Chapter Two
A/N: Well, I was going to try for a weekly schedule, but things happen. I'll try to make it up to you. It should get interesting soon.
Warnings: I was in one of my moods.
**words** denotes thoughts
Heero left the messenger behind without a backwards glance. If the rumor was true, then he might be leaving the walls sooner than planned. As a high shaman, he was expected to stay within the mansion that had long ago been turned into their home. Shaman or not, the prophecies were coming to a head and he had to be out there himself to make sure things were going right.
As for the prophecy, he didn't know how to make them out. Their kind, the vampires, were limited in what they could do outside their walls. The night was not theirs alone. It had to be shared with the werewolves and other shape shifters that wanted to take control of the night. Their movements were always monitored and so they were controlled.
With a few uttered words Heero placed wards around himself to protect his mind from those that would seek to probe it within the council chambers. For the most part he could block any one of them out of his controlled mind, but there were those two or three that would band together and try to catch him off guard. Tonight was not a night that he wanted to play games, better yet to prevent them before they could even start.
He briskly walked to the council chambers that were just at the end of the hallway that he had turned into. Every ten feet or so there was a guard stationed along each side of the wall. They knew little of magic, but they were the fiercest of warriors that the vampire coven had and they could do their job well regardless of what a spell caster could throw at them.
Without a word Heero continued through the hall to the large doors that marked the entrance of the council chambers. They towered above him in the semi-darkness. The torchlight made shadows jump across the doors had deeply set grooves and markings. With the dim light, the doors looked as if they were covered in blood and shadows, enough of a scene to send any of those that were weak of heart away from the chambers.
Finally, at the very doorstep, Heero took a deep breath and muttered a final ward for his protection under his breath. He threw open the doors without preamble and strolled right into the middle of the proceedings that had already started.
"Nice of you to show your pallid face here," the interrupted councilman muttered in Heero's direction.
"Hn," was all that Heero had to say as he made his way to the far corner. He was hardly deemed important in such meetings, so he had a seat far from the center circle. Not that he minded. He'd rather not be bothered with such politics and left to his own devices.
"As I was saying-" the councilman started as he was interrupted yet again as one of his personal messengers burst through the doors out of breath. Murmurs broke out within the chambers as many wondered what could warrant such an interruption. Instead of just whisperings, the councilmen turned to talking and then to yelling to try to be heard above each other.
A gavel rang out from the front of the room, effectively silencing the councilman. The senior councilman waited a few moments before addressing the room.
"So, out with it! What's the news brought by our servant from outside the walls?" an impatient member yelled from the back of the room.
"Silence," the senior councilman said evenly. With a sigh, he told them the information that was brought to him. "The pack is on the move." Gasps could be heard throughout the room.
**It's sad that these pompous bags are worried at the slightest mention of the pack. No wonder they never go outside the walls,** he thought to himself with a smirk playing on his lips. He could understand the need for their fear to an extent. Their race was on the verge of extinction. Their blood had somehow changed throughout the ages to the point of where it was rejected more often than a mortal turning. The wolves, besides themselves, were the only things that could threaten their lives.
"They have come within our territory." With that bit of news, the council broke into an uproar. Heero watched as Cedric sneaked out of the chamber, probably spreading the news to his masters. Heero kept the sneer off his face, but barely. There were a few half mortals within the walls that were little more than dogs to do their master's bidding.
The gavel rang out again, but it hardly had the power to stop such a madhouse.
"Silence! I will have order within these chambers!" the senior councilman bellowed over the crowd. It took some time, but they finally settled down to harsh whispers and grumblings. "We will send out our warriors tomorrow night at dusk. There will be an end to this."
"Does this have anything to do with the One coming near?" Sandra, a middle ranked vampire, called from the center of the room. This brought about silence more complete than anything else could have.
"Speak Chalice!" cried out another vampire impatiently.
