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Age of the Jaguar—a City of Sorrows Vampire storySynopsis: Medricia has been searching for her master and lover for a long time. At last,after centuries of struggle and searching, she finds him, but even knowing that he isinsane from centuries of confinement, she must risk the shelter of anonymity anddarkness to release him. But will he survive freedom or become another statistic of vampiric mental illness? What is worse is that the group that confined him is still outthere, and just as immortal, but only with Samuel’s help can she defeat them.By S. Lei PykeSample—this teaser is part of a larger work in progress. City of Sorrows is a workingtitle for a potential series of vampire novels and novellas. If you want to see more, pleasePM me about it. I would like lots of feedback.
For four nights
Samuel sat at her side, not taking any sustenance other than what hecould draw from the constant fear that Hummingbird Feather gave off as she tendedMedricia. She was growing ill, succumbing to one of the poisons in Medricia’s bloodthat was not covered by the small protection she had as a Union-marked servant.On the third day, one of the Civatateo came to him. She was one of the youngerones, though “young” by their standards was at least three hundred years older than him.“Two servants, you fool? I don’t believe it! You can’t be that powerful yet!”She shrieked. Samuel hissed, displaying his blunt fangs.“I don’t ever intend to mark Hummingbird Feather any further. She is safe fromme. As for Medricia, I would have her be my wife. I love her.” The Civatateo tossedher head and laughed.“You are never going to be more than a pitiful white man. Love? If you lovedher, you would have made her one of your clan! You young, stupid fool. You haveruined her; made her a slave.”“No! I just could not bear to deny her the sun.” Carefully, he reached out andstroked her pallid cheek. “She would be so beautiful in the light. More than I everdeserved. I wanted her for all eternity, just like this.”“You took her as a creation-marked servant you fool. Well, I cannot help youthere. But know this white man: she can never become one of Night’s Children now.”“I don’t intend to mark her further. I will never treat her like a slave. If she dies,I will walk into death with her.” he growled. This seemed to shock the shriveled hag.She stared, confused.1
 
“You would walk into death
after 
her?” She whispered, coming to the onlyconclusion, however illogical. He looked at her sternly.“Yes.” She stepped fully into the room and inspected the scene. Samuel movedto guard his servants, feeling a great sense of dread. He thought he had made a mistake.In fact, by the look on the Civatateo’s face, he knew he should have warded the entrance.The hag smiled wickedly.“Then, you are stupid as well as foolish. You do not even know what you havedone.”With speed that Samuel did not have the age to match, the witch plunged her handinto Medricia’s chest and ripped out her heart. Samuel roared in grief and anger andattacked; his fingers steely and his fangs fully extended. With a calm word, the Civatateospoke as she dodged his charge, and Samuel fell to the ground, immobile.“You bitch! You—“ the Civatateo crouched over him, drowning out his wordsby shoving the heart into his mouth. Medricia’s blood gushed down his throat, slakinghis hunger. It was no longer as sweet as it had once been. He knew that it was becauseof his marks. Calmly she repeated her action, slipping her hand into Medricia’s chest andpulling out yet another heart. This one, she threw at him. Again and again, sheperformed the obscene act, until Samuel’s desperation overcame his shock. He spat outthe heart.“Stop, please!” he cried out. “What are you doing to her? Please.”“Oh no, little boy. It is not what I have done; it is what you have done. You see,it is quite the other way around. She will never face the long journey. It is you that willtake her soul upon
 your 
death. You will take it with you into the oblivion reserved forus.” She ripped out yet another heart from Medricia, holding it in her hand as if it were adiseased item. “Even if she is burned to ash, as long as you still exist she will reform.You wanted to save her, and you have doomed her. Don’t you know that it is for the long journey that the light of humanity is created?”“I know that.” He said quietly. “But I did not want to lose her.”“So you took her light for yourself.” She said, amused. “Oh, we are pleased withyou. Yes, lord Necocyautl is always pleased when one of his children creates a slave2
 
from a lover. You will regret this choice. I do not know of a single one of Night’sChildren that does not eventually regret.”“I will undo it.”“You cannot.” She put the last heart in his mouth, silencing him again, and wipedher arms on his clothes. She disdainfully looked at her arms, now clean of not just theblood, but the chalk that had covered them from fingertips to elbows. “Her damnation isquite permanent, my sweet boy. Now just stay there until I am finished.”Samuel could not break her spell. Though he could talk, he could not move hislimbs. The smell of blood in the room was intoxicating. He wanted to feed so badly. Hecould sense Hummingbird Feather’s soul resting in the corner. The Civatateo looked athim as she drew out more chalk from her bag to cover her arms. Satisfied that they werecovered, she brought out a kit of dyes and needles. Her face became stern and official;her sadistic glee immediately gone.“Our laws still stand, white man. None of us may consume the blood of another’screation-marked servant, but you must brand her even as we brand our own. She will beknown to the humans so that they do not choose her for sacrifice.”Samuel shuddered. To forbid it would be to usurp laws that he could not break without being destroyed. The Civatateo checked Medricia over as she patiently appliedthe mark. Samuel watched with desperate hunger as Hummingbird Feather woke. Whenshe saw the scene she quickly fell prostrate, trembling. The Civatateo paused, lookingfrom Samuel to Hummingbird Feather. She clicked her tongue and returned to her work,chuckling.Finally, with a satisfied grunt, she stood. On Medricia’s upper arm the glyphsdepicting the skull and crossbones were followed by Samuel’s name and the number of marks he had placed on her. With a few more words, she yanked Medricia to a sittingposition. Immediately, Samuel’s mind was filled with Medricia’s confusion and terror.Casually, the Civatateo dragged her to his side. She choked up blood as she cried, thepain in her chest finally reaching Samuel.“You gave her almost too much blood. Just a bit more and we would be markingher as one of your clan.”“Thank you.” Said Samuel. The hag sneered.3
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manuelavaldes8139

Why is it named "Age of the Jaguar"?

reply07 / 31 / 2009
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