“What is that?” Callie hissed suddenly.

Draco looked up in time to see her eyes widen. “He’s a wizard,” she announced, pulling Draco’s arm from his pocket to reveal his wand, still gripped tightly in his hand.

A gasp rang out through the room, and even the other witches and wizards looked up at him then. “Well this changes everything,” one of the ancients mused.

“We can bind him to another and break his hold on the Potter boy,” the man with the booming voice said.

“Only if he cannot pursuade the chosen one to fight with us, instead of against us,” the slight woman with the lilting voice corrected.

“Of course,” the other replied, though his fanged smile made Draco wary.

“Take him to his quarters and bring us Robert,” called the one on the end and Callie dropped into a low bow, which Draco attempted to mimic, but failed, and pulled Draco gently from the room.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were wizard?” she hissed.

“Why does it matter so much?” Draco replied.

“Wizards are highly sought after here in our colony. The king holds most of them in his castle and refuses to let them work for us, and the few we do have are obligated to the council. We only have two others aside from the ones you saw in that room,” she replied.

“Well now you have two more I suppose,” Draco grumbled.

“The other is a wizard as well?” she asked excitedly.

“Snape? Yes, he is… unfortunately. Are you really going to sell him?” Draco asked hopefully.

She shook her head. “The council will claim him now, as long as I can get to the auctioneer before he’s sold off to the highest bidder.”

“So now what happens to us?” Draco asked, thankful that he had been paired up with the only vampire willing to speak with him.

“We’ll get your mates attention and hope he comes after you. If you can’t convince him to join us and oppose the king, then you’ll be turned over to the council and you’ll work for us until you grow too old,” she responded matter-of-factly.

“So I have no choice?” Draco asked. “What happens to Harry if he refuses to join you? I can’t go home to my family?”

Callie chuckled softly and patted Draco on the back. “Easy, young one. You’ll get all your answers in due time.” They stopped in front of a large walnut door and she ushered Draco through it. “For now I must try to save your companion.”

“Do you have to?” Draco asked grudgingly.

“I’m afraid so,” Callie replied with a smile and left Draco alone with his questions.

--

“He’s here?” Harry shouted, stepping closer to the king.

“Yes, he’s been taken by the rebellion and is being held his prisoner. They wish to meet with you,” the king sighed.

“I’ll go, did they say where, or when?” Harry asked, frantic to see his beloved and make sure he was safe.

“You don’t understand Harry, they’ll destroy you,” the king replied, standing up and pacing the room.

“Then send your guard along with me. I need to get Draco!” Harry shouted, glaring at the king who still had his back turned away from him.

“As you wish,” the king conceding. “But you must take the full guard with you. There is no telling how large a number they will bring, and even with your elevated magic you pose little threat at the moment. It’s nearly impossible to kill us, even by magical means.”

The king walked up to Harry and cupped his face gently in his golden hands. “Be safe, Harry,” he whispered before kissing the boy tenderly on the forehead.

Harry nodded briskly and glided from the room, eager to get to Draco. The king went to his throne and sat at the edge of it, unsure of how to proceed. At last, he called in Vladimir who kneeled at the king’s feet, head bowed.

“Are you loyal to me my dearest, Vladimir,” the king asked simply.

“Of course my fairest king,” Vladimir responded at once.

“And would you do something if I should bid you, no matter how distasteful?” the king asked of him.

“Your word is law sire,” he replied, head still lowered.

“Then you will go with Harry and watch him closely for me. If he defects, if he shows any inclination to join the rebellion… you must destroy his mate,” the king ordered.

Vladimir’s head shot up and he looked frantic at the king. “My lord, it is against our laws to kill a vampire’s mate.”

“My word is law is it not? And my word is to kill Draco and bring Harry back to me so that I may bond with him. I shall have my victory and Harry will be by my side while I reap my winnings from the rebellion and their council,” the king demanded.

“And if Harry doesn’t defy you? If he wins Draco away from them without joining their cause?” Vladimir asked.

The king looked away, his eyes flickering up to the Book of Lore. “Kill him regardless,” the king ordered at last before dismissing his loyal guard.

--

Authors Note: Okay, so the Tristan and Theo voodoo dolls went over really well, how would you all like a King Crispan Voodoo doll?