throne of citadels.

location: a park date: february 2021 time: night

Zinaida had been avoiding it for too long. She knew living in Lethe and it being a small town meant that it was inevitable to avoid its civilians, but the vampire made it happen when it came to her father. With everything that had happened, she’d face the worst of her fears coming true. Therefore, how bad could it be with meeting a deadbeat father? Stumbling across Elyas in the park, Zinaida stood in front of him with her usual unfazed expression in silence. It wasn’t until she made the first move that she finally asked, “Why didn’t you come back for mom?” She wanted to be mad at him, but a part of her knew that it wasn’t his fault. He probably didn’t know and that reasoning was one of the many that she’d seen through the course of her career. “Why did you leave her behind?” 

@elyasmegat​

Elyas quickly volunteered up himself when he received a report of a shed being caught on fire. Assignments like that would typically be assigned to someone on a lower level, but the familiarity of the address and location was enough for him to keep the task to himself. Considering how Zanna had lost most of her memories from what he has recalled at least, he possessed a sense of worry when it came to her, so when news of a shed on fire came to his desk, he was slightly alarmed. Though, that wasn’t expressed through his demeanor. “Is everything alright here, Zanna?” he asked as soon as the door opened. If she called him Charles again this time, he might just have to dismiss the entire case, whether that was ethical or not. 

How long had he been reading the decal on the door? A block of nervousness prevented him from opening the door or even getting out of people’s way when they left or went in. After reading the name of the place over and over again until it no longer sounded like English, Elyas finally stepped into The Sweet Spot. His weight gathered to the front of his toes to peep over people’s heads to find a specific person. Seeing her, he was tempted to turn around and leave, concluding that being there was a bad decision. But after a deep breath, the detective made his way over to the cashier to Jin. “Hey, any chance you can take a five minute break? I understand if you don’t want to.” 

Yuri caught his breath as soon as he ended up in front of Elyas’ door step. He rushed as soon as he received his text thinking that his best friend was suffering from God knows what. However, as soon as the vampire answered the door, the paramedic was confused to see him in one piece and in great shape. “Fuck bro, I thought someone was dying!!!!!” When he entered his home, Yuri dropped his duffel and removed his jacket and boots before following Elyas into his living room. Once his friend explained what the emergency was, the werewolf stood there in silence and stared. “…Sometimes, I wonder what truly goes down in that mind of yours, but then I’m like ehhhh better not.” He then broke out into a smile and took the box from him as he walked over to the tree. “You’re lucky I love you man. It’s easy, let’s start with the lights so shit doesn’t get tangled, then we can add the ornaments and whatever decor there is. Also do you have a skirt for your tree? It would look nice at the bottom.” It was evident that the youngest Sokolov enjoyed the holidays, as it brought joy and cheer to his hectic life. He wasn’t going to have his psychotic aunt ruin things for him, not when he has loved ones that can spend time with him during said holidays. “So you bought the tree cause you’re festive or are you planning on celebrating with others?” 

“Agreed.” replied Zinaida as she maintained her gaze on the older man. “So how do you decide? Especially in unexpected situations…Are you normally making the right choice?” In a sense it was an invasive question, but she’d worked with law enforcement for quite some time that she was curious of their thought process. “Ah…” mused the vampire. “When you put it that way, it seems so easy. However in reality, lots of factors come into play such as liability, professionalism, trust, etc. The process of it being justifiable is…not worth it per se.” On the topic of her mother, a smile graced Zinaida’s features. She loved her mother dearly and is eternally grateful that she had a second shot at life. “Not too long, a month or so. She’s a world-renowned culinarian and worked alongside Masaharu Morimoto, Cat Cora, Gordon Ramsay…etc. She goes by many names cause as you’re aware, the struggles of a supernatural being. Here in Lethe she’s Jin Slora and is a baker in the Sweet Spot. You should taste the stuff she makes, totally worth your buck.” It was evident that the Slora heiress was very proud of her mother. Whenever she’s the topic of conversation, Zi never holds back and speaks highly of her. Chuckling lowly, she then shook her head and gave a shrug, “True, but it’d be better entertainment than this asshole and I truly believe you’ll gain monetary compensation for your get up.” 

