The Dark Streets of Essex

He had ridden for days, the sun having gone away and being replaced by a red, iridescent moon. He came upon a town, estranged, and an odd feeling ran through him as he took in the sights of the deserted streets. Shadows dwelled along the cobble stone paths. The place was a ghost town, all for a small figure ahead, sitting illuminated beneath a lamp, a sign dangling above her head. She sat, frozen, immobile, the cold wind blowing tendrils of dark curls about her pale, doll like face. Green orbs, wide, unblinking stared ahead of her at nothing in particular. She had long legs, but was extremely petite, even as she sat there. Thin arms, slender neck, narrow shoulders, her skin looking like porcelain; she represented an antique doll, fragile and unused. She contrasted against the shadows, very pale except for the slightest rouge coloring painted along her cheekbones. Her lips were thin, a light pastel pink, set in a straight line. She hummed gently, the eerie tune exaggerated in the silent night. Her legs were hidden well beneath her skirts, her arms wrapped around her knees that were pulled against her chest. Her chin rested against her knees.
         “Fair maiden, is this the town’s inn? I’ve been traveling many a day and am fatigued.” He rode up on his horse towards her, glancing at the wooden sign dangling above her head. She jerked her head towards him, startled. She blinked at him and then glanced up at the sign, a confused look on her face. She stared at the sign that read Essex Inn and then smiled, a smile that did not touch her lovely eyes. She looked back at him.
“I guess it is.” She sighed. He dismounted his horse, jumping to his feet, and looked at the sign.
“Good. I do hope there is a room available.” He remarked, one hand resting on his hip. Her eyes became dark, filled with shadows, and she jumped to her feet, shaking her head.
“Yes, it is an inn, but you cannot go in.” she said, a singsong like tone to her voice.
“Why not?” he asked, his eyes resting upon the girl’s face.
“Because they do not like you. They won’t offer you a room.” She nodded. She seemed to think her action drew finality to the statement.
“Of course they will offer me a room. I am a stranger to this town, Miss. All I would like is some rest.” He replied, noticing that she was looking at him quite oddly. She became frustrated at his stubbornness. She shook her head.
“The inn is closed.” She replied, quietly.
“Are there any other inns in the town?” he asked. She shook her head furiously at him.
“No! No inns! They know who you are! They won’t let you in!” She shouted at him, her hands clenched into fists. Surprised at herself for shouting, she looked around quickly, hoping they hadn’t heard her. The man was startled, but said nothing more. In the unnatural moonlight he saw how beautiful this young girl was. Her flawless complexion and glassy green eyes would drive any man fanatical.
“Why, my lady, are you out here alone? Don’t you know there are beasts that feed on such beauty at night?” he asked, gently. She looked at him, her eyes studying him. Her sullen face broke into a charming smile.
“Are you the beast, Sir?” she asked, cocking her head at him. He shook his head, grinning slightly.
“It is very dangerous, Miss. Why are you alone?” he asked. Her smile faded quickly, her eyes falling downward.
“I am always alone.” She murmured, looking back up at his handsome face. Tears blurred her vision, a lone tear streaking down her cheek. He felt bad for making her cry. He fought the urge to pull her into his arms and reassure her.
         “I ask for forgiveness. I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He said.
“They do not like me. I’m not like them. They’ve tried to kill me, but I won’t leave. I can’t leave. This is my home. I have nowhere to go. I’m always alone…always…” she stopped. She said nothing more, just stared blankly, her eyes averting from his face.
“Who? Who has tried to kill you?” he asked, gently.
“Them. Those who feed at night.” She whispered. He winced at her words.
“Miss, you’re making me very uncomfortable, if I do say so myself.” He said, glancing around at the shadows of the alleyways. The sound of movement from the alley caused him to draw his sword, his breathing rapid.
“Have no fear, Miss. You are safe with me,” he said, staring into the shadows challengingly.
“No! No, they will kill you!” the young girl cried, staring into the shadows with wide, frightened eyes. She turned and ran without another word.
“Wait! Wait, my lady!” he shouted after her, sheathing his sword and running in the direction she fled. He took note that she was running quite surely to the cemetery. She pushed the gate open and ran, nearly tripping over tombstones, to a crypt covered in vines. Shadows leered around her, soft murmuring, and she pushed frantically at the heavy door of the crypt.
“Wait, Miss!” he shouted, having lost sight of her. He stopped, looking around, his eyes searching the perimeter frantically.
“Miss…?” he called out, timidly, glancing meekly at the shadows collecting around him.
“Miss…where are you?” His voice was nearly a whisper. Then he saw the door to the crypt that was cracked open.
