Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“Relax.” The order was gentle but it was an order all the same.

Ezra glanced up at his master hesitantly, his fingers still fiddling with the fancy cuffs of the shirt he wore. He felt so out of place, it was borderline unnatural.

He was a street rat. Plain and simple. He would’ve been a street rat until he died if it weren’t for the Hunters Alliance.

They weren’t a legal organization to be sure, the whole expanse of the city was ruled by the iron fist of the Imperial Coven, their leader the Emperor was by far the oldest and most lethal vampire known to mankind.

That apparently was how he became the ruler of the city.

But the Hunters Alliance was fighting to change that. Ezra had been living in the slums of a relatively poor district of the city known as Lothal when he helped some of the hunters out.

After their mission of stopping a newly emerging blood trafficking operation the small gang offered him a place among them. Turned out they called themselves the Ghost Crew and he fit right in with them.

Kanan in particular took him under his wing. The man was an experienced hunter, having been trained by the ancient hunters before the purge happened. Ezra was truly lucky to have such a mentor.

But their lives were far from easy. Vampires were everywhere nowadays, covens no longer hid in the shadows, the Emperor had of course made them perfectly legal- as long as they swore allegiance to him and his coven and paid a tax to hunt in Imperial territory.

However there were other powerful covens and just general criminal organizations that did not get along well with the Imperial coven.

For instance the Hutts, a vicious mafia that ruled the outskirts of the city, notorious for their drug dealing, and trafficking.

And of course the reason for their mission today, DeathWatch.

The group of terrorists were of course not vampires, they had once been a part of the previously prosperous area of the city called Mandalore. From what Sabine told him that district was ravaged by unending gang wars until it was mostly unlivable now.

A long time ago the most dangerous sect of the gangs from Mandalore accepted a vampire known as the Shadow as their leader, and their syndicate only grew from there. Expanding into one to almost rival the Hutts.

Rumor had it that their vampire leader was once a part of the Imperial coven, the fledging of the Emperor himself before he was cast out.

That was what Ezra and Kanan were here to find out, to see if the rumors were true and if the Shadow would be willing to lend his help in fighting the Imperial coven.

Ezra huffed out a breath as Kanan rested a hand on his shoulder, drawing him out of his thoughts and back to reality.

The mansion was set in the ruins of one of the oldest areas of the city, it was deep in the outskirts and was often overlooked because it had been decimated decades ago.

Dathomir.

People old enough to remember said that it was once inhabited by a powerful group that was not human and not vampire, making them a threat. So they were exterminated.

Ezra had heard plenty of stories about the place from his time on the streets, other kids often tried to scare each other with tales of ghosts and nonsense about the place.

He knew that they were just silly stories, but now as he walked beside his master he couldn’t help the way the hairs rose on the back of his neck, goose bumps spread down his arms under the sleeves of his shirt and he suppressed a shudder.

The accursed mansion was several stories high and looked to be as old as the dirt it was built on, there was a scrappy garden around it caged within the black iron fence that wound around the estate.

The whole place looked like it had stood still as time and the city moved on around it.

Most of the surrounding area was now abandoned or rebuilt and inhabited by DeathWatch. It had been quite an achievement to get into the district at all, the terrorists were very strict with security and Ezra suspected the only reason they got in at all was because the vampire allowed it.

If Kanan had the same suspicions as him he didn’t show it. The man was completely cool and collected- mostly. Ezra could see the underlying tension there, in the set of his jaw and the narrowing of his eyes.

The guards at the heavy iron gates stood straight and stern as they approached, there were other guests arriving too and Ahsoka had pulled a lot of strings to get Kanan and Ezra on the guest list.

She was accompanying them tonight but not in clear view. Since she apparently had a history with the vampire she could not simply walk right in. Kanan and Ezra however were undercover and wouldn’t be recognized.

A couple walked through the gate right in front of them, dressed just as richly as Ezra knew to expect from vampires. They were probably from a minor coven that DeathWatch was fostering an alliance with.

Their intelligence informed them that the Shadow was always looking to expand his reach.
That was what the Hunters Alliance was counting on.

But there was still the chance that this could all go horribly wrong and if it did there was a high chance that Kanan and Ezra could die here tonight. Ezra still remembered Hera hugging them close as she struggled to keep her composure.

Sabine and Zeb had been serious and solemn as they said their goodbyes, the air was weighed down with a grim severity, reminding them all that they might not see each other again.

But this was a necessary risk. The high command of the Alliance themselves had asked them to do this. There was no turning it down.

As the couple in front of them moved on Kanan stepped forward and Ezra followed a step behind. Anxiety raced beneath his skin as the head guard turned his attention to them.

“Name?” The man’s voice was sharp and his gaze was critical.

Ezra forced himself to straighten up and he quickly hid beneath a brazen mask, the same one he wore eternally. The one that gave him the strength to stand in between feral vampires and innocent people, the one that sent brash words flying from his lips as a defense mechanism.

It was smooth, it was natural. The only thing right now that felt right.

“Depa.” Kanan responded to the guard, “Caleb and Ephraim Depa.”

The man looked to the woman beside him who was holding the list, her eyes scanned the paper for a moment and Ezra held his breath. But then she looked up with a nod and the guard stepped aside.

“You may enter.” He said, despite the sharp edge of suspicion still in his eyes, “Enjoy the evening.”

Kanan moved forward without another word, which seemed a little rude to Ezra but he supposed that was the way rich people behaved.

He couldn’t really complain since he didn’t exactly have perfect manners himself (something that Hera was working hard to remedy) but he at least was somewhat considerate of others.

As they moved closer to the mansion Ezra could see that it was made of old stone that was a deep red in color, it was kinda pretty- in a creepy old mansion kind of way.

The large dark wood doors were open to them and all the other guests that were arriving. This was an annual event, a chance for DeathWatch to check in on all their associates and allies, and most often, to weed out any leaks or traitors.

