Blood Spilled

As if ignoring his request, she turned back around to face the front. Murmurs filled the room as everyone waited for the sermon to begin. Then suddenly the room went dead silent. Everyone lifted their black bibles in the air then a grinding noise filled the room. The congregation put their Bibles back down as something emerged from the ground at the front of the church. The room began to shake furiously and he gasped in fear. Had they known he was an impostor?

Isaac wanted to stand and run but he was surrounded from every corner. None of the people seemed to be bothered by the fact that the building was probably falling apart. A black object formed slowly before the people until finally the shaking stopped. It was the most unusual pulpit he had seen in his life. It was made of bold black wood, he assumed engraved similarly to the door at the castle. At the very front of the pulpit was a symbol he recognized only too well- the pentagram. As far as he was aware, the pentagram was a symbol that only the occult bore. He started to look around confusedly trying to decipher the type of situation he had gotten himself into. He was a stranger to Christian iconography- being a Jewish man himself but nonetheless none of this seemed right.

"As you all know, we're gathered here to select this month's volunteers for the cullings." A voice echoed throughout the room. Isaac searched frantically for whoever was talking until he finally spotted the priest at the pulpit. There were some people standing at the front who made it hard for him to scan the room as he pleased. The priest wore a black robe and read from the black book that everyone else had.

He spotted the oddest of sculptures at the corner of the room. Squinting his eyes, he tried to verify it amid the large congregation and room's poor lighting. The priest's voice continued to echo as he finally got a proper look at it. Now it was as clear as day. This was no ordinary church -- in fact, he had just walked into what was literally the worst nightmare he could ever have. A bronze statue of the Satanic goat monster with human features sat in the corner of the room and now he realized everyone else was looking at it; not just him. Suddenly some people began to stand and walked forward to the pulpit then kneeled down. They were about a dozen men and women all who chanted a weird hymn. They lifted their hands three times in unison then bowed down thrice before waking to a room at the back.

"Lucifer accepts this great sacrifice from his people." The voice echoed powerfully through the room. His blood ran cold by the mention. This was exactly what he was afraid of. Somehow he had walked into some strange ritual that seemed to involve the Satan himself. He was truly condemned, no doubt. Suddenly the people stood up and started to leave while he struggled to get up on his shaky feet. He had no idea where everyone was going but he could not stay there. The congregation was all smiles as they began to vacate the place of worship.

Isaac felt like he was going crazy as he followed the zombie like crowd outside into the afternoon cold. Bare feet with a concern ladened mind, he wondered where the people at the front had gone to. There was no way these people were in their right minds; not if they were sacrificing themselves voluntarily to the Beast.

"Excuse me, please, I am a little lost, could you show me how to get to the train station?" He asked the man who was holding the door at the exit. He smiled at Isaac.

"There are no trains here young man. Why would anyone want to leave paradise?" he asked blankly. Something was amiss!

Isaac walked hurriedly through the crowds of people trying to spark a conversation with either of them but they all seemed mesmerized by whatever was going on around them. It was obvious that he was the only one who was bothered by his surroundings. He could tell that although they were just as human as he was, they weren't alright. He was just now realizing that there was truly no way out.

CHAPTER 7

Talya thought it would be a good idea to check up on Isaac. She was starting to warm up to him a little bit more as each day went on. She often sought their conversations and exchanges. In her own way, she felt a bit sorry for him, he reminded her of all those peasant boys sent off to war- forever changed when they had returned... if they returned. After the walk they had, she was looking at him less like cattle and more like a person; something she had not done with an individual in some time, let alone a human. Initially, she thought she would get bored and end up eating him. Taking him into the village was a way to get him to trust her even though she knew she could not stay out for very long. It was easier reading his mind then asking questions but when they were together but even then she always found how he articulated himself just as enlightening.

The rest of her sisters hardly ever went out for a jaunt; always for a show of power or to eat. She suspected it was because they loved to remain in control.

