A Crimson Frost - 5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The moon ascended as the remaining light of day began to fade away. Its white light filtering through the town, sending silver beams upon a woman in a white dress. This woman walked gracefully alongside a man in a black coat, her light making him seem plain in comparison.

Aveline De Rethel laughed gently as she held onto the man next to her, “You have done well for yourself today, Marcus. Thank you for taking me to the local establishment. I never realized how much they changed from taverns of old, and yet have stayed the same.”

She ran her fingers along his arm like a spider, and smiled to him. “However Marcus, I still don’t believe a woman such as myself should be seen in such a place, it’s indecent. Surely you don’t think of me as an indecent woman, do you?”

The man blushed stammering, “Well… no, no my lady.”

Aveline laughed, her hand patting his cheek, “It’s ok.”

Just then chaos erupted as patrons ran screaming from the bar the two had just left.

Aveline frowned turning to the young man beside her, “Marcus, be a gentleman and wait in the car for me. Oh and it would be nice if you get my wrap while you are there. It is getting chilly out here.” The lady shuddered just a little bit rubbing her arms.

Marcus was about to object but thought better of it and walked off towards the car.

Aveline watched the man make his way to the antique car before turning and striding gracefully back towards the bar. The vampiress opened the door, and walked inside. What she beheld was a scene of blood and gore, with three tall gangly creatures standing tall in the center of the room, licking their wounds.

The largest noticed her entrance and moved forward with surprising grace for such a huge gaunt creature. Growling, it raised its claws to strike her.

Its viscous maw was close and its foul breath poured out like a putrid gas as it spoke. “I smelled you traitor.”

The woman gave it a bored look, and held up a hand casually in response.

The creature’s fist broke against her hand like the waves crashing on the shore; it struggled mightily against the woman, attempting to push Aveline backwards, or just to knock that frail hand away. But it was to no avail as the lady stood firm.

Aveline De Rethel gave it a slight grin, “Your power equates to that of your master Nockrylo, and is thusly weaker than mine own.” With that the woman took hold of its mighty hand and squeezed softly, pulling the creature to its knees. “I have betrayed no one. Neither you nor your new master have any rights to question my loyalty.” She smiled then, “This, I can certainly tell you though, I owe neither of you loyalty or even an explanation. The child you smelt was merely the result of the test that brought you here.”

With that she turned and paused for a moment as she spoke in a low whisper, “I don’t expect to see you again, Nockrylo.” The woman strode from the building, joining her escort in the night.

…

Far from Aveline and Main Street, upon a hill, an old tower stood, once a beacon for those in need, its light had long since grown dark. However, with the nights return, something new had taken haven in the forgotten place.

Devin sat against the curved wall that he had huddled, sleeping against throughout the day. His green eyes watching the group he so recently saved. A group that was a little worse for wear and it showed. Most of them injured, some to the point they were unable to move far.

The teenager couldn’t help but watch Neto and Yoshua. The two weaker vampires were not just casual friends; in the way that the two moved around each other there was something very meaningful.

In recognizing this, Devin’s heart ached, and his thoughts turned in darker circles.

Then a one-armed man walked up to him, turning with little grace, slid down to sit next to the vampire lord. “Hey, I never got to thank you.” The man said in a low fearful voice.

Devin’s pain-filled eyes turned to the 20-year-old. “I would do the same for any of my kin, but you are most welcome.” His eyes held onto the strong handsome face, piercing the man’s brown eyes for a moment.

The man smiled shyly, “My name is Ravi, nice to meet you.”

Devin reached out and ran his fingers along Ravi’s cheeks, feeling the black stubble, “I see you didn’t get to shave before you were turned.”

Ravi blinked at the invasion of his space, then shrugged. “Well I guess Yoshua thought it made me look hotter. Oh well, maybe I’ll catch a few girls this way.” He looked over to the oblivious lovers, “They’ve been like that since before I was turned. It’s almost as if they are living through each other; something that was missing in their lives.” He shrugged again, giving Devin a cheeky grin. “I can’t imagine what.”

Devin gave Ravi a little smile, “I can.”

Ravi shrugged dismissing the thought, “Yeah, well anyway, now that the sun has set I’ll see if I can get Katrina to take me out for a stroll, and catch a bite.” The bronzed skinned man stood and stretched while two girls strode down from the lighthouse tower.

One was Anna, and the other was the last survivor of Neto’s group.

Anna’s exotic beauty made the other look like the waif of a girl that she was. The girl had red hair cropped close to her head, and the clothes she wore did nothing for her pale skin or flat chest.

The red headed girl gave the man next to Devin a small sneer as she approached, “Good evening Ravi.” She then turned to Devin and blushed as she spoke with a quivering voice, “Good evening your grace.”

Devin stood up and was joined by Anna who took his arm almost possessively with a smile, then whispered in his ear. “Katrina is a bit star struck. So I told her I was your girlfriend, hope you don’t mind.”

At Devin’s aghast look Anna gave him a wolfish grin, “Well, the girl holds some narrow views when it comes to men of your persuasion, and I think another one of your sexuality would make her go a little ballistic, especially since the Ravi character is a lecher.”

Devin sighed and shook his head, “You are a cruel woman. You know that?”

Anna grinned, “I know.” Then patted his cheek, “but you love me for it.” She looked around at the small group, “If I may, what are your plans for them?”

