Bloodbath

Twenty strong, the Bathurst Family stare at me through a broad window with their crimson eyes. The flames of hatred blaze in their scornful gaze. I force myself to not look away. Their reptilian pupils can mesmerize any human being, but they only make my gorge rise. Father is watching me now, and I can’t disappoint him.

I bare my fangs with a defiant grin, mocking, “There you are! I was almost worried that none of you would come tonight. Imagine my relief when my nostrils were graced by your pungent odors. Even from miles away, it’s impossible to mistake the Bathurst musk for any other.” Nineteen pairs of pallid eyebrows furrow at my insult. It appears that I’ve riled my enemies up. Good.

Yet, none of the irked simpletons retort. They hold their tongues out of respect, and fear I wager, for their clan leader: Matthias Bathurst. He is a force of nature—a paragon of his lineage’s stock. Matthias and his family look alike, obviously, with their mongrel features. Same white hair, same translucent skin, same stocky builds, but all of those family traits manifested even more monstrously in that patriarch. Comparing Matthias’ physique to a polar bear would be a gross understatement, and he is the vampire to kill if I am to honor my family’s memory.

The Bathurst leader sneers at me, the capillaries in his wide face bunching into an expression of derision. “You are the last of your kind, little Edward. Trapped in your own castle, with no where to run. The demise of your family began with your father, and it will conclude with your death. I have no desire to drag this out any longer, for I am not a sadist. Do not resist, and we will end you swiftly.”

“Haha! I am not the one trapped here, moron. If I am correct, it is a little past midnight. Matthias Bathurst, and the rest of your worthless kin, hear me! Before the sun rises to usher in a new day, you will all lie dead at my feet. That is a promise.”

Matthias' expression is flat, and he floats with a calm dignity that makes even the tarnished brocade on his dusty garments seem noble rather than shameful.  No, does he see through my bravado? Am I really about to concede an iota of admiration for the man? Before I can answer my own question, Matthias launches himself towards the window with a savage fury and pounds on the glass with all his might.

Hmph, looks like a nerve has been struck. The rest of his clan join the effort, and I glance at Death with a triumphant gleam in my eyes. My plan is finally in motion.

Against the fierce blows of twenty Bathurst vampires, the window will not hold. My enemies may excel in the realm of brute force, but they are hopeless in the face of my family’s magical prowess. The effect of my reinforcement spell keeps the dolts out, not the ancient rule that a vampire must be invited into one’s domicile. Regrettably, the Bathursts were once guests at our castle, a time when our clans were friendly rivals and not bitter enemies. But, that was so long ago...

Damn, this is no time to reminisce! Grabbing Death by the hand, I fly with it under Father’s painting to the Great Hall at full speed. I’m not even a quarter of the way to the Great Hall when I hear the window shatter. Now, it’s only a matter of time before they catch and tear me apart. Come on, come on! I need to go faster!

Halfway down the hallway that leads to my destination, I hear a cacophony of of hisses from behind. The Bathursts are on my tail, but I am no longer worried. Thirty empty suits of armor line the sides of the hallway, each worn by different members of my family in the past for no other reason than vanity. I was supposed to get my own armor, before my loved ones...perished.

As I fly past the last sets of armor in the hallway, I activate the spells I had placed on them earlier with a small gesture and quick incantation. The Malthus magical seal glows on each suit, and the armored shells come to life, animated by the dark arts my family and I spent generations mastering. It’s hard not to smirk when I hear one of the Bathursts shriek, “What the devil?” I just ensured my safe passage to the Great Hall.

The armor suits block the path to me, brandishing their weapons to hold off my foes. I turn to see the Bathursts slam into the metallic creatures. The armor suits hold their ground surprisingly well, and none of them are knocked down by the impact. Two of my enemies attempt to fly over the defensive line, but they are met by spears and broadswords that inconvenience rather than hurt them. The remaining armor sets the Bathursts and I flew past flank my adversaries from behind, overwhelming them. Despite the stabs and slashes my puppets unleash upon those vampires, none of the strikes could ever be fatal. The point of this trap was not to kill but distract my enemies. Now, the Bathursts are under my control.

I carefully select my quarry, observing which of my supposed predators show signs of weakness. I settle on four vampires, two of whom appear to be in their adolescence while the other two are quite elderly—in vampiric age, of course. I permit my guards to let my selected prey pass the blockade, and the four weaklings dart towards me. Their leader bellows, “Stay sharp, and tear him to shreds!”

Slowly, I walk backwards to the dais at the end of the Great Hall. The room is windowless, in case my family had to deal with political affairs during the daytime. Two long refectory tables are on both sides of me, and the hall’s wooden ceiling looms far above. I turn and float up to the high table where my first true trap has been carefully lain. Thomas followed my instructions well, and he even had the decorum to place the weapon upon a satin pillow. How thoughtful.

