Always Hate Me

18. A Knighthood

"Where's the baby?" Chloe asked -out of the blue.

"What?" Lucjan had finally convinced her to leave her room and had brought her to the Armia district. They had a vampire guard, circling but just in case, and Chloe had a mask covering her nose and mouth. He didn't want anyone recognising her as 'Ryder's whore'.

"Mabel." Chloe pressed. Lucjan froze. 

He turned his head abruptly, hiding his face from her scrutiny.

"I found her a safer home," he lied - his throat dry. "During the gorgon's execution I thought it was best to get her away from any public scrutiny."

It made sense as a precaution, so she didn't question it. They walked on and Lucjan calmed, thinking that he'd averted the danger.

It was twilight, not long before curfew and the number of pedestrians was sparse. Any they did pass, offered eager salutes to Lucjan. If Jordan was the Father of the new empire than Lucjan was definitely its prince. Chloe's thoughts weren't on the cobbled streets though – they were flitting about old friends and past hopes.

"What about little Mason?" She'd half forgotten about the orphaned little guy. He'd faded from urgency against her  grieving for Lauren and Ryder.

Lucjan's fangs itched to extend. The child. "Lucjan?" She urged, when he didn't answer. "He was also with us when we were brought to Solemn. Has he found a new home?"

"Hmmm," Lucjan finally managed in reply. He was struggling. Was Mason her son? He wanted to know, he firmly suspected it to be so, but he also feared having it confirmed. He hated the idea of Ryder having any permanent hold over her. He couldn't stomach the idea of Chloe and Ryder sharing a child. 

A shy little girl approached them. The guards made to stop her but Lucjan signalled to allow her approach. Blushing furiously, she handed Lucjan a flower.

"Thank you for saving us," she lisped in Polish - her front teeth missing. Lucjan smiled and gently patted the small child's head.

"Dbać,mały." Take care, little one.

The girl scampered back to her waiting parents, grinning happily. Lucjan lowered his head to murmur in Chloe's ear.

"Still think that the world has no future?"

Chloe watched the family. The father lifted the little girl to sit his shoulders, nodding along as she chatted happily. 

Chloe's expression didn't soften.

"What will happen when she's rejected for immortality and feels like society is leaving her to die. What happens when she needs a blood transfusion but bloods too precious to waste on someone sick. Or when her mother goes missing and its never investigated-"

"Enough!" Lucjan cut in. "You're misjudging my kind!"

They walked along in an angry silence for a while before Lucjan spoke again. "We're not enslaving humans. We work hard – trying to protect this world."

"But I saw-"

"You saw a difficult time. Constant war led to blood lust. We were struggling. But things have changed. We are better able to support vampires struggling with control."