Bloody Rhapsody (Damon Salvatore Love)

34. Vampires and Visions

 

   A coarse scream rips from my lungs, seemingly to never end as it reverberates in the large empty room. Searing hot pain slices through my forearm and wrist, blinding me of thought or reason. Panic chokes me as the warm blood oozes over my sensitive skin, dripping down my restrained arm and falling into a large silver bowl.

   "That is enough of that," the old woman scolds softly, moving casually around the table to repeat the process on my remaining wrist.

   I struggle against the restraints, my ebbing energy barely allowing me to put up a fight. My mind is reeling, constantly searching for an escape. My body however, is tired and quickly losing the battle.

   My frightened eyes dart around the room, pleading to find something that can assist me. Nothing new catches my attention. Just the same vacant pews, abandoned bibles, and this woman's tools that she has complete control over. A whimper escapes me as bile rises in my throat. Hopelessness clutches at my stomach, defeat clawing at my heart. What can I do?

   Her touch makes my skin crawl as she forcefully grabs at my arm. Every instinct igniting with the need to run. Her bony fingers burn my skin as she painfully yanks at me, repositioning my wrist to where she wants. I fight against her with everything I have, swinging with all the strength I can muster. My hair sticks to my neck and face as I flail on the hard table, sweat covering my bruised and bloody body.

   "You have her spirit, I'll give you that," she comments under her breath, a small grin pulling at her thin lips.

   She shows no signs of struggling to contain me, easily reinforcing my binds. Tears flow freely down my cheeks, knowing that I have lost any chance I might have had. Once this wrist is sliced open, how much time do I really have left? I don't understand it! She looks so frail, so how can I not fight her off even a little? Am I really that week?

   "Who's?" I ask, my voice raspy and hardly understandable.

   I have to at least try. Maybe if she starts talking, she will get distracted like Leo did. She does not get tempted by my question however. Her grin only widens as she shakes her head, dismissing any delusions I have of stalling her.

   My eyes squeeze shut, unable to bring myself to watch the blade glide across my skin. Violent sobs shake through me, all dignity lost as my mind is overwhelmed with wordless begging for help. Please don't let this happen. I need this to stop, I can't die now. Please, why isn't someone stopping her?

  A gurgled cry interrupts my silent pleas. The sound of something heavy being slowly dragged across the floor makes my body run cold. What is that?

   "Aw, how cute," the woman taunts.

   A pulse of shock runs through me, cute? What is she talking about? My curiosity getting the better of me, I peek at her through barely opened lids. She has stepped away from the table, her attention drawn to something below her.

   "You managed to make him try to stop me," she laughs, effortlessly kicking whatever it is away from her. "Raising the dead is one thing, and I admit when the cemetery rose I was quite surprised. Suppose I shouldn't have been, considering you have her power as well," she continues, almost more to herself than to me.

   Wait what? My mind struggles to understand her words, convinced that I must have misunderstood. Did she say powers? What does that mean?

   "Controlling them however, now that's when it gets tricky. Definitely no small feat, especially for one so young," she continues with a tilt of her head, considering whatever lay before her.