Title: Erratum in the Spirit 8/? – No respect
Warnings: Violence, supernatural-dark themes, light alcohol/drug use.
Notes: Sorry for the delay in this chapter, my computer was totally fried by an electrical storm.
Disclaimer: I do not in anyway own Dragonball Z nor the matter associated with the quotes given. Promise!
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* * * * * * * * * *
'You see I cannot be forsaken
Because I'm not the only one
We walk amongst you
Feeding
Raping
Must we hide from everyone' - 'Forsaken' by Disturbed
* * * * * * * * * *
"Stop! Turn around now, Brat!"
Trunks ignored Vegeta's call as he walked from the capsule corp. residence, his back upon the fuming saiyan. He let the white door knock against the wall behind it, leaving it open wide as he moved for the surrounding fence, short and clean. Leaping he landed upon the top of the meter high wall, turning back to look at his father once more.
"What took you so long, kid?"
Raoul's impassive voice spoke from the shadows before joining Trunks atop the wall,
"Don't call me kid. My name's Trunks"
"Sure slick. Get a move one, there's much you need to learn before sun-up"
The dark headed vampire spun swiftly, his coat tracing the air as he disappeared from sight, into the night. Trunks smiled, hinting hate, scorn and lust as his father stood moments from the doorway arms tight across his chest, glaring, watching the dark stranger leave. His once best friend appearing beside the saiyan, worry crossing his face.
"I'll see you soon"
Trunks whispered, raised his eyebrows in farewell and silently followed his new partner.
* * * * * * * * * *
"What just happened?"
Goten stared confused in the direction Trunks had disappeared, brow furrowed.
"That wasn't Trunks was it? I couldn't sense his energy"
Taking a step forward, Vegeta was firmly tempted to follow the pair into the city, even knowing he would only be able to follow them for a short distance. Yet he decided against it, he would not be lowered to running after his opponents. Either they show themselves to him or they are cowards and not worth his time.
"Hnn…It was Trunks," Vegeta replied in soft anger.
"But…" A strong glare from Vegeta halted Goten's words before he gathered the courage to speak again,
"Aren't we going after him?"
"If you wish, boy. But I'm not going anywhere"
"He's your son!" Goten's sudden angered voice echoed through the air, dancing through the trees.
Vegeta turned about, facing the teen who stood his own height, soon he would be standing above him. Typically Kakarott's child, the dark haired man could see a bright spark in his eyes despite the covering worry.
"That he is and as such he can take care of himself" He pushed himself past the teen, moving quickly back into the building whilst leaving a confused Goten behind,
"Trunks, what has happened to you?" Goten whispered into the night, "I promise to help you my friend, I promise"
* * * * * * * * * *
"Where are we going?"
Trunk's kept pace next to Raoul as they walked swiftly along the back streets of West City towards the south side.
"Have patience"
Letting out a deep sigh, Trunks tried to accept the answer and began to stroke his teeth with his right index finger, pleased that he had been able to hide them from his natural family. His new friend spoke again when they turned off the main road,
"Tell me, what caused you to cut your arm? Not that I disapprove"
"What?" Trunks' hand moved to the painless slice upon his left arm, "Oh…They thought I was an android of all things. I had to give them proof I wasn't. How'd you know I was the one to cut, anyway?"
"Your young kid but even so, human's shouldn't get so close"
"They're not entirely human"
"Close enough…here we are"
The pair stopped before the entrance to a tattered bar, the neon sign flickering, an aged crack trailing up the building.
"A bar? I could use a drink"
"Listen" Raoul spoke seriously ignoring Trunks' words, "We align ourselves with Bahri, any respectable vampire does yet there are those who do not. Weaklings, traitors, mercenaries. They are not to be trusted and since it is immoral to kill our own kind, without sufficient reason, they survive only by avoiding…"
"Immoral?!" Trunks almost laughed but settled with a wide grin, equal in scale to that of Goten, "The damned, we have morals?"
"If you can call them morals, come" Raoul's blank face did not waver in sight of the teen's smile and he pushed open the heavy door easily. The smell that hit them filled with blood, sweat and alcohol. They made their way in, eyes drifting in their direction momentarily before dismissing them.
The bar resounding with loud-mouthed drunks, clinking glass, dull music from a worn jukebox. Raoul took a seat at one end of the bar, waiting for Trunks to sit next to him. He ordered two simple glasses of tequila from the bartender, with no expectation of drinking it. Trunks however swiftly downed the small glass, spending a moment contemplating,
"It tastes different, less satisfying"
"Mmm...We're not here for entertainment"
"What're the drinks for then?"
