Dialing Deception

"Maria, are you ok?" Nikolai immediately answered the phone. He sounded pretty worried.

"I'm fine, everything is under control, no need for concern. Sorry that I couldn't answer before, I've been...busy." Maria said with a soft, comforting tone.

"Ok, you've got me worried there a bit. Where are you now?"

Maria took a breath, preparing for what was to come. "I'm home. I know you told me to run away but... that vampire hunter caught up with me and we fought. But he's no longer an issue, he's gone."

"What? You defeated him on your own? How?" Nikolai sounded baffled by all this and Maria knew she had to sound as convincing as possible to make him believe her story. Not an easy task at all given how perceptive and savvy Nikolai was.

She explained everything that had transpired, changing facts with convenient lies as she told him her made up version of events. The main change was that after her glorious battle with Ethan she drained him. She changed that part because she didn't want to tempt Nikolai into returning too soon, she wanted to be alone with Rachel and not expose her to his manipulations and scheming.

For a second or so there was only silence as Nikolai weighed in her explanation.

"Well, that's good news, Maria. It's a shame you didn't keep him alive, he could've been very useful to us, but I must congratulate you on defeating him nonetheless. Anyway, I don't really get what part Rachel had in all this. Why did she turn on him?"

"Uhm, well, I got her under my influence as you already know and promised her to turn her if she helped me, so that's what I just did..." Maria continued with half-truths.

"Wait...you did WHAT?"

"I, uhm, I made her a vampire. Why, is that a probl..."

"Are you fucking serious?! I never allowed you to turn cattle! I can't believe this!" Nikolai fumed on the phone, his reaction surprising Maria. She expected some level of annoyance but not this.

"But... but you encouraged me to go out and bring people under my influence and corrupt them. I thought that included turning them as well." Maria gritted her teeth but managed to speak calmly and collected.

"Well you thought wrong! You fucked up!"

"Why? Why are you so angry about this?"

A desperate groan, followed by a loud sigh, indicated that he tried to calm down. He continued with a stern voice, ignoring her question, "where is she now?"

"In the bedroom... she hasn't woken up yet. I just turned her."

Nikolai took a moment and Maria sensed he was choosing his next words, "alright, then there is still time. You have to stop it before she wakes up. Get back there and put an end to this, Maria."

"An end to what? What do you mean?" Maria suspected what he wanted from her but couldn't believe it.

"Chop her head off, damn it!" His anger returned.

"WHAT?! Are you insane? I'm not killing her, you psycho!" Maria roared back at him in rage.

"She's already dead, you'll just prevent her from turning to our state! And watch that tongue, Maria! Don't fuck with me! Got it?"

Maria was shocked by his response to all this, she saw no logical explanation for his persistence in preventing Rachel from becoming a vamp. Apparently, there was some truth in Ethan's words after all and her sudden turning of her friend somehow conflicted with Nikolai's plans. She had to understand why.

"Nikolai, I need an explanation first why this is such an issue," Maria complained, forcing herself to cool down as best she could. "I'm not gonna waste all my past efforts with her just to...eliminate her in the end."

Nikolai took some time to cool down as well and spoke to her calmer, but a tinge of anger in his voice remained.

"I explained to you before that humans often turn out to be uncontrollable beasts when turned improperly, remember? There is a great risk that something might go wrong."

"No, you told me only psychos turn out to be beasts if turned. She's far from being a psycho, she was my best friend, dammit! If anything, she's the opposite."

"Well in that case she might not be prepared enough."

"Oh, I prepared her enough, believe me. But even if I didn't, why would that bother you? She'd die that way, right? At least that's what you said, so... got yourself in a box here, huh?"

Maria smirked in her momentary victory, waiting for him to either counter or withdraw. She could imagine Nikolai's pissed off face as he growled, "fine... but she's your responsibility! You've got to teach her to hunt and the rest. And no more turning anyone, got it?"

"Of course, I'll do my best, you won't even notice her around."

"I better not, cause when I return I want her out of my house. And one more thing, Maria. You ever disobey me, scheme behind my back or defy me again, you can kiss your eternal life goodbye."

"Nikolai, I don't..." Maria hurried for some damage control but he already hung up.

Well...shit. This could have gone worse but also much, much better. What the fuck is wrong with him? We won't be staying here for long, that's for sure. Nikolai wants me alone and dependent on him, and it's obvious now that Rachel doesn't fit in whatever scheme he planned for me. Ethan was right. Again. He might turn out as an asset in the future...