Somewhere in the city they had gathered. The darkness was palpable for no one here needed light to see. He was dragged into the chamber. His wounds had yet to heal. The left arm was barely there. Bone still visible in places as his chest was healing. Thrown on the ground as flames burst to life around the chamber, casting deep shadows around the council. Hiding their features from the others.

Raymond was slow to move as he came to a kneeling position before the council. His burns were still healing from his run in with Josidia and Katherine. The others had cleaned up the scene and ensured there were no witnesses from the catastrophic breach that almost revealed them to the human world. Brought here to face the judgement of the elders.

“You are here because you have violated our laws. Not only did you fail to properly feed. Your injuries are quite severe. And they got away” The voice that spoke came from the shadowed area of the council. Raymond did not know which one spoke for the voice was cold and devoid of anything resembling humanity at this point.

“Elders, I can explain. She awakened at the moment of the feeding.The power she possesses makes her dangerous to our plans. She is imbued with the radiance of the light! Her power makes her a threat. She is young and untrained. A perfect weapon against our enemies if we act now.

The flames seemed to die down when the ancient spoke. The weight of its words snuffing out light “You have but a single chance to redeem yourself. Fail us again and your punishment will be far worse next time.”

Guards stepped forward and bound his arms out to either side with thick heavy chains. Burning hot irons were applied to his back and chest, branding him with their dark essence. “You have been marked. Should you succeed and bring her to us the marks shall be removed. If not your agony will be legendary. Your folly a lesson to others to never fail.”

As the marks cooled the doors opened and another was lead inside. She was tall and beautiful. The mark on her chest had lunar themes. Bound as she was with hands behind her back. A tight, barbed corset that didn’t quite pierce the skin. Arms and legs wrapped in barbed cloth. Long hair pulled up into a tight ponytail. Her eyes seemed dull, the spark and light of life dimmed under such domineering control. Radiating from her was a pale light of the moon. But at the edges there was a deeper darkness. The stuff of nightmares clung to her.

“This Siren shall be your weapon. Bring the radiant one before us and your crimes will be forgiven.” He began to convulse as their power washed over him. Choking on his blood as his body seized up on itself. Unable to control his muscles he collapsed to the ground as pain wracked his body. Those brands burned with their dark power. In all his existence he had never experienced such pain as this. Just as suddenly as it began the elders released him from their power.

“Do not fail” Their voices echoed together. The flames went out and the chamber was left in total darkness.

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Raymond was removed from his bindings and they drug him out of the chamber so that he could recover from what had been done to him. He and the Siren were locked in the same room. The hunger he had when he awakened clawed at him. Falling upon the Siren to feed she cried out, bound as she was she was unable to defend herself from him. The pale light around her dimmed further and the darkness spread around her. Nightmares moved around the edges of the room. The light of the moon replaced with the darkness of nightmares. Ignorant of what was happening around her, Raymond continued to feed from her. Dropping her weakened form to the ground. The Sirens blood was almost as sweet as that of the radiant one.

In the darkness they had spent time together. Unable to count the passage of hours it seemed like it lasted forever. And in that time he had learned that similar to the radiant one he was able to rip from this Siren a blade of darkness. It cast the room in a deep purple-black light. Horrors danced over the surface of the blade. When it cut through the air there was a faint echo of pain that lingered behind. A dark smile spread across Raymonds blood stained lips. Turning to the heavy door that locked them inside he slashed with the blade. Cutting through the heavy metal as if it were made of paper.

With his free hand he drug the Siren behind him as he left the cell they were in. The guards of the cells did not stand much of a chance as the blade of nightmares and horror cut through them. Their wounds were more than just physical. If they survived the tainted blade left behind a seed of that nightmare and pain within the victim. Getting her to her feet by pulling on her hair he pointed at the guards that were rushing towards them.

“Sing, I know you can.” Raymond commanded of the Siren.

The bindings around her body tightened. Those barbs dug into her soft and sensitive skin. The fabric course against her flesh. From the wound on her neck it radiated pain throughout her body. Pulling on her hair to force her back to arch slightly. What was once a beautiful melody was corrupted by pain. Around her feet a circle of darkness formed and the shadows lengthened. In those shadows those ever hungry horrors remained. Releasing her notes those shadows raced towards the oncoming guards. Pulling them downwards their screams filled the corridors. Their pain adding to the power of the song as that darkness spread throughout.

Raymond laughed as he watched the shadows consume the guards. Tugging the Siren along with him as he fled the prison that he was kept in. Against the Siren few would stand a chance. He held the blade in his free hand. Any that got to close he cut down with brutal ease. Let this be a lesson to all that would try to defy him, he would have his revenge upon those who wronged him.

Moving towards the garage he would take one of the vehicles. Tossing the Siren into the passenger seat he would drive away. He had a safe house no one else knew about. He would head to that location so he could heal and plot his revenge against this radiant one and everyone else. They had made a mistake when they gave him the Siren. Now he would use that very weapon against them.

Pulling into the underground garage of the apartment complex. The Siren had passed out from exertion and weakness. Having no choice but to carry her the rest of the way. Moving quickly through the parking area he went to an elevator under the cover of his blood power to remain unseen. Pulling out a key he put it into the special recess and twisted it. The elevator would take him down into his sanctuary. One of his least used and out of the way places. But it was also the most secure.

Laying the Siren down on the bed he went to clean up. It had been a rough number of days. But now he was free and he would be able to plot his revenge.