Black Blood

I should have known. Even though his aura had been suppressed, it had still been there the entire time. As Edward Blackblood stepped into the light it was clear what had happened to the king. Edward was covered in splatters of blood, even parts of his clothing torn and soaked with it.

Claude sucked in a breath, and Adrian gasped as well. Claude pushed me behind him, holding his hands out as he started to glow blue. I kept my gaze on Edward over Claude's shoulder.

"That's different," Adrian muttered at the sight of Claude. Claude gave no sign of acknowledgement if he had heard Adrian. "That's what makes you one of the king's dogs."

"Adrian," I hissed. He winced. "Not now." Adrian nodded and focused his attention on Edward Blackblood. I looked back to Edward as well.

Despite the blood splattered over his clothes and face I could make out his features. He was of a slim yet muscular build, and very young looking in appearance. I was surprised, only because I was expecting to see an old man- with how old this vampire was supposed to be.

Here was the original vampire, in fact. The one that started it all. His red eyes glowed insanely bright, and it felt as if they were piercing straight through me. He held an intense expression on his face that froze me to the spot where I stood. Slowly a grin spread over his lips. He leaned against the door frame.

"Chloe, Chloe, Chloe," he said, his voice deep and echoing. That same voice from my dreams. My brain was having trouble processing that he was really here, standing before us. My heartbeat picked up. "You're even more stunningly beautiful in person."

I wasn't sure whether to feel complimented, or disturbed, considering I was distantly related to him. I forced the corners of my lips to turn upward. It probably turned out as more of a grimace than a smile though.

Adrian stepped around Claude and I, and we both eyed him warily. Adrian slowly made his way over to Edward, and I wondered if he would even be able to do anything to the much older vampire.

Edward raised an eyebrow at Adrian's approach. Just before Adrian was about to reach him, Edward raised his hand and lazily lifted a finger in Adrian's direction. Adrian went flying backward, crashing into the wall behind us and then slumping to the marbled floor below.

"Adrian!" I called out. I turned to run over to him, but Claude caught my arm and stopped me.

"He's fine," Claude said. "Unconscious, but alive." I nodded and worried my bottom lip.

"Yes, alive," Edward repeated. We turned back to look at him. His gaze was on Adrian's body, a disgusted look plastered over his features, marring the beauty of them. Within a moment though his chilling smile returned and he threw his head back and laughed. Thunder rolled in the distance, making his laugh seem louder and I shivered.

Edward was halfway across the room in the blink of an eye. I jumped backward, but Claude held his ground. Claude raised his hands, blue flames appearing at his fingertips and then building around his fists.

"Ah, that is new," Edward said. He cocked his head to the side, leaning with the movement, his curly red hair falling slightly into his eyes. "Last I checked vampires couldn't do that. But I... can do... this."

Blackness spread across Edward's veins, like what had happened with Ethan. It spread much more rapidly, and soon after his eyes had turned completely black. Edward then dragged a thumbnail down his forearm, slicing open the flesh there.

Black blood poured from the wound, falling to the floor and pooling there. The pool of blood grew rapidly, and then shrank back in on itself. Edward licked his arm and the wound sealed itself. He grinned widely and lazily lifted a finger again.

My eyes widened as I watched the blood raise off the floor and then charge at Claude as if it were a person. I screamed and moved to the side. Claude raised his arms more, the blue flames spreading rapidly to form a shield against the blood.

The blood hit the flames with a sickening sound and bounced back off, to the floor. It raised back up and continued its assault like that, leaving Claude no time to attack, only allowing him just enough time to shield himself from it. Edward threw his head back and laughed again, thunder rolling with him.

"Well, now that that one has been taken care off," he said. He lifted his head again and locked his gaze onto me. I jumped, and put my arms out behind me, stepping backward toward the other door.

Edward raised and eyebrow and grinned wider. I blinked and suddenly he was at my side.

"Chloe, run," Claude said, his voice strained from the effort he was putting into defending himself. I watched him for a moment, and then attempted to do as he had told me to.

I don't know what made me think I could do it. Everything but my need to get out of there got pushed to the back of my mind. All recollection that these were vampires I was dealing with was forgotten.

"Oh," Edward said with a chuckle. He caught my arm, pulling me back to him. "Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

I started to hyperventilate, my heart rate accelerating further. I felt like my heart was going to explode. Edward leaned down toward me, putting his face close to mine.

"You think you can run? Go on, try it," he whispered. He released my arm and leaned back, pushing me to the doorway he had come through.

I wasted no time, and broke off into a sprint toward the doorway. I needed to get away. If he was going to give me the chance, I wasn't going to question it or let the opportunity slip away. Edward's laughter echoed off the walls, more thunder rolled in the distance too.

His blood left its battle with Claude, building up and blocking the doorway. I shrieked and stepped back several steps, having almost run into the blood. Edward appeared before me, and Claude was at my side shortly after as well.

"Did you really think I would let you run?" Edward asked. I wanted to punch that stupid, wicked grin off his face. "You and I have plans."

"Chloe, you need to get out of here," Claude said. He turned the blue flames on Edward.

"Claude, there's something you should know," I said. Claude glanced back at me briefly. "My blood isn't poison to him. In fact, it will only make him that much stronger. And he plans to drink it."

Claude's eyes widened. The words were rushed, though he heard every last one clearly. Edward shook his head and chuckled, snapping his fingers and sending the blood flying back at Claude. Claude raised his flames, but the blood extinguished them that time.

"Claude, you're the one who needs to get out of here!" I yelled. Claude shook his head, taking several steps back. He tried to bring his flames back, but for some reason they wouldn't ignite.

"I would have listened to her, if I were you," Edward said. He snapped his fingers again and the blood flew at Claude once more, engulfing him completely.