Mishka's Redemption

Chapter 5

Images flashed like blurred ghosts floating in front of me in a hall way of white light that seemed to go on into oblivion. Events flooded my mind jostling me but I caught myself trying not to react as conspicuously. My eyes flashed around the room searching for others but I was met with nothing but steely gray walls and the cluster of men with their backs facing me in their halo of white light. I thought about all the men that had risked their lives earlier and prayed that they didn't get caught or worse.

"She's awake," I heard one of the men in front of me. He turned and his eyes pierced me like a knife. He wiped his hands on his jeans and turned grabbing me from my place where I lay uncomfortably on the floor and flinging me backwards. I bit my lip to keep from crying out at the pain in my leg and at the force my head connected with the wall that I was now slumped against. I tried scooting myself a little further up the wall and was met with the laughter of the three men now staring at me in amusement.

"What do you want?" I spat.

"What do you want?" the man in the front spoke. He was taller than the rest and sported a crimson red t-shirt and denim jeans. His feet were clad with boots that looked harsh and heavy.

"Where are my men?"

"Dead," my throat tightened. He chuckled. "Poor girl." He spat. He flew towards me and wrapped his long fingers around my throat. I gasped for breath not expecting the sudden restriction and kicked at him shoving against my restraints but he only squeezed tighter. I pushed desperately kicking, flailing but only failing. Spots appeared at the sides of my vision and in one last desperate attempt I shove hard against his force and turned my neck, biting into his hand. He yelped and fell backwards clutching his hand tight to his chest and I looking furiously at me. I spat the blood that had filled my mouth and gasped raggedly for breath.

"Stupid little wh-"

"Petre stop." A shorter man demanded. He stood straighter than Petre and with an air of confidence. It seemed that I had overlooked this and he grinned mischievously at me.

"What do you want?" he questioned calmly, firmly. It was as if I could feel the pressure from his words.

"Where. Are. My. Men." I said through clenched teeth. He smiled wide almost like a Cheshire cat and stalked towards me like I was his prey. He chuckled and leaned down, kneeling in front of me. Suddenly he reached into his boot and swiped me with something that he'd pulled from his own boot. It seared the skin on my arm and I shrieked, looking down at the blood that now streaked my arm.

"Pretty color," he laughed heartily and the other two men followed. He swiped at me with his knife again and I screamed as he cut me again. His laughter grew heartier with every cut he made and it seemed to engulf me and swallow me up in my pain. I tried once more to desperately kick at my restraints but only succeeded in earning myself a deeper cut. I squeezed my eyes shut but suddenly the pain stopped and it took me a second to realize that the laughter had too. My eyes shot open and I watched as a group of my men fought off with the men that had just been so joyously torturing me.

"Help! Cut me free." I managed to muster up. Someone broke free and ran at me with a knife and I cringed pushing myself into the wall. I prepared myself for the impact and decided to make one last effort to kick the person as hard as I could.

"Rose it's me! It's okay, I'm gonna cut you free." A man with bright orange hair and freckles said urgently. He worked his knife on my restraints and popped me free.

"Damn it!" I exclaimed as I fell forward. I rubbed my wrists but stood up with urgency deciding to aid in the fight that seemed to be growing in size. Several strigoi had joined the fight but both sides seemed to be fighting fiercely.

"Rose," the orange haired man called. "The call! We have to make the call." Damn it. I made a note internally and lunged forward making a kick square to the stomach of an oncoming strigoi. He grunted and I smiled inwardly at my freedom. I cornered him pushing him up against the wall and searching my boot for my stake.

I reached deep inside and checked both but found nothing. I cursed myself for not noticing it's absence but felt myself being thrown through the air. I pushed myself up quickly but the man had disappeared. I glanced around the room but the fighting had stopped. A shout brought my attention to the head of the room where a man stood alone at the door.

"Up in flames," He grinned and tossed a match to the floor. It set the room ablaze and I shouted, pulling my men out the door. The flames licked at my skin but I pushed chasing the strigoi down the hallway.

"How many were there?" I shouted behind me as I ran.

"Too many for you," the strigoi cackled. "Lock them in!" he yelled.

"Seven," someone behind me gasped. I nodded and ran faster kicking at the back of the strigoi's legs as we reached the stairs. His companions stood menacingly at the bottom of the stairs blocking the way free. The flames seemed to chase after us but as he fell time seemed to stand still. My mind raced fiercely and I kicked my foot at the banister breaking a plank of wood free. I ran through the crowd of men behind me and pulled my tshirt off wrapping it around the end of my makeshift stake and pushing it into the flames. It set ablaze and only seconds had passed but it seemed like years. I turn back and ran leaning myself over the banister and throwing the flames at the wide eyed strigoi.

"Burn in hell!" I screamed. The chaos had never ceased but it was as if I was watching a silent movie. The flames hit two and the floundered trying to get free but seemed to have been too flustered. Fire caught the wood beneath their feet and seemed to fly up and engulf them all as they blindly struggle with the only close exit. It spread now licking at all of the men as they, dumbfounded, tried to find their way out of the door they had so elaborately locked. I wanted to stare until their screams quieted but someone nudged me forward. Flames threatened us from both sides and it took me a second to register the men that began to throw themselves over the side of the banister and make their way through to the kitchen. The flames seemed to trickle towards the clear spot the men were jumping too and I began to panic fearing that I wouldn't be able to make it down in time.

"Let's go Rose! Quick it's your turn!" someone yelled at me and I approached the banister. I stared down taking a deep breath and swallowing hard. The flames threatened, staring menacingly at me as they devoured the houses wooden frame. I glanced over at the men waiting like coiled springs in the kitchen doorway and nodded. Now or never. I jumped.

"Come one, come on!" they yelled as they ushered me through the kitchen and out of the back door. We ran like mad as the house began to fall behind us. I ran until I could no longer hear the crackle of fire but even when we made it down to the abandoned restaurant it seemed to haunt my ears. I sat on the ground and hugged my knees to my chest breathing deeply and squeezing my eyes shut.

"Rose..?"

"Yes?" I muttered.

"Dimitri knows."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"He called. We've got 3 minutes."

"Shit."