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The temple was large. Large enough, a good portion of it had been set aside for Grendel and his odd little family. This left the rest of the temple, on most days, empty, save for perhaps the dungeon. So, when visitors arrived, especially those that appeared suddenly and without warning, they were often left waiting for a moment or two before Grendel would turn up to greet them.

Such was the case with Sanguine, who was an unexpected visitor indeed. Grendel felt the stirring of his arrival and tasted power in the air that seemed all too familiar. Typically, when someone arrived at the temple, Grendel would go to deal with them alone. Still, something about this made him hesitate; he reached for Ravnos's hand and told him he should come too. The children could be left behind with the nanny he had appropriated.

And so it was that when Grendel stepped from the shadows into the main hallway of his temple, it was with his Disciple at his side. He took in the God that stood before them with a sweeping glance, his face unreadable as he studied him, the pentagram, the double set of wings, the fangs...all of it.

"Blood God." He stated, his deep voice rumbling. He understood now what had been so familiar about his power and why it had drawn to him so. "I don't believe we have ever met."

Grendel's eyes were a burning red, his hair held back in an intricate and immaculate braid that nearly reached the floor. Otherwise, he appeared unremarkable; a God who appeared more like the vampires he held domain over than anything else.

When he was greeted by not one, but two, Sanguis looked them over curiously each in turn. They were both so very young to the ancient god, but he harbored no patronizing feelings. Grendel was still a god, for all that he held the blush of youth upon his spirit; and Ravnos was one of the very vampires he had rather delighted in. While vampires were not necessarily the only beings who relished blood, they were quite tied to the need for the red liquid he so supplied.

His pale lips curled into a smile, fangs gleaming with appreciation for the duo. Sanguis was not a god of quick temper or unpleasant humor. Though it was never good to make his blood boil, his moods tended to be more languid. He had, of course, just woken up, and was in relatively good humor. Everything was a bit new, and seeing the adorned vampire on the arm of the young, but powerful, god was a delight.

Grendel's comment did make him laugh, a low, rumbling sound. "I dare say we have not. When last I walked this world, neither of you had yet drank from the cup of existence." He spoke plainly, no disparagement or judgment. What did he care for age, as an ageless being? "However, I am eager to reacquaint myself to those I once so favored-- the world has changed, and so have those that run it."

Giving a dip of his head to the decorated Ravnos, Sanguis' blood halo turned a brighter shade. "Very good of you to call upon one so uninvited. You may call me Sanguis," he introduced himself.

His purpose for visiting was purely curiosity but also, perhaps, a sense of care. He could not help but feel almost a sense of paternity-- for what better worship than one whose existence required the consumption of blood? Did Grendel feel the draw of blood as his race did? While many out there needed blood to survive, the darker souls that relished it, worshipped it, spilled it, were the ones Sanguis had always so admired. He did not expect them to remember or know the time he once walked the earth--but that did not mean Sanguis had forgotten those he had once favored.

Seussi

Hope it's okay -- I'm just telling me what Sanguis is telling me. Happy to edit or adjust anything either of you need. :3

Yayoi

This was a slightly awkward situation for the Disciple and he felt only a tiny bit out of sorts. Normally they would meet or talk to others that required Ravnos to do most of the talking but now here he was standing about with nothing to say.

He felt a strange draw to the ancient god. Blood had been such a large part of his unlife and it sang to him. He merely continued to small warmly. Pushing down the feeling of needing to hurry back to the children. Grendel had wanted him here and so he would be there.

Ravnos turned towards the door he hand indicated. Waiting for them both.

So this was going to be how he would spend his evening—playing host to an ancient Blood God who had probably only awoken very recently to a world that had, undoubtedly, drastically changed. Grendel, as new to the world as he was, could not yet understand that desire that so many Gods and vampires alike had to sleep and miss out on years, often spanning decades. The only time he had come close to even considering it had been when he had lost Ravnos, but a responsibility to his domain had kept him from doing so.

Besides, Caine slept, and look where that had gotten him.

As Sanguis moved toward the door, it would swing open, revealing a circular-shaped room beyond that glowed with the flickering fire in its hearth. There was within it an assortment of couches and chairs, colourful throw pillows sprinkled about, and rich tapestries hung along the walls. Sanguis was free to sit wherever he pleased once he entered or not if he preferred to stand.

While Grendel had never been a big fan of politics between the gods (he had enough of that just between the vampire clans and the clanless), he still understood the necessity to make strong connections, friendships and alliances. He understood even more that, given the subjects of his domain relied so heavily on vitae, this particular God was not one he wanted to piss off. So, he smiled, letting it warm his eyes this time.

