Chapter 21:

Nyx's POV:

As I walked up the long stairs toward the large building with the words 'Lokilutions' at the top and I couldn't almost let out a sigh. What is with vampires using corporate buildings as a cover? Cole might have a club but at least he doesn't pretend he's human.

Not like the council of vampires waiting for me.

Wolves in sheep costumes.

My instincts tingled as one too many visions tried to bombard me with possibilities so I had to tighten the barriers in my head. People were watching me as the late-night sky was only lit by the light of the moon.

None of them would dare attack me due to their leader's strong faith in the gods but that doesn't mean they're trustworthy. A lot of them would be willing to give in to the temptation to drain a seer only to blame it on their instincts.

"Noxan Nightling, the nest of Nezera welcomes you," The tall male vampire that stood at the top of the stairs announced while I took my time walking up. Who put this guy here in the first place? What happened to Clarence? At least he knew how to make this long trip to the building less embarrassing.

Goddess, just wait until I get there. Now that he's already welcomed me and I'm not even there, it feels awkward. Damn vampire.

Suddenly, the man was in front of me with an outstretched hand.

"My name is Zane, I can assist you into the waiting room, High Priestess," He offered with a deep bow, refusing to move until I gave a response.

Yea, definitely new to the job and even though it seems the man isn't young, he isn't old. Especially with how easy it was for him to offer to physically touch me, others would've either waited at the top or walked beside me. No one physically touches a seer without the wrath of the temples.

Temples that don't need to know shit because I'm not walking up the rest of these stairs just to have to walk for another half an hour to reach the office.

"Of course, just don't tell anyone about this," I gave him a gentle smile just as the feeling of several eyes watching me seemed more intense than earlier. Looking around, my eyes landed on the large man wearing an expensive suit while leaning against an expensive car.

Nicholas Mordred. A master vampire that always stays outside of the meetings to keep the other elder vampires safe. Though he'd been sired by Councillor Marcellus, a good man, Nicholas has an interest in me that I refuse to return. Which in turn, seems to grab his attention even more.

Gently placing a hand behind my neck and the other on my lower back, within a split second we stood inside a cozy room with a few couches and chairs spread out.

"Thank you, Zane," With a grateful smile, I took a step away from the vampire in an attempt to keep him alive. Who knows what would happen to him if anyone saw that. Well... anyone but Nicholas and he doesn't count.

Fixing my hair and clothes, I made my way toward the large double doors that Zane opened with ease.

"High priestess Noxan Nightling," Zane announced even though everyone in the room already heard of my arrival. Vampires and their dramatics, just don't make sense to me.

"The nest of Nezera welcomes you," Half of the people stood up to give me a bow, including the beautiful Nezera herself.

"The nest of Taos bow in your presence," On the other end of the long table were vampires of another clan that belongs to Councillor Marcellus. Just like the others, Marcellus and his people stood to show respect.

Though the bowing was funny to me as it's a show that they've been too integrated into the history of mortals. A lot of the vampires here were born after the move from the Other world to Earth. Many of them believed I was born in one of the temples in China, which made me laugh because there'd been a time when I'd been confused.

I'd been so caught up in the new future of the world we traveled that I hadn't realized how lost the mortals were. Even though the things they said were completely off base, I'd been proud that they'd found their way.

Though their blood is just a watered-down version of their ancestors, the mortals gave began calling themselves humans. Due to the earth not being large enough for some beings and creatures, we used rips in dimensions to make homes. Giving the newly founded humans the pieces of land that seemed useless to us.

Their lives had not been easy for creatures so easily killed but it had shocked me how much we'd separated ourselves from mortals. They had once believed us to be myths... until creatures like the vampires and witches began making things public.

Not that there had been any problem with it but the society humans called the supernatural had believed the mortals would freak out.

Which... they did. At first, they tried thought we were out to kill them so that's when we opened ourselves up. It only took a few hundred years for the humans to calm down and realize they were at the bottom of the food chain. Well, most of them anyway. Of course, there are some who go beyond expectations. Like the ones who had built this entire system, these humans have in the first place.

Though some places thrive better than others.

"What brings you to visit us today?" Nezera asked with a tilt of her pretty head with those curly blonde locks moving with her. Despite her beauty, I have no tolerance for stupid tonight.

"Don't act stupid, you all know why I'm here. Why is Valence Daphne still alive?" I asked bluntly as Councillor Marcellus stood up before walking up to me, putting his hand an inch away from my back. Without touching my body, the old vampire quietly led me to the chair he'd just been sitting in.

Giving him a gentle smile in thanks, I felt more secure when Marcellus took a stance beside me. As a seer, we're supposed to go through business and life with a life protector. A warrior. But... the woman I had with me had been killed. All while protecting me as I acted selfishly to prevent a horrid future. It felt like it had happened too quickly. There'd been no time to turn back without risking my life or the young boy who, at the time, was meant to be a great man for us all.

Since then, I've been getting things done alone.

"A high priestess speaking of killing someone? Well, isn't that a treat?" Everild smirked while looking at me while leaning back in his chair.

"Bedisa said something similar when I suggest we cut off all of your heads a few centuries ago," I sighed with a nod of my head in agreement.

Each of them grew quiet at the mention of the goddess of fate, none of them sure exactly what the immortal thinks of them.

'You could've said mother...' The musical voice in my head was just a bit distracting but I mentally waved off the intruder.

"For what reason do we deserve such a fate?" Nezera narrowed those red eyes at me, a slow tap on the table the only sign of her impatience. Everild hesitated, looking between the two of us now that his confidence was blown to bits.

Such short-tempered creatures, it's amazing they haven't destroyed themselves... well, that had almost happened.

