Cecelia's freezing stare cut deep down beneath my heart and soul. I did not expect to receive such a cold welcome after two months of not seeing each other. It was also the first time I caught up a glimpse of her terrified me. Perhaps her parents have something to do with it considering they forbade me to get closer to her at least meters from her. Needless to say, I accepted the ten million dollars offered by her mom but I could not uphold the terms and conditions. Leaving no choice, I reached out to the door and pulled it open. "Gaius?" an unfamiliar face suddenly breathed out my name as I was about to get back to the table where Ceceli's friends are having fun. "Right. You're Gaius the one who beat those bank robbers, aren't you?" She and her friends immediately surrounded me out of curiosity. I know nothing about any of them but their eyes are telling me that they will not let me go if they got nothing from me. Despite those wasted humans surrounding me,
All my senses started to elevate as soon as Cecelia's sweet and fresh drops of blood were dragged down starting from my mouth passing through my thirsty throat and we're stored in my hungry stomach. I could feel the immense current that crawled through all parts of my veins. My vampire got awakened again. Immense power and strength are two things in my possession after tasting her blood. That makes me wonder how fast and strong I could be once I could drain the entire blood in her body. As I was about to dig my fangs deeper into her wrist, I stumbled to the floor a few times until I reached the corner after getting a hard kick from Maverick. Not a friendly reminder or push, but a kick that resulted in me moaning in pain. Let alone he did not take off his rubber shoes while wandering my place. "What are you doing?" he stands furious but deep inside him lies a trembling muscle. "Are you trying to kill her?" I slowly dragged my gaze back to Cecelia and found he
Damon cracked up instead of getting worried when I slightly exposed his body to the rays of the sun. Though the sunlight was not that sharp yet, getting exposed to the brightness could still be enough to crack a vampire's skin. "Is that how you supposed to greet someone more powerful and important than you, huh, Gaius?" Damon uttered. "Put me down. You're just wasting your time. We are here to talk." So, it happens that I notice Damon wears a daylight ring as well. And I assume all members of my team are wearing the same thing. They were supposed to be sleeping by now, yet the three of them managed to head out and reached my place without worries or fears. "Then we'll talk here." I dropped his body away from me by force. Monbert and Lucifer followed while Rust is busy talking to Maverick. Maverick was already aware that anyone from the vampires should not know about Cecelia sleeping in my room. It is not just our eyes that can be linked with each other, but o
Before I pull the door close, I studied the hallways heading to my unit first to check if someone was watching. I have to make sure no one sees Cecelia leaving my place, especially team New Orleans. While observing the hallways, something came up to my mind. Considering the world is already dominated by high-tech equipment, I decided to install CCTV cameras in the hallways. In that way, my eyes could see everyone coming in and out of the unit ahead while lying in the room or even while reading books. Two or three CCTVs are somehow enough. And I still have enough cash left in my briefcase to buy them. After confirming no one hides behind the walls, I went back to my unit and found Cecilia in the kitchen with Maverick discussing something. I was pretty convinced they were talking about me when they were stunned and dumbfounded upon seeing my face. "What are you two doing?" I asked Maverick as I tried to ignore Cecelia's glance. Maverick let go of the knife a
Something from what I said struck Mr. Cedrick's nerves when the size of his body got enlarged which started tearing off his clothes and then turned into the werewolf he certainly is - an alpha wolf. Those glimmering reddish-brown eyes, undeniably, also stuck in my nerves when it was the first time I see his terrifying werewolf form. I saw his eyes already back in his mansion but he remained in his human form. So, I was not that terrified at that time, especially when he was controlling his actions for Cecelia not notice anything. It also makes me wonder how Cecelia copes with the truth after knowing his dad is also a monster. Mr. Cesrick then opens his mouth wider and growls at me. "Let's end this here, shall we?" he uttered before he flashed into my spot and released a few strikes of his sharp claws and elongated fangs. Before his claws and fangs could sink into any parts of my body, I divided myself into tiny bats and appeared behind his wolf which surprises
"Let go of your hands from him, Gaius," she added. "The two of you cannot end this war as long as I am still alive. So, I'm ending this now once and for all." Cecelia's solemn words melted my anger and hatred toward her dad. But letting go of my hands does not mean I will forgive and forget what he did. Aside from causing vast destruction of my property, he let me save his daughter for his own agenda. I am only letting him off the hook because Cecelia wants me to and I believe she has a lot of things to say not just to me but to her dad as well. So, I let go of my hands. "Dad, let me ask you a question," Cecelia said. "what did you do when I fell out off the rooftop?" Whatever comes to Cecelia's mind at the moment, it seems that I make most of the benefits from it. And I love to see her despising her dad to the deepest part of her bones. Mr. Cedrick doesn't care about me getting exposed to the humans but it goes the other way around with his relationship with
