The Progeny

by Shelley Crowley

  There was a clatter behind Caius and the sound of stumbling steps. He turned to see Alexander and Varsee falling into the hallway in each other’s arms. They were laughing and kissing and stumbling around like a pair of drunks.

  Alexander pushed himself off her slightly and tucked a sticky red strand of hair behind his ear. “I’m going to take a shower and attempt to get this off.”

  Varsee grinned showing bloody teeth and nibbled his jaw tenderly. “I’ll join you.”

  He growled and tugged her close again before they vampire-sprinted up the stairs in a red and black blur.

  “Aren’t they brother and sister?”

  Caius laughed and looked back to Robin. “Vampire brother and sister. They have the same Maker.”

  “Oh,” nodded Robin, looking a little confused. “Well, looks like you’ll be waiting a while before you can get all that crap off you.”

  Caius looked down at himself with a frown. “I guess so.”

  “What was it like, the Nest?”

  Caius held back a shudder. “Like being in the Rage all over again.”

  “Oh yeah, I heard about the Rage. They made us study it in school. Probably to make us fear vampires but I thought it was pretty awesome. I was only three when it happened so I don’t remember it.”

  “You’re lucky.”

  “My mum said a vampire killed our neighbours right in front of her,” Robin said, sounding detached. “Blood everywhere.”

  “I just hope there’re no more Nests around. Vampires are treated badly enough as it is. We don’t need them blackening our names even more.”

  Robin nodded dismally. “We were taught not to trust them yet in another lesson we’d be told that discrimination was wrong. It was just all so backwards. We didn’t know what to think. Have you had trouble being a vampire in this society?”

  Caius looked to his progeny in awe. He was constantly surprised by the wisdom and understanding in a boy of such a young age and it was making him renew his faith in humanity today. “No. Not really. But that’s because Evie and I pretended to be human to avoid all of that stuff. It was just easier.”

  Robin frowned. “That sucks, dude. I’d never pretend to be something I’m not. Even though being the person I am doesn’t really do me any favours.” He laughed hollowly. “At least I’m still me.”

  Caius watched him for a moment as he picked at a frayed bit of his cuff. “I’ve been alive for a thousand years. To be honest, I don’t even know who I actually am anymore. Being an ancient, you outlive yourself. Time changes you. And too much time… well, it can rip you apart and mould you into something else entirely.”

  Robin nodded. “I see that.” He looked up to his Maker. “There’s sadness in your eyes. Like you’ve lived too long and seen too much. I see it in Varsee, too.”

  Caius looked up the stairs as if to catch a glimpse of Varsee, the ancient that was even older than he was. “You might love being a vampire now, Robin,” he said, turning back. “But there will come a time in your immortal life where you will wish for your humanity. Vampirism is a curse, Robin, and I am so sorry I have bestowed it upon you.”

  Chapter 1 9

  Caius was standing in the ugly peach coloured bathtub with the jet of the shower smacking against the back of his head. His clothes lay in a wet heap at his feet along with all the pieces of Varsee’s and Alexander’s outfits that weren’t leather. Alexander’s duster coat was hung -clean yet a little torn- on the hook behind the door, and two sets of leather pants and a leather jacket were folded over the towel rack.

  Due to the clothes blocking an easy path to the plughole, the grim blood red water rose up to Caius’ ankles. He could see lumps of dead vampire floating around like it was some sort of stew. He closed his eyes as he shampooed his grimy hair. When he had stripped off his t-shirt, he had noticed the faint indentations of the Nest vampire’s fang marks in his shoulder before they had healed completely. Now he was scar free. Well, his body was, but as for his mind…

  Seeing all that blood and gore, watching those vampires being slaughtered, helping with the slaughtering, it brought back so many memories.

  There’s sadness in your eyes. Like you’ve lived too long and seen too much.

