After a few days of wandering the estate, Techno still hasn't seen another human being.
No other vampires either aside from the ones he already met, which is both a relief and something that makes this entire situation about ten times more concerning. Obviously Techno is going to be happy about there being fewer vampires around. He won't complain, considering Wilbur and Tommy are already such a pain to deal with. In asking them to show him around and let him out of the room, he's also forced himself to interact with them even more often than before, aggravating as it is. So yeah, less vampires can only be a good thing. Techno doesn't have a lot of patience.
However, it seems impossible to him that the entire Antarctic Coven is comprised of three people.
Four if Techno counts this mysterious Kristin person he's heard them mention sometimes. But even then, four vampires is hardly a proper coven. Back in the old times when humans lived freely, covens were small and hidden. They needed to conceal themselves to survive. These days, most covens sprawl across various homes and count members up in the double digits. Techno's old coven was considered a smaller one with its twenty-eight members, and that also directly factored into why they had no social leverage.
Generally speaking, a coven can claim rank in one of two ways. The easiest is sheer size. There is power in numbers, and a larger coven will always have more sway over other, tinier covens, carry more weight in negotiations, and have an easier time intimidating potential enemies.
The other way for a coven to be considered high-ranking is by how strong the individual vampires within it are.
Ideally, you'd want a combination of both. A coven of a respectable size with multiple powerful members holds the most influence over others, allowing their will to be easily enforced and reaping the benefits. The more complex details of vampire society are not something Techno can really judge. For all the books he has read about how humans used to run things, feeders don't get a proper insight into coven politics for a reason. All he can do is observe and draw his own conclusions. Or fall back on what the nursery taught him - which was a lot of 'obey the coven's sire and keep your mouth shut' nonsense. Designer line humans might have a higher chance of getting intrinsically tied up with everyday life in the coven as pets, at the end of the day their ultimate purpose is to be food and the expectation is for them to sit still and look pretty.
But what Techno can tell with certainty is that if the Antarctic Coven is truly no bigger than what he has witnessed, then Phil has been holding back.
Wilbur and Tommy too, probably. Phil would be the most powerful as the sire, but there is no way a coven this small can be considered terrifying and dangerous to other covens unless each member can hold their own with ease. For the Antarctic Coven to be known as one of the strongest covens around, and there only are four vampires in it…
Honestly, Techno has decided to very much not think about it. He's not planning to stick around anyway.
As he pretends to look at Wilbur's vinyl record collection, Techno's eyes drift to the window again. The weather has started to clear up after several days of downpours. Meager rays of sunshine struggle to break through a blanket of clouds so thick it makes noon look like twilight, with constant rainfall. Droplets stick to the outside of the glass. The sound of Wilbur shifting on the couch behind him makes Techno turn his head away quickly, picking up one of the vinyl. The cover depicts two humans, a man and a woman, standing in a semi-embrace. The man has a guitar hanging from his shoulder with a black strap. The woman is holding a long silver pole Techno thinks might be a microphone.
Techno's lip twitches to quirk up into a cynical smile. Something feels so hollow about vampires listening to human-made records. He supposes some of them must be making music of their own, but Wilbur loves vintage things. Maybe they're rare.
"Are you hungry yet?" Wilbur asks, clearing his throat lightly to draw his attention.
Putting the record down, Techno turns to him. It took him a while to be comfortable showing his back to Wilbur under any circumstances. Even now, Wilbur will sometimes try to take advantage of it and sneak up on him. Techno is pretty certain Phil had another stern talk with Wilbur though, since his behavior has simmered down somewhat. Maybe because Techno kept breaking Phil's prized possessions.
In his defense, there is absolutely no reason for Phil to keep that many crystal and glass decorations around. It's almost as if he's asking for Techno to start throwing things.
"I could eat," he says, keeping his voice neutral.
Wilbur smiles widely, the stretch of his cheeks more obscene than friendly. Techno gets the idea that the facial expression has to be read as benign, no matter how miserably Wilbur fails at it. He's incredibly bad at hiding that he views Techno's temper and his bad mood as an asset, a mark of honor.
