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Cy strode through the tunnel with Jax matching his stride. They held the buckets of blood as steady as they could, determined not to spill a single drop. They’d need it for the upcoming attack: a planned raid on a fur farm in Highgate. They meant to free the humans imprisoned inside and welcome them into a new life with the Veritas, thereby further increasing their numbers. Vampyre blood was essential to the task.
There was something potent, almost magical, about the surge of power that overwhelmed a human after ingesting vampyre blood. It made them stronger, helped them endure harsher blows. For someone like Cy, trained in combat against the vampyres, consuming their blood made him feel almost invincible. After thirty years of existing in this world, he’d killed more vampyres than he could count, and he’d fight until his last breath.
It was a far-off dream. But every day, the influence of the Veritas grew. They strode toward freedom, killing as many vampyres as luck would allow them. They wouldn’t stop until the Dominion was eradicated and humans freed from their vampyre overlords once and for all.
“I heard Z made contact with the HU,” Jax said, his voice echoing through the expansive underground space.
“Who told you that?” Cy rolled his eyes. It had been months since they’d received any message from their leader. Z was a mysterious, almost anonymous, persona. Few members of the Veritas had ever seen him, and even fewer had spoken with him. Cy himself had been so lucky once; that deep ebony skin and strong jaw had been imprinted into his memory like a brand. He’d never forget the power of Z’s presence, the inspiration and invigoration he instilled in his people.
“Nia told me. She said that Tre visited one of the camps nearest the equator and that Z was staying there at the time. He’s been traveling back and forth. The HU’s leader sent a boat to retrieve him.”
“A boat?” Cy had never seen one, though he’d heard of their ability to transport humans over large bodies of water. The vampyres were said to have destroyed them prior to the Dominion.
“If the HU agrees to come to our aid, we might stand a chance.” Jax’s voice, though low, was filled with a strange sort of hope. Cy hated to squash it. But in his heart, he feared they could rely on no one but themselves.
It had been several months since the Veritas first heard about the success of the Humanitarian Union across the sea—about the humans who had banded together to overthrow the Vampyre Dominion. If the HU could do it there, all alone on their island, the Veritas could do it here in New Babylon.
Under Z’s guidance, the Veritas would continue to fight with or without assistance from the humans on the other side of the ocean.
But if Z was indeed traveling to meet with the leaders of the HU, perhaps there was a potential for allyship. Cy wouldn’t count on it.
“Let’s just take it one step at a time,” Cy said with a small grin.
“One step at a time. Right,” Jax said, a smile in his voice. He met Cy’s eyes and winked. Big brown eyes full of heart. Cy would do everything in his power to keep those spirits high and those eyes full of hope. He never wanted to see Jax hurt or afraid ever again.
“You’re getting ahead of yourself. Like you always do,” Cy chided, not unkindly.
“I can’t help it if I like watching you kill those bastards, can I? You make it look almost…sexy.”
Cy threw his head back and laughed. “Killing vampyres is sexy now?”
Jax smirked. “Hell yes, it is. Killing vampyres is better than fucking.”
“Kinky fucker.” Cy goaded. They shared a laugh but Jax wasn’t wrong. In this life, humans took whatever pleasures they could. Fighting and fucking were the easiest means of entertainment. But during scavenger raids, sometimes treasures could be found. Tre fermented walnuts into a liquor that the Ferals considered a delicacy. And Nia brought home any and all books she found slung along in a pack over her back.
Everything they had, they shared.
But central to their lives was a hatred of vampyres.
Every one of these humans had a story. A past they’d escaped to get to this place. And now, they fought side-by-side to rebuild humanity, one step at a time. He and Jax had seen the worst in this world together. In spite of their past, Cy would ensure Jax had a future.
He’d fight for all of them. Until his last breath.
Two Months Later
CHApTER OnE
Cypress
The female vampyreregarded Cy coldly, her blood-red eyes narrowed in assessment. He was well-used to eyes of that color, but these were particularly cruel. Calculating. Cy wanted to gouge them out before tearing into her neck with his sword. He had no hopes of doing that now.
They’d taken his weapons, rendered him useless. Though he’d thrashed and fought, all it earned him was a bloody lip and swollen eye sockets, several broken fingers, and bruises that marred every inch of his exposed skin.
He was a prisoner now. But at least Jax had gotten away.
The room in which he found himself was immaculate and gaudy. A drawing room with stone walls and floors draped in fabrics to keep out the stifling cold. Vampyres were always cold, likely from the lack of soul inside their undead bodies. Candles were lit around the perimeter to provide ample light even though vampyres didn’t need it to see. Likely the light was for the humans’ benefit, allowing them to see the danger with which they were always surrounded.
Around the room, several human pets knelt with their heads down, docile and submissive. Cy both pitied and hated them. These humans, reduced to animals, were broken with no fight left. Seeing their subservience caused memories to flare through him, memories he wished he could forget. Blood and death, a cycle of murder and abuse that would never end, not so long as humans remained weak and refused to fight back. But who could blame them when fighting meant a war of attrition against such an overwhelming enemy?
