Post-Defiance Fan Fiction: Mirrors of Balance
By: Dragonaia
Disclaimer: The Legacy of Kain games belong to Eidos and the Silicone Knights, not to me, much though I may wish it. The OOC involved in this fiction belong to me however, Rastha, Kainen/Katherine, the Voice, and the few secondary others. My retribution will be swift and horrifying.
Author's Comments: All right. This chapter is very long and includes a shallow introduction to the alternative Nosgoth culture. Any deeper is irrelevant because Kain will be returning to his Nosgoth in the chapter after next. Two concepts I should mention: First, I've read fanfics where Kain was all agog over the advancements of technology, but that always seemed silly to me because he's been to Meridian and he's not the type of person to be awed by anything, or at least show it. Second, I hope everybody likes the little jokes and puns I kept slipping in (though maybe only I'm anal retentive enough to get them). Rastha will not be going to Nosgoth with Kain either. She's just performing her civic duty. Another note beforehand, Kain's never seen people from foreign countries before, so they would understandably make him curious. Hence, the scene.
Chapter 4: The Blood Bank
"Your senses are finely attuned." Kain allowed his voice to slip free of the shadows, bouncing off the high walls and disguising its origins.
"I've had lots of practice," the female vampire took another cautious step towards him. "I almost didn't detect you. That usually means the vampire in question is stronger and older than I am. You are aren't you?"
"I believe so." Kain's answer was non-committal. "What are you?"
"A vampire obviously." Rastha answered with a confused frown.
"No," Kain's response was disdainful. "The uniform. What role do you play in this city?"
"Oh." The vampiress sounded greatly relieved. "I am a Coorhagen City police officer, of the sixth precinct. And what are you in the grand scheme of things?"
"What I am is of little consequence to you." Kain responded. "I need to find someone, and I require sustenance. Can you be of any assistance to me?"
"Well that all depends," she answered cautiously. Now she stood only a few feet away from Kain. "Food is definitely workable, an easy need to fulfill. But helping you find someone, now that may be tough. It all depends on what you need them for, now doesn't it? It would be a dereliction of my duty if I weren't reasonably assured your intentions were honourable. I promise you that I will happily answer whatever questions I can sir, but you are going to have to come out for me to do that."
"Where am I then? What settlement is this?" Kain remained hidden. The vampiress' hand was still considerably closer to her weapon than he was comfortable with.
"I'm not telling you anything until you come out sir," Rastha insisted stubbornly.
"I just want to be satisfied that your answers will be as forthcoming as I wish them to be," Kain allowed his irritation to leach into his words. "Surely it is not so dangerous a question that you cannot answer it?"
"I'll concede you have a point." She looked around, knowing that her fellow vampire was incredibly close now, but still unable to exactly pinpoint his position. She spread her arms wide in a show of welcome. "Very well then, I bid you welcome to twenty-first century Coorhagen sir. How might I facilitate your visit here?"
Kain paused, unsure of how to proceed. 'And Coorhagen,' he marvelled inwardly, 'how it had changed!' This place of dazzling light was the very same city his human family had ruled over with such impunity?
"A bit different than you anticipated?" Rastha prompted, correctly interpreting his silence as shock. "You wouldn't be the first."
"The first what?"
"The first vampire to awake into this century after a long period of sleep. In fact, you'd be the second in the past decade that I know about. The modern era is bright, flashy, and every bit as confusing as it looks. It's also about ten times more dangerous than it was in the past. I'm always very careful the older vampires make the transition into the new world smoothly. You're too valuable to loose to hunter's blade."
"I still do not understand." Kain persisted, genuinely concerned. "I've seen nothing in my short time here that could be considered remotely threatening."
Rastha sighed, folding her arms across her chest patiently. "On the surface it isn't, but beneath, danger lurks everywhere, especially for our kind. Water pipes run into every residence, with access on every road, humans have weapons that can destroy whole cities and nations with the touch of a button, and technology has evolved to the point that magic is almost unnecessary and rarely used. Information is transmitted instantly, and the government is not composed of a single self-absorbed man, sitting on an ancient throne, bored with the tedious affairs of state. You sir, have misinterpreted what I am. I'm not some town guard whose task it is to keep invaders outside the city walls, or 'tame' the peasants within. There are no peasants anymore, no slaves, no serfs, no kings, and no nobles. Nosgoth is now a democratic nation, governed by a codified law, and as a police officer, I am a vassal of the law's will."
