Hello everybody!
I just set a personal record. I wrote three chapters more or less in one go (with a few hours of sleep in between) and now I feel rather light-headed, lol! But that also means that I now know the number of chapters for this story - there will be 31, including an epilogue that I yet have to write. Look for a number of updates next week.
Thanks to Mor and especially San for their great editing (How´s your head, San?! Thanks for going through this anyway.)
And of course, thank you all for your reviews - you are the best!!

Alinah

Rating: PG 13 Disclaimer: Not mine

Dangers and moonlight

Moon rays gently caressed the sleeping forest, its tender fingers undisturbed by the continuously strengthening wind. The swaying leaves that tumbled from their branches, following nature's ultimate law to give death to gain life, were guided to the ground by the golden glow, softening their sacrifice. Onwards the light glided, brushing past gnarled bark that sighed softly at the feathery stroke, lighting the eyes of a fox as it swiftly padded through the undergrowth, whispering across the stretching leaves of grass in a hidden clearing.

The light's pace suddenly increased. A current was taking hold of it and all peace was lost in the murmured warnings of the forest that only came now as it was too late. The moon rays twisted in their attempt to avoid contact with the crouched shadow that disentangled itself from a deer's carcass and straightened. As the elegant body unfolded itself, golden hair flowing down its back and catching in the breeze, its darkness spread at dazzling speed. The moonlight glinted across the light tresses, highlighting them in a shower of gold before it was sucked beneath the elven surface into a void of torment. Behind it, more light just kept on coming in a steady stream of unsuspecting innocence.

The vampire raised his head into the fading light, his hunger sated and his senses keen. He could feel it. There was love surrounding his victim now. Love that was mixed with a tense will to protect, to guard, and to keep out all that might destroy. How futile those attempts to keep the prince unharmed would be, directed into the wrong direction as they were.

He smiled with Calen´s lips, drenched in the blood of the kill. The deer's blood hotly danced through the perfect elven veins, filling the lithe body with renewed power. Ah, had he known how good it felt to convert a first-burn's body to his dark soul, he would have done so long ago. Never had he expected this to feel so right.

Part of him was even slightly tempted to leave Rivendell behind and take to Middle Earth in his current form, wrecking havoc amongst the different peoples behind the mask of perfection. He would suck dry sturdy dwarfs, their curses against the fair race dying with the last breath to escape their lips. He would lure unsuspecting hobbits into his embrace, converting them to darkness and sending them out to spread his call to darkness through the lush valleys of their home. And he would bring down elf after elf, man after man, to form an army that no-one would be able to resist.

All this was his for the taking if he left now, with Imladris´ lord still weakened from the battle and almost wild in his persistent will to guard his home. And yet, the vampire's keen sense for revenge, forbid him to allow Legolas to go unpunished. His anger was fuelled by a deeply rooted fear of the young prince - the connection to the vampire´s old foe that shared this elfling´s name was not yet severed, and as long as it remained intact so did the danger of being hunted down yet again.

The practical advantages of possessing a prince's body were not to be discounted, either, but it was his hate more than anything that drove the vampire to once more shroud his darkness beneath the fading light of the young healer's bright soul. Lord Elrond would know him now, no longer fooled by the form he had taken, but that was hardly a matter of importance. It would be difficult to trace his movements beneath the elven soul's disguise and he asked no more. The demon did not intend to face the elven lord again. He did not seek an epic battle of light against darkness. All he strove for was the price that only Legolas would be able to pay. And he would make sure that this price would come to him.

Humming to himself, the vampire crouched down in the twisting, moaning moonlight beside the deer's emptied shell and took out the herbs he had stolen from the young ones´ room. Some blood from his fangs slowly dropped onto the leaves, electing a hiss. All the hatred against light and life combined into a burning anger within the demon's soul as he worked. It was a fury against the race that most resembled the forces of good. Using what Calen once had learnt to save lives, the demon set the path for ultimate destruction.
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"I am in no need of that!" Resting against the piled pillows that kept him upright, Aragorn glared at the cup his foster father was holding out to him. His gaze held all the repulsion he usually displayed for drugs that would render him senseless. To his surprise, no eyebrow was raised at him in response; no strong words reminded him of his poor physical state. Instead, Elrond simply lowered the cup to the small table beside the bed and reached out to tenderly brush his human son's face.

Startled, the ranger raised his good hand and caught his father's fingers, clasping them tightly. Through the pounding headache that had ailed him from the second his mind had risen from the depth of sleep, he was only beginning to grasp the situation, and what he found disturbed him deeply. There was a sense of slowly abating dread, as if death itself had stalked the quiet room. Gripped by sudden fear, Aragorn turned his head sharply to gaze at his brothers and his best friend, all of whom were not stirring.

