We walked around the hotel looking hard for Pierre, and perhaps Garren. But I could not concentrate considering waves of pain, anger, and regret hit me. These were not exactly my feelings. Mine were about whoever did this to my friend and boy, will die.
I hit Jason over the head.
"Shut your emotions off. They hurt me." I said, glaring at him.
He looked surprised.
"Yes you, less Emo please." I glared at him.
We came back to the front of the hotel and waited for Scott. Half an hour later.. Jason was bleeding because he punched the wall a bit too hard. I took out Pierre's phone and called up Scott. No answer.
I have no 'connection' with Pierre or Scott so I was a bit perturbed about them missing. Let alone having Garren on my shoulders.
I looked over at Jason sadly. "Now what?" I asked, finally bowing down to his leadership skills.
"I don't know." he said sliding down the wall.
I sighed. "Can I call Blair Witch and say we are both fucking screwed?"
"You really think it's like that?" Jason looked up at me.
"Not witch, I'm thinking vamps. This whole thing screams conspiracy. This whole trip is so messed up. Two days in Paris and we lost three people." I sighed and slid down beside him.
"What do you propose? We stay here and wait to disappear like the others, or find out what the fuck is going on?"
"Do I hear a plan forming?" I said in a tired sarcastic tone.
"Well what do you think?" he asked.
"It feels like we are sitting ducks in any situation you look at. As well we have no leads..." I said ignoring the short conversations had gone through my head. "So if you want to go looking some more and kill off any vampires in the next twenty four hours I'm up for it." I said standing and held out my hand to him.
--
We searched and yelled into crowds looking for the trio we had lost. We didn't dare talk to the bobbies (cops), knowing they'd laugh in our face. So we searched alone. We wanted to hold onto each other's hands so we wouldn't lose each other, I could feel it. I was shaking in fear and anger both my own and Jason's as we weaved through the crowds. We kept each other at seeing distance.
Until a huge group of tourists blocked our view of each other. Before I knew it I couldn't see Jason anywhere. I began screaming out his name, jumping up and searching like a Meerkat would. People stared at me as I ran around looking for him.
I was shaking. I couldn't feel anything. I was numb, and none of the emotions Jason and I shared were coming to me. I felt empty. As I looked high and low, a thought struck me.
This is practically all happening in broad daylight. Lost three fucking people in the same two hours. Lost four people in the last twelve hours. What's next?! I fail as a slayer and die?!
I sat on a curb and started to cry. Not many people took notice of me. Or many did but I didn't notice because of my tears.
How the hell could I lose people like that? I repeated in my head. I began rocking back and forth on the curb, taking in shaking breaths.
I don't know how long I was sitting on that curb but by the time the sun started sinking into the horizon I realized where I was. I was awakened from my denial by a burning feeling on my chest. I let out a short scream before biting down on my lip making it bleed. I could feel the stares from everyone on me now.
I wanted to rip off my skin it hurt so much. But it only lasted a few seconds before it ebbed away. I was breathing hard, tears streaming down my face, mixing with my bloodied lip. /We will wait./ I heard a voice and looked around now trying to catch my breath.
--
I laid on the only bed in the room, in a tight ball. I couldn't feel anything. I stared at the wall, flashes of thoughts went through my head. The idea that I must find and, if so be, avenge my friends became stronger and stronger. I began concentrating on any thoughts about Garren or Jason in hope of hearing, seeing, or feeling anything. Nothing came up.
I growled and got up. I went through my bag and took out my weapons. Then strapped them to my body. This time my cross bow was silver plated iron not as easily to break as the other metals. My sais in their own pockets and a belt of stakes. Putting my dagger in my sock, I felt I was ready.
I opened the door and was looking into the chest of a guy. His black shirt tight against his skin showing off what muscles he had. I looked up, and his watery blue eyes were staring down at me, his blond hair in his eyes. He looked like he just appeared out of nowhere just now and was waiting for me.
