The Three Bloods
Silvertooth, Blackmoon, Amberblood

Silvertooth

Alley Rat

I stared dully at the rich people walking the streets in front of me. They walked like they knew the secret to the universe and didn’t want to share it.
I huddled deeper into the alley and shivered. It was cold. No matter where I went, it’s always cold.
I couldn’t go into any warm, stuffy tavern. I was a beggar child.
I was a street kid, filthy and uneducated. Bitter humor welled in me as I remembered the only person who had ever helped me. He had been elegant and refined.
No one would mess with me because of what he had taught me. The security was welcome, but because of it I was left by myself. I was alone.
I shook off my sudden depression. There was no need to get to deep into thought while I had to survive. Stepping out of the alley, I darted down the street, ignoring the shouts of anger and disgust as I came out into the rich people’s territory.
A fat old man was waddling directly in front of me and I took a moment to smash into him, pulling his wallet from the unsecured pocket and gleefully dashing away.
I grinned as I ran, fleet footed towards the old bridge in the park. They moneybags hated it when any of the beggars came onto the roads, especially if they found their wallets missing afterwards.
It was amusing that for they said they were peace loving people, but have a alley rat come onto their clean streets and they weren’t so peace-loving afterwards.
I ran on into the park and through the grove of beech trees just loosing their leaves. The vibrant reds, greens and browns warmed my heart, if not my body.
I loved it here, but I only came when it was getting dark or when I was too upset to be rational.
The grass under my feet was so soft and if I could, I would have gladly slept here, but I didn’t. That would make such a beautiful, almost sacred place just another filthy hovel for me too live in.
Despite that, I loved the outside, not outside in the city with the filthy alleys and beggar gangs, but here in nature, with the trees and grass and little blue birds that zip by on their way home for the night.
The smell was so heavenly; the freshness after the ripe alleys was like fruit after rotten meat.
I stopped suddenly and looked up at my old bridge. A big stream ran through the park and this bridge connected this park to the one on the other side. The bridge was needed; the stream was swift and deep.
I listened to the thud of my footfalls on the hard planks and smiled. I was so cold, but no matter what, I was happy here. Other than me, almost no one ever came here. A woman had committed suicide here, so everyone thought it had bad luck.
I sat down halfway across and shivered.
I hadn’t eaten in two days. If I didn’t get warm and eat soon I would die. I almost welcomed the idea, but then I shook myself. I couldn’t die, that would be too easy. I had to survive. I had to survive.
I sighed and thumped my head against the bridge railing. It was hard, but I pulled myself up and leaned against the railing.
I glanced up at the now purple sky and smiled. What an appropriate colour, purple, like a bruise. I snorted at the dark humour and self-pity.
I looked down into the swirling water. No matter what went on the water still flowed onwards. I liked it, admired it; it had a determination unlike anything else. I watched the water and marveled for a few minutes. The sky slowly turned black and the stars came out. My eyes adjusted quickly and I saw almost as clearly as I had in the light. The white stars looked like eyes to me. Millions of eyes turned towards us, watching us and smiling at the little stories they saw in our lives.
I scowled suddenly. I didn’t want to be watched. Dropping down, I sat on the boards of my bridge and addressed the stars, “Why do you watch us? I can see you, but you never say a word. Why? Hmmm, maybe you remain silent because you can’t speak? Or is it that you just don’t want to talk to the creatures so far below you? What are you? Could you be a demon or a lost soul?” I continued to ramble like this for a few minutes, not caring that the stars probably didn’t give a wit about what I was saying. I talked for the sake of talking, to forget the cold and the little creatures on my head that made my hair itch so, and all of my life’s dreary problems. That is, until a voice cut through the air like a razor blade, “Do you always speak to nothing, child?” I looked up and shrieked.
A man with jet black hair stood four feet away from me, on the bridge. It shocked me that I hadn’t heard him on the wooden planks. I had the best hearing of anyone I’d ever know, excepting one person.
Immediately I moved, changing my sitting position into a crouch. The man laughed and spoke again,
“I wouldn’t waste my time on you. Tell me though, what do you do here? In a nobles’ park?”
