Blood Sacrifice

Clothes stretched down the room, rows and rows of white of every kind of article of clothes. Lara’s mouth fell open slightly, eyes scanning the room. It was long and narrow with racks of clothing. Large countertops in the middle held jewelry, glittering in the light that was glowing in a single, crystal chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. The entire back wall was covered in shoes.
 
            Everything was white. The shoes, the dresses, shirts, pants, all different shades of white that went from blinding white to soft cream. Lara was confused as to why they had been taken to a room with so many different clothes. Her thin, white dressed seemed extremely inferior to the expensive looking ones that were clean and crisp in front of her.
 
            “It was requested,” Lenore explained, “that you guys get to wear whatever you want for this dinner. It will be the last time you guys ever get to choose what you want to wear. It has to be white, of course, for identification purposes.”
 
            “Why do we get to choose?”
 
            Lenore smiled at Carmen’s question. “Because the king thought that you guys should remember what it was like to wear what you wanted. During your time here, that sort of luxury isn’t given, unless in strange circumstances. Go ahead, I’ll wait outside.”
 
            When Lenore shut the door, Lara found that she still couldn’t move. The room was beautiful, but simple. And now that she knew how to get here, she wondered how many of these clothes she could manage to take with her when she left the Towers. There were so many that no one would notice anything missing, surely.
 
            Merit moved forward, craning her delicate neck to look at all the clothing. Lara tentatively followed, reaching out with a hand to brush some white shirts. They were just as soft and smooth as they looked. Merit let out a laugh, one that was filled with such delight that Lara couldn’t help but turn and smile. Carmen hung back for a moment until Lara turned to her, extending her hand and beckoning Carmen. The hesitant girl smiled a little before following Lara.
 
            Turning and looking at Lara, Merit grinned. Lara paused, unsure of why Merit looked so excited. “Can I pick something out for you?” The words came out rushed and excited. Lara looked at all of the clothes. Wasn’t the point that she was supposed to pick her own last outfit? Then again, she didn’t know where to start. “Only if you want me to. But I knew this girl who looked similar to you and has your tan skin and brown hair and this one outfit she wore… it was perfect.”
 
            Lara shrugged a shoulder finally. She had never seen this many clothes in her life. Some of the shoes didn’t make sense to her, and most of the tops she wasn’t sure how to put them on because they had so many strings and buttons. “I don’t care.”
 
            Merit looked to Carmen, who nodded, giving her a hopeful smile. With both of their permission, Merit hurried around the room, giggling. Lara watched her pull items out and place them back, chewing on her pink lips and shoving golden stripes of hair out of her eyes. Lara wondered how many times Merit had seen clothes like this. Did she have a room dedicated to clothes at home? What friends did she have that dressed this way?
 
            Though the three girls stayed together all night and slept near one another in the day, Lara knew virtually nothing about their pasts. She knew that sometimes Carmen would speak another nameless language, and that Carmen sometimes had nightmares, waking up in a sweat. Lara knew that Merit paled whenever she saw wine or champagne pass her, and that Merit like to hum when she thought no one was listening.
 
            The pieces of clothing that Merit handed Lara hardly covered much. Lara took off the dress that she was wearing and slipped on the soft shorts, finding that the elastic waist stretched above her belly button. They were loose around her legs, fluttering to her mid-thigh with a floral trimming. They made her legs look very long and tan, after years in the sun.
 
            Pulling a knit shirt over her head, Lara was surprised with the outfit in general. The straps of the shirt were very thin and there was almost no back to it at all. The front formed to her chest, once again showing off how tan she was. The shirt was short, leaving roughly a two-inch gap of toned stomach between the end of the shirt and the top of her shorts. Lara had never worn anything like the outfit but she could move freely, and she saw why Merit put her in it: it made Lara look a lot taller than she really was.
 
            A cold bracelet was placed on her wrist and Merit helped her put lines of beading in her hair. Lara kept her personal necklace on, the crystal dangling lightly off of its golden chain. Merit tossed her dangling earrings that hid in her hair and put on opened shoes that Lara instantly didn’t like. She would have rather been barefoot than were sandals, knowing that she could run better barefoot. Her instinct still told her that she should be in something she could run it.
 
