The Loners Ch. 20

The votes have spoken, and Ch. 19 currently stands as the weakest chapter in this entire story, with an even worse track record than the strap on chapter, which I fully expected to not do well.

As I admitted in the comments in Ch. 19, apparently, fights are a weakness of mine, and it was probably very obvious how much I am influence by shounen anime and manga.

Luckily, I don't plan on blowing up this story with fights, and it's going to be a little while before I throw another one in, by which time, hopefully, I'll get it right.

Now, about the next three chapters. One could say I kind of hyper indulged in the opportunites for sex scenes. I did this for various reasons, which will become clear in time.

Not to worry, I didn't do anything real crazy, but there is going to be lots of sex floating around for a while. So enjoy, and hopefully, when things get serious again and I do the next fight, I'll get it right.

*****

"Yes, me. Nice to see you again, Lord Hector." Lord Constantine said from behind Lord Hector, twisting the sword that currently running through Lord Hector's heart. This caused Lord Hector to cringe in pain as more blood spilled out of his mouth.

"It's most unfortunate that things had to end this way, I actually kind of liked you. You're ideals of battle really appeal to me. Unfortunately for you, the real world isn't so kind and accommodating to ideals, especially for ones such as your own, who think that dirty moves like the one I just pulled on you to be beneath you."

"C-coward..." Lord Hector managed, losing his voice and life rapidly.

"Coward? Oh, but you're wrong there. There is no cowardice in this sense, there is only victory. If self preservation by any means is a form of cowardice, then all living beings in this universe are guilty as charged, including yourself, I'm sure." Lord Constantine returned as the last bit of life faded from Lord Hector.

"Liz! Benjamin! Clean up the mess!" Lord Constantine called out, and both Liz and Benjamin emerged from the shadows to attack Lord Hector's followers, who were too stunned to see the fall of their Lord to react at first, allowing for several easy kills.

What was also unfortunate for the vampires was that their skills were a far cry from what Liz and Benjamin were capable of, and in a short time, they were all disposed of.

As soon as Katie saw Lord Hector go down, she could no longer contain herself, and ran down to where Rachel had fallen.

Benny also sighed in relief, having been the one who sent Lord Constantine the message that Lord Hector had been disarmed, who was waiting for such an advantage the entire time.

"RACHEL!" Katie screamed as soon as she neared Rachel, who was attempting to rise.

"I...I'm all right." She said weakly, then collapsed on the ground again, heaving.

"No you aren't! Just look at you!" Katie cried out, tears in her eyes.

"I-I've lived through worse..." Rachel responded.

"Shh! Just-just keep quiet. Jesus, there's so much blood!"

"It looks worse than it feels."

"That's probably true. Vampires can live through quite a bit. Give her one of the bags, Ben."

Katie raised her head to see Lord Constantine now standing there, who was accompanied by a large black man, though not quite as large as Lord Hector, along with a short but attractive woman. Alan was there as well, and Katie found that she was afraid of what she saw. The expression showed almost no life, even as Rachel writhed in pain on the ground. Unfortunately, Katie had to brush that off for the moment.

Benjamin reached into the coat he was wearing, and pulled out a blood bag, which he tossed to Katie.

Katie caught the bag, and assisted Rachel so that she could drink.

As Alan watched Rachel as she drank, many thoughts entering his mind. It pained him to see her like this, and he took the time the review some of the thoughts that he had earlier.

He wasn't sure what exactly was going on in his mind, and he felt confused. On one hand, he had blamed Rachel for being too weak. On the other, he had blamed himself for his own weakness. Just what exactly was going on? Since when did he start thinking like that?

Was he thinking like that because he was a vampire? Or was it because of his hate? He wasn't sure just what to think anymore. His entire life, almost overnight it felt like, had flipped over on it's heels. It had been very simple before Rachel. Then, Rachel showed up, and things remained somewhat simple. Then, there were on the run for their lives, and that's when things got complicated.

Katie entered the picture, Rachel revealed her darker self, Alan learned that his family and friends had been killed, and now, he just fought for his life against a Vampire Lord as his own hate began taking over.

