[nsw-fic] Vampire: Underworld

[Rtas Vadum]

Act I - The Change

 

I've never really liked the ritual that many like me, or rather not like me, participate in night after endless night. Most of my friends were the sorts to love this sometimes fruitless game, thinking that even if they were rejected, it doesn't matter. Half of them were the type to gouge themselves on beer and whatever else they had the money to buy. They mostly got dates, were I had far less. Not because they were better at the annoying game then me, but because half the women I met wanted the kind of man with a endless amount of money, which I was somewhat close to, but not close enough for most. But even then, most of my dates were a simple 'dinner at a nice restaurant' sort of thing. But most of these ended with nothing more than a kiss, which had no love behind it. I wasn't someone who couldn't love, I'd just hadn't felt it from anyone yet.

 

 

But like all situations like mine, eventually something comes along that catches more than just my eye. In this case, it was a vixen. A woman who I, for the first time, had the sort of thoughts that only a man would have when he lays eyes upon the woman of whom he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life with. She had flowing white hair, ebony skin, and these muted grey-ish white eyes, outlined by eyeliner, applied in a very messy way. Why she caught my attention, I can't say seriously. Many of my friends seemed to know more about her than I did, even if they had never seen her before. All the advice they had to offer was that she wasn't worth it. To me, it wasn't exactly about worth, but how much you make it worth to you or anyone else.

 

Through our long conversation, she told me her name was Lucia Vincent. She was from London, and had just arrived in New York city a week ago. The fact that she was from London intrigued me. I had a fascination with certain cites, namely ones with over two-hundred years of history. Why she came she she didn't say, but I never thought to ask either. Though she did mention the fact that she was looking for a place to stay. I offered my own, which was a just a simple apartment close to Times Square. Even though she seemed a bit more high class than that, she still agreed.

 

"Enough about me, what about you?" She asked me. I saw no reason not to tell her.

 

"Well, I've mostly been living in the city most of my adult life. I came here after I finished school in one of the central cites of New York." Why I was going back that far, I really didn't know. Most of my past wasn't very glorious, mostly the embarrassing sort of things I hated. Aside from my period during high school, where I rid myself of my childish thoughts, appearance, and changed my ambition in a way that suited me, but others weren't fond of. I told her this, and she was thrilled.

 

"What exactly do you mean?"

 

I didn't exactly make it clear how I changed. To me and those who saw me do it, it was obvious. In a way, I hated explaining it. "Well, I didn't always dress like this. Nor did I think the same thing sort of things when I was a kid. Then, my thoughts never centered around death, sex or any of these things that constantly slap me in the fact every minute of my life. And I never wrote anything then. At least nothing notable, anyway."

 

"So you are a writer? Have you published anything?" It was a question that I somewhat cringed at, even though it was something I could say yes to. The reason isn't for the one book. It was for the things that it brought about. Not any death, but a sort of difference of thought. It wasn't meant to change that, but it did.

 

"Yeah, But it didn't sell very well. Well, the small bit of controversy that grabbed it did help somewhat, but after that was quelled, the sales dropped. It still gets me a sizable check sometimes thought."

 

"I might want to read it then, since you think so highly about it." That confused me. I'd never told her that, but she knew. I didn't mention it to her though. I figured she must have seen it before. Perhaps in a bookstore in London? Maybe I was hoping for to much.

 

For the next few minutes, it was that awkward silence that I'd never liked. Mainly because I had this sickening feeling that every girl I was with when this happened, seemed be reading my mind. Almost knowing that I wasn't focusing upon her as much as I seemed to be.

 

"Hey, you think we can go back to your place?"

 

Her question brought me out of my usual out of this world stupor that I always dropped into. "Uh, yeah. Do you have any-" Before I even said it, she told me. Again I had the feeling that something was vastly different from her. At least different from all the other women in the room.

 

"Nope. I do have some things on the way, though my brother is bringing them next week." Great, she has a brother that I'd have to contest with if dating her becomes consistent. Damn.

 

We went outside, and I checked to see if I had any money for a cab. When she saw me looking, she stopped me. "Hey, don't bother. I'll pay for it."

 

"Thanks." I was glad she wanted to. Appreciative yes, but still relieved that I didn't have to pay it. After we got in, the cab driver couldn't help but notice something about Lucia.

 

"Hey honey? You aren't sick or anything, are you?" It was obvious to me why he asked. Not many people wanted you to be sick in their car. Namely when you to just look like you were going to vomit.

 

I saw her throw a look of disgust at the man. Yet, she didn't yell at him. But she wasn't from the city, so it didn't surprise me. "No, I'm fine. I've just been out of the sun for awhile."

