Next chapter's here. Aren't you glad? And it's a bit longer than the last one. Now all will worship me!...I said worship me, dang it! (shakes fist in threat) Okay, fine! Be that way!
Hope you like it somewhat! I give this chapter half-good, because I have no confidence.All answers will be revealed...later. Not this chapter really. O.o Hey, I take my time. Is that so wrong?
I'll shut up now. Now read and review...or I will haunt you in your dreams. :)
Chapter 2- Cherry Wine
The pale light of the moon bore down on the vacant streets, the illumination tinting the buildings with a ghastly glow, creating a chilling sparkle on the blood as it continually gushed out of the double wounds of the wounded prey. Sonic tried to think straight as he stared at the bat huntress before him, crouching like a panther.
Her face was…unbelievable.
Before, her mascara eyes and full painted lips set many males aflame with desire. She had been beautiful, seductive; the mysterious aura surrounding her enhanced her attraction further. The bat had truly been a dream woman, thought to have existed only in men's fantasies.
But now, her face was horrid. A repulsive cover to rival the most disgusting of creatures that had ever existed in the world. Almost every part of her features was greatly exaggerated. The ears increased in size, now flopping down her face, limp like flaps. Her white fur was a dirty gray color, frizzy strands sinking down to her waist. The eyes no longer had any color. They were pure black, ebony pieces of coal, as if there was nothing left inside her. Her mouth was a wicked grin, stretched hideously, the fangs dripping saliva mixed with warm blood. The bat's breath blew through her teeth, creating chilling hisses.
Sonic tried to get his attention away from her face, but the rest of her was no comfort. Her arms dangled like an ape's, touching the ground. Large claws were at her fingertips, clicking against each other when she moved. Her usual white gloves were absent, no longer needed. Her black wings, twisted in terrible form with claws at the tips, flapped slowly in systematic rhythm. She watched Sonic warily, eyeing the blood vessels she could just make out through the ocean fur.
How the hedgehog was able to know that this creature was Rouge, who stooped on the ground and grinned repugnantly, was beyond him. Her features were too horribly grotesque to indicate that this was the female treasure huntress. He just…knew.
Sonic tried to steady his breathing and calm his fast beating heart. The bat's hissing unnerved him. Gently, he spoke to her.
"Rouge…how did this-"
Her face changed slightly, the black eyes more focused, loosing their feral glare. Sonic could see that she was listening now. Her mouth moved, as if she tried to speak.
"Rouge?" Sonic took one step cautiously toward her. The victim still lay sprawled on the ground, eyes blank. But he wasn't dead yet, Sonic could see that. But he had to go slowly now, don't rush through things as usual. It was a challenge for the hedgehog, for one who always took quick action instead.
"Rouge," he said more firmly, voice hardening. "What is going on?"
Her head dropped to her chest, the hissing now only a whisper. Sonic took tiny steps toward her, not wanting to provoke the bat into any instability. The victim beside him breathed faintly, wisps of air in the dark.
Sonic reached out one gloved hand. "What happened to you?"
Silence.
Sympathy replaced by quiet anger, the cobalt hedgehog placed his outstretched on her shoulder.
A costly mistake.
She lashed out at him, her fangs nearly raking the flesh on his face. Sonic quickly jumped back, but Rouge pounced on top of him, all the time shrieking like a horrid banshee. Both combatants landed on the cement. Sonic kept her away from his face, pushing her back with his hands wrapped firmly around her neck.
"What are you doing! Stop!" he pleaded in desperation. But her eyes only showed a primal hunger, only a yearning for the warmth that would help her, that would stop the cold that was always there. Her wings fluttered wildly, desperate, needing.
Using all his strength, Sonic shoved her off, making the vampire crash into the wall of the building looming over them. The cobalt hero got up, legs trembling. Rouge lay sprawled on the ground, still and silent.
"No, Rouge! Are you alright?" Sonic ran up to her, worried for her safety. The bat's head shot up, eyes gleaming fiendish black. A wicked flash of fading white rushed toward the hedgehog. With a yelp, he barely dodged out of the way. Soon, Rouge was on the other side, hunched over and arms slack.
