Adrenalin wore off and Sasha drifted off to sleep in my arms, which was probably for the best, considering my current state.
I was not doing well. My initial evaluation of the damage done to my body after returning had been laughably optimistic.
I was broken, my runes twisted and shattered beyond repair, my current energy capacity was practically non-existent. And I was bleeding... A lot.
“Probably why handling three little bloodsuckers had nearly killed me.” I thought to myself sardonically.
I had tried my best to stem the bleeding from the bullet wound in my shoulder, but I couldn’t even summon up the power to close it like I had done with the rest of the wounds spread across my body.
“So, to summarize, there are vampires on earth. I’m slow, weak, running on empty and carrying a presumably kidnapped little girl hunted by said vampires.” I tried to sigh, but ended up coughing from my dry throat instead.
“I’m not gonna make it much further.” I realized as my thoughts became fuzzy and my vision blurred.
For the first time tonight, I felt cold .
Buildings and people became indistinct blurs moving by me until I reached a wide plaza. Across from it stood the towering building with the giant letters spelling Eve lit on its side.
I made it across the empty plaza only for my legs to collapse at the foot of the stairs leading to the main lobby, falling to my knees, trying desperately to catch my breath as cold sweat covered my skin.
But my ragged state soon became a distant concern as a shift in the air caught my attention and returned my focus to a razor’s edge.
Dark voices whispered in my ear, warning me of things circling and surrounding me, aiming their weapons in my direction.
What little blood I had left boiled, and I felt steam rise from my body as the dark voices roared their defiance, demanding a bloody last stand of carnage and destruction to mark our end.
What need did I have of a life or a soul ?
They were merely offerings to fuel the pyre, and make sure anyone foolish enough to end us would come to regret their decision shortly before joining us in the eternal dark.
Wresting back control for a moment, I looked up as my vision steadied long enough to see three women looking down at me and the bundle in my arms.
One of them had familiar brown eyes, shoulder length curly hair and looked barely able to keep herself from tears.
The foremost one stood protectively in front of her with a conflicted expression, and I locked eyes with her.
“Not human.” A dark part of me growled, and I could no longer keep them chained.
The hungering beasts in me stirred, spreading out through the surrounding shadows, ready to wreak havoc, their movements only noticeable to me.
Or so I’d thought.
The vampires surrounding us froze, as if having felt the change. But just then, the bundle in my arms stirred briefly. The beasts, reminded of our precious cargo, calmed themselves and returned to watch over the little one in our care.
The woman, whom I presume was the little girl’s mother, rushed forward before anyone could stop her and fell to her knees in front of us.
Tears were streaming down her face as she checked the sleeping Sasha for injuries. I carefully lifted her off my lap and handed her over, her mother locking eyes with me and mouthing a sincere.
“Thank you,”
My vision darkened, and I felt myself crumble and fall, but before my consciousness could slowly ebb away, I overheard voices around me.
“Get her inside now and tell Dr. Mitchell to have a look at her.” A woman ordered, her voice composed but leaving no room for questioning.
“Yes, Ma’am, what about him?” Another asked with a soldier’s cadence and a hint of concern.
“Take him to the guest suite and put two Custodes at the door. Tell Dr. Mitchell to look at him afterwards and keep me informed.” The woman in charge replied after a moment of consideration.
***
I floated in the endless darkness, not yet conscious, nor unconscious, as memories drifted by me.
The images of a younger version of myself, full of hope and wonder, deeply focused on the dark smoke hovering between my hands willing it into solidifying and forming interwoven links, slowly creating a dark obsidian-like chain, red energy slowly pulsating down the links.
After creating five feet, I looked up proudly at my teacher on the bunk across from me.
“Well?” I asked expectantly.
“A chain ?” Liala asked, unimpressed.
“Yeah! I made sure it’s extra tough. We could use it to pull free supply wagons when we get stuck, or tie down stuff while on the move.” I explained excitedly.