 

Arriving at my place, I just had the kind of mood that I wanted to relax. I still had to show her the apartment, which was pretty big. The sort of rare ones around the city that actually was decently maintained. She loved the place, even if I didn't keep it the best. Well, I did the main rooms, but the bedroom was a completely different story.

 

However, the last intention that she had, was to simply relax. She forced me into my bedroom, which I felt a oddly compelled to do whatever she said at that point. Then I was thrown onto the bed. She advanced on me, taking off the single button-up shirt she wore, and threw it off, just as she pounced on me. I admit. This wasn't a situation that I would normally feel comfortable with. But I wasn't myself at this point. So I took it in stride.

 

Well, until I felt something that I knew was not normally involved with this sort of thing. A rush of pain, a kind that I felt only now, coursed through my entire body. It took me mere seconds to add it all up. All the emotions she had knew I had before I told her. The fact that she didn't have a place to stay. Her comment to the cab driver. I never said it though. Even though I knew.

 

It was then that my bedroom door was kicked down, and she was pulled off me. All I remember seeing is a pair of red eyes against black pools, saying "You awaken soon. Sleep now". I then passed out.

[Rtas Vadum]

Act II - The Coven Of New York

 

When I finally woke up, my head felt like I'd been through a brain transplant. Every part of me that I could feel hurt. Then there was the fact that I wasn't in my bedroom. As I could see it, I was on one of those sort of medical slabs that tip down. A blonde haired and pale skinned man stood next to me, while Lucia was on the other bed. Next to her was a guy that looked like he could break your arm with a finger. The room looked like some sort of dungeon or something, a place I didn't think existed in the city. If I was still in it, that is.

 

"Finally your awake. I'm sorry for this abrupt meeting, but last nights events were unexpected." It was the blond haired man that spoke to me.

 

"What exactly happened?"

 

"To say the least, you are a Vampire. Know that as the rules go, we prefer that new Vampires are made under our supervision, because unless they are conditioned in the right way, they become a threat to the rest of us. In your case, I think you might be a bit different."

 

I can't say that I didn't know. Nor did I have even the slightest thought that this man, no, this Vampire, was lying to me. I knew enough about Vampires that most of them wouldn't lie to another, namely when they are talking to another Vampire. I only hoped that they didn't have plans to kill me.

 

"So what happens now?" I only hoped that I could keep enough composure, to prevent myself from offending them.

 

"Well, that is sort of up to you. The Coven's rules lack a precedent for a situation like this, so it befalls me to make the judgment." I cringed as I heard that. "But I'm giving you the choice. Lucia's fate is in your hands. I don't know if you feel any hatred toward her for what she did to you, which would be the only reason you would want to see her dead."

 

I didn't have anything against her. Whether or not this Vampire knew that I didn't know. In a way, the feelings I had for her was infatuation, if anything.

 

"I have no intention of seeing her dead." I saw a look of relief on her face when I said that. The blond Vampire had the same sort of look, but hid it quickly.

 

"As you wish." He nodded toward the two Vampires that stood in front of us, and they left the room. The one behind Lucia unlocked the clasps that held her. He escorted her out of the room. I removed myself from the tipped slab, and the blond haired Vampire tapped me on the shoulder.

 

"I'll show you to your quarters." I had to wonder why he was being so nice.

 

"I thought Vampires were supposed to be a bit more, well, nasty toward humans, and even other Vampires." I asked him as we walked down a corridor that had black marble walls.

 

He smirked. "Normally we are, but I've taken to be a bit more accepting of new Vampires. You are one of the rare Vampires that are turned by one of mine. The only one, in fact. Lucia never liked the fact that the Coven insists that Vampires are made under our supervision, being the cavalier sort she is. While some other Covens around this country would simply tell you about what you are, and shun you out their large doors into the night, I have no reason to."

 

A silence wedged its way between us for a few minutes. The hallway seemed to go on forever. Then I had to ask something. Something that would clarify all the things about Vampires I'd wanted to know the second I began writing about them in High School.

 

"So tell me, what exactly does being a Vampire entail?"

 

He wasn't surprised I asked. "I knew you would ask that. There are a few things that are, set in stone so to speak, but there are other things that you may be able to do that not every Vampire can."

 

"Well, just start with the normal stuff then" I wanted to know whatever I could do. Anything else I'd find out later.

 

"I would assume that you know about what sunlight does to us. But unlike some of the Vampire films humans have made, it doesn't quickly kill us. However, it does hurt like hell. That, and its hard to keep your cover when you are pretty much a burning corpse. You must also know about our primary source of food. Or drink, rather. I hope you don't take it like some Vampires do. They completely refuse to drink it, and thus get weaker with time. It won't kill you if you abstain from drinking blood, like I said, you will get weaker. And when we get weak, our powers become mostly non-existent. So in that respect, we are almost mortal."

