Killing On Command

Chapter 10

"So, Alchemy is one way around your strength, but a better option would easily be to enlighten you at the Chapel later." Requiem told her, stirring a copper coloured powder into a blue liquid. He was wearing an odd pair of golden goggles, and his hair was spiked in all directions from a spike of electricity which had sparked out toward a Tesla coil in the back of Requiem's lab. He had led them up the stairs of a tall tower at the back of the castle, which, she had been told, was only a five minute walk from Requiem's living space. Alex nodded, taking the now blood red liquid and smelling it. She gagged, then placed it down on the desk, coughing a little. 

"I'm not drinking that." She told him simply. He laughed, then shrugged, still smiling to himself. He whistled a tune before pouring the liquid into a phial which hung around his neck. Then, he poured the remainder of the liquid into another identical vial, with iron holding the glass in place, and handed it to Alex. "I told you, I can't" She said. He placed it in her hand, and then closed her fingers around it.

"You'll need it on the battlefield. Believe me." He told her, placing the empty flask on the desk. "Its a strength boost; it will help a lot when you're fighting a Lupine hero. Especially if they have had more training than yourself." He handed her a larger phial, filled with a deeper crimson liquid and gestured for her to keep it safe. "Drink this later, when we're back at home." He told her. She nodded. After Lady Lamia's advice, Requiem had suggested that she moved into his house in the residence of the estate. He lived near his lab, to decrease the amount of walking he'd have to do each day.

"Is this-"

"Yeah..." He said, taking his goggles off and writing an equation on the blackboard fixed to the wall. It was a phial of blood; which was understandable, seeing as she needed to drink it now. "You might experience some... Side effects." He told her slowly. He looked a little embarrassed, as though it was something forbidden to speak of.

"Like what exactly?" She asked him, making sure the plug was fixed into the top of the phial properly. There was about a pint of blood inside, and it made her feel a little sick to notice that it was still warm.

"Well..." He started, sitting down on the desk. "You might feel a little sick to start with, then a mild headache, maybe weak muscular pain..." He paused, sighing. "Then there's the Blood Lust, but that usually only happens to pure-bloods when they come of age." He rushed out. He stood up, walking over to the blackboard and wiping it clean of the scrawled alchemical symbols he had drawn down to show her . Alex looked at him, confused, and approached him slowly.

"Is it what I'm expecting it to be, or something a little different?" She asked. He nodded, swallowing.

"I expect that you will feel the need to fulfill it, and so, I've been brewing an antidote to it this evening." He explained. Alex nodded, taking the information in quickly. "It might not work, but we shall try,"

"And if it doesn't? What am I supposed to do exactly?" She asked, looking at the phial of blood.

"I-" He paused before dodging the question completely. "I'll take you home now. Come, Sweet. We've made much progress this evening." He muttered, taking her hand and pulling her toward the door to the lab. She obeyed, rolling her eyes at him.

Overall, Alex had gathered that Requiem was a little insane, but she did like him. He was kind and friendly, but at times, as she'd been warned by Maria (Who had only spoke to her after the meeting with the Elders and the Lamia's earlier that evening) that he could loose his temper at any given point. He had always been a loose cannon and was mildly dangerous, and she had no idea why she trusted in every word he said, but she did; and it made her feel more secure in a way. It was security that she needed right now.