"We do not know," he replied grudgingly. It was fatal to show any weakness in this chamber, but with subject, it could not always be avoided.
"Have they been found?" Heero spoke up from his seat. He stood up to better be seen. He ignored the looks around him and made his way forward towards Chalice. His face was nicely blank, not betraying any of his emotions.
Chalice turned to face him and gave him a glare that could rival Heero's any day of the week. "They have not," he said with malice for Heero had brought more weakness into light.
"Let me go with the warriors." It was not a question nor a demand, just a pure statement of which Heero expected that Chalice and the others will follow. Chalice nodded and Heero did the same in return. As the room erupted once more into unbearable noise, Heero made his way out of the chamber heading towards his living quarters. He hadn't been outside the walls since he had been brought in more than 50 years ago.
Duo was one of the first ones out of the door as soon as the teacher had dismissed them for the day. The day had started off badly with him being late to his first class and everything had just gone downhill from there. With his second class, he had forgotten that a paper was due and he really had no excuse for not having it done. His third and final class, that lasted until early evening, had a pop test. Not a quiz, but a full out test.
The halls of the university were pretty much empty as he headed back towards the dorms. Just as he was about to enter his room he saw Ryuu heading his way from the opposite end of the hallway.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm a going," Duo said with a laugh. Him and Ryuu had made plans earlier in the week to go camping down by the lake this weekend. They were supposed to already be heading that way, but he didn't expect his classes to last this long.
"Will ya hurry it up in there," Ryuu shouted into the room as he followed Duo. He was looking forward to the weekend of fishing and camping and basically doing nothing for the next couple of days. He watched as Duo rushed around his room tossing things he was going to need into a duffel bag and muttering under his breath.
"So yeah, how'd you like that pop test in Mr. Yakamura's class today?" Ryuu said with a sneer and barely had time to duck as Duo launched a boot in his direction. "Well, I guess that answers my question," he said with a laugh.
"A test..." Duo grumbled. "Who in the world gives a pop -test- on a Friday of all days?" He looked like he was about done with packing but was searching for something or other. "Oh, can I have that boot back?" he asked sheepishly.
"Duo, what am I supposed to do with you?" Ryuu wondered out loud as he tossed the boot back at Duo. Finally packed, they walked out the door and headed to the parking lot to where Ryuu's car was parked. Then they were on their way.
It took them a good hour to get to where they were going, but they finally found what they figured was the perfect spot. They set up their single tents just far enough away from the soft bank of the lake so that they could stay dry. A fire was was safely built and they went to work on catching their dinner. It wasn't long before they were set up nicely and the fish were biting. Soon after, dinner was sizzling and well on its way to being nearly done.
"Smells good," Ryuu commented on Duo's cooking as he was packing up the fishing supplies. The sun was almost down and the night was turning chilly this close to the lake. The sounds of the waterfall off in the distance could be heard when the wind was blowing just right.
"That's because I'm a good cook and you know it," Duo said with a grin as he flipped the fish on the makeshift grill. "They're just about done." Ryuu grabbed one of their folding lawn chairs and sat down across from Duo on the other side of the fire. "It's gotten a bit chilly since the sun has gone down," Ryuu mentioned as he rubbed his arms and looked around at the dancing shadows the fire cast about.
The comfortable silence that fell between them was suddenly interrupted by a loud howl that sounded entirely way too close for comfort. Duo glanced at Ryuu and scooted closer to the fire acting as if the howl did not scare him in the slightest. Ryuu, on the other hand, didn't bother to try to hide the fact that he was about to piss himself.
"Chill dude," Duo said with only a slight waver to his voice.
"That was a little close, don't you think?" Ryuu muttered.
"Yes, it was, don't you think?" an unknown voice called out from the shadows even closer than the howl making them both jump up from their seats.
**I'm so sorry for getting this out so late. I promise it won't happen again. I hope you like it. The next one should be out much sooner. :)**
