Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The long corridor was lighted by the dimmed crystals embedded into the walls. The manor owner’s great-grandfather’s creation was impressive. The subtle magic caresses her skin as she walks the manor halls, sending shivers down her spine. She hated that feeling. If she could have been somewhere else, she would have turned around in a blink of the eye. Sadly, there was a reason behind her arrival to the Victorian manor. With a heavy sigh, she tried to make any sense of the current situation. But it was challenging.

Evelynn’s call caught her the moment she returned from work. Akali was exhausted beyond the usual understanding of that word. If it had been anyone else, she would have refused to come, but Evelynn was always an exception. Without thinking, the black-haired woman returned to her car and drove to her girlfriend as quickly as she possibly could. After all, it was rare for Evelynn to call. Usually, she would have just come to Akali’s office, asking her out. For dinner, walk, it really did not matter.

The raven-haired woman felt trapped. The enormously large manor was built at least 100 years ago. It was all Evelynn knew. Still, there might have been some details that her girlfriend did not know about. The entirety of the estate seemed to be clouded by some mystery, something dark. The sad part was that she could not name it appropriately. As if she could not grasp it entirely.

Footsteps made no sound here. The thick Persian carpet muffed everything. The enormously long piece of fabric covered the entirety of the floor here. Numerous paintings hung from the walls. There were some genre scenes presented there, but the majority of the images were portraits. The portraits lavishly framed, held faces of men with sickly pale skin, sharp features, sky blue eyes, and straight hair coloured fair. The portraits’ collective gazes, cold as ice, cut into all who passed by. Akali felt as if she was being watched by them all the time. It was an eerie sensation that only reinforced the woman’s concern. She needed to reach Evelynn’s room as soon as possible. The quicker she did so, the quicker she could leave that place. It felt as if the manor was cursed.

Her girlfriend’s room was located at the building’s very top level. Frankly saying, it would be wrong to call it such. The entirety of the floor was Evelynn’s. She could do anything she wanted with it.

After some time, she finally reached the stairs leading to the final building’s storey. Never in her life, Akali felt so scared walking through the manor’s halls. The feeling of being watched, being stalked could be hardly compared to anything she ever experienced. Some spiderwebs caught the woman’s attention. Her heart started to pump the blood faster. Without an ounce of hesitation, she ran upstairs. If there was one thing that Akali knew about the blond beauty she got used to calling hers, was the fact that she was pedantic. Inside her quarters, or even near them, the dust, dirt had no place. She would either order the servants to clean it up or do it herself. Something was off. Her guts knew that. That feeling - that started to build inside of her once she picked up the phone – was getting stronger and stronger, slowly taking control over her body and mind.

It did not take her long to climb up. She was welcomed by the slightly ajar doors. Something was definitely off. Without thinking, the gun was pulled out of the packet. All of Akali’s senses were on high alert, muscles ready to act, flexed, tensed. She came past the doors, ready to shot at any sign of danger. The remnants of the marble statuses lay all over the greenish carpet. A couple of red spots could be easily spotted on the fabric. It was not blood, about that, Akali was sure. The characteristic metallic aroma was not filling the air here. The raven-haired woman stopped for a few moments, sniffing as quietly as she could. The pungent smell of the red wine hit her nostrils a moment later. So, the source of the spots was known. It was wine. A few additional seconds were spared to inspect the hallway thoroughly. If there were wine’s stains here, the glass should not be far.

Akali found the cracks soon enough. Most of the glass shards hid between the carpet’s fibres, making it difficult to spot at first glance. However, the most intriguing piece was laying at the very end of the corridor. At the glass, the visible, fresh lipstick stain could be seen. It was Evelynn’s favourite, she called it – Bloody Merry.

With every passing second, the raven-haired woman getting calmer and calmer. It could have been seen as strange, but it seemed her work finally found her beloved. Of course, she was concerned about her girlfriend’s wellbeing, but the thoughts regarding that were pushed to the back of Akali’s mind. If she has been right, she would have been soon faced with an extraordinary danger. She needed her mind to be calm to fight it.

She approached the door located at the very end of the hallway. All the time, her finger was lingering over the trigger of her trusted Colt. Truth be told, she was very sceptical about choosing M1911 over many other options, at least initially. However, as time passed, the raven-haired woman grew a fondness for that particular handgun. It had never let her down.

Step by step, the distance between her and the close door was vanishing. She felt like some sort of wild predator in the jungle. Akali was on a prowl. The problem was that she was yet to know what enemy would she face. The woman was so focused that she could swear at least a couple of breaths were missed by her. To some extent, her body considered the breathing to be an utter waste of time and energy. Only after her lungs had begun their demand for the fresh air, she noticed that occurrence. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down and regain complete control over her body.

Whilst still a couple of steps away from the passage leading to the adjacent room, new sounds began to be registered by her currently sharpened hearing. At first, the still-young woman was not entirely sure whether she actually heard something or it was just her imagination. The new sounds seemed to be a mixture of quiet groans, whines, gasps. Akali allowed herself to stop for a moment to make sure that she could still control her senses. For a fraction of a second, the ultimate silence ruled over the nearby area. The moment the woman wanted to proceed, the sounds returned, louder, coming closer. There was no doubt, this time. She heard the mixture of sounds clear enough.

As if the situation could not worsen, the storm decided to start its reign at that very moment. The lightning split the skies, soaking everything with a bright glow. It was being followed by the thunder that had shaken the area. The heavy raindrops began hitting the old shutters only a moment later. The difficult situation Akali found herself in quickly became as if taken straight out of the horror movie. The clear, loud creaking of old hinges reached her after some time. Someone was roaming around the floor, clearly seeking something. Inside the woman’s throat, the huge gulp formed. She swallowed it as slowly and quietly as she could. There was no time for her to fear. She needed to act quickly. Somewhere there, her girlfriend might be taken as a prisoner. The goal was to set her free.

The door’s handle was unnaturally cold. Even though it was made out of pure steel, it should not have been freezingly cold. As soon as her inner hand touched the metal, she wanted to withdraw it. It was evident that something supernatural was happening behind this closed passage. Akali opted to put a bit more strength onto the handle, opening the door slowly. In the imaginary world, it would have opened without making a sound. However, in reality, the loud, protracted squeal sounded. The raven-haired woman froze. There was no point in believing that her presence was not discovered. Most likely, someone or something that was lurking around knew about her way earlier.

Taking any advantage out of the given time of calm, she started to look around, trying to memories her surroundings. Sadly, it did not last long enough for her to find out anything important at all. The sound of shuffling of feet could be heard, coming from the right hall. The gun was immediately fixed onto the passage leading to the room. For the raven-haired woman, time seemed to die out, froze.

Irritatingly slowly, the door began to open. To Akali’s utter surprise, one of the many maids working in the estate walked out from it. Just one quick glance over her from could tell her story, at least to some extent. Her uniform was ragged, damaged in some areas. The woman’s left foot was probably twisted. She was shuffling it all over the floor. The blond strands were glued, soaked with most likely sweat. She was slightly tilted to the front, keeping her head low, allowing her fair to cover it entirely.

“Kathrine?” Akali slowly asked. “Are you alright? What happened here?” she continued to ask questions, slowly lowering her gun, allowing the maid to come closer.

It was a prolonged process, so she decided to close the distance herself. Strange, the woman did not reply to her call. Maybe she had problems currently with speaking, maybe. With every single step Akali took, the somehow familiar smell started to fill her nostrils. It was heavy, metallic, but she knew it. She was sure about that aspect, but she could not name in properly in the end.

The realisation descended upon her when the maid was a mere step away from her. Just around the corner, there was a large thick pool of red. It was, without a doubt, blood. The low, primal hiss escaped the blonde’s throat, giving one last warning to the raven-haired woman. The sharp nails pierced through the fabric of her coat, pierced through the shirt, and buried deep into her flesh. Unnaturally firm hands began pulling her closer, deepening the already existing wounds. Kathrine lifted her head, revealing the bloodstain covering the entirety of her face. Her small, delicate lips were twitching. Some foam was dripping out of it.

Driven by her experience and instincts, the raven-haired woman used her gun to knock out the maid. Even though all strengths she could currently muster were put into the hit, all it accomplished was shaking the woman slightly. Thankfully, the nails were pulled out of Akali’s flesh, spraying the thick, hot, fresh blood. The raven-haired woman groaned loudly but did not back down. Nearly instantly, she kicked the blonde straight into the chest, finally making her collapse onto the floor. The Colt was immediately fixed on top of the laying women, waiting for any excuse to fire.

“Stay on the floor, whoever you are!” Akali ordered the maid.

It was a futile effort. Something that was previously known as Kathrine lifted her head slightly, opening her mouth. The rows of long, sharp fangs were flashed out. Some of them were still covered in the blood of most likely her previous victim. Without an ounce of hesitation, Akali fired. The first shot hit the heart, the second pierced the skull of the poor maid.

Even though the raven-haired woman already fired twice, she was still tensed. As slowly as she could, she closed the distance to Kathrine’s body. With the corpse still at gunpoint, she pulled out a medium-length knife. The blade was curved, serrated, covered with many symbols. In a moment quicker than a blink of the eye, she knelt down and severed the head of the woman with ease.

“Degenerate, this does not bode well,” she allowed herself to comment in a whisper-like manner.

In her life, the raven-haired woman killed many of such monstrosities. To some extent, it was a family business. Or maybe more of a burden that was being passed from one generation to another. All Akali wanted was to live a normal life. Sadly, as the current situation showed, it was not an option. Her legacy was crawling behind her back. Sometimes, it seemed as if the darkness was gone for good. Yet, there were times like this when fate decided to remind her about her heritage.

Akali allowed herself to linger for a couple of moments more. She still could feel the blood pouring down from her wounds. Even though some fabric was used to staunch the bleeding, she knew better that it would take time for them to seal entirely.

Not really sure whether she should delve deeper. The woman opted to check the adjacent room where she initially spotted the bloodstains. It was so fruitless for her to try to creep now. After all, if there had been more of degens like Kathrine, they would have known about her already. Akali hissed quietly when she bumped into the doorframe unintentionally. The already brownish piece of fabric wrapped around one of her wounds started to leak. The fresh blood was slowly running down her arm. The raven-haired woman looked at that, shaking her head.

“Can this freaking day end already?” she asked herself with a heavy sigh.

As it was to be expected, in the small room, Kathrine’s previous victim’s body was found resting on the wall. It was an elderly man clothed in a dark, nearly black butler’s suit. On his wrinkled face, the sadness could be seen. His deep blue eyes were empty, fixed on the floor. She knew the man. His name was Albert, and as far as Akali knew, he was the one who brought up Evelynn. He was more of a father figure to her girlfriend that her biological father. Based on the man’s expression, he was not surprised, far from that. It seemed that he knew what was planned for him. Albert’s neck was ripped to the shreds. Kathrine must have turned recently. The butler was most likely her first victim, her first meal. When Akali was young, her father showed her the photos presenting the first victims of the degens. The scene in front of her sickeningly resembled these images. Albert was dead - she was sure of that. The degens could not turnover humans into vampires. There was little the raven-haired woman could do for the dead butler. She opted to kneel beside him and close his eyes for the one last time.

It was irresponsible out of her to leave the room without looking around. Still, Akali was sick of the situation already. Fiding Evelynn was her primary goal. Killing the rest of the degens was just a side task.

The room in front of her was leading to yet another corridor. If she had been to walk straight ahead, she would have reached her girlfriend’s room at the end of it. Still, more or less in the middle of the hallway, a branch led to the spacious living room. If someone or something had been holding Evelynn hostage, the living room would have been the best place to start the searching.

The awful feeling of being watched did not fade away. If anything, Akali could have sworn that it only affected her more and more as the time passed.

Maybe you heard that the old habits die hard. Akali was not an exception. On her tiptoes, she tried to creep forward. Even though it was entirely pointless, she still found her body tending toward such behaviour. Step by step, she was getting closer to the middle point of the corridor. It would be difficult to explain, but some part of the raven-haired woman felt like something was waiting for her. Waiting for her to be close enough for it to attack.

The light system started to buzz. The bulbs were flickering, burning out at the rapid pace. Just a couple of moments later, the nearest bulb exploded, covering the area with the glass shards. Nearly instantly, the entirety of the hallway was covered by darkness. Akali swallowed the gulp, awaiting some sort of the assault. The darkness was being temporarily castaway while yet another lighting split the skies. The raven-haired woman needed to adapt to the situation on a fly. It was evident that the only time for her to push forward safely was when the light was back. It was so unfortunate that her flashlight was left inside the car. Even more unfortunate was the fact that she could not go for it now. She felt as if something was waiting for her to turn back. She was trained to deal with such situations. Still, she found herself scared, not sure what to do.

The rumble of the rain was so loud that she could barely hear anything. When the next lighting appeared, Akali marched forward, forcing her body to move. She was no longer sure whether the sounds she was hearing were downpour or rather something much creepier. The darkness returned before she could reach the beginning of the branch. The gap between her and her current destination was not large, maybe a couple of steps, maybe even less. Akali’s heart was pounding hard inside her chest. Her breath became shallow, heavy, wheezing. She could have sworn that someone or something was breathing close by. However, she could not prove that thought. As soon as the woman stopped exhaling, the breathing sounds faded away, leaving her surrounded by the rumble of the rain.

Thankfully, the next lighting split the skies just a few moments later. With her mind filled with fear and hesitation, Akali pushed forward. Her trusted gun was ready to be used again, waiting for an opportunity. One last heavy breath was allowed to escaped her throat before she faced her demons. She reached the branch, scanning the area. She allowed herself to sign when nothing was found.

Something wet dropped down from the ceiling. She was in troubles. The woman did not have enough time to jump to the side before something heavy fell onto her. The right sleeve of her expensive coat was torn off. Before the light faded away again, she saw the degenerated face of the unknown man. Before she could do anything, the sharp as razors teeth sunk into her arm, tearing up her muscles. Akali could not have held the pain. She cried out loudly cause of the unbearable burning sensation. From a distance, the sounds of the steps reached the woman’s ears. Even though she was weak, wounded, it was evident for her that if she stayed on the ground, she would die. With yet another scream, she pushed toward the degen. Her mostly intact left hand was seeking the gun she dropped.

Akali could feel her strengths fading away, her fibres being torn, her blood being sucked by the hungry monstrosity. It did not consider her as a threat toward itself. A costly mistake that had it killed. A couple of shots were fired as soon as the handgun was reached. They pierced through the man’s skull, spilling his blood all over the wounded woman. She tried to reach out for her knife, but she did not manage to do so. The footsteps silenced. And just a moment later, the blackness came when someone or something struck her on the face.

A severe throbbing headache brought Akali to reality. It seemed as if every single fibre of her body was hurt. Her entire frame was aching. The burning sensation was spreading quickly, making her dizzy weak. She tried to look around. The raven-haired woman was held inside the spacious living room. She was still on the floor, which was owned by Evelynn. The light was on, allowing the wounded woman to at least catch a glimpse of her surrounding.

“Oh, I see you woke up finally,” the rich male voice sounded.

“Who are you?” Akali asked weakly.

“I see my dearest daughter has problems with manners,” the man replied. The sound of the chair shuffling reached Akali’s ears. “Let traditions be done with. Let me introduce myself properly, firstly,” he added, most likely walking toward her.

Within a few moments, the extremely tall, pale-skinned man of noble blood appeared in front of her. The expensive, colourful coat he wore seemed to be taken from the 17^th century. He was blonde with the eyes of the clear blue skies. It was evident that he was an immortal, most likely vampire. His slender yet firm fingers held Akali’s chin gently, forcing her to look him directly into the eyes.

“I am Vladimir Tepes, Evelynn’s father,” the blonde said. “Nice to meet you, at last, if I may add. My daughter was not willing to introduce us earlier. I find it extremely rude on her behalf. I thought that I have raised her up better. Sadly, it seems that I was mistaken. Please, forgive me for such a rude welcome,” he added, a hint of embarrassment lingering in his voice.

“You are a vampire, are you not?” the raven-haired woman asked, not breaking the eye-contact.

“Oh, is it not evident?” Vladimir chuckled. “I would have thought that my surname is enough to answer your question,” he added, smiling lightly.

“How can it be possible?” Akali started. “Evelynn is a normal woman, not a vampire. How can you be her father?” she asked.

“I assume your family did not pass such a knowledge onto you, heh?” the tall man asked rhetorically. “Of course not. It would be too easy. Listen to me, Akali,” he called the wounded woman out. “The pureblood vampires’ offspring are not born transformed. They inherit vampires’ genes. However, these genes are dormant until awoken. To awake them, all that is needed is for such a person to be bitten by the vampire. These two degenerates that you encountered earlier were victims of the butler who foolishly drunk Evelynn’s blood,” Tepes continued explaining.

“So, you have awakened Evelynn’s genes, have you not?” Akali asked, feeling her strengths fading, feeling herself dying slowly.

“Sadly, it was not me,” Vladimir replied. “It is why you are needed. It is why you need to be transformed into a vampire,” he added with a hint of guilt in his voice.

“What do you mean by that?” the dying woman wanted to know. “I am at the death step. Just a couple of moments more, and I will be gone. There is no use of me currently. Not in such a state,” she added with sadness.

“Sadly, you are right,” Tepes responded. “However, we will still try. Try not to move. In a moment, you will feel a bite, then as your blood will be drained, the bliss will take control over your body,” the man added before turning around.

“I do not understand,” Akali whispered, too tired to argue.

She felt cold, drained. Just a couple of moments more, and she will be done. Her life will be finished. There was just a single thing that she regrated. Not saying goodbye to her beloved. However, about that, she could not do anything. As the raven-haired woman closed her eyes, the pain spread all over her body. The delicate skin on her throat was pierced by razor-sharp fangs. Life began to be sucked away from her, but she no longer minded.

“Don’t worry, darling,” Evelynn’s soft voice rung in Akali’s ears. “Your mine, in this time, in the future, forever. We’re one. I’ll be waiting for you, my beloved,” the soft, filled with emotions whisper was the last thing the raven-haired woman heard before the blackout.

Chapter Text

“Vayne. Vayne? Vayne?! Vayne!! God damn it, Vayne. Wake the fuck up!” the man’s booming voice pierced through the silence, making the sleep fading away.

“Aghh,” Shauna Vayne groaned, trying to lift herself up from her desk. “What’s going on, Taylor?” she asked, the remnants of sleep and exhaustion hearable in her voice.

“You’re sleeping during the day. You’re sleeping while at work. Doesn’t it sound like a problem to you?” the man called Taylor allowed himself to ironise a bit. “It’s the third time I found you lying asleep on that very desk. What’s the fuck going on?” he asked much quieter.

“I’ve been here for the past 3 weeks,” the woman uttered quietly, finally managing to stand up. “I’m nearly 24/7 in that very office. My body is exhausted currently,” she added, looking straight into Taylor’s eyes.

“You’re looking like a shit,” the man commented. “Have you taken a shower recently?”

“Pff, funny,” Vayne scoffed, narrowing her eyes. “What do you want? If you came here just to irritate me, you better back off,” she added in a venomous tone.

“Your current case was closed,” Taylor announced. “The chief stated that there’s not enough evidence to waste resources on that trail.”

“What?” the surprised woman asked, staring at the man with her eyes wide open.

Taylor was a tall man who’s parent had come to the USA from some part of South America. He was very tanned, muscular, with the skin marked by many scars. His hair was curly, jet-black, short. According to him, he rarely had taken any interest to do anything with it. Some of the other officers were arguing whether he was black or white. Still, he preferred to be considered Hispanic. As per usual, he had a grey tactical trouser on with a black tee, allowing everyone to see his dog tag. Whether it was faked or not, it did matter little to none for Vayne.

“You heard me,” the Hispanic man replied. “The chief thinks that your case is irrelevant,” he added, gesturing defensively.

“What’s now, then?” Shauna asked, demotivated, placing her right hand over her face.

“There’s a new case,” the black-haired man started. “The chief wants us to work on it together. However, I don’t think we’ll be able to do much about it. It looks nasty,” he provided a bit more pieces of information as soon as the woman fixated her sight onto him.

“Fill me in, then. What do I need to know?” Vayne asked, sighing heavily.

“Here,” he said, throwing a folder onto the woman’s desk. “All the information we have - are there. Read it, then find me. I have one more case to finish before I can focus on that madness,” the tall man added before leaving the office.

With a dose of hesitation, Shauna reached out for the folder. It was surprisingly thick. Considering the fact that she had never heard out the case, it must have been new. As soon as the wrapper was opened, at least a couple of huge photos could be spotted. The woman pulled them out immediately, thinking that they might shed a bit of light on the situation. She regrated it quite quickly. As she had expected, the photo had been taken at the crime scene. They showed 12 dead men. All of them were members of some security company, at least based on the uniforms they wore. Each of them could be easily named ‘black’. Whoever, or whatever killed them, it had not wasted an ounce of time. The pictures seemed as if they had been taken in the butchery store. The entirety of the shown floor was covered in a mixture of blood and gores. Even a single glance over the frames made the woman wanted to puke.

“Splendid, another freak is out in the open, taking pleasure in butchering people,” Shauna allowed herself to complain for a short moment.

Then, she returned to the folder’s content. She needed to know everything. Maybe, just maybe, someone’s life would depend on her really soon.

For at least an hour, she had been reading the reports. It would not be an understatement if she said that every single line had frozen her blood with fear, at least to some extent. The bodies had been desecrated in so many ways. She felt pity for the person how would be tasked to tell their families about that incident. The killer made some sort of testing ground of them. The bite marks had been found on the men’s skin. As if it was enough, it was just one of the many tools the aggressor had used. It was disgusting. The victims’ flesh had been tanned, cut, bitten, torn to the shreds. Still, no evidence directly pointing at the oppressor had been found. It was some sort of madness.

She had had enough. With a low thud, the chair fell down onto the floor. Vayne did not care how her officer presented itself. With a low scoff, she grabbed the folder and her trusted gun, then left the room. The door was shut closed with a loud thud a moment later.

Her office was located inside the central operation base of RDT in Adementh city. Even though most people still called them ‘police,’ they were doing far more than the past police. The RDT was responsible for dealing with the cases associated with both humans and nonhumans. Vayne was of the few lucky officers that were only tasked with human crimes. However, based on what the folder contained, she was pretty positive that her luck was about to end.

With a heavy sigh, Shauna walked across her department. As per usual, the utter chaos ruled there. Dozens of men and women alike were talking, shouting, coming in and out. All of that created a cacophony of sounds that could easily cause a headache.

“Come on, Vayne. Don’t let these fucker distract and irritate you,” the woman uttered quietly under her breath. She loved her work - she really did. Still, her coworkers were degenerates, to say the least.

After a couple of prolonged moments, the woman managed to escape the hell – she got used to calling it ‘work’. She needed to reach the upper levels of the skyscraper. The woman hated the fact that RDT decided to choose such a facility for their main base of operations. Still, it was way over her pay-grade to have any say in that particular matter. Even though there were many differences between Taylor and her, she respected the man greatly. After all, Taylor was one of the top dogs of the supernatural’s department. The man had come across many situations which would most likely end the lives of other, less skilled officers.

One deep exhale was allowed by Shauna before she headed toward the elevator. Her mind must be clean, her nerves under control.

A somehow loud beep of the lift signalised that the piece of technology arrived. Without too much thinking, Vayne came in, quickly selecting her desired destination. The woman wiped her dried eyes before looking straight into the mirror.

Shauna Vayne was a 26 years old woman with long straight, raven hair. She got really rare eyes. The mixture of greyness and navy blue was filling her irises. That fact alone was making her intriguing yet dangerous. She was really slim. Some people considered her to be an anorexic due to that feature. The truth was that she was extremely slim yet athletic. She had inherited the noble facial features after her ancestors. Her cheeks were currently slightly dimpled due to the increased amount of stress she was faced with for the last couple of weeks. Still, she could be considered a beauty, not like the model beauty, but beauty nevertheless.

The raven-haired woman had always been the workaholic, a chaotic variant of a perfectionist. For her, it was usual to work overtime, deny herself sleep to try to finish her assignment. Even though the RDT did not force its employee to work a certain outfit on daily basic, Vayne knew better. She thought that her current position amongst society required her to work properly. Because of that, daily, she would go to her office wearing a suit with a matching shirt and a tie. Of course, it made her some sort of an attraction for her coworkers. It would not be an exaggeration if she said that most of the RDT staff would wear casual outfits – at least amongst the human department. She considered it the indignity of the post.

The elevator reached the requested destination faster than Vayne anticipated. The metal doors managed to open fully, and the second signal sounded before she returned to reality. It seemed that her mind was on the run. It was so difficult for the woman to focus on one matter for an extended period of time.

“Pfff, pathetic!” she scoffed deep inside her mind.

With yet another heavy sigh, she left the life. The very first thing she did afterwards was to look around. She had never been here before, that must be admitted. A single glance allowed the woman to notice at least one major difference. The human department of RDT mostly consisted of large open-space halls with the addition of a few small offices. While the supernatural department seemed to be divided into medium-sized offices for every single officer working there. In front of her, there were glass doors with a small terminal attached to them. To the left, there was an additional terminal with a wide display hanging on the wall. The screen was presenting some basic pieces of information that visitors would need.

After a moment or two of thinking, Vayne decided to use the wider terminal. She hoped to obtain more precise information about where to seek Taylor. As soon as she approached the piece of technology, the smart band on her wrist started to beep. On its tiny display, a 6-digits code showed. When she fixed her gaze onto the terminal, it asked her to provide a one-time code for privileges verification purpose. To some extent, it was to be expected, but it managed to surprise the woman.

After a couple of moments, the security code was provided by Vayne. The display dimmed out while at the very centre of it, the loading indicator appeared. The procedure took maybe a few seconds, maybe a bit more. In the end, the monitor returned to its original state, presenting her some sort of dashboard filled with tiles separating the content of the page. Locating the employees’ cards section took the raven-haired officer about a minute. To tell the truth, the design of that dashboard was horrific. One of her closest friends was a software developer. Nearly every single time they would meet, she would repeat one sentence about designing the applications. “Keep it stupid simple. The more intuitive the app is, the better,” Shauna heard her friend’s voice in her mind.

“Bingo,” Vayne whispered under her breath as soon as she managed to locate Taylor’s card.

It appeared that he had been assigned the officed located at the very back of the department. To reach it, she would need to cross nearly the entirety of the floor. Without a better thing to do, she opted to download the level map to her band. The moment the process finished, her band once again started to beep. Before proceeding toward the offices’ area, she logged out of the terminal. To her utter surprise, the glass doors already opened, as if waiting for her to come in.

The strong scent of men cologne hit her nostrils just a couple of moments after entering the area. The area seemed to be filled with it. Based on that fact only, the raven-haired woman could assume that most – if not all – of the department’s employees were men. “Does it really matter?” she asked herself, deep inside her mind.

Within a couple of next minutes, the woman managed to reach the central part of the level. It was modelled to be a circle with the circle table at the very middle. All of the walls adjusting the open-space area were covered with displays, consols, boards. It was evident for Vayne that this area for used primarily for meetings, planning sessions. Currently, two men were standing in front of one of the many computers. One of them was Taylor. Shauna recognised him based on the outfit he had worn during the short visit earlier.

Without hesitation, she decided to go forward. After all, she was here only because of the case the man had thrown at her desk some time ago. Still, she felt uneasy about the second man. He was about a head taller than Taylor. His clothing consisted of a long greyish thin coat with many pockets, dark combat pants and combo boots. The skin colour of the unknown man was slightly darker than Taylor’s. His long, straight, black hair was put into a ponytail. Even from a distance, it was evident that the man was muscular, combat experienced. Vayne felt as if the taller man was surrounded with a leadership aura, confidence.

When the raven-haired woman was only a couple of steps away from the men, she stopped, coughed once to gain attention. As it was to be expected, two officers turned around nearly instantly.

“Oh, finally you’re here,” Taylor said as some sort of greetings. “As I said, Lucian, it’s the officer who can help us with that case,” he added, talking toward his companion.

“You are awfully ill-mannered, Taylor,” Lucian pointed out with a deep, rich voice. “Miss Vayne, let me introduce myself properly. I am Commander Lucian Brown. I am the leader of this department and, unfortunately, the boss of this ill-mannered man, who stands next to me,” he introduced himself with a slight bow of his head.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in the flesh, Sir,” the raven-haired woman replied nearly instantly. “I’ve heard many stories about your carrier. I must admit that you’re quite a mystery even for RDT,” Shauna made a comment.

“It is true,” the commander agreed. “I like to keep my secrets with me. Anyways, we have a case to solve,” he changed the topic swiftly.

“Yes, we have,” Vayne repeated after the tall man. “Can you tell me something more about it? I’ve read the files Taylor gave me earlier today. Still, it feels odd. It feels as if we don’t know anything,” she provided her point of view.

“I would agree with you, Miss Vayne,” Lucian replied. “The scene looks like a butchery. At very first glance, one could say that it is the easiest case of all time. We found desecrated butcher bodies. It could lead us to search for people who suffer from strong mental disorders. Yet, I am not entirely convinced that” the man added a couple of more pieces of information.

“It wasn’t done by man,” Taylor said. “I can hardly think about anyone who has such a desire for blood and suffering,” he added with a hint of disgust hearable in his voice.

“Do we have any autopsy reports? Has it even been commissioned?” Shauna asked after a few seconds of silence.

“No, we do not have. As you might know, our city’s current governor had issued an edit that lowered our budget. More than that, to access the additional resources, we are to contact the council,” the commander explained.

“Who’s in charge of making such a decision?” the raven-haired woman asked, sighing heavily. “Of course, I forgot about that,” she added inside her mind.

“Any member of the council can provide us with the needed funds,” Taylor said. “However, the only one who’s currently in the city is the head of the council,” he added with a hint of fear.

“Can we contact him?” Shauna asked immediately.

“Not him, her,” Lucian corrected the woman. “I can make a call. However, I doubt that I will be invited to the meeting,” the tall man added.

“Without an autopsy, we’ll not go much further,” the raven-haired woman pointed out. “We need to talk with the leader of the council. Otherwise, we can just close the case. All we know is that there was only one killer. All of the victims were killed one by one.”

“I hate the fact that you’re right,” Taylor whispered. “I feel uneasy about the council’s leader, and you should too, Vayne,” he added.

“Why?” the woman asked, surprised.

“Because she is a vampire,” Lucian replied. “Taylor is afraid of vampires. He refuses to deal with the cases associated with them. And… it seems that he thinks that your experience with them, your past, will block you, to some extent,” the commander provided a further explanation.

Shauna allowed herself to be silenced for a couple of prolonged moments. Her mind was flooded by the memories cast away, bounded to the deepest part of her consciousness. The memories of that awful day came back with doubled strength. Images of her family being killed in front of her eyes returned. The woman felt as if she was reliving these moments once again. A lone tear rolled out of her eye. She wiped it up immediately.

“We’re here to save people, to make them as safe as possible,” she spoke after a moment of silence. “Even if these memories still hunt me in my nightmares, I need to overcome them. I chose this job to help people. And… if I’m too coward to fulfil my plages, I’m not worth anything,” she added in a whisper-like manner.

“I feel like you are too hard for yourself,” Lucian sounded. “However, I agree with you. To fulfil our job, we need to overcome our own traumas, our fears.”

“I won’t go to meet her,” Taylor said upright. “I don’t want to participate with the case with vampires,” he added to backup his previous statement.

“I will not force you,” the lead officer replied. “However, you are putting Miss Vayne in a very uncomfortable position. After all, she is not the part of the supernatural department compared to you,” the man pointed out in a cold tone. “Miss Vayne, would you take up this challenge and become a new member of my team?” he asked formally, focusing on the raven-haired woman.

“Sir, please drop these formalities, these titles,” Shauna replied immediately. “I’m an officer of RDT. If you want me to be part of your team, you’ll have me in it,” she added right away.

“I hoped you would say that Vayne,” Lucian responded. “I will make an appointment for you,” he added, reaching for the mobile straight away. “And before I forget,” the lead officer started. “Taylor, give her access to our databases, boards, resources,” her ordered his protégé.

“Right away, Sir,” Taylor replied without enthusiasm. “Come with me to another terminal,” he said toward Vayne.

They headed toward the terminal that was located at the opposite side of the open-space area. The display attached to the piece of technology was huge. Shauna would guess that the monitor was at least 67 inches wide, but she could be wrong. The measuring by sight was never her strong side. As soon as they reached it, Taylor began unlocking the computer and logging in.

“Could you read the serial number of your band, please?” he asked, not sparring her even a single glance.

“Sure,” the raven-haired woman responded. She lifted her band, then clicked a couple of times to access the settings menu. “67971b4daa43fff53fe63520dae72f77fd6d1362.”

“Ok, give a few moments,” the man said. “I queued some files to be sent to your band - mostly certificates, keys, you know, security stuff. It should be done in less than a minute. After that, you’re free to access our resources,” he explained, still continuing to talk without an ounce of enthusiasm.

“Do I need anything else?” the raven-haired woman asked, checking the piece of technology wrapped around her right wrist.

“I don’t think so,” Taylor responded, grumpy.

“Vayne, the council’s leader’s secretary, wants to speak with you,” Lucian sounded. “She agreed to arrange the meeting. However, the secretary wants to talk with the person who will be attending it. Before you ask, she disagreed for me to handle the meeting,” he added with a scowl all over his face.

“Fair enough,” Vayne sighed heavily before taking the phone from her new boss.

The woman allowed herself to sit beside the round table. The truth was, she needed a bit of time to calm down her nerves. After all, she had been just promoted, and yet, here she was. About to talk with the secretary of the single most important person in the city.

“Are you still with me, Miss Vayne?” the pleasant voice came from the mobile.

“Yes, of course,” the raven-haired woman replied as soon as the surprise faded away. “I’m sorry, I needed a moment for myself,” she provided an additional explanation.

“Nothing happened, Miss Vayne,” the secretary assured her cooly. “I was informed that you’re new here, so please, take your time,” she added. “Shall we address the matter of the appointment?” the woman asked a moment later.

“Yes,” the raven-haired woman replied, unconfidently.

“Splendid,” the council leader’s protégé exclaimed cheerfully. “Mister Brown informed me that you’d like to ask Miss Tepes for the additional resources for RDT. Do you have time now?” she asked.

“Why?”

“Miss Tepes informed me that if the matter is crucial for your operations, the meeting can be arranged now. I’ll have a driver sent to your main base within the next 2 minutes. He should arrive in less than 30 minutes,” the secretary flooded Vayne with information.

“Of course,” it was the only thing Shauna was able to utter back.

“Splendid, see you soon then,” the woman bid her farewell and hunged up the call in the very next second.

The confusion was visibly presented all over the raven-haired woman’s face. As soon as she put down the phone, her new boss walked to her.

“What did she say?” Lucian asked immediately.

“The meeting is today,” Vayne exhaled heavily. “The driver’s already en route to pick me up,” she provided a bit more information.

“Ehhh…,” the tall man sighed. “It seems that there is no rest for the wicked. There is a job to be done, Vayne. I count on you.”

“I’d love to say the same about myself,” she whispered, slowly standing up. “I need to get ready,” she added, excusing herself from the briefing room.

“Take your time, kid,” she heard Lucian’s voice behind her. “There is a lot of things that depend on that meeting. Just proceed slowly,” he gave her a hint.

“Of course, Sir,” Shauna replied emotionlessly. “I’ll make sure we get this money,” she tried to sound confident, but even she knew that she failed miserably. The department leader spotted that without a problem, but he did not utter a single word more, allowing the woman to leave the floor.

“It’s really high time for me to face the demons of my past,” Vayne whispered softly inside her mind.

Chapter Text

The driver had informed her about his arrival minutes before she could even reach the bottom level of the building. Vayne had been caught by surprise when her phone starter to beep, loudly announcing that she received a notification. She had thought that she had more than enough time to exit the building. Moreover, she had expected to wait for the driver. After all, the secretary had told her she would have around 30 minutes before the cab would be able to arrive.

There was no way these recent events had not been planned. Step by step, the pieces of a larger puzzle slowly started to fall into their righteous places. Firstly, the brutal slaughter of men; secondly, they had found bite marks on the bodies. Quite quickly, it had turned out that they lacked sufficient resources for progressing with the investigation. And… finally, the sudden appointment with the council leader; the meeting with the devil herself, the vampire. These events were too coherent, connected with one another to be considered a coincidence.

With a heavy sight, Shauna Vayne exited the RDT’s HQ. A chilling wind hit her as soon as she had made it into the open. It was already late evening, a chilly one, one might have added. The air was filled with small drops of rain. It was not surprising; after all, it had been raining nearly all day. The officer made sure to tighten her thick coat. A single blow of the wind made her shudder, and she did not like that feeling.

The sent vehicle was parked just a couple of dozens of meters away from her. It was a disgustingly expensive car, she noticed. One of the newest models of Mercedes, the exclusive class. The vehicle was black as the darkest night; despite the absence of tinted windows, it evoked concern. The RDT officer could not hear the engine; it must have been turned off whilst the driver waited for her. With yet another deep sigh, she began a stroll toward the car.

Even though the stroll did not last long, she noticed a couple of additional details. First of all, the raven-haired woman fixed her gaze upon the driver himself. He was a bulky, muscular man in his forties. Through the tinted glasses, he kept staring at her, as if regarding her, trying to foresee her next move. His clothing consisted of a deep-steel coloured shirt, a perfectly matched elegant suit in the colour of the night, and a Windsor-tied silver tie. The dark hair was cut short, put back, moistened slightly with the use of a gel. There was no doubt that the driver had military experience; he looked like a perfect example of a spec-ops operator.

As soon as she got close enough, the driver exited the vehicle.

“Miss Vayne, I presume?” the man asked in a deep tone. His tone gave away the fact that he was used to issuing orders. But, Shauna must have admitted, the dark-haired man was tall; he must have been taller than 2m.

“Yes, it’s me, Shauna Vayne; nice to meet you,” the woman introduced herself.

“Likewise, Miss Vayne,” the man responded.

“I assume you were informed about the destination of this ride?” the RDT officer asked, lowering her tone slightly.

“Of course, Miss Tayaki made everything clear,” a brief response was provided. “It is not usual for the member of ‘Rapid Deployment Team’ to be invited to meet the council, let alone Miss Tepes. However, who am I to undermine my superiors decision. Shall we ride, Miss Vayne?” he asked, pointing out at the vehicle.

“Yes, the quicker we get there, the quicker the whole situation will be dealt with,” Vayne admitted.

“Please, let me open the door for you, then,” the driver uttered, then proceeded toward the passenger seat. “This way, please.”

Within moments, the dark-haired woman found herself situated inside the luxurious car. The quality of workmanship was undeniable; she felt as if she could melt away in these upholstered leather seats. Just a second later, the engine started to rev; it had been brought back to life. Without much sound, they pulled away from the parking lot. With every second, the vehicle was only going faster and faster. Still, to some extent, it was not even detectable. Without anything better to do, Vayne opted to enjoy the ride as much as she possibly could.

As expected, the ride did not last long. Before the officer could have even relaxed, regained a firm hold over her mind, they entered the underground parking. Each of the 3 stops had been heavily guarded. So, the agents assigned to that task did not even try to pretend that they were members of casual security. On the contrary, armed with top-notch assaults rifles and protected by full-body combat armours, they posed a real threat to any unexpected visitors.

Moreover, their faces were covered by ghost inspired masks. One minor detail intrigued her. On the right shoulders, the agents’ origin’s country flag had been displayed.

The car had not been stopped even once. Every time, they had been scanned a couple of meters before the barriers. Everything was automated to a massive degree. Just a flesh or red light, then the nearly invisible barrier faded away, leaving the passage accessible to them.

Soon enough, they parred in the highlighted area. The vehicle’s engine was automatically turned off with the rest of the systems. Additionally, 3 of the council’s agents made their way toward them.

“Miss Vayne, these agents will lead you to Miss Tayaki,” the driver uttered after a couple of moments of silence. “It was a great pleasure to meet you, Miss Vayne,” he added with a quick bow.

“Thank you for the ride,” Vayne replied with a small smile forming on top of her lips. “You haven’t introduced yourself. What’s your name?” she asked.

“Martin Eckstein,” the dark-haired man spoke quietly.

“Hope we’ll meet again, Martin,” the RDT officer responded whilst getting out of the vehicle.

“Likewise, Miss Vayne. Good luck; out of my own experience, I can say that Miss Tepes can be quite overwhelming,” Martin uttered, fixing his gaze at the woman. “One piece of advice, don’t waste Miss Tepes’s time; it’s the thing Miss Tepes hates the most.”

“I’ll keep that in mind; thanks,” Vayne replied.

The agents reached her in no time. Just like their colleagues, they had been heavily armed, ready for a battle. One quick look allowed her to find out that all of them originated from Germany. It seemed that the council was putting a lot of trust into this one particular nationality. After all, most if not all of the previously seen soldiers came from there.

Even though all of these agents were tall, the one walking slightly forward was towering his peers. The man might have been some sort of the officer; however, it was not written in stone whether the council’s envoys had any command structure.

“Are you going to take me to Miss Tayaki?” Vayne asked, feeling intimidated by the sheer presence of the muscular soldiers.

Instead of verbally responding to the woman’s question, the tallest of the agents merely nodded, turning around instantly after. Even though it was not said openly, the RDT officer was asked to follow her armed escort. It seemed as if the atmosphere around here was thickening with every passing moment.

A quick stroll later, the elevator was reached at the end of the long bright corridor. But, before the piece of technology could be used, it required authorisation. A terminal with a keyboard was projected by the mechanism hidden inside the panel. The projected objects were hanging in the air, awaiting the use. The tallest of the Germans stood right in front of the terminal. Such action cut off entirely Vayne’s sight. No sound was initialised whilst the agent was providing the access code.

The credentials must have been accepted cause the elevator announced its arrival just a few moments later. The council’s servants invited her to enter it with hand gestures. They followed her just a couple of steps behind.

“Please do provide the desired destination,” the artificial feminine voice sounded as soon as the door had closed.

“Segment B42,” one of the soldiers said with a solid German accent.

“Sergeant Heinz recognised; verifying the privileges… waiting; access granted,” the voice informed them. “ETA 1 min, please hold the handles tight,” it added a moment later.

“What handles?” Vayne asked, looking at the agents.

The soldier named Heinz came closer; his right hand touched the panel right next to Vayne. Nearly instantly, the area around his palm started to blur, transform. Then, within a fraction of a second, the outer part of the panel vanished, revealing the handle.

“Feel free to use this one,” the German uttered before backing off. “This elevator had been planned for up to 30 people; so, there are a lot of handles here,” he added.

Without uttering any response, the RDT officer grabbed the handle. Before she could even notice, the elevator started moving. Then, a strong pull was felt; it nearly threw her to the right. There was no time for her to adapt to the force affecting her. A few moments later, the force started to push her to the ground.

Thankfully, as quickly as the unpleasant feeling began, it faded away.

The quiet beep announced reaching the destination.

“Segment B42 reached,” the AI announced shortly after. “Person responsible for the segments is Mia Tayaki; her supervision is Miss Tepes. In the case of any inconveniences, please contact the ‘Specters’ team,” it provided a few pieces of additional information.

“Miss Tayaki will be waiting for you at the very end of the hall,” Heinz uttered. “You can not get lost here; however, if you manage to do so, start asking questions, ‘Aria’ was informed that she is to help you.”

“Who’s Aria?” Vayne asked.

“Miss Vayne, ‘Aria’ is the AI connected to this facility,” the German responded politely. “You have heard her voice already. She spoke briefly with us inside the elevator,” he added.

“Oh… I see,” the dark-haired woman replied. “Farewell then,” she added.

