A Heart For The Heartless

In the streets of New Avenue, a man was running through the crowd of people on a snowy day with no sunlight, his face a mask of worry and panic. He pushed through numerous bodies at a rapid pace, seeming like he was rushing towards something important.

Or perhaps even running away from someone.

His body was soaked with cold sweat, and his hands were trembling so badly despite how hard he was clenching them into fists. He shook his head vehemently as though trying to shake off his anxiety and continued to run as fast as he could, bumping into several people along the way.

'I found it. I found it!' he thought to himself frantically, quickly shoving away a man who was blocking his path. 'I found it, Josie. We can expose them now. We have the evidence we need. We can go to the Ivanovs and tell them the truth. Tomorrow is-'

Suddenly, the man bumped into someone while he was running. He tried to push his way through, but the person surprisingly wouldn't budge.

When he looked up, he saw a woman. She was beautiful, with long blonde hair that fell in waves below her shoulders, and clear, lime-green eyes that seemed to pierce right through him.

For some reason, her eyes gave him a sudden sense of unease.

He stiffened immediately. Could it be, that she was...?

No, it couldn't be. He couldn't sense anything unusual about her...

Pursing his lips, the man narrowed his eyes at her, as though trying to intimidate her with his gaze. "Please get out of my way. I have somewhere urgent to go to," he said icily.

The woman, however, remained unfazed. She just stood there, staring at him, with those piercing green eyes that seemed to probe into his soul.

The man was growing anxious by the minute. He tried to sideline her, but to his surprise, she blocked his way.

"Excuse me," she said, and her voice was surprisingly soft and gentle, flowing like honey. "Would you please guide me to the Town Square? I am a foreigner to this country, and I'm afraid I've gotten a little lost around here."

The man gritted his teeth. "I'm sorry, but I have urgent business to attend to. I apologize again, young lady, but you have to ask someone else for help."

He walked past her briskly.

However, just a few seconds later, her voice, still sticky and sweet, drifted into his ears again.

"Where do you think you're going, Mr. Lambert?"

The man's blood instantly turned into ice.

How did she know his-?!

Suddenly, he felt hands grip each side of his head from behind. No matter how much he tried to get away, those hands kept him firmly in place, with a surprisingly strong grip. Panic immediately filled the man's heart, and his mind started racing.

Vampire.

She was a vampire.

The man's mouth opened to let out a shrill scream.

'Wait. No, not a vampire.'

'A halfblo-!'

However, the scream never went past his lips.

The hands moved swiftly, and in just one quick, strong motion, the man felt his neck break.

When darkness fell, that was the last thing he ever saw again.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the streets on this cloudy, snowy day, Lambert's head was rolling across the ground, his headless body spilling blood on the snow-covered ground.

***

"It happened again, my lord."

Mikhail Ivanov lifted his head from the newspaper he was reading, raising an eyebrow at the man who had just spoken.

"There's been another human killing," the man said solemnly. "This time, it was one of the Guards who did it."

"How many humans have died these past few months from a vampire attack on our side?"

"Exactly 16 of them, sire."

Mikhail fell silent, but his expression remained stony, expressionless. He leaned back against his seat, folding his arms across his chest.

"Erik," he suddenly said.

"Yes, my lord?" the man, Erik, responded.

"You still think you aren't responsible for this?"

Erik was stunned for a moment. "Sire, that's impossible. I've been training those vampires myself for months. A thorough background check was-"

"New members are the most likely to betray a company, Erik. Don't tell me you are too naive to admit that?" Mikhail arched an elegant eyebrow at him. "Your last chance has been used up. Question them. If they refuse to confess, then eliminate them."

Erik looked alarmed. "Sire! They're-"

"I have been gracious enough to give your trainees the benefit of the doubt, but I'm afraid my generous side ends here today." Mikhail's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Interrogate them and give me satisfactory information, or I will kill them myself. Including you."

At that moment, the limousine stopped at a familiar street.

New Avenue.

