Within twenty minutes of pulling into port, a large carriage drawn by six ostrich-horses had arrived for the Fire Lord and his party. Two terrified coachmen approached the vessel, begging forgiveness for their tardiness. Apparently one of their wheels had gotten caught in some sludge on the way to the docks, and it had taken them some time to free it. Ozai was not amused and would have ripped their heads off if not for Iroh's timely intercession.
With bowed heads the coachmen opened the doors, helping the two men get in, leaving Zuko behind to tend to the newly turned sailors. He was not to go to the Souxin estate until he completed his mission of tracking down the vampires who had attacked their men. Despite the crowned prince's surliness, he was secretly glad he did not have to meet Song, the clan leader's daughter. It wasn't that he didn't like girls, or had anything against her, it was just that he had more important things to do with his life than seduce pretty girls – like winning a war for instance. When the Fire Nation was finally at peace, he would be able to afford the distraction of women. But until then, he needed to remain focused on his responsibilities, like any good sovereign.
Once the carriage left, Zuko returned to the ship. This day promised to be long and pointless. The only thing he looked forward to was his vampire hunt later that night. If he wanted to be in any condition to track and deal with those vampires, he would need to get his rest. Reluctantly he trudged below deck trying to drown out the sobbing of the men who had just been turned. They would be fine after sunset, if they didn't try to kill themselves by running into daylight.
As he got closer, he heard one of the men chanting a woman's name over and over, like a prayer. Zuko stopped only for a moment, feeling almost sympathy for the new life these sailors would have to get used to. He doubted any of these men would be accepted by their families once they found out about their change in condition. Countless times, newly turned vampires in denial had killed their family members when their hunger for blood had gotten out of control, and he knew that it would be no different for them. Part of him almost wished he had let them die.
Breathing deeply, he continued to his room calling out to one of the guards in front of the newly turned sailors' room. "I'll be in my quarters resting. Do not disturb me unless, my father or uncle returns, one of the neophyte sailors tries to kill himself, or the ship comes under attack, understood?" Two pairs of yellow eyes peered out through the skull- like faceplates as they nodded in unison. Closing the door tightly behind him, he laid on his bed, rubbing his temples as he worked on a plan to track down the vampires responsible for this morning's attack. Finding them would not be easy, but he would not relent until he had.
While he was trying to think of all the possible places a vampire would frequent, a powerful urge to feed began to spread through his body. He had felt something similar, only a handful of during a sanguine moon. A smug smile graced his face as his eyes narrowed, at the realization. Perhaps these culprits would be easier to find than he had previously thought.
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This morning was proving to be very difficult. Shifting her weight from side to side while she forced a smile on her lips, Katara tried to hide her frustration with this customer in particular. Normally they would only get customers this picky once in a while, but today she had already seen three, and it wasn't even noon yet. If not for the fact that she was trying to enjoy her last day in Ba Sing Se, she would have broken down in tears.
"This one is does not have an even number of petals," the portly matron whined as she tossed it back into the pile. "And this one…this one doesn't smell like a rose, it smells more like a panda lily." Sighing heavily Katara, politely pointed her to a silk flower shop a couple of blocks away, hoping to be rid of her. Instead, that earned her a dirty look from the expensively dressed, rotund woman. Her nose looked like it was stuck in the air and her jowls wiggled every time she spoke, reminding Katara of a chewing bull-moose. Muttering angrily under her breath, the woman picked up a random bunch of panda lilies and paid her for them.
But as she left, she clearly said something unflattering about her Water Tribe descent. Katara had to practically strap her arms at her sides to keep from water whipping the old hag. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in she reminded herself. It was her last day and she was going to enjoy it, even if she had to force herself to do so. Fortunately, other customers who were of a more pleasant disposition soon came by, making her forget the nastiness of that woman.
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Ozai and Iroh had arrived at the Souxin estate and were immediately greeted by a tall man with gray hair, wearing heavy green robes. "Welcome Fire Lord Ozai and Prince Iroh. It is always a pleasure to have you visit my master's humble home," the man said bowing respectfully.
"Thank you steward, I hope this meeting will be brief and full of positive developments," the Fire Lord said with a smirk.