From what their informant told them there were at least a couple deaths every year, and Ezra couldn’t help the unsettling feeling that they would be the ones to die tonight.

Uneasy, he glanced up at Kanan as they stepped into the old building. The man met his gaze for a moment and gave him a reassuring smile, but it vanished as soon as someone stepped up to escort them through the halls.

Ezra kept his gaze on his surroundings, studying the walls and the floor, noting how rich DeathWatch must be. The hall quickly opened up to a large ballroom, and it was filled with people and vampires alike.

Being in a crowd was normal for Ezra, he navigated them like a fish in water, he grew up in them, packed bustling streets were a street rat’s best friend. But he was used to slipping through them, swiping wallets and other valuables.

Mingling was not in his job description. The tide of people arriving behind them spurred them on into the crowd despite Ezra’s misgivings and he couldn’t help the childish desire to cling to Kanan.

Never in his life had he seen so many opulent people, or so many vampires in one place. And while he might be dressed to fit in he knew he really really didn’t.

Once again he found himself fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves. His face was forced into an expression of ease but inside he was a bundle of nerves.

Briefly he wondered if the vampires around could hear his heart thudding in his chest, if their mouths salivated at the sound of the blood rushing through his veins…

“Ephraim.” Kanan’s voice said.

A warm gentle hand settled on his shoulder and he stopped walking, Kanan looked down at him calmly but there was a firm warning in his eyes.

Calm down.

Forcing his lungs to suck in a deep breath he focused on his master, on the kind teal eyes and the strong hand. He thought back to his time on the streets, seven years surviving all alone before the other specters found him.

He had survived that. He had survived two years working with the Alliance. He could survive this too.

Slipping easily into his familiar disposition, he gave Kanan a small grin. He was ready to bluff off some Imperials, or trade banter with a tentative ally. But here he’d have to temper it ever so slightly. Instead of bluffs and threats he’d have to use subtle manipulation and pleasant words.

Kanan gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head but didn’t go back to walking, instead he began mingling. Ezra stayed close to his side, observing with the air of a bored teenager.

It looked almost natural. Just a rich guy that dragged his son with him to a boring social event. (Ezra had internally preened at being called Kanan’s son, even if it was just a cover story.)

The Alliance had set them up with everything they’d need and made sure that they looked the part, Kanan had an elegant navy suit that still allowed his free movement, with an embroidered waistcoat, and his hair had been slicked back into his usual style with a little extra flair.

Ezra was dressed very similarly, but he had refused the jacket to his suit so they had given him a slightly fancier dress shirt so that the delicate gold embroidery on the cuffs of his sleeves matched his waistcoat. Luckily his hair was left relatively untouched- save for the thin braids that they set in place with tiny golden ornaments.

Once again following Kanan through the maze of warm and cold bodies, he looked up to see his master stop to greet a clearly vampire lady dressed in a long rust orange gown.

Ezra couldn’t help the tiny twinge of annoyance as he watched his master converse with such ease. Kanan was a natural undercover agent, Ezra would’ve preferred to be anywhere else.

He wished they were back home, enjoying Hera’s cooking, bickering with Zeb, or watching Sabine paint. Or sparring. That was Ezra’s favorite pastime by far, he was getting pretty good at it and Kanan was a great teacher.

Hand to hand combat was his preference, but he was trained with using stakes as well. Ahsoka liked to fight with two stakes at once which was mind boggling to Ezra, but apparently it wasn’t that uncommon for the hunters of old.

While he was lost in his thoughts he almost didn’t notice the figure stepping up to him, but when he nearly bumped into the person he drew back sharply and snapped his gaze up to the stranger’s face.

“Hello.”

It was a vampire. His face was mostly hidden behind a decorative mask, but Ezra could still see the gleam of red eyes watching him with unsettling intensity.

This couldn’t be good.

“Hello.” Ezra greeted coolly. “Did you need something?”

“No,” The vampire denied, voice monotone, “I thought… you look familiar.”

Ezra felt his skin crawl, he and Ezra had fought some of the higher up vampires of the Imperial coven, and Ezra could almost sense the same powerful aura that they had. Was this stranger one of them?

It was possible…

“Excuse me,” Ezra felt relief flood him as Kanan came to his rescue, staring down the vampire calmly, “Can I help you?”

“I was just having a word with your boy.” The vampire seemed almost annoyed by the intrusion but it didn’t show in his voice.

“Well I don’t mean to interrupt,” Kanan said, “But Ephraim?”

“Yeah dad?” Ezra responded quickly, turning his gaze from the vampire to his master.

It felt nice to say that word again. To prepare for this mission the two of them had spent a week calling each other by their code names, so that they didn’t use the wrong names by accident.

Which meant a week of him being called Ephraim (his father’s name was hard to hear again). And a week of him getting to call Kanan dad, which almost made all of this worth it.

“Can you go grab me a drink?” Kanan asked, eyes not leaving the vampire, “I’m afraid my throat is getting a little dry.”

“Y-yeah,” Ezra nodded, “Sure dad.”

He turned away from them, eyes catching the vampire’s gaze once more. He suppressed a shudder at the sight of the gleaming interest in those red eyes. Forcefully, he tore his gaze away and reluctantly left his da- Kanan to deal with the vampire.

He doubted the stranger would attack, especially if he was an undercover member of the Imperial coven. While unlikely, the theory would explain the interest that the vampire showed.

The Imperial coven was always growing its ranks, and the members of it that Ezra had fought in the past had all expressed an interest in grafting him into their ranks, one even going so far as to offer to turn him.

The memory was disturbing and Ezra noticed that his hands were starting to shake. Dutifully he shoved the thoughts away, he was safe, Kanan wouldn’t let a vampire take him away. Ezra knew how to fight them, he was fine.

There was a table with drinks set out, and Ezra had to steady his hands on the edge of it as his eyes landed on the thick red liquid filling the glasses. It was identical to the blood that ran through his veins.

