A Crimson Frost - 3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The land began to dim as another human day fell under the sway of night. The moon had begun to rise in step to the sun’s descent. Its pale light awoke with the stars and called forth the creatures of the night.

Devin woke slowly, feeling the rays of the sun beginning to leave his body; though he did not need to sleep, it was easier than trying to stay awake and being trapped with nothing to do. He slowly opened his eyes, not realizing where he lay, bolted up. Then the boy, slowly recognizing his surroundings, placed his hand down only to feel a thin hip nestled against him. Devin turned slowly, looking down at his hand. Then his eyes traveled up the bed to see Alex’s sleeping form.

The younger boy was sucking his thumb in his sleep, as he curled up to Devin’s frame. Every day, the kid looked less like a vampire to Devin’s eyes and more like a lost child needing help.

Devin stood slowly, gently squeezing himself out of the old bed, all the while being careful not to wake his fellow occupant. The black haired boy stretched and looked out the window for a few moments to watch the sun setting. The teenager turned, shaking his head for a moment to clear it. Something was nagging at him, pulling at the edge of his mind. The boy reached behind his ear to scratch an intense itch, only to pull out a single raven feather, much to his dismay.

He twirled it around in his fingers; vivid dark blue energy seemed to swirl around its strands. Devin was lost for a moment as the woman’s voice whispered to him, urging the boy to learn and use his power.

The teenager closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was not something he desired but feared. The boy then opened his eyes and walked silently away from his two children. He walked through the halls slowly making his way towards the roofless cafeteria, and like a ghost he entered that broken room.

For a moment he just stood on the broken tiles, looking up at the fading sky through broken metal beams. His fingers spun the feather around, dark blue energy crackling down his fingers and around his hand.

Then he closed his green eyes in concentration, and tossed the black feather at a piece of debris.

The feather sped from his fingers like a dart, hitting the pile of junk. Then it just sat there glowing like a candle for a few moments before blazing forth with the bright intensity of a star, and in a startling moment snuffed out, as if it was never there.

The boy grimaced for a moment, blinking away the shadows as he pulled another raven’s feather out of his hair, and tossed it at the pile of junk again.

This time the pile pulled itself up into glowing blue ball of flame slowly rising into the air.

Devin could just make out the feather floating in the middle of the orb with the pieces of junk moving around it. His ability to control the thing he made was waning, however, so he reached out with his hand.

Sweat visibly dripped down the right side of his cheek. And just as it ran down his jaw and dripped to the ground, a shockwave flew through the already broken room.

The orb collapsed in on itself, the gravity in the room pulled towards the empty space where the orb once stood. Dust and debris flew in from every direction, knocking Devin off his feet and the green-eyed boy flew head over heels towards the area the orb once was, before the whole room settled.

Devin laid there dazed and prone on his back. The room around the boy was now in a worse state than when he started. Each piece of debris that landed on him only to added to his shame.

Devin groaned after a few moments and sat back up, yelling at the air. “Stop egging me on. It’s not helping. You’re far too eager for me to play with fire.” The teenager pulled the junk off of himself and grimaced as he pulled an oily rag from his undershorts. Then in a swift movement, the pale-skinned teenager stood up and dusted off his shorts.

He turned slightly and smiled seeing Alex and Connor watching him from the doorway. Devin concentrated, opening his hand to reveal yet another raven feather.

Then above him he heard a woman’s laughter, “So this is the power that Merkel fears. Why you’re nothing but a child, somehow I have a hard time seeing you as a threat to House Ephraim.”

The teenager looked up towards the voice’s origin seeing the shadowed form of a woman standing on an empty window frame.

The woman dropped in through the window revealing her features to Devin. She was as elegant as she was tall. The woman wore a long coat over a loose and long flowing black dress. Here and there silver embroidery hinted at untold wealth, but stood out like nothing else was the silver pendant shaped in the form of a silver moon and a star of a blood red stone that hung from her neck.

Close behind her was a veiled woman in black. The second woman too would have looked elegant if she had not paled in comparison to the first, giving the impression that the second was subservient to the first in one form or the other.

Devin looked at her, his eyes grew fierce glittering blue for a moment before they faded back to his normal green, “You have not been invited here vampiress. Tribute is demanded, otherwise be gone.”

The woman’s eyes showed a moment of shock as she spoke, “Well, it is refreshing to see someone so young hold onto the old traditions.” The woman sighed, “I suppose it is not too surprising for someone who claims to be the Raven of House Manessah.”

Devin grimaced, “I have had a good teacher.”

The woman laughed, “I am here to assess your threat, and thusly I owe you nothing unless you prove to me you are worthy of it. However first, while I know your name Devin Larisel, I shall introduce myself. I am the Lady de Rethel, and this,” The woman gestured dismissively to the woman behind her, “Is my daughter and assistant Annabel.”

