3 weeks later; Bucharest, Romania
The place was called Luna Rosie. It was a very nice bar and restaurant that had come up about thirty years ago. True, it didn't have the history and authenticity of the more famous Caru' cu Bere. However it did cater to a very specific clientele. More accurately, vampires. Since the revelation of their existence, many establishments became more conscious of the need to adequately serve the night-dwelling race. Still, very few were willing to open their services to them, therefore prompting the rise of vampire-friendly establishments. Such places were made solely for vampires, though in recent years had also come to accept small groups of human customers.
Within a private room in the restaurant, a small group sat in silence, preoccupied with their meals. Said food consisted of exquisite dishes such as Tochiturá stew, Goulash and Ciorbă. The cost would be absolutely mind-blowing, but as of now that was not the issue if one were to consider the one paying for the meal.
Ai sipped her blood solution as she put another spoonful of Mămăligă along with the accompanying stew into her mouth. The rest around her did the same with their own respective dishes, each one as scrumptious as the next. And it was apparent that they were enjoying every last bit of it.
"My…" Chairman Cross smiled as he ate the Saramură before him. "This is heavenly. I can feel the salty juices around in my mouth. I absolutely must try to make this!"
"Please don't." Ichigo grumbled. "The house won't be able to handle another fire."
"B-but you won't know until you try!" The Chairman blubbered in response to Ichigo's harsh critic. "You have got to believe in me my cute son!"
"First, I'm not your damn son." Ichigo scowled as he ate his own meal. "Second, if you want me to have faith in your cooking skills, go and learn some first. If you got that, then shut up and eat."
Misaki watched the exchange all the while, gulping as Ichigo's final sentence struck deep into Chairman Cross's heart, his head now sinking onto the table as his eyes teared up in shame. She turned toward Emi, who was busy minding her Pilaf dish. "Remind why we are here again?"
"We are supposed to meet up with her Majesty's informant." Emi said. "Though I was certain he'd be here already…"
"Well, if what we heard over the lines weeks ago is any indication, it is possible they have been held up." Henry noted as he sipped his own glass.
"I'm pretty sure we'll know when they get here." Ganju said as he chomped on his own meal. "They appear to be pretty loud from my experience."
Someone cleared their throat. Ganju turned to see Ren giving him a stern look. The young knight gulped as he realised his little slip. Granted, they were in a very secure environment. With Ren nearby and elite members of the Nightshade orders keeping watch, it was a difficult task to approach 3 feet of the restaurant without getting spotted. In an additional layer of secrecy, Ai had arranged for a private yacht to bring them to Romania. It had hidden out in the open waters, the small group consisting of the young vampire knights, Chairman Cross, Ichigo and Misaki having snuck into the country thanks only to the efforts of Ai's European allies through rather uncomfortable means.
"I think I still have that bruise on my rump…" Gabriella groaned as she adjusted her seating position. "Seriously, I am never being trafficked ever again."
"Agreed." Henry nodded. "I think I nearly broke my glasses once…"
Still, despite the secrecy that had been maintained since, it was still unwise to telegraph their presence. It was unlikely that the Kraven clan did not keep an eye in the human populace so close to their domains. It was already more than five days since they had arrived in the country, yet they were all meeting for the first time. It was only through great pains that they had coordinated their actions up till now.
As Misaki resumed her meal, she saw a waiter run up to the queen. Bending over, he whispered into her ear. Ai nodded in response, whispering an unheard answer to him before he walked away. A few minutes later, Misaki saw two men walk toward their table. One had trimmed green hair while the other had blonde hair that fell to his neck.
All watched as the man with green hair came forward to their table. Apprehension came over Misaki as he closed in. She found her hand drifting toward her knife as she thought of the possible escape routes from this place.
"Michal." The green-haired man replied. "It's been too long."
"Hello Francois." Ai smiled. "As usual, you know how to please." The queen then looked at the other man who had come. "Stefan, good to see you."
The blonde smiled. "As always, more radiant than the stars Michal."
