Chapter 8 – Spy

A raven perched high on the thick branch of the ancient tree that loomed over the vampire and the girl. Shrouded by the darkness, she watched with her round, amethyst bird eyes, debating whether she should now fly back to the report to her King, or stay a little longer just to find out if the girl would live. She pitied the girl, for she herself would not have been so courageous to stand against a vampire – not in her human form, and definitely not in her avian form. Cocking her head to one side, she watched as Dale held the gash on his arm to the human girl's lips. There was such intense concern and love in his eyes that it made her heart bleed; the vampire she loved had barely glanced at her twice a day, and had never looked at her in such affectionate way. She was but another pawn in his game, the game that he was bound to win. This was a dangerous game that the King was playing, and she wished that her King would not engage himself in such dark deed, but there was no way to stop him despite how much she loved him. And it was because she loved him that she sacrificed everything to be close to him, even though she was giving up her dreams only to become a spy of his. She was not at all here by her own will, but by his.

Deciding that it was time to return to the Keep, Isavora extended her sable wings and took off to the silent dome, adorned by myriad of stars dancing gently, twinkling with each twirl they made. She melted into the velvet night, her black feathers became one with the sky, and she rode with the wind. Her pain and sorrow was gradually alleviated, if not from her whole being, at least from her mind for the moment. Flying, that was the only thing that comforted her, the only thing that could remind her of the joy she used to possess before she met her beautiful King, her Lord. The sky of freedom, it took away the burden of love that she carried, and lifted her gloom. She flew, her spirit free and her mind and heart at peace. But she knew this wouldn't last, for the King was waiting, and she did not intend to displease him. Flapping her wings hard now, the raven shot through the night in the direction of the Vampirovia Keep.

A drop of silver blood quietly slid from the corner of her mouth to her chin; he wiped it away with a gentle thumb and laid her down with great care. Tilting his head slightly to the night sky, he sniffed, but could not smell the scents of other vampires through the thick odor of Xenia's and Akzorr's blood. They were all careful to hide their scents from him, but he knew they were out there, lusting for blood and lingering near the border. But he knew none were advancing, for they feared him too much to cross into his territory, especially since their co-captain was just killed. He snorted; let that be a warning for all of them, to elicit their oldest memories of him, which were composed of fear and respect. Still he could not unload the worries upon his heart, for these royal guards were among the bests in the kingdom. If they were to gang up on him, and with fear for Xenia's life to aggravate him, he would have a slime chance. These were cunning enemies he was facing, one on one he could win the battle, but otherwise, it would be a nightmare. Even though he doubted that they would come at him together, for vampires were solitary and normally preferred to be alone, he decide that it was best if he could move her back to the cottage, the center of his territory. That he would do, but not until she was well enough to be moved.

For the next few hours, he sat beside her unconscious form, his body as tense and still as a statue. He was searching for the presence of enemy vampires, but detected none. All was still and calm, nothing but the rustling of leaves as the night breeze whispered sleepily into the canopy. The illusion of peace belied the danger and unease swirling around Dale, but he knew that despite how safe it seemed, anything could happen unexpectedly. And if he let down his guard, it would be the death of her. He did, however, turn to look down at Xenia constantly, smiling involuntarily every time she let out a sigh in her dream. She was healing, he concluded by her now-steady heartbeat and breathing. On her right shoulder, the bone pale as the moonlight had resumed its naturally position, and the ripped skin now began to reach adhesion. He reached down and laid his palm on her lower chest. With each fall and rise of her chest, he felt the broken rib bones slowly connecting, the fractures were closing. He moved his hand to her right arm and pressed as lightly as he could to feel the shattered bone. Some shattered pieces had joined themselves, and the tissues that were damages by the sharp fragments of her bone were also healing.

He sighed with relief, and suddenly chuckled. Who knew that a vampire could be such a good doctor, able to cure a near-dead patient within a few hours? But then she was human, and the vampire's sensitive fingers and ears would know the rush of her blood, every little small contraction her muscles made. If he was touching another vampire, he couldn't possibly even know what misfortune had befallen his body. At the thought, he remembered the blood giving, and chuckled again. And who would possibly think that drinking vampire blood would heal a human? He thought, amused. It seemed strange now that human was hunted by vampires instead of the other way around.

"Humans," he snarled with a sudden flare of anger. To him, they were just pathetic and artful creatures, living on other innocent beings that had no conflicts with them. It had always been this way; humans, throughout the history, had slain dragons for their treasures, murdered unicorns for their horns, hunted noble animals for their furs, and so much more. Human hunted the vampire kin as well, for it was their survival that was important, that Dale could comprehend. But the human that killed his mother was none other than her own brother. Blood, they were of the same blood, and came from the same parents. Yet her brother killed her because she was turned into a vampire, even though she never even fed upon the human kind. Dale still remembered clearly, there was not a single trace of clemency in his uncle's eyes when he murmured the spell; he did not flinch when the magic struck his sister, did not show regret. Dale could only watch helplessly, he himself bound by powerful magic, as his uncle sent his mother to her death.

