Shadows' encyclopedia - The Prodigies of Arahsmurd book 1

Massacre at the Gerard house 🎀

A powerful light flashed in Rebecca's head. She was slowly returning to the world of the living, looking pale and unable to move. Louis and his parents were trying to revive her... her body wasn't responding, but her heart was still beating. An unpleasant sensation invaded Rebecca's body. She could no longer control her movements. A powerful, phenomenal energy was haunting her. To the naked eye, the young Gothic woman's veins vibrated and twitched with every throb and beat of her heart. The Gerards had laid her down on the sofa to examine her better. The three members of the family conferred about the young girl, who appeared to be dead. Rose was unrecognisable and Hervé was angry. While they argued, Rebecca was suffering inside. Louis was holding the young woman's strange book in his hands: he was looking for his mistake, for explanations. He looked disoriented as he saw her in a daze. Rebecca's expression had changed. Something was devouring her from the inside. Louis made a radical decision.

"We've got to dissect Rebecca... We've got to do some digging."

"No!" cried Rose, on the alert. "We can't do that!"

"So what do you suggest?" growled Hervé defensively. "We're looking for several vampires in the area that we haven't managed to capture... Ever since Rebecca came with her parents, the same problems have been knocking at our door!"

"I don't know what we can do, darling," admitted Rose, confused. "But there must be another solution. Christine is my rival, but she's also my friend..."

"She won't suffer if we inject her with an anaesthetic. Our aim is not to kill her, but to find out where Rebecca really came from. She must have a link with this vampire. He's no longer in his cell, but remember that horrible incident! When Louis and Rebecca got lost in the forest... Remember the painful nights we spent together."

Rose began to sob in front of Louis, who was completely absent.

"That thing was near her once before... That vampire must be connected to her. Why would rats attack a member of our species? We need to find out for sure," finished Hervé, who was taking a saw and a syringe from the chest of drawers in the living room.

Rose and Louis held both ends of Rebecca's body, who appeared to be still unconscious. When Hervé injected her with the product, a strange noise was heard. The family maid screamed and collapsed on the stairs. Hervé abandoned his plans and loaded his gun.

"He's come back to save Rebecca!" said the head of the family, ready to do battle.

The mummified vampire came forward at a slow pace. Hervé fired several shots, but the creature did not flinch. He evacuated his wife and son through another entrance. Rose accepted with difficulty, but she left with Louis. Hervé protected Rebecca by pointing his gun at the mummified vampire. He fired a series of shots and used a strange stone to create a sharp mechanical spear. The head of the family performed a spectacular dance against the vampire, who dodged his blows. The creature anticipated each of his attacks with dexterity and method. Hervé didn't seem intimidated. He loaded his mouth with a capsule containing poisoned ammunition. Without needing a blowpipe, he used his mouth cavity to spit the projectiles at him. The vampire seemed to be dreading the effect of the darts. Hervé moved closer, shooting him in the heart. Suddenly, the vampire threw him against the wall and then threw himself on top of his victim to tear out his eyes.Hervé was fighting and struggling not to die. Under his terrifying screams, Rebecca was writhing in pain... sharp teeth were slowly replacing her canines. She was slowly turning into a vampire, but she remained unconscious. The mummified vampire pulled out the father of the family's tongue and teeth with all his might, and he died instantly. Louis dropped the mysterious book in his tracks without bothering about it. Rose and her son went down into the basement, activating their trap. While Louis searched for ammunition, his mother sent her rats on the attack to slow down the vampire. Rose and her son were at the end of their tether. All hope was gone. Mrs Gerard was shaking all over, unable to find a way out. Her son, overcome with hatred, was preparing for another attack. He was worried sick about Rebecca, who was lying alone on the sofa. Louis was desperate for answers about the vampire they had captured. Their executioner was not far away. The vampire had managed to get into the cellar - where his two prey were waiting - and hide in the darkness without arousing suspicion. Rose and her son could not sense the presence of the nocturnal creature. The candles lit the room with difficulty, losing their brilliance...