The Vampire's Promise

This was it: the moment Vladimir had brought me here to face. I was standing face-to-face with Lucifer, the most horrible demon of them all. I was alone though. Vladimir had fallen ill, and now the fate of his people depended on me defeating the baddest demon to ever exist.

I didn't think I could do it.

"So you're the card," his voice was raspy. A yellow substance oozed from his mouth. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"I wish I could say the same about you," I spoke slowly as I looked him over. The demon grinned, revealing his small, pale green teeth.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled. "Perhaps I should pull on a form you're more accustomed to seeing." With that his body began to morph, taking on a more human-like appearance.

"Is that better?" he asked. His teeth were now normal and white. His skin was no longer a faded red color, though his eyes remained their eerie glowing green. Hair had grown from his head, and it was long and black, coming down in thick curls.

"Um, I suppose," I nodded and continued to gape at his new form.

He stepped closer to me and said, "Let's get this over with; I'm starving."

The thick yellow substance oozed from his mouth again, and he lunged at me. I screamed and moved out of his path. Luck was not on my side for the time being, and his arm came back around with a sickening crack to grab me.

I grabbed tightly onto his hand, my own hand glowing. Lucifer's body twisted around toward me while I tore his hand from me. His grin widened.

"W-what?" I tried to pull my hand from his, but it seemed as if I was glued to him.

"You learn a few things when you're preparing for war," he hissed near my ear.

"I've learned a few things, too!" I ground out. The doors within his mind were all wide open, so I had no trouble slipping in and forcing him away from me.

"Carol, is it?" the demon cocked his head to the side with another sickening crack. "You're the queen of the vampires... Tell me, how is little Vlad doing?"

"What do you know about him!?" I lunged at him with a dagger I pulled from hiding. He grabbed the blade, pulling me closer with it.

"I have spies everywhere," his voice was a roar. I yanked my dagger from his grasp, slicing open his hand in the process.

"You know, that really hurt," he whined.

"I don't give a damn about any pain you're going to be feeling," I spat at him. He lifted his head with a pop and came after me, claws extending from the tips of his fingers.

"Be careful of what you say, darling!" he growled, digging his claws into my back. I yelped and stuck the dagger into his side, causing him to howl in pain.

"Be careful of what you do, ass-wipe!" I pulled the dagger out with difficulty and stuck it into his stomach. Another howl of pain erupted from him, and he tugged me closer. I whimpered as his claws dug in deeper.

"The same could be said to you, doll-face." He bit down hard on my shoulder.

"Get off!" I screamed. Letting go of the dagger, I placed my hands on his shoulders and shoved hard. His hands pulled away from my back and his mouth from my shoulder, his body flying back and away from me.

Tugging a vial out of my pants pocket, I stepped over to Lucifer- who was laying on the ground. I pulled the cork from the vial and one sniff was all he needed.

"Angel's blood!?" he growled, moving backward and further away from me. "Where did you get that!?"

"I had a little help." I stepped hard on his leg, preventing him from moving further. "Now it's time to end this."

"Wait, if I die, so will all the other demons!"

"That's exactly what I'm counting on," I grinned down at him and sat down on his stomach.

"Please, don't do this!" He twisted his head around violently. I slipped slightly into his head, forcing him to stay still. I tilted his head back and held the vial at the ready.

"Afreya, you traitor! We had a deal; we had a deal!" he screamed. I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but I had already poured the contents of the vial down his throat. He began choking and coughing up blood.

"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed, throwing the vial to the side. My hands cupped his face. "Don't die yet! Tell me who Afreya is!"

Screams of pain and gagging were the only things that came from him. I rolled off of him, not wanting to come into contact with the yellow and red substances oozing from him.

"Tell me who Afreya is!" I shook him by the shoulders. After a while, he ceased moving.

There were so many questions that Lucifer could have answered. Now that he was dead, I doubted they would ever be answered.

I sighed and pulled my dagger from Lucifer's now lifeless body. It was time to return to Vladimir.

The men I had brought with me to the battle congratulated me upon my return to the camp. Jorslev was nowhere in sight though, and my suspicion heightened. Jorslev had been acting strangely the past few days- stranger than normal.

I grabbed the shoulder of the nearest soldier and asked her, "Where's Jorslev?"

"He left the battlefield not too long after all of the demons dropped dead," she replied. "I don't think he returned to camp after."

