"That's something I don't know, Lord Ivan. But we have special weapons that should help immensely. The goddess showed us where this metal called silver could be mined, so we've been preparing for the last eight years, gathering it in secret."
"I know of the silver you speak of. The one who turned me into what I am, gifted me with such a weapon. But I don't need it anymore as I now have this--" I said summoning my spear. The wicked weapon glowed faintly in the dimly lit room.
"Is it powerful?" the mayor asked curiously.
"It can kill gods."
The old man crossed himself and put both hands together, praying for forgiveness.
"Goddess forgive him, he's still young," the man murmured before crossing himself another time. "Lord Ivan, please. Now, when do you plan to attack them? I want my soldiers to join in the fight!"
I shrugged and leaned into the chair to get more comfortable.
"I'm more than enough for all of what she has to offer, mayor, but I'm here on other business first and foremost. I need to find someone, you see? Someone very important to both the Countess and me."
"Could it be a young man you're trying to find perhaps? A very violent and strong young man?"
"Maybe. The name is Vladimir. Does he stay with the Countess?"
"No. He's a hunter. He's out every night with his group. They're all super strong monsters. But it's funny how you ask about him, young man. Might I know what the reason might be?"
"Reason for what?"
"For wanting to find him."
"Swear allegiance to me. I'll give you a couple of drops from my blood. It should lengthen your lifespan and make you much stronger and more vital."
"I can't do that," the old man replied hastily.
"Why not?"
"Because my allegiance is with the goddess."
"And what if I told you I fucked her ten years ago? And that Vladimir is the son born from that act?"
The old man grabbed for his chest. I could feel his heart stop beating for a second. His eyes started rolling up into his skull. I cursed and slit open my palm, then pressed it against his mouth. It took him some seconds to recover, but he did so quickly and gave me an evil stare afterward.
"How dare you spout such evil in my home, Lord Ivan?" he demanded.
"You should do well not to anger your new benefactor and god, mayor. You now belong to me, as does that goddess you speak off. Now tell me, where can I find Vladimir?"
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"What? That's preposterous! How can you even claim such a thing?" the mayor croaked as he overturned his chair. He looked down and back to me, his face flushed red.
"She can tell her yourself one day if you meet her again, old man. Now, for the last time, where does Vladimir stay or make his base when in Orsova?"
He narrowed his eyes on mine and gritted his teeth. His shaky hands were curled into fists as he stood there. He stared down at the piece of wood he used as a cane and then up at me again.
"When do we attack, my Lord?" he mouthed visibly deflated. "I'm sorry, but all of this is hard to believe. Until a decade ago all I knew was-- nothing. Then slowly, little by little, things turned weird and much worse. And to top it all off, I feel better than I have in the last forty years after drinking-- your blood."
I turned to the fireplace and watched the flames dance. There was something beautiful in the act of consuming, especially with fire. Maybe I should try it out on the Countess and her friend, and see how they dealt with flame. I chuckled, shaking my head. Yes, that's precisely how they'd die if it were up to me.
"I attack once I find Vladimir and see if I could talk to him or not. If he's too problematic, then I'll take care of him another way."
"Yes, my Lord, but how do we know when to attack?" he insisted.
"And why do you insist, mayor? Why throw away the lives of your men and women?"
He looked down as if searching for the answer atop the wooden table.
"Most of these men and women have lost someone dear to them. I have promised them a battle, and that's what I'm going to give them, with or without you, Lord Ivan."
"Hmm. I can appreciate someone fighting for what they believe in," I replied and smirked at the man. "It isn't so long ago that I was in your shoes, or rather, in your soldier's shoes. For that reason, we'll do it like this. You'll stand by once I leave and wait. Once you hear a major ruckus from her manor, you can join in on the battle."
"My Lord! I forgot to tell you where it is! Please forgive me," he begged with his head held low.
"No matter. I assume it's the largest building at the center of the city?"