Kain's eyes narrowed and he glared at the young vampire who had the audacity to speak to him in such a manner. Her words slowly penetrated his mind, their meaning ever so gradually sinking in.
"I'm not telling you this to threaten or intimidate you sir," she continued, her voice deliberately calm. "It's something you need to know to survive here. By all means, go ahead, wreak destruction, and defy the humans and their law. But you must be made aware of the consequences of such actions. If the offence is severe enough, the humans will obtain a hunting permit, and the vampire hunters will be set after you. I don't care how old or how powerful you are; none escape them, and none evade them for long. The hunters are as keen and relentless as hunting hounds, and I have never known them to fail. Ever." She paused then, rubbing her face wearily. "Look sir. Please come out now. I can tell that you're hungry, and I am too. I've just had a very long tiring day. Walk with me to the blood bank and I'll answer whatever questions I can. I just want to help you. Its getting annoying standing here alone and talking to thin air."
Kain was silent for a long tense moment. The vampiress had removed her hands from her weapons and didn't seem inclined to reach for any of them again. He knew that it would be wise to have a guide in this place, and Raziel agreed, pulsing insistently between his shoulder blades.
"Very well," Kain stepped from the shadows, right behind the female vampire. She whirled to face him. "I will take advantage of your hospitality, but trust that you will deeply regret it if you ever attempt to betray me. I am not known for my merciful nature."
Despite her nonchalant attitude, Rastha appeared genuinely stunned when she finally beheld Kain in the streetlights. "Ye gods… you're a lot older than I expected."
"Does that change your offer in any way?" Kain pressed. He stepped close to her, staring down at the considerably shorter female in an effort to intimidate her.
"Not at all," her face curved into a bright friendly smile and she dug her talons into her jacket pockets, looking completely disarming and at ease. "My name is Rastha Ezra. What might I call you sir?"
"Lord Kain." His expression seemed to dare her to contradict his title.
"Lord huh? I thought you had that look to you." She took a step back, apparently to examine him in more minute detail, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Well I can tell you that there are two things that might get you in trouble with the natives. First off, the sword-"
"I'm not disarming," Kain snapped. "This sword is worth more than the entirety of your kingdom combined."
"I'll take your word for it, but that's not what I meant." Rastha held up her hands placatingly. "Not only is it against the law, but most people don't really carry weapons around any more. There's no need for them. Only reason I do is because I'm a cop. Now they normally let the older vampires get away with it, force of habit kind of thing, but that's a Reaver you've got there, and they're a real touchy issue right now."
"You recognize my sword?" Kain blinked in surprise.
"Reavers tend to have a very distinct look to them sir. The whole skull thing-"
"Wait." Kain held up a hand to forestall any further chattering on the vampiress' part. "You said 'Reavers'. There are more than one here?"
"There are lots of different names for them," Rastha shrugged. "Soul-swords, Spirit-Reavers, Aquanos-blades. Used to be lots of them around, especially in the Hunter families, but a couple decades ago they passed a law making them illegal, something about 'cruel and unusual punishment'. Most people think they were all destroyed, though every once in a while rumours start floating around that a couple of the Hunter families hid some away so that they could still go after the big monsters."
"I will not disarm."
"Somehow I didn't think you would." She let out an aggravated snort.
"What is a 'hunter family'?" Kain took advantage of her momentary silence to ask. The question was burning in the forefront of his mind and he could tell Raziel was very nearly as curious as he was.
"You don't know?" Rastha's head whipped up to stare at him. "How can you not know?"
"I have never encountered them before. Would I have asked the question if I already knew the answer?" He flashed his fangs at her impatiently.
"Alright, alright sir. No need to get your panties in a knot. Hunter families or 'bloodlines' are humans descended from a long line of vampire hunters and have made it their business to take up their ancestral duties. A bloodline hunter is different than a normal hunter because… well…" She struggled to find the right word. "You've heard of evolution right?"
