Chapter 20 （Nathan）The Sole Human
Chapter 20 (Nathan)
The Sole Human
O utside, the sky was cloudy. The east side of Desolation Hills was calmer than the west side. I had to head northwest to get to the werewolf pack. However, it was safer to stay south of Ichoryllia, so I’d be heading east first before heading north.
Looking up, I reckoned I wasn’t too far from the summit. The mountain was narrow at this height, so it would be easy to get around. I took off, enjoying the speed at which I was flying, thanks to the blood I’d just drunk. Feeling my strength and the wind in my hair was nice. Although I didn’t know where Emerald was, I hoped to find clues about her whereabouts at the werewolf pack. Hopefully, I’d gain allies too.
And answers.
A deep rumble resonated through my chest as my wolf grew agitated. I didn’t like feeling helpless in the face of my wolf’s sudden awakening. I couldn’t communicate with him or control my shift or even his power surges. The most I could do was silence him with my vampiric force. It was time I learned to communicate with him.
I had spoken with Simeon on numerous occasions at the United Race Committee. Every werewolf born in the pack learned to communicate with their wolf from their parents. The Alpha was always the most knowledgeable member of the pack. Therefore, I was sure Etienne, the Alpha of the Dark Forest Pack, could help me.
The hours passed quickly as I flew through the sky, keeping a high altitude to avoid attracting attention on the ground. Although hardly anyone lived here, I preferred not to take any chances. After all, I’d never have imagined a couple living on Desolation Hills. Who knew if people lived in these regions?
As the sun dropped over the horizon, I began to look for a village where I could feed and spend the night.
I knew exactly where I was. I wasn’t far from Ichoryllia, to the southeast. It was best not to get too close.
I landed at the edge of a forest near a village. It was a small village made up almost entirely of farmers. Humans lived there in peace with vampires; at least they used to. I hoped that Samantha’s devastation hadn’t spread here and that humans were still around. Above all, I hoped that people weren’t greedy and that the wanted posters for my head hadn’t been posted here .
The village comprised a few old stone houses surrounded by vast fields. Some had grazing animals, others grew vegetables. The sun was low on the horizon, and the wheat fields seemed ablaze with golden sunlight. It was in those moments when I took the time to admire the beauty of nature that I felt truly alive.
In the center of the village was a street with a dozen houses on either side of the road. Two were much larger, with two stories, and served as homes and businesses.
Having ventured here before, I knew that the one on the left, with the weather vane on the roof, was that of the mayor, or should I say the village head. He was a noble vampire who had a good relationship with humans.
But as I approached the village, I noticed the silence. There was nobody in the streets. It was unusual. I stayed in the shadows of the buildings as I walked.
The breeze blew, and the smell of fear came to my nose. I followed the scent to a small stone house in the middle of a field. The windows had no lights, and the barn door was ajar. The scent was coming from there.
As I approached the barn, I could hear noises. From my enhanced sense, I could make out four life forms. The fast, irregular pounding of a human in panic, the source of fear, and the slower pounding hearts of three vampires.
A male voice taunted from inside the barn, “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
Another male sighed, “Haven’t you never heard not to play with your food?”
I stepped closer, imbuing my movements with my powers to avoid attracting the vampires’ attention. They were so concentrated on their prey that they wouldn’t have heard me anyway, but I preferred not to take chances.
The first voice retorted, “She’s not food.”
One vampire came in sight. He was lying on the wall inside the barn, arms crossed, eyes closed, and hadn’t said anything yet. He looked over five hundred years old, his black hair side-combed.
“True,” answered the second one.
I was close enough now to see that the two other vampires were young adults. They were probably just a little over two hundred years old and inexperienced.
“Come on,” the older vampire said, annoyed. “Stop giving her hope. You know very well where she is.”
“You’re no fun!” complained the first.
The older vampire uncrossed his arms and walked resolvedly toward hay stacks on the far wall of the barn. That’s where the human hid, but I wasn’t about to let them harm her. I didn’t know what they wanted with her, and I didn’t care.
I stepped inside the barn, intentionally showing myself.
“Are you so scared of a human that you must be three against one?” I taunted.
They turned around, bothered.
“Don’t meddle in what’s none of your business,” shouted the first vampire.
The older one watched me, his lip curling up. “Well, it seems our luck has changed. Forget the woman. She’s worth nothing compared to him.”
The vampires all turned to face me. I cracked my neck and sent a massive wave of my royal force toward them, forcing them to kneel. The young vampires stared at me in surprise, but the old one had a knowing look.
