Chapter 13: The Son of Hell

Kaileena tore off the DO NOT CROSS tape and slipped into the crime scene with the vampire lord in tow. The scent of blood still seemed fresh, even though it had been almost 12 hours since the bodies had been discovered. The victims had been carted away and all that remained of their slaughter were the ashes of the Bastera laying nearby. They had attempted to take the creature for study but the moment they tried to touch it, the corpse disintegrated, leaving a mound of dust behind. The best they could do was collect a sample and send it to Dr. Severin for analysis. Everything else had been left untouched. Until now at least.

She pressed her hand against the steel door that led to the tunnels underneath the building. It was sealed tightly, and she could feel a dark energy emanating from it. Not only had the door been welded shut, but a barrier had been raised in order to stop any would-be hunters tracking the killer down. The dhampir shook her head in amusement. Perfect killers they may be, but elite necromancers they’re not. She bit one of her fingers and allowed the blood to drip from her wound. Vincent watched from a few feet away, his ears pricked for any intruders who may disrupt their progress. Kaileena traced an intricate symbol upon the door, reminiscent of the ancient lemniscate of infinity, and it glowed a deep blue before the entire door was shrouded in a glowing indigo mist. The mist flashed and then dispersed, leaving the door unmarked. She pressed her hand against the door again and smirked. She could no longer feel the energy that had barricaded the door.

“That’s one problem solved,” she muttered. “Now we have to break down this door without making too much noise.”

“I’ll handle that,” said Vincent. “You just stand back and keep watch.”

The Hunter nodded and stepped back to allow the vampire lord through. She wondered what she may see. The door was welded so tightly shut that not even ten burly construction workers could break it down. What could a vampire of such tall and lean build do to a seal that strong? Vincent shut his eyes briefly, calling up the ancient powers that had been passed through his bloodline. They snapped open, ice blue burning with a deep crimson flame as the pupils narrowed to reptilian slits. Long talons shot out from his right hand and with a single swipe, struck the door. He stepped back and the door fell into a dozen shards upon the dusty basement floor. Kaileena stared in amazement at the man who stood before her. She’d only fought one high-level master in her time but even his strength did not compare to Vincent’s. She wondered if it depended on the vampire, or the body the vampire possessed. Whatever the reason, she was only starting to get an inkling as to how strong the Dracului truly was. The talons receded and his eyes faded back to their original shade.   Vincent turned to face Kaileena and saw the look of utter shock upon her face. He realised it was towards his power and he shook his head.

“You had no idea I was a first-level master, did you?”

“Not until now,” she said hollowly, her voice faint from shock. Needless to say, she was more than glad he was on her side. It was quite clear to her that if they had ever came to blows, she would almost certainly die. The vampire lord sighed.

“The Dracului only employs first-level masters and higher for their council. It has to be this way for my people to exist in this world with a carefully structured government. As unrealistic as that may seem.”

“You mean, there are higher ranks than master?”

“There is a set system where the masters are allocated ranks depending on where they stand in their level of strength, agility and power. There are Lunar Circles in the Dracului where this system applies. The High Moon are the most powerful and therefore the highest rank. Then there is the Full Moon, the Half Moon, the Red Moon and Crescent Moon all the way down to the Dark Moon, which is the lowest rank.”

“And you number in the more powerful ranks?” Kaileena asked. Vincent nodded.

“Only recently promoted to the first of the Full Moon Circle.”

“Promoted?”

The vampire lord was briefly silent. “It is a rare opportunity to be promoted in the Dracului.”

Read between the lines: they don’t die often enough for seats to be available. Kaileena nodded. “I see.” Then she frowned. “Why are you telling me all this? Surely this could spell demotion or execution for you to divulge matters pertaining to the council to me.”

“The hierarchy of the Dracului is hardly something we consider to be a security concern.” He glanced at her. “It is not easy to kill one of us. To even try may result in your death.”

Seeing the vampire’s strength in action, the dhampir didn’t even argue that point. “We better get moving.” She loosened her sword in its sheath and entered the gaping maw that Vincent had created.

 

It was a passage so narrow that a group would have to explore it. The stench of blood, sweat and decay was strong to turn even a vampire’s stomach and flooded the Hunter’s nostrils with unwelcome gusto. She resisted the urge to gag at the reek and pushed forward, bowing low in some sections to squeeze through. She suddenly felt like a mouse trapped in a twisted maze and she felt her heart rate soaring as she willed herself to continue through the damp tunnels. She hadn’t felt like this in years, but then again, she did make a habit of choosing large living spaces with high and lofty ceilings and airy rooms. She stopped in her tracks, gripping the slick, rust-coated wall with a sweaty hand. Vincent frowned at her.

