Sixth Bloodline [BxB]

CHAPTER 20: HE'S MINE [IN ONE MONTH, I'LL BE TAKING YOUR HEAD]

IN THE end, after hearing Mikhael's story, they let him off the hook, but the hostility in their eyes still wasn't completely gone.

Even though they understood that what he did was a real thing, it doesn't change the fact that there were tens of millions innocent people caught up in that crossfire. Perhaps, if he didn't work alone but asked for help from someone else, maybe there would have be a different outcome to this case.

Not to mention that they also realized the similar thing like Ethan. Why is he still alive?

"And what about you?"

"Me?" Mikhael titled his head in confusion. What, are they finally asking to detain him?

That city was only a part of crimes the masked spell-caster did. The count of people who died by his hands went over million - forget about vampires, he even went after humans. Although the ones whom he killed were scums who've done countless atrocities during the Great War, it doesn't change a thing.

Those humans were the bastards either used their positions to play with both human and vampires they took a liking to or crazy bastards that wanted to find out vampires' weakness. But since it was harder to detain a vampire rather than kill one, they had to compromise and make ones themselves.

In that situation, who'd be a willing test subject?

Therefore they kidnapped humans then threw them in a room of blood-thirsty vampires and forced them to change before setting them up for various despicable experiments. And who was their biggest target?

Children.

And old people.

Humans who lost someone and wouldn't have anyone to notice their disappearances.

When human side put their own bounty on Mikhael's head, they didn't reveal everything - just classified him as a madman slaughtering people who had "nothing" to do with war, while vampires sought after him for death of their own kin, save it for the New York case.

So Mikhael - even though he was aware of implications revealing his identity would brink, still chose to say everything. For the sake of not having to kill innocent people again.

"If it really did happen as you said, how are you still alive? Moreover, why did you waste two hours before making your move?"

Marian couldn't understand. There were too many loopholes in his speech, this guy doesn't seem to be too stupid, so why did he let those parts out? Did he think they won't notice.

"I'm a spell-caster, I could pull out a black talisman to wipe out New York, and likewise I could ensure my own safety," some things are better left unsaid. If those people were to know the truth about his bloodline and current state, he might as well be dead. After all, he didn't trust any of them.

And if they kill him and the tracking charm that bastard Einz left on him activates and leads him to Mikhael, it might make that madman go and exterminate both vampire and human race in turn.

After all, Mikhael was just a student. His power was nothing like those three lunatics that only know to drink tea deep in the mountains - as expected, he did well to run away. Else he'd be used as an errand boy until death, being the weakest of four.

"Anyway, what now? Are you going to arrest me or what? I suggest we leave that for later, because as much as I'm certain of being able to escape from you guys, I don't want to destroy the barrier and let those infected outside." The trio from W.E.R.P. grabbed their weapons again while Ethan frowned in displeasure.

"We need to lock down Eden, no one must leave. Moreover, we don't know if humans can carry this virus - perhaps it doesn't affect them the same way as vampires, but we can't rule out that possibility. We're dealing with a madman here - or bunch of them. Who knows what they're capable of?"

He stood up before putting his hands in his pockets. How annoying, first he didn't get to sleep for entire week, now this - as expected, he shouldn't have helped that human girl. Of all mistakes he made in his entire life, that one definitely reaches the first place on his list.

"For now, there won't be much to find out, but let's see if someone recognizes the victim and check out the place where he was found. Perhaps we can find something from his home or that place? Also, check out his belongings, anything could be the source." He sighed before turning to Ethan.

"Also, we'd need to search the sewers under Eden... But perhaps we can leave that for later. If the perpetrators notice our move and realize that we know their plan, they might change the plan. So let's just wait for corpses to pile up and three weeks from now on, let's clean up the entire Eden. By then, everything should be ready and Yurim - once you find a way how was this thing distributed, we'll make out move. Is everyone fine with this plan?"

"..."

Ethan agreed, but why is Mikhael the boss here? When did he take over his position?