"I dare say I have some experience in the concept." Kain raised a brow sardonically.
Rastha laughed nervously. "Yes, I suppose you have. Well, humans evolve too, but it takes a lot longer, and spans generation to generation. Well, hunter bloodlines are humans evolved to be better vampire hunters. They're stronger, smarter, faster, and have better constitutions than their lesser brethren. In fact, some of the oldest bloodlines nearly equal some of the fledgling vampires in strength and can take a remarkable amount of damage before dying. I'm also told that their blood tastes rather unappetizing, although I've never had occasion to try it myself. A lot of them still practice magic too, where much of humanity has forgotten the art. Those two hunters in the alley, they were from the Saraphan Bloodline. Its one of the more venerable families, though its probably got the worst reputation. They like to take things a little too far, but the modern ones are nothing compared to their legendary founders, some sort of sadistic, fanatical cabal of priest-knights. Don't know much about them, and I don't care to know. That's a chapter in history best left forgotten. Which reminds me, about your banner…" She pointed at the ragged scrap of red material trailing proudly from Kain's shoulder.
"What of it? It's my personal insignia. I'm hardly about to abandon it for sake of fashion."
"That was the other thing that the locals might have a problem with." Rastha looked a little apprehensive. "You see, around here its known as the symbol of the Scion Bloodline. It's probably just a coincidence that it looks so similar, but it might get you attacked by some of the more idiotic fledglings. They could mistake you for some kind of traitor."
Kain was just barely successful in covering his reaction. People named 'Scion' who bore his own personal symbol? If he was ever to find his alternate, it seemed the best place to start looking. "Who are the Scions?" Kain was eager now. At last, a trace of his prey. The Voice had told him what he sought would come to him, and apparently it had.
"A vampire hunting bloodline like the Saraphan, only worse. Their family is the best, the elite. It's not as big a clan as the Saraphan, but it's got a deadly reputation. In fact, the Scions are really the Saraphan's only competition for contracts, and they only take the hardest cases. Not much is known about them; the family is very reclusive and secretive. I couldn't even tell you where they've got their headquarters. Most vampires are terrified of them, and for good reason. Personally, the few I've met were just plain creepy, even by the standards of our kind. I'm not afraid of them, but they make me uneasy. I just think it would be best to remove it for now, just in case somebody gets the wrong idea."
Kain growled low in his throat, causing the younger vampire to jump backwards.
"All right, all right," she said warily, reaching for his shoulder cautiously. "How about we do this instead?" Her talons deftly removed the banner from his harness before he could move to protest, and she reversed it, repining it to his shoulder with the symbol side pointing inwards, obscuring it from view.
"Good compromise?" Rastha inquired, stepping back quickly.
"It will do." Kain regarded the younger vampire in amusement. She had long dark hair, and a pattern of arcane tattoos surrounded one eye like a black sickle. It appeared that this one had a very un-vampiric nature as far as he was concerned, armed with a good-natured sense of humour and empathy, as well as the weapons she bore so easily. Even so, she was a warrior; he could see that, in her stance and in her predatory amber eyes. The combination was unusual and reminded him of the traits he had so beloved in his vampiric sons, when they chose to indulge them. Mischievous Zephon with his sly pranks, and Rahab with his laughter. Even Raziel had possessed a certain amount of dry wit. Part of him ached with homesickness for what he had lost, while the other marvelled at the differences between this Nosgoth and his. The vampires here led a peaceful enough existence that they could afford to indulge their softer natures this way. In had been many years since he had seen one of his kind so at ease.
"So…" Rastha prompted, "Are you hungry or what?"
Kain quickly drew his mind viciously back to reality. The blood hunger was aching through his body now. "Very much so. Lead on."
"Great!" she turned on her heel and hurried to the end of the alley, beckoning him to follow. "Come on milord. You may not have noticed, but I'm a mite bit peckish myself!"
Shaking his head resignedly at her antics, he cautiously followed her out of the alley.