Rethel moved slowly towards Devin, her long golden hair flowing behind her like a cloak, her commanding presence forced the boy to back up slowly standing at his full height. The tall woman was made the boy feel defenseless in only his boxers, in fact, more than a little underdressed for the occasion.

Suddenly a blur flashed past him towards the woman. Taking the shape of a boy with marigold-hair as Alex attacked blond-headed woman with Devin’s sword.

However, the attack was short lived, as De Rethel only threw up her hands in defense and easily managed to dance around the young man’s attacks as if Alex was standing still. Her hand reached out and took hold of the blade before grabbing the boy’s neck and tossing the blond-haired youth to the side. “Nice try.”

With that Rethel continued on her way towards Devin, her eyes shining a demonic red. She launched her assault at him, and before Devin could do anything, he was flung against a wall. But the momentum of is body broke right through the rotting structure and Devin landed in the hallway next to the fearful Connor.

Alex stood up wavering a little before attempting to launch another attack on Rethel. However, the other woman, Annabel, threw herself at the boy with the fury of a panther, “Do not interfere with my mistress.” The girl’s hands glowed with black energy, as she kicked out at Alex.

The marigold-headed boy brought Devin’s sword up to block her. However the girl kept pushing Alex away from her mistress showing that the boy was outmatched within seconds.

Devin used the feather in his hand, throwing it at Rethel.

The elder vampire caught the feather in midair, “Tossing… feathers…” looking at the object for a second as a memory sparkled in her mind. Then her eyes went wide as Devin smirked.

The boy’s eyes lit up a fierce blue, as the feather simultaneously was set alight with blue energy exploding in the woman’s hand. The raven-haired boy gave himself a satisfied grin, ‘Well at least I got the hang of that…”

Rethel screamed, her hand shredded by the feather. Her voice was harsh, but still elegant as she spoke, “Not bad, but I can do better…” her hand glowed with an inky reddish-black energy as the broken fingers pulled back together. Moving like a cat, Rethel charged Devin again driving him into the opposing wall. The woman held him against the wall with the darkened energy.

The boy could feel her hands starting to go into his chest against his heart. Devin struggled in vain against it. Black marks beginning to show themselves on his chest as the woman pushed herself further into him.

The energy that held him felt dirty and somehow wrong, but at the same time it felt like it was the opposing twin to his own power.

Rethel looked at him with cold disdain, “What’s the matter? Can you not fight back? Where was all the energy you attacked Merkel with? Where is the Raven of Manessah now?”

Across the room Annabel had knocked the sword from Alexander’s hand causing it to clatter on the floor. Then with a swift stroke she had her hand against the boy’s throat, holding the fledgling against an opposing wall.

Devin’s eyes glowed fiercely as he took hold of the hand attached to his chest, “Shut up Ephraim Witch.” Manessah Blue met Ephraim Red in a cascade of sparks between them as he began pushing back against his elder.

There was a look of shock on Rethel’s eyes for a few seconds, before she grimaced and tried to use her foul power against him. “You….”

The boy slid an arm free of their battle, moving a finger slightly. Then suddenly the ebony saber spun up into the air and flew towards Devin, on its way, impaling the Elder Vampire in front of him. In that moment Rethel lost her hold on Devin, ending their titanic struggle for a moment.

Meanwhile Alex saw a large piece of cabling sticking out of the ceiling. The boy whimpered as he looked up at it in desperation.

At first nothing happened but then with a shudder the cable yanked itself free of the ceiling. Black feathers flowed around the object. Then the two coalesced to form into a black-bladed scythe. The newly formed object slid downwards to slice off Annabel’s arms.

However the female vampire saw the weapon coming at her and at the last moment danced away. Then returning with a vengeance, Annabel brought her demonic powers back to strike at Alex.

The marigold-headed boy held the scythe blocking her, and swung around only to have Annabel jump over it.

Rethel gasped slowly pulling at the weapon. However Devin was faster. Flipping over her he took the weapon by the handle and yanked it from her body. The black-haired boy held the weapon close to his body as he spun his arms in a circle.

He gave his adversary little time to respond, as black feathers spun around him in a whirlwind of blue energy lifting them both, “You were saying Lady De Rethel?” His face turned to a grim mask as he spun the two of them around and blasted her back into the old cafeteria.

Alex had found his anchor in the newly crafted weapon and as Rethel flew backwards into the room he had the black -haired girl on the defensive.

The blond-headed woman gasped rising and flinging out her hand in defense as Devin continued to send a spinning flow of feathers at her. The woman’s own power causing the feathers to bounce off what could only be called a shield of energy. She continued pushing back his feathers until they were nearly at Devin’s feet. “Enough! Enough… If you’d used so many fireworks on Merkel, I see why he lost. He was always too prideful and overly confident.” She grinned, “However do not think you’ve won, you are still weak compared to myself.” She shook her head and mumbled to herself in amusement, “I must be slipping in my old age, to fall for such tricks.” Lady De Rethel bowed to Devin, “You are definitely worth our time Raven Lord of the West.”

