I froze for a moment before my fight or flight finally kicked in and I pushed the guy back out the window and grabbed hold of Niki's hand, I ran up the stairs towards my bedroom. Once we got inside my room Niki ran over to the closet door and said, "Crystal get inside the closet and hide before they come back!" Her tone sounded urgent and worried.
She grabbed me by the hand when she noticed I was not moving before saying," Crystal this not the time to freeze they are after you not me, now get in the closet and stay quite and do not to come out until Akreath or Spazz comes up here." She then closed the closet door after pushing me inside, then all of a sudden I could hear breaking glass, and a person saying, "Where is Crystal, little girl?"
Niki just said, "I think you got the wrong house sir." There was aloud slam from another door i cracked open the door to see Spazz rushing into the room or at least I think it was Spazz he looked bigger and more feral it looked as if he had fur growing along his arms and his goatee seemed to stretch back against his face like a full beard, he tackled a man to the ground and I heard a fight ensue but could not see anything but a black liquid splatter upon the wall as Spazz seemed to just wail upon this man, Niki seemed to be frozen in place before another man reached through the window she was near and pulled her out of the window, Spazz had turned around and growled out seeming to look somewhat like a silver wolf but humanoid he moved to the window and jumped out leaving me to sit and wonder about what was happening, though as luck would have it i did not have much time to do that as Gabelli came into my room looking severely pissed off and bloodied.
As she walked into my room she seemed to sniff around the area she looked almost like Spazz did when he came crashing into the room, she came closer and closer to the closet and all i could do was cover my mouth to try and silence myself. Being forced to breath through my nose i could tell there was a stench almost like a rotting corpse or decaying food, as she came closer to the closet it got stronger and she was making an odd sound a clicking sound almost like a bat this made my heart beat faster as the thought of what if she was using something to try and find me, at this point all the things happening today it would not surprise me but at the same time my mind was not thinking straight I knew I could not be thinking straight I just watched a man rip my step brothers head off and i watched another man come crashing through a second story window from the front yard as if it were nothing and now I saw someone who seemed to be a decent man come in looking like a half beast and leave looking like a wolf of some sort, I had to be seeing things imagining some of these things. My heart was racing I could not keep quiet for vary long as my breathing picked up with my heart rate my mind feeling an unnatural fear as i watched Gabelli come closer almost as if she had finally found me a sickening smile creeping upon her face her teeth looked unnaturally sharp as if they were filed to points.
Gabelli kept slowly stepping towards the closet her hands held out as if she was expecting me to run out of the small closet i hid in, she then said. "come out Crystal we have to get you out of here." her voice sounded different not the same annoying nasally voice i knew to be Gabelli and her eyes they struck me the most as odd as they looked to be a toxic green and crazed, she continued to step closer she was just a foot away from the door a growl coming from her before I heard a set of foot steps they were barely audible, out of the corner of my eye I saw a set of nice dress shoes then heard Akreath's cold voice. "Hey inbred mutt, you really should have mad sure i was truly dead, also you should make sure they have a heart to stab." He said with a tone that was different from the tone I normally heard it seemed as if he lost all emotion, or he was crueler, Gabelli turned around quickly and crouched down like I have seen in werewolf movies, and before my eyes A'kreath stood in the doorway to my room but he had blood all over his white dress shirt, his black dress coat was opened to show he had been stabbed with what looked like a chair leg from a chair downstairs, my heart started racing even faster I felt as if faint would set in as my mind began running away with what could possibly be happening.
Gabelli snarled at A'kreath and in that creepy tone of voice sounding as if there was a rasp now to her voice, "You... how are you standing? you were stabbed in the heart by mother..." A'kreath only took the chair leg out of his chest and tossed it to the floor and tilted his head to Gabelli. "Oh... did you not know? I have no heart so it is nearly impossible to kill me a second time." his face did not show any expression as he spoke to her, his voice even sending shivers down my spine as if he was trying to freeze the vary soul inside of me, his eyes also looked different not the grey color anymore but an ice blue and they looked to be cat like in a way but that had to be the lighting this was not possible none of this could be possible could it? My mind was running around in an uncontrolled maelstrom what was happening? was I really seeing a vampire? was my sister another one of these creatures as well?
