Bloodlust Ch. 07

The sun rose all too early the next morning, its beams starting to creep in through the window and illuminating the dust particles in the air.

Eve's head hurt, the dull ache of a hangover, though she hadn’t drunk anything. She hadn't slept well after her encounter with Ari. The dream had felt so real, so intense. She was sure it wasn’t the product of her imagination. It couldn’t have been a dream.
Luke hadn't left her side after finding her on the roof. He was asleep beside her, sprawled out across the bed, one of his long arms draped across her middle. His breathing was steady, his face relaxed. He always looked younger when he was asleep.

He groaned and shifted beside her, rolling onto his side facing her. His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into him. He mumbled something incoherent and nuzzled his face into her hair. She relaxed into his familiar embrace. It felt good to be close to someone, to feel his warmth, to hear his heart beating steadily against her back. She wanted to forget about everything, even for just a moment.

Tonight, she knew she would have to go. Ari's words echoed in her mind.
When you wake up, come find me.

She knew that it would never end unless she found him. He would always find a way into her head, and she would always come back to him. She knew that the council would come to the same conclusion: if she didn't finish what she'd started, it would set a precedent. They wouldn’t go easy on her at the trial... The trial!

She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. "Oh, shit!" she hissed.

She elbowed Luke in the ribs.

"Get up. Get up! I'm going to be late."

Luke mumbled, shifting position and tightening his grip around her. "Five more minutes," he groaned.

Eve shoved him off the bed. He landed with a thud, and she heard him swearing.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "But I have to go."

She rushed to the closet and pulled on a loose, neutral colored training outfit. She changed quickly, pulling her hair up into a loose bun and rubbing sleep out of her eyes. A dash of eyeliner on each eye was the best she could do to look presentable.
Luke was still on the floor when she turned around, still in his uniform from the day before, the fabric wrinkled. He gave her a pathetic look, half asleep.

"Don’t look at me like that. Your testimony isn't for another hour!" she chided as she passed him on her way to the door. He slowly made his way off the floor and slumped back into the bed, pulling the covers up. She hesitated for a moment.

"Thanks, for last night," she said, "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come."

His eyes opened to blink at her owlishly. "Anytime," he smiled.

With that, Eve rushed out of her room. She padded quickly down the hall, the floor cold on her bare feet. Her stomach grumbled but there was no time to eat. It was nearly 6am; the trial started in two minutes.

She made her way through the silent halls until she found her way downstairs to the council chambers, down the hall from the professors' quarters. The entrance was lit by flickering torches lining the walls. She knew they indicated that the board had already convened and she swore under her breath. The doors were closed.

She pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped inside. A hush fell over the crowd inside, and she could feel their eyes on her. It was a large room, with a raised stage in the center and circular seating surrounding it, raised several feet in the air. A single empty chair had been set up on the stage. The board was already in their seats, the members seated according to their rank. Emeritus professors sat in the highest rung of the chamber, with tenured or honored professors in the row before them and the newest members in the innermost rung. The Speaker's seat was projected slightly forward from the rest of the seating, and there Ramsey now stood, chair scraping against wood.

She saw familiar faces dotted throughout the room. It was hard to resist the urge to crumple under the accusatory gazes directed down at her. Darrow sat in the middle row slightly to Ramsey's left, his jaw set. When he saw Eve, he gave her a small nod of acknowledgement.

"A minute later and we would have started without you," Ramsey said, her voice carrying clearly through the large room.

Eve walked down the central aisle between the pews towards the stage, keeping her chin high and her eyes straight ahead. She took a seat on the empty seat centered on the raised stage, facing Ramsey.

"I'm sorry, Madam Speaker," she said. She kept her voice even, not betraying her anxiety.

Ramsey's face was impassive. In her role as Speaker, she adopted a cool detachment. Eve wished she would give some indication of support or understanding, but there was nothing. Most of the faces looking down at her were either neutral or outright hostile.
There had only been four trials held in the last fifty years, and the most recent had been ten years ago. Most hunters wouldn't get a chance to see the proceedings of a trial in their lifetime. Being one of few was not a position Eve had hoped to occupy.
Ramsey began. "You've been called before this tribunal to contribute to our information gathering relating to the incident three weeks ago with the vampire Ari. We're going to ask you questions, and it is important that you answer them honestly and fully." Ramsey continued, "The board will determine if further punishment is required, but that is not the focus of today's session. The only thing that matters today is the truth. It's unlikely you did anything wrong." She emphasized her last words, finally giving Eve a small smile of encouragement.

