Cash wasn't aware of how much time had passed. His torturer hadn't
inflicted any fatal wounds on him so far, but Vampires weren't immune to
pain. He was fairly sure it was some time during the day, and the fatigue
added to the pain was starting to make him delirious. The Beast inside
roared in anger, urging him to frenzy, but his body was too tired and
battered to do more than rattle his chains. Cash was forced awake by the
pain, but had to struggle to keep lucid. And that wasn't the most inviting
option, given the identity of the possessed Vampire tormenting him.
She was wearing her usual biker wear, leather pants and jacket, with a delicate lace blouse. Her face had a look of unfamiliar glee, not the sly smile she normally gave Cash when she wasn't playing the angry Brujah. The fact that it was Sasha, even a possessed Sasha, hurt the Gangrel more than the physical pain.
"Oh, Cash." Sasha sighed. "You look upset. Why could that be? You still have three fingers left unbroken."
There was a wet snap, and another screech from Cash.
"...two fingers left unbroken." Sasha purred. her hand caressed Cash's cheek. "Are you upset that your would-be lover turned out to be a big black- furred beastie? If you want, I'll make it up to you."
Sasha shrugged off her jacket, then slowly started to undo her blouse. Cash stared for a moment, then roared and lurched to her with claws flailing. Sasha grabbed Cash's wrist and squeezed, aggravating a broken wrist.
"So you like it rough, do you? Whatever you say."
Sasha pressed up close to Cash, embracing him tenderly. But the hug grew in strength, quickly crushing Cash's body. Sasha twisted suddenly, and a broken shard of bone shot out of Cash's shoulder. Sahsa grinned and stepped back.
"Ooops...ah, if that mechanical timekeeping device on the wall is true, then night would have fallen again this past hour. Congratulations, Cash. You made it through the day!"
Sasha looked at the other Vampire in the room. A Gangrel had been standing by the open door, simply watching the room throughout the entire scene. He looked at Sasha, nodded, then left the room, closing the door behind him.
"It's been several hours, but the Nosferatu that was in this room has finally left, Cash. With any luck, Kain and his merry band should be here in a few more hours."
Sasha stretched and paced around the room.
"What a wonderful world this is. I wonder...once the Vampire and Soul Reaver are dead, Nosgoth will fall to my allies easily enough. But why settle for one world? Earth seems just as lucrative to me. What do you think, Cash? From this one city, I can create my own empire. First the Brujah Clan, then the Gangrel...speaking of which, it's time for your medicine."
Cash started struggling wildly, desperately. But he was too exhausted and hurt to escape the chains. Sasha punched him hard in the stomach, then with a small knife she sliced a cut in her wrist.
"So much more pleasurable than simple possession...don't fuss so, Cash. At sunrise tonight, you'll have your final dose, and then you'll see things my way."
Sasha pressed her wrist to Cash's lips. Cash, hungry and with a body to repair, was compelled to drink.
***
A very old, very expensive vase met its end at the hand, or rather the fist, of Julian Luna. Sasha's disappearance, no doubt a reckless attempt to find Cash, was the latest in an ever-growing pile of problems for the Prince. With each new problem, he found his control of the situation slipping a little more. The previous night, it had merely been far beyond his control. Now he preferred to think of it as a waking nightmare. What he could really do with was some good news.
Daedalus' expression on entering the room didn't give him much hope of that.
"Daedalus, please tell me you found Cash or Sasha."
"We have."
Julian did a double-take. He'd gotten so conditioned to bad news by now that the good news caught him totally off guard. He started to smile, but on seeing Daedalus' morose expression, he faltered.
"What is it?"
"Cash is in the basement of a condemned block of flats on the other side of the city. He's being tortured by a possessed Vampire. My spy spent the entire day in Cash's chamber, and he got the impression that the torturer is the true host of the monster."
Julian sensed a lot of discomfort from the Nosferatu Primogen. "Who is it?"
Daedalus sighed. "Sasha."
Julian felt like he'd been shot in the abdomen. He folded up, just a little, and rested a hand on the back of a chair. "Sa...Sasha..?"
Daedalus was speaking, but the words weren't registering. Julian was remembering the day Sasha had come to live with him. How Eddie Fiori ordered his Brujah to Embrace her, just as a slap in Julian's face. The troubles and trials Sasha had endured since being forced into Undeath. And now becoming the host body for a monster from another world.
Was this all his fault? Could he have done something to prevent it?