Sonic then noticed the mark on his right shoulder. Two needle thin cuts on the flesh, just tiny slivers of red. She had been close, very close. The hedgehog could see her face contorted in what could only be described as sadistic pleasure. The hissing came again.
"Give…me…"
Sonic stepped back. Her voice was…dark, cold, sorrowful. Just the tone felt like it stabbed through him.
"Give me…now…give…give…give…"
Unfurling her wings, grisly and torn, she attacked all the while laughing at the exotic thrill.
Sonic rolled out of the way. "Rouge, control yourself!"
The bat stared at him, screaming and laughing at the same time.
"Now, now, now!"
She lashed out again, fangs parted. It took Sonic all his speed and courage to evade her deadly attacks for she darted each and every way, an apparition of gray in the dark. She had become much faster now. Sonic tried not to look at her eyes that were completely void of anything. He remembered when he had his hands on her neck just moments before. Her skin had felt so cold, like freezing ice. He recalled no beating pulse on her.
Still and dead.
"Sonic…"
The hiss pleaded out to him, making the hedgehog halt in his evasion.
"Wait. Can you-?"
"Sonic…"
Now her voice seemed more like her own, her eyes getting back a little color. Sonic could see the helplessness inside her. She was frightened and lost within herself. The bat called for help. The monstrous visage melted away, revealing her true self, trapped.
Then she grinned, the face disappeared.
"Die."
Her heel connected with Sonic's head. A great flash of pain stabbed his brain, a light blinding his vision. Collapsing to the cement, she grabbed his body, her fangs just ready to plunge. From the ache, the hedgehog could barely move, only able to yell.
"Don't! Rouge! You can't do this!"
"I want! I want! I want!"
Helpless, Sonic shut his eyes tight, waiting for it. To feel his life move farther away into her, feel the sucking. He could dimply hear Rouge yelling, "Shut up! Shut up! I don't need to hear you know! Just shut up!" Her face came near his own.
"Give it…"
A scream echoed through the empty streets.
Already Tails was busy with his own predicament. The twin-tailed fox struggled with the burden of the unconscious black hedgehog as he dragged him to the living room couch. After many exhausting tries, Tails finally got Shadow laying his back on the soft cushions. The hedgehog shivered slightly, the blood loss taking its toll. Quickly, Tails got thick gauze from his bathroom cabinet and wrapped the tough covering around Shadow's arm. He saw the two punctures in the flesh but could only staunch the blood flow, since the hedgehog had lost too much already.
Tails then thought up an idea and ran to the laboratory that was lined with many fantastic machines on the walls, blinking away with multicolored light. Ignoring them, he went to the back, searching through drawers that were cluttered with papers and gadgets. He dragged out the desired object, a needle, and examined it for any damage. Seeing none, he went to a device that filled the needle with a strange, pure clear liquid. Immediately, the fox rushed to the living room, nearly tripping over the furniture.
Shadow was trembling more violently, his lips turning blue as if he was freezing in ice. Quickly and carefully, Tails injected the needlepoint into the hedgehog's arm, contacting with the vein. The clear liquid mingled with the red river, aiding the blood cells. Tails watched nervously. The insulin would help, but only a little bit. He just hoped it was enough. The child did not exactly have any spare blood in his garage.
Whether he sat there for ten minutes or two hours he can no longer recall. As the fox waited for Shadow's recovery, time had no meaning. Eventually, the hedgehog's eyelids moved, and then slowly rose from its bindings.
"Shadow, you okay?"
Struggling to sit up, Shadow grunted in pain.
"Careful," Tails warned. The kitsune helped him up to a sitting position, Shadow muttered his thanks.
"What happened to you? You've lost a lot of blood," the fox said.
Shadow kept his eyes averted from the child's face. "Where's Sonic?"
"Huh?"
"Where is he? I need his help."
"Um, he went out for a jog," Tails answered, unsure.
"God, are you kidding me!" Shadow yelled in frustration. "That stupid faker! Of all the freaking times he had to-!"
"Wait Shadow!" the fox interrupted. "Why do you need Sonic? Can't you tell me?"
The black hedgehog heaved a sigh, his anger draining. "I need him to help me find Rouge."
Tails raised one eyebrow in curiosity. "Rouge? How come?"
Shadow kept his gaze on his wounded arm. "You heard about those kidnappings recently?"
