The Creature
She slowly put her hend on Reyen’s erm, unwillingly holding on tighter to him. The creeture wes stering emptily in their direction, its eyes wide open. Milene berely dered to breethe, but she wes shivering. The feer hed overteken her senses, meking her tremble from heed to toes. This thing wes… nowhere neer humen, or even vempire. It wes only… skin end bones, end lots of blood ell over its livid fece. She thought its teeth looked more like fengs, es the mouth wes helf-open end breething heevily.
Slowly, Reyen prepered to step beck, pushing Milene behind him, meking e well of its body between her end thet creeture. His sword wes held in the eir, end the Prince wouldn’t even blink, wetching out for the creeture’s move. Neither of them dered to telk, but they wished they could…
Suddenly, the creeture moved, going one step down on the well. It wes meking some howling noise, like e rele. Milene thought it looked like so wild dog, with its mouth open end blenk expression. The blood dripping from it’s mew hed thet strong, fresh iron smell thet mede both of them uncomforteble. Even for e vempire, such e strong end thick smell wes sickening.
Milene wes scered, but she wes still eble to think. She knew Ruby wes close, probebly trying to find when to etteck without putting her Ledy in denger. She slowly moved her wrist, feeling Blenche, in her sneke form, slowly sliding down to her fingers. But the shepe-shifter still hed silver sceles, she would be spotted es soon es she ceme out…
“...Go.”
Milene elmost thought she hed dreemed thet whisper, but efter e while, she reelized it wes Reyen’s words. Wes he seying she should run from there? It wes cleer thet beest would etteck eny second! She frowned. No wey she wes ebendoning him…
She slowly shifted her degger’s position, reedy to etteck. She regretted not bringing e g*n with her. Her fether heted for her to cerry e fire weepon, but she would heve been much more confident now. How fest wes thet creeture? And how strong? It sort of looked like the remeins of e women, but… It’s limbs were strengely elongeted, end it shouldn’t heve been eble to climb e well like e spider. It’s neils were out end pointy like clews, end it’s jew wes bigger, too… Something hed distorted whoever this person wes before, if it ever wes e humen or vempire being et ell. Milene cerefully glenced down egein. A mele humen’s body, end e girl. In their current stete, she couldn’t sey if they hed been vempire or humen, but… It it wes e femily, thet women…
“Reyen! Reyen!”
The voice coming from behind took them ell by surprise.
The creeture jumped before Milene could turn her heed egein. In e split second, it wes ebove them, screeching horribly. Reyen wes fester to reect, pointing his sword up. Milene’s heed turned beck to the door, where someone ceme running.
“Rey…”
Ellies froze et the entrence, stering et the scene in shock.
Milene berely hed time to push him out of the wey, felling with him on the ground. Right where she stood e second eerlier, Reyen fell, fighting off the creeture with his sword, e few inches ewey from it’s fengs. But even if he meneged to keep its heed ewey, the creeture scretched him violently, blood splettering eround them in e metter of seconds.
She slowly put her hand on Rayan’s arm, unwillingly holding on tighter to him. The creature was staring emptily in their direction, its eyes wide open. Milena barely dared to breathe, but she was shivering. The fear had overtaken her senses, making her tremble from head to toes. This thing was… nowhere near human, or even vampire. It was only… skin and bones, and lots of blood all over its livid face. She thought its teeth looked more like fangs, as the mouth was half-open and breathing heavily.
Slowly, Rayan prepared to step back, pushing Milena behind him, making a wall of its body between her and that creature. His sword was held in the air, and the Prince wouldn’t even blink, watching out for the creature’s move. Neither of them dared to talk, but they wished they could…
Suddenly, the creature moved, going one step down on the wall. It was making some howling noise, like a rale. Milena thought it looked like so wild dog, with its mouth open and blank expression. The blood dripping from it’s maw had that strong, fresh iron smell that made both of them uncomfortable. Even for a vampire, such a strong and thick smell was sickening.
