Something was definitely wrong with this city. By the look in CiCi's eyes, we could most definitely tell she was distressed. For what reason?

“CiCi, where's Chris?” Lucious asked immediately.

I looked straight at him then back at CiCi.

“I... I don't know. I was with him...” Her breath was heavy with worry. “Then I lost him when we came to Northern.”

Lucious paused, stepping back in shock. “Why come to Northern?”

“I... don't know.” A tear ran down her flushed cheek.

Looking closer at her, I noticed the bite marks lining her neck. She had been attacked. Some of them appeared fresh, as if the encounter had happened recently.

“This city... is crawling with vampires!” She choked out before her eyes opened wide as she stared at us both. “And then you two...”

I knelt down, getting more on her level. Quietly I scooted closer to her, as not to frighten her.

Lucious had done the same.

“Calm down, CiCi.” I comforted her. “We're not going to hurt yo—“

“Where's your pills?” Lucious broke my words.

She snorted, and wiped a tear from her eye. “I don't have them... Chris's place, it's gone...”

I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, however I remained silent. Soon, her arms came up and she grabbed hold of my shirt.

“Release me...” She begged silently. “I.. can't do this anymore. Please.” The tone in her voice grew as the tears rolled more numerous than before down her cheek. “Mikael... do it, kill me please!” She tightened her hold on my shirt.

It was strange that, now, even though I was a vampire without denial weighing me down, I still felt that pain. That incomparable sorrow that I must have felt before for my victims. Yet this time, even with a sure feeding begging for me... I...

“I can't...” I said, softly.

Her tears rolled down, dripping from the tip of her nose down to her pouting lips.

“Please, Mikael... I just want to see my husband...” She pouted, then looked to Lucious.

Lucious, however, did not return her gaze. Instead his eyes were set on me. I looked to him in wonder.

“It was you who did this to her, Mikael,” he said.

I immediately dropped my hands from around her sides. “What?”

“I wasn't there,” he sighed. “But later you had told me that you fed from her. It's just common for half vampires to leave their victims in the same state.”

“Then she's—“

“Her pills were her only source of remaining somewhat human. Without them... she's changing.” Lucious explained.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing... I did this to her. Standing up, I walked away from her. A recognizable feeling overburdening me, like the same feelings from years of living with denial. I couldn't agree to kill her. I couldn't even believe that I could do something like this to her.

“I'll do it.” Lucious said behind me. “CiCi, it will be okay. If this is truly what you desire.”

“Just.. be gentle.” Her voice croaked.

A few moments of silence followed. “Of course.”

I couldn't watch, I couldn't bare to watch. The shear insanity of it all... my pain for her death coupled with my hunger boiling inside me. I felt a shiver. These worries and fears, could I even be a vampire at all?

I only heard the sound of fabric rustling along the ground, the sound of her heavy breathing followed by a slight whimper as Lucious pierced his fangs into her beige colored skin. With my heightened senses, I noted the soft sound of her heart beating in her chest. Her life being drained. And with each drop of blood removed from her body, her heart beat slowed.

The hunger grew up into my throat. For moments, I could only imagine Lucious sharing this with me, but then my mind would fall back to that pain I felt when she begged me to release her.

And just when I couldn't hold back the hunger any longer, I quickly turned around to watch the action only to be greeted with his sobering voice. “She's dead...”

He remained knelt over her, helping her weak body fall to the ground.

“So you finally put that bitch out of her misery?” I heard a voice to my left.

It was Chris, carrying a golf club over his shoulder with a smile embracing his lips.

“Looks like you did it for me, Lucious. Thank you!”

Lucious immediately stood. “Chris. What are you doing here?”

He waved the golf club around, then beat it in the palm of his hand. “I thought I told you, I was simply coming back to finish her. Now here's the bigger question, what are you two doing here?”

Lucious walked and stood next to me. He didn't tempt to answer Chris's inquiry.

“Ah, I see.” Chris held the club out, pointing at me with it. “The kid saved you.”

“Son of a bitch, you left me to die!” Lucious spurt as he took a couple steps towards Chris as if he was about to attack.

Chris laughed and tossed the club to the ground behind me. It hit a small patch of grass beside the street. “That may be so. But in any case, you're here now, and you're coming back with me.”

Quickly, with a speed I had never seen even from the eldest of vampyres, Chris secured Lucious's arms behind him and twisted him around. “You get that, kid. He's going back with me.”

I prepared to hit him. “Let him go.”

“Uh uh, don't even try anything stupid, Mikael.” Chris warned, tightening his hold. “You don't need him anyway. What good has he done for you?”

