The Glaive's Tale

Part I

The doors of the manor were thrown open with an enthusiastic entitlement that could only belong to one man.  The lord of the manor itself. His riding breeches and boots were faintly dusted with the signs of winter mud and dirt, his long wax riding trench coat was speckled with rain droplets. A top hat stood proudly on his head though that too showed signs from the turbulent winter weather that lay just outside the doors. 

A gloved hand reached up and plucked the hat from his head, his dark hair pulled back falling over his brow now. Lord Kane Masamune was a tall man, one that demanded attention with every step and an air of superiority surrounded him, being close friends with the king. Drawing the left glove from his hand he clicked his fingers and like obedient dogs, a maid and butler appeared from the depths of the manor.
"Good evening, master," The Butler, a middle-aged man dressed in a suit with greying hair and tattoos on his face, bowed his head in utmost respect placing a hand over his heart. Kane extended the top hat and leather gloves to the man who received them as though they were gold. The maid had fallen into a curtsy and was readily awaiting an order. Her black gown and white apron were slightly stained with...something. Dirt from whatever task she had been performing that morning. Her cheeks were rosy, her body plump and hair frazzled. It wasn't easy working for a man such as Kane.
"I will be requiring a new coat, and see to it that my horse is well cared for," Kane announced his eyes drifting to the tear at the base of his coat. The butler nodded swiftly.
"Of course, master. How fared the Hunt?" 
The gloves hadn't just been for riding. Kane's hands were stained with blood. Not his own, however. Kane grinned wickedly however at the Butler's question, a faint glint of excitement appearing in his eyes. 

The Hunt. It was the most popular of sports that had begun centuries ago that only the bold, or unhinged, dared to venture on. It was not the sport of hunting buck or game, no that wouldn't do for the likes of Lord Masamune and his fellow nobles. Their targets were vampires, werewolves, the creatures of the night. Spawns of hell. What a glorious adventure it was and Lord Kane Masamune was one of the greatest hunters there was. The man in question spun now having heard his name called from within the manor halls. 
"Papa!" 
"My dear Nadia," Kane's grin softened now and he fell to a knee. The seven-year-old girl appeared bounding forward, the frills of his gown and her curls bouncing with a matched glee that filled her face. Her hair was a deep jet black, much like her fathers, eyes a bright emerald. Kane opened his arms to her and she rushed to him. As she drew closer however she slowed her pace and came to a halt just before throwing herself in his arms. She dropped her head and ducked into a low curtsy. 
"Welcome home, father," Her tone changed, matured. Kane approved greatly. They had been preparing her for the courts. She would be wed in her approaching teenage years, if Kane had his way to the King's son, Qeorva. Reaching out Kane cupper her chin in his hand and lifted her face giving her a warm smile. 
"Very good, my darling," He couldn't be prouder of the beauty she was becoming. Nadia beamed proudly before finally throwing herself against her father embracing him tightly. He clutched her close for a long moment. She smelt of roses. Kane drew back from her now. 
"Where is your mother?" 
"In the garden's, papa."
Of course. Kane should know his wife by now. Every hunt he ventured on his wife would seclude herself to the gardens until he returned. Kane's eyes looked to the maid now who finally rose from her curtsy and padded toward Nadia.
"Come along, miss," The maid extended a hand, which Nadia took readily and together they vanished through the drawing room to the left toward the scullery. 

Kane studied the open hall. The large stairway rose high before him, a painted portrait of himself and family on the landing before the stairs split and rose to the left and right vanishing to the upper floors. The manor was a gorgeous thing, left to him by his father and passed down the Masamune family for generations. Ornately decorated with glorious paintings and ornaments. Some of Kane's old weapons hung proudly on the walls too, but only the best. The weapons that had really mattered. Some pistols and rifles, some swords and foreign blades even some stakes. Kane made no move to see his wife, however. The Butler must have noticed. 
"Does something trouble you, master?" 
"Indeed, Ravus." Kane announced finally rising tall and casting the Butler a look. Ravus' violet eyes studied him. Although a mere Butler the man was more than that to Kane, his was an ally and close confidant it was a shame they were both from such different societies. Ravus would have made a great nobleman. Ravus had been brought a slave, from a market two cities away Kane had seen potential in him, he was the only slave that had known how to write and use numbers. From there Kane had expanded on the man's learning improving his education tenfold and allowing Ravus to truly shine. They had formed a friendship of sorts and assisted one another. 
"What troubles you, master?" 
"One got away from me."
"Sir?"
"A vampire. The blasted thing slipped loose like a fish. I had everything ready, every possible outcome prepared for and the cunt slipped loose." Kane was angry, seething, however, his rage was never explosive. He would quietly brood and allow the anger to fester within. It wasn't appropriate to allow it to show for a man such as him. His eyes were shadowed, his gaze distant, mind inventing new ways to terrorize the vampire who would haunt him. Never had he allowed one to get away before.  He had spent an extra four days hunting the blasted creature through the forests and mountains of Arkech, lost two men and a horse in the process, but he couldn't find a single trace. How? His mind boggled at the thought of his failure. People claimed he'd imagined it. He hadn't. One had slipped away and there would be hell to pay if Kane didn't find him.
"Master?" Ravus' voice brought him back to the present. Kane across to the Butler.
"I will see my wife," Kane gave a small smile before putting a hand on Ravus' shoulder. He allowed his hand to linger there a long moment before turning and striding through the corridors. 