“Why did you stop?” He didn’t receive an answer other than the harsh, ragged breathing of the dhampir in front of him. His frown deepened and wondered if the Thirst had taken over again. “Kaileena?”

“I don’t like enclosed spaces,” she panted, her nails raking down the wall and leaving deep gouges in the thick rust. He frowned slightly at her words and noticed her breathing was getting heavier. The vampire lord squeezed past her and looked at the woman. She had her head down, her skin was paler than usual and she was sweating profusely. Her hand trembled and it looked like she was trying to get her body to move but it was frozen in fear. His icily gleaming eyes widened slightly in realisation.

She’s claustrophobic.

Vincent didn’t rebuke the dhampir, nor did he insult her for being so weak. Instead, he reached out and grasped the dhampir’s hand. It was cold and clammy in his grip. He’d never been claustrophobic, having slept in coffins when he was younger. Nor could he imagine what Kaileena was feeling right now. But they couldn’t find the answers to this riddle if she was frozen here, trembling like a helpless child. She raised her eyes to his, blinking slightly. She looked like a lost little girl trapped in a dark labyrinth with no one to help her. It suddenly struck him how fragile this Hunter actually was.

“It’s all right,” he murmured softly. “We’re halfway down the tunnel. Just a few more feet and we’re out.” Kaileena shook her head slightly and he squeezed her hand. “You made it this far. You can do this.”

She felt the fear slowly leaving her system and she stepped forward. The vampire lord nodded and led her down the tunnel, his eyes darting left to right for anything out of the ordinary. It was eerily quiet. No other sound but their footsteps and water dripping from the rusted pipes and ceiling. Five minutes passed and that fear began to well up in her again. He must have sensed it for he squeezed her hand gently, coaxing her to push forward. She didn’t know why, but she felt comforted by the vampire doing this. Normally, she would have been repulsed by a vampire touching her. But in the midst of this cramped and dark tunnel, she welcomed it all too gladly. Ten minutes later, she could see a light at the end of the tunnel. They were close to the exit now. She felt the fear vanish and she released Vincent’s hand. The vampire looked at her quizzically.

“I can take over from here,” she said, brushing past the man and leading the way once more. He shook his head in amazement as he followed. She’d been trembling in his grasp just a few seconds ago. Now she was tough and resilient, as though nothing had happened. Why did I even bother helping her? She slipped out of the tunnel first and Vincent followed shortly thereafter.

 

They found themselves standing the midst of a huge industrial complex. Pipes of all shapes and sizes were weaving webs around the walls and ceilings at random intervals. Water glistened on the concrete floors and smoke and steam billowed from open grates and narrow outlets. Firelight cast an evil glow upon the rusted walls and catwalks running above their heads, but nothing seemed to be moving. There was no sign of danger, no alarms, no guards. Nothing. The place was too quiet for Vincent’s tastes.

“This looks like it used to be a smelting facility,” said the dhampir, adjusting the sword on her back. “Whoever killed those girls must be hiding here somewhere.”

‘This place is enormous,” growled Vincent. “It will take days for us to scour this area. And in the time we spend trying to find this lunatic, more bodies could turn up.”
“I know,” snapped the dhampir. “But I don’t intend to spend days in this place.”

“So, what is your plan?” he asked sarcastically. The Hunter’s eyes played on her surroundings before lighting on a ladder nearby. She nodded briefly and turned to the vampire lord. “We’ll use the catwalks. There should be a map of this facility near the furnaces.”

Vincent nodded. “All right, we’ll start from there.” He sighed. “I’ll go first. This place is too quiet for something to not be hiding here.” He pushed past the dhampir and placed his hand on the first rung of the steel ladder. He grimaced as his skin touched the slimy metal, but pushed it out of his mind. He took a deep breath and started to make his ascent.

“Vincent, wait.”
The vampire lord glared at her. “What?”

She sighed and looked down at her feet. He blinked in surprise as he noted her cheeks were unusually pink. She was blushing!

“Thank you, for helping me back there,” she said quietly. “It’s humiliating for me to be claustrophobic.”  Her cheeks grew red. “Especially in my line of work.”

The vampire couldn’t help but blink. She was embarrassed? He took his hands off the ladder and walked over to her. He rested a hand on her shoulder and made her look in his eyes. She did so, reluctantly.

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed. Even the strongest are afraid of something. And hey, at least I’ll know for next time when you freeze up.” He smiled at her. Kaileena’s blush darkened.

“Thanks. That makes things so much easier for me,” she muttered. The vampire tried to suppress a laugh. She looked at him. “And what are you afraid of, tough guy?”

