Blogophilia 30.10: Franklin Part 4

It’s time again for Blogophilia, the fun blog group where Mariten gives participants prompts to use in their weekly blog. This week’s prompts are:

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 31.10 Topic – Vintage Lies
**BONUSES:
Hard (2 pts) Incorporate a lyric from the rock group Genesis
Easy (1 pt) Include a scent

Jonathan has been pretty busy lately, and is apparently out of rubber chickens (he did tag me on facebook with a shop in New Orleans that I believe sells new ones. I assume he’s hinting for a Christmas gift.) so he didn’t get to use his magic voodoo last week. Without it, I was able to swoop ahead of him and snatch the jacket! Bahahaha!

And now on to the story. This segment is kinda long. I was going to end it earlier, but Martien and Commander K wanted a fight scene, so I had to go all the way to the end.

WARNING: If you have not read Shades of Gray there are HUGE spoilers here!

***

Franklin pushed away the past and met the others near the house. Senya, phone pressed to her ear, motioned them into the vehicles.

She hung up and swung into the passenger seat. “The Execution Council is en route.” She looked over her shoulder. “We’ll park just down from the den and arrive on foot to prevent a surprise attack from them. The drive will be significant – more than an hour.”

Greneth elbowed Zuri for more space. “Why didn’t we stay closer?”

Senya scoffed. “Because we have no hosts that live nearby. Oren’s coven has been in the same place since before the Civil War, and his territory is well known. There have been incidents with those who get too close.”

She tossed a folder back. When Greneth only glanced at it, Franklin snatched it. He scanned the contents; amended lists of known coven members and various reports from over the years. The oldest were handwritten, then done with a typewriter, and finally neatly printed from a digital source.  Just as Senya said, Oren’s coven claimed a large territory and defended it fiercely. Almost as if they had something to hide.

No wonder there are rumors.

Still, there were no records of them being random aggressors, or participating in anything like a kidnapping.  Though Oren and Claudius had come in contact with one another several times in the past. From what he could see, Claudius had once lived nearby. Still, there were not hostilities until a dot matrix printed report said that Claudius had filed a complaint. Oren’s sister and one of Claudius’ coven fought over a man, and the later was killed. The complaint was full of flowery  arguments, vintage lies that told a story a handwritten note denied. An Executioner  – Verchiel by the handwriting – had deemed the fight legal, commented that Claudius was known to over exaggerate, and added that no legal action would taken by The Guild. Was that what the root of this was?

Franklin closed the folder and handed it back.  If such a small death warranted a war, what did the massacre of your whole family warrant? Should he have killed Kelly?

Not that I didn’t think about it a million times.

With nothing else to do, Franklin turned to thoughts of the upcoming confrontation. He pulled his bag into his lap and dug out a set of daggers and something that looked like a machete in a leather sheath. He tugged it out, double checking that the three square cut notches were clean. They were what gave it the ability to grab a vampire’s heart and rip it out a single move that earned it the title, “heart breaker”.

He jammed it back in the sheath. We’re going to break some hearts tonight, sweetheart.

***

It was almost ten when the vehicles pulled over and they climbed out along the side of the road. Franklin’s instincts said to call Migina a final time, but dismissed it. He’d talk to her when it was over with. She’d only make him promise again that he’d come back alive – a promise he’d already made twice.

The rest of the guards were already waiting, nervous eyes darting to the quiet fields around them, hands curled around various weapons, but there was no sign of the Execution Council.

Senya checked the time impatiently and clicked her phone.  A quick conversation later, she snarled and motioned towards lights in the distance. “They’ll meet us there. We’re to refrain from killing anyone until they arrive.”

Bren gaped. “Are you serious? They want us to…what? Take Claudius’ mate back without killing anyone?  Has Malick gone insane? The Hand of Death is rumored to be there, and the Tormenter. Does he think they’ll hand her over without a fight? Does he think Oren and his coven will-”

Senya scoffed. “It’s because The Hand of Death will be there.  Malick can’t risk us hurting his precious son.”

Greneth frowned. “You’re sure it’s because of Jorick?”

