In a flash of Fangs

As Promised

The room was quiet, the crackling of fire in the hearth was the only noise to break the still that consumed my thoughts. My eyes gazing into the flames its soft glow illuminating the red in my eyes, I stared deeply into the burning pit and then sighed. Lifting my hands to run them through my hair I noticed they were glistening with blood and thought better of it. Lowering my eyes, I stayed in my crouched position in front of the fire trying to avoid the inevitable. I had to burn this place to the ground, no one could find any evidence of what happened here, no one could know I was real. A few minutes more I stared into the fire and watched as it danced and licked the wood with a never-ending whirl of reds, yellows and even white at its hottest points. I stood up and reached for a piece of wood that was still more wood than ash and held it in front of me, hiding behind its flames I closed my eyes and said a farewell to Stela's parents before tossing the log onto the body of Marius. The flame suddenly released from the hearth seemed to be giddy with the sudden extension of oxygen and began to race across the fabric of Marius's deceased body, nothing was untouched by the flame. It was almost loving as it caressed the fabric, engulfing and gorging itself on the feast of its life the fire spread throughout the room causing me to retreat outside and watch as little by little the mansion was fully encased in the fiery menace.

"Duceți-i acasă la un loc dincolo de stele. Fie ca viețile lor să nu se fi încheiat în zadar, îți promit că îți voi proteja copiii cu viața mea." I whispered as I looked up to the moon, its brilliance cascading down on the inferno below. The two entities became one as the fire reached towards the sky with the gifts of the dead inside its fiery grasp an offering to the moon. The celestial body above glowing bright in the sky sent shafts of its incandescence to the pyre below as if lending a hand, reaching for those bereft of life to transfer them to their eternal home beyond the stars. I knew it wouldn't be long before the smoke caught the attention of the little town down the hill but I still had another matter to deal with, Marius' son Sorin. He hadn't arrived yet but he would and soon, the fire still going had slowed its roaring and was now only hissing and making popping noises as it broke the wood down into nothing but a smoldering pile of ash. With clenched fists, I took a fleeting look at what had been Desponté mansion, gone were the spires and grand halls all that stood now were the few unlucky beams that hadn't been claimed by the fire. I turned away from the sad sight and allowed myself to transform into the monster I had become quickly I strode into the woods to wait for my prey. I waited crouched up in a tree watching the outskirts for any movement not hearing anything I began to wonder if Sorin was even involved in this. It was then that I heard a tirade coming from deep in the woods, I could tell that a few men were involved and without a second thought, I was up in the air flying as fast as the little-winged creatures could carry me. I landed silently only a few feet away as my companions flew off squeaking as they passed by the small group. I sat hidden in the trees watching Sorin and Stela's brother Konstantin circle each other like dog's ready to fight at a moment's notice. Both choosing careful steps to keep each other in sight as the fog rolled in thicker and blocking out one's sight for mere seconds. Konstantin was watching the man's every move his own movements were almost animalistic as his body was coiled up like a cat ready to pounce, his eyes never wavering from the man in front of him. Then, it happened, the first move was from Sorin and it was like lightning had struck. The sound rang in my ears as metal clashed against metal and sparked as they hit swords again and again. Konstantin was fast but not fast enough as Sorin swung down pushing the already tired Konstantin to the ground on one knee holding his sword in front to block the blow. He didn't see the other men come from the fog and then he was being held arms away from his sides, Kosti's sword now kicked out of reach as the leader advanced with his sword glistening with fog and the start of daylight.

The leader had a wicked grin on his face as he recognized who he now had in his possession. Stabbing the sword into the earth he leaned down using the sword for balance and spoke his voice gruff.