Blood and Sorcery

Prologue: Before the Embrace

They were two totally different people. He was shy, quiet, enjoyed keeping to himself and was rarely noticed or remembered unless by those he knew. She was outgoing, loud, outspoken, and remembered by everyone. It seemed highly unlikely that the two would ever cross paths.

Ciara was outgoing, friendly, outspoken in many things and always had many friends around her despite her flaws. She had a kind of magnetism that usually attracted the eyes of her peers and other people. She was modest though and thought no one noticed her. She took interest in several different things including witchcraft and occultism in her freshman year of highschool.

Nero didn't have too many friends before he began playing a fairly new trading card game that seemed to be gaining popularity quickly. Usually he kept quiet and few people really knew him or even remembered him except for his small select group of friends. He took interest in few things but did take an interest in the occult in his senior year of junior high.

Being the type to sit back and observe before intervening it didn't take long for Nero to notice Ciara in junior high. He knew of her and knew things about her, but she had no recollection of him or anything related to him at all.

Ciara didn't really notice Nero until their senior year in highschool when they had one class together in the first semester. At first the two didn't really get along because their personalities were so different and Ciara kind of thought that he was a nerd and not really her type. Then Ciara found out that Nero had the same interest in the occult that she did and after this discovery the two of them go along like they'd known each other their entire lives.

After two and a half months of knowing each other Ciara found herself harboring an interest in Nero and finally asked him for a date, but he sadly turned her down knowing he couldn't go because he had no means of transportation. But, later, when he has found a way home, he happily accepted and they went on their first date to Lazer Extreme for lazer tag. They both enjoyed their time together so much that they continued seeing other, becoming closer and closer everyday, spending every available moment together, learning about each other (exploring a little wink wink).

They were together, bound by love and romance, for seven months when they graduated and eight months when school ended and life really began. Neither knew what was going to happen so they spent the summer at home, saving money, discussing what they would do. He wanted to go to the states and to take her with him. But she wanted to stay at home and attend the local college.

With some deliberation Nero chose to let her have her way, but he also wanted his way. He left for the states to join the military that Septemeber and promised to keep in touch and visit during the holidays. Reluctantly Ciara let him go.

She stayed in her parents' house, attending the local college, working, keeping in touch with Nero by means of astral projection (meeting in thte dream realm) and bi-location (sending your spirit to the location of the target). She learned of all his military experiences-the basic training, having to learn french, and the training. She asked when he would be coming home and he happily replied, "Christmas time."

Ciara was happy, but also angered because she would have to let him go again. A few days before his planned return home she cast a fertility spell, thinking that maybe a baby would keep him at home.

The holidays went well and as Ciara had anticipated another life grew within her by February of the next year. When she reported this to Nero he was surprised, and shocked, he simply couldn't figure out how it could have happened.

Ciara begged Nero to come home and stay with her, but he replied, "No, I can't. Now that we have another life to support we're going to need the money." Her plan to bring him home had failed.

Nero promised to return home every chance he could and to send her money so she could move into an apartment so she would be of little burden to her parents. Ciara moved into a small one room apartment and made sure to keep him informed of the development of their child. Not long after her initial report, Ciara revealed that they were expecting twins. Shocked, Nero once again turned down her request for his return home.

Nero returned home temporarily two weeks before the due date so he and Ciara could be married (because Nero was somewhat old fashioned). They were married by a judge with two of their friends present and a little over a week later, Ciara was admitted to the hospital for 36 hours of labor to deliver healthy twins-a boy and a girl. Nero remained by his wife's side for the whole 36 hours and was the first to hold his son-name Nero Jr.-and his daughter-named Aria.

Nero remained with Ciara for a week after while she recovered then reluctantly chose to return to the military, deciding that they needed the money more than ever. He left while she slept so he wouldn't have to say goodbye another time. Ciara was angry, but relieved that she didn't have to say goodbye again.

A week went by and Ciara found her life growing no easier and she had to give up going to school. She wished for Nero to come home.

At about the same time, Nero was having some trouble with a member of his unit who happened to be an old highschool classmate. He was able to handle the harassment until one evening when he started harassing Nero about Ciara and past conflicts and secrets between them that had become public. This drove Nero to attack and nearly murder this man before others in his unit pulled him off.

After his arrest, his bunk was searched and a copy of the communist manifesto fell from the sheets (such writings are illegal in the states). He was given a dishonorable discharge and was forced to go home.

Ciara was overjoyed to have Nero home, but also worried that they would have no way to support their new family. She cast a prosperity spell and less than a week later Nero got a job working for a local rig company making good money.

Here, Nero met a man of forty named Victor who offered him the chance to join a cult that would improve his life drastically. Nero accepted on the condition that his wife-Ciara-could participate as well. Victor gladly accepted.

For two months Nero and Ciara attended the cult meetings hoping their lives would improve. But for every one thing that improved, two things would go wrong. Ciara was able to find a student willing to babysit for a low price so she could return to work, but then she fell ill and lost the opportunity. Nero was given a chance to be promoted but his military past as well as a stronger man intervened. They made the decision to leave the cult much to Victor's dismay and warning.

It seemed their lives did improve after leaving. Nero got the promotion based on his experience and Ciara's illness cleared and she found a job that allowed her to be home with her children as well as making money.

After a month and a half, Ciara and Nero made the decision to go out for an evening by themselves because they hadn't had one in a very, very long time. They left the babysitter with Nero Jr. and Aria and went out to relive their first date playing lazer tag and then out for dinner.