“Their exact words were, ‘Malick has a list of those who aren’t to be killed. The Execution Council will share it with you.’ Whose names do you think will be on it other than Jorick and Kateesha’s?”

“What about Jorick’s fledgling?” Bren asked. “Will he also be exempt?”

“I imagine so, as well as the rest of his bloodline. It’s disgusting.” Senya shook her head. “But no matter. We have a job to do. Let’s do it.”

With a murmur of agreement they headed in the direction of Oren’s den. As a large southern mansion slowly came into view, Franklin turned the orders over. It was disgusting the way the master had favorites, the way the law was enforced when it suited Malick and dismissed when it didn’t. But Malick was ancient – more than two thousand years if the stories were believed – and his age alone gave him the power to rule The Guild.

Senya stopped them at the edge of the property and glanced to Greneth. “I don’t suppose your demon eye ability can see anything useful?”

Greneth drew up. “Of course it does.” He closed his eyes, but as the seconds passed a valley formed between his eyes. “I see a fight. Fire.”

“As if we didn’t know that already,” Senya said with annoyance. “Never mind. If you happen to stumble on a vision of us finding the prisoner so we can cut this short, I’d appreciate it.” She turned to the group and motioned to half of the guards. “Go left with Zuri. You,” she looked to the others. “Go right with Greneth. Use the signal flares if you’re engaged.”

Her favorites – still not in regulation uniform- moved to join, but she stopped them. “With me.” She looked back to Bren and Franklin. “Come.”

Bren gave a mock salute and grinned, nudging Franklin. “She knows who the better men are.”

Senya shot him a look that said to shut up, then headed toward the house.  Lights blazed in the windows, and the scent of immortal life hung heavy, mixed with the smell of humans. No doubt the coven had mortal slaves.

An autumn wind swirled past, carrying their own scent to the mansion’s occupants. Lights blinked out in some of the windows, then stopped abruptly.

They know we’re here.

Franklin drew the heartbreaker from its sheath, holding it at the ready as they crept over a curved drive and leaf littered lawn. He tried to peer through the windows, to guess what the flitting shadows inside were doing. Readying to fight? Hiding their prisoner?  Burying their secret?

They’d nearly reached the porch when the front door swung open. A tall human stared out at them, eyes wide and hands shaking. Senya stormed toward him, flashing the medallion around her neck. “Who are you, human? Where is your master?”

“Ch-Christian,” the man mumbled. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead. “My master isn’t home.”

Senya grabbed him and in a smooth motion swung him to his knees, his back pressed against her legs, and her dagger pressed to his throat. “Do not lie to me, human. Where is your master? And where is his prisoner?”

“What prisoner?” Christian croaked.

Noise came from the right, followed by the flash of a flare. A second flash came from the left.

“So they’re ready for us?” Senya demanded, pulling the human’s head back by his hair. “Where is the prisoner?”

Franklin could taste the man’s fear, smell the terrified blood that pounded through his veins, laced with whisky. “What prisoner?”

Another flare went off, and another. With a snarl, Senya drew back the knife and slammed it through the human’s chest. When she ripped it free a spray of crimson was followed by a horrified scream; the scream of death.

Senya kicked the bleeding body away and pushed inside. A foyer led into a portrait lined hallway. A redheaded vampiress dashed through a door, wearing heals and a slinky dress. Sultry eyes flashed fear and then hardened with anger.

“Who are you and by what right-”

Senya brandished her bloody dagger and closed the distance between them. “By right of The Guild. Identify yourself.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything!” the redhead dropped into a fighting stance, her long nailed hands like readied claws.

“This is going to be tedious.” Senya lunged in a move similar to what she’d used on the human. Stronger and faster, the redheaded vampiress twisted free. She grabbed a nearby side table and swung it like a weapon.

“You are not welcome here!”

“We need no welcome.” Bren bounded past Senya. He ducked as she swung the piece of furniture, to hit her across the knees as he swung past her. Her legs buckled and she landed hard on the floor. The table flew from her grasp and smashed on the floor, sending bits flying.