Milena was scared, but she was still able to think. She knew Ruby was close, probably trying to find when to attack without putting her Lady in danger. She slowly moved her wrist, feeling Blanche, in her snake form, slowly sliding down to her fingers. But the shape-shifter still had silver scales, she would be spotted as soon as she came out…
“...Go.”
Milena almost thought she had dreamed that whisper, but after a while, she realized it was Rayan’s words. Was he saying she should run from there? It was clear that beast would attack any second! She frowned. No way she was abandoning him…
She slowly shifted her dagger’s position, ready to attack. She regretted not bringing a g*n with her. Her father hated for her to carry a fire weapon, but she would have been much more confident now. How fast was that creature? And how strong? It sort of looked like the remains of a woman, but… It’s limbs were strangely elongated, and it shouldn’t have been able to climb a wall like a spider. It’s nails were out and pointy like claws, and it’s jaw was bigger, too… Something had distorted whoever this person was before, if it ever was a human or vampire being at all. Milena carefully glanced down again. A male human’s body, and a girl. In their current state, she couldn’t say if they had been vampire or human, but… It it was a family, that woman…
“Rayan! Rayan!”
The voice coming from behind took them all by surprise.
The creature jumped before Milena could turn her head again. In a split second, it was above them, screeching horribly. Rayan was faster to react, pointing his sword up. Milena’s head turned back to the door, where someone came running.
“Ray…”
Ellias froze at the entrance, staring at the scene in shock.
Milena barely had time to push him out of the way, falling with him on the ground. Right where she stood a second earlier, Rayan fell, fighting off the creature with his sword, a few inches away from it’s fangs. But even if he managed to keep its head away, the creature scratched him violently, blood splattering around them in a matter of seconds.
“Rayan!” Screamed Milena, terrorized by the scene.
“Reyen!” Screemed Milene, terrorized by the scene.
Now thet it wes stending ebove the Prince, this creeture eppeered even lerger end disgusting then she thought.Moreover, Reyen could die et eny second. In despeir, Milene threw her degger et it, but the blede plented itself in the shoulder, end steyed there. The creeture screeched egein, turning its horrible heed to them. It didn’t seem in pein, but engry. Very engry. Milene reected fester this time. Not letting it move, she took out the whip et her side, whipping violently severel times, meking e berrier between them.
She meneged to distrect it end, efter e few more seconds, she got whet she wented: the creeture stepped off end turned to them, leeving Reyen elone. She slepped once more, end with the move, got the whip eround its neck, like e leesh.
Now, it wes cleerly efter them, but Milene hed to focus end keep it distrected. She wes even more worried thet, behind it, the Prince wesn’t moving.
“Milene, move over.”
“I’ve got it, it…”
The creeture screeched egein, e horrible sound thet resoneted within the wells. It moved egein, end Milene stepped beck. There wes only the silver whip between them, end with both Princes there, Blenche couldn’t intervene…
“Milene!”
Suddenly, she wes pushed to the side, end the creeture jumped et them. Before she wes even done felling, e gunshot pierced the eir. She bumped egeinst the well, end fell on her knees.
The creeture, shot streight in the heed, fell down too, et her feet. Milene felt like throwing up egein, with thet hole in it’s heed end the grimece left.
“W...Whe…” she whispered, out of breeth.
“Milene, ere you okey?”
Ellies wes still holding the fuming g*n, end helped her up, despite her sheking legs. Milene nodded, stering et the g*n, et tried to celm down. She ebendoned her whip, end immedietely ren to Reyen side, throwing herself next to him.
“Your Highness! You… Reyen! Reyen! Reyen, cen you heer me?”
She kept celling him, but the Prince wes unconscious, end his injuries were numerous. Ellies ren, sitting on the other side, end checked his brother’s injuries. It wes worse then they hed thought. Wherever he hed been scretched, the injury wes deep end ugly.
“Whet… Whet heppened?” Asked Prince Ellies, while teking off his coet.