When they returned home, Ciara opened the apartment door and they both heard a thud then the sound of something rolling. She turned on the light and looked to see what it was. She let out a small squeak when she discovered that it was the bloody head of the babysitter.

Nero approached to observe this as well. Apalled, he left Ciara frozen at the door to search for the rest of the babysitter and their children. When the thought of his children being hurt came to mind he ran through the apartment. He found the body of the babysitter in the living room, badly broken with a bloody butcher knife beside it. He caught no sight of his children.

He ran to the room where the twins slept and charged in, turning on the light in passing. He looked down into the first crib and thought he saw Aria sleeping peacefully, but she looked pale, very, very pale. He reached down to pick her up and quickly discovered that she was cold and not breathing. He panicked, trying to wake her, but in his haste he discovered two puncture wounds on her wrists. He set her back down and went to his son; he had the same puncture wounds.

Nero couldn't believe it. His children had been drained of all their blood. It wasn't possible. He collaped and began sobbing loudly and uncontrollably.

He soon noticed that Ciara had not come to his side so he forced himself to rise and go to her at the door. He came around the corner and saw a man in dark clothes holding Ciara's limp body in his arms. She had two puncture wounds in her wrist.

Nero thought this man-if it could be called a man-looked like his coworker, Victor, but he had a large fangs such as a vampire. Victor turned to him, "Come, Nero, come and enter the World of Darkness."

Nero said nothing. Thinking that he had lost everything he had ever loved, he tried to remember what it took to kill a being such as a vampire. A stake.

Nero upturned a chair and ripped the wooden leg off. He charged at Victor with psychotic anger.

Victor dropped Ciara's body and raised his arms to defend against Nero's attack. It didn't take much for Victor to overpower Nero and drain him of enough blood to knock him unconcious.

Chapter 1: The Wakening

What Nero and Ciara felt was sleep for the longest time. Ciara felt nor saw anything. Nero felt loss and anger for the murder of his children and made a silent vow to kill the 'thing' that had done it when he awoke.

Ciara woke first to find herself in a darkened room. She put her hand to her head hoping to relieve the throbbing pain in her skull. She felt soft cushions and silky material beneath her. She remembered turning around to see Victor, feeling startled but relieved. He parted his lips slightly revealing enlarged and sharpened fangs. She gasped as he reached for her wrist. Frozen in fear Ciara was unable to move as Victor sunk his fangs into her flesh, puncturing her vein. She blacked out as he greedily drank the blood flowing from the wound. She remembered the babysitter, Nero searching...

Nero! Where was he? Ciara frantically reached out into the darkness searching for him. It didn't take her long to find his unmoving body not more than a foot from hers. She pushed him to wake him and called out, "Nero." She heard his groan meander through the darkness. She heard him move, then, "Ciara?"

"I'm here, Nero. What happened?"

"Our twins, Ciara...the twins..." he trailed off.

"What? Where are the twins? Where are WE?" she asked in concern.

"The twins are dead. Victor killed them, he killed the babysitter, he was a vampire. I thought he had killed you, too," Nero explained reaching to embrace her knowing she would break down with the news of the twins. She didn't do anything. She didn't cry, she didn't scream, she stood stock-still and did not return Nero's embrace.

"Where are we?" she asked coldly.

"I don't know," was Nero's reply.

From the darkness they heard a match being struck and then they saw a candle lit and the body holding the candle. "You are in my haven," said Victor staying where he stood.

Rage rose in Nero when he saw Victor and leaped to attack him. Ciara stared coldly and watched as Nero flew at Victor but was stopped short by the ankle chain locked on his ankle. He pulled and kicked trying to break free but to no avail.

"Calm yourself, Nero. You are safe," he said smiling devilishly.

"What do you want with us and why did you murder our children?" Nero growled still trying to break free.

"I gave you the chance to come willingly into the World of Darkness, Nero. I gave you the chance to become willingly immortal," Victor said gently. "I took you-no-pushed you into this world despite your defiance."

"What are you saying?" Ciara asked bitterly.

"I made you both immortal. You both will be dependent on the blood drink to live. I have made you into vampires."

Nero paused to look at Ciara. He had never felt such powerful rage in himself before. This thing that used to be a man had murdered three people and made two unwilling victims into the undead. His blood boiled with rage.

Ciara, on the other hand, though enraged as well, managed to keep her composure and asked, "Why?"

"I found you two to be very intriguing because of your interest in the occult and magic, which made me think you may not abuse the power I am going to give you. I murdered your children because they were useless. They were far too young to be embraced and you wouldn't have been able to properly care for them in your new state, so I removed them from the picture," Victor explained. There was silent as Nero and Ciara regarded him with anger. "Now that there's no going back to your old lives, you need a clan. A group of vampires of which you can identify with and because I made you what you are you are now Tremere. The magic users of the Camarilla. In order to initiated you must drink from the chalice of the council of seven and then choose your desired paths of magic. I will leave that choice up to you as there are many choices. Now are you going to obey me and allow me to 'raise' you so to speak?"

Ciara and Nero glanced at each other once again. Neither knew what to say, they just knew they wanted Victor dead. They both thought that maybe this was the way. Let him teach them the path of magic and use it against him. They read this in the others eyes. Both turned to Victor and nodded.

"Yes. We will do as you wish," Ciara said defeated.

