There was nothing but cold darkness. No lights, no feelings, no sound, nothing. Adrien laid floating in that darkness, his eyes closed, his mind blank and quiet. His body was chilled to the bone and he laid there floating when a slight warm wind barely blew by.
Just barely.
Adrien opened his eyes and looked around the darkness. Whispers started to reach his ears about things he couldn’t make out, couldn’t understand. He took a breath and turned his head to the side.
Where two lustful blue eyes were starting at him. “Oh how I missed you, son.”
Adrien’s eyes widened with fear and quickly rolled over and started swimming through the darkness. Oh gods, he was back. The demon, the nightmares, they were coming back.
He should’ve just died. What an idiot idea to be turned into a vampire, now he had to live with this for entirety!
A hand grabbed his ankle and dragged him down. He flailed his arms around like a fish, trying to gab anything to help pulling him away from the monster. But there wasn’t nothing was there, just air. Down and down he went, deeper into his nightmare. His memories of those three years of hell flashing all around. The pain of his screams, and sound of his agony cries.
His father’s laughter.
The sound of a gun.
The sting of a whip against skin.
The death of his mother.
The blood. . . . .
Speaking of which. Adrien looked around as red started to creep into the hue of the darkness. He looked down as a sea of blood started to raise and—no, the hand was dragging him down into the blood!
“No! Let me go!” Adrien cried, trying kick the hand away with his free foot. The hand didn’t let go and whipped his body like a whip against a solid grey floor. Pain festered all over his body and his whimper went ignored.
“Now you’re all mine. . . .forever.” His father’s voice slithered through the air like poison snakes. A dark shadow casted over him and a hand slowly reached out to grab him.
Adrien curled up into a ball as blood started to fill his mouth. He opened his eyes and found himself now bitting into a stranger’s neck like an animal.
“That’s it, drink deeply in the crimson red.” Said his father as a dark hand came out of the blackness. Adrien went cold and tore himself away, whimpering in fear of what he became. A monster, a bloodsucking dead-living monster. He looked as the space around him. Many dead, naked, bleeding bodies slowly appeared and scattered around; some even twisted in unnatural ways the body shouldn’t be twisted. A head suddenly plopped in front of him, its eyes opened.
And blinking. It suddenly smiled with bloody red teeth. “Hey there kiddo, wanna drink? Today’s special is blood type AB.”
Adrien screamed and scrambled back. The hand started to descend down above him, casting its shadow. He stood and ran faster than he had ever ran before. Down the never-ending corridor, the hand chased after him. He breathed heavily until he suddenly tripped and skidded across the floor. He looked over his shoulder then curled into a ball as the hand loomed over.
“Shh, Adrien. It’s only a dream.” Coxed a voice.
The redhead looked up and the hand stopped its approach. A bright light shine brilliantly above him forcing the hand back into the shadows. Adrien’s eyes snapped open and he sat up, scared out of his wits.
A hand gently rubbed his back, “Shh Adrien, it was only a nightmare. You’re safe.”
Blinking, Adrien looked around the small white room he was in last night. So it was all a dream, he was still human. He turned, finding Sebastian kneeling beside the bed, and buried his head into the vampire’s chest. “He’s still alive.”
Sebastian tensed at the coldness of Adrien’s hands. So the boy hadn’t noticed yet, that. . . . .was not a good thing. He cleared his throat. “Um. . . . .Adrien. . .do you feel any different?”
The redhead pulled away and looked at him weirdly. By the gods, Sebastian had never seen such eyes. Adrien’s ocean blue eyes were now mixed with violet undertones that blended so beautifully that it was nearly intoxicating to look at.
“What do you mean?” Adrien asked, “I feel—Ow!” A sharp prick touched his bottom lip. His hand covered his mouth as his tongue felt around, and where his canines had once been fangs now took place and they were starting to slide out. Adrien’s eyes went wide as his gaze was fixed upon the white sheets that covered him. The skin tone of his hands were a lighter than they should’ve been, almost like a snow-white pigment but it was more of a light Caucasian; flawless, smooth as cream.
Oh no. . . .was his nightmare coming true?
“Se-Sebastian. . .did you. . .? You turned me?”
The vampire quickly sat on the bed and pulled the redhead into his embrace, smoothing his back gently for comfort. “I’m so sorry.”
Adrien pulled away and slid out of bed, “Why!? I. . . I didn’t want. . .” his breath started to quicken. His hand went up to his chest then up to the pulse in his neck; no heartbeat.
