Alea
Scouting the area around the manor to find feral signs kept the image of Elfrea's naked body at bay. I had to stay clear-headed and ensure the drop went swiftly, as Cole was leaving and would never learn of Elfrea. My luck had been going too well that I was wondering when the other shoe would drop. This was how I had lived my life, riding the luck until the price of it smacked me in the face.
With the grounds clear of ferals or suspicious movement, I turned my attention to the other task I still had before nightfall. I went to fix a lantern outside the manor's door, grabbing some rope, tying one end to the lantern I had brought from the cabin, and securing the other end above the doorway. I set the lantern to hang there, planning to light it as a signal to Cole.
Elfrea had told me she wanted to help and would keep watch as the sun went down. If I had it my way, she would stay safely in the cabin; she didn't seem like much of a fighter. She took down the feral; her power to manipulate her blood helped. A power could be scary once she learned to use it. Another reason I was ecstatic was that she was on my side.
I head into the closed study to check the desk, seeing there are no new messages. I sit down in the lounge chair and pull out some deer leftovers. My stomach has never been so full and happy from a cold meal. Elfrea's family had a magically built cabin with functioning utilities, an amazing find that only the rich vampires had within the walls.
A perfect place to live until I die. I thought as I sat in the quiet room, watching the light through the window grow darker.
Settling here had its own challenges, but the thought of Elfrea relaxing in the tub was worth it. My memories of the city felt distant, always on the move, never a home to feel safe in. If I needed something, I stole it, and if I couldn't fit something in my bag, I didn't keep it.
My hand went to the necklace I still kept around my neck. This was payment for helping Elfrea when she burst from the coffin. I would have sold it once I needed money again, but now I don't think I could part with it. I smiled to myself as I lightly spun the pendant slowly between my fingers.
I get up and walk to the door in time to see Elfrea walking up to the manor. She had taken her time with her bath, like I had suggested. A private bath was an enormous luxury that I never got to enjoy. The lower district had public bathhouses, but those were frequently full of shady deals. Evil lurks to pull a young girl into a dark room. I was tougher than most, and I knew how to keep myself hidden. I didn't like being openly exposed to the possibility of an attack.
I smile and wave to her as she moves closer. Elfrea picked up her speed because she was suddenly right in front of me. Elfrea tilts her head down to me, giving me a kiss, her arms wrapping around me into a hug. I melt into her as I kiss her back, the smell of wildflowers much stronger. The bath had not only made her skin glow, but she somehow felt so much softer than before.
"I see you enjoyed the bath," I say as we break apart.
"Yes, and I honestly can't wait to get another," She giggles.
Once inside the manor's study, I sat in the desk chair. Elfrea followed, stepping in from the sunlight and removing her cloak. The outfit I'd given her fit snugly: the pants outlined every curve. The new top and corset pushed her breasts up, creating a stunning cleavage that could stop anyone in their tracks.
We had a few more hours until sundown. At first, we sit in silence, then questions start to form in my mind. I hadn't had a chance to talk with Elfrea to get to know who she was. I knew this meant she would ask certain questions of me, and I believed I was willing to share.
"What was your life like?" I ask her.
Elfrea stretched out on the lounge chair and seemed to get lost as she seemed to think before answering me.
"I lived the quiet life as a high noble's daughter, nothing too exciting. I spent my days practicing my magic, attending tea parties, and events," she says. I could see her eyes grow sad when she talked about magic.
"I worked mostly with earth magic, bringing flowers and plants to life. My mother had the same predilection for growing plants from nothing. I wanted to follow in her footsteps." Elfrea continues talking as she stares distantly at the wall. Her voice sounded a little shaky, and tears formed in her eyes. I didn't think vampires could cry.
I get up from the chair and move to sit next to Elfrea on the lounge chair, placing a hand softly on her back. She looked at me and gave a half grin, but as she closed her eyes, tears flowed down her nose.
"My mother taught me magic when I was little. She was the one who taught me the light spell I showed you." I say I understood the hurt of losing a mother you strived to be just like. In my life, I had two mothers that I had lost, and each one hurt as much as the other.
Elfrea leans in, resting against me, and my arms move to wrap her tight. We stayed in silence for a while before one of us spoke.
"That was a beautiful spell she taught you. If I could, I would have grown you the most beautiful version of your favorite flower. What is your favorite flower?" She asks me.
"I never thought about it, but lately it has been the wildflowers near the pond."
She tilts my head up and looks into my eyes. "I shall make you a beautiful bouquet of those flowers. I can't show you, but I can tell you the incantation on how to preserve them." Elfrea says before leaning in, kissing me, before breaking away and nuzzling her nose against mine.
