The InkWell Writing Challenge

Image by Şahin Sezer Dinçer from Pixabay

Prequel to Blood and Bronze

Series Title: Sanguine and Steel

Week #1: Lifeblood
Week #2: Metal Enhanced

I glanced up, looking outside the window made of holographic images that reflected the current happenings across the globe, finding myself lost in my thoughts as I remembered what just occurred in that room where Leonardo had led me to...

“Kiera, I'll be leaving this man in your care. He could very well be humanity's next salvation.”

Something about the way Leo had said those words made a certain chill of dread drip down my spine and I couldn't help but look back towards the 'being' that lay on the table in the room, only to barely contain the gasp of surprise that left my lips at the sight of a pair of clear blue eyes that looked straight back at me. His eyes appeared to glow dimly in the faint light of the room before he closed them once again, probably not having enough energy to stay awake.

“Leonardo! Did you just see that??”

“Mmhm...” Leo muttered something incoherent under his breath as he stepped away from me and started to slowly move closer towards the table.

“Leo... I-- may have an idea 'what' he is but... is he really human?” I gazed up and watch Leo lost in thought as he tapped a finger on his chin. Slowly though, his eyes trailed back towards me, his golden gaze alight with sudden wonder as he replied, “He's a lot more human than you and I, cara mia.”

I may have had an inkling of what the being on the table was the first moment I saw the mangled wires that protruded from his arm, but the moment he opened his eyes that split second, every assumption I made about him fell into the cracks. Because that was when I heard the thumping of a human heart, and I knew Leonardo has heard it too.

I was pulled from my musings at the sound of Leo's heavy footsteps approaching the main room, looking towards him just as he entered with a grin plastered to his face, “Have I ever told you how I appreciate having your tiny, little fingers at my assistance, cara mia?”

“Only because your 'bear paws' don't always reached some places that need tinkering, right?” I smiled at him sweetly, letting out a small laugh as Leo put said 'bear paw' sized hand to his chest in a show of taking offense.

Before following him back into the room that held 'his patient'-- as Leo now started referring to the being with the clear blue eyes-- I made a final glance up towards the holographic window, focusing on a particular image that showed a crowd of humans lost in euphoric abandonment.

“Leo.. do you even think the humans need any form of 'salvation' at this point in their lives?” It made me wonder sometimes, seeing humanity having reached their highest form of seeking entertainment with today's technological advancements, while gaining a sense of apathy in return.

Leonardo turned to look at me then, the way his golden eyes fixed on me made me suddenly aware of how 'young' I was compared to his vampire years, as he spoke, “We are not gods to decide who deserves to be saved or not, Kiera.” The hard glint in his eyes softened then as he reached a hand out to pat me on the head as he continued, “Though sometimes I wonder if that is more to their benefit than ours...”