Just how does one handle all of this? It had seemed so simple a little while ago, when he declared his desire for vengeance against Lord Caleb, but at what cost? Alan had spotted the concerned glance that Katie had given him, and it occurred to him that he should have been the first one at Rachel's side when she was struck down.

Yet, that didn't happen. Instead, he had brushed her being struck down as though it were a weakness on her part, and even after the fight, he still hadn't rushed to her.

He wanted everything to go back to the way it was, but that was impossible. They needed to be strong, strong enough to fight for their right to exist. He began appreciating on how difficult it really was to walk such a tight rope, and why people fell when traveling along a similar and harsh path.

Alan slowly moved, and knelt by Rachel's other side as she finished drinking.

"Rachel...I..."

Rachel shook her head. "We'll talk later." She responded, reading his conflicted thoughts. Both Rachel and Katie felt relief that the emotionless mask was gone, and saw that the real Alan was still within him and not completely lost.

Now that both Liz and Benjamin had the chance, they took the time to appraise the renegades, for this was the first time they had seen them in person.

Liz didn't particularly care for the human. She mostly seemed like a typical whiny teenager who had no power over anything significant. Rachel, however, had Liz's respect, for she was strong, and Liz was familiar with Rachel's history and accomplishments.

The most intriguing one, however, was the newborn. Typically, newborns didn't catch her eye or interest, and considering Lord Constantine's dealings with him, she was under the impression that he would also be insignificant. However, that turned out to be completely false.

She sensed that he was strong, almost as strong as she was, and that was only after she had gone through years of growth and training. Not only that, but she, along with Lord Constantine and Benjamin, had caught the tail end of his fight against Lord Hector before Lord Constantine intervened.

It was an impressive display indeed, and not only that, he didn't have the weak personality that Liz expected to see. Instead, he held very strong and cold eyes, the type that demanded respect. Liz was going to have to see if she could make arrangements to have him at least once. He may not be the most handsome man on the block, but, his other traits more than made up for it.

She was sure that Lord Constantine wouldn't mind. Although they may be unofficial lovers, Lord Constantine was fully aware that his child's figure wasn't the most sexually satisfying figure, and as long as she answered his calls at any time, she was free to enjoy anyone that she wanted.

Benjamin, like Liz, was most interested in the newborn. The newborn's power rivaled his own, and he found himself interested in what the newborn could do in the future. He might be looking at a future Lord.

Rachel turned to Lord Constantine. "So, what now?"

"Why don't we sit down and get comfortable first? I want to have a talk with you all. Especially you, newborn. I am very interested in you right now." Lord Constantine said, eyeing Alan.

Both Alan and Katie supported Rachel as they all went back to the house that the renegades had been staying in, and took the time to bandage Rachel's wounds as she feed from more bags to keep her blood supply high.

Once that business was taken care of, Alan, Rachel, and Katie sat together, and were facing Lord Constantine, who was flanked by Liz and Benjamin.

"Firstly, I'll take the time to introduce to you my two most favorite of my clan, Constantine Thomas Benjamin the Second."

Benjamin nodded. "You may call me Ben if you wish, since you have Lord Constantine's respect." He said softly, something one would not expect given his size and build.

"And here is Constantine Anthony Elizabeth the First."

Liz curtly nodded, her gaze fixated on Alan. Alan wasn't sure, but he thought he saw desire somewhere within those eyes. This caused Alan to appraise her a little more thoroughly. Although she was shorter than both Katie and Rachel, and her breasts were smaller as well, she still was very attractive, though Alan wondered if it would kill her to smile, or even to just to not look so serious for about five seconds.

"Now then, to business. I imagine that things are going to get very hectic soon once word of Lord Hector's death gets out. I want you three to accept full blame for this."

"But, wouldn't that mean that Alan would take Lord Hector's place since...never mind." Rachel said.

Lord Constantine nodded. "Your fight doesn't have proper witnesses. On top of that, there was no challenge, and Alan did not fight Lord Hector by himself. And lastly, even if I claimed that I witnessed it, and did not intervene, just how would I have even known about your fight in the first place? Coincidence is something that doesn't really fly in our world." He explained.

"What about Caleb? That's all I care about at the moment." Alan replied.

