"Monster! Let him go!"
The human's hits felt like a butterfly landing on Astrid's back. She was hunched over an older man, his blue eyes petrified as he met her red gaze. Not once as she drank his blood did he cry or look away, somehow thinking that if he kept eye contact she would release him. She felt it soothing to look into blue and not red.
When she felt that his body was weak enough but still had blood, she released her mouth and dropped him to the wooden boards. He rolled onto his face, not moving. She knew that the more blood she took the longer his awakening would take. Astrid had tried to make every Transitional different, trying to make them wake at different hours or days to make it easier.
"No! Daddy!" The human who had been hitting Astrid's back threw herself onto the ground, sobbing over him.
Astrid took in the destroyed house. They had been celebrating the New Year, having a large party with over fifteen humans. Astrid had heard the laughter from miles away and appeared on the steps of the colossal house, torn dress and wild hair. Her dirt covered skin had given her sympathy from the hosts and they ushered her inside, telling others to call the police and to give her a warm drink. The house was dazzling with a large chandelier and golden walls, the carpets lush beneath Astrid's bare feet. The humans were dressed glamorously, hair done and gowns jeweled, their make-up'd faces annoyingly crooning over her deranged appearance. It had made it a tad easier to grab the hostess by the hair and twist her neck.
She only needed fifteen, after all. The rest were a meal for Astrid, hungry from the stress and frustration of the day. She managed to seek out family members and leave one alive. Keeping a familial tie was a hassle and left newborns less likely to commit to Maria, having a bond to their family that was not easily broke.
The child cried for her father. She was the last one alive, her face bloated from the hysteria. Astrid cocked her head and watched, missing the feeling of crying. When the woman looked up, words at her throat, Astrid sped forward and tore her throat out. She gazed at the neck bone in her hand, blood coating her knuckles, and listened as the human's body fell pliant to the baseboards with her father.
Astrid took in her massacre. She had tossed the deceased to the parlor, a pile of twenty or so, carelessly laid on the carpet. She had fourteen neatly lined in front of the door; she grabbed the last one by the ankle and carried him to the end of her line. She peered at her work, not enthused of her job. They would bring only disaster.
The Transitionals hadn't started screaming yet but it would only take a few more hours. The farm was a good twenty minute run so she grabbed the first two in her line, beginning the track back and forth. She left the Transitionals in the barn, not smelling a trace of Major on any of her trips. At midnight she delivered her last body, dropping him carelessly with the others. She stood over her brood and frowned, wondering if she should perhaps leave them in the woods so their screams wouldn't be a nuisance.
Astrid decided to leave them and entered the yard where Maria was training. She had the newborns in a circle, watching as Elizabeth and Harry wrestled viciously. Maria paced the circle, eyes trained and bellowing out directions for each side. They tried to match her directions and when they didn't follow through they were subjected to screams of their incompetence. Peter stood across the circle, expression dark as he watched Maria train her way. Their eyes met.
She turned when she smelled Major. He had three bodies on his shoulder, scowl prominent as he took them to the barn as well. He disappeared and returned minutes later with more. Astrid watched with the others as he brought his fifteen.
Astrid noticed the three vampires had been put back together and were standing together beside Peter. Roosevelt, Charles, and Maggie. The lines on their necks were fluorescent in the moonlight, their eyes dark and focused angrily on Maria as she paced between the soldiers.
"Major!" Maria barked when he dropped the last human. She had been keeping track of him as she had trained.
The circle parted to allow Major to enter. Harry and Elizabeth gladly fell into the safety of the crowd, leaving the two leaders in the center. Astrid didn't know if the tension was palpable by itself or if Major was projecting it. The newborns sensed it as well, shifting and murmuring low. Peter stepped closer, as did Astrid. They didn't know what to expect from Maria.
"Yes, Maria?" Major didn't speak loud, low and perfect for their senses.
Maria boomed, "I have trained them! All in one night! How pathetic of you," Astrid blinked and Peter cocked his head. "They will begin patrols under my command. You will take care of the newborns with Bethany and Tanner. Astrid!"
Astrid didn't want to step forward but after seeing the treatment of Maria's precious monster, she didn't want to risk her head. She kept her gaze straight as she stood beside Major, placing her hands behind her back.
"You will take over the patrols. I want every inch of my territory covered, do you understand?"