If he hadn’t joined the Ghost crew and gotten off the streets it could very well have been his blood in those cups.

A small absurd part of him wondered how many of the other homeless people he’d known had contributed their blood to the elaborate cups that the high and mighty vampires were bringing up to their lips and…

Ezra felt his stomach lurch and he dragged himself away from the table. Thankfully it was up against the wall and there was a clear escape route in the form of a hallway.

Glancing back at the milling crowd, he slipped into the dimly lit hall. It wasn’t the one they had walked through upon entering the mansion but it was similar. It was empty and the noise from the crowd was muted the further in he went.

So further in he went.

His shoes were muffled by the immaculate red carpet, and he hardly even bothered looking where he was going. His mind was in a haze as he stumbled on nothing and nearly crashed into the floor.

Jerking his body harshly to avoid falling, he flung his right arm out to steady himself against the wall. The support helped and he turned his body to lean his back on the wall.

His chest heaved for a second before he realized that the collar of his suit was suddenly too tight.

Reaching up, he fiddled with the top button for what seemed like forever before he managed to undo it and suck in a few desperate breaths.

For a long moment he was still, just breathing and trying to catch his racing thoughts. This was not the place to lose focus, he couldn’t afford to be distracted.

He was Ezra Bridger. He was strong and a good fighter. He was here to help his master.

Straightening his back, he moved away from the wall and squared his shoulders. A small frown settled over his face at his behavior, this didn’t typically happen to him. So why…

Ezra froze.

A chill crept down his spine, slithering under his skin like an icy snake. The half drawn breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. He knew this feeling… it was the feeling he got when standing in the back alleys as hungry red eyes stared him down from the shadows.

Something was behind him.

The impulse to just walk out of the hallway without acknowledging the mysterious presence swept over him and it was so strong he nearly took a step. But something told him that he wouldn’t get far if he did.

Summoning all his courage and resolve, he turned slowly to face the threat, careful to keep his movements clear and his hands on his thighs to avoid seeming like a threat. He had a stake hidden in the folds of his clothing, but he couldn’t pull it out without blowing his cover.

At first there didn’t seem to be anyone behind him, but his sharp eyes searched relentlessly until he saw it. A figure in the shadows, but there was no gleam of red eyes.

Maybe it was just a human?

But that didn't make him feel any better. He had learned early on that human beings could be just as ruthless and cruel as vampires. A monster was a monster no matter what species they were.

“H-hello?” He stammered for a split second before it was masked with wary interest.

The figure stayed silent for a minute, and Ezra had to bite his tongue to keep from lashing out verbally. Finally the stranger stepped forward a little, the thick shadows thinning out just enough for Ezra to see the basic outline of the threat.

Shrouded by a cloak and hood that seamlessly blended in with the shadows, was a man- Ezra couldn’t tell if he was a vampire or not, but he could see that the stranger was tall- almost taller than Kanan.

“Hello.” The voice was deep, but it spoke quietly.

“Who are you?” Ezra demanded almost instantly, “What are you doing here?”

The stranger was quiet, as if absorbing the questions, “Why are you here?”

Ezra paused at that, not expecting his questions to be turned against him. But he couldn’t risk causing the person to become suspicious, so he forced down the biting retort that nearly sprung from his throat.

“I’m here with my father.” Ezra lied smoothly.

Lies and sob stories were a familiar art form for him. Excuses and pleas took form under his nurturing like an intricate tapestry under the fingers of a skilled weaver.

“I do not recognize you.” The man said, stepping closer.

“And you just know everyone?” Ezra retorted, folding his arms over his chest and raising his chin.

“Yes.”

Taken by surprise by the blunt answer, Ezra tilted his head. The man was a little strange, but he didn’t seem threatening. In fact he might have information…

“You live here?” He asked, watching the man critically, “Are you part of DeathWatch?”

“You could say that.” The voice sounded ever so slightly amused, “And you?”

“Why should I tell you?” The words flew out before he could stop them, and he fumbled to correct himself, “I don’t know you, stranger danger, y’know?”

“Ah,” The stranger nodded his head, “Well let’s change that, I am called Maul.”

Maul? Strange name, but Ezra supposed he wasn’t one to judge, it wasn’t even the strangest name he’d heard. Heck, the higher ups in the Imperial coven didn’t even have names, they just called each other ‘Fifth Brother’ or ‘Seventh Sister’, things like that.

“Call me Ephraim.” Ezra responded before the silence stretched for too long.

The man straightened, as if recognizing something, and it set Ezra on edge, his fingers twitched with nerves, ready to rip out his stake and fight for his life.

“Yes,” The man hummed thoughtfully, “I do recall that last minute addition to the guest list.”

Uh oh. Ezra shifted his feet, ready to make a run for it, but he immediately froze again as he saw the man’s gaze sharpen.

“You and… your father.” Maul went on, “Caleb wasn’t it?”

Ezra nodded shakily. Who was this guy? Surely he must be an important part of the staff, if he was so familiar with the guest list. Yes, that made sense. The thought eased an inkling of the tension out of his shoulders and he let his hands relax.

“Are you part of the staff?” Ezra asked, visibly calmer.

The man didn’t answer and Ezra felt uneasy again, “I only meant that- well since you seem to know a lot about the guests…”

“Yes,” Maul agreed, “I am quite familiar with all of the guests,” He paused and his dark eyes narrowed under the hood, “Except you.”

Ezra tensed as the man stepped closer again, now standing a few meager feet away. It was too close for comfort and Ezra considered stepping away a little bit.

The sparse information that the Alliance had been able to gather on the leader of DeathWatch did not include a photo, but there were descriptions of course- whispered by terrified survivors, people that managed to somehow see the Shadow and live to tell the tale.

