Derry, Northern Ireland

Derry, Northern Ireland
A book I'm working on is set in this town.

Saturday, June 18, 2022

Structure revealing itself

Leonides is beginning to make its structure known to me. It's going to be in seven parts:

1. The beginning, in the last quarter of the 11th Century, Leonides is turned and revealed to be a Blood Angel, just like his sister, Gabrielle. He takes a pack of six vampire monks from Prior Pious and makes them his retinue -- Geoffrey, Reyndahl, Deric, Stephane, Nellis and Loronce -- making a permanent enemy.

2.  Mid-16th or 17th Century, a huge rift explodes between Gabrielle and Leonides. Not sure what it is, just yet, or the exact timeframe...maybe the 30 years war in Germany or the Civil War in England...but all will be revealed. Leon turns a young man named Willem to join with him, as another vampire. The rest are wary, until Leon lets them have fun with the lad. This is where he formulates his set of rules -- go only after those committing evil acts, and if they want to have fun with them before killing them, that will be fine. But no one innocent; Gabrielle is too busy in that arena.

3. Beginning of the 19th Century, Napoleon is on his march to Moscow and Gabrielle turns Dmitriy into a Blood Angel, not believing Leon when he warns her the man is gay so cannot be with her. But he can be with Leon. Geoffrey is unhappy about that so turns one of Napoleon's soldiers, Meron, to be with him. It causes friction in the group because Leon has expressly forbidden that...but can't blame Geoff since he used to be the favorite.

4. 1870s, Leon turns Franz and comes to realize it was a mistake, so sets out to ask Gabrielle for help. Maybe she can control him like she did Dmitriy. He locates her in Korea, where she's chasing another Blood Angel to turn and be her mate. But her choice is killed before she can turn him so she double-crosses Leon, who then takes Clerik but doesn't turn him...yet. But Prior Pious shows up and tries to use the guy as a bargaining tool to his original monks back to his sphere.

5. 1940 and Europe has fallen to Germany.  Leon's financial holdings are in Switzerland but he has businesses all across the Continent and England, and is not only having them confiscated but is in danger of being caught and crushed by the Nazis and the British, as are the men in his retinue. Especially since a couple of them have joined the Resistance in both France and Germany. Gabrielle is war profiteering, and her retinue are having a field day feeding. Dmitriy is helping the Germans on the Polish front...by really messing with them to help the Russians.

6. New Orleans in 2006, after Katrina. Gabrielle is part of the reconstruction effort, as is Dmitriy. Leon is building a security service so is wary of coming to the city...until he senses a potential Blood Angel is there -- a troubled young Jazz musician named Tristan. Gabrielle connects with him, and this time verifies he would be the one for her so sets about separating him from his friends and leading him into her snare. Dmitriy grows jealous and tries to stop it because it means he will be abandoned...but winds up becoming the 12th member of Leon's group.

7. Modern Day. Leon has a finger in every business there is around the world, thanks to his centuries of wealth gathering and the various abilities of his retinue. Called by Gabrielle for help Tristan taken captive by Franz, in Brazil, and threatened with destruction. Franz can't kill him but has associates who can. Wants all of Gabrielle's wealth, in the billions. She needs Leon to use his security firm to locate and stop Franz because he still has reliable contacts in the human world. But how to do it? Vampire not allowed to kill vampire, and humans aren't strong enough.

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