Sebastian pulled himinto his embrace. “Adrien, I know this isn’t what you wanted and I would understand if. . . . .you want to reject this life.”
He looked up. “Wha—what are you saying? You. . . .You’re actually suggested suicide?” He stepped back. “NO! After all the times you told me not to. . . .you’re actually suggesting it now?!”
“Adrien,” Sebastian said calmly, “I’m not suggesting suicide. I’ve told you that’s not the answer and only brings pain to others.” He shook his head, “What I mean is I’ll understand if you don’t want to feed but let me warn you: drinking blood is the only way you’re going to survive now, if you reject doing so you’ll eventually slip into a coma due to the starvation.”
Adrien wrung his hands as his body started to tremble. Blood. Just by hearing that word, a deep hunger surfaced. It growled at him like an angry beast, its teeth digging into his brain: feed feed feed!
“You feel it, don’t you?” The billionaire asked. “That unsatisfied hunger that no matter how much you feed, you’ll always be hungry and never satisfied.”
A small whimper left Adrien’s lips. The fresh smell of blood was fresh and somewhere nearby. A small blot of red stuck out in the corner of his eye and he turned.
And his mouth watered.
A blood bag with an IV drip, no doubt meant to have helped his body resupply its blood amount last night, hung on the wheel rack near the bed. The lushes red was like a siren’s call, brilliant red and thick, its scent that of light crisp citrus. The world around suddenly became in a hazy and the only focal point was that bag of blood.
Adrien’s mouth continued to water and his eyes started hungrily, his fangs slid out and the hunger in the back of his mind screamed at him to take it.
A hand suddenly placed itself upon his chest and gently pulled him away. Adrien blinked, now realizing how close he was to that blood bag. Sebastian pulled him back, turning him around, and pulled him into his arms. “Easy there Adrien.”
The redhead’s body trembled with agony: feed feed feed! “Why. . . .did you do this to me?” He asked gripping the vampire’s shirt. “Why did you do this to me?!”
The vampire held him tight and rested his chin upon his head. “Because. . . . .I love you.”
Adrien’s body suddenly stopped trembling.
“In the little time I’ve known you, I’ve seen small bits of another side of you. A brave boy who doesn’t like to be picked on”—this made the boy smile—“and who’s wiling to do what’s right and who’s persistence is very strong willed.
He peeled the boy away and held Adrien’s gaze with loving eyes. “And to be quite frank, I find myself liking that new undiscovered side, he’s quite a turn on.” A playful, sexy smirk came to his lips, “It makes me wonder how brave he is in a bedroom.”
Flustered at the comment, Adrien turned his head and tried to keep himself from blushing. But with all teasing and joking aside. . .
“What’s going to happen to me now?” He asked, causing Sebastian’s smirk to vanish. Sebastian sat down on the bed and Adrien followed suite.
“What happens now is that your body will be adjusting to the changes. Also, over time, you’ll developed other powers other than the one you may have inherited from me as well as the three base states: speed, inhuman strength, and keener senses. And because I turned you, you may or may not have the ability to walk in sunlight. But first things first.” He brought his wrist up to his mouth.
And the smell of blood hit Adrien’s nose.
“No, I can’t—I can’t do this.” His voice trembled as he slid away. Black blood with a heavy viscosity rolled down Sebastian’s wrist from a wide and deep wound. The scent of nectarines and vanilla washed over Adrien’s nose.
“As a newly turned fledgling, you have to take in some blood.” Sebastian explained in a soft tone, “Otherwise, you’ll go into what we call a blood rage. Like with that blood bag, you’ll go and hunt for fresh blood on your own and if you did that, you can kill someone. My blood will help you control the hunger.”
Adrien crawled back till his back hit the pillows. The sheets crumpled as his feet pushed against them. His body quaked and his hunger grew and his humanity slipping.
Sebastian locked eyes with him. Deep in those blue and violet orbs was the thirsty monster ever vampire fought and there were only two ways to deal with it: let it take over and become how vampires are seen or tame it and become civil.
Most wouldn’t bother to tame the thirst.
“You’re. . .you’re going to turn me into him.”
“I’m not turning you into anyone Adrien.” Sebastian clarified. “You’re the same boy as the day you were born. You only died and I gave you a second chance to live.”
Adrien shook his head and those blue eyes suddenly turned into a hungry red. “You plan. . . .to turn me into my father. . . .no,” his gaze became cold. Anger, bitterness, and a cold darkness swelled deep in his soul.
