Lord Lazarus

All of Shade wanted to remind Lazarus that he wasn’t Preston’s keeper, but he decided against taking that action figuring it would end him up in more trouble than he was already in. Instead he remained silent watching Lazarus mercilessly kill the fae. Shade couldn’t say much. He tortured and toyed with his prey, but there was something in the pure savagery of Lazarus that left him uncomfortable as there was sputtering, choking, and then silence. 

Shade found him self singled out and really wondered why he took an upper management job. Lazarus wasn’t one to make reasonable requests so he had to find a way to make them reasonable while still fulfilling said request. No one looked directly at Laz as they passed. Some chanced a glance, but everyone seemed to know better than to challenge him. Shade wasn’t sure if he did or not. Sometimes he could hold his tongue. Other times he found that to be a challenge. 

Entering the cave he stopped on the other side of the large table that stood in the cave and eyed Laz. “What’s the plan?” 

A towel was jerked from nearby, Lazarus using it to wipe the dark smears of red from his face as he spoke around it. “Plan is to find that goddamn tree. City is being hit on and off, got them too scared to come out at night. I need the leaders, the ones protecting the tree. Anyone else is fodder. Drink, fuck, kill, I could care less.” 

He placed a ringed index finger on a section of the map north of the city. “Some magical forest here, start sending in scouts. I want that shit loo--what.” Lazarus had turned his attention to a vampire guard standing at the mouth of the cave, and upon being addressed, he fumbled out the he had found Preston. Wordlessly, Lazarus walked out, returning a short moment later with a renewed amount of gore on him, this time coating his hands.

“You had one fuckin job.” Shade said putting a bullet in the vampires head at hearing a fae had gotten past the gate. He hated some of the fuckwits that he was leading, but understood each had their own strengths and weaknesses. The thing was he didn’t tolerate weakness well or when a fae got past the gate, which meant his ass if Lazarus found out. Course he had not intention of telling his Laz. What he didn’t know wouldn’t kill him and Shade knew killing him would be hard, he also knew what a privilege his spot was. He was only recently turned, but thanks to his brother he was more monstrous than most 50 times his age.

“Next one that lets a fae pass is going to be tied out here and watch the fucking sunrise.” He promised going back to where he’d set up a makeshift camp. A perimeter around the gate was created and hopefully it was more welly guarded now with everyone taking the positions seriously knowing Shade kept his promises. 

Kicking the stragglers out of the tent he looked down at the map he had of the area, route plotted to Morta Canyon at dusk. two vampires resided just outside of the tent where a cage was holding the fae they’d caught in the surrounding area. He’d let a few of his subordinates feed and have a bit of fun with the creatures. It’s all they were good for. Of course that had been after Shade had his own fun with them sure to cut off the wings he liked. Four sets he’d gotten. A set of bluish green butterfly wings, one pair of dragon fly looking ones, another were moth like and the last pair looked like monarch butterfly wings. The few that kept their’s were ones he wasn’t impressed with he itching to get a pair like Dantri’s or Dantri’s if possible. Outside of that he just wanted a feather pair which seemed rarer than he first thought. 

He let the medical fae treat the ones he cut the wings off. He didn’t want them to die sure Laz would want them alive, at least some of them. Some he executed for the hell of it. Couldn’t stand the mouthy ones. Checking his clips he headed back out to do a perimeter check and then some heading down the main road and off to an adjacent area that was known for having medicinal herbs. Fae were stupid, especially healing ones. So obsessed with the well-being of someone else they forgot to watch themselves. 

The requisite moment of the hunt, of moving silently stalking an unaware prey, if he had a heartbeat it would have been racing, but all was quiet in his chest, mind, and body. The shot echoed in the silence of the world around them. The soldier dropped, cute they actually thought a soldier would do damage, well maybe to something other than an elite and himself. A second soldier came at his back. Shade hearing him well before he could attack popping him between the eyes so the earth attack he’d meant to throw fell short. That left the little medic behind. Shade was quick to explain there was no helping his counterparts and if he wanted to live he’d show Shade his wings. His wish granted. They were a distinct pair, like that of a bat but with two pairs like a butterfly. Oh yes he had to have them. 

Without hesitation he was to the creature gripping it by the wings as he shoved him face first to the ground knee at his back as he pulled out the hunting knife and began to cut the wings away. If the gunshot didn’t unsettle the Queen’s guard, the screaming that followed would. That wasn’t exactly why he did it, but it was an added bonus to his collecting. Night after night they were subjected to them with everyone of their kind Shade picked off because there was always someone stupid enough to think they could survive, that they wouldn’t get caught and they might not. One did slip by his subordinates. Of course, that was the exception not the rule and Shade was one to police his men. He didn’t sit idle and make others do work he wouldn’t. Hell he was sure some of the vampires were disturbed by his actions. It made him wonder if Gage would be. He really shouldn’t. It was only hunting he reasoned as the fae screamed and clawed at the ground beneath him while blood splattered on his face. His tongue gathered what it could of the mess, he leaving the rest unphased by it as he finished manhandling the crying creature and studied the new pair of wings he acquired. Blood and thicker bits dripping off the end. 

