Warning: This story contains violence and non-consensual elements. Please read with caution.

Chapter Three

The car seats of the vehicle Raven was in were uncomfortable to say the least. He felt like he spent the whole ride just trying to find a spot where he was safe from getting sucked in and lost.

It was pointless and was happy to be let out when they arrived at the destination he was meeting Ebony.

With a huff and a quick straightening of his jacket, he looked around for the vampire.

He saw her a few yards away in a pinstriped suit. He felt his heart nearly stop in his chest because she was so gorgeous.

She was leaning up against a wall like a model in a magazine, her arms crossed under her chest. The action made her already large breasts look larger, and Raven found himself staring. He didn't even realize he was until he looked up and saw a smirk on her face.

"See something you like, Aleksandr?" she teased and straightened from the wall.

Raven blushed and looked down at his feet as she walked over to him. She placed a hand under his chin and lifted his face to meet hers.

"Don't be ashamed of what you want," she said and leaned in and gently kissed him on the cheek. "I'm glad you could come today. I hope that we can find something."

Raven took a step back and nodded. He took a few quiet breaths to collect himself.

"So, where exactly are we going?" he asked, and subtly looked around.

Ebony smiled. "Well, I have someone meeting us nearby." She looked at the watch on her wrist. "Actually, he should be there now. Lets go~"

She took Raven's arm and walked with him to the meeting site, which Raven learned from Ebony was an alley a few blocks away.

As they walked, Raven scanned the area for potential threats. Finding none, he carefully kept an eye out until they reached the alley that Ebony had spoken of.

About halfway down the narrow alleyway, he saw a figure standing in the shadows of the building. They were leaning against the wall and spoke casually to them when Ebony and Raven got close enough.

"Kept me waiting long enough," the man called out with irritation and stepped out of the shadows.

Ebony laughed. "I'm sorry. How long did you wait, five minutes?"

The man scowled at her sarcasm. Raven took note that the man had similar white blond hair and pale skin like Ebony's. He had a red eye like hers as well, but curiously the other was pale green.

"Aleksandr, this is my brother, Aloys," she introduced, "Brother, this is Aleksandr. He's going to be helping me today."

Raven and Aloys seemed to size each other up for a long moment.

"He's from the church. I can smell it all over him," Aloys said. His lip curled up in disgust, revealing his fangs.

Raven just stood there with no reply. He wasn't intimidated or impressed.

Ebony just tucked some hair behind her ear. "Darling, can we go now if you're done? I don't have a lot of time with Aleksandr."

Aloys huffed and rolled his eyes as he reached into his pocket.

Raven tensed and started to reach for his talismans when Ebony subtly shook her head, gently took his hand and held it.

Aloys had a black blindfold in his hands. He held it out to Ebony. She took it.

"Do you trust me?" She asked, turning toward Raven.

Raven was tense. He didn't know what was really going to happen if he went along with them, but rationally he knew that if anything did happen to him, the church was well aware he was going out to meet Ebony today. He sighed and closed his eyes.

Raven didn't see Ebonys smile, but he felt it in her voice when she praised him.

"Thank you, Aleksandr. It will only be for a moment."

Raven felt himself blush at her words."Whatever.  Just get on with it."

Ebony chuckled and then he felt the blindfold placed over his glasses.

She patted his shoulder. "Alright, brother. Your turn."

All Raven could hear was a grumble and a muffled slap before he felt a strange sensation.

Nausea hit him like a punch to the gut and he felt himself breathing heavily in an effort to not throw up.

Raven felt someone beside him and in a moment the blind fold was off.

He blinked his eyes open in confusion. It had only been a few minutes at most, but they were in what appeared to be a living room.

Obviously the blind fold had been to hide whatever magic was used, and Raven had enough sense to not ask questions.

"Are you alright?" Ebony asked with a smile. Aloys was rubbing the back of his head with a deeper scowl than before. "Sometimes people get sick."

"I'm alright," he stated and fixed his glasses. Indeed, the sick feeling in his stomach was already subsided, so he felt fine. "I presume we are here to do the research that you need?" Raven asked vaguely.

"Yes. This place is secure, so we may speak freely. Aloys, thank you for your help," Ebony said as she turned and pinched Aloys' cheek.

Her brother slapped her hand away. "Don't ask for it again. And you," the vampire turned to Raven and pointed a long white finger, "Don't you dare go anywhere else but my library, and you are only allowed to touch the books I have set out. I'll know if you do, and unlike my sister, I will kill you."

Raven nodded but didn't show any other reaction towards the threat. He was used to it, and frankly Aloys' words were on the nicer side.

Ebony sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, darling. I will watch him. Don't worry your pretty little head. How is your pet, by the way? Still having trouble getting him to behave?"

Aloys huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. His tattooed sleeves rippled with the movement. "Ace. Acting strange as usual but healthy all the same."

The words Aloys spoke didn't match the tone of his voice, Raven noticed. They sounded strained and a little frustrated, but also a little worried.

He didn't care enough to spend anymore time on it so he addressed Ebony. "Can we get started? I don't have all day."

She nodded. "Alright. Follow me."

She led him up a flight of stairs, and then down a long hallway before finally coming to the double doors of the library, opening them to reveal the large space that had a rosewood table in front of a dark leather couch. There were chairs on either side, part of a set, and there were books set out for the two on the table.

Raven looked around at the library, taking in the shelves that spanned at least three floors as Ebony pulled him to the couch and had him sit down. He just went along with it, knowing she'd whine if he resisted.

"So, get started with this," Ebony hummed as she handed him a book, leaning against him with an innocent grin. She wanted to see how far she could push him today without the interference of the church being around.

He couldn't help but notice again the outfit she was wearing, blushing as he realized she was wearing a top that showed quite a bit of cleavage the way she was pressed against him.

"Alright," he said quietly, trying to ignore his physical reactions as he took the book, though he didn't push her off as he opened the leather cover and began to leaf through the pages.

"What exactly am I looking for?" He asked after he started to quickly skim through each page. It seemed that the book was a manifest. It appeared that each entry consisted of a week's worth of events. Most likely collected and compiled to refer back to in case the need arose.

"Please mark mention of any unnamed man, the name Fabian, or Fabiano," Ebony instructed. "Also any mentions of unusual events; missing persons, sudden deaths, or anything of the like."

Raven paused and then asked with some hesitance, "That will take a long time, don't you think?" He looked over to the large stack of tomes on the desk. From cover to cover, that many would take at least a week, possibly longer. Plus, he could safely assume that all of the manifests were all hand written. He could easily miss something if he wasn't careful...