If there was one thing that Leiv was absolutely certain of, it was that his mother would never approve of eavesdropping. But he was bored, and when the earth and all its spoils tended to bend to your will, it wasn't all that hard to coax the wood grains into revealing what was going on in that mysterious room on the other side of the estate.

In fact, it was so easy for him to get a grasp of what was happening in there that even he felt it was a little unfair. Still, had he not done it, he would not have known just how much Moonshadow was holding back from the rest of the world.

And, reluctantly, Leiv agreed with Rassa. To offer to build something of that scale and then give a tyrannical bloodline such power over it was just plain stupid. But Leiv would never admit that he agreed with the man he was intent on never speaking to again.

Except now he had something over the powerful man. Something he could use to bargain for Jane's safety.

So as the man in question emerged for some fresh air that evening, Leiv didn’t hesitate in the slightest when pushing his will into the earth.

The ground rumbled beneath Rassa for a short moment and he stilled before he moved to the left three steps, the ground lifted as his feet stepped away, and then Rassa spun to avoid the oncoming slab of earth shooting out towards him.

His eyes found Leiv Bennett, and he gave a small, amused smile.

Rassa stilled the attack subsiding now that Leiv had his attention. But before Leiv could open his mouth, four figures appeared alongside Rassa, their eyes all on Leiv.

“First one to take him down can get a second helping tonight,” said Rassa.

Leiv didn’t have to be a Magician to sense the sudden change in the air. He reacted instinctually, erecting earthen walls on either side of himself and pushing them outwards before he set his footing and began drawing on his deepest reserves of energy. He knew he would need it for this unexpected battle.

The three beings that came at him were not human. Their speed and agility were unlike anything Leiv had ever encountered. So much so that where before he had handled such confrontation with ease, now he struggled. His only saving grace was his reactive instincts, which moved to call the earth before Leiv so much as turned in that direction.

One of the oncoming figures, a larger man, released a rush of air in an almighty ‘whoosh’ as the earthen boulder Leiv had sent at him impacted his side. The younger, more arrogant man, managed to dodge the boulders before Leiv went for a different approach and pushed his power into the grass and the surrounding vines. They whipped out, at first tearing, but eventually their number slowed the threatening man and he was yanked back towards a tree for safe keeping. The third figure, a woman, was less aggressive. She had paused upon seeing her brethren incapacitated, and now waited on the side for an opportunity, Leiv half turned to face her.

“I wasn’t asking for a-”

“You were,” Rassa stated. Leiv spun to look at him, but he hadn’t moved, along with the fourth figure, an old man who stood silently on his flank, “I’m sure you’ve noticed just from this short display that we are not human. You attacked us, so you’d better be prepared for the consequences”.

Leiv’s eyes narrowed, “Getting your minions to do your dirty work, Rassa? I admit they’re tough opponents, but they’re no match for me. You won’t be either”.

Rassa smirked, “Really?”

Leiv suddenly felt that intense dark aura directly behind him, but before he could react, a set of sharp claws sat poised on his jugular.

Rassa smirked, “If one of us underestimated the other, it certainly wasn’t me”.

Rassa then stepped forward, appearing before Leiv an instant later, his eyes red as two fangs extended from his top gums, “As I said, we are not human, we’re likely unlike anything you have encountered before. Even against those of our kind just two weeks old, you are nothing but a meal”.

Rassa leaned away, his fangs retracting, “Do not test my patience, Leiv Bennet, our business concluded days ago, why are you still here?”

The claws around Leiv’s through vanished. Being able to breathe again without the deadly claws poised against his jugular, Leiv looked over his shoulder at the young woman responsible. How had she evaded his instincts so precisely? Still, that was not the question to ask now. The winner was the one that got to ask the questions.

“I heard you,” said Leiv, “You want to build a type of transport that will put the empire, if not the world, generations ahead. But you can’t do it without the emperor’s approval. An Emperor you refuse to see…an Emperor you’re intent on deceiving”.

“Oh ho?” asked Rassa, a small smile on his lips, “Blackmail is it? How original”.

Leiv’s eyes narrowed, “If you don’t want me to speak, you had best meet my demands”.

“You’re surrounded by five vampires, and that’s the best you can come up with?” asked the man who’d eaten a face full of earth for a few moments before.

“As far as I can tell,” Leiv stated, turning to look at the ‘Vampire’ in question, “Only three of them are actually any threat”.

The man’s lips curled up over fangs in warning, a low growl emerging from his throat. Leiv frowned in concern.

“Talo,” Rassa spoke, “At least let the man have his moment before you kill him”.

“I thought it was my kill,” the woman stated, “I won after all”.

“My mistake,” Rassa nodded, “Neva, would you shut Talo up for a moment”.

The woman turned to glance at the growling man, her eyes narrowing. Talo looked at her a moment, not seeming to want or need to back down, then his growl lessened, and he took a couple of steps back, “Whatever”.

Rassa sighed, “Please, do continue, the least you could do is entertain us before you’re to die”.

“You can’t kill me,” said Leiv, “Jane will come looking”.

Rassa’s amused smile vanished fairly quickly, “Do not test my patience”.