“I will be awaiting any questions of yours, Miss Vayne,” Aria exclaimed as soon as the RDT officer left the lift.

“Thank you, Aria,” the dark-haired woman mumbled under her breath.

She found herself inside the enormously spacious hall. On her left, the massive panels simulating windows could be spotted. The outside world seen through them seemed to be dimmed, greyish. It was highly likely that the outside part of the panel looked like the solid greyish surface, revealing nothing hidden behind it. The same could be said about the sight on her right.

The light system must have been located under the semi-transparent segments of the construction. Still, a decent percentage of the light came from the pillars separating the whole hall into 3 sections. Their surfaces seemed fractured, rough, raw. It seemed as if they had been built out of bare granite. Yet, they stood there like a feat of strength, distinguishing themselves from the rest of the room. Which was of a modern design.

The marble floor was polished up to the point that one could see one’s reflection inside the black as night stone. It was at the same time horrific and intriguing.

A couple of oaken benches had been put nearby the windows’ panels. Maybe… just maybe, this area was meant to be an antechamber, a waiting room for people awaiting a meeting with Miss Tepes. Still, such thoughts did not ease up Vayne’s mind. She felt trapped, watched from every corner, surrounded by enemies. After all, the current situation could be easily compared to walking up to the wolves den for her.

“Miss Vayne?” the AI called her up. “Is everything alright?” it asked.

“I’m fine, Aria,” the RDT officer responded after a moment or two of silence.

“Miss Tayaki is started to get worried,” the voice uttered. “She was already informed about your arrival; however, after half an hour, you have not reached her office. So, Miss Tayaki asked me to locate you and offer any sufficient help you would need,” a brief explanation was provided.

“What… you’ve mentioned that half an hour passed since the agents reported my arrival?” the shooked dark-haired woman asked. “How can it be? I’ve been here for a couple of minutes at most,” she managed to form the sentence without stuttering.

“Negative,” the AI responded immediately. “You have been staring into the pillars of remembrance; you must have been affected by their magic. It sometimes happens; I can assure you about that, Miss Vayne. You have been touching the stone, inspecting it closely. I have seen people doing it numerous times before,” it added.

“What the hell are these pillars?” Shauna murmured under her breath. “Why are they even located here?”

“This information is classified, Miss Vayne,” Aria informed her. “I can only reveal some facts regarding the pillars. They had been found and stored by Miss Tepes’s family. These 8 pillars had been found across the period lasting 800 years,” the AI explained.

“I assume you won’t tell me anything else regarding these ‘things’?” the RDT officer asked.

“No, I am sorry, Miss Vayne, but the catalogue storing the data regarding the pillars requires certain privileges to access,” Aria uttered emotionlessly.

“Fine, I’ll go see Miss Tayaki then,” Shauna decided loudly.

“It would be highly appreciated, Miss Vayne,” the AI exclaimed. “For now, I will inform Miss Tayaki that you are on your way.”

“Fine, go inform her,” Vayne responded with a shrug.

Without anything better to do, the dark-haired woman started to head forward. But, strangely enough, despite all her efforts, she felt as if drawn toward the pillars. It felt as if some sort of an unknown force was luring her closer and closer. To counteract, she needed to muster all her strengths and self-control.

“What the hell is going on here?” the dark-haired officer allowed herself to ask.

Sometime later, Shauna ended up in yet another bright corridor. It had been built out of white as snow panels emitting ghostly light. If she had been to speak her mind, she would have said that the surroundings had made her uneasy, had caused goosebumps.

Thankfully, this one was far shorter compared to the one located on lower levels of the compound. Still, the constant feeling of being watched did not vanish as soon as she exited the pathway.

Within moments, Shauna Vayne found herself inside a mediocre-sized hall filled with grim-dark light. It seemed that this section must have been surrounded by other halls; there were no windows there. The design resembled the neo-gothic; however, the material used seemed raw. In many areas across the walls and ceiling, uncut stone could be spotted. The scenery as a whole seemed as if taken out of a medieval castle.

“Ah, Miss Vayne,” she heard a pleasant voice coming from nearby. “You finally made it here, splendid.”

It took her a couple of short-lived moments to turn around toward the source. A small woman of clear Japanese blood was coming her way. She was beautiful; that one aspect was left without an ounce of doubt. Her short, straight, black as night hair was reaching only half of her nape. The silverish eyes were mesmerising, tantalising openly. Plump yet small lips were inviting to plant a kiss on top of them. She was stunning, like an angel fallen out of the havens.

“Miss Tayaki, I assume?” the RDT officer managed to mumble.

“Correct,” the Asian woman responded, flashing a small, charming smile. “Should we omit the formalities? I bet you will be forced to use them whilst speaking with Miss Tepes; there is no need to bother you with them when having a conversation with me, Shauna?”

“Yeah… it can be handy, Mai,” Vayne responded, trying to regain a hold over herself. She felt as if something was luring her toward the tiny, delicate Asian woman. Something similar to the energy wrapped around the pillars in the antechamber.

“If you are ready, you can proceed with the stairs toward Miss Tepes’s office. Miss Tepes is expecting you; however, there is no need for a hurry,” Mia informed the officer whilst finally closing the distance between them.

She stopped only a couple of steps away from the RDT officer. The secretary stood in such a position as if inviting Shauna to look at her, inspect, gawk at her. And frankly… there was a lot of minor or major details worth keeping an eye on. Vayne had speculation that Miss Tayaki was not entirely real. Everything about her was screaming of perfection; she seemed to be taken from the first page of some model catalogue regarding the beautiful Asian women. Her figure was flawless; she could be mentioned as an example of the perfect hourglass, having the right assets to catch the eye. A deep-blue, long-sleeved velvet dress was just an extension of Miss Tayaki’s perfect body. In some areas, it was intentionally cut off in others tightened to highlight the woman’s feminine assets. However, Vayne was most intrigued about the black as night silk lacy choker wrapped around the entirety of the woman’s neck.

“Would it be an overstep if I say that you’re tantalising me?” the conflicted RDT officer uttered quietly.

“Oh, not at all,” Mia giggled whilst responding. “In fact, many people have such an impression of me. It might be on top5 most commonly used phrases toward me,” she added, continuing to giggle. “However, I rarely have a pleasure to hear such a compliment from beautiful women; so, you can count yourself noted and appreciated.”

“Thank you… I guess,” Shauna mumbled, scratching her nape nervously. “Why did you tell me not to hurry up? Isn’t your boss quite a busy person?” she wanted to know.

“But, of course,” Miss Tayaki chuckled; it was such a pleasant sound to behold. “Her schedule is usually quite tight; however, thanks to your clumsy call, we have managed to reschedule tonight’s meetings for the further dates.”

“I assume it’s the only reason why my sluggishness was tolerated?” the officer asked.

“Yes, quite frankly, yes,” the secretary replied, still smiling. “In any other situation, you would be already informed that your appointment was rescheduled due to you running late. However, tonight is not the case. So, I would suggest taking advantage of it.”

“What can you tell me about Miss Tepes?” Vayne asked openly. “Should I avoid delving into some matters?”

“Oh,” Miss Tayaki giggled. “It does not really matter,” she added. “You will not be able to play any role in front of her; no matter what mask you have prepared for your meeting, she will read you like a book. It is her trait, her tramp card,” she explained briefly.

“One last question,” the dark-haired officer started. “Is it the bite mark hidden under the choker?”

“How do you think, Shauna?” the secretary asked a question of her own, smiling mischievously.

“I believe it is,” the RDT officer responded.

“You are right; Miss Tepes is willing to grant us various benefits for blood. So, she does not have to hurt anyone innocent,” Mia replied. “You might think about it as barbarism. However, it is not what you are thinking about. We are willingly offering our blood to her. And… she never forgets to more than repay for such acts.”

“It’s your decision,” Shauna said, a sad tone hearable in her voice. “I’m not the one to judge you.”

“Miss Tepes is awaiting you; go ahead,” Miss Tayaki uttered, flashing one last smile toward the RDT officer. In the meantime, Vayne started to climb the stairs toward the lair of her fears.

Chapter Text

It took Vayne a couple of moments to realise that she was holding her breath for some time by now. Of course, she was under a lot of stress. The pressure only recently had started to take its toll on her. After all, the officer was left alone to face her demons. It seemed like a cruel extension of the nightmarish events that had taken place years ago. It was so cruel to ask her - of all people - to face her nemesis, demon, nightmare, a vampire. Only a couple of moments separated her from meeting the most influential vampire in the city, potentially all over the world. These moments needed to be utilised to calm down, to collect her mind.

A heavy sigh escaped the tightened throat of Vayne. In front of her, the door of ebony could be spotted. It was most likely the only thing separating the stressed RDT officer and Miss Tepes. The unfortunate realisation was that Shauna was not really ready for that encounter. All of her bravado, all of her strong will, seemed to fade away. The council’s leader knew about her presence and potentially knew about her fear. The second detail was much more concerning. After all, the vampires were known for using their enemies weaknesses just for the sake of their own pleasure.

The raven-haired officer seemed to be unable to take this one additional step. Even though she was right before the door leading to Miss Tepes’s office, she could not muster enough courage to move forward. Shauna could feel her hands getting sweaty; her fingers moved on their own, remaining in a constant movement. Her tight throat got dry in what felt like a moment. A couple of coughs were forced by her current state. The officer was just a step away from her current destination. Her goal was at her hand’s reach, yet she was unable to take it.

She was brought back to reality when she heard a clicking sound coming from Miss Tepes’s office. The raven-haired woman shook her head a couple of times, trying to regain some control over her body. The decision was made immediately. Without delving into the matter deeper, she took the last step, knocking on the door.

“You can enter, Miss Vayne,” an emotionless voice replied nearly instantly.

Not without conflicted feelings, the officer opened the door, then entered the room.

She must have admitted that its design made her speechless. Even though the interior was not glittering with gold – as one could think considering Miss Tepes’s position in council – she felt overwhelmed. The floor was made of shining tiles of the colour of the darkest onyx. Of course, these could be dyed marble, but who was she to tell for sure? Right in front of her, the large red Persian carpet was located. As far as she could tell, it was the only place where the depthless darkness of the tiles was being hidden under something. A few steps past the carpet, the massive desk could be spotted. It was made of thick, chestnut wood, intentionally leaving its rings in full display. Not many items were lying on it, though. There were only a couple of documents and a pen. Or, at least that much she could tell from her current standing. The elegant throne-like armchair was moved slightly to the side. It was upholstered in leather as black as night. Behind it, there was an enormously large window, or more precisely speaking the glass wall. Currently, it was entirely stained by the heavy droplets of the rain. There must have been a breathtaking view coming from it. But, of course, when the world was not covered in darkness and greyness.

“It took you a lot longer to get here than expected. For a second, I thought that you would end up standing right before my doors for the entirety of the night. But, I am glad that I was mistaken,” the same stoic, emotionless voice came from her right.

“Good evening, Miss Tepes,” Shauna greeted the vampire, trying to sound polite. Then, within a fraction of a second, she turned around to face her speaker. “My apologies for running late,” she added.

At first, she could not locate the council’s leader. Based on her last words’ source, she would have to stand beside the furthest wall; however, she was nowhere to be seen.

“Miss Vayne, I think we are both adults. So, we can skip pleasantries; I know how much you hate my kind. How much you despise us,” Miss Tepes whispered into Shauna’s ear in an amused tone.

The raven-haired officer’s reaction was immediate and instinctive. She jumped forward, turning around mid-air. Though, she could not deny that she shuddered. A shiver ran down her spine. But, she was not entirely sure whether it was caused by the possible danger or the rich, extremely attractive voice of Miss Tepes.

“Can we agree to have a conversation under such conditions?” the vampire asked, smirking openly at the RDT officer.

When Vayne gaze fell onto Miss Tepes for the very first time, she already had known that she had lost. The beauty standing just a couple of steps away from her was tantalising her openly, alluring. Her facial features were sharp, defined, perfect. Below a tiny nose, kissable lips covered by crimson-red lipstick were presented, smirking at her. The eyes of an apex predator were fixed upon Shauna. They were freely switching colours between the bloody red and silver. Her long white as snow hair was allowed to stream down onto her back in cascades. Miss Tepes was slim but not fragile. It was evident that under the thin skin of milky colour, there were defined, strong muscles. Even without heeled boots, the council’s leader would have towered the officer. She must have been taller by the head’s length, maybe a little less. It was challenging to say with certainty. The vampire was clothed just like one of the sexy businesswomen that usually covers the very first pages of magazines. On top of the elegant silverish shirt, there was a blazer of graphite colour. The top two buttons of her shit were left undone, highlighting exposed skin and a beautiful necklace. It might have been dragon’s head; but, Vayne was not entirely sure about it, and… more importantly, she did not want to be caught gawking at the exposed cleavage of Miss Tepes. The blazer was not buttoned at all; it seemed the vampire preferred comfort over formality. The skin-tight black formal trousers matched the rest of the outfit perfectly. As for the boots, the council’s leader chose silvery heels, but they were not as high as one might have anticipated.

Only after a couple of moments, the RDT officer realised that she omitted one major detail. On the swan-like neck of Miss Tepes, there was a black lacy choker. Underneath it, the bite mark must have been hidden. And… it meant that Miss Tepes was not a pure-blood which had a shocking effect on the raven-haired officer.

“I would strongly suggest you stopping starring at me,” the white-haired vampire huffed. “First of all, it is impolite; secondly, I do not consider myself a piece of meat to be gawked upon,” she added, raising her tone slightly. “So, please stop looking at me like you are doing for at least a couple of minutes by now!”

“I’m sorry, Miss Tepes,” Shauna immediately started to apologise. There was something exceptionally off going on here. It was a second time she seemed to be caught in time, not really realising what she was doing.

“I told you, drop that façade. It is not needed here,” the council’s leader uttered emotionlessly. “Can we proceed with your case, Miss Vayne? Or… do you want to continue staring at me for the rest of the night?” At first glance, it would appear to be a somehow polite question, but underneath the facade, some mockery was going on.

“Yes, we can proceed… Miss…”

“Call me by my name – Akali,” the vampire interrupted the officer. “I told you, drop the pleasantries. I know how you feel about me.”

There was a mischievous smirk playing on the kissable lips of the vampire. The council’s leader knew she had the upper hand, an advantage over the RDT’s officer.

“You’re talking about dropping the pleasantries, formality; however, you’re still referring to me as Miss,” the raven-haired officer dared to say aloud after a couple of moments of silence.

“Oh,” Akali hummed. “You are starting to regain control, as I see,” she commented. “Good.”

“What did you do to me?” Vayne demanded the answers with a cold-stone voice. “I felt that something was off the moment I entered this building. What kind of trickery is that?”

“You have finally noticed. Very well. Can we proceed to the business?” the vampire asked emotionlessly, turning around, heading toward her desk.

“Don’t pretend as if you don’t have your schedule cleared for the night,” the raven-haired officer scoffed. “So, answer my questions first, then we can talk about businesses.”

“You have an audacity… I must give you that,” Akali replied without even looking at her. “It is true that my schedule was cleared due to your surprising request. However, it does not change a thing in the greater scope of things. I still have other matters to tend to. So, Vayne… I would hurry up if I were you.”

“Why is she acting like a complete bitch?” Shauna asked herself rhetorically, deep inside her mind. “Fine; let’s focus on business,” she referred to Miss Tepes, sighing heavily.

“I am all ears, then,” the white-haired vampire uttered, situating herself on top of her throne-like armchair.

“I assume you don’t give a shit about the living conditions of humans, so….”

Before she could even blink, her throat was held in an iron grip. She was effortlessly picked up from the ground, hanging a couple of inches above the floor. Her skin was burning; so was her throat. She could hardly breathe. The heavy cold sweat came upon her brow as soon as she felt the razor-sharp claws of Akali manifesting. A quick unpleasant shiver ran down her spine once her skin was pierced in a couple of spots.

“I would recommend talking with me like that, Shauna Vayne,” the council’s leader’s eyes turned red whilst her tone was colder than the ice. “Though the council’s actions rarely are announced openly, I can assure you that we take care and responsibility for the humans. Even if the others did not, I would still do so,” she continued to whisper.

Without a moment of hesitation, Akali’s grip was loosened but not gone. She maintained it until the RDT’s officer was put down onto the ground. As soon as it happened, Vayne exhaled deeply, happy that the pressure was gone. Her fingers started to look for the small wounds that the council’s leader inflicted. Just like expected, there were 5 of them, all shallow.

“I could kill you right now,” Miss Tepes uttered coldly. “Though, I feel like it would be just a waste. Can we continue, or do you have other inappropriate things on your mind?”

“No… we can proceed,” the officer hoarse replied.

“Very well.”

“I don’t know what situations are being reported directly to you, Miss Tepes,” Vayne started slowly. “There was an accident recently that needs a further investigation. But… without the council’s found it’s impossible for us to progress,” the woman tried to explain the situation without giving too many details.

“I would not call it an accident,” Akali commented emotionlessly. “It was a slaughter; there is no other word explaining it better.”

“You knew about that?” the RDT’s officer asked, shocked.

“I was informed a couple of minutes before your arrival,” Miss Tepes replied politely. “Please, sit down. I would like to hear your perspective of the story,” she added, pointing out the ebony chairs that were being located near the wall.

Without uttering a single word more, she turned around, making her way back toward the desk.

“Aria, please unlock the default terminal for me,” she spoke coldly. “Also… transfer the classified data of levels 3 and 4 to my personal storage.”

“As you wish, Miss Tepes,” the AI replied instantly. “The terminal unlocked, up and running,” she informed. “The estimated size of requested files is around 5 TB. Would you like me to obtain all of it, or only a fraction of it, Miss Tepes?”

The next couple of moments were filled with silence. The council’s leaders seemed to be analysing something inside her mind. She frowned. In the meantime, Vayne picked up one of the chairs and brought it to Miss Tepes’s desk. The raven-haired woman sat on it, curious what would happen next.

“No, it would take too long,” Akali responded emotionlessly. “I want the data from last 2 days, sector A4. The longer logs can be truncated; the nested data can be flattened,” she added.

“Affirmative, Miss Tepes,” Aria replied politely. “Estimated size can be neglected,” she commented. “Establishing secure connection; opening the stream; downloading; done,” the AI was reporting the process’s progress.

“Thank you, Aria. That would be all for now,” the council’s leader uttered.

“It was a pleasure, Miss Tepes. If you have need of me, please just call,” Aria responded.

As soon as the AI’s voice faded away, the holo terminal appeared on her left. It was covering a decent part of the empty wall. In the beginning, it was displaying dozens if not hundreds of directories named with some sort of pattern. She could not make any sense of it. However, it seemed that for Miss Tepes, these hashes made some sort of a sense. Without wasting even a moment, the white-haired vampire started to delve deeper into the tree-like structure.

The next couple of moments passed in what felt like a blink of an eye. It was evident that the vampire knew more or less what she was looking for. She was not wasting nearly any time looking over the files. Just one glance, then another nested directory was being checked.

It took her maybe 15 or so minutes to find what she was looking for. As soon as it happened, a console was opened. Then, within a fraction of a second, some commands were executed, filling the entirety of the display with outputs. The texts moved so fast that Shauna barely could keep up with the cursor.

Soon enough, the single word was printed in the output. Then, just a moment later, the familiar photos related to the case started to open up, filling the monitor. The RDT’s officer did not need to be reminded of the horrors lurking there. Still, she was not asked for her expertise.

“You suspect that one of my kind did it, do you not?” Miss Tepes sounded for the very first time in like 20 minutes or so.

“I’d say so. Or, at least the bite marks suggest it,” Vayne replied.

“I am not that convinced,” the white-haired vampire uttered. “However, you will be given additional resources to continue the investigation.”

“Thank you, Miss Tepes,” the raven-haired woman uttered, nodding slightly. “If it’s all; I’d like to return to the HQ. There’s a lot of work ahead of me,” she added.

“You are not going to the HQ. At least, not for now,” Akali responded coldly. “You will accompany me to personally inspect the bodies,” she informed the officer. “And… as you might already expect, there is no way you get out of it.”

“Aria, inform the garage to prepare one of my cars,” the council’s leader uttered her request toward the AI.

“Of course, Miss Tepes,” the synthetic voice replied immediately. “Do you need a driver or you want to drive yourself, Miss?” she asked.

“I will be driving,” the vampire responded. “Ah… I would forget. Please, transfer additional resources to the RDT.”

“Affirmative. What amount do you mean, Miss Tepes?” Aria asked.

“It is stored in a file in the current path on my terminal,” Akali nonchalantly said. “I think you have already looked into it. So, proceed with the transfer, and prepare me the car.”

“Of course. The ETA 3 minutes, Miss Tepes,” the AI informed the council’s leader.

“Splendid, thank you, Aria,” the white-haired woman acknowledged, standing up. “Hurry up, Vayne. As you have said yourself, there is a lot of work to be done,” she added before heading out, not sparing a single glance toward the confused officer.

Chapter Text

The next few minutes could not have been described with a better word than blurry. Without any other available option, the RDT officer had been forced to follow the council’s leader. The platinum-white-haired woman had seemed to be a manifest of nature. Maybe it had been just her, but she could have sworn that the light had begun to dim when the vampire had entered the room. But, of course, the opposite could have been said when she had been leaving. The light had seemed relived with Miss Tepes gone, returning to its former glory, shining brightly.

Before Vayne could even process their journey fully, they reached the garage section of the complex. Truth be told, the raven-haired woman had expected to be lead into the same area she initially had been brought into. However, it did seem that many additional levels were serving the same purpose.

Strangely enough, no member of the security could have been seen as far as Shauna could see. She tried to look around at least a couple of times. But, in the end, it was evident that they were here alone.

It must have been admitted, the nearby area was more than spacious. It would not have been an understatement to say that most if not all RDT vehicles could be stored there easily. However, the council apparently had not opted to utilise it. Only one car could be spotted in the officer’s sight. And… it must have been Miss Tepes’s vehicle. There was no other explanation about its presence here.

“Surprised, are you not?” the white-haired vampire asked, turning around slightly to look at Shauna.

“Yes, a little,” the officer replied.

“You have expected me driving a limousine, have you not?” Akali uttered a question, smirking at the raven-haired woman. “Luxury can be handy in some situations. However, driving is not one of them. In that field, I prefer performance over it,” she added. “Come, we have wasted enough time already.”

Many things could be said about Miss Tepes’s car, but you possibly could not have called it unluxurious. To sum it up simply, it was a vehicle similar to the one from earlier on.

With a little hesitation, she trailed after the council’s leader. After all, she had really no other options. Of course, she could have just refused to obey Miss Tepes’s orders. However, it could backfire on the whole RDT. And… currently, they really needed the additional resources that Akali could have given them. So, Vayne opted to play obediently.

The revving of the engine was fantastic. Then, within a fraction of a second, a powerful construction returned to life, announcing it.

“Fasten your seatbelts,” the white-haired woman commented emotionlessly. Then, she pushed down the accelerator pedal a couple of times, causing the revving to sound time and time again. “I am not a slow driver,” she added once she spotted the confused look on Vayne’s face.

Before the RDT officer could do as she had been told, Miss Tepes pulled away rapidly. Even though the car only just began speeding up, the pressure put onto Shauna was noticeable, pushing her deep into the seat.

“I told you to fasten your seatbelts,” a reproving comment was made by the vampire. “Though do not get too comfortable, it will take us only a couple of minutes to reach the destination.”

“Affirmative, ma’am,” the raven-haired officer sighed heavily, giving up. She could not win with that woman.

Even if the council’s leader had wanted to add something, she had opted not to. Instead, the decision was made to focus solely on driving. After all, as she had already said, it would not take them long to reach the morgue where the bodies were being held.

A couple of minutes later:

Vayne had not been told that the victims’ remnants had been kept inside the St. Peter’s Hospital. That particular clinic had been considered one of the best across the country for many, many years by now.

Frankly saying, the hospital had been set in the empty buildings that once had been part of the Christian University of Science. So, most of the walls here were black as onyx. Yet, surprisingly, they had endured the trial of time. After all, the university had been built in the early stages of the 21^st century.

The whole complex had been build upon a simple plan of three squares. Each following one contained the remaining ones. The outer ring currently was used as the entry point to the main hospital facility. Here the registration office was located alongside the first-contact doctors’ cabinets. Due to its enormous space, most of the medical supplies usually were stored there as well.

A few people who worked in the morgue had waited for them right before the hospital’s back entrance. Usually, this passage was reserved only for the ambulances. However, as it apparently seemed, Miss Tepes could freely use it. Truth be told, she was the leader of the council. She had nearly immeasurable resources at her disposal, and she could use them with as little as the snap of her fingers.

As soon as they had exited the vehicle, all of these men started to basically worship the vampire. Then, they started bowing, greeting, talking sweetly toward the council’s leader. It was evident that Miss Tepes did not like that kind of behaviour. It took only a couple of moments for her to get tired of that crap. Finally, the white-haired woman raised her hand, clearly indicating the men to shut up. Then, she allowed herself to roll her eyes in discontent.

That situation lasted at least a couple of moments, giving more than enough time for Vayne to take a closer look. All of the morgue’s employees wore a complete set of suits.

“They must have been working recently with something radioactive,” Shauna hummed to herself. “But why?” she uttered a silent question.

Something was evidently off. She could tell that for sure; however, what was causing such a train of thoughts was still unknown. She was brought back to reality when she felt someone staring at her. When she looked around to identify the source of that feeling, the unpleasant shiver ran down her spine. But, of course, it could not have been anyone else than Miss Tepes. Her silver eyes turned crimson-red in a heartbeat. Even though her face remained emotionless, Vayne was positive that the vampire was displeased.

“Can we proceed, Vayne?” a simple question was uttered in such a cold and harsh manner as the Syberian night.

“Of course, ma’am,” the RDT officer replied immediately, forcing herself to bow slightly. “I’m sorry, I got distracted,” she provided a little bit of explanation.

“I want Dr Michel to be present during the autopsy,” the white-haired vampire uttered coldly toward the men. “And, on top of that, I do not want to see you anymore. So you all can consider yourselves dismissed.”

The morgue’s employees did not utter a single word. Instead, they just bowed before Miss Tepes, and then, they left.

Complete silence was allowed to fell upon them for the next couple of prolonged moments. The white-haired woman had her back turned on Vayne. Based on her body language, she was deeply thinking about something. The RDT officer did not dare to disturb Miss Tepes. In her current situation, it would not be a wise decision to take.

After maybe 5 or so minutes, the council’s leader decided to break the silence.

“We can talk now,” Akali started surprisingly. “Follow me. They will not be able to hear our conversation.”

With these words, Miss Tepes proceeded forward, not waiting for the raven-haired woman to catch up. Without a better alternative, Vayne jogged toward the council’s leader, vanishing the gap within moments. She did not want to show it off, but she was curious what would be the topic of their talk.

“You have sensed that something is not entirely right here?” the white-haired woman asked. Frankly, it was more of a statement than a question.

“Yes,” Shauna simply replied. “I don’t know why, but their outfits don’t quite match the case,” she provided a simple preview of her thoughts.

“I would say so,” the still crimson-red-eyed beauty agreed emotionlessly. “It seems that I will need to take a closer look at the hospital’s spendings. But… back to the main topic; Dr Michel is the only doctor here that can be trusted without question,” she informed the officer.

“What makes you so sure about her?” the curious black-haired officer asked. Although she immediately regretted asking, she did not manage to bite her tongue quicker to stop it.

“Hmmm… I guess I should tell you that it is classified,” the vampire uttered, shrugging nonchalantly. “However, it might matter later on. She is one of our agents, more precisely mine,” she added.

“You wanted to say that she’s the part of that security team that’s protecting the council?” Vayne wanted some sort of verification.

“You could say that,” the council’s leader replied. “If… my speculations are correct, your case will get much more difficult than it is already.”

“What do you mean by that?” the raven-haired officer asked.

“I think you will find out soon,” Miss Tepes replied, effectively cutting off the conversation. “But now, we should hurry up. We should not allow Dr Michel to keep waiting for our arrival.”

With nothing more to add – or at least, it seemed that way – the white-haired woman sped up noticeably.

The RDT officer had nowhere to go other than to follow the vampire. So, with a heavy sigh, she did so.

A couple of minutes later:

To say that from outside the St Peter’s Hospital gave a grimdark aura would not have been an understatement. The very walls in the colour of the onyx seemed to be only a thin layer behind which something nasty was lurking. It would be safe to acknowledge that you would constantly feel watched from afar whilst walking around the complex. For Vayne, it would be no different. The RDT officer was turning around every couple of moments, looking around frantically. She felt as if she had been put into the cage, and someone was enjoying her struggles. The woman felt a cold sweat running down her neck. It would have been enough to say that it had not been the most pleasurable sensation. Still, she must have reminded herself at least a couple of times that as soon as they would be in, the nasty feelings would be gone. The only problem was that she did not believe in such lies since she had been a child.

Soon enough, they entered the cluster of buildings in the middle square. If it had been possible, the aura reigning here had been even more grimdark. The old, scarred by the passage of time, walls were gone. However, the modern lighting system behind the thin layer of the semi-transparent material cast a hollow, bluish light, making the raven-haired woman uneasy. The fact that no one was around only fed her paranoia.

The white-haired vampire paid the RDT officer no mind. Instead, she pushed forward steadily, not even looking behind. The council’s leader seemed unaffected by the hospital’s aura. Even more so, she appeared to be drawing it toward herself.

“I would strongly recommend you hurry up, Vayne!” a cold snap pierced through the silence.

For a couple of short-lived moments, the raven-haired woman wanted to reply with something. However, soon enough, she realised there was nothing to say. So, she just lowered her head a little, just like a small child. Then, she ran toward the emotionless frame she knew under the name of Miss Tepes. But, as expected, the vampire did not wait for her. Instead, the white-haired leader returned to previously interrupted occupation, heading forward.

Shauna followed the council’s leader without uttering a single word. Still, to some extent, the more time she spent nearby Akali, the more intimidated she felt. It would be extremely challenging to express what was really going on in her mind. So, the officer decided to cut off the connection, at least temporarily. She believed it would be far easier to deal with the case whilst keeping her paranoia in check.

It took them a couple of minutes to reach the stairs. Even though it was to be expected that the morgue would be located underground, Vayne shuddered as soon as Miss Tepes started coming down. So, a heavy sigh was allowed to be released. It was steadily getting more and more difficult to control her emotions. The sinister feeling that she had noticed on their arrival here not only did not fade away, but it also grew stronger.

Within the next couple of moments, they started to delve deeper into the lower levels. The semi-transparent material so commonly used on the ground level was nowhere to be seen. Instead, its place was taken by polished corpse-pale tiles. These were used for both the walls and floors. The corridors were flooded by the hollow bluish light coming from the lighting panels installed on the ceiling. The RDT looked a little higher, both curious and uneasy. These panels took all of the ceilings space. It was just a matter of time before the raven-haired woman started to shudder again. Time after time, unpleasant shivers ran down her spine whilst the cold sweat ran down her neck. Vayne needed more than a minute to notice that her breathing had become shallow. Her hot breaths turned into cloudy mists the moment they were through her slightly parted lips. It was evident the temperature here was much lower than in above levels.

They continued delving deeper into the underground level for another couple of minutes. It must have been admitted that the scenery did not change much. However, it was still making Shauna uneasy. To her, it seemed as if they ventured into some sort of a horror movie. And… frankly, she hated that genre.

“Why is there so cold?” the officer allowed herself to ask a question.

“Does it really matter?” the vampire asked a question of her own instead of replying.

“A little,” the raven-haired woman uttered. “I’m freezing!” she complained.

“Then, I would strongly recommend preparing yourself for even more discomfort,” the council’s responded emotionlessly. “Inside the room, we are heading, the temperature will be noticeably lower.”

“Splendid!” Vayne complained.

“You should have worn something warmer,” the white-haired beauty made a comment. “We will soon reach the room,” she informed the latter.

“Much appreciated,” Shauna replied. “The quicker we deal with that autopsy, the quicker we can leave that damned place!” she opted to continue complaining.

After that, once again, the silence took its reign over. It was only minorly interrupted by the sounds of the flickering lighting panels above their heads. Although they were getting closer to Dr Michel, the temperature was still going down and down. To Vayne’s dissatisfaction, Miss Tepes had told her the truth. The RDT officer clenched her teeth, trying not to think about the cold she was surrounded by. But, sadly, her effort was mostly in vain.

Soon enough, they reached the open door leading to a medium-sized room filled with much brighter light. At first, the raven-haired woman got blinded by an oh-so-different kind of light reigning here. Then, however, her sight adjusted to the new circumstances quite quickly. Still, they had yet to be entangled into a conversation. So, it gave the officer a chance to look around. As previously spotted, the room was more or less of medium size. The numerous square-like opening could be seen on both her left and right. Behind these steel plates, the remnants of the deceased must have been kept. Their surfaces were shinning as if recently tidily cleaned. The RDT officer counted 8 such openings on each wall. The floor still consisted of the corpse pale tile. However, the walls were overbuilt with some sort of silver material that resembled steel. The bright light that was filling the room was coming from the numerous small bulbs. It was a wordlessly welcomed change for Vayne. Outside of these details, the room area was empty. In front of them, another opened door could be easily spotted.

Without wasting time, Miss Tepes pushed forward, getting to the next door in a matter of moments. Behind them, the much smaller compartment lay. In its middle, the tall brown-haired woman was leaned over the decimated corpse, inspecting the wounded tissue inch by inch. The dead body was lying on the ceramic platform. Frankly, it was a disgusting sight to behold.

“Adria,” the emotionless voice of Miss Tepes pierced through the silence. “I hope everything goes according to the plan?” she asked, eyeing the doctor.

“Miss Tepes,” Dr Michel greeted her superior with high regard hearable in her voice. “I’d say so,” she replied immediately. “What is she doing here?” she asked, pointing out the RDT officer.

“She is with me; but, that much you can see already with your owns eyes,” the vampire responded coldly. “She came to me with that very case. So, I thought that it would be better to bring her in with me.”

“Apologies, Miss Tepes,” Adria apologised, slightly bowing. “You don’t have to fill me with the reasoning behind your decision, ma’am. So what do you require of me tonight?” she asked, fixing her gaze onto the dead once again.

“I need a full autopsy of these bodies,” the council’s leader uttered instantly. “In the reports, there are bite marks on these bodies. I would like you to investigate that, and tell me what do you think. So shortly, I need your expertise, Adria.”

“Very well,” the brown-haired woman responded, nodding. “It’ll get messy pretty quickly, ma’am. So I’d strongly recommend putting something on. I wouldn’t want your clothes to get dirty.”

“Understandable,” Akali hummed. “I will assist you, Adria,” she added.

“I assure you have already some speculations, Miss?” the brown-haired doctor asked, not even looking into Miss Tepes.

“Some rough ideas, but yes,” the vampire provided a response.

“Very well,” Dr Michel nodded. “We can start when you’re ready, Miss Tepes,” she informed her superior.

“Vayne,” the white-haired woman referred to the RDT officer. “Please, stay in the adjacent room. With your stomach, you will be of no use to us during the autopsy,” she added as emotionlessly as ever.

“I understand,” Shuna responded immediately. She was far too exhausted to fight with the council’s leader right now. Not that the vampire was wrong. Quite the opposite actually, Miss Tepes seemed to know her better than she had initially anticipated.

Sometime later:

Throughout the following hours, the officer had little to nothing to do. Dr Michel was the only one that had left the compartment since they had begun the operation. Though, it had been given her a chance to look closely at the council’s… no, Miss Tepes’s agent. Adria was only slightly smaller than the white-haired vampire. Her brown hair was cut short, allowing them to reach the base of the woman’s jaw. Vayne wondered whether they were as soft as they looked. The lively green eyes could have been easily mistaken with the emeralds. They were beautiful and intoxicating. Though, it must have been admitted that these emerald eyes seemed to be piercing through one’s soul. When Dr Michel looked intensively at her, an unpleasant shiver ran down her spine. The RDT officer could not have identified her nationality. Miss Tepes’s agent could have easily come from both the USA or some European country.

Finally, after god knows how long, Adria stood in the door, gesturing for her to come in. Without a single second of hesitation, the raven-haired woman followed her immediately. The white-haired woman still stood next to the platform, looking at something intensively. She was frowning, not really paying attention toward both Adria and Shauna.

“Have you found out something?” the RDT officer asked after only a couple of seconds of waiting. But, unfortunately, after these couple of past hours, she got immensely impatient.

“Adria?” the vampire simply uttered.

“As you wish, Miss Tepes,” the doctor replied with a nod. “These bite marks were left only as a distraction,” she slowly added.

“What do you mean by that?!” the raven-haired officer demanded the answers. She was already exhausted beyond her limits. So, she did not care about pleasantries.

“The bites were left after the victims were already dead,” Dr Michel started again, trying to sound cooly. However, her emerald eyes seemed to be on fire. “Underneath them, we’ve found decent chunks of meat missing.”

“But… it still seems like the work of a degenerate!” Shauna loudly protested. “These chunks of meat could be ripped from the body,” she tried to convince the other women.

“Possibly… they could’ve been,” the brown-haired woman uttered coldly. “But,” she sighed heavily. “It isn’t the case. These parts were cut off, removed with surgical precision. Possibly, the ‘thing’ which is behind all of that had access to a scalpel. All the cuts we found there were clean. As I said… it was performed surgically,” the doctor explained, massaging her tired eyes.

“But… what for? Who would’ve wasted so much time and effort for a couple chunks of meat?” Vayne asked. No, she wanted to know the answer. The already wicked case was only going nastier and nastier.

“It was human flesh; remember that,” Dr Michel replied. “It’s the clue to the whole case.”

“In what freaking twisted up way?!” the RDT officer burst out.

“There are places all around the world where human flesh is highly valued,” Adria whispered quietly. “In any other cases… I’d say that someone has made a very specific request; but, I’m not delusional,” she mumbled.

“What are you talking about?” the raven-haired woman asked. Though, deep inside, she knew she did not want to know the answer.

“Think about it for a moment,” Miss Tepes’s agent replied. “Why would you kill someone for flesh? More than that, get a small fraction of it, leaving the rest to rot, leaving the evidence of a crime?”

“Adria, could you please hurry up?” the white-haired vampire asked, annoyed.

“Of course,” Dr Michel whispered. “We… we might be facing the vampire,” she started. “We can’t entirely disqualify this possibility, but most likely, we’re dealing with a cannibal. Or… at least, someone who’s willing to openly throw the gauntlet. And… make no mistakes, that person isn’t aiming at you, Vayne, nor your RDT. That person is taunting Miss Tepes to react,” she explained.

After that, the silence was allowed to take over the reign in the room. Both Adria and Shauna kept staring at the council’s leader, expecting her to say or do something. But, instead, the possibly most influential and powerful being in the city stood still, consumed in her own thoughts.

“Adria, you are officially pulled back from the hospital,” Miss Tepes uttered after a couple of minutes of silence. “I want you to search the data regarding missing peoples’ cases for the last 10 years or so. And… about you, Miss Vayne, you have been pulled into a really difficult case. So I expect you to work closely with me. From now on, until the case is closed, you will be moved to the council’s complex.”

“Apologies, ma’am,” the brown-haired agent started. “You’re already suspecting someone, aren’t you?” she asked.

“No,” the council’s leader replied. “The people whom I could easily suspect of something like that are already dead. I need more intel. I will neither work nor act blindly.”

“Understood, Miss Tepes,” the agent nodded. “Will you summon the council?” she asked yet another question.

“No, they will not move a finger,” the vampire responded. “I have some tested methods that will be far more efficient.”

“At this point, I’m afraid to ask,” Adria whispered.

“Yes, I have them in mind,” Akali uttered. “Come with us, little one; we will soon have much to do,” she said toward Shauna. Her voice was filled with exhaustion.

The RDT officer was left with no other option than to follow the white-haired vampire. Another heavy sigh was allowed to be released. In the end, it seemed that her guts had been right again from the very start.

Chapter Text

After some time, the full realisation of what she had witnessed put its weight on top of Vayne’s shoulders. The officer initially had considered a macabre crime quite quickly rose into a much more complex and dangerous threat. But, unfortunately, the matter so horrible already got even worse.

Frankly, before the raven-haired officer could even notice, she was already back in the expensive vehicle of Miss Tepes. There were a couple of differences between this ride and the previous one. However, the most noticeable was the fact that she was situated on the backseats. The council’s leader and Adria were in a constant heated discussion. Sadly, the RDT officer could not understand a thing out of it. It was due to the conversation being held in German. However, even though the raven-haired woman did not know a word in that language, she quickly noticed a minor detail. Whilst Miss Tepes was fluent in German, her agent was clearly not. Her original accent was softening the usually harsh sounding language. Besides that, Adria was speaking much slower, and Akali was required to repeat herself on multiple occasions. Still, both women opted to cut the RDT officer out of that topic, at least for now. After all, as the council’s leader had said earlier, they were all in the same boat currently.

“Why can’t I return to my office?” Shauna asked after a couple of prolonged minutes of listening to the womens’ conversation.

“You’d be the easiest target for anyone who’s behind that massacre,” the agent replied instantly. She seemed to be thankful for the change of the spoken language. Talking in German must have been quite taxing to the brown-haired woman.

“Out of all people… why would that psycho target me?” the officer asked, seemingly missing some context.

“Let’s put it as easy as possible. So… bluntly speaking, whoever did that would target you because you’re connected with Miss Tepes. Even though the connection is slim and pretty much marginal, non-existing, it wouldn’t matter to that psycho,” Dr Michel explained. “But,” she hesitated for a moment. “Make no mistake, you’d be just another nameless body carved in his path toward Miss Tepes.”

“Ehhh,” the grim news drew a heavy sigh out of the RDT officer. “So, maybe another question: why would someone want to challenge Miss Tepes? After all, in every field, that idea sounds like a suicide plan. In the best-case scenario, I’d call it a one-way ticket.”

“There might be multiple reasons behind such a commitment,” the brown-haired doctor said. “However,” she stopped, taking a quick glance at her superior. “I think the greed might be the correct answer. Miss Tepes possessed a lot of resources scattered all over the world. These resources can be money, influence, agents, regular armies, pretty much everything you could think of. And… all of these at Miss Tepes’s disposal. A snap of a finger would be enough to cause chaos all over the world. So… I’d assume someone wants that power.”

“Still… that psycho will be forced to reveal at some point. That power can’t be overtaken without a face-to-face encounter, or at least I don’t think so,” Shauna provided her point of view.

“It is much more complicated,” Akali spoke for the very first time in a couple of minutes. “It is obvious that whoever is responsible for that action will have to kill me. In any other case, I would hunt that person even if it took dozens of years. I have immortality at my disposal; the time is on my side. However, I would not speculate about the final encounter, at least not for some time. As called it, ‘psycho’ started a game in which each player is set to take action. You can imagine it as some sort of a chess game. His first move has been already performed; now, it is my turn. That ‘thing’ will wait till I make my move. Of course, in the case of my highly unlikely inactivity, further crimes would soon be committed. With each one… the ‘thing’ would become more and more daring,” the white-haired woman explained the situation.

“You seem awfully unmoved by the whole perspective you’ve just presented,” Vayne dared to point out coldly.

“It is a benefit of being immortal to grow up at a much slower pace,” the vampire uttered harshly. “It is crucial for me not to show emotions. Though it does not mean that I do not care about people living under my protection. I consider this whole challenge to be some sort of a riddle. It will take me some time, but it will be inevitably solved. So you can freely put your trust into my words,” the crimson-red-eyed leader provided further explanation.

“It isn’t wise to doubt Miss Tepes, Vayne,” Dr Michel commented in a whisper-like manner.

