Chapter 29 – Blood Bank
A low whistle escaped Fas's lips as he stared at SJ. It took him a few moments to gather his thoughts before he spoke.
"These earrings are part of the fae heirloom set? You're sure?"
"Absolutely," SJ said, nodding her head. "I should know; I'm fae after all."
"I've heard of various heirloom sets over my time, but never seen any of the items that make them up; they are supposed to hold immense power as full sets," Fas bubbled with excitement. "And you say that these are deteriorating due to a spell on them?"
"Yes, Navina told me that if they were stolen or removed without the chief's permission, they would be destroyed. Although she had acquired an incantation that could reverse the spell."
Fas frowned, scratching his cheek thoughtfully. "We can always go and ask her for it if you have the piece already. I'm sure even Navina wouldn't wish to see it destroyed."
"I have to do something; if it's already lost durability, I don't know how long it will last."
SJ wasn't sure how many durability levels there were, focusing only on quality. She quickly flicked up her display and checked on the Legionnarious.
There were ten levels of durability. The highest was Infinite, which Haber's dress was, then there was perfection, excellent, very good, good, above average, average, below average, poor and broken.
"It's currently at very good, which means it has six stages before it reaches broken," SJ's voice shaken by the findings. It had lost a level within an hour or so of her taking it. If it continued at the same rate, it could break before morning.
"When would Navina normally be available?" SJ asked.
"She never sleeps, but there is no guarantee she will be at the guild headquarters at night. That's her usual social time."
"Do you know where she may go?"
"There are several places I know she frequents. I'm as concerned as you are if this is a fae heirloom. Holding a racial heirloom is an honour. Do you mind?" Fas asked, holding his hand out.
SJ tipped the earrings into his hand. He cautiously lifted one and looked at it. It had turned black, like her clothes, and as Fas looked at it, its colour returned to its emerald vibrancy. The main laurel leaf had three miniature leaves hanging beneath it, which looked beautiful. "It changes colour!" Fas said, amazed.
"It's no different from the choker and belt they do as well." As soon as the words left SJ's mouth, she realised what she had just done.
Fas's eyes couldn't possibly have got any larger even if he were in his dragon form. His voice trembled when he spoke. "You own two other pieces already?"
"I did tell you they were a little special," Dave chirped in nonchalantly. SJ could clearly remember how excited he had become at the sight of the choker when Zigferd had given it to her. Never mind his reaction to the belt. His remark was him trying to hide his own emotions, and SJ smirked.
Her smirk didn't go unnoticed by Fas.
"You really have been keeping secrets, haven't you?" he shook his head in disbelief.
"Maybe," SJ's smirk changed to a genuine smile. "But so do you."
"True," Fas agreed. "I can't believe you have three pieces of the set. Do you know how many there are in total?"
"Five," SJ replied.
"Wow."
SJ had never seen Fas react the way he did in all the time she had known him, and he was showing a completely different side of his personality.
"There is absolutely nothing for it; we have to go and find Navina now," he said, standing, still clutching the earrings in his hand.
SJ put her hand out. Fas looked at it, then at his closed fist, before reluctantly handing the earrings back. The fleeting moment itched with uncertainty. SJ immediately added them back to her inventory. Her notifications triggered again as she did.
Panicking, she opened her display. Thankfully, it was just the trigger for the attribute boosts; now it was in her possession, not another durability step being lost.
"What about the book?" SJ asked as she stood.
"I think it's a fair exchange," Fas replied. "But that can wait; we must find Navina. If you now have three out of five heirlooms, we can't possibly allow one of them to be destroyed."
"Actually, wait a moment," Fas said as he hurried back through into another room before returning with a small pouch. "This has the same charm as the chest, and blocks magic. It may help and stop the durability from dropping."
SJ took the pouch, opened it and noticed the same faint green glow inside. She recalled the earrings dropping into her inventory before they disappeared again.
"Thanks," SJ said. If there were the slightest chance, it would stop the deterioration; that would be amazing.
SJ stood following Fas to the door, glancing back at his writing desk as she did. She really wanted to know what secrets the book held, but the heirloom did take priority.
The downpour had left the night air with a damp chill as SJ pulled her cloak up around her face; it still hadn't dried thoroughly from being inside Fas's home, and the material felt heavy.
"Where are we heading?" SJ asked.
"I think it would make sense to at least check at the guild first."
"Okay."
"What's your shadow step at now?"
"Level 9."
"You kept that quiet," Fas smirked.
"What? It's been increasing over time as I have used it."
"Yes, I know it does, but you must have used it a great deal to reach level 9."
SJ shrugged. "I suppose I do."
"Okay, then let's head to the library," Fas said as he shadow stepped. Appearing across the garden. SJ followed, appearing at his side. The speed at which the pair of them could traverse the city streets at night was exceedingly fast. SJ could have flown there faster on a direct route, but there wasn't a huge difference when she considered the time it had taken them.
