018: THE REBELS
018: THE REBELS
If Cassian wants some respect and authority over the affairs of the household, he needs someone who has more authority and power, and that’s Alastor himself.
Cassian will gain control one way or the other. He will have access to the dungeon, too. Maybe he’ll find humans locked up in there, or maybe he will find some secrets; anything is better than waiting blindly.
When he arrives at the door of Alastor’s office, he’s welcomed with the sound of voices coming from the inside, with the door slightly open. Curiously, Cassian does the first thing that comes to mind. He tiptoes and presses his ear to the door, listening to the conversation inside.
“The more we try to get rid of them, the larger they become in groups and numbers. We have to stop them before they take over the city.”
Cassian's brows furrow in confusion. There’s no way they are talking about humans when there are barely any alive. He gets closer to listen.
“The Rebels,” comes Alastor’s calm voice.
“Yes,” a voice agrees, bitter and hard. “The High Lord has ordered to get rid of every rebel vampire.”
“How about we give them what they want, instead of killing them all? Killing reduces our population,” another voice counters. “I don’t support killing our kind simply because they wish not to be at the bottom of the food chain.”
“So we give those disgusting breeds of vampires more blood?” the first voice barks, annoyance and anger in his tone. “Do you know what that means? High-ranking vampires won’t have more blood, and the High Lord won’t be satisfied. Do you know what that means for us? It will be us at the bottom of the food chain!”
“I think these rebels should be heard, and we could have some compromise,” the second voice continues. We are already losing our own every day, Victor. And if we kill those rebels, we will become extinct just like those silly humans.”
Cassian’s stomach tightens, and a clot forms in his throat.
“Watch your tongue,” the first vampire, known as Victor, snaps. “Humans were weak, these rebels are traitors, and we will not negotiate with traitors.”
“They are starving,” the second voice fires back. “They’re refusing the blood hierarchy, not the species. There’s a difference.”
“A difference that will get us all killed,” Victor growls. “The High Lord doesn’t tolerate dissent. You know that! And you’re starting to sound like a traitor yourself, Orion. Next thing you’ll be saying, humans deserve a place among us. We have to kill every living traitor so we can live peacefully.”
Cassian stops himself from scoffing. As if they know anything about peace. They’ll even kill their own kind to get that so-called peace; it’s disgusting.
Vampires are disgusting.
“The High Lord wants you, Lord Alastor, to decide what should be done to the rebels we have caught,” the second voice continues, and Cassian gets closer to hear Alastor’s decision, but that’s when the heel of his shoe scrapes the floor.
A silent gasp rips through his throat as the room immediately falls silent, but before Cassian can even think of escaping, the door flings open, and he’s struck with a pair of dangerous red eyes and sharp fangs, bared at him.
“How dare you eavesdrop on our conversation? You have a death wish, vampire?”
Cassian’s instinct is already dying to reach for the little blade tucked at the side of his pants as the scary vampire takes a threatening step forward, closing in on Cassian’s space like a predator who has found his prey, but this prey is not going down without a fight.
Suddenly, there’s a brush of wind, and in a snap, Alastor is standing in front of him, shielding him with his large body and away from the piercing eyes of the other vampire, whose eyes slowly fade to a shade of brown.
“Forgive my mate’s manners, Victor. He’s…a rather curious one, you see.”
Suddenly, the second vampire, Orion, is behind Victor, peeking over Alastor’s shoulder to look at Cassian. “Your mate is still alive?” The words leave his mouth shockingly as he looks back at Alastor, waiting for an answer.
“He does not bear Alastor’s mark; of course, he still lives,” Victor observes, and slowly, a warning sound rumbles from Alastor’s throat.
“I have received your message, gentleman. Expect my reply in a few days.”
If looks could kill, both Victor and Orion could have been struck dead by Alastor’s malicious glare.
“Very well, Lord Alastor, we shall wait for your reply,” Victor says, and with a bow, he walks away with Orion following behind him, and soon, they disappear down the hall.
“What do you find here, Petal?” Alastor asks over his shoulder, and Cassian almost jumps out of his skin at being addressed, but Alastor doesn’t wait for his response as he walks back into the office as if nothing happened.
“I-I-I…” Cassian shudders as he follows Alastor into the office, his brain failing to remember why he came seeking the vampire in the first place, and then his mouth speaks before his brain does. “Are you going to kill those rebels?”
Cassan should shut up, but it’s already too late for that. What does he care about some rebel vampires? Maybe because Oscar had said something about being at the bottom of the food chain, does that make Oscar a rebel?
Alastor turns sharply to look at him with a blank gaze that makes Cassian swallow the lump in his throat and take a step back when Alastor takes one forward.
“I don’t see how that’s your concern, petal. But I will indulge you if you answer my question.” Alastor doesn't stop moving forward until Cassian forces himself to stop, and the vampire towers over him with his height and dangerous eyes. He leans his face closer, and then he asks. “Where are the rest of the humans hiding?”
Alastor’s question lands like a blade pressed to Cassian’s throat.
Where are the rest of the humans hiding?
Cassian’s heart drops straight to his stomach, and for a second, he forgets how to breathe. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cassian says quickly, but his voice betrays him; it comes out too sharp, too rushed.
Alastor’s eyes narrow and his lips stretch into a slow smile as he says. “You didn’t hesitate. That’s interesting.”
Cassian swallows hard; his palms are suddenly damp, and his fingers are itching to reach for the blade he knows won’t save him in this room. “There are no humans,” he says, forcing his voice to be a lot calmer. “You said it yourself, we are extinct. I could be the only human alive.”
Alastor stares into Cassian’s blue eyes for a moment longer, then he nods and withdraws, the small smile remaining on his face as if he has gotten the answer he wants after reading into Cassian’s soul. He turns his back to Cassian.
“Here’s a little heads up, petal. They'd better hide well.”