“Fine,” the raven-haired woman sighed out, defeated. “Sorry, I guess my emotions took a better of me. I’ll try to follow your orders, though it really sucks that I can’t do more.”

“Sometimes, you can’t really do more,” the leader’s agent responded.

With no more words needed to be said, the silence was allowed to take back its reign. So their drive continued in silence, only interrupted by the splashing sounds of the passing puddles. With every passing moment, the sunrise was drawing nearer and nearer. The entire length of the night seemed to vanish in a blink of an eye. However, it was not the most frustrating part of the current situation. Far worse was the fact that the next couple of days would be even more taxing for all of them. There was no telling how much sleep would they be allowed to catch in that subsequent period. Even if it were just a nuisance for the white-haired vampire, the same could not have been assumed for Dr Michel and Vayne.

“You will be granted separate rooms inside the council’s complex,” the red-eyed woman decided to break the silence after some time. “Consider the remnants of today as time for you to catch up some sleep. I will make sure the food will be delivered to your rooms. However, I expect both of you to be in top form in the evening. There are things we will need to discuss. Besides that, plentiful data is waiting for us to go through. Do you understand?”

There was no need for any sort of response. Both human women were simply not given an alternative. All they could do was follow the council’s leader’s plan. And… it was evident that they were only fed the pieces of information that Miss Tepes had decided to share.

Sometime later:

It was just a matter of time before they reached the council’s complex. Miss Tepes had not uttered a single word more throughout their drive. At very first glance, one could say that the council’s leader was focusing on driving; however, it would only be an elusive explanation. Realistically thinking, the vampire was adjusting her plan on a fly.

Before they could even stop the vehicle properly, people started to enter the garage. Amongst them, Vayne managed to spot at least a dozen of fully-armed security team members. However, they were only a fraction of the whole party that had come to welcome the council’s leader’s return. These men and women were all similarly clothed. The exclusive, elegant suits, covered by long dark heavy coats, seemed to be a go-to option for them. Even if a simple question could be born in one’s head, such as: who are they? In reality, it would have been a rhetorical question. Considering the current situation, these mysterious figures could only be vampires, the servants of Miss Tepes.

As soon as the council’s leader left the car, one of the gathered vampires quickly closed the distance between them. It was a man of an ashen complexion. His long raven hair was pulled back using some gel. The eyes of dark chocolate colour were fixed upon the council’s leader. During the walk, he did not blink even once. Instead, the eyes seemed still, as if dead.

“What happened, my lady?” the man asked, bowing gracefully. “You wouldn’t have called us if everything was alright. Am I right, Miss Tepes?” he continued. His voice was so deep, rich, as if silken.

“Lucius,” Akali greeted the vampire coldly. “It seems we have a situation that will require some finely to be dealt with.”

“Then… you’re more suitable for that matter than most of us, my lady,” Lucius replied, smiling mockingly. “I’d even go as far as to state that you’re the best suited for such occurrence.”

“You have an audacity; I must admit, Lucius,” the council’s leader responded emotionlessly. “You have sworn to serve the council, have you not?” she fixed her gaze on the raven-haired man. “If it is too much for you to fulfil… you can consider yourself relived from that troublesome duty. I am more than certain that one of the guardians will be a good replacement.”

“You can’t strip me from my post!” the raven-haired man hissed. “Members of my family served the council for millennials; you can’t take my heritage away from me!” he added, clearly losing his composure.

“So… I would strongly recommend taking the situation seriously!” a cold whisper left Miss Tepes’s lips. Even though the sentence was nothing more than a mere whisper, there was clearly a threat hidden behind it. “Can you honour your ancestors’ heritage with your devotion?”

“I’ll do as you command, Akali,” Lucius uttered slowly, bowing before the leader of the council. “I won’t disappoint.”

“I would not expect you to fail me,” Miss Tepes replied entirely emotionlessly. “Please, select 4 guardians whom you can trust with your life. I want them to take a vigil under these two agents of mine. Due to their mortality, they would soon need rest for more than a couple of hours. I expect those 4 you will choose to keep a close watch over them. After my agents awake, I will have a request for you and them. Something special with great importance toward our cause.”

“It’ll be done as you wish, my lady,” the raven-haired vampire responded obediently. Although he tried to keep his composure, he obviously failed to fool the one person he had put that whole act for. “Anything more needs to be taken care of?”

“For now, no,” the white-haired vampire uttered simply. “I will have my hands full for at least the next couple of hours. So, I would love not to be disturbed,” she added, moving forward, clearly considering the conversation finished. “On the other hand, though… I want Loghain to meet me as soon as possible,” the woman uttered coldly.

“Loghain?” Lucius asked, surprised. “I wouldn’t put my trust in him… but your request will be taken care of right away.”

“Good,” Miss Tepes responded emotionlessly. She was still slowly pushing forward, not even turning around to spare a single glance over her speaker. “Escort my agents to their chambers. The other complex services had been already instructed what is required of them.”

“Understandable,” the raven-haired man said quietly.

With nothing more to say, the council’s leader sped up, quickly vanishing from Vayne’s sight. The RDT officer felt uneasy, surrounded by the council’s servants. After all, the feeling was evidently understandable; Miss Tepes left both Dr Michele and her with the guards and the vampires. In a sought of some sort of validation or assurance, the raven-haired woman looked at Adria. One of the few logical thoughts residing currently in her mind suspected the agent of knowing more about the situation. However, it quickly turned out not to be the case. Dr Michel established eye contact only to shrug nonchalantly, silently expressing her lack of additional intel. Apparently, Miss Tepes’s agent had been thrown into this situation as unprepared as Shauna.

“Pity, I expected to learn something more,” the RDT officer thought.

Dissatisfied with the situation, Vayne averted her gaze off Dr Michel, trying to look around a bit more. Soon enough, her eyes were fixed upon the dark-haired vampire who was brave enough to mock against Akali. After the council’s leader had left the garage, the man seemed to freeze visibly. He was standing still, frowning from time to time.

“Take them to the assigned chambers,” Lucius threw toward the security members. “I have other things to take care of.”

The vampire did not intend to wait for any sort of response. Instead, without uttering a word more, he decided to take his leave, gesturing extensively toward his kinsmen. Only a few of them opted to follow Lucius’s lead whilst the rest focused on Miss Tepes’s two agents. A small woman came closer within the next couple of moments.

“I’m Sarath,” she introduced herself briefly. “We’ll take care of you as Miss Tepes has requested… cause, as you can see, this worm decided to disregard the clear order. Worry not, though; my men and I’ll take you to the assigned rooms and make sure your food arrives on time,” she added, bowing slightly.

“Can I have a question?” Shauna dared to ask.

“I’m sure you have plenty of them; however, currently, it isn’t the best time for this type of conversation,” Sarath responded instantly, eyeing the RDT officer.

“Alright,” Dr Michel exclaimed. “Let’s not delve deeper into that matter, Vayne. When we rest – at least a little – there will be plenty of time for asking questions. For now, tho, please take us to these chambers you’ve mentioned earlier.”

The small vampire nodded slightly, pointing out at the long corridor that marked the garage’s exit. The gesture spoke louder than the words. So… there was no need for the remaining night hunter to say anything at all. As expected, the moment the blond-haired woman moved forward, remaining vampires followed her in utter silence. It was a clear sign for Vayne and Adria to move alongside them. All they could do was to exchange the looks and then catch up to the slowly proceeding party before them. Cause it was their only available option, they did so without delving too much into conflicted thoughts.

Vayne’s POV (late evening – the same day):

Before she was allowed to return from Morpheus’s realm, it was already dark behind the thick, glassy windows. Nearly unthinking, the piece of technology was grabbed from the elegant ebony nightstand on her right. The display flared up within a fraction of a second, informing Vayne about the current time. A quiet curse was drawn from her slightly tightened throat once the realisation hit her. She had been sleeping for the past 10+ hours. First, though, it was necessary to note that the raven-haired was unable to pin the moment she had fallen asleep onto the timeline. Regardless of that, the exhaustion she had been building up and storing within her fragile frame for the past 3 weeks must have finally taken its toll on her. Due to the split-second decision, the mobile was thrown onto a comfy bed. The same bed she had been occupying for the majority of the current day.

At least a couple of prolonged moments passed before Shauna mustered enough strength to stand up. Then, without thinking too much, she opted to come to the bathroom.

“I must look horribly,” the raven-haired officer thought as she slowly approached the bathroom.

The lights had been switched off, which resulted in severely reducing the woman’s vision. Vayne countered it by using her phone to light up the path before her. Still, it has taken her more time than she had suspected.

As soon as she reached the bathroom, the light system installed there switched on. Therefore, it must have detected her movement and acted according to its implemented features. Nevertheless, the change was wordlessly welcomed by Shauna. Nearly immediately, she chose to close the distance between her and the full-body mirror located at the back of the room. The quiet gasp of appreciation was drawn once she took a closer look at the item. To describe it simply, it was beautiful. The mirror was built into the wall. Its frame was covered in mysterious grooves that, at first glance, seemed to be placed there randomly. Finally, though, after a couple of moments of looking closely into the lines graved into the deep brown wood, it began making sense. Those engrave were telling a story of an unknown origin; however, the officer was fairly certain that it had to be connected with vampires. Still, regardless of what it tried to tell, it was a master crafter item.

The raven-haired officer redded up a little when her gaze finally settled on the flawless surface of the mirror. The realisation of her being half-naked struck nearly instantly. She had been sleeping only in her undies for the past 10+ hours without even noticing it. As previously stated, it must have been the result of her recent disregard of her limits. It would not have been a surprise if she had just gone to sleep, striping out the clothing. Frankly, it would have made a lot of sense, giving clear reasoning behind her the scattered pieces of clothing laying all around the bathroom.

Regaining her composure took her a couple of good moments. A heavy sigh was allowed to pass through her slightly parted lips in the meantime. As expected previously, she looked kind of horrible. The bags under her eyes were huge. After her makeup had worn out, it left the signs of her fatigue pretty much visibly for everyone.

“It’s going to be a lovely night; I’m pretty sure of that,” the raven-haired officer allowed herself to complain deep inside her mind.

“Aria, can you hear me?” Vayne called more out of curiosity than of necessity.

“Miss Vayne, how can I be of service?” the AI replied nearly instantly. Even though Shauna had witnessed the sound previously, the synthetic voice of the AI caused a shiver to run down her spine.

“How can I turn on the light system in my room?” the RDT officer asked the very first question that came to her mind. Frankly, it was a stupid one, but it was a question nevertheless.

“It is very simple,” Adria sounded once again. “You can change the settings just by demanding the change. The system has been already adjusted to recognise your voice, Miss Vayne,” the AI informed a little dumb-struck officer.

“Is it some sort of a joke?” Shauna asked without even thinking. “You’ve adjusted the system to recognise my voice? Shouldn’t it take more than a couple of hours and quite a lot of voice samples?” she asked, confused.

“The adjustment is pretty much straightforward,” the artificial voice announced. “However, you are right with the statement that it requires quite a lot of samples. Regardless of that requirement, we had enough footage to proceed with the process.”

“How? You’ve been recording everything I’ve spoken since I had arrived here, haven’t you?” the raven-haired woman wanted to know.

“But, of course, Miss Vayne,” the AI replied without wasting a moment. “I am programmed to record all the conversations happening within the complex and seek through possible threats. In your case, though, it tuned out the process was twice as productive as usual.”

“Ehhh,” the RDT officer sighed heavily, hiding her face in her hands. “I guess… I can’t do anything about it, can I?” she threw a question. However, it was more of a rhetorical question cause she was already expecting the answer.

“You would need to gain the additional privileges to change the current protocols,” Aria uttered emotionlessly. “Currently, only Miss Tepes has the required access level to do so.”

“Splendid!” Vayne allowed herself to complain, throwing her hands spectacularly into the air. “Ehhh… never mind,” she added, sighing. “Can I at least get some fresh clothes? Mine outfit is currently drenched in sweat and gross.”

“You have been provided with the new clothing, Miss Vayne,” the AI responded. “You can find it inside the wardrobe. To guarantee your comfort, we have obtained the same pieces of clothing.”

“What about food? I thought I heard Miss Tepes assuring that we’ll be provided with it as well,” Shauna uttered, clearly dissatisfied with something.

“But, of course,” the synthetic voice replied back. “What would you want to order? The full catalogue can be found near your bed. If you want to speed the process up, I can select something for you. The estimated time of delivery is around 10 to 15 minutes. Nearly everything presented in the catalogue has been prepared earlier and deep-frozen.”

“Can you request the meal to be delivered into Miss Tepes’s office?” Vayne asked, massaging her still-tired eyes. “I’ve wasted enough time already, and… there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

“Not a problem, Miss Vayne. The order was made; the ETA is 15 minutes. So you are free to proceed to Miss Tepes’s office,” Aria informed.

“Thank you,” the RDT officer whispered under her breath.

Vayne’s POV (a couple of minutes later):

If not for the business she had left unfinished, she would have much rather stayed inside the shower stall. The pleasurably warm yet not hot water had done wonders to her exhausted, tensed up body. It had been such an incredible sensation that it had been pretty challenging to shorten it up. Still, as she was telling herself, there was too much work to be done. And… frankly, she would not have felt great knowing that everyone was working their asses off whilst she would have been taking a pleasurable shower.

Thanks to the advanced lifting system installed inside the council’s complex, getting between points A and B was as effortless as it possibly could be. It must have been noticed that the usage of that system was still leaving the raven-haired woman in a conflicted state. Of course, it was caused by the sheer, incredible speed the system was operating. Nevertheless, her stomach was hurting her. It was partially due to the recent travel, partially due to her hunger. At some point, the officer allowed herself to daydream about the delicious food that possibly was already waiting for her to arrive.

With a little help from the AI, it was just a matter of time before she reached her destination. But, once again, she stood still right before Miss Tepes’s doors, looking at them, conflicted. To some extent, one could call it a Deja Vue cause the same exact moment had happened just yesterday.

For a couple of prolonged moments, the raven-haired officer was arguing with herself whether it was the right thing to knock or just enter the room. Considering her previous encounter with the council’s leader, it would have been a much safer choice to knock. Once she came to that conclusion, it was high time to turn words into action.

Vayne knocked gently three times then took a few steps back. Surprisingly, a gulp of unknown origin formed in her throat, pressuring it.

At first, nothing happened. A minute or so might have passed without any sort of reaction. Then, Shauna started to get worried. To calm herself down, she decided to knock once again.

“Maybe she didn’t hear it; I should try to put a little more strength into it,” she thought, coming to the doors once again.

The moment she was about to hit the wooden frame of the entrance, one of the wings opened. The RDT officer, driven more by her instinct than rational thinking, jumped back. Just a moment later, a woman walked through the doors. However, the figure that emerged from it was not the one Vayne had expected. The raven-haired woman was not expecting Miss Tayaki to be present tonight in the council’s leader’s office. Mia was wearing a long dark nightdress with a thin, light-coloured bathrobe put over it. Another minor detail that was spotted by Vayne was a small smile playing on the kissable lips of the Asian woman.

“Miss Tayaki… I haven’t been expecting you here tonight,” Shuna mumbled quietly as some sort of a greeting.

“As expected, Shauna,” Mia responded immediately. “I hope your rest was uninterrupted?” she asked politely.

“Yes, no one has interrupted my sleep. Though, I’d rather want someone to do so. I’ve slept for more than 10 hours. Which… in our current situation is pretty ridiculous,” she told Miss Tepes’s assistant.

“It is understandable considering your past couple of weeks,” Miss Tayaki uttered. “It will let you go see Miss Tepes. She is expecting you… and have a good evening, Shauna,” she added before moving forward.

Within the next couple of moments, the raven-haired woman had the opportunity to take a closer look. The black lacy choker that Mia had yesterday was gone, and two small fresh wounds could be spotted on her shapely neck. “Hmmm… Miss Tepes must have been craving for some fresh blood, apparently.” Still, it was not the most out-of-the-place detail she managed to spot. The Asian woman was slightly flushed over her pretty face. Even though the light makeup was covering her blush quite effectively, Vayne had managed to notice that detail. Her breathing pattern was shallow, uneven. More than that, Miss Tayaki’s clothes were crumpled as if firstly discarded without any regard and then put on in a hurry.

“Is she giving Miss Tepes more than just her blood? Is she giving Akali her body as well?” the raven-haired woman thought. “Frankly speaking, Miss Tepes wouldn’t have to do much to attract someone. Maybe… just maybe, it’s the case?”

As Mia’s footsteps started to fade away in the distance, the conflicted officer pressed forward into the lair of her demon.

Chapter Text

Even though the raven-haired officer had finally entered Miss Tepes’s office, her doubts had not faded away. Frankly, she would have been grateful if these thoughts could be - at the very least - pushed into deeper parts of her subconsciousness. She would love to be able to focus on the current situation. But, unfortunately, she found herself unable to do so.

Vayne found the council’s leader standing right before her enormously large window with her back turned toward the entrance. She must have been looking through the stained mirror of the glass. Surprisingly enough, she did not turn around as soon as Shauna had entered the room. It would be improbable for her not to hear the officer’s heavy footsteps. So, the idea was immediately discarded the moment it appeared inside Vayne’s mind. Miss Tepes, to some extent, had surprised the RDT officer with her clothing. Or... at least at the very first glance. After all, considering the late hour, it was not oh-so-common for the people to wear a formal outfit. Yet, in the case of the white-haired vampire, that rule did not seem to be taken into account.

The snowy-white elegant shit and the matching onyx-black trousers looked more than good on the council’s leader. However, at this point, it might have been a redundant comment. The raven-haired RDT officer was already convinced that this woman would look stunning even in rugs. So, Vayne decided to mindlessly stare into the vampire’s frame for a couple of additional moments. After all, these moments had been generously given by Miss Tepes herself due to lack of her reaction.

“How long do you intend to keep staring at me?” Akali asked suddenly. Her voice could be described as a mix of boredom and annoyance with the current situation. “Must I remind you that it is, in fact, rude to stare at someone?” she admonished the officer.

“Sorry, Miss Tepes,” the raven-haired woman responded instantly. However, she did not lower her head. Instead, she opted to close the distance between them a little. “Did you learn anything new?” she asked.

“Nothing of any serious value as of now,” Akali commented, finally turning around to face Shauna. “Ah... I would have nearly forgotten. Your meal had been already delivered,” she informed the officer. “Feel free to start eating. We can continue our discussion after you are finished.”

“That would be fine, thank you,” Shauna replied, flashing a small smile.

“Have a good meal,” Miss Tepes uttered a pleasantry emotionlessly.

Then, the snowy-white-haired vampire came to her desk, retrieving some documents from one of many drawers. At least a couple of pages fell from a thick folder.

“Are you not going to eat?” the council’s leader asked, fixing her sharp eyes on Vayne.

“Yes... yes, sorry for starring again,” Shauna apologised, a little embarrassed, scratching her right cheek.

“So... please, proceed with your meal,” the vampire said. “We do not have much time to waste,” she added, shifting her silvery irises into the crimson red shade.

“Of course, Miss Tepes,” the RDT officer whispered back, swallowing a decently-sized gulped that formed in her throat. “This woman can be intimidating even without really trying,” she thought to herself.

Without anything to add, she came straight into the extra table situated in the left corner of the room. On top of it, her meal was waiting, covered with additional plates to keep the temperature. To some extent, the officer got surprised by the sheer size of the container. There was no way Vayne would be able to eat all of this alone.

“Have you eaten yet?” Vayne asked without thinking.

“Let me clarify your question,” Akali sounded, not even taking her eyes off the documents she had been getting familiar with. “Did you mean to ask me whether my craving for blood was already satisfied? Or… you wanted to know whether I have eaten a meal similar to yours? No matter which one of these you truly meant, please be precise whilst asking questions. One might have gotten you wrongly,” she added in a scolding manner.

“I just wanted to know if you still want to eat some normal food,” the raven-haired woman responded cooly. “There’s enough food for both of us. Not to mention that there’re two plates next to the container. So, let me repeat the question and rephrase it a little. Do you want some food from this container?” she asked, pointing out at the table.

“If it makes you a little bit less annoying, proceed,” the council’s leader uttered coldly. “I would really appreciate a couple of minutes of silence. I need to focus on these documents.”

“Fine, fine, fine,” Shauna sighed. “I’m just trying to be nice. You don’t need to act like a freaking iron maiden.”

Without any response from Miss Tepes, the RDT officer decided to focus on the meal. Just a moment later, she lifted the plate off the container, releasing a strong scent as a result. The mixture of the spices was pleasant, yet as mentioned before, strong, defined.

“By any chance… do you know what it is?” Vayne asked, already forgetting about the vampire’s request. “It looks like some sort of a stew, but I’m not entirely sure.”

“Miss Vayne,” the white-haired woman started in a low, cold tone. “Is that so challenging for you to remain silent for more than a couple of seconds, hmm?” she asked venomously. “But… maybe, it will be easier to answer your question. I was not informed about the container’s content; however, based on the smell, I am certain it is lecsó. A little modified version, I would say, with more than a touch of cayenne pepper. On top of that, I can smell the mix of 3 different onions’ types. To be more precise, shallots, sweet onions, and red onions were used as ingredients. If you are not a fan of spices, feel free to pour yourself some sodas, water, juices of your liking.”

“Oh,” the raven-haired woman softly gasped. “You’ve really smelled all of this? Or you’re just mocking me?” she asked, scratching her nape.

“Ok, ok,” the officer uttered nearly instantly as the realisation hit her. “You don’t need to answer that silly question. But, of course, you’re able to. I’ll hand you over a plate in a moment,” she informed the council’s leader, a little embarrassed by her behaviour.

Beneath the thick layer consisting of chicken meat, red paprika, onions, and the source, the basmati rice was hidden. With every moment Vayne spent putting the food on the plates, her hunger was relentlessly reminding her about itself. The pleasant smell of the meal had already made her mouth salivate. But, frankly, it was a painful sensation that was oh-so-close to convince her to devour what was already served.

Somehow, the RDT officer had found enough self-control to overrule her mind. As a result of that, she found herself walking toward Miss Tepes’s desk a couple of moments later. Shauna’s grip that she had enforced on the plate was noticeable. After all, her knuckles whitened due to it. Even though the item did not weigh much, her hand was shaking. Shaking so much that it threatened to drop the item at any given moment.

“Here you are,” the officer managed to mumble before handing over food to the vampire. “I don’t know if you need any more spices. But… if you do, next to the container, there’s a lot of them,” she added, stuttering a little.

“Why are you so conflicted out of a sudden?” the snowy-white-haired woman asked, whispering. “Oh… I must have surrounded myself with my aura, have I not?” she asked rhetorically.

“What… what kind of aura?” the officer murmured quietly.

“It would require a bit of explaining,” the council’s leader responded nonchalantly, shrugging. “It is not worth the time. So for now, you do not need to know everything about my kind,” she added, flashing a quick smirk. “Is it better now?”

“Yes, in fact, much better,” Vayne uttered in a whisper-like manner. “Enjoy your meal,” she threw quickly before turning around and walking toward her plate.

“Enjoy your meal, Miss Vayne,” the vampire’s voice went silken.

“Get to that plate and start eating!” Shauna began yelling at herself in her mind. “Stop thinking about her voice, about her body, about her damned smile!”

Soon enough, the meal had been eaten. The raven-haired woman had made a mental note to thank Aria for picking the dine. When she turned around, her gaze automatically focused on the desk where she had seen Miss Tepes for the last time. Surprisingly, the council’s leader was not sitting there anymore. Then, she looked at the enormously large window. It was so sad that once again it was raining. The literal glass wall was stained by rain droplets. Once again, the vampire could not have been spotted near the stained glass. Thus, Vayne was forced to look around more carefully.

Though it took her a couple of moments, she found the white-haired woman in the end. She was standing next to the bookshelves, located at the far right end of the room. One of these volumes was resting in the open palm of the vampire. It was an enormously thick tome which cover had been already marked by the passing time. Based on the grimace currently covering her beautiful face, she did not like what she read or found out.

“What are you reading?” the RDT officer asked, uncertain whether she should do so.

“Ehh,” Akali sighed, averting her gaze off of the book. “I tried to check one of my speculations. But, unfortunately, it turned out to be a fruitless endeavour,” she added, slowly taking off her half-glasses.

“Do you even need glasses to read? Or… you’re just trying to allure me even further?” Shauna asked before she could even think through her idea. “Nevermind… forget what I spoke,” she quickly corrected herself, panicking a little.

“Could you please stop drooling already?” Miss Tepes uttered coldly. “If I were you, I would rather focus on anything else than me. But, after all, it is not the best policy for the future to bid on something that one can not obtain, reach, get,” she grunted.

“Point noted,” the onyx-haired woman replied. “Can we proceed to the case? After all, you wanted to talk with me and the doc when we’d be up,” she whispered, casting her sight low.

“It would certainly put our precious time into better use,” the council’s leader commented. “Do you want to wait for Adria?”

“The real question is whether we need her expertise for now?” Vayne hummed. “If not, I think we can start right now.”

“Fine, then,” the vampire said emotionlessly. “Aria, please wake up, Dr Michel,” she added.

“As you wish, Miss Tepes,” the synthetic voice sounded instantly.

“Take a seat, Miss Vayne, then,” Miss Tepes commanded whilst pointing out at the chair near the desk. “I do think there are some fundamental aspects that you are not exactly aware of. So, we will try to solve that minor setback.”

“What exactly you’re referring to?” the curious RDT officer questioned whilst slowly making her way toward the chair.

“What is your perception of the current state of the case?” the vampire asked. Within moments, Miss Tepes reach her massive armchair, situating comfortably on it. “Tell me what did you see. Then, tell me, what do you think about that mess as a whole?” she continued asking questions whilst tapping with her fingertips.

“Well…,” the raven-haired woman sighed heavily. “I’d love to say that the ‘mess` as you rightfully called it didn’t affect me at the slightest. But, unfortunately, it’d be a lie,” she started. “As of now… I’m not entirely sure if I can trust what my eyes have seen. Of course, the surgically removed meat pieces could point out some cannibal or cartel doing shady business. But then again, they’d have never let the bodies be found. I can see the slightest possibility for some gangs to leave their victims’ bodies on full display. But, honestly, I certainly do think they’d only do so with one or two dead, not 12,” the officer provided her point of view.

“You are still trying to classify this crime into some RDT’s category, are you not?” Miss Tepes looked at the raven-haired with dissatisfaction hidden in her silvery eyes. “I would suggest looking a bit deeper. The rules you have been so thoroughly taught are nothing more than a limitation for you, now.”

“I don’t think a cannibal is standing behind this massacre,” Vayne commented loudly, raising her voice significantly. “I think someone ordered these chunks to be extracted only to cover something. But, for… for me, it can still be the work of some degen-level vampires,” she added, mumbling a little.

“Then, please, provide me with your thoughts, speculations,” the vampire uttered, turning her voice silken again.

“I’ve already done so,” Shauna commented, grimacing slightly. “The reasoning behind my decision was already provided. I don’t believe anyone would have butchered 12 people and left them to rot. So what would they gain by doing so?” she opted to ask the question of her own.

“In fact, you can gain quite a lot,” Akali responded emotionlessly. “Being the person who pulls the string from the shadows can be beneficial. Someone is currently pulling the strings from the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to enter the stage,” the vampire explained briefly. “But, let me ask you another question, shall we? Is it possible that both of these theories are – at least to some extent – correct at the same time?”

“So… you’re trying to connect these two scenarios, hmmm?” the officer hummed. “Still, I don’t see the link between them. Why would some cannibals cooperate with vampires? It doesn’t make much sense to me.”

“Have you ever witnessed how the degenerated vampires are feeding?” the leader uttered coldly. “Just I have thought,” she added once the RDT officer denied. “These elements are not considered a part of our society, our species. All the degenerates are destined to be killed if their blood status can not be uplifted. Thus, they are mostly living in the shadows, hiding from the agents of the council. It is more than fair to state that most of the time, these units are starving. So, the moment they can hunt down prey, they are going all in. These poor souls would not allow so much blood to be wasted. And… as you might remember, the crime scene looked like a slaughterhouse,” she spoke up her mind in detail.

“You’re providing a conflicting input, Miss Tepes,” the raven-haired woman made a comment. “On one hand, you’ve suggested that the degenerated vampires could be working with some cannibals. However, on the other hand, you’re stating that it’s virtually impossible. So what kind of a game do you play, Miss Tepes?”

“The answer is simple; I do not play any,” the snowy-white-haired woman responded coldly. “I am just trying to make you think about the alternatives. Someone wanted you and the whole RDT to believe that the degenerated vampires could be responsible for that crime. Maybe, that someone hoped for tension between humanity and the council to arise. Thus, of course, it is, but the mere speculation. However, there are several hints and leaks left at the crime scene. The missing chunks of meat, at first glance, we could think about cannibalism. The bite marks were left to plant a seed of doubt. And… the last, but not least, the ethnicity of the dead. All of them were black. A clear point for the racism.”

“More and more, it looks like a riddle of a sort,” Vayne sighed heavily. “Then… which of these was left unintentionally?” she asked, putting some hope into the vampire.

“Frankly… I am not sure as of now,” Miss Tepes whispered back, frowning. “There is a possibility that all of these were only allowed to be found to confuse us. Even though in the very first moment… argh… nevermind,” she cut short her response.

“What did you want to say?” the RDT officer asked, curious.

“Nothing,” the council’s leader replied, grimacing a little.

Before the raven-haired woman had time to ask yet another question, the knocking sounded.

“Come in, Adria,” Akali instantly invited the doctor into her office.

Just a moment later, the door opened, revealing Dr Michel’s frame. In comparison to Miss Tepes, the brown-haired woman was clothed casually. Her outfit consisted of a dark-grey, long-sleeved tee and navy-blue baggy pants. Her short hair had been recently washed up, thus had not enough time to dry out. A decently-sized dark bag could be spotted under her eyes. Apparently, she had not slept well. Without much time, makeup had been considered an utter waste of time.

 “You have not slept well,” the white-haired vampire stated, focusing her crimson-red eyes on her agent. “Is it safe to assume that your nightmares are penetrating your dreams again?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Adria replied instantly, sighing heavily. “I must have forgotten to take my medications. Yesterday was quite an eventful day, after all.”

“We will talk about it later, Adria,” the council’s leader stated, making her voice softer. “Please, take a seat next to Miss Vayne. We have already started our discussion, though I think nothing major has been concluded as of now.”

“Affirmative, Miss Tepes,” the doctor uttered, hissing a little. “What would you discuss, Miss Tepes?” she asked once she situated herself right next to Vayne.

“I have not managed to find out much, at least not as of now,” Akali started. “However, there are some minor details that I found intriguing.”

“What do you mean by that?” Shauna demanded the answers.

“Hush, Miss Vayne,” the leader scolded Vayne in a cold tone. “First of all, all of these men that were butchered had been employed at the same time. Precisely speaking, it happened only 2 months ago. Secondly, they lived in the same neighbourhood in one of the poor outskirts of this city. Thirdly, only one of them had a family, and they had not been informed about his death yet.”

“Ok, but how is all of this going to help us in solving the case?” the impatient RDT officer complained. “Wait… you’re not suggesting that it was set up from the beginning?” she asked after a moment of hesitation.

“Frankly, I do not know whether the speculation is correct or not,” the vampire uttered. “However, as of now, it is the only clue that we can investigate a bit deeper.”

“I think it’s a good idea to focus on something at least marginally connected with the situation,” Dr Michel sounded, humming. “Do we have any sort of information why that man’s family wasn’t informed yet? Is it just some sort of RDT procedure, or did someone forget to drive there?” she opted to ask some extra questions.

“I can verify that,” Akali said confidently. “Ehhh, unfortunately, there is nothing there. Surprisingly, the contracts are not available in our database,” Miss Tepes stated after a couple of moments of intensive typing. “However, it should not be much of a hassle. A couple of guardians can handle the situation without any major problems,” she added.

“Aria, please inform Lucious to gather a team,” the vampire referred to the AI. “I would like them to obtain the original versions of the butchered mens’ contracts. Additionally, please, grant them access to the additional vehicles and armoury.”

“As you wish, Miss Tepes,” Aria replied immediately. “The permissions were granted successfully,” she informed the leader a moment later. “Can I be of any additional service?”

“No, for now, I need to deal with other matters,” the white-haired woman responded, dismissing the assistant. “Thank you for your assistance, Aria. I appreciate that.”

“I am honoured to be of service,” the AI uttered instantly. “After all, it is the purpose of my creation.”

After the synthetic voice finally faded away, the silence was allowed to take back its reign over the office. But, that reign did not last long. Maybe a minute passed with the council’s leader buried deep in her thoughts before she turned back to her keyboard. Then, for more than a couple of the following minutes, the snowy-white-haired vampire continued typing frantically. It was evident that the woman tried to find something desperately.

“Has she just realised something?” the raven-haired woman asked rhetorically inside her mind. “Did she miss something when she had looked into these files initially?” she continued to ask questions which surprisingly she found herself unable to utter.

“So… what’s the plan, boss?” the exhausted agent finally broke the silence. “Do you want us to drive into that neighbourhood and ask around?”

“Certainly, I want to get there,” the leader whispered back, holding her voice slightly. “However, you are not coming with me, Adria. Go get some extra sleep. Soon enough, I will need your knowledge and expertise, which means you need to be in top condition. And… as you already know yourself, currently you certainly are not,” she finished uttering slowly.

“Why… why are you pulling me from the open case?” the doctor asked, stuttering a little. “Yeah, it’s true that I’ve slept badly. But… I can be useful nevertheless,” she tried to convince the vampire.

“I do doubt that you honestly believe what you said,” Akali commented, continuing to speak in a whisper-like manner. “We are not required to take a personal part in each and every operation I am planning. Therefore, this case will not be a single action, a single battle. Thus, before the one standing behind that crime opts to reveal itself, we will participate in a series of missions and actions. I have no doubt regarding this. So, please go rest some more. You certainly look like a one who needs it,” she finished, marking the end of the dispute, conversation.

“Shouldn’t I have a word in that matter?!” Dr Michel asked, raising her tone significantly. “If I say I can do it, then I’m perfectly fucking fit to participate in the action!” she thundered.

“Enough!” Miss Tepes snapped coldly. Even though she – by any means – did not thunder, the result was very similar. Adria nearly instantly froze whilst Shauna wanted to run away. “I really do appreciate your devotion, your willingness to get back onto the field even if not in the perfect condition. However, I am not going to put my agents at unnecessary risk. If the crime’s mastermind watched us, you would be marked as a prey, target immediately. And… please, make no mistake, that one will be closely spectating our every move from now on,” she explained in detail.

“Can you… can you… switch… off the aura?” Dr Michel managed to mumble. “I… I… understand and will follow the orders.”

“It is not an order,” the vampire started, deactivating her aura. Instantly, the enormous pressure and the horrors lurking around the council’s leader vanished, faded away into oblivion. “It is just a mere friendly suggestion.”

“As always,” the doctor commented, grimacing a little. “Fine, I’ll stay behind and rest a little more,” she added, giving up.

“What about me?” Vayne asked immediately. “Am I required to come there by myself, or alongside you, or one of your other agents?”

“Ehh,” the white-haired woman sighed, annoyed. “Miss Vayne, could you not wait till I finish my conversation with Miss Michel?” she asked coldly. “It does not matter. So, replying to your question. Yes, you will come with me to check this lead. No additional people related to the council will be involved in that mass. I would want to have a glimpse of hope of finding something crucial there. However, the odds of it happening are very marginal. Yet… if you want to stay here, feel free to do so. I will not require you to follow me, at least for now,” she spoke, turning her voice emotionless once again.

“There’s no way in hell for me to stay here and wait!” the RDT officer responded, irritated. “You’ve basically grounded Dr Michel a moment before, and now you’re pretending that I can have a say in that matter? I’m coming with you!” she stated confidently. She stood up abruptly, causing the chair she had previously sat on to fall onto the thick carpet.

“Fine, then this meeting is concluded,” Miss Tepes exclaimed. “Adria, it seems we need to have a talk once I am back. So, please, for the time being, try to gain as much rest as you can. And… do not forget about your medications,” she informed the brown-haired woman.

“As you wish, Miss Tepes,” the doctor responded, defeated.

Without anything more to say, the vampire stood up and headed straight toward the exit. Even a single glance was not sparred toward Vayne. It could mean that the leader did not care whether the officer was coming with her or not.

About an hour later:

For Shauna, it would be a challenging task to find proper words to describe the neighbourhood they entered. Although it could be simply described as poor, and it would more or less outline the problem, it would not do. The regression in terms of wealth could be easily noticed the further away they got from the city centre. The sad and grey reality of the clustered blockhouses was depressing. To add to that already horrifying scenery, these buildings complexes looked like they would benefit from some renovation. Unfortunately, the only source of light here was a few street lamps scattered all across the neighbourhood. Still, through the dimmed glow coming from these lamps, Vayne could spot that the outer layers of many buildings had already begun to crumble.

“Damn, these blockhouses look miserable,” the raven-haired woman commented a couple of moments after they had exited the car. “I bet most of the folks living here are unemployed.”

“It might be true, actually,” the vampire replied, looking around, searching for something. “Follow me,” she uttered an order, heading toward one of the buildings clusters.

“Do you at least know the address? Please, tell me that you do,” Shauna asked. “I’m freezing,” she allowed herself to complain.

“But, of course,” Akali simply replied. “I would not leave the office before obtaining that crucial piece of information. And… about your complaints. You could choose anything from the wardrobe, and you have chosen the thinnest jacket possible,” she commented.

“Hey! I don’t need to look oh-so-formal all the time!” the RDT officer grunted. “It’s not like she looks sexy in that long peacoat,” she allowed herself to add deep inside her mind.

“Is that so?” the white-haired vampire hummed. “Still, you could have expected the temperature dropoff after heavy raining,” Miss Tepes commented. “Please, keep your mouth sealed for a couple of moments; I need to think through something.”

Even though Vayne did not like the request, she still opted to respect it. So, as a result of it, a couple of following moments were spent in complete silence. Only from time to time, the flickering of the street lamp would make some noise.

Soon enough, they reach the neglected staircase leading to the largest cluster nearby. The signs of a recent rain could still be spotted. The cobblestone staircase was slippery due to the still-water covering each and every step.

Unfortunately, the fog began forming, already severely reducing the line of sight.

“He lived in that cluster?” Finally, Shauna decided to break the silence. She did so, trying to waste time. “What do we know about his family? I’d assume it’s consisted of his wife and some kids, right?” she continued to ask additional questions.

“You really do not like silence, do you, Miss Vayne? But, of course, you do not,” the white-haired woman uttered emotionlessly. “If you really want to know, he had a wife and 6 children,” she provided a piece of information.

“And… let me guess, he was the only one earning any money?” the RDT officer asked even though deep inside she already knew the answer.

“Actually, his wife’s contract is in our database,” the council’s leader uttered a response. “She has been working as a waitress for the last 2 years.”

“Well, that was unexpected,” the raven-haired woman stated.

“The more you know about life, the more you realise that it is too complex to fully comprehend. Socrates once said – I know that I know nothing,” Akali responded.

“Do we really need to go down the road of quotations?” a little confused officer asked.

“No, we certainly would not want to delve deeper into that stream,” Miss Tepes stated, getting closer to the nearest interphone. “But, we should get back to our task.”

“Be careful! I smell fresh blood,” the vampire nearly hissed in a low tone a moment later.

Chapter Text

Cold sweat immediately came upon Vayne’s brow. Followed by an unpleasant shiver running down her spine. The situation quickly switched from bad to worse.

A heavy gulp appearing in the woman’s throat could barely be swallowed. She was obviously nervous, but she would have never expected such a severe reaction. After a moment or so, she realised that the vampire’s aura must have been switched on. It would have explained why her fear to go over the roof. Still,  it would have been greatly appreciated for that aura to disappear.

The white-haired vampire remained composed compared to the RDT officer. Within a second or so, Miss Tepes opened the door. From Vayne’s perspective, it looked like magic.

“Follow me,” Akali ordered, speaking in a low tone.

The onyx-haired woman did not reply. After all, there was no need to. So instead, she did as she had been told, following the vampire closely.

Again, the RDT officer got surprised by the distinguished difference between them. The white-haired council’s leader moved effortlessly, gracefully whilst making no sound. On the other hand, Shauna made some noises even though she tried her hardest not to.

Soon enough, the heavy scent of blood hit Vayne’s nostrils. As they climbed, the smell intensified. They must have been getting closer and closer.

“One dead and at least two wounded,” the white-haired woman informed Shauna.

“How do you know?” the officer asked, surprised yet quietly.

“Is it of any value, right now?” Akali asked emotionlessly. “I will try to satisfy your curiosity once the situation is once again under control. Will it be enough?” she added in a whisper-like manner.

“Deal,” Shauna spoke.

It was only a matter of time before they reached the flat located on the very top level of the building. Even without a stench of blood spreading quickly, it was evident something was happening behind this door. The crimson-red stains could have been easily spotted at multiply areas of the frame. Additionally, the wooden construct was not entirely closed. The locking block could be seen in the gap between the door and the frame. The mechanism was damaged, pushed into the wood.

“Do not intervene,” the vampire requested silently before coming in.

The entrance was opened once again without making a sound. The council’s leader did not waste a moment, delving deeper into the flat. Her posture was emitting one evident emotion, confidence. The poorly furniture aspect of the apartment was immediately discarded into the depth of Vayne’s mind. There was no time for such details with little to no importance.

“Come on, Dori,” a man’s voice sounded. “Your man is gone; you know that, don’t you?”

“That’s right, Dori,” another man’s voice uttered enthusiastically. “Join us, and we’ll take good care of you and the kids,” he spoke his mind. “Your oldest soon could start working, if you know what I mean,” he began laughing.

Within the next couple of moments, they reached what seemed to be a living room. The voices belonged to two black-skinned men, clothed in worn-out jackets. They talked to a woman of average height curling defensively near the wall. A still bleeding flesh wound could be spotted on her neck. Her dark, curly hair was wet, glued to her skin. Like the men, she was black though of a much lighter skin tone.

To no one’s surprise, Akali was right once again. An elderly man with almost white hair was the dead person the vampire had informed her about. In his once-broad chest, 3 stab wounds could be spotted. One of these attacks must have pierced through his heart.

“Where’s the other wounded, though?” Shauna thought to herself.

“Come on, Dori,” the first voice sounded again. “We might be rough in bed, but we’ll treat you about right. You know that you’ll end up as someone’s bitch no matter what you do. So, why don’t you stay with us?”

“Fuck you!” the woman uttered quietly. However, considering the lack of courage in her voice, she had already given up.

“Come to us,” the other man spoke. “I’ll even forgive you for that scratch on my cheek. Of course, after you make it right,” he added, laughing.

The council’s leader came into the room without wasting any moment more. A short, curved, slightly glowing dagger flashed twice before the men fell onto the ground, dead. These we some of the cleanest kills the officer had ever witnessed. The inflicted damage was bound to the bare minimum, nothing more. Two small holes piercing right through their hearts, nothing more. Though the blood still poured out of them, staining the floor.

The black woman screamed, piercing the night.

“Can you stop screaming already?” the council’s leader asked, annoyed more than anything. “If I wanted to kill you, trust me, you would have been dead by now,” she added, fixing her crimson-red irises on the black-skinned woman.

“What are you doing here? I didn’t do anything!” the ebony-skinned woman began squicking.

“Mrs Clarke!” the vampire hissed coldly. “Please, do listen to me for a moment. Can you do it?” she added, closing the distance between them.

“I didn’t do anything!” Mrs Clarke pleaded. “Please, leave my children and me alone.”

