Year 31

You finish drinking your fill of the girl and release her though she still clings to you tightly like you're her entire world despite the fact that she's already married to some young man in this village.. As usual you have left this one alive since the less outright deaths the better. Besides, the more you feed on these peasants and don't kill them, the more they seem to be enamored with you. The fools believe your "mercy" is some sort of blessing.

"Is there anything else you require of me, m'lord?" she asks in a mild daze.
"Actually now that you mention it, yeah. Now that I'm done sucking on you, I'll give you the honor of sucking on me. You know what to do." You say.

The girl nods and slowly lowers herself before you.

Now THIS is what being a vampire is all about, or at least what it should be. Lording it over the lessers and reaping the benefits. Not hiding on the outskirts of civilization.

Ever since this arrangement you've actually been enjoying yourself again. Even more than when you used to go hunting in Holgard, which you haven't been going to at all anymore.

As for Isabella, she spends all her time in her precious garden and you're starting to wonder if she even cares what you do anymore as long as it doesn't involve messing with Dert or calling attention to your home. The only time she has asked you a question is she started wondering where you were getting all the children from since she was concerned you might be "over farming" Dert, but she seemed satisfied with your answer. She's benefiting so why should she care?

The girl finishes servicing you and then you send her home in a better status for her husband than before.

Tiring of your own time here tonight, you prepare to leave and exit the "home" that you use when visiting.

Before you leave however, you're met by Vic. Usually he knows better than to crowd you like this so it makes you a little wary.

"That's close enough! Encroach on my personal space any further and it'll be the last! Now what is it that you feel the need to waste my time with?"
"Well I was just wondering, since I've been so loyal to you lord and helpful in in convincing the others to stay loyal…I was just wondering if there would ever come a time that you might bless me with the same gift that you have. Not that I would be nearly as powerful as you of course m'lord. I live to serve after all."

This again…

Vic has brought this up before, and this topic has come up with more than a few of the ladies you've been dining on.

You of course always give the same answer, that it isn't a "gift" that can be given so lightly and will only ever go to the worthy. Telling them that you can't make them vampires because you're not old enough to do it yet, wouldn't actually make you look like the "all powerful" dark lord that you've set yourself up as.

Still, as far as you know you ARE able to make them into ghouls. Isabella explained all this to you in your first weeks as a vampire. She always said making a ghoul wasn't worth it since they are some of the most pathetic creatures she's ever had the displeasure of knowing. She made one once and killed it soon after because she found its habits too disgusting and its fawning far too annoying.

Of course Isabella's personality is a little different than yours. You would probably be fine with more fawning. In fact absolute loyalty might be a plus. As for disgusting habits, well you wouldn't have to live with them on a regular basis and so what if they eat a few bugs?

However, it still isn't something you're going to just do right away and would need to think on. After all, you turn one person or multiple people into a ghoul or ghouls, how are they going to act towards the rest of the normal people? Not like you can watch them constantly.

"I'll think about it, now get out of my way!" you say and knock Vic aside.

You head home pondering the possible ramifications of taking that extra step.

When you finally do get home, you find that your night hasn't gotten less complicated.

"Have fun with your human whores?" Isabella asks.
"Thought you'd be in your garden. That's where you like to spend all your time isn't it?" you say, not even answering her question.
"True, but perhaps I've been sticking my head in the flowers for far too long and ignoring the situation that's going on."
"What situation?"
"The situation where you've apparently dominated an entire village to your will. Maybe even more."
"No, just the one. What difference does it make? I'm not attracting any attention and I've been bringing children home to you on monthly basis."
"Yes, which is why I haven't said anything, however I've been noticing a change in your behavior with me."
"You have? Surprised, considering all the time you spend in your garden."
"Okay, if you're bitching about us not spending enough time together, all you had to do is say something and I would have obliged. Since when have I not helped you out in any way I can? It's why you're here in the first place."
"And THAT right there is the problem!"
"What?"
"You treating me like a second class citizen around here!"
"Are you kidding me? I gave you fucking complete freedom!"
"You know that doesn't matter. Not really in the scheme of things. You're more powerful than me. You always will be and you will always see me as your lesser. Sometimes it feels like you scold me as if I was some child."
"Well when you act like one at times, that's what happens. And if I really saw you as my lesser, I wouldn't have even bothered with you in the first place. I saw something special in you, but obviously I was mistaken. Besides all that, don't give me that I never let you have fun business because it's not even true in the first place. If anything I've been TOO permissive. You're on a fucking power trip right now and while I get it because you feel like you're getting the attention you feel you deserve, I'm telling you right now that if you continue like this, it's going end badly."
"I don't understand WHY you're giving me shit for this. You do the same thing with Dert, you're just less hands on."
"Exactly. I'm not rolling around in the pigpen with the pork chops! You're in there, not only rolling around with them, you're also fucking the pigs. AND don't even tell me that you don't do that, because you stink of humans most nights when you come back. Though I'm not so much mad about that bit as I am severely disappointed."
"So what are you saying exactly?"
'What I'm saying is YOU are heading down a path that I've seen play out several times with others I was close to in the past. Not really willing to go through it again."
"So, what then? You're going to forbid me to do this then?"
"No, actually I'm not. You're a free willed vampire, go play with your mortals and lord it over them. That seems to be what is making you happy. What I am saying however is if you insist on doing this though, you'll be doing it elsewhere because I'm not going to sit by and watch the inevitable, let alone get caught up in it. Obviously you feel stifled here, so maybe you need to go do this anyway."