Lord Constantine laughed. "Don't be a fool. You think you're ready for that now that you've fought Lord Hector? Unlike Lord Hector, who took it easy on you, Lord Caleb is far more ruthless, and he'll have no issue in sending everything he has after you. Not only that, but Lord Issac is now personally helping to guard Lord Caleb in case you, or anyone else tries something against Lord Caleb."

"So, does that mean that bastard just gets to sit in his little safe haven, and get away with the murder of my family!?"

The smile on Lord Constantine's face vanished, and he took on a serious demeanor.

"Let's get one thing straight, boy. I don't give a damn about your personal vendettas. If you want to go about this alone, then by all means, go ahead. I guarantee you that it will only mean certain death." He said darkly.

When Lord Constantine saw that Alan wasn't going to say anything, his normal, pleasant face returned.

"I will say this about you, you're impressive. The last time we met, you were just a simple, almost laughable nobody who just happened to stumble upon our world. Now, you're aggressive, strong, and have very clear goals in mind."

"I saw the look on your face as you fought Lord Hector, and I must say, it was a face I liked. One that possessed no distractions or regrets. One that I could use, and one that is strong enough to assist in Lord Caleb's downfall. And lastly, one that could rise to become a Lord."

Lord Constantine smiled. "I think that's the best way to go about this. I could help arrange it so that you could fight Lord Caleb in a direct challenge for his seat among the Lords. That would solve everyone's problems, wouldn't it? You could exact your revenge, and we can finally be rid of Lord Caleb. Of course, there's still a high chance that you won't be accepted without a struggle because of your current status. But, you'll have more support from those who dislike Lord Caleb."

"However, it isn't going to be that simple. If you try to challenge Lord Caleb privately, he can lie and say you never challenged him after he kills you, especially if the only witnesses present are his own men."

"No, in order for the challenge to be honored, you would have to challenge him in the open with real witnesses, like the other Lords. Then, he would have no choice but to accept the challenge, unless he wants to give up his seat to you by default."

Lord Constantine drifted in though, rewriting a completely different scheme from the one he originally had in mind. Now that he has met the newborn face to face and is aware of what he is capable of, this new plan might make things work even better than before. A brand new Lord that is already indebted to him would be useful indeed.

"However, the first thing we have to do is flush him out, then we can arrange the stage for your fight. Time is short as well, and you're not strong enough for such a fight yet. Let's see...Liz."

"Yes my Lord?"

"You're training him."

Liz nodded. "As you wish my Lord."

Lord Constantine turned to Rachel. "I realize that you could probably train him, but Liz is far more experienced than you, and stronger. Plus, she already has a history of training other vampires in my clan, so he isn't going to be the first person that she's taught."

Lord Constantine then turned back to Alan. "You better watch yourself, she is a very harsh instructor, and will probably kick your ass. We should also relocate you as well. I don't want anyone to try and pick up on Lord Hector's trail that could lead here."

Lord Constantine went into thought for a moment. His eyes widened with an idea, and he flipped his phone out, pushed a few buttons, waited for a few moments, then stood, closing his phone. "Okay, everyone hold on to me." He announced, and both Liz and Benjamin put a hand on Lord Constantine's shoulder as Rachel did the same.

Both Alan and Katie looked at him, puzzled.

"Oh, that's right, you two don't know about jumping, do you?"

A light clicked in Alan's head. "Oh yeah..."

Katie thought she heard that term before, but wasn't sure. "Jumping?"

"It's another word for teleporting. I'm not sure why we call it jumping, actually. But it's not really important, for the term has stuck for this long. Anyway, hurry up and put your hand on my shoulders and we can get going." Lord Constantine said a little impatiently, and both Katie and Alan rested a hand with the others on Lord Constantine's shoulders.

"Close your eyes you two." Rachel quickly warned before Lord Constantine began the jump.

Although Katie closed her eyes, Alan, curious to see what it was like, decided to keep his eyes open.

There was no way he could explain what he saw with words, since everything he saw happened over a matter of a second or two. A mix between a tunnel, void, and endless darkness would be the best description possible. Then, as soon as the world around him vanished, it reappeared, in a brand new setting.

Alan's body began to shake rapidly, and he fell to the ground, as though having a seizure, though he himself was conscience.