"Julian." Daedalus pressed. "Caine seems to think he has a solution. Maybe it can save Sasha."
"He isn't interested in saving her." Julian spat.
"There's always a chance. And even if it means Sasha's death, at least it would save her soul from Hash'Ak'Gik."
Julian hung his head and followed Daedalus into the main room of the Haven. Kain and Raziel were arguing. That, at least, was normal.
"I have thought this through, and it will work!"
"Stab Hash'Ak'Gik with the Reaver. What a plan, Kain. A day and a night working, the entire floor and most of the walls covered in equations and arcane runes, and it all comes down to 'Stab him'. Of course, the Timeline will have something to say about me killing him years before he dies at your hands."
"You can use the Reaver to change the Timeline, Raziel. You've done it before."
"Perhaps my memory is fading, Kain." Raziel's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Still, I seem to remember that two Reavers are needed to make the Paradox that changes time."
"We are not in Nosgoth, Raziel. We are in a completely different world. As such, the rules are different. You and the Reaver are two incarnations of the same soul connected in the same place and time. While in Nosgoth this means little without another incarnation of the blade, on Earth it will be sufficient."
If Raziel had still had a jaw, it would have dropped. "You can't possibly believe that! What in the name of the Pillars are you basing this on?"
"My equations support this theory."
"I don't believe that for a moment. You're grasping at straws."
Kain ignored him. "If I'm right, you'll feel a different sensation to the vertigo in Nosgoth. It will be a weakening, one you must fight through and continue the attack."
"This is madness!"
"That's enough!" Julian cried. "Raziel, do you have a better plan?"
Raziel paused. "No." he finally admitted.
"Then we have no choice."
Daedalus watched the scene with interest. Caine's mannerisms seemed confident and sincere. Too much so. He definitely had a plan, and needed Raziel to use the Reaver on the Unspoken, but his justifications were weak at best, too weak to match the Vampire Lord's certainty. He was hiding something important. But what?
***
Just under two hours later, Julian, Kain, Raziel, and the remaining Primogens were facing off Sasha and a small entourage on the road outside the building that Daedalus' spy had infiltrated. The fact that Hash had been waiting for them in plain sight on the street was a little unnerving, but there wasn't much to be done about it.
Kain stood forward. "No more, demon. Tonight, your part in this game ends."
Sasha smiled. "We'll see, Vampire."
Sasha ran forward at blinding speed. Even an Elder would have had trouble dodging her attack. But she didn't get a chance to begin, as Kain telekinetically hauled her off the ground and threw her into a wall.
Sasha pulled herself up and charged again, only to get the same result. A third charge ended when Kain embedded his boot into her face.
"Your attacks are an insult to my power, demon."
Sasha spat out blood and smirked. "Good for you. But we both know that this won't end in my death. You can't kill me here and now - I die some years from now at the Pillars of Nosgoth. However much you beat me, you can never deliver the final blow. Eventually, I will win, even if it takes me years."
Julian growled. He held his ground, if only because he was equally likely to go after the Nosgothian for his attacks on Sasha as he was Sasha herself. Daedalus, on the other hand, slipped into the shadows and made his way unseen into the building.
"Nice try." Kain laughed. "I may be unable to finish you off, but Raziel can. Trust me on this."
Kain stepped back, allowing Raziel to step forward.
"This should be interesting." murmured Lillie.
"Interesting? He's going to kill Sasha!" Julian cried.
"Better dead than enslaved. Just keep thinking that, Julian."
Raziel didn't bother with words. He threw a projectile bolt that knocked Sasha to the ground, then delivered a kick that broke Sasha's knee. As the possessed Brujah crumpled to the ground, Raziel activated the Reaver. It shone a bright golden light. Several nearby Vampires immediately backed off.
"Sasha, if you can hear me, I've imbued the Reaver with light. Even if Kain's plan fails, which wouldn't surprise me, it should incapacitate your body enough to cripple Hash'ak'Gik. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
Sasha chuckled coldly. "How noble. Finish it, Raziel, if you can."
A few yards away, Daedalus lurched out of the building with Cash supported over his shoulder. He'd given Cash a vial of blood which had brought the Gangrel back to his senses, though hadn't even come close to repairing the damage to his body.
As Cash looked up painfully, his eyes widened at the scene of a beaten Sasha in a heap, about to be finished off by Raziel and the Light Reaver. He tried to run towards Sasha, but Daedalus held him firmly.
