I never thought…What I did would bring me to this…
"I love you" he whispered softly…
What a dangerous life I live…what a thrill it has become…
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"M
ari! Mari!"
Mari turned to her friend, Clary, coming out of her daze.
"Yeah?" I replied pulling my blue wool scarf over my mouth blowing out the last puff from my cig.
"You good?" She placed her hand on top of my hood, her green eyes boring into me with worry.
"Yeah, let's just get this over with."
Who was I kidding; I was more nervous than a sinner at church about to burst into flames. A meeting with the Haven was never good for any spy who worked for them, especially for a first-timer like me. I was always just out in the field gathering the intel and giving it to Clary who would either go alone or with someone else, yet somehow I got pushed into coming with her this time.
The Haven was…or should I say are a band of vampires said to be the last living immortals, purebloods to be exact, who pledged to save us from our "Makers".
Makers were imitation undead, all about perfection and purity and being reborn again as Gods. A vampire's worse nightmare along with humans too I guess. Well I guess to those who can't accept their way of living. I guess it's safe to assume their secret war has become public within a matter of decades.
The city of Vespera has become their battleground. Actually it's the whole world from what the rumors have said. Not just the inside of the wall that they made as a prison for us. Only spies like me and Clary and a few others have ever ventured outside the wall, with skills to get in and out that no one else has. Dangerous business if you're not careful. One wrong move and you're caught. Lucky for me though, I'm not like other humans. Yeah, a half-blood born from an immortal mother. Good thing I'm good at keeping secrets. I guess that's why I was born into the society of spies for the Haven. I keep my Intel and only give what is asked.
"Alright since this is your first reporting just follow my lead okay?" Clary looked back at me as arrived at an abandon church beyond the wall.
"A church?" I looked at it, examining any possible exits in case things went south.
"They say there's an enchantment on it, by a witch friend of their king, keeps the Makers off their trail and the people inside safe." Clary replied twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "Ready?"
I nodded.
She pushed a com button, "Nightshade reporting in."
Just as she spoke the wooden brass doors opened with a squeak. Walking in the surroundings were dark, no windows or lights. Behind us the doors closed making the dark even denser than it already was.
"Can't see shit Clary." I whispered. Just as I spoke we were blindfolded from behind. "Hey!" I shouted trying to fight back but was held in place by heavy hands.
I could feel them patting us down for weapons. Which I was hoping they wouldn't find the hidden blade in the small of my back or the one up my sleeve, unfortunately when I heard him snicker I knew he had found them.
"Move." A male voice spoke shoving us forward.
We were led through hallways and what seemed like few flights of stairs. I could hear soft scattered voices around us which must have been more members of the Haven.
When we came to a stop I heard male voices, deep male voices talking amongst themselves until our presence became aware to them.
"Are these the spies for tonight?" One spoke up.
"Yes sir. The usual red head and one new female." I'm assuming the dick who blindfolded us answered.
"Unveil them."
When the blindfolds were removed we saw four men each unique in their own way staring at us. Their eyes glowing in the dim candlelight around them. Beautiful didn't even begin to come close to describing them. They were in a league of their own and more than well fit with how big their muscles were.
"You've brought a new one with you this time." A dark haired male looked at Clary.
"Yes, well I figured since she was the lead on the Intel group she would want to meet the people who she was risking her neck for." Clary replied looking at her feet then back at him.
"Very well."
I nudged her to keep talking.
"Oh, yes we come with news from inside the wall." She began but was abruptly stopped.
One male held up his hand stopping her. "Our king is on his way before you begin female. He wishes to be a part of this meeting this time." He spoke.
I looked at Clary shaking my head with annoyance. So much for a quick report. Didn't help any that my weapons were gone due to their damn security protocol. At least they left me with my fist and feet. Undead or not I'm sure a good kick where it counts would still hurt like hell.
Hearing a yawn and boots stomping on the ground I turned to see their supposed "King" coming from the shadows. His shoulder length silver hair, pale skin and light blue eyes made him seem young not to mention the muscles the tight black tee showed and the ripped jeans meaning he didn't care much for his appearance.
I rolled my eyes as he glanced in my direction.
We watched as he joined hands with his companions and what do you think these high and mighty bastards start doing…talking amongst themselves.
