Rain thudded heavily on the cold, mud-packed earth. The black clouds, overflowing with the dangerous liquid, fell toward the ground and hovered precariously above every cathedral and swampland alike. Above the rest of the sanctuary, Raziel sat in a darkened alcove, rain falling so close it nearly grazed his pale skin. A stone overhang allowed the streaming downpour to cascade in front of the vampire, who stared at death with steady eyes.

A simple crack in the structure, a simple wind change, could quite possibly be the commencement of an exceedingly painful torture session. Despite this fact, Raziel crouched, mere inches from the deadly element, taunting it silently, daring the winds to alter their course and eat away his flesh. Let it wash over him, spray in the stone enclosure, and satisfy the vampire's dry thirst for liquid sustenance other than blood.

Raziel considered his options.

"Raziel."

The infallibly serene vampire unexpectedly flinched, almost hurtling from his dizzying perch onto the scorching earth of liquid fire. Before his body grazed the curtain of rain, Raziel lurched backward and slammed into the stone wall behind him. An ominous chuckle filled his ears. Raziel didn't need to look to know who had decided to show up.

Calmly walking down the tight spiral staircase Raziel was revealed to the muscular form of Kain, arms crossed and a dangerous glint decorating his fierce yellow eyes.

"Not leaving tonight, are we?"

"If I were not so vilely prohibited," Raziel replied.

"Ah, the gods work in mysterious ways."

Raziel's lips curled into a mischievous smirk. "Gods, Kain? Personal remarks are the height of ill-breeding."

Kain let out a hearty laugh, throwing back his head and exposing his sharp, bone-white teeth.

"Your absence will be missed greatly, Raziel. Although bear in mind that it is my "ill-breeding" that sustains your existence."

"A gift that I am burdened with," the younger vampire agreed. Kain nodded solemnly, yet his golden eyes remained transfixed on Raziel's throughout.

"Your destiny lies in a labyrinthine purgatory, Raziel. To tell you that your future is uncomplicated would be to deceive you. All I can offer you is advice to commit to your actions with your wisest judgment possible."

The black haired vampire furrowed his eyebrows, perplexed; he chose, however, to not reply. If he had learned anything in his millennia of his vampiric life, it was to not admit your confusion to an entity stronger than yourself lest you give away more ignorance than you had originally planned.

"Your mind is chaotic, Raziel. Even fleeting thoughts receive your utmost recognition. Why, Raziel? Why think of such trivial matters? You have no reason to be troubled."

Raziel clenched his teeth, but Kain beckoned him to speak:

"Your tongue has not been lacerated, Raziel. Speak, or it shall be."

A moment of intense silence clouded the darkened room. The younger vampire stared out of an adjacent window and watched absently as the rain thrashed the ground, mutilating the dirt.

"You know that I am thankful for this gift, Kain. But each decade that transpires, a fragment more of me decays into nothingness. I fear Turel will have his lieutenancy before the next year."

A graceful hand slinked to Kain's chin. He thought for a moment. "Turel remains incompetent and unworthy of such a title. You, above all of us, should know this. Your superior lieutenancy is not all that stands between yourself and Turel."

The older vampire's voice hung in the air after he spoke. The distinguished resonance echoed hauntingly in Raziel's mind, unnerving with its disturbing familiarity.

"I simply do not wish to linger and tolerate conformity. I remember nothing of my human life, what or who I was..." He set his eyes intently on Kain. "All I know is what you deem worthy enough to utter to my ignorant corpse."

"What I know of your past is better left in your crypt. Believe me, Raziel."

Raziel sighed. "Believe you? Haven't you told me that trust is an admittance of naivety? Believe you?"

Suddenly Kain moved closer. In a split second his hand was wrapped around Raziel's throat. The younger vampire gave no resistance and showed nor felt any fear. A sharp thumbnail pressed deep into his jugular vein, drawing blood instantly. Kain's breath touched Raziel's face with unnatural heat. The passionate warmth of a human form ignored that of the cursed vampires. A vampiric life meant a cold existence in darkness, a life forever bathed in shadow.

A thin red line of blood ran from Raziel's punctured neck; Kain's nail still lightly pressed into his son's jugular vein. Raziel's breathing intensified as he began to lose more and more blood; he hadn't fed in hours and his eyes began to flutter, desperately trying to stay open.

