Chapter 45: 45__Suspected culprit... That bloody Sorcerer

Rogan stared at them for moments on end as they asked him to tell them who Maia was and why they had to find her?

As he stared coldly at them, he pondered on this peculiar turn of events, wondering if they were perhaps pretending and taking revenge for all the times he’d been nasty and mean to them.

The idea was quickly disregarded. Revenge for what? He hadn’t even been half as mean to them as he could really be. Besides, they were always so honored to have his villainous *royal* presence grace their very humble abode.

Rogan pushed his hair back with one hand and gave Claudia, Cleo and Clover a careful look.

“What?” Claudia said nervously, touching a hand to her face at the intense stare. “Do I have something on my face?”

Rogan’s mouth turned down in disapproval. “You guys are useless.”

They gaped at him in puzzlement. Claudia shook her head. “No, we can help if you exp—”

“Couldn’t even managed to not be carried away by a magic spell and got yourselves bloody brainwashed,” he muttered, face twisted by disgust.

Clover scratched her chin. “Brainwashed?”

“Weaklings!” spat Rogan, making them blink.

With a final look of disgust, he swept past them, stalking off.

“Wait, Rogan!” Clover chirped. “I made a Vampire friend, come and meet him!”

Rogan halted in his steps, his body turning to stone.

His brain told him he’d heard wrong. There wouldn’t be any of his father’s specie anywhere near the Kingdom of Gemini. He, Rogan, was the only one.

Very slowly, he tilted his head to the side, aware of the three women watching him from behind and the punk-rock chick in the living room silently watching him from the front.

“Well?” said Clover excitedly, her face beaming. She’d brought Rogan someone who was like him and he hadn’t seen his own specie for so long, he would be so happy! And then he’d give her a fancy potion as a reward probably. “Come on!” she called, further excited at the prospect of getting a special potion.

“A Vampire friend?” Rogan asked, his voice low and his eyes starting a very slow churn.

Before Clover could lead him, he swept past her, faster than her blinking eyes could see, his white hair flashing by her like a lightning bolt.

“Oh!” Clover said, swirling around to see Rogan’s back as he stalked to the front hall towards the door.

“Wait!” she called, hurrying after him. “I have to… I have to introduce you! Don’t scare him!”

Cleo and Claudia slowly exchanged looks before racing after Rogan. If clueless Clover had really went and brought home a Vampire, Rogan was about to have the bloodiest killing of the year.

Their eager cheerleading squad came to a sharp halt when they got outside only to see Rogan standing there alone, no opponent for the battle.

Clover stared around the street with a confused expression on her face. “But… he was right here. I told him to wait here.”

Rogan gritted his teeth and looked at her, his shades covering his eyes, but his hands itching to whip them off and startle her to the bone.

“Clover?” he began.

She tensed, peaking her purple eyes up at him through her lashes. “Yes?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

Clover shook her head vigorously. “No, I swear! He was here! He was *thiiiiiis* tall!” she explained, reaching her hand up to show his height. “He had light blonde-ish hair and this eyes were super green and he was… *so* handsome… hee-hee…”

Rogan made a face at her girlish giggle. “Get out of my way.”

“Really, he was here!” Clover whined, stomping her foot. “He carried me all the way home,” she said, her cheeks growing rosy.

“What was his name?” asked Claudia, very interested in the story about a handsome Vampire flirting with their youngest.

Clover pouted and shook her head. “I… I don’t think he told me. Or maybe he did…?”

“He didn’t.” Rogan told her firmly. “He found you alone, manipulated you, found out your name, I’m assuming, found out where you live and left without leaving a single trace of his presence. If that Vampire decides to return for you and make you his slave, don’t call me.”

He stomped off, hair flaring back in the wind as Clover shouted something at his back. Rogan clenched his teeth.

It had been an Onyx Vampire. He’d felt it.

He’d smelled the bastard the moment he stepped outside.

What was this? A sarcastic scoff curved his lips. Were they…?

Rogan ran his tongue over his teeth, feeling his fangs lengthen as they prodded threateningly at the soft flesh.

With an angry scowl, he bit down sharply and felt the irony taste of blood fill his mouth.

Fucking Onyx Vampires.

He’d burn every last one of them if he laid eyes on one of those fuckers again.

Stomping through the streets, Rogan pushed past people, most of who jumped out of his way.

It was only at a corner store where he came to a sharp halt, catching his reflection in a mirror.

The darkness in his eyes stopped him short, capturing all his attention. He stared at himself. Eyes black and churning like a galactic portal to hell, mouth garnished with the blood that had seeped out from the corner of his lips, his face taut with anger.

A sudden bout of amusement spread his lips into a wide grin, revealing his blood stained teeth. Look at him, getting all furious over a little Onyx Vampire.

Rogan’s grin faded.

There was no time for that.

There was no time to think of his past or his enemies or anything that made him what he currently was. Not while Maia was still gone.

Swiping his tongue over his bottom lip, he swept through the crowd.

He’d find Maia first. No matter where the bastards put her, he’d find her.

Then he’d wait on those Onyx Vamps and he’d have the killing of a lifetime.

*********

Maia marched up and down the coffee breakroom, her fingertip in her mouth and her teeth snapping down on her nail.

Okay, so she was stuck in this world where a Shifter had put her. A novel world, in both meanings of the word.

Maia had no idea how a Shifter managed to acquire such an ability. For surely this was Magic, was it not?

Shifters didn’t have any magic power, did they?

So he’d been helped by another specie?

But who?

The question that had rung through Maia’s head since the day she was first hunted made her crouch low in the empty room, hands clutching her head.

Just who was it?! Maia had lived a simple life, without too many joys or pains, but it remained true that every single pain she’d ever experienced was caused by that evil that sought after her from the shadows.

She didn’t know who they were. Nana never even told her who they were or why they were so desperately after her.

The whole thing was infuriating and extremely exhausting.

*Nana*.

She’d know what to do at a moment like this.

Maia felt lost.

“Hey. Blueberry,” said an obnoxious voice.

Maia’s head snapped up, her eyes wide. In the doorway of the breakroom stood a short, skinny guy, his eyes filled with bitterness.

He shoved a thick, brown folder out at her. “Ten copies of each.”

Maia blinked. Who was he?

“Uh…” She got up, looking at the folder. “Is this from Mr. Black?”

The guy narrowed his beady little eyes and used his middle finger to push his spectacles further up his nose. “It’s not, but you’re still going to do it. Now take the damn folder, my arm’s getting sore.”

Completely opposite to what she really wanted to do, Maia’s hands shot out and quickly took the folder from him.

He gave her one last sardonic look before strutting off, his narrow shoulders bony and sharp under his shirt.

Maia scowled. Who was that little jackass? She ought to trap his soul and put him in a magic potion!

As only Rogan could do…

A huge deflation emptied her heart and Maia sighed, staring at the folder in her hands as her mind filled with thoughts of the dark-eyed Sorcerer.

Where the hell was Rogan?

She bit her lip, a niggly feeling starting slowly inside of her.

He hadn’t been there when she’d been taken. Did he know she’d been taken?

What if…?

Maia tilted her head.

Wasn’t it a little strange how he’d left her at the Hostel even though there was no protection from ghosts and Shifters there?

And… the Shifters had gotten help from a species with powerful magic or sorcery abilities hadn’t they?

Who did Maia know that knew where she was at that moment and also had enough magical powers to help the Shifters?

She sighed.

She was going to *kill* Rogan when she got out of here.