            Carmen was put into a pretty white dress that fit her narrow waist and flared out. Lara wondered if Merit did that to draw the attention away from Carmen’s hips that were narrow and boney from years of eating scantily. A drop of blue beads were strung around her neck for color, and her hair was left down. Lara had never seen Carmen look beautiful before, but she did then.
 
            It was obvious Merit had practice and skill in dressing. Her dress made of layers of white looked beautiful and delicate on her. Her hair was a gold halo about her face, rings on her fingers and pieces of hair braided out of her eyes.
 
            “How did you know what would look good on us?” Lara asked, toeing the buckle on her shoe with one of her feet. “I didn’t even know where to start.”
 
            “I liked clothes growing up. My mother is a designer for a woman in the Cortez coven. She makes all these beautiful gowns and dresses and clothes and I loved to watch her.” Merit brushed a single strand of hair from her face. “I learned a few things. She taught me how to hide what you’re not comfortable with and to accentuate what you are.”
 
            “Cool,” Carmen murmured, looking in a mirror. The caramel-skinned girl could not take her eyes off herself, lips twitching into an occasional smile. It warmed Lara’s heart, reminding her just how much she actually liked the two of them. “My mom just put me in whatever she could.”
 
            Merit nodded. “It’s hard, out there, right?” Carmen and Lara both did not answer. Carmen diverted her eyes and Lara busied herself with the new bracelet on her wrist. “I can’t pretend to know what it’s like,” Merit murmured. “I don’t know what it’s like and I’m extremely lucky. I’m sorry that you come from somewhere like that.”
 
            And she was sorry. Lara could see it in her face. Merit was looking between the two of them with so much honesty and her voice carried a tone as gentle as the clothes on Lara’s body. Lara felt the genuine apology for something that Merit had never done, something she could never have prevented.
 
            It totally threw Lara. She could not wrap her head around the idea that someone could care like that about her, someone she didn’t know. No one in the Tombstone cared for one another, not really. Logan had cared for her, with his beautiful eyes and his warm smile. His rough hands had covered her, loved her, cared for her. But he was the only one. Until Merit, it seemed.
 
            Both girls from the Tombstone were spared an answer when Lenore opened the door. She smiled brightly at them, gushing over their selection. Lenore reached out to adjust the beading in Lara’s hair but as always, the girl flinched. Lenore dropped her hand, looking at Lara with an understanding smile. Lara never let Lenore touch her, no matter how trustworthy the vampire seemed. It was a habit that Lara would have to rid of, but for now, it stayed.
 
            Leaving the room behind, Lara only wished it a temporary goodbye. She would be back, and she would take what she could. She had made mental notes of a few shoes that looked like she could run in, and she had seen normal shirts without fancy beading or strings.
 
            Like little ducklings following their mother, the humans trailed Lenore. Lenore herself was dressed in a simple red dress, her hair twisted into a bun. Her beauty was effortless and timeless, like most of the vampire women Lara often saw.
 
            As they walked, Lara looked around. She spotted one vampire bringing his lips away from a girl’s neck, his lips painted rogue. She had seen him before, a man with dirty blonde hair that was often tosseled every which way, and eyes that couldn’t decide if they wanted to be grey, green or blue. His eyes were unnerving, the kind of beautiful that often came with a particular kind of malice.
 
            Growing up, Lara’s mother always talked about lore and magic and mythology. She told Lara about fallen angels, and she told her about ancient deities that lived in the stars and roamed marble halls. Her mother also always made sure to tell her that these beautiful beings often had an even inside of their beauty, the kind of evil that even the mightiest of heroes had trouble surviving them.
 
            The vampire’s mouth twisted into a red curve. He was looking right at Lara, the divine-color of his eyes hiding the evil that Lara’s mother had warned her about. It was right there, a beast beneath the calm surface of a pool. Every instinct in Lara’s body and mind knew it.
 
            “Con,” Lenore greeted casually as they passed him. “Lovely to see you.”
 
            “Mhmm,” was his reply.
 
            Passing him, Lara didn’t look at him. She kept her eyes on the ground like she was supposed to, and she purposely quickened her step as she passed him. Whether it was a trick of the light or it was Lara’s imagination, she could have sworn that the vampire- Con- ran his tongue over his fangs.
 
