Chapter 7: New Enemies
Max was wondering if he knew the man when he was punched in the gut so hard he tumbled to the ground with a loud grunt.
"What was that?" Came the Toreadors cold voice.
Baeric squeezed the trigger of his rifle and let off a small burst at the Toreador. Likewise, Mira began to fire her pistol. Neither let the commotion cause their aim to waiver. The room erupted in loud bursts of gunfire. Max crumpled to the ground. It was as if his body had suddenly decided to shut down. Pain rippled through his abdomen, but he forced himself to look up.
Baeric spun around, aiming his gun at the monstrosity striding towards him. With frightening speed, the man waved a bulky hand at the gun knocking it aside. He lifted a leg kicking Baeric in the chest with a large black combat boot. Baeric flew backwards ripping through the metal pipes that had been concealing him. He tumbled into one of the guards knocking him over.
Max tried to look around, but his vision blurred. The dark-skinned kindred was gone. Mira grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet. He heard screaming and gunfire followed by horrible ripping noises. Mira spun around in a flash and fired several shots from her pistol before pulling Max into cover.
He shook his head, clearing his vision and looking out on a scene of chaos. The room was a disastrous wreckage of metal. Several fires had started. At the center of the room stood the Kindred that had punched him and sent Baeric flying with one kick. He held one of the Ventrue by the collar of his bloodied suit. The formerly white dress shirt had turned a crimson red.
The Ventrue struggled feebly, clawing at his hand. The strange man ignored the attempts and wrapped a beefy arm around his head. The Ventrue looked like a toddler trying to wrestle with a fully-grown man. With a yank, the man ripped off the Ventrue's head. Surprisingly, there wasn't much blood. Maybe Kindred bleed differently. The man let the body tumble to the ground.
More gunfire ripped through the air as what was left of the two groups focused their guns on the monstrous man ripping their compatriots apart. He saw the Toreador turn and flee. The package! He's going for the package.
"I'll be back, stay here." Mira darted off, crawling through the debris towards a slouched form on the ground, Baeric.
The man walked through gunfire as if it were nothing. The shooters tried to back away, but the man snatched one of them and used him as a human shield. The package. There's no beating this guy. He looked at Mira crawling towards Baeric's side. He had no gun, medical training, or even understanding of Kindred or thinbloods. He was worse than useless to them. He was a liability.
Max made his decision. He ran after the Toreador. Everyone ignored him, too engaged in their life or death struggle. This is all I can do to help.
When Max entered the room, the Toreador was struggling to open a large elongated metal box that reminded Max of a sarcophagus. There was blood on the collar of his shirt. It had been ripped open by something.
Bullets, he thought. Baeric shot him, but why isn't he still bleeding? The blood on his shirt had begun to dry and he did not seem to be in any pain. The Toreador jerked his head up and looked at Max with wide eyes.
"Expecting somebody else?" Max asked him.
"Just help me with this." He gestured to the box. The box was a bit large to fit in the Cadillac, but Max didn't doubt it was the package they had been meant to collect.
"That's ours actually." Max said.
He pointed a finger at Max. "You're the buyer." The Toreador chuckled softly. "You've got balls, I'll give you that. What did you plan on using him for? Were you going to diablerize him? You know what we do to those Kindred, don't you?"
"I'm just here for the package," he pointed at the box.
"I see," The Toreador paused, eyeing him. "Well, your boss screwed you. Do you even know what it is you're picking up?"
"I haven't a clue."
The Toreador looked at him calculatingly and shook his head. "We've gotten off on the wrong foot. My name is Trent Goldemiere.
That name sounds familiar, he thought. More gunfire came from the room behind them. They both flinched.
"Max. My name is Max Payne"
"Nice to meet you, Max. Since we don't have long until that… thing rips us limb from limb, I'll give you a brief explanation of our situation."
Max nodded, looking cautiously at the door.
