Lord Joyde The Madman: Heylo, everybody! How're you all doing this fine day?

Aha!

..

Err..

I don't have anything to say.

Its been six-seven days, not totally sure. I actually poured super-hot cooking oil on two of my fingers earlier today, but I only got slight burns thanks to my reaction time.

... What the hell is up with my luck these past few months?! AM I FUCKING KAMIJOU?!

And if I am, WHERE IS MY HAR-... o, right. Even if they do exist, I would have zero idea. Never mind, then.

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break... (OR AM I?!)

The Following Night - Zatara Family Mansion - Audrey's Point Of View...

"Knock, slam, crack, crash go the servants up above again..." I muttered under my breath in annoyance.

Something crashed in the room above mine again. I mean, I know that they're vampires and all but do they have to be so damn loud every single night?

Dammit, this is pissing me off... the only reason why they're still alive is because I figure attacking them might not be a good idea.

Still...

Standing up from my bed and taking one of my knives with me, I get out of my room to the still brightly-lit hallways of the mansion.

Like one would expect from such a place, its hallways are filled with intricate decorations, everything from chandeliers to golden-encrusted walls to costly paintings depicting things I gave up on understanding ages ago.

Also, there's like, a fucking mirror on the end of every corridor... Leo's idea, never really understood the reason.

Looks damn ugly though, my friends always make fun of it as a design choice.

Because the way you designed your home is surprisingly important for rich people. Apparently, just by the way your house looks, people can tell what kind of person you are.

... actually, that makes sense, kind of.

Anyways, I finally manage to arrive at the place where those damnable sounds are coming from. A single butler stands in front of the room with a very tired, very terrified look on his face."M-miss A-A-Audrey? Is there something you require?"

I shook my head and pointed to the left with my finger, promptly ignoring the man as I kicked the door open. He merely sighed and walked some feet away, close enough to hear if he is needed, far enough to not cause unintended problems."H-huh!?"

Two vampire girls, or what I believe are vampire girls, are very intimately making out on the floor of the giant room we were all in. A typical servant room, fit with all the basic necessities they would need, still higher level living than average, which is mostly the reason why people decide to stay as our servants even if the chance of them dying in here is pretty high.

That said, the aforementioned high standard of living does indeed include a very nice bed, so why these two were naked and lewding all over a fucking carpet is beyond my ability to comprehend."What the hell are you two doing?"

The duo of vampire maids then finally notices my existence as I momentarily turn around to close the door, remembering common decency."A-ah, m-mistress! I, we, we were, uh.."

I blinked at the one which attempted to answer, her previous lust dispersing within seconds from my presence. Her partner appeared to be in much the same position... Am I really that scary?"Uh, we.. well, we were umm.."

They were blushing madly, causing me to scowl."Look, I'm not some sheltered princess. I know what you were doing so perhaps my question was badly worded. What I really want to know is can you be quieter about it?"

They swallowed before the one on my left answered."Uhm, milady... actually, you know what, it might be best that we simply spill the beans."

Her partner, who shall henceforth be known as Miss Right, answered with a tired exhale."We're conducting a ritual, so to speak. We are summoning a Shadow Of Lust in order to create a barrier around this house on our Patriarchs orders... to protect our human allies, such as yourself, from Inhuman magic, as not all of our kind are happy that people like you exist."

"A shadow of lust? Like, a demon or something?" To my surprise, they both shook their heads in negative as they stood up and dressed themselves into their maid outfits.

Left then replied to my question."No. Shadows and Demons are two very different things, milady. To put it in layman's terms, demons live in Hell while shadows come from the Void between worlds. They are creatures of darkness which prey on peoples emotions and are, for whatever reason, drawn to our planet like flies."

"So you were summoning a shadow that feeds on lust so it can make this barrier you mentioned before?" I quirked an eyebrow at them, causing them both to give me a surprised nod."Milady catches on quickly..." One of them cooed as she approached.