And it took over.
“You already did. You. . . .You turned me into my father. I’m a monster like him!”
Sebastian raised his hand. “Adrien,” he spoke cautiously, “you can better than your father. You know this.”
“Never.” Like an animal, Adrien lunged at the vampire and tackled him. Falling head over heels, Sebastian found himself on the floor and under the boy who’s eyes were like that of a tiger about to feast upon its prey. Adrien flashed his fangs and Sebastian slowly raised his wrist.
Come on boy, you need this.
But Adrien didn’t fall for it and struck out with sudden claws. They meet with white flesh of Sebastian’s eyes and dragged down his face; his fingernails dragged flesh and blood. His hand then rose to strike and came with such force that Sebastian, for a moment, thought that the boy inherited his strength or perhaps he was even stronger but that wasn’t the case.
Adrien had slipped into the blood rage; the raging thirst demanding blood.
Through his bleeding red and blurry vision, his hand shot up and caught Adrien’s wrist before he could attack again. With a harsh shove, Adrien flew and slammed into the door.
Then the door opened with great forced, sending him into the floor. Agnés gazed down at him with concern before he became alert to the bleeding scratches that were slowly healing upon Sebastian’s face. The young twin and Adrien were on their feet instantly, but it was Adrien who moved first without warning.
His claws struck out at Agnés, but in the heat of the moment, when his claws came a centimeter of hitting the ancient vampire, Agnés swiftly sided-stepped (with some vampiric speed if I might add)
His foot stepped out to the side as Adrien’s momentum carried him forward and Adrien tripped and tumbled forward. Agnés silently turned to him and his violet eyes held a slightly haunting gaze upon him.
“He’s in a blood rage.” Sebastian informed, covering his pained-soured eyes with his hand. “Damn that hurt.”
“So he has claws to use when attacking.” Agnés mused as he examined his own. “Something he inherited from you?” He asked without looking back.
“Impossible. My demonic form can’t not be duplicated in a new fledgling. It has to be his own unique ability.”
“Or he’s turned into a vampire bat, like me.” Agnés said as Adrien got to his feet and glared at him over his shoulder. His lips curled back and his sharp fangs. Agnés’s arm quickly became a shield and Adrien’s sudden hand crumpled against the harder-than-diamond fibers.
The redhead let out a screech as he cradled his hand, stepping away. Sebastian reopened his wrist and held it out as he approached the boy. “Come on Adrien, my blood will help you.”
“Scavl mulēict.” Adrien hissed. The he turned—and bolted out into the morning sun.
And no harm came to him.
Agnés hurried over to the window as Sebastian hurried outside. He chased Adrien through the town but stopped abruptly. The snow glistened in the sunlight as the powered ground left Adrien’s bear footprints. Sebastian’s eyes became steel as he watched Adrian sped out of town, towards Vanessa’s new tower.
A fresh and heavy scent of blood came from that direction and there was no margin of doubt that Adrien had caught wind of the scent.
His consciousness screamed at him to go get him, but his wiser side told him to not rush in without a plan. His mind and soul was torn in two. He brought this upon Adrien so he was to blame.
But he would fix it one way. . . . .or another.
He headed back into the shop and turned glanced at Agnés as he closed the door. “What tongue was it that he spoke in?”
The ancient vampire stared solemnly at the tower the slowly turned to his friend. “I. . . .do not know. It sounded demonic though. I do not think it is wise to let him go off on his own Sebastian, not in this mental state.”
“We’ll be endangering ourselves and him if we go in there without a plan. We don’t know what’s in there. Besides, Richard is out there.”
Agnés folded his arms, “And you hoping that he’ll run into Adrien.”
Sebastian nodded, “He knows how to handle himself. However, if he doesn’t run into the boy, then we need a plan.” He quickly headed into the back room and retrieved his jacket from his bag. Coming back, he held one side open. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” Agnés asked before he shifted into his bat form and clung upside down inside.
“We’re going to find the Sanctum.” He replied as he started to zip up his jacket. “They can’t ignore this any longer and if they still like titles, then I’m going to use mine and take control of this mess.”
* * *
Blood blood blood blood blood, he needed blood!! Fresh—any kind, old, new, thick, thin; blood. So hungry. So, so so hungry.
Starving.
Adrien entered through the main gate of Vanessa’s new tower. A calling was reaching out to him. He had to be here.
