Ch. 16-The Quick And The Dead
Artemis had returned home to find Xavier barricaded in his room, fearful they would be coming for him. It took Artemis awhile to calm him down and assure him he was safe. Finally he came to, and they both sat together into the early hours of the morning faced with a barrage of questions and no answers.
"Think", Artemis said. "Why does he need hundreds of barrels filled with blood?"
"I don't know." said Xavier.
"He's never mentioned a ritual of some sort requiring blood?"
"No."
"Any sort of potion needing blood?"
"No."
"Think dammit! You've been living in his house spying on his meetings for months."
"I don't know! He doesn't tell me everything! You saw what I am to them; I don't overhear everything!"
"Damn!" Artemis got up and started pacing around the room sucking on his pipe. Both Artemis and Xavier had been at this for hours; their clothes were dirty and untidy. Artemis loosened his tie even further and walked about with his jacket strewn over the chair; Xavier too had bloodshot eyes and was struggling to stay awake. "Think Xavier."
"We've been at this all night, if I could just rest!"
"No! We have no time, Tom is up to something and we need to find out what so we can stop him. We can't afford..." Artemis stopped and tossed down his pipe onto his desk. "You're right, there's a bunk in the room across the hall, get some sleep."
"Ok, yeah." Xavier got up with a sort of stumbling stupor. Artemis saw that his skin was pale from the lack of sleep; for the first time he really thought about how much he was asking out of him. He after all is just a boy, and all Artemis had asked of him must take a toll.
"You look awful kid; get to bed before you turn into..." Artemis' eyes grew large and his mouth fell agape. He had had a revelation, and Xavier had noticed his new exclaimed epiphany face.
"What is it?"
"I just figured it out, it makes sense now...vampires." Xavier looked at him with fascination and confusion. Apparently the prospect was just as surprising to him.
"Vampires? What would Voldemort want with vampires?" The prospect seemed to be loosing validity. What would he want with them? Tom believes in all the pure-blood magic is might crap. Why would he seek help from another magical creature? "He's been recruiting other magical creatures." Artemis glared at him with an almost betrayed look.
"Why wasn't I told?" Artemis inquired furiously.
"I didn't know. I just figured it out." Xavier stared down at the floor wide eyed. "I thought he was just rallying other wizards to his cause. He used these codenames you see. He always talked about these people; Goliath was one, another was Frosty. Then there was Triton, and Vlad. I think there was one more." Artemis and Xavier were putting the pieces of the puzzle together; both were having epiphanies left and right.
"Goliath must be the giants, he's recruiting giants", said Artemis with a snap of his finger.
"And Triton's gotta be the merpeople", said Xavier excitedly. "Vlad is the vampires."
"Yes, yes, yes but who's frosty?"
"Oh there was also Howler that must be werewolves." Said Xavier with impeding excitement.
"Dementors, Frosty is the dementors. They turn the air cold; freeze anything when they go by, it all makes sense; so Tom's recruiting giants, merpeople, dementors, werewolves, and vampires."
"Not exactly; see that's the part that makes no sense. Whenever he talked about the other four, he always talked about rallying them to his cause. But whenever he talked about Vlad, he always talked about how he wanted to keep him away and he wanted him to stay out of the war."
"That's it."
"What's it?"
"He's afraid of them. The great and powerful Lord Voldemort is afraid of vampires." Artemis laughed. He got an image of Tom, the dark evil wizard, to whom millions feared, cowering under his bed sheets at the thought of vampires under his bed. "Well then Xavier I guess we're off!"
"Where?" Said Xavier inquiringly.
"Transylvania, to the last remaining clan of vampires." Artemis remembered reading about vampires during his twenty years of exile. How the vampires were in a great struggle of survival and now only one large clan remained. Vampires appear scarcely around the world, but there's only one collective group of them left, in the mountains of Transylvania somewhere. No one had ever successfully located it, but Artemis felt confident he could find it. The clan is rumored to be in the hundreds of thousands maybe even close to a million. After explaining all this Xavier gawked at Artemis amazed.
"How do you know all this?"
"Twenty years with nothing to do but read. Now cmon get your things."
"I get to go!" He said with a childlike expression.
"Of course, you can't stay here; if Tom finds out where I live then your dead. Plus who would bring me coffee and pick up my dry-cleaning." Artemis and Xavier exchanged chuckling smiles. "Amicus, come" The bird flew off his perch and onto Artemis' arm. Artemis asked Xavier. "You ever disapparated before?"
