Blood Ties

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Lost Boys. They are the sole property of their creators alone. I am in no way profiting from this fiction. All original characters are copyrighted to the author. Please don't use my characters without permission.

Part III: And The Blind Shall Lead Them

Marko looked to Gabrielle as she was staring off the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea. The wind was blowing their hair about and the smell of salt filled the air. He was feeling much better now, stronger at least, than before. He was fully healed though still not back to his usual prankster hell-boy self. "You look worried."

Gabrielle gave a soft little smile and looked back over her shoulder to him. Though she hadn't stayed long enough to truly know Marko and David, she had skirted the edges of Max's senses just to be near those of her own kind. "I am." She turned now, walking towards him, she was dressed more to the times now, wearing a pair of blue jean pants with a black short sleeved shirt with the outline of a fallen angel painted in red. "Those seeking to expand their grounds are going to come here. Max didn't expose you or David to the whole of our world like he did me... I suppose he thought I would never have the courage to leave him." She gave a soft smile to him now.

"Then he made David and me and David just fucked up his plans didn't he?" Marko was grinning widely now and snickering slightly. Gabrielle smiled to Marko placing a hand on his shoulder, "Didn't David always... he never liked being told what to do, but he wasn't stupid enough to challenge Max either, he knew Max would destroy him. Because he wouldn't loose another childe."

Marko shook his head a bit. "So what are we supposed to do? The ones you think are going to come are going to be older than us, aren't they?" Gabrielle gave him an almost comical look. "Of course they will, the older one is the more power you wield. Hence they are the only ones able to control the others that reside in their cities. Max's control spanned for several cities along the coast. Once word finally gets out that he is gone... others will come looking to take his place if no one steps in to take it."

"Why don't you take it?" Marko quirked a brow to her. She leaned back slightly, clasping her hands behind her back a moment, green eyes down on the ground for a few seconds. "I know the rules, the laws, but I'm not into politics... I never liked being told what to do so why should I tell others what to do?"

Marko chuckled a bit and reached out, running a hand through her short blond locks and mussing them up. "You're a softie through and through aren't ya?" Gabrielle blew a few locks of hair out of her face and gave Marko an unamused look. Marko held up his hands and backed away a few paces, chuckling a bit. "Okay maybe you aren't..."

Gabrielle gave Marko a slow smile then. "We'll be alright. People like us always manage to get by. Besides... perhaps I know someone that can help us." Marko raised a brow now; curiosity seemed to emphasize his cherub like features. "And who would that be?"

"Her name is Jao Ming. I met her not long after I left Max. She took me in and sheltered me for a while. She's older than Max was. She's quite an interesting character... what intrigued me most about her was that she was blind." Marko just blinked a bit at her. Gabrielle gave a soft little laugh. "I was perplexed by her, a blind vampire, who didn't seem that blind at all. I could call in a favor to her... if she's not too busy anyway."

Marko scratched the back of his head slightly. "If she's not busy? What's that supposed to mean?" Gabrielle laughed lightly now, "Jao is a surprising woman, able to throw your senses off at any given time." Marko blinked a bit again. "A blind woman that doesn't act like she's blind? That's pretty... interesting."

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Long onyx locks fell down the back of the silent Asian woman; she was dressed in a traditional kimono, wooden sandals on her feet which she took off at the door before she moved deeper into her abode. She had spent many lifetimes acquiring the wealth she now had. She lived her life within modern society and yet apart from it as well. She knew the blessings it could bring and also the costs it required for one of her kind. A hand reached out, fingertips tracing over the petals of the lilies on a side table now. If one did not see the white film that covered her eyes, they would never know that she was blind. She had been born that way, never seeing the world once with her eyes.

She had been a proper daughter for her early years, learning housework, being obedient. Though it changed once she was married off. Her husband was kind for the first few years but it all turned sour after their second child was born. He became cruel, abusive, and brought home a second wife, who he treated like she should have been treated as she was the First wife. She had waited and planned to kill them both and then flee with her children to another city. She had been caught though, thrown into prison and sentenced to death for her crimes. Days so long past they seemed as ancient as she felt at times, and they were really. That pulled her heart shaped lips into a small little smile as she moved down a set of stairs to the right now. It was time for sleep, the sun would be rising soon and she would have a messenger during the hours before dawn tomorrow.

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He had been hunting this one for weeks now. He could have sworn it was playing with him. Damn creature, he thought to himself. He was across the street from where he last saw the thing. It was quaint little house on the edge of Tokyo, though he doubted the inside was as innocent as the outside made it appear to be. Sure hunting a vampire so close to its lair was dangerous, especially at night but hell, where was the fun in playing it safe?

A hand reached up and rubbed at the dark stubble on his chin. He'd been obsessing about this one, this hunt. Mostly because well... it wasn't just one vampire here. There were two, and one of them was his little brother. The other vampire here hadn't turned his brother, he knew that for fact, but this one had taken his brother in. Chocolate brown eyes stared at the building with such intensity he lost contact with the world around him, sounds muffled themselves out. Then came the rush of memories and a surge of guilt. The world had been turned upside down for him over a year ago now.

A year ago he, Galen Castin, had lost his younger brother to these creatures of hell. A year ago he'd fought off his brother who had tried to attack him. A year ago he had ran after his brother only to see him kill someone and drink their blood. A year ago he had thought he was insane. Now though, now he knew better. Vampires existed and the Devil was real. He'd become an overnight Christian and believer. Now he was a warrior for God and he would send as many of these fuckers back to hell as he could before he died.

Those memories and thoughts were interrupted by a cool smooth hand brushing over his stubble laden cheek. He turned sharply, coming face to face with the one that had taken in his brother. He was hardly breathing and his heart was pounding in his chest, his hand moved for the inside of his jacket but it was stopped just short of reaching it. Then came the sultry voice from the woman, the creature, before him. "I expected you sooner Mr. Castin...."

Galen just stared into those eyes covered by that milky film. There was something beyond eerie about this woman, her grace and poise belied what his eyes told him about her. "Didn't keep you waiting too long did I? I'd have come sooner if I knew you were so eager to die."

A slow smile stretched her lips now as a little chuckle escaped her. "No.... You won't kill me." She let his hand go now. "You should know your brother left here earlier this night, before you arrived." Galen looked a bit shocked now. He knew they could read into your mind somewhat, make you crazy; make you see things, hear things. "Where's Bryant now?" his tone was rough and those brown eyes narrowed slightly at her, as he lowered his hand to his side.

His tone of voice only earned him another soft hearted smile from the Asian woman now. "He is traveling now, gone to send word to an old friend of mine...." She paused a moment as those blind eyes stared at him in silence now. Galen was starting to feel uneasy now, it was as if she was looking right down into the depths of him with those blind eyes of hers, he hardly felt as if he could breathe, it was like there was a vice grip on his chest. "You need not fear me Galen.... I have no intention of killing you or taking the blood in your veins. Though... I would be obliged if you would grant me some of your time, to learn the history behind... my kind if you will..."

Galen knew he shouldn't even be considering this, but he nodded lightly to her, dark bangs falling against his forehead. "Alright... I'll hear you out." He already knew that these things were creatures of hell and when he or other hunters killed them they went straight back there. Why was he buying this fake hospitality? He watched as she reached out to him and he took her hand now, a shiver running down his spine as she smiled to him before looking back to her house and began leading him towards it.