“Nice, these will look good on my wall and you gotta good set of lungs on you. I can think of a few vampires that would like to go a round or two with you.” He mused as he gripped the fae by the leg and started dragging him and his trophy back to camp satisfied with himself. 

Lazarus was in Morta Canyon, and for one reason only: to make sure everything he requested was being done. He hadn’t sent word of his being there, finding it more appropriate to arrive without warning and see things in progress without his leadership. So far, he wasn’t all that impressed--though to be fair it took a lot to impress him. Things were moving slower than he liked, and he was skimming the vampires in search of Preston when he caught whiff of the faerie blood. Lazarus had the best control out of any vampire in Avalon, but his eyes still turned blazing red when he saw the pathetic creature being dragged through the dirt, kicking, screaming and begging for his life.

Lazarus walked with purpose, as he always did, and his very presence made others step aside, not wanting to cross him or be caught in the path of his stride. The fae quieted as the vampire reached him, taking him by the neck and lifting him up so their faces were even. “Shade.” His voice was quiet, like the growl of a large cat before it attacked. “I got word that a faerie got past the guards. Want to catch me up on how that shit happened?” Lazarus was in fact, livid about the fact. He’d wanted their presence here to go unknown, and if one Avalon scout had already managed to get in, there was no telling how many of them had already gathered information on their position, numbers, and possibly their plans.

Alex stepped forward instantly at the curled finger still nervous but feeling his anticipation grow as thoughts swirled through his mind none of them innocent. Trying to focus he responded. “What information would you umm find useful? I grew up with the rest of the faes so I can identify anyone important captured. My family was fairly close to the higher ups. Umm…I also know the layout fairly well?”

Alex getting a good look at Lazarus now couldn’t deny the other man was stunning and had it been a different situation Alex may have even tried to flirt with him. But since Alex liked having his limbs attached he decided against it for the moment. “I understand and I ask myself the same question. I don’t know why he turned me. He claims love but I am not willing to take that answer.” He said a hit of attitude peaking in but directed towards Preston. “Still I’m not stupid enough to not understand my new position. While I’m useful to you I stay alive. Is that correct Sir?” His glaze dropped now and he looked at the floor a soft pout on his lips.

@baneofavalon

Alexander couldn’t help but shake slightly as he walked into the room his whole body tense and unsure. He didn’t know what Lazarus wanted but it couldn’t be any thing good. This would be the first time he had met the man since Preston had changed him so recently. Forcing himself to take a deep breath he stepped forward with fake confidence. “You wanted to see me?”

Fucking fae-turned vampire assholes. Lazarus had killed plenty of them, just because there was no room to trust them or even use them for that matter. They were always too emotional, too torn, and too lost in what they’d lost and become to be of any real use. Most went dark and murderous, others curled up and waited for death. Lazarus didn’t know what possessed Preston to take one of the fae as a fledgling, but it was only because of the Elite that Lazarus hadn’t ripped the newborn to shreds. 

He was leaning back in his chair, legs crossed atop his desk and cigarette to his lips when the fledgling came in. The massive room tended to echo when someone spoke, but the boy’s voice was small, quiet, fearful.

Good, he should be afraid. If he wasn’t, Lazarus would very quickly give him a  reason to be. 

There was a slammed door as Lazarus came down into the holding cells, guards immediately sweeping aside to allow him passage. His eyes were dangerously cold and his mood was clearly unpredictable. Since the capture of Meranosa, he’d been going through the newly acquired slaves one by one, digging for information and torturing them for his own amused pleasure. 

Each prisoner cowered as he drew past their cell, cold finers touching the bars of each one until he came to a stop. Inside was a werewolf, and a very unfortunate one. He’d been picked up along the way, and while Lazarus hated werewolves, he hated fae more.

“Look at this shit.” He scoffed as he grasped the bars and leaned in. “Thought you’d be dead by now.” A dark sneer comes to his lips, exposing the tips of his fangs. One jerk of his head and a guard moved over to open the cell door. “You’re coming with me you fucking fleabag. We got a few things to go over.” 

One snap of his fingers and Mackenzie was being grabbed and dragged out of the cell by two vampire guards, roughly pulling him along after Lazarus until they reached Meranosa’s Town Hall. Heavy doors were thrown open, the inside smelling strongly of blood and gore. Ahead was a large wooden desk, giant windows showing Avalon behind. 

Lazarus took a seat as the guards threw the werewolf to the floor, and only once they left the two of them alone did Lazarus speak. “I got a deal for you.”