Until It Bleeds Daylight: Part One

A streetlamp cast yellow light on his attacker, and he saw that it was a man, probably human, slightly taller than him, but not of much larger build. Black hair ran down the the man's waist, and he had fierce steely blue eyes. He was dressed in a tuxedo, and a cape, which for a fleeting second, Jierdan thought rather odd.

”What did you think you were doing?!" the man snarled.

"I...I was... ughhh," Jierdan tried to reply, but his windpipe was effectively cut off, and could not.

"You are a fool if you think you can walk into that tavern and find Felix. You could have ruined everything." The man released him with another snarl, but continued to glare.

"What are you talking about?" Jierdan snapped angrily, massaging the back of his head. "This is my job. Who do you think you are?"

The man looked at him in disgust. "Job? You have no idea. You will get yourself killed, and then he will get away, as he always has... go home, dark elf. Run home to your mother."

"Now wait just a minute! Who are you...? How do you know so much about what I'm here for?"

"Well you announced it to the entire bar there, didn't you?" The man became enraged all over again. "No, you're coming with me, you silly, blundering idiot." And he seized Jierdan about the collar again and Jierdan barely had time to register the man's fist drawing back before he was out cold.

He woke up again, lying on his stomach upon something hard and cold. He opened his eyes, and found himself staring into the eyes of a decayed corpse. He yelled in surprised and jerked backwards. He was in an open sarcophogas, inside a tomb he knew was located in the city Graveyard. He jumped from the stone box, disgusted, brushing himself off, and looking around.

Sitting unnaturally still in one corner was the man who had attacked him before.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jierdan glared, but the man seemed unmoved. After several beats... "Well?!"

The man took a breath, and sighed. "Were you given any backround on Felix when you were given the assignment?"

Jierdan paused, then said uncertainly, "No. Usually, I'm not... unless it's critical."

The man stared at him for a moment before replying. "Giovanni, call me by that name. I know Felix. I have been hunting him myself for a very long time. And he has managed to elude me until now.

"Felix is a vampire. He has been so for nearly two centuries. And he is very, very secretive. I have no idea why he would have involved himself in someone's affairs deeply enough to cause as much trouble as the letter described..."

"How do you know what...?"

Giovanni waved his question aside. "You had the employer's note tucked in your boot." Jierdan felt the inside of his boot as Giovanni continued. "I want to help you kill him, if you will help me. I don't want any of the reward for his death... all I want is to see him dead."

"What do you want me to do for you?"

Giovanni gave him a cold smile. "I want you to meet me outside the observatory on Moonstone Street tomorrow night, just after dusk."

Jierdan frowned. "Why should I trust you?"

Giovanni laughed. "Because there is no one else who can help you. Felix knows you are looking for him."

Until It Bleeds Daylight: Part Two

Jierdan awoke late in the afternoon, preferring to sleep during the day, and roam the night. He climbed slowly from his bunk in the Rogue's Guild, all too aware of what time he'd promised to meet Giovanni on Moon St.

He considered his situation. He had never killed, let alone fought a vampire before. He'd heard horror stories about the power of some them, and knew of the existence of a relatively safe Clan of Vampires, the Spirits of the Night. Apart from that, he had no experience with such creatures, and imagined that ANY undead being would be difficult to kill.

He passed fellow guild members as he moved to the portal to the outside. He needed fresh air. He needed to think.

Using a Rogue handhold, he climbed to the roof, and jumped rooftops until he was above the Harbor Master's Office. There he sat and stared off into the distance, watching the sun set out of the corner of his eye.

He was back in his normal clothing, abandoning his drow articles, all but the dagger (tucked safely in his wrist sheath) in his locker, disgusted with himself at last night's turnout.

He considered what he knew.

Felix was renowned, at least it in the sleezier area of town, based on the bartender's reaction to his name.

Felix was a vampire, according to Giovanni. Jierdan believed him, though he didn't know why. He just had a feeling, and usually his 'feelings' about people were accurate. Other than that... what did he know? Not much... at all.

He stared at the water, contemplating until the last rays of light gave way to dusk.

Jierdan stood outside the observatory, frowning, waiting for Giovanni. He did not have to wait long.

He turned to look down the street in the opposite direction, when he saw Giovanni sitting on top of a streetsign. He jumped down and walked placidly over to Jierdan.

"Where did you come from," Jierdan asked, startled, "I didn't even hear you." Giovanni shrugged. "Ready?"

Jierdan eyed him a moment. "What are we doing?"

"I am going to show you the entrance to Felix's lair...now come along." Giovanni started down the street at brisk pace.

"Now just you wait a minute!", Jierdan demanded, "How can you just expect me to approach a vampire's hideout in the middle of the night? How foolish do you think I am?"

Giovanni turned and snapped, "Foolish enough to walk into an inn and request a man you intend to kill. Felix is a monster. He controls... everything. His servants are everywhere. You cannot comprehend the power he wields in this city! That is why he must die. No one deserves that sort of power..." Giovanni breathed in and out emotionally. "No one..."

"But if he's that powerfull, then how could anything I do have an impact? What good will walking up to his front door do? I don't understand you." To Jierdan, this seemed pointless. He was a rogue. He assassinated victims for money. He was a mercenary. He did not campaign for the good of the common people, or whatever Giovanni was on about, and he told him so.

Giovanni took a deep, calming breath. "Fine. But just follow me. Trust me, you will not be hurt."

Jierdan shook his head, and followed after Giovanni.

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