Author's Note: First off, thank you to Jess and Kristen. Thank you for your wonderful fics and for bugging me into writing this. It probably wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you two. And now I have some great ideas for it. ^_^ *tackle hugs* Thank you to everybody who reviewed on my other fics. I appreciate it more than you know.
Disclaimer: This is a continuation of both "What Dreams May Come" and "In the Darkness". You'll probably want to read them first. They could come in any order before this story. Just take your pick. ^_^ I don't own anything. Nothing at all. If I owned something, do you think I'd be sitting here writing fic about it? Not likely. ;) I will, however, own the original characters which will show up eventually probably. This is an AU, which means that stuff changes. Because it's my story and I can do that. Reviews and constructive criticism are most welcome. Flames will be used to burn one of every matching sock in the flamer's house. :P
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THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE: CHAPTER 2
Viktor tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair. Where was that servant with his daughter? Why would such a simple job take so long? He sighed impatiently as he scanned the room for any sign of Sonja or the slow-paced servant wench.
It was still hours from dawn, so the room was choked with vampires of varying ages. The youngest wenches were refilling glasses with fresh blood, the older were fluttering about the room chatting. Viktor watched the scene with minimal interest. So much of the dignity and pride of the vampires seemed to be waning. They all seemed so materialistic. He understood the desire for material pleasures, especially when you had all eternity to enjoy them. But some of the vampires seemed to take this philosophy to extremes.
Viktor shook his head, vanishing the thoughts from his mind. This was not the time for such things. Ordoghaz was more prosperous than ever, the coven growing rapidly. This was a celebration, a time for happier things.
Now where was his daughter?
* * *
Christiana, a vampire wench bitten barely ten years ago, walked quickly through the halls of the mansion, the satin fabric of her dress whispering against her legs with each step, searching for the missing vampiress Sonja. A conceited grin spread on her face when lycan servants would move out of her way, quickly bowing their heads and averting their eyes. She may have been a young vampiress and low on the Ordoghaz totem pole, but even lycans decades older than her paid her due respect. She blew a red curl of hair out of her face as she rounded the corner that led to Sonja's chamber. That was the best place to begin her search.
The door was ajar and a small, flickering light from candles in the room cast an eerie glow around the door. Christiana's pace slowed slightly as she drew nearer to the door. She could faintly smell the scent of a lycan. That was strange. Sonja had vampire servants to attend to her. What would a lycan be doing down here? The servant vampiress stepped nearer to the door. There were a few stray drops of vampire blood on the floor from the door leading farther down the hall. Christiana's heart beat a little faster. Blue eyes darted around the hall and into what part of the room was exposed from the open door. Then she saw someone lying on the floor against a wall in Sonja's room.
Christiana rushed to the side of the fallen vampire. She saw his face and her eyes grew wide. Her hand quickly reached up to her lips to stifle a gasp. Kraven lay on the floor, red marks on his neck and blood on his ring. Christiana began to breath heavily before letting out a shriek and running from the room.
* * *
Lucian stopped in his tracks, turning his ear back to the hall he and Sonja had come through. He heard the faint scream of a woman. "Oh no."
"Someone's found him," Sonja stated simply, sad eyes meeting Lucian's gray ones. Lucian grabbed her hand and began pulling her through the dark halls, their pace quickened. It wouldn't be long before they had company.
* * *
Viktor was far past impatient. He was nearing the point when he would get up and search for his daughter himself. Then he heard a woman screaming. All heads turned to see the panic-stricken vampiress Christiana rush into the room, her face completely devoid of color. "Kraven! It's Kraven!" She pointed back to the door she had entered the room from. No one quite knew what she was raving on about. "Kraven! He's in Sonja's room. He may be dead!"
Gasps were heard all around the room as Death Dealers and vampire men rushed down the hall to Sonja's room. Viktor quickly left his chair and followed after, his eyes glowing with rage and his Elder's robes billowing out behind him.