         A feminine scream protruded from the crypt and the man’s heart leapt. He slipped into the crypt and saw that there was no coffin inside the cold walls. A door was on the other side of the room, slightly ajar. The girl had probably slipped in there. He shut the door to the crypt, not wanting any other uninvited guests inside, and made his way quickly to the other door. He swung it open, but only faced dimly lit darkness and a large stairwell. The dim light was due to candles lit and hanging along the wall. He hurried down the steps, hand on the hilt of his sword, to find another door with a lock upon it. Where was the key, damn it? He searched frantically to find half of it lying on the floor and the other half beneath the crack of the door. He bent quickly, hearing whimpers from inside the room, and slid the key into the lock, turning and shoving the door open. He did not glance back. He rushed in to find the young girl sprawled on her back on a small bed in the middle of the room. On top of her was a dark figure of a man, holding her down, forcing her face to the side. The man was a vampire, his sharp fangs touching the girl’s white flesh. The man standing in the doorway rushed forward, drawing his sword, and stabbed the vampire in the back. The immortal was startled and pulled back, letting out a shout of agony. The man pulled his sword out of the vampire and as it stood and turned to him, the blade sliced the immortal’s head off. Soon, nothing was left but dust. The girl was sobbing, covering her face, and still lying on the bed. She had curled herself up into a ball and was shaking violently with her heart wrenching sobs. The man sheathed his sword and strode over to the girl, confused on how to comfort her. He sat down on the bed and pulled her sobbing form into his arms, murmuring reassuring words to her. Her sobs subsided and she sniffled, wiping her tears away with her dress. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with fresh tears.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice shaking. She reached up and lightly kissed him on the lips, her action surprising him. She looked down at his hand and took the key that he still clutched. She got up and walked over to the door, shutting and locking it. Her tiny hand splayed on the heavy wooden door and her head bowed, she took a deep breath.          “He was my brother,” She began. “But they made him into a monster. Supposedly he had been my brother, but Stefan would have never attacked me. That thing, that thing was not my brother any longer.” She turned and looked at him. She then glanced around the small room.
         His heart went out to her. She was so sad, so lonely, so scared, and all he could do was offer protection. He could not free her, though. He could not free her from her mental prison. She let out a soft sigh.
“This is my home now. In the daylight hours, I could go out and salvage food. But now that the moon has betrayed me, I must run to get food. I must pick a time when most nap and run for my life to retrieve just a bit of food for myself. It’s never a lot. A loaf of bread or maybe some wine and cheese, but never a lot.” She laughed softly, looking down at herself.
“I am becoming quite feeble. I look so frail that I look like I could snap into two with one gentle breeze. It is absurd what is happening. A whole town of them.” She walked to the bed and sat beside him, looking up at his handsome features.
“A whole town of monsters and one lonely little mortal girl trapped in purgatory with them.” Her eyes widened at her words, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. He rested his hand over hers.
“You are not alone any longer. I am here now.” he assured her, staring down at her. A faint smile traced her lips and a blush crept into her pale cheeks.
“What is your name, Sir? I’d like to know who my mysterious knight is.” She said, a sparkle in her eyes. He laughed.
“Then I wouldn’t be so mysterious, now would I? My name is James, Lady. I come from a village called Nor. I came here because I knew of the dangers happening. Yet, I didn’t know of you. If I had, I would’ve ridden harder on that damn horse of mine. No one, Miss, no one should have to go through what you have.” His eyes were filled with sadness as he spoke the last words.
“How did you know about the town?” she asked, softly. He sighed.
“That is a harder explanation. You have probably heard stories, Miss. Stories of slayers, I suppose? Well, I am just that. I slay monsters like the ones that lurk around us. And I came to slay this town. It would have been easier, had you not been involved. But I do not care about that now. All I care for is your safety, Miss, and I guarantee to secure it.” James said. She stared up at him carefully. She was attentive to every word he spoke.          “Now, what is your name? I’m sure it isn’t Miss.” He smiled down at her. She grinned and shook her head.
“It’s Annette, Sir James. I’ve lived here all my life with my family, until the incident. I’m not sure how it happened. One vampire came here and soon the town was overrun with them. People didn’t fight. They let themselves be taken. I fought, however. I fought with all my might and got away with my life. I ran to this crypt, knowing my grandfather had made this into a secret shelter if ever any of us needed it. I had the key in my pocket and I found the small bed already in here. I locked the door and didn’t come out for three days. They didn’t know where I had gone. They thought I had escaped the village, but I can’t because the next village is too far away. I would have died. Now I live here and I will always live here until my dying day.” Annette said, bowing her head. Her dark locks fell over her shoulder and James saw the marks on her pale neck. He pulled her hair aside and stared at the marks.