They said he was tall… Ezra barely made it to this guy’s shoulder. They said he had unnatural yellow eyes- except when they were blood red. They said he had tattoos…

Ezra’s blood ran cold as he studied the stranger. In the light from the end of the hallway he could see the man’s face much clearer, the black tattoos marking his face and neck beneath the hood, weaving in simple patterns under his eyes- and his eyes…

They were a strange yellow color that leeched red and took on the predatory gleam that Ezra had come to expect from vampires.

“You’re the Shadow.” Ezra’s voice didn’t waver, his fear didn’t show on his face.

And strangely he didn’t feel that much fear. He was angry at being discovered, but from the sound of things their mission had likely been doomed from the start.

He took a tiny step back, watching the vampire warily. It took great effort to not act suspicious, Maul was the Shadow, but that didn’t mean he knew that Ezra was a hunter… right?

“So little hunter-” Karabast. “Why are you here?”

Ezra’s eyes darted around for a second, but he didn’t dare take his eyes off of Maul for too long.

He might have a chance to escape if he booked it to the end of the hallway, but vampires were unnaturally fast so there was no way he could outrun one. And besides, this was Maul’s mansion, his stupid party, no one would help Ezra.

Well, this was why he and Kanan had come anyway. To try to forge an alliance with Maul, or at least to get helpful information on how to defeat the Imperial coven.

His face hardened with determination as he looked Maul straight in the eye- a big no-no since vampires were fully capable of thralling their prey.

“I am a representative of the Hunters Alliance,” He said seriously, “I’m here to request your support in our fight against the Emperor.”

Maul looked at him for a moment, processing the information. He didn’t seem surprised in the least.

“And why would I betray my own kind?” Maul asked, sounding disinterested.

“Well,” Ezra resisted the urge to rub the back of his head awkwardly, “They say you don't like other vampires- especially the Imperials.”

There was a tense moment of silence as the last word hung in the air, the Shadow’s eyes narrowed and his face took on a vacant expression. Ezra couldn’t help but wonder whether the man was entirely stable.

“Imperials.” Maul spat the word bitterly, "They took everything from me,” His words filled with pure unfiltered rage, “They stole me away from my mother, murdered my brother, and then… they cast me aside.”

Ezra found himself frowning, oddly enough he felt sympathy welling up within him. He knew this vampire had probably done horrible things, but hadn’t Ezra himself suffered in a similar way?

“I…” He hesitated for a long minute before looking up and meeting the vampire’s eyes, “I know how you feel.”

That seemed to catch the man by surprise, but he said nothing, waiting for Ezra to continue.

“The Imperials took my mother, and my father, I… I watched them kill them.” He confessed, eyes burning all of a sudden, he blinked rapidly and dropped his gaze.

“And you want revenge.”

Ezra looked up at Maul in surprise. He never would admit it to Kanan, or Hera or any of his new family, but it was true. He fought to avenge his parents’ deaths.

“Yes.” The confession was barely a whisper but he knew Maul heard it anyway.

Something seemed to shift in the air and Maul looked at him intently, as if sizing him up. Ezra stared right back, refusing to back down. He’d faced many vampires before and he’d survived- sometimes by the skin of his teeth, but he was still alive, and that was what mattered.

“And you will have it.” Maul promised finally.

“You’ll help us?” Ezra asked, his voice incredulous.

The vampire looked at him for a second, and he stared back unflinchingly. Red eyes burned into deep blue with unwavering intensity but Ezra set his jaw and held his ground, ignoring the distant feeling that the vampire was testing him.

“Yes,” Maul answered finally, “I will help you.”

Ezra’s heart leaped in his chest, he had secured the help of the leader of DeathWatch all on his own!

For a moment the two of them were silent and the muted sound of the music from the ballroom drifted down the hall. Briefly Ezra wondered if Kanan was looking for him and he decided he probably needed to return to him.

“That… that’s great,” Ezra said, turning his attention back to his new ally, “I should find my master and we can discuss it…”

The Shadow’s eyes sharpened and Ezra hesitated. But Maul simply smiled and held out a hand toward the hall.

“Lead the way.”

Ezra’s eyes met Maul’s and for a split second he felt lost in the wash of red, and then he found himself walking down the hall with the vampire following close behind.

His senses returned almost instantly but a frown still stretched his lips downward. Had Maul… no, he couldn’t worry about that now. He had to find Kanan and Ahsoka so they could make a formal alliance with DeathWatch.

As the distant hazy feeling behind his eyes wore off into a quiet confusion he noted absently that the music he’d heard before had stopped, the soft tune replaced by shouts and commotion.

Something was happening in the ballroom, where Kanan was! Ezra felt alarm race through him and his steps grew quicker until he was all but running down the hall. The carpet muffled his hurried footsteps like it was trying to bury his panic and he felt the burning of eyes on his back.

But he didn’t dare look back, Maul- a vampire was right there with his stupid kriffing mind control. His pace grew quicker as he lamented the fact that he didn’t remember the hall being this long.

Maybe the corridor was stretching itself out to slow him down, that’d be just the kind of luck he’d have.

The racket in the ballroom quieted down slightly but there were still voices, one of which he knew to be his master. The same voice that praised him for how quickly he learned new moves when they first began training. The same voice that soothed his fears of being abandoned again when he was still new to the family.

And now it was demanding, harsh and angry in a way Ezra hadn’t heard since a high up member of the Imperial coven had nearly killed him. Kanan had ended that vampire in record time after that.

He still remembered it… the memory sent a chill down his spine.

.

The Imperial- well known as ‘Inquisitor’ held him firmly in place, grip bruising as hot breath fanned across his throat. The crushing sense of defeat stole the fight right out of his body.

This was it, he’d be killed- or worse, turned and grafted into the Imperials. The horror the idea caused him made him struggle weakly in the grip, but it was no use.

Your master will die. Your friends will die. And everything you hoped for will be lost.

Promises. Laws that were written in the stars and engraved upon the stones under their feet. It was all for naught, Kanan had tried so hard, but Ezra’s fate was here.

