"Slow down, sweetheart." "Then again, everyone who loved you is dead." "And it's all your fault." "I need another one." "Beautiful women should never have to buy their own drinks." "Thanks." "I'm Lance, by the way." "See, this is where you're supposed to say who you are." "Someone you don't want to know." "Why, do you bite?" "So, mystery girl, are you here to forget a bad day or are you looking to have a good night?" "I'm just trying to have a drink... alone." "In a place like this?" "Let me get you another one." "Bartender, whatever she's having, we'll have the bottle." "Lance, go away." "Look, the VIP room upstairs... the guy who runs it's a buddy of mine." "You and I, we go up, we chill." "Although you could use some warming up." "You're ice cold, honey." "I can get a lot colder." "You're a crazy bitch, you know that?" "Yeah, I know." "Ripped By mstoll" "You look like a little boy itching to open his presents on Christmas morning." "These are exciting times, Chase." "So the final data is confirmed?" "Overwhelmingly." "All that's left is replication of the pathogen and aerosolization for delivery." "That, and to enjoy the last look on their faces." "I hate to ruin your day, but remember a few nights ago when that woman stormed the lobby, then killed our disposal team?" "One Lisa Starr." "Tell me you're joking." "Crazed, out of control." "Like mother, like daughter." "Where is Krista?" "We are about to achieve something magnificent here." "Transform Chthon into something new, something better." "Maybe it's time we thin our ranks... clear out the underbrush." "Locate Krista and collect her." "Safely." "Once the Purebloods are gone, the last thing we need is a problem like Krista..." "Chase, find her." "This is where you guys work?" "I've got to say, it looks better over the computer." "Ever heard of a lamp?" "Maybe a couple of throw pillows?" "Did you bring them?" "Yeah." "The Aurora vaccine, I just needed about half." "And a little bit less of the stuff that came out of the girl." "Final results are right here." "So Marcus is making... a Pureblood poison?" "It's a biological masterpiece." "The Aurora vaccine was just the start." "The emerging agent is a DNA-based weapon specifically engineered to attack the Pureblood genome." "It's one nasty bug." "Why use a pregnant woman?" "The womb is the perfect nutrient-rich incubator." "It also ensures biological immunity for anyone other than the intended target." "So it's harmless against us?" "It only kills Purebloods." "So that sneaky bastard wasn't even trying to create a vampire immunity." "He was just planning a palace coup." "Dude, crack a smile." "Marcus takes out the Pureblood trash, we don't have to." "Maybe." "All he'd need to do is get the Purebloods together in one place." "Sounds like a party." "You think Krista's got an invitation?" "Find her and I'll ask." "I'm trying." "I've alerted all eyes on the street, but no one's seen her shadow." "Just get it done." "No, really, Blade, you don't have to thank me." "Welcome to my nightmare." "Let go of me!" "Please, I said no!" "Give me a break." "Is that the only word you bitches can say? "No"?" "Please!" "I said no!" "You..." "leave." "You... die." "Krista." "We've been looking for you, darling." "It's time to go home." "Excuse me, sir." "What?" "Armaya's reinstatement has just become official." "The leaders of all the factions are sending very generous gifts." " Send them back." " Sir?" "Fuck all of them." "We're going to clean this House, Fusik, once I'm done with the House of Chthon." "I thought that we were." "We haven't even started." "Call Van Sciver." "Tell him I'll be stopping by for a little visit." "Damek, with all due respect, is that wise?" "It's necessary." "Charlotte and her lap dog Marcus having been living the good life for years, forcing us to feed off table scraps." "But Chthon has already provided you with everything you've demanded." "Then it's time to demand more." " Let go of me." " Look what I found." " Where have you been?" " In a filthy alley rummaging for a midnight snack." "We've been worried about you, Krista." "Yeah well, worry is your middle name, isn't it?" "You've been drinking." "Obviously not enough." "You know, bitterness isn't the most attractive emotion." "What am I supposed to feel, Marcus, hmm?" " Gratitude?" " It would be a start." "No, the start was when you killed my brother." "I told you before..." "I didn't mean to kill Zack." "Don't you even say his name." "You need to accept your brother's fate in the same way you need to accept your own." "What, by living here?" "With you animals?" "We're your