Thicker Than Blood

"Quickly you must produce a flame as hot as mine I'm too busy with Rose!" Rugosa pleaded her voice sounding as if she was wrestling something. Another image flashed in my mind of Salem breathing flames deep into the beast who threatened my life rendering it nothing more than ashes.

"An honest owner I have found." Rugosa says playfully.

The heartless creature begins its charge and lunges at the shadow figure, but before it could have landed a hit the shadow's maw opens and a plume of dark red flames leap out engulfing the creature whole. A few moments of spit flames pass before the shadow stops. Flames dissipate to reveal a charcoal Polidori stuck in place. The sound of crackling flesh filled the evening sky the horrible stench of burnt meat assaulted their noses. Everyone's body had finally released its tension now that it was over. The heat in my chest slowly died away.

"i-i'll... Kill..." The sound escaped the lipless mouth of the blackened skeleton plunging ice picks into everyone's spine. The hole in Polidoris' chest started to fill with purple tendrils attempting to weave it shut.

"MINE!" I hear thunder in my head as the flame in my chest engulfs my body. The Alter Image I summoned bursts and takes the form of a giant mouth swallowing Polidori whole and receding into my shadow, as it does the flame subsides instantly. 

"I apologize Willow I couldn't stop her from eating that foul substance." I hear from a disappointed Rugosa.

"What the actual FUCK was that? Willow?! Care to give us a hint love?" Kairo paused after what I hoped was a rhetorical question, but as the silence grew intolerable I realized it wasn't.

"What!? How the hell would I know!?" I replied frustrated with all of today.

"I found out I have multiple personalities! I fucking adopted a cat, a bird, and a child! And I'm pretty sure I just ate the skeezy vampyr guy..." I spew emotions a little raw and worn out making it to my feet to look Kairo in the eye. I had planned to stand my ground but felt dizzy from standing too quickly. Kairo catches me before I fall and holds on to me.

"Sorry fair point." He admits his tone and vibe softening.

"A little help?" We hear from a raspy voice below. Joy flooded me learning he had survived. We all make it to the edge to be greeted with the ghastly image of Radney impaled by enormous shards of glass.

"Yeah, we'll be right down... You daft fuck." Kairo replies cordially to my horror. We all make our way safely down to Radney.

"Could you be a little quicker?" He coughed out through mouths full of blood.

"Yeah Yeah keep your shirt on mate." Kairo takes his time climbing the broken Vat. While I looked to see if at least Emily was as disturbed by these events as me but to my further horror she had pulled out her phone to check notifications. I was beginning to believe that Magic only made you jaded or maybe I was too sensitive. Kairo makes it to Radney harshly and quickly yanking him free and tossing him to the grown. I rushed over to him terrified he would die of his injuries years of medical training kicked in as I demanded supplies.

"No need love he'll be fine." Kairo says callously. I looked to Emily who was replying to text furiously disregarding any of the crisis at hand.

"i-i'm not gonna make it... May I make one request?" Radney admits through spurts of coughing. I lean in to hear his request. Slightly embarrassed by what was said but I obliged planting a kiss on his lips. I watch as life essence pours from him and his eyes grow heavy then shut, he was gone. Tears threatened my eyes as I looked for consolement from the others but instead saw bored expressions on everyone's faces.

"What is wrong with you people!?" I scream as I do I notice tiny golden threads pulling together open wounds and suturing them shut. Before long all the wounds are healed and his eyes flutter.

"Radney dies once a day occasionally more but at least once a day." Kairo says his tone filled with disdain and disgust.

"He asked you for a dying wish didn't he?" Kairo asked glaring at Radney who now was fully conscious.

"I'm alive? IM ALIVE!? Willow, it's a mircl- I end his one-man show by plunging my blade deep into his gut and removing it quickly. He rolls around on the floor pleading for help ultimately bleeding out again and reviving while I join everyone with my now also bored look.  

"Right, so what's the situation?" Radney says making it to his feet trying to manage a serious tone. We all ignored him trying to figure out who would check on the children in the farm and who would see what was left not in shambles to gather clues from.

"Come on guys I want to help... I died twice." Radney says trying to enter the circle we had created.

"You earned that second one id say ya old geezer." Kairo said with his nose turned upward.

"Dirty old man I'm telling Lily everything." Emily said furiously sending messages on her phone.

"Wait Em don't tell Lils please, hold on." Radney pleaded on his knees to Emily.

"Anyway me and Willow will tend to the farm since we have the most medical knowledge you and Em will look for whatever you can about this place and Polidori's goals." Kairos' serious switch reminded me of being at work I searched my pockets hoping to find a ponytail and sure enough one was there I put my hair up and begin checking each teen. A pattern I soon notice is these were teens all in the high school age range and if it wasn't a mixed breed therian it was black-eyed children and humans who I couldn't understand why they would be there.