He opened his mouth to answer but then frowned. “I don’t know. Nothing as of yet, I suppose.” He shook his head, remembering where they were. “But now is not the time for this. We need to find this killer and put an end to this massacre.”

“Right,” she said, a little more firmly than was necessary. “So, are you still going first, or should I?”

Vincent had to laugh then. “I’ll go first. Stay here and keep an eye out.” He turned back to the ladder and began his ascent once more. The Hunter’s right hand strayed to her sword every now and then, her other hand resting upon her belt. The vampire continued his ascent, glancing down at the dhampir who was very intent on her surroundings. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary but he still felt uneasy. He climbed over the ladder onto the catwalk and looked around, drawing the katana that Kaileena had loaned him. His eyes roved the dark spaces and steamy gaps, struggling vainly to spot any sign of danger. Nothing. He continued in this pattern for several more minutes until he was satisfied it was safe. He walked back over to the ladder and leaned over the side.

“It’s clear.”

 

The Hunter nodded and began her climb up the ladder. It didn’t take long for her to make her ascent and she climbed up onto the catwalk next to Vincent. She nodded to him to take point and he returned the gesture, drawing his guns and cautiously leading the way. She took a few steps forward before a loud creaking echoed throughout the large factory.

“Vincent, something’s off about-“

The catwalk gave way under her feet and she screamed in shock, cutting off her sentence. The vampire lord whirled around to see the dhampir falling from the catwalk to the floor about five storeys below.

“Kaileena!” He dove for the edge of the broken walkway and managed to grab the Hunter by the arm before she plummeted to the ground. Kaileena dangled helplessly, the jagged edges of the broken catwalk scraping against her exposed arm. She gripped the vampire’s arm with her other hand and he grunted as he pulled her up to safety. She stumbled against him as she found her feet on the steel walkway, gripping him a little more tightly than necessary from shock.

“Are you all right?” asked the vampire. The Hunter nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She glanced down at the remains of the ladder she’d just climbed lying several storeys below. “We should be more careful.”
“Agreed,” he said. He couldn’t help but shake his head in puzzlement. “I don’t understand. This walkway was entirely stable before.”

“Something tells me we’re not alone after all,” muttered the dhampir. She glanced at the vampire lord who was about to ask what could have caused this when another loud creaking echoed through the hall. Kaileena’s eyes widened as she noticed the entire structure of the walkway was slowly giving way.

“RUN!”

The pair sprinted as fast as they could through the maze of walkways, their legs pumping madly as the catwalks collapsed in pieces right behind them. The dhampir could have sworn she heard a strange laughter underneath the shrieking of crumbling metal but didn’t have time to focus on it. They needed to get off this walkway NOW, or they would be lying in a pile of rubble more than thirty feet below.

“Kaileena, watch out!”

She turned just in time to duck a falling pipe begging to crack her skull open. She risked a glance behind her and saw that not only the catwalks were collapsing, but the entire factory too. That strange laughter tittered again, but it was drowned out by the scream of steel being torn apart. It would seem that whatever was hiding in this place, it had been awaiting their arrival. Now they were caught in a mad maze as they ran for their lives. A loud shriek of laughter and her head jerked back as pain raked the side of her face. Blood trickled in warm rivers down her skin, but she had caught a glimpse of what had attacked her. Something with a stick-like body and skin the hue of deep crimson. No, not skin. Armour. Armour dyed the colour of blood.

Great, pixies,  she thought acidly. What else would be able to compromise structural integrity without any notice? These weren’t ordinary pixies either. From the looks of their angular bodies and long claws, they were the result of cross-breeding with another species of demon. She couldn’t really guess what the other breed may have been, but it was certainly fast and something even a vampire wouldn’t be able to detect. Whoever was running this place now definitely did their homework. And she was not fond of being on the receiving end of their research.

One last turn and suddenly they were stuck in an intersecting pathway. Four separate catwalks branched out in different directions. All of which seemed to lead to the door standing about five feet away. She racked her brains trying to figure out the best route for them to take. But her mind was drawing a blank.

“Which way?” growled Vincent. The pixies had decided to make their appearance now. They looked less like pixies and more like starving goblins, salivating over their cornered prey.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you do the thinking for once?” she snapped, mostly of frustration than anything else. They didn’t have time to decide for the catwalks collapsed, leaving them standing on a little floating island of steel. The pixies were cackling menacingly, their sharp little teeth exposed in eerie grins. Vincent was growing frustrated. He frowned slightly as he narrowed his eyes. He snarled in annoyance as he noticed the door had a large panel with numbered keys underneath.

“S**t, the door’s coded.”