Liala sighed and shook her head in exasperation.
“Well then, what are you going to call this useful chain of yours?” Liala asked, her tone thick with sarcasm.
“I was thinking... Gleipnir .” I replied, the word rumbling in my head, tearing me away from the memory and back to the empty darkness.
Time passed, and slowly muffled voices echoed their way to me from the distance.
“She said his eyes were glowing red, that he moved fast enough to take them by surprise and that he apparently beat one of them in close combat with a piece of building debris.” I recognized the voice of the woman from the plaza say.
“Well, I’m afraid I can’t shed any more light on the situation. His bloodwork came back remarkably human, nothing unusual. I do not know what the black material covering his wounds is. But when I tried to take a sample, something gave me a powerful impression it would be a very unhealthy idea to remove even a small amount.” the doctor said, his voice equal parts curiosity and distress at the sensation.
“It would harm him?” The woman asked.
“No. I meant unhealthy for me, Ma’am.” he corrected gravely.
I felt my mind drift off to sleep, yet I awoke to the same dark expanse once again, with no sense of how much time had passed.
“I’m telling you, you weren’t there, when he locked eyes with the Matriarch... The emotions roiling off of him; the savagery and bloodlust; some of it didn’t even seem to originate from him, but from all around us... And... I could have sworn I saw shadows move... in ways they shouldn’t have.” A male voice said, fear shaking his voice.
“He brought the Heir home safely, that’s all that matters.” A female voice replied resolutely.
“But it isn’t safe to have him here... Like this . He pinned a hundred-year-old red court enforcer to the side of a shipping container, with a piece of fucking rebar after killing another in close quarters combat!” The man exclaimed in a hushed voice.
“What’s your point?” She asked, irritation creeping into her voice.
“He’s supposed to be Human, but he went up against three of them, each having over fifty years of experience after their rebirth.” He reiterated. “And that’s not human. ”
***
As I slowly came to with a groan, I found myself on a plush bed in a very nice hotel room. One wall built entirely out of glass overlooking the city below at a considerable height.
I sat up, trying my best to ignore the aches and pains wreaking havoc on my body, a head-splitting headache making me want to lie back down, but a familiar feeling stopped me.
I lifted the covers apprehensively.
“Oh, you have got to be kidding... No pants.... Again ?” I muttered, looking down with a frown.
Still disoriented; I tried to take stock of my situation the best as I could. The room I found myself in had two doors. One was open and led to a bathroom. The other was closed and led to what I assumed was a main room.
Inside of which I heard a door open, and voices speaking.
“He’s been out cold for three days now Nat, are we even sure he’ll actually wake up?” A man asked.
“That’s none of your concern, Silas.” Nat replied firmly.
The door was closed quickly before He could voice anymore of his concerns.
“Same thing every day. I swear if he wakes up today, I’ll give him a freaking sponge bath.” she complained to herself with a weary sigh as she opened the door to the bedroom and froze as she spotted me desperately trying to cover myself with a pillow.
It took me a moment to recognize her as the one who’d stood protectively beside Sasha’s mother the night at the plaza.
Back then she had worn a sharp business suit with the familiar creases of a concealed weapon, her short black hair slicked back in an attractive but utilitarian style, giving off the impression of a panther.
A lethal prowler.
Now, however, she wore a pair of skinny jeans and a t-shirt, her black hair tussled and wild, reaching down to her deep blue eyes and impossibly perfect features.
She looked to be in her mid-twenties, but something instinctively told me she was likely much older than that.
I could still feel the dangerously capable predator lurking just beneath the surface, ready for me, should I prove a threat.
“That sponge-bath still on the table?” I asked with a wry smile, trying to break the tension.
Her demeanor instantly changed, taking on a seductive and mischievous persona.
