94 Prepare to Die (Part 2)

The peak of my wallowing passes after a blurry elapse of time, this damn cave corrupts any sense of it. I can't tell the minutes apart from the hours. How long are they planning to toy with me? How *long* have I been trapped here?

"You've been quiet, my sweet," Christina coos, breaking the illusion of a spelled moment.

My eyes are swollen as I glare upward, spotting Apollo at Christina's side. They're disinterested in my misery. She's more preoccupied with him, hanging and doting on the stoney man. Still in her birthday suit, of course.

Her long fingers caress his blank face, staring into him like some succubus. Dangerous, adoring, and absolutely voracious.

I've noted the natural stillness of vampires but he is seriously unmovable. Not even a twitch when she presses bare hips bone into him.

"Tell me, did you get your fill?"

He dips his chin down to peer back, giving a fluid nod. His jaw is set like it's been wired shut. Christina isn't taken aback by the silent response, like she didn't expect one at all.

It suddenly occurs to me, 'He's not refusing to speak, he mute.'

She playfully chides him in a beautiful language that probably died off ages ago. Then giggles and switches back to English, "Whatever amuses you, as you like."

She unravels herself from Apollo. A new robe snakes up to her pale shoulders like magic but a double take reveals one of her goons covering her like a sneaky seamstress. She doesn't bother closing the front so it's kind of pointless.

Without warning, her expression turns on a dime from lighthearted to stiff. I shrink into the floor as eyes and heads shift. Fortunately their accusing stares graze over me.

I carefully twist to read the room, hoping to stay out of the new drama.

Everyone has their hood removed. There are fewer here than I originally thought, the group is small yet diverse in both age and appearance. Though some are dark while others are very pale the varying complexions share one similarity other than being flawless; a bluish undertone.

Cold… and I guess I'm no exception.

All the attention is on a dark elven looking girl, those angled features tipping further into distress. Her black irises become red as a flare, widening as she shrinks into her shoulders.

The boyish one they called Raymond steps in as if to shield her. He's shorter than the slender girl even before bowing his head in an odd but knightley pose. His gaze is locked to Christina's.

Everyone's on edge again, many pairs of eyes brighten to life like a robber's flashlight passing over displays of jewelry.

"She's still young, she doesn't understand," Raymond defends her from some faux pas I'm clueless about. I expect him to continue but he stops mid sentence just like the last time.

A few vampires shuffle uncomfortably. Some make the gesture of whispering to their neighbor but don't open their mouths to speak. This is as weird as it is unsettling.

"Raymond," Christina surprises me with her patient tone, motioning with two fingers for him to move aside.

Raymond sneaks a glance over his shoulder at the girl he's protecting before elegantly side stepping. He puts his back against the wall and folds into perfect neutrality.

"Alika," Christina calls in her mysterious accent, her arms outstretched, welcoming. The Venus fly trap to the unsuspecting beetle.

The girl visibly gulps, twisting her fingers anxiously in a very human-like manner.

"Child," Christina snorts with a modern touch of humor and tilts her head, "I have heard it all, nothing you think or say will offend."

'Yeah, right,' I cringe, failing to smother the sarcastic thought and Apollo's spooky eyes flick my way.

"I…" Alika purses her lips, getting braver but still hesitant. Her attention bounces from me to Christina.

"It- It isn't fair," Alika swallows and cuts her eyes to me again with unexpected sympathy, "She is… innocent?" she ends it as a submissive question, tucking her head.

Am I mistaken or is she sticking up for me?

"I see," Christina says, "Come to me."

Alika nervously licks her lips and obeys with a natural frolic, adding to her fae-like quality. She bends to kiss her monarch's outstretched hand. Christina's surprisingly affectionate in return, holding the girl's chin and brushing a thumb over her cheek. She takes both the hands in hers.

"You are not wrong," a wrinkle of upset crosses her brow, "But you see, she is of curse origin."

Christina turns to me, the little bonfire is dying out and darkness is closing in. Her deep set eyes gleam in her shadowed sockets, "Blood ties are strong and this one is… tainted."

"But must it be done in such a way?"

She closes her eyes and actually seems to consider her lackey's complaint. They snap open with all the warmth of a black winter sky. She leans to place a kiss on Alika's forehead, wicked luminous eyes never faltering to hold mine. She conveys simply, "Traditions have their place."