Later in the evening, Maverick and I started our uncertain journey to search for Lalaine, his fiancee whom I am aren't aware of her monster kind. The last time I remember is when she has large black wings and a long and pointed tail which he used to kill the man in the parking lot in front of a club. We haven't had enough rest when it took us long enough to clean the mess Cecelia's dad caused in my unit. Cecelia, on the other hand, remains to assist the contractors in repairing my unit and the installation of the CCTV cameras. "Dude, can we talk man-to-man?" Maverick asked while we are floating in the sky heading to his brother's house. He is in his raven form while I am in my bats. "Aren't we talking already, Maverick?" I chirp back. "you've been asking me a few questions while cleaning those broken windows and on our way here. What else do you want to know?" Indeed Maverick and I talked about a lot of things while floating in the air. One to mention is wh
While tailing off Lalaine, I suddenly ask myself what am I doing. Maverick's statement earlier seems to get into my head to allow me to ask my thought about why am I doing all these; helping people. Let alone I am fighting against another beast that might kill me or I kill her. Whatever the outcome is, it cost me the same - my lifeline. Since the day I voluntarily cut off ties with the team, I promised myself that it was not supposed to be part of the plan to get involved with these kinds of critical missions. Monsters. The Council of Vampires developed a four-man team that intends to address these kinds of problems in the city they were enlisted to protect, to keep an eye on, and to maintain peace and order. I was supposed to ignore this kind of scenario and focus on easier missions. It is the only way my vampire could survive without someone to depend on. But what am I doing? Where is the team in charge of New Orleans? What are they up to th
Then I ordered Maverick to lead the way out heading to the plane where we plan to secure the kids. I, on the other hand, continued searching for the rest of them beneath the lighthouse. As soon as we got out, one of them told me, "Where are you taking us? What about those ladies in the other rooms who turned into monsters?" "Monsters?" I could not help but curve the tip of my brows while assisting them out of the lighthouse. She nodded. "I heard the guards calling out their names, Elaine, Shantell, and Rachell..." Then she rubs the tip of her nose while digging into her brain. I remember Archie and Captain Denver once mentioned those names. They were the kids who were kidnapped ten years ago. But what does she mean about them as monsters? "Did you have any idea which chamber they are in?" I asked her while scanning the environment to make sure there will be no enemies who can slow us down, especially when I have ten more kids with me. "No, you can't see
"This is NYPD, raise your hands or we'll shoot you!" Archie's boisterous announcement startled me to the point that the photo slips out of my hand. But before anyone could notice the photo, I quickly step on it with my hands raised to the sky. So is Maverick, especially when they all cock their guns in unison. I may be fast but the speed of their bullets moves faster than my vampire. And if given the chance one of their bullets penetrates some crucial parts of my body, such as the brain or heart, my remaining lifeline could have been useless. "Gaius? Maverick?" Archie breathed out my name in disbelief as soon as he recognizes my face through the rays of their flashlights combined. "For God's sake, put down your flashlights and weapons!" I blurted out when I could barely see anything around me but the eye-blinding rays of their flashlight. "How did you guys get in here so fast?" Archie asks me before he ordered his team to point their flashlights to the groun
Even if I remove their hands by force, they always use their other hands to cover my mouth. And it seems that no matter how hard I try, Cecelia and Maverick have no plan to allow me to talk. So I shut my mouth off while listening to Archie and Captain Denver's raid proposal on this private island which they were pretty convinced is the last and active laboratory for this Alpha's Puppets or whatever they are called. After a few minutes of their storytelling, Maverick and I ended up boarding the plane with our gears on. Though I haven't moved on from our first failed raid mission, I was left with no choice when Cecelia already dominated my decision-making. And I certainly hate that kind of idea when someone wants to control me instead of me controlling them. Regardless, I was simply looking at the bright side of the possible outcome. If what they claim is true that around a hundred lives we are about to save from the island, my lifeline would be happier once I cou