Eve nodded, feeling her chest unclench slightly.

"Please state your name for the record."

"Evelyn Burnett," Eve answered.

"Please give us an account of what happened on the night of November 12th. Start from the beginning, and please speak loudly and clearly."

Eve cleared her throat. She steeled herself. "I and my hunting partner, Luke, were looking for a higher vampire named Ari. We had very limited information to go off of; we knew he frequented a nightclub called the Mad Hatter. We went there the night of the 12th with the intention of either finding him or interrogating anyone we thought could be linked to him."

"Continue."

“It was about midnight when we got there. We had scouted out the location earlier in the day and determined that we would have to go through the main entrance in civilian clothes, there was no other way in. Everything seemed normal. We got to the door and were let in. Inside was dark, and the music was loud. There were a lot of people there."

"Vampires?"

She tried to recall. "Most were human, or appeared so. It was crowded. Luke and I separated. I identified a vampire in the crowd - male, recently turned, not well-fed. I wanted to use him to find Ari."

"And how did you do that?"

Eve looked down, "I... got his attention. Lured him into one of the booths in the back." Her eyes flashed to Darrow's, who was staring at her intently. He had been the one to teach her to seduce a target, the last thing he taught her before she graduated.
She still remembered that lesson. How could she forget? The two of them alone in his office. His grip on her shoulders gentle but firm as he pushed her down. His hands guiding hers, showing her how to wrap her fingers around him. Regardless of what others might think, it was a valuable tool for a vampire hunter to have. She knew that any mention of it now would damage her credibility.

"I got him alone. I intended to question him, but the situation got out of hand. He was hungry and intemperate, new to drinking blood. So, I convinced him to take me upstairs. I thought I might be able to slip away and search the second level for Ari. We didn't make it further than twenty feet before Ari found us instead."

"And then?"

"Luke caught up with us just as Ari attacked. We managed to kill three of his men, but they quickly overpowered us. Ari managed to... bite me. I tried to stab him but he knocked the knife out of my hand. I don't remember much after that. It was all a blur. I'm not sure what happened to Luke after that, but they held me captive until I escaped the next morning.”

“How did you escape?”

“I busted the lock on my door. I was lucky I didn’t run into anyone on the way out.”

“How fortunate.”

She knew that Ramsey saw through her story. She may not have known the whole truth, but she knew about Ari's Persuasion and could make an educated guess from there. Eve didn't dare to hope that Ramsey would go so far as to withhold that information from the rest of the board. So far, she hadn’t shown any inclination towards sharing what she knew.

Ramsey assessed Eve over her glasses. "A perfect match to what you told me on the 14th. Now, remember, a hunter may not knowingly conceal or misrepresent facts pertinent to a trial or investigation. This includes withholding relevant information or presenting a false or incomplete account. If there’s anything you want to clarify, now would be the time."

"Of course. I swear."

"Since you have told us the whole truth, of course, I presume you’ll have no problem having your memories examined?"

Eve's stomach clenched painfully tight. Her fingers squeezed the arms of her chair. Well shit, she thought. This couldn't possibly be legal, having someone invade her memories. But she didn't have a choice. There was no reason for her to refuse if she was innocent. Unless, she thought with a stroke of hope, her wards could prevent it. But no, even as she considered it, she wasn't certain that the wards would prevent memory intrusion, only keep out other's thoughts. She couldn't count on it.

She swallowed thickly. "Of course. Anything for the council."

She wondered which of the professors would examine her, or if it would be a specialist brought in for the trial. It didn't really matter. She doubted there would be a way for her to avoid it. If it came down to it, she'd rather take her chances with a stranger. She knew too many of the council members; they would not be impartial.

"Very good." Ramsey gestured and a figure several rows back stood, his face coming out of shadow. Eve's breath caught. Theo descended the rows quickly until he came out onto the main floor, approaching the stage. She didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, silently watching.

