Roses Wither: Into the Darkness

Chase

It took too long to get to this point. I should have found her sooner.

I was ready for war, as Dr Ernie Smith led his husband Reganold Smith and I through the maze of locked doors.

I had assured them that I could get through security and to say they were concerned was an understatement, but the three snipers they had on the roof with him, had been easy to take down.

They were fully aware that I was vampire, but there were armed guards at every step, prepared for any intrusion. Human or vampire. They were not aware that I fell under the other category.

“This is the first stop with guards.” He whispered nervously.

The man was only human, but he knew his fate was death well before he saw who the woman they took captive was. The fact that she was a descendent of Vladimir Dracule had only sealed his fate.

“Open it and stand back.” I gave him a nod.

“Are you sure? You should have brought more men. Guns, anything.” He rambled, “I told you, he’s been working on weaponry and has it down packed. The silver nitrate and brimstone combination rounds will go straight into your circulatory system and kill you instantly.”

“You came to me, because I was the one he was after and he was after me for a reason.” I stared at the door, there was no way I could get through it on my own and killing this man wasn’t currently an option, since he was an innocent, but I could scare the shit out of him. I grabbed him by the collar of his lab coat and lifted him off the ground.

“Open the door.” I growled.

“Yes, sir.” He began to nod rapidly.

I released him and he opened the door revealing 2 guards, sitting behind computers. One saw me and reached for something under the desk, but I made quick work of him, then went after the other, before any shots were fired.

“It’s clear.” I told doctor and his groom, “Next door.”

He had told me it was a series of doors, each with progressively more guards.

The closer we got, through all of the doors, I could feel my unease building. I knew it was her. It had to be her in here.

When we reached the last door, I had my swords at the ready. I honestly didn’t need them, but I was used to them. I had fought many battles with these blades and I wasn’t going to stop now.

When the scientist unlocked this door he stood back again, but further and I got a good look in the room as I entered.

The scent overwhelmed this though. It was Rose, but it wasn’t just her I scented, and it raised my hackles even further. I would kill every one of them who dared touch her.

On one wall was a glass viewing screen that looked into a sterile looking room. Inside, a woman was chained to the wall, her head bowed in defeat. Her only covering was her curly ruby colored hair, but that only sheathed her face. It wasn't long enough to cover her breasts. Her legs were crossed as she tried to cover her lower region with them. She looked malnourished, but that wasn’t what enraged me. No, I knew she would be malnourished and harmed from whatever they had done to her, but I hadn’t expected this.

I could smell it in the air and see the evidence that she tried to hide with her stance. I had killed men for less and this I would not tolerate.

I grabbed one of the guards by the throat. I knew it hadn’t been this man. I tossed him aside and went for the other two, who weren’t going to get a chance to talk.

I swiped one’s head clear off, then rammed my sword through the other’s skull. No one would live. No one could, after this invasion on such an angelic creature.

When I turned to face the one I had thrown he reached for his gun and shot at me, hitting me square in the heart.

I could feel the silver and brimstone racing through my system but it did nothing to hault me as I grabbed the final guard by his neck and raised him to face me.

“Where is the other one?!” I snarled in his face.

“H-how are you not dead?” He whimpered.

“Because I am not a vampire!” I ground my words coldly.

“But you feel-” He was cut off when I squeezed his throat to prove my point.

“I smell three and you aren't one, so who was it?!” I shouted in his face, "Who raped her?!"

“Swanson.” He choked, “Had to be Swanson. Had his eye on her.”

“Where is Swanson now?” I cocked my head to the side in question.

“On his way.” The guy gagged, “With the boss. They got the alarm.”

“I didn’t leave her like this!” The doctor came running in and unlocked the door to her caged room, running in to check on her, “What have they done?! She was dressed. I-I got her clothes! She was fine when I left!”

“What are you?” The vampire in my grasp choked out.

“I’m The Guard and the girl that these fucking vampires raped is the daughter of Nicolae Tepes. Natural born granddaughter of Vladimire Dracule. She is your Queen.” I ground out.

“Nico sent you.” He choked as my grip tightened.

“No, I came for my love!” My grip tightened and his head fell to the ground with a rush of blood.

I shook off my hand and ran into the room, to see the doctor and Reginald trying to unchain her as they muttered.

