Chapter 30

As the morning began inside the utilidor, Mark woke up feeling incredibly refreshed. The memory of last night's craziness put a wide grin on his face. He stretched lazily, relishing the warmth of the girls, and couldn't help but replay the fun times in his mind.

Stella, Kirsten, and Denise woke up groggily, their heads pounding from the previous night's escapades. They collectively groaned, regret etched on their faces. Stella, was the first to sit up, holding her head in her hands. "Ugh, my head feels like it's going to explode," she moaned.

Kirsten, tried to recall the events of the night before. "Wait, what did we even drink last night?" she asked, her memory hazy. She blushed when she noticed Mark grinning at her. She couldn't resist rubbing her ass due to the slight stinging sensation she felt from it.

Denise, let out a weak chuckle. "I think we tried every cocktail on the menu after the vodka," she said, wincing at the memory. "No wonder we're feeling like this."

Stella struggled to get out of bed, her balance betraying her. "I don't think I can move," she admitted, collapsing back onto the bedding.

Mark sat up and gave them water, pain relievers, and some greasy fast food. "Here, let's hydrate, take these pills, and eat something. You'll feel better in no time," he said, distributing the supplies to the girls while kissing their cheeks one by one.

Stella managed a weak smile, touched by Mark's thoughtfulness. "You're a lifesaver," she said, sipping the water slowly.

Despite their throbbing headaches and queasy stomachs, the trio gradually regained their composure with the help of water, pain relievers, and greasy food. Mark, took the lead, sharing stories and laughter from the previous night. His animated recounting made the girls blush and squirm with embarrassment, yet they couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of their antics.

The girls, now feeling slightly better, vowed never to overindulge like that again. They spent the rest of the time recovering, reminiscing about their wild night, and promising to stick to more moderate adventures in the future.

Guiding each of the girls into the bathroom, mindful of the strong scent of alcohol that clung to them. He wanted to ensure they felt refreshed and at ease, so he 'helped' them in bathing, making sure they could cleanse themselves from the traces of the night's festivities.

Mark chose not to venture outside, opting instead to relax with the girls, watching movies on his phone. They all cuddled up in the bed until the evening.

On the 15th day, Marlow's anger surged as hunger clawed at him, his vampiric instincts clamoring for sustenance. He called out to his followers, and seven of his kind emerged from the shadows. With a sharp look, Marlow asked Zurial, {"Where are the others?"}

Zurial responded with a casual shrug, leaving Marlow bewildered and frustrated. Their numbers were dwindling, and the lack of prey had left them famished. Marlow contemplated burning the entire town to flush out the hidden preys.

Amidst his thoughts, a gunshot reverberated through the town, causing Marlow to instinctively touch his forehead in pain, feeling his own undead blood trickling down. With a grimace, he removed the deformed bullet and quickly scanned the source of the shot. There, he spotted Mark on the rooftop waving mockingly at him. Marlow's anger boiled over, and he snarled fiercely as his followers charged towards Mark with savage howls. Another shot rang out as Marlow shielded his head with his arms, sprinting towards Mark, determined to retaliate.

Mark observed Marlow and his followers closing in, a thrill surging through him as he taunted the powerful vampire. He aimed his rifle once more, but the vampires moved quickly, evading his shots with ease.

With a grin, Mark watched them swiftly climb the rooftop, encircling him like predators closing in on prey. He remained calm as they stared at him with menacing hunger, not moving, just waiting for Marlow's signal.

"No more escape," Marlow began, slowly walking towards him. "I'll make sure – arghhh!" Marlow screamed in pain as he got caught in a bear trap. His followers were startled. Seizing the opportunity, Mark attacked. He swung his axe, but Marlow managed to catch it. The momentum didn't stop, and Marlow was thrown down from the rooftop.

As Mark prepared to follow Marlow down, his followers lunged at him. Some vampires got caught in bear traps, while Mark swiftly beheaded others with his axe. Looking down, he saw Marlow seemingly unharmed, glaring up at him in anger. One of his follower lay on the snowy ground, its neck bleeding. Poor vampire.