 

He turned into a luxurious room. I quickly noticed a few of my own things, items that I thought to be in my apartment. He saw me looking.

 

"I hope these were of some value to you. We had to quickly come up with a reason for your absence."

 

Wait. What? My, absence? "What do you mean by that?"

 

"In your unique case, it would be hard to explain your disappearance. I hate the way humans have given themselves a gird-line, as in not one of them can go missing without a handful of people giving a damn. This makes it slightly harder for us Vampires to feed, and create new Vampires. But for you, we had to make it look like you were killed."

 

So now my family will think I'm dead. Great. Now I won't need to endure those wretched traditions my mother had. "But why take these things?"

 

"I do have a sort of Telepathic ability, which means that I can read the minds of anyone I've come in contact with. Even if they are asleep or unconscious. While I wasn't sure if you would want anything, a quick check of these items told me that they must have some sort of value, be it personal or something to do with, money is it? I haven't personally needed to use it since the American Revolution."

 

I sat down on the bed, not surprised to find that it had silken sheets covering it. "Is there anything else I should know about being a Vampire?"

 

He turned from the Mirror he was looking in. "Nothing of a critical importance, unless you can think of something."

 

"What about wooden Stakes, or crosses?"

 

"Ah, the old myths. Thanks to humans, our real vulnerabilities have been clouded by these fake ones. Wooden stakes do nothing except make us bleed. And crosses do absolutely nothing to harm us. Though some Vampires hate the sight of them, which isn't to say they are hurt by them."

 

"Water doesn't do anything either, right?"

 

He laughed. "Water? Please. Aside from making your skin wet, that's about it."

 

It was here that I felt it. A thirsty feeling of a sort that I had never felt before. Unlike my previous need for hydration, this did not want to be avoided. "Um-" Before I even spoke, he understood.

 

"I see. You are beginning to feel the thirst. I will have your needed refreshment sent up to you." With that, he turned, leaving the room. A few minutes later a pale skinned woman in a black, pvc nurse's uniform entered my room. She held a tray with a crystalline glass, and a glass container, filled to the brim with a thick, deep red liquid.

 

"Your refreshment, Mr. Cain" She poured a generous amount of the liquid into the glass. Handing it to me, she waited. For what, I didn't yet know. I put the glass to my lips without hesitation. The feeling that gripped me was as good as any sort of pleasure that I'd ever had, better, even. She set the silver tray down on a nearby table a left the room. I crawled into the silken sheets.

 

"This is going to be really interesting."

[Rtas Vadum]

Act III - Lucia's Lament

 

Within the next few weeks I found out that being a Vampire in New York City wasn't as bad as being a human. Cameron, the leader of the Coven, took a rather uncomfortable interest in me. Why I'd yet to understand, but his explanation only consisted of "Why shouldn't I view you as a friend?". Even if I had my doubts, I still agreed to many of the offers he presented me with. Most of these included accompanying him and Lucia to various parties, all the sort that takes an obscene amount of money to even think about having. I enjoyed myself however, something that Cameron was very interested in.

 

He'd told me that most fledgling Vampires like myself, think about nothing else aside from feeding in their first few weeks. I was able to control myself all the time, aside from the regular intervals that I simply could not avoid it. Not at one point could I stop myself from drinking the blood when I had to, but there were times I didn't even think about dripping those precious liquid rubies in my mouth. This was the fact that made Cameron say that I acted like a fifty year-old Vampire, rather than the weeks old I was. Aside from that, he still said that was something that could change, and I would need to control myself when it did.

 

Lucia began to spend a lot of time with me after I became like her. Why she liked me so much, I didn't know. She did say that she wouldn't want to get personal, as the holder of her heart was Cameron. Reason being was that he saved her life. Or at least gave her the chance to avoid death. At first, she didn't want to tell me. But it seemed that my curiosity, along with the powers of persuasion that being a Vampire gave you, I wasn't going to leave the story untold to my ears.

 

Fifty years ago, she was a very lucky collage-age student, who got the chance to attend school at one of England's top universities. The reason I say luck, was because of the fact that the family that raised her was of a lower class income, and therefore, it was something of a miracle, as she put it, that she even had the chance to go overseas, much less attend the university. However, it wasn't like it was a usual affair for her. Like in the states, she faced the same sort of snide comments and hate filled statements. Ones that she was becoming used to, which she hated herself for doing so. For the first few months, she impressed the professors and all with her intellect. This gained her favor with them, but not with some of the jealous students, that thought her presence was tarnishing he school's image. Few of the teachers had the guts to say it, but even as they praised her work, they looked upon her ebony skin with a hatred fueled by the most irrational sort of thinking ever created.

