The Last Vampire Hunter

Chapter 58

Alaric

Fuck. Of all the Vampires to elect as Emperor they chose Suleyman. Or Psycho Suleyman as we used to call him in the battlefield. He was the ruler of the Elmas Realm, in what was previously the Middle East. He fashioned himself after the ruler he had served so loyally before his Master betrayed and killed him after decades of loyal service. Of course Suleyman returned the favor on some long forgotten battlefield.

Now...he was Emperor. I knew the Vampires would unite under one military leader. The strongest leader. But I had planned on that leader being Nicholae. I knew Nicholae's weaknesses. I knew how to strike him down. And though it wouldn't be easy, I already had people and plans in place to get a shot at it.

Suleyman...well...fuck. The only positive thing that happened since getting the news is that the Emperor was here in the Crimson Realm. Hell. He was in the Crimson Castle! Looks like the gods were finally shining a little light on the humans. I can't count myself among them, of course, but I would still defend them to my death. I've been doing everything possible to win this war and finally put an end to the Vampires.

My father had hoped for peace with the Vampires. Find a common ground. He had never been on board with extinction, or genocide as he'd called it. He felt confident that since Vampires depended on humans for their livelihood that they would treat them better. He was wrong. So very wrong.

Humans need only be alive in order for a Vampire to feed. They don't need to be living well or even happy to be alive. They just need to be breathing. So much can be done to a human while still allowing that human to draw breath.

I wouldn't make the same mistake. I planned on eradicating this invasive and destructive species from this world. And sitting inside this castle was the weapon I needed to do it. She was still young and naïve, still lost to what her true purpose is. She is the last of the Hunters. The most powerful of all of us. Yet, she lacked training and experience. Even now, she was probably playing house with her Vampire lover. Believing that those beasts could know love when all they know is murder and death. They can't help being drawn to her light, like mosquitos to a flame. Little did they know that beneath the surface of that harmless exterior was a raging fire the likes they would never imagine. Now my plan was to unleash that fire. It was time to stop trying to protect Aliana and let her become the weapon she was meant to be.

However, for now I was stuck at an inn just outside the Crimson Palace.  Dog was with me, he'd followed Sawyer to the palace.  Unfortunately, despite Ani's insistence to the contrary, Dog was actually a wolf.  A very big wolf.  And there was no way he would blend into anything in that palace.  So Sawyer entrusted him to me.  We got along well enough, so I didn't mind.  I rubbed his ears as I stared into the fireplace by the table waiting for Sawyer to report.    

There was a slight vibration in my pocket.  Finally!  I pulled out the small marble sized crystal and set it on the fireplace mantel before me. The image of my greatest spy emerged. He was one of the best Gray Men I've ever seen, able to move around the periphery of awareness without drawing attention. In other words, he was all but invisible, hiding in plain sight.

"Sawyer. Are you safe?" Sawyer nodded gravely. "Yeah. I've managed to find a place as a kitchen slave. It allows me to move around the castle as needed as long as I have a tray in my hand."

I smiled. "Good. Any word on Aliana's whereabouts?" He nodded. "Yeah. I've got someone watching over her from a distance. Close enough to pass a message if needed but far enough not to draw attention." Damn. He's good. "Good. Is she alright?"

"As expected Lord Philip has her. Unfortunately, King Nicholae put a new magic dampening collar on her. It's said to be stronger than the last one and there's only one key. The King has it on him at all times."

"Has it on him? Did he say that?" Sawyer seemed to think for a moment. "It's been reported that he brags about the key being kept with his heart." His face took on a look of disgust. "Ugh. Do you think...I mean is it possible...could he have inserted the key into his body?"

I thought about it for a moment. It was possible. He could have forced it in and then his body would have healed over the wound, trapping the key inside. But...no. He wouldn't do that.

"It's possible, but unlikely." No. His heart...his heart...HIS HEART! "Damn. I know where the key is, but it would be suicide to try and get it. We need a plan."

"What? Where is it? Does he have his heart hidden somewhere else, I mean do Vampires even need their hearts? They're immortal right?"

"Sawyer...Sawyer...focus." Sawyer immediately controlled his features. "Right. Where is it Master Alaric? I can get into any place. Just tell me what to do."

"His heart is his barely living wife. He keeps her with him, which means she's in his apartment." Sawyer scrunched his face. "What? Eww! Gross! He keeps his almost dead wife in his apartment? That's just...that's just...ugh!"

"Yeah. He's a sick bastard. Which is why I think she's probably somewhere in the bedroom. Close enough so that she could hear her husband's escapades but bound so that she can't escape. He is also probably starving her to keep her weak which means she is probably not sane any more and more like a wild beast."

His wife, barely alive and somewhere in his apartment. He would place the key with her. Yes. That made sense. She'd be the perfect guard dog. Any human who would go near her would be eaten by the ravenous Vampire before they could do anything.

"Alright. We need a plan. Let's get our Ani out of that place and back into this war."

With the Emperor currently residing in the palace and Aliana having amassed so much magic energy inside her body while wearing the collar...well...let's just say, when she unleashes that power it will strike a fatal blow to the Vampire's alliance. With luck, we'll even kill the Emperor.

Aliana. You will finally give me my revenge.