            Outside was still the same cool air that Lara had felt earlier. They were in the east side of the garden. Poles had been set up to accommodate strung lights, glittering at random patterns to imitate fireflies. A small, intimate table in the shape of a circle was set. The plates were gleaming white china, rimmed in glowing gold. The gold silverware caught the light from the strings, glittering slightly.
 
            The tablecloth was black as the night with gold trim. Lara thought that it looked like they were about to dine on the night sky. The chairs were made of wicker but there were elegant black pillows on them, looking soft and plush.
 
            Nikolai was standing near the table, arms behind his back. He was dressed in a black, half-sleeved shirt. It strained across his chest and around his arms, making him seem all the more dark and sleek as he watched the girls make their way down the pebbled pathway.
 
            Jonathan was a sight to see nice to him. His shirt was similar but was quarter-sleeved and the deepest shade of blue Lara had ever seen. Lara wasn’t even sure how someone could make a dye that dark, bordering the line between blue and black so neatly. He too, had his hands behind his back. His eyes were dark and scanned the girls before they feel on Lara. He didn’t smile at her. His eyes simply flicked away just as easily as they had landed her. It almost made Lara laugh, seeing that he was no longer intrigued by her. Clearly, vampires attention spans only last momentarily. And even if they hadn’t, they wouldn’t last on her.
 
            Lara also noted that Mason was there. He was standing in his normal attire, holding a bottle of wine. He grinned at all of them as they bowed their heads towards Nikolai and Jonathan. Next to Mason was a woman that Lara had never seen, her hair black and her olive-skin glowing. She was very beautiful, and smiled gently.
 
            “Ladies,” Nikolai greeted softly. “Thank you for joining me fore dinner. I felt as though I would like to get to know you better as a group. I see you all dressed comfortably and you are all visions. Remember this is the last time that you should wear what you chose, should you continue on.” He looked to Jonathan. “This is Jonathan, my son. You may have seen him and his sister, Ariadne around. Ariadne is conducting business elsewhere, and sadly cannot join us tonight.”
 
            “Ladies,” Jonathan said politely. “Sit.”
 
            Lara almost snorted. It was a command. It was polished and polite, and he had gestured as though he were inviting them. But Lara knew a command when she heard one, the force behind it and the sharpness that was laced with the words. If the other two girls were disturbed by the order hidden as an invitation, they didn’t show it.
 
            Lenore was gone. Lara had turned to look at her only to discover that she was nowhere to be seen. Vampires.
 
            It turned out that the cushions were as soft as they looked. Lara’s spine was rigid as she glanced around the table. The eating utensils were gold and white, all of them exquisite. She had no idea why there were so many forks and knives but she didn’t open her mouth to sing. In the corner, Nik gestured to a small quartet to start playing. They did, the mournful whisper of a violin making Lara shiver.
 
            At first, Nik didn’t say anything. Wine was poured for them all. Lara tasted it and tried not to make a face- it was dry and dark tasting, like something that she couldn’t get off of her tongue. She set it back down and decided not to try and drink any more of it, looking around the table, wishing for water.
 
            “I wanted to ensure that you all had one last fine dinning experience before either deciding to continue on or to leave.” Nik leaned back in his chair. His voice was like velvet, smooth and sultury. Lara glanced up as people brought a small beginning course to the table. Greens mixed in together with spices and other alluring smells. Lara chewed on her lip. “I do this for all of my possible bloodships. Not many do, but I like to believe that random acts of kindness will convince you that we’re not so different.”
 
            Stealing a glance at him, Lara saw that he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking off in the distance, as though he were seeing something else entirely, remembering something. Perhaps he was calling his words to memory, having recited them many a time. “While you may be subservient, you all still maintain a high honor. You are human, therefore you matter.”
 
            Kali would have scoffed at that. Lara swallowed down her words that threatened to rip up her throat like a pack of wild dogs, snapping and barking. She wanted to disagree, daggering her nails into her palms. Lara could almost hear her old friend’s speech, insisting that the only reason humans mattered to vampires was because humans were a food source. Lara hadn’t always agreed, but that was before Logan was killed. That was when Logan thought the vampires cruel, but not evil; his opinion had changed over time.
 
