Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters, my pet rat and the clothes on my back.
A/N: This was actually meant to got on the other chapter (10), but it ended up too long so I split it into two seperate parts.
Chapter 11
I watched, almost entranced, as those maroon eyes devoured every person in the room. A large wolfish smile showing rows of sharp teeth ten-times more deadly that those of my captor.
His leer finally rested on me and his grin grew wider - if possible.
" Ahh." Mr Franklin turned to face the intruder, his thin lips quirking yet his eyes held a power-hungry gleam, " At last me meet, my servant… How I have waited for this moment." His arms spread out like an eagle, his presence in the room suddenly becoming commanding. " The most great and powerful vampire to be borne. Bow before me! Embrace me as your master!"
It was almost ridiculous how he looked, like some villain from a cheesy 18th century novel. But the other vampires bowed there heads in respect. Mr Franklin obviously had a lot of influence over these strange creatures.
There was a slight hitch in the creatures mocking laughter, like that of a madman's when he's escaped a mental institution.
"Not only that, but you are all complete idiots." the vampire continued his remarks as though Mr Franklin hadn't spoken a single word. And yet throughout the whole encounter, not once did he take his eyes from me.
I trembled as he took a step closer. His grin growing further as though he could hear my heart plummeting from behind my ribs.
Closer and closer. The click of his boots sealed my fate with every step. Until finally he was within touching distance. I tried to shrink back against my captor, willing myself to just dissolve and disappear from the face of the earth. I remembered what had happened in the basement, Danny's dead lifeless form in the grips of a monster. This monster. He was enormous. Broad shoulders, thrice as broad as broad as a normal mans. Yet his body was lithe and sleek like a panther. His large hands, though gloved, looked as though they could crush a person throat effortlessly. All the more deadly. Whatever fate awaited me with the vampire that held me, I would rather face it a thousand times than to fall into this creatures deathly thrall. And he knew it.
Already towering over me, he took another step closer, my neck straining to keep my gaze locked with his. I wouldn't look away. I couldn't.
I half expected his body heat to swamp my own with his closeness, but I felt nothing. Only a chill as though I were sat next to an open door.
Suddenly I felt the claw like fingers at my arm dig in unmercifully and I cried out softly. My captor backed away so fast I was yanked along with him.
" This ones mine." My captors voice was a grated hiss of a threat, like gravel grating beneath a shoe.
Those eyes fell on the vampire that held me. Their rich crimson colour darkened and burned with a lethal intent. It was like staring into a fire that blazed up high into an uncontrollable inferno, watching helplessly as though it would swallow me whole in its flames.
His head tilted, intrigued and yet his disgust for the other being reaped off him in waves.
For a moment I didn't see his move. It was so quick I could of missed it.
The swift charge of his large hand, fisted tightly, heading straight for my heart.
I had no time to think. To react. Hell, to even breathe. All I heard was Adam calling my name. The sickening crunch of flesh being impaled and mangled. The same sound I heard merely an hour ago when Daniel was being mauled alive.
The rest seemed to go in slow motion.
The air in my lungs came out in a sudden rush, a breath I never new I had been holding until now.
I expected hot searing pain. That large fist squeezing the very life from my heart until it bled dust.
But nothing happened.
Slowly I looked down and saw a long slender arm lead from a broad shoulder towards me. The limb itself missed my body by scant inches, it thickness buried deep into the chest cavity of the creature behind me.
We paused like that for a few moments. My head swirling, trying to grasp what had just happened. Momentarily paralysed with shock, I looked up at him. Then, there was only emptiness at my back as the body fell away into ash to the floor.
"Kill him." Mr Franklin shout pierced the silence.
More Chaos ensued after that.
I saw the elegant glide of shadows as they edged closer, something long pointed in our direction, glinting in the dim light.
A large bang exploded throughout the room, followed by many others. Students screamed and ran as their captors all took out their own weapons pointing them at the taller vampire that stood before me.
Sheets of bullets after bullets hit him, dark blood flew in all directions, and I could only stare dumbstruck as hole after hole appeared through his torso. A large open wound in his shoulder, his chest, his arms. I could almost see through him.
He neither flinched nor fell to the ground. He simply held himself up, braced against the wall, leaning in towards me as though protecting me from the unmerciful rounds of silver bullets.
The dark vampire chuckled, a low rumble that shook the very foundations of the room with its taunting echo, " Is that the best you have got?"
I watched mesmerised as wound after wound healed itself, black wisps of smoke forming to flesh in the open wounds. Regenerating himself.
Casually as though he were already fully healed, he took my elbow in his gloved hand. Pulling me out from beneath him. The next thing knew I was in someone's arms, warm and firm and yet strangely familiar.
" Are you alright?" I tried to nod to Adam, but only managed to let my head fall against his shoulder as he held me.
Just last night I was a normal girl on a trip to an old historical manor, and now here I was - cold, hungry, bleeding, tired. A student had been killed because of me. Why couldn't I have just stayed in bed like Mrs Handcock told me to.
Most of the other students had made it out, but where did they go? Where they inside still, hiding in a room? Or did they escape and are getting help from the local villagers?
