Blood

by K. B. Ladnier

  Red spread across the whites of Vex’s eyes to the point there was no white left. Bloody saliva dripped from his mouth as it opened. He let out a feral growl that was far more monster than man before rising to his feet.

  I scrambled backwards in a crab crawl, my hand outstretched before me in surrender.

  “Please don’t do this, Vex…remember who you are. Remember me,” I pleaded in a whimper, continuing to back away as he prowled forward predatorily.

  “Vex…you can fight this. I’m your resistance, remember?” My back hit the wall and he hissed.

  I cried harder, not knowing what to do or how to get through to the man I knew laid beneath the monster. I used the wall as an anchor to pull myself up, getting ready to run at just the right time. I wouldn’t play Bellamy’s sick and twisted game. No matter how far gone Vex was, I would never kill him. I couldn’t.

  I watched in fear as he got closer and started to crouch. It was now or never.

  Just as he sprung, I jumped out of his way and took off as fast as I could, bracing myself to break down the door leading to one of the halls. Surprisingly, it worked. The wood splintered and broke apart, giving me a little hope I could outrun him.

  Monster Vex screeched behind me as I continued to run. I remembered several of the passages that led down to the cells. I needed to get there and get Diego. An idea formed as I rushed into Viper’s room, one of the few rooms that had a secret passage.

  I screamed when I ran in and saw what was in there as I threw the door closed behind me. Four piles of ashes with four hearts lying in each one. Bellamy had killed them. I knew without doubt these were Vex’s men. The door to the room banged behind me hard enough it thrust me forward, accidentally putting my foot into the blood and ash mix of one of his men.

  “Ewww!” I shook my bare foot off and rushed to the door that was hidden in the closet, throwing it open and high tailing it down the narrow, stone staircase.

  When I reached the bottom, I had to quickly remember which direction to go each time I turned down a hall. I began yelling Diego’s name when I realized I was getting lost.

  “Lucy?” I heard him four doors down and made a beeline for the cell. I opened the door and hugged him quickly when he met me. “What’s going on?” He asked.

  “Bellamy drugged Vex beyond a level I can help him fight off. We have to lock him up in one of these cells and come back after it’s worn off. I need your help luring him.”

  He nodded. “Just tell me what to do.”

  Vex’s hissing growl echoed along the corridor, letting me know we had little time. I filled Diego in on the plan and quickly got myself ready.

  I stood just inside the cell, my back to the open doorway and called for my maker.

  “Come and get me, Vex! Tasty white meat, cell block 28!”

  “Really, Lucy?” I heard Diego ask with sarcasm from his position behind the open door on the outside of the cell.

  I shushed him, hearing Vex’s footsteps approaching fast. “In here, Vexie!” I hollered again.

  Just as expected, Monster Vex shot into the cell, not stopping to look left or right before entering. I slipped out quickly and Diego slammed the cell door shut with a loud bang, throwing down the latch. I looked through the window just before Monster Vex slammed his body against the steel door, making me jump back.

  “I’m so sorry, Vex! I’ll come back for you!” I cried, clutching my fist to me racing heart. It killed me to cage him like an animal, but it was the only thing I could do until the BloodLust wore off.

  Diego rubbed circles on my back. “Come on, Lucy. We have to get to Hollis. He needs to know about Bellamy.” He gently clasped my my elbow, tugging me slightly.

  It was so hard to move, though.

  “We’ll come back, Lucy. We need to go now.”

  I nodded solemnly, kissing my hand and placing it on the window towards my raving maker. One part of my whole.

  “I won’t let you fall. I promise,” I whispered to Vex, hoping he could hear me through the fog of his mind. Then I let go and allowed Diego to steer me from the door.

  It took a bit for me and Diego to work our way out of the bunker. When we did, we exited a small steel door that came out the side of the mountain the place was built within. The door was set inside a small cave, showing us it was thankfully nighttime outside.