The four vampires I chose rush past the massive doors to the hall, and the entrance shuts behind them, reinforced by the same spell I had cast on the windows in the atrium. Yes, yes! They are now at my mercy. The quartet freezes as I turn to face them, armed with the instrument that will help bring about their destruction.

I take pleasure in the perplexed expressions on their faces. “Esteemed guests, welcome to the Great Hall! As your host, it would be remiss of me to not provide any entertainment. Allow me to serenade you all with this wonderfully crafted flute.”

The eldest of the four barks, “Let’s just skip the foreplay and get right to the main event: tearing you limb from limb!”

“Please, I must insist you lend your ears for but a moment! A piercingly brilliant song was played for me long ago on this flute, and I had to buy this instrument for myself. I want to share the experience with you. Trust me, it’s a truly killer tune.” I lift the flute to my lips. Before I play, I retract my ears into my skull, leaving only patches of flesh where my ears once were. The wonders of shapeshifting, another gift of the Malthus bloodline unavailable to the Bathursts. My enemies look even more confused. They have no idea what is in store for them.

I can’t hear anything, and I lament that I won’t be able to listen to their screams. I suppose I can settle for only watching them writhe in agony. The eldest seems to suspect what I am planning, for his eyes widen in fear. Before he can warn his kin, I blow into the flute, and the four sink to their knees in pain, covering their ears with their palms. Excellent.

Several decades ago, a traveling minstrel came to our court to entertain my family. He wanted to play a Baroque sonata for us, but he did so on this shoddily crafted wooden flute. The performance nearly blew our eardrums out, and the man was executed for his effrontery, naturally. Vampire ears cannot bear the pitch of the flute, but I kept it anyways, for it had fascinated me in the way it could harm us when normal weapons could not. That was a wise decision, as the flute now serves me well against the Bathursts.

Thick streams of violet blood pour from the ears of my quarry down the backs of their hands. Here is my chance! I dart towards my fallen foes, drawing my silver sword with one hand as I close in. The flute doesn’t leave my lips, and I sustain the single, shrill note. I point the tip of my blade towards the eldest’s chest. Death looks at me, nodding with what I believe to be approval. Grinning, I plunge my sword into the heart of the eldest, and he is no more. His family won’t be able to revive him. The silver sword has seen to that.

I move to the youth nearest the Bathurst I had just slain. It should be of note that I am not gratified by killing vampires that had not reached adulthood, but this monstrous act must be done for my revenge to be complete. My blade cuts through his neck like butter. Only two left to go from this bunch.

The other old vampire struggles to stand, and he only makes it to where he is kneeling upright. I play the shrill note more intensely. He does not falter. I fear I may have to fight this one. Raising my sword, I prepare to strike first, but the Bathurst does not lunge at me, instead throwing himself over the remaining youth. He wants to protect her? What a touching, and ultimately useless, display. The old fool catches me off guard when he swats the flute from my hand, sending it flying into a wall where it smashes into pieces. I curse my carelessness, and I swiftly finish the two. With that, the Bathurst Clan is four members short.

I protract my ears to the sound of Matthias and the others attempting to breach the hall’s doors. The slaughter shall continue, but not here. No, my enemies will die at the exact time and place of my choosing. My body unravels as I assume mist form, and I glide to the wall behind the high table, seeping through the tight gaps between the bricks into a hidden passageway.

In the passageway, I coalesce to assume my original, beautiful form. Just in time, for the Bathursts burst through the entrance. Matthias screams in fury, validating that my handiwork left its mark. A smile creeps on my face as I traverse the hidden passage to my next trap.

Death leans in close to my ear, rubbing my shoulders with its amorphous fingers. “Brilliant work, Master. At this rate, your enemies will be dead within the hour.”

“Maybe, maybe not, my treasure. Things can change at the drop of a hat, and I must be able to adapt to ever-changing conditions. Remember, cornered foxes are the most dangerous. The Bathursts have seen what I am capable of when my back is against the wall, and I must assume that they too will act with such ferocity in desperate times. Until I have isolated Matthias, I must tread lightly, striking only when I have an indubitable advantage.”

I utilize hit-and-run tactics for the next several hours, trapping and slaying small groups of my adversaries using a mix of dark magics, my sword, and other items that Thomas placed around the castle per my instructions. There have been several close calls when the more experienced vampires attempted to outmaneuver me and face me head-on, but they all fell victim to the brilliance of my traps. During each encounter, Death has been at my side, and any fear I have of tasting defeat vanishes knowing that my love is championing me.

Still, the carnage leaves me hollow for some reason. I want to believe that the sight of Matthias watching his family slowly go extinct is fulfilling my desire for vengeance. Truth be told, I am disturbed by how easy it has been to lay waste to the Bathursts. I can’t believe that these vampires, who have been dropping like flies, are the same ones I’ve been dreading to combat for the past several months.

