Angel

Well, yesterday, I had pretty much a bit of a shock from Michael, but he sure was great at concealing his actions. Today, I need to know more about Reuben's background, before school starts tomorrow, and know what does a vampire usually do...

I held my hands close to my chest and wished for Michael. I hear Michael, in my mind, running from his home, as I concentrated my thoughts, only on him. My concentration was broken when I heard a voice.

"I'm here, Angel. Speak your mind." I didn't know what came on me, but the first thing I did was embrace him, holding him for comfort. I felt the cold touch of his mask, but I didn't care. I just needed him.

"Michael, I'm scared. I fear for my life, but I want you to help me..." Michael, of course, sensed something was amiss and prodded me to explain... I hesitated, mistaking the mask's grin as his, looking so evil.

"I need you to check out Reuben's background, and tell me what you do in your life, besides sucking people's blood for food and, uh... pleasure..." I almost gagged at the word 'pleasure'. I sat down on my bed, as Michael sat on the windowsill, removing his ring, and his mask disappeared.

"To check out his background would require me to go all the way to... Orlance..." Orlance? Sounds angelic.

"Thats what the Angels call it, of course. Whatever Angels map, they make it sound nice... We, vampires, call it Aldevia. Our sanctum... she is also home to our Lord Lucian." He bit his lip as he said the Lord's name, as if he may offend the Lord in any way.

"Who's Lucian to you? He's a Lord, yes, but what does he do?" My mind raced, thinking of possibilities. Thinking of Reuben's gold ring, he may just be related to Lucian in the closest way.

"Never, ever call him by his name... You need to put the title in front, or else I fear that I myself won't be able to save your life. And I, having told you so much, am supposed to turn you, but I haven't. Lord Lucian will execute me for this..." Wearing the ring, the mask appeared. His face turned to me, the skull's grin seeming to reflect his feelings, the satisfaction in having my blood, and another vampire added to his race.

"Michael, you promised. Please. If you can't say anything about him, don't." Michael turned his head to the window and stayed that way. He seemed to be thinking about his choices.

Suddenly, his voice pierced through the eerie silence, and me looking at him warily, afraid he may pounce on me and turn me for real.

"Angel, you are not human, or vampire. Another bite from me, and you receive your vampire abilities, but not fully vampire. You'll be half human still... I'm thinking whether I should make you half vampire and half human." He sighed and removed his ring.

"Can't believe I need to do this to please Lord Lucian. Let me travel to Aldevia, while you attend school and observe Reuben. If he's hostile, I will dispose of him... Focus on your studies while I'm away." Without a goodbye, he went out of the windowsill in the same way as yesterday, without me having a chance to say goodbye.

I stared at the floor, and realise a ring was left on the floor. It wasn't Michael's, or Reuben's. It seemed to be made of platinum. According to Michael, it meant a person's status. How did Michael chance upon this ring? Or is this just any normal ring?

Or was he lying about his status?

"Michael..." I held up the ring in my palm, wondering what it would do to a human. I'm tempted to wear this. I really want to, it's so elegant, glamorous. I was about to put it on, but Michael returned and interrupted the process. He must have heard me when I said his name.

"Angel, don't, touch. It." Michael held out his hand and beckoned for me to place the ring in his hand.

"Platinum rings are for the fittest, and the strongest. I can't believe a platinum ring is in your hands..." He looked around as if a very powerful figure was watching us.

"I may just know who exactly owns this...." He stared at the windowsill, and in a small tornado of black mist, a hooded figure with red eyes shining brightly from within the hood stood before my eyes. "Lord Lucian has come to see you." Michael introduced.

Now on his knees, Michael spoke, "Lord Lucian." Pulling down his hood, he was like any other vampire, pale skin, etcetera. However, one thing unique about him that I realised, was that he possessed something... that both Reuben and Michael don't have.

"Rise, Michael. You may show your true status." Michael took off his ring and looked at Lord Lucian, unsure. Lucian beckoned him to crush the ring, and Michael crushed it in his hand. However the ring came out unscathed, but paint seemed to peel off to reveal an even shinier silvery metal. Michael wore it, but the mask design was the same, except that...