"I am sure it will," the man answered in kind. "I am sure it will. Now please follow me. I will personally show you to your rooms as I am sure you will want to freshen up after your long journey." The siblings nodded, following their host inside the palace-like home.
The instant Ozai was ready, he practically ran to Iroh's room, knocking down the door. Hearing the inconsiderate racket his little brother was making, the crownless prince rushed to open it, wanting to avoid disturbing their sleeping hosts. "Have you forgotten that not everyone is awake during the day?" Iroh chastised, before dodging two fireballs aimed at his head.
"We are, and that's all that really matters, brother." the last word was dripping with contempt. Shaking his head in resignation, Iroh finished tying his robes before smoothing out his topknot. "Why are you doing that?" Ozai asked impatiently. "It's not like anyone will care about your appearance."
"Ozai, you're just jealous" the prince smirked, further deepening the Fire Lord' scowl. "As old and fat as you think I am, I still look more regal than you." A large burst of flame erupted from the Fire Lord's mouth as Iroh scurried past the door.
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The master of the house was in a dark room, waiting for his guests. He had stayed up, just to greet them. It was not everyday that he entertained royalty, especially of the vampire kind. It would be interesting to finally meet the day-walking clan that had usurped power from the last human Fire Lord, almost 700 years ago. Perhaps, he could even get his son or daughter betrothed to one of the royals, strengthening his bloodline along with his influence.
Not that he needed to. After all, he had the ear of Long Feng, the Earth King's most powerful advisor. Some even thought he was the real power behind the throne, but Pak Souxin knew better. Because even if the king was Long Feng's puppet, he was Long Feng's puppet master. He even had some control over the two vampire clans of the North Pole, though none of the Air Tribes, since they didn't really have any vampires living among them. If he could ally himself to the Fire Nation, perhaps in time he could gain control of the Fire Lord's clan, leaving only the Air Nomads out of his reach, but if he played his cards right, he might be able to kill two birds with one stone.
It was a dangerous endeavor for the Fire Lord to appear in the Earth Kingdom, without first paying a visit to the King. If he were found out, it could have devastating consequences for Ozai. It was manageable for the fire sovereign to fight a war with the Air Nomads, but he doubted the Fire Nation would withstand a two front war, which this affront to the Earth sovereign would surely cause. Ozai had given Pak more power than he realized. A wicked smile blossomed on the vampire's pink lips. Yes, this would be a productive meeting.
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Master Pak Souxin did not so much hear the two vampires enter his parlor as sense them. Rising immediately, he bowed low to them welcoming them into his home. "Fire Lord Ozai, Prince Iroh, it is an honor for you to grace my humble abode with your most exalted presence." Iroh smiled broadly, while a mask of impassiveness was worn by his younger brother.
Without missing a beat the Fire Lord replied, "Lord Souxin, I thank you for your kind hospitality." His expression remained unchanged.
"If you'll excuse me my Lord, I must be getting some rest. It is almost noon and I will be rising at sundown. The servants and steward will assist you with anything you may need. Please make this your home." The Earth Kingdom noble and the Fire Nation noble locked eyes as Ozai pressed his lips together in displeasure. The Dragon of the West immediately intervened, diffusing the coming confrontation.
"We appreciate your courtesy in waiting up for us Lord Souxin. We understand not everyone keeps the same hours we do." A subtle look was shot to Ozai by both the host and the old general, which Ozai missed because he was too busy glaring at the wall. "We will also be turning in since there is much we need to discuss – after sundown, of course." Master Souxin Pak bowed once again before taking his leave. Ozai stalked back to his room without saying a word to his brother, who somehow managed to find his way into the kitchen.
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The day seemed to drag for Katara who had to attend the flower stand by herself. Her mother had come by earlier in the afternoon and told her she couldn't relieve her because she was making a special Water Tribe dinner for her, and it had taken her all day plus a prayer to find the right ingredients, not to mention the hours it would take to actually stew the sea prunes. She would have to close the stand all by herself.
It was times like these when she most missed Jet. This was not the first time her mother had left her to close the stand by herself, but it was the first time she would be completely alone while doing it. Most of the time, Jet had come by to make sure she got home in one piece. The times he couldn't make it, Sokka had come by, never failing to rush her so that he could get back to Suki or his studies. Even when Jet was dating Jun, he was always protective of her – like a little sister she thought sourly.