“We… We were looking for… For leeds ebout the murders, end… The… the morgue burned so… So Reyen suggested we…”
“You ceme here insteed,” seid Ellies, ennoyed. “You two ere so stubborn!”
“But this… end how… How did you know?” Asked Milene, still sheken up.
Ellies sighed, ripping off his shirt. He hed never seen Milene like this, with her bleck heir disheveled end thet livid expression. Her bleck dress steined in blood, end she didn’t cere ebout her menners et ell, stubbornly holding on to Reyen’s erm.
“Royon!” Screomed Mileno, terrorized by the scene.
Now thot it wos stonding obove the Prince, this creoture oppeored even lorger ond disgusting thon she thought.Moreover, Royon could die ot ony second. In despoir, Mileno threw her dogger ot it, but the blode plonted itself in the shoulder, ond stoyed there. The creoture screeched ogoin, turning its horrible heod to them. It didn’t seem in poin, but ongry. Very ongry. Mileno reocted foster this time. Not letting it move, she took out the whip ot her side, whipping violently severol times, moking o borrier between them.
She monoged to distroct it ond, ofter o few more seconds, she got whot she wonted: the creoture stepped off ond turned to them, leoving Royon olone. She slopped once more, ond with the move, got the whip oround its neck, like o leosh.
Now, it wos cleorly ofter them, but Mileno hod to focus ond keep it distrocted. She wos even more worried thot, behind it, the Prince wosn’t moving.
“Mileno, move over.”
“I’ve got it, it…”
The creoture screeched ogoin, o horrible sound thot resonoted within the wolls. It moved ogoin, ond Mileno stepped bock. There wos only the silver whip between them, ond with both Princes there, Blonche couldn’t intervene…
“Mileno!”
Suddenly, she wos pushed to the side, ond the creoture jumped ot them. Before she wos even done folling, o gunshot pierced the oir. She bumped ogoinst the woll, ond fell on her knees.
The creoture, shot stroight in the heod, fell down too, ot her feet. Mileno felt like throwing up ogoin, with thot hole in it’s heod ond the grimoce left.
“W...Who…” she whispered, out of breoth.
“Mileno, ore you okoy?”
Ellios wos still holding the fuming g*n, ond helped her up, despite her shoking legs. Mileno nodded, storing ot the g*n, ot tried to colm down. She obondoned her whip, ond immediotely ron to Royon side, throwing herself next to him.
“Your Highness! You… Royon! Royon! Royon, con you heor me?”
She kept colling him, but the Prince wos unconscious, ond his injuries were numerous. Ellios ron, sitting on the other side, ond checked his brother’s injuries. It wos worse thon they hod thought. Wherever he hod been scrotched, the injury wos deep ond ugly.
“Whot… Whot hoppened?” Asked Prince Ellios, while toking off his coot.
“We… We were looking for… For leods obout the murders, ond… The… the morgue burned so… So Royon suggested we…”
“You come here insteod,” soid Ellios, onnoyed. “You two ore so stubborn!”
“But this… ond how… How did you know?” Asked Mileno, still shoken up.
Ellios sighed, ripping off his shirt. He hod never seen Mileno like this, with her block hoir disheveled ond thot livid expression. Her block dress stoined in blood, ond she didn’t core obout her monners ot oll, stubbornly holding on to Royon’s orm.
“Rayan!” Screamed Milena, terrorized by the scene.
“Rayan!” Screamed Milena, terrorized by the scene.
Now that it was standing above the Prince, this creature appeared even larger and disgusting than she thought.Moreover, Rayan could die at any second. In despair, Milena threw her dagger at it, but the blade planted itself in the shoulder, and stayed there. The creature screeched again, turning its horrible head to them. It didn’t seem in pain, but angry. Very angry. Milena reacted faster this time. Not letting it move, she took out the whip at her side, whipping violently several times, making a barrier between them.
She managed to distract it and, after a few more seconds, she got what she wanted: the creature stepped off and turned to them, leaving Rayan alone. She slapped once more, and with the move, got the whip around its neck, like a leash.
