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CHAPTER 11
Katherine turned and faced the farmer and his wife, the anger shown in her dark eyes, but since she was still weak she knew there was nothing she could do against those that were threatening her. Angelina walked from the back of the barn and hissed at the couple.
“There is no reason to be blaming our mistress. You found your fate on your own. You are werewolves not vampires, so no matter what Master Nickolas has done to you, it was your own bloodlust that lead you to what you’ve become.”
“We are what we are because of your master. You are nothing more than a child how could you possibly understand our feelings.” The farmer asked looking into her eyes.
“I have been a vampire for nearly three hundred years, a choice that was made to save my life. But you ask how can I understand? I understand more than you’d ever know. But as a vampire it was a choice, but becoming a werewolf that comes without a choice. You wish to take out the vengeance that you’ve felt for Nickolas, take it out on the werewolf that made you what you are not on Mistress Katherine. Now I would say you be gone from here before we decide to destroy what life you continue to have.” Angelina warned, the farmer looked toward his wife and then toward the group that had moved forward, they had every intention on protecting their mistress even if it meant the destruction of their own lives. The farmer turned to his wife and nodded.
“We shall leave, but we are still wishing for vengeance.”
“You can have your vengeance but only when Nickolas awakens, but if that happens the world we’ve all known shall become something of the past.” Katherine warned. She helped Darcy to his feet and into the carriage, she turned and looked at the couple and then climbed into the carriage behind Darcy. Angelina climbed into the carriage along with the others as they waited for their human help climb on to the top of the carriage and led the horses out of the barn, the carriage hurried up the hill and toward the palace in the distance. The couple watched the carriage disappear onto the grounds of the palace; they knew if they betrayed Katherine again they would have no life left. Blood stained the doorframe of their barn warning any that dared enter there that they were cursed by werewolves and now vampires.

Katherine watched as the palace came into view and smiled, she missed living in this large house and knew that with this house they’d have more room than they did living in Nickolas’ large home. They entered the stables and each exited the carriage.
“Mistress.”
“Yes Matthew?”
“There are humans here.”
“Are you sure?”
“I can see two children in the windows. I shall enter the palace first and find out who may be living here.”
“All right, we shall wait here, but this is my home and I shall regain it at any cost.” Katherine warned, Matthew nodded and hurried toward the main door of the palace. As he walked toward the door it slowly opened and a young woman stood in the doorway.
“Can I help you stranger?”
“I am Matthew, my lady Katherine is the princess of this palace and wishes to know who you are and why you are living in her home?”
“We are what are left of the servants that once worked for the lord of this palace, we have remained here in wishes of the family returning to us.”
“It has been a great many years, how did you know that any would return?”
“We always had a feeling that some family remained. We had heard of a young woman that once lived here over a thousand years ago, but we had not heard of her having children.”
“My lady Katherine is that child, this palace is hers.”
“Then she is welcome to come and enter this place as it is her own.”
“My lady will enter the house in her own time, but be warned that she is different than anyone that has ever lived here before.”
“How different?”
“You shall see how different, but be warned do not cross her,” Matthew said, he turned and walked back toward the stables and readied to help them into the palace.
“We will be entering the palace from the back, I wish not to speak to those that have lived here for so long.” Katherine stated. Katherine and her children walked toward another set of doors and walked through. She walked up the stairs and led her children toward the rooms at the top of the stairs.
“Pick your rooms, and have Matthew warn those that already live here that we are not to be disturbed during the day.”
“I shall do that mistress.” Matthew said walking up the stairs behind them. He turned and walked back down the stairs and headed to find those that still lived within the palace at this time. Katherine pushed the door open to her old chambers and was quickly surprised to find that it was the same as it was when she lived there centuries before. The large oak bed still sat on the far end of the room and the large golden and burgundy curtains still hung from the golden rods. She ran her fingers over the large hand carved chair that still sat in front of the large vanity.
“I wish no disrespect milady, but this was the room of the former princess that lived here over a thousand years ago.”
“There is no disrespect, I am Katherine, the princess that once lived here.” Katherine said; she turned to face the now frightened woman as she showed her fangs and smiled.
“That is impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible.” Katherine laughed as she walked toward the woman. The woman stepped backward away from her, a deep fear in her bright eyes.
