Chapter 15: You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
I was so surprised I almost walked right into him.
I muttered a quiet "Excuse me," with eyes lowered and started to make my way around him.
He moved to block my path; so quickly it was as if that was where he had been standing all along. I pretended as though it was one of those situations where both people keep moving in the same direction accidentally, blocking each other over and over again, and made a second attempt the other way. Before I could finish a step he was there in front of me again. He never said a word; he just glared down at me with a menacing fanged smile.
Now I was truly afraid. Who was this man? This couldn't be the monster Lestat had been protecting me from – he was just another vampire. However, seeing as Lestat was absent at the moment it certainly didn't make any difference for me. Then I heard a voice behind me.
"Well, well, love, now what would a pretty thing like you be doing walking around all by your lonesome this late at night?"
I spun around and it was another man; he smiled widely to display his own pair of prominent canines. I was trapped…my mind began to reel, what was I going to do? Should I mention Lestat?
"That won't be necessary, we already know who you are," said the first man.
"Won't you do my band's interview?" the second laughed.
I gathered what nerve I had. "What do you want?" I sounded like a mouse standing up to a lion.
They were circling me now, looking at me the way Lestat would; but this time I knew there was no questioning their intentions.
"Now, now, no need to be rude," the second man swooped in closer, forcing me to step off to the side – straight into the arms of the first. I made to scream, but was met with a rough, cold hand over the mouth. I tried to struggle but he had a steel grip around my arms as well almost instantly.
"Now, we can all be civilized about this," he said into my ear. "Surely you knew that your friend Lestat has his share of enemies?"
All I could do was squirm and let out muffled screams for Lestat. I trained all my thoughts towards him, hoping he would hear me wherever he was. Both men just laughed cruelly; then the first pushed me towards the second who quickly had me in the same hold.
"I'm afraid you're on your own here, love." The man tightened his grip so I had to gasp for breath, then shoved me to the ground.
"You seem intelligent enough to realize that screaming won't help you much."
My hands were scratched and cut. The sight of the blood on my right hand kept the tears at bay; I did my best to hide it before the vampires above me could notice.
But I was too late. The first grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to my feet. He took my fist and forced it open. I cringed and looked away as he ran his tongue up my palm. I tried to say, "stop", but it wouldn't come.
"Brutus!" exclaimed the second man sternly, "That's enough!"
"Oh, come on Phillip, just having a taste." He pushed me towards Phillip, "I know you want to take a bite…"
It was getting harder to breathe every second.
"You remember our orders, Brutus, she comes untouched."
"Please, Phillip, just one bite?" Brutus was bringing my other hand closer to his mouth, I could only whimper. Then I realized he had left my injured hand hanging by my side. He was so busy arguing with Phillip he wouldn't notice…
I punched him in the neck. Not exactly my target, but hey, I'd never hit anyone before. He was so surprised he actually let go of my left hand and staggered back a bit. I took the opportunity to attempt a run for it, but of course I was grabbed from behind by Phillip before I could take more than two steps. I struggled again in a losing battle. Phillip laughed heartily while Brutus looked at me like I was going to be his next kill no matter what the "orders" were.
"Tsk tsk, that wasn't smart, was it?" Phillip said, his cold lips against my ear. "Though I must say, kudos to you on giving Brutus a well deserved shot."
Brutus' look was deadly as he rubbed at his neck. "You're going to pay for that one." He started to come at us but Phillip warded him off again with talk of orders. I was finally ready to talk again, the almost-escape had reinvigorated me.
I opened my mouth to throw a verbal jab, but Brutus stopped me in my tracks. "Nothing out of you," he said as he pulled a cloth out of his back pocket. I could only guess what was going to happen next so I started struggling with all my might. I could feel the bruises forming where Phillip held my arms; I had no control over the tears now.
Brutus covered my nose and mouth with the cloth and everything turned to darkness.