Mikhail waited until the chauffeur opened the door for him, and then he exited the car gracefully.

Erik remained in his seat, frozen in place.

Two vampires - rather, Mikhail's two personal Guards, Josef and Sarim - went to his sides, escorting Mikhail towards their destination.

"I don't trust him," Josef remarked. He was a big, burly man with silver-white hair and small green eyes. He was dressed in black, formal clothing alongside his partner, Sarim.

Sarim, on the other hand, was a slim man that resembled a snake in appearance. He had dark-gray hair that was cleanly combed to the side, and yellow, predatory eyes that seemed to shine brightly in the darkness.

Mikhail, on the other hand, was silent.

The three of them strode through the night, not fearing anybody, and not caring about how conspicuous or inconspicuous they might seem.

There was no one in the city of Azallea that didn't know Mikhail Ivanov's name. Rather, no one in the entire country of Dekraine dared to go against him.

After all, Mikhail Ivanov was one of the three most powerful vampires in the world, known as the Elites.

He had bright silver hair that had streaks of black and was slightly tousled, giving him a bit of a younger appearance. His eyes were a clear shade of red, a testament to his power. Normal vampires had different eye colors, but whenever they used their powers, their eyes would turn red.

The elite vampires were a different story. From the moment they unlocked the full extent of their powers, their eyes would turn permanently red.

Although Mikhail hadn't been a vampire for that long compared to the Ancients, he was one of the most feared vampires in the world. He was turned at age 28, and since then, his youthful appearance stayed the same for a hundred more years.

It was rumored among the people that he had volunteered to be turned, and that the vampire who turned him was his long-time lover. There was also a rumor that he had been forcibly turned and now held a grudge against the world, especially those whom he didn't trust.

Mikhail was prominently known for his ruthless streak when it came to dealing with the supernaturals. He would eliminate those who failed orders or disobeyed him in cruel or gruesome ways. He was also notorious for not caring about the human race and their problems or issues, only treating them as sources of blood whenever he needed them.

He did his job of protecting the humans from other vampires and supernaturals, but that was all.

Some admired him for his cruelty and power. Some were disgusted at his way of doing things.

Some also said that he was completely heartless.

A vampire did not have a heart, but their race wasn't all black and white. Some vampires retained their humanity, even just bits of it, but some completely lost it.

Like Mikhail Ivanov.

With the number of rogue vampires increasing each month, both the Human and Supernatural Councils were on edge. The humans were terrified about the recent killings while more and more vampires were being resented and hunted down. The Vampire Hunters Association was also starting to make its move by taking over the protection of the entire city.

The city was currently in chaos, and everyone was filled with distrust.

"Have you gotten in contact with Sye?" Mikhail asked quietly.

Josef shook his head. "We have been trying to contact her for days now. It's like she's gone off the grid."

"It's either she betrayed us, or she has been burned to a crisp," Sarim remarked.

Josef frowned. "I doubt someone as strong as Sye would be beaten that easily. She would not betray us like that, either."

"Sye is a walking time bomb," Sarim said calmly. "She is unpredictable, and-"

"Wait."

Josef and Sarim stopped in their tracks at Mikhail's command. Suddenly, Mikhail's eyes narrowed, and he looked at his surroundings with careful inspection. His red eyes shone brightly for a brief moment in the darkness.

"Do you smell that?" Mikhail asked.

"Smell what?" Josef closed his eyes and sniffed the air. "I smell alcohol and perfume. Nothing else."

"I cannot smell anything else as well," Sarim said.

It wasn't snowing currently, and the winter season was starting to end. Some parts of the ground were covered with snow, and the temperature was below normal levels.

It was a good thing that vampires couldn't feel the heat or the cold.

But there was something different hanging in the air. Something thick and familiar.

Mikhail sent them both a glance. "You two cannot smell the blood?"

Josef and Sarim looked at each other, confused. "My lord, there's no scent of blood anywhere," Josef said, puzzled.

Mikhail's eyes narrowed.

