F.D. (Ch.12)

Thelonious was already sending his men out into the night. When he caught a glimpse of Lori and Ashley, he almost swooned with malicious joy. It was time.

            “Thank you. I’m so glad you’ve completed this task with such efficiency.” Ashley smiled.

            “Yes, but it was Lori who did most of the work. She deserves all the credit.” On the walk back from the Kelts’ house, Lori and Ashley had found something in common. They were both small in the world, and they both felt like they had no significance or belonging. Ashley wanted so much to be with Thelonious. She loved her brother, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that he was no longer her brother. Lori, only knowing Thelonious in his vampire form, did not feel the same way as Ashley did, but was finally glad the two of them were both being friends. Thelonious looked at them glowing at one another.

            “I see you two have become quite the duet. Perhaps I should let you work together here on out?” Ashley’s smile faded.

            “What else do you want us to do? You’ve already made us kidnappers.” Thelonious chuckled. Ashley backed up, taking hold of Lori’s hand.

            “Thelonious, can’t you see you’re scaring her?” Lori didn’t like the way he was treating them. It was as if he only cared so he could use them as pawns in his scheme for domination.

            “My dears, being kidnappers will be the least of your worries once this is finished!” He took Elizabeth from Lori’s hands.

“What are you going to do with her?” Ashley squeaked. She couldn’t help remember she promised to help Elizabeth. Tears began to fall across her cheeks. Thelonious looked down upon her.

“All I have to say, Ashley, is that by the morning she’ll no longer exist.” With that he strolled away, jumping onto of the roof of a neighboring house, quiet as night as he made his way farther into town.

Thelonious felt a thrill like no other. It was almost uncanny that this feeling of intensity could be real. Elizabeth was muttering her pleads for thirst, but Thelonious ignored her, even when her sharp fangs began to appear as he made his way to the square. Now was the time. He would rule them all.

His hands were so cold by the time he reached his destination; they felt like burning coals to Elizabeth’s bare skin. He laid her on the damp earth, watching as frantic men scoured the field near-by. They had just realized Elizabeth was gone.

Queen Andréa was backing away from Lord Shavor, shaking her head.

            “No, she’s dead. You don’t know what you’re saying.” Lord Shavor let Queen Andréa stumble away from him, but he stood his ground, grinning wildly, showing his perfect white, sharp teeth.

            “My dear, you know better than to limit our daughter. She’s been through so much. Being born a human from two powerful vampires is a miracle in my eyes, but being attacked by two jealous clan leaders and becoming a werewolf… well that is another. You can’t possibly tell me that death is written in her wake.” Queen Andréa’s tears no longer lingered behind a door of fear. She let them fall, smudging her pale skin, making her look less human then she already did.

            “I don’t understand.” She sobbed, putting her trembling hands to her face. Lord Shavor gallantly strolled over to her, taking her hands up in his.

            “She is the one who has been controlling minds.” Lord Shavor whispered in her ear. Queen Andréa pulled away, her face etched with horror.

            “No, she…I…why?”

            “Because she was left alone.”

Josh was tired, hungry, and full out of emotional and physical strength when he collapsed onto a dirt path, aware that a faint noise was coming up ahead, and faintly he could make out a fiery tint of something red and orange. He stared as the objects spread themselves out, and panicked shouts could be heard from women in doorways and men running around outside. What was going on? Josh didn’t have the will to move on, but that familiar thing… whoever it was, pulled him up and shoved him in the direction of the people.

Elizabeth was left alone in the dirt, trying to force herself up. A man, running to fetch more people to help in the search of her, fell over her weak body, yelping in surprise, but calling out to the fellow helpers that she had been laying there all along. Mr. Kelts ran as fast as he could, gathering her up in his arms, kissing her cold forehead, and rocking back and forth. Elizabeth was acutely aware that he no longer smelt of tobacco and beer. She could smell the boiling blood in his veins. It scared her. Bite him. She heard a voice whisper. She looked around, afraid.

            “There, there, honey. You’re all right. How’d you get out here? What did that woman do to you?” You’re no longer a human, Elizabeth. If you want to survive, you must bite him.

Thelonious, on seeing someone coming towards Elizabeth, quickly hid in the bushes off to the side, making sure he could see and hear all that happened. Elizabeth’s father was cradling her, but she see seemed disoriented and unsure of who it was that was holding her. To his surprise, after a minute or two, she grabbed a hold of her father’s neck. He chuckled. Well, that was sure to get their attention.

Elizabeth didn’t understand what the voice was telling her to do. All the sounds were being drowned out by its consistency. Tears began to fall across her pale skin, and her father bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek. She couldn’t help what happened next. It was as if another pair of hands grabbed the rugged skin around his neck. Her fangs pierced his skin, and she sucked quickly, becoming aware that was she was doing was unorthodox. How was she going to get away? She was killing her father. Run to Thelonious. He is in the bushes. She let go of her father. He was dead; she had not given him a chance. She was frightened, and when a hand tried to grab her, she raced off into the bushes.

Thelonious caught Elizabeth’s hand as she ran away from the crime. She was hysterical, not knowing why she did what she did, or fully understanding that she was a vampire. He took her in his arms and sped away, fully certain that those men, and many more would be after them. He left clues, of course, just so a good-sized crowd would show up at his doorstep. He was ready for them.

Josh saw a young vampire, similar to Christan, and a young vampire girl racing away from a circle of men. He crept down, looking, and saw that one man was dead, his neck punctured, swollen, and bruised. He shook his head. It didn’t look pretty, with all those humans around. Then, when he was about to step away the voice urged him to follow the two vampires. He would find Lori where they ended. His job would be finished. He struggled. He didn’t want to kill Lori. A pang of remorse filled him as he thought of Jess. Her beautiful eyes, her smile, the way her voice lingered in the air like a long, luxurious note from a violin. His eyes were brimmed with tears, and no matter how urgent the voice was with him, he couldn’t move. He could barely breath, as he hugged his legs and rocked himself back and forth. He couldn’t see, for the tears were blinding him. He let it out; a loud howl of pain and screams of anguish as the tears flooded his entire being. The men he had seen cautiously stepped over through the bushes to see what made the awful sound. As soon as Josh saw them, he became defensive. It was clear to them; the way Josh bared his teeth, that he was not human. One ran away fetching a gun, and as quick and thunder Josh went from a grief ridden man to a raging, angry wolf. He growled and snapped. The men backed away slowly, for fear if they ran he would out take them. The more Josh advanced, the more fear was written on the men’s faces. What could they do to save themselves? Josh stopped walking, panting loudly, and his wolf eyes wandering to the faces of each of them. He let go of his rage. They hadn’t done anything to him. The minute he changed back into human form, a shot resounded throughout the area, and a smoky film rose up into the air. Josh fell onto his back, rolling over, hugging a wound on his right side. Now that he was a vampire, as well as a werewolf, he was more prone to human attack. As a human, he had no protection. The blood seeped out of him, making him weaker by the second, and his breathing became slow and heavy. In just a few moments, Josh was lying in the dirt surrounded by a pool of blood, no longer in the pain he had been. He was gone, but the night, the men knew, was going to be full of death, full of deceit, and full of pain. They dragged his body off into the bushes, covering it with dead grass, leaves, and twigs. One down, they all thought. How many more until they all were safe?