family." "My family is dead!" "All I ever loved, everything I ever was, is gone!" "Replaced by a life even better." "Life?" "All you've given me is one long night of nothing." "Then you simply haven't opened your eyes." "Oh, they're open." "And every day they look at you and see the bastard that killed me." "Do you think you're the only one?" "You think you're the only vampire who's ever felt pain?" "Who's ever suffered loss?" "Kill me!" "Kill me." "Get her to her room." "Clean her off." "Sir, he just called." " He?" " Damek." "He'll be here tomorrow night." " Shen." " Haven't found Krista yet." "So what are you doing about it?" "I told you, I put the word out." "What do you want me to do, tack up flyers around the neighborhood?" ""Lost vampire." "Last seen ashing her own mother." "May be suicidal, homicidal, both." "Needs her meds."" "We have to find out where Marcus is going to poison the Purebloods." "And Krista will tell us." "Just relax." "Give the girl some time." "It's weird, isn't it?" "What?" "That I haven't taken your head off yet?" "You and Marcus on the same side, gunning for the Purebloods." "I guess the enemy of my enemy is my friend." "Well, I don't have a problem killing my friends, either." "Oooh!" " Oh." "Bingo." " What?" "One of those street punks that hangs out downtown says he saw Krista get scooped outside a club before daybreak." "Hot ride." "Hotter blonde." "Chase." "At least our girl's still alive... so to speak." "Grab your shit." "We're going to Chthon." "What do you want?" "Only to know that you're better." "You mean, no longer a threat." "If I thought you really meant the things you said and did in my office, then Chase would be disposing of an ash-stained carpet right about now." " Then why am I tied up?" " Because you're a threat to yourself." "Fuck you." "Krista." "Do you really think you're alone?" "Everyone I had is gone." "Everyone you thought you had." "The ones whose memories are fading even now, no matter how hard you try to hold on to them." "And what were those people to you really?" "Acquaintances come and go." "Friends lose touch." "You move on, they move on." " But my family..." " Accidents of birth." "No more intentional than the color of your eyes." "But you and I?" "We're connected." "My life is in you, flows through you." "You know this." "The A.D.E." "Every vampire shares an eternal link with the one who turned them." "That's the gift of the after-death experience." "Who I am, who I was, now lives in your blood... your mind." "It's the only bond that can't be broken by hate or hurt or even time." "So you want to kill me?" "Fine." "Just know that you can't kill the part of me that will live inside of you forever." "Marcus, where are you taking me?" "Keep your eyes closed." "Okay, nearly there." " Are they still closed?" " Yes." "Okay." "Ready?" " I'm ready." " But are you really ready?" "Marcus." "Okay, open." "Oh, it's beautiful." "Isabel, don't lie." "It's appalling." "No, it's ours." "It's yours and mine." "We can start with dry goods." "Then add fresh produce and flowers." "Let's start by removing the rot first, shall we?" "Didn't I tell you coming here would change everything?" "Your father can't stop us now." "We're oceans away." "And we can do whatever we choose." "So we can buy a house?" "As soon as you find one." "Start a family?" "Maybe even sooner than that." "Whatever I am, Isabel... whatever kind of man I become... it's all because of you." "No, it's all been taken care of." "He's here." "See you when we land." "Hey, Ray." "You ready?" "As long as you keep your word and get me that meeting with Hendricks." "That was the director's office on the horn." "Said they'll have a car waiting for us at Dulles." " Let's go." " I'm proud of you, Ray." "Coming in's the right thing to do." "What are you doing, buddy?" "Thanking God that I didn't give you my backup yesterday." "Come on, Ray, don't do anything crazy." "Come on!" "I saw the mark." "I know." "So what, are you going to start running like there's someplace to hide from them?" "You tell me, you work for them." "What, are you gonna shoot me, now, here in the street?" "Come on." "Shoot me." "Come on." "Shoot me, Ray." "Isabel." "Yes." "She was beautiful." "In every way." "And you were..." "Younger?" "Human." "What I saw, you and Isabel, was that was before you were turned?" "You already know." "Marcus." "Marcus." "Take a break." "I'll bring you dinner." "Isabel... we don't have time." "We open in two days." "Five minutes won't kill you." "Um, I'm sorry, gentlemen, but we don't actually open until the day after tomorrow." "Evening, friend." "Handsome