“I thought you said you got away.” He stated, looking at her face.
         She had tears in her eyes. She nodded.
“I did.” She replied. James couldn’t breathe. He felt such hatred for the creatures, the monsters outside. She had been bitten; she was probably so pale because she had lost blood, just not enough to turn her. His hand fell back to the mattress and he stared at her, his eyes narrowed as he thought.
“How old are you, Annette?” he asked.
“I am seventeen. I know I do not look it, but I am.” She nodded. He thought her to be twelve, for that’s what she looked to be. She was closer to his age.
“I am twenty.” He replied. “Please. Tell me the story of when they first tried to…turn you.” He tried to contain his anger.
“I knew who he was. He was my brother’s friend and he used to be so kind to me. His name was Lucas. It was rare, the killings. They weren’t really killings, though, because the beasts would rise again. Lucas and I, we had a thing, I guess. We liked each other and flirted a lot, but after he was turned, he became different.” Annette said, blushing as she talked about Lucas.
“Did you see him after he was turned?” James asked. She nodded thoroughly.          “Oh, yes. Many times. He wasn’t afraid. He became their leader. He still is. Sometimes, sometimes I don’t understand myself. There’s this feeling I get, this force that comes over me and I want to go to him. I can’t understand it because he only wants to kill me. I’m their only target now. Turn Annette and win the ultimate prize!” Tears streaked down her cheeks and she shook her head in bewilderment.
“It’s all right, Annette. It’s all right. Go on with your story. Don’t think about it.” James murmured, taking her hand. She wiped at her tears, sighing.
“I had been taking a short cut on my way back to the inn when Lucas jumped down from the rooftop. He scared me and I told him so, but he just grinned at me. He would never hurt me and I never believed him dangerous because of that fact, but he did hurt me. He hurt me very much. He pressed me to the wall and told me that it was for the better, that if I let him turn me we could be together forever. I didn’t want to die, I told him that as he pulled my hair away from my neck. He kept on going though and he wouldn’t let me go. His fangs sank into my neck before I could stop him. How I screamed! I couldn’t stop screaming because it hurt so much. I felt myself slipping. I felt him taking control. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know how, but I shoved him away. His fangs were ripped away from my flesh and I clamped my hand over my neck, running. I didn’t go to the inn. I ran here. And I haven’t been the same since.” Annette didn’t notice she had pulled her hand away from James’s. She didn’t notice she had placed her hand over her neck, covering the marks, but James did. He took her hand again and bent forward, kissing the marks gently. She was startled, but didn’t move away. He looked into her eyes, sensing the lost, lonely girl hidden within.
“No one will ever hurt you again, Annette. You have my word.” He promised, squeezing her hand gently.
         “You won’t leave me, will you?” Annette asked, softly, letting her fear show on her pretty face. He shook his head.
“I will sleep on the floor beside your bed.” He said. It was her turn to shake her head now.
“No. You will sleep in my bed. You can’t sleep on the floor. It’s too cold.” She insisted.
“It’s not proper, Annette.” James began.
“Vampires aren’t proper, but they’ve overrun the town. We’re only going to be sleeping, James. I trust you.” Annette replied.
“How can you trust me so easily?” he asked.
“Because you saved my life.” Annette replied, plainly, shrugging slightly. She got up and walked over to the right side of the bed, pulling back the covers. She began to undo the buttons on the back of her dress. She looked at him and smiled at his expression.          “It’s all right. We’re just going to sleep.” She said. He sighed and stood, walking over to the other side. He took off his jacket and unbuckled his belt, setting it down on the ground. He pulled off his shirt, but left his pants on. He sat down and unlaced his boots. When he turned to get into bed, he couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was in her chemise and slip. He climbed beneath the covers and she did the same, facing him and looking into his eyes.
“Again, James, I thank you. I don’t feel so alone anymore.” She said quietly, yawning and closing her eyes. She was soon asleep before he could reply. He smiled at her and closed his eyes as well, letting darkness envelop him.
         
“I want you to become my bride.” The voice, a mere whisper, caused Annette to sit up in bed, clutching the coverlet to her. No one was in the room but James who lay on his stomach, his face turned away from her, his arm dangling over the edge of the bed as he snored softly. Annette looked down at James, her expression softening, and smiled gently. She lay back down and curled up against him. He stirred, turning to face her, and, in sleep, wrapped his arms about her, pulling her to him. Annette stared up into his handsome face, studying his lips, his eyelashes, his nose, his forehead, everything she could see about him.
