Interlude – The Green-Eyed Beast

Mind over matter.

That is something that woman used to say.

"*cough**cough*"

As one of those blue-eyed cognates, she most certainly did not understand what being a beast entailed. No, she ruled over beasts and used them as the simple sack of sentient meat they were.

"N-No. P-Please, I… I have children! Spare me please!"

Mind over matter. Sometimes, I have to admit that this saying has some truth in it. Why else would I have flinched when this man mentioned a family he did not have?

"Do not lie, please. I did some research. You have been single ever since the 3rd two months ago. A hasty union that lasted less than 6 months. Rejoice, this is a truly twenty-first century-like pattern."

Why did I feel the need to mention that? Did I need to assert some sort of dominance? Did I need to justify what I planned to do by putting him in the position of a liar (sinner)? I wonder. Even for someone like me, killing someone I do not hold any grief against might be impossible.

*creak*

As I took a step down the stairs, the plank of woods creaked. The man clumsily tried to hide himself behind a tall potted flower. Tears rolled down his cheeks just like a kid endlessly barked at by a cruel dog. His face was so deformed that it could only be called a mask at that point. There was no beauty in that sight, only the ugliness of fear.

"DON'T!!! DON'T COME CLOSER!!!"

He yelled at me, menacing to throw at me a pebble he took in the pot. A desperate act like many others I saw that day. The one who tried to use a broken bottle on me, the one who hit me with a broom, one who tried to pray, their dismembered corpses were now scattered upstairs. The only one left was this man whose only stroke of luck was to have been in the facilities downstairs when I attacked. One must be positive and look for everything that went well in their life.

*creak*

I made another step. The cornered rat, unable to escape the snake, threw its rock at it. As expected, the snake felt nothing.

*crack*

"AAAAAAAARGH!!!"

The rat yelled, looking at his broken arm in confusion. He must not have known how quickly the snake could move if so it wished. He must not have understood how its limb was subsequently easily torn. The rat probably begged for mercy as he laid on the ground like a rag doll, losing all of his blood. Maybe, like its friend, it prayed hoping some divine entity would stop the snake. Maybe it believed someone, anyone would save him. Something like this cannot happen to me, it thought. I did not do anything wrong, it thought.

"*cough**cough**cough*"

Covering my mouth, I coughed an abomination.

Even though the predatory instruments before my eyes were covered in blood, there was no telling which blood belonged to whom. The only certitude was that one of those bloods was cursed; a curse that made its bearer a monster in human shape.

"I… have to do this."

Or rather I have to tell myself this.

"Hiss!!! Hiss!!!"

I looked at one corner of the room where a familiar shape stood weary of the green-eyed monster.

"Oh… She said she liked cats if I remember right…"

***

"Hiss!!! Hiss!!! Hiss!!!"

*agitation*

"..."

I could see the incomprehension in her eyes. She probably wondered why I would come at her with a box moving so violently that one could mistake it for a living being or why I waited for her on the path she was always using to reach that human's house. I could easily understand her surprise and, if anything, I was grateful that this was what she expressed.

"Greetings, Dora," she said.

"Good day, Katrina," I replied.

As usual, we exchanged what was neither a familiar nor a formal greeting. There was not much we had to say to each other in any case. I did not interest her enough for her to actively seek me out, and I was not courageous enough to stand by her side. Nothing more, nothing less.

"How is the medicine coming?" I asked.

"Hm, we should be able to test it on you in about a week or so."

"Not a month anymore?"

"Hmhmhm!" Katrina hummed proudly, "So? Impressed? Are you impressed? Revelation. Mother was overly cautious with her original announcement! I took some time to invest myself fully in research ever since you came and here we are!"

"Impressive. You truly are a genius," I said, smiling.

"Not really. Everyone with an amount of knowledge as big as mine could do it without any problems. I am not any more gifted than an ordinary person."

She shook her head with a little smile. Her modesty was one of those things that never changed.

