Daemon stopped covering his ears, still shocked by what had just happened. 'He's strong enough to block her scream... and he looks like a vampire too. Why?' he thought.
He eyed the man who appeared before him. He stood tall at 6'5", lean and athletic, with a well-defined musculature. His complexion was pale but with a slight, healthy glow. He had short, pointed ears that resembled a human's, and his features were sharp and aristocratic, with high cheekbones and a strong jawline. His eyes were large and expressive, with a unique dual-color effect a mix of deep crimson with flecks of bright, piercing gold.
The man's hair was a striking mix of silver and black, giving it a slightly metallic appearance under certain lighting. It flowed long and freely, with some strands loosely framing his face while the back was tied in a high, elegant ponytail. He wore a black and silver leather jacket over dark, tailored trousers tucked into knee-high boots adorned with silver accents and buckles. His fingerless gloves allowed for agility, decorated with small, silver insignias, and he wore a silver pendant in the shape of a crescent moon.
"What are you doing?" Daemon asked cautiously, raising his raven sword into a defensive stance. His grip tightened on the hilt, knuckles whitening slightly.
The man entrance exuded confidence and ease. His posture remained relaxed, hands loosely at his sides. He tilted his head slightly, a small smile playing on his lips. "You're Mortis, right?" he asked casually.
"...Yeah," Daemon confirmed, wondering how this stranger knew his name.
"Well its a good thing I found you because we are partners now Jaden said you to are to help each other" Lysander said.
Why now?
'Jaden has others helping him,' Daemon thought.
Looking back at it Jaden wont be able to take down the cartel on his own he felt the gravity of the situation eluded him that if she was found out he needed back and more plan to escape also people who already are having feud with them.
"How did you find me?" he asked.
"Well, hearing all the roars throughout the city at the same time, if it could attract me, it can do the same for the blood drinkers," the man, Lysander, explained.
Daemon's gaze narrowed. "And why should I trust you?" he said.
Lysander chuckled lightly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Trust? Trust is earned, Mortis. But for now, let's just say I'm here to ensure our mutual interests align."
Daemon hesitated, weighing his options. This alliance was unexpected, yet the urgency in Lysander's voice hinted at a shared purpose. "Fine," he finally conceded, lowering his sword slightly but remaining vigilant. "But don't mistake this for blind trust."
Lysander nodded understandingly. "Fair enough. Let's get to work then, shall we?" His smile widened, revealing a hint of excitement beneath his calm demeanor.
Daemon nodded, then slowly backed toward Aaliyah, who was still unconscious on the ground. At the same time, he noticed Lysander's eyes snap onto Aaliyah. In an instant, Lysander disappeared into his mist, swiftly heading toward her. Daemon quickly intercepted, standing in front of the mist.
"What are you doing?" Daemon asked cautiously, raising his raven sword into a defensive stance.
Lysander reappeared suddenly. "She looks like a hunter. You know my race doesn't do well with hunters," he explained.
"She's with me," Daemon asserted with his grip on the raven sword tightening.
"Whatever. Just don't let it come back to bite you," Lysander warned. "And now that you've taken out their most powerful vampire, leaving the rest alone means they won't know where to go, so they'll just be killed by hunters."
"I'll deal with it when it happens," Daemon replied firmly.
Daemon had already cognized before about the silver crescent what to hunt him after this while he doesn't know the strength behind he can't study it now.
"Alright, I'm going. Jaden said to be ready; he thinks something big is about to happen with the cartel and the blood bankers," Lysander informed before disappearing into mist.
"Wait!" Daemon called out. "If you're helping Jaden, won't they know you?"
"Yeah, but nothing will happen," Lysander's voice echoed from within the mist.
"Why?" Daemon asked.
"Me being a dhampir, I'm an outcast. No vampire likes me, and I don't like them either," Lysander's voice drifted faintly through the air, carrying with the dissipating mist.
Daemon watched him vanish, his mind racing with questions about Lysander's intentions and his connection to Jaden, he understood that being a dhampir is half a vampire just with human blood in them so he grasped that they already want dominance so they wont' like they half breed.
This mixed heritage often leads to distrust and fear from both vampire and human societies, who view dhampirs as unnatural or impure.
