Crushed Crown

Crushed Crown 11

Unholy War11

Bello

I leave the gym. Sweat is rolling down my back. The gym in Eden was full of the younger vampires. All looking to hook up or network instead of working out. Going to the gym was a habit. As a vampire I could go five hours a day without getting tired. As I leave the gym I get a look at the gym owner Perio's television screen.

A show called Bat Chat was on, talking about the past king Nero. Traitors to the throne. It's interesting to say the least.

A group of vampires are gathered around the television watching as Bat Chat recounts the events of the strange interview with Nero and his lover Santos. Looks like they were sentenced to death. I get a look at the vampires. They don't like it. They seem irritated at the least.

I don't get into it.

I never have.

Politics was a game that I didn't want to play. I leave and walk out into Eden. It's particularly nice day. The road I'm on now is made of cobblestone. There is a mix of new features pasted in the old ancient feel of the city. Billboards next to coliseums. Food stands next to ancient architecture. That was Eden for you in a nut shell.

One of those food stands just so happen to be blood.

"O blood please," I state.

Being a vampire required blood...even for an old one like me. Usually these lines were long around this time of day, but today I don't have to wait. The man behind the food truck looks at me as though I've lost my mind.

"500."

"Are you joking?"

"That's the going price nowadays."

"Impossible."

I don't have that kind of money. I never have.

"I'll pay for him," a voice says.

I turn at that moment and see an old familiar face.

Camilla.

It's not hard to remember the face of the girl with the red hair. I knew her great grandfather. She was descended from Catherine the Great herself. Her pretty oval eyes and her long red hair have always been striking to say the least.

"You didn't have to do that," I state.

"Same old Bello. A thank you would have been nice too," she responds, "Besides it's Lucii money. Not mine."

I remember she was married to a man of the Lucii Brood of vampires. They were an old rich family. Her great grandfather had attempted to get me to marry her a million times. She basically paraded all the girls in his family hoping that I'd choose one. He wasn't the only one either. Everyone wanted to marry their daughter to me. In Eden, pedigree was everything and I was an old vampire. The suitors came left and right. Camilla was the prettiest by far. When I turned her down it was clear to everyone in Eden that I wasn't interested in marriage.

"I didn't know blood was so expensive."

"We have a new king," she states, "Well sort of new. Walid. He's a damn wolf. Genesis is supposedly missing and Walid is using that as reason to close the border to the human world. Blood no longer freely comes into Eden."

I wasn't in the mood to talk politics. This is why I didn't like people doing things for me, because they felt like you owed them. Now I owed her a conversation. I wasn't the conversation type. I was quiet. I kept to myself. I minded my business.

"I trust you've been good?"

"Not really. I've been needing some mental help for quite some time. Just got released recently. Luckily my husband's family has helped me back on my feet and reintroduced me to the family business of selling blood. These blood prices aren't helping. I've been going through a lot. I'm sure you've heard. My husband died."

I hadn't heard. I made sure not to stay in vampire business.

I try to sound sincere but it comes off rather bored, "A shame." I say before quickly bluntly adding with a straight face, "I should get going..."

"Wait. How have you been?"

"The same. Working at the gym."

I try to keep it short. That's when I notice her following me though. I hate to say it but this isn't the first girl to follow me. There's something about rejection that just seems to turn vampires on even more, both male and female. I can see her looking at my body. She's eyeing up the sweat dripping down my muscles. She's looking at my strong back. She's staring at my trim physique. I was an old vampire even if I looked in my 20s.

"Still waiting on that long lost love, aren't you?" she asks me.

I stop walking. I never told Camila why I stayed single for as long as I did. It was never something anyone had to worry about.

"What are you talking about?"

Camilla smiles, "Oh come on. A man like you is hard to find. You're old. You're beautiful. My family offered you millions to marry me. You still refused. If you are single for that long the only reason is because you want to be."

"I'm not looking for love Camilla. I've explained this to your family."

"Because you already have love."

She was right. She was right in a way. I don't let her in though. I don't like letting anyone in. I just nod at that moment. I have only told a few people about my history but vampires were a nosy group of socialites. They liked talking. They loved gossiping, especially when it came to a man that they found unattainable.

"Have a nice day Camilla."

I start walking away when I hear her mutter something under her voice. I don't make out what she says but I'm sure it's something like "What a waste." I've heard the words before. I've heard the expression.

