Notes: We just want to thank everyone so much for all the positive feedback we've gotten! Yaoi Diva especially was rather nervous as to how a yaoi fic would be received but this is just great!! You guys rock!!

Well here's chapter four. The smut kinda takes a back seat in this to make room for some plot development…yeah we know, but it had to be done .

(Raziel)

We continued to spread the gift that Kain had given us. As our clans grew, it became increasingly apparent that the Sanctuary, though enormous, would not support the entire population in a manner befitting a god. Thus Kain bade each of us to seize a territory of our own and begin construction of individual clan fortresses, while the Sanctuary of the Clans remained our base of operations.

For obvious reasons, I chose a territory closest to the Sanctuary, closest to Kain. My brood and I fought the denizens of the already decimated town of Ziegsturhl and took control of the land, slowly building a stone fortress over the ruins. Turel went north to the great volcano and began to build his home alongside it. Dumah claimed land in the frozen wastes to the far north of the Sanctuary. Rahab expelled the religious order from the Abbey to the Northeast and claimed the already present stone structure as his own. Zephon, taking his cue from Rahab, led his clan in an attack against the Discordant Cathedral, also hoping to claim the building as his own rather than create a new one. His attack was swift and deadly, leaving no time for the monks within to sound their lethal organ. And finally, Melchiah, the youngest. The gift was weakest in him, and while the rest of us looked young and strong as we had the day Kain brought us back, Melchiah had slowly begun to rot. In keeping with this, he took his similarly deformed clan members to the Necropolis, the burial lands, and set his home beside the headstones.

My brothers moved eagerly into their new homes, excited by the rush of independence and the chance to rule their own brood away from Kain's watchful eyes. I, however, found it difficult to leave my master...my lover's...side. As my clan continued to build, stronger, faster, and more robust than any human, I lingered in the Sanctuary, a reluctant child.

(Kain)

Raziel led his clan with expert precision, and I knew that I had done well in making him my first, but at the same time, I sensed in him a disinclination to leave my side, starkly apparent against the eagerness of his brothers to assert their own power and domains. I knew well why this was, and knew also that it could not continue as such. And so I approached him, steeled against the onslaught of emotion and rejection that I knew would ensue.

(Raziel)

Kain sent one of his many personal servants after me. He had not passed his gift onto any others after the six of us, but we were more than happy to donate members of our clans to his needs. I responded to the summons at once, uneasy. It was not often that Kain sent for me, and I knew him too well to think this was a social call. As I arrived in the throne room, my eyes as always were caught by the severe angles of the toppled pillars upon which Kain had built his throne. He stood there before it, calculating silently over his map as always.

"Ah, Raziel," he said, by means of introduction. "Your brothers and you have taken up positions in various locales across the face of Nosgoth. I believe it may be time for us to close the gaps, conquer the humans once and for all. After all, it is our world, is it not?"

"Did you summon me to discuss politics and battle strategies, my lord?"

"No, Raziel. As always you see through me." There was a moment of silence, as Kain moved slowly toward me. "I noticed you have not moved into your new estate as of yet." I nodded.

"It is not finished, my lord."

"Really? I went to inspect it myself just the other day. It looked quite livable to me." I remained silent, knowing that if I simply waited, eventually Kain would get to the point. "Raziel, I know well why you have not left. I cannot say I entirely approve of your continued residence here."

"I will leave when the time is right, Kain."

"You will leave now!" Kain said, drawing himself up to his full height. His eyes glimmered with the strange slightly red glow of feral vampire rage, and his fists clenched tightly closed. I found myself taken aback by this sudden show of anger. Stunned, I backed away and bowed to one knee. Kain was, after all, my superior, my lord, and much more powerful than I. "Do you fear me, child?" Kain hissed. I did not move, afraid to nod or shake my head, unsure of the answer he wanted.

"I...I do not fear you, lord," I finally said. Kain stepped towards me, his cloven feet tapping softly against stone.

"You should. I was a god long before I brought you back. I could easily destroy you."

"But you will not," I said, though my voice shook. What could have driven him to this...insanity? What was it I had done? "My lord," I said deferentially, "what have I done to displease you?" For a long time Kain was silent, and with every moment of silence that passed, I found my heart beating faster. Then, finally, he laid his hand upon the back of my lowered head.

"You must leave this place, my child. You cannot stay near me forever. Do not fear. Our love will endure. But you must not appear weak before your brothers, your subordinates, and by staying here, that is how you appear." I do not think I understood, but I nodded nonetheless, raised from my knee slowly and bowed at the middle.

