The Song of the Shrike

Rowan would finish his performances for the night and start heading home leaving from the club's back door. He will meet up with the Blood Ark later and explain to them about his feelings and plans, it was the least he could do and very naive of him.

And how very naive it was indeed, for the Blood Ark had no mercy for those thinking of dissent, after all in time they could find a worthy replacement for anyone. For their clawed fingers spread wide and though few in number their influence was great, they had eyes, eyes that Rowan didn't know existed. Eyes that watched him in the club, eyes that saw Khalid approach him, eyes that reported long before he could explain to them all the nuances and emotions of his situation. Not that they would have listened...for the Blood Ark only carries the loyal, and the rest can just drown.

Rowan arrived at his own apartment, it was fairly big with fancy decor, like there was even a bathtub in the bathroom. It was nice, Rowan set his violin on a table gently and would start to remove his work clothes which was a fancy suit.

As he went about changing the young musician the presence of another kindred behind him, it's cold gaze falling on his back "...I need not tell you why I'm here Rowan." There was a palpable thick tension that hung in the chill air of the apartment, a certain unnatural chill that ran up Rowan's spine. This was not the Beast, that nebulous, monstrous other that was the curse of proper vampires, no this was a chilling void that touched the young pale musician. The feeling of a Ghoul, a human bound to service to a vampire, hollowed out and replaced with a blood craving thrall who felt an unnatural love for their sires,and a burning hatred for their foes "We understand why you take interest in him young Rowan, but the elders advise you stay away...and it's never smart to ignore them."

Rowan turns to look at the ghoul, send by the Blood Ark. "Well I... There is little I can do when he barges in places I do my things, I can't exactly ban him from the club and forcing every staff member to do my bidding is too hard for me. He doesn't seem like a bad vampire though, pretty level headed. But I will keep your words in mind, but the elders will just have to tolerate it if he keeps coming to my work place uninvited. Can you uh, leave now?" Rowan tells the ghoul, he was not a fan of these creatures, they were miserable to look at and he can't imagine what went into turning a human into such a repulsive creature and why?

"The do not expect you to drive him off on your own young Rowan, they simply advise that you take his words as so many grains of sand." He replied smoothly, voice even and placid as a still pool of water " This vampire is foreign after all, he doesn't really care about you, or your ...feelings. Definitely not how you will spend the rest of your Requiem...he simply sees you as a pawn....the elders see you as more than that dear Rowan, they hear the talent in your song, smell the potential in your blood..to them you are a prospect. A protege to be groomed to take their place when they retire, do not forget the destiny your sire chose you for because of the impassioned words of a handsome Ghul....Or you will soon find the Ark has no more space for you." With that last solemn warning the Ghoul gave a deep, graceful bow and stepping back into the shadows from which he came...vanished without a trace.

He didn't even thought about that, Khalid was just probably playing with his emotions since he is still prone to those and looking to manipulate him... For his own ends of starting his own group of vampires and weaken theirs, starting from the weakest link. Is he really that stupid? To fall for Khalid's words? What does Khalid even know about him? A whole lot it seems, but he doesn't know anything about Khalid, not even his name. He should stop taking the vampires advice, he was just a usurper, with that Rowan went to perform again and forget about what Khalid said, it didn't matter.

(END)