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The air was filled with thick, sweet smoke. He tried not to breathe in too much of it; he prefered to have a clear mind when dealing with the Chinese man. He ignored the intoxicated people around him, focused on the center of the room.
He hadn't seen Yao Wang in almost a century, their last encounter not going so well. He hoped the witch wouldn't be too sour. Luckily, by the amount of business he was getting, he had gotten past their little spat. Hopefully.
The center of the room looked like a sea of pillows, a low table at the center breaking up the red and yellows with auburn and blue glass. Yao himself sat at the table. He was leaning on one hand, the other supported by his elbow on the table and held a long, blue and green glass pipe. White smoke curled out of the end as the Chinese man sucked on it, blowing a circle of white smoke into the air.
He had to make himself breath properly as he looked upon Yao. The last century had done the man a lot of good. He wore a deep red kimono, it was almost the color of blood. A yellow and black dragon curled around his torso, white smoke curled from its open mouth, taking up a good portion of his left sleeve. His hair had grown again, it swept past his shoulders and curled around him on the ground. It surrounded his fair, aristocratic face, making his almond eyes look bigger than they actually were. The caramel orbs stared at him in surprise, curiosity and had hints of anger and lust. He couldn't say he didn't feel the same.
He carefully made his way across the sea before sitting in front of the Chinese man. He smiled softly at Yao and picked up a red and white, glass pipe. He took his time before speaking, taking a drag of the drug and blowing a cloud before looking at the witch, "Yao. It has been a while."
Yao himself smirked, sitting up and leaning forward, his voice the same as he remembered, like silk, "Ivan. You still speak Mandarin like a tourist."
He couldn't help but chuckle, "Kind as ever...It is good to see you."
Yao snorted, "It's been 95 years. I have to say you haven't changed." The Chinese man looked over him with a smirk, "Well your hair may be a bit longer."
He didn't try to hide the look he gave over Yao, "I have to say these years have been very good to you...But I come to ask for help."
Yao snorted and leaned to the side on his hand again, taking a long drag before speaking, the white smoke making him look like the dragon that curled around his kimono, "You still haven't killed that old bastard?"
He frowned, slowly taking off his trench coat, sighing as the breeze didn't feel so stifling now, "He'd the reason why I'm here...Gilbert's awake again and he apparently can't find him, nor Madeline."
Yao raised an elegant eyebrow, "Really now? I wonder why, Feliciano seems to have gotten better."
He frowned at the Chinese man's smirk, "You know where they are." Of course he did, nothing went past the man, "Where are they?"
Yao outright grinned and leaned forward, "Come now Ivan, we're too old to be following orders." He took a drag from his pipe, blowing it in his face, "I'm willing to make a deal with you. To finally stop all this."
He couldn't help but growl, "You know I can't. Now just tell me where they are."
Yao held up a finger, "Oh but hear me out! My deal is this; I'll tell you, hell I'll lead you right to them, but you don't do a thing but watch." His eyes practically glowed, "And I'll get them out. The old bastard is too obsessed to keep watch over all his prisoners." His smirked was absolutely wicked, "It won't be a problem."
He smelt the Italian before he heard him, his voice rough, no doubt from a nap. An angry huff sounded behind him, "So Feliciano told me something interesting but I don't believe it...but did you just let a fucking Hunter into our house? And did rip their throat out?"
He sighed and turned. Lovino stood glaring at him, an exact copy of his brother, the only difference being he was a darker color palette. He stared at the angry Italian, "I was making a deal. It is the fastest way."
Lovino scoffed, "And what your bastard brother and I are doing aren't enough? We're having to watch security feeds all over the world, hack into governmental data bases and look for someone that might be your reincarnated dead wife! This is the fucking thanks I get?! We get?" He scowled, "You're an ungrateful bastard."
Gilbert growled, "And you two have been looking for a year! I have been lucky that it has been three! We do not even know if she is in the same city or hell, the same country! I am tired of waiting." He brushed past the shocked Italian, "I am done having my life, her life in your hands."
Lovino followed, his footsteps echoing in the hall, "You asshole! We've been busting our asses for you and your supposed 'soul mate' or whatever you call her!"
He whirled, anger making his vision go red for an instant. In that moment he had Lovino against the wall, hand around his throat, "Don't you ever talk about her like that in my presence." Dammit, he had lost his control, and to top it off he had slipped into his German dialect again. But he didn't regret it, wouldn't.
Lovino's face was blank but pale, he did nothing but seethe silently and not dare look in his eyes, test his superiority in their house.