The manor was gloriously kept. Not a speck of dirt nor a single cobweb. Kane prided himself on his lifestyle. He worked hard at court in order to provide his family with only the best life they could have. Rain continued to patter down on the windows from outside, sleet and snow beginning to mix with the rain. A brief memory came to him of his father telling him before, when he was a small boy, what a bad omen rain and snow was. Kane had laughed at his father and told him it was but the weather and there was nothing they could do, the weather didn't decide anything. Even still Kane's father had maintained his superstition. Kane reached the rear of the manor where two large wooden doors led out to a covered glass walkway that encircled a large floral garden. Kane stepped outside before pausing to watch her. She stepped slowly around the flowers, some rose clippings in her hands a pair of sharp scissors in the other. Her skin was like porcelain, hair dark as ink and lips painted blood red. A large scarlet gown clung to her petite frame, a bustier sucking in her middle and accentuating her natural curves and breasts. A parasol was resting over a shoulder, a small tophat on her hair that was twisted up and back from her face. Eyes downcast she studied her garden. A pair of leather gloves rested in the pocket of her bolero jacket. Kane grinned to himself. What a woman she was. Zella Masamune had been married to Kane for near 20 years now, they had been the talk of the city in the approach to their marriage and the wedding ceremony itself had been one to rival even the kings. A week-long celebration. What memories. Kane was overwhelmingly in love with every inch of Zella and her in return. It was times like this when he simply stood and watched that he realized just how fortunate he was to have her. Zella must have sensed his presence for not long after she looked up, amber eyes gleaming. Kane grinned wide. The woman set her scissors and rose clippings down before spinning and rushing to him, the parasol swung from off her shoulder as she stepped beneath the glass and she threw her body against his. Instantly he felt a warm feeling sprint through him at her touch, his hands wanted to thoroughly explore her body, it had been far too long but he restrained himself, for that moment in time anyway.  There would always be the night for their pleasure. Zella's slender arms wrapped around his shoulders and she placed numerous kisses to his cheek and neck before her lips found his own. In return, he encircled his arms around her and pulled her close. She would be a head shorter than he was it not for the healed boots she wore. 
"I thought the worst when you didn't return home," She breathed through the onslaught of kisses. Kane reached up to her slender face now and halted her, blue eyes studying her frantic expression.
"Not at all, my dear." He grinned. "A simple extra few days in the wild was all I needed before returning to the court." He was lying, something he was not accustomed to doing to his dear Zella. What she didn't know wouldn't harm her. The mention of a failed kill would only tarnish his reputation. Zella believed the lie and a smile overcame her expression before she kissed him again on the lips. They stood a long moment, in one another's arms, lips locked together as the rain continued to patter down in the garden. 

The sound of crackling burning wood echoed through the otherwise silent study. He sat heavily in the comfort of the heavy leather chair that sat to the right of the open stone fireplace on the rear wall of the office. Two tall glass windows on either side of the fireplace were covered with scarlet drapes shutting out the storm that raged on outside. Lifting the crystal tumbler he sipped the aged whiskey from within allowing it to burn down the back of his throat and warm him through. Perfectly aged, his favorite. A whiskey from across the country toward the east called Hemar. Kane would have it specially imported for himself by the barrel load. Setting the glass down on the small table to his left he reclined in his chair and crossed his legs. It was late, the world outside was darker than black now, there was no sound aside from the raging storm from outside and the crackling fire from within his study. He always had been one to stay up late, he had never quite been a morning person only when it was required. His shirt lay open allowing the heat from the fire to wash over his bare upper body. If anyone could see him now, the multiple black tattoos and scars were evident now something he didn't allow anyone but his dear Zella to see. His love was now soundly asleep. After supper, both he and his wife had allowed the maid to bathe and ready Nadia for bed while he and his wife vanished to their chambers and made their love known for one another-the week of absence had left them both hungry and longing. His manhood had never been stiffer than when he laid eyes on his wife in her undergarments. How glorious she looked, her hair pulled down and loose, eyes hungry and when she bit her lip...that had sent him into an animal like frenzy and they had made love for what must have been hours. The red nail marks on his shoulders were a show of how desperate Zella had been. The thought made him smirk again. His mind, however, was drawn away from his passion and lust and back to the vampire. That single one that had escaped. He could picture him vividly. Height rivaled Kane's, eyes were a ghostly shade of white and hair that tumbled to his waist to match. He had been a handsome man-animal. It was a creature, not a man. Fangs like ivory had bared behind that sneer, the blood of Kane's comrades against the grey skin of that thing would forever be ingrained in his memory. The vampire had been quick, much quicker then any Kane could remember and strong-so strong. Even bullets of silver had caused no ill effect...had Kane finally came across one of the Alpha's? Is that why nothing had worked? He hadn't even gotten close enough to get a stake near the creature's heart, fire nor garlic nor crosses worked. Nothing. Perhaps if Kane had gotten close enough he might have been able to strike the creature's head from its body. The thought he may have discovered an Alpha brought him great excitement, however. If that was their true strength than he needed to find it needed to hunt it down and bring it's head home to hang on his wall. No one could ever claim they had killed an Alpha before...he would make it his goal to be the first. Kane leaned forward in his seat now and stared into the flames that licked the stone of the fireplace-he would need the best men, the fastest of horses, the sharpest of stakes. He may have just returned from his hunt but he could sense another was not far away...what would Zella make of it? No doubt she would insist he wait until after Christmas. It was not that far away..perhaps two weeks. King Deverell would no doubt want to accompany Kane, both were vying for the most kills that year and both had always dreamed of one day finding an Alpha and slaying it..only one thing. Did Kane really want to bring his biggest competition with him on such a venture? Of course. He lived for challenges and this may be his biggest yet. Two weeks. He would wait. Celebrate the winter holidays and come the new year he would make his bid to find the Alpha he had made enough kills this year. Kane reclined back in his chair once more, snatching up the tumbler and sipping the whiskey. 
"I'll come for you white wolf, your head is mine," He muttered to himself before chuckling. He continued to sip on the whiskey long into what remained of the night.