Chapter 85 Blood And Connections (4)

Direction was supposed to be easy.

A Vampire was supposed to be great at memory, strength and other things. But they were not infallible and when Theodore was busy mulling over the memories in his dream–they had gotten lost.

Sand looked like, well, sand.

There was no other indicator of where they were going and where they were headed. At least when it came to searching for Lukas and Chaerin's location. Theodore had to explain that difference.

"You don't have a map." Alexei said, clicking his tongue.

"I have a map." Theodore said. "Even an estimation of where we are in the desert, but not the exact place where the two are. Is that not clear?"

How the city of Lux was built and where the foundation of its technology came from seemed like a mystery–its people were not the most brilliant of minds but Theodore knew they harbored technology.

'Maybe it all previously belonged to humans?' Theodore once wondered.

He ended up pushing the thought away because it made him feel sick. Otherwise, he would have ended up with a conspiracy in his mind and the Guildmaster might have relinquished him from his position.

Theodore did not want that–so he stuck with the old map.

Stacy on the other hand, clung to the dagger earnestly and chose not to engage in the squabble between her brother and the Tenebris boy. She knew far better than to get on the assassin's nerves.

Someone who could make their lives living hell when they returned to Lux.

A part of Stacy idly wondered if the treatment of her would be different if she ended up in another Vampire settlement. The thought crossed her mind and undoubtedly, so it did with her brother…

But they had ties to the city of Lux now.

Even Stacy herself couldn't imagine just plucking up everything and leaving–before, she thought she could do it. There was no reason to stay at all except for her brother. Now, she looked down at the dagger in her hand and felt uneasy.

'Lukas…' she thought.

"Couldn't this day get any more worse." Drusilla finally spoke.

Not to Theodore or Alexei, not in a vocal way, but in a direct thought to Stacy. If it had been done to anyone not of the Vardoken or stronger bloodlines, Drusilla was worried that she would break a poor Vampire's mind.

"A-Alexei, did you hear that?" Stacy blinked and glanced around uncertainly.

"I'm hearing his yappering, alright." Alexei jerked a thumb to Theodore who was drawing on the map and making marks and sections. The assassin was trying to narrow down possible locations of the two.

Stacy's lips pressed together and compared to Lukas who might have questioned it–Stacy easily dismissed it and rubbed the back of her neck.

"I must be pretty exhausted." Stacy relented and eased herself with that thought.

"Don't you want to know where that boy is?" Drusilla said, annoyed. She did not like the lack of acknowledgement coming from the Vardoken. At least there had been some awe with Lukas, but the young woman was dismissive.

No reply.

Drusilla couldn't believe it.

"I usually do not like repeating myself for anyone–much less a Vardoken brat, but are you not seeking for the boy? Because I know where he is." Drusilla spoke again to Stacy and she refused to believe it.

Stacy ran her fingers through her hair, almost as if trying to clear her head and she was even tempted to close her eyes–but then she glanced at Theodore still drawing on the map and the scowl on Alexei's face.

"The sun is coming up." Alexei murmured. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm unsure of how tough those two are. They're probably burn–"

"No." Stacy immediately shot her brother down with a reply. She narrowed her eyes at him and he did the same.

"How'd you know?"

"I… I know where he is." Stacy uneasily said and then stared down at the dagger.

Drusilla's eyes would have widened right now. She did not reveal herself or her orientation with the dagger but the young Vardoken made the connection herself. Wasn't that outstanding?

"You do?" Theodore momentarily glanced up. He'd give far more credit to Stacy than his brother–she seemed reasonable in his eyes.

"Um, through this." Stacy dropped the dagger on the map and showed it to Theodore.

Nothing seemed to happen and that thought was catastrophic in of itself, but then the dagger started moving and spinning before it pointed into a certain direction.

Theodore tossed a look at Stacy.

Stacy, who really couldn't hear the voice anymore, wanted to hit herself in the head but then folded her hands together.

"Lukas gave me that dagger so it has to lead back to him."

"And you're absolutely certain with that idea?" Theodore asked, casting a glance at the dagger. He didn't want to just automatically believe, but then he recognized the glint of the weapon and design.

This was one of the displays in Blood Works.

"Yes."

"We don't have much to lose, probably." Alexei added with a shrug.

Both Stacy and Theodore threw him dark looks. The lives of both Chaerin and Lukas were at stake and the idea of a wild goose hunt was extremely dangerous.

"The longer we stay here, the more possible it is that we could encounter danger." Theodore said.

"You say that almost as if we're not going to other dangerous places either." Alexei pointed out.

Theodore narrowed his eyes at the other Vampire, but then finally relented. He had questions he had to ask Lukas regarding the dagger, but for now he followed the direction of the dagger while marking their current position.

Unbeknownst to the trio, Drusilla was screaming vengeance at when Lukas would arrive. If it were possible, she would have flown out and stabbed the Vampire-man herself for all the humiliation that he was putting her through.

Even in the hands of her progeny, she had not subjected herself through such embarrassing acts.

Drusilla much preferred allowing her wielders to fend for themselves, but now she was starting to show favor. Or maybe that wasn't it either. She remembered the strange light that had entered her world.

The words it said and displayed.

As much as Drusilla was concerned–she had never seen such a thing even in her own lifetime and even that of the others. It almost made her jump to a conclusion that sent even a bit of shivers down her spine.

Out of this world.

Yes, what exactly did this 'Lukas' do to have warranted attention from beyond what they could see?

***

Songs and something not called fate.

That was what accompanied Lukas and Chaerin before Theodore and the rest finally located them. The van parked directly in front of them to shield them from the sun and what a relief it was.

Lukas saw the shadow cover them and he lifted his head to gaze at the vehicle.

No sooner than it happened, both Theodore and Alexei immediately left the van to help the two back in. It was a strange sight that Lukas almost wanted to laugh as he carefully set the worn out Chaerin against the chair.

"Is this some kind of mirage?" Lukas asked.

"Y-you're unbelievable!" Stacy ran to his side and engulfed him in her arms. Lukas had smelled a bit like the sun, a rather burning smell that might have turned off many a Vampire but she didn't care.

Even Alexei and Theodore both scrunched up their noses–and with the older brother frowning deeply at the sight.

Stacy was never this physically expressive.

She could talk and dissect you alive with her words if she wanted to, but she never really got into hugs, back rubs or even shoulder pats at all. That was never her style, but she had hugged Lukas.

Because she cared.

Because it mattered.

Or maybe it didn't? Lukas didn't know, he had frozen up when he felt Stacy in his arms and couldn't find himself hugging her back instantly. It was a strange sensation to have Stacy in his arms and… she was a tight hugger.

"Ack, you're breaking my back." Lukas coughed.

She was not as strong as Lily, but the way that Stacy exerted her strength made it so that he was squeezed out of breath. Lukas didn't think that she would do something like this and that had also stunned him.

"... Sorry." Stacy loosened her hug, but then immediately let go. She cast a furtive glance at Chaerin who had her eyes closed and seemed to have immediately passed out.

So, she didn't see?

Stacy wasn't sure if she felt relief or some prickle of annoyance. Surely, it shouldn't have mattered–but somehow, it did. Wordlessly, Stacy returned to her seat back to Alexei's side and didn't say anything else.

Perhaps that was the most awkward thing ever since the start of their journey.

Lukas rubbed the back of his neck and coughed. What could he say? What should he say?

"Um, where's my dagger?" Lukas looked around and tried not to grimace.

Great. He was the absolute best.