The movement sparked sharp lights that pierced his vision and drove the pain beneath his forehead to a new peak, but he kept on staring, blinking rapidly in his attempt to clear his vision. The cool hand he had been holding gently slipped from his grasp and was placed over his eyes, taking away the light and with it the worst of the pain. "Hush, Estel", Elrond soothed, "they are sleeping, no more. Do not cause yourself further pain. I would not lie to you." Aragorn could hear the truth in the elf's words - along with an exhaustion he had never experienced in his foster father before. A flash of guilt crossed his heart and he closed his eyes, his lashes gracing the healer's palm, telling him that his patient was finally submitting to his guidance.

He was rewarded with a sigh of relief. Elrond brushed his face again, as if he needed to reassure himself that his human son was indeed still there and would not dissolve at any second. "Ada, what is happening?" Aragorn asked. It felt strangely peaceful to keep his vision dark, as if he could block out the danger that he could still sense lingering near. "A poisoned splinter remains in our flesh", his father answered with more heat than the ranger would have expected. There was a faint rustle that indicated the healer was retrieving more herbs. When he spoke again, his voice was once again gentle. "Do not concern yourself, my son. You are safe as I will not allow any harm to befall you. Open your mouth and chew the leaves I am giving you. They are against the pain only. I trust that sleep will claim you soon without my aid." The last words carried a shadow of Elrond's usual mirth and Aragorn grumbled beneath his breath in response, yet he took the offered herbs without hesitation. It would be a relief to at least numb the pain.

As he lay still, allowing the healing plant to ease his aches, Aragorn felt a light sheen of sleep drop onto his soul, light as a breeze and not enough to keep out what was going on around him. Reassured by the presence of his father, the young ranger listened, the elven words flowing past his soul like a soothing stream whose voice was spoke in a tongue beyond his understanding.

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Elrond watched his human son closely as the herbs took effect and the tense muscles slowly loosened with the abating of the pain. The elven lord sighed deeply and passed a hand in front of his eyes, the gesture betraying so much tiredness that he would not have risked it with anybody watching. He longed for peace, for a chance to rest and to allow his mind the refuge of soothing memories. Yet he sensed that he could not allow himself to enter the soft paths of elven dreams any time soon. There were choices to be made. There was a foe to slay.

A sound in front of the door caused Elrond´s eyes to snap open. He had not even realized that he had closed them and shook his head in irritation. Glorfindel's voice, though little more than a hiss, clearly reached his ears. "Faun, step aside! Just because we have no time to shoo you back where you belong does not mean you may take even more advantages of the situation. Move or I will owe the Mirkwood prince a steed!" There was the faint clatter of hooves, accompanied by a snort that sounded far too annoyed to come from a horse.

Elrond could not suppress a smirk. Once again, he felt strangely grateful for the stubborn stallion's presence. The animal's unbecoming behaviour seemed to conjure happier times, as if he was filling the young ones´ place in the certain expectation to hand it back to them soon. When life would be life again and laugher would once again fill the halls and rooms. Soon, he pledged quietly.

The door opened silently and Glorfindel entered the room, his calm face betraying no hint of his encounter with Legolas´ personal guard. His gaze quickly took in the room, making sure that all was well before coming to rest on his friend. "You look terrible", he commented dryly, "Celebrain would never forgive me for allowing you to still walk around in such a state." Elrond shook his head with a tired smile. "Nay, my friend, she would not blame you for something even you would not have the strength to prevent."

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. "I slew a Balrog", he reminded his friend, as if this settled the matter. The healer felt his smile widen, wondering where it was coming from but relishing its presence. "Aye, and you needed to discuss with a horse to even access this room." A slight flush coloured the slayer's high cheekbones but his cool demeanour did not falter. "So I did", he retorted, "for the true warrior knows when words are more effective than weapons. And besides," he directed a meaningful glance at the sleeping prince, "it shows wisdom to weight the momentary effect against the later costs." He allowed a quick smile to brighten his features before he went on, his tone serious again. "How do they fare?"

Elrond straightened, feeling slightly refreshed after the rather boyish exchange. "Elladan was given a potent sleeping draught that will not allow him to wake before tomorrow afternoon, but he was not harmed otherwise." A flash of fury was rekindled in the elven lord´s eyes and remained glimmering as he spoke on. "May the Valar give me the strength to bring down the demon that dared touch one of my sons in my own house!"

"And yet, none of them were killed", Glorfindel pointed out calmly, "which leaves us to wonder what the demon's plans are. Only then will we be able to foresee his next step." Elrond nodded, visibly reigning himself in before he resumed answering his friend's original question. "With any luck, Elladan will still awaken before his twin, sparing him some embarrassment. Elrohir is still deep in healing sleep, but his progress eases my heart. As for their youngest brother, he was awake only shortly before and refused to be given anything to aid him sleep."