And Alika concedes with a somber bow. The tension is absorbed in another thoughtful pause.

"Prepare them both and bring me their ashes. I will not be viewing," Christina curtly orders, "And give the girl her last meal."

"*What*?" I croak. Did I just hear that right?

One of her followers swoops past, through the dark opening. Seconds go by and I detect a strange noise that has me perking up the way brewing coffee used to. I hear crying.

I'm leaning towards the delicious sound. It seems to stimulate this hidden reserve of strength, a savage energy. Anxiety prickles up my spine.

Christina takes her leave and majority of her subjects follow, Apollo and Alika accompany close at her side. That irresistible drumming draws nearer.

"Wait a minute!" I call out in a panic, "I don't want it. I don't want to eat!"

It's a woman, I can smell her. My floor chains buckle. I'm crouched on my feet. I feel that pressure behind my eyes, feel it in my teeth. My monster screams, 'Give her to me!' and I yell back refusal.

The two approaching vampires hesitate at my internal struggle, giving Christina's back a questioning look.

She flicks her wrist up in response, waving a hand above her shoulder before disappearing through the dim corridor, "Proceed with tradition. Nothing has changed."

Her lackeys give one another a brief glance. With a shrug and a nod they stride forward.

"Stay back. Get away from me!"

'Apollo!' I reach out, mentally begging for his assistance though it's certainly unreliable. He's proven untrustworthy.

'My liege has spoken,' the words are cold in my head. Then thicker with remorse as he adds, 'I can do nothing. I am sorry.'

A hand folds over my wrist to unlock the cuff before I can react.

"What are you doing? Don't unchain me!"

I curl my other arm into myself and snarl. That wailing is getting louder, a heartbeat racing. Her scent is so good, it's wrecking me. I'm losing my mind.

I cry out in frustration and contort, covering my ears and trying to keep it together. The other one reaches for my remaining cuff and I lash out, violently snapping at them. The woman sneaks around, seizing from behind before I become anymore unmanageable.

I thrash around, "Don't! I need to stay locked up!"

The last metal cuff clatters to the floor. My wrists feel better, lighter.

"I don't want it!" I shriek, grabbing one by a droopy sleeve. The woman shoves me down hard.

My head is in a spin, mouth watering. I rise to my hands and knees, my breaths are coming in audible rasps. That girl is in the room! She's going to die if I get to her.

I grab a cuff off the ground and slap it back on my wrist. It's not working, not locking like it did before!

"No!" my cry is thick. I throw my hands over my head. That living pulse is pounding, I can taste her warm tears in the air. She's like a lighthouse in the night, a shining beacon.

"Please," sobs the girl, "Why are you doing this? Where are you taking me? Let go!"

"What's making that growling?" her voice cracks, becoming shrill, "What kind of animal is that? Don't trap me here with that thing!"

I realize that growling is coming from me. I'm low to the ground, readying myself into a crouch. 'No! Stop! STOP!'

She yelps as they throw her inside, I hear both palms smack the ground as she topples over. The great door slams and something large rolls after it. She begs in hysterics, "Don't leave me! Please, I'll do anything!"

It's just the girl, myself and June's body in the pitch black.

BA-DAH BA-DAH BA-DAH BA-DAH

Her heart is pumping out of control and I can't take it. I make an inhuman moan as I writhe trying to get the sound of her out, smearing my face into the tough earth to force the glorious scent away.

She gasps and whimpers. I'm crawling closer, snarling, my teeth ache. My throat is bone dry, stomach in knots. There's nonsensical screaming in my head. 'Neeeeeed.'

She's back on her feet, banging at the door at the far off side of the room. I creep around the corner. I can see her in the dark, though I could find her with my eyes closed.

Her blood is loud, sloshing through veins with the command of her heart. I'm getting closer, the pulse is beating faster, practically vibrating! I can smell the salty sweat beading out of her pores.

"Get away!" She cowers and it enthralls me. She stares straight into my eyes, two little rings trained on her. I can see my yellow glow emitting in the pitch.

My growling deepens. My mouth feels like fire, though I'm somehow producing drool. It drips off my canines as I bare them in full.

