Chapter Six ~Cret~

Sinking down into the weathered wooden chair, I stared down at my hands coated in rich black dirt and dried blood. The fresh scent of earth still clung to them breaking through the musty air of Rhea's secret study. I cut Victoria down. Helped her in the only way I could and then buried the body near the ruins. It seemed the best I could do at the moment. She should have been buried with her father under the temple but that was an impossible task given Tentusa's current state. Later when all this was over I would return and give her the burial she deserved, but for now she was at peace in the ruins where so many other souls slept.

I wondered how the world had changed on me. Everything I knew and was taught shifted beneath my feet, leaving me suspended over a chasm of a new, terrifying world. Not even here, among Rhea's most cherished belongings did I feel comforted. Tucked away in her secret room where it still felt like she was living somewhere out there. This was home to her for generations and now it was just a painful reminder as I looked at all her most important works stacked on shelves carved out of dirt walls. This was the place I learned everything I knew, a teacher and student studying in these modest chambers. Coming here always made me feel at home, but not this time. Despite the warmth seeping from the earthy walls, I was cold. Chilled by the harsh realities just outside.

A steady slow drip of blood from my side the only sound in the room as it formed a shallow puddle beneath me. The gentle taunting howl of wind swept by outside of the small slit of a window along the back wall. From here you could see down into the valley and onto the city. I didn't want to look. There was nothing left down there to gaze at, just wreckage.

I needed to get up and clean my wound, the other smaller cuts on my body had already healed, but this hole in my side was stubborn. It needed to be dressed and then I needed a meal to regain some of my strength, but I wanted to do none of it.

Leaning back in the chair I let my body stretch out and my gaze travel toward the ceiling, a rush of defeated air left my lips. I couldn't think on any of it anymore, my physical and emotional limits had been spent and now there was nothing. Not a single thing that could ground me. I found myself back at the place I was in my younger years—a wanderer with no direction and a shame that followed everywhere.

The musty smell of old worn books and scrolls surrounding me with their knowledge, years of dictations scribbled down. Words of wisdom littering the aged wooden table in front of me, and all I could do was drift off into blank thought. Let the confusion of mind and emotions take me over, and hope that I emerged with some form of direction.

"You should care for yourself better," Serenity's voice startled me to my feet. "And clean that wound before you get an infection."

I stood there in shock looking at her, the woman who had rejected me and still she took up every second of the thoughts racing in my mind. The demon within awoke with a warning hiss as I took in her appearance, not a single scratch on her. It was like last night had never happened. Serenity's body was in perfect condition. Arms folded across her chest and leaning against the far wall, she looked completely at ease and that pissed me off.

"How did you find me?" It was the first question that came to mind, was I really being that careless that I was so easily followed?

"I knew you would be coming here."

"How?"

"No one else knows about this place, and your scent was well covered. So does it really matter how I knew?"

It mattered because no one got the drop on me. It was one of the few traits the Opsona actually praised me for, or at least acknowledged. The thing that shocked me more was that she was the one that snuck up on me, I was far too attune to Serenity for her to be capable of that, or at least I thought.

The fact she bested me at something, even if only for a moment in time brought my demon out of his wallowing hole and sent his need to challenge to the forefront of my mind. Her demeanor did little to aid the situation. My demon and I were both still wounded by her rejection last night, and seeing Serenity there in such a causal manner added to the sting of our wounded ego.

"You look surprisingly well." I noted to her perfect condition drawing the conversation in a new direction to distract myself.

"One of the many advantages of being a vampire."

"Ahh yes. Drink a little blood and everything in your world turns out fine." I growled at her more then I meant to, jealousy hiding in my words.

We were both different, unique in our creation, but I was more limited than her. Blood was a cure all for just about any affliction that could harm a vampire. Time was my only cure. I could stave off infections that would kill a normal mortal, survive wounds that not even Opsona's could, but still I was restricted by an element I could not control. Time. Serenity had no such restrictions.

Her cold stoic look faltered a little at my comment as she took a step toward the table. I flinched back in response completely on guard, waiting for her to attack while I was still weak.

"Settle yourself before you make your injuries worse," she warned, reaching for one of the chairs at the table and pulling it out before sitting. "I don't delight in drinking blood, it's the cowards way out. I would have rather healed on my own strength."

Her words left me a little confused. I knew she devoured blood with the same need and lust that others of her kind did. It was a drug vampires needed and craved every second their immortal hearts beat.

Over the years and many evolutions of the vampire race they had learned to control their cravings. The blood-lust not nearly as ravenous as it was talked about in ancient times, but it was still an insatiable need they had frail control over. Along with their vanity it was the only exploitable fault of the race. Despite her natural instinct to crave blood Serenity seemed disgusted by it, ashamed. That was interesting.

"Besides you have no call to judge me. You're no more mortal than I am." Her tone grew dark and victorious as she leaned back in the chair.