 

A year later, as she was about to enter the second half of her Sophomore year, she made a few friends that had no malice behind them. At least at first they didn't. At a party one night, she chose to go outside for some air. She wasn't feeling very well, and thankfully, it helped when she was able to taste the nights air in her mouth. However, it very quickly occurred to her that she wasn't alone. A few of the Junior and Senior boys felt that she needed a lesson, one that the university wasn't going to offer her.

 

"I think, that you need a better perspective of life. You see, as it is, there are certain, sorts of people. My sort, is one that gets the things they want, however we chose. However, yours is the sort that does get what they want at times, but gets hurt for it. You should realize that you don't belong here."

 

Even as she told me of what they first said to her, I could feel what likely was the same emotions that she felt. That, or I think somehow I was literally watching her memories as she spoke them. In a way, I wished it was me that would have been around to help her. Even if I was a Vampire, even as my heart might be black as an ocean bottom, it was not made of cold steel.

 

"Why bother with me, surely there is some sort of trashy white girl you could go knock up?"I laughed as I heard her say this. Bold, but appropriate.

 

"That is an interesting trail of thought, I'll give you that. But if you can excuse the metaphor, I would rather some chocolate this night, my sweet."

 

It was here that either the memory blanked out, or she was unwilling to tell me about this. But I wasn't stupid, I knew what must have happened. The next thing I saw, was the same guy, his clothes slightly disheveled, walking away from the scene with his group of friends. Then Lucia's broken form, laying in a small puddle of her own blood. Her arms and legs were broken, and the only thing that her body saw fit to do, was cry, and wait for inevitable death that she knew would follow.

 

The next thing she said she'd remember seeing, was Cameron's red eyes, staring into her own. He was like white knight, a savior that came when she couldn't save herself. His embrace was that of a lover, not a hater.

 

"You are broken, child. Life has forsaken you to meet the devious specter known as death. What I can offer you, comes with no price, but only a wish." Cameron's voice seemed to be smoother, like that of any sentient creature when it is speaking to a lover. She tried to speak, but he gently perused her lips with his pale fingers. "Ah, you need not speak. A nod should suffice. More than that, could cause you more pain." She looked into his threatening, dead eyes, and saw only the promise of life. She nodded quickly. Without another word from his lips, he lovingly bit into her neck. She felt the pain dying, even more-so when she saw him bite into his own wrist. Offering her the bleeding wound, she drank from the orifice of red jems. The pain died the second the blood seeped down her throat. A new pain was born from that, a pain which did not disobey, but a pain which agreed. Her pearlescent black eyes became a cool, off white. As she began viewing the world with her newly opened eyes, she saw that even someone like her could have a place in the world. But her place in this world was not as the lowly black girl that she'd been. It was as the ebony skinned Vampire named, Lucia.

 

The rest of Cameron's words were obvious. They loved each other, and I had no plans on changing that. I'd probably find someone that suited me. Though she wasn't it, she was still a friend. Still someone that I could talk to, someone I could trust. That, for her, was enough. As was it for me. After she told me this, however, I felt a sort of tension that she'd been holding in for awhile. I didn't know what it was, but I felt the need to find out.

 

"Lucia, is something wrong?"

 

She quickly turned toward me. "I get it, you'd have to hate me, at least, in a way."

 

I found that odd. I didn't really have anything to hate her for. But then again...."Mind explaining what you mean?"

 

"Its obvious, isn't it? I nearly killed you. All to satisfy myself."

 

"You think I hate you for that? I actually love you for it! My life wasn't the best as a human. And because of the fact that I met you, all those stupid concerns - like paying the rent on time, other bills, etc, are no longer things that I have to worry about!"The comparison wasn't the best, but I thought it fit.

 

"How....you don't mind that I almost used you for a blood-bag?"

 

"No. Why should I? You might have for a few minutes, but never finished. Surely that should redeem you in some way. But then, like I said, I don't hate you for turning me."

 

"Yes, but it was only because Cameron and his guards came in. He berated me for doing it, but said that it would be messy if we'd just left. As in to much evidence that a Vampire had done it. So I turned you. If he wasn't there, you would be ashes by now, or six feet underground."

 

I gently touched her cheek. "Don't worry yourself over it. I like what I am."

 

She did calm down at that point, and never mentioned it again. However, a few days later, she came to me, with a pained look on her face. I'd just been relaxing with my music, and wasn't in a bad mood. But she was.

 

"That moron, I cannot believe him!"

 

"Trouble in the graveyard?" I tried to make one of those colorful remarks, but I didn't think that one was very good.

 

"No, he is insane. He thinks that you can help him in some way." She stomped around my room, as she spoke.

 

"With what?" I was interested. I had no way of knowing what it may be, but I had a very good feeling that it was something involving the spilling of blood that wasn't my own.

