'You wanted to see me!' The door slammed opened much more than was intended as Vesper came running in, visibly tired from his practice. 'Sorry hehe.' Vesper smiled awkwardly; he still wasn't used to his newfound strength.
'Do you not want to... shower?' Cassius looked the boy up and down, not sure if he was disgusted or stunned at the sight of a vampire sweating from training. Crimson blood vampires did not train.
'No no I can do that later, I'm on a roll! You said you had something to teach me!' Vesper looked up at his mentor eagerly, eyes too innocent for what he'd been through.
Cassius sighed and indulged the young lord. 'What do you know about a vampire's aura?' He questioned.
In his comfort zone Vesper stood in attention. 'An aura is a vampire's element that can be used actively in battle, it is not to be confused with pheromones which is a natural substance released when hunting. Vesper answered like a well-trained student.
'Yes, well done, although there is quite bit more to it than that.' Cassius sat down as he began his explanation; in his right hand a darkness began to form on his fingertips. 'This is aura, it can be formed and used as creatively as the user chooses depending on their control, strength, and talent.' The darkness in his hand moved and morphed into various shapes.
A spear.
An axe.
A gun.
Estefan sighed behind them.
Settling on its original shape around Cassius' fingertips, he aimed his hand at the bookcase and fired the darkness in the direction of a particular book. The book once in contact with the aura dissolved into dust as though it never existed in the first place.
'My collection?' Estefan complained in a monotonous tone expecting something of the sort.
'I was never fond of that one.' Cassius smiled in Estefan's direction almost as if he was teasing him. 'My aura is that of decay, an aura is similar to mana- what most supernatural creatures control, even humans have mastered its use. Each user may have their own attributes, but it is possible to be reworked. Whereas pheromones, now that is part of our vampiric blood. We cannot alter its shape, form, nor attributes and it only presents itself after our first hunt and taste of blood.'
Cassius extinguished his dark aura and allowed his pheromones to enter the air. 'Estefan, protect our young lord if he fails to do so himself.' Cassius said with a smile as more of his pheromone made its way to Vesper.
Vesper was too mesmerised in the lesson to realise what was happening, by the time he noticed, it was too late. Vesper tried to encompass his body with his aura, but he had already breathed in some of Cassius' pheromones.
Vesper fell to the ground in defeat, his hand strengthened with his aura went straight for his throat aiming for a clean cut.
Estefan, however, didn't waste a second and was already holding the young lord's arm at bay. 'You are lucky I was only feeling bored today, that could have been much worse.' Cassius said as he retracted his pheromones.
Vesper was confused, he knew what had happened, but he had no control over himself. As he took in the pheromones he became bored out of his mind that in the moment, he felt death was a blessing. Vesper looked to Estefan for clarity. 'Without the use of aura many creatures would have also succumbed to the same fate.' He tried to reassure the young lord.
'Pheromones are that powerful!' Vesper was in awe at how powerless he felt.
'How old are you boy? 110, 20 or so?' Cassius guessed.
Vesper's eyes grew furiously red at his comment, he clenched his jaw as his fangs grew. Cassius found the reaction amusing although wasn't quite sure what warranted his anger.
Vesper sighed in frustration as he released his transformation, he looked embarrassed and avoided Cassius' gaze.
'The young lord is turning 202 in a few weeks.' Estefan broke the silence.
Cassius froze wondering if his hearing failed him, processing what Estefan had just said.
Most vampires would begin to mature after their first century once the initial coming of age ritual was completed, and the first ancestral blood was ingested. Vampires would then gradually consume the blood of every living family member of their rank and lower, it was only the heirs of the family that would be allowed to consume blood of a higher rank.
Cassius had assumed because of Vesper's child-like appearance that he had only just about turned 100 not too long ago. Someone of Vesper's age should already be looking like a young adult with skills to match; Cassius suddenly sunk in his chair understanding the boy's desperation.
'Boy.' Cassius said, his voice stern and serious. 'You haven't had your first hunt?'
Vesper wasn't sure if that was a question or statement, Cassius' voice was void of any emotions further confusing Vesper. 'No?' The young lord replied.
'JHAHAAHAH!' Cassius broke the tension in the air with his monstrous laugh, while Estefan looked used to his master's behaviour. Vesper was confused. 'Looks like you will have an eventful birthday soon.' Cassius continued.
'Estefan what does the treaty say in regard to our ritual?'
'They allow vampires of rank free reign, while lesser vampires are given a hunting ground.'
'Free reign, Tch we sound like cattle.' Cassius clicked his tongue at the idea of vampires being allowed to do anything. 'Regardless, you are about to experience what being a real vampire is, boy.' He smiled at Vesper.
