Publisher's Synopsis
When the Council members opened their eyes, they looked at the defenseless Titanis Clore. "Guilty," four of them said slowly. Titanis began to despair. "Not guilty," replied the fifth Council member. Lydia turned to Clore, grinning broadly.
"The vote must be unanimous! Exile is prohibited," said Makoor.
"Yes, but such a vote does count for punishment!" replied Lydia coyly. "The decision is mine to make." She approached Titanis, whose eyes were closing, and laid her hand on his cheek. "Can you hear it, Titanis? The laughter of Droges? Why, you're nothing but a prince of Droges." She looked at the female prisoners, then back at Titanis. "Do you not wish to continue to exist?" Titanis nodded. "Do you wish to have your youth back?" Titanis nodded again. Lydia held out her arm. "You want blood, Titanis? You wish to drain the blood from my veins? You wish to take back that which you gave me?" She snatched her hand away. "Well, you can't have it! For five hundred years I slept without feeding. The legion of death awakened me. Summoning me to appear before you. For five hundred years I waited to have my youth back? Now look at you. Poor, helpless Titanis Clore. You must think of me as an evil witch! Well, I am a witch! And I've earned the title." Lydia folded her arms and smiled warmly. "Oh, Titanis, Titanis - do you honestly think I would destroy my own son?" She laughed and scrutinized each of the beautiful young females. "I will give you back your youth. You have such good taste in females; so young and ripe, so very young. Tell me, Titanis, how much blood can such a young female hold? Which will it be, Titanis? From which of these young females will you drain her blood?" She grabbed the brunette by her long hair. "Why not this one? She's young and ripe. Can she satisfy your hunger, Titanis?" She let go of her and grabbed the eldest amber beauty. "Why not this one? They say good blood comes with age. The blood you need to survive can only come from one of these females. Think about this carefully, Titanis. This time, choose but one." She laughed. "I wonder if one of these fine young ones would be willing to give herself to you. If you cannot decide, then perhaps they can do that among themselves." She looked at the female vampires. "Well?" Titanis Clore looked at the women, but he could not decide. He knew that whoever he chose would be drained of her blood and die. Lydia waited. When neither of them spoke, she continued. "Well, Titanis, looks like none of them is willing." Then Vanessa, the oldest, with the amber hair, stepped away from the others. She approached Titanis and stood close to him. "So," said Lydia, "you are the courageous one. Well, they say wisdom comes with age, but in your case, you lack brains as much as a will to live."
Vanessa tilted her head to one side. Titanis stood for a moment, then without wasting anymore time, sank his teeth into her neck. As soon as he tasted her blood, he hungered for more and more. He sucked every last drop of blood out of her. She weakened and fell to the ground. Still hungry, he dropped to his knees and continued to feast. When he was done, Vanessa lay motionless on the ground. Titanis stood and looked at the lifeless body. Lydia and the three females looked at Titanis Clore, grown young. "Hello, handsome," said Lydia. She glanced down at Vanessa's body. "She must have really loved you." She walked to the three females. "So, the choice was made. And your pitiful souls have been spared. Isn't that right? Wrong!" She approached Makoor. "The Council still stands! The vote was four to one!" She looked at Titanis Clore and the petrified young females. "Makoor!"
Makoor clapped his hands and laughed horribly, louder and louder until he unhinged his jaws like a snake and roared fire, setting the three young females ablaze. They burned quickly, their torched bodies falling to the ground as ash.
