The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Interlude by the lake

Elizabeth lay unnaturally still amidst the crumbling remains of London, her body concealed beneath the broken rubble of the once-great city. From her hidden vantage point, she observed them cautiously. They were distant, yet her keen senses allowed her to hear their hushed conversation with remarkable clarity. It hadn't taken her long to discern that they were members of the Defiance, survivors navigating this desolate wasteland.

One of the soldiers held a gun, another possessed a mere five rounds of ammunition, and the third peered through battered binoculars, all the while maintaining vigilant watch over the surroundings. The trio was accompanied by three younger boys who served as scouts, foragers, and lookouts. They moved with precision and stealth, taking care not to draw attention to their presence. In the distance loomed the Cradle of Filth, the towering fortress that served as the coven's hive home—a bastion of debauchery and sin that cast its ominous shadow over the land.

"There she is, regular as clockwork," remarked the soldier lying on his stomach as he peered through the battered binoculars. He then exchanged places with one of the boys who eagerly observed the figure in the distance.

"She looks just like them. How do you know it's her?" inquired the boy, his gaze fixed on the distant figure.

"You can just make out the silver collar. If you look long enough, it glints. Also, which vampire would go out to watch the sunset? It has to be her," replied the soldier called Di, lying on the ground and maintaining his focus on the distant figure.

"Do you really think it's her then? Silver Neck herself," questioned one of the boys, his eyes still locked on the distant silhouette.

"Think it? I could smell it," replied Di confidently. "Sure as eggs are eggs. That's Silver Neck herself."

Elizabeth had heard the rumors about Silver Neck. The story circulating was that she was a princess from the Barren Lands, given as a gift to seal a peace contract. The tales went on to claim that she was kept in an iron cage as the Duke's personal sex slave. Elizabeth knew better now, from the conversation she looked like one of them. Silver Neck was surely gone, transformed into one of the vampires, beyond any hope or chance of redemption.

"I'll tell you something for nothing. I wouldn't give anything for my daughter, not for all the treaties in the southern rim," remarked one of the soldiers.

"We should rescue her," suggested the boy, his voice filled with determination.

"So, you believe we should attack a coven full of vampires? How would you even cross the lake? There are shipwrecks lurking beneath the water's surface, waiting to sink vessels. And once you reach the coven, how would you infiltrate it? No, it's nonsense, boy," said the man, turning away.

At that moment, Elizabeth stood up revealing herself, emerging from her concealed position. The soldiers reacted swiftly, their gun trained on her as the tension in the air grew palpable. There was a long, uncertain pause, but Elizabeth remained resolute.

"Elizabeth?" one of them uttered in astonishment.