Iesha: You've stood by me a hell of a lot and you've read nearly every single fic I've ever come out with. Seriously, I'm so glad to have a friend like you. I just hope your support continues.
Kikoken: I'm glad you liked the first fic. Here's hoping you'll like the second just as much!
Dragonlady9: Don't worry, dahlink! Everything's going to be answered.
Jade: Lol! Just be warned! There's no yaoi in here! It's all hetero, okay? (bops Vincent on the nose with a magazine) Tell him to stay away from Reiko in here!
Burryk: You're lucky I got your review when I did or else I wouldn't have been able to put you in my notes. Anyway, you've been real good with the support. This girl isn't quitting any time soon!
Well here's the chapter! Hope you enjoy it! Read and review! ^_____^ AND THANK YOU ALL! Chapter 2
On that same night, a lone traveller walked steadily onwards, carrying a small bag over one shoulder. The look in his eyes was resolute, filled with a calm determination, a man on a mission. His stride seemed almost carefree and held with it the grace of one who was much respected, a man to be admired. It was measured, a pace that had eaten up the miles that now lay behind him. Trekking through the countryside had been anything but easy; he had been forced to constantly sleep in the roughest of areas, but hey, he was still alive and well, right?
He paused suddenly and turned his head as he realised he was nearing the city to which he had been walking towards. Finally. The thought had occurred to him that perhaps he should have taken his car, but having said that, he knew what the streets were like. He knew it was nigh on impossible to find a parking space. Besides, with a car like his, he'd be if it wasn't hi-jacked. Anyway, the car would not protect him from the dangers of the sun.
For he was a vampire, a lord of the un-dead, the world of the night his kingdom, his to own, his to manipulate for his own purposes. He paused again, his ears picking up faint strains of club music, singing drunks on the street. He could smell the scent of cigarettes and could hear people laughing amongst themselves.
Looked like New York wasn't the only city that never slept.
Come to think of it, more and more cities were becoming more alive at night and for this, he was thankful. He had heard of times from before there were clubs, and before the new craze had really latched on. According to the older vampires he sometimes ran into, there was a time when they had been forced to starve for weeks on end before they came across some person who was out too late at night. It happened rarely, and the vampires had told him with disgust of how they had been forced to feed from animals.
Well, the vampire hadn't told them about the fact that he still did, and without discrimination. Somehow, killing humans just to feed from them didn't seem right to him, it seemed barbaric and cruel. After all, he was once a human too. He knew what it was like to have someone feed from you and killing you mercilessly. Except…he hadn't died. He'd been forced to turn into one of those that had attacked him in the first place.
Though sometimes, he would drink human blood. As because of new developments, he felt less bad about it. New laws were being passed. Laws for vampires. They were no longer allowed to kill, just take a little, heal the wound and then move on. Easier said than done, usually things were a big mess, what with all the screaming and swearing that took place. It wasn't as if you could just walk up to a human and say, "Hey! I'm a vampire! Can I feed from you?" It would be hilarious if you could, but he wouldn't have dared try it. The laws had been passed because vampires didn't want to draw attention to themselves after all.
By this time, he had reached the city, and he blinked as his eyes fell upon neon lights against neon lights. Well, first things first, he needed to find a place he could stay for two nights or so. He headed to the nearest place he could find, a run down seedy looking hotel. Not exactly classy but hey, it would do and it would suit his purposes. The man behind the desk glared at him, and the vampires stared back at him, momentarily appalled. The man's T-shirt was grey with old sweat, with disgusting smears of food on it. It looked as though all this man lived for was drink, as he guessed by the huge beer belly.
Why the manager of the hotel employed a guy like him, was beyond the vampire, but beggars couldn't be choosers. But since when had he become a beggar? Oh what the hell, he needed to make his money last.
'Yeah? Wha' chew wan'?' The man spoke in a broad British accent, not the kind of a man from a well upbringing but more like the guy who'd be at the local pub from morning to night. Without waiting for an answer, the man flicked out a cigarette and lit it, breathing smoke directly into the vampire's face. He said nothing however but remained stock still as the smoke lifted in a haze.
'A room. Why else would anyone come here?' The vampire looked around slowly, at the paint peeling of the walls, the withering plants that had been placed there, probably in an effort to make the place look less of a prison and more homely. Well, they'd failed in that aspect. Somewhere, in the corner of the room, he thought he could see a cockroach.
