He opened his eyes feeling the paralyzing weakness in his body. How had he even gotten there he couldn't remember. He could remember very little except the hunger. That was so strong that was why his eyes had opened when they hadn't been used in so long and even now peered into complete and utter blackness. He reached his arm up it was so close and he felt a barrier.

He had no strength to lift it but it was rotted away and the blood was getting so much closer. They were coming to him, he could smell it. If only they were there now he was so close the pain was so strong. Closer he prayed as his arm fell back down. Just a little closer and he would be fed. He would have the strength to rise again. They would know him again.

"We'll just dump them here," a bearded tattooed man says about the two bodies they were lugging with them. A couple who had had the luck of running out of gas near the thieves hangout. They had had some fun with the couple and now would leave them to drown at the moment unconscious from blows to the head. They are slipped into the water into the realm of the semi conscious prince one of them landing in his arms. His mouth latches automatically to the neck draining the person dry.

Afterwards he finally has the strength to rise out of the water. His clothing long rotted away he walks in a daze unaware of his nakedness, the cold, or even who he really was, let alone what he was. He comes up to the thieves' cabin and they are sitting outside.

He stops walking drawn to the scent of blood but in such a weakened state he doesn't even know what he was drawn to. He looks at the men looking more at Joe wondering what it was about him that made him want to stay. Their words flowed over him with him barely aware of it.

"Well, well Geb, looky at what we go here."

"Woo wee! Pretty boy you lost?" The prince gives them a completely blank stare though he can understand English as if it was his native language.

"Where you're clothes? Walking 'round like that, Geb what you think?"

"Well, I'm never one to turn down an invitation, 'n you says we would have nothing to keep us warm up 'er in Canada."

"Shit, Geb he's getting away." Geb and Joe jump up and run to the prince who had started to walk again for no other reason than a drive to go forward. "Come on boy, you can't be walking 'round like that." His gaze flickers between Joe and Geb and still makes no sign of recognition. Joe who is clean shaven and gangly with a dirty blond ponytail, smiles at the prince and he blinks.

He allows himself to be lead back to the cabin having no idea how easy it would be for him to destroy these two or at the very least learn their intentions. They take him into the room where they had held the couple not so long ago and the faint smell of blood entices the prince though he knows not what to make of the new sensation.

Geb and Joe waste no time in shoving the prince down and handcuffing him to the head board. Still dazed and lost the prince doesn't put up any fight. An argument ensues on who gets to go first and it's finally decided that Joe will since he had to go second with the guy in the couple they had just killed.

He climbs on the prince as he spits on his hand as a quick form of lube. In one sharp thrust he penetrates a body that hadn't been used that way in countless centuries and the prince lets out a scream that is little more than a whisper. At his full strength the same scream may have shattered their ear drums. Joe doesn't move for a second just enjoying the tightness feeling that it gets better every time. He pulls out to his head and plunges savagely into the prince who wails silently trying to pull away from the hands holding him in place.

He doesn't understand this new horrifying sensation, but does try to escape tugging at the handcuffs which refuse to budge. His eyes fill up with tears as all he feels is pain. Tossing his head left and right moans of agony escape him as Joe increases the speed impaling him violently as another empty scream wracks his body. Joe's nails digging into his oversensitive skin just add more pain. He stops tugging on the handcuff ending one small pain that is attacking his body as he prays for the cold.

When Joe stops he thinks it's an end to the pain when he feels another weight on the bed. His legs are tossed on Geb's muscular shoulders as his larger length in shoved into the prince who shuts his eyes tight as he bites down on his tongue tasting his own blood. A bit of his true nature comes to him then but before he can do anything the door is kicked open.

"Police freeze!" As the cops enter the room and see the scene they all barely hide their disgust as they throw garments at Joe and pull Geb off the prince, who looks dead to the world. They find the keys on the night stand and remove the handcuff on the prince who curls into a ball vaguely remembering a time when it was safe and silent. And he wasn't a part of this pain.

They end up taking him to the station, though no one can get him to speak. They sit him on a bench as some clothes are found for him from various items mostly confiscated from a shoplifting ring that had been used as evidence and now just took up space in the locker.