"Cash, I'm sorry, but it has to be this way. At least like this Sasha will be free."
"We have to stop it! Please!"
"This is the only way..."
"You don't understand!" Cash cried desperately. "Sasha isn't Hash'Ak'Gik's host!"
She was wearing her usual biker wear, leather pants and jacket, with a delicate lace blouse. Her face had a look of unfamiliar glee, not the sly smile she normally gave Cash when she wasn't playing the angry Brujah. The fact that it was Sasha, even a possessed Sasha, hurt the Gangrel more than the physical pain.
"Oh, Cash." Sasha sighed. "You look upset. Why could that be? You still have three fingers left unbroken."
There was a wet snap, and another screech from Cash.
"...two fingers left unbroken." Sasha purred. her hand caressed Cash's cheek. "Are you upset that your would-be lover turned out to be a big black- furred beastie? If you want, I'll make it up to you."
Sasha shrugged off her jacket, then slowly started to undo her blouse. Cash stared for a moment, then roared and lurched to her with claws flailing. Sasha grabbed Cash's wrist and squeezed, aggravating a broken wrist.
"So you like it rough, do you? Whatever you say."
Sasha pressed up close to Cash, embracing him tenderly. But the hug grew in strength, quickly crushing Cash's body. Sasha twisted suddenly, and a broken shard of bone shot out of Cash's shoulder. Sahsa grinned and stepped back.
"Ooops...ah, if that mechanical timekeeping device on the wall is true, then night would have fallen again this past hour. Congratulations, Cash. You made it through the day!"
Sasha looked at the other Vampire in the room. A Gangrel had been standing by the open door, simply watching the room throughout the entire scene. He looked at Sasha, nodded, then left the room, closing the door behind him.
"It's been several hours, but the Nosferatu that was in this room has finally left, Cash. With any luck, Kain and his merry band should be here in a few more hours."
Sasha stretched and paced around the room.
"What a wonderful world this is. I wonder...once the Vampire and Soul Reaver are dead, Nosgoth will fall to my allies easily enough. But why settle for one world? Earth seems just as lucrative to me. What do you think, Cash? From this one city, I can create my own empire. First the Brujah Clan, then the Gangrel...speaking of which, it's time for your medicine."
Cash started struggling wildly, desperately. But he was too exhausted and hurt to escape the chains. Sasha punched him hard in the stomach, then with a small knife she sliced a cut in her wrist.
"So much more pleasurable than simple possession...don't fuss so, Cash. At sunrise tonight, you'll have your final dose, and then you'll see things my way."
Sasha pressed her wrist to Cash's lips. Cash, hungry and with a body to repair, was compelled to drink.
***
A very old, very expensive vase met its end at the hand, or rather the fist, of Julian Luna. Sasha's disappearance, no doubt a reckless attempt to find Cash, was the latest in an ever-growing pile of problems for the Prince. With each new problem, he found his control of the situation slipping a little more. The previous night, it had merely been far beyond his control. Now he preferred to think of it as a waking nightmare. What he could really do with was some good news.
Daedalus' expression on entering the room didn't give him much hope of that.
"Daedalus, please tell me you found Cash or Sasha."
"We have."
Julian did a double-take. He'd gotten so conditioned to bad news by now that the good news caught him totally off guard. He started to smile, but on seeing Daedalus' morose expression, he faltered.
"What is it?"
"Cash is in the basement of a condemned block of flats on the other side of the city. He's being tortured by a possessed Vampire. My spy spent the entire day in Cash's chamber, and he got the impression that the torturer is the true host of the monster."
Julian sensed a lot of discomfort from the Nosferatu Primogen. "Who is it?"
Daedalus sighed. "Sasha."
Julian felt like he'd been shot in the abdomen. He folded up, just a little, and rested a hand on the back of a chair. "Sa...Sasha..?"
Daedalus was speaking, but the words weren't registering. Julian was remembering the day Sasha had come to live with him. How Eddie Fiori ordered his Brujah to Embrace her, just as a slap in Julian's face. The troubles and trials Sasha had endured since being forced into Undeath. And now becoming the host body for a monster from another world.
Was this all his fault? Could he have done something to prevent it?
"Julian." Daedalus pressed. "Caine seems to think he has a solution. Maybe it can save Sasha."
"He isn't interested in saving her." Julian spat.
"There's always a chance. And even if it means Sasha's death, at least it would save her soul from Hash'Ak'Gik."