Rachel gasped and rushed to his side, while Katie began heaving, ready to puke. Lord Constantine laughed at the sight of Alan the most.

"Yeah, there's a good reason why we say close your eyes. Witnessing the passage through dimensions is not something any eyes should see."

Katie blinked and turned to Lord Constantine. "P-passage through dimensions?" Since when the hell did this become some sort of science fiction?

Lord Constantine nodded. "Do you know anything about theories surrounding portals or teleportation?"

Katie stared at him blankly, giving Lord Constantine his answer.

"Okay...well, allow me to ask you, what's the fastest way to travel from here, to here?" He asked, holding two fingers up in the air.

Katie, not sure how to answer, remained silent. Lord Constantine sighed.

"Not going to make this easy, are you? Well, normal logic dictates that it would be a straight line, across the space separating the two points. This in fact, is incorrect. The fastest way is to connect the two points together."

"C-connect the two points?" Katie responded, confused. What is this, Star Trek?

Lord Constantine sighed again. "Yes. It's probably so confusing for you because you're too busy looking at the world in such a linear fashion. Think of it as bendable, if you have the power and ability."

"I believe a book called 'A Wrinkle in Time' explained it best, and although science is slowly coming around in various ways, most of these or nothing but theories. Science can't artificially duplicate the power the soul possesses to be able to connect two points in space like that at this time, though with atomic energy it could be possible."

That book somehow sounded familiar. Maybe it was one she read in school? Katie asked herself.

"B-but, if you guys can do things like that, then couldn't you like, travel to other planets or something?" Katie asked.

Lord Constantine laughed. "First off, there's no way that anyone has enough power to cover that kind of distance. In theory, I would say that maybe, MAYBE, we could reach the moon, and that's only if Dracula attempted such a jump. Second, you need to have a clear picture of the exit. If you don't, you could end up inside a rock, meteor, or even a star, if it was possible to get that far. Lastly, do you know of any other planets that could sustain any form of life?"

"Oh..." That makes sense. "But...who's Dracula?" Katie asked next.

Lord Constantine now turned to Rachel. "Geez, did you tell her anything?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

Rachel turned to Lord Constantine, now able to do so since Alan had stopped shaking and was coming around, signified by his moans.

"Forget it, that was a rhetorical question." Lord Constantine said before Rachel could speak.

Alan at long last rose, shaking his head. "What the hell happened anyway?"

"In short, your brain overloaded." Lord Constantine answered.

"Huh?"

"You know how you see with your eyes, correct? The information that your eyes gathers sends a signal to the brain which interprets it into visual images. Well, when you decided to be a moron and keep your eyes open through the jump, your eyes attempted to retrieve an immense amount of visual information within the period of a second or two. That kind of vast information cannot be interpreted by the brain properly, and therefore, you overloaded."

"Immense information?"

"You were trying to see an entire dimension within that second, and you pretty much had a seizure."

"But, why didn't it affect me so dramatically when I keep my eyes closed?"

"Duh, because your brain wasn't attempting to process visual information. In that dimension, there is nothing really to smell, feel, taste, or hear. However, it is true that the passing through the dimension can cause side effects, like Katie here who still looks ready to puke her guts out. Now, anymore questions, or can we get a move on?"

Alan, Katie, and Rachel now took a moment to observe their surroundings. There was a giant mansion standing before them, and they seemed to be completely isolated from the world, for there were nothing but trees within sight. And what also sounded like...an ocean.

"Wow, that place is enormous! It's almost like a hotel!" Katie said in awe of the mansion.

"Well, sometimes when I go on vacation out here, I like to bring lots of company so I don't get bored."

"Vacation?" Katie asked, her head tilting slightly.

Lord Constantine rolled his eyes. "What, thought that we Vampire Lords or vampires in general didn't go on vacation at all? Of course we do, I know I like some time away from the world every now and then."

"It's not that, it's just that...well...it never really occurred to me." Katie said quickly.

Lord Constantine sighed once more. "That's one problem with humans. They think that every trait they have is their own alone, and any foreign intelligent life couldn't possibly comprehend the simple things like vacation, drug use, sex, or any other variety of things which humans have coined as 'human' traits."