Devin watched in quiet shock, as the woman made a complete turnaround in her acknowledgement of him.

She smiled waving towards Annabel, “My tribute is my daughter, drain her or bring her to your family as you wish.” She laughed, as darkness inkier than black consumed her, causing the elder vampire to disappear from everyone’s sight. “I recommend keeping her though, you’ll need her for… what is to come.”

Annabel screamed “Mother, no!” running to the spot where her mother disappeared, then turned, yelling at the two males, “I won’t, I will never leave house Ephraim, I’d rather die.”

Alex countered yelling back placing his hands on his hips, “You’ll do what master wants!

Annabel screamed back at Alex, “Never!!”

Devin growled, “Enough! Both of you! This is a test… for more than one of us. Alex leave us.” He turned to Connor, who was trying to sneak away. The vampire noticing that the other teen’s blond hair had grown out over an inch turning mostly white, though the tips were still a golden color. He gave the boy a grin, “You too Connor, go get dressed…”

His voice was calm and low but seemed to flow through both the room and everyone there. He moved to sit on a dais step as the other two boys went back to the nurse’s office. “Tell me, you are a clamae, yes?”

Annabel going on the defensive stood up straight, “Yes what of it?”

“Does that mean if Rethel wanted you to do something bad enough, she would just make you do so?”

Annabel gasped, as if the very idea was abhorrent to her, “Lady Rethel would never do that. She values self-determination within the Sisterhood of the Night. After all, it makes us better fighters.”

Devin Frowned, “You are older than me, indeed a grown woman. Act it and reason out why your mistress would tell you to stay, and to risk my taking you from the House Ephraim, or even your death.”

It was Annabel’s turn to frown in thought, “To give me the opportunity to embrace something beyond… the Sisterhood and the bounds of Ephraim.”

Devin looked at her and grinned, “Those were my thoughts as well.” What he didn’t say was that he thought she also wanted to spread her coven and order beyond the bloodline that she held, that was if she hadn’t already. He held up his arm in offering, “I would extend my invitation to my coven, I am in no position to refuse help offered, nor am I too proud. However, the choice is yours.”

Annabel stood for several moments, conflicting thoughts in her head, before smiling slightly, “On one condition, you must give me freedom to do as I please with what will be my order.” To Devin’s acquiescing nod, she added, “And I hate being called Annabel, call me Anna.” She kneeled down and bit into Devin’s pale wrist.

The clamae drank deeply as Devin watched, wincing in pain, and after a few minutes he was forced to yank his arm away from her, “Enough… bloody vampires.”

Anna gasped as she pulled away, and then stood up, “Was I supposed to feel something… It seems like I should. Nice blood by the way, it tastes richer and older than I… thought…..” With those final words the woman crumpled over gasping, her body twitching in pain.

At first Devin became worried when the woman said nothing was happening, as if he had failed something. Then he gave a mysterious smile, before standing. As the woman’s body became calm he closed his eyes and spoke. “Rise Annabel Lee Moya, the Lady Amaranth of the…”

Anna rose up, “Twilight Sisterhood.” She took his hand, and spoke to him as an equal, “I did not think that your blood would have such a punch to it, I am happy that it was not pointed ill at me.” She let go of him, and nodded her head in respect, “You should get dressed and feed, and I’ll get the Connor creature to help me move a bed into another room, not that he will be much help.” She grinned, “A Lady needs her privacy you know… my lord.” She gave him a secret smile and a laugh as she walked away.

Devin shook his head wondering how he knew her full name, and then the woman left him with his mouth agape and his cheeks flushed in the old cafeteria. It was then that the young man realized that of all his supposed children, he could not control her except in the form of respect.

After a few moments the teenager swiftly followed the woman out of the cafeteria. He made his way to the old nurse’s office and as soon as Anna took a bed for herself and moved it out of the room, he dressed himself.

Devin walked out of the room after a few moments to hear Alex and Anna arguing. Alex stomped out of another former classroom two doors down. He glared for a moment at seeing Devin before blushing slightly and bringing his head down in much the same way a guilty puppy would.

Devin smiled, “Come my little friend…” He placed his arm around the boy with marigold-colored hair, holding him close. “Let’s go out…”

Alex quivered slightly at Devin’s touch, and quickly followed him as the two made their way towards the boarded classroom on the first floor that once let them in.

Devin slid out the boarded window first, only to be confronted by a small frail looking little boy with dark-brown hair. The kid looked severely disheveled, as if he hadn’t slept for a while.

It took the black haired boy a few moments to recognize his own little brother. “Jordan, what are you doing here? What happened to you?”

Jordan walked forward and slumped against his brother looking into Devin’s green eyes, “Devi… why’d you leave…?”

