The Crucivire

Chapter Twenty Four: The Strength to Keep Going

Penny ran. She wasn't sure how long she'd been running through that forest, but she kept running all the same, the sun twinkling through gaps in the leaves above her. Tears streamed down her face, making her vision blurry, but she was determined to put as much distance between herself and the mansion full of vampires as possible.

Before long, however, she could feel the weakness in her legs. She pushed herself as far as she could, but eventually, she slowed to a walk. She finally stopped when she couldn't push herself a step further, leaning against a tree for support.

Tears dripped down her sweat drenched face as she rested there, breathing heavily. Now that things were still, the weight of what had just happened finally crashed into her. Gary hadn't made it out. He was still there, a prisoner to those vampires. Penny covered her mouth, beginning to sob.

Penny stayed there for a moment, crying, her body on fire from exhaustion. Eventually, though, her tears ran dry. She couldn't help Gary now, but she could honor his last words to her. Alice was waiting for her, and Penny's path could lead them back to the vampires.

Wiping her face, she steeled herself and stopped leaning on the tree. Ignoring her fatigue, she walked forward, slowly but surely making her way out of the forest.

###

Alice stood in the mindscape, holding her red, glowing katana. The vampire whose mind she was in lay in the snow, unable to handle the thought of a cross in this world, reflected on Alice's sword. The elder vampires had left this mindscape, finally seeing through Alice's ruse, and Alice's mind raced with questions. Had Gary and Penny escaped? Could she go back to Victor's mind to check? Or was that too dangerous? What should she do now?"

"Alice."

Alice turned and saw Jacqueline.

"You've done all you can, Alice," said the vampire. "Penny managed to slip out but...I'm afraid Gary didn't."

Alice trembled; her thoughts conflicted.

A moment later, Jacqueline placed her hand on Alice's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," said the vampire. "But you've done all you can. Staying here just risks them catching you. It's time to wake up."

Alice woke up in the hospital bed. Director Farrow and Captain Wagner sat beside her, getting up when they saw Alice's eyes open.

"P...Penny got out," Alice stammered. "Gary, he...he...didn't make it...he..."

"It's alright," said Wagner, his voice calm and soothing. "We'll find your cousin, and we'll help your partner as soon as we can."

Director Farrow immediately got on the phone and started shouting orders. He told the Night Hunters to be on the lookout for a young woman matching Penny's description. He also made sure to call the Saint Vivia Police department and the military commander overseeing the roadblocks and give them Penny's description. If a civilian found her and called the police, they'd know, and the military would also alert them. Alice heard all this and lay back in the bed. Even though she'd been unconscious until just a moment ago, she felt exhausted.

###

Gary had been forced to his knees in the great hall, surrounded by vampires. Each vampire stared at him with anger and hatred in their eyes. Their glamours were up, but Gary had already seen the ugly creatures beneath that façade and wouldn't soon forget it. The vampire that had taken Gary stood meekly to the back, ashamed of her failure to tame this human. The three Elder vampires, Victor, Fara, and Harold, stood before Gary sternly while he looked back at them defiantly.