Bleeding Tears, Crying Blood

The throbbing heartbeat that vibrated in my head grew stronger and stronger as I flew westwards. I couldn’t hear anything else. The sound of the whistling wind, crying birds and quick footsteps where muffled to me, only faint humming sounds. My Matter blocked them out and focused my ears on the single heartbeat of Leroy. I didn’t know how I did it but that didn’t concern me. Cian had said a lot of what I will learn will be me acting on instinct, not learning. But right then it didn’t worry me. All that worried me was Leroy.

I didn’t understand why someone would just take him. It could be that he was virtually human that another vampire would mistake him for prey. But then where did the vampire come from? There were no other Clans living in the area and the town was ruled by my Branch, this was their hunting grounds. No one could hunt and feed on the people here without Cassandra’s permission so to take a human was against the laws of the Clans. But it was still odd. Vampires took a small amount of blood from a human, the venom in their teeth either dulling or erasing the memory from their minds, and human farming and kidnapping had become virtually extinct over the years as the Witches slaughtered any Clans involved with harvesting blood in that manner. Then it hit me.

It was a trap.

I slowed to a stop, staring out at the old mansion, crumbled, aged and now a local museum. Leroy’s heartbeat was thumping thickly in my ears now. He was there. He was safe. But he was bait.

Wolfram and father had said Gabor was a dangerous, sly enemy. He fought with father in battle and in a political game, matching him easily. Now he waited on the side-lines, not letting anyone know what he was doing. But he was looking for me through others while my father’s focus was entirely on him. Gabor had found me. He had to have done. There was no other reason why someone would’ve captured Leroy, someone who had become close to me and is often away from my side.

“Alfie, Donald, I do not like this.” I muttered to them.

“What’s wrong, mistress?” Donald asked, bowing a little to me. I didn’t bother to scold him. He was just stiff and traditional in general.

“This feels wrong. I think it is a trap.” I said softly. “Be careful in there.”

Donald simply deepened his bow and Alfie nodded in obedience. I began my run again, making my way to the fence surrounding the crumbled wall. Quickly scanning and finding the blind spots in the security cameras gazes, we scrabbled over the meshed fence and entered the grounds of the large ancient mansion. We had to be careful here. My ears could pick up the sounds of moving cameras, buzzing alarms ready to be set off, and my eyes could see the blinding floodlights glowing like small suns around the grounds. We couldn’t set off the alarms or be spotted by the cameras. With the amount here, it was going to be a challenge. At least it was until the power suddenly died. I froze not far from the ruined wall as the lights suddenly died one by one and the sound of electricity abruptly stopping in the cables it flowed through. Donald and Alfie shuffled a little closer to me, watching the darkness warily.

The vampire knew we were here.

I didn’t say a word to my cousins and simply began to follow the gravel path towards the great expansive courtyard. I stood before the massive house and glanced at the stables at gardens at either side of it. I stared at the door. Cameras observed it and alarms littered it but all were dead. I had to get through that door, to enter this old house, to get to Leroy but the whole setup up screamed trap. But I had Donald and Alfie with me, old vampires and kin, and Wolfram was coming to my side. My blank stare turned into something determined and I marched up to the quiet door.

Grabbing the handle, I twisted it hard and a horrible crack echoed in the still night air. Pushing it open, I slipped inside with Alfie and Donald close behind me. I stepped further in, observing the expansive clean hall and the furniture and pots kept behind velvet ropes and glass panes. After seeing no obvious threat, I quickly zoned in on Leroy’s heartbeat. He was further inside, roughly at the heart of the house. I glanced up at Donald, ensuring he didn’t hear anything I had missed, and he nodded silently. I turned and ran swiftly deeper into the house.

My footsteps were barely audible as I followed the sound of Leroy. My nose was even picking up his scent now. I was relieved I couldn’t smell the metallic stench of blood. He may be hurt but at least he wasn’t wounded.

The heartbeat lead me to in intricate door on the third corridor. I stood before it, wondering what would be hidden behind it only for a brief moment, before I flung them open. I strode into what was once a dining room. Old paintings of lords and ladies were hung on the long rooms walls with gas lamps flickering timidly alongside them. A massive, intricately decorated fireplace stood at one end of the room and opposite the tall windows framed with red curtains. The well-cared for chairs and long thick table were tossed aside though, chucked the one side of the room. And, sitting on a large strangely patterned rug, was Leroy.

