Ten
Varos
Though Lysander didn’t approve of their little hunting adventures, Varos always enjoyed them. With the rapid pace in which the world changed, it got harder to hide who— what— they were. They mostly survived off of donated blood from blood banks, but once in a while they ventured away from home and treated themselves to a hunt.
Varos had followed his target for two days before deciding that the man needed to die. Not only was he a waste of a human being, but he was also one that took advantage of women for his own pleasure. That was how he justified draining him dry. The hot blood dripping down his throat tasted like heaven. It felt good to finally sink his fangs into flesh as the juice of life filled him.
While many of his kind enjoyed a… feisty meal, Varos had learned to enjoy his victims quietly. The man had lost consciousness before Varos had even extended his fangs. Of course, he’d made the man pay for his crimes, but feeding was something Varos liked to enjoy in peace. He drank until his victim was drained before he dropped the man onto the floor.
Varos collected the man’s “trophies,” placing them where they could easily be found before dousing the building in gasoline and setting fire to it. He wanted to make sure that the world knew what he’d done—and for his victims to know that he’d paid for it.
Just as he threw the match, Marcus appeared next to him. “Ah, I see you’re ready to leave too. Did you have fun?”
“It was refreshing.”
“Wonderful,” Marcus cheered, eyes sparkling as the building lit up in front of them.
“You seem to be in a good mood too.”
“You know, just the usual. I’m not as picky as you are. I take what I want, when I want.”
“Of course, you do.”
“Let’s get home, I don’t want to miss our date with Avalon.”
They turned and sped off. To a human eye, they would have simply vanished. Being a vampire had many perks, one of which was lightning speed. It wasn’t long before they reappeared in their Houston residence.
Lysander was fast asleep, so he and Marcus poured themselves a glass of blood and sat on the porch to watch the sunrise.
His mind drifted to thoughts of Avalon, admiring the strong, vibrant woman she’d become over the years. He’d thought of her often, though he never imagined he’d see her again. The moment she’d stepped foot into the elevator, she’d taken his breath away—metaphorically. Though she was much more fierce, she hadn’t lost her delicate touch.
“Are you thinking of her?” Marcus asked, knowing him far too well.
“I am.”
“Me too. I was hoping she would let us turn her.”
Though not intended, Marcus’s words stung, ripping open a wound he’d been trying to heal for a hundred years. His mind darkened with his sweet Vanessa’s final moments, her lifeless corpse in his arms, his fang marks on her neck. Unwilling to let those pictures resurface, he shot to his feet.
“No.” His assertive tone left no room for discussion.
Varos retreated into his room, where he paced the length of the space, trying to banish the moment his selfishness had cost him the love of his life.
Vanessa had still been young, with a long, flourishing life ahead of her. But his own disregard for her life had left him unable to leave her. If he hadn’t persuaded her, she would’ve had a long life, likely with a husband and children.
Varos had learned from that mistake. He knew that no matter how much Avalon meant to him, he wouldn’t risk her life for his own happiness.
Only when Lysander awoke did he make his way to the car.
An hour later, they settled into the office where Calinda informed them that she hadn’t received a call from Avalon.
Marcus seemed slightly disappointed, but Varos assumed that no news was good news. After all, she hadn’t declined their invitation. Though Marcus hated attending any kind of meetings, he accompanied Varos all morning. He hated all forms of human contact—outside of Avalon, of course; and feeding. It helped them both pass the time but when Avalon’s lunchtime came and went, they both grew restless.
Another hour passed before Marcus jumped to his feet and stormed towards the door, Lysander watching him closely.
“Maybe she doesn’t want to come anymore.”
Marcus shot his friend a glare with deep, red eyes. “I would rather hear that from her.”
With no further words, Marcus turned and left the office, but not without blinking the red pigment out of his eyes.
Lysander’s disapproval filled the room. There were no words necessary for Varos to know how Lysander felt. He hadn’t said any of his doubts out loud again, but they both knew Lysander condemned their behaviour.
A few moments later, Marcus flew through the office door. “ She hasn’t shown up to work today. She was there Monday and received our gift, but no one has heard anything since.”
