Well I didn't expect to get quite so many messages as I got on the first day. Can I ask a small favour, those who know my zilla, blogspot and person email only send one message on each site. Thanks 3
As it stands so far the battle is between Vancha and Darren with 13 votes to one and 11 to the other, though I won't say which one is in the lead. I will say the vote cast for Harkat made me laugh :D
Anyway on with the story sorry for keeping you, this part is going to be the last part betwen 3,000 and 4,000 words, after this part I've been getting carried away and doing 7,000 - 10,000 words per chapter!
Thank you got the reviews, messages and those who favourited! As per one request I've recieved I'll be doing a spin-off one shot from this within the next two weeks so those VanchaxKiara fans you can have your lemony goodness treat ^^
Chapter Thirteen: Gainging Facts
Her ears strained to try and listen to any more sound from those who left, but the footsteps of her retreating allies had long since died down. Only when the soft scurrying of rats could be heard from the tunnels was the blade removed from Kiara's neck, the grip on her arm vanishing. She jumped away from Gannen quickly, cradling her arm and rolling her shoulder. The same could not be said for the other victim, Debbie Hemlock, she had being tied down by the vampaneze.
"Gannen, Steve is-" R.V began, his eyes casting over the vampire briefly when the older vampaneze cut him off.
"Steve is under no such danger," Gannen stated, watching the vampire carefully as she scanned the room for a way out. The entrance tunnel had already being blocked and Gannen believed that would be the end of her search. "We have two of their comrades, they would not dare touch Steve Leopard."
Ignoring her current search for an exit she could break away from the vampaneze with, she turned to Gannen with curiosity lacing her features. Her allies had taken more than just Steve, why then were these two vampaneze seemingly nervous?
"Why is Steve so important?" she spat, laughing to herself at a though. "Let me guess, Steve is your Lord's little gay lover?"
"How dare-"
"Stand down Refarit," Gannen halted one of the younger vampaneze within the room. "You should show more respect to our Lord."
"Your Lord's here so why not just kill me now? Better than being around your stench! Am I not at your mercy right now?" she paused, obtaining no answer from the vampaneze, though she had no doubt after what she said about the Lord of the Vampaneze some of the vampaneze wouldn't blink twice upon striking her down.
"So here you stand, almost offering me a free exit. Which must mean that Desmond Tiny had visited you and given you certain rules you must stick with hasn't he?" Kiara knew she'd hit the ball on target, the faces of those nearest to her gave that away.
"I ask only for the truth," she stated, wondering if any of the newer blooded vampaneze would share the honour of the older vampaneze.
"Desmond has visited us of course. The safety of only two matter to us to ensure our victory for the time being, those soon only one will matter. If the vampire Kiara Darcy is to die at the hands of any vampaneze we would have no chance of winning the War of the Scars," Gannen responded truthfully. She saw the more mature vampaneze were all troubled by that fact.
Kiara remained stone faced, not wanting to give away what she actually knew. It troubled her greatly though, Desmond had lied to the vampaneze, just as he had to the vampires when he'd offered the names of four hunters instead of three. Why was Desmond going out of his way to ensure her survival? If Desmond was rid of her he wouldn't have to worry about her setting a new course to the future. Then why?
"So you can't kill me, so you decide to keep me with you so you can get the other hunters. They can only die at the hands of your Lord and I have immunity to all vampaneze," Kiara careful with her words, her eyes focussed on Debbie Hemlock whose eyes were pleading with Kiara to aid her.
"You are correct in all you speak," Gannen nodded, only for R.V to begin shouting at the older vampaneze for revealing their secrets to the vampire. She and most other vampaneze ignored R.V though.
After R.V was silenced, Kiara's sword was drawn, a smirk lighting up her face. They could not kill her but she could dispose of everyone within the room.
"Enlighten me then. What the hell is stopping me from breaking loose?"