He looked up again and nodded.
"Yes. It's right at the center, some five minutes by foot from here."
"Good. And one last thing. Do you have any idea how this dome-- magic works? I reckon this place is invisible? Otherwise, she'd already found out about your little rebellion."
The mayor's right eye twitched slightly.
"The magic, as you call it, is achieved by the use of light crystals in combination with crystals of darkness. Anything smart enough to be able to speak or walk is hidden while living and dead nature are visible. There is a rune which you inscribe for the desired effect."
"I assume you'll tell me once all of this is over?"
He nodded reluctantly and offered me his bony hand.
"My Lord. If you save this city from them, we will swear allegiance to your-- name and pay tribute on a monthly or seasonal scale."
"That sounds better, mayor. I'm glad that we-- came to an arrangement so quickly," I replied, shaking his offered hand.
"You will want to search for him at the most northern part of the city, Lord Ivan. There is a tower that serves as a base for the 'problematic youth' as we call them. Well, Vladimir is the only young man there, as the rest are all much older."
"How many are there beside him? And what are they?"
He shrugged his shoulders and sat back down.
"I do not know precisely. He's always together with at least three or four of them, and as to what they are? Again, I have no idea. They can fly, they can fight like monsters, and they are extremely violent. Many people have found their-- demise after trying to take it up with them."
"Make your preparations, mayor and be sure to attack when the time comes, or don't blame me for doing all the work."
"My Lord. We will. Oh, and if I may suggest, once you exit through the front gate, go left through the small woods, and you will end up at the square. From there, it's a two-minute walk to the mansion. Go past the right side and follow the street up north to get to the tower."
"Mayor," I said with a slight nod. I didn't really feel like thanking him, so that should be enough. At least for now. He remained silent as I turned to fog and exit the room. I found myself floating outside among the soldiers and observing them from the shadows. They seemed motivated and in high spirits, though their faces couldn't hide all of the sorrow and anxiousness within.
"Why did she have me do this?" I whispered to myself. "Was she trying to show me something? I have enough problems as is without having to think about weak, frail Human beings."
I couldn't help but feel anger and betrayal when I thought about Freya. She and her games. If her words had been true, our time on this world had already passed, so why hold on to it? No, there were more important things to do, starting with this sorry heap of bastards.
"Come!" I shouted as I appeared right before the group of soldiers. A couple of the nearest young men fainted and turned tail upon seeing me, but the remainder quickly armed themselves and rushed me. I summoned a wall of shadow around me and deflected any possible blow.
"Kill him! Kill the monster! Burn his corpse!" were only a couple of the insults thrown my way, but to me, they were nothing more than buzzing flies. I waved my hand in a fan and sent shadows that knocked most of them off their feet. What a weak bunch, no matter their resolve. They'll just get themselves killed.
"Line up! Al
l of you!" I ordered and waved off the dome around me.
"Do as he says!" the mayor croaked from the back as he ran up to us. "That's Lord Ivan!"
Gasps and curses flew in all directions as they understood who I was.
"All of you walk up to me and drink a drop of my blood. I want this over within a minute or two at most, so hurry up and get in line!" I ordered. The men and women scurried into a long line that went on for quite a while. I counted them quickly and came up with a hundred and eighty poor souls. It would be such a shame for them to die just like that.
I summoned my spear and traced my right thumb across the blade and motioned for them to start moving in one by one. I could hear some protest about how stupid this seemed or that they weren't 'like us, animals and monsters, but I didn't care. Once they had a taste of the drug called power, they would love me.
Just like predicted, it was over in a couple of minutes. Some of them convulsed, some dropped like hit by a hammer to the head, but that wasn't my concern. They should gain the needed power before I even hit the gate.
