IX

There was a man sitting next to an alley. He was rather dirty, covered in his charcoal-coloured rags as clothes. He was feminine looking; rather skinny, long hair unkempt, malnourished. He smoked his cigarette. He looked up when Kiyor and Rowan appeared in front of him.
    “Smoking is a filthy habit,” told Rowan, hiding her contempt.
    “Someone with a point to their life says that,” he retorted.
    “So Dent,” said Kiyor casually. “How would you like to die by getting rid of some Vampire scum and helping keep the peace among Dark Citizens?”
    The smoker raised his sad, desperate eyes. “What would that involve?”
    “We plan to pump you with Holy Water, which will burn the Vampire that kills you.” Rowan had said this like a Chef teaching the method of baking bread.
    Dent thought about it. “Alright.”

Dent was rather clean, but he still had charcoal surrounding his eyes. He looked around. In the car with him was Kiyor and Rowan, sitting on either side. Manar was driving. Hawk and Siren were sitting opposite him.
    “What are they for?” asked Dent.
    “They’re to bury you,” answered Kiyor.
    “Or burn you, take your pick,” Hawk encouraged.
    “I don’t care,” said Dent.
    The car stopped. Everyone except Manar got out. They were standing in front of a grand Museum, very open and welcome, but no one was in it. Ignoring it, the group walked to the side, where they went down some stairs. Hawk and Siren stood guard while Rowan opened the door. She and the two men stepped in.
    They walked along the dimly lit corridor, which ended with another door, which was wooden. Kiyor opened that door. The three went in, one by one. The chamber was quite well lit, save for two shadowy corners. At one end, a Vampire that fit the description of Saraias was sitting on a sofa and stroking a cat. She was wearing bright make-up, causing the three humans to tense up: Dent severely.
    Saraias smiled. “Look Dagger, we have visitors. Visitors mean entertainment.” The cat meowed. “I adore entertainment. So how about you give me a reason why I shouldn’t kill you?”
    “Because you get to kill him.” Kiyor indicated Dent.
    The Vampire seemed pleased. “Dagger look! You don’t get this everyday. For once I’ve been given my food.”
    “Not until you give us something Saraias,” Rowan told her.
    Saraias scowled. “How rude! But because you are so kind to give me this present, I’ll let you off. What do you want?”
    “Have you been dealing with anyone who wants me?”
    “Now that is a curious question, isn’t it Dagger? But I haven’t been dealing with that many people lately.” Saraias made a show of thinking. “I can tell that you’re quite powerful and the most recent powerful person I’ve dealt with was Tanus. I made a deal with Tanus to give him a rogue Warlock or two, but that’s it. Now give me my food.”
    Kiyor pushed Dent over and walked out of the chamber with Rowan. They closed the door, then leaned against it.
    “It’s odd that we didn’t need to resort to our crosses for protection,” commented Rowan, quietly.
    “It’s because she’s easily swayed,” answered Kiyor, “but it was a good idea to have them just in case. I guess she never checks herself the safety boundaries because of her guard or guards.”
    “How did you know that?” asked Rowan.
    “The Saraias part? You told me.”
    “I meant the last part.”
    “Didn’t you see the person in the corner?”
    “Kiyor?”
    “Oh, I guess you didn’t. He blended in with the shadows, just watching us. If we were any danger to Saraias he might have jumped us.”
    “So we might not be able to take Dent’s body?”
    “Unfortunately, not that the Dark Kingdom will care.”
    “Such a shame. He deserves a burial.”
    “Maybe the Vampire Council will give him one.”
    They heard the bubbling and sizzling of Saraias’ flesh. The pair immediately started to walk away. She screamed. She screamed long, in agony.
    “KRAKLOR!” she screamed. “TWIST MY MURDERERS TO PIECES!!!”
    The pair shot each other a sharp look. Rowan whispered one command: “Run”.
    They sprinted down the corridor. The cries of the dying Vampire were still to be heard; some shouting could be heard in Saraias’ chamber. The pair were nearing the final exit when a crash could be heard from the other door. The Vampires sprinted along the corridor. Rowan and Kiyor dashed up the stairs.
    “There a problem?” asked Siren.
    “Get in the car!” ordered Kiyor. “We gotta get outta here!”
    The group rushed to the car, opened doors, then heard motorbikes gathering at the end of the street. They halted. The bikers carried Maces, Scythes and other weapons of carnage. They each had an evil gleam around them.
    Siren wondered aloud. “They’re not…?”
    As if to answer her unfinished question, a female opened her mouth and snarled with her revealed fangs. Other Vampires came from the Museum. As one, the Humans turned and fled for their lives, except Manar whose first action was to hurry out of the car.
    The Vampires shouted orders between each other. The brief exchange ended when the motorbikers gave chase, mangling the car with their weapons as they passed it, laughing as if in a game.
    The distance between the runners and riders was quickly shortening. The runners came to a dead end, their choice was to turn left or right.
    “Split up!” Kiyor quickly ordered.
    Manar grabbed Rowan. “You’re coming with me.” She dragged her Mistress along the right street, running along until she turned a corner. Vandals looked her way in surprise. She let go of her Mistress and took a spray can off one of them. Naturally, he protested. “This is for a good cause. Stand behind me Mistress.”
    In puzzlement, Rowan went behind her bodyguard as she used the spray can to draw purple crosses on the road. She did this quickly. She was drawing a cross on a wall when the motorbikes came speeding round. They screeched to a halt. The Vampires drew back in fear.
    “You will not dare to pass?” Manar coldly taunted. She drew another cross on top and then drew two more crosses on the opposite wall. When she was done, she dropped the can and walked away, leaving Rowan to follow her and the vandals to stare at the exiled Vampires in curiosity.