Misaki now relaxed as she realised the men who had come were the very people they had been waiting for. Still, she found herself becoming curious with the nickname that the two men constantly gave her. However it was not the time for asking that. No sooner than the two men had arrived, Ai finally stood up from the table, leaving the remains of her dinner behind her. Ren now followed her sister as she followed the two men, the others now following suit.
"Still, I am quite surprised the owner of Luna Rosie was kind enough to allow our little meeting here." Ai commented as the group followed them to a small function room that existed in the establishment. Misaki wondered if this was a place where many a special occasion took place.
"The man is a good friend of ours." Francois replied. "Additionally, he owed us a favour. We merely had to call it in." Francois now approached one of the walls. His right hand reached out and slipped behind the painting on the right. A loud 'click' was soon heard followed by a hiss as the hidden door in the room opened.
"Seriously, who are these guys?" Ichigo asked Chairman Cross as they made their way through into the secret room. It was filled with a good amount of room for them all to sit in along with a substantially large white board.
"Allow us to answer." Stefan said as soon as the doors shut. "We are among members of Ai's secret intelligence network. We are called the Darkstalkers."
"Picture us as the main intelligence sect of the Vampire Knights, though officially, we do not exist." Francois replied.
"I see." Akira nodded. "It does make sense that even the members of the other knight sects have not heard of you."
"Staying secret makes it harder for one to know we are observing them after all." Stefan smiled. "We have provided intelligence to the Vampire Knights for years. However, such a job is not without risks. Many a time have close comrades and friends given their lives in service of the greater good."
"You all have a tough job it would seem." Emi replied.
Francois nodded. "Spying is difficult enough. To remain hidden is a greater challenge still. And there are even some things which we cannot pry open."
"Such as the Kraven clan's elusive project." Ai surmised.
"Correct." Francois nodded. "We have done everything we can. But their defences are iron-clad. We cannot find out more without risking our exposure."
"Trust us, we have tried." Stefan nodded. "Many times we had to quickly evacuate whilst terminating the offending equipment in the process. Things have been rather draining on our overall resources as a result."
"It seems we will need to be prepared." Ren nodded. "As of now, it is the most dangerous thing we are up against. Until we have an idea of what this is, the Kraven clan has one advantage against us."
"Do we at least know where they are?" Chairman Cross asked.
"As a matter of fact, we have been able to narrow down a location." Francois replied as he pulled up a topographic map of the Carpathian mountains. "From our own reconnaissance, we have noticed the strange vehicles taking this path upward into the mountain range, past the city of Ploiești." At this, Francois now indicated at red line upon the map, continuing upward from Bucharest and into the mountain range itself.
"We tracked them as far as we could." Stefan said as the audience paid heed to their words. "However, we came up with a hidden snag." Stefan now took a blue marker and drew a circle from where Francois's line ended. Everyone watched as the circle encompassed now the entire curved mountain chain within Romania. "See this?" Stefan gestured to the blue circle. "This whole place appears to be covered in a dense fog. It was too thick for us to enter safely, so till now our search has been put on hold."
"Still, something that unnatural cannot be mere coincidence." Chairman Cross frowned.
"True." Akira nodded. "I bet that is where they are hiding."
"That was what we thought as well." Francois nodded. "However, if a Pureblood is behind this, then the only thing that can probably get us through is…"
"Another Pureblood." Ai surmised. "And that is why you arranged for this meeting?"
"Correct." Stefan nodded. "But after that is what we are concerned about. Even if we get past the fog, we still have a huge area to search through."
"We will need to be quick then." Akira answered. "I can use my powers to search the area, but it will still take time."
"I can do this as well." Ai said. However, she was then met strongly by Ren.
"No sister." Ren said. "I do not think it wise to telegraph your presence this early. If our adversaries find out about you being here, they may get desperate. And who knows where they will end up n next."
"Ren is right." Chairman Cross said. "I think we can only trust Akira at this point to handle the scouting."
Ai sighed, knowing they were right. "Fine. But I will then at least be there to instruct our combined forces. Someone at least needs to tell them where to go."
"That at least I am sure can be allowed." Ren nodded.
"Very well, then let us discuss our infiltration plan." Stefan nodded.