“Well, what do we do now? We don’t have time to punch in random numbers!” The pixies leaped at Kaileena and she flung several knives at the critters with focus and precision. They fell to the cavern below and the rest of them were now buzzing like angry bees. Vincent growled loudly, cursing under his breath. The island was beginning to creak underneath them. They were running out of time.

 

“F**k this!” he snarled and threw off his coat, tossing it to Kaileena. Kaileena stared in shock as he threw it to her.

“You’re just going to give up?’ she snapped. “What the hell kind of vampire are you?”

“Shut up!”

His eyes suddenly glowed a deep vermillion, the pupils narrowing to slits. Long talons emerged from his fingertips, skewering any pixies who dared to come near him. His canines lengthened to large fangs and strange, intricate patterns began to cover his skin. But these weren’t ordinary patterns. They were something that Kaileena instantly recognised. Something that made her eyes go wide with fear and disbelief.

Hell Runes?!

Vincent’s shirt tore loudly at the back as large wings of iridescent crimson and ebony emerged from his back, unfurling quickly. The wingspan was easily in proportion with his height and the skin of his body darkened to the hue of a raven’s wing. The runes still patterned his flesh, pulsing with a violet glow and his eyes blazed with a vermillion light. Kaileena was rendered speechless as she stared at the creature standing before her. He didn’t even look remotely human anymore. What the hell was he? A demon? A devil? Perhaps, the Devil? Vincent turned to her and saw the look of horror and amazement on her face. He felt a pang of hurt at that look but now was not the time for that.

“Come on,” he growled, his voice metallic and resonating with a sinister melody. Grabbing the dhampir, he held her tight against his body and soared into the air. Using his wings as a shield, he shot towards the door with the speed of a fired bullet. The sound of shrieking metal and exploding debris assaulted his ears. His wings unfurled again and he saw that they were in a dark cavern, perhaps a mine of sorts. He gently lowered them to the ground, setting the dhampir down first before staggering slightly. He panted heavily, his hands clawing at the soft earth. Kaileena stared as he slowly changed, back to human form. Several minutes later, he stood there, his skin coated with sweat and the remains of the silk shirt clinging to him like rags. He raised his head to gaze at the dhampir before his eyes rolled into the head and he felt himself falling. Falling into oblivion? Into unconsciousness? He didn’t know. All he heard was the sound of her voice calling his name as the darkness engulfed him.

                       ~*~

Kaileena sat by Vincent the whole time, her mind reeling from what she just saw. The vampire’s breath was slow and even, and he looked like hell, but he was alive. Her hand was on the hilt of her sword, but she didn’t draw it. For some reason, even after what she’d just witnessed, she didn’t feel compelled to kill Vincent. Never in her entire life had she seen a transformation of this kind before. She could feel that he was a true vampire. But still, that demon he turned into….exactly what kind of vampire was he? It was known for vampires to be classified by what animals they shifted into, such as Alpha-Type for vampires shifting into wolves or Beta-Type for bats. Even so, what Vincent had changed into was in a category of its own. Nothing about a vampire shifting into a demon was recorded anywhere. So what did this mean? Did the Dracului have more secrets than they let on? Or was this something far more sinister that spanned beyond the politics of vampiric rule? She was too stunned to even think of it. She resolved to ask him.

A soft groan diverted her attention to the vampire lord. His brows knitted together slightly before his eyes slid open. He glanced sidelong at the dhampir who was sitting close by.

“How long was I out?” he mumbled, trying to get his jaw to work.

“Three hours,” replied the Hunter. “At least we got out of there before the factory collapsed.”

He nodded and turned his gaze away from her. “…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m just glad you’re all right.” She pulled out a small flask and dropped two plasma pills into it before handing it to him. “Here, it looks like you need it.” The vampire took the proffered flask and drank deeply. The blood re-energised him and he sat up slowly, feeling his strength returning. Kaileena sat next to him, resting a hand upon his back to support him in case he fell back. Vincent pushed her away gently, sighing deeply.

 “Vincent…what are you?”

The vampire lord looked at her and was surprised not to see fear or hatred in her eyes. She was watching him, waiting him out. He sighed.

“I’ve been so prejudiced against dhampirs and yet I’m the biggest hypocrite.”

Kaileena frowned. “What are you talking about?”

He looked her squarely in the eyes. “I’m a half-breed, Kaileena.”

She stared in absolute disbelief. “What?!”

“Yes. You see, I am a vampire, but I’m not half-human. I’m a different kind of hybrid.” He leaned back, using his arm for support. “My mother was a full vampire, but my father was a devil. No, he wasn’t just any devil. He was the Devil.”