"Yes, Maria."
The maniacal woman turned to Peter, "What do you know about Benito's plans?"
"I know nothing, Maria." He stood straight, meeting her gaze. Astrid worried for him.
"Then why do I keep you around?" She screeched, grabbing him by the hair to bend him in half. She connected her knee to his face and the crunch of his nose breaking sent shivers down Astrid's spine. "You gift is to know things! Why the fuck do you not know anything?"
She tossed Peter into the woods, his body hitting a tree from the sound of it. Astrid didn't dare look, keeping her eyes on Maria as she paced.
"Fucking idiots, the lot of you!" She pointed at Major and Astrid. "The next time I don't have the results I want, you're all getting Purged!"
"Yes, Maria." They voiced in synch. With a parting snarl, Maria ran into the woods, no doubt off to create more newborns or feed.
The newborns didn't move besides to turn their eyes onto Major. He released his arms and crossed them in front of his chest, taking them in. She wondered what they were feeling, if they were at all affected by this show. Astrid didn't feel up to meeting anyone's gaze and instead perched herself in a tree. Her usual hiding spot.
She wished she was human so she could sleep again. This day had felt like years dragging on, the creation of thirty newborns, the attack of Major, and the new position given to her. If she could feel a headache, it would be coming on by now.
Peter walked out of the woods, brushing leaves off his ripped shirt. He was not pleased. He headed straight for Major.
"What the fuck is her problem?" He bellowed. He didn't seem to care that Maria could possibly still hear him.
Astrid sighed.
"She's stressed." Major stated.
"No fucking shit! She's stressing us all out!" Peter waved at the huddled twelve.
Charlotte cleared her throat, "If ya' don't mind me speakin' Major, she's a terror. She didn't nearly train us at all like how ya'll do."
"Yeah! She doesn't care!" Maggie hissed, rubbing at her torn throat. Her fellows nodded behind her.
"Those newborns are going to be insane," Bethany shook her head. "I've seen what they can do to you, sir, and you're decades older. How can Tanner and I deal with them?"
Astrid knew that they'd most likely be killed. They were only seven months old, not nearly experienced enough to handle an onslaught of starved and deranged vampires.
"You want me to kill her, eh?" Major said and the entire army fell silent.
Astrid gripped her branch tighter and shook her head. The newborns exchanged looks, wondering if he was serious.
"That's the only solution to your problems and I'm not doing it," Major continued when no one spoke. "Speak to her yourself, if you think it'll do you any good."
"Major, she's going to destroy us." Peter muttered.
Major turned to Peter and he quivered. He took in short breaths and fell to the floor, pathetically crawling away from him. Major's eyes were dark with focus and with every inch Peter took away from him, he took one closer. Peter was crying, shaking his head.
"Stop!" Charlotte intervened, grabbing Peter so he would stop. She glared at the Major, her top lip lifted to reveal her teeth. She was actually threatening him.
Major moved forward but Astrid was faster. Astrid propelled herself from the branch and bolted between the trio. She grabbed his outstretched arm and wrapped it around herself. She fell into his chest, gripping him so tight that she felt his skin begin to crumble beneath her fingertips. He hissed and tossed her to the floor. She rolled a couple feet before balancing on her feet. She swayed and Major spat at the floor, eyes black.
"Maria is our leader and that's final! If I hear one more word of this out of any of you it will be the end," His eyes landed on Astrid. "For anyone."
Astrid bowed her head. Peter shook off the effects of Major's gift and staggered to his feet, Charlotte supporting him. The newborns began to disperse. She watched as Major stared as the two walked off before running at vampire speed somewhere. In seconds it was only Astrid and her superior.
"I don't want to hear it. I can already feel what you're going to say." Major snapped, turning his back to her.
"Then you know I don't agree with any of this and that is all that I need to say," She grabbed his shoulder, expecting to be smacked. He allowed her the touch, however. "What do you want me to do for patrols?"
"Maria put you in charge, do whatever." He shrugged her off.
Astrid stepped in front of him, meeting his eyes, "I recall a conversation not long ago of someone telling me that I wasn't in charge."
It was astounding the sound he made. She wanted more of it. Major laughed, shaking his head and peering into the darkness.
"Yes, I did say that, doll. Very well, let's walk."