[Rain]

Argus:

.

[Rain]

Argus:

On such an auspicious of nights the vampire found himself in the countryside, situated within a small cabin that was two stories high. It was made primarily of wood and could be found in the middle of no where, within a tree filled plot of land that sat on the edge of a field. The inside of the house was completely dark, save for the light of a few candles in the living room, and utterly silent. Outside the wind blew with a strong gust, causing the foundation of the house to move ever so slightly and thus make it creak. Owls spoke out side with their haunting hoo's as crickets sung a high pitch song among the grass.

Argus had placed his new found child within one of the bedrooms upstairs. It was a small room, meant for a child, and thus had toys scattered about. The room was dark though, pitch black save for slivers of moonlight that came in through a window that was covered in thick curtains. Should she wake she would find herself nude, possibly sore. With a simple outfit laid kit upon a dresser for her to wear. It was red, which he figured was her favorite color. Argus himself was waiting for her to wake up. The moment of biting was always so draining, but poor Aria had a gaping wound in her back at the time of turning. He knew she would need her rest. But he did not mind.

He had plenty of time and a family of four to keep him occupied. There was a man, woman, son and daughter. The son had to have been atleast 18 but the girl was no more than 10. They were dead, although not bleeding. He knew she might need it. He personally had fed from the father and son, draining the two completely in order to keep his thrust at bay. But the mother and daughter were still warm. They were fresh kills and previous owners of this home he now resided in. Within a chair he waited in the dark, next to a candle.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria

It was dark when I awoke. I had no clothes on my body. It seems that someone had moved me from that hill in Coventry. The moon dancing on the walls across from where I lay.  Seeing the moon caused me to look around. The walls where made of some sort of wood. I didn't know for sure what kind, I didn't get up to inspect closer. On the floor just below, I saw toys. Little things that seemed so fragile. A child's playthings.

I swiveled my head around slowly. There was not much else in this small space. Standard attire for a bedroom, I suppose. Then something caught my eye. It seemed so out of place in this room. In what was obviously a room for a child, there were clothes laid out that were anything but.

I stood, pain etching across my features. Slowly, I made it over to the place where the clothing lay. As I lifted the garment to the light, I saw it for what it was. Elegant in its simplicity, it was a dresslike piece that closely resembled a kimono. On it were the basic colors of red, white, and black.

I donned them. They had obviously been given to me, giving my lack of any. As I turned to test the fit, the hem caught my eye. This are sported the outline of a butterfly, not exaggerating, yet elegantly displaying the image. I turned toward a door, planning to explore my surroundings a bit more.

When I reached the door, I turned turned the knob and opened it. The sight of a woman who could have been my older sister was all I saw. This shocked me so much that I stumbled backwards. Biting my lip, so as not to scream, I examined the fact that the other figure mimicked my movements. It was at that point that I noticed the framing. It was a mirror.

I walked up to the mirror to take a closer look. Touching the glass, I noticed all the similarities, but there was no way. This person looked older than I was. Seeing a trickle of blood at her lower lip, we put our hand to our mouths. Both of us drew our fingers back with blood.

"What is this?"

The image mimicked my statement. As well as the following scream.

[Rain]

Argus:

He was enjoying his company despite the fact that they were silent. He merely sat there patiently with his hands folded in his lap. His eyes were closed with his posture relaxed, right leg crossed over the left at the knee. He still wore the Victorian era clothing with his sword down on the floor beside him propped against the left arm of the chair itself. This place was new, it was alien, it felt different in many aspects. There was some fundamental difference that tugged at the back of his mind that told him this place was not the earth he knew. To his right, on the floor, were the bodies of the family. The father and son started to twitch.

The motion itself caught his attention and made him open his eyes, causing those silver hues to turn off to the right along with his head. He looked down upon the bodies and studied the two male figures. As he watched a smile grew across his lips, one that exposed the top two elongated fangs. Despite the small smile it was one that held power. But then something was heard from above. The floor creaked as weight was placed upon, causing his eyes for slowly turn up toward the ceiling with his head following in lag time. It seemed his child was awake. He listened to the movements and judged her position.

He could tell from how she was walking that she was cautious, probably taking in the situation and wondering where she was. She started to move toward a door, he knew this because he memorized the layout if the house shortly after killing the family. Then she stopped moving, possibly putting on the clothes he found for her. When she started to move again he followed her movements with his eyes, noting her position again and again. But then she stopped and the screaming started. He would sigh, eyes closing as he uncrossed his legs and stood. He stood and ran near simultaneously, scooping up his sword as he did so.

