Everything was coming to a head now, the end lingered off in the distance almost in sight. Soon Thomas' and Vivika's hard work would finally usher in The Master's new world. They could practically taste it.
Vivika stood on the roof of their penthouse to just stare out at the darkness of night, all they could do was wait now and hope that Zach didn't fuck his job up. One job, just one simple task but she still didn't trust the brat not to fail monumentally.
One hand rested on her stomach which had ever so slightly started to dome now, her and Thomas' child was growing and Vivika couldn't have been happier … well, if Zach did his damn job then maybe she could.
Suddenly arms wrapped around her waist and Thomas' remaining hand rested over her own on her belly. Most probably would have jumped with how silently he managed to appear but not his loving bride, she delighted in the way he'd magically show up and wrap her in his strong embrace. A gentle kiss was pressed to her exposed neck as the scent of sandalwood and something which was uniquely him. Vivika couldn't help but settle back against strong, warm chest.
"Not long now, meine liebeling." He whispered against her skin. "All the rats will be gone."
"Oh that's cruel, I like rats." Vivika practically hummed. "You're right though, soon all the humans will finally know their place." It sounded so heavenly, like a dream come true. At least it would come true if Zach would hurry the hell up. "And remember, we're taking that bath afterwards."
Thomas smirked at his wife's teasing. In all his long life Eichhorst hadn't ever met a woman like Vivika, she was unique in both the old world and their Lord's new one/ She really was his beautifully perfect – if somewhat fickle – bride.
Together they stood in the darkness of night while a cool breeze washed over them. Street lamps provided the city an ethereal glow, like a scene in an old classic. Eichhorst couldn't stop himself brushing his lips against the skin of her neck.
"I've never tasted a sin as sweet as you, my love." He practically purred.
Suddenly Zach's Feeler clambered up from the damaged fire escape to their left and scurried over to them. Vivika felt a little ambivalence, on the one hand she was pleased that news had finally arrived while on the other hand she wanted to toss the damn Feeler over the edge for having the audacity to interrupt her blissful private time with Thomas.
The German stepped away from his wife then and closer to the edge as he sniffed the cool air, something was happening that was for sure.
"Thomas?" She questioned, her hands still atop her belly. "Thomas?"
Finally he turned back to face her, a pleasant darkness in his fake eyes. "Zach as left a scent flare, we have them now, meine liebling."
A grin spread across her lips, it felt as though they'd been waiting for this forever and frankly they could have been. Next thing she knew Thomas had kissed her deeply and simply stepped off of the roof, all was silent for a few seconds before she heard a metallic thud where he'd landed on the fire escape a few floors down.
"Go with him." Vivika told Zach's Feeler and thankfully it hurried off without issue.
Vivika had her own tasks to attend to anyway, she had to track down the stragglers of Setrakian's cohorts. So she did, it took Vivika three hours and more Strigoi than she cared to count but Vivika eventually found some of them hiding the Federal Reserve building.
Emerald orbs watched the two men speaking via the cameras dotted around the parking garage, she recognized one of them Gus – everybody's favorite black market guy – but the other one she'd never seen before. Quite frankly the raven-haired beauty wished she'd brought popcorn because this had started to turn into a pretty good show.
Meanwhile Thomas burst into the building Goodweather and the others had been hiding out in only a step or so behind The Master. They'd brought enough Strigs to level the place if needed but instead all they found was Sanjay Desai and his wife, Selah, locked up just as Zach had been. Frankly Eichhorst wished that they'd found Zach dead having been murdered violently by his drunk of a father but alas not.
Sanjay and his wife bickered pathetically between themselves while The Master and Thomas watched on with unimpressed expressions; something about being faithful or some such nonsense. Even Vivika wasn't surprised when Zach pointed out that Sanjay had actually told Setrakian's lot everything and she wasn't even in the building. Thomas had done many things in his life, some he was ashamed of while others he was very, very proud of, but to blame such treachery on one's wife was just deplorable. The German couldn't imagine ever trying to pin something like this on his sweet Vivika, especially knowing it would almost certainly mean death; Thomas was many things but a poor husband was not one of them.
He sneered at Sanjay pathetic nature just as The Master surged forwards and put an end to him; not a moment too soon in Thomas' opinion. Blood decorated the walls and soon the floor as it drifted downwards. Vivika had always liked Sanjay's 'pretty face' but in all honesty Eichhorst much preferred his brain splattered all over the place.