  Robin’s words were branded on his mind like the burn of silver. Maybe he had lived too long. Maybe he should have died in the Rage like all those other ancients. But he hadn’t because of Evie. He had promised to protect her. That they would make it out. Together. Because he was her Maker and she was his progeny and when they were together, nothing could stop them.

  But now she wasn’t his progeny and he could feel them growing apart. He had sensed it in the bitterness of her tone before they had left to find the Nest and again when Varsee had scolded her for answering that phone call. She hadn’t even looked to him for some sort of emotional support. In fact, it had been like she hadn’t known he was there the entire time they were scoping the road.

  Something had changed when she became Varsee’s. He had tried to ignore it but it was there. Just something… off. A sort of separation. As if no matter how hard he would try to get things to how they once were, there’d be a force pushing back against him.

  Caius grabbed the soap and started to lather up his body and wipe away the blood that was reluctant to leave certain crevices. He needed to stop letting his thoughts spiral and become so dark. He had Robin now and he wasn’t going to let him down the same way he had with Evie when she had been first Turned. He couldn’t let his own problems get in the way of his duties to his new progeny.

  After rinsing himself, Caius knocked off the shower and grabbed a towel. He rubbed it over his dank hair and body before wrapping it around his waist and heading to the bedroom. Giddy cries and growls were coming from Alexander’s room and Caius figured that Alexander and Varsee were still riding the waves of adrenaline after killing, the way him and Milah had done together all those years ago.

  Caius felt a weird blip of nerves when he pushed Evie’s bedroom door open. He thought it was locked. He had expected it to be locked.

  He stepped inside and closed the door. Evie, in bed and under the covers, jerked upright and her big hazel eyes met his. And there was that weird blip again. It was like he was confronting a stranger. Like he was looking at the woman he loved yet… was seeing someone else as well.

  Red started to form under her eyes and her lower lip trembled. “I’m so sorry,” she whimpered and covered her mouth when her voice came out wet. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea that was going to happen. I feel like such an idiot. Please don’t hate me.”

  Caius quickly dropped to the foot of the bed and grabbed her hand, pulling it from her mouth and sandwiching it cherishingly between his. “I could never hate you.”

  “Varsee hates me.”

  His heart plummeted at the mention of her name. “No, she doesn’t. She’ll get over it.” A loud thwack sounded from a few rooms down and a chorus of giddy laughter erupted. A smile tugged on the corner of Caius’ mouth. “I think she’s a little preoccupied at the moment anyway.”

  Evie smiled back.

  “Who called you, Evie? Who was he?”

  She pulled her hand from between his and wiped a red tear from her eye. Her gaze casted downwards. “I met him after I left you. He seemed nice and he was fun to talk to.” She sighed, fiddling with her fingers on the duvet. “But then he had called and asked me to meet him at a pub. I did and I was chased out by Nico’s men. I thought he must have had something to do with it but he helped me escape and I got so confused.” She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if fending off the messy memory. “That’s when you found me behind that take-away. When you killed his men and saved me. I had been meaning to call him and try and get everything straightened out but I guess I forgot. And then I saw his name on my phone and suddenly everything came rushing back.”

  A short silence followed as Caius digested the information. “So he is working with Nico? I mean, it’s pretty clear now isn’t it?�
��

  She nodded. “Sort of. But it still doesn’t explain why he helped me.”

  “Maybe to make you think you had a friend on the inside? And so then it didn’t seem weird that he called you to track your location.”

  Her face tightened with pain. “Maybe.”

  Caius shifted closer and pulled her towards him. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his bare back and rested her face against his chest. He held her close and could smell the raspberry scent of her hair, or maybe it was his.

  And just like that, holding her in such a familiar way made all of his doubts disappear, like the bloody pulp down the plughole. He squeezed her tight and felt a rush of emotion which made the backs of his eyes burn with unshed tears. This was the woman he loved. And he wasn’t going to let her slip through his fingers.

  She turned slightly and let his lips brush across her forehead before she pulled away. “So what was the Nest like? Did you kill them all?”