As he moved as a blurr he attached his sword to his left hip, running up the steps. He stopped just outside of the door, listening for a moment before he reached out with his left and pushed. He moved into the room as he pushed the door open, silvery hues immediately locking upon her form in whatever condition she was in. She would notice his eyes sort of glowed in the night and that his skin seemed near translucent in the moonlight. He would allow her to take in the sight of him before he would speak or do anything.

"Calm down, you are fine. Just sit down and relax, young miss." She would probably feel that her body was colder than normal, since the change would take time she would not loose all her body heat right away. But he tried to make his tone as soft as possible, as calming as possible. Soft and gentle.

"I can explain everything to you, just relax."

[Aria Haruka]

Aria

Something was very wrong here. I had to be in some sort of nightmare. That was the only way anything made sense. I felt something very wrong in my mouth. It was as though there were too many teeth. They pushed against my lips, keeping my mouth from fully closing.

I shook there in a far corner of the room. I was away from the door, my eyes locked on the position intently. The person in the mirror was no longer in sight. I knew she was there though. As I knew she always would be. Something in me was slowly breaking. I think I might have been going insane.

Then I heard sounds moving through the house. It was very fast and quiet. I heard it none the less. It was as though the adrenaline in me was allowing me to hear it all as though in slow motion. I recognized the sound of the attaching of a weapon, a sound I had heard for quite some time. Easily recognizable in its nature.

As some sort of "being" entered the room, I felt as though all the air had been sucked out. A massive pressure followed soon after. Even in this light, I could see that the figure was that of a man. He was dressed in very old styles of clothing. As I examined his form, I saw the sword at his side as well as muscles that lay dormant under his clothing.

What I noticed most of all were his eyes. They pierced through the night, seeing all things. They were a silvery color. As though two moons had been plucked from the sky. The impression the orbs gave were one of control. This man feared nothing and demanded respect from everything. His eyes went straight for me. As though I were what he sought.

His tone, when he spoke, was silky smooth. Calming me from my fears. He crooned the words he spoke, as if speaking to a child. As he did, I felt his power ebb down. He was thinking my fear was of him, I speculated. As I sat there, my body relaxed involuntarily as though coerced to betray me. I assume that this was the man that had moved me to this place and, most likely, saved me from my fate.

After he spoke, I found myself trying to put together words. It was slow going, just as before. Whatever was wrong with my mouth was apparently affecting my speech abilities. After much struggling I managed to get one simple sentence past my lips, though it sounded much like a melody.

"What's happening to me"

[Rain]

Argus:

He held no outward expression of power when is entered the room, there was no display of dominance or metaphysical coercion. All he displayed was a natural business persona and steadfast confidence. He was the most important person in the room at all times. He was king Shit of turf island, he was the boss. Those that looked at him would only know that this persona was merely that, a persona, unless trained to see through such expressions. But he was confident, he was proud and he was true. He let this show in his words as he spoke, let this reflect in his body language. The fluidity he possessed was unnatural, which would be seen in every slow stride is took toward her.

Never did his eyes leave her form. He made sure to keep eye contact for as long as possible. He noticed her body start to relax, watched as the posture subtly shifted. It was to be expected, he was her maker now. There would always be a feeling of calm when he was around. Eventually his approach would stop at the foot of the bed, left hand coming down to rest upon the foot board. She struggled to speak, which came to no surprise, given she would need to get use to the newly acquired canines.  When she did eventually speak he would let out a sigh, reaching down to undo the belt that held his sword upon his hips.

He would remove it and place it upon the bed before moving forward more and stepping to the side. He would bend his knees and place his back against the bed, facing her while sliding his feet along the flooring. His knees lowering so that his elbows could be placed upon then. He looked upon her with serious regard as he let her question linger.

"You are in the process of turning into a vampire. You have been unconscious for twenty-four hours. The first effects are starting to send in." He said with that same smooth and business like tone. "You were dieing when I found you. I killed the assailant and turned you. You passed out, so I brought you here." He added quickly after his own statement.

His knees would be drawn in at that point, elbows removing themselves from their previous position so his palms could be put to the floor at his sides. His feet came closer, knees laying down to the sides as his legs crossed under his form. His hands then came forward to rest in his lap before taking a deep breath. In all actuality he did not need of to breath. He did this just to talk.