Never in his life had he seen so many different people packed into one place. Humans pressed in on him from all sides, though they were very careful not to touch him, or his vampiric guide. The roads themselves were empty of pedestrians, and in their place large, vaguely rectangle-shaped machines with glass windows conveyed the humans seated comfortably inside them speedily down the roadways. Wide, mortal eyes followed both vampires as they made their way down the busy walkways on either side of the streets.
Rastha seemed to be in no hurry. She kept up a brisk human pace allowing the crowd to melt easily around her, a speed that Kain easily matched. It gave him time to look around and examine his surroundings in greater detail. Hungry as he was, the first thing he noticed was the people. Not only were there such a great many of them, but also most were healthy and relatively happy. While they pulled away from the two vampires out of respect and no little amount of natural fear, they just as easily returned to their previous tasks, their lives and courses unchanged. He had never been in a city where the oppressive weight of terror or poverty did not bog the inhabitants down hopelessly.
Here and there a human would catch his attention, their appearance so different he had to choice but to stop and stare. One was a man with dark ebony skin, his scalp shaved clean and walking arm in arm with a younger woman with similar colouring, her hair woven into dozens of long miniscule braids. The next person to catch his attention was a tiny older woman with glossy black hair, tanned skin, and dark slanted eyes. She was screeching loudly in a foreign language at what could only have been her son, with a voice so formidable it did not match her slight form. It was only when a young dark-skinned man with a cloth hat carefully wrapped around his head, rudely bumped into the elder vampire, that he actually stopped, picking the strange man up to examine him more carefully. He would have screamed too had Kain's talons not been clamped so tightly around his throat.
"What's the matter milord?" Rastha inquired curiously over his shoulder, though he sensed something warning in the tone she chose to use.
"Why does this one look so different from all the others?"
"Ah…." Understanding dawned on her face. "I'll tell you if you put him down." Again, her voice was neutral though he could detect the threat rippling beneath the civil layer. Let him go or you'll regret it.
Not caring either way, Kain shrugged. "Very well." He released the man.
The human collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, before scrambling to his feet and taking off down the crowded street. Ignoring the stares and whispers; Kain waited for the other vampire to explain.
"He's not from Nosgoth. His family must have moved here from across the ocean, probably to work. There are quite a fair few foreigners in Nosgoth now, despite its dangerous reputation due in no small part to our kind. I know some vampires who collect foreign fledglings like prize dolls. It's demeaning. Surely there's more value to immortality than looking pretty or exotic." Letting out a disdainful sniff she continued on her way, obviously very familiar with the busy network of streets.
"Do you have any more questions for me," she said after they had traversed at least a block in silence. "I did promise I would give you what answers I could after all. Who are you looking for?"
"It's a rather unwieldy affair. I think it best I keep that to myself for now." Kain had already decided it best to allow the vampiress to continue to believe he was a newly awakened elder. The truth was much too complicated, and he did not have the patience or the inclination to explain it properly, as she would rightly demand. His mind was already busy enough with the running through of the possibilities of the 'Scion' connection and the distraction of his surroundings, so that he really couldn't think of anything else to ask. "I have no other questions that immediately come to mind."
"Oh… okay," Rastha responded awkwardly, clearly uneasy with his vague statement. "Do you mind if I ask you something then?"
"What do you wish to know?" Kain replied irritably, too diverted by staring into the clear glass windows of the passing shops to pay much attention.
"Just how old are you; when were you born?" Rastha had stopped walking and faced him now, her expression unreadable. The crowd was forced to walk around them, muttering rebelliously at the two vampires as they passed. They were ignored.
"I am clearly older than you are. Why do ask? How could the answer possibly matter?"
Rastha's eyes narrowed, her easy-going attitude apparently wearing thin. "It doesn't, not really. But I'm curious and there's something not quite right about you. To be perfectly frank," she sniffed the air, "You smell funny, in more ways than one. Off and a little wrong, like age, and rot and old blood. Not healthy at all. I'm no fool Lord Kain. I have survived and thrived in this and ages past because I learned early on in life that you shouldn't take anything for granted, and your instincts are right every time. If something seems wrong, it usually is. I'm sorry, but it's just too much of a coincidence for me to accept that an elder vampire just happens to bear the same glyph as the top Hunter Bloodline in existence."