Serenity's gaze locked with mine, a caution in her eyes but not rage or hunger like last night. None of that creature I witnessed before was there. This was all Serenity. The sage of her scent was strong today to the point I could smell no lavender only an odd sweetness she never gave off before now. Even her scarlet eyes lacked the cruel beauty that was common for her. She was altered somehow.

Serenity closed her eyes and inhaled for a long moment then exhaled licking her tongue along those lush lips of hers. The rejection from last night rushed away in a sudden wave of arousal.

Damn her.

"Yes, there is something that mingles with your blood, and I'm not talking about that rich Opsona heritage of yours. It's something much darker." A twisted smirk appeared on her face and I took a step back, turning my head away.

I focused my attention elsewhere not wanting the conversation to continue. Talking about my father or what darkness he gave me was not something I wanted to discuss, especially not with her. I knew what the other creatures in the Underworld thought of my father's family, how they treated them. Not that I cared for the emotional suffering of the man, but it would only make a joke out of me. The Rebrosnus Faction of the Crepus Vali, we were nothing but a smear on the heel of every Underworld being. Legend painted my father's family as misfits among the nightmares of the other realms. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that.

"Why are you here? Come to finish me?"

"No, sadly enough." She sounded far too disappointed about not killing me than I would have liked. "Master Vondorian wants you alive."

"So you've come to collect me then."

"No."

"Stop playing games. I tire of them," I growled which triggered a laugh, she was toying with me.

"I thought you liked playing games Cret," she mocked. "Suddenly not so playful once someone else has the upper hand."

I looked back to her with aggravation creasing my brow. I had always had the advantage over her, that was what my patience and stalking rewarded me with but now the tables were turned. The smug smile on her face burned through me as she tapped a finger to her head. A flaunting show reminding me I could no longer read her thoughts and I wished like hell I could. Maybe then I wouldn't be so on edge if I knew her intentions.

"Been studying I see," I mused, trying to regain the ground I lost, fighting to keep my calm exterior. It wasn't easy. My demon had a need to dominate, becoming more persistent the longer I gazed at that smug expression plastered across her face.

"I'm a fast study, and your blood taught me so much."

That last part startled me. I knew last night before we battled there was something different about her. A new clarity had taken root in her eyes, a revelation that hadn't been present before. Serenity had gained something down in those tunnels and from what she was telling me it was my blood that unlocked these new abilities. That couldn't be possible.

Memories, thoughts, information passed through blood was so rare, an impossibility outside of a few races and vampires were not among them. It was normal for vampires to pick up traits from their sires only because their bonds were so intense. There had even been rare reports of the strong emotions from victims felt by their vampire attackers. The idea that Serenity was able to learn a whole ability just by drinking my blood was disturbing and brilliant. Was this what made her so special? Or was the vampire race just evolving yet again?

"That's not all I learned Cret," she said with a wide smile that filled me with dread. "The second your blood touched my lips it all became so clear. Memories, your memories, filled in the gaps. I suddenly had a full picture of the night you murdered me."

Her last words were dark, the urge to lash at me heating her gaze. I felt relief in that. Serenity still wanted me dead and I didn't blame her, but if that was all she learned from my memories, I was thankful. My secrets were safe and intact. Serenity's need to see my blood stain the floor, I could handle. Her knowing me, really knowing me. No, I wouldn't risk it.

"Is that why you are here?" I asked sitting down in the chair I had sprung from when she first appeared. "You want to kill me, take revenge? It won't change anything."

She gave a light laugh and glanced away. "You're pathetic right now. I only want to fight you at your best, anything less would be a waste of my time."

I wasn't sure about her motives though her argument did put me at ease. I knew every word of what she said to be true, that was the Serenity I knew better than myself at times. Honorable to a fault, so long as that creature of hers remained at bay.

If she wasn't here to kill me or bring me to her waiting master, then why had she come?

Watching with a cautious eye I tried to draw any information I could from her as she stood. Tracking each step as she made her way to the little bucket near the window used to catch rainwater.

What do you have planned Serenity…What is it you want?

I asked over and over trying to get a fix or at the least an idea of what her intentions were. She had become so hard to read. Every point of her behavior was erratic leaving me staggering for answers.

Turning to a table on her right Serenity shifted so her body blocked my view. I grew a little nervous hearing the sounds of items moving and shifting. I wanted to jump up and race over to her, but before I could she turned back my way, hands full with a small bowl and a rag along with some bandages.

Strolling with that causal air back toward the table, she laid the items down and drew a chair closer to me. I tensed a little not sure just what she was planning on doing with all these items, but it couldn’t be what it looked like.

"Off with your shirt," Serenity demanded. I found myself reading a lot more arousing details into her command than I was sure she intended.

"Excuse me?"

"Take off your shirt so I can clean your wound. It's clear you have no intention of doing it."