The Vampire's Deal

Chapter Eight: Monster

In the large window glowed an OPEN sign with the words BARTON SPA over it. This was where Xavier had gotten his information about one of the fronts for Mary's Blood. After he and his sister had hunted down the vampires selling in the streets it wasn't long till they gave their information only to meet their demise.

From outside, a street light from across sneaked in draping over the waiting chairs sitting up against the window. Blood covered much of the tiled floor of the dark foyer and as Xavier walked through the red smears he could hear his sister yelling as she stabbed away with her knife.

Since Nick had gone missing it seemed Xara was determined to find out what happened.

He hadn't shot his gun nor even attempted to pull his own knife from its holder as he paced behind her peeking into to each room. Within them, his eyes followed over dead bodies, their faces wide with dagger teeth and hands lay flat with claws. It was their last fight to keep their immortal lives.

Finally, when the last vampire laid dead he stood next to Xara's heaving body. "You could have left some for me you know," he joked trying to lighten her mood. Though she stayed silent. "I'm going to try to find a harvest room somewhere," he said reminding her of their main objective.

She shook her head. "Fine, whatever. Go check. I'm gonna check out the surveillance." He knew she was going to spend unneeded time into seeing if Nick had been here, but he kept his mouth shut.

He could feel her sadness deep with him, as he could since they were kids. He wondered though if she was a mess like this when she was trying to find him and it pained him to think about it.

Once she walked away he investigated through the rooms opening cabinets and drawers. Sifting through papers and pamphlets. He figured during the day it was a real operating salon and when the foyer went dark it shifted over to a new service.

He scoffed knowing he was going to have to clean up and burn the bodies so that the crew didn't freak out when they opened up again.

Within the last room, he went through he noticed a door that he expected another closet full of towels and supplies. Though this one was different. Concealing a staircase into a black descent.

After taking his gun and flashlight out, he properly positioned them in his hands and crept down the stairs. Waving the light over the room as he came down he noticed nothing peculiar and hit the lights that end of the staircase.

His eyes raised and he licked his lips. Storage. Shelves of blankets, towels, candles and other supplies littered everywhere. From the two places they had found, neither one was for harvest or manufacturing; just

Turning, he suddenly heard screaming and the sound of gunshots. Panic draped over him like a blanket and he bolted back up.

Running into the foyer he found it was empty and silent. Confused he ran to the door pushing it up and looked both up and down the dead street. The wind howling as it pushed the dreads that hung down his back masking any noise he was to listen for.

Putting the gun back down, his face was mouth was left ajar and his stomach in a ball. "Xara!" he called.

Nothing but silence.

He walked back into the salon and called for his sister several more times. She was nowhere within the building and he was becoming angry with himself she had gone missing right next to him.

As he made his way back into the foyer he walked over to the desk where the surveillance system was still up on the screen. He thanked a god he didn't believe in that she had already had up.

Clicking to just five minutes ago he watched as Xara stared at the same computer he was. It was then she lifted her head and immediately pulled up her gun. A man kept walking to her, bullets flying right into him.