Alaric

The stewardess was lingering, but I wasn't in the mood for feeding or fucking. I was too busy trying to wrap my head around what Samuel had told me. The gloomy, dark Scottish sky seemed to match my mood but I could see the appeal of living in a secluded small town. Being an Elder meant my brothers and I were constantly under the limelight. We shared many properties and private islands when we needed a break.

I could predict my brothers' reaction to my news. Damien would drop everything and leave to search for his mate, and Christian would likely kill his blood mate if he ever found her or not bother to find her. I'm unsure if it would be by accident or on purpose because it could go either way with Christian.

After living for so long, everything seemed pointless and tedious. We saw the self-destructive nature of humans, and we eventually settled into the role of overseeing the various factions of Vampires because we did not want to fall into the humans' destructive footsteps.

The most absolute rule was never to be seen by humans. We couldn't stop the killing of humans, but where bands of vampires committed noticeable mass murders, we went and wiped every single one of them out with a brutality that kept everyone in check. Our coven was one of the strongest and it could not be toppled. From killers to hackers, we were well-versed in how to protect our kind.

I glanced up and saw that the stewardess had finally taken the hint. I kept my eyes on her as she walked away. The human's colouring reminded me of Samuel's blood mate, Charlotte. In all the time I had existed, no human had resisted becoming mesmerised, yet my hypnotic powers did not affect Charlotte. Yet the most disturbing conundrum was that in our fifteen hundred years or so of existence, why had we never heard of blood mates? Why had Christian's foresight failed us?

The aircraft began to move, and I glanced back at the window to see rain begin to splatter against the glass. My work in Scotland was done, Nicholas was dead, and the search for him was called off. Unfortunately, I had been unable to find out who he worked with because no lone vampire would attempt such a foolhardy task in trying to kill one of the Elders. All throughout the ages we'd stood together no matter our differences. There were not many vampires aware that Christian had the gift of foresight. We had enough enemies without creating more. The gift could be erratic at times but unfortunately, it seemed futile when it came to our blood mates.

The few hours on my flight gave me some time to mull over how to tell my brothers and how I could begin my search for my blood mate. It was more out of curiosity than anything else. The way Samuel had described the power from their blood was the most intriguing aspect. It had shocked me that Samuel had outrun me in reaching Nicholas. If anyone should have blood mates, it was us—another advantage in our domination of humans and vampires.

∞∞∞

I flicked through the various catalogues, but the one piece of art I had my eye on stood out. It portrayed the Underworld with a dark figure in the background portraying Hades. I had no idea who the artist was as their signature was always signed as Anonymous, which was frustrating because I couldn't mesmerise them into creating more artwork for me. This would be my third purchase by the new and upcoming artist. I loved the darkness portrayed on each canvas.

The art gallery staff members were useless to me because even once they were under my command, no one could tell me anything about the artist. Our roots came from ancient Greece, and this was an artist who loved that era. I slapped the catalogue shut and pulled my phone out to purchase the painting in advance in order to collect the painting and be on my way home tomorrow. My hotel was booked for two nights in case of any unexpected delays.

I stood up to walk towards the window to see the Eiffel Tower, which since its construction, was lit up and shone against the backdrop of the dark night. The French had done a good job of constructing it within three years. Not an easy feat in the late 1800s. I glanced at the streets and decided it was the perfect time to pick up a snack. The nightlife was constant in cities, and there was a plentiful selection to choose from.

Since I was travelling alone, I decided not to frequent the vampire-owned nightclub. It was a convenient place to feed, but until we could figure out who was behind the latest assassination attempt, we wouldn't take any unnecessary risks. After existing for so long and sustaining myself with human blood, now I felt the need to take a bite from more humans who could be potential blood mates. I respected Samuel enough not to take Charlotte's blood, but the more I dwelled on the matter, the darker my thoughts became. In the meantime, I would make do with the inferior blood available.