Bloodline
Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel Comics or the characters created by New Line Cinema. Additionally, I don't stake any claim on "Blade the Series". I'm writing this for my own enjoyment and hopefully to entertain others. No money has exchanged hands, so please don't sue!
Author's Notes: I wrote this out of a need to fill the void for "Blade the Series" fiction. This is such a terrific show and it deserves its own category on this site! Don't you agree?
Summary: This is an alternate universe two-chapter fiction about my favorite vamp-couple, Marcus and Krista. It maybe a little on the fluffy side, but I'll let you, the readers be the judges.
The story takes place about 100 years in the future. Blade has long since been vanquished by the House of Chthon and Krista has finally accepted her role as Marcus' immortal consort.
However, after nearly a century of endless night, Krista has grown restless, and longs for the one thing that Marcus cannot give her, a child.
Chapter I
"Krista, please do come in." Marcus Van Sciver greets his long time companion from behind his opulent desk with a warm smile. Glancing over at his personal assistant, he dismisses her for the night.
"That'll be all, Sabine. We'll pick up where we left off tomorrow. Just make sure that the contracts are sent over to the House of Liechan. I'm sure Frederick will more than pleased with his new financial arrangement."
The raven-haired woman gives Marcus a knowing smile. "Yes, I'm sure he will. I shall deliver the contracts personally to him tonight."
Marcus flashes a conspiratorial grin that lights up his sapphire colored eyes. "Hot date tonight, Sabine? It seems that you and Frederick have been seeing a lot of each lately."
"As a matter of fact, we have," she answers demurely. Sabine is almost embarrassed to be discussing her love life with her boss, but he appears to be genuinely happy about her new romance with the head of the House of Liechan.
Picking up the dossier off of Marcus' desk, Sabine hastily places it into her leather briefcase, then bids her employer and his wife a good night before gracefully exiting the inner sanctum of the Van Sciver Empire.
Marcus continues to smile as he watches his assistant's retreat. But he soon realizes that he has experienced a long tiresome day, meeting his many obligations as the head of the House of Chthon. He is in dire need of a distraction and Krista's arrival is just what the doctor ordered.
Rising from his chair, the icy blue depths of his eyes take in the vision of beauty fast approaching him. With her long chestnut colored hair flowing loosely behind her, Krista Van Sciver returns Marcus's smile. She seems just as happy to see him as he is to see her.
As he comes around his antique oak desk, Marcus admiringly assesses her flawless skin, perfectly preserved for all time, thanks to the dark gift he bestowed on her so many decades before. He had often wondered if he had made the right decision, by turning her. After all, he didn't give her much of a choice in the matter, now did he?
But looking at her now as she smiles lovingly at him, her amber-colored eyes twinkling with that youthful spirit that has endeared her to him, Marcus cast aside all doubt.
He can't help but notice that she looks absolutely ravishing this evening. Black really is her color. Krista has always displayed a natural sexiness, an almost wholesome quality that reminds him so much of his dearly departed Isabel.
Ah, my Isabel, he mentally sighs. All that was good in me died with you the night that slime Dameck took you from me. I never thought I would ever know happiness or love again.
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Yes, there had been a few other women that had shared his bed over the years and even fewer still that he had taken into his confidence. But love never entered into the equation, Marcus had never even contemplated it. How could he, after all, no woman could ever hold a candle to his sweet Isabel.
Chase had come close, but her bloodthirsty ruthlessness had always kept him on his guard around her.
Marcus allows himself a little chuckle as he remembers, I have to admit; she was one hell of lay, a real tigress in bed. I almost hated driving that stake into her, but after I found out she was in league with the Purebloods, she had given me no choice.
No, it appeared that love would forever elude him. And after century's worth of blood on his hands Marcus Van Sciver did not believe he deserved it.
And then like a bolt out of the blue, Krista Starr had walked into his life. Or rather she forced her way in, turning his existence upside down, almost taking him to the brink of oblivion.
