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Anastasia, soon broke herself out of this trance Kane had on her, got up, and headed for her bed. Tears formed in her eyes, as Kane griped her arms. "Stasia, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." He whispers in her ear. He could easily take her and bed her, but he wasn't out for lust, but loving connection instead. What she did not know, nor realize, was that Kane and his brother both loved her the same, and were willing to share her, if she were willing. "I love both of you, Kane. I can't hurt Marcus like this." Her tears fell down her pink cheeks. "It's all right, Stasia. We both love you." He whispers to her, as he held her close. "I don't want to hurt either of you. This isn't right. I can't be in love with two men, it is wrong." She looks out in to space, as she cries softly. "Who says it's not right?" He asks her. "Society. It's not natural, not normal." With that, Kane spins her around to look into her eyes. "Stasia, my brother and I are not natural, and most certainly not normal." He smiles at her, hoping it would help calm her fears. "He's right, Ana, we do love you. There's no need to fear what you feel." Marcus steps out of the shadows, and kisses her wet cheek. "You have enough room in your heart to house both of ours." He whispers, as she falls into his strong arms. They hug for a moment, as she begins to realize she no longer has to hide her feelings from them. Kane soon leaves to feed, as Marcus tucks Anastasia unto her bed. "Sleep, Ana." Marcus smiles and kisses her. Anastasia yawns and closes her eyes. Before she falls to sleep, she mumbles to Marcus, "The garden needs to be watered tomorrow."
The next afternoon, the rain fell lightly outside, as Anastasia wished the night before, and she made her rounds in side the castle. She had just woken from her nap, and felt like a good read. She strolled into the library and thumbed the books on the shelf. Some where thick sailing novels, while others were romantic poems of the heart. She wasn't much in the mood for those today. She lifted one book, that caught her eye, and sneezed as she opened it up. She tried to read it, but it seemed to be in French, so she put it back. She spent several hours searching for something, though she had no clue as to what. Ana found herself climbing the rolling ladder, and crawling on the floor, just to read the titles of each book. She grumbled to herself, "Maybe I'm really not in the mood to read." She sat, legs sprawled, on the soft carpet, as she heard the rain shower outside. Poor Anastasia was bored, as she sighed. She couldn't wait for her gentlemen to wake up. She wanted to be with them now, but after the 'falling down the stairs incident', Marcus forbade her to ever coming down again, unless he floated her there. She leaned back, on her elbows, and tapped her bare feet together. She wiggled her toes at herself, and turned her head toward a shelf next to her.
Anastasia caught, with her deep blue eyes, the most strangely bound book she had ever seen. She leaned over and pulled it carefully from the bottom shelf. It was very old, with weak twine holding it together. The cover was actual leather, and quite wrinkled. An odd symbol was placed in the middle of the front cover, and when Anastasia tried to open it, it wouldn't budge. She examined the edges of the book, but found no locks, just the jagged edges of the pages in side. She proceeded to wipe the dust from it, and found strange writing at the head of the cover. She couldn't make out what it read, but knew it wasn't any language she knew. The letters, or symbol writings were drawn in the deepest red she'd ever encountered, and soon became quite interested in what was inside. She got herself up off the floor, and headed to the sitting room, holding the book close to her. She sat down on one of the couches and held the book in her hands. She wanted to tell her gentlemen of her finding, but thought she would be interrupting their sleep. She sneezed, once more, from the book dust, and just decided to wait for them to wake.
