Kin of the Damned

Chapter 14: New Post

Alexios and I walked to the tech wing. I knocked on the door before hearing a "Come in."

I pushed open the door and was greeted by a tall girl with curly brown hair and vampires' signature red eyes. "Hi. I'm Valerie and the guy behind me," I pointed to Alexios, "is Alexios."

Her eyes widened when I said Alexios' name but then smile and said, "Nice to meet you guys, I'm Olivia."

"Nice to meet you too. Anyway, I was sent here by Blake, he thought you may have a job for me."

"I'll ask the squad leader about any work you can do."

"Okay," She walked away and entered a room.

I turned to Alexios, "You should really talk to her, she seems like a sweet girl."

"They don't care what I say.  When I speak, all they hear are little yaps.  They won't listen to a werewolf." His jaw tightened.

"You really believe that? What about Blake, Ishan, and Amara then." They had been bonding over the past little bit and it seems like they've been changing their views on werewolves.

Alexios glared at me, "Yes, I do, Valerie. Do you not see the vampires that are scowling at me right now?" His voice had a seething quality, "You can't be that naive as to think that me chasing after their princess would make them adore me.  Its not like your little lackies actually care about me anyway, they tolerate me."  Lackies?

"You're right that it was wrong for me to trivialise the issue but Blake, Amara, and Ishan are my friends, not lackies-And they tried to be friends with you."

"Letting me sit at their table sometimes, isn't being friends, its because I'm working with you--You know, whatever, let's just get the work done."  He huffed before trailing after Olivia to get his task, ignoring my calls.  Was I being overly defensive about my friends?  But he's my friend as well, if he's feeling uncomfortable, I should help.  I groaned in confusion.

"'You guys okay?" Olivia asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yea," I said.

"Yes,"

"Val, is it okay if I call you that?" I was about to respond but she continued before I could. "You'll be working with me on monitoring the footage. Alexios, you're going to help us ladies by moving the equipment when necessary but otherwise, you can continue with your job."

"Okay" We said in unison.

"Let me show you your working area." We went inside a room that looked like it was straight out of a sci-fi movie. It was small with a desk to one side with two chairs pushed in and a couch at the back of the room.

"You and I work here." Olivia pulled out one of the black, leather chairs and sat down. The wall in front of the table had millions of buttons and levers, with one large monitor in the centre and two smaller ones sitting on the table.

Then she explained how the different modules worked and what they were for. "We have a very sedentary job but it is also one of the most important jobs in the castle. It's also great to make people vote for you."

Once work for the day was done, I was exhausted, it was 8:00 pm. If I was this tired, then I could only imagine how tired Alexios was. He was busy moving equipment all day today. Speak of the devil, I thought as Alexios walked towards me.

"'You ready to go?" I asked before he walked right past me, ignoring me.  I didn't need him looking to publically humiliate me too, I huffed.

That night, I tossed and turned in bed, thinking over the situation.  Sadly, the only conclusion I came to was that I was a terrible friend.  I got up and grabbed my grimoire before sneaking to the Knights Quarters.  I stood outside of Alexios' room for a few minutes, deliberating whether ruining his sleep, one of his few luxuries in this place, was a good idea before deciding it was best to do this now.  

I knocked. Once.  Twice.  No answer.  "Sorry," I whispered and opened the door to see Alexios staring at me.  

"What did you want?" He asked.

"To apologize."

With a deadpan expression, he said, "Do you want me to kill someone?" 

I grew a horrified expression, "No! I what world-" He shushed me and I lowered my voice.  "What could possibly make you think I would want? that?"

"Vampires don't apologize unless they want something." 

I sighed, I must have really let him down if he now thinks I am like all those other vampires here.  The bloodthirsty ones that would hurt and lie and steal to get what they want.  "Well, I did not come because I needed something--Well, I kind of do."  His mask of indifference faded for one second to reveal disappointment.  "I need my friend.  I should have taken your side, Blake and Amara and Ishan have stuck with me since I came here but they are ultimately different.  I'm the outsider, the human that they're trying to root out like a weed but they belong.  They are their kin.  Kin of the damned if you want to call it that." .

But seriously, we are not wanted and the rest of the vampires have made that clear.  I just cannot see how I can survive this without one person who knows what it's like.  So I'm sorry for failing at the first moment when I needed to be your friend, I know what it's like to be so constantly let down that you get used to it so you just become slightly disappointed." I thought of my father for a second before pushing the thought away and focusing.  

"You were a shit friend."  

I laughed ruefully, "I was,"

"I still don't trust your friends." 

"Understandable."

"I don't always trust you either."

"I don't always either." I couldn't tell if I was talking about me or him.  Probably both.

"I shouldn't have embarrassed you like that, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, just don't make it a habit."

"I won't.  Hey, you want to sleep over." 

"Absolutely, I'm exhausted."  I grabbed a blanket to sleep on the floor but he stopped me.

"I'm not going to let a girl sleep on the floor when I'm sleeping in a bed.  Just sleep with me."  What? Sleep with me?  As in, him in the bed, with me in it too?  My face began to heat.

"No thanks.  I'm fine." 

"Just lie down, will you?" He pulled me down on the bed with him, his arm thrown around my midsection with him so I couldn't move.  My heart was going crazy.  Guess I'm not sleeping tonight.

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Sorry for the long hiatus, a long happened lately but I'm hoping updates will be regular again.  I also just finished the cover, it still feels a bit lacking, but I much prefer it to before.  Let me know your thoughts.  Please comment, vote, and add this story to your lists if you enjoyed it!  Bye!

Kaylee :)