Devin was taken aback by Jordan’s use of a word that the younger kid hadn’t uttered since he was six. The older boy’s brotherly nature demanded that he wrap his arms around his younger sibling; holding him tightly as he lifted Jordan’s chin, “What’s wrong?”

He looked into his brother’s eyes, before he felt a hand on his shoulder and Alex whispered into his ear. “Devin…”

Jordan cut Alex off though, “Brother… I need you… I need you to do that thing… you did yesterday.” He looked into his brother’s eyes pleadingly.

Devin looked quickly away towards Alex, who blushed slightly and turned his head away with a half-mumbled. “Sorry master.”

Devin embraced his brother trying to hold his blood lust at bay, if just barely, as he sought council with the inner voice.

The woman’s voice was silent for a moment before speaking, “There is no cure…” Then left Devin in what could only be described as a mournful silence.

The boy looked down at his younger brother, “Where is mom?”

Jordan murmured rubbing up against his brother, “What? Why… she’s at home, she is so worried about you. But I knew where you’d go…”

Devin’s teeth ached to bite into his brother’s flesh, as he leaned down to nuzzle Jordan’s shoulder as his teeth extended. Then with a gentle movement he opened his mouth and let his fangs sink into his brother’s flesh drinking from him, all the while holding the boy gently to him. At the same time he used one hand to pull out a feather from the back of his hair and began pushing it into his brother’s skin. The vampire willed the feather to do what he himself had not done before, to imprint on his brother.

Jordan began to squirm under his brother both in pain and in pleasure, as his brother bit into him. He whimpered then called out as he felt something burning and tingling against his skin. “Brother… wha… what’s going on…” After a few moments the burning stopped, and a few seconds later Jordan felt much better, though at the same time he was slightly paler.

Devin pulled away from Jordan, and gave his brother a little smile. “You’re staying here tonight little brother. Go get some rest, you need it, we’ll talk later.” With that he was off into the night, Alex walking just behind him.

Jordan rubbed his shoulder, revealing a small flame-like tattoo on his shoulder before he struggled to climb into the building.

As the two left a shadow parted its self from the roof of a nearby building and made its own way into the night.

….

In the seedier side of town, a neighborhood not too terribly far from Devin’s new home there was a place filled with decaying ramshackle houses, drunkards, gang members, whores, and it was where Garrick lived.

Garrick himself sat in his room listening to his half-drunken father admonished him.

“Garrick you stole from that house like we set you out to. But what do you bring back?! Blankets. Where are the profits from your latest drug run? You’ve yet to deliver.” The tattooed greying-blond man said, smacking his son across the face. The man’s anger then left him as the last strike landed upon his child’s tender face. He ran his muscled hand across his thinly bearded face, “I don’t know what’s wrong with you boy. You’ve been off your game all day.”

“Pa… they wouldn’t notice the blankets.”

Garrick’s Pa shook his head, “No shit, but how much are blankets worth? Not a damn thing." He sighed, “Fuck it. Keep the blankets, go get some fresh air. I don’t want to see your face for a while.” With that the man walked away from Garrick and made his way into the main room of the ramshackle building. The whole way the man mumbled as he rubbed his bleeding hand, “Fucking kid…”

Garrick whimpered, holding his knees to his chest. He looked at his bare arms and he noticed not for the first time how pale his skin was becoming even with the tattoos and bruises. He felt a knot in his stomach increasing with the passing of time. He was getting hot and cold flashes along with a deep sense of loneliness, and in Garrick’s heart he knew it would only be a day or two at best before he returned to Devin. That was the real reason he stole the blankets, and the reason he kept the money. The farther away in time he was from Devin’s bite, the more he wanted to be bitten and to feel that pain, and the vampire’s company. In some ways he felt the demon that Devin had become would be better company then his own family.

The teenager quickly decided that he did in fact want some air, to get away and think. He picked up the blankets in a huff and carried them out the door, making his way to his old beat-up Toyota and tossed them into the back of his car and drove off. He made his way down the street to what had been an abandoned building a few years back, and one of the three places where his group met up, walking towards it and opening up a door, he walked in.

He saw the last two members of his group sitting there, both of them had other errands to run the night his men were slaughtered. The two had been talking until he entered the room, and the silence became just as audible as their conversation.

Garrick let loose a soul tearing glare, “What the hell were you two talking about…?”

Andy, another blond haired, blue eyed kid, looked up at Garrick sullenly. “Notten just wondering where the others were…”

Garrick growled, turning slightly paler and reaching up to rub the bite wound on his neck. “I told you, they had shit to do….”

Garrick jumped to the creaking sound that announced the front door as Garrick’s father strode in holding a large stick behind his neck, “So has the little shithead been holding out on you too? You see the other boys didn’t go home to their families last night.” The man was obviously even drunker then he had been a few minutes ago.