"My name is Argus. What may I call you?"

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

This man.... There was something about him. The way he spoke seemed arogant, but not purposefully so. It was as though he had once known all things and was proud of it, only to find that there was more behind the curtain of his own reality. I could see the slight dancing of his eyes. He was thinking about all he could do in a situation such as this. It was as though this person had never been in these lands. What was he looking to do? The idea that this being was not of this plane, scared me. If there was one such as this, how many others were there? How many that were stronger, smarter, or evil?

I shook the thought from my mind. There was already too much on my plate. The fact that this man was here, in this room, was evidence enough of that. Though he seemed dangerous, it appeared that I was meant no ill will. Lucky me I thought wryly. At least any poorness in his character was kept well in check. That made him smart. He knew his own flaws and took means to keep them within his control. The ability to do such a thing went against most people's personality. He was completely in check, perfectly composed at all times.

Vampire? Did he really just say that? The more feral of the dark children? I had heard about them somewhere. I tried to think of where, only to give myself an excruciating headache. There was something blocking my thoughts. Even when I tried to think of myself, I ran into those barriers. I knew that there was something in my past that was different about me. I wasn't normal by any stretch of the word. As I thought about it, all that I could remember sat there, stagnant in a way that told me there was so much more.

My memories were fairly simple. Before this room, there was not much. I knew I had been in Coventry before this. I knew that I had been running from something. Was it this man? How, truly, was he tied to me by fate? There is always a bigger scheme. Other than that, I remember fire. Flames that danced through the air. It wasn't hot. It was like a best friend, warm and protective. Something that felt so familiar that I began to ache as I thought about it. Then there was the voice. It boomed athority. As though it must be obeyed. I couldn't make out the words, but fear caused my stomache to sink. These two things made no sense. What did they symbolize?

Tracing my thoughts back, I came upon the staement of vampire once again. Don't ask me how I knew anything, but I let my knowledge surface from whence it came. Vampires were feral creatures from the pits of hell. Vampirism is one, of several, diseases that can infect the mortal man. The thing is, this man did not fit the description she knew. He was too composed, thought about and judged his actions accordingly. So again, what was going on here? Reality, it seems, has a way of falling apart at the seams.

I came out of my reverie at the sound of a deep breath. Did he really need to breathe? This man, Argus, seemed bored. It was as though he were taking out the time to tell her something that he's said a million times before. Why then had he taken an interest in me? It was he that had caused the treads of our individual fates to intertwine. This was all his whim, and he was........bored? I wonder then, what does my future have in store?

'Aria," came the singsong voice, "Aria Haruka"

[Rain]

Argus:

The female in front of him seemed to be lost in thought, which he could understand. There were quite a few new things that were going on with her that she would come to know in due time. But at the moment she didn't know what was going on or who Argus was. After he spoke to her he waited for her to reply, waiting as long as necessary in order to get what he wanted. He was patient when he was a man, a mortal with limited time at his deposal. But now that he was immortal he was even more patient than before. Thanks to that stranger, his sire, the vampire that he devoured in order to get as strong as he did and thanks to oblivion he now had an eternity in order to take what he wanted. Everything his eyes fell upon were his posessions, whether other people knew it or not. Everything was his and everyone else were merely thieves. When she did speak he smiled lightly, those glowing hues never leaving her form as he sat there.

"A pleasure, Aria." He spoke smoothly, watching her still. She didn't seem to have to much of a physical reaction to what he had to say. He could tell from her expression and subtle body language that she didn't completely understand.

He had noted the subtle skepticism that she expressed through little signs, subtle emotions that anyone not accustomed to their use would miss. This was one of the secrets to his business success, one of the ways he triumphed over every transaction and cornered every market. It was these small emotions that he looked for, the expressions that most didn't know they gave away. A slight dialation of the pupils, a twitch of the corner of the mouth, a subconcious twitch of the eyes or increased pulse rate. A generating of certain pheramones which was triggered by nervousness, anger, jealousy or lieing. With all of these little things gathered via sensory perception he generated, within his mind, a few possibilities of what she could be feeling. And thus he adapted his strategy accordingly. He stayed leaning back against the footboard of the bed. He closed his eyes for but a moment ot relax, his head dropping forward so that the chin was placed to his chest.