"Salut," he said, his eyes dancing. "Coming?" he asked, holding his hand out.
I stared up in shock and I backed up a bit.
He chuckled kind of darkly.
"Who are you?" I asked, my grip finding the handle of one of my sais.
"Your escort." he said plainly, the twinkle still in his eyes. "We thought you'd want to see your friends." he smiled, I noticed his teeth for the first time.
"What did you do to them?!" I growled, my eyes still huge.
"Nothing permanent, yet..." he said, smiling. "But my master would like a word with you. If you do not co-operate though... I believe we may have to send your friends to the morgue or worse."
I took in a shaking breath.
His smile shrunk to a smirk. "Are you coming?" he offered his hand again.
"You're not worried, I may kill you?" I asked, both hands finally finding the handles.
"Not with your friends' lives on the line." he replied. "Whatever you do now decides your friends' life expectancies."
I slammed the door close behind me and grabbed his hand. Immediately finding myself in front of a castle. I've never been to castle my whole life, and I was in awe. The massive blocks and rocks that held together this elder of buildings.
I walked in and almost choked. Despite that my sense of smell has been dulled the smell of blood still made me want to throw up.
As I followed him, I heard screams and moans from various corners of the castle. I bit down on my tongue in hopes I wouldn't scream myself. He lead me to a room lavished with velvet drapes, chairs, and some tables.
"You can wait here." he said, sitting me down on a couch thing.
"When do I get to see my friends?!" I asked, as he walked away.
"As soon as you talk to my master." he said.
I narrowed my eyes and watched him walk away. I felt like I waited an hour and it was driving my patience to the edge.
A blonde haired girl walked in with grapes, bread and wine. She smiled, blushed and left the tray on a small side table.
I looked at the food and smelt it. But I couldn't put it to my lips.
"She's here, she's here." I heard a girl giggle.
"Shut up Madeline!" another girl growled.
"But she came!" Madeline said.
"Just shut up!" I heard a whimper, and no one spoke again.
Why does that name sound familiar? I asked myself as I waited. I stared at the stone floor and looked up feeling someone staring at me.
A man with shoulder length black hair and black eyes was looking at me. He wore a tight black suit buttoned up to his neck and a red handkerchief stuffed in his breast pocket. He smiled showing large fangs.
"Welcome Slayer Kali." he said, with a slight accent. He waited for me to say something but I stayed quiet. "I see you have not touched your food I sent to you."
I stared blankly at him.
"Thought it was poisoned did you?" he asked.
I just started at him.
He frowned, "Cat got your tongue?"
I blinked.
He sighed. "Would you like to discuss your friends?"
I took in a breath. "You are different." I said. "Normally, someone of high standing in a gang would brag about what they were up to, instead of making small talk."
"I just thought you would like to know about your friends and if they were fine or not before we chatted." he said.
"Courteous?" I smiled lightly. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'm not like the other vampires, just to let you know. Collin was not that smart, and the others you have bumped into had no right being vampires." he said. "I want to have even grounds with the people I want."
"The upper hand, so it doesn't seem like you are a tyrant?" I said, scoffing.
"You are getting the idea." he nodded. "So would you like to see your friends before we continue?"
My breath was caught in my throat. I couldn't bare to know what happened to them. But I stood up and nodded. Following him into the depths of the castle, the screams became less but the smell became worse. I was feeling dizzy. I passed the girl who brought my food. She smiled at me and bounced off down the corridors.
It was dark in the... what I called dungeons or whatever they were. I felt like puking once we walked in. The smell of death and rot over took me.
"The smell does get to you, I know." he said, looking back slightly.
He opened a iron door, and let me walk in. By the light of the torches in the "hall" I saw four bodies standing or should I say hanging by the far wall. I walked up and gasped.
I could feel the joy the man behind me was having.