“ Perhaps, ” she said, her voice becoming as soft as honey with a disorienting chime as she stalked towards me, leaving behind the little silver cart she’d brought with her.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Halfway to me, she paused with a peculiar look, as if surprised, making me very self-conscious about my current lack of apparel.
“ Boy, was the Doc wrong about you .” she said with a snort, her voice lacking the seductive chime making her demeanor far less predatory.
“I’m Natasha Romanov, but most people just call me Nat . What’s your name?” She asked, still wary and ready, but hiding it well with an attractive smile.
“Aleks’Andros Titanos, you can just call me Aleks .” I replied absentmindedly, still trying to sort out my thoughts.
The mess of broken runes all over my body still obstructed my power and muddled my mind. If I needed to get out of here quickly, they would hinder more than help.
“Might as well just get rid of them at this point.” I thought to myself, irritated at losing so many years of work.
Natasha’s eyes widened in surprise, as the black markings across my body slowly faded, as if they’d never been there.
“ Neat .” she said, looking back up at me with a mischievous grin.
I smiled back, still feeling a little exposed... And naked .
Natasha was about to say something when the door opened again and the woman who had been in charge at the plaza walked in, flanked by two men, both of which looked startled to see me awake.
Curiously, the woman wasn’t, or she hid it well.
“Greetings I am Katya ,” she said, with a hint of an accent that I was almost certain hadn’t been there before.
There was a definite family resemblance between Katya and Natasha. Although Katya appeared a decade older and more poised with hair to her shoulders, the pair could easily pass as sisters. Although something told me that Katya was more like a distant ancestor than a closely related family member.
“ Matriarch .” Natasha greeted respectfully with her head bowed.
I was becoming more and more aware of how exposed I was right now, both figuratively and literally. Something which Katya seemed to pick up on.
“Maybe it would be best to continue this a little more... clothed ,” Katya said with a playful but dignified smile.
“You can use the facilities in here and we’ll wait in the other room. I’ll also have Silas here go fetch some clothes for you.” She said, gesturing to the man beside her.
“Thank you.” I said, grateful that I wouldn’t have to rob another laundromat.
“It should be I thanking you. You brought our dear Sasha back to us.” she replied sincerely as she left, the remaining guard and Natasha quickly following behind.
Fifteen minutes later, I stood cleaned and dressed in front of a bathroom mirror in what felt suspiciously like a tailored suit.
“Did they take my measurements while I was unconscious?” I thought, feeling a little self-conscious.
When I walked into the main room, I heard a soft while and found Natasha lounging in a sofa chair, flashing me an impish smile.
Katya chided her silently before turning her attention back to me.
“I hope everything fits as it should?” Katya asked.
“As if tailored .” I prodded with a smile, but she didn’t even flinch.
“I doubt I’ll read anything off her face that she doesn’t want me to,” I thought to myself warily.
“Yes, Natasha took some liberties while you were unconscious, though I assure you she was always entirely respectable.” Katya replied.
I looked toward the spiky-haired brunette grinning at me from a leather armchair as she sent me a provocative wink before turning her attention back to Katya.
“Now, I’d like to go over a few things with you if that’s alright?” Katya said, gesturing for me to sit down on the couch across from her next to Natasha’s chair.
As I sat down, Katya’s demeanor changed from the polite and confident businesswoman to something unnervingly perceptive. I felt as though every thought and emotion I had was laid bare before her.
“ Mr. Titanos , I have a feeling you may have a vague idea of what we are .” Katya said.
“ Vampires .” I stated flatly.
“ Yes, and no . We are Vampiris , but we are NOT Sanguinares . We do not drink blood.” She explained, carefully gauging my reaction before continuing.
“We are Sentire . We feed on the energy of others like Sanguinares, but we do so through intense emotions like greed, wrath and lust instead of blood .” She said, glancing briefly at Natasha.
“Also, someone can’t be turned into a Sentire; it’s hereditary. Passed from mother to child. Which is why we have an instinctual compulsion to protect and take care of the humans of our bloodline, especially the children.” She continued, clearly referring to Sasha.