"I am always eager to learn new magic, and I can help you with your new blood magic if you would like," I offer to her.
"Of course," We smile at each other.
We sat together and continued to chat, asking each other questions. I found myself being up front about how I lived and survived inside the wall. I felt Elfrea's arm tighten as I spoke of the close calls I had. I told her how I stole and used my illusion magic to blend in and move around freely. She listened closely every time I spoke, asking me follow-up questions about my big escapes.
I then asked her more about how she lived her life and what the events she went to were like. She told me about how she once had a dog that became her father's best hunting dog, but still would seek her out for affection. We stayed pressed together as we talked for a long time, waiting until Cole showed.
Just before the sun began to fall behind the trees, I lit the lantern and sat down in the doorway. Elfrea had left and remained hidden among the trees to keep a lookout. Her heightened sight allows her to watch from a greater distance.
Once the sun started to set, I kept myself focused on the tall grass that surrounded the front of the manor, where Cole would be arriving from. Just as all sunlight was gone beyond the manor, I saw movements within the grass quickly moving towards my direction. I stood to my feet and prepared myself just in case it wasn't Cole. Then a young man stepped into the clearing and walked to me.
"Alea, I am happy to see you made it away alive." He says as he meets me at the door.
"Same to you. What happened to Christa?" I ask as we head inside, Cole following me to the study.
"We don't know." His voice was low, and from what I could see of his face, he had a deep frown.
"Please tell me they didn't take her," I say. The two of us hadn't gotten along, but I never wanted to hear that she was missing. There was a chance she was somewhere where she couldn't reach out. The more I thought about it, Christa was more likely kidnapped. She was the reason I had escaped when I returned to the storehouse where we were supposed to meet up.
"I have been trying to find her, but Hendrik needed me to move to another mission. Sometimes it feels like he doesn't care about witches at all with how he pushes away those that die or go missing." Cole balls his hands into a tight fist; his stance is straight and rigid. Through his thick hair covering his face, I see him shift from sadness to anger.
"That's not it, Hendrik is a leader and has to keep things moving. I'm sure he is as worried about her as we all are." I defended Hendrik, and I felt I understood his position and his fight to overthrow the vampires. He wanted a world where we could be safe, and I have only seen and heard that from him. There was no way he pushed Christa's disappearance to the side.
I pull the bag of crystals we had stolen and hand them over to Cole. He takes them, then grabs out a bag from his pack, the rest of the money I was owed. I figured Cole would leave right away, but he stayed put.
"He wants you back inside the wall tomorrow, he has plans to partner us up," He says, handing me a sealed letter.
I didn't like the sound of this news, so I took the sealed letter and opened it. Reading over the words, I'm being told that since I did a wonderful job with stealing the gems, I was to be stationed with Cole. There goes my luck, I wanted to say no, but Hendrik had done so much for me. I couldn't just give up on him just like that, and for a vampire. The letter didn't say why or where we were being placed. Only Cole will explain that part of the information.
"You don't seem to be happy about this. It would be much better than staying out here. Although you do look to be doing much better." Cole noticed how clean I looked. I hadn't even thought about that detail.
"Other than the strange feral creatures, it has been a much better experience than inside the wall." I attempt to give a quick smile that I'm sure doesn't reach my eyes.
"So what are the details you need to tell me?" I then ask, trying to change the conversation back to the upcoming mission. Once I knew more, I would be able to think of my own plan. I still needed to tell Elfrea. I still haven't told her I was part of Hexerai.
Cole's demeanor changes as he looks up to the moldy ceiling, thinking before he speaks. His balled fists moved as if he were pressing his fingernails into his palm.
He lets out a loud sigh before he begins to talk. "We will be living together in the middle district that is closest to the Inner city. A vampire matches with a human pet to get close to some of the business owners who sell humans. We're looking for places they send witches."
Each word that Cole said sent a shiver down my spine. My face must have shown the anger that built up inside me that I would have to be a vampire's pet. Who the vampire could be was what I didn't understand. Cole and I both would pose as this vampire's pet?
Cole puts his hands up in front of himself in defense. I had to remember that it wasn't Coles' doing; he was only a messenger. He also seemed to hate the idea.
"Who…"I began to ask who the vampire was when I heard a scream. I knew it could only have been Elfrea.
Cole rushes out the door, ready for a fight. I am right on his heels as we head out the front door. We are met with the sight of a large feral straddling Elfrea, its mouth tightly gripped onto Elfrea's arm. I begin to run towards her, my blades at my wrists released, and I bring my arm up. As soon as I'm close enough, I bring the blade down on the feral's neck. Pushing down with all my strength, I make it halfway through its thick flesh. The feral then drops motionless on top of Elfrea. I break my blade free and yank the body off of her.