"No, what does it feel like?"
"You eat yet?"
"No"
"Well that's good." Xavier's excited smile faded and he swallowed nervousness. With a crack they were gone and soon they were on a snowy hillside overlooking a small village with the tallest building being the church, and its bell tower climbed over the snow covered town. The landscape was quite breathtaking.
The beauty of the scenery was tainted by the sound of Xavier vomiting into the snow. Artemis couldn't help but think of when he first disapparated on the arm of Tom; he vomited too.
"You'll get used to that; once you start doing it on your own."
"I suppose; if I knew how. Could you teach me Artemis?" He said happily. Artemis was taken aback and he remembered the promise he made to himself not to get too attached to Xavier. He stared for a moment while Xavier's smile disappeared and finally said.
"We'll see. Come one we've got to find a place to get out of the cold until we know where the clan is."
"How exactly are we supposed to find it?" Artemis smiled and turned to his faithful bird still perched on his arm. "Alright Amicus remember what we talked about. Look for dark places, caves and castle dungeons. You should be able to sense magical creatures, search high and low alright?" The bird fluttered its wings in approval. "We'll be in the local pub, come find us straight away." Artemis extended his arm and Amicus was off into the air; a black flying speck amongst a sky of endless winter clouds. Xavier and Artemis dredged down the snowy hill toward the village and Artemis caught Xavier giving him a smile.
"What?" Artemis said with a near frustration.
"You and that bird; you really care about him huh?" With a smile on his face Artemis said back.
"He is my closest companion. He was with me through most of my years of exile; a most loyal bird." They made their way to the local pub, and entered in. The barman stared at both Artemis and Xavier. Their long black cloaks and dark colored coats didn't match the European farm village look. They sat down at a table in the corner and ordered some drinks; it wasn't long before Xavier asked.
"So what do we do now?"
"We wait for Amicus to return, we cannot hope to find the clan by ourselves. Amicus will find it I have no doubts; only a matter of time now." The two sat in silence sipping their warm coffee. Xavier would look up at Artemis, and then back down; up and then down again. Artemis caught him doing this several times so finally he harshly said.
"What?"
"It's nothing." Xavier stared back down at his coffee and his eyes shifted up to Artemis, there eyes locked and he shot straight back down. Artemis, now rather annoyed, demanded.
"Alright then, spit it out. What's on your mind?"
"I was just wondering...ya know...about what happened...to you." Artemis glared simply back at Xavier. Now fearing he hadn't made his point he rambled even more. "It's just I never heard your side of the story about what happened...when you were...well uh...exiled."
"Look Xavier, I've told you before about asking too many questions."
"I know but I only heard what Voldemort said about it. And I gotta figure he's a lying git." Artemis simply smiled than reveled.
"I was betrayed, pure and simple." There was a pause as Artemis' mind flashed all the events of that fateful day so many years ago. Xavier pressed him further so Artemis told his tale, the tale of his betrayal of his teacher, friend, and father-figure.
"Wait a minute! You can do musica?"
"Course I can, didn't Tom tell you all that?"
"No, he just said you destroyed those cities because you were really powerful." Artemis queried in his mind about why Tom would hold back what seemed like such a meaningless fact. "I think that poor kid in the basement can do it too. We always hear him playing away on that thing, his piano I mean. But please go on." Artemis finished his story ending with the conclusion of the twenty years.
"Wow, I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry, I made it out alright? I'm here now aren't I?"
"I know, it just seems so sad: you and Adora bein split up, Lucius growing up to be a bastard, and your kid locked away in a basement." The two sat in silence for a moment, until Xavier piped up rather ashamedly. "My own father stood back and watched me walk out the door, knowing I was gonna die. Didn't do a damn thing about it did he now?" More silence as the clinking of glasses being arranged was heard from behind the bar.
"I suppose we've both been betrayed. You'll soon realize that you're better without those traitors in your life and one day they'll pay for what they've done. Me, I'm just not patient enough to wait for that day." Xavier forced a smile back up at Artemis. His smile faded as his head bobbed with anxiety.
"Do you think you could...help me get...my revenge?" Artemis was sort of taken aback. Although he knew all about Xavier's betrayal it never occurred to him that he would extract revenge from his own father.
