~O~

Zoran stared up at the massive, gothic-style mansion before. It was silhouetted against the night sky, making it look forewarning and menacing. But rather than feel fear at the ominous site, Zoran felt himself seething in hatred of the place. He wrinkled up his nose in disgust.

"Never did I think I would come back here," he said aloud to himself, "At least, not on my own free will." A cool breeze flew past him, making his ankle-length black cloak flutter in the wind. With the chill that the air carried, anyone would be able to tell that the summer months were coming to an end, and that fall would soon take over. The seasons aren't the only thing that's about to change, Zoran thought to himself.

His lips curved up into a twisted grin. Behind him stood Jessie and Alexander. The two Vampires that had recently joined his side stared up at the mansion in front of them. Looks of awe were plastered on their faces, which was a normal reaction for anyone who didn't know of what kind of cruel acts took place beyond those stone walls.

If they knew what kind of monster lurked in the halls of this mansion, they would run away in disgust. It sickened Zoran at just how many dark secrets this mansion held that nobody else knew about, secrets that he had been withholding for his entire life. But that's about to come to an end, isn't it?

The thought filled him with a sense of satisfaction. "Um, Sir? Might I ask what we are doing here?" Alexander suddenly asked from behind. Without turning around and meeting the blond-haired Vampire's gaze, Zoran told him, "I'm here to take care of a…..Of a personal matter of mine. Neither one of you will be of any assistance tonight. I should be able to handle all of this own my own."

It was more like Zoran had to handle this on his own. What lay behind the walls of the mansion were his demons to face. And with the downfall of those demons, his plan could move further on into action when he obtained what he needed. This was his fight.

Zoran took in a deep breath of the cool night air and felt its crispness as it filled his lungs with oxygen. He then exhaled and started down the long path to the main entrance of the mansion. As he neared it, two guards came into his sight, and Zoran knew if he could see them, then they could see them too. Both of the guards were armed with short swords, and a pistol at their hips.

When they saw Zoran, they both instantly drew their swords at the ready. "Halt!" one shouted, "Who goes there!" Zoran smiled and stepped into the moonlight, allowing his face to be illuminated enough for the guards to fully see him. The guards' faces showed the expression of surprise.

"M-Master Zoran? Is that you?" the head guard asked, "What are you doing back here, young Master?" It didn't surprise Zoran that the guards were addressing him formally. In fact, he practically expected it, and it sickened him that they did. By addressing him in such formality proved that they knew nothing of the acts that happened in the mansion that they guarded.

For Vampires that are supposed to be aware of their surroundings in order to protect their Masters, they know nothing, Zoran thought with disgust. But he hid his disgust behind a straight face. "I'm here to take up an audience with my father," he said bluntly.

The two guards exchanged looks between each other, as if not sure of what to do. The guards might not have known why Zoran and his brother really left this place, but that didn't mean that their father hadn't made up some kind of lie in order to get rid of all of the prying questions.

The head guard scratched the back of his neck nervously and said, "I believe Lord Larousse is doing some Societal work right now, so it would be best not to disturb him until he is done." Zoran narrowed his uncovered eye at the guard and said sternly, "I'm sure Father will push aside his work for a few minutes to speak to one of his sons, don't you think? It's been a while since he's seen me or my brother, so he would surely take up this opportunity to speak to one of his children."

The guards appeared uneasy, but finally, the head guard said, "Alright, very well. I will have my colleague here go and summon Lord Larousse to speak with you." The head guard pushed the heavy wooden door open, and the lesser guard ran inside, more than likely to and retrieve Zoran's father.

"Please, come inside and make yourself comfortable while you wait, young Master," the head guard said from behind. Zoran nodded and stepped into the foyer area of the mansion. The ceiling was high, and an intricate painting was done up one the ceiling, one that indicated angels ascending down from the heavens to help save people from all of the wickedness in the world.

That painting had always made Zoran sick. Where had been the angels that would ascend to save him, the ones that never came and just stood by while he faced the wrath of his father. But for the most part, since Zoran and his brother had left the mansion, nothing had changed. Perhaps there were some new pieces of furniture, but it was all pretty much just as it was when they had left.

He scanned over the room, locking his gaze on certain places that held different memories. His eyes stopped at a an arm chair, one that was upholstered in blood-red velvet. Zoran remembered hiding behind that chair, clutching his wrist his father broke as it caused him agony while the bones healed, and crying his eyes out. He had stayed there long after his wrist healed up because he was too afraid and ashamed to show himself.

Zoran growled and spat on the floor in the direction of the chair. He had been young and frightened at the time, but he no more. That was the past, and just like the seasons, he had changed. "Where is he?" a voice bellowed from the top of the grand staircase. Zoran glanced up and saw his father at the top of the stairs. For as long as he could remember, their father had had ash-colored hair, much like Loran's.