Garrick turned around his face going white as snow, “What the fuck?!You don’t know a damn thing. Then Garrick started shaking as he watched a grungy man shuffle behind his father, the man’s movements impossibly silent.

The man roughly grabbed Garrick’s pa by the back of the neck and bit down into his shoulder. Within seconds several more people who Garrick didn’t recognize entered into the broken hovel, most of them latching onto Garrick’s father pulling the man down.

Garrick turned white and rather than fighting the newcomers he pushed his guys back, making his way towards the back door, slamming the door behind him.

Andy looked at his friend and boss, “What the hell?! What are you doing Garrick? That’s your pa in there.”

Garrick shook his head his back against the door breathing heavily, “There isn’t anything we can do for him now…” Just then a hand shot through the wooden door and tried to grab him. The boy screamed and ran as more hands ripped through the door in an attempt to open it, “Get out now!”

….

Devin walked in the shadows of the night, Alex only a few steps behind him. Then he saw a scantily dressed young man, not much older than himself. By the looks the kid was selling his body for money. The boy smiled to Devin who returned the smile.

The young man was wearing an open black jacket showing off his skinny pale body, a woolen cap covering what looked to be unnaturally died red hair. Around his waist was a pair of tight belted pants. The tall teenager had piercings in his lips, and several in other places both under his cloths and visible to the boys.

The guy, noticing Devin looking him over, moved his body and leaned against the wall in an attempt to be alluring, “So you two guys want a piece of action?”

Devin continued smiling, as he stopped and looked the guy up and down. “Sure, why don’t you tell us your name so we can get to know you better…” The teenager ran a finger along the guy’s slim cheek.

The guy frowned, “Dude, sorry, but uh I can’t tell you that, you know it’s better for both of us…”

Alex ran his fingers down the guy’s sleeve to his delicate hand. The younger vampire grasped it gently and nuzzled it. “Oh sure you’ll tell us that in no time, actually, you’ll be singing a different tune tomorrow” Alex sounded a little like a hooker himself, and to Devin’s knowledge he might have been.

The guy groaned slightly, “Well, you guys wanna do it in the alley or should we go up to my apartment.”

Devin leaned in and kissed the man’s neck. “Here is fine… However, I have a better proposition for you.” He nibbled on the guy’s skin a little before licking it.

The guy moaned a little, “Really? What’s that?”

Devin grinned back at him pulling away a little, “Well, you could let us be your exclusive clientele.” His eyes glowing blue momentarily, “The rewards are…. very… self-satisfying.” The master clearly taking cues from his fledgling.

The guy shook his head, “Um… I don’t know dude, I like it as I am.” The young man barely noticing the glowing eyes, his mind fooled by his own sensual pleasure. “You know, free as the wind...”

Devin smiled, “Show him Alex.”

Alex smiled stroking the guy’s shoulder then reached down and bit into the guy’s wrist, sucking on it.

Devin moved quickly up to the guy and whispered in his ear as he stroked the back of the man’s neck, “So what do you say?” Then he bit down on the man’s neck, easily piercing his delicate skin.

The guy screamed, “Yes! Oh gods yes!”

Devin anticipating this reaction drew out a feather and pushed it gently into the guy’s shoulder blade. The vampire could feel the feather, pulling into the hooker transferring some of Devin’s power into the man forming the flame tattoo that was becoming so familiar to him.

The teenager looked up as he felt a pull and a rush of pain. Devin bent over gripping his heart for a moment before he turned, glaring towards back where they came. Turning back slightly he spoke to Alex, “Why don’t you and our friend, get his things and take them to the place. Oh and tell Jordan if he’s awake, he’s to go home tomorrow, and only see us briefly in the evenings.” With that the young vampire master turned and disappeared into the night.

The guy moaned reaching his hand out to the disappearing Devin, “My name is… ugh Max…”

Alex continued drinking from the guy before smiling and pulling the dazed hooker away from the alley wall smiling, “Shall we do as the master said?”

Devin ran through the night, moving at a speed faster than any human, easily making his way past the old school into the slums. The black-haired boy skidded to a stop in a trailer park, his hands balancing him as he spun around to see a wounded vampire.

The creature’s mouth had been burned by something Devin saw so recently with his own experiences with while fighting vampires.

The creature was breathing heavily and looking up at him with both curiosity and fear.

Devin growled as he used his speed to quickly tear open the slumped vampire’s neck. “Though your sins are uncounted, may you sleep,” the boy spoke with an angry certainty as he flung the blood from his fingers, and continued on his journey.

Moving quickly he made his way past the trailer park towards a ramshackle house. The place had obviously seen better days, the lawn was an over grown jungle, and paint peeled from the walls. He heard whimpering inside followed by a pained scream, broken lights swayed inside casting ominous shadows in the rooms.

….

