Night Kingdom, Book Two, A New Territory: Night Kingdom, #2

By Iris Fields

Pasha, Ruza, and the other three vampires in their group must flee the dark forest and find a new home.  When securing a new territory involves facing a larger and more powerful group of vampires, they form a tense and troubled alliance with Galan the vampire hunter, who has been helping them travel.

 

Galan feels compelled to help Pasha who was his friend before she turned, and he knows his great aunt Ruza wants him to live.  However, he fears their leader Culver might decide it would be better to kill him when they no longer need him. 

 

It's not easy for Pasha being a new vampire and having so much turmoil.  But she has her best friend Ruza to help, and a young chicken to entertain her.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Iris Fields
• Release date: Aug 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393191605

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Table of Contents

Night Kingdom, Book Two, A New Territory

Night Kingdom

Book Two 

A New Territory

Iris Fields

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Review of Book One

Fourteen-year-old Pasha was a princess happily living in a castle in a long-forgotten land about five hundred years ago.  But when her father decided to throw her in the fire as a sacrifice to the gods, she decided to give living among ordinary folks a try.  She fled into the dark forest where she met Ruza, a dark creature aka a vampire.  Instead of becoming Ruza’s meal, they bonded over relationship drama and became friends.  The friendship effortlessly lasted even as humans and vampires prepared for war.  To save Pasha from death at the hands of her father’s soldier, Ruza got the vampire that turned her, Culver, to turn Pasha into a vampire as well. When Pasha’s younger brother became king and Christianity swept over the land, the cross became a powerful weapon against vampires.  Galan was a seventeen-year-old trained to fight vampires but was also Pasha’s friend and Ruza’s great-nephew.  So, he helped their group to flee Cornell’s kingdom and rival vampires. 

That was why, for the past three days, Galan had been traveling in a four-horse carriage.  The carriage housing the five vampires was fully enclosed so they could travel during the day and hunt at night.  Pasha and Ruza were the only two he really cared about.  But Culver was the leader of the group, and Erma and Harper were also part of it.  The group of vampires was powerful, and he hoped he was doing the right thing.

Chapter One

The sunny day was pleasant to Galan as he guided the horses along a seldom-used dirt road. The road was on land not claimed by any kingdom, so people that used it a lot mostly maintained it.  This was his first time on this road and his first time traveling anywhere.  He hadn’t left his homeland all his life, and it was hard to get used to being away from everybody he felt he could rely on.  Everybody talked differently in these new places, and they complained he was the one who spoke strangely.  That was the result of his people being so isolated for so long. 

When the sun got too high and hot, he stopped the horses in a shady area with a stream.  It looked like he wasn’t the only one to have used this as a resting area.  There were trails to the stream from the road and flattened areas that suggested a fair number of people had enjoyed resting under the tree that he hoped to relax under after he took care of the four horses.  He tied each of them to long leads where they could rest, eat, and drink from the stream.  Then he sat to enjoy a rest, but not sleep too much.

It was hard to sleep at night, knowing the five vampires he was traveling with were out hunting.  They had promised they wouldn’t kill anybody, especially while traveling with him.  Apparently, they made a habit of not ever killing people if just to have a more abundant food supply, but they weren’t known to be very compassionate towards people.  Maybe he was biased since she was his great-aunt, but he felt Ruza did care for people.  He also believed Pasha had compassion.  He hoped she was somehow still the same sweet princess that he hung out with in the sunshine about a month ago.  It was hard to tell.  In some ways, she still seemed herself but with a craving for blood, but there was a new distance to her.  He wasn’t sure how else to describe it.  Before he felt a closeness to her, but not anymore, except he still cared about her.

****************************

When Galan awoke, he realized he had slept later than he meant to, and he hurried to get the horses hooked up.  He needed to make it to a more populated area before dark when the vampires in his care would need to feed.  He made sure to eat plenty of garlic, but still worried they might find him too tempting if they got too hungry.  The horses didn’t easily stand for him to hitch them back up, wanting to stay and eat some more.  But they were well trained and didn’t run off.  Their only acts of defiance were flattening their ears and stomping their hooves as he hurried to get them hitched and moving. 

As evening came, he still hadn’t reached a settlement and worried because he had no idea how much further one would be.  As the sky darkened, he heard movement from the carriage, and a few minutes later Ruza and Pasha climbed out from the back.  They sat beside him on the cart bench seat.

Where are we? Ruza asked.