I start walking away. The blood I'm drinking is watery. It's been watered down to look more plentiful than it actually is. The fact that blood was now 500 dollars and the consistency no longer was the same blew my mind. I was an older vampire. I didn't require as much blood as the young ones did. Most vampires my age were in a Slumber state. Tired of living and ready to sleep off an eternity, waking up occasionally to see if anything peeked their interest. They usually ended up just going right back into the Slumber.

Not me though.

I was waiting...eternally.

Waiting.

"Help!"

I turn at that moment recognizing the voice. Camilla. When I turn I see that she is being straddled on the sidewalk. There is a creature over her. People in the streets are running off when they see it.

The monster looks familiar. It's a giant-bat like creature. It's called a Thirst. A Thirst is what happens when vampires go too long without blood. They change into this mindless beast who would kill just about anything for a drip of blood...even if it's vampire blood.

I act immediately.

I reach into my duffle bag and pull out my cutlass.

"Step back," I tell Camilla when I get close.

She tries to crawl away. The Thirst aims at her, all fangs. It's too slow! I slide down past the gravel, wedging my cutlass in between its teeth just in time. The beast draws back to attack me, attempting to strike me with his wing. I jump out of the way just in time.

My heart is beating as I square up against the beast.

It looks at me. Its beady eyes are all red and raging.

It comes at me again!

This time I fling myself above its attack, high in the sky...almost gliding. It's as though I am rearranging gravity itself. I land right above the Thirst, reaching out for a pistol that I keep strapped in my heel while in midair. When I descend on the thirst, my calves are pushing down on its forehead and I shoot my old pistol dead in the center.

Bang.

Blood stains the streets of Eden as the monster falls even before I finally glide down to the ground.

"What's going on here?" a voice states.

Officers appear. Several of them. They are too late. If I hadn't been there Camilla would have possibly been dead. The Thirsts were insatiable creatures. We hadn't seen some in quite some time but they had existed in Eden in a much more difficult time.

The fact that they were back was not good.

The vampires in the street gather around. They all look at me. They all seem in awe of my fighting skills, including one, Camilla. The look on her face says it all. She loved every moment of it. It had been a long time since I had to fight. Way too long. I had to admit it felt good. It felt good to fight again even if it was for something as trivial as a Thirst.

But then I see how Camilla looks at me. Those eyes. She's expecting something of me. Something I don't think I had in me to give anymore.

~

I'm back in my apartment. It's a small apartment. Most of the old vampires were rich. They'd amassed fortunes through living for centuries. They lived close to the palace, living like kings with great great grandkids. Not me. I stayed to myself. My apartment was a studio. It was about 500 square feet. Just enough room for me. No decoration. All I had was a bed, a bathroom, a fridge to hold my blood and an elliptical. It's the only things I needed.

Or at least that's what I thought. Usually I would just go running or workout some more but today it was different. I take out my blade. I carry it everywhere with me. It's been so long since I've had to use it. It felt good.

It felt good to be the Sea Wolf again.

~

The next day I get a knock on my door. I open the door immediately and see Camilla standing there. I'm annoyed when I see her. She isn't alone either. She has these men with her. They are all blonde and dressed nicely. I recognize them immediately. Aristocrats. The Lucii men. They were the kind of men who sat around, bored with their own success and annoyed with their immortality so found nothing else to do but get into trivial drama with the other rich vampire families in Eden. They were snobbery at their best. There are several of them. I'm sure they are all different ages. Dramatically even. You would never be able to tell though. They all looked the same age.

"How'd you know where I lived?"

I'm annoyed.

"Lucii money," Camilla tells me.

She didn't need to say anymore. One of the men reaches his hand over in an attempt to shake it.

"My name is Lucius..."

I knew very well who Lucius was. I stare at his hand instead of looking in his eyes. He just looks at me. He smiles. He's trouble. I know that much. I don't trust a thing about him. The man just smelled like money. You would think being rich would buy happiness and contentment but I knew it didn't. He just seemed to reek of superficial ambition.

I knew men like him when I was human, before I got the immortal gift. I knew men who had it all and felt like they lived above men like me.

I stole from them for a living.

"What do you want?" I ask him.

"My daughter-in-law told me you saved her life," he explains to me, "I wanted to thank you, personally."