A long, drawn out sigh escaped her lips as she looked out at the busy streets of Ba Sing Se. The sun's descent cast a soft shadow over every thing. People seemed to be walking in a bigger hurry than usual and most of the stands around her had closed at the first sign of sundown. She had heard a couple of people murmuring something about staying indoors because of the sanguine moon. Whatever that meant, it didn't sound good. As the last dying rays of sun disappeared over the horizon, Katara went to work cleaning up.
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At sunset, Zuko had set off for Ba Sing Se, hoping to quickly find the men who had killed his boatswain's mate. In search for an appropriate disguise, the prince practically turned the ship inside out. He had spared only his father's room, out of respect for his sovereign, and because he could not pick the lock open. Uncle Iroh's quarters however, had been left wide open, at least that was the story he planned on sticking to. There he had found a very interesting blue oni mask in a bag near some of his scrolls. It looked familiar, but he couldn't remember why. Pulling it out, he stared into the hollow orbs of the mask for a few seconds, fighting down a shiver, before tucking it behind his waistband and setting out for the city.
Tracking the men had proven harder than Zuko thought it would. Vampire society was different in the Earth Kingdom than that of the Fire Nation. In the Fire Nation, vampires would work together forming tight networks, with vast amounts of inter-clan, non clan cooperation. Certainly rivalries between clans existed, but not like in Ba Sing Se, where the clans isolated themselves from the competition and every non-clan nightwalker had to fend for himself.
After a little investigating, the young prince quickly learned that there was one clan affiliated vampire that did associate with the clan-less nightwalkers, though it was only to inflict violence on unsuspecting humans. His name and whereabouts were not revealed to Zuko, irking him to no end. He had hoped that his intelligence gathering would have been more fruitful, but there was still his back-up plan. Sanguine moons always called to vampires, stoking their lust for blood and he was sure this one in particular would be no different. The sanguine moon would take care of drawing him out – along with every other vampire on the city, he scowled in frustration. It was just a matter of walking the city after sundown, trying to identify the scent of the attackers.
As he scoured the city, hoping to catch this foul odor, but found nothing more than a couple of drunken humans on the street. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he passed the stumbling men. If they did not get indoors soon, they would surely become someone's meal. Even though they were not his concern, he still muttered a prayer to Agni for them and was heartened to see the streets relatively free of humans. Even the notorious Dai Li agents were nowhere to be found.
Then he caught a strange human scent. It was female and different from anything he had smelled thus far, but in some odd way, strangely familiar. Shaking his head he tried to ignore it, only to be distracted further by its pleasant aroma until the wind changed direction bringing to him a different human scent, along with a familiarly foul stench. He narrowed his eyes in recognition, leaping off the rooftops to investigate.
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Unfortunately, closing up the stand took a little longer than she expected. The flowers were in a hodgepodge and sorting them was a painstaking process. By the time she finished, the sun had set and the only light left was that of the full, blood-red moon hanging low over the horizon. This portion of the city was fairly safe – for the lower tier, so she figured her best course of action was to get home as soon as possible, which meant a nice jog back home.
The young Waterbender was running through the dirty, uneven city streets of Ba Sing Se, trying to take the sights and sounds of her adoptive home in, one last time before leaving. Never again would she take the same route back to the apartment from the flower stand. Sweet memories filled her head as she looked around the dilapidated apartments in her neighborhood, remembering where the cabbage merchant's cart collapsed under her weight and Jet's.
A smile crept on her lips. It was the first time her mother had sent her to bed without dinner, but of course, Jet had come to save the day by sneaking into her room to bring her a bowl of rice and a cup of tea. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she really missed him. Right after he left, she spent many sleepless nights wondering if she should have taken a chance on him. Maybe a long distance relationship could have worked out. But every time she thought it over, she arrived at the same conclusion – not with the Jet she knew. Perhaps in time, he would change and she would be able to trust herself to him.
