As Sonja began to return to the world of the living, she made an annoyed sound, something kept poking into her side painfully.

"Wake up child." A gravelly male voice urged.

Slowly Sonja's eyes fluttered open, "Well at least they're not screaming again." She mumbled softly and lifted her hand to shield her eyes, only to find out that her hands are bound together. "What?" She blinked dazedly at the ropes on her wrists.

She attempted to sit up but groaned as pain flared up at the back of her head. "Damn it... why am I always hitting my head..."

The gravelly voice chuckled softly at her discomfort and helped her into a sitting position.

"Gee thanks..." She grunted and rubbed the fuzz from her eyes and looked at her surroundings. She blinked confused, once again not recognizing the location. She then noticed the other figure in this large room and looked up to see a tall man, with beautiful white hair, white skin, and bright gold eyes.

She frowned deeply at this tall male figure. "Who the hell are you?"

His mouth twisted into a cruel smirk, "I am your Lord Kain."

She shook her head and snorted annoyed, "I have no lord. I serve only myself."

"Not anymore." Kain snapped his fingers

Sonja blinked finally noticing that this man is no mere human. His hands were not human hands at all, he had three fingers, each tipped with cruel claws, sharp enough to rend flesh from bone. Her eyes widened slightly. "What in the gods name are you?"

A couple others stepped forward, with features similar to this 'Kain'; claws, and pointed ears, pale skin and gold eyes. The largest one, wearing a purple cloak over his right shoulder grabbed her wrists pulling her to her feet, the second, wearing a blue cloak, began to go through her things

"What, you don't know?" Kain raised an eyebrow, as she shook her head no. "We are, all of us, vampires. The rulers of this land." He gestured around dramatically.

"Ha... I hardly find that something to be so proud of... this land is dieing, I can feel it... more strongly here then I have since I came to this cursed place..." She growled and snapped at Dumah's hand, it having come to close to her mouth.

Dumah snarled and punched her in the head, sending her sprawling forward into Kain with a sharp gasp of pain.

Kain growled loudly, "Enough!"

Dumah flinched taking a step back and bowing slightly, "Forgive me my Lord."

Sonja glared around the room, spotting Raziel and Turel behind her. She hissed at them, " You bastards, I get you for this indignity!"

Turel only smirked at her. Raziel growled looking pissed but didn't say anything.

"Ah yes, I must thank Turel for catching you, child...." Kain began to say something else when Sonja barked a laugh.

"Turel only caught me, because that fledgling had distracted me. He couldn't do it alone; I'm far to good for that. He had to resort to dirty little tricks in order to win."

Turel frowned flashing his fangs in a warning to her to shut up.

She copied the gesture and spit at him. "I have no fear of you..."

Kain looked thoughtful and grabbed Sonja's face squeezing her cheeks so that they puckered slightly, "Open your mouth girl..."

She blinked then starts to struggle against him, suddenly afraid of what he'll do. "Leggo a'me!"

He only tightened his grip until her eyes water and blood ran down her chin. "Do as I tell you and I will not hurt you further."

She reluctantly opened her mouth, her fangs glinting in the light.

Kain examined them carefully and nodded slowly, letting go of her face, "This child also seems to have been given the dark gift." He frowned thoughtfully, "Who is your sire child?"

"My what? I told you before... I only serve myself..." She glared at him.

He shook his head slowly, "That's not what I was asking you. Who is your sire? The vampire who made you?"

Sonja blinked, "Probably my mother and father. I'm not some undead thing you know..."

Kain chuckled softly giving her the once over, "No, I suppose you are right. You feel far to alive to be one of my kindred, however, as young as you are - I have to wonder where all of your power came from? In all respects, a child such as you, encountering those vampire hunters - should have been torn into tiny pieces... and yet, here you stand, alive and full of energy, ready to strike out against my very sons. It's commendable... you have so much courage, had you been anyone else you would be cowering on the floor begging for mercy."

Sonja growled glaring up at Kain, "I'm not afraid of you..."

Kain's eyes darken as he glowered down at her, "I know better, I can smell your fear - no matter how you try and cover it with your creative insults. I know you're afraid of me... and well you should be. I could crush you here and now. But that would hardly be a challenge to my power. I like to think I'm a fair tyrant." He chuckled at that statement, amused with himself. "So I'll allow you to live, for now."

Sonja snorted annoyed, "How kind of you."

Kain grabbed her hair jerking her head backwards so they're eye to eye. "I would bite your tongue were I you. My patience is thin enough without having to listen to your smart mouth."

She winced, a pain flaring at the back of her head and down her neck, her eyes begin to water, "Wh-whatever you say."