Camilla is looking down for some reason. She doesn't seem like she wants to be here. She doesn't seem like the confident girl that I had seen before. The fact that she is still around this family even after her connection to them died speaks volumes. That was the problem with wealth. It held you down. I kept you in the same place. I could tell by her facial expression that she was nothing more than a prisoner.

"If that's it," I state, "You can be on your way."

"Actually I was hoping to hire you."

"Not interested."

"You don't even know what I'm hiring you for."

"Not interested."

I am ready to close the door in his face. I hated men like him. I couldn't stand them. The Lucii, the Bronkettes, The Delarosas, the Ptolemy. It went on and on with these rich families thinking they ran Eden because they controlled the blood flow in and out of this place.

"I'm sorry to bother you," Lucius states, "But if you don't help us then no one will and that Thirst that you killed yesterday won't be the last."

I stop trying to close the door.

"What are you talking about?"

"There is a shortage of blood. King Walid is a madman. He's closed off the border, locked himself in his palace and is throwing wild orgies to distract from the problems in Eden. Vampires are getting more and more thirsty. It's only a matter of time before more Thirsts show up. What happens when they attack a witch? What happens when they attack a werewolf? Civil war. That's what."

"And how is it that I can help you with that?"

"Walid has become feral. It's like a werewolf to be so. Santos and the old vampire royals have been executed."

"I don't give a fuck about Santos or any vampire royals," I state, honestly.

"We believe Walid is lying when he says Genesis is dead," Lucius explains.

"I don't give a fuck about Genesis either."

He smiles, "Genesis allowed blood into Eden. You seem to be waiting for someone. That's the rumor. What happens when there is no more blood. You won't be around to wait."

I pause.

He had a point.

"Why would Walid lie about Genesis?"

"Maybe he wants to replace Genesis. But I have knowledge. I know where Genesis is. I was hoping I could hire you to bring him back before Eden is thrown into chaos with an unfit Walid on the throne."

"A wealthy man like you can afford a small army to bring back Genesis."

"I don't need an army. I need a hero."

"Got the wrong guy. You have no idea who I am."

Lucius smiles, "Bello. The Sea Wolf. You were a pirate once. One of the most famous pirates in the world. I know exactly who you are. And when Camilla described how you fought, I knew it was you. I know where Genesis is. I know he is in danger. We need you to go to him. Protect our king."

"Why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't."

I raise my eyebrow.

He's being more honest than I gave him credit for.

"Really?"

"Eden is full of characters. We all have our plots. We all are backstabbers. We all have our ambitions. Santos and the royal family were the best of us. Walid killed them. More than ever Eden needs a hero. You are that hero, Bello."

A hero.

I pause.

I don't want to get involved in politics. I didn't give a fuck about Walid, or Genesis, or Santos, or Nero, or Lucius. But there was a point that was made. Eden without blood would cause more and more Thirsts. What happens when I run out of blood? There won't be a rich debutant around to spend 500 dollars to buy me blood. I couldn't afford it with the money I was making at the gym.

What if I became a thirst?

I didn't care if it was just me, but I had made a promise. I had made a promise to someone a long time ago and I intended to keep it no matter what. No matter how hard I tried.

I had to keep my promise.

"Where is Genesis?" I ask.

~

I don't expect a king to be in a tent. Especially not one like this. The Lucii orders me a carriage. It takes me right to the spot that the past king is supposed to be. I'm standing there looking over at the place. As soon as I step out of the carriage I feel something. Something attacking me! It's some sort of wolf. I jump out of the way, fall into the grass roll a few times.

The carriage driver is afraid. He takes off immediately.

The wolf comes at me, spitting snapping and hurling his body forward with more might than anything. I take out my cutlass. I'm soaring through the sky. I aim down at the wolf. The wolf snaps at me.

It's fast. Faster than I expect.

It circles around me.

It attacks again. It gets closer than before. It's fast but I'm much, much faster. As it gets close trying to dodge my cutlass I drop the sword and instead use my arm to circle around the beast. I put it in a headlock.

"Enough," a voice states.

I turn at that moment and see Genesis.

I've seen him many times in passing on television mostly. I never thought he was much to look at but in person it's a different experience. He stares at me from afar. Almost immediately I feel the wolf go limp no longer attempting to resist.

"Are you OK, Genesis?" I hear a voices say.

In the distance I see a group of witches. It seems like this king is far from alone. From the wolf that is attacking me to the group of witches that seem ready to protect him it's clear that he doesn't need much more protection.