"Alright then, when I burn down the Riddle house I'll be sure to pay extra attention to your Dad." Artemis chuckled, but it was not returned. Instead Xavier said with assurance.
"I want to do it." Artemis widened his eyes for a moment then simply nodded saying.
"I see." Artemis leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. "I'll see what I can do." Xavier shook his head with a sullen face then looked back down at the table fiddling with a sugar packet. "Hey", Xavier looked up. "We'll get the son of a bitch eh?" Xavier smiled and laughed with Artemis.
"Yeah alright." And just as though Artemis never promised himself not to get too close to Xavier, they sat there at that table for what appeared to be hours. Retelling funny stories and laughing together, Artemis passing wise words to Xavier, even doing impressions of Tom cowering from vampires. Occasionally Artemis would realize that he was getting too close and would try to back off, but he couldn't help himself. He hadn't had a human friend in a while. Then he thought of Arthur, and felt a pang of sadness. Perhaps this boy was a way to make up for Arthur; after all, this boy had no more friends than he or Arthur did back at Hogwarts. He had gone through similar hurt as Artemis had; he couldn't help but see himself in him, and wonder how he would end up now; now that he was with him, and now that he was leading him on a similar path to revenge. Artemis simply threw these thoughts out of his mind, and for once in a very long while, just had a good time.
The fun was interrupted while in the middle of a story Xavier stopped dead and his face turned to shock. Artemis' smile faded away when as he saw him and turned around to see two men in black cloaks approaching the bar. Xavier clearly recognized them
"Those two are Death Eaters." Artemis panicked for a moment. "Barnabus and Nigel Procter, brothers. They're bad news Artemis; what should we do?" Artemis thought carefully. The last thing they needed was a duel in this muggle pub, if any of them had time to warn Tom they would be outnumbered in a matter of minutes. It was Artemis' understanding that, from what Xavier told him, Death Eaters could summon each other with a touch to the dark mark on their arm.
"Make sure they see you, and lead them to the bathroom." Xavier shook his head as Artemis nonchalantly got up from the table and left around the corner. Xavier nervously got up and walked toward the bar, as he walked by he purposely tripped over the adjacent barstool making a loud clatter. The two Death Eaters sprang up and as they saw Xavier one of them exclaimed.
"Hey, get back here!" Xavier's scrawny form sprinted around the back corner and burst through the bathroom door where he was met by Artemis pointing his wand straight for him.
"GET DOWN!" Artemis yelled as the Procter brothers rounded the corner and appeared in the doorway. Xavier jumped to the side and Artemis hit the first brother with a stunning spell. His brother then dodged his flying body and threw a charm back at Artemis which he quickly blocked. Xavier stepped in between the two and attempted to disarm the remaining Death Eater; the Procter brother then blocked it and struck Xavier with a spell sending him flying past Artemis and slamming into the sink behind him. The sink smashed and began spraying water on the floor. In a panic Artemis turned round to see if Xavier was alive, when he had turned round it was too late. The Procter brother had thrown a charm at Artemis wrapping a black chord round his neck. He dropped his wand in an attempt to try to breath, but the grip was far too strong. Artemis gasped for air and desperately reached for his wand. He looked up and saw the Procter brother sneering at him with his wand pointed harshly at him, struggling to tighten the grasp the curse had on him. Artemis could see the sides of his vision turning to black when a red ball of light flew to his attacker's hand sending his wand out of his grip. Artemis felt the charm fade away and he gasped sweet oxygen as he saw another flash of light and the Death Eater was thrown into a mirror on the wall hitting it with his head leaving a blood splatter on the spider-web crack now in the shattered mirror. Artemis turned around to see Xavier; his hair and clothes wet from the spraying, destroyed sink, he was panting and weak. His arm that had been pointing his wand at their enemy dropped in exhaustion and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Artemis was taken aback at how Xavier had saved his life. He had suffered a head injury which Artemis healed up but left him with a dizzy feeling. His drying charm dried off Xavier and himself and with a wave of his wand the bathroom returned to its original state. When all was as it was Artemis simply looked at Xavier, and even without saying it he was able to convey, "Thank you".
One of the brothers was still alive so Artemis scooped him up and took him outside with them. The two stepped back outside to face the cold winter air when a black swooping bird came and landed upon Artemis' shoulder. The bird began fluttering its wings wildly and Artemis knew that Amicus had found the entrance to the vampire clan. Artemis grabbed hold of Xavier and the Death Eater and disapparated.
