Vampire King’s Little Killer

Anomaly: something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.

Tessa

“Then there was Helena. It was more than two decades ago, I think. I’m just saying that you’re turning me into a jealous killer. At least you’re not giving me wrinkles.” I pushed him back to our sofa in the middle of our living quarters and straddled his thighs.

On quiet nights there was nothing more I’d like to do than to climb and situated myself on his lap. We usually have our meals from blood bags to fill my thirst for human blood since I’d be too tired to move my limbs after a satisfying orgasm between us.

“Tomorrow I’m taking you out for a hunt.”

“Sounds like a perfect date. Now, cuddle me close. You’ve turned me into a cuddle slut.” I hummed in appreciation when he wrapped his pale hands around me and rested me on the crook of his shoulder.

But the hunt that was supposed to happen the next day, happened two days later when we visited Florence, Italy. We bought a castle together a couple of years ago in the countryside. With our sons and daughter slowly finding their mates, Nero’s reign of power grew stronger and from time to time we needed to get away from the meetings and the power struggle.

The night of our arrival I managed to bug him to take me on a hunt. Again. I was bored. Since I quit my day job as an assassin a decade ago, we’ve been traveling. We mostly went to visit our son Lucius and stayed for a couple of months before Nero was needed back at the Den. We also occasionally visit our countryside castle in Florence.

That night, when my instinct told me to go to the alleyway, I saw a thin young man fighting for his life. He was surrounded by two other men. “Do you think we should help him, he looked so young.” He looked like he was still in his late teens, though he was defending himself quite well. I rested my back on Nero while we decided to watch how he handled the two older guys with only a knife in his hand. I had to give it to him, the young man can handle himself better than I expected him to, so we stayed back and enjoy the show.

When he finally managed to kill the man and pissed off his friend, he was smiling. Deviously. And like love at first sight, he made my heart stirred. It was a different kind of feeling than what I had with Nero. It was more like pride and I couldn’t take my eyes away from him.

“You are attracted to him?”

“Um, yeah… but it’s not like when I’m with you. Why is that?”

“Your instinct,” Nero began to explain. “You have this urge to sire him. Make him one of us. I have been waiting for this day. I should’ve known that our first would be someone who was good with a knife.” He smiled and kissed the top of my head. His hand wrapped me closer to his embrace. I was still shocked by his words, but my eyes were still glued to the younger man who was now about to kill his second victim. And when he was done he started searching for their pockets, emptying their wallets of their cash, and took their phones and wristwatches.

“Come on, let’s follow him for a while and let you get the feel of our future heir.”

And so we did. Two pawnshops and a visit to a shady-looking pharmacy later, we followed the young man to a rundown housing complex where we saw how his bleak future unraveled before us.

“Hey, Mom, I got your meds.”

“Emilian, my son, why are you wasting money on my meds? You should buy food, you look so thin.”

“I brought you some saltines for your broth and don’t worry, I ate already. Come on,” I watched how Emilian helped his mom trying to force down her meal only to have her throw up on him. The young man excused himself telling his mom that he was going to get clean up. But then he went outside and silently cried until his shoulder shook from sheer desperation. I felt a tug to calm him down but rest back to Nero instead.

“Patience, my little killer. I need you to learn that not all sired vampires turned because of their fragile state. Sometimes it’s much sweeter in the long run when they choose to be turned.”

I nodded and kept on watching him. The next night we came to visit Emilian only to find him luring a sleazy tourist down the dark alley. Money changed hands after he let the guy fuck the life out of him. Emilian didn’t shed his tears. I didn’t see any regrets in his eyes. It was pure determination when he cleaned himself up. Then, with the crumpled money he went to the grocery store before walking to the shady pharmacy.

“Oh my god, Nero… it was Lowell, Emilian reminded me of my brother. Vesper said Lowell whore himself out to pay for the Russians.”

“I know, my queen. Look, we should wait. I don’t think it’ll be long.” He took my hand and led me to follow him. I realized Nero was talking about his mother and I knew that she had the smell of death already.

Nero was right, the next night we found that his mother had been taken away in an ambulance and she had passed away en route. Emilian looked lost in the hospital parking lot and that was when Nero urged me forward and show myself to him.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Hello, I’m Tessa. Are you alright?” It was strange of me to have feelings for another. Had I been wrongfully diagnosed with my psychopathy disorder?

“I-I’m Emilian. No, I’m not. My mother, she… she just passed away.”

“Do you mind if I help you? you reminded me of my brother.” I paused and took a seat next to him on the hospital bench, away from the bustle of the entrance. “See, he’s my half-brother,” I decided to keep on talking to take his mind away from the current situation. “We have different moms, but uh… his mother passed away and I was not there when he needed me.” There, I didn’t lie.

“So now what? you troll around the hospital ground and try to enslave me into your human trafficking ring?”

Wow, I have to admit that Emilian was quite capable of taking care of himself. The way he was accusing that someone might benefit from his desperation was a good one.

“Not human trafficking, let’s just say I want us to be friends. let me help you get back on your feet.” I kept my tone calm, trying to convince him to put his trust in me.

“Oh…”

There was hesitation from his side when I put a hand on his arm. “Let me take care of your mom’s hospital bills and funeral? you will not be indebted to me, let’s just say I really wanted to help you. No strings attached.”

It was strange how truthful that sounded because it was true. I will not hold it against him if, in the end, he rejected the idea of being sired by me. But then my heart fluttered when he nodded and said thank you. “I don’t know how I’m going to repay your kindness, but know that someday I will.”

“Well, it’s the thought that counts, and no pressure, there will be no expiry date on your promise. Let’s just be friends and maybe one day you can meet Lowell, my brother, then you both can talk.”

He gave me a small smile and nodded once again. And that was how we decided to stay longer in Florence since I didn’t want to leave Emilian alone.

At the funeral, there was just me, Nero, and Emilian. I introduced him to Nero, telling him that he’s my husband. We talked for a while, and we found out that he was still nineteen years old. I could see how he scanned Nero from his tailored-fitted funeral suit to his fine designer-label leather shoes. There was no resistance from Emilian, he knew we have money and probably thought that we were just some rich folks who needed to feel good about themselves by giving money to strangers.

I didn’t say anything to deny his judgment of us. I just wanted to be there for him. To be his emotional support. And when the speaker started talking, we were quiet and let the funeral ceremony begin.

Nero held my hand while I glanced every couple of minutes just to check in on Emilian. Yeah, I was definitely turning more human with each passing year. A bit of an anomaly, but I was too far gone for the young man to care.