Trent continued, "It'll be easier to show you. So, please," He began pushing on the lid once more. "If you'll help me, perhaps we'll both get out of this alive." There was a loud crash at the door, as a body was smashed against it.
Max didn't see how anything in that box would help them, but he didn't have any other choice. He helped Trent push the heavy lid from the box. The lid fell to the ground with a loud SMACK! Brieflydrowning out the noise of gunfire.
Inside the metal box lay an extremely gaunt looking old man wrapped in a black cloak. The eyes of the corpse looked as if they had sunken into the back of his skull. Tiny flecks of orange light like little embers of fire, emanated from his sockets.
Trent gasped and with admiration said, "Amazing isn't he?" Max covered his nose as an awful rotting stench hit him.
"Oh yeah, he's fantastic." Then Max saw the corpse's chest moved slightly, as if it were breathing. It's alive.
"This… is a…"
"A Kindred. A Nosferatu elder to be exact. Somewhere near the 5th or 6th generation. Now do you understand?. There's only one thing your boss wanted him for.
"Diablerie."
"Exactly. We'll need his help to defeat that thing. And to do that we have to wake him from Torpor."
"Tor- what?" Trent shot him a dubious glance.
"You know… Torpor."
"Saying it a second time isn't an explanation."
"This is something your sire should have taught you." Max gave him a blank look.
"I'm still waiting for an explanation," Trent sighed in frustration.
"We don't have time for things you should already know. Torpor is a hibernation that Kindred go into when they get really old or a stake is driven through their heart."
"Alright, and how do we wake him up from… Torpor?"
"How else, with blood." Trent glanced down at his knife, still sheathed. "Hold out your hand." Max unsheathed the knife and did as instructed. Trent tried to take the knife, but Max drew back. "Cut your wrist and squeeze the blood into his mouth."
Max arched an eyebrow in suspicion. "And what happens when we wake him up? Will he just help us?"
"I don't know, depends on him. He could be ravenously hungry and suck us dry." More gunshots ripped through the silence, followed by a muffled scream that was quickly cut off.
That could be Vinny or Baeric. Or even Mira. I Can't just sit here. "Let's do it then." Max held out his hand over the elder's mouth. He pressed the cold metal to his palm and sliced it open. Blood trickled from the wound, dripping onto the elder's rotten teeth. Orange eyes flared to life and its' chest began to rise and fall rapidly. Its' fingers and toes wriggled like maggots devouring carrion. Then it happened. The elder awoke.
The Nosferatu elder sat up and looked directly at him, hollowed sunken eyes glowing like fire. Jesus, this thing is a monster too! Max felt himself begin to quiver under the elder's eyes. The light seemed to be sucked from the room dimming everything and giving it an ominous appearance. He felt his heartbeat pounding in his chest. He tried to open his mouth and talk, no words came out. Then the thing opened its mouth to speak.
"Who dares awaken me?" It rasped, voice grating painfully against his ears.
"Elder," Trent said, bowing before the Nosferatu and refusing to meet its eyes. "We need your help, a Brujah is killing us." Trent pointed toward the door. It was ominously silent.
"He'll try to kill you too, elder. Help us." The thing hissed and leapt from the box striding towards the door.
The elder threw open the door, Max followed hesitantly. The Dark-skinned kindred, the Brujah, stood in the middle of the room. He was feeding on the Ventrue female who had opened the car door for Trent.
Max scanned the room for his friends. My friends? Are they my friends? He hadn't considered them friends before. He barely knew them, but, surviving life or death situations has a way of intimately bonding even strangers.
Max saw them hidden below a metal pipe. Elmira crouched over Baeric frantically wrapping bandages around his arm. Vinny stood by keeping an eye on the Brujah.
"Naughty youngling," came the raspy voice of the Nosferatu. "Didn't your sire teach you manners?" The Brujah growled but said nothing. The Nosferatu looked over the dead corpses lying on the floor.
"This is BLASPHEMY!" It hissed. "Diablerie is forbidden by the high council. The punishment is death."
