Two Hearts, Connected

Chapter 6

It was nighttime now, and I finally reached the catacombs. It wasn't long before I saw the netting Rudolph had told me about. "Hello?" I called out, smacking the netting and making noise. There was no answer. "Well, here goes nothing." I shrugged, starting at the bottom left of the net.

I was only able to get two of the nuts undone when the sound of a car came from behind me. I whipped around, only to see the torn apart truck that belonged to Rookery. My eyes rippled into red as I released a heated snarl. "Do you always show up at the wrong time?" I asked, my tail whipping behind me dangerously as Rookery approached with his crossbow armed. "Your wrong time, not mine." He chuckled out. The sound of a helicopter made me look up to see his lackey landing beside him. It wasn't an actual helicopter, more like the skeleton of one.

"How did you get my spanner?!" Rookery bellowed out. My gaze drifted above him for a moment, only to see Rudolph and his cow flying towards us. My eyes snapped back down to Rookery. "You want it back so much? Take it!" I shouted, throwing it at him. The wrench hit him square between the eyes, and I smirked when I felt Rudolph's arms around my waist once again.

As he flew off with me, he chuckled aloud. "This is becoming a habit. You get yourself into some terrible mess, and then I come to your rescue." He winked at me, flying me to a ledge of the ruins surrounding the catacombs. "Me? Well what about you, tough guy?" I smirked, crossing my arms as he set me down, landing beside me. "Well, I guess that's what friends are for." He said, pulling me close.

Rudolph and I listened in while Rookery explained the plan to his lackey. "They're going to bomb the catacombs." I whispered out, biting my lip. Rudolph's jaw clenched in determination. He grab my hand, told the cow to stay put, and flew us towards Rookery.

We landed on the ground behind them, and Rookery whipped around. I saw him pull the trigger in slow motion, and without thinking, I jumped in front of Rudolph.

"Elena, no!"

I felt the stake go through my ribs. I was thankful that he had missed my heart, but I collapsed on the ground nonetheless. My wings hit the ground uselessly with a thump. I heard the angry hiss from Rudolph, and the laugh from Rookery.

"We have 30 seconds until the bomb goes off. There's going to be a shockwave. We have to get to cover." Rookery's lackey said. I felt unfamiliar arms pick me up--none too gently mind you--and I could feel myself being dropped unceremoniously to the hard ground.

I opened my eyes to see Rudolph looking at me in worry, and casting several glances over the edge of the broken pillar we were hiding behind. "Rudolph....we'll find a way to save your family..." I said weakly. The ticking of the bomb seemed to be getting louder, until it stopped. Rudolph gently pulled me towards him, holding me in his cold, yet comforting embrace.

The bomb went off, and I heard the entrance of the catacomb come tumbling down. The entire ground seemed to be shaking. Once the dust began to settle, I looked up from Rudolph's embrace to see Rookery smiling evilly, still pointing his crossbow at us.

"Excuse me, gentlemen."

I furrowed my brow at the deep, unfamiliar voice. Suddenly, the spanner smacked Rookery and his companion across the face, and they fell to the ground, dazed for the moment. "Gregory?" Rudolph called out hopefully. Out from the cloud of dust in front of us popped a new vampiric face. A big smile was on his face as he flew between us, picking us both up and flying away.

"You made it through the labyrinth?" Rudolph asked, amazed. "Barely. The twists, the turns." Gregory began to gesture with his hands. Only problem, was that he let go of mine as he did so. I yelped out as I began falling down towards the ground, tumbling through the air.