So this is the first thing I've written in a few months, and I don't know how good it is, so bear with me. I know I said I'd update it last night, and I did write it, but had to get some sleep and forgot to upload it. Thanks for the patience.

Chapter Ten

As we arrived in Missoula, the sun was rising slowly over the horizon (A/N: I don't know what time it is in the story, I haven't read any of it in a while. I apologize if this is incorrect.), casting a bright orange glow over the buildings. We drove for a little while until we arrived at a small warehouse on the edge of town. As we pulled in, I frowned.

"This is where we're meeting your friend?", I asked skeptically.

Grissom smiled, "Two things. One, put your ring on. Two, take a look at the far end of the parking lot."

I pulled the small, unassuming box out of my pocked as I took a quick glance at the far end of the lot, then I noticed something that I shouldn't have missed. Parked against a wall that hid them from the road were five or six identical SUVs, all black paint, with tinted windows.

"Well, that's a little obvious," I commented while slipping the ring over my finger. It didn't seem to have much weight, and was cool to the touch.

He chuckeled as he stepped out of the car, "Yes, well it would be if it wasn't hidden from the road. Come on."

We walked over to a door on the side and Grissom punched in a code on a small keypad next to the door, causing the lock to beep and click open. He opened the door and walked in, waiting for me to follow. I immediately heard the door lock as I closed it.

We were in a narrow hallway, big enough for two people to walk side by side, with only dim lights along the sides to let you avoid tripping as you walked.

"This doesn't look like much," I muttered.

"As they say, things are not always as they seem."

Before I could laugh at the slightly overused saying being brought up here, we reached the end of the hallway and began to descend down as the floor lowered.

"Oh, a hidden elevator?"

"What, you thought somebody like this would meet live above ground?"

I turned to Grissom, a difficult task considering the small space I was in, "So what, this is his house?"

"One of many. He has a number of residences, all located at outposts we maintain. He hates staying in one place too long, so he shifts around a lot."

Before I could respond again, the lift stopped. As we stepped off, it began to rise back up to the surface again. This hall was identical to the one above, but with a visible door at the end of it.

This door didn't have a lock, and Grissom simply opened it, leading into a room that reminded me of one of the hallways at the royal court. It had pillars on each side, with a ceiling at least 15 feet high. On each side of the room were paintings, similar to those of the monarchs, but with some differences.

Most importantly, these were Dhampirs.

Their uniforms were also simpler, with no real crown or jewellry, just a simple sort of tunic with a crest on it, along with a cloak made of animal fur and a holster containing a silver stake inside the cloak. The only jewels on the attire were on the pendant that connected the chains holding the cloak around their kneck, which had a crest similar to the one on my ring.

It was at this point that I noticed the guards.

They were arranged similarly to the ones at court, lined along the wall, but they were dressed much differently. Instead of a simple suit or blouse, they wore equisite two piece uniforms. The bottom layer was a simple black tunic with a crest on it consisting of a shield with a pair of stakes and a crown. On top of that was a set of what looked like armor plates over the shoulders, elbows, forearms, legs, and capped with an ornate helmet along with an attached cloak made of synthetic material that was red on the back (outside) and black on the front (inside). Instead of carrying simple stakes, they held long staffs, made of what looked like forged steel painted with a stranged orange/yellow colour and capped with what looked like the top half of a silver stake.

On the other side of the hall was a large set of double doors, and above that were two paintings. One was the same as the others, but depicting a mid height, brown haired Dhampir, and under the painting was an inscription:

Daniel Arcturus Delios: House of Arakova
Dhampir King
"Anyone can justify anything from simple murder to wanton slaughter, but it takes a true leader to justify peace."

Next to that was another painting of a striking woman, about the same height, with firey orange/red hair and wearing a similar uniform as the king, albiet without the cloak. The inscription read:

Veresa Lavios Tarsikova: House of Kalima
General of the Guardian Corps
"Never execute. Never assassinate. Kill in battle, or don't kill at all.

Alright, so this chapter isn't exactly complete, and I'll do my best to update it later today, so be looking forward to it ;)