All the while, Ichigo stared sullenly at the whole situation. He was certain that now the action he had been craving would soon begin. However, just as he got up, he saw her next to him.
"Hello Ichigo." Yuki Kuran said as she stared at him with red eyes. Ichigo recoiled immediately, reaching for his gun. However, it was nowhere to be found.
"When did you get here?" Ichigo gasped as he backed away. Only then did he notice something odd. He looked around him, finding out that the world had gone still. Francoise and Stefan had their mouths open, locked in the beginning of their explanation of their infiltration into Ploiești. Queen Ai was frozen in a slight crouch, evident of her rising from the chair while all the others were frozen in their current positions of sitting down or getting off their seats.
"What have you done to them?" Ichigo asked.
"Nothing." Yuki said as she walked toward him. "I have done nothing to them. You however I have decided to talk with, within your own mind."
"How are you doing this?" Ichigo growled as he shifted further back.
"Remember?" Yuki smiled. "I leveraged your promise to Anju?"
Ichigo now remembered the time he drank her blood, albeit the action as forced upon him. He did feel a rush of ancient power flow through him. This he surmised was the end result.
"And it is a pretty good end result if you ask me." Yuki chuckled. "Though I must admit I could use a breather from all the roiling thoughts you bear. All this negativity is bad for you."
"Shut up." Ichigo growled. "Did you come here just to lecture on life?"
"Fair point." Yuki nodded. "Such is not the time for trifling things. I'm here to help."
"How?" Ichigo frowned. "So far all you have done is cause problems."
"Well, if you consider me saving you from Cassandra's powers a problem, perhaps I can stop keeping you safe then?" Yuki answered with a devilish grin.
"You are just lucky I can't do anything to hurt you right now." Ichigo huffed. "I swear you and Anju have equal levels of annoyance in your personalities."
"Which makes it a lot easier to deal with guys like you." Yuki retorted. "But anyways, back to my advice for you. The fog is not just some barrier meant to keep people out. It is something that can kill you."
"Come again?" Ichigo arched an eyebrow.
"That fog is a death-trap Ichigo." Yuki now sent a cautious glare his way. "A human will barely last two minutes. Vampires may last maybe an hour before they start to decay."
"So then how do we get past it?" Ichigo asked.
"You let me handle that. It's why I'm here." Yuki replied. "Till then, let the rest know what I told you, and keep your strength up. You will need all of it for the battle ahead." Yuki now cocked her head left, as if staring at something.
"They are coming." Yuki said. "I can't stay any longer."
"Wait." Ichigo snapped. "What are they doing to you there? Why do they want you?"
"Project Paragon is something far more sinister that I thought Ichigo." Yuki replied. "I can't tell you right now, but be prepared. This project is not something that vampires and hunters can face alone. You will need all your strength just to overcome it."
"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, demanding answers. "What is Project Paragon?"
Yuki stared back and her mouth moved to answer. However, surprise crossed her face as she turned to an unseen clamour. She then disappeared before Ichigo's world resumed.
"Ichigo?" Chairman Cross spoke to him. "Is everything alright?"
Ichigo blinked as he registered the stares of everyone around him. He breathed as he got his bearings before he finally spoke. "We all have a serious issue right now."
Anju breathed as she woke once again. She attempted to sit up, only to find her body was stiff as a log.
"Ugh…" Anju groaned as she felt the ache in her arms. She rubbed her left forearm, still remembering the needles that had gone inside. Were it not for Yuki's regenerative abilities, her body would have numerous scars now.
Hey, you alright? Yuki asked.
"I guess I've been worse." Anju nodded. "I did almost get killed once after all."
Anju, we both know that you are lying. Right now, what has been going on for the past three weeks is currently being debated if it's worse. Yuki replied.
Anju frowned as she thought back to when it all began for the both of them. As she did, she saw her cell door open again and the masked figure step in.
"Hello my dear." Franklin Lestat said from behind his mask. "It's time for another session."
Anju frowned as she struggled to get up. She knew what these 'sessions' were. All those weeks ago after meeting Mortis Kraven she finally begin holding up her end of the deal that Yuki had made. Meeting Lestat for the first time wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. She had wondered what was beneath his mask, though after seeing Mortis, she believed such a query was too sensitive a topic to bring up.
