Adela Augusta Blood Famine

Chapter Twenty Three

Adela

Adela's eyes burned with murderous intent. Her look was intense enough that Chaise almost reclosed the lid on her. She knew her expression appeared full of hunger, but it was more than that. It was anger, it was wrath, and she didn't care how much it may have resembled hatred.

"Never again will I allow you to shove me in a box!" she shouted.

Henry's eyes glanced, from Adela to his son. "You shoved the Princess in a box!? Boy, what have you done?"

"Relax dad." Chaise answered, lighting another candle to further illuminate the dim shed. "She climbed in there herself."

Silent looks were tossed his way.

"Okay, mostly climbed in there herself. Anyways, would you help me get this trunk back out to Mr. Heywood? He wasn't so keen that I had to use it."

Adela watched as the two made their way to the door Henry lecturing the whole way between ragged coughs.

"Chaise wait!" Adela began to yell, but without glancing at her the human grabbed a dusty sheet and tossed it on her.

"Chaise!" Henry and Adela yelled in unison as they exited the shed, light spilling in. Adela closed her eyes tight, anticipating the burn of the sun, but the filth covered sheet held. Soon she was again surrounded by darkness and candlelight.

"I swear I'll kill him." She wheezed to herself.

Adela peeled the rag back, the thin cloth membrane felt heavy between her brittle fingers. She glanced up into the dark noticing a rigging of unknown origins strung along the length of the ceiling.

Adela hit the floor tumbling out of her chair. She saw arrow-like objects whiz by and impale themselves in the wall behind her. Then she opened her eyes. Wait. She hadn't fallen. She had remembered falling... It was another memory. She'd been here before. Why? And where was here?

A Knock sounded on the door followed by Chaise's voice. "Cover-up, I'm coming in!"

Adela frantically scrambled to pull the sheet over her head. The door opened and slammed shut so fast she was unsure as to whether she actually made it in time, though she must have because she remained unscathed.

"So what's the plan?" He called.

"The first course of action is blood." Adela hissed.

"Of course it is."

"Don't make it sound so bad." Henry chimed in. "Blood binds us all. Just as you and I share blood, it too, ties vampires to this world. It's not to be feared."

Chaise shrugged. "We don't live by being parasites. Just saying."

"No son. When you feast on an animal you kill the whole thing."

"It's different! We only do it for survival." Chaise yelled.

Silence filled the room in response to his outburst. And Adela was thankful that Henry Comfert spoke up on her behalf. Because if she was the one who defended herself she would have been harsher. She appreciated the old man. He seemed wise and knowledgeable of the world. As if he had accepted some kind of secret that brought him peace. His offspring, on the other hand, didn't seem to inherit his father's calm temperament. Perhaps in that way, they were alike, but that was it.

"Wrong again son. We hunt for sport and wear animals as trophies. Not that anythings wrong with a nice bear hood. You'll hate hearing this but humans are no better than vampires. There is darkness in all of us. And you'd do well to remember that, should it consume you."