Devin gave her a sarcastic grin, “Plans? What makes you think I have any of those?” He escorted Anna to the entrance and stopped before any could leave. Then turning to the coven he spoke, “Neto, you did well for yourself, sadly I wish to ask you to continue to do well for yourself. Stay in this place, and make it your home.”

Neto gave Devin a fearful depressed look, “Why can’t we stay with you?”

Devin returned a reassuring smile, “Because, it is not any safer there than here, perhaps less. And more than that, your coven would be better served here as a northern arm against our mutual enemy.” He placed his hand on his eldest son’s shoulder, looking into the other man’s eyes, “Don’t worry, what the main branch has in resources you may have as you need.”

Neto’s frown intensified, “Is it because of Merkel’s taint?” He looked at Devin desperately, “I can still feel it, at the edge of my mind, his madness and his mind trying to claw in and control us, weaker now but still there.”

Devin looked at Neto, his eyes changing from green to blue in both displeasure and concern. “That is not part of my decision; I am not casting you aside.” He ran his hand along Neto’s cheek, “No, you have more opportunity here than you would have directly under my eyes.”

Neto nodded his head in forlorn acceptance, and then looked at Devin with a startled look, “I almost forgot. This is yours.” He pulled a necklace from his pocket and handed it to Devin.

Devin gave a little smile, looking at the flame necklace. Memories of his humanity stirred within him. But he quickly shook his head and cleared them. The teenager closed his eyes thoughtfully and pulled a feather from behind his ear He etched the letters D and M in cuneiform next to the flames.

He unbuckled the necklace and pulled it around Neto’s neck, “Keep it, let it remind you that I do not forget my children, and that you are Manessah.” “Rebuild your coven with care, and then send some as fitting to become part of my guard.” With that Devin slipped out into the night, Lady Amaranth holding onto his arm.

As the two of them strode down the path from the lighthouse, he spoke to her. “Now you know as much as I know Anna.”

The woman gave him a glum reply in response, “That is yet to be seen, milord.” She patted his cheek affectionately, “Meet you at home.” Then Anna gracefully strode off leaving Devin alone with his thoughts and the night.

The teenager walked through the streets, then stopped suddenly to look at his torn clothes. The boy gave a frown, and shook his head in disgust. After a moment delay when he picked at the dried blood and broken seams, the teenager continued walking down the frost covered streets lost in his own head.

The night’s frost only had begun to melt in the day’s light when the night’s chill returned it to the city. But the cold barely touched his pale skin, and did not stir him from his thoughts, not even the smells in the air touched his mind. Smells filtered through the air, scents so weak no man could smell, bread and burgers from nearby restaurants, exhaust and oil from cars, sweat, fear and even blood. He could smell all these things and more, and while it barely registered his consciousness his vampiric mind categorized them and was aware of them all. Indeed, it was the smell of blood and the shouts from a nearby alleyway that lured him to it like a wolf to the deer.

Devin walked into that alleyway only to have his conscious awakened by a mugging. A man in a hoodie held another against the concrete wall. “Give me what you fucken owe us for the drugs, Andrew.”

The smaller man whimpered, blood flowing from his nose, “Let me go Kyle! It’s dark out…” There was real fear in Andrew’s eyes not of the man holding him, but of the dark. The boy saw movement behind the man’s shoulder and panicked kicking at the man. His young voice turned shrill with his fear as he yelled, “Let me go, they’re here! Let me go!”

The man grimaced holding Andrew down, “Shut up,” He looked around a little, “There is no one here, now stop squirming or I’ll cut you!”

A voice came out of the darkness, “I think you already have…” A clawed hand followed after, tearing the big man from Andrew, and tossing him into the alleyway. The hand was then followed by a face with an easy going smile, “Long time no see Andrew.”

The blond headed teenager’s green eyes filled with fear filled tears. “Devin, you’re one of them, aren’t you…?”

Devin smiled, “Them, I don’t exactly know what you mean, I am me…” His clawed hand reached out and wiped the blood away from Andrew’s face. Bringing his hand to his mouth, and Devin licked his fingers clean.

Andrew was visibly shaking as Devin held onto him.

“And you are the unaccounted Skull Bearer.” The teenage vampire reached in and licked the boy’s neck, his teeth extending.

Devin yanked himself back, grasping his chest in the effort, and pushed Andrew away in disgust “Go…”

Andrew slumped to the ground, face pale, tears and disbelief in his eyes. “You’re not going to kill me?”

Devin frowned as he gave Andrew's neck a longing look. “No, now go. Stay inside at night, and…” He grinned sideways showing his fangs, “If you ever want to become one of us, contact Garrick.”

As Andrew ran down the street, the vampire turned to look for the discarded drug dealer. Upon realizing the man had run off, the boy let out a disappointed growl and sniffed the air.

Devin followed the dealer’s spicy scent, for two blocks until he heard a dying scream. The vampire heard an angry growl as the smell of wet dog permeated the air. He cautiously walked around the corner.

Before him a mass of blood and gore pasted the entire street. Here and there a limb poked out of the trash, but there was no evidence of a torso anywhere.

Devin arched an eyebrow and bent down putting a finger in the mess and sniffing the blood, then licked it. “Meeeh! Cheetos!” He shivers and frowned, wiping away the blood on his ruined shirt.