Looking at Clary she shrugged her shoulders.
Screw this. I thought.
"Excuse me!" I yelled from behind my scarf. That sure enough got their attention. "Look we didn't go through all this trouble to just be put aside like unwanted beggars. We have Intel and if you want it you better listen up or else we walk!" I demanded.
Clary pulled me back in place giving me the "what the fuck are you thinking" look. Unfortunately I was in no mood for it.
"She's a fierce one isn't she?" The king grinned, his fangs showing.
"I'm sorry your majesty this is her first reporting." Clary tried to justify my actions. "Not to mention she's been the lead in this Intel, so she hasn't had much sleep."
The king kept the grin on his face staring at me, "very well." He spoke. "Carry on."
"Thank you. Uh…well…"
"Well we found out that they are taking half-blood born from their human mothers and sending them to camps for "re-evaluations" as they call it. Basically torturing them and turning them into soldiers to fight against you." I intervened.
"Mari!" Clary hissed at me.
"We also know a hidden passage beneath their feet. It's tunnels but it's the safest route." I continued.
"A very insightful female." The dark haired male spoke again placing his arms across his chest.
"Insightful indeed and bold. That of a warrior." The King agreed. "Is that all?"
"Yes your majesty." Clary came forward.
"Very well then, you're dismissed."
Clary nodded and pulled me along with her as two guards stood behind us ready to blindfold us again. As I turned I could feel the Kings eyes still on me and his grin on his face still showing.
When the blindfolds were removed I was handed my weapons back and we were quickly shoved out the doors. I placed the knives back into their properly concealed placed and let the cold winter air blow over me pulling my scarf down a little.
"That's could've gone better." I patted myself looking for my cigs.
Clary tapped me on the head in frustration.
"What?" I found my cigs and popped one in my mouth.
"What part of "follow my lead" did you not comprehend?" She spoke sternly.
"I'm sorry they were pissing me off and being very rude." I argued back lighting my cig.
Clary sighed and smiled letting me know that I won the fight, which is usually not very often. I thought I was the stubborn one but Clary had ways of making you feel like utter crap for trying to fight against her about something. I guess it was her talent that caught the eye of the Society of Spies, manipulating people into admitting defeat.
"Come on let's report back in and then drinks are on me at Howlers." She placed her arm around my shoulder.
I chuckled to myself blowing out smoke and let her lead the way.
Sihn was never one for formalities. He hated using humans to do what he wanted to do. The Makers were getting wiser in this war and practically gaining the upper hand. With so few of the actual full immortals left and more of the Makers turning half- blood born into them…this was going to be a terrible end for the vampire side.
Feeling his anger rising on the thought of what those bastards were doing he needed some kind of release, a fight, sex, a drink hell anything to help him calm the fuck down right now. Sihn went straight for the painting on the wall, lift it up and turned a nob on the wall opening up a secret closet full of weapons; he had it all you name it, swords, daggers, knives, guns. The list goes on.
He started strapping his holster on when he felt one of his brothers presence at his door, Dhirge, the brother was normally one of the settle ones but his impatience was flowing off of him like a dog in heat. Something was bothering him.
"Come in Dhirge, I can hear you at my door." Sihn grinned placing his nine-mil in his right chest holster.
"I'm sorry my lord, but we got a problem." Dhirge spoke while opening the door.
Dhirge was one of the Haven's best computer nerds. Not that he looked the part, he was far from it. But wearing glasses was the only thing that made him look sort of like a computer tech.
"What?" Sihn looked and noticed the heavy stack of paperwork in his hand.
It was never good when Dhirge had to come into my study especially while holding a shit ton of papers. More than likely a family trying to seek refuge and since I'm the King they need my approval to make sure they aren't Maker spies. But something else seemed to be on Dhirge's mind tonight.
"What's up Dhirge? I was planning on stepping out for a bit since the sun is down." I spoke checking my knives.
"One of the spies from tonight, she's a half-blood born." He placed the papers on my desk.
"Okay? So she's done well staying out of Maker hands, what's that gotta do with us?"
"Her mother was an immortal." Dhirge spoke softly leaning on the desk.
Hearing that stopped Sihn in his tracks, "That can't be." He spoke in disbelief.