But when the Blood God passed by Ravnos and Grendel and then spoke to Disciple directly, something in the Vampire God’s eyes changed slightly, only for a split second. A tightening at their corners, a flash of darkness that left as quickly as it came. It was unlikely that Sanguis would have even noticed unless he had been looking very closely. He cast a glance beside him to his Disciple, raising one eyebrow slightly as his voice entered Ravnos’s mind. At the same time he spoke to him, he concentrated his power to form a protective shield around the vampire, something to stop Sanguis from ever peeking inside his head again or even physically hurting him. It was strictly precautionary and something Grendel realized he should have done before bringing him along.

How deep did he look? He asked, but his tone was calm, for now, not angry.

He ran a thumb across the Ravnos's knuckles before releasing his hand and following Sanguis into the sitting room, his focus moving back toward their visitor.

These old Gods...Grendel never knew what to expect from them.

"You are welcome to stay and visit for as long as you wish." Grendel moved into the room properly. He was used to sitting in one of the high-backed chairs when dealing with company. With Ravnos accompanying him today, he instead moved towards one of the couches and waited for the Disciple to join him before sitting and eyeing the other God, though a smile still adorned his lips. “Were you a friend of Caine, then?” He asked while summoning goblets of wine mixed with ambrosia and vitae and holding one out in offering.

Sanguis was not paying close attention to Grendel or Ravnos, so was oblivious to any subtle change. That he had alarmed or upset the vampire god wasn't something he was aware of, nor could he be. He was a god, Ravnos a vampire -- it was simple enough to skim what he needed without a deep dive. As neither vampire nor vampire god had introduced themselves before then, Sanguis had simply retrieved what he wished the easiest way a god knew how.

The world had changed a great deal since he'd last moved through it, perhaps social niceties had as well.

The amount of information that he was sorting through did leave Sanguis a bit off-kilter. He was sorting through information he had missed as he slept, as well as the onslaught of knowledge he was now receiving due to being awake. It left him at a disadvantage, but all he needed was time to sort through it all. For now, he was content to wander the world almost as if he were reborn anew -- and perhaps in a way he was. Just as the world no longer remembered or recalled his name, so different was life, he was all but a stranger.

Sanguis took an admiring look about the room, before settling in a chair with a colorful pillow. How delightful a sitting room... far more comfortable than some of the temples he visited. No skeletons or shrieks of torment to be found. Chic yet cozy. Perhaps he'd need take notes for his own blood temple, once he renovated it from its current dilapidated state.

"I would not call us friends," he stated, taking the proffered drink. That reminded him that he had not come without a proper gift for either host. "My interest had been more with the mortals and the blood they possessed," he confessed. "That said, I always took a keen interest in vampires, and others who relished or were particularly interested or invested in my domain." Vampires were darlings, as far as Sanguis was concerned. He knew every drop of blood that spilled, every ounce that ran through ones veins, be it their own, or though other means. He gave blood, and eventually, it returned to him one way or another, on and on, the cycle continued. Sometimes he felt inclined to take it back himself, or through Umbra and his knights; other times, he just had to wait and let the world return it to him.

Right now, it was a time of waiting, of learning, of watching. "I dare say, my lack of ties was almost my undoing. No god is, or should be, an island -- and now that I've arisen once more, I feel compelled to branch out further than I had in my ancient youth." Perhaps he'd been a fool before, perhaps he'd be one again -- but he was older now, and ready to try a new path, and see where it might get him.

Looking back at Ravnos, Sanguis gave a small, fanged smile. "Understandable enough. I don't expect to be remembered, or to have even been known -- I did not oft move around as freely as I do so now. The familiarity is quite old -- but then, there are eons of ancient names and faces in my memory, many of which are more like a passing dream, as blood moved through them. Perhaps I am mistaken," he confessed, little worried or concerned about such a thing. He was a god, but that did not make him faultless. As a vampire, Ravnos drank of blood at one time or another; and must well have been mortal at some point in his life. Though they may not have known one another personally, that did not mean Sanguis was not aware of the blood that once may have dripped through Ravnos' veins.

"But here I am, being a rude guest. An offering to you and yours, for your time, and your hospitality," he summoned forth a bottle of blood. "Freshly made, and I dare hope to your tastes," he spoke, sipping the blood-wine given him with relish. The blood within the crimson bottle was created from Sanguis himself, and would stay warm and fresh as if newly spilled from the throat, no matter how long the bottle or wine remained opened.

Seussi

Yayoi

I assume Ravnos was mortal at some point in his existence? Which I feel is how he's passingly familiar, albeit from ancient times ago. LOL If not, let me know, and I can edit/tweak.