Darkness came, slowly, as she waited for them. Anastasia laid back on the couch, still clutching the book, and closed her eyes. Soon a gentle hand touched her shoulder, as another touched her thigh. She opened her eyes and yawned, "What time is it?" she stretched and sat up. "It's nearly eight, Ana. We decided to feed while you napped." Marcus sat down beside her. "Are you hungry, Stasia?" Kane asks, as he sat on the couch, in front of them. "Yes, but I was hoping to talk to both of you. Why didn't you wake me?" She answers with a question. "You looked so peaceful, we didn't have the heart to." Marcus smiles, as he brushes the hair from her eyes. "What is on your mind, my love?" Kane asks her. Anastasia looked down at the book, and grins sleepily, "I found this book, in the corner of the library. I can't get it open, but it looks quite interesting. I thought, since it was yours, Lord Marcus, you knew what it was." She hands the book to him, as he looked interested, himself. He took the odd looking book and went to sit by his brother. Marcus opened it up, easily, and thumbed the pages carefully. "How did you do that?" Anastasia asked with surprise on her face. Marcus looked up to meet her eyes, "It's a special book, Ana." He smiles weakly at her, "I thought we lost it a long time ago. Thank you for finding it." "Why is it special?" She asks, curiously. "It holds the key to our freedom." He replies, quietly. "The key to our freedom? Brother, why didn't you tell me you had this sooner?" Kane frowns at him slightly annoyed. "Well, I found it when we had that little tiff, back in 1307. And by the time we made up, ten years ago, I thought I lost. It just disappeared one today, and I didn't think of telling you, because I didn't think we would ever find it again." Marcus tried his best to explain to his younger brother. Kane let out a big sigh, and starched his head. "Well, then, we have it now. So find our cure, dear Brother." Marcus licks his lips and glances at his beloved, sitting by herself. "Ana, why don't you go dine. You won't understand this language. Once we have read it, we will tell you what it says." He blinks at her with such a dark, mournful look in his eyes. Anastasia does as she is told, thinking the worst rituals possible that might cure her two loves.
Anastasia ate by herself, hearing the brothers sudden argument coming from down the hallway. She couldn't understand them, as they spoke in some ancient tongue. She suddenly jumped, as she heard something crashing on to the wall and lost her appetite. She quietly tip-toed up stairs, and got ready for bed. The two gentlemen argued for what seemed forever, as Ana laid in her chamber bed and cried. "It must be something dreadful." She thought, "Maybe they must sacrifice me, or eat my flesh. Maybe turn me into a vampire, in exchange for their souls." Ana thought of the most evil acts her innocent mind could think, hoping the real act wasn't so horrible. She soon heard that all was quiet and got up to see the time on the clock. "Only midnight?" She asks herself. She grabbed her night robe, and headed down stairs. She heard someone picking up broken glass, and peeped her head in. "Careful, Stasia, you might cute your feet." Kane spoke to her, without turning around. She always thought it strange that they knew where and what she was doing at all times. "Need some help?" She whispers so softly to him, that she couldn't even hear herself. At first, she thought she only mouthed the words, or thought them, until... "No, thank you Stasia. I think I got it all." He throws the broken glass in a pale, and walks over to her. His eyes where red from anger, and his heart beat pounded so hard, it made him breathe deep. She stepped away from him, haft thinking he would hurt her, and half thinking she was in his way. Her eyes were wide, but she dared not look in his direction. For once, she feared him.
Ana backed up into the library, as her breathing almost but stopped, until she hit a chair. Her eyes wandered the floor, as she waited for him to do something. He didn't. She tried to hear his breathing, but now her pulse pounded in her ears, as her heart thumped in her chest. She held the back of the chair, behind her, and waited for him. A warm breeze passed over her, as she shut her eyes closed. The breeze twirled around her, as she gulped and trembled in her place. Soon, it seemed that the breeze traveled inside her, taking over her body in an unrecognizable energy. Her knees gave out on her, and Anastasia found herself laying on the floor. She shook, though not from being cold, as she laid in a fetal position. Her mind was blank, as she felt this serge running through her. It warmed her, and sent tingles up and down her body. Her head was pounding, her eyes closed shut, and her hands were folded up against her throat. She was alone in the dark room, as her breathing became shallow. She breathed in, through her mouth, as she tried to gather more air. Waves of invisible hands massaged her limbs and torso, as she rocked her body on the hard wood floor. Tears streamed out of her eye lids, as she felt something sliding up between her clasped legs. Then the tingling seemed to seep into her delicate, secret place and rubbed itself against her. It made her temperature rise, and her body ache, as it traveled itself deeper inside her very soul. She gasped at the sensation, as it moved around in side of her, as she rocked and shook on the floor. Her belly quivered, as her lungs searched for air. She began to moan and whimper from this strange energy, as it gave her such great sensations. Her whimpers grew louder, as the thing inside her body grew more and more great.
Suddenly waves of the utmost powerful emotion ran through her, as her cries filled the halls. But the sensation soon slowed down, as her whimpering quieted. Anastasia cried from the unknown source's touching her, as she soon fell into a deep sleep. Kane quietly stood over her, picked her gently up, and took her to her chamber bed.