But, something disturbs me even more. I thought each Bathurst I murdered would leave an imprint on my mind, but I have yet to experience anything of the sort. The deaths blend together in my mind. Why...why do they all feel the same? Why don’t I feel more victorious than confused? Were the Bathursts also this devoid of emotion when they slew my family? I’m shaking uncontrollably now, and I don’t know if I want to vomit or pass out. What is this feeling? At the very least, I am having this episode in the safety of a passage under the castle.

As I lurch towards the wall of the narrow corridor, Death wraps its arms around me. “Control yourself, Master. This physical reaction will pass. You are in shock, and nothing more.”

“Shock over what? Tell me, Death, what truly ails me? I am not poisoned, and I am unscathed by my brief skirmishes with those bastards. Am I right to fear that my indifference to this massacre insinuates my lack of conviction? That all of this was for naught?”

Death turns my face to its own, peering into my soul with those bottomless pits that are meant to be its eyes. “Do not give into weakness, Count Edward, not when victory is within your grasp! I will explain what ails you: your power. Even you are blindsided by your own strength. Master, you must accept that while your revenge will not be what you had hoped, it will be yours, and that alone is proof of your devotion to your family. From the start, my love, I was drawn to you, for you possess the very qualities you fear to lack.”

“S-strength and devotion?”

Death nods. I straighten my back and lift my head. Any doubts I had are gone. Where would I be without my beloved rescuing me from the pits of my despair?

I continue my assault against the Bathursts without any setbacks or mercy. I make my last two attacks more devastating than any other, disposing of the last seven relatives Matthias had in this world. He is as alone as I am. I shall await him in my family tomb. There, we can commiserate on our losses before I put him out of his misery.

Sitting on the lid of Father’s coffin, I wait close to an hour for the Bathurst patriarch to arrive. I made no mystery of my location, but Matthias took his sweet time to come to me. I hear his heavy footsteps on the stone stairs down to where my family used to sleep, and I squeeze the rolled parchment of the summoning scroll in my hand.

Father...

Mother...

Anna...

Give me the strength I need to defeat this monster.

Death takes my hand in its own, and I steady my breathing. Matthias is at the foot of the stairs, watching me with eyes weary from witnessing the loss of everything he held dear. He walks slowly towards me, and I can see that he has aged considerably in the course of a single violent evening. Matthias stops several feet away from Father’s coffin, staring at me mournfully and wordlessly.

If he won’t speak, then I will. “Well, well, Lord Matthias. Here you are, the last of your family. I guess that’s something we have in common now.”

To my utter shock, Matthias kneels before me, head down. “Count Edward Malthus, we have brought each other too much suffering. Not only are our loved ones gone, but we are the last two vampires on earth. This bloodshed must end if we are to ensure our kind’s future.”

“Ha! You and your repugnant lineage should have thought about that before you chose to attack us.”

The Bathurst patriarch lifts his head and meets my gaze. “Our actions were not unwarranted, and you would have to be ignorant to think otherwise. The Malthus Clan betrayed the Bathurst Clan! Because of your father, the King sent his army to destroy our castle and purge my family from the land. It was daytime, and my family and I slept in our coffins unaware of what was to come. The knights were armed with silver weapons, stakes, garlic, holy water, everything that could kill a vampire. Why would your family do such a thing? We were never enemies before that atrocity. You may be too young to remember that the House of Malthus and the House of Bathurst built the aristocracy of this country together to benefit vampires!”

I narrow my eyes. “In your own words, Matthias, things are more precious when less people have them. Do not pout about your own philosophy being used against you. Poor bastard, you only have yourself to blame for your family’s misfortune.”

“Cur! I will dismember you!” Matthias bears his fangs and claws, ready to tear me apart.

I unfold the scroll in my hand. “Fear not, my foe. With this spell, I will send you to hell to be with your family for all eternity. Feel the flames of my rage! Feel the flames of my hatred!”

An intense fire bursts from the scroll and engulfs Matthias. The vampire wails, and he will keep wailing and burning, for the blaze is sustained by my desire for vengeance. Matthias will burn to death for all his and his family’s transgressions against the House of Malthus. He—wait, what is he doing?

“Edward! You're coming with me! Our families miss us!”

Matthias flies towards me at a speed I did not believe possible for vampires, and he locks me in a tight grip against his burning body. I can’t free myself! No, no! The flames are now on me, and my skin is blistering under the infernal heat. “Unhand me, you rat!”

Matthias does not react to the flames melting his flesh nor my fangs sinking into his eye. It can’t end like this! I see Death floating above us, watching everything with a blank stare. The world is fading now, and my agony is being replaced by numbness.

I call to my love one last time, “Death! Do something, I beg of you!”

It’s coming to me now. Hurry, hurry! Why is it just standing there? I—slipping away. No good. No more. No light. No darkness.

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Nothing and everything there, beyond the veil. I go there now...forever.