It was inevitable. It was solid and unchanging.
Until Kanan changed it. His master saved him.

.

And now it was Ezra rushing to his master’s aid. As he shot out of the hallway he winced against the sudden exposure to the bright light. The room was still full and loud, but Ezra didn’t pay any attention to the crowd.

The mass of humans and vampires had retreated from the center of the room, leaving a wide circle that Ezra slipped into with little effort thanks to his experience with navigating crowds.

“Ezra!” Of course Kanan was at the center of this ruckus, and of course his eyes caught sight of Ezra instantly.

Beside his master stood Ahsoka, her inconspicuous attire now doing her little good as she was exposed to the crowd, some of whom clearly recognized her. It was hard for her not to stand out though, with her distinctive tattoos and tall frame.

Ezra still wondered how Ahsoka of all people had a history with DeathWatch, and their leader-

“Maul.” Ahsoka said, her surprised voice finishing Ezra’s thought.

She was staring past him, her wide blue eyes locked on something just behind him. Ezra’s skin crawled as he glanced back, sure enough there stood the Shadow, hood lowered to reveal eyes red with fury.

Skittering to the side slightly, Ezra followed Maul’s gaze to the other figures in the circle. Thankfully he didn’t seem to even notice Kanan and Ahsoka, all of his attention was focused on the three Imperial vampires.

Two of them Ezra recognized. The tall brutish form of the one called Fifth Brother. And the slim catlike figure of Seventh Sister. And beside them was the stranger that had spoken to Ezra before Kanan had intervened.

It looked like the arrival of Maul and Ezra had interrupted a stare down, the fight had not yet broken out, but the tension was heavy in the air.

“So.” Maul spoke, his voice suddenly different from how it had sounded in the dark corridor, now it was weighty, commanding, “The Emperor’s dogs dare to enter my domain.”

Ezra dared not move as the Shadow stalked a few steps further into the circle, eyes gleaming with bloodlust. There were a few things about vampires that were indisputable, one: they were monsters that showed no mercy, and two: they were helplessly territorial.

And here was Maul, with three enemy vampires in his home. The visitors from other covens were different obviously, they were invited, they were allies. Maul had already expressed his hatred for the Imperials.

“What fun.” The Shadow’s voice was the low growl of a predator preparing to pounce.

A shudder wrenched Ezra out of his frozen state and he staggered to his master’s side, nearly tripping over his own feet as his eyes refused to leave the vampires that looked ready to rip each other apart.

Kanan welcomed him immediately, grabbing his upper arm gently and holding him steady while his concerned teal eyes searched for any injuries.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” Ezra forced out, relaxing marginally in the comforting presence of his master.

But it was only for a moment, the Imperial vampires lunged forward almost instantly and Maul met them with ease. The raw speed and brutality that the Shadow fought with was almost mesmerizing.

And Ezra knew, no matter how good he had gotten training with Kanan, he was certainly no match for Maul. He could see why the Alliance wanted to recruit him, and at the same time he could hardly see that ever being a possibility.

Before he could dwell too much on the subject however his attention was drawn back to his current situation.

Fifth Brother had sidestepped Maul and was barreling towards them, Kanan shoved Ezra away not a second too soon, whipping out his stake and engaging the hulking vampire in deadly combat.

Likewise Ahsoka leapt into the action, her twin stakes in her hands as she moved in a blur of fierce proficiency. The nameless Imperial stepped up to meet her in a moment of foolish ambition.

As if he could even hope to beat her. Ahsoka had proven herself adept at fighting, she wiped the floor with the Imperials every time they dared to challenge her.

Meanwhile Maul faced Seventh Sister, easily trading blows with her as his tattooed face stretched into a snarling grin, he looked like he was playing more than he was fighting.

Ezra watched for a moment in stunned awe. Watching the small skirmishes between low level Imperial lackeys and the Alliance was nothing compared to this.

Real hunters of old, fighting with practiced ease. Their stakes slicing through the air as they tried to land a killing blow, while they dodged attacks from their enemies and counterattacked with kicks and punches that were so fast Ezra could barely see them happening.

Along with highly trained vampires, their fangs bared, and their clawed hands leaving shallow cuts on their opponents whenever they could land a blow.

The awestruck daze wore off within a second and he hurriedly ripped his own stake from its hiding place. Charging forward brazenly, he stabbed it into Fifth Brother's arm just as those clawed fingers tore a long wound into Kanan’s arm.

The vampire shrieked and jerked back, knocking Kanan to the side to focus on the new little pest that had captured his attention. Ezra didn’t draw back, he let Fifth Brother strike, and ducked under the punch that whizzed by over his head.

As the vampire was pulling out of the move Ezra slipped to the left and landed a shallow stab with his stake on the side of Fifth Brother’s neck. The hit was a good one but it was a bit of a stretch for Ezra’s small frame.

The vampire reacted instinctively, bringing his arm straight back to hit Ezra with his elbow. Relying on his quick reflexes, Ezra managed to dodge the attack for the most part, but the arm still clipped him on his shoulder, knocking him off balance slightly.

Kanan chose that moment to jump back into the fight and Ezra stumbled to the side just as his master delivered a powerful kick to the back of the vampire’s knee, sending the thug staggering.

With nothing more than a second of eye contact between them Kanan and Ezra moved in unison, circling the Imperial as he quickly recovered. The vampire’s hackles were fully raised, blood red eyes narrowed and furious hiss emanating from his throat.

The master and student flung themselves into combat once again, moving in perfect synchronization. Years of training and experience paid off as they took on the opponent of superior speed and strength.

Ezra moved with an agile quickness, landing superficial cuts and blows while Fifth Brother was distracted engaging Kanan head on. Whenever Kanan was knocked back Ezra would dart in, drawing the vampire’s attention to give his master a chance to recover.