When they came around and Xavier stopped walking about like a newborn horse they were standing in front a large opening in the mountainside. Artemis dropped the weak Death Eater and slowly approached; staring into the abyss of the cave. Artemis stepped into the gaping black hole but was blocked by some invisible force. Just then a searing sound could be heard as the round entrance to the cave suddenly burned in red these words round the border.
"Invado damnatos illis creaturis noctium Videte quae sit in anima in sanguine tuo pretium immortalium in subiungo." Artemis read them out loud translating them from Latin.
"Enter those damned creatures of the night. Beware those whom within a soul resides for your blood is the price to join the immortals. Good thing I brought him." Artemis picked up the now conscious Death Eater and pulled him over to the entrance of the cave and dropped him to his knees. Artemis held his black wand in hand and said, "Gladius", to which his wand turned into a shining sword. He grabbed the Death Eater by the hair pulled back his head and slit his throat with the blade. Blood poured from his neck and Artemis kicked him in the back sending his bleeding body tumbling down the stone incline and plummeting into eternal darkness. The words round the cave sizzled and disappeared from the rock's surface, and Artemis put his hand into the cave and was not blocked as he was before.
"Alright Xavier listen very carefully, open your shirt." Xavier looked quizzically at Artemis for a moment but yielded to his request. The bitter cold stung his bare chest as Artemis pointed his wand at it. "Duco Crucifixus" Xavier felt a strange tingling affect on his chest, almost like a prickly feeling. Artemis instructed him to close his shirt.
"What was that?"
"Protective enchantment, now listen; vampires although they look like humans are not by any means humane. They will kill without provocation or remorse so give them no reason to harm you. They are creatures as passion and desire nothing more. Inside this cave you will likely see things that will haunt you forever, you must stay focused; just let me do the talking and try not to make eye contact. Understand?" Xavier nervously nodded and they began their journey into hell itself.
Wands lit, both men walked slowly down the steep path. The air was getting colder and colder as they progressed further and further down into the cave. Finally they heard a noise, something like a crunching noise but a wet crunching as if someone was stepping upon ice. Their wands light finally came upon two figures hunched over something. They quickly realized it was their "offering" and two female vampires were biting and feasting upon the dead man's body. Upon seeing the light they looked up at the two, blood staining their teeth and dripping from their mouths. Xavier gasped in shock when he first saw the gruesome sight and the two creatures bared their teeth and were breathing heavily in an almost growling sound.
"Tell your master we wish to speak to him." The two vampires stood and dragged the body into the darkness. A sudden flame erupted down the tunnel, the orange glow of a torch. Artemis and Xavier walked along the tunnel and came upon the two vampire ladies again standing on both sides of a wooden door; the torches burning brightly on either side. They were leaning against the wall dressed in robes and drapes exposing their navels and their thighs. They stared seductively at both of the men, especially Xavier. Artemis gazed over at him to see fear in his eyes slipping away and turning slowly to bliss. Artemis nudged him and he seemed to slip from his trance.
"Avoid eye contact." Artemis said sternly and Xavier nodded and stared at the ground. The vampire mistress spoke in an alluring tone.
"He will see you know Artemis." Artemis stared back saying nothing as the two opened the door and led them in. They were immediately showered with colors of red, and all at once it seemed they were in a beautiful palace. From the ceilings of the new corridor hung chandeliers burning with fire and all along the walls were torches flickering and hot. The walls were covered with blood red drapes; the wide hallway held many more creatures in it. All along the sides of the corridor were what looked like long continuous daybeds that stretched down the length of the hallway. Laying upon them were numerous vampires, all female. They all wore dark dresses and wispy clothes exposing their bodies; their revealing attire was that of concubines or harletts in that they were especially made to prey upon men. They all looked up from their lounges and stared with hungry eyes at the two men now making their way down in front of them. They all hissed and breathed heavily with desire and longing reaching out their hands if only for a touch as they rubbed each other in an endless sexual trap for weak men. Artemis looked over at Xavier and saw he was peeking up at the objects so longing for his attention.
"Look down!" Artemis said with hushed anger. Xavier put his head down still speaking to Artemis.
"Why don't you have to keep you head down?"
"I've learned how to block them."
"Block what?"
