Koria and Anissina had been getting on well since her pardon by Kain. Koria did not blame Ani in the slightest for anything she had done even thought this had been Ani's fear to start with but Koria had reassured her that none of it had been her own fault but still she was finding it hard to come to terms with. She knew she would never be able to pay back the lives she had taken but she knew she could at least be a faithful servant of Kain and accept Koria's friendship. Palmar also welcomed Ani and the three of them were very contented with each others company.

Ani had no desire to hunt so pitchers of blood were brought for her. Koria and Palmar enjoyed hunting however and Ani did not mind the time alone, it gave her time to reflect on the events which had transpired.

Ani was on her own when there was a knock at the door and Mizariah entered followed by the shadow vampire Ani was so afraid of. Unable to help herself in spite of what Koria had told her, she leapt up in fear and shot to the other side of the room. She cowered in the corner in a ball with her hands over her head.

"Please." She whispered, "Don't hurt me."

Mizariah looked at her father. "Father?"

Galen nodded for Mizariah to go over to where Ani was crouching and shaking in fear. Mizariah approached Ani and leaning down, she touched Ani's shoulder.

Ani squeaked in fear and curled into a tighter ball.

"Do not fear me, I won't hurt you."

"I'm not frightened of you." Ani said softly. "I am frightened of him."

"My father?" Mizariah couldn't understand it. Why would any vampire be frightened of her father? In her eyes she could see nothing frightening about him but then she realised that the cloak he wore was a little scary to those who didn't know Galen like she did. She motioned for Galen to remove his cloak which he did realising why she'd asked.

"Look, my father is nothing to be afraid of."

"You're his daughter?" Ani could hardly believe that this gentle looking vampire next to her was the daughter of that evil vampire who was only a few feet away and still looked frightening to her even though he had removed his hood.

"When I was human, my sister was murdered by him." Blood tears began to fall from her eyes as she remembered her older sister walking down the road when from behind her the shadow vampire had appeared and killed her with a special disc he had thrown at her. She had screamed as her sister fell and the shadow vampire had disappeared again.

Ani began to rock back and forth as the memory washed over her and she wept bitterly.

Mizariah looked helplessly at her father and he frowned trying to remember the incident. No wonder she feared him if that was her only encounter with him. He searched the dark recesses of his memory and finally came upon the right one.

Kain had summoned him to inform him that a serious traitor was living in a village close by and must be killed before any more vampires died as a result of her betrayal. So he had gone and carried out Kain's orders. As a result the whole village had become anti-vampire as everyone had thought it was a vindictive killing not knowing it had been necessary. Kain had sent his army to storm the village in the end as the villagers had begun to kill any vampires they found.

Ani must have been kidnapped before then as she was still alive now and not one in the village had been left alive.

Galen whispered to Mizariah and told her what had happened and Mizariah rested a hand on Ani's shoulder at the same time gesturing for Galen to step outside the room for a while.

Galen stepped outside but he did not wait outside the door, he walked down the hallway and headed outside. He felt totally useless. Now he couldn't even carry out Kain's simple orders. In all his years as a vampire, he felt at his lowest just then. He doubted even Mizariah would be able to lift his spirits. It was only a matter of time before he was too sloppy and someone finished him off. What would Mizariah do? He knew she would be devastated but he also knew she was strong and he knew Kain would look after her. For the time being he would keep going for her. He loved his daughter dearly and had no intention of causing her unnecessary grief and pain.

Mizariah looked at Ani. "My father is gone, you have no need to fear now. Come sit on the bed and talk to me."

Mizariah could understand why this vampire hated and feared her father, she knew she would have felt the same in Ani's position. Could she convince her otherwise? Ani was just the pupil that her father needed to lift his spirits and get him to be more like his old self. Even Kain she knew was concerned about Galen. She could see it in his eyes when he looked at him.

Ani got up gingerly looking as if she expected Galen to crash through the doors and flay her.

Her eyes darted round the room and Mizariah led her over to the bed where they sat side by side.

"Let me tell you a little about my father, Ani and then maybe you will understand why he does what he does."

Ani liked this vampire and began to think that a vampire with a daughter like her, maybe wasn't as bad as she thought. Her feelings towards Galen warmed even more as Mizariah told the story of how Galen was sired and something of what he had gone through during the Great War and why he was so loyal to Kain.

Ani gasped a good few times as she took in what Mizariah was telling her. Then she understood why her sister had died. Galen had been following the orders of his lord and master. He did not choose whom he killed and he was not a vindictive killer either. Ani's former master had been vindictive, playing and toying with his meals in horrible ways. She shuddered at the memories.

Mizariah looked at Ani and smiled. Ani smiled back and a friendship was born.

"let me fetch my father and you can meet him properly."

Ani nodded, yes now she was ready to meet him.

Mizariah went to the door and opened it to find an empty hallway. Where was he?

Father where are you?

No reply. Mizariah began to worry. Her father had been depressed enough as it was without Ani's rejection on top of everything else.

Father please answer me!

Still nothing. She went back into the room where Ani was waiting.

"I have to go Ani, but I will return with my father later." Ani saw the worried look in Mizariah's eyes and did not inquire as to why she had to go so suddenly.

Mizariah left Ani and ran back to where Kain was. She knocked urgently on his door.

"Enter."

She went in to find Kain seated at his immense desk going over some reports. She bowed before him.

"My lord I cannot find my father and he is not responding to the whisper."

"Do you feel anything of him child?"

Mizariah concentrated.

"There is no physical pain but there is intense sadness. My lord I fear what he will do."

Kain indicated the couch. "Look for him in spirit form child and I will make my own inquiries as to his whereabouts."

Mizariah nodded gratefully and lay on the couch in order to find her father in her spirit form.

She rose out of her body and left the room.

Kain left instructions with a trusted servant to watch Mizariah's body before he left the room to seek information on Galen's whereabouts. He would not under normal circumstances have done such a thing, however Mizariah's voice had held a note of what was close to panic about him and she was not one for unfounded worry. The sad feeling had obviously been powerful enough to cause her serious concern.

Feeling reasonably concerned himself, Kain began to ask of the vampires he encountered if they had seen Galen.

Mizariah flew fast through the Sanctuary looking for Galen. He was not in any of the normal places and so she began to search other places. Eventually she ended up outside. She wondered if he had gone to the nearby lake to sit. Even though water was deadly to vampires, She and Galen often walked down there as it was very restful and they would sit just enjoying each other's company.

Mizariah's vampiric eyesight spotted her father seated on a log at the water's edge, staring out over the black waters. As she neared the feeling of sadness she was getting from her father intensified suddenly. It engulfed her and began to drain her energy. This was something that hadn't happened since she was a fledgling vampire. She had to return to her body before her energy was all gone. She whispered Kain.

My lord I have found him, he is out at the lake. I must return to my body.

Well done child though, is something wrong?

My energy is being drained by my father's depression, it has increased and is very strong.

Stay where you are, I will bring your body to you.

Thank you my lord.

Mizariah was becoming weak rapidly and wasn't sure she could hold on much longer. Just as her energy was almost gone Kain teleported to where she was with her body in his arms.

With a last burst of energy, Mizariah flew to her body and into it. Her eyes flickered open briefly before closing. She lost consiousness as she heard her father yell her name.

"MIZARIAH!"