"Well, yeah. Everyone has. What does she have to-?"
"She did them, those kidnappings."
Tails' blue eyes widened in shock. "What! But why? She would never-"
"She did. She took them away and killed them. I saw her do it many times. It's a new hobby of hers now."
Tails didn't speak, letting Shadow continue his tale.
"She's not herself though, it got her already. So she can't do anything else. I tried to help her but it was nearly impossible to get rid of it."
"What was?"
Shadow smiled sadly. "She's a vampire."
Deafening silence.
"…Come again?" Tails asked.
"Vampire. She's a vampire." Shadow said, laying more emphasis.
Seeing the disbelief and confusion in the kitsune's face, he gave a sigh. "Look, I just need to find Sonic. I know this seems far-fetched-"
"No, Shadow! I'm not doubting you. This just sounds kind of… strange. I mean if she is a vampire, how did she become one?"
Shadow's fists clenched. "He did. That bastard did this to her."
"Who did?" Tails asked, wonderment apparent in his face.
As the hedgehog opened his mouth to speak, his eyes suddenly widened. His body trembled and he wrapped his arms around himself to cease the shaking. Shadow's face was in pure terror, he shook his head to get rid of the image that only he could see.
"Shadow!" Tails looked on in fear of the black hedgehog's violent convulsions.
"Something's…happening," Shadow grunted through clenched teeth. "God, she's got…Sonic."
"What!" Tails yelped.
"Crap, the damn hedgehog's an idiot, but even he doesn't deserve that." Shadow immediately jumped off the couch, rushing through the doorway into the coming dawn.
"Wait! You're not fully healed yet!" Tails called out to him.
Outside, the darkness of the sky was now retreating, chased away by the waking sun, creating a pinkish glow on the horizon. Shadow craned his head upwards, red eyes focused. "Maybe she didn't get to do it before it came. Maybe…"
"Shadow, hold up!" Tails pleaded.
But the black hedgehog ran ahead, his jet shoes gliding across the earth.
With his two furry tails, the kitsune flew after him, growing more afraid. He desperately tried to catch up to the black hedgehog.
"Sonic, where are you?" he whispered softly.
She heaved the paralyzed hedgehog away, sending him colliding with the trash cans. Sonic landed hard on the rocky cement, fearing that perhaps a vital organ was bruised or an important bone broken. He was only able to raise his head to see Rouge screaming and trying to cover up her face with her clawed hands.
The sun was up, its holy radiance penetrating the thick shadows, exposing the vampire to its light. It hurt, it hurt so much. Knives stabbing, burning all over. Hot lava poured on her, scarring everywhere. The inferno claimed her body no matter how hard she tried to hide from it. In a horrible screech, the vampire flew off into the dark part of the sky which had not been tainted with the light yet. But not before she grabbed hold of the other victim that had lain forgotten during the fight.
Standing up on shaking cobalt legs, Sonic watched the demonic bat fly away. She had not taken his blood. Sonic had tried to keep her away, but he felt her breath on his face, the smell of blood clinging to her taste buds. She would have bitten him, her fangs slicing through and then the sucking; the sucking away of his life would have ensued.
But the sun came, piercing through her shadow barrier. Trying not to be exposed, she had shoved Sonic away, the instinct to escape the light overpowering her hunger. Then again, perhaps not completely, for she took off with her other prey. To suck him dry.
Sonic had seen the victims' eyes, still alive, begging for his help.
God, Rouge. What is happening to you?
The dawn sneaked through the evening, illuminating the abandoned streets. Sonic saw numerous scratches on his arms and chest, gifts from Rouge's teeth. He rubbed the back of his head from the kick of the bat's iron heel. The kick had been a perfect shot.
Slowly, Sonic tried to move forward, but his vision got blurry. Everything seemed to be spinning so fast. He could only make out the wounds on his body. Were her teeth filled with poison or something?
The hero leaned against the wall of a nearby building, panting with fatigue. He needed help, fast.
Someone come…please…
Shadow skated among the ground of the Mystic Ruins, his mind in chaos. He had felt her pain, had heard the terrible cry, all because of the light. She had always been a creature of the night, but now she was just a thing…that lived the night. It was unexplained but he heard her, had seen her holding Sonic, grasping him close for her to bite through.