But why? Would there be blood? It was heavy in the air. So it had to be here. He entered the courtyard and looked up at the tall tower. Blood. . . .was calling him, from the top floor. He looked around as undead bodies walked around, fixing the ground with cobblestone. He raced inside with vampiric speed into the tower through the large black doors. The halls were black but lit with torches. A few rooms were dotting the side and that the end was the first set of stairs. Adrien ran up them, smelling blood.
No, this. . . .this is wrong. He came to a halt halfway up the stairs and placed a hand upon his temple. What was he doing?! He not only ran out but also attack Sebastian and Agnés!
And that language he spoke. What was that anyway? He didn’t know any other language except English. He placed two fingers on his neck again, but still no pules and not only that, but he had just ran all the way out of town, up a hill and now up a flight of steps without breaking a sweat. He wasn’t even breathing hard or at all for that matter. He turned, about to leave, when the hunger came back. “There’s blood waiting for you, little one.” Chimed a voice through the air. “Give in to your hunger. I know you’re hungry. I can give you all the blood you want unlike Sebastian. You really think that he’s going to help you now after what you’ve done? He’ll realize what a mistake he’s made and kill you.”
Adrien dropped to his knees, his hands over his ears. That voice was not helping at all. He. . . .he had to. . .ignore the hunger.
He wished that Sebastian was here with him now.
“It’s all right, little one. You’re welcomed here to be as you are. You can trust me. I’ll show you how to harness you powers. Sebastian would never let you be as you are, you know that? He’ll turn you into a ‘civil’ vampire. Living among humans. You’re apart of a race that can dominate the weak humans. All you need is to learn and as you grow older, you’ll become stronger, wiser. Just come to the top floor, I have a fresh meal just for you. I know you can smell the blood.”
And just like that, Adrien was a goner. Back in to a blood rage he went, unable to suppress it. He ran up the stairs, down the halls, and up more stairs till he came to a wooden door at the top of the fiftieth flight of sitars.
He pushed it opened.
A large room he stepped in was somewhat bear. Across the room was a large, tall window with black curtain blocking out the light and in front of it was a throne, with Vanessa sitting in it with her legs crossed. She had a kind smile upon her face as she gestured her hand towards him. “Welcome. Sorry for the lack of decor, I’m still in the process of refurnishing. I see your in a blood rage, well I have just the thing to quench that thirst.”
She gestured her hand over towards her right and Adrien’s eyes followed. Tied up, naked, and gagged was a blond French girl who was balling her eyes out.
“She’s all your Adrien.” Vanessa said sweetly as the cockroach crawled over her teeth. “Don’t ignore the hunger dear boy, it’ll only drive you more insane. Only the blood of a fresh victim can. . . . . .cure your blood rage.”
Adrien’s mouth began to water as his eyes flicked over to the girl. If there was any ounce of humanity left for him to grab onto, there would be no way he could hold onto it for long. The hunger, the thirst was too powerful.
He suddenly snapped and ran towards the girl and as he lunged at her, a thin wisp of mist swirled into the room and flew over his eyes, making him blind. Vanessa stood as Adrien flailed his hands at the mist and stepped away from the girl.
“Sebastian Belmont.” Vanessa sneered.
“Wrong.” The mist flung itself away from Adrien and reformed into a man. He smoothed his short black hair and his honey tone eyes were cold as he gazed up at Vanessa. “I’m Richard, the older twin.” He turned to Adrien and silently studied him: lighter Caucasian skin than what he use to have, violet mixed in with his ocean e blue eyes, and the look of a blood rage vampire was clear upon his face.
“My brother’s doing, yes?” He asked. His cut his wrist with his fang and held it in Adrien’s direction. “Here.”
“No.” Adrien hissed as his eyes flicked over to the trembling girl.
“She won’t help you Adrien. Only the blood of the vampire who turned you can help end your blood rage. But since Sebastian and I are identical twins, my blood will work the—”
“He lies!” Vanessa screamed. “Adrien, would you trust the brother of the man who turned you into a monster after you died?”
Richard snapped his eyes towards her. “Shut your moth witch. Adrien, you know that’s not true. Sebastian wouldn’t give you this life he didn’t think he couldn’t help guide you through it. Do you understand? He wouldn’t turn anyone and bring them back if he didn’t think he could help them. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was in love with you if he turned you. He’s never turned anyone in his life, Adrien. For him to do this is saying something.”