Garrick had barely made it to his own home with Scott in tow and the two had lost Andy somewhere during their escape. Garrick had been bitten once by one of the vampires during their run. But something odd happened and the creature screamed and let go.

Scott glared, “You’re a fuckin coward Garrick. We should go back and find Andy, not to mention your dad.” The blond and brown headed boy shook his head aggressively. “I don’t get you… Vampires don’t exist… And even if they do, we can take them, just like in the movies.”

Garrick blanched, “You don’t get it. It's not me. We can’t fight these guys on equal terms, I’ve tried. What do you think happened to our buds? They’re dead… all of them, except Connor. He’s one of them now.” His face broke into a terrible grief for the first time, for the burden of leadership and the loss of his friends he had kept inside. It was not something Garrick could show anyone, but that confession and his fear broke it out of him.

Scott glared in cold disbelief, “What the fuck are you talking about? Makin shit up… lame.”

Before Garrick could respond a window shattered, and three vampires swooped into the room. Faster than either of the boys could react, the monsters had them against the wall.

These three vampires were feral dirty creatures nothing like what Alex and Devin represented to Garrick. They acted and looked more like mangy diseased animals rather than humans.

The leader licked its lips, “It has been a nice chase, you two, but it’s all over now. Oh don’t worry our friend is entertaining the other boy now. I am sure you’re going to love the new game we have for you.” He took Garrick’s finger and snapped it backwards in an unnatural direction. “I saw what you did to Johnny. You’re not that tasty, though you sure smell good. I think it’ll be more fun just to do this shit. Maybe we’ll taste your friend. Then maybe we’ll make him one of us just so he can drink from you and we can watch him burn.” The man grinned sadistically, “Then maybe we’ll bleed you. Or maybe the Master would like to see you.” With each point the vampire leader made, it snapped another finger back on Garrick’s hand.

The one holding Scott around the neck reached in and licked the boy’s cheek.

Scott twitched giving the monster a disgusted look and turned his head away.

The leader grinned, “Awe, what’s the matter? You don’t like a little licking? Perhaps we can remedy that.” He took hold of Scott’s lower arm between his hands and snapped it like a twig, eliciting a scream from the teenager. “Oh that’s better scream, for me bitch…” The creature gave a half-crazed laugh, as if his personality was twisted by what he became.

Scott kicked at the vampire holding him trying to free himself to no avail, as the vampire held fast. It attempted to move in and lick Scott’s neck again, “Ah! He tastes good….”

The leader frowned, “George, let me taste.” And without waiting for an answer he snatched Scott’s kicking leg, and broke it like a chicken leg, inciting another scream followed by his crazed laugh.

Garrick grimaced, he felt sick to his stomach. He could see the bones sticking out of Scott’s arm and leg, and knew the other boy wouldn’t be able use either of them again.

The leading creature leaned in biting down on Scott’s now useless leg. Blood flowed off of the leader’s lips as he pulled away and looked at his comrade holding Garrick, “Your turn, Alan.” He gave his friends a crazed grin and let out an excited yell. “Let’s turn the bitch!”

Garrick was dropped as Alan swung around and took hold of Scott’s bloody leg and bit down savagely.

Garrick turned to run only to be grabbed by the leader, “Where the fuck do you think you’re going? You’re gonna miss the fun. You see, normally one of us can’t turn a human, but I bet three can.” He licked Garrick’s skin, before throwing Garrick against the windowed wall, “Just watch.” The creature bit into its palm forcing the blood down Scott’s throat. “Drink bitch.” He was quickly followed by his feeding compatriots, as he rejoined feeding frenzy.

From outside the window a single black raven feather floated in, catching Garrick’s attention as it slowly descended on the moth ridden couch. Then it seemed as if the night became very still, as the leader turned just in time to witness an ebony black sword fly through the window and hit George through the skull.

The house seemed to shudder as someone broke down the front door sending it flying in splinters across the room.

Devin walked into the room, coughing at the dust he stirred. “I see you’ve gotten yourself into more trouble Garrick.” There was death in the glare he gave the vampires as he surveyed the scene.

The leader looked at Devin, “Who the fuck are you?”

Devin returned the glare. His eyes glittered with an anger barely hid behind them, even though his voice was barely rising as he spoke. “Slime, you dare speak to your betters in such a way… and after abusing my slave.”

The two vampires visibly flinched, feeling a dangerous power flowing out of the person before them. To their sight, while he was physically shorter, the boy might as well have been 8 feet tall.

The teenage vampire practically flew across the room just as the leader attempted to take the boy’s sword from George’s skull and use it on Devin.

Devin held his hand against his own weapon holding it from striking him; his other hand took hold of the leader’s throat. “You haven’t the power to strike me with that sword.”

He swung the leader around and threw him into Alan. Devin took up his sword and attacked the two as they tried to stand. He impaled the leader through the chest with the weapon, pinning the creature to the floor pushing it deep into the floor and concrete beneath.