"How do you know that one of us here isn't responsible?" Krull asked at that moment as Malena looked like her head's about to burst.

"Simple, only we know about this - so if anything changes from New York, then I'll assume that one of you is a traitor. Needless to say, I'll slay that person myself," no one other than those people here knew about Mikhael's identity as that spell-caster, so the one responsible for this mess should go ahead like planned, not fearing that someone would disrupt his plans.

"Then, a month later, I'll be coming after your head," Marian finally agreed as Malena pouted.

"Why hunt the vampire brother? He didn't do anything wrong, it was war back then. Everyone's hands are dirty, shouldn't you arrest everyone then?"

"..."

Ah, having idiots under him is really a thought job, would anyone ever understand his pain?

At that moment, Ethan coughed.

"Aren't you forgetting something, faction leader?" He grabbed Mikhael's hand before putting him behind him, "This boy is mine and it's up to me what to do with him. Regarding his crimes, I'll be the one to decide his punishment."

"So you're saying you'll protect him regardless of everything?" He frowned, it didn't sit well with him to let Mikhael go. Good deeds are good deeds, but crimes are crimes, "Surely the respected Pureblood such as yourself wouldn't go as far as to hide a wanted criminal?"

To that, Ethan only smirked.

"Who other than us here would know about that?" His eyes gleamed with dangerous blood red colour as he released his killing intent, immediately making temperature around them drop by few degrees.

Everyone perspired as Marian and other two from W.E.R.P. took out their weapons, Yurim retreated.

"I know nothing. I'm with vampires!"

Only Mikhael felt nothing as he was behind Ethan. But he couldn't help but feel somewhat bitter at this protection. Never would he have dreamed that Ethan would stand up for him, but the other guy loves vampires more than humans, so this protection must be his natural disposition.

Still, he was a bit glad.

Yet because of that, he found his urge to escape waver a bit.

"I do not mind being the only one to know about it either, if you're unable to keep your mouth shut," Marian frowned, he could see that the later was serious about silencing them. But he couldn't understand why was he doing it for someone he didn't even know too well.

Although he wanted to detain that vampire for personal reasons, he couldn't do it when the other party was dead set on protecting him.

"... Fine." He let go of his weapon, "Do as you please. We'll pretend like we know nothing. The same goes for you two."

Malena and Krull could only do as said.

"Like I said, I was on your side from the very start! No need to kill me as well!" Yurim chose to protest at that moment as Ethan finally retracted his formidable aura.

"The barrier," he said and Mikhael snapped out of it, realizing that he was talking to him. Tearing apart the paper talisman, the barrier around them disappeared before Ethan dragged him outside.

"We'll be leaving ahead. Use your position as faction leader to seal the crime scenes and investigate victim's homes. Yurim, don't disappoint me either."

With those words, he continued to drag Mikhael away who couldn't muster strength to complain nor try to fight him off.

It was until the later brought him to his room and threw him on his bed that Mikhael began to feel some fear.

Shit, don't tell him that his ass will have the suffer again?!

"Why?"

However, contrary to his expectations, Ethan didn't pounce on him, but merely watched him from afar.

"Why didn't you... Tell me anything? Why did you keep me in the dark?" He asked with regret all over his face making Mikhael confused.

"Why should I have? I didn't know you back then? Moreover, I had no idea who was truly responsible for that mess, seeking help from a Pureblood on top of that would've been too much. I'm not someone who actively seeks death," what else could Mikhael say. He even suspected his own boss in that situation, so how could he have time to ask a Pureblood for help.

Not to mention, there in New York, the real reason why he was two hours later with making a move... If Ethan were ever to find out, even he wouldn't be able to stop himself from killing Mikhael.

Not even Mikhael can forgive himself.

"You, twenty years ago..." Ethan seemed somewhat conflicted, but Mikhael who was busy lamenting his past was unable to notice that change in his expression.