"I thought so too but she is half immortal. Her mother was immortal like us." Dhirge continued as Sihn sat down looking at the papers. "We always do back checks on the spies but something about her stood out, so I dug a little deeper. She has been that age for five years now and hasn't changed in one bit or aspect."
Sihn looked at the picture of the same girl with the scarf who stood up to him earlier tonight. Remembering her words sent a sudden feeling of intrigue through him as it did the first time he heard her voice.
"Do you think she knows what she is?" Sihn asked his eyes still on the picture.
"I'm positive she does, or else why would she go through all the trouble of making herself seem so much like a human that you practically go overboard with it." Dhirge couldn't help but grin. "She practically gave herself away if there were a trained eye looking for what I was."
"Alright, I want to know where she is right now." Sihn stood up abruptly folding the picture and putting it into his pocket.
"Want me to send out a search? Zen and I can go." Dhirge straightened up.
"No I'll take this one. Something about her interests me anyway." Sihn grabbed his leather coat. "Besides I was already planning on going out." He grinned walking by his brother and vanishing in dark smoke.
Mari wasn't one for drinking all night. Hell she couldn't even hold her liquor all that well to even attempt to keep up with Clary. So half way through Clary's drinking game with half the pub, she decided to pay her donor a visit. It had been a few months, three or four to be exact, since she last saw him. He was an old friend and the only reliable person she had left. The only one she trusted with her secret and the only half-blood born who hadn't become a Maker spy.
Coming up on his porch in the slums of Vespera, she banged on his door hard and loud, not bothering with his doorbell. Inside she heard scrambling around and a female's voice. Go figure he would have company. No surprise there, he always had a new girl every week even while she was living with him after her mother and his father passed. She would have to leave the house because of how loud they were.
"Who is it?!" he yelled, his British accent coming out in annoyance.
"Roach it's me." She replied with the same attitude he gave her.
He opened the door, his shirt halfway on, pants undone and sweat covering his scruffy face and the faint smell of sex coming off of him.
"Well well, if it isn't little Mariana, finally come for her fix." He licked his lips slowly.
I glared at him for his comment.
"Who is it baby?" A female came from behind him wrapping her arms around his thin waist.
"No one, it's just my little sister; why don't you go back to bed? This'll only take a minute, family business." He sent her away and not without a parting smack on her half naked ass.
"This is how you spend your free time?" I pushed by him.
Roach closed the door behind us and moved in front of me walking toward the bookshelf in the corner of the living room. Looking around the place seemed the same, messy and trash everywhere.
"You know Mariana you could have it too, if you'd stop being so damn stubborn." He grinned pulling a book out of the shelf opening a wall behind it, with a staircase leading down to his lab.
"In your dreams Roach." I headed down taking off my leather hoodie and removing my scarf as well.
When we reached the lab the lights switched on and I tossed my stuff on a nearby counter and sat down watching him close the door and walk over.
"Three months since your last dose. Why the sudden urge to feed? Thought you hated it?" He went over to a fridge pulling out a blood packet.
"Trying to stay hidden."
He chuckled. "What don't want the Haven to rule over you?" Roach sat in a rolling chair and pushed himself to me with needle in hand.
"I enjoy my freedom." I watched him prepare my dose.
"Don't we all." He wiped my wrist and carefully pushed the needle into my vein.
The rush that came next was indescribable. The feeling of feeding for the first time in three months sent an unimaginable surge through me, as if is as floating or receiving a thousand volts of electricity.
"Look at those beautiful glowing red eyes." He smiled brushing a finger gently on my cheek.
Roach always used my feeding as a chance to touch me. As he put it I looked like a porcelain doll that seemed so fragile yet indestructible. Which I was, no normal weapon could harm me.
Yet with Roach even I noticed his affection, but it was something I couldn't return. For his safety was very important to me, along with his secret of being half-blood born.
I closed my eyes and let myself get lost in the rush. Not caring about anything else.
Watching Mari, Roach felt his feelings for her rising. It wasn't very often that she came to him. Once in a blue moon she'd show up on his doorstep, but only to feed. Because this was how they met. His father used to feed her mother and when her mother died she ran to his father. When his father passed away he took responsibility of her. Yet looking at her now, her pale tan skin…the woman she's become even though she stopped aging at twenty…he still loved her as more than a sister. He hoped one day she would see him as a mate…hell as a male worth her time and love. But ever since her mother died she lost the since of love long ago and dedicated herself to using her skills for the Society to prevent another child from losing a parent like she did.