"Rose," Earnest moved frantically, "Please, I got him! He's here! He's going to free you! Wake up my dear!"

I slowly prowled forward, watching her for any sign. Her heart wasn't beating, but that could mean two things in Rose's case.

"Babe, support her head." Reginald told him, "Poor thing!"

“I swear, Guard. I didn’t leave her like this!” Earnest spoke hurriedly, “I drew blood last night. She was fine. She was responding and coherent, and clothed. I always gave her clothes after the experiments.”

I took a sniff of the room, eliminating the scent of the two guards that I had just killed and Rose’s, to find the scent of the man I would be hunting on our way out of this hellish facility.

This scent thing would come in handy.

Obviously, the man had to be the one in charge, if he was with the boss. I would kill them all. I had wiped out entire villages for less.

I stood back and watched in silence, attempting to calm myself, while they finally broke her free. The two men tried to catch her body before she hit the ground, but when she stumbled into Earnest his heartbeat picked up as he checked her for life and something changed in the air around us.

“I am so sorry, Princess.” His voice was shaky, “God, what have they done to you?”

She must have sensed me, frozen in time, because her eyes fluttered open and locked with mine instantly.

Suddenly, that difference in the air felt like a charge. It hit with a vengeance and, although I was familiar with it, I was shocked by the intensity of this familiar power. It was so much stronger than I had ever felt.

I revelled in it for a moment, before I looked into her bruised and beaten face. She was not the princess right now. She was the Queen, and I could see it in her, she was out for vengeance.

“Gentlemen, I would release her-.” I warned the men, but before I could take any steps toward them, her eyes opened wide, revealing a deeper silver than I had ever seen in my entire being.

Her sore, bloody, cracked lips instantly broke into the tiniest of smiles, and her fangs extended before she bit into the Earnest's jugular.

“Thank you, Smith.” I spoke to his spirit in a whisper, “May God be ever in your favor.”

His eyes met mine, before they closed and a moment later his body fell to the ground.

"Reginald," I warned the remaining man, "Now would be the time to back away from the Queen."

"No." He whispered, and I saw the finality in his eyes as she grabbed him next, draining him of life.

When she dropped his body, Rosa stood there, licking her lips, looking down at the bodies as her wounds quickly began to heal.

She looked up and met my eyes. In that one instant, I knew for certain that our Queen was here now. She wasn’t just Rosa any longer, and she was still devistatingly beautiful. With her short hair falling into waves and curls, she was a warrior.

I didn’t dare to move closer, knowing what she had been through. Would she be afraid of me? I needed her to know that I was here for her though. That I had come for her.

“Rosa, we need to go, before the others arrive.” I spoke cautiously, “Can you run, my love?”

She gave a nod and began toward the door.

“Rosa!” I called after her, pulling my shirt off and holding out to her, “Put this on. Please, my love.”

She gave another nod and did as I requested. I didn’t do it out of modesty or protecting her ladyhood, I did it because I already wanted to kill everyone in this building and if anyone saw her naked on the street, I may kill them too.

After the shirt was donned she ran from the room and I followed, pointing out the route to the upper levels. Every human we stumbled upon was drained, every vampire exterminated, and I was a little sore that I wasn’t doing a fucking thing.

By the time we reached the lobby she had drained a total of 127 humans and killed 132 vampires. With her bare hands.

“This way!” I ushered her to the door, but she froze in the middle of the lobby.

“No.” She growled.

“What do you mean no?!” I rounded on her and hissed, “This place will be swarming with more of them at any moment! I don’t know how many others there are! We’ll return you home, grab reinforcements and come back if you want, but I need to get you to safety.”

“He’s coming.” Her head tilted to the side as if she was listening to something and a lithe smile caressed her face. One that was truly terrifying.

I had seen that smile before, several times actually and I knew in that moment that it didn’t matter how many men came. She would kill every single one of them or die trying.

“Oh. He’s here now.” She spoke as if her pop tart had just popped up from the toaster and she was excited to eat it.

“Rosa, do you know what you're dealing with here? This is not a vampire. This is a man from my past, that I believed to be dead.” Before she could answer a voice cut into the silence and approximately 196 guns cocked simultaneously.

Fucking hell! How was I going to keep her safe now?!

“Well, well well... If it isn’t The Guard...” The eerie voice crooned and I readied myself for the fight that I knew was about to ensue.