It had been the perfect time. Federico had servants, respect, and the power to crush anyone he wished. But that Death Knight had ruined everything. His servants, his fellow vampires, and his secret...all destroyed or exposed.

Now here he was, the Lord of Clan Noche; starved of blood, and hanging from a wooded cliff. For Federico had hoped to lose his pursuers in the wilderness...and failed. He could hear the thundering hooves of their horses, and feel the unnatural power of the Death Knight approaching him.

"So thirsty...so weak..."

His talons dug deep into the rock, but lacked the strength to pull him over. But then, just as he was about to resign himself to his fate, a familiar shape loomed above him.

"How far you've fallen."

Atop the cliff was a tall and barely human creature. It was sheathed in black leather that stunk of corpses, and its wings were folded into a cape that barely hid its statuesque build. Its face was masked as well, in that same leather that kept the rest of its body shadowed. Only its waist reaching mane of crimson hair was uncovered. Confronted with this, Federico made no attempt hide his disdain.

"Grandfather."

"Mind your tone child, and be thankful I left your grandmother with the curse of blood, as opposed to the curse of the moon."

"Yes...At least I'm not a rabid dog, now I'm only thirsty and hunted."

"One in two hundred of my descendants will be blessed with active demonic blood. The odds were simply against you."

Federico gritted his fangs.

"Did you come here just to taunt me?"

"I came here to check on my investment. When my seers brought word of your clan's destruction, I decided to intervene. After all, I cannot afford the embarrassment."

Federico stared into the eye slits of his grandfather's mask, and saw only empty darkness.

"If you're here to kill me, why talk with me?"

"For the theatricality child. Your pursuer has admirers. One's whose anger would be inconvenient. And even if I tried, I'm sure battling her would be...taxing. But if I were to stoke intrigue with a simple show of power, namely your death..."

"That's it? A measuring contest with the woman who's trying to kill me? You're just as petty as ever."

"This world is built on small ambitions, which only grow from larger cruelties. And though it might wound your pride: your death is but one of many cruelties I shall enact today."

********

Barbara Corsange, the black armored and skull masked Death Knight, galloped in just in time to see the Winged Demon stretch his hand, and crush Federico within a conjured singularity. The demon then bowed theatrically and said:

"Till next we meet Dame Knight, when my blood is cooled, and my pawns more useful."

His wings then stretched outward, casting the wind about him. When his wings closed, he dissipated into the winds he had cast, as if here were ashes and dust.