Hadn't Adrian loved him?
Apparently not.
If there was one upside about being a vampire, Cirpian had found a new maturity; no longer did he care what his cousin did nor did he continue making excuses on his cousin's behalf. If this new existence had taught Cirpian one thing, it was that love and admiration was a waste for those who weren't deserving of it.
With his new maturity, also came this new found knowledge; Cirpian now knew that his cousin was a cowardly lout. Of course, he suspected that Adrian had always been like that; it had just taken him becoming a vampire to realize it. It was strange, while human he had thought his cousin a clever, intelligent, commander. Yet, now, as a vampire, he had a new outlook on his own cousin.
When Adrian had taken Cirpian's sight, his plan had been meant to make Cirpian less of a threat; make him not just vulnerable, but inflict an eternity of darkness upon him. Yet, that wasn't how it turned out—that plan had backfired.
Cirpian had become stronger without his sight – he had developed unnatural abilities that no other vampire had.
As Cirpian made his way through the dense forest, taking his time and letting his remaining senses become more acquainted to his surroundings, he followed his enhanced sense of smell and hearing; all the way to the person who left nothing but destruction in his wake.
Once he had gotten a mile into the forest, where Adrian's strong scent became even more potent, he stopped.
“Hello, Adrian.”
As Cirpian stood there, he felt this greenish fog, that had Adrian's unique odor attach to it—the strong pungent stench of fear—wrap itself around him.
It was that small smile that crept to Cirpian's face, which had Adrian taking a slight step back and his fog dissipating. Because of the nervousness and fear that, he, himself was now feeling, Adrian's fog no longer had that fearful tinge to it.
As Cirpian continued to stand there, letting the fog continue to cloak itself around him, yet feeling none of the fear that Adrian's fog was suppose to provoke, he listened to his cousin's rapid heart beat and breathing.
Adrian was nervous...and afraid.
It had taken centuries for Cirpian to build up an immunity to other superior vampires' fog. In these years he had developed a resistance to not just these vampires, but Adrian's fog.
A vampire's fog, symbolized how strong he was and served as a warning to other vampires. Yet, since losing his sight, Cirpian had found not just away to manipulate his fog – making it visible or invisible when it suited him. It was because of this, that he no longer felt that dreaded caution every time he came in contact with a more superior vampire. Also, due to this slight manipulation, his enemy usually didn't know he was even around; until, that is, it was too late.
As Cirpian stood there in the middle of Adrian's fog, he could sense the none too evident fear that Adrian was trying very hard to cover up.
“Cirpian..., long time no see, brother.”
“I'm not your brother, Adrian...” shaking his head, he said, “I'm not even your family anymore.”
“So, I guess that saying, 'blood is thicker than water'; is just that.”
“What do you want, Adrian?”
“Nothing...” when he noted Cirpian's stoically, dubious, expression, he said, “I'm just here to warn you.”
“Warn me...?”
“The council is not happy with you...”
Chuckling, Cirpian responded, uninterestedly, by saying, “What's new?”
“They've decided to wage a war against you...and I was thinking...that you and I could just...” Adrian smiled. “bury the hatchet.”
As Adrian talked, Cirpian's enhance senses were continuing to acquaint themselves to more of his surroundings—he barely was paying attention to what his cousin was yammering on about. From what his sense of smell and hearing could gather, there were three vampires, waiting just on the outskirts of his property.
As he fingered the sword at his hip, preparing himself for whatever these vampires and his cousin had in store for him, he barely caught the last of what Adrian said.
“Bury the hatchet...” this was more a statement than a question. “Now, why would I want to do that with you?”
Smiling, Adrian said, “You need family at your back, rather than an enemy.”
“There's only one problem with that statement..., Adrian.”
“And what's that?”
“You are my enemy...So, why would I want to have you at my back?”
It was his cousin's startled silence, that ultimately had Cirpian swiveling around to depart.
As Cirpian sauntered away, back toward his house and the slumberous woman waiting there for him, he heard Adrian shout, “Don't turn down my offer, Cirpian...! Cirpian...!” he growled, “You and your pretty detective are going to need me...! Cirpian, do you hear me...you need me...!”
As Adrian stood there, angrily seething, he continued to watch Cirpian's departing back. And even long after his cousin was gone, he stood there trying to rein in his anger; he couldn't afford to let his men see how riled up he was. Finally, after kicking a rock loose from it's spot, he turned to leave.
He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he actually needed Cirpian more than Cirpian needed him.
Cirpian wasn't the only one, who had problems with the council; Adrian was also being targeted.
He had been reckless over the years, and, because of that, the vampire council had it out for him. They were going against their own golden rule: vampires are not allowed to kill their own masters. Many of his creations had already been contracted out, by the council, to kill him. And, of course, the majority of these creations had tried...and failed.
It was because of the council setting his own creations and other vampires lose on him, that he was desperate for Cirpian's help. He couldn't continue fighting off his and the others, that had come after him.
