Reaching the borders of Salem City, I flew down and switched back to my usual self, though I kept my wings. The transformation was easy usually but today it felt like my bones were being crushed and reformed, my skin stretched and reshaped. As I reverted, I rested against a tree, gasping for air so hard my lungs threatened to break free from my chest. Being in a shapeshifting form for this long without a constant source of blood was like a baby fairy attempting to fly without its parent's supervision—I was playing with fire, all because of her, 'How has the mighty fallen.'
The injuries on my body were beginning to heal rapidly, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. I touched my heart, which was as silent as a cemetery. Just as I had suspected, being close to Alita was what had awakened my heart. But that might not necessarily mean she was my beloved; it could simply be that I was lusting after her body and my heart was mistaking it for a soul mate
The distinction was crucial, but in my current state, clarity was hard to come by.
My hunger kicked in once more, a gnawing, insatiable craving that clawed at my insides. I raced past the people who were beginning to call my name, "Master Bowen, Master Bowen," with joyful grins on their faces. Normally, I would have stopped to acknowledge them, to bask in their adulation, but tonight I was in no mood for pleasantries.
The night had already begun to settle in when I finally reached my castle. It loomed dark and foreboding, a silhouette against the twilight sky. At the edge of my domain, I saw a vampire feasting on the neck of a troll. The troll's greyish skin had grown even darker, and its eyes were closed in death. Even with the noise my feet made as I paused, the vampire did not notice me.
I frowned. Under my rule, no vampire was permitted to kill another being without consent. This was a flagrant violation of my law. My eyes narrowed as I approached silently, my footsteps muffled by the soft earth.
The dark haired vampire was so engrossed in his feast that he remained oblivious to my presence until I was nearly upon him. With a swift motion, I grabbed him by the neck and yanked him away from the lifeless troll.
I pushed the vampire away from its prey, and it screeched angrily at me. As I stared at the vampire in surprise, my shock deepened—it was Rektar. His usual red eyes were now coated in white, and he was foaming at the mouth. Rektar was one of my head captains, loyal and disciplined to the core. How had Rektar become mad?
The shock paralyzed me for a moment, and the mad vampire used it to his advantage, lunging at me. I flew out of his grip just in time. Even a small bite from Rektar could transfer the venom to me. On a normal day, I was stronger than Rektar, but madness could make a vampire much stronger and more fearless. In my current state, I had to use my wits to fight him off.
I couldn't fight Rektar head-on; I needed to confine him in a place where I could prepare myself. Hovering around him, Rektar climbed the wall and lunged at me again. This time, he caught me and bit into my arm, but thank God for small favors—it was the red cloth he bit into. I quickly shape-shifted into an insect and slipped out of his grasp.
He screeched loudly, looking for me. Using this time to my advantage, I sent a telepathic message to my people. Normally, we vampires don't form a telepathic bond like the were-creatures, so Pristine came up with the idea of a telepathic ring that allows us to send messages. I couldn't wear a ring like the rest because of my shapeshifting abilities, so I had mine merged with my brain. It took a while to get used to it, but I was glad I had it fixed.
I messaged everyone—except for Rektar, of course—to stay clear of the hallways. I was taking a mad vampire to the dungeon. I didn't wait for a response. My attention returned to Rektar. If he didn't see me soon, he would go to the city where my people lived. I shape-shifted back to my usual self and looked for Rektar, only to see him with a maid.
'This silly maid! What was she doing outside at this crucial time?' I thought in frustration.
He was laughing like a maniac as he drew closer to her. She was human and helpless against his assault, and he knew it.
She screamed in horror at what he was about to do to her. Not on my watch! I vowed. I raced to get the girl away from him, which only infuriated him. I took the girl to the far end of the castle. Without waiting for her reply, I ran off to meet Rektar. Thankfully, he was still on the castle grounds, munching on the decomposed body of the troll.
When he saw me, he straightened and lunged. I landed a blow on his face. Rektar slid to the ground, dragging dust with him. He screeched loudly and lunged for me again, but I was ahead of him.
I needed to draw him to the dungeon. We had a special cell designed for rogue vampires, a place where their strength would be neutralized. But getting Rektar there would be a challenge. He was unpredictable and filled with a rage that made him dangerous.
Rektar lunged at me again, and I barely dodged his attack. His movements were erratic, driven by the madness that had taken over his mind. I had to outmaneuver him, to use his anger against him. I backed away slowly, making sure he followed me.
"Come on, Rektar," I taunted. "Is that all you've got?"
He screeched and charged at me.
Reaching the entrance of the castle, and I quickly opened the door. Rektar hesitated for a moment, his white eyes glaring at me with pure hatred. I needed to provoke him, to make sure he followed me inside so I can lead him to the dungeon.
"You're weak, Rektar," I said, my voice calm and steady. "You've always been weak."
He roared in anger and lunged at me. I stepped aside at the last moment, and he stumbled into the castle with me before him as he chase me with all his strength to grab me and to sink his fangs into my flesh.