“I want to make you, Annette, but you can’t just lie there with your fake knight. You have to come to me.” Annette closed her eyes tightly, whimpering softly as the voice began to speak again.
“Come to what? I walk to you and I walk to my grave.” She whispered softly, moving closer to the warm body next to her.
“Do you want to keep living like this, Annette? Protected by that stranger, living in filth with nothing but mice to keep you company?” She opened her eyes and looked at the man in his sleep.
“I will not be alone. He promised.” She whispered, tipping her head up to kiss the man’s chin. The kiss was feather-light, a brush of cherry lips against copper skin.
“Ha! Do you think he will stay with you? You’ve gone insane, my dear Annette. You are quite crazy and he does not wish to partake in that arena, lonely one. He will leave, Annette, I swear it. As soon as he realizes he cannot stop us, he will leave you to your mental prison.” The cold words caused Annette to wince. She crept out of bed and walked to the door, folding her arms against it and resting her forehead upon her arms.          “I am not insane, Lucas. You are for thinking you will win this charade. You’re evil, now. You’re damned. Get out of my thoughts. Get out of my mind. I do not wish this anymore!” Her whisper was strong, fed from her emotions that roiled through her. She rested her palm upon the wooden door, knowing that on the other side, his hand would be too.
         
“He talks to you, doesn’t he?” James asked, quietly, putting on his boots as he sat on the edge of the bed. It would be morning, if the moon and sun were right again. Instead, the moon was up and flickering a red glow upon the graves in the cemetery. Annette stood at the door, staring at it, preparing herself for what was to happen next. She nodded, gently.
“He reads minds. Most of them do, some of them can’t. Powers are sufficient to their lives. Some people are too cunning to just let them be lured into a dark alley. If the damned can read their minds, they can pretend to be old friends or just lure you with lies. The most powerful can hypnotize with one look.” She glanced back at him.
“Are you ready?” she asked, softly. He nodded, standing and resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. She unlatched the door, opening it cautiously.
“Besides beheading, nothing can kill a vampire. Fire just hurts like hell to them. It deters them as they try to smother it. Stakes are rubbish because if you put a stake through a vampire’s heart, it’s just going to go through a dead organ. Again, it hurts. Beheading is the only thing that’ll kill a vampire. They can’t re-grow heads. Garlic, crucifixes, sacred ground, holy water, it is all rubbish. All the books say they’ll work, but vampires will only laugh at you if you present a cross. You, of course, being a slayer, would know.” Annette whispered as they made their way up the stairs.
“We have to hurry. Let’s go.” She whispered as they opened the door to the crypt. They ran for the town.
         
“I don’t understand it. Something is wrong.” Annette whispered as they made their way back to the crypt with two baskets of food and drink.
“Why do you say that? We are lucky.” Annette stopped.
“We are not. Something isn’t right, James, where are they? There’re always some out. But today there are none. Don’t go in there! Something is wrong!” Annette reached out and rested her hand on James’s shoulder, staying him.
“We can’t go in.” she said, her eyes wide.
“So we stay out here and die? Annette, we must go in. We cannot risk it with a feeling.” James replied, looking around.
“Can’t you trust me?” Annette asked.
“I can, but Annette, it’s hard to not rush to safety when we’re out in the middle of a graveyard in the middle of a dark streak surrounded by a town overrun with vampires.” James replied, taking Annette’s wrist and leading her into the crypt.
“James, we mustn’t. Something is wrong! Why can’t you listen?” Annette cried in a hushed voice. Her heart raced. James stopped, staring down the stairwell at the half opened door.
“We closed that door.” James noted. Annette groaned, her arms going about her stomach as she pulled away from James and dropped the basket. She took a step back. She felt sickened, knowing that it was over; everything was over.
“You cannot give up, Annette!” James hissed at her, and she realized she had spoken her thoughts aloud. She shook her head, her arms about her, hunched over herself as she rocked slowly upon the cold stone floor. She whimpered as James pulled his sword, ready to fight the shadows forming around the large crypt. Annette had her hand clamped over the marks on her neck and she looked up behind her locks of dark curls, staring toward the stairway. A dark figure made its way up the stairs, wrapped in a black cloak. Annette couldn’t move. She stared, her breathing shallow, her heart racing wickedly. She would’ve screamed had her voice not felt sucked out of her all of a sudden. She felt like the walls of the crypt were closing in on her. She curled herself up on the floor, her face buried in her hands as she tried to breathe. Laughter escaped the figure as it gestured to Annette.