" I've had enough of you idiots. Now its time to show you how real nosforatu does battle!"
" Come on lets get out of here." Adam finally said over the heavy blasts of weapons. Pulling me with care towards the door the others had fled through.
" No." Mrs Handcock appeared from nowhere. Her skirt torn and crinkled. Her finely pressed blouse, once was white and now had patches of faded grey on it. She moved forward and placed her hand on my shoulder. " Do not go with them, he will only follow you." I didn't need to guess who 'he' was. Already the tall, dark vampire had four others heaped in a pile of ash. Two more charged at him. He dodged one easily and sent his hand into the heart of the other. " Come," Mrs Handcock continued, pulling us towards an empty hallway, " Follow this hall until you reach the library…"
" What about you?" I asked, worried.
She smiled, " I'll be fine, I will come and join you soon. Don't worry, your safe now." I felt like there was some hidden meaning to that message. "Now go!" she pushed us into the darkened corridor, slowly pulling the door closed behind us.
The grand oak door muffled the sounds from the other side. The empty dimness of the hall made it nearly impossible to see where we were going. I felt Adam take my hand to guide me. We could barely make out shapes and outlines of things as we moved along towards the library.
When we finally reached there, Adam first put his head inside to see if anyone was around. Happy that there wasn't, we both slid inside the door. The moment my gaze rested on the soft leather couch I was on it in a flash. My head whirling everywhere at once. My stomach churning and the tears that I had kept at bay for the last couple of hours finally poured out. Sobbing in the pillow, I felt Adams arms wrap around me, pulling me into his warmth.
" I want to go home." I sounded pathetic, but I didn't care. I did want to go home. For once I actually looked forward to seeing my foster parents. To spend time with them. To call them 'mum' and 'dad'. How I needed them right now. I'm sure Adam was looking forward to seeing his family too if we ever got out of here. Yet all I could think about was Danny and his family. They would never get the chance of seeing him again.
A sudden heavy boom rumbled throughout the entire building. The lights upon the ceiling wobbled and swung upon there hangers. A book somewhere fell of its shelf. What on earth where they doing in there? It sounded like the building was being bombed.
A few more rumbles shook the couch and then silence ensued.
It was strange. The air seemed thin like butter spread over too much bread. The emptiness was almost too much to bear. Something was wrong. Why was it so quiet?
I lifted my head from my companions shoulder and instantly wished I didn't.
There, over Adams shoulder and on the opposite side of the room was a familiar tall shadow. Two red eyes gleaming from it depths.
I wanted to warn Adam. To pull away and run, but for some reason I could do nothing but stare and clutch him to me. It was then I realised - no matter where we ran to or where we hid, he would always find us.
But what did he want? Who was he?
The shadow did nothing but watch us for a while, as thought he was content with just watching us embrace each other. Not once did I look away from him.
It was only when we finally pulled apart did Adam notice his presence.
When he did, he was up in a shot pulling me behind him.
" Who are you? What do you want?" He was trying look defiant and would have done so if it weren't for the trembling of his body.
The figure step into the light. The moonlight through the window played shadows across his elegant aristocratic features. The long, sharp tipped nose. His hair wild and black as midnight made his look demonic.
" Who I am is of no concern to you boy. We have been playing this little game of cat and mouse too long. I'm getting bored."
Before I had time to react Adams slender frame crumpled to the floor in a heap. His eyes open yet empty towards the ceiling. A cry escaped me as I knelt by his side.
" What did you do to him?" I demanded, my fear getting the best of me.
When I looked at him for an answer, his eyes were swirling pits, dangerous and yet enthralling. They burned so bright that for a moment I thought they turned orange.
He stepped closer until he was right before me, towering over my trembling knelt body. Good god, he was a giant.
" He lives, for now." He sounded like he was laughing at me. He slowly lowered down to crouch in front of me. The leather on his body creaking from the strain. I should run, I should scream, do something. But I couldn't leave Adam. I cowered back when he leant forward, his face nearing mine to, nostrils flaring as though… sniffing me? He eyes closed as though savouring the smell of my fear. He smiled, that same maniacal grin that gave me a glimpse of lethal teeth.
My head buzzed for a moment and white stars danced across my vision. I looked down at my fingers and saw a small smear of blood trickle across the tips.
" Who are you?" I asked not daring to look at him. The crimson stain on my fingertips had my attention. Usually, had it have any other circumstance I would have be queasy at the sight of blood yet for some reason I stared at it, it made me realise how precious and vulnerable a mortal life is. This was 'my' blood. This was my friend laid on the floor unconscious. That was one of my fellow classmate dead at the bottom of the basement. And it terrified me all the more knowing it.
A large hand hovered suddenly before my eyes, gloved and white with a strange symbol on the back. Firm long fingers curled around my chin, lifting it to bring my gaze level with rippling crimson ones. I tried to pull away but his hand was like stone and unmovable.
" What do you want with me?" It barely made it out of my mouth.
The more I gazed into his eyes, the more I realised what was happening. He was hypnotising me.
My vision fading, fast. My eyes rolling into the back in my head until I felt and saw nothing but emptiness.
Blackness.