            Lara wasn’t sure which it was yet.
 
            “Father,” Jonathan said smoothly as Lara glanced at which fork Merit was using, “Has a unique view of the way bloodships work. Other covens aren’t as kind.” Lara glanced at him, noticing a different tone to his voice. He was staring right at her and she hesitated before picking up the smallest fork. “Other families aren’t as kind. But the Dimitrikova family has long been respected and we respect those who serve us.”
 
            “It’s very kind and generous of you, Your Highnesses,” Merit said softly, bowing her head. Lara nodded along with this before stabbing at the greens on her plate. She bit into them and instantly flavors that she couldn’t identify bloomed in her mouth. “You both offer us things you do not have to.”
 
            “It is rarely about what we have to do,” Nik smiled. “As much as it is about what we should do. Our coven is designed on the principle of lex dura lex- the law is hard, but it is the law.”
 
            Lex dura lex. The words wrapped around Lara like a snake, squeezing until she could barely hear what Nik was saying. The law? Where was the law when the vampires came to kill her family? The law only protected the fortunate, and it cast out the ones who needed it most. Lara was familiar with the lawless, and the words made her shift uncomfortably.
 
            Throughout the dinner, the three girls spoke in small fragments about themselves when prompted. Lara kept her voice even and clear. He asked if they had family, what they liked to do, and he questioned them about different aspects of living in the Towers. Lara had always thought that maybe the Towers was just a nickname, but it seemed to have settled as an actual monument, just like the Tombstone and the Cage.
 
            Jonathan was quiet throughout the dinner too. Both he and Nik did not eat. They drank from gold goblets; Lara suspected they weren’t clear because they were drinking blood, and didn’t want to be rude. She could see the crimson on their teeth when they spoke, the small, white fangs turning rogue.
 
            Everything that Lara ate was wonderful. It had been like that from the moment she stepped into the towers. She had almost forgotten what it was like to starve, to feel the clawing in your stomach and to go to sleep with your arms wrapped around your middle. Lara had learned that eating a rat was better than nothing at all.
 
            The hardest part was trying not to feel like she was betraying her instincts. Lara feared vampires and hated them when she started her endeavor, and no matter how nice they were being to her now, she couldn’t stay- wouldn’t stay. She was here to steal things they wouldn’t miss, and to get the hell out of Manus Dei. She had an agenda, and even the two friends next to her wouldn’t stop that.
 
            At the end of the meal, she was incredibly full. Nik was smiling and laughing, and Merit was talking more and more. She had drank a lot of the wine, and her tongue seeped to have loosened slightly, talking freely as she could as a human at a table of two royal vampires.
 
            When they were done, Lara didn’t feel any more comfortable than she had in her time there. She still thought about the lucid blue eyes of Con within the dimly lit hall. She thought about the blood on the stairwell, dark and sticky the first time she had ever beheld the Dimitrikova twins.
 
            Blinking away the thoughts, she looked at the cakes and the delicacies being brought out. Lara had never seen so many variations of colors and shapes in her life. The normal courses she understood, but the things being set in front of her, she didn’t understand. She also didn’t understand why Nik would go through the trouble of knowing what any of this was, being that he was a vampire. They drank liquor but they never ate food.
 
            While Carmen slowly talked about a story her mother had told her about different deities, Lara took a delicate cake that was covered in icing and edible flowers. She took a small bite and sweetness bloomed in her mouth. She continued to take bites, listening to Carmen’s story silently.
 
            Lara liked to listen to Carmen talk. She had a lot of stories, superstitions that her mother had told her about growing up. It was strange, how different Carmen and Lara were, even though they were both from the Tombstone. Lara noted that Carmen also seemed to be opening up more, whereas Lara hadn’t so much as mentioned any of her past friend’s name.
 
            Reminding herself that her friend’s were dead or at least variations of the word, she finished the cake. It sat heavy in her stomach with the rest of the food, not used to eating so much. The most that she had ever eaten was on her birthday when Logan and Rabbit had stolen ridiculous amounts of food from another group.