For a moment, Adrien’s eyes softened. L-love. Th—That’s right, Sebastian said those words to him. Sebastian wouldn’t turn him into a monster. He would never—
The hunger took over again along with a darkness that Adrien thought that he was ride of. “He doesn’t. He turned me into a monster like my father!” Adrien turned and lunged at the girl, his fangs sank into her neck. But he only got a few sips before Richard yanked him away, throwing him across the room. The older twin turned to the girl and smiled. “Good girl.”
He dropped the illusion and the girl turned into a large, back furred dog with hollow red eyes.
“THAT GIRL WAS A DOG!” Vanessa scream at the top of her voice.
“To think that you easily found a girl ‘wandering’ around your little fortress.” Richard turned to her, “Did you lose a few braincells? I didn’t think that you would be that gullible.”
Vanessa tossed a fireball at him but he swiftly spun out of the way. She tossed another one and another one after that, but Richard was on top of his game. He had no plans to die here today.
In a blood boiling rage, Vanessa charged at him. Richard jumped back and shot out a few combos, sending the vampire witch flying across the room. He flicked his eyes over at Adrien, who was leaning against the wall pinching a bloody nose.
Oops.
“Adrien, Get the window!” He called out as he back-flipped out of the way of Vanessa’s fireball.
Adrien flicked his eyes over at the covered window. Right, vampires and sunlight didn’t mix. With his humanity coming back in snips, he pushed himself away from the wall and staggered to the window before his hunger took over again. When he reached the black silk rope used to operate the curtain, he took a glance at the battle.
Richard ran and leap over the witch as she threw an another fireball. Venom came running up and caught her wrist in her jaw, crushing it. Vanessa screamed and blasted fire in the poor dog’s face.
Richard grabbed the witch by her remaining hair and yanked her back, swinging a left hook punch into her face then locked her in a choke hold. “Adrien, unless your hunger took over again”—he moved his head to the side to avoid the blast of heat—“pull the damn curtains open!”
Adrien snapped back into reality and pulled the rope down with all his strength. The black curtains swished opened and sunlight poured into the room, lighting every dark shadow. The older twin let the witch go and back away, Venom slinked out of the room for cover from the sun and Adrien hurried to Richard’s side, or more likely to stand behind him actually.
Vanessa screamed as her skin was lit aflame. Her fingers ran up and down her arms, peeling the skin away like slime. She tore it all way: from her shoulders, face, arms and hands, then the muscle tissue started to burn.
Then nothing but a skeleton that was screaming remained. Adrien swallowed as his hunger came back and the bones ended up in a pile. Richard casted his gazed down at the boy and recut his wrist, offering his blood.
Adrien hesitated as the smell of vanilla and nectarines smacked into his nose.
“It will help.” Richard coxed, “Please don’t make me force you.” He placed his other arm around the boy’s shoulder and held up his wrist to the redhead’s mouth. “It’ll be okay.”
With trembling lips and a few deep breaths, Adrien quickly stuck his tongue out and licked the small pool of black blood forming on the vampire’s wrist. He cringed as the taste coated his tongue with metal and salt but the hint of vanilla that came afterwards calmed him down a bit.
“Now let’s get out of here.” Richard said. They turned towards the door and only took a few steps before a peculiar sound caught their ears. Something hollow was pounding against the floor. They slowly turned around.
The bones of Vanessa were jumping from their little pile. Once, twice, then they jumped high into the air and came falling back, putting themselves together once more.
While Adrien was wide-eyed, Richard sighed as the muscle tissue started to grow back with the nerves and veins. “Why is it never easy to finish off the bad guy?”
The skin, eyes, and hair started to reform—but something was wrong. Her eyes were now black with red irises and her hair was short and dark red. A pleased smiled came upon her face.
“Ah, thank you so much for helping me.” That was not her voice. It was manly but light, almost like a young male teenager. “It’s been so long since I’d had a body of my own.”
Richard instinctively moved Adrien behind him. “ ‘The Child’.”
‘The Child’ raised a brow at the older twin. “Hmm? Ah yes, that ‘name’ is the one you people have given to me isn’t it? I must thank you though, I was starting to get annoyed about that witch taking hold of my powers although it was fun to see her become corrupted.” He pursed his lips, “You might want to go check on your father. Two floors down, third door on your left. From what I saw, she did quite a number on him with her. . . . .experiments.”
Richard gave him a cold stare.