"And how do you know I am simply not an early Scion ancestor?" Kain retorted angrily. This female was a little more observant than he had anticipated.
"Because people from hunter bloodlines cannot become vampires. It's one of their evolutionary 'perks'. I guess it prevents desertion. To be one of their ancestors you would have to be well over four thousand years old, and I don't think you are quite that ancient." Rastha was glaring right back at him, with just as much menace in her eyes. "Don't give me that look sir. I'm just trying to help you get your story straight. The CVC aren't going to simply take you at your word when they give you an evaluation."
Kain reluctantly forced himself to calm down. He still needed this female's help, and so far she had been offering it freely. "Will you at least concede it's possible that their ancestors appropriated my symbol for their own use? I don't know myself, and that's the only answer I can give you." It was the only plausible response he could come up with on such short notice. "Now for the love of god will you stop quarrelling with me in the middle of a crowded thoroughfare and take me to this damn feeding station!"
Rastha's bravado wilted a little under Kain's fierce roar and she nodded her head, acquiescing almost meekly. "Only two more blocks that way milord," she indicated with careful politeness and resumed walking in that direction, Kain close on her heels.
Kain wanted to scream with frustration when Raziel suddenly piped up from behind his shoulder, calling after the younger vampire, "Wait! Who are the CVC?"
Rastha's steps faltered. "Is it just me, or did that Reaver just speak?"
"Raziel! Of all the ridiculous times!" Kain snarled impotently at the sword.
"I am only anticipating a danger you are too hungry to do for yourself," Raziel replies calmly, his voice smooth and even. "Who are the CVC and what will they do?"
"It is a good question you know," Rastha informed Kain with a careless shrug and resumed walking, forcing the vampire-emperor to follow behind her. It seemed she had dismissed Raziel's voice as something strange Kain would not answer in his current mood. She would wait until he'd been fed for that. "CVC stands for "Center for Vampiric Control'. Despite the name, the implications of which we all greatly resent, the CVC is more on our side than on the humans'. It is a branch of the government that represents us, and works to keep us feed, secure and happy. They provide information to the public that reduces stigma and fear, and help out vampires in whatever way they need to, running the blood banks and protesting against the abuses of hunters."
"And the evaluation you spoke of," Raziel called up at her again, blatantly ignoring the shocked mortals standing all around. "What does that involve?"
"The evaluators are the only people in the CVC not on our side." She shot a sly look back at Kain. "When a vampire is newly awakened, and for everyone else once a decade, an evaluation takes place to determine what threat, if any, they may present to the general populace. If you fail your evaluation, a termination order may be issued. The more powerful you are, the more likely they will fail you, because if you do turn for the worst, you will be all the more difficult to stop." She laughed humourlessly. "One of those vampires I told you about who awoke a few years back was terminated. He arose from his deep sleep with some ridiculously ill conceived notion of empirical conquest. Can you imagine someone trying that in this day and age? What a nut job!" She began to chuckle in genuine laughter. "Tried to get a bunch of us to go along with him and 'put the cattle in their rightful place'. Please. Last time someone tried that they nearly killed the humans off entirely, especially with those feisty little hunters thwarting his will all the time. I hear some of the elders tried to beat the sense into him, but he wouldn't have any of it. We had no choice but to let the hunters have at him. I mean, he wasn't nearly as bad as what's his face, Vorador, but still… Bastard didn't leave us much choice."
"You know of Vorador?" Raziel gasped.
"I knew of him." Rastha giggled again. "Kind of hard not to. He was my sire's sire. But that sado-hedonist got what was long coming to him, believe you me. I hear the hunters were exceptionally, brutally vicious in his case, but he was getting to be a danger to both humans and vampires. You knew him too?"
"We've met," Kain replied pensively. "It was a long time ago. Who is your sire? I might know them." He was curious as to how many similarities there were between the worlds.
"Her name was Umah. She died about three hundred years ago in a battle with another vampire, one of her siblings I think. I'm not quite sure about the circumstances. We were never very close, and my siblings don't like me very much." Rastha turned a corner sharply and smiled broadly, her teeth flashing bright white under the glaring streetlamps. "Ah, here we are milord. Keep close. It's always a bit crowded this time of night with all the fledges out and about."