Devin heard a whimpering nearby, and turned scanning the trash heaps and garbage bins. For a moment his eyes passed by, before Devin saw him, a youth curled into a ball between two dumpsters. The boy couldn’t have been older than himself. The boy’s slim body was completely exposed to the cold, and he looked underfed, anorexic even.

Devin slowly approached the boy, “Hey, what’s your name?” He asked in a low voice, bending down as to not seem a threat.

The boy’s eyes turned up to him as a slight breeze blew his golden-brown hair away from his eyes revealing a bright golden tint that shined against the streetlamps.

“Please,” The teenager’s eyes were pleading at Devin and tearing at his cold heart.

Devin’s eyes slid from side to side, looking for movement, then bent down and took the boy’s hand, “What is your name?”

The boy was shivering from the cold as Devin took hold of him, “Name… my name…. Um I don’t remember my name, the master called me Luke.”

There was a growling sound that echoed and rebound off the walls of the alleyway.

The woman’s voice spoke through his own, even as she spoke in his head, “The moon no longer holds its sway over that one…”

Luke whimpered, wrapping his arms around Devin’s arm fearfully. “Help me… Don’t let him take me back.”

In turn Devin laid his hand on the boy’s head, stroking the straight hair, “It’s ok Luke.”

The woman spoke in his head as he looked into the boy’s eyes. “This one is close, a day or two and he will turn.”

Devin frowned, “Into what?”

He could feel a mental eyebrow being raised, “Think about it.”

There was an angry howl. Then with a sickening crunch a bloody torso flew past Devin and hit a dumpster. A large black form dropped down blocking the exit to the alley. The creature’s body was a powerful mixture of human and wolven features. Its jet black fur bristled as it roared angrily. The creature growled saliva dripping from its jaws as it stalked closer to the vampire.

Devin held the boy close, hissing at the creature in front of him, “werewolf…” The boy glared, pulling a feather from behind his ear and tossed it at the charging werewolf. There was no doubt in Devin’s mind now what it was, any more than the fact that it was male and that he had encroached on its territory by getting near Luke.

An explosion went off against the creature, spinning the monster around and blowing away part of its arm.

Devin’s eyes narrowed, “Don’t mistake me for a common vampire.”

The monster howled in pain. The werewolf growled giving Devin a look that was a mixture of hatred and fear. Its eyes shifted to Luke, as it sniffed the air and growled. There was a keen intelligence there, and Devin could see that the monster was weighing its options, but instead of charging again the creature slowly backed into the shadows as it spoke in broken English. “I’ll let you have the pup for now, but I’ll be back.” Then the monster jumped out of sight, leaving Devin alone with Luke.

Luke whimpered; shivering not entirely from the cold.

The woman’s voice sounded in his head, “Well that went better than it could have..”

Devin shook his head for a moment then shrugged, “Whatever… cure?”

The voice spoke, “Death of the master, and slicing the curse; or his own death. However, this boy may have some uses.”

Devin frowned, “I wasn’t going to kill him anyway, you old hag.” He pulled the boy close, “Come along Luke; let’s get you warmed up.” He pulled the boy close, walked slowly back the way the vampire had come.

 

Devin scooped up the boy. Then the vampire ran through the streets his target becoming clear as he reached the closest depart store. He slid to a stop, the slush clearing nearly forcing him to topple over but this time Devin spun around and slid backwards into the store window, shattering it.

Luke whined nervously, as Devin covered the kid from the falling glass.

The young vampire grinned, “It’s ok; don’t worry, all part of the plan.” He pulled the two of them through the broken window and took some clothes, and a blanket. The teenage vampire tore open the covering of the fleece blanket and wrapped it around the naked boy, and then picked him up again and placed his new clothes over his shoulder. The teenagers heard sirens in the distance and fled the building before the police could arrive.

The woman’s voice spoke in his mind, “For such a nice honorable young man, you’re stealing now?”

Devin whispered, “For a good cause.”

The cold boy looked up at him, “Wha?”

Devin smiled back, “Nothing, I was talking to myself.”

The werewolf boy nuzzled himself closely to Devin’s chest as the vampire ran through the dark towards his den.

…

Across the town in a small upstairs room, a dandelion-headed boy sat huddling in a corner. He clutched his bandaged knees, tears streaming down his eyes.

Alex whimpered, looking at the teenage girl’s body across from him. The boy had moved the girl to her bed, and had watched her throughout the day. The girl’s parents hadn’t even come upstairs to check on her. Alex had lost track of the days since he became a vampire, in both happiness and in despair. Thusly, he could not know that it had been a week day and the girl lying before him usually went to school by herself.

The boy watched as the land grew dark, the deepening shadows of the night filling him with strength. Alex took deeper breaths, panic and sorrow marking his young brow, and he wondered if he should return to Devin’s side. But he could not leave and would not. It was something he had to do for himself in success or failure; finally, however, he had given up.

The boy slowly stood up and moved towards the window from which he had come so many hours before. It was when the teenage vampire was sliding out the window that he heard a sharp intake of breath followed by a gasp.

The marigold-headed boy turned and saw the girl breathing in and out shallowly, “What… happened to me? What did you do? And why am I so thirsty?” Sweat dampened the girl’s black hair as she pulled herself away from the bed.

Alexander just sighed, realizing his life just got a lot more complicated.

…

In another part of the town sat a woman, her child asleep upon her lap. She brushed her raven hair away from her face as she stroked the boy’s brown hair. The woman gave the sleeping form a small smile, “Ah the wonders of science…” with that the woman pocketed a box of sleeping pills as she slid away from the couch, and made her way into the kitchen.

