章 22: A Watched Pot Boils
"...Great."
I quickly unwrap myself from my cocoon of blankets and slip on one of my dresses as well as the last clean pair of underwear I have. In a hurry, I walk to the sink and splash myself with cold water to help wake myself.
"This is just great! I was careful, but I guess either someone saw more or one of the cameras picked something up."
I walk to the door and look through the door hole outside I find a maid who looks extremely uncomfortable. She keeps glancing at the door of my room and then fiddling with the same bottles of miniature shampoos on her cart. Upon closer inspection, you can see she is wearing a small earpiece.
'Clearly, this is just an underpaid newbie security guard dressed as a maid.'
I pull back my fist and punch the door.
**Bang**
"AHHH!" in surprise, the fake maid jumps back and screams.
I watch as five more security guards run out, likely thinking that something was wrong. Seeing this, I use my claws to slit my wrist, cup my hand, and let the blood pool in my hand. I toss the blood in the air splattering it in the ceiling I repeat this two more times.
I then throw the door open, and jump backwards. All six people's eyes grow wide in surprise.
"Bloody chains!"
From the blood on the ceiling, chains shoot out and launch toward the five security guards and the fake maid. Two of the security guards reach for pepper spray while the other three freeze in place. Surprisingly the fake maid reacts, but she does some kind of idiotic backhand slap at the chains.
Ignoring the efforts of the six people, the chains wrap around their necks and tighten like leashes on a dog. The chains then contract, causing all six people to be dragged into the room. While struggling to breathe, they all pull at the chains, but it is useless; they are just weak humans. I force them all into a side by side standing position and then loosen the grip the chains have on their neck.
"Don't bother trying to remove the chains. You are all way too weak even to try."
All five turn their heads together and look at me.
"Also, don't bother asking what they are. I'm not going to trouble myself with explaining it. Just know I can make them do whatever I want."
I tighten the chains around their neck to make my point.
"Please, monster, don't kill us!"
"What are you going to do with us monster!"
"Monster! Please! I don't want to die!"
I close the door and deadbolt it. I then take all of their radios and cell phones and smash them under my feet.
Looking at them, I frown, "Well, if you don't want to die, you could start with not calling me a monster."
"Yes! Sorry, miss."
"My apologies, ma'am."
"Mea culpa, madam."
I glance at the last idiot who has a stupid smirk on his face. I walk up to him, raise my hand, and slap him with a fraction of my strength.
**bam!**
Blood spews from his mouth, staining the faces of the other four guards. Their eyes grow big, and they start trembling.
"Do you think this is some kind of game? Is something funny?"
"...no. I just have a problem with nervous laughter. I'm sorry, please don't hit me."
"Ugh, whatever. Tell me, how did you find me?" I intentionally shoot a look toward the jumpy fake maid.
"AH!" she again lets out a small scream.
"Talk."
"Ye...Yes! A few days ago, we suspected some kids were breaking and tossing deck chairs off the stern of the ship, so we set up a hidden camera. We actually forgot about the camera until yesterday when the First Officer told all staff to be on the lookout for a group of students. That's when we remembered the camera and decided to check the footage. Early in the footage, we saw a small person approach a Korean couple the person then proceeded to swing a large weapon and fire some kind of bullet and then tossed the couple off the side of the ship. We immediately handed the footage over to the First Officer and then tracked you to this room. The First Officer told us to keep watch and let him know if you left the room."
That explains a lot. Everywhere I acted, I made sure to check for cameras first. I checked that location the first night but never thought about rechecking it.
"Who all knows about me?"
"I don't know for sure, but probably just us, the First Officer, and reasonably the Captain. The First Officer was going to contact the Coast Guard, but I don't know if he has or not."
"Is that everyone? You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" I turn some of the blood seeping from my wrist into a short blade and press it against the girl's neck.
"No! Uh, Uh, he might have told some of the staff that there was a monster on board, but they don't know it's you!" I turn toward where the girl is pointing and see Mr. Nervous Laugh with wide eyes.
"No! I couldn't tell what you looked like, but now that I can see you are clearly not a monster!"
Annoyed with this situation, I make some subtle changes to the chains around the neck of the five security guards. The chains become sharp like razor blades, and they all become stiff. As for the fake maid, I shrink her chain into something resembling a choker. I harden the blood around my wrist to prevent anymore bleeding and turn toward the group.
"I suggest you five not move around too much as for you, Miss Maid; you're coming with me. If you make any odd movements, I'll shrink that choker around your neck until your a headless corpse."
Ignoring their reactions, I put on my coat and approach Miss Maid, who trembles as I push her out of the room. I turn around and slowly close the door; the last thing that greets my senses is the subtle sound of chains rattling and five pairs of legs.
"You aren't going to hurt them, are you?" Miss Maid asks in a shaky voice.
[7 Essence Acquired]
[6 Essence Acquired]
[5 Essence Acquired]
[8 Essence Acquired]
[6 Essence Acquired]
I smile at her, "Don't worry; they'll just hang out here while we go take care of a few things."
"....Okay. Where are we going?"
"I need to go speak to a friend in the staff area. Your job is to escort me wherever I need to go and flash that little security badge of yours whenever necessary. That is if you enjoy having a neck that is wider than a straw."
"I do! I do enjoy that!"
"Well, that's good. Now let's be on our way."
Slowly we make our way to the staff area. We are given some questioning looks, but Miss Maid holds up her badge along the way. Finally, we make it to Eden's door.
**Knock. Knock**
I hear someone approaching and unlocking the door.
"Eira, what are you doing here?...is that Audrey? Why is she with you?" with the same neutral expression as always Eden looks at me and tilts her head.
"Oh, Mis...Audrey and I have recently become acquainted. May we come in?"
"Sure, but there isn't much room."
"That's fine. Audrey doesn't need much room."
All three of us enter Edens's tiny room shoulder to shoulder.
I look toward Audrey, "Audrey, go stand in the closet and cover your ears. I need to speak to Eden in private."
"...Okay." Audrey enters the closet, puts her hands over her ears, and stares at the wall.
"Eden, we'll be leaving the 'Moonlight' sometime within the next 72 hours be prepared."
"We're leaving? Why so, suddenly?"
"Well, it seems some of my actions were noticed."
"...Eira, did you have something to do with those people that disappeared?"
"Of course, I did. Who else would have been involved?"
"Wha...what did you do with them?"
"...I relieved them of their lives."
Eden looks at me with a hint of fear, "Were they bad people or something?"
"I have no idea. I didn't even know their names."
"Then why did you do it?"
"Necessity. Their deaths helped me achieve something."
"Is that not wrong?"
"Wrong and right are all a matter of perspective. To your average modern human, of course, they'll think it's wrong, but from my perspective, it's necessary to secure a future for the blood race. These are things you'll have to do; did you already forget the Goddess's words?"
"N..No, the Mother Goddess did say I would have to take lives."
'Mother Goddess? Like from the legends I told her? Please don't call me that. That's embarrassing.'
"Anyways! That's not why I am here. Eden, let me ask you when you were young, did you ever dream of being a pirate?"
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