Deprived

Chapter 19 - Vengeance

The forest was quiet, save for panicked breaths and the thudding of feet racing through the woods. The vampire ran as if the demons of hell were chasing him, nipping at his heels but when he glanced over his shoulder, nobody was there.

And still he ran, because he knew what he saw in the shadows seconds before his brother was snatched. Both of them had heard what went down at Draco's club and had praised their lucky stars that they hadn't been caught along with the others.

Rumors had it that the Deprived had been taken to a safe zone and due to the addiction of their allure, the twin vampires had quickly decided to try and find the compound and hopefully snatch a Deprived or two.

But now, fear bit at his heart and he jolted, grinding to a halt as birds flew up from their perch in a fright. Bloodcurdling screams ripped through the silence, broken off by the sounds of wet tearing and a ferocious roar that hushed everything in the forest to an ominous silence once more.

He panted, scared to death and close to wetting his pants before licking his dried lips. The vampire stayed low to the ground, eyes scanning his surroundings as his heart thumped audibly in his ears. His nose twitched before he caught a whiff of blood.

Brother... I'm so sorry.

He pushed off and ventured ahead like a frightened rabbit. He dodged and weaved through the woods, making unexpected turns so the monster chasing him would lose his trail. Each crack of a branch put him on edge, making him believe death was coming for him.

And it was. Slowly but surely, toying with him.

The Leshen was patient, trudging silently after his quarry. He didn't need to follow his prey, as it could warp the forest, making the quarry come to him. As the vampire fled away from the Leshen, it simply dodged and weaved around the trees that grew and blended in such a way, that the vampire simply ran in a big circle.

Blood dripped on the forest floor near the Leshen's split hooves, a gruesome payment for the crime committed against one of its residents. Its eyes focused on the vampire ahead, who took in a silent gasp of horror before wailing, speeding towards the newly grown tree.

"Kevin! Shit, Kevin, oh my god...can you hear me? Brother, please be alive, please." The vampire muttered with his hands tangled in his dark hair, eyes on his sibling... his very bloodied sibling.

The man was shuddering with each small gasp that lefts his parted lips, eyes dazed with pain. Pain that was caused by the tree slowly growing through the man, piercing his flesh and winding barbed branches through his skin.

The vampire at the base of the tree shuddered with disgust and horror, clawing at the branches in an attempt to free his brother. The branches responded by tightening their hold on their prey, causing him to scream as bones cracked and broke under the pressure.

His screams died off in whimpers, pleas of mercy and death rolling off his lips as his lips. The vampire took a step back, feeling a cold chill on his spine as crows landed in his brother's tree, cawing at him and ruffling their feathers.

More and more gathered in the flock, perching on the tree and blinking down at him with beady eyes. For a moment, the vampire glanced at the birds flocking together, his mind remembering the useless fact that a flock of crows is named a murder.

Slowly, he looked behind him, blood freezing in his veins when the Leshen towered over him. Before the vampire could even think of running, long claws were wrapped around his throat and he was slowly being lifted.

He trembled in fear at the humanoid form in front of him, holding him. The Leshen leaned forwards as the vampire tried but failed to see anything underneath the hood, any sign that this creature wasn't what he thought it was.