How she hadn’t noticed him, she couldn’t fathom. He had dressed for the occasion, wearing a deep blue suit. His wild green eyes were bright, a smile already tugging the corners of his lips. His hair was somewhat more controlled than last time she had seen him. He cleaned up nicely.

"Eve, this is Theodore. He is a member of the High Council, and a warlock. He will be conducting an examination of your memories." Ramsey had already introduced them, but evidently didn’t want to advertise it.

Theo joined Eve on the stage, bowing forward and pressing a kiss to her hand. His lips brushed her knuckles. "Pleasure to meet you," he greeted her.

She felt his hand move to release her and she jolted as he brushed his thumb along the inside of her wrist, where her protective runes began. She could feel the energy radiating off of him, like the prickling warmth of a fireplace.

"Likewise," Eve managed.

Theo straightened, his eyes lingering on hers, and then turned his attention to Ramsey. "At your convenience, Speaker."

Ramsey gestured for him to proceed.

"This will be painless but uncomfortable," Theo said, tone professional, "It's important that you keep a clear head until I ask you to recall a particular event. You can let the memories unfold in whatever way feels more natural. It may help to close your eyes. Understood?"

"Yes," Eve replied, trying not to look nervous. She wasn't sure whether he would disclose what he saw to the council, or whether he was on her side. She also wasn't sure she would be able to keep her own thoughts under control.

Theo lowered his voice, so that only she could hear. "The wards will make this more difficult, but not impossible. You have to let me in."

She closed her eyes and felt Theo's hands settle on her temples. She could sense a change in the energy radiating off of him. He whispered a string of words she didn't recognize. A light buzz started in her head, like the aura preceding a migraine. His thumbs moved over her temples and her jawline, rubbing in circles. Something shifted in her suddenly.

"Let me in," he said gently.

She forced her shoulders to relax and the tightness in her neck to subside. This was Theo, he'd already been in her head, she didn't need to worry. She imagined a door opening in her mind, the lock unbolting. The buzzing intensified, and she felt him brush against the surface of her thoughts. It was a strange feeling of pressure. Then it gave way and she felt her mind open like a bleary eye blinking awake.

"Good," he said.

She tried to keep her head empty and blank. But even as she did so, she couldn't help the images flitting through. All of the things she didn't want him to see came straight to the forefront. Her mind flooded with memories of the night before. Ari, stretched across his bed. Heat pooling between her thighs. The weight of his body on top of hers, thrusting her into the mattress.

Eve's face was hot. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

She heard a sharp inhale of breath and a cough, likely Theo trying not to laugh. She opened her eyes to see him biting the inside of his cheek, a dimple forming. "It's absolutely filthy in here," he said. If her thoughts had been on display before, Eve could do nothing to dam the flood now.

"That wasn't meant for you."

"What's happening? Theodore, please update the council." Ramsey prompted from her seat. Eve came back to reality, suddenly remembering the room full of professors surrounding her.

Theo bit his lip to suppress a smile, then turned around to face the board. "I've established contact with Eve's memories and I'm prepared to commence a review of the events on the 12th. Beginning with her arrival to the Mad Hatter. Eve, please visualize yourself arriving at Ari's club."

Eve tried to cast her mind back to that night, as she had done often in the last few weeks. Instead, her thoughts wandered back to her last memory of Theo. They were in the training room, his fingers tracing across her wrist, his bright eyes flickered up to hers. Flashes of time came faster than she could push them away. His tongue on her pussy. Her fingers tangled in his hair.

Theo made a strangled sound and she heard him mutter a curse word. "Eve," he said sharply.

There was a creak as Ramsey's chair leaned forward. "Please narrate," she prompted.
Eve forcibly wrenched her thoughts back to the Mad Hatter, her thoughts still scattered but mostly on topic.

"Apologies, Speaker," Theo said, "I will. The events proceeded similarly to Eve's testimony. She and Luke entered the Mad Hatter in civilian clothing, using a fake ID to gain entrance. After splitting up, Eve was able to single out a target, a young vampire, and lure him to a private area. She then persuaded him to bring her upstairs."
"And did he reveal any information?" Ramsey asked.

