Thread: Bound By Blood (Notte & Rage)

Smoke filled the room, causing him to wrinkle his nose a bit. His keen senses found it intrusive, though most didn't notice it to the extent that he did. Humans , he thought to himself. So afraid to die, yet so eager to kill themselves by shoving chemicals into their bodies constantly . His eyes scanned the room, then drifted down the the watch on his wrist. It would be dark outside by then, and his 'date' would be arriving any minute. He hadn't recognized the name he had been given, but then again, their kind often had to take on new identities every so often. It was simply the way things were when you didn't age or die, at least not naturally. Pursing his lips a bit, he raised his drink to his lips to take a sip. Bloodsuckers always have to be fashionably late , he thought. Then again, he had to admit that when someone had nothing but time, then there wasn't much need to be prompt. Four hundred and twenty-three years. That was how long it had been since he had worried about time. Even though he never concerned himself with the passage of time itself, he was aware of every second that had passed since his life had been changed. He had been given a 'gift' and taken into a new family, and had regretted almost nothing since. His one regret was his twin sister. They were both meant for the gift, but the bloodsuckers had other plans. She was taken and turned into one of them, and at the time the war between the two species had made it so they could no longer be together. She had to go with her kind, and he had to remain with his, despite his protests and determination to keep her close and protect her. It was simply the way of things. The prophecy of the twins that would bring harmony to them had been abandoned, after that. Perhaps it would be filled later, by others, but it was apparently not their destiny. The wolves and the bloodsuckers continued to war against each other for centuries, and he eventually found the one who had turned his sister. After a fierce and epic battle, he tore the fiend limb from limb and held his head high for all to see. He had slain their leader, who had seemed all but invincible before then, and in that moment had been recognized as one of the greatest warriors the wolves had ever known. It didn't save his sister, though. She was still one of them, and would remain so for eternity. In the last century, the war ceased, and an uneasy truce was called. It was becoming too engrossing, and was threatening to reveal them all to what would be their greatest enemy, the humans. There simply weren't enough on either side to stop mankind if they discovered them and began to hunt them, and soon they would all be extinct. Realizing this, the wise leaders of each species met and came to terms, dividing territories and sealing a pact to maintain this peace. Of course, there were those who didn't agree on both sides, and small conflicts arose from time to time. It had come to the point that the wolves and the bloodsuckers needed to assign special positions to police their own kind, and he had been selected for one of these positions. The Justicars served as judge, jury, and executioner when called upon, delivering swift retribution to any who violated the treaty, and he was good at his job. Over the years, little had changed about his appearance, save the addition of scars from many battles fought and tattoos to honor his accomplishments, as well as the occasional change of hairstyle as he adjusted to the times. His current style was denims and leather. His feet were protected by thick, black leather buckled boots, his legs wrapped in form fitting boot cut denim jeans, and his muscular upper body hidden beneath a black t-shirt and a thick, black leather jacket. He wore his thick, dark hair long these days, falling around his shoulders to frame his handsome face. A strong jaw showed a bit of stubble from a few days without shaving, and deep, piercing blue eyes took in the patrons of the club as he looked around. The bloodsuckers always did like the club scene. He would have taken a peaceful forest any day, but this was where the meeting was set. He was to connect with a peacekeeper, like himself, who represented the bloodsuckers and discuss the treaty. It was a tradition that had been honored every year since the treaty had been originally sealed. They would make sure all parties were still happy with the terms, and negotiate on changes if someone wasn't. This was the first time he'd been asked to handle it, but then again, he was practically the leader of the wolves now. The Elder Alpha turned to him for everything, and he acted as her right hand, delivering her decrees and her swift justice when needed. From time to time she also turned to him for companionship, which he provided as well. It was good, but he always felt like something was missing. Still, he had no reason to complain. The relationship had never been about love or anything like that, but simply fulfilling needs, and they did that well enough. Sipping his drink once more, he looked at his watch again and growled softly. Be patient, Liam, he muttered to himself, using his real name, though for this meeting he had come under the guise of his most recent identity, Jason Marx. Fucking bloodsucker is probably primping a bit, that's all. The bloodsuckers had always been so worried about appearances so they could play their seduction games. He preferred straightforward dealings, but then again, he was a completely different kind of animal. Just as he was thinking of leaving, he looked up and saw her. His blood ran cold at the sight, as she was the last person on Earth he expected. Regaining his composure, he settled into his seat once more and sipped his drink casually, waiting for her to approach...