“Go ahead. I’ll give you a freebie, I won’t lay a finger on either of you.” He flicked his fingers. “Go on now, you’re wasting what’s last of his time on this earth.”
Adrien went pale as Richard hurried out of the room then slowly turned his head towards ‘The Child’, who was giving him a kind smile. But deep in his eyes, Adrien saw a corruption of hatred.
“Listen well, boy.” ‘The Child’ said, “Run back to that boyfriend of yours and deliver this message: I seek revenge on the family that put me in this situation in the first place. Since one is already dead, tell Sebastian to come and to come alone. If he doesn’t come tonight, I’ll start killing those close to him. If he comes with others, then they can except to be attacked. Now be off before I. . . .”
Adrien didn’t hear the rest of that for he had already dashed out of the room.
* * *
It was just brutal. Yes, the man did kidnapped Adrien and brought harm upon him, but this. . . .did he really deserve this?
His body was charred black, almost beyond recognition. Chained to the wall were black blood spatter everywhere around him. “Father.”
Gabriel weakly lifted his head, his red eyes dull and almost lifeless. “Richard? Why. . .are you. . .here?”
“So you want to die alone?” He asked as he stepped up to him. Gripping one of the chains in his hand and one foot on the wall, he tore it off the wall. He did the same with the other and swiftly caught his father as he fell. He gently held that crispy, frail body in his arms as he lowered himself to the floor. “What did she do to you?”
“She. . .wanted to. . .see. . .if she could. . . .make death. . . .long and sufferable.” His raw voice was faded with each sentence. “Damn witch succeeded.”
“Vanessa’s dead, Father.” Richard informed.
“Good. . . .then. . .I’ll see her. . .in Hell.” Gabriel gazed up at his son, “I won’t ask for. . . .forgiveness. . .but know that. . . .I acknowledge what I’ve done. . . .was wrong.”
Richard’s voice dropped into a whisper. “Father. . .”
“I cannot atone my sins. . . . .I’ve hurt my son, my family. . . . .an innocent child. . . .” he took a shallow breath. “. . .Sebastian is so much. . . .like his mother. Willing. . . . .to do what’s right. . . .but looks at all the options before jumping in. And you Richard. . . .you leap before you think. . . . .You two will always be. . . .my pride. . . . .and joy. . . . .”
Gabriel’s body went limp and Richard shocked himself by finding tears in his eyes. “Father. . .?”
Silence. Richard hung his head and quietly let his tears fall.
Why did it have to be like this? Why did ‘The Child’ even exist? The obsession that his father had corrupted him. Vanessa had corrupted him with the idea of necromancy.
All of this. . . .was Vanessa’s fault. She started this whole thing and Richard was glad that she burned. But now, her body was being used.
Wiping away his tears, Richard stood. Too much blood had been spilled, too many lies told, too many evil deeds.
It was time to put it to an end.
* * *
Agnés clung to Sebastian’s right shoulder in his bat form and made sure he wasn’t hurting the younger twin with his thumbs. He would not give the Sanctum the luxury of seeing him. The last time he had see the council, he left in the middle of a heated argument because no one wanted to look into the rumor that Gabriel and Vanessa were planing something. Though he had no proof, the council still should’ve looked into it; now look at what has happened.
Damn politicians.
Standing in Town Hall, Sebastian opened the door to the debate room. The rectangle-shape room had three long tables: two vertical and one facing horizontal. The Sanctum was seated upon the horizontal table while the half of remaining members of the clan sat and the two other tables. Sebastian assumed the other remaining half were still hiding from the sun in other buildings.
“. . . .we cannot allow this to happen.” One councilman pointed out.
“You want to fight a witch, be my guess.” Another replied. “Let us know how hot her fire is.”
“Why you. . .!”
Sebastian smirked at Agnés. “This is going to be fun.”
Agnés just blinked, then turned his attention to the others as they bickered. Sebastian shook his head at the two and stepped forward. “Petty squabbles in a time of crises? Satan might as well put us out of our misery.”
Zeal stood and raised a brow. He was quiet for a moment, then smirked. “Welcome back, Natasha. Oh, hello Agnés.”
Sebastian ran a hand through his hair. “Hey now, you fell for it too. Though now my problem is that the dye won’t wash out. Anyways, I assume you’re all here to deal with Vanessa?”
“There’s nothing to do, she’s a witch,” the second councilman replied. “She’ll burn us to death.”
“So you’re all going to sit here as she kills everyone in this town?” Sebastian asked.