There was nothing more painful than to watch the ones you love die, you yourself capable of doing nothing to protect them. He wanted nothing more than to kill his uncle, and all those human he would come to meet in the future, he had thought to swear to his mother that he would annihilate any human who came his way, that he would avenge her. But she had made him promise instead that he would never harm another human, that he would not feed from human. She brought no hatred when her spirit departed, she carried with her peace and love. He could never understand why she wished no harm to come to her murderer, for even though they were blood siblings, his uncle had killed her without hesitation. But she never blamed her brother, never returned his animosity toward her. It was something Dale could not understand, and thought that he would wonder on her calm death for the rest of his life.

He looked down at Xenia again, and sighed. His feeling toward the human race was the same, but he recovered something he had lost a long time ago the moment she came to him. Something was stirring inside him, changing him, renewing him, and it felt wonderful. The magic of some sort seemed to be emanating from her being, every laugh and every smile charmed him. The energy effusing from her was influencing him as well, in an unknown way that he could not describe. He liked the feeling, and he would never want to lose it. Dawn was waking, her lovely fingers brushing the horizon with a gentle swept. Dale slipped his arms under the human girl and picked her up quickly with ease, though cautious not to cause pain. He moved swiftly under the thick shade of the canopy of the ancient trees, which would shield him later from the intense sunlight that would strike where the ground was bare. He set her down and sat beside her.

Then he smelled him. Instantly his body tensed with unease and alarm, his posture switched to hostile from partly relaxed. Ivan emerged from the thick wood on the other side of the small open area that the fight had took place. He was a friend, Dale knew of course, yet Ivan fed from human, and he could lose control anytime. Ivan had seen the sudden emergence of aggression and stayed where he was, in the shadow.

"You care very much for her, it would seem so." Ivan said quietly, his emotion concealed still as like always.

"I apologize for my behavior, but I must ensure that she is safe from any harm." Dale replied, his voice meek.

"So why are you here, it's almost sunrise?" Dale asked.

"I smelled blood. I just wanted to see for myself," Ivan glanced swiftly at the dead vampire lying on the forest floor, his gaze shifted back to Dale in a second. "Akzorr was a reckless one, Dale. I never approved him as our captain, yet I regret the loss of such an elite. Still, I am glad you're able to protect what you believe is valuable to you, and now there's one less powerful enemy to fight when you decide to take back the throne."

"I doubt I'll try, I haven't a chance. Beside, what difference does it make? Nothing would change." He looked down at his sleeping companion with tenderness, his muscles unwound and his hostility melted away. Ivan observed the growing affection in Dale's eyes as he lifted a hand to touch her cheek. It was a beautiful moment, and he could not hold back a smile, intoxicated by the intense love that Dale was showing toward her. He was certain that Dale had not realized how desperately he was in love with Xenia, but decided to let him sort out his feeling his own way.

"I would never expect you to say such thing just a few days ago. The girl's changed you. But perhaps it is a good thing."

There was a period of silence, bother vampires drowned in their own thoughts. Dale was surprised at Ivan's comment, and he knew that he was telling the truth; Xenia had changed him, he knew, but what shocked him was that he no longer had the thoughts of vengeance, nor did he care that he was banished and shunned, he only wanted to see her well, to be with her. Finally, it was Ivan who eventually broke the silence.

"It might make a difference," said Ivan, his expression now grim. "Your brother has been… cagey lately. He is up to something, planning something. It's nothing good, I'm sure. I sense danger coming to the realm of Vampiria, Dale, something is going to happen."

Dale shrugged in response, pondering on the message Ivan was trying to convey with the warning. He'd learned long ago not to ignore a single word Ivan said. Ivan had conciliated his trust and respect with his accurate predictions and many times before. He looked down once more at Xenia, his fingers still lingering upon her soft flesh. How he loved the warm touch, he savored it while it would last and pulled his hand away. He knew that she would never let him touch her like that if she was conscious, and despite how desperately he longed for her warmth vehemently, he respected her and felt wrong to take advantage of her while she was still unconscious.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I think that I might go now. I came at dawn because I would have a lesser chance of being noticed by the others, imagine the suspicion they would have toward me if they find me here safe and unharmed. I fear that I would not get back in time, the sun would be too intense for traveling soon, I must go back while there are still shadows and shades for me to hide in." said Ivan, glancing up at the sun with squinting eyes. Dale turned his attention back to his friend, hesitating before he spoke.

"Would you stay? We never had enough time to exchange our stories these past twenty years. Beside, I would like to go on a search for water and food, she would be hungry when she wakes up. I need someone to watch her when I'm gone." He observed with confusion the way Ivan's eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze to the girl.

"I smell her blood even now," Ivan said, and Dale felt himself tensed again. "but I see no wound, not a single scratch. Is it… magic?"