Senya stepped over the mess as Bren held down the struggling redhead. “Bind her, and establish a base outside, well clear of the house.”

He shot her a questioning look, but she only turned to her guards and pointed to one with a bulky bag. “Set the explosives. If we have to do this the hard way, it is going to be spectacularly hard.”

He saluted and moved away, while the redheaded prisoner writhed and shrieked. “You’d better leave before Jorick gets down here!”

Though the name filled Franklin with a secret dread, Senya smiled. “I hope he hurries. I’d like to speak to him.”

“He’ll rip your heart out!” Their prisoner shouted.

“I rather doubt that,” Bren said, applying more pressure on her struggling body.  His prisoner kicked shapely legs, and threw her curly tresses from her face. The fire in her eyes made Franklin think of Migina for a moment; furious and hungry for blood.

Senya’s voice pulled him back.

“Franklin! With me!”

He gave a mock salute and hurried to follow her deeper into the house. He could hear fighting outside, and then the crash of a window.  Was someone jumping in or out?

Either way, they won’t escape us.

A vampiress met them in a room with a piano. Tendrils of black hair had fallen from her updo, and gray eyes flashed fury. “Who are you?”

Senya flicked the medallion around her neck. “You know who we are. Identify yourself.”

The black haired beauty raised her chin a notch. “I am Jesslynn, master of this coven.”

Franklin spoke before he could stop himself, “Master? I understood that was Oren.”

Jesslynn flashed him a cold look. “Oren is my husband. You have not been invited inside. Leave now.”

“That isn’t the way this works,” Senya said. “Where is your prisoner?”

Jesslynn met her eyes, unyielding. “I have no prisoner.”

“Of course you don’t.” She motioned to two of her remaining guards. “Take her to Bren. When enough have joined to guard her, return to me. It looks like we’ll need to play hide and seek ourselves.”

Jesslynn snarled as the guards closed in. Though Franklin glanced back to see her knock one away, he had to hurry to keep up with Senya’s deliberate stride. She moved through rooms, kicking aside furniture large enough to conceal vampires. In a sitting room, Greneth and two guards joined them.

“We found a nest of unmarked humans,” the Executioner announced.

Senya frowned. “You’re sure they’re e unmarked?”

He snickered. “We checked a couple of the women thoroughly. None of them know anything about  a prisoner, of course.”

“Of course.” Senya tapped her fingers. “Tell Bren to oversee a bonfire. We can’t kill the vampires, but unmarked humans are fair game. Perhaps if we burn a few, the others will become more compliant.”

Greneth snapped his fingers and the guards with him saluted and quickly hurried outside.

“We took a few vampires as well.” Greneth fell into step with Senya and Franklin. “Zuri’s done better in that department. I imagine being a titan makes it easier.”

Franklin thought he detected a hint of jealousy in the demon eye’s voice.

“Your own ability should be useful enough,” Senya barked. “That is…”

“Not yet,” Greneth said petulantly.

Senya hefted her bloody blade. “I suppose it’s just as well, now that I’ve decided to enjoy this. Come. We’re still missing our Hand of Death.”

They circled back to the hallway, where they met Zuri. “We’ve rounded up most of the coven.”

“And?” Senya asked.

Zuri shifted his weight. “We found something strange upstairs. A nursery. And children’s toys.”

“Children of the servants?” Senya looked to Greneth. “Did you find a baby or children with the humans?”

As he shook his head, Franklin looked to Zuri, but the big vampire only shrugged.

“Never mind. We’re not looking for children. Have you found Oren or Jorick?” Senya asked.

A voice boomed from down the hall. “You have now.”

Franklin’s eyes swung to the sound. A tall broad shouldered vampire stormed toward them, long black hair fanned out behind like a war cape.  An aura of fury and age emanated from him, weaker than Malick’s but no less similar. Though it had been more than a century since Franklin had seen him, he knew who it was.

Jorick.

“About time,” Senya drawled, hand on her hip. “Where’s your fledgling?”

A vampire stormed through a nearby doorway, hands fists and fangs bared in a snarl. Golden blonde hair, the color of a lion’s mane, fell to his shoulders. The fury in his eyes told his name before he spoke.