His ring was platinum.

"I hate to break it to you, or you may be so happy that you will faint hearing this, but I am one of the best vampires in history. I have concealed my true status well, have I? And fear not... Reuben will be gone. Lord Lucian wishes to speak with you. While he does that, I shall check Reuben out myself." Wow, behaviour change. I saluted him as he smiled, or I sensed his smile. He left, this time disappearing into a cloud of black mist.

"Michael was the best vampire in our history, even if he is not actively involved in our own community. He has concealed his true self well in front of you. He may be drinking blood for pleasure at times, but he, having seen you, definitely will cut down on that." Lord Lucian grinned as he reached his hand out, a sign for a handshake.

"I forgot to introduce myself formerly. I am Lucian, Vampire Lord." I slowly gripped his hand lightly and shook it.

"Nice to meet you, uh..."

"You may call me Lucian. Lord, is just a title. Only vampires have to do that, or there is no way to enforce the law. Chaos would ensue if I don't assume the governing of my race." Ah, Lucian. Okay.

"Nice to meet you, Lucian. My name is Angel." I released from his hand's grip and sat on my bed.

"If you were thinking about it, Michael had bitten me thrice..." Why did I start a conversation like this?!

"Thrice? Pretty interested in you, I guess. Only vampires who know exactly what is their desired partner would do this... Its a slow change to a vampire, but it allows their partners to stay human longer." So, what he's trying to say is...

"Michael wishes you to stay human, but you, having known so much about us, and know me in particular... must be turned. If you become a vampire, on behalf of Michael's undying love for you, I will promote you to a platinum ring holder." Is this... persuasion? What exactly is his tactic?

"Only because of Michael's love for me? Not for me to have a direct link to you or your own personal agenda?" I had a weird feeling about him, which made me speak this way. Lord Lucian said that it was only Michael's love alone, that made him give the idea. Well, I could believe it or not.

Lord Lucian left in my absent-mindedness, all he left was a note.

Angel... you made me lie, for the first time in my life. You are special to me. I may just train you personally.... for you possess great potential. I hope to see you fully vampire the next time we meet. Farewell, my human friend.

Lucian

Okay, another man with a liking for me. Or maybe not... If he said I possessed great potential, he may just want me to be the next Vampire Lord... Is he serious? I don't want to change, I want to be human, this is preposterous! God damn, why am I always in a mess? I paced around my room, as my mother complained about the noise I was making.

"Angel, thank God, I got to you." Reuben?

I focused on the silhouette at the windowsill. Great. Now everyone comes to my house via windows, not the front door. God damn, seriously. As I thought that, the silhouette disappeared, and I heard the doorbell.

"Coming!" I opened the door, to see Reuben.

"Mother, I got a friend, we'll be upstairs," I told Mother, who was sitting on the sofa resting and calming her mind. She only nodded her head, and I led Reuben upstairs, forgetting Michael's professional advice to me.

"Angel, you have to help me." Reuben held my hand, and it felt so weird. I had better reactions to Michael's, but Reuben had me trying not to puke.

"Michael is hunting me down... he's going to silence me..." Okay, are you lying?!

"Reuben! GOT YOU NOW...." Michael was at my room door, and Reuben placed an arm around my neck. Blades emerged from within his hand, and I see Reuben's evil smile as I turned my head to my right. His hand, full of blades, moved ever so slowly across my neck, as Michael tried to hold back his anger and rashness.

"Michael, if you silence me, you will lose her forever. Come at me..." I saw his gold ring, shedding its gold, and the platinum revealed itself.

Reuben was on par with Michael...

Two platinum ring holders, in my house. If I turned into a vampire, Lucian will make me one of them.

"Just as I expected." In Michael's hands, appeared two swords, their keen blades gleaming in the faint light there was, "Reuben Verno... I had been looking for you. Now I shall seal your fate."