Blood Stained

The scenery appeared to move past them rather than them moving past the scenery. This is a state aptly named, flitting. This is a state where a Vampire moves at such a speed that it is impossible to track with the naked eye. Humans have been able to achieve this, but only in the vaguest sense. They can move their hands at this speed. Lycanthropes on the other hand, are fast. But cannot reach the same rate of mobility as a Vampire can. Few have and can comprehend the speed of which a Vampire can move. Some believe this to be the arrangement of the nervous system and the increased reflex speed. But very few of these theories have come up with the answer.

They skidded to a stop. Outside a rubble built cave. John, Kayla, Lorna and Damon soon came to a halt behind them. It was caved in. They had arrived too late.
“Shit.” John cursed, dismounting Damon who shrunk back to his human self and slipped on some clothes. “Find something we can use. Anything, a book, a journal, something.”
“A heartbeat.” Nathaniel said, his ears pricked up slightly as he tapped his fingers together in tune. Both Vampires and Lycanthropes, have a layer of tightly pulled flesh surrounding the ear drum and stretching to the first of the ossicles (the bones in the middle of your ear). This tightly stretched piece of skin detects the tiniest of vibrations, which sends it to the cochlea on top of the humanly audible sounds. This in turn amplifies the tiniest of sounds, and sends the information into the brain. This is believed why Vampires and Werewolves are such efficient hunters, and why it makes it near impossible to sneak up behind them, without them hearing your every movement.

“Animal?” Kayla asked.
“No. Human. But faint, and growing weaker”
“I hear it also.” Marcus said sniffing the air.
“So can we…” Kiera said, watching as the Werewolves and Mitchell take in the scent of the environment. She mused at Nathaniel tapping his fingers together at the beat of the heart, as he searched through the rubble.
John and Kayla searched, shifting whatever pieces of rubble their bodies would allow.
“Anyone here?” John called.
“Over here!” Nathaniel said, lifting a sheet of metal off of a pile of rocks and pulling out an old man. Bloodied, and dieing. He manages to stifle a moan in a croaky voice.
“Quick get the kit!” Kayla said, and Kiera starts to rummage through her bag for the first aid kit.
“He’s too far gone…” Nathaniel said, knowing of the tearing and forced contortion of the old man’s organs.
“Quick old man. Tell us what you know of the prodigal son.” John said and Kayla shot him a spiteful look, thinking how he can be so insensitive.
“V-Vampire…” He choked, spitting out blood.
“How can you tell?” Nathaniel said, wiping the blood from the blind man’s face.
“C-Cold hands…” He stuttered and smiled. which soon turned into a grimace as more blood rejected itself from his insides.
“Sorry.” He said and started to move them away before the old man gripped them with iron hands, and pulled him closer. He whispered faintly in his ear, unable to stop himself choking on his own blood every two or three words.
The rest of the team watched the hunched over Nathaniel absorb every word the elderly man spluttered. Not even Marcus could hear what he was saying, and besides from Nathaniel, he was the closest.

In the last few seconds of the third minute of spitting every word he could, the old man lifted his hand and felt the contours and surfaces of the Vampires face. He smiled a blood filled grin, before letting his arm fall limp against the jagged rocks beneath him.
The Vampire sighed, and closed the lids over his chalky, blue eyes. He stood up, taking no particular notice of the silent tears that fell down Kayla’s cheeks. Although a fearsome fighter and an accurate shot, she was the most sensitive to death. Many have questioned if she was to be brought on this assignment. But was overruled by her skill and dedication. Minus the empathy.
Nathaniel sighed. And said
“Let’s move.” Before adjusting his bag.
“What did he say?” John asked. Nathaniel paused in silence and listened to the soft arms of the wind, drag the dust across the land.
“More then needed…”