 

"He wants you to check on a small band of renegade Vampires that have sent us a message. They apparently don't respect the chain of command, and are looking to create enough support within the smaller Coven's, so they can take over leading this one." Her disgust was obvious, but I felt that I might be able to do something about that.

[Rtas Vadum]

Act IV, Sec I - For Slaughter, Find the Spidery Lady

 

I left the room with her, and we both entered Cameron’s study. He acknowledged my presence with a wave. Lucia sat down in a leather chair, pouting, in a childish way.

 

"Ah, Cain. As Lucia no doubt told you, we have something on our hands that could be dangerous for more than just Vampires. The group that you were told of calls themselves the 'Forsaken'. Their aim, is to gather support from the smaller Covenants all over New York, and take us over. To add to the madness, they've decided that they aren't going to honor the 'Secrecy', the code of the Coven's, which demands that any Vampire, new or old, never reveal us to humans that aren't marked by us."

 

"Um, Marked?" Even as I had studied Vampires thoroughly, I hadn't heard that one before.

 

"That is what we call it when a Vampire gives their blood to a human without biting them first. The Vampire blood allows them to heal faster, slows down their aging process, and they move faster. The more a human would ingest, the more potent the effect gets. This isn't as, supervised as the turning process is, but this is because the human is tethered to the Vampires wishes, and cannot reveal our secret, if their Vampire master does not wish them to."

 

"Makes sense. Is there anything else that I might have a need to know?"

 

"Yes. They have humans working for them. As you know, the Coven does prohibit the death of an innocent human, unless that death, leads them to our silken folds. However, these humans are not of an innocent sort. They are likely previous gang members, murderers, criminals, and the like. So killing them isn't something that is against the rules, nor something I or the Coven would have a problem with. I don't know yet about how much you are willing to delve into the powers that grace your red tubes, but you may have to, if your wished hand in this card game called life, is long-lasting immortality."

 

"If I see fit, they shall die a death only a devilish demon could dream. Tell me, where is this group located?"

 

He took out a printed page from a nearby printer. "An old hotel near the Hudson River. It was going to be demolished years ago, but the humans didn't want to spend the money to tear it down." He took a far less friendly tone."You have to be careful. They aren't going to go down without a fight, and they aren't going to throw punches either. It's likely that all of them will be armed, and thus dangerous. Because your a Vampire, bullets won't affect you as much as they would a human, but that doesn't mean they are going to bounce off your skin. I would suggest that you visit the armory. I've seen to having a few things ordered for your use. And don't worry. Samantha with teach you how to use a gun."

 

As I later learned when I entered the armory, Samantha was the weapons expert, along with being a Vampire. That, and she'd just happened to stick a twelve-gauge Mossberg 500 Cruiser shotgun into my face the very second I walked into the armory. That was one of those moments that you think you see Lucifer laughing his flaming hair out behind a lamp or something.

 

She took the muzzle from my forehead, and stared at me for a few seconds, before she spoke. "Oh, you. The fledgling that everyone is talking about. With that name, many Vampires will be scared of you."

 

"Why? Was it someone violent?"

 

"Violent? He calls the father of all Vampires violent. He was a plain nightmare, like a bloody tornado. And just for the info, I don't meant that as a pun." Now that I got a better look at her, she had a almost completely leather outfit on, aside from the fishnet shirt that was under her jacket. Under the fishnet, was only a strap-less black bra. Both her belt and her necklace had a chromed spider with ruby eyes, which matched her own.

 

She took her finger of the trigger, and rested the shotgun behind her head. Walking towards a glass counter with a large case on the wall behind her, she waved me forward. Many of the guns she had, I only recognized because I had done research on them for my writing, very extensive. From just a rather cursory glance, I saw three chromed Desert Eagle .50AE's, a Beretta 93R "Auto 9", two Para-Ordnance P-14's, and a two-tone H&K USP Match. The rest I didn't even have the slightest guess on what make or model they were. For some of them I knew the general sort of gun they were, but that was it.

 

"So, I understand that you've never used firearms before? Well, aren't you the lucky bloodsucker."

 

"And why is that, my spidery mistress?" Hmm, that was a new sort of talk for me.

 

"Oh, its why you ask. Well, I was one of the few female officers during the Civil War. One of the first too. My specialty was weapons. Using them ,cleaning them, repairing them, etc. You name it, give me a gun and I'll do it. And I mean any gun, ever produced." She paused, and set down the shotgun. Shooting me a couple of strange looks, she then spoke again "Hmm, unlike most, I can't tell what sort of model or type you may want. I understand there are a few in the case I'm leaning on you seemed to take an interest in. Mind giving me the caliber or model of your fancy?"

