Red Fang II

Chapter 14 (M/G Arc): Intrepid Introductions

We last read Chapter 13, in which Prince Boripedes reveals the true extent of his "master plan" to the strange blood creature called Virulis, which is.....to do absolutely nothing and play the long game as the vampires slowly crumble from the inside due to several factors which he, Virulis, and Chef Cedric have instigated: the theft of the Bloodstone (and the subsequent stripping of the vampires' visages), Virulis's OVX virus about to ravage the capital of Cluj-Napoca thanks to Chef Cedric, and the persisting "blood curse" of the vampires.....which puts Boripedes's older brother, Lord Balfort Ladair, practically at the center of most—if not all—of the exiled prince's revenge. Furthermore, Boripedes tells Virulis that he has managed to synthesize a cure to the vampires' long-standing blood curse.....a cure which he adamantly refuses to share with the other vampires, even briefly taking Virulis aback with his sheer selfishness. After momentarily gloating about his evil plan—or rather, set of evil plans—he then nonchalantly suggests that he and Virulis get lunch, at which point he anonymously requests for an order of sarmale, cabbage wrapped around meat and vegetables, to be sent to a drop-off point where Virulis will stealthily pick it up.

Meanwhile, Mavis Ladair a.k.a. Red Fang—after having ousted Lily and Theo Ladair from her team—suits up in her superhero ensemble and finally starts looking into the Bloodstone's theft alongside her husband Garson. They begin their search at the Bloodstone Focus, where Garson comments on the deactivated runes and Red Fang concludes that the blood trail in question is oxygenated. They come up with a couple of questionable hypotheses before deciding to simply follow the trail to the other end.....only to run into none other than Cristian Dumitru—the formerly-suicidal jumper whom Red Fang talked down the previous night—who is already there, in full explorer's garb and thoroughly examining the other end of the blood trail under a magnifying glass.

This time, Red Fang introduces Garson to Cristian, and the trio decide to work together to discern the origins behind the mysterious blood trail and the forces that constitute the being which spawned it.....

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"Good morning, sir!" Cristian greeted Garson courteously as the former pulled himself to his feet, sheathed his magnifying glass, and extended his right arm out for a handshake. "Do you know Red Fang from somewhere, by chance?"

"Umm.....yes!" Garson responded as he gladly reciprocated Cristian's handshake. "She's actually my spouse!"

Cristian's jaw briefly dropped with amazement. "What?! No way! She literally saved my life last night when I thought I was at the lowest of the low! You should certainly count yourself lucky to have her, Mr....."

"Garson," Garson introduced. "Son of the late Dark Stake leader Frank Vargas, son-in-law of Lord Balfort Ladair, and regular resident of the Vermillion Enclave. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"How are you doing, dear Cristian?" Red Fang inquired politely. "Have you been picking yourself back up? The last time I saw you, you were reconciling with your spouse as well."

"I'm proud to say that we're back on good terms!" Cristian revealed. "I've learned to strike more of a balance between my work and family life.....and am also working on rebuilding bridges with my children as well. Right now, you could probably tell which one I'm doing."

Red Fang turned to her husband with a smile. "Garson, dragul meu (dear), this is Cristian Dumitru! I helped him get his bearings when he was on the precipice of self-termination atop an apartment complex building in Cluj-Napoca last night! I never expected to run into him around here, however!"