“I suggest you help her, James. She’s having a panic attack, I’m afraid.” The figure laughed wickedly. James knelt beside Annette, wrapping his arms about her.
“You can’t give up. It’s going to be okay. Take deep breaths, Annette, it’s going to be all right. You can’t give up!” he whispered to her.
“You don’t understand. It’s going to hurt. I’m afraid of the pain. I don’t want to die.” Annette shook her head, gasping as she tried to maintain her breath.
         James stood, positioning himself with his sword in front of him, held up in his hands. Annette’s eyes grew wide and she inched back into the corner without noticing, only to be yanked to her feet by one of the immortals. She yelped in fear, standing rigid, unable to move as her hair was gently pulled aside. Another damned stepped in front of her and she stared up at him, her mouth open, as he bared his fangs at her, smiling with smug satisfaction. The other licked her marks, murmuring low in her ear enchanting words. Annette began to relax and she sagged against him. The vampire behind her took her left hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing her palm. His kisses trailed to her wrist, where her pulse beat rapidly. The vampire before her traced the marks on her neck with his fingers, leaning down and kissing them. She heard, rather than felt the moment before he sank his teeth in the exact spots. Right before the sharp points sank into her soft, pale flesh, she heard the low hissing sound of the creature. The other fed upon her wrist. She felt numb. Her whole body trembled and tingled with the feeling as the vampire before her moved his hands down her body. The only sound that escaped her was a gasp, rather than a scream. Before the tingling sensation enveloped her completely, she barely heard a shout in the stony crypt.
         “Gannon, Liam! Do not feed upon her! I wish no one to take that pleasure but me.” The shout echoed from the dark figure and instantly, Annette was alone in the corner, bleeding, and she felt the pain. She fell to her knees and looked at her wrist as the warm, red blood trickled down her arm in a stream, separating off into tiny trails until it slipped down her elbow and onto her dress. Blood trickled down her neck as well, swimming in rivulets between her breasts. She refused to scream. She could not, however, keep from weeping softly, holding her wrist as if to help stop the bleeding.
“You give up too easily, Annette.” The voice, the whispering words spoke softly, a gentle hum in her ears.
“I do not give up easily! I have not died yet!” Annette screamed at the dark figure.
“No, but you will! You will if you just sit there and weep over petty injuries! Get up, Annette, and face me!” The figure bellowed, throwing off his cape. The pale, broad man with blue eyes stared at her fiercely. The eyes, although a human color, gave off an inhuman glow to them. He was deathly pale and as he spoke, fangs were shown. Annette had had enough of his games. She got to her feet and held up her bleeding arm.
“You may call this petty, I do not care. I will face what I have so long feared! I have hidden in that dark room too long, Lucas, and you scare me no more! I will bleed to death before I let you touch me with your damned hands. I will get out of here alive, Lucas, for you have provoked me to the point of murder. Give me the damn sword, James, I will kill him myself!” Annette screamed, coming at Lucas. He took a few steps back, grinning.
“Oh, my Satan, save me now.” he mocked her, laughing. James did not give her the sword right away, staring at her arm and neck. Her injuries pained her greatly, but she cared no longer. She grabbed the sword, but rather than coming after Lucas, she turned and headed towards the entry to the crypt. Two immortals stepped in her way, growling at her, but she swung the sword and their bodies fell to the ground in their decapitated state, turning to dust. She ran out of the crypt before any one could stop her and disappeared. Lucas cursed loudly and the other vampires hissed.
“I do not have time for you. Come. We must get her.” Lucas announced, shoving James aside. The vampires were fast and James was left in the empty crypt in a blink of an eye. He went running after Annette.
         
Annette sat in the stables, stitching her wrist, her teeth clenched together. She cut the thread with her teeth and finished wiping down the blood with alcohol, getting the stained blood off her arms and neck. She had already bandaged her neck. She had her supplies ready in a pouch. She was getting out of the town as soon as possible. She had her horse saddled. She stood to mount her horse when a hand clamped over her mouth and someone pressed down with their thumb and their forefinger in two places at the base of her throat, rendering her unconscious without another word.
         
“She is smart. She stitched her wrist up before planning on leaving. We couldn’t let that happen unfortunately.” Lucas chuckled mockingly, his immortal eyes glancing over at James who was slumped in the corner. He had tried to fight the vampires off, but there were too many. He had succeeded in killing at least twenty of Lucas’s men and women, but unfortunately Lucas had fifty more waiting for James. Now Lucas had both Annette and her fake knight. James laid cold eyes upon Lucas, but said nothing. Annette was still unconscious, lying on a stone table in the middle of the crypt. The bandages were off of her and Lucas was examining her wrist.