  Only forest and mountain greeted us for the first two hours we walked. We finally reached a road and started walking south. The road was completely deserted, leaving us a little hopeless at hitching a ride before day would break.

  It felt like hours that we walked endless twisting roads, not a city or even a small town in sight. Neither of us spoke the whole time we trekked, only grunting to one another when we needed a rest. We were both low on blood and reaching starvation level fast.

  Finally, salvation greeted us.

  A line of headlights coming towards us gave us a last burst of energy to start waving them down. We didn’t care who it was that drove those vehicles, so long as they weren’t Bellamy and his men.

  Thankfully, they all stopped. Though, the one in front more so slammed on its brakes. I stopped and let out a small laugh that we finally found refuge. The driver and passenger doors opened, but the blinding headlights gave me no inclination as to who our rescuers were.

  The voices that greeted me, however, were heaven in my ears.

  “Lucy?”

  “Luce?”

  It was Hollis and Sloan.

  “Oh my god! Luce!” I heard Sloan just before warm, loving arms wrapped me in a vice grip. I bawled into his chest and held on for dear life. I took in his musky scent and cried even harder. Then a second pair of arms wrapped around us from behind me, Hollis’ clean scent rolling over me.

  “I can’t believe you’re alright. Fuck we were so worried, Lucy!” Hollis said into my hair as he squeezed.

  “I’ve missed you both so much!” I laughed out through the tears, feeling like I could burst from all the love that surrounded me.

  We all stood like this for a good bit, them taking turns hugging me themselves, kissing my lips, my cheeks – anywhere they could reach on my face.

  After all of our initial shock of finding each other, Hollis greeted Diego and helped load him into the back of one of the vans that was being driven behind them. It seemed like there were two or more STF teams here, all of them looking for us.

  “How did you escape?” Sloan finally asked me as the three of us leaned against the front of Sloan’s car while Diego got looked over.

  “The escape wasn’t the hard part…” I replied sadly.

  “What happened to you? Why were you taken? Who took you?” Hollis prodded, running his hand through my hair like if he stopped touching me I’d disappear.

  “It’s a long story,” I said, rubbing my face with exhaustion. “I’ll have to tell you on the way back to the compound I was kept in.”

  “Wait, what? Why the hell would we go back there? No way! We need to get you home, Luce,” Sloan stated in ‘don’t argue with me’ tone.

  “I have to go back, Sloan. I left someone there that I need to get back.”

  Hollis and Sloan exchanged worried looks.

  “Who, Lucy?” Asked Hollis.

  I sighed. “My maker, Vex.”

  They both gaped at me.

  “I promised him I’d go back for him and I won’t break that promise. I need him,” I added softly, the tears beginning to fall again at having to leave him behind.

  Hollis and Sloan just stood there staring back and forth between each other and me, seeming to have a silent conversation. Until finally, they both relaxed and looked at me.

  “Alright. We’ll go get him. But you’re going to tell us everything,” Hollis replied pointedly before walking to the passenger side and opening the door for me to get in.

  Sloan jumped in the driver’s seat and Hollis slid in back, both placing a hand on me and giving me strength at what I’d be facing when we got back to save Vex from hims
elf.

  I’m coming, Vex. Just hold on a little longer…

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Vex

  I will rip her to shreds!

  I raked my nails down the stone wall, screaming at the top of my lungs.

  No … no, I won’t. She’s mine. Mine to love. To cherish. To …

  I breathed in and out, trying to fight. But I couldn’t.

  Blood! I want her blood! Her flesh! I need to tear her heart out!

  NO!

  I pounded my fist into the door with all my might, blood gushing out from my broken knuckles only to heal moments later.

  Back and forth I went, over and over. My mind couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t. In the dark of this cell, I could see everything, yet nothing. I’d see her. My intoxicating progeny in all her shining glory. At first, she’d be talking to me, laughing, and smiling. Then, she’d change. She’d hiss and began bleeding from eyes, ears, and throat. The last as if I’d torn it open myself. I’d check my hands, but there’d be nothing.

