The Dead of Night

Ratification

Chapter Nineteen: Ratification

** The Vampire immediately slid into the fighting ring and ripped his shirt off, turning to another man who also wanted to fight; they seemed to be friends, but the Vampire was far too angry for kind words at the moment. The two immediately took to beating each other senseless, which, wasn't all-around unpleasant for me. I admit, the Vampire did look quite...delectable in this state. The paleness of his skin wasn't a hindrance to this...delectably, goodness no, if anything it helped further it. The candle light threw shadows onto him and helped define his pectoral muscles and abs; though, as he fought, I caught sight of a crown tattoo, one remarkably similar to the one on our cloaks!

It was on his right pectoral muscle and it was quite large. The Vampire grasped his friend by the throat and swung him around, throwing him out of the ring and watching as his body smacked against the wall, slowly falling ot the ground. His friend stood and held up his thumb, showing he was alright, a little winded, but alright. The Vampire turned towards me, looking around the room; his skin glittered with sweat and he rubbed his hands through his hair, messing it up. I felt a bit of drool touch my chin!

I wiped it away, quickly as the Vampire's military friend, Dustin sat beside me! He only grinned at me for a moment before offering me a drink. "Oh, no thank you, I have a..." I trailed off, glancing around, where was my latte?

"I got it just for you, madam." He said with a wrinkled smile; I smiled and took it.

"Now, how can I resist that?" I laughed, lifting it to my lips and taking a few gulps. It was sweet, but it burnt my tongue and smelt of nail polish remover. "Yuc--yum. Pray tell, what is it?" I asked, hesitant to take another sip.

"Eh, nothing really, it's your master's favorite drink." He replied and I paused.

"Y-You mean it's alcohol?"

"Yeah, what'd you think it was? Chocolate milk?" Dustin laughed and I slowly placed the drink beside me, resolving with myself never to drink it again. Dustin laughed harder when he saw me set it down, he slapped his knee and wiped his eyes. "Oh, don't worry, princess, I think it tastes like horse piss too!"

I shook my head, smiling lightly and sighed, the Vampire's friend had gotten back in the ring and the Vampire was pulverizing him, not that the Vampire didn't get hit a few times. Dustin clicked his tongue and shook his head, catching my attention. "Girl, you don't know what you got yourself into! Seb's bad news, especially when he comes to women, he's a proper ass-cravat if you ask me. So, if Seb, miraculously, wins you gotta run from here as far and as fast as you can.

"But, I don't think you gotta worry 'bout him, your master there's fought in a few wars himself and's won many o' these stupid battles." Dustin replied, leaning back on the bleacher and allowing his arms to rest on the next one which was higher up than us. I nodded as I watched the Vampire slam his friend against one of the poles in the ring and the friend began bleeding.

"How old is the Vampire, Dustin?" I asked, turning to him and he sighed, clenching his eyes shut and murmuring numbers, attempting to think.

"He's a youngin. He was born in 1831, so, he ain't that old. Eighty nine years old, I believe." He replied, I shook my head, he looked like he was in his early twenties! Dustin saw my astonishment and grinned. "Vampires age at 1/3 the rate that humans do, whilst half-vampires, like yourself, age at half the rate that humans do. But, somethin' tells me you ain't gonna be a half-vampie for long, girly." He said, taking a swig of a strange liquid in coconut cup.

"What do you mean? Do you think he'll change me soon?" I asked, a little nervous; Dustin smiled to me and shook his head.

"Well, usually, what happens when we get new royalty is..." he looked up to me and grinned. "Has your master told you anythin' of that?" He asked, a grin still on his face; I shook my head. "Alright, than in that case, it's best not to tell 'ya. Not yet."