Well that's done it for you. You're not going to get threatened by an ultimatum. You and Isabella haven't been getting along for a while now anyway. If she's giving you the option for a clean break now, you probably should take it while you can.

"I'll be gone tomorrow night. I trust that will be okay." You answer.
"Fine by me. You can sleep elsewhere in the crypt though, because you certainly won't be sleeping in my bed." Isabella says.
"Yeah, probably for the best."
"Well then, it was fun while lasted and I hope you succeed in whatever it is that you're trying to achieve. Goodbye."

And with those cold last words, Isabella turns and leaves you.

While maybe you sort of knew this was coming for some time, there is a part of you that's going to miss Isabella. She did do so much for you, but ultimately you needed your freedom the most.

And now you have it.

The next night, you leave the crypt with what little belongings you still have attachment to as quick as you can. You don't bump into Isabella; you assume she's in her garden as usual.

You make your way to Maldito, where you are met with the usual praise and submissive behavior.

"Vic, get all your best builders and tradespeople together, I want a meeting with them." You order.
"Um, okay m'lord." Vic answers.

You meet with them to let them know that you're going to be around a lot more often, so you want a proper home, rather than the simple empty one room house they just let you use when you are here.

Your news is met with an overjoyed reaction for the most part, though you get the impression some are just reacting more out of fear of defying you. In any case, you aren't asking for much in the short term. Just a small underground area underneath the house you stay at.

"Oh! So like a root cellar!" one of them beams.
"Yeah…just like a root cellar." You answer rolling your eyes a bit.

In any case it's a simple enough task for them that you figure they won't take long in doing it. In the meantime, you have the unpleasant task of digging a hole in the forest and sleeping there. The first night is a real wake up call of how much better it was sleeping in a nice soft bed next to Isabella, but you need to get over that.

A month passes and it's still not finished mainly because one of the more skilled carpenters had a heart attack on the job. You're pissed about this inconvenience, but it is what it is. In the meantime, when you make your usual meeting with Green Eye's community, you tell the guard at the entrance that you won't require a child every month anymore. Instead, they can just bring a girl like Green Eye originally suggested.

By the middle of the second month it's still not finished. You have no idea what the hell is holding these idiots up. Vic says something about the structural integrity is shaky and there being a danger over everything caving in. You're getting irritated to the point that you almost lash out and kill one of them, but then you realize you need these fools right now.

So you kill the tavern owner instead. Not like serving drinks is a job that requires special skills that you need. Besides, his wife can take over and she's more compliant to you anyway.

You start wondering if this would go faster if you made them ghouls. The main problem that you can see is that they're all weak humans that aren't even in the best of shape in the first place and require sleep and regular food. If you made them ghouls they'd work for you tirelessly night and day. (They'd be able to see in the dark as well) And they could eat…well anything really.

There isn't really much stopping you now, since you now ARE here constantly to monitor their behavior.

Though there is a real desire to still not do it too, since you'd essentially be "rewarding" them all for shit work so far. If you were going to do it, you'd rather do for those that deserve it at least.

You leave them human

You're not rewarding these people any more than you have to. These mortals are just going to have to work harder.

The rest of the month passes and fortunately they seem to be making better progress with the project, should be done by next month at least.