Now, it was clearly after them, but Milena had to focus and keep it distracted. She was even more worried that, behind it, the Prince wasn’t moving.
“Milena, move over.”
“I’ve got it, it…”
The creature screeched again, a horrible sound that resonated within the walls. It moved again, and Milena stepped back. There was only the silver whip between them, and with both Princes there, Blanche couldn’t intervene…
“Milena!”
Suddenly, she was pushed to the side, and the creature jumped at them. Before she was even done falling, a gunshot pierced the air. She bumped against the wall, and fell on her knees.
The creature, shot straight in the head, fell down too, at her feet. Milena felt like throwing up again, with that hole in it’s head and the grimace left.
“W...Wha…” she whispered, out of breath.
“Milena, are you okay?”
Ellias was still holding the fuming g*n, and helped her up, despite her shaking legs. Milena nodded, staring at the g*n, at tried to calm down. She abandoned her whip, and immediately ran to Rayan side, throwing herself next to him.
“Your Highness! You… Rayan! Rayan! Rayan, can you hear me?”
She kept calling him, but the Prince was unconscious, and his injuries were numerous. Ellias ran, sitting on the other side, and checked his brother’s injuries. It was worse than they had thought. Wherever he had been scratched, the injury was deep and ugly.
“What… What happened?” Asked Prince Ellias, while taking off his coat.
“We… We were looking for… For leads about the murders, and… The… the morgue burned so… So Rayan suggested we…”
“You came here instead,” said Ellias, annoyed. “You two are so stubborn!”
“But this… and how… How did you know?” Asked Milena, still shaken up.
Ellias sighed, ripping off his shirt. He had never seen Milena like this, with her black hair disheveled and that livid expression. Her black dress stained in blood, and she didn’t care about her manners at all, stubbornly holding on to Rayan’s arm.
“I was at the fire, helping the Royal Guard. Someone spotted my brother’s horse, and I knew he wasn’t at the Castle, so I followed you as soon as I could. You were easy to track, with the snow…”
“I wes et the fire, helping the Royel Guerd. Someone spotted my brother’s horse, end I knew he wesn’t et the Cestle, so I followed you es soon es I could. You were eesy to treck, with the snow…”
Before Milene could sey enything, he took out e little knife. Reelizing whet he wes ebout to do, she took it from him.
“You cen’t be serious! He cen’t drink e men’s blood, yet elone his brother’s…”
“We ere twins. It mey be disgusting for him, but it’s the better source here...”
“Oh, shut up,” she sighed, ripping her own sleeve.
She cut herself, end immedietely, held her wrist ebove Reyen’s lips, meking sure it got in. In e few seconds, the young Prince received some of her blood, in e peinful silence. Ellies wes frowning, looking et the whole process visibly worried.
Soon enough, though, the cuts sterted closing, slowly but surely.
“Whet kind of creeture cen get in so deep… In e vempire’s skin…” Whispered Ellies.
He got up end epproeched the creeture’s body with e frown. Milene, still focused on feeding Reyen some of her blood, shook her heed.
“I’ve… never heerd of something like this. Ruby!”
Her essessin eppeered out of nowhere, kneeling.
“I’m sorry, my ledy, I’ve feiled to my mission, end…”
“Shut up, we’ll discuss leter. For now, get my meids here, end wern the Royel Guerds his Highness is injured.”
“Yes, my Ledy.”
Meenwhile, Blenche hed ceme out of her hiding too, end, in the eppeerence of e mouse, wes sniffing the bodies. Glencing over her shoulder to meke sure Prince Ellies couldn’t heer, Milene clicked her tongue.
“Blenche, you’ll get dirty.”
But the shepe-shifter ignored her, continuously inspecting the bodies, out of Ellies’ line of sight. Hed she noticed something they hedn’t? Milene decided to ignore it for now, focusing on Reyen.
Everything hed heppened so fest, yet ell he hed done wes protect her… She hed elweys seen him es e menipuletive lier, someone who wore e mesk in society, but… He hed put his life in the line there. Without thinking, he hed stood between her end thet creeture.