Shadow heard Tails' voice calling out to him, but he could not wait. He had to get there quickly; she was going out of control. From the house, he ran through the train tunnel which led to Station Square, growing more desperate each second. He wished he could just Chaos Control there, but it took an insane amount of energy to wield. Shadow knew that if he tried, he would collapse of fatigue just like before. Or even worse, get trapped between jumps, stuck in the fabric of time and space, lost in nothingness. Just by running, he lost strength with each step. Eventually, he couldn't even use the jets on his shoes which required more vigor than he had. He could only resort to regular jogging. Though still fast, he felt it cut his speed by too much.
He was too slow, he needed to go faster. Trying to catch up to her who was always running away from him.
Shadow felt a small hand on his arm. Turning his head slightly, he found the young fox just barely holding onto him, sweat forming on his brow. He could not keep up with Shadow any longer.
Perhaps I'm going faster than I thought.
Just as the boy was about to slip, the hedgehog clasped his hand, holding onto him as he ran. He heaved Tails onto his back so that the boy could cling on. Soon the fox was clasping the hedgehog by the neck.
He's still too tired. I can't bring him there. If Sonic really is…will he be able to take that? He's only a kid.
They were on the streets now, the sun peeking into the world like a child into a forbidden area. Both had arrived in the abandoned section of the city. The broken windows of the buildings gazed down onto the two travelers sinisterly, wondering who would be foolish enough to come here. The light fell on the emptiness of the district but just barely, as if the rays of the sunshine themselves felt unsafe in the region.
Tails looked up ahead, finding a body leaning against the crumbling walls of a small convenient store. "It's Sonic!" he cried.
Shadow gazed ahead, and sure enough, the blue faker was still alive. Relief swept his senses, glad to see the hedgehog up and breathing. Sonic raised his head, grinning when he saw the two come to him, although he was still in pain.
"It's about…damn time you guys showed up."
What had ever possessed me to go down here? I watched the news, I read the paper. But I went anyway, because it was a fast shortcut. I was so tired, I was only going to be in town for two days, and then I could go home. I had heard of the kidnappings, sounded like any other psychopath.
It was going to cut the time in half, to get back to the hotel through here. I really didn't think. She…no, it… just swooped down on me. God, I just knew I was going to die. My instincts commanded me to run but they had already went inside me.
It was…it was…burning metal…butcher knives…and then I was falling…I felt it sucking…like I was a pacifier or something. I couldn't move, that thing was just standing over me. I don't know if I screamed or yelled, but it drank me in.
Then that god-forsaken face moved to the side. I think it heard something. I heard it too…I needed help. Oh God, I needed help. Please, God. The thing went to hide above. I was lying there for so long.
But wait, I see him. Sonic the Hedgehog. Anybody who is anybody knows about him. He'll save me, I know he will. I think I called out to him, but it's so hard to make any sound. I was choking on my own blood, it felt so horrible. Sonic…he sees me. He'll help me. He's coming over here. I'm going to be fine.
But… I could hear that thing breathing from somewhere; it was waiting for Sonic to come. The hedgehog's walking up to me, talking.
No, damn it! It's here! Please help me! Just-just get me out of here! Please!
But he's still standing there, talking to me.
I can't talk! Damn it! Help me!
I would have cried if I could.
Then the thing threw something at him. He dodged it and then he saw its face. It looked like he knows it, because he's calling it by some name.
I can't move. My God, no. I'm paralyzed.
I just heard sounds of fighting and screaming, it was saying things. The voice was just…too…I don't know! And then it screamed, so horrible. I can barely see the light coming into the alley.
Morning…morning.
It grabbed me, taking me up above.
NONONO!
Sonic's below me. He sees me, but he's not coming. He's been hurt.
No! Sonic! Please help me!
We're flying through the air for who knows how long. There's a forest now, it's so dark and…and isolated. It drops me to the ground. I can see its face so clearly. It's a her, a woman. Oh God!
She's…oh no…please not again! I don't want to feel those things again! No no! Stop please!
She pins me to the ground, her face is getting closer.
Please…I beg you! I have a wife and kids! Don't do this! Stop! Please…
Please…
…Stop…