venture you're undertaking." "Ambitious." "Thank you, um, Mr..." "Damek." "And let me guess, you are not from Detroit." " London." " Disgusting city." "Couldn't abide the smells myself." "What can I do for you, Mr. Damek?" "Actually, it's what I can do for you." "I'm not sure I follow." "As you have surely have noticed, ours is a growing city." "Each day, more enterprises are commenced, more people arrive." "Unfortunately, not all newcomers are as honest and industrious as yourself." "Shylocks, niggers." "The rabble who don't know how to conduct themselves like gentlemen." "I understand." "And you would like to protect me from such rabble." "And all that is due me is a small sum paid weekly." "For that, my associates and I will provide a bulwark against the unsavory tide rising on our fair streets." "That's very generous, Mr. Damek, but, uh, I believe I'll decline your offer." "Offer?" "I don't recall making one." "Marcus?" "It's all right, dear." "It's just some of our neighbors overeager to browse." "I assured them we'll be opening properly in the next few days." "Yes." "We'll be back then to finalize our arrangement." "Until then, madam, you should tell your husband to secure the front door." "Detroit is a lovely city, but it has its uglier elements." "I heard his demands." "Then you heard my refusal." "Marcus, I don't think a man like that will..." "Isabel..." "he's gone." "It's all right." "Now... how about that dinner that smells so good?" "You're shitting me." "You want to break into Chthon?" "Girl's on a knife's edge." "If she falls off, I want her to fall our way." "So you can catch her, right?" "Right?" "That's our way in." "The sewer?" "Lovely." "It's how Krista got to their labs." "And got caught." "We'll do it quieter." "I'll grab my tools." "And I'll grab mine." "How is Sleeping Beauty?" "Still sleeping." "You're being terribly indulgent with her." "We all make allowances with those whom we share a birth experience." "You and Frederick, for example." " I'd like to kill him." " And yet, you never have." "I hear Damek's on his way." "In a few hours." "What are you going to do?" "Remind him who he's dealing with." "So, shopkeep, our arrangement." " I told you there'll be none." " You'd be wise to reconsider." "You'd be wise to leave my store." "Better do as he says, fellows." "Man's armed with a push broom." "You'll get nothing from me, Damek." "Nothing!" "We'll see, shopkeep." "We'll see." "And I thought vampires were the most disgusting thing in this place." "From what Krista said, the pipe leading to the MedLab is around this corner." "Van Sciver bricked it up." "So this enjoyable little jaunt has gotten us squat." "We can get through this." " No no no!" "Wait." " What?" "Shock sensors." "Any out of the ordinary vibration and the cavalry comes running." "Well we have to find a way to know what's going on with Krista." "I think we just did." "Still no word from Glynnis?" "Then we must assume there never will be." "At least it confirms our suspicions." "Marcus and his newest recruit cannot be trusted, which means we will accelerate our plans." "Bring me the girl." "As long as she stays in range of a security camera..." "Oh!" "And if I don't fry myself first." "Got it." "Now, this trunk supports their IT system, PBX, phones, data, and now if I can just isolate the security feed and pop an uplink, we can tune into BS TV." "BS TV?" "Bloodsucker Television!" "The 24-hour Chthon network, all vamps all the time." "Tough room." "What do you think, vampires or familiars?" "Either way, they die." "Keep working." "Control, I have a possible breach in tunnel 12." "Checking it out now." "You, what are you doing?" "What does it look like I'm doing, putting on Fiddler on the fucking Roof?" "Someone called City Works about an IT line that got chewed through." "Let's see some authorization." "Toolbox right there." "You got some real problems, pal." "Real scary shit." "What, like rats?" "No, Daywalkers." "Done." "So is he." "Sleep, my angel." "Marcus!" "You had your chance to pay." "No!" "Now she will." "No." "Isabel, no!