"We are about to begin the cullings sister. I sure hope you bring Isaac with you." Olivia had mentioned earlier in their meeting. After their naps, Olivia loved to feed and if Talya knew any better, no one was off limits. She knew that if Olivia got to Isaac first, that would be the end of him. Talya had been saving him like a chocolate, then a pet, and now... well now she wasn't sure. It was always better to feed on a perfectly healthy human. However, now everything had changed. Now, she had gotten to know him better; she had read his thoughts and understood his vulnerability. It was always easier to pick a random stranger but Isaac was far from that now. He was a friend dare she say? Could he be more? She found him attractive and the thought certainly crossed her mind.

Talya knew her desire to protect him would only end in a disaster. She convinced herself she'd only take it so far but found herself going a little further to protect him at each juncture.

"I will say this one last time Olivia. Don't you dare touch Isaac or there is going to be a problem between us." She declared mightily. It was the most confrontational she'd ever been with Olivia that she could remember.

As usual Mila was there with them dumbfounded at Talya's play for dominance. As the youngest, she often preferred to remain neutral in times like these, lest she invites either of their wrath.

Olivia hated Talya's sudden courage to defend a complete stranger, especially food. Besides, she was the boss around here, not Talya.

"You seem to have forgotten your place Talya. This is my territory, I decide what's law." Her eyes were glowing like the silvery eye of an animal at night and despite her best efforts to always hide her fangs, they were showing like a snarling wolf.

Mila got up the moment she saw the two approach each other.

"Okay...Okay... Perhaps we can take a deep breath here. This is absolutely nothing to fight about." Mila's voice had the subtlest of tremors.

When the sisters first united, they found solace in each other for the things they had been through. It did not take long for Talya and Olivia's strong personalities to start clashing. Mila had seen them bicker over the most trivial things so this was not a surprise it would escalate to this point eventually. But she did not expect a human of all things to be the cause of this new deep rift.

"Sister surely you cannot be serious about keeping the boy much longer. We need to feed on him, make him ours. Think about it, he can never be our equal. He belongs down there with the villagers... or better yet, dead and forgotten. After all the things he's seen here he..." Mila was trying to reason with Talya but she got cut off.

"Mila, I know you think you have some type of opinion but I would suggest you keep your mouth shut when it comes to my affairs. It's not like he could leave without us permitting it." Talya shot back. She and Olivia were still stuck in their staring contest. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

Mila was afraid of her sisters fighting because she loved them both. She was afraid of losing the only family she'd known for years now. Talya was a bit taller than Olivia, a fact that should have intimidated her but it did not.

"You seem to forget your place sister. I could put you right back where you belong." Olivia was enraged by Talya's disobedience. How dare she?

Talya had no time to argue with Olivia; she had to get to Isaac before the cullings began so she could keep him safe. Adding nothing more to her sister's remarks, she jetted off to check on him. Olivia watched in disbelief that Talya wouldn't even acknowledge her and just walk right off, Olivia was fuming inside.

The door to the room was locked so she knocked on the door politely until she realized that was not working.

"Isaac, are you there?" she called out but there was no answer. Worried something could have happened to him, she forced the door in effortlessly only to find the room empty. She said out loud annoyed and concerned "of course he tries it today of all days."

She looked for him through every crack in the castle she could think of but could find no clues nor hear his mind. Talya found herself back in his room in an attempt to retrace his steps when the phantoms appeared. Unlike her sisters, Talya enjoyed the company of the ghosts- unless they were getting in her way. She liked to listen to their ancient tales of times long before they existed. She loved their wisdom, always willing to learn something new from them. She knew it would be hard to get any information from them because they often decided what to say.

Talya thought of the best way to get them to speak without sounding desperate.

"Now that Olivia has taken the boy for herself, I do not know how to get him back. She keeps saying she did not but she is the only one who would do such a thing." Talya went into a deep monologue hoping one of the ghosts would say something. She knew damn well it wasn't Olivia but she hoped she could manipulate the humanity in one of these apparitions.

