Fate's Vinculum

Part VIII, Chapter 1. Coming Together

Digging his boot into the floor beneath him, Sires prepared himself for death, though he was sure he could take some of them out with him. He was tired though, exhausted, really. He knew he wouldn't make it out of this warehouse alive.

It never came to that though. Suddenly, someone was standing besides him. He gawked, utterly perplexed. This person wasn't there, and then...they were. They were shorter than Sires, wearing an itchy looking brown, hooded robe. The hood was up, concealing the person's features.

The semi-circle froze, equally baffled by the sudden appearance of someone new. The hooded figure looked around at the assassins surrounding Sires, and then an audible tisk emitted from beneath the hood.

"This will not do—I need you."

A hand shot out of the robe and touched Sires. As soon the fingertips brushed him, Sires and the hooded figure disappeared. From Sires' perspective, however, everything rapidly grew small—the room, the people, everything. They all condensed in a swirl of colors, collapsing into a single pinpoint against a backdrop of white.

Then, just as quickly as everything had receded, everything began to grow back to proportional size. However, once everything was normal size again, the room Sires found himself in was not the warehouse he had been located in.

Astonished, and feeling nauseous from the abrupt spacial transformation, Sires took in his new surroundings. He appeared to be underground, in a cavern made completely from dirt. He blinked, unsure if what he saw was really before him or some sort of horrible hallucination.

"I will explain everything in due time," the hooded figure said. "However, that time is not now. I shall return shortly."

Sires blinked, surprised when the cloaked figure evaporated, disappeared, utterly and completely. Still convinced this was some sort of trick, Sires spun around. Yet there was no one.

The pitter patter that hit his ears made him come to his senses a little. He wiped off his face, palm coming away with blood. He wiped his hand against his coat (which didn't make much of a difference) before giving a firm shake to his katan. Blood splattered against the ground and wall.

"Oops."

The sound of his own voice startled him. Sires spun around once more. When he truly was convinced he was alone, in the room that seemed to be underground, with no door, no window, no way in or out, he began to laugh. He laughed until it was hysterical. Dropping to his knees, weight supported against his sword, Sires laughed until he cried.

The sword dropped away, and he fell onto his hands and knees. Pounding on the ground with his fist, he bellowed in pain, anger, and fear. But most of all, he screamed over the loss of Heather.

Pressing his forehead to the dirt, he wrapped his arms around himself and sobbed, alone.

~

Loïc grinned, licking his lips. "Am I going to have fun with you two."

"Excuse me," a new voice spoke.

Everyone looked, startled. A cloaked person stood behind Marcus and Zoë They wore robes of brown, reminding Zoë of a monk. The oversized hood masked their face completely.

The voice that spoke from beneath the hood was decidedly male but feminine. It crouched, putting a hand on both Marc and Zoë's shoulders. The hood shifted, looking up at the group of vampires, face still utterly concealed.

"I do apologize for the intrusion. However, I am in need of these two."

And before anyone could say anything or do anything, Marcus, Zoë, and the cloaked being disappeared.

The sensation of being in a moving elevator hit Marc and Zoë. Everything shrank around them at an alarming rate, until there was nothing but a pin prick in a white void. A vertigo Zoë had never known hit her, and she nearly toppled over; the cloaked person gripped her arm tighter to keep her upright.

Seconds later, everything had expanded, and they were suddenly in an entirely different environment. Zoë's head swam. As soon as the stranger released her arm she collapsed to her hands and knees, becoming violently ill. Marcus stumbled backwards a bit, struggling to get his bearings. Arms outstretched at either side, he stopped himself from tumbling over, and shook his head back and forth violently.

Marcus opened his eyes, looking murderous. Letting out one of his primal snarls, he lunged forward, fangs bared, clawed hands out reaching to tear the brown-robed person limb from limb. Before that happened however, the billowing sleeve raised, palm facing Marcus.

Marc abruptly stopped. He hadn't stopped, though. Trying to move, it made him enraged when he couldn't. Snarling once more, he fought against whatever invisible force was holding him.

"Calm down," the voice beneath the hood implored.

Still struggling, Marcus glared. "Release me!"

A pause, and then, "You will not harm me?"

Marcus struggled less. "No."

"Promise me."

Marcus hissed. To his alarm, his feet began to slide backwards, like a breeze pushing a sail.

"Promise me."

Marcus stopped struggling. "Okay, okay, I promise."

Marcus nearly fell over when the invisible binding was lifted and the person put down their arm. Marcus rushed forward, but it was to Zoë. Gently he took her hands into his own, helping her onto her knees, looking concerned.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah," she said, pressing her palm to her head, still feeling largely disoriented. "What was that?"

Marcus looked at the hooded figure. "Who are you?"

"I need you to not kill him," the concealed person said, pointing off to the side.

Marcus and Zoë looked over. Sires, still on his hands and knees, looked up. He had abruptly stopped crying, both out of shock and embarrassment. Marc's eyes turned into globes, the whites showing. Zoë, however, let go of Marcus.

"Oh my God—" she threw up again.

The hand now pointed directly at Marcus. "And you—don't eat him."

Sires scrambled to his feet, grabbing his sword, while Zoë had begun to weep.

With an audible tisk, the being then put his fist on their hip. "Actually–"

They waved their other hand. Sires suddenly wasn't covered in blood, and the mess Zoë had made was gone. Everyone was stunned into silence of reverence.

Pointing at Marcus again, they spoke once more. "Though I removed temptation, it still stands. Do not eat him. We need him."

Marcus screwed up his face. "We? What do you—"

The cloaked being disappeared.

"Hey!" Marcus shouted.

Awkwardly the three occupants looked at one another. Sires snorted, containing a laugh. He did it again. The third time, he was unable to contain himself. Clamping a hand over his mouth, he laughed hysterically.

Zoë inched closer to Marcus. When she was close enough, Marcus wrapped an arm around her shoulder tightly. The pair stared at the man who was laughing at nothing, terrified.