Stolen Innocence

06

Kayden was annoyed by Simon. He didn't like his boss in general, but he'd found it even easier to hate him when he got a text from said boss and was told to stay in that night.

He knew he shouldn't have let his boss get his number, but he had assumed every message he got would be work related; not ominous texts about staying inside when he wasn't at work and Simon shouldn't have been worrying himself with what Kayden was doing.

Simon may have been in charge of what Kayden did on weekdays from nine till four, but once he got home, he could do whatever he wanted and Simon didn't to get to tell him otherwise.

It was a clear night and the perfect night to map out and see Sirius, the brightest star in February.

There was no way that Kayden was going to allow Simon's stupid text that told him to stay inside to ruin his night and keep him from going out and working on his chart. Besides, how would Simon even know that he was going outside?

It was a random text that came at a random time and he didn't have to listen to it.

Kayden couldn't explain why he felt like he was breaking a rule going up to the roof, but he pursued. It was probably just anxiety and the ominous message, especially with the new job and constant feeling of being unsure.

He brought his blanket and notebook to the roof, along with his phone for a light when he decided to draw in his notebook.

The February air was bitter and cold, but Kayden got over it and wrapped himself up in his blanket, laying back on the roof and looking up on the stars.

He saw Sirius and Orion's Belt, then his eyes found the Big Dipper. He could even see the Milky Way reflection among the stars, which was a rare sight but one to behold whenever it became visible.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" a voice said, making Kayden sit up and look around for the voice.

He didn't mind other people using the roof, mostly because he didn't own it, but he did mind people standing behind him and not saying they were there because that was plain creepy.

"Hello?" Kayden called, not seeing anyone and wondering if it was just his stressed and overactive imagination. "Whoever is up here, please come out. I don't like being snuck up on."

Kayden felt a sudden presence behind him, and he turned around, dropping his blanket and tripping onto the scratchy surface of the roof.

"You didn't scream, so maybe you're better at being snuck up on than you thought."

Kayden's eyes widened as he saw the man who had met with Simon.

"Roman, right?" Kayden asked, standing up and grabbing his blanket, his phone and notebook tumbling out and landing at Roman's feet. "I didn't know you lived in the same building as me."

Roman chuckled. "You're so foolish," he said, picking up Kayden's fallen phone and notebook. "I don't live here, human."

"Again with calling me that," Kayden mumbled, holding his hand out for his items, but Roman didn't hand them over. "If you don't live here, you shouldn't be on this roof. So, um, bye."

The other man smirked and went to the door that lead to the inside of the building, standing in front of it with his arms crossed. "I want to speak with you, human," he said, his eyes shifting from brown to red. "Trust me, it won't take long."

Kayden then realized that Roman was standing in front of the door so that he couldn't leave. "Move. I'd like to go back to my unit," he said, but he didn't dare try to step toward Roman and push him out of the way.

The man towered over him and was much bulkier, so there was no chance that Kayden would be able to get past him. He didn't even know how Roman found out where he lived or why his eyes had changed color; he just knew he was terrified.

"Simon is going to be mad that you didn't respond to his message," Roman said, holding up the phone and crushing it like it was a tin can before opening his palm and watching the pieces of glass fall to the ground. "It's unfortunate that you don't understand anything and that your last few minutes of freedom ended without your acknowledgement."

Kayden backed away so he was standing at the edge of the roof, and he knew that one more step backward would leave him tripping over the edge and plummeting to his death.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kayden said, a desperate and terrified voice taking over his usual smooth one. "Please, I don't even know my boss and I don't know you. I won't tell anyone about your eyes or whatever you're talking about. Just please let me go back to my unit."

Roman shook his head, taking a long step toward Kayden, a hungry look in his eyes. "They'll be here soon, so we must get going. You're going to belong to me. That'll show those demons that they should heed to a Master Vampire's desires, won't it?" he asked, licking his lips.

Kayden's heart rate picked up as he saw fangs grow in Roman's mouth a poke out from his top jaw, hitting his bottom lip.

"What the hell are you?" Kayden asked, though his twilight phase as a child could've answered that question for him.

"I'm a Master Vampire, darling. And I will take revenge on the demons for what they've kept from me, and if that consists of stealing one of their soulmates and making him my own fledgling, I'll do it," Roman said, cornering Kayden against the wall. "Now, either bare your neck to me or jump. You'll belong to me either way."

Kayden shook his head, holding his hands out in front of him to try to push Roman away, but the man, no, the vampire, wouldn't budge.

"Please don't hurt me," Kayden begged. "Just leave me alone. I didn't do anything!"

"I know you haven't... it's a shame you're soulmates with that disgusting Hell dweller. Though, you are a cute one, so I can't say I wouldn't take you even if you weren't Simon's soulmate."

Kayden felt Roman grab his wrists, pinning them at his sides so he couldn't try to escape. He whimpered, lifting his foot and kicking Roman as hard as he could, but the vampire didn't react.

"Show me your neck, darling," Roman purred, but Kayden shook his head. "Fine. I'll do this myself."

Kayden shrieked as Roman shoved his face into his neck, his fangs brushing against the tender skin there.

Before Roman could pierce the skin, someone spoke to them.

"Leave the boy alone, Roman," a deep voice said.

Roman pulled away, releasing Kayden's hands and grabbing the back of his neck.

"Alastor, it's been too long," the vampire said.

Kayden saw who he was talking to; it was a tall man with red tinted skin, dark bat wings and curly horns protruding from his head. He didn't know if this man was here to kill him or Roman, but he didn't trust him either way.

"Listen to what I say, Roman," the man, Alastor, said, glaring at the vampire. "You don't want to be on the bad side of the lord of Hell."

Roman's grip tightened. "I've been on your bad side for hundreds of years," he growled, pulling Kayden back so he was laying over the ledge, and if Roman let go, he'd be a goner. "Last chance to give me what I want."

"No," Alastor said. "I refuse to serve a vampire what they desire."

Roman's glare darkened. "Then I'll take what I want." He loosened his grip. "Demons can offer immortality, but they can't stop death. Only I can do that."

With that he let go, making Kayden fall over the edge and plummet toward the ground.

Kayden screamed, waiting for the impact, but it never came.

A warm body embraced him, and he opened his eyes to see his boss... well, it looked like his boss with dark skin and light blue tints, bat wings just like the man called Alastor had on his back.

Kayden couldn't help it; he blacked out.