The Celestial Observatory and the Smiling Death
In Heaven, the scene unfolded on an ethereal screen, where God, Death, and Gabriel watched the events unfold in London Castle. Death, who to Daniel and those who had been cruel in life appeared as a shadowy skeleton, there, in God's presence, was a woman of stunning beauty, with long dark hair that fell in waves over her shoulders and eyes as deep as the cosmos itself, an enigmatic smile playing on her perfectly shaped lips. Her skin was translucent alabaster, and her slender and elegant body moved with supernatural grace. She sat comfortably in a cloud-like chair that seemed to have molded itself to her form, sipping a shimmering liquid from a crystal goblet.
God, his knitted sweater still impeccable, leaned back in his chair, a broad smile on his face. "He's a good joker, I told you, my old friend," God said, a gleam of approval in his eyes as Daniel addressed the vampires in the castle. Death let out a sonorous laugh, a clear, vibrant melody that would fill any mortal heart with joy, in stark contrast to Hitler's vision of her in 1944, when he'd wet himself in fear upon seeing her in her most hideous, bony form—but that, as you rightly remember, is another story.
"He is fascinating," Death commented, his eyes fixed on the screen where Daniel demonstrated his power. "A being of my creation, yet so... different. So unpredictable. You have surpassed yourself, Lord." There was a tone of admiration and a hint of pride in his voice, as if Daniel were a shared project that had turned out even better than expected. Gabriel, for his part, watched the scene with a more serious, almost apprehensive expression. The scale of Daniel's power made him somewhat uneasy.
The Empress of the Night and the Unexpected Shadow
Back at the castle in London, the air was still heavy with Daniel's presence, though the suffocating pressure had eased. The vampires struggled to their feet, their features distorted by a mixture of terror and bewilderment. Daniel, with eerie calm, approached Selene, who was still on her knees, her electric eyes fixed on him. His footsteps were silent on the stone floor, and every movement exuded unquestionable authority.
As he approached, his nails, which he could control at will, grew subtly, extending into thin, sharp points about four inches long, like polished obsidian claws. It wasn't a threat, but a display of power, of forced intimacy. He dug them gently under her chin, an icy, unexpected touch that made her shiver. Slowly, he lifted her, forcing her to look directly at him. Selene's blue eyes, normally full of defiance and calculating coldness, were now wide with surprise and a hint of fear she rarely allowed. Her skin, though cold, was flawless, a pale shade that Daniel found incredibly beautiful.
"Yes, very beautiful," Daniel thought, his own blue-gray eyes sweeping over every detail of her face—the delicate features, the thin lips, the intensity of her gaze. Selene's beauty was undeniable, a work of art of the night, and for a millennium, Daniel had wandered without finding anything that truly moved him. "The most beautiful I've ever seen in all my years," he said aloud, his voice a husky whisper that seemed to penetrate her mind. "You know, you've made my blood boil for millennia, something that hadn't happened before, you know? The most beautiful and the most beautiful of all."
His words, so direct and charged with an ancient truth, shocked Selene to her core. She, the warrior, the Lycan killer, had never been approached with such audacity, and even more so, with such... honesty of power. She tried to respond, but the words stuck in her throat.
Daniel sensed fear in the hearts of every vampire present, a primal fear mixed with forced respect. But he also felt something that made him shudder, something he loathed more than anything:betrayals being formedSmall pockets of resentment, plans for retaliation, questioned loyalties. The mind of Marius, the gray-haired old man struggling for breath, teemed with a nascent plan, a manipulative scheme to use this new power to his advantage.
"I sense in each of you fear, respect, and what I hate, betrayals brewing," Daniel declared, his voice hardening slightly, but still maintaining a calm tone. His eyes fixed on Marius, piercing his soul. "Your elders, as you call them, are children compared to me."
Marius visibly shuddered, his attempt to regain his composure failing miserably. The shock was immense: how did that being know his name? And his thoughts? It was impossible!
"I'll show you something, Selene," Daniel continued, his attention returning to the vampire in his hands. "And don't ask how I know your name." He paused, and then, with a look of pure authority directed at Marius: "And Marius, stay quiet while I take Selene with me, or I'll stop whatever you're up to.Daniel's voice was soft, but the threat within was as palpable as the castle walls. Marius froze, his deep red eyes wide with shock and horror. His plans, his secrets, exposed.
Daniel then sensed something else, a subterranean presence, two sleeping, buried forms. "Oh, and let those two, Marcus and Viktor, sleep quietly in that room down there," Daniel added, a faint note of amusement in his voice. "Daniel sensed them both buried in their coffins." It was an unmistakable demonstration of his power, his reach. He knew everything, saw everything, felt everything.
The Daywalker's Proposal and the Journey to Truth
Daniel released Selene's chin, but kept his gaze fixed on her. Curiosity and fear warred on the vampire's face. He held out his hand, a silent invitation, his long white fingers a stark contrast against the castle's gloom.
"Follow me," Daniel said, his voice a little softer now, a tone of promise and mystery. "I'll show you someone, and don't worry about the sun. As long as you're close to me, the sun won't hurt you." He gestured with his hand, a barrier of invisible light forming around Selene, a projection of his magic to manipulate the unreal into the real, a force field that would protect her from the sun's deadly rays. He didn't need her to trust him, just to witness it.
"If you want to know the truth, follow me. I will take you to meet someone." The promise hung in the air, an invitation impossible to refuse for a creature who had lived centuries of lies and secrets. Selene hesitated for a moment, looking around at the other fallen vampires, her eyes meeting Marius's terrified gaze. Daniel's power was undeniable, his presence overwhelming. And the promise of "meeting someone," of "knowing the truth," was a call she could not ignore. She stood, her movements still a little stiff, but the shock slowly replaced by cold determination.
Daniel turned, not running, but moving with a speed that seemed more like dissolution and recomposition. He walked as if he were a shadow when he chose, his speed unmatched. He passed through the castle door, his slender, elegant figure blending into the darkness of the night. Selene, with a last glance at her still-shocked companions, followed him. She moved with the speed that was her greatest asset, but still, Daniel was always one step ahead, a dancing silhouette at the edge of her vision.
As Daniel moved through the London night, his thoughts raced. "If the movie is true, then the two stooges' father is on the ship right now," he mused, referring to Alexander Corvinus, the first Immortal, father of Marcus and William. The idea that the legends and movies had some truth to them was exciting. It wasn't just a matter of power, but of unraveling the mysteries of a world he was now a part of. He had lived for millennia, amassed trillions, shaped his own existence, but there were still secrets to be discovered. And Selene, with her history and knowledge of the vampire underworld, would be a key piece in this puzzle. The London night opened up before them, full of possibilities and revelations. City life, now with a supernatural twist, had never been so interesting.