The Brujah dropped the body he had been holding. Blood dripped from his mouth. "My death or yours?" he said smiling. The Nosferatu hissed again and leapt at him. The Brujah leapt as well and caught the elder in mid-air. They came to the ground in a tangle of limbs fighting for dominance.
Time to leave. Max rushed to Vinny and Mira. Vinny smiled. "Glad to see you made it, Max. I was worried when I couldn't see you."
He could hear the vicious brawl happening behind them. "I went to get the package, but that's not important. We need to leave now." Vinny nodded, tapping Mira on the arm. She was so engrossed in Baeric Max doubted she had noticed his arrival.
"We need to go Mira; Max and I can carry Baeric," Vinny said. Mira nodded and moved back. Baeric was unconscious and blood trickled from the side of his head where the skin was torn. He was covered in bruises, but his arm was the worst. It had been twisted and snapped in half. Probably the work of our friend behind us. I hope that elder rips him apart.
Max helped Vinny grab Baeric. "This way." Mira said. Max chanced a look behind him. The Nosferatu elder and the Brujah had separated. The elder looked bloodied and battered, but still glared at his opponent. The Brujah gave him a predacious smile white teeth gleaming at the elder. The elder seemed taken aback at how composed his opponent was.
The Brujah stepped forward, "I will kill all the children of Cain and bask in their blood." He leapt at the elder. Yep! Time to leave.
They continued toward the stairwell they had used to come down. While they were still twenty feet away, a figure flashed by the door, threw it open, and disappeared.
"Trent," Max snarled. "The Toreador, his name is Trent. He's the reason we're in this mess"
"Let's get somewhere safe. Then we'll follow him, if we can," Mira said, glancing down at Baeric. Max grunted in assent.
Their progress was slow due to Baeric. Max worried about jostling his arm, he worried that Trent would escape; but, most of all, he worried that the Brujah would catch up to them.
"Where'd you go?" Vinny asked. The question caught Max by surprise.
"I didn't have a gun and I saw Trent going for the package." Vinny narrowed his eyes but nodded.
"We haven't got all day. We have to get somewhere safe," Mira hissed. Max and Vinny continued uneasily carrying Baeric up the stairs.
When they finally reached the exit, Vinny shifted Baeric's weight around and turned to him. "Where's the package?"
"Vinny, not now," Mira ordered.
We don't have time to stand around and bicker, Trent's getting away and that monster is going to be following us. "It's getting its' ass handed to it by our dear party crasher. I'm sure Trent would be more than happy to give you some answers, if we catch up to him." The ship lurched violently.
"Another complication." Vinny said hoisting Baeric back onto his shoulder. Mira groaned as a large fountain of cold seawater exploded into the hallway from above.
"They're tearing the ship apart."
Mira said. "I'm going to go get our car and meet you two out front. Keep lugging him along." She gently combed Baeric's hair with a hand. "Stay safe, see you soon." She took off running down the hall at an incredible speed. His eyes had difficulty tracking her movement.
"W…wh…what the hell was that?" Max stammered. Everytime he thought he had a solid grasp on this world he saw something beyond his comprehension.
"Solarity, it's a power some Kindred have. Now if you don't mind," Vinny grunted with exertion. "Baeric is a big guy." Max helped him, but Baeric's weight seemed greater than before.
No, I'm just tired. He hadn't realized how much energy he had used. Glancing over, he saw that Vinny was struggling too. They had hobbled halfway down the corridor when the ship gave another violent lurch. Max was thrown to the side. Baeric's unconscious body landed near him. Vinny stumbled forward and fell to his knees.
We have to get off this ship or we're going to die. Max rose from the ground and reached for Baeric's arm.
He's slowing us down. The thought came unbidden to his mind. We'll never make it off this ship carrying him. Max looked down the corridor. He could easily make it alone. He felt guilt at the idea. I don't owe these people anything, I hardly know them.
Vinny rose from his knees and grabbed Baeric by the arm. "Are you gonna help me, or stand there?"
