Chapter 11

Funny how time passes faster than you thought. It's been three years now since I've joined the Dark Oaths. The Master I have to thank for training me was none other than Azrael himself. He took me under his wing and taught me things I never knew I was capable of. 

I remember the first day. I was clueless and obviously out of place. I was the youngest recruit in the room and no one would take me in. They saw me as a fragile piece of work that wasn't worth the effort. They didn't know who I was; that I was a Morningstar. Because no one wanted me, Azrael took the task upon himself. 

Throughout my time training, I realized that there was more to Azrael than I thought. He wasn't just a sinister and sadistic man. He was also kind, compassionate, and a dedicated mentor. He became somewhat of an older brother to me. That "bond" that we have is something I keep at arm's length. My goal hasn't changed after all. After everything I saw and experienced, my goal remains the same—to destroy the organization from the inside and gain my freedom. I can't form any attachments to him. I know how I get when people get close. I get messy and act out of emotion rather than my head. Everything becomes unclear and my heart wins over my mind. 

My kids have grown fond of Azrael, though I may not like it. Around them, he acts like a cool uncle or a grandfather full of wisdom. I suppose children like that. I just hope it doesn't break them when the time comes to shatter Azrael's life. Not that I could kill him. 

Today's a special day for the Brady Bunch. It's the anniversary of when I officially joined them, and they're throwing a party. Surprisingly, everyone changed. The bitches that gave me a hard time at the beginning turned out to be alright. They all welcomed me as the youngest child of the family. Because of the said party, I am requested to be "home" before sunset. 

I've just completed a suicide mission in Portugal a few minutes ago and now they expect me to show up for a party. Can't a thirty-one-year-old get a break? I may not age, but I still get tired. 

I glanced at my watch. 

3:00 A.M.

Sighing, I closed my eyes. I'm so tired. Literally tired. I haven't slept in three days trying to save the people on their stupid list. They had me break into clubs that were actually mini hideouts of the Whites in order to save those ungrateful newly-turned vampire teenagers. 

"Run," I said, my voice obviously hoarse from exhaustion. "Run to the jet and get the hell out of my sight. You better not get tied up with the Whites again 'cause I won't be saving none of your asses."

With a quick nod, they vanished out of sight. Not even a simple "thank you" was given. How do people raise kids these days? They certainly forgot to teach kids some manners. 

I got up from where I was sitting—a damp and dark alley—and fixed my uniform. Unsurprisingly, I was given similar armor to Azrael. It was black and tightly fitted. Not that anyone would notice, but every inch of my skin covered in it is actually bulletproof and fireproof. My knee-length boots were comfortable and fashionable, too. On my upper left chest, there was a button made. I only need to press it for my helmet to appear and again for it to vanish. Overall a pretty vigilante costume to me. I'm happy they didn't force the cape Azrael fancies on me. 

"Going somewhere?" asked a deep and husky voice. I felt his footsteps nearing me and his weapon of choice—a sword—nested against my neck. 

"A White Veil Boy," I said, pressing the button on my chest. Instantly, my helmet came and threw his sword on the floor. I swooped down and grabbed it before he could have the chance to retrieve it. 

He was tall and he wore white—the official armor of a high-standing general I presume. He appears to be well-built and muscular. His face was hidden under a helmet as well, keeping his identity safe from me. 

"Well, boy," I said, playing with his sword. "Quite an odd choice of weapon. Usually, your kind tends to grab a take towards guns now. Are you here to punish me for releasing your captives?"

"You reek of alcohol," he comments dryly, "Why am I not surprised?"

"I didn't break anything in your house, boy," I said, "Be grateful. Now, I'll return your sword and I'll be on my way. I have an important agenda to attend to."

He came forward and examined me from head to toe. "Aren't you a little too short to be a general of some sort?" he comments, "Or anything at all."

I folded my arms over my chest. Sighing, I said, "This could either go two ways: one, you let me leave and everything goes smoothly; or two, we fight for hours on end until either of us drops off exhaustion. Like I said, I'm a busy woman. I rather do the first."

"Just go," he said, gesturing for me to leave. "And make sure those kids don't get into trouble with the Veil again. They won't be lucky next time."

"Wait," I said, "You're the general they mentioned who treated them kindly. Why did you? You're a White. Your drive is to hunt us down."

He shook his head in disappointment. "Not everyone wants to hunt you down. I take down ruthless people, not innocent children who made mistakes… children who never chose this path."

I nodded, running away. It didn't take long before I got into my ship and flew back to the Hidden City. One of the perks of being part of the Dark Oaths was the advanced technology we had. Unlike humans, we had plenty of futuristic things. Surprisingly, flying ships do exist. In my world, at least. As a human, I've always been afraid of flying. I hated the idea of falling to my death. Now, immortal, that fear is long gone. I even learned how to fly these things as part of Azrael's training. 