Evidence of his precious genetics.
At the same time, clearly they think Techno's insistence that he should be allowed out of his room is progress. A sign that he's settling in. They've been serving him his meals - with cutlery now - at the dining room table. Phil did not directly call it a reward for his compliance, but Techno felt it was silently implied all the same.
"Great! I've asked for them to prepare something special today." Wilbur opens the door for him, patiently waiting for Techno to follow. The way Wilbur has positioned himself forces Techno to pass by him in the small space created, close enough that he's certain he could feel Wilbur's exhale on him if it wasn't for the fact that vampires don't take oxygen into their lungs anymore. Techno grits his teeth and bears it, the routine something he's used to by now. Wilbur loves to push until Techno shoves back. Proverbially or literally.
"Wasn't Tommy supposed to babysit me today?" Techno asks, stepping out into the hallway. Wilbur doesn't touch him, but hovers concerningly close, sticking to Techno like a shadow. Techno knows his way around the mansion well enough by now that he doesn't need to be dragged around.
"Babysitting," Wilbur echoes with a small chuckle. The word must hold some merriment to him. He shakes his head as he trails Techno to the dining room. "Tommy had to do his chores, he's a little bitch about doing them until Phil threatens to put him in the nest." Wilbur wags his finger, deepening his voice in a bad approximation of Phil's recognizable tenor. "'If you insist on acting like a fledgling, I will treat you like one'."
When he's done speaking, Wilbur looks at him, thirsty for some sort of reaction to his joke. Techno stares blankly ahead of himself, managing to push down the small burst of satisfaction at Wilbur's obvious disappointment.
"Tommy gets to have you for himself all day tomorrow," Wilbur adds.
Techno hums slightly. Both of them have been taking turns supervising him when Techno leaves his room, with Phil sometimes stepping in whenever he has time and his sire stuff is not keeping him busy. Out of the three of them, Techno knows which one he prefers. Wilbur is a creep even if he mostly watches Techno entertain himself. And Phil is too chatty for his liking. Tommy is easily distracted, and can't keep up a conversation while playing cards because it fries his little brain. Techno beats him at poker every time.
In the dining room, Wilbur pulls the chair back for him, ascertaining Techno is comfortably seated before hurrying into the kitchen. It's not quite a sprint, but close enough. He moves too fast for Techno to consider running away before he gets back anyway. But the fact that Wilbur sees it as a possibility is enough for Techno. He likes keeping these guys on their toes. He inches the silver knife aside, fingers itching to wrap around it before his mind reminds him of the futility of it, and runs them over the napkin instead. Soft, lace around the edges. The sort of thing some humans never get a chance to see.
The color an almost goulish off-white, the same as the skin of the boy who died in his old coven.
"Here we are!" Wilbur returns to put a bowl in front of him. Techno cannot tell what the stew is made of. Meaty chunks float in a brown liquid, the rich aroma enough to make Techno's mouth water. He has never smelled anything close to this. "Come on, let's see how you like it."
Sitting down in the chair across from him, Wilbur leans both elbows on the table and rests his chin in his hand, observing him.
Another thing Techno has learned to tolerate. Vampires watching him eat.
He picks up the spoon and dips it into the glutinous texture, lifting some to his lips. The temperature is perfect, not too hot nor too cold. The taste is harder to describe, only because Techno lacks the words to encapsulate something as delicious as this. Techno is no stranger to hunger, and getting food after not eating for a long time can make you savor it on a level you didn't think possible before. But this is something else entirely.
Wilbur grins. Crap, Techno definitely did not cover his reaction as well this time.
"It's fine I guess," he says, despite knowing Wilbur can look straight through the lie.
"I'm glad you like it," Wilbur replies, sitting back a bit so he can relax in his chair. "Gamey flavors aren't everybody's cup of tea, I've heard."
Techno tries to ignore him, using the excuse of taking another spoonful into his mouth. Wilbur does not relent.
