Peach Creek by Night Chapter 21 – The Nagaraja
A/N- The pronunciation of the title is Nah-gah-ra'-jah and refers to a bloodline of vampires, the difference between a clan and a bloodline is just view point. A clan has someone of third generation power as its founder, such as the antediluvians or Lord Tremere who stole his power. A blood line is an off shoot of a clan, where over the millennia they gain subtle differences from their parent clan enough they are considered their own bloodline, or they have magical beginnings like the Tremere or the Nagaraja where mages made themselves vampires.
For the next few months Edd and Marie kept tabs on the new member of the clan, everything from his work habits to when he took his personal time for feeding and studying. Each detail was recorded meticulously and as discreetly as possible as to not rouse suspicion toward their activities. Edd sat in the library watching the apprentice walk up the stairs of the main hall to his lab, which has been turned into a makeshift observatory. Marie comes in and sits beside him at the table lightly caressing his arm that lay on the table with the tips of her fingers, Edd recoils from the touch, "So, dinner?" This was her way of saying they needed to talk more privately.
Edd nods and gets up from the table, hesitantly following her towards the front door, making their usual right turn towards the abandoned warehouse and the homeless shanty town, she loops her arm under Edd's and walks close to him. Arriving only fifteen minutes later, Edd removes his arm from hers and looks around for the familiar red hat and leather biker vest of his boyfriend, hoping he would hurry up and get there so he wasn't alone with the flirtatious woman. The red head comes sauntering around the corner of the building with both hands in his pockets once he heard them enter the yard. Eyeing Marie suspiciously, but wanting to get down to business, "Are we getting close?" He says impatiently, Brujah are more about action then snooping around.
Marie had been hoping the red head wouldn't show up this evening, but who was she kidding, anytime Edd was outside of the chantry Kevin was there, even if it was only brief contact Kevin would take it. "I think we have all that we need, you could set your watch by this man." She says walking past Edd and toward the abandoned building eyeing Kevin from the corner of her eye.
Edd nods in confirmation, "He wakes and takes a shower."
"Woo do we need to know every detail of his habits?" Kevin said waving both his hands to let them know this was way too much information.
"It's all relevant Kevin." Marie said turning her head to look at the man with disdain as she continued to walk past him.
Kevin cocked a brow at her, "Don't tell me his underwear size ok."
She motioned for Edd to continue as she leaned against the buildings wall, "After bathing and dressing, he goes down stairs and studies for exactly two hours. After that he takes thirty minutes to hunt and walk, afterwards he retreats to his lab and heads to work on the project until sunrise."
Turning to the bluenette Kevin speaks less then enthusiastically, "How about on your end Marie, any progress?"
Returning the tone she replies, "I'm conferring with my boss, and he is gathering the needed intelligence on how best to make this look like an accident." It was apparent on her face that she was not pleased with the Brujah's impatience's, "We should have the go ahead within the week."
Crossing his arms and eyeing the girl suspiciously, "So you haven't even started on the plan yet, is that what you're telling me."
She furrowed her brows at the red head, how dare he think so little of her and the ends she hopes to accomplish. This act is the first step on the path for her and her comrades, and she would be damned if some Brujah would belittle it. Stepping forward and standing toe to toe with him she glared at him, looking him straight in the eyes. "Everything is in place, all we need is the final piece of the puzzle."
Not stepping down from her, he returns her glare. Edd looking on worried the two might start to throw punches any minute. "Sounds like a damn big piece if you ask me, you do realize what's at stack here," He motions toward Edd, "What they might do to him if they trace it back to him."
She motions wildly with her hands as her voice raises more then she had intended it to, "I am perfectly aware of that, why else do you think it's taking so long, we have to be certain no questions will be asked." Stepping back and collecting herself, realization has hit her that she still needed Kevin for the plan to work, she would just have to wait to settle this, once his usefulness has been spent.
Kevin turns and walks away from her but having to get the last word in spoke as he left, "Make sure that you get it right, I don't want any fuck ups." He was so flustered with the woman that has quickly become a thorn in his side that he leaves without a word to Edd, he headed to the bar to go blow off some steam.
She looks toward Edd, still pondering what the man sees in that savage, "You should probably go feed then head back as well."
"You're not coming?" Edd was puzzled, they left together wouldn't that look suspicious if they didn't return together.
She shacks her head, "No I have a few things I need to take care of, you go on ahead I'll meet you back there in a few." Edd begrudgingly complied and headed toward the shanty town to find a quick snack. Once he was out of sight, she pulls out her phone and calls her sire, it only took him to the first ring to pick up. "Sire." Marie starts to walk out of the yard of the abandon warehouse toward the buildings entryway.