Max looked down the corridor again. It'd be so easy to leave. He thought back to the car trip over here. They had acted like friends, like a family. He had never had a family like that.
Max bent to help an impatient Vinny. The ship trembled again; shaking more violently. Max didn't fall this time; neither did Vinny. Instead, Max gritted his teeth and kept walking.
The process was slow, and the ship continued to shake violently. Max felt his legs begin to tremble and a pain in his shoulder. Baeric grew heavier with each step. Looking over, Max saw that Vinny wasn't faring any better.
Almost there. Max could see the exit ahead of them. The ship shuddered again, stronger than before. An ominous quiet came over them.
"Move!" He yelled to Vinny. Max drove his shoulder into Baeric, using all his strength to lift him. Vinny struggled to do the same, but it was obvious he wasn't as strong. Using their combined effort, they hobbled down the corridor and exited the ship's interior.
The fact that the ship was sinking became obvious once they were outside. He heard the water gushing into the ship like an engine guzzling gas. It was a hungry sucking sound that would end only one way.
The ramp. He looked over and saw that the ramp connecting the ship to the pier was hanging on by a thread. He nudged Vinny and pointed toward the ramp.
Vinny nodded and they lugged Baeric to the ramp. With a final heave he thrust Baeric over the ramp and on to solid ground. Max collapsed beside the large man breathing hard.
"Why… do these things… always happen to me?" Vinny gasped. Max shook his head, too exhausted to answer.
More rumbles from the ship brought him back to his senses. He heard the low throttling of a car's engine growing closer. Wait, that sounds like…. Looking up he saw the Cadillac zooming towards them. It lurched to a sloppy stop in front of them as Mira exited.
"Don't just stand there, get him in the car." She pointed to Baeric and Max moved to help Vinny load him into the back seat. "Trent, he took off in that SUV. He passed me on my way here."
Despite the exhaustion Max grinned at her, "So, he's not far off?"
Her face grew stern, "Ohh no you don't. I let Baeric go charging into trouble. I'm not gonna let you put us in anymore danger."
Mira turned to glare at him. Looking down at her he said, "Trent's the reason Baeric almost died. He knows who we are, what we're after. If he escapes, he'll tell the Camarilla."
Elmira's face contorted in pain, "I want to get the bastard too, but he's long gone Max."
Max smiled, "He's gone, huh?" Max moved past her into the driver's seat.
Elmira shot him a worried look, "Max, what are you…"
"Get in the car Mira, I'm gonna make this Cadi purr." It had been a fucked-up night. Baeric had nearly been ripped apart and he had almost died twice, but as he sat hunched in that leather seat listening to the engine moan with these people around him, Max couldn't stop smiling.
"Buckle up kiddos and make sure Baeric's strapped in. There's only one highway leading from these Docks. In an escalade, he won't outrun us."
"You got it, Boss. I love road trips." Vinny strapped Baeric in before attending to himself.
Elmira buckled her seatbelt with tense movements. "You scared?" he asked.
"I've been in a couple bad car wrecks." Her hands began to shake, and she clasped them together to steady herself.
Max felt the anxiety too, a hollow feeling in his gut. He rode the feeling, letting it drive him. "Don't worry Mira, you're in the hands of a semi-professional." He threw the car into drive.
This entire mission he had felt useless. He had largely remained in the background, watching as they handled things. He remembered Trent's arrogant demeanor, his commanding voice. He was a man used to getting what he wanted, but not this time. Here we come Trent, hope you're ready for us. Max slammed on the peddle and the car shot forward like a bullet.
Usually the highway curves were gradual turns, but Max had pushed the Cadi to its limits. No turn was safe when you were going 150 mph. The Cadillac's engine roared as Max pushed it ever more.
Vinny took everything in stride. Elmira sat with eyes shut stiffly, glued to her seat. Max thought she was muttering, but couldn't hear anything over the roar of the engine.