Victor nodded knowingly. "You woke later than I expected. There is only an hour and a half until the sun rises. That will be enough time for you to drink from the chalice and return here for day sleep. Can't go out into the sun now."

Nero and Ciara stared blankly.

"Alright. Let's go," Victor said as he unlocked the ankle chains. "You must drink from the chalice."

Nero and Ciara put up as little resistance as possible not wanting to waste any time getting back into the darkness and out of the dawning sun that could now kill them.

Drinking from the chalice was fairly simple. It was a goblet filled with a few drops of each of the council of sevens blood and as devotion to the Tremere clan a new Tremere would drink from the chalice and thereby bonding themselves one point to each of the seven. Neither Nero or Ciara resisted so they were quick to return to Victor's haven.

"You will remain here in my haven in the very room you found yourselves upon awakening until I deem you worthy to live on your own," Victor said escorting them back to the windowless room they rested in. Neither said a word but lay down for their day sleep.

After deliberation and consideration Nero chose the Path of Blood which allowed him to be able to tell a kindreds generation, if they have diablerized another kindred, and how much blood they have to boiling the blood in a body. Ciara chose the Lure of Flame which allowed her to light her hands on fire to sending down a fiery storm in a twenty foot area. Both thought these paths would work for them personally and they would be a force to be reckoned with when they combined their powers.

Nero and Ciara spent month after month in Victor's expansive library studying to master their paths in as short of a time as was possible. Occasionally when they needed to feed they would go out and use a couple of mortals for practice, being sure not to break the masquerade. Slowly the time approached when they were able to use their magic to its maximum potential. Now was the time for them to avenge the death of their children.

"We have to. For Nero and Aria as much as for us," Nero said to Ciara one evening before they retreated to their day sleep.

"Yes, I know. But how to do it?" she asked knowing that even their mastered paths may not be enough to kill their sire.

"Hmmm. We'll just have to catch him offguard. If you can make him frenzy with your firebolt then I can stake him from behind. Then we can leave him out for the sun to see," Nero suggested. Ciara couldn't think of a better plan that wouldn't result in their deaths so she agreed. "Tomorrow night."

They fell into their day sleep.

Early the next evening they made sure to keep a close eye on Victor and keep track of where he was going. He left the haven an hour after sunset for a bar downtown. Nero and Ciara saw their chance to ambush him as he got out of his car. They were quick to follow.

About twenty minutes later they followed Victor into a secluded alley where he parked his car and got out. Ciara got out of their vehicle - parked around the corner and out of sight - and ran up the alley calling, "Victor!"

He turned to look at her in surprise. "Oh, Ciara, what are you doing here?"

"Oh I just wanted to find out where it was you keep going in the evenings. I'm sorry if my following you bothers you. What is this place?" she asked glancing at the back entrance of the building.

"This place? This is my bar. The Smoke Pit. It's where most of my money comes from," Victor said. "Care to come in and take a look? Hey, where's Nero? What are you-"

He was cut off as Ciara stepped back and fired a flamebolt into his chest. Victor screamed, panicking, trying to put out the flames. He ran in circles, then dropped to the ground trying to douse the flames. Nero ran up the alley and jumped on top of the rolling body, discontinuing the rolling. Victor screamed in agony and flailed about making it difficult for Nero to get the stake anywhere near the target. Ciara was quick to move and attempted to pull Victor's arms back long enough for Nero to make the strike. Her attempt was successful and Nero slammed the stake down into Victor's heart. His flailing stopped. But their plan took a turn that they hadn't anticipated. The flamebolt Ciara had fired into his chest took hold and grew using Victor's clothes as fuel.

Ciara and Nero stood back watching the flames engulf the body and reduce it to cinder and ash. They both let out a breath of relief when the flames had been snuffed out.

"That seemed almost too easy," Ciara said gazing at Nero.

"Almost. Where are his keys? We have to take his car back to the haven," Nero added.

"I saw him put them in his pocket," she said kneeling down and sifting through the pile of ash. She pulled out a dirty set of keys. "Ah ha. There we go. You take his car, I'll take ours." Ciara gave him the keys and Nero drew her in close to him, kissing her passionately.

She gave him a mishchievous look then left to take their car back to the haven that was now theirs.

Chapter 2: Whatever Taketh Will Be Lost

It had seemed far too easy to kill Victor but as they found out, Victor hadn't been as strong as he appeared or claimed to be.

In the months to follow Ciara and Nero tied up all of Victor's loose ends telling everyone he had known that he had chosen to leave town in order to join a Tremere chantry in another town. When they asked why his car was still parked at his haven they simply replied that it was because he wanted no memory of his life in this town so he left everything behind. It took little convincing for all to believe what they said. This also granted them access to all of Victor's assets and sources of income. His bank account held a considerable amount of cash which was retrieved for them by the ghoul of one of his friends that had known his account access. As they discovered, Victor was very, very rich and kept over six million dollars in this bank account. They inherited the bar that Victor owned and managed - The Smoke Pit - as Ciara found out that one fateful evening. They inherited everything Victor had ever owned, his haven included.

Using their newly found funds, they revamped their vampiric style to gothic and made a point of wearing all black clothes and all black makeup to complement their natural paleness. Nero chose to change his name to Caliga which meant dark and sadistic, as they truly were sadistic. Ciara chose to change Victor's country bar into a gothic night club and renamed it Mundus A Caliga meaning World of Darkness. When renovations were done on the building Ciara and Caliga moved into the basement of the club which had been transformed into a suite with a small library and a small laboratory. They had to be selective with the books that they chose from Victor's library to bring down to their basement suite as they couldn't possibly keep all of them in the same place. They put the rest into storage to wait for a larger library. After their move they sold Victor's haven and what was left in it (not much as they kept all they felt they would need), along with his car for a lump sum of two million dollars to a kindred of the Ventrue clan in their city.

