#here comes the plot

Esial sighed, putting down the apple he had been looking at and coming around the fruit displays where Joseph was quietly deciding between salad mixes. Esial put a hand on Joseph’s shoulder, which was just tall enough to be bordering on awkward. People had gotten so tall as well. 

Joseph jumped slightly, looking at Esial and smiled. “Hey. I’m almost decided and then we can head out.”

“No, you are fine. You have time. I wanted to speak with you. I am not angry or upset, you know,” Esial said quietly. 

“What?”

“About last night. When you talked about Kyle. I am not angry. It is fine. I understand that you want us to be friends, and maybe we will get to be one day, but not now.”

Joseph groaned softly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, Esial. I didn’t… yeah. Okay. I’m sorry.”

“No need,” Esial replied, patting Joseph’s shoulder. “It is fine, as I said. I would like to be friends with Kyle and have the chance to thank him, but it can wait until we are both more comfortable. Now, I need you to keep me from getting lunchables today. They are absolute wonders of this modern world, but they are not actually enough to sustain me.”

Joseph snorted. “Yeah, well, normal food doesn’t technically sustain you either, Esial.”

“It sustained me well enough for century,” Esial said defensively. 

“Didn’t you tell me that you were sick all the time.”

Esial scoffed and rolled his eyes. “It did not stop me from killing hippo.”

Joseph chuckled, leading the way back to the fruits to help choose everything out. Once they were done and checked out, they made their way to Joseph’s car so he could drop Esial off at the zoo. 

The drive was more normal now, with Joseph making a commentary as they went. Esial was fairly certain he knew more fun facts about the city and everything within it than actual useful skills. 

“Oh, when does your shift end today?” Joseph asked as he stepped out of the car in the zoo parking lot, the horizon the soft blue color that comes from morning steadily approaching. 

“Around 1,” Esial replied. “You will have to come pick me up in warehouse.”

“We can do that,” Joseph said, pocketing his keys as he walked Esial to the employees entrance like he did every day. “I’ll text Muir so he knows in case I get busy. I think he usually takes his break around then so he can pick you back if my meeting runs long.”

“I can call rehab drivers if you are unable to pick me up,” Esial said with a shrug. “It is fine.”

Joseph shrugged. “I’ll let Muir know anyway.”

They were almost out of the parking lot when three men in dark suits stepped out of a black van. Esial nudged Joseph who hadn’t noticed as he was texting his bond mate. 

“Look at them. They look like they are from spy movie,” Esial said, amused. He wondered if they were government agents of some kind here to inspect the zoo. They were dressed a bit formally though.

Joseph frowned, looking up to see the men approaching, a fourth getting out of the car, but hanging back. “Let’s hurry up to the entrance,” he said quietly. 

Esial nodded, moving a bit quicker, but the men were on them faster than expected. A hand on each of their shoulders slowed them down as the head of the group said, “Hello. If you wouldn’t mind, we just have a couple of questions for you.”

Joseph turned quickly, throwing the hand off of his shoulder. “Oh, right. And who are you?” He asked, trying to edge Esial back towards the zoo. 

The two men behind the leader shared a look as the leader smiled, white polished teeth seeming to glow in the dim early morning light. “We are just representing our employer. He is a connoisseur of ancient artifacts and knowledge. He had heard of your friend here and sent us to just ask a couple of questions and see if a meeting could not be arranged between the two of them.”

“Right,” Joseph said, straightening himself out and pulling out a business card. “You can have your employer know that he can contact me at this number or call the rehab center itself. My friend still has some rehab to go before he can answer any questions, but we can certainly guide you through the process of arranging that meeting when the time comes that he is available for such things. There are rules now, after all,” Joseph said, a little sharply. He honestly got this question fairly often when people learned how old Esial was, and he was tired of people treating all ancient vampires as though they were dusty old books instead of people who have been through a traumatic experience. 