Is she praying? Max had never been the religious type and could say with some confidence that there was no god. Of course, I would have said the same thing about vampires a month ago. Besides, if there was a time to pray it was when you're hurtling down a highway going a 150mph. I ought to become a pastor, restoring people's faith by nearly killing them.
Max wasn't worried. The Cadillac could reach 190mph easy and handled like a dime. The hard part is when we catch up with him. The monstrous Ford Escalade. Running that thing off the road won't be easy.
The highway was empty save for a car far ahead. There you are Trent. Keep running. I'll catch up. The larger SUV hadn't been built for high speed chases. Max wasn't sure how he knew all this, but it came to him like remembering how to ride a bike. The taillights of the SUV began to get closer.
Max pushed harder on the gas pedal. "Prepare for impact, kiddos."
"What do you mean impact?" Mira's eyes were now wide open.
"What did you think was gonna happen when we caught up to him?" Max retorted. "It's not like he's going to stop driving."
Mira shot him a dirty look. Vinny laughed and grabbed on to Baeric's unconscious body.
The Escalade slowed suddenly, and Max had to swerve to avoid hitting him. Brake check me, asshole? Max tapped the brakes guiding the nose of his car into the rear left tire of the Escalade. Before Max could execute the maneuver, Trent slowed the SUV so they were side-by-side.
Max saw Trent smiling at him. Mira let out a terrified shriek as Trent swerved the SUV into their car. The Cadillac rocked violently as they were shoved toward the median.
Max began to move the Cadillac into position, but the Escalade slowed again and slammed into him.
Mira began to hyperventilate. groaned from the backseat. Trent grinned at him. He meant to slam into them until their car was crushed wreck.
Max looked at Elmira huddled in the passenger seat shivering. In the backseat, Vinny crowded close to Baeric's unconscious form trying to steady the big man's body in all the turbulence.
Max hit the gas pedal. His car is bigger, but slower. Trent sped the Escalade to catch up. If I time this right his vehicle won't be able to react quick enough. The Escalade caught up to the Cadillac.
Max stepped on the brakes; the Escalade shot forward. Now! Before the SUV could completely pass him, Max guided the nose of his car into the Escalade's rear left side and stomped on the gas pedal. It was the perfect PIT maneuver.
The PIT maneuver, or Pursuit Intervention Technique, was a move used by police officers to end dangerous car chases. The maneuver causes the back tires of the suspect's car to swerve. Thereby causing the entire vehicle to slide sideways. Before long, aspiring drag racers learned the technique to gain the upper hand in their races. That was where Max had learned it.
At normal speeds, a car with a low center of gravity would spin out after a PIT maneuver. The SUV was going excessively fast and had a high center of gravity. The combination led to a horrible wreck that made NASCAR crashes look like a fender bender.
The Escalade's back tires spun out turning the vehicle to the side. Max slowed his car to avoid it. Most sedans would continue to spin out, but the Escalade wasn't as low to the ground as a regular car. The back tires popped into the air and the SUV rolled four times before screeching to a halt on its side. Max pulled the Cadillac to a stop in front of the wrecked vehicle.
Elmira moaned. "That was horrible. Never… again." Max favored her with a toothy grin.
"What, you didn't enjoy the ride?" Vinny gave a weak chuckle before exiting the car.
"I don't like this." Elmira muttered. Despite her terrified anxiety during the car chase, she was calm and collected as she pulled out her pistol from her waistband and opened the car door to follow. "We need to leave before someone calls the cops."
The highway only led from the city to the old port and didn't see much traffic as a result. Still, Elmira was right to worry. The crash had made a lot of noise and was bound to attract attention.
Vinny approached the wrecked vehicle tentatively. Max hopped out to get a better look. The crash really had been horrendous, like something out of a James Bond movie. A regular person would have died, but Trent was a full-fledged Kindred.
Vinny slowly climbed onto the SUV and looked through the window. A pair of hands shot out of the car dragging him in. Elmira ran, pistol up. His stomach dropped. We should have known better.