"I see. We're returning home now, then!" I let go of her shoulder and called out to the entire camp. I was anxious to see Vladimir again.

A lot of the soldiers called out in joy, and I found my way to my horse. The soldier from before helped me onto my horse. I thanked her and took off, not waiting for anyone to follow. I wanted to get to Vladimir as soon as possible.

"Wait, your majesty!" the soldier yelled after me.

I disappeared from her line of sight in barely any time. A small smile formed on my face. While some questions remained unanswered, at least I had destroyed all of the demons.

My ride was cut short as I was pulled off my horse by a giant bird-like creature. I tried to scream to alert the soldiers, but a hand covered my mouth.

"That wouldn't be a nice way to greet me, doll-face," the owner of the hand said. We landed against the trunk of a tree and I turned to face my assailant. Every memory I had of him came flooding back as I saw his face.

"It's you!" His aqua eyes seemed to twinkle.

"You got that right, sweetheart," his face came closer as he spoke and he chuckled darkly. "Tell me, has Vladimir been eating right?" I struggled against him.

"Yes, he's been-" I paused. Why did he want to know? "Who are you?"

"Since it's this late in the game," he pressed me harder against the tree, "I'll tell you. My name is Dorian, and I'm far scarier than any of those demons you've killed."

"W-why did you want to know if he's been feeding?" I asked quietly.

He leaned close to my ear and whispered, "Your blood is poisoning him, doll-face. I had Jorslev slip something into your drink, that would enter your bloodstream. Once consumed by Vladimir, it will-"

"No!" I shoved at his shoulders. He wouldn't budge.

"He's going to fall into a deep sleep," Dorian chuckled. "One that he'll never wake up from."

"No, you're lying!" I shoved at him again and this time he stepped back.

"Better get back to your lover-boy before he falls into that deep sleep," he warned, wagging his finger. "Hurry; hurry." He disappeared then.

"No!" I lunged at the spot where he once stood. Tears were in my eyes while I looked around for him. "Dorian! Get back here!"

After a moment, I rushed back to the road and to my horse, riding as fast as I could back to the palace. My heart was racing. What if my blood had really poisoned Vladimir? If Dorian wasn't lying, I was going to find Jorslev and wring his neck.

When I arrived at the palace, I hurried to the bedroom that Vladimir and I shared. I climbed onto the bed where he was laying.

"Vlad," I whispered, caressing his cheek. He slowly turned his head to look at me. He seemed in worse condition than when I had left to fight Lucifer.

"D-don't go," I whimpered. A smile grew on his lips and he reached up to touch my cheek.

"Carol, I'll be fine," he whispered. "I promise."

"No, you won't be! My blood is poisoning you!" I held onto his shoulders.

"What?" he seemed just as confused as I felt.

"I- I'm not really sure why, but- there are some people out there who are really working hard to kill you," I explained. "One of them, Dorian, got Jorslev to slip something into my drink that first night we fought against the demons." Vladimir's eyes widened.

"No... Jorslev...?" His other arm wrapped around my waist. I nodded at him.

"Jorslev betrayed you," my face twisted in pain. "I might as well be considered a traitor as well; it's my blood that's made you ill after all."

"No, no," Vladimir shook his head, his thumb running across my cheek. "You knew nothing about this until now."

"No, I think I've known something about it all along," I disagreed. A few tears escaped the corners of my eyes. "Dorian has been visiting me for a very long time, he just suppresses the memory every time."

"You've still been... out of the loop," Vladimir smiled. I smiled back at him, though it was more of a reaction than of my own happiness.

"I'm still so sorry," I mumbled.

"It'll be okay," he assured me, stroking my hair. "Now, I'm tired. Go find Jorslev and have him punished while I sleep."

"No, don't fall asleep!" I begged, shaking his shoulders lightly. Vladimir leaned up and kissed me.

"I promise you, I'll wake up again," he said after he pulled back. "Okay?"

"Okay," I nodded, though tears continued to fall and the fear that he would never wake up again still rested within my heart. "I love you."

"I love you too, Carol," his smile brightened and he closed his eyes, still stroking my hair. I sighed and pulled carefully away from him, placing his hand back onto the bed. It was time to find Jorslev.

"You better wake up again, at least for one last time," I whispered before exiting the room.