"As you command, my lord," I said coldly. My own rage and a sort of childish insolence tasted sour in my throat. Without another word, I turned and left.

I slept in my own tower as dawn approached, cold and alone and unable to sleep as the interlude of earlier replayed itself in my mind. I heard a sudden creaking and leapt to my feet, my claws prepared to attack. After all, we were at war, and humans attempting assassinations were not unheard of, foolish though their attempts may have been. As the door closed, however, I saw only Kain, standing, proud and serene, against the shadows.

"Are you finished sulking yet, or have you just begun?" I sat back down on the bed, anger slowly flushing my face.

"What are you doing here?" I said sharply.

"I thought I would take a look at the inside of your little fortress. It's rather nice, I should say." I frowned.

"Kain, you are in my house, and it is a little late in the day to be admiring my fortress. Get out!" Kain strode over to me, over-confident as always.

"I may be in your house, Raziel, but I am still your lord, and I will not disappear so easily."

"Kain, I..."

"I've brought you a little gift, a reward of sorts for the work put into building this place." Despite myself, I turned slightly. Curious, my eyes were drawn to his now outstretched hands. In them was a piece of thick red cloth with jagged white lines running across it. The lines were of the finest embroidery, edged with gold, and I could tell the cloth was a very closely woven wool.

"What is this?" I asked coolly.

"This is the symbol for your clan. Each of your brothers has one as well, but I took the liberty of having yours embroidered on this for you." Still angry, I snatched it from him, looking it over with aplomb. Once I had removed it from its folded state, I could see that it was a sort of short cape, designed to be worn over one shoulder. The symbols were delicate and beautiful, and the cloth was soft and of a rich weight. With another burst of defiant anger, I realized how truly wonderful a gift this was.

"It's...beautiful," I said slowly, my anger seeping from me like lost tears. "Thank you."

"Try it on," Kain requested in his smooth voice. I moved over to the mirror across from my bed and draped the cape over my right shoulder, admiring the way the red stood out against my pale skin and dark hair. "Just as I expected," Kain purred. "Lovely." I turned, my will to resist draining. He placed his hands soundly on either arm, holding me firmly in front of him. "Do you still doubt my love?" he asked.

"Only a little," I smiled. He reached down and kissed me, his hands still holding me to him, and then slowly pushed me over to the bed.

"You are my beautiful child always, Raziel. It is necessary for you to be here, but that does not mean that we will not see each other. I am, after all, as fond of these evening rendezvous as you are."

I believed him, as I always had, and I set my new cape upon the table near my bed as Kain kissed my lips and my neck and ran his hands over my body. Somehow, no matter what, Kain always got his way.

From that night on, I stayed each day in my own citadel. Some nights, Kain came to visit me, and on others, I snuck over to the Sanctuary of the Clans to interrupt him in his constant scheming. This continued for many months--perhaps even years--and then, all of a sudden, Kain stopped coming. It was customary for us to take turns, of a sort, so when Kain didn't come, I waited. I waited, hoping that he had simply found some project to occupy more of his time, but he never came. Finally, I decided to go to him and see if I could discover the cause.

I walked slowly into the throne room, where Kain sat upon the great chair against the pillars, lost in thought. There was a strange pain in his eyes, and when he turned to look at me, it deepened.

"What are you doing here?!" he snapped.

"You haven't come for many nights. I was concerned, my lord."

"You needn't concern yourself, Raziel. Return to your home."

"But, Kain, I..."

"Return!" he yelled, suddenly standing and becoming all too intimidating, as he had a habit of doing.

"My lord?" I questioned. I knew I was risking his wrath by pressing the issue, but I had to know. This was not like him, and I wanted to see him happy, as only a lover could.

"Raziel, go," he said, in a calm tone that spoke of a tiger about to strike.

"Kain, please..."

"Raziel!!" he shouted, and in one deft leap he was suddenly right in front of me, his fangs bared and his claws raised. I looked up into his eyes, and for a moment I thought he might even draw the Soul Reaver if it would make me leave.

"Yes, my lord," I said, much more afraid of the sword with its strange emanations than I was even of him. I turned and left, confused and empty. Once again my lover had shunned me, and for what? This time he had not even given a reason. I did not know what to do. Could it be? No, I did not want to think! But...could it be he no longer loved me?