Chapter 4

I toss and turn on the exurbanite sofa, regardless of how plush or comfy it felt, I couldn’t stop the unease flowing through my veins. The smell of wood, the faint natural glow of the tree sap swirling on the roof like a fun stock in night sky star stickers. The quiet hum of the city, not a single siren or car horn, just the rustling of the giant leaves overhanging and the sway of this tree moving in the wind.

To think this building, no, this tree. Carved out to home hundreds of people inside, and is still breathing. A modern apartment mixed with the natural breath of the wood inside. Arched doors carved, the tables and kitchen benches all carved around to make natural shelves, ledges. Purposeful, sturdy. The true power of nature.

I look at the digital clock overhanging the TV. Six am. I have been lying here for two hours questioning everything. This world, Mother Nature, the vitae trees. The existence of multiple worlds. How does this all fit? It's so chaotic and hard to follow. How are so many vampires comfortable with the idea? Let alone travelling from world to another world as if it's normal. Are the werewolves the same? What about Magiqs? They would know more? It's just a normal way of life for them.

Then there's me. A small speck in this ever-growing universe, but an unnatural one. The half breed to never exist. I wonder if the answer to my existence out there? Will I find it if I was to go and travel this multiverse?

I’m pulled out of my thoughts as I hear the door slide open and slam with a close, and cause me to jump up from the plush couch. Heart skipping a beat and refusing to settle. I lay my eyes on Shade. In his Pj shorts and white shirt, hair styled the bed and groggy eyes looking at me with a scowl.

“Ever heard of gently closing the door.”

“Ever heard of ear plugs?” he skulks over to the self contained kitchen, where the wood of the tree has been carved to make room for benches, shelves and cupboards. He turns on the coffee machine, and waits while scrolling on his phone.

“For fuck’s sake, Shade, are you trying to wake the whole complex?” Adrian scuttles out of his room, still in his boxers, but his shirt is nowhere to be found. I didn’t realise it before, but both of Adrian’s arms sleeved with tattoos. I never noticed them with the jacket he was wearing yesterday.

“Good morning to you too, Princess, would you like some coffee?” Adrian responds with a snarl and plonks himself on the leather armchair, relaxing into the cushion. “Is he always like this?” I grumble, laying back on the couch and grabbing a pillow to put over my face.

“Are you always such a bitch?” Shade asks in return. I hear him begin the grinder, and I swear he moved the machine closer to me.

“Ladies and gentlemen, can I, introduce you to the world's largest prick.” I throw the pillow at him and snarl at him.

“Oh, go and drop dead!”

“At least I will be gorgeous when I do! Unlike your ugly Jack the Ripper lookin’ ass!”

“You are one step closer to me killing you.”

“Enough, both of you.” Adrian intercepts. We both still, looking at the blonde. “I swear to god you two, if you keep going I am going to throw you both on different planets.” Shades' shoulders fall and return his attention to the milk.

“killjoy.”

The place falls to silence except the loud screeching of the machine and the heavenly smell of brewed coffee. I look up and see four mugs on the counter. One of a vampire dramatically getting killed with a stake, another is a mug I recognise back home, words sprawled from one side to the other ‘Go the Blues!’ The third is a game controller, with the slogan nerd life, and the third is a plain black mug.

“Is Bastion up?” Adrian asks, head hanging over the back of the chair, eyes still closed.

“Probably you know he sleeps in more.” Shade shrugs and beings pouring milk into each cup.

Before Adrian can speak, we hear the sound of keys jingling and the front door opening. Bastion enters the apartment with two paper bags of fresh produce and groceries. Shade raises his brow, tilting his head and fringe covering his left eye.

“You feeding a human?” Bastion raises his brow and tilts his head to me.

“She needs normal food, remember?” I felt the air leave my lungs and heart skip a quick beat. All eyes were on me as silence fills the room once again.

“For me?” my words came out softer than I intended. Bastion nods and moves to the counter. I watch him pull out enoki mushrooms, pack choy, instant noodles, frozen meats. Shade eyes the food and glares at me before going back to the coffee. “Thank you?” my voice raises in pitch. The vampire just shrugged with a warm, boyish smile.

