Outside the sanctuary
Cat-like yellowish green eyes stared at the window on the second floor. They were in there. The blood drinkers and the strange ones. The emaciated vampire wasn't concerned with the blood drinkers, though. Her thoughts were on the tall woman. The woman was the key that the vampire had been searching for. And now, here she was.
"Now," she whispered sibilantly, "Kasha gets her wish. Kasha gets what Jirina stole from her. And her little one will grant Kasha's wish." The vampire licked her lips and smiled. Once the two blood drinkers left, she would make the tall woman right her mother's wrong.
Inside
The muscles in Chupa's thigh jumped at the feel of Emma's hand. "I'm a pureblood so obviously I've never stood in the sun," he replied quietly. "Just think of what it would be like never to fear the light again. That's what you're being offered, you and Priest. All you have to do is prove that you are worthy of it." Priest spoke up. "You've said that more than once. How do we prove we're worthy?" he asked, more curious now than he was before. Rayn answered him. "You must resist temptation whenever it is put before you. If you can resist the greatest temptation, you will be deemed worthy and you will receive this gift."
Finally taking his eyes off of Emma, Chupa asked, "How can we both receive this 'gift' if Emma's the only one who has it?" Rayn laughed softly. "She will pass the gift to me and I will give it to Priest." Priest grinned broadly, showing his fangs. "You can give it to me any time you like, little girl," he teased, winking at her. She gave him a half-smile. "What a tempting thought, blood drinker," she told him, watching his smile fade slightly at her words. "Bloody hell," he whispered, "You've been testing us since you walked into the House of Pain." Emma smiled. "What was your first clue, Red?" Chupa glared at her. "Coming here was part of the test too," he commented, raising an eyebrow. She nodded. "There is great temptation in finding a lone woman asleep in her bed with no one to protect her. You both did well." Chupa's blue eyes seemed to bleed to red. "You bitch!" he shouted, rising to his feet. He reached forward with one hand as if to grab her but he stopped abruptly. A moment later, he started to choke and clutched at his throat as he fell to his knees. "Never take that tone with me, blood drinker! I need not even move to end your existence. Trifle with me and you will know a pain far worse than a few moments in sunlight," Emma hissed, her eyes completely colorless.
"Emma, stop! You'll kill him," Rayn cried, jumping up and grabbing her companion's arm. Emma seemed to ignore her as Chupa's face reddened and then began to pale. "Stop it," Priest shouted, moving out of his chair and towards Emma. Rayn pushed him back down into it. "Forgive me, my friend," Rayn murmured, closing her eyes. "Burn," she whispered, her eyes filled with green flames as they opened. A wild shriek of pain erupted from Emma and she fell to the floor, her body convulsing. Chupa gasped and then took a deep breath to fill his burning lungs. "What did you do to her?" he finally asked, watching as Emma writhed in pain. "I lit her up. I'm sorry for what she did to you, Chupa. It was uncalled for and I don't know why she did it. Emma never does things like that," Rayn told him, her green eyes sad. He looked up at her. "Will she be all right?" Rayn nodded. "She'll be very upset with me, but I think she'll understand. Please don't be angry. We must follow the Mother's wishes or we're punished. Sometimes, Her wishes are hard to understand and we are at a loss to interpret them. Please understand," she said, giving him a pleading look. He hesitated and then nodded. "She tries it again and I will find a way to hurt her."
Priest rose from his chair. "I'm leaving. If you want to talk, you know where to find me, Rayn," he said, stalking to the door and opening it. "You comin', Chupa?" His friend nodded and rose to his feet. "Right behind you." They left, the door slamming shut behind them.
Rayn dropped to her knees and gently lifted Emma's head onto her lap. "Why would you do this, Emma? It's not like you," she murmured as she lightly stroked her companion's hair. Emma didn't reply and she hadn't expected her to do so. Right now, all Emma was capable of was trembling uncontrollably. And Rayn wished she could have done something else to prevent Emma from hurting Chupa.
Outside
Kasha watched the blood drinkers leave. She cackled softly, hearing the scream of pain in her addled mind once more. It had been a beautiful sound. It was a sound she wanted desperately to hear again.
Jumping down from her perch, she swiftly crossed the deserted street and stopped in front of the door. She listened carefully, smiling when she heard no sounds. Her smile faded as she wondered if the blood drinkers had killed Jirina's little one. She hoped that they hadn't. She still wanted her wish.
Kasha pushed the door open and followed the corridor to an open door. Her fevered gaze fell on the young one cradling the tall woman. "The blood drinkers did Kasha a favor," she thought, "Now Jirina's little one must grant Kasha's wish. Kasha will drink from the young one if she doesn't." With incredible speed, she came up behind the girl and caught her around the throat. "Hush, hush," she crooned when the girl screamed, "Be good and Kasha will let you go. Wake up Jirina's little one." The girl's green eyes were wide with fear. "I-I can't. She has to come out of it on her own," she whispered, squeaking as Kasha's long, ragged fingernails dug into her throat. "Then you are no good to Kasha," the vampire hissed, flinging the girl away with astonishing strength. She watched as the girl's head struck the wall before the rest of her body.
Turning her attention to the tall woman, she growled, "Wake up now. Wake up and grant Kasha's wish. Give me what Jirina stole from me. Wake up, damn you." Getting no response, she began hitting the woman, breaking the skin more than once. "Jirina cheated Kasha and you will make it right," she shrieked, hitting the now-unconscious woman. Kasha heard a soft groan from behind her and turned to look. The young one was trying to move. She snarled and turned back to the woman. "If you will not give Kasha her wish, Kasha will take it," she hissed, leaning over and using her teeth to rip through the tender flesh of the woman's throat. Almost immediately, her mouth began to burn. Screaming in pain, she crawled toward the door and then made it to her feet. As she ran from the house, she knew that she had been tricked. She just needed to know who had done it.
Her head throbbing, Rayn crawled slowly toward Emma's still body. "Priest, Chupa, help. Emma, dear Mother-help us, Priest," she called out telepathically, hoping they could hear her. As she reached Emma, her strength gave out and she collapsed. Desperate, she called out once more. "Priest, I need you."
