I sighed maybe the millionth time.
"Let me guess, another being public has no idea exists?"
"Yep! Plus 100 points!"
"Wait, don't try to change topic. What about the person trying to expose vampires?"
"I told you to forget it. Unless, you can open your other eye, you don't have the capabilities to be use of me in that topic."
Ouch.
"What my other eye got anything to do with this?"
"You'll learn when time comes."
"I hate it when you treat me like a child."
She just smiled. She slapped both of my cheeks with her hands. She pulled my head down and got weirdly close.
"What the fuck!"
"Now, focus. I told you that a human transforming to a vampire has low change of success. What do you think happens if that process fails?"
"That human transforms into a ghoul?"
"Correct! Another 100 points."
"Did anyone told you that you are weird?"
"You do. At least twice a day."
She finally let me go.
"A ghoul is just a mindless monster. They are controlled fully by their bloodlust. Any personality that person had is lost. They just roam around attacking anything alive."
That sounded terrible. Is that what would have happened if I couldn't turn into a vampire? I shivered just with thought. Dying was something I accepted but just losing all sense of yourself? It terrified me.
"Normally, it is the duty of Origin to kill the ghouls. But sometimes some vampires can't do that themselves. They can even go as far as to protect that ghoul."
"Why?"
She shrugged.
"I don't know. I would have killed in one strike if you failed to turn."
"Thanks."
"You are welcome."
I was just being sarcastic.
"Well, whatever the reason it is forbidden for ghouls to roam around like that. They must be killed. No exceptions."
"So, you want me to kill the ghoul?"
"Yes. I also want you to find and bring me its Origin. Alive. You can cut the limbs though."
Times like these I was reminded the fact that Elizabeth was a centuries old vampire who killed probably thousands of beings.
"Do I have leads? Or do you expect me to sniff them out?"
She handed me some papers.
"You need to fly to USA to track them. I will keep informing you."
"Do ghouls have any weakness?
She stopped and looked at me in the eye.
" They can regenerate near-infinitely. Destroying head or heart is useless."
"What! How I am supposed to kill it?"
Even werewolves didn't had that powerful abilities like that. Except one.
"You will have to use this."
She handed me a green potion.
"This is what humans call as Greek Fire. At least a stronger version of it."
I inspected the bottle. It wasn't warm.
"How do I use it?"
"Open the bottle and toss it. Be careful. This created to stop regeneration. If you were to burned by it, I couldn't live with the fact that my Turned died to something like this."
"Trust you have in me is making me cry."
She smiled.
"However, that thing doesn't have enough power to kill a ghoul by itself. You have to weaken it first. Make sure it is dead. Then make sure it stays dead. After that drag that stupid vampire to me."
"What will happen to him?"
"She will be punished by Council. We'll see what they will decide."
A female vampire, huh?
"What you will vote for?"
I asked since she was member of the council.
"Death."
Her tone was stern and serious.
"But I am not the only one in the council. We have to see."
"How much time do I have?"
"1 day to prepare and 1 week to capture."
"That's pretty tight restrictions."
"10 thousand dollars and a bow from my treasury. How does it sounds?"
"If I fail?"
"Don't."
Her eyes became even redder. I felt shivers run down my spine. That short "Don't" carried so much power that I felt like something heavy sat on my chest. The fact that she didn't said anything else made me feel worried.
"I will be on my room. Katherina, come here."
"Yes, master?"
Even though I saw her do that several times I was suprised everytime she just popped as soon as I finished my sentence. She stood in front of me, head slightly bowed down. She was the head of the maids Elizabeth "recruited" for me.
"Do you still have the list of the items I gave to you?"
"Yes, master."
"I need you to bring another set of them. Also some blood. I need to reinforce them until tomorrow."
"Yes, master."
Her blank expression and emotionless voice made it hard to communicate with her but she fulfilled all the duties I gave to her without any fault. As I looked her leaving, Elizabeth poked me with her elbow.
"Soooo, how is she in bed?"
She changed her attitude 180 percent in blink of an eye. This was the reason why Elizabeth worried me so much. One second she would tell me to not fail with immense bloodlust, other second she would crack jokes. I was never sure how she felt.
"They are maids."
"Coward."
She turned around.
"You must kill that ghoul, Burak. It is an order. No matter what happens my orders are absolute. Do you understand?"
She did it again.
"Yes."
She turned around and raised her eyebrows.
"Yes, mistress."
"Good."
She called other maids.
"Take care of the flight."
She ordered them.
"I will be taking care of your return. I will send people."
I felt uneasy about other vampires.
"Don't worry. They are from my main family. You can think them as your siblings. Don't hand that vampire to nobody except me. Do you understand?"
Why was she repeating this? Were there some kind of secret message I needed to understand?
"Yes, mistress."
I expected her to give another order or say something else. Yet she didn't said anything. God damn it I had to ask myself.
"Is there a thing I need to be extra careful of?"
"As long as you follow my orders, no."