Then why was I here?

"Not sure yet," Genesis states, "Who are you?"

"Bello. I was sent by vampire nobles to bring you back to the palace."

Genesis sighs, seeming more annoyed than grateful, "Great. Now the vampires are getting involved as well. Come on. I was just eating."

Genesis doesn't wait for me to agree to follow him. The witches who are with him keep giving me these weird looks. They don't trust me. I'm glad. The feeling is mutual. I don't greet them and they don't greet me either. Just the way I like it. I was here for one thing and one thing only.

As I walk into his tent I get a closer look at him. I had heard that he was with a child but I didn't think it was true. It's none of my business though. I stand by the entrance of the tent noticing the wolf that is with Genesis staring me down in a protectful manner.

It looks like it wants to continue to fight. I've seen much bigger wolves. Especially in the palace, but this small wolf is fierce to say the least.

"Rory, leave us," Genesis states.

The small wolf looks at Genesis, looks at me and then growls in a daring tone before leaving the tent a few seconds later.

"You shouldn't have sent out your guard," I state, "I don't mean you any harm."

"Rory? I didn't send him out. He's just very protective. You should have seen him when I met him. But there is aggression in anyone. All I had to do was spell or two to bring it out of him. Anyone can be a competitor..."

I don't know what he means by being a competitor. I heard the witch king Genesis spoke in long strange words. For some reason this boy Genesis feels so familiar. Looking at him I'm just watching as his lips move. I stand away from him and I have to admit he is so attractive in a way. I watch him eating from a bowl with his hands. I don't expect that from someone who was a king. Those vampire nobles would never be camped out in a dirty tent with a werewolf friend eating with their hands. It's seems like he's been here a while from what I can tell.

"I almost killed him," I state.

"I saw how fast you moved," Genesis explains to me, "I have to admit I was impressed. I've never seen a vampire move quite as fast."

"I've had a lot of experience."

"I bet you have," Genesis states, "So handsome too. I love your hair."

He is looking at my locks as he talks. His eyes pierce me. It's not the same way that Camilla looked at me. It's different. I had seen Camilla's eyes a million times. It was full of desire. Lust. Nothing else. Genesis had different eyes. They were challenging. He was interested in what he's seeing but in a way you would imagine a puppet master is interested in a puppet. His eyes stare at me wondering what tricks he can make me do. And for some reason I'm staring back, wondering if I can perform well for him.

Why the fuck am I still staring his lips?

"I was brought to---"

"I know why you were brought here," Genesis explains, "You aren't the first to come. Walid is probably making a mess of things. He's a fucking idiot. I'm sure. Unfortunately for you, I have business to handle before I can return. I've challenged the rebels to meet me here for battle."

"How do you know they'll come?"

"Oh, they'll come," Genesis states, "They need me dead. Whatever they have planned wouldn't work otherwise."

He seems so sure of himself. He seems so aware. I stare at him, watching him eating the meat. It's only recently that I notice that it's raw meat. I wonder if his wolf hunted it for him. He doesn't mind the blood. I'm watching him so closely and he watches me. I watch the blood dripping from those lips of his.

"I will stay. I'll protect you."

I

"Suit yourself. The witches are already here. The werewolves will probably send their protector next too, if Walid allows it," Genesis laughs before offering his bowl, "Make yourself comfortable."

"I'll stay outside."

I try to leave. He makes me so uncomfortable for some reason. I don't like the feeling of being around him. Looking at him irritates me.

Before I leave I hear his voice follow me.

"What's his name?"

I stop.

"Who?"

"The man you lost..."

"You've heard the stories too?" I ask.

These fucking pesky rumors were getting out of hand.

Genesis shakes his head, "No. I just know those eyes. I remind you of someone."

I pause.

"Just someone...I lost."

"What's his name?"

There were nights where I almost feel like it was a memory. It was a dream. Sometimes I feel like it never happened. It was such a long time ago. But I hold onto that dream. All this time I've been loyal to that dream. No love. Hell. No sex. Just waiting. Eternally. It's the reason I became a vampire. It's the reason that I waited like I did.

That name.

Genesis was right. He reminded me of that boy. Those defiant eyes. The way he smelled. The way he looked. The way he carried himself.

The way I couldn't keep my fucking eyes off of him.

"Lafayette," I state.