Kain snorted letting go, "Dumah, Rahab, take her into the cells below, while I decide how I wish to use her."

Dumah, and Rahab, grabbed her by the arms and began dragging her out of the chamber and down the halls deeper into the Sanctuary.

Sonja lowered her head, feigning capitulation as she was dragged down the corridor, through a few doorways and then down a flight of stairs, into a dark chamber where water dripped from the ceiling consistently. The two stopped, Rahab unlocking the cell door and Dumah flung her in hard and she bounced off the wall and collapsed limply on the floor.

"Dumah! Lord Kain would boil you alive if you killed her so soon after he acquired her." Rahab growled.

Dumah snorted, "She's fine Rahab, see... she still breaths." He pointed into the cell as Sonja slowly climbed to her feet again.

Sonja glared white hot death at them and approached the bars, "You're all going to die... I hope you realize this. Even if I have to lead the hunters here to you, by the gods... I'll make you all suffer for what you're doing to me."

Rahab almost looked apologetic as he turned to leave, having to drag Dumah away before he could attack her again. "Try and get some rest girl... things will only get worse before they get better."

And with that she was left alone.

****

Alone in the dungeon, she sat, waiting. For how long she couldn't be sure, she was in an endless night. There were no hours, minuets, or days, just eternal darkness. It felt like years had passed, but in all actuality it was probably more like a day or two. Sonja curled on a cot, cold and damp from the moisture dripping from the ceiling above.

She growled softly, frustrated. She'd been searching for a way out ever sense she was brought here. 'What are they trying to do, starve me into submission?' She snarled.

She sighed deeply and climbed off the cot, her stomach growling loudly in protest. She hadn't eaten since she left that human city and now she was wishing she'd just stayed there.

Just as she reached the cell door and turned to pace back to her cot, someone approached the cell and keys jingles as they unlocked it. A Turelim, tall and strong with unusually large ears, pulled the cell door open slowly.

She whirled around and lunges for the door, managing to shove the vampire out of the way and shoots up the stairs, her eyes glowing amber from hunger.

Sonja stalks the halls, hunting for anything alive to feed off of, finally after a few moments of searching she stumbled across a human slave carrying a tray towards the chambers on the far end of the hall. He screamed as she pounced onto him sinking her teeth into his throat and viciously riped into his flesh. She closed her eyes as the hot red liquid flowed freely down her throat, the slave still twitching beneath her. Once she was finished with him and stood slowly, soaked in blood.

She sighed contentedly, her hunger sated, and smiled dreamily. "Now, to find a way out of this place." She glanced down at the corpse of the slave, noting the large puddle of blood pooled around the body, then laughed softly.

"A bit sloppy, aren't we child?" Kain tisked softly appearing behind her, his arms crossed over his powerful chest.

Sonja turned to glare at him, "You would be too, if you hadn't fed in 3 days..." She growled softly, "I need to feed at least once a day..." She paused looking at Kain for a moment intently. "And obviously you're no better, you've killed in far worse ways then I did just now... Flay? Honestly, that's disgusting... yet, oddly beautiful..." She chuckled softly at the shocked expression on Kain's face. "Interesting that I can pluck thoughts from your mind, considering you're supposed to be a great powerful force in this world."

Kain snarled at her and back handed her, sending her crashing into the wall.

She shaked her head, the room suddenly spinning violently, forcing her to hold onto the wall to remain upright. "The very least you could do..." She squeezed her eyes tightly willing the room to still. "Is allow me some place to bathe..."

Kain snorted, "I suppose that's fair enough. If it's the very least I can do... then I shall grudgingly allow you this one small comfort..." He snaped his fingers and two large Dumahim appear and grab Sonja by her shoulders and began dragging her down the hall.

Sonja glared at the large vampire underlings. "I'm quite capable of walking on my own thank you."

"That's what bothers me," Was Kain's reply, "the chaos that would ensue with your freedom is more then I'm willing to allow. Besides, I find your discomfort mildly amusing."

She sighed annoyed but allowed the vampires to drag her to a small chamber off the main part of the sanctuary. They opened the doors and threw her into the room. With a shriek Sonja landed in a pool of warm water. After thrashing around for a moment she finally made it to the surface and spluttered in a rage.

"Gods damn you!" She screamed, gasping for breath and coughing after having swallowed the salty water.

Kain kneeled by the side of the pool and peered down at the soggy little demon. "They did that hundreds of years ago child. There is no more they can do to me now." He reached forward grabbing a handful of sopping wet red hair and drug her head back so she was forced to look him in the eyes.

Golden eyes met ice blue, and held her in a trance. "My, you are an exotic beauty aren't you?" He traced one of his slender claws along her jaw line never letting go of her eyes. "Never in all my years have I seen one such as you. And believe me, I've been around long enough to have seen quite a few strange and wondrous things."

