Flashback
Lord Viktor dragged his feet, digging his heels petulantly in adamant refusal to die under the same sentence he administered to his 'beloved' daughter, Sonja so long ago. Considering that he, Marcus, Amelia, Tanis, and Kraven alone knew of Sonja and failed to share this history with the rebuilt coven, how fitting he'd die this way. Lined along the wide corridor of the living base vampire after vampire bore witness to the overdue warlord's death walk. Marcus and William personally escorted Viktor to the sun chamber.
A garden in an open courtyard in the middle of the newly renovated and expanded living base sported a new garden as well as the garish cross in the middle. Reinforced steel firmly anchored in place by cement and more steel jutted from a square mound three feet high. Daimyo Shino and Kyosuke respectfully stood at the head of their clans, their personal servants at their side duty bound to witness this horrific event. Shing wilted beneath the glower Viktor leveled on everyone and masterfully swept across everyone in severe accusation.
Traitors.
Yet, not an ounce of guilt plagued Calypso – or Shino for that matter. Kyosuke ignored the pang easily, remembering how low the clans fallen since William and Marcus assumed control. The elder elbowed his assistant. " Keep it together, Shing. I didn't choose you because you put on the proper image," Calypso almost smirked at the comment, her eyes betraying her amusement as she casually glanced in Kyosuke's direction, meeting his gaze and nodding in a curt nod. Shino's chest rose and fell in an aggravated sigh. She slid half a step back in apology before assuming her stoic image.
Viktor missed the series of exchanges, far more intent on the steel cross looming in front of him. Surrounded by circular stone tiles laid out in a sun pattern four feet farthest and two feet at the shortest rays, it could have easily served a religious purpose.
Today it served death, god to all.
Silence hung over the large crowd turning the partially open corridors and walkways into an ingested nightmare. Lucky for them the only person to catch fire soon would be Viktor while they watched from behind thickly plated glass and walls blocking out the growing sunlight. Eventually even they'd have to vacate the special observation rooms to retreat into the rest of the living base and return to inspect the ashes as soon as sun set.
" Traitors. You serve abominations! Beasts! You are no better than the filthy cur-"
William backhanded Viktor, the chunky ruby and gold ring leaving a gash in its wake. Lucian, Raze, and several lieutenants stepped from the crowd of vampires. Marcus kept firm hold. In a perverted fashion, Lucian stepped forward and leveled a malevolent glare on Viktor, almost equal to the glare he steadily assessed Marcus with. Lycan and vampire lead the increasingly aggressive Viktor to the cross, easily hoisting him up the mound. Each held Viktor in place by his arms, restraining him with chains and cuff links at the wrists and ankles. William produced a collar, clasping it around Viktor's neck with special vindictiveness.
The heavy clink audible to those in close quarters spurred Viktor to thrash against the manacles and chains, the rattling impossibly louder than the clink until he stopped abruptly minutes later, his eyes fixed on those in front of him and in his immediate view. Raze unfurled two sets of silver whips and tossed them to the ground at Viktor's feet, a reminder of how Soren died. Feral snarls and a howl cursed the air.
Calypso cleared her throat as people started to dissipate. " I find that when it comes to father figures, you aren't the worst one to have around," She whispered to Shino, blinking back the would-be tears. " I could be like Sonja now, but you wouldn't have allowed that. Makoto spared you the trouble of embarrassing yourself, but you're nothing like him," Her eyes pierced his back, hoping her words carried truth. She didn't think she could bear the alternate possibility.
She flat out deny it.
An elder and a wiser man, Shino just nodded. He could not voice what he wanted to express. Many dared to call her his daughter, a beloved daughter that he endlessly defended despite her trespasses on tradition and hierarchy. He never once uttered the words himself.
Lucian seated himself on the bench between two potted trees and locked stares with Viktor. William joined the sport, leaning against a column. Marcus regressed into the viewing room for a more comfortable sleigh couch. Soon only the lycans remained. Calypso hovered in the shadows, morbidly fascinated with the seemingly impossible – no more Viktor to torment anyone.
Who then would the brothers target? Amelia?
Or had they already killed the female elder? Reports of Amelia's oppulant train being attack and she being bled dry only just made it back hours ago. Had her mind made it all up for personal comfort that one less monster lived in this world?
It never occurred to her that she herself could be considered – was considered – a monster by humans who refused to think anyone of her mythical nature as human beings. As beings capable of being good.