“Don’t hurt me.” She begged. Katherine could hardly believe that one such as this woman feared her; this woman seemed to be the strong willed leader of the human family yet there she stood cowering in fear.
“Hurt you? I feed off the fear of humans, why would I hurt you?” Katherine asked. She was watching this woman; the fear that was deep within her eyes was something that Katherine had missed when people realized that she wasn’t human any longer.
“Are you going to kill us?”
“No, we are not here to kill anyone. You and your family have the choice of remaining here and staying out of our way or you may leave at the next full moon. But be warned I am kinder than my children shall be, so I suggest you avoid their chambers. Especially during the day, we kill anyone that disturbs us during our time of sleep,” Katherine waited, she wanted to see if this woman would say her family would remain but the fear in her eyes told her that this woman would flee with her family and tell the village that vampires had come to them. The worst idea about letting the human’s that lived here go was the knowledge that they would go and bring fear to the village and they’d have to move on once again and this was Katherine’s home she had no intention of leaving it again.
“We can remain?”
“If you choose to yes, but you will move into the servants quarters to stay away from my children.”
“What would they do?”
“I am their leader, if I tell them you are to remain safe and alive they would follow my wishes but there is no promise that all of them would allow that. They are vampires after all and fresh human blood is what they feed on.”
“What of the boy we saw out in the sun?”
“He is human, one of ours that helps us during the day when we can not help ourselves.”
“But if you are defenseless during the day, what keeps us from destroying you ourselves?”
“Do you wish to remain living?”
“I do”
“That is the reason you will not destroy us during the day, I can feel if any of my children are injured or killed. And because of that it feeds my rage and then I kill anyone that steps in my way.” Katherine warned.
“Then I shall take my family and leave.”
“Then take this warning with you, if you dare to tell those in the village of our existence here, I personally will kill your family while you watch.” Katherine growled, the woman cowered but shook her head and then turned and ran from the room. Katherine knew before nightfall that family would be gone. She was there to save humans but hated when humans acted like they were the ones that owned it all while those that were different than they were. Katherine walked toward the large wardrobe that stood in the far corner swinging it open she reached inside and pulled a long dark red gown from inside. She turned and lay the dress on the bed as she ran her fingers over the edges of the gold binding.
“That is a beautiful dress, will it still fit mistress?”
“I highly doubt that my old dress will fit me any longer, it was one dress I wore when I was about your age, this dress is for you Angelina, please take it with my blessing.” Katherine said looking at the young vampire. Angelina walked over to the dress and lifted it; it was surprisingly lightweight even if it was made of so much fabric. Katherine watched her giggle as she walked toward the door with the new dress. Katherine reached into the wardrobe again and this time pulled out a sleeping dress she knew would fit her. Pulling the long red dress she wore over her head she let it fall to the floor as she slowly removed the remaining undergarments. She heard a gasp from behind her as she started to pull the sleeping dress over her head. Katherine turned to see Darcy standing in the doorway.
“What?” Katherine asked as she let the dress fall around her body, it started clinging to her naked form under it.
“Where did the marks on your back come from?” Darcy asked; he knew he’d made love to her many times and had never see or felt them before.
“They disappear when I feed but return when I’ve not fed in a few days.”
“Where did they come from?”
“Nickolas. He was angry once and this is the price I paid for allowing another to spend time in my bed.”
“You will tell us about that will you not?”
“This evening I shall share all that I can. But it’s time for us to rest and be sure that the human’s have left us as they are nothing more than a nuisance.”
“I thought you enjoyed the company of humans.”
“Normally yes, but these humans are not for us and I wish them gone. They fear us and because of that I am knowing they will harm us during our sleep.”
“Then I will be sure they are gone. We shall speak about the scars this evening. Would you like me to sleep with you this day?”
“No, I wish to remain alone this time. But tomorrow my dearest.” Katherine said, she pulled him closer to her and kissed him deeply. Darcy smiled and then kissed her quickly before he turned and left the room. Katherine walked into the side room and saw her claw foot tube and knew that that evening before her talk with the children she’d be taking a long hot bath, until that time she would return to the room and sleep. Her body ached and it was time for some restful safe sleep.