“Don't know how long you will be staying here. Thought you might need this till we get you home.”

“Oh hey, eggs.” Bastion slaps Adrain hand away from the eggs.

“Not for you. You're not gonna waste them like last time.”

“But the foxes aren't gonna feed themselves.” Bastion raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

“uh huh.”

“Coffees up. Come get it, you delinquents.” Shade grabs the footy mug. Bastion the gaming mug, and Adrian grabs the vampire being staked mug. i hesitantly get up from the couch and reach for the plain black mug.

“Thanks.”

“Don't think I'll make one for you every morning. got it.” Shade glares at me while taking a sip.

“Calm down bluey, I’m not going to be asking every day.” I shoot a glare back at him. Shade stops for a second and looks to his mug. I can see the two brain cells in his head make a connection.

“Maroon,” venom spits from his lips.

“Born and raised. Though I don't really give a shit it’s just fun to watch our states bitch at each other every year.” I give a menacing grin, his jaw clenches, and visibly swallows, his hand clenches and unclenches. “And that we win every time.”

I see the rage bubbling beneath them but Shade tears his eyes from my gaze, and forces himself to walk away and tsk at me.

“Whatever. It’s not like I care what some halfbreed thinks.”

“Shade.” Adrian lets out an exasperated sigh from the other room.

“What?”

“Can you not be yourself for five minutes?” Bastion chips in with a smile and patting Shades shoulder and skulls his coffee before heading back into his room. Adrian does the same and puts his mug to the counter.

“Already?” Shade cries out, getting up from the chair he just sat in.

“We gotta hurry if we wanna make it to the forest today. Sighting of flyers that way.” I hear Adrians voice from his room.

“Flyers?”

“Mutated feral vamps. Think flying squirrels without the fur.” Shade rolls his eyes and skulls his coffee. A shiver ran down my spine as I picture hairless flying squirrels.

I think back to the conversation we had yesterday. how the war twisted and warped magic in this world, how the ferals mutated with it and become beasts who are ten times more monstrous. i nod my head in answer. unlike the others, I couldn't skull my coffee and rush to get ready. the churning anxiety in my stomach prevented me from doing such a thing and I worried I would just throw it up and wasted Shades efforts. not that I should feel back for the prick.

“You coming?” Adrian steps out of his room, black skinny jeans, white graffitied shirt, hair styled and brushed as if he is going out to the town. I put the sipped coffee down and swallow the non-existent spit in my dry mouth and follow behind him. watching as he grabs his katana. Both Bastion and Shade, ready they are on a shopping trip for the city and we line up before the door.

“Stick close to us, yeah?” Bastion smiles at me and we all head out the door. I felt odd hearing those words, seeing his smile, so warm and friendly. I couldn’t help but feel there is more to this than it looks. He can’t be doing this because he wants to? I’m just some freak, something to keep a close eye on.

The city is quiet at this time of morning. The usual early morning deliveries for the grocers, restaurants are alive. people rushing to work, catching large boats travelling along the river. The tree's large branches are forced to bend and move to let the natural sunlight in as mechanical arms hold them in place. The suns filters through, other parts have large patches of light for the natural growth of flowers and parklands. A jungle, not one of a concrete but literal plants. a dystopian dream if it weren't for the horrors outside the city’s natural walls.

“I’m surprised that a city like this exists. If these mutants are so bad why isn’t the place overrun with them?” I ask dodging and weaving through the people. I get odd stares every now and then from the young high school students. I stop, feeling like I was back at high school once more. The endless gossip behind my back, the whispers of the freak, the unusual one. The weirdo.

The trio kept moving forward, not noticing me still from the unprocessed trauma. I take a deep breath and swallow the emotions down and catch up.

“Theres a potent fungus emits a foul smell that deters natural predators. Even we struggle to get near it.” Adrian scrunches his nose.

“Huh, I didn’t smell it when we came in.” I take a deep breath trying to smell the foul odour but I am met with the pleasant smell of street food cooking for the morning hour rush.

“Well aren’t you lucky,” Shade sneers. “Maybe because it doesn’t work on freaky halfbreeds.”

“Do you wanna fucking go.” I snarl, feeling my fingers ache, the familiar sharpness growing from the nailbed.