"Hey kid take these up to the victim," the new cop nods taking the clothes, not having been at the scene he thought he was approaching a woman with a long mop of curly blond hair that sent daggers through his heart.

"Uh miss . . ." The face looks up and the princes eyes widen as Jason believes it's for other reasons. "I'm sorry I saw your hair and I . . ." he stops as the prince reaches to touch his face waves of memories flooding back to him.

"Ja . . .Jason?" He drops the clothes in his hands. It wasn't possible, sure, the hair was the same and he had blue eyes too, but he had seen him go down, he hadn't come back up. They never found the body. But could it really be Adam? It had been so many years, he looked the same but . . . he looked so shriveled and starved.

"It can't be . . .Adam?" The prince nods and Jason decks him. Before he can start yelling at him 'Adam' breaks into soundless sobs turning away from Jason and dropping the blanket in the process. Jason turns a bright shade of scarlet as he sees Adam in his full glory. He picks up the sweat pants and shirt. "Here put these on." The prince does just that and Jason notices his red wrists, he walks over to one of the cops who went up to the cabin.

"What happened to him?" Jason says pointing back to Adam.

"Disgusting, we were going after those two on some grand theft auto and kidnapping of a missing couple. We walked in on them taking turns with him."

"Taking turns?" Jason asks hoping it meant anything but what his mind was seeing.

"What do you think? They had him handcuffed to the bed. I didn't need to see that, give me suicides, homicides, but guy on guy? I thought I was going to retch right there."

Jason nods and gets a mug of coffee and walks back over to Adam who flinches when he sits beside him. Jason shakes his head. Adam looked like he was under a 100 pounds. How could he have hit him, he looked like he hadn't eaten in years. And this was the same guy who used to flip him over his head for fun. The entire sight broke his heart, what had happened to Adam? Jason handed him the mug of coffee and he was greeted with the blank empty stare.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Shortly before dawn September 13, 1698 . . .

"Lord Strogi . . . Father, we are winning even now the pure breeds are falling back by tonight the battle will be ours."

"I know but I must make some final preparations lead the troop to the caves. You know the pure breeds and their valor will not follow us to our crypts."

"But father . . ."

I shall return," he says disappearing in the waning night. His son turns to the third in command and orders them to take the troops to shelter. He then silently tracks his father. He watches as he enters a pub. He is greeted by a peasant farmer and he unwraps something and his son holds back a gasp. The best of the quartz weapons a quiver of arrows and some daggers.

He watches as a shadow draws up on him. "I told you to lead the troops to safety."

"I did, what is he doing?"

"I'm not sure, wait," He says watching from the dirt encrusted window. It was then he saw the peasant hiding a wooden stake by making it appear to be part of the table leg. They watch horrified as their father is staked. The blood pooling from his mouth and the wound. But the farmer missed the heart and he grabbed the peasant by the neck. Not noticing the patrons of the pub drawing on him.

His children flee not believing there is any hope for their father or his army as they enter the woods and bury themselves in the soft earth away from prying eyes and marching armies. When they rise the stench of death is livid in the air. They reach the cave and they both stare wide eyed at the mass carnage. Whoever had done this had done it by the light of day when they would have completely at the mercy of whoever stumbled upon them.

They travel in secret and reach the realm of the pure breeds where the same carnage awaits them the stench of burnt flesh was everywhere. Not only had they killed all the pure breeds they had burned them as well. They quickly leave the area as they wonder what is to become of their lives without their father.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was there so close. The meal he had centuries for. He cared not why these fool mortals dared to tread here all he knew was that it was time to show his strength. They were already drawn to him. Free me. The barrier was lifted as a thin neck was just above his head and he jumped up and snatched the life whole with out so much as seeing the persons face. He heard the scream of the other and enjoyed the short chase that sent blood pumping through his body again. He takes this one down also relishing in the screams.

Yes scream for me.

He throws both empty husks into his grave tossing the rotting wood over them. He adjust his rotting garments like they are Armani and smiles as he steps out into the night leaving a path of gluttonous death behind him. Remerging from the town with a smile on his face.

The world will tremble at my feet, for I am Lord Strogi the last vampire!

Part 3 of 12 of The Awakening