As it was, he now only had a few trusted supporters and their numbers were dwindling down. Oddly enough, one of the few, that he trusted, beyond any other of his supporters, was his cousin.
Granted it was true that both Cirpian and himself were enemies. Yet, they were still family and family always helped each other.
No matter how much his cousin despised him, Adrian knew that Cirpian would, eventually, admit to needing him.
It would be just a matter of time, before Cirpian figured that out. And, when he did, Adrian would be all too ready to help his cousin wage war against the vampire council.
XXX
Genevieve awoke to that familiar lonely, abandoned, sensation. When she rolled over to feel for Cirpian, she was surprised and, yet, not surprised to find his side of the bed ice cold.
After wrapping herself in the sheets, she made her way over to the far left window, aiming to the side of the house, where hers and Cirpian's vehicles were parked.
As she stood there, just peering out into the darkness, she noticed how this unnatural, glowing, fog seemed to stretch and seep out of the forest—cloaking everything in its wake.
It was a strange sensation, what this fog invoked in her. She wasn't terrified. Instead she was overwhelmed by the strength and dominance emanating from it.
Unlike the fog from the apartment complex, she felt safe with this fog—as if it was this reassuring caress.
It wasn't just that, though, there was something sensually arousing about this fog. It felt like sex, yet more tender and enjoyable.
As she stood there for a few minutes more, just peering out at the ominous black night, Genevieve was surprised by how different everything looked; in the day time, when the sun was out, one could make out that a tree was a tree. Yet, at night, without or very few stars, a tree looked very different; it had that haunting resemblance of a monster, with long, branchy, arms and sharp claws coming forth from some of those arms.
It was her sudden breathing, that had Genevieve instantly flinching at the sight of her breath's vapors upon the window pane. She hadn't realized that she had been holdi
ng her breath; that is, until she released it.
Once the surprised had worn off, though, Genevieve hastily made a happy face in the vapors; and then turned away from the window – with the intention of going back to bed.
She had just taken that step in that direction, when her peripheral vision caught a figure emerging from the forest.
Quickly turning back to the window, Genevieve instantly noticed how the happy face had already faded away. As she peered through the window, outside at that unusually, strange fog, her breath, again, fogged up the window.
She really didn't know how long she stood there, just peering outside, trying to make out that figure; wondering, to herself, if it was human, animal, or just a shadow brought on by the night. And due to the window constantly fogging up from her breathing, and how darkly, murky, the outside surroundings were, it took awhile for her eyes to penetrate through the dense murkiness.
Yet, once it had, she was able to make out this human shape figure emerging from it.
It didn't take a genius for her to realize who it was. Just the sensually smooth way he walked and his firm posture, was enough to give him away.
While her intentions had been to go back to bed, Genevieve, at that moment, couldn't move her feet or even pull her gaze away from the window—she was transfixed by the man outside.
As she stood there watching him, she noticed how he halted just a few inches away from her car. It was then that he looked up at the house—directly at her. For that brief moment, she thought he was staring right at her. Yet, she knew that couldn't be possible.
Nevertheless, she felt unnerved by his intense grayish blue gaze.
Unable to pull herself away from those eyes, she found herself conflictingly wanting, and, yet, not wanting, to be close to the alluring man that stood outside her window.
It was abrupt, yet surprising, when he did finally advert his penetrating gaze away from her and over to her car. For that brief moment, he just stood there; unable to see where her car was at, yet his gaze was trained on it.
When he finally moved over to it, he planted his hand squarely on the hood.
As Genevieve continued to observe him, she noticed how he stood there for what seemed like eternity – touching her car's hood and staring contemplatively at nothing.
It was the way his hand briefly lingered on her car's hood, that instantly had her thoughts going back to the possibility that he was a nut case.
A split personality nut case.
Didn't that beat all.
She couldn't attract a man to save her life. She was either being set up with horribly, undesirable, idiots. Or, if she did get one on her own, she picked one that was off his rocker.
What was it with Tucson and the jerks that seemed to flock here? Was it possible that other states were coming up with new laws that said something of the effect: Our women want to mate with desirable men; not scumbages. So please go to Tucson, because the women over there are not overly picky.
While she didn't want to believe, that a man that she had just enjoyed the most incredible sex with, could be a psychopathic jerk or something more sinister; sure enough that was where her thoughts were headed.
XXX
It was a beautiful night. At least it was to the young and horny.
Nathan Mark had scored himself another virgin to add to his little black book. Now all he had to do was get that Jewel Freemen into the sack. His basketball team mates, had given him two months, just to get her. If he didn't, he would have to pay each of them two hundred dollars.
While Nathan had the money, after all he did come from a really wealthy family, it was for pride sake that he didn't want to pay them.
To be honest, Jewel wasn't really his type. Her style wasn't glamorous, like most of the girls he banged. She wore baggy clothes—comfortable clothes—and hardly any make-up. In the beginning, he had thought her to be over weight and ugly. A woman, who was too undesirable for a man, like him, to even give a second glance
He was into pretty airheads that didn't do much thinking or reading. She seemed to always have her head either up in the clouds or in a book.
