The Extra Wants Control

Kai and Fred worked alongside other survivors and some volunteers with a bunch of their subordinates, clearing debris and offering whatever aid they could in the aftermath of the recent battles. Fortunately as vampires, their wounds healed gradually so no medical aid was needed.

"Rumble ... Rumble .... Rumble."

Red lightning moved through the clouds in the sky, and struck, and Neveahy landed with a heavy thud in the center of the destroyed district.

Confusion clouded Kai and Fred's faces. Neveah, the very cause of their recent predicament, stood before them... maybe he wasn't the cause but he was at the center of this mess.

"We need to talk," Neveah finally spoke, his voice low.

Kai hesitated, his gaze flitting between Neveah and the injured citizens around them. He was still busy helping...

Neveah, as if sensing his hesitation, let out a frustrated sigh. Then raised his hands to shoulder level and the debris around them shook.

Shattered stones, splintered wood, and even the scattered bodies of the fallen rose into the air.

Neveah waved his hands around and,sorted the debris with precision – separating rocks, wood, metal and corpses, they now floated mid air sorted.

"Where do you want these?" he asked.

Fred gasped as his eyes opened wide open.

Kai was also stunned he swallowed hard and forced himself to speak. "Please, get rid of the debris. As for the corpses… just lay them down in that area." he said firmly as he gestured to a vacant space within the ruined district.

Neveah nodded and deposited the sorted debris outside the city limits and arranged the bodies.

He then turned back to the brothers, but focussing on Kai, who immediately ordered, " you there! Make sure to identify the bodies." He said to a person in the background.

"Now,"Neveah said, "we talk."

"Let's talk… inside." Kai gestured to a building that was decent enough and they walked in.

Kai looked at Neveah who sat before him in silence "Thank you," he said.

"It would have taken us… well, forever to clean this up. Rebuilding will still take weeks, maybe even months... But thanks for the help."

Neveah offered a simple nod. "No problem." For Kai it was weird talking to a man wearing a mask, ge couldn't read his face so he didn't know what he was thinking and didn't like that.

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"So," he began after an awkward silence.

"Mhmhm..." clearing his throat. "You said you wanted to talk, right? What did you want to know?"

"How much can you tell me?" Neveah asked.

"Unfortunately not a lot," Kai admitted shaking his head, "but I'll try to answer what I can."

Neveah was quiet for a while then leaned forward on the table...

"You are a 'good' person, correct?" He emphasized the word 'good'.

Kai paused and thought for a while then, " I'd like to think so," he said with a shrug.

"Interesting, I know some things about you and the person you follow…" Neveah said

"What are you…" he began genuinely confused but before he could finish...

"Kai!" A sharp voice cut him off.

A figure materialized beside him, a man cloaked in a simple black suit, a heavy coat. He wore a pair of spectacles, black hair and was tall.

" I'll handle it from here," the man declared, his voice firm and laced with authority. He pulled a chair back from the table, removed his coat, and hung it over the chair before taking a seat.

His gaze, cold and analytical, fell upon Neveah.

"Hello I'm Theodore Roose..."

The man named Cruise said as he stretched hand out going to greet Neveah, stood awkwardly for a moment as Neveah offered no reciprocation.

Finally, Cruise withdrew his hand with a cough and twitching lips.

"You are the person going to become the new count," Neveah stated from behind his mask, "You are also his superior, correct?"

Theodore, A small smile formed on his lips. "Thank you for the kind words," he said, his voice cold, "but I'm not his employer nor is he working for me. We are... partners." The man said crossing his legs as he looked at Kai.

"Partners?" Neveah repeated genuinely amused but didn't show it.

Kai, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, felt pride of being acknowledged and a small smile formed on his face.

Neveah seemingly unimpressed just said. "Okay... so...nWhat are you people about?"

Theodore's 'warm' smile vanished, replaced by a cold frown. "You people?" He repeated, his voice hardening.

