Update April 2010 - Chapter edited for grammer/spelling mistakes.

NightWalker: Forever and a Day

Chapter 16: Everan

"How cute..."

There was a sound of footsteps pacing softly, patiently.

"Cain... you poor sad fool. My poor sad fool..."

There was a chuckle, and a rustle of clothes as the owner of the voice suddenly spun round.

"Isn't that right, council?" Everan said with glee, hands outstretched. It was like a drama to him, the council - his audience.

None of the vampires before him said a word, all locked in silence. All staring ahead mindlessly.

"Oh?" Everan smiled, climbing up towards their 'Leader', stretching an arm around the young vampire's shoulders, "Nothing to say then?"

He chuckled lightly before nudging the vampire and watched with satisfaction as he easily fell to the floor with a loud thud, his blank blue eyes staring straight ahead.

The pearl-eyed vampire covered his eyes with one hand, his smile turning into a malicious grin.

"I'm loving every moment of your silence, dear council. It reminds me of who's in charge..."

Again, there was another long silence - the silence like music to his ears.

But then his face turned serious, his blind-looking eyes narrowing.

"All of you are such fools..."

Nothing moved.

"Fools to hide from the world - " Everan's voice rose as he spoke, "Hiding from humans, our very source of FOOD! How laughable is THAT? But, now that we have the last of our kind returned to us, it's time we take the world back - control it as we once did so long ago..."

Everan's eyes closed slowly, thinking back.

Indeed... how the world was once our oyster. Humans galore would obey us, give us whatever we wanted in exchange for their lives. They would give us their children which in turn only multiplied our numbers -

Everan smiled as a pair of wide, bright blue eyes looked up at him in his mind. Such eyes so filled with life... before he turned them into a brillant gold.

Ah Cain... Cain, Cain, Cain...

Do you remember the power we had? The power that we, our kind, weilded over these animals called humans? Ah Cain... the stories you could tell to Shido before you made him a vampire...

You loved it too - the power, the blood, the control we had... the control I gave you...

You threw it all away for Shido...running after him from city to city... Never answering me or the coven as we called for your help... as we all began to dwindle and decrease...as our NightBreed brethern died one by one by one...

And many of these deaths were caused by your Shido...

Your Shido... who believes he is so human...

Everan frowned in disgust, scoffing at the thought.

I've let you have your fun, Cain. I've let you spend one last night with Shido.

But now -

I think this game is over...

He turned once more to the unmoving council.

"Despite your inner turmoils and pleas of reconsideration - you'll all thank me in the end for this."

He shrugged, "You've all been turned into cowards just because of our decreased numbers. You all cower and hide underground, in the shadows of our former selves." Everan looked at all of them slowly, blind eyes intent.

"Don't you all miss that power we had?"

In another dramatic gesture, he shot his hand out towards the shadows around them.

"The Nightbreed are currently monitoring the human's defence forces. Those animals know how to destroy us, but they know such little else. A vast majority do not believe in vampires, which is to our advantage...

"Even as we speak, many Nightbreed are even stealing children so we may bring them up as our own, and bring our numbers back."

The shadows slid across the floor and around Everan like an obedient dog. One Nightbreed lifted its head from the shadows, the inky blackness like oil around it, and Everan stroked it gently, pleased.

"My dear Nightbreed brethern...All of you wish for power once more... Revenge for your lost comrades..."

The creature gurgled and growled in response while the shadows began to slide around Everan's ankles as an adoring cat would. Everan nodded as he heard their voices.

"I know - I shouldn't be toying with Cain as there is so much work to do, but don't worry... Shido will know Cain's true nature by then... And you can all watch as he's torn apart by it."

The shadows curled around his right arm, like they were hugging it as you would comfort a friend.

"Yes - you can all have your vengence with him for killing our brethern - but wouldn't keeping him alive be even more torturous as he would have to live with Cain and I? The way we are to him?"

The thought made him chuckle softly.

Daenis