Astrid grabbed the blonde by the leg and easily tossed her into a tree. The newborn, Charlotte, screeched and charged at Astrid. It was too easy to side step the rage driven vampire. She watched in amusement as she spun on her heel, dust flying and venom coating her teeth. Her body was vibrating with anger.
"You need to push past the red," Astrid said in what she thought was a nice tone. Charlotte seemed to think otherwise and let out another scream. It was beginning to get on the older woman's nerves. "Think past the anger. If you were in your right mind-"
"If I was in my right mind I'd tear your red head off your shoulders and dance on it! Fucking bitch!" Charlotte was in the middle of a tantrum, continuing to spur insults and stomping her feet. She even grabbed a rock and threw it at Astrid's head.
"I'll kill ya', come at me! Let's go!" Charlotte was waving her arms and walking back and forth. Astrid held back her chuckles, knowing that if she showed how hilarious this was, the newborn would actually attack her.
Astrid sort of liked the fiery Charlotte, she would hate to have to actually kill her.
"Alright, come kill me then." Astrid widened her feet and motioned with her finger for the newborn to come at her full tilt.
Charlotte slid on the floor, going for Astrid's feet. She went too soon and her body stopped mid slide. She screamed and began to kick her legs and hit the floor, making it crack and cave beneath her small body.
Astrid patiently watched as she rolled on the floor before she finally stood up, calm and eyes focused. Charlotte gave a small nod and parted her feet, raising her fists like Astrid had taught her. It always went like this- an ear splitting tantrum one second and extreme control the next.
Astrid allowed Charlotte to make the first move. She darted forward then faltered to the left. Astrid spun, easily avoiding her fist aiming for where her throat had previously been. Charlotte didn't let that deter her. She followed Astrid's movements and the two began to circle each other, focused.
She grabbed Charlotte's arm and pinned it behind her back, kicking her in the back of the knee so she fell to the ground. Charlotte was quick, remembering what Astrid had told her. She heaved with all her might and rolled to the right, taking Astrid with her. Charlotte rolled on top of her and placed her hands on her neck, prepared to take her head off.
"Very good."
Charlotte squeaked at the new voice and stood straight, eyes focused on the ground. She shook with fear as Major walked forward. Astrid laid on the ground, watching as the man drew closer. His curly blonde hair was pulled back by a ribbon today, his posture erect with his hands behind his back. He had been patrolling the training, she assumed, and had watched Charlotte's first take down.
Astrid stood when he stopped in front of her, gazing down at her. She hadn't been able to read him since they returned from the rock; his arms were fully healed and he had taken to barking out orders to start training immediately.
"Thank you, Major. Charlotte's making great progress." Astrid murmured. She was timid around him since they'd last spoken, she didn't know how to treat their new development.
She smelled Peter before he appeared beside the blonde. Charlotte blinked in shock and stepped away, but Peter was on her tail. He gave her a wolfish smile.
"I think Charlotte is doing spectacular!"
"You're scaring my newborn, back off." Astrid snapped, stepping between the two.
Peter put his hands up although his red eyes focused on Charlotte. Astrid didn't need Major's power to feel the lust coming off of Peter.
"You're not scared, are ya' darlin'? I'm just trying to make nice." Peter had the audacity to pout. Astrid found it revolting but Charlotte seemed smitten with the dirty haired vampire.
"Make nice, really now?" Major raised an eyebrow, finding the situation hilarious. Astrid wasn't as amused. "Why don't you try that with the rest of the newborns? Atticus was feeling down about his hand to hand, go cheer him up."
Peter waved the Major off, "I have a feeling that Atticus found Elizabeth to cheer him up."
"Oh lovely." Astrid snarked. She hated when vampires began to pair up and commit. It made it harder to kill them, personally.
"I'm quite cheery as it is, Mr. Peter," Charlotte batted her eyelashes. Peter swooned. "But I do need a partner to go hunting, if ya' don't mind."
"I mind. Your training is not finished, you can fuck him later but not during my time." Astrid snapped, snarling at Peter for distracting Charlotte. The blonde quickly let her eyes fall to the floor.
"It's fine, Astrid." Major said.
Astrid glowered at being over turned and Peter smirked. She could hear his voice in her head, mocking her for losing. Charlotte didn't seem to understand the disrespect and gladly bid farewell to Astrid and followed Peter into the woods. Astrid already prepped herself for the smell that would follow the two for days.
Once they were gone, she chanced a dangerous look at the Major. He seemed amused at her reaction.
"Say what's on your mind, do not hold back." He said.
Astrid pondered if this was a trick. Major had a sense of humor, he wasn't shy on showing it, although he never took it kindly when others voiced their opinions. He coaxed it out of her, as usual.
"That's my newborn, she shouldn't be running naked in the woods with Peter, of all people. And . . ." His eyes encouraged her. "And you should've said no like I did."
He hummed in thought, lacing his hands behind his back. They stood in silence, the only sound the wind and leaves being played by it.
"Astrid, you are well aware you are not in charge. Charlotte will do as I say, it does not matter who trains her," He said it not unkind but with an edge to his tone that made it law. She bowed her head. "I also needed your time, without a crying child at your side."
She cocked her head to the side, "Oh?"