"I know it is a surprise, Aria. I did not make the decision lightly. But there is one thing you must understand." He lifted his head up and opened his eyes, placing those glowing silver orbs back onto her. "I am not a good man. Nor am I evil. But after the decision I made I plan to help you get use to your new condition, I plan to teach you about what you are. I learned a little about you through your blood when I turned you. Your previous life is gone, now you start anew. I can't say much for the power you once held, it might be completely gone or it might not. We will have to see. But I noticed the look you had earlier, you are now a Vampire. As am I. The stories and nightmares people tell don't really do us justice." He raised his right hand up slightly so that he could examine it. "I will answer any questions you have." He would finally say as those eyes turned back to her form.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

I heard all of this and tried to comprehend it. I understood it, but something in my mind didn't want to take it as true. How could this happen? Although my memories were fragmented, something nagged at me. Whatever I was before was not human. Those forgotten abilities prevent such a thing as this from occurring. So what this Argus person was saying could never happen.

I felt a shiver down my back. The bedroom we were in was far from cold, but I couldn't shake it. My body felt like it was late autumn outside. I wasn't used to being cold. Something told me that I should be boiling.

I proceeded to stand. Stretching muscles that were sore to the touch. Something similar to growing pains, I suppose. I rubbed my left shoulder with my right hand, trying to loosen it. I felt physically uncomfortable, like I needed to get out of this place. I was too crowded.

"Can I leave? I don't feel right here. I want to go somewhere else." The statement I made brought to light another piece of information. "Where are we anyway?"

I shuffled in place, waiting for the answer to come. Something was driving me to move. I needed to run. What was going on here? Is it possible that he was telling me the whole truth as he knew it? Again though, how?

[Rain]

Argus:

The fact that she was taking this as calmly as she was made this interesting, to say the least. She didn't panic like most, she didn't scream and run, she didn't freak out and wonder what in the wold was going on. Indeed, she questioned it but she didn't over react. He watched her still though, remaining silent after speaking for as long as she would. Silvery hues piercing through the night in order to keep her within his view. He judged her as he watched her, scaling her abilities that she could feel. When she eventually started to stand he would do so as well, leaning forward to place his hands upon the ground and uncross his legs. He pushed himself help, reaching back to grab upon the foot board of the bed. He moved to stand in front of her and then listened to her speak. Regrettably he would have to shake his head to her request. She would not be allowed to go anywhere.

"I am sorry, but I can not let you go anywhere. As of the moment, this is the only sanctuary we have." He straightened his clothes as he spoke, looking to her once more. "Before we leave here I need to teach you everything you need to know to survive."

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

My heart sunk at the words. No? I had to sty here, in this little home. I did not feel comfortable, not in the least. I was going to go insane here. The walls appeared to be closing in by this time. What little light there was seemed to cause the shadows to become darker, more pronounced.

It wasn't fair. I looked over the mans shoulder to the doorway. I could just make out the shine of my eyes through the darkness. As I looked, I became angry. What right did he have to tell me that I should stay? He brought me here without allowing me to make the choice myself. It wasn't right. Not by a long shot. I never asked for this. I did not know this man. I did not want to be here.

As I continued to think these thoughts, I felt my blood begin to boil. Confusion and fear fueled the fire. My eyes lit up in the mirror, bringing back a sight I knew well. I felt the power swelling inside me. What then should I do?. I looked around slowly, there had to be an answer...

[Rain]

Argus:

He counted the moments within his mind, watching her as she seemed to stir within her thoughts. He was patient in life and thus he was even more so in death. His hair layered around his face, falling into an exquisite facade. But then he started to feel what was building within the very core if Arias being, the anger and the fear along with confusion and doubt. The more he stood there and felt the emotion boiling off of her the more he knew what she was thinking. She wanted to run, she wanted to get away. She hated him for what is did to her.

"Don't run." He commented. "You need me to teach you how to control your new condition. Or you will wind up killing everyone you come across and bathing in their blood. I need to teach you more about what you are, how to control it. There is more to being a vampire than people think."

He would then look away from her and then move over to the door and open it. Pulling it open and standing next to it, looking over to her with a sensitive and firm stare. He was watching to see how she reacted to what he was about to say.

"So you have two choices. Leave now and risk killing everyone you come across, getting a bounty and hunters on you and eventually getting killed. Or you can stay with me and you can learn more about what you are." He sighed at that point. "It was either let you die, or give you a new life."

