*prisoner

"ARCADIUS."

"Oh, the Lord is angry. I did not know she was yours. Actually, I did have a small doubt when I smelt you on her. Then again, you're some sort of vamp x fucus type of being."

"Magnus," within a split second, I pass from being in front of him to behind him and rip.

Magnus' arms lay on the ground from the shoulders down while blood spits out from the sockets like a jet-d'eau.

"Fuck, Søren, do you know how long limbs take to grow back. I mean, one arm is enough punishment, but two," Magnus says between gritted teeth.

"Don't mess with me, Magnus."

A mocking grin appears on his face, and two Seconds bring in an Offering.

"For the record, he's willing," Magnus specifies.

Offerings.

Like all laws, they are always ways to contour. Offerings are humans who consent to feed vampires in exchange for bed and board. They live within sight of their consumer and know the risk of dying is potent. Most usually have drug dependencies or pathologies like depression. In those cases, the First aides and sucks out their cravings and angst.

A Second slits the Offering's wrist for Magnus, who drinks until the Offering is drained and lies unconscious.

"Aw, fuck, the shit hurts Søren. Why such hatred? Cut the bastard son some slack. I know you detest me, but still," Magnus complains as his new cartilages, bones, and muscle form.

Yes, I depise him for existing and for being the representative of an old regime. Magnus is chaos walking, and I'm the only barrier. The Strigoi is cunning and manipulative. Even now, he pretends.

"Do you know Søren what the weak are preparing? The third trumpet will soon sound war. You deem not touch the humans, but you rip your brother's limbs. Behold your Lord and savior. Is this the ruler you wish? One that is willing to kill a brother for a human maiden, I, at least respect and observe Strigoi precept no other species should come before thee," Magnus says to the few vampires present.

"Save your tirade, Magnus. What do you think a few mere seconds can do?"

"You mock them, though you know full well they are more numerous than Firsts. What do you think will happen if Seconds, our people attacked the counsel?"

"Are you threatening us?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare. Please note that I'm mentally covering and gasping in shock because of the arms you ripped off."

Magnus, like Jesus, has this twisted sense of humor that makes one want to behead them on the spot. The desire has never been more compelling than at this instant, but I think of Inna. Her presence has vanished, but it's not the only odd thing. A smell of metal feels the air which only those born in our era would know.

Sliver.

Yes, the purest kind.

"Magnus, where is she?"

"With Linda."

I leave a gust of wind behind me as I break an entry in Magnus' limbo. My brother is the only being to possess a beast of legend.

A Kraken.

As Tarnish was a gift to Jesus, Magnus received Linda upon our arrival in Denmark. A blessing for some or a curse for others. Magnus was condemned to always live close to sea shores; if not, he had to purchase lands almost as massive as states to keep his beast.

As far as the city is concerned, Magnus is a descendant of the forefathers of Crimson. This part of Crimson belongs to him. The truth is he built the city with humans at the time.

Thus, Magnus developed the ability to communicate with beasts of the sea, thanks to Linda.

If we were Greek mythology characters, Magnus would be Poseidon, Jesus Ares, sons of Zeus, Alucard Prometheus, and I, Epimetheus, the Titan perhaps. A silly after-thought, full of excuses; that's how I feel on most days. Yes, even I have a mental menstrual cycle where I think I suck. Especially when I think no one ever gave me a fantastic beast. What do I have? Mephisto, and we all know he isn't as impressive as Linda or Tarnish.

Magnus joins me. We can't move in the dust-filled hall. Dangerous Zână [fairy] dust, the Betas lay dead in their human form.

"How can you let such a massacre occur within your house?"

The scene brings me back to the horrors of Egekov castle.

Inna, I must find her. I use my echolocation; Inna is no longer on the premises. Whatever destroyed everything, including Magnus Kraken, has left. The beasts' cries fill the space.

"My poor, Linda."

Magnus breaks the ground beneath us. His followers run while others sink. He cares not for the guests who drown in the action. It's this strigoi impunity that I loath. I can not budge; I used my strength on Magnus, who hovers above the water while my bats hold me in height.

No Strigoi can enter the water now contaminated with dust. The Millenniu being must be of adult age and trained to unleash such a quantity. All Magnus can do is watch Linda agonize.