This would be an exciting fight.
The old vampire provoked me. “Are you going to hide behind your powers like a coward?”
It had been long since I’d had a good fight with other vampires. “As if you intended to fight with honor,” I sneered.
The two youngest vampires threw themselves at me, trying to hit me, but I dodged easily. I was much faster than them.
“I see you only have experience in scaring poor defenseless humans. But when it comes to fighting a vampire, it’s pitiful,” I mocked.
The two vampires hissed in rage, lunging at me again. I sent a fist into each of their stomachs, imbuing my blow with my powers. The two young vampires flew into the wall behind them, dust falling from the wooden ceiling beams on impact.
The older vampire snarled and leaped into the air, attacking me from above. I knew that bastard wouldn’t fight clean. I gritted my teeth, taking flight to meet him in the air. He was stronger than the two youngsters, but no challenge for me. We measured our strength in the air, but I pushed him, tackling him to the ground. The other two vampires came to his rescue.
The three of them went against me.
“There’s no need to keep him alive,” the older one said to the other two. “The reward says dead or alive.”
It was clear they weren’t going to let me go. We exchanged blows and claws. They tried to bite me, but I was always stronger and faster than them. It wasn’t long before I was tearing at their skin with my claws. Seeing that they had no qualms about using their powers, I decided to use mine too. I slammed the old vampire against a wall with a magical wave. I tightened my grip on his throat and gazed with pleasure at the suffocating vampire.
The two young vampires moved to intervene, but I sent a wind in their direction, preventing them from approaching and forcing them to watch pointlessly.
“So, you wish to kill me.” I got closer to him. The vampire tried as best he could to break free from my magical grip as he began to run out of air. I took great pleasure in watching the vampire suffer in front of me and the helpless gaze of the two youngsters.
“Well, I’ll be lenient with you. I’m going to give you a death that’s not too painful.”
I extended my claws and slit the vampire’s throat. In doing so, I avoided the jugular vein.
“You see,” I began, “I have no respect for scoundrels like you who prey on humans. And the fact is, I could probably torture you for a long time before killing you.”
I slashed the vampire’s chest, letting more blood flow. How I loved the dark red color and the contrast on his white skin.
“But I happen to be in rather a hurry,” I added. “So I’m going to put an end to you tonight, making sure you don’t spread any more terror to humans.”
Saying this, I took my fist and drove it deep into the vampire’s chest. His eyes widened in shock, and he spat blood, a gargle escaping from his mouth. I withdrew my fist, wiping my fingers across the vampire’s clothes as I listened to his heartbeat grow weaker. I released my magical hold on the vampire, letting him fall to the ground. He didn’t even have the reflex to put his hands forward and fell face first to the ground.
I turned to the two young vampires, still staring.
“What’s to be done with you two?” I asked.
The first shook his head, and the second cried.
“Please, spare us,” begged the first.
“You’re still young. There might be hope to save you,” I said.
Both vampires nodded their heads.
I got within inches of their faces, and they cringed in fear. “If you attack a human again, I’ll find you and kill you. Have I made myself clear?” I threatened.
They nodded nervously. I didn’t trust them, but I hoped I’d scared them enough that they’d hide away until I was gone. I didn’t need more blood than necessary on my hands.
“Good, then leave,” I roared.
My words got them out of their torpor. They took off running for their lives, and I chuckled as I noticed that one of them had soiled his pants. That’ll teach them to pick on the defenseless and weaker.
The sound of a falling bucket inside the barn reminded me that there was still a human. Just what I needed.
The woman screamed when she saw me, trying to run away toward the back of the barn.
“Wait!” I shouted, not wanting to use my powers on her.
The woman ran even further, and I let her. There were no other exits anyway .
“They won’t bother you again,” I said loud enough for her to hear me. “I don’t mean you any harm,” I added, walking quietly toward her.
The woman remained hidden, and I waited a few minutes.
“Vampires can smell fear and hear the blood in your veins. I know exactly where you are.”
I took a few more steps. The woman rose from behind a stack of hay bales. Her red hair was in disarray, and her blue eyes were filled with terror.
“Is it . . . Is it true?” she asked, shaking with fear.
I nodded. “What’s your name?”
“Caroline,” she replied with a trembling voice.
“I don’t mean you any harm, Caroline,” I repeated. I held out my hand to the woman. She hesitated, then caught my hand as I helped her from behind the haystacks.