But no matter how light on his feet he was he couldn’t avoid the sudden kick from their opponent. It hit him square in the chest, knocking him back several feet as he skidded across the stupid shiny floor.

Gasping for the air that had been knocked out of him, he moved purely on instinct, rolling over and forcing himself to his feet; he couldn’t stay in such a vulnerable position.

For a moment his head spun, and he couldn’t see…

There in front of him Maul was battling Seventh Sister- well, battling was being generous. He was wiping the floor with her. Once again Ezra was astounded by the sheer skill that was apparently normal in the time before the Imperial coven.

And… he wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t need to help Maul, but he couldn’t seem to get himself to turn around and return to the fight behind him.

Cold yellow eyes flicked to him and Ezra realized with a start that Maul wasn’t even putting any effort into this fight, it wasn’t even a real fight in his eyes. The Shadow saw this as a game.

Ezra hesitated. Maul was his ally now… so why did he feel like prey under the scrutiny?

Maul moved and Ezra swiftly shrugged off the discomfort. The Shadow was shifting to the side, making room for Ezra to join in the fight, and for some reason Ezra felt his feet moving.

A hesitant step at first, then another, then he was eagerly charging forward, raising his stake and locking all his focus on his target. Seventh Sister’s eyes snapped to him, obviously picking up on the changing circumstances.

The lean vampire easily slipped out of the way of his strike, but he was quick enough to graze her on the shoulder before she spun away.

Maul was right beside him and together they hedged her in. Fighting alongside the Shadow was insanely different than with Kanan. The vampire was faster, more ruthless, readily inflicting every bit of suffering as he could.

Ezra struggled to keep up with the skilled vampire, but his quick attacks he were a distraction for Seventh Sister if nothing else, keeping her attention divided so she couldn’t focus on fending off Maul.

The fight was going on longer than it should’ve and all three of them knew it. Ezra could see that Maul was simply toying with her, engaging her just enough so that she wasn’t a real threat to Ezra while still letting him get his share of the action.

Which Ezra appreciated. He wasn’t sure why, or what it meant, but he felt right fighting here alongside Maul.

Seventh Sister fought with the wild beat down desperation of a cornered animal, hissing and spitting like a feral cat as she clawed out a hand towards Maul, seemingly intent on clawing his eyes out.

But Ezra quickly moved to intercept, his stake stabbing deeply through her wrist before her hand got anywhere near Maul. Blood that wasn’t hers pulsed from the ruined flesh, staining Ezra’s hand and splattering his face.

She was frozen for a moment before the Shadow slipped around them both and seized her stringy hair, yanking her back bodily. Her wrist was torn free of Ezra's stake, and her head was pulled backwards at a horribly awkward angle.

Ezra could see the bones of her neck jutting against the deathly skin that covered them. She struggled for a moment, kicking her legs and clawing up at the hand in her hair, but Maul gave her a painful jerk and she froze.

“I give you the honor Ezra.” Maul spoke, his eyes filled with an avid glint, “Strike her down.”

In that instant there was no crowd surrounding them. The fight behind Ezra faded out. But Maul’s eyes were not red, he was not thralling him. Ezra could tell.

And yet… he was eager to comply. Maybe that was just his own desire for revenge. And oh did he ever want revenge. Seventh Sister had been horrible to him, and she had threatened his family too many times.

Today she’d pay for her crimes.

Knuckles whitening around his stake, Ezra stalked forward. He could feel her eyes on him, and he met her pleading look without flinching.

He didn’t strike with the calm confidence that Kanan did. Nor did he strike with the almost crazed fervor that Maul did.

He swung up and brought his stake down with nothing more than the barest hint of hesitance. The death blow was delivered with angry defiance. A declaration, that he, Ezra Bridger, would never- ever submit to the Imperials.

Maul released the body with all the care that one would have when dropping a bit of trash in a wastebasket. Ezra’s stake was still embedded in her heart, but he didn’t reach down to reclaim it.
Holding on to it without a set opponent could be considered a challenge or threat to all the other vampires present.

The commotion had not died down- not yet. He could hear the continued fight behind him and he finally turned to see what was going on.

At some point Kanan and Ahsoka had switched opponents, with Kanan facing off against the nameless vampire, while Ahsoka traded blows with the brutish Fifth Brother.

But there was no reason to interfere now. Ahsoka was already plunging her stake into her opponent’s chest with a strength that bordered on unnatural. The tall vampire collapsed to the ground, face going slack as his immortal life came to a painful end.

And Kanan was not far behind. His stake left a nasty gash across the nameless vampire’s throat, undoubtedly severing the vocal cords there. Ezra couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps his master did that on purpose- as some grim retribution for daring to speak to Ezra- but he dismissed the thought quickly.

His master wasn’t like that. He didn’t inflict unnecessary suffering for any reason- especially not for revenge!

Within a second Kanan’s stake was buried in the last vampire’s chest and the body dropped like a rock.

It was over.

The silence that fell was heavy. There was none of the relief or triumph that normally accompanied a victory. Ahsoka stood still as a marble statue, staring at the leader of DeathWatch dubiously.
And Kanan’s eyes darted between the two of them and Ezra.

But Ezra didn’t meet his probing look, he was distracted by their audience, the guests that had just watched the bloody conflict. None of them seemed disturbed, but he could see a few vampires with narrowed eyes, no doubt smelling the fresh human blood dripping from the hunters’ fresh wounds.

Self consciously, Ezra ran his fingertips over a cut that had been torn into the back of his hand, the blood was hot and wet, and it was unnerving to stand before all those vampires that would likely love nothing more than to drain every last drop of it from his body.

The vampires weren’t the most urgent threat at the moment though. All the members of DeathWatch- the prestigious members that were guests at the ball, the ones that were assigned as guards around the room, and others from who knew where, all stood perfectly still and deadly with a singular purpose.