Right promptly began to feel me up and down as I sighed."Would this mistress like to join us?"

A gigantic sigh escaped me."Sorry, I'm not interested in women. That said, is there anyway to make this ritual go any quicker? You two have been at it for days and its getting really fucking annoying."

A look was shared between the two as they both sighed in disappointment and exhaustion before Left replied."Don't remind us... Vampires may have excess stamina, but the level of the shadow we are summoning takes a whole lot of lust, far more than can be gathered in a single day... However, there is a way to make the ritual finish quicker, even tonight if the... the sacrifice is good enough."

I make an ooh sound before turning around towards the door, but just before I was about to open it, I asked."Does the sacrifice have to be alive?"

Right then answered."Well, the greatest amount of power can be attained at the sacrifice's death throes, although just a dead body would be enough in this case."

A nod was their reply as I opened the door and looked around to find the butler still standing in the middle of the hallway."Hey you, come here!"

Surprise etched itself onto his frame as he nodded and walked over."Y-yes, mistress? What do you nee-UGH..aaah,ggr..."

He began but was rudely interrupted as I smiled at him wickedly, my previously hidden knife now sticking through his throat as I grabbed his falling body by the hair and promptly threw him onto the ground, only to realize that I was standing in the midst of a gigantic circle of runes as the blood began to pour into the middle of the room.

Before either of the two vampires could say a word, the room began to grow immensely cold as a terrible aura enveloped the area."Interesting... your hatred is wonderful human girl... I believe I shall take this sacrifice for my own."

A terrible voice echoed in my mind, but despite its probable intention, I merely scowled."You're a shadow, right? Can you make a barrier around this place?"

"Straight to the point, are we? Good, I like that. Yes... I believe I shall make your desired barrier... for a price." It answered me as a humanoid shape appeared in the middle of the room, a massive font of darkness and tentacles waving everywhere, breaking precious and costly furniture and glass.

The thing must have sensed my ire as it laughed."Well? Are you willing to make a deal with me, little princess?"

My eyebrow twitched as I did my best not to throw my knife at the thing, fully realizing that it wouldn't do jack shit to him."What do you want?"

A nod came from it as the shadow descended onto the ground with clawed feet, the vampire girls huddled together in the corner of the room, terrified out of their skins... pathetic."My desire is simple... let me feed off your rage, of your wrath and hate... for a time."

"Anything else?" I can't really see what would be wrong in doing that, but Left seems to have something to say as she extends her hand towards me and screams out."N-NO, MISTRESS! Direct deals with shadows are bound to open your mind to the Void! Though there are those with the willpower to stand it, most people go insane!"

The shadow laughed at her proclamation as it turned towards me and nodded."Indeed, thy mortal mind may break from looking into the Void... but thy may also be granted power, not immense power by any means, but power nonetheless..."

I quirked an eyebrow at him as the shadow, now clearly male, chuckled towards me."Ahh, I can see it in your eyes, girl... thy hunger for power. Your sheer desire to wield power, of any kind... you've buried it within thyself, deluding yourself into preferring staying in the shadow of your elder brothers.. but there is potential within you. Your heart burns with hatred! Should you stare into the Void and not let it break your will, it will be turned into an Engine Of Darkness itself!"

A smirk was his reply as I straightened my posture, looking as regal as I possibly could while wearing naught but my own nightgown."Very well, I accept your deal."

The shadows clawed appendage slammed itself onto my face as my consciousness was forcibly made aware of things which should not be..

And then, all I knew...

Was Madness itself.

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break...

Yes, yes. I know what you're all thinking now...

Another POV from a secondary character? Well my excuse is the fact that Audrey and Michael have a huge role to play as Antioch's allies in this story.

And they're also his family, something which you guys have demanded more exposition for.

(There may also be another chapter up today but that is highly unlikely, unless morning-hours-inspiration kicks my arse into overdrive like it usually does.)

Anyways, read and review! And Good Morning/Day/Night to you all! ADIOS FOR NOW!