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

I did not like this situation one bit. Even if I was a vampire, as he said, I could not stomach the idea of blood. The thought of drinking the life source of someone else made me queezy. There was no way I could handle that. If I didn't, what would happen to me? Would I grow into a feral beast, tearing through everyone around me? Or is it possible that I would die from lack of feeding?

I heard the option of leaving. That meant that he was fully confident in his belief of what would happen. So sure, in fact, that he was willing to risk lives. This was a problem. He knew that I would take both sides of this tidbit of information. That being the case, I learned nothing.

Ugh. This was frustrating. I didn't want to kill people, but my body wanted movement. It's as though I had an eternal supply of energy causing my instincts to tell me to move constantly. I was also being prodded to leave because I felt threatened here. It was not the man that stood casually before me. The presence was outside, lurking somewhere in the shadows. It did not yet know we were here, but it was only a matter of time.

I sat on the edge of the bed, keeping myself in check. There was more I needed to know. Much more. This Argus person claimed to have all the answers. So then it was only a matter of getting him to talk. So where to begin? There was too much to ask. And very little time to ask it in. Thusly, I kept my question simple.

"Tell me everything."

[Rain]

Argus:

He watched her up until the point she sat down upon the bed. He could tell what she was feeling, he knew what was on her mind. He would close his eyes and turn away from her. She had weighed her options and made her choice, now it was his turn. He closed the door and walked over to her, taking a seat upon the bed to her right. His hands came to smooth over the thighs of his pants while his eyed looked down to his lap.

"Of course, you know you are going to drink blood." He would turn his eyes over to Aria . "At first it'll be rough. But trust me, it tastes better. And you get use to it." His eyes would move from her and to the window. "It doesn't have to be the Hell others make it sound like. It can actually be a pleasant experience. But you will have to listen to me."

It was at that point he stood, arms falling to his sides, as he would take a few steps forward and then turn to face her, silvery hues glowing for a single moment until they eventually dimmed. He watched her curiously, calculating what she could br thinking before moving to speak again.

"Unlike you I made the choice to turn. If you know me long enough I might tell you my reasons. But I am not a good guy, like I have said before. It will be tough at first, but if you listen to me you will he fine." He would lean back against the window itself, showing that it was closed. "You will get strong cravings for blood. It is best that you prepare yourself now. You have a couple days before your body fully dies and the Blood Lust hits you." He would pause for a moment to let her take that in.

"We drink blood because it sustains our bodies." He continued with. "Blood contains an energy, or essence, called Vitae. This Vitae is what sustains our Undead form and grants us our supernatural abilities, if you know how to utilize it properly." His arms crossed over his chest as he watched her, moonlight outlining his form. "If you do not get enough of it, you will enter a frenzy. The inner beast, as its called, takes over and you become an animalistic killing machine. No remorse given, you will slaughter men women and children." Hid right hand would come up and flip over so the palm faced the ceiling. "If you drink too much you will become drunk, which can be just as bad. So you have to find your balance. The best way to live with this is too predict your cravings."

He stopped with that. "You with me so far?"

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

I had heard the basic principle of this already. The only real new thing I've heard wer the comments about vitae and power. Interesting. He was giving all of this information very slowly. That was going to make this take all night. There had to be a way to speed up this process.

I weighed my options for a moment as he spoke, half listening, but hearing every word. It was possible that I could get the information easily. So in that thought, I decided to take the direct approach.

"What are the real side effects here. It'd be easier if we cut to the chase here."

I had to get to the bare facts. That's how real decisions could be made. Flowery information was only going to confuse me more.

[Rain]

Argus:

As he spoke he noticed the look upon her face change. At first it was subtle but it soon became clear that his method of explanation was not favorable to her. But he continued to speak until his little rant was finished, when he questioned her she spoke in such a direct manner it caught him slightly off guard, but it was a welcomed thing. She could make a good buisness woman. With a smile he pushed backward with his shoulders and lifted himself off of the window.

"You can not go out into the sun." He spoke bluntly as he came off of the wall, arms uncrossing as he reached up to his neck with his left hand and pulled forth an amulet. She would be able to see the black crystal clearly within the amulet itself. He exposed it to her openly, taking another step forward.

"Atleast not until I can make you one of these. The Rays from the sun emit a certain type of energy that will burn us to ashes. This crystal puts a field around you that filters out that energy." Of course he was referring to Ultra-violet radiation but he was not sure if she knew its name. "Your heart is another weakness. If you get staked, I'd the heart pierced, you will become paralyzed. If you loose your head and its not reattached within 3 minutes you will die. Avoid Holy magic and energy, it will turn you to ash. Holy Objects will repel you. Silver and garlic might be irritating but nothing particularly life threatening there." He said as he placed the amulet back into his clothing.

