The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Chapter 25: On Enemy Ground

A final corner and the six of them slowed to take measure of what appeared to be the entrance to the Dark Edge enclave, Goose City. By this point, the city had taken on a more residential feel, with houses and apartment blocks all around them.

Down side streets and through gaps between buildings they could see the park itself, a sprawling green space with various attractions that pulled in locals and tourists alike. In other words, a perfect hunting ground and it started to make sense why the Nestricht located their enclave here.

A quiet tongue click from Ballan, an old Ventru nestari trick, put Lash's head on a swivel. It didn't take him long to spot what had caught the veteran warrior's attention.

Watchers; hiding in the shadows cast by the bigger buildings, or just around corners on the smaller ones. Always moving so it was hard to get a good sense of their numbers or their precise locations. Vampires that knew what they were doing, keeping an eye on everybody coming and going into the enclave.

But they weren't Nestricht, the clan that operated the enclave. Catching a good look at one of them despite their best efforts to stay hidden, Lash picked out the heavy-lidded eyes and round features from beneath their hoods with comparative ease.

Dagoor.

That narrowed his eyes in thought. Dagoor, just outside of a Nestricht enclave. Why? Were they scouts, studying the defenses? Or somehow keeping tabs on enclave traffic?

Then another tongue click, this one from Naryan, pulled his attention forward. In time to see several Dagoor stepping from their hiding places to congregate several paces down the road in front of them.

"Well, well, well," a rather sour looking Dagoor at the front of the group sneered. "Ventru. I thought I smelled arrogance and eastern privilege."

"Step aside, Dagoor," Naryan ordered, her expression hard. "You impede important business."

The vampire who had spoken, immediately smirked as those with him laughed.

"Do we now," he said mockingly. "Ventru about, engaged in important business."

The mocking expression abruptly vanished.

"Well, this is Dagoor territory, Ventru," he snapped. "And, if you want to cross it, you need to pay the toll." The vampire paused slightly to look them all over.

"Or we can take your heads for the bounty."

"Bounty?" Ballan said with a frown. "What are you talking about?"

"You must be hiding under a rock, Ventru," the vampire sneered. "Everybody knows that, for those that don't actively join the council-mandated pogrom, they can still serve by bringing in Ventru heads for a bounty of 500,000 Blood Marks apiece!"

The vampire smirked as he folded his arms.

"So, pay the toll of 550,000 Blood Marks each, or we take your heads in for the bounty. Up to you."

"Oh, we'll pay the toll alright," Tanner hissed, hand dropping to the grip of her sidearm. Though not a Ventru, she obviously didn't like this Dagoor's attitude.

"Fifteen shades at a time!"

That tightened the Dagoor spokesman's expression considerably, the vampire knowing what the price of a bullet was.

"Think you could shoot us all before we rip you apart, Celt?"

"We're Ventru," Ballan said with a slight smile. "Unmatched in our fighting prowess. Of course we can."