"It's rabbit stew, to be precise. Rabbit meat is difficult to get nice and tender. The rabbit needs to move around a lot so their muscles don't atrophy." He crosses his legs, posture a complete opposite from a few seconds before. "But they're fast little buggers. You don't want to give them a chance to get away. A pain in the ass to keep around, yet the taste makes it worth all the effort. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"
Dropping his spoon back into the stew, Techno gets up from his chair. He takes the bowl into one hand, makes eye contact with Wilbur, and turns it upside down, spilling the food onto the table and the floor in the process. When he's done, he drops the bowl itself for good measure, not flinching when the fancy porcelain cracks on the edge of the table and shatters before hitting the ground.
Wilbur stares back at him for a solid blink or two before he starts to laugh.
"I'm going back to my room," Techno says, turning around. Wilbur is quick to follow him while keeping up the giggles, though he leaves a few extra steps of distance between them.
Techno didn't sleep very well last night, all the flaws in his plan kept turning over and over in his head.
The odds are stacked against him. And it doesn't help that the plan pretty much boils down to 'try to make a run for it' when he looks at the bare bones of it. That is the only option since overpowering them already seemed fruitless before he concluded they're treating him with kid gloves. Techno will not be able to win in a fight. He has to try something else. Anything else. Before they decide Techno's stubborn refusal has outworn its welcome and they feed on him by force.
Convincing Tommy to take him out into the garden is easy enough. The weather took a sharp turn during the night, leaving them with a sky so bright blue Techno's eyes hurt staring up at it. While Techno walks circles in the grass, Tommy lies on a lounge chair, doing something on his phone. Techno considered stealing the device at some point but judged it too risky. He's glad it is keeping Tommy preoccupied though. That's exactly what he needs.
"Is this really your idea of fun?" Tommy asks, squinting at him from under the hand that he has put against his forehead to ward off the light getting into his face. While vampires being sensitive to the sun is a myth - or perhaps something that only rings true for newborn fledglings - Techno can't say he's ever met a vampire that enjoys sunlight. Their sharp vision might have its downsides.
"You try spending your entire life locked indoors," Techno says, walking towards a shrub. The flowers that bloom from it are a bright purple-blue with hearts of yellow.
"Don't threaten me with a good time," Tommy retorts. He glances at Techno, then his screen again. "How long before we can go back inside?"
Techno smiles innocently. "I'm not stopping you."
"Hey, I can be out here for hours. Whatever makes you happy, man." Tommy tries to make it sound sincere, but the slightest trace of exasperation remains. Techno knows he is the weak link. The brashest, the most impatient. Tommy likes their shiny new toy, but he doesn't like being inconvenienced.
If Techno ever has a chance to slip away, it'll be with Tommy watching him.
As the vampire returns to his phone, Techno takes a few more steps away from him. The garden has a large iron fence at the back, made of shiny vertical prongs and ornamental features. Techno is reasonably certain he can climb it. The problem is that he doesn't know if he can climb it faster than Tommy can catch him. Certainly not if Tommy is paying proper attention, though a distraction could buy Techno a precious few seconds. The fence could keep the vampires from giving chase instantly. And Techno can use any headstart he can get.
What he'll do if he does manage to get away, Techno has no clue. He won't be able to go anywhere without running into another coven, probably. Unless he plans to rough it in the woods dodging vampires for the rest of his human existence. The idea is not only barebones, it's downright stupid. Techno knows it is.
Still better than doing nothing. Still better than sitting around waiting until they turn him into a glorified juice pack.
Tommy glances at him again, and sits up straighter when he sees how far away from the porch Techno has strayed. Techno has to strike now before he loses his opportunity.
"Do vampires not drink water?" he asks. "I've been parched since I got here."
Looking appropriately confused, Tommy's brow furrows at the sudden request. "You're thirsty? I thought Wilbur was supposed to feed you this morning?"
"He didn't bring me any water," Techno lies. "You know, the one thing humans need to survive. Easy to forget."
Tommy squints at him, and for a moment Techno fears his ruse has failed. This coven has done a better than average job keeping his needs met. He wants for nothing.
But then Tommy clicks his tongue, before getting up. "Ugh, fine. I'm fetching you some so you better not die in the few seconds I'm gone."