The Smoke Pit had only had one floor and a basement with which Ciara and Caliga could work. This proved to create a rather small to medium sized club and as the popularity of the club grew, so did the population that wanted entrance. Due to the small size of the floor, Ciara and Caliga were forced to limit the amount of access that was granted. This also limited their feeding options as they used the club as their feeding grounds.

Dissatisfied, Ciara ordered for an expansion of the club. They found out from the building inspector that the foundation of the club they had already wasn't strong enough to support an upwards expansion as Ciara wished for and a new building was suggested. After drawing out a floor plan for exactly what it was they wanted, construction began on a new building not far from the original. It was built higher and over a larger area than the first. It had three levels and a basement. The basement was built for storage and whatever other little things that Ciara and Caliga wanted to hide. The main floor was the dance floor of the club and had a stage for a live band and dressing rooms in the back. The second floor was the bar area of the club and had many booths and tables with areas of glass floor so the dance floor could be viewed from the bar. The very top floor, which had access through the kitchen behind the bar was Caliga's and Ciara's haven. It held their resting area, a large library - which they were able to fit all of Victor's books into - a laboratory to work their magic in, two security rooms (one private and one public), and a room where they could keep their toys and cells. The outside was very plain and rundown with a simple neon sign announcing the name and glass entrance doors.

They sold the old club for a sum of 150 000.

Caliga and Ciara lived in luxury, sometimes wandering down into the club to meander with the patrons, maybe lead some off for a 'personal meeting' (generally they never returned to the club floor). Neither had little to do with the Tremere who lived in the chantry as Victor had explained that there had been a small falling out between him and the council of seven and so he had chosen to be a free agent. Ciara and Caliga did not have to live under these circumstances, but so chose to, not wanting to be reliant on any other kindred but each other. This also resulted in other Tremere and other kindred not being able to fully trust them either.

The success of Mundus A Caliga grew to mind blowing proportions as they realized that mortals from other cities were coming just to go to their club. They made the choice to open another club in another city further away. It would mean going back and forth from one club to the other and possibly leaving each club in the hands of a mortal (as they didn't trust fellow kindred) while they were gone. So they did it. The ordered construction on another club in another city over six hours away that had a similar floorplan to that of the second club. They needed to appoint someone in charge though. They chose a mortal of which Victor had known before he 'disappeared', a mortal that knew about kindred and knew that Ciara and Caliga were of them, a mortal who knew what they could do to them if they found out that he was spreading the secret. His name was Nonam and he was quick to accept the task knowing that he would save himself from death and get paid for it.

So Ciara and Caliga were able to travel to their other club when it was through construction for the opening. Word of the opening had spread and the outcome for the 'Grand Opening' was large and somewhat overwhelming.

Being sadistic they used some of their income to invest in some interesting devices (torture devices) that they kept in the same room as the cells in their haven. They removed them from the hands of other kindred who found no use for them. Caliga and Ciara - especially Caliga - found pleasure in torturing their victims before feeding, watching them writh in pain, and scream in agony filled them both with ecstasy. The disappearance of a human here and a human there only proved the stupidity of the common mortal as they didn't notice the disappearances. This made their unlives so much easier.

The club became so popular that they ended up expanding into several different cities traveling amongst them all, staying for certain periods of time.

One evening Caliga chose to leave Ciara at one club in order to tie up some 'loose ends'. He returned just before dawn expecting to find Ciara waiting for him in their haven, but what he found was an empty haven. He searched for her in the club but found nothing of her. He asked some of the club patrons if they had seen his wife anywhere around the club. Some explained that they had seen her being escorted out of the club by a petite brunette woman earlier that evening, but none knew where she had gone. Caliga panicked, Ciara was gone. Neither of them knew a petite brunette woman. Where could she have gone? He planned a search for the next evening, hoping Ciara was still alive, and retreated to their haven upstairs before the sun rose.

The next evening, after the sun had dropped from the sky, Caliga continued his search for his beloved Ciara. He worked his way through the club - which was already brimming with people - and out onto the streets. He asked several kindred from other clans in the city if they had seen anything of a petite brunette woman and an average size red head woman who was his wife. None had seen the two together, but some knew of the brunette woman that he had described. He anxiously asked what they knew of her. All but one were reluctant to tell without some kind of payment. The one told Caliga everything he wanted to know, particularly where the woman lived and that she was of the clan Tzimisce.

In their black 1999 Sunfire, Caliga raced to the described living area of this woman who had kidnapped his Ciara. It was an old church, not very big, very run down. Paralyzed with the fear of entering what used to be - or still was - a holy place he froze as he got out of the car. But he knew he had to go in, so he gathered his courage, laying one hand on the handle of his concealed sawed-off, double-barrel, pistol gripped shotgun and ducked into the church.

Everything was silent as he carefully wandered among the old pews in the church until he reached the front podium. A large stone cross stood behind it against the back wall. He stopped, turned, looked back out over the dark pews with the dim moonlight shining in on him. "Tzimisce! Show yourself!" he yelled. The sound echoed in the empty church.

