The Triskelion Chronicles 1: Devils and Darkness

Chapter Twenty: All the Devils are Here

Jack closed his eyes, relenting himself to his fate. The scythe fell down, faster than he could have ever guessed. For a second, Jack wondered what it would be like to feel nothing. If only all the pain, and guilt, and despair he felt could just disappear. It would be better, wouldn't it?

The scythe fell down towards him. The tip, only inches away from his face, was instantly knocked away by a white wooden arrow, with a silver head. Both Jack and Drakul looked over towards the door, lying on the floor in splinters, with Hazel Nightly standing over it, pulling back her mother's bow and knotting another arrow.

"Get the Hell away from my brother, asshole." She exclaimed, releasing another arrow, letting it fly through the air, lodging itself deep inside Drakul's shoulder. The monster screamed, reeling backwards, and grabbing the arrow, pulled it out. The tip was black with blood that trickled down the shaft, and down his arm.

Drakul retreated back into the shadows, leaving Jack breathless. Hazel bolted after Drakul, wielding her sword, only to stop dead in her tracks, in front of her brother. She sheathed her sword, as she kneeled down next to Jack.

"Jack," she said, with all the kindness she could muster, whilst resting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" Despite all the fear she felt for his life, despite him enthralling her to sleep, she still loved him.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." said Jack, through his tears. He grabbed his sister, pulling her into a firm hug. He was just glad that even now, he could still just embrace her.

Just over her shoulder, the Count appeared, holding a thin rapier. "Jack!" he exclaimed, rushing over to him, squeezing him so tightly that if Jack were alive, he probably wouldn't be able to breath. "We were so worried about you! How dare you run out on us in the middle of the night? You and I are going to have a long talk about what you did when we get back home, young man!"

Jack pushed the Count away, still keeping him at arm's length, as he looked over to Hazel. "Is he with you?" he asked.

"Just roll with it." said Hazel, shrugging her shoulders. "Anyway, he has a point. You and I are going to have one Hell of a talk when we get back."

The Count raised his hand, as if to ask a question. "I don't mean to interrupt this touching, family, discipline moment, but have you seen Chris or Julie around here?"

Jack's eyes widened, suddenly coming to a realisation. He had gotten so caught up in the moment that he had hardly spent a single thought on where his friends were. If they were dead, he would never be able to forgive himself.

Suddenly, the chamber filled with the piercing sound of a screaming howl. The howl echoed all around them, filling their hearts with a heavy dread.

"Chris." Jack whispered. Though, both the Count and Hazel could still hear him. Instantly, Jack grabbed his sword off the ground and sprinted towards the source of the sound, with Hazel running frantically after him.

Blood spatters flew through the air, as Vampire fought Vampire and Werewolf, on the beach outside the mansion. The sand was soaked with so much blood, that it gleamed red in the crimson moonlight.

Bronislava stared down the pale faces of her former coven, hoping against hope that there would be some way to save them. The worst thing about it, was the way they looked at her. She had expected them to look at her blankly, as if they were unaware of what they were doing. But they did not. Their eyes met, and they recognised her. They knew her, and what they were doing. It occurred to Bronislava, exactly how much under Drakul's thrall they were.