I know it's been a while! I've been working on my own fiction lately but needed a brain break! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I don't know when the next one is coming but thank you for sticking around!
~!DDM!~
I stopped in front of Matt, his earlier confidence was gone, now his face was pale with fear, as he stared up at me; flinching away from the two new vampires with me who moved forward to sniff and growl at them.
"Hello," I said calmly.
"What are you?" Matt asked, eyes meeting mine, his face was bruised.
"I'm just a woman you tried to trap into marrying you." I said with a shrug. "You should really have been more carful about who you threaten."
"You know these monsters?" he asked, aghast. "These are what you wanted to stay with instead of being with your own kind?"
"They aren't monsters." I said, reaching out and stroking one of the vampires who'd come up next to me. "I don't take much stalk in my own kind anymore. These are my people now."
"I told you," Gabriel said from behind the man, grabbing his hair and pulling his head back to look up at him. "She would never have chosen you. Look at her, she belongs with us."
"She'll see what a monster you are, she'll want her own kind again." Matt said strongly, making Gabriel growl at him, fangs bared. "If she sees you kill us, she'll see what a mistake she's made."
"Will she?" Gabriel asked, looking up at me. "Will you leave if you see what I really am?"
"I supposed there's only one way to find out." I said, looking down at Matt with a blank expression.
"Let's test it." Gabriel said as he let go of the man and moved over to his silent friend.
"Please, no." the man whispered. "I have a family."
"Did you trap your wife too?" I asked. "Did she have a choice when she provided you with that family?"
He looked at me with a terrified look in his eyes before Gabriel forced his head back. The human-vampire looked me right in the eyes as he leaned down, then sank those pointed fangs into the man's neck. As soon as he broke skin, he looked down at his victim and latched on, tearing at his throat as the man screamed, pleading for his God to save him. I knew his prayers wouldn't be answered, it was something I'd learned long ago, having my own go unanswered for years. I looked over at Matt who was still on his knees, also quietly reciting the Lord's prayer as his friend died beside him, at least he was smart enough to know running was futile. Gabriel straightened, dropping the now lifeless body at his feet, fresh blood splattered all over his face, covering his chin completely as he smiled at me; though I could see the caution in his expression, wanting to see how I reacted.
"You see?" he said softly to the man still alive before me. "She cares nothing for you, she belongs with me."
He stepped around the kneeling man to stop in front of me, staring down at me with those unique eyes. I felt no fear as his bloodied face got closer to mine, and he just inhaled over my hair, scenting me like the others had done. I placed a hand on his chest and smiled softy up at him, completely unafraid. I'd decided to embrace my new life, there was no reason, or room for fear there, I could feel the contentment in my heart, down into my bones.
"Finish him." I said to the vampire still standing behind me, they launched themselves at Matt, tearing into his flesh with their sharp fangs, others joined them until he was lost beneath a pile of grey skin and long limbs.
"Beautiful." Gabriel said with a smile as he looked over his shoulder at the pile of vampires. "Come, lets return to the train."
I looped my arm with his as we walked down the street, vampires were everywhere, and we paused just long enough for them to give them to order to leave no one alive and be back on the train by sun up. When we reached the platform, I was surprised and pleased to see the bags I'd asked to be delivered on the steps leading back into the train. I smiled when I saw them.
"How did these get here?" he asked as I picked up one of the bags, looking in to see my new clothes.
"I asked a couple of the others to bring them back to the train earlier," I said. "I wasn't sure if they'd make it here or not."
"They did this for you?" he asked from behind me and I looked back to see him looking at me strangely.
"I aske nicely." I said, worried he thought I'd mistreated some of them. "I wasn't sure if they'd actually get here or not."
"They listened to you." He said, picking up my other bag and ushering me onto the train.
"I guess they did." I shrugged.
"They listen to me, because I am stronger than they are, I wonder what makes them listen to you."
"Maybe it's just because I'm nice."
He threw his head back and laughed at me. I couldn't help but smile at the sound, it was so honest and carefree.
"You walk side by side with vampires, you stand by as men die. I'm sorry, flower, but I don't think most would think of you as nice."
"Its subjective." I said, as we entered the dining car. "I'm nice compared to some, cruel compared to others."
"I must confess," he said as he sat my bag on the table. "I didn't expect you to fit in as easily as you have. I expected more of a problem accepting things from your end, but you didn't even flinch when I killed that man."
"I've decided to fully embrace my new life." I said, sitting in what had become, my chair. "My life was difficult and unpleasant where I came from. You've offered me more kindness and more choices than I have ever had given to me. You are different, your nature is different, that doesn't make you scary to me. This is my life and I've accepted that."
He just stared at me, maybe trying to decide if I was being truthful or not, before he finally just smiled and nodded.
"Very well." he said finally. "I think it will be sooner than I thought for you to meet the Queen."
"Really?" I asked as I sat up straighter.
"Yes, I'd thought to wait, give you more time to become comfortable, but I no longer see reason to do that. We will go to the hive next."
"Is it close enough to do that?" I asked. "Will the others not need to feed before then?"
"They should be able to hold out." He said. "Perhaps we will stop at the last town closest to the hive before we let everyone out."
"How long will it take us to get there?"
"Only a couple of days if we travel none stop."
"There's an active one so close? I thought all the hives had been cleared out."
