The Blood Room | Alternate Endings 1, 2, & 3

† FIVE - PART 2 †

I make a sound in the back of my throat, unsure what to say next. His face shows no humor.

"Uh-um, don't mess with me. I know they're-what are you-are you trying to scare me? Because I'm all ready losing my mind."

Is he being truthful? Am I losing my flipping mind?

"Nah, I'm just kidding."

I want to punch him.

"They can't hurt us, Kyla. Not while we remain strong in our faith."

"They can. They so can." My hands touch my bruised neck. "They just can't take our blood."

He shakes his head. Dang it, I all ready forgot his name. "Their hands are chained behind their back with silver. Vampires can't break silver; it takes away all their strength. Well, in that specific area of their body. And the rules of the Blood Room is that they can't use their hands."

I cock my head to the side. None of this is making sense. I hear the part about the silver, like in werewolves, but with vampires? And what's this about rules?

"There are rules for vampires in the Blood Room. Don't touch the humans with your hands. Don't attack a Believer unless you truly think they've lost their faith. And the last is don't leave."

"How do you know all this?"

"I've been here since the beginning."

"The beginning?" I echo. "When was that?"

"Two years ago."

My eyes widen in shock. Two years ago? He's been here two freaking years?

"What?" I wheeze.

He nods solemnly, looking out into the room, and then he digs in his pocket, producing a small, green Bible. My eyes long to look upon the pages; perhaps there's something in there that could help me out of this predicament. Maybe there's a way to save us all, even the vampires. Or am I just wishing to save myself?

"This was in my pocket when they took me. I'd been baptized when I was eight after I told my father I was ready. Jesus has been there for me ever since, even when they kidnapped me. I was one of the first. It was me, another guy, and two girls. Raina, Veronica, and Tom. We were explained the rules of the vampires once they realized we couldn't be bitten. Every vampire that tried died when they lost their fangs, and the vampires didn't know why. They then realized that because they were pretty much working side by side with the devil and his demons, that, just like with them, they couldn't penetrate you when the Holy Spirit has been received. They tried over and over to break our faith, but we four stood strong, proving that God towers over all and no one can defeat his awesome power. And then Veronica was bitten."

His voice wavers as he rests his head against the wall.

"She was scared, as we all were, but she had spent more and more time away from us. She became more and more distant and angry, it seemed, as she began to lash out at our encouragement. Veronica began to question everything, even God. She feel into disbelief and stepped out from under God's protection, and the vampires felt her shift. They attacked her. They took her blood, her life. She was the First."

"But the Holy Spirit never leaves," I whisper. "Why were they able to pierce her?"

"Because vampires don't possess people. They only steal the life in the blood that is protected by the Holy Spirit. And even if we stumble once, they're faster than we are at remembering ourselves, and before we realize it, we're gone from this world."

"One can't help but stumble," I whisper again. Stumbling is something I tend to do often, but I try to learn from it. One wrong step and everything could be over for me.

Markus nods. "We all stumble."

He points to a spot on his neck, two streaks that are now scars drag across the muscle connecting the base of his neck to his shoulder.

"I found my wits before the venom could touch my blood."

"I thought the venom comes out immediately." I roll my eyes mentally at my assumption. He's been with these creatures for two years, I've only heard legends about them.

He shakes his head. "Five seconds. That's how long it takes for the vampires to get a good grip on you and actually pierce your skin. You've witnessed it yourself," he says, his eyes darting down to my neck.

My fingers cover the spot immediately. I'd forgotten about the man who attacked me. His teeth made marks on my skin and broke it, but no blood came out and I never turned into a vampire myself. I called out to God and He saved me. I stop breathing at this thought. Markus and I have encountered something alike.

"And then Tom stumbled. It was a moment of weakness that the vamps got him. Next was Raina, who was able to defend herself with her silver pocket watch. Pressed it against his skin and he let go, but it was too late. She turned into a vampire."

He nods to one of the vampires circling in the center, her hands bound by the silver chains behind her back. Her black hair falls in tattered and smashed waves, her dark skin paled in comparison to what it would have been if she were human. Raina. I try to commit the name to memory. If I figured out how to save the vampires from the eternal dang-nation (hate the other word, so I replaced it), I'd save her first. She seems to mean a lot to him.

"That's her?" I ask.

He nods. I copy the movement, staring down at my hands. They're covered in dried, smeared blood too, and so are the rest of my clothes. Even Tobias' jacket. I hope he isn't too mad...

I play with the ring on my finger, trying to get the smudges of blood off of the malleable silver. I always hated gold. It's a shame my pocket watch was gold; didn't match my ring.

There it is, the strange part of me again.

"May I?" I ask, pointing to the Bible he holds in his hands.

"Oh, sure," he says, pressing it against my palm. "Don't let them see you with it though. They don't know I have it."

"They who? These vampires?" Surely they've noticed; it's been two years!

"No. No, the Heads. They run this operation."

"Operation?"

Markus glances over to me, his eyes dark and full of fear.

"We're only test subjects."