009: HE HATES HIS WORLD
009: HE HATES HIS WORLD
Lord Alastor is an intense man, Cassian has realized once again. He doesn’t need to do anything, yet his presence alone feels heavy, like the room bends slightly around him when he enters. Like the air knows who he is and reacts before Cassian can, as dramatic as that sounds.
Cassian sits in the passenger seat of the moving car, almost pressed to the window, while the vampire lord sits beside him, dressed magnificently with a large coat draped over his shoulder and black gloves on his hands, while Cassian is dressed in white, just as the vampire lord wanted.
Cassian keeps his gaze fixed on the blur of the city outside the window. The streets move too fast, lights stretching into long lines that make his head hurt. This is the world these vampires took from humans.
Who would have thought one day humans would be the ones to be in hiding while these blood-sucking predators live freely and lavishly?
It’s disgusting; vampires are disgusting.
Cassian clenches his jaw as the thought settles deeper while watching the tall buildings that pass by. Cassian hates this world, and he wants to burn it to the ground and have them pay for every single death of a human they’ve taken.
“You’re thinking very loudly,” Alastor states calmly.
Cassian doesn’t bother denying it, but he doesn’t look at the vampire lord as he replies. “I’m thinking about how unfair it is.”
Alastor glances at him, his expression unreadable. “Life has never been fair.”
Cassian scoffs. “You wouldn’t know that for vampire lord; you wouldn’t know how hard it is to survive as…” he doesn’t dare complete his words, knowing there’s a third person in the car: the driver.
Alastor smiles, and then suddenly, he’s grabbing Cassian’s arm and pulling him in, and in the next moment, he’s grabbing his jaw, digging his fingers into his flesh. Alastor studies his face with that unbothered and amused look on his face, as if he has everything under his control and Cassian is nothing but a pet he has in the palm of his hand. Even though that’s true, Cassian refuses to admit that.
“You hate us,” Alastor says finally, and it’s not a question but a statement, staring into his blue eyes as if he can see right through his soul.
Cassian’s cold eyes don't waver as they stare back without blinking. “You want me to lie?”
A small smirk curls at the corner of Alastor’s lips, as if all of this is nothing but a mere game he’s playing. “No, I can see it through your eyes, even from the very moment we met. That’s why you have all those blades hidden, to strike us. Tell me, how many blades do you have hidden right now?”
Cassian gulps the lump in his throat. He is being teased. “None…” he answers, blinking rapidly. “And you know that.”
Alastor lets out a dark chuckle and lets go of Cassian’s face with a gentle push. Cassian’s head knocks lightly against the seat, and he sucks in a sharp breath, his skin still burning where the vampire’s fingers had been. His hands are cold, but his touch burns. Cassian hates it.
“Blades are useless against us, especially since you can cut yourself, and that would be a disaster. I’ll advise you to find a better weapon, but I don’t mind the knives.”
Cassian snaps his head toward him. “What?”
“I find them honest and endearing,” Alastor says, adjusting one of his gloves. “A human who smiles at us is far more dangerous than one who looks at us like he wants us dead. How long do you think you can hold out?”
Cassian’s jaw clenches, and he immediately looks because he doesn’t know how long he’s going to last or how long Alastor is going to keep him alive to play his mate before he sucks him dry, but before that, Cassian needs to make something happen, anything.
~~~
The ball is lavish, just like every other vampire ball, with high-roof chandeliers and guests dressed elegantly with glasses of reddish liquid in their hands, which is obviously blood if the fresh metallic smell in the air is anything to go by.
“Ah, Lord Alastor, we thought you wouldn’t make it.”
Cassian’s body stiffens when two vampires approach them, and they talk to Alastor, yet their eyes are glued on him, like he’s their new prey. Why do all vampires have the same predatory look? Oh, Cassian knows why; they are monsters who feed on the innocent. How much he hates them.
“This must be your new mate,” one of them says, and then he’s stretching his hand towards Cassian’s face, but before his cold hand can get any closer, Cassian pulls away and clings to Alastor’s side, holding onto his hand like his life depends on it. He would rather stay with a vampire who keeps him as a pet than be touched by another bloodsucker.
Alastor smirks down at Cassian before looking back at the vampires, who don’t look pleased that Cassian just rejected their touch. "He’s mine, try to touch him again, and I’ll snap your necks, how’s that?” His honey drips honey, yet his words are deadly.
The vampire chuckles awkwardly, holding onto his glass of blood more tightly than normal. “No offense intended, my lord. We were merely curious.”
“Curiosity…” Alastor replies with a devious look in his eyes that causes the other vampire to move back, “...is often fatal. Now, if you will excuse my mate and me, we’ll be on our way.”
“Of course, Lord Alastor,” they say and step out of the way, and Alastor leads Cassian further into the sea of wealthy vampires.
“Aren’t you a smart little doll?” Alastor tells Cassian, who has no intention of letting go of Alastor’s arm.
“I think I'd rather be killed by you than another bloodsucker.” Cassian keeps his voice low, his words meant only for Alastor’s ears, and the vampire lord chuckles, amused.
“Is that a laugh I hear from the great Lord Alastor?”
Both Alastor and Cassian turn at the same time, and there’s another vampire before them, but unlike the other two vampires, this one looks like he’s of a higher status, and his beauty …is the kind that’s sculpted. His hair is silver-white and pulled back neatly, and his eyes are a sharp shade of red that doesn’t soften when they land on Cassian. If anything, they brighten.
“Seth,” Alastor acknowledges. “I didn’t expect you tonight.”