002: THE ENEMY'S TERRITORY

“Welcome to my humble abode,”

Cassian looks around the house he has just walked into, it's old and wooden. From the outside it looks like a place one doesn't live in, but the inside is cozy. Probably to deceive vampires who venture near. After all, it's hidden on the outskirts of the vampire city, where safety for humans is only ever a painful illusion.

“You live alone?” Cassian does not move any further where he stands at the door, every instinct in his body already kicking in knowing he's now close to vampires; this is their territory. “How long have you been living here?”

The man faces him, he looks tired, and the wrinkles on his forehead makes him look older than his age. The man's eyes are cold as they pin with Cassian a stare and Cassian doesn't back down, his grip on his backpack tightening.

“If we’re going to work together,” the man says, voice calm but firm, “you’ll need to trust me, boy. I’m not a vampire. I’m a human, just like you. And we serve the same purpose. So spare me the suspicion. Now, you can either keep standing there like a lost mutt, or sit down and have some tea.”

Finally, Cassian moves from the door. The man offers him a seat at a small dining area, Cassian places his bag on the table and when the man tries to reach for it, he snatches it off and holds it to his chest, his blue eyes glaring daggers.

“You’ve got some serious trust issues, lad,” the man mutters, unbothered, as he pulls out a chair and sits across from him, then pours tea from a jug on the table into two unmatched cups and slides one towards Cassian who looks at it like it's poison.

“Not that I blame you. In this world, it’s the only thing that’s kept most of us alive. But you’d best learn the difference—this attitude works with vampires, not with your own kind.”

“I should introduce myself probably, my name is Graves and I am known as the guide. I was the first human sent into the vampire city twenty years ago and I've lived here ever since. After a few close calls, I figured going solo was suicide. Now, I train people like you. You’re the fifteenth person they’ve sent me in fifteen years,” he says. “And I’ll be honest—you’re the iciest one I’ve met yet.”

Graves takes a long sip of his tea before setting the cup down. He studies Cassian for a moment, then leans back in his chair. “So,” he begins, “what do you know about vampires?”

“They drink blood. They’re fast. Strong. Can’t be trusted.” Cassian murmurs.

Graves snorts. “A school child's answer. Accurate, sure, but painfully basic.”

He leans closer and continues, voice lower. “The chief's letter stated that you're smart, so I'm going to say this once. Listen closely boy, because if you want to survive out there, you need to stop thinking of vampires as monsters from bedtime stories. They’re hunters. Rulers. Politicians. Lovers. Liars. And they’re always watching.”

“I know what they are,” Cassian grits through his teeth, his blue eyes blazing. The image of those blood sucking demons are vivid in his head. He can't get the picture out even if he wanted to.

“I won't be the only one teaching you,”

As if on clue, a knock comes on the blood and instantly, Cassian's blood runs cold and he reaches for his knife at his side.

Graves snorts as he rises to his feet. “Relax, lad,”

Graves heads to the door and opens it, there's a man there, Cassian blue eyes meets a pair of shining amber eyes. The man's lips twitch into a smirk, displaying two pointy teeth.

Vampire.

Cassian realizes and like lightning, the vampire leaves from his position and before Cassian could blink, the vampire is in front of him, hovering over him with glowing eyes and fangs on display.

Cassian doesn't blink as he jumps out of his seat almost immediately and holds his knife out. “You’re a vampire,”

The vampire smirks. “No shit, Sherlock!”

“Don't scare the kid, Oscar,” Graves says as he returns to his seat, motioning for Cassian to lower his blade but Cassian doesn't budge, his gaze trailed hard on the vampire as if he's one step away from burying the dagger in his chest. “Relax, Cassian. He won't harm you. This one can be trusted.”

“Vampires can't be trusted!” Cassian grits through his teeth, his grip on the blade tightly.

Oscars doesn’t flinch or blink at the knife, the smirk on his lips grows wider instead. “He’s feisty. I like him, he smells weirdly good too,” he licks his lips.

“Back off,” Cassian warns, ready to strike.

Graves sighs heavily. “Put the damn knife down, Cassian. If he wanted you dead, you’d already be bleeding on the floor. He’s not just any vampire. He’s one of the few who work with us.”

“There’s no us when it comes to them,” Cassian snaps. “They're the enemy!”

Oscars tilts his head with a mocking smile. “Funny. That’s exactly what most vampires say about humans.”

“If you want to survive this city for a day, you need Oscars,” Graves clarifies.

Cassian narrows his eyes, still refusing to lower his blade. “Why? Why would a vampire help humans?”

Oscars chuckles. “Because, kid, I hate the ones who rule over us just as much as you do. Maybe more. You think humans have it bad? Try being on the bottom ring of the vampire food chain with a conscience and besides, Graves promised me blood, so I'm winning. I will do anything to have my hands on human blood, even betraying my kind, so I don't care what you humans are trying to do here as long as you fulfill your part of the deal and I will fulfill mine,”

Cassian’s eyes flicker with uncertainty. “You can betray your kind, then what's the guarantee that you won't betray us and suck us dry for our blood?”

“He's smarter than the others. Maybe this one will survive long,” Oscars points out.

“He won't,” Graves cut in. “Trust me, lad.”

A beat passes and slowly, Cassia lowers his blade but he doesn't sheath it.

Oscars grin. “That’s progress. I promise not to bite... unless you ask nicely.” he licks his fangs.

“Touch me and I’ll drive this blade through your throat,” Cassian says coldly.

Graves snorts. “Did you bring it?” He says to Oscar who nods and takes an anklet from his pocket, placing it on the table.

“What's that?” Cassian asks out loud.

“It's a charm, one in a million, it's hard to get and years to make. If you want to blend in with vampires, you need to have this with you at all times, it makes you smell like one of us.” Oscars response with a grin.

“And it actually works?”

Graves nods. “I’ve walked past ten hungry vamps wearing that thing, and none of them so much as sniffed in my direction. You’ll pass—unless you bleed. Then, well… no charm in the world can save you.”

“So, how will I get in?”

Graves grins. “The plan is simple. In order for you to have solid ground within the city, you need to be linked to a high profile vampire and what better vampire is there other than Alastor Lancaster.”

“Alastor Lancaster, who's that?” Cassian repeats the name.

“Alastor Lancaster is a PureBlood vampire. He's one of the few ancient and powerful vampires. In three days, a ball is going to be thrown for the most powerful mateless vampires in the city to finally pick their mates and your mission is getting picked by Alastor Lancaster or any other powerful vampire in the room and making them fall in love with you. Once you have the heart of a vampire, believe me, he would destroy the world for you,”

“Why love?” Cassian asks blankly.

“Because a vampire’s love is an obsession and eternal or in other words, a vampire falling in love is a fool, then you use it against him; that's how you control a monster who would burn the world to keep you.” Oscar smirks.

Cassian nods. “How do I get in?”

Graves pushes up a questioning brow. “You know, others will consider the risk before asking how they'll get in. Vampires hearts are cold and making one fall in love with you is almost an impossible task,”

Cassian is not going there to make anyone fall in love with him, he's going there to destroy them. “I don’t care about risk. I just need to get in.”

“Very well.” Graves’s lips twitch into a smile. “Oscar will be incharge of that. He will get an invitation to the ball and forge you a fake identity and background. For the meantime, you will be given books and you will learn everything there is to learn about vampires, are you ready?”

Cassian nods, he has been ready since the very moment his family was snatched from him.