Children of the Fallen: Bloodlines (BOOK #3)

Chapter 24: Inane Jackasses

Morgan Sinclair

I stood still as a statue watching Lucien torture Chloe and go especially hard on Victoria for the few days. I didn't have to participate in the torture, Lucien wanted to cause the harm all on his own. Good, I don't need more things to apologize for. Thankfully a hunter attack pulled me away and an attack by both lycans and hunters pulled Lucien away. Sometimes on a full moon the few lycan packs siding with hunters will be let loose during an attack like wild dogs.

As soon as he's finished dealing with his attacks and whatever the fallout may be he said he'll inform me so I can come back. It's like I'm only there for moral support, I do nothing except stare as he inflicts pain on the both of them or listen to his enraged rants about Victoria and how much of a terrible progeny she is.

Chloe's anger is palpable and Victoria stares at me with absolutely nothing behind her eyes. Not like how she was when we first met, this is scarier. I think she's calmly planning my murder and I don't blame her. While Lucien does horrible things to her she keeps a relatively emotionless facial expression. She'll scream during especially painful means of torture but that is the only reaction she'll elicit. She doesn't say anything, fight, or cry. Nothing.

Chloe hasn't given anything up. Lucien has done a lot to get her to break but thankfully she hasn't and she's fought off his continuous attempts to get into her head. She's in pain anyone can see that but as soon as Lucien asks her anything her anger snaps right back and a slew of curses exits her mouth. She also must be starving and for her... condition I think it's only pissing her off more.

Standing and staring at the two being tortured like that is proving to be difficult. I want to help them. I want to but I can't. Not yet. The only thing taking my mind away from it is imagining Lucien's death. I imagine ripping Lucien's limbs from his body so he could never use them to hurt anyone ever again, then slowly tearing apart the remainder of his body until he's screaming and begging for death because the pain is just too substantial. Then smiling widely and pushing on a little more, maybe until he loses the ability to speak all together. Only when he's gone mute and can only hold onto consciousness for barely any time at all will I end him.

I stroll into my palace after handling what was practically a horde of Cursed attacking one of my clubs and a lot of my people died. Bleeders, witches, and lycans too. I just had to have a meeting with the covens and packs that the casualties were apart of. As much as I dislike having to deal with an attack, this one had a significant amount of non vampire casualties. The two packs and the three covens that lost people are even more interested in seeing the Celestials dead with their Nephilim making these Cursed and now they want Travis Reyes' people gone. Since my talk with them about what the Celestials are planning they have been recruiting other covens or packs they trust to help with the Celestials and now they intend to get them to join in killing anyone associated with Travis Reyes. How a common enemy brings people together... it brings a smile to my face.

I reminded them that they need to tread carefully around other covens and packs because there are witches and lycans on their side and they know how to keep it a secret. They were disgusted when I first brought that to their attention but after this attack they're enraged.

It's the only positive as of late, the hundreds more I have to help kill these pricks. I already put them in touch with Scarlett, Val, and Logan to coordinate attacks on hunters and such while I'm not around. I have a lot of people under my watch in my territory but the vast majority aren't warriors. I don't have a huge army at my disposal, no High Royal or Fallen does, not in centuries and I'm certain Kendrick and Lucien have been agitated about that fact as of late. Especially Kendrick, I've killed so many of his spies.

Most of the population of my territory are just people trying to go about their lives who happened to be turned into vampires. Those who turned them are responsible for them or at least find someone to be responsible for them. All they do is adhere to rules set in place which are mainly: keep this shit a secret and exist peacefully- or as peacefully as vampires could. There have been times in history where Fallen or High Royals have forced their people to fight but the lasting impact of that choice isn't worth it. You lose a lot of points with your people with that one. As the hunter attacks have been increasing and getting worse I've noticed a slight increase in those who have taken up arms, contacted those working under my nobles, my nobles themselves, or Ryker and other high up guards with the intent of wanting to help against them. Joining the guards, being used as a spy or messenger, or simply being on call should there be an attack. Common enemy brings people together.