**Ch 110: Duel of Frustration [R-18]

[Viewer Discretion Is Advised.]

Overhead, on the second floor, Glenn silenced a woman's screams by covering her mouth with his hand. Reluctant in wanting to do it, he sank his fangs into her soft neck. Every time she tried to breathe out, he locked his jaws tighter to stifle her breathing. Unfortunately, she wasn't supposed to be here, but she showed up for work earlier than expected with a few other Egyptologist colleagues.

Out of the shadows, Glenn's father appeared as he finished draining the last morsel of blood in her veins. Having a sense of respect for his prey, Glenn gently set her down on the floor as Rome and Tony swooped in and stood with Cooper.

"I see you three had your fun," Cooper

remarked, glancing at the mutilated bodies inside the gallery.

Similar to Rome's father, Cooper, Glenn's father, was known for his stern demeanor, but he possessed a sense of humor. While Cooper didn't hold any particular fondness for humans, he did tolerate their existence. He acknowledged humans inhabited the worlds, but that's as far as his tolerance towards humanity went.

Nevertheless, Cooper fed on humans without resorting to full-on slaughter, unlike many other vampires. At least, not how he saw all the torn body parts and entrails strewn everywhere like this.

"More like Kai was having fun," Rome expressed with solemnity, surveying the gruesome scene in the gallery.

"He wasn't having fun," Glenn sighed, admitting the grim truth. "He vented his rage out on them."

With a hum to his sigh, Tony suggested, "Hmmm, let's start cleaning the mess."

Tony understood Kai was distressed that he unsuccessfully located Vlad and his clan, who were their parents, which undoubtedly brought everyone disappointment. Any vampire and vampiress always experienced heartbreak with being away from their loved ones due to the profound bonds they shared.

"Let's clean up quickly," Cooper agreed before they got to work.

~~~

Deeper inside another gallery on the opposite side of the same floor, Kai sat on an old throne as he watched two men brawling for their lives with ancient khopesh swords. Their actions weren't their own doing since Kai controlled a part of their minds and forced them to battle in a duel.

Using the ancient curved swords, one man cut his sword downward as the other man countermoved, blocking the lethal blow away from striking his head. Bronze-made material clashed like lightning as their countermovement aligned with each step and thrust of their khopeshes.

Then, it happened as the slightly older man staggered on his feet and lost his equilibrium when the younger man swung his khopesh down with his might, slaying off the older man's arm at the elbow with one sweep of his sword.

As the wounded man gnashed his teeth, Kai smirked as the smell of blood taunted his nose for a taste until he caught a shadow lurking behind the men. Without further ado, Kai ended the fight by having both men impale each other's guts with the khopeshes. Painfully, they gasped for air as the shadow solidified within arm's reach of both men. With two snaps, Kai evilly smirked, watching his father swiftly break each of their necks before their bodies slumped to the floor.

"Nice to see you can still kill humans, although I do remember you being more brutal about it. But I guess it's a start," Kai mocked his father's soft spot for these human creatures.

"Enough of your nonsense, Kai!" Mr. Collin snapped. "You were told to come home, but you disobeyed my orders for what? To butcher innocent lives!"

"None of this should come as a surprise to you, father!" Kai snarled, firmly rising from the old throne. "I haven't listened to your orders since adulthood. Why would you think that would change now?"

Frustrated, Mr. Collin firmly pursed his lips, gritting his teeth behind his closed mouth. "Because you have a wife and three offspring on the way. You have a responsibility to care for your family, but you put your own family in jeopardy!" he retorted bitterly.

"I know!" Kai roared, losing his temper as he snorted, "I regret my actions! But if you would stop withholding where Vlad and his clan are resting, none of this would've happened!"

"We've been through this conversation over a dozen times! I cannot tell you that information!" Mr. Collin growled, hissing with his fangs visibly elongating.

"We are at the edge of war, and yet, you still won't tell me anything useful about Vlad's whereabouts!" Kai angrily snarled as his lips quivered in frustration.

"No, I will not!" Mr. Collin spat, tightly pursing his lips. "Since you are unable to fulfill your duty as a husband, I am taking it upon myself to take your wife back home with me while you can make whatever foolish decision you wish, or you can return home with us."

Deep down, Mr. Collin had hoped Kai would take the bait of returning home with his wife since he couldn't outright force Kai to comply.

Without a response, Kai angrily snorted, not just at his father but by his own actions of risking his wife's life.

As Kai lingered in his melancholy emotions, his father took a few steps forward as he added, "As an Elder rank, just remember you have a duty to your Coven, not to Vlad just yet. While our best warriors are recovering from the war, the vampiresses and their offspring need your protection as well. I do hope you can come to your senses for them."

On those last words, Mr. Collin held out his palms and exercised his second gift. Acid poured out in thick droplets from his palms, raining down upon both dead men near his polished black dress shoes. Instantly, the lifeless bodies sizzled and bubbled before dissolving into nothingness. Not even a speck of blood was left to stain on the floor.

As Mr. Collin turned away to dissolve other bodies, Kai's voice snatched his ear, "How did they acquire the papyrus I wrote for my wife?"

Turning back to face his son, Kai showed him the rolled papyrus he retrieved from his suit jacket.

"After Victoria found you, I permitted Egypt to take what they wanted. Had I known about this papyrus belonging to her, I would've given it to you." Mr. Collin truthfully shared before turning away to make a few calls to arrange for some assistance with covering up the mess his son created.

Not long after his dad had left him alone by the broken display case, Kai's minions arrived shortly after from previously traveling here with his father.

"Get Saul ready to leave," he coldly ordered two of his minions, who were once titled as Saul's advisors, before they became enslaved from losing the war against the Collin Coven.

Taken by surprise from hearing the specified order, their eyes gleamed with hope and excitement.

Before the two minions went to obey Kai's request, "Don't get any ideas, or else you'll be detained!" Kai perilously warned, catching that their expressions had brightened with a hope that he was sure to crush.

With their heads down low, they plod passed Kai, heading to the glass case to prep Saul for the journey home as the others tidied up the museum.