Page 32 of My Master
Isis closed her eyes. “You’re wrong,” she whispered. “You’re wrong…”
* * *
It wasan hour later and Caesareon had shoved her into a vehicle, kept her blindfolded, though she didn’t deem it necessary, and drove her. The drive was far too quiet for her taste; making her wonder if Caesareon was even there with her. The only reassurance she got was that he would place his hand gently on her leg and move it just as quickly.
Finally, she asked, “How are we doing this battle thing, anyway?”
Caesareon laughed. “I am afraid that you must wait. I will show you what you must do. It is quite simple, really.”
“Care to elaborate?”
“You shall see, Isis.” And then he fell silent. The minutes that passed were agonizing, and it wasn’t just the boredom. She wanted to know what he was leading her to, what it was she was up against. She had been to battle with Caesareon before; her hands were tainted with the bloodstains of the many lives she had ended all those years ago. And the thing is, back then, she didn’t feel remorse for who she killed, at least, not in the moment.
Sometimes when they would go into battle Caesareon would make sure she didn’t have food for a week, sometimes months. Normally that would make any vampire go weak, but when her feet first touched that battle field and blood assaulted her nostrils, well, she couldn’t help herself. She would feed upon the prey, losing control of who she really was and not feel a thing as she quenched her thirst.
Only afterwards, when she was bathing in the lake, would she go underwater and cry all she wanted, because that was the one time that no one could gaze upon her and call her weak. Often she had wondered why they considered her weak. Was it because she had a hold on her humanity? Was it her compassion for fragile creatures like humans? She knew that there were bad people out there, bad people who deserved to die, but she would never kill them, unless they were a direct threat to her.
It felt like déjà vu now, Caesareon at her side, taking her to a place that would only end in bloodshed. She wondered how he planned on controlling her, because every fiber in Isis refused to end someone else’s life. Maybe he would use that mind link they shared, or perhaps he’d just cut someone’s throat and watch her bloodlust take over.
Her stomach grumbled. She hadn’t eaten in a few days. Feeding wasn’t something a vampire should ever put off. It wasn’t like when she had been human, with a few cramps here and there. No, it was much worse. When a vampire was hungry, it was as if their living essence were fading. Her mouth was dry, her lips cracking. She sucked on the blood from them but it did little to help her aching fangs.
“Hungry?” Caesareon asked.
Isis shook her head, but he knew that she was lying.
“In a moment you will have your fill of blood, my warrior.”
Isis felt the car jerk to a stop and a second later, the blindfold was pulled from her. She blinked away the darkness and looked at Caesareon. His eyes were flickering with anticipation but his mouth remained a thin line as he observed her. It looked as though he wanted to say something to her, to tell her something important. Instead, he pressed an unwanted kiss on her lips.
“Time to go, my warrior.”
Isis had assumed that this was going to be a stealth mission, get in, murder a few anti-supernaturals and get out of there. But Caesareon had to go and contradict her at every turn.
Instead of sneaking into the back of the room like normal murderers, Caesareon made them all march in a wall formation towards the small building, Caesareon took the lead with Isis and Demetria flanking his sides.
Isis had also assumed that he would make her go in as herself and watch as the hungry beast was unleashed, but this proved to be wrong also. Isis made a mental note to stop assuming things when it came to Caesareon. Instead, he slipped into her mind and guided her every movement with mental tugs and pushes. Every step she took, one foot in front of the other, made her feel like a puppet whose strings were being pulled.
Behind the two women were other vampires, in the same red uniforms and brown boots. There were also werewolves, hunched on all fours flanking around at their feet. There were only a few of them but Isis knew that this was only a handful of his servants. She was sure there were more somewhere.
Caesareon reached the front doors of the building, they were made of glass, he easily brought his fist out and the glass shattered into shards on the floor. Isis stared at his backside as he stepped through it, the glass still raining down like a waterfall.
They all followed.
There was a wooden desk with papers scattered all over it. A corded phone was dangling off to the side, swinging around. You didn’t need to have keen senses to know that someone was hiding behind it, probably clutching something silly like a wooden stake.
She could feel Caesareon’s chuckle of amusement and then he turned around, with a quick flick of his fingers he commanded a werewolf forward. The large brown wolf inclined its head and in one great leap, jumped behind the desk. There was a scream and then the wolf appeared again, clutching between his teeth the collar of a woman. She flailed around in a pathetic attempt to get away.
Isis was suddenly reminded of that little girl, her hair clutched between Caesareon’s fingers, the way he had easily killed her, if only it could serve as a lesson to Isis.
The wolf tossed her at Caesareon’s feet. Panicked, she sat up and scrambled backwards, shuddering at the sight of them. And then she did something utterly ridiculous, she started praying.
“God cannot save you now,” Caesareon said. “Praying is hopeless,”
“He will protect me from you vile creatures!” the woman shrieked. “He will send all of you damned creatures to the pit of hell where you belong!”
“And if you die?”
“I will go to heaven!”
