Welcome to Gaia! ::

Thomas woke in a darkened room. A tall, dark haired man in regal black clothing was pacing in front of him. He knealt to Thomas's eye level. "Where is Aavard," the man asked. Thomas frowned in confusion. "Your new prince, Aavard. Do not toy with me."

"I don't know."

"You protect royals."

"I was on a mission." The man stared at him for a long time, finally nodding. "Very well. He doesn't know, it seems. Gentlemen, you may turn him. Tell your gods that Daegal Barras sent you." The vampires bit down into his neck, injecting their venom, forcing their blood down his throat.

He could only think of Trinity.

Nadia stood up swiftly from a nearby table. "He didn't come back? s**t!" The general held up a hand. "You two may go recover his body. He is no doubt dead. When you return, we will burn it. Go now."

Nadia grabbed Trinity by the arm and ran with her out of the tent. "Hurry before he changes his mind!" She grabbed her gun and headed for the border at a brisk walk. "Like it," she asked after a while. She smiled brightly, "It's my own invention. A gun. The first and only. A human man showed me blueprints for one. Of course, human weapons don't work in our world. I tweaked it. It shoots, but it shoots smoke to create cover. It shoots electricity too," she rambled on, "You know, the stuff lightning is made from? I found some pirates off the coast who've harnessed and bottled it. The canister in here recycles - er, re-uses - it. It gives me a never-ending supply."

She shot a sidelong glance at Trinity. "You don't talk much, do you commoner?"

"Only one person alive has done it; my uncle. My older sister sails with him. Would you believe he actually has a ship that flies? An airship, he calls it," she laughed. "He's an inventor. You should meet him sometime. He adores Thomas," she laughed, "Told me I should marry him. I made him my brother instead." She laughed again and continued walking.

Suddenly, Nadia held out a hand to stop Trinity. "I smell his blood. And a vampire. Watch yourself," she warned.

"Kill," she said simply with an evil smile. She circled away from Trinity and disappeared into the mist, hoping to conceal herself well enough to attack the vampire. The mist confused the scent and sounds. She couldn't tell where they were coming from. Finally, her boot connected with the base of a tree.

Strapping her gun across her, she began climbing above the thick mist. It was no good; she couldn't see anything. "Looking for me," asked an amuzed, deep voice from behind her. There, standing on the limb, leaning against the trunk of the tree, was Thomas... Only it wasn't Thomas. His fangs glinted in the half light of the setting sun that peaked through the trees.

"I hoped I never had to kill you," Nadia said sadly. "Oh, don't worry," Thomas said brightly, "You won't." He shoved her hard with the heel of his boot and Nadia went crashing to the earth.

Thomas seized Trinity from behind and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Now, I'm going to let you live - if you cooperate. You go back and you tell your pathetic troops to stay out of our territory. We'll be coming to destroy them soon enough," he hissed in her ear. He threw her to the ground next to Nadia. The other vampire laughed. "I'll take the blonde. You grab her. We'll escort them to the boundary to make sure they don't get any funny ideas."

Thomas pulled Trinity to her feet and tied her wrists tightly. He stroked her hair. "Too pretty to be a soldier dog," he teased, "Just as well that you'll all be dead soon."

His eyes had become pitch black; he was not Thomas anymore, but a vampire lord... and he meant business.

Thomas stood, brushing himself off as he laughed. "She has a bit of a bite on her, doesn't she?" He looked down at the other vampire. "You alright?"

"She bloody stabbed me!" He spat at the ground.

Thomas stared after her. "I can still smell her. I think I'll go take her for my own. I bet she'll taste delicious. Are you in or out?" The man snarled as he yanked the blade from his flesh. "Out. You can take that back to your little girlfriend. I'm not going to chance the sun."


Thomas crept toward the camp, following her scent and waiting to catch her on her own.

"You know... that could lead to infection. Besides, I can't let you muck up your veins before I get a hit from them." In an instant he was beside her, brushing her hair back gently. "So beautiful. Let me drink from you. Let me become a part of you. Let me make you one with me. If you become my mate and stay by my side, I will love you, lavish you with riches beyond your dreams... I will be your slave."

He kissed her neck lightly from shoulder to chin. "What name am I privilaged to call you, mortal?"

"It's not force," he said, standing and holding up his hands in surrender. "Something in this mortal vessel feels deeply for you; it has carried on to me. This man must have loved you greatly. Or was it unrequited love," he asked, seeing the look on her face. He rubbed his ribs where she elbowed him and dropped his hands to his side. "He must have broken your heart. You poor girl." He shook his head sadly. "I can love you deeper than any mortal can."

He moved closer. "Come with me and I can show you. You can have anything you want. Just let me love you. Let me drink you."