As Kain continued to tread in his guide's measured footsteps, his head craned upwards to examine the building's façade. Mounted atop with slanted metal roof tiles was a large round glowing sign, about as tall as he was, glowing white and bisected by a luminescent red cross. It seemed rather gaudy to him, but he assumed it was to be the most visible it possibly could, advertising its presence to half the city's vampiric populace from a great distance. The walls were made all of glass, and the small reception area visible was stark, sterile and bleached, all gleaming steel counters and cold geometric design. A pale, morose-looking human man sat at the counter, sifting through a stack of paperwork.
"Hallo Orrick," Rastha paced up to the counter with the ease of routine, tapping her claws impatiently on the metal surface to get the human's attention. "How's it hanging?"
The human glanced up at her in surprise, immediately calming down when he saw whom it was. "Sweet mother of… Rastha! You scared the shit out of me. I'm human and fragile. Do you want me to die of a heart attack?"
"You're twenty-eight Orrick. I doubt that's much of a risk at this point in time," Rastha bantered back easily with the human. "What's got you so stressed? You don't look yourself tonight."
He rubbed at his red-rimmed eyes in apparent exhaustion. "This is the longest shift I've had in two years. Between the rowdy fledglings and a group of hunters busting in here earlier, I'm swamped. Took a couple threats to call the police to get them to clear out. Thank god the inner doors are locked; they might have managed to break in with half the delicate fledges under for the day."
"Hunters in here?" Rastha frowned, "That's off-script. They know they're not allowed within fifty feet of a blood bank, let alone inside. What did they want?"
"Near as I could tell, they wanted to talk to one of the elders. Toroth, I think it was. Good thing he wasn't in."
"Is he in now?"
"Stopped in for dinner about half an hour ago. If you're lucky, he's still skulking around down there. Likes to chat about the good old days with a couple of his war buddies." The human peered past the female vampire, finally noticing Kain. "Hey, who's your friend? He new? I haven't seen him around before, and I usually remember the Elders."
"Orrick, this is Lord Kain," Rastha explained patiently, digging around clumsily in her pocket for something, "He's newly awakened, and very hungry. I'm not exactly sure what the policies are regard-"
There was a series of electronic beeps from beneath the counter, and a pair of doors slid open of their own volition. The thick, sweet scent of blood floated to Kain in a rush of warm, clean air.
"Don't bother with ID and protocol lieutenant," the human informed her steadily, though his eyes did not waver from the strange vampire standing before him. "You're a cop, and I've known you long enough to trust you. Just get him in there and get him fed. I've had one hell of a bad enough day without needing to clean up that kind of mess."
"Thanks kid," the officer nodded her head appreciatively, beckoning Kain to follow her through into the hall beyond the sealed doors. Very nearly salivating at the appetising smells, he did not need any further encouragement.
The décor inside the building was slightly more familiar to him, all dark woods and fine, plush carpets tapestries. It put him in mind of Vorador's mansion, with a great show of tawdry aged grandeur, only there were several distinct elements missing. Most especially lacking from the air was the smell of damp and mould, and the presence of death looming overhead. And the scent of blood permeated the air about this entire place so densely that Kain was surprised he couldn't see red mist hanging in the air, teasing his raging appetite.
The long descending hallway opened up into a large hall obviously built under the city long ago, ancient pillars stoically supporting the ceiling on their settled spines. The room was filled with hundreds of vampires of all ages and ranks, cloistered in their own private groups as they loitered about the room, seated in circles about low tables, standing in secluded corners, or lounging in sofas and chaises around the perimeter. Silver frames displayed moving pictures, and a group of newly turned fledglings sat about one, cheering as they watched it intently. Books were stacked sporadically about, and Kain noticed an archway in one corner that opened up into what appeared to be a private library overflowing with texts.
"Sorry if it's a bit loud for you sir," Rastha said apologetically, looking about the room as if searching for someone, "This time of night is the rush hour, and if a vampire wants some company, this is when they come in."