"What people? You talk as if we are different. We may be low-born, but we are still vampires. We won't live shackled like this any longer under nobles like you."

"Can you stop with the bullshit?" Neveah said shaking his head. "I'm not in the mood for this."

Theodore's eyes glowed bright crimson, the anger in him barely contained.

He pushed his spectacles back then revealed it, nine glowing stars.

Kai gasped. He had witnessed Theodore's abilities before, but never with such raw intensity.

"This is not bullshit," Theodore roared, his voice vibrating with fury. "I will defend my people from the likes of you!"

Chaos erupted.

Kai moved towards Theodore, slight panic in his voice. "Whoa! Whoa! Theo, calm down!"

He tried to diffuse the situation, his gaze flickering to Neveah who had shut his eyes , his face completely invisible so his mood and state of mind were completely unknown and that wasn't good.

Theodore, his voice calmer now but still cold, addressed the masked figure.

"I'm grateful you helped the people and you didn't kill Kai after he attacked you. You even saved his brother. Your fight with Kai was enlightening for you, correct? You gained lightning... So we are even. Now leave, or else."

Neveah with an amused smile playing on his lips beneath the mask, began a slow, deliberate clap

" Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

Clap.!"

As his hands met for the last time, his grey eyes snapped open, glowing with great intensity .

Theodore was taken aback... Just slightly.

"You think this is a negotiation?" Neveah's voice was a low but aggressive, each word dripping with power.

"You trying to get the upper hand with your display? We are not even. Only I decide that."

A tense standoff ensued. read first at m,v,l,e,m p _y,r

Theodore, his body crackling with barely contained energy, looked at him. "Boy," he started, his voice firm low and cold, "I can kill you with a snap of my finger." The brilliant stars shone even more brightly their light reflecting dazzlingly off his spectacles.

Despite the bright almost blinding flaunt of power and the threat hanging heavy in the air, Neveah stood unfazed. His grey eyes remained fixed on Theodore.

Kai, sensing an impending explosion and the heavy tension, rushed to intervene. "Boss!" he called out, his voice laced with panic. "Let it go!"

Theodore, took a deep breath his chest heaving a couple of times. He seemed to have been wrestling with something deep within him.

Slowly, with a deep breath, he retracted his aura. The glowing stars blipped out of existence, the tension easing from the room.

"It's because they said we couldn't," Theodore finally began, his voice hoarse and full of emotion . "They treat us like garbage… They defile our children. Take our wives and then kill us. We aren't safe…"

"And the worst part is no one cares about us. When our daughters go missing and we ask around, people ignore us… Even our own kind turn a blind eye. It's that bad..."

He paused. "You asked why I want to be a Count, correct?"

"I'm listening," Neveah replied.

Theodore gestured around. "I want to protect our community. Make sure our children grow up safe, with both parents by their side. I don't want them to live in constant fear, wondering when their turn will come."

A flicker of cynicism crossed Neveah's face. "So you want to be a hero?" he drawled, the word dripping with sarcasm.

Theodore shook his head, his voice firm. "No. I want to help."

"Help? If the commoners are so oppressed, why do you have deserters from your group? Shouldn't you be united?" Neveah pressed, his voice low and menacing.

"Our methods are different," Theodore replied, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth.

"Methods," Neveah repeated.

"By methods, you mean the fact that you work with those very nobles you claim to despise. Or... the fact that you are one of them." Neveah said with a smile but it couldn't be seen cause he was wearing mask.

Theodore's eyes widened.

And Kai... well his gaze was flitting between them, felt a wave of confusion wash over him.

Neveah's dropped a bomb.

Before Kai could react, Theodore shot towards Neveah. He reached for Neveah's throat.

But... it was like striking at air. Neveah's body seemingly teleported, he sat at the chair which Theodore was sitting on before.

Theodore's hand grasped at nothing

" You know... If you are going become a count. You should be truthful to your people and not be that weak..." Said Neveah.