The Outbreak

"What was that?" Odelle asked Orissa softly while Sierra also looked at Orissa curiously, the terrain whether it being alleyways or rooftops not slowing them by much.

"You should have felt it right? I think I can influence the minds of those around me." Orissa leapt thirty feet upwards to a rooftop and sniffed the air.

"Those dogs are close, but they won't catch our scent just yet." Odelle stopped a few feet behind her, wrinkling her nose as the scent of wolves blew over.

"That wasn't it alone, I could feel something within myself being excited just by you being there." Odelle looked at Sierra who plopped down on the edge seemingly relaxing, but she knew she was listening.

"The virus. It's like looking at a thread and knowing what it represents instinctively. I can control it, so I can Turn anyone into vampires without the chance of dying and even make those like us although there is a numerical limit for your type."

"When I asked how the virus knew what was appealing before, I understand it now. It can read memories of those it infects and chooses a physical form based on the person's thoughts of beauty."

"So it's sentient then?" Odelle tapped her chin as she thought about what that implied. If Orissa could do as she said, then the vampires wouldn't be a shattered species on the verge of being wiped out before they even grew, they would have a chance!

"There are two others in the city, we have to find them." Orissa turned and smiled at Odelle who smiled back. Even if she did want to save her kind, it was too early to know what Orissa truly represented.

"One to the north and the other to the east, both Regulars. Oh, Sierra, are you okay?" Orissa hadn't asked about her feelings after ensuring her brother's death after all.

"I'm fine Orissa. You called them regulars and you said those like us, so are we different from regulars?" Sierra looked at Orissa who smiled at her and nodded.

"There are three kinds of vampires, divided into Commoners, Nobility, and Royalty. It isn't what it was called originally, but I prefer these terms. Kind of fitting." Orissa walked to the edge and leapt off the roof, followed by the other two.

"So we're Nobles?" Sierra leapt across a street and landed on another roof with barely a jolt, keeping up with Orissa and Odelle without much trouble.

"You two are, yes. Commoners are better than humans, Nobles are what Commoners are to humans, and Royalty are what Nobles are to Commoners."

"Why is it like that? I'm not sure, guess it's a factor of luck and mutation. But mutations are extremely rare and unless they're affected by an outside influence, most generally don't surpass the class they start as."

"The outside influence is you?" Odelle picked up the scent of a regular vampire and followed behind Orissa who landed on a street and entered a restaurant.

"Mm. Noble allotment is limited and Royalty even more so. Aside from myself, I can probably make a total of five Royals and perhaps thirty Nobles."

The restaurant wasn't too crowded, but those present looked on in surprise when three beauties walked in. In the corner was a young man, relatively handsome who looked at them and stiffened.

When the three women sat at his table, he smiled weakly and put his fork down. He felt as if he were facing three monsters in human form who could end his existence just as easily as he could kill a human.

"Where are you from?" The one with black hair and a similar colored dress asked, so he swallowed a mouthful of food and spoke quickly.

"I came from three cities over, I became like this and was chased by wolves until I got here. I could smell some here in the city when I arrived, but they haven't discovered me yet."

"How many of us have you met on your way here?" Odelle asked, so Orissa turned her attention to the menu. Even if she wouldn't get full, it would taste pretty good.

"Not many, I saw a few but they weren't too welcoming, but they weren't hostile either. We just looked at each other from afar. There was a gathering I heard about coming up this week coming, but I don't think I'll go."

"How did you hear about it?" Sierra chimed in because if it was online, then humans could potentially find and corner the vampires who attended the gathering.

"Word of mouth. We can travel fast enough to spread the news pretty far. If I can guess right, at least half of those like us in the north will know about it and some might attend."

"Who's idea was this, aren't you all afraid it could be a trick or a trap?" Odelle looked at Orissa who seemed to be in her own world, then back at the man.

"Someone like you three I guess? He was stronger than me at least, and he wouldn't do something like that, it wouldn't make sense since if anyone as strong as him heard the news and came, he would be exposed to all of us."

"From what I heard, he was rather wealthy before all this so he is holding the gathering at his mansion. From sundown to a little before sunrise on Wednesday."

"Will you attend?" Orissa looked at him and asked, and he felt his instincts begging him to be as far away from her as possible, to never oppose this woman before him.

"Um, yes I planned to go." Hearing his words, Orissa got up and looked at Sierra who stared back with confusion. She winked and walked to the door and left with them by her side.

"You want to go?" Orissa looked at Odelle and asked her. If she wanted to go, it wouldn't be a bad thing to see other ranks of vampires mingling. It would be a good thing if they realized being separated and weak would bring their demise.

"Yes, it might be fun." Seeing Odelle nod, she smiled and nodded as well. What harm could going possibly bring? If even ten vampires were present, then humans wouldn't be able to do much even if they brought an army because if they attended, there would be two more Nobles and a Royal Vampire present.