“Oh a Charles!” She exclaimed as if she knew the monarch, but she doubted it. As far as she remembered, she woke up in France with an affinity for Spanish.  Both facts were enough for her to conclude that she wasn’t anywhere near the English. “Regardless, I think you hold yourself in a way that suggests otherwise. It’s a good thing.” She chuckled. “I don’t think anyone would mind if you appeared at a Grammy party.”

As he continued to speak, Zanna frowned. “Interpol…?” She woke up near Lyon, France. She tilted her head and knitted her brows together. She remembered waking up to whispers of how she survived a fire and escaped after the first nurse realized just how quickly she was healing. “I don’t know about that. I’m a composer. Police work sounds a bit too exciting for my tastes.” She blinked her eyes a few times before taking a step back. She thought that the fire was accidental. When she went back to check, to see if the wreckage had any clues of who she was, nothing was there. Was that the point? “Emira, you know Emira? Ah perfect.” Her head was beginning to hurt. She pushed aside the difficult thoughts. “Tell me, does she have a passionate brother… or a sister…?” She had a working theory about Emira. “Salacious lot, I bet…” She muttered, more to herself than him. 

“I wouldn’t mind if I appeared at a Grammy party either. Though I’m not sure why that invitation would extend to me. I can’t say I’m the best singer unless I’m singing in the showers.” He was going off topic. Elyas should’ve been more concerned with the lack of remembrance from Zanna, but the idea of him at a Grammy party momentarily took priority. He slowly shook his head as if the shake helped snap him back to his purpose. He knew he wasn’t wrong in connecting the name and person to that part of his past. Was he overestimating the organization if Zanna couldn’t remember it? “Yeah. International Criminal Police Organization,” he explained the name, even though it was more commonly known as Interpol. A humorous laugh ran from his lips at the thought of her finding police work too exciting. It was contrary to the person he remembered. “Too exciting? If anything, I don’t think it was exciting enough for you. If I remember correctly, you were a detective too. So why the shift to a composer? Was the work too overwhelming?” 

Still on the topic of Interpol, Elyas pulled his sight away from Zanna and to his enclosed hands before him as if it held all the answers to his problems, keenly searching for it. Instead, he was faced with a wave of guilt that engulfed him. He finally looked back up. “I’m sorry for abandoning the mission in the middle of it. I heard about Lethe, and I thought that after everything I’ve done, coming here was my redemption.”  With Zanna’s questions regarding Emira, he knitted his brows in confusion. Has her life been so eventful after he left that those events replaced her collaboration with him on the case? Emira was their primarily link. “I know it’s been a while Zanna, but you really forgot about all of this already?” He lifted his head in thought, attempting to recall as much information he can about his sire. “I don’t know too much about her personal life, but no. I don’t think she does have any siblings. We would’ve known if she did. It’s just her.”

YURI SOKOLOV. 

Yuri didn’t know what was worse, overdosing or getting stabbed. Sure, ODing on drugs didn’t provide as much physical pain as getting stabbed, but the experience of it just hit a different way. He was actually conscious or at least trying to be, but he was weak to the point where applying pressure was no longer possible as he was exhausted. The werewolf was healing at slow pace and he needed a first aid kit stat. Laying there, a grin crept onto his lips as he smelled a familiar presence. “Ah, brooooo…You found me…I knew you would.” His voice trailed off as he coughed up blood and yet, Yuri still managed to have a smug smile on his face. “Is this what heaven looks like? Might as well take me now…” He couldn’t help, but laugh and that somehow made things worse as the bleeding persisted. As such, he regained his composure and shrugged, “First aid kit…Although, we might have to improvise. I don’t know…I can’t go the hospital and I can’t let the others find me man…Promise you won’t let that happen.” He then held out his pinky as his gaze softened into a vulnerable one. However, his expression changed as he got distracted at who was behind the vampire. “Ah my love, perfect timing…Two beautiful people are before me…Ugh, this is truly heaven…” He was becoming delusional at this point as his hands slowly slipped from both his wounds. “I’m tired guys, let’s nap under this big tree together…I’m sure these will heal in no…time…”