Silence answered him; silence that was shattered by the piercing laughter of a woman. Caliga searched frantically for the source of the voice as it sounded like it came from everywhere. He listened but couldn't pinpoint a location.

Suddenly he was thrown off balance from behind and felt a sharp pain in the crook of his neck as his attacker sunk their teeth into his flesh and yanked away, taking a large piece of flesh with it.

Instead of panicking, Caliga focussed his powers - finding this to be an opportunity for attack - and used his attackers touch to boil the blood in their body. His attacker let out a yelp and leaped off of his back. He spun around to find a very shapely, beautiful, brunette girl. She stood straight and proud after a slight recovery. "What do you want?" she demanded angrily, readying for another attack.

"Tzimisce whore! Where's Ciara?" Nero asked, wanting to pull his gun so bad but restraining himself.

"Is that her name? She didn't want to admit it. She kept saying, 'He will come and then you'll be sorry.' Are you He?" she mocked, standing akimbo. "I'm the only one who knows where she is. If you want her back you'll have to be nice to me." She laughed again.

Caliga felt anger rise in him. "May I see her, please?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"What do I get?" she asked raising an eyebrow in intimidation.

Caliga gritted his teeth. "I'll let you live."

The girl let out her piercing laughter. "You're funny. What else? I know you have money to offer. As you can see I could use a new haven," she said opening her hands to draw his attention to the old church they were in.

After a moment, Caliga answered, "Okay, deal. I'll buy you a new haven if you give me Ciara back."

She contemplated this offer for a moment. "Alright. She's behind you."

Caliga spun and searched for Ciara, but didn't find her anywhere. The Tzimisce had lied to him. He turned back and glared at her in anger. She laughed again. "Look up, you bozo." Caliga turned back and lifted his gaze up higher until he finally laid eyes on Ciara tied to the cross hanging over the door, as if she were being crucified. She wasn't awake, obviously in torpor.

Angered, Caliga cried out, "Your time is now!"

The girl opened her mouth and screamed her piercing scream, then grinned wide at Caliga. "My time is it, Tremere? Why not turn around and see who's time it truly is?"

Caliga glanced back and caught sight of two ghouls rising from the darkness of the pews. He turned back to the grinning face and pretty much slapped her grin off when he pulled out his shotgun.

"Fleshcraft your way out of this, Tzimisce slut," he said sadistically as he pulled the trigger and filled her full of lead. She collapsed with a thud to the church floor.

Caliga turned to deal with the two ghouls, but found them retreating into the shadows of the church. He laughed at their cowardice and turned back to the body of the Tzimisce. With a look of immeasurable anger and rage boiling in his blood he pulled his foot back and slammed one british combat boot into her nose. Blood spilled from her nose and her limp body flew back into the huge stone cross on the back wall. He heard a sickening noise as the corner of the cross split the back of her skull. Doing his best to control his rage, Caliga advanced aggresively towards the mauled body of the Tzimisce, looked down without pity and brutally smashed his boot into her face once again.

He left the body on the floor and searched for a way to get Ciara down from the damned cross. He saw the rigging that was keeping the cross hung and followed it with his eyes to find the mechanism that would lower it. He put away his shotgun and began unwinding the rope, bringing the cross closer and closer to the floor. Finally the wooden cross touched the floor and Caliga ran over to release Ciara from her prison. He sheepishly untied the ropes on her feet, then on her wrist. He caught her as she slumped over him. He laid her in one of the old pews and examined her injuries. He couldn't tell what had happened to her, but it was enough to put her into a torpid state.

He felt concern for her and punctured his own wrist. He dripped as much blood into her open mouth as he possibly could before her eyes finally opened. Wide with fear she clenched them shut and opened them once again. "Caliga?" she said in awe.

"Yes, Ciara, it's me. I came for you and now we have the one who kidnapped you in our hands. I'll never leave you again," he mumbled as he kissed her long and deep. "We should take her back to the basement of the club and 'play' with her." He gave Ciara an intrigued look.

She returned the look and stood to go to the body on the floor. She gazed down with anger as Caliga approached, placing his arm around her waist. "Shall we?"

Ciara nodded and truned to run from the church.

Caliga ungraciously heaved the body into the trunk of their black 1999 Sunfire, picked up the tire iron laying beside her, raised it above his head, and brought it down viciously on her temple...several times.

Feeling relieved to have found Ciara, they returned to the club with the body of the Tzimisce.

Ciara helped Caliga transport the body to the basement where they kept a varitable hoard of torture devices (normally used for experimental purposes).

Unwilling to wait until the next evening, Caliga began his torture of the Tzimisce by waking her from her torpid state and, using Ciara's help, began with the plainly named rack. The Tzimisce protested angrily and made an attempt to fleshcraft her way out of their grasp to which Caliga pulled his shotgun and aimed it at her head. "You remember what it was like the first time? This time it's full of Dragon's Breath so sit still and we might let you live." She settled down and allowed them to strap her down to the device that had the potential to pull her limbs from their sockets.

While Ciara tightened the ropes that pulled in two different directions, Caliga asked the Tzimisce, who writhed in pain, "Why did you kidnap my companion?" At his command Ciara stopped tightening the ropes.

The Tzimisce broke out in laughter. "Tremere scum," she hissed.

Caliga pushed Ciara aside and began tightening the ropes himself until the Tzimisce screamed in agony. He stopped. "Well?"

The girl glared at Caliga. "I wanted to show you Tremere scum what it's like to lose one of your own," she hissed. Obviously this was in regard to past Tzimisce being made into gargoyles, enslaved by the Tremere.