Alissa Larisel opened the doorway to the family’s basement with a renewed purpose. The woman glided down the staircase. The basement was much like a tomb, the smell of mildew, mold and earth filtered through the air.

Family treasures were shining in the darkness like gems as the woman made her way to a place where the concrete was a different shade from the rest of the walls. It was newer with a thin line separating it from the rest of the walls. Alissa reached over her head to a shelf and flipped a switch in the wall.

There was a snapping sound and the section pulled back and away from the rest of the wall, stirring dust into the air.

Alissa let out a little cough. Placing her long fingers against the secret door, she pushed it back against the wall. The sight revealed before her was a small alcove-like room. In the center of the room was a desk with a lamp and beside it a single bookcase stood with tomes bound in leather cracked and browned from extreme age.

The woman frowned, “I never thought I would have to use these…” Her fingers traced along the covers, then pulled down one of the books and blew on the top. Alissa set the book on the desk, flicking on the old lamp, she sat down. Slowly flicking through the volume, she skimmed through the book seeking only lightly what she needed.

Alissa opened up a page to reveal an inked drawing of a woman with raven black hair sitting high upon a throne; a long purple dress flowing down the page. The woman’s eyes were flashing a wicked green, and all the while her face gave off a small knowing grin.

Underneath the drawing was a short captioned prophecy.

 

In the blood of Ruthven’s Bane

In the West across the Sea

So again the Ravens reign.

So again our Holy See

Alissa’s eyes hardened at the sight of the woman before her. “Ruthven’s Bane indeed, you will not have both of my children, Céline Macedon.” She quickly flicked past the page and continued reading until she found what she sought, a cure to her youngest child's problem. The raven-haired lady read through the passage, and knew what she must do.

Suddenly there was a crash and tinkling of glass from above, causing Alissa to look up from her book and frown. The woman stood up and marched out of the hidden alcove shutting the place off from the rest of the house, staying in the shadows she listened.

There was the sound of rushed steps and voices coming from upstairs. The woman grabbed an old iron poker that the family kept in the basement, then mimicking a cat, she stalked slowly up the staircase. Making out the voices more clearly for the first time, there was one that she thought she recognized.

“Hey Martin, there is a kid lying on the couch here.”

“Is he one of them?”

“No, I don’t think so or he’d be up by now. Although he’s been bitten, judging from his sickly look, and the mark on his neck.”

“Whatever, it’s your business not mine. Here they come!”

Windows shattered and gunfire rang out above her as the woman mounted the stairs into her kitchen, then another woman ran past her to assault the living room.

Alissa came up behind the woman, and ran her poker through the creature’s chest. “You dare assault my home night child.” The tall woman’s eyes glazed over and her pupils dilated until they covered whole of her eyes. Alissa then opened her mouth wide biting down on the creature impaled on the poker, drinking of its blood the way a vampire would a human.

The monster screamed as its skin blackened from the point of her bite. Alissa let go of the creature and pushed it to her side ignoring it as the vampire withered and died.

Alissa’s eyes cleared as she looked at the two men in her house, “Who are you and what are you doing in my home?”

Then she recognized one of them, a tall blond headed man dressed in a policeman’s uniform. “Officer Erik, I knew there was something fishy about you… I take it you work for the church?”

Erik pointed his gun at her then eyed her up and down as the creature mummified itself to the floor, “Dhampir?”

The other man, a priest by the look, held out a sickle angrily, “Blasphemous half-breed.”

Alissa glared back, her eyes cold. “Point your sickle and words elsewhere, I am a Kresnik, and far purer than you are.”

Erik gave her a wry grin, “The Kresniks are a myth.”

Alissa smiled, “I gather that’s what you’d like to think. Some of us remain while the blood runs true.”

The other man frowned, “And what pray tell is a Kresnik?”

Erik frowned, “I am surprised that you didn’t hear the myth of the Vampire’s Vampire, the Kresnik.”

Martin flicked his cigarette onto Alissa’s carpet, “No, I was too busy learning how to kill things, besides werewolves are my specialty.”

Just then another series of vampires crashed into the house to attack the group.

Alissa pulled her poker out of the mummified vampire and swung it around in a deadly dance. Attacking a female vampire with it, as the other two defenders fought onward.

Alissa fought with the poker like a fencer and was quick to tear out the vampiress' throat with the hook. She spun around in time to see Erik being brought down by three vampires, one horribly scarred.

There was a sickening crunch then tearing sound as blood and flesh lifted up with vampire claws.

Alissa looked to see the father standing in a daze and moved in to help Erik.

Father Ramirez let out a cry as glowing yellow eyes filled his senses as a deep growling voice spoke to him. “Come to me, Martin. Come.”

Martin shook himself, “Get out of my head, Lector! In Nomine Spiritus Sancti!”

The werewolf, Lector, laughed. “You’ll be mine, soon enough… soon enough.” His voice trailed off, leaving Ramirez alone in his head.

Ramirez pulled himself together with a trained battle readiness. In seconds assessed the situation, and moved to help Erik.

Alissa took hold of the scarred vampire and in an effort that seemed inhuman, threw it off the policeman. She impaled a second creature with her poker over the top of Erik. The woman barely turned in time to see the third’s head being sliced off by the Priest.