@katiakjar

Setting a pair of scissors down on the bathroom sink, Katia looks at her reflection as she runs her fingers through her newly cut hair that now falls just above her shoulders. Now that the act was done and over with, Katia lets out a long sigh that she didn’t realize she was holding in while she was taking the blades to her hair. And honestly, she didn’t regret it. She’s been wanting to do this for a while, but she knew it was going to take a certain amount of boredom and confidence to go through with cutting her own hair. Today, for whatever reason, seemed to be that day. It felt good. There was also the next test… Katia liked the look, but of course, she wanted Yuri to like the look, as well. She had to prepare herself for when he came home later today to receive his reaction. She was finishing up cleaning the mess she made when her phone vibrated in her back pocket. Reading over the text, it took a moment to realize just what she was reading. It was a text from Yuri that didn’t make any sense, plus his location. And then, Katia through the worst. Her mind went to Yuri having an overdose episode again. A second later, she was grabbing her car keys and Katia was out the door.

It didn’t take the she-wolf long to find herself downtown Lethe where she thought everyone would be having a good time because of the parade, but instead, everything was in complete chaos. But, Katia ignored it all in order to track down Yuri. When she did, she found another person there already and gave a gentle sigh of relief. Coming up behind Elyas, she places a hand on his back to allow her presence to be known. “Hey, baby…” She coos and gives him a smile despite her own nervousness and worry, as she gauges Yuri’s current position. Normally, his words would make her smile like an idiot, but Katia has already slipped into her Serious Doctor Mode as she kneels down beside her boyfriend and looks at his neck wound. Time to get to work. “You know that’s a bad idea, honey. You know better than that,” She tells Yuri, almost scolding him when he talks about wanting to nap. His hand slips from his abdomen and Katia rolls up his uniformed shirt to reveal his wound. Specifically, his stab wound.  The good news was that they weren’t far from the paramedic’s tent. The bad news was that the weapon was gone, which as causing the wound to bleed out so much. The fact that the weapon tore apart veins and vessels going in and coming out didn’t help at all.  After her long experience as a doctor, it was simple for her to spot certain wound types. “Stab wound, a deep one,” Katia tells Elyas while shrugging off her flannel shirt with haste and thanks herself for putting on a tank top underneath, but how quickly she moves to make her still-healing shoulder ache and she winces. Katia places the fabric on Yuri’s wound. “Put pressure on the wound. As hard as you can, even if he tries to fight you. I’ll go back to the paramedic’s tent and get what we need.” With that, Katia doesn’t waste another second as she pushes herself to her feet and runs to the tent, pushing herself as fast as possible.

elyas megat.

“Of course, bro. I’ll find you any day. You also sent me your location.” He spoke in a light-hearted tone, attempting to shield his inner panic. It was something he learned over the years. Even if he was panicking or unsure of how to do something, he held a facade of confidence and calmness. It eased other parties around him, so it became a characteristic necessary for the force. “If this is your heaven, I don’t want to know what your hell looks like.” He was having a war in his mind between whether he was there as a cop or as Yuri’s friend. Ultimately, he chose the latter. “Damn it, Yuri. You have to go to the hospital.” He wasn’t a doctor. Yuri could give him detailed instructions on first aid, and Elyas would only perform it in an adequate manner. At the scent of Katia, Elyas let out of breath of relief, one he didn’t realize he had been holding in the entire time of watching blood leak out of Yuri in multiple outlets. “Hey, wife! Did you get a haircut? It looks really good,” he complimented Katia when he looked over his shoulder. He was grateful she was there. Of course Yuri texted her too. She must have had a better idea of what to do, doing way more for Yuri than he could. Elyas sat back as she took a greater look at the wound. The grimace on his face pretty much described the state of his stab wound. “Stab wound? Who stabbed you?” His level of calmness quickly disappeared as soon as he heard Katia described the type of injury. Without further questions, Elyas listened to Katia due to her credibility. “Sorry, bro.” Elyas looked over at Yuri with apologetic eyes before applying pressure on the flannel shirt by pressing his palms down onto the fabric. “Stay with us, okay? No time for naps. If it makes you feel better, your blood looks very nice.” Elyas continued talking, hoping it was enough to keep Yuri awake as he impatiently waited for Katia to return. 

