Unchained

Chapter 8

Ophidy looked down at the ground, the hardened gaze of Abraxes now much too difficult to keep.

"If they were "innocent vampires" they would have never encountered us. We aren't thieves." He concluded leaning back slightly.

"You know what, I think the dishes might do you some good." He smirked.

"I refuse to touch any gross dishes." She looked up with her own resolve collected. "And you can't lie to me, I know your gang was the one that killed my mother."

"So I hear..." He trailed off. "Listen, I don't know how to tell you this, but I had nothing to do with that." His smirk had fallen to a sympathetic frown. "We didn't kill your mother."

She furrowed her brows, thinking that odd because that is what she had been told by uncle and of course he would know the truth. This demon must be lying she decided.

"I will not be fooled. I know this to be fact." She responded confidently.

Abraxes pursed his lips, "No one is fooling you. Your land is a known trap for most creatures. Many go missing in those mountains. Anyone could have been seeking revenge on your family."

She shook her head confused, "Wait, what do you mean? A trap?" She knew that they occasionally caught creatures that held strong blood but she was always told they would release them after acquiring the minimum amount needed. Vampires had to eat too.

"As in whoever gets taken is gone, poof." He held his hand out in a motion of letting something go. "We call it the blood farm. Somewhere in those mountains is a facility where they keep those they farm for blood."

"We need to get the kid back, they'll kill her." Came the worried voice of the blue bear demon, Karav, his name she recalled.

Abraxes looked over, and grabbed the demon's shoulder. Karav was pretty large but Abraxes made him appear much smaller.

"They won't, they want her blood too badly." He tried to make his friend feel better. "She is tough, she'll hang in there."

"Why is her blood so special." Ophidy risked asking. She had to know, something was different about this werewolf.

The dream, now feeling so long ago, of those hands flashed in the back of her mind but she willed it away. This wasn't the time. She couldn't keep thinking about it now knowing who those hands belonged to.

Abraxes, Karav, as well as the rest of the room, all turned to stare at her.

"For some reason I feel it's not such a good idea to tell a vampire. However, you seem to be ignorant to much of the cultural environment. I wonder what else they lie about." He looked at her with eyes trying to see through her. "But to answer your question, she is what they call a mutt, a mixed creature, a hybrid. However, she happens to have a very strong combination of creatures that normally don't occur. She is basically one of a kind." He ended, answering without actually answering because he didn't expand on what other creature other than werewolf.

"Why would she allow herself to be captured if she knew the risk having such a potent blood?" Ophidy couldn't help but ask, shouldn't they have played it more safe?

"Listen-" Abraxas paused when a voice next to him interjected

"She was saving me." Karav had his gaze low and a look of shame on his face. "It should have been me that was captured." Guilt gripped the corners of his face and he looked absolutely miserable. She didn't know their relationship, but she could tell the two must have had some bond.

"We risk ourselves everyday, all of us. That's why we are here. We all make sacrifices, but it's to protect and rescue as many as we can." Abraxes stated but his tone was soft. "Mars knew the risks, and she also knows we are coming for her. Do not doubt our resolve." He gave his comrades shoulder a final squeeze and let go.

He turned back to Ophidy.

She found herself repeating the name he had spoken.

Mars...is that her name?

"Now, no more questions. Keil here will take you back to the room you will be staying in. Sorry we don't have many beds here. We will come with materials to write the letter and information you'll need to do so." He dismissed the conversation by grabbing another chicken leg and giving a quick nod to the reptile that had been standing behind Ophidy this whole time.

"Come." It called for her attention and led her back down the long maze of hallways.

She didn't think she would make it to the room as her vision started to tunnel. She expelled too much energy with not enough rest. She clutched the small draw string bag but she waited until she was in the privacy of the room and collapsed on the small bed before she pulled one of the pills out and took it quickly.

The buzz of it coursed through her gently. Nothing compared to the blood of the werewolf that was captured. The blood of Mars...

She couldn't help the feeling of mortification learning that her family was looked down on by many, and why.

The thought of them hoarding prisoners for blood made her suddenly nauseous. Is that where all of their blood came from? Poor victims being held captive for years? She didn't know who to believe. But in her heart something about what the demon said rang with truth.

She laid her head on the uncomfortable bed and closed her eyes, needing to escape.