With a little heat tilt Thomas slipped his remaining hand into his suit and pulled free his cell phone, a rarely used object and quickly dialled the only person of any importance, his bride. It was all mostly to amuse himself but also because everything was so close to the end. As always his bride answered promptly on the second ring.
"Bad news, meine süße-"
She cut him off abruptly. " Is this I broke a nail bad news or you lost your other hand bad news? If it's the latter how the fuck dialled for you? "
The former Nazi smirked before he finally answered. "Sanjay Desai is dead. I know how fond of his face you were but it will not be an open casket."
"Shame." She sighed. "Doesn't matter though, I've always been more efficient at the job."
The pair paused in their little conversation to take in their master's words 'such a creature is beneath contempt', truer words may never have been spoken; Desai had always been pathetic but he'd also been useful … until now.
"Have you retrieved Zach the bomb yet?" Vivika enquired softly.
"Yes to the first, no to the second regrettably."
Thomas hazarded a glance at their resident teenager who looked horrified, not that Thomas, The Master or any of the other Strigs cared in the slightest. Both Eichhorsts firmly agreed that the sooner they got rid of the damn child the better. Still, they were one step closer and couldn't complain.
~X~
It wasn't until three hours after their phone call that Vivika finally returned to their home away from home as it were, she'd acquired the place a while ago mostly because she'd thought it funny to play castles; a sentiment which her husband hadn't though all that important.
She headed out onto what was essentially a rampart as the night air fluttered around her face and lifted her dark hair. Her master and Zach were already out there looking out over the city and by God did she want to avoid the little brat but passing them was the quickest way to get to the other side of the building. She strode forwards which made her stilettos click-clack, the only indication of her approach. If Vivika was lucky she'd pass by unnoticed by the teenager, if not she'd just play the caring older sister as was her usual masquerade.
Vivika couldn't help but over hear The Master speak of having the city searched as she approached only for her Lord to face her directly as she tried to slip passed Zach unnoticed. The semi-immortal took the expression for the question it was and easily provided an answer.
"A sixth of the city has already searched, Master." Vivika informed slowly. "Unfortunately it has turned up nothing so far."
The Master smiled at her, actually smiled, or at least as close to a smile as their Lord was capable of.
"I have every faith in you, Vivika, you are in a minority of truly loyal." He cupped her cheek then and pulled her in to press a kiss to her pale forehead. "I am proud of you, daughter."
Vivika beamed at his praise and almost mourned the loss of his warm hand, almost as quickly as he'd approached her The Master turned back to the view of Manhattan and fell silent while Zach focused on her as if she were some kind of savior for him.
"Hi, Z." The raven-haired beauty smiled like she cared.
Instantly Zach latched on to Vivika and it was then she knew the boy was wavering. He gripped her waist ever so tightly with a stupidly placed love and care, but unconsciously shuffled to put her between himself and The Master. Something had happened to cause this, has his father said something to him? Or perhaps he saw Sanjay murdered? She supposed it didn't really matter what had caused it she was there to keep the boy under control; Vivika could lay it on thick when she needed to.
"You did your best, Zach, we're all proud of you. Won't be long now and everything will be normal again." The emerald-eyed woman flashed him her most dazzling smile. "I am still here, Thomas is still here, Master will always be here. And, of course, you're still going to be an uncle." That got the idiot boy to perk up at least a little. Time to add in some sympathy, muttered her mind. "It can't have been nice having to see your father, I'm sorry he upsets you so, especially after everything you've had to go through."
The insolent child let out a breath. "I'm okay, Vivi."
A lie and they all knew it though Vivika and The Master hide that knowledge better than Zach ever could.
"Of course you are, because you're brave."
Vivika kissed the top of his head as if her love for him were anything other than an illusion. After another quick smile and a tiny bow to her Lord, Vivika left the rampart like walkway and slipped back into the house through a side door.
"The sooner that boy dies the better."
Unconsciously the semi-immortal rested a hand atop her stomach, she'd been warned her pregnancy would advance quicker than with regular babies but Vivika felt no fear, this was her and Thomas' child, another perfect soldier for The Master's ranks. Vivika couldn't help but smile softly to herself as she continued down the halls in search of her husband.
From outside came the screams of stupid humans as they charged through the streets trying to save themselves. Vivika huffed, the Partnership is officially over then.