Sonja stared into his eyes, unable to move his stare was to powerful, he was quite a bit older then she, so naturally he'd know a few more tricks about how to control the minds of those around him, that and he was a TRUE vampire. She blinked trying to tear her eyes away but is drawn back to them yet again. 'They're so beautiful... I... I.. I can't breath!' She jerked away from his grasp and then backed away from him. "Don't you touch me!"

He chuckled softly, his voice like warm honey and sand paper all at the same time. "Why ever not child? My intentions are pure... at least for the time being." He smirked before turning away. "you'd best finish your bath, before I become to impatient and drain the pool and come in after you."

Sonja's eyes widened slightly and she backed away further watching Kain as he left the room. Once he was gone she looked down at her now ruined jumpsuit and sighed deeply. "Great, leather and water do not mix." With effort she managed to peel the second skin off and throw it onto the ledge at the side of the pool with a wet flop.

She looked around nervously for a moment, worried someone might barge in while she was indecent but no one came. After a moment to relax she began to scrub the blood from her fur.

****

Raziel paced outside the door of the audience chamber, a sour look on his face. He sighed deeply and leaned against the door frame crossing his arms over his chest and closing his eyes. Five minuets passed and Turel, Rahab, Dumah and Melchiah came walking out of the chamber.

"It's about time you four came out... I thought I was going to have to scrape your flattened corpses off the floor." Raziel's lips twisted into a cruel smirk as he eyed his brothers.

Dumah made a rude gesture at him. "Piss off Raziel. It's not like you were doing anything for that female creature either."

"Ah, but I wasn't the one who tried to crush her skull, nor was I the one who flung her bodily into the wall of her cell." Raziel laughed softly.

Dumah snarled and made a lunge at his eldest brother but Rahab and Turel grabbed his arms.

"Honestly Raziel, you're terrible. Must you always tease him this way?" Rahab frowned.

Raziel nodded slowly closing his eyes a grin spreading across his face, "Yes, of course I must tease him, you've seen how cruelly he teases Melchiah."

Melchiah nodded slowly but remained silent, giving Dumah a hard glare before turning to look back at his eldest brother.

"Yes, I suppose you're correct in that, he does deserve some form of punishment for such wickedness." Rahab smacked Dumah in the head with a closed book he was holding.

"Lay off damn it.!" Dumah snarled and whirled away stomping out of the room in a huff.

Turel sighed deeply, "Actually, Raziel, the meeting didn't go as badly as we had expected. Lord Kain only wanted to... issue a warning." He cleared his throat nervously.

"Yes, he told us, explicitly, that we are not to let that demon creature out of our sight." Rahab informed him.

Raziel raised an eyebrow. "Very well then, just who is keeping an eye on this creature as we speak?"

The other three brothers exchanged looks and their eyes widen, "Unless Zephon..."

"No one..."

"Oh dear..."

There was a short pause as the three locate Sonja and they run off to check on her.

Raziel laughed softly when a claw tapped him on the shoulder, "That applies to you as well Raziel."

He turned to face the speaker, "Of course Lord Kain." he bowed. "I wouldn't dream to think myself the exception."

Kain gave him a dry look and flexed his claws. "What are you waiting for then? An engraved invitation? Get your ass going."

"Yes - of course sire." Raziel bowed deeply then turned to hurry off and catch up with his brothers.

****

Sonja sat in the warm water, and hugged her knees, her face nearly submerged under the surface.

'Gods damn it all, why the hell am I stuck in this hell?!'

She leaned back, resting her head against the edge of the pool, and heaved a sigh. "This sucks."

Her eared flick slightly and she opens her eyes to look up at the ceiling. She blinked and frowned spotting something strange and crossed her eyes in concentration. "What the hell is..."

Just then a shadow dropped down behind her and she screamed and thrashed around till she reached the other side of the pool and turned to glare at the intruder. "Who the hell are you?"

The figure stood slowly, his slender figure straightened to tower over her and he laughed softly. "Surprised you didn't I?" He smirked and walked closer to her and peered into the water at her nude figure.

She blinked then narrowed her eyes at him. "You bloody son'ofa'bitch!" with one swift motion she dropped her arms into the water and flung them back up in his direction, sending a fairly good sized wave of the liquid flying at him.

His eyes widen and he stumbled back trying to avoid getting soaked, "Oh no!" he turned and ran away but to late. With in seconds the water collided with him and he dropped to the floor screaming and flailing his limbs about.

"Ahhh! It burns!"

Seconds later, the doors to the room burst open and four of the lieutenants rush towards the soaked vampire.