"Vampires are very skilled at hypnosis. If you connect with their eyes you're doomed to be their slave."
"But how did they know your name?"
"They're also very skilled with telepathy, or what we might call Legillimency; vampires of the same clan can communicate telepathically with one another."
"So they can read minds?"
"More or less; they're probably doing it to you right now." Xavier panicked with silent fear.
"How do I stop them, how do you do it?"
"Takes years to master, you've nothing to worry about, not while I'm hear." Xavier nodded his head staring at nothing but his feet walking upon the deep red carpet that lined the corridor. Finally they came to another door, much larger than the one before; a double door. Their two guides each hoisted a handle and pushed opening into a vast grand room which was dimly lit by burning fires, it looked like a very expensive dungeon. All around them were the same red draped walls and burning torches and encircling the room was what seemed to be a long enormous bed upon which many vampires, male and female were lying upon. It was a horrible sight, vampires feasting off one another; biting and scratching and rubbing each other all the while, rubbing their blood all over themselves. Some were feeding off of humans who laid upon the beds too weak to move, who could only lay there and pray for death. On some of the beds were naked human prisoners, chained to the walls some sprawled out, others forced to their knees by the chains. One female vampire was taking a knife to her human "toy" cutting off parts of him as he wailed in pain. Another group were poking and prodding with red hot iron pokers at a woman chained to the wall spread like the Vitruvian man. She screamed through her gags and shook wildly in her bonds. One woman on her knees clasped in irons saw Artemis and Xavier enter and lifted her defeated head holding up her arms and begging.
"Please...please help me." One of her captors, a woman pulled on the chain round her neck pulling her back into her lap.
"Bad girl, we have to punish bad girls don't we. The prisoners eyes dripped with tears as the vampire whispered this into her air and took to her cheek her fingernail; scratching her face as blood dripped from the cut. She looked up to see Xavier watching and she smiled bearing her fangs then proceeded to lick the blood off her face as she wept. Xavier quickly looked down away from the horrible things in this room; hearing only the hisses of the vampires and the muffled screams and groans of their prisoners. At the far end of this room sat a kind of throne which sat in the middle of a large circular bed with a break in the circle and a path of stairs leading to the grand chair. Sitting upon the chair was a man, or rather a vampire.
His hair was long and black; it sat upon his shoulders and draped down to his chest in an almost airy way. His eyes were blood red and his pale face bore a sinister smile in response to his new visitors. The long chocolate brown coat which he wore covered nearly all of him, its numerous buckles fastened to him as if he were a prisoner in his own clothing. Its long tails draped gracefully over his legs, crossed and the tips of his fingers touching and his elbows resting on his legs. The brooch that appeared at his collar was that of a black sun and his coat was inscribed with many deigns and swirling metal fasteners. He was the epitome of sinister, and he was staring straight at them.
The two vampires who led them into the room approached the sides of him and whispered into his ear and his smile widened with pleasure. Then the two sat on the bed in both sides of his throne and he petted one on the head, running his fingers through her hair as if a loyal dog. Finally with a coolness that reeked of evil he spoke.
"Greetings gentlemen, welcome. My name is Dolosus, Lord Dolosus Vladimir." The name stung the air like a cold blade forged in hells fires. "To what do I owe this pleasure Mr. Gridlock?" Artemis glanced over at Xavier; he was now more than ever keeping his eyes glued to the floor. Artemis bowed his head to the vampire lord.
"Hello Lord Dolosus, we've come here before you to ask you something." Dolosus leaned back in his chair slouching down in comfort while all around him on the bed was what seemed to be a moving mass of flesh and teeth, engaging in their pleasurable whims. Lord Dolosus chuckled.
"Ask away my fine fellow", he said with a sly buddy-buddy tone.
"We understand that Lord Voldemort has in his possession thousands of barrels filled with blood..." Dolosus smirked then interrupted.
"Do these look familiar?" He waved his bony hand and a large curtain was drawn back, revealing a large cubby in the wall filled with many of the same barrels Artemis had seen at Riddle Manor. Artemis didn't know what to think, he hadn't really thought of this or anything else concerning the barrels for that matter. Yet here they were confirming their purpose.