  He nodded. “They’re all gone. They won’t be bothering us again.”

  She smiled. “Good.” Her gaze fell absently to his sharp collarbone and her fingers brushed along his shoulders and biceps. “How was it for you? Killing, I mean. I know you’re very anti-violence.”

  “I liked to think of it not so much as killing but more as avenging you.”

  She smiled and looked back up, meeting his gaze and she circled her arms loosely around his neck. “That sounds more like you.”

  He’d like to think it sounded more like him, too.

  Suddenly, he felt a rush of dizziness that made his stomach lurch, and he touched his shoulder reflectively. “I’m low on blood. One of the crazy vampires decided to try and take a chunk out of me.” He peeled away her hold of him. “I’m just going to get a drink and refuel.”

  She lay back down on the bed, resting her head on the pillow. She snuggled under the duvet and smiled over at him. “Okay. Come back up when you’re done.”

  After throwing on a simple brown dressing gown that had a curious dark stain down the front, Caius padded bare-footed down the stairs.

  “Did you know that vampires came from a dude that got bitten by an infected vampire bat? How cool is that?! It’s like a superhero origin story,” said Robin not taking his eyes off the T.V. Caius was sure he was in the exact same position he had been in when he had left him.

  “That’s a myth,” said Caius, making his way into the living room. “There are tonnes more. Like how the original vampires had been cursed by the witches of Salem. Or that the moon gave birth to them. Or that they came from the remains of the dead and dug their way out of their own graves. Or, which is my particular favourite, that the original vampires are the unborn children of Lilith.”

  Robin furrowed his brows and finally tore his eyes off the screen. He was currently watching a nature programme about nocturnal animals “Are any of those true?”

  Caius shrugged. “Nobody knows. Well, the original vampires would know but no one knows where they are or even if they’re still alive.”

  Robin looked content with his answer and turned back to the T.V. Caius went into the kitchen and poured himself a glass from a blood bag. Half a glass of blood was sitting in the fridge. With his glass in hand, he walked back into the living room. “Is that your glass in the fridge? The one from before?”

  “Yeah,” Robin replied with that gormless voice of a teenager only half paying attention. “I put it back. It was going funky.”

  “You didn’t drink it?”

  “You told me not to until you gave me permission.” He tapped his stomach. “Plus, I already ate.” A smile tugged on the edge of his lips.

  Caius felt a little guilty for being surprised yet again. He had no reason to doubt Robin yet he just couldn’t believe how good of a progeny he was.

  “By the way,” Robin said, turning to Caius. Caius lifted an eyebrow to him as he drank from his glass, “who were those men I killed? I’m confused. There’s a scientist man that kidnaps vamps and what again?” He rubbed his head as if the thinking hurt.

  Caius sank down onto the sofa beside him. “Dr. Nico Bergan is a scientist who we’re guessing works with the government to try and cure vampirism. He took me. I was in a cell in his basement for over a week. He pumped weird serums into my body. It was absolute torture.” Caius’ body stiffened at the memories of blacking out from sheer agony and wishing for it all to be over. “He took Evie, too, and experimented on her. One of his serums worked and she became human. But only her.” Robin opened his mouth to speak but Caius cut across him, knowing what he was about to say. “She was Turned again, by Varsee, after being attacked by the Nest. We’re guessing Nico is so interested in her because the key to his cure becoming universally successful probably runs through her veins.”

  Robin furrowed his brows in thought. “So, Evie wasn’t always Varsee’s progeny?”

  Caius dropped his gaze in defeat. “No. She was once mine.”

  “Oh my God, that totally makes sense now why you and Varsee are at each other’s throats-”

  “We’re not at each other’s-”

  Robin backhanded Caius’ arm, cutting him off. Caius looked up to see his progeny’s eyes sparkling with realisation. “Varsee is not just protective. She’s territorial. She thinks you’re trying to steal Evie from her.”