“She has very accurate sewing techniques.” He laughed aloud to no one in particular.
“You do know that we know about you. The whole committee knows about your little immortal fan club. They’re collecting more of us, Lucas, and although Annette and I might not make it, you’re not going to win this charade of immortal anarchy.” James shouted. Annette whimpered, her head lolling.
“Oh dear, Slayer. You woke my bride.” Lucas said, running his fingers through Annette’s curls. She opened her eyes slowly, but winced in pain as she turned her head. Her hand clamped over her neck. Her eyes shot open and she screamed. Lucas laughed, his fingertips running over Annette’s lips.
“Shh, sweet. Everything’s going to be all right soon.” He said, bending and licking her neck.
“I’m dying.” Annette whimpered, her hand over her neck, tracing the marks.
“Yes, but I won’t let that happen. I’ll bring you back, I promise.” Lucas replied, glancing over at James in the corner.
“I don’t want to die! I told you I wouldn’t die for you!” Annette cried, gasping for breath.
“I’m afraid, my dove, that you have no choice. I will have you immortal or no. You were mine, Annette. You would’ve said yes had I asked you to wed me. Even your brother, may Satan take him, thought so. Too bad you murdered him, Annette. He was a good companion of mine. He was your blood.” Lucas stroked her hair, studying her face as she neared death.
“He…he would’ve killed me had I not…had I not…” She gulped, closing her eyes, clenching her fists. James shouted at Annette, hoping to rouse her before she let darkness envelop her.
“Don’t give up, Annette! Don’t let Lucas win!” he shouted loudly. Lucas shot a look at James, the venom in his eyes silencing James for the moment.
“Don’t fight anymore, love. I’ll bring you back to me and you’ll forget resistance. Remember the love we once shared. We’ll share it for eternity, sweet.” His silent evoking of the past continued. Annette’s muddled thoughts turned into one clear thought. She gasped for breath.
“It hurt.” Her whisper was inaudible, barely heard in the silenced room now. Lucas leaned his ear to her cold lips.
“What did you say?” he inquired, softly. She struggled for more breath, her body shaking.
“When you did…it hurt.” She murmured. Although her words were jumbled, he understood her somewhat.
“What hurt? When I did what?” Lucas continued questioning. Annette swallowed hard.
“Bit me…only you…hurt.” Her breath was coming in short gasps now. Shadows were clouding her vision. At last, she closed her eyes in subtle defeat, letting the shadows claim her, although not fully death, but in peaceful slumber. Lucas straightened, glaring at James.
“She said, you idiot, that when you, only you, bit her, it hurt.” James remarked. Lucas slammed his fist on the table Annette laid upon.
“Do not mock me, Slayer! I believe I know what she said,” Lucas looked down upon Annette’s pale face and cupped her cheek with his cold palm. “I can make it sweet for her. The ecstasy will interrupt her near-death dream state and bring her back to me immortal, my immortal queen.” He murmured, stroking her cheek with his thumb. With a low growl in his throat, Lucas bent and pierced Annette’s soft flesh, holding her head still as he drank from her. He willed her into sweet bliss as he drank from her, taking enough, but not enough to the point of death. He straightened, slitting his wrist with his teeth, and opened her mouth, pressing his wrist to her parted lips. Her eyes fluttered as she drank, the blood seeping into her every pore, resurrecting her body into darkness. Her once limp hands held life now and she gripped his wrist, pressing it harder to her lips, her now immortal green eyes flying open as she drank from him. Lucas hissed an oath and pulled back from her.
“Contain your hunger, sweeting. I cannot feed you so wholly.” Lucas looked at his wrist and watched as the blood once slipping down his arm now slid back up his arm and back into the cut. The cut closed, leaving no trace of injury. Annette rose up onto her elbows slowly, looking around, her eyes moving over the shadows of the room until they rested on the slayer. She cocked her head to the side, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the stone table. She slid off the stone slab slowly, staring at the slayer, her eyes burning green flames at him. James stared in utter horror and fascination and fear at this new Annette. Her eyes were like holographs. They mirrored the essence of evil, flickering and crystal-like. He had never seen such eyes before. He had seen a vampire’s eyes before, but not like hers. Never like hers. James searched for a hint of the old Annette he had known, the scared, lost little girl. This woman standing before him was not the same. She looked to the side, her eyes flicking away from him, and he saw her. Hope beamed through him, the hope to save her damned soul.