“For what reason do we need to be concerned about humans?” One clan member asked rudely. “There are plenty of humans in the world. One town should not concern us or to you.”
The room went dead silent, and cold. The tension could be felt in the air and a dark vibe sent everyone on the edge of their seats.
Sebastian flicked his eyes over to the one who spoke with like the devil. His voice was coated over with a demonic tone, “Perhaps it is you who we don’t need to be concern about. Why should we care if you burn to death?”
The vampire narrowed his eyes, “What the hell are you talking about? I’m an important person to this clan!”
The young twin smirked, “Really? Are you new here? I don’t remember seeing you.”
“He came here two hundred years ago.” Zeal informed. “He’s Demrick Hogen. He’s the clan’s financial manger.”
Sebastian pretended to be impressed. “Oh, that really is an important job to have. So he has no clue who he’s talking to?”
“I thought you didn’t care for titles?” Zeal reminded.
“But mine still holds importance for the Sanctum, dose it not? One that should be shown some respect?”
Demrick looked in between the two, “What are you two talking about?”
Agnés flew off of Sebastian’s shoulder and clung to the ceiling. The familiar black mist wrapped around Sebastian’s body as his skin unraveled like vines. His demonic form never failed to impress the other vampires as some of them gasped with awe and others stared.
The demonic vampire turned to Demrick and made his way over to him, “I am Sebastian Belmont, pureblood and Prince Among Mortals. And if you wish not for me to put my claws through you, then do not tell me what should and should not be my concern.” He reached out a finger and place his claw under the young man’s chin. “Am I clear?”
Out of fear, Demrick nodded and didn’t dare to speak. Sebastian pulled his claw away. “The people here are innocent.”
“They’re only food.” Demrick said before he could stop himself.
SLAM!
He jumped as Sebastian’s hand pounded against the table, his claws making deep indents in the wood and his cold breath brushed against Demirck’s face.
“You understand what a pureblood is capable of, right?” Sebastian asked as he leaned forward, “I wouldn’t want to demonstrate it for you, you understand?”
Demrick sunk in his chair like a child under that demonic glare. Sebastian straightened up and with a flap of his wings, he hovered slightly above the floor. He turned to the rest of the clan. “Vanessa has the power of ‘The Child’. I know this because ‘The Child’ was sealed inside of me by my mother who then erased our memories to prevent all of you”—he turned to the Sanctum—“from knowing. Now that power is corrupting Vanessa and I can imagine her much more powerful than she was before.”
“Then what do we do? We have no hope in fighting against a witch.”
“Do you forget who is on your side?” Sebastian asked. “You have two pureblood willing to put a stake in her heart. I was never great at motivation speeches, I’m still not but I do know that everything on this planet is not safe. Vanessa could kill us all or torture us—”
“Sebastian!” The doors bursted opened and a redhead came running in, throwing his arms around the demonic vampire.
“Adrien!” Sebastian hugged the boy tightly then quickly lifted his chin and studied his eyes. The hunger was held at bay. . . .for now. “You’ve ran into Richard?”
“Yes but—”
Sebastian let out a small sigh of relief. “Thank the goddesses, I feared that you had given in completely.”
Adrien shook his head. “No but Sebastian, Vanessa. . . .”
“What about her?”
“She’s dead.”
“Then we have nothing to fear anymore!” Exclaimed a clan member. Agnés dropped from his perch and shifted forms. With his cloak tightly closed, he peered down at the boy.
“You still bring bad tidings. What has happened?”
Adrien looked up at him, then Sebastian, then at the clan. He took a breath. “ ‘The Child’ took over.”
Grave looks carved upon both Sebastian and Agnés’s face. Footsteps echoed off the walls and all eyes turned to the door. Sebastian shifted back into his human form and hurried over. “Richard!”
His older brother smiled and pulled him into a hug. “Miss me?”
“The world wouldn’t be the same. Besides, I need someone to hate and scream at.” Sebastian teased with a smile as he pulled away.
“Of course you do.” Richard rolled his eyes, also with a smile, then stepped into the room. “What Adrien speaks is true. We killed Vanessa with our own hands, her body burned in the sun till bones remained. But ‘The Child’ revived her body and took it for his own.”
“He wants revenge.” Adrien said, looking at Sebastian. “He wants—”
A cold wind suddenly rushed into the room, causing most of those who sat to stand. “To kill every single vampire on the planet like I was told to do. And I’ll start with the family of vampires that caused me my grief!” ‘The Child’ cried as he walked in. “Thank you Adrien, for leading me here.”