“We know that, Mrs,” Shauna spoke up, closing in as well. “We’re here because of your husband.”

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” the black-skinned woman asked rhetorically. “I knew something was off when he hadn’t returned home from his night shift,” she gasped, her voice filled with sadness.

“Yes, he was murdered,” the white-haired vampire took back the lead. “As my apprentice said, we have come here to ask some questions. And… by the look of things, our timing could have been a bit better.”

“Who’s that?” Vayne asked Mrs Clarke whilst pointing at the dead elderly man.

“Our neighbour, James Reed,” Mrs Clarke responded, casting her sight even lower. “He heard an argument between me and these two dickheads. He meant good; he tried to stop them from whatever they had planned. God… one of them just turned around and stabbed James with a knife,” she told them, shaking all over.

“Why these two come here?” the RDT officer asked.

“Is it not obvious, Miss Vayne?” the council’s leader uttered in a low tone. “They wanted her and her body for themselves. But, Mrs Clarke, Carline, did Tom has any enemies down there? Maybe, someone envied him, wished him harm?” she asked, softening her voice a little.

“I don’t know,” Carline replied quickly. “We tried to… we tried to befriend our neighbours.”

“You wanted to get out of here, am I right?” Akali asked another question. “That is why your husband picked up that job?”

“Yes,” Mrs Clarke simple uttered. “We needed money to move out. We wanted our children to grow up in a better place than this shithole.”

“Your oldest daughter is not Tom’s, is she not?” Miss Tepes changed the subject swiftly. “Her father died when she was a little girl. He did not belong to that world, per se,” she added, kneeling before the woman.

“How do you know that?” Carline gasped. All colours faded away from her face, leaving the pale-white shade. “Who are you?”

“Does it matter?” the vampire asked, switching her irises colour back to silver. “You need to move out from here immediately. These scums were only part of the first wave of unwanted attention you will soon receive.”

“I can’t,” Carline replied simply. “We don’t have money to do so,” she added sadly.

“Then… I have a proposition for you,” Akali instantly followed. “Your oldest daughter is special, is she not?”

“I won’t trade my daughter to be a lamb meant for a slaughter!” Mrs Clarke yelled.

“I do not intend on killing her,” the council’s leader uttered somehow softly. “I see a lot of potential in her. I would love to guarantee her a bright future. So, the offer is as follows: you will be granted a significant amount of money to start a new life. But, your oldest will come with me. You will be able to visit her once your life returns to normality. Is it feasible for you?”

“You ask much from me,” Carline uttered in a whisper-like manner. “You ask for one of my daughters in exchange for the future of the others,” she whispered.

“I accept your terms,” a faint gasp sounded after a couple of minutes of silence.

“I can assure you it is the best choice you could have made,” Miss Tepes commented. “Miss Vayne, please keep Mrs Clarke’s company. I need to make a few calls.”

The vampire rose up without anything more to say, then exited the poor flat. Again, the crucial pieces of information were kept away from Shauna. And, for sure, the raven-haired officer did not like that feeling. But, with little to no choices left to make, she opted to follow the direct request.

“Miss Tepes mentioned something about your oldest daughter’s father,” the RDT officer started softly. “Could you elaborate a little, please?” she asked, offering her hand to help the woman rise up.

“She didn’t tell you a thing, didn’t she?” Carline replied in a whisper-like manner, taking the offered hand. “Let’s sit, then I’ll try to answer your questions.”

2 hours later:

“That was an utter failure,” the raven-haired officer complained once they had returned. “Aside from saving Mrs Clarke and her children, all we did was a waste of time,” she allowed herself to continue.

“Do you really think so?” Miss Tepes asked, fixing her gaze.

“Oh… forgive me,” the RDT officer mocked. “You’ve gained a new puppet to play with. Yet another apprentice to follow your orders!”

“Did you even see that child?” the council’s leader asked emotionlessly.

“What would it change, hmm?” the pissed off officer grunted.

“Nevermind,” Akali sighed heavily. “We will continue that discussion once you cool down. But, let me tell you that there was a clue there.”

“What clues?”

“Have you taken a look at these men’s knives?”

“No, why?”

“They would have not been able to get these themselves,” the vampire uttered coldly, passing Vayne a tablet. “Each of these is worth more than someone like them could have earned throughout their lifespan. Additionally, these are not mass-produced,” she explained.

“How do you know that?” Shauna asked a stupid question. “Nevermind, don’t answer; you know more than I’m willing to give you credits for,” she added a moment later.

Then, the raven-haired woman took a look at the photos displayed on the tablet. All it took for Vayne to grasp the concept Miss Tepes had mentioned was one glance. The knife was maybe an inch longer than a typical chef’s knife. Its blade was carved in a more Japanese style, getting thinner and thinner toward the cutting edge. On its surface, some beautiful engravings could have been witnessed.

“Do we know who made them?” the RDT officer asked.

“Not yet, but it is only a matter of time,” Akali replied.

“Have you thought about the theft possibility?”

“Yes,” the snowy-white-haired vampire slowly exhaled. “It is possible for them to steal these. However, I doubt that. Still, it is the only lead we currently have. Therefore, I believe it is worth investigating a little bit deeper.”

“I feel like this clue is more than shady,” the raven-haired woman commented. “Though I agree that it’s our only possible clue for the time being. How do you want to approach that lead?” she asked, sighing.

“Slow and steady,” a simple response was provided. “I do not think there are a lot of places that offer such beautiful, custom-crafted knives. It should not take us long to find who has sold that item.”

“Nearly unlimited resources sometimes do the trick… I guess,” Shauna replied whilst scratching her left cheek. “Are you going to call the Doc?”

“No,” Miss Tepes spoke. “It will be beneficial for her to sleep some more,” she added, heading toward her desk.

“I guess… you’re right,” Vayne uttered, shrugging visibly. “So… what’s the next step?”

“Aria,” the council’s leader called the AI.

“At your disposal, Miss Tepes,” the synthetic voice sounded instantly.

“Can you analyse the pictures of these knives?” Akali asked, sitting in her comfortable armchair.

“But, of course, Miss Tepes,” Aria informed. “What should I focus on? Which details are you interested in, Miss?”

“On the blade, you can find the signature and the identification number,” the vampire sounded. “Please, try to match them against our databases. I want to know who makes such knives and who is selling them. There is a slight possibility it will be the same person, organisation.”

“Should I restrict the area of search?”

“Try to find a match in the USA first, then if it fails, try Japan,” the council’s leader provided instructions. “If it still does not provide a result, lift the restrictions.”

“Understood, Miss Tepes,” the AI acknowledged. “Though with sadness, I must inform that it might take a while,” she informed the vampire.

“I see,” Akali simply uttered. “Please, proceed nevertheless.”

The AI did not reply; there was nothing to add after all. So the silence was allowed to take a reign over the room for the next couple of minutes. The RDT officer did not feel that asking further questions would do her any good. So, instead, Shauna starred into the beautiful snowy-white-haired vampire. At least dozens of conflicted emotions ran through Miss Tepes’s face within the next minute or so. With her eyes closed, the woman seemed to be contemplating something deep inside her mind.

“Do utter that question,” Akali sounded. “Doubts are visibly consuming you. I can picture that these are related to some information being kept away from you. Is that so?”

“Yes,” the raven-haired officer spoke. She did not find any benefit in lying. Additionally, it would have been possible for the vampire to see through the lie. “I’d like to know more,” she requested.

“Ehh,” the council’s leader sighed heavily. “Ask away, then. Though bear in mind, I might not provide you with the answers you seek.”

“Fair enough,” the officer replied. “Let’s start with something easy, shall we? You’ve mentioned earlier something about the degenerated vampires. Care to elaborate?”

“The picture you have engraved in mind does not show a degenerate,” the white-haired woman spoke in a whisper-like manner. “What you consider degenerate is most likely an E-level or a D-level vampire. The degenerates are designated in our society as F-level.”

“What is the difference?”

“What do you know about my kind?” Akali countered with a question of her own.

“Frankly… not that much,” the RDT officer whispered back, reddening a little.

“It is perfectly understandable,” Miss Tepes commented emotionlessly. “To explain what the degenerates are, I will need to brief you a little regarding my kind.”

“So, as I have already mentioned, our heritage is divided into levels,” Akali continued a moment later, opening her eyes. At the very top of the food chain, there are pure-bloods. We do not designate a class for them because, frankly, these units differentiate a lot between themselves. As you might have heard or known before, I am a pureblood. Below there are the S-levels. Then, there are A, B, C, D, E, and F levels,” she added, rising up. “These groups segregate our society and are related to the power held by these vampires.”

“So, the degenerates are the lowest possible rank within your hierarchy. But… how are they made, turned?”

“These unfortunate and poor souls were converted by members of E or D class,” the white-haired woman replied. “Usually, it would not have been enough to turn a man or woman to the degenerate tier. Unfortunately, however, they were not offered any vampire blood.”

“Offered vampire blood? What do you mean by that?” the raven-haired officer asked, confused.

“When you are bitten, thus turned, in most cases, your initial class is one tier lower than that of the vampire that had turned you. Though it can be uplifted by offering vampire blood to the newly turned. So, for example, if you had been bitten by the B tier, you would be initially turned into the C tier. However, if said vampire offered you blood, your status would have been uplifted into the B class. Of course, the more powerful vampires can offer their blood as well. In such a situation, you could outright exceed your turner. Though it is not that common. If all the vampires had followed the rules, the F class would not have existed.”

“So, the degens are the ones who had been left to their own device?” Vayne asked with horror in her eyes.

“Yes,” Miss Tepes uttered simply. “In the case of most vampires, the blood status can be uplifted at any time. Unfortunately, however, the same can not be said regarding the Fs. For years we have tried to experiment with them. We tried to find a cure for them. But, in the end, the only thing we can offer them is a swift death,” a hint of sadness could have been heard in her voice.

“That’s why they’re so desperate,” Shauna spoke in a hollow voice. “That’s why you’ve said they’d have devoured these men?” she asked even though she knew the answer.

“It is a rhetorical question, Miss Vayne,” the council’s leader replied in a whisper-like manner. “Next question?”

“Who’s that girl you’ve taken in?’ the raven-haired woman asked after a moment of hesitation.

“You are referring to Mrs Clarke’s oldest daughter, I presume,” Akali whispered. “As I have stated before, she is special.”

“You’ve mentioned that she isn’t Tom Clarke’s daughter. So, who’s?”

“Her true father’s name was Rick Rauscher,” the white-haired woman responded.

“Who was he to you? Past lover?”

“One of my guardians,” Miss Tepes whispered. “Died almost 16 years ago.”

“16 years ago?” Vayne asked, swallowing a gulp. “It was…”

“Yes, he died during the war,” the vampire responded quickly, focusing on the window. “I did not know that he had entered a relationship with Mrs Clarke until tonight. I refused to read the KIA reports during the war.”

“He was German?”

“Just like most of the guardians,” the council’s leader uttered, sighing. “Yes, he was white too. There is no need to ask that question.”

“An interracial relationship during the war? Fuck,” the RDT officer started to mumble.

“It seems that way,” Akali commented. “They would have killed her if even a rumour had sounded back then. An interracial couple, even worse, black and white couple. I should have found out earlier. I would have never allowed his wife and child to suffer there,” she continued her monologue. In Miss Tepes’s voice, the hint of guilt could have been heard.

“It isn’t your fault,” Shauna tried to reassure the vampire.

“Pff,” Miss Tepes scoffed, then laughed. “Do not try to pitty me. Even back then, I had enough resources and influence to find out. It is my fault that it slipt past my watch. Anyways, I will not be able to turn back past. The only thing I can do is to make the future better.”

“What are you going to do with that child?” the officer asked.

“First of all, her future belongs to her,” the vampire replied, turning back. “I will not try to push her toward any direction. She will be free to choose her destination, goals. I will merely provide her with everything she might need,” she added, flashing her crimson-red irises.

“Alright.”

“Let me ask you a thing, shall we?” Akali asked, but she did not wait for any response. “What do you know about your parents?”

“They’ve been killed when I was little,” the raven-haired woman replied quietly. “They were killed by one of your kind,” she added with a hint of blame carried in her voice. “But, I assume you’ve that before you even asked. So, the question stands, why did you ask? What do you intend on gaining?”

“I know a thing or two about your family that you might not. So let put it in such a manner,” Miss Tepes responded evasively. “Though I can assure you that the vampire responsible for that brutal murder is long gone.”

“Who’s killed him?”

“Me. I have killed him with my bare hands.”

“Good.”

“Miss Tepes, with pleasure, I can inform you that the match has been found,” the AI announced unexpectedly.

Chapter Text

As the last droplets of the rain slowly died out, the chill-cold wind hurled through the streets. In many nearby puddles, the reflections of the light of the lamps tried to blind the poor souls walking down the streets. Even though it was mere minutes away from the sunrise, the world seemed to be wrapped in unpenetrable darkness. A cold day was going to start soon.

Surprisingly enough, not much was happening around the RDT office. Sure, some of the noises of the wakening city could have been heard coming from the distance. However, the enormous complex seemed abandoned, hollowed, empty. No light was coming from any of the numerous windows. Though it was an unexpected turn of events. After all, the work here never ends. The crime never slept. Many officers could have been found here, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Right in front of the HQ’s entrance, a hooded man stood. His heavy trench coat of an ashen colour seemed soaked due to the heavy rain. Nevertheless, he stood there, overseeing the complex.

After a couple of minutes, the man finally moved, giving an impression of a sentient being. Then, as the first rays of the early morning shined through the gaps in the tight city constructions, he rose his right wrist. The coat’s sleeve was marginally moved back, revealing a watch. Even though its face was marked severely by the passing of time, it still worked perfectly. Then, a short-lived grimace could have been spotted. However, at a moment’s notice, it was discarded. It seemed that the hooded man decided to take some action.

The hood, as black as a raven down, was pulled down slowly, revealing the man’s face. Medium-long hair of a snowy colour was swept back. His stoic eyes carefully inspected the nearby surrounding as he strode toward the entrance. Physically, he looked to be in his forties. The slightly darker facial hair was neatly trimmed.

The man rose his write once again, taking a moment to look at his watch. It was an unnecessary endeavour, yet one of his bad habits. After a few seconds, the man lowered the arm, focusing on his stride. Each of his steps caused a little splash that irritated him.

***

“Aria, please do proceed,” Miss Tepes spoke in a relieved tone.

“But, of course, Miss Tepes,” the artificial construct sounded. “I have managed to find 2 matches. Though it is worth mentioning that these are the same company. The difference lies in the registration area. One was registered in the USA, whilst the other one in Japan,” the AI proceeded. “The company’s name is ` Fushigina Kimera Knives`.”

“Hmmm…,” the vampire hummed. “I would want you to contact them and make an appointment as soon as possible,” Akali requested. “And by as soon as possible, I mean the latest option is tomorrow,” she clarified her request.

“Requested approach toward decline?” Aria asked.

“Unacceptable,” the white-haired woman uttered softly. “If they try to decline, please, connect me with them. And… before I forget, you are free to attach my certificate. They should know whom they are dealing with.”

“The order will be fulfilled,” the synthetic voice sounded. “Do you have any other orders for me, Miss Tepes?” she asked politely.

“No,” a short response was provided. “You have done a splendid job, Adria. In case of further requests for your assistance, I will call you.”

“Understood,” the AI uttered.

Miss Tepes considered the conversation finished. So, she started pacing around the room with her right hand cupping her jaw. The white-haired woman seemed puzzled, conflicted. In another setting, it could have been an amusing sight to behold, yet the current was not it. After all, Miss Tepes was one of the most, if not the most, influential people worldwide. There were hardly any positive outcomes of such an incident if something puzzled her.

“I hate to break the silence…,” Shauna started in a whisper-like manner.

“So, do not, Miss Vayne,” Akali interrupted the officer. “Fine…I sense you have more questions,” she added a moment later, sighing and giving up. “Just shoot them; I need to focus. So, the silence would have been preferable.”

“It might be a silly question,” Vayne resumed. “But, it’s something mildly bothering me. So, you’ve referred to the other vampires as guardians. Then… you’ve titled Rick Rauscher as guardian as well. Was he a vampire or just yet another member of your spec ops?”

“I title both vampires and spec ops as guardians,” Miss Tepes replied. “To me, their origin is irrelevant.”

“Oh… so it’s just like I’ve been speculating,” the raven-haired officer responded. “Hmmm… so, another question. Who’s Loghain? I remember you mentioning the name to that dickhead Lucious,” she allowed herself to ask another question.

“You are a better listener than I thought, are you not?” Akali chuckled a little. “Though you are correct regarding Lucious, he will step out of line soon. It is a shame that he will most likely forsake his ancestors’ heritage and accomplishments. And… he will do so out of impatience. Truly a waste of talent.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Shauna commented.

“I did not promise to answer all of your questions, did I?” the white-haired vampire countered instantly.

“Care to explain why you’re not going to answer that question, at least directly? What’s the point of keeping the secrecy?”

“Is it not obvious, Miss Vayne?” the council’s leader spoke. “Some of the pieces of information you are demanding to obtain are classified. You are not required to know everything. As our cooperation goes on, you will learn more. But, for now, it should be enough for you to know that Loghain is someone who works for me but does not obey the council’s orders.”

“You like to keep your cards covered, don’t you?” Vayne allowed herself to speak up. “But… I guess you’re in a position of power. Let’s change the topic, shall we? As I presume, we’ll be waiting for Adria’s report? So, the question arises, what do we do in the meantime?”

“Considering the question, you have something on your mind, do you not? Feel free to speak up then,” Akali’s response was emotionless.

“How about getting RDT’s help?” the raven-haired woman simply asked.

“What would be the benefits of doing so?” the white-haired vampire countered the question.

“It’d be far more comfortable cooperation for me, for example,” the officer stated. “Working with humans is different from working with your kind.”

“Oh, so it is the case,” Miss Tepes hummed. “Alright, you can return to the RDT’s HQ, but under one condition.”

“You want someone to keep an eye on me?” Shauna mocked openly.

“Exactly, Miss Vayne.”

“Who? Aria?” the RDT officer asked, somehow intrigued.

“No, I will assign Martin Eckstein to you,” the council’s leader stated. “He is more than capable of defending you if it comes to that.”

“Fine,” Vayne replied. “I don’t think I have other options. Or rather, I don’t think that the decision is mine to take.”

“Just for the record, you do not,” Akali commented. “Take some rest, then. I will have you both redeployed into RDT’s HQ in the morning.”

***

“You are awfully quiet, Miss Vayne,” Martin tried to start the conversation whilst driving. “Something happened?” he continued on with yet another question.

“I don’t think I was the talkative type the last time we’ve met,” the raven-haired woman commented boldly. “Well… it’s not your fault. Sorry,” she added a moment longer.

“Shall I safely assume that my presence is a part of the problem?”

“No,” a simple response was provided by the officer. “The past two days feel surreal. It’s like a nightmare that you desperately want to wake up from. But, in the end, it’s not that easy,” Vayne added.

“I was only marginally briefed regarding the case,” Eckstein spoke. “Nevertheless, I have a tingling feeling that it will only get worse and worse with time.”

“We can talk once we reach the office,” Shauna offered. “I’ve already started missing my small box,” she added, allowing herself to giggle a little.

“Well,” the man started. “You will not return to your exact office as per se. Miss Tepes demanded that the people you find irreplaceable and us will have an entire floor for ourselves,” he explained.

“Has she attached someone yet?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, yes,” Martin replied. “I was informed about two RDT officers, Lucian Brown and Tylor Akinson. As you most likely know already, the first one is the chief officer of the RDT unnatural department.”

“Yeah,” the raven-haired woman spoke. “I know both of them. They’ll be a great asset to this case.”

“We have a meeting planned for 8 am flat,” the German informed the officer. “Do not worry, Miss Vayne, we will be in the office in a few minutes. So, you will have around 30 to 40 minutes to prepare.”

“Thank you, Martin,” Shauna mumbled the response. However, she was no longer focused on the driver. Instead, her sleepy eyes were glued to the vehicle’s window. Behind it, the world was passing by quickly.

***

Vayne took a look at her mobile’s display. The bright piece of technology show 7:23 am. It seemed that the German was right regarding the time of their arrival. As the elevator beeped, announcing the end of its journey, the raven-haired woman was brought back to reality.

As she had been informed earlier, the entirety of the floor had been prepared for them. Someone – most likely Miss Tepes – had decided to completely rearrange the space. With that realisation in mind, the RDT officer started to walk around. Frankly, it appeared pretty quickly that all of the walls that previously separated the spacious area into boxes were removed. In their places, the glass-like, transparent panels were placed. One could have seen the entire floor from where one stood with a bit of luck.

In the very centre of the storey, a more-or-less round table was located. On the panels around it, many displays could have been spotted. Even though they were currently switched off, there was no doubt that these had been installed with a particular vision in mind. From there, the glass-like walls divided the area into 8 offices. As of now, all of these were only initially furnished. That basic package contained a solid wooden desk, an armchair, two additional less fancy chairs for the guests, and two bookshelves. Overall, a good entry point, though not sufficient. The area was lit by the light coming from the ceiling. The warm beams that tried to resemble natural light were pouring through the glass-like gaps.

“Can we ask for small upgrades to this place?” the RDT officer asked Martin.

“I would presume the changes regarding the furnishing?” the guardian asked for clarification.

“Yes.”

“Cortana, please come in and introduce yourself,” the German uttered.

“But, of course, Sergeant Eckstein,” a feminine voice replied. “Please, do forgive me for my lack of manners, Miss Vayne,” she added immediately after. “I am C-47652, the Arbiter-level class AI, in short, Cortana. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Miss Tepes assigned me to help you with the case.”

“How do you fare compared to Adria?” the officer asked a stupid and ill-mannered question. “Sorry, you don’t need to answer that. I shouldn’t have asked in the very first place,” the woman apologised after a moment of reflection.

“It is a perfectly valid question, Miss Vayne,” the AI replied. In comparison to Adria, Cortana’s voice was natural; it could not have been differentiated from a living woman. Moreover, her voice tone was casual, even though she spoke formally. “As per Miss Tepes’s words, I am the next step in the AI evolution. I was based on Adria; however, Miss Tepes has decided to tweak a few things,” she explained.

“Why would she let go of her most advanced AI?” Shauna asked.

“Miss Tepes would describe it as a sign of good intentions,” Cortana responded lightly. “Miss Tepes strongly believes in cooperation, thus the decision of my assignment.”

“I presume you’re as capable as Adria, if not more?”

“Your assumptions are correct, Miss Vayne,” the AI stated. “Before you have called me, you were discussing the matter of furnishing. Miss Tepes’s orders in that matter are clear. If you need something, feel free to request them through me.”

“Quite a convenient solution, I must say,” the raven-haired woman spoke up. “Can I have one personal request?”

“Of course, Miss Vayne.”

“Please, call me by my name. I feel old when someone’s trying to title me.”

“As you wish, Shauna,” Cortana responded.

***

It was exactly 8 am when Tylor and Lucian left the elevator. It might have been an exaggeration, but Vayne needed to see some familiar faces. Frankly, throughout the entirety of her stay in the council’s quarters, she had been surrounded by complete strangers. It was a refreshing experience to be around the people she knew, at least a little.

As expected, the Hispanic man chose to wear comfortable and casual clothes instead of something elegant. Though his boss walking next to him was the direct opposite. Lucian’s clothing consisted of light, formal pants, a matching shirt, and a topcoat in a darker colour.

“Morning,” the raven-haired woman greeted them. “Make yourself comfortable, then we can start. Coffee, tea, and water can be found on the table to your right,” she added, flashing a small smile.

“Well… it’s a surprising welcome, isn’t it, Lucian?” Tylor spoke, returning a gesture. “Who’s the lad beside you?” he asked.

“Manners!” the older man thundered at the Hispanic. “How many times do I need to remind you about manners?” he uttered a question. However, it was evident that Lucian had already given up. “It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Vayne,” he added.

“Likewise, Sir,” the black-haired woman responded. “And… to answer Tylor’s question….”

“Maybe I will answer that question,” Martin uttered, interrupting the RDT officer. “So, I am Sergeant Martin Eckstein, the guarding serving Miss Tepes and the council. It is a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen; I have heeded some good words regarding you,” the German introduced himself.

“Is it safe to presume that we have been gathered here because of your last assignment?” Lucian asked a moment later.

“Unfortunately,” Shauna replied. “Please, grab some beverage and sit down, then I’ll try my best to explain the current situation.”

“I’d want to say that I can’t wait for you to spill the bean,” Tylor murmured. “However, I don’t.”

“Well, if the pictures of that slaughter unsettled you, it only gets darker,” Vayne informed the Hispanic.

“I’ve figured that much myself, thanks, Vayne.”

“Shall we start, then?” the raven-haired woman uttered a question.

In the end, she could have not even asked. After all, they were not in a place to disregard the council’s direct order. Of course, they could have postponed it, but frankly, it would have not won them a thing.

***

“So,” the RDT’s chief officer hummed a couple of minutes after Vayne finished the introduction. “It looks like we are dealing with someone brave or stupid enough to challenge the council?”

“It certainly looks that way, Commander,” the raven-haired woman sounded. “As of now… our only lead is quite literally tricky to defend. Still… as horribly as it might sound, I’d prefer this whole situation to be a one-time show-up than the beginning of the political war.”

“I can see the reasoning behind that, Miss Vayne,” Lucian responded, playing with his fingers. “Do we have any update regarding that lead?”

“Nothing groundbreaking, sadly, Commander,” the AI sounded out of the sudden. “I was only informed that Miss Tepes left the council’s hold in the city for the meeting. I expect to receive further intel as soon as it concludes,” she informed the gathered people.

“Thank you for the briefing, Cortana,” Shauna spoke up. “As you see, Commander, we’ll need more people to work with. The designated level we’re currently occupying was divided into 8 smaller rooms, of course excluding this one. If there’s anyone you could recommend, I’m all ears.”

“Hmmm…,” Lucian hummed loudly. “Strangely enough, I was informed earlier regarding the officer transferred from Europe. He is German just like you, Martin, and I can say that I was impressed with his duty record. If you are comfortable with such a candidate, I think he should still be wandering around the office?”

“I think we’re in no position to be picky,” Vayne uttered. “After all, beggars can’t be choosers. Can we invite him here?”

“Give me a couple of minutes,” Tylor spoke up for the very first time since the introduction had begun.

“There is no need for you leaving the room,” Cortana commented. “After all, I can interact with the HQ systems. Let me find that candidate for you,” she added. “Ervin Richter was informed regarding his new assignment,” the AI informed a moment later. “He is on his way here.”

***

To say that Ervin Richter was surprised would have been a laughable excuse of a joke. After hours spent on the plane, he did not expect to be summoned nearly immediately. He had managed to catch up only a few moments of shut-eye throughout the flight, which certainly was not helpful currently. As he walked down the hall toward the elevator, he allowed himself to complain silently. It might have been a really long day for him.

A beeping sound was annoying. To Ervin’s utter dissatisfaction, the lift stopped on nearly every floor, constantly beeping to announce its departure or arrival. It was a truly horrible experience, to say the least. Still, the German opted to say nothing. All he did was clench his teeth. Finally, after some torture, he arrived at the desired level.

As soon as the doors began opening, the man left, seemingly in a hurry. A silent sigh was allowed to happen. Then, the man smoothed an invisible crease on his trench coat before proceeding forward. Richter found it intriguing to be surrounded by glass-like, transparent panels. In his eyes, there were certain benefits related to such a solution.

In no time, the central room was reached. Inside, the German spotted 4 other people already sitting there. Two of these people he had already had a chance to meet. So, thinking logically, it was natural to skip the inspection of these. He slowed down a little, buying some additional moments to finish the scanning.

“That woman seemed stressed,” it was Richter’s first thought regarding the raven-haired woman. “Her gestures are uneasy, clumsy. Something might be bothering her greatly,” the train of thoughts was allowed to continue.

Overall, the man did not find her fascinating. She must have been struggling to keep her cool under stress. However, the same could not have been said regarding the last man. Ervin liked to describe the people with the concept of auras. And… in the case of that soldier, it was a very grimdark construct. Amongst the gathered people, he was the only one clothed as if ready to be deployed within moments. His broad chest was entirely covered by a kevlar-like vest. Underneath it, the turtleneck of an ashen colour was seen. In some areas, it seems to be overly-fitted; potentially, the second skin could have been used by him. The red flag had risen as soon as Ervin spotted the half-gloves. Additionally, a modern handgun was attached to his belt.

“There is no way he is one of RDT’s officers,” Richter thought to himself.

The silvery-haired man allowed himself to linger a few seconds longer before finally reaching the table. He was aware of the gazes glued to his every move. However, apparently, no one was willing to speak up before he would find his seating.

“Mister Ervin Richter, I presume?” the raven-haired woman spoke a moment later.

“Yes,” the man replied, nodding slightly. “I wonder why I have been summoned?”

“Make yourself comfortable, then,” the woman responded immediately. “It might take some time to explain the situation. So, please feel free to put your coat on the racks and take some beverages,” she informed him.

“Thank you, and your name is?” Richter asked whilst slowly taking off his trench coat.

“My name is Vayne, Shauna Vayne, to be precise,” the raven-haired RDT officer introduced herself.

“And… who is that fellow?” the silver-haired man asked, pointing out on the soldier.

“I am Martin Eckstein. I am a guardian in the council’s service,” the man uttered simply. “Considering your service records, you might be a great asset in the upcoming missions,” he added, extending his right hand.

“You are not part of RDT, are you not?” Ervin asked another question whilst shaking Eckstein’s hand. “You look like an ex-soldier or even ex-commando?”

“Good guess, Mister Richter,” Martin commented, flashing a half-smile. “Does `black legion` ring a bell for you, Mister Richter?” he proceeded with a question in German.

“Naturally,” Richter responded in German. “I have thought that the project had been shut down ages ago,” he added, swallowing a heavy gulp forming in his throat.

“Let’s discuss that matter privately, shall we?” the dark-haired man offered.

The newcomer did not reply, or at least not verbally. Instead, Ervin nodded slightly with his head. His eyes were wide open, focused on the council’s servant.

“It was creepy,” Tylor spoke up. “It might be only me, but German is a fucking scary language sometimes.”

“Apologies,” the guardian uttered. “It was not my intention to make you uncomfortable. Let’s just call it a friendly exchange between fellow Germans, shall we? And… Cortana, please do not translate what we have spoken,” he added toward the AI. “Miss Tepes informed me that you try to leverage the lingual bridge by default.”

“Point taken,” Cortana replied back instantly. “Should I display all the pieces of evidence we have gathered so far?”

“Please, proceed with that, Cortana,” the German guardian spoke.

Soon enough, the images, audio logs, and other pieces of data started to be streamed toward the tablets lying on the table.

***

“Thank you for your time, Mister Shimamoto Shigekazu,” Miss Tepes uttered the greeting in a somehow neutral tone. “Have you been briefed regarding the urgency of this meeting?” she asked before the man could have said a word.

“No,” the ` Fushigina Kimera Knives` CEO replied simply and coldly. “I do know who you’re, but it doesn’t make a difference for me,” he added confidently. “I’m a busy man, and it’s unthinkable for you to force your way into my schedule, Tepes!”

“I can certainly understand that much, Mister Shigekazu; I can assure you about that,” the council’s leader responded, lowering her voice. “I am here merely to obtain some pieces of information that you might possess. So, I need you to tell me who has bought two of your limited edition knives. That all, after that, I will be gone.”

“My customers’ identities are only known to my officers and me,” the man replied harshly. “I’m being paid to keep these pieces of information secret. We value our customers’ privacy.”

“I need you to make an exception, then,” the vampire uttered in a whisper-like manner, taking a step forward.

“Do you have a court warrant?” Shigekazu asked whilst playing with his plumb fingers. “If not, I’m so deeply sorry, but I can’t reveal these, Miss Tepes,” he allowed himself to use irony.

“I can have it in a moment,” the white-haired woman spoke, taking another step forward.

“I’d urge you to stay where you’re standing!” the CEO mumbled, taking a step back. “Take one more step, and my guards will be forced to act!” he threatened.

“Did you really make a threat toward me?” the vampire asked, switching her irises into the crimson-red shade. “These two are remnants of Yakuza, are they not?”

“Does it matter?” Shigekazu asked, backing off.

“It would be in your best interest to speak up,” Akali informed the overweight man.

“You should’ve been smarter! Guards, kill her!” the man yelled, running away.

Within a second, the setting changed drastically. The narrow corridor the exchange took place in did not allow the council’s leader to disregard the guards. She simply could not have skipped them, focusing on catching the fat fish known as Shimamoto Shigekazu. The vampire sighed heavily; it seemed that the bloodshed was inevitable. In front of her, two relatively young men stood. Each of them wore a white suit with a black-as-night tie. Their katanas were already drawn, ready to strike. However, they must have known whom they were dealing with, and thus, they did not attack. Still, it was evident that they would want her to back out and leave. Sadly, she could not have allowed the greedy little man to escape.

The short, curved dagger was pulled out of her sleeve in a blink of an eye. The men reacted instantly, moving forward, forward to their demise. However, strangely enough, before the vampire killed them, the air went cold in the corridor.

“Ahh,” Miss Tepes hummed, flashing a smirk. “You have come at last,” she thought.

Within the next moment, two massive figures appeared behind the Yakuza members. With little to no effort, these newcomers disarmed the guards, knocking them out a moment later.

“Quite an entrance, I must give you that,” Akali uttered in a whisper-like manner. “I wondered when you will finally show up, Loghain.”

“Apologies,” a slightly hoarse voice sounded from behind. “We have arrived as soon as our wakening ritual finished.”

Chapter Text

Within the next couple of heartbeats, Akali closed the gap between her and Shigekazu. It was all too easy to hunt down the supposed big fish. Even though the Japanese wanted to break, trying his hardest to do so. The effort was all but futile. The difference in strength between them could have been compared to Great Canyon. No matter what the businessman tried to do, once the vampire grabbed his left hand, it was a game over for the man.

“Why do you try to run away, Mister Shimamoto Shigekazu?” the council’s leader asked, throwing the man toward the nearest wall. Unfortunately, the wooden construct did not survive the impact, shattering into smaller pieces. Then, the white-haired vampire approached once the businessman found himself lying on the cold floor. “Why did you insist on making it difficult for yourself? All I wanted was a piece of information that you possess. All you needed to do was to give me that piece. But by doing so, you would have earned yourself a little gift. But, unfortunately, now you have left me with no other choice but to dispose of you,” she commented coldly.

“Please, please… I can give you these,” the nearly-bold man started to beg for his miserable life.

“I will get these regardless,” the white-haired woman stated as she lifted the Japanese from the ground. “I would have wanted our little conversation to have a different conclusion, yet you forced my hand. So, goodbye,” she whispered before sliting the man’s throat.

Before the blood had an opportunity to spray over Akali face, the vampire threw him toward the ground. Then, once a disgusting sound of crushed bones sounded, a dagger was thrown toward the man. The council’s leader did not pity the man, but on the other hand, he did not deserve to die painfully slow.

“Is it safe to assume that our mission here is concluded?” Duncan’s warm voice sounded nearby.

“Nearly,” Akali opted to respond plainly. As the woman turned around, she noticed Loghain and Duncan entering the devastated corridor. “All that is left to do is plug into the company’s system and seek the answers. I will have the man’s successor informed by Adria about his sudden promotion.”

“It turned out messy,” Loghain commented. “It is not your usual style, Miss Tepes.”

“Sharp as ever,” the white-haired woman sighed heavily. “But, yes, the situation got a little out of hand. I must be losing my touch, apparently.”

“What are the odds of this man’s successor seeking revenge?” Loghain asked once again.

“Marginal, but such a situation can arise,” Akali replied simply. “Mister Shigekazu’s son has a troubled past with his own father. As far as I am aware, he wanted his old man dead. So, in a way, we have made his wishes come true.”

“Fair enough,” Duncan spoke. “Let’s leave this place. I have a feeling that you didn’t wake us up just for this. So what’s going on, Miss Tepes? It has been years since the last time you’ve summoned us.”

“We will have plenty of time to discuss the matter once we are on the plane,” the council’s leader cut off the discussion. “But… I agree; let’s wrap the situation up as soon as possible.”

***

“What is the `black legion`?” Shauna finally mustered enough courage to ask out. “My German is rusty, but I understood some of what you had uttered.”

“Does it bother you?” Eckstein responded with a question of his own.

“Let’s just say that I don’t like secrets being kept away from me,” the RDT officer stated. “So, will you tell me, or should I start asking Cortana for more information?”

“Hmm… let me think for a moment,” the council’s agent hummed. “It will not be necessary, I think. I will not explain everything to you, but I do feel you deserve to know, at the very least, the basics. So, let’s take some beverages and take seats, shall we?”

“Don’t try to sell me any crap!” the raven-haired woman uttered. “I hate being kept away from the case. Still, your boss decided to cooperate with me. So, be a good lad and tell me what I need to know to do my damned job,” she added, switching her voice to overly sweet.

“I have already told how much I will reveal,” the German responded cooly. “Take a seat, and let’s get this matter over with. I am pretty sure we have a lot of work on our hands,” he stated. Next, the man took a mug filled with hot chocolate then situated himself on the nearest chair.

“Fair enough,” Vayne spoke, taking her coffee. “So, what’s the `black legion`?” she repeated the question once again.

“Do you know what KSK was?” Eckstein asked, then took a sip of his beverage.

“I’ve heard that name before… let me think for a moment,” the black-haired woman hummed. “Wasn’t it a special ops unit originating from Germany? I’ve heard they had been disbanded before the war.”

“Yeah, KSK was an equivalent of English SAS at the time,” Martina started quietly. “And… you are also right about the disbandment of the unit. But unfortunately, it happened a couple of months before the war kicked in. The German government announced that they wanted to introduce a new special ops organisation that would replace all existing ones. The code name `black legion`, I do not know why such a name, but who am I to judge,” the man continued the story, shrugging nonchalantly to express his feelings. “Anyway, KSK, GSG9 and many others were disbanded, then moved to the new training ground deep below Frankfurt. There these men and women had trained until the war started.”

“So… to sum up, it must have been an elite unit?” Shauna asked.

“Yeah, you could safely say that,” the German agreed. “However, there were some nasty holes in that entire arrangement. For example, the law that brought the unit to life allowed the criminals to be drafted to the legion. In a way, there were whole companies entirely composed of the prisoners. None of these lads would have ever left the army. They had only two options, fight and try not to die whilst doing so, or die in the prisons,” Martin added, lowering his voice even further.

“What would be the point of such companies?”

“You know, some people were thankful for a chance to adamant their sins,” Eckstein responded. “Moreover, these soldiers would have never surrendered. I can not honestly say whether it was driven by patriotism or being pushed right against the wall. But, they would have fought to the last men. And… considering their experience, training, and equipment… yeah, they would not have sold their skin cheap. I am certain of that much,” he added, taking another sip from the mug.

“Let me guess, the unit has never stopped operating, hasn’t it?” Vayne uttered a quiet question. “And… based on your question, you’ve been a part of that program; the same can be said regarding Richter. That makes awfully a lot of sense if regarded for a moment,” she added more to herself than anyone else.

“Congratulation, Miss Vayne, you have solved that case,” the German spoke, allowing his tone to soften slightly. “Yes, I was part of the legion in the past. And… I have allowed myself to ask around Cortana about our newest agent’s duty record. Considering the high notes, I was nearly positive that he was a legionnaire too, but I needed to be sure before bringing the matter to the table,” he explained casually.

“Is there anything more that I should be aware of?” Shauna continued to ask questions.

“Look, it is the most I can brief you, Miss Vayne,” Martin replied, putting down the mug. “You are free to shoot the questions that bother your mind. However, I am not promising to answer all of them. Hell, I can see a scenario in which I would not provide any answer at all.”

“Is there a point in extending this conversation, then?”

“If all you are seeking are the answers regarding that particular topic, then I do not see any value coming from continuing our little chat, Miss Vayne.”

“Fair enough,” Shauna responded after a few seconds of silence. “Have you received any update regarding Miss Tepes’s mission?” she opted for a change of the topic.

“No, unfortunately, nothing,” Eckstein spoke. “Though I feel like it is only a matter of time. Miss Tepes is capable of taking care of herself and her business. So, I think it will be far more productive to focus on our task.”

“I’d certainly want to do that. But sadly, we’re in the corner, apparently,” the raven-haired woman sighed heavily. “Look, all the clues we have in our possession don’t seem to match at all. Or, at least, the connection between these is shady.”

“Would you want to give up, Miss Vayne?” the German asked whilst standing up. “Sometimes, it takes time for the clues to align. It might be a wise decision to start looking at some other case. Or, we can potentially try to recreate the whole passage of events. Either way, the call is yours to take,” the man shrugged nonchalantly. “Miss Tepes’s decision is crystal clear in that regard; you are in the command.”

“Then… please, take a look at the current open cases,” Shauna finally uttered after a full minute of pause. “Please, pick the one you find the most complex. Considering that we’re funded by the council, we should try to help the RDT.”

“Let me be clear, Miss Vayne,” Mathias quietly started. “We are not going to abandon this case. We are simply redirecting our resources to another one because, as you have stated, we are currently facing a wall. So, it might be a good idea for Cortana to process these clues. Maybe… she will see something that we have omitted. After all, she can foresee much more scenarios than we combined.”

“Yeah… go ahead.”

“Do you need something more?” the German asked, preparing himself to leave.

“No, that would be all.”

***

“Shauna, Miss Tepes sent you a message with attachments,” Cortana allowed herself to inform the RDT officer. “I forwarded it to your personal computer. So, please, feel free to take a look,” the AI friendly added.

“Thank you, Cortana,” Vayne responded, sighing heavily. “I’ll take a look in a moment.”

As expected, the artificial construct did not respond to that. But, frankly, there was no need to. So, the raven-haired woman was allowed to be left alone with her troubled mind. Shauna had foolishly decided to look into the case files, quickly encountering the photos taken during the autopsy. To say that she struggled to prevent herself from vomiting would be like saying nothing. The raven-haired woman had never had a strong stomach for such disturbing pictures, sceneries. So, if she had been allowed to, she would have skipped such cases. However, this time, she could not ignore it.

When her smart band started buzzing, she knew it was already 7:30 PM. The alarm had been set to wake her up. But unfortunately, due to her internal struggles, she had not fallen asleep in the first place. So as Vayne wiped her teary, exhausted, bloodshed eyes, she knew it was high time to return to work. The raven-haired stood up, stretched a little, then header to her desk with some problems. A ghostly, transparent keyboard appeared once her biometrics were recognised and accepted. A moment later, a gap within the nearest wall started to open, revealing a decently-sized display. Vayne waited a couple of extra moments for the operating system to load before opening her mailbox. As expected, the message from Miss Tepes was marked as critical, marked with a shiny star next to it. However, as soon as the officer selected the item, a message box popped up.

“But, of course,” Shauna scoffed quietly. “It’d have been too easy to expect this message not to require additional authentication,” she sighed.

Once again, her thumb was pressed against the scanner, waiting for the clearance to be granted. Surprisingly enough, the provided biometrics were not enough. Once the first data batch was accepted, the new window popped up, asking for the scan of her iris. So, without any other option, she did as she was told. When the input was accepted, the final requirement was displayed.

“Ehhh… you seem to know quite a lot about me, Miss Tepes,” Vayne commented as soon as she read the question.