This attempt failed when a sudden rush of pain engulfed his entire body. This pain steadily grew to an intense pleasure, causing the younger vampire to lose control; his eyes closed as he felt the familiar smooth enamel of teeth plunge into his skin. Raziel's body completely succumbed to the will of Kain, and his mind reeled with a sense of inescapable vertigo.

In the past, Kain used this method to calm his sons down, mostly Raziel. So much responsibility was always placed on the eldest lieutenant, but he never showed his emotions. Because of this, Kain had found Raziel's release: being nearly drained of blood to the point of death. It was the only thing that cleared his mind, made him feel at ease. And it was a travesty. To feel nothing about your existence so much that your only escape is to feel less alive...

But Kain couldn't stop it.

At dusk, Raziel, only a handful of centuries old, would intrude upon his lord's chamber and demand his comfort. At first, Kain refused. But as time went by, it became an anticipated ritual. All Raziel had to do was walk through the looming doors of Kain's chamber, barely make eye contact, and stare into the darkened room, silently willing the white haired vampire to sneak up behind him, come to him directly, and sink his gleaming and desired fangs into Raziel's life-prohibited flesh.

These occurrences, among many others, Kain noticed, were the reasons for the strong bond between himself and Raziel.

A desperate moan snapped Kain to attention. His mouth reluctantly but obediently separated from its feast; the vampire king pulled away from the already healing wound and exited the tower.

Raziel sank to the floor as Kain vanished from sight. His body heaved in exhaustion as he leaned back his head to touch the chilling stone. He knew he would be weak for some time. He knew he had to feed. Raising himself unsteadily from the floor, the pale vampire slowly made his way to the door and exited the tower.

"You look terrible, Raziel. Paler than usual!"

"Thank you, Melchiah," Raziel replied as he walked through the hallway to his chamber.

"Did he drain you again?"

No answer.

"Fine, okay. I won't bother you anymore..."

"Now, Melchiah, don't be absurd," said a new voice. "Raziel can take anything; he is our lead lieutenant after all."

"Hold your tongue, Turel," Raziel spat, in no mood to be irritated.

But Turel continued, drawing attention from the rest of their brothers. "Why don't you make me, Raziel? What... too weak?"

The antagonist sent a fierce blow to Raziel's back, causing him to fall to the ground. Raziel was in no shape to fight right now and Turel knew it; he would never start a fight with his older brother in regular circumstances. All of the brothers knew that Raziel was the most powerful, the strongest. It was fear that kept them all in line. And from that fear grew respect. At this moment, Turel took advantage of his brother, relishing in the fact that he would receive no resistance.

"Turel, don't do this," the first lieutenant said quietly, trying to subdue his anger. But Turel kicked Raziel again and laughed malevolently.

Suddenly, Raziel was on his feet, eyes blaring with an intense heat. Blindingly, he moved toward Turel, picked him up by his throat, and shoved him violently against a wall. Melchiah, Dumah, Rahab, and Zephon stood dumbfounded, not believing what their eyes beheld. Raziel retained barely a pint of blood in his body, and yet he was moving fluidly, deftly. A terrified gasp emitted from Turel's lips as his brother's teeth sank into his neck.

"Raziel, what are you doing!" He cried frantically.

Soon, his vocal cords no longer functioned. His lungs gasped for precious air. Raziel was draining his younger brother out of anger and a desperate hunger that ravaged his corpse. The sustaining life force now drained from one lieutenant to the other until Turel felt his body losing consciousness. And then he was on the floor on his knees, grasping his throat. He looked up at Raziel with terror in his eyes.

"How could you do that?" He inquired, not understanding his brother's motives. But Raziel felt his actions were justified. He picked up his foot and pressed his boot on the back of Turel's neck, forcing his head to touch the floor beneath him.

"Now you know from whom to take orders, Turel. Remember your place when I am in your presence." He pressed his foot down harder, causing Turel to quietly protest with a painful moan.

"Right here," Raziel whispered, "beneath me, kissing the ground I walk upon. Is that clear? I said is that clear!"

The four onlookers nodded as well as Raziel unpinned Turel from the ground. Without another word, the vampire walked away and entered his chamber. His five brothers exchanged glances of horror. Never before had Raziel demonstrated so much power, especially against his own brethren. If Raziel was that powerful without blood, the mind could merely fathom the possibilities of his strength with a full resource.

Grumbling, Turel ordered his brothers to help him up.