The moonlight cast an eerie glow on the city, giving it an aura of foreboding. It was dark and her mother was waiting for her to come home. She couldn't be late. Aunt Sirana was coming over with her husband because her mother was making a special farewell dinner for her. As she was jogging something struck her as odd. She hadn't bumped into anyone yet. It was a nice night, but no one was outside. Most nights, people would be out and about until midnight but today, even the drunkards stayed off the street.
"How odd," she thought to herself. "This can't be caused by a simple red moon. What if the curfew changed and no one told me," she thought in a panic. "What if the Dai Li try to arrest me for breaking curfew?" With that thought in mind she ran even faster.
"Four more blocks to go before I can get home to safety and sea prune pudding," she mused as her mouth began to water. Today's dinner promised to be delicious. Her mom was going to make all sorts of Water Tribe dishes and had even gone through the trouble of procuring authentic ingredients. She couldn't wait to get home.
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The prince had caught the scent of the man whose ribs he had crushed. Donning a blue oni mask he had found among his uncle's belongings he ran after the scent, before the wind changed course. Rounding the corner of a dilapidated apartment, he caught a glimpse of the frightened man being chased by four vampires.
It was obvious by how fast the vampires were running that they were merely playing with their victim, much like a cat plays with a mouse before devouring it. Zuko's stomach turned in revulsion. Whatever remorse he would have felt in causing their deaths, evaporated immediately. He could hear his Uncle's voice in the back of his head, telling him these vampires were crazy and needed to go down. These men lacked respect for the very humans responsible for their existence.
Two golden slits peered behind the dark wells of the mask as he prepared himself for a confrontation. Taking a deep breath, he reached behind him for his broadswords, stopping in mid grip. His eyes widened at the new scent in his nostrils. It was that same female…and she was heading straight towards them! Concerned that she might interfere with his plans, once again he leapt to the rooftops, running towards her in silence. Once he spotted her, he jumped down to follow her.
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Katara was rounding a corner when she heard a man's bloodcurdling scream come from somewhere around the other side. Screeching to a halt, she stepped back behind the corner, mouth gaping wide open at the sight. Three men were standing around a fourth man who was on his knees, his head being pulled up by a fifth, who ran a dagger across his throat. The three other men whooped and cheered before hurling themselves at the victim, who now lay prostrate on the ground, like a broken doll. The fifth man licked the blood off of the dagger, a contented smile breaking across his lips, making the bile rise up in Katara's throat.
She shivered upon hearing laughter and slurping noises coming from the group of men. Placing her hands over her ears, she tried to drown out the horrible sounds but in the silence that engulfed the night, it was impossible. The memory of those sounds would sear themselves into her heart and mind. Hot tears welled in her eyes.
Recoiling in horror, she took a step back around the corner when her blood ran cold. Something cold, hard and male in form was blocking her escape route and she couldn't see who it was. She fought down a shiver that tried to crawl up her spine. Whoever he was, he felt more like a corpse, than a living, breathing human. Instinctively, she tried to run in the direction opposite the man when she felt a strong hand grab her by the wrist, slinging her body back towards him. His arm gently wrapped itself around her waist, before becoming an icy vice as he placed his index finger on her lips. Closing her eyes tightly, she prayed it wasn't a companion of any of the men she had just seen.
Struggling in vain, she tried to free herself from his grip, but it was of no use. He was too strong. If this man thought she would be an obedient little victim, he was dead wrong. She was not going to die without a fight. Trying not to move her head around, so as to not alert her captor, her eyes scanned the area looking for a fountain or a puddle. At this point, any source of water would do. Finally, about three hundred meters away, she spotted a trough. If she could just free herself from her attacker, she just might have a chance to live.
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She was scared and Zuko could sense that she was planning to do something stupid. Her heart and breathing were a dead giveaway as to what her intentions were. Not that he really cared about this human, in particular, his target was the group of men before them, but he did want to limit his collateral damage. His mission was clear, men on board his ship were murdered or bitten by these vampires earlier that day, and he was going to keep them from hurting other humans.
The girl in his arms seemed to relax against his body, pulling his mind away from the memory of his murdered men. He was unsure of what to make of her when suddenly he felt a sharp pain on his foot, causing him to release his tight grip on the girl. With all her might, she had brought her heel down on his foot, nearly breaking it in her attempt. The instant she felt the slack, she bolted towards the trough, catching the attention of the group of vampires.