After a long moment of glaring between Caliga and the Tzimisce he finally opened his mouth. "Ciara, what do you want done with this...thing?" Both turned to look at Ciara as she gave this question some thought.

"Put her to final death, I say," she sneered. Caliga grinned at her, but so did the Tzimisce. Caliga once again put the shotgun to her head. The grin left her face. Caliga knew just how he wanted to do it, too. Papercuts. They had to move her, though, to get access to all vulnerable parts of the body. So with his shotgun to her head, Caliga and Ciara began loosening the straps of the rack. The Tzimisce didn't struggle when they pulled her off the rack and began leading her towards a corner of the room where a pair of spiked manacles hung from the roof and a set lie on the floor beneath. This made Ciara a little suspicious.

Halfway to the corner the Tzimisce found her opportunity. Caliga had let down his guard, thinking that he had control over her. She threw her elbow back into Caliga's stomach then threw her leg back to take his legs out from under him. He slammed to the floor and his shotgun flew out of his reach.

Ciara attacked. Her hands blazed with flame and she leaped at the Tzimisce.

Seeing Ciara coming the Tzimisce pulled a cross from a hidden place to which Ciara froze, her hands extinguished, and she cowered in fear of the damned cross, having formed a fear of such religious spectacles when she had been tortured by the Tzimisce. She was now focussed on Ciara, drawing closer and closer to her as Ciara tried to back away. This also drew the Tzimisce's attention away from Caliga who was given the opportunity to leap up behind the girl and lay his hands on either side of her head. Concentrating he began boiling her blood once again.

Feeling the burning pain and not being able to get away from Caliga's touch the Tzimisce screamed and howled as the blood began to flow from her mouth, nose, eyes, and ears such as lava flows from a volcano. She dropped the cross in her attempt to wrench Caliga's hands from her head.

Ciara's hands burst into flame once more and she leaped at the Tzimisce again, this time laying her burning hands on her arms.

As her flesh burned and her blood boiled the Tzimisce let out a horrendous yelp of pain then a gargle as she couldn't stand the pain much longer and collapsed into a second torpid state. Her body crumpled on the floor between Caliga and Ciara. They glanced at each other and then at the Tzimisce.

"What do you want done with her?" Caliga asked Ciara.

In response, Ciara fired a flamebolt into the body which caught on her clothes and quickly spread, engulfing the body, soon reducing it to ash.

"I'm NEVER leaving you again," Caliga said to Ciara as the flames slowly died. "From now on you'll never leave my side and I will never leave yours." With that he pulled a medium sized strap from a chest, locked it around her waist, and then around his.

Chapter 3: Trust No One

So they remained together, literally joined at the hip. Caliga had sworn to never leave her side and that's the way it was. Ciara and Caliga were never apart. They continued their travel between their clubs, continued their feeding on club patrons. It was all just a big routine, very monotonous, and somewhat boring.

One cold and wispy evening a vampire entered the club where Ciara and Caliga were spending a few weeks. He asked the bouncer at the door to see Ciara and Caliga.

"What does your visit concern?" the burly man guarding the door asked.

"It is a matter of urgency. My message may only be conveyed to them and to no one else. Now I wish to see them immediately," the vampire - who appeared as a brute man - demanded angrily. He was large, dressed in black, with a black leather trench coat. The bouncer could only guess what weaponry the man had hidden under it.

Not knowing exactly what to do, the bouncer gave the man a suspicious look. "Let me confer with the head of security. Give me a moment," he said as he turned his back to speak into the microphone headset wrapped around his head. "Sir, I have a suspicious looking character here who wants to see Ciara and Caliga. What will you have me do?"

A moment of silence and then, "Let him in, relieve him of his weapons, then escort him to a booth in the bar. Tell him that they will be with him in a moment and return to your post. I will inform them of his arrival."

The bouncer nodded and turned back to the man who waited impatiently. "I must relieve you of your weapons." The man unloaded two sawed off shotguns, two handguns, and a small dagger. Apalled, the bouncer said, "Follow me." He lead him up the stairs to the second level where the bar was located, to a booth by the bar that was secluded. "Wait here. They will be with you in a moment." The bouncer began to walk away to return to his post, when the man grabbed his arm.

"How long?" he demanded.

"Sir, I really don't know. Please, have a seat and they will be with you as soon as possible." The bouncer stared long and hard at the man until he released his arm and reluctantly sat down in the booth.

The bouncer returned to his post.

A buzz echoed through the haven that brought Caliga and Ciara out of their euphoria. They had just finished draining the blood of a mortal through a series of paper cuts and now were enjoying the drink in intricate wine glasses. The pain the human had suffered made the blood taste even sweeter.

"There is someone at our door, Caliga. Shall we answer it?" Ciara said putting her wine goblet down on the table and rising. Caliga reluctantly agreed and rose as well. It wasn't like he really had a choice to go or not, they were locked together, never to part.

It was the head of security, Baron.

"Yes, Baron, what is it?" said Caliga, slightly irritated at the intrusion.

"I'm sorry for the interuption, sir...and ma'am, but there is a man who requests to see you. He claims it's a matter of urgency and he will only speak to you," Baron relayed.

"Thank you, Baron. We will be down in a moment," Caliga said dismissing the head of security. "What do you suppose this could be about, Ciara?"

"I don't know, but why don't we go find out?" she prompted looping her arm through his to lead him out the door and down to the bar.