Rabbit with his messy black hair and his quirky smile didn’t make Lara feel better like he used to. Instead, it made her feel like everything that she had eaten was going to come back up. She decided to drink the water that was sitting in a full glass, trying to find it soothing.

Glancing up, she saw that Jonathan was watching her. He looked bored- at least she thought he looked bored. There was a sort of laziness to the way his eyes grazed her and then passed back to Carmen as she was finishing speaking. Lara wondered if there was somewhere else that he wanted to spend his time, his speaking little and his interest in asking questions reserved.

Then again, Lara realized she wasn’t speaking either.

Nik looked at his watch. He sighed, spreading his hands. “We have been here for far longer than I thought, ladies.” Servants began removing things from the table. Lara put her hands in her lap, trying to keep out of the way. “Sunrise is not far off and there are things a king must attend to.” He stood lithely adjusting his shirt. Jonathan stood as well, his eyes going right to Lara. “It’s been my utmost pleasure to learn more about you all and I hope that we have sealed our deals soon.”

With a smile, Nik bowed his head and stood back from the table. Lara looked from him to Jonathan, who looked up at the sky. “It’s a beautiful night,” he commented. “One perfect for strolling in the gardens.” He looked back down as he made to leave. “The roses are especially beautiful this time of year.”

“Do you like roses?” Merit asked, standing and flattening her dress. “As a particular favorite, I mean.”

Jonathan smiled lightly and nodded. “I find them quite beautiful to look at, though I prefer the smell of jasmine. Have you ever smelled jasmine?” Merit shook her head. “We don’t have any, unfortunately. Why don’t the three of you walk with me, I will show you some of the gardens.”

“You don’t have duties to commit to?” Lara asked, a color of suspicion in her voice. The corner of Jonathan’s mouth turned upwards. “You often seem so busy, I assumed…”

“I can avoid responsibility for a little while.” He nodded his head. “It would be a pleasure to direct you through the gardens. There are so many gardens you might get lost.”

With the three girls trailing around him, Jonathan led the way. Lara looked up. He had been right, it was a beautiful night out. The stars weren’t visible, but the moon was swollen and low, casting light over the grounds. In the distance, Lara could hear the sound of the city. The cars and the people made a lot of noise, and with the grounds as silent as they were, it was easy to hear the hum of life.

Sometimes in the Tombstone, the sounds of the city echoed over the silence of the slums. Some parts of the Tombstone were loud too, like the warehouses where large groups of humans gathered to put together what little underground drugs and alcohol they could find. Lara had been to one once in her life and she never wanted to enter a scene like that again.

Rows and rows of roses stood still in the moonlight. They went by color, blood-red fading into pink and so forth. It wasn’t the first time Lara had walked among the flowers, and she was always amazing had how vibrant the waxy petals were. Nothing in the Tombstone had ever been that vibrant. Everything was a variation of grey, black or dirt.

Fluidly, Jonathan began explaining the origin of the roses. Carmen and Merit listened intently while Lara furrowed her brows, wondering why he was being talkative. Perhaps it was because the looming presence of Nik that he had been quiet. Either way, Lara continued to study him, watching how animated he became.

Catching her staring, Jonathan grinned at Lara. She glanced the other way. “Do you like roses?” she shrugged a single shoulder. “You’ve got to like something. I haven’t heard one thing that you liked, you know.”

Lara thought about it. Carmen and Merit looked at Lara. Merit looked wide-eyed and Carmen lifted a single brow, two different expressions mirroring the same emotion: surprise. Surprise that Jonathan, not for the first time, directed something towards her. “I like knives.” Merit gave her an alarming look while Carmen ducked her face, trying to hide the smile in a shadow of her dark hair. “Whenever I was in the Tombstone, I used to practice throwing knives. I was good at that.”

He smiled. “Full of surprises. Do you know what kind?” Lara shook her head once. “We have multiple knives in the armory from every corner of the world. Beautiful weapon.”

Lara nodded but she didn’t answer. Jonathan shot a smirk her way and then continued to walk through the gardens. He began talking about different families and where they came from. Lara half listened, mostly just listening to the sound of his voice instead of the content in his words. She was wondering why vampires found a use for growing roses. Living forever, they seemed to pick up a lot of hobbies.