“Cut it out,” Adrian slaps Shade on the back of the head. Shade bared his fangs at the eldest but is quickly met with the butt of Adrians blade. “Not in public.” Adrians eyes follow a group of soldiers patrolling along the edges of the street. “Don’t want to get thrown do you?”

“Well if you stop hitting me.”

“If you stopped antagonising the girl.”

“I don’t need you backing me up.” Both pair of eyes look to me. I mask the hurt in my chest and swallow the lump away. “I’m fine, lets just get moving.”

Both males pull away from each other and continue the walk, passing the crowds and busy city centre and head for the Torii gate leading us back to the wilderness.

“So do they look flying squirrels or is that just to fuck with me?” I ask the trio. They are a few metres ahead along the grassy field. Unlike the one we weaved through yesterday this grass is normal. Shade gives a side glance over his shoulder, rolling his eyes and trudging ahead. I give the vampire the finger as he gets smaller in the distance.

“Nastier than the wolf we dealt with yesterday,” Adrian answers, slowing his pace to match mine.

“Think grey rubbery skin, a split maw, talons to climb the trees and skin flaps that allow them to glide.” Bastion gives a smile. I felt my skin crawl.

“And you fight these things because?”

“To get stronger. Just because we’re immortal and have impressive strength already doesn’t mean we can add to it. The more we fight, the better our skills, the strongest foes we overcome, the more resolute our strength becomes.” Adrain flexes his muscles with a wide grin. Shade stops at the top of the hill; I can see him roll his eyes.

“How strong is a vampire without training?”

“Kinda hard to say.” Adrian rubs the back of his neck, looking up at the bright blue sky. “A newly turn can easily overpower a human who's been jacked on steroids and hitting the gym.” He laughs as my expression changes to horror.

“Right, and after all the training you three have been doing?” my question remains unanswered as we all stop in our tracks as large fallen tree blocks our path. It’s leaves still green and intact, and its as if someone had snapped the trunk in two. Shades shoulders slump head towards the sky and lets out a loud groan.

“Time to start climbing.” He sighs but Bastion places his hand on his shoulder and steps forward giving Shade half a smile. He straightens himself, taking a deep breath, he clenches his fist and swings at the timber. A loud crack like lightning echoes the empty space, at first it seem like nothing happened but then the wood begins to splinter, cracks begin to take shape and then break apart. Pieces of timber and chunks of wood fly apart and a large hole opens up, allowing us to continue our journey.

“A newly turned couldn’t do that.” Adrian smiles at his brother and continues walking the trial.

“Can you all do that?” I ask picking my jaw up from the ground.

“Bastion is better at it, we can only get cracks through the timber.” Adrain smiles. Shade moves ahead, still distant from the rest of us as we continue through the forest. This is one is different compared to the one near the city, its more normal, less mutated by magic.

“Oi Adrian, we got a problem!” Shades voice echoes within the forest. I could barely see him considering how far away he was in the distance. He looked like a small ant and then in seconds he was in front of us. I jump away not expecting him to be here in seconds and he lets out a haughty laugh.

“Fuck! You trying to give me a heart attack!”

“One can dream!” Shade sneers and zips back where he was originally standing. I lift my fingers and pretend I could squish him like the pathetic mosquito he is.

“Shade is faster than the both of us.” Bastion shrugs, seeming rather unimpressed by the middle eldest.

We reach a riverbank, noticing the current gushing through. It would be dangerous to cross if we attempted to swim. I look over to other side, judging the distance.

“We could jump over it.”

“Nah, too much energy wasted.” Adrian walks over to the large base of the tree, his katana in hand. He crouches forward as his hand holds the hilt of the katana and takes a deep breath. A rush of air pushes into me, I hold firm in the dirt and watch the vampire use all his strength. With a flurry of his blade, the tree is cut from the base. Shade and Bastion gracefully side step out of the way, loud snapping cracks from the base and watch the tree fall over and hit the base of the river. The earth shook under my feet, rattling through my chest and bones. “Look a bridge, better than jumping.” He nudges me with his elbow and smiles.

My mouth opens again as I watch the three of them continue their march. All treating this as normal and that there is nothing to think twice on.

