Humanity at Stake (Completed)

Chapter 34

"I won't go quietly
Won't let the past unwind me
I don't know whom I see
Worth trying to put behind me." -"Every Second" by From Ashes to New

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Quintavius sat in a winged back chair near a window of his estate. The window overlooked a section of the city. The day filtered in from the top of the cavern, casting everything in a dim hue of brown. He could easily pick out Nova's old residence, a thatch roof that had been abandoned over six months ago. He sighed, rubbing his chest. Though the pain had long since disappeared with the removal of the bond between him and Nova, a hollow emptiness seemed to linger.

His ears caught the sound of his front door opening, causing him to sigh in irritation and stand up. Originally, he had thought it was Yvonne, appearing for another round. His nose caught a scent of a regular Overseer, his annoyance growing larger. What kind of audacity does this lowly bloodsucker have to burst into my home?

Quintavius was quick to stalk out of the room, striding down the stairs to meet the lower vampire in the foyer of the house. The younger vampire was busy gaping at the decorations and high ceiling to notice the Aristocrat heading towards him. While he was distracted, Quintavius wrapped his hand around the vampire's neck, lifting him off the ground. The Overseer yelped out in surprise, bring his hands up in attempt to pull the hand away.

"You better have a good reason to rush into my home uninvited," Quintavius spoke heatedly, his eyebrow rising in contempt.

"Message... Nova," he managed to gasp out. Quintavius froze for a bit, processing the new bit of information. The calm mask slipped over his features again, and he released the vampire, causing him to fall to his knees while gasping and coughing.

"Continue," Quintavius answered curtly, pretending he wasn't as interested as he actually was. He wandered over to one of the walls, acting as if he was thoroughly enthralled with the painting that was hung there.

"A deserted vampire came to the city. I was about to kill her when she said she had a message for you. I had her cough out the message before I killed her for in-"

"Get to the point," Quintavius snapped glancing over his shoulder. His claws itched to wrap around the Overseer's neck once again to end his life. He had to calm himself down, remembering he bore words from Nova. He looked back to observing the items in front of him.

"She has changed her mind. She said she realized her mistakes, and that she's ready to come back. She told the vampire to tell you to meet her at the collapsed church where you two met for her first sniping job. The vampire said today," he spewed, staying still on the ground as he took deep breaths.

"I hope you know, I want to keep this exchange a secret, yes?" Quintavius alluded, his hand brush the table below him. He gripped the edge of a decorative vase, his strength causing it to crack.

"Of course, Aristocrat Quintavius. Not a single word will be spilled from my lips!" the Overseer promised, a wide smile gracing his lips in relief. "Now, I must be off. I have some streets I need to patrol around by the blood bags." Quintavius hummed in acknowledgment, a shard of the vase breaking off and into his hand.

"I think I'll be relieving you of your duties, Overseer," Quintavius announced as the lesser vampire picked himself off the ground. His brows furrowed in confusion as he looked towards Quintavius.

"What do you mean, Aris-" He was cut off as Quintavius whirled around, sending the shard to embed deep into the Overseer's throat. The vampire gargled, trying to speak around the new wound inflicted on him before collapsing on the ground. He jerked around, his hand trying to come up to grasp the shard of ceramic in his throat. He missed, his hand falling limply to the side as he died.