"Lord Voldemort foresees an upcoming war which he has kindly asked us to stay out of. We remain neutral and we are given fresh supplies of blood every week. In fact our newest supply arrived today." This now dawned on Artemis as to why the two Death Eaters were in the local pub. Dolosus snapped his finger. "Feed my children." Several of the vampires began ripping off the tops of the barrels, dipping their hands, smearing it over one another, licking it off each others bodies. One of the females next to Dolosus filled a goblet and handed it to her master. He drank from it raising his glass as both Artemis and Xavier watched in horror as the clan fed with their demonic delight. Xavier was trembling as he peeked occasionally at the barbarity taking place. He glanced over at a couple of vampires covered in blood pouring blood on one of their prisoners, forcing down her throat as she gagged and cried as her face was licked by monstrous creatures. As he saw one of them bite into her throat Xavier winced and Dolosus took a deep breath through his nose as if smelling something delightful.
"I do love the smell of fear. What do you say Xavier, care to join us?" Artemis cut in quietly.
"Don't answer, look down." Still trembling, Xavier looked down nodding anxiously.
"You know it's rude not to talk to someone when they're talking to you."
"Do not look." Xavier nodded quickly again, but he seemed to be straining to keep his gaze down. Lord Dolosus spoke in a breathy hypnotic tone.
"Look into my eyes Xavier."
"Don't."
"Look upon me." Dolosus leaned forward in his chair, focusing intently upon Xavier.
"Don't move."
"Look." His words were harsher and demanding while still wreaking of seduction.
"Don't do it."
"Look!"
"Do not look at him!"
"LOOK!" Xavier's head shot up as if someone had been holding him back with all his might and finally relinquished their grasp. As soon as his eyes met Lord Dolosus' his mouth feel agape and he trembled still and his eyes were growing blank. Xavier's foot moved and took a single step forward, but Artemis acted to stop him. With his left hand he reached across and punched Xavier in his face. His eye contact was broken and his state returned to normal and was replaced by one of pain. He grabbed his face and resumed looking down. The vampires gave a sinister laugh and Dolosus resumed his taunting.
"You on the other hand Artemis, you are quite difficult to read. I see pain, much pain; oh and something else more potent, do you smell it my love?" He asked of the vampire to his right.
"Love", she said with a playful disgust in her voice.
"Yes, yes indeed; love smells far more repulsive than even garlic." They all gave a sly laugh. "One thing I cannot understand Mr. Gridlock. Surely you are a smart enough man to master Occlumency, and therefore repel our telepathy. Therefore you must be wise enough to discern for yourself the purpose of Lord Voldemort's blood barrels. So there must be another reason for your presence here. So why else have you come? Artemis felt a crooked smile smear across his face out of mutual respect. Artemis had always sort of admired vampires in a way: they never deny themselves what they want, will seek justice for their own kind, and are very wise. Three very things that Artemis himself strives for.
"You bask here in your magnificent gifts from the Dark Lord, but I ask of you Lord Dolosus. Where is the honor? Where is the pride? Where is the pleasure in this? You sit around in your underground dungeon while Lord Voldemort praises himself as the master of evil. Not to flatter you my good sir, but I think you could run circles around him." Dolosus simply smiled, while he and his children continued to listen intently.
"Don't you see? He's afraid of you; he showers you with gifts to keep you blind from the truth."
"And what truth would that be Mr. Gridlock?"
"That he keeps you away from this battle, because he knows you...could win it." Dolosus sat up straight in his chair and smiled with admiration as did the rest of the vampires; all looking around at one another, apparently very proud that they were being hailed as so powerful.
"He declares himself the master of death? He knows nothing of death, but you all do. Prove to him that he is no match for you all when it comes to being the true evil one. Show him who the true dark Lord is."
"Continue Mr. Gridlock, just how do we proclaim ourselves masters of the world as you say?"
"Rise up, to hell with his bribes. Take your rightful place in this war; as the victors!" Chatter had grown louder among the vampires, and now they were quite rowdy as Dolosus pondered these queries. He waved his hand and silence swept through the chamber.
"I wonder my friend, why a mortal proclaims the victory of the undead so vigorously. You are not one of us, therefore an eventual enemy." The hush continued as all eyes stared intently at Artemis.
"We share a common annoyance. Lord Voldemort owns something of mine and I want it."
"And what is this which you must have of his."
"Revenge." said Artemis coldly. Dolosus smiled.
"If there is one human emotion I can connect with in my afterlife, it is revenge. But Lord Voldemort is no enemy to me; I see no reason to risk the lives of my children for the sake of procuring your revenge."