Before that happens you go over to Green Eye's mine to pick up your tribute. There's a single hobgoblin guard at the entrance with a girl looking down the entire time.

"Here's the new tribute. Green Eye says he hopes she is suitable and assures you that she has not been touched by anyone here." The hobgoblin remarks.

You look at the peasant girl who is obviously frightened out of her mind, but too terrified to run or do anything.

"Look at me." You command and lift her chin up so she looks into your eyes. You say a few commanding words to her and soon she loses all will of her own. She then walks away from Green Eye and holds you tightly.

"Shit, wish I had that ability. It would make a whole of things much easier with the missus." The hobgoblin remarks.
"Tell Green Eye, the tribute was suitable." You say and then leave with your tribute to head back home.

The third month rolls around and at last your humans have finished your home. You inspect it and find nothing out of place. It looks like it was reinforced with several pillars and they even tried their best to make it look "homey."

"Do you like it m'lord? We tried to make sure that everything would be comfortable for you and later we can expand on it if you wish." Vic asks in his usual toadying manner.
"Yeah it's fine, and get back! You are entirely too fucking close!" you shout, slapping him.

Honestly it's a far cry from Isabella's crypt, but it's better than sleeping in a dug out hole in the ground in the forest. You're in a mildly jovial mood so you decide to celebrate by spending the night in it not doing much of anything except feeding on and fucking a couple of the village girls. There are no objections obviously.

Night passes into day and while you're fast asleep, you're suddenly awakened by the noise above you. At first you think it's just the villagers being noisy, but by the sounds of yelling and screaming, something else is going on.

"Shit..." you say to yourself already knowing what might be going on.

Since you drank one of the girls dry last night, you tell the remaining living one to go take a quick peek at what's going on. She does so and as soon as she pops her head up from the trapdoor, a gun blast is heard and her body drops from the top of the ladder and on the floor in front of you. Most of her face is blown off.

"Yubin, you bleedin' idjit! Ya supposed ta shoot da pale man! Quick! Reload! Reload!" you hear an orc shout.

Those backstabbing…they are going to rue this day…

You quickly make your way up the ladder and find yourself facing several of Green Eye's boys.

"Shit! Daggers!" the closest orc shouts.

You make quick work of the orc shouting orders and then the one immediately next to him. Several of the humans and halfbreeds attempt to stab you next, and the last one of them just manages to sink his blade into your shoulder before you break his neck.

The pain is more than you expected it to be. It doesn't just feel like a sharp pain, but more like a hot burning sensation all throughout your shoulder and top part of your arm.

You pull it out and see why. The blade is silver.

"Sonof…Argh!" you utter when you feel a blast of gunshot in your back from Yubin who was busily reloading his musket just outside the doorway to the house. The silver in the shot is enough to drop you.

"He's not dead yet! Shoot him! Shoot him again!" you hear Vic shout.
"I can't! I'm outta da stuff! I'm gettin' outta here!" Yubin's remarks and then runs off.
"Shit. HEY! Get Big Tooth over here, we need his help! It's the man who killed his brother anyway!"

You can't believe Vic is working with Green Eye's bandits. When did this happen? Was this always the case? Was it the long con? Did he have some secret meeting recently?

In any case it doesn't matter. Vic and several of the bandits have already returned to the house. One of the bandits, Big Tooth is an ogre. Vic orders him to drag your ass out of the house while the others attempt to help. Normally, you'd be strong enough to resist, but you're partially paralyzed from the silver shot lodged in your spine and it isn't healing anytime soon.

Big Tooth drags you by both legs and while you struggle, even taking down one of the bandits along the way; it doesn't take long before Big Tooth's strength (which is also enhanced due to his anger that you killed his brother last year) manages to get you to the doorway and that's when you start feel the burn of the sun.

You snarl and try to hang on to anything so as to not get dragged all the way out, but the other bandits start hacking at your hands with their silver daggers causing you to eventually lose your grip after losing several fingers.

Big Tooth gives one more pull and you are at last fully exposed to the sun. You roll around screaming in agony as your skin begins to burn.

All around you the village isn't doing too much better, what with some of it being in flames and all. Green Eye's men are finally finishing the job you prevented them from doing last year.

Your last thoughts are of how Isabella was right about this not ending well, just before Big Tooth stomps your burning skull into nothing but bloody brains and bone fragments.