Lucas looked on adoringly at Annette, as she said nothing, walking around the stone slab to him. She was staring at the ground, her hands dangling limply at her sides. She walked up to him, walking, walking, walking so slowly, her eyes floating up to stare into his. Her hand moved to his cheek and she stood up on her toes, her lips moving towards his. She exhaled as she scraped her nails cruelly down his cheek, blood forming. He winced, his eyes hardening on her face.
“I’ll never come back to you. I’ve never loved you. I could never love you. You’re a monster.” She whispered, her lips inches from him. With that, she stepped back from him, her eyes never leaving his, and melded with the shadows.

Day and night continued to pass without the change of the outside light. The red moon hovered about, moving awkwardly and slowly as the hours changed. Clouds floated about the sky, eagerly forming shadows around the village streets. Things lurked in corners; shadows formed damned creatures of the night as night wanderers wandered. Inside the crypt, Lucas paced, his immortal eyes cold and cruel upon the floor. James still sat in the corner, his mind buzzing away at the prospect of escape.
“How could she do that? How could she say that? She is crazy, yes. Nothing would make her say such things to me. Nothing but her warped mind would make her do such a thing.” Lucas’s voice boomed as he yelled at himself, his hand coming up to brush his fingertips lightly over his cheek.
“No one has seen her, no one can find her. Where can she be, damn it? Where is my Annette?” Lucas shouted, jumping onto the slab where Annette once laid. His glowing eyes rested upon the body in the corner, his upper lip curling in distaste.
“If she finds out what I gave her, if she finds out what is in her power, you, knight, will die. I assure you that I will feed you to my own kind until there is nothing left of you. I will throw you to them and let them devour your body until you are dry. Do you understand me?” Lucas hissed, quietly, illusionary blue flames flickering in his holograph like eyes. James arched a disdainful brow at Lucas as silence enveloped the dense air. James could actually hear his own heartbeat as he sat on the cold, dank floor, leaning back against the wall, one of his arms resting over her bent knee. Lucas turned away from James and continued his pacing.
“I don’t like you. You sicken me. If you hadn’t come, Annette wouldn’t have acted the way she did. She would’ve accepted the lifestyle she was destined to live. If only I could end your petty life right now. But, unfortunately, I need you.” Lucas slowly turned back to James, his hands behind his back, lips pursed as he let his gaze fall onto the length of his form.
“Do you really think I’ll help you? Honestly, I’d rather die.” James muttered nonchalantly. In two seconds, Lucas was off the stone slab and crouching before James, his lip curled, his hands clenched.
“Would you like to die, then?” he hissed warningly. Lucas pulled back, holding his head, rubbing his temples and trying to control his anger.
“Calm, I have to stay calm. I cannot kill him because I need him.” Lucas glanced up. “And he will do what I want him to do.”
“You think so.” James growled, leaning forward threateningly. Lucas closed his eyes and then relaxed. He rose to his feet.
“I need you to lure Annette back here. She will want to talk to you, of course, and get you out of here, no doubt. She has such a kind heart.” Lucas walked to the other side of the room, resting his hand on the wall and hanging his head, the other hand resting on his hip. He shook his head slowly.
“I just don’t understand who could be so sweet and innocent. I might have to show her, train her, I suppose, on how to be evil. Where is she?” As he said that, the door across the room was thrown open and a shadow strode in, her coat trailing at her feet. She threw back her hood and smiled serenely, blonde, golden curls bouncing around her heart-shaped face. Lucas grinned broadly, straightening and striding across the floor to the new woman.
“Ah, my dear Lucas, a pleasure it is!” The woman threw her arms open and Lucas grabbed her up, twirling her around in the air once before setting her down and kissing her soft cheek.
“Anastasia, my dearest sister, it truly is a pleasure. How goes it in Colchester?” Lucas asked, smiling down at the petite woman. She sighed, removing the coat elegantly from her shoulders and handing it to him. She walked around, inspecting the room. She scrunched her nose in disgust.
“Dust everywhere,” she muttered. She then turned to him and shook her head, hands resting on her hips.
“This place needs a woman’s touch.” She declared, nodding. Lucas scoffed.
“The woman is out right now. Besides, she doesn’t think she’ll be staying.” Lucas replied, steadily. Anastasia arched a dainty brow.
“Hmm, about this woman. That is the reason I have come. I’m here to help you, sweet. Since you are not so powerful yet as to have power using hypnosis, I was thinking I should do it. She would forget her little puny innocent self and become just like us.”
“That is brilliant, Anastasia! Did they teach you such cunning wit in Colchester? I love the idea. Now, tell me, is Colchester the same since last?”
