A single word, a name bound in the thoughts of intense pleasure⦠swirling through the cascades of Auspex, echoing in the depths of his mind. Instantly reaching out, discovering that beck where he had found her, was one whom held a bond. âHow interesting,â he chuckled in a sibilant whisper, âMy my, how interestingâ immediately after Atra and Alexa departed Kainâs mind turned inward, heartbeat accelerating within his chest, raising his levels of alertness and stamina, Kain preferred not to use what he was about to do, but in this instance he would⦠Concentration shone from midnight eyes as he began to attune himself to be aware of every passing second (Temporis Level 1 â Time Attunement) Mere seconds would pass as he found his mind synchronised the passing of each tortured moment. He then forced his heartbeat to leap to insane levels of fury, driving his blood to potency dilated time within the tavern, extending out onto the street so that none would be aware of his absence (Temporis level 5 â Clothoâs Gift) at this he began to sweat blood from his brow and a hint of nausea in the pit of his stomach began to stir. Even Kain could not play with time without some hint of a side effect.
Rising, glancing around, a smirk creasing the blackened lips, walking to the back of the building, drawing a heavy ornate key from the pocket of his skin tight leathers, inserting it in a heavy door and entering the darkened room beyond. Closing and locking it behind, this room bound in magics to hide what existed within, walking up to what appeared at first glance a mirror, standing some seven feet high from the floor to its top, fangs extending, then left hand raised, bitten to draw blood from the thumb, pushed against the mirrors surface, tracing an archaic symbol and chanting the goddessâs name in homage. A shimmering as the image of the room faded from the glass, black spirals dancing within the surface, filling it with an inky magnitude, a slow pulsation, a living heartbeat echoing in his ears, the use of Clothoâs Gift shrouding it so none would be aware of the activation. A rustle like the sound of a thousand moths, a ripple spreading across the surface and Kain pushed his hand through, then stepped forth to follow, vanishing from the room.
Moments later, a torch flickering to life, held high revealing the hewn stone of ages, his slaves had wrought well in this place, the plop of water dripping, a scurrying sound intermixed with a subtle vicious hissing. Ropes of web draped from the ceiling, bones littering the floor. The spiders knew Kain, could feel his presence and avoided him, but for any fool whom they knew not, or whom could not reach beyond the glittering back diamonds of eyes to the minds beyond, to enter this passage spelt death. Walking briskly for although he had massive reserves, wasting time when using Temporis was a dangerous mistake, turning a corner, hand moving to caress a lump on the seeming blank wall, a chanted word âAnkhnesmeriraâ a grinding fusion of sound as the seemingly solid rock cleaved revealing doors of finest obsidian. Placing the torch in a bracket, both hands reaching to push the heavy doors, silently swinging open to reveal the chamber bearing the bloody fusion of existence in its centre, an alter carved from a single slab of onyx, deep grooves leading to the pit.
Shutting the doors, increasing his levels of dominance, building auspex, touching celerity and stamina, he was ready. Pushing himself outwards through the void, his only protection the close vicinity of the creature born in worship of the Goddess, questing, following convoluted pathways, sniffing, tasting the essence of one bearing the scents of several differing paths, droplets of blood forming where sweat would normally sheen, lips curling in a snarl as facial features altered to a mask of virulent savagery under the strain. Heart thundering in his chest, the blood pool rising in frenzied wavelets, aggressively stimulated by the potence of his actions, then silence⦠nothingness⦠emptiness. Kainâs essence floating freely, following the path before trodden, narrowing in on the presence of Alexander⦠there, the name a link, a binding a focus. Non existent lips uttering âGot youâ then a massive outpouring of dominance, blanketing the vampire is such rapidity he wouldnât have time or ability to as much as blink, binding him to Kainâs will, no utterance allowed, no fight permitted, a limp dishrag to be used as Kain saw fit. Before Kainâs vision, the vampire, the jealous lover, cloaked in mage robes, masked and cane in hand, a sword strapped to his back⦠well no time for niceties. A hand reaching from the emptiness to grab at Alexanderâs throat a single word, dripping in malevolence "Come" the only perception Alex would have, apart from the massive strength of grip then bodily dragging him into the vortex of trepidation from which Kain chose to manifest.
All that would remain, a rush of air filling the gap where Alexander had stood, a leaf fluttering in the tiny zephyr, then he would be gone, perhaps never to return. Engulfing blackness, beyond even Kainâs ability to decipher, the only path back, the strength of link to the creature. The subtle tug, dragging him and his prey towards the temple, the void ripping at mind for which Kain was prepared, but the effects on Alexander would be far more brutal, as every second he existed within the void, not only would his mind be raped, brutalized and abused, but his flesh would be torn, digested, molested and sloughed away like water over sand. The robes shredded, the mask dissolved, the sword and cane somehow remaining. Flesh emancipating, blackening, shrivelling as the passage ate at Alexanderâs very essence. Unless one was prepared, empowered and resolved this was a damn unpleasant way to travel and Kain had not prepared the way for the comfort of motion Alexa had received. This was a savage snatch, a ripping asunder to bring through this male, no pleasantries, no courtesy, and just enough support from Kain that he wouldnât die⦠well hopefully⦠you never could tell now could you. At best Alexander may be a gibbering idiot, his mind wrenched, his body shattered, at worst on release he would simply burst into flame and that would be that.
The first two could be fixed, the last was a potential problem, but Kain had a backup plan just in case. A sudden falling rushing sensation, a rattled breath exploding from Kainâs lungs, vertigo threatening to overwhelm him as knees near buckled. âI am getting to old for this shitâ¦â his voice weak and not bearing its usual audacity. Looking down, pleased to discover that Alex had not chosen to burst into flame âWell that helps I guessâ then studying the overall appearance from those deeply hooded midnight eyes. Flesh torn and twisted, looking more like a flash crafters plaything then a man, auspex touching the mind, finding a tiny spark of sanity existing in the gibbering cesspit. âAhhhh you are in thereâ then dragging the vampire across to a wall, chaining wrist and ankle, fetching blood, not of the source, but rich and fresh, holding Alexanderâs head back and pouring the life giving ichor down his throat. Surprised that the staff and sword had survived the trip, but removing them from Alex to safety. Alexâs safety⦠Time was necessary and for now, Kain would return to the tavern, leaving this creature in the safe confines of the temple.
Striding out⦠a false vision of bravado covering the tiredness he felt, drawing the obsidian doors shut, taking the torch from holder, the slab of gutrock moving back into place hiding g the doors, the spiders unable to enter the temple. Returning to the tavern via his permanent route, closing the mirror, then exiting the chamber. A serving girl unfortunate to be frozen outside the door, attacked in near frenzied devourment of her every essence, the suckling sound of blood ravenously swallowed. Dropping the corpse, throat torn asunder, let others wonder whom had fed, ripping her dress to wipe his face. Entering the tavern as a whole, smirking at the frozen scene, sliding back into his seat, easing temporis to lower levels, hand rising to wipe his eyes, stamina lessening, temporis gone. Looking around in time to witness Sycoraxâs flying lesson, Baba Yaga duck a la poo poop the Ravnos having entered with what appeared a human mage, Kain badly needing a drink as his head throbbed to the side effects, a click of the fingers, a bottle brought and a large swallow engulfed. A slow wink to Napiluâs direction, after all, someone had to witness the sideshow and besides, Kain was amused by the onslaught of Baba Yaga on the honed ones physique.
[Autoes with permission]