“How?” I whisper myself. Wondering if its possible to be that strong. Able to defend myself from the brutish vampires I face every day, could I actually put them in their place? For once I would be predator and not the hapless prey. I could actually be stronger than those pathetic vampires back home. Power over those dick heads would be really nice.

“So, do you train get stronger so you can be more powerful?” I enquire, clasping my hands behind my back.

“We don’t get stronger because we want power, we get stronger because we want to protect him, and our family as well.” Adrian replies and yanks me away from the rock I didn’t see.

“Thanks.” Adrian nods.

“I thought vampires were cut throat and power hungry? Ya know survival of the fittest?”

“A few eons ago, it was like that. According to Syrus we nearly went extinct.” Bastion appears from behind and scaring the shit out of me.

“Stop that!” I hear Shades laugh in the distance.

“Its only in the last fifteen hundred years we changed our ways. Banding together, forming covens and families. Sure, we have territories, but it’s not that deep.” Adrian leads the way and cuts through the thick of the forest.

“If anything, the other two leaders of Stirling and Roderick have a ‘whose dick is bigger.’ Competition but it goes nowhere.” Shade finally speaks, his arms crossed and refusing to make eye contact with me.

“And possibly dominating the human race?” All three of them stop in their places and erupt into laughter.

“That’s funny. Even when we’re trying to kill each other not once has our species done that.” Adrian braces himself by his knees as he doubles over with laughter.

“Yeah, that’s way too much work!” Shade emphasis’ his words between laughs.

“So you weren’t killing each other not because of power?” Bastion calms down first before taking a deep breath.

“A tale as old as time. You hurt someone and that person you hurt has someone dear to them and they seek revenge on you and then you get hurt and the people who care about you seek revenge on the other, and the cycle of violence continues.”

“Hence why there's a rule to not kill each other, or we’ll just begin the cycle again.” Adrian straightens himself and takes a calming breath.

“Besides, we’re not power hungry for dominance. We only to protect who we love. If you want power hungry domination, go talk to the werewolves. They want to control and dominate everything.” Shade waves his hand the trio continue their walk.

Strength to protect one another huh? Is that the only reason? Not for power, isn’t that what strength is? The power to protect the ones you love or is there a difference?

I trail a few feet behind, watching them banter amongst themselves. How they tease the youngest, riling him up, only for a quick jab at Shad’s mental capacity to count. Adrian just laughs at them both before Shade retaliates at the eldest, calling him an immature child which results in physical violence.

Family huh. It must be nice. To have someone in your corner, ready to back you up when the chips are down. I wonder back to the Zack, thinking about the times he was there for me, how he was the only one who had my back, but ever since we’ve been apart. Living his new life, the one he is meant to have, I feel like he is forgetting about me. Will I end up alone? An anomaly served as a warning to those who come across me. The halfbreed.

“Hey!” Adrian calls out. I snap from my thoughts not noticing how far I lagged behind. “Did you see a butterfly or something!” I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment, looking away I march towards them.

“Just keep walking.”

“Jeez, you’re lucky we stopped or we could have left you behind,” Shade moans, eyes burning a hole into my head.

“What you want a medal cause you stopped for ‘o’ so dangerous anomaly!” I snap.

“That’s it!” In seconds his clawed hand grips me by the throat, the points of his nails digging into my flesh. Fangs are dangerously close to my face. “I’ve been patient with you and your snippy little attitude all morning.”

“Says the guy who keep leaving out the bait.” I rasp gripping onto his arm for support.

“Shade let her go!” Adrian steps in pulls rips his hand from my throat. I fall to the ground, gasping for air, whilst coughing my lungs up. Bastion goes to give me his hand but I slap it away.

“I don’t need your help!” I cough.

“Hey!” Adrian steps in to defend his brother.

“What?!” I glare at him. “You want me to play nice? Be grateful that took me under your wing and kiss your ass for it.” Shades pupils become unnaturally thin. Jaw clenched the tips of his fangs reaching the bottom of his lip. His clawed hands tighten to fists and blood drips from the palms of his hand.

