Hidden Truths - Ethan

21 - The Newborns

"That's a joke," Tristan says calm but the silence on Eve's side proofs him wrong.

"I'm afraid not. This time, we have four victims at once. I hope there are not more out there, because we won't be able to find them," she tries to stay strong at her report but I can hear her voice tremble.

The sun is just about to rise and if there would be other victims they will burn and being erased without much more of a trace than a skeleton. It's a horrible thought to just disappear.

Nobody will ever find out what happened to someone. Horrifying or releasing. I don't know. I can't decide. What I know is that it's complicated to explain to humans.

"Come here," I can hear Tristan comforting her further. "It will be fine. We will take care of it now. Where did you bring them?" he wants to know.

"We?" Eve asks and I sigh.

"Ethan, I need you here," I can hear him saying exactly what I would have him not to say. Oh, Tristan.

I step out of the bedroom and Eve leans her head a bit confused, looking at my bare feet for a moment.

"So?" Tristan asks once more. Eve seems still irritated. I straighten out.

"Four victims, hm? Brilliant..." I say before getting one of my cigarettes. "You want to keep on staring at me or answer your Lord?" I ask her as she keeps her eyes on me. Fortunately, the dead bodies seem to bother her far more than what she sees.

"Yes, I... I brought them to the dungeons," her look wanders from Tristan to me and back. "This time nobody seen them who didn't have to, I promise!" Tristan nods slowly.

"Well, that obviously wasn't our friend Mister Holmwood," I comment and Eve takes a side step to look at both of us.

"I know. Who've been the victims?" Tristan keeps on asking questions.

"They are newborns. They've been weak and helpless!" Eve says totally upset.

I take the smoke into my lungs and I'm thankful that it kills all of Tristan's scent. I start to be able to concentrate again. I have to smile bitterly.

"That was a good tactical move," I murmur.

I really don't care if Warlow or Doctor Nowak are dead or alive. The same is true for the one vampire I really killed, but newborns. This bothers me and next to my smile my eyes start to glow. I turn my face away to hide it and get myself together.

Tristan puts his forehead into folds. "Tactical move or not, it's not very honorable."

"They start to rumor, Tristan. First Warlow; a well known and mostly very well protected vampire, then a guest who was seeking safety within these borders and now they've chosen newborns," I start but Tristan cuts me off.

"I know very well what that means!" Usually, he wants exactly that kind of opinion of me. Maybe it was too obvious either way, or he still doesn't believe me that I didn't kill Doctor Nowak.

I shrug before I take a look at Eve. She is paler than usual, and her look is stuck to a point somewhere in the background. I straighten out again. "You did a good job, Lass. I didn't expect less from you," I try to wake her from her trance but she doesn't react further than nodding.

"I need to see them and we need to inform their creators. I don't want them to find out in any other way than through me," Tristan says and moves to put on a jacket.

"Hm, most of the newborns these days have highly protective creators as far as I can tell. I hope they don't know yet," I say and move over to Tristan to nod into Eve's direction.