The Vampire & the Rebel (Completed)

Part 3: Chapter 21

I waited in a line of other humans, ready to back up the vampires on the walls if needed. They were standing in the front line because they had the ability to see. If the leeches made it into the lit courtyard, then it would be our turn to fight for our lives. The tech experts were also standing at the ready, watching for incoming threats on the borders.

It was not surprising. We had all known that they would come at us eventually once they figured out that we were threatening them, and it seemed eventually had arrived. Still, it was unnerving to know that a force of creatures beyond our own power was coming for us, stalking us like a pack of vicious carnivores circling prey. My usual strategy of catching the leeches off guard was not useful in the current moment, because we were a known threat.

I was not the only one being affected by the wait, the nervous tension was apparent in all the humans around me. Knowing that the threat was coming, but not being able to see what was in the outer darkness put everyone on edge.

Still, that same feeling of risk made me, for the first time, truly glad that there were bloodsuckers on our side of the fight.

The wait was agonizing. It was almost a relief when we had the first warning from the tech humans of a breech in the territory, but then there were long minutes before we heard anything else, whispered words that a vampire on the wall spotted a fleet of vehicles heading in our direction through the darkness.

Another half hour lapsed before the attack began.

Although I couldn't see from my vantage point closer to the main building, I could figure out what was going on from what I could hear. The enemy bloodsuckers were working to scale the walls, and our vampires were doing what they could to keep them down, fending them off with guns and other ranged weapons, or melee when they got too close. I only saw Vienne a couple of times, smirking as if she were pleased by what was happening.

We humans were not called on to fight that night, while the bloodsuckers on the walls held them off until a few hours before dawn when the attacking leeches fled to find shelter from the sun.

Several teams of humans and bloodsuckers were sent out to follow the fleeing vampires to pick off the ones they could. One team did not return, but the others took out a few more leeches so it was not entirely a loss.

There were a few injuries amongst our bloodsuckers, and we lost one fledgling when they were stabbed through the heart by a lucky crossbow shot.

After everything had settled down for the day, we were left to speculate about whether the army of leeches would return again when the sun fell. I sought out Vienne, because she would be upset after the newest losses, and for some inexplicable reason I had a desire to want to help her, to comfort her.

She was in her chambers when I located her, reclining in her favourite spot, looking as if she was relaxing without a care in the world, until I got close enough to see the red swirling in her irises.

"Jamie," she said with a smile, but there was stiffness to the expression I was not used to. Her smiles usually looked so easy even when she was faking them, but there was something missing here.

"What's wrong?" I asked, although I understood what had upset her.

"What's wrong? Absolutely nothing. We held off the attackers last night admirably."

"We took our first losses," I pointed out.

She looked away from me. "I know."

"It's unavoidable," I said, as I sat down next to her without waiting for permission.

She did not meet my eyes. "I'm aware of that."

"So is everyone who fought. It's not your fault."