A low growl escaped the masked man as he unsheathed his swords. That idiotic girl would ruin everything! If she wanted to die, he was not going to bother saving her. Stupidly, she had given away his position and now he had to find a way to salvage the situation. Perhaps, he could use her as a distraction. She deserved it after all. Deciding that he would pick off the men from behind, he would let them concentrate all of their efforts on trying to capture her. While not the most chivalrous thing he had done, he felt she owed him.
Katara reached the trough, gracefully commanding the water to dance around her, occasionally lashing at any figure that came close to her. Under the light of the full moon, she could clearly make out their faces. The leader of the group, the man who had savagely slashed the dead man's throat, was breathtakingly beautiful. He was tall, with broad shoulders accented by the expensive robes he wore. His eyes were like two deep set emeralds amidst the most chiseled features and unblemished, milky complexion she had ever seen on anyone.
Shaking her head, she tried to concentrate on the task at hand, but his eyes kept drawing her in, disrupting her focus. The two other men wore simpler clothes and while handsome, there was something feral and predatory in their countenances. If only the man closest to her had looked that way, she would have no trouble defending herself.
"Are you lost little girl?" The man cooed. "Maybe I can help you find your way back home." The corners of his lips curled into a smirk.
"Thanks but no thanks. I can find my own way." Katara croaked, mentally kicking herself for showing any semblance of fear. She was a Water Tribe maiden. The blood of warriors ran through her veins. Fear was not something one showed the adversary. Still, she would have felt a lot better if she were more skilled with her Waterbending.
"Don't be scared, I won't hurt you." His voice was soft and velvety, immediately clouding Katara's judgment. "I just want to…play." Shutting her eyes tightly Katara desperately tried to concentrate on keeping control of the water, but the harder she fought, the deeper she fell into his hypnotic spell, until she was left standing inches away from the lead vampire, with a blank look on her face. Green eyes became yellow and two razor-sharp fangs glistened in the moonlight as he smiled broadly. "I promise you'll have lots of fun, little girl," but not as much as I will. Numbly she nodded as she walked into his dark embrace.
In the dark, a pair of golden eyes narrowed at the sight. The time to make his move had come. All of the vampires' attentions were focused on taking the girl. With one powerful leap, he descended upon the men who kept their distance from their leader, impatiently awaiting the scraps. In one graceful motion he dealt a swift end to one of the vampires. The leader merely turned around and nodded to the two other men to deal with the nuisance. He had more important things to take care of.
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Katara's senses were drowned in the man holding her tightly. He smelled of spring rain and honeysuckle, with velvety soft skin. When his nose traced from her jaw line to her collar bone, it an electric current shot through her body. A low moan escaped her throat when he found a sensitive spot at the base of her neck, which made him bite her a little harder, but still not hard enough to break the skin. The haze around her got heavier, but as she heard the soft 'clink' her necklace made when it hit the ground, it lifted enough for her to process her surroundings, though not enough to react to them.
In the distance, she could make out two figures fighting. One of the men she recognized as one of her attackers, the other was…a demon? He definitely had the figure of a man, but his face was not human and he moved with such preternatural grace, speed and ferocity, she doubted he was of this realm. She was completely transfixed by his movements, until she was brusquely snapped out of her rapture by an icy cold grip.
"Where did you go?" A velvety voice demanded as ten icicles dug themselves into her arms. A trace of hurt, emanated from his yellow eyes as their gaze penetrated hers. She blinked hard, shaking her head. That voice was dulling her senses, pushing her into his thrall yet again. Satisfied with his efforts, the vampire started again. "What is your name?"
Unable to keep the word from spilling out of her mouth, she replied, "Katara." She was completely under his power, and even though a small voice in the back of her head told her to run away from him, her body refused to respond.
"You're very pretty you know," he whispered as he traced down the graceful curve of her neck with the tip of his tongue as she let out a small whimper. Once again, she became more aware of her surroundings.
"It burns," she whispered shivering, as she tried to push him away from her. His tongue was so icy, it felt like cold fire. "Please stop."
