Everlasting

Chapter 5

Wow! I cannot believe so many people have started liking this story! Thank you to all who read and particularly to those who commented. It's thanks to you guys that I got motivated enough to write this chapter. I hope you all enjoy this!
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    Dim candlelight illuminated the long stone room of the largest building in the vampire prince's mansion. The roof disappeared into shadows and thick curtains covered all of the windows, shrouding the place in eternal twilight. Levi stood alone at a long table where the Hunter's weapons had been placed. He could faintly smell the garlic paste stored in one of the pouches and his stomach lurched. Quickly grabbing a red cloth he dragged it over the equipment, hiding it from view. Turning away, Levi walked towards the dais where his silver throne stood in a place of prominence and overlooked the room. A smooth mahogany side table stood beside the throne and Levi reached for a glass containing warmed blood, examining the thick red liquid before taking a sip. His face contorted ever so slightly with displeasure and he set the wineglass down, making a noise of disgust. It was the blood that he usually preferred to the other types kept in stock for the vampires without bondmates, but now it's flavor seemed bitter, sickening. The lingering taste was disgusting and Levi's mind turned to the brief taste he'd had from that Hunter brat. At the memory of the sweet, sweet flavor of his blood, Levi felt his fangs lengthening slightly as if in preparation to feast. Far from satisfying his hunger the taste had only made it more intense and it took all his willpower to not go straight to the room he'd locked the boy in and finish what he'd started.
     "Your Highness?" A cordial voice cut through his thoughts and Levi turned, his scarlet eyes glowing faintly.
     "What do you want, Pixis?" He asked, his words frigid with formality.
     The bald vampire took a long draft from his hip flask and then tucked it back inside his coat before replying. "The female you requested is here, Ymir."
     When Levi didn't respond Pixis simply bowed and left the room. A moment later the female vampire entered the room. Levi could smell her fear from over thirty meters away on the opposite end of the room. His heightened hearing was nearly deafened by the rapid pounding of her heart and his lips twisted in a faint grimace of distaste as Ymir approached and the pounding grew louder.
     "It must be such a pain in the ass." His words echoed off the stone walls and he heard Ymir halt in her tracks.
     "S-Sire?"
     Turning, Levi walked towards her, his raven feather cape trailing along the floor with a soft, dry rustling noise. "Your heart. Beating like a drum in your chest all day and all night...the noise must drive you insane."
     Ymir swallowed hard, her brown eyes growing wide with fear as Levi drew even closer. The skin of her face was a raw, angry red where it was slowly healing from the holy water that had been splashed across her during the fight. She was clearly unsure if she was supposed to respond to her leader's comment, but unsure took a risk and said nervously, "N-not really, Sire. I hardly notice it at all."
     The distance continued to narrow between them. "Wrong answer."
     Levi stopped about five feet away from Ymir, his scarlet eyes glinting in the faint candle light as he watched Ymir cringe away from him ever so slightly. Levi had a reputation for brutality and he never hesitated when inflicting punishment on lawbreakers. Few vampires who experienced his rebuke ever repeated their mistakes. Even fewer survived. Ymir dropped to her knees and bowed her head,
     "You're Highness, forgive me. I only wanted to choose my Bondmate and get back by morning! I never wanted to inconvenience you-"
     CRACK!
     Ymir flew backwards into a pillar, feeling ribs snap upon impact and she coughed up blood. Something cold wrapped around her throat and as her vision cleared she saw the writhing mass of shadows swirling around the dark prince of vampires. The shadows streamed along the floor and up the pillar before wrapping around her neck and cutting off her air. Levi watched the panic in her face as she began kicking wildly and clawing at her neck, her hands passing through his attack like the shadows they were.
     "I gave you the chance to find your Bondmate at the last new moon and you failed to do so. You know my rules and you should have waited for the next time."
     Ymir shook her head, her lips moving frantically as she tried to force out words from her constricted throat. Levi watched her impassively.
      "You change your usual tough act pretty fast when faced with death. But your fear won't save you."
     Levi's hands clenched into a fist and Ymir let out a strangled cry of pain, eyes rolling back into her head.
     "For...give...Sire. Did...n't...mean to...run...into...a Hunter!"
     The memory of that brat's innocent face, wide green eyes, and his delectable blood suffused Levi's senses and he gritted his teeth in aggravation. His hand slowly opened and he allowed the shadows to vanish. Ymir fell to the floor and lay there, gasping raggedly and coughing. "You can't see your chosen Bondmate until the next new moon. Now get out of my sight."
     Ymir looked up at him, stunned, "S-Sire thank you-"
     "I said get the fuck out!" Levi snarled. Ymir flinched, scrambled to her feet, and fled the room.