Kane placed his love under her covers, and left the room, without making a noise. Anastasia slept peacefully through the night, as the men discussed their situation in their chamber underground. "Well?" Marcus asked his brother. "She will start tomorrow. Don't make me do that again. If she remembers this, she will hate me forever!" Kane shouts at his brother from across the room. "She won't remember, Kane." Marcus told him as he laid down on his side of the bed. Kane soon followed, and both began to drift into their death sleep.
The next few days were hard for the three being who haunted the house. Anastasia was weak from her natural cycle. Kane was angry for having to force her internal clock to speed up. And Marcus busied himself, trying to get ready for the ritual that was to come. Anastasia was finally ready to leave her room one night, and went down to have her supper. The men sat quietly by her, as she ate her dinner. "How are you feeling, my dear Ana?" Marcus finally broke the silence. "Much better, Lord Marcus." Anastasia answered him, as she wiped her dessert from her cheek. "That's good." "We must talk to you, Stasia. Are you finished?" Kane spoke to her, afraid that she would cower from him, once again. "Yes, I'm finished. Is it about the book? Your cure?" She put her tiny hand on Kane's huge one. She remembered what happened, but somehow knew it needed to be done. She could never hate her loves, and Kane didn't hurt her once that night. "Yes, Ana, we need to tell you what is in store for you. You do have a choice to not do this, though." Marcus tells her as he puts his large hand on her shoulder. "I want to help you both. I love you both so much." She presses her cheek to his hand, as she whispers her consent.
Before she knew it, all three were setting in the brothers' chamber. "Anastasia, before you give us your full consent you must know what we need to do." Marcus looks at her with a stern expression on his face. "What is it that you need me to do?" Anastasia looks back at him, not afraid of what she was about to hear. Marcus looked away from her and licked his lips. He stood up and took a deep breath, "Anastasia, the woman who cursed Kane and I was a very sick woman. She used an awful spell to turn us in to monsters, and I'm afraid the cure is just as bad." He took another deep breath, and turned to look into her deep blue eyes. "Kane and I must first bathe you, and rub scented oils into your flesh." He seemed to choke on what he was about to say. Kane took Anastasia's hand, as his brother regained his thoughts. "Then you are to spend the night with us, without having us feed upon your blood. The oils are to keep us from tasting your sent, but it will last for only a little while." He turned away from her and walked to his fireplace. Tears began to fall from his eyes, knowing she would object it, this vile deed. Ana just sat, listening to him, patiently.
"We are to be locked up like prisoners, then?" He hears her small feminine voice ask him, like a child asking her father if he was going to punish her. Marcus wheels around, and flies toward her. He kneels before her, "Yes, we've had to starve ourselves, tonight, as to purify ourselves. You have to watch us change, become monsters, as he grow hungry. We have to try not to harm you, or take in any blood from the vermin in this place. It will be like being trapped in a pit with hungry lions. And you will have to fight us off, without drawing blood from yourself."
He places his hand in her lap, and looks up into her deep blue eyes, hoping she won't be frightened. "Then you don't have to kill me?" She asks him. "No, Ana. If it called for harming you, we wouldn't ask this, but it will be dangerous. The more we crave, the more animal-like we become." Anastasia nods her head and places her hand on his face. "We had to wait for your blood cycle to end, before we could do this." Marcus glances over to Kane, "It was up to Kane to induce your internal clock. He didn't want to, but it was necessary. You had to be totally pure for this to work." Anastasia turns her head to see Kane looking paler then he ever did, "I had a feeling he did it for some reason." "Then you do remember?" He looks up to meet her eyes. "Yes, I thought it was a dream, at first, but the way you have been acting around me lately... it had to have been real." She smiles at him, as she leans over to kiss his cheek. "What do you say, Stasia? Will you help us?" Kane asks her softly. Anastasia kindly stares at him, as she runs her fingers through his dark brown curls, "Yes. I just hope it works, for all our sakes."