“What did they want with you?” I asked.
The woman shook her clothes to remove the hay caught on them. “They wanted to catch me to sell me.”
“Sell you?”
She nodded. “Yes. There’s a human slave trader in Ichoryllia. He offers a lot of gold in exchange for humans. There aren’t many of us left around here. Most have fled, so those left are worth even more.”
I clenched my fists at these words, remembering what Anna and Humberto had said.
“You won’t do that to me, will you?” she asked worriedly .
I shook my head. “No, Caroline. But in return, I need a favor.”
The woman looked surprised. “A favor? What can a human like me do for you?”
I took a breath. She wouldn’t like this, but she was probably one of the only humans around. “I need to drink blood.”
She gasped at the words. “No!” But she didn’t try to run away.
“Listen, Caroline. I need blood to survive. You know who I am, don’t you?”
She nodded. “Yes. I’ve lived in this house with my father since I was small. We used to watch over the fields, and you often came to our village for rides. But my father was killed a few days ago. I’ve been trying to escape ever since to get to the human city.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Caroline.” I was, frankly. It was a lot for one woman in such a short time. And no one should be treated like this. I would get back at those extremist vampires. This was against everything my parents and I believed, and I would right the wrongs.
“Look, I can assure you I won’t hurt you. I need blood to survive, and I’ll only take what I absolutely need.”
She swallowed her saliva, looking at me fearfully. I continued, “I saved you from those vampires. If I’d wanted to hurt you, I could have done it at any time. Will you trust me?”
Caroline finally nodded. “All right, but on one condition.”
I raised my eyebrow, finding it amusing that a human should try negotiating with a vampire like me. “On what condition?”
She took a deep breath. “Stay here with me for the night, and tomorrow morning, help me flee the village.”
I stared at the woman. She was brave, and I admired that quality.
“Agreed,” I replied, and a huge smile played across Caroline’s face.
“Really?” she asked.
I nodded. She went and sat down on the haystacks. “How does it work?”
I settled on the hay beside her, close enough to feel the warmth of her body. It was the first time I’d been this close to a woman since Emerald disappeared. I’d always kept as much distance as possible when feeding from Saphielle, staying at arm’s length. Being close to Caroline felt strange, but it felt right. Although I would never be intimate with her. My heart belonged to my sweet Emerald. No one would ever replace her.
“I will bite you, but I promise it won’t hurt. I’ll only take what I need.” Caroline nodded.
I approached her as she instinctively pulled her hair back from her neck. I couldn’t deny the attraction I felt for the woman. Her skin smelled of café mocha. I sank my fangs into her neck, sighing as the first drops of blood touched my tongue. She was not as delicious as Emerald, but she was tasty, like a dessert that melted in your mouth.
Caroline clung to me, pulling my shoulders to bring me ever closer to her. Connected, I could feel her innermost desires, my heart beating in unison with hers.
After flying all day, I needed a lot of blood, but I kept my promise and drank only what I needed. Caroline let out a groan as I withdrew my fangs from her neck .
Her eyes were heavy with desire as they met mine. I stepped back, but she held me close, her breath hot against my skin.
I removed her hand from my shoulder, stepping further away. “I know how you feel, but I can’t fulfill your desires. I love a woman, and it is her that I want,” I explained.
She looked disappointed but pulled herself together. Under different circumstances, if I hadn’t met my fated mate, it would have been different. I was glad she understood. “And where is she?” she asked softly.
I returned to sit beside her. Most of the time, they would beg for more, under the spell of the feeding. I was glad to meet a woman with self-control. I hadn’t often met humans with such understanding.
The words hurt as I spoke them. “I don’t know. She was kidnapped. I thought I’d find her at the top of Desolation Hills, but I was betrayed by someone I thought I knew.”
“Oh,” Caroline said, staring at the floor, but I felt she understood my pain.
“She’s your vassal, isn’t she?” she asked, gazing at me.
I nodded. “Do you know her?”
“Of course I do. I’ve never seen her in person but heard descriptions and rumors. Everyone knew of the king’s vassal. Being this close to you, I guessed it was her.”
“Have you seen her?” I asked. I didn’t hold out much hope, but you never know.
She shook her head. “No. But if I hear of her, I’ll let you know.”
A rustle came from outside, and we both turned our heads to see if anyone was coming into the barn, but there was nothing.
“Even if you’re not here anymore. If I hear from her, I’ll find a way to contact you and let you know.”
