"Kerfera," Kain whispered softly, running a red claw across my cheek. "What
a Lieutenant you would have made." I growled at him barring my teeth. He
only smiled. "You would have been a goddess placed on a pedestal high above
your brethren." It began to rain. The droplets stung like acid. Kain didn't
seem to notice. "I told Raziel you were different. Perhaps that is why he
kept you to himself. Such a rare beauty for a vampire."
The soft splattering of rain gave way to a downpour and I ground my teeth against the pain. Somewhere in the distance I heard agonized screaming. "What are you up to, Kain?" I shouted above a clap of thunder. His answer was a harsh and evil laugh.
I watched as Rahab placed large barrels around the courtyard. By the way it had begun to pour; it would not take long to fill them up. I feared for my clan. I had not seen them since Kain and the Council had arrived. Where was my master? Where was Raziel?
My master had left for the Sanctuary of the Clans a mere month ago and had never returned. In his absence our clan had become hostile and restless. Rumors that had once run rampant throughout the walls of Raziel's Keep were silenced. It was as if our master had dropped off the face of Nosgoth.
The ground trembled and quaked. It had been doing that since Raziel had disappeared. It seemed that the earth itself were witness to some unspoken tragedy. The agonized screaming continued, the horrid sound cut deep into me. "You think too much, General," Kain said loudly. "What are you thinking of now, beautiful one?" I ignored him. I didn't understand why any of them were here. It was unlike Kain to leave the walls of his own Sanctuary. Besides, Raziel would be back soon. I was sure of it. Even in his absence we, the generals, knew what we were doing. "General!" Kain shouted. For the first time I was aware that I was being flanked by Dumah and Turel. Neither spoke nor looked my way, their faces remained expressionless.
"What's going on here?" I blurted out, my voice nearly unheard due to the new surge of thunder. "What are you up to Kain?"
The clans had always told tales of him, but few had ever seen this incredulous vampire who stood before me. Few had ever witnessed his true anger or felt his wrath. The sneer he gave me did nothing to distort his vampiric beauty. As always, I was in awe of my lord. But strangely, I was unafraid of him.
"What's happening, my dear Kerfera, is the genocide of the entire Razielim." Before he could finish I screamed, the rage building up within me tearing free. I screamed until my throat was raw. The only thing louder was the sound of Kain's laughter.
Silent at last, I glanced around at the deadly waterfall of rain and the High-Born Council. The two were not so diversified to one another. Strangely, only Rahab seemed immune to the rain's crippling effect. The shrieks of pain echoing through our once proud courtyard continued on, magnified now by hundreds.
"Why?" my voice barely a mummer; so low I was sure no one had heard it. But Kain understood me perfectly and smiled.
"It is your destiny." The choking cry I heard next was my own. What had we ever done to make him hate us so? Had Raziel asked him to do this? Had our master grown tired of us? Anger flooded over me at the thought. I would find my master and find out for myself.
The soft splattering of rain gave way to a downpour and I ground my teeth against the pain. Somewhere in the distance I heard agonized screaming. "What are you up to, Kain?" I shouted above a clap of thunder. His answer was a harsh and evil laugh.
I watched as Rahab placed large barrels around the courtyard. By the way it had begun to pour; it would not take long to fill them up. I feared for my clan. I had not seen them since Kain and the Council had arrived. Where was my master? Where was Raziel?
My master had left for the Sanctuary of the Clans a mere month ago and had never returned. In his absence our clan had become hostile and restless. Rumors that had once run rampant throughout the walls of Raziel's Keep were silenced. It was as if our master had dropped off the face of Nosgoth.
The ground trembled and quaked. It had been doing that since Raziel had disappeared. It seemed that the earth itself were witness to some unspoken tragedy. The agonized screaming continued, the horrid sound cut deep into me. "You think too much, General," Kain said loudly. "What are you thinking of now, beautiful one?" I ignored him. I didn't understand why any of them were here. It was unlike Kain to leave the walls of his own Sanctuary. Besides, Raziel would be back soon. I was sure of it. Even in his absence we, the generals, knew what we were doing. "General!" Kain shouted. For the first time I was aware that I was being flanked by Dumah and Turel. Neither spoke nor looked my way, their faces remained expressionless.
"What's going on here?" I blurted out, my voice nearly unheard due to the new surge of thunder. "What are you up to Kain?"
The clans had always told tales of him, but few had ever seen this incredulous vampire who stood before me. Few had ever witnessed his true anger or felt his wrath. The sneer he gave me did nothing to distort his vampiric beauty. As always, I was in awe of my lord. But strangely, I was unafraid of him.
"What's happening, my dear Kerfera, is the genocide of the entire Razielim." Before he could finish I screamed, the rage building up within me tearing free. I screamed until my throat was raw. The only thing louder was the sound of Kain's laughter.
Silent at last, I glanced around at the deadly waterfall of rain and the High-Born Council. The two were not so diversified to one another. Strangely, only Rahab seemed immune to the rain's crippling effect. The shrieks of pain echoing through our once proud courtyard continued on, magnified now by hundreds.
"Why?" my voice barely a mummer; so low I was sure no one had heard it. But Kain understood me perfectly and smiled.
"It is your destiny." The choking cry I heard next was my own. What had we ever done to make him hate us so? Had Raziel asked him to do this? Had our master grown tired of us? Anger flooded over me at the thought. I would find my master and find out for myself.