by Marian Tee
Alexandru asked, “You went to one?”
Erou nodded. “But I didn’t think it was worth mentioning because a library didn’t seem a likely place for the murders to take place.”
“But what if the killer had access to the library at night?” Zari suggested. “Like an employee, something like that?”
“The lady may be on to something, milord,” one of Alexandru’s men piped in.
The compliment was unexpected, and Zari would have blushed if not for her Master suddenly flicking her forehead. She yelped in pain instead. “What was that for?”
Not wanting to tell her he didn’t like her looking cute in front of so many men, Alexandru lied gruffly, “There was an, err, insect about to bite you.”
Behind Alexandru, his men groaned in unison through the blood bond they shared with their leader.
Alexandru grimaced. Shut up.
****
The library was a three-story concrete building, with guards at every entrance. Located at one of the smaller streets in town, she saw how it could serve as a place of murder. Her skin chilled as she continued to study its dark shadow, and she knew it was an ominous sign of things to come.
She closed her eyes and when she opened it, everything was red again.
She gasped, and the red veil covering the world disappeared.
Beside her, Alexandru asked sharply, “Another vision?”
Zari nodded. “I feel like…something’s about to happen.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “I wish I could understand how this…I wish I could understand my visions more.”
Seeing Erou about to open his mouth and spout out more useless platitudes made Alexandru say harshly, “It’s not like you could readily do anything if you did see more of the murders.” He had wanted to assure her that she was not to blame. But the moment the words left his mouth, Alexandru knew they hadn’t come out the way he intended them to.
The words had his men looking away uncomfortably, Erou glaring at him, and Zari—
She didn’t look like she was about to cry. This time, she only looked sad.
Alexandru cursed under his breath. “Zari—”
“I understand.” She bowed her head in apology.
His mood worsened, the fact that she had preferred to bow in apology like a supplicant instead of calling him Master not slipping his notice. The distance between him and his pet just kept growing. He should have been happy about it, but he wasn’t. Goddammit, he wasn’t.
Without a word, he stalked towards her, curved an arm around her waist, and made a leap to the third-floor balcony. He took another leap, landing on the roof of the building. Through his blood bond, he told his men to scatter and take Lord Erou with them. I’ll take care of the third floor with the soul seer. Just be certain you keep Lord Erou well away from me unless the killer’s been found.
Zari’s eyes closed the moment she realized they were up in the air, and her arms automatically went around him.
When she opened her eyes, they were on the—
“What are we doing on the roof?” she cried out. This was her first time to find herself so high off the ground, and it was not a good feeling.
He slowly set her down on her feet, which would have been good if not for the fact that he had placed her at the very edge, with half of her feet floating in the air.
She clutched his arms tightly. Do you want me dying with fright?
I’m considering it.
She gasped. Master!
His eyes darkened. Because of that, he snarled. Do I really have to place you here just so you’d call me Master again?
Chapter Nine
When Alexandru saw his pet hovering by the doorway of his study, he put aside his books and asked with a sigh, “Come on in, pet. You know I won’t be able to concentrate if you keep looking at me like that.”
She hurried inside even as she protested, “I didn’t say anything—”
“You don’t have to. Your eyes, your face, hell, even your nose – they all do the talking for you.”
When he patted his lap, she went to him without a murmur.
He looked at her suspiciously. “That bad?”
She looked at him innocently. “Huh?”
He sighed again. “Just spill it, pet.”
“Well, you know about the rule regarding terms of endearment and how I thought we should have Masters and pets calling each other names than, well, just ‘Master’ and ‘pet’?”
“And?” Personally, nothing made Alexandru happier than hearing his pet call him Master. He was almost certain it was the same for other Masters, but he supposed it was different for pets. Women were strange creatures, after all.
“I was thinking, maybe you could translate this for me…” She showed him her list.
Apple of my eye. Star of my sky. Love of my forsaken life. The fries in my happy meal. The Taylor in my Swift.
And those were the more palatable ones.
“What the fuck is this, pet? You want all Masters to die choking? Is that it?”
Zari was unable to speak. So her Master had noticed her omissions. She thought he wouldn’t, but he had, and foolishly, knowing he had made her happy. It meant her calling him Master was important to Alexandru.
When did it start?
She looked at him incredulously. Are we really going to do this now? Have you forgotten—
Answer the question, he growled.
She sighed. When did what start?
The relationship between you and Erou Damaschin.
We have no relationship—
And that’s why he just happened to be around when you fainted?
Hating the way he was making her feel defensive, she shot back, At least he’s around! At least he really wants me to be his pet— She choked, her throat clogging.
What the hell are you talking about? Are you saying he had the gall to make you believe I do not want you as my pet?
He didn’t have to tell me anything, she cried out. I know it!
You know what?
You’re really going to deny it?
How can I deny something I don’t understand—
The contract! Zari saw his face whiten and knew he finally understood what she was talking about. I was trying to look for something to read. That’s the only reason why I saw it. Her fingers dug into his arms as she threw away her pride and asked, Why haven’t we signed a contract…Master?
