Adela Augusta Blood Famine

Chapter Eight

Adela

Adela took one step into the sunlight and the man's head turned on her sharply, making her freeze on the spot. His skills of observation were keen. It took him less than a second to notice her presence in the shadows, approaching through the back of the freshly roused mob. This was no ordinary man. She had now watched him slay werewolves and best vampires alike. Just who was he?

"Ah, royalty is it?" The man asked standing on the unlit pyre. His hands worked on the knots, but his eyes never left Adela. A smart choice, if she used her Twitch she was more than capable of closing the distance between them in seconds. Though if it came to a fight, she would also have to be careful about how she deployed this vampiric skill. After all, she had just watched him use it against three of her kin. Adela inhaled pointlessly sucking air into her undead lungs. Then she continued forward.

"Careful princess. I mean no trouble only that you burn those who actually fit the crime."

"Hold your tongue," Adela commanded in the sternest voice she could muster. Princess? 

She didn't like the way he said it. As if her title was a joke, and who was he to warn her? She had conflicted feelings. It had always been her wish that they could live in harmony with the humans, that their relationship wasn't one of fear, and oppression, and yet here she was being talked down to by a mere man. And she didn't like it. Feelings aside, she was the daughter of Aquilo; she couldn't allow anyone to talk to her in such a manner, and certainly not in front of the populace.

The brass human eyed her cautiously as she strode closer. There was an arrogant cockiness about him, but she could tell that he was serious. His stance was vigilant, his guard never let down.

"At ease. I'm not going to attack you." She offered.

"You expect me to trust you?" He scoffed back. "Your kind literally feeds on people."

Adela's muscles tensed, and she could tell that the human did the same in anticipation. She let the Twitch she conjured out of frustration subside quietly. She couldn't attack him now. All eyes were on her. And she knew his statement stirred the thoughts of the people around her. She thought for a second about how dangerous that was. She needed to stop him from talking further. Adela scraped her mind that annoyingly seemed devoid of experience to draw from. Killing him might be what the citizens expected, but that was far too dramatic for her taste, and honestly not something she enjoyed. Luckily it quickly came to her that to assault him now would only fortify his reasoning. No, he had to remain untouched. She could not feed into the hatred of her kind. She sorted through words in her head. Trying to find the right thing to say. She had a feeling, this man and his prejudice would twist anything she said against her. The worst part was, his words would all be truths. Adela drew her sword from its sheath.

"It's like that then." the man said, drawing his own sword with one hand and pushing Diya who had remained very calm and stoic this whole time behind him with the other.

Adela's sword traveled through the air and clanged at his feet. If words would not reach him perhaps her actions would. The man did not lower his sword but his eyes for the first time. He looked up from the blade and then to her again.

"Am I to believe you won't simply pick it back up or attempt to crush me in your grip?"

"What must I do-" Adela bit her lip. She needed to choose her words more carefully. She was the heir to Aquilo, she needed to show she was in charge. "What is it you need, in order to trust me."

"I don't know." the man shrugged. "Hold a pulse?"

Again, Adela was conflicted. His stubbornness annoyed her, and tried her temper, and yet she was fascinated, almost appreciated his courage. Or stupidity, either way, he treated her as an equal rather than a superior race to be feared. For that, she could respect him, though she was not allowed to show it. She decided to switch tactics.

"You there,  your name again please?" Adela addressed the women behind him.

"I am Diya." She responded proudly.

"Diya. Diya, you may return home." 

The crowd erupted in shouts of protest. She raised a hand in the air, and eventually, the crowd grew silent again. Apparently, there was only one man here brave enough to oppose the daughter of Aquilo, though he currently held his tongue in disbeleif; for now.

The accused witch whispered something to the man who had saved her life and then exited. The spectators shot her dirty looks and shouted as she did so.

"Diya." Adela called.

The women's step paused.

"Don't leave town. I will be looking for you later. To run would be to plead guilty immediately to the crimes you are accused of."

Diya bowed her head. "Thank you, Lady Adela."

Adela stepped forward, and the man took a minor step back. It appeared more out of reflex than anything else.

"You and I need to talk." The vampire said.

"Oh yeah? What about?"

"A few things if we're being honest. The first score that needs settling is your interuption of a public execution and witch burning."

"Diya is no witch."

"Well consider this the first step in her fair trial."

The man scoffed. "Has there ever been anything fair about a trial for those accused of witchcraft?"

Again Adela sighed heavily in her armor, she had stood in the sun for longer than she cared for, and carried out this conversation even longer. "If you hope to make any difference to that woman I suggest you follow me." With that Adela turned and began to exit the square. She hated to play a manipulative game. It made her feel like her father and that made her sick but she felt she had little choice. Adela heard the wooden steps creak underneath the man's boots.

"Oh, can you grab my sword while you're at it? Thanks." Adela said with falsely sweet words. She normally took no pleasure in flaunting her social status or title, but she was enjoying returning the man's hospitality.

Who was he? This was what she hoped to soon find out. 

**Author's Note**

Greetings, another end finished. Another chapter short. Here we have Chaise and Adela, pray tell how do you think Adela handled the situation? Do you wish they threw down instead? If they did who'd win? Eager to know what happens next? Let me know in those comments, or pm me even. I love hearing from the readers. See you in the next chapter hope you enjoyed.