I am not into conversing with a bunch of humans so I prefer to address them that way. "Humans". Let alone that is the truth. But I did not expect someone wants to make that statement a big deal. "Just ignore Gaius, guys." Maverick broke the awkward sensation between me and Archie. Then he leans closer to Archie's ear and whispers, "he's into old fashion way of speaking. Humans. We are all humans." he giggles awkwardly. "Anyway, the rest of the police officers already took off to stay in their respective positions. Team Gaius and team Archie will team up in today's mission. Good luck!" says Mr. Cedrick before he stretches out his fist toward us. Archie and Maverick immediately bump their fists into Mr. Cedrick but I was simply looking at them when I barely understand what they were trying to do. Instead of participating in their nonsense fist bump, I walk to the rest of the cops to gear up which leaves Maverick and Archie with no choice but to break their nonsens
"We are not here to cause you trouble, Gaius," Cecelia uttered on everyone's behalf. Everyone, including her parents, nodded in unison. "Dad ordered everyone to gather here today for one main reason." "Believe it or not, Mr. Spencer, my daughter is telling the truth." Madam Mayor added and offered me the empty chair next to her. The last thing I could picture myself is sitting next to them so I grab Maverick and offer the seat to him by force. "What do you want from me?" I asked instead. "I'm a busy man and you are all werewolves led by your alpha pack and the city mayor, herself, so there is no need for me to explain further." "We are fully aware of the Cursed System, Mr. Spencer." Madam Mayor agreed. "That is why we are offering you our help to increase your lifeline as much as possible?" "What?" could not help but raise a question. "are you all fucking kidding me? Humans and werewolves want to help a vampire like me?" then I burst out laughing. "Are your kinds
"What am I supposed to do?" Cecelia proposed. "I wanted to help, Gaius. At least I could do something when it is my fault those innocent people in the orphanage lost their lives." My conscience doesn't want to comfort Cecelia with a lie or a promise since I agreed with her that it was indeed her fault this terrible incident happened because she did not listen to me. But I don't want to put all the blame on her as well. Maverick was right about me being the one to blame in the first place. I could have known better and stood firm with my decision. "Alright," I agreed. "Inform your dad and mom that I want to have a meeting with them as soon as possible regarding the case. Can you do that for me?" Though seeing either of her parents is not ideal for me, especially when the vampires still had unresolved issues with his pack members back in the village, I cannot do the mission alone. Back in the day, my role in the team is simply being the doer of every humanitari
"Well. In the first place, I tried to stop, Gaius, but he barely listen to me." Maverick was still mad at me based on his tone of voice. "Anyway, what are you all doing in the human village, anyway? Aren't you vampires too late to check them out? Gaius saved two poor kids the other day." Our conversation did not last long when I already know Monbert's reasons they did not get the chance to check their neighboring village. However, I relayed to him everything that I miss telling the vampire king in our previous encounter. And told Monbert he will be the only vampire I can talk to if they need more updates about the cases at hand, including Cecelia living in my place, the abnormalities of the lifeline that I encountered recently, and those masked men who created Lalaine. "Are you sure about telling him everything you know, Gaius? I mean, not that I am against the idea but you are no longer part of the council, remember?" Maverick started the conversation when it h
That was the first time in my history of being part of the team I witnessed Monbert be that furious with someone. When we were once a team, he used to be calm, soft-spoken, and the kind of person who doesn't care about the world around him, just like me. But right now, he is unleashing the blood-sucking demon inside him. "Gaius, who is weaker than me managed to beat you," he confessed. "how much more I am ten times stronger and faster than both of you combined." I don't know if Monbert intentionally tells Damon those words to stop him or if he was simply bluffing. However, I could barely sense any signs of doubt in his tone and facial expression. Monbert and I are close friends since we become part of the Cursed System but I haven't seen him being deployed into real battles. So I expected him to be simply an ordinary vampire like us. "And you too, Gaius," he added. "I know more than anyone that you are not the kind of vampire who prefers chaos over peace. What ha
Maverick, on the other hand, was busy chit-chatting to those bunch of assholes, asking if I was indeed the hero of New Orleans. Part of me wanted to stop Maverick from leaking any crucial information about me, but I have a middle-aged woman to attend to. "Believe me. Of all the humans in your life, I know better than anyone about how you are feeling right now." I said. "you want to die because you think you don't have the answer to your problem, whatever that is. How difficult is your problem, by the way?" Then I smiled and waved at those cameras in front of me before I added. "You are about to die anyway. I think it'll be better if you share your burden with someone before you go straight to hell." "I'm going to hell?" she curiously asked, even feeling bothered by what I said. "Of course! Where do you think you're going after jumping off the bridge?" I asked back. "getting suicide is a serious crime in the eyes of what you believe in the lord Almighty. He w