Present
Staring down the muzzle of a high velocity rifle created by a sharp mind nurtured by artificial immortality, Ayaki Noboru suspected he no longer worked for the Japanese government. Selene lowered the rifle seconds later, a smirk lifting the corner of her mouth. " You're coming with us," Usually such commands issued by such a beautiful woman gave Ayaki pause. After nearly being flayed alive by two Lycan and then a possible evening meal for a child new blood, he prepared for something equal to those unreached fates.
A hand grabbed his collar and forced him forward toward a sleek black SUV. Stumbling forward, another hand pushed his head down so he didn't bash his forehead off the SUV on his way into it. Michael Corvin slid in after him, followed by Selene. Pressed against an armed guard wielding a wakizashi, an 'honor weapon', Ayaki didn't recognize the curved two foot long blade. Directly across from him, he instantly recognized the feared elder Daimyo Shino.
Now holding a chain of rings taken from mortals killed in the Extermination War, he let it sway in the air, rings clinking against each other. " For each life I take, I add to this chain. Considering you harmed my most beloved child, I highly consider answering my questions honestly," Shino didn't blink, and he snapped his hand back, the chain curled up against the back of his hand.
Eyeing up each ring, Ayaki counted seven of various sizes, design, and value.
Michael shifted to seat himself next to Shino as Selene cozied up to Ayaki, making her improved berretta visible and definitely out of reach. The lithe brunette intense brown eyes focused on the mortal without mercy. No doubt lingered all individuals in this vehicle would surely rip him apart as any child new blood wanted to in a fit of thirst. " She yet lives, does she not? How else do you think she survived? If I made it short-"
Shino leaned forward, the seat protesting the shift of weight. " Rescued from a garbage container in a weakened state within constraints that would've left her to die by sunrise had it not been for my Regent,"
" She only made it to the garbage container because I made it inconvenient to place her elsewhere,"
" She'd still have died,"
Grinding his teeth together, Ayaki prayed they saw things as he saw them. " I gave her a chance," He declared almost shouting. " She lives. Your precious child can continue to wage her war of peace and love. I now see why," He also started to understand how she survived as long as she did. This man shielded her.
Selene gripped a berretta handle.
Michael shot her a warning glance to keep her hands still. " Where are the possessions taken from the living base in Kyoto?" He mispronounced Kyoto, excluding the y.
The armed escort winced at the calloused handling of the Japanese language.
" Locked away,"
" Where?" Selene demanded.
Locking stares with Shino, he determined he wouldn't die on his knees or begging for his life. " I don't know where they have your armor or your scrolls or your tapestries. I don't know what they did with all the jewelry and wealth confiscated. It wasn't my area of expertise,"
Shino finally blinked. " No, capture and release is your chosen expertise at this time,"
" And it will be your continued expertise, second most to keeping your 'masters' happy," Michael added, fingers tapping against worn black jeans spotting holes in the knees. Never accepted by his distant cousins, Michael just wanted to survive the horrific turn of events that ruined his mortal life, and in the same breath lead him to Selene, a woman he couldn't figure out no matter what he tried.
Perhaps that's how he liked it.
Such warm and fuzzy thoughts didn't belong in the current car with current company. Digging his hands into his leather coat pocket, he grabbed the rectangular phone. His fingers wrapped around it, uncertain about this individual. The famed Ayaki Noboru rarely made himself available, and caught unaware allowed himself to be taken easily. From their earlier observations he nearly killed a lycan in full transformation and trapped the child new blood into a corner. Michael suspected Daimyo Shino hoped he died, with only a glimpse of disappointment reflected in his intense stare before he asked Michael a question about hybrid transformations.
" As you wish, Master," Ayaki finally announced. " How should I-" Michael tossed the cell phone at him. He caught it, the sting of impact on his hands. Holding it up, the Japanese male expected a speech to follow. It did not.
Selene opened the door and stepped out. " Get out," She shoved the barrel of a berretta to his face and motioned him to leave the vehicle.
Not needing a second order, Ayaki exited the vehicle and pocketed the cell phone. He'd have to explain it to his superiors, if they ever discovered it. The only people more critical than the paranoid were his employers. They needed to be to save the common populace. How else could they protect the innocent from the evil? No doubt looking upon the aged innocence of Calypso did he think some less evil than others, but as a race, they all needed to meet a higher power for absolution.
Many humans did too, he among them.
Striding along the alleyway, he broke into a run once around the corner and jogged to the end of the street searching for a bar or club still open. He didn't want a 'happy ending' club, those clubs attracted the immortals more than the typical drinking holes.
Next time they came for him, he'd be ready.