Nevertheless, the answer was rapidly typed and provided for verification. The moment the application accepted all the data, the window vanished, and the message started to be decrypted. Considering the process’s time, either the transmission was heavily encrypted or contained many attachments. As the progress bar slowly filled up, the officer’s interest only grew. What could have potentially Miss Tepes discovered was the question bothering Vayne’s mind. But unfortunately, she would have had to wait for that mystery to be resolved.

The uncertainty kept the officer on her toes for the better part of the next quarter of an hour. There had been moments when the raven-haired woman had been mere inches away from giving up. But instead, she kept focusing on the display, praying for the message to be finally decrypted. The process was simply taking too much time; it seemed like the council’s leader had sent her hundreds or even thousands of files. However, in the end, the process was finished successfully. The explorer opened up the moment it happened, revealing the previously encrypted content. As feared, dozens of directories were filled with images, documents, and reports.

“It seems that the shuteye throughout the night can’t be taken for granted,” Shauna commented as soon as she realised what was before her. “I better start it now; these files won’t process themselves.”

“Would you like me to give these a quick scan, Shauna?” Cortana asked out of a sudden. “It will take me far less time to go through it all.”

“No… yeah, yeah,” Vayne started to mumble. “Please, take a look. In the meantime, I’ll try to read these on my own.”

“Affirmative; I will report back as soon as the process is finished,” the AI informed before its voice faded away.

***

The raven-haired woman woke up around noon the next day. If she had been asked when she had fallen asleep, she would have not been able to reply. So the only realistic scenario was that she had a blackout sometime after her last conversation with Cortana. Considering that she woke up lying flat on her desk only furtherly proved that speculation. Hence, the annoying pain in her lower back was understandable. Unfortunately, these circumstances were not enough for Vayne not to put the blame on herself. So, regardless, the woman needed to stand up and resume the investigation. Otherwise, she would not be able to cope with herself.

A couple of minutes passed before Shauna started to register smells. Like a clueless moth circling around a hot bulb, the woman was pacing around the desk, unable to locate the source. Funnily enough, it turned out that a dark mug filled with hot, black as night coffee was the sought cause. And… to the woman’s utter dismissal, it was proudly located at the very centre of her desk. As soon as Vayne spotted the item, she facepalmed herself, trying to get herself into any reasonable shape.

The moment the RDT officer took a sip of the hot liquid, the door leading to her office opened. Even though Vayne’s perception was still far from the normal state, she focused on that occurrence nearly immediately. Initially, she expected to spot either Martin, Lucian, or Taylor to check up on her, but her assumption appeared to be wrong. Once the entrance opened fully, Dr Michel entered the room. She wore a light-coloured peacoat matched with much darker jeans and brown knee-high boots. The doctor looked stunning. Or, at least such an opinion could have been considered before the officer had a better look at the council’s agent’s face. Adria’s skin seemed dry and thin; small purple veins were visible underneath it. The doctor’s eyes were in no better shape; they appeared dead-tired, bloodshot covered nearly the entirety of the eyeball. Dr Michel’s lips were drawn into a straight line, emphasising the concern that lurked behind her eyes.

“You look like death,” Vayne allowed herself to comment, omitting the greeting.

“Good morning to you too. I wish I could say that you look better,” Adria responded, forcing a small smile to appear. “Considering the imprints on your cheek, you must have slept on some documents. Is it safe to assume that we haven’t been sleeping well recently?”

“Yeah, I think it’s safe to say,” the officer spoke, stretching out. “But, there’s still a question that intrigues me; why are you here, Dr Michel?”

“Please, drop that attitude and formalities,” Adria scoffed. “We’re in the same boat right now. So, please cut that slack; I don’t need to be titled. Reserved that for Miss Tepes.”

“Ok… I won’t complain about dropping the titles,” Shauna commented. “Anyway, can you answer my question first?”

“Yes, I think it might be handy,” the doctor uttered, closing in. “As you might already expect, I’m here because Miss Tepes requested me to come. She mentioned something about changing the topic, at least for a moment, till our killer shows up. Have you looked into the files she obtained?”

“Let’s say that I’ve,” the raven-haired woman whispered back. “Though… To be honest, I didn’t make any progress,” she added, scratching her nape. “Most likely, I’ve fallen asleep whilst reading the files.”

“Frankly, it’s understandable,” the council’s agent commented. “There’re so many attached files; hmm… have you considered asking Cortana to help you with that?”

“Well… it wasn’t my idea, but yes, Cortana was to look through these files and try to find some link between them.”

“Take your coffee then; let’s walk for a little, shall we?”

“Good idea, I guess,” the RDT officer spoke, picking up her mug and following the agent. “When is Miss Tepes supposed to return?” she asked, taking another sip of the beverage.

“No clue, but I’d bet it’ll happen soon enough,” Adria replied whilst strolling through the corridor. “As far as Miss Tepes trusts us, she doesn’t like to leave the responsibilities solely to her subordinates. I don’t know why she prefers this approach, but, as far as I can see, it’s working.”

“I don’t understand this either,” Vayne whispered. “Considering all the resources, all the power she has, she doesn’t need to lift a finger for any job to be done. But, strangely enough, Miss Tepes opts to run the show from the first line. I’d love to know why.”

“Well, maybe it’s worth the risk to simply ask. So, what do you think?” the doc allowed herself to giggle slightly. “Or… on the second thought, maybe it’s not the best idea.”

“I’ll make a mental note not to try this,” Shauna responded. “I assume you want to take a walk outside?” she asked, smiling.

Dr Michel did not respond. Instead, she quickened up the pace, heading toward the elevator.

***

It was a late evening when Akali arrived at the RDT’s headquarters. To say that she was in a bad mood would be like saying nothing. Throughout the entirety of the journey, she had not uttered a single word, allowing her mind to run freely. In her mind, the whole situation was represented as a vast map filled with numerous small dots. Each could mean a clue, an event, or even a person. Between some of these, there was a drawn line connecting them. In moments like this, the council’s leader was thankful for the near-picture-perfect memory that allowed her to freely rerender any scene. Hence, of course, she was capable of projecting things that she had never seen. However, the ability to imagine things appeared incapable of finding the link. Even for Akali, some of these clues and their connection seemed too small to proceed with. The whole image she held inside her mind appeared flawed as if some crucial details were missing. Maybe she had missed something, omitted a piece, or disregarded some event.

“I must be missing something,” a heavy sigh sounded in the deepest part of Akali’s subconsciousness. “Let’s go through all of this once again.”

According to the manufacturer’s logs, the twin blades they had taken away from the black-skinned men had been ordered by an acclaimed surgeon. That surgeon was Professor Hector Lane. The man was weirdly known as a culinary enthusiast and an amateur cook. As far as Akali remembered, she had been invited to one of his parties at least a couple of times. Even though his cooking skills were nowhere near his medical ones, he was a proud man. Some of the council’s agents had been sent to these parties as a token of recognition. Yet, through all of their reports, one detail was consistent. The professor apparently liked to entertain his guests with his extensive collection of knives. So, to sum up, the man had a perfectly valid reason to purchase such beautiful blades.

But unfortunately, the easy part ended here. In the trade logs, there were registered events regarding this particular shipment. The very first one of them mentioned the doctor’s claim. The professor had claimed that the knives had never been delivered. Then, he had fielded an accusation of scamming against the manufacturer, demanding a full refund. The claim would have seemed like a reasonable countermeasure if the situation had been examined from the client’s side. However, as always, the coin had two sides. The entire incident became a bothering nuisance without any efficient way of proving the validity of the doctor’s claim.

A few logs later, a note regarding an agreement between the parties could be found. Hence, knowing the manufacturer, Akali was not surprised when he had not agreed to provide the refund. Instead, he had offered a significant discount for a new set. In the following few entries, the correspondence between the parties was mentioned. Regardless of the nonsense recorded in the logs, the agreement had been reached in the end. Lane had purchased a new set for the reduced price, and this time the package had been delivered without problems.

“It does not look any clearer,” Akali allowed herself to comment. “I can not entirely side with any side of that story, not really. However, it is a reasonable assumption to verify the doctor’s report, to doubt his words,” she proceeded. “What it is that I can not see?”

There was a possibility, at least a potential possibility, to sort out the dilemma. Considering Cortana’s and Aria’s capabilities, they should be able to recreate the delivery route. After all, the most crucial milestones would not be challenging to obtain. A short question sent to the delivery company responsible for the shipment should do the trick. However, the next step seemed near impossible. So, the Ais would need to retrieve all possible video footage and then recreate the actual delivery based on the timestamps. In theory, as the council’s leader, her clearances would allow her to request such an attempt. But sadly, it might take time.

Moreover, there was no saying that every district worldwide was actively monitored. Even a tiny gap between events could mean doom for her plan. Hence, as the white-haired woman slowly exhaled, the project was discarded. There must be another way of achieving the same goal. But, the woman seemed unable to see it as of now.

“Maybe a slight change of plans is required,” the council’s leader whispered. “I have exhausted my possibilities; hence, it is time for your turn, puppet master.”

Then, the snowy-white-haired woman froze for a few moments, allowing her mind to relax, to clear itself. After that, she reached out toward the bag located on the seat to her left. Once opened, a small laptop was retrieved. Before Akali placed the piece of technology on her lap, a moment of hesitation had been allowed. Nevertheless, the moment was weakness was overcome momentarily. After a quick sequence of lunching the computer and logging in, the desktop loaded nearly instantly. It was high time for the woman to return to work, kicking in the next gear.

Chapter Text

Vayne’s POV (evening, the same day):

The unexpected walk initiated by Adria lasted far longer than Shauna anticipated. In fact, before they returned to the HQ, the skies already had darkened. Throughout their stroll, they had held a couple of separate conversations. Some of these were connected with the case they were working on. Though some others were far from it. So, in summary, that time could not have been described as wasted.

As the women entered the elevator, Cortana’s voice sounded.

“Welcome back, Shauna, dr. Michel,” Cortana greeted them. “I must inform you that Miss Tepes has returned, and she would like to have a word with both of you,” she added nearly instantly.

“Bad mood?” Vayne asked without sparing a moment to think.

“No,” the AI responded cooly. “I would rather say that Miss Tepes wants to share some pieces of information with you. However, I can not guarantee that.”

“Thank you for the heads-up, Cortana,” Adria uttered quietly. “Where is she awaiting us?”

“In the very centre of the floor,” Cortana replied. “She is currently sitting beside the table,” she provided additional details.

“Good,” the doctor said, nodding slightly.

With that, the conversation died out. Some part of Vayne expected the doctor to speak up, starting some sort of a discussion before they would inevitably face their boss. However, much to her discontent, Adria remained silent. The brown-haired council’s agent seemed trapped inside her own mind, troubled by something. Because of that little discovery, the raven-haired officer virtually glued her eyes onto the doctor, trying to read her body language. But unfortunately, before she could unveil anything, the lift reached its destination.

As the doors opened, Adria walked out without uttering a single word or waiting for Shauna. Without other options, the RDT officer followed the council’s agent. However, something was apparently out of place. The swift change in the doctor’s behaviour only fueled that conclusion. But again, without anything better to do, it was only logical to let the events play, for now, at the very least.

“Ah… you are here, finally,” Miss Tepes greeted them with her stone-clod tone before the women could have even entered the room. “I would like to have a word with you. So, be kind and sit up,” she added. And… even though the council’s leader’s words were polite, her tone did not match them.

“Did you discover something more?” Vayne opted to speak up first. “Your last message was quite overwhelming, I must say,” she stated, closing the gap toward the table.

“Sadly… I do not have any groundbreaking news in that regard,” Akali responded after a moment of consternation. “Why you do not sit, Adria? You look awfully tired,” she asked the agent, who stood still a couple steps away from the large furniture.

“Oh… excuse me, I must’ve drifted away,” Adria mumbled. “But… I’ll need more of those, Miss Tepes,” she added, fixating her gaze upon the council’s leader. “Or, maybe I need something stronger.”

“Eh,” a heavy sigh escaped Akali’s throat. “We will talk about that in private, Adria. But, nevertheless, you can count on me; I hope you know that,” the whitehaired-woman uttered softly.

“I do,” the brown-haired woman replied, nodding slightly.

“So… with that point added to our agenda, let’s return to the current problematic situation, shall we?” the white-haired vampire spoke up. “At the given timeframe, we must allow the killer to make a move,” Akali started slowly, lowering her voice noticeably. “I know… it is not a good look to allow someone to scheme in relative peace. But, what we currently possess in terms of clues is insufficient, to put it lightly. So, for now, at least, we should focus on smaller cases. There are two outcomes that we can be rewarded by that. First, the optimistic one, some of these minor crimes could be related to the Toymaster, giving us a much-needed intel about the motives, background, etc. On the contrary, the second one is less optimistic. We could potentially not gain any additional information regarding our main problem. Our efforts would not be in vain, but the stalemate would continue.”

“You believe the Toymaster would finally make a move, don’t you?” Adria commented momentarily. “Miss Tepes, you assume that the impasse from our side would only make that monster far more daring?”

“Atta girl,” the council’s leader uttered, fixing her currently silver irises on the doctor. “It will not be a clean solution. But, I do believe that whoever has challenged me is not a vague unit. The Toymaster does not play that game for the very first time. Oh… I can only assume that the courage, the bravado, was forged in countless lesser games akin to ours,” the vampire added, flashing a mischievous smirk. “The Toymaster is addicted to power. It means a lot to feel like a God for that particular person. And… certainly, having the power to decide whether someone dies or not can feel that way.”

“It’s horrifying,” Vayne commented. “I hope you’re aware that our impasse will cost the people’s lives.”

“It was not a question, Vayne,” the white-haired woman said emotionlessly. “But… I must admit that you are right. Because of my inability to make a move, someone will pay the ultimate price. If you think about our situation for a moment, it is not far from a game of chess. The hesitation and lack of strategy often come with a price.”

“These lives come with little to no value to you, don’t they?” the RDT’s officer decided to heat up the conversation. “But, of course, they don’t. There are billions of people like these. You can safely sacrifice some for a greater good, don’t you?”

“I strongly believe that you getting emotional does not help us in any foreseeable way,” the council’s leader responded coldly. “Let me turn the tables then, shall we? What would you do, Miss Vayne, if you were me? What would you do with these pieces of information that, as you said in the past, seem shady?” the vampire uttered some questions.

“I’d definitely try to make a difference!” Shauna thundered, overwhelmed by sheer anger and helplessness. “We simply can’t allow that Toymaster to lead the game. If it stays this way, more people will inevitably die!” she tried to explain her reasoning.

“That is the clue, Vayne,” Akali uttered. “In all possible scenarios I can imagine, we will obtain more pieces with time. But, the problem is that these will come perfunctorily. So, we will never get a clear, complete picture for free. But, that is the nature of the game we unwillingly decided to participate in. And… the master of this game has been already nominated. So, to change it, we need more information, power, shreds of evidence,” the vampire said quietly. “It is possible that the Toymaster is uppity, susceptible to the traps, mind games. But, we have currently no possible way to prove this suspicion.”

“That basically proves that you’re willing to wait with your arms crossed, doing nothing,” Vayne commented.

“Shauna,” the doctor decided to rejoin the heated conversation. “None of us likes the consequences of that idea. But, on the other hand, we don’t have another way to progress through it. So, if you have one, please share it. I’m certain that it will be taken into consideration,” Adria tried to cool down the situation. “Shauna, please speak up your mind.”

As a quiet growl escaped Vayne’s throat, it became painfully apparent that the officer had no better idea. Instead of verbally admitting that the woman turned around, walking off toward her office. With every step taken, she clenched her fists harder, trying to find an effective way of controlling her flurrying rage. But, as much as she wanted to pretend it worked, she could not. Instead of calming down gradually, she only enraged herself more and more. So, the RDT’s officer opted to push forward mindlessly. The fewer thoughts ran through her conflicted mind, the better.

It was only a couple moments before the raven-haired woman reached her office. She was conflicted and too angry to comprehend what she had just done. The very first thing her mind registered was the sound when the door was slammed behind her. It was a refreshing feeling as some of her anger could be used. But unfortunately, as expected, the sensation did not last long. And after the brief moment faded, the realisation started to creep in. It was apparent that someone would come to her office sooner or later. Knowing her luck, Vayne was certain it would happen quite quickly. But, there was frankly nothing she could do to postpone the events she had set into motion. All the raven-haired woman could hope for was that it would be Adria who inevitably would approach her.

But, the inherited problem with that reasoning was abysmally apparent. The council’s leader would most likely want to deal with the officer herself. After all, Akali was awfully pragmatic in many ways, and she did not stay away from getting her hands dirty. No, that particular woman wanted to have everything under her control and progress toward the goals supervised by her very own eyes.

As a heavy, somewhat ragged exhale happened, the RDT’s officer started counting.

“The quicker, the better,” Vayne said. Considering that she was the only person in the room, she decided to speak her mind aloud to confront the otherwise overwhelming emptiness and silence. “Please, don’t let me wait too long. It’s already awful, yet… it can be far worse,” she continued after a brief pause.

Once she counted to 200, she opted to walk around. Vayne so desperately wanted to kill as much time as possible. But, alas, she was aware that the council’s leader would come at some point, seeking the answers. Nevertheless, the officer felt as if trapped. The office did not feel like safe heaven but more like a prison or courtroom.

One could think that packing between the walls marking the room’s boundaries could ease up the mind. But, in all honesty, it did not. On the contrary, the more time the activity consumed, the more stressed the raven-haired woman became. And, it felt as if time was slowing down.

Finally, footsteps echoed throughout the corridor. The stressed officer briefly gazed toward her office’s entrance before she sat down to disguise her shaking legs. Then, one additional heavy sigh sounded as the door opened. Vayne managed to count to 1500.

Shauna frowned immediately once she recognised the figure entering the room. Considering her initial speculation, both assumptions turned out to be wrong. However, it was not the worst possibility she could find herself in. It was a surprising turn of events that Akali had chosen Martin Eckstein to deal with the matter she had started.

The raven-haired woman blinked a couple of times before finally accepting that what she saw was real. The stoic German council’s guardian seemed a little exhausted, but other than that, Vayne could not read anything out of him.

“She sent you?” Shauna asked first.

“Is it not apparent?” the man responded with a chuckle. “It is not wise to act childishly toward Miss Tepes,” he added before casually closing the door and sitting on the available chair.

“It was not… eh… nevermind,” the RDT’s officer uttered. She considered defending her behaviour for a brief moment, but ultimately, she marked it as a lost cause. “Let’s just say that it wasn’t my best move,” she added, casting down her sight.

“I do think it is an understatement,” the ex-commando replied. “But, I wonder whether you would act differently now? Or… do you think that only a form in which you presented your point of view should be changed?”

“It’s plain and simple,” the raven-haired woman said. “Allowing the innocent to die because of our inability to progress the case is just wrong. There’s nothing that can justify that.”

“It is far more complicated, is it not?” Martin gently asked. “I do not like the idea of the innocent being put into danger, but what can we do now? As far as I am aware, we do not have a firm lead that would allow us to progress, as you have said. Furthermore, these blades you obtained might be just a dead end. Wrong item in the wrong place in the wrong hands. A simple yet confusing concept. What if the link between the butchery murder and the sexual assault is far bleaker than we think? After all, it is not exactly a groundbreaking discovery that such situations can exist,” he continued, keeping his voice calm. “I might not agree with all of Miss Tepes’s decisions. But, an overwhelming majority of them were correct. She would not have been a leader of the council if she had been the type of person who drops the ball when pressured. Alas, she has lived far longer than both of us. It would have been a surprise if she had not encountered an event at least remotely relatable to the one we are facing now. I say that you could give her the benefit of the doubt.”

“Do I have a say in that regard?”

“You are not pressured into anything; I need to remind you,” the German answered simply. “I strongly feel that Miss Tepes would allow you to hide, not to worry about that whole game being played out. But, if you take a step in that direction, there will be no return. You are either in or out. And… considering your emotional commitment toward the case, I dare to say that you would miss out,” the man continued, carefully and slowly picking his words.

“So… you’re basically a devil’s lawyer?” Vayne commented. “All that slick words, comparisons, and examples are placed here to engage me, right? I genuinely wonder what was your main occupation whilst you were the legionnaire?” she asked, lifting her gaze and focusing on the ex-soldier.

“Very well. It only seems fair if I spill a bean regarding my past,” the commando trooper replied, clapping his hands. “My primary responsibility was infiltration. As you are obviously aware, not all of the operations that spec ops run require a gun-blazing approach. Sometimes, secrecy is a far more powerful weapon. And… it was a field I and a couple of other commandos felt the most comfortable. There were times when we needed to cross the enemy lines and gather intelligence. However, I need to remind myself it was not always the case. Of course, from time to time, we acted more like negotiators rather than soldiers,” the man added, smiling slightly. “Good old times. But, in all honesty, I would not change what I have right now.”

“Yeah… I should’ve expected something like that by now,” the raven-haired woman chuckled. To some extent, she found the whole setting ridiculous. But, she could not exactly grasp why. “So… is it safe to say that you’re trying to negotiate with me?” Vayne asked, unconsciously returning the German’s smile.

“Yes, you can consider our little conversation a negotiation,” the guardian uttered, standing up. “I think we concluded the topic, did we not?”

“I think so,” the RDT’s officer responded. “So… is it all? No consequences, no interrogation, no threats?”

“If Miss Tepes wanted to interrogate you, I think she would come herself,” Martin said, readying himself to leave. “On second thought, Miss Tepes wanted you to return to the briefing room. She mentioned something alongside the lines that you would need to receive better training and equipment.”

“Ehhh… no rest for the wicked, I presume?”

“I would not count for that,” the man uttered. “However, you have a couple of hours to regain some energy. Miss Tepes has already left the building, heading toward the HQ. So, rest as much as you can and come back ready,” he told the officer before finally taking his leave.

A few moments passed till the raven-haired woman realised that she was left in her office, alone. Of course, she did remember the clicking sound that had arisen when the door had been closed. However, it was only a fleeting, fading image that seemed to be lost within the madness of her mind.

Akali’s POV (the next day, around 2am):

Deep below the council’s quarters, there was a room filled with darkness. Within it, many sarcophagi can be found, carefully sealed with solid covers. As footsteps echoed through the stone walls, something cracked or maybe clicked? Then, scratching sounds began filling the emptiness between the boundaries of this realm of darkness. Finally, the solid plates slowly parted away, making a decently sized gap through which rays of the moonlight entered the chamber. Unfortunately, this fragile light source was only sufficient to soak a circle-like platform. However, it seemed just enough for the person who had started the entire sequence.

The white-haired beauty came to light with no hurry. The woman’s majestic face remained emotionless, yet a slight, barely noticeable tension ruined the flawless mirror from time to time. Nevertheless, the council’s leader seemed unphased, focused on something that only she was aware of. Through the partially fading shadows, more and more details could be seen. It appeared that the sarcophagi were laid on a circular plan as well. Each ring was constructed a step below the previous one, making the platform the construction’s final apex.

For a few brief moments, the white-haired vampire stood still, contemplating. Some conflicted emotions ran through the leader’s face as if she was not entirely sure whether to commit or not. Akali’s left hand changed alternatively from clenched to fully open, depending on the rising tide of emotion within her consciousness. Finally, it seemed that the influential woman had made the final decision. As her right hand vanished between her coat’s folds, something snapped. In a moment lasting less than a blink of an eye, Loghain and Duncan seemingly materialised out of thin air.

“I hope you’re certain of this decision,” Duncan said, unusually cold and stoic. “You, of all the people, should know that some decisions have consequences.”

“I presume you share his vision, Loghain?” the council’s leader hollowly asked.

“Unfortunately, I do,” Loghain responded calmly, extending his right hand toward the white-haired vampire. “Let it go. It is not the time nor the place.”

“Eh,” a loud sigh echoed through the chamber as Akali let go of the item she held. “Fine,” she added quietly.

Then, the woman focused on a sarcophagus in the first ring directly in front of her. For a fleeting moment, one could sware that the sadness overtook the proud vampire. But, as quickly as it had appeared, it faded away, leaving a mask of emotionless behind.

“So… in that case,” Akali slowly started. “I do not like wasting time. And… thus, you two, fight me,” she growled, leaping forward without hesitation.

Chapter Text

The light coming from the handful of street lamps was vastly insufficient to cast off the shadows entirely. But, it was not a new realisation for anyone living in the outer parts of the city. Here, someone’s life could be cheaper than a bottle of water. Hence, if one valued it, it was rarely a good idea to stroll after the darkness lay its claim over the horizon. Nevertheless, there were people who willingly or forcefully ventured into the shadows.

“You’re late, Rat,” a hoarse male voice sounded nearby. “The boss expected you to be here an hour ago. What caused the delay?”

“I needed to clean the site,” Rat replied, sweating extensively. “These fools went to take some chick for themselves, but apparently, they never returned,” he added, wiping his sweaty hands into his worn jeans.

“Any confirmed intel?” the hoarse voice asked. “Cause… for now, I can’t say whether you made it up or you’re telling the truth. Too many speculations… and you know that I… pardon, the boss doesn’t like these. So, did you check the lead, Rat?”

“Yeah, Serth,” Rat said confidently. “I got that chick’s address and took a stroll there. I can’t know whether these two idiots were killed, but what I’m positive about is that the council was there. I saw two unregistered vehicles and more than a handful of buffed officers scattered over the building. I wanted to come in, but these cops stopped anyone from getting in or out, asking questions.”

“I see,” the man called Serth responded. “By cleaning the site, you meant killing off the rest?” he inquired.

“Yeah,” Rat uttered, smiling momentarily. “These dudes never saw what hit them,” he chuckled.

“Good,” Serth commented. “You can freely enter. I’ll be waiting inside; it’s freaking cold tonight.”

A moment later, Rat heard fading footsteps indicating that Serth did as he informed him. It would be best for him to do the same. As his colleague said, it was unnaturally cold tonight. Thus, he pressed forward after a brief sigh that turned into a cloudy fume.

The temporary hideout was set at the very end of the passage Rat was currently following. It was a narrow path seemingly carved between the two old buildings. The walls marking the passage’s boundaries were made of red bricks. Unfortunately, many of those did not age well with time, crumbling and deteriorating. As the way was not illuminated, the man was forced to use a flashlight not to step into numerous holes looming on the ground. To some extent, it could be considered ridiculous that some passages were still made of compacted soil in such a large city. But, the reality is usually cruel, and the current situation is not far from it.

A few moments later, Rat cursed when he stepped into a relatively new hole filled with rainwater. Considering the past few days, it was hardly a surprise, but it still angered the man. Some water got into his boot, making it uncomfortable to continue walking.

“Fuck it!” the man cursed as silently as he could. “A few moments more, and I’m in the hideout. There should be some spare boots there. At least, I hope so,” Rat continued complaining under his breath.

However, regardless of the man’s complaining, he pressed forward. Then, as if these last minutes of him walking could not have been worse, the weather decided to once again wholly change. With all honesty, all that Rat was not given more than a singular thunderstruck as a warning, or rather the announcement of the incoming storm. Then, nearly momentarily, the black skies darkened, if it was still possible, opening up and flooding the city with the rain’s heavy droplets.

With little to no other options, Rat decided to run forward to cross this last pesky distance that separated him from the hideout. And… despite the overwhelming sound of the storm, he could still hear his steps splashing the rain puddles. But, to his utmost discontent, it seemed to last too long, as if he was trapped in the given moment. Then, as Rat tried to speed up, he heard a gunshot nearby. Driven mainly through his sharpened instincts, the man threw himself to the side. However, a wave of sharp pain flared through his lower abdomen, informing him that he had failed to dodge the shot. Then, a moment later, Rat could not muffle the groan that pretty much marked his demise. Before he mustered enough strength to rise up, the second bullet was fired. Again, a momentary pain brought blindness, and then the darkness swallowed him forever.

“Good shot, Serth,” a heavily modified voice commented.

“I’m only doing my job, boss,” Serth replied emotionlessly. “He failed to deliver, and it costs you life when you make a mistake here,” he added, utterly unphased.

“It is really cold, but not wrong.”

Vayne’s POV (the next day, in the early morning hours):

Shauna was a step away from openly trying to kill Mathias when he woke her up at 5am. But, even though the idea sounded tempting in her mind, she stood no chance against the ex-commando. So, after a few moments of internal struggle, the RDT officer gave up, raising up unwillingly. Though, it must be admitted that the German had kept his unexpected visit as short as possible. In all honesty, all he had done was inform Vayne when and where she was being expected, then left without a word more.

The next hour had passed seemingly instantly, leaving the RDT officer in a state of consternation. Moreover, the extra time she was given did not affect her fatigue in any meaningful way. Hence, all she dreamt about was getting back to her bed. But unfortunately, such a possibility was out of the scope. So, the raven-haired woman stood still in the vast, mostly empty room.

After 15 minutes, Vayne began pacing across the room out of sheer boredom. After all, if someone wanted her here, it would have been appropriate to wait for her, not the other way around. But, she had no other option than to comply. And thus, she continued her so-called stroll whilst complaining under her breath.

“You pay no attention to your surroundings,” Miss Tepes’s cold voice sounded from above. “Before you ask, I have been here all the time. I have been merely waiting for you to notice my presence. But… as we both can see, it was not the case,” the vampire commented when the RDT officer looked up.

“You could’ve said anything, you know?!” the raven-haired officer replied, offended. “It’s not nice to be standing here all by my lonesome whilst you were doing God-knows-what!” she complained openly.

“Why would I do that?” Akali commented, descending gracefully from the platform above the room’s entrance. “Alas, it matters not,” she quickly added, closing the gap between them. “You are here to train, to become stronger. Without it, I can not allow you to continue actively participating in the case.”

“I…” Vayne wanted to complain some more but decided that it would not have been the best idea. “Eh; I presume you’ll be the one teaching me?” she said instead.

“Not necessarily,” the white-haired vampire replied. “I will have a few of my agents partially taking care of your training. Moreover, I believe it is not the best approach to teach someone how to fight or operate in one particular matter. Hence, no matter how formidable combatant I am, I would train you precisely the way I would prepare myself,” the vampire explained.

“You believe utilising various methods will yield a better result?” the raven-haired woman asked. Then, while waiting for a response, she started scanning the surroundings.

“Yes,” the council’s leader simply stated. “As far as your career reports say, you are a capable marksman. You excel in sniper rifles. However, this preference of yours does not affect your skills with smaller guns. All of your past instructors held you in their highest regard. But, to say it somehow gently, your hand-to-hand or melee combat skills are lacking. And… there is no guarantee that you will have the possibility to take your target from afar. Hence, I would like to focus on your dexterity, physical strength, and closer-courter combat.”

“I don’t think I lack anything in these regards,” Vayne commented, offended by the vampire’s statement. “I can agree that these are not the skills I excel at. But… with the rest, I can’t agree.”

“Is it bravado or pride?” the white-haired woman hummed. “One of these I could potentially admire whilst the other one I do not tolerate. Which one is it, then?” she inquired.

“Does it really matter?” the RDT officer scoffed. “Look… if you don’t believe me, why don’t you test me? Let’s spar,” she said confidently, forgetting for a brief moment who she spoke with.

“Oh,” a hum-like sound escaped the slightly parted lips of the vampire. “It is bravado, then. But, I do not mind testing you out,” she added. “So, let’s start with melee weaponry. Let’s say, wooden swords?”

“Fine.”

The council’s leader did not utter another word. Instead, she turned around, walking toward the nearest wall.

“Aria, please prepare wooden swords for us,” the white-haired woman commanded.

“As you wish, Miss Tepes,” the AI responded nearly immediately, ready to serve her master.

A brief moment was all it took for the wall Akali approached to partially vanish. In its place, three shelves overloaded with practice weapons appeared. One would have expected these pieces of weaponry stored there to be organised. However, in reality, it was the complete opposite. The weapons were scattered all over these shelves as if someone had thrown them inside in a hurry.

“Care to elaborate on what happened with this storage, Adria?” Akali asked, using a voice so cold that Vayne got goosebumps. “Who is responsible for that mess from a lack of a better terminology for this?”

“Verifying,” Adria exclaimed relatively loudly. “The last access was logged two days ago. Mister Kurth and Mister Nirth provided their ids for proper identification,” the AI added after a second or so.

“Very well,” the council’s leader whispered. “Please, schedule me a meeting with these two. I would love to discuss this matter with them. But, back to the business,” she added momentarily, referring to the RDT officer. “Catch these!” Akali exclaimed, throwing toward the officer two medium-length, wooden swords.

The raven-haired caught the provided weaponry; however, this feat could not have been described as graceful. One of these swords nearly slipped off Vayne’s hand whilst the other slightly wounded the delicate skin of her left hand. Furthermore, as if the beginning of this sparring session was not bad enough, these pieces turned out to be much heavier than the officer anticipated. Hence, the raven-haired woman needed a few strokes to get used to the weight and balance.

“I’m starting to get the hang of these,” the raven-haired woman stated. “Shall we begin?”

“Was it a question or confirmation?” Akali replied. “However, it matters not; let’s begin,” she quickly reflected.

Then, without an ounce of hesitation, the council’s leader lept forward. Then, with an actual cat’s grace, the vampire closed the gap between them in a matter of a few heartbeats. And thus, the officer had little to no time to prepare for what was coming. Vayne’s initial plan was simple. Before attacking herself, she would need to see Akali’s fighting style. However, the apparent downside of such an approach was to survive long enough to adapt. And… as things stood, the white-haired woman had no plans to give Shauna a moment of rest.

It did not take the vampire long to ware off the RDT officer. Each of the council’s leader strikes was powerful enough to shake Vayne’s frame. And yet, the white-haired woman seemed so relaxed, pushing the tempo effortlessly. At the same time, it became painfully apparent for the raven-haired woman that she would quickly reach her limits. There was no possible way for her to keep up with the vampire for much longer.

Shauna tried to counteract to salvage the disastrous situation she found herself in. However, in a blink of an eye, she realised that it was a mistake. As long as the raven-haired woman focused solely on the defensive, she could mitigate most of Akali’s attacks. However, as soon as she stopped doing so, she was immediately punished.

“You hold your swords too tightly,” the council’s leader commented whilst disarming Vayne with a single yet powerful blow. “Look at your arms,” the vampire demanded. “Look how tensed they are. You tried to constantly enforce your grip on these wooden pieces. Because of that… each of my strikes hurt you more than it should have. Your grip should be balanced, flexible, and comfortable. Otherwise, you will feel that whenever you parry a blow from someone stronger than you. Try to relax these stained muscles before we continue,” she provided extensive feedback.

“You held back, didn’t you?” Vayne dared to ask.

“Is it not apparent?” the vampire responded nonchalantly.

“You don’t think that I could handle the pressure, don’t you?” another daring question was uttered by the RDT officer.

“Well… what you are currently doing could have worked if I had been arrogant,” Akali commented. “You are aiming at my pride, seeking whether I am so petty to attack in a rage. That would allow you to counteract. But… unfortunately, as I said, it will not work.”

“It was worth trying,” Shauna responded, groaning from the pain. “Even though you held back, it’s still painful. So what was the moral of this particular lesson?” she questioned.

“Be humble,” the white-haired woman whispered. “No matter how powerful, strong, or influential you become, never underestimate your opponent. You can apply it backwards as well. You should never allow your pride to blind you,” Akali explained.

“Dully noted,” the RDT officer groaned. “Is it everything for today?” she inquired, allowing herself to be a fool for a moment.

“But, of course not,” Akali simply replied. “You have only a few minutes of rest before we continue. Alas, it is safe to say that you should fight against someone much easier than me, at least for now. Hence, I will have you fight against one of our prototype androids.”

“Eh,” a heavy sigh escaped Vayne’s tightened throat. “How much time do I have?” she asked, exhausted.

“5 minutes.”

“God, please kill me,” the raven-haired woman complained deep inside her mind.

An hour later:

“See, practice makes perfect,” the white-haired woman commented after an hour of intense training.

“It’s easy for you to say that,” Vayne responded, rapidly panting. “It’s me who has been fighting all this time,” she added.

“I would not go as far as to call this a fight,” the council’s leader stated. “What you did basically was following my direct instructions.”

“What would you call a fight then?” the irritated officer asked.

“Would you like me to show you?” the vampire asked emotionlessly.

“Pff,” Shauna scoffed. “All you do is talk; show me what you have in mind instead.”

“Very well,” Akali replied, not bothered at all. “Aria, please configure the android to mimic Loghain’s fighting style. And… please, remove all the limitations. I want this prototype to give me everything it can,” the council’s leader referred to the AI.

“As you wish, Miss Tepes,” the artificial voice sounded once more.

“Please, sit on the bench and watch the fight,” Akali said to Vayne. “It is highly likely that the duel will require most of this room. So, try not to get in the way.”

There was nothing to say about that, and… Shauna knew that. So, instead of her usual aggressive nature, she opted to obey the request. But, before she could even get to the mentioned bench, she heard the clashing of the wooden blades. Hence, driven mostly by curiosity, she turned around to spectate the fight. And even though it took her a mere moment to do so, she could already hear a heated exchange between the android and Miss Tepes.

“Aria, please life the limitations entirely,” the vampire hoarsely required. “It is still holding back,” she added whilst blocking the android’s precise yet brutally powerful strikes.

“I must inform you that rising the prototype’s potency might lead to additional damage, Miss Tepes,” Aria responded nearly instantly.

“Do it, nevertheless,” the vampire uttered, starting to pressure the android, forcing it to defend itself.

“As you wish, Miss Tepes,” AI sounded.

The change could not have been noticed, unfortunately. But, even though the prototype seemingly moved faster, and its attacks carried move weight, its effort felt fruitless. The longer the combat lasted, the more Miss Tepes became. Hence, she adapted to the situation, recognised her opponent’s moves, and then she struck. At some point, she allowed the android to resume its attack. However, instead of blocking the incoming blows, the council’s leader started to dodge all of them. Her movements were so smooth and quick that sometimes the RDT officer had problems keeping up. And… as much as it pained Vayne to admit, there was a massive gap between them. Both in the experience and proficiency departments, the vampire was simply supreme.

“Stop the prototype,” the white-haired woman demanded, panting slightly. “I do not wish to destroy it. However, there are certain areas in which we will need to improve it.”

“Certainly, Miss Tepes,” Aria responded immediately. “Would you like me to send you the detailed report from this fight?”

“Yes, I would love to have a look into that. Thank you, Aria,” the vampire uttered. “And what have you learnt from that little spectacle?” she asked Vayne.

“That you’re far superior to me,” Shauna replied, hanging her head low.

“Is it the only recognition from the fight?”

“No, but… it’s the most painful one,” the officer stated. “Do you always fight like this, or was it only to show me how to utilise the strategy I chose earlier?”

“And what do you think?”

“I can’t say with certainty,” Vayne said. “But nevertheless, you allowed the prototype to expose all of its movements and strategies. Then… you started to heat up the encounter, pressing it. Finally, once you were confident with the pieces of information you had, you straight-up outclassed the opponent.”

“Yes, in my mind, the battle can be simplified to a game of chess,” Akali stated, calming down her breath. “I tend to play rather reserved, allowing my opponent to show off what they got. But, then… when I fight, I do the same. Maybe it is too prideful to state, but I do believe I can adapt to anyone I would face.”

“Miss Tepes, I have an update for you,” the AI interrupted their conversation.

“What is it?”

“RDT was called to the outer parts of the city,” Aria started.

“It is not alarming, is it not? There must be more to it, I presume?”

“3 officers are not responding,” the artificial voice responded. “Their tracking devices seemed to be damaged, or their signal interrupted. So the human-crime department wants to send another team to the area.”

“I presume they want us to give them backup, is it so?” the vampire asked.

“Yes, the present chief officer would be grateful for a helping hand, as he called it.”

“Very well,” Akali said calmly. “I will go with Loghain, Duncan and 4 guardians. Please, make the necessary preparation, Aria.”

Once the last word was uttered, the vampire was ready to leave the training room.

“What about me?” the RDT officer asked.

“You are too tired to be of any help to us,” Akali simply yet coldly stated. “Please, take some rest. I will have someone inform you when I come back. But, for now… I think you should study recordings of your own fights against the prototype. Aria will provide you with all the necessary resources to do so.”

“But…?”

This time, Akali did not turn around to face the officer or even tell her anything. In the council’s leader’s mind, the conversation was concluded. And hence, there was no need to furtherly prolong it. So, the white-haired woman left the room completely unbothered within the next couple of moments.

Chapter Text

Author's notes section:

[2023-01-26]: Hey, here is a preview of the story’s next chapter. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release. I will try to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I would like to clean up some of the tasks in my schedule, and right now, there are many chapters queued there.

[2023-01-29]: Hey, a small update.
[2023-02-05]: Hey, a small update.
[2023-02-21]: Hey, I have a decent update for you. It should be the last update related to the preview. The next time I will update this piece, it will be the final version. However, I'm not entirely sure how much of the piece's content would be changed as I'm not 100% satisfied with what I have come up with.
[2023-03-15]: Hey, the chapter is finally concluded; I'm sorry for the delay.

Info: As I promised, the preview of the next `Last Christmas` chapter. Enjoy, and don't forget to tell me what do you think.

Info: Ok, let me start with what I promised in the last chapter of `My home is where my heart lies`. So, I often find myself not motivated enough to progress through the story, to write something refreshing and good. And thus, I feel like I will be splitting the story into 3 parts, aka the initial story will be split into 3 separate works. It will allow me to finish one part, re-read it, and think about changes that are necessary to take place. Furthermore, I feel like I have made a lot of mistakes throughout these nearly 3 years of writing this story. And... a lot of these come from a simple concept; I have started too many stories, and I have not been able to conclude virtually any of these. Moreover, my writing style and English proficiency drastically changed/evolved throughout this time. As you might know, I’m a perfectionist; I would love each and every one of my chapters to hold the same standard, to be simply the best. And... yet, with my knowledge of language broadening, it would require me to completely rewrite the story to maintain more or less the same level. And, as you might expect, it would take me ages to do so. So, as I have said, I will try to conclude the first part of this series as soon as possible. Nevertheless, I expect that I will need at least 3 - 5 chapters to do so.

Don’t forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.

Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2023-01-26]: A preview has been released.
[2023-01-29]: I have managed to update the chapter, adding around 600 words.
[2023-02-05]: I have managed to update the chapter, adding around 800 words.
[2023-02-21]: I have managed to update the chapter, adding around 1100 words.
[2023-03-15]: The chapter was concluded; I have managed to add around 600 words.

Schedule:
- The silence of the shackles (new chapter)
- The Breaking Point (finish the WIP)
- The Prisoner of Your Eyes (finish the WIP)
- My home is where my heart lies (finish the WIP)

Info: As promised, here is the preview for the next chapter. I will try to finish it asap, but as nearly always, I can promise you when the piece will be finished. Anyway, Enjoy :)

Info: Overall, the current plan is for me to write ‘My home is where my heart lies’ and ‘Family tree’ alternatively. Between the updates of these stories, I will try to upload other texts. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to finish some of the short stories. However, I truly doubt that. It seems that most if not all of the stories will be extended both in terms of the time and the number of chapters.

Info: I will try to rewrite some of the older chapters between releasing new ones. I expect to start working on that goal in the middle of January. So, please be informed that the new chapters might take a bit longer to be finished and published.

Bonuses’ section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even 2 stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
Bleach story. (Byakuya x Yoruichi / ?)
Naruto story. (Neji x Hinata / Neji x TenTen / Nagato x Konan)
Fairy Tail story. (most likely Erza x Mira)
Maybe some Star Wars?

References:
Judas Priest - Out in the cold

*bonuses will be worked on when I don’t feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D

End of the author's notes section.

Akali's POV:

An hour had passed since the council's leader had arrived, accompanied by the small team of her choosing. Whilst Duncan and Loghain momentarily approached the already-gathered RDT officers, the white-haired woman decided to work independently for the time being.