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No no no!" "No!" "Mar..." "No!" "No!" "No." "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "What kind of a monster are you?" "Monster..." "I am something far greater." "Something you will come to understand." "I would rather choose death." "Death just chose you, shopkeep." "Isabel!" "Marcus?" "Where are you taking me?" "Blade, I'm online." "So where is she?" "There." "Something's wrong with her." " She looks drunk." " No." "Something else." "Wait." "Please... kill me." "Agent Collins?" "I'm sorry." "I had nowhere else to go." "Come in, please." "Thanks." " Was Sorenson alive?" " I don't know." "I think so." "But you don't know." "He was trying to kill me, Jessica, I didn't check his pulse." "I just have to stay alive long enough to expose these things for what they are and the people who help them." "Bastards like Sorenson." "You must think I'm out of my mind." "Then we both are." "If you'd shown up on my doorstep in the middle of the night a month ago talking about vampires, governments in collusion," "I probably would've called the cops." " What changed?" " Everything." "What's this?" "Proof that you're not crazy." "And neither am I." "Believe me, I started to feel pretty nuts trying to figure out what happened that night at the truck stop." "The American Butcher truck?" "Yeah, the fires, the body pallets... it all just got too weird." "So I called in a favor at Central." "A friend of mine gave me all the files from every case over the last 10 years with even the slightest similarity." " And?" " And I found stuff." "Strange deaths." "Corpses with bite wounds." "Evidence of events described as spontaneous combustion." "So other people at the Bureau know?" "Whoever does is trying to bury it." "Right after I Xeroxed all these and got the originals back to my friend at Central, he disappeared." "His job, his apartment, every trace of him is gone." " They got him." " Somebody did." "So there's no one who can help us." "There might be one." "He, uh, he goes by the name of Blade." "The guys in Profiling peg him as a psychopath with schizophrenic ideation." "Blade, on the other hand, refers to himself as a hunter." " Who's he hunting?" " Not who." "What." "Is he still in custody?" "He escaped." "Last known sighting was Detroit." " Van Sciver." " Damek." "I'm surprised you allowed me in." "Is that why you brought help?" "Fusik, wait downstairs." " Sir, I don't..." " Wait downstairs." "So this is where it all happens, huh?" "The heights from which the mighty Marcus Van Sciver makes the world do his bidding." "It's called furniture, Damek." "Please suppress the urge to urinate on it." "I just thought for the self-proclaimed leaders of the Vampire Nation, the House of Chthon would be a little more... upscale." "Get to the point." "Do I need one?" "Can't I just visit?" "I mean, we're partners now, right?" " Under protest." " Oh yes, that's right." "You didn't want Charlotte cutting me in on your little experiments, did you?" "Even after I found out it was my people you were cutting up to make them happen." "The House of Armaya will receive priority access when the Aurora vaccine is ready." "The negotiations for this arrangement have been concluded." "So there really is nothing left for us to discuss." "That's just it." "I'm here to reopen negotiations." "I want a piece of your action too." "Precisely what action would that be?" "All of it." "Real estate developments, currency speculation." "My House has been living out- of-pocket for centuries, so I want a slice of every pie you've got your fingers in." "I'm afraid you've made your trip in vain." "You will receive nothing more from me or my House." "Do I have to remind you of your place in the world, Van Sciver?" "I am of Pureblood." "I can take whatever I want from you and there's not a goddamn thing you can say about it." "You know what, Damek?" "There was a time when that was indeed true." "You did take everything I had." "What are you talking about?" "100 years ago." "My wife, Isabel." "I swallowed my grief." "Bided my time." "A century's worth." "And now it's here." "The moment where I take from you." "Fuck you." "And fuck Isabel." "Marcus, enough." "Do you know how many men" "I've killed over the years?" "How many women I've taken?" " Why are you laughing?" " You." "All this time, burning with revenge for me." "I don't even remember you." "Or whoever that whore was you say I killed." "I don't remember." "I don't remember." "I do." " Marcus?" " I'm fine." " I'll alert Medical." " I said I'm fine, Chase." "Damek's man." "He's downstairs." "On my way." "Marcus, I saw what happened to Isabel." "To you." "It's only what happens to all our kind." "Like you and your mother." "It hurts so much, being alone." "Then you don't have to be, Krista." "Ever." "Where's Damek?" "Hell." "Care to join him?" "Wait wait, there she is." "Hang on, who is she with?" "Is that?" "Yeah." "So where are they going?" "And it just got worse." "They're onto us." "They're trying to find our taps." "No, not yet." "Damn it!" "Hey." "Where are you going?" "Ripped By mstoll"