Pasha yawned; it showed her vampire fangs way too well.  So freshly turned, she hadn’t learned how to hide them as well as the older ones.  Galan hated seeing the fangs and quickly turned his attention to Ruza.

I’m afraid I don’t know.  We’ve just been randomly traveling along the best-kept roads.

Surely you’ve been asking people for directions, Pasha said.

Of course, I haven’t.  I don’t need directions when I have no idea where I’m going other than away from where we used ta be, Galan said rather testily.

There wasn’t any more room on the driver’s seat, but Culver looked out to say, It would have been nice if you had asked directions to the nearest settlements.

The last person I saw was somebody on foot, and that was early this morning.  I didn’t think ta ask.

The vampires were all wearing enough makeup to hide their pale complexions.  If anybody saw them, they would likely think they were all normal humans.

I hope we come to a village or town, or something soon, Pasha said, sounding a little panicked, but trying to hide it.

It will be okay.  I’m sure we’ll find something, Ruza said soothingly.

This road is well kept enough that it couldn’t be too isolated, Galan added.

As a newly changed dark creature, Pasha needed to feed every night.  The others could manage okay, but she might start to lose her mind.  He debated not eating garlic so he could offer his blood if needed, but that would leave him too weak.  The last time a vampire drank from him, he felt tired and thirsty and overall miserable.  But, they didn’t usually take that much.

I see lights ahead, Culver said.  I believe they are lantern lights.

Oh, I think we are coming to a town, Pasha said happily.

Galan looked into the night and only saw darkness.  But these creatures had much better night vision than he. 

See, it will be fine, Ruza said.

He slowed the horses when they arrived in a marketplace.  It was more crowded than he would have expected as late as it was.  But it was very well lit.  Perhaps many people who had worked the day away in the fields felt this was their only time to shop and hang out at drinking houses and places that sold nice meals.  Galan stopped when he was in a somewhat secluded area.

I guess ye five will be hanging out here for a while, he said.

You try to get some sleep.  We’ll be fine, Ruza told him.

Will everybody else here be fine?

That again, Ruza said, looking at him as she climbed out of the carriage with Pasha.

Culver was coming down next and turned to say, We didn’t go around killing people before we met you and yet you seem to think you’re the only reason we aren’t now.

Galan didn’t know how to answer.  Harper and Erma came down.  To Galan, Erma and Harper seemed to be the oldest, appearing to be in their mid-twenties.  But he knew Culver was the oldest despite looking like a teenager about his own age.  It was hard to get used to the idea that the age of their body had nothing to do with how old they really were.

I’ll take these horses to the meadow and rest with them, so ye will know where ta find me before sunrise, Galan said and guided the horses away.

He would put them on long leads near some water and try to sleep in the cart where the dark creatures had been sleeping all day.  Try was the keyword.  It was hard to get comfortable thinking that the creatures he had been raised to believe were ultimate evils had been sleeping there just earlier.  And he always worried that if they did kill somebody, it would be his fault for helping them.  He felt the need to watch them all night and make sure they didn’t take a life, but couldn’t keep up with all five of them and needed a chance to sleep, or at least try to.  So, as best he could, he relaxed in the enclosed carriage.

**************************

The five vampires wandered the marketplace together.  Ruza approached a middle-aged-man and asked, Would you like to buy some pure Altulum?  She held out a jar of ground herb.

What is that? he asked.

It’s a special herb that will take you places, wonderful places.  I’ll let you try a free sample.

She tried to hold a bit up to his nose, but he pushed her hand away.

I don’t know what you have there, but I don’t think I want it.  He walked away, and Ruza tried to put what was on her finger back in the jar.

Be sure to get it all back in, Erma said.  You know we won’t be able to get that anymore for a long time.  It only grows in the dark forest.  Even when we find a place to settle and plant more, it could take years to get an established crop, assuming it will grow wherever we end up.

Harper had wandered off but came back to the group.  We sure don’t want to end up here.  People here don’t seem too interested in mind-altering herbs.

Maybe we could learn how to make fine wines, Pasha said.  People drunk that at my palace all the time, and it made them lose their minds.

I don’t like the taste of strong drink in their blood, Erma said.  It doesn’t affect us; I just don’t like it.

Pasha continued, But maybe we’ll find a kind that would make it better.  Lots of different fruits and grains are used and perhaps with just the right combination . . .