Lestat now led her down a dark corridor. She was, as usual, flanked by two Death Bringers. These however weren't there to ensure she did not escape. They were there to help haul her back to her cell.
The reason was because Lestat's sessions were focussed on draining the blood from her body.
Artificially of course. No one would dare to bite the host to a Pureblood. However, the various equipment that was provided sufficed just enough. Anju once more entered the laboratories hidden underneath Castle Kraven. Here and there scientists hurried about with notes, equipment and, most sinister of all, what Anju could only suspect were innards. After all, she had seen plenty of the dissected bodies through the labs over the past few days.
Anju was now led to the strange room sealed by a grey door. Lestat walked up to it, tapping away at the security pad to his right. At once, the door hissed open and they proceeded once more upon a massive catwalk that stretched over a large room. Below, large cylindrical tanks were lined across the entirety of the room filled with a strange luminescent green liquid. Personnel observed them from the catwalks or from down below, tapping away at screens and noting down readouts being displayed. Anju didn't really know what this was, but she was certain that whatever these tanks contained, it was alive. The heartbeat sensors she noticed attested to that.
"Right this way." Lestat grinned as he led her to the farthest room at the back. Anju now found herself inside the venue of their usual routine. In the middle of the room sat a chair equipped with bracers for her legs and arms. With an unseen gesture from Lestat, the vampire scientists present now led her to the chair, wherein she sat in as they bound her hands and feet.
The ceiling above now opened up and a strange machine slid downward. She felt the chair incline backward as Lestat and the scientists prepared what they needed. She watched as they affixed transparent bags into the machine that was also connected to plastic tubes, each ending with a syringe.
"Well then, our guest is prepared." Lestat said as he grabbed one of the tubes and brought it low. Without even a moment's pause, he grabbed her arm and inserted it right into the vein right where her elbow was.
Anju had always wondered if it would be possible to get used to the pain of multiple injections. These three weeks, she realised there were some things no one could ever get used to. As the syringe now pierced through her skin, Anju could not help but grit her teeth amidst her own muffled screams of pain. She felt as three more syringes were inserted at various areas on her arms, her pain now driving her to shake uncontrollably.
"Now then." Lestat nodded as soon as they finished. "I'm more than certain our esteemed Lady Kuran would be more than willing to ease the agony of her host?"
The girl now gasped as she looked up at him, her brown eyes flashing red as Yuki took control. "Just shut up and get this over with…"
"As you wish." Lestat nodded. With the pressing of a few buttons, he observed as the machine began, and the crimson liquid slowly flowed upward through the tubes, an agonising process for the one it was subjected to.
Anju woke again to find her head feeling blurry. She looked to the left and right to see that she was being carried.
Oh. Right. Anju acknowledged the situation. Once more the procedure had ended. The usual blood draining was done. She watched as she finally beheld the familiar floor of her cell before the guards put her down on the floor, leaving her alone as they closed the door and walked away.
Anju strained as she turned herself over onto her back, breathing heavily. Despite Yuki's usual interventions within those sessions and healing her body, the large amount of blood lost always left Anju drained. She was so tired now that she feared if she closed her eyes, they would never open again.
She looked to the right to see the prepared meal for her. T was procedure for her to be fed properly after every session lest she were to die prematurely before Mortis's goals could be accomplished. When she felt her strength had come back, Anju would crawl over to the meal and eat it up as much as possible. She would then eye the red drink that was present with the meal, it being the one thing that left her with a sense of hesitation. Knowing that it was the only way to keep Yuki alive, she drank it once more.
Anju could barely take four gulps of the Blood tablet solution before she had to stop. She struggled not to open her mouth, afraid that she would vomit.
You don't have to do it you know? Yuki said from within. I can always take over and handle that dirty work.
"Don't try to be tough." Anju chuckled. "I have noticed it recently. You've been getting weaker. The more of our blood they drain, the worse it becomes for you."
You shouldn't worry about me. Yuki said. I'm a lot stronger than that.
"You need to preserve every ounce of power you currently have." Anju said. "Otherwise, this plan goes out the window."