"Are you alone?" The voice speaks low barely audible to her.
"Yes sire, I am." She brings her voice down just as low, so no one on the other end who might be in ear shot could over hear her, she enters the building.
"Report." The man's voice was cold and calculating in tone.
"All is ready on our end, I have found a perfect solution to obtain our goals, awaiting your order to proceed." Marie has fallen back into her training, her sire was not one for time wasting, get to the point and quickly when addressing him.
"Good, then you may proceed, was there anything else?"
"Yes sire, I know that Edd is important to the plan but a nuisance has arisen that is quit close to him." This was the final piece of the puzzle she needed.
"The Brujah?"
"Yes sire." She held her breathe hoping for his approval.
"He is of no consequence, take care of him. I am sure the Vincent boy will recover from his lose and continue to do what is needed of him." No remorse or feeling was heard from the man's voice upon sealing Kevin's fate.
"As you wish sire." And out of habit she bows even though he wasn't even present to witness the act.
"And Marie," She tenses up from the use of her name, "When have you started calling him by his first name?"
Stammering for an answer she needed to respond quickly, lest he punishes her and he could even from a great distance. "He is very nice sire, I just got into the hab…"
"Don't get attached." The line goes dead and a burn appears on her shoulder, she winces from the pain and falls to her knees clutching the burnt flesh that was under the fabric of her shirt. Standing and collecting herself, the wound was already healing and would be gone quickly enough, she heads toward the chantry and back to her charge.
The next night Marie and Edd leave the chantry as soon as they awaken, cleaned up and dressed, they head toward the usual meeting place with Kevin, explaining to Edd as they traveled, yet again arm in arm much to Edd's dismay, that they have the go ahead to enact the plan. Waiting on the red head didn't take long, he was there within twenty minutes of their arrival, "I figured it would have taken you longer to get here from Brujah territory." Marie said crossing her arms but playing nice tonight, no need to get the man mad and have him storm off on them.
"That's my secret." Kevin put his forefinger to his lips, he trusts this Tremere about as far as he could walk in the noon day sun. Something about her told him to be wary of her.
Edd smiles to see Kevin, but turns to Marie and speaks, "You were telling me we could proceed."
"Of course," She half heartily smiles at him, the weight of the pain she was planning to cause Edd was upon her heart now. She pulls out a piece of paper and unfolds it, upon it was a skillfully drawn map of the area. "This is where we will need you Kevin," She looks at the red head as innocently as she could, "When the target exits the building," She drops a photo of the individual next to the map so he knew what the man looked like, "We need you to grab his and any companions attention and lead them down this street," She trails her finger down the road she wanted, "To this building, head down into the basement, you will see a blue glowing light, this is where the ambush will be awaiting them."
"Ambush?" Kevin looked worried and confused," How will that not bring up questions?"
"We plan to leave a trinket that will point to the Sabbat having been involved." She hoped this would be believable enough for the Brujah.
Edd looked concerned with this idea as well, "Will they know not to attack Kevin?"
"Of course Edd, as I said before we knew about your relationship with him long before I met you, they will be well aware of who he is and wait till he is clear before they attack." Turning to Kevin she looked stern but spoke gently, "That is where your speed will come in handy, don't dally and get yourself killed, once the swords start swinging they won't stop till there is ash in the air." She was holding her breathe hoping her acting was still convincing, that Edd would be reassured and Kevin would be persuaded.
"I don't like it," Kevin said, there were too many variables and what ifs for him.
"We must hurry," Marie was getting a little frantic, the time was nearing for the neonate to exit the chantry, "This is the plan, all is set and ready, and time is not our ally tonight."
Kevin sighed and rubbed his neck as he cracked the joints in it, "If this is the best we got, it looks like I have no choice but to see it through."
Smiling she picks up the plans and lights them watching as the burn to ash, "Good, we should be getting back, Edd." Edd looks at her, worry still etched on his face, she turns back to Kevin, "Stick to the plan." She then turns to leave, Edd walking a few feet in front of her.
Kevin grabs her by the arm in a tight hold and whispers, "If you betray me, you better hope I don't come back." Releasing her arm Kevin gives her a blood curtailing grin as he stared down at her. He turns to leave to take up his position, waiting till he was out of ear shot he pulls out his phone and dials up the Nosferatu Eddy, "Hey, got this little thing going on tonight and was wondering if you could give me a little back up."
Eddy sighed with frustration in his tone, "Sure, where at?" Kevin gives him the location of the building the ambush was going to be in and a few of the details. "Well I'll be bringing company, doesn't matter if it's alright with you or not was just giving you a heads up."