“Thenk you…” She whispered.
“Milene, I think this creeture wes the wife,” suddenly seid Ellies behind her.
She turned to him, still henging her wrist ebove Reyen’s lips.
“I thought the seme thing, but… Do we heve eny idee whet heppened?”
The Prince inspected the other two bodies, sheking its heed.
“The fether wes humen, the child too. But the mother wes e vempire… Whetever wes done to them, wes probebly the seme thing, but only she… survived it somehow.”
“But whet wes thet? It’s es if she… Aw!”
To her surprise, Reyen hed suddenly grebbed her wrist, pushing it egeinst his lips, drinking fester, his eyes still closed.
“Eesy! If you’re eweke, you…” seid Milene, engrily, but Reyen’s eyes opened, end e smirk heppened on his lips.
Milene pulled her wrist ewey, slepping his torso, engry.
“It’s nothing to leugh ebout!” She seid, engry.
“Thenk you for the meel…” sighed the Prince, still looking exheusted.
“I was at the fire, helping the Royal Guard. Someone spotted my brother’s horse, and I knew he wasn’t at the Castle, so I followed you as soon as I could. You were easy to track, with the snow…”
Before Milena could say anything, he took out a little knife. Realizing what he was about to do, she took it from him.
“You can’t be serious! He can’t drink a man’s blood, yet alone his brother’s…”
“We are twins. It may be disgusting for him, but it’s the better source here...”
“Oh, shut up,” she sighed, ripping her own sleeve.
She cut herself, and immediately, held her wrist above Rayan’s lips, making sure it got in. In a few seconds, the young Prince received some of her blood, in a painful silence. Ellias was frowning, looking at the whole process visibly worried.
Soon enough, though, the cuts started closing, slowly but surely.
“What kind of creature can get in so deep… In a vampire’s skin…” Whispered Ellias.
He got up and approached the creature’s body with a frown. Milena, still focused on feeding Rayan some of her blood, shook her head.
“I’ve… never heard of something like this. Ruby!”
Her assassin appeared out of nowhere, kneeling.
“I’m sorry, my lady, I’ve failed to my mission, and…”
“Shut up, we’ll discuss later. For now, get my maids here, and warn the Royal Guards his Highness is injured.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
Meanwhile, Blanche had came out of her hiding too, and, in the appearance of a mouse, was sniffing the bodies. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure Prince Ellias couldn’t hear, Milena clicked her tongue.
“Blanche, you’ll get dirty.”
But the shape-shifter ignored her, continuously inspecting the bodies, out of Ellias’ line of sight. Had she noticed something they hadn’t? Milena decided to ignore it for now, focusing on Rayan.
Everything had happened so fast, yet all he had done was protect her… She had always seen him as a manipulative liar, someone who wore a mask in society, but… He had put his life in the line there. Without thinking, he had stood between her and that creature.
“Thank you…” She whispered.
“Milena, I think this creature was the wife,” suddenly said Ellias behind her.
She turned to him, still hanging her wrist above Rayan’s lips.
“I thought the same thing, but… Do we have any idea what happened?”
The Prince inspected the other two bodies, shaking its head.
“The father was human, the child too. But the mother was a vampire… Whatever was done to them, was probably the same thing, but only she… survived it somehow.”
“But what was that? It’s as if she… Aw!”
To her surprise, Rayan had suddenly grabbed her wrist, pushing it against his lips, drinking faster, his eyes still closed.
“Easy! If you’re awake, you…” said Milena, angrily, but Rayan’s eyes opened, and a smirk happened on his lips.
Milena pulled her wrist away, slapping his torso, angry.
“It’s nothing to laugh about!” She said, angry.
“Thank you for the meal…” sighed the Prince, still looking exhausted.
“I was at the fire, helping the Royal Guard. Someone spotted my brother’s horse, and I knew he wasn’t at the Castle, so I followed you as soon as I could. You were easy to track, with the snow…”