The Vampire & the Rebel (Completed)

Part 1: Chapter 22

Combined with everything I had observed about her, it only added up to the fact she was a contradictory mess. I resolved not to worry about it beyond finding my escape.

I followed Theo and Lars back into their tech closet, mostly because no one stopped me. I wanted to see if I would have a chance to look for the leech from my memories again while we were here.

I indulged myself in a fantasy of the goal that had kept me going for the last decade, the beautiful vision of staking the monster that had drained Melissa dry and threw her away. I would love to drag it out so it suffered, but the way to defeat these demons was to use surprise to my advantage.

When the moment came, I would be well armed. I would waste no time as I shoved my weapon into its heart and then perhaps broke its neck for good measure. I would drag it out into the sun and if I had the luxury of time I would light it on fire to speed up the sun's destruction of its form. I would watch the light leave its eyes as Melissa's had.

Then, finally, I would have peace.

I wanted it so badly I could almost taste it.

My pleasant thoughts were interrupted by Theo. "We don't have the necessary equipment to cook that meal you're craving here in the capital. You'll have to wait until we're back in the mistress's domain."

It took me only a second to realize he was attempting to be covert and another to feel my impatience surge. Right here, right now, could be the final piece that could lead me to the one that haunted me and I could not have it.

Nevertheless, I nodded my understanding and left. At least the way he spoke implied he thought she would not keep it back from me, even if she would hold me back from him.

If his identity and location were in there I would find him and all that was left for me was to escape.

* * * * *

A few hours later, the door to the chambers opened and the leech paraded in with her predictable satisfied smile. I watched her covertly from the spot where I was standing and she did not even once look in my direction.

She glanced at one of the tech slaves I did not well know. "Christopher. Go and fetch Theo, I'm especially hungry."

I did not let myself groan at the idea of listening to the sounds of more torture ringing off the walls. I found myself looking forward to going back to her main lair, which was insane, but at least there I should be able to get a look at the databank in the archives, isolated from the noise of her feeding.

I waited until Christopher returned with Theo and they walked back into the depths of the chambers. Shutting the screaming out of my mind, I walked down the hall and into the room where I slept. At least there, the noise was somewhat muffled and I doubted she truly cared what I was doing.

At least the sound of Christopher's suffering at her hands was more tolerable than some of the others.

Still, I was glad when everything was quiet again.

* * * * *

The next day I did what I was told as per our agreement. I passed Magnus in the halls one time, but I kept my head down and it did not stop to bother me.

That one was another leech I would love to see the end of, but there was no strategy in letting my desires overwhelm me under the circumstances, so I forced myself to move past it. I tried to relax, but I'm not sure I succeeded. Hopefully if it noticed me it read my tension as fear.

I found myself walking towards the kitchens while picking up more supplies for Jeffry. I had devolved into little better than an errand boy, although I supposed it was a step up from being shackled to the wall and tormented by the leech.