Eris sat in his room, staring. It was upsetting that Selene had taken the matter of the dead victim so lightly. The most she would do was go on patrol. He felt insulted; he was the Coven Master, and his word was law. Or was it supposed to be.

A growl rose within him, tightening his vocal cords. The Blood Hunger rose and threatened to take over. He shook it away but still thought of succumbing to it. If he went out now, Selene would surely catch onto his scent and discover that he was the one who had killed the Witch.

However, she was in the east part of the city while Jeanette and Blake scoured the west. But thankfully, they were not as skilled as her. The dark temptation bubbled higher and higher, urging him to feed his dark urges. He would be able to sneak a victim and drain them dry. Maybe a man for dinner tonight; their blood was more fluid, salty, and tasty. He licked his lips. Men also fought harder for their lives. His own blood warmed at the thought. He loved it when they fought. Selene thought the only lives he had taken were those of the former Coven Master and Senid. She was wrong. He had killed twice more.

The first had been a young man near the City of Nephilim. He remembered his blue eyes and sandy brown hair. His appearance had been similar to Pietro’s, which may have had something to do with why he had chosen him for prey. Remembered how he ran. It had been exhilarating, the chase. He initially intended to take a pint or two of blood. The next thing he knew, the body was drained to nearly the last drop. Eris had felt a little remorse as he buried the body deep into the ground. It had been an accident, hadn’t it? Thinking back now, he wasn’t so sure.

The second victim was more than just a face. Her name was Rebecca, a Witch with a sweet and gentle smile that reminded him of how Selene used to smile. Alive. All he had wanted then were her memories, to see what made her smile. But she wouldn’t stop screaming, and Eris had snapped, as did her neck. He left her body near the bottom of the staircase, making it look like an accident. One that worked. Everyone had concluded that she had fallen and thus broke her neck. Did he genuinely feel remorse for it? Or was he truly dead inside as Selene made herself to be?

Everyone had different ways to cope. Nivette became arrogant, Blake read, Jeanette cooked, and Selene detached herself from humanity itself, more so than others. It’s why she was the most skilled fighter, hunter, and killer. No one dared trifle with her or him for fear of inciting her wrath. All Vampyres forgot their humanity, but there was a difference between forgetting and forcefully detaching oneself from it.

That was exactly why Eris needed her out of the city. He could not risk her falling deeper into the dark hole she had  created for herself. Furthermore, he knew that if she found that man named Jason, she would spiral further down her dark creation and be damned. The only thing that had saved her life, after her murderous rampage, was the lack of morality within her victims. Selene hadn’t counted on that when she had sought death. Eris feared for his little sister, he did not want her to wish for death again. With that conclusion set in his mind, he made up his mind.

Diving into the Shadowrealm, traveled to the west side of town he stepped out onto a deserted alleyway, near a ritzy restaurant and whistled, just as a man passed by. The man stopped, adjusting his messenger bag on his shoulder. Peering into the dark alley, he took a tentative step into the darkness. Eris hid in the shadows as the man took steps deeper and deeper into the alleyway.

“Hello? Is someone here?” Eris waited for the man to take another step. He did. Eris launched himself from the shadows and found his fangs around the throat. His victim flayed his arms, punched, and tried to pry Eris’ fangs from his neck. His grip only tightened. His victim fell to the ground, gurgling something incoherent as his heartbeat slowed. Eris pulled away when he felt the last drop land on his tongue. He turned the body over and looked at it pitifully. Maybe now Selene would take him seriously. Maybe now she would gather her hunting party and set forth.

Eris sent out a shrill whistle in hopes of attracting a lot of attention. Laughter greeted him instead. Eris spun around and glared at Shira behind him.

“Oh my, what a killer you are.” Eris ignored her and ventured to the Shadowrealm. She appeared at his side.

Gritting his teeth, he said, “I do what I do to protect my sister.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night!”

“I don’t sleep at night.”

“During the day then. Now, do you want to know what I think?”

“No.”

Ignoring him, she spoke up, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “I simply think you are finally letting your darker—truer—self take over.” Eris turned to snap at her, but she was already gone. Eris fought against the thought that maybe she was right.