Crimson Claws & Fangs ch.25

    Hidden beneath a popular Las Angelus night club lies a basketball court sized hall; before this grand hall in the dark tunnel leading to it Litmet with Rick and Ananth in toe, all in their human form approach its innocent looking entranceway. Rick thinks back to earlier that day when they received a message from a lone Moroii working for an over-seas vampire diplomat that the Vampire Society council would be meeting and wished to speak with them for an inquiry.

 

    Inside the dimly lit room the outer-rim has raised seats separated from the main floor by a wall, like parliamentary seating. In the middle of the floor is a single standing podium. The seats are filled with all manner of vampires from around the world, mostly Moroii and Strigoii representatives from their various clans, with the occasional red skinned Devil-vampire, or others who look completely human. At the head of this hall standing directly ahead of the podium stands Count Fontaine.

 

    Litmet Stands before the Podium with Ananth and Rick behind, “Well,” she asks, “what is this all about?”

 

 

    Fontaine waves his arms to the attendees, “My fellow vampires, that man standing behind this self-proclaimed empress is the one she wants ruling our society’s California territory. He has listed amongst his new laws for the vampires here, that he has outlawed the drinking of human blood.”

 

    Litmet steps down and ushers Rick onto the podium who speaks, “My laws have a long term goal, one the advancing of humanity. Vampires were originally created as a curse on humanity, vampires are humans. My goal is to move beyond this curse, to bring vampires forward as super-humans rather than cursed-humans.”

 

    The vampire parliament begins whispering and discussing amongst themselves. Litmet ushers Rick down from the podium taking his place. She clears her throat and addresses the parliament, “Rick rules the vampires of California. This is MY will. If the vampires want human blood they two choices, one is to leave the state, the other is to perish. Either way I really don’t care.” The parliament begins to mutter in anger, “Be silent you worthless parasites!” she screams, “You want a reason? Here’s your reason, evolution. Survival of the fittest. Creatures that only feed on a single food source, dependent upon it for survival, are doomed to extinction. Humans won’t be around forever…I can guarantee that.”

 

   This starts a ruckus amongst the vampires as they argue with each other over this view point. Count Fontaine speaks up silencing everyone, “A bleak view she has of our immortality. Not that it matters, rulership of a territory is supposed to go to who-ever is the strongest. Its decided by battle. I am the one who defeated the vampire-lord here before, ergo I am in charge. Litmet has said herself that she wants nothing to do with local affairs, rather acting like some overly powered queen making laws that we all have to follow or else she’ll kill us. She is strong, however I noticed she doesn’t care about this man’s law. Queen Litmet, I trust you’ll permit to rule here who ever is justly fit for the position by this society’s laws? After all otherwise you’ll cause anarchy and be forced to destroy the very empire you wish to create.”

 

   Fontaine watches with a smug smile on his face as he sees Litmet glaring at him, knowing she has no choice or else all her work will be for naught. The parliament applauds Fontaine, some even standing in praise. Rick steps around the podium, transforming into his black armored form and points at Fontaine, “If that’s how you want to play it,” he says, “then come on and fight me!”

 

    Before Fontaine can react several Nosferatu and Moroii jump from the stands to attack. Ananth and Litmet transform swiftly into their beastly forms; making quick work of the vampire with a few quick strikes of their claws and wings, eviscerating their attackers with ease. They hiss at the others in unison keeping them seated. Litmet announces, “Rick and Fontaine shall fight. Anyone who interferes shall be destroyed.”

 

    Fontaine jumps down from the stands, with claws outstretch rushes at Rick, who dodges back and forth from his strikes. Fontaine Thrusts his hand forward saying, “Nail Strike!” His nails strike Rick’s chest armor dead on, rather than harm Rick however the skin on Fontaine’s fingers split down the middle onto the back of his hand. Fontaine retracts his claws and heals instantly muttering, “I will adapt to your armor for my next attack, so don’t think you’re armor will protect you again.”

 

      Rick jumps back, and with a thrust of his hand sends a green fire ball streaking across the arena. Fontaine jumps into the air avoiding it. Upon landing he screams out, “Field of Nails!” He thrusts his hands towards the ground, silver claws rushing into the floor. Rick can sense the nails rapidly growing like metal tree roots through floor and anticipates when they would rise. As the blades come from the floor Rick leaps into the air sprouting his wings and takes flight. Fontaine hisses at him and begins to retract his claws. Rick in this instance summons his sword from his sleeve rushing into a dive as he does so. With a quick chop just as Fontaine’s nails have retracted Rick decapitates him.

 

     Rick picks up Fontaine’s head by the hair, holding it up at arm’s length, “Now Fontaine, do you accept that I am in charge?”

 

    The head of Fontaine hisses, “Yessss, fine. I admit defeat.”

 

    From the corner of the hall clapping could be heard. A figure materializes from the air; a man wearing a black jean jacket and jeans with shoulder length black hair. Rick tosses the head of Fontaine back to his body, which quickly sends out tendrils to reconnect to his neck. The head looks up to see the man and says to himself, “This should be interesting.”

 

 

    The man in a flash jumps to the stands grabbing a Nosferatu by the throat and in another flash jumps down standing now fifteen feet from Rick, Ananth, and Litmet. The man holds the struggling Nosferatu up with ease un-phased by its attempts to free its self. The man smiles saying, “My father tells me that this land is going to be my territory to watch over for our kind. He says I shouldn’t concern my self with this Vampire Society because we have nothing really to do with any of you, but I should still keep my eyes on all of you to make sure I know what you are all up to. I said what the hell and came here just to see what all this shit was about. Yeah these stupid things like to talk a lot, too damn easy to follow them down here to this oh so secret meeting.”

 

    The man holds up the Nosferatu to Rick as though toasting with a glass, he says, “Well to introduce myself, the name is Rish. And I’m glad to see we both have the same view when it comes to these stupid blood sucking things. Rish’s hands spark with bright blue electric bolts, incinerating the Nosferatu in his hand. He turns to walk right out the door with our concern for reprisal, turns and say, “Let’s hope it stays that way.”

 

    Litmet turns to a confused Rick, “Reminds me of his father, Rhuen, if he’s anything like his father you really should stay on his good side, not that you’re likely to have much to do with each other, their kind don’t generally care much for ruling or societies like this.” She looks around and says, “Besides I can sense Rhuen watching all this, and he doesn’t feel too happy, likely because his son acted so openly in this situation.”