The leader tilted his head. “Oh, my employer pays very well, and it won’t be a long or strenuous meeting. Your friend and our employer may have more in common than they know.”

“Again, you can contact me or the rehab center through the proper channels,” Joseph said, his tone brooking no argument. “Good morning to you.”

He turned, keeping a hand on Esial’s back.

That lasted about 2 seconds before someone had a hold on his collar. Joseph reached back, trying to grab at the man who had him. Esial turned with a snarl, sharp fangs on display as he launched himself at the men who had been trying to come for him. He growled and fought, hearing Joseph fighting with the other man behind him coughing and rasping. 

Esial dodged every attempt to grab him, snatching one man’s arm and biting down, twisting his head to rip at the flesh before having to dodge out of the way again. The injured man fell back just as he heard a thud behind him and smelled something that made his throat itch. 

The man who had been fighting with Joseph came into view and threw something into the air. Esial tried to dodge it, but ended up in a cloud of dust that burned at his eyes and throat, sending him to the ground pawing at his face, gagging and coughing. 

Someone landed on him, full force, pouring more of whatever that powder was directly onto his face. He spasmed, the powder burning his skin\ and getting into every crevice as they forced his hands behind his back, clasping something that felt like leather around his wrists. No. It was leather covering something. Something he couldn’t break. 

He was dragged over the pavement, gagging and spitting as they hauled him up into something. He was thrown and screeched as his face made contact with something hot and sharp, like toaster wires. 

He flinched back, getting seated, still unable to see as something was slammed next to him, clicking into place. There was another thud and then the sound of a car door closing. 

Esial bent his knees, wiping his mucus and tear stained face off on his pants, trying to get his eyesight back. His throat felt like it was filled with cotton as the men got into the car, one of them swearing as it started up and they backed quickly out of the lot. 

Esial gasped for air, prying one burning eye open. He could make out the shine of silver. He figured that was what had burned him. He seemed to be in a cage made of it, bolted down in the back of the van. There was a partition between the back and where the men were likely sitting. Esial looked around at the walls of the car, seeing strange tools and implements he didn’t really understand before his red and watery eye landed on Joseph. 

Joseph laid on the ground, his arms also shackled behind his back, and while his face was red and irritated, he didn’t seem responsive. 

“Joseph,” Esial hissed, struggling with the bindings even though he knew they were made of leather wrapped silver. “Joseph! Wake up!”

Joseph didn’t even twitch as Esial snarled, turning in his cage to see if there was any way out. The padlock seemed to also be made of silver, and Esial knew he wouldn’t really be able to even get to it with his hands cuffed behind his back.

He growled, throwing his clothed shoulder into the cage, but all he got for his troubles was a sensation of heat through the fabric and a new pain to go along with the irritation in his nose and throat, though he had cried enough to clear his eyes. 

He finally calmed down enough to listen to the men at the front of the van, the partition not being thick enough to keep the sound out. 

“It bit me!”

“Your worker’s comp will cover it.”

“Yes, but it hurt! Vampire bites aren’t supposed to hurt this much!”

“Ancient ones do. Trust me, you should be grateful that the boss doesn’t trust you enough to feed on you.”

Esail bared his teeth again. Another ancient vampire was doing this? Why? What was the point?

Wait… the men had mentioned their boss collecting ancient artifacts. Did that mean their boss wanted Esial himself or to know more about the amulet his father had made for him? But he lost that amulet 5000 years ago. It wasn’t like he knew where it was anymore. 

The men quieted down for the rest of the trip and Esial satisfied himself with craning his neck to see if Joseph’s phone was still in his pocket. If it was, Muir would likely be able to follow them, even if he and Joseph didn’t have their connection. It was alright. Muir would come find them and it would be alright. They would be rescued and safe and whoever did this would hopefully go to prison…. Hopefully. Esial had been learning about how ineffective that system was in the face of money, and whoever the boss was here seemed rich. 

He would just have to wait either way. He wasn’t getting out of this van on his own. 

Part 4