Trent rose from the window arms around Vinny's neck. Blood dripped from the side of his head. The accident had taken a toll on him. Still, he didn't break any major bones. Vinny struggled, but Trent held him easily. Elmira screamed in fear and frustration, but her aim never wavered.
"Calm down, little girl." Trent faced Elmira, but held Vinny up as a shield. "How do you expect us to have a conversation when you're holding that? Drop the gun."
She held the gun steady, even on the verge of tears. She's the only one of us three with a gun. All I have is a knife. He felt the knife in his waistband. I don't know how much use it will be here.
Trent began to squeeze Vinny's neck. "I asked kindly," He bent and ripped off Vinny's ear with a single bite. Vinny tried to scream in pain, but all that came out was garbled rasping. "Put down the gun little girl or the next bite will kill him."
"Then I'll kill you." Even crying she managed to sound threatening.
"Are you really willing to let your friend die?" Trent said. For the first time all day, Elmira's aim wobbled. "I think not, now put down the gun."
Elmira placed the gun on the ground sliding it away.
"I did what you wanted, let him go." Elmira said. Max walked over standing beside her. He didn't have a rescue plan or even a suggestion. They were screwed. And they knew it.
Trent cackled, "This day has been completely fucked." His eyes narrowed at them. "I don't know what that… thing back there was. I don't know who you are. But I don't really care, you're just Thinblood trash."
"Are you gonna let him go, or not?" Max demanded.
"Why, tired of talking?" Trent mocked.
Max felt the knife at his waistband and grabbed the handle. He didn't know the first thing about knife combat. Trent was stalling to his benefit.
"I wanna get this over with. That Nosferatu didn't look too hot last I saw. The Monster is gonna come this way soon." Trent's face paled and Max smiled. "How's your boss gonna feel about the lost package? I heard the Cam doesn't tolerate failure. Wonder what they do to failed delivery boys."
Trent growled, "I could leave you here, let that thing find you, but I'm sure the Prince would love to hear tales of your little Thinblood coterie.
Well shit. Max knew what the look in his eyes meant, he didn't have to be told. He unsheathed the knife knowing full well he would be too slow to stop Trent from killing Vinny. Max saw Trent mutter something to the awkward teen.
Amazingly, Trent didn't kill Vinny. Trent shoved Vinny from the car. He hit the pavement with a loud CRACK!
"Get up you mangy dog." Vinny rose from the pavement a bloody mess and turned to face Trent. This doesn't feel right. Elmira nudged him.
Vinny's eyes were glazed over, his movements jerky. Covered in blood, he looked like a mannequin in an extreme fashion show.
"Go for the gun, Elmira." Trent may be full kindred, but we can still overwhelm him." Max flashed the knife at her. He could see fear in her eyes, but she nodded. He didn't deserve to be her friend. He didn't deserve to be anyone's friend.
"Kill them, little dog. Starting with him." Trent leveled a finger directly at Max. "Make the little rat suffer."
Vinny turned to look at Max. Look was the wrong word. Vinny's eyes were focused on him, but they held none of the joviality that defined Vinny. He's looking through me.
Vinny growled and charged. Elmira dashed towards where she had slid the gun. She was almost within reach when Trent jumped from the top of the car slamming into her. His greater weight throwing her hard against the road. After that, Max couldn't see Elmira. Vinny consumed his vision.
Vinny, swiped wildly at him. What did Trent do? Max backed away dodging the first flurry of strikes. He still held the knife Baeric had given him. Did he dare risk using it on Vinny?
Vinny stalked towards him and lunged. Max dodged. Any action is better than no action. I have to- One of Vinny's wild swings caught Max full force in the face. Vinny hadn't lunged, he had fainted to draw out the dodge. Shit, I thought he wasn't capable of subtlety. Max had miscalculated. Whatever Trent had done to Vinny hadn't taken away his ability to strategize and adapt.