Alan turned then and jumped through the same window the group had come through.

The leader stuck and practically paralyzed on the floor coughed up blood, “Please… mercy…”

Devin turned back to him after seeing his friend run away, his eyes full of anger and hatred. “Like the mercy you used in your hunt of humans, or the mercy or respect you would give me, slime.” He smiled coldly, “I think not. Indeed I think I’ll use you as a message to your master”

He then turned to Garrick who lay against the wall whimpering, and bent down, “You really should learn to take better care of yourself, old boy. After all, how am I supposed to use you if you’re all broken up?” He ran his hand down to Garrick’s shoulder and to his broken fingers.

Garrick glared back, flinching a little from the pain of Devin’s touch, but otherwise not moving, “Fuck you dude. This is your fault anyway.”

Devin grinned, “Actually those guys aren’t mine, and have nothing to do with me. So really the only thing that’s my fault is that you’re still alive instead of being someone’s bloody food bag back at the trailer park.”

Garrick glared, “What the hell! You mean there are vampires that you don’t have anything to do with?”

Devin laughed, “Well yeah, how do you think I became what I am. Now then let me see what I can do about your hand.”

Garrick shook his head venomously as he looked up at Devin, “No, go look after Scott, mister uber-vamp.”

Devin rolled his eyes and turned away, moving towards Scott.

The teenager was whimpering from the pain. His eyes glazed over in shock. Most of the bite marks were superficial and would heal given time. However, the real problem lay in what looked like black lines flowing down his neck and the broken arm and leg.

Scott looked up at Devin, “You’re one of them, and you come to kill me, too?”

Devin frowned and gave Scott a worried look, “Don’t you even recognize me Scott? I haven’t come to kill you. However while I have the ability to heal your wounds, you will still die if I don’t do something very soon. It’s your choice, no one else’s. You can live such as you will be, or you can die, very painfully.”

Scott looked up at him, black flecks at the edge of his vision. After a few seconds he saw a resemblance of someone he once knew in school. “Devin… that you?” He shook his head, coughing up yellow phlegm. “I know how these things work, I’ve seen enough movies. You’ll turn me into whatever you and they are.” He shrugged slightly before whimpering in pain, “Not much of a choice. Fine Devin, make it quick.”

Devin bent down the feather floating from the couch into his hand. The young vampire closed his eyes listening to that inner voice as he gently slid it down along Scott’s arm.

The flesh and bone slowly pulled back together, causing more than a few grimaces and whimpers from the teenager in front of him. Then Devin did the same with Scott’s leg, the feather disintegrating as he finished. He opened his eyes, “One last thing” pulling his wrist up for the second time in one night. Without hesitation Devin bit into it, and placed the wrist gently to Scott’s lips.

Scott already having had this happened to him, licked at the wound drinking at his blood, but all too soon Scott raised his scarred arm up and took hold of Devin’s wrist drinking deeply. The radiating poison marks slowly leaving him as he let out a sigh, and fell back into a coma like sleep.

Garrick came out of the bathroom, wrapping his hands in gauze, before turning and looking at Devin with a disgusted frown, “I take it you’ve made him into your puppet, or a vampire, or both like Connor.”

Devin turned and looked pointedly at Garrick’s hand, “Bad news, you’ll never play the guitar again.”

Garrick glared, “Shithead, I never played a guitar to begin with. Now answer the question.”

Devin turned his head slightly with a grin. “The second option and you’re awful cocky for someone who knows I can kill you.”

Garrick smirked, “You would have done so if you wanted to. Instead you want to torture me with this stupid addiction you put in me, besides you need me. Now tell me about these other dudes.”

Devin shrugged, “Oh, they’re the type that like randomly attacking people, turning them, torturing them and otherwise being monsters that draw attention to vampire kind.” However what he didn’t say was he just realized Garrick was much smarter than he thought, possibly dangerously so.

“No shit Sherlock, tell me something important.”

The fallen leader spoke up, “Hey shitheads, I speak for myself, now let me go. Being a goody-goody ain’t gonna get you nowhere, the master will kill you.”

Garrick glared, then turned, and kicked the feral vampire a couple of times before turning back to face Devin. “By the way, did you find Andy while you were running around saving your bitch-slaves and making more vampires..?”

Devin shook his head, “I saw no one on the way here, and I don’t know that I’d have gone out of my way anyway.” He looked around, “Not much of a house, grab your stuff, you’re safer with the coven then here… Oh and I am going to burn the house behind you…” He grinned to the ringleader, “with him in it.”

Garrick frowned, “How do you know it’s my house?”

Devin grinned, “You were running, what’s safer than home? Besides, your scent is all over the place.”