Every passing hour without incidents occurring brought Elyas relief. He had been on duty all day to keep an eye out for any signs of disarray that could occur. Sure, there’s been a few fist fights here and there due to drunkenness, but it wasn’t anything that could affect the mass. Not until the fireworks started at least. It went from serenity to complete chaos within half an hour. When he got the news of an active fire at Asmodean Autos and the reported casualties, Elyas and the rest of the force did their best to keep everyone calm, trying to provide the best answers to the public’s questions. His efforts were spent on keeping everyone in place, until they received confirmation that the explosions were over and the reasons was found. That was until he got a text from Yuri, who was in need of assistance. It didn’t take him long to find the werewolf. Instead of performing first aid on other people as expected, Elyas found him performing it on himself. “Bro, what are you doing? What happened?” He quickly ran over, hands inching back and forth as he was unsure what to do. Procedures and regulations immediately flew out the window. The vampire got next to him to provide support and something to hold onto in case the tree wasn’t enough. “Tell me what to do. I’ll do it for you.”

“You think?” she repeated with an arched brow. “You’re not really selling it Mister.” However, Zinaida should know. For a young woman who’s lived over a hundred years, there were all sorts of personalities and beings she’d encountered, but they were all similar in their own way. She pointed at the children, “What would the Council think when a social worker punches a street performer out of spite?” It was obviously a rhetorical question. “My mother and I just moved here too, so there’s no way I’m fucking this up for her.” At the confirmation of his role, Zinaida wore a speculating look before pointing at the case of beer. “Play the role of a drunk homeless man. There’s a tree right over there, you can def do a costume change. Once your act commence, they’ll eventually take you seriously.”  

“Just because I know you doesn’t mean Greyson does! Besides, I was fishing for your new digits, and I got them didn’t I?” she stuck her tongue out at him playfully, patting her ass where the card was tucked away safely. After their embrace she giggled at Elyas. Nice save. “Very good word, Elly. Very sweet. No one has ever called me that before, especially since being a vampire.” She furrowed her brow when he suggested he wasn’t important to her. Did she have that effect? Did she need to show him more attention, cause she would damnit! “Okay, deal. You’ll be in my top 5 when I leave and return to Lethe from now on. ‘Kay, babe?” She wanted to hug him again to seal the deal but knew better than to encroach on Elyas Megat’s personal space, so she shot him a grin of sorts, but something in her told her he was just teasing around. “What the hell is haunting you and who do I need to step on?!” she questioned, now riled up–she wouldn’t stand people hurting those she loved, Charlie Engel wasn’t afraid of a fight. 

Elyas was asking really good questions, which stimulated Yasemin’s mind as she became candid in the conversation. Luckily, she had enough caffeine in her system to be this animated. “Oh, but that’s the beauty of it all…You are good enough. Your improvements play a role in your character development. Immortal or not, we’re in a constant state of growth when it comes to life.” However, his next inquiry caused Yasemin to shut down completely as she looked away. There were many reasons why the Council wasn’t in favour of many. There’s for sure a list if you were to ask someone. However, the air nymph was doing everything she could to not get to the point where it brings her down. However, lately it’s been on the back of her mind and she was trying to make do of it, accepting it as a learning curve. “No one’s been a fan of us since time Elyas…I wish I had a definite answer for you.” 

She frowned at the amount of time that was passed. “You know…That was my first actual vacation in like…50ish years or so…Usually I take a day or two and label it as such.” She then paused. “Both.” Working was all she’d ever known and if she did rest, well she was a homebody and preferred to stay that way. “Really? Wouldn’t you simply want to rest?”  Then again she understood where he was coming from, especially when you have many things on the back of your mind. “Thank you, likewise Elyas, likewise.” She arched a brow, “Turtle? What’s its name? Do you have a picture! That’s cute!”

