Blood donors queued up along the wall, all turning to incline their heads respectfully as Hannah passed. She marched briskly down the corridor, trying not to see the store cupboards being opened to reveal row upon row of blood bags. A hush descended over the rec room when she entered and the crowd parted - opening a path to Jordan. A relieved sigh escaped her lips at the sight of him.
"Hey," she called as she walked up to him.
"You're back safe." He pulled her into a hug. Hannah's heart stammered in her chest and she held tightly onto him. The absence of his breath was glaringly apparent when they were like this. Tears pricked at her eyes but she held them back. Jordan pulled back and grinned shyly down at her. She grimaced and pointed to her teeth. "Ah, shit." He hastily cleaned the gruesome blood stains off his fangs.
"I saw the posters." She perched on the arm rest of the sofa.
"What did you think?" He sat down close to her, stretching his arms over the emerald dyed leather. Hannah angled her body toward his and his gaze ran down her slender legs. Hannah shrugged.
"How's recruitment going?"
"Badly," Jordan drummed his fingers restlessly, "people fear that there are fates worse than death."
Jordan had founded the Sanguinem Guard - an army of vampires sworn to protect humanity. But no vampires had stepped forward to help and Jordan knew of no others aside from his elusive maker. So he required people to volunteer to be turned. The enemy had legions of vampires on its side. They'd heard stories about what these monsters did to Jordan's vampires if captured. Hannah supressed a shudder. "Don't go out during the day time again." Jordan implored - his gaze brooding.
"Jordan I'm not-"
"I don't like us to be apart." They stared at one another - Hannah's mouth open to make the reply her dazed tongue couldn't form.
"Captain?" A vampire interrupted.
"Yes?" Jordan replied - turning to face his fledgling. Hannah cleared her throat.
"I better get going. I need to speak with Aleksey." She lied speed running from the rec room in a blur.
She headed up to the surface - leaving behind the underground. The air outside was heavy - stifling heat gathering awaiting the storm to break it. She kept to the shadows, arms crossed protectively. A shaky breath trembled through her lips. The goddess Serena had shown her the future that might have been. Her and Jordan's future. She leant against the wall, her shoulders sagging in defeat. They'd have been happy together. She brushed away the stray tear that slipped down her cheek. She'd never told Jordan this. He didn't need to suffer with thoughts of a future already lost.
Children giggled happily - playing in the sunshine across the way from her. Hannah watched them from the shadows. Chaga was laughing breathlessly - swinging a little boy around who was squeling in delight. Lux made happy noises in her ear.
"Go join them," Hannah urged. Lux retreated nervously into Hannah's long hair. "Chaga's with them. You like Chaga." She persuaded. Lux continued to hesitate. Hannah smiled, used to her little friends crippling shyness by now. "Chaga could use your help. Go suggest a game for them to play next. I'll stay here and you can fly right back to me after."
As she'd known would happen, once Lux was spotted by one of the children they clamoured for 'fairy' to play with them. The little ones exclaimed in wonder as Lux danced around their heads, their eyes wide as saucers. Hannah sat down on the ground, crossing her legs and leaning back against the smooth concrete. She shut her eyes, listening to the sound of laughter and small, sad smile tugged on her lips.
Night fell and the air cooled. Hannah tilted her head back and looked up at the sky. Once her gaze would have met stars - no longer. The protection wards she'd placed around the base obliterated the horizon - at night the shimmering dome that encased them became visible to the naked eye. This shield was the one thing keeping the demons at bay. Her hands trembled.
The air rippled around her and Jordan appeared leaning against the wall beside her.
"Gee Brain. What are we going to do tonight?" Hannah got to her feet, brushing the dirt from her jeans.
"The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to save the world." She smiled at Jordan but none of the light met her eyes. He gave her shoulder a squeeze.
General Seo planted his knuckles against the table, his stern glare boring into the wood. Hannah paced the room. The mood at the council meeting was tense.
"They're holding back, not even bothering to act like we're a threat." Seo growled in frustration.
"We're not a threat," Chaga pointed out. "We're alive because of the wards Hannah's put up to protect the territory." Hannah ran her hands through her hair.
"The witches can do protection wards too, have they-"
"Still nothing compared to yours." The general cut in.
"Then they need to be stronger!" Hannah snapped. Jordan shifted uneasily in his chair. "She's waiting. Waiting and growing in strength." Hannah punched the wall. A chunk of concrete crumbled away beneath her seemingly dainty fist.
After the dismal meeting Seo asked Hannah to stay behind. Jordan trudged with disheartened steps down the corridor.
"You coming?" Raoul asked, tilting his head in the direction of the rec room. Jordan shook his head.
"Lucjan's volunteered." He offered by way of explanation. Chaga had been walking ahead of them, now he turned suddenly to face Jordan.
"You're turning Lucjan Dubiki?" He clarified.
Jordan sighed.
"I don't have a choice." Chaga's nostrils flared angrily.
"You can't do it!" Jordan put up a hand to stop Raoul from throwing Chaga through the wall. The vampires were protective of their maker.
"He's a volunteer. I don't see you stepping forward." Chaga growled.
"He's a creep." Jordan hissed sulkily.
"We cannot force people to become vampires!" Hannah hissed furiously. General Seo leant across the table toward her.
"You could. They worship you - you could convince them of anything."
"I won't do it." He slammed his fist against the table - enraged by her obstinacy.
"What choice do we have!? We're too weak Hannah. We cannot live without sacrifice."
"I'll make those sacrifices! Not them!"
Jordan frowned, feeling uneasy. It was just him and Lucjan in Jordan's private quarters. Lucjan was standing in the centre of the room, waiting for him with a smug smile of his face. He'll lose that soon enough.
"You understand the dangers?" Jordan confirmed. Lucjan made a sound of impatience. Jordan concentrated on the curve of Lucjan's throat. Beneath his olive skin rushed a blood stream with an exquisite aroma. It had been so long since Jordan had broken skin. His mouth watered with longing. He closed the space between them, standing so close that he could feel Lucjan's steady heartbeat knocking against his chest. His fangs broke through his gums and he moaned sensuously at the feeling.
Lucjan tilted his head, offering Jordan better access to his throat. Jordan put his lips against the sweet surface, the heat teasing his frozen lips. He was passed the point of no return. He wrapped his strong arms around Lucjan, securing him in place, before sinking his teeth in. Lucjan gasped at the pain, but stayed still - his heartbeat still remarkably steady. Jordan was vaguely aware of his arousal pressed up against Lucjan, but couldn't bring himself to care.
The blood, the blood was exquisite. It ran hotly down his throat and made stars dance behind his closed eye lids. He could feel life coursing through him, removing the stiffness from his muscles and warming the icy bite to his fingertips. He heard Lucjan's heartbeat begin to slow. Concentrating, dragging himself out of the blissful blood haze, he counted the beats. He let it slow, let it nearly stutter out. Lucjan sagged against him and now it was Jordan's firm grip that was keeping him upright.
Deftly he bit his own wrist and thrust it against Lucjan's slack jaw. Slowly the blood dribbled down Lucjan's tongue. Lucjan's body started to tremble violently. The transformation had started. Some survived, some didn't. Jordan held Lucjan close and couldn't resist rubbing himself against him. He hated himself for it but it was part of the blood, the desperate desire blood carried in its murky depths was a pull Jordan was powerless against. He closed his eyes and thought of Hannah. He would never bite her but in dark moments such as this - he imagined doing it. Imagined her in his arms, her scent wrapped around him - he shuddered - her blood would drive him insane.