Blood & Power [Book One of The City of Eternity Series] [✔]

1.15: Disloyalty

Roí Tou Aímatos was on the far west side of Ruby - conveniently the furthest corner from Central you could possibly be; which tended to work in its favour when it came to making people disappear. It happened to be a far trek from Giorti, which I had decided would be my destination for the night.

The uneasy feeling that Kara had provided me with left me in desperate need of Violet's advice. Not that it was truly ever advice. She spoke more in riddles and expected you to figure out the meaning on your own - which I would prefer over the cold wasteland of unknowing I was currently abandoned in.

I'd set off without looking back towards the club, out of fear I'd return to Kara's side if I saw her pouting face. The snow was dancing underneath the streetlights, the howling wind not allowing it to drift to the ground easily. The blanket of snow that covered the paths had become nothing but a distraction; each crunch of my shoe in the fresh dusting breaking my concentration on the worries that plagued me. I couldn't help but feel thankful I didn't feel the cold as my clothes were blown around.

Between Marianna's hint that there was more going on than I realised, and the less-than-benevolent actions Adrienne and Kara were taking, the women in my life weren't giving me much breathing room. Despite being in my care, Kara had become much more subservient to Adrienne's slightly more chaotic view of her vampiric nature. While she seemed to appreciate my frequent trips to Ruby allowed her to embrace the District, she seemed less inclined to agree with my avoidance of fresh human blood.

I had many memories wiped from my mind, but the missing spaces that were left in those places indicated to me that my blood dependency had caused a variety of issues for me. A small splatter of fresh blood often caused me to blackout due to the overwhelming feeling of desire; requiring one or more vampires to pull me away from the human owner.

I'd only partake in the blood of a human if they were completely willing to hand themselves over to me, and I'd been given time to mentally prepare. Even then it was a difficult feeling to overcome; a gnawing sensation in the gut that demanded I sink my teeth in deep and drain them of life.

It had forced me to spend most of my time in Ruby within the highly regulated clubs where most humans circulated - that way, although certain high stake activities would be taking place, it wouldn't be to the extent I'd lose control. I hadn't found the strength to divulge this information to Kara, or even Adrienne; choosing instead, to avoid less savoury trips, and if need be their company.

Even Regulus was a bit of a push sometimes, I'd frequently linger outside the door and decide from the scent alone whether or not I could stomach being within its walls.

It wasn't as though I felt humans were worth protecting. That didn't necessarily come into my mind very often. What I actually felt was an obligation not to use what they didn't have against them. Humans were fragile, vulnerable things that could be killed in moments with little available to save them. Therefore, killing them was a waste of a life that once had the potential to grow - that kill, while also being needless would be cruel beyond reason.