Veins of Desire

CHAPTER 11

Living as a Rebel Vampire, driven by a burning desire for equality, was a constant struggle. Martin and others like him were often scorned by their fellow vampires, labeled as foolish for daring to dream of a governing system that treated all vampires with fairness, regardless of their wealth or status.

Martin, well aware of the risks he faced as a Rebel, moved with precision and caution in his actions. When Xavier assigned him to work alongside Wendy in the hospital, he felt a surge of excitement. Martin had long prepared himself for the worst-case scenarios, having spent most of his time working alone in the shadows, operating in secrecy. He was naturally reserved and excelled at blending into the background, an expert at undercover work.

Wendy, on the other hand, had always possessed a fierce spirit, forged by the harsh realities of a cruel and unforgiving world. She had learned to fight, to be fearless, and to embrace an indomitable spirit. Her goal was to showcase her strength to everyone, ensuring no one would dare to harm her again. With unwavering determination, she refused to let anyone or anything deter her from her plans or her pursuit of avenging her family with Xavier's assistance.

While Wendy and Martin were in front of the bedroom door, Haliya didn’t know what to do inside. She had been walking back and forth, waiting for the movement outside, trying to figure out what was happening. She heard the loud footsteps, and as loud as it was, her heartbeat.

The door cracked open widely as someone punched it, and ten men walked inside with smirks on their faces. The ten men wore casual clothes as if they were just normal humans once you look at them for the first time. But later on, they showed their fangs and red eyes; all you could want to do was run and hide from them. However, Martin and Wendy were immovable.

“Oh! Come on! You could have entered properly; what’s the need to become so flashy and enter the door that way?” Wendy asked, looking straight into the eyes of the men before her.

Martin shook his head, wondering how Wendy could have the strength to be sarcastic when they were cornered, but then again, he remembered that she was Wendy, and it was only natural for her to be like that.

The men returned the smirk to Wendy. “We are sent by our government system. You two are under arrest for treason and rebellion. Come quietly with us, or else we will have to drag you out of this cave.”

“Drag us?” Martin scoffed. “As if you could.” That was his last word before the light suddenly shut off.

In the depths of the underground base, a dozen pairs of fiery red eyes pierced the darkness, their owners agile and swift in their movements, producing the distinctive swooshing sound that echoed through the chamber. Among them, Martin wasted no time, springing into action, striking the first two men with lethal precision. His razor-sharp claws found their mark on their heads, and he expertly targeted their eyes, exploiting his superior vision even in the darkest shadows. His eyes were his unique gift, a hereditary trait that ran through his family, granting him unparalleled sight. He could perceive with absolute clarity, even spotting a needle from a hundred feet away.

While Martin took on some of the assailants, Wendy refused to stand idly by, her own claws and fangs emerging to join the fray. She leaped over one of the men, sinking her fangs deep into his neck, injecting him with her deadly venom, which would swiftly bring his demise. Killing was not her intention, and it had never been her desire to take another's life. But in this brutal existence, it was either kill or be killed, a grim reality she had come to accept after the loss of her family. Every moment since that tragedy, she had chosen to fight for life and survival.

As Wendy and Martin swiftly dispatched the remaining men, their focus was abruptly diverted by the entrance of another intruder who forcefully burst into the room. He flung open the bedroom door with great force, causing Haliya, who had been standing just behind it, to be thrown to the side along with the door itself.

The instant their eyes landed on the new threat, Wendy and Martin wasted no time. With lethal efficiency, they concluded their current adversaries by severing their heads, ensuring they posed no further danger. Without hesitation, they rushed to Haliya's side, positioning themselves protectively around her, ready to shield her from any harm that may come her way.

“Get away from her!” Wendy hissed. Her fangs became even longer, signaling that she was in a defensive mode, and her level of anger increased.

The new man smirked. “So it’s not just the two of you. There is a human here. Are you protecting her or saving her as your next meal?”

Wendy did not waste any time; she looked at Martin and nodded at him, signaling to him that she would take care of the eight people back in the living room. “They are nothing compared to that one, be careful.”

“You’re worried about me; I am flattered,” Martin chuckled. Wendy rolled her eyes at him and ran towards two men, hitting them straight in the head with both fists.

“Dream on. I just don’t want you to die yet because Xavier needs you.”

Haliya lost consciousness for a while. She hit her head on the wall, and the door was right on top of her stomach. Her vision was hazy, and she could only hear a screeching sound as if there was a static television somewhere.

The tension between the man and Martin grew. They were staring at each other, both waiting for one another’s movements. Martin knew that he might be the chief, the one that led the group to arrest them. And the chief, of course, was stronger than the people below him. He didn’t want to underestimate him, so he had his whole focus on him while minding Haliya’s safety. He couldn’t let any Elite Vampire know about Haliya. He was even relieved that even though she was hurt, she didn’t bleed, or else her enticing scent would have made the Elites crazy. For now, he wished that Haliya would just lie down and be quiet.

“You don’t want to surrender, I understand.”

The man showed his fangs and moved towards Martin. He was about to give him a front kick, aiming towards his head, but Martin’s hands stopped him and held his feet. He struck his tibia using his elbow, making the man groan in pain. He didn’t stop there; he moved below him and twisted his kneecap. “Ah! Asshole!”

Wendy smiled upon hearing the agony of the man taken down by Martin. She had killed a total of four men already. Although she was tired, and her breathing was ragged, she tried as hard as she could to fight without rest. She was wise, using not only herself for attack and defense but also maximizing everything around her to use as a weapon. Although there were arsenals available, hidden somewhere in their base, she opted not to use them not to get any attention anywhere. Who knew someone was walking above them right now and found them.

Out of breath, Wendy paused for a while. She was holding a lamp, ready to hit anyone who would come first to her. The remaining four men encircled her, waiting for the best time to attack her. They cornered her, and even if she wanted to shout and ask Martin for help, she wouldn’t do that. She wanted to prove herself strong, which was what she would do!

‘I can do this,’ she reminded herself. But soon as she finished convincing herself, one of the men caught her around the neck and pointed a sharp dagger straight at her throat.

“Don’t move! I will behead you!”