“I’m here! What business do you have with us!”

The vampires closed like two angry tigers. Franklin hefted the heartbreaker, threateningly.  Greneth brandished his blades and Zuri his fists. Senya dropped into a defensive stance, and her eyes bounced back and forth between the two . “You know why we’re here. I offered to do this the easy way, but your wife wasn’t interested.”

At those words, Oren’s face wadded in fury and he charged. Senya dodged out of the way, leaving him to crash into Greneth. They fell to the floor, but Oren ripped free before the Executioner could do anything.

Jorick lunged and sent Senya flying into the nearest wall. Migina’s words ran through Franklin’s mind, “Don’t engage them. There will be plenty of smaller fish.”

So much for that.

Senya jerked to her feet, wiping blood from her eyes. “I’ve found them!” she bellowed. “To me!”

“You would need reinforcements,” Jorick sneered.

“I don’t know that I need them, but I see no point in wasting my assets,” she replied. “Don’t forget boys, we’re not to kill them.”

Franklin looked at his weapon and then the vampires. If he couldn’t kill them what was he supposed to do with it? Could he chop off limbs, or would that lad him in punishment for a lifetime?

On his feet, Greneth went for Oren. Franklin weighed his options, as he sheathed the heartbreaker. He couldn’t kill them, couldn’t maim them. With only his hands as a weapon, Jorick’s fledgling  was the safer option. It wasn’t that he was a coward, but…

But I promised.

Oren pounced towards the blonde Executioner, and Franklin took the chance to attack from behind. He slammed Oren across the kidneys, and then in the back of the head. With a roar, his victim swung back to fight him. Greneth used the distraction to trip him.

Franklin jumped to restrain him when someone grabbed him from behind and flung him into the staircase railing. Spindles snapped and he banged his forehead on one of the steps. He pulled free, shaking splinters from his hair. His hand went to his weapon, and again he reminded himself that he couldn’t kill them.

I hate this favoritism.

With a snarl of his own, Franklin grabbed the nearest broken spindle. He charged Jorick, swinging the make shift weapon as a bat. His opponent’s growl sent a shiver through his fury, but he ignored it and swung.

It took him a moment to realize his enemy was no longer there. He skidded to a surprised stop, and looked down to see Zuri holding Jorick down. A titan, Zuri was stronger than even an old vampire who had Malick’s blood.

Oren sprang at them, but Greneth tackled him to the ground in a snarling heap as the other guards charged through the door, some bearing flaming torches.

“You will pay for this!” Jorick seethed through clenched teeth.

Senya, her hair mussed from battle, wiped a smear of blood from her chin. “I doubt that.” A cruel smile flickered over her lips. “I imagine Oren would like to join his wife. Take him outside to the bonfire.”

The amber haired vampire roared, and Senya laughed.

“If she has been harmed-”

“Then you’ll share her fate,” Senya tossed back. “You! Which one of you is a titan?”

A guard with a torch stepped forward. Senya wrenched the flaming wood from his hand. “Help Zuri with our legendary Hand of Death.”

The guard saluted, and another said, “The Execution Council is here.”

“Good. Perhaps we can get the go ahead to deal with this the right way.”

As three guards took possession of Oren, Greneth leapt up, his eyes alight. “The basement! There’s a secret door!”

Oren roared again, and Greneth gave a smug smile. “That reaction gave it away.”

“Gave what away?” Jorick demanded from under Zuri’s straining bulk.

“Where Claudius’ mate is hidden.” Senya snapped her fingers. “Franklin, Greneth, take guards and check. I’ll speak with the council.” She looked at the torch in her hand and thrust it at Franklin. “Burn down whatever you need to.  No one said we couldn’t destroy the den for our trouble.”

Franklin took the flaming wood, then followed Greneth and three of Senya’s mismatched guards.  They wound down a set of stairs to a stone basement.  A row of coffins gave them an approximate count of the coven members – but two small coffins seemed out of place, one even littler than the other. What could need a box that tiny? A cat or small dog?

Or a baby.