The library was in darkness at this time of night, and its octagonal building looked mysterious. Fas didn't walk up the main steps and instead cut around the rear of the building. SJ had never been there before in all her time in Asterfal and was surprised when Fas moved a wall of hanging ivy aside to reveal a set of steps leading down. You wouldn't even suspect the steps were there unless you knew. There was no light below, and Fas walked unhindered. SJ knew that as soon as the natural light was blocked by the ivy wall falling back over the entrance, she would struggle to see. Her night vision depended on residual light. It was obvious Fas didn't require it, or it was probably more that he knew the route so well. The steps led into a corridor that SJ believed ran towards the library's central area. The air didn't smell musty as SJ would have expected; instead; it had a floral scent. Several doors led off the corridor, and Fas ignored them, heading to the end. He stopped only when he reached a plain, dark wooden door. He paused, listening for a moment, before knocking.
It took several moments before a hatch opened, light seeped into the corridor, and a man's face appeared.
"Is she in?" Fas asked.
"No," was the single-word reply as the man closed the hatch again.
"That was abrupt?" SJ said.
"I probably just woke him up," Fas shrugged. "He is Navina's keeper."
"Keeper?"
"Yes. Her blood source, or you could call him a familiar if you like."
SJ shuddered at the thought of a man being used by Navina as a permanent source of blood.
"Where next then?"
"There are several bars she frequents. The nearest to here is District 6. If she isn't there, we can check some others at 8 and 11."
"Eleven?" SJ asked.
"Yes, why do you sound so surprised?"
"I suppose I never thought there would be a vampire roaming the streets near where I live."
Fas chuckled as they returned up the steps. "She isn't the only one in Asterfal, you know."
"What?" SJ said in shock. "There are more vampires."
"Of course, she isn't alone. Well, she is, but there are more of her kind here."
"Where do they live?"
"Various locations. Ready?" Fas asked.
"Yes," SJ said, starting to follow him again.
SJ couldn't stop thinking about the earrings' durability as the time ticked by. Navina hadn't been in District 6 or 8, for that matter, and by the time they had arrived at each location and then travelled to the next, her feeling of dread and paranoia was increasing. She wanted to check the earrings but was worried about removing them from the small pouch in her inventory. There had been no alerts stating that the durability had decreased, but since she hadn't held them, she doubted she would know unless she did.
"Okay, this next place isn't the friendliest," Fas said as they stepped towards District 11. They weren't heading towards the inner wall where SJ's home was, but instead deep into the centre of the District. It was now past midnight, and the streets were starting to get quieter. Not that Asterfal ever fell truly silent. There was always something to do at all hours of the day if a being wished.
They passed near the main market square, which SJ knew, and then turned down a street lined with tall, imposing buildings. All the buildings in District 11 were made of stone, and those on this street shared a similar style; each was at least three stories tall.
Fas stopped by the steps to one of them. There was nothing to tell it apart from the others, or any signs that it could be anything other than a family home. In Districts 6 and 8, they had visited bars.
"What is this place?" SJ asked.
"This is one of the blood banks," Fas said. SJ watched as the front door to the building opened and a being left. Even in the dark of night, with only the occasional lantern lighting the streets, SJ could see the pale skin and knew it was another vampire.
Fas walked directly up to it. "Goodday, Bartholemew."
The being's head snapped around at hearing Fas's voice. "I thought I smelled you," he hissed, his face creasing with a flash of anger, and SJ was sure she spotted elongated canines as he did.
"I mean you no harm," Fas said, holding his hands up defensively. "Have you seen Navina?"
"Why would I answer any questions you may have?" he spat. "The last time we spoke, you tried to remove my head."
"It was just a misunderstanding," Fas replied. "You appeared to be biting the child."
"I was crouched down, talking to her. Not biting her, and you didn't even wait to find out before your blade struck. I'm only alive today because your blade struck the wall."
"Thankfully. As I said, it was just a misunderstanding. I am well aware of the rules surrounding your permission to remain in the city after your spree when you first arrived."
"That was over a century ago, and I was newly born," Bartholemew sneered.
"A century for your kind is more like a week for many," Fas said. "Please, Bartholomew, I apologised at the time and have done so on several occasions since."
Bartholemew wore a scarf around his throat, and he pulled it to one side, where SJ could see the line of a scar which ran from one side to almost the other. "I will never forget this," he said, showing it.
SJ didn't say a word as she watched the interaction between the two of them. Discovering Fas had almost decapitated a vampire for what he assumed biting a child actually made her feel proud of him.
Bartholemew pulled his scarf back up, hiding the scar, and turned, stalking off down the street, no longer willing to speak to Fas.
"You tried to cut his head off?"