"A stupid brat like you wasn't supposed to stain his hands like that!" In the end he angrily came next to Mikhael before forcefully tilting his head.

"Next time, don't you dare let me out on something like this. If Eden ends up like New York, then I'll be the one to bury it myself!"

With that, he lowered his head down before sinking his teeth in Mikhael neck. The later only hissed in pain as he repeatedly cursed Ethan in his head.

This crazy poetic fucker!

How come he always speaks some nonsense before biting him, ah? Does it make him feel better? It's his kink, right? It's definitely a kink of his, isn't it?!

Ah, this is why he preferred human partners; at least, when they got mad at you, they didn't have a habit of angrily sinking their teeth in your neck! They just throw things at you, at most! But no! A mad vampire will just go: f**k you, I'll drink your blood now as revenge!

Is there any justice left in this world, dammit!?

After he drank enough, Ethan licked the wound closed, yet there was still the redness on his skin that wouldn't go away in a while.

Mikhael expected that the other guy would continue by striping him naked and then do what should be done, yet to his surprise, Ethan just pulled away, them proceeded to fix his clothes like nothing happened.

"Hungry?" He asked Mikhael who only dazedly shook his head.

That's it?

You dragged me to your bedroom, then threw me on the bed just to sip some blood?

Really?

"Good, we'll go to check out the place where the body was found later. Who knows, maybe we'll find something." Unlike Ethan, Mikhael didn't wear those complicated suits, so he managed to not get his shirt stained with blood, but...

Ethan couldn't help but show some contempt when he saw it.

That yellow shirt with annoying "I hate vampires" together with ugly devil head and crosses as it's eyes... He'll never get used to it no matter how many times he sees it.

"Don't you have other clothes?"

This is a look that asked for beating. If Ethan let him out alone like this, it's wonder how many vampires would jump on him to beat him to death.

"What's wrong with it?" Although Mikhael said that, he began take of his clothes and search from something better inside his void.

Looking at that back ridden with hickeys from the last night, Ethan's lips curled upwards with satisfied gleam in his eyes. Since Mikhael refused to use his abilities, his wounds usually healed a bit slower, therefore Ethan had the joy of admiring this seductive sight.

Although this young one complains all the time, he becomes the beast at night. During the past week, Ethan's back was scared with his nails until it drew blood while there wasn't a single time his neck avoided Mikhael's fangs. If he didn't know better, he'd say that Mikhael's the one who didn't want to let him go, not the other way around.

Fighting the urge to completely strip him naked and continue the last night's activities, Ethan turned around before his willpower got shaken.

By the time Mikhael finished picking clothes to wear, Ethan already messaged Varus to prepare a vehicle for ride to the city.

He personally didn't want to go with those W.E.R.P. guys, so he'll ditch them to go in separate car or something. In fact, it would be perfect of they already left on their own.

"There, how do I look?" He turned around to see Mikhael wearing a black shirt and thin coat. Pursing his lips, he threw him a comment before leaving ahead.

"Like a kid going through his emo phase. You only lack smokey eyes."

"..."

He had nothing better really!

Do you think the void is meant to be a personal wardrobe? That little clothing he has inside ended up there because he was in a hurry and couldn't leave them elsewhere in the past during some of his missions, so it couldn't be helped.

But there really seemed to be time when vampires wore such black clothes like kids in emo phase a century or so ago. It was easier to blend in with pale skin and love for colour black or something. Mikhael was typical: if you can't beat them, join them - kind of guy back then, and just that neon yellow shirt speaks a lot of his personal taste.

BY THE time they arrived to the scene where the body was found - an alley, the duo saw that it was already sealed off by the agents of W.E.R.P. Mikhael didn't know when did those guys go ahead of him and Ethan, so he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

"As expected of someone in power, when you have no one to go against you, everyone has to play by your tune," musing to himself, he obediently followed after Ethan.

In any case, having someone in power work with you is wonderful! Even if people want to complain to you touching everything and saying whatever you want, they can't do anything because of the other person.