And to Techno's muted surprise, Tommy is actually dumb enough to head inside.
Biting the inside of his cheek, he forces himself to wait until Tommy must be far away enough to not instantly hear him if he takes off running. His hands clench into fists, suddenly feeling weak with nerves. Which is about the last thing Techno can use if he's about to put his fence-climbing ability to the test. Physical exercise wasn't exactly part of the feeder curriculum at the nursery. Good thing Techno's unease often translates to fidgeting. He's in reasonable enough condition.
Techno holds back until he can't stand it anymore, then darts over to the fence and grips the iron rails tightly. The thing isn't as high as he thought it was from a distance, so a single jump allows him to latch onto the top. With a grunt, he starts to pull up his body. His knees clamber for some kind of purchase, to help himself along. There are decorative embellishes on the top that point skyward, sharp edges he has to put his palms between to avoid cutting them open. He bangs one leg into the fence hard enough to bruise it. Techno wants a word with whichever architect designed this fence. They didn't make it with escaping humans in mind.
But with a little grumbling, it does work. After pulling himself up high enough, Techno swings one leg over first, though it leaves him clinging sideways to the rails in a less than ideal position. Techno can't lift his other leg over as easily, and if he pushes off he'll fall.
He hears the porch door slam shut hard.
Reluctant about the alternative, Techno takes a chance and flings himself over properly, gasping when the sharp edge of the top catches his shin and rips through skin and cloth. He lands on his shoulder in the foliage, scrambling to get upright before Tommy can reach him.
By the time he manages to get his feet under himself, he's staring straight into the vampire's eyes.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Tommy asks from the other side of the fence, the iron feeling to Techno like the most paltry thing suddenly. Tommy is right. Why did he do this? What the heck is he hoping to accomplish? He expects at any moment for Tommy to rip the fence to shreds barehanded, and then Techno's throat too.
He doesn't. He's just looking at Techno with a curious, amused expression.
Maybe because Phil is also looking at Techno.
Techno didn't see the sire approach. It's as if one moment Phil isn't there and the next he is, curling his hand around Tommy's shoulder placatingly.
Techno's shin burns as he takes a step back, away from the fence, away from the two vampires who could cross the distance between them faster than he can blink, obstacle or not. The idea was stupid, barebones, and it failed. They're going to kill him.
Except when Tommy starts to move, Phil holds him back.
"I meant what I said," the sire tells Techno. "No human has to be here against their will." He tilts his head, blue eyes crinkled around the corners. "If you want to run, now's your chance."
Techno doesn't need to be told twice.
The pain in his leg doesn't even register anymore as he dashes through the undergrowth, no direction in mind except as far away as he can possibly be from that wretched house and its coven. The woods aren't dense, bare trees scattered so far and wide Techno has no problem darting between them. Dead leaves crunch beneath his feet and here or there a branch almost snags him into falling. But Techno doesn't slow down until he tastes iron clinging to the back of his throat, his ribs aching in short pulses with every inhale.
Only then does he fall back into a more practical pace, not walking but not sprinting either. Techno checks over his shoulder again, not seeing a single sign that he's being pursued. Part of him doesn't trust that it could be this easy. Was Phil serious about letting him run away? Techno, who they confirmed in no uncertain terms could be one of the most valuable feeders they'd ever acquired?
If it's true, Techno isn't going to complain.
It does mean that he has to think about what to do next. Somehow his plan did work. Now what? He decides that until he comes up with something, he'll focus on putting as much distance between himself and the Antarctic Coven as he can. That seems sensible.
Techno walks for what feels like hours. The wind starts to get chilly, and he realizes he's losing daylight when he has to squint into the encroaching darkness to see better. The woods around him are eerily quiet. Techno doesn't suppose vampires wiped out all wild animals, but he wonders how many species went extinct in the last few centuries. More than he cares to think about. It leaves nature feeling dead, a corpse that mimics an alive state with stubborn plant growth and insects drawn towards decay. A world molded for its new rulers.
After a while exhaustion nips at his heels, and he knows he should find shelter to rest in soon. When a dark shape looms from the distance, Techno's first instinct is to turn the other way. Buildings usually mean vampires. And Techno isn't trying to end up in the fire when he only just slipped out of the frying pan.
