Gina noticed the tension in the hallway. She decided to ignore it.
"What did Elizabeth say?"
"We are still discussing, but I will change her mind. Don't worry," Rowen said and wrapped his hand around Gina's shoulders.
As they walked away, he smiled at Shoto.
Shoto clenched his fist until his nails pierced his skin. Shoto went to find Lawhey. He found him in a room as vampires circled him.
"Come we have something to do," Shoto grabbed him. Before they could get away, the vampires got in their way.
Like blood flowing in his veins, scales covered his skin. The vampires took turns, they tried to slash through his scales.
"Hold your breath," a yellowish gas filled the air. Almost immediately, the vampires fell to the floor like flies. Lawhey and Shoto walked over their bodies.
"They are keeping some human prisoners. Probably as food, we need to rescue them,"
Shoto said as they walked away.
"I do not think that is a good idea. Taking away their food source will make them very angry,"
Lawhey said, only to get a stare from Shoto.
Meanwhile, Rowen ran into Elizabeth. Gina excused them.
"What if I can give you some information that can change things around here?"
Rowen said and Elizabeth stared for a while.
"I am listening," she said getting close to Rowen. Who whispered something in her ears.
She dragged him by the hand to a smaller room. All the while, Gina watched from afar.
"Are you sure about this?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, I gave him the blood myself," Rowen said with a smile on his face.
"Why would you do that?"
"So, I can do this," Rowen watched as Elizabeth paced for a while.
"You have already told me about the plot why would I give in to your demands?"
"Because you don't know who else I have blood to," Rowen said, then chuckled.
"Fine, you can take them but only after we make sure there is actually a plot," Elizabeth said, she walked out and gestured at some vampires.
Down at the basement of the castle Lawhey and Shoto were unlocking cells. Even with the cells unlocked they did not leave.
"It's okay, you are free," Lawhey said, then opened the cell doors.
One of the prisoners walked to the door and closed it.
"What are you doing?"
A voice said and Lawhey and Shoto turned around. Shoto scaled up, turning red in an instant.
"You are free them?" the woman who was in a hooded robe said.
Shoto lunged at her with a burst of energy. Like a feather in the wind, she got out of his way.
"It is okay, I am with the Bloodfast," the woman said taking off her hood.
"The blood fast?"
Lawhey asked looking at the prisoners walking out to her. They knelt at her feet.
"Yes, Bloodfast. A faction of vampires who have taken a vow not to drink blood. They groom these prisoners to be familiars. They would not listen to anyone who is not a vampire,"
She explained to them, then told the prisoners to come with her.
Shoto and Lawhe followed them.
"What are you people doing here?" The woman asked.
"We came to rescue Gina," Lawhey said, and Shoto looked at him.
Immediately he knew why. They did not know her and was dangerous to give out their information.
"Oh, Gina. I heard she was back. We were like sisters until Elizabeth took her away from us," she said with a smile that quickly disappeared.
"Gina was in the Bloodfast? That makes a lot of sense," Shoto said, he quickly walked to catch up with the woman.
"Would you mind telling me more about Gina?"
Shoto asked, the woman stopped and then put her hand up. They all stopped. They were about to go up a stair. But she heard voices just above the stairs.
After she heard the voice no more. She turned to Shoto and said.
"Sure," then walked up the stairs.
"So like most of the Bloodfast, Gina was turned without consent. A group of vampires went on a rampage in town. They killed her parents and turned her. She was then chased out of town. She showed up at the castle gates. Dracula took her in and gave her to Mother. Mother is the head of the Bloodfast faction. At first, Gina had difficulty controlling her urges. Even after she took her vow, she kept breaking her fast. She spent a lot of days in the Sunpit."
"Sunpit?"
Lawhey interrupted, and then Shoto and the woman turned to him.
"A pit in a chamber you are buried in leaving only your head. It is completely dark except for a pinhole. Sunrays pass through during the day, which burns your forehead.
"Ouch!" Lawhey said, and watched as Shoto's face dropped.
"Anyway, when Dracula was put to sleep. Elizabeth adopted her and moved her to the Dracula Court. She started drinking blood. One day after they went to town and killed a lot of people. She realized he had become what she hated. What I heard later was she ran away.
"I knew she was running from something. I thought I could protect her. I guess I can not protect her from herself," Shoto thought as they walked.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth called for a meeting. Leaders of the seven courts and some representatives were gathered.
"Something came to my attention today. I called this gathering to address it," Elizabeth said, as a familiar went around pouring blood.
One of the seven courts was the Dracula Court. A court led by Elizabeth. Their original goal was to foster pure breeds. That was until Dracula was put to sleep.
Tudors, another of the seven courts led by Henry Tudor. After making a deal with Dracula to turn him. He used his newfound ability to conquer nations. They are one of the richest people in the world.
There are the Matets also known as the new breed. This court is made up of medically engineered vampires. Their vampire gene keeps being altered over the years. They hold influence in every part of the world. This makes them strong allies and dreadful enemies. No one knows how they influenced themselves into the court. Some say they use their production of the suppression vials. Others say blackmail, I say both.
Speaking of influential families, the Du Ponts are a family with a lot of it. Opposite to the Matets, the Du Ponts have real influence. Simply put the Du Ponts have influence in high places and the Matets do not.
Then we have the bastards, Dracula's spawn. They are all Dracula's bastard united. All halfbreeds, they don't show up for any meetings. Only their leader does, Alucard.
The Bloodfast Court are group of moral vampires who vow not to drink blood. After a lot of rogue vampires massacre towns. Some influential people voiced their concerns. Luckily a woman was already taking in strays. She was let into the court to continue her work on a larger scale. The Bloodfast has the largest numbers compared to every other court.
The Last is La Familiar, a group of vampire fanatics. They pretend to be vampires, with fake fangs and elaborate costumes. Their leader Mariette a true vampire, grooms them to serve the other court. Sometimes they serve as food. Most people from La Familiar Court are here of their own free will. Their aim is to one day be turned into a real vampire.
A woman seated beside Rowen as they watched the court from a balcony.
The leaders of the courts took their glasses filled with blood. They all suddenly poured it on the floor. Alucard saw this and knew who betrayed him. A group walked in and retrained him then took him away.