Before Max could get to his feet, Vinny crowded him. Max found himself pinned. Vinny beat at his head. Max bucked, trying to throw him off. Despite Vinny's small frame, Max felt like he was trying to lift a car. Vinny leaned down; mouth open. He's gonna rip out my throat!
Max swung the knife at Vinny's face to put the blade between them. Max heard the ripping of flesh and felt his hand jerk. Vinny threw back his head and let out a howl. Sorry bud.
That elder, the Nosferatu, he was subdued in a trance. What did Trent call it? Tor Por? Vinny grabbed the arm that held the knife and began to fight for the weapon. Max reached up and elbowed Vinny in the face with his left arm. There was an audible POP! As his nose broke. Blood gushed all over Max.
He called it Torpor, a hibernation Kindred went into after extremely old age or… or a stake was driven through their heart. Max grabbed a handful of Vinny's hair with his free arm. Vinny still had the right arm and the knife trapped. But, this knife isn't a stake and Vinny isn't a Kindred, just a thinblood. If he was wrong, Vinny would be dead. What would the others think of him. It seemed that no matter what he did, Max couldn't keep his friends safe. Are they my friends?
Max bucked again to give his arm room to maneuver. The sudden movement caught Vinny off guard. Max was able to free his arm. Fuck it, he thought. Doing something is better than doing nothing.
Max reached up and wrapped his free arm around Vinny's head. He used his other arm to drive the knife into Vinny's heart. I sure hope this fucking works.
Vinny let a bestial snarl and attempted to redirect the knife, but he was too slow. The blade slid squarely into his chest. Vinny let out a sudden gasp and went rigid. His eyes closed and he began to breathe rapidly. Max slid Vinny off him.
Vinny was still breathing. That was good. Max looked around for Elmira. He saw her pinned under Trent's knee squirming to get free.
"Not to worry thinblood, trash. Your existence is almost over." Max sprinted at Trent just as he leaned down to drink Elmira dry. Max wasn't as fast as Elmira; he knew he wouldn't make it there in time.
"TRENT!" Max screamed as he ran. Trent didn't have to turn around. He could have killed Elmira then dealt with Max at his leisure, but Trent struck him as a narcissistically self-obsessed creature. Max was betting Elmira's life that Trent would turn when his name was called.
Trent snapped his head around and snarled. Quick, say something before he remembers to kill her.
"What did you do, to Vinny?" It was the first thing that popped out of his mouth, but it was good. Trent wouldn't pass up an opportunity to brag.
Trent rose to face him. "Oh, that?"
He glanced at Vinny's unconscious form. Max had a feeling that he noticed the knife sticking out of Vinny's chest and knew the implications of it better than Max did.
Max slowed to a halt ten feet from Trent. Every instinct in him told Max to attack the man in front of him. To satisfy that primal rage. I need to get him away from Elmira. When she's safe, then I can kill this fuck.
"Funny thing, I could have killed him, the foolish little boy, but, even being full kindred, I knew I'd be hard-pressed to fight you and this bitch together. It's called presence." He smirked at Max and winked.
Max circled him. Trent followed obviously not done gloating. Mira was still conscious, but she looked badly wounded. Her jaw was misaligned, and her face was bloodied. He needed to create distance between Trent and Elmira, then maybe she could slip away when Max made his move.
"Usually it only allows me to manipulate surface level emotions, but, once I bite, I can do a lot more." Trent walked slowly towards him. "It was good thinking, putting him in Torpor. And you didn't even know what Torpor was an hour ago."
"I learn fast." Max replied.
"I thought you'd kill him, but perhaps you've done me a favor. I'll take him back to the Camarilla with me. a slave."
Trent was far enough away from Elmira. She could slip away. Except, he didn't know what his move would be. He was weaponless, didn't know how to fight, and everyone had told him that full-fledged kindred were stronger and faster.
He saw Elmira sit up and look at him. Blood pooled in the cornea of her left eye turning it bright red. Her face was bruised to hell, and she looked like she had gotten run over by a bus. But she didn't look defeated. She would rather fight and die than leave her friends. His chest swelled and he felt a warm tingling in his stomach. The idiot's going to get herself killed with me. There was no anger only a bitter resignation at what she would do and a resentful admiration for her.