The scarred vampire attempted to attack again only to have its arm sliced off by Martin. The black-headed male screamed then fled leaving the night in an eerie quiet.

Alissa frowned, “That one has lost before.” The woman kicked the paralyzed vampire away from Erik and bent down.

The blond man’s once handsome features were covered in blood and his ribcage had been torn open. He coughed up blood as he looked up at Alissa, “A beautiful woman.” His bloody hand reached up and stroked her raven hair, “I am glad I got to see the myth before I go.”

His eyes turned to Martin, “Promise me Father… Promise you’ll finish my work here and wipe away Merkel.”

The priest looked down at his old friend with sad eyes, “I will stay as long as I may.”

Erik gasped, “No you must end Merkel…” He coughed struggling to speak, “There is more going on…” He grasped the priest’s hand roughly, gasping again before coughing up more blood. Then Erik’s hand loosened and his life faded from his eyes as the hand fell to the floor.

Martin nodded his head too late, “I promise you Erik, I will finish this.” He closed his friend’s unseeing eyes. Then closed his own in prayer, “May God, the Father of mercies, have mercy upon Erik Colburn; pardon all his transgressions and shelter his soul. Make known to him the path of life, for he was a loyal servant, and my friend, and in so doing, I absolve you of your sins in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.”

Martin turned his gaze to the paralyzed vampire, “I can make your death quick or very painful…”

The mongrel creature spat at Martin snarling, “The Master will kill you, Kill you all!”

Martin took his sickle and sliced across the vampire’s knee. “Talk I said.”

The creature grimaced, grunting in pain. “When he’s done with the Larisel brat, he’ll send them after you. Just you wait, and see.”

Alissa’s eyes narrowed, “What about Devin Larisel?”

The creature grinned, “That son of a whore, we smelled him here. Soon the big ones will feast on his flesh, and yours. There will be nowhere safe from the Master’s gaze.” The feral little vampire came to a realization then, “You’re his mother… The master will enjoy….”

Before the creature could utter one more syllable, Alissa’s eyes had turned black and she swooped down, feasting on the creature’s blood.

Martin looked at Alissa skeptically, “You and I need to talk I think….”

Alissa gave the man a hard look and dismissed the priest as she took a coffee cup off of the floor and allowed it to capture some of the vampire’s draining blood, “Well start repairing what you broke and then we can talk.”

The priest broke out into a cold sweat at the look he was given by the woman before him. In many ways he was reminded of a small elderly nun from his youth. The man shuddered for a moment then went right to work.

…

The streetlights were flickering weakly as Devin carried his now sleeping friend past his old home on Barrel Street. The street was named after the barrel makers who once called it home over a century ago. It now looked much like it did in that bygone era, but not in a good way, trash and broken containers littered the street. Houses looked hollow and empty. Giving the place the feel of a disaster zone, there was the smell of sulfur, smoke and death in the air. More than this, however, there seemed a strange musty scent, like when Devin walked into his basement, like something had atrophied to the point of mummification.

The teenager looked around the street with an eyebrow arched, seeking out with all his senses, hoping to know if his mother was still alive. And upon seeing lights in her house, and herself moving behind curtained windows rebuilding what had once been his home, he could not help but smile. However after a moment an unfamiliar shadow appeared, causing the boy to frown, and carry the werewolf boy closer to the house.

Devin sat outside the window and listened to the two. After a few moments he just nodded as he turned away. Devin slunk back into the shadows and began making his way towards his new home. The young man, however, didn’t get very far when he got the distinct whiff of carrion.

The black-haired teenager grimaced then gently placed the sleeping puppy on the ground. His eyes moved through the darkness as he spoke, “Come out; come out where ever you are.”

The response was a hiss and scampering through the alleyway.

The emerald-eyed teenager grinned and stalked towards the sound, his feet as silent as a cat on the prowl. As the young man walked, he heard a whimpering from between two dumpsters and turned looking down at the creature. The master vampire recognized it immediately even as scared and bloody as it was.

The creature looked up at Devin in pure terror, “Leave me alone!” Pulling itself away from him the young vampire pushed itself as close to the brick wall as it possibly could.

Devin gave it a wolfish grin, “No, tell me why you are here and not with your kind little one.”

It growled, “Don’t call me that!” It’s once handsome face filled now with hatred even more than its previous hunger.

It made the mistake in locking eyes with Devin’s own, and like a rabbit in a snare it was caught in Devin’s glamour and was hypnotized by the older vampire. Unable to move or break away from that gaze, much like a mouse about to be consumed by a snake, the young vampire looked at Devin his face going slack, before finally speaking. “I can’t go back, I got them killed again, all my brothers. The Master has a new favorite, and he told me if I came back alone again, he would allow me a fate worse than the pain you showed me.”

Devin continued to staring down at his victim, “What is your name, little fledgling?”

The vampire’s mind was screaming against Devin’s will, but he spoke all the same. “Oren… Oren Dar’ya”

Devin continued his interrogation, “Did I go to school with you?”

“Y… yes, I was an exchange student, we never met though.”

Devin broke contact with the physically older boy’s eyes then. “I see; so you are a useless toy to Merkel. A fledgling vampire alone will die, you know. If my own children don’t kill you, Merkel surely will.”

Oren screamed up at him, “Then fucking kill me, you Metis, you bastard! Finish what you started.” His eyes filled with anger and desperation.