Josef and Sarim were two of his most trusted warriors. They were always frank with him and would sense things quickly, sometimes just as fast as he did.

However, the expressions on their faces seemed genuine.

There was something odd about this blood scent.

And Mikhail was determined to find out.

"Move forward," he commanded, and Josef and Sarim nodded, immediately going into a defensive stance.

As they walked on, Mikhail noticed that the scent of blood grew stronger. It drifted into his nostrils like an enticing mist, clouding his mind and spreading towards every part of his body. It was an irresistible smell, something that made his breath catch in his throat.

It was as though the scent was seducing him, prompting him to come closer, and closer.

It might be a trap.

Mikhail's eyes narrowed as he walked faster, causing Josef and Sarim to follow him quickly from behind. Their eyes glowed a bright red as claws slowly protruded from their fingers.

When Mikhail rounded the corner where the smell was getting stronger, Josef and Sarim paused in their tracks, their eyes turning wide. Their fangs started to elongate.

"Human blood," Josef said.

"A human is bleeding out," Sarim said quietly. "The cold might be slowing down the blood, but it's unmistakable at this point. It's a bit fresh, too."

The smell of human blood was irresistible to vampires, especially when they were hungry.

Suddenly, Mikhail stopped in his tracks to turn towards them, his red eyes gleaming dangerously.

"Do not touch this one," he warned. "It's mine."

At their lord's order, Josef and Sarim calmed down, letting their fangs shrink back until their teeth returned to normal size.

If there was anything that they valued the most, it was their lives. Second to that was their stubborn loyalty to Mikhail.

A century ago, Josef had been an orphan who was forcefully turned into a vampire. Sarim, on the other hand, was someone who voluntarily became a vampire in order to save himself from danger.

If it weren't for Mikhail who saved them from the verge of death, they would've never lived to this day.

Hunger was trivial; after all, there were several other blood sources they could use. They could afford to wait a little longer.

If Mikhail told them that he would claim this human, then they would obey.

With a nod, Josef and Sarim followed behind Mikhail as the latter walked towards the direction of the delicious smell.

A minute or two later, Mikhail finally came to the end of the furthest alley.

And saw a woman.

She was beautiful, with long, silky brown hair and a slim frame. She was panting heavily, and blood splattered all over her hands. She was clutching at her shoulder which was the part of her body that was bleeding out. She was also trembling, presumably from the cold.

Her white shirt was drenched red, and she was barefoot, with wounds all over her ankles and feet.

It seemed that she had been stabbed, and before that, she fought back, which was probably the reason for the bruises along her arm and on the side of her face.

He wondered, even though she looked messy and battered right now, why she still looked so breathtaking.

Mikhail stood before her, feeling foreign emotions rise in his chest. He had never felt this way before.

And he had never smelled blood this delicious.

He imagined reaching out with his fingers to cradle the side of her face, letting her head tilt sideways so he could lower his lips towards the skin of her neck. He would let his fangs grow, and then he'd pierce through, causing her blood to seep into his mouth. He would drink from her continuously, the pleasure spreading through his body as her blood flowed through his veins.

He had no heart; it was just a lifeless organ, yet at this moment it was as if he could feel it beating hard against his ribcage from the excitement.

The irresistible scent of her blood. This unnatural heat. This dizziness. These unexpected fantasies dancing around in his head.

This woman was special. There was no doubt about it.

Was she possibly what they called his 'mate'?

A human?

Mikhail's lips curved into a smirk.

After more than a century, he finally found her.

Mikhail crouched down to get a better look at the woman. She had not said a word ever since he arrived, but he knew that she sensed him. After all, he didn't bother to conceal the sound of his footsteps. Even though he had no shadow, he was near enough for her to register his proximity.

She did not look at him and simply closed her eyes, seemingly resigned to her fate. After all, it was no secret that the humans both feared and resented the vampires. Normal humans who were not hunters were helpless in front of vampires, and even the vampire hunters would not stand a chance against Mikhail, who was one of the most powerful there was in the entire world.

