Encounter between three vampires.

Rayana had been out walking by herself, she was thinking about how everything was going. Her form was alight in the moonlight, her dark black hair swaying from side to side as she walked. Her usual dark appearance was there, dark clothes, dark brooding aura and a pair of eyes that switched from black to red and back again as she passed rays of moonlight. She was headed towards a small lake where she would be able to think more clearly by herself. Walking through the woods was always a way for her to evade the worries of life, to clear her mind of the preoccupations she had, if only for a moment.

Arriving to the lake, she looked at the image the water was reflecting back at her. Sometimes she wondered if it was all worth it, if she was doing the right thing. Perhaps not, perhaps she did. If she was discovered, she would be killed instantly, but if she wasn't her life span would not be much longer anyway. She would probably end up getting killed anyway. What a fate. She was up to a massive revolution against one of the most powerful people she had ever heard of, Aage, the 'king' of the vampires. But to her, he was no more than a tyrant. It wasn't for nothing she was recruiting, she was starting a sort of army trained by the best, and since she was one of the best of her generation...

Aage might have been nearly un-destroyable, but against numbers far from his own, he was alone in that, he would not be able to escape every 'war hound' she would launch against him. He was only one vampire and she knew that most vampires would not approve of what he was doing if they knew he existed or knew of his activities. That was why she was recruiting the vampires having the most potential. They needed to prepare for war. On the day Aage would make his move, it would be a bloody day. Human and vampires would have to march together as one with every other specie.

They had to unite or die.

Unknown to her, a shadow had been following her, one that did not have any good intentions for the younger vampire. In fact, Aage had heard of how she had not obeyed his orders the way he had wanted her to do it. Oh, he would not kill her; she was too useful to kill. She had a whole army under her command, a whole country ready to obey any of her wishes. It was no secret that Gimrôdal had the largest army of any of the vampire kingdoms, but they were the most ruthless and rebellious as well.

As long as he had Rayana under his orders he would be fine, but if she was ever to rebel against him, he would be in trouble. He might be the oldest, but Aage didn't have the support of the population, Rayana and the other lords, ladies and city masters and mistresses did. It seems the vampires thought they were more simpathic than him. But what Aage had not considered was that he always cut himself from the population as a whole, be they human or vampire. He had never been charismatic enough to gather a large support. He considered himself too good for any of them.

Aage walked in the forest, following Rayana wherever she went. When he entered the clearing behind the female vampire, he took off at a full run, heading towards the woman. He didn't even stop when he smashed into her, sending her flying a few feet in the water. He turned back to his victim, a wicked smile on his too handsome face. Malvolence was present in every inch of his being.

"Thought you could disobey me didn't you?" He asked her, disdain dripping from his voice.

As Rayana had been absorbed in her thoughts, she never heard the older vampire come and run towards her, not that she could have heard him in the first place. She definitely noticed it when he rammed into her at full speed, appearing as if he was only a faint blur. She landed in the water, rolling a few times over herself from the force with which he had slammed into her. Coughing out the water that had entered her lungs, she pushed herself off the sand, her wet hair falling across her face.

Gripping the side of her chest, she could very well feel the powered ribs she now sported. He hadn't only broken then, he had made pieces out of those bones. She could feel the start of a very painful knitting of every piece back together. A trickle of blood fell down her cheek as she coughed up some more. It was black but it would never be as black as the male's. He had a black heart to match his black blood.

"Aage." She replied kneeling stiffly in the water.

She had never submitted willingly to him and she never would. She was too proud for that. He had never gotten an inch of respect from her. She was still kneeling because she was not able to get up yet, her ribs were too painful and her breathing nearly impossible, not that she needed it. She just was feeling as if she was drowning which is not comfortable for anyone.

"I haven't disobeyed you." She said.

Okay, that was a blatant lie, but she was able to lie to anyone's face quite successfully without being discovered. She didn't think he would be any different.

Rushing right in front of her in a movement that spoke of all his anger, the vampire picked up the female by the neck, closing a powerful hand around her throat. He snarled, showing deadly white fangs to the face of the younger vampire.

Rayana could not help but flinch at that display, she might not have been under his service, but she knew he was more powerful than her by a long shot. She didn't make a sound though, she had her dignity to uphold.

"Did you think I hadn't heard news from these islands? You were supposed to take complete control of it." He spat to her face. "I had entrusted this mission upon your shoulders. It couldn't have been difficult."

"Rome hasn't been made in one day." She reminded him in an insolent tone. "If you had wanted an empire you should have sent me years ago."

Well okay, another lie, but most of what she had always told him were lies. There was not place for truth of he would have killed her a long time ago. If she was to tell him the truth, she would have told him things that could not be mentioned around children.

"It is through no fault of mine."

Well, she had no reason to take over the world, she would never have any, she had had experience of ruling a country and it was not fun, it was a very difficult job. A country was enough for her.

Aage leaned his face towards Rayana's bloody one, searching for traces of anything more than he expected. But he was disappointed not to find any fear in her black eyes. He instead found defiance and a lot of hatred towards him.