Devin looked at him in return and grinned, “No, why should I show you mercy? Surely I would receive none from you.” With that he turned and began to walk away from Oren.

It was then that Devin heard a scream of frustration that quickly turned into the anguished sob of something knowing it was completely alone.

Devin knew then that the vampire was broken, and that his time to act was now. Devin abruptly turned around with a steely look in his eyes as he marched up to the vampire and took it by the throat, pulling it up from the ground roughly.

The vampire struggled, clutching at Devin’s hands painfully, though at the same time there was a look of relief and acceptance.

Devin’s eyes looked into the creature’s own, “Oren Dar’ya you have sinned not just against humanity but against vampire kind as well. For which the sentence is death.” Devin smiled, “However, I am not without mercy. I have a much better punishment for you.” Without ceremony Devin unbuttoned the top of his shirt and using his own fingernail, punched a hole in his flesh just above the collar bone. “Drink and become mine.”

The emerald-eyed teen watched the fledgling vampire’s face as a war fought in its brain, the will of its blood verses its need and desperation. The war was as short as it was brutal. There were tears in its eyes as the broken vampire meekly leaned down and began licking at Devin’s wound.

Devin pulled it closer and held Oren in a tender embrace, as the creature bit down on him and began drinking deeper, he even chewed on his shoulder like a weak child. Then unlike any of Devin’s other fully-turned children, Oren actually let go of him pulling away and stumbling against the wall.

“It tastes so good, like sweet poison.” His flesh pulling back together and healing much faster than it normally would, even for a vampire, all except a single lighting-like scar that ran down along the side of his neck and hid itself in his ragged clothing. Oren looked at his burned, scarred hands as the flesh knitted itself back to perfection. “How is it doing this…” then he suddenly doubled over in agony, falling onto a trash bag whimpering, “Oh god I’m on fire, it hurts! Make it stop… Make it stop…”

Devin smiled sadly, coughing slightly as he turned, feeling hollow inside as if he used up something. “It will pass.”

The woman’s voice echoed in his head, “This one drained much of your potency, while your source blood is still strong. You really are still only a fledgling, Devin. Oren is likely to be the weakest of your children. Perhaps he is not alone in the need for humility.”

Devin let out a disgruntled grunt, “Thanks for telling me I’ll be shooting blanks for a while. But, I think eight is enough as it is, don’t you,” Devin mumbled as he leaned against a brick wall gasping for breath. The teenager coughed a couple more times then looked down as the younger vampire’s trembling stilled.

The 18-year-old pushed himself away from the garbage, looking at Devin, his curled hair growing back, dampened with sweat. His brown eyes twinkled sadly. “Thank you…. father.”

Devin nodded, “Don’t call me that and come along, we need to get home. Oren you will need to meet our family.” With that he turned towards the opening of the alleyway and his sleeping werewolf. He gently scooped up the sleeping form, and set off again for his home.

They traveled the short few blocks that it took to reach his home, with no challenge, however before them stood the old school, and the scene of a battle. Groups of feral vampires were reaching at the citadel, attempting to scale the walls and break through the main doors.

Devin surveyed the scene with a deeply furrowed brow, “It seems we came just in time.”

Then as he watched the scene, Alex came from behind the besiegers from a different angle slaughtering feral vampires alongside a girl. The young vampire swung his scythe with reckless abandon, while the girl stayed back behind him.

Devin blinked watching for a couple more seconds before shots rang out and Anna appeared from the roof of a nearby building.

Alex smiled grimly, “Nice to see you could make it. Have you seen the master?”

Anna grinned, “Not since he left your brother’s place.”

Alex frowned, his stance faltering ‘Brother? What brother?”

Anna growled as she shot a vampire that got too close to Alex. “Never mind that and keep your head in the game.”

Devin growled, and before he could move his youngest ran past him. Oren made his way into the fray, with the same abandon as Alexander. The young man’s only weapons were his teeth and his claws. However, these proved just as deadly as Alex’s scythe as he sliced through one arm. Then turning, he bit into someone else’s shoulder, latching on like a bull dog, using his frame to bring the feral creature to the ground.

It was then that Devin walked into the fray, such intensity surrounded him that vampires on both sides stopped cold. Many of Merkel’s side knew of him, and even though he carried the sleeping form of Luke in his arms, the look on Devin’s face was death.

Devin looked at them, “Go back to your master or die.”

There was a shout from one of them, “Get him!”

However, it was just then that a man stepped out onto a balcony of the apartment building across the street from Devin’s hold. The man had blond hair and a scar running down his face as he smiled evilly. “Retreat.” The man’s voice was a guttural whisper but everyone there heard it, and all the vampires following Merkel immediately fled.

All but one, Oren still had his teeth in and himself wrapped around his enemy, keeping the creature in place, and stopping its escape.

The man then turned and retreated into the broken complex as a chill ran through the group, a chill not from within but permeated the air. Three large shadows began skirting around apartment building towards the school. Their gait was slow but steady in its meaning, death.

Devin’s already pale face turned completely white, “Everyone inside, now.”

Alex turned slightly, ready to launch himself towards this new enemy that had his precious master so afraid.

However, Anna knew what was coming just as much as Devin did and spun the young man around, pushing him towards his master. “Obey him, Alexander Cel Rau.”

The boy arched his back like an angry cat, “Stop that!”