Eventually she located her darling husband in one of the quiet side rooms, he sat before a fireplace which looked to have not been lit on a very long time, his legs were crossed and in his hand was several sheets of paper which appeared to be a plethora of maps and survey charts. The raven-hair beauty couldn't help the little smile which spread across her black painted lips when the scent of his cologne reached her. Though he'd not looked up she knew Thomas was aware of her presence so she easily perched on the arm of his chair and draped an arm behind his head and over his shoulders.
"What are you doing, Thomas?" She asked lightly.
The Strigoi turned his head away from her a moment to press a quick kiss to her hand before fake blue eyes met his wife's green ones.
"They've hidden the bomb somewhere in this city, we know that, so I am attempting to narrow down our search area. It would be somewhere large enough to store it safely but out of the way enough that they could be sure we'd not stumble upon it. Also, you already located it once but they moved it before we could take it from them, that means that it will be somewhere reasonably close to the Federal Reserve still."
Vivika felt for her husband, she really did, he'd put so much effort into aiding their Lord, into completing his plans, and now a half-breed, a rat catcher, a fucking bitch and a drunk doctor threatened to bring it all down. Vivika hated to see her suit clad German so over worked.
Smoothly Vivika slipped from the chair's arm and into her husband's lap, instinctively the arm sans of hand wrapped around her waist to keep her securely in place against his chest; she could have purred.
"I love you, Thomas." They kissed. "We're almost there, almost done. Don't doubt for one second that we won't find that bomb because we will. You and Setrakian fought for decades but you still won. That Jew was the only person capable of stopping us and now that he's gone for good the others are just floundering, trying to last as long as possible; too stupid to see it's already over, my love." Carefully she brushed a couple of strands from his wig aside where they'd come loose fo his usual perfectly combed state. Emerald orbs twinkled at him in that way she had just for Thomas Eichhorst. "Maybe we should bake a victory cake."
Oh that got a chortle from him even if it was a small one. Thomas set his mass of pages down on the small, round table beside his armchair and instead rested his hand on Vivika's belly. He'd not wanted a family but here he was with one and he would protect them no matter what.
"You're right, always so right." He told her, his accent light. "Perhaps not a cake though."
"Mmm." She hummed. "I suppose I am getting fat."
"No, never fat, meine liebling. You carry our progeny, the next step in Strigoi strength." Thomas kissed her again, soft and loving. "Once they are all locked away in their farms nice and neatly we shall need these improved mongrels to act as guards to deter the humans and their ill thought out escape plans."
Vivika nodded. Why did Thomas always just make her smile? Because he's a wonderful husband, replied her mind.
"I have a celebratory gift for you, meine liebe." That got a raised eyebrow from his bride. "Although it is perhaps a little early to give it to you."
"Oh no! You can't dangle presents in front of me and then back away. Hand it over, husband mine." She teased.
That was exactly what he'd expected, wanted even, so Thomas slipped his hand into his inner pocket and pulled out a black velvet pouch that Vivika took enthusiastically with a smile. She quickly pulled back the little drawstring and tipped the contents into her left hand, there she came face to face with a silver locket. It was ovular and frankly looked antique, Victorian maybe, and had been etched beautifully. Eagerly Vivika clicked it open to find it empty, green eyes flashed to her husband with confusion.
"I don't understand, Thomas. It's stunning, but empty."
The former Nazi nodded. "I know, leibling. The fact of the matter is I know you have craved this baby but he will age quickly as all Born do. Strigoi are not meant to be infants nor children so Born advance to adulthood with haste. So, when he is born, we shall insert a photograph of him into your locket so as you may keep your baby forever."
Carefully Vivika shut the locket and held it close to her chest while she sparked love at her husband.
"How is it you can be so completely murderous one moment and the most perfect husband the next?" She asked before leaning in to kiss his make-up covered cheek.
"Practice, I suppose." Eichhorst smirked to himself. "With your penchant for shiny things we could always take a trip to London once this is all over, I bet you'd look stunning draped in the Crown Jewels."
"What did I do to earn such an amazing husband?"
"You have a man hope just to amuse yourself before you had me drain him dry before you. It was then I realized just how wondrous you truly are, liebe." Vivika slipped on her new gift only to trail her fingers down over the etching. "However, there will be time for portraits later, first we must locate the bomb again and kill every last one of the Jew's rebels."
Crush them they would and finally the new dawn would be ushered in.