  I couldn’t take this anymore! I ran back and forth, growling and hissing as I smashed myself against one wall just to run back and do it to the other. Anything. I’d do anything to not think the things I was thinking of doing to her.

  Blood. Blood. Blood. Blood. I want it. It’s mine. She’s mine!

  For hours, I destroyed my body over and over, trying to exert myself and break myself enough the drug would bleed out of me. I needed to get it out. I needed to find her.

  Bellamy would pay for this…

  A door opened, its creaking sound echoing down the hallways of cells mine was attached to. I stopped moving, listening for her, and smelling the air.

  There…

  I could smell her and feel her as she drew near. She had come back!

  Several sets of footsteps sounded, only one set running and getting closer. I hissed hungry for blood. Especially that of my delicious progeny.

  “Vex!” Her voice called.

  No. No, she can’t open this door! It’s not over yet!

  A feral growl came out of my mouth as I slammed my body against the door, grabbing onto the handle in case she tried opening it. I looked out the window, my eyes barely able to see through the dim light. She was almost to my door, her face in a mask of worry.

  I couldn’t let her in. My mind was slowly coming back a little, but not enough I trusted myself.

  “Vex! Thank god you’re still here!” She said as she finally made it to the window. The wolf and the agent came around the corner, each looking back and forth between my face in the door and Lucy’s who was still looking at me.

  “How are you? Is it over?” She asked me sadly, laying her hand on the glass.

  “Do not…open...this door…Lucy,” I spewed out through clenched teeth. My mind was quickly deteriorating back to wanting to claw her heart from her chest.

  The wolf and the agent stepped to either side of her, pulling her away from the window a little at the sight of me. I slammed my fists against the door, making them both jump back with her at the banging and taking her further away.

  “Mine!” I snarled at them.

  “Luce. I think you need to stay away from the door,” the wolf said to her, looking at me uneasily.

  “How much BloodLust did you say he gave him?” The agent asked.

  Bloody tears started to drop from her eyes as she turned her head to look at him. “Too much. I don’t know how long he’ll be like this. Or even if he can come back from this, Hollis. His mind was already on the verge of breaking.”

  Just one taste…

  Shut the fuck up! I internally yelled, squeezing my eyes shut and pulling away from the door. I quickly went back to slamming my body back and forth between the walls, snarling loudly as I broke my shoulder, then my wrist, then my jaw. All of it still healing way too fast.

  “Oh my god! Vex! Stop that!” Lucy shouted, slapping her hands on the window.

  I couldn’t listen, though. I had to bleed it out of me.

  “Holy shit! What the hell is he doing?” The wolf asked in disbelief.

  “Stop him! One of you or both of you! Just fucking stop him before he kills himself!” She shouted at them, banging her hands against the window once again. “Please! Vex, you have to stop! That won’t do anything!”

  But I kept going, blood coming from every ligament I tore open in my violent haste to get rid of this toxin overtaking me.

  “Back up, Lucy. We’re going in there and chaining him.”

  Don’t open the door. Don’t open the door. Don’t open the door.

  Too late.

  I heard the door swing open and halted to a dead stop, crouching and hissing as the wolf and agent approached me.

  “Easy, there. We’re just trying to help you,” said the wolf, his hands raised up to show he came in peace.

  What was his name again?

  I snarled, blood and saliva dropping from my mouth as I smelled the blood beneath his veins. I rocked back and forth between my feet, looking side to side at them as they curved their steps to come at me from the sides.

  But then there she was. Standing in the door way with her hands fisted in her shirt and blood coming from her eyes. Sweet, intoxicating blood. I wanted it. I needed it. I zeroed in on her and she gasped, taking a small step back.

  I smiled a wicked grin and leapt for her.

  “Grab him!” one of them bellowed, stopping my forward progression.

  I was gripped by my shoulders on either side and pushed backwards until I hit the back wall, both men putting their weight against me. I growled, kicked and clawed at them, trying to break free and get to what was rightfully mine.