'What a strange situation I'm in,' he thought to himself, turning his attention back to Aaliyah, still unconscious on the ground.
There was something different about Lysander, something that made Daemon hesitate. The man's calm demeanor and casual conversation belied the potential danger he represented. Every fiber of Daemon's being urged him to be cautious, to question Lysander's motives and his connection to Jaden.
Daemon couldn't shake the suspicion that Lysander's appearance was no coincidence. His presence could be a strategic move orchestrated by Jaden, a ploy to test Daemon or even lure him into a trap.
Should I trust this stranger? Or should I heed the warning bells ringing in my mind? The misplaced of trust in a world where alliances were fleeting and betrayal lurked in shadows?
Gently lifting up the cold and clammy Aaliyah, she began to wake. As she stirred, panic almost overtook her until she realized it was Daemon who held her.
"How long was I out?" Aaliyah asked, her voice weak, her hands reaching up instinctively to touch her head.
"About half an hour," Daemon replied softly, his tone gentle as he held her securely. "Before we do anything else, let me take you somewhere to rest."
Daemon carried the exhausted Aaliyah to a cliff edge, where they could sit on a smooth obsidian rock bathed in moonlight, there was smooth and cool against their backs, a stark contrast to the heated intensity of their recent battle.
"Ahh," Aaliyah sighed heavily. "So, what happened after I passed out?" she inquired, her gaze searching Daemon's face.
"I fought Ethan, found out why he did what he did, and... I killed him," Daemon said, his voice tinged with a mixture of emotions.
Aaliyah curiosity was no piqued as she leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on her knees as she absorbed Daemon's words. "Why did he do it?" she asked
Stay vigilant, Warmth invites weakness. But... maybe this time, it's worth the risk.
"...In the past, I knew his sister, and because of something that happened to me, she wanted to prove otherwise. She was killed because of it. He wanted revenge," Daemon explained reluctantly.
He's a fighter, But fighters have scars ones that run deeper than flesh.
"Hmm... I understand the desire for revenge, but it's never the right way to go about it, especially when it targets the wrong person," Aaliyah remarked thoughtfully.
"I know, but sometimes it feels like the only way," Daemon admitted quietly.
"At some point, you might realize it isn't," Aaliyah said gently.
Still she acknowledged what Daemon vengeance behind at one point before she met her master she was slowly becoming consumed by wanting revenge until her master cleared her mind.
Daemon fell silent for a moment, his body language closed off, clearly not wanting to delve into the topic any further. "I really enjoy stargazing, especially when I'm drawing," Aaliyah said, changing the subject abruptly, her hands fidgeting slightly.
Aaliyah's eyes widened with surprise, her body language shifting to one of interest. "You draw?" she asked.
"Yes, the stars help me align all the main points in my drawing," Daemon replied.
"Hmm... If nothing goes wrong, maybe you can draw me someday," Aaliyah mused.
"Someday... I don't think that's possible where I'm going. It might cost you your life before you ever get to see your sister again," Daemon said somberly.
Aaliyah looked at Daemon she sensed that Daemon was hiding something maybe something about the future that will happen to him or herself.
"I will make it possible," Aaliyah asserted confidently. "Mortis, I never got a chance to ask, but how did you come back after dying to my kidnapper?" she inquired, her hands resting calmly in her lap.
"I have the power of rebirth now. No matter how I die, I will be reborn," Daemon explained.
"It seems pretty cool, but it's more like a curse to me, especially since I have no one else to enjoy life with," Aaliyah pondered aloud.
"Maybe," Daemon conceded silently, his thoughts swirling with uncertainties about his future.
"I'm good now. How about we finish off the den?" Aaliyah suggested, changing the subject.
"Oh, don't worry. They're all most likely going to die," Daemon replied matter-of-factly.
"Well, that's good," Aaliyah nodded. "You know, you are more powerful than you show in your fights," she added thoughtfully.
"Well, it's about time I leave," Daemon said, sensing the conversation taking a turn.
"What did I say? Everything was going well, and now this sudden switch-up," Aaliyah thought to herself. "Okay, I'll meet you outside your hideout when you're ready for my help," she said aloud, accepting the change in direction.
I believe in him, Maybe one day, he'll see that kindness and understanding can unlock doors he never knew were closed.
Daemon nodded in agreement.