Rassa remembered little beyond agreeing to undergo Red Eyes' training. As he shook off his grogginess, he opened his eyes to adjust to the light of the day once more. The cage was surprisingly comfortable, like he was lying on a cloud, and the roof appeared further away than before...

Wait.

Why was the roof covered in high quality paintings of naked beings? Cloth tastefully draped over their more private areas...and rimmed with gold leaf? What? Where was he?

Rassa tried to sit up to have a better look around, but instead his body responded by rolling over, his arm curving around a very real and very naked young woman.

Seriously, what?

The woman moaned as his hand pulled her back into him.

"Please, no more, my Lord, I need some rest..."

Rassa wanted to ask the woman what was going on. Why was he here and not wrapped in chains in a cage in Toulle? He was honestly starting to freak out. Then his lips moved, though he said nothing he wanted to say.

"Such a spoil sport Lasandre, you promised me all night".

That wasn't Rassa's voice. It was too deep, too matured.

"It is morning now, my Lord," the woman mumbled back.

Rassa tsked in dissatisfaction then rolled out of bed with the grace of a cat. He moved to the thick velvet curtains that hung down over floor to ceiling glass windows, so clear and clean that Rassa could barely see the glass if not for his enhanced vision. Beyond it...it was like nothing Rassa had ever seen.

From the view, they appeared to be very high up, they must have been in some sort of tower. Below them a city flourished, alive with activity the likes of which Rassa had never glimpsed before. There did not just seem to be tens of thousands as Rassa had been led to believe cities were populated with through his studies. There appeared to be millions. All of them different from the next. Some with Life Lines, some without. Their Life Lines also seemed to vary in colour. Some black and solid like Rassa's, other silvery and white like those of Magicians or the Elves. Regardless of colour however, they all seemed to be actively interacting with one another, there were no obvious signs of distrust or discrimination. Their clothing was elegant and practical, nothing overly showy or colourful, yet every individual was unique, and carried a sense of pride. The buildings were as unique and various as the people. So different was the city from anything Rassa had ever seen, that he would have to stare at it for days to truly take it all in. But what truly captured his attention before anything else, was the giant glowing crystal that was placed in a tower just beyond the city wall. What was that? It seemed to pulse with light as it rotated on the spot, and Rassa had barely enough time to take it in before he suddenly closed the curtains to block out the brilliant light.

"What morning?" he asked as he turned back to the woman who was still curled up amongst the sheets. He went back to the bed, crawling over to her, "I certainly don't see the Sun Crystals glowing just yet".

The woman gave a small smile of amusement as Rassa turned her over onto her back. He leaned forward and touched his lips to her collarbone and neck, whispering them up to her lips. She moaned as he kissed her, and he delved slowly deeper, trying to entice her to wake up as his fingers ghosted over the smooth skin of her bare hip. She pulled away with a smile.

"You can't avoid today, my Lord," she argued, "To become the official Heir of Star Crash Coven is quite the celebration".

"Does that mean you'll be celebrating with me?" asked Rassa, smiling back.

"Will you need me to celebrate, my Lord? Surely there will be plenty of other women desiring your attentions now that you are to become the most powerful Vampire in the Coven," Lasandre pouted.

Rassa sighed, bowing his head to rest on her chest and rolling onto his back, "I would rather not deal with your pitiful jealousy so early in the morning, Lasandre".

The woman seemed to realise she'd taken the game a step too far, and turned to win back Rassa's attentions.

"I'm just concerned you will forget about me," Lasandre admitted, "When you find someone tastier that is".

She offered up her neck to him and Rassa didn't even hesitate, leaning up to bite the woman and then moving to a sitting position so that she could comfortably sit in his lap as he drew on her blood. The woman clung to him, moaning at the euphoric emotions he forced into her being through their connection. A few moments later, the woman seemed to realise she was starting to feel drowsy, and the pleasurable feeling was turning to one of pain.

"Ah, my Lord, please-"

Rassa ignored her, draining more of her blood.

"My lord, I, please stop I can't take anymore!" she begged, more desperate now as her survival instincts began to overpower her need to please her master.

Rassa continued to ignore her. Black stars began to appear in her vision as she forced the words out, the words she knew he wanted to hear.

"My Lord...I'm sorry! I swear...I'm sorry...I will...not question you...again".

Rassa pulled away, licking her wound gently, then pushing her off his lap and onto the bed without any grace nor care. He stood and crossed the room lazily in his naked glory. He opened the double doors of the bedroom into what appeared to be a very large dressing room and looked to the bath prepared in the corner. He approached it, ignoring all else as he stepped into the enormous bath tub, then addressed the servant to the side who stood with head bowed and hands clasped in the corner.

"Clean that up. I want it gone by the time I return," Rassa spoke, taking up the notes on the table beside the bath tub and looking at the front page. The servant bowed and proceeded into the bedroom, closing the doors to give Rassa some peace and quiet. Rassa turned to the notes and after a glance at the title, 'Invitations of the twelve Covens for the Heir of Star Crash Coven', he threw the sheet of paper back down in boredom. Turning, he looked towards the end of the bath where his reflection could be seen in a full-length mirror. Rassa, who had only speculated until now, gasped in surprise, though saw no reaction in the reflection. Instead, what he saw was a man that appeared in his twenties, the glow of youth surrounded him but his eyes were filled with the maturity of someone much older. His skin was pale, and the Life Lines curved from his back over his shoulders, black as night. His facial structure was precise and sharp like stone, his hair a startling white, and his eyes...red.

The man stared at his reflection then gave a little smirk, "Quite the lesson, isn't it Rassa?"

Rassa was silent, shocked. If this was not him, where was he?

"I am the original form of the one you call Red Eyes. My name then was Victor Lurossi, and how you see me now was the day that I became the official Heir of the Star Crash Coven, a Coven of over one million. If you have not already figured it out, this is how I will teach you. You will experience my memories, and through them you will learn of vampire politics, hierarchy, abilities, and more. I would get used to your wishes getting ignored, it is only in moments like this when I do nothing and am accompanied by no one that I will be able to converse with you. Otherwise, you will have to figure out the rest on your own. Learn well, child. For when these lessons are over, I will be able to teach you no longer. With your unsealing, I will cease to exist along with all my brethren, our legacy will be left behind for you to do with as you see fit. Our only hope is that you do not waste it".

Rassa was silent for a long while, then spoke again, "That woman, was she...?"

"We called them many things over the years. The Sanguine was what we eventually settled on. They are contracted slaves, we give them a home and food and ensure their safety for the contract period. In return, they give us their blood when we desire it," Victor stated.

"Then...why did you try to kill her?" asked Rassa.

Victor chuckled, "You have a lot to learn, boy. Contracts, particularly those made with blood, are very easily blurred".

Rassa thought for a moment, then asked a final question, "Jane...you weren't trying to kill her, were you?"

"I said I wouldn't," Victor replied.

"You didn't ask," Rassa accused.

"I'm a Vampire. I don't have to ask. I just take".