Devin swiftly marched up to the old school building and banged on the door, “Let us in, it’s Devin… Quick!”

There was a shuddering scrapping sound behind the steel doorway and then it flew open, revealing a battle worn Scott. “Devin hurry!”

The group shuffled themselves into the building. Devin and Oren were the last two in. The young vampire refusing to release his prey, half dragging the now screaming creature in with him.

Scott slammed the door just in time barring it as the tall monsters started to bang on it. The group could hear a cold guttural laughing coming from outside.

Scott looked at the group, “Where have you been? We’ve been under siege most of the night. Every time we’d drive the vampires away those… those monstrosities would show up and attack, we lost Jasmynn to them in the first wave, they caught Conner and used him to lure us out a second time. When we found him they had… had torn out his fangs.” There was a look of anguish on Scott’s face.

“It was a bloodbath, Thomas had his arm torn off trying to retrieve him, if it wasn’t for your general, we’d likely have lost.”

Devin’s eyes narrowed in outrage “I see…” he looked sideways at Moya who in turn nodded her head in sadness and in shame. He smiled slightly, “I am glad Garrick did so well.”

The young lord placed his hand on Moya’s arm for a brief moment, before turning angrily and taking hold of the vampire Oren was still struggling with and held the creature up above his head, “What are those creatures, how does your master control them?”

However, it wasn’t the creature that spoke, it was Oren. “They are called frost ghouls, something made by my…” He swallowed nervously, his eyes flickering briefly to Scott’s, “Former bloodline, of vampire, werewolf, and ghoul blood.” He shook his head. “They were a gift.”

Scott noticed the look as his eyes darkened, “Who the fuck are you?”

Moya looked back and forth between Devin and Alex, “Actually I’d like to know that too, about all of these people.” The tall woman looked suspiciously at Oren and the new girl, before flickering briefly on the sleeping form of Luke.

Devin sighed, the light of his anger seemed to flicker away, “Get something to paralyze this creature Oren, there should be something, ask someone for a stake.” He tossed the creature to the boy.

The young vampire looked at Devin in obvious emotional pain as he yanked feral vampire's arms behind it and held it in a headlock dragging it back further into the building.

Alex whispered slightly to the girl, “Could you go with him...”

The girl quickly nodded following Oren and his prize, carrying a violin and a suitcase easily.

As the echoes of the feral vampire’s cries faded, Devin spoke leaning back against the wall, “Oren Dar’ya was the one who is responsible for you becoming who you are Scott. He led the group that attacked and poisoned you.”

Scott growled his eyes glimmered with anger and bottled hatred. “What the fuck, dude?! Are we starting a group for reforming monsters now?! I swore if I ever saw him again I’d kill him. Why the fuck did you make him one of us?”

Devin stood up away from the wall; his power seeming to make shadows deepen as he spoke harshly, “A feral vampire has no more control over their impulses than a snake or a wolf. In fact, the only difference is the height of cruelty a feral vampire is capable of. If you want to blame someone blame Merkel, he sent them out to destroy the town.”

Scott at first shrunk from Devin, but then put his foot down yelling back to Devin. “I don’t care! You should have killed the little fucker!”

Devin stood stock still, however, his eyes said smite as he looked back at Scott and raised his hand.

Just then Alex whimpered and spoke loudly in a rush. “I am sorry Master! I didn’t mean to do it!”

Devin’s hand then suddenly dropped as the anger went from his eyes, as they turned to the marigold-headed boy. “Didn’t mean to do what Alexander?”

He looked up into Devin’s eyes with desperate tears, “Turn her, but I had too… I just had to…”

Devin smiled, then bent forward, and just kissed the younger boy’s forehead “Its ok Alexander, I forgive you.”

Alexander blushed, his cheeks turning a deep crimson as he looked back. “Thank you, her… her name is Kendra and you should hear her play her violin, its divine!”

Devin turned back to Scott then, “You will bury the hatchet and I don’t mean in his body either, you too will live with each other and in this, I command. You may not like him, you may hate him. But you can damn well wait to judge that until you know what type of person Oren has become. Got it, Scott?”

Scott had stayed silent sulking as Devin spoke both to Alexander then back at him. His resentment of having to deal with his murderer was obvious but he just nodded, “As you wish, my Lord Raven. I’ll move my bed next to his in a separate room then.”

Devin shrugged, “If that’s how you decide to interpret it, then so be it.”

Scott shrugged, “It will protect Conner and Garrick.” He smiled a little sheepishly as he added, “I am glad you don’t bar your fangs more often Devin.” With that he left the four alone.

Luke opened his eyes; a yellow gleam came out of them before he yawned, “Can’t you guys be quiet? I am trying to sleep…” With that the boy sniffed the air a couple of times made a disgusted face, and sneezed. Then the werewolf puppy sniffed at the air a little more and sleepily stood up and wandered off down the halls dragging the blanket behind him.

Moya frowned, “Ok, what the heck is that? And is it edible?”

Alex gave a disgusted look at Luke’s naked back. “He smells like a dog.”

Devin grinned, “That’s because he’s a werewolf, and no, you wouldn’t want to drink from that one…You’d get a nasty rash to say the least.”

The banging on the door and walls began to quiet as the gray of dawn began to fill the world. Devin sighed, “Looks like their siege has ended for the day, shall we get rest as well?”

Alex looked at Devin and nodded hopefully, moving his foot back and forth shyly, “Can I sleep with you?”