"But we're just getting started," his grip had gone from uncomfortable to painful. A frigid hand caressed her left cheek, numbing it before a sharp nail ripped a long gash on the side of her face. She could feel the hot liquid spilling out of her, dripping down her jaw line, onto her neck. Once again the vampire traced the path of her blood with his tongue, a deep moan coming from his throat. "You're my first water maiden, you know. I will never forget you. You should feel lucky."
Katara was too frightened to speak. Vampires weren't real…were they? They were just the figment of the collective imagination of adults, who needed a non-violent method of coercion to get their children to behave…right? But here she was, in the clutches of a vampire. What else could he be? This yellow-eyed monster was cold like a corpse and drinking her blood. Oh gods, she was his dinner! All she could do was look up to the heavens, praying to the moon spirit that she not die in such a humiliating form. Closing her eyes, she waited for the final bite, which was sure to come soon, but instead, felt the burn of flesh being ripped open across her chest by powerful claws, partially revealing her bosom.
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Once the masked figure vanquished the last vampire, a pair of golden eyes bored into the two figures in front of him. As soon as the girl's blood was spilled, he had caught her scent and recognized it at once. It was unmistakably sweet and fragrant and almost every night for two years, he had been soothed to sleep by it. Unsure of what this meant, he wanted the girl to live, so that he could find out.
The low hanging moon cast an ominous red glow on the unhappy couple before him. Zuko was taken aback by how docile the young maiden had become. How was her ferocity so easily tamed by the vampire? He must be very old, the prince mused, only older vampires can put their victims in a hypnotic daze with such ease. Gripping his swords tightly, he made his way towards the couple. If this vampire was indeed as old as he believed him to be, he would be harder to defeat then the other ones had been.
Making absolutely no noise as he walked, he nearly palm slapped his forehead when he accidentally kicked a ribbon with some sort of shiny, circular pendant attached. A loud clink rang through the earthen buildings all around. Angrily he picked it off the ground staring momentarily at the wave design on the pendant. "Water Tribe," he muttered thinking nothing of it he stuffed it in his pocket, secretly glad neither of the figures had heard the noise as he continued on his way.
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The head vampire was still unaware of the figure approaching from behind, being too distracted by the sweet, warm blood of his victim. He didn't mind the sight of her bosom either, purposely ripping her robe and part of her breast bindings so that he would have a view with his meal.
There was something about her blood that was more delicious than anything he had ever tasted before. It was sweeter and warmer than that of other humans, leaving no metallic aftertaste. The thought of turning her, crossed his mind. If he did that, then he would have access to her blood for all eternity. Just the thought made him lap up her blood with more vigor. But, what if her blood changed flavor? The only way to ensure her blood stayed the same was to keep her alive, unturned. That was something he didn't think he could do.
For an instant he looked up from her chest surprised to see her standing there with her eyes shut tightly, refusing to look at him. He looked so sad and defenseless, if her blood hadn't been so delectable, he would have drained her already, giving her a quick death. He could be merciful, though it happened only once in a sanguine moon.
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Slowly, she felt herself grow colder as this beast drained the life from her body. The longer he fed, the weaker she felt until her legs gave from under her. All her muscles tightened as she prepared her body for impact with the hard floor, but it never came. Instead she felt herself swept up in a pair of strong arms. Dread filled her heart as she opened her eyes and found herself being carried by the vampire, away from the outer ring of Ba Sing Se. Close behind them she could see the masked figure from earlier that night. The vampire ran at inhuman speeds, but the masked man easily kept up. A sudden realization washed over her captor's features.
"Why don't you just find your own meal and leave us alone, vampire." The head vampire snarled. But the masked figure said nothing, never slowing his pace.
Vampire. Katara's heart drowned in despair. It seems like I am going to die tonight, one way or another. A flood of memories invaded her mind as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. One memory in particular stood out in her mind through the jumble of images. It was that of a young boy, with skin as white as freshly fallen snow and golden eyes, carrying her up the brow of a fearsome looking ship. Clearly she could hear his voice asking "Will she be okay uncle?" Shaking her head, she tried to clear her mind to try to think of some way to survive this situation.