All i could do at this point was watch as Gabelli launched her self at A'kreath, she had jumped into the air and A'kreath did nothing but stand there as if he was unimpressed at this display of defiance, Gabelli extended a hand with what looked like black claws dripping with a black ichor towards A'kreath, all he did was lift his hand to meet hers his fingers seeming to lock in between her fingers and there was that sickening sound again of cracking and breaking bones Gabelli fell to the floor and screamed in pain before swinging at him with her other hand again clawed like her other hand but it did not seem to harm him as all just his clothes as she tore through his coat and dress shirt, he just stared at her before saying. "Awe aren't you a feisty little puppy... It seems you are diseased just like your mother, I guess I need to put you down before you can spread your affliction, this will also make sure you cant spread those little legs to breed ever again little mutt." He pulled her by her hand up into his other hand, it had burst through her back a splattering of black liquid fell on the floor just like what Spazz did to the man earlier.
A'kreath ripped his hand out of her body and tossed her like a child done with their toy before looking at the closet, I froze in place seeing him stare at me was he going to kill me? or was he trying to help me? I could not make up my mind on if he was friend or foe, and why did he kill my step brother and sister, A'kreath then said firmly but there was a hint of gentleness I could not explain it but it made me calm down as if i was not in danger anymore but in the presence of someone who would protect me. "come out Crystal, we need to leave now." I did not want to leave the closet at the moment my mind was still racing away with me trying to figure out what just happened and what was A'kreath or Spazz what were my step family? I slowly stepped out of the closet looking down at the splatters on the floor wondering if it was blood or something else then my eyes slowly drifted to the body of Gabelli but it was not Gabelli, at least it did not look like her as it slowly changed before my eyes the body looked more like a wolf but it had odd teeth pointed and shark like even to the point of having multiple rows of sharp serrated teeth, and the fur looked to be oily and matted almost like she had been dipped into a vat of oil.
A'kreath watched me as I stepped out I could feel his cold gaze upon me making that same cold shiver run down my spine again, it took me a minute to ask him. " Akreath where did Niki go? What is going on here? What is that? And what are you? Please tell me the truth." A'kreath looked to me for a moment as if thinking of what to say before he sighed faintly and turned away from me and said. "As for what that is, do not worry about it right now. We do not have time for questions Crystal we need to get you out of here and out of danger as soon as possible." His tone was cold again but there was a hint of gentleness to his words just like before, even if they were brushing me off at the moment, he motioned for me to follow him.
Following him through the house I did not see my step mother but I did see the body of my step brother and again it did not look like him it looked closer to what Spazz did when he jumped out of my window, I followed A'kreath outside watching as he stood out in the sunlight unfazed it seemed, could he really be a vampire, they were not supposed to be out during the day were they? As these thoughts crossed my mind I turned to see Spazz running up to A'kreath looking human again. "I couldn't catch the bugger mate, but I did happen to find where he went, there is a cellar behind the house and it reeks mate it is a hive. " Akreath nodded to Spazz seeming to think for a moment as he looked at the house. "A hive underneath a house of what would seem to be the average American family... who would suspect a thing. Spazz take Crystal somewhere safe they are after her, they must think she will either be good breeding stock or they think she might be able to become a general. remember Spazz do not leave Crystal alone, I will find you guys later now go!"
Spazz walked towards me before turning his attention to another man running towards Spazz, the man changed before my eyes looking like a bipedal wolf like creature with black oily fur teeth dripping black ichor and claws dripping what acted like acid as it dripped onto the ground, all I heard was what sounded like the ripping of flesh and then a secondary sound of flesh tearing and what my eyes beheld was A'kreath standing beside what I could only say was a werewolf but now it was headless and A'kreath was holding its head his gaze looking into the lifeless eyes of the head in his hand. Spazz picked me up and gently put me over his shoulder, I did not know what to do at this point as he walked towards the car holding me gently but his grip was firm enough to make sure I did not fall off of his shoulder i could see scars on the back of his neck that seemed to make a picture but I could not tell what it was, I wanted to hit Spazzes back and yell at him to let me down but I decided not to more due the fact i saw A'kreath staring at the head in his hand with a cold smile on his face.
