Apologies for the delay - It is Christmas you know ^.^ But seriously - I have some spare time on my hands now so I'm planning to exercise my writing skills and will update soon :) But pleease do tell if you like where the story's heading.
Who's your fav character?
What d'ya thinks gonna happen next?
Didya like this chapter? WHY NOT? haha jk
Anyway - please enjoy this one, i LOVE writing the bad guys cos' they're funny :) and a lil bit frightening ¬_¬
DC
To describe the underground cavern as dark would be like calling the devil himself simply naughty. A statement so underestimated that it is almost incorrect. Darkness is simply the absence of light but the stone cave deep underground was filled with the opposite of it. A rich, thick darkness which emanated from the core of the earth, filling and infecting the hearts and minds of those which stirred in it contributing toward their evil natures. Like the empty heart of the world itself, it sat miles under the earth, hollow and waiting to be filled. However, no longer abandoned, the grotto seemed to be alive with pulsating creatures which swarmed and lurked in its' corners. The creature's eyes had adapted to fit their bleak conditions and so hundreds of red pairs of eyes watched from the crevices and the nooks in the rocks as a small party of men took their seats at a long table. The table was in fact a handy rock formation but the lords sat around it as though it was a conference desk. A simple wave of a rather chubby hand silenced the Vampaneze and called the meeting to order.
"Zander Dreadweep?" A man nodded.
"Lucard Griefstrike?" Another raised a feeble wrist in greeting.
"Celeste Delarose, my sweet?" There was a giggle from along the table followed by a disapproving murmur.
"Oh come now," smiled Mr Tiny toothily, "Xavier Rosario- Morgenstern?"
"Oh leave it Tiny," growled Xavier, "we're not a bunch of school kids, there's no need for a role call. We all know who's here... and who's not." The last part of his sentence was drowned out in a roar of agreement from the hundreds, possibly thousands of Vampaneze who were lined around the cavern. Unfamiliar with the term solidarity, the Vampaneze were uneasy with the idea of being in cramped conditions surrounded by creatures who were just as deceitful and violent as they were. The Vampaneze rarely hunted in groups and lived in covens for convenience rather than contentment however the subject of the ongoing war had temporarily united the race. Mr Tiny was aware of this and knew that the long, uncomfortable silences had increased the tensions which had currently snapped. He let the Vampaneze continue their noise-making until he was satisfied they were now comfortable in their surroundings before reaching over and quite easily detaching the nearest Vampaneze's head from its' body. It was only a commoner of course, not a lord. That would have been undiplomatic. Mr Tiny stood up and waited as a wave of shocked silence spread through the cave like wildfire. Finally he felt it was quiet enough to be heard.
"My...friends," he said at last, giving up the hunt for a better word, "I regret this violence amongst our ranks, directed at each other for this should be a time of cohesion where we fight together, as one, against our common enemy – the Vampires!" A second roar erupted, this time of anger and frustration as the Vampires were mentioned.
"You promised us a leader!" Shouted Xavier over the din, "But where is he now?" The wall of sound subsided as the question was reintroduced. Mr Tiny sighed as though the answer was a simple one, too obvious to worth mentioning. He shook his head.
"The Vampaneze Lord is preparing the battle. He knows his task and will fulfil his destiny when the time is right. But do you, Xavier, know your purpose?"
"To fight!" Cried the old Vampaneze and the assembly cheered once more.
"To win!" shouted Lucard punching the air with his fist.
"To rule!" chimed another. The room was once again filled with solid sound as the army pledged their allegiance. Vampaneze swung from the stalactites hollering and whooping.
"And you shall! You shall!" Called Mr Tiny and his voice was somehow carried over the wall of noise and heard by each individual who then shouted even louder. Mr Tiny was in his element. He did not usually become so heavily involved in the game, preferring instead to set up the pieces, roll the dice and see where it fell but now and again he felt it was good fun to immerse yourself in the trivialities of the sport. Right now each team was set up for battle and raring to go however his glee faded slightly as he thought of his secret weapon currently miles away above ground risking the entire outcome of the game on a girl. The girl, that rogue pawn, had the potential to destroy everything that had already been set up. As though reading his thoughts the older Vampaneze, who seemed to be acting as his race's spokesperson, interrupted them.