Drop it! Erma roughly said, causing Pasha to fall back to the relative safety of being by Ruza.  Not that Ruza was anywhere near as old or powerful as Erma, but still older than she.  Pasha glanced at Culver, the oldest and her maker.  He would help if there were a problem, but Erma wasn’t being threatening, just angry.  Culver was completely unconcerned.  He was more interested in looking over the crowd with his dark gray eyes. 

Apparently, he had been paying some attention to their conversation because he turned to Pasha and said, This isn’t far enough away from where we were, so no need to worry about finding a way to make this place work long term.  We need to make it work this night and leave.

We can just go without if needed, Erma said to Culver and glanced at Harper.  Though younger than she, Harper was still old enough not to start losing his mind even if he went several nights without feeding.  Then she said, It’s Ruza and especially Pasha we need to worry about.

Pasha wanted to think Erma was concerned, but most likely, she was complaining.  She seemed to want to complain a lot ever since they left the dark forest.  Pasha desperately hoped Erma wouldn’t find out how much it was her fault they had to go.  Even Ruza didn’t know how she had helped save the Christians.  Hopefully, Ruza would never find out.  Only Galan knew, but he would keep it a secret.

I’m sure we’ll find somebody who would like to try some Altulum, Ruza said.  Let’s find somebody more isolated, so he or she won’t worry about what others are thinking.

Maybe we should split up, Harper said. 

It went without saying that Ruza and Pasha would be together and Culver would need to watch the younger dark creatures, particularly Pasha.  So Harper and Erma automatically went off separately while the other three went their own way. 

Every time they found somebody, mostly by his or herself, they offered the herb.  One person thought it was an exotic spice for cooking and considered it, but when Ruza explained she was supposed to inhale it in her nose, she quickly lost interest.  Pasha was feeling more panicky as it got later and there were fewer people about.  She wanted blood fast, but if everybody were perfectly sane and sober, they wouldn’t be easy victims who would have no idea what was happening.  They would tell others. 

What if she ended up killing somebody and then Galan wouldn’t want to help them anymore?  She wanted him to believe she still had her same moral code, but right now the need for blood was her strongest urge.

Ruza bent down along the road and started picking flowers.

What are you doing? Culver asked.

Watch and see, Ruza said after gathering a handful.  She carefully sprinkled the Altulum on the petals. 

A man and woman were walking by, and Ruza said, These flowers have a strange scent to them.  What do you think?  She tried to get the man to smell it because he was closest.

I know nothing about flowers, he said, looking insulted.

I do, the woman said, almost snatching them away to smell.  She blinked and shook her head.  There is an unusual smell to these.  See what you think? She basically forced the man with her to smell. 

They weren’t doing it right.  They had to inhale it forcefully for the full effect, but they were getting enough to get a little light-headed and lose awareness.

Come with me, and I’ll show you where I found these interesting flowers, Ruza said and coaxed them to follow.

Yes, there are many lovely flowers, and they have such a unique smell, Pasha added, hurrying them along.

Culver followed while looking for anybody who might be getting too close.  Ruza picked a few more flowers and taking the hint, so did Pasha.  They both added more of the herb and encouraged the people to sniff them very deeply.  They did and were looking very spacey and dreaming.  They were still somewhat aware of their surroundings, but wouldn’t understand much.

Sit down and relax, Ruza said, inviting them to rest on the ground.

I will not sit in the dirt, the woman said as the man easily sat.

Dark creatures could make a person completely relaxed by looking into their eyes.  This made them more cooperative, but wouldn’t take away the memory of somebody with a sharp mind.  Ruza used her hypnotic eyes to cause the woman to relax enough; she didn’t fight sitting down.  Pasha already had the man locked in her gaze and went for the throat.  He gasped, and the woman looked in horror before Ruza got her attention back and sliced into her veins striking a fountain of blood.  Culver knelt beside Pasha making sure she knew he was there.  His presence reminded her to drink slowly and not get lost in the frantic need to keep taking more.  He would be listening to the heart rate and pulse of her victim and stop her before she could do any permanent damage.  Eventually, she would need to learn to do that on her own, but nobody expected her to yet. 

Pasha remembered when her little brother Cornell was born.  He was always crying for food.  He kept both his wet nurses very busy.  She was like a newborn again, constantly feeling hunger to help her grow.  But while baby Cornell could be given all he wanted, she had to be stopped, and as usual, it felt like it was way too soon.  But she obeyed Culver when he ordered her to stop and sealed the wound with her fingers making it much less visible.  Ruza had already finished and was waiting.  The man and woman stayed sitting beside each other with dreamy expressions.  No telling what, if anything, they would remember about this tomorrow.  They might realize they had used something that affected them but not remember anything else out of the ordinary.  The vampires didn’t want humans to know that dark creatures had visited them.  Even worse, this could be the territory of other vampires, and they would object to strangers feeding on their land. 

