Chapter One
Location: Gotham City
Far deep in the underbelly of the grey city, dim candles lit up the wide and otherwise blackened room and droplets of dirty water echoed in the space. Upon the walls were various painted markings and symbols of red and white. In the particular chamber, several figures concealed in white and red robes and hoods, each holding a sharp stainless knife, gathered together in a circle, surrounding an open coffin, where a nearly decayed skeleton with fangs remained exposed.
One of these members stepped forth upon a small raised stand, subtly different from the others by the mask she was wearing; a white emotionless mask with lines of red streaming down the cheeks and face from the eye holes. She looked down at the barely intact bones then to the fellow servants around.
"Today, our sovereign shall rise again, and her love will eternally endure, as it has many centuries ago," the cult leader preached in a deep feminine voice. "And to such to do so, we must offer ourselves to her and her all-embracing power."
The cultists each let out their knives with right hands, and slowly raised their open left hands over the coffin. They all then placed their knives upon their palms and enclosed their fingers around it.
"May the Goddess of Blood be brought back into living flesh again," the leader said just before she slowly ran the knife down her hand, deeply enough to cut the skin, as the others did as followed. While most, if not all, of them felt the shared pain, none of them reacted one bit as blood was drawn from their hands, leaking through their fingers.
Drips of blood rained down on the corpse and splattered upon hitting the ribs, running down the bones. From nothingness, a blackened heart manifested and began beating as other flesh and organs also regenerated. As growing muscle enveloped the bones and skull, a layer of pale grey skin soon developed over the muscles and white-hair grew from the head.
What was once a mere vague skeleton had become a slender naked feminine figure. She then suddenly opened her regenerated cyan-blue eyes and gasped for air as she rose from her coffin like a mighty statue getting erected. Once she was on her feet again, she took in the cool and fresh atmosphere before looking around and down at her devotees bowing before her, the ones who brought her back to life.
"O Great Countess Carmilla of Karnstein," the leading cultist said as she kneeled down as well before the countess, getting her attention. "We submit and pledge ourselves to you."
A smile immediately crosses Carmilla's red lips upon hearing and seeing this, her first opportunity already offering itself, or rather herself, to her. She then came down and close to the cult leader, gently pulling down her hood and revealing short bright brunette hair.
"Is that so?" Carmilla spoke as she stroked her red pointed nails across the leader's mask before pulling it off and revealing her sweet face and dazed brown eyes. "Then prove it to me. Show me your submission, instead of telling it."
The cult leader already fell into the vampire's trance, as Carmilla placed a fingertip or two under the mortal woman's chin and drew their lips together. The other cultists looked on, still on their knees, wondering if any of them would have their turn. Carmilla helped her new lover in stripping away her robe, revealing her delicate body and skin. The vampire queen took her time in licking and tasting the parts that were warm and bared.
"Since you already gave your blood to me, let me offer you a bit of my blood in return," Carmilla offered in gratitude.
"Yes, my mistress," the leader accepted in a monotone whisper.
Carmilla bit into her own finger with her fangs until blood was drawn from it. Then she offered it to her worshipper who took no hesitation in suckling on it and was greeted by a bitter vinegar-like taste. With the drop of vampire blood in her veins, the lead cultist's face and body convulsed in mortal pains. Eyes blurring and throat choking, the woman who gave herself to Carmilla felt something inside her change. Her skin slowly turned pale, her sclera turned black, and her canine teeth grew into sharp fangs.
With legs trembling and growing weak, she would've fell to the ground were it not for Carmilla's protective arms keeping her in place. The other cultists continuing staring with wide eyes and shuddering breaths, seeing such a magnificent transformation occur before them. Soon enough, it was complete, the main cultist limped down her head before Carmilla's chest as the vampire stroked her hair with tenderness.
The leader of the cult who worshipped Carmilla then lifted back up her head and opened her eyes once more, her irises now a deep bright red. Inhaling, she parted open her mouth as well, revealing her new fangs. She was no longer a mortal human, but at last a vampire, and Carmilla's first in nearly a century and a half. After giving yet another kiss to her first new recruit, Carmilla turned her attention to other cultists.
"To each and every one of you," Carmilla announced. "I shall offer my blood and power to you as well, so who wishes to come next?"
To be continued...