Vampocalypse (old first draft)

Chapter Twenty-two

A great commotion ensued outside the cage. It was as though someone flipped everyone's noise switch. Since I wasn't dead, I opened an eye and peeked at my doom bringer. But the thing wasn't even near me. It was busying itself by grunting at the shocked, disappointed crowd. Though I can't say I was disappointed, I was equally as shocked, and confused to boot.

But how can this be?

"What was that?" Gus demanded.

He knelt down toward me, as close as the bars would allow. His hand, I noticed, had already healed.

"What?" I asked.

"That blue light. What was it? Where did you get it?"

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about," I said.

Muscles twitched in his jaw. He'd like nothing better than to tear me to shreds, except maybe to digest me, but now he couldn't. Now, I had something he wanted. Well, he'd have to just wait, because I was flat out stumped. As far as I knew, sheer luck had saved my behind.

"Fine," he said resolved.

Wow, that was easy, I thought as he stood up. Conversation over. Heck, I was even feeling pretty good about it.

"Bring another!" he ordered.

"What?" I said in a squeak.

But the guards were already moving to fetch a new deader.

"No, please!" I shouted, rising from the ground. "I really don't know what happened!"

"That's why we're going to try it again," Gus growled. His eyes were all crazy.

"Oh, God," I groaned.

Facing another deader was almost too much. First I'm pretty sure I'm dead, then I'm alive, then I'm dying again. This was turning out to be a very morbid roller coaster.

I was no idiot; I knew what happened had something to do with me being a Spellbinder, but I had no idea how to utilize my power. Heck, I'd only known about my potential power for less than twelve hours. There was a very slim chance I could recreate whatever I did to stop the first horror.

Deader number one was still walking around the cage, grunting at the roaring crowd, but ignoring me completely. I watched it to be sure it stayed that way. Whatever happened could possibly run out. All I knew about Spellbinders- my kind was that we were extremely rare and powerful. Powerful enough that other things feared us. But no-one seemed to fear me other than the superior vamps, and then only enough to keep me from learning. I was basically a baby Spellbinder. One that had no idea how to walk or talk with her magic.

Deader number one's attention shot to the cage door. Gus was unlocking the heavy padlock around the door once again. Behind him, the second deader, like the first had been, chained between the were guards. This one was a bit worse for wear, but still as dangerous and disgusting. It wore feeble threads of clothes, and had no discernible facial features. Its teeth, though missing a few, were fully exposed and snapping together like wind-up chattering teeth.

Prickles ran up the length of my arms as they untangled the chains. Then they clamped the door, and deader number two ran straight toward me.

I raised my shaky hands, trying to recreate whatever I'd done.

"No! Don't!" I tried, but it wasn't working.

You're gonna die! my mind shouted. I was trembling like crazy now. Faint threatened to overtake me. My throat felt like it was closing, but I fought words out anyway.

"No! Please..." It was almost on me, now- stinking, decaying, bloody death.

"Stop it!" I cried, and to my delightful surprise, One tackled Two inches in front of my eyes.

The deaders rolled around groaning and wheezing at each other angrily. They snapped, swiped, and kicked. Bones crunched, dead flesh disconnected. They were literally tearing each other to shreds, all because one was trying to get at me and the other was...protecting me.

Deader One stood and raised two in the air, then slammed it into the bars with all it's might. I heard a sickening crack, and Two's arm - from elbow down - flew by my head.

It was so gross, I shrieked.

"Stop it! Stop it!" I cried in full on freak out. I leaped from the ground and rushed at the cage door. I had to find a way out, because if deader one lost, I did not want to suffer what I was seeing it go through.

I shook the cage door furiously. It clattered, but didn't give. I kicked it, and glanced behind me. One was on the ground and Two had raised its foot. It was going to bring its weight down on the head of One; if it destroyed One's brain, it would be out of the battle, and I would be next. I reach out on impulse.

"Stop it!" I shouted again.

This time, I saw the blue light. Just a little glimmer at first, then it grew into a blinding glare. In a flash, it happened.

Deader two stopped.

I wanted to fall on my knees and thank my lucky stars, but I knew a chance when I saw one. I stood my ground firmly. All of the fear I'd felt began to turn into something like power. It wasn't psychological power at all; I was never one to get too full of myself. I could actually feel power surging through me.

"That! How can you do it?" Gus growled.

"Oh, that? It's just in my blood." I grinned in a disgustingly cute, girly way.

"What are you?" he asked.

"Why don't you come in here and find out?" I said.

Gus roared. "I'll keep piling them in until you can't handle 'em, little girl. I've got dozens. You won't keep your tricks up for long!" he shouted.

"Bring it, fur ball!" I said, then I clamped my mouth shut tight. Wow, this power was really taking me over.

"More!" he demanded his guards, and they scrambled off.

Moving away from the door, I faced it and braced myself.

"Get in front of me," I told One and Two, and they obeyed without being prodded.

It took effort to keep from gagging. The putrid smell was almost unbearable, but it was the only way. If more came, I would be prepared. Hopefully.

Moments later, a new deader was coming through the crowd in chains, two more on its heels. One for each deader I controlled, an extra for me. I had one option, then. I raised my hands-

"What are you fools doing?" a voice boomed over the gathering.