Chapter 20 – Bogdan

Droplets of water trickle down the slabs of manmade walls, finding homes within the cracks of their foundation. The gentle whiskers of rats sniff along the corridor in search of scraps of food. Even in stillness, there is movement. There is life.

I close my eyes and blend into the shadows, melting into the darkness. I am stone. I am nothing. My thoughts are silenced as I tap into the soulless creature within me. It's where vampires are meant to live, meant to thrive. It's been centuries since our kind has crawled out from the ashes - not to be better, but to be equal.

I hone in on my senses and am keenly aware of just how much the human world has weakened me. My thoughts have overtaken my senses. My feelings, what little I possess, have overpowered my judgement. It is not wrong. Such is the nature of becoming conditioned. Yet it goes against the grain of my DNA, against my immortal being.

"...to hold them."

Voices echo through the corroded pipes above me. Feet shuffle. Two pairs in total, just as Gabe promised. Their pace is sluggish, clearly either on break or avoiding their post. Based on the way the sound is traveling, they are headed towards me.

"We got most of them," Guard Two adds. "Mr. Primary says we've obtained their leader. Now it's just a matter of turning them."

"That and forcing the human leader to surrender to our command."

They turn the corner and stop just fifty feet away from me. Guard One leans against the wall. A small piece of debris falls away as he settles his weight against it. Guard Two rests beside him and scratches at the lightly forming facial hair across his jaw.

"You think all of them will die?" Guard One asks. "Like the one in the infirmary?"

Guard Two waves him off. "He's not dead yet. Mr. Primary knew there was a risk in creating the anti-venom by using the blood of a Nirv. Hell, it's designed to kill vampires. But that was the point, to kill off the vampire genetics while leaving their human genetics intact."

"Except humans are weak," Guard One laughs sardonically. "I realize Mr. Primary was trying to turn them all back to their original form, but once their vampire DNA is killed off, did he really think their human side would be strong enough to keep them living?"

Guard Two shrugs. He possesses a shred of compassion. Little does he know, it will work in his favor. Their words confirm everything I have pieced together over the past few days. Reyo does not care if he wipes out an entire species of vampires. Even if his intent is to turn them all to human, when he realizes it will not work, he will continue killing them anyway. His mission is clear: Secondaries shall rule by whatever means necessary.

Anger threatens to take over my mind and cloud my senses. I focus on my human's blood as it courses through my ageless veins, giving me power and strength. Without my human's blood, Reyo has nothing. The Secondaries will lose. The war might not be over, but I will change its course. And I will save my human.

Guard Two shuffles in front of Guard One. "At least he tried. Either way, I don't think we can imprison any more vampires." His voice drops to a whisper. "Not with you-know-who lurking around."

A smirk tugs at the corners of my lips.

"You-know-who?" I whisper, finally revealing myself from the shadows. "I assume you're referring to me. For future reference, my name is Bogdan."

Both of the guards jump to attention. Guard One eyes me with nothing but disgust and disdain smothering his pointed features. His eyes glimmer with a hunger that parallels my own. He's far more vampiric than I assumed. In contrast, Guard Two is in awe, albeit terrified. His dark eyes dart between me and the other, who is clearly his superior. It will be a shame to have to kill him, but I will if my plan doesn't go just as it needs to.

"This is a hallway for guards only," Guard One warns. "You're not allowed here, vampire."

I raise my hands in mock surrender and slowly move towards them, a predator ensnaring its prey. "Tsk, tsk. And here I thought Mr. Primary diligently taught manners to all his trained minions."

Guard Two shifts uneasily from foot to foot. Each of their inner beings dominates their lesser half. Guard One sharpens his vampire senses while Guard Two uses his human emotion to gauge my next move. Little does either know that this is all pre-planned, all thanks to the help of Gabe. My human will not be pleased with the means in which I used to ensure this plan's success, but it was necessary.

I made my human a promise, that I would rescue him and prevent Reyo from carrying out his plan of war. Over time he will see that. He will understand I am doing this for him. An emotion treks through my chest, causing a sharp ache to spread across the muscle. A wistful thought follows, my mind wondering if this is what it feels like to experience guilt and regret.

