Chapter 13

Trisha’s P.O.V:

“You’re not going to go all Dracula on them, are you?” Lucas asked from beside me. And although his tone was teasing, I could hear the seriousness behind it.

“I’ve fed this morning.” I reminded him. I did however; feel like reminding him that I stay with Neema all the time and even sleep next to him, but then again, Neema wasn’t exactly human.

“Very well,” Lucas pointed towards the sprawling village in front of us. “Let’s go meet everyone.”

Calling this place a village would be an understatement. The humans seemed to reside in the buildings that were abandoned during the Wipeout; they were worn down and broken in several parts, but most of it was functional and looked as good as new. “How long have they been here?” I asked Lucas.

“Sanctuary had been created right after the Wipeout, but at that time, the people living here had been hiding from us immortals. Several of them were captured afterwards when they ventured out for supplies, and given to the Royal and Noble families as pets, but my people have been able to rescue some of them and they’ve brought them back here.” Lucas explained as we walked towards the buildings. “By then, Mother Nature had taken things into her own hands and the world had started to gain back its greenery. My ancestors planted those forest giants in a methodical pattern which have grown into the great wall that we just came through. It keeps the humans safe and undetected by the vampires.”

I nodded in understanding. “That’s good.”

But the moment we entered the main living area, every human in the vicinity just froze on the spot, their eyes fearful as they looked at us. It didn’t take me that long to realize that they weren’t actually looking at Lucas, but at me.

“It’s alright, everyone.” Lucas’s voice rang loud and clear from beside me, snapping everyone’s attention towards him. “This is Trisha Redfern. A vampire and a member of the Royal Vampire Court.” Several gasps sounded from all directions, but Lucas continued on. “But you need not fear her. Trisha is no longer with the vampires. She seeks my help in protecting a human child who’d been held captive by the noble Vandal Rudolf and she treats the child as her own son. She’s not here to harm you; she’s one of us now, another fellow survivor who’s been ill treated by the vampires.” Several more gasps sounded. But then the rigid bodies began to thaw one by one and everyone welcomed me with hesitant smiles before scurrying off on their way.

“That was a bit too exaggerating, wasn’t it, Lucas?” I gave him a glare but he just brushed it off with a sly smile.

I get that he was trying to get everyone to believe that I wasn’t a threat, but that didn’t mean he had to insult my kind. I’m a vampire and I’ve gotten used to it. And if it wasn’t for Damien, the world would be in utter chaos. He’s a far better king than anyone I’ve met. But I’ll have to keep aside that argument for another time, right now, I need to know why Lucas was trusting me with the location of so many vulnerable humans.

“Vandal Rudolf, did you say?”

I whipped around in the direction of the voice and was surprised to find an old woman walking through the crowd towards us. Her body was bent forward from the waist up and she used a cane to support herself. She was so old she looked ancient; he body was covered in wrinkles and she seems to have lost almost all her teeth. Her voice held a tremor of age and her hair was completely white against pale, almost ashen skin. A young girl of about eleven or twelve with wildly curled black hair and deep brown eyes helped the older woman keep steady as she walked.

“Yes.” I answered her question as she came to stand in front of me. I noticed that the people around us had grown rigid once again and were watching us with weary eyes, but they didn’t come forward or try to stop the older woman, so I leaned closer to her so she wouldn’t have to crane her neck as much. “Is there something you know about him?”

“Oh, I know a mighty lot about him!” She spoke in an undistinguishable accent. “Lucas boy! Carry this old woman to her cottage will ‘ya? Ma old bones rattle every time I walk.”

Lucas shook his head smiling. “If you wanted a hug, just ask for it granny.” He teased her lightly before easily picking up the old woman in his strong, muscled arms and walked further inside the city. “Come on, Trisha.” He called over his shoulder and I began to follow him with the little girl trailing behind us with small, cautious steps.

Lucas’s P.O.V:

I’d expected Trisha to show at least some reaction to being around so many humans, but she was stronger than she looks. But then again, she’s been a vampire for two hundred years.

I carried old Granny Dilliana to the tiny hut she insisted on living in even though there were plenty of houses she could choose to live in. But she had become accustomed to living in small spaces when she had been a blood slave and she never got over that habit. Granny Dilliana is in her 90’s; she was born into slavery and had remained so for more than forty years until she was rescued.

Trisha walked behind us quietly and Granny Dilliana’s granddaughter Talia, trailed behind Trisha wearily. It was difficult for the family to trust vampires after the stories they had heard of their grandmother’s captivity. I was surprised that Granny Dilliana, which I was forced to call her even though I was over a hundred years older than her, actually came up to talk to Trisha in the first place. Maybe her age was making her fearless?

Once we reached the worn out hut made completely from wood, I entered through the unlocked front door and laid my charge down on her bed and pulled the covers over her to keep her warm. Talia instantly came over with a glass of water and fed it to her grandmother.

Hydrated and comfortable Granny Dilliana called Trisha over to her bedside and Trisha obeyed without complaint.

“I remember you. You’re that girl who always stayed around Damien.” Dilliana said. “Your father is the Royal healer, the only kind vampire I’ve ever met.”

Trisha frowned at Granny as if trying to remember her face. “I’m sorry; I don’t remember ever meeting you…”

“You didn’t.”Granny shook her head, making some pure white strands of hair escape her braid. “Slaves were never allowed in front of vampire elite’s, unless it was to feed. I was a born slave. Served them for over forty years until I was no longer pretty enough to drink from.”

I think by now, Trisha would’ve guessed that Dilliana wasn’t just any ordinary vampire’s slave but she served one of the elite. I had brought Trisha here especially to meet Granny Dilliana, because she was very valuable at the moment. And although I would’ve preferred to keep this place undetected, because I didn’t trust Trish completely yet, but since Trisha was already in my den, there was no point in stalling.

“I don’t get it…who did you serve?” Trisha looked at Dilliana and then to me and back again to Dilliana with confusion in her eyes.

“Vandal Rudolf.”