Glorfindel smiled at that. "That seems to tell me that he is on the mend, too." Elrond inclined his head in agreement and sighed. "Aye, and we shall have to join efforts to keep him in bed long enough not to jeopardise this development. The same can be said about the prince, even though he is still in the worst shape." The Balrog Slayer stepped towards Legolas´ bed and gently touched his forehead, frowning when the younger elf flinched at the contact. "His fever has not yet left", the ancient warrior observed, "and his dreams are troubled. He might take long to heal."

"But he shall", Elrond pointed out calmly. "For now, they are all stable. We are free to leave them to the hands of other healers while we eliminate the demon that still stalks my realm. Lessened as his powers are in his current form, he seems inclined to haunt us still. I fear there shall be not rest for us before a true end has been brought to this." Glorfindel looked upon his friend in wonder. Long as he had known him, Elrond still managed to surprise him. "You will leave your sons´ side tonight?"

A shadow of guilt flickered through the stormy eyes but was quickly chased away by cold determination. "They will not be left unguarded. I shall not wait until this creature attempts to get his claws on them again, holding them hostage to bend me to his will." When the Balrog Slayer raised his eyebrows in question, Elrond shared with him the conclusion he had drawn from recent events. Even though he could not be sure that he was correct, he was decided to act upon his thoughts. He would no longer leave the initiative to his foe.

"You were correct to wonder at the demon's motives to merely drug my children when he could have killed them. I believe that you disturbed him before he was ready and so he fled, but his goal had been to take one or more of them as a means to pressure me. What is there in Imladris that will prompt him to stay?" Instead of answering his own question, Elrond held up his hand. The candlelight caught Vilya´s fire, casting shadows at the wall. Glorfindel´s eyes widened in understanding.

"But he shall not get it." Elrond´s features hardened. "And neither shall he be able to detect our plans. I will send forth guards to inform all of our friends of Calen´s fate. Yet, none shall stop him when they see him, unless he gets anywhere close to this chamber. Instead, he shall be guided to my rooms. And there we will await him. Tonight, vengeance shall be wrecked upon this demon that has pulled to darkness the souls of two brave elves and Valar know how many other poor creatures."

Waiting in tense expectation, Glorfindel remained in the room until Elrond had called in two healers to watch over the wounded and placed several guards in the hallway, supplementing Faun who would barely move to let elves enter or leave the chamber where his master still lay sleeping. Unbeknownst to them all, even as the two elven lords set forth their plan, the evil they sought to destroy was already busy with its own preparations. As they drew to an end, nature grew restless as if sensing the coming doom. Clouds gathered, blocking out the moon, and the trees moaned as they were bent under the assault of strengthening gusts. A long night had only just begun.

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The winds raised their joined voices, startling the dead leaves. They were lifting them into the damp air and to dance in the darkness, feigning life. The demon smiled. His control over the elements was no longer strong enough to conjure anything but winds to carry him hence, thus the upcoming storm seemed yet another sign to him that higher forces were supporting his cause. The dark side of the world had been devoid of vampires for far too long, and their new rise was hailed by those sinister spirits that could already detect it.

Spreading his arms, the demon allowed himself to be carried upwards, swirling with the ripped leaves as if joining their games before heading towards Imladris once more. The deer's blood had awakened at least some of his old powers, yet they were limited. He would have to use them wisely, but he was confident that he would be able to do so. There would be little need to use them against his prize, for the force to lure Legolas to his side was deeply embedded into his dark soul. Each beast was equipped with a means to hunt. Such was nature's law, even for predators as evil as this demon. What a delicious twist to use nature itself to defeat an elf. How fitting.

The tall walls of Imladris, graceful yet strong in their gentle design, emerged from the darkness when the first raindrops began to fall, driven sharply by the storm. The demon closed his eyes and melted into the dance of drops and twigs, leaves and tiny pebbles. He became one with nature's anger, vanishing into it to a point that rendered him invisible even to the watchful eyes of the wardens who stood watch this stormy night. The vampire felt the strain this caused him, sensed his new body's need to return to what it should be, but he forced it into submission. He held no pity for this shell of flesh and bone, for it would soon be replaced by another.

The closer he got, the stronger the scent of his victim grew. He turned all his senses to this young elven body, heard each of the quickening heartbeats, felt the unnatural heat that embraced the tired soul, weakening it further. The lust for the kill that always burned within him flared up dangerously, but he angrily reined it in. If he failed to follow his plan he knew this failure would cost him his existence. Even though his soul was as strong and deep as it had ever been, the Bruinen had robbed him of most of his powers. He could not face Elrond now, or Glorfindel, or even the simple guards that had no doubt been left to watch over the young ones. As much as this enraged him, brutal force was not an option. Trickery would have to aid him.

