The Vampire from Hell

Chapter 3 and Chapter 4

"That won't be necessary." Cedric bared his rotten teeth at me and blocked my path. 

Finally, I thought. I'll get to practice some of what Blick had shown me. "Bring it on," I taunted. Then suddenly, I felt a blast of pain centered on my neck. 

"Took you long enough, Wally," Cedric growled. "His Highness wants her unharmed, remember? I hope you didn't put too many volts in her with that stun gun. Oh, watch it, she's gonna fall."

Chapter 4 - Another Session 

"She seems to be waking up, your Highness." 

As I regained consciousness, I heard Cedric's voice and felt that my hands were restrained. I tried to move, but I couldn't. I was tied to the chair I sat in. I opened my eyes. A gauzelike hood obscured my vision. I tilted my head a little from the left to the right, hoping I could see something. I could only make out a few shadowy figures. Father had to be behind this. And my sister too. Instantly, I regretted leaving my iPhone behind. 

"You can bet your vacation is cancelled now." I heard my sister's voice hiss in my ear. 

Father asked in a reasonable tone, "Why can't you learn to respect me? Did you think I wouldn't find out?" 

"Kill her. We don't need her." Stephanie's voice came from behind me. She was pacing around the chair. I could barely see her figure out of the corner of my eye. She moved quickly around me. When she hit my injured shoulder, I calculated where she was, but I was powerless to fight her. Pain blazed down my arm. 

"In good time," Father replied. 

"What did you tell him?" I asked Stephanie, hoping she'd answer me. She didn't. I continued to reason with them. Somehow. "Father, whatever she says, it's not true." I spoke to shadows through the hood. 

"Ah yes, your sister told me everything," Father said. "I should have known. Cedric, remove the hood." 

The hellhound's paws thumped across the floor as he approached me. His movements beat in time with the pain radiating in my right shoulder. The stench of skunk hit me again. 

I felt a tug at my neck, and the hood slid free. Father and Stephanie stood laughing before me. Their 'snake faces' were already showing. When demons get excited, our true nature comes forth. And today, Father and Stephanie looked like two giant green reptiles dressed in their Sunday best. Father wore a grey suit with a black shirt and tie while Stephanie looked ridiculous in a long blue turquoise silk gown. I found it ironic that they wanted to appear human when they both hated the human race vehemently. Oddly enough, their style of fashion didn't blend in well with the grotesqueness of their appearances. Or maybe that was just my silly notion. 

As I looked around, I realized we were in the tasting room that led to a courtyard on the bottom floor of the winery. It dawned on me as well that I had yet to see my own 'snake face.' Maybe I wasn't a demon like them? I glanced down at my legs to see what I was wearing. Had they dressed me up as well for the tasting party? Thankfully they had not. I let the thought of being truly like them drift away as I prepared for the session to continue. 

Full-length glass windows surrounded the tasting room. I could see across to the courtyard. The guests mingled under vibrant fire red blossoms of the Japanese maple trees as they examined Father's new wines. 

"Shall I bring them in, your Highness?" Cedric asked. 

"Yes, that will be fine," Father replied. "Line them up here. Stephanie, will you grab that gun on the table there, and the bottle of wine?" 

When she appeared before me again, my sister held a gun that was the size Dirty Harry would carry as she handed Father an opened bottle of wine. Cedric returned with two figures who I thought were Father's guests. Instead, they were humans. He shoved them to the floor in front of my chair and made them kneel before me. 

Neither one of them said a word, but obviously, fear was etched on their faces. I didn't recognize them from the night before. The woman had a kind face with large blue eyes and blond hair. The man had dark hair, dark eyes, and a strong jaw. Both were tall and slim. 

"Father, what are you doing?" I asked, struggling against my restraints even though I knew I couldn't help the two people. Father ignored me. 

He glanced over at Stephanie, nodding. She responded by digging her fingers into my shoulder, separating my arm from the socket. 

I drew strength from the renewed pain ripping through my shoulder and arm. I directed my anger at Father. "Stop this game, Father! Stop it!" 

Instantly he zoomed in before my face. He slapped me so hard my teeth rattled. "Shut up, you little wench. You started this, do you hear me?" His forked tongue almost hit me in the face. "A fan of mankind indeed?! I'll show you." He paused for a moment smoothing his tie over his shirt. His hot breath repeatedly stung my face. Then he stood and regained his composure. "Do you not recognize your friends? They are some of the new arrivals, who mysteriously found their way up river again, instead of staying with us. Any idea how that happened?" 

"I'm not in charge of new arrivals, remember? Ask her." I thrusted my head in Stephanie's direction, avoiding the humans' frightened looks. I was too ashamed to look at them. 

Father smiled at me. His long fangs fell over his lips. The green snake pattern on his skin now covered all the visible parts of his body beneath his suit. He motioned to Stephanie. "Go ahead." 

She responded by walking behind one of the humans, raising the gun to the back of his head, and squeezing the trigger. The gun exploded and the man slumped to the floor. 

"Nooo," I gritted my teeth. 

"Who helped you?" 

"No one," I spat. 

A second gun shot rang out. I watched the female fall to the floor. Blood spurted from the wound in her head. Nausea surged in the pit of my stomach and I fought against my restraints. The wooden chair bounced from one side to the other, holding me secure. 

"You don't have to tell me who helped you. I know," Father replied. 

I froze.

[Copyright 2011-2013 by Ally Thomas. All Rights Reserved. Cover Design by Cora Graphics.]