Inna.

I have no time to pity the legendary beast. I hurry and seek her.

Once outside, I look to the sky. If my hunch is correct, I should see the signs. Zână wings posses an unique imprint. They leave behind a nacreous rainbow sky.

Here, I see one for the first time in a century, and fear sizes me.

"The third trumpet will ring," Magnus' words taunt me, and I find myself wondering what am I willing to do to maintain peace, for I can not ignore what I have witnessed. Nor will Magnus refrain from alerting the counsel. A Millenniu slaughtered Linda. I would need to drink the blood of thousands and an army to accomplish such an exploit. The fact makes its triumph all the more frightening.

Strangely enough, Inna is not in danger, as paradoxical as it may seem. Zânăs have an odd fetishism for humans, which constantly pushes them to play superman and help them. Perhaps it heard her cry. Despite this, I must locate her. Inna is not a human, like any other.

"Mephisto."

"Yes, boss."

"Where are you?"

The bats relay my voice to his position and tell me he's in movement.

"I'm tailing it."

"Has it got Inna?"

"Yes, boss, they're heading to the North of crimson."

"Watch out."

I can't join them. My Chiropteras could transport me, but I don't have the strength to remain in dissipated form long enough for them to complete the journey.

"Mephisto, where are you now?"

"It has stopped in the suburbs. Wait a minute; it's walking up to the porch of one of the houses."

"What?" of all the nonsense.

"Boss, it's ringing the doorbell."

"Where's Inna?"

"She's in his arms. Boss, someone has opened."

"Who is it?"

"A woman, a woman is letting them in."

"Mephisto, do something."

"I can't. The house is under the protection of a Talis."

"Whose house is it?"

"Well, if the name on the letterbox is correct. The Zână brought Inna home to her parents."

"What?"

"It's the name on the letterbox. I'm in front of the Lee Rodgers home. And that thing entered the house with its rainbow wings without making mother Lee Rodgers panic."

I stand dumbfounded and blinking in front of the supermassive black hole left by Magnus. My ears pick up on the sound of sirens and helicopters coming in our direction. I get down on my knees.

Fleeing is futile. The treaty with the Hawks demands that they investigate all unearthly events provoked by the species. Also, as the incident in New York where Mephisto appeared, I must bend to the protocol.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" The man says and lowers his shades as he approaches my position.

"Renegarde."

"Tepes, howdy?"

A witch clips a Judgment device around my neck. Developed by Hellsing engineers and witches, Judgement Rings can behead the wearer. Only the witch wielding the device can unlock it. If she dies, one is condemned to live with the clever.

The witch wielding mine is no novice. Bashiva has beheaded thousands with her spell.

"Get on your knees," I hear one of the Black Hawks soldiers tell Magnus.

"I refuse."

"Magnus, kneel."

His temerity could have us both beheaded.

"I'm not your mutt."

"Magnus."

Though a bastard, I reject the idea of him becoming a martyr and a war to fuse.

"No."

"I summon you."

"A little family feud, Tepes," Renegarde says with a mocking grin of a hyena.

Behind him, the witches bustle, "alright, ladies and gents, we have two hours before the sun peeps in and citizens wonder what happened to the city."

Like in New York, the witches use restoration spells to put everything back in place.

"Look at you, Tepes, you're a chiffon doll on a string. What happened to you? Where are your fangs?"

He provokes knowing that any reaction will cause my doom as Bashiva will action Judgment.

"Commander," a woman interrupts, "the witches say they don't have the power to remove the Kraken."

Renegarde shrugs, "immure it."

"No," yells Magnus.

The beast still agonizes. It will take days to die buried underwater. Even I cannot accept it.

"Renegarde."

"What?"

"Let Magnus finish her."

"What, your highness is asking a favor from me? I didn't hear you. Can you repeat?"

"Let Magnus finish her."

"What's the magic word? Didn't your mama teach you that?"

This scene is the type Strigoi like Magnus loath, having to beg when superior in strength.

"Please."

"Expensibilis ubique monetae, Søren, [be cursed in latin]," Magnus throws as thanks for my action. All he sees is weakness; for Magnus, my plea is beneath anything. Still, Renegarde allows him to abbreviate his pet's suffering. The world seems to tremble, and a gust of wind as heavy as a tornado swirls. The seas roar around us, but only I and non-human species can hear its torment. Linda is ancient and beloved by the water. Some say she confided the world's secrets to Magnus, making him a sage. I see nothing but a brat thirsty for power.