So Mikhael waited until they arrived at the scene through the masses of W.E.R.P. agents before going to investigate on his own while Ethan stayed to speak with them about their findings.

W.E.R.P. agents are good and all, but their sense of smell and sight really couldn't be compared to that of a vampire. Switching to his red eyes, Mikhael carefully began to look around the marked ground - but as expected, there were no traces of violence nor struggling.

The victim died peacefully - else if he was in pain with his strength, he could've easily made a mess of this alley. There were no traces of blue blood on the ground, so there shouldn't be anything that could possibly spread from this place. He glanced around and found a canalization shaft not to far from the body.

Did it have something to do with the corpse? Was this guy really not aware of what was going on with his own body? Why would he be in such a place at the moment of his death?

Mikhael looked around and saw that this alley was at least hundred meters from a bigger street, get the corpse was found all the way here at the dead end.

Did this person perhaps come from the severs... Escaped? Was he trapped down there? Something this suspicious shouldn't be played with in the open, so unless they had a big building to play with the virus, they had to do it somewhere away from people's eyes.

So severs aren't an impossible option.

But... Did they do the same the previous time? Mikhael had no time to investigate back then, so... There are too many watchful eyes right now. Should he come back tonight to investigate down there?

But that Ethan...

Whatever, he'll take him along. It's something concerning his city, after all.

Still, it's a bit too surprising that this place is this clean. There's also the option that they left the body in hopes that others would find it.

Or the guy was meeting up with someone... The mastermind or his lackeys?

Sighing, Mikhael was about to give up when he caught something from the corner of his eyes.

"Hm? What's that?" Crouching down to his findings, he stated at some white dust on the ground with weird expression. The thing lying down there smelled oddly familiar, yet if he didn't get close enough, he would've missed it out.

"Cocaine?" It looked like it was stepped on which is why the wind didn't manage to scatter it away.

"Smuggling drugs, really?" Although poisons, medicines and drugs didn't have much effect on vampires like it did with humans, there were ways to play with those things if you knew how to utilize it. Also, there were ways to mix it with blood and some other ingredients to make wonders for vampires, so they are sought after by some.

Don't ask how Mikhael knew about it. He just did. He too, once went through rebellious phase too.

But still, something like that is forbidden in Eden, so if it was smuggled here, then it would explain why this guy came here.

In that case, they just need to find the people this guy met up with and they should have a better picture on the entire situation. It's most likely that the unknown party had something to do with Blue Death.

But...

If his theory about having to wait for entire day for the symptoms to act up was right, then it doesn't add up.

"How confusing," but for now, they still need to find out the other party's identity. As expected, he should return here tonight.

"Found something?" He was almost scared of his wits when Ethan suddenly appeared behind him.

"Perhaps, but..." It's not something to talk about while we're here, in case there are rats among the crowd.

"Let's go back then," Ethan was also aware that it won't be good to do anything during the day. Night is the time vampires hunted, after all.

Shaking his head at this guy who dragged him out only for few seconds, Mikhael finally gave up and followed him back to the car. How wasteful! All those minutes of unnecessary walk could've been traded for a good night's sleep.

"What are you so grumpy about?" Ethan asked once they were in the backseat of the car. Varus, who was downgraded to a chauffeur now only bitterly smiled before starting the car. He didn't even have time to smoke a cigarette before the two returned, ah!

"Nothing. Sleepy," Mikhael would kill to sleep now.

"Then," it was at that moment that Ethan did something completely unexpected, "...just lie down and sleep. We have some time before the night falls."

Pulling Mikhael so that his head now rested on his lap, Ethan only gazed through the window after uttering those words.

This time, he'll turn a blind eye to his little vampire.

'Just this time...'

Mikhael, who had no time to ponder on what brought this sudden change found his consciousness gently sway under Ethan's suggestive words.

But even though he finally got the sleep he strongly sought after, it was not destined to be a peaceful one.