' 'ow long for?' Good question. He wasn't entirely sure. Would he take two nights or just the one? Best be safe.
'Two nights.' More cigarette smoke. Disgusting. The vampire narrowed his eyes as he was told the prices, the smoke rising yet again. He paid the money and picked up the key but paused.
'What time do I have to check out by?'
'Eleven in the mornin'.'
'Couldn't you arrange it so then I could check out during the night?' The man looked at him suspiciously. The vampire impassively passed him two hundred dollars and raised his eyebrows. The man took the money and greedily counted it but then smiled, revealing yellowed teeth.
'I think I could manage that.'
'Good.'
'Enjoy your stay,' the man grunted. Yeah, right.
Vampires…vampires…where were they? Another law that had been newly made; vampires had bad press already, they wanted to do nothing to attract attention to where they stayed. Especially when they were feared. Fear was worse than hatred. People killed that what they feared; wasps, bees, cockroaches…who was going to stop them from killing vampires? Beings that walked the night and were forced to rely on blood to survive.
The traveller blinked and then chuckled quietly to himself as he saw a billboard for the latest movie that was out. He stared at the demonic-like figure and read the title of the movie. Van Hellsing? The director had no clue about vampires. But then again, did anyone? Not really; vampires were beings that simply did not exist according to most people.
He stopped chuckling abruptly as he felt a presence around him. Vampires! He walked towards the presence and came to stand in front of a dilapidated building. He looked around to make sure no one was watching him and then slipped inside.
The bubble of chatter met his ears immediately, and his eyes grew accustomed to the dimness, lifted only by candlelight. People drank from glasses filled with a red substance. The vampire stared as though in bewilderment. Surely that couldn't be human blood. Where the hell would a vampire club like this get the blood from?
One of the vampires looked towards him and gasped, a high pitched sound. The sound caused the others to look in the same direction. Their eyes widened and they came towards him, like a powerful wave.
'Reiko!' one cried. 'Is it really true? Did you kill Mostro?'
'How long are you staying for?'
'You've become almost legendary Reiko!' The vampire blushed as well as a vampire could and looked embarrassed.
'It…really wasn't anything,' he whispered.
'What do you mean? You killed the very demon that was killing us!'
'Have a drink, Reiko! It's on me!'
'No! I'm going to pay for his drink!' Reiko blinked and looked bewildered as he was pushed into a chair. Five glasses filled with blood were immediately set down in front of him.
'Where are you staying?'
'Uh…' Reiko looked around desperately and then relaxed as he heard a booming voice shout.
'Silence!' The crowd parted ways to reveal a broad shouldered vampire. He was old, about two hundred years or so. Reiko said nothing but smiled mildly as the other began laughing.
'I see that my clan has made you more than welcome.' The younger vampire only smiled. 'Come with me. I want to know the whole thing.' He snapped his fingers and one vampire loaded the various glasses onto a tray and led Reiko to the other's office.
'It really is good to see you again, Augren.' Augren smiled and sat down opposite him. Reiko inspected the glasses and frowned slightly.
'What is this?'
'It's blood.'
'Yes…but…animal blood? Human blood? What?'
'It's human blood.' Reiko looked confused.
'But…'
'You know, there's a curious urban myth going around. That a vampire's bite is very, how should I say? Pleasurable.' Reiko frowned again.
'That's sick.'
'Well, it can be. You'll find in this city that there are many willing to succumb to a vampire.'
'You can't kill them.'
'We don't. And we don't turn them into one of us either. Not unless it is absolutely necessary.' Reiko was silent as he looked down at his hands. Had it been necessary to turn him? What had he done to be punished? Augren frowned.
'You hadn't wanted to be turned, right?'
'I had no say in the matter.'
'God, Reiko! You must have felt as though you'd been rap-'
'Don't even go there.' He cut in too hastily, too sharply. Augren blinked and frowned at him but Reiko's face was a mask, he let nothing slip. The air was heavy with tension, the type you could slice a knife through. Augren suddenly chuckled.
'You never cease to surprise us, Reiko. Only three years of age and already a leading figure. A head vampire. Usually, one has to be my age. Not only that, now you defeat Mostro!'
'It really wasn't as great as you think, Augren.'