If it were possible, Varos’s heart would’ve begun to race. His muscles tensed as he rose from his chair. “She doesn’t seem like someone who wouldn’t at least call.”
“I was able to get her address.”
“We should go check on her,” Varos said, agreeing to Marcus’s unspoken suggestion.
They both moved for the door, but Lysander’s words stopped them in their tracks. “And what are you going to tell her when she sees you? She clearly didn’t feel comfortable sharing her private address with you, what makes you think she’ll be okay with you taking it?”
Though Marcus seemed like he couldn’t care less, Varos paused. Avalon had made it very clear that she wasn’t ready for them to know where she lived. Was he really going to break her trust by showing up at her home?
“She will never know we were there,” Marcus retorted, seething with anger and clearly itching to move.
He made his decision and followed Marcus out of the office. Once they’d entered the garage and into the cameras’ blind spots, they vanished.
Avalon lived in a neighbourhood northwest of Houston that most people would rather avoid. They hovered outside her door, listening carefully for any signs of life inside.
“She isn’t home.”
He turned to the voice, locking eyes with a middle-aged woman peering out of the apartment across from Avalon’s.
“She left Monday evening with a dashing young man and hasn’t returned yet.”
He gave the woman a polite smile. “Perhaps you were able to catch his name?”
“They seemed to be in a hurry. But she was very attached to him, clinging on his arm like a lift raft. ”
Marcus tensed beside him, a low growl rumbling his chest.
To cover Marcus’s jealousy, he quickly said, “What a shame. We shall return another day then.”
Reluctantly, Marcus followed him as he turned in the direction of the parking lot.
“They got into a black pick-up if that helps,” the neighbour called after them.
He froze. “Troy had a black pick-up.”
“The bastard found her,” Marcus spat out, taking in a deep breath.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to track her; it’s been too long.”
“Unfortunately, I think you are right,” Marcus agreed, frustration rolling off him.
“I remember his old licence plate. We should call Charley and see if he can help.”
“I don’t like humans getting involved.”
Varos didn’t like it either, but they needed the help. Technology wasn’t part of his expertise. “He knows to keep quiet.”
Marcus gave him a curt nod, still scanning the area.
He sent a quick message to Charley with the licence plate, wanting to know where the truck was now.
They’d been close to Charley for a few years. He’d been crucial in helping them obtain new identities. It had been hard adjusting to a world that changed every second. At least that’s what it felt like. Adapting and remaining hidden in the human world was no longer an easy task and Charley had been their secret weapon.
Marcus clearly struggled with the wait. His eyes burned red, his posture so tense he vibrated invisible to human eyes.
“She has been with him since Monday and all we are doing is standing around,” Marcus growled through clenched teeth.
“What else would you like us to do? Run all over Houston like headless chickens? ”
An evil grin curled Marcus’s lips. “I’ll make sure he’s headless as soon as I can lay my fingers on him.”
With Troy’s history, Varos knew with certainty that it wouldn’t be enough for him to simply have Avalon. He would punish her, maybe even blame her for their actions the night she disappeared.
It felt like a lifetime before Charley’s reply came through.
“He said he was able to track it down with the city’s cameras.”
Marcus leaned in, watching as he searched the address that Charley gave him. The moment they knew where it was, they were gone. With Avalon in Troy’s hands, all caution was forgotten.
Seconds later, Marcus vaulted over the gate of the self-storage facility and was sniffing out Avalon like a hound dog.
“Should we let Lysander know what we discovered?”
Marcus shook his head, alert to his surroundings. “No, he’ll just tell us to let it be.”
Though Marcus was right, it felt wrong not informing Lysander. Then a noise drew their attention. A whimper, so faint it was barely a breath came from one of the back storage units. Marcus burst through the door, snatching Troy by the neck before he could blink.
Varos’s eyes honed in on Avalon, and his heart shattered into a million pieces. He moved to her, scooping her bruised and bloodied body into his arms. She was covered in cuts and bruises, bones visibly broken and blood dripping down her thighs and chest—where Troy’s name was carved into her skin over and over. Her heart was beating, though it was faint as her lungs held their last breath.
She was more dead than she was alive and before he knew it, his fangs extended.
“Varos! No!”