Consciousness descended upon Ezra like a fever dream. At the edge of his hearing, he could hear indistinct voices speaking. Different colors stretched and compressed behind his closed eyelids.
In an instant, he was awake. There was no lethargy associated with waking up. He was fully ready and wide awake, yet he didn't move a muscle. Whatever bed he was sleeping on had to be the best quality possible. He didn't feel any cricks.
I'm a vampire now. He took a moment to let that sink in.
The first thing he noticed was the thirst assaulting his throat.
Is this the famous vampire thirst? Will I become a volatile being?
Somehow, he didn't think so. He knew he was thirsty but it wasn't the all-consuming thirst he thought it would be. Besides, the voices were much more distracting than the thirst.
Ezra's senses sharpened as he focused on the voices, recognizing the distinct tones of Olivia and Genesis. He cracked open an eyelid, the world swimming into view, blurred yet slowly sharpening. He lay still, his newly heightened senses honing in on the conversation.
"What about the new Count?" Genesis began, her voice low and cautious. "Isn't that an option?"
"That's just a rumor." Olivia countered.
"Come on. It can't be a rumor. The news was leaked directly from the City Lord's office."
"I don't deny that there's a new Count coming but have you heard the rumors?" Olivia asked. "They say he's powerful, far more so than anyone we've encountered since the Death Wave. Some say he's even older than the Council."
Counts? City Lords? Death Wave? What's going on? Ezra remained perfectly still, straining to catch every word of the conversation.
Genesis's reply was loud. "I've heard. They say he's different, more powerful than the others."
"First, that can't all be true. Second, I heard that he's ruthless, that he commands loyalty through fear and manipulation. Aligning with him could be dangerous." Olivia whispered.
"Or it could be our salvation," Genesis countered, a hint of eagerness creeping into her tone. "The Counts have been tightening their grip on us. This Count could offer us the necessary protection, a chance to consolidate our power."
Olivia's skepticism was evident. "And at what cost? Do you really believe we can switch sides without repercussions? Everyone else will see it as a betrayal. They will hunt us down."
"We've eluded Counts before. We could do it again, especially with this Count's backing. Imagine the possibilities." Genesis pressed. "If we align ourselves with him now, we could secure protection, power. The other Counts would have no choice but to back down. We could finally be free from them."
"Free?" Olivia's laugh was bitter. "Or enslaved under a new master? We don't know anything about this Count. He could be even worse than the others. The devil you know, Genesis..."
Genesis sighed, the sound a mixture of frustration and contemplation. "But what if he's our chance? Our chance to break free, to carve out our own place in this city? We've been under the thumb of the others for too long."
"And if he decides we're a threat? If he sees us as enemies instead of allies?" Olivia's voice grew sharper. "We'd be risking everything. Our lives, our... existence. There's no guarantee he'd accept us, let alone protect us."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Genesis shot back, though her voice wavered slightly. "We can't keep living in fear, under constant scrutiny. We need to make a move."
Olivia was silent for a moment, and when she spoke again, her tone was resolute. "No, Genesis. It's too dangerous. We don't have enough information. Aligning ourselves with him could be a fatal mistake. We'd be stepping into the unknown, and once we make that choice, there's no going back."
Genesis exhaled sharply, the sound filled with resignation. "You're right. As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. We can't afford to take that risk. Not now, at least."
"We need to gather more information, learn more about this Count before we make any decisions," Olivia concluded. "For now, we stay the course. We continue with our previous plan, bide our time. Besides, the new Count isn't here yet."
Ezra felt a cold shiver run down his spine. This wasn't how he imagined married life to be. His new companions had scary enemies? He hoped he was just misunderstanding the conversation.
How many Counts were even around? Was Dracula a thing? Vampire politics was far more dangerous than he had imagined. Why can't we all just move in to a dark castle in Romania? That would solve all the issues whatever they were.
"Agreed," Genesis finally said, her voice subdued. "But we can't wait forever, Olivia. We need to be ready to act when the time is right."
"We will be," Olivia assured her. "But for now, we stay vigilant. We watch, we wait. And we protect what is ours."
Silence filled the house once more.
Ezra lay still, absorbing the weight of their conversation. Shit. What have I gotten myself into?
The stakes were higher than he had realized and he was sure he didn't even know the whole story. He knew one thing for certain. He needed to be prepared for whatever came next.
He laid there, staring at the ceiling. The room was quiet. Too quiet. That was when he realized, he wasn't breathing!
Stunned, Ezra sat up. His hands roamed around his chest and stomach as he checked for his knife wounds. There wasn't even a scratch. His skin was pale and so smooth, he was having trouble believing it was real.
What is that weight?
With a frown, Ezra seized the waist band of the pants he was wearing and lifted it. When he caught sight of what was inside, he froze.
What the heck? That can't be right. He didn't know whether to be confused or joyful.
"Like what you see?" A familiar sensual voice asked.
Ezra looked up to see Genesis leaning on the door. She was looking incredibly self-assured and not like someone with few options.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." She smiled at him. "You can thank me for that minor change."
Minor? If this is a minor change, I don't want to see a major change. Ezra glanced down at his newly enlarged member. He opened his mouth to ask a question and choked immediately.
"You might want to try breathing." Genesis laughed. "We're vampires but we can't break all the laws of physics."
Ezra sucked in a deep breath and asked. "What's going on?"
"Welcome Ezra. You are now a vampire."