The Blood Rite

Chapter Eight

Snatching her arm, he tore her roughly off of the table. Ruby let out a cry of surprise as her knee banged against the floor. She fought his impossibly strong grip and saw Catgirl doing the same.

"Let me go!" The girl cried.

Ruby could barely keep her legs beneath her. Gravity and the weight of her own body felt suddenly foreign and the vampire half walked her, half dragged her out of the door and into a long, dark hall. The change of lighting was so drastic that she had to blink to adjust to the darkness, but when she did, Ruby saw everything. There were no shadows, no corners she couldn't see through.

Her foot caught, and she stumbled forward. The vampire yanked her up so sharply that she yelped. Then, gritting her teeth, Ruby snapped, "Slow down!"

He ignored her, and she continued to stumble and be jerked around. Her arm quickly grew sore. Tears choked her throat and a deep misery dropped inside of her like an anchor dragging her down into the dark depths of the ocean.

Catgirl was pounding her fists against her vampire, sinking her blunt teeth into his hand, but he didn't even flinch. It was as if their holders had no minds of their own to think with. As if they were merely shells to be commanded.

It didn't matter how much either of the girls fought as the vampires didn't budge. They were dragged through countless corridors and up stairs. Eventually, Ruby gave up her fight and instead focused on her surroundings to ground herself. The floors were covered in dark red runners, the walls made of even darker wood. The arched ceiling was immaculate with similarly curved windows that lorded over them. Soon she was aware that they were inside a mansion.

Their captors wore expensive suits. Her brows scrunched. The other vampire had been wearing one too. Were they dressed up for Halloween? Parading their fangs around as a costume and "saving" random girls?

Finally, they stopped at a set of towering, elaborately carved wooden doors. By now Ruby's knees were red and burning, her arm socket screaming in pain. The one holding her raised his fist and knocked with the wolf's head knocker. Soon, a deep voice said from within, "Enter."

The vampires shoved through the doors. Ruby didn't have time to take in where they entered when the vampires tossed her and the other girl to the floor. Her already sore knees hit the carpet. She whirled, now fuming, to see the vampires already gone. She'd asked to live, to survive, not to be treated like trash.

Maybe you shouldn't have survived at all, a voice whispered inside of her. She winced and thought of Talon, lying dead and cold on a deserted road. Without her.

"Rise," a deep voice said.

Ruby turned, finding herself looking up at the vampire.

It was a man, not much older than them, towering over them. He radiated power. With warm, bronze skin, black hair, cut short on the sides and sculpted on top. There were random thin strips of grey strewn throughout. The latter color confused her. Like the others he wore elegant clothes. A plum colored velvet tuxedo jacket over black dress clothes.

Ruby and the girl moved to their feet without argument, both feeling the weight of his hazel eyes. Even from the distance she was at, Ruby picked out the spots of green and gold against the storm grey of his irises. It was as if her eyes were a camera, able to zoom on command. He was beautiful and terrifying. A man, no vampire, clearly in a lot of power.

"What are your names?" He asked.

"Halle," Catgirl started shakily, "and this is Ruby."

Ruby only nodded. It felt like everything was hitting her at once. The fear, the anger, and the sadness. A sadness so deep and dark, if she allowed herself to explore it she might never escape from it's icy grasp. Tremors were rocking through her.

The vampire's hazel eyes landed on her. She forced her chin up, her expression neutral. "Both of you have been given a blessing. A second chance. I suggest you use it wisely."

Halle shook her head, "What- Can you explain what is happening to me?"

The man's nostrils flared and for a moment, he was silent, eyeing Halle as his features slowly darkened. "Jeffery."

The door swung open almost immediately, and the vampire who had turned Ruby strolled in. His own face was hard and he stopped only feet before her to stand at attention.

"Sire?" Jeffery asked.

The hazel eyed vampire jerked his chin toward Halle, "Why is she so confused? Was she not awake when you and your men turned her?"

"Wha-" Ruby quickly shot Halle a look and the girl clamped her lips shut. This was a time to be quiet.

"She would not regain consciousness, sire."

"So she turned without consent?"

Jeffery's jaw ticked, "Yes, sire."

"Who is her Maker, Jeffery?" Jeffery shifted, as if hesitating. The other vampire noticed this and stood tall, now lording over Jeffery. "Tell me and I will let you go unpunished."

Ruby tried to hold herself still. Her heart raced as she watched the two vampires. Jeffery wasn't nearly as terrifying with the other one standing over him.

Tell him, a part of her urged. She didn't want to see what the other vampire would do to him if Jeffery didn't speak.

Thankfully, she wouldn't have to. Jeffery bowed his head and said, "Ramuel, sire."

The other vampire's gaze grew dark, his voice darker, "Go. Bring him to me."

"Yes-yes, sire." Jeffery said and made a quick exit.

That dark gaze found the girls and both took an involuntary step back.

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