A lone figure separated itself from the crowd, making its way towards them. The vampire was a little younger than the female, his lips not yet black and his hands still retaining their basic five-fingered design. He was wearing the same clothes as several others roaming about the room, dressed in black pants, a stark white shirt and black vest. Bowing low before them, he kept his face neutral and impassive. "Greetings Lieutenant Rastha. I assume you will be having your usual. What can I get your friend?"
"Enough with the formalities Cyrix, and quit calling me 'lieutenant'," Rastha snarled at him, "Kain, this is my younger sibling. He will see to it that you are well fed. I'll help myself Cyrix. Just give Lord Kain what the Elders usually take. Speaking of which, where is Toroth? I'd like to speak to him."
The other vampire blinked at her placidly, "I take it that the lieutenant has heard of our unwanted visitors from this morning. It might be presumptuous of me to say that I don't think it's any of your business-"
Rastha gripped her younger sibling viciously by the throat to cut him off and dragged him down so that he was at eye level. "Cyrix, take that stick out of your ass for just one minute and listen to me damn it! I don't have time for this! Where is Toroth?"
"It's been three hundred years since your sire's passing little ones," a cool, serene voice intruded gently, "Surely the sibling rivalry ought to have petered off by now. What do you wish to speak to me about?"
Tall as he was, even Kain had to crane his head to look up at the Elder vampire. Toroth's skin was palest blue, and his long tapered ears curved backwards, becoming nearly transparent at the tips, like the ethereal antennae of some great insect. The evolved vampire elder regarded them calmly, folding his impossibly long, spindly limbs across his chest as he patiently waited for the female to respond, the long trailing robes only adding to the impression of some great moth or butterfly. Kain had never seen this type of mutation before, and he had to concede it was almost artistically beautiful.
"Feed him," Rastha ordered Cyrix sharply as she released her grip on his throat and gave a curt nod in Kain's direction. "I'll be right back."
Taking the Elder carefully by the elbow, she steered him a short distance away before they began engaging in an urgent conversation, speaking in hushed undertones. While the Elder's face remained impassive, Rastha appeared more and more disturbed as the exchange went on.
Kain quickly lost interest, switching automatically back to the young vampire assigned to feed him. "Boy," he warned darkly, drawing the young one's attention back to himself.
To the vampire's credit, he remained ever polite, even bowing his head diffidently as he replied, "I'll be back with your order sir, if you would but wait here a moment." Cyrix disappeared through a set of swinging doors, re-emerging a few moments later with a tray bearing a clear pitcher of dark blood and a tall glass.
Kain was barely patient enough to wait for the server to return, snatching the pitcher and pressing it to his mouth, not even bothering with the glass. His nerve endings heaved a sigh of relief as the unexpectedly warm blood struck the back of his throat, coating his insides and sinking into his body. He drained the vessel swiftly, replacing the pitcher back onto the tray, silently demanding more. Cyrix obeyed. It was only after the fourth or fifth carafe that he'd finally drank his fill, easily the equivalent of what three struggling human warriors would have provided him with. He glanced at Rastha and Elder Toroth, finally curious enough to wonder what they were discussing.
Just as he began to try and eavesdrop, the conversation ended abruptly, Rastha breaking away from the elder and storming back towards Kain. Snatching the sixth jug of blood from the tray Cyrix had brought for Kain, she rapidly drained it.
"I'm afraid I've got some business to attend to sir," she informed Kain, ignoring her brother's rebellious expression. "You're welcome to come with me, but I've got to warn you, there may be a mite bit of trouble."
"I'm hardly unaccustomed to trouble young one," Kain replied simply. "As you already know, no doubt. Where are we going?" Rastha had led him true thus far, and his instincts said she would continue to lead him where he needed to go.
(Sorry it's long folks. I kind of got caught up. Its eleven pages typed on my computer. Just in case it wasn't perfectly clear, Rastha thinks Kain woke up from a long period of sleep, like the beginning of BloodOmen2, and he's not correcting her on that assumption. Also, the 'cloth armour' Kain keeps referring to is a flak jacket. He'd be too proud to ask. Next chapter introduces Kain's alternate; so hold on. Things start to get messy from this point onwards. I think its funny that Rastha treats Kain like he's a rabid grizzly. Whoa bear- I mean Kain! Thanks Ryoken!)