They all had guns trained on the three hunters.
Ezra glanced around the room, surveying what they were up against, before his eyes landed on Maul. The vampire was standing in much the same place, seeming perfectly at ease.

Of course he was. Ezra felt a flash of irritation before he remembered that they couldn’t be in any real danger, Maul was his ally afterall.

The Shadow moved finally, attention landing on Ezra with a sudden intensity, but it only lasted for a moment before his eyes skimmed over Kanan and Ahsoka. Ezra watched closely, searching for any hint of ill will towards his friends.

“Lady Tano.” Maul greeted calmly after a long minute.

“Maul.” Ahsoka responded, her tone grim.

The leader of DeathWatch seemed satisfied with that, and he focused on Kanan for a second before dismissing him and turning to the crowd. Ezra watched as a man who could only be the captain of the guard stepped out of the ring of milling guests.

Maul looked at him for less than a second, but the captain of the guard nodded and immediately gestured for his underlings to attend to the bodies.

Which they did. The mess was dealt with stunning speed and efficiency, Ezra had to pry his eyes away forcefully as the corpses were plucked from the floor and carried off. If he had to guess he’d say they’d be delivered back into Imperial territory as a message.

Likely the Emperor wouldn’t retaliate, DeathWatch was a powerful adversary, and the Imperial coven was much too busy dealing with the Hunters Alliance to be picking a fight with the most feared crime syndicate in the city.

Prying his eyes up from the mess, Ezra found Kanan looking at him anxiously. The message was clear, his master wanted him to return to his side where it was safe. Ezra was more than happy to comply but before he could they were once again distracted.

“Hunters.” Maul’s smooth voice drew their attention to him once again.

He stood off to the side, clearly waiting for them to follow, the crowd had split down the middle to make a clear path to the head of the ballroom.
What Ezra hadn’t seen of the grand room before thanks to the mass of bodies was now revealed.

There were intricate patterns carved into the walls, some of them reminiscent of Maul’s geometric tattoos. In other places shimmering tapestries hung, depicting DeathWatch’s victories, and their overall superiority.

Ezra resisted the urge to roll his eyes since he was so close to Maul, but it wasn’t easy. He turned his attention to his companions, only to find that they were much closer now, standing almost on either side of him. It wasn’t lost on him that several guards stood behind them, guns in their hands.

“An audience,” Maul offered, as if they had a choice.

Kanan stepped forward suspiciously, but Ahsoka quickly cut him off before he could say anything.

“Of course, it would be an honor.”

Even Ezra could tell that her pleasant smile was forced, but Maul didn’t seem to care. The vampire turned to lead the way, and the three hunters followed him. Ezra felt a strong hand on his shoulder and he smiled as he slowed to walk beside his master.

He wanted Kanan to sling an arm over his shoulder, to hug him close and tell him that everything was going to be fine. The way he had done when they escaped Inquisitor, the way he did at night when Ezra woke screaming from nightmares.

But he knew that was a silly thought. They were surrounded by enemies, they needed to stay focused. Maybe after this mission- if they survived.

Still, Ezra couldn’t help but draw a little closer to Kanan. His real dad was dead and he couldn’t ever be replaced, but Kanan wasn’t a replacement, he was different, real, and the closest thing he had to a dad now.

The crowd stood back reverently as Maul strode through and Ezra couldn’t help the small surge of jealousy. It was useful that he was slight and unremarkable, he could slip through places unnoticed, which was invaluable when he lived on the streets, but the commanding presence of Maul was enviable.

It wasn’t that he wanted to be feared, or even that he wanted to have power. He just wanted to prove himself worthy- to be the person Kanan saw in him, not just the street rat from Lothal.

Maul stopped walking eventually, and Ezra noted that they had reached the other end of the room where an elaborately carved chair sat on a dais, two guards stood on either side of it, and great flowing fabrics hung on the wall behind it, deep red in color and rippling like liquid.

Slowly, regally, Maul stepped up to stand upon the dais, and settled onto his throne. Ezra had to remind himself that he wasn’t a king, but rather the leader of a very dangerous and far reaching criminal organization. Then again… that was almost the same thing, right?

“Well,” Maul said, looking down upon them, “What did the Alliance hope to gain by trespassing on my territory?”

Ahsoka stepped up, “It was our hope that we could come to an agreement.”

“An agreement Lady Tano?” Maul repeated, like it left a bad taste in his mouth, “After you infiltrated my sanctuary like common criminals? Is your precious Alliance so naive?”

“You wouldn’t have heard us otherwise!” Ahsoka’s voice was sharp but still calm, “You have refused all of our requests for a meeting.”

Maul’s face twisted into something venomous, “Have you not considered that perhaps it was because I was not interested?”

Ezra shifted his feet nervously and the vampire’s gaze snapped to him for a split second. It may have been his imagination, but he could’ve sworn he saw something in those stony yellow eyes soften slightly before they flicked back to focus on Ahsoka.

“The Alliance-”

“Is no match for the Emperor.” Maul cut Ahsoka off with a sneer, “They must be beyond desperate if they ask for my help.”

This was not going well, Ezra could feel the tension in the air, it was heavy, foreboding like the static in the atmosphere before a raging thunder storm.

But before Maul had been willing to listen to him, it seemed like the vampire was actually going to help them. Why was he acting so different now? A small frown settled over Ezra’s face as he stepped forward out of Kanan’s grip.

For a moment he mourned the loss of the reassuring connection, but he straightened and looked up at the leader of DeathWatch.

“You hate the Imperials just as much as we do,” He stated, “Why shouldn’t we fight them together?”

If Maul was surprised by Ezra suddenly speaking up, he didn’t show it.

“The Hunters Alliance wishes to reinstate the former government, am I correct?”

“Yeah,” Ezra answered, expertly hiding his confusion, “But what does that have to do with it?”

“Vampires were illegal, hunted and slaughtered,” Maul explained, fury just barely lacing his words.