Another thunder split the darkened skies, lighting it in the process. Its sound was overwhelming; one could describe it as cacophonic. In the meantime, the heavy rain continued, successfully flooding the contaminated city. Regardless of these circumstances, Miss Tepes lazily paced around the building for an extended period.

The warehouse, or a crime scene, as it should be righteously called, was a vast complex of buildings. It consisted of one central, circular hub and two much smaller adjacent rectangular constructs. As a whole, the complex resembled the letter `U` in its shape. As far as Akali managed to notice, there were at least two entrances to the warehouse. The first was placed at the end of the narrow passage between the adjacent constructs. The second was located approximately in the middle of the left wing. Even though its frame was significantly damaged, the vampire managed to enter. Then, she stopped for a brief moment to think. As far as she remembered, most of the constructions in this area were planned symmetrically. Hence, it appeared suitable to speculate that the same entrance could be found on the warehouse's other side.

A few moments later, Akali looked around, finally paying attention to the room she had walked into. It was an antechamber, a relatively small, rectangular room with no furnishing whatsoever. Considering the number of cracks in the plaster and their extension, the building must have been abandoned. But, for how long, she could not say with certainty. A year, perhaps a couple of years.

Nonetheless, the vampire resumed her walk, intending to delve deeper into the warehouse. Utilising the other doors in the antechamber, she entered a vast room filled with heavy racks. As one could have predicted, these numerous furnishing pieces were arranged in longitudinal rows, leaving a relatively small passage in the middle of the room. Once upon a time, the shelves must have yielded under a heavy load. But, currently, most of these regals were empty and dusted.

A few extra moments were spent searching through the room. But, in the end, the endeavour seemed fruitless as the white-haired woman found nothing of value. Hence, she left as soon as possible, heading toward the central hub, most likely.

A rather obnoxious silence ruled over the place. But, of course, the statement was true if the sounds of the heavy rain were entirely omitted.

Soon enough, a new set of sounds was added to the already present muffled sounds of the raging weather outside. Akali heard numerous heavy footsteps coming from the adjacent room. For a split second, she wondered whether to follow this new source or proceed as planned. But then, before the decision could be made, the vampire realised that there was a tingling sensation that she had omitted so far. A smell she was so familiar with, blood. Usually, she could sense it from a significant distance, but this time, her focus must have been somewhere else, clouding her senses and judgment.

So, in the end, the decision was made without Akali's participation. Then, with a new, clear goal in mind, the vampire headed toward the source of that oh-so-familiar smell. For a change, it was so effortless to follow her own instincts.

The white-haired woman found the door relatively quickly. However, by utilising them, she would have ventured into the primary hub, which was different from her intention. So, she decided it would be worth trying to find a different exit. In the best-case scenario, the vampire would have stuck near the wall. But, in reality, it was not possible. In approximately 10 or so steps to her left, the layout shifted. Up to that point, the racks were placed in a coordinated and organised manner. But not anymore. The heavy frames were utilised to create a virtual maze. Driven primarily by her curiosity, the council's leader pushed forward, entering an extremely narrow path between the racks.

It was the right path; Akali was sure of that. Yet, with every step she took, the stench of blood intensified, making her wonder what she would uncover when she finally arrived.

Finding the other door took the woman the better part of the next five minutes. Finally, the passage led her to a broader corridor that had seen better days. Once upon a time, these walls must have been painted in some bright and striking shade of yellow. But, looking at them now, you could see numerous spots where the paint had peeled off. And… what little remained was as putrid bile strewed along the walls.

Nonetheless, it mattered not. Akali spared one last glance over the damaged surface and then resumed the walk. Even though her movement remained as quiet as ever, she no longer paid that much attention to her surrounding. This apparent omission was mainly affecting her vision of the floor.

It took the council's leader only a short time to notice the effect of that omission. The woman might have taken five or six steps before she stepped onto something, crushing it in the process. Then, instantaneously, she backed off, preparing to defend herself. Well, it was an apparent overreaction. After all, it did not precisely affect the vampire physically, but the avoidable noise stirred her out of her thoughts.

A silent curse was mumbled under the woman's breath. Then, she looked at what caused the whole passage of events. In its current state, it was nothing more than a small pile of nearly grind-to-dust stones. So, her focus was lazily averted and relocated to the ceiling. As expected, some pieces were missing from the overall well-preserved surface.

"I am wasting time," Akali commented, allowing her voice to sound if only as a whisper. "Get a grip, Akali," she added, mumbling another silent curse afterwards.

The council's leader was displeased with her own shortcoming. But, there would be time to focus on these later on. Now, all that mattered was to get to the source of that stench. Even though it might be a coinflip, it would allow her to progress. The stagnation would not bore any desirable fruits for her. So, without further ado, Akali confidently stepped over the stones she had crushed, delving deeper into the facility.

To the vampire's dissatisfaction, the corridor was extensively long. It took her about 200 to 300 steps to reach the turn and then an additional 100 to 200 for it to finally reach its end. Throughout that unnecessarily prolonged stroll, not much had happened. The woman's surroundings barely change, if at all. Regardless, she pushed forward as it was the only logical option at her disposal. Hence, she utilised it without hesitation.

At the corridor's end, the white-haired woman found a locked door. Considering that the stench massively intensified, the source must have been close. So, she pushed the decayed wood the entry was made of. But sadly, all she accomplished was making a hole in the rotten mass. Akali wanted to sigh, to let go of that pesky frustration, but she forced herself not to. Instead, the woman ripped the remaining wood from the attached frame and entered the room.

At first, the rubbles scattered all over the room caught the woman's attention. Then, however, it was only a moment before she noticed a hole punched through the far wall to her left. So, as she ventured forward with her sight fixated on the far end of mostly devastated space, she stepped into something. A silent curse was mumbled as the white-haired vampire looked down. As expected, a decent pool of blood was found only a few steps past the entry. However, most of it had already dried out. And even though its smell still affected the vampire's nostrils, obviously, it was not the source she sought. Still, there must have been a correlation between the hole and her current findings. Hence, she started looking around. Then, she spotted precisely what she was looking for. There was a bloody trail deviating from the said pool. If she were to guess, someone or someone's corpse had been dragged toward the messily made passage.

It was apparent to Akali that she needed to follow the trail. However, before she continued the investigation, she pulled a small yet undoubtedly sharp blade from her coat. Then, with the weapon ready to use at a moment's notice, she stepped through the rubbles, entering the hole.

The council's leader found herself in a corridor once again. However, this time, its condition was far worse. Throughout the passage's middle section, the trail she followed only widened, leaving more blood stains behind. She must have been close, she concluded whilst slowly prowling forward.

Soon enough, the white-haired woman reached a restroom of a sort. Akali stopped for a moment, inspecting the space before her. Its floor was made of small green tiles that mostly passed the test of time. However, its mark was still clearly visible. The dust covered everything in various states.

Nonetheless, the area was most likely useable if dust was disregarded altogether. Still, the woman found her current finding dissatisfying. Hence, she delved deeper into the room. To her utmost surprise, the trail she followed ended at the restroom's entrance. From the woman's point of view, it was a weird decision that made little to no sense. After all, why bother hiding something if you have already left so many traces?

To some extent, it was a bothering question that Akali could not find an answer to. But, all things considered, it mattered not. So, she continued her investigation. And soon enough, she finally found the source.

The restroom had a segmental design. Each section was separated by a relatively thin wall where the showers were installed. All these things were useable but less fancy than the current trend.

The stench source was found in the 4th section. Unfortunately, the vampire's speculation had come up to be correct. Someone installed a steel bar a tad below the ceiling. By the looks of things, it was done barbarically by pushing the rod into the wall forcefully. From the bar, three corpses, impaled onto the butcher's hooks, dangled. As expected, the blood had been splattered all around, covering most of the available space.

It would have been a futile wish even if someone had hoped these corpses would not be the missing officers. Even though the bodies were severely mutilated, someone purposefully left their right arms intact. On the wet and bloodied skin, the imprinted logo of RDT was still clearly visible.

Akali was utterly unphased by what was presented before her. However, for a brief moment, the council's leader paused, focusing on the surroundings. But, to her dissatisfaction, she did not find anything she hoped for. Hence, without wasting time, she approached the corpses to inspect them as much as possible.

The white-haired woman could have sworn that she saw something disturbing when she glanced at the dead for the first time. But, driven by unnatural curiosity, she finally closed in. It took her only a few moments to confirm that her senses were right from the start. After all these years of being a vampire, Akali should have trusted them more.

Someone had made a mistake while mutilating, cutting the abdominal tissue too recklessly and deeply. For one of the corpses, it revealed the abdominal cavity that should, in theory, still contain the dead man's guts. But, as the vampire expected, it was not the case. At the very least, the organs had been extracted for one of these men. But, it would have been worth the effort to check whether the same had been done to the other two. Hence, Akali took her coat off and threw it onto the dusty floor without care. Nextly, she put on a pair of surgeon gloves she had previously taken from one of her many pockets. Then, once the sleeves were rolled up, she was ready for the inspection.

A few moments later, the remaining carcasses were opened, lifting the veil of secrecy. Akali wondered whether she was surprised or not with what she had uncovered. Then, as she exhaled heavily, she concluded that it was to be expected. However, regardless of the verdict, she continued, seemingly desperately trying to spot some clues or details previously omitted.

Ultimately, the white-haired woman must have admitted that her effort was mostly fruitless. Everything she had managed to notice was apparent, left in plain sight. She wanted to swear, but what would it have given her? The answer to that question was simple, nothing. Hence, after a few additional minutes of internal struggle, she decided it was high time to stop. There was no point in further wasting time.

"Aria?" she called out, her voice barely audible.

"What would you need of me, Miss Tepes?" the AI responded momentarily as if she was waiting for the vampire to summon her.

"Please, contact Loghain and Duncan," the white-haired woman started, then paused, gathering her thoughts. "Please, tell them that I found the missing officers. They were brutally murdered, and afterwards, their bodies were savagely mutilated. Whoever has done that removed all organs from the abdominal cavity, leaving it completely empty," she finished, heading toward the nearby sink.

"I'll inform them immediately, Miss Tepes," Aria said instantaneously. "Is there anything more I can do for you?" she questioned.

"Yes," the council's leader sighed before continuing. "Send me the dead officers' data files. Once I am back, I will visit their families. That is the least I can do now," she added in a whisper-like manner.

"Affirmative, miss Tepes," the artificial construct commented. "Duncan and Loghain were informed about your findings. They'd like to know where the bodies are held."

"Please, provide them with the route, Aria," Akali said, turning the tap in the meantime. "I will join them in the primary hub in a few minutes. That is if they do not come here faster. For now, it is all I have for you, Aria. Thank you. Please, turn off the connection. Once I need your further assistance, I will switch it on," she informed the construct.

"As you wish, miss," Aria emotionlessly complied with the given orders. "Before I go, the data banks have already been transferred to your personal feed."

"Thank you," the vampire hollowly whispered.

The AI's voice faded away, making Akali's surroundings painfully quiet. The only noises disturbing the silence were the water running up from the tap. For a brief moment, all the council's leader did was listen to that spluttering. Then, she figured out that she could utilise the time much better. Hence, she slowly started cleaning her gloves.

There was bitterness inside Akali. She could wear a mask of emotionless bitch as long as she deemed necessary, but things were affecting her more than she was willing to show publically. If someone wanted to hurt her, the easiest way was to target her subordinates. Even though the white-haired woman was seemingly invincible, wounding or killing her people would have a lasting effect on her.

"I have failed them," she whispered after a few moments of silence. "Once again, I allowed someone under my command to be hurt," she continued. "It is unacceptable! Once... once I find the scum responsible for that, I will allow my inner demon to shatter its chains. I will allow it to feat upon them, feeding it with their pain and suffering," the woman started to growl.

Then, the vampire heard steady yet heavy steps coming her way.

"Ah," she thought to herself. "Duncan and Loghain decided to come at last," she concluded, trying to fix herself before these two arrived.

Akali's POV (15 - 20 minutes later):

Akali paced around the warehouse's primary hub, making little to no sound. Just like a cat, the vampire gracefully yet slowly stayed in a monotonous movement, wandering around and making a mental list of every detail she could have noticed. Nonetheless, what she saw did not please her. The coat she previously wore had been thrown into the car. Its fabric was covered in stains of mixed water and dust. And, all things considered, the vampire did not need it. After all, she did not really feel cold or damp.

Whoever ran the show from the shadows loved to toy with their own people and opponents. The more Akali saw, the more her vision of the puppet master blurred. To say that what that monster cooked up for the RDT officers was their biggest crime here would be as saying nothing. They had found more than thirty gang members' corpses scattered throughout the main hub and the other wing. The lion's share of these men were teenagers between 15 and 17. Even though these boys had chosen the wrong path in their lives, Akali felt a pang of sadness as these lives had been utterly wasted. It was one thing to deal with whatever she found during her walk. But trying to grasp the bigger picture was an entirely different matter. Perhaps in a different environment, these boys would have turned out decent citizens with work, families, and plans for the future. However, now, it mattered not as this illusive term, future, had been taken away from them.

Nonetheless, the council's leader should keep her mind on the matters at hand. After all, regardless of how influential and powerful she was, the power to turn back time was out of her reach. Hence, the woman stopped briefly to realign her focus. Whatever the mastermind's plan was, it was more than slightly chaotic. But there must have been some pattern underneath all of these events. Still, the white-haired woman seemingly was unable to dissect it. Moreover, with every step the mastermind made, whatever theory Akali had come up with must be discarded as more and more pieces contradicted themselves. It irritated her to witness all of her efforts going sideways. Still, the game she unwillingly participated in played out like a chess match against someone of the same skill set as herself. But no anticipation or excitement was associated with waiting for the opponent's move. Instead, there was a pang of frustration, anger, and other feelings that should have never affected Akali's decision-making.

As the white-haired woman exhaled deeply, she decided that continuing that train of thought would not benefit her in any way. Hence, she tried to focus on everything she had learned so far. So, it was more than likely that the puppet master had planned this massacre to occur. Whether it was a try to distract and confuse the investigators or simply a cruel way to show off his authority, she simply could not tell. The truth could contain pieces from both theses.

But, regardless of that aspect, the reality was that after butchering the RDT officers, some of these puppets were disposed of. Still, there was more to it, so much more. Considering what she had found, it was a wicked scheme indeed. It was sickening what had been done to some of these boys. As far as the council's leader counted, only 5 gang members were killed cleanly without unnecessary mutilation or cruelty. As for the rest, well, things did not look that pretty. It did not surprise the woman that some of these kids were missing organs or chunks of flesh. As disgusting as it sounded, the discovery only fortified the thesis that there were cannibals within the mastermind's troupe. Then, numerous baiting marks were found across the corpses. At the very least, some of these marks must have been left by werewolves, but the others could have been artificially made, or someone employed the degenerates. That speculation itself was a worrying matter. Still, it would be wisest not to delve into these before the group of specialists would carry on autopsy on these corpses.

"Aria?" the vampire called out rather quietly.

"At your service, Miss Tepes," the AI construct responded instantaneously. "How can I be of service?" she questioned.

"Please, wake up, Dr Michell and Miss Vayne. Then, please inform them that I want to speak with them as soon as I return," the white-haired woman said rather plainly.

"Noted, Miss Tepes," Aria acknowledged. "Would you want me to arrange anything else?"

"Yes, organise a vehicle for me," Akali exclaimed. "I am leaving Duncan and Loghain in charge of the further investigation here."

"Very well, eta 10 minutes," the artificial voice stated.

Chapter Text

The church’s bell chimed, announcing midnight. Aside from the thundering sound of the brass vesper, a complete silence ruled over this district. One could have described the setting as peaceful. But it would not have the perfect description.

It was one of many neighbourhoods surrounding the city’s outskirts. In fact, it was so typical that it would have been challenging to find something unique about it. Apparently, some people enjoyed these qualities as the streets were seemingly regularly cleaned with extra decorations covering the walls and doors. Yet, there was a clear flaw in the scenery. Nothing powered the street lamps tonight. Because of that, the pitch-black shadows were deterred only by scarce light from various windows. But considering the late hour, more and more of these lights faded away as the clock was inexorably ticking.

Underneath one of these dead lamps, a cloaked man stood, slowly smoking a last-day cigarette. His frame was perfectly still, not even slightly bothered by the all-consuming darkness he was surrounded by. A few moments later, he finished the cigarette, dropping the last ounce of ash onto the pavement with little to no care. But, the mouthpiece was methodically squashed before placing it in the man’s left pocket. It was high time for the man to move.

The cloaked man stayed under the cover of darkness, passing through the light only if there was no other option to take. His movement was graceful, hastily, and soundless. Yet, this outward calm was but another mask he wore to hide the battle waged inside him. There was a hunger inside of him, a carnal desire that fed on him like cancer. It was a feeling so raw and powerful that it seemingly consumed both his insides and mind if not obliged.

As the man pushed forward, his fantasies already flooded his conflicted mind. It would not have been his first sin, and most certainly, it would not have been his last. Yet, there was a semblance of doubt invading his consciousness. It could have been compared to everyone’s uncertainty before first sexual intercourse. But… this was much more defined, complex, and powerful. He feared that if he did not reach his prey soon, he would lose it, causing unnecessary problems.

So… with that carnal desire filling every inch of his mind, he sped up, so desperate to sin.

As he finally reached the designated door, he pulled out his old-fashioned pocket watch to check the time. Momentarily, a wave of anger flushed over him, for he realised how much time he had wasted virtually doing nothing. It was 3:45 am. What had happened, he wondered. But, his desires overpowered the anger, forcing him to finally commit the long-overdue sin. He stopped for a moment to calm down. After all, the time for mistakes had long been gone.

Finally, after another minute, he mustered enough control to perform what was bound to happen. The masked man quietly unlocked the door without hesitation, utilising the made-up key. For safety reasons, he checked all the locks, even though he knew his victim’s tendencies and habits perfectly well. Nonetheless, he entered the spacious flat after a few moments, locking the door behind him. As for now, the doctor must not have noticed the intrusion and slept soundly in his king’s-sized bed.

Now was a good time to decide the victim’s fate. After all, all of his fantasies could not have been fulfilled here. No, the doctor’s neighbours would have woken up, most likely calling RDT immediately after. So, he had only two valid options. He could kill the man here without making too much noise or kidnap him, placing him somewhere his screams would not reach the surface. Naturally, the masked man preferred the second option, but it was also imperfect. Knocking the victim would be the easier part of the plan. But then, he would have to somehow sneak his unconscious body, and it could pose some challenges.

“Choices, choices,” the man murmured inside his mind, unsure what to do.

Still, there was one clear thing in all of this. The man’s desires needed to be sate. So, with a low growl, he pushed forward, drawing a pistol in the meantime.

A single shot was fired a moment later, echoing throughout the flat.

…

Akali’s POV:

The white-haired vampire could not say she was pleased with what had happened the last several hours. No, it would have been a lie. Yet, even though the mask of emotionless was preserved, there was a fury righteously ragging inside the woman. Given her position as the council’s leader, she had a reputation and dignity to uphold. And it would be difficult to do so, considering how badly the whole matter with the mastermind was going.

A pile of loose pieces was everything that Akali, with all her power and resources, had managed to gather. At least for the time being, this was a massive failure in the leader’s eyes. But giving up would not solve anything. The whole scenario was not a game where all the players had the ability to resign at any given time. No, as things stood, only the mastermind could decide whether the game should continue or cease to exist.

The vampire found herself in a hazardous situation. With as much evidence as they currently had, there was no telling how long the investigation would last. What was horrifying about this prospect was that the murderous mind that had planned it all was to be given the leading role. But… as massive as the issue seemed, it was not the confrontation the leader feared the most. Quite honestly, Miss Tepes doubted her ability to remain emotionlessly. Considering what had already happened, it was a well-placed concern. Apparently, after all these years, Akali started to lose her touch.

As the council’s leader sped up through the underground tunnel, she found a glimpse of solace. Moments like this were appreciated by the woman because they stripped her from overthinking. The plague that Akali had wrought on herself was constantly flooding her mind with millions of ideas, concepts, and memories. Right now, she could not focus on anything else but the driving process due to her cruising speed. It would not have been an overstatement if she had said she would kill for more times like this.

Nonetheless, it did not take long for the drive to complete.

“Miss Tepes, please slow down,” a man’s voice sounded in Akali’s earpiece. “You’re going to reach the garage entrance in approximately a minute,” he added. His English was perfect, yet his accent was far from ideal, revealing the soldier’s origin. Considering that the council’s guardians were only recruited from two nationalities, the choice was rather limited. However, his tone was not hoarse and heavy, so he must have been Japanese. Thanks to her photographic memory, she always strived to remember the face and the voice of everyone she was working with. So, before responding, she searched that internal list thoroughly, trying to remind herself who she was talking with.

“Tai Akamari, if I recall correctly?” the vampire responded with her own question.

“You’re correct, Miss Tepes,” the guardian acknowledged immediately. “Once you leave the vehicle, we’ll park it deeper into the complex,” he informed.

“Fair enough,” Akali commented, slowing down noticeably.

Like the Japanese guardian said, the white-haired woman soon reached the entrance. It was a solid and thick wall of stone with an automatic gate. From her occupation, no window could be spotted. But, in reality, there were panels that allowed the guards to observe the approaching vehicles. On top of that, the whole area was under constant supervision of cameras.

The vampire allowed herself to hesitate for a moment before killing the engine and slowly exiting the car. But, as soon as she did so, the plague returned. Dozens upon dozens of thoughts or ideas started to bomb her mind. It was a bothering sensation that needed to be discarded. So, the leader tried to take a firm hold over her head as the gate opened, revealing two heavily armed agents.

“Miss Tepes,” they both said, then nodded with respect.

“Good morning, I guess,” Akali responded, returning a gesture. “Please, take the car into section C,” she added after a brief pause.

“You’re certain, Miss Tepes?” one of the guardians asked hesitantly. “After all, it’s one of your personal vehicles.”

“Yes, I am certain of this,” the white-haired woman stated momentarily. “I believe it will be of more use there,” she added cooly.

“As you wish, Miss,” the other soldier commented. “Anything else we can do for you, Miss?”

“No, it will be all. Thank you,” Akali replied, then headed toward the elevator.

…

Vayne’s POV (15 minutes later):

Waking up had posed more of a challenge than Vayne anticipated. As Miss Tepes stated, the intense training session had drained all of her energy away, rendering her virtually useless toward their common goal. So, even though she disliked the vampire being right, she followed the order… no, a suggestion to rest. But solace did not come quickly. It had taken Shauna more than an hour to finally reach Morpheus’s realm. And… by that time, she had been drenched in sweat. Some pieces of her memories mixed with something she could not correctly name, creating some truly horrifying scenes. Perhaps the last few days were more traumatising than Shauna had thought.

Nonetheless, it was far easier to lie down, slumbering dreamlessly, than muster enough strength to crawl out of the soaked bed. Even though the raven-haired officer knew she needed to do it, she simply found herself unable to. She struggled for more than 10 minutes, but in the end, she left the soft and warm bed behind. Then, the woman paced slowly toward the restroom, having a minor problem with carrying her weight on her dangerously trembling legs.

It took some time, but finally, Vayne made it to the bathroom. Once she stepped onto the marble floor, she realised it was pleasantly warm. But unfortunately, in her case, it felt more akin to an obstacle than a pleasant addition. It would have been lovely to lie down, warmed by the stone, but she could not do that. After all, her end goal was to regain complete control over her body. And… by succumbing to her frame’s desires, she would not progress. So, the raven-haired woman continued her limp-like walk toward the shower stall.

It was an exhausting endeavour, but Shauna felt more confident with each step. At some point, she tugged off her shirt too eagerly, potentially damaging it, as she heard some ripping sounds. Still, Vayne did not care much, pacing forward whilst struggling to unzip her bra. A few moments later, she finally dealt with a problematic piece of fabric, throwing it to the side with no care. Considering the situation, it was a minor victory, but the struggle was far from concluded.

Before the officer entered the shower stall, she hastily dealt with her outfit’s remnants. The long sweatpants and undergarments were tugged off simultaneously and thrown mindlessly, potentially outside the restroom. But… just like in the previous case, the RDT officer was far too preoccupied to care about her doing.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the glass door was sealed behind Vayne. At the same time, the water started pouring down from the numerous tiny openings above the woman’s head. At first, the raven-haired woman visibly jumped as the droplets turned out to be only slightly warmer than ice. Funnily enough, whilst trying to dodge these, Shauna forgot about her fatigue, apparently caught in the moment. Thankfully, after a few seconds, the temperature significantly increased. Even though the change was expected, it was welcomed wordlessly by the raven-haired woman.

For the next minute or so, she allowed the pleasantly warm water to pour onto her whilst she cherished the sensation with closed eyes. As time passed, Vayne started to relax and slowly clean herself. It was a nice feeling as the cacked sweat and other filth were slowly but surely removed from her hair and skin. But, the moment was killed when she heard someone knocking.

“Miss Vayne? I don’t want to interrupt, but Miss Tepes wishes to have you in her office as soon as possible,” a warm, slightly muffled feminine voice sounded.

“Thank you,” the raven-haired woman chaotically responded, struggling to turn off the water and open the shower stall’s glass door. “I’ll be there in a few minutes,” she shouted after a short pause.

“Fine,” the woman’s voice sounded again. “If you need anything, please contact Aria,” she added.

The raven-haired officer waited for additional few seconds before exiting the shower. She felt much better, with her mind relaxed and cleared of bothering thoughts, but some stiffness remained in her occasionally aching muscles. Even though she did not heed the sound of the woman’s footsteps, she deemed it safe to approach the wardrobe in all her naked glory. Though before proceeding with her plan, she towelled herself off as it would have been a real shame to damage an expensive-looking carpet the main floor was covered with.

A few moments later, a wardrobe was opened, revealing its neatly organised content. Considering the number of different clothing pieces the raven-haired woman found, only a tiny fraction of these were truly hers. Miss Tepes or someone she delegated must have pulled some strings, filling the container completely. Perhaps the officer would have been bothered by such an occurrence in the past. But currently, she had no time to pay it enough mind. So, without further overthinking, she started searching for something decent to wear.

It took Vayne the better part of the following 5 minutes to finish the task at hand. But after glancing at her mirror reflection, she was pleased with the result. In honesty, it was nothing special, a set composed of mixed pieces that matched in colours. A fitting-tight grey sports tee with a scale pattern covered her torso, emphasising her slender yet athletic figure. That being said, her dark-as-night trousers were on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Before leaving the room, the RDT officer picked up a long ashen coat stylised to resemble a man’s trenchcoat. It was much thinner than the original design, but it should suffice if the temperature did not drop below zero.

…

The man could not control his twisted and carnal excitement. Occasionally, he paced around the spacious warehouse, not daring to turn on some lights. As the situation lasted for more than a few hours by now, his eyes were well adapted to a low luminosity level. Who did he want to fool? His sight in darkness was near perfect, only slightly hindered when he spent too much time in the light. It was a blessing that only a handful of the Master’s followers had been granted.

Even though the room was covered in shadows, the man still wore his mask. At some point, it would be wise to ask some difficult questions regarding this matter. But… it was not the time nor the place for that. No… it was high time for him to continue sinning.

Aside from a ridiculously large table cluttered with various objects, the room was empty. No, once again, the man lied. There was something else here. An old wooden chair stood near the west wall. As the masked man reminded himself of that tiny detail, he unwittingly licked his dry lips. A primal longing rekindled inside him, a sensation that could not be controlled anymore.

With a low growl, the masked man turned around and switched on the lights. Within a few moments, several bulbs started flicking, slowly driving away the shadows. The said piece of furnishing was made of light wood, but something was smeared all over its frame. A quiet chuckle escaped the man’s tightened throat. He knew exactly what it was. After all, the stain was partially his fault.

At first glance, the substance looked like a caked lubricant, a simple smear of black goo. But, in reality, its origin was far more sinister. The man nearly squeaked when the memories of that moment flooded his mind. It was a beautiful sin worth memorising. Still, his tonight’s grand work was far from being completed. Oh… it was a massive understatement.

A few moments passed as the man continued staring at the chair, his mind occupied with daydreaming. It was a beautiful yet chaotic mess, his mind, that is. There were so many possibilities, so many ideas awaiting realisation, and so many ways to sin. Nonetheless, a seed of doubt was present, challenging him at every step of his remarkable journey and slowing him down.

A primal roar echoed throughout the warehouse. The man needed more than a moment to realise he made that noise. Clearly dissatisfied with himself, the masked man turned around again, leaving the spacious room immediately. Would he finally dare to take another step toward his salvation? It was a question that echoed in his head, buzzing like thousands of hammers forming iron. An utter cacophony of noises made him numb, but it changed nothing. With a clear goal, he was ready to ascend into a higher existence, no matter the cost.

Soon enough, the man returned, carrying a bag on his shoulder. Considering its size, it must have weighted its fair share, but he seemed unaffected by that tiny, irrelevant aspect. So… he continued on, swiftly reaching the old chair. Once near it, he gently put the bag down and knelt beside it. A slightly rusted zip posed a minor problem, but after a few tries, the container opened, revealing its content. It was a woman, most likely in her thirties, platinum-blond-haired and slender.

The man licked his dry lips again, trying to fight off his lust. He knew all too well that this fight was futile, yet he wanted to savour the moment till he still had a semblance of control. The tiny and fragile part of him that remembered his previous life pitted the woman’s fate, but it had no power to overrule the already-made decision.

The plague ravishing and fueling the man was accepted oh-so-willingly many years ago. At first, all these years back, he could not foresee that by accepting this gift, he would wreak a demise over himself, sentencing himself to a life full of carnal and sinful sensations. Moreover, he did not know that his mind would be crippled, partially sacrificed for a new being to reside on its remnants. Did he regret it? Right now, he would not be able to honestly answer that question, as little of a true him remained.

Nonetheless, he never dared to cross some boundaries, fearing something he could not properly name. But… tonight, he intended to put one of these behind. It took the man a full minute of struggling to finally get the unconscious woman out of the bag. Then, she was gently put onto the piece of furnishing. She was undoubtedly a beauty. The man wondered briefly what fate had in store for her before their paths crossed by sheer coincidence. But… as things currently stood, it did not matter anymore. Her life was in the man’s hands, and a mere whim could lead to its end.

Soon enough, the thick navy-like ropes entangled the blacked-out woman to the sitting. Even for the masked man, the effort was rather excessive. The threads wrapped the woman’s skin so roughly, already painting it red. Perhaps, he should have loosened the ropes?

Shooking his head, the man tried to focus on his goal. Yet… the closer to its completion he was, the more conflicted and doubtful he became. Desperately trying to ease his mind, he focused on his victim. A low growl escaped his throat as he looked lewdly at the woman’s clothing. Dark stockings matched a cropped thigh-long navy-blue skirt and an elegant light shirt. The 3 top buttons were undone, leaving a substantial cleavage for the man’s peering and clearly hungry eyes. On top of her ample breasts, a small silver cross rested. Christian, the man murmured under his breath. The woman’s dark lacey bra peered through a thin shirt’s fabric. As far as the man remembered, she wore decent black heels, but they were long gone, lost during the transportation.

“So many possibilities, so many choices,” the man whispered, seemingly unwittingly.

He could feel a wave of heat gathering in his loins. Well, he would lie if he said the unconscious woman did not turn him on. She looked like she had taken straight out of some pornographic fantasies of a secretary. His lust and carnal desires constantly urged him to push forward, to claim what was his. But simultaneously, he felt weak and exposed, incapable of committing the sin he had in mind.

The internal fight lasted for the better part of the next 15 minutes. It was an intensive conflict that, ultimately, the man’s insecurities and remnants of humanity won. This, however, did not mean his frustration faded away. Quite the opposite, actually. As his rage continued flaring inside, he hastily exited the room, leaving the woman alone.

A moment later, he started running, sprinting even through a seemingly endless corridor. He wanted to scream off the pain caused by the internal hell wagging on in his mind. At some point, the man left the passage, entering a much smaller room. As a heavy steel door was shut close, furious chopping arose. These two sounds mixed for the next minute or so, making a cacophonic and creepy melody that echoed throughout the warehouse.

Author's notes section:

[2023-05-20]: Hey, here is a preview of the story’s next chapter. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release. I will try to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I would like to clean up some of the tasks in my schedule, and right now, there are many chapters queued there.

[2023-05-26]: Hey, I have a minor update for you.

[2023-06-06]: Hey, I have another minor update for you.

[2023-06-14]: Hey, I finally concluded the chapter. Though, I have a piece of information for you. I realised that I swayed from the path in this story. So, I need to re-read everything I have written so far, and apply adjustments or rewrite some pieces.

Please, bear in mind that this story takes place in an extremely savage universe. Hence, I will inevitably end up mentioning rapes, mutilations, cannibalism, physical and mental violence, and most likely a lot more.

Don’t forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.

Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2023-05-20]: A preview has been released.
[2023-05-26]: The previous revision was slightly adjusted, and some new ones were added.
[2023-06-06]: I applied some minor adjustment to the previous revision, adding additional new segments.
[2023-06-14]: Finished the piece. The final revision was released.

Info: I have included more stories in the schedule as I'm not 100% certain what I want to write next. Please, keep in mind that I might add or remove positions from the list. I might rewrite some of the older stories or extract some of the longer stories from `The story of one lost soul`.

Schedule:
- Will you look past my mistakes? (finish the WIP)
- Exiled you say? (finish the WIP)
- The broken heart (finish the WIP)
- The shadows can be deceiving (new chapter)
- Hidden in the mountain's shadow (new chapter)
- The war call (new chapter)
- Life is full of surprises (new chapter)
- The rise of the Blood Moons' servants (new chapter)
- Black Diamond (new chapter)
- When the clock is ticking (Warhammer 40k new story)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (new chapter)
- Lifetime of war (new chapter)
- My home is where my heart lies (rewrite chapter 4)
- The heart not so cold (rewrite chapter 2)
- The family tree (revisit the previous chapters and apply adjustments)

Bonuses’ section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even two stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
Bleach story. (Byakuya x Yoruichi / ?)
Naruto story. (Neji x Hinata / Neji x TenTen / Nagato x Konan)
Fairy Tail story. (most likely Erza x Mira)
Maybe some Star Wars?

References:
- Bullet for my Valentine - Hit the floor

*bonuses will be worked on when I don’t feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D

End of the author's notes section.

Chapter Text

The man once heard someone saying that hope is the prison. Initially, he disagreed with the statement, considering it a fool’s mumble, another moronic platitude passed by uneducated people. However, as time passed, he started noticing cracks in his oh-so-grand vision, slowly planting a seed of doubt in himself. Years later, he finally concluded that the cycle of hatred and pain was as inevitable as eternal. It was a cruel illusion to believe that it would ever stop. All the man could do was temporarily muffle or hide it under some abstract rug.

It took much effort for the man to open his eyes finally. As his eyelids slowly parted, his vision began clearing. At first, all he could see were boundless shadows surrounding and seemingly devouring him. However, this phase did not last long, which sadly did not mean the negativity left alongside the darkness.

For a brief moment, he pitied it was all but his imagination. Perhaps, in death, his shackles could have been finally dropped, making him free. Though, it was hardly a moment for such a consideration.

The man woke up on an old military bed. The mere fact made him curious, for he had no recollections of getting here the previous night. But all in all, it mattered not. Instinctively the man reached out towards his face, expecting to sense the sturdy surface of his old mask. However, his rough fingertips felt something else – his warm flesh. It took him a second to process the fact, concluding he must have discarded it at some point – a realisation he disliked.

Then, after a few prolonged moments, he attempted to get up but found himself unable to do so as his head swirled. Dissatisfied with the result, he forced another try, painfully slowly lifting his torso and sitting on the bed’s edge. As his fingers entangled over its frame, he realised they were trembling, akin to prolonged sugar deprivation. Then, he stood up clumsily, needing to hug the nearest wall virtually to support his weight. A remarkably coherent curse formed in his mind, yet it was immediately discarded. It was yet another pathetic display of human fragility.

The struggle continued for the better part of the next few minutes as the man tried reaching a sink at the other side of the room. The small mirror hanging above it was dirty. Its surface was smudged with a mix of dust and some lubricant of unknown origin. A moment later, the man reached out for a nearby towel, simultaneously turning on the water. Then, in a quick sequencing, he soaked the fabric, wrung it out, and finally cleaned the smudges just enough to see his reflection.

“They call me Morgul,” the man whispered unwittingly.

Morgul – a name coming from a fantasy world created in the 20^th century by the English novelist J.R.R. Tolkien. An intriguing concept brought back from the jaws of eternal oblivion. All in all, it was a tragedy that creations of this magnitude were thrown away, forgotten by the ever-pushing forward humankind. Perhaps, if these punny people stopped for a moment, they would see that ignoring the past would only lead them to the inevitable repetition of their ancestors’ mistakes. But, it was a futile wish, as humans would have never realised the concept; of course, not before it would have been too late.

Morgul was tall, measuring over 2 meters in height. Years ago, he had been a special operation operator, which required him to be constantly in peak condition. Even after departing from the military, he had never stopped training, improving both his body and mind. This dedication left him with a body akin to a bodybuilder, yet much more agile and durable. His unhealthy pale skin was gone, replaced with a much darker shade achieved by an uncountable number of hours spent outside honing his skills. No matter how great he felt, the passing of time had already altered his appearance. His moderately short hair of the raven down, thinned out, turning grey in some spots.

Then, he focused on his eyes, taken aback as always. They were of unusual colour – the orbs of pure silver reflecting no emotion, cold and cruel. Morgul could count all the people who had seen them and survived on the fingers of one hand. Usually, he would hide them using lively green lenses.

The next moment, the man splashed his face with ice-cold water, casting away the last remnants of sleep. It was a refreshing sensation – something he needed. Then, he pulled his hair back, utilising his still-wet hands. Somewhat content with the result, the dark-haired man reached out towards a small container, retrieving the lenses.

It was only a matter of time before his damned and haunted mind would thirst for another sin. Hence, it would be in his best interest to leave the warehouse as soon as possible, trying to do something for himself before that moment would inevitably arise.

…

Akali’s POV (still-early morning):

Despite Akali’s best efforts, the beast she caged deep inside her vessel stirred up, demanding to be unleashed upon this world. Sometimes, it was oh-so-easy to forget that her darker side existed, ever patient, awaiting a moment the vampire would need its strength. Throughout the years, the white-haired woman utilised that secret power only a handful of times, making sure nobody could see when something twisted inside her snapped, releasing a monster from the darkest horrors. Still, as horrifying as it sounded, reaching such a moment was inevitable – given the current situation.

The council’s leader stormed through the facility, using all the secret passages she knew of to get to her safe haven as quickly as possible. Even though, technically, everything she came by was her possession, it did not feel like it. Out of the whole compound, only her office was a safe zone where her insecurities could manifest whilst all her mask could be discarded into nothingness. But, of course, there was one condition to it – nobody being in the room.

Finally, Akali got to the office, effortlessly pushing the heavy doorways aside. She sought the solitude it offered as she felt worked up, tired, and conflicted. Oh, how stupid was she – the woman groaned internally. It was an obvious mistake, staining her soul to employ emotionally into the investigation. Akin to a child so desperately wanting to prove itself, Akali had fought off her experience and better judgment, allowing her feelings to affect her decision-making. An exchange that had led her astray, giving nothing in return – except the pain and suffering.

As the door slowly closed behind her, the vampire headed towards her desk. It was a short stroll lasting less than a few seconds. Then, her dusted and dirty coat was dropped onto the wooden surface without hesitation. The piece of clothing meant nothing to her. Akali wanted to turn around and face the windows, but there was one more thing she needed to do.

Despite all the strength the vampire’s hands carried, they trembled noticeably when she reached out towards a locked drawer. Her mouth went dry when the console asked for an additional passcode, as the initial authorisation was accepted. Slowly, as if in dread, the white-haired woman provided the set of numbers, repeating the process a few times, each time passing the protection layer. Finally, after a few minutes, the lock disappeared, allowing the vampire to take the drawer’s content. It was a small black box wrapped with a crimson-red ribbon. A moment later, Akali untied the knot, doing it so slowly as if she performed a sacred religious ritual of sorts. A framed photograph was revealed once the lid was lifted, lying in complete darkness. It showed a woman so beautiful that she would have made the goddesses of the ancient time jealous. Unwittingly, the council’s leader caressed the glassed surface, reliving her past life.

“Evelynn,” a single word uttered with utmost devotion and love sounded. “How I wish you could be here with me. I am so lost and conflicted,” she continued, losing herself in her lover’s seemingly depthless eyes. Oh, she remembered them fondly—these orbs of molten gold, so warm and tantalising.

For a moment, it seemed inevitable for this monologue to last hours. Given the current chaotic nature of the vampire’s mind, she needed to vent off the stress and speak up about the things she could not reveal to anyone. Her position and power were her burdens, setting her on such a high pedestal that she could only look downwards. There was nothing more for her to achieve or aspire to be. Driven by her self-destructive perfectionism, she reached the top, but consequently, she lost a piece of herself in the process. It was an awfully lone place where Akali regularly fought against shadows and the sheer complexity of her mind. Without the ability to rely on anyone, she had grown colder as time passed, leaving her a shell of her former self.

But unfortunately, the sounds of heavy steps started coming from a distance, making her stop. With regret imprinted on the vampire’s royal face, she hid the photo, but not before planting a kiss on it. Evelynn’s picture was a last resort measurement for her – rarely used and reserved only for the highest stakes.

Then, she hastily stepped away from the desk, turning around to face the glass windows. It was such a shame the Sun did not reborn yet, as the view would have been breathtaking. Throughout the years, Akali forgot that life consisted of short-lived moments that gave it meaning, a value. The white-haired woman would have paid dearly to feel that thrill once again. Cause, for her, the endless lifespan as a vampire was a never-ending nightmare. Of course, it was partially a lie, as immortality had its benefits, yet seeing friends come and go was unbelievably painful. Especially considering that Akali had never been good at goodbyes.

As the footsteps grew closer and louder, the council’s leader returned to the desk, crashing hard onto her armchair. Knowing fully well that the coming discussion would be challenging, she temporarily closed her eyes, trying to utilise the moment of solitude to its fullest. She failed to vent the frustration that had slowly gathered in her for the past few days. She would need to address it soon – she realised. But for now, she could not allow the cracks in her armour to be visible to her subordinates. It would have been a tragedy if they had seen her fragile, weak. No… for them, she would have to endure. And… even though she despised wearing a mask, it was all for the greater good. Hence, she would put one on that reflected eternal confidence.

Author's notes section:

[2023-08-10]: Hey, here is a preview of the story’s next chapter. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release. I will try to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I would like to clean up some of the tasks in my schedule, and right now, there are many chapters queued there.

[2023-08-11]: Hey, I have a minor update for you.

[2023-08-16]: Hey, another minor update applied.

[2023-08-17]: Hey, I have concluded the piece.

Please, bear in mind that this story takes place in an extremely savage universe. Hence, I will inevitably end up mentioning rapes, mutilations, cannibalism, physical and mental violence, and most likely a lot more.

Don’t forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.

Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2023-08-10]: A preview has been released.
[2023-08-11]: A minor update, focused on clarification and expanding the plot.
[2023-08-16]: A minor update, focused on clarification and expanding the plot.
[2023-08-17]: A major update, focused solely on finishing the piece and enriching the story.

Info: I have included more stories in the schedule as I'm not 100% certain what I want to write next. Please, keep in mind that I might add or remove positions from the list. I might rewrite some of the older stories or extract some of the longer stories from `The story of one lost soul`.