Sebastian gazed down at him.
“No,” Adrien replied desperately, “I wouldn’t—He used me!”
Sebastian put a finger to his lips then guided the boy behind him as Agnés handed him Silver Wind. “What is it that you want ‘Child’ ?”
“First off, my name—since you all decided to give me that horrid title—is Khalid, and what I’m here for is you Sebastian. You’re the first on my hit list.”
Sebastian readied his sword. “It doesn’t have to be like this.”
Khalid smiled as he walked in further into the room. “Oh but it must. Your mother isn’t here to take blame, your father is dead and so is Vanessa. So what’s left of the family who brought my misfortune is only you and your brother.” He flicked his eyes over at Richard and before Sebastian’s eyes, fire out of nowhere started to swirled around his brother like a vortex.
“Richard!!”
Khalid laughed before pelting fireballs at the rest of the room, forcing everyone to scatter. With a thrust of his hand, he sent Sebastian flying across the room before rushing in and let hell break loose. Adrien fell back as beams started to fall and the screams of those being lit aflame coated the air. He crawled back and yelped in pain of his own after his hand touched fire. His skin started to take on an ash color and he blew on it to reduce the heat, only to realize that flakes of his burnt skin were flying off.
“Sebastian!” He called out. He stood and raised his arm to shield his eyes from the searing heat. “Richard! Agnés!”
“They can’t save you boy.”
Adrien turned as Khalid stood behind him. The redhead started to back up but the fallen angel reached out and snagged him by the throat. Lifting him off the ground, Khalid smiled. “You should’ve stayed human, then I would’ve protected you from these atrocious creatures.”
“It wasn’t my choice!” Adrien croaked.
Khalid cocked his head. “How sad. . . .Oh well.”
Then he tossed Adrien into the blazing fire. The flames flicked upon his skin and clothes as he flew through them and the pain was beyond than what he father had inflicted upon him. He ended up rolling across the ground, tripping someone in the process. Adrien heard that person’s scream as he cried out in pain. His hands were starting to flack away like ashes.
A few breaths and he attempted to get to his feet. Shielding his eyes from the golden searing flames, he gazed around the room. Smoke and flames obscured most of the area and somewhere beyond those flames, Khalid’s voice was taunting his opponent. Most of the clan had managed to flee, others didn’t make it or were stopped by the crazed angel. The tables were turned over and being eaten by flames.
“Sebastian!” He called out among the roar of the fire. Another beam fell, forcing him to jump back. He looked around for a way out: his left was barred by a large flame consuming a table, his right was blocked by the burning beam, flames ran wild in front of him and the wall behind was coated in bright orang, red, and yellow.
He was trapped.
“Help!” He cried as an eerie creek came from above. He looked up—and a good chuck of ceiling came down.
“Adrien!” A voice cried out. A blur jumped over the flames, snatched Adrien by his arm, and threw him up through a hole in the roof. Adrien flew high in the air and smoke. Flipping his body around as he fell, he spotted Richard among the vampire crowd that hid in the shade of the other buildings.
But Sebastian was nowhere to be seen.
The blur came back and plucked him out of the air and brought him to the ground before running into the shade. Adrien sat up and looked in the direction where his savior stood.
Agnés stood in the shadow of a building with a very grim look upon his face. Getting to his feet, Adrien turned towards the flaming building.
“Adrien, don’t. It’s too dangerous!” Agnés warned.
The redhead cupped his hands over his mouth. “Sebastian!”
Something flew out of the smoke and all eyes looked up and Agnés’s face twisted into a deathly scowl. With dull grey feathered wings, Khalid flew over the burning building.
“Good luck finding some remains of your fallen.” He said as he dropped a damaged body he’d been carrying. “By the way, your Prince is dead.”
Dead. Those words went through Adrien’s mind and hit a wall. No. . . .no Sebastian couldn’t be. . . .
The flames raged as Khalid headed off to his tower. In desperation, Adrien ran towards the body and he fell to his knees; hot tears spilled from his eyes. The body had harsh burns and cuts but it was still recognizable, but Adrien wish that is wasn’t.
The body belonged to no other. . . .than Sebastian.
A/N: Starting to feel a writer's block coming, which sucks because I'm so close to finishing. So, updates will be a little slower than usual, sorry. But don't worry, i'll will do my best to get the next chapter out when I can.
Thank you for reading and have a great day =)