He glared at the Italian for a minute before releasing him. He turned and sighed, "I am going out tonight. If Ludwig needs me tell him it can wait until morning." With that he headed towards his room, slamming the door behind him.
He knew it was childish but he really was tired of waiting, he's been waiting for three hundred years. Gods he couldn't count the number of times he'd been walking, running or just sitting and everything went black. The number of times the same sense of dread had filled him along with the guilt and frustration and knowing that he had failed, again.
He ripped open his closet with more force than needed and began to look through the shirts and pants that hung on either side. He decided to wear darker clothes, there wouldn't be a moon tonight which will make things a lot easier for him, or harder. Depends on where he went.
He threw black slacks, a dark red button up, a thin black tie and shiny black dress shoes. He changed quickly, keeping his shirt untucked, two buttons undone and his tie was fashionably loose around his neck. When his shoes were tied he finally looked in the mirror, running his fingers through his hair a few times, he would need to get a shower later. He stared for another minute before walking back into the closet, he browsed for a moment before coming back out with a black fedora, a lie of white silk going around the base. He placed it on his head and smirked at his reflection; much better.
He turned and ruffled through his dirty pants to grab his phone. He threw the dirty clothes into his hamper before walking out of the room, quickly heading towards the elevator.
He had been able to press the elevator button before he was confronted. He sighed as Ludwig and Feliciano stepped up behind him. He turned with a frown, crossing his arms, "I'm going out for a few hours, I should be back before dawn."
Ludwig frowned, "Brother it is not safe. If you are going out to feed...it is too dangerous, we are in the middle of werewolf territory."
He couldn't help but laugh, "And you have been hiding out here for how long without them noticing? I will be fine. I have done this before you know."
His brother crossed his arms with a frown, ignoring his mate's hand on his bicep, "I know but because you have just been getting close to a Hunter they will be watching you. It is too dangerous, you will be staying."
He couldn't stop the growl that escaped him, "The last I checked you were not my parent. You may give me a bed when I need it but that is it." He turned as the elevator dinged and opened, "Other than that you have not been too helpful brother." He didn't turn, didn't look at Ludwig nor Feliciano as the doors closed. He knew his words were hurtful, that he probably shouldn't have said them but...he was tired. He was done sitting on his ass and having other people sort out his problems.
He stepped out into the lobby and pulled the edge of his hat over his eyes. The sun had just disappeared but left a little light to see without the aid of street lamps. He stepped out of the hotel and turned left, heading towards the clubs he knew about.
It was a brunette, 25 and drunk as hell. Wouldn't remember a thing. He found them in a crowded club, one that had more than one run-in with the cops about multiple under the table deals, be it drugs, weapons, or girls, they were still able to stay in business though. A perfect hunting ground for a creature like him.
He was able to get a dance, apparently a combination of jumping and grinding was considered dancing these days. He was able to put a few more drinks into them with few words. Alcohol rarely affected him, it took gallons for him to get even a good buzz going, there was a special drink vampires made but that was years ago. Now the thing he liked to drink most was either the hardest beer he could get or straight vodka.
It took around four drinks to get them shit faced, he had to admit it was quite hilarious trying to watch his next meal try to 'dance.' He had saved them from falling on their face about six times now. After the seventh time he pulled them close, making sure his voice was low but loud enough to be heard over the music, "Let's step outside for a minute."
At the drunken laugh and nod he steered them out towards the side door he knew lead towards the back alley of the club. The door was loud as it slammed against the wall and alcohol flavored lips were attached to his before their back hit the wall.
He slid his legs in between theirs, further pinning them to the wall along with the weight of his torso. As he deepened the kiss even further, slipping an arm around their waist and his other slipped up to the side of their neck. He could feel the blood rushing under the palm of his hand. He made sure they wouldn't be able to move before he let his instincts take over.
He broke the kiss, their breath fogging in the air before he was kissing down the side of its neck. He slowly tilted its head to the side, not needing to force it as the human was begging by this point. He pressed it further into the wall when he licked a stripe above an artery. The human's gasp made him glance up and he couldn't help but smirk at the...human reaction.
He licked the same place again, feeling his fangs slide from his gums and he couldn't help but drag them across the expanse of skin before sliding deep into its throat. The blood flowing over his tongue was a short lived bliss as he had to quickly moved his hand to cover its mouth before a scream could echo and possibly, doubtfully, alert others. He allowed the venom to flow from his fangs and slowly they stopped fighting, the aphrodisiac and languid effects taking over his prey's senses.
