Part 20

Somewhere dark and bitter cold, Wolfgang speaks in a raised voice.
A sickly firelight flickers along the black walls, but from this light there comes no warmth.
"You said she would be safe here!" Wolfgang barks, "So, what is this shit?!"
The figure in the chair remains silent.

Wolfgang persists, his voice lowering to nary a whisper.
"Answer me, you son of a bitch..."

"You wish me to answer your asinine questions?" the pale figure replies. "Very well."
A small girl writhes in the background, speaking in tongues to herself in front of a flickering candelabra. She moves in undulating motions, and the flames spark and pop as though cowering before her.

"Firstly... perhaps I should remind you that you were given a mission, one that you failed miserably to carry out on my behalf--something I absolutely despise. It makes me sick to look at you--you, who I so graciously offered my powers to whilst turning you into a member of our family."
Wolfgang looks away from the vampire, crossing his arms.
He sulks.

"My dear sweet brother is still alive," the vampire continues, "and because of this, that wretched Order of degenerates is now after you as well as the girl you dragged here. You may as well be a child bringing home a stray--it is disgusting, but even more-so since she is a mortal. You should be grateful I haven't taken her for my own pleasure and then disposed of her."

"The protection provided by Silas Gould always comes with a price, Wolfgang," he says, "For those who have failed me, the price is most steep. In this transaction, the only currency acceptable is blood." He leans forward. "She will be the one to pay your penance."

"Hhhssssss!"

Wolfgang makes his way underground where Karina is being held. A member of the family looms above her sleeping body, clutching her to him. There is blood lust in his eyes and his face moves slowly down towards her exposed neck.
Wolfgang moves swiftly, barely a blur.

"Get off of her, you fuck!" Wolfgang yells, yanking the vampire away from Karina's body. "So, this is how you idiots 'keep watch'?!"

"Unngh...." Karina groans. The commotion has woken her out of her stupor.

The argument is loud, but she cannot hear clearly enough to know what it's about. All her senses have dulled since coming to this dark, dank place. She tries to move to her feet, but her limbs move as if stuck in thick mud.

"Put a hand on her again, Jett, and I will kill you." Wolfgang snarls. "'Family' or not."

Jett pushes Wolfgang's arms out of his way and moves past him. He straightens his jacket.
"Just be grateful she's coming in handy for now," he says, smirking. "Otherwise we could all have our way with her as much as we wanted, and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it.... brother."

Jett slowly makes his way up the stone steps. Karina regains some of her faculties.
"Wolfgang...?"

He slowly bends and takes the young woman's hand to lift her up.
"Why are you here?" she asks with bitterness in her voice.

He says nothing, but brings her into his embrace. Tightly, he wraps his arms around her, absorbing the only warmth this desolate place has to offer.
"Karina... I'm sorry. This is all my faul--" his voice is cut off as intense pain surges through his body and he lets go, falling to the floor.

"Agghhh!!" he rages and screams in agony, clutching his head with his hands.
Karina backs towards the wall in terror.

"No... NO!! Not now!!" he screams as he doubles over. "Get away from me!!"
Karina is too terrified to move. She doesn't know if he is even speaking to her or not.

The monster pants and sweat drips from its brow, red eyes flickering beneath the droplets.

Karina stands before the monster, seeing it for the first time. She can hardly believe this is the same person who was just embracing her. All the love that was there a moment ago has vanished, replaced by death.
A demon now stands before her.

Its grip is tight and it comes hard and fast, clutching her body closely. Her neck is bare and she fights with all her strength to escape but it is hopeless.

This sensation is familiar. The difference between now and before, however, lay in the intent.
She feels cold lips on her skin, the pressure of fangs slipping out from beneath them and slowly entering into her flesh. There's a dull pinch and then, pulling. Blood flows from her and into the monster. She cannot break free, for the fangs have made them inseparable.
All she can do is surrender to the demonic force which threatens to suck her completely dry.

Suddenly she feels the fangs retracting.
Wolfgang trembles, still clutching Karina to him, breathing as though silently sobbing. Her neck aches and blood still slowly ekes out through tiny holes.
Wolfgang says nothing. He keeps his arms tight around her body, violently shuddering with each exhale of his breath.

He manages one word.
"Ka...rina...." he whispers breathlessly against her skin. He feels her warmth radiating against his body.
Her blood fills him with life--a type of life that he no longer understands but desperately desires.

For now... the demon sleeps.

Continue to Part 21...