The Empress

(Taking place in the same world of the vampires, this story follows a family who worships Death. He gifts the Astrellas with divination magic…as long as they sacrifice a part of themselves to him. Written last year. TW: Some gore yay)

Mrs. Lorelai Astrella was said to have eyes of a deep velvety blue. Her initiation was her most treasured memory. A beautiful woman. A devoted discipline to Death- blindly following him with an almost crazed obsession.

18 and already falling into quiet insanity, she stood before her diety with tear-stained cheeks…and the family dagger. Without hesitation- in fact, with tremendous joy -she plunged the blade into her eye socket and pried it cleanly out. She did not even flinch. She did not even glance at the blood that poured down her cheeks.

The second one came next, just as swift and led along by a flurry of politely stifled giggling. Both sapphire eyes, rested so neatly on a silver platter. She even cleaned up the blood around the edges with a handkerchief. Then she licked her fingers and smiled so admiringly toward her god even as blood gushed from where her lovely eyes were removed.

The euphoria of her acceptance. The power enveloped her body in a warm and loving embrace. The sight of each lock of hair turning a glistening silver. Such a feeling was unlike any other pleasure in the world. A memory that was never tainted by time. It brought Mrs. Lorelai to joyous sobs to even think about. For she is as she had pledged: a blind follower of Death.