Dancing with the Devil

Chapter 3

600 to 400 years ago

Having established the core family, Korn begins to look for weaknesses in Pakin's clan. However, his sire has become much more careful now. He has apparently learned from his mistake with Korn and chooses his new members very cautiously. He also seems to choose the most talented members he can find. With Kim's help, Korn keeps careful files of each of these.

He knows that Chai has taken a group of low level soldiers to an island kingdom not far from Thailand. Kim reports that this doesn't seem like a random hunting expedition. However Pakin keeps his end goal a secret from everyone except his first in command and Chai is loyal to Pakin to a fault. Chai's own mate, Win, is even a distant relative of Pakin if the rumors are to be believed. It's only later that Kim is able to find out about the twin princes Phayu and Saifah who were brought back from the island kingdom. These two are powerful fledglings, one able to control the mind and the other able to control emotions. Much later there is the pretty playboy Prapai, not much is known about his human history before he was changed. At first his usefulness isn't clear but as Pakin immediately moves him up in rank, Korn knows there is obviously something. Eventually he learns that the young vampire has the powers of attraction. Not just the ability to attract human victims or lovers in equal measures but the ability to attract rogue vampires and put them at ease, growing Pakin's allies. Other minor vampires are brought into Pakin's clan along the way but it's these three that Korn worries about the most.

In retaliation, Korn begins to grow his own clan. He calls these new members his guards, wanting to keep them separated in class from his own family. Korn brings them into his household as humans and spends months testing their worth before deciding if they will become a member of his guard. The rejected ones become meals for the family. This builds a sort of fearful loyalty among the humans that they carry over when changed, even the ones that remember nothing of their human lives.

Korn also begins to work on bringing some of the rogue vampires, not already allied to Pakin under his rule. The ones that refuse to accept the protection of either family, Korn sends Vegas or Kinn to eliminate. He doesn't dare touch anyone under Pakin's protection, yet, but he hopes by taking out these independent groups he will rob Pakin of future allies. He moves quickly and silently on any vampire group he can, leaving no survivors or witnesses. Kim helps him cover up his tracks. Both he and Pakin, as well as other smaller clans, deny any involvement in their deaths. This leaves the independent rogue groups in a turmoil of uncertainty and just as many flock to Korn for protection as Pakin.

Modern Day

Porsche manages to go the next week without any more near-death experiences. He should have known it was too good to last. It started when he demanded Kinn take him with him on a mission. Other human guard trainees got to go on the low-level missions, but Porsche hasn't been allowed out of the house since he arrived. He is beginning to go stir crazy. Porsche is a social person by nature, but he finds himself spending many days in isolation. The other humans are busy with their own duties. Most of the other vampires hold him in contempt and the few that like him, like Pete, are either going out with Kinn or staying with Khun.

Even Tae and Time haven't visited recently. The two tease him mercilessly, but at least they are someone to talk to when Kinn is too busy.

"Isn't it my job to go with you and protect you?" Porsche asks.

Kinn raises an eyebrow at this, "You are going to protect me?"

Porsche huffs, "I got you out of trouble when we first met. I am not completely useless. You take the other humans for training."

"That's different. You're different." Kinn says.

"Aren't I here to learn to be another guard? How am I any different from the rest of them?" Porsche asks.