"She's bleeding out, sire," Sarim remarked tonelessly. "It's better to drink from her blood while she's still alive."

Josef nodded in agreement. "Blood tastes better when it's fresh."

Mikhail smiled. It was not a kind smile. Rather, a malicious one.

"I will do nothing of the sort," he said.

"Sire?" Josef and Sarim turned to Mikhail with a hint of astonishment on their faces.

Mikhail didn't answer their puzzled inquiries and instead knelt down before the human, reaching out to grasp her chin. He lifted up her head, but she still refused to open her eyes.

"Look at me," Mikhail commanded.

The woman's lips pressed into a thin line, but she stubbornly kept her eyes closed.

"I will not ask you again," Mikhail said, narrowing his eyes. "Look at me, human. Or you will face the consequences of disobeying me."

After a few moments, the woman seemingly gave up and opened her eyes, making Mikhail fascinated at the sight.

The woman's beauty was highlighted even more as she stared at him almost defiantly. With her brown hair, heart-shaped face, and stunning hazel eyes, she looked so out of place in this dark, dirty alley, with blood on her face and body. Her lips were plump and red, and her skin was fair and smooth, so tempting that Mikhail had to repress the urge to sink his fangs into her.

Mikhail had never had a problem with controlling his lust for blood. Being an elite vampire, he was much more self-disciplined and was capable of controlling himself whenever blood was involved. Not like the rogue vampires that would salivate and go crazy over the mere scent of blood. Those vampires were either cold-blooded serial killers with no care for the supernatural rules, or they were untamed by their own thirst.

Yet for Mikhail, this was quite possibly the first time that he could barely control himself in front of a human. Despite his calm voice and threatening gaze, his fingers were slightly trembling, and his fangs were starting to elongate ever so slowly.

It took every bit of self-control inside Mikhail to prevent himself from doing something that he might regret.

If this woman's blood was so delicious that it made him feel overwhelmed, it meant that she was indeed his human mate, one that he had been curious about for more than a century. The idea of it took form in his head, and every second he spent with her right now only helped solidify it further.

She was the first human to ever make him feel this way. His instincts were practically telling him to claim her and take everything he wanted.

No doubt that it would be foolish of him to drain her of her tasty blood and kill her right here. The mate bond would punish him if he ever did that.

He had never kept a human before, but this one might prove its worth.

It would also be interesting to explore this unusual mate bond. If his enemies ever found out that he had a mate, they would surely use her against him.

There was no doubt in his mind. His decision was now made.

Mikhail slowly let go of her chin and ran a finger through his wrist with a sharp nail, drawing blood in the process.

Josef and Sarim's eyes widened in realization.

"S-Sire!" Josef exclaimed.

"Sire, your blood... you can't..." Sarim began, alarmed.

As an elite vampire, Mikhail's blood was naturally what they called priceless. Unlike normal vampires, his blood had the special ability to heal whoever drank it.

In the turning process, vampires needed to drain as much blood as they could from the human to weaken their state. After that, they needed to make the human drink their vampire blood. The human would turn into a vampire within three days, and after that, those turned humans needed to drink human blood or else they would die in 24 hours.

By doing this, it meant that Mikhail should not bite and then drink from this beautiful woman for at least three days, or else she would turn into a vampire against her own will.

Vampires could drink other vampire's blood, but that was considered taboo and disgusting, so Mikhail did not intend on turning her.

He would have to find some other human to feed on after this. It was a small price to pay for having this woman by his side for the rest of her mortal life.

"Drink," Mikhail commanded, offering his wrist towards the woman.

The woman only stared at him. She looked dazed, but there was still a flash of defiance in her eyes, one that intrigued Mikhail even more.

'What an interesting human,' he thought to himself.

"I won't turn you into a vampire," Mikhail said. "My blood will help you heal from your wounds. In exchange for your life, you will be mine. And mine only."

The woman's gaze narrowed. "...I would rather die," she snarled.

