A/N: Such a nice response for Chapter 1 from people, thank you. I hope you all like the next chapter.

Chapter 2

The Sanctuary of the Clans

The sun was setting and the temperature started to drop, but this did not matter for the Sanctuary of the Clans was within sight now. We were so excited to finally be there that we started to run towards the great building. The guard who had led us to this place simply let go of the rope he'd guided us by, turned around and left us without so much as a goodbye.

Despite our tied up limbs, we managed to run to the Sanctuary without falling over one another.

We looked up at the impressive structure as we reached the main gates. It seemed to extend towards the Heavens. The marble was pristine and white even now against the setting sun. Six different coloured flags blew softly in the breeze, upon them were the clan symbols.

"It's so big," Selena said finally, "I didn't expect it to be so big."

The brunette girl next to her raised her bound hands and scratched the side of her head, her name was Lilly. "How do we get in?"

"I don't know," I replied, I tried to step forward but was stopped by the fact that no one else had moved with me, "Maybe we just knock?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Ana," it was Sophia who spoke, a girl only a month older than me with strawberry blonde hair, "I think we should just wait until they open the doors. They are expecting us after all."

I turned back to my comrades. The breeze blew my red hair across my face which caught my eyes. I shook my head in the hope of moving the strands but without the use of my hands it only kept coming back. I sighed; I did not have the confidence to do something if the others were not prepared to support me so I decided to kneel on the ground which was harder than expected with my bound wrists. I looked up at my friends.

"Does anyone know any word games?"

We sat in a circle and used our fingers to draw pictures in the dirt and get the others to guess what they were while we waited for someone to collect us.

The last rays of the sun disappeared just as Sophia realised after much persuasion that the drawing in the dirt Selena had made was of the Pillars of Nosgoth. We huddled together for warmth.

I turned around using my legs when I heard the sound of metal upon wood. Someone was unlocking the great doors behind us. We all turned now and watched as the doors slowly opened. From the entrance came two figures who walked towards us. It was too dark to see who they were, although they were obviously vampiric. I felt someone tugging at the rope and I reached around to hold onto their hands, I did not know whose hands I was holding but I did know that if one of us tried to run now it might mean the death of all of us.

The first thing I noticed were the mantles upon the vampires' shoulders, they represented the Rahabim and Dumahim clans, but I was not sure whether these were in fact the two lieutenants themselves or just members of their clans. One of them was larger than the other, both had their hair tied back but the smaller of the two had slightly more delicate features.

"Bring them in, Rahab" one of them said.

Well, that answers that question then. I thought.

"I am no babysitter, brother" he replied bitterly, it was the one with a softer face "Assist me with them."

The other vampire laughed, I assumed from the use of the word brother that this was indeed Dumah himself. "Are you so weak that you cannot handle seven human girls?" They both walked over to us and we looked at the ground.

Never look upon the faces of the Gods.

"On your feet," Dumah ordered. We struggled to push ourselves to our feet using each other as support, but it did not work entirely to plan for Lilly fell and took Selena down with her, Lilly cried out as Selena fell onto her back. I nearly lost my balance but managed to regain it and brought Selena to her feet and then I went to help Lilly.

Dumah grabbed Lilly by her hair before I could reach my hands to her. She screamed as Dumah literally lifted her to her feet by her hair.

"Let me go, please!" she cried. Dumah laughed and released her and then roughly pushed her forward, nearly making the rest of us fall again. We walked on and entered the Sanctuary of the Clans.

The two vampires continued to push us through the torch lit corridors and I could not help but admire the splendour of this place. It was even more stunning inside with murals on the walls depicting the different clans. From the walls hung different coloured flags with the clan symbols upon them the same as outside. How I longed to look closer at the murals, to look at the detailed paintings of their history, but I was forced in the direction of my friends.

The vampires walked behind our group and Dumah occasionally pushed the girl at the back of the line with his sharp clawed hand.

"Leave them be, Dumah," I heard Rahab say as Dumah pushed her again, "They are only children,"

"They are human cattle brother and don't you forget it" he replied sternly. They walked together in silence the rest of the way.

We passed through a large chamber with a stone 'bridge' connecting one side the other, we crossed it as quickly as we could, some of us looking at the floor while others including myself admired the mosaic patterns on the walls. We entered a corridor that stretched off in two directions which seemed to curve towards each other, I wondered if both ways led to the same place.

"Halt," Rahab commanded and we stopped where we were, I had an itch on my cheek and raised my hands to scratch it which made me realise that my dress no longer irritated me. Rahab walked to the front of our line and moved a plain red drape on the wall across slightly, behind it lay a small wooden door with a human handprint upon it. You would never have guessed that there was a door hidden behind the drape. Using his free hand, Rahab reached for his belt and withdrew a small dagger from its sheath, I thought I heard Selena gasp, although it could've been anyone; it could've even been me.

"Hold your hands out child," he demanded of Lilly who stood at the lead. She cautiously raised her bound hands and closed her eyes tight. Using a swift movement that I barely saw, Rahab cut through her restraints easily, leaving her wrists free at last but red from the friction the rope had caused. She opened a single eye to see what he had done and her jaw dropped open after she realised that she could move her hands independently again.

"H… How did you…?" she stuttered.

"Untie the others" Rahab instructed her, obviously ignoring her question. Lilly frantically turned to us and began to tug at our binds, making them loose enough that our hands simply slipped through the loops. I rubbed my wrists, trying to relieve the feeling of pins and needles in my skin. I took the opportunity while I had it to make a complete turn to look at my surroundings, and in doing so nearly looked Dumah full in the face, I quickly turned my gaze downwards as I had been instructed by my parents but I do not think he even noticed me; in the second that I looked upon him I could see that he was staring intently at my young friend Selena, and although she dared not look up to notice his intense gaze, I had certainly seen it.

I turned back as I heard a creaking noise and saw Rahab pushing the tiny door open for us. I felt Selena grab hold of my hand and then we took hesitant steps towards the tunnel that lay beyond. As the door shut behind us I could hear the two vampires talking.

"Which one would you choose?" I heard Dumah say.

"It is not for us to decide, brother. Although you have already made it clear which of them you would prefer."

"Was it really that obvious?" he asked sarcastically, and I could hear his deep laughter echoing from the corridors behind us. I was aware that Rahab did not join in with his brother's laughter.