I stood perfectly still, not moving too far from the door with Donald and Alfie on either side of me. Leroy sat cross-legged on the floor. His hands were bound and his mouth gagged and a purple bruise was swelling on his face. I gave him a blank look and was returned with a wide stare of recognition. Of fear.

“We’re here to bring you back, Leroy.” I said calmly as I walked cautiously over to him, still glancing into the shadows, wondering where his kidnapper was.

I knelt before him and pulled the gag free. Instantly he spoke, rapidly and urgent, wincing at the pain in his bruise jaw. “Get out Alma. She’s after you.”

I nodded. “I know this is a trap, Leroy. I also know she is above us.” I said loudly, not even bothering to look up when a body fell to the floor behind Leroy.

As I ripped the rope that bound Leroy’s hands, the woman stood, shaking her pale hair. The tall woman’s eyes were cold as she smiled.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, future Bride-sister.” She said.

I stood, helping Leroy to his feet and keeping him close to my side. “You are of the Gabor Clan.”

She nodded and bowed. “I am Valeria Gabor, first Bride of Marius Gabor, our Head.”

I didn’t let my surprise show. I hadn’t expected Gabor to send his own Bride after me. In fact I was surprised he even had one. He had sought me out with the pretence of making me his Bride, his mate. But he already had one. The words first Bride slowly sunk in and I realised the Gabor Clan was of an old tradition, very old, where the Head would pick more than one mate to bear his children. It was out of offspring prospects, not love, that Brides were chosen. I wondered and worried at how many he had.

“You lured me here, including two of my own. One more and my guard currently follow me. You are outnumbered. It is best you back down and allow me to leave with my charge.” I said firmly, raising my chin and scowled at her blankly, determined to show that I did not fear her.

She smiled thinly, showing her lengthy fangs, and folded her arms. “Wrong. You are currently alone here. Only this boy is on your side.”

My fingers tightened around Leroy’s wrist. Suddenly Donald’s and Alfie’s presence on either side of me didn’t feel so protective. It felt imprisoning.

“Donald and Alfie are a Branch to my Clan, kin to my father, their Head. They would not turn on me.” I said thickly but worry was beginning to fill me. They wouldn’t turn on me. They couldn’t. They loved my father and they would not risk his or my mother’s wrath. They were loyal to their Clan. It was insane to suggest otherwise.

I flinched when Alfie’s hand grasped my shoulder tightly, squeezing, digging his claws in lightly, and didn’t let go.

“I’m sorry, Alma.” Alfie muttered softly.

“Your Branch has turned.” Valeria smiled.

I didn’t think, only reacted. Lessons my mother had taught me suddenly exploded into my mind. Turning, my fist shot out into Alfie’s crotch then swung up hard into his face as he buckled, knocking him back hard. Ignoring the stinging sensation as his claws tore at my skin, I pulled Leroy out of the way roughly and let my foot fly at Donald’s face. He stepped out of the way with ease but only did that. He didn’t dive in while I was briefly open to attack. His expression was torn. He didn’t want to fight me. I instantly realised that my Branch was being manipulated into this betrayal, not doing it willingly. But figuring out what Valeria held had to wait. While Donald and Alfie wouldn’t fight me, they would stop me from running. I grabbed Leroy’s hand and made a dash for the door but didn’t make it. I felt Leroy be wrenched away from me and heard him let out a shocked cry while something came at my side.

A hand rammed into my throat, lifting me off my feet and shoved me hard against the wall. I winced and grabbed Valeria’s wrist to pull her away but she was much too strong. I stared at her cold eyes, scowling in defiance but deep inside I felt fear. My Branch had turned against me, Wolfram didn’t know where I was, White was asleep and Leroy was a weak as a human. I had no more allies, no one to come rescue me.

Valeria smiled and tightened her grip on my throat painfully as I tried to wriggle away desperately. “You can no longer run or hide, little mouse.” She said with faint triumph. “You are caught now. Gabor has you.”