Hollow Immortal

A Way Out

Freya lifted her head at Vlad's sudden movement. He snapped to attention, dark eyes scanning the never ending beach. He stepped away from her, where he'd been cradling her face in his hands.

Vlad was the only one she had for company and in the several months they'd spent together, unable to leave that strange place, she'd learned a lot about him and they both feared Caine had forgotten them. They looked to each other for conversation, for comfort, for care.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Can't you feel it?" he replied, "Somethings different."

Her eyebrows knitted over the bridge of her nose, "Different? How?"

"Something's been removed," Vlad said, his confused frown deepening.

"Something's been removed?" Freya repeated his words, "What do you mean? Doesn't Caine add and take things out of here all the time?"

Vlad shook his head, "No, not like that. Somebody's been taken out, Caine doesn't know about this."

Freya arched a brow, "You mean someone's cheated death? Isn't that impossible?"

"Under normal circumstances, yes," Vlad replied, "but anything involving Caine is usually far from normal. The only question, there for, is the question of who could have done this. Seeing as Caine is, theoretically, the only one who should be able to do these things, there is no one else who... oh bloody hell."

"Oh bloody hell? What's bloody hell?"

"You may recall a moment where you were standing in a room in which the only piece of evidence pointed to one person. This is a repetition of that moment."

Freya thought back. How many moments like that had she had? How many significant moments? Surely he couldn't be referring to the time she'd caught someone cheating on one of her papers. No that was completely irrelevant in this situation. Then it came to her, Alastair. The night she'd realised he was the traitor.

"Alastair?" she said out loud, "But I thought..."

"He's the son of Caine, he is a true immortal. He will not be able to die until his father's curse is broken."

"So he's back," Freya mumbled, "and, knowing him, he can't have good intentions."

Vlad smiled, "Oh, Freya, everyone has good intentions, it's just a matter of perspective."

"Vlad, he wants to take over the freaking world. Enslave humans and all that jazz, remember?"

Vlad had developed a knowing gleam in his eyes. He definitely knew more than he was letting on and Freya hated that. Even dead she still didn't know half the things she felt she should have. How the hell was she supposed to impress any wayward ouija board users with her vast knowledge from beyond the grave if she didn't damn well have any?

"Does he?" the twinkle in Vlad's eyes brightened.

"That's what he said he was going to do," she answered.

Vlad cupped her face in his hands and rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks.

"Well," he said, with a cheerful smile, "I have learned that when either Caine or his son says anything, they often mean the opposite."

"What's the opposite of enslaving the world?" she asked, looking up into his chocolate coloured eyes that were only a few inches away from hers.

"Saving it." He kissed her forehead and pulled her into a hug, "Worry not, little Freya, I'm sure we'll have the opportunity to find our way out of this limbo soon enough and see for ourselves what he's up to."