Divided

Chapter Four

The woman croaked, gasping for air. Ha, a woman ! To think he would even consider her one.

The thought then gave way to anger as Henry remembered the man she had lured and deceived , all the men she left as corpses without so much of an blink of the eye. She was a beast disguised as a woman. He tightened his fingers further around her pale , thin neck. Tears flowed from her eyes.

" Where is he ? " She couldn't breathe so his loosened his grip – but just enough for her to get some air and give him the information he needed.

" I got 'em tied up on meh bed in meh house over yonder , " she said in an accent. She pointed to a white house between a barbershop and bakery. Henry nodded before giving her a quizzical look.

" Why..."

" Precautions ! " she said defensively , averting her eyes in shame. Henry suddenly felt nauseous. He dropped her flat on her bottom. Hard.

" Stand up , " he ordered.

" Repulsive, " Henry frowned at her.

The vampiress coughed , smoothing her red hair with her fingers.

" A woman's got needs too ya' know."

" You're not a woman , " Henry said curtly.

She narrowed her blue eyes at him.

" You're one to talk , " she muttered quietly.

The woman rose to her feet , looking around for an escape route. There was none. Despite Annie's age of 100 years , Henry was at least twice that age give or take and hence far more quick and stronger than she. His power was no joke; had Annie been human her neck bones would've been crushed in his hold.

" Take me to your house , " Henry said.

Swallowing , Annie walked in front of him , entering her home. The moon shined. It was beautiful. Any other day Annie would've smiled. But today she would not. Today would be her last. Never had she met a vampire like him. Even the more humane ones were not as hateful towards their more bloodthirsty counterparts. She shivered. They had much more to fear from their own kind it seemed than humans.

Annie opened the door , the hallways dark. Cobwebs had collected in the corners of the house and Henry shook his head. This was the stereotypical vampire's lair , dark and foreboding. Annie walked upstairs , her eyes searching for a weapon , anything, but she found nothing not even to maim him with. There was a window in front. She could run through it , break the glass and escape.

As if reading her mind , Henry said, " Don't you dare." His voice was hard.

" I wasn't gonna do a damn thing ! " She muttered to herself , " Stupid Brit."

Annie finally stopped in front of an splintered , plain brown door and turned the knob , pushing herself in. There was a muffled voice and Henry pushed the vampiress to the side , closing the door behind him. He looked at the bed , disgust settling in. The white sheets of the bed were stained with red spots , droplets. He could see signs of struggle – a hole had been punched in the wall next to the closet , soiled by dry blood. But what was more important was the body restrained on the bed.

The man was tan , with black strands of hair on his sweaty forehead. Tears dripped down his face , and his brown eyes were wide in fear at the sight of both of them. Each wrist and ankle was tied tightly to a bed post , leaving him immobilized. He was naked except for his drawers. Purple and blue bruises were etched into the flesh of his neck , right eye , and his abdomen. She had been a rough and desperate feeder; puncture wounds could be seen on his neck wrists and stomach . There was a knife wound on his chest , stitched back up neatly. His captor had sliced through his skin with a knife , and happily lapped up all the blood like a lowly dog.

Henry was a calm man. A reasonable one. He tried to keep emotions from taking charge but he couldn't. Not after seeing the extent of the damage she had done. Henry turned to Annie , who cowered near the closet.

" Please I - "

He didn't let her finish. He was just a blur when he charged at her , gripping her hair tightly. Annie winced. Gosh , it felt like he was trying to pull all her hair by the roots. That would hurt; She knew he could.

" Why ? Why are you doing this ? This is who I am , " Annie groaned in pain , her head being pulled back.

" Excuses ! Don't try to justify your savagery. "

" Who the hell are you ? God ? " the Scottish woman said through gritted teeth. " Actin' so damn holy . You're a vampire. Cursed. Not no human. "

" I didn't come to be lectured. I came to save this man and for information. Things have been too quiet as of late." Annie smirked , looking up at him.

" You don't know do ya ' ? "

" What ? "

" They all ran down south. All of 'em. Well , a large amount. That's a vampire's paradise. The south."

She would tell him. He would kill her anyway. Why keep it a secret? Now she had some control. Henry released her hair , she was complying. Annie rubbed her aching head. Henry had only been to the south A few times. It was not really his favorite place. Not one bit.

" Slaves. That's why they're moving there."

She smiled , her eyes bright with insanity. " Yes … fact I was gonna move on down there meself. No one would care if it's niggers I'm killin'. "

Henry remembered his falling out with Abraham. Abolishing slavery is the only way...Henry could see Abraham's point. This kept the vampires alive. It kept them going , drinking all the red nectar they could at endless supply.

" So that's where it really is. "

The south. He knew it was a hotspot for vampires. But Henry was hesitant . He would be there...waiting...the father of all vampires.

" Adam. He got a plan for us all. Says one day we won't have to hide in the shadows no more. One of these days. We won't just be drinkin' from no niggers anymore either. But every single human in this country. And we will get rid of traitors like ya'self."

Adam.

" You worship him, don't you ? " Annie looked him straight in the eye.

" He will bring us to glory. You wait and see. A country of own , just like he said. I ain't got no regrets for what I've done. "

Henry couldn't stand this horrid conversation or this sick woman , indoctrinated by Adam and so fervently loyal to him. He was ready to silence her once and for all. Henry readied his hand before aiming for her heart. He penetrated her flesh and blood dripped on the floor , staining his sleeves. Annie looked at him , gagging and choking on her own blood.

She whispered through her red stained teeth , " I know why you're killing me. " He dug his hand deeper , wanting to kill her and shut her voice but it quietly continued , unperturbed. " You're killing me because you see the one thing you can 't stand..." Sneering at him , she continued with all the strength she could gather .

"Yourself."