'Nonsense. You still killed him and stood up to him when none of us would have dared to.'
'You forget that he killed my parents and left me as an orphan.' Augren sighed softly.
'That hurt will never leave you, will it?' Reiko shook his head.
'No one can erase the past, Augren.' The older vampire nudged a glass closer to him, hoping to get him to drink some down, to ease his mind, to cheer him.
'You know…the respect you command is enormous, especially after everything you achieved.'
'Again you forget. The whole of my clan was destroyed save for Remy and myself. Due to my folly, they perished.'
'Everyone knows it wasn't your fault. You were betrayed. And now, people have been moving to your city, in the hopes they will join in a clan under your leadership.' Reiko looked up, questioning.
'The other heads have allowed this?' Augren nodded.
'There's getting to be quite a lot more of us than before.'
'Really? How come? Have the vampire hunters finally given up?' Augren laughed softly at that.
'Oh no. Nothing like that. You see, Harpies have been disappearing.'
'Harpies?' Augren laughed again at Reiko's puzzlement.
'You are so young in so many ways. Harpies are our enemy. We can't drink their blood, it's poison to us. Unfortunately, it is difficult to differentiate between Harpies and Humans. Vampires unwittingly attack them and drink their blood, and die because of their mistake. This has been happening less recently because something, I don't know what has been preying on the Harpies.' Reiko sat silently for a while, thinking this over.
'Is there no cure for their poison?'
'Only the harpy can cure you. There's little chance that they will. The Harpies hate us as much as we hate them.' Augren was met with another frown.
'And why is this?' Augren huffed out a chuckle.
'Time for a history lesson, or so it seems. Once upon a time-'
'Don't you think I'm too old for fairytales?'
'Compared to me you're but a baby.' Reiko scowled at him and Augren laughed again. 'Okay, once we treated each other with a kind of mild neglect but when it came down to the crunch, well, we'd come together and fight for the same cause. However, this all went horribly wrong when one vampire fell victim to a terrible blood lust he couldn't control and attacked a harpy. The poison killed our vamp, but the blood loss caused the harpy's death. The harpies were, needless to say, resentful and believed that as time went on, we would all become blood thirsty monsters. We in turn hate the harpies, because, in their bid to kill us, they seduced us into taking their blood. So many of us died at their hands.' Reiko sat back in his seat, his eyes pensive.
'What a waste of lives.' A silence fell between the two vampires. Reiko was the first to break it. 'Is there no chance to build up the alliance between harpies and vampires?' Augren sat up.
'No one's really thought about it. There's just so much hatred between us. The harpies probably wouldn't want to listen; the belief is too strong in their minds.' Augren looked at him seriously. 'Why?' Reiko shrugged. Augren's face relaxed. 'You know…you've done so much for the vampire community…if you ever need a favour or anything, you can just ask.' Reiko met his eyes with his own.
'Are you reading my mind?'
'No. Why?'
'Because I need a favour. In fact, it's not a favour. It's help.'
'Reiko? You need help?' Augren shook his head. 'Yet another surprise.'
'I need to raise an army. A big one. I wish to find vampires who would be willing to fight with me.' Augren leant forward in his chair, his cornflower blue eyes boring into the younger vampire.
'What's going on?'
'Mostro was not the biggest threat. He was mighty but we faced a bigger foe. You have no doubt heard of Nelo Angelo?'
'You fought him?' Reiko nodded. Augren breathed out, his eyes wide with surprise. 'My God!'
'He was defeated. Before he died he let slip that he was serving a master of some sort and that she was gathering a huge army, putting together all the demons she could find. There is a great many who'll join her. The idea of gaining power, tearing into human flesh and having all bow down to them appeals to demons. It probably this promise of power that caused the Dark Knight to fight against us.' Augren looked serious.
'This is indeed very grave.'
'Yes, and if I don't find people to fight with us, the world will become a huge one. The humans would die out and because of it we'd die too.'
' "Us"?'
'I am fighting alongside the legendary Dark Knight Dante, son of Sparda.'
'Two legends fighting alongside each other.'
'I'd like to debate that. I am no legend.'
'I shall also fight with you Reiko, and my clan shall join you. Perhaps after this battle, you would wish to revise this idea of "legend".' Reiko downed the rest of the drink remaining in the glass, standing up to leave.
'This is no battle, Augren. This is war.'