She watched the snowflakes fall upon the window seal pretending she could not see the phantoms disappear in and out of the room.

"She is going to kill him if she has not already. I really failed this time." She exclaimed. If this did not work, she could try the town but her time was running out.

"Nonsense! Isaac made it out. I saw him run into the village myself. Though I'm sure you knew he'd try escaping again." Lord Frakklin chastised. He did not mean to expose Isaac's whereabouts; he just loved to tell people what he knew that's all.

"You helped him escape?" Talya was curious more than she wanted to confront the clear disrespect. Her tone lacked its prior ferocity. The phantoms disappeared along with Lord Frakklin who was well aware of the trouble he was in. She sighed "He is in the town I guess. I never thought he'd get that far without being caught."

Talya was impressed at his resourcefulness. She knew that if Olivia got wind of Isaac's escape, she would use it as an excuse to get rid of him. With no time to waste, Talya got her furs and coats on and stepped out of the castle quietly ensuring no one had seen her. They would start to feed in about two hours so she needed to be back before then.

Talya embraced winter like she was born for it. The cold made her feel alive but the sunlight, thought waning, still weighed upon her. Good thing the people in their village were loyal. A Vampire during the day is weak enough for any man to smite us down. She never had to worry about them; but now there was Isaac's safety that filled her with fear. Talya had no idea what she was walking into. She knew that Isaac had a weapon which she had let him retain. Ordinary bullets did little to hurt them but if he was to shoot her in broad day light not only would she be gravely injured, she would feel every bit of the pain. Either way, it was a risk she was willing to take. She had to trust Isaac wouldn't harm her. Out of all her sisters, she understood human nature more than anyone and retained some sense of compassion for them. They had used their combined powers to create a veil that protected the lands from the outside world. The only way to break free from the village would be to kill one of them. The power of three was only as good if they stuck together. If Isaac killed her, and how could he blame him, they'd know. They hunt him down like a rat and slaughter him for ruining their idyllic haven.

Everyone at the village worshipped them so when she finally got there, she got a warm reception. It would have been easier to use her powers to seek Isaac out had they been inside the castle but here, she was confined to her good relations with her people. Too many voices at a time clouded her ability to sift through it all. The children especially loved her and so did she. She saw them as a reflection of the best of society. Children were the future- their upbringing is determined by the people and occurrences around them. There was a woman selling apples who sent her child to give Talya one when she spotted her.

Moments like those melted her soulless being. Sometimes she felt like she was not sure of whom she wanted to be. She fought to maintain her humanity despite her animal instinct and children was where she drew the line. It had been a debate between her and Olivia when they were deciding on how to govern the lands. Olivia did not care about anything but herself. If not for Mila's and her counsel, their lands would have been an endless reel of torture for her people. The time and effort it took to convince Olivia that happy cattle would create the least concern for their safety was shocking to Talya, Olivia only cared for violence and domination of everything that walks on this earth.

"I promised to follow you, not to help you end humanity." Talya had been very clear on how to go about their feeding. First rule: No children would be touched. For Talya it was simple, give the people their freedom and they will remain loyal to you. Give them faith and they'll never doubt you as her second ultimatum. Her plan was working so far. She gave the little girl a flower she picked on her way there. In her eyes she saw herself; once also as innocent as she was.

Talya started to ask around until finally someone said they had spotted a stranger hidden behind the local market since yesterday and that he'd been asking for ways to leave. Some people described him as a crazy person probably because they had no idea what he was talking about. The spell the sisters had used shut the people out completely from the reality of the outside world. Some had no idea what lay beyond while others had no memory of their lives before. She knew it would not be long until she found him.