The woods were a glorified fence, not even a hundred feet deep. I quickly passed through the thicket and came upon a road that led right to the square. This part of the city was again identical to the one I appeared in earlier. High rooftops, red and grey brick, cobbled roads and crystal lights everywhere. The one big difference, or rather three, were the enormous fountain at the dead center of the square, the mansion just north of it and the lack of pedestrians. There wasn't a single soul outside, not even an animal.
"What the hell?" I murmured as I strode toward the fountain. It was red with old blood. I looked around at the houses, all the windows were boarded shut. Smoke wafted from the chimneys telling me that people were there, but no one was eager to be out. "Shit, this isn't the kind of place I would like to live at. Everything reeks of death."
"It sure does," a voice whispered from behind. I turned around and grabbed hold of their neck, but it was only Freya. Or rather a shadow that looked just like her. "Go find him. If you can't make him see reason, kill Vladimir. Such a creature can't be left to their own fate."
"Why don't you--"
That's as far as I got. The shadow disappeared into thin air and any likeness of her along with it. The voice went quiet, and the presence evaporated. I sighed, annoyed by how she was always able to catch me off guard.
"So, you want me to do the dirty work, huh? Fuck you," I whispered. "If you want him dead, do it yourself."
Despite my thoughts of rebellion, I couldn't help but think about my own powers and safety. If he had the same gene and managed to figure out how to awaken to stage four, I would become a Nosferatu, a mere shell of my former self. I might become very powerful or stay the way I was, but there would be no future for me. And I still had so much to do, so much to fight for. No, I wouldn't let this be the death of me.
I hurried along past the Countess' mansion, studying it in as much detail as I could. A large number of soldiers, maybe as much as a hundred, walked around or stood guard along with a group of what I knew were supernaturals. They looked Human, but their mannerisms, as well as the way they moved and gestured weren't Human.
Not wanting to draw their attention, I turned to shadow and flowed along the wall as the iron gate surrounding her mansion seemed to go on forever. The building itself was at least four stories high, which was a marvel of architecture for our time I guessed, but considering all the manpower she had at her disposal, it didn't surprise me. Towers manned by guards surrounded the plot along with enough crystals to light up the whole of Zharevo and both the castles.
Moving quickly, I found the road that should be leading to the tower reasonably easy. It was the only one leading to the Northern part of the city. No matter how far I moved, there were still no pedestrians. A large number of light crystals were shattered, giving off a strange, dark vibe in comparison to the rest of Orsova. It felt like I was wandering off into the cavern of a dangerous beast all by myself. Maybe I was.
"I sure hope that the two of you listen to my order," I murmured. Boris was never one to dawdle around and do nothing, but Selene was with him, so I hoped that she could stay him long enough. And just when I thought that I had enough of one big Werewolf, I noticed another one standing guard at a rundown building, or rather a tower. I had no idea what purpose it might have served previously, but now it was quite useless.
The big brute sniffed at the air and growled low as he made a step toward me. I couldn't help but grin and accept his challenge. With a mental order, I dismissed the shadow state and appeared only a couple of feet from him.
"Who might you be, little man?" the Werewolf snarled. His mouth was set in a grin that showed off almost all of his sharp, rending teeth. I bared my own fangs, which only served to amuse him.
"Come at me," I replied just loud enough for him to hear me. He shrugged and stood upright, pulled back his fist, and leaped at me. Sidestepping his attack, I summoned the spear and brought it down from the back of his head to his tail, slicing him in half. The Werewolf didn't even have the time to process what had happened or to feel pain. Wretched creatures. They stank to high heaven, even when dead.
I sighed and turned to the entrance, which was eerily quiet. If he was always surrounded by several strong supernaturals, this was quite the disappointment. Still, I didn't want anyone to find out about me before it was time, so I devoured his body with my shadows. Dracul stirred inside, angry at the weak offering. He stayed quiet, though, knowing I was about to do something foolish.
I crept up the stone staircase that seemed to go on forever. It was pitch black, which only served to add to my discomfort and to the feeling in my guts. It wasn't fear for my life, no, it was fear from the unknown. Would I want to meet him? What would I even find in the end?