The pain on her face made his heart clench. Never had he wanted to see her hurt like this, and it felt a thousand times worse, knowing that he was the cause of her pain. Her own Master, someone who was supposed to be taking care of her.
It’s not what you think, pet. Alexandru started to say something else but stopped, having sensed another otherworlder approaching.
A chill swept over her at the grim look in her Master’s brilliant green eyes. H-he’s here, isn’t he?
He nodded.
There was no surprise in his eyes, and she realized in a flash, You knew, didn’t you?
Yes. When you mentioned the library, it struck me as well as being the most likely place for the murders to take place. In every crime scene we’ve been to, it had been clear that the victim had been killed at around this time and then dumped elsewhere in the morning.
Which was why you knew it was okay for us to talk. You even chose to talk here on the roof because you wanted a bird’s eye view of him coming back. You’re using me, aren’t you? She was hysterical, screaming at him in her mind. You only want me as a soul seer, don’t you? You’ve never really cared—
Alexandru shut her up with a kiss.
Her gaze flew open. It took her more than a moment to remember to struggle, but she could only do so weakly, fearing he would accidentally let her slip away from his grasp.
Alexandru savored the kiss. It had been only a few days, but it felt like forever. It also felt like the last kiss, the way she tried to keep her lips pursed together, and he didn’t want that. He could not accept that. She was his, dammi
t. She was his pet!
I care, he said savagely. I care more than I want to. If I had a choice, if I could bear sending you away—
His voice rose to a furious hiss. I would have!
She couldn’t speak when Alexandru stopped, her entire body shaking at the strength of his emotions.
I didn’t sign the damn contract for you. You deserve a better Master than me. But if you think you’re ready to take such a leap, we can sign it the moment we get back.
The words had her reeling, a good part of her unable to believe what she had just heard. When Alexandru suddenly hauled her close, this time she didn’t even think of struggling, clutching his shoulders as he leapt down to the third-floor balcony.
He’s coming up. Alexandru tried the doors, found it unlocked, and walked quietly inside, making sure to keep his pet behind him. Pulling the doors back close, he had them crouching in the shadows.
Won’t he sense us here?
No. We’ve masked our presences. He’s at the second floor now, but he’s…alone.
Telling herself to concentrate, Zari pushed away all thoughts but the scene before her, trying to see if she could see grasp any kind of vision. Seconds passed, and the world around her remained normal.
I can’t sense anything. Frustration made Zari shake her head.
Alexandru, moving behind her, lifted his pet’s hair off her neck.
She looked at him over her shoulder. Master—
His fangs pierced her flesh.
Her lips parted in a soundless gasp. As he started to drink from her, ecstasy hit Zari, her senses spiraling, waking the part of her that could see—
****
RED.
Blood dripping through intravenous tubes and into bottles. Blood splattered on hands covered with surgical gloves. Blood on the skin around the killer’s mouth just before he licked it away, slowly, savoring the taste—
She started to choke, unable to breathe because of the overpowering smell of blood. It was too much, she didn’t want this scent. How could anyone live with this scent? And cold. It was so damn cold. She rubbed her arms, the chill in the room making her teeth chatter.
Hack. Hack. Hack.
Pieces of flesh flying in the air, and now the smell worsened. It wasn’t just the smell of blood. Now it smelled like decaying flesh—
Zari backed away, trying to escape the smell, and bumped into something hard and made a rattling sound. Whirling around, she saw a ceiling-high shelf stacked with computer servers—
Alexandru caught her before she fell to the ground.
Her eyes were wide with fright. “He’s a vampire like you,” she gasped. She knew she should be communicating quietly with him, but she was too weak, too disoriented. “He’s at the server room—”
I understand. I will need to leave you. Will you be fine?
“Yes.” She could still see the bits of flesh falling around her like snowflakes, and she gagged as the thought occurred to her that all of it could belong to just one woman. Was she still alive when she was being ground to pieces?
Alexandru swore under his breath when he saw how locks of hair, dampened by sweat, clung to her too-pale face. Cupping her face, he demanded, Are you sure you will be fine? You do not look all right.
She lied, “Y-yes. I’m o-okay.” A vision was starting to show, and she didn’t want Alexandru around when it happened. She had a feeling he’d be overprotective and not let her do anything. A sense of urgency hit her, driving Zari to push herself out of her Master’s hold.
“Go. H-he knows we’re here now. You need to take him b-before he kills again…”
Alexandru grabbed her jaw and kissed her hard. “Stay put. That’s an order, pet.”
She managed a smile. “Yes, Master.”
And then he was gone.
She sank to her knees, shaking. Her palms hit the cold marbled floor and she started to see once more.
****
RED. RED. RED. RED. REEEEEEEEEEED—
The walls, the stairs, the ceiling – everything was painted in red, and it was all blood, the reason he killed was because he wanted to paint the town red, literally, and where best to start than home sweet home?