"You leave here having shed the blood of my people and your friend over there can say goodbye to her life," Gannen warned.
"Perfect!" Kiara lit up excitedly, turning to leave, daring any vampaneze to get in her way.
"Excuse me?"
She turned back to Gannen, a twinkle in her eyes. "I'll come back if you really want so you can trade for your Lord's gave lover, but be my guest, kill the woman. I don't really care."
Gannen was thrown into confusion at the young vampire, her words were not what he expected. He's seen one vampire ignore the vampaneze for the human and this one would prefer her dead? Gannen knew his brother though, this girl must be something more than just what she appeared for Vancha to demand her release so much.
Kiara yawned, stretching out her limbs and sat down with her back against the wall. With a final grin at Gannen, she laid on the floor and, at a slower rate than Vancha, allowed sleep to claim her. Gannen chuckled when he saw her breathing even out and turned to his own people, the vampire wouldn't be a hassle whilst she was sleeping.
Travelling back through the tunnels was a lonely one for the Vampire Prince, though he held a vampet in his grasp, the man he held was nothing compared to what he'd lost. She'd given herself up too easily to his brother, he had the sinking feeling that Gannen had allowed them to go because of her. She'd saved them but the cost was far too great.
"Fucking idiot," he whispered out carefully, passing the vampet he held over to Harkat as he changed course in the tunnels. Gannen had said he'd send this own after them, he'd do well away from the group for now. Gannen hadn't given his word that Kiara wouldn't be hurt, but even so the sacrifice she must have given to allow them to get away…he would not let that be in vain.
He could hear the vampaneze and vampets coming through the tunnels around twenty minutes after he left the main party. Though he left many false trails for the vampaneze to follow, his mind travelled elsewhere briefly. It took all his own willpower to not allow himself to turn back to claim Kiara.
Vancha came across his first vampet around thirty minutes after leaving the chamber and made very short work of his victim. He came across more before he finally laid sight on his companions within the tunnels.
After a very brief exchange of words he darted away from his companions, thoughts of his once assistant never far from his mind. He picked off a few more vampets, adding to his own numbers until a whistle sounded through the tunnels, a signal from his allies.
Vancha was fast to return to the hunters and their captives, taking the rear of the group to release shurikens to those running up the tunnels behind them, his aim was true as ever, eating into flesh with every shuriken thrown.
"Go!" Vancha barked at Darren as they hit a ladder leading up to a manhole cover, releasing more of his shuriken at the vampets and younger vampaneze that were closing in. Before any could reach the vampire though, he'd checked everyone else was safely out and jumped up, the manhole cover going straight over the hole.
The group waited for safety before retreating to 'base.'
Vancha was in no mood for sitting idle, he didn't want to think what the vampaneze were putting Kiara through, as much as he tried not to think about it, the more he thought of it. She would never give any information out to them, she'd rather die than betray any vampire. He had to get to her before she gave her life for the clan.
"She'll be fine," Larten put a calming hand on Vancha's shoulder as they reached base. Vancha couldn't even remember getting there, his thoughts hadn't even being on the Vampaneze Lord.
"Yeah real fine, rumour has it our Lord has taken a fancy into that vamp-"
Whatever Steve was going to say he soon shut up when a shuriken was launched at Steve, only a warning one but it cut into the side of his leg. Steve didn't need to be warned again and fell silent to allow the vampires to talk freely between themselves. Vancha sneered at Steve before taking the vampet by the ear and pulling him out of the room and to a new clear room.
Vancha would get all answers he wanted on everything from this vampet now and by any means necessary.
"I'd start talking if I were you," Vancha commented, allow the vampet to speak of his own free choice. If he took the easy method at least Vancha would only have to kill him.
The vampet remained silent, fear was evident though, the vampet had no idea how far the vampire would go to get information on the vampaneze out of him. Vancha held a frown upon realisation that if Kiara was with him, she'd have joined him. She'd have got any information she wanted.
