Bloodbound [Alpha-series (II)]

Chapter 5

The Council ended the phone call at the same moment the car came to a halt. It had parked in front of a comparatively small shop window that had in black, unadorned, yet elegant letters pompe funebri written above it. For many who entered, it became indeed their last resting place. Still, it was far from being your typical funeral home.
Igor, the Guard he had taken with him today, opened the door and he entered. The two receptionists who were on duty immediately got up and took a deep bow.
“I am here for the monthly inspection”, the Council declared.
The two vampires nodded and one of them grabbed his iPad while Igor handed him his. The device asked for his permission to accept a file, and he did. Seconds later, the punishment schedule for the day popped up on the screen. Unlike other supernatural beings, vampires had no calms about adapting to human technology and using it for their purposes. Some vampires even helped to develop them.
“Looks like we’ll pay our old friend Leon a visit today”, the Council let the Guard know. Leon’s torture was scheduled next, and he had made it a point to take on at least one punishment session himself whenever he visited the vampire prison – image cultivation.
The two headed towards the back of the shop, crossed the fake reception room, and he activated the hidden mechanism in the coffin that was on display by turning one of its golden handles. Without making a sound, the coffin swung aside, revealing a broad staircase that led down into the dark.
“The artist who was stupid enough to turn his lover without the consent of his councilor?”, Igor asked, his voice full of contempt. “His sentence is served soon if I recall correctly.”
It took him a moment to get his memory sorted out. Over fivehundred years’ worth of names, numbers, and occurrences of all sorts took their toll.
“You do”, he eventually agreed. “The two hundred years will be over by the end of this November.”
When they arrived at the massive iron double door that served as the actual entrance to the prison, the Council entered a code into an App on his iPad and the gate opened. Agonized screams, moans, and pleas for mercy greeted them, uttered by the handful of prisoners that were put on display on both sides of the foyer. Each vampire was strapped to another torture device, giving new inmates a small glimpse of what awaited them inside. After a few days, the prisoners were switched out. By the look of it, this circle had just started. There was barely any blood and gore covering the flooring.
“Council”, the guard overseeing this part of the prison welcomed him, his features paperwhite.
Judging by the weak aura he exuded, he couldn’t have been made more than ten to fifteen years ago. This must be his first shift. The whole prison staff was changed out every four months, each of the twelve Councilors dispatching the same number of guards from their clan to ensure a balance of power. It was also common practice to send young vampires to do their first shift as soon as they had somewhat settled into their new life. After all, nothing worked better as a deterrent than experiencing hands-on what awaited those of their kind that broke vampire law. Yet, idiocy and arrogance never ceased.
Igor put a hand on the young vampire’s shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze.
“Keep in mind that all the incarcerated are guilty of despicable crimes”, he reminded him, no give in his tone. “They are murderers and traitors. They don’t deserve your pity.”
The guard gulped and nodded.
With a last pat on the shoulder, Igor released him and caught up to his Sire. The other guards had already been informed about the Council’s arrival and the torture chamber well prepared. Leon had been stripped naked and chained to a pole, a blank canvas ready to be painted red.
The Council leisurely took off his suit jacket and tie and handed both to Igor. Crossing over to a shivering Leon he rolled up his sleeves. The convicted didn’t beg, didn’t scream for mercy, didn’t fight against his restraints. He just stood there, covered in cold sweat, and waited for the unavoidable. Not many managed to uphold such graceful behavior, knowing an unpredictable duration of torture lay before them. Then again, Leon was a long-time resident down here, familiar with the procedures – and, as it seemed, smart enough to save every ounce of strength he could for when it would be needed.
“I am afraid this will be the last time we will be seeing each other, so let us make the best of it, shall we?”
The Council positioned himself a good foot away from the convict and focused on the mental energies flickering through the room. It only took him a split second to find a way into Leon’s head, and another to lock onto his most feared and painful memory: the capture and execution of his lover. He pushed the recollection of the events to the forefront of his victim’s mind and blocked every other thought, forcing him to relive those events over and over again.
There it was, the fighting against the restraints, the begging, screaming, and crying.
“No! No! Please, no! Please spare him! It was all my fault! Please!”
Leon’s glossy gaze saw right through him, caught in a day two centuries ago. Features distorted into a mask of pure agony, Leon shouted from the top of his lungs while watching the one person he had sacrificed everything for going up in flames.
“Please, I love Gregory!”, Leon cried, bursting into tears. “I love him!”
Love.
Out of all useless emotions, love was the most useless one. It made you dependent, vulnerable, and clouded your judgment. It was dangerous. Nobody knew that better than himself.
“That’s the problem, isn’t it? That’s why you are here. Love”, the Council repeated tauntingly. Merely speaking the word out loud repulsed him.
“Please, he is innocent!”, ignoring his comment, Leon continued desperately pleading for the life of his lover, oblivious to the futility of his attempts. “I broke the law! I am the one to blame!”
“By changing your lover, you made his very existence a violation of the law”, he softly reminded him. “Only Clan Lords and I, the Council, have the authority to turn humans. You knew that.”
At that, Leon flinched.
“Now, your lover has to suffer for your indiscretion.”
The memory was almost at its end, Gregory’s pained screams fading. Soon, he was nothing more but a charred corpse on a pole.
“No! Gregory, no! No! God, please, no!”
Leon turned towards the Council.
“You heartless monster!”, the prisoner spat, bracing himself against his restraints like a madman. “You killed him! You killed him!”
The last sentence was blurred by a vision pushing to the forefront.