The remaining night, as well as the next day, is full of work. After Lyall agreed to get the beasts involved in donating blood, we also needed a place where Erwin could work. We have been able to put the tents of the border patrols to good use for that.

With the pieces of cloth, we were able to expand the main cave into the clearing without bringing everybody in danger. We can call ourselves lucky that the winter sun is not too bright, even though we are struggling with keeping the humans warm. The construct seems stable enough though to have more room.

There also needed to be some partitioning. Otherwise, most humans would have panicked when someone else's treatment goes wrong. Despite Erwin's usual behavior, this is his element. He knows what he is doing, even though the pile of corpses grows with every passing hour.

At some point, even I had to go to sleep for a while. The constant smell of blood and the tiredness nags at my mind and body. I got back to the chamber where Naveena and I had been living for a few weeks together to rest. After the little sleep, I am still tired and worn out. At least my nightmares did not get out of hand this time.

When I am still sitting on the fur, thinking about the whereabouts of Tristan, I can hear Celeste asking her way to my room. I know I never cared to tell her to stop chasing after my attention, but why can't she just leave me alone? The only person I really want to see right now in that doorless frame in front of me would be Tristan.

... but it is never about what I want, hm?

I get up just the moment Celeste enters with a small smile on her face, and a bundle of clothes wrapped in her arms. "Good evening, darling. Have you had a nice rest?"

"I'm not in the mood for friendly conversations, Celeste. Is there anything that needs my attention?" I get straight to the point.

She takes a few more steps in my direction before handing over what she is carrying. "I did not forget about you when I came here," she says.

I take a closer look at the bundle in front of me and it contains some leather armor and a very special weapon in the middle. I pull out the ax, and lay down the rest of the clothes, to inspect the carvings on the handle. I stare at them for a moment to realize that I know them.

A loud growl rolls out of my chest to free the anger within. "What does that mean?" I bark at her but she just laughs.

"Don't be mad at me," she starts and her tone gets more serious, "I liked the thought that you will have a weapon with this sign. Use it to destroy whoever will try to harm us. The same sign that got us all into that will seek revenge. Isn't that poetic?"

She reaches out, to engulf my tense jawline and cheeks softly with her palms. Her eyes start to glow. "Remember that you are not the only one who they stole Nora from. I want Naveena's head, darling. Nobody steals from us and can expect to get away with it, right? Will you be able to bring our girl back with this?"

I look down on the weapon in my hands. I never saw her so determined about something so cruel.

"I will put it to good use if the situation calls for it," I answer before shoving her hands away.

"Where have you been during the explosions? How come your blood is clean?" I then ask before going to undress my upper body and put on the linen shirt and leather armor Celeste brought.

I need to confess that it feels good to get dressed more properly again, especially before calling the guards for parole. When I turn around, I can see her staring at me. Her eyes are back to normal and her smile is as indefinable as ever, but she is just watching me instead of answering.

"So?" I ask and she shakes her head slightly.

"I've been with the little ones. Without you in the headquarters, it was not the same anyway, so I moved in the orphanage. Who would have guessed that I once take care for over forty humans at once? It is heartwarming how some of the girls try to imitate me."

I am not convinced, but I have no proof that this is not the truth either. Reaching out to grab the leather trousers I keep on asking, "How is it going at the sick bay?" When she only intends to stand there, looking over me, as if I am a piece of meat, she can at least give me an update while I change.

"Dr. Johnson is very passionate about his work. I never thought that he could behave like a real doctor when needed. Since you went to rest, we only lost three more humans. Eve and most of Lyall's entourage is about to get up. I guess, I accidentally woke some of them while getting here."

"Then it's about time," I mumble while moving the last pieces in place and binding my new weapon onto my hip. I sigh.

"Why did you reach out for the Hunter, Celeste. Was it not enough for you that I got myself banished?" I did not intend to have that disappointed undertone, but something within me is about to give up and I need some answers.

She still smiles at me. "It maybe would have been, if you would have told me the truth far earlier. Either way, what is done, is done now. Don't blame me for your mistakes."

I straight out, and my eyes flash up at her words, but she is right. For sure, she is not the only one who blames me for that situation. Another few vampires that will hate me and another few dead humans that suffered because I completely misjudged, right?

Business as usual. I sigh once more.

"As soon as Lord Blackwood is back, he will for sure find a fitting punishment for my misguided detour. For now, we need to prepare for battle."

"Oh Ethan,..." her voice fades and her eyes show something like pity. "Lord Blackwood is―"

"He will come back!" I bark out far louder and angrier than I wanted.

"He is nobody to punish you for that. That's what I wanted to say," she retorts softly.