Schedule:
- The story of one lost soul (finish the WIP)
- The shadows can be deceiving (new chapter)
- Hidden in the mountain's shadow (new chapter)
- The war call (new chapter)
- The rise of the Blood Moons' servants (new chapter)
- Black Diamond (new chapter)
- When the clock is ticking (Warhammer 40k new story)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (new chapter)
- My home is where my heart lies (rewrite chapter 4)
- The heart not so cold (rewrite chapter 2)
- The family tree (revisit the previous chapters and apply adjustments) 
- Will you look past my mistakes? (new chapter)
- The silence of the shackles (new chapter)
- The broken heart (new chapter)
- The Prisoner of Your Eyes (new chapter)
- Lifetime of war (new chapter)
- Hope is the last one to die (new story in SW universe)
- See the world through my eyes (new chapter)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (finish rewriting the second chapter)
- Life is full of surprises (new chapter)
- Exiled you say? (new chapter)
- Until my last breath (new chapter)
- The family tree (new chapter)

Bonuses’ section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even two stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
Bleach story. (Byakuya x Yoruichi / ?)
Naruto story. (Neji x Hinata / Neji x TenTen / Nagato x Konan)
Fairy Tail story. (most likely Erza x Mira)
Maybe some Star Wars?

References:
- Megadeath - Family tree
- Shinedown - Monsters
- J.R.R. Tolkien works - Lord of the Rings

*bonuses will be worked on when I don’t feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D

End of the author's notes section.

Chapter Text

Deep underneath Isseruth’s transportation station was a long-forgotten tunnel, once serving as part of the enormous complex yet excluded after a partial collapse. As the recovery proved too costly, the past city council had decided to leave it, removing it from all existing maps and schematics. However, something being abandoned and forgotten does not mean it can not be found.

Below soundly sleeping Merreth, rhythmical chopping and slashing sounds filled the void otherwise only tainted by occasional static of the ventilation system. The room where the noises came from was poorly illuminated, staying in a permanent twilight. But for the man standing by a heavy wooden table, it hardly was a problem. Towering over the furniture, he needed to lean in, effortlessly working on a massive slab of meat. Both his ashen mask and a plain white apron were splattered with blood droplets. Quite frankly, the crimson liquid stained nearly everything in its surroundings.

For a few minutes, the process continued uninterrupted. The masked man’s right arm would rise and fall, chopping off a piece of meat and then pushing it to the side. Once he was satisfied with the quantity, the cleaver was put down into a container filled with some liquid. Taking off the plastic gloves, he let go of a deep sigh before throwing them away. The surrounding temperature was below zero Celsius, turning his warm breath into vapour. With his hands visibly shaking, the masked man rolled up the sleeves of his black tee, grabbing another pair of gloves afterwards. His arms were muscular yet scarred. The white lines could be seen everywhere, occasionally overlapping. Surprisingly enough, when a filleting knife was in his hand, the trembling ceased as if it never truly happened.

As another minute elapsed, a piece of cheap, brown packing parchment was grabbed and wrapped around a decently sized fillet. However, the blood still dripping from it stained the paper, drenching it relatively soon. Once the soaked package was put into a box, he repeated the process a couple of times more robotically. It felt as if he was not even glancing at what his hands were performing.

“You’re done with that?” a hoarse male voice rang through the dark room.

“Almost, Shin,” the masked man responded quietly, not bothering to turn around. “Please, give me a few minutes more,” he added, throwing away his gloves again.

“What about the special package, Azaki?” Shin questioned, coming closer.

“I’m working on it right now,” Azaki replied. “As soon as it’s done, you can take the whole shipment.”

“Fine, but don’t take too long; the boys already started complaining,” the newcomer said.

“Have I ever let him down?” the masked man asked, but it turned into a rhetorical question as his colleague did not reply.

Not bothered with the unexpected company, Azaki continued, taking a new parchment. It was better quality and snowy this time, imprinted with small navy diamonds. Not wanting to stain it, the next piece of meat was carefully washed off blood and dried with a paper towel. Then, he wrapped it neatly with the parchment before sealing it in a decorated wooden container he stored underneath the table.

“Here,” Azaki said, gently passing the particular package. “The rest is as usual,” he added, pointing to the side.

“Understood,” Shin murmured, taking a heavy sip from a dark bottle he held in his left hand. “Good job, I presume,” he added mockingly, approaching the crate.

Compared to Azaki, Shin was a short, slim man with unhealthy pale skin and unnatural yellow eyes. The right side of his face was slightly disfigured and burnt, his flesh scarred. His short, dirty blonde hair was cobbled together as if rarely washed. But to contradict this assumption, he did not stink; he smelled of a heavy and expensive man's cologne and whiskey. Nonetheless, the butcher trusted him, stepping to the side and allowing the shorter man to take the shipment.

“You need anything?” Shin asked before leaving the room.

“Yeah, bring me a new cleaver; this one is getting dull,” the masked man said after a short pause.

“All right.”

As soon as his colleague left, Azaki looked around, glancing over the room for the first time in hours. Quite frankly, there was not much to spectate. Aside from the table he performed his art on, the meat hung off the hooks, awaiting further processing. As his hands trembling intensified, the man groaned, tearing the apron swiftly, discarding it onto a bloodied floor before exiting the dimmed slaughterhouse.

***

Akali’s POV (late morning):

The council’s leader finally allowed the caged beast to manifest when she retreated towards her private training ground. With no one around to possibly hurt, a piercing hollow was let go before she threw herself forward, fending off her anger and frustration, demolishing sparing automaton after sparing automaton. She wished it helped her, but it would be a blatant lie. The further she descended this path, the more rage sprawled over her body. It was a never-ending cycle of hatred and hurt that would inevitably one day bring forth her demise. But … she could not die yet, even though she had no fear of it.

“Evelynn,” the white-haired woman allowed her mind to drift off towards the memories rift, making herself vulnerable.

She wished the beauty could be here with her, but it was a pointless plea. After all, she knew what was needed for her lover to be brought back. And … no matter how hard she tried, some pieces of this puzzle were out of her reach. Shaking her head with discontent, the council’s leader wanted to curse, tear, destroy, and, above all, vanish into nothingness. She wished this eternal nightmare to conclude finally, but there was so much to do before anything above would allow her to rest—no rest for the wicked.

Akali noticed the automaton’s sharp blade coming her way a mere moment before it would sever her left arm. As time was short, she could not dodge the incoming attack, opting to minimise the inevitable damage. With her own sword only parrying the slash partially, the heated wave of pain swarmed the white-haired vampire as steel tore through her skin effortlessly. She wanted so desperately to pay her injury no mind, consider it but a flesh wound, but a single glance was enough to say it was complete bullshit. The slash sunk deep, passing through at least two to three centimetres of flesh and clipping her bone. With a silent curse lingering on her tongue’s tip, she rushed forward, once again becoming a death incarnate, her motion blurry yet deadly precise. Within a heartbeat, the encounter ended as the unfortunate automaton found its demise, chopped to pieces.

“End the simulation, Aria,” Akali’s voice boomed over the damaged training room. Not waiting for the AI confirmation, she dropped her blade with little to no care, gripping the intensively bleeding wound. It would not kill her, but considering her blood-starved state, it would not heal on its own as fast as she would have wanted.

“Acknowledged, Miss Tepes,” the artificial voice responded a moment later. “Would you like someone to bandage this wounds of yours, Miss? Should I inform one of your aids?” she questioned.

“I … I …,” the council’s leader mumbled for a few moments, conflicted and unsure what to say. “Inform Mai that I would like to see her in my private quarters,” she finally breathed out, flushing slightly.

“Informing Miss Mia Tayaki … done,” the voice said after a short pause. “What are you planning to do with the wound?”

“I will manage,” came an instant yet quiet response. “My arm is not cut off; I can deal with it on my own.”

“I take you starved yourself once again, Miss Tepes?” the AI questioned, even though she already knew the answer. “You know that it is not healthy for you, Miss,” Aria commented in a scolding manner.

“I have been through worse,” Akali whispered. “Inform her that she can come no sooner than thirty minutes,” she added, heading towards the exit.

“Affirmative,” Aria replied obediently.

The white-haired woman did not slow down when she tore off her shirt, intending to use the fabric for an improvised bandage. As it was only a temporary solution, she swallowed her pride, wrapping it around the wounded limb tightly. Even without sparing a glance, she knew that the floor was stained with a hefty amount of her blood. How stupid and reckless could someone with her experience be? Cursing silently, she exited the already darkening training ground. Akali’s mood only worsened when she realised that the pent-up anger and frustration she desperately wanted to vent off was still there, increasing despite her best efforts.

***

Akali’s POV (noon):

Even though it was only noon, the council leader had the blinders rolled down in her private quarters. With a few aromatic candles strategically scattered across her living room, it was not entirely covered in the shadows but dimmed, making a specific atmosphere. Akali sat behind a small ebony desk in a sophisticated armchair, scanning a document she held in her right hand. Her eyes passed through the lines quickly, finding it uninteresting, dull even. The other hand lingered over the woman’s nape, scratching it in a failed attempt to locate and deal with the tensed knot. A deep sigh was released, putting down the document. Perhaps it would have been a far better idea to take a long and relaxing bath instead of summoning Mia. Having finished her shower only a few minutes ago, Akali longed for its warmth, the thrilling sensation as water caressed her body. She closed her eyes, trying to control the mess her mind was.

It lasted but a moment as a noticeable sound of heels clicking rang through the corridor. The white-haired woman allowed herself to still for a moment, anticipating her aid’s arrival. She did not need to wait long as the sounds kept increasing by a second, halting briefly before a knocking reached her ears.

“Enter,” the vampire said loud enough so the Asian could hear her.

The door parted nearly immediately, allowing the glow of a much brighter light to pass, receding the shadows momentarily. Yet, as abruptly as the phenomenon happened, it ended as the entrance was closed behind the woman. There she stood, awaiting a clear order. If the situation had differed, Akali would have openly laughed, but unfortunately, it was hardly the case.

“You summoned me, Miss …” Mia started but was silenced when the council’s leader raised her right hand slightly.

“Please, come closer, Mia,” the white-haired woman whispered. “And … I thought I asked you to call me by my first name, did I not?” she inquired quietly.

“Of course,” the Asian did as she was told, hastily approaching the desk.

The raven-haired secretary wore a long emerald-green dress with a decent cut along her left leg. Akali observed her intently, comparing her to the last time she had seen her. Mia’s raven-down hair was a tad longer than she remembered, combed into a braid ending around her shoulder blades and bound by a sapphire-blue ribbon. It suited her, the vampire thought. But … her sight was no longer fixed on the woman’s face, hair, or perfect body. No, Akali stared at the black lacy choker wrapped around her delicate neck. She vividly remembered giving it to the much younger woman after their first session.

“How can I serve, Miss … Akali?” Tayaki asked, reddening slightly when she looked at her superior.

“I need your blood, Mia,” the white-haired leader whispered, casting down her sight. “I did … I did … not want to use you like this ever again.”

“It’s fine,” the Asian mumbled, trying to sound confident.

“It is not,” Akali commented, exhaling deeply. “I will keep it brief; I promise,” she added.

“It’s not about it,” the secretary said. “I know you’ll take good care of me; you always did. I’m only scared because you starved yourself. I told you … I told you, I’ll give you as much of my blood as a need be,” she continued confidently.

“I know … but I feel like a parasite,” the usual emotionless vampire said quietly. “I do not want to hurt you anymore,” she added tenderly.

“What happened? I think you owe me an explanation, at the very least,” the silvery-eyed woman commented, coming even closer.

“I got reckless, and one of the automatons nearly cut off my left arm,” Akali sighed yet confessed nonetheless. “If the hit did not clip my bone, I would not have summoned you.”

“It’s still bleeding, right?” the Asian woman’s question was turned into rhetorical, as her superior did not answer. “Can I see it?”

For a brief moment, Mai feared that she had overstepped, for Akali remained silent with her crimson-red eyes fixed on her. The vampire read her like a book, hardly enjoying the fear virtually oozing from the secretary; it made her uncomfortable and worried. What if she hurt her again?

“Come, sit with me,” Akali said, pointing at her lap, her eyes turning back to silver.

Offering a small smile, the Asian obeyed the request, trying to keep her hand to herself. The closer she got to the vampire, the more challenging keeping that internal promise became. Miss Tepes’s white shirt was only partially buttoned, revealing a relatively simple grey lacy bra and a silvery cross resting between her breasts. There was a primal urge in Mai that wanted to close the distance entirely and caress this milky skin. Yet she forced herself not to, patiently awaiting another vampire’s request. Still, a pang of embarrassment rested in her as she realised that instead of looking at the white-haired woman’s face, she focused on the perfect body that she oh-so desired; containing this flaming sensation became inevitably close to impossible. Finally lifting her gaze, she met Miss Tepes’s silvery orbs, observing her intently, though the usual cold was not residing in these orbs. No … it was something else … could it be … tenderness? As the silence continued, Mia kept staring at her superior, smitten. Akali’s long white hair was comped into a messy bun with a few strands resting on her defined cheeks. Once more, the Asian woman forced herself to remain still even though she wanted to tuck them behind her ears, gently brushing against her cheeks. Did Miss Tepes know the power she had over her? Did she know how these orbs of hers tantalised her openly? Of course, she knew, the secretary concluded, but it changed nothing.

“Can I see it?” Mia repeated, trying to keep eye contact with her superior.

“Of course,” the council’s leader whispered.

Miss Tepes turned left, trying to pull her wounded limb from her shirt’s sleeve. Taking on a granted opportunity, Tayaki slightly cast down her sight, focusing on the vampire’s plump, kissable lips. Surprisingly enough, today, they were not coated with crimson-red lipstick. However, it hardly made it easier to resist a rising urge to kiss her. To withstand the temptation, the secretary needed all the self-control she could muster. Feeling the scorching heat spreading wildly through her, she averted her gaze, not confident that she could replicate the feat. Instead, her sight was fixed on the vampire’s left arm. It was causing Akali more problems than one could have anticipated. But after a few attempts, her arm was freed from the overly tight fabric, revealing a thick bandage stained coppery.

“You still want to see it?” a hollowly low question sounded.

“Of course,” Tayaki replied immediately, looking at the white-haired woman’s eyes, finding a grimace of discontent.

Without uttering a word more, the bandage was undone, revealing a broad and deep slash cut that kept on bleeding. Her body was slowly mending, but there was denying that her healing capabilities were severely handicapped. Even though Miss Tepes did not extend her wounded limb, the Asian woman caught a glimpse of white that must have been the damaged bone. The bleeding was not intense; the red life-giving liquid was oozing lazily, staining the shirt. Not knowing why, Mia momentarily grabbed Akali’s arm, leaning into the wound and kissing its outline.

“Why did you do that?” the vampire’s whisper sounded.

“Because I wanted to,” the dark-haired woman replied. “Not to mention, when I was little, my mother used to do the same for me, kissing the pain away,” she added, flashing a small smile.

“I see,” Akali replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the Asian woman’s lips, currently covered with her blood. Seeing the crimson-red liquid on her woke something carnal and primal inside the usually stoic woman, urging her to claim them for her own.

“If you want them … they’re yours to take,” Mia whispered, not trying to hide her own lust. Her silvery eyes darkened, filled with need and flames of desire.

“Do not do this,” Miss Tepes said quietly, not breaking the eye contact.

“Why?”

“Because … I do not want to hurt you,” came a muffled response. “And … what you want to do might cause you more pain than pleasure. Loving me … is not easy; it is a bumpy road filled with hurt and tears.”

“I’m not that fragile, Akali,” the secretary said affectionately, pulling her closer towards her neck. “I don’t mind hardships, for I know you’ll take good care of me,” she added, smiling and pulling down her lacy choker. “Now … let’s take care of you.”

Mia cupped the vampire’s jaw without hesitation, positioning it over her nape. By squeezing Akali’s left hand, she gave her the last confirmation: permission to sink the fangs. Closing her eyes, the dark-haired woman felt a gentle nib before a hardly painful sting – the vampire, being her usual perfectionist self, must have chosen to pierce her skin at the same spot as always. One could have expected a cold shiver running back and forth through the secretary’s body, but that was not the case. The white-haired leader drained slowly, ensuring the process was as painless as possible. Nonetheless, the dizziness slowly started kicking in as Mia’s blood was sucked away. Yet it did not last all that long, five to ten seconds, maybe, but her calculations might have been off.

First, she heard some fabric being torn; then, she felt a moist tongue run across her nape. Shivering was the least of her problems, given the sheer excitement the unexpected gesture brought in. Crossing her legs as tightly as she could, she tried to control her sexual intoxication, but it was a futile endeavour. Last but not least, she felt a path being applied over the biting mark.

“Thank you,” the council’s leader whispered into the secretary’s ear after five to ten seconds.

“Don’t you need more?” Tayaki asked, worried.

“For now, it is more than I need,” the white-haired woman whispered, pulling back and offering a small smile.

“Look, this pesky wound is no more.”

As the vampire said, there was no sign of the previously cumbersome cut; not even a scar remained. A few drops of her blood seemed enough to rejuvenate Akali’s healing capabilities. She was happy that was the case. Torring her gaze off the healed limb, she noticed two changes that stirred her insides. Like Mia previously, the vampire’s lips were covered in red, slightly glittering in the dimmed light. But … it was hardly what took her breath away. However, the same could not be said about the white-haired woman’s eyes. These crimson-red orbs darkened so much that they currently resembled the heated coals in a furnace, filled with raw, hardly controlled emotions … dare she say … lust and desire? That was too much for the Asian woman. She leaned in, desperate to be kissed, held, and touched.

“Are you sure?” a question sounded. The vampire’s voice was hoarse and deep.

“I need it,” a needy response was provided.

“Very well.”

Before a heartbeat could elapse, Mia found herself straddling Miss Tepes’s leg. Her mind was hazy, a mess she had no energy or intention to control. She glanced at the woman underneath her, and it took her breath away. The white shirt was torn to shred, thrown aside like a piece of rug. Then, the vampire pulled her in, finally kissing her. It started sweet and gentle, yet the heat increased by a second, making the kiss increasingly wilder. The Asian woman was conflicted, confused, and unsure of what she could or could not do, only reciprocating. The love-making session continued with the same rhythm for a few seconds before Akali broke the kiss. The dark-haired woman wanted nothing of it, trying to capture these plump lips of her superior immediately but was stopped by her voice.

“Enjoy the moment,” the vampire said, placing both Mai’s hands on her round breasts. “Explore,” she instructed her before resuming the kiss, this time slowing down, keeping it affectionate.

At first, the secretary did not respond, too focused on the sensational session. But … when Akali put her hands on Mai’s buttocks, she lost it, finally giving in to a moment of passion and desire. Her lover pulled her closer, but she did not mind, more than enjoying the friction between them.

Author's notes section:

[2023-11-20]: Hey, here is a preview of the story’s next chapter. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release. I will try to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I would like to clean up some of the tasks in my schedule, and right now, there are many chapters queued there.

[2023-11-27]: Hey, I have a major update for you. I sadly could not finish this chapter during my last writing session, but I should finish it soon.

[2023-11-28]: Hey, the chapter is concluded. It took more than I would have wanted, but it is hardly a surprise for me, given the recent trend.

Don’t forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.

Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2023-11-20]: A preview has been released.
[2023-11-27]: A major update applied, focused on enriching the setting and add more threads.
[2023-11-28]: A major update applied, focused on concluding the chapter.

Info: For this chapter, I plan on taking a much darker twist. So please be warned that there will be blood, gore, and more packed here. On top of that, I decided that I would try to write something more sensual, but I have no idea how it ended up. I had a clear picture in my mind of how I wanted these events’ passage to look, but I'm not sure I described it to its full potential. Anyway, please tell me what you think.

Schedule:
- See the world through my eyes (finish the WIP)
- The broken heart (finish the WIP)
- Hidden in the mountain's shadow (new chapter)
- The rise of the Blood Moons' servants (new chapter)
- Black Diamond (new chapter)
- When the clock is ticking (Warhammer 40k new story)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (new chapter)
- My home is where my heart lies (rewrite chapter 4)
- The heart not so cold (rewrite chapter 2)
- The family tree (revisit the previous chapters and apply adjustments) 
- The Prisoner of Your Eyes (new chapter)
- Lifetime of war (new chapter)
- Hope is the last one to die (new story in SW universe)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (finish rewriting the second chapter)
- Life is full of surprises (new chapter)
- Exiled you say? (new chapter)
- Until my last breath (new chapter)
- The story of one lost soul (new chapter)
- My home is where my heart lies (new chapter)
- A new story in JJK universe - focused on Gojo/Geto/Shoko/Utahime
- A new story in Bleach universe (potentially a one shot) - focused on Byakuya and Yoruichi
- A new story in Demon Slayer universe (modern au, school)
- A new story in Demon Slayer universe (moder au, divorce setting)
- The shadows can be deceiving (new chapter)
- Forgotten World (a new story - translation of an old polish text that I wrote years ago)
- The silence of the shackles (new chapter)
- The war call (new chapter)
- Will you look past my mistakes? (new chapter)
- The Breaking Point (new chapter)
- Bury the light (new chapter)
- The family tree (new chapter)

Bonuses’ section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even two stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
Bleach story. (Byakuya x Yoruichi / ?)
Naruto story. (Neji x Hinata / Neji x TenTen / Nagato x Konan)
Fairy Tail story. (most likely Erza x Mira)
Maybe some Star Wars?

References:
- Apocalyptica, Brent Smith - Not strong enough
- (alternatively) Cher - Strong enough

*bonuses will be worked on when I don’t feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D

End of the author's notes section.

Chapter Text

“Come in, Lucifer,” the council leader’s voice broke the silence in her office. “I sensed you the moment you entered the complex. You are hardly discrete,” she remarked before the door opened.

“Pardon me, Miss Tepes, for my apparent lack of tact,” a velvet-like man's voice sounded. “I must have become rusty throughout these years spent in the tomb,” he added, slipping into the room in one fluid motion.

Even though the lights remained off, Akali had no problem examining the newcomer. Lucifer was slightly above-average height, built like a martial artist, and obnoxiously handsome, something the white-haired woman would never admit aloud. His relatively short and raven dark hair was slicked back, undoubtedly styled with some gum. The man’s eyes were intriguing, that is, if someone did not know the secret behind them. At one moment, these soul mirrors could be compared to a depthless abyss, only to be wholly replaced with the purity of silver in the next. Akali saw a playful flicker behind them, which completely contradicted the professional and down-to-business attitude his current pose gave. For a brief moment, she wondered how long he had been awakened; after all, his noble and defined cheeks were covered with neatly trimmed stubble. One glance at him was enough to prove he had more than an ounce of royal blood in him. Lucifer, even when relaxed, seemed imposing, radiating with a mixture of confidence, wisdom, and something much darker. It was a potent mix that could and, in theory, should frighten even the most idiotic creature on this planet. But … as we have experienced numerous times, the theory rarely matches up with reality.

The man stood proud and tall, awaiting the vampire’s response. He was clad in an ashen suit matched with a dark grey vest. Underneath it, a snowy shirt could be seen with the top buttons undone.

“Are you trying to fool someone into believing that you are a lawyer, not a killing machine forged to wage wars?” the council’s leader questioned after a long pause. “If so … please remember about a tie the next time,” she added, placing her hands on the desk and preparing to stand up.

“Oh, I must have forgotten about it,” the dark-haired man replied nonchalantly, closing the door behind him. “Can we drop this farce? This game starts to wary me. How have you been, Akali?” he added, changing his tone from playful to serious in the blink of an eye.

“Could have been better,” Akali retorted, sighing heavily. “I do not know how to deal with this situation,” she added after a brief pause as if she needed to gather her thoughts. “With everything I have … it should have been a breeze. Yet … it is not. People around me die in various macabre ways, only fuelling someone’s ego as they repeatedly throw the gauntlet at me,” she confessed, discarding her usual mask of emotionlessness.

“I have heard some bits about it,” Lucifer started quietly, slowly approaching the desk. “However, I think it would be best if I hear it right from the source.”

“Practical as always,” the white-haired woman scoffed, then chuckled. “I do not know. It simultaneously feels like we have a lot and no evidence. No matter what I do or plan, the mastermind behind all of this is at least one step ahead of me,” she added, finally standing up and painfully slowly turning towards the windows.

“Sometimes … things do not go our way,” the dark-haired man remarked, joining the council’s leader by the rain-stained glass and stilling to her left. “Sometimes, we need to fight an uphill battle, but … if someone can pull it off, it would be you.”

“It is appreciated,” the vampire commented, extending her left arm and seeking the man’s larger and firmer hand. “I wish I did not have to wake you,” she whispered.

“It is completely fine,” Lucifer said, squeezing the woman’s hand. “On an entirely different matter, though … I have heard some rumours about you,” he added, whispering as well.

“What do you mean?” Akali questioned, genuinely surprised.

“Precisely speaking about a developing relationship between you and one of your assistants,” the man retorted, chuckling as he kept his response rather vague.

“Could you elaborate?”

“Please, do not act all that surprised,” Lucifer remarked. “This Asian assistant of yours, you seem to care about her deeply. Or … perhaps what happened between you was but a mistake on your side, and I read the signs poorly?” he asked, but from the start, it felt more like a statement than a question, rhetorical at best.

“No … you are right, she dear to me,” the white-haired woman whispered after fully processing the last response. “And … it terrifies me. I have not allowed any women to get this close to me since Evelynn. Partially, I feel like I am betraying her … I feel like I am betraying Evelynn’s love and trust put in me,” she added, closing her eyes and looking downwards. “But … I have a better question: who is spreading these rumours?”

“You want to deal with him personally?” the man chuckled.

“Duncan,” the council’s leader commented, balling her fists. “I should have expected that. How many people know?”

“Only me and Loghain,” the dark-haired man said. “Do not worry; he will not spread news like this to anyone who can not be absolutely trusted,” he added reassuringly. “As for your doubts, it is only natural for you to have them. After all, it has been years since you have opened up to someone. Even though you hold everyone working underneath you close, only a handful amongst them can say they know you even to the slightest of extends.”

“I fear that accepting her might be a mistake,” Akali said after a pause. “The moment the wider public learns about her, she will be a target. People too cowardly to face me will try to hurt me through her. I feel like breaking her heart is a small price in exchange for everything she will not have to go through.”

“She lives here, does she not?” Lucifer asked, turning to the side to look at the distressed council leader. It was an understandable fear. Her life would turn upside down, but she would have you and the best protection one could ask for.”

“It would have been thrilling to see the world in such colours,” the white-haired woman commented, chuckling quietly. Though … mine is painted in black and white … maybe there are some shades of grey in between, nothing more. I wish …”

“I will interrupt that thought,” the dark-haired man cut in, his tone cold suddenly. “We have discussed it many times, have we not? Even though you keep calling yourself a monster, you are not one. You have been born as a dormant vampire; it was only a matter of time before you would have been turned. So … why are you constantly doubting your humanity? Believe me … I have seen real monsters, and you are not akin to them. You can be ruthless and even cruel, but for all that you have done throughout the years, I could not have cared less if you dealt slightly inappropriately with your enemies. Akali, why are you doing this? Why are you adding yet another problem to this seemingly endless list you are dealing with each day?”

“Thank you, Lucifer,” a whisper faded into nothingness, allowing the silence to retake the reign.

***

Vayne kept pushing herself even though her limits had already been exceeded, shattered and mauled into a speck of dust. Her beyond-exhausted body was driven by some indescribable power, perhaps born out of necessity and desire to overcome her shortcomings, proving herself useful. Nonetheless, the progress was marginal and painfully slow, which irritated the dark-haired woman. She wanted to impress, no … to meet even the bare minimum expectations the council leader had set for her. But … no matter what she did, it was never enough. Despite trying her hardest, Vayne found herself unable to overcome the prototype. The dark-haired woman thought it was only natural to see herself faring better after each encounter, but in reality, it was a vastly different story. Each time she clashed with the robot, it felt as if she had never crossed a blade with it before. It was a depressing sensation that increasingly spread throughout her body and mind, seemingly making it a trauma of sorts.

“Why can’t I beat this damned prototype?!” Shauna screamed at some point, filled with regret and anger.

“Let me answer this question, Miss Vayne,” Aria’s synthetic voice filled the air. “This prototype is adapting to its opponents by default. So, your struggles and seemingly lack of progress are expected.”

“Thank you, Aria,” the dark-haired woman replied automatically without an ounce of gratitude in her exhausted voice.

“Your tone does not match your words, Miss,” the AI commented immediately. “I take your frustration already spiked?”

“Isn’t it apparent, Aria?” the RDT officer replied with a question of her own. “I lost count of how many times I’ve lost to this robot. No matter what I do, it’s a fruitless endeavour.”

“It is understandable,” the synthetic construct replied momentarily. “After all, breaking its opponent’s mentality was one of its prime requirements. However, if you find its current combat style and overall prowess too difficult to deal with, we can set it accordingly. Although, it will affect your development in the long run,” Aria remarked, keeping her emotional tone.

“Is there anyone who could help me with the training then?” Vayne questioned, allowing her frustration to stain her voice. For her, this whole conversation was eerily similar to a university lecture where a seemingly intelligent professor kept on spitting things they deemed trivial, yet at the same time, inconceivable for the students. “What should I do? What should I sacrifice to be of any use?” she continued as her voice broke down.

“It would be highly advised for you to speak with one of the Reapers; perhaps Duncan would be willing to oversee your training,” the AI responded.

“Don’t bother trying to reach me, Aria,” a strong and loud man’s voice pierced through the silence. “I’ve been here for a while, observing our newest recruit,” he added vaguely.

“Mister Rinereth, I take Miss Tepes altered the schedule?” Aria questioned immediately.

“Most likely,” Duncan replied nonchalantly. “Akali’s rarely informing me about the plan beforehand. Not that I mind, though.”

“What are you doing here, then, Mister Rinereth?” Vayne cut in, irritated that, once again, someone was sneaking behind her back. “Are you here to train me, or did Miss Tepes have some other plans regarding me? Considering her eternal wisdom, she must’ve undoubtedly found some use for me,” she allowed herself to mock.

“Oh, I liked that,” Rinereth chuckled. “But, at the same time, you wouldn’t have said that to her face,” he added, finally descending from some platform. “Moreover, I’d have advised you to think twice before mocking Akali. She’s nice, but her patience isn’t unlimited. If she snaps, you’ll know why she’s currently the biggest fish. She’s terrifying if she sees an advantage in it,” the man continued, slowly striding towards the officer.

Duncan was a tall man, at least according to Vayne’s hasten estimation, who could have been around two meters high. His relatively long, dark-brown hair was put into a ponytail, revealing a silver piercing on his left earlobe. The man had sharp facial features partially hidden underneath his thick beard. He moved with an ungodly level of self-confidence, as if everything his vivid green eyes saw belonged to him. Clad in dark suit pants, a light-navy shirt with rolled-up sleeves, and a grey vest, he resembled a gang member, not a guardian. But … perhaps he did not need to. After all, Aria called him a Reaper. What was that, Shauna wondered.

“So … would you train me?” the RDT officer repeated her previous question.

“That depends,” the Reaper replied, creasing his jaw.

“That depends on?” the dark-haired woman asked urgently.

“Whether you’re ready for sweat, tears, and blood,” the man retorted, shrugging nonchalantly. Compared to the other council agents she had met, this one was extraordinary. He seemed to pay no attention to professionalism, his actions driven presumably by emotions or mere whims. “If you want to participate in these kinds of actions, you need to be strong. As of now, all I see is a conflicted and weak woman who dares to dream big. The question is: are you willing to put in some work to make these dreams a reality?”

“I’ll do anything that’s necessary,” Vayne replied confidently.

“I don’t like words,” Duncan remarked. “One can speak as many words as one desires, but they have no value. If you really want to make these dreams of yours a reality, you’ll show me this devotion.”

***

Mia hid all her worries behind a mask of joy and contentment, something she unwittingly had gotten used to throughout the years serving the council. Though it would have been the first time, she would be present during the gathering. Miss Tepes … no, Akali, she needed to remind herself that their professional relationship was no more, decided that it would be beneficial for her to participate. Considering the investigation was hardly progressing, and the white-haired vampire could not postpone these meetings indifferently, adding her to this highly selective list of individuals who usually attended the sessions made sense. If Mia were to guess, Akali would have to take a backseat and pull herself away from this criminal case. After all, these past few days had already impacted the delicate balance within the council and, frankly, around the world. It was so trivial to give people a reason to doubt, to plant a seed that would eventually bloom into something far more sinister than the little concern they currently displayed. No, even within the council, Miss Tepes was a taboo of sorts. Had she not been as influential, she would have been crushed long ago. But … as there was a matter clearly preoccupied the white-haired woman’s mind, these cowards saw a chance to strike, to benefit from the leader’s temporary weakness.

Tayaki had met Lucifer Schatten only a handful of times before. These encounters had a somewhat expected and repetitive pattern of exchanging pleasantries, and then the assistant would guide the imposing-looking man to her superior, closing the door softly behind her. However, it did not mean that she was completely clueless about who Schatten was or how much trust Akali put in him. No, when the vampire mentioned that Lucifer would accompany them to the gathering, it sent a sublime yet clear message: he would take over the investigation. And … even though these words never sounded, Mia wholeheartedly believed the council leader would announce this decision during tonight’s session. It made perfect sense for Miss Tepes to keep her cards covered until the exact moment she would be comfortable using them.

Still … what role would Mia play tonight? It was a puzzle she had trouble solving as she stood beside the enigmatic man, awaiting a summons.

“Do not overthink this situation,” Lucifer’s rich voice stirred the assistant back towards reality. The first and most likely the most important thing you should know before we pass this door is that you should not speak unless Miss Tepes personally asks you to. The other council members will try to find a way to scare or manipulate you for their own gain. Let Akali speak; she has far more experience dealing with these hyenas than both of us combined,” he added without turning. His cold gaze was still fixed on the blackness of the door.

“I think I understand,” Tayaki replied after a brief hesitation. “Have you ever been to the gathering?” she asked, driven by an emotional rush.

“A few times,” Schatten retorted reservedly. “However, I would have preferred not to be on the receiving end of this `honour`,” he added, putting a solid emphasis on the last word.

“Are they that bad?”

“Frankly, you have no idea,” Lucifer remarked, finally averting his gaze off the still-closed door and turning towards the assistant. “Behind this door, a lair of monsters resides. You take one wrong step, and they will swallow you whole,” he said harshly.

Author's notes section:

I have a small announcement for you. I will try my best to return to posting only the already completed pieces. Please be mindful that it will take longer, but you will not be left with many WIPs as I struggle to conclude them. That being said, I will post a small WIP and then a finished chapter for the next couple of weeks to adjust to the new workflow. I'm sorry in advance for any inconvenience.

As a side note, please be informed that I'm actively trying to rewrite `The Endless Night` story that I posted a few months ago. Once I have both chapters adjusted, I will repost them, most likely with one additional chapter as a bonus of sorts.

I have mixed feelings about this chapter, to be honest. On the one hand, I like the fact that I can slowly start explaining the setting, but at the same time, I feel like I need to revisit the previous chapters, as their quality is hardly satisfactory, and I made some blunders unwittingly.

Please note that the dialogues written in italics are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2024-03-28]: A preview has been released.
[2024-04-03]: A major update applied, focused on enriching the story and preparing the stage for the further chapters.

References:
- Heroes of Our Time - Dragonforce (chapter's title inspiration)
- Gunslinger - Ax7 (my writing companion)

End of the author's notes section.

Chapter Text

As Lucifer’s last word slowly faded away into nothingness, the doors abruptly parted, allowing them to enter the meeting room. Gulping on something that forcefully formed inside her throat, Mia's eyes slightly watered as a want of puking her stomach content washed over her. With everything she could muster, she overwrote her body’s innate reaction, hesitantly moving forward but keeping a small distance between her and the Reaper. It was only natural, in her opinion, to allow a vastly more experienced man to lead the way. She hoped he would be the one the council focused on first, but deep inside, she knew it was counterproductive. Compared to the others expected to participate, Tayaki was but a mere assistant. There was no chance that some of these council members would not put her through hell just for the sake of doing so.

Without turning, Lucifer extended his left arm towards the conflicted Asian woman, wordlessly urging her to take it and stay behind him. The man willingly took it upon himself to be her shield, or perhaps it was all Akali’s doing. After all, the council’s leader might have foreseen this exact situation. Shaking her head energetically, she realised it mattered not. Whether it was Miss Tepes standing behind this interaction or the Reaper acting on his own will, it was inconsequential. Though, she took the offered hand, and tried to focus on steadying her breathing and calming down her galloping mind.

It took Mai a few seconds to finally realise that the meeting room was not directly behind the doors they passed by. Instead, a relatively long, plain, and empty corridor welcomed them with a stairway looming in the distance. The assistant found the passage’s design lacking, with only seemingly ancient-themed braziers hanging from the endlessly black ceiling, filling the air with thick, ashen smoke. Out of sheer curiosity, the dark-haired woman sniffed, trying to identify the smell these vapours spread. Their strong and intoxicating scent reminded her of expensive, oriental balsams, perhaps similar to those used in the ancient rites. The longer she analysed the pathway they were currently crossing, the more intimidating and terrifying it became. It was clear that whoever had designed this corridor had a particular scenery in mind: a long and empty descent into a grave. Unwittingly, Mai shuddered, feeling cold shivers running down the entirety of her spine.

Compared to her, Lucifer seemed completely unaffected by the eerie design, bored even. Considering he had been through this a couple of times by now, it was hardly a surprising outcome. But … as far as she knew the man, it was more than likely that his first participation had been any different. His movement was fluid, filled with innate grace and nobility. Within this bounded space, he seemed more like a reincarnation of an ancient king than a servant. That being said, Mai could only speculate what kind of relationship lingered between Lucifer and Akali. On a surface level, these two seemed hand-picked and destined to be partners or even lovers. That, however, was a questionable part. No matter how perfect they seemingly mashed against each other, there was something inexplicable about them. Perhaps the Reaper was no servant at all but a business partner. The longer she pondered over seemingly inconsequential questions like these, the more she was willing to pay to know the truth.

Nonetheless, it was hardly the time or place for such thoughts as, before long, they reached the stairs and began the relatively steep climb. With each step taken, the pleasant warmth radiating from the braziers receded and slowly faded into nothingness, replaced with a chilling cold that would inevitably sink its fangs into exposed flesh. Once again, Tayaki completely lost control over her body as dark and scarily realistic visions forcefully entered her subconsciousness, making her shudder. Had Lucifer not still held her hand, serving as a beacon of light and driving force, she would have halted midstep, turned around, and fled. That, however, was thankfully not the case. The moment the Reaper noticed her distress surfacing, he acted immediately without as much as an ounce of hesitation. He pulled her closer and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders. As if he was a pillar of bright flames amidst the darkest of nights, the cold disappeared, taking the horrific visions alongside. Mia wanted to say something, but no word could pass through her throat, making itself audible. The only thing she could do was to turn slightly towards the man, stealing a few glances at his face. Lucifer remained expressionless, as if anything that happened or could potentially happen hardly bothered him.

For the next couple of moments, the assistant tried her best to muster her fading courage to speak up, but before this process could yield any result, the Reaper abruptly halted, effortlessly keeping her in place.

“Are you ready?” his smooth, silk-like voice finally finished the reign of silence.

“Is it even possible to prepare for something like this?” the Asian woman replied after a short pause with a question of her own.

“I suppose not,” Lucifer retorted, receding his left arm and straightening up slightly. “When we pass through this gate, they will throw themselves at us akin to the hungry wolves pack at their prey. What you witnessed inside the corridor was the mix of their auras clashing back and forth,” he added, keeping his keen eyes glued to the heavy, black-iron doors before them with various pictograms engraved into their surface. “Make no mistake, this meeting will be anything but pleasant. Akali’s leadership has been seen as flawed for as long as she has sat on this council. Most of the councilmen only abide by her bidding because they fear her and the power she wields. That being said, of how many monsters it consists of currently, I do not know,” a whisper-like statement escaped the man’s slightly parted lips.

“There’s no point in postponing the inevitable.”

“One more advice,” the Reaper quietly said. “Whatever happens, keep your brave mask on. If they as much as sniff a weakness coming from you, they will be relentless.”

“I’ll do my best,” Mia replied, but she doubted her own words.

***

“I hope your last hunt was successful,” a heavily filtered voice from the mobile’s speakers said.

“You could say so,” a reserved response was provided, followed by an exhausted groan. “But … it is only a matter of time before I need to go again.”

“Oh, so the doctor hardly satisfied your sadistic drive. Am I reading this right, Morgul?” the modified voice replied, keeping its tone even and emotionlessly cold.

“It is never enough,” Morgul retorted, straightening up and slowly pacing away from the boxing bag he had been punching for some time. “None of them had ever sated my desire to sin for long,” he added after a short pause, lowering his voice.

“What about this girl you let go unharmed?”

“How … who am I trying to fool … of course, you knew all along, right?”

“As much as it pains me to say, you are not as extraordinary as you think you are.”

“Get to the point, Abaddon,” the dark-haired man remarked, switching his tone to emotionless. “You never contact me without a good reason. So … what is it? Who do you want me to get rid of?”

“There are certain people whom you could silence for me, Morgul,” the filtered voice started. “However, for now, I would like you to sate your desire. After all, I would not want you to degenerate or devolve.”

“Pff,” Morgul scoffed, somehow containing irritation rapidly growing in him before he could hit the nearest wall in the fruitless attempt to vent off. “I would appreciate you treating me as something more than a sharp knife in your possession,” he added, partially allowing this discontent to taint his voice.

“Noted,” Abaddon retorted reservedly. “I will contact you soon, but till then, try to relax.”

Without as much as a parting word, the man utilising the filtered voice ended the call. Morgul wanted to shout at the top of his lungs, pummel something, or sink his trusted blade into still-warm flesh, feeling the life-giving liquid rapidly tainting his hands. Yet, despite all of these options, he remained motionless, allowing wave after wave of chilling anger to wash over him as he regarded how to handle it.

The concept of time seemingly ceased to exist for the raven-haired man, as each passing minute lasted an eternity, and instead of bringing salvation, it brought anguish. With no appealing answers popping into his mind, he made a difficult decision to leave his hideout and venture towards the surface. Perhaps fresh air is all he needed. As much as Morgul doubted this speculation, it was seemingly the best idea he could come up with. Hence, without any unnecessary pondering, he headed towards the bathroom, seeing a need to clean himself up and change his sweat-drenched clothes before turning his trivial plan into reality.

***

Akali tried to make herself comfortable at the table’s top, but it proved far more challenging than it should have been. Her ‘peers’, as the outsiders called the other council members in their oblivious naivety, constantly tried their hardest to make her life akin to a living hell. Of course, it was a vast generalisation, considering that amongst these hyenas, there were a few who were willing to cooperate. Still, the vast majority of the council had their eyes peered at her, waiting for any slipups. With a heavy sigh passing through the snowy-haired vampire’s slightly parted lips, she regarded her ‘peers’. Expectedly, not all of them showed up, deeming an ad-hoc meeting inconsequential or simply lacking the capability to alter their schedules. Who did she want to fool? Apparently, only herself. Besides the long ebony table designed to accommodate one hundred people, without taking her into account, three councilmen sat. To her indescribable discontent, all of them were her sworn rivals who had made it their life goal to see her downfall.

“Could you finally tell us why we’re here?” a male venomous tone sounded.

Tepes slowly averted her eyes from the sheets of paper she had nearly organised before her, turning slightly to her right. There, a relatively young-looking man sat with his clenched fists firmly resting against the table’s pristine surface. His blonde hair was a bit darker, reminding Akali of a grain. He had it fashionably trimmed and pulled back. Clad in a beige, branded Italian shirt with two top buttons undone and sleeves messily pulled up, he could be described as eye candy for perhaps only touch-deprived teenagers.

