The Price of Blood

Chapter 25

"Mission Mountain Vineyard, Montana, United States of America

Closed for off season.

TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED"

It's my job to walk at the back of the long line, teeth and knife ready, to attack any intruders.  The high long fence that surrounds the vineyard is full of razor wire that will cut any human to shreds before they've even come off the ground.  The fence is jarred and jagged, just like the landscape.  The wind whips through my coat as I briskly try to keep up with the rest of the pack and Lauren, being dragged through the softly falling snow towards the huge brown chalet that we call our home.  The fence has the same orange sign across every part, warning of death to all who attempt to cross and building up an even greater sense of sadness and despair that already lingers in the doors, windows, roofs and grass of the vineyard.  I see Lauren freeze as she sees the nearby sign, dripping with blood.  Jake gives a satisfied smirk, grabs her roughly by the hand and starts dragging her forward again, before getting one of his fingers, getting rid of all the blood on the sign, and then licking them.  I try not to gag and continue to walk at the back, trying to get the horror on Lauren's face out of my mind.

The rusty gates creak open and we go inside.  The path is lit with low purple lamps, marking the way to the chalet, which is dark against the pinkish sky leading into early evening.  The path glitters in dew and blood, creating dark shapes on the soil, making my stomach do a backflip.  I hate the sight of blood.  It makes me want to barf.  And I have to drink it to survive.  I try not to vomit as I pass each dark shape, though it particularly hard when I see one shaped like a corpse on the ground.  Lauren doesn't appear to notice the shapes on the ground, she is simply staring, transfixed, at the stains of blood on Jake's finger and trying to comprehend what has just happened.  She almost seems not able to believe what she has just seen.  Jake seems to notice her stare, and he gives me a small smirk, before leading her towards the door of the chalet.  Our chalet is brown, made of timber, with huge red shutters with black latches that attach onto the window panes, which are misted over.  Huge crops of wine grow behind it, however it masks a huge factory, underground, where humans are killed and their blood taken, ready for use by, well, by people like us.  

People like us? My consciousness emerges from the corner of my head, previously hidden away. You mean monsters right Bradley? I try and get rid of the voice but it continues to keep coming back. You are a monster Bradley. The voice whispers these lies in my head, and I try to block them out. No-one will ever love you, ever except you. A different voice, a lower darker voice enters my brain, and I know that I have let my MindScreen slip.  Jake's voice fills my mind, making me shudder.  MindScreens are almost impossible to get back when you have someone rabbiting away inside of you.  Jake knows this.  And I am in deep horseshit.

"We need to have a talk." he says inside my mind, "Starting with why you chose to try and beat the crap out of me earlier."

I don't answer.  At least not immediately.

"Cut the small talk Jake." I finally reply,   "The others may not have worked it out yet, but I know exactly what you are going to do with Lauren when she gets inside that chalet with you." I can feel Jake shift as I stare into the back of his head, before I start again, "She's already dead.  It hurts me, that's all."

 I could swear I could see Jake start to grin.

"I know why you really care." he says cautiously, "You've never cared that much before.  Remember, I know all your secrets."