“But you hate vampires.” Kanan spoke up finally, obviously growing impatient with the man. “Why do you care?”

“I am a vampire.” Maul ground out, as if they were being intentionally obtuse, “I despise the Emperor and all who serve him. Others of my kind can be useful.”

Ezra grimaced. He should’ve expected that, it was ridiculous- insane even to expect that Maul would want to help reinstate a society that would see him as a monster and try to destroy him. Besides that he had quite the criminal Empire, one that would undoubtedly be targeted by the new government.

As it was DeathWatch wasn’t on good terms with the Imperials, but at least they had a tendency to avoid each other, which was about as good as it was going to get.

“But you said you’d help us…” Ezra said, his voice quiet.

Maul looked at him again and Ezra was almost certain this time that the venom in his gaze faded slightly.

“I said I would help you.” He specified, “Not the Hunters.”

He spat the last word like a curse and Ezra fought back a flinch. His mind raced, trying to decipher what Maul could mean. The vampire had agreed…

“What do you mean by that?” Kanan demanded, grabbing Ezra’s shoulder firmly and pulling him back to his side.

Ezra jolted from the sudden movement and he thought he saw Maul bristle… his eyes quickly darted up to his master’s face, seeking reassurance, but all he saw there was a challenging glare, leveled directly at Maul.

“I will not ally myself with the Hunters Alliance.” Maul declared, loud enough for the crowd to hear.

Approving murmurs broke out and Ezra felt his heart sink a little. It was hopeless, the rebellion against the Imperials was going to die before it could even begin to live.

It wasn’t as if they had high hopes for DeathWatch actually joining them, but they really needed the support. The organization had much better resources, plenty of sway over the city, and they were extraordinary fighters.

“Then I guess we should leave.” Kanan bit out, eyes flashing angrily.

“Kanan…” Ahsoka whispered, her tone warning.

Ezra could practically feel the atmosphere in the room shift. The low rumble of voices from the crowd died down and some of the guards stepped forward behind them, Ezra could tell it was the guards because of the sound of their heavy boots on the floor and their armor shifting, he didn’t dare turn to look.

His eyes along with everyone else’s were locked on Maul as the vampire stood abruptly from his throne. He commanded the attention, face twisted in rage that threatened to break upon the room like a storm upon the sea.

The long black cloak that shrouded him did nothing but add to his imposing presence, sweeping out behind him like a captured fragment of the abyss. It was incredibly simple for someone of Maul’s position, but beneath it was a suit that was slightly more fitting, it was all black of course, but Ezra could see the red embroidery on the waistcoat.

Focusing on the details helped to distract from the Shadow’s fury, but only for a moment. Maul was impossible to ignore for long, and Ezra could feel the draw of his gaze.

Reluctantly he glanced up and found himself caught in the scrutiny of blood red eyes. A cold flash of panic tore through him as he realized what he was doing, he was looking a vampire in the eye!

But it was only for a minute, Maul turned his attention back to Ahsoka and Kanan, dismissing Ezra for the time being.

“You infiltrated my home,” The Shadow said, voice heavy with judgment to be passed, “You slipped in like thieves, like cowards.”

“We already established that you wouldn’t let us in-”

“Silence!” Maul quelled Ahsoka’s objection with hair raising efficiency.

Ezra glanced at her anxiously, she always knew what to do, even more so than Kanan. But now she seemed uneasy, her lips twisting down in a frown as she stared up at the vampire.

Kanan was no different, except his face was filled with anger. Ezra wasn’t sure what to feel, his two friends- his mentors, didn’t know what to do.

They were always strong, always in control of the situation. Now they seemed as helpless as him.

“You have made yourselves no better than the Imperial dogs that sullied my territory with their presence.” Maul declared, “The Alliance obviously does not understand the situation, perhaps it’s time I sent them a clearer message.”

Ezra could imagine just what kind of message that would be: their mutilated bodies neatly delivered to the Alliance’s front door.

“Take them.” Maul waved a hand and the DeathWatch guards stepped forward.

Ahsoka and Kanan tensed, spinning to face their assailants and Ezra did the same- but there was no guard immediately behind him. Confusion made him hesitate as his friends engaged their opponents.

The DeathWatch guards were elite, trained to be the very best in every form of combat imaginable, even trained vampires had a hard time dealing with them. Ezra certainly would be no match for even one of them, let alone two, like Ahsoka and Kanan each fought.

Neither of his mentors had any weapons other than their stakes, which wouldn’t work since they were fighting humans, but they were exceptional at hand to hand combat as well and Ezra was astounded by the lightning fast dance that they were engaged in.

Kanan brought his foot down on one of the guards’ knee and the leg snapped inward at a horribly wrong angle, as the guard went down the other one landed a punch to Kanan’s face, knocking him back several steps as another guard stepped up to replace the fallen one.

Ahsoka was wrapped up in her own battle, fighting even faster than Kanan was. Her blows landed hard but the guards’ armor defended them from most of it. Eventually she caught one of their flying hands and the arm it was connected to was quickly snapped like a twig.

The two of them were holding their own, but with every guard they defeated another swiftly took their place. Sucking in a breath, Ezra forced himself to snap out of his daze, he took a few halting steps forward.

The urgent need to help his friends gnawed at him and he wanted to throw himself into the fight. But the speed of the fight threw him off, he couldn’t keep up with that, how could he? That was the kind of speed and finesse that took decades of training, not the measly couple of years that Ezra had.

He held back, reluctant to join the fight, not because he was afraid for his own safety but because he didn’t want to get in the way.

If he was slow and clumsy with his strikes he could throw Kanan off, this wasn’t like fighting the vampire- that they had trained for, Ezra wasn’t nearly as prepared to fight someone with straight up hand to hand.

Even so, he stood attentive, ready to jump in at any moment if his master showed any signs of slowing down or losing.

His eyes followed each move intently, so focused on the conflict that the world around him seemed to fade out.

That was his undoing.