Chapter 1 - Blood and Smoke [1/5]

His hands closed around the rusty iron bars. Arken's eyelids half-lowered as he concentrated. Gradually, his body lost substance. From the corners of his eyes, he saw his hands blur, becoming indistinct shapes. Once the transformation had progressed far enough, he took a step forward, right through the iron bars. Barely had he passed through them when he solidified again.

A man stumbled toward him, his eyes wide open. Spit dribbled from the corner of his mouth. "Mbwawa," he choked out unclearly, reaching out his arms.

"Disappear," Arken said, pushing him aside with disgust. The man lost his balance and fell onto the filthy floor. Arken paid him no further attention. His gaze wandered over the occupants of the cell, huddled on the ground. Despite the dim light, he could see as if it were daylight. There, the flaming red locks! He would recognize them anywhere, even matted and dirt-stiff. He walked quickly to the woman. She had her arms wrapped around her drawn-up legs and her head resting on her knees.

"Maya," he said softly, gently stroking her. The woman raised her head and looked at him with large, green eyes. If he still had a beating heart, it would have raced at the sight of her. She was so beautiful that she couldn't be from this world, impossible to be one of these dirty, stinking humans. He held her in his arms. She pressed her warm body against him, her delightful scent filling his nostrils even more intensely.

"Forgive me for not visiting in the last few days. I had much to do," Arken said, pulling away from her and studying her with pursed lips. His beloved Maya was little more than skin and bones. Her cheeks were sunken, and her beautiful red hair was dirty and matted. She looked into his eyes but said nothing. Of course not. She had never spoken a word, the reason they had locked her up in the asylum in the first place. At the thought, Arken clenched his fists. Humans! Instead of appreciating her beauty, her charm, and her wonderful scent, they had thrown Maya into this rundown cesspool among all these lunatics! Fat, stinking gluttons like Mayor Shannar, on the other hand, got magnificent villas and lived in luxury. They had no idea what a treasure they were locking up down here.

"I will get you out of here. Soon, very soon..." Arken whispered to his beloved Maya and stroked her hair gently.

"For far too long, you've endured down here, but today, I will convince that imbecile to let you go. If not, he will bitterly regret it."

The sound of a slamming door made Arken turn. Chains rattled, followed by heavy footsteps. He hadn't paid enough attention to his surroundings.

"Well, you filthy rats, are you hungry?" a voice echoed through the asylum. A man in shabby armor approached the cell bars. The guard. Arken stayed in the shadows, where human eyes couldn't see him. The man looked at the prisoners with a malevolent gleam in his eyes.

"For a change, today, you get moldy bread from the week before last. A feast for you swine!" He tossed a few bread crusts through the bars. They landed amidst the filth on the floor. A woman pounced on them and greedily bit into a piece of bread like a dog. The guard laughed disdainfully.

"Later, we'll play a nice game together. You're looking forward to it, aren't you?"

Arken clenched his teeth. It took all of his self-control not to leave his hiding spot and go for the bastard's throat. Mentally, he moved the man to the top of his hit list. The scoundrel would regret how he treated Maya! But revenge would have to wait. If the guard ended up lifeless and dead down here in the muck, it would draw a lot of attention. In the end, they would blame the lunatics, which would undoubtedly diminish his chances of successfully getting Maya out of here. Moreover, one of the slightly brighter idiots might get the idea that it was the work of a vampire... Arken shuddered as unwelcome memories of the Holy Crusade against the vampires resurfaced. Humans were under the impression that all of his kind were dead. And that was a good thing.

Arken waited until the guard had moved away to prepare his games. He gave Maya one last, loving kiss. She returned it passionately, eagerly sucking on his lips, holding him in her arms. Arken felt her desperation, her silent pleading, and it tore him apart. His cold body hadn't felt such emotion in a long time. But he had to leave, had to get her out of here without causing too much commotion.

"Soon, my moon, soon..." he whispered to her. Today would be the last time, Arken was determined. His body merged with the shadows, losing its contours and solidity. Maya's gaze followed him until she lost her focus. She had suffered down here long enough. With great effort, Arken resisted the urge to stroke her cheek one more time in his mist form. Just one more time, he would give the human rabble the opportunity to make the right decision. Then he would act, no matter the cost. Freeing Maya would be worth a thousand crusades.

He walked through the iron bars as if they didn't exist, passing by the guard without giving him a second glance - the danger of losing control was too great.

In front of the asylum's doors, Arken was met with blazing sunlight. It pierced his pale skin like a thousand needles. Even after nearly four hundred years of his undead existence, he had not grown accustomed to it. But at least it didn't burn him like it did the lesser vampires.

After a moment, the sensation lessened, becoming duller, and his eyes also adjusted to the brightness. Arken shook himself and followed the path to the village of Eldoria, to which the asylum belonged. Several fields lay between the actual settlement and the house where the mad were locked away. You couldn't even see it from Eldoria. It was a stain that people didn't want to have constantly in their view.

Arken reached the village and made his way purposefully to the largest building in the center, ignoring the people who eyed him suspiciously. It was a beautiful duplex house with a large balcony. A fenced flower garden surrounded it. Arken walked across the paved path to the front door and flung it open.