Ba'al's Story

Ba'al had been hidden in the trees as an owl as he watched the events unfold. He enjoyed watching the pest get dragged away by the cops and was pleased with Moloch for deciding to toy with her. The slayer had been a problem of their's for quite some time and they'd never be able to proceed with their plans as long as she was around. There had been rumors of the circle possibly forming together again and Ba'al was determined to keep that from happening.

He shifted back into his humanoid appearance and stood next to Moloch. "I have to say, I'm impressed with this plan of yours. Breaking the slayer's spirits before breaking her. A far greater plan than simply just killing her." He leaned against the bark of a tree. "Then again, I've always been one to play with my food before eating it..." Ba'al smirked and placed his hand on Moloch's back. "Alvis is at the station to observe the events and inform us if anything 'out of the ordinary' is to happen. I gave him specific orders not to engage. Wouldn't want him giving himself away to her so early on."

Ba'al stood straight this time and fixed his suit. "It's a shame those vampire's of yours had to die but every great war has its casualties." Ba'al wasn't all too concerned with their death. They obvious were the strongest of vampires but they didn't seem as strong to Ba'al as his kind. They used their turns too quickly and acted only on violence. His vampires thought everything through. They were picky on their three turns and knew how to analyze a situation. They could have others do their work for them and have fewer of their kind die. Ba'al saw this as a superiority but of course others would disagree with him.

"I have to say, I'm impressed with this plan of yours. Breaking the slayer's spirits before breaking her. A far greater plan than simply just killing her." Moloch smiled sardonically at Ba'al's compliment."Then again, I've always been one to play with my food before eating it..." Moloch looked down at the hand on his back, well, more the arm, "Alvis is at the station to observe the events and inform us if anything 'out of the ordinary' is to happen. I gave him specific orders not to engage. Wouldn't want him giving himself away to her so early on."

"They've never met?" Moloch asked, the idea taking him by surprise. Besides himself, Ba'al and Belial, Alice and Alvis were among the oldest vampires still walking the Earth.

"It's a shame those vampire's of yours had to die but every great war has its casualties," Ba'al continued.

Moloch laughed, "What makes you so sure they're dead? Look around my friend. When did she have time to throw them to a river? She didn't even set the pup on fire when the police came. They took him to the police station. Give it time, the dust will pull itself back together and my children will walk again and the pup will wreak havoc on the lost souls at the police station and our dear friend will have her hand forced. You're not the only one to engage in a little mischief Ba'al."

---

Alice looked up when her cell door opened. She rose quickly from the bench as an officer left her alone with an old man in her cell with the door open. When the officer had left, the old man spoke, "Hello, my name is Dacha Lien, and I, it seems, am getting you out of here earlier than you expected. I'm sure you have a few question."

Alice's mouth opened and closed again, searching for words. Weren't they trying to build a case for murder against her? Why was she being let out now? These questions left her mind when she realised she had no idea who this man was, "Dacha Lien? Who are you? Beyond that I mean," She reached out to touch him, pulling her hand back when she felt heat radiating from him, "I'm guessing that's not just a fever," She said, noticing her hand was distinctly redder than it had been a second earlier, understanding what, if not who, Dacha Lien was, "You know about the vampires, don't you? We need to go back, they might still be alive, I couldn't get rid of them," Alice stopped her babbling, "You do know about the vampires don't you?" She asked cautiously.

Belial had been slumbering in a cave as a Puma when he awoke to the sound of a vehicle engine turning over. He yawned and stretched as a cat will do, and headed out into the night. He could sense the death of young Vampires nearby, but this did not concern him so he moved on. He was more interested in finding Ba'al and Moloch.

As he approached more populated areas he shifted to a smaller feline to attract less attention, finally coming to the city he was sure he would find them. There were other Vampires here, as well as less desirable creatures, and Belial kept to the shadows, avoiding anything and everything as possible. It was from the other Vampires that Belial learned of the location of his Brothers, and he approached them slowly. "How are you?" He asked them with little real interest.

Alice felt her ego wince when Dacha claimed to know more of the vampires than she did. She had been fighting vampires for a millenia. There wasn't a lot about them that she didn't know. Still slightly confused by the sudden turn of events, she followed Dacha to the reception, vaguely listening to his self-righteousness. Her attention returned when she felt a cold stone being dropped into her hand. She looked down at the stone. It was perfectly circular, a veiny network of colours and cracks ran just beneath the surface. 'Semper vigilant ad lamia' was enscribed on the edge. She felt the room grow a little colder. Looking up, she saw Dacha leaving. Clutching the stone, she raced outside, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, "Wait!" She called. A few passers by gave her odd looks as she looked up and down the street for Dacha. He was gone.