A dungeon at the bottom of the stairs, and inside it was the girl he had come to kill—
Zari’s eyes locked with the girl’s.
Please, the girl begged.
****
The world spun around her when she resurfaced, but she forced herself to stand, knowing there was no time to waste. Half-leaning against the wall, she made her way to the door. She headed to the end of the hallway, where a painting hung from the wall.
She took it off, revealing a secret panel. At the press of her fingers, the panel opened, revealing the stairway she had seen in her vision.
She gagged. Oh God, the smell. How could someone do something like this?
She didn’t want to touch the walls this time, forcing herself to concentrate on each step even as the world still shook and danced around her.
She counted the steps as she descended but the staircase seemed to be endless, its last step disappearing in the darkness. Terror gnawed at her like a hungry rat, but she forced herself to ignore it, telling herself she had to move faster—
“Please.” That voice. It was that voice she had heard in her vision.
She missed a step, stumbling down the rest of the stairs. When she opened her eyes, she found herself right in front of the dungeon, its cavernous interior lit by a single lantern hanging high from the ceiling. A woman was huddled in the corner, her hair scraggly, and her skin dirty and scraped raw in parts.
“Are you okay?” she called out hoarsely as she crawled towards the door, unable yet to stand.
“Please.” This time, the whisper had turned into a moan.
She reached up for the door and found it unlocked, the door swinging open with a loud creaking sound.
Alarm bells started to ring inside her mind. Something was wrong.
Swallowing, she pulled herself up using the bars and took a small step forward.
A keening cry of hunger—
Oh God!
Even before Zari looked up, she already knew what was coming for her and what she had gotten oh so wrong.
The woman in the dungeon lunged towards her, Zari barely managing to escape. Her tongue had been cut, her teeth all pulled out, which was why the man upstairs had to grind the flesh. It was the only way this woman could eat her meals—
Zari tried to run, but the woman managed to catch one of her ankles. One strong yank, and Zari screamed as she fell. Her face would have smashed against the ground if she hadn’t managed to cover her face first.
The woman flipped her around, her incredible strength telling Zari that this was no human she was up against. An otherworlder as well, perhaps another vampire—
Long, sharp, blood-encrusted nails glinted in the dark like silver as the woman raised her hand, ready to slice Zari’s throat.
She screamed, in and out of her mind, “Master!”
Chapter Ten
“Additional grounds must be provided for a pet to use when terminating a claim.” She had read this over and over in front of the mirror, but when it was time to read it out loud in front of her Master, her practice was all for naught, her voice breaking at the end.
With a groan, Alexandru reached for his pet, and when she was on his lap, he pressed a tender kiss on her forehead. “You must stop torturing yourself with this. I know I agreed to it, but if it’s only going to bring up bad memories that hurt you—”
She shook her head. “It’s all right, Master.”
He flinched.
Her eyes widened in alarm. “What is it?”
“I remember the last time you said that to me…and you didn’t mean it.” He cupped one soft cheek. “You told me it was all fine, but in the end you still left me, pet. So I beg you now – don’t tell me it’s fine if it’s not.”
Alexandru reached the server room just in time to see the
killer about to escape through the window. Without hesitation, he went into attack mode, fangs extending as he made a swipe for the other vampire’s throat.
But the killer was strong – too strong for an ordinary vampire, making Alexandru suspect that the killer had fed on a demon. Demon blood had the power to give an otherworlder incredible strength – if he didn’t go crazy first.
Walls cracked and equipment crashed to the floor as they fought and tussled on the ground.
Slash. Alexandru managed to slice the killer’s chest open.
The other vampire howled as he charged towards Alexandru, managing to leave a long red gash on Alexandru’s arm.
The door burst open.
Erou leapt into the fray when he realized what was happening, and with the younger man’s help, Alexandru was able to subdue the vampire. When Erou lifted his hand to kill the vampire, Alexandru said sharply, “No.”
“Why?” Erou demanded.
“I want him interrogated,” Alexandru said. When his men arrived, he ordered them to take the man to the enforcers.
As the others left, Erou looked around the room, demanding, “Where is Lady Zari?”
“I left her upstairs.” His tone was distracted, Alexandru unable to shake off the feeling that he was missing something here. The flesh of the women had been missing in parts, and in some crime scenes, there had been bits and pieces scattered on the ground. There had to be a purpose for that. Even killers had motives, no matter how crazy, and he just couldn’t understand why a vampire who seemed to lead the quiet life of a librarian would do something so heinous.
It didn’t make sense unless—
Unless he was doing it for someone else?
His blood chilled.
And that was when he heard it—
Master!
“Zari.” He didn’t realize he had said his pet’s name out loud until he saw Erou glance at him sharply.
“Something’s wrong, isn’t there?”
He didn’t bother answering, racing out of the room and hurrying the sound of his pet’s screams. I’m coming.
She didn’t answer.