Insatiable Ch. 02

"I doubt it."

"Ironic, isn't it? Legends say we're supposed to ask permission to enter your home! And here you are, begging to be let into mine."

"I didn't beg and I don't want to be here. Hand over Rosa and we'll go in peace."

"You'll get to see her soon enough, I promise. But let you go? So you can come back with a larger party? Do you think I'm stupid, hunter?"

"You obviously thought I was stupid, telling me to walk into the spider's lair unarmed."

"Be that as it may-" Sadie paused mid-sentence. Her nose wrinkled. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned Reynauld up and down. She lifted her crop and pointed down the stairs at him.

"I thought I told you to search him thoroughly."

The guards at Reynauld's sides looked puzzled. The one on his left spoke.

"We did, Mistress. He has no weapons."

Sadie scowled. "Idiots! I can smell the silver from here! Search him again, NOW!"

Before the last word passed her lips, Reynauld lifted his arms and shoved the Chosen aside with all his strength. They stumbled and toppled at his sides. As they did, Reynauld crouched down and pressed buttons on the sides of his custom boots. As he rose back to his full height, he drew the concealed silver daggers from their sheathes.

The biter to his left charged immediately and received a slash across the throat for his trouble. The shocked Chosen's eyes went wide as blackish blood poured from his neck. He opened his mouth to scream, but could expel nothing but gurgles. His hands reached up to the gushing wound as he fell to his knees in agony.

Reynauld got a glimpse of the other two guards charging him from the stairs as he whirled to face the man on his right. This one was more cautious, feinting several charges and moving from side to side before inevitably diving in for a grapple. Reynauld skillfully sidestepped him and raked the man's arm and chest with his twin daggers.

The Chosen stopped in its tracks, shocked by the searing pain of silver and the sudden realization of deep wounds that would not heal. His hesitation was all Reynauld needed to finish the job, burying the end of one dagger in his chest and pulling it free with a thick spray of crimson.

Sadie lifted the radio to her lips and calmly pressed the transmission button. "More security to the main hall. Now."

By the time he turned around, the third man was almost upon him. His fangs were out and his eyes were black with bloodlust. Having seen the first two go down, this one was much more careful. He dodged as Reynauld moved in and whipped his daggers in long arcs. After both blades past him, the biter ducked in, electing to absorb a kick from the hunter in order to get within biting range. What he didn't notice were the hidden blades now protruding from the tip and sides of Reynauld's boots.

The silver boot-blade impaled the charging Chosen in the gut. As he pulled it free, Reynauld used the momentum to deliver two strong counter slashes across his chest and neck. The former man coughed blood and fell forward, his eyes burning with incredulity. As the dying biter slumped forward, Reynauld squared up and prepared to deal with the last of the four.

Now that all his comrades were down, there was no reason to hold back. The final Chosen reached for the gun at his side. Seeing the sidearm and his immediate danger, Reynauld stretched forth and sent one dagger hurtling into the creature's neck. The Chosen had almost gotten the weapon level and cocked when the blade plunged into his larynx and he exhaled a loud, wet cough. The gun rattled in his hands as he tried to complete the task, but it ultimately fell to the ground. It was followed shortly by the hacking, pain-wracked blood sucker, falling on top of his own weapon.

Reynauld's white shirt was now covered in ribbons of dark blood. He pointed his remaining dagger up the stairs, it's tip aimed squarely at the smiling matriarch. She was standing on the platform at the halfway point, staring down at him with no fear. He could hear more guards in the distance, yelling and rushing toward their position. He'd fought well, but the hopelessness of his situation was evident. He had one shot. It was time to take it.

Transferring the remaining dagger to his primary hand, he reached back and let it fly with all his might. The blade sailed up the stairway, directly at the grinning woman in gleaming red. The dagger flew precisely to its target and whistled through the air where the woman's chest previously was. Sadie blinked from existence and reappeared on the other side of the stairs ten feet away.

*THWACK*

The blade embedded itself in the top of the stairs harmlessly. Now it was Reynauld's turn to show shock and dismay. His eyes went wide as he righted himself from the throw and his hands lowered to his sides. Sadie looked down at him coyly, one arm below her bust and the other on her chin. She laughed and the echoing cackle flooded the decadent, blood splattered hall.

She didn't look it, but she was old. Maybe ancient. And probably pure blood. Abilities like that were not wielded by common biters. In all his years of investigation, Reynauld had never witnessed anything that extraordinary. He'd only heard of techniques that powerful in books and tales from other hunters. This had been a suicide mission all along. And now there was almost no chance he'd report this new knowledge to the guild.

More Chosen in fancy clothes and a dozen men in black leather bondage gear emerged from the left and right hallways and the entrance behind him. Surrounded, Reynauld raised his hands in the air and let out a deep sigh.

* * * * *

The thick metal door groaned open and Reynauld was shoved inside the dark cell. It closed just as quickly, a loud metallic crash and several loud clanks indicating it was locked securely. The scarred veteran picked himself up off the floor and stood. His now bare feet touched cold, dirty stone. He coughed as he rose, looking around in the dark and trying to get his bearings.

"H-hello?" a familiar voice called.

"Rosa???"

"Reynauld! Is that you?"

"Yeah."

She walked to him, her form barely visible in the darkness.

"I'm so glad" she said, her voice cracking as she embraced him eagerly. Reynauld welcomed her embrace, wrapping one arm around her warmly.

"Not much of a rescue, huh? Sorry I couldn't do better."

She shook her head against his chest. "It's not your fault. I felt so stupid, getting jumped like that."

"It's not your fault either."

They held each other in silence for a few moments before she let him go and took a step back.

"Reynauld, what's going to happen to us?"

"If we're lucky, Father will get some reinforcements together before..."

"Before what?"

"Before they do something really ugly with us."

Even in the dark, Reynauld could see Rosa's eyes welling up with tears. She held back her sobs at first, but soon her fear and anxiety betrayed her. She brought a hand to her mouth, trying to stave off her choked up snivels and sobs.

Reynauld stepped forward and embraced her again. He stroked her hair gently as they stood in the dark. "Hey, it's alright. If they come for us, they're gonna have to kill me first. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

She sobbed and nodded. "Thank you."

"I didn't want to tell you this before, because... Well, we haven't known each other that long. You remind me of my daughter. That's why I had to come back for you. Even though I was ordered to wait."

That only brought fresh tears to her eyes. She shook her head against his chest a few more times.

"This is too much. I can't do this..."

"It's ok."

"I-I'm sorry, Reynauld. I'm so sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Rosa."

"I'm sorry. It's just that I'm so... thirsty."

Her fangs sank into Reynauld's neck with crushing animal force. The young woman wrapped her arms and legs around his body with a strength that shouldn't have been possible. She moaned and sucked hungrily as her teeth tapped into his deepest vein and drank hungrily from the red river of life.

Reynauld screamed in the darkness, stumbling helplessly as she held him fast and covetously drained his neck. With her mouth so close to his ear, he bore visceral witness to the depraved symphony of sounds a Chosen makes when feeding. Snarling, slurping, grunting, laughing, screaming. Every possible emotion gushed from the voracious woman as the blood spurted from her prey.

As his life siphoned out of his veins and he grew more weak, Reynauld's struggles ceased. He fell back. Not even hitting the ground caused the young Latina wrapped around his body to cease her greedy gorging. A single thought took up root in Reynauld's mind as the blackness closed in.

'Ophelia...'