The Sun's Shadow

Chapter Two

She snapped her eyes shut and pretended that wasn't meant for her. Without her feathers giving away her position, what could it be?

"We will ask once more! Come out and state your purpose, faenix!"

They... Knew? Realization dawned on her when she recounted her father's teachings- Vampires had the most acute sense of smell amongst any other being. They wouldn't have to have seen her to know of her presence. The distinct scent of her kind, the smell of the gleaming sun that she soaked in daily, was enough for them to pick up on.

No longer able to avoid it, she came out of hiding with her hands held high.

Realizing she was without her wings, their stances faltered and they became more curious than on-guard. She wished more than anything that she had the ability to easily explain to them, maybe spin the lie that she was simply lost, but she only gestured to her throat as she had been accustomed to.

"Do you have a mute deformity?" One guard completely dropped his sword at his side and approached her, the look of pity apparent. When she nodded, that sullen look turned into a nasty sneer. "Mmm, all the better. I like when they know how to be quiet."

A mix of feelings erupted in her. Fight or flight were voided and instead she became so numb that she dropped to the ground, curling into her own arms for protection. Not again. Not someone else that wished to cause her harm.

If his intentions weren't transparent enough before, they were now as he grunted while removing pieces of heavy armor that clanked on the street when he dropped them. More pieces were shed as he approached her.

"You're next, take off your clothes." He hummed into the cold air of the night.

"Callous! She's not of age. You might as well stop before jeopardizing your position in the guard."

The man paused in his war path towards the trembling body on the ground he wished to seek pleasure with. She could practically hear him sniffing the air when the breeze picked up. "Is he correct, girl?"

So many were picking up on a forming scent, one that would be more pronounced in three days' time. She was so close, yet untouchable. He growled out his sheer displeasure when she nodded. It was her saving grace.

When his growl continued to deepen, she thought he was tempted to continue his assault regardless. Something in the air told her that growl was no longer directed at her. Beings far more worth his time and combative skill neared the castle gates.

The sound of their hooves were distinct and forever burned into her memory. There would be no chance of more than one group of prestige satyroids in the local area, ones that equally held the stench of alcohol to where it burned her own eyes being in the same vicinity.

Three shadows with massive horns displayed on the ground before her. The guards present righted their weapons, readying for a fight, now completely dismissing her where she sat in the middle of the battleground.

Although she couldn't see their faces, she was sure that the band of brothers hadn't noticed her small form curled up pathetically like that of roadkill. She crawled her way to the edge of an outlying fence and allowed herself to take in the gravity of the situation. Once again faced with the men who mutilated her body, while also in the company of another man who was about to do the same in a different, yet similar, way.

Destroy her soul... That's what all men sought to accomplish with women.

Oxin spotted her then, the look of shock quickly replaced by a casual wink. "Thanks for luring them out here and distracting them, babe."

Her mouth hung open, realizing she must be playing into the 'mission' she heard them discussing mere hours ago. How their paths crossed twice in a single night was a sign from the gods that they thought her to be an abomination. Eledorah was sure of it.

All she could do was witness the bloody battle silently- Unsure of which party she should be rooting for. When the satyroids drew more blood than their opponents, and quickly dismantled their weapons, she feared what came next. The streets were soon stained red with dhampir blood... The guards never had a chance. 

For good measure and lack of honor, Claymore waltzed up to the fallen corpses, tugged them upwards and cut their heads clean off.

"The one was partially undressed. Why?" Claymore asked as he wiped their blood against the linen of his own pants in some proud display of his kill. When he looked at her, expecting an answer, he laughed. "I forgot you can't speak. But I think I know what he was about to do..."

He sauntered over to her crippled form and stared down at her. "He wanted to fuck you on display for this entire god-complexed city because, despite their air of nobility, they're all cowards who would stand by while it happened. Do you know why?"

To get his point across, he bent down and spoke into her ear in a chilling tone. "Because they're all sadistic bastards who get off on belittling us common folk. Even though we're more powerful than them. Funny, isn't it? And here you sit mourning their deaths while you should revel in their pooling blood."