Elyas’ eyes narrowed at Yasemin, falling prey to her words. It felt as if he was in a counselor’s room for a minute, being given life advice that clarify his future plans and confirm who he was. And for a second, he almost believed what she was saying. He shook his head at the last second. “Looking at my competition, I don’t think I can qualify for the perfect person you’re looking for to fill this role. What can I do for them? Scare them into importance of following laws around here?” He lightly chuckled. The vampire could tell that his inquiry hit a vulnerable spot for Yasemin. With her dedication to the council and the town, it makes sense why this would be a sore topic. “You do have a few fans out there. And remember that you can’t always please everyone.” 

Jinny gives a short laugh as a response to Elyas apology. “I used to fantasize about this moment.” She wets her lips slowly in thought. In frustration. Her eyes narrow, more in thought than anything else as she stares at her ex-fiance with an unyielding stare. Learning that he was here when she and Zi arrived was something Jinny needed to wrap her head around. Learning that he has been here for quite some time felt like a slap in the face. What has he been doing for all these years? Being comfortable and happy and starting a new life. Did he have a new family? Jin felt her heart wretch at the thought. “Fantasized about rejecting your apologies. A day I never thought would come…” Jinny didn’t have a clue as to what could have happened to him. All she understood was that he was with her one night and had disappeared the next without a note, without any caution, without any trace as to where he could have gone. It was as if he never existed. “Your apology means nothing to me, Elyas. Keep it.”  

“Trust me, if I had any say in the matter, it would have died properly a long time ago.” But fate had other plans. Plans she had to grow used to, a life she had to learn. Jin was grateful that she had a chance to meet her daughter. To raise her, play with her, cuddle her, love her. On the topic of Zinaida, Jin silently debates whether or not to tell Elyas the truth about how she died. If she knew Elyas at all, he would want to know everything about her. It was too late for that. They didn’t need to be a family like they had planned all those years ago. And Jinny can’t help to scared of the thought of Elyas disappearing all over again. Right now, she was going to treat him like a stranger in order to protect her daughter. But, against her better judgment, she says, “Childbirth.” And it’s all she ends up giving him. 

It felt like a knife pierced into his heart, going deeper and deeper after every word she said. Though he expected hostility and difficulty in getting forgiven, he didn’t realize how much it would hurt. He had thought about this encounter many times, and he had imagined a plethora of different ways this conversation could pan out. But with it really happening, he couldn’t form any words and say what he wanted to. Even if he knew his apologies hold no value to her, he couldn’t leave without explaining why. He already did that before, and this was a chance to redeem that moment whether it was too late or not. But at least now, the reason would make more sense. She was in Lethe, which meant she had to know about what he couldn’t explain years ago. “I did it to protect you. To protect you from me.” Now that he was verbally expressing his reasons that used to validate his actions out loud, it sounded almost unjustifiable. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn’t trust myself around you, around anyone. And you deserve to be with someone who wasn’t not a monster.”  

Yuri flashed Elyas an incredulous look. “Ehhhhh…” The werewolf did a ‘so-so’ gesture with his hand as he begged to disagree. Arching a brow, he listened to the vampire go on about how he shouldn’t have retracted his statement, before using his words against him. “Spoken like a true little shit mate.” He then straightened his composure and shrugged, deciding to give into his reasoning. “Improving my stealth is for the long run. Just in case my dark past creeps up on me, I can easily kick ass.” He then nudged Elyas side, “Just like how I can kick yours.” With a playful wink, he laughs and repositioned himself away from him. “Asshole.” Was all Yuri had to say to Elyas as he redid the encounter. “Me? Nonsense? Look at you!!!! You’re sick—sick in the head. Anyways, if you must ask…My mood is fucking splendid now that I’m in great company.” He then gestured a hand at the vampire for him to say his piece. “And yourself? Alive, but barely breathing?” 

