Beyond The Fangs

Chapter 10

JAEGER

Killing the Roi wasn't going to be a challenge, it was getting to the Zas that was going to be the problem. I knew I wouldn't be able to defeat him on my own, which only made matters much more complicated. I would come up with a plan for that soon enough, but for now, I needed to focus on the first order of business, which was killing the Roi.

It was going to be extremely easy, considering the fact that I was already in his chambers so all I had to do now was kill him, which was going to be even easier because he was asleep.

I was surprised at how easy it was to get into Lilliville. Because I looked more human than vampiric, they weren't too suspicious. I told them that I was a Vanquisher who managed to escape one of the attacks and was seeking refuge, and after a little further interrogation, they let me remain. They took me through a couple of physical tests to prove that I was truly a Vanquisher and because I was a natural fighter, I passed. They then handed me a uniform, assigned me a post and the rest was history.

If I learnt one thing through that process, it was that the humans were far too trusting and kind for their own good, which was why it was so easy to infiltrate their village, but infiltrating the Zvade was not going to be that simple. Even if I looked like a vampire, they would not allow me free passage. The only way to get in would be to fight my way through, and if I wanted to succeed in doing that then I would need help, and in order to get that help, I would have to disclose my plan as well as the one thing that I kept hidden almost all my life.

My face.

I was certain that if Perseus, the Zas, knew I was alive and searching for him that he would want to kill me himself which might just reduce the number of vampire attacks I encountered along the way, making my life ten times easier. And if word spread that I was going after him, then there could be a chance that those who were against the Zas might fight against him alongside me.

My only concern was that if we ended up killing him, the vampires might turn on and kill me because I was an Impurity. That possibility wasn't going to stop me though. So long as the Roi and the Zas died, I would be satisfied, because things might change after that, and that was all that mattered.

Only one Vanquisher was guarding the Roi with me, and that Vanquisher was the one Vanquisher who hated me to the core. Izzy. I didn't hate her as much as she hated me. I was rather fond of her hatred, actually and I was looking forward to the moment when she realised that the 'Vanquisher' she kept glancing at was actually the vampire she hated.

She—as well as everyone else in the village—didn't know what I looked like without my mask, so I knew I wouldn't blow my cover if I removed my mask. The little kid, Raya, was the only one who knew what I looked like and she almost blew my cover.

The only other thing that might have blown my cover was if my tongue slipped and I accidentally called Izzy by her nickname, because I knew nobody called her that other than me, that everyone called her Izel. I had to keep reminding myself to call her Izel, which was harder than I thought it would be.

The Roi hadn't actually summoned Izzy, I was the one who summoned her because I needed her for my plan to come together. Not only did I need to use her in order to lure in vampires with the scent of her blood, but also because I needed her... assistance.

I gagged.

As I said, I couldn't get to the Zas alone, I would need help. And even though Izzy was more inclined to stab my back than have my back, she was my only option. Taking a vampire wasn't an option—they worked for the Zas and they would never work with an Impurity—so my last choice was a human. A Vanquisher. And no matter how much I hated to admit it, Izzy was the best person to go with, she was the best Vanquisher after all.

I couldn't simply ask her to follow me, she would never agree to that, so I was in the middle of debating whether to knock her out and drag her along with me or tie her up and drag her along with me. The former would be no fun, and it would require so much effort, so I decided to keep her awake for when I kidnapped her. It would greatly infuriate her and her exasperation was the one thing I was looking forward to. It would make the kidnapping and the journey as a whole much more enjoyable.

I stretched my arms, readying myself for the kill I was going to execute. I could kill the Roi right now if I pleased, but I had to wait until the Vanquishers realised that the alarm sounded at Pertin was a false alarm first. Once they realised that, there would be confusion and the humans wouldn't know whether to go back to their original posts or remain at their current ones. I imagined most of them would go to the Tactics Room and await orders, and the lack of coordination would make escaping so much easier for me since most of the posts would be left unguarded.

Izel was speaking to that Vanquisher friend of hers, Aleksander, through her earpiece. I wasn't paying attention to what they were saying, not until I heard her say something worth my while.

"What's happening?" Izel asked him, and after a short pause, she exclaimed, "a false alarm?! So there were no vampires there?"

"Is something going on?" I asked her despite knowing exactly what was going on.

"It was a false alarm, there were no vampires in Pertin," she notified me then paused in consideration. "We can probably leave our posts then."

I grinned, she wouldn't be the only one who decided to leave her post, but I still asked, "Has everybody else left their posts?"

"Yeah. Well, kind of," she amended. "Alek said most aren't sure whether to leave their lockdown posts or not, but I say we leave," she decided. "The Roi is asleep anyway."

I gave her a nod, but while she made her way to the door, I made my way to the Roi, unsheathing my dagger so I could end his life once and for all. Izzy tried to open the door only to remember it was locked.

"Hey, can I have the keys for the—" she turned back, and her eyes shot open. "Wha— what the heck?!"

My blade was inches away from the Roi's neck now.

"Wha—what are you doing?!" She demanded.

Now it was time for the fun to begin.

I smirked, pressing the blade of my dagger up against the Roi's neck.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I asked, then grinned wider as I added, "Izzy?"