Nothing Dark Can Stay, Either

Chapter 30

They landed in the middle of the forest.

No more snow. There was light from a campfire nearby, and the sound of several young voices talking.

"Well," said Kai happily, "looks like there's a meal waiting for all of you, courtesy of the modern world. Follow me."

The group walked closer to the light source, and found a group of seven teenagers laughing and drinking booze, not bothering to conceal it in any way. Clearly, they had no fears of being caught.

Even better for the Heretics.

"Good evening," said Kai dramatically as they came upon the teenagers. They glanced up toward the Heretics, who had on their 1903 attire, which likely looked quite strange. Kai then extended his arms toward the group. "Bon appetit, or whatever."

The teenagers didn't stand a chance. Malcolm had been the first to launch forward, seizing the two nearest males by their shirts and baring his fangs, digging them into each of their necks, killing them almost instantly as he tore through their throats. Mary Louise had followed, snatching up one of the girls and devouring into her neck without hesitation, holding the trembling body until it ceased moving, and even then, continuing to drink all the blood she could muster up. Nora had launched herself toward one of the boys who'd tried to run away, and she'd snapped his neck quickly, laying him down before beginning to drink.

Valerie and Beau had each taken the girls nearest them, being much more gentle in their feeding, but each draining them until there was nothing left to give, leaving their bodies all pale and weak in death. Oscar had been the only one who had waited until Malcolm was done to take into his leftovers, feeding so little that it wouldn't have seemed like he was drinking at all, were it not for the smallest of slurping noises.

Beatrix had indulged, too. Typically, she didn't like the idea of indulging, but all the blood was making her too hungry. She had looked at the last boy, who was scrambling to likely dial 911 on his phone. She sped toward him and snatched the phone up, snapping it in half before grabbing his face and looking into his eyes. "Stay calm," she purred. "I don't seek to kill you." She'd let the veins rise under her eyes, and the instant her fangs protruded, she sank them into the boy's neck, moaning quietly as she began to drink, holding him steady as he trembled beneath her.

"Well, yours is the only one who's still alive," said Kai behind her after a few minutes, when she was still steadily drinking. It struck him as slightly odd that Beatrix was still feeding— usually she took her drinks fast and lasted at least two days before asking for blood again. She typically exercised a great deal of self control. "Woah— woah— Trixter, I think he's actually dying now..."

Not that Kai had anything against all the carnage. But he'd never seen Beatrix kill someone, and it was more surprising because she was being so gentle about it, feeling the boy's life slipping away without being overly violent. It was, perhaps, more unnerving that she was slowly and steadily killing him, rather than acting like a Ripper and tearing through quickly.

He watched as the boy's eyes rolled back, and Beatrix finally dropped the body, panting heavily as she wiped her mouth. "Sorry," she said quietly, realizing how much she'd let herself go. The voice in her head was really nagging... it was telling her how proud it was that she succumbed to her impulses...

"Don't apologize," said Kai indifferently. "Nothing like a good drink before we crash a wedding. Besides, I'll be doing that too, within twenty-four hours. Speaking of that—" He glanced around as the other Heretics began to clean their clothes off, removing any blood stains. "Time to get you all to your waiting place for Lily. Ready?"

None of them objected. They stole the car that the teenagers had had— a minivan likely borrowed from one of their parents to fit them all in. Kai drove, and Beatrix rode shotgun, with the Heretics comfortably in the seats, marveling at the car and speaking amongst themselves about it.