Time: 1:22pm Date: September 09, 2020 Location: Police station For: @elyasmegat​

He’s got the photos to prove the guy is a thief, but no authority to do anything with it. Days like this are the reason Sam misses being a police officer, let alone the detective he was once upon a time, but he tries not to let this show on his face as he breezes into the station. “You still work here?” he asks of a soft-faced secretary at the front, a little surprised they are still here, air-headed as they were, let alone alive still with the lines creased into their face. “Just looking for someone. Oh, there he is! Elyas!” No one can miss him, he’s the tallest person in the room, but he still raises his hand and waves it with enthusiasm. He waits for them to let him into the back area and then swoops back to Elyas’ desk. “Have you got a minute? Wow, you don’t look very different, its only been what… more than thirty-years?” 

Elyas was standing over the administrator's desk, answering questions of the records filings into the computer. Lack of information forced him to recall cases from long ago or even a few days ago. It was difficult to not overlap one with another. He was a patient guy, but with the amount of questions that he was being asked that held no value in that moment, Elyas was looking for an escape. And luckily for him, Sam came in right at the perfect time. Hearing his name across the room, which he had been waiting to happen for the past ten minutes, he immediately looked up. What he didn’t expect, though, was for it to be the familiar face. “I’ll be back,” he said with relief to the law enforcement administrator before meeting Sam at his desk. “I have plenty of minutes. Hours even,” he said in a begging nature. “I wish I could say the same about you. What are you doing here? Looking to come back? Because I’ve been saving a desk for you this entire time.”

Lethe was quiet in comparison to cities. She liked New York, and places just as rowdy, even if she could do without the smells. Something noisy was always washing over something else, and it was a good place to keep her focus in check. Because of cities, she could pinpoint a specific sound through all the white noise whilst letting herself really get lost in the chaos. Swimming through distractions meant that she didn’t have to worry about troubling doodles. 

She stopped and held her book to her chest. Zanna extended her hand and shook it. “No, no, that wasn’t my intention. Historic as in… You look very important, erm… or famous. I suppose, in a historical context…” He had a historic jaw. In another life time, she probably would have drawn or painted it. She frowned. What the hell was she thinking? She tried to pull her mind together by the stitches. Zanna lowered her hand. “Zanna de Varona. I can’t imagine that people stay to read credits, or pay close attention to award ceremonies, but maybe… through there… Or…” She gave him another look. “Or we met at a party. Now who was it that you knew again?” He had the looks for an up and coming actor, or one of those industry influencers. She never thought she’d run into one of those in this small town. 

Elyas’ fingers entangled with each other before gripping his chin in thought. He tried to recall his history, if any of his work had brought him enough attention to be considered ‘important’ or ‘famous’. If he was right with his assumption, then it would solve both of their copious ideas of how they know each other. His face had been plastered across newspapers before, but that wouldn’t explain how he knew her. “I’d like to think I would make a very good Charles the first. But no, I can’t say I’m that important or famous.”

She furiously sketched and scribbled away into her little black book, earnestly trying to capture the thought in her mind. The aberrant image in her head was unrelated to anything she presently knew, but a glance at the man across the way managed to shock her nerves together in just the right order. She stilled her pen and finally saw the grisly image, brought together in the mess of lines. 

A murder scene.

Zanna shut her book, causing it to clap at her. Her brows furrowed as she directed her attention at Elyas. She enjoyed hearing about true crime; she even went out of her way to attend conventions surrounding the topic. But she couldn’t recall seeing or hearing about anything as graphic as what she had scribbled down. She could feel knots in her stomach and her skin was beginning to crawl. Out of two options, to approach or flee, she chose the latter and quickly turned from him. “I’m sorry for staring. You just looked so… historic. Anyways, good day to you!” Elyas looked friendly, but if his face reminded her of death, he was probably more dangerous than anything else. 

@elyasmegat

Any disruption of the norm or a consistent nature would always capture his attention. Which is why dark eyes looked up from the laptop screen when the sound of papers hitting each other entered the atmosphere, the loud noise contrasting against the noises of voice chattering among each other. Concern washed over his features when he caught the girl’s eyes, a look that could be mistaken as a look of judgement. On the contrary, he was attempting to figure out why her face looked so familiar. A lot of people from his past had suddenly erupted into his life once again, and maybe that’s why everyone started looking familiar to him.