Chapter 7: New home

Ethan nodded, "Cut ties with my previous life, feed on Council-authorized ground, don't kill when I feed, and don't break the Veil. Simple enough."

Clara smiled, "Yes, do you have any other questions before we move on?"

Ethan raised his finger and pointed to his eyes, "This, the different eye colors. I'm still confused about that. What exactly does it mean to be a Grey?"

Clara bit her lip. Her eyes turned to Terrell, who shook his head and raised his hands.

"There are five main clans, Gold," she said and pointed to herself and Terrell. "Blue, they can read minds, hypnotize people, and some have telekinesis. Black are shapeshifters. They can transform into almost anything. Green are seers. They can see a glimpse into the future and can turn into mist. They are usually the hardest to kill."

Terrell chimed in, "And they are almost always bat-shit crazy."

Clara's expression was strange, but she didn't refute his words. She lightly coughed and continued, "Brown can control animals and can wield the power of the earth."

Ethan frowned, "So, magic?"

Terrell grinned, "Oh ya! Never fight a Brown in a forest or mountain."

Clara nodded, "Brown usually sticks to themselves. It's rare to encounter any in the cities."

"I see, what about Red?"

"Red are royalty," Terrell replied solemnly. "They have all the powers and more. They are superior to all the other clans."

"They call themselves the original bloodline," Clara continued.

"That just sounds conceited," Ethan rolled his eyes.

Terrell chuckled and replied, "They have the right to. They are the strongest, after all."

"Red usually stands at the head of the Council in every city. Our beautiful city is blessed to have four of them," Terrell continued sarcastically.

"And Grey?" Ethan asked the question he wanted to know the most.

"There is no clan for a Grey," Clara hesitated before she continued. When a Red decides to turn a human, most of the time, the newborn vampire is also a Red. In some rare cases, however, a mutation occurs, and a Grey is born."

"Greys are not born with the same powers as their masters. They all gain different abilities," Clara then turned to Terrell.

"We don't know what type of abilities a Grey can gain, but that's not what makes them terrifying," his eyes bore at Ethan before he continued, "They can absorb the abilities of the other clans."

Ethan raised his brow at the revelation. That wasn't as bad as he expected. If anything, it sounded overpowered.

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"So, what's the problem, exactly?" He asked.

Terrel sighed, "The problem is, all Greys eventually turn crazy."

Clara continued, "There's a reason they are almost extinct. They can't control themselves." Her golden eyes flickered as she stared at Ethan, "Which is why you need to be very careful!"

Ethan nodded slowly, "I feel okay, though?"

"It's not now. You already killed and consumed a team of Gold, you already possess the physical abilities of one. The more you consume the more danger you put yourself in. There will come a point where the thirst will take over. It's inevitable."

Terrell nodded, "When that happens, you'll turn into a real monster, and the council will have you killed."

"So, try not to kill and consume any Vampires, okay?" He winked. "Oh, you can kill the Werewolves."

"The what? They exist?"

Terrell laughed, "Well, you exist, so."

Clara spoke, "They stay out of our business, and we stay out of theirs."

"They haven't done a good job of staying out lately," Terrell turned to Clara and argued.

"Nobody wants a second war, Terrell. It'd only benefit the Hunters."

Terrell shrugged.

"I see, so avoid consuming other vampires," Ethan nodded.

"Yup, pretty simple, right? Which reminds me, you don't need to feed that much either," Terrell replied.

Clara nodded, "Yes, think of yourself as a crocodile. A couple of times per month is enough to last you for a while. So, there's no need to overdo it."

"Clara's right. A lot of newborns tend to overindulge. You'll understand why when you feed for the first time, but you can't afford to do that. I can't stress this enough."

Seeing Terrell's grave expression, Ethan nodded to show his understanding.

"Good. Any other questions?"

"Yes. What do you know about the one who turned me?"

A strange silence fell on the table, with Terrell and Clara eyeing each other. After a few seconds, Clara spoke first.

"Her name is Luna Aeternus Mori. She is probably the oldest vampire in the country."

"And the craziest," Terrell shuddered.

Ethan frowned, "She did seem crazy when I met her."

"At least you're lucky to have survived," Terrell shook his head.

"Reds seldom embrace new vampires. It's risky business," Clara sighed.

Terrell leaned in closer and continued, "Besides the fact that there's a small chance they end up with Grey in their hands, I heard they also expand much of their strength in the process."

"Luna is a wild card. She's famous, of course. But not for good reasons, I'm afraid. She came into town a few months back and would occasionally drop by the council meetings," Clara continued.

"Yes, which is how we guessed you were her child. None of the other elders are willing to risk their positions by embracing a random human. There's no benefit to it. What I'm confused about is, why you?" Terrell scratched his head.

"Maybe he was just unlucky. Wrong place, wrong time," Clara sighed.

Terrell leaned back on his chair, "Maybe. But it's still strange if you ask me. She hasn't turned anyone before, at least none that anybody knows of, right? So why now? And why him?" He asked while pointing toward Ethan.

"I was hoping you guys would know."

"Heh, nobody can claim to know what goes in the heads of those old monsters. Just be grateful you're alive, man."

"Don't worry, not everything is bad. As Luna's first child, you are automatically granted immunity. This means you won't have to go through a trial to determine whether you live or die, and you are protected by the council. Of course, this protection is conditional on you not breaking the rules," Clara explained.

"Yes, but not everyone in the council likes you, so be careful," Marcus added.

"You'll get your chance to be introduced to the city's underworld society. All you must know is it's better to make allies than enemies. You'll need them."

"I understand. Then can I meet Luna?"

Marcus facepalmed and answered, "Have you not heard anything I just said?"

"I don't want to see her either- but I need to know. Why did she turn me? Was it really just a whim?"

Marcus turned silent. Clara nodded and spoke, "You will get your chance. I'm not sure when exactly, but she occasionally drops by the parties."

"That's good enough for me," Ethan answered with a pale smile.

The memory of Luna's eerie face lingered in his mind. His emotions seemed muted, except for the fear he harbored toward her. Why?

He planned to find out.

"Well, let's get you to your room first," Clara said, changing the subject, and stood up.

Ethan followed behind her while Marcus stayed seated. The latter gave him a wave with a slight smile as the duo made their way back to the entrance and climbed up the stairs.

Clara then led him past a few closed doors until they reached the end of the hall. She motioned to the door, and Ethan raised his brow before he opened it.

A subconscious whistle escaped from his lips as he stepped inside.

"This is mine?" He asked in disbelief.

Clara grinned. "All yours."

"This room is bigger than my apartment!"

Clara chuckled and patted his back before she turned to leave. "Settle in and get some rest. You'll need it. Tomorrow, we will teach you how to hunt."

Ethan absentmindedly nodded, his gaze fixed on the room. Perhaps a suite was a better way to describe it.

The bedroom was draped in luxury. Floor-to-ceiling windows that were covered with rich velvet curtains. The king-sized adorned with silk linens was placed in the center, flanked by sleek ebony nightstands.

Ethan raised his head to the crystal chandelier that was casting a soft glow, illuminating the marble floor and plush Persian rug beneath.

Unused to the level of luxury he suddenly found himself in, Ethan could only whisper, "This is fucking crazy..."