The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Chapter 42/The reunion of vixens

The red dust began to move down the corridor. Leaking from each ceiling vent. 

'How did they release that' thought Mary? It was hard to tell what as going on in the mask. The red-dust was too high for mortals to reach. The  red gas cleared and she could see First Earth Army approaching in masks from the lower lockers. She handed her two live rounds to the soilder next to her. He loaded them. 

"Halt or I fire!" shouted Mary.

'"eh right," said a muffed voice who seemed very uninpressed. 

"I don't want to do this!!! One round to demonstrate. Wound if you can" said Mary. The long coat fired the round she had given him earlier and shot the front uniform. He fell to the ground like a dropped pig. She was glad she always kept two rounds hidden on her.

"gun" the soldiers said retreating "gun," they said passing the message along. They retreated down the corridor and Mary was content not to cause harm to retreating foe especially if she had to negotiate with them later for her life. They created a barrier of their own and waited. The red-drawn dissipated as it should, soon no red cloud was left. Mary knew it was safe to take the mask off.

Then a woman's voice shouted "give up black scum, the humans will be unharmed. If you wished to be freed, turn on your familiar and kill them as a sign of your good faith," .

"We are all human and have the Princess in here." Mary shouted back " We want warrant of passage, *IF* we surrender".

"OK" said a voice "kill the silver neck traitor and we will promise you safe passage," said the voice. Mary was sure it was somehow familiar.

There was a cheer in the distance, Mary could hear chants of "the witch is dead" "the witch is dead". Mary knew this was the nick name for the high priestess.   If the high priestess had gone then they had got to temple, possibly the wedding guests even Sadismann. 

Suddenly blue streak blasted down the corridor. Mary had seen that movement before it was an immortal moving at speed suddenly she had been picked up and taken to the other end of the corridor. When they stopped Mary looked up.

"Elizabeth?"  she said in surprise.Even in this crazy mixed up world she recognised her. 

Elizabeth looked down.

"Mary ? Mary is that you?" said Elizabeth tilting her head, now dreadfully confused.

"Are you trying to convince me you're made out of gold and can't be sold?" said Mary quoting the song she and Elizabeth sung when washing. Elizabeth weaken her grip about Mary's throat.

"I thought you were dead," said Mary.

"I thought you were to," said Elizabeth smiling pleased to see an old friend.

"By the fish marked.  I've never been so glad I've been so wrong,"  said Mary.

"Shit you look like one of them' said Elizabeth looking over Mary. She smiled. 

"They caught me, I came looking for you, I'm sorry about leaving you on the dock that night it was all my fault. Shit Beth you look fabulous, what are you doing here?" said Mary. 

"Slaughtering scum like you,"  said General Crab coming up the corridor "My lady meet Bloody Mary the Balham Butcher her self." 

Elizabeth  looked at Mary her eyes widened, "you're bloody Mary?"

"It's not what you think," said Mary

"I saw the bodies float down the river for a month afterwards. The lake was red with blood" said Crab.

"You don't understand," said Mary neck again nearly crushed under Elizabeth's supernatural strength.

"I understand a traitor to her own kind," said Crab.

The First Earth Army soldiers started chanting "kill her, kill her."

"Now you understand this," said Elizabeth before she savaged at Mary's neck. The only thing that went through Mary's mind was the Princess, and the words 'the first cut does not hurt at all, the second only makes you wonder'.