I stared at him and spoke hostility and warning underlying my words, “I am here because I want to be.”
He watched me for a moment more, before murmuring, “Child, you obviously have no family and are freezing and starving. You could do with a bath and warm food. Would you like to come with me?”
I stared at the man. Who was he that he could assume such things and then asks a child, a beggar child to come with him? I stared at him in distrust. No, this man wanted something, something I was very much not prepared to give.
He noticed my suspicion and laughed hard, “Child, I would never even think of something like that with one as,” he wrinkled his nose, “filthy and young as you. I am thinking of something entirely different.” When my suspicion remained and I made no move to stand or follow him, the man snarled at me.
I jumped and tensed. Something was wrong with this man because no human could snarl like that, like a demon.
He stood with an easy confidence of a man assured of his own safety. He wasn't speaking to me condescendingly, even if it was rudely. He took an easy step forward that screamed of power and strength that did not come from having lots of money and stood with an easy grace that spoke volumes. This man was accustomed to power and wealth; he obviously didn’t need other men to protect him, though. His straight aquiline features showed he was decisive, strong and independent. His eyes were cold and scary, making me wonder if this man would kill me without a second thought.
I was usually a good judge of character. Something about this man attracted him to me. Not in a sexual way and despite his granite eyes, I was attracted like a moth to flame.
For a moment I actually believed that this man wanted nothing more than to help me, but my caution overran my fascination. I sidled sideways and tensed farther, as he took a step towards me.
“You aren't normal, child. I sense something great in you. Show me your power. Show me your strength,” He watched me with an intensity that was frightening.
I was shocked. Though his words were cryptic I knew what he meant. What kind of fool was this man who said to he wanted to see my power? Obviously he didn’t know that I could kill him.
For a moment my mind warred with a sudden need to hurt this man and desperate control. The boy who had helped me in the past had always told me to control myself.
But he had asked for it. I sighed with relief and let go of my conscious. The problem was his now.
It poured out, the feelings, the sensations, the sights, the smells, with this came the beast. The rage that I had kept shut up tight! How could they leave me? How could they leave me all alone?
I snarled and leapt at the man.
He sidestepped easily, but I flipped mid-air and landed on his shoulders. I dug in my fangs and ripped, but my landing was wrong and I only left a shallow puncture. The metallic taste and smell was like water to my parched throat. Pleasure ran through me and I howled, my voice rising chillingly in a song unlike anything heard before.
My claws dug into his chest. He didn’t make sound, but just picked me up with his good arm and held me away from him. I spit and kicked and tried at bite his hand and arm, but it was no good. How dare he stop me! I wouldn’t allow it!
I twisted and lashed out trying to reach him. A howl of fury erupted from my throat. No, I could not get free! I snarled at him then hung limply when he shook me roughly.
“Well!” he said with a short, painful laugh, “that was defiantly worse than I expected. Your strong, young one, I’m surprised you haven’t loosed yourself on the world yet.” In reply I growled and tried to claw him. To my shock he just laughed then shook me again. I bit back another snarl. I became wary of my prey.
“Now that’s better. Why don't you stop with the madness for a moment? I can’t talk to you like this.”
I heard him from a distance; my fury at my currant life eclipsed all else. But gradually, sense came back to me and I calmed.
The man was silent, a hand pressed over the bleeding wound on his shoulder. He watched me for a moment as I squirmed and looked away, both horrified and electrified by my power. A striking laugh sounded. I stared up at the man. He was grinning like a fool at me and I couldn’t help but laugh. What an incredible experience! Both of us were grinning like fools despite the fact that he held me two feet from the ground.
Something light bubbled up inside me and overflowed. I laughed long and loud, my laughter rising like a bell into the sky.
“So, son, will you come with me?” He said now, his voice strained but still friendly.
Son! I almost laughed, but choked it down in time. This man though I was a boy! Well, better to keep him in the dark just in case he got any ideas. My chest was still too small for him to distinguish me.
My voice, light for the first time in years, crackled through the air, “Yes,”