Franklin sucked in a breath at the thought. That Oren’s coven had a secret…but such a secret? An immortal child – or children? Not only was it against The Laws, but it was the ultimate act of cruelty, to trap someone in a child state forever, leaving them with an immature body even as their mind tried to develop.  There was a good reason it was illegal, and to do it to a baby…

They stopped next to the boxes. Franklin thought Greneth might have drawn the same conclusion he had, but instead he pointed to the back wall. “It’s behind there. I saw us opening it.”

“How?” Franklin asked.

“I don’t know. I just saw it swinging open. It can’t be that hard.” He forged ahead, and Franklin followed, the torch raised. Firelight danced off the stones as Greneth poked and prodded them. Finally, he grabbed Franklin’s heartbreaker.

“What do you-”

Greneth scraped the blade along the base of the wall, revealing a crack where it met the floor. Franklin shoved the torch at one of Senya’s guards, then jerked the weapon back. He dropped to his knees, and pressed his face near the crack. The scent of human and vampire seeped out. Two…maybe three immortals. But Franklin was starting to doubt it was Claudius’ mate inside.

He stood and motioned the guards. Two of them fell to scraping with their own weapons, while Greneth smacked the stones. At last a soft grinding noise came, and Greneth leapt aside as a narrow door sprang open.

Inside a small dark space was a pile of vampires. Greneth jerked a blonde female from the top of the heap. She hisses and fought, and he flung her at the guards. Franklin didn’t watch them try to subdue her; his attention was stolen by the remaining occupants.

A human woman sat on the floor. In her lap was an immortal child, dark large eyes full of fear, and half beneath him, clutched in the woman’s arms, was an infant.

An immortal infant.

Greneth pulled the boy out of the room, and Franklin hurried to grab the human. She fought him with one arm, but encumbered with the infant her resistance was worthless.

He let her g and she fell back a step, blue eyes darting around the basement. Greneth looked over he, and the thing she held. “Well, well, what is this? Another human slave left as a final defense? Some good you’ll be!”

With a grin he grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat. Her knee shot out and caught him in the stomach. It was surprise more than pain that made him let go. Free, she grabbed the small boy and raced for the stairs.

Franklin moved to follow, but Greneth held up a hand and nodded to the approaching footsteps. Senya’s feet came into view, followed by the rest of her.

“I can’t wait for her to see this,” Greneth murmured.

To Senya’s credit, if she was surprised about the children, she hid it well. “I don’t think so.”

She reached for the baby, but the human twisted away.

Franklin saw Senya’s amusement fade to impatience. “It won’t do you any good, human.”  She knocked the woman to the floor, barely missing one of the coffins with her head. Franklin moved closer. He could feel the human’s terror, hear her heart pounding, and he knew Senya could too.

The woman’s horror seemed to soothe Senya’s anger, and she snapped her jaws playfully at her victim.

“Let me go!” The prostrate human shouted. “Get off of me!”

Senya smirked and swept to her feet, jerking the baby from her arms. She held it out, and ran her eyes over it. Franklin watched it wave tiny hands and feet, its thin hair tousled curls that would never turn grow thicker.

With a look of disgust, Senya dumped the baby on him. He stared at the pale, squirming things eyes and shuddered. They seemed to see straight through him, into his head, into his soul, but instead of acknowledging the revelations, the babe’s expression was blank, empty.

Soulless.

“Take them to the council to be discussed,” Senya ordered.

“No! Leave them alone!” the human cried. With a roll of her eyes, Senya kicked her in the stomach hard enough to shut her up. “This one is mine.”

Franklin started up the stairs, the baby in his arms. Behind him he could hear the little boy shout, “No! She belongs to Jorick! He’s marked her neck! You can’t hurt her!”

Franklin flinched in surprise, and looked back to see Senya crouch down to check.

“Well, well. The boy tells the truth. It seems Jorick’s got himself a pet.” She dropped her head. “Take her upstairs and see what is to be done with her.”

The Hand of Death with a human pet? That went against the legends. But then, so did his involvement in this. Franklin wished silently that it made sense. Then he wouldn’t feel so uneasy.