Vesper in turn wasn't sure if he was excited, nervous or afraid. Unwillingly he hid behind the death of parents and the decline of his family, guising his weakness, giving him an excuse. Though he wanted so badly to become strong, avenge them, and live up to the Crimson family name- he was afraid. Now that everything he wanted was slowly coming together Vesper feared the expectation, he feared the pressure, he feared failure.
____
The campus café was quite busy during lunch hours, but Camilla and Maya sat at a table hiding in their own corner.
'How're you feeling?' Maya asked.
'I'm hoping better after this.' Camilla gestured to the hot drink she held on to for comfort. The pair continued to wait in the silence growing between them, each looking to the other expectingly.
'You start first!' Camilla said as she retreated into her shy smile.
Maya sighed, 'it was too much fun!' She began. 'Look you know me, I'm not one to fall easily, but I'm definitely falling.' She gave beamed willingly defeated by her feelings.
Maya and Camilla grew up in the same orphanage along with Kai. While Camilla was always protected by Kai, Maya experienced the dark side of humanity before finding refuge in herself and her friends.
'I just don't get bored of him; he brings out more of my wild side- if that's even possible, and I think I'm getting addicted.' Maya giggled as she delved deeper in her emotions, but didn't reveal the extent of them to Camilla. She was afraid she'd seem too crazy. She couldn't say she spent her spare time searching for him, she couldn't say how she craved his company, nor could she say how there was this pull that took over when she thought of him. Maya feared how strong her feelings had become towards Ashin in such h a short span of time, she couldn't describe something she didn't fully understand yet.
Camilla sighed in agreement with Maya, she too enjoyed Cassius' company in a way that seemed spell bounding. 'He's just so different to me, and he clearly wants me! But without all the pressure. I feel like I can do anything and everything with Cassius in a safe space. Camila explained.
Since she always felt lagging behind people in terms of life experiences Camilla was looking for a partner she could experiment with.
By the time the two had finished catching up, the cafe had emptied out as students left for their respective lectures.
'So, what's the real reason we are here?' Maya knew there was more to Camilla's call than just a chat.
'I need you to keep a lookout.' Camilla smirked, her eyes looked full of danger.
'I smell something illegal!' Maya snickered, 'I'm in!'
Despite Camilla's sweet and innocent appearance her aura ability helped her hack into all sorts of coded online websites. While Maya lived her life in person, Camilla lived through her power, virtually experiencing life that she never could have seen in person.
Today Camilla's aim wasn't to hack a random website or experience something new, this time she was on a mission for information. She was planning on using her powers to find out more about Cassius, if he was registered into the university there must be more information about him or about the vampire race. Camilla wanted to surrender to Cassius but to do so safely she needed to know more.
Hacking into the university system shouldn't be too hard, the difficulty here was making sure that after breaking down the code she put back the pieces so no one would notice her interference, she couldn't afford to taint her academic record as her scholarship could be jeopardised.
'I can't tell you what or why yet until I know more.' Camilla wasn't sure how Maya would react to her being with a vampire, and she couldn't risk Maya's protectiveness causing her to miss out on her first crush. 'But you're right, this definitely illegal.' Camilla smiled back at her friend while taking cover under her oversized hood.
Maya's job was to focus on their surroundings since while Camilla was mid-hack she was oblivious and vulnerable to the outside world. Camilla's eyes grew gold while she gathered her mana, and her fingers began typing away.
A mere seconds later, 'I'm in!' She continued to type.
'That was quick.' Maya praised Camilla as her eyes tracked the last student who left the cafe.
'Now comes the hard part.' She continued to type.
Despite the lack of a key board Maya could have sworn she heard the tapping of keys, or was that the cashier at the desk? She was hyper focused.
'Okayyy… someone is hiding something.' Camilla displayed a creepy grin under her hood that went against her princess like demeanour.
Maya's senses seemed to be working at their best today, she felt as though she was in total control. Her mind was keeping track of all students even the ones walking outside the cafe, she was enjoying the power that came with the adrenaline.
'What? What is this?' Camilla's fingers started typing faster and fiercer. Maya felt her ears twitch listening to the ripples her fingers left in the air as they gained speed.
'What's component V?' Camilla seemed to be getting further and further away from what she was looking for, but she couldn't help her curiosity.
'Cami hurry up, the waiters coming over.' Maya warned.
'Just… one… more… second.' She kept typing. Faster. Fiercer.
'Camiii…' Maya urged.
'What? Who's Zeleti?' As soon as Camilla uttered the name she was pushed back in her seat as her connection was cut.
'You okay? Did they notice?' Maya grabbed Camilla's shoulder checking her condition.
'No I don't think so, I covered my trail before they cut me off.' Camilla assured her, although she knew that she stumbled onto something that she shouldn't have.
'Two caramel lattes?' The waiter brought the girls' drinks and placed them on the table as they continued to catch each other up on their lives. Unaware of the danger they had just put themselves in.