Although he had refused to admit it, he had fallen in love with her from the very moment he first laid eyes upon her exquisite yet haunted face. She had seemed so lost, so vulnerable and yet her determination to get to the bottom of her brother's death had intrigued him from the start. Krista's susceptibility and strength proved to be an irresistible combination. Even for a jaded 350 year-old vampire like Marcus Van Sciver.
Krista had touched something deep inside of him, igniting feelings his kind were NOT supposed to experience. He was told by the elders it was not possible, not for creatures that stalk the night. They were hunters, predators, dominated by their insatiable bloodlust, and bound by the caste system of the Twelve Houses. There was nothing else. Kill or be killed, the mantra of a true vampire.
His killer instincts and not to mention Chase had demanded that he drain Krista dry the first chance he got. Her tenaciousness and inquisitive nature had threatened to expose the secrets of Chthon. And yet, he could not bring himself to do it. So he turned her instead, forever binding her to him in blood.
Even after she almost destroyed all he had worked for by spying for the Daywalker, Marcus could not end her immortal life. Killing Krista was inconceivable; she was a part of him and he was a part of her. They were one and the same. Their bond would be unbroken by time, hate or even betrayal.
Marcus thoughts drifted back to the time of Toronto Conclave in the year 2006. His greatest achievements were about to be realized until that accursed half-breed, Blade confronted him, nearly spoiling his plans.
After the Aurora virus had been unleashed on the Purebloods, killing every last natural born vampire present, Blade engaged Marcus in a battle royal to the death. Both had been equally skilled swordsmen, but it was Marcus' blood that had been spilt that night. He could still hear the Daywalker's triumphant gloat after all this time.
"It's time to say goodnight, Van Sciver! "
All seemed lost as Marcus bled to death in front of his greatest foe. But to everyone's surprise, it was Krista not Chase that had proven once and for all where her true loyalties were.
It was Krista that had snuck up behind Blade as Marcus watched her with curious fascination. When he saw the shiny gleam of a Samurai sword slice clean through the Daywalker's neck, completely severing his head from his body, Marcus' heart was full of love her, his savior, his Krista.
At the moment of Blade's very timely death, Marcus was finally convinced of Krista's devotion to him.
After that momentous day in Chthon history, Marcus and Krista's ascension in the hierarchy amongst the Twelve Houses was secured. And they could finally be together without fear of ridicule or retribution from the snobbish Purebloods.
Oh, there was still the matter of Chase's involvement in a failed hostile takeover from the few remaining Purebloods months after the Conclave. But they were few in number and were easily defeated. Chase's ever growing resentment and jealousy over Krista's relationship with Marcus had ultimately sealed her fate when she sided with enemy. Eventually, Chase Covington met her demise when Marcus impaled her with a silver stake through her black heart, reducing her body to ash.
Marcus had offered Krista the chance to vanquish her rival, but she respectfully declined. Even in triumph, Krista still showed her enemy mercy. It was a human trait that Marcus had grown to admire and respect in spite of himself.
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And it is Krista's latent humanity that he loves so much. He knows that she has seen her fare share of death and destruction, especially during her tour of duty in the Iraq War, but her hope for mankind has never been diminished. It's that hope that keeps her grounded and sane.
Well, as sane as someone could be among the undead.
It had taken some convincing, but Krista had eventually won the right to pick and choose her kills. She never fed on an innocent and aside from the mistakes she made with Boone and her mother Lisa so early on; she never turned any of her victims. All of which deserved to die. Krista relished feasting on the dredges of humanity, rapists, murderers, and child molesters. In her view, she was doing society a service by eliminating its most heinous criminals.
Marcus, at first, could not understand her refusal to hunt freely and consume her prey out in the open. However, he soon learned that Krista could not completely immerse herself in her vampirism until he met her conditions. His love for her could refuse her nothing, so Marcus Van Sciver had accepted her terms.
And much to Marcus' surprise, soon other vampires followed her example. Thanks to the House of Chthon's extensive resources and contacts, maximum security facilities had become an all-you-can buffet for their kind. Prisoners sentenced to death row met their ends swiftly and savagely as a pair of white sharp fangs ripped out their throats.