Major moved quick. He grabbed her by the arm and spun her, trying to lock her in his arms. Astrid didn't think, twisting his wrist and flipping over his shoulders. She used his shoulder blades as a diving board, landing gracefully behind him.
"My arms are stiff, I need a challenge," They circled each other, the Major's gift toying with her. She could feel her anxiety raise, her awareness heightened to the point where it hurt to focus on one thing for too long. "Let's train, shall we?"
Major darted forward, throwing punches in every direction. She tried to dodge them all but he was too fast and got her in the face. His strength had her thrown backwards, the grass ripping from the dirt as she skidded to a stop almost a mile away. She crouched low, trying to keep his gift off of her. Her power was defenseless towards him, she was only physically invisible to others.
"Your arms seem fine to me, Major." Astrid noted, tensing when he stood to his full height.
Major smirked, "Trying to get out of this, doll?"
"Of course not." Astrid couldn't keep the smile off her face at the nickname. They stared at each other, daring one another to move first.
Astrid took the bait. She ran at full speed, directly for him, and he ran to meet her halfway. She went left, however, and kicked off of a tree to give her leverage at jumping over him. As she flew over his head, it all happened in slow motion. Major stopped mid run, looked up and met her eyes, and grabbed her mid-air. She could only prepare herself as she was slammed to the floor and his boot landed on her neck.
He sighed, "You went easy on me."
Astrid pushed his boot off and stood, "I did not, sir."
"You're lying and you know how I know you're lying?"
She scowled, "You're an empath."
"I'm an empath." He said at the same time, although he had more merriment in his voice.
Astrid was shocked at this interaction. She had a suspicion he was having more fun tossing her around than anything.
"Major! Where's my Major!" A screech sounded off to their East. Maria.
Major's mood instantly changed. Astrid watched as his eyes darkened and his stance stiffened before he disappeared towards the farm. She was quick on his heel, entering the yard seconds after him.
Maria was pacing on the patio, snarling. Astrid noticed three newborns laying on the floor, their decapitated bodies twitching and crawling for their heads. Major walked over them while Astrid stayed back, knowing better than to approach her.
"Maria?" Major stood bravely before her, his arms still crossed.
"Benito, that bastard! He's near us, he took out Atticus and Julia!" She swung at the wall of the house and it shuddered at the impact. The wood crumbled and left a hole.
"Where?"
"Georgetown! How did he get so close, Major? Why were there no reports? Where are the patrols?!" Maria directed her hysteria at her leader.
Major didn't back down, "There are only seven vampires who can patrol in their right mind, and three are training the newborns. It is only expected we would have a slip through our lines."
Major was right. Since the Purge of the newborns that Major had created to take Benito's mate, and the loss of over thirty with Nettie and Lucy against Santiago. They only had the ten newborns that Maria had brought in since their return. The eldest, Atticus, Bethany, Julia, Tanner, and Matilda were allowed to patrol since they had the least experience with training newborns and knew the scents of the enemy, and had enough control to not slaughter a town if consumed by the urge. There was a less likely chance of a newborn going rouge with Peter, Astrid, and the Major on them every second. Or the chances of losing a life.
Astrid could see the information seeping into Maria. She was heaving as if possessed, her mouth open and eyes wide. The fact that Benito had been able to enter their territory over her lack of creation was a smack in the face.
"We need more newborns!" Maria finally snapped, composing herself. She pushed her curls off of her face and calmed her features. She had moved on. "I will take over the training for the night. Major and Astrid, I want fifteen newborns each."
Astrid held back her instinct to growl. Fifteen newborns each? That would be thirty newborns waking at the same time - no way could they control that! With ten newborns there was enough persuasion from the older ones to follow Major's laws. With thirty, all in the same mind set, they could go wild. Not even Major's gift could calm them down when they feed off of each other's hunger and lack of morality.
"Maria, I have to object-"
Maria flew down the steps and held Major to the ground. She raised her right hand, and fingers clawed, she scratched him in the face. Astrid hissed at the smell of her Major's venom. He seemed unfazed at the four silver scratches across his face, forever there. Major laid still, letting Maria hold him down. Astrid held herself from throwing Maria off of him, her brain screaming to protect.
"There is no objecting!" Her shrill sent birds flying in every direction. "My word is law! You say "Yes, Maria" and you say "Of course, Maria". There is no more of this!" She gave him a backhanded smack. His head snapped to the side, the sound cracking Astrid's ears.
She quaked with rage, her fists clenched and seeing red. The newborns still at the farm had came out of the woods to stare in horror as Major was smacked by Maria. They had never seen Major on the ground before. It was strange to see the terrifying man at someone else's mercy.
"Yes, Maria." Major responded finally.
Maria leaped off of him and landed on the steps of the house, furiously taking in her army of nine. Her eyes landed on the three wiggling bodies on the ground. She growled before storming into the house. There was a loud crack as she threw furniture and smashed walls.
Astrid didn't dare approach Major. He had stood up and marched towards the woods, in the opposite direction they had came. She knew that he would destroy and kill to let his anger out before heading to town to change fifteen humans. She accepted that they had no choice in the matter, and with a horrible feeling in her gut, she headed to another town to create her own horde.