  “I can’t steal Evie. She’s not a possession.”

  Robin shrugged. “A progeny is sort of a possession.”

  If she still loves you, she is still yours.

  “Is that how you feel?” Caius asked.

  Robin shrugged, looking complacent. “I guess. I don’t mind it, though. Makes me feel like I belong.” A smile played on his lips and he dipped his head. “It’s kind of nice.” Robin barked a laugh that took Caius by surprise. “You know, I thought you and Varsee had some weird sexual tension thing going on, that’s why you two acted so weird around each other. And I didn’t blame you, dude. That chick is hot as hell. Terrifying - but hot.”

  Caius furrowed his brows.

  “I mean, it was just a guess. How was I supposed to know what was really going on? That whole cure thing and being Turned again… that is some seriously crazy shit.”

  Caius nodded in agreement but also felt that Robin being under the impression that he had some sort of sexual feelings towards Varsee was some ‘seriously crazy shit’.

  “Have you had a look through that door?” Robin pointed to the white door on the wall that the stairs ran along. Caius furrowed his brows. Had there always been a door there?

  “No. No, I haven’t.”

  “I got bored waiting for you so I had a wander. It leads into a fancy dining room and then off that there’s this room at the back full of, like, olds records, posters, a few instruments. There’s even a grand piano back there.”

  Caius could feel the tingling sensation of happiness deep in his stomach. “Really?” he asked, turning back to Robin. “You play piano?”

  Robin scoffed. “Oh yeah, I thought I wasn’t being bullied enough at school so I thought I’d learn the piano, too.” He rolled his eyes.

  “You’d get bullied for playing the piano?”

  “A guy would get bullied for showing an interest in anything at all creative,” he replied, looking back to the T.V.

  The thought that being creative was now somehow shameful wounded Caius a little but he let the notion pass. He relaxed back against the sofa and watched the screen. “Anything good on?”

  “Not really. Not tired though.”

  “Me neither. I think this blood has given me a new lease of life,” said Caius, inspecting the contents of his glass curiously.

  Robin smiled. “Yeah, you usually just look like the walking dead.”

  “Wake up, lovebirds.”

  Caius jerked up and winced at the pain that lanced up the right side of his neck. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his neck to ease it. When he opened his eyes again, he realised he was still in the living room. A weight pressed against his side
and he turned to see Robin sat upright on the sofa beside him, using his shoulder as a pillow.

  Alexander grinned at them both and Caius shifted his body so Robin slumped further and further. When his head hit Caius’ lap, he bounced up with a deep intake of breath. He blinked hard, his brown eyes wide and bleary. After realising where his head had been and noticing Alexander’s knowing smile, his face fell and he scrabbled his way to the opposite side of the sofa, as far from Caius as he could get.

  He stared at Caius accusingly as if he had taken advantage of him. Caius ignored the look and scrubbed away the sleep that had crusted in his eyes.

  “You two looked cosy. You know the sun went down like an hour ago, right?” said Alexander. He looked fresh and well rested with his blond hair rumbled yet tame. He was wearing a much more casual outfit than his last one, a simple white t-shirt and skinny black jeans.

  Caius pushed himself to his feet and quickly tied the cord around his dressing gown tighter. Alexander frowned, disappointed.

  “I was supposed to go back to Evie,” he said, making his way past Alexander.

  “Don’t worry, kid, you can snuggle up to me whenever you want. Just ask.”

  Caius turned to see Alexander settle on the sofa by Robin and push Robin’s hair back as if to get a better look at his face. Robin just stared at him with his fingers curled into the sleeves of his jumper. When Caius looked back to continue his way to the stairs, he blinked in surprise to see Evie standing before him in a black long-sleeved lace top and black jeans. She looked at Caius, and then to Alexander and Robin on the sofa. Her brows pinched together with hurt.

  “I waited for you. I waited until the sun came up. And then I woke up alone,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.