026: THE DEVIL COMES FOR HIS MATE
026: THE DEVIL COMES FOR HIS MATE
“Lord Alastor,”
The name sounds like thunder to Cassian's ears as he snaps his head up at the speed of lightning, and it’s as if the devil has made his presence known as everyone whimpers in great despair and fear, cowering to the wall while the vampire lord just stands there, his hands held behind him, dressed in black and a large fur coat draped over his shoulder while his eyes bore into the guard’s face so calmly.
The air suddenly seems to have shifted as the temperature in the cell drops to freezing cold at Alastor’s aura. “And what do we have here?” he finally speaks, his voice so calm yet authoritative and piercing while his eyes dance with an eerie glint.
“M-y l-lord,” the guard stammers, bowing stiffly. “We—we caught a few rebels attempting to steal blood today, and this one,” he points at Cassian, “was aiding them.”
Alastor doesn't look at Cassian, not even a single glance; he keeps his gaze solely fixed on the guard. He takes a step forward, and the guard trembles violently. “And what do you plan to do to him?”
The guard continues to shake in his boots, and even though Cassian was almost on his way to death, he couldn’t help but smirk at the reaction.
“W-e, I-I, h-e’s going to be punished just like the others who dared to go against you and the high lord’s rules. These rebels deserve no mercy,” he stammers mercilessly.
Suddenly, a glint flashes in Alastor’s eyes, and before anyone can blink, Alastor’s hand is on the guard’s throat, wrapped tightly with his nails digging into the flesh of his neck. “Who…” Alastor asks softly with a tilt of his head as he effortlessly lifts the guards off the ground as if they weigh nothing. “…gave the order to put my mate in chains?”
“M-my Lord,” the guard stammers, his voice shaking as he goes paler than he already is. “W-we didn’t know—h-he was accused of aiding a rebel—”
“I did not ask why,” he continues calmly, his grasp on the guard's neck tightening. “I asked who.”
“I—I was only following procedure—”
SNAP!
The sound is loud in the cell; it can’t be missed. Gasps of fear erupt while Cassian’s eyes widen in shock, eyes following the way Alastor’s hand snaps the guard’s neck as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, before he lets his lifeless body fall to the ground.
Can vampires be killed like that? Cassian has never seen anything like this.
Alastor turns to the other guards, and immediately, they are all on their knees, begging to be spared. “Get the chains off him and the boy,” comes his calm reply.
Cassian stays frozen for a moment; he almost does not even realize it when the chains on his wrists are released, and Alastor steps forward. He hooks his cold finger under Cassian’s chin, causing the human to flinch as their eyes meet.
“He didn’t hurt you, did he, petal?”
Cassian blinks; it’s as if his brain has suddenly decided to stop functioning the right way. Maybe it’s because he has never seen Alastor kill anyone before, and so easily, too. But he manages to nod and finds his voice. “H-he didn't,”
“So reckless,” Alastor says, and then, without warning, he brushes his finger at the bridge of Cassian’s nose.
Cassian almost jumps out of his skin while blood rushes to stain his cheek with a blush.
"Let's get you home, petal," Alastor voices, and then he takes hold of Cassian's wrist and pulls him along with him out of the cell, Ollie following along, but before Cassian walks out of the cell, he reels back to the helpless rebels in chains, and their eyes scream to be saved, but Cassian looks away.
How can he save them when he can't even save his own head? He's human. They would probably want him dead and suck him dry once they realize he has blood running through his veins. Cassian shouldn't feel pity when they didn’t pity him and his kind, but still, there's that dull ache in his chest that refuses to go away. He hates it.
"You are such a trouble magnet, aren’t you, Patel?" Alastor starts as they continue to walk down what looks like a dark underground hall of dungeons. What if they are also humans locked up in here?
At the thought, Cassian looks back at the cells they walked past, the possibility of "what if" ringing loud in his head. Suddenly, they come abruptly to a stop, and Cassian whips his head back to realize their path is blocked by a familiar vampire: Lord Vikar.
The man has a cunning smile as his gaze flickers from Alastor's face to Cassian. "Oh, I never thought I'd ever see you in my grounds, Lord Alastor?” he speaks without looking at Alastor, his gaze solely fixed on Cassian, causing a feeling of discomfort in the human’s gut.
Cassian doesn’t realize when he reaches for Alastor's arms for safety, holding onto him because Cassian would pick the devil he knows over the angel he doesn’t know.
Ha. Lord Vikar doesn’t even deserve to be called an angel.
"Vikar," Alastor's voice rumbles out with unmistakable warning while his eyes turn into a murderous glare.
"Ah…" Vikar says as he bows lowly. "I sincerely apologize on my guard’s behalf for mistaking your lovely mate for a rebel. I was informed earlier and had rushed over as soon as I could to release him, but you have beaten me to it. Please accept my apologies, Lord Alastor and Master Cassian. I will see to it that the guards are punished so something like this doesn’t happen again."
Cassian's eyes narrow. He knows a snake when he sees one, and Lord Vikar is a big one with his mocking apology.
Alastor stands taller, and before any of them realizes it, he grabs Vikar by the front of his shirt and pulls him close, their eyes locking dangerously. "This time, it's the guard; next time, it will be your head, Vikar."
Vikar stares back for a moment before his lips twitch into a small, wicked smile. "Of course, Lord Alastor. This will never happen again," he says.
With a rough push, Alastor lets go of him, and without another word, he walks away, pulling Cassian with him, who can't help but take a glance back to see a more devious and cunning smile on Vikar's face. Cassian immediately looks away, ignoring the awful gut twist in his stomach.
He refuses to become prey for any vampire.