It was actually a very beneficial arrangement all around. Since many judges and penal system employees were on Chthon's payroll anyway, death row inmates were no longer a burden on the tax payers.
Gone were the days when the state would have to house prisoners while their unscrupulous lawyers filed appeal after appeal. Krista had seen to that personally by setting in a motion a national crusade to bring swift justice to the killers of women and children. Marcus' friends in Washington stood to listen and soon a deal was struck between the politicians and the vampire underworld.
It was a win-win situation. Victims of violent crimes were venerated, the Washington fat cats were kept happy with generous contributions to re-election campaigns and the vampires got their much needed sustenance.
Indeed, a new era of prosperity and legitimacy had been heralded in for the Twelve Houses and Marcus had Krista to thank for it.
For nearly one hundred years humans and vampires have co-existed peacefully, benefiting from one another.
But it was Krista's exhaustive charitable work over the years, especially children's causes that kept her connected to the world of light. She had garnered the attention of the media and most recently she had been dubbed the Princess Di of the 22nd Century on the cover of Time Magazine.
Her work in Africa to eradicate the ongoing AIDS crisis had even earned her a nod from both UNICEF and the World Health Organization. Krista was always careful to take precautions so that she was not tempted to partake of the sweet tasting blood of the children under her care.
At her behest, Marcus' scientists had developed a more advanced version of the crude serum that Blade had created years earlier. Ironically, the Daywalker's technology had a use after all, even if it was posthumously.
Now, she only needed to be inoculated every six months. The effects of the serum suppressed her thirst for blood for weeks. And it was during these times that she felt almost human again. Her interaction with the children always infused her with new energy, rejuvenating her zest for life.
Krista's passion and commitment to the children was genuine, and even her husband Marcus found it touching that she cared so much.
Marcus Van Sciver had to admit that these last hundred had been his happiest and it was all due his wonderful wife, Krista.
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Possessively, Marcus gathers his wife up into his waiting arms, pulling her into a loving embrace. Not wanting to wait another second, he hungrily covers her lips with his own. Soon his tongue gains entry into the sweetness of Krista's mouth. She moans softly as Marcus begins to massage his tongue against hers, his hands sensuously caress the curve of her back. Her slender arms wrap themselves around his neck, returning his kiss with equal fervor.
Krista can't seem to get enough of Marcus. God, how she had missed him, missed this. Her fingers entwine themselves into his golden hair as she draws her husband closer to deepen the kiss.
There is something that she does need to talk about with him, but for now it can wait. She comes to sudden realization that this time she had stayed away for far too long. Her need to be with her husband supersedes all other matters. Besides, they have all the time in world to engage in deep discussion.
After a few minutes of their passionate exchange, it is Marcus that ends the kiss, much to Krista's disappointment.
Gently he pushes wife away to hold her at arms length. Smiling at her, Marcus says, "Welcome home, Mrs. Van Sciver."
Krista can't help but giggle a bit as she gives her reply. "Well, Mr. Van Sciver, with a greeting like that, maybe I should go away more often!"
Kissing the tip her pert little nose, Marcus places a finger under her chin to tilt her head up towards the intensity of his gaze. Krista sighs dreamingly as she finds herself instantly lost in the blueness of Marcus' beautiful eyes. Remarkably, they remind Krista of a brilliant summer sky, something she hasn't seen in these last hundred years.
"Don't even think about leaving again. Now that you're home, I don't plan on letting you out of my sight!"
Once again he draws her close, holding her tightly against his well defined body. Having Krista in his arms again, the feel and scent of her skin instantly awakens his passion for her.
And when Krista feels the evidence of his arousal rubbing against her thigh, she smiles coyly at him. "Why, Marcus is that a stake in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"
In one fluid motion, Marcus Van Sciver lifts his wife off of the floor, cradling her in his strong arms. As he starts to carry her out of his office to take her to their private chambers, he replies, "Well, I guess I'll have to impale you. Maybe then you'll get the point of just how just how much you were missed!"