"When do we begin?" Anastasia asks her loves. "Right now, Anastasia." Marcus stands up, and holds his hand out to her. Anastasia glides her tiny hand into his, as Kane stands up with her. "Now, Anastasia, you must relax and let us do all the work. We want this to be as painless as possible." Marcus whispers to her. The two brothers begin their ritual, as they undress their beloved. They each take an arm and help her in to a tub golden of hot flowery scented water. Her white skin quickly turns pink, as she soaks in the heated pool. Kane wets and lathers Anastasia's hair, as Marcus begins to wash her feet. He smiles, as he admires her tiny toes, and soft wet flesh. Anastasia closes her eyes and takes in her pampering, as she feels like a queen being cleansed for a wedding. Marcus grins at his brother, as both seem to know her thoughts. He soon moves up to her legs, and thighs, as Kane washes her arms and delicate hands. Suddenly, Anastasia jerks up and opens her eyes wide, as she feels Marcus rubbing her soft belly. "Sorry, Ana." He whispers to her. She smiles at him, "I'm just ticklish." They chuckled together, as she begins to relax again. Marcus was careful with her, this time, as he raised her from the water so he could wash her better. As he lathered her soft torso, Kane lathered her back, and sides.
Soon, the gentlemen lift Anastasia out of the tub, and dry her off. The lay her, by the fireplace, and begin the next step of the ritual. They each pour scented oils, which Marcus had made, all over Anastasia's chest, stomach, arms, and legs. Kane gently massages the oils into Ana's arms, and soon works his way to her neck. Marcus rubs in the silky oil into her feet and legs, working his way up to her thighs, one leg at a time. Kane slowly, and carefully massages the oil in to Anastasia's chest, working around her ribs. Ana takes in her gentleness loving caresses, as Marcus works his way up to her belly. She all most falls asleep, but awakens to the feel of being turned over. Marcus and Kane pour more oils onto her back, and massages her back side. They work together as they rub in the silky liquid, and loosen her muscles. They work on her, until every part of her body soaked in the oils, and she was totally relaxed.
Kane gently brushed her hair, as Marcus made the floor ready for then to begin step three of the ritual. They dressed Anastasia in a white cotton night gown, and laid her onto the bed of silk and pillows, and let her slumber as they ready themselves. Both men bathed themselves, feeling very weak and extremely hungry, but knew if they were to be free, they needed to do this. "What if one of us attacks her, from our hunger?" "Please, Kane, don't think about that, just concentrate on the matter at hand." Both men walk toward their beloved, and kneel beside her. They each kiss her cheeks, which causes her to stir from her slumber. Anastasia stretches her body, and feels the cool soft silk underneath her, as she opens her eyes to see her loves. She smiles sweetly at them, knowing now, they would spend this last night together.
Both men kiss Anastasia, once more, and move away from Ana. They sit on opposite sides of the chamber room. At first, they did not crave the youth's blood. The oils she was bathed in, kept the men from smelling her real sent. But as the night grew older, Marcus and Kane found themselves pacing the room, in silence. They began to crave and hunger for food, as they took turns poking the fire. The fire, with the brothers? powers, would never go out. But it gave the men some ease, to play with the burning wood. They each took turns, watching Anastasia, as she slept. Both hoped their hunger would not come to harm her. They took turns watching each other, as they sensed the other's hunger building up inside them.
Hours pass as they began to feel that tingling sensation in the back of their throats, and the twinge of pain in their guts that told them they needed to feed. Soon, their eyes began to glow, with animal-like glimmer, each studying the other, trying to protect their love from the other man. Their blood boiled, in their veins, as sweat formed on their brows. A small clock struck the time. "3:00 a. m. Three hours til dawn, Kane." Marcus sent his thoughts to his brother. Kane looked at the clock, then turned to the female, as she slumbered. "I don't think I can hold out, Marc." Kane sent back to him. "You have to fight it, brother." Marcus ordered him, not quite sure if he could hold on much longer, himself. They watched Ana, as she began to stir from her sleep. The oils' sent were fading from her skin, as her natural sent beaded forth from her night time sweat. The more Kane watched her, the more hungry he felt, as he licked his fangs and lips. He could taste the woman's sent on his tongue. "Easy, brother." Marcus spoke, with a growl, as he grabbed Kane by his shoulder. Kane quickly turned to his brother, with blazing fury in his eyes. He hissed at Marcus, as he grabbed him by the collar. With a flash, Kane had flown across the room, and pinned his older brother against the stone wall. "It's your fault, getting us into this mess!" He shouted out loud. "If you hadn't insisted on having the women to come with us, they wouldn't have died!" Marcus' green eyes glowed bright, as he gazed into Kane's eyes. "Kane, they wouldn't have staid at the kingdom, if we forbade them to come with us. They fought just as bravely, and any man in our army!" "Go ahead, brother, don't blame yourself! Like always! You never want to take blame!" Kane shouted.