 

She must have seen me looking, or she has the same mind reading thing like myself and Cameron does. "Well, I like the look of the Desert Eagle. Mind if I try that out?"

 

"Not a bad choice. Though I hated seeing it in that damned green code movie. Always fired way to many shots to be practical. Well, I have three in Chrome here-" she motioned to the three in the glass counter. "-or I have another set of three in black, and two in gold. Pick your killing poison."

 

I pointed at the black ones she had, and she took two of them from the case. Along with it, she set down two clips next to the guns. Somehow, the fact that she did not say a thing, told me that she wanted to see if I could tell how to load one. Possibly, her test was rather a childish measure, but a measure I felt like living up to, surpassing even. I took one of the Eagle's, along with a clip, and pressed down the release. Sliding the clip into the gun, the slide slid forward once it clicked in. Doing the same with the other, she punched a button on the wall behind her, near the weapon cases. The wall to my right slid up, and a firing range was revealed behind it. I walked over just as she did.

 

"So, Think you can make a decent shot on those targets?" She referred to those paper sheets with a vague image of a humanoid shape on them. They had numbered lines and areas, each of them denoting how good you are, biased on where your shot landed. Without even thinking of any sort of ear protection, I pointed both of the eagles, and depressed the trigger. This is when the odd thing happened. I almost literally saw each bullet leave the barrel, and fly towards the sheet. For a few of the rounds, they made to hit the cement wall behind, without touching the paper. They somehow when straight thought the paper, even though I didn't aim them in that direction. When I heard both of the guns click, she had a genuine look of awe on her face. "Oh...my...god. Every single one of those rounds all hit the vital areas, none of them missing or hitting a pointless target. And here I thought we would have to have the wall re-cemented." She walked back toward the desk. I followed. This time, she leaned on it again.

 

"Um, Cameron did say that he had something special for me?" I asked only because I hoped it was something a little more enticing than guns. Fun as they were, I was beginning to hope for a little more of an image change. Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself, so sorry.

 

"Oh, that. Well, I hope you like these, as I don't think anyone else would. Maybe me, but they aren't my sizes." She knelt down, and picked up a heavy looking case from behind the counter which barely fit onto it.. Now I was thinking it may be the kind of thing I hoped. "I don't know if you've ever been either a fan or admirer of the modern Gothic fashion, but if you are either you'll like these."

 

Yep. That was the golden ticket for me. Just the sort of darkly colored uniform of a story long since finished by my hands. As I slid on these clothes, it felt different than the other times I had. For one, they were of a higher quality, and two, I now had the strength to back them up. When I slid my chosen arms into their holsters, I saw Samantha picking up a few choice weapons as well. She saw me looking, and laughed.

 

"What, you think I want someone like you to get wasted so soon? I know Cameron only asked you to go, but I go as your Guardian Angel. I'm basically there to make sure that you don't run into any problems. However, even though I am, I don't play the puppet-master. You look for his strings, and clip them."

[machievelli]

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[Rtas Vadum]

Act IV, Sec II - The Forsaken Hotel

 

As I walked up to the hotel, my senses told me that the guard which stood before the doors, was human. His thoughts centered on letting no one through those doors. That, and he had a fully loaded .357 magnum held behind his back. I only knew because some of his thoughts seemed rather ecstatic about toting a weapon like that around. I had no intent on sneaking around, at least not yet. So, I walked straight up to him.

 

"Say man, what is this place?" My usual quips didn't come.

 

"What the hell? Just who are you?"

 

"Forget me, the question you need to ask yourself is, who you are. Asking another who they are is pointless when you have yet to understand yourself." Here they come.

 

He gripped the weapon tight, almost knowing that I really wasn't supposed to be here. "Just what are you here for then?"

 

Just the question I was waiting for. "Well, I wanted to try something. You know that magnum your holding behind your back? I want you to shoot me in the chest with it. Come on, I can tell you've been waiting to pull its trigger all night. If you want, I won't even move."

 

He laughed. He probably thought I was insane. Maybe he was right. "Man, you are crazy. But that is tempting." After that, he whipped the gun from behind his back, pointed it at me, and fired two rounds into my stomach. I stumbled back a bit, but didn't fall over. That was when I started laughing.

 

"What the....hey, your supposed to be dead after that!" I knew he felt like running, but he stayed. Motionless, aside from his gun shaking.

 

"Things that are dead, do not die twice." He pointed the gun at me. Faster than he could see, I moved. Before he knew it, I was right in-front of him. He had the barrel of his magnum at my chest, while I had the barrel of my Eagle at his forehead. I laughed hysterically.

