I gasped in fear and did something I almost never do. Run. I took off in the direction I had come from, big mistake but I was too afraid to care. Racing back through the shadows only heightened my desire to get away. After running full tilt to the other end of the ally I leaned against the cool brick wall trying to catch my breath which was coming in short hungry gasps. I had to control my breathing or I was going to hyperventilate and that would mean I would most likely pass out. If that happened I would die no ifs, ands, or buts just dead so I stayed there against the wall trying to breath slowly and keep my fear down to a manageable level but it was hard listening to the frantic racing of my heart. The dread that whoever that was who had followed me was still watching me waiting for his next chance was clear and strong. I had never expected anything like this, not even in New York Normally I would have said the fangs were fake but fake fangs didn't slide out on their own like that.
What was probably minutes seemed like hours standing and waiting for some sign of him. When I think about it now I should have just kept running after I got my breath back but I didn't. Let's just put it this way Raziel formerly Nikolaos no function sleep without and the lack of sleep equaled stupidity on my part. Now I heard heavy footsteps like the sound of boots against wet asphalt. He was back though this time instead of being frozen with fear I took up a defensive stance. No one has ever frightened me that much and got away with it I had too much pride to allow that. It's a very natural human trait to confront that which scares us so I was going to show him that one way or another that I am afraid of nothing.
"Well, look who's back," I remarked my words dripping with scorn.
He laughed and replied "It's been a while since I actually had to work for my meal you put up a good chase."
"And just what is that supposed to mean," I answered with rage slowly beginning to build within me.
Still grinning he told me "I think you know exactly what I mean or are you more stupid than you look?"
I clenched my jaw in anger but tried to remain nonchalant I wouldn't let him have that satisfaction of knowing he was seriously pissing me off. "You can think what you like but I'll just ask this one more time who the bloody hell are you and what the fuck do you want?" I growled, I wanted an answer and I didn't have the patience for his goddamned games.
"Wouldn't you like to know," he mocked his smile widening flashing his fangs.
That was it! I hit him with a roundhouse kick square in the jaw hard enough to hear the crack of his neck as his head snapped to the side. What I had done was reckless, idiotic, and just plain crazy but that was it I has had it. If he wanted to scare the hell out of me, insult me, then piss me off he had to pay the price. Unfortunately I didn't realize the price I would be paying for what I had just done.
"Poor decision, you'll regret that little move," He said. All of the humor had drained from his face and a cold emotionless mask replaced it. It was meant to scare me but it didn't work my fear had long since disappeared; only the fiery rage remained.
"Oh really, if I got a dollar for every time I heard some bastard tell me something like that I wouldn't be living in NYC do I look like I care what a smart ass like you is going to do?" I said. Dear God I should have just kept my big mouth shut but I doubt that would have helped any by now.
He vanished from where he stood instinctively I spun around finding him at my back. This time instead of giving me time to react he grabbed my hands and pinned them together. I started cursing at him in every language I knew struggling to get free from his grip but it was a wasted effort it was like fighting moving steel he was just too strong. He went for my hair to pull my head back but I didn't let him instead I snapped at him with my lip curled back and snarling at him like an angry wolf. He backhanded me sending black spots across my vision he took advantage of my disorientation grabbing my hair he pulled my head back exposing my throat. I let out a mix between a scream and a curse as his fangs plunged into my neck.
I fought with all I had but my blood felt like it was on fire burning me alive from the inside my heart beat sped up feeding him faster killing me faster. All I could think of was pain, burning, suffocating, no air. I began my cursing anew as the agonizing pain made me struggle harder anything to make it stop. The fighting and blood loss had made me weak and he must of felt it because he loosened his grip on me some. I could still think coherently enough to know I had an opportunity and I took advantage of it. I drew the little strength I had left and pulled as hard as I could. I broke his hold on my hands and I kicked at him just below the kneecap and I was rewarded by the sickening pop it made when it dislocated. I heard him hiss in rage and pain as I staggered back against the brick wall of the ally hardly able to stand under my own power. I heard another crack of bone and saw that he had popped the joint back in place and he was already healed enough to be walking perfectly. He placed his hand around my throat cutting off my breathing. I began to thrash wildly pinned up against the wall trying to get air the only sound I could make was a meek choke as my world began to fade from view and blackness replaced it as I passed out from lack of oxygen.
I don't know how long I was out but I woke to a blurred figure standing in front of me. I was actually very surprised that I was even alive. I tried to move but intense pain shot through me every time my heart beat so my body protested even to small movements. Cringing slightly I turned my focus to the person watching me. It was him again. At first I thought I was dreaming and I shook my head, bad move it felt like a ton of bricks landed on me. The pain made me want to scream but I didn't have enough air for it my breathing was coming in short difficult breaths that burned my throat and made the pain in my chest grow. He moved over to me and drew some sort of a knife and slit his wrist he gasped in what might have been pain I hoped it was. Bending down he went to press his now profusely bleeding wrist to my mouth. I saw a few crimson rivulets splatter on the floor and knew I didn't want to drink I had no idea why I just knew I wasn't going to if I could help it. I guess he knew from my feeble protests that I wasn't going to take it willingly. He forced his wrist past my lips and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. I started to struggle again, I either had to swallow or choke. I didn't swallow I would choke first. He placed his hand against my throat and ran down it, making me swallow his blood convulsively. I sputtered and tried to spit it out but he kept my mouth covered so I couldn't. I can't put into words the feeling I experienced while I was forced to drink. It felt like drinking the pure essence of power not life or death but something in-between the two leaving no part of me it touched unchanged. After being force-fed a few times he finally released me. I coughed and gasped for breath trying to get the air that I felt like I greatly lacked.
What happened next was the most agonizing experience of my life. My heart sped up sending pain coursing me. I writhed on the floor gasping and burning with pain I lashed at him even though I was weak desperation gave me strength. I tried to stand to try to do as much damage to him as I possibly could. I didn't care what he would to me my body was already dying I felt it but my mind and soul refused to die along with it. I managed to get up and take a weak punch at him but I missed and fell to the floor. The blinding torture only increased and my spine bowed with it. Then my heart rate began to decrease and my breathing was becoming more and more labored with each passing moment. Now my heart rate was painfully slow the beats were now several seconds apart. Finally it stopped all together. I couldn't breath no matter how hard I tried I only made a few muffled sounds at the back of my throat. He began to fade from my view as the blackness poured in and death took hold of me.