Leiv frowned, “I’ll deliver your message to the Emperor. I’ll even put forth my best arguments to convince him. In return, you won’t make contact with Jane, in person or otherwise. If she tries to talk to you, you will act like you do not know her”.

“And how will I know that you’re not going to spill everything to the Emperor?” asked Rassa, “This is a rather flimsy deal. I don’t tend to make those”.

“Then what do you suggest?” asked Leiv.

He wished now that he had not asked. Rassa immediately smiled and seemed to reach into his coat, pulling out a scroll of parchment. One of his nails extended, and he pricked a finger on the opposing hand before the blood flowed out onto the unrolled parchment.

Rassa’s aura shifted, and Leiv found himself watching the Vampire use some unknown magic to bend and twist and control the blood like it was ink on the tip of a pen. Just a minute later, the words of a contract were written upon the parchment.

“This is a Blood Contract,” stated Rassa, “You may read it, and if you agree with the deal, sign it. Though, be aware that since you now know my plans, I can’t technically let you off lightly. Oh, be careful. If you do sign it, breaking the contract will severely cripple if not kill you”.

Leiv took the contract, reading over the contents, then paused near the bottom, “You want me to help build it?”

“Carve the path and lay the tracks. Your mastery over earth is hard to ignore. I use what I can,” Rassa shrugged.

Still, the terms were favourable. For the duration of the contract, and the next 5 years, Moonshadow was promising not to have any contact with Jane.

“Do you have a pen?” asked Leiv.

Rassa smiled, then nodded to the man who’d stayed silent and stoic beside him. The man pulled a dagger from his coat and handed it to leiv.

“Just prick a finger and drop your blood onto the bottom of the page. The contract will be sealed like that”.

Leiv shrugged and did as told. As soon as his blood dropped onto the page, he felt a kind of shackle take shape around his neck.

He had the foreboding feeling that despite his dislike of Rassa Moonshadow, this was only the beginning of their dealings.

Rassa took a letter from the inside of his jacket and handed it to Leiv.

“Do hurry, I want construction well underway by the time I’m back from the south in a few months”.

***

*Eldovian Era 1715, 21st day of the 9th month*

“Rassa, darling, I trust the trip was not too taxing?” asked Elsbeth as she swept across the main hall of Moonshadow’s brand new Southern Headquarters. So new in fact that some of the workers were still putting the finishing touches up on either side.

Rassa gave a small smile as he looked around. Elsbeth had done a fantastic job.

“Not as taxing as the last few months have been for you, no doubt,” Rassa stated as he received Elsbeth’s warm hug. The woman was beginning to look older. The crow’s feet around her eyes when she smiled and the tightness of her skin. Rassa spoke nothing of it though as Elsbeth led him across the hall, “Come, to the office”.

“I’ve brought thirty trained Craftsman with me,” Rassa stated, “As well as the artisans you asked for. It should be enough to get you started”.

“Yes, thank you, Renae will see to it that they are all accommodated after the journey,” said Elsbeth, motioning to the younger woman who had been quiet up until this point. The woman curtsied in acknowledgment, glancing briefly at Rassa before she went to go about her job.

Elsbeth took Rassa up to the fourth floor of the building. The Moonshadow Headquarters here was arranged more like a large estate. The main building dominated the front of the landscape, but the warehouses at the back were clearly for production purposes. Finally, at the rear, was the living quarters for staff. All of this on just a day’s ride from the city of Keltronis, one of those that dominated the northern coast of the southern continent, the location chosen because of it’s access to the nearby river system that allowed for access to the ocean.

“So, how are things proceeding?” asked Rassa as Elsbeth closed them both into the meeting room.

He stepped forward to where the stand had already been erected, pulling the communication crystal from his shadows as Elsbeth began to speak.

“Everything at the Estate has proceeded as planned. Construction is well underway, in fact we are perhaps a fortnight away from being operational. As for the mines…I have been less successful,” said Elsbeth.

Rassa sighed, “They are refusing to sell?”

“Some are,” Elsbeth stated, “Mostly because they, like many others, believe that Moonshadow is the most likely culprit behind their Master’s death”.

Rassa placed the crystal down in the erected stand and stepped back to admire his handy work before turning to Elsbeth.

“You have contacted all of them?” asked Rassa.

Elsbeth nodded, “Though two never deigned to reply. I sent messengers directly, but they were not received”.

Rassa nodded, “Ask those who are talking to you to meet here in ten days. Tell them that I will attend the meeting myself”.

“10 days?” asked Elsbeth.

“Some are not close by, then?”

Elsbeth nodded.

Rassa sighed, “Contact them anyway, ask them if they are willing to meet with me. If they are, let me now their locations, I’ll retrieve them”.

“Retrieve…do I want to know?”

Rassa gave a cruel smile, “They seem so intent on believing I am a monster. I feel inclined to show them that I certainly can be if they refuse my goodwill”.

“And you are sure that is the appropriate tactic, here? Where you are not stationed indefinitely?” asked Elsbeth.

“They will not cause you trouble,” said Rassa.

Elsbeth raised an eyebrow, “They are signing your blood contracts then?”