Genesis sighs, "I knew there was someone. I always remind someone of someone else. Everyday lovers take their anxieties out on me. When they want to be reminded of someone they lost or a feeling they had. They come to me. When they want something that their lover isn't giving them---they come to me. When they feel incomplete, they come to me. I've always been the other. Never the first."

Looking at him I see reluctance.

A vulnerability.

Someone has hurt him. Someone recently. I can see it all in his eyes. He looks like someone who doesn't get hurt much. He looks like someone who doesn't show it much. For some reason he is showing it right now. All that hurt and pain seems to be glowing on his skin. And he looks beautiful because of it.

"You deserve to be first," I state, "The first and only."

I don't know why the words come out of my mouth. Maybe these were words I wished I had told Lafayette earlier. Maybe they were words I regret not telling him in time. Genesis looks up at me and for a moment I don't see Lafayette. I see Genesis. A complicated soul if I ever saw one before. I had lived many times and seen many people, but none like this. None quite so interesting as him.

Maybe that's why I'm still in the room. Maybe that's why I'm still talking to him. He interests me. There is no other way to describe it.

"Stay with me for a while," he states, "I don't feel like being alone tonight. Not tonight."

I shouldn't. Even if he was in a tent, he was still a king. I should respect that. Still. I didn't want to leave. It's been centuries of people saying how attractive I am. None of them mattered, but this boy compliments my hair and all of a sudden I'm smiling just a little bit. How weird was this?

What was this feeling in my stomach?

What were these fucking butterflies?

Why was I smiling?

I never smile. Ever.

"Sure."

I say it with a smile. I've almost forgotten how to smile. I've been alive so long and really hadn't been living. I had just been waiting to be happy again. For the first time it seems as I sit down and he looks at me I feel that rush. That excitement for life. There were old vampires in their Slumber who would wake up hoping to find the feeling that I was feeling right now. That reason to live.

He offers me his bowl, "Would you like something to eat Bello?"

He remembers my name. I don't know why that makes me smile even more.

"I..."

"Oh I forget. Vampires don't eat food," he states, "Here."

That's when he does something I don't expect. Genesis shows me his vein in his neck. He literally offers himself up to me. I've been alive for quite some time and I've drank out of many humans. None of them seemed so willing to offer themselves to me.

"I could kill you," I tell him.

"I don't die easy," Genesis responds.

"It's illegal in Eden."

"I'm king, unless you haven't noticed. I make the laws."

I've never drunk a witch before. I'm tempted. This is wrong. All wrong. I shouldn't be doing this but I am still so unsatisfied from the watered down blood from the blood truck. I stare over at him and every part of me just wonders why this boy just seems so familiar.

I take a step forward. I press my hand up against the left side of his head. He rests his head on my hand. We are close. So fucking close. I start to bite down on his neck at that moment.

My dick hardens, immediately.

He feels it. I see his eyes bulge a little as he feels my dick pressing up against him. I can't help it.

"It's the best thing I've ever tasted."

"Don't...stop..." he moans.

His moaning turns me on even more. My dick continues to harden. I taste him and I realize that this was better than any blood I've ever tasted. When I'm done biting I lick his neck, slowly at first to lap up the blood but then again after the blood is gone.

And again when I see him close his eyes.

And again when I hear him moan from enjoying it.

And then I put my lips on his neck and I'm sucking, without teeth. This has nothing to do with blood. This time I'm just enjoying it. I'm just enjoying him.

He lets me.

I kiss his neck and then kiss his chin. Then I begin to kiss his lips. They are the softest lips I've ever tasted.

"You're beautiful," I tell him.

I haven't told anyone that ever. Even the most attractive people in the world. I haven't kissed someone like this in so long.

"I remind you of him."

"No. I see you. I see you. You're beautiful," I tell him, "And I never told anyone this before, but you would make me stop waiting for Lafayette."

It's been an eternity. And for the first time in an eternity I don't mind not waiting. I want him. I want to feel him.

I start to undress him, slowly. At first he lets me but then he grabs my hand.

He stops me.

"Wait," he tells me, "This is something I've never told anyone as well. I want to take it slow with you."

I think he means it when he says that. I think he means it when he puts his hand over me.

We lay in that tent together. And we kiss. We hug. We stay up all night. We get no sleep. And it's perfect. I stay up because I want to tell him everything. I want to tell him about my life. I want to tell him about my days as a pirate or about when I was bitten. I want to tell him about Lafayette. I want him to tell me about his life.