I see her brown eyes, huge and poignant. Her body is wracked with spasm, mouth wide and unable to scream. She's ragged, barefoot and beyond terrified, reeking of sour fear, and I crave her all the more for it. I need her! I can't think!

The screaming starts as I dart for her on all fours. I'm primed to bite, ready to shred, fangs massive and sharp. A ravenous animal.

I'm almost on her, can almost taste her. A splintering screech breaks my concentration, blaring in my head. 'Don't you dare touch her!'

I curl into a ball of agony, a monstrous sound of grievance pours out of my throat as I roll on the ground. I smother my head and squeeze. My fingers are knotted, pulling my own hair out.

I'm within arms reach of the girl and hear her squeal as feet slap the ground. She sprints blindly from me. Her breaths are erratic, choked to the rhythm of her rioting heart. I resist snatching her ankle as she makes her futile escape. I claw up my own skin instead, moaning in misery on the floor.

'I can't. I can't stop.' I feel that human inkling fading far from my mind. Shouting as it's sucked off into some abyss.

Hungry, so *hungry*.

*Mine*.

I stand on trembling legs, puppeteered by the hunger. I can feel the damp air coiling around my flesh, smell every inch of this miserable hole. Map out every nook, hear the insects huddled, the rats sniffing about.

My terrorized prey; panicked, irresistible and so very warm. And I'm so very cold. There's nowhere to run.

I stalk over to her. She's curled up by that body, shaking the shoulders and screeching into its non-face, "Help me! Please, please!"

I grab her ankle and slide her to me. She shrieks, fingernails breaking as they drag into the ground, the other clinging to the corpse as an anchor.

Her heart palpitates, threatening to halt indefinitely. She stares into my blaze of yellow firestorm, direct contact, the picture of abject horror. Awakening further the sadistic excitement, this unquenchable desire to attack.

My teeth sink into her calf. It's a surge of relief and I desperately guzzle. My eyes roll back, claws hooked into her leg. She kicks the free one, a barefoot thumping on my skull. I hardly notice. At my weakest she's out matched.

I've got her now and I'm not letting go.

Her blood is heavily tainted, probably force fed her garlic but it's a meaningless detail. Beyond the bitter herb is an Appalachian sky, it cannot deter from the crisp sweetness. She's a poison apple dripping in deathly carmel.

Swallow after swallow, it's not enough. Her pulse is beating into my ears, flooding my system like every drug imaginable and I only feel the highs! My aches, my sorrows, the pain all melting away.

I'm untouchable, immortal.

Now that free foot is repeatedly stomping into my shoulder, her fist yanking hair as it beats on my head. Those howls of terror only amply the taste. I snarl in annoyance from the slight interruption. I come up for air only to pounce again, locking her more firmly beneath me.

I clamp down on her throat, latching back onto that pulse of utter utopia. Satisfied that the flow is better here, stronger.

She's choking now, those strangled sounds are sweet, so good, too good. Her pulse is slowing and my excitement is bubbling over. Delight is elevating somewhere unimaginable, magical.

'Ashlen stop! You'll kill her!' something pleads. But I can't let go, *I can't*. I ache for her and she's mine. I'm insatiable.

I tear the flesh as I detach myself. Her heart makes my soul dance and weep, her fear compels me to spill more.

I swipe at her chest. Red, a wash of beautiful red as I ascend. It pours into me, onto Juniper's corpse, drenching the floor.

Swipe, swipe, swipe!

She lets out one last garbled cry as my fangs descend on her clean shoulder.

Tears roll down my face as I drink like an addict in the rawest sense. I feel her body relax, feel that pulse fade, feel the fight and the fear and the noise die as I absorb it in myself. It feels perfect and so very wrong.

And then I see it… Or feel it. I'm living through her. I am her and she is me. I'm experiencing her memories and dreams in a snap of time. Her love to dance, her sense of adventure, her infatuation for that boy with the eyebrow piercing. Her life is blasting through me, we're sharing it together.

*No*... I'm *stealing* it.

Her tainted blood is affecting me. I'm swaying, it's hazy.

I think I'm sobbing. I hear the ghost of an anguished whisper that sounds familiar, it sounds like me. I clutch the warm, wet body to me as I fade.

'Please forgive me. I'm sorry. I'm so *sorry*.'