Con came to mind. Lara shivered, wondering what Con’s hobbies were. It was probably peeling the skin of off humans and watching with horrid fascination as they bleed out on his hands.

“Are you cold?” Lara blinked. She had fallen behind, walking slower than the rest. Carmen and Merit were suddenly several paces ahead of them, laughing and trying to catch fireflies. Jonathan was suddenly next to Lara, looking down at her. “In that get up…” he made a sound. “You might be.”

Lara frowned. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“You didn’t pick them out, did you?”

“Maybe not, but I don’t have the best taste.”

She glanced at Merit and Carmen. Jonathan followed her gaze. “Most humans aren’t this happy here.”

“Are you supposed to tell me that?”

“Probably not. They’re not unhappy, they’re just typically vapid. Being in a bloodship with Nik has certain qualities that you don’t find elsewhere.” He glanced sideways at Lara. “Being in a bloodship even with me as certain qualities you don’t find elsewhere.”

“Wow,” Lara snorted. “Modesty.”

“Wow,” Jonathan replied. “still have not figured that you cannot talk to a vampire like that. You’re well aware this isn’t how you address vampires?”

Lara flushed. “I don’t like being spoken down to.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Your highness.” Both Lara and Jonathan turned to Merit. “The sun is going to come up in a soon, shouldn’t we go inside?”

Jonathan smiled. “Good eye, Merit. Normally I’m right on it, but it seems I was distracted.” He gestured. “I think you ladies should call it a night. Surely you’re getting tired.” Lara had to admit she did feel tired. Jonathan looked at her. “And it’s chilly.”

Lara hadn’t realized that the dinner and their walking had taken up so much time. It was hard to register how much time was passing at night. Lara didn’t know much about the rising and the setting of the moon, but she did know how to look at the sun and figure out the time of day. She wondered if they moon was quiet similar, or if it was a different entity entirely.

Together, the four of them began walking back through the gardens. They had walked a great deal, almost all the way to the path that wound to the hilltops. Lara had never walked up the path that led there, but she had caught glimpses of a statue and a small clearing that overlooked the back of the Towers. No one was ever up there, and Lara wanted to explore it. She just hadn’t focused on exploring when she was focusing on memorizing ways out.

Opening the door, Lara saw that the sun was just about to rise. The sky was a steel grey color. Not much longer and the sun would be up, turning the sky orange. Jonathan sliped in easily, looking outside for a moment longer. There was a certain look in his eye that was so vibrant that it stopped Lara in her tracks, staring up at him. When the door shut, it was gone and he turned around, the gleam gone.

Lara wasn’t sure if it had been there at all.

“I’m sure Lenore is waiting for you ladies to find her. You may find her in the indoor greenhouse. She has asked for me to tell you find her there after dinner, though I’m afraid we have kept her waiting.”

“Greenhouse?” Lara asked, her voice just as confused as the other two girl’s faces. Jonathan nodded, furrowing his brows. “I didn’t know there was a green house.”

“Ah, it’s in the east wing- I’ll wak you. Let’s go quickly, though. I do have matters to attend to, as Merit reminded me earlier.” Merit flushed with red, looking at the ground as Jonathan began walking at a smooth but brisk pace.

Like three little ghosts, they followed him. It wasn’t until they had walked only five minutes when Jonathan paused. He looked around, causing Lara to glance around. She couldn’t hear whatever it was that had disturbed him but he moved quicker then, rushing along. The girls had trouble keeping up but he didn’t seem to notice as they neared the east wing of the mansion.

Vampires rushed by them, snapping orders and vanishing in a flurry. Lara’s heart picked up speed as she noticed that there were vampires flashing up and down the halls, all of them in a hurry. The entire floor was buzzing as Jonathan frowned. Lara opened her mouth to ask him if something had happened when another voice cracked like thunder in the hall.

“Where have you been?” Lara stopped and flinched backwards, Jonathan’s sister appearing out of no where.