"Who, if you don't mind me asking?" Kevin needed to know if they could be trusted or not, so he could watch his back if need be.
"Just some two bit actress bitch that got to full of herself," Eddy scoffs into the phone then continues, "For some damn reason they think I will learn something by teaching her something."
"Alright, it's cool just keep her out of the way, I'll see you in a bit then." Hanging up the phone he reached his destination and waits in the shadows for his prey to emerge, and the chase to begin. There he was coming around the corner, and Kevin was thinking to himself that it was too soon Eddy wouldn't have had enough time to get there yet, but what needed to be done had to be done. There was one other Tremere with his target, and being the Brujah he was the direct approach was the best choice for him. Running at full speed he comes in and slams his fist against the companion's cheek knocking him down, then winks at his target and at a slower pace so they could keep up with him he runs off in the direction of the building. The one being so new had very little knowledge of the Tremere magic's, he couldn't cast and run at the same time, the other was a nuisance that Kevin had to dodge his attacks and keep on coarse. Seeing the building come into view he speeds up and makes his way up the steps, stopping he taunts his prey a little to keep them chasing him. Then slams through the buildings ground floor entrance and quickly found his way to the basement stairs while allowing his pursuers to see where he was going. Reaching the bottom of the stairs he sees the blue glow as promised in a back storage room, Kevin runs as fast as he can toward it hoping there was another door in there he could exit through thinking of ways to escape quickly if there was not.
Slamming through the door the scene he was met with was not the one he was expecting, there just off center of the middle of the room was a lone female vampire, the blue light that lit the room was form five candles whose flames were burning blue. In the exact middle of the room were three specters that had just started to form as he entered, and in his haste to try and slow down and turn Kevin slams into an alter knocking its contents over, the blue flames go red the specters vanish the vampire turns to face him and the destruction he has caused. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" she screams and as her mouth opens wide and Kevin being sprawled on the floor saw that her mouth was like that of a tigers maw, nothing but sharp serrated teeth. Her eyes glowed with silver light and her expression was that of sheer anger, "IT HAS BEEN THREE HUNDRED YEARS SINCE THEY DIED," grabbing and flinging the toppled alter against the wall, "NOW I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER ONE HUNDRED TO SEE MY FAMILY AGAIN!" Kevin's two pursuers enter the room and were shocked to see what was before them, the older of the two flings a spell at the vampire, she dodges and quickly closes the gap between them, flinging the younger one against the opposite wall from Kevin. Reaching out to the one who had attacked, she touches him with her bare hand and he crumples to the floor writhing in agony, his flesh decaying slowly till he died and his body went up in flames as it turned to ash quickly.
The other younger one goes into a panic, scurrying backwards while still flat on his ass, "I don't want to die, Jesus Christ I don't want to die."
Turning to the petrified man, she slowly stalks toward him, "Poor soul, what is life without death, meaningless. For without death life has no purpose," She bends down and grabs him by the collar of his shirt and pulls him to his feet, "Even we immortals must fear it, for it is as inescapable as the coming dawn." Petting the side of his face with the back of her hand she regards him as one does an ant, "Fear not, for death is as a curtain being pulled back to reveal truth unto you." He fights frantically against her iron grip, she grabs the top of his head and yanks it to the side opening her jaw wide she sinks her teeth into his neck and rips a large chunk from his throat and swallows the flesh. Releasing his head she slams her hand through his chest and yanks his heart from it turning him to ash, two down one to go she turns back to Kevin only to find the empty spot he once occupied, she screams and heads out the door to spot the man running. Kevin scrambles up the stairs quickly finding his footing slipping in his panic, she follows after him quickly catching up she pulls a dagger and swings but barely misses the Achilles tendon of his right foot. On the ground floor he runs for the door hoping Eddy was outside waiting for him by now, hoping there was help to be had of some kind or another, desperate to get away from this pissed off elder. But in his panic he went out the back of the building toward the yard instead of the front and toward the street, now he was in the back fenced in yard of the condemned apartment building. Jumping from the top step he stumbles to the ground as he lands, she pounces pinning him to the ground, "Now allow me to show you your truth."
A/N- Nagaraja are practitioners of death, Necromancers. Having their origins in India, the karma of choosing to become a vampire caused their gods to curse their bloodline even further. Along with having to drink blood they must also consume the flesh of men to sustain their unlife, failing to do so carries heavy prices. The Nagaraja can see into the spirit world and can even walk into and out of it at will. Most of those chosen to be embraced by the Nagaraja are those that work with or are fascinated with death in one way or another, priests are among these recruits as are morticians'.