Bloodlust: Sliver of Moonlight

10

Damien awoke from his dream screaming, his hands grasping at his neck. He rubbed it everywhere to make sure there weren't any bite marks on his neck. Damien sighed in relief, as he couldn't feel anything on his neck. He laid back on the bed slowly. He was about to drift to sleep when Rosalina bursted into the room.

"Damien!" Rosalina said, looking around his room, "What happened? Who attacked you?"

"It's nothing," Damien said, shaking his head smiling, "It was just a nightmare." Rosalina looked at Damien curiously and sat next to him.

"You...wanna talk about it?" Rosalina asked, patting his shoulder. Damien sighed, but told Rosalina about his nightmare. He left out the part about her head being torn off; he wasn't so comfortable talking about it. When he finished, Rosalina sighed and looked down at the floor. Damien looked at her and reaches to hold her shoulder, but Rosalina shrugged it off.

"I don't have anything to say," Rosalina said, "Except to keep training and training until you're ready."

"Is that all you think about? Fighting and fighting?" Damien asked, crossing his arms. Rosalina glared at Damien angrily. She stood up and walked back to the door before she turned around.

"We don't have a lot of time," she said, "so come on. We have a lot to do." She walked out of the room, leaving Damien back alone in his room. Damien sighed and slid out of his bed.

"She needs a drink," Damien said, throwing his clothes back on and walks out of his room, "Or maybe dinner and a movie. That'd be nice and relaxing." For the next few days, Rosalina worked on Damien's abilities. Each day, Rosalina could see Damien becoming more of a force to be reckoned with: his speed and strength matched and even surpassed her. Rosalina smiled at Damien, who laid on the floor smiling and huffing.

"You're growing stronger and stronger by the day," Rosalina said, "Tomorrow is the last stage of training. Let's see if the last few days really paid off." Damien gave her a thumbs up as she walked off. That night, Damien had the same nightmare again, this time he could feel the smoke and fire burning on his skin. And just like before, he awoke just as Marcus latched his jaws onto Damien's neck. Damien looked around, panting and sweating. When he saw he was alone, he laid back down, unable to go back to sleep.

Damien walked back down to the "training area" where he found Rosalina laying down on the floor. Rosalina smiled as Damien stepped onto the padded floor.

"What took you so long?" Rosalina said, "I almost thought you weren't coming."

"This is my last stretch of training," Damien smirked, poking her side with his foot, "Kind of have to be here." Rosalina smirked, standing up and brushing herself off.

"Good," Rosalina, "So we have been training very hard. You've grown a lot..."

"Oh you're being sweet," Damien joked.

"But now you have one last exercise left," Rosalina said. Instantly, the entire vampire army surrounded the two. Damien looked around at the vampires, clenching his fists nervously.

"So...we have to take all them on?" Damien whispered.

"No," Rosalina smiled, "They're here to watch."

Damien raised an eyebrow, "Watch...what?" Then, Rosalina ran towards Damien and slammed her fist into Damien's jaw, sending him spiraling. Damien looked at her and smiled.

"Sparring match?" Damien asked, "You couldn't have just said that?"

"Wouldn't have been much fun," Rosalina smiled, "This is the end of your training. You have to beat me in a sparring match, which won't be easy..." Damien smirked and sped in front of her, kicking her in the face. Rosalina fell backwards on her back, looking at Damien in shock.

"Couldn't have let me finished?" Rosalina said, wiping her face.

Damien, wiping his feet, smirked at her, "Wouldn't have been much fun." He leapt towards Rosalina and tried to stomp her in the chest. Rosalina scooted away from his foot and slid to her feet. She zoomed behind Damien and grabbed him by the neck and threw him down to the ground. Damien groaned in pain and spun around, sweeping Rosalina's leg. She yelped in surprise and flipped back to her feet. She started to punch and kick at Damien. Damien evaded Rosalina's attacks and tried to counterattack. She leaped over Damien's head and kicked him in the jaw. He spun around, gathering himself again, and tackled Rosalina to the ground. He tried to repeatedly punch her in the face. She caught his hands and tossed him to the side. She vaulted on top of Damien and jabbed at Damien's side. Damien struggled under her and kicked her in the chest. She rolled on the floor and ran back towards him. Damien braced himself and when she got close, Damien rammed her in the stomach with his shoulder. Rosalina gasped for breath and collapsed to the floor.

"You...you done yet?" Damien asked, breathing heavily, "'Because I know...I know I am..." Rosalina roared and leapt towards him again. Damien grabbed her by the face and threw her on the ground. Damien raised his fist in the air, ready to slam it into her face. The entire crowd fell into silence, watching in surprise as Rosalina laid under Damien's knee. When she saw all the stares on her, she smiled turning back to Damien.

"Congratulations, Mr. Damien Masters," Rosalina said, patting Damien's knee cap, "I concede. You win."

"Do I get a medal?" Damien joked, offering a hand to Rosalina.

"Unfortunately, no," Rosalina answered, taking his hand and stands up. Maximus walked towards the two, ordering the crowd to disperse.

"I'm glad Damien's training was successful," Maximus smiled, walking towards the two.

"It hurt," Damien smiled, playfully pushing Rosalina, "A lot."

"Well, it might just get even worse," Maximus said, "Because I just found a lead." Rosalina and Damien both looked at each other in confusion and followed Maximus.

"Someone found that may have some key information on Marcus and Alexandria," Maximus said, leading the two into a briefing room with a few folders sitting on a sleek ruby table. Damien took a folder and opened it, glancing at the files inside. Damien held a picture up to his face: it was a picture of a young woman, about his age or older. She had long blonde hair with silver streaks coursing down her hair and the same dark red eyes. Damien eyed suspiciously the scar on her face, a seemingly long knife wound that lined her left cheek.

"Who's this?" Damien asked, turning the picture around to Maximus.

"That, Damien," Maximus responded, "Is Myyara Vacas. She's one of the best mercenaries that Marcus and Alex have at their disposal. Rumor has it that she was Marcus' ex-lover."

"Ew," Damien shuddered.

"Your job is to find her and get whatever information you can out of her. However it takes." Maximus looked over to Rosalina, "You'll lead Damien on his first mission. Show him how it's done here."

"Yes, Dad," Rosalina said, then grabbed Damien's hand, "Come on. Let's go." Damien looked down at her hand as she pulled him out the room.

She totally wants me, Damien thought, grinning from ear to ear.