Ari looked like a harbringer of death. She was dress in lethal looking gear, and her brown hair flared out around her like the rage she was exuding. Her eyes were filled with destruction and the blood and grime that smeared her face made her look more like a monster than someone who looked like a human. Lara wanted to take a step back, but she remained rooted to her spot, staring death in the face. “I sent for you five minutes ago!”

“What’s happened?”

“I’ll tell you whats happened,” Ari spat out, a feral animal snapping it’s teeth on every word, “No one saw fit to stop you and tell you’re needed.” Ari’s eyes flashed to the three girls and Lara held her breath. The burning rage in Ari’s eyes was like nothing Lara had ever seen before, and it was directed at the three girls. Merit made a small sound of alarm, stepping backwards. “But you’re wasting your time with blood slaves?”

“Ari,” Jonathan warned, but his sister was already moving. He didn’t move to stop her, staring at her with an almost familiar expression.

Merit let out a shriek as Ari’s hand shot out, grabbing her throat and closing her fingers around like talons around prey. Her fangs were out as she lifted Merit off of her feet, dangling her two feet above the ground. Merit squeezed her eyes closed, her arms hanging loose at her side, not bothering to fight back. She looked like a lifeless body in Ari’s hand. “Are they more important than doing your family duty?”

Merit choked slightly, the sofest sound as the air began to leave her lungs. Merit couldn’t breath, and Lara stepped forward. “Let go of her! She didn’t do anything!”

The look that Ari turned on Lara could have killed her, Lara was sure. Lara smacked her lips shut as Ari looked at her, the malice behind her eyes making Lara feel ten times smaller. Ari opened her grip and dropped Merit on the ground, turning to face Lara full on, her lip curling back with her fangs flashing like knives. Merit crumbled and Carmen bent down to pull Merit's small body into her arms.

“You,” It came out deep and feral, a sound that Lara didn’t know a girl that small could make. “I’m going to kill-"

“Ariadne!” Jonathan’s voice cut the air like an explosion. Lara flinched with it’s volume and timbre, unsure of how one person could sound so loud and forceful. Jonathan stepped in front of Lara so that Lara could no longer see his twin sister. It wasn’t until she wasn’t looking at Ari anymore that Lara realized she was shaking, her entire being vibrating with fear or anger. “That is enough. They are bloodships with our father and you aren’t allowed to touch them, you know that.”

“They haven’t done the ritual yet. Get out of my way.”

“You’re being irrational. You’re angry with me, not with three humans who I was leading back to their place. They can find it now. Come on, you and I will talk.” Ari let out another growl and Lara saw Jonathan tense. Lara was suddenly struck with the fear that Ari would actually strike her own brother. “Myshka…"

Lara couldn’t see Ari from around Jonathan but she could hear the snarl, sounding like an angry animal ready to attack. Lara’s blood ran cold. She had only ever heard vampires make those types of noises once or twice in her life, and when they did, someone usually died. It was the kind of sound that could never be made by a human, only a monster.

“You are at fault,” Jonathan said darkly, “For striking father’s human. If something is happening that is this important, who do you think is going to be in trouble? You for laying a hand on her when you’re needed elsewhere, or one of them for panicking and speaking out?”

Jonathan reached out and grabbed his twin by the arm, yanking her with him. He didn’t say another word towards the three girls. Merit was trembling and Carmen was holding her, both their heads bowed. Lara hadn’t moved from her spot when Ari turned around, shooting her a look that made Lara feel as though she had just become a very large, very prominent target.

With a trembling hand, Lara reached out to touch Merit on the hand. The girl was still shaking, a bruise already beginning to form in the shape of Ari’s figners on her neck. Lara felt angry when she saw them, knowing that they were going to be a nasty shade of black. She felt angry that Ari had lashed out just because she could, and she felt angry that Jonathan hadn’t made a move to remove Ari’s grip from Merit’s neck.

Once more, Lara was reminded that the dinner and the nicities were an illusion. Ari had called them blood slaves, and Lara knew she was right. They were slaves to a system they didn’t put in place. Lara would fight that system by stealing what she could and getting out of Manus Dei as quickly as she could.

Lara just wasn’t sure what she was going to do about the two human girls that she looked at now, feeling affection for them. She did know that whatever she did about them, it wouldn’t be easy.

Life was rarely easy and Lara knew that best of all.