    Levi walked slowly back towards the end of the room towards the black-draped dais and throne. Tossing back his cloak, Levi sank into his chair and settled into a comfortable position, lounging with all the casually lethal grace of a panther. There was a fluttering of wings and a raven alighted on the arm of his chair. Levi ran a pale finger through the bird's glossy feathers, his eyes unfocused and distant. Then he held out his arm and the bird stepped onto it, cocking its head to the side and regarding him with one beady black eye.
      "Be my eyes by day." Levi commanded, thrusting his arm skyward and allowing the raven to take flight out of a small window near the roof of the cavernous room. Levi's eyes fell shut and the world came into focus from the raven's perspective as Levi took control of its mind enough to see what was going on in the huge forest that hid him and his subjects from view.
     Being vampire royalty, Levi had access to powers like this and used them to his advantage, spying out any threats to his authority and keeping careful watch for Hunters. A faint noise reached his ears and his eyes snapped open. He sat up straight, red eyes scanning the room and every sense attune to his surroundings as he prepared to fend off an attack. Then his expression changed to one that was less tense and he relax once again.
     "You're a little old to be hiding in the shadows, Hanji."
     A cackle of gleeful laughter rang out and a figure straightened up from where she had been crouching on the balcony that wrapped around the room. Vaulting over the railing, she fell to the floor, landing in a light crouch before straightening and bowing a little.
     "Your senses are as sharp as ever, my lord. Although I disagree with your observation."
     Levi raised his eyes skyward for a moment, "I knew you would, bat-shit."
      Hanji chuckled, not at all upset by the insult, and Levi continued: "So why were you spying on me. I've banned you countless times from watching my meetings."
       "Have you?" Hanji asked innocently, "Whoops! Must have slipped my mind! But that's not what interests me right now."
       She eyed Levi with a pleased expression and, after a moment of trying to ignore the way she stared at him, Levi shut his eyes and said irritably,
      "Alright. What's got you so happy?"
     He turned and sat up properly and Hanji grabbed his shoulders tightly.
     "You've Bonded! I almost can't believe it but you have!"
     Levi glared and kicked Hanji away from him. "Don't be an idiot! Why would I Bond with some human? And what makes you think that I did?"
     Hanji gestured towards the almost full glass of blood on the table, "I've never seen you not finish your meal when you've called for one. It tastes bitter doesn't it? That's what happens when you Bond, all other blood tastes disgusting compared to the human you chose."
     "And you know this how?" Asked Levi in a bored tone.
     "I had the same thing happen when I bonded with Moblit. Oh! You also let Ymir go (I'm glad you did, she and her Bondmate will be so cute together!) when she mentioned a Hunter. You felt like you owed her didn't you? You might never have met your Bondmate if she hadn't disobeyed your laws."
     Levi scowled, "Alright. I maybe I did Bond. What does it matter to you?"
     "What does it matter?!" Hanji shrieked, "Sire you really don't get it do you?! This means that you care! That you can feel more emotions than just anger and hatred!"
      "Hunger doesn't count as an emotion, idiot." Levi said bluntly. "I didn't Bond because I cared about some idiot human, I Bonded because I needed a source of food and this Hunter tasted good enough to suit me."
      Hanji frowned and seemed about to say something, then smirked. "Fine. But I want to see what sort of human attracts a vampire prince. Can I go see him? Can I smell his blood? Can I touch him? Can I talk to him?"
      "What makes you think it's a "he"?" Muttered Levi.
      "It's not?" Hanji asked, looking surprised.
      "Well...yes."
      "HA!" Hanji yelled triumphantly. "I knew it! So can I see him?"
      Levi waved a hand dismissively, "I don't care what you do. Just leave me alone."
     Hanji whooped and dashed for the door, pausing to bow quickly.
     "Hanji." Levi called, his voice echoing off the walls. "Don't become attached. Humans are blood cattle for us; nothing more."
     Hanji grinned widely, "I'll remember, Your Highness. But will you?"
     And with that teasing question she skipped out and the door slammed shut with a resounding boom.
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Just a note: I recognize that many wonderful authors on Wattpad have listed silver as a vampire weakness, but I researched it just to make sure and traditionally it is only lethal to werewolves. People may have confused silver with the idea of a blessed bullet, something that is deadly to vampires (these will make an appearance in a later chapter). The next chapter will be up soon!