VAMPIRUS

JUSTIFIABLE MEANS

Isabella's heart hammered in her chest as Blake's face hovered over hers.  His blackened irises bore into hers still, his fangs bared and dripping with her blood.  His hands held her arms firmly as he lifted her up, her feet dangling a few inches from the linoleum.

"You wanna kill another vampire, Isabella's?" he whispered menacingly.

"I--I c-can't ... " she stammered, fear gripping her soul.

"But you've done it before, haven't you?" he questioned matter-of-factly.  "Why are you so afraid, my dear Isabella?"  His hand gently caressed her cheek.  "I'm here to help."

Isabella's eye's shed tears.  She had never been so terrified in all of her life.  This Blake was one powerful and (now) scary individual.  Never had she encountered a rogue so dark and foreboding as this one, a side few may have ever encountered.

"Well, my fearless vampire hunter?" Blake pressed, his smile hideously captivating.  "Shall you do the honors, or do you prefer I do it?"  He possessed two large knives and placed one in each of her hands, moving behind her and positioning her arms.  "Stab Ivan straight in the heart."

"But Craig--"

"Just do it."

The knives she held buried themselves to the hilt in Ivan's chest.

Isabella blinked.  What just happened?  She suddenly found herself in the main parlor with the others, the knife blades embedded in Ivan's chest cavity through leathery wing which held the younger rogue hostage.  But how did she commit the act so quickly?

"That's how you do it, dear," Blake replied, setting her down on the floor.  "Superhuman speed.  Now if you'll excuse me..."  He gently yet urgently pushed her aside then metamorphosed into a bat and stepped boldly to Craig.  The two vampires were matched strength for strength.

Craig flung the wounded Ivan across the room, the knives protruding from his chest ripping outward and through the tenuous membranes of Craig's wing.  Ivan's body slammed into the far wall and collapsed forward in a dead heap, the gaping hole in his heart spilling out a vast amount of blood.

Clee, Jacob and the two werewolves fought well but were no match for the evil rogue.  Craig had them weakened and out of breath, close to resigning from the fight.

"Bring it on, bitch," Blake spat in Craig's face.

Craig immediately wrapped his wings, although the one tattered and torn, around Blake's torso and squeezed.  Blake slammed his forehead with supernatural speed against Craig's own with a bellowing yell, catching Craig completely unawares.  He stumbled away from Blake, his wings dropping to his sides, his hand going to the part of the skull where blood began to flow.  Blake's headbutting did some rather significant damage.

Blake hissed maniacally and leaped at Craig, forcing him through a bay window.  They both fell to the earth, Blake levitating in mid-air to avoid impact with the ground, his wings working with the air as he watched his enemy attempt to fight his descent with a damaged wing.  Craig landed on the ground with some difficulty but he was standing.  He gazed up at Blake and emitted a menacing growl.

Blake snickered.  He surveyed the scene below him, noticing that Craig had summoned a dozen or more of his rogues to station themselves around the property.  Silly.  Blake continued to laugh as he landed softly on the well-manicured lawn.

"Craig, my boy, I commend your courage," he mocked.  "Your tenacity is honorable.  But tell me this:  did you really think that you could defeat me?  That you could destroy me?  I feign weakness, in case you haven't noticed.  And now look.  I have the upper hand...again."  He held up a hand, using telekinesis to restrain Craig from speaking.  He considered the rogues surrounding his estate.

"Come," he beckoned them.  "You need not fear me."

The crowd of vampires sauntered over to him, snarling and hissing.  Blake held telekinetic sway over them and they were aware of it, realizing they were under the control of another much against their will.  Their master Craig himself was held against his will, the look of anguish and fear a delight to Blake's senses.  He regarded his nemesis with amusement, smiling delightfully as Craig's eyes shifted toward him.  He knew he was done for.  Blake could feel his despair, his anger, his resentment, his fury, his fear.  He winked at him.

"Kill him."  Blake's command was filled with delight.

The gang of vampires surrounded Craig, wasting no time in tearing into their once-fearsome leader.

"We could've been allies, Craig," Blake replied with the same smile,"but you took the low road."

Craig shot Blake one last look of hatred before his head was savagely torn away from his neck.  As soon as that happened, the rogues who had followed their ancient leader to the end fell to the earth in dead heaps.

Blake metamorphosed back into his human-like form and was greeted by the two werewolves who accompanied Craig but now realized they were betrayed.  They were wearing clothes which came from Broderick's wardrobe in order to hide their nakedness, which no doubt Marla assisted them with.

The one with the lean, taller body surveyed the grotesque scene with bewilderment.  "I see you handled everything well."

Blake answered with a nod of his head. 

"We were hoping to speak with you," the other said.  "We wanted to offer our apologies for what transpired this evening.  We had no idea that Craig..."

"...would've betrayed you," Blake finished.  "I know.  He betrayed all of us."  He surveyed the two of them with a baleful eye.  "I have two questions for you:  who are you and how did you get tied up with Craig in the first place?"

The taller one spoke.  "My name is Shad, and this is my younger brother Ashton.  Our tribe of wolfen had an allegiance with Craig after he helped us destroy a gang of mortals who tried to wipe out our clan.  We are a bunch of young bucks and we didn't really have a leader and Craig fit the bill.  He knew about you and we were hoping to form an alliance with you."

"Why?"

"Our clan is in danger," Ashton reported.  "A group of dahmirs are also trying to destroy us besides the mortals."

"So you came to me for help," Blake simply replied. 

"We are still hoping you'll help us," Shad pressed.  "Craig failed us and we really need a leader."  He and his brother bowed the knee to show obeisance.  "We give our total allegiance to you, sir."

Blake shook his head.  "Please stand.  I'll have none of this.  I regard you as my equals and will not treat you as subjects."

The two brothers stood, relief showing in their postures. 

"Thank you, Sir Blake," Shad said.

"Please.  Just Blake."  He extended his hand and shook theirs.  "It's an allegiance.  Now, please, go inside and get some rest.  It's been a rather eventful night.  We'll talk later at a more convenient time.  For now, I myself will attend to this mess."

The two brothers retreated back to the confines of the massive estate. 

The older brother turned around.  "Oh by the way, your lover..."

"Broderick.  I know," Blake cut in.  "I'll take care of it.  Thank you."

Shad offered a slight smile before joining his brother.

Blake watched them leave then turned back to the matter at hand, muttering a few strange sentences with a small wave of his hand.  A fog rolled in and enveloped the bodies, rolling away after a few short moments revealing nothing but the bare ground.  The corpses were deteriorated and nothing remained.

Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, Blake slowly exhaled then trudged off toward the woods.