7. V E N G A N Z A : Restoration

CHAPTER I

Fifteen years ago, Sable, Alberta had become a ghost town.

It wasn't empty, exactly—some of the residents whose families had lived there for generations had refused to pack up and move with the rest when worse came to worst.

Phillip Thornton was among the stubborn few tied down by their history.

As the great-great-grandson of one of the town's founders, Phillip felt that it was his responsibility to keep Sable running, even if there were only twenty people left (and eight of them were from a single family).

And so it was with this weight on his shoulders that, acting as the de facto mayor, Phillip went out every day, making sure lights were on, water was running, and sicknesses were kept at bay. Of course, he knew it was only a matter of time before the town died completely; they didn't exactly have the funds to keep it running for much longer.

Phillip sighed as he swept the dirt road, simultaneously sweeping his halfhearted gaze across the street. He felt a strange twinge of sadness in his heart as he stared at the several empty, decrepit buildings. Man... I'm really gonna hate seeing this place go under, he thought. I met some good people here... made some good memories here.

Phillip puffed up his cheeks and let out a long breath. Yeah... I'm gonna miss you, Sable.

Something on his peripheral vision made Phillip turn. He frowned as he saw in the distance the burned, overgrown remains of an old Victorian-style house. Can't say I'll miss that place, though, he thought warily, turning back to the street. That place has had some bad energy around it ever since—

Phillip suddenly did a double-take so fast he almost broke his neck.

A figure now stood in front of the house, its back to the mayor. It wore a dark red dress and had long, dark crimson hair. A strange, smoke-like aura surrounded it, wafting into the air.

Phillip's breath caught in his throat. No! Oh, god, no! he cried mentally, dropping his broom and stumbling backward. "It can't be," he croaked out loud.

The figure turned its head, its red eye flashing as it locked on Phillip.

Then it dissolved into a flock of bats before darting forward and rematerializing a few feet away from Phillip.

Startled, Phillip fell backward, landing hard on his rear.

Standing over him was the figure—a woman with pale, gray-purple skin and terrifying fangs, her hands behind her back. "Phillip," she said in a disgusted tone, her lip curling in a snarl.

Phillip swallowed. "Victoria," he managed to force out, his voice breaking with surprise and fear.

Victoria—otherwise known as the fearsome vampire Queen Venganza—looked around, disdain written all over her face. "So this is what's left of my home," she mused. "An empty, hollow shell."

"I-It... it hasn't been the same since you... I mean, since I..." Phillip gulped and tried again. "I—I'm sorry for what happened," he stammered. "I was a fool—"

"Where's Nancy?"

Phillip blinked, hesitating. "Nancy...?"

"Yes, imbecile—Nancy," Venganza confirmed in a patient tone. "The woman you so callously abandoned me for."

Phillip cleared his throat and shifted backward a little. "She, uh... she's at home."

"Home?" Venganza seemed confused for a moment, but then she began to chuckle. "Oh... I see. You married her, did you?"