Upon my arrival, I was met by the usual guards—Khaira and Khaizen. They're twins from Japan. Orphaned at seven. They were saved by Karim when he was in Kyoto during the Second World War. It's said that their House was slaughtered by the White Veil. They were lucky enough that Karim was there to save them from being staked. They were blood-borns. They stopped aging at twenty-five.

"Welcome back, Princess," Greeted the twins with a hint of sarcasm. 

I nodded at them, tossing them my keys. "I'm tired. Can't we skip the party?"

"You let the kids out alone without accompanying them to the plane," scolds Khaira, "This mission's goal was to get the kids back in the city unharmed."

"And they weren't," I argued, "I've been tracking them. They're still on the plane."

"You should've just brought them on the ship," retorted Khaira.

"That's impossible. Orders from above states that they were to board the plane," Khaizen says, winking at me. He gladly escorted me into the castle, leaving Khaira to park my ship at the ports. He apologized, "Sorry about my sister. She's—as you know—very passionate about saving vampire children."

"She should be in the field then," I said, walking past him. "And what about you? Why aren't you on the field? I'm sure you'd be much more useful out there than here. I heard you were quite monstrous back in the day."

They were absolutely ruthless. It was as though they'd lost their humanity when they were on the frontlines. I heard stories of how they murdered White Veil troops. The troops they murdered were humans—descendants of angel bloods who weren't chosen to become immortal. Despite being obviously weaker than their opponents—us—they decided they wanted to be part of the Whites. How pathetic. 

"I was," he said, reminiscing the past. "That was another time. I was blinded by rage and anger. It's all different now. I've changed."

"I suppose that's why they won't put you on the frontlines," I said, "You've lost your touch."

He chuckled, opening the door into the Morningstar's room. "The Princess has arrived," he announced before leaving my side. 

I entered the room and took my seat at the end of the table. I wasn't surprised to see only Azrael seated at the other end. 

"And where might be the rest of the Brady Bunch?" I asked, rolling my eyes. "I thought they'd be happy to see me since they were the ones who insisted I fly straight here after a three-day mission."

And there it was—his Cheshire grin. I've always found that annoying. The way he'd smile before saying something I wouldn't like. "Welcome home, princess," he greeted, "The Brady Bunch is getting ready for the party."

"So why did you call me here?" I asked, "You want me to do more of your bidding?"

"No," he sighed, his eyes losing its shine. "I suppose you haven't seen the news in the Holy Land lately. Missiles were shot everywhere. Just like in 2023, they were surprise attacks. Some of our relatives—Morningstars—still reside there. A few died, unfortunately."

"I'm sorry for your loss," I said genuinely. I hated that war. I remember being there when I was nineteen. I was safe at home, of course. Still, I could hear the Iron Dome and the blasts from far away. The sirens and the news… It wasn't a pretty sight. 

He replied, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"What?" I questioned, "Those people you say are strangers to me. No offense."

"The old man you so admire passed away," he clarified, "Him, his wife, and a few other civilians that were there last night. A missile hit the house. Everything was destroyed."

"No," I felt myself fall, despite being seated. I felt tears falling down my face. It was horrible, horrible news. No, it was devastating. I thought he'd be able to live at least a few years more. Trembling, I shut my eyes, covering them. I could hear my own sobs. One of the rules I had was to hide your emotions. I couldn't. How could I? 

Azrael sighed, placing his hand over my shoulder to comfort me. "I may not like their lineage, but I do care If you're hurt. I know what it's like to lose someone close to you because of war and old age. You can always avenge them, Aubrey."

"What?"

"You can," he assures me, "And that's because the missile that hit them had the crest of the White Veil. It appears that someone from the opposing team must've gotten into the group. I assume that someone is merely a human. He must've smuggled the missiles to their territory and bombed them."

"You're saying that the White Veils are Israeli?" I asked. 

"No," he replied, "I'm saying that the White Veils are at peace. Angel bloods come from all around the world. They have peace knowing that they are "higher" beings. They don't play with wars of humans. However, they have human troops—descendants of their immortals."

"I get it," I said, "Knowing that we—the supernaturals—have advanced tech, they used the Whites as an opportunity to get their hands on it."

"The White Veil is about the fall, Aubrey," he says, "They're flawed. Now is the best time to strike. They're vulnerable. Brother will turn against brother and they will break their House themselves."

He went on and on, but all I could think of was Yves. I have to be there. I have to pay my respects at least. And what about the others? Are they alright? Or did they die too? The worst part is that Brandon must be devastated and alone in all this. No matter how much I'd like to be there to bring him comfort, I can't. It's too dangerous for him and me to meet.

"What do you say?" he asked.

"Party's over, Azrael," I said, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "I need to go and pay my respects. You'll have your answer after the funeral."

"As you wish," was the only thing he said as I exited the room. 

I'll see you soon, Yves.