The bouncer nearest the bar pointed to the booth where their guest sat. The man sitting there had become very impatient and restless and was scratching something into the wood of the table. Ciara and Caliga approached slowly. The man looked up and sighed in relief.

"Bout time," he mumbled. Caliga glared at him while Ciara stared coldly.

"What is this unscheduled visit in regard to...um, I didn't catch your name?" Caliga asked as he and Ciara slid into the booth across from him.

"I didn't give it," the man said. "Names are mortal things and should be left as such."

"But, surely, you do have a name. It would make this conversation somewhat easier to conduct," Ciara said, her unchanging gaze on him.

"This conversation will not be easy to conduct with or without my name, but if you must have it...it is Bartholemew," the man said after rolling his eyes.

"Okay, Bartholemew-"

"Bart."

"Eh-Bart, I assume you are a fellow kindred. May we ask of what clan you are?" Caliga asked, irritated by the rude interuption.

The suspected kindred scoffed, "Isn't it obvious?"

Both Caliga and Ciara looked him up and down and considered his rude behavior. He was clearly of the clan Brujah. They nodded to each other in agreement.

"Now, Bart, what is this conference about?" Caliga finally demanded.

"Someone is a bit impatient, don't you think? Have you any fresh blood on hand? I am parched." Bart sat back and relaxed, gazing deviously at them.

Caliga was about to unleash his anger when Ciara laid her hand on his arm. "We haven't any down here in the bar, but if you would like to come upstairs to our haven we could discuss this a little more openly and I can get you a glass of fresh blood," she said, her glassy gaze burning a hole through him.

"Yes, that would be good," said Bart sliding out of the booth. "Lead the way." Ciara and Caliga slid out of the booth and lead Bart behind the bar and through the kitchen to the entrance of their haven.

Once Bart was comfortably seated in the library, Ciara and Caliga went to their resting area to retrieve a wine glass full of fresh blood for their guest and two more for themselves.

"Why did you bring him up here, Ciara?" Caliga demanded, not understanding her logic.

"Caliga, calm your anger until we find out why he's here and what he wants. Okay?" Ciara said stopping him before re-entering the library.

Caliga sighed and nodded. "Yes, my love."

They returned to find Bart leaning back on the chair with his boots on the table. Upon their appearance he quickly removed them. Ciara handed him the glass and sat in a chair across the table. Caliga sat beside her.

"Now, Bart, would you, please, enlighten us as to the subject of your visit?" Caliga asked swallowing his anger.

Bart sighed and sipped the blood releasing another content sigh. "Well, I've come to tell you that...I know," he said sitting forward and lowering his gaze to make his eyes look intimidating.

"You know what?" asked Caliga, unphased.

Bart chuckled, shook his head, and sipped from his glass. "What was his name? Victor?" was all he had to say.

Caliga and Ciara sat up and glanced at each other, alarmed. "What about Victor? Have you seen him lately? Is he well?" Caliga asked trying to make it seem like Victor had really simply left.

"Oh you can stop the act. I know what you did to him. I know you killed him!" Bart exclaimed, slamming his open palm down on the table, nearly spilling the wine glasses. Caliga and Ciara dropped their jaws in disbelief.

"How-? How did you find out?" Caliga asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Bart paused, took a sip of his drink, and leaned back in the chair, setting his feet on the table. "What matters is what you're willing to pay to buy my silence."

Ciara and Caliga were silent, staring at Bart in disbelief. Did this kindred really know what he was getting into?

"Are you blackmailing us?" Caliga asked in shock.

"Sounds that way, doesn't it?" Bart laughed.

"How do we know you haven't already told others?" Caliga asked with an accusing eye.

"Believe me, if I had told anyone else, you'd have kindred crawling all over this place waiting for a chance to kill you," the Brujah said taking the last drop from the glass. "That was tasty. I may ask for another later. But right now, what are you willing to pay to buy my silence?"

"What is it you want?" Caliga asked thinking that there must have been something this Brujah needed to have waited to many years to come to them.

Bart carved his face in contemplation. "What DO I want? Well I know that you have money, and lots of it. I know that you're Tremere and that you have all these funky powers. Hmmm I think I know what I want."

"And that is...?"

"I want half of everything you own and protection from you two to boot. That means half of your club, half of your profits, half of your haven, and protection from anyone who attacks me," Bart said tilting back on his chair a bit.

Caliga and Ciara said nothing. After a moment, Caliga stood up angrily. "How about we just don't kill you?" he snarled.

The Brujah stared up at him with cruel consideration. "You couldn't kill me anyway," he scoffed making a challenge. That comment angered even Ciara and she leaped up.

"Care to test that theory, Bart?" she challenged him.

"No, I'd rather not, but if you must attack me to make yourself seem more powerful, then so be it," Bart sneered as he stood from his chair.

"Follow us, please," Ciara said looping her arm through Caliga's and pulling him towards the exit of the library. Caliga knew what she was up to and flowed with it.

The Brujah wasn't bright enough to know how truly dangerous Caliga and Ciara really were when they were put together and easily followed. But he must have known something of their power if he had asked for protection. This confused both Ciara and Caliga slightly.

They lead him into a dark, dirty room that held more torture devices and cells to keep their captives in. The body of the mortal they had just drained hung from the roof. Bart stared in awe of their many various devices. "Wow, I could have half of this," he mumbled just before Ciara spun around.