Trent continued walking towards him like a lion stalking a gazelle. Max waited until Trent was within five feet. Max looked at the ground, arms trembling.
"Wait, Trent, I'm sorry. Please, I'll do anything, just don't hurt me." Trent paused, looking confused, before smirking at him.
"A little too late for th…" Max lunged, catching Trent off guard. The man really was arrogant, lucky for Max.
Max grabbed him behind the head and elbowed him hard in the face. Trent tried to duck, but the elbow caught him above his right eyebrow opening a large cut. Blood immediately began to pour into his eyes.
"YOU BASTARD!" Trent roared grabbing Max's throat in one hand and his wrist in the other. Max heard a CRACK! as his wrist broke. Strangely, he didn't feel pain. Max tried to jerk his arm free, but it didn't budge. He felt Trent's hand tighten around his trachea. He tried gasping for air but found nothing.
So, this is the difference between Kindred and us? No wonder they feel superior. If Trent was this strong, then he should have been able to kill Elmira a lot sooner. He was beating her, drawing it out. Trent, you fucking bastard. All Max wanted to do was kill the monster in front of him, but instead he was being killed. I'm… sorry El…mi...ra. The squeezing got tighter and Max began to see flecks of black as his vision blurred.
"Hey, fuckface," Trent turned his head just in time to see the large metal pipe flash towards his face. He dropped Max and tried to lift a hand to block, but Elmira was a graceful blur. The pipe smashed into his face with a surprising amount of force. Max hit the pavement and rolled away.
Trent stood severely bloodied, but still conscious. He moved towards Elmira. She swung again, but Trent was ready. He rushed her, knocking her to the ground. Elmira screamed and thrashed, but to no avail.
Max shakily got to his feet and stumbled over. He felt awful. Broken bones. Aching body. But he didn't have time for any of it. He only had time for one thing. Blood. It ran this world. He would use it now.
"Stupid bitch, I was in the middle of something." There was a sickening thud. Elmira put a hand up to defend against the next blow. Trent swept it aside and hit her again.
Max's vision pulsed, but he focused on the back of Trent's neck. He was driven by desperation now. He didn't have fangs, but his determination would make up for that.
Max grabbed Trent's shoulders and bit down on his neck. Harder, Max felt his teeth pierce the skin as blood rushed into his mouth. Trent screamed, Elmira caught his wrists in her hands and gripped them tightly.
It was sweet. Sweeter than anything. He began to drink deeply the blood rushing from Trent's neck. Faintly, he heard Elmira screaming at him, but Max couldn't make out what she was saying. Only the sweet taste of blood mattered.
Chuck had warned him against this. He didn't care. As he felt the blood begin to stop flowing his vision darkened. Max tried to shake his head and open his eyes, but an intense drowsiness swept over him. It overwhelmed him.
The monster flexed his hand. He hadn't expected such a tough fight. The Nosferatu had been 6th or 7th generation at least. He had never been afraid.
The tougher the fight, the sweeter the blood. And how sweet the blood had been. He had learned the ability of Obfuscate through the elder's blood. My master was right, blood is the key to everything.
I'm one step closer to drowning this city in its crimson glory. He felt elated, but something nagged at the back of his mind. That was him, I'm sure of it. But that was impossible. He had died that night. Is he working with that bitch?
That sweet urge to kill his former friend consumed him, but his Master had taught him better. After all, death scared most people, but he didn't want to kill that bitch. He wanted that bitch to feel helpless. As helpless as she had made him.
Time to leave, he thought. The ship had sunk into the harbor and the police would no doubt be called. He activated his obfuscate. If anyone attempted to look at him, they would see nothing. He gazed out over the rotten city he had come to hate.
"Run for now Max. I'll find you." The monster of New Orleans smiled darkly. "Your fate will be the same as hers.