It almost felt like I was in one of those fairytale stories where the damstal in distress gets saved by the hero. I was hoping beyond all hope I was not going end up in one of those chick-flick fairytales where the female lead ends up with someone who is so much of an ego-manic or so hot-headed they got into too much trouble. I kind of pictured myself as a warrior who would fight her way to the top.
Spazz opened the car door before gently putting me inside the car and buckled me in he looked at me worriedly since I was having hard time processing everything that has happened so far. A'kreath started towards the car the head he was staring at now on the ground in a mangled mess of blood bone and grey matter, he looked to Spazz and said in a cold tone as he did before in the shop. " Get her somewhere safe Spazz we do not need her exposed to anymore of this... Shit today." he said as if searching for the words to properly say and not seem like an asshole.
Spazz nodded before he started the car. "Alright mate, just be careful don't do anything stupid." he said before looking back to me again still worried about me. " hang on lass." I was about to agree with them both but I wanted some answers to my questions including about my friend Niki and wanting her next to me on this trip to somewhere safer. So, I looked at the both of them and said,"N-no I want to go with you to get my friend back and I want to help out." I stuttered out slightly and did not even sound convincing even to myself I looked at A'kreath as his cold blue eyes looked at me and I was right they were cat like, what was he really?
A'kreath sighed to my rebuttal and looked up to the sky as if he was annoyed or trying to find words that would not hurt my feelings. " Look, I want you safe and not in the fray out in the middle of something you do not understand yet, you can come along but you will just be in the way." A'kreath had said rather bluntly and cold. Spazz only looked to A'kreath with his mouth agape as he said through a exaggerated breath. "Ouch. You couldn't put it just a bit gently mate?" A'kreath only looked to Spazz with cold emotionless eyes and said. "Do you expect me to lie to her Spazz?" He sounded as if this had angered him, as if Spazz wanted him to lie and not tell me the truth.
I stared at A'kreath with a hint of pride before saying, "I will not be in the way I know how to defend myself from whatever you guys are going to fight." A'kreath looked at me for a moment before there was a cruel smirk upon his face as if he knew something I did not know, this irritated me a bit but then there was something in his eyes it was only for a moment but it was there a hint of sadness. "Then prove it, hit me! Try and take me down Crystal let me see that you can handle what we are about to fight, show me you are able to fight the supernatural on even ground." he said his tone firm but cold, his eyes now daring me to do something, i almost did not want to try and prove my self to him every ounce of my being said this was a bad idea.
I worked up the courage to smirk back at him and with a cocky tone say "Very well, I will take you down you cocky bastard." I unbuckled my seat belt, and got out of the car walking over to A'kreath with purpose in my stride before lifting my right foot and using every bit of my strength deliver a high kick to his face there was a resounding sound of a thud as I made contact but it felt all wrong as i felt pain running down my leg and A'kreath just standing there his face did not turn or even seem to register my foot was there as he stared at me with a cold and calm expression, he lifted his left hand and grabbed my leg I could feel raw power just from his grip, he was obviously holding back as he pulled my leg away from his face there was not even a scratch on his face. " A mortal does not stand a chance without certain advantages against the supernatural Crystal I do not say this to demean you, I say it because it is true these creatures are stronger then mortals. and they can easily outnumber the Garue without even trying, the supernatural world is nothing to take lightly Crystal, you have been thrown into a world where everything you know and think you know has been flipped turned upside down and everything is wrong." He said calmly before he let go of my leg letting it drop to the ground.
