The Crucivire

Chapter Thirty Two: Fire From Above

Alice lay alone in one of the mansion's bedrooms, no more able to sleep than any of the vampires after Lord Victor had told her to stay here. When she asked, he said nothing was wrong, but Alice could sense restlessness all around her. The vampires were worried about something, and Alice suspected Lord Victor didn't want to show weakness in front of her. Such a thing could undermine his control over her.

Not that there was much that could undermine his control by now. With as long as she'd been there, Victor had fed from her enough times that her body was primed to become a vampire. If Alice died for any reason, provided her heart wasn't pierced with wood, she would awaken as a newborn vampire, one drink of blood away from permanent undeath. A week ago, Alice would have been horrified by the idea, but Lord Victor was surprisingly convincing. Alice had no idea what she would do when that moment came...when the bloodlust overwhelmed her senses.

As Alice lay there, thinking, the door to her room slowly creaked open. Alice sat up and saw a vampire she didn't recognize. He of course had his glamour up, so was supernaturally handsome. Flawless pale skin and wavy brown hair lay over broad shoulders and a tall frame. Alice raised her eyebrow.

"Who..."

The vampire quickly raised a hand to his lips, his face serious as he approached slowly. As he got closer, Alice got a better look at his eyes, and at that moment she recognized him. She'd often seen those eyes filled with a warm friendliness that could be contagious. As Alice realized who it was, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Gary..." she said. "No..."

###

Director Farrow reached the nearest phone in the facility, a library near the lab, and called the Night Hunter council. When he got a representative, he shouted with as much urgency as his voice would allow.

"Get me a council member!" he demanded. "I have new information on the nature of magic. That missile could cause destruction on a scale we've never seen! Get me someone with a line to the president now!"

###

Alice felt more tears drip down her cheeks as the vampire approached her. Questions swirled in the back of her mind as despair washed over her. Could she even call him Gary anymore? Why was he here? Was there any hope? As he approached, the vampire held his hands up.

"Please, Alice," he said. "Try to stay quiet. They'll hear us."

Wait, thought Alice, why did he use my real name?

She spoke with a glimmer of hope, her voice a whisper, "Gary?"

Gary nodded sadly, "I'm afraid so."

Alice gave quiet gasp, "Gary, you need to cut a cross into your..."

Gary shook his head, "I know about that. It's too late. I...this body has already tasted human blood."

Alice's despair returned, and with it came confusion, "What?"

###

"What is it?" asked the electronically distorted voice of a council member.

"We have to stop the missile," said Farrow with as much urgency as his voice could convey. "I have new information. A magic item reacted violently to an explosive substance. It nearly destroyed our laboratory. If that missile lands, it could cause destruction on a massive scale. You have to stop that missile!"

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment, "Are you sure..."

"I'm absolutely sure! You have to stop that missile!"