Trying to push the feelings aside he laughed at himself and stood up. The only way he'd be able to touch her is if he used other females and pretended they were her which is what he was gonna do while she slept. Leaving her a small note he got up and left.
Sihn made his way through the alleyways of the city. Trying his hardest not to stick out but remain in the shadows. After having Dhirge get into contact with the Society of Spies to try to pin point the girl's location it came with no good leads. She never remained in one spot and usually had them call her on a burn phone if they needed Intel. So he had to find her friend from earlier which led him to a pub.
As he walked in the smell of smoke and alcohol hit him bad enough to where he had to cover his nose. To an immortal the heighten senses made certain things unbearable. Keeping his head down he made sure to keep a low profile in case any Maker spies were around, God knows he was itching for a fight but right now he had other priorities like finding this damn female.
This place is awful. He thought looking around.
"Clary you need a ride home?' He heard a male talking on the other side of the room.
Looking over at them he saw her, the woman she was with. In her drunken state she didn't look like how she did earlier. In fact she looked a God awful mess.
"No I be good." She slurred and stood up walking by him.
As she passed by him he caught her scent and memorized it well. Though most of it was clouded by alcohol he followed her. Hoping he could catch her alone and mez her and ask her a few questions.
The female stumbled and bumped into passer by not caring it would seem. Sihn made sure to follow her close but not too close. When she hanged a left down an alley his impatience kicked in and like a lion attacking his prey he grabbed her from behind whirling her around, forcing her back against a concrete building covering her mouth. When her eyes met his she glared at him out of breath and that's when Sihn realized, she came just as prepared as he did. Looking down, she had a knife pressed against his cock and he could tell she wasn't afraid to use it if she needed to. He couldn't help but grin; he loved a female who could protect her own and herself. MAJOR TURN ON. Is what it should've been but he felt nothing but anger seeing as how he spent most of the night stalking her for no damn reason. Moving his grip away from her mouth and around her neck he hoisted her up like nothing and kept her feet off the ground.
"Who are you!?" She hissed, dropping her blade to now use both hands to remove his hands from her neck. "What do you want?!"
"This girl." He held up the picture. "Where is she?" Sihn kept his face hidden under his hood.
"Mari? What do you want with her?" She fought more as he tightened his grip.
"I mean her no harm I just need to know where?"
Clary gave him a look of confusion which slowly turned into contemplation on whether she should say anything at all. "You promise you won't harm her?" She glared.
Sihn removed his hood and slowly lowered her. "On my blood and the blood of my father I promise."
He heard her gasp when her feet found the ground and she quickly bowed.
"You majesty! I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay you were just protecting your friend. Raise your head." He helped her up.
"Yes, umm…well she would've gone to her home, in the slums."
The slums? Sihn was shocked by the location; it was dangerous there unless you grew up in that area. It always crawled with Maker spies. "Can you take me there?"
"Yes my lord."
When I awoke I saw the note left for me by Roach. Go figure he would be gone by time I woke up. What sucked even more was that I was still a little off balance from my feeding. Everything was disoriented still which left me vulnerable even when the sun was close to rising.
Standing up took every ounce of my strength and walking up the stairs into the living room took even more. So much that I had to give myself a few minutes and lean up against the wall that had pictures of Roach and his father together fishing. I couldn't help but feel a slight smile come across my face. He was much kinder back then, and more human as well.
Enough of memory lane. I thought to myself, gotta head home.
Just as I went to the door and opened it I was caught by surprise when Clary was standing there ready to knock. Her face just as surprised as mine. When I moved forward closing the door behind me she stepped back fidgeting with her fingers.
"Clary?" I blinked a few times trying to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.
"Hey, I uh…I know you tell us never to come to this place but, there is someone who wants to speak to you." She spoke softly stepping aside.
As she moved I noticed a tall man wearing a hooded coat standing behind her with a grin that even I couldn't forget no matter how hard I would've wanted to.
"Hello Mari." His grin was as big as ever and his fangs were elongated.
The king.