The hallway echoed in her footsteps. And that was the only noise to hear. No one greeted her, no one came to show her the way. And why not? The mansion staff comprised of vampires. Young, old, newly turned. Alphas and minions worked inside the mansion. If she needs anyone? She just needed to call out. And one would show up with a toothy smile, bow their head and greet her. But to show her to where she needed to go. There was always a price. Blood. And she hadn't stopped by any convenience stores. Shaking her head, no way I'm sticking my arm out for one to nibble. Or owing a favor.

blood was and is a currency in the world of vampires. They sold blood in places like supermarkets, convenience stores. In cartons and bottles like soft drinks or teas. In 6, 8 or 12oz. Were the most common size. Depending on the rating of the donor. Every bottle came with nutritional and other valuable information. Height, weight, and sex of the donor. The time of the drawing. had they finished exercising. Was it a strenuous or mild work out? What was their diet and so on? Much like the ratings found on wine bottles, the same applied to the blood packaging.

but if someone was daring, they could stop off at the blood bank, have them draw and package your own blood for a small fee. This type of payment was a step above the rest in value. No matter how highly rated the blood purchased, one freshly drawn was very much appreciated.

another way was a little more fluid, shall we say. if you promised a favor. You were taking a significant risk. Why?, vampires always collected favors. And the favor was non-negotiable. They may show up at your home and could collect from you or a family member.

He would call out a certain vampire, who was working. And toss her a few little snack packs, he called them. Looking like a large red ravioli, he handed them over, and she'd smile. it was always a female. -Kuroko shook her head. -This morning, he'd say, long run. And she blushed a bright red, gently hide them in her pockets and take their luggage.

The castle was transported to Japan by Megumi Watanabe, roughly 300 years ago. the room was nearly 3 stories high, broad wooden planks the size of good size trees stretched across the ceilings, bearing the impact of centuries. The stone floor carefully numbered and arranged out with precision. Looking as perfect as the day it was laid. At the end of the chamber, nearly 300 feet away, remained the ruined throne, sculptured from a lone boulder meant to last eternity. Its simple elegance shattered easily in a violent moment long ago. Even the pebbles were noted and put on the floor. Along the walls, massive stone columns rose straight to the top. Along the edges, laying pieces of oddly colored weapons composed of something... something unearthly.

She strolled along the cool stone corridor, slowed, and turned. She stopped in the doorway, uncertain if she could or should step inside or not. The room, if you could call it that, was massive and simplicity. Made of the same rock quarried from the mountains of what we now know as Eastern Europe.

She shook her head as a smile crept across her face. Not going to try... She remembered.

This is the throne chamber of the original. The first vampire queen, Tessa. He explained the tale when they had visited during the fall festival. Ruiko, Uiharu and her. Her throat tightened, thinking about her again. So young... so foolish... if she only had known. Her sissy Mikoto Misaka.

A slight pain pinched at her heart.

He told her the story. Standing at the threshold of the throne. Looking as if he remembered. Running his fingers along the gouges and grooves of many scratch marks, around the rear and over to the other side. A single blade, a Katana, leaning against the arm of the throne. He calmly picked it up and held it and let it drop on his shoulder. He nodded, raising it up like Arthur drawing the sword from the stone. try it.

Oh, please... She was so pompous, what's that the deeeeaaalllll... Kuroko walked over to a small mallet made of bluish green ore. She reached down, curled her hand around and tugged and practically wrenched her shoulder. Even now, she rubbed her right shoulder, "so immature..." And there it was in the same spot sitting silently mocking her where she had given up.

Ruiko went for a narrow blade. "Hey!" She danced back, spit in her hands, snatched the blade and yanked. She grunted and groaned, placed both feet against the narrow table and yanked and yanked and shrieked like a wild beast, dropped in a huff. The small dagger never changed, Exasperated, "I can't.." She nodded, wiped her palms together "Uiharu?" She gently shook her head, Mikoto? she asked if to test her.

But she was already in battle. A long lance leaned against the wall, sparks flew, rushed up the handle, bounced from the blade. Scattered up the stone wall and along the wooden beams. She braced herself, pulling and wrenching one foot on the wall, then the other. Her face burned, veins slipped along her arms, hair rose as electricity jumped. She grunted as lightening flew...

She should've realized it ... Maybe she knew, but she overlooked the hints. Her eyes were shades of blood wine. They weren't wide open, barely slits, but Kuroko was sure, looking back... She knew.

But even so. Mikoto Misaka failed to remove the Lance.

He cocked his head with a smug look across his face, laughter growing louder as he bounced the sharp edge of the Katana off his shoulder. "It takes skill..." He lied.

