Forsaken Blood

- GRACE -

Layla followed the old monk through the heavy wooden doors. The ancient hinges creaked as they swung in and gave refuge to the small group from the cold night air.

Layla felt uneasy as she stepped into the cavernous hall. Rows of stone pillars and wooden pews led up to an altar of veined marble. Her skin prickled as she marveled at the high ceilings and wondered if she should have burned up at the door.

This place reminded her of her father and their constant battles over faith. She hated the fact that he could never accept her agnostic view points. But now, everything was different, she was part demon - what did that mean?

She followed Jeremiah and the monk down the hall but couldn't shake the feeling of watching eyes. The hair on her neck pricked up and she searched the shadowed corners uneasily.

"Why did you bring her here, Jeremiah?" the monk asked.

The sudden sentence broke Layla's attention and she felt the heaviness of his foreboding question.

"Thomas," Jeremiah replied to the monk, "we are all bound to help the innocent."

"The innocent!" Thomas cried, "not the ones in league with the unnamable."

"You can hardly blame the girl for her mother's actions..." Said Jeremiah.

Layla tried to focus on the conversation but her attention waned. Her eyes were being pulled toward the doors behind her. She looked back and saw the memorial candles flickering wildly in their stepped iron stand. There was no wind here, the doors were closed.

"God, Jeremiah," the monk cursed breaking Layla's focus, "if she is too stay, we will have to inform Raphael."

"It will be all out war soon, we will have to," Jeremiah replied.

Layla's head felt light, she couldn't keep up with what was being said. Who was Raphael? What war? She looked around the room half dazed and saw the plumes of incense steadily streaming toward the altar.

Why weren't they wafting up?

"Keep her here and protect her!" Jeremiah yelled.

But as the words left his mouth, the ancient wooden doors burst open with a great crack and the howling wind from outside came rushing in. From the inky black shadows of night, two forms came marching up toward the door. Layla gasped as they came into view, it was Kane and one of his soldiers.

They halted right at the threshold of the monastery, their red eyes gleaming into the room, their protruding fangs on show for all to see.

A cry from Thomas shook Layla to the core.

"you cannot enter this place!"

The vampires laughed and Layla's legs went weak. She couldn't hold herself up and crashed to the hard slate floor. Jeremiah ran to help her up as the monk ripped out his rosary and held it up to the vampires.

"Thomas, Thomas, Thomas..." Kane laughed, "we have only come for the girl. Now, hand her over."

"Over my dead body!" the monk roared.

The vampires laughed again, as a third shadowy figure slipped between them and walked straight through the doors. It was Anastasia. She walked with purpose, her black leather boots clacking across the floor as she marched straight toward Thomas. In one fluid motion she took the monk by his throat and wrenched him up off his feet.

"See, Kane, there is power in her blood." Anastasia said.

She clenched her grip, her nails protruded deep into his flesh, until finally she tore out Thomas' throat and let the man collapse on the ground in a bloody heap.

Layla screamed and Jeremiah flew to his feet. He put himself between Layla and Anastasia.

"Give me the bitch," Anastasia hissed through clenched teeth.

Jeremiah fixed his eyes on the vampire, he stretched his arms outward and threw his head toward the ceiling. Layla felt the monastery begin to vibrate, a high pitch sound screamed through her ears forcing her to her knees. White light started to streak out of Jeremiah, as pure white beams threw themselves into every corner of the hall. Layla could feel the energy building and watched as Anastasia cowered at the light. The tension built until the light around Jeremiah exploded like a bomb and filled the room with blinding radiance.

Layla wanted to scream, her whole world was being consumed around her. But then it dawned on her that this was the power that saved her in her room.