 

"Checkmate, human." We both pulled our triggers at the same time, but it was only he who fell to the ground. The pain the gun-shots brought barely even made me flinch. In fact, when I looked at them after dealing with the human, they were quickly healing. Good thing I loaded up on blood before I left. I walked up the steps of the hotel. Thankfully the steps chose to support my weight, rather than crumble beneath my feet. "Here is the really fun part." I thought to myself, as I kicked the double doors open.

 

Most of the men inside were not as attentive as I would have thought they would be. With my eyes, I could clearly see who was a Vampire, and who was a human. Several of the humans were smoking cigarettes as they walked, toting their guns around like they were in the Military. For some reason, however, none of them really took much of a notice of me. While I was the most noticeable one in the room because of my chosen attire, a few of the others wore similar clothing, of a lesser variety.

 

The mere fact that they didn't move to shoot me, or even ask why I'd just kicked in the front door, meant that I needed to either incite them like how a raging inferno can be lit with a match, or I needed to ask the right one certain questions, and get to their leader as painlessly as possible. The thing I was asking myself was which of those I really wanted - since the choice was really between disgustingly easy, or hard as hell.

 

As I thought more and more about how I should go about this, I found myself acting rather odd. Well, in the sense that I was actively staring at one of the humans. I could see his thoughts, for one. They lingered on some random person, I didn't care who. But then I had an idea. Why doesn't he just die? The second I had that thought, he began violently shaking, and then finally keeled over, dead. The others rushed over to find out just what happened, without even giving me a single look.

 

Then one of the others seemed to think it was time to question the reason why I was here. The very moment he was before me, he suddenly stopped, and began laughing histericly. I laughed myself, before I grabbed him, and sunk my sharp fangs into his neck. My first taste of fresh, straight from the vein blood was truly like the first taste of heroin. As it flowed down my throat, it was like my blood lit on fire. I felt the rush of power that I'd expected would happen. I threw his body away when he was empty, and waited for the rest to notice. The next one to notice, wasn't exactly as foolish. He chose to try and attack me, but I got a hold of his neck before he even managed to draw his weapon. I broke it, and threw his body out a window. That got the others attention. Now they were coming at me in droves.

 

I drew my Eagles, and fired them left and right. Even as their bullets hit me, I shrugged it off like it was nothing. I killed them, broke them, fed on them, and I didn't feel wrong for doing it. The Vampire's, however, were a slightly different matter. They could take the bullets just as well as I did. But their down fall was the fact that they were slower than I was. They obviously weren't the top of the line, so to speak.

 

As I moved my way through the Hotel, killing any that chose to attack me, I had to wonder exactly who the boss of this operation was. Cameron didn't mention it was someone that he knew, but then, even if it was, there was possibly that he wasn't told of that. It did slightly bother me that past the main lobby, there were fewer and fewer humans. I took this as me getting closer and closer to the guy in charge, since its likely that a Vampire would want to be protected only by other Vampires.

 

When I finally got to the suite room, I found it to be oddly different from the rest of the hotel. Most of it had been in near darkness, but this room was very well lit, and by these standing bowls of fire. At the end of the walk way that the fires made, was a male figure in part of a old Military uniform, I wasn't sure of what army though.

 

"And so, Cameron sends his new blood to keep his order in New York City. Welcome, Fledgling, to the Riverview Hotel."

[Rtas Vadum]

Act IV, Sec III - The Former Nazi

 

"In a way, I saw you coming. Not because of modern day technology, but because I sometimes know what people are going to do, once they decide to do it. However, this mainly concerns either people I know about, or people that are going to do something that concerns me. The very moment that you made your choice to come here, I knew you would. I admit, I didn't know what you would look like, or even if you would survive this long. But the Intel that my Vampires have been giving me since your arrival told me all I needed to know. Aside from one detail that I consider important. Your name."

 

Names. It was always about names. Its harsh, but a name can get you killed, especially when you run around telling everyone what it was. But in this case, I wasn't worried about that. "Name's Cain. Yourself?"

 

His face changed to a look of shock. Quickly shedding it, he stood. "Maxwell Sterling." He slowly began walking toward me, but he didn't reach for the pistol that hung on his belt."Before we get to the part of this that is obviously coming, I would like to share something with you. If only to prove that I aren't as selfish in my desires now, as I was."

 

I'd only hoped he didn't tell me his complete life story. "Sure. Fire away"

 

"Its nothing very personal, just how and when I became what I am. It was just after World War I. I fled Germany to avoid being imprisoned for what I had done. Unlike some of the other officers, who chose South America, I chose the opposite. For awhile, I felt that I wanted to leave my old life behind. To give myself a new purpose in life: Me. For the years between the wars, I lived only for myself. But when I again saw the Lady Of War upon Europe, I made the arrangements to return to Germany. My return wasn't given much thought, but I knew that there was where I should be. But as you may know, it was then that being in the German army didn't mean you were just doing it to serve your country. You were doing it because you believed in the same things that everyone else did. In what the Chancellery did. In a way, I did believe it. But as the war went on, I began to realize that it would fade, just like all things. The events of 1945 proved that. It also proved to me that things existed in the world that I didn't think did. The female Vampire who turned me didn't give me a choice, and I never thought since that I wanted one."