Katara no longer recognized where they were, causing her hope to sink even lower. Even if she did escape the dueling vampires, she wouldn't be able to find her way away from them. Clenching both fists in frustration, she decided to meet her fate with as much dignity as possible, gathering all of her strength to try to attempt her escape one last time.
The only truly free appendage Katara had was her head, and she used it accordingly, smashing it against her captor's temple, with all her might. Immediately the vampire stopped and dropped his prey. Bright red blood dribbled from the fresh wound and unfettered rage burned in his eyes which were met by two defiant, blue orbs. A bestial growl escaped his lips, which curled around two, razor sharp fangs. Katara simply pulled her robes closed with her hand before spitting on the ground, never once breaking eye contact.
Forgetting about everything else, the vampire lunged at his wounded victim, readying himself for a kill, when two broadswords prevented his advance. Both hunter and prey stared at the masked figure who had now worked his body between Katara and her captor. Yellow eyes bored into golden and the two men stood at an impasse.
"Do you know who I am?" The regal vampire hissed while the masked figure remained motionless. "I am Count Dao Souxin, and my family owns Ba Sing Se and by extension you and all those who live here."
The dark figure fell into a fighting stance and was mirrored by the count. Katara scooted out of the way, dragging herself as far from the two men as possible. In the distance, she saw a fountain of water. Rising to her feet, she took her first step but never quite made it to the second as her head collided with the cobblestone floor when she collapsed. The world around her spun violently out of control, while the sounds of metal hitting stone and flesh hitting flesh kept Katara mildly conscious. As they fought their way around the corner, she desperately tried to get up and run away, once again crumpling onto the ground as the world danced around her. Clinging on to the last shreds of her consciousness, she prayed with all of her heart that the masked man would win, but the world around her had become a whirlwind as she felt herself fall into the sweet waters of oblivion.
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The masked figure had expected this vampire to offer a little more resistance than the others but much to his dismay, he was particularly fierce. He was stronger and faster than the other ones evading every single attack. The masked figure struggled to keep him at bay even though his opponent was unarmed.
"You peasant!" the yellow-eyed nightwalker spat. "How dare you slay my brothers and keep me from that delicious little girl," he growled. The masked man said nothing instead lunging at him with his swords missing him yet again. He was simply too fast. Never before had the masked man seen anyone move so quickly. As a last resort, he did something he hoped he wouldn't regret. With one swift move the dark figure swung his swords, sending a barrage of flames towards the vampire. This confused the count long enough for the swordsman to strike. Tackling him to the ground, he crossed his swords directly over his throat. The vampire stared defiantly into the golden wells behind the mask.
"My family is powerful and if you kill me, my brothers will hunt you and your little witch down like rabid dogs." His voice was dripping with venom.
The masked figure hissed in low tones "Why did you order an attack on a Fire Nation merchant ship this morning, you filth?" A look of recognition crept over the vampire's face, but he said nothing. He would not betray his master's will. "Answer me!"
Encountering nothing but silence, the armed vampire began his interrogation once again, but found the captive uncooperative. As angry as he was that this vampire was responsible for the mess onboard his ship, he was nobility and didn't want to kill him. But if he let him live, he would continue torturing humans – especially that Water Tribe girl. Casting a look over to the maiden who lay motionless on the ground, Zuko knew what he had to do.
In one swift motion the masked man sliced the vampire's head off and stabbed him in the heart. Under the light of the moon, the vampire became a handful of dust. Prince Zuko remained on his knees, sheathed his swords, picked up the handful of dust and blew it into the wind. He got up and walked over to the unconscious girl on the ground. Placing a gloved hand on her chin, he moved her head from side to side, and looked over her chest, checking for bite marks, sighing with relief when he found none.
The girl began to stir and he slowly backed away. When he saw her open her eyes and sit up, he practically leaped back. She slowly rolled onto her hands and knees and let out a sharp breath. The masked figure did not move. Painstakingly, she stood on her knees and placed her right hand over the back of her head wincing in pain as she slowly rubbed a sore spot. It felt wet and sticky. Pulling her hand back, she pressed her fingers together. "Blood," she whispered with dread.