"No," Theo answered. He didn't elaborate.

"Proceed, then."

"They didn't make it further than the stairs before being intercepted by a man who Eve recognized as Ari. A fight broke out and he bit her. They were overpowered and captured."

"And the details of her captivity?"

"Very few,” Theo evaded, “She spent the night and most of the next day in a small room. The door was locked and there was no window. She broke the lock and escaped, meeting no resistance on her way out. She immediately made her way back to the academy."

Eve let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She was both relieved and ashamed; she had made him complicit in her failures.

"Thank you," Ramsey said, turning her attention to the board. "I will open the trial to comment now."

Darrow stood up. "Speaker," he said, "I think it's more than clear what happened. We assigned two young hunters to a target significantly above their skill level. Eve had an encounter with Ari and was compromised, but that's no reason for her to be discharged. I propose we re-evaluate the academy's placement guidelines."

"It's irrelevant," a voice cut across. A woman in the center row, just behind Ramsey, stood up. She looked ancient, withered, and it was a marvel she could even stand. "She shouldn't be allowed back until she completes the assignment. No one is above the law. Ari has to die."

"We will continue to discuss," Ramsey said, addressing the board, "Eve and Theodore, please leave the room while we deliberate. That is, unless there are any more questions for Eve."

No one said a word.

"The council has the floor," Ramsey said.

"Eve," Theo prompted her, gesturing towards the door. As she left, she couldn't hear what the board was saying but she knew it wasn't likely they were speaking kindly about her. Theo led her down the hallway until they were out of earshot of the council chamber. She slumped against the ledge of a large window.

"That wasn't as bad as it could have been," she said.

"No," he agreed, "They might have called for your immediate execution if they had known everything. Or had a different warlock conducting the examination."

Eve felt her stomach twist at the reminder. She had been very lucky. "Thank you," she said, "You didn't have to help me."

He smiled. "But I wanted to. And it wasn't entirely altruistic."

"How so?"

He stepped closer and caught her hand between his, pressing a kiss to the palm. "I love being in your head. Do you know how difficult it was not to take you right there, in front of everyone? You're lucky I have self-control."

Her face flared with heat and she averted her eyes.

"Don't look away. Tell me. How would you have liked it? With everyone watching? You can't hide from me. I've been inside your mind. I know you better than anyone."

"You're a pervert."

"So are you." He was so close she could smell him, vetiver and incense. For a moment he looked like he was going to kiss her, then he paused. "Your friend's coming."

She spun around to see Luke making his way down the hallway. His steps slowed as he approached them. He stopped several feet from them, looking between them, eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

"No," Eve said quickly, "It's good you're here. Luke, this is Theo, the council brought him on as a consulting warlock for our trial. Theo, this is Luke. My hunting partner."

"I've seen a lot about you," Theo said, shaking Luke's hand. He winked.

Luke looked confused, then his eyes widened with some realization and he glanced at Eve, whose cheeks were still flushed. "All good, I hope," he recovered.

"Some."

"We're just waiting to hear back from the council," Eve cut in, "They're deliberating right now. They asked me to rehash everything that happened at the Mad Hatter. Then they had Theo examine my memories to verify everything I said."

Theo assessed Luke with interest, "They want me to examine yours too."

Luke paled. "Why?"

"Standard procedure," Theo smiled, "They just want to make sure that what you tell them lines up with Eve's testimony. I can assure you, it's perfectly safe. It's over quickly, and you don't feel a thing."

Luke looked at Eve, an unspoken question hanging between them. She suspected he was wondering how she'd passed the memory inspection, and wondering if he wouldn't be so lucky. "They'll ask you a lot of questions," she said, "Make sure your answers are straightforward. Just stick to it."

"But they won't..." he trailed off, glancing at Theo.

"You can trust Theo," Eve told him.

Theo grinned, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Of course," he said, "Everything I see is confidential. For my private enjoyment only."

At that, Luke looked even more uncomfortable. Eve cleared her throat, intending to change the subject, but just then the doors of the council room opened. A young man approached them, a page sent from the Speaker. "The board will see their next witness," he said, addressing Luke.