"Riho wait…" Shido called after the fledgling vampire. He wasn't sure how exactly he was going to explain himself, but he had to try. The last thing in the world he wanted was for her to leave. It haunted his dreams. Turning someone as young as Riho never ended happily. To a point, he cursed Gullietta for coming back after so many years. None of this would have happened if she had never appeared.
Riho stopped running. More for herself than for Shido. She didn't want to her his explanation. What she had seen painted the picture well enough. He loved the other vampire that he had known centuries before here. Why though? It wasn't like she was any different. Cain had ruined their lives and Shido had saved them. However, Shido left other one to fend for herself. Left her to suffer Cain's torture. Or at least that was how Riho had pictured it. The young vampire lost her train of thought as familiar arms surrounded her.
"Riho please listen." The lavender haired vampire started. "I know what you saw, but there is more to it. Yes, I loved Gullietta once. A part of me always will. But she wasn't and never will be mine to love. Cain created her. Somewhere in his cruelty, he loved her. Just as I love you. Understand little one, I will die if you leave me. Even if you don't believe it…it's the truth. There is nothing in this world that is more important to me than you."
Riho felt herself relax. All the anger that she had felt towards him seemed to melt away with his words. As much as she tried, she couldn't stop the tears. Crying out of joy and frustration, she turned and hid against his body. Why didn't he say this sooner? The girl laughed at this thought and sighed.
"Shido-san, can we please go home?"
Shido smiled. "Of course. Giho is probably upset I left here there…" The younger vampire laughed as the elder led her to the car.
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"Gullietta, I don't understand why you're upset. Please talk to me."
Gullietta curled further into her ball, hiding her face in the crimson sheets. Cain sighed and sat on the bed. He didn't understand. He hadn't done anything wrong. She hadn't spoken to anyone much less fed since their son had died. He remembered that night. One of the hand maidens tore through the castle looking for him. Gullietta's cry could be heard clearly in the village below. The maids could do nothing to calm her. Not even sedatives would work. She swore Cain had taken and hid her child, but the maids had a different story.
They had found the child dead in his crib. His skin blue and jaundiced, as if someone had smothered him in his sleep. Quickly they gathered the remains and brought them to Cain. He mourned with Giulietta for months before vanishing again. In that time, the other vampire's hysteria became worse. No one was sure what hurt Cain more; the accusation of taking the child or the fact that she was killing herself to punish him.
Cain placed a tired kiss on the other's shoulder and retired. He would get nowhere with her today, or ever it seemed. In the back of his mind, he thought about what Giulietta had said. She would never forgive him. He didn't deserve her forgiveness. He wasn't there to protect their child. They both knew that she would never bear another again. There was something else that bothered him about the events that transpired. Something that made him think of his own mother. She had made a comment about the Golden Dawn when he spoke to her about Giulietta. 'The dawn comes sooner than expected.'
"Cain! Cain! I must speak with you!"
Cain opened his eyes and drew back the curtains around his bed. The servants had closed the curtains on the windows to save him from exposure. In the middle of the room stood Vercuil, his pale grey eyes frantic as he fought to control himself.
"What is it?"
"Giuli…she's gone."
Cain got out of the bed and eyed him. There was one other time Vercuil looked this panicked. He was about to be burned then. The vampire frowned, pushing stray hair from his face. This man was a warlock. He could track and go to anyone or anything. Why come to a man that had been cast out of Giulietta's life?
"Then go to her. There is no use coming to me."
"I can't sense her Cain. I know you are the last person she would want me to come to…but you're the only one I knew that could get to her."
"Why do you say that? I found her after Shido did."
"And so did he…"
Cain was quiet. He knew of whom he spoke. How stupid could he have been? He should have taken the child when he knew what his mother was doing. But the loss of both of his creations sent him on a rampage that he could not control. Many begged for mercy, none were granted. Now, he could right past mistakes. Perhaps even regain his muse. Centuries may have made her cold, but he still loved her. Nodding, he approached Vercuil.
"We need all the help we can get. You must get Shido. He is the only one not tied to Sirius by blood."
"And where are you going?"
"To see my mother…Isis."
Vercuil blinked. So he was older than he thought. He never knew the queen of the vampires was the mother of this man. Nevertheless, it made sense. Nodding, Vercuil vanished, leaving Cain by himself.
"Enough of this game boy. Show yourself." Cain growled.
"Nice of you to acknowledge my presence…father." Sirius responded appearing behind him. "Grandmother always said you were weak. Caring so much for your unloyal abominations. That why you chased them? Because you presume you love them?"
"Silence boy! Remember who you're speaking to."
"I know who I'm speaking to father. And frankly, he is not worth respect."
"Just like my mother…I deserve more respect that you'll ever know. I gave you life."
Sirius sneered. "True father, you brought me into this world. But you never thought of what I was or could become. Grandmother showed me. All your pathetic life you have been searching for the Gold Dawn…and you created it."
"Don't flatter yourself boy. What other lies has my mother been telling you?"
"Lies?"Sirius laughed. "Now you're too modest father. It's true. It's the reason I was taken from mother. She would have poisoned my mind. I am the Gold Dawn. I was born of a mortal and an immortal."
"No child, you were born to vampires." Cain said as he nonchalantly sat down. "Weren't you told? Your beloved grandmother slit your mother's throat the night you were concieved. I changed your mother to save you both. She was no mortal, I can assure you of that. "
"No matter father…I am what was prophesized."
"Enough of this…Where is Giulietta?"
"Safe, for now. I need you in order to finish. But I will grant you the honor of going to her before I kill you."
"Take me to your mother boy."
Sirius nodded and turned away. As Cain rose, the whole room began to waiver and change. The older vampire hoped that Vercuil could get Shido to agree to follow. He didn't want to say that Sirius what he had spent his lifetime looking for, but Cain knew he was stronger than he wanted the younger to be. If Shido didn't come, as would be in his fashion, Cain knew he and Giulietta were dead. No one went up against the queen of the vampires or her blessed creatures and survived. He knew he would be no different.