I was shaking. My eyes flitted from one to the other, to the other, to the other. I stepped forward and touched Pierre's face with a shaking hand, and my other hand running down his bare chest. I could feel tears burning at my eyes. The smell was getting to me.
I stepped back. All four of them were stripped down to the waist. Teeth marks buried into their necks. Dried blood on their necks and chests. What made me really upset was a creepy insignia was burned into their breast bone. Something that looked like a cross with a bat on top and a snake coiled around the mast. I took another step back. I spun around and launched myself at the man.
"How fucking dare you do that!"
"Calm down." he grabbed me by the neck lifting me up with great strength. "They are not turned... yet. Do not worry." he said, keeping me at eye level. "Though I am confused. Two already have bite marks... have they not been turned?" He looked into my eyes before he put me down.
I was gasping for air.
"Hmm... you are connected with the two." he smiled. "...you have a cure." he said, his smiled faded and he grabbed me by the scruff. "This is going to make things a bit more difficult. But no worries." He half dragged, half pushed me back up to the main floor of the castle.
He threw me up against a wall.
"Drusilla!" he screamed.
My ears rang, and again something familiar to that name hit me.
A girl with curly black hair looking about twenty, the age I was turned, came in. "Yes Master?"
"Did you not jog that one's memory? Did any of you ladies searched their minds before you feasted?" he growled, keeping his eyes on me, but his attention was on the girl.
"I.. I..." she stuttered. "Didn't know we were suppose to.."
"Did you not notice the marks before I did?!" he yelled, my ears were ringing again.
"uh.. uh... I'm sorry master." Drusilla said bowing her head.
"Take her to the room we prepared." he turned towards Drusilla.
"Yes master." She said, and walked up to me taking my arm.
"Then you will go to the study and wait for me there." he said.
"Yes Master." she lightly bowed and left with me.
I was silent, wondering what everything was about.
"He tasted good." she whispered with a smile, and licked her lips. I wrinkled my nose. "The small blonde one." she said, still smiling liking my disgust.
"Hi hi!" a girl came out of nowhere and started to follow us. "Dru, are you taking her to her room?" she smiled, her brown curls in pigtails bouncing as she walked with us.
"Yes, master said." Dru said.
"Can I take her, please?! I won't bite her. I promise!" she smiled.
"I'm right here!" I said trying to stop only to be dragged forward by my arm.
"Maddi, I was asked to." Dru said.
"Can I come then?" Maddi asked.
"I guess."
"She smells good."
"I'm still right here!" I yelled.
"Yes we know." Dru said.
"Well then talk to me, instead of about me!" I yelled.
"Oh I heard through the grape vine, or should I say Jackie.. that you are the one in trouble." Maddi changed the subject, talking to Drusilla.
"Apparently we all are." Dru sighed.
"What why?" she asked her blue eyes big.
"We didn't look at our food before we bit in." she said sarcastically.
"Was there something wrong with them?" she asked biting her lip. "He tasted fine to me."
"Well more or less Jackie and I are the ones in trouble. The taller one and the red head were fine... from what I got."
"Okay, because I really like red heads."
I began grinding my teeth.
They looked at me.
"Are we upsetting you?" Maddi asked a smile coming to her lips.
"The red head is her mate." Dru explained.
"Oh!" Maddi said, and smiled at me. "We should let her keep him as a pet!"
"Master would not like that."
"Party pooper." she pouted.
I tried to stop again only to be dragged again.
"But they would be so cute! I would love him as a pet." Maddi said, going up the stairs.
"Yeah... they would be great pets." Dru said, sighing to herself.
"Shut up." I growled, grabbing my sais and taking them out of their sheaths.
"Oh, calm down." Dru said. "If you screw up once he is dead. Strict orders." she smiled, seeing my angered face.
It was silent before they pushed me into the room.
"Don't forget to sleep with one eye open." Maddi smiled before leaving the room closing the door. "Cause you smell awfully delicious!" she giggled down the hall.