"He may not be enemy to you now, but he is painting a new picture of the future, and I seriously doubt that you are in it. He will deceive you just as he has so many others, and when the time comes that you decide to face him, it will be too late." Dolosus pondered these thoughts with far more seriousness than before.
"I ask of you only this; help me procure my revenge and I will assure that the Dark Lord is no more. And the Ministry will crumble, paving a clear path for you and your people to claim victory."
"You betray your own government? Your own people?"
"My government is part of my revenge. I have no use for them and soon it will be destroyed." There was a long pause and Artemis felt a great deal of excitement well up inside him, he was certain he had them now.
"I am a leader first, and a conqueror second. I must think of what is best for my children. I will consider you proposal Mr. Gridlock, but now onto the more pressing matter."
"Which is?"
"This blood here is not as fresh as we'd like it. Therefore I cannot simply deny my children fresh blood when it is so willingly available to them." Dolosus snapped his finger and four female vampires climbed off the bed and moved toward the two men. Artemis interjected.
"Wait." The four vampires stopped in their tracks. "By the time you have taken both of us down I will have killed seventy percent of the vampires in this room, including you." Hissing and heavy growling was heard from the surrounding vampires. "Take the boy and let me go free without a fight." Xavier looked up now shocked and confused.
"What?" He said fearfully.
"He is defenseless, he cannot fight." Xavier immediately reached for his wand and feeling it was not there turned to see Artemis twirling it in his fingers.
"Very well", said Dolosus. "Take the boy." The four vampires now went for Artemis and grabbed him pulling toward the large bed. He yelled in protest as he was being led away. Artemis turned to leave hearing Xavier shout the whole time.
"NO! Please don't! Artemis! Artemis come back! NOOOO!" Artemis looked over his shoulder to see Xavier spread apart on the bed and they were looking upon him with hungry eyes like a child being given a new toy. Hands were rubbing all up and down his body. Just as Artemis neared the door, a vampire climbed over Xavier and tore open his shirt with one fast tear.
Suddenly there were screams and hisses as the vampires retreated away from Xavier and Dolosus shielded his face. Artemis drew his wand.
"Xavier, come with me." Xavier got up from the bed and hurried to Artemis side who gave him back his wand and said. "Back to back, anyone gets close to you cast Lumos Horam, it's a sun beam. Now open the door. Xavier opened the two double doors to see the female vampires on both sides of the corridor leap away from Xavier who looked down to now realize he had a large crucifix tattooed on his chest, it was glowing brightly and kept the vampires away from him; hissing in hatred as he passed by them. Artemis kept his wand pointed at Dolosus and just before they left the chamber. Artemis spoke one last time to him.
"Consider what I have said Dolosus. Who is the real Dark Lord?"
"Artemis walked backwards with Xavier at his back leading the way out repelling vampires as they passed by. Not one dared to come near Xavier, and as they made their way out of the crimson corridor they were once again the in the dark cave entrance; their wands lighting the way. When they reached daylight they ran for the entrance and were in the safety of sunlight. Artemis and Xavier panted from their final dash to sanctuary and Artemis breathed a sigh of relief. Xavier however was not interested in relief; instead he began to furiously hit Artemis, swinging his arms at him in anger shouting.
"YOU BASTARD! YOU SON OF A BITCH! I TRUSTED YOU!" Artemis was able to keep him at bay until he had a grip on him.
"Let's make something quite clear! There is nothing I wouldn't do to procure my revenge, which includes sacrifice. I had no intention of handing you over. I gave you that marking on your chest as an ace on the hole should we come across that very same situation." Xavier stopped his attempt to hurt Artemis. The two stood there in a somewhat foggy sense of understanding. Xavier noticed now the cold air on his bare chest. So Artemis conjured him a coat and covered him in it. Amicus was perched on the entrance of the cave.
"Well where were you?" Artemis shouted at the bird that squawked and fluttered its wings. Artemis breathed a sigh of anxiety. "Ah you big sissy!" The bird then flew to Artemis arm. He then reached out his other arm and Xavier looked at it for a moment, almost as if trying to determine if this was yet another trick. He finally conceded and took his arm and they disapparated back to London arriving inside the flat of Artemis Gridlock. But who should be sitting on the edge of his bed, but Desra McCloggin herself.