"Stay back!"

Guard one snarls, all too quickly pulling me back to reality. His lips curl upward, revealing the tips of pointed canines. I continue my path towards them.

"You know," I say calmly. "I haven't had a good meal since my arrival here. I was wondering if one of you two, fine gentleman could point me towards the kitchen?"

Both stare at me, wordless.

"No?" I close the distance between me and Guard One, baring my teeth and diluting my veins with only my human's blood. "Then it looks like I'll have to make due with whatever I find lying around."

Guard One's reflexes are faster than that of a human, but still nothing in comparison to mine. He attempts to squirm away from my hold, but it's futile. I use my strength to pin him down, slamming my knees into his chest. My vampire strength keeps me from losing, but anger fuels the intensity behind my actions. He is immobile. My teeth scrape along my wrist until a razor-sharp cut has formed. Without hesitation, I slip my open vein against his mouth. He thrashes against the gesture, wanting nothing to do with my flowing blood.

Of course, I don't blame him. I'm forcing him to drink his own death. Guard Two doesn't know what to do. I taste his putrid fear in the air like stale garbage and whip my head towards him warning.

"Stay where you are, and I will allow you to live," I hiss. "Move a step towards me and I promise, you will be next."

He trembles when his eyes lock with mine. I know what he sees. Power. A demon. Evil. I bask in the power of it, allowing the freedom of fury to flow freely instead of having to keep it on a tightened leash.

I turn my focus back to the bastard below me and close his nostrils. He thrashes harder, his stone-like shoulder blades cracking against the ground beneath him. It is useless. This is for my human. He will not escape this. He will not escape me.

"Drink it," I snarl. "Taste my human's blood, and you too will taste the fate you so quickly wished upon all the others of your kind."

Guard One's eyes widen in shock. I am unsure if it's from my words or the decadence of my human's blood. His fight lessens as the blood fills his mouth and he's forced to swallow it down. His tongue slides against my wrist. His mind is drugged by the taste. He is powerless to its effect and sucks at my open vein, lapping up the poison.

I watch as his body slows. Then his muscles twitch to stillness, and his eyes roll to the back of his head.

For reasons unknown to me, I allow a moment of silence as I move off him. I adjust my attire and carefully wipe away the wet blood and saliva coagulating along my wrist. Guard Two has pissed himself. I smell it as he tries to move a step backward.

"You will go nowhere," I command. "Except with me. Gabe said you could be trusted."

I lift my gaze to meet his, ready to request he take me to the imprisoned vampires, but the speaker tied to his waist buzzes to life.

"Nate? Nate, are you there? Over."

Guard Two, Nate, winces, unsure of what to do. There's a sense of urgency and panic in the man's voice that gives me pause. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I nod for Nate to answer call, giving him a stern look of warning.

He swallows once, and his adam's apple bobs up and down slowly as he grabs the receiver.

"I-I'm here, Commander. Just finishing rounds on the East corridor. All clear."

Static.

"Bring your unit to the infirmary," the voice commands. "Mr. Primary's orders."

I mouth for him to ask why, but without the confirmation, I know what is coming next.

"Of course, Commander," Nate nods. "Any issue?"

"Patient Zero has been pronounced dead. We need to move him out and pull the serum from the lab. Mr. Primary has given the go-ahead to move forward with injection of our prisoners."

My breath becomes caught in my throat. The need to be with my human nearly brings me to my knees. Does he know Kelly is gone? I need to get to him. My reflexes act of their own accord. I yank the receiver from Nate's waist and smash it against the wall with a bellowing cry. I face him, my eyes blazing with fury.

"Take me to the prisoners," I say. "Now."

Nate stumbles over his feet and nods. He leads me, without question. Little does he know all hell has broken loose within me. They have taken too much from my human already. His best friend. His hope. His happiness. Now they want to take his blood, but they don't realize what I'm willing to do, what I'm willing to give to save what's left of him.

But they will.

Now they have to answer to me.