His face was guarded as he spoke, and so Dale could tell the unease and mistrust flowing through Ivan's body. Ivan didn't like magic, Dale knew – no vampires like it; magic was the only thing that could kill a vampire aside from the touch of sunlight and another vampire. Chuckling nervously, he explained.

"She doesn't know how to use magic, she didn't even believe in vampires when I met her. Not magic, it's my blood that is healing her."

Ivan's eyes widened with disbelief and curiosity, and the cocky vampire chuckled again; his friend Ivan, like other vampire, knew nothing about the discovery that his father made when he tried to save the girl that became his wife afterward.

"Beside, magic flows thick around me but you befriended me, even now you're a dear friend to me, so why fear the magic she might possess?"

"She might have used it against me if we were engaged in battle, but you're different because you're my friend. I suppose she would pose no threat for me even if she did have magic, still, I have a hard time trusting humans, and you must forgive me for that."

"She is the only one I trust," Dale said, gritting his teeth as he remembered the death of his mother. "You shouldn't trust a human, but I trust her."

Ivan nodded, and treaded silently on the shadowed rim of woods that surrounded the area of open space where sunlight struck softly. He circled his way to Dale and settled down a feet from the sleeping human. Dale understood that he was being cautious to not make Dale nervous when he chose not to sit close to Xenia. Smiling, he extricated his worries and took off into the thick shadows cast by the dense canopies high above.

She left the light-zone as the sun had just begun to surface above the horizon lined by canopies of the forest. As she entered the demesne of the vampires, light faded and was replaced by utter obscurity. Dark clouds covered the sky, leaving not a single patch of blue among it. She hated this place so, for eons it was shrouded by gloom and shade of dark grey. The vampires certainly enjoyed it, but she felt only frail as if her life was being drained. Yet she stayed, for him. She flapped her sable wings harder, beating at the air to accelerate her speed. Despite her exhaustion, she flew on, wanting to return to him as soon as possible; it always felt safe to be around him, even though he loved her not. The shapeshifter began to drop altitude as the Keep came into her sight. She lowered herself in the air until she was at the same level as the windows of the study chamber. The study chamber was located on the upper most part of the tower that stood in the center of the Keep, it was also the tallest architecture among the others that gathered to form the Keep.

She shot through the air and glided into the great window facing north, the only one opened for her entrance. As the dim light in the chamber fell upon her feathers, she folded her wings and landed on the marble floor. The moment her claws clicked on the marble, her body shimmered with golden light as it stretched from the shape of a raven into a human. There before his desk Isavora stood, tall and slender with an airy elegance about her. Her look was especially remarkable compared to those female vampires, but she was almost as beautiful as some of them and definitely close to a goddess among humans. She had long, raven-black hair that fell to her waist like a dark waterfall, and eyes of soft lavender. Her thin lips on her heart-shaped face was pulled into a gentle smile as she saw her Master sitting at his ivory desk. But she quickly concealed her joy at seeing him, though she was sure that he caught her smile. She bowed low before him, her glossy dark hair fell over her shoulders like silk when she lowered her head.

"What news have you brought me about the girl?" He asked from his desk. The next moment she found a pair of leather-booted feet on the ground inches before her. She straightened up and looked into his ruby eyes. Yes, they were eyes of a fiend, but she loved them with all her heart.

"The girl seemed to have realized that she's not in her world anymore. She ran away and came close to leaving your brother's territory. But she was attacked by the captain of the royal guards when night fell. She fought him but did not prevail, but instead was injured seriously. Dale came to her rescue in time and killed the captain… he… healed her,"

The Vampire Lord seemed surprised at the information, his eyes gleaming with dark excitement, calculating. She feared for the girl, for she wanted her to be safe even though she knew her not. Isavora had always a tender heart and a kind soul, even though now she lingered around the ruthless Vampire Lord, she remained gentle as like a dove. She shuddered at the thought of Xenia's death, at the vivid image in her mind of the cruel King manipulating her to do what he wished. Isavora had wanted many times to fly away from his sinister plot, for she knew it would involve many deaths and result in tragedy and calamity for every soul in the five realms. But she couldn't walk away from him, and she condoled for the death of her bravery and abhorred her weak will.

"Just the perfect girl; ardent, courageous, vivacious, and clever. She must be the one then, I am most certain." He said, grinning darkly as he circled her slowly.

"Lord Darren… perhaps you should not…" She sighed, her voice small and trembling.
"I won't stop at anything, dear Isavora," he hissed, and she felt his fangs against her neck. She could hear her own pulse, drumming hard into her ears.

"I will have her." The King kissed her neck and vanished from the room, leaving the great metal door to slowly swing shut. And she stood there, apprehension rushed through her body.

Author's note: Sorry that I haven't updated for, like, ever. But here it is and it's longer than the other chapters!!!!!! Thank you guys for reading and reviewing, the next chapter's coming up soon (at least I hope). Hugs and kisses for you all, thank you!!!!