"What will happen to Kiara?" Vancha growled the question out.
Silence.
"You have ten seconds to answer of your own free will."
The vampet didn't respond and with lightning speed Vancha was upon the vampet, grasping his wrist in a harsh grip and twisting sharply, breaking the wrist. A yelp of pain left the vampet but still he didn't talk.
"That was a warning," Vancha smirked, un-balling the fist of the vampet and placing a finger into his mouth.
Fear rose in the vampet as Vancha started putting pressure on the digit in his mouth. The vampet drew in a sharp intake of breath but didn't answer the question. Vancha allowed blood to break from the skin and still there was no response. Without any hesitation Vancha bit the finger clean off the vampets hand.
The vampet roared in agony at the loss of the finger and blood sprayed onto Vancha's face and his hair.
"Answer!"
Still the vampet remained silent. Vancha thought he may have cracked at such a small loss, a lot of humans would, it mattered not though, Vancha would continue will all eight fingers and two thumbs, only bothering to cover any of the wounds he inflicted if the vampet drew too weak to give the answers Vancha wanted.
He'd chewed off four fingers before the vampet answered his first question after cursing Vancha and telling him the vampaneze would kill him. The answer was an honest one and it brought peace to Vancha. The vampet had said Kiara wouldn't be injured as far as anybody was aware. Vancha had many more questions though.
He began with the very slow snapping of the vampets bones, the screams of agony that filled his ears though plagued his thoughts. The vampet may not of known what fate awaited Kiara. She could be screaming the same screams of agony. Vancha didn't dwell on the thoughts for very long.
After breaking the bones and getting few answers which pleased Vancha, the assault on the vampets skin began, using a long finger nail to carve marks into the vampets skin. Blood covered Vancha's skin by the time he was getting close to breaking point with the vampet. Vancha could do much more, though the bravery the man had under such conditions did affect Vancha somewhat.
"Only our Lord can kill you!" the vampet screamed out in agony as Vancha went to a new length to get the answers. Using one of his shuriken he began a line from the man belly button, travelling forever south.
He got his answer before he had to go any further with the bloodshed.
Vancha observed his work with a steady eye, a few tears pricking his eyes as he looked upon the bleeding vampet with limbs missing, courtesy of himself. He imagined his long-time friend in that situation, though he could never imagine her shaking and so filled with fear.
Doing the merciful thing, Vancha ended the vampets life, using the nearby sink to wash his hands. He would need to return to the tunnels as fast as he could before the vampaneze moved out of the city and she'd be lost to him forever.
What Vancha didn't expect was just how long it would be before he would be able to return to the tunnels.
Time passed under the ground as it did in Vampire Mountain. It amused Kiara how the vampaneze treated her like a polar opposite of Debbie, who'd endured mild torture to the vampaneze. Something Kiara had woke up to and watched with unblinking eyes, only scoffing at the human who'd begged for her aid.
Though no more than a half a day could have passed, Kiara found the boredom settling in which she rarely experienced. Even Debbie Hemlock wasn't amusing the vampire anymore, who still asked the vampire to help her. She could have helped, though in Kiara's eyes the position Debbie was in was her own fault. It was the human who wanted to be a part of this. The human came down the tunnels of her own free will and proved too weak to do anything.
"Gannen?" Kiara marched to the older vampaneze to express the questions that were running through her mind.
"Yes Miss Darcy?" he questioned rather formally, all the vampaneze started addressing her formally after their Lord greeted Kiara in a formal manor.
"Enlighten me. Why are you treating me so openly when I'm a vampire, at war with your kind, and have killed your kind?"
"I wondered when the question would be asked. You're a good vampire, you will always be a good vampire but our Lord wishes for a bigger prize after we win this war. Desmond Tiny doesn't agree but our Lord wishes to make his own destiny after our victory. You have been chosen to rule at his side Miss Darcy," Gannen explained, instantly causing anger to strike at the young vampire.
