Estheniel's pledge (2)

Driving at high speed, Estheniel wondered how the young girl could have opened his eyes as he tried to kill her… remembering all the fights against her, he realized that she had never actually tried to kill him, holding back blows, leaving only minor nicks or burns, always avoiding vital points. He understood then that if she had wanted to, she could have killed him the first time so great was her combat mastery. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that the vampire was using the fastest method of getting him to swallow blood, biting himself, sucking, and putting the blood directly into his mouth. Arrived in front of the house, he jumped up, practically tore the garage door open to let them through and followed them, ignoring the stunned and worried looks of the vampires present.

Leifr put the young girl on the bed whose sheets still bore traces of her last visit… at this speed she might as well not leave this bed where she ended up unconscious so often. He turned to the demon and stopped, surprised: Estheniel had dropped to one knee and presented his armor and weapons to him ... Was he serious? A coughing fit made them look up and they saw Blue stir as if to get up…

"Estheniel… Master… please… put your fights aside for now… Estheniel, you will have your fight… as soon as I get better… unless you prefer to end it now? You defeated me ... this victory is yours ... your blood will have ensured it..."

"Don't speak… rest… none of us will fight… you have to accept his blood, Meldiriel, you have to accept it to heal… don't let yourself die when you save me from my own faults… I Even though I'm a hell dog, I'm not completely stupid either... you could have killed me from day one Meldiriel... you never seriously hurt me... you always did the bare minimum to save the face… how can you say victory is mine?"

"I couldn't leave you in the grip of the Fae's magic… it's stronger than me… I had to undo what he had done to you… I'm finally finished… you're free now… Free to kill me or to go… I don't expect any thanks for what I did… you don't owe me anything…"

"Blue… why have you begged for mercy from my maker as much for him as for me?"

"I never let anyone else face my faults, even though they were my worst enemy. I may be a slave, bitch, whore, abomination and other names that I have been given over time, but I have an honor. I provoked him, you I locked you up. I wasn't going to let you punish when you weren't responsible..."

"Blue… Meldiriel… whether you like it or not, I owe you… my blades are yours to command, I take a pledge to watch over you from now on. I have to pay for my crimes against you ... against your family... you spared me, you delivered me... my turn to watch over you."

"A slave does not give orders Estheniel… you know that as well as I do and that is what I am… slave, dog at the end of a chain… the First will have made sure. Lilith is being conciliatory for now, but she will eventually impose a vampire on me to see if the legend is true. Then I would have no other choice but to accept them one after the other to give them a walking progeny... I have no illusions about that. This world is made of violence and constraints… some are born to dominate, others to be their toys… I heard that my birth put me in the camp of those who dominate… what an irony! Look at me ! I have worn the collar of slaves, I am chained in another way. I'm not free Estheniel, I will never be… you could have given me that freedom if you had dealt the final blow. From now on, the children that I will bring into the world… if there is a child, will have six different bloods in their veins: the four that I carry, that of the vampires and yours Estheniel… your blood has mingled with mine, adding more other powers to those I already had… it seems I can survive this acid flowing through your veins… I wasn't lying when I told them… I already knew I would survive… even without him giving me blood I would have survived. It's not the first time that I've had your blood. Our first battle almost cost me my life… I survived by a miracle… and each of our fights gave me more strength… I was in contact with your blood every time… and I survived. Your blades should have killed me when they scratched me... I'm still of this world... and my future is sealed now."

"This room is yours until you are completely healed, Meldiriel... then go away. You are free. I won't hold you back. I wouldn't look for you. Over time, the bond will fade and eventually disappear. You see yourself as a slave, you see me as your owner… so, go. Estheniel, watch over her. Let her heal completely before she leaves. I wouldn't bother her again with my presence, nor any of the vampires in this nest. A tray will be brought to you several times a day with your meal. A doctor will arrive soon to treat your wounds, a business bag will be left for you."

"I see… thank you Leifr… I won't abuse your hospitality anymore… keep your care, your business, I don't need anything… I never needed it… I will call on Lilith to tell her, she won't punish you, I swear…" At these words, Blue got up from the bed, slightly staggered and uttered a single syllable… Lilith appeared in the middle of the room, as if teleported abruptly. "Forgive my ways, Mother of Darkness, I have called upon you to implore your mercy once again. Have mercy on your son, he has just freed me and I am leaving this place and will not be returning. Although he says otherwise, he will find me when you want to test the veracity of the legend, unless you already have a name in mind. Tell me who and this one will find me in his bed as fast as I can."

"You will not leave these premises, Necromancer, if you are to give birth to a vampire's child, it will be his. Such is the price of my mercy. If the legend is true, bring her child into the world and you will be free. You leave me no other choice than this to protect yourself from the Fae..."

"If that is your price, I will pay it. I would carry his child, bring him into the world, and care for him until he no longer needs me, his first year."

"This is the price of my mercy. I am taking three years of your life from you in all, then you will be free to do as you please, the demon will not leave you, it seems attached to you. My leniency covers his attack and Leifr's utter ineffectiveness. Are we in agreement ?"

"Yes…"

With these words Lilith left the room as she had arrived, the summon sending her back to where she started. Blue stood still in the middle of the room, staring at the spot where she had summoned Lilith. She had sealed her fate in the worst possible way. Not looking at the vampire or the demon, she knelt down and waited for either of them to speak or act. Everything was jostling in her head… she had traded her innocence for the life of a demon and that of a vampire. She had known for a long time that her innocence would not last, but she never imagined that it would be taken from her in payment of a debt...