Grim Echoes

Chapter 64 -Ander

Maeve fainted. Ander signaled he would retrieve her. Will nodded and tore into another vampire with a smile. He ducked to avoid the attack and scanned for Tessa. Disappointed her illusions had not tricked him. The female attempted to strike again. Ander was almost an expert at detecting illusions, having spent so much time discerning his hallucinations from reality.

He spun and slashed her with his kukri knife, her precious blood splattered on his shirt. Enraged, she came at him and mistakenly allowed her body close to him. For seconds, they matched each other's blows. Ander waited to ascertain her opening. Consumed with rage, she only focused on killing him. Her blade sliced his arm and grazed his stomach, but he maintained focus. The opening presented itself, and he took her center before he cut her throat open to the vertebrae. She fell to her knees before him.

He dodged an attack from the side and kicked the opponent back into the wall. Ander brought both kukri knives across the female's neck and separated her head from her body. When her head landed on the ground, he kicked it into a corner. Tessa's bloody ripped form caught his attention. Only minutes ago, she had freed them from their restraints. She would be no further aid to them. The few vampires left still wanted Maeve's blood and he nor Will knew where Lady Thana was.

The teenager pulled itself up from where Ander had kicked it, crazed blood lust still present. The teenager charged him. Necessary, but Ander hated this. He took it down swiftly before he moved to Maeve. She was against the wall and appeared peaceful. Violence and blood surrounded her, but she reminded him of a classic painting untouched by the horrors. He removed the zipties off her wrists and then moved to her cuffed ankle.

"Think you are going to need this," Mort said, and held a key out to Ander.

Ander hesitated. Mort's other hand shot up and knocked another male vampire to Will.

"Take it, before I can't give it to you."

Ander snatched the key and undid the ankle cuff. "Where is Lady Thana?"

"She's gone, controlling things remotely. She fled east," Mort replied.

"East," Ander called out to Will.

Another head hit the ground. Will was bathed in blood, but the room was quiet.

"You good?" Will picked up his weapons and headed for the doorway.

"Yes,"

Will jogged out.

He turned to Mort. "Why are you helping us?"

Mort's dark eyes went to Maeve's peaceful face. Ander felt her wrist for her pulse. Relief flooded him as the steady beat pushed against his fingers.

"She was the only creature to show me compassion." he touched her cheek lightly.

Ander's hand that still held a kukri knife twitched to strike.

"I don't deserve it but she gave it and wanted nothing in return." Mort slowly removed his hand. "I must go, she'll be searching for me soon." He stood. "Lady Thana will not stop. Be prepared for next time. Now that she's tasted her," he paused and gazed at Maeve again. "Lady Thana won't stop until she's drained her. She will not be denied her prey." He walked to the doorway and stopped to face Ander. "Don't hesitate to cut me down. I am her puppet." he turned his back to Ander.

Ander considered, taking his head. Mort stood still for a minute longer before he left. Had he desired Ander to destroy him? His eyes scanned the room for movement, for any sign of life. Limbs, heads and various other appendages scattered the floor. He went to the nearest window and pulled the sheets of plywood off of it. Weak light passed into the room. The sun was almost set, needed to move fast.

Ander picked up Maeve, noting that nothing reacted to the light. He exited and for the first time noticed his wounds. His arm and stomach bled, but no internal damage. His back stung, but the movement was not restricted. The SUV pulled up as he walked out of the door. Will exited the driver's side, pulled open the back door on the way to the back.

He held Maeve close and listened to her breathing, each breath calmed his nerves. The air current carried her scent to his nose and made him pause. She smelled... enthralling. The way she had smelled when they had done the warding, only stronger. Rosemary, mint and blood. Her neck still bled from where she had been cut. He placed her in the back seat and checked her wound.

Her blood was metallic as all blood, but an underlying scent of sweetness mingled. He leaned closer to discover why. His mouth salivated at the idea of tasting her blood. Just as his lips grazed her wound, he pulled back. Terrified and disgusted by his actions, he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.

"She's gone, probably in the outlying wooded area but I lost her trail. Well not completely, but we need to finish this," Will told him as he passed the open door, oblivious of his horrific behavior.

Will's arms carried propane tanks. Ander got out of the SUV and closed the door, still shaken by his bizarre thoughts. He moved to the back and grabbed the remaining propane tank and gas. On the way to the building Ander shut down all emotions and pushed everything away for clarity and focus. He and Will quickly placed the propane tanks.

Will made a point of moving the removed limbs or heads to other rooms, away from the original owners. For the most part, vampires could not recover from beheading, however they could re-attach limbs if they were able to connect them in a reasonable amount of time. Minutes later Ander poured the rest of the gas to the doorway where Will waited. Will lit a match and tossed it into the room the gas lit.