"When you win the war," she repeated bitterly, the vampaneze certainly were confident. "What makes you think I would agree to those terms if by some miracle you won the war?"
"You die a vampire or rule alongside my Lord as a vampire. He would not wish to re-blood you into a vampaneze."
A wad of spit left the young vampires mouth which landed at the feet of Gannen, the goo falling onto his right foot slightly. Gannen could read what Kiara thought of that suggestion even without her words. She would rather die a vampire than go against her clan.
"I am no traitor. Neither vampire nor vampaneze will stand to have a traitor walk amongst their ranks. I will only ever die at the side of the vampires," Kiara's eyes had narrowed dangerously, her hand on the hilt of her sword ready to strike Gannen down.
"You would not be a traitor if there was nobody else alive to betray," Gannen's response was cold and it unsettled the vampire. He was too sure of his victory over the vampires. The vampire blood that coursed through her body boiled at every word Gannen spoke. He was nothing like his brother.
"I would be betraying myself," she answered, turning from Gannen and back to her position against the wall she'd took up in the new cavern she'd followed the vampaneze into. A large door blocked all entrance and exit into the cavern. The cavern she was in scared her slightly, for not far from where she sat was a pit of stakes set below, an inaccessible platform stood behind the platform. She shivered at the thought of her friends falling into the pit.
"Gannen!" R.V roared as the door that blocked the entrance to the cavern was opened and R.V entered along with two vampets. One of the vampets carried a bag which he handed over to Gannen.
"Our Lord wishes you to look fitting for his return," Gannen explained, placing the bad on the floor beside Kiara.
She did not even spare a glance at the bag, sneering at Gannen only. Drawing a dagger from her belt she lazily stabbed at the bag casually. Their Lord seemed to act more human than vampaneze, the mysterious Lord of the Vampaneze made Kiara's blood run cold. She didn't know what to expect from him.
"You're all fools! I don't take orders from people like you."
"How da-"
"R.V!" Gannen cut off the vampaneze instantly. "Leave her be, she'll come around," he walked off, leaving the vampire to her solitude at the part of the cavern she occupied.
Though she hid how uncomfortable she actually was, she could never mask her hatred towards the vampaneze. No matter what Gannen though, she would never come around. Ever.
Closing her eyes, she turned her thoughts to the others. She knew they'd all got away safely, though from that point on she had no idea. Her eyes remained closed, even when she heard the familiar voice of Steve Leonard and sensed him come within a close proximity of her. Any words he spoke she ignored completely, content on her own silence.
Rework the daggers you hold smaller and sharper, Kiara's eyes snapped open as her own thoughts took over. Confusion lined her face, her eyes observing the cavern. Her thoughts had strayed like that twice before and she knew well enough to follow them.
The first time her thoughts took over with such ferocity that she couldn't ignore it was when she'd been very young and decided to join the theatre. Well, she didn't even want that at the time but she soon wondered what had made that happen.
The second time was that night. The night Vancha had come to her. It had been during school when her thoughts had taken over. Still she could recall the warning of danger and never to tread high. She could recall being told to be the last to leave. Today had being the first time her own thoughts had done that.
Was it her thoughts? She knew only too well from Evanna that others could overtake someone's mind.
Whatever though, when her own voice had boomed through her mind with such power, she wouldn't ignore it. She couldn't ignore it. Whatever she must do, she had to rework her own daggers. She didn't know how she knew but she knew the exact shape that she wanted the daggers.
Taking both her daggers out along with picking up stones she could work with.
"Gannen," Kiara looked up to the vampaneze some distance away from her.
"Yes?"
"It's rather boring down here, you got any materials I could use to rework my daggers to pass the time?" she asked calmly, offering a smile.
Gannen thought nothing off the request, the vampire had complained about boredom previously, and nodded to a nearby vampet to hand over what the vampire wanted.