Swirling within the storm, the vampire guided the winds to carry him beneath the window where Legolas lay waiting. He chose the window that lay away from the gate, for he no longer could melt into the darkness when he set free what he had brewed together in the forest. As he had expected, the shutters had not been closed yet and there was even a crack that had been left open. Wonderfully foolish creatures, he smirked, beckoning air and enemy to come in. The demon drew forth the corked bottle that held the wafting fog which had escaped the mixture of herbs he had drenched in the deer's blood and brought to life with his own lifeless breath. It was a strong potion. He could feel it vibrate in his hands. It was meant to seek out elves, lure them, and drown them in their dreams for hours on end. All but one. He had made that clear in his chants. All but one. Seek out the immortal souls and bring them down. All but one.

He regretted that the herbs found on Elrond's table had not offered him the opportunity to slay those who breathed in his gift. How he would have rejoiced at the sounds of bodies falling over with a thud, their useless immortal light leaving them at his will. But this would come later. He would be able to have his revenge once the race of vampires had been reborn and the Dark Lord held his rightful throne. He would hunt them down, all of them - but he would start here, in fair Imladris which would then be fair no more.

For tonight, sleep would have to do. With any luck, the grief over their failure to protect the little prince would force one or two of the cursed creatures into fading. That was a little solace. The winds holding the vampire's shady body in place, he drew the cork from the elegant phial and released his smothering breath. The grey smoke uncurled slowly, resembling less the light substance that would great travellers early on an autumns morning and more a deadly snake awaking from its sleep.

"Bite, my sweet", the demon murmured almost lovingly at the grey wisps that caressed him in a mixture of hunger and submission, "go and put to sleep all immortal souls that stand in our way." Even as he watched the smoky haze pour into the healing room, he knew that his demand could not be fulfilled. There had been too few herbs, too little time. Too little strength. He could not take down all of Imladris, but it would be enough to clear the path.

Chuckling to himself, the vampire once again made use of the storm, bonded with it against its will. As angrily as it tried to shake him off, swirling and swaying as it did, there was nothing it could do when he rode it like an experienced rider would sit a bucking steed. Drifting down towards the small windows that served to air the great storing rooms of the elven community, the vampire left his unwilling mount and noiselessly slipped into the cool darkness.

The prefect place these chambers were; the perfect grave for an elven soul and the perfect crib for a new kind of vampire to be born, light and beautiful in its deceiving appearances yet dark and violent beneath the glowing skin. Calen´s body was already losing some of its smoothness, bending to the wicked forces he had used upon it to re-enter the Last Homely House, but it had served its purpose. With the next body, the vampire would rise to perfection that was everlasting.

TBC

Review responses:

Gayalondiel: Wow, thank you, I am honored :) I try with my elvish, even though it can be a bit unnerving when you dn´t find a word for "happen" - but wonderfully useful ones like "covered by poplar trees", lol! But tha again, than makes it all the more fun. I actually like both of the twins and the more I write them, the more individual they become. They´ll be suer to cast in future stories, too.

NightShadow131: LOL, yes, sequels are just around the corner :) And poor Legolas indeed - I guess I could make that my motto...

White Wolf1: Yes, I always wondered why nobody ever warned those poor nameless Star trek people "Go get a name, quickly!!" LOL, anyway, yes, "Calen" might have killed the young ones but he knew he would never make it out alive, especially because Elladan was awake. Had he not been, things might have gone really bad for Legolas...

Tychen: Hehehe, good idea, let´s have Faun play lottery for all of us. We´ll be rich!! But seriously, Faun was very close to the vampire by the lake and again when Legolas and Calen where swept away by the river. He has sort of an advantage because of that. Nice comparison to the "child vampire" - have you read Anne Rice? I always thought Claudia was one CHILLING character!! And sorry Mr Vampire is not down yet, but he will be...

Someone Reading: Aww, poor you, here I go again scaring you ;-) Thank you so much for yet another heart-warming review. I´m glad you are with me what Elrond is concerned. Even he has to have some margin for faults, I think. Thanks again!

AliciAa: LOL, I take those comments as a huge compliment (no threats intended, right?). And don´t worry I couldn´t stop writing even if I wanted to, these stories are AFTER me, I swear.

Moralinde: LOL - erm, sorry, those vampires are really tough to kill! But he will die (again), I swear!! And Aragorn´s moment is coming, too :)

Deana: Thanks! And here it is ;-)

Mornflower: LOL, I´m happy I could surprise you a bit. Yes, Faun was only on "protection mode", and he will continue to be!

Elvingirl3737: Hehehe, you are rather protective of the twins, aren´t you? Your middle name does not happen to be "Elrond" by any chance? I completely agree, he has gone too far!!

Fiara: Thanks for commenting on "Galad a Duath" - I´m happy you liked it! There will be more little stories here and there among the longer ones.

((HUGGS)) Did I mention how great you guys are?! Thanks and keep the comments coming.