Devin gave Alex a slight grin, “Don’t you always crawl into my bed, why would you stop now?”

Alex looked at him, “I thought you didn’t want me.”

Devin frowned, his brow furrowing in frustration. He wove his arm out and pulled Alexander close to him, “Now you just assumed that I didn’t want you, my first born.”

Moya laughed as the three walked down the halls. “Well, now you know Alexander that Devin does love you.”

Alex blushed, his cheeks getting a shade of red that made his hair look pale, and then he got a curious look on his face, “What does Cel Rau mean?”

Moya laughed, “Oh it’s Romanian for Bad, Evil, or just plain mean.”

Alex blushed voicing his displeasure, “I am not bad or mean!”

Devin smiled, “Or evil depending on your point of view… However,” his eyes lit up with his smile, and he pulled Alex closer, “You’re my bad boy, my Cel Rau.” Then leaned in and kissed the boy’s cheek, getting another blush from the little vampire.

Anna’s laugher brightened up the dark night as it echoed down the halls with the rising of the sun.

…

In an apartment building just across the street from a besieged schoolhouse, vampires sat upon broken furniture. Some were looking out at the building across the street and others enjoying themselves with the tenants.

A tall blond man wearing black grinned, looking at the vampires around him as if they were his to do with as he pleased. He turned his eyes and looked over the doorway as the three monstrous Frost Ghouls stomped inside with the rising sun.

The man turned as a familiar voice spoke up, “Excellent, Most excellent, trapped like rats, you did well Schroeder.”

Bradley Schroeder looked at Franz Merkel, then arched an eyebrow but said nothing.

The man who had made him what he was had changed much, where once Merkel was healthy now he was frail looking. The man’s tattooed head now covered in white hair that stuck out in mad directions, and his fingers had grown longer resembling much more like claws rather than hands.

Behind him glided the woman, Carole, she too looked a shadow of her former self. Whereas before she had a cold and calculating beauty, one that Bradley immediately lusted after, now she looked disheveled, almost in pain when she walked behind her master.

Merkel grinned, his voice turning into a high pitched shriek as he laughed, “Finally! Finally I will have my prey. Devin Larisel will be mine, and I will dine on his bones.”

Carole spoke up, a look of concern on her face. “Don’t you mean drink him dry, dear?”

Merkel spun around and back handed the woman, “I said what I meant! Don’t contradict me woman!”

Carole held her hand up to her cheek, her eyes turning cold and deadly as she looked at Merkel, “As you wish, Master.”

The crazed master vampire paid the woman little heed as he turned back to Schroeder, “Continue your efforts, Schroeder.” And the man gave Brad a crazed grin, “And I shall reward you well.”

Carole turned and left Merkel with Schroeder; her face flushed with hot anger at her mistreatment. The tall woman sighed, sinking against a wall in despair, “How could I have sunk so low? I was an actress beloved by at least the thousands who watched my movies.”

“I will not be degraded to being your whore, Franz Merkel, nor will I be given away to some fledgling to be his.” She shuddered, the woman knew how Schroeder looked at her, once with lust and now with pity, and she knew what Merkel in his crazed state took those looks for.

The woman moved down the staircase to the lobby of the building and saw them, the three bony-looking frost ghouls.

Two of the creatures were together as the biggest brute of the three stepped towards her menacingly. The thing bent down and growled at her, his voice like a chilling knife, and its breath a foul rot in the breeze. “You hate’z us; don’t you, girl?”

The woman said nothing but the look on her face spoke volumes to the monster.

The creature grinned, “Thinkin we are changin your Master for the worse don’t you?”

Carole spoke harshly, “Nockrylo, you’re driving him insane. He was mine. Now what is he, a monster like you?”

Nockrylo laughed, his screeching sent shivers up and down the woman’s spine. “He never your’z, you were his, Clamae.”

Carole’s hand snaked out to slap the brute across the face, but Nockrylo was faster and took hold of her hand almost gently then brought the woman’s fingers to his lips. The creature licked her hand slobbering all over it, before placing it in his mouth.

The woman let out a cry, her knees going out from under her as the monster bit down. Its razor sharp teeth grinding at her fingers until there were audible snaps and Nockrylo released her hand. In her pain Carole’s eyes went away from the creature looking between its oversized legs to see the other male pushing the female ghoul back against the wall roughly and biting down on her neck with a playful growl.

Carole disgusted by the animalistic mating display, her eyes returned to her hand for the first time and her loss, “Why?”

The creature gave her a grin and spit out her fingers, “Why’z? Little creature is something to snack on. Face your fate little vampire, your master is ours. All of you’z are ours to play with. Even to feast’z upon when we hunger.”

The woman’s face was pale as she spoke a desperate retort, “Schroeder will stop you… he’s growing more powerful all the time…”

Nockrylo grinned showing shark-like teeth, “You too? Your master bred himselves into that one. I may have to kill it, if you turn’z him against us, snack. Now flee; play’z your games, you’z still a snack.

Carole pulled herself up and turned. Barely resisting the urge to run, the woman walked towards the exit of the room holding her broken hand close to her chest.

The woman turned back one last time to see Nockrylo stalking towards a sun lit corner sit. The other two monsters were nuzzling at each other like lovers waiting to mate. Carole whimpered for a second. Then her eyes turned hard as the beginnings of a cruel plan started forming in her mind.