I want to know about his life. I want to know about how he came from an island. How he was never lucky in love. How he fought demons. How he tricked wolves. How he became the king of Eden.

Hours pass.

Days pass.

And on the 5th day I turn to him and I say words that I never thought I'd say to another person, "I love you, Genesis."

It's fast. I am stupid for saying the words. I'm stupid for really honestly meaning them too, but when you lived for as long as I did, you were sure. You knew what you wanted. I had denied, hundreds. I had had the opportunity to be in love so many times. I had denied them all. This feeling that I had right now was real. It was undeniable.

You meet someone and the connection was right there, then why wait?

"For so long I thought love wasn't for me," Genesis states, "I sit around and watch everyone being so deeply in love. I watch in amusement trying to realize what it was. This thing called love that everyone else was connected to but me. This thing called love that people would turn down power and life for. I never understood. But I think you can make me understand, Bello. I think I want to love you in return."

He doesn't say he loves me. It doesn't go over my head that he is hesitant. But that's OK. He's being honest. He wants to love me and I know that is more than he's given others before me. I lean in and kiss him again and it feels so real.

And I want to bite him right then and there. I want to make him immortal and sit in this tent forever with him.

But unfortunately life doesn't work out that way.

"They are here," a voice states.

I turn. His name is Whyte. He is one of the witches that looks at me as though I'm an enemy to him. Genesis told me two days ago that the boy was obsessed. If anything I could relate. He was one of the suitors that came around and didn't mean a damn thing. Genesis admitted to entertaining it more than he should. He stopped in the last few days but the boy Whyte always comes into the tent as opportune moments like a jealous lover wanting to catch someone in the act.

This time he does catch us.

We aren't haven't sex though.

Genesis is sitting next to me. Our eyes are glaring at one another. Our fingers are interlocked. Whyte sees how close we are and it seems to bug him.

"Whose here?" Genesis asks.

"The rebels. They have all shown their true identities. Rhinegold and his conspirators."

Genesis raises his eyebrows. I think we were so into each other he had forgotten why he was here in the first place. I almost feel bad when he gets up immediately seeming flustered and not focused.

"Who are his conspirators?"

"Yas"

Genesis looks angry. The look in his eyes says it all, "Yas?"

"Yes."

He told me the story of about his brother Exodus who was murdered by the rebels. He told me his brother loved someone named Yas. This is the moment that I feel bad for Genesis. Being betrayed by the people who were close to him. That is why he was so hard around the edges. All of a sudden I grab my sword.

I need to let him know that he's not alone.

I need to let him know that he won't be betrayed by everyone around him.

"Who else is against us?" I ask.

Genesis looks at me. He smiles. I meant to say US. If they stood against Genesis, then they would stand against me as well.

"A vampire family: The Lucii..."

I had told Genesis I was sent by vampire nobles. I had never told him I was sent by the Lucii. I'm more confused than ever. Why had the Lucii sent me here to protect Genesis if they were conspirators who were working with rebels.

Genesis gives me a look, "You OK?"

I wasn't. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

"I'm fine."

I'll stand with him regardless. They had paid me to protect Genesis but they didn't know now I'd do it for free. I'd fallen deeply for him and I was going to do whatever it took to stand by his side. I was going to make sure I remained there.

We get dressed. I am side by side with him. After centuries it feels so right.

We walk out of the tent and sure enough the conspirators are there pressed up against the backdrop ready for the fight of our lives.

Lucius is there.

He smiles.

He looks over at Genesis, "Surrender Genesis or die."

"That is King Genesis," he tells them.

"Not for long."

"Have you lost your mind to stand against me?" Genesis states, "I'm not alone either. I have love now. Watch what we can do together."

Genesis holds my hand. He's showing that vulnerability. I realize he called me his love. I realize what he just said and my heart is floating at that moment. I'd rather be nowhere else.

"We don't stand alone either," Lucius said, "We brought out friend here. Snatched him straight out of hell..."

That's when Lucius steps aside.

And that's when I see a ghost from the past as I'm holding hands with Genesis.

The rebels have brought someone with them. A weapon to use against Genesis. A weapon who seems angry when he sees my hand holding hands with Genesis.

The name I was so afraid to say.

Lafayette.

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