I grunt before making my way out of there to do what I can to bring back some order into the rows of the remaining guards. She follows me silently outside and I look around in the main cave. There are a lot of sleeping people, mostly wounded, but the sun already dawned. The last light is fading fast outside and so is the fear for more burnings.

It is about time – that is right.

Erwin took care of all the humans, and naturally, the wounded vampires lined up farther behind in his priority list. He used a lot of the beast's alcohol to clean all their wounds and make sure to prevent infections. The scent of it is mixed with the blood and I spot a half-emptied bottle standing on the table just a few feet away from me.

I cannot tell how much my body and mind longs for the liquid in there to drown myself in sweet numbness. A cigarette would also be great but I doubt that I will find one. Just when I think about him, Connor shows up next to me; unfortunately, without cigarettes.

"Hey brother," he greets me as usual, "What are you up to? You look fancy."

"Parole outside," I yell into the room instead of answering him. Some of the sleeping patients get startled. To my very own pleasure, I can see the Frog utterly confused at that kind of waking call. Connor and Celeste are following me and my guards, one after the other, stumble outside when I come to a halt and watch them line up.

I feel proud as I can see them coming to fulfill their duty at the parole even though their bodies must hurt badly. Joe, the one I taught a lesson by cutting off his hand, for example, is limping and supported by Sven who, on his own, has a pain inflicted expression on his face. I saw him kneeling next to his wife's bed, holding her hand. I was not able to find the council member who is her brother though. We lost many men that night.

These are the vampire guards, who are still able to be on duty to protect a whole city. I frown and try to retell how many could still be in the sickbay, vampires equally as humans. The beasts are three times as many if I only count their highest ranks of fighters.

Twenty-two.

If I am lucky, some of the guards are spread over London as they fled to acquaintances and relatives instead of occupying the carriages with limited space. We have a serious problem and it will only get worse if some of the greedy elites around the country will learn about our situation.

When. I correct myself. That is not a question if. I will need to find Tristan before that.

Eve and Lester are the last ones to leave the cave but they do not line up but come to stand next to Cassy and Connor behind me. I motion to pace along the line, checking every guard's face for a few moments to figure out their state of health and mind, I conclude that we will need more than that. We are twenty-five when I count Lester, Eve and myself in too.

Those are still too few. Of course, they are well trained, but they are weakened. I will need to make sure they all get the same treatment as the humans.

"I won't lie to you," I start when I turn around. "Our situation is awful, and all of you look like you belong to bed instead of out here. I can see your strength though, and let me tell you this: There is no way for us to rest. Things will not get any easier from now on. You are not only guards anymore. You are guardians. You are soldiers!" My eyes wander over their discouraged faces.

"This poison is a reminder. This is how it feels to be human! Embrace the pain, defeat it and grow stronger from it. It will not kill you. This is something I learned long ago and this is something I also want to let you know. Death must be earned, and none of us is declared worthy yet. We fight, we bleed, and we die together!"

I make my way to come to stand in front of Connor and he looks at me in confusion.

"You said, you'd follow me when I leave. I have a question; will you also follow me, when I stay?"

"Hell, no, look at that bunch of yours. They will fall as soon as a strong wind will hit them," his face is straight and so is mine. I take a glance at Eve and she nods. A wide grin spreads on my face.

"Is that so?"

"I don't like when you grin like that, brother, but instead of following you, I will fight with you – next to you – if that was what you were asking for." Connor stays serious.

I reach to my belt and take out the knife I carry since I left the headquarters. The one knife, with the carvings, that irritated me right from the beginning. Cutting through my palm, I hold up my hand and show the wound to the men behind me.

"Blood; the source of our power, our nemesis, and our salvation," while I speak my wound is healing already. "I found people here, who are willing to help us, but their reign is built upon strength and as weakened as we are, they won't take us seriously. What they don't know is that we are still up for the challenge." Connor let me cut his palm as I reach out for his hand and after I cut myself again, we press our hands together.

He now, too, starts to grin at me. "Now that sounds like a plan, brother," he bumps his shoulder against mine before I turn around to my guards again. My nostrils flatter as a breeze is carrying a familiar scent into my nose. Lyall is approaching us.

"I said, no fights," he interrupts.

"Do you see me fighting?" I ask innocently.

"I see you starting to recruit my men and I cannot tolerate that."

He is right and, I was already able to turn some curious faces here and there in my direction whilst they were roaming around at the remaining space that once was a big clearing. There is to that, I guess. Let's try something else then. I have little to lose.

"What if I would defeat my caretaker in order to make it happen?"