But upon closer inspection, the structure is abandoned. Techno sees the hollow shell of what was once a house beside it, broken down and rotted away so a shadow is all that remains, a permanent mark left behind on the ground where the foundation once was. The structure next to it is made of concrete and held up better to the test of time, though not by much. Maybe it used to be a shed or something with the outer layers peeled away from age. Techno steps inside carefully. There isn't much, three cramped empty rooms with some debris on the ground. A relic of human freedom. The sight sends something unpleasant through him. Grief but not quite.
Is it possible to miss something that stopped existing before you were born?
The not-shed will offer him safety from the elements for a little while, at least. Maybe he could even sleep. Techno walks into the room furthest from the entrance to inspect it, and because the wind can't quite reach there. The place is utterly filthy. Cobwebs cling to the ceiling, and what might have once been a shelf sits askew against the wall. Techno kicks the dirt out of a corner, preparing to settle in for the night.
Then he hears a branch snap in two outside.
The light noise is deafening in the silence, sharp and sudden. Techno holds his breath, willing his body to remain perfectly motionless.
The vampire answers with a chuckle. "I can smell your blood, you know?"
Techno doesn't recognize their voice. He presses himself closer to the wall, away from their presence. But their first step into the shed threads softly as they occupy the doorway, Techno's only means of escape. They're in the room right next to his. And there is no way out except past them.
"I can hear your heartbeat too when I'm this close," the vampire remarks. "No reason to hide from me."
Searching around him, Techno sees an iron pipe on the ground. Possibly part of the plumbing that broke down long ago. Inching towards it, the vampire laughs again, able to tell that Techno's pulse quickens when his hand closes around the weapon.
"If you come out I won't kill you," they promise.
Techno stays right where he is.
They sigh then, annoyed that their prey won't let itself be lured out so easily. Slowly, they move towards him. Techno braces himself.
"There you are." They smile when they see him.
Before he can react, their hand has wrapped around his throat and shoved him against the wall, crowding him in, chest to chest in the small space.
"You're a special little one, huh?" they ask, dark brown eyes narrowing in on him, hungrily taking in the sight of his hair and the dip of his neck. "What coven did you run away from?"
Techno wouldn't be able to answer even if he wanted to with the way they're squeezing his windpipe. His body jerks, legs kicking out fruitlessly. His nails try to scratch their arm, but it's like gashing at stone. How miserable that he did all that to escape, just to be killed by the first random vampire drawn in by his scent.
Then the pressure is gone all at once.
Techno falls onto the ground gasping, automatically reaching for his throat. The skin will sport some nasty bruises soon, but Techno is merely relieved at being able to breathe again. Hard coughs tear through him, making his eyes water. That doesn't steal the sight before him away, and Wilbur's expression of maniacal glee as he rips the innards out of the vampire that attacked Techno. The process is messier than what Phil did, no clean lines and soft noises. The vampire gurgles and screams as Wilbur reaches inside them with one hand, pulling out string after string of viscera from their abdomen, black sludges of stagnant blood clinging to his arm up to the elbow. Wilbur drops the corpse when he's done removing their organs, turning towards Techno, who has used the wall to get upright.
"There you-"
Before Wilbur finishes his sentence, Techno slams the iron pipe into Wilbur's temple with as much strength as he can muster. A surprising amount too, considering the adrenaline running through his veins. Wilbur's skull splits open, denting inward with the force of the blow, spattering blood everywhere. Most of his skin and flesh tears away, laying bare the deeper tissue beneath, framed in bone shards. His knees buckle, and Techno turns to run.
Or he tries to. Fingers curl around his ankle before he can take more than two steps.
"Fuck, you know vampires still feel pain, right?" Wilbur asks. He yanks, and Techno falls, chin hitting the concrete making him bite his own lip. The taste of blood is foreign in his mouth but fills the air with more of a metallic pang.