As Viktor reached his daughter's room, he shoved lower vampires out of his way. Some of the higher Death Dealers were around Kraven. He was still alive. Viktor felt a slight sense relief until he caught the scent of lycan. He stopped and began to sniff the room. He heard Kraven moan in pain and let out a hoarse cough. "What is it, my lord?" Viktor snapped back to the scene unfolding before him, one of his Death Dealers looking up at him curiously.
"I smell lycan. The foul scent saturates this room." The Death Dealers and other ranking vampires also began to sniff the room, their noses scrunching when they caught the scent as well. Kraven coughed again and tried to sit up. He put a hand to the back of his head where he had been slammed against the wall. "Who did this to you, Kraven?" Viktor glared down at the Death Dealer, eager for an answer.
Kraven spit some blood out of his mouth and took a breath. "A lycan was in here with Sonja. He attacked me."
"A lycan?!" Viktor's unbridled rage caused some of the lower vampires to take a few steps back in fright. They had never seen him like this.
"What were you doing in here, Kraven?" one of the Death Dealers asked out of curiosity. Viktor's head turned as he watched, waiting to hear Kraven's response.
"Well, I..." Kraven glanced around at the familiar faces staring down at him. "I came to check on Sonja. I hadn't seen her so I decided to see how she was doing." Most of the vampires seemed satisfied with this explanation. It was common knowledge that Kraven was intent on courting Sonja. Viktor, however, didn't seem especially impressed. But there were more important matters at hand.
"Where is my daughter? Where is Sonja?" Viktor's voice boomed through the room. "I want as many Death Dealers as possible looking for her and that lycan. Keep him alive if you can. I want to deal with him on my own terms." Viktor's voice grew low with the deadly rage building inside of him. "I swear if that dog harmed one hair on her head..." Viktor shook his head and headed for the door. "I will lead the search down this way," he gestured down the hall with his hand. "Some of you come with me, the rest of you split up and search the grounds. Leave no stone unturned!"
With that, Viktor exited the room, six Death Dealers following behind him.
* * *
Lucian and Sonja fled through the lycan quarters. Sonja had never been back here before. She couldn't help but glance around at the dank living spaces the lycans occupied. Undoubtedly, it was because her father didn't spare a thought about the comfort of the lycans.
Curious eyes watched as the lycan and the vampire princess ran through the lycan quarters. No one questioned or hindered them. Lucian's love of the vampiress was common knowledge among his lycan brothers and sisters. And it was a secret they were prepared to take to the grave.
Lucian looked around sadly as he and Sonja stood at the door that would lead them outside. He was leaving his pack. Possibly forever. "I'll be back for you. All of you," he said quietly, fighting back tears as he pulled the door open. The male and female lycans all nodded and bid him a silent farewell. He would keep his promise, they all knew this.
He and Sonja disappeared behind the door, closing it as quietly as possible behind them. The moon and stars were bright, lighting their way for them. They moved swiftly and silently through the grass toward the outer stone wall of Ordoghaz. Lucian could hear Sonja panting beside him. They both often glanced over their shoulders, sure that any moment there would be hoards of Death Dealers on their trail. That was when they heard it.
"There they go! Lord Viktor, they are running for the wall!"
The two lovers gasped at the familiar name. Sonja stopped in her tracks, head spinning back to face the oncoming danger. A silver arrow flew past their heads from a Death Dealer's crossbow on the upper wall. Then they saw Viktor in ascending into the watch tower, the collar of his robes making him look even more menacing. His icy blue eyes pierced the darkness down to Sonja and Lucian. Sonja's eyes met his for a moment that seemed to linger for hours. Her hand found Lucian's and she gave it a quick, assuring squeeze before they began to climb the wall.
The look in his daughter's eyes told Viktor all he needed to know. She had chosen a lycan over the coven, over him. She had chosen to be a traitor, to exile herself. She had chosen death.