“Why take the time to tell me all this?” I asked, confused.
“Because you risked your life to save a precious daughter of our clan. Killing three red court Sanguinares while injured just to save her. Many of us are immensely grateful to you,” she nodded towards Natasha.
“To the point of feeding and caring for you for three days and likely longer , had you not awoken.”
Natasha Blushed faintly, her cheeky bravado gone for the moment as she found something very interesting to look at on the table in front of her.
When I turned back to look at Katya, I was confused as she wore a genuine smile and expression of relief before she continued.
“So, we’d like to repay this debt in any way we can. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask.” Katya said earnestly.
I was at a sudden loss for words as I considered what she’d said.
“What do I want?” I asked myself, an image appearing in my head, an image of three predators standing over a little girl, terrorizing her for the fun of it.
Dark things stirred in my head. Terrible and brutal ideas of what to do with predators playing at being monsters started flooding my mind. And then I knew what I wanted, what I needed .
“I want them gone, root and stem. ” My thoughts echoed, part of me enraged by their mere existence.
When I looked back up at Katya, her inscrutable mask of composure had cracked and a hint of unease had slipped its way through.
The two bodyguards standing rigidly behind her rested their hands on weapons hidden out of view.
“ My apologies. I was thinking of the three men from that night... Their behavior... Deeply upsets me.” I said, the three Sentires relaxing somewhat, but winced at my tone. Katya examined me before giving a careful nod.
“ As it should . Cruelty towards children is abhorrent to us as well.” Katya replied.
“I fear I lack the proper knowledge of the value of the things I need, so I’d like to make a list. I will appreciate anything you can provide from it. Also, I would like to stay here for a couple of days to recover from some of my injuries.” I suggested.
Most of my cuts and bruises were completely gone, but I needed to rebuild the foundation of my power.
“Of course. Stay for as long as you need. Several floors of this building functions as a hotel of sorts, so it would be no trouble at all. As for this list, you can give it to my personal assistant Sophia, and I will see to it.” Katya said with a business-like smile.
We said our goodbyes and Katya left with the two guards, and I turned to where Natasha was still sitting, giving her a measured look.
“What?” she asked, defensively.
“Feeding and washing, huh?” I said, smiling at her. “Guess I already got my sponge bath.” I continued with mock disappointment.
“You seem dirty enough for another, you perv,” she joked, letting out a soft and pleasant laugh.
“That thing you did earlier, with your voice , compulsion?” I asked casually.
“Yeah, you could call it that. Though I prefer Seduction. ” she responded playfully, not breaking eye contact.
“And how did that turn out for you?” I asked, chuckling.
“It’s a work in progress.” She replied confidently, standing up and walking right up to me.
“So, Mr. Titanos , will there be anything else you need during your stay with us?” she asked provocatively as she adjusted my tie, her body nearly leaning against my own.
I smiled at the obvious tactic to throw me off and leaned in close to her ear and whispered teasingly. “I’d like a bathtub filled with ice, along with a meal every eight hours consisting of at least twenty thousand calories, for the next three days.”
She stepped back and looked up at me quizzically before responding professionally.
“Consider it done.” her flirty attitude gone, but somehow having the opposite effect on me.
She turned on a dime and headed towards the door, but stopped just before closing it.
“Thank you for saving my niece.” Her voice was soft and vulnerable, barely a whisper, and then she was gone.
“Careful, that one could twist you around her pinky and you’d let her.” I thought to myself.
Half an hour later, I stood in front of a bathtub full of ice and two rolling carts filled to the brim with food.
The idea was simple; I have neither the quantity nor quality of energy needed to draw runes on my body without serious side-effects. These side-effects include Heat and Hunger, to extremes that would easily kill me.
After eating a disgustingly large amount of food, I stripped to my underwear and submerged myself completely.
“Time to get to work.”