"You are making it sound like these people are immortal and not human." I said with a little bit of concern for Niki, "Are you saying the fairytales that were told to us when we were small are actually true A'kreath, then what Lissa said was true you are a vampire? Which I don't mind this it sounds hot to me but, thats not the point right? Who are the people who kidnapped Niki?" A'kreath stared at me for a moment before nodding and putting his hands into what were left of his pockets and pulled out a small pack of hand made cigarettes and popped one into his mouth and lit it. " Yes all the stories though some are false or altered greatly are true. And yes I am a vampire though we prefer the term Kindred and Werewolves prefer being called Garue what we are about to go into is a den of Garue called the Black Spiral Dancers, a group corrupted by a creature called the Wyrm." He said calmly no hint of a lie at all in his tone as he took a deep drag from his cigarette and let the smoke out to fill the air, he looked to me again and said. " This world is filled with many more dangers you do not know yet, but having been made aware of the things that go bump in the night makes you more of a target now and I am sorry for this Crystal." his tone was more gentle then cold at this point, I watched him as he turned away and took another drag from the cancer stick he had lit.
I could not help but to ask questions as I watched him standing there smoking a cigarette. "Were they always corrupted by the Wyrm? What is the Wyrm? Is it a bug or something that eats the good inside of people, or draws out the bad?" I had so many questions going through my head it was making me feel dizzy and light headed. Spazz put his hand on my shoulder and said kindly. "Lass we have no time for so many questions we need to get your friend out of the clutches of the Spirals." to this A'kreath nodded and lead the way silently.
I look at Spazz and nodded in agreement, and followed after A'kreath as he walked around my home to the cellar opening the doors effortlessly even with it being chained and locked, he walked down the stairs the only words he said. "Be careful." as he disappeared into the darkness I stopped at the cellar door and thought to my self, since when did we have a cellar at the back of the house. Spazz came up beside me and looked to me worried yet again. "Las is everything good?" He said before putting his hand on my shoulder it was odd this was comforting almost like my fathers touch i wondered if he was a father himself I struggled to get the words out for a moment searching for the words to say to ask. "Not really Spazz I am worried about my friend Niki and if my father was here this whole time how come he never tried to scream for help?"
Spazz sighed as looked at the cellar door way shaking his head softly. "I don't think you would have heard him scream Las, hives are vast tunnel systems under the ground, this is just an entrance Las, I do not want to think what he has been put through, come on let us not wait to long I don't want A'kreath to have all the fun." He before he took a hold of my waist gently and pulled me with him into the cellar.
As we entered the cellar it looked normal enough though A'kreath had obviously broken down a wall, that led to a cave it was so dark there seemed to be black ichor oozing from the cave walls. I could hear sounds from further in sounding almost like the clicking that Gabelli made but more of chittering and something that sounded like a whistle. Spazz seemed to be on edge from this sound, there was a deep growl from him as he seemed to grow slightly taller and he looked more feral again, "Las this is not good, A'kreath was right you should not be here, this is a large hive and it is highly active right now."
I stared at Spazz a part of me wanted to agree with him but another part of me did not I had to find Niki and my father no matter the danger. "That might be true Spazz but I will not back down not when Niki and my father are down here, we have to get them back and I will see this through till the bitter end no matter what." I said a part of me wondering if I was a bit to cocky or being foolish in this stubbornness I was showing towards Spazz.
Spazz sighed and looked to me there was worry and sadness in his eyes as he placed a clawed hand on my shoulder, "Crystal not everyone is going to live through this, especially when it comes to Black Spiral Dancers. They rape and torture those they captures or force them to walk something called the spiral, we can not be sure everyone you want to save will be all there mentally or physically do not get your hopes up Lass that is all I am saying." I looked around the cave and said, "What are the Black Spiral Dancers Spazz?" Spazz sighed and rubbed the back of his neck softly. "They can be best summed up as Savage Cowards they will hound you in numbers and when they feel like something is to dangerous they will run... typically." I tilted my head to Spazz before asking. "If that is true why did my step family not run from you and A'kreath?"
Spazz growled faintly and said, "That is becuase they did not see us as a threat unlike most of their kind would, I believe your step family are stupid inbred mutts who don't know their head from their arse in my view. The only person I trusted was your father. "