A low growl rolls out of Lyall's broad chest. He builds up in front of me to stand tall on his feet, looking down. "I'd say you better be careful, Butcher. Even my patience has a limit and it's just fair to warn you that you are about to reach it."

We stare at each other as two beasts come to find Lyall. They are the two main guards of the gates; at least I have never seen someone else there being in control. "We are not done talking," he says before turning what requires his attention.

"There is a vampire at the gates," one reports.

"So what? Let him in, does it look like we are all too picky with whom we let in here as of lately?" Lyall's answer is far grumpier than I remember him ever being. I guess, the circumstances also start to take its toll and the tensions in his muscles only add to it.

The two look at each other before the other answers, "He smells like death, Lyall." Taking a closer look at those black-haired men, I realize that I could not tell them apart. They look identically from the top of their head to the feet. Their whole appearance is perfect to match with the shadows.

To confirm the statement from the first one the other one nods. "He also said he is here to find someone called Killian, but we don't have someone like that, do we?"

I freeze on the spot. There is someone in front of the gates, who knows my old name.

He smells like death.

He knows me, smells like death and came here. I do not know if I should feel lucky or terrified.

"No, no, no, we don't. I don't think so," the first says again. Lyall is still eying them.

"I guess that is our guest!" Celeste then chirps happily. "In order to keep at least a little bit of security to your place we decided to come up with a password. Thomas suggested using this name as he said it once belonged to someone important to him. Such a mystery monger, he never told me who it is!"

Coincidence. I try to calm my tense muscles, but I have to say that I cannot believe that. Before I can decide if I want to speak up, Celeste hurries to Lyall so that they both can walk over to the gates, where the gates are about to open as of Lyall's command.

"Oh I haven't seen Thomas in ages; it will be so much fun! Did I already tell you that he assisted me once in a play? He is very talented, even though he has that handicap," Cassy keeps on raining down praises for this man.

Eve comes to stand next to me. "You will not like him."

"I not like a lot of people." I straighten out, without caring about her eye rolling. Let us see who this Hunter is and why he knows my real name. I can still rip off his head if he is the one we have been searching for so long.

As the gates are finally open, a black horse with black leather saddlebags and a hooded man walks in. The Hunter is hiding his face, but his clothes are those of a nobleman. The silver buttons on his coat underneath the cloak are shining in the moonlight and his horse obeys to his pull to make it halt. Dismounting the horse, he pulls out a crane to support his limp while walking over the few steps to Lyall and Celeste.

My eyes widen in pure surprise as he takes off his hood and shows a splendid smile. A row of pearly teeth with sharp fangs, lurk out of his toothy grin. The strong jawline and the straight nose of the handsome young man are complemented with gleaming brown eyes. The golden hair is slicked back neatly and reminds me of my own haircut.

"What a heartily welcome by such a beautiful woman! Let me look at you, did you get even prettier while I was away? I can imagine while they were able to burn down the headquarters. Nobody would be able to concentrate on their job when you are there!" The Hunter flatters Celeste and she blushes before wrapping her arms around him.

"It is so good to see you, Thomas! We are all in desperate need of a little of your sunshine mood," she answers and he laughs out with the clearest and most adorable sound I have ever heard.

It rips my mind apart.

Right when I thought I escaped my own nightmares, my mind tricks me once more. A cold shiver runs down my spine and my head starts to spin as I try to breathe steadily. I tense up even more when I feel Eve's eyes on my face. I cannot look away from that man who is just hugging Celeste.

"Are you envious because she let him embrace her like that?" Eve wants to mock me but I cannot react. It cannot be true. The blood in my ears is rushing through as I try to suppress that damn heart that races through my chest and wants to take over my consciousness. I refuse to go on my knees right now, no matter how bad this panic attack strikes. This is just an illusion.

Eve slightly shakes her head before walking over to greet the Hunter too. "Oh my, aren't we blessed, gentlemen? Another beautiful woman with an even fiercer look in her eyes than ever before," the Hunter bows to take Eve's hand and kiss the back of it, "Lady Blackwood, your presence is an honor for everybody here."

I killed recently and my mind starts to play those old cruel tricks on me again. It is just another nightmare, right?

There is always something off. What is more obvious than this man right here in the woods?

"I know why you don't like him," Connor says silently standing on my right side.

"I do too," Lester then whispers next to him.

It cannot be true.

With a swift turn of my wrist, I move the blade of the knife in my hands and close my fingers. The sharp edge bites into my flesh and the blood starts to gush out my fist.

It cannot be true. My hand and chest hurt equally as I am still staring at the pair that now turned to me.

"Ethan," Eve whispers but I cannot move. I need to wait until it is over.

This cannot be true.

"I am home! Did you miss me?" the all too familiar stranger beams.