I smiled at Caroline’s kindness. I only trusted myself to find Emerald, but I’d still take any help I could get.
“Thanks,” I replied before adding, “It’s getting late. You should get some sleep.”
She looked at me, worried. “You’ll stay with me, won’t you?”
I nodded. “I’ll keep my promise. Don’t worry.”
The woman lay down in the hay. I wasn’t particularly tired, but I lay down so I could see the barn’s entrance. Caroline must have been really exhausted because she was already asleep. After being afraid of becoming a vampire’s slave and having her blood drunk, she was in dire need of rest.
The cool night breeze entered through the half-open door, carrying a dewy scent I particularly liked. Caroline shivered in her sleep and instinctively pressed herself against me, her body seeking warmth and comfort. I hoped Emerald would forgive me and let the woman stay close. I shut my eyes, trying to get some rest too.
My night was filled with dreams of Emerald, like every night since she’d disappeared. My wolf growled in anger, pain tearing at my soul, as Emerald disappeared again and again out of my reach. It was constant torture, and I awoke early in the morning.
When I opened my eyes, I realized Caroline was curled up in my arms. I moved away immediately, trying not to wake her, feeling guilty for having slept with another woman in my arms .
Caroline stood up shortly after I got up. I escorted her to the stone house, ensuring no one was inside first. The woman ate and packed her bags.
“How are we going to do this?” she asked.
I’d already thought of all the details. She wanted to go to St-Selena. The human town was further north than the werewolf pack where I was headed.
“Are you afraid of heights?” I asked.
The woman looked at me anxiously and nodded.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take you in my arms. It will go well.”
She heaved, “I’ve never flown before.”
“Well, it’ll be your first time. I’ll drop you off on the other side of the river. I’m going in the same direction, anyway. After that, you must travel north to reach the human city. But you should be far enough away from the vampires that you won’t have to worry about running into them.”
I could sense that she was afraid, but she nodded, clenching her fists in determination. “All right.”
We walked out of the house. Caroline hung her bag of supplies securely on her back. “Thanks,” she added shyly.
My lip curled. “It’s nothing, I’m just fulfilling my promise.”
I wrapped my arms around Caroline’s back. “Are you ready?” I asked.
She put her arms around my neck, and I felt her heart beating hard with apprehension. She bit her lower lip and nodded.
I took to the air, Caroline’s embrace tightening as she hid her face in my chest. I held back a laugh, tightening my grip on her too.
“I won’t drop you,” I reassured.
I didn’t climb too high to make sure Caroline had enough air. It became difficult even for vampires to breathe at too high an altitude. Years of experience with my vassals had taught me that humans were more fragile than we were and needed to stay at lower altitudes.
We flew west, avoiding Ichoryllia. It would have been suicide to fly over the town, even if it was a faster route.
After a while, Caroline loosened her grip and finally dared to look around. The fear emanating from her finally dissipated, replaced by amazement, making the flight more pleasant.
I remembered all the conversations I had with Simeon, and I knew I was approaching the Dark Forest Pack. As we flew over the river west of Ichoryllia, I felt strange. I spent most of my time in my kingdom when I was king. Although I’d traveled to other nations for official visits, it felt weird to be visiting as a refugee. I was without a home. Free, but also wanted for treason. The thought kept creeping into my mind.
The crystal-clear waters of the river gave way to a few isolated cottages in a dense forest. I flew slightly north, wanting to avoid the ruins further west. Rumors had it that the dead came back to life there, and it wasn’t something I wanted to test. In any case, the werewolf pack was to the north.
I could have let Caroline go already, but as I was heading in the same direction as her. I decided to keep her with me for as long as our paths would cross. It would be faster for her. Humans didn’t walk very fast, and St-Selena was still a long way to go .
When the sun finally dipped below the horizon, I started looking for a place to spend the night. There were a few cabins lost in the woods. I put us down near one of them.
There were no lights inside the house, and the door was unlocked. I walked around and confirmed it was deserted, then beckoned Caroline in.
“We can borrow it for the night, but our paths will part tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” she answered before entering the house. It wasn’t big, but it was enough. The living room and dining room were just one big room with stone walls. On the far wall was a fireplace. An iron cauldron hung over the fireplace for cooking. The house had three bedrooms, meaning I’d have my bed for the night.
I lit a fire in the fireplace while Caroline cooked herself a stew. I fed after supper, the woman letting me savor her blood again. I promised Caroline I’d watch out for her if I heard any noise during the night, and we each retired to our room.