How much money do we have? Pasha asked.  I noticed two very nice necklaces in a store on the way over.

They mostly sold the altulum as a way to make people unaware when they took their blood, but it was also nice to have money. 

Ruza started counting their coins.  I suppose you are talking about the ones with slender chains and blown glass.

Pasha nodded and Ruza said, I noticed those too.  Let’s hurry before they close.  Maybe we can bargain enough for both.

We’ll have near matching necklaces, Pasha said.

They didn’t notice or care that Culver no longer felt the need to be with them and had left.

**************************

It was still several hours before sunrise when Galan realized there were figures around the cart.  He could hear movement and slight bumping.  He awoke and snatched up a dagger and a wooden stake.  It was a habit to have both though he trusted the vampires he was transporting needed him too much to kill him.  But this might be the territory of other dark creatures. 

He cautiously looked out and relaxed when he saw Culver and Erma sitting against nearby trees.  They noticed him.

I told you we might wake him, Erma scolded.

And I didn’t go in the cart, Culver said and to Galan, Since you are up anyway, I’ll get my supplies out of the cart.

He went in and came back with his small knife and a hunk of wood he had been carving to look like some kind of animal. This had to be a somewhat new hobby because he wasn’t good at it.  Since he had been around for over six hundred years, he would have had plenty of time to get good.  But he didn’t seem to mind that what he said was to be a lion was looking more like a hilly landscape with slides. 

Where are the others? Galan asked.

Harper is still hoping to find a drunk.  Pasha and Ruza went shopping and got necklaces and some fine clay which they were playing with last I saw, Culver said.

I suppose they got blood, Galan asked hoping the vampires wouldn’t come back hungry.

Culver nodded, and Galan didn’t press for details. 

Why don’t you try to go back to sleep? Erma asked.  I think you need it since you’ll be driving all day.

She may have just been concerned with his ability to safely transport them during the day, but maybe she wanted to get rid of him.  No, the first was more likely.  If they didn’t want to be around him, they wouldn’t have come back to the cart seemingly just to pass the time.  So he nodded and headed back, but when they started talking, he froze just at the edge of the cart where they couldn’t see him.  Probably they wouldn’t say anything important, but he liked to keep up with them as much as possible.  He didn’t trust them beyond that they needed him.  Not long ago, they were at war.

Traveling with a new dark creature is so much harder, Erma complained.

Everything is harder with a new one to look after, but Ruza watches her most of the time as though she’s a little sister.

This is just the worst possible time.  First, we were at war, and now we are on the run, and you turned Pasha dark.

It kept her from dying. Culver sounded very unconcerned with her protests. They had told Galan that Erma was just about fifty years younger than Culver, so she would likely see herself as almost his equal despite his being the group leader.  Still, Culver had the confidence of one who didn't care if he were questioned. Galan considered that a sign of a powerful and self-assured leader. The ones who got all bent out of shape over being questioned were the ones that lacked security.

Why would you care if she died? Erma asked.

She pulled the stake out of me at the war camp.

She only did that to help Ruza.

Culver showed a little emotion in his usually carefully controlled voice. I know she did. She is Ruza's friend. And for a long time now, it's been a problem for me that Ruza had no friends except for me and those who were mine before she came. Lathan was close enough to her age for them to be close, but he is gone. So now, Ruza has Pasha.

Did you do this as a way of getting rid of Ruza? Erma showed obvious disapproval.

Culver's voice rose even more. I am not out to get rid of Ruza. I want her to have somebody in her life besides me. That is not an attempt to get rid of her.

Okay. Okay, Erma said.

Ouch, Culver said, and Galan could guess he cut himself trying to make his figure. He did that frequently but could use his blood sealing power to fix his injury almost instantly.

It colors the wood nicely, Erma said confirming to Galan that he had bled. Vampire blood wasn't the crimson red of human blood, but a darker and even purplish color.

When they went long enough without talking that Galan got bored, he carefully climbed back in the cart in a vain attempt to get a few more hours of sleep.

Chapter Two

It had probably been a while, but it seemed Galan had just closed his eyes when Pasha and Ruza noisily