Julian hung his head and followed Daedalus into the main room of the Haven. Kain and Raziel were arguing. That, at least, was normal.
"I have thought this through, and it will work!"
"Stab Hash'Ak'Gik with the Reaver. What a plan, Kain. A day and a night working, the entire floor and most of the walls covered in equations and arcane runes, and it all comes down to 'Stab him'. Of course, the Timeline will have something to say about me killing him years before he dies at your hands."
"You can use the Reaver to change the Timeline, Raziel. You've done it before."
"Perhaps my memory is fading, Kain." Raziel's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Still, I seem to remember that two Reavers are needed to make the Paradox that changes time."
"We are not in Nosgoth, Raziel. We are in a completely different world. As such, the rules are different. You and the Reaver are two incarnations of the same soul connected in the same place and time. While in Nosgoth this means little without another incarnation of the blade, on Earth it will be sufficient."
If Raziel had still had a jaw, it would have dropped. "You can't possibly believe that! What in the name of the Pillars are you basing this on?"
"My equations support this theory."
"I don't believe that for a moment. You're grasping at straws."
Kain ignored him. "If I'm right, you'll feel a different sensation to the vertigo in Nosgoth. It will be a weakening, one you must fight through and continue the attack."
"This is madness!"
"That's enough!" Julian cried. "Raziel, do you have a better plan?"
Raziel paused. "No." he finally admitted.
"Then we have no choice."
Daedalus watched the scene with interest. Caine's mannerisms seemed confident and sincere. Too much so. He definitely had a plan, and needed Raziel to use the Reaver on the Unspoken, but his justifications were weak at best, too weak to match the Vampire Lord's certainty. He was hiding something important. But what?
***
Just under two hours later, Julian, Kain, Raziel, and the remaining Primogens were facing off Sasha and a small entourage on the road outside the building that Daedalus' spy had infiltrated. The fact that Hash had been waiting for them in plain sight on the street was a little unnerving, but there wasn't much to be done about it.
Kain stood forward. "No more, demon. Tonight, your part in this game ends."
Sasha smiled. "We'll see, Vampire."
Sasha ran forward at blinding speed. Even an Elder would have had trouble dodging her attack. But she didn't get a chance to begin, as Kain telekinetically hauled her off the ground and threw her into a wall.
Sasha pulled herself up and charged again, only to get the same result. A third charge ended when Kain embedded his boot into her face.
"Your attacks are an insult to my power, demon."
Sasha spat out blood and smirked. "Good for you. But we both know that this won't end in my death. You can't kill me here and now - I die some years from now at the Pillars of Nosgoth. However much you beat me, you can never deliver the final blow. Eventually, I will win, even if it takes me years."
Julian growled. He held his ground, if only because he was equally likely to go after the Nosgothian for his attacks on Sasha as he was Sasha herself. Daedalus, on the other hand, slipped into the shadows and made his way unseen into the building.
"Nice try." Kain laughed. "I may be unable to finish you off, but Raziel can. Trust me on this."
Kain stepped back, allowing Raziel to step forward.
"This should be interesting." murmured Lillie.
"Interesting? He's going to kill Sasha!" Julian cried.
"Better dead than enslaved. Just keep thinking that, Julian."
Raziel didn't bother with words. He threw a projectile bolt that knocked Sasha to the ground, then delivered a kick that broke Sasha's knee. As the possessed Brujah crumpled to the ground, Raziel activated the Reaver. It shone a bright golden light. Several nearby Vampires immediately backed off.
"Sasha, if you can hear me, I've imbued the Reaver with light. Even if Kain's plan fails, which wouldn't surprise me, it should incapacitate your body enough to cripple Hash'ak'Gik. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
Sasha chuckled coldly. "How noble. Finish it, Raziel, if you can."
A few yards away, Daedalus lurched out of the building with Cash supported over his shoulder. He'd given Cash a vial of blood which had brought the Gangrel back to his senses, though hadn't even come close to repairing the damage to his body.
As Cash looked up painfully, his eyes widened at the scene of a beaten Sasha in a heap, about to be finished off by Raziel and the Light Reaver. He tried to run towards Sasha, but Daedalus held him firmly.
"Cash, I'm sorry, but it has to be this way. At least like this Sasha will be free."
"We have to stop it! Please!"
"This is the only way..."
"You don't understand!" Cash cried desperately. "Sasha isn't Hash'Ak'Gik's host!"
