I awoke, consciousness invading my perfect, peaceful dead slumber. I despised the wakefulness, not for the need to rise, but for the sense of daylight, despite being underground. It was a constant gnawing at the back of my mind. Proof of my mongrel blood and remaining weakness. How I long for the days when I can walk the surface unhindered, beneath the harmless sun. However, that wouldn't happen.

  It was a sore spot in an otherwise delectable life. And with immortality, one had endless time to change their fortune. So far, my efforts had borne delicious fruit, but it was never enough. Like the vampires of old, the eternal craving was an ever present force. Not just blood, but power, wealth and pride. All things any upstanding vampire should possess. For everything should be within an immortal's grasp, and if not, they should work to get it.

  Darkness surrounded me. It was comfortable and threatened to lull me back into the little death once more. I resisted the urge and activated my telekinetic skill, projecting my will and commanding the casket to open. It did so, and without the creak of ages, but with the smooth opening of a well-tended resting place. With another skill activated, I was soon levitating into the air.

  Now out and about, I glanced around at my secret lair. It was once a hidden getaway for one of the older Strigoi overlords. The only entrance was a single door, accessible with a runic code. It had grown messy as of let, many experiments took much of my time. Magical devices littered the table to my right, along with a preserved corpse on the table next to it. I had entered a frenzy last night and scattered my notes all over the place in frustration.

  Glancing around at the empty glass containers and alembics that dotted my work table. One would assume this room was the home of a rather messy alchemist. They would be partially correct. I was in part an alchemist, but a petty dabbler than any with a true class or profession in the area. Which is probably why my experiments were not as elegant.

  "I despise failure." I muttered to no-one.

  However, I had success in some of my other experiments and focused on those. Wasting no more time, I left my secret chamber, carved the runes to tether this door to another and quickly exited. As the door closed behind me, I sensed a figure approaching.

  "My lord; your guards are armed and ready." A baritone voice spoke from the side. Like nails on a chalkboard.

  "Calraz, you look well." I feigned interest.

  "I am my lord, thank you for asking. Do you have a destination in mind?" He asked.

  "I have a few, but first how is Lady Griselda? Is she well?"

  "She is my lord; she awaits you in the laboratory."

  Frowning just as the words exited my guard's mouth, I had a sudden urge to draw the back of my hand across his face. What is she doing in my lab? I hadn't given permission, nor had I prohibited her from entering. Still, this affront should not go unpunished. But how could I use this? Perhaps I could declare her wrongness and demand recompense for the intrusion. However, she was of a higher station, despite her lack of domain and retainers.

  "I shall go to my lab." I took a step before turning back. "Have a doctor attend me." I ordered before continuing.

  Just as expected, they fell in line and surrounded me like a distasteful honour guard. Truly these creatures were the lowest, but I had heard rumours some Strigoi used them to defend their castles. However, personal guards should comprise individuals of a higher status, not a pathetic rabble. They preferred vampire guards, perhaps with a few Upire for daylight work.

  "Stryga." I cursed, keeping my voice low and face passive.

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  I had yet to find any success in transforming a vampire of worth using my blood. I had lost the precious knowledge of the turning process, and Griselda would not share her wisdom with me. Claiming she knows not when clearly she is holding back. If she knows nothing, why does she attend my laboratory and clearly investigate my subjects?

  Many thoughts, concerns and plans flitted through my devious mind. I barely registered our trek through the portal doors and into my laboratory. Entering with an escort, I glanced around at the familiar architecture. The dull grey stone was typical of an underground lair. This temple was far larger than it appeared from the outside. I suspected the Strigoi of old desired to create an artificial dungeon. In that regard, that blasted lich hadn't got back to me.

  "Calraz, any word from that damn lich?" I demanded.

  "None, my lord." He answered promptly, as he should have.

  What was he waiting for? I had given him the teleportation platform to study; he was supposed to get back to me with his findings. Well, at least he had the guts to show himself at the arena. I left shortly after I gave the order to eliminate those fools. When they failed, I had to slaughter five of them as punishment. They tasted bland, but a vampire should never turn down a quick meal.

  "Send someone to his... domain. I want a status report." I paused before saying that accursed word.

  I had to allow his rule, although under me, he was powerful enough to be troublesome. And besides, we have the space for his undead experiments. His work had value, so I allowed it. A fragment of anger boiled in my chest, fangs slowly descended before I retracted those damn things. Not the time for a massacre.

  With myself back under control, I continued on. Arriving at the larder, a series of cells that contained either food or research subjects. The stench of this place assaulted my nostrils, but alas I was used to it. You had to as a vampire, but the cleaners could at least do a better job. I found one wiping blood from the floor with a dirty rag. Hunched over, he tended to his futile work with diligence and without complaint. But every second I looked at this failure, my blood boiled. It was not a man nor a half-breed; it was it. With a failed experiment, and every second it existed, I had to endure its existence. A blight on my perfect little world.

  "Haven't I killed you yet?" I spat those words like they were bile.

  No answer came from the thing; it just turned its head slightly, pausing in its work. Was it afraid? No, it wasn't a person; it was meat, and the only redeeming quality it could even possess was my blood running through its veins.

  "Look at me!" I screamed through gritted teeth.

  It took the creature a moment to discern how to do something so simple. Cold, lifeless, crimson eyes turned to face me. Its expression told me nothing existed behind those dead orbs. This thing was once a man, a foolish mortal who, together with other foolish creatures, dared to invade my domain. Why did they do this? For riches and adventure.

  "How low you have fallen." I leaned down, cupping his face in my hands. "You were a knight with a class appropriate for combat. Worthy of being turned."

  Not even for a moment could I stare into its eyes without feeling a wave of disgust and... disappointment. Yes, it was disappointing, so much promise, so much potential.

  "And all I get is this creature!" I kicked him to the floor. He hissed at me, fangs bared, completely against vampire decorum. "Don't you bare fangs, you lesser!" His fangs vanished and soon the meek creature bowed into the filth.

  I blame myself as much as I blame it. I overestimated him. In the beginning, it was acceptable, a half-decent attempt at creating a new vampire, a little feral but the spark of intelligence was in his eyes, I saw it! I knew it! As a reward, I gave him food, comfort... the food was a former companion of his, but blood is blood. Ever since then, after he tore into that wailing thing. The light in his eyes had gone out, proving one thing. That I was mistaken about him; he was not a person of worth.

  "I should kill you." I threatened, and as expected, he didn't even flinch.

  With my claw at his throat, I could easily remove his head. It was not like he was a true vampire to withstand such a blow. The filth was barely immortal. And in that moment, our eyes locked, and I remembered him. So courages he was, sword brandished, calling for his companions to flee. He held off a rather large army of Volkarans. Sure, they were fodder, but they were many and brutal. This was I chose him, granted him this gift, only for it to end in failure.

  "You will die the moment I no longer need you," I declared, and still he made no response, "perhaps before you die I will find your last remaining companion and feed you her entrails while she still lives." I waited, and yet nothing.

  However, something flashed across his face just as I was about to leave. So faint, it might as well have never been there. I locked eyes again and wondered what he was feeling right now. But as expected, he was hollow. I dismissed him as easily as an ant, moving along with barely a thought to its existence. I had other, more promising experiments, so where was that corpse?

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