Wilbur stands again, lifting Techno's leg up as he goes, leaving him to dangle upside down several inches off the ground. The lurch is almost as sickening as the nausea that bursts behind Techno's eyelids. He watches as the flesh of Wilbur's temple starts stitching itself together slowly, allowing some of his brain matter to slip out of the wound though that doesn't seem to deter the vampire any.
"Are you done? Did you get it all out of your system?" Wilbur continues, patiently, lifting Techno higher to pinch his cheek with a small coo. He doesn't sound angry at all.
He sounds like he's talking to an animal, or a particularly dense child.
"Let go," Techno demands, trying to sound calm. To his own ears, he sounds pathetic more than anything.
Wilbur must agree because he smirks.
"No can do." He swings Techno over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes, keeping hold of his ankle. Techno's other leg dangles awkwardly, muscle burning from the unnatural angle. His squirming is ignored. "Endearing as your little outbursts are, it's getting late. It's time to go home."
Phil is waiting for them outside. Techno doesn't know if he should be glad that he's not alone with Wilbur, or ashamed because that means one more person gets to witness his paltry escape attempt and subsequent capture. They might have been nearby the entire time, watching him stumble around as entertainment.
The trip back to the mansion passes in a blur. Literally, Techno has to close his eyes to avoid throwing up at the speed Wilbur is going, crossing the several miles Techno managed to walk in a matter of minutes. He's dizzy by the end of it, and doesn't complain when Wilbur deposits him onto a fainting couch in the coven's living room. He hovers beside Techno, grinning down at him. But then Phil waves him away.
"I'll take care of it," the sire says. "Get yourself cleaned up, mate, you look worse than the day I turned you."
Wilbur shrugs at him, blood clinging to his sleeves and face. "Can't be that bad, can it?" But he does listen, walking towards the door, looking over his shoulder once before he leaves. Phil waits for him to close the door, then kneels down in front of Techno.
"Let me look at your leg."
Techno considers refusing, though he knows Phil will get his way eventually. He extends his leg so Phil can inspect his ankle, hissing when Phil pulls up the fabric of his pants to closer examine his cut. "So much for not forcing humans to be at your coven against their will," Techno says, not resisting the urge to get a jab in no matter how futile the situation is.
"I won't force you to stay if you don't want to," Phil says calmly. "If you want to run away again, by all means, just let me know next time so I can open the front door for you." He gives Techno a cheeky grin. "You're still our feeder, though. And thus our responsibility. So we can't let you get hurt on our watch, or cause issues to others." Satisfied that the cut is shallow, he releases Techno's leg, reaching out his hand to touch his face instead, rubbing some of the blood away from his chin.
For once, Techno lacks the energy to pull away from the soft palm that cradles his cheek.
"If you don't want to be ours yet, that's fine. But we won't let anybody else have you either," Phil says softly.
"Not much of a choice," Techno mutters. He said that before, hadn't he? The raft and the sharks that circle it. This coven, and every vampire in the entire world. He can run away again and again and again, but he'll never escape.
Phil stares at him, blue eyes transfixed on Techno's own, pupils dilated. "Would you truly rather die out there than be safe with us?" he asks, the smallest wrinkle between his eyebrows betraying his curiosity. The way one might dissect an animal and take it apart to see what makes it tick because you truly can't understand it. An immortal creature can only fear death.
Techno considers the juxtaposition for a long, trailing second.
"At least out there I can be a person," he says.
Another moment passes, during which Phil looks puzzled. Intrigued.
Enthralled.
"Most humans don't care about that sort of urge," he says eventually, pulling back so he can stand.
Techno can finally unwind his tense shoulders, not having the sire as close to him. "And whose fault is that?" he bites out.
Vampires have done everything in their power to make their feeders perfect. Obedient, manageable, suited to their needs alone. Genetically engineered for docility, then raised to be satisfied with their lot in life.
"Perhaps," Phil agrees absently, shrugging the accusation off easily. "But there is no reason you cannot be happy here regardless. If you let us feed on you-"
"No," Techno says. Push. Pull. The sire stares at him, drinking in the sight of him eagerly.
Then Phil nods, not saying anything else as he brings Techno back to his room. But he still seems to be smiling.