The Blood's Call

Chapter 1

Agony.

Pure agony. That's all there was. Everything ached. Burned. Screamed with a million years worth of pain. He didn't dare open his eyes, fearing what would be around him. He could hear the faintest voices. They slithered around and consumed his every thought.

"...Lance..." He heard his name. It was quieter than the other words but he heard it clear as day. A sharp cramp rose in his body. Then there were steps. They echoed, becoming louder and louder the closer they were to him. He stayed still as he heard the lock open. The door creaked and the footsteps entered the room.

"You're sure he ain't dead?" A man with a deep voice asked. Dark and as deep as a black hole. The words pronounced with an accent Lance didn't recognise. At a guess, he'd say a mix of English, Welsh and a hint of something else. Something ancient.

"He was alive the last time I checked," Another voice muttered. This voice sounded more feminine. Sharp and cruel, filled with hate and misery. Her accent was most definitely English. Posh and snobby.

"Well check again. You said that about the last five and we know what happened." The deeper voice seemed further away from him. Closer to the door. The agony grew. Lance felt a shiver run through him. It shook his very core. Something cold came closer. A freezing hand touched his neck. Lance tried to stay still but he flinched a bit.

"Said he's alive." The cold started to disappear. The burning increased. The pain growing and growing. Lance wished that he was like the other five at this point.

"Good. The Boss will be pleased." The deeper voice was closer.

"Thanks for stating the obvious Tobias." The feminine voice sniggered. Lance felt someone grab his waist and then he was in the air and moving. He felt something dig into his stomach (he thought it might've been a shoulder). He whined. The ache in his bones being triggered by the movement. Lance felt like he was being burned alive. The pain seemingly worse in his throat and head.

"Come on Beatrice. Let's get this one back before the Boss see's reason to make an example out of us again." The male voice (Tobias??) grumbled as he moved out of the door. Lance was whacked against the frame.

"I don't understand why he needs another one." The other voice (Beatrice) followed behind them. "Surely the black haired and the rest of them are enough."

"Who are we to question his Highness." Tobias sighed as Lance felt them descend up the stairs. His eyes remained closed. The pain becoming worse with every single tiny movement. The dark at the corners of his vision consumed him.

"Who are we dropping this one off too?" Tobias asked as Lance felt himself being dumped into the backseat of a car. He felt the cold hands on his chest, pushing him back as he slowly faded back into consciousness.

"Sendak." Beatrice muttered as the car door closed and she made her way to the front seat.

"I hate that self-preserving piece of -"

"Language Tobias. We don't know who could be listening. And you don't want to become like Claude. Remember what happened to him? He was tortured for weeks, his blood drained. He was healed and they repeated it. He was kept begging for release. Begging for them to slice open his throat and-"

"Alright! I get it!" Tobias shivered as he drove around a corner. Lance couldn't tell where they were nor the time of day. The blacked out windows made sure of that.

"I swear you were the one who told Haggar about him, Beatrice?" Beatrice grinned. A hungry grin that showed off her fangs. Wait... Her fangs?

"Damn right it was me." Beatrice laughed. A cackle that resounded throughout the whole car. "The son of a bitch deserved it. Thinking he could get away with treating me like shit. Did no one teach him to respect his elders."