"Are we going to sit here and pretend as if no one knows? Every single person here is a council member, we're only missing two others. So... why haven't any of you dealt with that monster? I'm starting to wonder if you guys are working for him," I raised an eyebrow at the female vampire to quietly respond to the challenge in her eyes.

It would be horrid to physically fight against but that's why I've got my power to keep myself safe.

"That man hasn't been sane since before the move from the Other world. What do you expect us to do against someone willing to kill their daughter? Who has been missing for how long? Like hell, any of us would knowingly do his bidding!" Nezera huffed, using a sleeve full of excuses with a shake of her head.

"Valentino Daphne has been a problem long before his daughter disappeared, Nezera. Not only did he have a hand in the destruction of the Other world but you truly allowed him to cross the portal with everyone else? Hm?" At the mention of no one at least keeping an eye on the creature during this entire time.

Hell, if it wasn't for my visions I wouldn't even know where he is! These council members are completely useless and unfortunately, that includes Marcellus.

They're all afraid... they haven't gotten the job done since the beginning but because of all the other things I had to deal with, this was pushed to the side.

"We've sent our best men to that monster only to have thousands of them slain! You will not undermine the things we did to keep that monster at bay!" Nezera slammed her hands down on the table, clearly pissed about the truth being spoken.

"You've sent those men and women to their death every time you refused to join them in battle, Nezera. Every single one of you believes that just because you're a part of the council, you should have others fight in your place. Have you forgotten why you're all sitting on those chairs?!" To match her energy, I banged my palms onto the table, standing up just as she had.

Again, there was silence.

"Because we have the strength and power to protect those who can't," Marcellus answered, lowering his head in shame as he starts thinking.

"Yet whenever any of your men went to war, none of their leaders appeared. Afraid that they'd lose their life in a battle against a monster just waiting to sink his claws into the world. Do you know how many lives have been lost? Long before we all traveled to earth? Not including your own, there are millions of thousands of people who are gone because of your fear," As I spoke, no one looked me in the eyes.

It's starting to irritate me how it felt like I'm in a meeting with a bunch of children playing office.

"I'll give one more warning to all of you. Get your shit together or I really will replace every single one of you with others more willing to get the job done," Done with what needed to be said to the three elder vampires stuck in their ways and too used to the feeling of safety.

Everild stayed quiet while looking down at the table, it was Nezera's harsh glare toward me that had me dismiss them with a turn of my head.

These vampires shouldn't even be my problem but now that Valentino is so far gone, he's an issue for everyone. Hopefully, if the council fucks up we can just get rid of them and it would help cut off any other connections willing to help Valentino out of fear.

That now includes me. All of this is just so frustrating that I'm one of few seers going around stopping worldwide catastrophes. It just seems like everyone else is on vacation while I'm busy running around doing all the heavy-duty work.

When it's all over, I'm rewarded with a sense of success. A feeling that still leaves me empty on the inside.

"That was very bold of you, walking into a vampire nest all by your little self," The familiar voice in the shadows spoke the moment I stepped out of the front doors to the building. Leaning against the pillar at the bottom of the stairs was yet another person I didn't want to run into.

Another babysitter was sent by Elzrurron, one that has a stubborn feeling about them. Like nothing will convince him on anything he's set his mind on. A half-breed of vampire and werewolf, a rare combination that ultimately can lead to a dangerous outcome.

What did this man think he could accomplish by following me here? It isn't like it matters since he's not allowed here, especially since he doesn't smell like he belongs to a nest.

"You can tell Cole that this won't work between us," I sighed to him, completely ignoring his previous statement.

Bold? He's seen nothing yet and when he does, the man will see that bold doesn't even describe the jobs I have to do.

"I'm here to do my job, not go back and object just because you want to whine about it," He huffed while narrowing his eyes in irritation.

"I never said I would prevent you from working but I'm not going to make it any easier on you either. My name is Noxanna Nightling, the introduction was immaculate Osman Bonespire," I responded with a tilted of my head and a clear look of disgust.

His name flowed through my head with ease and it took everything in me to block out images of this man's life. As if I'd want to see any of it, there are enough horrors that haunt my mind. All that mattered was that distasteful feeling coming off of him and at first, I thought he might know who I am. A closer inspection of it with just a gentle touch told me all that need to be known.

Osman dislikes me because of what I am, a seer.

Slightly shocked at both my words and that I knew his name, Osman kept his mouth shut. As if it mattered, we're already off on the wrong foot.

A foot I don't feel like I have to correct.

Without a word to the man, I walked toward the parking lot, already having enough of being around people who don't like me. He can just ask for a transfer if it's so bad being around a seer.

"Wait, I didn't mean to be so rude, please understand," Osman said with a sigh at the realization of how he'd come off.

"Oh, but didn't you mean it? Within the first few seconds of speaking to me, you already treated me to that distaste you have for seers. Do you even realize how easy it was to act as if I'd done something wrong? When all I did was walk out of a door?" I sent him a sigh of my own before rolling both eyes at him when he was looking.

Society must have a twisted view on seers if Osman spoke to me however he wants and thinks that I'll just let him say whatever he'd like. It's childish to assume anyone would.

Osman kept his mouth shut, at a loss for words while following after me. Not that it mattered because as I opened the door to Ivy's dark red fancy car, I locked the car doors before sliding in. The narrows of his eyes were the only thing I saw as I drove off with a smirk, enjoying the game he's started.

Even though having a babysitter is the last thing I want, I'd been willing to treat them with any basic decency you give someone you don't know. Yet that chance had been taken away with blatant disrespect.

I can see why Ivy is starting to lose her patience with these men.

It's fine because now that I'm here, the disrespect will have to stop soon.