The masked figure clenched his fists, his body standing ramrod straight. Now that he was closer, there was no doubt in his mind as to where he knew her scent from. It was the same soothing fragrance that had eased him to sleep all of those years at war. In disbelief, he stared into her eyes, his stomach clenching when he realized they were blue.
Images of his short visit to the South Pole where his uncle had received the very mask he was wearing as a gift from a little Waterbender, suddenly filled his mind. Clearly he remembered being annoyed by the cloying aroma of her blood. Looking over the water maiden in front of him, he guessed her age was about fourteen. For an instant, he thought he was going to throw up. Four years ago they had visited the South Pole. That little Waterbender was 10 at the time making her fourteen at the moment.
A sudden urge to run away from her overcame him, but vanished as the girl tried to stand-up and fell. In a heartbeat the dark figure had wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her from falling back. The blue eyed maiden looked up at him, smiling weakly, mouthing the words "thank you." He only nodded, tightening his embrace. Attacked by another dizzy spell, Katara's legs gave from under her.
Feeling he had no other choice, the masked man swept her into his arms and walked over to the fountain. Carefully, he sat her down on the fountain's edge. She sighed softly as she placed her head on his shoulder. He fought the small smile that crept over his lips as he deeply inhaled the scent of her hair and blood. Secretly, he was enjoying the moment as her warmth flowed unto him.
After a few minutes, she sighed, pulling away from him and stared tenderly into the dark voids of his mask. Her face was covered in dry blood and dirt and her robe was bloodstained, but despite all this, she carried herself with dignity. Too many times had he seen human nobles with lesser injuries behave more like undignified peasants.
"I wanted to thank you for…" an icy finger came up to her lips to silence her. The masked vampire simply shook his head as he rose from his sitting place. Katara panicked. She did not want to be left alone at night in a part of the city she did not recognize, with a weird-looking red moon hanging in the sky. The masked figure read the fear in her eyes and sat back down, a little further away from her this time.
"Thank you for saving my life," she spoke, her blue eyes filled with gratitude. "I wish I could repay you." The masked figure shook his head.
Pouting, she stood there for a brief moment, before her eyes lit up. "Here," she said sweetly as her hands went to the back of her neck to untie her necklace. Her eyes went wide with alarm. "My necklace…" Frantically she looked all around her, growing more and more hysterical with every moment she couldn't find it. "Where did it go!" she wailed. "It was a black ribbon with," she sniffed, "a shiny circular pendant."
Unnoticed, the vampire moved his hand over his pocket, feeling the necklace he had picked up. Guilt gnawed at his conscience, but he had to show it to his uncle. He just had to know if this was the same little Waterbender. As soon as Uncle Iroh identified the necklace, he would return it to her. Still, seeing her cry over so small a trinket, made him uneasy.
Wondering if he could still make dinner at the Souxin Estate, he stood up, but not before offering Katara assistance. It was clear to him that she was too weak to make it home on her own and he still didn't know why back at the Air Temple, he was the only one who could smell her scent or why he would smell it in the first place. There were too many questions he wanted answered and he was certain his old uncle would know something about the strange events surrounding this girl.
Glancing around, he recognized at once where he was. The port where his ship was docked, was a few block south from where they stood. For a few moments he deliberated before deciding to let her walk home alone, while he followed along the rooftops without her knowledge. The sanguine moon was still out, meaning more vampires would be roaming about looking for fresh blood. She had lost too much of the precious fluid to be able to fight them off, not that she could, based on her underwhelming display of bending earlier that night.
Soon it became obvious that fighting with gravity was quickly becoming too cumbersome for Katara, who was dangerously swaying on her feet. The vampire put his gloved hands on her shoulders to steady her. Then he walked away from her, vanishing into the shadows. A look of sheer panic crossed her face when she realized she was all alone and took a frantic step forward to try to find her savior, but the world spun uncontrollably before fading to black. Zuko sprinted back towards the girl, barely catching the unconscious figure before she hit the ground. Letting out a frustrated growl, he swept her up and carried her back to his ship. Maybe when Uncle Iroh returned, he would be able to piece all of this together.
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A/N
I hope you enjoyed it. If it is inconsistent with anything else, I have written so far, please let me know. Any comments are greatly appreciated. Have a nice weekend and thanks for taking the time to read.