Mark turned his attention to the other vampires ensnared in the trap, readying himself to behead them when he heard a whistling sound behind him. Instinctively, he raised his axe, using it as a shield. A concrete block shattered against the shaft, causing his hands to tremble from the impact. He quickly scanned the rooftop opposite him and saw Marlow, preparing to throw another projectile.

Without a moment's hesitation, Mark hurriedly leaped down, leaving the trapped vampires behind. Four more to go except Iris.

Marlow cast a disdainful glance at his remaining followers, his disappointment evident. He sternly warned them not to wander alone from that moment on. They nodded in fear, understanding the gravity of their mistake. With a decisive stride, Marlow left the place, his hunger driving him to search for fresh prey elsewhere.

Upon entering the utilidor, the room was bathed in the dim glow of the sunlamp, illuminating Mark. He felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him. If, by some chance, Marlow managed to breach the heavy metal door, the uv light would burn them to ashes.

Mark scanned the workbench cluttered with components and tools, his eyes falling on a man diligently working on a handheld version of a UV light.

"Is it finished?" Mark asked curiously.

The man looked up, his hands still busy assembling the device. "Not yet, but we're close," he replied, his tone determined. "We just need a few more things: a high-capacity battery to ensure a longer usage time, a durable casing to protect the components, and a suitable switch for easy operation. With those, we'll have a functional handheld UV lamp ready to go."

Mark handed over the items he had gathered from the hardware store. The man took a look, his brows furrowing slightly, but he nodded. "These will do for a simpler version," he said, a hint of concern in his voice. Mark didn't need anything fancy; he just needed a tool to defend against Marlow.

"Simple is good," Mark replied. "As long as it gets the job done, that's all I need."

The man nodded in agreement. With a renewed focus, he continued his work, piecing together the handheld UV lamp.

With a final glance back, Mark bid the man farewell as he left the makeshift workshop.

Arriving where the girls were gathered, Mark, freshly bathed and wearing a bathrobe, spotted Stella deep in conversation with Eben over the walkie-talkie. Denise and Kirsten listened intently, their expressions reflecting concern and curiosity.

He sat between them, gently putting his arms around Stella, pulling her onto his lap, her back against his chest, as he listened attentively to the conversation.

"We just found out Isaac left the attic while we were sleeping," Eben's voice crackled through the walkie-talkie, his tone serious. He felt a surge of frustration; the old guy had left the attic stairs unattended when he left. Fortunately, nothing had happened. "Wilson has gone after him."

A heavy silence settled over the group. Denise couldn't help but whisper, her voice filled with apprehension, "They're toast."

"Is there no one on lookout duty when you sleep?" Stella asked curiously through the walkie-talkie. On the other side, Eben's gaze shifted to Doug, whose expression was a mix of guilt and shame. It was evident that he had fallen asleep while on lookout duty, a mistake that could have serious consequences in their situation.

An eerie scratching suddenly filled the room. Eben swiftly moved to kill the propane heater, extinguishing the only source of light and plunging the room into darkness.

"Get down, cover up!" he hissed urgently.

They flattened against the wall near the peephole. The others dove under sleeping blankets, struggling to remain quiet and still. The scrabbling noises moved ominously from one side of the roof to another, doubling and tripling as if there were three creatures on the roof now. Jake quivered, Billy and even Doug trembled, feeling surrounded by the unseen threat.

Then, a sudden loud and sharp clamping sound filled the room, the bear trap snapping shut with a menacing force. It was immediately followed by a spine-chilling wail of pain, echoing the agony of whatever had triggered the trap. The survivors' eyes widened in terror, the combination of the trap's snap and the vampire's anguished cry sending shivers down their spines.

There was a momentary silence, the survivors wondering if they could relax. Jake stifled a scream as a cruel black eye looked in through the window, searching. Eben tensed, his breathing tight and thin. After an achingly fearful moment, the eye disappeared, and the scrabbling sounds stopped, leaving them in a tense silence.