"I had asked something of you and when I come to see if it has been done, it hasn’t been, how do you think I feel?" He asked her.

"Like a child's who's toy has just broken." She replied with a small smirk.

Offended, Aage pushed the vampire away from him, releasing her at the same time. Disgust was plain on his face. He could have argued with that, but he thought he was above something like that. He took a step back, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Can't take the truth can you?" She asked mockingly.

After the woman was finished saying that one sentence, rage filled the vampire against her, a rage that surpassed many he had been filled with before. In one step he was an inch from Rayana an no sooner than the thought crossed his mind, the blow had come. One hand raised, eyes gleaming in anger, he backslapped the younger vampire.

''Don't ever talk to me like that again." He told coldly.

Her head had snapped to the side from the force of the blow, her jaw breaking under the pressure. Slowly, she turned back to the older vampire, eyes glowing red with suppressed anger. Her jaw snapped back into place with a second sickening crack. She bared her fangs in a defiant manner, her whole posture showing great anger.

"I will talk to you the way I want." She replied showing no respect at all for the older vampire.

Trying to get to her feet, Rayana stumbled a bit as the pain in her shattered ribs woke up again. She nearly fell over, but defiantly stood facing Aage.

Aage stalked over to her, a menacing air around him. He was ticked to say the least. His subaltern was proving more difficult to break to his will than he had thought.

(Funfun... :giggle: )

Rayana had take in all in rather calmly, she had not exploded, she had not reacted except for words. She certainly was till angry with Aage but she knew that once Cordelia entered the clearing, the youngest vampire of all three was getting herself into trouble. Knowing her luck she had heard all of their conversation and was now thinking she wanted to take over the whole place.

It was far from it, she had no need for these islands, she had enough for herself as it was. She gave a warning look to Cordelia, warning her that she was getting in deep trouble. Rayana had no desire to see the twenty years old vampire killed. The black haired woman refused to say a word though, she could not blow her cover so easily.

Aage sneered at the fledgeling, another unworthy vampire, one he should get rid of. He gave a simple raised eyebrow before turning back to Rayana, deciding to ignore the one unworthy of his attention.

"I expect answers."

(Gah short...)

Rayana inwardly sighed, couldn't this girl recognize a warning look when she saw one? One that said 'don't push if you know what's better for you. She wanted to slap her forehead at the sheer stupidity Cordelia was displaying. And here she thought Cordelia actually got brains. She could not give more advice at the moment. Not while he was looking at her at least. She could not do something while the eyes of the older vampire were on her. If she tried something, she would get killed, certainly. It was not a possibility that she liked, neither was getting Cordelia killed. She was innocent in this affair. The younger vampire should not be killed for having stumbled upon something she shouldn't have.

"There is no answer that will satisfy you Aage." She replied to him. "And don't mind her; she does not know what she is talking about."

She had said that because Cordelia had nothing to do with what was happening here. The younger vampire should have been more cautious about what she was doing. Rayana might not have been a perfect person, but she could not let someone who had nothing to do with a situation that she was in get killed by said situation. Nothing was worse than to condemn innocents to death, she knew that from experience. She was trying to get Cordelia out of there, with force if it proved necessary. A warning glare was sent to Cordelia once again. Aage was not a vampire to be messed with.

Outwardly, her expression had not changed, except when she had sent that look to Cordelia. She looked as angry but as regal as usual. She hoped the younger vampire would understand and not resent her for the words she had just uttered, after all, she wasn't the one being angry with Cordelia. It was the other way around. She knew that if Aage decided to do something against the youngest vampire of all three of them, she would not be able to stop him. Getting killed trying? Certainly. Succeeding at stopping him? Unlikely.

Aage had not paid any heed to the youngest vampire, he considered her too low on the vampire food chain to be worth his attention. Anything that could not be useful to him was not worth it in his book. Cordelia was only twenty and didn't seem to have any particular talents. He knew that both women knew each other from somewhere else, the looks Rayana was sending the younger vampire was enough proof. He wasn't sure what the nature of those looks was, but that didn't interest him that much. The fact was that Rayana had taken the younger vampire's defense was a lot more interesting.

"Why are you protecting her?" He asked Rayana, ignoring Cordelia once again.

To her utmost surprise, Cordelia did not utter another word, as if her warnings had been heard and dully noted. It was a good thing too because the younger vampire was not aware of the vindicative tendencies. Rayana knew that she was up for a hard retribution herself since she had not 'obeyed' the older vampire the way he had wanted her to.

To someone else, it would have earned death, but she was too important to be killed. She had a whole army ready to kill after all. If she so desired she could have taken the islands as her's a long time ago but she didn't. Rayana was not as cruel as she seemed. Well, some days she was, others she wasn't. Her life was more complicated than most people's.

She had known Aage for longer than any other, any living person at least. He had the habit of killing those who knew too many things about him. She was in a dead end. She could continue to defend Cordelia and give the other time to escape. She probably would get punished for that, or she would save her own skin and get the younger vampire killed.