In fact, there had hardly ever been a time when Zoran looked at his brother and couldn't help but think that Loran and their father looked alike. Lord Larousse descended down several of the steps before his eyes finally locked onto Zoran at the base of them. "Ah, my guards weren't lying to me when they said that you had returned. You know, I honestly never expected to see your face in here again after you and your brother ran off," Lord Larousse said as he stepped off the last several stairs.

Now, he and Zoran stood across from each other. The air around the two instantly grew heavy. The weight of it was pressing down on Zoran's chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. But he quickly pushed past that; he couldn't let his father intimidate him when he had a mission to accomplish.

"Trust me, it wasn't in my intentions to come back here either," Zoran said harshly, "But I have some matters to take care of." The earned an amused glance from his father.

"Matters to take care of, huh? I never once pictured you as the kind to take action into your own hands. You always had Loran do everything for you and fight your battles. Speaking of which, how is Loran? I was thoroughly surprised when he left with you that day. I always thought he would stay here and take over my place in the Society. He would have made a great leader, you know. Loran had all of the potential and power for it."

Zoran felt his anger stir a bit within him, but he quickly made it die down. Of course their father would bring up his favoritism towards Loran as means to get at him. "Loran is doing fine, I assure you. But I did not come all this way to talk about my brother," Zoran stated calmly.

His father leaned against the banister of the grand staircase and asked him, "So, why did you come all this way? It isn't possible that you came here to actually stand up to me for once in your pitiful life, is it?" Zoran's lips turned up into a devious grin.

"Actually, I guess there is a little bit of that in my reason, but not really. I came here because you have something that I need." Lord Larousse appeared a bit confused by his son's statement. "I have something you need? And what might that be?" he asked. Zoran continued to grin as he walked up closer to his father and said, "Power. You have power that I need to be able to achieve my ultimate goal."

His father's face turned from confusion to anger. "I suggest you step back, Zoran," he said and drew his hand back and readied it to strike his son. Zoran only grinned and jumped out of the way before his father's hand had a chance to come in contact with him. He then sent out several streams of dark mist and had them slam into Lord Larousse's chest, knocking his father back into the jagged edges of the stairs behind him.

There was a sickening crunch, but Zoran knew that that wouldn't be enough to put an end to his father's life. Lord Larousse was already stumbling up to his feet.

"I'm not as weak as you remember, Father. I have spent all of these years that I have been hiding for the sake of honing the powers that are my birthright to their full potential. And you might even say that my powers surpass yours now. But even with the power I have, it is not enough for me to go and take the final steps of my plan. That's where you come in, Father."

Zoran paused for a moment and savored the expression of shock and fear that was plastered on his father's face. It was so satisfying that he knew that it would not be something that he would forget anytime soon. Zoran then pointed at his father and said, "I've read before that whenever a Vampire consumes the blood of another Vampire, they obtain that Vampire's powers and strength. And what better power to add onto mine than that of the great Lord Larousse?"

Zoran's father's expression was now one mixed with shock and disgust. "How dare you even suggest drinking the blood of a Vampire? Much less the blood of your own father! A Vampire consuming another Vampire's blood is one of the most ultimate taboos that exist to this day and is strictly forbidden by the Society! It's sick! And I know that I did not raise my sons as disgusting, low creatures like this!"

Zoran narrowed his uncovered eye at his father and said harshly, "No, you didn't. You raised one to succeed while you let the other rot and drown in fear. Sadly, the one that you had such high hopes for is too weak to even use his powers that are his birthright, while the one you never gave a damn about is taking action. Ironic, isn't it, Father? It's amazing how arrogance can blind somebody to the truth."

His father growled and shouted back at him, "If you think I'm going to stand by and let you do something as sick as take my blood, then you are greatly mistaken, Zoran! I knew from the moment you were born that you would be nothing but a nuisance to me!" Lord Larousse, fully recovered from Zoran's earlier attack, dove at his son. Zoran jumped out of the way just as his father lashed out at him.

"You were born weak and frail, and I knew that you would not be worth anything in the long run. I should have just let natural selection take its course and let you die, but your mother refused and nursed you to health. Foolish woman, if she knew what you were planning on doing right now, she would be wishing the same things that I am now!" Zoran didn't let these harsh words from his father break his focus.

If anything, he would let his father's rage and shock work in his favor. Lord Larousse charged at Zoran again. This time, instead of dodging out of the way, Zoran dissipated into the shadows, vanishing into this air. His father stumbled past where he had been standing and looked around frantically for his missing son.

Zoran then materialized right behind Lord Larousse. And just as his father turned around to face him, Zoran plunged his hand into his father's just, piercing his heart. Warm blood oozed onto his hand, and his senses were assaulted by the pungent scent of a Vampire's blood.

When he removed his hand, his father dropped to the ground and wheezed for air. Zoran looked at his blood-covered hand as several drops of the crimson liquid dripped off. He then licked some of the blood and tasted the coppery-flavor, which was much stronger than that of a human's.