 

"Somehow, through all that, you failed to make the connection to your actions in the past few days."

 

"Yes, I was getting to that. You see, as much as the Secrecy does keep humans from the understanding that we exist, I am tired of all the moronic rules that Cameron and his guards enforce to all but those he chooses to spare from the harsh reality of death. Like you, for example. That, and he wouldn't want to harm his beloved Lucia. What I want, is not so much as Cameron's death, as I just want him to realize that Vampires are not supposed to live with a symphony of rules, just the one that keeps humans ignorant of us."

 

He did make sense. Aside from one thing. The fact that I really didn't buy into it. Why? Because I knew that if I did, this would be one boring tale. "Yeah, I can understand you. However, even if it would be slightly better if we'd only need to adhere to the Secrecy, the fact that there are other sorts of rules tied to it means that it is possible to exist alongside humans. Otherwise, they would have known about us centuries ago." Wait, didn't they? Of course, but only as a myth. "Though they know of us as a Myth, they don't know us as tangible reality."

 

"Of course. Not only do I get the Vampire that is against my cause, I get the one that wants to get ME a lesson in the history that I either lived through or already have been over." He finally pulled the pistol from its holster. It was obviously a German make, which I wasn't sure of. I grabbed one of my own. It was him who shot first, but I simply stepped out of the bullet's path. Over and over he fired his weapon, every single bullet missing me by the inches I moved from its path. When I finally choose to fire my Eagle, the first two shots hit him, first in the leg, the second in his chest. The second two, hit him again in the chest.

 

"For the big and bad Vampire that you seemed to be when I walked in here, you are vastly disappointing me." I knew this would piss him off. Why shouldn't I act a bit confident? He sure wasn't, but I had no reason not to. The next shots I landed hit him in the forehead, which caused him to fall backwards onto the floor. I never had the idea that I was over, becase I heard him laughing.

 

He pulled himself to his feet, the bullet wounds in his head spilling blood over his face."You insignificant worm." I could sense that he had the assumed idea that I would be a weak and hesitant Vampire, not one that fights like he does. However, that was when he started laughing. "You don't know, do you? Or you just haven't been told yet."

 

"Exactly what is it that you think I should know? Why tell me that, instead of this bit of info that you speak of?"

 

Again he laughed. "Your part in this is going to become even larger than a simple hunter for the Vampyre society." He struggled to keep his posture while he spoke. "Even your very name tells me that. And you should know that my failure here is nothing that history is going to remember. No Vampires a hundered years from now will hear my name and want to know more. But yours, yours will become just as legendary as Vampires themselves. Why, I can't tell you. Not because I don't know, but because the choices you will make in the future, I cannot know. And therefore, I am blind to even your next action, because you have yet to decide on it."

 

"Then let the death of your hatred tell you were you are going. Let your death, be an example to those who think against me, or the Coven." I slowly walked towards him. He didn't make a move, which I almost expected him to. I gently touched the barrel of my Eagle to his already bleeding forehead. Again, he made no movements, at least not at first. The very second before, I went to fire, he stood up, and kicked the gun from my outstretched hand. Quickly grabbing a large knife from the back of his belt, he stabbed it into my chest. I stumbled backwards, wincing. Rather than trying to finish me off, he began laughing.

 

"I knew it. Beneath it all, just like any other fledgling, you are just as weak."

 

That did it. I felt my eyes burn with rage, and knew they changed color. I pulled the knife from my chest, spun it through my fingers, and slashed his neck with it. For the next few second afterward, he stood motionless, in awe of what I'd just done. As the blood seeped from the wound, I pulled my second Eagle, and shot once, right into his gaping mouth. His body went up in flames as it fell. After retriveing my fallen Eagle, I returned to the front of the hotel. It was then that Samantha walked up to me, bouncing a grenade in her right hand.

 

"So, he's dead. Now for the building itself. It might not be a problem if it is investigated, but then, its likely that If humans find the remains of their own kind, it isn't going to be nice for us." She handed me the grenade. I looked at it for a few seconds, and then turned, and flung it towards the building. It smashed through a window, and a couple of walls, and then exploded. The entire building collapsed on itself. A number of timbers nearly fell on us as we walked back to her car.

 

"You look a little troubled. Something wrong?" Samantha asked as she started the car.

 

"Not really. Though I think there as some things I need to ask Cameron."