Outside, Bren and the guards had built a large bonfire. Around it were gathered the rest of the coven, most retrained or unconscious, and the remaining guards. Hs eyes found Jorick first, the Hand of death, held back by the two titans, both straining against his efforts.  Jesslynn was also restrained, her arms behind her back. Her eyes snapped like the flames of the bonfire, but some of the heat turned into despair when she saw his burden.

As Greneth said, the reaction gave it away.

She’s the mother.

He kept the thought to himself, and looked to the redhead who lay on the ground, her hands tied. He wondered if she was the sister that had caused the trouble to begin with. If he had to choose a woman from the lineup, she’d be the one he’d pick.

Oren fought against his guards, one of the regulars, and the last of Senya’s favorites. The bag he’d carried earlier was gone, and Franklin wondered about the explosives Senya had mentioned.

“Come to join the fun, Senya?” the guard called.

“I wouldn’t miss my favorite part of this.” Louder, she announced, “I’ve brought the last of them.”

The newest prisoners were dropped to the ground. The blonde they’d pulled from the secret room first wrestled and fought like a hellcat as her captors bent and tied her hands. She snarled and snapped, kicking and writhing. The fury in her eyes wasn’t normal, and it took Franklin a moment to figure out what was wrong with it.

There’s no sanity there, he realized. Most anger was tinted with cunning with machinations, but hers was like an animal’s, just raw instinct.

This coven is insane.

The boy crawled to her, and Franklin looked down at his own burden, at the soulless, terrifying eyes. With a shudder, he dumped it on Bren.

“What in the hell is this?”

Franklin didn’t bother to answer, because he had no explanation.

The infant broke its eerie silence to scream, a long, soul curdling wail that drew the agonized attention of its mother. Franklin stepped away quickly. He’d rather guard the hellcat than that thing.

“Is anyone else hiding inside?” Senya shouted.

Franklin cringed and looked to Bren. Had they found Claudius’ mate yet?

As if he sensed the question, Bren shook his head, his nose wrinkled in disgust at the screaming thing in his hands.

“Let them go!” Jesslynn cried.

“That didn’t answer the question,” Bren called over the wails. “I guess we’ll have to take precautions against any surprises.”

One of the guards headed to the house, and Franklin realized what was coming a second before the explosion ripped through the night, sending a shower of bricks and embers.

Franklin swiped burning ash from his coat and looked to Bren. “But Arowenia?”

“She’s not here,” Bren muttered. “They’re getting ready to interrogate the humans about it.”

Franklin followed Bren’s gaze to see guards dragging a human towards the bonfire. A too big maid’s uniform, weirdly comical considering the situation, flapped around her body as she screamed.

Jorick’s human tried to stand, and with a smile Bren kicked her to the ground. “You’ll get yours in a minute. Do you rush to meet death, servant of abominations?”

Senya stopped before them, and looked down her nose at the fallen human. “She is Jorick’s toy, Bren, not one of the others.”

“Jorick’s?” Bren asked. “How interesting. I had no idea! I thought she was the nanny.”

He broke into laughter that was drown out by the burning human’s screams. Though over dramatic, Franklin understood the display. It wasn’t just to scare the human slaves, but also the vampires. Of all the forces in nature, it was only fire that could kill them. They could heal from everything, except having their hearts torn out and being turned to ash, because once you were ash, there was nothing to come back from.

Bren stepped closer to Senya, and Franklin had to strain to hear over the screams. “What did the council say?”

Senya’s good mood slipped. “We can’t kill Jorick, or any of his blood, or any of Oren’s coven, except in self-defense, which seems unlikely at this point.”

Bren looked down at the crying baby. “What about this? And its maker? The penalty is death.”

“I’m going to ask them, now.”

Bren nodded and Senya slipped away, toward two figures who stood in the shadows. Dressed in long hooded cloaks, they looked the part of mystic councilmen.

If only they were more than Malick’s mouthpieces.

He watched Senya’s quick conversation, and saw their slow nods as they acquiesced the punishment. Franklin wondered if they’d still be so agreeable if it turned out Oren, or even Jorick, had turned the monsters.