Zoran then knelt down beside his father, who was still writhing and wheezing on the marble floor. "I better hurry up and drain you of your blood, shouldn't I? I mean, I wouldn't want it to go to waste, and seeing as I pierced your heart, you're as good as dead anyway and have no further use of it," Zoran said with a demented smile.

He was taking great satisfaction in being the cause of the fear in his father's eyes. For too many years, Zoran had been the one with the same look of fear in his own eyes. So, it was nice to have the role switched. No longer was the abuser the one doing the abusing. Now, the abuser was begging for mercy as his life flowed out of the hole in his chest.

Zoran licked his lips, and when he did, he could feel the tips of his fangs with his tongue. "I'm going to take great satisfaction in doing this," he said as he reared his head back and plunged his fangs into his father's shoulder. Lord Larousse whimpered and tried to speak, but was too weak to form any words.

As Zoran drank the blood of his father, he could feel his body accepting the strength that came with the blood of another Vampire, and being that his father was fairly powerful, his strength would be a good addition to the power that Zoran already possessed.

Soon, no more blood was able to be taken from his father's veins. So, Zoran removed his fangs and sat back. He wiped some of the excess blood from his mouth and stared down at the lifeless body of his father. He had done it. He had finally exacted the revenge that he had so longed for against his father.

But there was only a small portion of his real plan; there was still a lot more that needed to be accomplished. "Larousse!" a voice shrieked. Zoran glanced up at the staircase as his mother came running down. She then halted and stared at her son in utter horror. "Z-Zoran?…W-Why….," she clamped her hands over her mouth and continued to just stare. Zoran stood up from his father's body and turned his cold gaze onto his mother.

"You deserve the same fate that he did," he said harshly, "You stood by all those years, knowing damn good and well of all of the things he did, and didn't do a damn thing to stop him! Do you care to tell me why you didn't try to help me! I know for a fact that you weren't afraid of him, seeing as you were just as powerful as him! So, tell me!"

His mother shook her head and said in a trembling voice, "I-I…I loved both y-you and Loran. I-I didn't…..I didn't w-want to see anymore bad th-things happen to either one of-" Zoran cut her sentence short by yelling, "Shut it! Stop with your lies! Just admit that you favored my brother more like father did! Admit it! You kept me from dying out of pity! If you had really cared, you would have done something to stop that monster from hurting me!"

Zoran found himself surprised that he had tears rolling down from his good eye and that his hands were trembling. His mother cautiously took a step closer to him and said gently, "Zoran, that's not true. Just calm down. You know I loved both you and Loran equally." He shook his head and clamped his hands over his ears; he didn't want to hear it. "Lies! Lies!" he bellowed, making his voice echo off the walls of the mansion.

"Zoran, listen to-" His mother was unable to finish her sentence in time before Zoran sent out one of his ropes of darkness. It flew through the air and impaled her through the chest. She dropped on the stairs and didn't move. Zoran stood there, panting heavily from the rage that had built up within him.

He wasn't going to sit there and listen to her lies. She had been just as guilty of all of his pain as his father. His mother's blood started to run down the stairs, and a thought crossed his mind; his mother really was as powerful as his father had been.

Her blood would only add onto the power that Zoran had accumulated that night. So, he walked up the stairs and knelt beside his mother, reared back, and dug his fangs into shoulder and drained her of her blood. It didn't have as strong of a taste as his father's, but it was still stout.

When nothing remained in her veins, he stood up, nearly stumbling back from the dazed state he was in after consuming that much blood in such a short amount of time, and made his way down the stairs.

The room around him felt like it was covered in a fog, but he knew it was just the intoxicating effects of drinking too much blood. Zoran made it to the massive wooden door and pulled it open. When he did, he instantly felt a bit more alert as the cool night air nipped at his face.

The two guards at the side of the door jumped back in surprise when they saw him covered in the blood of both of his parents. They quickly raised their weapons to fight, but Zoran just sent out two tendrils of darkness, which wrapped around the guards' necks and quickly ended their lives.

He then continued to walk on down the pathway where he had left Alexander and Jessie, but stopped when a brown leaf fluttered through the air and landed at his feet. Zoran picked the leaf up and stared at it; it was the first sign of the changing seasons.

"And my actions on this night shall be the first sign of more changes to come," he said aloud with a twisted grin. He then made the dead leaf burn to a smoldering ash in his hand as dark flames rose from his palm and incinerated the brittle leaf. The ashes flew from his palm into the air, carried off by the wind to somewhere else. And with that, Zoran continued on down the path to rejoin Alexander and Jessie.

Story title based off the song Vampire's Call by The Poodles.The shortly-awaited sequel is up now! Yay! And now that I am done with band camp, I should be able to update a little bit more frequently, but no promises, seeing as school will be starting next week. Well, I hope this first chapter is up to snuff and they you will all enjoy this story! Read and please leave a review on the way out. ~Copperpelt~