Alice tied the stone around her neck as her thoughts tried to order themselves. Dacha was, presumably, an angel. Why had an angel wanted to free her? She was a product of the Fallen Ones, Heaven's enemies. Which angel was Dacha? If she could figure that part out, it might help figure out why he had freed her. The bigger question was why were angels walking the earth again? Was Dacha an isolated rebellion or were things a lot more serious than she had realised? Alice stopped dead in the middle of the street, quickly apologising to the man who walked straight into her. "Oh hell," she whispered. It couldn't have been...could it? Alice wanted to scream and rip her hair out. The vampire who was watching, he might not have been any Moloch Vampire, he could have been the Moloch. He was so close. She could have ended him if she had just been paying enough attention. Alice headed back down the street, instinctively heading for her hideout. The newborn was most likely recovering in the morgue but she had to deal with the nest properly. He would have to wait.

---

"How are you?"

Moloch looked at Belial with no real interest. Compared to himself and Ba'al, Belial looked positively ancient. Guilt was not an emotion he was familiar with. It seemed that over the centuries, Belial had become all too familiar with it. "Nice to see you've finally emerged from your well of self pity, brother. The mortals are yet to create a suitable expression for my current state, but that is their problem, not mine," he answered, barely containing the venom in his voice. Despite his current plan going rather well, there was a considerable part of Moloch that despised Belial. Humanity could have been conquered before it had ever really had a chance to start if Belial hadn't been so cowardly. All it would have taken was one swipe of his blade and Michael would have been destroyed. But no, Heaven had won and they were forced to live among the creatures he loathed for eternity.

A young police officer came towards the trio. She was pretty, for a human at least. She exuded confidence. Her pulse was steady as she approached them. There was no sign that she was intimidated by the three men before her, although given Belial's current state, not even a mouse would be intimidated by him. Moloch decided he would turn her when the time was right. She would make a good vampire. "Sirs, I have to ask you to move along. This is a crime scene."

Moloch smiled, enjoying the small amount of fear that came from the woman. Smart girl. "Of course," he answered, "We'll be on our way." He began walking away from the house, not bothering to check if his brothers were following. Despite his low tolerance for his brothers, there was something rather grand about the three of them being together once more. Third time lucky, perhaps? a small voice echoed in his mind. No, he dismissed the thought, 'luck' was something you made happen, it didn't happen to you. Nothing was to be left to chance, not this time.

---

Back at her den, Alice lay herself out on the floor, letting her eyes flicker closed. Staying still wasn't much of a problem as she went over what she had to do. Go back to the house, clean up, slay any vampires who have already returned. Get her kopis back. Ditch the dust somewhere. Then deal with the pup. First things first though, she needed to feed. Flicking up onto her feet, Alice inhaled deeply, searching for a scent. There was a farm nearby. She could more smell the hay and then came the blood. She shed her clothes and took the form of an eagle as she dived from the window.

Soaring through the air, she could feel the wind in her feathers. Looking beneath her, she could see each individual leaf on the trees. Cats were a lot of fun to be, but there was something about taking to the skies that just couldn't compare. She glided over the farm, waiting for the farmer to leave the sheep before she could feed. After what felt like an age, he left. Alice bombed down, snatching up a lamb before flying off somewhere more secluded. Landing next to an old tractor shed, Alice turned back and slipped inside, the lamb cradled in her arms. She could feel the pulse race beneath it's skin, almost as if it knew she was it's predator. There was no point in trying to calm it, she thought as she sunk her fangs into it's neck. The lamb gave a feeble bleet as blood gushed into Alice's mouth. It's pulse slowed to a stop and the creature went limp in her arms. Draining the last of the blood from the lamb, Alice shifted back into an eagle, the transformation somewhat easier now that she wasn't hungry. She rolled back into her den, feeling happily full and waited until night came down.

Belial flinched a little at the venom in Moloch's tone. He knew he wasn't well favoured among his Brothers and had not expected the years to dull that emotion. He nodded at Moloch's words, however, and even managed a small smile. "Perhaps I will have the opportunity to redeem myself in your eyes." He responded. The idea of starting another war did not sit well with him, but he knew he owed Moloch and Ba'al a great deal for his failure. He was determined to help them succeed this time.

He barely gave the police officer a glance as she approached, though he was intrigued that she held very little fear of them. Perhaps that was his fault. Compared to Ba'al and Moloch he wasn't much. Years of blood deprivation and self-loathing will do that to a Vampire. He was still mildly curious as to why she did not feel much fear toward them.

Nevertheless, she approached, and instructed they go about their way, as a crime had occurred. Belial nodded and moved away, following Moloch. As they walked he felt his step lighten and an hint of confidence filled him. It felt right to once again be by his Brothers' sides, and while he could not help but feel nervous for their plot, he was determined not to fail.