A bright flash of light brought with it a violent earthquake. Getting to my feet I stared into the sky of the present day Nosgoth. A wave of strange energy flowed through me and I shivered anew. History was in the making…
I'd only gone a few feet deeper into the forest when a strange chill swept over me. I had the oddest feeling that someone was watching me. As I looked around I could see a pair of white glowing eyes staring at me intently. It didn't take me long to realize that a possible pet was staking me out as a meal.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I said more regally than I felt. The rustle of leaves was my only answer. "I have something that might be of interest to you." The pony who had stood beside me patiently suddenly threw his head back nostrils flaring.
"A boy…has something of interest…" the voice was all together terrible and frightening in its own right. "And what, pray tell, could that possibly be?" The man appeared from behind a group of trees the light of the full moon revealing his alabaster skin. Simultaneously my pony and I stepped backward.
"An offering." I said, my voice squeaked embarrassingly. The vampire smiled at me. His teeth were as white as his skin and dangerously long and sharp. I straightened myself and proudly threw back my shoulders.
His piercing laughter stopped me from saying anything else. "What could a boy possibly have to offer that a vampire might desire?"
Angry I stepped forward, ignoring that this man was much taller than I. "I am not a boy!" I shouted at him. "I am a prince." The vampire leaned casually against a tree his grin widening. I guessed he was in on hurry to eat me.
"A prince?" He was mocking me. "Do you honestly think it makes a difference to one such as me what rank you hold, human?" I nodded sheepishly.
"Do you want my offering or not?" I questioned daringly.
The vampire sighed and I became brutally aware of the long talons that flexed on the end of his fingers. "What is it?"
I pointed back to where the servant girl knelt, still gathering mushrooms. "She is there." I said. My pony stamped his foot and snorted. I placed a hand on his back as he quivered. Without answering the vampire disappeared and materialized beside the servant. Her scream was cut short as his claws entered her throat. At the sight of her blood flowing in a wide arch through the air and into the vampire's mouth, I nearly lost what little control remained within me. Briefly I wondered if having such a creature as a pet was a wise idea.
Slowly, the vampire turned to look at me again. "Virgins…" He murmured. I looked at him in confusion. "Now boy prince, I must make a meal of you." As if the pony understood what he had said, it bolted into the forest.
"Wait." My voice squeaked again. "I have more where she came from…" I paused searching my brain for the meaning of "virgin". After several moments, I came up with nothing. "Virgins." I offered hopefully. The vampire chuckled.
"How I can a trust a boy?" He asked, mirth flooding from his words. "Even a boy prince can lie." I chewed on my lip for a long moment. The prospect of being killed by the very creatures my father despised didn't thrill me. Finally, I smiled.
"If I am lying, vampire, then you can have your retribution on me. What harm can there be in simply perceiving for yourself whether I'm telling the truth or not?" I crossed my arms over my chest, mimicking his movement.
"Fine." The vampire answered; his were words vicious. "But when I find that you've lied to me, I'll eat you myself…"
I made my way deep into Nupraptor's Retreat, disgusted as I remembered that in its day it had been a grand banquet hall and library. Now it was a place where my clan, the ugly disgusting creatures that we were, buried themselves in hopes that an unsuspecting victim would happen upon the Retreat.
Kain was not dead I frowned to myself. Somehow I knew this. As I dug into the mud, making a bed for myself I wondered exactly what part Kain had played in the downfall of Nosgoth. We all had our dark secrets. What kind of hell had Kain set upon us?