"Show." Raoul let his eyes sweep the room, "There are two traitors in here, tell me who they are"
A test. Trunks knew this, no matter how much he loathed the idea he couldn't help but swing around on the stool and not inconspicuously search the room, leaning his hands on his knees. Most of the forms in the bar seemed human but there in the back corner, he's paler, thin, his eyes colourless and he has no signature. And…
"Hey cutie," a feathery female voice emanated from besides him, "Haven't seen you here before"
Trunks didn't look to the girl yet new she was a vampire, her energy invisible. He wondered if he was the only one who could sense Ki's. He new his mother couldn't and Videl couldn't. Could vampire's? He shrugged off the thought and swung back to face the bar.
"The guy in the back and her," He pointed with his thumb to the female looking expectantly at him.
"Me?" Trunks felt a hand trace across his chest, "What about me?"
Raoul's eyebrows raised, ignored the girl tracing Trunks' muscles,
"Some of them aren't very bright, she doesn't even realise what you are."
In one swift movement the older man took up the wooden stool beside him and broke off a part of the leg in his hand, resulting in a short wooden stake.
"Hey! Watch the furniture!" The barman glared not too menacingly at Raoul, who shrugged and dropped the stool, handing Trunks the wooden stake, speaking soundly,
"Lesson one"
Trunks' eyes widened, looking down upon the wood in his hand.
"We have several vulnerabilities, sunlight, the lord's cross and stakes."
"Stakes?"
"A stake through the heart will effectively kill any of us. Give it a try"
"But I thought it was immoral"
"Without sufficient reason…", for the first time a smile tugged at the corners of Raoul's mouth as he gazed upon the girl trying her hardest to reach Trunks' attention.
"My dear," Trunks turned to face the brunette, an evil grin slipping across his face as he purposely revealed his fangs. The girl gasped softly before leaning in again,
"So, we're the same"
"Perhaps…"
He spun the stake in his hand so the splintered end faced the girl's chest, her expression shocked as Trunks thrust the wood into her flesh. Within her chest he heard the crack of breaking ribs as the stake moved past vulnerable bones, felt the convulsion of conflicting muscles. Out of instinct she reached for breath, gasping despite the fact that air was not necessary, she grasped at Trunk's shirt pulling him with her as she fell from the stool.
"You…how could…?" The vampire managed to gasp out a few words before a surge of energy sparked through the wood prickling his skin. He pushed up from the floor and sat leaning against the bar, when his hand jerked off the stake from the surprising energy.
Moments later a soft hissing sound radiated from the fallen girl, Trunk's eyes fell to her face. His eyes widened as he watched her skin redden and blister, slowly peeling as if decaying with age in a matter of seconds. Her eyes flickered, the cream suddenly fading to what would most likely be her natural shade of brown.
Almost horrified Trunks attempted to inch backwards only to be stopped by the bar. He jumped up and backed away as alarmed voices made themselves known. The bar's door slamming open as several patrons hastened to leave, whispers and then silence. The only sound known being Raoul's soft chuckles,
"Not entirely graceful, yet I'll give you praise for your first attempt"
The vampire's chuckles increased into a hearty laugh before he himself stood and placed an arm about Trunk's shoulders, leading the stunned teen to the door.
"Stop right there!"
Their eyes spun slowly with their heads to find the barman pointing a rather large shotgun in their direction. The double barrels steady in the brawny man's grip, his voice only slightly shaking as he addressed the pair,
"I don't know who," he glanced down to the decayed body, "or what you are but you're not going anywhere"
Trunk's was snapped from his temporary daze by the barman's heavy voice, and shaking his head he began threatening,
"We're not…"
But he was silenced by a cold hand placed over his mouth, and his partner stepped forward, the gun not fazing him.
"We're just simply family men who needed to rid the world of a threat to our kindred" now standing directly before the barrels he place a hand upon the metal,
"You can understand that can't you?"
The barman shook Raoul's hand from his weapon and tightened his grip, taking a small step back.
"Move away. The police are on their way, don't try anything"
The braided vampire sighed deeply, letting his eyes drop before slowly replacing them on the barman, locking onto the heavy man. The seasoned man had no time to react as the cool metal was torn from his fingers, twisting and found pointing instead towards him moments later. The single shot rang out into the night, piercing the seemingly calm air, Raoul had not hesitated. The barman's blood rained upon the rough selves behind the bar, staining the once clean mirrors.
"This is what we get for being invisible," Raoul seemed to speak these words simply to himself as if regretting a past decision, a sorrow hidden beneath the dangerous smile, small yet never gentle.
"No respect."