...While Adria and the rest of the citadel went about their various activities, a private jet made its way speedily to the Citadel. On its tail wing was the artistic design of a 'B'.
Inside the plane was well decorated with only the words; 'Luxury' and 'Comfort' in mind. A woman with short brown hair and a pair of glasses on her nose bridge was lost in thought as her brown eyes enjoyed the puffy view that the clouds had present through her window. Her dress was simple and modest. In fact, it was more modest than most. However, her fingers had snuck through the long sleeve of one hand and were massaging a scar that peeped ever so slightly from her wrist.
"Lady Helen! Lady Helen!!"
"Yeah!" she swayed her head sharply in the direction of the voice.
"I don't mean to bother you, but would you like me to get you some more sweets." The air hostess pointed to the empty wraps of chocolate littered on Helen's blouse.
"No, thank you!" She shook her head.
The hostess nodded and was about to take her to leave, "Excuse me please!"
"Yes, Lady Helen."
"How much time before we get to the Citadel?"
"A few more minutes give or take." Another voice replied from the side. Helen nodded to the Hostess and she went away, she turned to the voice, "Lady Sasha! I heard some rumors that the last time any craft went to the Hole, it was assaulted by a multitude of vampires."
"Yes, that's true. It happens now and then." Sasha nodded at her with a smile, "But that is why I am here. I'll ensure your safety."
Helen nodded slightly as her downcast eyes went back to the puffy clouds. This was a reaction Sasha noticed, "Like I said you don't need to worry about that. I'm here!" Sasha's hair extended and patted Helen on her shoulder a bit.
"It's not my safety that concerns me. It's the..."
"The Project!" Sasha finished her statement, "Now, that is a bit of concern. But that too is in good hands. I have a few old pals at the Citadel that can be of assistance." Sasha nodded to her.
Helen signed loudly, "Okay!"
"And Lady Helen, I am not a noble. You can just call me Sasha."
...Back at the Citadel...
"Bloody Heavens! Look at him go!" One soldier commented.
"He is like a freaking black hole. Just gobbling it all up." Another soldier commented.
"yeah! I mean, look at him. Where does it all go? At this rate, he is definitely going to run the kitchen dry." Another soldier giggled lightly.
All three of them were staring at Thomas. He had so much food in front of him, but he also had as many empty plates. For some reason, he had this hunger he could not just satisfy.
He had eaten a lot but the emptiness inside him remained. It felt like he had a pit that needed to be filled and he was trying to fill it up with little cups of sand.
Just as he continued to munch greedily on the food, he suddenly lost appetite. The pit had suddenly become full. And then like an erupting volcano, he felt the intense need to throw up.
He ran out of the mess as far as he could into the nearest restroom.
....
*Knock!*
"Hold on a second! I'm coming!" Adria replied from inside. After a few more minutes, he opened the door. "Ahh! Another one!? I must really be sort after a lot today."
Nora did not understand what Adria meant. However, someone squeezed her way under his out-stretched hand and out the door struggling with her unbuttoned shirt.
Nora could not believe her eyes. She recognized the soldier that had just passed by her. It was the same one that had asked her about Adria's things.
Nora's eyes left the sneak away and then landed back on Adria. From where she stood, she could see inside his room, and his king-sized bed peeping back at her. She instantly noticed that the sheets were quite rough. She frowned and pushed down on her urge to throw up.
"So, What can I help you with colt?" Adria leaned comfortably against his door, "or are you here to see me, PRIVATELY!?" He whispered as he made an attempt to shorten the distance between both of them.
That urge to throw up suddenly intensified and she took an obvious step back, "Firstly, CAPTAIN! I am no longer a colt. I'm a full-fledged Darkling," she subconsciously puffed her chest out, "and secondly, this!" She presented a small envelope to him.
"What is this?" He opened the envelope and read its content.
"It's an invitation. It is to say farewell to those that died while we were coming here. Everybody is already at the Mess." She saluted and was about to leave, but then she stopped and turned, "Also, I apologize sir for my rude behavior before we came. I did not know it was you." She saluted again and hurried out of the place.
Adria nodded, and his eyes followed her exit. He turned to enter the room, however, his senses caught something and his eyes looked in a particular direction. "There is one in here!?" He frowned. He went inside and wore his overall coat and left his room.
A few minutes later, Adria made his way into the Mess (note=Meaning Dinning hall in the military). It was crowded as expected. However, his entrance brought about a kind of slow leading silence. Eyes focused on him, and whispers flew in the air like indecisive butterflies over a bouquet of flowers.
He stepped in slowly. His nose sniffed the air in an attempt to catch a particularly distinctive smell.
"YOU!!!" A loud voice pulled him out of the focus of his search. It had come from a bar not so far away.
"Who told you that you are welcomed here!?" A big burly man asked. His identity as a Darkling was evident from his attire and his unmistakable pale skin. He drank from a cup of alcohol that leaked down his full-bearded face. He stood up from his seat which made squishy noises in relief of all his weight and approached Adria.
As he did, the whispers that reached Adria's ears talked about a fight breaking out between Adria and the big burly Darkling...