"The Church thinks they have." He nodded. "But we have been quietly growing our numbers for quite some time. The Church thinks they've won, that vampires have been beaten and are not a threat. They no longer investigate the hives, they disbanded the Priests and are happy to live in their ignorance, clinging to their belief in order to keep their people under their thumb."
"Why have the numbers been growing?" I asked. "What are we going to do?"
"We?" he asked, fangs bared in a grin, dried blood cracking around his mouth.
"Well, yes." I said. "I'm with you now, I see it as a 'we.'"
"Good."
"But you need to wash your face," I smiled. "Or that will start to itch."
"I agree," he nodded, standing from his chair and taking off his hat. Even with blood all over his face he was handsome. "Go put your clothes away, then come back here, food should be ready for you then."
I agreed and picked up my bags. Familiars were moving up and down the hall and I spotted Milo almost instantly, a head taller than most.
"Milo?" I called, and he turned to look at with those pale blue eyes. He grinned and hurried over to me.
"Mistress is back." He said, enthusiasm in his face. "I'll carry those for you."
He took my bags and I thanked him as I set off down the hall. The others we passed all looked down and pressed themselves against the wall, never looking up. I made it to my door and stepped in, looking over my shoulder at my large shadow.
"I'm going to go wash my face and freshen up," I said to him. "Could you please put my clothes away?"
"Come into Mistress's room?" he looked at me wide eyes. "I'm not worthy."
"It would be a big help." I said with a small smile and he stepped into my room, looking around with wide eyes.
"You honor me." he said, bowing low. Unsure what to say to that, I just nodded and headed into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me. I was mostly sure Milo wouldn't try to do anything negative to me, but it was best to be safe than sorry while I get to know him. I went over to the small sink and looked at myself in the mirror above it. I had some soot from the fire smudged on my cheek. I quickly washed my face and unraveled my hair from its braid. The brush I'd gotten earlier was on the shelf and I began working it through my hair, happy to be able to finally give it a good brush; it smelled a little like smoke, so I promised myself a bath after we ate. I went back into my room, still pulling the brush through my now untangled hair. Milo was methodically putting the clothes away, hanging them, in order of color, on the metal pipe that went across one wall; I was curious where he found hangers but didn't ask.
"Thank you for your help." I said, and he turned away from his work to look at me.
"It's my pleasure, Mistress," he bowed again. "Are you ready to go back to the dining car?"
"Not yet," I shook my head as I sat down on my bed. He nodded and turned back to finish hanging the last couple of dresses for me. "Have you ever been to a Hive?"
"No, Mistress," he shook his head quickly. "I've never had the privilege, few have."
"I guess that's about to change then." I said as I began to redo my hair. "We are on our way to one now."
"We are?" he looked eager.
"Yes, Gabriel wants me to meet the Queen there."
"A Queen?" he turned to look at me with those pale blue eyes. "There are so few Queens compared to regular vampires, I'm sure it will be an experience to remember."
"Can I be honest with you?" I asked, looking down at my lap.
"Of course, Mistress. You can trust me, I live to serve you." He said earnestly.
"I'm nervous to meet the Queen. What if she doesn't like me?"
"Who couldn't like you, Mistress? You are special."
"There's nothing special about me." I shook my head.
"That's not true, if it were, the Master wouldn't have brought you along with us without making you a familiar. There has been talk that even the warriors enjoy your company."
"Warriors?"
"That's what we call vampires." He said. "Before human's reduced their numbers with underhanded tactics and forced them to become shadows of their former selves, they were great warriors, rulers of the land."
"I've read a few books on vampires," I said, looking down at my hands. "They were all written by the Church, so I don't know how accurate they are. They described Vampires as mindless beasts with no thoughts other than to feed and cause destruction."
"The Warriors are quite intelligent." Milo said reverently. "They are each as different as humans are, with personalities and independent thought."
"So, I'm learning." I thought back to the ones who'd guarded me in the town, that took my bags back to the train for me. They were obviously far more intelligent than I'd been taught to believe. I enjoyed their company more than anyone in my past life.
"Would you like to go to the dining car?" Milo asked, startling me out of my thoughts and I saw that he was done hanging my new dresses, pants and the few shirts I'd gotten.
"Yes, that's fine." I stood, setting the bush I was still holding aside. We were silent as we walked through the halls; now none of the other familiars didn't even glance at me, all keeping their eyes on the floor as I passed. I was happy to be back in the dining car, but I was surprised to find that Gabriel wasn't there yet.
"Would you like me to stay, Mistress?" Milo asked, and I shook my head.
"No, I think I'm okay in here."
He left as I took my seat, taking in the room as I sat by myself. The table wasn't as laden with food as it had been previously, and I wondered if the left-over food had been disposed of or given to the familiars that worked for Gabriel. The car felt homey with several tapestries on the walls, each seeming to depict a different battle with vampires. I stood up and moved closer to one of them, looking at the details displayed in the threading. I'd never seen a hive before and I wondered how accurate the image of the one in the tapestry was. I was drawn in as I looked at the battle, seeing the human army on the bottom and the countless vampires swarming out of the hive. I could almost hear the shouts and the noise, running my fingers down the raised thread of the landscape.
"What do you think?" asked a voice behind me and I jumped, turning away from the tapestry. Gabriel was standing behind me, watching me with those intense golden eyes.