The tower was built strangely without any floors, just a staircase that led to an upper level high above the ground. I peeked around the corner. The light was faint, but I could see everything clearly in the room. Atop a throne-like chair, a young man much like myself, sat and drank from a young woman's neck. She hung limply in his arms, her eyes lifeless and heart barely beating. To his sides, four large men and three women stood with their faces all turned to me.
"I see you've been expecting me," I said, appearing at the top of the stairs. He threw the lifeless body aside and wiped the blood off his mouth.
"I don't know who you are, but I've felt you ever since you set foot on the square. Speaking of which, where's Ivan?"
"Huh?" I asked not quite getting what he was going at. How did he know my name?
"The Werewolf downstairs. He's this guy's younger brother," he said, motioning at the largest of the men standing to his right.
"Dead and devoured by my shadows. That's where all of your friends are going to end up unless they swear allegiance to me," I growled. For some reason, I wasn't yet ready to use the dreaded word. Son. How the hell was he going to react at hearing it from me in this situation?
"I see," he replied. I couldn't help but scoff at the hand he put on the big brother's side to stay him. Maybe it would be smarter to get this over with quickly and drag his sorry hide out of this place. "Would you indulge me with a single question? Well, not one, but two. Seeing you're way in over your head, and that you've 'killed' one of my own, it's the least you could do, no?"
I shrugged as I stepped toward them.
"Ask. I can't promise you'll hear what you want."
"No, I bet you can't. Anyway, what I want to know is what the hell you want from me, and who the hell are you?" he growled from his throne.
"What I want is you, little boy," I snickered. He frowned and got up angrily. I doubted anyone had ever hurt him up until this point or dared to talk back.
"Little boy? Even if you were my dead father, this kind of disrespect is preposterous!"
"And what are you going to do about it?" I hissed baring my teeth.
"Why do you look so familiar?" Vladimir asked as he stepped up closer
to meet me.
"Why do you think so, Vladimir? Why do you think I look so familiar?"
He narrowed his eyes on me and probed my mind with a telepathic attack, but cried out and dropped to the ground.
"What the hell is it with you? How many souls are in there?" he hissed, pointing at my body.
"It doesn't matter to the current situation in the least. What matters is what you decide to do. Are you coming quietly with me, or do I have to beat you half to death and drag you off?"
"You still haven't told me who you are!" he snapped and got up from the floor, taking a fighting stance I never saw before. Not that it mattered. No style was going to be enough of a gamechanger to beat me.
"My name is Lord Ivan, King of Vampyres," I said, observing his reaction. He didn't seem to grasp what I just said, so I had to add one up on it. "Oh, and I'm your father."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
"What the hell are you talking about? She told me you died a long time ago!" Vladimir snapped. "Don't you even dare come spout that shit here! And why do you know my name? No one outside those closest to me is supposed to know!"
"I won't ask again," I replied with as much steel I could put in my voice. It sounded low, dangerous, and almost evil. But it did its job. He stepped back and looked at his friends or whatever they were for help. The brute of a big brother stepped up, changing as he approached. His whole body almost doubled its size as the clothes off his back ripped to shreds.
"I won't kill you," he snarled. "Only maim you, so you'll wish you were dead!"
I didn't even blink as the monstrosity lunged at me. His claw was almost as large as my chest and as fast as lightning. It flashed before my eyes and tore at my left shoulder, but I didn't budge. He stopped, unsure of why I wasn't defending myself. Snarling, his snout came down, and his teeth closed around my shoulder.
"Is that all you have to offer?" I asked slowly as if nothing was amiss. "If so, it's my turn next." My fist shot out and caught the Werewolf in his ribs. They cracked audibly under my punch and sent him flying into the three men that had been standing beside him. His body crushed them against the wall, breaking their bones beneath his massive bulk.
Lord of Shadows book 2: Bloodlines Page 21