She didn't like him, not really, but she didn't. He was cocky too much so for a 17-year-old boy. With his boyish traits, it was his eyes that caused her to feel uncomfortable. They weren't inexperienced eyes, more like someone who'd known a lot of unpleasant situations. She couldn't place it... they weren't...

But he got along with Ruiko, Uiharu, and seemed really familiar to her sissy. Looking back, if only she'd known what she knew now back then.

Jerk!?

He was the adopted son of Megumi Watanabe, Japanese industrialists, and de facto ruler of all the vampires in Japan. And a significant if not the major force behind Japanese politics and Academy city. She sat on the board behind the board. While he did not attend Academy city, he regularly visited a certain wolf bakery cafe frequently in the company of several young girls. He went to school in the specialized vampire district, between the Vampire bund, ruled by Princess Mina and the metropolis of Tokyo.

She glanced around with her left shoulder leaned against the stone. And gazed across the room to the ruined throne. It was empty, but even so it was intimidating and yet... back then it felt warm and welcoming. One could say it felt safe.

She saw him again. His usually confident self, smirking, winked as he went over, with the blade against the shoulder, sliding his fingers along the gouges across the stone, around the back and over to the ruined remnants, sat down and leaned against the rough edge.

I'm surprised... It was Mikoto Misaka who spoke, figured you'd sit on it and declare yourself king or something, cocked her head, speaking in the usual confident way she had. and glared at him.

"This throne is not for me, He said, sounding so sure of himself.," it belongs to another...

Laying the Katana across his lap, "it's only for her and only her" he covered his mouth, playfully coughed, besides.. I'm pretty sure I'd be sleeping... Whoops... Sitting on her lap. He chuckled.

Mikoto blushed, crossed her arms and growled, "pervert?"

I have no trouble with being a pervert as long as she says yes, he smirked, this is after all the throne of the first.

First?

He nodded, Tessa.. The first queen of the vampires. Running his palm along the flat of the blade. Mom had people hunting for decades. He said, going through old text, talking to wolves and other vampires. Even went through the underground library of the Vatican. Until... they found it. Once confirmed, she had it torn down... Of what she could tear down.

Why? Kuroko's lips moved, silently rehashing the conversation.

Why... what? He answered absentmindedly, running his hand over the blade. He seemed hypnotized by its radiance.

Why part of it? she murmured with a slight nodding of her head. she reached up, brushed a few long red hairs from her face, why just part of it?

It is the way they construct the castles of the Queens. A huge castle is built against the mountain. then they hollow the rest out. So... his breathing was nearly silent, lonely, and removed. And he remained in silence. Without a sound, he rose and leaned on the edge of the seat of the throne. He cleared his throat, rubbed his eyes with his arm. Sorry, something caught in my eyes.. Damn it. Took a heavy breath. And Mom had it shipped to Sakura Island.

What's so important about it... Ruiko asked, narrowed her eyes, hmm mm? Curiosity getting a hold of the cat. She leaned a little closer, weeellllllll?

Ronan sighed, gripping the Katana, one hand on the handle, the other wrapped around the blade. its a sad love story...really. Tessa was the first vampire queen, but she didn't want it. She just wanted to live life quietly with her lover, but fate had other plans.

What plans? Uiharu asked, sounding worried but towards him but the short blade lying seductively on a table. She was running her finger along the blade. It was small like a butter knife but not a butter knife, only shaped like one. It was rounded like one, but the edges were extremely sharp. And she found out how sharp the edges were.

Ouch! She immediately put her finger in her mouth and sucked. The blood smear on the flat of the blade seeped away and dissolved. Did it just? eyes growing larger, mesmerized by its gleam, reached with her other hand, and touch the small handle. It moved. Huh? And recalling how heavy it had been, she easily picked it up.

Hey! She held it up, I can! She glowed.

They all spun around and looked. Uiharu held the knife high above her head, and her finger still in her mouth.

Congratulations, Ronan said, rising from the throne, it's yours

What? Her eyes fluttered and blushed, mine? She peered up and watched it down to eye level.

You feed it so you claimed it. Or it claimed you. He snickered, returning the Katana to his shoulder. You have to feed it every once in a while.

She looked curiously at the blade; you m mean... feed it like? Taking her finger out of her mouth. She put her wounded finger against the blade, "I have to.." She watched her blood slowly pulled from the wound.

He grinned, it's so sharp you will barely feel it.

Kuroko sighed, passing the memory through her mind. It saved you once...

She bumped herself away from the doorway, turned and walked down the corridor.