Ascendant Path of a Lustful Vampire

Chapter 416 416: I will be your killer, tonight

It wasn't a battle. With Caius holding the enemy down with his authority, the Leopolds only had to go in and slaughter the opposition with ridiculous ease before standing in front of Caius and looking like they were expecting to be praised.

"Get out of here," Caius said then, back to human form.

"My Lord, what about you?" One of the trio of Leopold Vampires asked.

"I have someone coming for me," Caius said, "And it would be wise for you not to wait for her to get here."

The trio cast their eyes backward and Caius could see them shiver ever so slightly. The aura Alexia had let out was still affecting them, even though they were no longer close to it.

"Right," they chorused.

"Your investigation ends for the night. If there are other groups sent out, try to get the word to them to stop and withdraw for now," Caius said.

"As you wish, My Lord."

The trio was about to leave when Caius called out to them.

"One more thing before you go," Caius said, "Hit me."

•••

Alexia was pissed. The eyes of the City Guards who were too injured to get away were wide in horror at how she practically ripped apart the two other vampires she was battling.

Now, she turned around and went after Caius and his captives. Her Von Helsing Art senses were best used against monsters but they tracked humanoid auras well enough.

As she ran, Alexia frowned as Caius's scent seemed to get lost in the concentrated air of the shifted vampire she had caught wind of earlier, but before she could get lost in that puzzle, she saw bodies, and one was still moving.

"Caius!" She called.

She was by his side in a second, dropping her sword to the ground to help him sit upright. His face was bruised. There were patches on the part of his chest that was exposed like he had been hit multiple times. And the way he winced, Alexia was sure he was sporting a few broken ribs.

"I'm alright," Caius told her.

Inwardly, he smiled wryly.

'They went a bit overboard,' he thought with a mental chuckle.

When he told the trio to hit him, they protested. But the moment he made it an order, they seemed all too happy to do it. Like they now had the perfect excuse.

Then again, while he had absolute authority over them, the way in which he gained that authority was probably still being talked about in less than favorable tones.

"Where are they?" Alexia asked in a seething voice.

The number of Vampire corpses around was less than those who had gone away with Caius and she turned her face around, spreading her senses to catch a whiff of them and go hunting.

Her beautiful face was colored with anger and Caius could only imagine what would be the fate of his vampires if they got caught. They had a bit of a head start. Especially with his injured self keeping Alexia here but she could catch up with them still.

"They got away," Caius said and then added in a self-deprecating tone, "I'm sorry. I couldn't hold them."

He used that tone in hopes of pulling Alexia's attention back to him. It worked because she held him a bit tighter and consoled him.

"No, you did great," she said and then went silent for a second before letting out a breath,

"You should return to the Estate."

"No, no," Caius protested, pulling out of her hold to stand to his feet, "We're not done. I'm not going back yet."

Alexia gave him a hard look and then a bit of a smile appeared on her lips as she stood up as well, picking her sword off the ground.

"Alright," she said and supported him as they returned to where the carriage was 'parked',

"But short of trying to catch them in the act as we just did, I'm not sure what more we can do. Or learn."

Alexia sounded annoyed about that fact.

Really, she had been annoyed for a good while.

Even after she tortured that one Vampire a while earlier, she hadn't learned much of substance. Whoever was running this was quite ready to lose the Vampires they sent out and was keeping a lot from them.

The vampires had hideouts but according to the tortured victim, it was simply where they were dragged to after getting turned before then being sent out with strict instructions they couldn't even think to disobey. Not that they ever would.

After all, they were supplied with ample meals. Enough to sate their thirst so they didn't kill the targets that were specifically meant for luring City Guards.

Speaking of which, the City Guards that had been taken were most definitely turned. A lot of them were already undergoing their induction which was to be fed as much as they wished before being given their orders.

According to the Tortured Vampire, a lot of the guards were resisting because they hated what they had become. Still, they had been instructed against harming themselves and were also being indoctrinated. I.e they were being told, no matter how much they resisted, the world would only ever really see them for what they were; monsters.

But why City Guards? Alexia had asked her torture victim.

It was mostly a courtesy question because the answer to that was obvious and the tortured vampire confirmed it;

The City Guards are among the best-trained militant forces in the Capital because Capital City is immensely important. The entire Capital is like a nation, in size and region distribution, and Capital City being the biggest region in that much space, is like its own State.

The Imperial Palace was far from where Caius and Alexia had roamed today and showed the sheer scope of territory that the City Guards had to encompass and yet, that hadn't made them careless in selection.

Only the best could become a City Guard. They were really outclassed in skill by Imperial Guards who served directly at the Imperial Palace.

In other words, the City Guards were already strong. The minimum Circle to join was the Fifth which could take decades to achieve. Low-ranking City Guards are very commonly at the Sixth Circle which means, that with just a few kidnappings, the Vampire coven could have new Sixth Circle militants to do their bidding.

They were amassing in size.

But for what?

Alexia had learned a lot from her torture victim, yes, but not enough. At least not as far as she was concerned.

Not even the hideout location delighted her to know because to go after it now would be to ignore the vampiric actions likely still happening all over the City. And it might even be empty because the tortured vampire hadn't been quite clear just how many of them used that particular hideout.

Caius had information the tortured victim hadn't revealed mostly because Alexia hadn't known to ask it. Because no one knows about Noble vampires except the Nobles and the Vampires close to them.

Only when they felt Caius's authority did the Vampires ever divulge the information and it seemed forced out of them.

But Caius wasn't planning to tell Alexia about Vampiric Nobility. At least not yet. Sure he had told his father about it weeks ago but he didn't know Alexia that well and revealing that, when it had so much to do with him, seemed unwise.

Back to where the carriage was, the City Guards were nursing their injuries and seemed to be regaining the strength to walk.

"Get yourselves to safety," Alexia told them after she left Caius leaning against the carriage for support.

"Thank you so much," the Guards said with bows and went on their way before stopping in place.

Alexia was about to ask what was wrong when red lines appeared on their necks and their heads slid off their shoulders, hitting the ground with thuds before their bodies followed.

A foot away from the decapitated bodies stood a man—no, but a man, a Vampire—with a hulking figure and dressed in fine noble wear. His hair was slicked back and the smirk on his face was deadly. His fangs glinted as he turned his red eyes on Alexia who frowned.

"A Hunter," he said in a slavering voice like he was gripped with delight, "Oh, to meet a Hunter on this fine night."

Alexia gripped her sword tighter as her eyes twitched. But her tone was level as she gestured at the dead City Guards and said,

"I'd think you'd cart them away. That is what you lot are after, is it not? Strong militants to fill your ranks?"

"You and I have differing opinions on 'strong' it seems," the Vampire said and then made a gesture as though he had forgotten something,

"Ah, silly me. I'm not observing proper etiquette. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Brogan Kraxia. And I will be your killer, tonight."

An aura exploded from Brogan's form, increasing the concentration of his Shifted Aura so much that Alexia flinched as it slammed purposely toward her.

But Caius understood that aura as more than just an increased concentration;

Brogan Kraxia was a Vampire Noble.