The cries die down, and Magnus falls to his knees.

"Get up, Arcadius, Tepes, get in the van."

They take us to the Hawks crimson hub. We're interrogated separately before undergoing a cross-examination in the same room.

We wait for I don't know what when I hear the click-clacking of nine-inch heels, she enters.

Magnus whistles, "wow, you've brought in a big one."

Althalys Van Halen, the hawks very own equivalent of Buffy the vampire slayer with a spunkier edge.

I lift a brow as a familiar scent flirts with my nostrils; I wonder if Magnus picks it up.

He seems undisturbed.

Althalys begins, "ok, we have no less thirty-two human victims. Ten Canis lupus. What's going on, guys?"

"Concerning the humans, I have their consent. They signed up online and accepted the agreement," Magnus explains.

Althalys smiles, "you're not going to make me believe they signed up for death."

"I can have my lawyer mail everything to you. It's legal."

Laws.

There's always a way, and Magnus knows it. Almost all of ours are regulated by consent and willingness. Our pacts are untouchable if the person is over eighteen and twenty-one in the states.

And here, even if one can detect a vice in the procedure, the Hawks are cautious.

"Concerning the Turba Lupi [the pack of wolves], they are those of the cities and out of Adonis' ruling."

I've got to hand it to him. Magnus reels his way out like a gangster.

"How about you, Tepes?"

"I was giving a cordial visit to my brother."

Althalys lips droop as she makes a sad clown face, "cordial visit, huh? You, Søren Tepes. Everyone knows how it is between you two. We had to brainwash the all of Florida with the havoc you caused there. Making them believe they were victims of Hurricane Wilma back in 2005."

"He started it," we say in unison while pointing at each other.

"It's always the same thing with these vampires," Renegarde says from where he stands.

Behind the mirror, no one speaks. Everyone is unreadable, as though their thoughts are on mute. Or it's the impression I have; the whole room must have mind blockers.

"What's the problem, Tepes? You can't read my mind?" Althalys says and comes to sit on my lap. Her leather pants purr with the friction on my legs as she sinks her nails into my skin.

She leans forward, this is my chance, "be careful you harbor his smell," I whisper in her mind.

She gets off me and backs away.

My skin is slow to regenerate from her nail attack. Unlike most women, Althalys' permanent manicure is an alloy of stainless steel also developed by the Hellsing engineers and probably coming to a shop near you in 3000 Anno Domini.

"So a visit, huh?"

"You know how he isㅡalways, coming with his peace talks and everything. Heal the world, make it a better place. Akuna Matata, we are the world, we are the future."

Althalys lets out a nervous chuckle. Magnus' tirade as the toy soldiers in the room targeting us ready to explode with laughter when suddenly a voice says, "let them go."

The voice is one of a man's. I know all of the Hawks organigramme of my heart, and I have registered each voice imprint, yet this one is unknown to me.

"Doctor," Althalys whines.

"I said let them go."

Bashiva and Olowa approach and detach the Judgement devices around our necks.

"What, we're free?" Magnus asks.

Althalys rolls her eyes to the side and crosses her arms, "get out."

Credit roll, within a few minutes, they kick us outside to the curb with a warning.

A car awaits Magnus, who climbs in and unwinds the window, "Søren, there can be only one ruling species. It's them or us."

He drives off, and I sit waiting for my ride, and that's when it hits me. Magnus didn't mention Inna. Why?

Even Althalys didn't mention her when she enumerated the guest list. Why did the Zână take Inna to her parents?

"Need a ride?" Mephisto says as he stops the car in front of me. I get up while Mephisto presses himself to open the door for me. I look back on the hub and see Athalys at the window standing next to a man with glasses, who I presume it's his voice I heard in the speaker.

I climb in the car, weak. It's not today that I shall wreak vengeance. My face has not even regenerated.

Still, I make a mental note. If ever the desire to kill tickles me, Renegarde will be my first victim. I might not bite, but I am no saint. Strigoi dogma requires us to render justice on earth as our entrance is denied at heavens gates.