The Californian half of the Union was affluent – thanks to the control they had over an abundance of gold mines. The territorial conflict had no lingering effect on their influence, nor did it have any significance on their riches. If for anything, it continued to boom. Consequent upon this, the area saw the influx of a lot of people who were mainly Europeans. They regarded America as a land of opportunity with a dome of chances where a spate of ideas, investment and sheer diligence could catapult one to the acme of comfort and the corridors of power.

One of the most eminent families was the Himura Family which was concealed right in the epicentre of the wealthy half of the Union. This family was able to get a good number of the mines such as; the Argonaut Mine, the Weaverhille Mine, the Auburn Ravine and the Trinity Cooperative under their wing. They were able to act clandestinely, away from prying eyes so much, that they were able to divest themselves of their control openly. This was in order to rake in more yields and to ensure their security was a priority.

That notwithstanding, there was more to the secret of the Himura Family’s seemingly unhinged control of wealth and affluence that meets the eye, for they were able to channel supernatural means to bolster their influence. And since it was in an era of incessant conflict breakouts, more soon to break down at any given time, they wouldn't remain the only local family to thrive in such ways.

The Himura Household thrives just on the northern outskirts of Hanford, a remote town in California. No one should be deceived by the weathered façade the house seemed to wear; it was a prosperous home to its occupants.

The night was serene and its ambiance was homely. An evening rain drizzled, just enough to drench any slugger stupid, brave or foolhardy enough to be caught in it. At this time, a hooded figure minced toward the main gate – a large oak carving strong enough to keep ten strong men at bay; it had strange apparitions etched around it, giving it a grim appearance. The person behind the hood was quite light on their feet and judging from their movements, it could be surmised that the being was quite young and effervescent. Time slumbered at this time of the season, around this neighbourhood, mindless of what people did or didn’t do, no thanks to the unnoticeable presence of the supernatural and immortal creatures living among mankind.

It so happens that the Himuras were all vampires, beings believed to be of myth and tale. As rumours peddled against their kind, these vampires in specific never lived on human blood to survive despite the fact that it appealingly would give them the strength of a herd of cattle. They fed on animals mostly, humans on rare occasions. Unlike believers who knew the truth of such monstrosities, they in particular were not as murderous as how they were believed to be described.

Vampires generally operated in brethren’s and factions spread forth worldwide usually far apart from one another. What was mostly true of them all – like the Himuras – was that they preferred to live in the shadows, from where they operated and controlled the world of the living.

As the hooded figure approached the mansion, the gates swung open without aid as if they had been enchanted to accommodate those who had a pass. The face behind the hood was revealed as moonlight shun upon him. He was a male in his early twenties gazing upward toward a large room. It turned out it was the master room, obverse to the front gate itself. At that moment, a grim shadow of a tall man loitered toward the windowsill, staring out of the window at the young face. At the behest of the man above, who waved at the family gatekeepers, who stood at the front entrance. Iust then, the large ceiled door, swung open swiftly. The young man trudged inward, giving a nod toward the men.

The hooded figure’s name is Hans, a vampire quiet as the wind who simply prefers to be called Himura. He enters the large ceiled doors of the mansion which are opened by the family’s frontman, Artemus and Malcolm.

The young man was christened Hans. However, he was predisposed to being called Himura by all and sundry.

“Good day, Himura,” Artemus paid obeisance to Hans as he welcomed him to the household.

Compared to his fellow gatekeeper, Malcolm was much more taciturn than his brethren partner – he was also quiet. Hans acknowledged them with a smile and a nod. They were older than he was and the stringent laws of the land required that he respected those that were elderly in their society.

Unlike Hans, the other two wore well-fitted suits that showed an unrivalled recherche; they donned hats and stood as perfect gentlemen. As he approached the base of the marble stairs, sliding his right hand over the smooth, glistening rails. He sighed, exhilarated. He was used to covering the stairs every now and then, so much that it had become a habitual exercise for him.

“It never gets old walking up these steps, it never really does,” he muttered as he gazed at the spiralling winding into the roof of the mansion, leading to what could pass for the penthouse.

Thorian Himura rested his hands against the wall, peeping out into the night, through the window of the master bedroom. He seemed to be awaiting the arrival of another individual. Like every household that was meant to have a patriarch, Thorian was the head of the Himuras. His creased forehead betrayed his immediate thoughts. Perturbed he was, especially with the arrival of Hans. Thorian could tell he was going to be the herald of tidings all right, just not the kind he would have prayed for at the moment; they were to be bad and unpalatable for the ears. He refused to turn around even as he heard his brethren son’s soft and quiet footfalls lap against the marble floor.

“What you felt… They are out there…” Hans revealed.

He heard Thorian sigh; there was a little bit of disappointment, anxiety and exasperation in his voice. As his back was still turned as if he were almost completely facing forward, Hans calmly removed his hood revealing his dark-red hair – the tint of burgundy. However, contrary to what young adults like him should be bothered with, Hans appeared to have had his fair share of dangers in real time. He had scars to show for those too. And an apparent one was the laceration he suffered to his left ear – one which took off most of the flesh. As a characteristic of the being he was, it was natural for their ears to be pointy and vibrate while they spoke. This was part of the distinctive features his kind possessed, one which was tied to their unique powers.

