As the camp turned into a hustle and bustle, Larten Crepsley approached Darren.
"I would like you to play the flute for me today." Larten said.
"Don't you have Reiko for that?" Darren snapped. He didn't want to help the old vampire.
"Yes well today it is going to be you." Larten said shortly.
Darren sighed and got to practicing.
After a while he got the hang of it enough to think things over. He could slip...kill Mr Crepsley.
Did he want to do that?
Darren went up on stage and began to play. He was still thinking about it, when his eyes met Kuri's silvery blue ones in the audience.
No.
He couldn't let her see him doing something like that.
Darren finished and returned to the tent, finding Mr Crepsley waiting.
"You wanted to kill me." Larten said. "Reiko milked Octa's fangs. It would not have worked. Why did you stop?"
"Kuri. I'm not going to let her see me with the eyes of a killer." Darren said finally. "It doesn't mean I hate you any less."
"I would not expect you to." Larten said.
Larten left and Kuri came in.
She gave him a knowing smile.
"It's all going to be alright." Kuri said. "Beside what just happened, R.V. Was pretty pissed during the show."
"That doesn't seem to be much to worry about. He seems pretty harmless." Darren said.
"No, I don't think so Dar—"
"Kuri. Darren." Reiko said. "Lights out."
Kuri blew the lantern in their tent out.
xxx
Blood
Blood
Blood.
Kiana drank so much she might get sick, and still she drained human after human. She was kept restrained, but still her thoughts remained on Kurda and how much he must hate her now. She wished Nyx would strike her down.
But it doesn't work like that.
Her will was strong but she couldn't get out of the restraints. It was as if they were made of the shadows themselves. Tendrils that, when she struggled, fed on her very essence.
Kiana hung her head and sobbed.
Then she woke up.