What great options. She could not get someone killed because of her cowardice so she would continue to take the brunt of Aage's anger. If Cordelia thought she was cruel, it was nothing compared to how Aage acted. Rayana looked like a fluffy bunny next to him. He ate vampires like her and Cordelia for breakfast.

"I can choose to take any under my wing and you do not have a say in it Aage." She replied in a tone that said it wasn't the first time they had that conversation. "It isn't because you are older than I am that you can boss me around that much."

Well, Aage could if he wanted, but that didn't mean she would surrender, she never did. He would only succeed in getting angrier and going off to kill an untold amount of both vampires and humans. Well, more like anything that crossed his path.

"If I were to obey in that slavish kind of way, it would be dishonor." She said disdainfully. "I am protecting her because better be dead than a slave grovelling at your feet."

She had said that because he had bnever been part of a coven, he didn't carry a bloodline within him. He didn't have a noble lineage like she did. He was the son of a nobody and had never cared to become someone since he had been changed. She at least at been born a vampire, from a king and a queen no less and before that, her ancestors had allways been leaders.

Aage indeed had never even thought about the concept of a free country, he was a tyrant through and through. He had lived too long and acquired to much power for it to be healthy. It was one of the reason most elders didn't necessarily live eternally. Some had killed themself if they were good people when they had started to feel like a god or something.

Those elders who were not good were usually killed by other elders. But Aage was soo old that he outaged every last vampire populating the planet. They would need to unite all and everything to succeed against him. Well, there were allways other ways. Aagesmirked when he listened to Rayana's answers.

"Are you my slave then?" He asked with a voice that would have sent shivers down the spine of anybody else had the two present not been beings of darkness themselves. "Would you rather be killed then?"

He stalked towards Rayana in a 'I'm dangerous and going to kill you' fashion.

"It can be arranged."

He took her disobeying very seriously, and if she was to take an apprentice it would not be a good thing. That was why he had killed her daughter, husband and adopted son and made it look like some disease or an accident. He could not afford her to have heirs. Gimrodal was a threat to his power and he needed her to be under his control.

(I need Cordelia to do something rash so Rayana can protect her and get mauled in the process.)

VIOLENCE ALERT

Rayana was ready to spit in his face if there was a need, but she would not lower herself to that point. She was a lady after all. Straightening, she gave a hard glare to Aage, not intending to show anything more than defiance.

''Honestly, I'd think you'd learn something...'' She mocked. ''But It is not the case, you are just as stupid as you allways were.''

She took a step back, not relinquishing terran, but in a way that said: I am washing my hands of you or such other sentence. Rayana was not someone to back down easily and it showed. Cordelia and her were similar in that aspect, except for the fact that Rayana expected to be obeyed if she told you something.

That and she had no qualms about 'punishing' other vampires for misbehaving. Rayana was not as 'kind' and 'caring' as Cordelia in a way, she was a lot harsher. Well, she had lived a lot longer too, so that made her desillusioned about the world. The black haired woman nearly heard Cordelia move, but it seems the younger vampire had studied and practiced well.

Aage sneered at the younger vampire in front of him, he gave her his patented evil eye number 26. Obviously, it had no effect on the black haired woman. It infuriated him to no end how this one still held defiance for him after all those years. you'd expect they'd break some time or another, but Rayana never did.

"Trying to act funny?" He asked with venom in his voice.

In the time he had been talking and completely ignoring Cordelia, she had slipped between him and Rayana and proceeded to insult his existence. He was so surprised by the bold move of the fledgelying that he didn't move when the rock connected with the middle of his forehead and bounced off.

—> Doing a move she had been sincerely doing a lot in the last few minutes, she mentally slapped her forehead. Adding to it a mental groan, Rayana placed her hand over the shoulder of the vampire in front of her and dug her claws in it. No time was wasted as she litterally threw the young mother to the side and out of harm's reach. The claws hadn't done much damage, but it would hurt a lot for the next few minutes, enough to keep her out of the loop for a few minutes. <—

(If this is not to your convenience Adz, then I will change it.)

Aage snapped himself out ofhis stupor and went to punch Cordelia, but rayana had gotten the fledgeling out of the way that he only grazed her sleeve as his extended hand passed her. The target he dug his claws in was not what he expected. He dug his claws and hand in the black haired woman's chest, breaking a lot of bones and keeping her upright when he nearly pierced her heart.

Rayana stumbled upon the impact, but she could not step back more than a few centimeters because she was kind of stuck. Growling low, she levelled her now blood red eyes to the older vampire, no pupil was seen in the red depths. The vampire snarled her displeasure and spat in the older vampire's face. Kind of shocking for the older vampire.

Aage growled back and backhanded the black haired vampire across the face, again. He then forcefully pulled his hand out and turned away. He picked up some speed and disappeared from view.

Rayana sighed and sat on the ground slowly, this was a far cry from the usual graceful woman everyone knew. The front and side of her shirt were covered in blood, her own blood. In all that, she had forgotten about Cordelia and she didn't spare the younger vampire a glance for now. She'd probably want a piece of her too.