Isaac had no clue how long he had been out in the cold since he escaped the castle. So far no one had found out where he had been hiding. He did not care about leaving anymore. He was starting to believe it would be impossible. Perhaps God had truly forsaken him just like he had done when he sent him and his brother to war. He was too far gone after engaging in voyeurism of demonic creatures. His soul was beyond God now. Again, he found himself cold, desperate and alone. He had started to catch a cold and he was starving eating market scraps. His feet and hands were cold from sleeping outside and he was hopeless. As he froze in the daylight hidden behind a wooden barn. Again his mind was flooded by the image of the boy he had shot during his escape. His bloodshot eyes haunted Isaac but no matter how much he tried he could not block out the thoughts. All this life wasted in his behalf and he found himself in Death's door again

"Isaac... What are you doing here?" Talya asked when she found curled up knees to chest. He looked pathetic; worse than when she had first found him. Talya called out to him again and he raised his head. He looked to her with despair written all over his face. She felt sorry for him and in a way, responsible for the things that were happening to him. Had she not brought him here, he would have been fine. Talya could only imagine the horrors he had been exposed to since he got there. She had the sudden urgency to take care of him.

Isaac broke her introspection with a simple solemn question, "Will you kill me now?" Isaac still didn't trust her. It was almost crushing to realize how she might look to someone she found herself so fond of.

She said gently walking over to him "I'd never."

CHAPTER 8

Isaac woke up in the bedroom up in the castle tower once again. Some part of him was glad he was back; truth was, there was no way he would have survived out there on his own. It dawned on him that this would be his eternity or whatever lay ahead. There was no point in trying to escape anymore. The bed cover was warm- made out of animal skin and the fire was lit as usual. The door opened and Talya came walking in instead of her usual gliding. Isaac felt ashamed turning away from her. He knew he was in trouble but most of all, he was sorry for betraying her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly. She was wearing one of her many off white gowns so low cut he could almost see her nipples. She had an amazing chest, no wonder she made sure everyone could see it. Isaac couldn't help but flashback to the steamy moment he saw with Talya's sisters.

"What do you think, Talya. I'm miserable. I need to go home. But I know I can't. I've enjoyed my time with you but I feel like there is danger around every corner. You're danger. I'm tried of danger- of violence." He did not see the need to lie anymore; chances were they were going to kill him anyway. He would be just another victim in their sick feeding games.

"I do not want to kill you Isaac and I will not let Olivia or Mila either. I know you saw us the other day." Her voice was lowered when she said that as if she did not want anyone to hear.

Isaac sat up nervously about to deny what came next, "I saw you eat that woman. I left right after- is that what you'll do to me? Rip my throat open?" He paused to carefully consider his next words, "you'll eat me. Even if you don't Olivia will."

Talya came to the edge of Isaac's bed "I won't let her, I can't promise she won't get close though, I'll sooner run away with you." Her voice had humility, a tone she almost forgot.

Isaac felt bad for his dower mood but with each revelation of his stay it made it harder to find hope. He enjoyed the friend he had made in Talya but it was a light in a prison cell, "What am I to do? Be your pet?"

Talya laughed family, she'd hope the laugh would lift him up "Maybe a steward if you're lucky?" Isaac chuckled at the statement but things soon became quiet. Nothing but the crackling of the fire could be heard.

The fire popped causing Isaac to jump. She noticed loud noises made him jump or flinch or tremble. She wondered if it was from the war, she wondered if she could soothe him. "What else did you see in that room the other day."

Isaac's cheeks became a bright red, Talya already knew but wanted to hear him weasel his way out of this, "I-I didn't see anything. I left before you guys did anything else." Isaac knew it was fruitless. The images already played in his head and he was sure Talya could see them.

"Don't worry; I'm the only one who knows. Neither of them knows you tried to escape either, they would have had you killed already."

Isaac sat back in relief, trying to find the right words to say.

"I did not mean to intrude, please forgive me. I was just looking for the way out and..." he started to say but she cut him off.

"Isaac, surely you do not think me so foolish, do you? You got lost looking for your way out, is that it?" she asked sarcastically.