"When Bartholomew first arrived in Asterfal, as he said, he was still a newborn. He had a voracious appetite and taste for the young. Several of the orphans disappeared when it happened. The blame fell at his door within their community, and it was only after the city Master dealt with him that it stopped. I was aware because of the link to the orphans, and when I saw him a few months later, anger got the better of me," he shrugged.
"City Master?" SJ asked.
"Yes, their Master is the eldest in the city; age dictates hierarchy amongst their kind. Navina is the second-eldest among the ancient vampires, but the Master is much older than she is. He oversees the blood banks across Asterfal."
"Blood Banks? There's more than one?"
"Yes, three in total. Beings will give blood of their own free will. Especially many from the poorer areas, as they get paid for it. This is their main branch," Fas said as he walked up to the solid wooden door. On its surface, several symbols were carved. SJ didn't recognise them even with her linguistic skills.
Fas reached to the side where a rope hung and pulled it. Inside the property, SJ heard a bell ring.
A broad-shouldered orc opened the door, his imposing form filling the large doorway.
"We aren't open. You'll have to come back tomorrow," the orc said as it went to close the door again.
"I'm not donating. I am looking for Navina; it's urgent. Is she here this evening?"
The orc looked Fas up and down, then glanced at SJ. They were both wearing black nondescript clothing, and Fas had remained in his elven persona.
"Is that you, Carlito?" A female voice carried from inside.
SJ noticed Fas stiffen at the sound of it. "Yes, Claita."
"Let him in, Jaxon," the voice replied.
If Fas's assassin's name had meant anything to Jaxon, he didn't react as he moved to one side and allowed Fas and SJ to enter.
"Carlito, it's been so long," Claita said as they entered.
SJ wasn't sure what she had expected for the inside of a blood bank, but it wasn't what they entered. Behind the entrance was a large open room. It was like a doctor's waiting room, but the furniture and contents were luxurious. Large high-backed chairs were positioned around it, and a desk stood before a set of double doors.
Claita stood behind the desk; her perfectly alabaster skin glowed in the lantern light, almost sparkling. Her eyes were a deep amber, not the cold blue of Navina's, and she was beautiful. SJ could feel the charisma oozing from her.
"Claita," Fas said, nodding politely towards her.
"Oh, come now, Carlito, don't be so formal. Have you at last come to fulfil my wish?" she smiled, her eyes sparkling. "And I see you have brought a fae with you, very nice." Her eyes twinkled as she looked at SJ, and SJ shuddered. She felt as though she were being looked at as a meal.
"Unfortunately, I will never give my blood, nor will SJ," Fas replied.
Claita pouted. "Oh, but dear, you know I would pay handsomely."
"I know, but you also know I will never do it."
The large orc Jaxon had left the room, disappearing through the doors behind the desk.
"One day, I hope you'll come around to the idea. Your kind are a rarity, and I would love to taste your life essence."
"She knows what you are?" SJ whispered.
There was no way that Claita should have been able to hear what SJ whispered, but she had clearly heard it as she replied.
“All of our kind do. His scent is so sweet. It's like honey to our kind. Your own is quite palatable as well,” Claita smiled, licking her lips.
SJ's fear spiked at the comment.
"Oh, my dear, there is no need to be afraid," Claita added. "I will never take another's blood without permission. I live by our social rules. I'm not a stray like some of my kind."
That comment didn't put SJ's mind at ease, as she felt a bead of sweat trickle down her back.
"She's a charmer," Dave said.
This terrifies me more than anything else I have discovered since being in Amathera, SJ thought.
"There is nothing to worry about; this clan is definitely a civilised bunch." Dave sounded almost happy when he spoke. "When you have some free time, you should look up some of the details on the Legionnarious. Their lore is quite interesting."
The last thing SJ was going to do was hamper her vision by looking at her display while she was in the presence of what could only be classed as a lethal predator. There was no mistaking the power imbalance that SJ could feel. She may be charismatic, but SJ's senses were tingling. This was like walking into a viper's pit.
"I must ask urgently whether Navina is here?" Fas asked, redirecting the conversation.
"Oh, Carlito. Already switching to formalities, I was hoping for some more engaging conversation."
"Another timer perhaps, Claita, but this matter is urgent. You know I wouldn't be here otherwise."
Claita pouted again, sighing. "Yes, she is upstairs with the Master. I'm not sure if they can be disturbed, though."
"Would you be so kind as to ask?" Fas requested.
"For you, my dear, of course," Claita said as she turned and almost floated from the room through the double doors.
"At least we know she is here," SJ said once Claita had left.
Fas just nodded in agreement as he sat down in one of the seats. SJ couldn't sit; she was pacing as the time continued to tick by. She called the pouch to her hand, looking at it nervously as they waited.
I need to check, she thought, opening the strings and fishing the earrings out. As soon as she took hold of them, her notification triggered again, and she took a breath before opening it, dreading what she might read.