She would notice that he stopped to think at that point, going through his thought process to make sure he didn't miss anything. His left hand came up to playfully rub at his chin, stroking it menacingly. He then snapped his fingers and looked to her again.

"Almost forgot! Fire. Technically, our bodies are dead and decaying. Thus why we need blood and the vitae it contains. Our bodies are weak against fire due to easily burning." He would run his hands through his hair and look down for a moment.

"But I think that's it. Any questions?" He asked, looking back to her as he straightened his coat.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

So many restrictions. If this as all true, it would be very hard to survive. Avoiding alot of the things that occurred in everyday life. I could never walk into a church, sit close to a fire, and had to always stay on edge around sharp objects. This would be a difficult life, if I chose it. I stored all this information for future recollection. If this was something that I could do, I had to steel myself against it.

I took a deep breath. There was alot within myself that I had to process. I didn't want to die. So there was only one real thing that I could do. I had to test my limits. Once I had found them all, I would push them further. Hopefully, in doing so, I could gain more power. I may even be able to have some semblance of a normal life at some point.

That brought to mind the blood once more. The idea really did disgust me. Perhaps there was a loophole in it. Argus said that blood produced vitae. Vampires need vitae to survive. Vitae was energy. So, essentially, vampires don't need the blood. They need the energy from it. That was the understanding I had developed anyway. Did it HAVE to be blood? Did it HAVE to be human? These were the things I needed answers to. Maybe I could find a way to feed off of pure energies. That would make it to where I needed to feed less often, or even get more power.

"Does it HAVE to be blood? Is there any other way?"

[Rain]

Argus:

He noticed more of the subtle reactions as she sat in quiet contemplation about what he revealed. No one said that it was an easy life but it did have some considerable perks. She thought long and hard about the possibilities, he could tell that much was going on. He did not know, though, what her conclusion would be. When she finally spoke his eyebrows rose up in slight curiousity and surprise. What a thing to ask.

"Interesting. There are a type of vampire that feed off of energy alone, but I can not say that we can do it. I never really tried, I prefer the blood. But you could look into it. The thing about Vitae, is that once generated it must be used or it will disappear. Which is why feeding off of energy alone is tricky. But it does not necessarily have to be human blood. For now you could get by with animal blood." He would shrug with his final statement. She might noticed that when he wasn't moving, it seemed like he wasn't alive. Like he was just a statue.

He would move closer, positioning himself off to the side and sit down upon the bed. He would be off to her right, hands coming to his lap with his head turning so he could keep Aria in his view.

"So, you have three choices. Let me show you how to live and accept your new life. Run out the door, killing hundreds of people and be hunted till you die. Or kill yourself." He shrugged, eyes closing as he looked away from her and out the window.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

So this was mostly a matter of my principles. Lovely. The ability to utilize animal blood was good, I suppose. However, that still didn't cure the fact that blood was blood. It seems like this was going to be a lot harder to overcome.

I did, however, notice that my idea had not been completely discarded. The possibility existed. If blood was used to produce vitae (vitae being a form of energy) then the possibility was still applicable. Energy can be transmuted into other forms with the right knowledge. The vampire form used this energy to perform great feats of strength, skill, and 'summon'. Much more than that, vampires rely on blood to survive. Perhaps they transform it into vitae in small doses to simply survive. Then the real issue would be how to draw on pure energy in small doses almost constantly.

I mulled over this thought for a moment. The sheer hope of one day being able to do this kept me going. I don't think that I could possibly survive an eternity by snuffing out someone else's life. That wasn't a part of who I was. In fact, doing so went against the core of my being. So I let the thought continue, leaving Argus to wait.

Vitae is the conversion of blood. Blood was the life force that let all things in existence live. All things had blood. Creatures ate food to survive. Food was converted into energy and carried by the bloodstream to different parts of the body. Creating vitae, it seems, is the extraction of this energy. The energy made by other creature. Vampires didn't eat. Because of this, they have developed a way to get at the energy in a different fashion. The energy in it's truest form had more power.