Garrick growled, narrowing his eyes, “Fuck you.” Then he sighed, “Fine, I’ll join your unholy cause Devin. I owe those bitches payback.” He gave the vampire a sly smile, “But don’t think we’re friends, I hate your guts, but you saved my life… twice now I guess, and you have more class then them. Go get my car…” he pulled the keys out of his pocket with a hiss and a gasp and tossed them awkwardly to Devin.

Devin smiled, catching the keys in midair, “Oh you finally realized I have class eh... Be back before you know it.”

….

Meanwhile, Andrew, the last unaligned member of the Skull Bearers, ran the hardest he had in his entire life. One of the vampires was close on his heels and the thing was playing with him. It would get close then suddenly he’d turn a corner and he’d be free only to find it suddenly in front of him.

Finally, the exhausted boy fell sprawling over in an alleyway. As he heard footsteps approaching from behind, Andy slowly flipped around looking up at the menacing form above him.

The creature spoke, “Awe, all out of breath. You poor boy… I’ll make it all better.” The creature was a woman, looked like a tramp, with fake-raggedy hair, and ugly smeared makeup. The woman’s concern for the boy’s wellbeing seemed as fake and broken as her cheap make-up “I’ll put you to bed, and then bring you to the master… of course after I feed.” She bent down and took hold of the boy’s collar to bring him to her mouth.

Just then a tall lean man with a wide brim hat emerged from the shadows. The man swung a short sickle up and with a single smooth stroke decapitated the woman.

The monster’s head landed in Andy’s lap, the look of shock permanently painted on its face mirrored boy’s own. The teenager looked up at the man in the trench coat, in silent awe for several moments, too afraid to even move.

The man lit up a cigarette. The flame lit up golden-yellow eyes, a rough scraggly face, and a priest’s collar. “I fucking hate vampires, but vampire whores are the worst.” The man took another puff on the cigarette before turning around and striding from the alley, “You better get home kid, and stay there at night.”

….

Dawn quickly approached on the deeds of that night, the police were going about town finding bodies or the parts of bodies seemingly everywhere, or were dealing with missing reports and fires breaking out in odd places. It was being officially called a gang war, but the authorities didn’t necessarily know what it was, or how true the word war was.

In the factory where Merkel’s coven holed up, the vampire sat on his throne of steel, looking at his men with a grim satisfaction. His numbers that night had swollen by a little, though there were a few missing. The vampire master guessed that they ran into Devin Larisel, but some small sacrifices were necessary in his war.

Then a young man was tossed roughly into the room followed by Lady de Rethel gliding her way into Merkel’s presence. The cloaked woman stared up at Franz. “You should leash your dogs before they start drawing attention to you again, you know the church doesn’t take kindly to vampires making messes.”

Merkel looked down at the man in front of him, recognizing Alan easily, then his eyes turned up to stare incredulously at the woman. Suddenly he let out a booming laugh, giving her a dismissive shrug. “And what do I care about the Catholic Church?”

De Rethel looked at him with clear dislike, “Your disdain for our treaties is why the house doesn’t interfere when the church’s men hunt you and your gluttonous kind, Franz. None of the Elohime will aid someone who puts the vampire species in danger, and surely non will help you when it would likely cost them their lives and livelihoods.

Franz Merkel glared at the Sister of the Night. “Well since you’re back, I take it you have something to tell me, besides being the condescending witch you are.”

De Rethel frowned slightly, “I do, I watched while this one and three of his friends were massacred by your young friend.” Looking only slightly to the feral vampire as it crawled away from her feet. “It was most… amusing. Oh you might see the ring leader in about a day or so. He was badly… burned.” The woman gave Alan a small satisfied smile.

Merkel growled at her, “And you did nothing to help them?” Her cool manner and arrogance before him fueled his growing rage and dislike for her.

De Rethel arched an eyebrow, “I was sent here to determine your claims, not to help you in your vendetta.” Then she smiled pleasantly, “To which I have determined them to be true… Devin Larisel is the Raven Lord of House Manessah or soon will be. He certainly is powerful and is most definitely a source-blood” The woman idly touched her moon pendant at the last two words, her face displaying an all too quickly covered look of sadness.

Merkel sat back then, a self-satisfied grin on his bald head. “Well then, will his lordship lend his aid?”

De Rethel smiled, “Most likely.” The woman turned then and began walking away, “I will be watching, Franz. I wish to see how this plays out…”

The blond haired witch stopped suddenly turning slightly not even looking at Merkel. Her eyes scanned the background, and alit upon a small group of three vampires, who radiated seemingly more nobility than their master, fed the hanging humans that the master used as bleeders. De Rethel smiled a little as she watched one scratch the back of his neck in discomfort and turn to look at her.

De Rethal’s eyes briefly slid to the coven leader, “Oh and Merkel, be careful what you ask for, for you will surely get what you want…” Then the leader of the Sisterhood of the Night, turned again, and continued to gracefully stroll into the fading darkness.