I can't let a human suffer for my sake. Yuki lamented. I can't believe I actually suggested this stupid idea…
"Well, I agreed." Anju replied as she now sat up. "So I'm the bigger idiot. But some sacrifices have to be made if we want to stop Mortis's crazy plans. We both know that this plan has the best shot at that. So don't regret anything Yuki. I don't either."
Yuki smiled within Anju's mind. You are a very brave girl Anju. Not a lot of people your age could even stomach something like this.
Anju smiled in response as she finally started losing the battle against exhaustion. Just as she was about to close her eyes however, a rattling sounded out from the door.
"Anju…" Came a familiar voice. Anju now looked to the door. It seemed she had made it a point to visit again. She usually came when the opportunity presented itself, though Anju wasn't completely sure if she did it to comfort her or confront her.
"Cassandra…" Anju responded. "How are things?"
"Quite alright I think?" Cassandra Kraven replied. "Irina and Lucretia are bickering now whether my special training with James is making me less of a woman and more of an ape. Of course, Katarina usually shuts them up."
"Funny." Anju said. "Zero said that to me when I started Hunter training."
"Tsk." Cassandra scoffed. "It seems you have had your fair share of impertinence in your life."
"At least when he does it, I know it's because he's a scumbag." Anju said, the accusation barely hidden from her words.
"My sisters aren't like that!" Cassandra retorted. "They have been through a lot. All of us have."
"Yet, you remain the way you have been." Anju said. "You haven't dragged yourself into the same pits as they have."
"Shut up." Cassandra whispered harshly from beyond the door. "You know nothing! You know nothing of what we all have gone through! I'm sure that it will end when we can finally build our new world…"
"Cassandra…" Anju sighed. "Do you really believe your grandfather would want that? Trust me, after everything we had seen of him and what he is doing, I cannot convince myself of that."
"You've seen what happened to grandfather." Cassandra replied. "You've seen what humans have done to him. That is why he needs Project Paragon. It is the only way he can be free of his torment."
"Is it?" Anju said. "Or is it the start of something far worse?"
Cassandra didn't reply. Anju now heard the shuffling of feet as she got up. "I'll ensure you get rested." The Kraven princess replied. "Trust me, I never wanted you to endure this."
"I know." Anju nodded. "You are a kind person Cassandra. But you will need to see past the darkness that now clouds you. At least, that is what Yuki says."
Without another word, Cassandra left Anju alone in the dark and cold cell.
"Mr. Lestat." Came one of the science personnel.
"Hmm?" Lestat frowned, looking up from one of the vials of blood recently extracted from Anju Cross. "What is it? I'm in the middle of the replication process."
"Well sir, it is about #34008." The scientist reported. "Heart rate just jumped to 346bpm."
Alarm filled Lestat's face as he raced to confirm the findings. True enough, as soon as he approached the tank, he saw that the heart rate values were as it is. Suddenly, other values spiked. Blood pressure immediately rose to 320/200. The Electroencephalogram soon enough went out of control, with the wave diagrams now spiking frenetically.
Soon enough the whole room became abuzz with this latest development. Lestat's eyes filled with glee as he realised what was happening. "Inform Lord Mortis immediately, and escort him down here that he may bear witness." He said to a nearby Death Bringer, who hastened to obey his orders.
"At last…" Lestat smiled, a look of ecstasy now appearing on his face, one that had not been there since James took his previous position. "After all our toiling, we have made it this far. Project Paragon is finally complete."
At his words, something stirred within the tank. Everyone watched as an inhuman looking hand now lashed out, pounding at the glass that shuddered against its massive claws.
Author's Note:
Hello everyone. Sorry for the late upload. Internship is starting to pick up in workload and it has been getting tougher to commit time to writing the story. I will still endeavor to release a new chapter every month, but there may be some moments of significantly larger gaps in between some chapters.
At any rate, I hoe you have enjoyed the return of Francois and Stefan, two characters I introduced in one of my Side Story chapters. I hope their roles have been clearly defined here. As to Ai's strange alias that they use, I will explain in a future chapter.
Till then, please read and review.
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