Torchlight

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Riding towards the city, Emmanuel felt adrenalin run rampant in his veins. As a friend to vampires, he knew about their lifestyle. But it wasn't everyday you got to ride with a coven of them. Thrilling indeed. Riding up front with the leader, he was a man among almost fifty vampires. It was the trust and understanding these creatures had for each other that kept him safe.

Lawrence, the leader of the coven looked over at him. "Ready to fight, Your Grace?"

Emmanuel smiled. "As ever."

"Then let's go to it! Hya!" Lawrence egged his steed on and barrelled down the main road, leading into the city. Already, signs of alarm could be heard. Their presence had been noted, and random gunshots could be heard ricocheting off the ground.

Emmanuel and the rest of the vampires pushed their horses faster. Their diversion was working.

Inside the kitchens of the house, noises and raised voices were heard. There was running outside the house, and soon enough, the guard who had escorted them, left to investigate.

Inside the kitchen, they stood with an old cook who was inspecting their produce. A guard burst into the room. "Lock down the house! We have intruders bearing down on us!" He spun on his heel and left again.

The cook looked at them. "You heard the man, get out," he sneered. He turned his back to them. "And leave the fish."

Jasper sprang into action and hit the man between the shoulder blades. His breath rushed out of his body as he slumped forward. Squeezing his neck strategically, the man crashed to the floor. "And for a minute I felt bad about what I needed to do to you." Jasper shook his head. "Stealing from the poor..."

Mick was already dragging the body into a shadowy corner of the kitchen. "Come on, let's go."

Moving quickly, they moved from the kitchen and into the hallway. There were guards and servants running around frantically. As they went, they dispensed of guards who discovered them, or servants who looked at them suspiciously. They didn't kill, but they immobilized them effectively.

On the outside, there seemed to be chaos. Gunshots rang out, and it wasn't hard to discern that there was a lot of fighting going on. For a moment, Jaspers thoughts went to Emilia. He blocked it out immediately. This is not the time, he thought.

They made their way to the front of the house and Jasper peered out at the courtyard. There was fighting alright. And a damned good one it seemed to be. Scanning the area, he noted that the vampires had the upper hand. Most of the guards were out of shape, and inebriated. And then he saw what he was looking for.

Rushing to the window, he opened it slightly and lay low. A few minutes passed before a heavy bag was flung through.

"My compliments, Pembrooke!"

Jasper laughed roguishly, already opening the bag, and throwing Mick two pistols. "Glad to see you made it, Castlereagh."

"Could not let the undead have all the fun! Good luck!"

Jasper threw the bag back and then moved across the room. Turning the corner, Mick signalled to him. They had reached their destination. Up ahead, a pair of doors was open. The opulence visible within was nauseating to witness. With so much ruin all around, how could one person live so ostentatiously?

There was a flurry of activity. Servants were packing bags; luggage was being carted out of the room. Someone was planning a trip.

Nodding to each other, they each moved quickly. Entering the room, Jasper sprung to work on the guards to the left, Mick to the right. Within minutes, people lay unconscious, and only one man stood facing them.

"Benjamin Bradley. I never thought we would have cause to meet again."

Mick and Jasper moved in on the man in the centre of the room. He was tall, lanky, with dark hair and a dark moustache. In contrast to his pale skin, he looked positively menacing. But all of that was nothing in comparison to the milieu of tattoos evident on his entire body. With his shirt sleeves rolled back, and his shirt unbuttoned, there was no stretch of skin untainted.

"Mick St. John. An honour," he said mockingly.

"I wish we could say the same."

"Ah... yes. Lord Hale, is it not? I have heard much about you. An arrogant young pup I am told."

Jasper shrugged and just grinned, pleased with the summation.

"To what do I owe the pleasure? I see you have dispensed of my men. Give me one reason why I shouldn't do the same to you?"

"Why are you killing humans, Ben?"

The vampire scoffed. "Do I need to explain our feeding habits to you, Mick?"

"This was not feeding. This was deliberate on your part. Do you want the world to know about us?"

A mad gleam entered the vampire's eyes. "Perhaps it is time! Perhaps it is time we stop living like animals. Skulking and hiding." He sneered. "Living like chattel, chained and dishonoured! We are glorious creatures! Perhaps it is time the world knows that. And respects it!"

"You swore an oath, Ben. We took it together. Does it mean nothing to you anymore?"

"You were always the idealistic one, Mick. Always the good Samaritan. I was not made for this life if I was meant to live and experience only half of it. I want blood! Human blood. Warm and satisfying."

"And with your selfish greed you put your kin at risk!"

"Believe me. I am freeing all of you! You will thank me someday, Konstantin."

"That day will never come."

With blinding speed, Mick aimed and shot at the vampire with both his pistols, advancing as each bullet fired.

Although staggering backwards, the vampire laughed. "Bullets cannot harm me!" He laughed, his hysterics masking some deep seated madness.

"But this can!"

Out of nowhere, Jasper pounced, spun around at speed, and in one fell stroke, beheaded the vampire. For a few seconds, the body seemed to writhe, as if in pain, and then it wilted, shrivelled, and dissipated into a cloud of grey ash.

"And that is that," said Jasper. "A shame. He was an elder."

Mick was grim. "And a prime example of what happens when power goes to your head."

Jasper grinned. "No pun intended."

With a final sweep of the room, Mick turned. "Come on, let's get out of here. Our work is done."

When they exited the house, the commotion had died down tremendously. Most of the crowd was out cold, and the rest were bound.

Emmanuel moved forward. "They know he is dead. There will not be any more trouble here. Lawrence was... very persuasive."

Jasper grinned. "That's what I like to hear."

Mick embraced Lawrence, and thanked him for his assistance. Before long, the coven left, as did the three men. As they exited the city, three riders came galloping towards them.

"Women!" said Jasper in disgust. However ,he scanned every inch of Emilia he could see. She seemed unscathed.

They reigned in their horses as they neared.

"Thank God you are all well!" said Elizabeth, bringing her horse around to her husband, and embracing him quickly.

Cassandra brought her horse close to Emmanuel's, and the two shared a brief look, laden with relief.

Emilia drank in the sight of Jasper but he did not even look her way.

Uncomfortable with all the parings, Jasper spoke up, "Right then, shall we get home? Looks like it's almost bedtime."

He was right. The sun was about to rise.