As Senya started back, the Execution Council moved away, no doubt headed back to their car and then on to wherever they were staying. And why not? It wasn’t their job to do any hard work, just to hand out Malick’s orders and then go sleep comfortably.

Franklin’s bitter thoughts fell away as Bren stepped forward, holding the baby up with one hand and pointing to the little boy with the other. “Who will speak for these abominations? Who will mourn their destruction?”

“No!” Jesslynn screamed.

Bren smiled. “She must be the mother.”

Franklin bit back a sarcastic retort, as Bren pulled up his best pompous face. “You know the laws! Whoever created these monsters shall be punished!”

He walked towards her, swinging the child, and Oren roared, “Leave them alone!”

“Tut, tut. You know the laws. This is an abomination and must be destroyed.” Bren raised his arm, to pitch the infant in the fire, but Jesslynn broke free. She snatched the child from his grasp and pressed it against her breasts.

“No! You can’t! He’s my child! You can’t!”

Franklin shuddered. Better to destroy him than to leave him like that.

But Bren wasn’t horrified, only amused. “You should have thought about that.” He ripped the baby from her by an arm and swung it into the nearest tree. The tiny skull shattered in a spray of blood and brains that rained on everyone within range.

Jesslynn fell to the ground, screaming. “No!”

Bren tossed the remains into the fire. “Bring me the other one!”

Franklin hesitated. Did he mean him, or one of the guards? He felt a wave of burning fury and looked to Oren. The vampire looked more like a beast than a man, struggling with his captors and roaring In wordless fury. Whoever handed that little boy to Bren might as well be the one to kill him, and the look in Oren’s eyes said whoever did that had earned a death sentence.

I did promise Migina.

Franklin stepped back and let one of the guards drag the small child away from the hellcat. As he was pulled to his feet, the mad vampiress snapped her bond. Hands free, she lunged at the guard, fangs tearing through his throat as they fell to the ground.

Franklin jumped towards them in surprise as a spray of blood soaked her. She blinked the crimson form her eyes and clawed at her victim’s chest. Tearing through his uniform and into his skin. With a snap she broke through his ribcage and ripped out his heart.

Franklin was already reaching for her when she abandoned her dead victim and leapt at him. Stronger than her slight frame appeared, she pinned him to the ground, Blood dripped from her face and hair into Franklin’s eyes. He tried to blink it away, and shoved blindly at her.

One of the guards grabbed her arms. Before Franklin could do more than wipe his eyes, she’d flung the guard away and was back, claw-like hand ripping through his lucky red leather.

He grabbed for the heartbreaker at his side, but it was pinned by her leg. With a snarl, he started to roll over – but the crunch came. It echoed through him like an earth quake, followed by a burst of fire in his chest.

He glanced down to see her hand buried to the wrist in his bloody chest. He blinked, uncomprehending, then looked up into her gory face. Her wild eyes stared back, as strange as the baby’s, but not as helpless, not as defenseless.  No, she might die too, but she was going to take them all with her into hell.

As she ripped her hand free, he had a momentary glimpse of his heart bulging between her fingers, clotted with crimson. He saw Senya, a hazy dark shape, saw the flash of dagger as it pierced the hellcat’s back, and then it all melted away and he saw only Migina, her jewel-like eyes glistening with worry.

“Then promise you’ll fight only the weaker ones.”

And he had. Except for that moment in the hallway, he’d kept his word.

I tried, Migina. I really tried.

I promise.

***

And that’s the end. We’ll start a new story next week! It should be Greneth, but I might skip ahead to Griselda or Krill depending on the prompts.

Guesses:

Topic: Barbara

Pic: Christine

1. blowing smoke 2. telling tales 3. siren’s song 4. siren’s call 5. adrift 6. sea of dreams 7. sea shanty 8. song of the sea 9. wind in their sales 10. the four winds 11. drifting 12. on stranger tides 13. at world’s end 14. Tell no tales 15. sailing 16. little mermaid 17. Part of your world 18. lure 19. I need some of Jonathan’s voodoo. 20. alone