Even her voice was charming, albeit her quiet fury.

Mikhail was starting to like this human. She would make a good and interesting blood source.

Possibly a worthy mate as well.

"What's your name, human?" he asked.

The woman's eyes flashed with surprise for a fraction of a second. Then, she glared at him. "I'm not falling for that," she said. "I'm aware of what happens when we give our names to vampires."

"How awfully brave of you despite being on the verge of dying," Mikhail remarked in amusement. "This is quite admirable."

"...I'd rather die than be indebted to a vampire!"

There was pure venom in her voice that only made exhilaration run through Mikhail's veins. Even though she tried her best to hide it, there was a hint of underlying fear in her tone, something that Mikhail's sharp ears didn't miss.

She was trying to be brave, the poor thing. She was even glaring defiantly into his eyes.

It only made him want her more.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken about something, human," he said softly. "I don't need your name in order to control you."

His smooth voice seemed to trigger a change in her. Her eyes suddenly glazed over a little, and her features started to soften ever so slightly.

He smiled.

Vampires could do mind control if their abilities were strong enough. However, they needed the human's name - their real name, not a fake one, and not an alias - in order to control their minds. Some vampires were crafty enough to trick it out of the humans' lips, while some managed to thanks to their deep persuasion.

After all, vampires were natural charmers. It usually did not take them long to wrap a human around their little finger.

But elite vampires like Mikhail didn't need to do that. They could control humans with only their voice, which was much easier and faster.

He only asked for her name because he found her interesting.

"Now drink from my blood and heal up."

He pressed his wrist against her lips. She still refused to drink it, so he spoke to her again in his gentle voice to make her obey his order.

"Drink up," he repeated softly.

Josef and Sarim just watched the entire scene, unable to stop their master. Mikhail was much more powerful than even the two of them combined, so they had no chance.

Of course, they were loyal to Mikhail. They just couldn't understand why Mikhail wanted to keep this human in particular.

"Why aren't you drinking?" Mikhail suddenly asked, and for the first time, there was a hint of emotion in his voice. An emotion that was akin to genuine confusion.

Because even though he used his persuasive voice on her, the woman still didn't obey him. She was still glaring at him defiantly, breathing heavily through her nose instead. Beads of sweat were pouring down her face, a testament to how much she was enduring the pain. The cold was helping in slowing down the bleeding, but it wasn't enough to buy her more time.

She was clearly suffering and in urgent need of medical help, but she refused to be helped out by a vampire.

"How can this be?" Mikhail wondered aloud, puzzled and slightly fascinated at the same time. "Are you immune to my mind control?"

It quickly made sense in his head, though.

How could he have forgotten? She was, after all, his human mate.

Josef and Sarim stared in shock, unable to believe what they had just heard. A human, being immune to mind control? It was unheard of!

And Mikhail Ivanov's mind control had always been flawless!

"Could it be..." Josef said, his voice filled with uncertainty. "That she's..."

"But it's merely a myth!" Sarim argued.

"...It's called a myth by most people, but it's not unheard of," Mikhail suddenly interjected, gazing at this woman with newfound interest, one that grew stronger as the seconds passed. "Wyonne and Quintus had human mates before, many decades ago. Those humans had also been immune to their mind control, and they even claimed that those humans' blood tasted the most delicious of all."

Mikhail suddenly grasped the woman's chin and tilted it upwards, making the blood from his wrist drip down to her lips. When she still refused to open her mouth, Mikhail effortlessly parted it open, forcing her to drink his blood.

"Your strength cannot compare to mine," Mikhail told her with a smile. "A mere human cannot contest a vampire's strength. Resistance is futile."

The woman glared at him, but couldn't do anything at all.

She wasn't stupid. If she struck back, Mikhail would apprehend her like it was nothing. Not only that, but he had two strong bodyguards with him.

She would never stand a chance.

"I'll take you with me," Mikhail said in a smooth tone of voice. "To my home, my darling."