  They began to push me downwards to the floor, sliding my back roughly against the gritted wall. When I was seated, they both put a knee on each of my thighs, holding down my arms so that my palms were against the floor. I struggled, yet I was no match for them combined.

  “Luce! We need you to come shackle him! He’s too damn strong for us to hold and put them on!” The wolf ground out, losing his hold enough I was able to lash out and claw him across the cheek.

  He jumped back on me, tightening his grip. “Now, Luce!”

  “Okay,” she said, walking quickly into the room, and hissing as the silver burned her hands when she picked them up. “Fuck that burns!”

  I felt my skin sizzle with heat as she placed one after the other on each wrist and ankle, all of them jumping backwards when she let them know they were secure. I lashed out, but my reach only allowed me to stand.

  “Shit! Whatever that drug is, it makes them strong,” the wolf said, his hands on his knees and breathing hard.

  “It does more than that. It takes away their control completely and gives it over to Bellamy. You think Vex is bad? Imagine if he manages to inject it into every vampire in the city. I don’t think even Abraham can help us then, and he’s one of the strongest Ancients left.”

  That’s right, girl. He will kill all of you! Your precious wolf and agent. Your friends. All of them. And I will bathe in your blood!

  I bellowed out another snarl and grabbed my head between my hands.

  Stop it! I will not kill her! I will not let Bellamy win! Get the fuck out of my head!

  I fell to my knees, cradling my head as leaned down and pressed it against the floor. I needed to stay calm. I needed to focus. I was chained, so bleeding this shite out was no longer an option.

  “He’s fighting it. That’s good, Lucy. Other vampires just give in from what I’ve seen. But him?” I heard the agent sigh. “If anyone can beat the BloodLust, it’s him.”

  “I know,” I heard her reply. “He’s strong. He fought through it quite a few times while I was here. Bellamy would come and give him more every other day or so, and he’d come back to me ... I just…” She paused.

  I lifted my head and stared at her; her eyes were fixed on me with so much love and concern and her hand was palmed over her heart. I felt a little bit of me lift out of t
he darkness of my mind at the sight.

  “I can’t live without you,” she whispered to me, before dropping her face into her hands to cry.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Lucy

  We all sat with Vex for the next couple of hours as his BloodLust induced state continued to dwindle.

  Sometimes, Hollis and Sloan had to restrain him from banging himself against the wall. Other times, Vex would just sit there, mumbling to himself quietly over and over. It broke my heart every second.

  The longer it took for it to wear off, the more I hated Bellamy for what he’d done to my maker. For what he’d done to me for taking away my chance to grow as a vampire with Vex by my side, teaching me how to live and survive like all makers should be able to teach their progenies. Bellamy took everything away.

  And I wanted revenge for that.

  I wanted him to suffer the way he made Vex suffer all these years. To feel the loss, he made me feel. I wanted him to burn from the inside out with unbridled agony before his body turned to ash by my feet. Then I’d spit in them, desecrating them for the poison that they were.

  “Hey, Luce. I think he’s coming around,” Sloan said to me.

  I lifted my head from my hands and saw Vex, who was sitting against the wall, now looking around with fresh eyes that no longer held the red of the drug. I stood from my crouched position and rushed to his side, taking his hand in mine.

  He groaned and placed his other hand to his temple. “That was bloody awful. I feel like my head is splitting in two.”

  I let out a relieved laugh before throwing my arms around his neck, squeezing him to me. He hugged me back, but when he winced at my tight grip, I let go quickly and just kissed his cheek instead.

  “Well, you did kind of bash your head in a good few hundred times,” Sloan added. “I think we got you before you could get any kind of permanent brain damage, though.”

  “Good on you, mates,” Vex said with a smirk, grabbing my hands from him as I moved them around, trying to inspect him to make sure he was all healed up. “Love, I’m fine. You can stop fretting.”