Light's Shadows - On Hold

Chapter 12 - Donor

James

Time was of the essence.

 Philip was in danger and I had to help him. He’s too much of an idiot to be scared when he should be, but I could clearly hear the worry in his voice. This was bad.

 I pulled open the paneled wall leading to my panic room, my cellphone already tracking the location from which Philip had called me. I could do nothing until I found out where he was, so I was gearing up for battle.

 Syringe in hand I stepped into the chilly room, my sight zoomed in on one thing and one thing only - the leech.

 The animal blood kept her alive but not strong enough to fight me. Although sometimes, despite her incessant nagging, I got the feeling she didn’t really want to escape. It was as if she was hiding from something - or someone. And being held captive in the Lanchester fortress was probably the safest place for her if she was on the run.

 “No, Lanchester, I might be your captive but I refuse to give you a lap dance. Would you quit asking already?” the vamp joked sarcastically.

 “I don’t have time for this shit. My cousin is in danger and I need your venom. Now, we can do this the easy way or the-”

 I didn’t get a chance to complete my threat.

 The leech, now looking uncharacteristically serious, had stuck out her arm to me inviting me to take her venom.

 To say I was shocked would be an understatement. But I had no time to be suspicious and question her motives.

 I had intended on using the leech as a non-living, breathing venom bag but I never thought that she would let me take it from her without a fight.

 I was not used to this behaviour from a vampire and it confused me. My dealings with were never this willing, or tame for that matter.

 I grasped her pale arm in one hand, and plunged the needle in the crease of her elbow with the other, drawing her venom; the entire time avoiding her gaze.

 There seemed to be unspoken words between us. She was a vampire and I a human. Two beings wired to loathe the other. And here, for the first time in my life, I was thankful to one; not only for giving her venom willingly and saving me time, but for warning me as well. Although her warning had not helped Philip, the fact that he was in danger highlighted the truth which her words now rang with.

 "So believe me or don't, it's your family on the line. And know, that if something does happen to them and you didn't heed my warning, it will all be on your head!"

 I couldn't let anything happen to Phillip.

 I would never trust her or her kind but I was grateful, and in that moment, I accepted that maybe, just maybe, in her own twisted way she was trying to help us. I may not know what her reasons were, but if my family was at stake, I don’t think I could turn down a chance at saving them.

 When I was done, I nodded to her in thanks and left the room. I think she saw it there, in that cordial nod, that things had changed. 

Philip

My phone was wrenched from my hand and crushed till it was unrecognizable.

 “I just got that you leech!”

 “Mind your manners boy or that mouth of yours is going to earn you a whole lot of pain.”

 Ok, why in the name of Jack Sparrow was I not dead yet? The goons could’ve broken my neck ages ago. Now I'd have to suffer through this imbecile's pathetic rendition of the Sopranos.

 “What do you want from me? I haven’t done anything wrong!” I said, deciding to feign innocence.

 Leech Number 2 grabbed me by the shirt and hauled me up against the spray painted facebrick wall running alongside the pavement.

 “Shut your mouth you little bed-wetter. You aren’t even a blip on our radar. The likes of you are too dim to be a threat to us.”

 “Then what do you want?” I ground out, extremely confused now. They didn’t seem to know about our attacks on the Fibs. Otherwise I'd definitely be dead. But why the hell would they be harassing me?

 Leech 1 pulled out a blade and sauntered towards me. I struggled against Leech 2’s hold but it was useless. Bite me! Bite me!

 “What we want? I’ll tell you what we want you little shmuck. We want you to deliver a message for us.” He said scraping the blade across my cheekbone.

 I gritted my teeth as the sharp edge cut my flesh. Blood slowly dripped from the wound, down the side of my face.

 “I’m not doing anything for you!”

 “Oh but you will once you hear the message.” said Leech 1, licking the tip of his blade. I shuddered at the sight.

 “Hmm. Young, strong and tasty.” He said snarling, his face turning into the face of a monster.

 Leech 2 looked like he wanted to take a lick too, but seemed to be restraining himself.

 “Anyway, back to business.”

 But I never found out about what 'business' the leech was referring to because the next second, someone had slit his throat from behind.

 Venom oozed down his shirt in torrents and his now wide eyes dulled and glazed over as he slumped to the ground.

 There, where Leech 2 just stood, was James looking beyond murderous. His jaw was clenched taut,and if looks could kill Leech 1 would be just a scorch stain on the ground.

 “James! Wait!”

 But he was too fast; as Leech 2 turned towards him he grabbed his head and snapped his neck in two.

 James was breathing hard but he no longer looked like an axe-wielding maniac.

 “Philip. You okay, bud?” he said slinging his arm over my shoulder.

 We started walking away, leaving the two vampires on the pavement to rot till they were found.

 I wiped the blood from the cut on my cheek with my sleeve. “Yeah I am. Thanks James. But the only thing is, couldn’t you have come a minute later?”

 “Well, sorry for being worried about you and saving your life you ungrateful little prat.” He said, whacking the back of my head.

 Now, not joking at all I said, “I am grateful. You know I’d hate to be someone’s dinner but the thing is James, they didn’t come to kill me. They wanted me to deliver a message.”

 James stopped walking, tensing up at my words, “What message?”

 “I don’t know. You killed them before they could tell me.” I said flatly.

 James then let out a very colourful string of curses.