“They will be, yes,” said Rassa.

Elsbeth sighed, “Forgive me, Rassa, but are you not giving out too many of those?”

“Perhaps, but it is currently the only way I can be absolutely sure of what I am getting,” said Rassa, “Another few years, and perhaps I will not need to use so many”.

Elsbeth turned away, “Very well, what of the two that are not speaking to me?”

“I’ve been informed by a…well, best refer to her as a nuisance at this stage…but she has at least promised that she can deliver them. It is time she lived up to that,” said Rassa.

***

*Eldovian Era 1715, 1st day of the 10th month*

Rassa looked around at the six men of varying ages and backgrounds. Men that held the deeds to the mines he wished to procure. Only two of them had the sense to appear terrified, the other four looked to be at varying levels of rage after Rassa had unceremoniously plucked them from where they were and transported them all to the one place through the stomach-churning shadows of night.

Devina stood to the side, dressed for once in her white robes. She had managed to avoid the rest of the Holy Order Priests so far. But Rassa could sense them closing in. They would come for her soon. He did not care what her method had been in convincing the other two to come, but they were not in the least bit happy about it either way.

Rassa drew on his shadows, pulling out six pre-prepared contracts, three with blue ribbons around them and three with red ribbons. He looked at the men around him.

“This would have been so much easier had you dealt with Elsbeth, but instead you insisted on insulting her good will and spreading vicious rumours as to Moonshadow’s involvement in Ishta Alamone’s unfortunate passing. I wish to tell you here and now that I had no quarrel with Ishta Alamone that wasn’t resolved with the passing of his Inktress,” said Rassa, “In fact, Ishta and I were in talks about the very same thing Elsbeth has been in with you for some time now”.

The men around the table did not appear convinced.

“I came to the South to expand my business. I do not plan on leaving empty handed. So, you will each sign a contract before you leave. Three of you may sign a contract similar in nature to that which I discussed with Ishta. In short, you will supply Moonshadow with Evanine in exchange for a 10% discount for your company purchases at Moonshadow and a selection of 1,000 small charms or the equivalent biannually,” Rassa indicated to the contracts with the blue ribbon, “Or, you can sell your mines for 5,000 gold per square metre. I am not willing to only buy a partial mine however”.

“We desire neither of these deals from an insidious cur such as yourself,” said one of the owners, looking quite pompous.

Rassa gave a small smile, “I’m sorry, perhaps I was not clear enough”. Rassa met the man’s eyes, his own turning a bright red, “You will sign one of these contracts, or I will take your mine by force. I could have very well done that with Ishta, but I chose not to. I am a reasonable monster, if ever there was one. But I am not one to put up with insult or mockery”.

The man’s eyes widened in raged as he slammed a hand on the table, “I will not be intimidated or coerced into signing this!”

Rassa’s smile dimmed, “Very well”.

His chair rocked as he left it, rounding the table in the blink of an eye to flank the man, grabbing his hair and yanking his head backwards. Rassa looked down at the man, “Though I would not say this was the smart choice when dealing with a monster”.

Rassa leaned down and sunk his fangs into the man’s throat. The man froze as the venom got to work, and the others all shifted back, crying out in shock as they stepped away. Rassa drank for a couple of minutes peacefully before the man seemed to change his mind. Rassa drew his fangs back, licking over the wound and shifting to look at the man’s eyes.

“Change of heart?”

The man, still struggling from the paralysis, managed to nod slowly through teary eyes.

Rassa released him, and man collapsed forward.

“That is the smarter choice, though you really should have made it sooner, you’ll need bedrest for at least a week before you feel any better with the blood loss you just had,” said Rassa, “Red or Blue?”

The man reached for the red ribbon shakily. Rassa waved his hand and the shadows picked it up, letting the ribbon fall as it floated forward.

Rassa held a dagger to the man, “A drop of blood on the dotted line and you are free to go. Though someone will probably need to send you back. I’m happy to do so once my business is done here”.

The already pale man looked up weakly. Rassa sighed, “You are right, that is perhaps a little cruel to ask you to do it yourself. Ah!”

Rassa unsheathed the dagger, placing the blade at the man’s throat. The man froze, eyes wide as Rassa ran the blade carefully over the man’s skin. A drop of blood from the bite came away, and Rassa let the drop fall onto the parchment.

“Shame to waste good blood,” Rassa said, sheathing the dagger once more. He licked his fingers and rubbed his saliva across his fang marks on the man’s neck. The man shivered in disgust but Rassa ignored him as he looked up at the rest of the table, “Your thoughts, gentlemen?”

The others could not reach the other contracts fast enough, wise enough not to question why Rassa would not give them all one type of deal.

They each signed in turn then Rassa gave them all a copy, “Thank you for your business gentlemen. I shall return you home promptly. Oh, and one last thing. Do not attempt to break the contract, nor speak of our meeting tonight. You will find yourself severely crippled if not dead in the following moment. If somebody asks, simply say you signed a contract with Rassa Moonshadow”.

Rassa looked up with a satisfied expression. His eyes meeting Devina’s. She did not appear so sure of herself now.