Yet, it had taken seeing her in a two piece, at the U of A swimming pool, for him to eat his words—she had the body of a swimmer.
In her own unique way, she was beautiful, and she took to water like a fish. While around others, she didn't put much into her own looks, yet, in private, she seemed to have no problem beautifying herself.
No matter what, he was going to have this woman; even if it was only to win that stupid bet.
He had just reached his car, with plans on his mind of either wooing or, if that didn't work, inviting her to a college party, where he could slip a roofy into her drink.
Nathan was so wrapped up in his own horny thoughts and plans, that he didn't even notice the dark, eery, fog seeping into his clothes or that unnatural chill in the air that was wrapping itself around him like a blanket.
He had the door open for only a second, before it was slammed back by this nicely shaped, manicured, hand. Turning to chastise whoever it was, he saw that it was nobody but a very exotic red headed woman.
“Who are you?”
She smiled.
There was something provocative and, yet, frightening about her smile. If it hadn't been for the fact that Nathan was the typical horny frat boy, he probably would have been more cautious about the woman standing in front of him.
It was the way she continued to smile at him, that had him somewhat annoyed; reaching, again, to open his car door, it was then that she slammed it shut.
Visibly irritated by how rough she was being with his Charger, he said, “Hey...don't do that.”
As he stared at her mouth, he noticed, then, something that he hadn't noticed before – there were fangs, protruding just above the gum line.
“Well...,” he swallowed down the nervous lump in his throat. “I have to leave.”
It was that overwhelming fear, that had him hastily opening the car door again. Yet, this time when it was slammed shut, he was more surprised than irritated. For it wasn't the exotic red head, in front of him, that had slammed the door; it had been this strange, unfamiliar, dirty, masculine, hand.
As he turned around, he noticed, then, that there were three eery men behind him – three men that hadn't been there before.
He didn't even have time to react, before he was thrown against his car and then tossed like a rag doll on to the ground.
Nathan felt pain, but because the wind had been knocked out of him, he couldn't even utter a single scream before they were kicking the crap out of him. And then once they had him good and sedated, one of them got in back of him and, pulling his neck back, he sunk his fangs into his jugular.
While the one drank from Nathan's neck, the other two ripped his arms and legs off.
As the red head stood back watching her children feed, making a mess, that only fledgelings knew how to make, she couldn't help but smile over the carnage that they were causing.
Fledgelings were the best ones to control, because of their uncontrollable blood lust they were always looking for their next victim – they were like junkies, unable to control themselves.
They were also more powerful than any vampire slayer or master. Because of that human blood, that still course through their veins, they had this unbelievable strength that could take down even the most skilled vampire.
As she turned to leave, she felt her strength growing. Soon she would take care of that legendary vampire slayer, that the council was always bitching about. Soon she would be able to eliminate every vampire, including the council; she would be the last superior vampire. And she would have a limited supply of blood...and sex.
Chapter Nineteen
The drive back had been an early one for Genevieve. Still somewhat groggy from sleep, the only thing that she could concentrate on doing was her driving.
Possibly that was a good thing.
If she had had more time to think about, her
brain most likely would have lingered over all the facts concerning her mysterious lover and the conflicting knowledge that she now had about him.
She had done enough thinking the night before about Cirpian.
Before she had even made it back over to the bed, her pestering thoughts had took on that nagging that only Amelia was good at. In fact if Genevieve hadn't known better, she would have sworn that Amelia was there talking to her; instead of just her exhausted brain, trying to get her to see reason:
Why had he been outside that late?
Why had he been touching her car?
Unless he had something to do with her brakes, he shouldn't have been anywhere near her car.
Or possibly she was just jumping the gun. It could be just an innocent coincidence.
As it was, there was really too many coincidences. First there was that song on the radio, then her brakes, then the two separate bouquets – with the one's card apologizing about her car.
Technically that card didn't say anything about the brakes, but then again, how would that person have known about her car troubles?
Unless, they, themselves, had been present to mess with it.
Yet, there was still that possibility that she had blown the whole thing out of proportion – brakes and all. Brakes wore out, they were like any other electrical thingly a bob that one had to either fix or throw in the trash. And the song on the radio, could have been for another Genevieve – a Genevieve that actually liked that song, and didn't have bad memories while listening to it. The rose bouquet...
Well, that was actually a coincidence that couldn't be easily explained away. Possibly she could think of something, but frankly her brain was too riddled with cobwebs to even try.
It had been this indecisiveness, that had had Genevieve not putting her clothes back on and instead going back to bed.
Surprisingly, she had slept the rest of the night through – not waking until morning. The moment she had woken up, she had noticed that Cirpian was fast asleep next to her. He had looked peaceful. Yet, there was something unnatural about the way he was sleeping – unnatural about the way his skin felt.
The Alexandru Chronicles: The Beginning Page 15