I had heard of other beings being able to do similar things. Women who could lift extraordinarily large and heavy objects when in danger. Cats who ran extremely fast. Witches and Warlocks did blood summons to create stronger creatures. Even elves and dwarves who had natural talents within themselves to do great feats. It was all in the control. Vampires had been born with a very particular way to get this energy.

Maybe, by drawing directly on a source of power, it was possible to get at it slowly like the trickle of a stream. Then, if the need arose, open the floodgate like a roaring river. This particular way of getting at the power did not seem that far out of reach. With the right preparations, and of course the knowledge necessary, I think that there was a possibility that I could quickly solve this conundrum.

I looked straight into those pale eyes that seemed to hide so many secrets. In that moment, I became resolute in my decision. I could- No, I would do this.

"I can't stand to see a body. Maybe I can deal with blood for now, but no bodies." I turned to face the window, seeing the moonlight peek through. Morning would come soon. "I WILL find a way around this, if you'd help me"

[Rain]

Argus:

He could see the gears starting to work within her mind. He could feel the slight increase in activity as her brain went through the tedious process of comprehending the current situation. As he watched her he knew that she was thinking. He could only make a guess at what she was thinking about but her silence was all he needed to simply know. He turned his head away from her as the silence drew on, droning into a seeming large infinity. When you live for an eternity to tend to not feel or notice the passage of time.

The only thing that would draw his attention back to her was when she moved to speak. His head turned back in her direction so that the silvery hiss would find her crimson orbs once more. When she spoke he would find his eyebrows lifting up in genuine surprise. His hands were pulled from his lap and his arms were reached back so that the palms could be placed onto the bed. He would lean back then, slightly, supporting his weight with his arms. This would make her need to turn more to her right so that she could keep her eyes on his. But is contemplated what she said, the force behind her words showing her resolve.

"I see, so you have a problem with killing people to get blood." It was not uncommon for newly turned vampires to not want to kill for their blood. Their humanity was still fresh within their minds so they still had the thought process they had while alive.

His lips pursed slightly in thought as he looked down to his lap. "Just because you need blood to survive does not mean you need to kill your victims. There other ways to go about it. Knock them out and drain some of theory blood into a container is one. Ask for blood donations is another." The second option made him laugh lightly.

"I will do my best to make it easier for you by filling containers myself and giving them too you. But you do need the experience of drinking from a body. You see, you will not turn someone from biting them. You could and attack and feed off of someone, biting them and opening a wound, and drain them enough to leave them alive. That is if you can stop yourself. But they will not turn. If you drain them completely they will turn into a ghoul, much like a zombie. That will obey your every command." He stopped to take a breath, turning his eyes to look at her. "In order to turn you have to give them some of your blood and take some of theirs." He would shrug at that point, eyes closing. "So it doesn't have to be as hard as you make it seem."

Argus would then lean forward at that point, placing his hands upon his thighs before standing up straight and stretching. His arms reached up as he did so, a groan left his lips. When he finished he began to walk toward the door, which had been open earlier, and stand within the door frame.

"Come with me, Aria. We have company down stairs." He would say and start to work. To her his voice, the subtle and light command is gave her, would be near impossible to resist. Of course this was an effect of the master/servant bond that was made upon turning.

He would lead her out the door, down a hallway that was lined with pictures of the former owners of the residence and their family that they had. There were many photos and paintings upon each wall. Eventually the wall on the right side opened to show a steep staircase, which Argus turned and walked down. He would continue to lead her down the steps and into the dining room. He made another right and into the living room, where and couch and chair sat near a fireplace. Next to the chair was the family of four, the previous owners of the residence. The father and his 18 year old son were definitely dead but the bodies were twitching.

"Say hello to the previous owners of this residence." He said in a dark tone. He would gesture to the mother and her adolescent daughter. "I left them for you. Even though you do not need blood to live yet you will still hunger for it. I want you to feed off of one of them until you are full. This is the only time I will tell you to so it. You need the experience. Pick one, mother or daughter. Don't worry, they are dead. The bodies and blood are still warm as well." He would loom over to her at that point to see her reaction.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

This was not good. No matter how many ways around the truth I found, it always came back to this. Feeding. I had to. Even if not for any purpose other than satisfying Argus' curiosity. The tone he gave me indicated as much. He wanted it. And she must obey.

Resigning myself to the truth of his words, I followed him down the stairs. Pictures blurred as I simply looked by. There was no point. I knew what was coming. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairway, I swallowed hard. Four bodies I had never known lay there haphazardly. Two of them were twitching involuntarily. Lives never to be completed, snuffed out in the night. The sight repulsed me.