"And what of the temptress?" he asked in a lowered voice. Mr Tiny sat on his rock heavily, deflated. He looked up into the mixture of worried and irritated purple faces and grimaced.
"Ah, ze girl," smiled Celeste seductively. Raising a finger to her full red lips she bit the tip of it thoughtfully, "iz it love?"
"Hah!" scoffed several members from around the table.
"He is not in love, he only thinks he is," admitted Mr Tiny tearing his eyes away from Celeste at last. His gaze met Xavier's hardened red eyes.
"He will not fail you," promised Mr Tiny, "he wants power, he wants to destroy the Vampires, as much as you do. He will not let anything stand in his way, trust me."
"Ah, meester Tiny, I zink you underestimate ze power of love, no? Ze boy vill do anyzing for her and von't vant to fight for us?"
"I told you we should have done away with her whilst she was within our reach!" cried one of the Vampaneze.
"Actually I believe it was Malachi who voiced the idea wasn't it? And where is he now?"
"Stake in his heart," muttered one disapprovingly.
"Head chopped off," said someone else.
"Buried at a crossroad," called a small voice from somewhere near the back.
"At least, bits of him are..." finished Xavier glaring at Mr Tiny accusingly. Mr Tiny shrugged.
"The Vampaneze Lord knows what must be done. If he felt another's opinion threatened the greater good then... well, he dealt with it. For your sakes obviously." He added diplomatically.
"Obviously," grumbled Xavier. Xavier, like many of the Vampaneze, didn't like being led by anyone, least of all a sixteen year old half Vampaneze, however Mr Tiny had assured them they needed Steve to win the war. Reluctantly, Steve was hailed as the Vampaneze Lord though in the beginning many had objected. Mr Tiny had realised that since so many were prepared to argue, he could not simply kill all the objectors – he had to compromise, something he hated doing. And so, it was now that Mr Tiny, surrounded by the hoardes of overexcited Vampaneze, and Steve, sitting in bed with Rose, found themselves worrying that they were running out of time. Mr Tiny and Steve had agreed that by the next hunter's moon he would become a full Vampaneze.
"The girl is irrelevant," summarised Mr Tiny, knowing full well that this was not the same as saying: leave her alone, although he hadn't ordered them to get rid of her either. He knew several Vampaneze would welcome this loophole and left it at that. If Steve truly cared for this girl, Mr Tiny reasoned, then he could protect her.
"Meester Tiny?" sang a sweet voice from further down the table.
"Yes, my darling?" called Mr Tiny, wondering why he hadn't sat down that end.
"Ven do you zink ve vill fight ze enemy?"
"But, my angel, we are already at war," said Mr Tiny slowly and clearly in case the beautiful woman had misunderstood.
"Yes meester Tiny, I am aware of zat, zank you. However I vondered vether ve vould commence in ze battle? So far ze war has been underground vith little blood lost. Vill there be bloodshed?" She licked her lips in anticipation causing many of the Vampaneze to actually blush.
"My dear," smiled Mr Tiny lustfully, "I assure you, there will be blood." The woman's breast heaved at the thought of the slaughter. Xavier's eyes widened at the sight.
"And I pity the halfwits that try to fight you, my love," said Mr Tiny smoothly. Celeste raised a dainty hand to her parted lips and giggled behind it.
"Gentlemen?" called a soft voice from the other end of the table. Lillith waited patiently for the consideration of the Vampaneze, quite used to the attention often devoted to her sister, before asking what their next move was to be.
"We simply wait. Wait and plan. The Vampires will strike first, you'll see, and we will be prepared to bite back when they do." Lillith nodded along with the thousands of others which filled the enormous cavern. The Vampaneze listened with rapt attention.
"And the Vampaneze Lord?"
"He will be ready," swore Mr Tiny.
Dun Dun DUUUHN!
WILL Steve be ready? Read on to find out