The two figures danced elegantly in the pale red light of the moon, Chaele Luna. The long slow steps followed by a vigorous bout of short, fast spins across the floor were mesmerizing. The colors on her dress blurring together as the dance increased in tempo, his raven black hair shined in the light. His smiling face warmed her heart. The music faded away and he held her close to him still swaying to the faded beat. She rubbed her face against his chest feeling the warmth of his slender body. As she caressed his well-muscled body, she felt his back, exploring every centimeter with her fingers. He gasped as she slipped a dagger into his back. His eyes widened as his knees buckled under the weight of his body, a wicked grin spread across her face revealing elongated canines. She knelt down with him, kissing his throat. He felt her fangs pierce his jugular. Matt felt the blood trickle down his neck, felt her tongue slowly lapping his blood form his throat, felt the fear welling up in his soul.
Her eyes looked through him; he felt her raptor like gaze searching his soul. A wicked smile spread across her face. She slowly pulled his limp body towards her as she pressed hers lips to his. Hatred filled his eyes, she looked him in his eyes, meeting his gaze, her pale, azure eyes mocking him. She started slowly stroking his long, black hair, he was at her mercy and both of them knew it. She gently pulled the bloodstained, silver dagger from his back and pinned him to the ground effortlessly as she slowly, but fervently, licked his blood off it's 15 cm blade, she quickly slipped the dagger under her other hand, pinning it to Matt's chest. The vampiress pressed a small, silver ring with a blooming rose on it to his left cheek, he felt it singe his flesh. Matt cried out at the unexpected pain.
"A mark you as my pet Matthew Vertiale, I will come and retrieve you soon enough. Keep that dagger it should be able to protect you until I can get you, my pet. My pet remember I'm Mistress Kali, and never forget." Kali said as she gave Matt one final kiss while she faded, placing the dagger in his hand.
Matt bolted with a shout, sweat drenching his face and hair. The small dagger brushed against his hand, Matt let out a startled shout as he tossed it at the wall. Rose ran out of her room with a pistol in hand, her diaphanous blue nightgown revealing more than just the second pistol holstered on her right thigh. Giving the room a quick sweep, noting the knife in the wall, she walked to Matt's side and sat on the bed. Matt unconsciously stroked his left cheek. Rose quietly pulled Matt to her chest and stroked his long black hair.
"You know Rose, since I met you life has really started biting me in the ass," Matt said looking into her eyes "and I just realized your half naked."
"Really, I think it's just your imagination about life biting you, because you're being held by a half naked woman. You Thaneians are the biggest fucking whiners."
Matt pulled himself to his feet and walked to the dresser, pulling out his usual black clothing. Rose quietly walked to her room to clothe herself. Matt picked up his mothers old pendant, fondling the tear shaped gem. Donning his black cloths hastily, Matt walk into the bathroom, grabbed a pair of scissors, and quickly cut his hair to about two centimeters long. Touching the two puncture marks on his jugular, Matt snatched up a black neckerchief and tied it around the throbbing cicatrix. Rose walked into the bathroom, clothed in a pair of jeans and a dark green tee-shirt, her long red hair in a braid revealing her elongated ears. A black tattoo could be seen piercing above her shirt, its delicate pattern lacing to the base of her skull. She quickly noticed her ears and grabbed her gray chalcedony earrings. Though her ears and face no longer retained their Athairien qualities Rose still had an exotically alluring air about her.
"So where'd you get the knife, and the scar?" Rose asked casually.
"You ever hear of some psycho who calls herself 'Kali' Rose?"
"Sounds familiar, from what I've heard it means something like goddess of the dark, or just dark goddess. Why?"
"Because that's where I got dagger, rose shaped scar, and bite marks on my neck." Matt said his eyes flickering a dark red over his normal gray color.
"Bite marks? Oh damn it, Vercaile. Well this is just wonderful you've been chosen to be a pet." Rose said her eyes narrowing
"Well that's what she kept calling me, no problem though. So what are these Vercaile anyways? Rose, Rose you okay?"
"First off before I start my name is not Rose, it's Kya, but until we're out of Thaneia just call me Rose. Matt her calling you her pet is a very, very big problem, no one ever escapes the Vercaile, no one kings, queens, wizards, all have fallen to them, in a few cases even a full empire, they are dream hunters. Kali is a Vercaile, they are all vampires."
"Vampires? Than why was she wearing so much silver? I thought silver hurt vampires."
"You people are idiots, silver works on werewolves, not vampires. I've watched one vampire EAT three kilos of silver, they walk out in daylight; though they prefer the night, a stake through the heart just makes them really angry, the only way to kill one is to cleave off the head with a red hot blade; and that works only because it cauterizes the neck so the head can't reattach."
"Oh great, she not just psychotic, she immortal. What is it with me and getting the women who are idiots, or insane chasing me." Matt said while pulling the silver knife from the wall. "So these Vercaile, what makes them so special are they vegetarians, never mind that I forgot the mistress bit me."
"Matt do you realize you just referred to psycho-bitch as 'the mistress' right." Matt falling onto the floor was enough of an answer. "They are not only stronger and faster, Matt, hey can manipulate peoples minds. Now unless you just referred to Kali as 'the mistress' on your own accord, that is a very good example of how powerful they really are. Also the are all female, or at least that's what's been reported about them."
"Why would she choose me though, if you think about it I really am just an insignificant nobody. I'm only averagely strong and fast. Nothing really puts me out away from the other Thaneians. She could have chosen any of thousands, but why me?"
"How should I know maybe she thinks your cute, and for a Thaneian you are cute. I just don't know enough about them. If master Gyan was here he could probably figure out why. The real question is why waste her energy to give you that dagger, she wants you alive that's evident." Kya said taking the dagger from Matt to examine it.
"Okay so mis…… Kali used a lot of energy to get that to me, maybe I can use it against her. So why did you just tell me your name is Kya now, after a month. You could have old me anytime."
"I didn't know if I could trust you until now. I thought about telling you before, but distrust is as hard to kill as a bad habit. I can't stand this city anymore Matt I miss my home. Please can we go to my home, maybe my people can help us."
"Okay Kya is your stuff ready, I can be ready to leave within the hour."
"Thank you Matt, I already have everything packed, we need to stop at the weapons store though,
I'm out of bullets, plus I have something reserved for you." Kya said smiling