"Caliga cover your eyes," she whispered as she called down upon Bart a storm of fire. He looked up and watched the fire come down on him, his eyes wide with horror. He screamed and ran for the door, but it had been sealed behind him and he was unable to open it. He searched for another exit as the fiery rain beat at him, dowsing the flame that had caught on his clothes. There was two other exits. He ran past Ciara to the exits and tried both, but both were sealed and locked. He had no escape. He had to stop this attack.

He charged at Ciara who hadn't turned to watch him, but concentrated on her magic. He tackled her around the waist and the storm of fire ceased as she was slammed to the floor. He sat on top of her beating her with his fists, making sure she was unable to use her hands.

Caliga who had been ripped down to the floor with them leaped on Bart and sunk his fangs into the flesh on his neck. Bart screamed in pain and stopped hitting Ciara to fling Caliga off of his back and across the room, pulling Ciara with him. Bart felt empowered knowing that he was winning and got up to charge at them again. They lay helpless against the wall in a small pile just watching Bart charge at them.

Ciara turned over and fired a flamebolt in his direction. It hit his right arm and he screamed in pain as she fired another into his left, then one more into his stomach. The flames quickly caught onto his clothes and he ran, trying to find something to put the flames out with, finding nothing of any use. Angered that he was now losing, he got ahold of himself and charged again at Caliga and Ciara hoping to set them aflame. They stepped out of the way just as he was nearest them and he ran into the wall and was knocked back to the floor. Ciara and Caliga leaped on him. Caliga put his hands to Bart's skin and concentrated to boil the blood in his body. Bart screamed as he burned on the outside and on the inside. A few moments later, he let out a gurgle and stopped moving. They allowed the flames to burn while they returned to the library to retrieve their wine glasses.

With their arms around each other they watched the flames burn the body of the kindred who had threatened them. Smiling at each other they finished the blood in their glasses and embraced each other with a long passionate kiss. "He won't be telling anyone anything," Caliga said smiling at her.

"I guess not," she said smiling back, snuggling up closer to him.

They fell back into their routine visiting their several clubs, becoming somewhat bored with the monotony, but at least their secret was safe for the time being.

There came an evening that changed their unlives. A messenger - or what could be called more of a weasel - came drifting into Mundus A Caliga and tracked down Ciara and Caliga who were mingling in the bar searching for their next meal.

She was silent and careful in addressing them with her request. "Caliga...Ciara?" she asked, stepping in front of them.

They paused and looked at the woman who had stepped into their path. "Yes, what is it?" Caliga said not really looking at her when he spoke.

"May we, please, go somewhere more...private?" she asked looking about as if she were searching for someone.

Ciara and Caliga gave her a suspicious look, remembering what had happened the last time they had taken someone for a private conversation. "Tell us what you want and we'll consider a private conversation," Caliga said, wrapping his arm around Ciara's waist and pulling her close.

"I understand your distrust, but I do not plan to harm you. I only wish to make a proposal," she said looking very helpless and suddenly charming. "Trust me, you will find my proposal very intriguing if you are the kindred I think you are."

"How intriguing?" Ciara asked.

"You could have more power than you have now."

That was indeed intriguing to both Caliga and Ciara. "You have our attention. Please, let us have a seat in our private booth," Caliga said leading the way to the booth that was closest to the bar. It was secluded and nobody but them and invited guests were allowed to sit in it. The three slid in without notice from any other patrons. "Now, go on."

"My name is Elita, I am from the Toreador clan in Dawson Creek. I have come to offer you power over the Camarilla in that city," she said as she dropped her tone.

"What? How?" Caliga asked confused. Most kindred knew that, even if Dawson Creek wasn't a very large city as compared to some others, it's Camarilla was one of the strongest in the country. No kindred dared to take power from the prince in the city as he was powerful and intelligent. So how was it that they were being offered power over the Camarilla?

"Our once proud prince has been killed by a sorcerer. The strength of the Camarilla is fleeting in his absence. In it's weaked state it wouldn't be hard for any strong kindred to take power for themselves," Elita explained.

"So where do we fit in here?" Caliga asked urging her to continue.

"Well, like I mentioned any strong kindred could take the seat of power for themselves. I would do so myself, but I feel I do not have the strength or courage for it. I know that some kindred in the Camarilla will attempt to seize this power for themselves, but I do not feel they are strong enough to hold up against the sorcerer or even support the political system we live under. I believe you - Caliga and Ciara - may have a genuine chance," she continued.

Caliga and Ciara were - as Elita had predicted - intrigued. This could be a chance for a change in their routine as well as to gain power to use at their will, to further their own means.

"I've travelled far to find you, but I knew you had power that was probably going to waste. I know that this may mean less travel to your clubs and settling down for awhile, but...I don't know what else to say," she said almost begging.

"We will give it some thought," said Caliga. "Thank you for bringing this to our attention."

Elita nodded and stood to leave. Caliga and Ciara remained. "What do you think?" Ciara asked.

"I think this is a perfect opportunity and we should take it," he answered, nodding, watching Elita leave.

"It means settling down in one place," she pointed out, not really knowing what it was she wanted.

"Yes, I realize that."

Ciara was silent a moment. "Okay. How about we build another club in Dawson Creek? That we we don't lose our income and we still have a feeding ground. We just roll on into town pretending we know nothing about the prince and that we're innocent bystanders," she explained.

Caliga nodded. Yes, they would. Not too long after construction of a new club in Dawson Creek was ordered.