When the blood no longer flowed so easily he released it, letting the human slide to the ground. He slowly bent and picked up his hat, wondering when it-not it, they were a human not an animal, he had to remember that-was able to knock it off and placed it firmly on his head. He kneeled beside the prone body, placing a hand on the side of their head. He hadn't taken enough to kill them, they would feel like absolute shit for the next week but that was the potency of his venom running through their system. He would make sure they wouldn't remember anything of their encounter, fading it into their drunken daze.
He stood when he was finished, wiping his hands on his pants, rolling down his sleeves and pulling his fedora over his eyes and turning away. He made sure there was no blood on his face before walking out onto the streets. He had stayed out long enough, the deserted streets telling him it was the early hours of the morning.
He quickly made his way back to the hotel, slipping inside with barely a sound. He nodded to the receptionist, stepping into the elevator before the doors were fully open. He watched the lobby disappearing, his eyes drawn to a dark figure sitting in a chair close to the far wall and couldn't help but smirk. The Association had maybe the best ways of surveillance, but using their own men was a waste, especially when they were only humans.
He stepped into the sitting room with a sigh, taking off his hat and running his fingers through his hair. He stared at the roaring fireplace and the blonde sitting with his back to him. He stood for a minute before sighing again and walking forward to fall into a chair beside Ludwig.
He didn't get a word out before the blonde vampire spoke, "I know you are getting impatient. I am as well, but we are trying...I know how much you miss her, I do as well but it takes a while. The world is bigger than it used to be." He sighed, leaning forward, arms resting on his knees, "I know you hate it but I have to ask for time. Please brother."
He didn't look at Ludwig, instead staring at the fire. He wanted to agree with his brother, he wanted to, but he couldn't. He could feel it in his very soul, "Time is not on my side brother...I could drop any minute. Then we would be back to square one." He looked at the blonde next to him finally, "I know you want to help and I appreciate it, I really do. But let me at least do something." He clenched his hands into fists, "If I don't see next week or even tomorrow, I want to greet the blackness knowing I tried...and wait for when I wake up."
He stood, patting his brother on the shoulder and the small smile that he was sent made him know he was forgiven from earlier. He sent one back to him before heading to the kitchen, once he stepped in his eyes were drawn to the maple syrup bottle on the table. He slowly walked to it and picked it up, smelling Mattheu's scent lingering on it. He sat at the island and sighed, his shoulders slumping as he thought over earlier that day.
His thoughts went back to the club, the human. He slowly walked to the fridge and placed the syrup back in its place with a small smile. Interesting.
He closed the door and a book cover caught his eye. He forgot he had set it there when he brought Mattheu to the kitchen. By the cover it didn't look that impressive. It was a simple book, the cover being a plain besides the title, The Art of the Soul. He knew the author, helped him provide some information for the book. The fascinating thing about it was the enchantment that was over the words. It changed once a person read the spell, if they tried to skip it the whole book would be blank.
He picked up the book and flipped it open. He was lucky to get his hands on this, there were only thirty copies in the whole world and over half of them were destroyed over one hundred years ago. He knew one was in Berlin, hidden deep in the government archives and another was in the sewers of London. He didn't think one would be here in Quebec just sitting in a local library, but then again it was in the middle of werewolf territory.
The enchantment was what destroyed them, he only got his hands on this book a few times before and he was grateful everytime he did. That one incantation was able to see the red string of fate that connected two souls, or soulmates as the humans called them. Once he read the spell the book would be filled with information, either it be about vampires, werewolves, witches, or even humans, the author knew what they were doing. It wasn't able to reveal the person entirely, not even the gender but it revealed if they were a creature or not.
This would be how he would be one step closer to finding her, Madeline. His eyes skimmed the spell quickly and he felt the ancient magic swirl around him in a hurricane. He held the book tightly, the wind wanting to rip it from his hands before it crashed into the pages like a wave. The cover slammed closed as the spell ended and he sighed in relief. He had been worried it had been too long and the words altered.
He slowly opened the book, instead of the incantation printed on the cover there was an illustration. His eyes widened as he took it in and dropped the book in surprise, the spell breaking as it left his hands and the pages went white once more. He stared in shock, he didn't need to read the information on the pages as he had given it himself.
He couldn't help but smirk as the male from the club suddenly made a lot more sense.
A/N: Well hello! I apologize greatly for not posting on Monday, I just had too much to do so I hope the Christmas special held you over! And speaking of Happy New Year! I hope your new year will be great! I hope you guys like this chapter!
Thank you for the favs and follows! It's what keeps me inspired so thank you so much!
Until next time my lovelies!
NatureLuvMaple