I thought, quickly pondering how to save him from such predicament. Chris was quick, witty, and his strength was unmatched, not even Lucious could escape his hold. Although he tried.

“Stop squirming, Lucious. I told you... you are weak against me.” Chris mumbled into his ear as he tried to release himself.

What could I do? Against this vampyre, who I barely even knew... against this vampyre who called me a kid. I stood, in worry, in awe at the thought of Lucious being dragged away from me.

“Mikael...” I heard Lucious mutter as if he was looking to me to save him.

Hopefully...

“Hey, Lucious,” I spoke up, remembering what was on the ground behind me.

I bent down, finding and grabbing hold of the end of the golf club. I didn't take my eyes off them.

“What do you have up your sleeve?” Chris smiled, almost enjoying my cunning stunt.

He steadied himself, holding onto Lucious's arms and preparing to stop any attack.

I prayed that our bond might have been a telepathic one. He could read my mind, sense my movements... I could only hope. However, I would have to give some warning to him.

I knew it was downright ridiculous of me to even attempt. “Lucious...” I murmured. “Ducks fly south in the winter.”

“What in the hell are you...?” Chris spoke.

Lucious had done what I had hoped, he leaned to the right allowing me to pop up with the golf club in hand. Taking one big swing, I hit Chris square in the nose with the end of the club.

“Run!” Lucious directed and we darted away, leaving CiCi there to rest, and Chris hot on our tail.

“You fucking little... get back here!” He yelled as we sped up pace.

I had done it. If I was to get payback for that single action, it would be huge. I could only imagine what he would do if we were caught now. Therefore, the only thing left to do was run.

And run is what we did. Lucious was quick to hop to the top of the roofs. I followed just shortly behind him. We heard Chris holler out for us the entire way. Cursing, calling out to us to stop. We ran for what seemed forever. As fast as our bodies could carry us.

It was surely a great way to see the city. The same landmark, over and over again. It didn't change much from one city corner to the other. We darted across the street to the opposite side of the neighborhood. Just at that time, I realized I hadn't heard Chris's screams in almost ten minutes.

Lucious jumped rooftop to rooftop and I followed. Every so often, he would look back to make sure I was there. Almost like he was coaching me along.

“Come on!”

Finally another rooftop, and this was where he stopped.. Crouching and looking down at me.

“I think he's gone,” I said softly as I looked up at him.

His white hair almost glowed in the moonlight that shined down on him. For a moment I had lost myself staring straight up at him. No worries... not a care in the world. Except for who we were just running from.

“I think you're right,” he agreed, his voice snapping me from my stare. “Come on.” He waved me up.

As I jumped up to the rooftop, I heard a voice come from the window.

“Hey, this way.” The ebony-skinned vampire from the previous night leaned his head out and motioned for us.

Lucious was quick to enter the window. I entered afterwards and the vampire promptly closed the window.

“Ya'lls is the craziest motherfuckers I ever met,” the vampire told with a smile. “Ya'll never told me you have problems with Chris.”

“Chris... You know him?” Lucious asked.

“Shit yeah, I know him,” he continued. “I know him enough not to fuck with him.”

We remained silent.

“I shoulda known.” The vampire shook his head, then said, “Listen, he got the whole city after yo' asses.”

“What?” I stepped back in awe.

“Yeah, see ya'll is fucking crazy roamin' about when every vampire in town wants a piece of you,” the vampire warned.

“Think we lost him...” I looked over to Lucious.

“Shit, you ain't lost him. He just playing tag with yo' ass.”

“How can we trust you?” Lucious questioned, preparing for the answer.

“Shit... ya'll can trust me. I fuckin' got a little score to settle with that bitch Chris anyway,” the vampire answered. “So... ya'll just follow me now. Oh, name's Jersey.”

I looked back to Lucious, then back to the vampire.

“What do you mean the whole town is after us?” Lucious questioned.

“Na, man. They don't give a damn 'bout him.” Jersey pointed towards me. “They only want you. Turn your ass in to Chris is what they'll do. Something about a reward. Hmph, probably some of that damn shit he got brewing.”

This was getting extremely dangerous. Not only did Chris want to capture Lucious, he set the entire city's vampires after him. Who knew what was to come? Now this vampire, in which we hardly knew but for a couple of minutes, had proposed to help us.

“Where do you suppose we go, huh?” Lucious asked in doubt.

“Ya'll ain't gotta be that way now. Ya' want my help or not?” Jersey wondered. I looked to Lucious who returned my stare. “See, I knew it. Ya'll need my help.”