The sun rose outside, and Erwin's eyes opened, as he automatically slipped off the transe he was in. The vampire straightened himself, lifting from the soft bed. His eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness around him, and he welcomed it, together with the smell of the stone walls in the very small room. Yesterday, Hayate had put him in bed, and he had slept into his transe, waiting for his body to close all the wounds. Now, he was finally feeling refreshed, although the worry was still in the back of his mind.<br/><br/>Erwin searched for his chest where he put his clothes, grabbing one that could protect him from the sun. Vampires of the same generation were put together, in the same room. The more powerful they were, the deepest in the ground they were located. They normally slept together, gathering comfort from each others presence, the huge rooms packed with individual beds. Erwin supposed some of those beds would be empty, the vampires that used to sleep with them mourning their lost companion. He was denied this companionship. He wasn't from the nest, and he wasn't powerful. And so, he slept, alone, in the room closest to the surface. He still shared the bath and all the other facilities with everyone else, but he lacked the companionship others had during their most vulnerable hour. It was a wonder he could even consider Hayate and Akane his friends.<br/><br/>With a sigh, Erwin stood up, leaving the stone room, carrying his clothes with him. Outside, a stone stairway, a descending spiral, guided him through all the dorms' levels. He could see some vampires leaving their own rooms, some comforting others, some alone, but everyone with a face that showed they had lost someone. Erwin's grip on his clothes tightened, as he ignored them and kept going down, finally stopping on the level of the 4th generation. He waited, until finally Hayate and Akane went out of their room.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Hey Erwin."</span>Hayate smiled, but Erwin could see it was not his usual happy smile. Someone close to them didn't return. Erwin nodded back in greeting, but remained quiet as the three of them went further down, until they passed through a door, leading to a corridor that guided them back up, to an underground lake. The trip would take hours to a human at walking speed, but to them it was only minutes before they reached the lake.<br/><br/>Erwin placed his clothes down, and entered it, glad to feel the water taking away all the dirt and blood and the smell. Hayate and Akane joined him.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Are you going to resolve matters today?"</span>Akane asked, her voice low. She was pained to.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Yes."</span>Erwin didn't know what to say to comfort his friends. The ones he cared most about were alive.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Good."</span>after a few moments, Akane continued.<span style="font-weight: bold">"I'm going to see the Lady. She asked for a full report."</span><br/><br/>Erwin nodded, suddenly uncomfortable. The Lady. Their leader. Erwin had seen her only once, when he asked to be taken as part of the Clan, and it hadn't been a situation he wanted to be in ever again. But he probably would, if he couldn't make the human stay quiet.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"I'm leaving now."</span>he stated, getting out of the water and drying himself, before dressing with a long sleeved white shirt, black pants and shoes, and gloves. On top, a black cloak. It was a strange outfit to go out, but this was how he could be sure the sun wouldn't touch his skin.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Erwin... We won't..."</span>Hayate begun, but Erwin cut him.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Do whatever you need to do."</span>his voice trembled. He didn't think he would have to deal with the Lady so soon.<br/><br/>As fast as he could, he left the bath, going up the stairs and reaching the nest entrance. Carefully, he covered his head with the cloak's hood, before putting on sunglasses. Erwin almost laughed at how he must be looking, but then again, it wasn't time for a hunt, and it wasn't time to look pretty. He just needed to keep the sun away from his skin. With another sigh, Erwin left the safety of the darkness, running through the woods, going to the clearing he had encountered the human in.<br/><br/>It was clean, the corpses gone. But the smell, for those who could sense it, was still strong. Smell of war and blood. But what he was looking for was the smell of the human. It was almost nonexistent, but it was there. As fast as he could, he followed the track, until he stopped, hidden behind the foliage, looking at a window of a room. Inside, he could see the human he was looking for, and two others, who looked like bodyguards. Erwin waited, listening to the conversation, waiting for the perfect time to appear. He didn't want to attack the two bodyguards, but he would have to if he was in danger of being discovered.<br/><br/>Luckily, though, he didn't have to. The white haired human left the room, and Erwin followed him, outside, following the sound of his steps. He walked until a spring, covered by rocks and foliage. Erwin couldn't see inside, but he could hear the water sound as the human entered the spring, and he could hear the heartbeats of the twins, far enough that he wouldn't have to worry about them. If the human didn't scream, of course.<br/><br/>It was kind of frightening. He hated the idea of being found out. It felt like he was impure, not worthy of being near a human. But he feared the Lady far more than the thought of having to kill a human, and, with Her in mind, Erwin entered the spring. He knew he could be stealthy if he needed, but then, frighten the human wouldn't be a good idea. He didn't know if the human would be able to recognize him, with the clothes he was wearing.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"I just want to talk."</span>Erwin said, raising his hand to show he was not holding any weapon.<span style="font-weight: bold">"I don't want to hurt you. And I need to talk to you."</span>it wasn't very subtle, but he was running against time. If he wasn't back to the nest with news soon, he knew the Lady would sent hunters. And then, both him and the human would certainly be dead.