"I apologize in advance if my question is misplaced, but did you really wait for me this late in this deserted street just to ask me about the medicine? Surprise. I don't remember you as an impatient person."

As usual, she goes straight to the point. Almost as if there wasn't someone before her but just an empty "Hole. I was thinking of offering you something for your trouble."

"Offering me something?"

Her gaze shifted to the box I was holding.

"You want to offer me a cat? I am sorry but you know I don't have the time to—"

"I know. Why not offer it to Riftwalker, then? I heard she is fond of them."

"Eh?"

Katrina looked at me, her mouth agape. Her surprise was to be expected but I still felt tense whenever she looked into my eyes that way.

"Ah! What is this?! You want to give a cat to Dawn?!"

"Huh? No, I want to—"

"Why not offer it yourself? You are classmates, right? I think she—"

"I don't want to—"

"Ah! I am so happy that you can see Dawn's appeal too! She is really interesting, isn't she?!"

Interesting… huh? Again, she is talking about her like a "Little spider..." would talk about its next feast.

"If you think so too, why not give her the cat yourself? I am sure she would like it!"

"Katrina, this cat will not survive until then if it stays with me."

Here it was, simple and clean. The only remark I needed to make from the beginning. With that, I cut short any possible reply.

"Good point."

She stretched her arms behind her neck and sighed.

"Proposal. Would you follow me to her hou—"

"No."

"Sadness."

Katrina knew when to push forward to obtain a favorable reaction, a knowledge which was mostly useful to avoid pushing when there was nothing to gain from it. This is why she picked the simplest option available to her and took the box.

"Young. Not too young though. Does this one have a name?"

A name? I do not know. Riftwalker can name it whatever she wants though if I could choose, I would probably pick Bengal like the Tiger. It is a bit stripped and bit me hard enough for me to feel it. Ah, I should have brought him to the veterinarian first. Maybe this cat has some disease like "Rabies..." It might be dangerous for the human.

"Rabies? That is quite original for a cat's name!"

"Oh… no, I was not…" Oh well…

I too knew when to not push it. If Katrina was excited by that name, I figured I might as well not argue. It was not my cat, to begin with.

"By the way, Dora, why is it that you smell of blood?"

As expected, nothing escaped her. I was a fool to even think I would pass across her, unsuspected.

"I will not comment on that," I said, closing my eyes just like I would her to figuratively do.

"Apologies. I should indeed mind my own business. That being said…"

I squinted at the face my sister was making. This smile was anything but playful.

"Don't make me want to involve myself, please. The result would be quite unpleasant for both of us."

A Noble's murderous aura. It was nothing like the fear I could inspire; it was something greater, more profound in nature. If a human was given a body beyond human's limitations, his mind would need to evolve to accommodate it. It would need to go beyond. When you can snap a human bone like a twig, it becomes hard to tell the difference.

Yes, for an individual like the great YAKATARINA, even other vampires are like twigs. She does neither fear nor respect them. A bane to her very kind, yet, its greatest blessing. She was the proof that the mind would not always dominate the body. She was the proof that Matter uses the mind.

But this begs a question: how does she see humans?

"There is a little rat following Riftwalker recently," I said, unable to repress a smile. "She has not noticed yet, but her life might be in danger. Of course, I am not talking about myself nor do I have anything to do with it. As Riftwalker is your business, I will refrain from interacting too much with her. Is that satisfying, oh great YAKATARINA?"

"You are so short-tempered. I didn't ask you to… Ah, nevermind! Just don't do anything stupid! Mother would be sad if something happened to you!"

"I am aware That woman is indeed capable of such great… love… '' great enough to make one claustrophobic. "If you will excuse myself, I need to deliver someone of their duty. Good night."

I believe I showed my respect with a little bow before taking my leave. Far behind, I believe I heard Katrina mumble something.

"... Let's meet later, Dora."

But this would not happen. I did not have enough time for that.

"Sorry. Let us not, Katrina."