A Heart For The Heartless

“Understood, sire.”

Because of the rogue vampires, suspicion was cast on Mikhail Ivanov and his company, Ivanov Securities. Some of the vampires that attacked the humans even came from the company itself, ones that Mikhail called his ‘Guards’. Because of this, the company business was temporarily suspended while an all-out investigation was being conducted.

Mikhail was the CEO and founder of this security company that existed for about 70 years now. It was built under the watch of the Supernatural Council so that it wouldn’t break the laws and the peace treaty between the humans and supernaturals. It was the biggest and one of the only two security companies existing in the large city of Azallea.

It was also one of the major reasons why Mikhail appeared to rule the city under his thumb. He protected not only his fellow vampires but also the humans from their enemies.

These enemies were mostly greedy vampires that had various reasons of their own to take over the biggest city in the country, which also had the largest percentage of the human population.

Mostly because of the peace treaty, Mikhail had an obligation to protect everyone, supernatural or not. He was also one of the elite vampires, which meant that he was more than capable enough of reinforcing protection in Azallea.

Unfortunately, with great power and reputation came several enemies after his life.

Ivanov Securities was a company that Mikhail valued, so he took his responsibilities seriously. He did not particularly care for humans, but he did acknowledge the fact that he needed them to survive. Besides, if he didn’t step up and give them protection, there wouldn’t be many humans left in the country to help the vampires survive.

Mikhail’s Guards would station the entire perimeter of the city and spread throughout each neighborhood. There were a lot of skilled vampires in Azallea thanks to Mikhail’s reputation and the strict training that they underwent at the company.

These Vampire Guards would protect the city during the night when the attacks were most rampant while the Vampire Hunters Association was in charge during the day. The enemies were growing stronger each year, so they had no reason to become lax yet.

Since werewolves were solitary creatures who only lived in their packs and preferred being with their fellow wolves, vampires were the only real danger all around. Other supernaturals preferred to mind their own business and settle things with their own kind.

The humans used to feel safe and secure in the city despite being wary of the vampires, and there wasn’t any real danger with the vampires’ protection since the peace treaty was there.

However, what meager trust they had left for the vampires was broken when the rogues started increasing and attacking the humans, not their fellow vampires. It became even more suspicious since a few of the rogues came from Mikhail’s own men, the ones that were supposed to protect the city.

Because of the suspension of business in Ivanov Securities, the city was left vulnerable to outside attacks. In return, the other security company run by the humans and vampire hunters became in complete charge of the city’s protection instead.

This company was called Wyvern Securities. They focused on the humans’ safety and operated under the Human Council and the Vampire Hunters Association. It grew in business and popularity due to the recent increase of rogue vampires.

Since not all vampires were attacking the humans and the ones responsible were only a number of rogues, the two Councils still made efforts not to break the peace treaty. Instead, the vampire hunters were not to interfere or become hostile and attack the vampires unless the latter group started acting like rogues.

For now, the vampires and the humans had a clear, definite line between them. None should cross that boundary, or else the suspicion would increase to worrying levels.

Ever since the humans and the vampires started coexistence, there were mixed feelings all around. Humans, as expected, feared them, but the vampires’ reactions were a lot more accepting. After all, they were aware that they were the superior species, and that the humans could barely do a thing to them.

But the vampires were more curious about how this would develop, and in the end, they adjusted to their new lives. Some humans, on the other hand, grew more apprehensive by the increasing number of vampires and the realization that these vampires could turn on them one day and they would be too powerless to stop them.

“Have our men been lying low as ordered?” Mikhail asked.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Josef nodded. “None have broken the new laws so far, sire. The training is still undergoing, and our Guards are sent on their respective missions. The Vampire Hunters Association and the Human Council have recently considered the vampire hunters and our Guards working together to protect the city. The discussion is presumably still being argued on by the Council members.”

“The humans should know by now that they are not capable enough to protect themselves against the vampires outside of the city,” Mikhail said with a raise of an eyebrow. “We are the ones who have been protecting them all these years, yet we have been brushed aside due to the recent panic. At this rate, our enemies will step up their game and start a full-on attack on Azallea.”

“Sarim has been doing negotiations at the Council headquarters since the start of this month,” Josef said. “With the statistical reports regarding the number of human deaths while protecting the city, the Human Council will soon crumble under the pressure very soon.”

At that moment, Mikhail didn’t know why he suddenly thought about Cassy and had this strange, protective desire.

A determination to keep her away from danger.

‘I should not let her out of my sight,’ Mikhail thought to himself with narrowed eyes.

In the past, before he met Cassy, he never had somebody that he wished to protect. He considered protecting the city and maintaining Ivanov Securities’ reputation as part of his duties and nothing more. There was no deep emotional attachment on his part to anything, not even to his own Guards and Warriors.

Mikhail Ivanov didn’t have a heart, like the rumors said. This cold and indifferent viewpoint towards the world was something that he had grown used to over the past century.

But after meeting Cassy…

It was as though life had given him a new meaning to live now.

No matter how silly and cheesy that sounded.