Humans

Sebastian

The worn-out Jeep had seen its better days. The few times I filled up with gas, I had to put oil in it as well. I was surprised it was still running after the hundreds of miles that were already put on the jeep before I received it. The transmission was failing and my lack of knowledge of vehicles in this realm made me cringe to try and fix it if I landed on the side of the road.

If all else fails, I’ll just walk.  

I had continued north, going with my gut as I traveled across the country. The further north I went, the daylight fleeted far quicker than in the south, which was for the best. The sun was different here than in Bergarian, much harsher on a vampire’s skin. I hope that it did matter much, I was old and used to the many hours in the light sources of home.

I wasn’t some noble back in the realm of Bergarian, I was nothing but a commoner. I worked hard as a merchant, buying produce from those that farmed the land, small trinkets from humble witches and warlocks. My wagon was filled with nothing but random rare oddities from all over. Building a name for myself all over the land for my fairness, rare oddities and even greater tails of better times. I often spent nights in front of high alphas, elders, and the like of various species.

Not anymore though, now I was really nothing.

What was I even doing? Going out to find my mate and offer her nothing? I had made my coin; I was rather well off at home but my gold wasn’t here with me now. How would I convince my second chance that I would take care and provide for her with nothing but my beating heart that will spring to life at the sight of her?

Hold that thought.

Darkness fell around me as the Jeep rattled over another pothole. How could I even think I had a second chance? Second chances were rare, I didn’t even know of any vampire to have one. My hands tightened on the steering wheel, gritting my teeth until the tip of my fang pierced my lip.

Because she said I would, the whisper of my subconscious still gripped to that hope.

The map that laid in the Jeep after I left Princess Clara’s mating ceremony had already had areas circled where to go. All these red circles were close to nearby towns and slightly off the grid. This was where a coven must lay. Clara really thought of everything, she had that much hope for me in my own search.

Letting my fanged smile rise slightly, I turned off to a graveled road. The grated road wasn’t used often; the potholes were sure to tell me that. The smell of pine, spruce, and sap hit me like a battering ram making me sneeze.

So much damn pollen.

The branches hit the Jeep, not worried in the slightest that I scratched the hunk of metal, I pulled up to the back of the coven territory. This region was certainly different than the other covens that I had already visited.

This was an abnormally bright area for territory with nothing but vampires. The sun shined clear overhead as the large white plantation house with black shutters came to view at the top of the hill. It still had rod-iron fences, some of the classic gothic styles that most vampires appreciated, but the bright yellow, pink and white roses that littered the property came in as a shock. Flowers were usually deep red around my homeland, but nothing as bright as these.

Houses were lined up in perfect little rows of the classic 1950s earth decade had me raising my brow. Continuing to drive past, kids sprang from houses, running into the backyards. The fountains that lay in the front yard, the patios filled with vampires, humans, and pets. They all mingled with each other, without a care in the world.

It was surprising, pleasantly surprising to see humans mingle with our kind. But damn if I wasn’t confused as hell about it.

As soon as I drove up to the white gravel round-about driveway I pushed the Jeep into park. The cranking, pushing of the gears forward to keep it steady squealed and I shut the Jeep off as quickly as I could. This would have to be my last stop with this junker, don’t think I’d make another few miles out in this thing.

Leaning over the wheel, I stared up at the out-of-place plantation-style home. Pretty sure homes like these belonged in the southern part of America. Reaching over to the side of the door, my fingers wrapped around the handle until a head popped up into view. “Hello!”

“FUCKING ZUES!” Slapping my chest where my unbeating heart lay, I took heavy breaths in.

“Damn, you’re jumpy.” The male’s head cocked to the side. He was sporting short blonde hair, a slim build, and an overly eager grin on his face. His eyes blazing red from feeding recently on human blood.

“What do you expect?” A breath left me as I finally step foot out. The crunching gravel echoed through the unsettled silence as we both studied each other.

“Do you have an appointment?” He crossed his arms. Looking around me, seeing other vampires watching our interaction as they went along with their business had me shifting uncomfortably.

“No, should I?” I asked.

“No,” he shrugged his shoulders, still staring.

What the hell?

“Suron! Stop scaring him!” The gentleman sporting a black suit and red tie walked out. He straightened his vest underneath his jacket, holding out his hand to me. “Sorry about him, he’s a troublemaker,” he narrowed his eyes at him. “I’m Elder Rowan.”

“Nice to meet you Elder—”

“I’m just seeing if he had a sense of humor. He doesn’t,” Suron interrupted, holding out his hand to now shake mine. “I’m Suron, I’ll see you around?...”

“Sebastian,” Suron continued shaking my hand, smirking until I pulled it away forcefully.

“Suron,” Elder Rowan barked. “Aren’t you supposed to be playing hide and seek with the children?” Suron shook his head. “Oh bollocks, I knew I was supposed to be doing something.” Without another word, Suron took off, climbing a distant tree and grabbing a child. “Found you!” he sang as the human boy squealed in delight.

