Let me Tell You Something

Disclaimer: Legacy of Kain belongs to Edios and Crystal dynamics, they are not me. I am making ?0.00 out of this fic; it is written purely because I have a burning need to create.

Rating: PG

Part: One of One

Set: Post BO2 Pre SR1.

Authoress Note: Kain fails at being a role model and tells his fledgelings inappropriate stories.

Let me Tell You Something

I woke up when something close to me moved.

I'd always been a light sleeper and my death had only enhanced this. I'd thought being born again as a vampire would make me strong, to the point of near invincibility. I'd revelled in my power in those young nights, tearing through villages in a one man raiding party. But I'd been wrong, a lone fledgling vampire was far from invincible, a lesson I'd learned the hard way.

I no longer felt safe enough to sleep deeply.

These nights when I did sleep I did so lightly, to the point where rest was a luxury not a guarantee.

But last night I'd been so very tired, bone weary as well as mentally fatigued. I'd finally found somewhere quiet and safe, as safe as anything in this land could be. I must have slept fast and deep for something to be able to get this close to me without me waking.

I tried to get my sleep addled mind to focus. But the bed under me was comfortable, more comfortable than it had any right to be. It was a siren song so strong that the danger just didn't feel that dangerous.

My subconscious mind kept pushing me back towards sleep.

Everything is fine, go back to sleep, everything is fine.

Everything was not fine. The door to the small ramshackle room I had claimed as my own opened.

The darkness was too thick even for vampire eyes to pierce with any real accuracy and mine just wanted to close again. The best I could make out was vaguely human shaped forms, huddled in a doorway. Two stepped in before the rest. I laid still, let them think I was unconscious.

"Is he moving?" a hushed voice said. My sleep addled brain struggled to make sense of the words.

Everything is fine, go back to sleep, everything is fine.

"I don't think so," another said. A hunting party? Something in my chest tightened and it took my exhausted brain far too long to catch up with what my body was trying to tell me.

A hunting party. In this house. Where were the fledglings?

Had I really slept through their demise? Or was the unlucky party so very unfortunate that I was the first they had happened upon. I had put myself in the room closest to the door of the small hovel but even so, that would be fortunate, far too fortunate. I was never this lucky.

Everything is fine, go back to sleep, everything is fine.

"He's going to be mad," a third voice hissed and I frowned, the deep sleep I had woken from still made me slow but was one of the party talking about angering me with the invasion? What did they expect?

The bed behind me dipped and I spun around, one of them had sneaked in past his companions and had gotten behind me! Fuck. I moved, sitting up, my hand closing around the intruders throat. The hunter froze, my eyes, adjusting to the gloom, could make out hands held up in a placating gesture.

What the hell was going on?

Then I smelt them.

"Sire?" Raziel's voice came from the door way.

"We didn't think you'd mind," Turel, the body on the bed said quickly. The bed behind my dipped again as Dumah clambered on. I released Turel.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snapped.

"Sleeping," Dumah grunted. I tried to speak but my words stuck, instead I just stared blankly.

"We…" Melchiah started. "Before we always slept…" he trailed off.

"We slept with you watching," Zephon interrupted his flustered brother. "It's hard to sleep without it."

"Not safe," Turel said very quietly. Dumah was already snoring.

I groaned collapsing back on the bed. Those of my brood still standing started trying to fit themselves on and around the bed. Bedding down for the day.

I had been so pleased when I found the house, I had finally thought I could spend a night actually resting rather than keeping watch over my brood while they slept the day away.

Apparently they had other ideas.

I snorted, so it was a hunting party, or sorts, a Serefan hunting party. I laughed, the sound came out abruptly, broken and strained. The fledgling's closest to me flinched back.

"Sire?" Raziel's voice whispered in the dark the bed moved as bodies fought for space.

"Never mind," I managed, my voice sounding as strained as my laughter had done. I felt him move beside me, propping himself up on his elbows, bright eyes glowed in the dark. He frowned at me, his eyes narrowing.

"You sound strange," there was no mistaking the fear in his voice.

"I'm tired," I closed my eyes. "Now if you are all insistent on staying here, shut up," I absently kicked whoever was fidgeting next to me. "and stay still." Everyone fell silent and still. "Bastards."

I laid awake.

I laid awake listening to my fledgling sleep.

Hours ticked by and I laid awake.

At some point during the afternoon my frustration peaked and I sat up. I sighed loud enough that it was almost a groan.

"You're not sleeping?" Raziel said, apparently also awake.

"No," I said.

"Should we leave?" he sounded pathetic, his voice small and reedy in the gloom. I sighed again.

"No," I said through my teeth. "There's no point."

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Raziel said. "You were before, you said it was safe here."

"I don't do well with company," I said after a long moment.

"You can't sleep because we're here?"

"Apparently," I growled.

"Is it Dumah?" he asked, the aforementioned brother was sprawled on his back snoring loudly. I shook my head, oddly the regular sound was almost soothing in its monotonous nature. If a trifle loud.

"No, it's not Dumah," I said. "I can't sleep when under threat."

"But we're no threat," Raziel said.

"Tell that to my subconscious," I muttered. Raziel's eyes narrowed in the dark again.

"You think we're a threat, even when you know we're not," he said slowly as if puzzling out thew words. "You raised us, you feed us and keep us safe but you feel we are a threat."

I said nothing.

"That makes no sense," he said, sitting up next to me.

"You should go back to sleep," I grumbled. There was no point in both of us being sleep deprived. He huffed at me and did not obey.

"Blind trust is foolish, as is underestimating those around you," I said after a short time under his gaze.

"You don't trust us?" he said.

"I don't trust anyone, and neither should you, least of all your brothers," I said softly.

"That sounds like a miserable way to be," he muttered, I snorted.

"Let me tell you a story, as your so determined not to sleep."

End Chapter One

Thank you for reading, please comment/review, I'd love to hear what you think.

For information on published works and upcoming projects, release dates, as well as weekly blogs, check out .