Chapter 1

A silver haired priest yawned as he sat out in the garden reading a report his boss had given him only a half hour ago. He then removed his glasses and rubbed his tired sapphire blue eyes. He hadn't been getting much sleep ever since his sister decided to come and visit him in Rome.

I wonder what Seth is doing right now? Probably enjoying herself as she and Sister Esther tour around Rome. He thought as he stretched his long legs. Wish i had such pleasantries. I'd take a tour of Rome anytime over reading these reports on my brother and his flunkies.

He tossed the thick folder on the table and stood up, putting his glasses back on. He was then suddenly tackled by said sibling, falling over onto the ground and having the wind knock out of him. "*cough* Seth. Must you tackle me?"

Seth just giggled. "Of course! It's not every day that i get to hang out with my best friend and older brother."

Abel groaned as he lay on the ground. He then groaned more as he heard Esther giggling. "This isn't funny Esther."

Esther just continued to giggled at how silly the two crusnik siblings looked. "Are you kidding? This is entirely funny."

I just hope no one else sees this. He thought as sighed.

"Well i see the empress is enjoying herself." Said Lady Caterina as she came into the garden, smirking at the two. "But what about you Abel?"

Abel whimpered into the ground. Oh heavenly father. Why must you humiliate me so?

Caterina just smiled as she watched Seth finally release he brother and Abel get up off the ground. Once he had dusted himself off, she spoke. "By the way Abel. I'm sending you and Sister Esther on a mission. You as well Seth."

"What kind of mission your grace?" Esther said as she went over to Abel and stood next to him.

"And why am I going too?" Seth asked as she looked at the cardinal confused.

"I've been getting reports in multiple places of vampire murders. And i mean vampires that have been killed not human victims." She said as she pulled out a folder from under her robes and handed it to Abel.

Abel opened the folder to reveal several pictures of vampires that had been murdered. Esther and Seth had to stand on there tip toes to see them.

"The murders have been happening everywhere. Albine, Barcelona, and even here in Rome. I'm even getting reports of these murders in Romania and Bulgaria." Caterina continued as the three looked through the pictures.

"Do you think this is Father Hughes work?" Esther asked as she took one picture out of the folder to look at it better.

"No. None of these pictures show that Sworddancer has been at work. First, it's not his style. And most importantly, these vampires weren't killed by a blade of any sort. It looks more like an arrow was used. At least that's what a report from Napoli suggests. But when they searched the area, they found no arrow. Another report from Mostar, Bosnia said that the detectives could smell something like burned o-zone in the air."

"Well that only happens if there's a lightning storm or if brother is in his crusnik mode." Seth said as she looked up at the cardinal.

"Exactly. But that's just it. It's summer, almost fall. So the only likely chance there is to all this is a crusnik with lightning abilities going after vampires." Caterina said as she looked up at Abel.

"Well it's not me. I'm not one to kill vampires like this." Abel said as he closed the folder. "And i don't think it's Cain either. He needs blood to survive and hold his body together but not like this. Who ever is doing this must have a reason."

Esther nodded as she took the folder and place the picture she had examined back into it. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes. Someone caught a glimpse of this person about a week ago, around the same time as the last reported murder." Caterina said as she took the folder from Esther. "They said that the murderer a female in her late 20s, 6'5", and with silver hair down to the middle of her back. Or so the witnessed thought."

"What do you mean?" Abel was getting confused as to what the cardinal was trying to get at.

"What i mean is, the the witness saw the girl's hair standing on end. Literally. Like your's does. And her eyes were blood red." She said as she looked at the priest sternly.

"Hair on end? With red eyes? And lightning powers?" Seth asked these questions all out loud. "It doesn't make sense. It almost sounds like these girl might be a crunsik."

"That's impossible. There are only three crusniks." Abel said as he looked at his sister. "There's only you, me, and Cain. There were no others besides us and...." He went silent as he thought of Lilith.

Seth looked sadly up at her brother. "I understand Abel."

Caterina sighed as she let the two think over this. After a few minutes, she spoke again. "As of late, I've been getting reports of a silver haired girl in Messina walking around. I want all three of you to go down there and see if she is the one we are looking for."

The three of them nodded.

"Don't harm her. And don't arrest her. Some of the people in the towns the murders have been in have actually been grateful for someone taking care of the vampires that threaten their lives."

"When do we leave?" Seth asked.

"Around 6 this evening. Everything has been payed for. Including the hotel room." Caterina said as she handed Able the envelope holding the train tickets and passports.

Abel nodded and tucked the envelope into his coat. "We should get ready then."

The girls nodded and followed him out of the garden.

Caterina sighed as she watched them go. "Let us hope that it isn't another threat like Cain."

Cain was sitting at a computer screen, sipping a glass of blood wine. He was smirking as he read over the reports of his latest project.

"My Lord." Came the voice of his accomplice, Dietrich. "I have news."

"Oh do you?" Cain said as he continued to looked at the screen. "What is it?"

"The Vatican has found our little mouse."

"Have they now? It's about time she's was spotted." Cain said as he sipped his wine again.

"Indeed. She has been spotted all over Europe, killing vampires, weather they are agents of ours or not." Dietrich said as he looked over the reports he had in his hands.

Cain went silent. "I see. Then we must recapture our little mouse now should we?" He said as he sipped his wine. "She would be a prize that the Vatican must want to have."

"I know. They sent your siblings and the queen of Alvion to Messina to find her." Dietrich said as he looked at the back of his lord's head.

"Hmm." Cain thought about this for a moment before he turned around in his chair to look at the puppet master. "Send out a spy to follow them. And when the moment is right, take her."

"And if she resists?" Dietrich asked as he smirked.

"By force if nessissary" Cain smirked as he twirled the glass in his hand.

Dietrich bowed to his lord and then left the room.

"I will have my little mouse returned to me." Cain said as he turned back to look at the screens again. "She is mine. And Abel better keep his hands off her."