The boy isn’t scared?

“He’s different,” Elder Rowan stated, “but he’s great with the kids. Come, I had heard through the grapevine you might end up here. Rowan patted me on the back and led me into the house. The house was unusually warm, definitely meeting the rest of the ambiance of the entire 1950s-looking theme outside.

Floral. That was what could be summed up of the living room. White doilies, pictures of flowers, actual flowers in vases, and a large collection of tiny figurines of glass and books on white covered shelves. It was all old-looking, but with a modern twist of the new century.

A tea set sat in between two couches, and a lovely woman rose, smiling at Rowan. The human women that accompanied her all giggled, walking to the other side of the room. Whispers that would make a kinky fae blush hit my ears until they shut the door. Rubbing my face, I looked away from the door, flabbergasted.

“You will have to excuse them, some of them are new to understanding vampires and their excellent hearing. I’m Adaline,” she held out her hand. Taking it with my hand I bowed, kissing the top of her hand. “So the rumors must be true, you are from Bergarian,” she blushed.

Rowan rubbed his mate’s arms up and down, smiling at her. “We’ve heard of your tales dealing with King Darius and being forced to fight in an unjust cause. I’m happy to hear that Alpha Kane spared you.” Clearing my throat, I pulled on the collar of my dress shirt.

“Uh, yes, very lucky.” We did not need to get into that.

Rowan cleared his throat, tapping his mate’s shoulder. She bowed and walked out of the living room and had me sit on the cream-colored couches. Cream couches seemed odd to have in a vampire’s home considering we drink blood and blood stains like a bitch.

“As you can tell, we are a different type of coven compared to the other covens of earth.” Glancing around the room, I only mumbled in agreement.

“Humans find nature soothing; the classic looks bring back a better time for them to help settle their souls about being around vampires. Many believe in the dark shadows, and the hunter to prey vibe that vampires supposedly represent which they find disturbing. This whole coven area has been decorated to help with the transition, get to know who we really are instead of the human folklore.”

Adaline put down a tray of clear glasses, and a special teapot I haven’t seen since I was a boy in the middle. It was made of a type of Bergarian clay in the lands of Vermillion. It could keep the blood warm for hours without it spoiling. Her delicate hands held on to the top, as she poured the blood into low-level glasses, handing one to Rowan and one to me.

I hesitated, gripping it with my shaky hand. Rowan studied me, sipping his glass, his wife sat beside him, putting her hand on his knee. I couldn’t do it; I couldn’t bring the glass to my lips and drink it down.

It had been a long time since I had drunk human blood, hell, I wasn’t even sure what it tasted like anymore. Vermillion had been free of humans for a long time, the only blood we could drink was from willing supernaturals and that came in short supply. Animals were a specialty for me, even though they can barely satisfy my thirst. I just had to feed more often.

The few times I had human blood; it was when I was a child. My parents had lived on Earth, they had stored it in the clay pots and brought them when they moved back to Bergarian before the portal had been closed to humans so long ago. I drank blood on special occasions because my parents didn’t’ need it. Vampires feed off their beloveds, it was to taste far better than any human blood that vampires could drink.

That didn’t mean that vampires only drank from their beloveds, their mates. They could do it for the taste, the social interaction with the unmated, possibly to revel in what it was like before beloveds were introduced to vampires by the goddess. Those that still drank human blood were done by the cruel vampires, the dark ones that took it without asking. My stomach churned, setting the glass down.

I couldn’t do it, not when I wasn’t sure where this blood came from. King Darius, the whole reason why I was here. He wanted to conquer humans and bring them back as blood slaves. What if Rowan was the same?

Rowan gazed at me inquisitively. His mouth came into a giddy smile. “I see you aren’t like the dark ones; the other Elders were right.” Setting his glass down, he rubbed his hands together. “You are more than welcome to stay here as long as you like.” Wrinkling my nose in confusion, he barked a laugh.

“Just wanted to make sure you weren’t one of those vampires that still followed Darius,” his look grew hard. “The other covens you have visited didn’t have humans running rampant around and here we do.” If the children running around with Suron, and the tea Adaline drunk with the girl was any indication, I could have guessed that myself.

“This is a sanctuary, Sebastian,” Adaline muttered. “A sanctuary for humans that have been paired with humans.” My eyes widened. There had not been that many pairings between species, not that I would know much since Vermillion’s take over from the darkened king. We were isolated, we knew nothing.

“It’s true,” Adaline nodded. “Humans and Vampires are finding soulmates in each other. You had a small glimpse of that already, no?” Rubbing my head, I remembered Kyler and Dean. Both mated to werewolves before I arrived, but they were supernaturals, not humans.

“But humans—” Rowan shook his head, chuckling. “They are tougher than they look, Sebastian. They take the bonding well and the change.”

“T-they change? Change to what?” Rowan gave an incredulous look. “What the hell do you think boy? Their human DNA changes once bitten, to make their bodies take on the likeness of their mate. They become one of us.”