Slowly, Thorian turned toward Hans, tilting his jaw up, a sign of dominance and elderliness. Hans dropped his gaze to accord him with respect. Thorian had lived for hundreds of years which meant he was vastly more experienced than the young vampire in his presence. His grey hairs were the only ocular feature that stamped that he was physically older than the young Hans; he could easily have passed for a mid-twenty adult.

Thorian studied Hans for a moment before he dropped his right arm onto him then lowered face and raised his head to his. Without thinking twice. “You will be my right hand…”

Hans was caught off-guard. Yet, it would be curt for him to ignore his words. Hans slightly bowed while he nodded his unmitigated approval.

“We’d better tell everyone,” Thorian added as he began to walk away. Like the loyal servant he was, Hans followed him closely out of his chambers.

*****

Hallway, Himura Mansion

The members of the Himura Family were gathered in the hallway discussing in hushed tones. Their features were contorted as their lips danced hurriedly, words spilling from their guts. An urgent matter required the attention of them all – one which seemed to threaten their existence. Asides Thorian who stood in the middle of the room, there were eight other vampires forming a semi-circle around him. They were garbed in dark, stretchy and shiny materials much apt for combat situations. Though their robes were hooded, it was a lot different compared to the one young Hans wore earlier, they wore black rather than light brown. Covering their feet were gothic-styled boots which shielded their soles from any hurt or injury while they moved through thorny or coarse plains. A bit aloof from the rest, just to the end of the hallway were Thorian’s loyal frontman, Malcolm and Artemus.

In the middle of the semi-circle round Thorian’s yield are two female vampires who go by the name of Hemphia and Vellesca. They were the amazons of the Himura Family. Intimidating and fearless. Strung to their backs were their ginormous swords. To their right was Hans himself. His blood coloured hair made him outstanding amongst them all asides Thorian whose hair was lightly grey. Not standing out quite as much as Hans, the rest of the brethren have brown or black hair.

Hans wasn’t afraid but he could tell that the possible battle ahead would most likely get bloody and gory especially as his eyes fell on the female duo who were rarely summoned to fight. He knew they were by far the most ruthless in the gathering. That they were merciless and undaunting in the face of danger, running toward it, never away. The terrifying smiles on their faces sent a chill down Hans’s spine. They might look so feeble on the outside but their weapons seemed to add a unique hue to their appearance. For a second, Hans seemed flustered by their unwavering resolve to go all out. To his right were the last two members of the family; Ukaid and Tek. It would be foolhardy to challenge Ukaid to a fight directly for he was physically the strongest member of the family. At seven feet, he was simply a breathing mass of brute force. The glaring scar he suffered to the right of his forehead, just below his eyebrow suggested he could take as many recoils as possible. Although Tek was just a couple of inches shy of six feet, he was relatively nearly the shortest vampire in the family, save the two females he seemed to be a bit taller than. The two shiny and dead-sharp daggers he attached to his waist were like a set of inseparable twins to him; they always went wherever he did. Hans had heard rumours of his unequalled speed albeit he had never seen him in actual combat. For a second, he was looking forward to seeing him in action. Innocent in the eyes of battle, Thorian had helped Hans harness his powers and refine his blunt skills making him confident for whatever challenge he would face.

“As you know we have a problem that needs dealing with…” reiterated Thorian.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let us get rid of them now,” opined a bloodthirsty Vellesca.

“Young one, don’t be too hasty,” Malcolm quietly added, chiding her. He could tell the younger vampires were always all brawn and less brains when it mattered most. He was once like them, after all. They never considered the ricocheting effects of their rashness. And as young as she was as a vampire, to a mortal, she was well over ninety years old.

“We don’t even know what we are up against. If it’s another family then this could get ugly.” Artemus revealed.

“And if it is then what? Do we really kill them? There are rules to follow but what now? We are becoming extinct…” argued Malcolm.

“Even still, we can’t allow whoever is causing those murders to get away with it. It will come back and bite us in the ass. Not only that but we live here and this is our home. This issue could expose us to the public. We can’t have that…” Hans chipped in, contending Malcolm’s stand.

At that moment, everyone’s gaze turned toward Hans; they were seemingly dazed he was that sagacious despite how young he was.

“My, my who would have thought our youngest member would speak with such intelligence?” Hemphia noted, intrigued.

Thorian sighed. It was a taxing job to don the toga of a leader. He knew the buck stopped on his table to enforce the required orders. “I have taken what you have all said into account. You’re right Malcolm, we can’t be hasty. This time I think it’s best if we stick together. I won’t have anyone going lone wolf on this one.”

He looked askance at Hans before he turned to the rest of the gathering. They nodded their consent. Relieved there wasn’t going to be an argument this time around, he calmly placed his hands on the shoulders of Hemphia, his second-in-command.

“We’ll approach this situation with caution together and I will decide what we’ll do about it.”

“Agreed,” Hemphia replied.

Everyone conceded to Thorian’s decision, even Hans, who could be unwavering of purpose and obstinate most times. Hemphia flashed Thorian a blush right before she left the hall with him, as they led the others to exit the household out into a possible battlefield. For war could be upon the Himura brethren, and if so, the earlier, the better.