“Lucifer?”

Vincent snorted. “Lucifer only wishes he was. But he is only a fallen angel in service to the true ruler of Hell. Even you should know the hierarchy of devils and demons that rule the seventh circles of Hell. From the lowest all the way to the highest ranks.”

Kaileena’s eyes narrowed as she recalled her old knowledge of the archives and pieced it all together in her mind. They suddenly flew wide open as she gawked at him. That’s impossible!

“You…you’re the son of Abaddon?!”

The vampire lord could only nod. The Hunter couldn’t believe her ears. All she had been taught about demons and devils had gone out the window. Of all the devils she knew of, it had been stated in many archives that devils that resided in Hell could never procreate. That any form of reproduction using their genes would result in utter failure. And yet, after seeing him transform, she couldn’t fault his explanation.

“But it has been stated that-“

“It was a decree that was passed by Abaddon shortly after my birth,” interjected the vampire. “When my mother died, he did not wish me to live the rest of my life in Hell. He did it for his sake, and mine, to deny any knowledge that it was possible to procreate with devils from his domain. This is only the third time any such thing had occurred. The other two either died or went mad from the devil’s blood lurking in their veins. Though nothing like this has happened to me, Abaddon still holds that decree and forbids any knowledge to be discovered as to the origin of my birth.” He lowered his eyes. “He did not want my mother to live in Hell with him, but she chose to. She died from a rare vampiric disease when I was only a baby. I was sent to the surface to be raised by Lady Catherina, the current Duchess of York and my surrogate mother. It was she who told me the truth of my birth, since I was too small to remember any of it.”

 

He looked at Kaileena who was sitting there. She was just listening, quietly. After he finished his tale, she broke her silence.

“It is remarkable the Dracului don’t know about this, given how thorough they are when choosing their members.”

“It was Mother’s idea,” he replied. “She went out of her way to get papers and official documentation fabricated about my birthplace and who my family was. She practically assured me promotion into the high council.” He lowered his head to his knee, not wanting to look at the Vampire Hunter. “I can safely say when I discovered my powers, I hated my father passionately. He cursed me with this bloodline and this existence. Why was he never around? Didn’t he want me? You can’t imagine what it’s like to think that your own father regretted you being born. It was then that Mother told me everything. I am indebted to her for her kindness.” He sighed deeply and looked at her. “I am sorry for treating you so harshly, Kaileena. I guess….I was jealous of the fact that part of you is human. Whereas I….” He trailed off and leaned his head on his knee. He felt a soft hand rest upon his shoulder and he reluctantly turned to look at her. There was a gentle look on her face and she shook her head.

“Even vampires have a human side, Vincent,” she said. “It shouldn’t matter that you don’t have a part of you that’s biologically human. But you feel pain, you feel remorse and you feel kindness and sorrow and laughter. You love the woman who you think of as your mother and you’re afraid of yourself. If emotions are not human, then I do not know what to call them.” She smiled gently. “You’re no more human than I am.”

“Kaileena…”

Kaileena shook her head again. “We all have things about ourselves that we don’t wish to acknowledge, Vincent. It’s all part of growing stronger and coming to terms with them. I may not accept the fact that part of me is vampire, but I have accepted that most of civilisation-demon, mortal, or vampire- has their human side.” She glanced up at their surroundings and rose to her feet, holding her hand out to him. “Come on, we have a killer to get off the streets. I don’t want to stay here longer than we already have.”

Vincent nodded and reached to grab her hand before she jerked it back. He looked at her, nonplussed.

“I almost forgot.” Kaileena pulled out the leather coat he’d tossed to her earlier and handed it to him. “You don’t want to walk around with a torn shirt, do you?”

The vampire lord laughed and shook his head. “Probably not. You might get distracted.” A smirk curved his lips. Kaileena blinked and shook her head.

“What gave you that idea?” she retorted, but her cheeks were rather pink. She only just noticed how well-built he actually was. He may have been a vampire, but she couldn’t deny he was incredibly attractive. Vincent laughed genuinely this time. He thought she was very cute when she was blushing.

“That blush is unbecoming, Miss Rose.” He took the coat and slipped it over his torn shirt. He didn’t like the fact that he’d ripped yet another silk shirt, but at least they were both still alive.

“I’m not blushing!” Her reddening face was proving otherwise. She huffed a little and walked past him. “Come on, your untimely nap has cost us a lot of time. We’ll need to step up the pace if we want to catch this guy.” He resisted the urge to tease her further and just followed, taking his guns out of the coat and checking if they were loaded. He nodded in satisfaction and the pair delved deeper into the mine, the short-lived camaraderie already behind them.