“Patience, Arthur,” the snowy-haired woman commented, slightly narrowing her eyes. “I assure you that the moment my subordinates arrive, I will answer all of your questions. They should be here shortly, but for the time being, please help yourself with a drink,” she added, lazily pointing at the diamond carafe filled with crimson-red liquid resting to the man’s left.

“I have better things to do than wasting my time sitting here!” Arthur snarled, putting so much venom into each word that it could have killed an elephant. “Spending time with you is hardly pleasant,” he added, focusing his bright blue eyes on his long fingers bumping against the table’s face.

“Is that so?” Akali inquired, faking amusement. “The last time I checked your schedule, it was relatively empty,” she commented, a smirk slowly forming on her beautiful face. “However, considering your rather questionable life choices, it would hardly surprise me if your personal calendar were filled with various meetings many would deem inappropriate for a man of your calibre,” she added, flashing her fangs mockingly. “Recently, you must have been really busy. After all, your favourite brothel had undoubtedly legally ‘acquired’ a few new girls. As far as I have heard … they are worth their price tags.”

“Shut the fuck you, bitch!” the blonde exploded, unwittingly standing up.

“Sit down, idiot,” a much deeper man’s voice filled the air. “Even though we all know you’re shameless, you should realise by now that your actions taint this council’s reputation.”

“I could not have described it better, Friedrich,” the council’s leader immediately shifted her attention, focusing on a tall man of ashen complexion sitting to her left, with only two seats separating them. “It is rare for us to agree on a matter. I appreciate this change.”

“I’d appreciate you not to mock me, Akali,” Friedrich replied reservedly, keeping his tone formal. “That being said, it’s rather impolite of you to keep us waiting,” he commented. “I’m pretty certain that you’ll end up mentioning the investigation that you personally participated in, but I failed to hear its conclusion. Is it possible that you failed to capture the killer, Akali?” he questioned emotionlessly.

Compared to the hot-headed blonde, Friedrich was a vampire with a reputation to uphold. Throughout his long life, which spanned hundreds of years, he undoubtedly left his mark on humankind's history. Despite his reserved and calm demeanour, he sought power and influence. It was the primary bone of contention between them, as the ancient vampire did not deem her suitable for such a prestigious position as the leader of this council. If Akali were to guess, Friedrich would see himself amongst a few candidates he would be willing to support. That being said, he was not blinded by his discontent. All the snowy-haired woman needed to do was to plan her arguments wisely and play them right.

Akali did not reply immediately, taking a few seconds to consider the man’s words and finally take a closer look at him. As mentioned before, he was a tall man with an ashen complexion who did not like the sun all that much, preferring the cover of the darkness lingering amongst shadows. Clad in a dark grey trench coat, he looked imposing, as if taken from a vastly different time. Underneath the thick fabric, fragments of a snowy shirt and black Windsor tie peeked. Similar to the council's leader, Friedrich could switch his eye colour freely between crimson-red and light brown, doing so unwittingly occasionally. His hair was long and of chocolate colour, combed into a stylish braid that fell onto his broad shoulders. A neatly trimmed stubble covered his sunken cheeks and strong jawline.

“As much as it pains me to admit, the case is still far from being concluded,” the snowy-haired vampire finally answered, opting to state the truth. “If you speculated that I wanted to raise this subject, then I applaud you, for you were right,” she added, offering a slight nod of acknowledgement.

“Then, is it farfetched to assume that you wanted to introduce us to someone who’d lead the investigation in your stead?” the brown-haired man followed up with another reserved question. “After all, if you decided to continue on your own, you wouldn’t have much use of us gathered here.”

“Another correct assumption,” Akali retorted. “Even though this affair lasted a couple of days, I feel like some details discussed by this very council are slipping past my fingers,” she added, allowing her tone to grow colder. “That being said, I heard some rumours about you supposedly extending your reach amongst our fellow councilmen whilst I was busy. At first, I did not want to believe these mere whispers, but perhaps it is for the best to ask you about this. What would you say, Friedrich?” she inquired, causing the man to still for a fraction of a second.

Even though the brown-haired councilman regained his composure nearly instantly, he had already given her what she wanted, undeniable proof that these rumours were indeed true. As hard as he tried to hide his raw emotions, he failed to erase them from his eyes. One glance was enough for Tepes to mark this exchange as a sound victory. What made it even sweeter was the fact that Friedrich realised the situation’s gravity. A seed of fear and doubt was successfully planted within this ancient being.

“First … I’d need you to elaborate on what you mean by extending my reach,” the brown-haired vampire replied after a few moments of silence.

“Why do you not tell me what you have achieved whilst I was gone?” Akali questioned sweetly.

“Perhaps … we could hold this conversation in four eyes?” Friedrich asked. This, however, was hardly a suggestion even though the man’s tone masked his emotions well. It was a plea.

“Of course,” the council’s leader agreed immediately, adding another victory to the long list of achievements. “What about you, Sabine?” she questioned the last gathered.

“I wonder why you didn’t consider any of us suitable for this job?” a black-onyx-haired woman sitting at the far end of the table questioned. “Weren’t we good enough … or you had another reason behind this decision?” she asked sweetly.

“Oh, please,” the snowy-haired vampire faked a gasp, standing up. “I briefly considered each of you,” she started, slowly pacing towards Sabine. “However, I concluded that I needed to discard these options due to the same reason I needed to step away from the investigation.”

“That is? Would you enlighten us, Miss Tepes?” Sabine commented sweetly, but underneath the apparent façade, the venom overflew.

“As the members of this council, we have other matters to tend to,” Akali replied vaguely. “Would you not say that what we usually deal with are much more pressing problems than leading an investigation that might take weeks, months, or even years?”

“Do you expect us to believe that?” the golden-eyed woman asked, smirking openly. “Because … to me, all of this sounds like a bullshit.”

“You are free to believe in whatever you want,” Tepes retorted emotionlessly, finally closing the gap between them. “Whether you believe me or not … is inconsequential, Sabine,” she leaned in, whispering into the woman’s left ear. “Your perfume is delightful, though; I feel like I have smelled them somewhere before. Oh … yes, ‘Il Paradiso in terra’ … I must give you that, compared to Arthur, you chose a decent place to get laid,” she added quietly, making the dark-haired vampire fluster.

“Who’s your candidate?” Sabine asked, trying her best to control herself.

“Lucifer, of course,” the snowy-haired woman announced with a broad smile.

Author's notes section:

The main focus for me remains the rewriting of "My home is where my heart lies". That being said, I know fully well that this process will be long and painful for me, so in the meantime, I will be dropping smaller updates of various stories.

Please note that the dialogues written in italics are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2024-08-07] - A preview was released.
[2024-08-10] - A major update applied and the final revision released.

References:
- Whitney Houston - One Moment In Time
- Whitney Houston - I have nothing

End of the author's notes section.

Chapter Text

Before long, the blackened iron gates parted, revealing a long table occupied by four councilmen engulfed in an invisible aura of might and dread. Even though Mia’s eyes could not detect any semblance of this seemingly magical energy, her body reacted immediately. In less than a heartbeat, the Asian woman’s skin crawled, marked by an uncountable number of goosebumps. This reaction was so severe that it rooted her in place, physically preventing Tayaki from moving forward even an inch. All she could do was stare at these individuals who – in the majority – terrified her.

“Ah, marvellous timing,” Miss Tepes commented openly, turning towards Mia and Lucifer. “My fellow councilmen, let me briefly introduce you to the newcomers,” she continued, excessively gesturing towards them. “I believe some of you might already know Lucifer. He is the first of the Reapers; many consider him their leader.”

“We heard of him,” Frederich replied reservedly, folding his hands on the table’s face. “However, I’m far more interested in this young woman accompanying him. Who is she?” he questioned, fixing his gaze upon Mia and analysing her.

“She is my assistant,” the council’s leader replied vaguely. “Her name is Mia Tayaki.”

“So … she’s either your cattle or whore, or perhaps both,” Arthur snarled, clearly bored. “Though … I need to admit she looks delectable,” he added, allowing the tip of his tongue to outline his lips.

“What’s she doing here?” Sabine inquired, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

“Please, consider her a middleman,” Akali nonchalantly shrugged. “As I already mentioned, I can not personally continue leading this investigation; henceforth, I selected Lucifer as my permanent replacement,” she continued slowly, picking her words rather carefully. “As this incident will mostly likely keep him in the field for the most part, I need someone capable of dealing with all the bureaucracy and never-ending flood of documents. After all, we usually use all sorts of grand words in the reports only to make the description as shallow as possible. If possible, I would want to avoid this; I want everything accounted for, no matter how ugly the truth is,” Akali said coldly. “Other than that, I would like her to attend our usual sessions, making her a reliable connection between us and the team investigating the case,” she concluded, annoyingly slowly marching back towards her seat at the table’s helm.

“I’ll support this decision,” the man with an ashen complexion remarked. “However, I have a few questions… perhaps we could address them during our next meeting, Akali?” he followed up immediately.

“I have no quarrel with that,” the council’s leader retorted after a few moments of pause. “I will have my schedule shared with you,” she added, still carefully considering the man’s words and the unspoken meaning sealed behind them.

“I’ll be waiting to hear from you,” Frederich commented, nodding diligently.

“What about you two?” the white-haired vampire addressed the remaining councilmen.

“I don’t fucking care,” Arthur replied immediately, eagerly standing up. “All of this feels like a fucking scam,” he snarled at Miss Tepes. “Play whatever game you want, Tepes, but don’t you dare to bore me with the details. When you have something interesting to share or discuss, you know where to find me,” he continued, visibly irritated.

“As you wish.”

“I want one of my agents included in this investigation,” Sabine said flatly.

“Anyone particular?” Miss Tepes questioned, folding her hands on the table’s face as she watched the rather impulsive councilman leave, wordlessly passing by Mia and Lucifer, which amused her.

 “I have a few candidates worthy of this spot in mind,” the golden-eyed woman responded dismissively. “That being said, my decision is hardly final,” she added with a nasty smirk playing on her plump, reddish lips.

“As long as your candidate is someone capable of cooperation, I have no problem with that,” the council’s leader retorted slowly, trying to recall everyone Sabine could have had in mind quickly. “But … I expect you to discuss the details before optimistically inserting one of your ‘hounds’ into the team,” she commented, snapping her attention fully towards the red-lipped vampire. “I might lead this investigation no more, yet I will still keep my eyes and ears peered. So … please, do not squander my goodwill.”

“But of course, Miss Tepes,” Sabine chuckled, unsuccessfully trying to hide her clear disdain for the leader. “I wouldn’t do anything as brazen as this. I feel offended; who do you think I am … Arthur?” she continued faking.

“No … Arthur, with all his brazen recklessness and impatience, would be far easier to predict and control,” the silver-haired woman said coldly. “I know exactly who you are, Sabine Inneth … and I recommend you never forget that.”

Even though the anger visibly rampaged inside Inneth, she stood up wordlessly, bidding her farewell with a simple and slight nod. Then, with diligence and grace – she was known for – she strode away, leaving the hall through a side exit that had been prepared explicitly for her. She resembled a big cat ready to pounce at a moment’s notice to vent off irritation and frustration.

Mia found herself lost in the grand scheme of this strangely chaotic yet seemingly planned meeting. The more she thought about the exchanges she heard, the more she believed Miss Tepes used them as bait to get the upper hand against her fellow councilmen. After all, all their presence here did was avert attention from the council’s leader for a few moments. Tayaki expected a never-ending stream of uncomfortable questions, yet the reality left her wanting. Akali announced her decision loud and clear – something she could have very well done without their participation. Yet … perhaps all that was needed of them was to be there. Still … all of this felt rather surprising and made little to no sense. Or, she – not for the first time – overcomplicated the matter in her mind.

“Is this council concluded?” Friderich asked after a while. “Or … you want to discuss some other matters, Akali?”

“The answer solely depends on you,” Miss Tepes replied politely, slowly rising from her seat. If you so wish, we can immediately start our next meeting,” she offered, approaching Mia and Lucifer. “Or perhaps you have some questions for them?”

“No … perhaps in the future I’ll have some,” the man with an ashen complexion responded. “Then, there’s nothing left for than to bid you farewell,” he added, standing up and bowing diligently.

“I hope our next meeting will be pleasant for a change,” Akali retorted. “But … at least for now, farewell,” she added, gesturing towards the Reaper and her assistant, urging them to follow her.

***

Abaddon reached across the table, picking up a thin slice of pinkish meat in his chopsticks before drowning it entirely in a spicy liquid filling the closer side of the hot pot. The furniture was neatly set, with numerous bowls and plates containing various delicacies. Still, the masked man had hardly touched anything throughout the meeting, allowing his business partner to consume as much as he wanted.

Astor Trief was a relatively tall man with an impressive physique. Like many other dark-skinned people scattered throughout the country, sport was simultaneously his passion and work in his youth. As a boxer, he had achieved quite a lot, but due to many injuries, his career ended prematurely. That being said, with all his experience and muscles, shifting into a criminal was far too easy. It was clear that he had never grown accustomed to luxuries as his eating habits were lacking, to say the least, slowly irritating the masked man. But … instead of addressing the issue, Abaddon remained silent, only partially focusing on Trief, as most of his attention was glued to the slowly bubbling liquid and the slice soaked in it.

In the meantime, Astor continued stuffing his mouth full, making rather unpleasant noises. As his strong jaws kept working, munching the bits of food into a fine paste, a few scars covering the man’s cheeks became visible. Some were nothing more than a faint line of white; others were so deep that it appeared only a thin, semi-transparent membrane was keeping muscles together. If Abaddon were to guess, the latter were remnants of a few nasty yet clumsy knife fights, but he cared too little to verify his speculation.

Trief’s skull was slightly disfigured, irregular, perfectly shaved and marked with a few pinkish burns. No … it was not shaved; his hair was burnt, the masked man corrected himself. Underneath a set of lush brows, two greenish and lively orbs were socketed, currently wholly preoccupied with a seemingly endless amount of food on the table.

“Astor, I think you might like this,” Abaddon finally spoke up, retrieving the slice from the hot pot and carefully placing it on a small plate before passing it to his business partner. “If you fancy something spicy, I would put some of this paste on,” he advised, gesturing towards a decently sized bowl filled with some orange substance of solid consistency.

“I’ll sure do,” Trief replied with food still inside his mouth. “I wonder, though, what’s the deal with this voice filter?” he asked a moment later after swallowing and accepting the offered plate. “I mean … it’s cool to some degree, but at the same time, creepy.”

“Oh,” the masked man fake gasped. “My vocal cords were damaged in the past, leaving me with no other option but to use masks with filters,” he explained.

“Bullshit,” Aston commented, dipping the meat into the paste. “With all the money and contacts you have, there’s nothing you can’t have,” he added, chewing the slice with visible enjoyment. “I mean … aside from influencing the council,” he corrected himself.

“There are things no money can get you,” Abaddon slowly remarked. “But … you are partially correct. I can access many things because of all this money and contacts,” he added, leaning in. “That being said … how was it?”

“Freaking delicious,” the ex-boxer retorted happily. “Abaddon, man, tell me your secrets. What was it? I’d appreciate it if you could share your cook’s number. Damn … all of this was mind-blowing,” he continued.

“Hm, let me think about it for a moment,” the masked man replied quietly, putting his right hand on his mask as if trying to cup his jaw. “Ah … I remember. It was a particular order,” he added vaguely.

“Was it chicken, pork, lamb, something else?”

“Oh, the meat came from John Mitch,” Abaddon whispered.

“Wait … say it again,” Aston mumbled, shocked.

“Oh, I think you heard me,” the filtered voice replied immediately. “You know how it is in this line of business, right? You take a wrong step, and you are disposed of.”

“Have you fed me human flesh?!” the criminal shouted, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. “Are you insane?!”

“Actually, most of the dishes on this table were made of your men,” the masked man responded nonchalantly.

Before Trief could stand up, his head was locked in a tight grip, preventing him from moving an inch. He wanted to scream, but it was too late. Whoever stood behind him had already pressed a sharp knife to the ex-boxer’s throat, slicing it open with one seemingly effortless move. Aston Trief did not suffer; there was no choking on his own blood, no slow, painful, yet inevitable wait for death to embrace him. No … the man’s head was momentarily severed, quickening up the process. As the blood abundantly spilt, tainting the table and nearby carpet, Abaddon slowly stood up, cleaning his hands with a snowy handkerchief.

“Clean up the mess,” he immediately commanded, heading towards the ajar door.

“What about the body?” a quiet man’s voice questioned.

“Throw it to Cerberus,” Abaddon replied, slowly strolling away. “This suit looks nice, Morgul,” he commented, waving awkwardly with his right hand.

“Pff,” Morgul scoffed. “I thought you wanted me to handle something important,” he complained. “When you called me in, I thought I would be handling a lethal mission, not disposing of a piece of trash like this thing,” he continued, pointing at the corpse.

“In due time, friend, in due time.”

***

For Mia, the next day did not start as she had anticipated. All the young woman expected or wished for was answers to questions that began piling up in the depths of her mind. But … to her utmost discontent, Akali had provided her little, if any, leaving her with Lucifer shortly after the council’s meeting concluded. As if this was not bad enough, the moment the Asian woman stepped into her usual office space, someone was already waiting for her. And … Sabine Inneth paced around the room, clearly irritated.

“You’re finally here,” the vampire’s voice was cold and demanding. “I have questions, and you’ll provide me with answers.”

Knowing full well that declining was not an option, Tayaki slowly nodded, approached her desk, and prepared herself for the unforeseen confrontation.

Author's notes section:

The main focus for me remains the rewriting of "My home is where my heart lies". That being said, I know fully well that this process will be long and painful for me, so in the meantime, I will be dropping smaller updates of various stories.

Hey, here's the preview of the next chapter. I hope I can do this chapter a little justice.

It's done. Though ... I think it could have been a bit longer. I don't know how I will manage the writing schedule in the next couple of weeks, but I will try to post as often as possible. Till then, thank you and enjoy.

Please note that the dialogues written in italics are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2024-12-02] - A preview was released.
[2024-12-08] - A major update applied and the final revision released.

References:
- Yakuza 0 - Judgement
- Bonnie Tyler - Making Love (Out of Nothing at All)

End of the author's notes section.

Chapter Text

It was hardly the first time Morgull ended up dragging someone's still-fresh corpse across these wretched and seemingly hellish corridors. Even though the boxer's body weight could have been wholly disregarded, the sheer contrast between the building's above-ground floors and this ... was more than slightly bothering. One could have logically come to the conclusion that these halls and corridors linking them into one apparently endless maze originated from medieval times. The dark-haired man did not like treading through them one bit. But ... what else he was supposed to do? Abaddon's will was clear ... and as much as Morgull did not like being ordered around, he was not foolish enough to openly oppose the masked man. He knew a few people who had done so and ended up the same way as this pitful ex-boxer. Abaddon's silhouette might not be visibly imposing, yet his voice always contained something inexplicit and terrifying.

With thoughts like these filling the dark-haired man's mind, he ventured deep into the building's devastated underground sections. Its walls were engraved with cracks, fluid marks, and dust, indicating that they were rarely used. Once again, the place painfully reminded him why he did not want to be there. Even though it would take him at least a few additional minutes to get to Cerberus, the unmistakable stench associated with the beast already filled Morgull's nostrils, forcing his stomach content to stir. But ... there was nothing he could do; hence ... he continued dragging the corpse through the ravaged floor, leaving a thin trail of fresh blood in his wake.

The stroll was seemingly lasting indefinitely as the surroundings hardly differed. If regarded for a moment, it might have been one of the many cruel requirements Abaddon set when this pitful maze-like structure was built. Yes ... it made sense, a terrifying amount of sense. The dark-haired man would not have been surprised if, occasionally, people were being thrown down here only to be chased and inevitably consumed by the monstrosities lurking between the shadows. From someone as sadistic and cruel as Abaddon's perspective, this must have been thrilling entertainment. Moments like this affected Morgull in a peculiar way. No matter how hard he tried to forget, his mind forcefully took him back towards his dark past. Once again, he would relive that faithful day the masked man had brought him to an underground arena deep below Moscow.

***

"It is so nice to venture into places like this from time to time," the heavily-filtered voice stated, emotionless as ever. "Is it not?"

"I do not see a point in us being here," the dark-haired man replied reservedly. "For all I know, I could have been down there," he pointed towards the muddy ground where the fighters kept killing each other. "But you? No ... I do not see a reason behind your visit."

"Oh?" Abaddon chuckled, clearly amused. "I thought it was crystal clear.

I love watching people struggle," he added, allowing this rather strange amusement tone to continue. "There is something inexplicit about seeing someone inches away from death," he stated, pausing for a moment as if gathering his wits. "I think ... I find it intoxicating. This thrill of death and blood."

"That sounds like you, Abaddon," Morgull commented, comfortably resting against a railing of questionable quality that separated the lodge from a twenty-meter fall into the arena.

"Is it?" the masked man questioned rhetorically. "It matters not. Though if I were to run these games ... yes, I would have made them a little more dramatic and interesting."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Think about all you can see for a moment, Morgull," Abaddon took a step forward and rested his left hand on the railing while gesturing extensively with the right. "Is it not a tad too straightforward? A small arena filled with nothing more than sand, mud, and blood of the dying? Look at these modern gladiators fighting for their lives to sate the audience's bloodthirst."

"I think the organisers wanted such a design," the dark-haired man remarked, shrugging nonchalantly.

"That is the problem I am pointing at," the filtered voice agreed. "It lacks depth and mystery. It is nothing more than a cheap way of providing entertainment."

"What would you do differently, then?"

"I would have built a confined complex where the games would take place," Abaddon started somewhat passionately. "Then ... I would have carefully selected a group of challengers, placing them there. Their task would be trivial in overall nature but would require wits, intelligence, and sacrifices. With helpful items and hints scattered all over the dungeon, they would have everything -- in theory -- to save themselves."

"You would not make it this easy for them," Morgull pointed out, already tired of this so-called conversation. "What is the catch?" he blurted openly.

"I think you already figured it out," the masked man commented. "All of these 'gifts' would only be there to give these poor souls a fleeting hope of making it out alive. In reality, they would be constantly watched and preyed on by someone or something," he halted momentarily. "Imagine the thrill when one of these challengers would be torn limb from limb. The sheer shock and terror ... delicious."

"Let me guess, you would rig this competition to ensure no one would survive?"

"No ... no, I am not a monster," Abaddon stated nonchalantly. "That being said, most would certainly die ... especially with the hunter I have in mind," he giggled, making Morgull's skin crawl uncontrollably. "For now, though. Let us go. One day ... this vision of mine will be forged into reality," he added, taking one last long stare at the arena below before turning around and leaving.

"Yeah, it is high time to leave this hole behind," the dark-haired man agreed, following suit.

***

Expectedly, it took Morgull a good while to reach a circular section intersecting a few dark corridors like the one he used. The area was unsurprisingly messy and filled with a terrifying amount of rubble. But ... if he thought this was this location's main obstacle even for a fleeting moment, he must have been deluding himself. After all, compared to many unnamed fools who marched through these passages, the dark-haired man knew exactly who or maybe rather what considered this maze its lair. Without as much as an ounce of care, he threw the corpse forward, intently spectating its short-lived flight before it inevitably crashed against a crumbled stone floor's face with a disgusting clatter. Immediately, a clear response came from the opposite tunnel. Even with his enhanced eyes, Morgull could not penetrate the darkness covering the hole from which the sounds were coming, getting closer by the second. Though it mattered little. With his eyes constantly fixed on the tunnel's exit, he took a few slow and deliberate steps forward, pocketing his hands. What was nothing more than a low hiss at the beginning turned into a cacophony of roars and gouging. Undoubtedly, Abaddon's twisted creation and personal pet was fast approaching, lured by the smell and promise of a feast. With time on his hand, the dark-haired man allowed himself to ponder briefly on matters with little importance. How long had it been since the madman led him into these corridors, showing off his newest and proudest accomplishment? Ten, fifteen, twenty? The more he thought about this, the less certain he became. It had been a while, about this the man was positive ... but specific numbers seemed to ellude him.

Finally ... after what felt like an eternity, the Cerberus came into view, terrifying in all of its beastly glory. Morgull sighed heavily as he spectated its monstrous shilloute. If his memory served him well, it must have bloated once again, expanding its already imposing frame. Still ... if it came to that, the dark-haired man would be capable of defeating this abomination. However ... the same could not be said for many.

At some point, Cerberus was just another typical werewolf, but its fate was sealed the moment the masked man got interested in it. With Abaddon's seemingly endless resources and desire to twist and mutilate, it was only a matter of time before what was previously a normal and healthy specimen became a three-headed monstrosity whose sole reason to live was to consume and bloat further. Sometimes ... Morgull pitted this poor creature, but when he thought about dozens -- no hundreds -- of people it had devoured over the years, this sympathy vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"I brought you a gift from your Master," the dark-haired man said plainly, completely not interested in any discussion with the beast. "You can do whatever you want with it, but he expects you to be ready to leave this pitful hole the moment the corridors are filled with the red light."

"When?" Cerberus responded in broken English. "What does the Master want?" it questioned as it sluggishly approached the dead body.

"That is all he said," was all the monster received in return. "But ... I suspect he is scheming something ... not that it is something unexpected."

"It will be done," the beast screeched, sinking its teeth into the still-warm flesh.

"Whatever," Morgull scoffed and turned around. "Enjoy your meal, beast."

***

By the time Morgull finally left the dungeon that reeked of death and suffering far behind, it was already noon of the following day. Usually, he would have been pretty irritated by the fact that it had taken him this long to deal with such a minuscule task, but today, something felt off as he paid no mind to his surroundings. It quickly became painfully apparent that all the dark-haired man wanted was to stroll through the city streets with no real destination as a mean to tame his mind and put it back under his sole control. But ... as always, it was an extremely tricky thing for Morgull to accomplish. With his mind virtually split into two vastly different and seemingly contradicting beings, it was only a matter of time before the sadistic and bloodthirsty monster residing inside him would reign again. For most people, this premise alone would be devastating and heartbreaking, yet Morgull had learnt how to accept things outside his jurisdiction many years ago. After all, had he not managed to solve that issue, he would have committed suicide -- there was no other feasible option. Then, again, by the definition alone, he was an exception that only proved the rule. Whatever he deemed worthy and acceptable to do mattered not, as his life was never truly his to rule over. Perhaps ... in the past, his younger version had dreams and ambitions, but with the inevitable passage of time, all of these pieces faded away into nothingness, brutally eradicated by his cruel master's doing. But ... at the end of the day, it was his day-to-day reality -- there was no reason for pity.

With hands deep inside the pockets of his ungodly expensive Italian suit, Morgull treaded through the streets pretty much mindlessly, focused solely on thing alone -- to put another step forward and maybe get somewhere eventually. By any extension of logic, it was a bold and vastly ineffective strategy, but the man seemed uninterested in optimising his ways, it seemed. However, it did not mean that the world itself and the higher powers associated with it slumbered. No ... it was quite the contrary, as fate had something planned for him. As invisible and unexplainable as it had always been, fate guided Morgull with its invisible hand towards a solid pavement crossing one of many luxurious districts of the city. As he was unaware of the intervention, he kept going forward as previously with no regard for anything. Yet something changed ... seemingly abruptly as the corner of his left eye caught a glimpse of something ... something interesting. Turning around, the dark-haired man was faced with a thick wall of glass separating the outer world from a cosy-looking coffee shop with diligent and extraordinary design. Whereas others would seek modern trends, this one stuck to a more rounded approach one could describe as classic, something that, by today's standards, one could see in the movies or photos from the past. But ... let's be realistic; it was not the place that lured the monstrosity Morgull undoubtedly was. No ... it was a certain platinum-blond-haired woman clad in a modest, long, and dark skirt matched with an ashen shirt. Unwittingly, he exposed the canines, pleased with what he saw. Yes ... fate apparently had a very strange sense of humour.

Without as much as a single thought crossing the man's mind, he smoothed his suit and entered the coffee shop, ready to sin.

Author's notes section:

The main focus for me remains the rewriting of "My home is where my heart lies". That being said, I know fully well that this process will be long and painful for me, so in the meantime, I will be dropping smaller updates of various stories.

Oh well ... it has been a while. I'm deeply sorry for staying quiet for a few weeks, but finding both time and motivation to write has been a rather problematic matter recently. I would have wanted to announce that I'm getting back with 10k words long chapter, but it would have been a lie. That being said ... I think it's at least decent, perhaps even good, but in the end, it's hardly up to me to decide. So ... welcome back and please enjoy the read. My plan going forward is to post weekly, but it might be adjusted to biweekly depending on my capabilities and overall quality of what I write.

Please note that the dialogues written in italics are flashbacks.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2025-02-25] - Chapter fully released.

References:
- Yakuza 0 - Judgement
- Bonnie Tyler - Making Love (Out of Nothing at All)
- Linkin Park - Numb
- The Lord of the Rings - The Road Goes Ever On (Epic Metal Cover by Skar)
- Gunslinger - AX7
- Honor him - Gladiator - Hans Zimmer
- Crazy Lixx - Hunt For Danger
- Eir Aoi - Ignite
- Andreas Waldetoft - The Imperial Fleet - Stellaris
- Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Gerudo Valley
- Anastacia - Left Outside Alone

End of the author's notes section.

Chapter Text

As much as Mia would have loved to stall this conversation indefinitely, she knew it was impossible. Even now, when her movement was sluggish, rigid, deprived of its innate grace, she actively tested the vampire’s patience. Even though the dark-haired woman was relatively unfamiliar with this councilwoman, all that she saw yesterday allowed her to formulate a few basic assumptions. Given her status, it would be unwise to wait till the sliver of restraint she showed would run out. This farce needed to last precisely long enough for Tayaki to relax without upsetting the vampire. The pressure mounting in her resulted in an unwitting gulp and a painful realisation of how dry her throat had become all of a sudden.

“What do you want to know?” Tayaki questioned as she slowly sat down.

For more than a heartbeat, Sabine remained silent, continuing to pace around the office space with her arms folded across her ample breasts. “Many things,” she said vaguely, taking another pause as if to consider her options. “We can start with your relationship with Akali.”

The assistant took a deliberate moment to put down her purse, then laced her long fingers on the wooden desk. “You’re referring to Miss Tepes, Miss Inneth?” she finally replied with a question of her own, refusing to meet her speaker’s eyes.

“Don’t play coy with me, stupid,” the councilwoman commented. Even though her voice remained relatively intact, her words echoed through the office’s walls, loud and clear. “Who are you to Akali?” she repeated, stilling briefly.

“Isn’t it apparent, Miss Inneth?” The dark-haired Asian lifted her gaze, finally establishing eye contact with the vampire. She was horrified, but did all she could to keep her brave mask on. “I’m a mere assistant of Miss Tepes,” she added, trying to find a more comfortable position to sit.

“And you expect me to believe in that?” the brown-haired woman voiced out mockingly, lifting her brow. “We both know that Akali wouldn’t put someone inconsequential in a position of prestige and power,” she added, taking a few steps towards the desk. “And … she did exactly this when she announced that you’ll be a proxy between the investigation and the council. So, why would she choose you specifically?”

“Wouldn’t it be a perfect question for Miss Tepes?” Mia retorted rhetorically. “For all my talents, I cannot read someone’s mind,” she added drily.

“For a cockroach, you’re awfully full of yourself,” Sabine’s voice lowered, only marginally differing from a wild cat’s hiss. Her patience was running very low. “Such an audacity to talk to me this way!” she added, placing her right hand on the assistant’s desk and leaning slightly. “Tell me what I want, or this pleasant conversation can turn sour momentarily!”

Tayaki allowed the silence to wrestle back control for a few short-lived moments, as she considered how to continue this so-to-speak “discussion”. For her, it was clear that had she revealed even a sliver of truth, the councilwoman would pry further, demanding to know more. From both personal and professional points of view, it was not something she could do … no, afford to do. Hence, she was left with highly restricted options.

“Was it a threat, Miss Inneth?” she finally asked daringly, narrowing her eyes, even though her consciousness screamed at her, urging her to run. But … realistically, it was not an option; had she tried to turn around and leave, the vampire would have had all the excuses needed to deal with her however she wanted. Although Mia did not know much about Sabine collectively, all she needed was a single glance at the brown-haired woman to know enough. Akin to peeling a layer of onion skin, the moment the first façade was removed, the stench of death and cruelty washed over her. There was no point in pleading or praying for mercy; she was a ruthless killer who had not yet been reprimanded for her visible hubris. An unwitting cold shiver ran down her spine.

“Isn’t it apparent?” the vampire scoffed, clearly irritated and bored with their conversation.

“It’s hardly my job to speculate, Miss,” the dark-haired assistant remarked courageously. “I prefer not to assume,” she added formally, straightening up. “Misreading words kills people in this city,” she stated flatly.

For a fleeting moment, Mia allowed herself to believe that she had resolved the issue, but the situation changed momentarily. Although the brown-haired councilwoman remained silent temporarily, she placed her left hand on the desk, putting enough pressure on the wood that it started to crack. Then, she leaned in even further, smirking openly and showing the undoubtedly sharp canines.

“I thought you’d be smarter,” was all the vampire said before hammering the furniture and splitting it in two effortlessly. “This game tires me,” she whispered, taking another step forward, pushing the desk remnants aside. “Perhaps the language Arthur uses might resonate with you better? Hmm?” Inneth hummed, yet her voice was filled with venom. Had it had a physical representation, it would undoubtedly ooze from her slightly parted lips. “Are you Akali’s cattle, bitch, or lover? Or perhaps all?” she questioned straight into Tayaki’s right ear.

“I’m whatever Miss Tepes needs me to be,” Tayaki stated, keeping her eyes fixed on the councilwoman. Although she gathered all the courage and strength she could, it was clear that her mask was rapidly slipping, revealing the ugly truth she had desperately tried to keep contained.

“And what exactly does it mean?” the brown-haired councilwoman whispered, clearly amused. “Perhaps,” she started, extending the word purposefully, turning it into a set of syllables that rang within Mia’s ears. “Perhaps, I should pull down this high collar of your dress, hmm?” She hummed, the amusement momentarily replaced with a subtle threat. “After all, if you have nothing to hide, all I find is your delicate nape.”

The dark-haired assistant gulped visibly, finally allowing her mask to shatter wholly. There was no point in playing anymore; with the vampire’s razor-sharp nails inches away from her throat, if she continued this farce, she would die sooner than she could realistically react. The realisation that she was trapped entirely was painful, but hardly unexpected. As a result, the concept of time ceased to exist for her. Mia knew, from the start, that her strategy was bold, yet she expected the dark-haired councilwoman to stick to the established rules. Of course, the possibility of this discourse going physical had always been there, but she deemed it so improbable. She did not think that Inneth would risk an open confrontation against Akali by harming anyone under her metaphorical wings. That said, it seemed that the Asian woman had severely misjudged the situation and would soon face the full consequences of her bold approach and responses. It was always meant to be a game of inches, yet it was hardly the result she had foreseen.

“Miss Inneth, would you mind stepping away?” A strong male voice pierced through the air, momentarily immobilising the brown-haired vampire.

“Playing the role of a guard dog, aren’t you, Loghain?” Sabine questioned without turning around. “I’m merely having a conversation with this cockroach,” she added coldly.

“You know that I will not allow you to lay even a finger on her,” Loghain’s voice boomed, followed by heavy footsteps echoing through the tiled floor. “So, please, step away and take your claws from the assistant’s neck.”

“As if you could do anything to stop me,” the brown-haired woman retorted, mocking openly. “Leave now, or I’ll deal with you once I’m finished with her,” she threatened.

“You are awfully confident,” the man commented, completely unbothered by the councilwoman’s hostility. “As I see this situation, your options are limited.”

“Humour me, dog,” Inneth challenged, bursting into short yet rich and maniacal laughter. “What are these options you’re talking about?” she asked, turning around to face the newcomer.

The man did not decide to reply immediately, taking his time to do so. As he closed in, the sounds of heavy footsteps filled the office. “Charming as ever,” the Reaper finally commented, stepping into Mia’s view a heartbeat later. His tone was emotionally dead, as if he were staring at someone or something below him. It did not bode well, her mind screamed.

Loghian was a tall man of an ashen complexion, with dark-brown, shoulder-length, straight hair, and a movement so fluid that one could have mistaken him for a dancer, not a killing machine. His face was defined with clearly noble features, currently covered by a few days’ stubble. The Reaper’s eyes were silvery, intently focused on Inneth. Clad in a full coat of graphite colour, matching dark trousers and heavy combat boots, he looked as if he had recently returned from the field, yet nothing within his body language proved this speculation. Loghain was expressionless, relaxed, and deadly.

“So?” the vampire scoffed, visibly irritated. “Will you finally answer my question?”

“Inpatient, are you?” the dark-haired man remarked, halting a few steps away from the angry councilwoman. “The first option is to take your leave,” he stated, completely unbothered by Sabine’s claws visibly extending, an unwitting result of her anger.

“What if I refuse?”

“Then,” Loghain took a moment as if considering his words. “I will eliminate you.”

“Dog like you? Don’t make me laugh!” the dark-haired woman objected, muffling her giggle with her left hand.

“Or, if you so wish, we can call Lucifer or Miss Tepes,” the Reaper retorted, reaching inside his coat, possibly looking for a mobile.

Mia almost burst into laughter when Inneth turned grave white as the words echoed between the walls. It was apparent that the councilwoman would not want to deal with either of these two.

“There’s no need for that,” Sabine said, taking a step aside.

“Oh, is that so?” the silvery-eyed man questioned emotionlessly. “I could have sworn that only a moment ago you were ready to threaten me. And now? All of a sudden, you are willing to walk off?” he continued. Although his tone hardly changed, Tayaki could sense a taint of mockery that made her snicker.

“All of this … is a terrible misunderstanding,” the vampire countered, putting her hands in front of her in a defensive gesture. “I’ll leave now; let’s forget about this encounter ever taking place?” she questioned, suggesting a status quo.

Loghain’s face hardened momentarily, but he did not reply immediately. Perhaps for the very first time, these silvery orbs stopped at the dark-haired assistant, assessing her condition carefully. A cold shiver ran down the woman's spine, but she stayed almost motionless. The man hesitated; there was something she must not know about, given he clearly considered accepting Sabine’s offer.

“Go,” he finally judged in a whisper-like manner.

The councilwoman visibly relaxed, sighing heavily. Then, she gracefully turned around, ready to venture to the corridor and leave Tayaki’s office.

“A word of advice, Miss Inneth,” the dark-haired man’s voice sounded once more after a short pause. “Next time, do not act so recklessly. One could have suggested that you have not taken into account the consequences of harming Miss Tepes’s agents,” he added coldly. “Consider it a warning – a final one.”

“Noted, Loghian,” the vampire replied quietly, visibly restraining herself. “I hope we won’t meet again,” she added, then made a slight bow before hastily storming away.

“Likewise, Miss Inneth,” the Reaper muttered as he turned towards Mia, sighing. “What was that?” he asked, sounding more like a father reprimanding his daughter than a supposedly emotionless killing machine.

“She cornered me,” the dark-haired Asian responded immediately, defensively raising her hands.

“Could you stop lying, Mia?”

“That’s … that’s not entirely untrue,” Tayaki mumbled, her cheeks slowly reddening. “She came here uninvited and demanded answers to her questions,” she offered a vague explanation.

“Aria told me how this situation escalated,” Loghain stated, narrowing his eyes as he took off his heavy coat. “Here, take it,” he added, passing her the clothing. “You are shivering,” the man pointed out, then stepped away and paced around the room for a few heartbeats.

“We will have to find you a new office,” he said afterwards, sighing, and closing his eyes for a moment. “You played a daring game, one that almost backfired.”

Mia sighed, casting down her eyes, as she stood up. “I know,” she offered, searching for her purse. “I thought … I thought that if I acted brave, she’d keep the distance,” she murmured.

For the next minute or so, the Reaper stared at the Asian woman, as if considering what to say. Given how his jaw muscles alternately tensed and relaxed, a conflict was raging inside. Then, he undid the top two buttons of his grey shirt and rolled up its sleeves, fastening them around the elbows.

“As harsh as it might sound,” the dark-haired agent finally started. “It was a valuable lesson. From now on, you need to realise that not all vampires will treat you as their equals,” he whispered, approaching Tayaki. “Miss Tepes … well, she is an exception amongst them. That is precisely why the council members hate her so much. Even though she is undoubtedly powerful, of a pure bloodline, she preserved her humanity.”

“Yes, she’s special,” Mia commented, allowing a small smile to creep in. “But … you’re right. If you didn’t show up, she would’ve either sunken her fangs in my neck, or killed me,” she added after a short pause, her tone hollow, as if the gravity of the recent situation only now started to descend upon her. “Will you inform Aka … I mean, Miss Tepes, about this ‘incident’?” she asked, flustering.

Once again, Loghain refrained from voicing his opinion immediately, taking a short moment, perhaps a heartbeat to consider the situation.

“You want me to keep it secret, do you not?” the Reaper asked, but it was a rhetorical question; they both knew that all too well.

“She has more pressing matters to deal with than worrying about me,” was all the dark-haired assistant said.

“Does she?” the silvery-eyed man objected, clearly unconvinced. “Look, Mia. Since yesterday, you are no longer just an aide or assistant,” he stated coldly. “For the council, you are their proxy. For Miss Tepes, you are some dear, a lover. For us, Reapers, you are someone we have sworn to protect,” he continued, taking a short break for the meaning of his words to reach the Asian. “I can descale this ‘incident’, but Miss Tepes must know. She already suspects that various council members plot to dethrone her, and make no mistake, they cannot face her directly. They will attack people around her whom she cares for; this includes, or rather, this specifically paints a red mark on you, Mia.”

Tayaki did not reply momentarily, taking her time to wrap her shivering body in the heavy and warm coat that Loghain had given her. “I know,” she lied. “It’s just a lot to process.”

“Can you promise me something?”

“Of course?” the dark-haired woman mechanically replied, but hesitation was apparent in her voice.

“Stop lying,” the Reaper said coldly. “You can lie to me, to other Reapers, to Miss Tepes, but stay true at least to yourself,” he added, turning around instantly. “You danced with a literal devil, now come; our schedule got tighter.”

Author's notes section:

At this point, I cannot set my goal straight, if I'm to remain honest. On the one hand, I have numerous ideas I would like to see written; on the other, with these many stories in various stages of development, it becomes overwhelming to sit down and write anything. I know ... this should not concern you at all, but I would like to stay clean in that matter, as it either way affects my writing speed and overall motivation. For the next couple of months, I might try to alternate between my longest (up-to-date) story and the ones that I can realistically envision concluding within a foreseeable future. That would be an entry statement from me; I hope you understand :)

[2025-09-23]: Hello, I have a short WIP of the next chapter I'm working on. I'm expecting it to be done in the middle of the next week, but realistically speaking (based on my recent tendencies), the full version should be published no later than the end of the week. Anyway, for now, it's all; see you soon.

[2025-10-01]: Hello, it took a tad longer to finish, but I think it's more or less the fragment I wanted to present. That said, it's hardly me who should rate this chapter. So, please, enjoy and see you soon :)

Please note that the dialogues written in italics are flashbacks/internal thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything.

Music recommendations:
- Breaking Benjamin - Dance with the Devil
- Abba - Winner takes it all
- Ozzy Osbourne - Mama I'm Coming Home
- Ozzy Osbourne - Dreamer

End of the author's notes section.