Blood and Apples

Glass and Stone

      Rhys POV,

  Somewhere in my deadened heart, I had to rescue her. It was my code as a long forgotten knight. I would not allow her to die or lose her to someone else. I had seen this mirror once before, known its darkest secrets. The mirror would work as a portal, taking you through the Soul Chamber to reach you destination but only if your hear was pure. If you weren't then it would trap you in its reflective surface, making you use your voice to tell fortunes for an eternity. My eyes glance to Mason whose head is slumped and tears shine in his eyes. No, he would not make it, his heart would not be in it.

    "Go to bed, Mr. James. I'll be around if you need me." I say softly.

   He let out a sound of protest but I simply growled low in my throat and he obeyed my order. I shifted the mirror to a bare wall and spoke the ancient words,

    "Oh, I see the world through my blind eyes,

      Rich hues of grey and black,

        Shadows dance across my lids,

   Stroking and caressing me,

  Leading me into darkness,

     I follow, obeying the shadows,

   Who dance and rejoice at my choice,

     Take me to where I long to be."

   The mirror shimmered and became blank. The entire face of glass fades away and reveals a stoned walled passage. Here goes nothing. I stepped over the ledge and the mirror quietly closed behind me, drenching me in darkness. I blink and let my vampire sight take over me. The passage is now bathed in shadowy red. I inch forward, mindful that there might be traps to snare the unworthy. My feet slip on the cracked and moss covered stone and I nearly get speared by a spike embedded into the wall. The passage narrows and ends in a small oval mirror. I tap the face of it once and it melts away. I exit quickly as the passage becomes filled with glass. My feet drop down onto concrete, bloodstained concrete. It appears I am in a dungeon as petrified screams echo around me. There are torches lit with a mysterious blue glow which hurts my eyes. I shake off and draw my hood over my head. Its canvas fabric brushes my hair each time I move but I don't adjust it, I like the feeling of a hood, it keeps me sane and safe as I'll ever be.

     I move carefully between the empty and half filled cells. Inside are vampires, humans and other monstrosity. It seems that vampires have lost all sense of humanity and feast on corpses and themselves. I wrinkle my nose in disgust, an oddly human gesture which I have not forgotten. The scent of blood and decay are high in the air. I hear a noise like a door opening and quickly hide in an alcove. It was a mortal, not a hunter. This will be easy. I fly at the man who doesn't even have a chance to scream. I lock my arm around his throat, choking him.

     "Where is Elinor?!" I hiss.

     "Who?" He gasps.

    "Where is Elinor?" I repeat carefully, tightening my grip.

        The man's face turned blue and he rasped out the next words,

    "Oh...you mean the vampire slut who killed half a dozen of my kin when we tried to cage her?"

   I lost it. Snap, went the mans neck and I was soon feeding from his slashed windpipe. Sated, I wiped the blood from my mouth. I acted too hastily but I figured he wasn't going to pry any more secrets from his wretched mouth. I exited through the door where he'd come from. I heard inhuman moans coming from doors on either side of the hallway I was going down. The thick carpet muffled my footfalls. One door lay open but as soon as I entered, an iron grill slashed down preventing me from going further. Elinor was sat in a wooden chair, stripped to the waist and a single dagger was pressed to her chest. I could smell holy water and poison coming off that blade. She was covered in filth and her own blood. The cloaked hunter grinned when he saw me. Bastard.

    "One more move, leech, and I end her."

     I stopped and glanced at Elinor's pleading face. She looked so human in that moment. Her eyes seemed to be saying, "Turn back". But I wasn't going to.

    "This one really is the famed Snow White, isn't she? Her stepmother didn't want her killed when my ancestors were around. I wonder why.  But since she's not here, well, I should have a little fun."

   I stiffened. My hands had clenched into fists and I ground my teeth.

    "She does have a remarkable body. Such grace and finesse for killing mortals."

    I opened my mouth but shut it quickly. Don't be rash, Rhys. Jasper would have not liked if you had lost your temper. Loyal Jasper, sweet Harriet. Oh, if they could only see me now, trying to save their descendent. I forced my lips into a grim smile. To hell with that. I lunged forward, smacking into the grill. I let out a yelp when the bars burned my hands.

   "Ah, ah. I knew you were going to do that so I had those bars doused in holy water. You don't like that stuff, do you? Whatever shall we do with this vampire slut here? She's way too pretty to kill. Oh, I know, I'll cut off her head and mount it on the fireplace." The hunter let out an insane giggle.

   "Cut the crap! I've heard every single bloody word that has come from your dammed lips!" Mason suddenly spoke up from beside me.

   I narrowed my eyes at him.

    "You should not be here. You'll end up as collateral damage." I said to him through gritted teeth.

   "Not my problem, I don't care. I just want to save my friend and you if necessary." Mason gave a wide smile.

    "Cut the chit chat, boys. I have something else I want you to see." The hunter snapped his fingers.

    Two more hunters appeared, dragging a blonde woman into the room. She wore jeans and a graphic tee. He feet were bare and bloody. I recognized her instantly.

    "Selena?!" I said in shock.

   Her head jerked up and she looked confused for a moment but then she smiled sadly.

   "Caught this one trying to rescue the vampire. She said she resembled someone she once knew. Said she looked liked Harriet Muffet." A female hunter spoke.

   The hunter who stood by Elinor nodded sharply. Next thing I knew a blade had been shoved deep in Selena's stomach. She coughed, spewing blood.

    "No!" Mason and I roared.

  Selena fell but not before I saw a triumphant smile on her face. What the?! What was she thinking?