I began to back away, breathing sharply as I did so. Big mistake. The smell of their blood reached my nose and I reacted. I moved involuntarily to the young girl, trying to stop myself the whole way. I knelt to her level, opening my mouth as I did so. And I bit down.

The last thing I remember is the taste of copper as everything went dark.

[Rain]

Argus:

He turned toward Aria when she started to back away from the sight of the bodies. He was expecting her to run, to turn and flee out of the house. He was ready to follow her. But then he noticed the sharp breath she took, which caused him to smile and simply back up. He allowed her an open path to her target. He noticed the look in her eyes, watching and feeling the desire inside of her build more and more. The smile widened, satisfaction came over him. It was like a warm tide. She took the child into her arms and began to feed. He took and deep breath and closed his eyes, smelling the blood as it spilled from the neck of the young female.

Argus watched, moving back to a wall. Be leaned back, placing his upper back against the wall. His arms crossed over his chest and those silvery hues merely observing. She seemed to loose herself in the feeding. He was observing her in the act, watching for things that might be detrimental to her eternal life. He was looking for flaws in the instinctive method to kill. So far he held no complaints. Control is something she would get in time. He would merely wait, at that point, for her to stop feeding.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

When I came to, everything had shifted. I looked down to see what had brought me back. There it was, in all its horrible glory. The body of the young girl was there, body laying at an impossible angle. Her throat looked as though it had been ripped out by some kind of animal. I knew better. I had done this. Something animalistic had taken hold of me.

I stood there for a moment, lost in my own sorrows. I hadn't taken her life, but I had taken advantage of her. I desecrated her body when I had no right. This was not who I was. How could I? What had I truly become?

I backed away from the girl and fell into a nearby chair. This is what I was. A monster.

[Rain]

Argus:

His form never moved. His statue-esque nature betrayed any signs of life that he actually held. He just watched as Aria tore the throat of that young girl apart. He was use to the sight, having done the same thing himself when he was first turned. He was taught though, nurtured as a young fledgling in order to become a respectable member of society. She fed with a ravenous ferocity that made his blood boil, urging him on tk start a fight. It was the animalistic display of it. But it was when she stopped that he would eventually moved. He knew then that she was back in reality. He would begin to move over to the chair that she fell into. He could feel her emotions, they radiated off of her like heat from a fire.

"Delicious, I know." He walked up next to the chair she was in, standing on the left side facing the body of the young girl. "But I know your thoughts, fore they were once mine as well when I first turned. Although, I took it a lot better than you are now." His right hand would reach over to place upon her shoulder gently. A comforting pressure would be applies via a grip of his hand.

"No matter what humans say. No matter what stories make us out to be, we always maintain a bit of our humanity. No matter how small, there is always something within us that remains from our mortal life. Hold onto it." That right hand would gesture forth to the ravaged body of the young girl. "Remember how you feel now and the sight of this girls corpse. It will help you learn control, it will help you learn how to drink and kill cleanly and quietly. These are things that I will teach you." He would begin to walk to the front door.

As he reached forth to take the door knob within his grasp he would speak again. "Now go shower and clean yourself up." He said softly. "There is more to learn and I'd rather you not be covered in blood. I will wash your clothing as you clean yourself." He would then take a step outside and close the door behind him.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

I moved mechanically. I heard the words that the age old vampire spoke, bit my mind was truly elsewhere. How could a creature that does something like this ever be human? They were simply that, creatures. I could hold no hope, nor be idealistic, about what I was. I had been forever changed into this parasite, this leech, this- this creature.

My body took me back up the stairs to the bathroom. It was as though it already knew where to go. I was in the pit of despair at the moment, barely aware that I was following his instructions. My clothes hit the floor; God, what had I done? How could I do something so despicable? I climbed in the shower; was this really what I had become? Did I not have a choice? The water hit me. It was as though it were a typhoon, I collapsed.

I stayed there for a time, crying into the stream of water that attempted to wash away my sin. Though little by little the blood left me, it could never truly be gone. I would forever remember this monstrous moment. And I could never forgive myself the act that could not be undone. This was my sin to bear.

I lifted myself slowly to my feet, head bent down into the dream of water. Without thought, I reached for the soap. As though a machine, I washed away the blood. This is what I was. This is all I could be. A living nightmare.

And with that, I was reborn.