Anastasia sat up suddenly, as she saw Kane throw his brother against another wall. Her gasp took the men off guard. Kane quickly turned the woman, and began to charge near her. His eyes focused, like an animal, his movements, beast-like, his fangs gleaming and dripping with saliva, as he growled at her. Ana was too frightened to scream, but just before Kane could reach her, Marcus' quick timing, shoved Kane away from the young one. The men fought each other, back and fourth, around the room, blood thirsty and vengeful. Ana, now fully awake, dresses herself in a robe, and tries to find a place to hide. She knew this wasn?t going to be pretty, or easy, but had the courage to stay near the men, in hopes it would brake the curse. She stood, near the fireplace, watching the vampires wreak havoc in the tomb-like room. Next to her, stood a stand of firepokers, and other tools, for the fireplace. Ana quickly picked up two pokers, and instinctively readied herself for defense.
Hearing the small sound of metal scraping metal form behind, made Kane's ears perk back. He just had knocked his brother to the floor and turned to see Ana across the room. He began to charge near her, again, as she screamed and ran out of his way. She rolled into a dark corner of the room, as the man rushed to her. Ana, quickly, made a cross with the pokers, which caused Kane to cover his eyes, and stumble back. Ana shook, as she sat on the cold stone floor. Marcus, unknowingly to his brother, jumped him from behind, and their fight continued, for what seemed forever. Anastasia sobbed, as the men fought themselves into a bloody mess. The room was wrecked, her painting of the roses was ripped to shreds, and anything breakable, laid broken on the floor. Quietly, Ana crawled to the thick wooden door, which held her freedom. She loved her gentlemen, but these men were nothing like her loves. As she tried to pry the lock open, with one of the pokers, her ears heard an eerie silence. She slowly turned to see the room in shambles. Like lighting, she found herself in the clutches of Marcus. "DON'T LEAVE!" He shouted at her, in a deep monstrous voice. His fangs protruded, long, from his mouth. Ana could feel the vampire's fingernails sinking into her flesh.
Before she could say anything to him, Kane came up behind his brother, and throw him from the woman. Ana thought the men were going to fight some more, but both seemed to collapse where they landed, and clenched with pain. Both men were now growing weak, from hunger and their brawl, as they moaned and groaned on the floor. Ana dropped her weapons, as she came close to her men. She watched them, cautiously, as they laid, agonizing in their hunger. Ana licked her lips, and timidly knelt down to Kane's side. Kane rolled over to she her sweet face, "What time...", he asked her. Anastasia looked at the clock, amazing still in one piece, on the fireplace mantle. "Nearly 4:00." She whispered. Without saying another word, she helped him up, and took him to the bed. As he fell on the soft down, his animal eyes gazed into the young maiden's. "I could never hurt one with eyes like yours. So blue... I see my reflection, I could never see any other place, Stasia." Ana smiled down at him, then kissed his forehead. She helped Marcus to his feet, and helped him to the other side of the bed. "Ana, it was my fault... my fault our wives died..." Marcus moaned. Ana put her finger to his lips, and shushed him. She kissed his forehead, and quietly walked to the foot of the bed. She knelt down, and for the first time since she came to this castle, Anastasia prayed.
The sun rises high in the sky, as a cock cries in the distance. Marcus lightly slept as he felt movement near him. Soon, a familiar sent fills his nostrils, and a female happily moans, as she laid her head on his chest. Marcus wraps his arm around the woman, as he slowly opens his eyes. He stroke the females thick hair, and lifted some locks to his eyes. He saw that instead of Anastasia's chestnut color, was the color of reach auburn. Marcus smiles, wide, as the female kisses him and looks into his face. "Morning, My King. Why do we look so happy?" The female asks him. "Because I had to strangest dream last night, Ana. And I missed you so much." Marcus replied.
Somewhere, on the other side of the castle, Kane groans, as sunlight hits his face. He rolls over, and found his arm hitting another body in his bed. He quickly opens his eyes, and sat up in bed. The body was female, as he watches it roll over. In the mass of strawberry red hair laid the most beautiful site he had ever known. "Stasia, your alive!" Kane shouts as he picks up his wife, and held her in his arms.
END
Last chapter written Aug. 25, 1999