“You ungrateful bitch.” The words spit from his mouth like venom. “We saved your ass, took you to our home, gave you food and this is how you chose to treat us.” I rise from the ground, our eyes meet, both sides not daring to back down. Shade throws the first punch, I side step his swing, grabbing his arm and pulling him close for my fist to connect to his nose. The vampire stumbles back, eyes widen as a hand gently touches nose. “Not bad. You can fight.”

“When you’re forced to take martial classes, you pick up a thing or two.” Shade let out a snarl and crouches and then is gone in a second.

“Damn it!” Adrian shouts, looking for his brother.

I didn’t have a chance to react, Shade kicks me in the abdomen and sends me flying. My back hits the base of tree with a resounding crack. The air is knocked from my lungs. Pain blooms up my spine and across my ribs as I collapse into the underbrush. My vision swims, and my body is begging for air as I take in deep breathes.

“You done?” Shade snarls, stalking forward.

“I haven’t even started,” I growl back, dragging myself upright, blood pooling into my mouth.

“Both of you—enough!” Adrian’s voice cracks through the tension, but neither of us are listening.

Shade crouches again ready to launch himself at me but stops as we all hear an ear shattering shriek echo through the forest. It crashes through the trees, branches snapping, leaves flurrying in its wake and lands in the clearing behind us with a sickening thud.

The thing stands taller than a man, its grey rubbery skin stretched tightly over a grotesque frame. Its arms are too long, ending in razor-like talons, perfect for tree climbing. Along its sides, are sickly flaps of flesh hang loose, veined thing gliding membranes, like some demonic sugar glider.

Its face, or what’s left of it, splits horizontally along its cheeks, revealing rows of uneven, jagged fangs and saliva mixed with blood dripping onto the ground. Its eyes are white and wide, unblinking. No thoughts. No recognition. Just hunger.

“Fuck” Bastion spits the word like a curse.

Shade doesn't hesitate, his attention solely on the creature, claws extended, a savage snarl and propels himself towards it.

The feral swipes with its talon, Shade ducks, pivots, and rakes his claws across its midsection, tearing a gash in the membrane. Black blood oozes from the feral and lets out an earsplitting screech.

Bastion shoulder crashes into it from the side, knocking it off balance. Adrian’s katana is already drawn, eyes locked on its centre mass.

“Shade, drop it!” he shouts.

Shade darts past again, slashing its thigh deep enough that one leg buckles. The creature stumbles forward.

“Bastion, hold it down.” Bastion grabs a tree branch thicker than my thigh and snaps it like a twig. He slams the jagged end into the feral’s back, impaling one of the gliding flaps.

Without another word, Adrians’s blade whistles through the air, in one clean cut, the feral’s neck splits, its head rolling off and its body collapses.

Steam rises from the corpse, mixing with the sickening stench of rotting meat and iron.

I’m on one knee, breath still ragged, eyes fixed on the twitching corpse of the mutated feral. The thing’s maw is still half-open, jagged teeth slick with blood. Its skin flaps hang limply, shredded from the fight. I look to the trio in stunned silence, my mouth opening slightly as I replay the events back in my mind.

They worked together efficiently to take down the beast within in seconds, all three were in sync with little direction they took it down. It this what they have been training for?

Shade brushes past Adrian, fists still clenched, jaw ticking. I see the glint in his eye, the fight between us isn’t over. He opens his mouth, fangs still on full display, claws out and coated in the ferals blood.

I stand up straight, ready to face him head on but behind him, something catches my eye.

A narrow, crooked doorway slowly splits open in the center of a moss-covered boulder behind Shade. A rip in space that wasn’t there a second ago. It yawns wide, revealing swirling light and shifting shadows beyond. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, Shades shoulders tense, sense the shift in the airs pressure and turns to where I am looking.

“What the fuck…” Bastion breathes, stepping back.

“Doors don’t open on their own,” Adrian mutters, his grip tightening on the katana.

Shade stays frozen, mouth slightly agape.

I step forward, shouldering into the vampire knocking him down and sprint for the door. My boots crunch through the underbrush, jumping over the corpse and I barely register Adrian’s voice calling behind me.

“Ceres, wait!”

I don’t. I throw myself through the threshold the last thing I see is the door closing after I leap through.