“Well, my dear Lucas, Colchester fares well. This moonlight has given me leeway to visit you. I was praying the whole way that the sun wouldn’t decide to come out of its hibernation. Thankfully, I made it through unscathed, or should I say unburned. It is, indeed, the same. No sudden changes or developments that I’ve heard of.” A regal smile enchanted Anastasia’s lips.
“That was quite a pun there that you made, lovey. Unfortunately, I don’t have time for silly remarks. I’m glad Colchester is the same as it was before, but enough for small talk. I’m going to find Annette. Guard the,” Lucas turned, his mouth falling open. In the corner there was nothing. There was nothing except scattered dust, silken cobwebs, and the lingering shadows of a human being.
         
Annette knelt before the statue of Christ, crossing herself as she stared up at the adorned cross Christ was hanging upon. Her lips moved as she prayed silently, bowing her head, closing her eyes as she asked for forgiveness and redemption. In her left hand, tightly clenched in a pale fist, was a red-jeweled rosary Annette had received from her father. She fingered the cross as she looked up at Christ, tears, glassy tears, falling down her cold cheeks. One of the double doors to the old church creaked open and the candlelight’s flickering increased as wind seeped into the hall. A stumbling figure walked into the church, working its way down the aisle towards the kneeling Annette.
         She did not move. She sniffled, wiping at stray tears. Her mind was cluttered with the thoughts of her unwanted damnation. Her heart hated Lucas for what he had done, for what he still wanted done. She was a pawn in a heartless game of eradication and power. All he cared about was his power and she had to pay for his greed. She began her prayer of forgiveness again.
         The figure moved closer, not wanting to scare her, just wanting to save her from her mental torture. She had woken up damned. She had woken up a thing, not a being of humanity. The figure had no idea what she had been through, what she would have to endure very soon. He just moved ever forward.
         “Annette,” he murmured, softly.
         “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallow be Thy name. They kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” She was whispering, wouldn’t stop as she recited what she hoped was an absolution. She wanted freedom from her damned soul. She lowered her head, her prayers stopping.
         “I have done nothing to deserve this. Do you know why I’m praying?” she softly spoke, looking over her shoulder with eerie eyes at James.
         “Why, Annette?” James asked, softly, kneeling down before her on the steps.
         “I’m praying for forgiveness on what I’m about to do. Do you think God will forgive me for what has happened?” she asked, the childlike innocence appearing again for the first time since her transformation on her paled features. James reached up and ran a warm palm down a cold cheek.
         “Yes, sweeting, I believe he will.” he replied, quietly, his voice offering comfort. Annette smiled gently through tears.
         “I must do it, you know. There’s no other way. Lucas has to be stopped and it is the only way to save other towns. I have to save the next generation. Lucas made me a ruler with just as much power as he has. I have the power to destroy everything evil. And I believe I will use that power now. But, with that power comes a price. I, too, must die out with the rest of the evil. Therefore, when I die, the rest dies out as well. Do you understand?” Annette explained, quietly, still clutching the rosary in her hand. James nodded, resting his hand over hers.
         “You have to help me.” Annette whispered. James closed his eyes tightly for a minute before reopening them and nodding slowly in confirmation to her words.
         “Aye, Annette, I will help you.” They both rose slowly and turned to the cross, each saying one last prayer as they stood, hand in hand. An axe used for only one thing lay forlornly on a pew.
         
As Annette’s last immortal breath escaped her, the sun rose like hot fire into the sky to root out the bad seeds of the Devil’s spawn. Burning flames burst on Essex’s ground and silent winds rustled through the air as sunlight poured through the streets, killing off the nighttime creatures that had once lurked about smugly. In Annette’s invaded sanctuary, Lucas and his beloved sister lay curled on the floor, screaming in agony as heat seared their skin and flames taunted their cold flesh. They would die never knowing what had happened in the end. It was payback, James thought, as he wandered through the now dusty street, his hands shoved in his pockets. He walked with a limp due to the battle he had partaken in with the now departed immortals earlier in this tragic adventure. He had been through enough. He had lost a girl who had become a dear friend to him. He had seen nothing he hadn’t seen before, but still this journey haunted him. He wondered if it was because of Annette. He wondered if it was because of her braveness, her courage, to do what she had to do, to do what was right, that haunted him so. He had had to help her. He had had to finish what was the only thing to be done and in the end, she was gone, vanished, like the rest of them. There was nothing to be done. He could not weep, nor could he brood. He could not sulk or grieve. What was done was done. And that was the end. All of it was the end…for now.